So often I read in the Bible, Jesus said, let him who has ears to hear, hear... Matthew 13:39 (Just an example!) What a simple phrase! Yet how much meaning it has. At least to me...
As a child sitting in church with my parents when the pastor would recite those words, I always thought, "Why would Jesus say that?" I mean, it was perfectly obvious to me that everyone has ears... Later on, I began to think that what that meant was that we are free to see what commands specifically apply to us and which ones do not. If you didn't have to ears to hear a particular thing... well, then, that particular thing did not apply to you.
Ah... again, I was wrong. I think that Jesus was telling us to listen. Really listen to His words, and those of His father. How many times I've gotten uptight with my son or daughter, because they "hear" me but don't "listen"!! Listening implies going beyond mere auditory reception.
Listening to me is hearing, yes, but hearing with understanding. Hearing with comprehension, if you will. I recently was given C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity on tape. I've read the book countless times... but hearing... no, listening to it was far different. It was so cool to listen to Lewis speak and his inflection in different places changed or deepened my comprehension.
How wonderful that we worship a God who speaks to us! Who asks us to listen... I think sometimes because we so readily have access to the Word in whatever form we choose we sometimes forget the power of the Word. This, I think is the real tragedy.
After all, Paul tells us in Romans 10:16-18 that... So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world. We have ears... we have heard. Let us endeavor to make sure that all have heard, too.
We may not be able to compel listening... but we can afford everyone a chance to hear the word. Whether they choose to listen or not... that is their choice.
Be Blessed!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Am I crazy enough?
I think I am.
http://www.sfhumanesociety.com/custEvents.asp?secId=&ParentId=&eventId=35&page=viewEvent
This race is coming up on the 21st of June. Right now doing a combination of walking and running I'm finishing 2 miles in about 40 minutes. Now, that's not going to win me the thing, mind you! But... it will let me finish 2.49 miles.
I think I am just crazy enough to enter. I don't have to worry about my time because I know I'll be slow. I fully expect to finish last. LOL. I don't have to do anything except have fun and get a run in.
So... what do you think? Am I crazy enough... and should I drag my kiddos with me??
Grace
http://www.sfhumanesociety.com/custEvents.asp?secId=&ParentId=&eventId=35&page=viewEvent
This race is coming up on the 21st of June. Right now doing a combination of walking and running I'm finishing 2 miles in about 40 minutes. Now, that's not going to win me the thing, mind you! But... it will let me finish 2.49 miles.
I think I am just crazy enough to enter. I don't have to worry about my time because I know I'll be slow. I fully expect to finish last. LOL. I don't have to do anything except have fun and get a run in.
So... what do you think? Am I crazy enough... and should I drag my kiddos with me??
Grace
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
A Peculiar People
Peculiarities. The very word conjures up images of eccentricities. In that sense, we are all peculiar. We all have our own quirks and preferences. I prefer Twining's Earl Grey Tea, Good Earth herb tea, and SleepyTime or just plain ol Lipton to the fancier teas out there. My dd likes iced coffee (the gateway drug, I call it) and I like mine hot!
Some things that are normal in one place might be peculiar in another. I live out west. It is not uncommon to encounter chislic at a restaurant. I used to live up north where gravy was frequently served over french fries instead of ketchup.
In my daughter's generation, the use of ear gauges is acceptable. It is not to mine. Is that a pecularity to her time and place? Perhaps.
Sometimes I hear Christians talking about our call to be a peculiar people-- set apart from the world. And I whole-heartedly agree! The question it seems, is... in what way are we to be peculiar?
Consider the fact that we are to be marked as Christ's own people. That may well require us to dress and appear differently from many others. However, it is Christ's peculiarities that we are to adopt. What was peculiar about Christ? He was a man of his time who nonetheless spoke to the woman at the well, who forgave sin, and asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. He healed people, served them, and ultimately, gave all for us.
Even the word, "Christian", means "little Christ". Doesn't this mean that we need to adopt His peculiarities? How well do we mirror this? Are our lives bearing the fruit that sets us apart as His... regardless of appearances?
Be Blessed!
Some things that are normal in one place might be peculiar in another. I live out west. It is not uncommon to encounter chislic at a restaurant. I used to live up north where gravy was frequently served over french fries instead of ketchup.
In my daughter's generation, the use of ear gauges is acceptable. It is not to mine. Is that a pecularity to her time and place? Perhaps.
Sometimes I hear Christians talking about our call to be a peculiar people-- set apart from the world. And I whole-heartedly agree! The question it seems, is... in what way are we to be peculiar?
Consider the fact that we are to be marked as Christ's own people. That may well require us to dress and appear differently from many others. However, it is Christ's peculiarities that we are to adopt. What was peculiar about Christ? He was a man of his time who nonetheless spoke to the woman at the well, who forgave sin, and asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. He healed people, served them, and ultimately, gave all for us.
Even the word, "Christian", means "little Christ". Doesn't this mean that we need to adopt His peculiarities? How well do we mirror this? Are our lives bearing the fruit that sets us apart as His... regardless of appearances?
Be Blessed!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Weekend So Far!
We had a great time on Thursday! We went to the Guthrie Theatre and watched A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was amazing! The scene and the setting were fabulous. The fairies actually came in on dangling lines from above. Oberon, the fairy king, came in on a zipline like thingie... and of course, the acting was amazing.
I laughed so hard I cried. Dd laughed too, as did ds and dh. We stayed the night there, and in the morning wandered the skyways. We also went through the sculpture garden which was gorgeous. We did go through the Walker Art Center... but didn't really enjoy it. It was full of what my son calls anti-art. Videos of people walking around the perimeter of a square, and a guy poking a coyote with a stick?? Just not what I think of as art.
Today we celebrated my dear mother-in-love's birthday. I think she had fun. I had to leave early to do some lecturing online, but the kids made a great sign for her that read... what happens at Grandma's ... stays at Grandma's. They had pictures of brownies, cookies, and bingo because she always takes them to play.
We also got our run in... I'm up to about a mile and a half of running. Getting better all the time! It is a struggle some days. I can tell already that I'm going to need to run early while it is still cool. Both ds and dd were very hot during the run.
Tomorrow... Dh is going kayaking, dd and ds and I will go biking. But first, we're going to the Memorial Day services at the VA hospital here. Then, we've got gardening to do!! I need to get more mulch around my flowers, etc.
Be Blessed
I laughed so hard I cried. Dd laughed too, as did ds and dh. We stayed the night there, and in the morning wandered the skyways. We also went through the sculpture garden which was gorgeous. We did go through the Walker Art Center... but didn't really enjoy it. It was full of what my son calls anti-art. Videos of people walking around the perimeter of a square, and a guy poking a coyote with a stick?? Just not what I think of as art.
Today we celebrated my dear mother-in-love's birthday. I think she had fun. I had to leave early to do some lecturing online, but the kids made a great sign for her that read... what happens at Grandma's ... stays at Grandma's. They had pictures of brownies, cookies, and bingo because she always takes them to play.
We also got our run in... I'm up to about a mile and a half of running. Getting better all the time! It is a struggle some days. I can tell already that I'm going to need to run early while it is still cool. Both ds and dd were very hot during the run.
Tomorrow... Dh is going kayaking, dd and ds and I will go biking. But first, we're going to the Memorial Day services at the VA hospital here. Then, we've got gardening to do!! I need to get more mulch around my flowers, etc.
Be Blessed
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Grocery Shopping Coup!
It was amazing! You know how somedays things are going all wrong... last Saturday dd and I were on a mission to buy a gift for a niece's birthday party on Sunday. We found Hannah Montana stuff (which she adores) and were also going to pick up something for dh to grill that night. The price at the store we were at was unbelievable!
So we went to our local grocery down the road aways... I love this store. It's my favorite, but usually price comparisons are unfavorable at this location. Whoo boy! Not that day though... not only did we score porkchops at $1.39 a lb. They had fully cooked, just heat on the grill, bratwurst for $1.59 a lb.
We LOVE bratwurst here. This is summer grilling at it's finest. Any idea how many 10lb boxes we picked up?? ALL OF THEM THAT WERE THERE!! Yep. My freezer is stuffed with 50lbs of luscious brats.
I wonder what we'll have for dinner??
Grace
So we went to our local grocery down the road aways... I love this store. It's my favorite, but usually price comparisons are unfavorable at this location. Whoo boy! Not that day though... not only did we score porkchops at $1.39 a lb. They had fully cooked, just heat on the grill, bratwurst for $1.59 a lb.
We LOVE bratwurst here. This is summer grilling at it's finest. Any idea how many 10lb boxes we picked up?? ALL OF THEM THAT WERE THERE!! Yep. My freezer is stuffed with 50lbs of luscious brats.
I wonder what we'll have for dinner??
Grace
Monday, May 19, 2008
Prince Caspian...
Yes, it was opening weekend... yes, I had to go. I loved it. My husband loved it, my teen son loved it, and so did dd, although, I must warn you there were scenes that brought tears to our eyes.
This is much different than the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The world of Narnia is different, but so are the children. They've changed a bit... and for those of us familiar with the whole series there is a bit of heartbreaking foreshadowing.
Sure, there are epic battles... but there are also epic battles being waged within the characters themselves. Do they follow their friends? Do they wait for Aslan or try to accomplish goals on their own power? There's even a bit of temptation faced by some of the characters...
This is powerfully evocative movie and if, you are okay with movies... I whole heartedly and unreservedly recommend this one! But... it is 2+ hours so go to the bathroom first, and don't order the large drink!!
Be Blessed!
This is much different than the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The world of Narnia is different, but so are the children. They've changed a bit... and for those of us familiar with the whole series there is a bit of heartbreaking foreshadowing.
Sure, there are epic battles... but there are also epic battles being waged within the characters themselves. Do they follow their friends? Do they wait for Aslan or try to accomplish goals on their own power? There's even a bit of temptation faced by some of the characters...
This is powerfully evocative movie and if, you are okay with movies... I whole heartedly and unreservedly recommend this one! But... it is 2+ hours so go to the bathroom first, and don't order the large drink!!
Be Blessed!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Something Understood
Prayer the Churches banquet, Angels age,
Gods breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth;
Engine against th’ Almightie, sinners towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-daies world transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear;
Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,
Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest,
The Milkie way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bels beyond the starres heard, the souls bloud,
The land of spices; something understood.
As much as I love C.S. Lewis, and those of you who know me know I love his writings quite well... beyond Narnia... even into Perelandra, and Til We Have Faces, etc. This poem, however, by George Herbert (part of the Temple written in 1633) speaks to my heart so much. Herbert was a tremendous influence on T.S. Eliot and the theologian, Richard Hooker. Eliot calls the last two lines of this poem... magical
I know I've prayed and felt all these things during praying. After my Mom's aneurism and other details of that time... I prayed in that angry, raging way he describes as the "reversed thunder". The wonderful thing about this, is that whatever our prayer is... it is always understood.
Even when we cannot express ourselves... the Holy Spirit will intercede and interpret our "souls bloud" so that we are understood. (Romans 8:26-27) What a gift! We may not and likely will not understand everything... but... we are understood.
Be Blessed!
Gods breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth;
Engine against th’ Almightie, sinners towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-daies world transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear;
Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,
Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest,
The Milkie way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bels beyond the starres heard, the souls bloud,
The land of spices; something understood.
As much as I love C.S. Lewis, and those of you who know me know I love his writings quite well... beyond Narnia... even into Perelandra, and Til We Have Faces, etc. This poem, however, by George Herbert (part of the Temple written in 1633) speaks to my heart so much. Herbert was a tremendous influence on T.S. Eliot and the theologian, Richard Hooker. Eliot calls the last two lines of this poem... magical
I know I've prayed and felt all these things during praying. After my Mom's aneurism and other details of that time... I prayed in that angry, raging way he describes as the "reversed thunder". The wonderful thing about this, is that whatever our prayer is... it is always understood.
Even when we cannot express ourselves... the Holy Spirit will intercede and interpret our "souls bloud" so that we are understood. (Romans 8:26-27) What a gift! We may not and likely will not understand everything... but... we are understood.
Be Blessed!
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