Ever been rockin along and find yourself in one of those inescapable moments? It may be an unexpected immediate answer to prayer, an embarrassing situation, a make-you-cry moment from a movie or a child's first words or just something simple that you wish someone was there to share.
Please share with us your moment or moments that others would enjoy hearing and responding to. You can share anything from a deep question to a wierd thought and express it however you desire.
No rules- just be you!
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I will attempt to articulate this thought…my hope is that the feedback will help me sort through it. This stems from watching the Great Debaters. I was sitting there after the movie wishing that I had a “great” fight like that. I wanted to boldly stand for equality between black and white…I wanted to truly fight for something. What could I fight for? I could still fight against racism, but I wouldn’t be met with the same opposition as in the past. There is not as much of a segregation problem…I mean there is still racism but it isn’t so blatantly obvious. Whites and blacks can share bathrooms, restaurants, and schools. There are still pockets of the world where racism is prevalent, and there is still a need to fight it (this little rant is in no way intended to down play present day racism).
But in today’s context I believe the demoralization of both men and women due to the misuse of sex and sexuality is a catastrophic problem. What do I do to fight the trampling of Christ’s daughters? A big fat nothing! Okay, maybe here and there I’ll stand up for someone in class, or in the battlefield of the mind. But, for the most part I am seeping in the music, movies, and other media of this world. I support this with my ride-the-fence attitude. Now back to the racism.
Racism once reined supreme but men (in the men and women sense of the word) fought and now the darkness has been pushed back. Not that it is gone but it has been significantly lessened. This lessoning has made it a recognizable wrong…one that would be socially acceptable by the majority. So now I can “boldly” proclaim that I would’ve fought like those men in the movie did…but I think the truth is…I would not have. I don’t overtly fight back against the oppression of women because it is socially acceptable to do so, oppress women. It is acceptable to treat a woman as a sexual object. It is accepted in magazines (it doesn’t have to be a porno…the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue anyone?), movies, music, ads, etc. What am I doing to fight against that? I stopped buying coffee that was not fair trade because after a good rant by the Palzo I couldn’t not enjoy it anymore…all I could see was kids working the fields. I don’t mean picketing anything either. I’m not really sure what this means…but I know that men have to rise up and push back the darkness. It took men to oppress racism until it was no longer accepted…as it will with this. I would not have fought racism in the heat of its supremacy b/c it was as normal as the sexual oppression and exploitation of women today and I don’t do a freakin thing about that! I only fight when it is safe and socially acceptable to do so…I fight when it is safe so I feel like I’m fighting but I’m not. I am in the garage rollin with Mark because I know he will quite when I tap…b/c if I fought a dude on the street he may play for keeps. God keeps hittin with this…I do enough good to feel good b/c I don’t really want to be good! I wanna fight, but really I don’t!
Great post JT. I have to think about it awhile...
I have a little more to add. It became a little clearer today what I was tryin to say. Before racism was recognized as such it was considered normal. People would get up everyday and that is just how it was, segregated. I wonder what it must have been like for the small nobodies who decided to do something…could you imagine the response from someone who decided to verbalize their desire for equality. They must have been thoroughly laughed at. I wonder what it must have been like to be the little nobody, from the tiny town of nowhere, who decided I think this is racist-not normal! It might be a similar response to a guy, in a high school locker room, trying to convince the others that they should not kiss and tell. The battle today is not the obvious, but it is the “normal”…before it was racism it was just normal. How do we get from normal to racism? MLK Jr. said that what was needed was tension. We must create enough tension that people are forced into a decision. You must persuade men and women that there is a better way and that the current (normal) way is faulty. If someone somewhere didn’t realize that what was normal was wrong then we would teach and eat in a segregated world. MLK Jr. got a lot of glory and rightly so, BUT what about the pioneers who died before they saw anything…they died the crazy ones…they died only with the faith that they were right. Praise Christ for being the standard of Truth! Hope this makes more sense…
OK, I wrote this at school today before I read your second post and after reading your only once very early this morning so it may not make sense. I just hope you know I tried my best for you because I love you so much. Here it is:
JT,
I think all fights begin internally and manifest themselves in external actions. Therefore, the answers we seek will always begin in the discipline of obedience and our willingness to submit our will to His. After stating the obvious, allow me to explain by adding context to my statement.
With racism, black men and women finally responded to the burning disgust in their bellies they could no longer stomach and began to risk their lives by escaping and running for greener pastures. Frederick Douglas, a former slave puts it this way “The slave-owner exercises unlimited right over the body and soul of his slaves. The slave has intellect, but he dares not use it. He has a soul—he may not call it his own. He has a conscience—he may not be guided by it. His master thinks for him, decides for him; his master supplants his intellect—his master supplants his soul—he supplants Almighty God—(sensation). This is the relation between master and slave as it exists in the United States. Not only is the slave absolute property, but he must be barbarously and inhumanly treated in order to keep him a slave.” I know you well, JT, and I suppose you read this and received the same premonition; that whoever or whatever we give our minds to today will control us tomorrow! Very simply, if we digest porn or possess any impure sexual thoughts and roll them around in our minds, our actions will soon follow and our lack of action for Christ will begin due to thoughts of unworthiness that will dominate and cripple us so that we won’t even think about confronting another because we dread the same question back.
Allow me to go back to the slaves for a second. In finding greener pastures, I believe a confidence was born from the willingness to “go for it” coupled with the euphoria from the silence of the whip and the constant pressure to perform in the harshest of environments with no other motivation than to make it to the next day, only to endure it again. My eyes well with tears over the acceptance and justification of these inhumane and ungodly tortures. With this new found confidence, they were spurred on to fight for more than just freedom, clearing the way for the Civil Rights Movement, when blacks, rightfully so, demanded equality.
So now we have the tsunami of sex that has swelled into our culture and destroyed traditional views and the sacredness of what was given us by God to enjoy in the ways that would most benefit us and bring glory to Him simultaneously. Sex influences and impacts everyone across cultural, religious and racial lines making it a much more difficult topic and reality to grapple with.
We live in a culture here in the US that adheres to the philosophy of “you don’t bother or question me, and I won’t bother or question you.” We live in a day and time where true accountability is as scarce as the sexually pure- which is a huge part of the problem. Therefore, people’s thoughts run rampant with impurity with no opposition creating a snowball effect until it avalanches out of control and someone is found out and then, and only then does the church rush in to “heal” the sinner.
Although a preemptive strike isn’t easily adopted, as proof in the War on Terror, it still and should have its place. I mean healthcare, sex education, learning God’s word, immigration, or whatever- we’re always trying to clean up the mess as we discard our own sin with the same ole justifications that stand in opposition to God. This is why I stated earlier that it begins with our willingness to fight the good fight within ourselves and ask God to give us a fight to engage in. The most difficult part for me is to let Him choose the fight as I respectfully and willingly obey knowing in His power I will accomplish much more than I ever could in my own.
The economic factor with the sex industry will play a more important role in aggressive opposition to the traditionalist and fundamentalist. But the reality is that many people, including Christians, don’t believe there is anything wrong with what’s out there. I think more than people who saw slavery as inhumane. So we must preach Christ, the cross, and His resurrection and live it out in numbers before we gain traction with the masses. They must see the transformed life and believe it is worthy of seeking and giving up the greatest of pleasures for a bigger reason than themselves. We both know one life at a time will ripple its way to the many. I think where we, and I mean WE, lose the fight is the follow up with new believers and the preemptive strike on the obstacles that are sure to follow a true conversion.
Start where you are, brother, and fight. Your friends know you have, but you have to know and satisfy the Spirit. You already possess all the power and authority necessary to compete and win. When God sees you can handle the little things, He will increase your desires and your influence. He is unrestricted, wild and ready; for He is the greatest of warriors and longs for His son to engage with Him. The only thing holding you back will be you! I believe in you with all I have. I’m fearless when I stand next to you and my respect and admiration for you brings tears once again. I love you and pray God would reveal to you, in His grace, specific ways to fight so that you’re most assured and affirmed in your purpose and mission concerning women and your fight for their dignity.
Wow! Thanks so much Palzo! I'll need time to process….great post!
Well, I know I can't even come close to following this so this isn't even an attempt. Just something I heard/read today (from my shero musician and poet) that made me think about this post in regards to "the tsunami of sex" as Palzo put it. (and a lot of other personal things I won't get into)
But here it is ...
Growing up is not an absence of dreaming
It's being able to understand the difference between the ones you can hold
And the ones that you've been sold
Dreaming is a good thing
Cause it brings new things to life
But pretending is an ending that Perpetuates a lie
Forgetting what you are seeing
For what you've been told
Truth is stranger than fiction
This is my chance to get it right
Life is much better without all those pretty lies
* Let me explain why I made a connection.* This is the exact poison that comes from women being dehumanized sexually and what it does to my brothers. I think "dreaming" it is a real gift that God gave us. Dream about your future mate. Heck, dream about what consumating your marriage may be like, but question whether that dream is from within you or something you have been sold. That is where the fine line has been blurred past the point of recognition. Whether its that all women look like Hallee Berry and Heidi Klum, or that sexual experimentation is necessary for a fulfilling life ... these are examples of lies we have been sold. As much as I could talk about the dangers this causes for women (eating disorders, etc.) it seems that more and more my heart breaks for my brothers. What a nasty lie that Satan has created and we have grown immune to with our utter apathy toward sexual impurity as Paul mentioned. JT, I love that you recognize the lie bc I think that is really half the battle. I'm sure I will have more on this later.
I also wanted to comment on the blog topic with my "inescapable moment". I have lots of these that are really silly ... whether it's the time(s) when I can't find my car keys and I am to the point of cussing out loud (which I do) and finally just break to the point of being on my knees begging God to help me find them so I won't be late for the millionth time. It never fails that a calm comes over me and I go directly to wherever they are, whether its under the couch, under a pile of clothes, toys, whatever ... I swear its like God is laughing at me and waiting for me to just break and ask him for help.
But, the one I really wanted to share is at this point in my life my most profound answer to prayer. It really is similar to what Chris posted about in the New Year's Resolution section about asking God bodly in prayer for things and having the faith that he will answer. It made me remember this moment with God that was inescapable.
As many of you know, I spent the summer of '03 guiding backpacking trips at Wilderness Ranch where I met my husband, Mike D. After spending the entire summer begging God to take my feeling for him away (all logged in hundreds of journal entires) I then played this game with God that I originally thought only I played, until reading Chris' entry as I mentioned. I would say prayers like this "Ok God, I have begged you to take these feelings away, but they won't go anywhere. I only want your will, so if it is your will for us to be together, then so be it" This was my really pathetic attempt at being faithful. I really wanted the feelings to dissapate, although I had become quite fond of my dreams of him being my husband, but I didn't really have the faith the ask God bodly for anything. Then I reached a complete breaking point, where it was evident that he had no feelings for me and actually left early for the summer with plans to "date" another girl and he didn't even say goodbye. I won't give you all the details of my pity party, but you can imagine. My frustration brought me to a place of faith that I am not sure I have ventured back to, but I spent the next week petitioning a huge request to God. I just asked God to make Mike love me as crazy as it sounds, that became my prayer. I was tired of trying to control my feelings and I had felt like God had made it clear that he would eventually be my husband three months earlier so I decided to go with it. I came to an illumination that if God was who I thought He was, I didn't believe that he would allow me to have these desires if he did not intend on eventually fulfilling them. (I still believe this wholeheartedly. If you are seeking the Lord daily and you are laying your desires at His feet, I do not believe that God would allow these desires to stick around unless He had plans to blow them away). So I did, and I felt peace. I bodly would pray for what I wanted Mike to feel about me and I believed (85% lol). The other 15% said, heck, well this is a far more fun than praying for the feelings to go away. I would get really creative with what I wanted Mike to think and feel. So, the inescapable moment happened when Mike returned to camp for close down. Of course my heart about came out of my chest, but he came up to me first and said, I need to talk to you but I have some business I have to take care of first. (you can imagine the business dealt with the "other" woman, haha) And, well, the rest is history, he took me to a local waterfall and told me all those things I prayed for. It was by far the most blantant answer to prayer ever. At first it was a little weird. I sometimes had thoughts like maybe I cast a voodoo spell on him or something, but later realized it wasn't about ME making Mike love me. He already did, just maybe not as soon as I did. It was about God teaching me #1 to listen to my intuition when I am seeking Him; that its always right. #2 To have faith that be bold before God and ask for what we really desire, all he can say is No, right? But, from my experience I get far more of those inescapble moments than No's.
OK. As cheesy as it is. There ya go. I am not even positive that Mike knows all those details. Whoops.
That's so you..it's great and thanks for sharing. That was fun to read.
My vulnerable addition will be a poem I wrote awhile back. Here goes!
I have this picture of you in my mind
Your face a sunset changing everyday
Always so consistently unique and beautiful
I consider the ways, all the ways I'll love you
Holding you now brings a lonely smile
A warmness walks hand in hand on the beach of my heart
Fading into a void of cold rejection
What will become of beautiful, invisible you
You are with me always
Yet I've never met you
Or have I
There's some cheeeez for you Crystal!
Awesome poem paul! Its not cheeez just a good heart-felt poem and i actually get what your saying. Heres a little poem I wrote:
"Oh I sleep just to dream her
Beg the night just to see her
That my only love should be her
Just to lie in her arms
Oh I came there to find out
Find out she'd made up her mind out
My arms are tied out
To me she was blind"
Well i actually didnt write that but it is a great dave song =)
Man, I love it. That is so along the lines of the poetry I threw up .... vooodoooo maybe? lol.
My last post was referring to Paul's post ... the fine line between dreaming and pretending.
Brent ... I get you because I have all Jewel's lyrics memorized and throw them out as my own all the time. Sometimes I swear I actaully think they are my own ideas because she speaks to me in such profound ways. Love it.
Crystal, is your middle name "ball"? Because your magical "voodoo" term is not welcome on this post. lol!
Just kidding! Please don't stick your Rachel doll with any pins. Don't make me hurt this night!
I have got a poem.
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
I'm all about voodoo
How about you?
My favorite songs are:
Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac
Witchy Woman by the Eagles
and Black Balloon by the Voodoo Dolls, oops I mean the Goo Goo Dolls
Just wanted people to know that the Love, Me blog was from me. I didn't realize what account I was writing from since I'm a newbie at all this blog stuff.
Rachel
I got your torture...(inside joke)
Eternity With You
Eternity seems so far away
So I sit and ponder another day
Soon I'll climb heavens highest mountainside
If you're there I'll look in your eyes
What will I see
Maybe a reflection of me
May not be
Doesn't matter though
Cause then I'll know
You still love me and I still love you so
Will we speak, will kisses we blow
Maybe not, doesn't matter though
Because even eternity can't erase
The longing in my heart to see your beautiful face
For one more embrace
Take me to this place
Now! Oh God, will it ever go away
I just want to stay
Locked up in this embrace
Locked up in this face
I'm such a disgrace
I've ruined this picture in my head
Maybe all that was is dead
All I see is red
The blood of forgiveness like the rain
It blots out all past stains
But the pain remains
The hurt lingers still
I'll have to wait to see if you're wating for me
On Heavens highest hill
I bet you will
Will what-you ask
I bet you will take off that mask
What I'll see
Will overwhelm me
More beautiful now than ever
Lord grant me eternity for this endeavor
I want all of heaven to know
No more hiding, let the truth flow
Like a raging river down the valley
No longer two thieves in the alley
Stealing time from those held dearest
Through God's eyes I see clearest
I see I must wait for us to be
But as a son of God, I have eternity
So I have peace you see
Because Christ consumes me-
For eternity...
Rachel, I just thought you were giving us the hint to Love YOU so it would be easier for you to fulfill your New Years Res. J/K! By the way, since you are new at this ... you posted your song stuff under the wrong blog weirdo. But, I really appreciate your lightening the mood ... Palzo and I needed it :) PS. are those really your go-to songs? If so I am not a good bff. Nevermind, they were a joke. I am so freakin' blonde. You can't do this to me while I'm in this state. I think you know that already.
I freaking love the TORTURE ... keep it comin'. Seriously, Paul, that poem really spoke volumes to me.
Can we make a TORTURE section. kidding.
It’s hard to listen to a hard hard heart
Beating close to mine
Pounding up against the stone and steel
Walls that I won’t climb
Sometimes a hurt is so deep
You think that you’re gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep
With all this rain falling down
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I’m barely holding on
Its hard to know when to give up the fight
The things you want will just never be right
Its never rained like it has to night before
Now I don’t wanna beg you baby
For something maybe you could never give
I’m not looking for the rest of your life
I just want another chance to live again
It seems possible that this portion of the blog may have detoured from its original course.
Crystal,
Is that an original or an alter-ego Jewel remix?
And Mike- we are in the "just be you zone" so I'll give you something more "Spiritual" since you're into that kinda thing...
It All Depends On You...
A mighty river races
A hummingbird chases
A dark night erases
The sun's different faces
The clouds silver lining laces
A rainbow searching for song traces
As few true lovers embraces
All a symphony of Your good graces
All the earth sings Your name
For the great I AM's glory and fame
It All Depends On You...
I can't believe Rachel threw you under the bus like that and Geof gave her the green light to do so.
Apalling...
Ok who wants to hear an awkward story?.......well too bad your getting one so listen up. Some of you may know me well and to those who dont i am the king of awkward situations. I mean if there is a situation that has potential to be awkward than im pretty sure ill find a way to exploit it. Not on purpose but it just tends to happen that way. Anyway to the story. Some of you might have heard this one but i thought i would tell it anyways. So i was up at Keller High School going through my typical day of substituting (yes i am a substitute and that fact just adds to my awkwardness) anyways i was walking down the hall and ran into a teacher that i kind of know but not really.
Its just the two of us in the hall and were both walking towards each other at a fairly quick pace. Well the teacher starts to smile and for some weird reason i thought she said how are you doing. I respond with a "Im doing pretty good," due to my quick response i am excited that i did everything normal and escaped an awkward situation with ease. But no thats not the case. This teacher whom we shall call "teacher X" hadnt said anything to me but in my awkward state i merely thought i heard her say "how are you doing?" So when i responded i was merely talking to myself. This caught "teacher X" off guard and so to counter she just smiled and nodded and walked off.
Now whenever i see this teacher its just awkward but whats new just another person in a long line of people that i have put in an awkward situation. If your not careful you too might experience this phenomenon known as brent!
Greatness Brent! That made Mike and I laugh while we are watching the presidential debates on a Saturday night! Yes, we already know we are dorks.
hmmmm, ok Paul has now intoduced me to "the blog" - new to me and not sure how everyone can keep up..... love the great moment thought - i would have to say it's a time period- since i have become a more seasoned adult(old!) - it would be the fact that i now "get it" - purpose - God's purpose in everything -once i saw it so clearly, He gave me such peace in every aspect of my life - i realize now that i was open to it, and He gifted it to me from every angle - it's like a warm blanket - it's something i just want (and still do) try to explain to everyone and wish it for them - share it w/ them, pray it for them - yes, the "i get it".... pete
Thank you Petey. I love your heart and appreciate you posting. I hope you return occasionally and give us more of you.
I absolutely love hearing the hearts of God's people. it is invigorating. Well, here goes one of my moments.
I sometimes find myself caught up in a moment, whether it be around a dinner table with a group of friends, at my parents' house listening to my dad tell stories, or watch my children running in circles around the house screaming, I find myself looking around soaking everything in, wanting to remember everything, wanting everything to find its way deep in my mind, heart, and soul so it won't ever escape me. Everything seems to slow down and I find myself in some sort of movie scene where everything else is blurry except for what is going on in the right now. This happens the most with my kids. They are growing up so fast and I am thankful that the Lord gives me these slow moments with them.
One more special unforgettable moment...
When Caleb, my almost four-year-old, break dances. It makes me laugh outloud, want to cry with joy, and puts a smile on my face everytime. He's so precious and to watch him dance makes me so happy and a voice comes up in my head saying, "That's my son! He is so freaking cool!"
Praise Jesus for precious children.
If you haven't seen Caleb dance lately, you are truly missing out. He has surpassed cute and grooved his way to good.
Caleb dancing is awesome! Paul is exactly right ... its like overnight, he went from jumping and shaking his booty like most three/four year olds do, to having rhythm and breaking it down. I have told most of my family how cool he is ... well, they already know. Caleb already has the girls swooning. Geof is going to have to tell all the little girls ..."well, its 10pm and past Caleb's bedtime ... can you call tomorrow" I can already see it coming!
I too love the Caleb man! I have a picture of that brotha on my phone b/c he makes me laugh and smile everytime. He truly is a gift to all of us. Thanks for sharing him!
Well Ive been asked by a few of you folks why I havent posted in awhile so I made a point to do it today. I get to read what is on the blog at work when I get a free moment but its never long enough to write. And many of you know my computer at home is not the greatest as it tends to send blank messages!! Anyways back to why Im writing...
This year is my first year teaching second graders and Ive had many inescapable moments with a particular little girl in my class. Out of the blue she will start crying for what appears to be no reason at all. Most of the time I would take her aside or pull her out in the hall to ask what was wrong. For the most part she would give me an answer to something pertaining to that day in the classroom but recently she tells me that she doesnt know why she is crying. After learning what is going on at home Ive began to understand where many of those tears are coming from...
Her dad left the family for another woman so now her mom is doing what she can (working 2 jobs) trying to just get by. I recently learned that the only time she gets to see her mom is a half day on Sunday because she is always asleep before her mom gets home from work at night.
My heart began to break as I came to the realization that all this child wants is to be loved. She wants to know someone cares about her...wants affection...someone to cry to. Ive stopped asking her what is wrong and Ive began to just hold her in my arms and allow her to cry on my shoulder. She stays in my arms for a few minutes...wipes her tears...and then goes on about her day. She has reminded me of what my job should look like everyday. I dont want to get so caught up in the technical part of teaching that I forget to love on these kids.
Through this experience with this little girl Ive also been given a glimpse of how our Father sees and cares for us. Theres been many times where I cant pinpoint what is wrong but have been brought to tears for the pain I feel in my heart. In these moments I long to just be held in His arms where my heart feels at rest. I hope to extend to this child and all my kids the gracious love that has been extended to me from my Father...
Coke, I know that you have a poem...or could write one...I'm waitin..............
Kels,
I love your heart and what you had to say is so true. Why does something have to be wrong to cry? Why is it that we feel if someone cries, they have a problem we need to fix? Sometimes its okay to just feel sad, happy, mad, whatever.
I really think we miss out on God all the time by not just being the present moment and experiencing what that moment has to offer. We start thinking about the past (what happened to make me/you cry?) or start probing about the future (how can i fix this feeling for you/myself? what can i do differently in the future so that this feeling wont come back?) What happens is we end up being a bunch of people that cannot BE in the MOMENT and thus we miss out on God all the time. The reason I believe we miss out on God is because He is found in the PRESENT.
He is the Almighty PRESENCE, right? Anyone have any thoughts about this? I just started tapping into this idea.
I mean, we say God is everywhere ... but Hes not in the past ... he WAS in the past and He WILL BE in the future ... but He IS in the present. How much of His divine Presence do we then miss? I think that the present is the only place to find Him and that statement makes me shutter a little bit bc I know I must really miss Him a lot.
Does this make sense or am I smoking crack?
Wow Crystal! Wow Kels! Great great stuff...thanks for teaching and sharing!
Thanks for your comment Crys...this is something I truly long for...to live in the present moment at all times. I want to stop trying to figure out what MAY happen and enjoy what IS happening now. I constantly hear the Lord saying to me "cease striving and know that I am God!" Basicially "quit trying to figure everything out and just enjoy me in the here and now." I read in one of John Pipers books that God is most satisfied in us when we are most satisfied in Him. When I try to figure things out...not only am I missing out on Him in the present moment...but I am robbing myself the joy that is to be found in fully being satisfied in Him alone. If He is all I need...then why do I continue to look elsewhere?? So quickly I forget that...its not about me...its about Him...He is the prize.
I(first person pronoun) AM(verb, present singular1st person)!
God said tell them I AM sent you!God is Almighty presence as Crystal stated.
In His awesome presencewe can know without a doubt:
I AM food when you are hungry
I AM your comfort when you cry
I AM your lover when you are lonely
I AM the answer when you question
I AM the way when you stray
I AM water when you thirst
I AM clarity in confusion
I AM joy in the presence of pain
I AM hope in the face of trial
I AM King of kings
I AM Lord of lords
I AM strength in weakness
I AM light in your darkness
I AM forgiveness of your sin
I AM more than you comprehend
I AM freedom from addiction
I AM LOVE!
In His presence may we be quick to remember I AM...
Brent, I love your awkward stories more than you know- we all do.
You gotta give us one more...please!
Man ... Paul. That is awesome. Thanks.
I guess that answer's my question. I AM not smoking crack!
A little C.S. Lewis for all God in the Present Moment seekers...
"Our life comes to us moment by moment. One moment disappears before the next comes along: and there is room for very little in each. That is what Time is like. And of course you and I tend to take it for granted that this Time series--arrangement of past, present and future--is not simply the way life comes to us but the way all things really exist. We tend to assume that the whole universe and God Himself are always moving on from past to future just as we do..."
"Almost certainly God is not in Time. His life does not consist of moments following one another. If a million people are praying to Him at 10:30 tonight, He need not listen to them all in that one little snippet which we call 10:30. Ten-thirty--and every other moment from the beginning of the world--is always the Present for Him. If you like to put it that way, He has all eternity in which to listen to the split second of prayer put up by a pilot as his plane crashes in flames."
C.S. Lewis' illustration is that if you picture Time as a straight line along which we have to travel, then you must picture God as the whole page on which the line is drawn. God, from above or outside or all around, contains the whole line, and sees it all.
(Here's my favorite part...)
"Suppose God is outside and above the Time-line. In that case, what we call "tomorrow" is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call "today." All days are "Now" for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday; He simply sees you doing them: because, though tomorrow is not yet there for you, it is for Him. He is already in tomorrow and can simply watch you."
Sorry for quoting so much of C.S. Lewis, but I didn't want to butcher his concept. It's a beautiful idea. I love the thought of Him looking at my life from beginning to end. What an omniscient God we serve!
That was awesome! So are you!
One more thought before I hit the hay. Paul, you did exactly what I was wanting. Not that I am anywhere close to being a preacher, but as an analogy a preacher needs a little "Amen" every so often or a "Preach it!" from the crowd listening in or he/she begins to question if anyone is listening. If you're sitting across the table from someone and you are sharing some inner thoughts, you require a headnod or a "Yeah!" or "Really!" or a question. When you're teaching a class, you require the students to say something. I find myself asking my students, "You know what I mean?" and "What do yall think about this?" quite a bit just to check to see if they are interested.
Now I'm truly not talking about me in particular. I'm really trying to do what JT did to Coke and am asking for a few more "Amens" from the audience and a couple more headnods from the friends and some "I get what you're saying from the students." Knowing we are all of these I say these things. It just spurs those engaged to press on and make the sacrifice. Petey was right when she said, "not sure how everyone can keep up." It is hard to keep up with mothering, working, seeking, loving, cleaning, etc... And then to add blogging. Who would have ever thought we would be blogging? Certainly not me. I think more than anything Paul and others desire to know that it is doing some benefit in people's lives. Please let Paul know however you desire, but please spur him and others engaged on because selfishly I love reading the blog and responding when I can and hope many others do to. Good Night!
Amen! I needed that! Affirmation is always good. Great point.
That's why when you teach, write, speak or hang out with friends I look around and say "That's my best friend!" I know her...
Thanks Rach for the C.S. Lewis stuff...that hit home for me. Im sure Ill be reading that a few more times!
I love the idea of God looking down on my life too! What I want to explore now is how to get more of HIM all the time; How to find Him more in the Present and be in His Almighty Presence. My mind is like a ping pong ball, bouncing from one idea to the next, one mistake I've made to a proud moment, one what if and then to a what should. It's insane. I am trying to practice being in the present and controlling my mind to just BE ... to just BE with my Lord in the moment. Have any of you ever tried to not think about anything but take in more of Him. I want to just sit in the palm of His hand and feel His Presence.
I am "researching" (i know Rachel and Kelsie are cracking up) meditation. Christianity as it is today speaks a lot about prayer (talking to God) or in my case, babbling to Him about all my issues, etc. I can talk my head off all day long to God, but what am I missing? Isn't there more to prayer than petitioning God all the time? Maybe there is really something to meditation or listening to God or whatever you want to call it. Have any of you had great moments of listening to God and if so, How the heck did you get to that place? Most of my experience has been through prayer and then a physical or mental answer to that prayer. I would also love any scripture or other thoughts, articles, etc. you have on meditation/ listening to God. I will throw up what I find as well. Love yall!
Side Note: ditto to Rachel. If any of you out there have been reading but not posting, consider yourself a blog slut ... I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not particularly fond of being an indirect pimp (phrase coined by the same friend).
"The heart seldom gets hot when the mouh is open. A closed mouth before Godand silent heart are indespensible for the receptionof certain kinds of truth. No man is qualified to speak who has not first listened." -Tozer
"So the soulthat waits in silence must learn to disentangle the voice of God from the net of other voices-the ghostly whisperings of the subconscious self, the luring voices of the world, the hindering voices of misguided friendship, the clamor of personal ambition and vanity, the murmur of self will, the song of unbridled imagination, and the thrilling note of religious romance...One hour of such listening may give us a deeper insight into the mysteries of human nature, and a surer for Divine values, than a year's hard study... " -Herman
"I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence-we need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters." -Mother Teresa
"To approach God with only an incessant stream of words is a filibuster, not prayer" -Macy
Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention.
They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are, but more often than not God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where, if your soul is to be saved, where you should go next. -Buechner
Help me, O God.
Give me the courage to cry.
Help me to understand that tears bring freshly washed colors arching across the soul,
colors that wouldn't be there apart from rain.
Help me to see in the prism of my tears,
something of the secret of who I am.
Give me the courage
not only to see what those tears are revealing
but to follow where they are leading.
And help me to see
somewhere over the rainbow,
that where they are leading me is home... -Gire
For those e-mailing, loving reading and learning from all you guys posting. For those who are experiencing dark nights and turbulent waters... Much is happening behind the scenes.
Wow i havent gotten on here in like a day or two and man did i miss alot! All i have to say is a big AMEN to rachel. That is some great stuff you have been putting up. Please keep it coming you are amazing. Kels thanks for posting its good to have you on board and as expected you are already bringing alot to the table. I really enjoyed your story about the girl in the class and who you just came to stop asking why and just loved on her. Not many teachers especially first year ones would take the time to just love and not ask why but just be there for the kid. Keep up the good work!
Crystal your comment about how society today is always looking for a cure right away when something happens that they dont like. We always want to be comfortable and when something comes along that isnt we try to find the cause and just eliminate and not deal with it anymore. But like you said God is found in those moments of pain, sadness, loneliness, anger, fear just as much as He is found in the moments of joy, hope, love, laughter. Thanks for sharing you are very insightful and you keep challenging me to think deeper. James, Paul, Mike what can i say you guys rock and well I would comment about what you guys say but well its just so confusing to me sometimes =), jk great stuff and i love the sayings you are putting up paul. Its awesome to see how the spirit works through these peoples life to express his love and hope. Well thats all i got i mean i have so much more but this is long enough because 95% of people wont even make it down here and i dont blame them. Anyways i just created a music page on myspace if whoever wants to check it out. Its at www.myspace.com/xyz234 well thats it goodnight all!
What's my problem? Why do I get so distracted? Why do I get so wrapped up in my life her on earth? I do believe it is important to work hard, provide for your family, love and serve others, have fun in fellowship with friends and family. But these are all things that get me side-tracked. They steer my thoughts, my actions, my focus away from Jesus. Here's a STRANGE concept...What if I forgot to pay a bill because I was so side-tracked by God! That would rock! The reality is I should use all of these things(that keep me so busy) to draw me closer to my Savior. I really believe it deals with the topic that some of you have mentioned. I have to see and trust God in the Now. I have to know that He is in the Present. So...What's my problem?
By the way, I really do appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas. I know I don't say much, but thanks for the time and effort. I love reading it. (especially what that Rachel-chick has to say- She is SO HOT!)
Also, we need to be praying for Mr. Winston Bradford Brown today. He had surgery this morning at 9:15. He's at HEB and he is staying overnight. Thanks.
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