patterns

At church, I'm participating in this "Turning Point" class for the book Boundaries by Cloud & Townsend. It seems really interesting. Monday was the introduction, some basic ground rules, and getting to know a bit about the people around the table. The group of ladies is a mix of ages, walks of life and faith, personalities and temperaments. I may end up enjoying this more than I initially thought.

Patterns. Cycles. They are formed by our habits. They can be constructive or destructive. The question- how can we change them?

Miss California

Carrie Prejean is someone I admire for her strength to stand by her conviction. Even if I don't agree with her stance on the issue of gay marriage, I believe each of us should have that type of courage to answer others according to our personal belief systems.

freedom

I asked my facebook friends to define the word "Freedom". Most of the responses received had either a religious back story or were silly answers.

Sitting contently by a stream, just me, my journal, and Jesus. Maybe a camara. Or, spinning circles on a vaulted stage floor, with an empty auditorium. The ability to just BE.

Surrendering to death...the ultimate oppressor...allowing it to consume you, dragging you to the one place you could never go, and being redeemed..........then walking in that reality every single day.

Freedom = Walking naked into a restaurant and telling the waitress, "I'd like to try the special." This of course prompts her to ask the more obvious question, "Table or booth?"

Does freedom only come through spiritual belief or religious faith?

the Church

This is my confession...For those who claim to be Christians, is this what you picture when you see the Church? Because in reality, this is what she is:

Tonight, I meet with God to repent my sin. To confess the awful, negative things I have said about your body. Tonight, I make covenant with you oh my God to want and to desire to see her as you do. May I see her mangled body and loose hair as pieces of beauty. May I see her stained and decayed smile as a river of life. May her lumpy saggy bosom be a welcome place to lay my head. May the harm and malice I have heaped on her be forgiven by you, oh my God. May I start this marriage relationship over from this point on, loving her as you do, respecting and adoring her as you do. I commit this to you God. I commit to your Church, your Bride.

A Prayer for Lent

O God, you are near as my heartbeat.
You know my pain.
You know my joy.
I want to open my whole life to you.
Grant me your peace. Amen.

Christian Subculture

You can answer this one or not...why is it Christians feel this urge to produce things that must be labeled as such?? And why is it that these "Christian" things are mostly of sub-par quality?? How can these people even think this would, and I assure you it doesn't, cause "non-Christians" to look into Christianity? If Scripture is the basis for this argument of having "Christian" things, one might use the passage where Jesus urges his followers to be in the world but not of it. However, I don't interpret this same passage that way. The American society and culture can be used to point "non-Christians" to truth (being somewhat obnocious about using labels and quotations...FYI: I HATE labels!! Labeling tends to create an us vs. them phenomena). And for Christians, Jesus is that truth. Randy Woodley emphasizes in his book, Living in Color, that anything that points others to truth is a good thing.

response to Cylest's xanga

In response to Cylest's xanga this morning:

It is disheartening when doctrine overshadows the persona of Jesus Christ and instead of love, the world finds religion. One day, may those claiming to be Christians become a united body of Christ putting aside the differences we have let Satan entangle us in.

sins of the US

I received this forward a while back. If more Christians were this genuinely honest, how would our world be a better place?
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When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and call it Pluralism.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest…In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

Jesus wrecked my life

The title is a quote from Roe, a dear friend. It's how she describes her "coming to know Christ." And as of this week, I agree with her. If you really get to know (conocer-Spanish) the person of Jesus and just not a knowing of Jesus (saber-Spanish), he tends to wreck your life. The apirations and goals you wanted to pursue may not be as important anymore. The American dream may become a mere shadow. Jesus may call you to empthasize instead of sympathizing. You may be asked to walk down paths that personally you otherwise wouldn't choose. And unlike popular Christianity prescribes, giving monetarily won't be good enough. Pew-sitting Christianity will not point others toward the person of Jesus Christ. Action will be called for and hands will need to become dirty.....so, the question I leave you with is: what in your life is worth fighting for? Is justice worth fighting for?

Christianity: Be or Do

During a vespers service last week, the thought of Christianity being a chore came to mind. It seems in the little Christian community where I go to school, Christianity is about doing. If a person does the right things (reads their Bible, spends time in prayer, goes to a Bible study in their dorm, and participates in the various spiritual activities on campus), that person is definitely a good Christian and no one questions their spiritual status. However, it seems that other cultures emphasize Christianity as being. The practices of solitude, meditation, and silence are admired. It seems these are the measuring stick for Christianity and spirituality in general. Perhaps, the people in my Christian community should practice these virtues and see how Christianity continues and flourishes.


*Disclaimer: This may just be in my little conservative bubble of a school. Feel free to disagree.

Choice or Reality?

In Psychology, colleges and universities teach about the great debate of nature versus nurture. Wikipedia defines the terms like this: Nature vs Nurture is a shorthand expression for debates about the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities ("nature") versus personal experiences ("nurture") in determining or causing individual differences in physical and behavioral traits. With the development of human genetics, many important human traits have proved to be partially or mostly genetic.

The question that comes to mind is: are some issues nature but our actions a choice of nurture?

Secrets

Secrets. We all have them, and that one word seems to sum up my life right now. And the biggest problem or struggle is the element of fear. Christians are supposed to share their struggles with each other (Ephesians 6:2), but there is this schema in the Christians community that real Christians have it all together. I don't know about others but I definitely don't have it all together...in other words, the consequences of sharing my secrets are greater than the benefit of someone else sharing my burden. So, the only option is trudge on...alone. Perhaps one day, the rest of the Christian community will more accepting of imperfect people and more genuine with each other.

Her passions are more spiritual??

I sat with some fellow students for lunch yesterday and one of them asked me what my passions are. I told them and then asked what their's were. They told me and added onto the end of their description, "They're (her passions) almost the same as yours, just more spiritual." I wanted to be like W-T-F, but I go to a small Christian school in the Midwest; so there's no way I would have responded with that. I just kinda smiled and we went on to another topic of conversation. The question I pose to you is exactly that W-T-F. What do you think about that? Can one person's passions be more spiritual than another's? Or was this person's narrow minded-ness showing through? You decide and leave me a comment or two.

Battle for the Mind

In the Christian culture, there is this idea that one battles for their mind, heart, and soul against a prince of darkness. This personified essence is one who comes to lie, kill, and destroy. However, what if in reality that prince of darkness is you? You're the one you're battling against for control of your mind, heart, and soul. What does one do with that? How would you proceed in battle when you know your enemy knows all your best moves and can outplay you?