the mystics

mys·tic (mstk)

adj.

1. Of or relating to religious mysteries.

2. Of or relating to mysticism or mystics.

3. Inspiring a sense of mystery and wonder.

      a. Mysterious; strange.

      b. Enigmatic; obscure.

 

Mystical.Right brain, left brain.  Learning or experiencing.

In my younger years I had more answers, in my later years I have more questions.  I would rather have a God that I have experienced, but cannot explain, then a God that I have all of the answers about.

Recently I have been reading a book by Kenda Creasy Dean called "Almost Christian."  Late in the book she encourages her readers to believe in a God that is near and available.  She suggests that we come to know God is this way, more from experience than from knowledge.

"For Christians, the best guides for faithful reflexivity are not scholars, but mystics- contemplatives who understand the necessity of temporary apartness from society in order to become detached [decentered] from self interest, in the service of perceiving God more clearly.  Throughout Christian mystical tradition, detachment serves as a preconditon for spiritual insight."

In other words, when we find a way to break loose from our self interest, we can find our Father.  Most often this comes from a place of prayer that goes beyond head knowledge. 

Take some time.  Savor the God who is above, below, around, beyond and amazing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the pelican

I had the good fortune to spend a couple of days with friends in Florida last week.  They take some great photos which are posted around their home.  Being there allowed me to take this shot of this pelican.  I just love getting up close to God's creatures.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  And take a picture of it if you can.

rain storm at dawn

In a picturesque moment last week, the author captured this photo, which he named "rain storm at dawn."

You can drive right through many wonderful moments in this life and never see them for what they are, but if we keep your eyes open in this world, there is always something amazing to see.  The art of actually seeing is quite a gift from our Father.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

growth

Are you growing as a Christian?  Is your capacity for love expanding?  Are you becoming a sweeter person?  Are you going on to maturity?

The Christian faith, and Methodism for that matter has always valued the journey of this life that takes us from a new believer to an experienced believer.  Too often we confuse this with knowledge.  Knowing and learning things is surely a part of Christian growth, but by itself it is not the answer.

Real Christan growth happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to reach into some new part of our heart.  When we join with God in actively working to become better at being loving, joyful or peaceful.

I am all for entertainment, but what are you reading that is challenging you to become more like Christ?  What are you reading that is inviting you to change your life paradigm?  Life is too short to simply skate through.  There are many Christians that have aged chronically but not spiritually.  The spiritual life that is not becoming more loving............ is it really that spiritual?

Sorry that this post is a little heavy.  Don't let it deliver you guilt.  My point is that all of us can read something that will help us become more kind.  Is there any reason not to?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Bambi

A few blocks from our home is an open field.  It butts right up to Veile Road which is pretty well travelled.  There is a vacant house with a big yard that has attracted a lot of visitors lately.  I saw these little guys in the field and rolled up to about ten feet from the closest one.  You know how close fire hydrants are to the road - there was no zoom involved in these photos.

There is something about seeing God's creatures up close that just warms the heart. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

bragging

brag (brg)

v. bragged, brag·ging, brags

v.intr.

To talk boastfully. See Synonyms at boast¹.

v.tr.

To assert boastfully.

n.

1. A boast.

2. Arrogant or boastful speech or manner.

3. Something boasted of.

4. A braggart; a boaster.

 

Brag.  Bragging.  Bragadocious.  How ever you say it, most of us find the practice to be unattractive at best.  Every time I observe it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  I hope that I don't ever do it.  If I do, please punch me in the face.

 

There is an old saying: "those who say, don't know, those who know, don't say."  I would add a couple of words for clarification: "those who say, don't know; those who know, don't have to say."

 

It's like if you know that you are pretty or handsome, you don't have to run around and tell everyone.  They can see it for themselves.  There is no need to blow your own horn.  It's not a very good tune.

 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

should or shouldn't

Regarding the earlier post today,  I should have written:

  If God doesn't throw this arrogant son away, then maybe we shouldn't.

Thanks to my friend who caught this. 

It is still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

two sons revisited

My post last Saturday raised a couple of questions.  Let me clarify what I was trying to say.

In the story of the prodigal son, there are two brothers.  The prodigal brother has a bad attitude in the beginning and a good attitude in the end.  The other brother, the older brother has a bad attitude at the end. 

At the end of the story, the prodigal is sorrowful and humble.  The elder brother is arrogant and sassy.  It is all about him.  We generally love the humble and loathe the arrogant.  I think that the tone of scripture usually leans this way  as well.  God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

In this case however, both sons are loved by the father.  This picture gives me something to think about.  If God doesn't throw this arrogant son away, then maybe we shouldn't, I should be a bit more gracious to those whom we may have set aside, for any reason.

Grace is amazing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

seeing the good

The all-star game was in Kansas City this year.  It was hot and it was dry and it was a very bad baseball game if you were a fan of the American League.  For that matter, if you like a good baseball game, it wasn't that good no matter what side you were for.  The score was 5-0 at the end of the top of the first.  From that point on, the game was pretty much over.

So what will we remember from the allstar game this year?  First I remember that I got to go.  God bless the kind soul who called at 10:30am the day of the game and offered me tickets.  Second, I will remember that the all-star game, like baseball in general, is a bit of Americana.  There is something that just feels right about being at a baseball game, and this one was no different, win or lose.  Thirdly, I will remember the B-2 flying over.  My oh my, what moments those are.

Finally and possibly most important, I will remember that I was there with my daughter Jenny.  I hope she remembers it for the rest of her life.  I will.

Bad game?  Not really.  There is always something good to see if we just keep our eyes open.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

the plans of men

Ah, the plans of men and women.  The ideas that we have.  I think I will build a fence.  Great!  We spend a good deal of time in this life constructing things, only to find later that God has other plans.  We totally forgot about the natural order of things.  We totally forgot that we are but dust.  This person forgot that live trees eventually trump dead trees.

How do you feel when life messes up your design?  Maybe we should be a bit less intransigent and a bit more flexible.  Maybe we should stop being upset when things don't turn out as we expected, and just laugh instead and understand that life is bigger than me.  God is bigger than me.  And it's all good.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Interruptions

Sometimes we have our plans, and then life interrupts us.  We get it all laid out.  A nice morning, the computer is fired up, a cup of coffee, and then the interruptions.

Sometimes we are interrupted by people as well.  It is very human to resent when things intrude into our plans.  Please be sure never to see people as interruptions.  People are valuable, people need to be loved, people are created by God.  God does not see people as interruptions.

Cats, well cats are different.  Scratch their heads and then throw them off of the table.  People however, need our attention.  It is our life mission to care for people.  We can always get back to our plans later.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

2 brothers

In the prodigal son story, there are two brothers.  One wastes his inheritance and then finally comes home declaring that he is not worthy to be his father's son.  The second son is upset over the party that is thrown for the prodigal and insists upon his own worthiness.

One feels unworthy, one demands attention.  The interesting thing is this........... the Father loves both of them.  He looks right past their silly humanness and he just loves both of them. 

What does that say about you?  What does it say about those that you think don't get it?  Is there any reason at all to judge someone else if God's love extends beyond our approach to life?  Just some food for thought.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Ways God speaks

A friend shared this with me.

It is from the Book, Jesus Calling.

As you listen to birds calling to one another hear also My Love calling to you.  I speak to you continually, through sights, sounds, thoughts, impressions, Scripture.  There is no limit to the variety of ways I can communicate with you.  Your part is to be attentive to My messages, in whatever form they come.  When you set out to find Me in a day, you discover that the world is vibrantly alive with My Presence.  You can find Me not only in birds and birdcalls, but also in tragedy and faces filled with grief.  I can take the deepest sorrow and weave it into a pattern for good.

Search for Me and My messages as you go through this day.  You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with your whole being.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

sunrise

Sunday morning sunrise on the Woods Chapel parking lot.  Don't miss your opportunities to see the beauty and glory of our Father.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Hot

Hot.  Yes it is hot.  Hot as Hades.  Maybe not quite that hot. 

Everyone has hot stories.  When I was in college, 77, 78 or 79, we had a fall that was very warm and the a/c in the dorms could not keep up.  We complained and protested to the administration.  We made signs and marched.  Nothing changed, except the weather, eventually.

In August of 1980 I was laying asphalt for a living.  We were putting a 2 inch cap on the parking lot at Truman Corners.  This was a big job and we were there for weeks.  It was hot.  Hot as Hades.  There were 21 days in a row that August that were over 100 degrees.  Thank heavens for the kind people at Ponderosa who let us come in and cool off and drink their water and sodas for free.  Eventually September came.

So here we are, the heat wave of 2012.  No one is having fun.  The Mercury is up.  Electricity bills are up. Tension is up, and it is only the middle of July.  What will August bring?  Maybe we should make some signs and complain to God.  Maybe, but maybe eventually August will be over and September will be here and things will cool off.

There is one thing that we have always said about the weather in Missouri, "if you don't like the weather, just wait, it is sure to change."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

How?

Years ago I was having lunch with a very special person.  This is someone that I have known for a long time, but had never had the chance to sit down to eat.  This is someone who is wise beyond their years.  Someone who has had the most helpful advice for me in problems that I have encountered.  Over lunch I asked them, "how did you get to be the way that you are?"

They were not taken aback by the question, and responded as if they had been thinking about this very inquiry.  She said, "well, two things.  First, I had the most wonderful parents, the most wonderful home growing up.  Secondly she said, I have had in my working life, some wonderful mentors."

It did not surprise me that she gave such a good answer.  Like I said, this is a person that seems to always know what to do when I am at an impasse.

Family.  You can pick your friends, but not your relatives.  Some people that are raised in wonderful homes turn out wonderfully.  They take in the love and are shaped by their environment.  Others though, for some reason, go off the deep end and make bad choices.  The same is true for those raised in bad homes.  Some carry the dysfunction on into their adult life.  Others seem to somehow rise above their circumstance and live a life that is almost a reaction to the pain of their childhood.  All in all though, I would say that the odds are in favor of those raised in a loving supportive home.

Mentors.  This is very interesting.  Most of us have had a good mentor or two along the way.  The trick is to take advantage of the mentoring that is available.  Many folks cruise through life and miss the gifts that come from the wealth of knowledge and experience in a mentor.  A mentor can also be a book.  We can learn so much from those we have never met, simply by entering the world of their thoughts.

In either case, the question that is still circling above me in the air is this, "have I chosen to take advantage of the good opportunities that have come my way in this life?"  Did I recognize them for what they were and savor them?  Did I cling to words of wisdom and solid advice no matter how challenging it was?  Our response to such inquiry can make all the difference. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

suit and tie

Someone asked me recently if I had sold all of my suits and ties.  :) No, I still have them.  I explained to them that a shirt with tie can get pretty uncomfortable in warm weather.  Add a jacket and Sunday morning gets pretty miserable for me.  Pity the pastors who are wearing ministry robes in this heat!

So I have opted for a more casual dress for the hot weather.  When things cool back down, my ties will reappear.  I hope that is ok with the congregation.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

conflict

If we would heal relationships, we must be willing to hear from those who do not agree with us.  If we expect to be successful in communicating with others, we must be willing to listen as well as talk, and we must be willing to listen well.  Maybe they actually do have something to say that has some truth.  Maybe I can learn from those that disagree.

When greeting them, do not be nervous.  People can smell this.  Make up your mind ahead of time that it is all going to be fine.  What is the worst that could happen?  See the good in them and remember that God loves them.  Do not be threatened by what they say.  Listen, take it in, and respond.  Do not react, but respond.  Speak from the best of who you are.  Do not let your insecurities take the moment over.  What does it say anyway if you are insecure about whatever position you are holding?  Isn't that a sign that you may be on shaky ground?

Conflict usually only becomes conflict when we raise the ante.  If we can stay relaxed and grace filled, real communication is possible.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

3.2

3.2 miles.  That is the distance of my wife's little walking excursion.  Up our street, down Veile Road, enter Lakewood and make the Northgate Crossing loop.  Then home again.  3.2 miles of up and down hills, automatic lawn sprinklers and barking attack dogs.

I know all of this because I finally went on the walk with her.  I had dreaded the journey, but once I got started, I felt a lot better, in fact, once I got started, I wanted to beat her.  Instead of worrying that she would leave me in the dust, I wanted to end the walk just about ten feet in front of her.

Well, it could not have gone any better.  I walked the flats and jogged the hills and waited for her at the top.  I think I totally exhausted her.  I was proud of myself.  Maybe I still have it.  Whatever "it" is.

Well, a couple of days ago, my wife is out of town, [story of our life the last eight years] my wife is out of town on business and my 23 year old daughter wants to take me on the 3.2 loop.  Ok, I am in.  It is another opportunity for me to show my prowess as a new member of the Olympic track team.  She never played a lot of sports, so I should have this in the bag.

Off we go, walking at a brisk clip.  I keep waiting for her to get tired.  We come to the first hill.  I have warned her that I jog the hills.  I take off.  3/4 of the way up the top, I am out of gas and I quit.  I hear a noise behind me, Jenny is still running.  She says, Dad- if you are going to jog the hills, you have to jog to the top. 

Well as you can imagine, the rest of the 3.2 loop was pretty painful with 55 year old me trying to keep up, and unsuccessfully trying to keep up with my 23 year old off spring.  Only the price of life kept me from throwing in the towel and begging for a break.  We arrived at home and I crashed.

Here is the moral of the story.  There are many races in life that you may feel afraid of at first, but once you get started, you will feel a lot better about it all.  Just don't try to race someone that is 30 years younger than you are.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

resilience

I had a cup of coffee with a friend the other day.  One of the words that came up was resilience.  What a powerful word that is, and what a wonderful characteristic to have.

The ability to get up when one gets knocked down is quite valuable in life.  To learn the trait of resilience is very needed when life gets difficult.  To some degree, it all boils down to the choice we make to lay on the ground and pout or to get up, dust ourselves off and look to see the good.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.