Evaporating Me

Did you know that at night, while you sleep, you lose around 2 lbs in water?  Yes indeed.  Actually it's the reason why dieters always weigh-in first thing in the morning, when the scale is sure to give the lowest number.   Think about it,we lay in our beds at night, like a slab of meat, literally evaporating out of every pore, at every breath, while taking in no fluids.  Two lbs worth of moisture lost!  Click for more information

What a concept, really, the idea that at night, when we succumb to our needed slumber, we lose a significant  amount of ourselves.  We go into a physical deficit every night.  Thankfully we wake up, seize the day, and replenish our fluids.  Well, if we didn't, we would be in big trouble.

Isn't that much like life?  Ever have times when you feel like your energy is evaporating into the world with little return?  You're sending all your good 'juju' out, and not getting much back.  I've been there.  Car breaks, a friend betrays you, sicknesses comes, death snatches someone you love, your world appears to crumble around you.  Hope seems dim; that tunnel too dark.   At these times, much like night, it seems dark and lonely.   It's easy to get fearful and discouraged.  But, much like sleep, dawn is sure to come.   Balance is the natural order of things.

Or, as Victor Hugo put in my beloved Les Misérable,  "Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."   

There will be times of replenishing, just look to the horizon, have faith, and be ready to drink up.  





There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven - Ecclesiastes 3:1 

Responding to the Offensive

I came across this post this morning, as I was scrolling through my Facebook, and my immediate response was...

OUCH.   Super offensive.


Where do they get off?  



Response from the masses:

And then I watched as 4 hours passed, over 3,000 people hit 'like', and hundreds were writing comments.  They seemed almost eager to bash, vent, and give their 2 cents.  There were valid points being made, and foolish ones being shouted.


Too many people make surface judgments on religion without ever risking a thorough examination, or subjecting themselves to spiritual experiences.  They criticize from the outside, in.  To those individuals, I plead for you to take another/better look.  Discover all the good that does get done in the name of religion.  I challenge you to read the Holy Books, holy writings, study the heritages of our ancestors, read about the lives of all the prophets, put all the puzzle pieces together before you determine what's nonsense.  We only have this one life, seize it.  Wrestle with it.  Start asking the big questions.  

but carrying on to the disconnection issue...

WHY IT'S NOT TRUE:

It's not true within religion. I can vouch for this myself.  Being a christian for 13 years, and a pastor for 5, I was immersed in the 'body of Christ.'  It might be a sweeping generalization, but people within religion are strongly connected,  having bonds and brotherhood/sisterhood unique to them.  It is something beautiful, and divine.  I have shared tears and prayers with friends, where I knew God was in our midst.  I have felt connection in worship where I felt like our very presence was glowing.  There is unity within true believers of God, that I am convinced.

But the image hit a nerve for another reason.  

Where it can be true:

Sadly, religion has also caused disconnectedness.  Regardless where the fault lay, many individuals are growing animosity towards the religious.  And, if we look in all directions, can we blame them?  Wars fought, and lives have been ruined in it's name.  Condemnation, and persecution, not only done, but defended  over the years!  Great sins have been committed. That is a given.   Religion is a very powerful vessel for God, but when working within the human race it is naturally flawed.   Because we are flawed.  (Not God)

One source of disconnectedness comes unintentionally.   I apologize for the sweeping generalization, but the religious can tend to alienate themselves by creating their own cultures.  And for lots of different reason, hardly malicious.  It's human to bond to those who we share common beliefs and passions with.  (I crave like-minded people all the time!)   Yet, it does come with the cost of creating walls; walls that need not be formed.


The other struggle comes with religion's relationship with dogma/doctrine and it trumping all else. Christianity, in particular, has a reputation of scaring people away with 'hell fire and brimstone' theology.  People hear 'only one way' claims followed by scare tactics, and it doesn't sit well within them.   Should it?  Is that the intro speech God would make as the compelling reason to choose him?  And do we even know enough about such things, as the exact ramifications of judgement, to make such damning claims?   My personal opinion?  The interpretation of God's word should never reign supreme over His word itself.  Interpretation, when formed into doctrine, eliminates the chances of other explanations to scripture, while also limiting the possibility of  God showing himself in new ways.  The ten commandments were written on stone, not church doctrine.  Remember, we are fallible beings working with limited information here.  

Do we really want to solidify the details so rock solid?
 Do we really want to, ultimately, characterize God in a light that seems unfitting to so many?

God is inclusive.  He is Holy, He is Just, and His Love reigns supreme.    He is beckoning for our presence, longing for us to get our hearts right.  Our God is inclusive.  You bet your bananas on it.  But if we go to religion, knowing in our hearts who God is, and are presented doctrine/opinion that goes against our guts about His ways, where do we go?     Do we say, 'Next' and move on to the next church or religion?  Do we KEEP on making more denominations, more churches, more sets of beliefs?  Or, do we decide to change the framework?    Strip away the interpretation, the inserting of opinion alongside the word of God, and respect the the way the Spirit moves through it AND us.  If we differ on interpretation, so be it.  Can't we trust God to work it out?  If we approach it all with fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control), can't we trust that the Spirit of God can do the rest?  

 Perhaps a spiritual movement is on the way.  And maybe, we need not to get so frazzled over it.  Maybe we could just let God work in His mysterious ways, through faiths of all kind.  To keep all things sacred, like my love of Jesus, and yet not be nailed  to any doctrine that contradicts the character of God;  to respect the Spirit of God, in us and scripture, knowing that both could be fallible and yet both could be sacred truth.    

Or, maybe I'm just a dreamer.
 But, I know I'm not the only one.

Namasté

When Words Fail

 I found my heart heavy this morning, while driving into work, with thoughts of close friends and family, many who have been suffering.  I realized, as I brought these struggles to mind and as my heart ached, that often I don’t have words for my Maker;  somehow, words are insufficient.  Not only insufficient, though, unnecessary.  Unnecessary. 

I was reminded of a verse from the bible, which I have come back to time and time again:  “….. The Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.’  Romans 8:26.  If you’re reading this, I don’t know what you believe, or if you contemplate faith at all, but if something in you recognizes that there is a God, an Intelligent designer, a Creator, a higher being of Love, then you probably also recognize that He/She is of the Spirit realm.  I know what I believe, and how I think of the Spirit, but regardless there is comfort to be had with this in mind. 

     

   The Spirit intercedes for us, and actually ‘groans’ on our behalf.    Could our pain be felt that deeply and sincerely by the Spirit of God?  Could it be true?  The word ‘groan’ (stenazo) is only used six times in the New Testament, and every time it’s associated with liberation from suffering.  A cry out for restoration; for peace.  And the Spirit of God does this on our behalf, when we have no words?!  Amazing.  God is THAT close to our hearts, particularly when suffering, that all we have to do is feel the pain, embrace the pain, and He is already out to heal.  Much like a friend who is willing to weep with you, or fight for you in times of injustice, the Spirit ‘has our back.’  In a way, it’s like he’s saying, “I know kid, this world sucks sometimes!  And I hurt for you, because I know it’s unfair and cruel.  You’re not alone.  My heart breaks as well.  I weep with you my child’  Even more though, I have learned from my own experiences, that knowing and believing this, in a time of need, brings comfort and freedom.  If you had Hercules as a 24 -hour, body guard and protector, would you carry 3 tons of weight on your back?  No.  In fact, the reality is, you can’t.  You would let him handle it.  He’s more capable.  And as for the Spirit, not only is he more capable, he is surely more 'all knowing' and 'all seeing.'  We are free to still seek the goodness in life, and strive for the beauty in the world, because he’s got our back.  We are free to focus on what really matters; trusting that all will be well, no matter what curve ball comes our way.  We can have peace, a midst chaos; a flame in a room too dark.

So to my friends and family hurting at this time, take peace in these words:  You are loved. You have immeasurable value.  You are being heard, even when words are impossible.  AND, the Spirit of God has never been closer.

One of my favorite songs:    

Why It Matters

By Sara Grovecs

Sit with me and tell me once again

Of the story that's been told us

Of the power that will hold us

Of the beauty, of the beauty

Why it matters

Speak to me until I understand

Why our thinking and creating

Why our efforts of narrating

About the beauty, of the beauty

And why it matters

Like the statue in the park

Of this war torn town

And it's protest of the darkness

And the chaos all around

With its beauty, how it matters

How it matters

Show me the love that never fails

The compassion and attention

Midst confusion and dissention

Like small ramparts for the soul

How it matters

Like a single cup of water

How it matters

                  My Grandma.  She was pretty sick here, but she still took us out to this beautiful park. I always thought            
 she was staring into heaven here. Her body was failing her, yet she was still in awe of the beauty.