Yes, I know. Three posts in one day?! But Jaime got away with it once so I thought I'd try. :)
Well, what is so important that I would need to post for the third time today? We've decided on a name for our baby! We are naming her Epiphany.
That way when she is born I can say, "I just had an...
Friday, September 30, 2005
AMAZING NEWS!!!
Peter, my husband, has finally begun his own blog!
"That's amazing", you say.
Yes, I knew you'd be amazed.
Check him out at www.undecidedblogname.blogspot.com
His blog name is "some clever name".
He's good right? Wow, I've never seen such creativity! (We're like kindred spirits.)
:)
"That's amazing", you say.
Yes, I knew you'd be amazed.
Check him out at www.undecidedblogname.blogspot.com
His blog name is "some clever name".
He's good right? Wow, I've never seen such creativity! (We're like kindred spirits.)
:)
Concert Tonight!
We're off to see Caedmon's Call tonight. I'm really looking forward to it! (no, really?)
I've already posted one of their songs. Here's another one that I find myself going back to over and over.
"There's Only One (Holy One)"
Words and Music by Randall Goodgame
Left his seamless robe behind
Woke up in a stable crying
Lived and died and rose again
Savior for a guilty land
It's a story like a children's tune
And it's grown familiar as the moon
So now I ride my camel high
And I'm aiming for the needle's eye
I chased the wind, but I chased in vain
I chased the earth, but it would not sustain
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only one, only one Holy One
Lord, You are my Prince of Peace
But this war brings me to my knees
See there's a table You've prepared
And all my enemies are there
But where my Shepherd leads
Where else can I go
Who else fills my cup till it overflows
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only one, only one Holy One
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
To the Solid Rock I fly
Though He bids me come and die
There's only one, only one Holy One
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
And there's only one, only one Holy One
I was going to add bold to my favorite lines but then I realized that I would be adding bold to pretty much the entire song. But there are some really sweet lines in there.
I hope to sing this with the congregation sometime. It would be so great to shout this out together.
I've already posted one of their songs. Here's another one that I find myself going back to over and over.
"There's Only One (Holy One)"
Words and Music by Randall Goodgame
Left his seamless robe behind
Woke up in a stable crying
Lived and died and rose again
Savior for a guilty land
It's a story like a children's tune
And it's grown familiar as the moon
So now I ride my camel high
And I'm aiming for the needle's eye
I chased the wind, but I chased in vain
I chased the earth, but it would not sustain
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only one, only one Holy One
Lord, You are my Prince of Peace
But this war brings me to my knees
See there's a table You've prepared
And all my enemies are there
But where my Shepherd leads
Where else can I go
Who else fills my cup till it overflows
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only one, only one Holy One
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
To the Solid Rock I fly
Though He bids me come and die
There's only one, only one Holy One
There's only one who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only one who sets loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
And there's only one, only one Holy One
I was going to add bold to my favorite lines but then I realized that I would be adding bold to pretty much the entire song. But there are some really sweet lines in there.
I hope to sing this with the congregation sometime. It would be so great to shout this out together.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Counter-culture Jesus
I'm blog stuck again. This time because I fear that I am being defined by my current "tough" place. Damn, I don't want that!
Can I walk this dark path without you thinking of me solely in terms of my dark path-ness? Can you see the God-child in the midst of this journey? Am I creating this dynamic by blogging about this dark path place so frequently?
Well dash it all, this dark path place is simply where I am. Furthermore, it is where I feel God is leading me. What am I to do?
Here are the current wonderings.
Matt. 10:34-37 Msg
Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut -- make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law -- cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me.
Matt 15:1-3 NIV
Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?... Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you;
"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
Wow, feel the tension! So which is it? One seems like an apple, the other an orange. Or rather, one is a butterfly, the other a bowling ball. But God is calling me into the tension. Not to be torn apart, but to wonder, to hold this tension gently.
Already he is revealing something. In the Matt 15 passage I run ahead and jump into the tension. This time he stopped me early. Listen.
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?... Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Families are full of tradition. We all have a system that we grew up in. Was it surprising to you when you first realized that other families didn't do things the way your family did things? Did you get hurt when you unintentionally stepped over that invisible line at your friend's house? your date's house? In recent years I have become more aware of my own family's system. And now I am making choices to break the traditions of my family. I can hear my mom's voice in place of the Pharisee's, "Gloria claims to be your disciple. So why does she break the traditions of this family? How disrespectful and unloving! This is the way we've always done things, as did our parents!" and Jesus responding to her, "I am indeed calling her to love and respect, to the commands of God that have been in place for all time. But your traditions are not my traditions. I have come to cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free her, and you, for God."
Ah, it's coming together a bit.
This still doesn't solve the tension of being daughter against mother, let alone the tension of being cut free for God while still honoring and respecting my parents.
"Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely." Matt 13:12 Msg
Lord, I open my heart to you. Make it ready. In your good timing flow.
Can I walk this dark path without you thinking of me solely in terms of my dark path-ness? Can you see the God-child in the midst of this journey? Am I creating this dynamic by blogging about this dark path place so frequently?
Well dash it all, this dark path place is simply where I am. Furthermore, it is where I feel God is leading me. What am I to do?
Here are the current wonderings.
Matt. 10:34-37 Msg
Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut -- make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law -- cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me.
Matt 15:1-3 NIV
Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?... Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you;
"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"
Wow, feel the tension! So which is it? One seems like an apple, the other an orange. Or rather, one is a butterfly, the other a bowling ball. But God is calling me into the tension. Not to be torn apart, but to wonder, to hold this tension gently.
Already he is revealing something. In the Matt 15 passage I run ahead and jump into the tension. This time he stopped me early. Listen.
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?... Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Families are full of tradition. We all have a system that we grew up in. Was it surprising to you when you first realized that other families didn't do things the way your family did things? Did you get hurt when you unintentionally stepped over that invisible line at your friend's house? your date's house? In recent years I have become more aware of my own family's system. And now I am making choices to break the traditions of my family. I can hear my mom's voice in place of the Pharisee's, "Gloria claims to be your disciple. So why does she break the traditions of this family? How disrespectful and unloving! This is the way we've always done things, as did our parents!" and Jesus responding to her, "I am indeed calling her to love and respect, to the commands of God that have been in place for all time. But your traditions are not my traditions. I have come to cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free her, and you, for God."
Ah, it's coming together a bit.
This still doesn't solve the tension of being daughter against mother, let alone the tension of being cut free for God while still honoring and respecting my parents.
"Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely." Matt 13:12 Msg
Lord, I open my heart to you. Make it ready. In your good timing flow.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
getting to know me?
For you Eija, and for anyone else who might find this interesting,
5 things I plan to do before I die: (these aren't really plans, more like dreams or hopes).
1. Birth one more child. (not a lot of options on this one)
2. Travel: Grand Canyon, Ireland, take kids to tropical beach.
3. Own and renovate either a 1920's bungalow or a turn of the century farm house.
4. Learn tai chi.
5. have goats and chickens again
6. learn to play the cello or guitar
5 things I can do:
1. Quilt and make penny rugs.
2. Pray
3. Sing
4. Find a good deal
5. Cook and Bake
5 things I cannot do:
1. html good buddy.
2. almost anything athletic
3. stay away from sugar
4. enjoy goat cheese
5. fake it well
5 things that attract me to (the opposite sex) Peter:
1. The way he smells, specifically his neck.
2. When he loses control laughing.
3. His willingness to listen
4. His out-of-the-box perspective
5. His courage
5 things I say most often:
1. Beautiful!
2. Crap!
3. Oh my gosh!
4. God, what are you inviting here?
5. Feel free to fuss in your room or outside, just not by me.
5 Celebrity crushes:
1. Lenny Kravitz - oh come on!!!
Dudes I like from the roles they played in a movie:
2. Leonardo DiCaprio - from his role in Titanic - reminds me of a young Peter Carlson
3. Orlando Bloom - from his role as Legolas - strong silent type.
4. The guy Bridget Jones ends up with in Bridget Jones' Diary - can't remember his name - strong silent type.
5. The younger Mr. Emerson from "Room With a View" - his passion and masculinity is beautiful!
5 People I want to do this next:
anyone who can do this with a great deal of wit and sarcasm, including but not limited to:
1. Anne Lamott - that would be so great - yeah, like she even reads this blog.
2. my husband - yeah, like he even reads this blog :)
3. Judy Hougen
4. Joel of preaching don't pay
5 things I plan to do before I die: (these aren't really plans, more like dreams or hopes).
1. Birth one more child. (not a lot of options on this one)
2. Travel: Grand Canyon, Ireland, take kids to tropical beach.
3. Own and renovate either a 1920's bungalow or a turn of the century farm house.
4. Learn tai chi.
5. have goats and chickens again
6. learn to play the cello or guitar
5 things I can do:
1. Quilt and make penny rugs.
2. Pray
3. Sing
4. Find a good deal
5. Cook and Bake
5 things I cannot do:
1. html good buddy.
2. almost anything athletic
3. stay away from sugar
4. enjoy goat cheese
5. fake it well
5 things that attract me to (the opposite sex) Peter:
1. The way he smells, specifically his neck.
2. When he loses control laughing.
3. His willingness to listen
4. His out-of-the-box perspective
5. His courage
5 things I say most often:
1. Beautiful!
2. Crap!
3. Oh my gosh!
4. God, what are you inviting here?
5. Feel free to fuss in your room or outside, just not by me.
5 Celebrity crushes:
1. Lenny Kravitz - oh come on!!!
Dudes I like from the roles they played in a movie:
2. Leonardo DiCaprio - from his role in Titanic - reminds me of a young Peter Carlson
3. Orlando Bloom - from his role as Legolas - strong silent type.
4. The guy Bridget Jones ends up with in Bridget Jones' Diary - can't remember his name - strong silent type.
5. The younger Mr. Emerson from "Room With a View" - his passion and masculinity is beautiful!
5 People I want to do this next:
anyone who can do this with a great deal of wit and sarcasm, including but not limited to:
1. Anne Lamott - that would be so great - yeah, like she even reads this blog.
2. my husband - yeah, like he even reads this blog :)
3. Judy Hougen
4. Joel of preaching don't pay
Friday, September 16, 2005
two blogs I like
Here are two blogs that I really like.
pearl -- www.pearlsoul.blogspot.com
joel -- www.whiskeyreview.blogspot.com
pearl -- www.pearlsoul.blogspot.com
joel -- www.whiskeyreview.blogspot.com
Held
As I go through this journey, stepping out into this new land, I find your comments of great encouragement. Thank you to each of you for your words.
Since writing my last post I have felt positively held by God. There is pain and grief but it is not consuming me. We sit together. Love, pain, grief, hope, me, the Father, sitting together.
I love the Caedmon's Call cd. They've traveled to India, Equador and the pain and beauty these places hold. What they sing of has gotten mixed up with Katrina, my family, my Family, my God journey - all of it. This song has been part of the recent day's "holding".
Caedmon's Call - Share the Well
Wings of the Morning
words and music by Andrew Osenga and Joshua Moore
I woke to the sirens of the city
They were calling me to hold my head up high
But the truth was in the dust that hangs like curtains
From the beggars to the sky
The ads and billboards rained in every language
The message every politician knows
When we're fed that we are nothing we'll believe it
And then do what we are told
The spark of the divine
I see it in your eyes
It's there behind the lies that tie you down
On the wings of the morning
Hope is rising
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
Ask any good detective, he will tell you
It's the eyes that always give the truth away
And in yours I see the fear that's bound and gagged you
With no hope for escape
It's true that we are fallen as an angel
But you and me, we're also holy as a prayer
Made in the image of a giver and a lover
Who left His throne to come down here
The spark of the divine I see it in your eyes
It's there behind the lies that tie you down
On the wings of the morning
Hope is rising
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
We will rise, rise, on the wings of the morning
Though we hide, hide, in the shadows of night
There is hope, hope, in the hands that have made us
And are holding us tight...
Hope is rising... on the wings of the morning
Hope is rising... in the shadows of the night
Hope is rising... from the hands that have made us
And are holding us tight...
I love this song. It makes me feel like a hero. Both of my parents grew up being fed the lie that they were nothing, and then doing what they were told. No freedom, tied down with lies. I think that is part of the reason my choices have been such a slap in the face - just who do I think I am?!? I'm hoping the ties are being loosened.
My mom described my current place as a "stronghold". Strong. Hold. Mmmmmm... Oh, I hope so. "Hope is rising... from the hands that have made us and are holding us tight."
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
Since writing my last post I have felt positively held by God. There is pain and grief but it is not consuming me. We sit together. Love, pain, grief, hope, me, the Father, sitting together.
I love the Caedmon's Call cd. They've traveled to India, Equador and the pain and beauty these places hold. What they sing of has gotten mixed up with Katrina, my family, my Family, my God journey - all of it. This song has been part of the recent day's "holding".
Caedmon's Call - Share the Well
Wings of the Morning
words and music by Andrew Osenga and Joshua Moore
I woke to the sirens of the city
They were calling me to hold my head up high
But the truth was in the dust that hangs like curtains
From the beggars to the sky
The ads and billboards rained in every language
The message every politician knows
When we're fed that we are nothing we'll believe it
And then do what we are told
The spark of the divine
I see it in your eyes
It's there behind the lies that tie you down
On the wings of the morning
Hope is rising
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
Ask any good detective, he will tell you
It's the eyes that always give the truth away
And in yours I see the fear that's bound and gagged you
With no hope for escape
It's true that we are fallen as an angel
But you and me, we're also holy as a prayer
Made in the image of a giver and a lover
Who left His throne to come down here
The spark of the divine I see it in your eyes
It's there behind the lies that tie you down
On the wings of the morning
Hope is rising
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
We will rise, rise, on the wings of the morning
Though we hide, hide, in the shadows of night
There is hope, hope, in the hands that have made us
And are holding us tight...
Hope is rising... on the wings of the morning
Hope is rising... in the shadows of the night
Hope is rising... from the hands that have made us
And are holding us tight...
I love this song. It makes me feel like a hero. Both of my parents grew up being fed the lie that they were nothing, and then doing what they were told. No freedom, tied down with lies. I think that is part of the reason my choices have been such a slap in the face - just who do I think I am?!? I'm hoping the ties are being loosened.
My mom described my current place as a "stronghold". Strong. Hold. Mmmmmm... Oh, I hope so. "Hope is rising... from the hands that have made us and are holding us tight."
In the darkest night
Your love and light prevail
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
What did I expect?
I've been noticing in myself this desire to reconnect with my family of origin, one sister in particular. But each time I would internally move toward the idea I found that there was no bridge over the water. Yet, still I found that I was left with this vague, nagging sense of responsibility to fix this thing I'd broken.
I sat down with Pete on Sunday and had a 'come present to what is' conversation. Here's what is: I miss my family, sometimes a lot. I feel so sad about the choices they've made. I have been listening to the nagging voice. I have been accepting the role of "the-only-one-who-can-fix-the-problem". I have been afraid to make a move, and have been passively sitting here.
Monday evening my mom left a message on our answering machine that I did not receive until this morning. It went something like, "How are you? I haven't talked with you in a while and I'm wondering how you are doing on your crafts for the Calico Barn. I'm also wondering how Livy and Gunnar are doing at school. Would love to hear from you. Mom." Normal. Completely normal. But my internal response was hurt, offense and frustration. I went and took a shower and found myself praying 'Our Father', but not getting past the first line. It quickly turned into "my father, my father, my father". I was back to my 'permanent trade' blog.
I took some time to read, pray and journal. Then it was time to take action. To be clear about my intensions. I sent mom and email.
Mom,
First I'd like to say that, like you, I'm desiring to reconnect. I miss you and think of you often.
However, this is where things are with me. You have chosen to listen to others when they talk about me. I don't feel safe sharing myself with you, nor do I feel o.k. about acting like things are normal between us. Because you have chosen to behave in a way that I find personally hurtful and relationally destructive, I have decided to protect myself by remaining separate. There's been no change in the way the family relates, or in the way that you relate to me, therefore I have decided to remain outside of family relations.
Love,
Gloria
Then I checked out blogworld and came across Erin's blog. Found these Sara Groves words:
"The past is so tangible
I know it by heart
Familiar things are never easy to discard
I was dying for some freedom
But now I hesitate to go
I am caught between the promise
And the things I know
...
But the places that used to fit me
Cannot hold the things I've learned
And those roads were closed off to me
While my back was turned"
My Lord has such sweet timing.
But here's the funny thing (funny strange, not funny ha ha). I talked with Pete at lunch today about my family's system and that right now change is not really even an option because they get their emotional and relational needs met through the existing system. Despite all of that I was still taken aback by my mom's response to my email. It follows:
Thanks for you reply - Then I am to expect that you will not be joining us for the holidays? What are you thinking about taking part in the name exchange? Also, I am expecting that you will not take some time to pick out the material for the baby blanket - if you are not going to complete the cross stitch, please send the squares back - someone else will finish them.Love Mom
Oh, by the way, we will be gone the 24th - you have clothes from Cedar Rapids and Denver and the recliner is still there for you if you want it. The clothes are downstairs in a large suitcase (keep the suitcase - it's from Gina) and 3 large shopping bags. So you can come that week end when we are not there so you don't have to see us.
Love,Mom
So what was I expecting? That she would break? That she would give up on the old system? That she would change her mind? That all of my crazy actions would suddenly make sense to her?
I still find myself surprised that my family can't function or bear the thought that I would ask them not to talk about me behind my back. What?! I know all of the logical reasoning. But my heart won't hear any of that. My heart is like a child and it just wants my family to love me.
So let's have a toast to the tension of pressing into my new identity where God is my father while still holding the love and the pain of my earthly family.
I sat down with Pete on Sunday and had a 'come present to what is' conversation. Here's what is: I miss my family, sometimes a lot. I feel so sad about the choices they've made. I have been listening to the nagging voice. I have been accepting the role of "the-only-one-who-can-fix-the-problem". I have been afraid to make a move, and have been passively sitting here.
Monday evening my mom left a message on our answering machine that I did not receive until this morning. It went something like, "How are you? I haven't talked with you in a while and I'm wondering how you are doing on your crafts for the Calico Barn. I'm also wondering how Livy and Gunnar are doing at school. Would love to hear from you. Mom." Normal. Completely normal. But my internal response was hurt, offense and frustration. I went and took a shower and found myself praying 'Our Father', but not getting past the first line. It quickly turned into "my father, my father, my father". I was back to my 'permanent trade' blog.
I took some time to read, pray and journal. Then it was time to take action. To be clear about my intensions. I sent mom and email.
Mom,
First I'd like to say that, like you, I'm desiring to reconnect. I miss you and think of you often.
However, this is where things are with me. You have chosen to listen to others when they talk about me. I don't feel safe sharing myself with you, nor do I feel o.k. about acting like things are normal between us. Because you have chosen to behave in a way that I find personally hurtful and relationally destructive, I have decided to protect myself by remaining separate. There's been no change in the way the family relates, or in the way that you relate to me, therefore I have decided to remain outside of family relations.
Love,
Gloria
Then I checked out blogworld and came across Erin's blog. Found these Sara Groves words:
"The past is so tangible
I know it by heart
Familiar things are never easy to discard
I was dying for some freedom
But now I hesitate to go
I am caught between the promise
And the things I know
...
But the places that used to fit me
Cannot hold the things I've learned
And those roads were closed off to me
While my back was turned"
My Lord has such sweet timing.
But here's the funny thing (funny strange, not funny ha ha). I talked with Pete at lunch today about my family's system and that right now change is not really even an option because they get their emotional and relational needs met through the existing system. Despite all of that I was still taken aback by my mom's response to my email. It follows:
Thanks for you reply - Then I am to expect that you will not be joining us for the holidays? What are you thinking about taking part in the name exchange? Also, I am expecting that you will not take some time to pick out the material for the baby blanket - if you are not going to complete the cross stitch, please send the squares back - someone else will finish them.Love Mom
Oh, by the way, we will be gone the 24th - you have clothes from Cedar Rapids and Denver and the recliner is still there for you if you want it. The clothes are downstairs in a large suitcase (keep the suitcase - it's from Gina) and 3 large shopping bags. So you can come that week end when we are not there so you don't have to see us.
Love,Mom
So what was I expecting? That she would break? That she would give up on the old system? That she would change her mind? That all of my crazy actions would suddenly make sense to her?
I still find myself surprised that my family can't function or bear the thought that I would ask them not to talk about me behind my back. What?! I know all of the logical reasoning. But my heart won't hear any of that. My heart is like a child and it just wants my family to love me.
So let's have a toast to the tension of pressing into my new identity where God is my father while still holding the love and the pain of my earthly family.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
make mine monastic
But in St. Benedict himself we have a layman writing a guide for his household, his extended family of brothers with their busy shared life and all its inevitable demands: preparing food and washing up, looking after guests, maintaining buildings and property, educating children, caring for the sick, and also earning a living. His concern was to help them impose on this busy life such a structure and order (both external and interior) that they could make prayer the one essential priority, the central focus of everything else. There was here no separation of prayer and life. Everything flowed from one center...
from the Preface to Seeking God: the way of St. Benedict, both preface and book by Esther de Waal
How delightfully domestic! How mundane! How normal these inevitable demands of life! But to find no separation of prayer and life - that's the unusual thing.
This is just what the great physician ordered. I am so looking forward to reading this book.
from the Preface to Seeking God: the way of St. Benedict, both preface and book by Esther de Waal
How delightfully domestic! How mundane! How normal these inevitable demands of life! But to find no separation of prayer and life - that's the unusual thing.
This is just what the great physician ordered. I am so looking forward to reading this book.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Yearning
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Meanwhile, themoment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He know us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Romans 8: 22-28 The Message
The new and the not-yet remain for me as a dream, hoped for but unrealized. I wait.
Meanwhile, themoment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He know us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Romans 8: 22-28 The Message
The new and the not-yet remain for me as a dream, hoped for but unrealized. I wait.
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