Rites of Passage
Friday, December 09, 2005
Mrs. Miriam Venetta Patterson Littlejohn, RIP darling
. . .These are all words used by friends and loved ones when asked to describe this statuesque matriarch of the Patterson clan. Born 84 years ago to Marshall and Thelma Patterson, this woman, the 6th of 10 other lively sibling spirits has always stood out in a crowd.
Miriam was raised and educated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and won a wide array of friends; as an adult she spread her circle of influence to include not only family members and friends, but business collegues, fraternal organizations, social clubs, and of course, her Church, and its choirs, boards, and auxiliaries.
She was married to and then widowed by the late Luther Littlejohn after almost 30 years of marriage. And, although she was technically 'childless', anyone who had the opportunity to experience the flurry of activity (days of cooking, shopping, rearranging furniture, and cleaning an already *immaculate* house) that surrounded her frequent pronouncement, “Oh, this has *got* to get done; “The Children” are coming!”, well, you know that Miriam was "Mother" and mother-figure to a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and play daughters; and as such, Miriam inspired an entire *generation* of Pattersons to love cars (and drive them fast!); to aspire to do *all* things well (and make certain everything is well *coordinated!*); and most importantly, to help others, even when they don't ask for aid. Miriam's vitality has lent spirit and strength to many a person in need, and as expressed by one admiring relative, “she could always brighten your day with her smile.”
This was a woman who could say, "Hey, baby!" to a room full of “The Children”, and each one would feel as though that greeting was "just for me"; and such was the warmth coming from her that each one would feel as though he or she was the most cherished, special creature to ever grace the universe! You just felt blessed!
Miriam lived her life; she didn't wait for life to happen to her: as my Aunt Fay said, "Miriam did everything she wanted to do in life; she got everything she wanted to have from life."
And I believe that Miriam *gave* everything she wanted as well--and many of us in here today can attest to that personally. We read in James that "faith without works is dead". Miriam made her faith real by the work she did. She transformed acts of duty and obligation into acts of worship and reverence. She gave unflinchingly of herself: she made a deposit in us with her gifts, her talents, her time, her kind words, her love; and we are all the richer for it, for this is how God works!
As I moved around the church during the family visitation hours, I saw the beautiful cycle of life: Miriam's body lay before us in the casket; she's gone on. But I saw a part of Miriam's *spirit* reflected in each of the several generations of “Children” who'd gathered to honor her life....and it was Glorious, because nothing ever really dies! I am Avis, daughter of Beatrice and Leon, but I am also one of Miriam's “Children”; and I will make sure that she'll live on in me.
Jan. 6, 1921 — Dec. 1, 2005
“Dignity” “Style” “Elegant”
“Sweet” “Gracious” “Charming”
“Classy ...”
. . .These are all words used by friends and loved ones when asked to describe this statuesque matriarch of the Patterson clan. Born 84 years ago to Marshall and Thelma Patterson, this woman, the 6th of 10 other lively sibling spirits has always stood out in a crowd.
Miriam was raised and educated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and won a wide array of friends; as an adult she spread her circle of influence to include not only family members and friends, but business collegues, fraternal organizations, social clubs, and of course, her Church, and its choirs, boards, and auxiliaries.
She was married to and then widowed by the late Luther Littlejohn after almost 30 years of marriage. And, although she was technically 'childless', anyone who had the opportunity to experience the flurry of activity (days of cooking, shopping, rearranging furniture, and cleaning an already *immaculate* house) that surrounded her frequent pronouncement, “Oh, this has *got* to get done; “The Children” are coming!”, well, you know that Miriam was "Mother" and mother-figure to a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and play daughters; and as such, Miriam inspired an entire *generation* of Pattersons to love cars (and drive them fast!); to aspire to do *all* things well (and make certain everything is well *coordinated!*); and most importantly, to help others, even when they don't ask for aid. Miriam's vitality has lent spirit and strength to many a person in need, and as expressed by one admiring relative, “she could always brighten your day with her smile.”
This was a woman who could say, "Hey, baby!" to a room full of “The Children”, and each one would feel as though that greeting was "just for me"; and such was the warmth coming from her that each one would feel as though he or she was the most cherished, special creature to ever grace the universe! You just felt blessed!
Miriam lived her life; she didn't wait for life to happen to her: as my Aunt Fay said, "Miriam did everything she wanted to do in life; she got everything she wanted to have from life."
And I believe that Miriam *gave* everything she wanted as well--and many of us in here today can attest to that personally. We read in James that "faith without works is dead". Miriam made her faith real by the work she did. She transformed acts of duty and obligation into acts of worship and reverence. She gave unflinchingly of herself: she made a deposit in us with her gifts, her talents, her time, her kind words, her love; and we are all the richer for it, for this is how God works!
As I moved around the church during the family visitation hours, I saw the beautiful cycle of life: Miriam's body lay before us in the casket; she's gone on. But I saw a part of Miriam's *spirit* reflected in each of the several generations of “Children” who'd gathered to honor her life....and it was Glorious, because nothing ever really dies! I am Avis, daughter of Beatrice and Leon, but I am also one of Miriam's “Children”; and I will make sure that she'll live on in me.
"One of the deep secrets of life is that
all that is really worth
the doing is what we do for others;
So let the work I've done speak for me." -- Miriam Littlejohn
¶ 12/09/2005 04:51:00 PM 0 comments
all that is really worth
the doing is what we do for others;
So let the work I've done speak for me." -- Miriam Littlejohn
Monday, November 28, 2005
Here I go again...
A few weeks ago, I posted a note about a "new" interpretation of the bible that had me going for a hot minute. (see: BaRosh Yitbarà Elohim for the original note)
In an extraordinary moment of boldness, I asked the author of this book, Paolo Marra, to send me pricing information for the English translation (the original is in Italian) so I could buy a few to share. It turns out that the English translation does not yet fully exist--Sr. Marra and his editors are still working on this edition. I was disappointed to learn this, but then, Sr. Marra offered to send me a draft of the translation, and asked for comments. There was a silent "Yippee!" in my corner of the world!
The draft arrived some time ago, but it wasn't until this holiday weekend that I had the time and opportunity to actually read any of it. And you guessed it: I'm all excited again!
The text explores the rest of Genesis, chapter 1 with an emphasis on the dualistic messages (the apparent and the hidden--or to use Marra's terms: the Visible and the Invisible) and symbolism inherent therein. In reading this, I harkened back to my salad days and beginning study of the Kabbala almost 30 years ago. (mon Dieu! how can it be that I was studying *anything* that long ago? How did I get this aged?)
But, the point is, I began to see the connections between that system of revelation, the Bible Code and Marra's numerical interpretation of the Torah. And I *am* excited. But I still think it reads like Master Yoda is teaching the course... ¶ 11/28/2005 03:56:00 PM 0 comments
In an extraordinary moment of boldness, I asked the author of this book, Paolo Marra, to send me pricing information for the English translation (the original is in Italian) so I could buy a few to share. It turns out that the English translation does not yet fully exist--Sr. Marra and his editors are still working on this edition. I was disappointed to learn this, but then, Sr. Marra offered to send me a draft of the translation, and asked for comments. There was a silent "Yippee!" in my corner of the world!
The draft arrived some time ago, but it wasn't until this holiday weekend that I had the time and opportunity to actually read any of it. And you guessed it: I'm all excited again!
The text explores the rest of Genesis, chapter 1 with an emphasis on the dualistic messages (the apparent and the hidden--or to use Marra's terms: the Visible and the Invisible) and symbolism inherent therein. In reading this, I harkened back to my salad days and beginning study of the Kabbala almost 30 years ago. (mon Dieu! how can it be that I was studying *anything* that long ago? How did I get this aged?)
But, the point is, I began to see the connections between that system of revelation, the Bible Code and Marra's numerical interpretation of the Torah. And I *am* excited. But I still think it reads like Master Yoda is teaching the course... ¶ 11/28/2005 03:56:00 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Can our pursuit of a personal relationship with God make us insensitive to other people? (part I)
¶ 11/23/2005 04:29:00 PM 1 comments
| I was enjoying an impromptu luncheon with colleagues at the small, southeastern university where I work the other day when one of the scattering of conversations turned to the subject of how we speak to one another, and how we respond when our feelings get hurt by the words of others. One professor remarked that she knew she had a very sharp tongue, (a fact all too well known to many of us in the room) but was making real efforts to control what she said. Now, this particular professor is one who loudly and proudly proclaims her faith (Christian), her beliefs and bigotry, and her special standing in the eyes of her one God--the one with whom she has favor. In my experience of her, she seemed to use this "favor" as an excuse to be randomly and thoughtlessly rude to and inconsiderate of other people. Her single motivation, whether with people, projects or situations, seemed to be "what's in it for me; will I have to *do* anything? and will it make me look good?" I have always found this to be...odd. And frankly, before my own acceptance of Christ, she was one of my primary examples of why most Christians are just totally useless. So, hearing her express any sort of awareness/sensitivity of how she treated or was perceived by others was intriguing! She shared a recent personal circumstance where she was the recipient of harsh personal criticism from a close, long time friend (you know, one of those loved ones who really know exactly how to push our buttons), but contrary to her usual and natural instincts, she *chose* not to respond to the criticism emotionally and kept her peace. I thought I sensed a serious issue of both competition and inferiority when it came to her and this friend. Some of us thought this would have been an instance when use of her verbal skills in defense of herself was in fact warranted, but, interestingly, she thought not. I was listening intently, because it seemed she was sharing a new and evolving part of herself to us. Everyone of us gathered became interested when I asked her: "do you really believe that? And do you believe it applies across the board?", referring to the precept of no pain = no progress. I wanted to know if she applied this to other areas of her life, and thought this might explain some of her interesting character traits and teaching style. I wanted to know how her knowledge and experience of God really worked with this concept, because I definitely don't believe this applies wholesale to our life experiences and, being relatively new at this Christian thing, I really wanted clarification. | ||
Friday, November 11, 2005
...and they shall know you by your fruit...
So, my question for today is: "Who's eating from *your* tree?"
Over the last week I've had a number of challenges to my walk; some have bested me, some I've overcome. Things I'd considered inconsequential in the past have come back to bite me. Some things which were perfectly fine with me a year or two ago have become obstacles because I don't look at them the same way anymore. The choices I'll make today are very different than those I made earlier. And for some in my life, this is not a good thing...
But the thing is, as we grow, we change; and like a tree, we all need a little pruning to be the best and most beautiful tree we can be, and to bear the most plentiful fruit.
I've often caused myself to suffer (needlessly) about the how, where, and when the pruning will take place; I've beat my breast in atonement for: sins I've committed against God; sins I've committed against his people; for sins I've committed against God by offensive speech; for sins I've committed against God by passing judgment; for sins I've committed by casting off responsibility; for sins I've committed unintentionally...
...and then I remember David, a servant of God, much loved, but doing more than a thing or two out of the will of God saying, "Who can discern his own errors? Of unconscious faults, hold me guiltless." But sometimes I get caught up in my own anxiety, obsessions, and desire to be *perfect*.
I can only move forward by remembering this: we read in John 15 that Christ is the vine; we are the branches. And God is the gardner; it is He who will trim and prune the branches. But if *I* remain in God's word and follow Him, then *I will bear fruit*. And the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility) and self-control. And all of these fruit are sown and grown in the rich soil of my relationships with other people. These are those who are eating from my tree. Some of my fruit is still ripening. Some of the them have not yet bloomed; but I love knowing that God is tending me and watching me grow.
Now, it might come to pass that some of my fruit, though prized and cherished, may wither on the tree--these are that which shall be pruned.
In the meantime, enjoy the fruit...
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/11/2005 03:28:00 AM 0 comments
So, my question for today is: "Who's eating from *your* tree?"
Over the last week I've had a number of challenges to my walk; some have bested me, some I've overcome. Things I'd considered inconsequential in the past have come back to bite me. Some things which were perfectly fine with me a year or two ago have become obstacles because I don't look at them the same way anymore. The choices I'll make today are very different than those I made earlier. And for some in my life, this is not a good thing...
But the thing is, as we grow, we change; and like a tree, we all need a little pruning to be the best and most beautiful tree we can be, and to bear the most plentiful fruit.
I've often caused myself to suffer (needlessly) about the how, where, and when the pruning will take place; I've beat my breast in atonement for: sins I've committed against God; sins I've committed against his people; for sins I've committed against God by offensive speech; for sins I've committed against God by passing judgment; for sins I've committed by casting off responsibility; for sins I've committed unintentionally...
...and then I remember David, a servant of God, much loved, but doing more than a thing or two out of the will of God saying, "Who can discern his own errors? Of unconscious faults, hold me guiltless." But sometimes I get caught up in my own anxiety, obsessions, and desire to be *perfect*.
I can only move forward by remembering this: we read in John 15 that Christ is the vine; we are the branches. And God is the gardner; it is He who will trim and prune the branches. But if *I* remain in God's word and follow Him, then *I will bear fruit*. And the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility) and self-control. And all of these fruit are sown and grown in the rich soil of my relationships with other people. These are those who are eating from my tree. Some of my fruit is still ripening. Some of the them have not yet bloomed; but I love knowing that God is tending me and watching me grow.
Now, it might come to pass that some of my fruit, though prized and cherished, may wither on the tree--these are that which shall be pruned.
In the meantime, enjoy the fruit...
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/11/2005 03:28:00 AM 0 comments
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help...
Well, this is one of those items that appears in the church bulletin "bloopers"-style newsletters that I receive.
Sadly, however, for many of us, this represents our reality.
We have our faith and we join our churches; but, then we don't gain enlightenment through our own chasing after God, but instead let our 'church', the administration, the 'leaders', "the other people" and the dogma completely strangle us and our quest for truth. We let the byzantine nature of bureaucracy cheat us out of our inheritance and lead us onto a path of slow death.
We need a new understanding, a renewal of our faith that enables us to be the great people of God that Christ came to teach us to be. We *are* the church. Never forget that.
Are you really ready to live and not die?
Then Follow Him....
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/10/2005 05:50:00 PM 0 comments
Sadly, however, for many of us, this represents our reality.
We have our faith and we join our churches; but, then we don't gain enlightenment through our own chasing after God, but instead let our 'church', the administration, the 'leaders', "the other people" and the dogma completely strangle us and our quest for truth. We let the byzantine nature of bureaucracy cheat us out of our inheritance and lead us onto a path of slow death.
We need a new understanding, a renewal of our faith that enables us to be the great people of God that Christ came to teach us to be. We *are* the church. Never forget that.
Are you really ready to live and not die?
Then Follow Him....
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/10/2005 05:50:00 PM 0 comments
ordained!
yesterday, I was ordained as a minister in the Universal Life Church.
What a kick in the head...
today, I was contacted by ULC to find out the details of what I wanted my credentials to look like [you know, "Rev." or "Minister", or just my name, please], and what sort of support materials I wanted sent to me immediately, like marriage and vow renewal certificates, baptismal certificates, documentation on suggested cermonies ('cause none of that stuff's in my bibles!), etc.
again, I say: ain't that a kick in the head!
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/10/2005 05:30:00 PM 0 comments
yesterday, I was ordained as a minister in the Universal Life Church.
What a kick in the head...
today, I was contacted by ULC to find out the details of what I wanted my credentials to look like [you know, "Rev." or "Minister", or just my name, please], and what sort of support materials I wanted sent to me immediately, like marriage and vow renewal certificates, baptismal certificates, documentation on suggested cermonies ('cause none of that stuff's in my bibles!), etc.
again, I say: ain't that a kick in the head!
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/10/2005 05:30:00 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
BaRosh Yitbarà Elohim
Now, so as not to frighten any of my fundy friends reading this, and to clarify, it's not changing the words per se, ('cause remember, it wasn't written in King James' English or even Greek, it was ancient HEBREW), but rather changing where the syllables/letters are broken up.
This particular combination of hebrew letters is usually read as "Bereshyt barà Elohim et haShamayim ve'et ha'aretz", and translated as "In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth."
This researcher is suggesting an alternate combination resulting in: "BaRosh Yitbarà Elohim"... (see how similar they are, yet different?)
Roughly translated, these letters could mean "In the head (or mind) God (will) create himself" or, in an equally Yoda-like translation, "God Himself (the infinite imagination, the unnamable) creates (or created, since it was past tense)". Now the problem with rough translations is that they're usually transliterations. And this (literally) is not how we tend to use our languages: we have all these wonderful, quirky, idiomatic expressions that have to be worked around to be understood by anyone unfamiliar with the original/common use of the language from which you are translating.
But I was excited by the prospects presented here. Now understand that I've spent some of my recent days looking at way too many documentaries on the Babble--uh, I mean Bible Code, and the use of mathematics to analyze the hebrew used in the Torah to reveal/resolve/predict EVERYTHING. My little dinosaur brain may simply be on overload or so wide open you can drive a truck through it.
Anyway, upon first reading about this "new translation of the bible," I had an immediate brain flash (or brain fart, depending upon your own assessment) of the extraordinary possibility that this "In the Head God creates Himself" translation could mean that "in the minds of human beings the concept and construct of God and EVERYTHING is created", (lending some support to Voltaire's idea that "if God did not exist, it would be necessary to create him")
And then I calmed down...
...and started thinking--if you take "Head" to mean 'top of' or 'start' or even 'beginning', and "Himself" to mean "everything you see below/above/beyond" or 'the heavens and the earth', and 'Elohim' to mean 'God', just as we almost always do (rather than GODS, which the 'im' ending of the word reveals--but we'd rather shoot ourselves in the foot than acknowledge a concept that scary and sacriligious!); and if I further wanted to explain or translate this opening passage to JimmyJoe or Shanika in lauguage they could actually understand, I might just end up saying: "In the *beginning*, *God* created *the heavens and the earth*..."
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/09/2005 05:07:00 AM 0 comments
a recent reordering of the hebrew letters that make up the first words of the Torah leads one Italian bibilical scholar to redefine the title or description of what we now refer to as "the Bible".
Now, so as not to frighten any of my fundy friends reading this, and to clarify, it's not changing the words per se, ('cause remember, it wasn't written in King James' English or even Greek, it was ancient HEBREW), but rather changing where the syllables/letters are broken up.
This particular combination of hebrew letters is usually read as "Bereshyt barà Elohim et haShamayim ve'et ha'aretz", and translated as "In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth."
This researcher is suggesting an alternate combination resulting in: "BaRosh Yitbarà Elohim"... (see how similar they are, yet different?)
Roughly translated, these letters could mean "In the head (or mind) God (will) create himself" or, in an equally Yoda-like translation, "God Himself (the infinite imagination, the unnamable) creates (or created, since it was past tense)". Now the problem with rough translations is that they're usually transliterations. And this (literally) is not how we tend to use our languages: we have all these wonderful, quirky, idiomatic expressions that have to be worked around to be understood by anyone unfamiliar with the original/common use of the language from which you are translating.
But I was excited by the prospects presented here. Now understand that I've spent some of my recent days looking at way too many documentaries on the Babble--uh, I mean Bible Code, and the use of mathematics to analyze the hebrew used in the Torah to reveal/resolve/predict EVERYTHING. My little dinosaur brain may simply be on overload or so wide open you can drive a truck through it.
Anyway, upon first reading about this "new translation of the bible," I had an immediate brain flash (or brain fart, depending upon your own assessment) of the extraordinary possibility that this "In the Head God creates Himself" translation could mean that "in the minds of human beings the concept and construct of God and EVERYTHING is created", (lending some support to Voltaire's idea that "if God did not exist, it would be necessary to create him")
And then I calmed down...
...and started thinking--if you take "Head" to mean 'top of' or 'start' or even 'beginning', and "Himself" to mean "everything you see below/above/beyond" or 'the heavens and the earth', and 'Elohim' to mean 'God', just as we almost always do (rather than GODS, which the 'im' ending of the word reveals--but we'd rather shoot ourselves in the foot than acknowledge a concept that scary and sacriligious!); and if I further wanted to explain or translate this opening passage to JimmyJoe or Shanika in lauguage they could actually understand, I might just end up saying: "In the *beginning*, *God* created *the heavens and the earth*..."
Religion
spirituality ¶ 11/09/2005 05:07:00 AM 0 comments
Saturday, June 11, 2005
'ligion, and all that jazz
I've realized that my non-denominational church has fully embraced a doctrine of fundamentalism; I am much more moderate (at times) and sometimes more rigid (but different than the party line) and open to learning and understanding new things (which they are as well, but only if the new things come from the mouth and mind of our Senior pastor).
Our senior pastor (Bishop) believes God speaks to him; he says he alone amongst us has the "anointing", and most in this congregation have read and believe that we shall not "touch Gods's anointed." Although I think that many take that passage out of context (mostly pastors trying to protect their actions and authority to do whatever they want to do), I also believe God speaks to Bishop. But I also believe God speaks to and through many of us; God speaks to me; God sent me to this town, in this time. But is it too much to accept that it is *God* who chooses those who are *open* to hearing "the voice of God?" And those are placed all over this world: some in the same town, in the same parish, and yes, some in the same congregation? And just 'cause He's talking to you today, it doesn't preclude Him from speaking to JimmyJoe or Shanika tonight...
I have already experienced feeling outcast by my church and pastor; many may have similar thoughts or beliefs, but we have set up a construct where we are not free to express anything that might be perceived as speaking against or even questioning the teachings of "God's anointed."
Now, because God made me the way I am, and I still think and process information with this God-given brain, I *do* question things; I *do* need to speak out at times; and I *may* say some things that will not be well-received. I feel I shall soon be uncovered and labeled as some sort of gnostic rabble rouser and kicked out for some church-defined heresy. But I'll soldier on...'cause God told me to.
spirituality
Religion ¶ 6/11/2005 11:15:00 AM 0 comments
I've realized that my non-denominational church has fully embraced a doctrine of fundamentalism; I am much more moderate (at times) and sometimes more rigid (but different than the party line) and open to learning and understanding new things (which they are as well, but only if the new things come from the mouth and mind of our Senior pastor).
Our senior pastor (Bishop) believes God speaks to him; he says he alone amongst us has the "anointing", and most in this congregation have read and believe that we shall not "touch Gods's anointed." Although I think that many take that passage out of context (mostly pastors trying to protect their actions and authority to do whatever they want to do), I also believe God speaks to Bishop. But I also believe God speaks to and through many of us; God speaks to me; God sent me to this town, in this time. But is it too much to accept that it is *God* who chooses those who are *open* to hearing "the voice of God?" And those are placed all over this world: some in the same town, in the same parish, and yes, some in the same congregation? And just 'cause He's talking to you today, it doesn't preclude Him from speaking to JimmyJoe or Shanika tonight...
I have already experienced feeling outcast by my church and pastor; many may have similar thoughts or beliefs, but we have set up a construct where we are not free to express anything that might be perceived as speaking against or even questioning the teachings of "God's anointed."
Now, because God made me the way I am, and I still think and process information with this God-given brain, I *do* question things; I *do* need to speak out at times; and I *may* say some things that will not be well-received. I feel I shall soon be uncovered and labeled as some sort of gnostic rabble rouser and kicked out for some church-defined heresy. But I'll soldier on...'cause God told me to.
spirituality
Religion ¶ 6/11/2005 11:15:00 AM 0 comments
Thursday, March 10, 2005
send me...
Please take a moment to read for yourself Isaiah, chapter 6 (yeah, the whole thing; it's really short), about the calling of Isaiah to be a prophet of the Lord. It is the foundation for the song I jotted down here....
....This song, penned and sung by the young son of the pastor of my "parent church", Bethany World Prayer Center, expresses my feelings and beliefs about the sacredness of our mouths and tongues.
When we respond to the call, are delivered and take on the Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..." (Matthew 28:19) then we are sent as witnesses for, examples of, and representatives of the living Christ. When we stand up and say, "Send me, lord", we tacitly agree to speak for God; and what we say really matters.
Witness. Example. Representative. This is who and what we become, even in the presence of no one else; for even then, we are in the presence of God, who is forever checking us out. More importantly, the 'world' unto whom we've been sent, is checking us out. Yeah, "becoming" is an amazing life process for *every* believer, without doubt, and not one that we should take for granted; nor should we fall back on our "old man" as an excuse for failure or slackness.
Each day we have the opportunity to become better than we were, to shed something of this world, to become more conscious, and take on the qualities of Christ. It takes diligence, and awareness and love for our God, ourselves, and each other to bring this into concrete reality. Our tongues, our mouths, our words, are one of our most powerful tools in this creative act. We speak our reality into existence; our words have great power; that power can be used for good and God or not; and it's always our choice.
Now, just like Isaiah, who wanted to "be the one" but lamented of his shameful past, and wondered how he'd be able to qualify for the task ahead of him, we all have done and said 'unclean' things, and we live around 'unclean' people, and may think our past taints us or makes us unfit to act on behalf of the good.
But we have since made a choice to stand up for God; so although we don't have an angel hovering around the braiser of burning coals saying, "oh, I've got that", who in response to our self-doubt will cleanse our filthy mouths by the ritual of the power of fire, we have something even better (and way less painful). We have the power of Christ the son, who by the Father sent the holy spirit to dwell in us, to guide us, to order our steps, to be that conduit through which we can surrender ourselves. We are justified by our faith. I get that we will misstep sometimes. I know I have. But as we battle to reconcile our flesh, soul and worldly desires with our spirit each day, remember this:
Religion
spirituality ¶ 3/10/2005 06:06:00 AM 0 comments
Please take a moment to read for yourself Isaiah, chapter 6 (yeah, the whole thing; it's really short), about the calling of Isaiah to be a prophet of the Lord. It is the foundation for the song I jotted down here....
Protector, Provider,
my life is in your hands.
You hold me forever,
and take me as I am.
Send me to the world.
Take my hand: I surrender.
There is no one else like you.
Take the coal and touch my lips.
Someone who will speak for Him; let it be me, Lord....
....This song, penned and sung by the young son of the pastor of my "parent church", Bethany World Prayer Center, expresses my feelings and beliefs about the sacredness of our mouths and tongues.
When we respond to the call, are delivered and take on the Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..." (Matthew 28:19) then we are sent as witnesses for, examples of, and representatives of the living Christ. When we stand up and say, "Send me, lord", we tacitly agree to speak for God; and what we say really matters.
Witness. Example. Representative. This is who and what we become, even in the presence of no one else; for even then, we are in the presence of God, who is forever checking us out. More importantly, the 'world' unto whom we've been sent, is checking us out. Yeah, "becoming" is an amazing life process for *every* believer, without doubt, and not one that we should take for granted; nor should we fall back on our "old man" as an excuse for failure or slackness.
Each day we have the opportunity to become better than we were, to shed something of this world, to become more conscious, and take on the qualities of Christ. It takes diligence, and awareness and love for our God, ourselves, and each other to bring this into concrete reality. Our tongues, our mouths, our words, are one of our most powerful tools in this creative act. We speak our reality into existence; our words have great power; that power can be used for good and God or not; and it's always our choice.
Now, just like Isaiah, who wanted to "be the one" but lamented of his shameful past, and wondered how he'd be able to qualify for the task ahead of him, we all have done and said 'unclean' things, and we live around 'unclean' people, and may think our past taints us or makes us unfit to act on behalf of the good.
But we have since made a choice to stand up for God; so although we don't have an angel hovering around the braiser of burning coals saying, "oh, I've got that", who in response to our self-doubt will cleanse our filthy mouths by the ritual of the power of fire, we have something even better (and way less painful). We have the power of Christ the son, who by the Father sent the holy spirit to dwell in us, to guide us, to order our steps, to be that conduit through which we can surrender ourselves. We are justified by our faith. I get that we will misstep sometimes. I know I have. But as we battle to reconcile our flesh, soul and worldly desires with our spirit each day, remember this:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
--1 John 1:9 (New International Version)Think about it...then live it!
Religion
spirituality ¶ 3/10/2005 06:06:00 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
School Daze: Faith
As a new believer, I have found it amazing that the things I’m believing God for are actually happening. It’s not always “big” things that I believe God for, and even when *I* take something for granted that really is a matter of faith, I find the Spirit directs my steps and shows me my faith manifested. I find it difficult and interesting to think about the distinction between what I now believe in God for and those things I formerly lived my life believing in myself to achieve, obtain, procure, etc.
I give as a primary example of my this, even prior to being saved, my fall from grace and the big move back to North Carolina. I was a successful “Young Turk” in the business world, specializing in Information Systems and doing my geeky computer thing, working on Wall Street in New York City, living large, and dominating the lives of my staff!
That which I wanted, I easily achieved; my progress was steady and sometimes quite remarkable. I was full of confidence in myself and my ability to succeed in this world. I thought I could do no wrong and everyone loved me, my work ethic and my skills! Then the fall came: big corporate merger, and the inevitable downsizing. And for the very first time in my career, I was on the wrong side of that short list of employees who would be asked to leave.
I was shocked and depressed—how could God abandon me? How could I fail? How could I, the Impeccable Avis, be chosen for the group to be “downsized”? Around this same time, on a visit to Winston-Salem, I heard the voice of God tell me to “move here now”. And without questioning the logic of the decision, I started making preparations for the move, which was a huge undertaking that took over six months to complete. Though I still failed to understand what had happened in my career and “why me?”, and though it affected some of my close relationships to the point of breaking them, I was still driven to complete this long-distance move! And when I was done, as I settled into my new (well, not so new at all—my Grandma’s house) abode in Winston-Salem, it was just before Labor Day in 2001.
As all remember, shortly after that, the World Trade Center (which was a mere 5 blocks away from my former place of employment) and Pentagon plane bombings occurred. I understood then that God had beckoned me to come away from a point of danger because he was not done with me yet. I was in my new place, without my former resources, poised for my new direction.
The issue of trust became evident when I tried to apply my old skills to this new area, and found it was not working for me anymore! I questioned whether I’d followed the right directions in coming to Winston-Salem since I wasn’t succeeding, though I never doubted for a moment that I *was* hearing from God on this. My family encouraged me to continue trusting that God had a plan for me and it would be revealed in God’s time, and not mine.
During my early times in Winston, I regularly visited and even worked for various churches connected with my family members. Now, you have to understand that this was *highly* unusual for me. Church was a thing that my mom and sister did. It was, in fact, a thing that practically everyone else in my family, *except me*, did on a regular basis and their faith was strong, but curiously alien to me. But this new church experience was getting comfortable, though I freely admit that I didn't really *get* it.
It was coming to St. Peter’s, where I *felt* the presence of the Lord in a church for the first time in my life, that I found my home and my spiritual family. After a few weeks of resistance I ultimately give my life over to the matchless guidance of Christ that finally allowed me to perceive what I was here for: to worship God, to praise God, to Know God, to ultimately bring others to God and help teach others this fundamental lesson: with and through Christ, all things are possible! ¶ 11/10/2004 06:24:00 PM 0 comments
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” -- Hebrews 11:1
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:16-17 NKJV
Note: you cannot see, hear, sell, taste or feel faith.
Faith is not about your emotions or your senses.
Faith is not about your emotions or your senses.
This was my seventh week assignment:
To give examples of areas in my life in which I find it hardest to trust God and why; and to further delve into the Word to find out what it says about faith and develop a plan to apply that word to my life in order to strengthen my faith.
As a new believer, I have found it amazing that the things I’m believing God for are actually happening. It’s not always “big” things that I believe God for, and even when *I* take something for granted that really is a matter of faith, I find the Spirit directs my steps and shows me my faith manifested. I find it difficult and interesting to think about the distinction between what I now believe in God for and those things I formerly lived my life believing in myself to achieve, obtain, procure, etc.
I give as a primary example of my this, even prior to being saved, my fall from grace and the big move back to North Carolina. I was a successful “Young Turk” in the business world, specializing in Information Systems and doing my geeky computer thing, working on Wall Street in New York City, living large, and dominating the lives of my staff!
That which I wanted, I easily achieved; my progress was steady and sometimes quite remarkable. I was full of confidence in myself and my ability to succeed in this world. I thought I could do no wrong and everyone loved me, my work ethic and my skills! Then the fall came: big corporate merger, and the inevitable downsizing. And for the very first time in my career, I was on the wrong side of that short list of employees who would be asked to leave.
I was shocked and depressed—how could God abandon me? How could I fail? How could I, the Impeccable Avis, be chosen for the group to be “downsized”? Around this same time, on a visit to Winston-Salem, I heard the voice of God tell me to “move here now”. And without questioning the logic of the decision, I started making preparations for the move, which was a huge undertaking that took over six months to complete. Though I still failed to understand what had happened in my career and “why me?”, and though it affected some of my close relationships to the point of breaking them, I was still driven to complete this long-distance move! And when I was done, as I settled into my new (well, not so new at all—my Grandma’s house) abode in Winston-Salem, it was just before Labor Day in 2001.
As all remember, shortly after that, the World Trade Center (which was a mere 5 blocks away from my former place of employment) and Pentagon plane bombings occurred. I understood then that God had beckoned me to come away from a point of danger because he was not done with me yet. I was in my new place, without my former resources, poised for my new direction.
The issue of trust became evident when I tried to apply my old skills to this new area, and found it was not working for me anymore! I questioned whether I’d followed the right directions in coming to Winston-Salem since I wasn’t succeeding, though I never doubted for a moment that I *was* hearing from God on this. My family encouraged me to continue trusting that God had a plan for me and it would be revealed in God’s time, and not mine.
During my early times in Winston, I regularly visited and even worked for various churches connected with my family members. Now, you have to understand that this was *highly* unusual for me. Church was a thing that my mom and sister did. It was, in fact, a thing that practically everyone else in my family, *except me*, did on a regular basis and their faith was strong, but curiously alien to me. But this new church experience was getting comfortable, though I freely admit that I didn't really *get* it.
It was coming to St. Peter’s, where I *felt* the presence of the Lord in a church for the first time in my life, that I found my home and my spiritual family. After a few weeks of resistance I ultimately give my life over to the matchless guidance of Christ that finally allowed me to perceive what I was here for: to worship God, to praise God, to Know God, to ultimately bring others to God and help teach others this fundamental lesson: with and through Christ, all things are possible! ¶ 11/10/2004 06:24:00 PM 0 comments
