Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the USA and tonight we celebrated early. Granted there was no American Football game to watch in the background (Go Huskers!), but it felt just right to be sharing a meal with friends and sharing the things we are thankful for. Sometimes it's difficult to say what we are thankful for because it cuts so deep with us, but that difficulty needs to be endured so that people might know who we really are.
I am thankful for:
the wonderful people in my life
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
laughter (it's like running on the inside - uses those muscles!)
sweet potato souffle - mmmmhmmmm yum
old friends reacquainted
old friends who never went anywhere (at least not far from my heart)
new friends
sunsets
music - that makes memories
the quietness of the early morning
sleep (which I am going to get now)
this list would be longer if it wasn't for the sleep thing....
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Banquet...
So the parable of the banquet... (Luke 14:15-23) All those people were invited, but they came up with all kinds of excuses not to come. "Just got married." "Need to sort out my new oxen." "Just bought some new land and I need to check it over." I suppose these refusals to a banquet are quite ridiculous really!
I can think of lots of excuses myself not to go to places and enjoy myself. I'm too tired. I just want a night in by myself. I won't know anyone. New people might not like me. I'm too old. I'm not smart enough. I don't have the right clothes to wear. There are so many excuses that seem to be reason enough to not become part of a community. But they are ridiculous!
Compared to the worst that might happen, the best is also likely to happen. You might enjoy yourself. You might connect with another human being. It might lead to you throwing a banquet yourself. The walls that you built up, just might not be real. You might actually live life in all its fullness. There might be laughter and later there might be tears to share. I think it is worth accepting the invitation to fullness of life.
Go and say yes, or throw a party yourself and invite some people you might not normally talk to. They just might say yes, and if they say no, they just might be ridiculous!
I can think of lots of excuses myself not to go to places and enjoy myself. I'm too tired. I just want a night in by myself. I won't know anyone. New people might not like me. I'm too old. I'm not smart enough. I don't have the right clothes to wear. There are so many excuses that seem to be reason enough to not become part of a community. But they are ridiculous!
Compared to the worst that might happen, the best is also likely to happen. You might enjoy yourself. You might connect with another human being. It might lead to you throwing a banquet yourself. The walls that you built up, just might not be real. You might actually live life in all its fullness. There might be laughter and later there might be tears to share. I think it is worth accepting the invitation to fullness of life.
Go and say yes, or throw a party yourself and invite some people you might not normally talk to. They just might say yes, and if they say no, they just might be ridiculous!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Trees that will become a boat
This week there was a great escape to the woods to choose some larch trees, twenty in all, to become a new boat. It was honestly like walking on holy ground to walk around the woods discerning which tree might be best placed to become part of a boat. It's like going to an audition to see who will be selected to be in an orchestra. I wonder how the trees that weren't selected feel.
I have added a photo of one of the trees and a picture of a model boat like the one the tree will become (but a lot bigger...).
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Favourites
Until this week I believed in favourites. Now I'm not so sure. I have been persuaded that favourites don't exist. That instead of thinking that because I enjoyed being around someone a lot that that made them my favourite - what it means is that I enjoy being round them. Favourite would imply that I like them best of all, when I actually like them for being them. So although I love sausages, they wouldn't be any good at trying to be cake. (Although those who tried my sausage cake may disagree...) They are only good at being sausages, and sometimes I want cake. So what's the point of being my favourite food, if on this one particular occasion I want cake? Therefore on the occasion I want cake - sausages being my favourite just wouldn't matter. And although "Mary Poppins" is my "favourite" movie, sometimes I want to watch "Team America". I just like "Mary Poppins" for being what it is - wonderful.
This makes for a whole reassessment of me giving myself a label of favourite. All it really means is that I'm liked differently for being myself. I'm unique - just like everybody else.
This makes for a whole reassessment of me giving myself a label of favourite. All it really means is that I'm liked differently for being myself. I'm unique - just like everybody else.
Intentionality
Apparently we can attach too many intentions to some thing that just happened. As a person who likes to notice things and evaluate their meaning this was a good reminder of that some things have no particular meaning attached to them. Meaningless I suppose. An example was given at a recent lecture I attended that shows dogs do it too...
In a house during winter a chunk of snow falls from the roof, the dog barks believing it to be a threat. It was only snow you tell the dog, but the dog knows there was more to it than that.
In a house during winter a chunk of snow falls from the roof, the dog barks believing it to be a threat. It was only snow you tell the dog, but the dog knows there was more to it than that.
Cliques
Now someone said this week that "no one thinks they are in a clique, they just think they are in a group of friends".
So what is a clique? The dictionary says it's "small group of people with a common or shared interest who do not readily allow others to join". But is that really true? Do you know if you have excluded others. If you haven't deliberately set out to exclude others does that make you a clique? What if for safety or sanity you need to be in a clique? What if you have always been on the outside of everything and suddenly you find yourself with something you are preciously in the middle of? Should you get out because others are excluded, or should you hang onto it cause it's helping you to be real? A place where you can actually be the you you usually hide from the world.
Did Jesus and the disciples appear like a clique? I mean only 12 disciples, what if you were pals with one of them before they became a disciple and your pal suddenly has a group of people he does everything with, because it gives him life. Would you be upset that you weren't part of it, or let him go and be where he gains life? Do you feel of less worth because you can see that what they have now means more to them? Does it make you less inclined to have friends at all? Cause if you have friends, maybe you'll be called a clique?
So what is a clique? The dictionary says it's "small group of people with a common or shared interest who do not readily allow others to join". But is that really true? Do you know if you have excluded others. If you haven't deliberately set out to exclude others does that make you a clique? What if for safety or sanity you need to be in a clique? What if you have always been on the outside of everything and suddenly you find yourself with something you are preciously in the middle of? Should you get out because others are excluded, or should you hang onto it cause it's helping you to be real? A place where you can actually be the you you usually hide from the world.
Did Jesus and the disciples appear like a clique? I mean only 12 disciples, what if you were pals with one of them before they became a disciple and your pal suddenly has a group of people he does everything with, because it gives him life. Would you be upset that you weren't part of it, or let him go and be where he gains life? Do you feel of less worth because you can see that what they have now means more to them? Does it make you less inclined to have friends at all? Cause if you have friends, maybe you'll be called a clique?
Monday, September 15, 2008
Switzerland
Ever feel like suddenly you're in free fall mode, but instead of plummeting towards the earth you have discovered you can fly? I am just back from the opportunity of a lifetime. At 4 days notice I accepted the invitation to go to a conference in Switzerland hosted by the World Council of Churches - A Theological Encounter on Israel/Palestine. 65 theologians and church leaders from around the world (and me) talking, discussing, wrestling with new ideas about how to view the Bible with regard to the Promised Land.
I was shocked at the underlying theology of some who believe the illegal occupation in Palestine is the living out of the Promised Land. I struggle to comprehend how the oppression of any people can be the will of God. But there we were a room full of the big brains of theology and I was amazed at what was coming out of their mouths.
It was a real privilege to be sitting alongside those theologians I have been reading all summer and instead of ideas in a book, it was a conversation with another pilgrim on the road. Amazing. Mind-blowing in so many ways.
I was shocked at the underlying theology of some who believe the illegal occupation in Palestine is the living out of the Promised Land. I struggle to comprehend how the oppression of any people can be the will of God. But there we were a room full of the big brains of theology and I was amazed at what was coming out of their mouths.
It was a real privilege to be sitting alongside those theologians I have been reading all summer and instead of ideas in a book, it was a conversation with another pilgrim on the road. Amazing. Mind-blowing in so many ways.
NYA 2008 - End of Part One
I have been inspired by some other blogs to write about NYA. Such a lot of stuff happens at NYA. I always find it a place to give and a place to receive. It reminds me of what church should be like all the time. A sanctuary and a light to those that come. As much as for the staff team, as for the delegates.
The theme End of Part One made it seem like changes are afoot. A new chapter is looming. Hints of it were seen throughout the assembly. Highlights for me...
The theme End of Part One made it seem like changes are afoot. A new chapter is looming. Hints of it were seen throughout the assembly. Highlights for me...
- chatting til 5am
- the great escape
- greeting familiar feet and meeting new ones
- a Christmas dance
- the bestest recitation of Tam
- After Eight being there
- magic bars of chocolate and biscuit
- moments of realness with people
- the grace administrator
- anointing by stealth
- anam cara
- tears
- Declaratory Article III
- giggles over dinner
- Jesus Duncan
- Bible shopping
- watching Jesus bite people on the bum :)
- Team FutureChurch
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Moleskin notebook
I usually carry a small moleskin notebook. It is full of books to read, ideas for things to do, quotes and thoughts. This is just making my notebook thinking a bit more public and harder for me to lose...
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