My daughter was telling me about something she watched on tv last night (while I was at college) -- about someone who started a choir for homeless people. She spoke of one man who came along, off thew streets, and when asked what he would like to sing, said 'Silent Night'. They were she said, like broken people playing with holy things. I said that sounded like the first line of a poem, so with her assistance, i wrote it:
We are the broken people
Who play with holy things;
We speak our sacred phrases,
And think our words give wings.
Have mercy on us Father,
Pull out the poisoned stings.
We are the broken people,
Poor clods of dust and mud.
Pour out your grace, and melt us
Within its quickening flood;
Deliver from pretension,
And make us flesh and blood.
We are the broken people,
And yet we bear Your name;
By Your own invitation
We make this trembling claim:
Though soiled and torn and foolish
We will not be the same.
We are the broken people
Indwelt by Heaven’s King,
Confused and worn and weary,
Lost in our suffering,
We reach and clutch Your garment
And thus hold everything.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Five reasons I blog
Another meme .. this one is going to make me think .. ouch!
1. Somewhere to put my poetry etc
2. a kind of random personal scrapbook
3. a great way to make new, like-minded friends
4. a creative challenge
5. umm .. because I enjoy reading other people's blogs and it doesn't feel right to have a one-sided relationship ..
Why do YOU blog?
1. Somewhere to put my poetry etc
2. a kind of random personal scrapbook
3. a great way to make new, like-minded friends
4. a creative challenge
5. umm .. because I enjoy reading other people's blogs and it doesn't feel right to have a one-sided relationship ..
Why do YOU blog?
Day six -- In The Image of God
On the Sixth day, God created man -- in His own image. In a very real sense, all my pilgrim journey is towards becoming more like Jesus. And here we enter deep mystery -- on one hand it is all His doing, His transforming, sanctifying Spirit at work in the deep places of my being, on another level I am actively involved "working out my own salvation with fear and trembling" This poem talks about my side of the journey:
Kaleidoscopic images beswirl
My dazzled mind with their confusing song:
A thousand different words for who I am;
And, sometimes, I think all of them are wrong.
The criticisms that would press me down
Into distorted shape, and twist my way
Back in upon itself in bitter fear:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
The words of praise that lifted folly high
And, in their glamour, bid me aim astray;
Deceptions built upon the pride of flesh:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away
The failures of the past that lick around
My stumbling feet, and turn them into clay,
Ready to fall again, and never rise:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
The fears that strip my soul from all defence
And on my naked, writhing yearnings flay,
Persuading me that daring is to die:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
Give me to cast all images away,
Till I behold one thing alone is true:
The calling of Your word into my life
That summons me to rise and be like You.
Kaleidoscopic images beswirl
My dazzled mind with their confusing song:
A thousand different words for who I am;
And, sometimes, I think all of them are wrong.
The criticisms that would press me down
Into distorted shape, and twist my way
Back in upon itself in bitter fear:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
The words of praise that lifted folly high
And, in their glamour, bid me aim astray;
Deceptions built upon the pride of flesh:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away
The failures of the past that lick around
My stumbling feet, and turn them into clay,
Ready to fall again, and never rise:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
The fears that strip my soul from all defence
And on my naked, writhing yearnings flay,
Persuading me that daring is to die:
Lord, give me grace to cast them all away.
Give me to cast all images away,
Till I behold one thing alone is true:
The calling of Your word into my life
That summons me to rise and be like You.
The Heart of the Matter
A great quote from John Piper:"
The critical question for our generation - for every generation - is this:
If you could have heaven,
with no sickness
with all the friends you ever had on earth
all the food you ever liked
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed
all the natural beauties you ever saw
all the physical pleasures you ever tasted
no human conflict
no natural disasters
------------------------could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?"
From God is the Gospel - John Piper
The critical question for our generation - for every generation - is this:
If you could have heaven,
with no sickness
with all the friends you ever had on earth
all the food you ever liked
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed
all the natural beauties you ever saw
all the physical pleasures you ever tasted
no human conflict
no natural disasters
------------------------could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?"
From God is the Gospel - John Piper
Monday, May 21, 2007
Seven random things
Ok, Suzanne has tagged me for this, and I have to think of 7 random things about myself. (presumably not ones I've said before). let's see ..
1. I hate tea and coffee. Don't drink them at all. I'm hypersensitive to caffeine and I don't like hot drinks. Never have. there's always water ..
2. I've got a "thing" about pelicans. they're my favourite creatures. Nothing gives me a lift like seeing a pelican. Sometimes I see them on my way to college, they like to perch on the lightpoles on the bridge across the George's River.
3. Have I mentioned I'm a very huggy person? I grew up in a 'no touch' household -- I have no memory of ever being touched by my father, and my mother would only hug or kiss us to manipulate us.
4. I am a hoarder. my husband is not. I'll let you fill in the rest of the story...
5. I have a light brown birthmark on my upper right thigh. Roughly oval. You had no idea, did you?
6. I went to all-girls' schools from 3rd class right through (yes, we have some single sex state schools here). I had 2 younger sisters, and my cousins were female, so were the girls next door. I grew up literally not knowing any boys until I joined the church youth group at age 15.
7. My favourite snack for a quick lunch or something is left over plain cooked pasta with lots of parmesan cheese put in the microwave till the cheeses melts.
1. I hate tea and coffee. Don't drink them at all. I'm hypersensitive to caffeine and I don't like hot drinks. Never have. there's always water ..
2. I've got a "thing" about pelicans. they're my favourite creatures. Nothing gives me a lift like seeing a pelican. Sometimes I see them on my way to college, they like to perch on the lightpoles on the bridge across the George's River.
3. Have I mentioned I'm a very huggy person? I grew up in a 'no touch' household -- I have no memory of ever being touched by my father, and my mother would only hug or kiss us to manipulate us.
4. I am a hoarder. my husband is not. I'll let you fill in the rest of the story...
5. I have a light brown birthmark on my upper right thigh. Roughly oval. You had no idea, did you?
6. I went to all-girls' schools from 3rd class right through (yes, we have some single sex state schools here). I had 2 younger sisters, and my cousins were female, so were the girls next door. I grew up literally not knowing any boys until I joined the church youth group at age 15.
7. My favourite snack for a quick lunch or something is left over plain cooked pasta with lots of parmesan cheese put in the microwave till the cheeses melts.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Personal practice of prayer
Something I had to prepare for a tutorial a couple of years ago: some notes on my personal paractice of prayer in answer to some basic questions. maybe they're questions you'd like to think about too ..
Of course there are a couple of things I might add now, but I'll save that for another time
MOST EFFECTIVE?
Praying with others in likeminded pursuit of God
Also, prayer ministry in church or elsewhere
Better at listening than talking
WHY? Thrive on the encouragement of others
Love doing personal ministry – I just get so excited when I see God at work in other people’s lives
REGULAR – TIME? Whenever .. I try to discipline myself to keep tuning myself back in to God and consciously connect to Him
PLACE? Shower, car, walking, sitting at computer, lying awake in bed, being moved to pray for strangers in the street
POSITION? Sitting, standing, lying down.
Have been known to dance in the shower, but that was probably a mistake
Have learned to always keep eyes open when driving
BIGGEST OBSTACLES?
No good at long solitary blocks of time
Distractions of an over-active imagination
Because I can’t figure out the QT thing, lack of scriptural impetus into prayer
Sometimes feel confused about what is prayer and what isn’t
Sometimes out of touch with own needs and feelings
HOW OVERCOME?
Trying to work on making myself pick up a bible more.
Of course there are a couple of things I might add now, but I'll save that for another time
MOST EFFECTIVE?
Praying with others in likeminded pursuit of God
Also, prayer ministry in church or elsewhere
Better at listening than talking
WHY? Thrive on the encouragement of others
Love doing personal ministry – I just get so excited when I see God at work in other people’s lives
REGULAR – TIME? Whenever .. I try to discipline myself to keep tuning myself back in to God and consciously connect to Him
PLACE? Shower, car, walking, sitting at computer, lying awake in bed, being moved to pray for strangers in the street
POSITION? Sitting, standing, lying down.
Have been known to dance in the shower, but that was probably a mistake
Have learned to always keep eyes open when driving
BIGGEST OBSTACLES?
No good at long solitary blocks of time
Distractions of an over-active imagination
Because I can’t figure out the QT thing, lack of scriptural impetus into prayer
Sometimes feel confused about what is prayer and what isn’t
Sometimes out of touch with own needs and feelings
HOW OVERCOME?
Trying to work on making myself pick up a bible more.
Day 5 -- Into New realms
day 5, the creation of birds and fish, really stretched my mind to come up with an analogy. but when I did I knew it was something terribly important to me, and central to my faith journey. Birds and fish are creatures that inhabit the sky and the water -- places that are not my natural element. But walking by faith compels me out of my comfort zone into those places where the breathing is hard and painful. We tend to think of that sort of "stepping out by faith" as something that happens to superhero missionary types, i contend that it happens in the dailiness of life, whenever I choose to respond with love, rather than self-protection, whenever I choose obedience when disobedience would be so much easier, i am walking that strange, hard path ..
Not in the comfort zone,
Not in the easy place:
Pushed to the edge of fear
By Your compelling grace.
Out of the meadows green,
Where I would lushly stay:
By that hard stony path
You call the narrow way.
Up through the mountains sharp,
Into the bitter cold.
Tears in the frozen night
Whisper of fears untold.
Still, still, You urge me on
Past precipice and bluff,
Over the edge of maps,
While my flesh screams, “Enough!”
By the high eagle-road,
Where breath is thin and spare,
Because I thirst for You,
I will still crawl and dare.
Faith has carved out a path
Straight to the heart of You
And, since this is Your will,
No other way will do.
Not in the comfort zone,
Not in the easy place:
Pushed to the edge of fear
By Your compelling grace.
Out of the meadows green,
Where I would lushly stay:
By that hard stony path
You call the narrow way.
Up through the mountains sharp,
Into the bitter cold.
Tears in the frozen night
Whisper of fears untold.
Still, still, You urge me on
Past precipice and bluff,
Over the edge of maps,
While my flesh screams, “Enough!”
By the high eagle-road,
Where breath is thin and spare,
Because I thirst for You,
I will still crawl and dare.
Faith has carved out a path
Straight to the heart of You
And, since this is Your will,
No other way will do.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Clash of the Kingdoms
I don't normally post my academic assignments here, most of them are of no interest except to the lecturers who assign them, but this tute paper I had to write on the Clash of the Kingdoms in Luke's gospel, is of a more general nature than most. (Though it's a huge topic to try and cover in a mere 1,000 words). So, with a couple of modifications ..
Throughout Luke’s gospel we can trace the conflict between two opposing kingdoms: on the one hand the kingdoms of man, exemplified by the Roman government and the Jewish religious leaders, and, on the other hand, the Kingdom of God, taught, demonstrated, inaugurated, and, ultimately embodied in Jesus Himself. This overturning of the human status quo is foreshadowed in the promise of two humanly impossible births, declared in the song of Mary, made visible in the ministry and teaching of Jesus, reaches its climax on the cross and its triumphant denouement in the resurrection. It is a conflict that began long before Luke’s gospel, when humanity rejected the authority of God, and will reach its magnificent conclusion when the “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ” .
Jesus taught the kingdom
Jesus came as the king, the Davidic messiah, but he did not bring a political kingdom. His kingship was not designed to glorify Israel, but to glorify God. It was dynamic, not geographical. (Green, Mcknight and Marshall, 1992, p.420). He would be the King who would rule by serving, and conquer through His death.
In Luke 4:18-19 He declared the agenda of His kingdom: freedom, healing and restoration; and in 4:43 He announced that the proclamation of the Kingdom was the purpose of His ministry
In 6:17 – 49 He sets forth the principles of His kingdom: a reversal of the world’s values and privileges, an ethic of radical love, and the clear declaration that membership of the Kingdom depends on a response of personal obedience, not simply Israelite birth. It is not enough to conform to some interpretation of the letter of the law, personal transformation is required in order to conform to the spirit of the Law. Luke’s version of this “sermon” stresses the sociological aspects of the kingdom as well as its spiritual dimension.
There is a reiterated demand for repentance (e.g. 13:3, 5; 15:7), implying that membership of the Kingdom was not already theirs, and they must fundamentally change in order to be part of it.
The coming of the Kingdom is something to be prayed for (11:2), and its members are not to prioritise the concerns of this world, but trust in their Father’s provision (12:31; 13:18).
And Jesus taught the kingdom through parables. Many of Jesus’ parables were deliberately countercultural as far as expectations of the Kingdom went; they were stories with a deliberate “twist in the tail”, to get past the defences of His hearers’ presuppositions, and provoke a reaction: faith from those who were willing to hear and believe, wrath from those who were offended. The “Good Samaritan”, for example, both proclaimed the grace and mercy which are characteristic of the Kingdom, and challenged their expectations of its exclusive Jewishness. This message is repeated in the parable of the Great Banquet, which stresses that membership of the Kingdom is by response to God’s invitation in Jesus, not a birthright. The parable of the Sower indicates that it is not enough to hear the word of God, there must also be a fruitful response (and the “mysteries of the Kingdom” are revealed only to disciples). The parable of the Mustard Seed illustrates the paradoxical nature of the Kingdom: it starts out small, humble, almost invisible, but there will be no stopping its growth, in the end it will actually be far mightier than the earthly Kingdom they had envisaged. It is the “yeast” (13:20-21) which will ultimately permeate and transform the cosmos. The little flock is not to fear, it is to them that the Kingdom has been given (12:32)
The Kingdom is not outward and visible, as they had anticipated, but rather, “within you” (17:20-21). It is something both immediate and apocalyptic (Green et al, 1992, p.428), as shown for example, in the parable of the talents, where the “currency” of the Kingdom is being given out now for a future accounting.
Jesus Demonstrated the kingdom
Jesus, whose words and deeds were one, not only explained the Kingdom in His teaching, but demonstrated it by His actions. His ministry, just as he had declared in 4: 18-19, was about healing the blind, releasing the oppressed, (e.g. the woman who had been bound for 18 years, 13:10-17) and bringing the good news of the kingdom to the poor, who were often excluded under the Pharisaic system because they did not have the means to keep all the ritual law. His miracles of healing were a demonstration of the grace and compassion of God, His deliverance ministry showed His power over the Kingdom of Satan, and His raising of the dead prefigured the reversal of the very fall itself. He was willing to touch the unclean (lepers, haemorrhaging woman, dead people), and suffered no loss of holiness. His nature miracles (e.g. calming of the storm), displayed that dominion over creation which Adam had forfeited. He sent the disciples out (9:2) specifically to preach the kingdom and heal the sick. And He welcomed the “least of these” – children, women, gentiles, tax collectors, the poor and despised -- into His presence and His fellowship.
Man opposed the Kingdom
The Jewish authorities were threatened by Jesus, and the nature of the Kingdom He proclaimed. They preferred their own version, which afforded them “holiness” and privilege. They recognised the claim to Deity underlying His words and actions: e.g. He forgave sins (5:21), and accepted the hosannas of the Jerusalem crowd. He also threatened their self-justifying definitions of holiness: He mixed with “sinners” without fear they would pollute Him (5:30), he healed on the Sabbath (6:2), allowed a sinful woman to touch Him (7:36), condemned their practices (11: 39 ff). His kingdom and theirs were incompatible, and in the end they moved from skirmishing to plotting to kill Him. It was on the issue of the Kingdom that He was charged before Pilate, i.e. that He was setting up as a king in rivalry to Caesar, and the crowd chose Barabbas in His place. On the cross they nailed His “charge sheet”: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’. And on the cross the dying thief asked to be received into His Kingdom.
Conclusion
The Kingdom of God, which is the reign of Christ (Elwell, 2001, p. 657), is in direct opposition to the illusory autonomy of sinful man. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom, demonstrated the Kingdom and was the Kingdom; for that His opponents crucified Him, thus serving, by the sovereignty of God, to give Him a Kingdom which shall endure forever.
Throughout Luke’s gospel we can trace the conflict between two opposing kingdoms: on the one hand the kingdoms of man, exemplified by the Roman government and the Jewish religious leaders, and, on the other hand, the Kingdom of God, taught, demonstrated, inaugurated, and, ultimately embodied in Jesus Himself. This overturning of the human status quo is foreshadowed in the promise of two humanly impossible births, declared in the song of Mary, made visible in the ministry and teaching of Jesus, reaches its climax on the cross and its triumphant denouement in the resurrection. It is a conflict that began long before Luke’s gospel, when humanity rejected the authority of God, and will reach its magnificent conclusion when the “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ” .
Jesus taught the kingdom
Jesus came as the king, the Davidic messiah, but he did not bring a political kingdom. His kingship was not designed to glorify Israel, but to glorify God. It was dynamic, not geographical. (Green, Mcknight and Marshall, 1992, p.420). He would be the King who would rule by serving, and conquer through His death.
In Luke 4:18-19 He declared the agenda of His kingdom: freedom, healing and restoration; and in 4:43 He announced that the proclamation of the Kingdom was the purpose of His ministry
In 6:17 – 49 He sets forth the principles of His kingdom: a reversal of the world’s values and privileges, an ethic of radical love, and the clear declaration that membership of the Kingdom depends on a response of personal obedience, not simply Israelite birth. It is not enough to conform to some interpretation of the letter of the law, personal transformation is required in order to conform to the spirit of the Law. Luke’s version of this “sermon” stresses the sociological aspects of the kingdom as well as its spiritual dimension.
There is a reiterated demand for repentance (e.g. 13:3, 5; 15:7), implying that membership of the Kingdom was not already theirs, and they must fundamentally change in order to be part of it.
The coming of the Kingdom is something to be prayed for (11:2), and its members are not to prioritise the concerns of this world, but trust in their Father’s provision (12:31; 13:18).
And Jesus taught the kingdom through parables. Many of Jesus’ parables were deliberately countercultural as far as expectations of the Kingdom went; they were stories with a deliberate “twist in the tail”, to get past the defences of His hearers’ presuppositions, and provoke a reaction: faith from those who were willing to hear and believe, wrath from those who were offended. The “Good Samaritan”, for example, both proclaimed the grace and mercy which are characteristic of the Kingdom, and challenged their expectations of its exclusive Jewishness. This message is repeated in the parable of the Great Banquet, which stresses that membership of the Kingdom is by response to God’s invitation in Jesus, not a birthright. The parable of the Sower indicates that it is not enough to hear the word of God, there must also be a fruitful response (and the “mysteries of the Kingdom” are revealed only to disciples). The parable of the Mustard Seed illustrates the paradoxical nature of the Kingdom: it starts out small, humble, almost invisible, but there will be no stopping its growth, in the end it will actually be far mightier than the earthly Kingdom they had envisaged. It is the “yeast” (13:20-21) which will ultimately permeate and transform the cosmos. The little flock is not to fear, it is to them that the Kingdom has been given (12:32)
The Kingdom is not outward and visible, as they had anticipated, but rather, “within you” (17:20-21). It is something both immediate and apocalyptic (Green et al, 1992, p.428), as shown for example, in the parable of the talents, where the “currency” of the Kingdom is being given out now for a future accounting.
Jesus Demonstrated the kingdom
Jesus, whose words and deeds were one, not only explained the Kingdom in His teaching, but demonstrated it by His actions. His ministry, just as he had declared in 4: 18-19, was about healing the blind, releasing the oppressed, (e.g. the woman who had been bound for 18 years, 13:10-17) and bringing the good news of the kingdom to the poor, who were often excluded under the Pharisaic system because they did not have the means to keep all the ritual law. His miracles of healing were a demonstration of the grace and compassion of God, His deliverance ministry showed His power over the Kingdom of Satan, and His raising of the dead prefigured the reversal of the very fall itself. He was willing to touch the unclean (lepers, haemorrhaging woman, dead people), and suffered no loss of holiness. His nature miracles (e.g. calming of the storm), displayed that dominion over creation which Adam had forfeited. He sent the disciples out (9:2) specifically to preach the kingdom and heal the sick. And He welcomed the “least of these” – children, women, gentiles, tax collectors, the poor and despised -- into His presence and His fellowship.
Man opposed the Kingdom
The Jewish authorities were threatened by Jesus, and the nature of the Kingdom He proclaimed. They preferred their own version, which afforded them “holiness” and privilege. They recognised the claim to Deity underlying His words and actions: e.g. He forgave sins (5:21), and accepted the hosannas of the Jerusalem crowd. He also threatened their self-justifying definitions of holiness: He mixed with “sinners” without fear they would pollute Him (5:30), he healed on the Sabbath (6:2), allowed a sinful woman to touch Him (7:36), condemned their practices (11: 39 ff). His kingdom and theirs were incompatible, and in the end they moved from skirmishing to plotting to kill Him. It was on the issue of the Kingdom that He was charged before Pilate, i.e. that He was setting up as a king in rivalry to Caesar, and the crowd chose Barabbas in His place. On the cross they nailed His “charge sheet”: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’. And on the cross the dying thief asked to be received into His Kingdom.
Conclusion
The Kingdom of God, which is the reign of Christ (Elwell, 2001, p. 657), is in direct opposition to the illusory autonomy of sinful man. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom, demonstrated the Kingdom and was the Kingdom; for that His opponents crucified Him, thus serving, by the sovereignty of God, to give Him a Kingdom which shall endure forever.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Day Four -- glimpses of glory
The fourth day was the creation of the sun and moon. What could that possibly symbolise for a personal spiritual journey? this one, and the next, were the ones I really had to ponder. but what do the sun and moon appear to us as? Brightness, warmth, dazzlement to bright to look upon.. and the moon is the gentler reflection of the blazing sun, more suited to our little human sight. And as we go on, doesn't God encourage us with glimpses of Himself, His glory and wonder, in all kinds of unexpected ways and places? It may be directly suprenatural revelation; for most of us, far more often, it is things like the beauty of this world that makes us catch our breath with awe, or those human moments that pierce our hearts, or the words of His word, leaping off the page to light a fire in our spirits. ..
Let each new morning rise in alleluia song!
Let everything on the earth be glad to know its Lord!
Made for His glory, let it joy to give Him praise!
Made to adore Him, let it name Him as adored!
Soft springing grass, and ocean wave, and dancing breeze
Worship in wonder, know Him as the God who’s here:
See how His love shines forth in every burning star,
See how His mercy cradles and directs each sphere!
See how His mercy cradles and directs me too!
See how He loves me, leads me and appoints my way
Faithful my Father, guiding me towards Himself ..
See how His mercies are renewed to me each day!
And, though this flesh must wait till the transforming hour
To be with Him, my shield and sun and my delight;
Yet He is with me, my heart His abiding-place,
I see my Lord, although it is by faith not sight.
I see His glory, though but faintly and afar.
I see His glory – overwhelmed with love and awe!
I see His glory in the world that he has made
And worship Christ, the end I was created for..
Let each new morning rise in alleluia song!
Let everything on the earth be glad to know its Lord!
Made for His glory, let it joy to give Him praise!
Made to adore Him, let it name Him as adored!
Soft springing grass, and ocean wave, and dancing breeze
Worship in wonder, know Him as the God who’s here:
See how His love shines forth in every burning star,
See how His mercy cradles and directs each sphere!
See how His mercy cradles and directs me too!
See how He loves me, leads me and appoints my way
Faithful my Father, guiding me towards Himself ..
See how His mercies are renewed to me each day!
And, though this flesh must wait till the transforming hour
To be with Him, my shield and sun and my delight;
Yet He is with me, my heart His abiding-place,
I see my Lord, although it is by faith not sight.
I see His glory, though but faintly and afar.
I see His glory – overwhelmed with love and awe!
I see His glory in the world that he has made
And worship Christ, the end I was created for..
Friday, May 11, 2007
Day Three -- Growth
The third day of creation was the day when God made the plants. this was one of the easiest equivalences to work out, plants are symbolic of growth, and Jesus' own parables are full of plant analogies. The kingdom of heaven, after all, is like the mustard seed that grows into a great tree ..
Not to remain intense, in-turned entire
Not to be static, unresolved and small
Not to remain the thing which I began
But, by becoming, to embrace it all.
I would be whole, I would rise up and sing
Into the morning with a voice made new
I would go forth with laughter into life
I would become and grow, myself outdo.
The seed waits
Dreaming
Imagining a fuller self ..
Maybe a flower, petal-perfect, lovely:
As pure as Eden’s morning in its curve of grace,
As soft as wistfulness, dressed like a jewel ..
Or maybe tree: aspiring, stretching, reaching ..
Shelter and strength and nurturance and shade;
Roots running down to hold the earth in place ..
Or fragrant bush, or fruit, or waving grass,
Resolute cactus or imperial fern …
Seeds have ambitions …
And yet .. ambition cannot make seeds grow,
Nor all self-vaunting effort make one shoot to sprout;
And, while it clings to life, the seed abides alone.
Yet, dare to die, and green and living tendrils rise
Up from the dust of hopes laid down and self laid by;
Mercy, sheer mercy, thrusts forth leaves toward the sky ..
This, reckless then, go down, down to the place
Of all surrender
Let the dew of heaven fall
Let self be changed,
Let Life in all its fullness be
Living in me!
Not to remain intense, in-turned entire
Not to be static, unresolved and small
Not to remain the thing which I began
But, by becoming, to embrace it all.
I would be whole, I would rise up and sing
Into the morning with a voice made new
I would go forth with laughter into life
I would become and grow, myself outdo.
The seed waits
Dreaming
Imagining a fuller self ..
Maybe a flower, petal-perfect, lovely:
As pure as Eden’s morning in its curve of grace,
As soft as wistfulness, dressed like a jewel ..
Or maybe tree: aspiring, stretching, reaching ..
Shelter and strength and nurturance and shade;
Roots running down to hold the earth in place ..
Or fragrant bush, or fruit, or waving grass,
Resolute cactus or imperial fern …
Seeds have ambitions …
And yet .. ambition cannot make seeds grow,
Nor all self-vaunting effort make one shoot to sprout;
And, while it clings to life, the seed abides alone.
Yet, dare to die, and green and living tendrils rise
Up from the dust of hopes laid down and self laid by;
Mercy, sheer mercy, thrusts forth leaves toward the sky ..
This, reckless then, go down, down to the place
Of all surrender
Let the dew of heaven fall
Let self be changed,
Let Life in all its fullness be
Living in me!
Another meme
I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
I'll skip the tagging bit, always thought playing tag got a bit rough :-)
Food: I'm a sweet tooth. Chocolate, fruit, tiramisu -- these foods talk my language.I was brought up on bland, English style cooking, and never liked it much.I enjoy learning new cuisines. I only cook with recipes when i want to learn something new, or for really special occasions.Otherwise I regard recipe books more as inspirational reading rather than instruction manuals. hmm .. does that make me a kitchen liberal?
Family: One husband, one son, one daughter, one daughter-in-law. very precious to me. none of our extended family live further than 20 minutes drive away, but I'm not close to any of them. Even as a child I regarded my friends as my real family. To be honest I don't really know what it would feel like to experience real love from parents or siblings. I am dutiful towards extended family, but find them very stressful to have any dealings with.
Exercise: What's that? No, I do try to walk a bit, it's hard with back problems, and having the temperament of a couch potato and the coordination of a limp stick of celery doesn't help.At school sport was the one subject I hated as much as sewing. I just don't get it.
Profession: I dropped out of uni to get married, spent 2 years working in a clerical job, and retired the moment my husband graduated (the government office I worked in was a nasty place -- I got on OK with people, but they were always having fights with each other, and no one was trustworthy. I brought up my kids (doing stuff like Sunday School teaching and writing on the side -- I have a whole unpublished novel on my computer) And then, at age 47, went back to Bible college to work on my theology degree part time. I'm hoping to finish at the end of the year, and I'm waiting, with a sense of curious anticipation, to see what doors God opens then. my passion is preaching, teaching and praying with people, my denomination doesn't ordain women.
Obsession: Umm .. I'm not a very obsessive person. Does chocolate count? or poetry? Or going to the theatre? I'm very into hugs ..
Faith: The centre of my life. I became a christian at 16 (March 15th, 1971 -- do your own maths!)And the story of how I got there and where I've been since, and the hard places I've been with Jesus, particularly working through abuse issues, is the story of my whole life. Church-wise i was raised Anglican, married a Presbyterian, spent 20 years with the Prezzies, 3 disastrous years in a house church and am now back in an Anglican church. I became a christian in a church that didn't preach the gospel, got the gift of tongues in an anti-charismatic church, studied theology in a church that doesn't encourage women to teach .. What's next? (I don't think I'm very good at that conformity thing either.
Ailments: back problems (3 discs in a row with major problems) are my biggie, probably dating back to when I was knocked down by a car as a teenager. I get migraines instead of getting angry, and I've inherited the high blood pressure of both my parents (but one tablet a day seems to keep it good) And, at 52, it's still only the very smallest print I need glasses for. My cholesterol and blood sugar are good. (Despite the chocolate, i really eat pretty lhealthy -- lots of salads and lean meat)
Games: Computer ones are a good way to relax, or to keep one part of my mind occupied so the rest of it can nut through stuff. I hate strategy games, i have a very unstrategic mind. Chess is as mysterious to me as reverse parking! OTOH I'm really good at games that require you to think on the run rather than strategise. And I love word games.
Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
I'll skip the tagging bit, always thought playing tag got a bit rough :-)
Food: I'm a sweet tooth. Chocolate, fruit, tiramisu -- these foods talk my language.I was brought up on bland, English style cooking, and never liked it much.I enjoy learning new cuisines. I only cook with recipes when i want to learn something new, or for really special occasions.Otherwise I regard recipe books more as inspirational reading rather than instruction manuals. hmm .. does that make me a kitchen liberal?
Family: One husband, one son, one daughter, one daughter-in-law. very precious to me. none of our extended family live further than 20 minutes drive away, but I'm not close to any of them. Even as a child I regarded my friends as my real family. To be honest I don't really know what it would feel like to experience real love from parents or siblings. I am dutiful towards extended family, but find them very stressful to have any dealings with.
Exercise: What's that? No, I do try to walk a bit, it's hard with back problems, and having the temperament of a couch potato and the coordination of a limp stick of celery doesn't help.At school sport was the one subject I hated as much as sewing. I just don't get it.
Profession: I dropped out of uni to get married, spent 2 years working in a clerical job, and retired the moment my husband graduated (the government office I worked in was a nasty place -- I got on OK with people, but they were always having fights with each other, and no one was trustworthy. I brought up my kids (doing stuff like Sunday School teaching and writing on the side -- I have a whole unpublished novel on my computer) And then, at age 47, went back to Bible college to work on my theology degree part time. I'm hoping to finish at the end of the year, and I'm waiting, with a sense of curious anticipation, to see what doors God opens then. my passion is preaching, teaching and praying with people, my denomination doesn't ordain women.
Obsession: Umm .. I'm not a very obsessive person. Does chocolate count? or poetry? Or going to the theatre? I'm very into hugs ..
Faith: The centre of my life. I became a christian at 16 (March 15th, 1971 -- do your own maths!)And the story of how I got there and where I've been since, and the hard places I've been with Jesus, particularly working through abuse issues, is the story of my whole life. Church-wise i was raised Anglican, married a Presbyterian, spent 20 years with the Prezzies, 3 disastrous years in a house church and am now back in an Anglican church. I became a christian in a church that didn't preach the gospel, got the gift of tongues in an anti-charismatic church, studied theology in a church that doesn't encourage women to teach .. What's next? (I don't think I'm very good at that conformity thing either.
Ailments: back problems (3 discs in a row with major problems) are my biggie, probably dating back to when I was knocked down by a car as a teenager. I get migraines instead of getting angry, and I've inherited the high blood pressure of both my parents (but one tablet a day seems to keep it good) And, at 52, it's still only the very smallest print I need glasses for. My cholesterol and blood sugar are good. (Despite the chocolate, i really eat pretty lhealthy -- lots of salads and lean meat)
Games: Computer ones are a good way to relax, or to keep one part of my mind occupied so the rest of it can nut through stuff. I hate strategy games, i have a very unstrategic mind. Chess is as mysterious to me as reverse parking! OTOH I'm really good at games that require you to think on the run rather than strategise. And I love word games.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Day Two -- separation
On the second day of creation the waters were separated from the "expanse". it was a day of division and boundaries. What does that equate to? Step 2, for me, was seeking holiness, obedience to God, separating myself from sin. And of course, (and I can still remember the moment when I finally understood -- but that's another story)in the process, learning I could not manufacture my own righteousness, even though I was seeking to follow Jesus as my Lord, and had to depend on His forgiveness, and his making me righteous.
Sword-sharp the penetration of Your truth
Cleaves my own self from the long-nourished lie
Of my sufficiency; and my pierced heart
Leaks its despair, though all its springs are dry.
This, the unbearable, must now be borne.
This, the unutterable, must be proclaimed
Reverberant, to bring my house of cards
Tumbling to ruins, desperate and ashamed.
There is nowhere to look, no way to climb
Out of the depths of all I must confess:
The dreadful realisation of my sin
In the clear light of Your pure holiness.
How can I stay the thing that I am not?
How can I be the good that You require?
There is no reconciling, no way home
One thing I am; another I aspire.
One thing I am, but not this hopeless wrong;
One thing I am; but not thus to remain.
For You, Yourself, became what I have been,
That I might thus, through You, all good attain.
For You, Yourself came down – down to the pit –
Down to the last lost darkness, thick as tar;
Transmuting hopelessness to certainty
I shall, be holy, since You holy are.
Therefore, I separate me from the murk
Of falsehood, and all foolish false desire;
To will Your will alone, to learn to love,
Turning from sin Your beauty to acquire.
Sword-sharp the penetration of Your truth
Cleaves my own self from the long-nourished lie
Of my sufficiency; and my pierced heart
Leaks its despair, though all its springs are dry.
This, the unbearable, must now be borne.
This, the unutterable, must be proclaimed
Reverberant, to bring my house of cards
Tumbling to ruins, desperate and ashamed.
There is nowhere to look, no way to climb
Out of the depths of all I must confess:
The dreadful realisation of my sin
In the clear light of Your pure holiness.
How can I stay the thing that I am not?
How can I be the good that You require?
There is no reconciling, no way home
One thing I am; another I aspire.
One thing I am, but not this hopeless wrong;
One thing I am; but not thus to remain.
For You, Yourself, became what I have been,
That I might thus, through You, all good attain.
For You, Yourself came down – down to the pit –
Down to the last lost darkness, thick as tar;
Transmuting hopelessness to certainty
I shall, be holy, since You holy are.
Therefore, I separate me from the murk
Of falsehood, and all foolish false desire;
To will Your will alone, to learn to love,
Turning from sin Your beauty to acquire.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Day One --Light
Some years ago I did a creative project for college. (I could have written an essay instead of course, but this was much more fun) What I chose to do was base it on the seven days of creation, making each day symbolic of a step in my spiritual journey. For each day I assembled a photo, a group of bible verses that moved from the physical symbol to the thing I had made it symbolic of. Then I wrote a poem about it. Over the next few days, I'll post the poems, with a short explanation of each.
Day One was the creation of Light. For me that stood for conversion, for the moment (well, it was a moment for me, some people have more gradual experiences) when my eyes were opened, and I saw Jesus as my Lord and my God. He is, after all, the Light of the World.
Darkness within myself
In the bewildering storm;
Nowhere a beacon light,
Nowhere is safe and warm.
Lies – shouted, screaming lies –
Pursue me night and day
How shall I find the truth?
How shall I know the way?
Nothing is as it seems.
Nothing is real or whole.
Nothing I am makes sense.
Nothing connects my soul.
Life is a twice-told tale
(I’ve heard it all before).
Dreariness screams inside:
A ceaseless silent roar.
Where is the centre found?
Have I a destiny?
Is my lone pain for nought?
Could there be love for me?
In this lost, silent place,
(Nothing to hope or know)
Your glory reaches me,
Sets my whole life aglow!
Light, light as warm as love,
Lifts me into embrace;
All I desired or dreamed
Given to me by grace!
Here is my hope, my dawn.
Here is my midday sun.
Here is my guiding star.
All light in You made one.
Day One was the creation of Light. For me that stood for conversion, for the moment (well, it was a moment for me, some people have more gradual experiences) when my eyes were opened, and I saw Jesus as my Lord and my God. He is, after all, the Light of the World.
Darkness within myself
In the bewildering storm;
Nowhere a beacon light,
Nowhere is safe and warm.
Lies – shouted, screaming lies –
Pursue me night and day
How shall I find the truth?
How shall I know the way?
Nothing is as it seems.
Nothing is real or whole.
Nothing I am makes sense.
Nothing connects my soul.
Life is a twice-told tale
(I’ve heard it all before).
Dreariness screams inside:
A ceaseless silent roar.
Where is the centre found?
Have I a destiny?
Is my lone pain for nought?
Could there be love for me?
In this lost, silent place,
(Nothing to hope or know)
Your glory reaches me,
Sets my whole life aglow!
Light, light as warm as love,
Lifts me into embrace;
All I desired or dreamed
Given to me by grace!
Here is my hope, my dawn.
Here is my midday sun.
Here is my guiding star.
All light in You made one.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Scattergories
Ok .. I'm in a meme-y mood tonight
SCATTERGORIES... Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question...
THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD
Name: Lynne (ok, that one was easy)
1. Famous singer/band: LARRY NORMAN (this one nearly stumped me .. geesh!)
2. 4 letter word: LUMP
3. Street name: LETITIA (2 streets away)
4. Color: LAVENDER
5. Gifts/present: LIQUORICE (well my FIL loves it, I don't)
6. Vehicle: LIMOUSINE
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: LEAD PENCILS
8. Boy Name: LUCAS
9. Girl Name: LOUISE
10. Movie Title: LADIES IN LAVENDER
11. Drink: LEMONADE (if I can't think of something more exciting)
12. Occupation: LEADLIGHTING (someone must do it)
13. Flower: LUPIN
14. Celebrity: C S LEWIS (well, I'd rather have a writer than a film star!)
15. Magazine: LOOK AND LEARN (well, I used to get it when I was a kid)
16. U.S. City: LOS ANGELES
17. Pro Sports Teams: This one I'll have to leave blank. I could make one up. How about leaping lambs? liposucted ladies?
18. Something Found in the Kitchen: LEMON SQUEEZER (sure I'm missing something obvious)
19. Reason for Being Late for Work: LIGHTNING STRIKE(?)
20. Something you throw away: LEFTOVERS (that outlived their welcome)
21. Things You Shout: LOOK!
22. Cartoon Character: LINUS (in Peanuts)
23. Animal: LEOPARD
24. Favorite Thing To Do: LIVE (kinda helps you do all the rest)
25. Food: LEMON CHICKEN
SCATTERGORIES... Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question...
THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD
Name: Lynne (ok, that one was easy)
1. Famous singer/band: LARRY NORMAN (this one nearly stumped me .. geesh!)
2. 4 letter word: LUMP
3. Street name: LETITIA (2 streets away)
4. Color: LAVENDER
5. Gifts/present: LIQUORICE (well my FIL loves it, I don't)
6. Vehicle: LIMOUSINE
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: LEAD PENCILS
8. Boy Name: LUCAS
9. Girl Name: LOUISE
10. Movie Title: LADIES IN LAVENDER
11. Drink: LEMONADE (if I can't think of something more exciting)
12. Occupation: LEADLIGHTING (someone must do it)
13. Flower: LUPIN
14. Celebrity: C S LEWIS (well, I'd rather have a writer than a film star!)
15. Magazine: LOOK AND LEARN (well, I used to get it when I was a kid)
16. U.S. City: LOS ANGELES
17. Pro Sports Teams: This one I'll have to leave blank. I could make one up. How about leaping lambs? liposucted ladies?
18. Something Found in the Kitchen: LEMON SQUEEZER (sure I'm missing something obvious)
19. Reason for Being Late for Work: LIGHTNING STRIKE(?)
20. Something you throw away: LEFTOVERS (that outlived their welcome)
21. Things You Shout: LOOK!
22. Cartoon Character: LINUS (in Peanuts)
23. Animal: LEOPARD
24. Favorite Thing To Do: LIVE (kinda helps you do all the rest)
25. Food: LEMON CHICKEN
The promise in the Resurrection
Sing joy to every rock and stream!
Joy to the swelling, ebbing tide!
Let all creation celebrate,
This day the curse was put aside.
Death owned his kingdom. Long and deep
The shadowed years piled up their pain.
But this day death himself is dead
And Life has overthrown his reign.
Sing clouds, sing stars; do not hold back
One atom of the praise that’s due!
For He who died to conquer death,
Has promised to make all things new.
Joy to the swelling, ebbing tide!
Let all creation celebrate,
This day the curse was put aside.
Death owned his kingdom. Long and deep
The shadowed years piled up their pain.
But this day death himself is dead
And Life has overthrown his reign.
Sing clouds, sing stars; do not hold back
One atom of the praise that’s due!
For He who died to conquer death,
Has promised to make all things new.
Interview moment
Overheard, a radio interview with Adrian Plass:
Interviewer :Does God have a sense of humour? What does God find funny?
Adrian Plass (pauses for a moment, then looks interviewer in the eye) You!
Interviewer :Does God have a sense of humour? What does God find funny?
Adrian Plass (pauses for a moment, then looks interviewer in the eye) You!
Word Association
Here's another meme -- instant word association for each of these categories:
Yourself: a pickle
Your partner: non-pickle
Your hair: brown
Your Mother: manipulative
Your Father: harsh
Your Favorite Item: computer
Your dream last night: weird
Your Favorite Drink: water
Your Dream Car: mine
Your Dream Home: this one
The Room You Are In: study
Your Ex: non-existent
Your fear: worms
Where you Want to be in Ten Years? fulfilled
Who you hung out with last night: husband
What You're Not: efficient, pragmatic
Muffins: raspberry and chocolate
One of Your Wish List Items: ministry role
Time: evening
The Last Thing You Did: help husband find cheese (you did ask)
What You Are Wearing: navy pants, maroon shirt, blue cardigan
Your favorite weather: balmy
Your Favorite Book: Narnia series (ask me tomorrow, I'll pick something different)
Last thing you ate?: chocolate
Your Life: yearning
Your mood: bored, restless
Your Best Friends: understand
What are you thinking about right now?: my best friends (see previous question!)
Your car: Rav 4
What are you doing at the moment: answering silly questions!
Your summer: hot (huh?)
Relationship status: long married
What is on your tv?: husband is watching news
What is the weather like: too dark to see
When is the last time you laughed: now
Yourself: a pickle
Your partner: non-pickle
Your hair: brown
Your Mother: manipulative
Your Father: harsh
Your Favorite Item: computer
Your dream last night: weird
Your Favorite Drink: water
Your Dream Car: mine
Your Dream Home: this one
The Room You Are In: study
Your Ex: non-existent
Your fear: worms
Where you Want to be in Ten Years? fulfilled
Who you hung out with last night: husband
What You're Not: efficient, pragmatic
Muffins: raspberry and chocolate
One of Your Wish List Items: ministry role
Time: evening
The Last Thing You Did: help husband find cheese (you did ask)
What You Are Wearing: navy pants, maroon shirt, blue cardigan
Your favorite weather: balmy
Your Favorite Book: Narnia series (ask me tomorrow, I'll pick something different)
Last thing you ate?: chocolate
Your Life: yearning
Your mood: bored, restless
Your Best Friends: understand
What are you thinking about right now?: my best friends (see previous question!)
Your car: Rav 4
What are you doing at the moment: answering silly questions!
Your summer: hot (huh?)
Relationship status: long married
What is on your tv?: husband is watching news
What is the weather like: too dark to see
When is the last time you laughed: now
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