Prince Caspian

So excited for the next installment - I'll break my "can't watch fantasy because it gives me nightmares" rule for this one!

Guarding Our Souls - Henri Nouwen

Another email from the Henri Nouwen society...

Guarding Our Souls

The great danger of the turmoil of the end-time in which we live is losing our souls. Losing our souls means losing touch with our center, our true call in life, our mission, our spiritual task. Losing our soul means becoming so distracted by and preoccupied with all that is happening around us that we end up fragmented, confused, and erratic. Jesus is very aware of that danger. He says: "Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, 'I am the one' and 'The time is near at hand' Refuse to join them" (Luke 21:8).

In the midst of anxious times there are many false prophets, promising all sorts of "salvations." It is important that we be faithful disciples of Jesus, never losing touch with our true spiritual selves.

Choosing the Blessings - Henri Nouwen

Another great bit from the Henri Nouwen society that arrived in my inbox yesterday.

Choosing the Blessings

It is an ongoing temptation to think of ourselves as living under a curse. The loss of a friend, an illness, an accident, a natural disaster, a war, or any failure can make us quickly think that we are no good and are being punished. This temptation to think of our lives as full of curses is even greater when all the media present us day after day with stories about human misery.

Jesus came to bless us, not to curse us. But we must choose to receive that blessing and hand it on to others. Blessings and curses are always placed in front of us. We are free to choose. God says, Choose the blessings!

Continuing the Cohen Theme

Some of my own words tomorrow or the next day, I promise, but in the meantime...

I was paging through some notes I made when I read Leonard Cohen's latest book of poetry, "The Book of Longing" late last year, and came across the following poem, which describes, just a little, how I'm feeling this week about my relationship with God. Things are feeling new and alive and fresh again for the first time in quite some time. New and beautiful. I feel alive, and that's something that's always worth celebrating.

How Could I Have Doubted
I stopped looking for you
I stopped waiting for you
I stopped dying for you
and I started dying for myself
I aged rapidly
I became fat in the face
and soft in the gut
and I forgot that I’d ever loved you
I was old
I had no focus, no mission
I wandered around eating and buying
bigger and bigger clothes
and I forgot why I hated
every long moment that was mine to fill
Why did you come back to me tonight
I can’t even get off this chair
Tear run down my cheeks
I am in love again
I can live like this

If it be your will....

I've been listening to Jann Arden's rendition of Leonard Cohen's song, "If it Be Your Will" again lately. As it played this morning I realized I wanted to put the lyrics up here again. They're reflecting parts of my heart's position lately. I'm particularly drawn to the second and third verses.

If it be your will
That I speak no more
And my voice be still
As it was before
I will speak no more
I shall abide until
I am spoken for
If it be your will

If it be your will
That a voice be true
From this broken hill
I will sing to you
From this broken hill
All your praises they shall ring
If it be your will
To let me sing

From this broken hill
All your praises they shall ring
If it be your will
To let me sing

If it be your will
If there is a choice
Let the rivers fill
Let the hills rejoice
Let your mercy spill
On all these burning hearts in hell
If it be your will
To make us well

And draw us near
And bind us tight
All your children here
In their rags of light
In our rags of light
All dressed to kill
And end this night
If it be your will

If it be your will.