I see the sky -- the clouds, the sun, the rain --
I think of You
I hear the mighty pine trees, swaying ever so gracefully in the wind,
I think of You
I feel the cool wind on my cheeks, hair whipping about and stinging my eyes,
I think of You
I smell the torrent of rain as it falls upon the green, green grass of summer,
I think of You
I taste the salt of the ocean as memories are stirred in the far recesses of my mind,
I think of You.
How great You are, my Lord,
In all creation there is none like You.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Perspective
You know, I find it oh so very hard to maintain perspective sometimes. I was going through the French Open results and other articles to see what I might be able to send to members of North Pointe's Tennis League, and I run across this sight on MSN:
T E N N I S N E W S
T E N N I S N E W S
- Blake, Venus try to improve U.S. tennis rep
- Nadal breaks consecutive clay-court wins record
- Likhovtseva 1st seeded player to lose at French Open
- Blake, Venus, Clijsters advance at Roland Garros
- Kohlloefel, Babos win NCAA singles title
- At No. 13, Venus Williams rankled by low ranking
- Federer overcomes slow start to win at French Open
- Roddick practices, probably will play at French Open
- Iraqi tennis coach, players killed for wearing shorts
There's one item that just doesn't fit in the list, isn't there. I can't believe it. The tennis playing western world is riveted to their tv sets to watch the French Open, and the tennis playing Middle Eastern world is dying for wearing shorts to play.
I pray for the tennis players and other athletes in that part of the world today. I experienced such freedom as a young girl playing tennis -- I can't imagine the surreal horror these tennis players must have felt just before they died.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Da Gullible vs. Da Skeptic
I tell you what - I can not believe what people are willing to believe. Seriously. I heard today that 1/3 (that is, one-third) of all Albertans believe that The Da Vinci Code (a novel) is actually true. If that is true, then surely we have indeed arrived in The Twilight Zone. I also heard today that a large chunk of a satellite downlink was devoted to an e-mail from a man who said he is a Christian and that the book "confused" him.
I don't understand where the confusion comes from. I honestly don't. But now, though I don't believe the Da Vinci code is a concern, I do believe that gullibility and the lack of a healthy skepticism, among Christians and non-Christians alike, is definitely a concern.
Galatians 1:6-7, written nearly 2000 years ago, warns of believing anything other than the Good News that was shared with you: "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ."
I was so very strongly called to Christ and subsequently to God's teaching in the Bible, that I can't imagine adopting as truth something written as a novel today. I was hugely skeptical and disbelieving of God for 42 years. I can't imagine adopting a 5-year old novel, that was researched for 1 year as the truth about God. Skepticism, even about God, is understandable to me. It seems to me that God is sometimes glorified when he shows how our skepticism about Him is flawed. He is glorified when a skeptic brings an issue to Him and ends up surprised at how God can overcome anything. Skepticism is not necessarily unhealthy. There is alot of information that comes our way every day, and if we don't have a healthy dose of skepticism, well, we could spend a lot of time like a blade of grass in the wind, blowing to and fro.
to be continued.
I don't understand where the confusion comes from. I honestly don't. But now, though I don't believe the Da Vinci code is a concern, I do believe that gullibility and the lack of a healthy skepticism, among Christians and non-Christians alike, is definitely a concern.
Galatians 1:6-7, written nearly 2000 years ago, warns of believing anything other than the Good News that was shared with you: "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ."
I was so very strongly called to Christ and subsequently to God's teaching in the Bible, that I can't imagine adopting as truth something written as a novel today. I was hugely skeptical and disbelieving of God for 42 years. I can't imagine adopting a 5-year old novel, that was researched for 1 year as the truth about God. Skepticism, even about God, is understandable to me. It seems to me that God is sometimes glorified when he shows how our skepticism about Him is flawed. He is glorified when a skeptic brings an issue to Him and ends up surprised at how God can overcome anything. Skepticism is not necessarily unhealthy. There is alot of information that comes our way every day, and if we don't have a healthy dose of skepticism, well, we could spend a lot of time like a blade of grass in the wind, blowing to and fro.
to be continued.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
(Lord, thank you for shepherding me. Thank you for loving me and bringing me into your
family. Thank you for your Word which guides me just as any shepherd guides his flock.
Lord, thank you for providing for my needs. Thank you for ensuring I want for nothing.)
"He makes me lie down in green pastures,"
(Lord, who but you can make sure the pastures turn green each spring? Each year is a
miracle of your making and your praises are sung by the very beauty you have created.
I praise you, Lord, for making me rest in your presence.)
"he leads me beside quiet waters,"
(Lord, you know that lately the quiet seems scarcer, it seems there is constant pressure
to be moving as a turbulent river moves -- thank you for the quiet waters. I pray that you
teach me to rest quietly even as turbulence surrounds me. To be a testimony of you in
this way would be the delight of my life."
"he restores my soul."
(Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me and restoring me. Thank you for restoring my soul
though I will never deserve restoration. Thank you for choosing to love me and restore
me, and for loving and encouraging me even when I can see nothing but failure.)
"He guides me in paths of righteousness"
(Thank you, Lord, for your guidance. Thank you for your correction. Thank you for your
discipline. Thank you for your Word.)
"for his name's sake."
(Lord, I thank you for anything in me that glorifies you. Lord, I ask for your help in my
life, your strength, your wherewithall, to guard my testimony of you in my life.)
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,"
(Oh Lord, sometimes it feels as if this valley is constant!! Like the shadow of death is
everywhere and overshadowing everything. As if every step taken is examined and found
wanting.)
"I will fear no evil, for you are with me;"
(Thank you, Lord, for being with me. I pray you do not forsake me, Lord, as there is no
other than you for me. I pray for a sense of security in you, a tangible shield of your
very presence around me, so fears are allayed with the very thought of you and your
love.)
"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
(Thank you, oh Lord, for your discipline, for your training, for your refining, for bringing
me into your workshop no matter how painful, how difficult, etc. Lord, thank you for the
knowledge that any other way is useless and futile.)
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
(Lord, I do not understand why there are enemies, and I don't always understand the enemies
I fight. But I love you and praise you, Lord, for your divine sense of justice, humour and
irony as you allow me to dine at your table even while not being welcomed at others' tables.)
"You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows."
(Thank you, Lord, for not just accepting me into your family, but for bringing an overflowing
cup of grace, mercy, blessings, and love, from the family surrounding me daily. Thank you,
Lord, for allowing me to work for you, and for honouring me. I pray I will not forget these
gifts you have given.)
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,"
(Thank you, Lord, for your presence in my life.)
"and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
(Oh Lord, thank you.)
(Lord, thank you for shepherding me. Thank you for loving me and bringing me into your
family. Thank you for your Word which guides me just as any shepherd guides his flock.
Lord, thank you for providing for my needs. Thank you for ensuring I want for nothing.)
"He makes me lie down in green pastures,"
(Lord, who but you can make sure the pastures turn green each spring? Each year is a
miracle of your making and your praises are sung by the very beauty you have created.
I praise you, Lord, for making me rest in your presence.)
"he leads me beside quiet waters,"
(Lord, you know that lately the quiet seems scarcer, it seems there is constant pressure
to be moving as a turbulent river moves -- thank you for the quiet waters. I pray that you
teach me to rest quietly even as turbulence surrounds me. To be a testimony of you in
this way would be the delight of my life."
"he restores my soul."
(Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me and restoring me. Thank you for restoring my soul
though I will never deserve restoration. Thank you for choosing to love me and restore
me, and for loving and encouraging me even when I can see nothing but failure.)
"He guides me in paths of righteousness"
(Thank you, Lord, for your guidance. Thank you for your correction. Thank you for your
discipline. Thank you for your Word.)
"for his name's sake."
(Lord, I thank you for anything in me that glorifies you. Lord, I ask for your help in my
life, your strength, your wherewithall, to guard my testimony of you in my life.)
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,"
(Oh Lord, sometimes it feels as if this valley is constant!! Like the shadow of death is
everywhere and overshadowing everything. As if every step taken is examined and found
wanting.)
"I will fear no evil, for you are with me;"
(Thank you, Lord, for being with me. I pray you do not forsake me, Lord, as there is no
other than you for me. I pray for a sense of security in you, a tangible shield of your
very presence around me, so fears are allayed with the very thought of you and your
love.)
"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
(Thank you, oh Lord, for your discipline, for your training, for your refining, for bringing
me into your workshop no matter how painful, how difficult, etc. Lord, thank you for the
knowledge that any other way is useless and futile.)
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
(Lord, I do not understand why there are enemies, and I don't always understand the enemies
I fight. But I love you and praise you, Lord, for your divine sense of justice, humour and
irony as you allow me to dine at your table even while not being welcomed at others' tables.)
"You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows."
(Thank you, Lord, for not just accepting me into your family, but for bringing an overflowing
cup of grace, mercy, blessings, and love, from the family surrounding me daily. Thank you,
Lord, for allowing me to work for you, and for honouring me. I pray I will not forget these
gifts you have given.)
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,"
(Thank you, Lord, for your presence in my life.)
"and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
(Oh Lord, thank you.)
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
2 Samuel 10 - 14
"But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, 'Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, don't be so upset. Since he's your brother anyway, don't worry about it.' So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in Absalom's house. When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry." 2 Samuel 13:19-21
Some days, I hope no one ever reads this blog -- I could be way off this time. But my focus is the last sentence of the above scripture. You see, King David was very angry . . . but the bible makes no reference to him actually taking any action to rectify the situation. In fact, the notes in the bible I am reading say that though David was unsurpassed as a king and military leader, he lacked skill and sensitivity as a husband and father. Typical.
Perhaps you think I will start male-bashing here -- but no. I think that in many ways, guys have a tough job. They are expected to be good at their jobs, progress, get promotions, make money, make more money. And all the while, they will hear that they need to spend more time with their families. In fact, some would suggest that men not being home with their families more can lead to a breakdown in the family structure. But you know what? It is hard to be "super" successful (or sometimes even just successful) in the workplace if you don't spend the majority of your waking life at work. The trade-off unfortunately is often your family. For David to be the best King and military leader took a good chunk of his time! It is hard to go off to war and say "Maybe I'll reduce my hours to 4 per day so I can dwell on my family a bit more, or write home, or whatever." Try winning a war that way -- good luck. And many of us have work environments or work requirements that could be compared to war zones or war times.
But I think of the frustration that Tamar must have experienced. Wronged by her brother, she was even further wronged by her father. I say further wronged because David was really the only one who could take some sort of action that would have rectified or bettered the situation. The only one. If you can't trust your father, who is the only one who can help, who can you trust? Can you imagine? It must have been nightmarish for her. David, most admired, most successful, most powerful, decides to take no action on his daughter's behalf. It begs the question, then what good was his anger at all? It would have been insulting to me to know of and perhaps even directly hear of his anger . . . and then wait in futility for the King to take action. Perhaps day after day. Maybe Tamar thought "Well, nothing today, but I'm sure something is in the works.....tomorrow, perhaps tomorrow my name will be exonerated." And then nothing again. Knowing how hard it is to control my thought life, I can only imagine that Tamar would perhaps start thinking her life's value was little compared to many other things.
I thank God for sending his son, Jesus, to the women in this world. There are many situations in which women can find themselves feeling like Tamar, and I am thankful that Jesus is constant in his regard for women as well as for men. I see no evidence in the bible of Jesus devaluing the lives of women or encouraging or condoning having women in powerless positions. In fact, he was quick to point out and correct the double standards that existed (and still exist).
So, (righteous anger) + (no action) = what?
Some days, I hope no one ever reads this blog -- I could be way off this time. But my focus is the last sentence of the above scripture. You see, King David was very angry . . . but the bible makes no reference to him actually taking any action to rectify the situation. In fact, the notes in the bible I am reading say that though David was unsurpassed as a king and military leader, he lacked skill and sensitivity as a husband and father. Typical.
Perhaps you think I will start male-bashing here -- but no. I think that in many ways, guys have a tough job. They are expected to be good at their jobs, progress, get promotions, make money, make more money. And all the while, they will hear that they need to spend more time with their families. In fact, some would suggest that men not being home with their families more can lead to a breakdown in the family structure. But you know what? It is hard to be "super" successful (or sometimes even just successful) in the workplace if you don't spend the majority of your waking life at work. The trade-off unfortunately is often your family. For David to be the best King and military leader took a good chunk of his time! It is hard to go off to war and say "Maybe I'll reduce my hours to 4 per day so I can dwell on my family a bit more, or write home, or whatever." Try winning a war that way -- good luck. And many of us have work environments or work requirements that could be compared to war zones or war times.
But I think of the frustration that Tamar must have experienced. Wronged by her brother, she was even further wronged by her father. I say further wronged because David was really the only one who could take some sort of action that would have rectified or bettered the situation. The only one. If you can't trust your father, who is the only one who can help, who can you trust? Can you imagine? It must have been nightmarish for her. David, most admired, most successful, most powerful, decides to take no action on his daughter's behalf. It begs the question, then what good was his anger at all? It would have been insulting to me to know of and perhaps even directly hear of his anger . . . and then wait in futility for the King to take action. Perhaps day after day. Maybe Tamar thought "Well, nothing today, but I'm sure something is in the works.....tomorrow, perhaps tomorrow my name will be exonerated." And then nothing again. Knowing how hard it is to control my thought life, I can only imagine that Tamar would perhaps start thinking her life's value was little compared to many other things.
I thank God for sending his son, Jesus, to the women in this world. There are many situations in which women can find themselves feeling like Tamar, and I am thankful that Jesus is constant in his regard for women as well as for men. I see no evidence in the bible of Jesus devaluing the lives of women or encouraging or condoning having women in powerless positions. In fact, he was quick to point out and correct the double standards that existed (and still exist).
So, (righteous anger) + (no action) = what?
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