Blessed are you…

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You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘carefull,’ you find yourselves cared for.

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. 12You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Salt and Light

Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:3-16, The Message Bible

Disappeared…

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I have a secret blog that has disappeared, although not because I wanted it to – for some reason, completely unannounced, the weblog hosting service is no longer there. Hmmm.

You might wonder: Just what does one put on a secret blog? Secrets? Not really – I’ve used it as a semi-private journal (because it is, or was, available for people within that particular blog community to read & comment on it.) I was struck with some inspiration & went to pour out my heart only to find: alas! it was gone. However, I will not be daunted…

In other news: I’m connected…

Communion ponderings…

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Last night, we hosted our 1st College Group since the move to the new digs. I grilled some tortillas & poured some Casarsa Merlot & some cranberry juice (so people could choose which they wanted to receive,) & we stood around the island in the kitchen.

We talked & prayed:

  • about relationship with God & with each other. Tears were flowing as people expressed themselves – towards each other.
  • about our hopes & dreams for the changes that God is making in us.
  • about what it looks like to say “Yes” to Jesus in new way.

    • Taking time for talking, praying, & personal feedback about communion, the “body & the blood,” the bread & the F.O.T.V. (fruit of the vine,) seems to be a very significant part of the “remembering” that Jesus talked about as the center of communion. I’m greatly enjoying exploring this.

    Friday fodder (on the other side of moving…)

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    I’m waiting for the DirecTV guy… impatiently…

  • What is it that makes a person hold onto their ‘stuff’ when its obvious that they’re never going to even take the stuff out of the box its in, let alone use it? I have boxes in the garage that have been in every garage I’ve had since I got married. If they’re not empty by November 30, they will be thrown away, no questions asked, no looking inside. Write it down.
  • We had a lot of people give us boxes for our move, boxes that they’d used for their own moves – on one hand, it was nice not to have to find our own boxes, but on the other hand, it was pretty confusing to try & figure out just what was in each box because there were 3 different identifiers written on them… but, as my great-grandmother would say, “Beggars can’t be choosers…”
  • We’re approximately 53% unpacked & organized. Points of great need: closets; window coverings; hangage of posters & pictures.
  • Our 1st College Group of the semester is happening Sunday, 9/16 – we’re celebrating our “comeback” with a great dinner & communion. I can’t wait.
  • It’s amazing how wonderful & smart I am when people like what I say/do; it’s equally amazing how the same people can think I’m a flipping moron when I say/do something that they don’t agree with.
  • Fantasy football is better played with friends. And a smak board.
  • My new toilet flushes very, very well. Bring it.
  • I don’t think we really understand the significance of the cross.
  • A perfect day involves a comfy chair, an endless supply of great coffee, & a book. Gives me goosebumps thinking about it.
  • Blogging is often pointless, yet it’s a beautiful thing. Some people talk to themselves; others blog. I do both. :)
  • I’m still having Germany-team withdrawals – one can really get used to the community aspect of seeing people every day for huge chunks of the day…
  • On that note, good friends are priceless. I love the people I work with, & am fortunate to have them as friends.

    • Fascinating

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    I saw this Headline News interview called YOGA & the Christian. Its about 7 minutes long, very worth watching.

    I was very intrigued by the dialogue between MacArthur & Pagitt, esp. when MacArthur challenges Pagitt’s statements about “wholeness.”

    Not sure if it is a generational issue, a world-view issue, or a combo of both. Or?

    Musings on a Wednesday… (oder Mittwoch fur die Deutsche…)

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    I started this post last night (hence the title,) but was interrupted by a set of friends in a most pleasant way – I continue…

  • Having wireless internet beats regular internet, which beats the heck out of no internet. But, the almost 2 & a half weeks where we were sans any ‘net, it was ok. We survived. Surprise, surprise. Strike 1 point for Sabbath lessons.
  • Pasty turns 16 on Sunday – very nice. He’s quite the enigma. Brings a tear to my eye. Just one…
  • Lots of stuff in life hurts… broken relationships probably the most. Close behind: Consequences for dicey choices… Lying to yourself, then discovering it… Being lied to. Getting dragged through the muck… et al
  • Everybody’s got a bias.
  • It’s possible to use God (religious words, cliches, practices, behaviors) to avoid God (real relationship, authenticity, truthfulness, transformation, everything laid bare…). I think it happens a lot more than we think.
  • Watching big kids play football is more entertaining than watching the same kids 10 years ago.
  • It’s tough to embrace our limits.
  • Opie is in Kansas. That is cause for a road trip. Or, better yet, a plane trip.
  • Normal isn’t real. We’re different, & any one who says different is selling something. Probably a Christian telemarketer.
  • I’ve been trying to figure out why we use grape juice in communion instead of wine (or at least having the option of wine.) So far, the research I’ve done has provided nothing but unsatisfactory answers… Why grape juice? Can somebody offer up an answer? (And please avoid the, “because of the abuse of alcohol, total abstinence is the answer.” I don’t buy it. Or the “causing someone to stumble.” That seems to be a favorite one – except, I’ve never & have never seen another try to FORCE someone who thought drinking any alcohol was wrong to drink it against their will. Most or all(?) of the complaints seem to be from people that are offended by another having a drink…
  • Frankfurt is on the other side of the world, but I see some of the people I know from there more often than I see people in my own city.
  • We have way too much fun in the office.
  • My closet isn’t unpacked yet. And my clothes are disorganized. I don’t think that I’ll last through tomorrow before I binge on organization.
  • TV tomorrow. God-willing. In time for Football on Saturday & Sunday.
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    Verstehen sie Deutsch?

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    The Bean & I are finally in a German class. Took years to get in, as Reno isn’t quite the hotbed of learning to Deutsch it up. Our instructor is only 3 years off the boat (so to speak) from Hamburg, which of course makes her a Hamburgerin… Frau Carson.

    We’re learning vocab, verbs, nouns, & proper nouns. Now, if the good frau will only teach us how to conjugate the verbs, I can get cracking on massacre-ing another language.

    Here I go!

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    Post-Deutschland Musings…

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    Pardon the meanderings… I’m back from Deutschland, slept in til about 8:30 (what what?) & feel very rested. I believe that the rhythm & pace we have been trying to follow with the Hillside Sabbath was incredibly helpful to our time in Frankfurt.

  • Reno is hot, but it’s a dry hot. I like it.

  • The Mosel is a beautiful region in Germany, possibly more beautiful than anywhere I’ve ever been. I laid down among the grapevines (intentionally) & could just feel the tangible sense of rest, of purpose, the pace of life that has been going on there for generations, with families living where their great-great-great-greats had been. It inspired awe in my soul. And, for the first time in my life, made me long for the green that Nevada hath not.

  • We focus a lot on success & failure. I’m not sure God does that nearly as much as we do, & don’t believe that a lot of what we call “success” would meet His criteria for the same. Ditto for failure.

  • Grace is good. I need it. And to give it.

  • My wife is an amazing woman. And like the Dornfelder from the Schwaab vineyards we just visited, she’s getting better with age. NOTE: this isn’t to get brownie points from her either, as she doesn’t read my blogs. (And I said “whoooaaaahhh.”)

    • This “pondering” is a little longer, so I’ll go to traditional blogging format:

    Based on the saying (Augustine?)

    In essentials (the things we know for sure are of prime importance to God,) unity. In non-essentials (the things that are debateable, doubtful, not known for sure, open to interpretation,) liberty. In all things, charity (love, acceptance, care, concern).

    For the last year+ I’ve been pondering, wondering about, & observing how much of our Christianity (mine & yours?) has been based on our culture rather than on real faith essentials… meaning, much of what I grew up in, experienced, & have observed (& continue to) has been more a product of our country of origin, the life experiences, & the definitions, practices & traditions that have been passed down to us by our very well-meaning elders… the result ends up being a Christianity defined by what we don’t do. Something that I have heard over & over & over, ad nauseam, from other Christians is “you’re not doing it right” referring to how I live for Jesus; my values & convictions; my priorities & life choices. Someday, I may do a post with the top 10 “We don’t do’s” for American christianity, so I won’t list them here… But, you know what they are, don’t you :)?

    It’s funny because different groups have different lists of things that they would consider to be “essentials” – my take is that if its something Jesus & the scriptures emphasized, the church has been connected with, still applies & matters regardless of your country of origin, culture & cultural experience, & technology (or lack thereof,) it might be an essential.

    Bummer. We don’t associate with other “believers” that aren’t as enlightened as us. That we “do it” or “don’t do it” right, while others don’t. Don’t believe it? Read the yellow pages, in the ad section for churches. Check out how we differentiate ourselves from other churches. Usually by the “We don’t’s”. Hmmm.

    It gets me to thinking about my perspective, the point of view that I have. Is it godly? Or have I created my own god in my own image, one who reflects me, my likes & dislikes, my preferences? Am I espousing a theoretical christianity that nothing to do with living a godly life? Or is the “godliness” I proclaim more closely tied to epic, stoic, &/or ascetic belief systems?

    Freedom. It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. Are we free? Or are we bound to religious traditions & practices that lead more to the exaltation of self than the glorification of Jesus Christ?