April 28, 2017
Day 118: Healing Can Be A Process:
"Jesus took the blind man by the hand an led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, 'Can you see anything now?' The man looked around. 'Yes,' he said, 'I see people, but I can't see them clearly. They look like trees walking around.' Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly." —Mark 8:23-25
I have always loved the stories of Jesus healing people. From when I was very young I have admired Jesus and wished I could have been a part of His human life. I wish I could have seen Him in action, in the flesh. I know we can still see Him in action today, but I don't think it is the same as if He were physically in front of us. One of my favorite movies about Jesus is the movie Jesus that was released in 1999. I love how it portrayed His humanity, though I do wish that someone would create a movie in which Jesus is not a bearded white dude. Why is it that every movie made shows Jesus as this incredibly white dude? But I digress...
The point of Anderson's lesson is that we should not give up when our prayers our not answered immediately. He believes that Jesus purposefully did not heal the man on the first try to demonstrate to us that healing is a process. He says that Jesus wanted "to encourage us that even if all we get is a glimpse of the Lord's power, we shouldn't give up. ...Not every encounter with God allows us to seem Him clearly. ...During those moments, it's important to remember that we shouldn't let go; we should continue to let God work."
It really boils down to trusting God and His timing. Easier said then done, I know, but it's incredibly important to do so. It's easy to lose hope and be discouraged. It's much harder to remain faithful and focused. God never promised that it would be easy, just that it would be worth it.
He is worth it.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
God is faithful
April 27, 2017
Day 117: A Joyous Stampede Of Healing:
"For you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings, And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture." —Malachi 4:2
There is that word again: fear. "Fear my name..." I really wish that those who translate the Bible would use another word besides fear. Why should we fear the name of our creator? We should feel joy, peace, reverence, respect, love, inspiration—not fear.
In the lesson today Anderson shares another story of a miraculous healing of a man who had a tumor. Harvey and his family (specifically his aunt) prayed that he would receive "complete healing" before he went to the Mayo clinic. Harvey told Dr. Anderson, "I'm here to tell you that the miracle my aunt prayed for happened! The tumor is gone! The doctors at Mayo couldn't believe it, but God has cured me!"
Anderson says that "God wants us to experience the kinds of healings we see in the New Testament. He wants all of us to have freedom from the chains of sin and disease. And when we're healed, he wants us to shout it from the mountaintops and leap for joy."
Or perhaps He wants us to learn something from our disease, or grow in some fashion because of an experience we've had. Or maybe He wants to test us, or perhaps he is feeling as He did with Job and believes that we are so faithful that Satan can do anything and everything to us, short of killing us, and we will remain faithful. My point is, we don't know. So many religious leader types say these things, but no one really knows why one person is healed and not another.
All we can know with any certainty is that God is faithful...so must we be.
Day 117: A Joyous Stampede Of Healing:
"For you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings, And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture." —Malachi 4:2
There is that word again: fear. "Fear my name..." I really wish that those who translate the Bible would use another word besides fear. Why should we fear the name of our creator? We should feel joy, peace, reverence, respect, love, inspiration—not fear.
In the lesson today Anderson shares another story of a miraculous healing of a man who had a tumor. Harvey and his family (specifically his aunt) prayed that he would receive "complete healing" before he went to the Mayo clinic. Harvey told Dr. Anderson, "I'm here to tell you that the miracle my aunt prayed for happened! The tumor is gone! The doctors at Mayo couldn't believe it, but God has cured me!"
Anderson says that "God wants us to experience the kinds of healings we see in the New Testament. He wants all of us to have freedom from the chains of sin and disease. And when we're healed, he wants us to shout it from the mountaintops and leap for joy."
Or perhaps He wants us to learn something from our disease, or grow in some fashion because of an experience we've had. Or maybe He wants to test us, or perhaps he is feeling as He did with Job and believes that we are so faithful that Satan can do anything and everything to us, short of killing us, and we will remain faithful. My point is, we don't know. So many religious leader types say these things, but no one really knows why one person is healed and not another.
All we can know with any certainty is that God is faithful...so must we be.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Being Grateful
April 26, 2017
Day 115: Vital Signs Of Faith:
"Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.' But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, 'That's blasphemy! Does he think he is God?' Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, 'Wy do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is is easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk?' So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.' Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 'Stand up, pick up your mat and go home!' And the man jumped up and went home!" —Matthew 9:2-7
I love this story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man. I wish I could have seen the look on the faces of those who questioned and doubted Him. If this had happened today, I bet Trump and his followers would say that it was a staged event. "It's fake news!" they would cry. "They were paid to act out the scene."
Day 116: Rolling Through Life:
"I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!"
—Lamentations 3:21-22
Anderson's lesson today really boils down to being grateful for the things we have, whether it be physical health, monetary wealth, or simply being alive and able to enjoy God's creation. That's not exactly how he put it, but that is what I got out of his story of the young man who survived a terrible car accident and lost his ability to walk. The young man was still grateful, just to have his life. He didn't get depressed and wish his life had gone in a different direction. He cheerfully accepted the fact that he would be in a wheelchair, and he didn't let it stop him or slow him down from doing the things he really wanted to do. When I hear a story like this one about Neil, I am reminded of countless other stories like it in which people overcome incredibly difficult physical circumstances. Their stories are deeply humbling and incredibly inspiring.
As I have mentioned before, I have had multiple opportunities in my life to have maimed myself permanently: car accidents, four-wheeling accidents, water-skiing accidents, bicycling accidents..., but I have been lucky. I don't know what my response would be to losing my ability to walk, or use my arms, or to see or hear, but I'd like to think that I would be able to bounce back from such a loss and still love life and be grateful. I would probably go through a mourning period. I don't think I would immediately accept my circumstance...if I am to be honest, but I'd hope that I'd come around, get over myself, and learn to live again.
In truth, I hope to never have to find out.
Day 115: Vital Signs Of Faith:
"Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.' But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, 'That's blasphemy! Does he think he is God?' Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, 'Wy do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is is easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk?' So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.' Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 'Stand up, pick up your mat and go home!' And the man jumped up and went home!" —Matthew 9:2-7
I love this story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man. I wish I could have seen the look on the faces of those who questioned and doubted Him. If this had happened today, I bet Trump and his followers would say that it was a staged event. "It's fake news!" they would cry. "They were paid to act out the scene."
Day 116: Rolling Through Life:
"I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!"
—Lamentations 3:21-22
Anderson's lesson today really boils down to being grateful for the things we have, whether it be physical health, monetary wealth, or simply being alive and able to enjoy God's creation. That's not exactly how he put it, but that is what I got out of his story of the young man who survived a terrible car accident and lost his ability to walk. The young man was still grateful, just to have his life. He didn't get depressed and wish his life had gone in a different direction. He cheerfully accepted the fact that he would be in a wheelchair, and he didn't let it stop him or slow him down from doing the things he really wanted to do. When I hear a story like this one about Neil, I am reminded of countless other stories like it in which people overcome incredibly difficult physical circumstances. Their stories are deeply humbling and incredibly inspiring.
As I have mentioned before, I have had multiple opportunities in my life to have maimed myself permanently: car accidents, four-wheeling accidents, water-skiing accidents, bicycling accidents..., but I have been lucky. I don't know what my response would be to losing my ability to walk, or use my arms, or to see or hear, but I'd like to think that I would be able to bounce back from such a loss and still love life and be grateful. I would probably go through a mourning period. I don't think I would immediately accept my circumstance...if I am to be honest, but I'd hope that I'd come around, get over myself, and learn to live again.
In truth, I hope to never have to find out.
Monday, April 24, 2017
No Worries
April 24, 2017
Day 114: Don't Worry About Tomorrow:
"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." —Proverbs 12:25
It's so easy to say, "Don't worry about tomorrow," but if we would just do that, we'd be so much happier. The anecdote today is about a guy named Rob who came to Dr. Anderson with a list of 50 things that he was worried about, all for which there was very little he could do and in all likelihood would not come to pass. For instance he was worried about his thirteen-year-old son who wanted to join the military and fight in a war when he turns eighteen, the stock market's unpredictability, increases in insurance premiums and increases in taxes. In addition he was worried about his blood pressure. Anderson let him list off the first 12 things and then stopped him. "Rob, Let's put your list away. One: your son doesn't even know yet who he wants to take to the middle school dance. Two: The stock market always goes up and down, but over the long term, it always goes up. Three: Taxes and insurance will always go up. Should I continue?"
Anderson's point is that we should focus on the things that we can directly affect instead of worrying about the things over which we have no control. Sometimes it takes someone else to help us put things into perspective. Anderson offered Rob encouragement by telling him that he could help him lose 50 pounds and promised he wouldn't even feel it. When asked how he could do that, Anderson replied, "Hand me your list."
That is essentially what we need to do. We need to hand God our lists. He promises that we have nothing to worry about. There are at least 30 verses in which we are told to either not worry, not be anxious, or not be troubled. To list a few: Philippians 4: 6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Psalm 55:22: "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you..." John 14:27: "...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." In Matthew 6:25-34 we are told to consider the birds and flowers and how they do not worry. Are we "not much more valuable than they?"
All we really need to do is "Be still and know..." (Psalm 46:10).
Day 114: Don't Worry About Tomorrow:
"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." —Proverbs 12:25
It's so easy to say, "Don't worry about tomorrow," but if we would just do that, we'd be so much happier. The anecdote today is about a guy named Rob who came to Dr. Anderson with a list of 50 things that he was worried about, all for which there was very little he could do and in all likelihood would not come to pass. For instance he was worried about his thirteen-year-old son who wanted to join the military and fight in a war when he turns eighteen, the stock market's unpredictability, increases in insurance premiums and increases in taxes. In addition he was worried about his blood pressure. Anderson let him list off the first 12 things and then stopped him. "Rob, Let's put your list away. One: your son doesn't even know yet who he wants to take to the middle school dance. Two: The stock market always goes up and down, but over the long term, it always goes up. Three: Taxes and insurance will always go up. Should I continue?"
Anderson's point is that we should focus on the things that we can directly affect instead of worrying about the things over which we have no control. Sometimes it takes someone else to help us put things into perspective. Anderson offered Rob encouragement by telling him that he could help him lose 50 pounds and promised he wouldn't even feel it. When asked how he could do that, Anderson replied, "Hand me your list."
That is essentially what we need to do. We need to hand God our lists. He promises that we have nothing to worry about. There are at least 30 verses in which we are told to either not worry, not be anxious, or not be troubled. To list a few: Philippians 4: 6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Psalm 55:22: "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you..." John 14:27: "...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." In Matthew 6:25-34 we are told to consider the birds and flowers and how they do not worry. Are we "not much more valuable than they?"
All we really need to do is "Be still and know..." (Psalm 46:10).
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Having Discernment
April 23, 2017
Day 113: Healing On The Sabbath:
"If the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the laws of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?"
—John 7:23
I'm not sure why Anderson decided to focus on this scripture today because he really didn't have much to say. He just shares a story about when he was working in the ER and had to give a gentleman 176 stitches after he had been in a bar fight. The fact that he did this on a Sunday is the main connection to the scripture. He believes that God was honored as he "did everything [he] could to heal that man."
I think we have a tendency to get bogged down in rules, especially in fundamentalist Christianity. If Jesus shows us anything in this scripture, it's that we have to weigh "the rules" and be able to discern when to break them for the sake of honoring God and serving, loving, and helping others.
Perhaps that is why wisdom is mentioned 234 times in the Bible. It's difficult to have discernment without having wisdom.
Day 113: Healing On The Sabbath:
"If the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the laws of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?"
—John 7:23
I'm not sure why Anderson decided to focus on this scripture today because he really didn't have much to say. He just shares a story about when he was working in the ER and had to give a gentleman 176 stitches after he had been in a bar fight. The fact that he did this on a Sunday is the main connection to the scripture. He believes that God was honored as he "did everything [he] could to heal that man."
I think we have a tendency to get bogged down in rules, especially in fundamentalist Christianity. If Jesus shows us anything in this scripture, it's that we have to weigh "the rules" and be able to discern when to break them for the sake of honoring God and serving, loving, and helping others.
Perhaps that is why wisdom is mentioned 234 times in the Bible. It's difficult to have discernment without having wisdom.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
April 22, 2017
Day 112: Making Peace With The Black Sheep:
"Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace."
—Ephesians 4:3
"Remember, Satan is the enemy, not your loved one," Anderson says in regards to the black sheep of the family. He suggests that we should do all in our power to keep the peace within our families. We need to "love [the black sheep] the way Jesus loves them—and us—offering forgiveness and restoration." Jesus was the Good Shepard. He dropped everything to rescue a single wandering sheep.
This whole idea of the black sheep used to sit differently with me. Now, I feel as if I am the black sheep to some of my family members, mainly my brother. Because I support my son's transition, I am now out of God's favor, at least in the eyes of my brother. Maybe out of His favor is not the right phrase. Whatever the right phrase may be, my brother feels as if I should not have allowed my son to transition while under my roof. When he is out on his own, then fine. It would be out of my hands.
I knew I could never do that, prevent my son from being who he is because of some arbitrary ruling.
How could I possibly turn my back on him? The love I have for my son is incomprehensible, unmeasurable, infinite. My brother might say that if I really loved him as I say I do, then I would prevent him from transitioning and instead help him to remain a female...at least outwardly, so that God would be pleased with me and my efforts. Forget that! How on earth or in heaven could God be pleased with someone who pushes their child over the edge into the abyss with Bible in hand. I just can't do it.
I will admit, I struggle with this vision of God, one that would have me behave in such a way as to lose the trust and love of my child for the sake of supposedly serving Him. There is a part of me that thinks, what if my brother is right? What if everything I used to believe and do as a member of my former church is really how God wants me to be? What if I am supposed to be like my brother, think like him, act as he would....?
Then, out of this dark line of questioning and doubt, a voice whispers, "I know your heart."
Making peace with the black sheep is really making peace with myself. I am the black sheep; I am the wandering ewe. Perhaps that is why I love the phrase from Tolkien, "Not all who wander are lost."
Day 112: Making Peace With The Black Sheep:
"Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace."
—Ephesians 4:3
"Remember, Satan is the enemy, not your loved one," Anderson says in regards to the black sheep of the family. He suggests that we should do all in our power to keep the peace within our families. We need to "love [the black sheep] the way Jesus loves them—and us—offering forgiveness and restoration." Jesus was the Good Shepard. He dropped everything to rescue a single wandering sheep.
This whole idea of the black sheep used to sit differently with me. Now, I feel as if I am the black sheep to some of my family members, mainly my brother. Because I support my son's transition, I am now out of God's favor, at least in the eyes of my brother. Maybe out of His favor is not the right phrase. Whatever the right phrase may be, my brother feels as if I should not have allowed my son to transition while under my roof. When he is out on his own, then fine. It would be out of my hands.
I knew I could never do that, prevent my son from being who he is because of some arbitrary ruling.
How could I possibly turn my back on him? The love I have for my son is incomprehensible, unmeasurable, infinite. My brother might say that if I really loved him as I say I do, then I would prevent him from transitioning and instead help him to remain a female...at least outwardly, so that God would be pleased with me and my efforts. Forget that! How on earth or in heaven could God be pleased with someone who pushes their child over the edge into the abyss with Bible in hand. I just can't do it.
I will admit, I struggle with this vision of God, one that would have me behave in such a way as to lose the trust and love of my child for the sake of supposedly serving Him. There is a part of me that thinks, what if my brother is right? What if everything I used to believe and do as a member of my former church is really how God wants me to be? What if I am supposed to be like my brother, think like him, act as he would....?
Then, out of this dark line of questioning and doubt, a voice whispers, "I know your heart."
Making peace with the black sheep is really making peace with myself. I am the black sheep; I am the wandering ewe. Perhaps that is why I love the phrase from Tolkien, "Not all who wander are lost."
Friday, April 21, 2017
All Things...
April 21, 2017
Day 111: God Strong:
"In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall" —Psalm 18:29
"Bo had already defeated a foreign army, and now with God's help, he was going to scale the wall back to good health. We set him up with a team of counselors on the base to help him understand what the rest of his life's journey could look like and what God originally intended it to be."
Bo is a soldier who went to see Dr. Anderson because he was suffering from PSTD. Anderson's prayer for him was that "God would give him the will, strength, and fortitude to make it to the other side." He said, "Even those who are Army strong need to depend on our stronger God."
I agree with Anderson regarding our need to depend on God. What I don't agree with is the assumption that God "originally intended" Bo's life to be something other than what it currently is. As if choosing to serve our country and see other places besides the farm upon which Bo grew up, was not the right decision, that somehow Bo had strayed from the path that God had originally planned for him. Perhaps that is not what Anderson means. Perhaps he is speaking of the fact that God does not intend for us to suffer with PSTD. Either way, how does Anderson know what God intends? I guess I just find such statements to be hallow. They are something to say to gain some measure of comfort or control.
I think the only thing we may be certain of is God "works all things together for the good of those who love him..." (Romans 8:28).
I have been leaning on this promise since my best friend reminded me of it months ago as I began this journey back to God. When I question and doubt, when I am filled with fear and anxiety, when I want to cry over the injustice I see and rage against the unfairness of it all, I remind myself of this scripture...this promise.
Day 111: God Strong:
"In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall" —Psalm 18:29
"Bo had already defeated a foreign army, and now with God's help, he was going to scale the wall back to good health. We set him up with a team of counselors on the base to help him understand what the rest of his life's journey could look like and what God originally intended it to be."
Bo is a soldier who went to see Dr. Anderson because he was suffering from PSTD. Anderson's prayer for him was that "God would give him the will, strength, and fortitude to make it to the other side." He said, "Even those who are Army strong need to depend on our stronger God."
I agree with Anderson regarding our need to depend on God. What I don't agree with is the assumption that God "originally intended" Bo's life to be something other than what it currently is. As if choosing to serve our country and see other places besides the farm upon which Bo grew up, was not the right decision, that somehow Bo had strayed from the path that God had originally planned for him. Perhaps that is not what Anderson means. Perhaps he is speaking of the fact that God does not intend for us to suffer with PSTD. Either way, how does Anderson know what God intends? I guess I just find such statements to be hallow. They are something to say to gain some measure of comfort or control.
I think the only thing we may be certain of is God "works all things together for the good of those who love him..." (Romans 8:28).
I have been leaning on this promise since my best friend reminded me of it months ago as I began this journey back to God. When I question and doubt, when I am filled with fear and anxiety, when I want to cry over the injustice I see and rage against the unfairness of it all, I remind myself of this scripture...this promise.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
No Longer Numb
April 20, 2017
Day 110: The Lord Heals Your Wounds:
"'I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,' says the Lord." —Jeremiah 30:17
I actually don't have too much to say about today's lesson. Anderson shares a story about a man who was diabetic and almost lost his leg due to an injury he received by stepping on a nail. I get the impression that since he was not following through on his diabetic dietary plan, he had lost feeling in his feet and didn't know he had punctured himself. Though he went to see Anderson the day after he had stepped on the nail, the small puncture had "gotten so bad that [Dr. Anderson] was afraid [he] might eventually need to amputate [the man's] right leg." Anderson prayed with him and the man agreed that he needed to "get back on a proper diet." It took almost two years to completely heal and even then, Anderson says it was by the grace of God that the man did not end up losing his leg.
In a way, I think we can all be like the man in Anderson's anecdote—unaware and/or numb. We may feel like everything is fine, but before we know it, our hearts are infected, and it can take years to regain our footing. I know, for me, it was not until I left my former church that I realized the depth of the spiritual wound I had incurred after years of discipleship meetings, bible talks and studies, family group meetings, and church services. In fact, it wasn't until quite recently that I reached down with both hands to pull the nail out and examine the wound more closely. I do not know how long it will take to heal completely, or if I ever will, but I am fully aware now and no longer numb to the yearnings of my own heart... the heart that God, Himself, graciously gave me.
Day 110: The Lord Heals Your Wounds:
"'I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,' says the Lord." —Jeremiah 30:17
I actually don't have too much to say about today's lesson. Anderson shares a story about a man who was diabetic and almost lost his leg due to an injury he received by stepping on a nail. I get the impression that since he was not following through on his diabetic dietary plan, he had lost feeling in his feet and didn't know he had punctured himself. Though he went to see Anderson the day after he had stepped on the nail, the small puncture had "gotten so bad that [Dr. Anderson] was afraid [he] might eventually need to amputate [the man's] right leg." Anderson prayed with him and the man agreed that he needed to "get back on a proper diet." It took almost two years to completely heal and even then, Anderson says it was by the grace of God that the man did not end up losing his leg.
In a way, I think we can all be like the man in Anderson's anecdote—unaware and/or numb. We may feel like everything is fine, but before we know it, our hearts are infected, and it can take years to regain our footing. I know, for me, it was not until I left my former church that I realized the depth of the spiritual wound I had incurred after years of discipleship meetings, bible talks and studies, family group meetings, and church services. In fact, it wasn't until quite recently that I reached down with both hands to pull the nail out and examine the wound more closely. I do not know how long it will take to heal completely, or if I ever will, but I am fully aware now and no longer numb to the yearnings of my own heart... the heart that God, Himself, graciously gave me.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
I Am Lucky
April 19, 2017
Day 109: Whiskey-Soaked Promises:
"Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins...'Lord Help!' they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress." Psalm 107-17, 19
Anderson's advice for today is: "If you want to live a happy and healthy life, avoid excessive alcohol, brazen words, motorcycles and curvy roads in the rain, and sucker punches to the eye. For good measure, turn over a new leaf with God."
I, like the man in Anderson's anecdote today, have survived a fairly serious road accident—several, in fact. When I was a senior in high school, my friends and I were hit by a drunk driver. My friend who was driving received a concussion; my friend, who was sitting next to me in the back seat, hit her head on the driver's seat and busted some blood vessels in her eye; my friend, who was sitting in the front passenger's seat jammed his knees into the dash and was cured of the knee pain he got from playing football when he was in high school. I, on the other hand, saw the accident about to happen and tried to brace myself by holding onto the front passenger's seat. None of us were wearing seat belts; at the time it was not the law. I dislocated my right shoulder and broke my left wrist. All in all, we made out well, but I got the worst of it.
I lost my starting position on the Varsity Basketball team and could no longer play, which of course sucked because I had worked so hard to earn my position. However, what sucked even more was that my mom had to do everything for me for awhile. Here I was a senior and having to be bathed and dressed by my mother. The horror of it all! Lol. One day when I was complaining about that fact, my mother said, "Well, Kimberly, look at it this way, Bob, could be your only parent." I was truly horrified by that prospect, and I told her I'd go live with a girlfriend before I'd let my father bathe and clothe me. It could have been so much worse. I could have lost the ability to care for myself forever. As it was, I only had a few months of having to deal with my right arm being strapped to my side and stomach and my left arm in a cast.
So yeah, I was lucky.
I have had to have surgery on both of my shoulders to keep them from falling out of socket all the time, but even in that I have been lucky. My left shoulder has never fallen out of socket since the surgery and when my right shoulder does, I am able to roll it back in myself. It doesn't happen very often, but once in a while I move in odd way and knock it out—like sitting in the front seat of a car and reaching into the back seat for something, that will sometimes throw it out. So I avoid such movements. I have had it fall out when I have lost my grip of the rope while waterskiing and hit the water pretty hard. Let me tell you, climbing into a boat with your dominant arm out of socket is not so fun. I have also had it fall out when I flipped over backwards down a rocky hill while four-wheeling with my dad.
As you can see, the car accident has not stopped me from doing anything that I really want to do. Skiing, four-wheeling, biking, hiking, running, weight lifting... you name it, I can still do it.
I am lucky.
Day 109: Whiskey-Soaked Promises:
"Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins...'Lord Help!' they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress." Psalm 107-17, 19
Anderson's advice for today is: "If you want to live a happy and healthy life, avoid excessive alcohol, brazen words, motorcycles and curvy roads in the rain, and sucker punches to the eye. For good measure, turn over a new leaf with God."
I, like the man in Anderson's anecdote today, have survived a fairly serious road accident—several, in fact. When I was a senior in high school, my friends and I were hit by a drunk driver. My friend who was driving received a concussion; my friend, who was sitting next to me in the back seat, hit her head on the driver's seat and busted some blood vessels in her eye; my friend, who was sitting in the front passenger's seat jammed his knees into the dash and was cured of the knee pain he got from playing football when he was in high school. I, on the other hand, saw the accident about to happen and tried to brace myself by holding onto the front passenger's seat. None of us were wearing seat belts; at the time it was not the law. I dislocated my right shoulder and broke my left wrist. All in all, we made out well, but I got the worst of it.
I lost my starting position on the Varsity Basketball team and could no longer play, which of course sucked because I had worked so hard to earn my position. However, what sucked even more was that my mom had to do everything for me for awhile. Here I was a senior and having to be bathed and dressed by my mother. The horror of it all! Lol. One day when I was complaining about that fact, my mother said, "Well, Kimberly, look at it this way, Bob, could be your only parent." I was truly horrified by that prospect, and I told her I'd go live with a girlfriend before I'd let my father bathe and clothe me. It could have been so much worse. I could have lost the ability to care for myself forever. As it was, I only had a few months of having to deal with my right arm being strapped to my side and stomach and my left arm in a cast.
So yeah, I was lucky.
I have had to have surgery on both of my shoulders to keep them from falling out of socket all the time, but even in that I have been lucky. My left shoulder has never fallen out of socket since the surgery and when my right shoulder does, I am able to roll it back in myself. It doesn't happen very often, but once in a while I move in odd way and knock it out—like sitting in the front seat of a car and reaching into the back seat for something, that will sometimes throw it out. So I avoid such movements. I have had it fall out when I have lost my grip of the rope while waterskiing and hit the water pretty hard. Let me tell you, climbing into a boat with your dominant arm out of socket is not so fun. I have also had it fall out when I flipped over backwards down a rocky hill while four-wheeling with my dad.
As you can see, the car accident has not stopped me from doing anything that I really want to do. Skiing, four-wheeling, biking, hiking, running, weight lifting... you name it, I can still do it.
I am lucky.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Do Not Fear
April 18, 2017
Day 107: Pruning For A Fruitful Life:
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!" —John 1:5-7
I'm not sure what Anderson sees as the correlation between the scripture and his anecdote of learning from his father how to prune the trees of their peach orchard when he was a boy. I suppose the connection he is trying to make is that unlike a tree, we can choose whether or not to abide in God. "Do we allow Him to take care of us, or do we think we know what's best and resist his care? Do we have branches that need pruning—areas of our lives that need to be cut away and discarded?"
Day 108: The Pain of Growing and Healing:
"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding." —Philippians 1:9
Today's lesson is closely related to yesterday's in that, again, Anderson focuses on pruning areas of our lives that are not producing viable fruit. He encourages us to consider removing dead branches from our lives, "whether it's an old habit or an old way of thinking," so that we can grow strong.
As I've been typing I have been thinking of the dead branches in my life. What do I need to prune?
I know I have branches that need to be removed. Not because they are dead, but because they are alive and well, but are choking out other branches. Fear is a branch that definitely needs pruning. Fear of being taken advantage of, of being too naive and trusting, of being unsure, of being wrong, of being lonely, of being rejected, of being lost, of being ineffective and useless, of not reaching my full potential, of not recognizing the possibilities and chasing after them, of wasting time. Fear of what the future holds for me and my family. Fear of where our country is headed. Fear of _______. You name it.
Fear can be good in some respects, like when it protects us from harm. But when it keeps us from chasing dreams, experiencing new things, or trusting and giving our heart to people, that's when, if we desire to have peace, we need to rely on God. There are many scriptures that encourage us to trust God and not to fear.
He is for us, and "...if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
Day 107: Pruning For A Fruitful Life:
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!" —John 1:5-7
I'm not sure what Anderson sees as the correlation between the scripture and his anecdote of learning from his father how to prune the trees of their peach orchard when he was a boy. I suppose the connection he is trying to make is that unlike a tree, we can choose whether or not to abide in God. "Do we allow Him to take care of us, or do we think we know what's best and resist his care? Do we have branches that need pruning—areas of our lives that need to be cut away and discarded?"
Day 108: The Pain of Growing and Healing:
"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding." —Philippians 1:9
Today's lesson is closely related to yesterday's in that, again, Anderson focuses on pruning areas of our lives that are not producing viable fruit. He encourages us to consider removing dead branches from our lives, "whether it's an old habit or an old way of thinking," so that we can grow strong.
As I've been typing I have been thinking of the dead branches in my life. What do I need to prune?
I know I have branches that need to be removed. Not because they are dead, but because they are alive and well, but are choking out other branches. Fear is a branch that definitely needs pruning. Fear of being taken advantage of, of being too naive and trusting, of being unsure, of being wrong, of being lonely, of being rejected, of being lost, of being ineffective and useless, of not reaching my full potential, of not recognizing the possibilities and chasing after them, of wasting time. Fear of what the future holds for me and my family. Fear of where our country is headed. Fear of _______. You name it.
He is for us, and "...if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Heart of Gold
April 16, 2017 Easter Sunday
Day 106: A Generational Train of Believers:
"Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands." —Deuteronomy 7:9
I seem to be having a rather confrontational attitude as of late. This scripture's last line made me think, "Of course He lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands. However, we are called to love everyone, regardless of how they treat us, but it's okay if God doesn't?" What!?
Where is this attitude coming from? I'm not sure. It's Easter Sunday. Shouldn't I be holding on to the words of this scripture with passion and fire because I am doing my best to obey His commands and show my love for Him and His creation? Why should I feel a twinge in my heart at hearing such words?
Today is Easter and I have chosen not to attend the Easter service at my new church. It took awhile for me to be okay with this. My best friend and my husband helped me to see that not attending was okay. A few days ago my husband actually found me in the shower crying over being so conflicted about attending service. Easter is not the joyous occasion for me that it should be. It is laden with guilt and shame. My friend, Amelia, in a blog entry she wrote captured my feelings about Easter. For me it "brings memories of guilt-laden, gore-filled teachings meant to impose the sense of seriousness and moral responsibility necessary to fully appreciate the grace of Easter." I don't think that my former church meant to give me that impression, but it did none the less. Plus there was always a big push to bring visitors and report back to your discipler when you had someone coming, so everyone could be sure to lavish them will welcoming attention. The whole thing was high pressure and not truly genuine. Suffice to say, I was dreading hearing an Easter sermon.
I wish I could explain exactly how it happened, or why I allowed myself to be so manipulated. I believed what I was told. I trusted the people leading us. Anytime that I questioned, doubted, or felt uncomfortable about something, I suppressed it, thinking I was being selfish, self-seeking, and defiant to God's will, which of course led to shame and guilt and self-effacing acts. My best friend, just this morning as I have been typing this entry, texted me something that made me tear up. In regards to me missing service today she said, "If each required act of self-betrayal contributed to the overall way you feel now, then maybe each small act to honor your soul can help repair the damage." I found her words to be deeply encouraging. She always seems to know just what to say. So...
Here's to repairing the damage
Here's to honoring the soul
Here's to my best friend
The one with a heart of gold.
Day 106: A Generational Train of Believers:
"Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands." —Deuteronomy 7:9
I seem to be having a rather confrontational attitude as of late. This scripture's last line made me think, "Of course He lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands. However, we are called to love everyone, regardless of how they treat us, but it's okay if God doesn't?" What!?
Where is this attitude coming from? I'm not sure. It's Easter Sunday. Shouldn't I be holding on to the words of this scripture with passion and fire because I am doing my best to obey His commands and show my love for Him and His creation? Why should I feel a twinge in my heart at hearing such words?
Today is Easter and I have chosen not to attend the Easter service at my new church. It took awhile for me to be okay with this. My best friend and my husband helped me to see that not attending was okay. A few days ago my husband actually found me in the shower crying over being so conflicted about attending service. Easter is not the joyous occasion for me that it should be. It is laden with guilt and shame. My friend, Amelia, in a blog entry she wrote captured my feelings about Easter. For me it "brings memories of guilt-laden, gore-filled teachings meant to impose the sense of seriousness and moral responsibility necessary to fully appreciate the grace of Easter." I don't think that my former church meant to give me that impression, but it did none the less. Plus there was always a big push to bring visitors and report back to your discipler when you had someone coming, so everyone could be sure to lavish them will welcoming attention. The whole thing was high pressure and not truly genuine. Suffice to say, I was dreading hearing an Easter sermon.
I wish I could explain exactly how it happened, or why I allowed myself to be so manipulated. I believed what I was told. I trusted the people leading us. Anytime that I questioned, doubted, or felt uncomfortable about something, I suppressed it, thinking I was being selfish, self-seeking, and defiant to God's will, which of course led to shame and guilt and self-effacing acts. My best friend, just this morning as I have been typing this entry, texted me something that made me tear up. In regards to me missing service today she said, "If each required act of self-betrayal contributed to the overall way you feel now, then maybe each small act to honor your soul can help repair the damage." I found her words to be deeply encouraging. She always seems to know just what to say. So...
Here's to repairing the damage
Here's to honoring the soul
Here's to my best friend
The one with a heart of gold.
Saturday, April 15, 2017
The Storm Within
April 15, 2017
Day 105: Familial Blessings:
"I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank." —Isaiah 44:3-4
"A family with good health habits flourishes and stays healthy for generations. What we proactively decide to do today can help our descendants to thrive," says Dr. Anderson. Makes perfect sense. I don't know why I would expect an American doctor to be able to address all of the issues of the world in his book. As I was reading I was thinking, what about all those people who do not have a choice as to what their family will eat or even if they will eat at all? Does God not bless them?
In today's lesson Anderson shares about a family that he has worked with for generations. They have always been in excellent health because they don't smoke or drink and they eat fruits and vegetables that they grow themselves. They all eat dinner together and pray before they eat. They also never miss church. Well, howdy do. I don't know why I am bothered by the perspective that if you are one of the lucky ones who live in a country where you are free and surrounded by abundance that somehow God has blessed you while seemingly ignoring the rest of the world. I know that is not what Anderson is saying, but most of his lessons focus on the privileged people of America. I wish he would branch out and consider other less fortunate people's circumstances and how God works in those situations too.
He's a small town doctor, I get that, but can't he see beyond his sphere? His audience is American, I get that too, but that's exactly why we need a "book of healing" that considers people beyond our borders. I know he is writing from his own experiences, but that's just it. As Americans we are so narrow minded, so entrenched in our own little world. Myself included. This year's election has created a storm in my heart. The world I thought I lived in has been turned upside down and my eyes have been opened. I thought my friends generally lived as I have lived. So naive! I thought they experienced the same chances, the same level of respect, the same ability to move freely and without concern for safety or acceptance. It's a lie! They don't and it sickens me. Anderson's lesson today stirred the storm in my heart as I pictured this perfect white, cis family, working their field, harvesting their fruits and vegetables, sitting around the table together wrapped in the warmth and safety of their love and their white privilege. Praying to God and receiving immense blessings of health and happiness and it just bothered me. He is writing for white people. Are there not other races who need healing?
Uh...it just irks me! He has a great opportunity as a published author to open our eyes to the way God works in all people's lives. Guaranteed, I have not completed his book yet, but I have a pretty good idea that he will continue this pattern. He writes for a cis, white world. I can only imagine how people of color and the LGBTQ community feel walking into a bookstore hoping to find a text that speaks to them specifically instead of having to find something that sort of relates to them if they look at it sideways. My son has expressed his disappointment at not finding books that relate to his experience as a transgender person.
I had hoped that what Obama was doing with our country would continue and that the LGBTQ community and people of color would finally get a seat at the table and have their voices heard. I know that they have not given up. I just hate that it is even still an issue. Why is this still an issue!?
They are American!
It's like Langston Hughes said:
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I too, am America.
He was right, I am ashamed. I see how beautiful all of my friends are. It stirs the storm within me. The rain falls, the winds rage, and I want to crash against these ridiculous, pitiful walls that white people have built. Smash them to oblivion, crumble them to the ground. They are nothing; they are dust...
So I stand here
On the edge
In my white privilege
And look out on the world And wonder
What am I gonna do
In the face of what
I know and remember
.
Day 105: Familial Blessings:
"I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank." —Isaiah 44:3-4
"A family with good health habits flourishes and stays healthy for generations. What we proactively decide to do today can help our descendants to thrive," says Dr. Anderson. Makes perfect sense. I don't know why I would expect an American doctor to be able to address all of the issues of the world in his book. As I was reading I was thinking, what about all those people who do not have a choice as to what their family will eat or even if they will eat at all? Does God not bless them?
In today's lesson Anderson shares about a family that he has worked with for generations. They have always been in excellent health because they don't smoke or drink and they eat fruits and vegetables that they grow themselves. They all eat dinner together and pray before they eat. They also never miss church. Well, howdy do. I don't know why I am bothered by the perspective that if you are one of the lucky ones who live in a country where you are free and surrounded by abundance that somehow God has blessed you while seemingly ignoring the rest of the world. I know that is not what Anderson is saying, but most of his lessons focus on the privileged people of America. I wish he would branch out and consider other less fortunate people's circumstances and how God works in those situations too.
He's a small town doctor, I get that, but can't he see beyond his sphere? His audience is American, I get that too, but that's exactly why we need a "book of healing" that considers people beyond our borders. I know he is writing from his own experiences, but that's just it. As Americans we are so narrow minded, so entrenched in our own little world. Myself included. This year's election has created a storm in my heart. The world I thought I lived in has been turned upside down and my eyes have been opened. I thought my friends generally lived as I have lived. So naive! I thought they experienced the same chances, the same level of respect, the same ability to move freely and without concern for safety or acceptance. It's a lie! They don't and it sickens me. Anderson's lesson today stirred the storm in my heart as I pictured this perfect white, cis family, working their field, harvesting their fruits and vegetables, sitting around the table together wrapped in the warmth and safety of their love and their white privilege. Praying to God and receiving immense blessings of health and happiness and it just bothered me. He is writing for white people. Are there not other races who need healing?
Uh...it just irks me! He has a great opportunity as a published author to open our eyes to the way God works in all people's lives. Guaranteed, I have not completed his book yet, but I have a pretty good idea that he will continue this pattern. He writes for a cis, white world. I can only imagine how people of color and the LGBTQ community feel walking into a bookstore hoping to find a text that speaks to them specifically instead of having to find something that sort of relates to them if they look at it sideways. My son has expressed his disappointment at not finding books that relate to his experience as a transgender person.
I had hoped that what Obama was doing with our country would continue and that the LGBTQ community and people of color would finally get a seat at the table and have their voices heard. I know that they have not given up. I just hate that it is even still an issue. Why is this still an issue!?
They are American!
It's like Langston Hughes said:
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I too, am America.
He was right, I am ashamed. I see how beautiful all of my friends are. It stirs the storm within me. The rain falls, the winds rage, and I want to crash against these ridiculous, pitiful walls that white people have built. Smash them to oblivion, crumble them to the ground. They are nothing; they are dust...
So I stand here
On the edge
In my white privilege
And look out on the world And wonder
What am I gonna do
In the face of what
I know and remember
.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Avoiding Assumptions
April 14, 2017
Day 104: The Life Preserver:
"The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them." —Psalm 145:18-19
I find it interesting that Anderson believes that anyone who perished on the Titanic went to heaven—if they cried out to God.
Anderson and his wife went to Ireland and visited the Titanic Museum in Belfast. While they walked the corridors Anderson says that a sense of reverence overcame him. "I thought of how there must have been a flood of desperate prayers as those 1,500 men, women, and children called out to God to save them before they took their last breath." He continues, "Reflecting on those desperate cries for help, I realized that although those people perished, God heard each voice that cried out. He answered their prayers, not by bringing them safely to New York City as they had planned, but by bringing them directly to his dwelling place for them in heaven." He says that today's verse reminds him "that even amid great tragedy, God's arms are outstretched to all who want to be saved."
I don't know why this story has left me feeling skeptical. I think it's great that Anderson believes those people went to heaven. I am certain he finds that reassuring. I'm just not sure we can make such statements. He doesn't know, I don't know, so how can we say really? I'd like to think that's true. I mean, after all, it would be pretty heartless for God just to ignore their cries for help. I can't see Him doing that, but I feel that we should avoid making such blanket statements. (That's how I feel today, who knows what I will feel and think tomorrow). We say things just to make ourselves feel better. The Psalms are essentially just that. Men crying out to God and reassuring themselves that He is indeed listening.
It may sound like I don't believe that He is, which is not the case. I have faith that He hears us and He answers our prayers and our cries for help. I just don't want to assume that my faith is the same as someone else's, whether that is 1,500 people or one. Who am I to say one way or another? Who am I to assume what God will do or what God has done? It's like Mormons baptizing people who are already dead, just in case. What right do they have? What right do any of us have to assume anything about someone else's walk with God.
All I can really do, with any certainty, is be grateful and show my gratefulness by loving others.
Day 104: The Life Preserver:
"The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them." —Psalm 145:18-19
I find it interesting that Anderson believes that anyone who perished on the Titanic went to heaven—if they cried out to God.
Anderson and his wife went to Ireland and visited the Titanic Museum in Belfast. While they walked the corridors Anderson says that a sense of reverence overcame him. "I thought of how there must have been a flood of desperate prayers as those 1,500 men, women, and children called out to God to save them before they took their last breath." He continues, "Reflecting on those desperate cries for help, I realized that although those people perished, God heard each voice that cried out. He answered their prayers, not by bringing them safely to New York City as they had planned, but by bringing them directly to his dwelling place for them in heaven." He says that today's verse reminds him "that even amid great tragedy, God's arms are outstretched to all who want to be saved."
I don't know why this story has left me feeling skeptical. I think it's great that Anderson believes those people went to heaven. I am certain he finds that reassuring. I'm just not sure we can make such statements. He doesn't know, I don't know, so how can we say really? I'd like to think that's true. I mean, after all, it would be pretty heartless for God just to ignore their cries for help. I can't see Him doing that, but I feel that we should avoid making such blanket statements. (That's how I feel today, who knows what I will feel and think tomorrow). We say things just to make ourselves feel better. The Psalms are essentially just that. Men crying out to God and reassuring themselves that He is indeed listening.
It may sound like I don't believe that He is, which is not the case. I have faith that He hears us and He answers our prayers and our cries for help. I just don't want to assume that my faith is the same as someone else's, whether that is 1,500 people or one. Who am I to say one way or another? Who am I to assume what God will do or what God has done? It's like Mormons baptizing people who are already dead, just in case. What right do they have? What right do any of us have to assume anything about someone else's walk with God.
All I can really do, with any certainty, is be grateful and show my gratefulness by loving others.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Moderation In All Things
April 13, 2017
Day 103: The Best Party:
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you." —Psalm 37:3-5
"God wants what is best for us, not to take away our fun," Anderson explained to Tommy, a patient of his who believed that he could not be a church goer because he liked "to party too much, and God doesn't seem to want [people] to have any fun."
I can understand how Tommy feels. I have had similar feelings, not because I liked to party too much, but because of what I have shared before. We are told to keep our eyes on things above, to always focus on and be longing for heaven. Earthly pleasures are frowned upon in the church, so it makes sense that Tommy would feel like God doesn't want us to have any fun. There is a part of me that totally gets that, but there is another that understands that God is just looking out for our best interest. Is it in our best interest to get so drunk that we can't walk straight, drive safely, or talk intelligibly? Of course it isn't. So much can go wrong when we lose control of ourselves. I speak from experience. Luckily, for me nothing ever went horribly wrong when I have been drunk, but the potential for disaster was there. It's in our best interest to avoid excess, of anything really. From the Greek poet Hesiod (700 bc) and Roman dramatist Plautus (250-184 bc) to 19 century transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson and current philosophers, everyone can agree that moderation is key. "Moderation in all things" is a common phrase that most of us have heard.
However, there is a problem with "moderation in all things." It seems innocent enough, but as the author Steve Reed points out in "Moderation in all Things: a Useless Phrase," "You can't have a 'moderate' level of adultery, pornography, theft, bearing false witness or murder in your life and expect to please God." He makes a good point. After all, the phrase does say in ALL things. When you look at it that way, it tends to lose some of its power. Reed believes that we would be better off to replace the word "moderation" with "righteousness." That would work, but I think most of us understand that the original phrase was not meant to be taken so literally. It is a generalization. Who is going to bother listing only those things that apply? Moderation in drink, moderation in food, Moderation in _____, you fill in the blank. Moderation in all things is succinct and profound enough to get us to consider practicing it.
Perhaps Reed can practice moderation in being overly judgmental? Perhaps I can too. LOL.
Have a great day readers.
Day 103: The Best Party:
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you." —Psalm 37:3-5
"God wants what is best for us, not to take away our fun," Anderson explained to Tommy, a patient of his who believed that he could not be a church goer because he liked "to party too much, and God doesn't seem to want [people] to have any fun."
I can understand how Tommy feels. I have had similar feelings, not because I liked to party too much, but because of what I have shared before. We are told to keep our eyes on things above, to always focus on and be longing for heaven. Earthly pleasures are frowned upon in the church, so it makes sense that Tommy would feel like God doesn't want us to have any fun. There is a part of me that totally gets that, but there is another that understands that God is just looking out for our best interest. Is it in our best interest to get so drunk that we can't walk straight, drive safely, or talk intelligibly? Of course it isn't. So much can go wrong when we lose control of ourselves. I speak from experience. Luckily, for me nothing ever went horribly wrong when I have been drunk, but the potential for disaster was there. It's in our best interest to avoid excess, of anything really. From the Greek poet Hesiod (700 bc) and Roman dramatist Plautus (250-184 bc) to 19 century transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson and current philosophers, everyone can agree that moderation is key. "Moderation in all things" is a common phrase that most of us have heard.
However, there is a problem with "moderation in all things." It seems innocent enough, but as the author Steve Reed points out in "Moderation in all Things: a Useless Phrase," "You can't have a 'moderate' level of adultery, pornography, theft, bearing false witness or murder in your life and expect to please God." He makes a good point. After all, the phrase does say in ALL things. When you look at it that way, it tends to lose some of its power. Reed believes that we would be better off to replace the word "moderation" with "righteousness." That would work, but I think most of us understand that the original phrase was not meant to be taken so literally. It is a generalization. Who is going to bother listing only those things that apply? Moderation in drink, moderation in food, Moderation in _____, you fill in the blank. Moderation in all things is succinct and profound enough to get us to consider practicing it.
Perhaps Reed can practice moderation in being overly judgmental? Perhaps I can too. LOL.
Have a great day readers.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
The Power of Faith
April 12, 2017
Day 102: Two For One Prayer:
"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." —John 14:12
Although I love the story that Anderson shares today (a story of miraculous healing of a man who looked as if he had lung cancer), I can't help but wonder why some receive such healing while others do not. He had a spot on one of his lungs that looked like cancer, but after prayer and the laying on of hands, the spot had disappeared and he had lost his craving for cigarettes. It's wonderful and miraculous and joyous, but it is also leaves me questioning. The only answer I hear is Romans 8:28, that "all things work together for the good of those who love God."
It could also be that everyone who prayed and laid their hands upon Harold never doubted that he would be healed. They could have believed that he was already healed and the universe responded in kind. If you believe in the power of the law of attraction, that makes sense too (see The Secret). I believe the law of attraction actually works with biblical principles. For a while I was wary of such ideas, as if they may contradict what the Bible says, but Jesus himself said, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). "Nothing will be impossible for you." In today's focus scripture Jesus says we will be able to do even greater things than He...IF we believe in Him. Some may wonder, if that is true, then why do those who do not believe in Him still benefit from the law of attraction? I think it is because the law of attraction views the universe as a powerful entity. What is the universe? It is God. God is in all, God is all. So belief in the universe is belief in God... Perhaps.
Either way, I believe in the power of faith.
Day 102: Two For One Prayer:
"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." —John 14:12
Although I love the story that Anderson shares today (a story of miraculous healing of a man who looked as if he had lung cancer), I can't help but wonder why some receive such healing while others do not. He had a spot on one of his lungs that looked like cancer, but after prayer and the laying on of hands, the spot had disappeared and he had lost his craving for cigarettes. It's wonderful and miraculous and joyous, but it is also leaves me questioning. The only answer I hear is Romans 8:28, that "all things work together for the good of those who love God."
It could also be that everyone who prayed and laid their hands upon Harold never doubted that he would be healed. They could have believed that he was already healed and the universe responded in kind. If you believe in the power of the law of attraction, that makes sense too (see The Secret). I believe the law of attraction actually works with biblical principles. For a while I was wary of such ideas, as if they may contradict what the Bible says, but Jesus himself said, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). "Nothing will be impossible for you." In today's focus scripture Jesus says we will be able to do even greater things than He...IF we believe in Him. Some may wonder, if that is true, then why do those who do not believe in Him still benefit from the law of attraction? I think it is because the law of attraction views the universe as a powerful entity. What is the universe? It is God. God is in all, God is all. So belief in the universe is belief in God... Perhaps.
Either way, I believe in the power of faith.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Thankful
April 11, 2017
It's been awhile since I last posted because I was off having a fantastic time with my best friend. She and I met on my birthday (April 8) 30 years ago and we had not been together on my birthday since I was 16. It was time to change that. I love that my birthday is also the anniversary of our friendship. It makes it all the more special to me. I am deeply thankful that I have this incredible friendship that has stood the test of time.
Catching up on Anderson's lessons:
Day 97: The Giver Of Life Is Also The Great Healer:
If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the disease I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you." —Exodus 15:26
The scripture alone doesn't sit well with me. If you listen and do what I say, you will be spared... Again it is an Old Testament scripture, so God is depicted as the destroyer. I know that His warning is supposed to be a loving gesture to protect His people, but it still bothers me. Anderson's story doesn't even seem to fit with the context of this scripture unless he is just going for the image of God as a healer.
Day 98: The Storm Of Fear:
"God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
—2 Timothy 1:7
In today's lesson Anderson shares a story about a woman who was suffering from a panic disorder and agoraphobia (fear of open spaces). She used to only have feelings of fear at night, but then she started to panic randomly and more frequently during the day. It was debilitating, which is why she went to see Dr. Anderson. Fortunately, "with proper medication and concurrent behavioral therapy" she was able to return to a "relatively normal life."
Day 99: Damascus Road:
"Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away." —Acts 3:19
The Damascus Road is where Saul became Paul. He stopped persecuting Christians and joined their ranks. Although Anderson never persecuted Christians, he was like Saul in that he needed to be called out of darkness. In today's entry he shares a story about a dream he had while camping and likens it to Paul's experience. Though he and Paul are very different people, living in very different circumstances, "the Lord reached both of [them] in a similar way. Without warning, [God] appeared to [each of them] and spoke to [them] in an unmistakable voice. He healed [their] blindness so [they] could see the truth in full, vibrant color." Anderson ends the entry by asking about our own conversions and how we responded. He encourages us to pray that God "would reveal himself to [us] today in an unmistakable way."
I have had my share of revelations throughout my life. I always appreciate when God makes Himself undeniably visible to me. Those experiences keep me marching forward, even when I cannot see through the darkness. I am thankful for that.
Day 100: A Pill And A Prayer Are Both Good Medicine:
"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength." —Proverbs 17:22
It's definitely hard to have a cheerful heart when your spirit is broken.
Day 101: The Blessings of Being Present:
"The Lamb on the throne will be their Shepard. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes." —Revelation 7:17
I like the title that Anderson gave to today's lesson. Being present is important, not only for those around us, but for ourselves as well. Anderson uses the phrase to mean being available for others and giving of your time, showing others you care by taking a moment to stop and listen to what they have to say, doing an act of kindness because you care about people, not because you have to or because it is expected of you. I agree with him, but I think it also means being mindful and aware: of the current moment, of every aspect of what you're doing at the moment, of your body, the sensations you feel, the thoughts that you are having. Before I started yoga and meditation, I would not have thought about "being present" in that way. I never really thought much about meditation or the benefits of yoga, but I am glad that I have begun to bring both of these practices into my life. It can feel a little weird at first or awkward, but I have had some of the most powerfully moving experiences while doing each. I'm thankful that I discovered I enjoy these practices and that the church I now attend embraces meditation. They even have a room set aside specifically for it. I haven't used the room yet, but I am thankful that it is there.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
April 6, 2017
Day 96: Give Us Ears To Hear:
"One of them struck at the high priest's slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, 'No more of this.' And he touched the man's ear and healed him." —Luke 22:50-51
I wonder what it was like to actually physically see Jesus heal people. I know that miracles still happen today, but to see Jesus with your own eyes heal someone with his mere touch, it must have been an overwhelming experience. I wish I could have walked with him and known him when he was a man. That wish grows even stronger when I watch films about Jesus' life. I try to picture myself in the scenes with him and what I would do, how I would respond. I'd like to think that I would not act as Peter did or as doubting Thomas did, or as some people in the crowds did—those who heard him speak, but did not absorb his words, those with "deaf ears."
Anderson talks about how he thinks it is "fitting that the blood spilled that night [that night mentioned in the scripture above] was from a lopped-off ear." He feels that it is "symbolic of world that had stopped listening. Jesus was the Word, and people were no longer hearing him." Anderson believes that it is "also symbolic that Jesus' last act of healing was to heal the wounds of an enemy who had come to capture and kill him." He thinks it represents the "redemption that was coming to the world" after Jesus was crucified. "When he died, he healed us all."
Anderson encourages us to not let the words of Jesus fall upon deaf ears and to declare them to a lost world.
I am all for that, but I also feel like we need to be careful how we "declare" Jesus to a lost world. I think we as Christians have an immense responsibility to both God and man. We don't want to sugar coat or water down the word of God, but we also don't want to turn people away from God by our zealousness or through our misunderstanding of scripture and how it may apply to the lives of those with whom we share it, which is why I have always believed that we should let our actions speak for us. After all, they are louder than words...as the saying goes.
Day 96: Give Us Ears To Hear:
"One of them struck at the high priest's slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, 'No more of this.' And he touched the man's ear and healed him." —Luke 22:50-51
I wonder what it was like to actually physically see Jesus heal people. I know that miracles still happen today, but to see Jesus with your own eyes heal someone with his mere touch, it must have been an overwhelming experience. I wish I could have walked with him and known him when he was a man. That wish grows even stronger when I watch films about Jesus' life. I try to picture myself in the scenes with him and what I would do, how I would respond. I'd like to think that I would not act as Peter did or as doubting Thomas did, or as some people in the crowds did—those who heard him speak, but did not absorb his words, those with "deaf ears."
Anderson talks about how he thinks it is "fitting that the blood spilled that night [that night mentioned in the scripture above] was from a lopped-off ear." He feels that it is "symbolic of world that had stopped listening. Jesus was the Word, and people were no longer hearing him." Anderson believes that it is "also symbolic that Jesus' last act of healing was to heal the wounds of an enemy who had come to capture and kill him." He thinks it represents the "redemption that was coming to the world" after Jesus was crucified. "When he died, he healed us all."
Anderson encourages us to not let the words of Jesus fall upon deaf ears and to declare them to a lost world.
I am all for that, but I also feel like we need to be careful how we "declare" Jesus to a lost world. I think we as Christians have an immense responsibility to both God and man. We don't want to sugar coat or water down the word of God, but we also don't want to turn people away from God by our zealousness or through our misunderstanding of scripture and how it may apply to the lives of those with whom we share it, which is why I have always believed that we should let our actions speak for us. After all, they are louder than words...as the saying goes.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
My Greatest Desire
April 5, 2019
Day 95: The Forgiveness Diet:
"He forgives all my sins and heals all my disease." —Psalm 103:3
The main point of Anderson's lesson today is that there are times in our lives when we need to focus on our emotional health before we can fix our physical health. He says that we may need to forgive someone or forgive ourselves before we can be restored, and that we should ask God to help us in that endeavor. In the anecdote for today, he shares about a woman named Patsy who was obese and on her way to having a heart attack. She came to Anderson because she couldn't seem to lose weight though she felt that she was doing all she could to do so. Through talking with her, Anderson realized that her problem stemmed from the physical abuse she endured as a child. She and her sister were abused by an uncle who lived with them. It may have been sexual abuse; Anderson is purposefully vague. As treatment, he recommended that she see a psychologist and she agreed. Like many victims, Patsy blamed herself for what happened to her and her sister. Though it took time, she learned to forgive her uncle and herself. Her weight didn't just fall off, but she was on her way to better health, emotionally and physically.
I haven't experienced physical abuse to the extent that Patsy had, but I have been a witness to what I feel was physical abuse at the hand of my biological father. I know there are a few people in my family who would disagree with me on this, but as a young child watching the "discipline" take place, it was abusive. My dad used to beat us with a belt, round robin style, where he'd hold on to one of our hands and swing the belt with his other. The belt hit wherever it wished because my father lacked control over his anger and he was aiming for a moving target. It was horrible to endure and even worse to watch. My oldest brother got the worst of my father's anger. I will never forget a number of scenes. One time I was sobbing uncontrollably while my step-mother was laughing with my little brother (her son) at how funny my brother looked as my father was beating him. It still breaks my heart. My little brother didn't really understand what was going on and he certainly never received such a beating. I don't want to go into all the sordid details that led to that moment of "discipline." Let's just say that kind of beating was completely uncalled for.
The only good I can see coming from such experiences is that I vowed to never discipline my child out of anger, certainly never hit him uncontrollably and with a belt. My child would never fear an object like that. I remember once, when we were kids, we were all sitting out in the yard at a picnic table (all five of us: myself, my two brothers and my two step-brothers) and my dad came out of the house toward us holding his belt in his hands. We all looked at each other, scared out of our wits and wondering who had done what. Who was going to get it next, and we said as much. When my father reached us, he was surprised by the look on our faces and asked what was wrong. We motioned to the belt and he said, "Oh, I was just going to put it on." Yeah, my kid will never feel like that.
I think my biological father has something to do with my vision of God as the big policeman in the sky, ready to give you a smack down for any and every infraction. I try not to let that image rule my perception of God, but sometimes it does, and I have to remind myself that, that is not what God is truly like. It's hard to see God as I wish to see Him when I know He has the potential to be angry and destroy just as much as He has love and is love. Old testament stories come to mind. My biological father fits the image of Old Testament God fairly well. As I write this, I'm thinking, Old Testament God and New Testament God are still the same God, which I know conceptually to be true, but emotionally I find the God of the New Testament to be more patient, more kind, more loving...more like my step-father, Bob.
Bob showed me that a father can be more than a disciplinarian. Because he spent time with us, taking us camping, rolling old tires down a hill and watching them bounce around, taking us for ice cream, coaching my softball team, creating treasure hunts, surprising us on Christmas, and showering us with love, I learned that there is another side of being a father—a gentler, kinder, more loving side. I imagine it is because of Bob that I am able to also see the gentler, kinder, more loving side of God.
Even though I may continue to struggle with varying images of God, I am willing to do so, especially if it means that I will come to know God for myself. My greatest desire is to know Him and rejoice in the knowledge.
Day 95: The Forgiveness Diet:
"He forgives all my sins and heals all my disease." —Psalm 103:3
The main point of Anderson's lesson today is that there are times in our lives when we need to focus on our emotional health before we can fix our physical health. He says that we may need to forgive someone or forgive ourselves before we can be restored, and that we should ask God to help us in that endeavor. In the anecdote for today, he shares about a woman named Patsy who was obese and on her way to having a heart attack. She came to Anderson because she couldn't seem to lose weight though she felt that she was doing all she could to do so. Through talking with her, Anderson realized that her problem stemmed from the physical abuse she endured as a child. She and her sister were abused by an uncle who lived with them. It may have been sexual abuse; Anderson is purposefully vague. As treatment, he recommended that she see a psychologist and she agreed. Like many victims, Patsy blamed herself for what happened to her and her sister. Though it took time, she learned to forgive her uncle and herself. Her weight didn't just fall off, but she was on her way to better health, emotionally and physically.
I haven't experienced physical abuse to the extent that Patsy had, but I have been a witness to what I feel was physical abuse at the hand of my biological father. I know there are a few people in my family who would disagree with me on this, but as a young child watching the "discipline" take place, it was abusive. My dad used to beat us with a belt, round robin style, where he'd hold on to one of our hands and swing the belt with his other. The belt hit wherever it wished because my father lacked control over his anger and he was aiming for a moving target. It was horrible to endure and even worse to watch. My oldest brother got the worst of my father's anger. I will never forget a number of scenes. One time I was sobbing uncontrollably while my step-mother was laughing with my little brother (her son) at how funny my brother looked as my father was beating him. It still breaks my heart. My little brother didn't really understand what was going on and he certainly never received such a beating. I don't want to go into all the sordid details that led to that moment of "discipline." Let's just say that kind of beating was completely uncalled for.
The only good I can see coming from such experiences is that I vowed to never discipline my child out of anger, certainly never hit him uncontrollably and with a belt. My child would never fear an object like that. I remember once, when we were kids, we were all sitting out in the yard at a picnic table (all five of us: myself, my two brothers and my two step-brothers) and my dad came out of the house toward us holding his belt in his hands. We all looked at each other, scared out of our wits and wondering who had done what. Who was going to get it next, and we said as much. When my father reached us, he was surprised by the look on our faces and asked what was wrong. We motioned to the belt and he said, "Oh, I was just going to put it on." Yeah, my kid will never feel like that.
I think my biological father has something to do with my vision of God as the big policeman in the sky, ready to give you a smack down for any and every infraction. I try not to let that image rule my perception of God, but sometimes it does, and I have to remind myself that, that is not what God is truly like. It's hard to see God as I wish to see Him when I know He has the potential to be angry and destroy just as much as He has love and is love. Old testament stories come to mind. My biological father fits the image of Old Testament God fairly well. As I write this, I'm thinking, Old Testament God and New Testament God are still the same God, which I know conceptually to be true, but emotionally I find the God of the New Testament to be more patient, more kind, more loving...more like my step-father, Bob.
Bob showed me that a father can be more than a disciplinarian. Because he spent time with us, taking us camping, rolling old tires down a hill and watching them bounce around, taking us for ice cream, coaching my softball team, creating treasure hunts, surprising us on Christmas, and showering us with love, I learned that there is another side of being a father—a gentler, kinder, more loving side. I imagine it is because of Bob that I am able to also see the gentler, kinder, more loving side of God.
Even though I may continue to struggle with varying images of God, I am willing to do so, especially if it means that I will come to know God for myself. My greatest desire is to know Him and rejoice in the knowledge.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Desire to Serve
April 4, 2017
Day 94: His Spirit Walks With Us:
"You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'"—Romans 8:15
Today's lesson is very familiar to me. I've heard it, in all of its various forms, many times. After sharing about how he would accompany his most fearful patients to hospitals that were outside of their small town (outside of all they knew, outside of their comfort zone), Anderson asks three main questions:
Are there fears that paralyze you from doing God's will in your life?
Do you prefer to sit in the comfort of the familiar?
Are you willing to to step out of your comfort zone and take up a new task for Him?
These questions were asked of us frequently when I was a member of PVCC. They were meant to encourage us to not have a spirit of timidity, but they were also used to get us to serve in places within the church that we would not choose of our own volition. That can be good, but it can also be abused—just like anything else. It leads to feelings of guilt more than a heart to serve. The constant challenge of do this, be that, serve in this way... Statements like, "You're just not willing to let God use you; you should pray about it..." "Ask God to give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone..." "God did not give us a spirit of timidity...." were fired at us like arrows in the hope of piercing our hearts, forcing us to submit to whatever tasks needed doing.
My friend Amelia, who is a pastor of my current church, when I told her about my former experiences in serving, she said that there have been times when she has wished that she could guilt people into doing things. However, she doesn't. People volunteer and she and the other leaders gladly accept the help. They don't use scripture as a weapon to back people into a corner or to guilt them into some commitment. I appreciate that more than I can say. I don't mind serving in ways that are beyond my comfort zone, but I want to feel moved to do so. I want the desire to serve to come from my heart, not from the pit of my stomach.
Day 94: His Spirit Walks With Us:
"You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'"—Romans 8:15
Today's lesson is very familiar to me. I've heard it, in all of its various forms, many times. After sharing about how he would accompany his most fearful patients to hospitals that were outside of their small town (outside of all they knew, outside of their comfort zone), Anderson asks three main questions:
Are there fears that paralyze you from doing God's will in your life?
Do you prefer to sit in the comfort of the familiar?
Are you willing to to step out of your comfort zone and take up a new task for Him?
These questions were asked of us frequently when I was a member of PVCC. They were meant to encourage us to not have a spirit of timidity, but they were also used to get us to serve in places within the church that we would not choose of our own volition. That can be good, but it can also be abused—just like anything else. It leads to feelings of guilt more than a heart to serve. The constant challenge of do this, be that, serve in this way... Statements like, "You're just not willing to let God use you; you should pray about it..." "Ask God to give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone..." "God did not give us a spirit of timidity...." were fired at us like arrows in the hope of piercing our hearts, forcing us to submit to whatever tasks needed doing.
My friend Amelia, who is a pastor of my current church, when I told her about my former experiences in serving, she said that there have been times when she has wished that she could guilt people into doing things. However, she doesn't. People volunteer and she and the other leaders gladly accept the help. They don't use scripture as a weapon to back people into a corner or to guilt them into some commitment. I appreciate that more than I can say. I don't mind serving in ways that are beyond my comfort zone, but I want to feel moved to do so. I want the desire to serve to come from my heart, not from the pit of my stomach.
Monday, April 3, 2017
All It Takes
April 3, 2017
Day 93: God Makes The Weak Strong:
"Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors." —Joel 3:10
When I first read the above scripture I didn't feel all that inspired by it, but Anderson's anecdote
made me realize that it could be inspiring to someone, someone like Catherine. Catherine's home had been robbed, her husband had died shortly afterward, and she had had a stroke and had been admitted to a nursing home to receive care. Catherine had grown despondent, so the staff called in Dr. Anderson. When he arrived, she hid under her covers, which didn't stop Anderson. He talked to her through the sheets and told her, "God has further plans for your future with us. He wants you to pick up your plowshare and hammer it into a sword and fight for this new journey—this plan for your life." When he left, she was sitting in a chair by the window, "where the sunshine could pour into her soul and dry her tears." She eventually was "well enough to return home, strengthened and ready for battle."
That's really all it takes sometimes—one line of scripture, one caring person unwilling to let us wallow in self-pity. One well-timed piece of advice and we snap out of it and realize that whatever it is that we are experiencing will pass. Hurt heals, pain lessens, attitudes change, and joy returns.
Day 93: God Makes The Weak Strong:
"Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors." —Joel 3:10
When I first read the above scripture I didn't feel all that inspired by it, but Anderson's anecdote
made me realize that it could be inspiring to someone, someone like Catherine. Catherine's home had been robbed, her husband had died shortly afterward, and she had had a stroke and had been admitted to a nursing home to receive care. Catherine had grown despondent, so the staff called in Dr. Anderson. When he arrived, she hid under her covers, which didn't stop Anderson. He talked to her through the sheets and told her, "God has further plans for your future with us. He wants you to pick up your plowshare and hammer it into a sword and fight for this new journey—this plan for your life." When he left, she was sitting in a chair by the window, "where the sunshine could pour into her soul and dry her tears." She eventually was "well enough to return home, strengthened and ready for battle."
That's really all it takes sometimes—one line of scripture, one caring person unwilling to let us wallow in self-pity. One well-timed piece of advice and we snap out of it and realize that whatever it is that we are experiencing will pass. Hurt heals, pain lessens, attitudes change, and joy returns.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Eyes Open, Heart Aflame
April 2, 2017
Day 92: The Mourning Dance Of Joy:
"The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing."
—Jeremiah 31:13
I appreciate Anderson's lesson today mostly because I was feeling a bit unsettled by my thoughts yesterday—particularly the idea that enjoying our earthly life is somehow frowned upon. That we should always be focused on things above.
Anderson explained that his family had experienced a painful tragedy and a counselor that they had been seeing suggested that they "take up a new hobby—something mindless and repetitive that would engage both the right and left sides of [their] brains." They choose ballroom dancing and through that experience they were able to laugh together and "exchange [their] sorrow for joy." In sharing about his ballroom dancing experience he encourages us to "live in the moment" and to find pleasure in it.
I found that idea refreshing because it validated my perspective that this earthly life is to be enjoyed and appreciated. That we can live in the moment and not constantly be pining for some perceived better existence, some greater reward as if the air in our lungs and the beat of our heart is not enough.
I am not saying that the scriptures are faulty. I think they serve a purpose. I just wish that they were not used is such a fashion as to diminish the life we live on earth. There is so much guilt attached to finding joy in earthly pleasures. Even seemingly innocent activities like dancing can be portrayed as sinful if someone perceives it to be distracting you from God, luring you away from "things above." I have personally experienced such use of scriptures, or should I say abuse.
I am at a point in my life and in my walk with God where I can no longer just accept every word of the Bible as it has been formerly presented to me. Things that I used to take for granted as undeniable truth, I now question. Perhaps I shouldn't, but this is where I am at right now. I accept that. I am happier wrestling through my questions than I ever was blindly following. When I come to the end of my life, I want to be able to say that I lived with my eyes open and my heart aflame.
Day 92: The Mourning Dance Of Joy:
"The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing."
—Jeremiah 31:13
I appreciate Anderson's lesson today mostly because I was feeling a bit unsettled by my thoughts yesterday—particularly the idea that enjoying our earthly life is somehow frowned upon. That we should always be focused on things above.
Anderson explained that his family had experienced a painful tragedy and a counselor that they had been seeing suggested that they "take up a new hobby—something mindless and repetitive that would engage both the right and left sides of [their] brains." They choose ballroom dancing and through that experience they were able to laugh together and "exchange [their] sorrow for joy." In sharing about his ballroom dancing experience he encourages us to "live in the moment" and to find pleasure in it.
I found that idea refreshing because it validated my perspective that this earthly life is to be enjoyed and appreciated. That we can live in the moment and not constantly be pining for some perceived better existence, some greater reward as if the air in our lungs and the beat of our heart is not enough.
I am not saying that the scriptures are faulty. I think they serve a purpose. I just wish that they were not used is such a fashion as to diminish the life we live on earth. There is so much guilt attached to finding joy in earthly pleasures. Even seemingly innocent activities like dancing can be portrayed as sinful if someone perceives it to be distracting you from God, luring you away from "things above." I have personally experienced such use of scriptures, or should I say abuse.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
To Honor Him
April 1, 2017
Day 91: A Tale of Two Brothers:
"The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?" —Proverbs 18:14
Although Anderson's lesson for today was poignant and worthy of consideration, I had something else on my mind. When I was drying my hair after my shower this morning I was thinking about how amazing it is to be alive and how I really should make the most of every moment I get on this earth. Then I thought about how we as Christians are told to focus on heaven, to seek things above, to eagerly await the coming of Christ, to look forward to our great reward in heaven. We are encouraged to not revel in life on earth, but to pine for another time and place that we can't even possibly imagine. Scripture after scripture: Colossians 3:1-2 "...Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth;" Matthew 6:33 "...seek first His kingdom...;" Philippians 3:20 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." And there are more, not to mention hymns and songs. Why should we not enjoy and deeply appreciate our life on earth? Why should we be made to feel that somehow doing so is sinful? I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something not quite right about that. Why would God put us here if we should always be desiring to be elsewhere?
As a member of the PVCC I remember feeling the weight of the scriptures "seek things above," "eagerly wait...," "our citizenship is in heaven..." Putting God first above everyone and everything based on someone else's interpretation of what that means and what that looks like, was crushing my spirit. It was supposed to be uplifting and freeing, but instead I felt enslaved to an ideal that I knew I could never live up to. I don't believe that is what God had in mind. I think that God wants us to appreciate our time on earth, to revel in the beauty of nature, to love people, to seek Him and learn His ways, and to honor Him by doing so.
Day 91: A Tale of Two Brothers:
"The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?" —Proverbs 18:14
Although Anderson's lesson for today was poignant and worthy of consideration, I had something else on my mind. When I was drying my hair after my shower this morning I was thinking about how amazing it is to be alive and how I really should make the most of every moment I get on this earth. Then I thought about how we as Christians are told to focus on heaven, to seek things above, to eagerly await the coming of Christ, to look forward to our great reward in heaven. We are encouraged to not revel in life on earth, but to pine for another time and place that we can't even possibly imagine. Scripture after scripture: Colossians 3:1-2 "...Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth;" Matthew 6:33 "...seek first His kingdom...;" Philippians 3:20 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." And there are more, not to mention hymns and songs. Why should we not enjoy and deeply appreciate our life on earth? Why should we be made to feel that somehow doing so is sinful? I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something not quite right about that. Why would God put us here if we should always be desiring to be elsewhere?
As a member of the PVCC I remember feeling the weight of the scriptures "seek things above," "eagerly wait...," "our citizenship is in heaven..." Putting God first above everyone and everything based on someone else's interpretation of what that means and what that looks like, was crushing my spirit. It was supposed to be uplifting and freeing, but instead I felt enslaved to an ideal that I knew I could never live up to. I don't believe that is what God had in mind. I think that God wants us to appreciate our time on earth, to revel in the beauty of nature, to love people, to seek Him and learn His ways, and to honor Him by doing so.
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