AN IMPORTANT DAY

Watching the clock counting the hours until our son arrives from Melbourne.  It has been about three years since we have seen him.  He and Melina are very busy with the two additions to their family, Jasmine now two and Mathew soon to be turning four.  Both dad and I are very excited. 

Dad and I had a walk around Boundary Park lake which is his first outing for weeks.  Do hope he is feeling a lot better to-morrow.  Hope Ken does not catch any germs.  He is hardly here long enough as he leaves on Sunday.but we are thankful for each day.  

It is good that Shawna and Stephen will be here too.  They  will arrive on Thursday.

Today I will be one of those modern shoppers shopping with a cell phone! !  I will report back to Sandra if I find a turkey for her to cook!

The room is ready!

PIECES

Sometimes life just seems to come together like pieces in a puzzle.

That is what happened yesterday.  I was feeling unsure about how to do the best for dad.  I was very relieved when Jane phoned and offer to read the scripture for me.  I was able to take off to the store for some more yogurt and some boast, because dad's mouth was so sore he was not eating much.

Then when Sandra and Randy came to move furniture Sandra remembered the red antiseptic mouth wash dad had recommended for her.  So as soon as we rearranged things I was off to the store again.

Dad was cheered up by a visit from John, a friend from church, and a phone call from Rick.  Also  Cathy, our old friend  stopped by; so we had a lot of people thinking of us.  I was able to have a big nap finally as I couldn't seem to rest before.  Off to the store one more time for something for supper.

I know that if things are not seeming to be better we will phone the doctor to-morrow.   I was happy to be busy doing something hoping it would help.

Many years ago I took a leap of faith to fall in love and get married, and to have four children and letting them go to make their own way in life.  Through the death of our parents we have comforted each other and I know that although faith can seem like a leap when you make it life falls together.

I am reading about three women who are meeting to discuss their different faiths.  A Muslim, a Jew, and a Christian.  I am learning much about the Muslim faith that nowhere in the Quran does it say kill and you shall be rewarded.  We all need to understand that when religion is used as a rational for aggression, a tactic of war or even to justify claiming the promised land then it is a politicized religion.

The word "jihad" has more than one meaning.  The first is the idea of the inner struggle to be a better Muslim, considered to be the greater and more important jihad.  The second which is the idea of a holy war in defense of the faith, especially when mortal danger is perceived.  The recent horrific terrorist attacks was crazy and also a terribly faulty reading of Islam.

By Islam's definition Christians and Jews are "people of the book" and therefore not infidels.

Suicide and virgins in heaven is an incorrect translation that is questioned by scholars who say it refers to a fruit and is only allegorical; and a poetical description. 

Muslims today can failed to understand there own religion just like their are many Christian and Jewish views.  Their are always views about alcohol that does not actually forbid drinking but states you may be be a better Muslims if you are free of this temptation.  Don't approach prayer while you're drinking.

Islam is a journey and also a struggle.  It seems to be to be especially a struggle for women's rights and freedoms and for justice.  The most important things are the Shadada, or testimony of faith, daily prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage. 

The Quran Chapter 24, verse 35 says God is the Light of Heaven and Earth|!
His light may be compared to a niche in which there is a lamp. . . .
God guides anyone he wishes to His light
God composes parables for mankind;
God is aware of everything.

An interruption is that the niche may be the heart of Mohammad or any discerning heart.
A faith that calls believers to be serene, reflective and gracious of spirit. 

These thoughts are from the book the "Faith Club."

The ladies in this group found that there own religious beliefs were being affected by hearing about what others believe and try to live.

Today we will be able to contact the doctor and get some answers.

WORRIED

I am worried about dad although his cough is better his throat is still sore and now now his mouth is sore, he has a head ache and sleeps a lot.  I worry about the medication he is taking and I wish I knew just what is wrong with him.  His energy level is dropping because he is not doing anything.

I am reminded that if we did not know illness  wound we really celebrate good health?

I am praying with all my heart and I know getting better takes time and that I should not worry but I am worried. I think I do not handle stress as well as I should.  I am so thankful for my morning walk, yesterday there was llight snow falling, and everything felt so peaceful.  I want to be a source of strength but  . . . .

Life seems to be full of spiritual challenges and I can handle my own times of sickness better than some one elses.  I need to have faith in a higher power that gives my life a sense of awe.  Yes, we have been given a marvellous human intellect and we continue to make advances in medicine that can help us through times of sickness. 

I am reading scripture in church this morning and as usual wonder why I volunteered but I am involved in so little I feel I should contribute something.  It is a strange reading about not eating food given to idols and I wonder what does that have to do with us until I see that the message is really about being humble and not think we know it all; and also not to do anything that may lead others astray.

 the snow was very light but beautiful.

Today I will be getting the room ready for Ken so it is good to be busy.  I will need help from Sandra and Randy to move a small piece of furniture.  Dad thinks this is silly but it is just what I do. I  am surprised at how much weaker I have become but it seems like we are all in the same boat.

Thank you Lord Jesus for your healing strengthning presence in our lives and may we both tap into it today!

MY JOURNAL

A little bit of everything.

Dad is slowly getting better but he sure has had a miserable time of it.  He watched the girls soccer last night for while.  I am hoping there will be a big improvement today!  This morning as I look out at the darkness I see it is pouring rain but I will still go for a walk later.

My writings began as a prayer journal.

My history of journaling began many years ago when I would write down prayers for my family and this helped me express some of my worries and concerns.  I was very real in expressing my fears, my blemishes,
my anger and my hurts and frustrations.  Anything that allows the freedom to express our emotions I believe is helpful.

Over the years I filled a trunk with scribblers which I have thrown away.  Too personal.  But every day I would write a prayer for each one of my children.

Years earlier when I was very ill my prayer had been that God would heal me or at least keep me alive.  My faith was not tied to my state of health especially when I realized the good things in my life.  Over the years I have been drawn to healing prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  I have felt a new glowing faith inside me when I received prayer or when praying for others.

I do not believe we can blame God for disasters or for the evil things people do in this world. I have never felt that God was in charge or control of my life.  I know that we can be strengthened by adversity and that sometimes He speaks to me in the silence of prayer, in words of scripture or in the beauty of nature, and yes through other people.  God is evident in the goodness and generous actions of many who do works of charity and service.  I am always amazed at the rescue workers who risk their lives to save others.

I am very proud of the times that dad has taken risks to save others, from drowning in a ditch to tipping over in a boat.  He is my hero!  But a very annoying one at times.

Prayer has been and will always be a part of who I am.

I decided to change my writing as I felt I needed to grow spiritually.  I would read scripture and write my thoughts about what I read and how it spoke to my life personally

Now it has become this blog and is mostly about me and what I am reading..  It is also about  the comments
that  I love reading.  Hearing what others are doing and thinking.

ETHICS

Had an early start on my walk yesterday.  I also had a visit with Jim and he is very down.  They were having a talk about strokes and heart-attacks and it would have been interesting to stay for that.  I talked to Sandy the social director saying I was not sure if I would be continuing.  If I start with some new people I will feel obligated to continue for several years. 

Today I did not want to stay to long as I had several stops on the way home and wanted to get home to dad.
He is not feeling very well at all.  I got home and he was going to have another nap.  But the antibiotics should really be working by to-morrow.   The human body has the amazing ability to heal itself but there is added benefit in medicine and wisdom of doctors.

One of the major differences between modern day Christianity and the earlier forms of the faith is what we now call ethics,  Who is my neighbor?  What is true hospitality?  I think it comes down to seeking the common good for everyone..

Jesus had little time for the rich or the famous.  He taught many lessons about the need for inner transformation but also that the outer actions reveal what we really care about.  There is no doubt that Jesus cared about the poor and the sick and the needy.

During the Plague of Galen (165 - 180) Christians proved their spiritual courage by tending the very sick.  Was this because they did not fear death?  Was it because of  love and compassion? 

There has been a lot written about the negatives but we never hear about the stories like when The Bishop Basil sold all his family's possessions to feed the poor during a time of famine in (368). An ancient form of our food bank.   He also built one of the first Christian hospitals and a hospice.  Monasteries had long practiced hospitality.

The church today has many faults as people have many different ideas and values but one of our main values is to welcome all by creating a inclusive community.  This has somethings lead to good being abused but that was a risk that we have to take at times.

The emperor Constantine poured money into building gold-laden churches, a fine university and gave away land to middle class farmers.  Sad to say this informant changed the church, even with these acts of charity there was a turning away from  worship and rebirth.  

Hopefully the mission of our churches will continue to feed the hungry and cloth the poor and to work for peace and justice for all..  Wisdom has been taught by great philosophers but if I can try to live with the attitude of simplicity of the heart and the grace of compassion this becomes an ethic of loving God and your neighbor.

Searching for ideas for my blog, a word or a thought or a picture has been such a blessing to me as I search for new ideas and new ways to express myself and also be creative.  I believe that it is always important to continue to stimulate our minds in new ways.

VERY GOOD NEWS

A Happy Note

Very good news that Ken is coming to visit and will be here on Tues. Jan. 31.  It seems like such a long time wince we have seen him.  ..this will do dad and I a world of good!  It is such a long journey and then flying standby can make it longer; but I hope he is able to get onto all his flights.

At church this morning we were all feeling sad because of the deaths of two more of our community had died.  Although we knew it was going to happen, especially Marg. with untreatable cancer.  There is a feeling of relief that they are free of suffering and in a better place but we will miss both of them.

Alex had lived on the farm down below us on Colebrook road.  Both of them sang in the choir for many years.  Alex had been living in a home and had not been to church for quite a few years.  He had a wonderful celebration of his 90th birthday just two or three years ago.

Like each one of us these dear people contributed a lot to our church.  Marg was treasurer of our United Church Women's group for a long time.

We are reminded to live each day as fully as we can.  Each one of us is unique and special in our own way.
We have been given inner resources that give us character, courage and value.  We grow and develop by learning to appreciate each other and cooperate and work together so that each one of us becomes all we were meant to be.

The answer lies within each one of us.  I look at how I have spend my time at the end of each day and there are always things I could have done better.  Dad enjoyed his quiet time at home today and got a lot done on his computer.  He is also enjoying the tennis.

I miscounted some money and will have to make it right.  Our Bible group is going to buy a hymn book in honor of our friend Luise.  We each donate  a small amount and I collected the money but then in turning it over I counted it wrong.  I did not put in my share.  Just a small thing but important to me to make it right.

I am enjoying learning some history of Christianity because it is a part of where I have come from and also a part of my future.  We may never know what a smile or a kind word or deed can mean to some one else; but I know we all need encouragement and support.  This I receive in both my groups of very dear friends.

Today I will visit Jim who is also failing.  He has no interest in life at all.  If he is happy with his daughter's visits he does not want to admit it.  I know getting old is not easy and having a stroke can change your personality.

I arrived home yesterday hungry, tired and cranky but very thankful to be home.
It always is so good to get home after I am out.  Coming home is good.
Getting good news about Ken coming home was very good news!

THE QUEST

This is the light in my hallway that greets me early in the morning

Many of us feel like we are on a spiritual quest for light and deeper understanding.  We do this in many ways.

.Yesterday our quest  was to find out what was wrong with dad.  So off we go together dad to the doctor and me to visit at Laurel Place the lady I had been visiting at the Newton Nursing home.  I had finally found out her last name and where she was.

  Dad dropped me up to do my visiting at Laurel place while he went to the doctor.

Once there he refused to put on a gown  because he felt too sick so did not get a full check-up.()  I will have to remember this trick. )  He and the doctor had a nice chat and he did listen to his chest and look in his throat.   He has some antibiotics and cough medicine now but does not know what the doctor thinks he has.

I am a little annoyed at them both. 

Meanwhile I figured I had lots of time to visit and we where enjoying a nice chat when I told her I had to leave.    My sweet dear friend decides I should take her home to the Nursing Home where she thinks she should be.  I explained that she need more care and I could not handle her wheel chair to put her in my car.  She still insisted.  So I suggested we find some cookies and juice for her and I told her she should stay just one more night.  Leaving took longer than expected.

By this time dad had been having a long wait in the entrance and finally had some one phone up to the third floor to say he was there. This really helped because I could tell her I definitely had to go

It was raining very hard as dad dropped me off at the store to get his  prescription to the store to be filled.  They were a little busy so I came home for a coffee and waited a half hour before going back.  It was still raining very hard and getting very windy.

When I got there I stood around waiting for over 30 minutes because they had to contact the doctor about the cough medicine.  I arrive home to find dad getting ready to come and find me. 

Many people over the ages have quested at the doors of the church for answers about God.

One man, George Fox (1624 - 1691) a cobbler of humble devotion abandoned his job and family to search for God.  In 1643 England was in a social and religious upheaval.  He wandered from one religion to another seeking answers about theology and church order.  He felt that religion was distancing him from God, both Anglicanism and Calvinism.

Feeling hopeless and very discouraged he had a dream one night in which a voice spoke to him saying, "There is one even Jesus Christ, that can speak to thy condition" and upon hearing these words his heart filled with joy.

"Christ, the great heavenly prophet, the true light came into this world , to bring light into every heart by believing in Jesus.  He gathered many followers and they became known as the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers.

This was very radical at this time because the church and the scripture had become the authority.

Later John Westley, a university student, who became a missionary priest found he suffered from "indifference, dullness and coldness and frequent lapses into sin."  ?As he was reading Luther write about the change God works in the heart he felt his heart strangely warmed.  He felt that this light of Christ had changed his sinful nature by renewing his heart.  He would be the founder of the Methodist Church.

Others have found answers in the Unitarian church where  intellectual reasoning was very important.

Ralph Waldo Emerson believed God was found through nature when the inner person becomes aware of the beauty of nature and finds that beauty speaking to his heart.

From this we gather that the world is full of spiritual diversity  and that each one of us has a quest of our own..
For me Jesus will always be a compelling figure worthy of both imitation and love, which leads to caring for others with compassion and grace.
 
I should be doing my Bible study lesson but I am not.  I have two meetings.  First U.C.W. and then our study group starts right after.  I enjoy both groups one more service centered and the other more study centered..

For me the quest continues.  I quite like that word!

PREJUDICE

 For me an ordinary day but for others a day of sadness and loss.

It was a day when a dear soul was set free from earthly suffering to be welcomed into a heavenly garden to be with loved ones.

For me it was facing a more earthly problem of an infestation of flies.  You would have to see it to believe it.  I caught as many as I could and tried to shoo some out the door only to wonder if they would come back in.  Finally I moved the washer and drier, where there had been a big group of them in the morning and washed the floor with disinfectant.  That seemed to solve the problem and I am so relieved.

Dad helped put up one of the curtains and by doing so he realized the problem that I was having in the strange way the brackets where put up.

Dad was procrastinating phoning the doctor so I phoned and he is getting a complete check-up today.  He was not to happy he wanted to put it off for a while, but I am relieved.  We diagnose ourselves but sometimes we did expert opinion

I can relate to his reluctance.
I was thinking of prejudices as I was walking.  Walkers are mush more friendly than those standing waiting for the bus.  I know this is understandable but I feel oddly out of place as I walk past there cold withdrawn faces.  They are each in a world of their own.

Walkers usually have a friendly smile and often will stop and talk.  I know the dogs by sight and I enjoy seeing them.  On this morning one lady stopped to say she was on a fake walk to fool her dog because she did not have time to do a longer walk as usual.  We laughed.  Another older man stopped to tell me he had a jacket just like mine and he had a huge smile.

Then there are the prejudices that we have about the people who live in our neighborhood who are of different ethnic origins and different faiths.

.I am thankful that much is changing in our prejudices about other races and religions.  I have found myself drawn to those of a different faith.  Is it the ultraconservative religious leaders of All faiths who have spewed up hate and mistrust among those trying to be faithful to their own beliefs.

Quoting scripture is not the answer.

I am reading the story of Issac from the view of a Muslim.  For her the story of Muhammad's night flight and ascension was most important and she believed the prophet Muhammad had emphasized Islam's positive connection to Judaism and Christianity,.  He meets the ancient people like Adam, Moses and John thee Baptist and Jesus in this vision of his night journey.

I have never heard of this before.

I have seen many images of Christ on the cross and I find them upsetting.  There is no denying that this story of the fury and hatred that ends in the death of Jesus is a gory and disturbing story.  And yes we do have to remember that the gospels were written more than thirty years after the crucifixion and its authors had political as well as religious purposes.

I am reading in the same book about a group of people who live in a very poor neighborhood who are impoverished, elderly and mentally disabled.  They meet in a small apartment.  It was a story of hospitality but also a story that beings the beauty of communion out of death.
I think the message of the cross is one that reminds us that love never  dies,

This mass fulfills Jesus' version of radical social justice. 
"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.


Muhammad was given the command of daily prayers which even today begins and ends with a salutation of peace to the entire family of Abraham's   They also claim Jerusalem as a holy site where one day humanity will assemble and arise to heaven to be judged.  We believe in the same God just from a different cultural perspective/

We live in a community where there are a lot of East Indians.  I wonder how they feel about living among us.  Do they feel welcomed or excluded and strange?

Can we learn to be theologically hospitable?    I believe that we can be deeply grounded in our own faith and be open to befriending others with their different beliefs and practices.  I believe we are doing this more and more.

GENERATIVE CHRISTIANITY

 

The snow is quickly melting away and with the rain it will soon be all gone.

Dad's cough came back again last night so he is resting again today.  He needs to have a full check-up so I hope he will phone to-morrow.  So either he or I will do it.  I am trying to make our diet better and do all I can to keep us healthy; but this cold seems to hang on so I hear from others too.

We enjoyed a visit from Randy and Sandy checking up on us I am sure.  I tried to put the curtains up; which I have been meaning to do and fell off the ladder.  I have always been a little clumsy and I think as I get a little older my balance is not as good.  I was not hurt at all but made a big noise.  So that will be on hold for awhile.  Dad will be making me wear a hard hat soon.

Skyped Carol and Panteli.  Carol had had a swim and a bit walk around the beach for over an hour and a half with Kim.  Panteli was working on a project.  Carol and Panteli are going to New York around Feb.17 until the 27th.  Very exciting news.

I did make it to church and it was nice to see everyone and I always enjoy what our minister has to say.
He points out that the most important thing about the story of Jonah is to remind us that prophets are humans and do make mistakes.

The term generative Christianity is a term used in the book "A People's History of Christianity. 
the writer  suggests being a Christian should involve memory, history, and story.   There was a time when Christianity was very militant and there were wars and inquisitions.  She says that it should not be a militant story; rather a story of generative Christianity, a kind of faith that births new possibilities of God's love into the world.

  For this rebirth to be sustained, progressive Christians must not fear tradition.  Rather they should fear ignorance of history because ignorance allows others to use static interpretation of tradition against renewing forms of faith,

Tradition is essentially the process of making connections through time, a reflective practice that makes history speak in New settings.

Generative forms of Christianity must be grounded in history and claim their rightful place in a long story of faith.  Generative Christians do not shun the past but maintain that present, past and future-the living and the dead-and the yet to be born- are intimately related to God.

Tradition can be a lifeline to hope.

Jesus was and is a radical

To go back and tell the stories of generative Christianity is to find a way forward in a confusing and painful world.   Spirituality and social justice are two important aspects of this way of viewing scripture.

Hope is the very dynamic of history and the engine of change.
Hope is the energy of transformation, and the door to one reality to another.

Spiritual visionaries of all ages have been the first to walk through that door, because in order to walk through it, first you have to see it, and then you have to believe that something lies on the other side.

The great medieval church structure faith as an in beween-ness.  Faith in between heaven and hell and the mysterious in between,  Faith embraced the mundane and the transcendental making little distinction between the spheres acting as a "thin place" a kind of permeable spiritual membrane.

We see the beauty of these ancient buildings and for me it awakens a longing for the sacred that for me somehow gives meaning to life.  Human nature never seems to change.
It is okay like Daniel said to disagree but I think that as we continue to search for truth we will be able to catch glimpses of it.  At these times there is an awareness that the God we long to know is one who response, one who forgives and heals, and lifts our guilt from us through prayer.

As we prayed today "release us Lord from all that keeps us from seeing and living in the light."
.

INFORMATION

The little snow man is fighting a losing battle against the warm rain.  As a child making snowmen was one of the first thing we wanted to do when there was a big snow.  Carrots for the nose and coal, yes we heated our home with coal in those days, and some thing red for the mouth.  Usually a scarf and arms of sticks.  Great fun.

I am reading about diet and the mind and how what we eat affects our physical and emotional health.  Of course I know all the facts but I easily drift away from putting my knowledge to good use.  Breakfast is the most important meal and should contain protein , lean meats, egg whited, tofu, beans, whole grains, yogurt and even vegetables. 

This along with exercise helps reduce inflammation.  The quality and quantity of your sleep also influences inflammation as well as reducing stress.    The body needs regular daily intake of both EPA and HA, two long chain omega-3 fats.  Now I have to figure out how I can put this to practical use in my diet.  I figure an omelet that contains vegetables and protein would be a good start. 

This will be hard for me because I love my toast for breakfast.  The first change will come when I go shopping.  I am reading about this because especially lately my energy levels as well as my emotional levels are low.  Yes, January is a dull month as well.

I believe that this also helps with the spiritual essence of our being. 

"Without believing in the supernatural, one can recognize aspects of the human experience that are not accounted for in the materialistic view.  We all know the importance of living in harmony with nature and the universe."  -"Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil, MD

The increase of literacy increased the amount of information that gives us choices in what we believe and how we act.  We do not need to take any ones word for anything but can seek out the truth for ourselves.  I can go to church or to any group meeting and hear a good word but unless it really penetrates my heart ad soul .

I have always had a love for words and I believe that if we listen words can change us both politically and spiritually.  Words can enliven faith when they embody the spirit with authententicity.  Words contain power which can be used to first change our hearts and then to help change society.

"Errors in Holy Scripture?   Translation is so important in helping get rid of some of the errors."
"A Peoples History of Christianity.  "The word "Metanoeite" used by Jesus has been translated as "Do Penance" when it actually means "Repent".  This has support the Catholic system of confession and penance. 

Confession is good for the soul when it also leads to changes in our way of thinking and living!

I am thankful that the ice has melted.

CONFESSION

Yes I felt very foolish as I had to confess my lost card at the library because I seem to be doing something wrong every time I go there.  /the librarian was very gracious and as I went to leave she said now put that in your purse right now.  So I did.

The road was very icy early this morning

So good to have some light

Walking was not so much fun this morning as it was damp and chilly.  But I am always glad I made the effort.  I behaved very properly today as it was a sobering thought that some one might have thought I was drunk.  Then dad was checking the empty wine bottles after we got home today, yes I finished off a bit of bubbling sparkling wine last night with popcorn.

Today I am cold sober.

Visiting at the hospital again was a depressing experience.  Our friend was in a double room with an elderly man in the bed next to her.  At least she was not in the hall where many others were.  I could not help but think that some music of nature and some calming light would be nicer.  I was glad that I could sit and talk with Luise's daughter as this is so very hard on her.  It has been good getting to know her better as I visited her mom.  It was hard to say good-bye but I shared some happy thoughts of heaven being a garden a place to walk with Jesus and be with loved ones.

I  do not do many wild and crazy things but it is good to feel fully alive and feel joy within your being.

What matters most is being who we really are and what matters most to us.

Life is so precious and each one of us achieves more than we realize.  The dying help us to see how precious life is and how important our loved ones are to us.  I think the word transcends comes to mind as life comes to an end. 

Consciously or not, we are all on a quest for answers, trying to learn the lessons of life.  Through study and work and play we continue to find ourselves changing.  Yes, it is true that as we get older we get happier, although I had to think about that as I read the article in the paper.  Little things mean so very much and joy comes with simple pleasures like a walk in the park, watching the ducks, eating out.

Bringing home that new book that I ordered from the library to add to the pile I have that I am reading again or am planning to read. I find that there are always so many things to look forward to like visits from family far from home. 

.Most days I am at peace with myself.

TRADITION

Christianity a tradition to be embraced and experienced

There is just a little bit of water for the ducks to swim.

IT  ia early Saturday morning and it is raining so by the end of the day the snow should be all gone.

Quotes from "A People's History of Christianity"

What should we teach our children?

Christianity is under attach by secular humanists and their self-assured religious cousins, often vacillating between rejecting the past and bear its weight.

Eyes open to scripture, Christian history and prayer have found this a tradition to be embraced and experienced.  Devotion and social justice.

Our faith community is called to remember and tether contemporary faith to ancient wisdom.

Post traditional people still hanker for spiritual inspiration, wanting to hear (and understand) stories that strengthen our connection to God and to our neighbors.  In the words of Jesus:  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart. . .and your neighbor as yourself."

Without a sense of history, progressive Christianity remains unmoored, lacking the deep confidence that comes with being a part of a community over time.  Ignorance is to be feared not tradition.  History should be allowed to speak in new settings.

"Communities of memory that tie us to the past also turn us toward the future as communities of love."

Sociologist Robert Bellah

(I do not want my church to be just a social club of good like minded people, nor do I want it to be just political.)  Scholars have been scouring the earliest decades of church history, looking for (the true) Jesus.

(We now have new interruption's to enlighten our path and help us journey with Jesus)

(It is not just about orthodoxy but about our past when Christians acted like real believers.)

The church has never got it completely right nor completely wrong.  The goal now is to deepen spiritual practices and renew a vision of social justice.

Being a generative Christian myself, I always hold to the possibility of new life arising from darkness and death (generative Christians call such optimism "resurrection".

-Diana Butler Bass

Our coldest day.

Throwing snowballs a great tradition!

THE MESSAGE

A beautiful world.

My beautiful world full of angels.

Jane taking me to have breakfast and lots of taking to catch up on life.

My neighbor shoveling off my walk while I am out walking.

It was early and still pretty dark so i decides to try making a better snow angel.  As I lay there a young lady stopped the car to see if I was alright,  I had to admit to making my snow angel.

Then dad who is much better was an angel to drive me to White Rock Hospital to see Marg.  I did want to tell her how special she was and that she had been a good friend and that I admired her courage.  She opened her eyes but seemed too tired to talk.  I gave her a kiss and waved at her as I left and she waved back.

Louise is back in hospital but I am pleased that Jane was able to go and visit her.  She is ready to go home to family and to Jesus.  She was a woman of great courage and great faith.  She will be in my prayers to-night.

Life is more than being attractive, or having a lot of things, or being successful it is seeing within ourselves our own gifts to bring happiness to others.  We are here to remind each other of our goodness and to deepen our compassion for all of life.  Loving others teaches us who we really are, and being with the sick and dying remind us that death is a reality we will all face one day.

"Prayer connects us with God and others, part of this enterprise is learning to love."
The People's History of Christianity by Diana B. Bass


Everyday I know that people in my life are like angels that help me feel loved.  This happens in unexpected places and simple acts. 

I am thankful for a warm home and a loving hubby to snuggle up with and watch DVD's.
We just watched :To Kill A Mocking Bird".
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DARK

It is very dark when I get up each morning.  The snow helps to lighten the day.  I am enjoying the beauty and light it gives.  Makes one wish we could become kids again.  We would be out playing in the snow for hours.Yesterday I had to put a scraf over my nose and forehead, when I was walking,  because if felt so cold even with a little wind.  I was thinking about those women who walk around all covered up and I know I found it hard to see but I guess they get use to it.

Talking about kids dad and I talked to Kenny on skype and saw the children jumping on the tramboline.  They sure are adorable and so full of energy and mischief.   I am happy Jasmine is not allergic to bee stings especially when she got one on her foot.  I worry about chidren getting hurt when they play so I guess I would be overly protective and that is not good.

I hope Ken you did get some sleep before you had to go back to work. 

 Guess we missed Carol and Panteli trying to skype at the same time.  Hope we can connect to-morrow.  We are missing our phone messages because our machine was not working.  They are on the hand held one and we do not notice the light blinking.

I was sorry to miss my visiting because I know even though our visit is not long Jim does appreciate me coming.  Next week things should be back to normal with dad feeling better and I will be driving again.  It has been special having this week spending time with dad but I also have been worried about him.  Finally he seems to be improving.  We all heal in different ways.

It was great to go out and have coffee with Jane as we have not had a real talk in a long time.
A good friend is a real treasure and it sure helps to have some one listen and understand some of the ups and downs of life.

I am reminded not to take any of our relationships for granted.  we need to make time for each other.  After our warm visit I went home to look again for my lost card; and I found 10 dollars that was deep in the chair, but finding the card would make me feel happier.

All our relationships have the potential to help us learn and grow.  

In families there can be words said that feel hurtful but are not meant to be.
The world needs healing but within each one of us there are tender places that also need healing.
I remind myself that although I do stupid things and I am forgetful I am still a precious gift to those I love unconditionally and I hope they also love me unconditionally. 

I am finding great joy and happiness walking in the snow and playing out in it a bit. 
I am sure that swiming in the beautiful ocean is a similar experience.

My snow boots will probably have one more day to enjoy taking me out and enjoying a fresh snowfall.

VERY COLD

Very cold this smorning with a light wind.

Nancy how did you survive with no power when it was so cold?

Dad had a much better night.  He coughed at about 4 for a little wile.  I am going to walk down to meet Jane at Zellers this morning.  I am certainly looking forward to this.


Evil can be very chilling.  Some quotes from my   Jewish writer.Rabi David Aaron.

The Torah in the book of Genesis makes an outlandish assertion.  It says that God created man in His image.
Each characterer inte acts differently.  Every good story has a antagonist, a villian.  Every good book has a problem character who creates tension.  Because the villian plays the essential  role of bringing out the inner selves of all the characters and creates opportunity for the others to demonstrate extraordinary courage and tremendous fortitude.

"An  author's writing is an act of self-expression.  Each character expresses different aspects of that author."
Can God be the author behind the chapters in our life.  This is just a metaphor.

Was the evil in the world created to be a catalyst for the grow and personal enrichment of others.  It is true that often we see good things happen out of very tragic circumstances.

"Writing often involves metaphors.  A metaphor is just that-a metaphor.sometimes people take metaphors about God too, too literally."    I do not know how but I have felt that God is involved in my life.  But it is my choices that will determine the outcome of my life.  I have to strive to overcome selfish motives and bad thoughts which often come from a feeling of insecurity and lack of growth.  The first sin seemed to be listening to evil and disobeying God.  Evil was jealous of God.

"The evil ones are like the driven sea that cannot rest, and its waters throw up mire and mud.  There is no peace, says God to the wicked,"  Isaiah 57:21.

In some ways we direct our own lives and in other ways our lives are directing us.

In the Torah there are two names for God.  One suggests that God YHVH is the absolute reality and the other is that He is the finale judge.  Evil must be judged and forgiven. 

We are all a part of a story that contains many stories.  We all play a part in the lives of others.

"Goodness that is not chosen is not complete goodness.  Only after you struggle with evil and choose goodness will you accomplish true and complete goodness."

I think this still leads to more questions.  Like why are some people attracted and drawn into evil?
 Do they have a choice?  What choice do you have if you are brought up by evil parents?

 They need to be loved and healed and delivered from abuse.
 That is what Jesus was doing when he cast out evil spirits.

Evil darkens the soul who has experienced abandonment, cruelty. rejection, pain and abuse.
Evil is torture and killing and causes much suffering,
God is always present I think we the abused.. 

The very difficult thing to understand is the evil that is present in religion.  Power corrupts where ever it flourishes.
.
Are we willing to let His light shine into our darkness?
The world needs healing.   Jesus calls us to be healers and restorers of justice.

HOME TOGETHER.

Dad is getting better and I am trying to find things to keep me busy.

I make dad lots of lemon tea and take his steamer up and down so it can be where ever he is.  I suggest he take it in the bathroom and that should do him real good.  He is a very good patient.

I go for a walk and take pictures of roses in the snow.  They are by the cross at our walkway.  It must be a remembrance of the day the young lad was hit by the car.  So sad.

Eat breakfast with dad.  Wash the floor.  Take down curtains to wash and put up different ones.  Do the washing.  Read my book but when I read I eat, bad habit.

Shop for food for supper.  Make dad and I soup for lunch.

Watch D.V.D from ;library.  Feeling sleepy so I have a nap.  Then I go out and play in the snow making a snow angel.  Very difficult at my age.  Hope none of the neighbors are watching.  But at my age I figure I can do whatever I want within reason.,of course.

Look for lost library card.  Can not find it and I say well if you count the many years that I had had it and have not lost it I have done well, don't you think.

Wash my hair.  Should I color it?  No I would not feel like me.

Read some more and eat more cookies.  I am getting worse than dad.

I change some pictures in my photo album to more up-to-date ones.

Ask myself questions.  Do I have blind faith?  It is from my heart whatever it is.  I want to look up evil and prayer in some books before I get supper ready.  Dad is now having his nap.  I need help finding answers, to all the questions others ask.

Evil according to Psalm 47 says For them there are no pains

They do not share in human sorrows

I check my blog no new comments.  Darn.

To-morrow I want to go somewhere.  I need to get more cookies for one thing.

GOOD AND EVIL

Today is going to be a good day!

My first thoughts are ones of thankfulness.  Thankful for a note from Oliver on facebook!

I know that I need to try and be thankful for the good as well as the bad. 

I am open to both private and public prayer that is humble and sincere.

I pray for my friend dying of cancer and I pray that in the end she will go peacefully and quickly and that her loved ones will be there.  All of us that are praying for her are with her in spirit.  I wish that I could visit her today but it does not look likely.

I believe in the Serenity Prayer that A.A, has accepted as it's foundation.  God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the courage to tell the difference.

Living a day at a time enjoying one moment at a time; and trying to accept hardship as the pathway to peace; as a Christian I believe all human beings are made in the image of God{this shape that changes} capable of goodness and of what we see as bad.

Christianity is now becoming more aware of the goodness and wisdom in other religions..
At least some of us are.  I am reading about three women of Jewish and Muslim  and Christian faith.
They all have misconceptions about each other's beliefs.
but for many people it is not the exclusivity of Christianity but the problem is the presence of evil and suffering in the world.  Can there be a reason for it?  Well one reason is we do not look after one another and the rich continue to take from the poor.  Hard -nosed skeptics like to put all the blame on a God they don't believe exists anyway.

I was having a good day until I couldn't find my library card.  I was totally depressed at the thought of having to go and confess another stupid mistake.  Also I hate losing things because it feels like I am losing my mind.

We both went to bed early, dad was very week and tired and my upper back (osteo) was painful.

Dad seem to be so much better during the day then had a major coughing fit in the night.  Hard on both of us.  I almost felt like getting up as  I have a hard time falling back to sleep.  I have to solve all the problems in the world let alone my own life.  Should dad go to the doctor?

So the promise of a good day did not really happen but on the other hand it could have been much worse.

I felt bad for dad and made him his lemon drink but I have to admit my last thoughts are ones of self-pity.  I pray for dad and for wisdom and for serenity for us both.

                                                                 A happy picture!

MIRACLES

Believe in the unexpected

We live in an age of skepticism.

I never ever even when I was at my most fundamentalist high believed that we have to believe in the miracles because they proved Jesus was God. No No No.   But if there are such things then I believe Jesus did have a miraculous power to heal.  His life was giving and I believe in the healing touch, the energy and miracle of love, the miracle of forgiveness and redemption.

I believe in the power of prayer that somehow connects us to one another and to the great unknown.  Prayer is an ordinary experience lived with gratitude and wonder and that is a miracle in itself.  

I believe that there are things that happen that we cannot explain.

I believe that the brain is the biggest miracle!

Can miracles happen in the brain?  Yes Yes Yes.  All I know is that sometimes I just know.  Maybe a tubal pregnancy became a miracle baby called Rick.  I know the tears that I shed when I was told that news.  All  prayed was Lord help us!

  I believe that Jesus was one smart dude and that he had the ability to tap into energy that is available to us all.  I believe he radiated that energy so that faith was stirred up in people.

Now it is up to us to preform miracles.  Miracles of love and forgiveness.  One just has to read the story of Jean Valjean where the act of mercy and forgiveness made him face and renounce the hate that had to this point in his life filled his soul.  Grace is a miracle.

"The light of divine immanence  must evolve through our choices, our commitments, and our hard work."
The Secret Life of God by Rabbi David  Aaron.  He writes about discovering the divine within you. and wakening up to your life's deepest purpose.  He believes, as I do, that we can experience the amazing miracle of God's unconditional love for us all.

I could say that when I was sick with the bad cough that it was a miracle there was a cancellation and I got right in and had an x-ray that very day.  Actually the miracle was that I made the phone call at all.

I come back to the brain that is actually wired to receive inspiration beyond our knowledge.

I often feel that I am reading just the right book that I need to help me understand life a little better.
Life has not been easy like all of us I have struggled with pain and fear and disappointment.  I have wanted to disappear and leave all the mess behind.  That was when I without a doubt heard an inner voice that I to this day call God., the Ancient One.

I could not pray or even read scripture but I hung on to the words.
"It was no messenger or angel but His Presence that saved them."  Exodus 63:9

I hope and pray that dad feels better today.

THE DUCKIES

AT THE BAR

I was amazed as I sat up at the bar how so many of us ladies have so much in common.  Now, for me this was a first time among the old timers, but I felt right at home.  Maybe I will get my nails done again sometime.  Ha  ha  First my eyebrows now my nails the old girl is going to town.  I grew up as a tom-boy hanging around with a lot of my brother's friends until school when I got girl friends.

This was one day last week after getting my hair cut.  Before all the beautiful snow arrived.

Sunday has been a quiet day although I did get out to take some pictures.
 The sun coming up through the big clouds was awesome.

I did miss going to church and dad really wanted to try the car out in the snow.  I think there are more snowy days ahead.  I walked over to buy him the Honey Lemon Tea and he has been drinking it and  I think he may be a bit better.  He is looking forward to watching the hockey game. I have to find out what I hit to make the writing change.

There is so much I do not know about this computer and gradually I will figure it out.  I hope.

Had time to listen to the C.B.C., write a letter, visit my neighbor and bake a cake and read!

Jesus made a startling announcement when he declared the time is fulfilled.  The temple would no longer by needed as the only place to worship God.  Time and space would now be filled with the glory of God.

This has been misunderstood through the ages.  Today we call it Deism which is a way of saying God is in a certain place and must be worshiped in a certain way.  That God is fat away in the heavens above. 

I believe that when Jesus said he was the way he meant the way for each day not the way to heaven.

Jesus was not a revolutionary but he knew that evil had to be battled and over come.

Jesus believe in the commandments of love and forgiveness and mercy and Compassion.

Jesus lived as one of us among all the unhappy and sick and lost souls.

Jesus embodied God but did not do miracles to prove his divinity.

"Jesus's powerful acts of healing, then together with all the other extraordinary things he said and did as credited to him by the gospel writers was not done to prove his "divinity"."
From the book "Simply Jesus"  by N. T.
Wright

The Bible is a witness for Jesus but he is not proof of it's rightness..

I agree we need a new vision of Jesus and of scripture.  We do not need the priests and the religious experts
to bless us with Holy Water but we are to become priests to one another.  I am all alone and yet there is warmth and peace and calm that comes with the grace of surrender and the filling of emptiness with the Holy Spirit that is pure light.

This will not last as the daily frustrations still upset me but maybe a little less than without this moment in time.

I hope and pray that dad feels better today or I think it is time to see the doctor.

There are always footprints in the snow even early in the morning showing others have gone before me.
Gundy will not walk with me because of the slippery snow and she has a slight cold.

THE NURSE

A cold windy morning with light snow blowing by the window.

Dad had a very bad night, coughing a lot.  I will be nursing him even more today.  I have the steamer on by his bed and right now all is quiet.  We  are so blessed to be able to look after one another.  He is a good patient and is quite willing to rest.  The opposite to me. 

I am thankful Rick is back home in Kamloops  It was a very good visit and glad we could all get together, well all, but Christopher who was working and hard to connect with,

The snow makes the world seem so quiet.  Sometimes quiet is so peaceful and I like it when at church we have moments of quiet.  It is what I like about the early moment calm as I mix prayer with meditation.  One by one I lift up the names of those who are not well and the universe receives and the spirit moves and rests hopefully upon those I am praying for.  No, I cannot explain this nor would I really want to understand it.

My morning prayer is like praying in a closet where it is quiet and I am alone.  Jesus affirmed this.
"Even silence is a prayer, and as Rev. Ellen Clark-King writes when one is able to face the "emptiness of solitude" which may equate with loneliness only then can we be free of our distractions and we are left with only ourselves and God."

The clouds are amazing.   They look like mountains at the end of the street.

Like all spiritual growth it is about movement when I allow my thoughts and my emotions to come to the surface and accept them without judgement; then I am changed within.  Surrendering to the  beauty of inner peacefulness and trusting God to transform me first and then allow his transformation to touch others as I send love and peace and healing thoughts to them is prayer.


I enjoyed reading Douglas Todd's article in the Van. Sun paper. 

If one is willing to touch the "holy" that is all around us in the air we breath, in the smiles we share, in the food we eat, in the beauty of a flower or a candle or a sleeping pet or child.

I think that we all struggle to really know ourselves and it is in the silence that I can allow God to reveal to me some of my deep hidden areas of my character.  (not quite the right words but then things are hard to put into words.)  I am not happy with this blog but I may reread it and change it later.

Be still and listen.

I like the Jewish view of the Sabbath as a day when human time and God's time met when pne rested from work but also rested from sadness.  In Jesus, time was fulfilled, and I think that everyday and every moment has the potential for healing and for enjoyment.

A  short walk with my camera and then a quiet day at home!

TIME

Time for a lovely early morning walk in the snow.

Time was when I could write in my blog before my walk' but not any more.
. Sleeping in for a half an hour makes a difference.

Time when I used to be able to time when a roast would be cooked.  Not yesterday!

Out the front door the blue lights shine on the snow.

Through our little park.

Down Wade Road.

Time to enjoy every minute of this walk!

No time to sit on this park bench this morning to pray and meditate.

But I have a little time to add a few spiritual words.  The Jews in the time of Jesus had a special sense of time.  Time was linear not cyclical.

God's purpose in Creation; a purpose to be worked out in time.  The earth would be a home for both heaven and earth and the Jewish people believed they were living out this story.

Time now to dust and look for cobwebs which somehow just seem appear our of no where in no time at all!.