This BLOG has MOVED

Thanks for visiting.

I have re-grouped and have a new blog. Can't wait to see you there.

Sin- proposals/theories, Adam Miller

Miller weighs in on what sin is, by dissecting the blockage of grace and suffering. Interesting proposal.

Book Review -Rhythm in Life (vs. balance)

I'm linking to my book review, because it suits the topic of my Life As Prayer blog very well.

Read a to-the-point review of "Your Life in Rhythm," by Bruce Miller, from Tyndale Publishing, and a mention of another helpful read, Ruth Barton's, "Sacred Rhythms."

Mosaic Bible, worth a look

I'm a featured as a contributor with a meditation in Tyndale’s Holy Bible: Mosaic NLT, coming Fall 2009. Amazon.com pre-orders reduce the Tyndale list price of $49.95 to just $19.95. This authoritative Bible translation is rendered faithfully into today’s English from the ancient texts by 90 leading Bible scholars.

 

According to Tyndale website they describe the project this way.

Holy Bible: Mosaic is unlike any Bible that you have used before. Encounter Christ on every continent, and in every century of Christian History. A new genre of Bible—a weekly meditation Bible—Holy Bible: Mosaic is an invitation to experience Christ both in His word, and in the responses of his people. Each week, as you reflect on guided Scripture readings aligned with the church seasons, you will receive a wealth of insight from historical and contemporary writings. Full-color artwork will engage the soul; quotes, hymns, prayers, and poems enhance the rich devotional experience, and space is provided for your response to God’s promptings. It also includes a Dictionary/Concordance, NLT word study system with Hebrew/ Greek dictionary. A beautiful layout of art and devotional content, and an online community and content (coming Fall 2009) will extend the experience.

Believing stuff

I've been wondering about what makes a person believe something they did not believe before. I don't just mean life-after-death, or that God is there, or something really huge. I mean even something mundane, like that a certain product is actually better, or that a new friend is a true "keeper," or that the GPS person (voice speaking) isn't lying (read: mistaken) when they say, "turn right now."

I know it must have to do with trust. Some people will do that better, or more quickly. Others are just plain more skeptical. But are they more discerning, or more scared? Maybe both. Maybe they've been screwed over, and tricked, maybe too they have an analytical and curious mind that must investigate a good bit first. 

Maybe-on the other side-the quicker believers aren't just more susceptible to belief, but willing to growth and try, a bit more readily. They are perhaps flexible in their quests, and not pinned down like rigid thinkers can be.

Besides that-The two opinionated sides of the spectrum: Dogmatic types and Skeptic types are really both stuck. They both will have a difficult time improving, or having the abilities to take in new, useful information, because their minds are, in effect, made up.

What is the psychology at the turning point of belief...

for you, or in general...?

The spiritual (what is beyond the physical) plays a big part.

Sometimes the righteous people don't get it (then and now)

Copied from my post contribution on http://inamirrordimly.com

This is a nice series Ed, and thanks for putting it down.

Many approach “witnessing” as debate, and/or a goal-oriented task…the goal is convert…The guilt runs high too. The stakes are SO HIGH. The eternal soul! But, God is awfully big and powerful, and the Holy Spirit is at work, so being like Jesus is our best bet. I feel really comfortable with God’s capabilities.

While it’s true that Jesus told some to “go and sin no more,” he must have done it gently with sincere love, because sinners loved to be with him, and their lives were transformed. Jesus’ harshest words were very fiery, but they were expressly for the religious establishment–a wake up call. It gives one pause. Maybe righteous types just don’t “get it”? The story of redemption has far less to do with anger, in fact, it has almost nothing to do with it, unless you split up the Trinity into three gods. A Holy God needs recompense for sin before reconciliation, yes. But God provided a way to himself. This is a message of hope, love, and grace. To give a message that will sink into the heart of people, we have to remember we are saved to something, not from something. (Even now, without God, unbelieving sinners are caught in the “hell of self”.) It’s time to just invite them home.

On violence

Ken Miller, PhD 5/5/09

On violence of the crucifixion-

God used our violence, and submitted to it, (in Christ's death) to solve the problem, to save us from our violence.

Joy-

I was responding to a friend's Facebook Note on joy (asking for a definition) so I thought I'd post it here.

My short definition is:

Joy is sturdy happiness.

I think it points off the map to the Divine. 

Sometimes we have sparks of joy. Perhaps seeing the innocence in our children when we play with them in an unguarded moment, or in a perfect sunset, or some beautiful simple pleasure we love. It is not circumstantial, but exists under and even through the ups and downs of life's curvy road. And no, we don't always sense it, but when we rest in it, my goodness, what a blessing.

Spirit as creativity.

From a great store house creativity can burst forth invigorating our life, charging with life force. It regenerates, revives, and it is a any wonder why? That creative Spirit that gives people life is the Source of Creativity itself. It seems we may glance, or touch the hem of the Divine as we take part in expression of art and creativity. This may be what pulls us to them (in general) in music, fine art, film, theatre, and so forth. Many excellent things generate a new breath for us.

Maybe we can meditate on this for a bit.

Freedom through Twitter discipline

read time 3-4 min:

Discipline sometimes gets a bad rap, or connotation. It’s mainly because we don’t connect it to freedom. We assume that we are slaves to discipline, but actually we are set free by it. It is our compulsions and excesses that rule or enslave us. It’s discipline that throws the prison doors wide open.

Before I set out on the "tips and tricks" part, first think of five things you would like to do with more time. For me, it would be cycling/exercise, gardening, de-cluttering/house up-keep, reading more books, and writing more. Now, think of yours. Go ahead, really do it. Get them down on paper. I’ll wait. Once you have them, the reasons for reading this will be far more worthwhile and concrete.

The facts are that Twitter is fun, helpful, but addictive and it sucks away time, right? Eventually, it enslaves until, or unless, we become disciplined, and put it in its proper place. Once that happens, we can do more things we’d like, and make sure Tiwtter works for us, not the other way around. Working on the computer for a living adds to the draw of continual Twitter tweet too, but it cuts down our efficiency overall. This happened to me.

First, to convince you further, it may help to know that there are some unattractive Twitter traits that are red flags of an undisciplined life (Twitter life, or otherwise).

1. Maybe you like to give lots of mundane tweets that you care to reveal, but no one really cares about like. “I’m eating Fruit Loops.” or “Good Morning, Tweeps!” or “What a lot of calls I have to make, yuck, Mondays.” This clogs the Twittersphere, and really sidelines you as irrelevant, to be honest. As the funny guy in the video link below says, “People with friends don’t shout into the darkness hoping someone will listen.”

2. Maybe you self-promote: If you are on Twitter mainly trying get customers, it’s usually really obvious, and annoying. Try to limit your trolling for consumers, because Twitter is not really the answer to all your business acquisition needs. Balance is key.

3. You are unemployed. If you are tweeting a lot–this will be assumed by your followers, all too soon. Sometimes “Entrepreneur” or “self-employed” is another title for this predicament people use in their bio. The over-tweeter has too much time on his/her hands, or maybe obsessive issues, or may really need to diversify his or her interests. The constant tweeting really pegs one as desperate, in some kind of way, seriously.

What can you do to rein things in, and use your time in the wisest ways possible?
•Time managing software like Rescue Time is free, and is very helpful with this. It will tell you what you are doing while you are on your computer in graph form, specifically, and give you reminders (set by you) that keep you concentrated on actual goals. The low tech version can be great too. Setting a fifteen-minute allowance on your mobile phone alarm, or a kitchen timer (one can purchase in any supermarket) works too, if you abide by it.

•Limit Twitter time to only two or three bursts per day, instead or going back to it all throughout the day. We just have to remember we are gaining our freedom back. This will be a very good, and life-giving improvement. Your productivity will increase, and even your energy level.

•Plan one new endeavor away from the computer to accomplish that will take some time, and take action this week. A short project, or a new skill is a good place to start. Like running a half mile, building a shelf or flower bed; or something relational, like helping a neighbor regularly, or preparing a brunch (or eating breakfast out) with a friend once a week.

I’ve found freedom this way. My time on Facebook and Twitter has gone down, yet my pleasure in these activities has gone up. I also have more time for other things I enjoy doing. I hope you find these ideas helpful and hopeful.

Here's the hilarious cartoon video link with some truths about life on Twitter.

Prayer Exercise for Groups-Jacob's Ladder

Visual: Jacob’s Ladder by William Blake



Prayer Exercise
Dreamwork – Praying using Images and Symbols



Jacob's Ladder

A portal, a threshold,
To the Presence
The unconscious awakens
In another realm
To Spirit, and symbol
Upon heights where angels
Murmur and gaze
And saints gather
In the Light
-lcd



Reading: Genesis 28:10-19

Prayerfully listen to the reading, and sketch
images that come to mind during reflection or
prayer time. (Or note words from those images.)

Silent Prayer:

Prayer:
God, Great Dreamer, Creator of our waking and
Our sleep. Meet us in our dreams. Speak to us with
Your Presence, and your whispers Divine. Awaken us
To your Reality evermore even from the shadowy
Realms of our slumber, that we may plunge further into your
Love. Amen.
-lcd

Music Presentation:
Artworks by Victor Bregeda. Song by Paul Lisney, Jacobs Ladder

(artwork/music presentation full link: http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e7fd6b80e21b060137ac)

No future tense...

"I shall not want." It's a popular second half of the verse 1 of the 23rd Psalm. the trouble is, it's just not very accurate. There is no future tense in Hebrew. There is no shall or will. This verse talks about the now. (Sometimes it is translated "I lack nothing," which is closer to what the Hebrew says.)

Age of the Sage...gone? or personal taste?

Have you noticed some people really appreciate wise Sage advice. Could it be personality style? Maybe for those who feel they are journeying--something like Frodo in Lord of the Rings--they imagine others are down the road a bit ahead of them, and maybe those folks (like sages) can see around the bend, and be a guide.

Other people scoff at Sage information giving as arrogant. Thinking, "It's all personal perspective. No one can't really speak into my life, and know–or even assume to know–what could be helpful for me. "Sage authority" is quite suspect for them.

Where do you line up? Do you value Sage wisdom?

If you welcome it, and could ask for any sage advice at all, knowing there would be no judgement pointed toward you, what would you ask?

If you have located God...

If you have located God, whether in experience or locale, mode or method, be assured it cannot be the Divine. God is not fully known, or knowable. For God is no-thing, no object, no sensation, no perception that we should confuse with that with the real "him" (Spirit). We know in part. We glimpse the light trails. Both cannot be true that he can be everywhere and Spirit, and also so very graspable in the ways we usually think so. That is why the Logos of God is so helpful. (Christians call him Jesus. God in flesh.) But God, worshiped in spirit and truth, the Eternal, is always with us, always Other, always approachable, and always incomprehensible, immeasurable. Unpinned down, except in our delusions.

habits

Habits can turn into compulsions. They often do. At this point they become choice-less. They take away our freedom. We cling to them out of fear of loss. The anxiety creeps in so that a once comforting habit becomes an enslavement as a compulsion.

Growth is caught in a rut in those areas where compulsions rule.

Can you identify any for you? They can be routines, rituals, ideas, practices, ways of feeling secure, and so forth.

worry vs. prayer

Worry is like meditating wrongly on all the things you can't control, enough to grasp them unwell, and hurt yourself by it.

Prayer is like meditating on all some things you can't or can control, enough to let them go well, so they will not harm you.

Scholar produces fantastic translation

Renown Hebrew and Old Testament scholar David Dorsey gave us a copy of his new translation of Ecclesiastes. Some people get confused or depressed reading this book. He says it is his (biblical) favorite. It's probably because from his in-depth studies he's seen the hope and well of wisdom throughout the work. He claims there are currently no quality translations available to read (in English). Translators have to make decisions on the words chosen, and for this book it seems they often don't convey so accurately the main theme, and some important ideas.

To sum up this translation: Ecclesiastes is about trying to communicate the transitory nature of existence. Not in a morbid or hopeless way though. The wisdom of the author comes out as he explains that he has done it all, tried it all, and seen it all. He pursued wisdom, knowledge, wealth, all his desires, and considered–quite wisely–all the big issues that plague human experience. He understands that, in reality, there is a certain kind of pointlessness to life because both the good and the wicked prosper. Sometimes good people are hurt and ruined, and come on calamity, while the wicked proper. In the end we all come to the same end. The author of Ecclesiastes explains that contentment is what is most important. (And often this is what is most illusive, especially for the wealthy.)

escaping God

I remember being five and hiding under my blankets and thinking, "God can't see me here. Nobody can see me." I knew this probably couldn't be true, but I remember even then wanting privacy. The bigness of God is frightening if we really consider the reality of it. And for that reason, I suppose it is no wonder we wouldn't try to run, even if it might be in vain. Even if we know it is in vain. Just as much as it can be frightening, it can be comforting too, and overwhelming if we realize the immensity of all that power and love turned toward us. It is willing turned toward us.

I used to think God was basically displeased with me, and with humanity. I think I was sold a human idea of God. Maybe it was a doctrine based on keeping people in line. If behavior modification is what religion is for, then it's nonsense. But I don't believe that's it. If God is Creator, then "he" knows all about us. "He" is acquainted with our instinct to run off, and still loves us. Just like I love my daughter and son, despite their less than wonderful actions sometimes. And I imagine God is much better at patience than me. God does epitomize all of my ideals of perfection, and hold in "himself" the capability to love without end and bounds, seeing and knowing all. There is always someone to come home to. That home is begins with awareness, that God will/does abide within.

Discovering/re-discovering God-Continuing Theology

Resistance lives on the fringe of growth, near our periphery. When we have to reconsider what we’ve known, and adjust to realities bigger than what we first realized. God is bigger…always bigger than we figure on. Just when we get a grip on our theology, he will stretch us further. The bounds of his mission, his grace, his love, and his “Otherness” pushes us further on, into this unknown, and really unknowing.

vice / virtue - 1st half of life / 2nd half of life

It's been said that the thing that are your vices in the first half of your life may turn to into the virtues in the second half of your life. And also the virtues of the first half of your life may likely turn into your vices in the second half of your life. Gives one pause, doesn't it?

What might this look like in real life?