St. John of the Cross says that every quality or virtue which the Spirit really produces in our souls has three distinguishing characters- as it were a threefold National Mark- Tranquility, Gentleness, Strength. All our action- and now we are thinking specially of action-must be peaceful, gentle, and strong. That suggests, doesn't it, an immense depth, and an invulnerable steadiness as the soul's abiding temper; a depth and a steadiness which come from the fact that our small action is now part of the total action of God, whose Spirit, as another saint has said,"Works always in tranquility." Fuss and feverishness, anxiety, intensity, intolerance, instability, pessimism, and wobble, and every kind of hurry and worry- these, even on the highest levels, are signs of the self-made and self-acting soul; the spiritual parvenu. The saints are never like that. They share the quiet and noble qualities of the great family to which they belong.
From The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill
God, may our action for others and the kingdom be carried out with Tranquility, Gentleness, and Strength understanding that our small action is part of the total action of God. Through the Spirit of Jesus, may it be so.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Everything Must Change
Last weekend (May 9-10) I attended Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change Event in Goshen, IN with my friend Aaron. We met up with Craig and Joy, and their friends and family there. There is so much I could write about our trip - driving to Shipshewana, visiting the Menno-Hof Center, a museum of the history of the Mennonite church, having dinner with Tim Lichti, who founded the center and was its first director, and the McLaren event itself. For now I'll just write about the McLaren event.
On Friday night, McLaren outlined the global crisis we are in. He says that our global society has become a "suicide machine" that has only one outcome - desctruction. The machine exists inside the ecosystem, from which it draws resources and deposits waste. The machine is made up of a prosperity system, an equity system, and a security system, and all three overlap and are connected within the "suicide machine." The reason these systems don't work is because of the framing story that exists, that is based on consumption, greed, lack of concern for consequences, the gap between the rich and poor, spread of violence and war to achieve economic results, etc.
He compares the political/religious situation of today to be similar to the political/religious situation in Jesus' day. Different groups have their own framing stories that they operate with in response to, or in concert with, the "suicide machine." But Jesus had a different way of living - a new framing story - that was different from the framing stories of his day, and different from the framing stories of our time.
This is where I get overwhelmed. I'm just a guy trying to raise a family. In a way I feel that any positive impact I can have on my children's lives will have impact later on as they live their adult lives, hopefully in the way of Jesus. I do some things. I recycle. I buy free trade coffee when I can. I've planted trees in my yard. I donate my time to my church not only on "church work" but also "the work of the church." (McLaren made a distinction between the two.) I donate to good causes. I also do some things I should do, but I could change. I could reduce the amount of electricity I use (which is difficult to do with two teens in the house.) I could clean up the trash pit that's behind the garage. I could consume less "things."
Towards the end of the event, McLaren discussed things the average person could do in their lives, including some of the things I've mentioned above. In my journal I wrote, "We can't do everything, but we can do something."
McLaren took some time to dissect what the current Christian answer seems to be - just worry about getting yourself into heaven, because Jesus is coming soon, and you need to make sure you're taken up into heaven before Jesus destroys the world and everybody in it. Of course that's a fatalistic and self-fulfilling view of the restoration of creation, but it is a belief that many, many Christians hold to. McLaren notes that there seems to be two Jesus' - the meek and loving Jesus in the gospels, and the conquering King Jesus who comes again. McLaren pointed to the verse in Revelations 19, where the sword comes from Jesus' mouth, not in his hand, to bring truth, not violence. (In the Left Behind books, Jesus quotes Scripture while the armies of the anti-Christ explode in blood and guts.)
McLaren called for a revolution in the church. He says that churches need to start teaching the good news of the kingdom of God (read Secret Message of Jesus for more on that). There should be a maximum number of people doing the work of the church in the community (which he describes as "living out faith in the community") and a minimum number of people doing "church work" (which he says is important, but should not be the primary work).
In the book, McLaren put the differences between "the world" and Jesus like this:
The world says, "We can engage in pleasurable or profitable behaviors with undesired consequences and either avoid the consequences or clean them up later."
Jesus says, "The fulfillment of your desires can destroy you. You'd be better off cutting off your hand or plucking your eye out than taking everything you see? What good would it be to gain every possible desire, but lose your soul?"
McLaren ended with this:
We must awaken to a better dream - God's dream. The dream must deepen in our hearts and minds. We must embody the dream. We must live the dream.
I have to mention the wonderful worship times with great music written just for this event.
One thing I must mention - because God seems to be in this. I am heading up a group of people at my church who are part of what we call a "Dream Team" that is dreaming about the future of our church. I'm heading up a group to talk about Spirtual Transformation. A lot of what I heard McLaren say fits what we will be discussing.
On Friday night, McLaren outlined the global crisis we are in. He says that our global society has become a "suicide machine" that has only one outcome - desctruction. The machine exists inside the ecosystem, from which it draws resources and deposits waste. The machine is made up of a prosperity system, an equity system, and a security system, and all three overlap and are connected within the "suicide machine." The reason these systems don't work is because of the framing story that exists, that is based on consumption, greed, lack of concern for consequences, the gap between the rich and poor, spread of violence and war to achieve economic results, etc.
He compares the political/religious situation of today to be similar to the political/religious situation in Jesus' day. Different groups have their own framing stories that they operate with in response to, or in concert with, the "suicide machine." But Jesus had a different way of living - a new framing story - that was different from the framing stories of his day, and different from the framing stories of our time.
This is where I get overwhelmed. I'm just a guy trying to raise a family. In a way I feel that any positive impact I can have on my children's lives will have impact later on as they live their adult lives, hopefully in the way of Jesus. I do some things. I recycle. I buy free trade coffee when I can. I've planted trees in my yard. I donate my time to my church not only on "church work" but also "the work of the church." (McLaren made a distinction between the two.) I donate to good causes. I also do some things I should do, but I could change. I could reduce the amount of electricity I use (which is difficult to do with two teens in the house.) I could clean up the trash pit that's behind the garage. I could consume less "things."
Towards the end of the event, McLaren discussed things the average person could do in their lives, including some of the things I've mentioned above. In my journal I wrote, "We can't do everything, but we can do something."
McLaren took some time to dissect what the current Christian answer seems to be - just worry about getting yourself into heaven, because Jesus is coming soon, and you need to make sure you're taken up into heaven before Jesus destroys the world and everybody in it. Of course that's a fatalistic and self-fulfilling view of the restoration of creation, but it is a belief that many, many Christians hold to. McLaren notes that there seems to be two Jesus' - the meek and loving Jesus in the gospels, and the conquering King Jesus who comes again. McLaren pointed to the verse in Revelations 19, where the sword comes from Jesus' mouth, not in his hand, to bring truth, not violence. (In the Left Behind books, Jesus quotes Scripture while the armies of the anti-Christ explode in blood and guts.)
McLaren called for a revolution in the church. He says that churches need to start teaching the good news of the kingdom of God (read Secret Message of Jesus for more on that). There should be a maximum number of people doing the work of the church in the community (which he describes as "living out faith in the community") and a minimum number of people doing "church work" (which he says is important, but should not be the primary work).
In the book, McLaren put the differences between "the world" and Jesus like this:
The world says, "We can engage in pleasurable or profitable behaviors with undesired consequences and either avoid the consequences or clean them up later."
Jesus says, "The fulfillment of your desires can destroy you. You'd be better off cutting off your hand or plucking your eye out than taking everything you see? What good would it be to gain every possible desire, but lose your soul?"
McLaren ended with this:
We must awaken to a better dream - God's dream. The dream must deepen in our hearts and minds. We must embody the dream. We must live the dream.
I have to mention the wonderful worship times with great music written just for this event.
One thing I must mention - because God seems to be in this. I am heading up a group of people at my church who are part of what we call a "Dream Team" that is dreaming about the future of our church. I'm heading up a group to talk about Spirtual Transformation. A lot of what I heard McLaren say fits what we will be discussing.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Message?!
The Message that I believe in, proclaim, and seek to live out is
that God loves us and this world...and that God is like a King bringing about God Kingdom in our lives and this world...and that we can join God in this Revolution of Hope.
But this Message is in the midst of times of utter devastation in China and Myanmar...the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
In China a middle school collapses and 900 children die.
I have trouble embracing the good news in the midst of so much pain. I cannot fully understand how God has the final say...the ultimate "Yes!" of Love and Hope for the lives of those children and families and so many more who have walked the beautiful yet shaky paths on this earth.
But I have no other choice. I must continue to believe...to proclaim...and to do my little part to make the Message so.
that God loves us and this world...and that God is like a King bringing about God Kingdom in our lives and this world...and that we can join God in this Revolution of Hope.
But this Message is in the midst of times of utter devastation in China and Myanmar...the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
In China a middle school collapses and 900 children die.
I have trouble embracing the good news in the midst of so much pain. I cannot fully understand how God has the final say...the ultimate "Yes!" of Love and Hope for the lives of those children and families and so many more who have walked the beautiful yet shaky paths on this earth.
But I have no other choice. I must continue to believe...to proclaim...and to do my little part to make the Message so.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A Trip to Cleveland
Hey there. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are making another trip to Cleveland tomorrow to have Stacey checked out. She has been in pain again and it has surpassed the 3-day limit; thus, the surgeon wants to check her out.
We would appreciate any prayers from people who will be checking this blog out from tonight till the meeting 9 am.
We would appreciate any prayers from people who will be checking this blog out from tonight till the meeting 9 am.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Hey
Hey.
Watching Juno tonight with Joy Ellen. Great movie!
Jamie is sleeping on the couch. Tired boy.
Trevor's last(I suppose) Pink Noise gig
and Christ Church worship service is this weekend. We'll be there.
Going to place my beloved mommy and daddy
in the nursing home in a couple of weeks. I love them with all my heart. So does God.
Ate one of my all time favorite deserts tonight
which is Graham Crackers broken up in milk. How sweet it is.
Bunch of us hanging with McLaren this week.
Not too excited but the man did change my life.
Read the story of Jonah tonight in The Message. I think one of the things those theologians and storytellers were trying to get at is for us to remember what "it" is all about...which is the call on our life to be Light to the confused world.(and that the Lord can use us dimwits to get the job done)
I love you all.
God bless you so very richly.
Watching Juno tonight with Joy Ellen. Great movie!
Jamie is sleeping on the couch. Tired boy.
Trevor's last(I suppose) Pink Noise gig
and Christ Church worship service is this weekend. We'll be there.
Going to place my beloved mommy and daddy
in the nursing home in a couple of weeks. I love them with all my heart. So does God.
Ate one of my all time favorite deserts tonight
which is Graham Crackers broken up in milk. How sweet it is.
Bunch of us hanging with McLaren this week.
Not too excited but the man did change my life.
Read the story of Jonah tonight in The Message. I think one of the things those theologians and storytellers were trying to get at is for us to remember what "it" is all about...which is the call on our life to be Light to the confused world.(and that the Lord can use us dimwits to get the job done)
I love you all.
God bless you so very richly.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Back from Mayo Clinic. I have been going there since 1972 to be hospitalized and have my skin cared for. It is my sacred healing place. They have knowledge. They work as team. It is a beautiful place where healing and hope happen for people around the world. I go in distress, but when I am there I get well both physically and in other ways, because I take my books and find times and places to read, pray, and just be.
We may be placing my folks in the nursing home this next week. I know I have said this before...so, we'll see. I was walking through the little cemetery next to the facility, and one of the stones had a woman's name, dates of birth and death, and the simple words
Have Faith
Be Happy
I feel like this precious saint was telling me something...to have faith that God will make a way for my parents and, in the midst of the fear and anxiety I am feeling, to seek to be happy. I hear her and am desiring to heed her voice and wisdom.
So whatever your lot right now
Have Faith
Be Happy.
We may be placing my folks in the nursing home this next week. I know I have said this before...so, we'll see. I was walking through the little cemetery next to the facility, and one of the stones had a woman's name, dates of birth and death, and the simple words
Have Faith
Be Happy
I feel like this precious saint was telling me something...to have faith that God will make a way for my parents and, in the midst of the fear and anxiety I am feeling, to seek to be happy. I hear her and am desiring to heed her voice and wisdom.
So whatever your lot right now
Have Faith
Be Happy.
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