Well, this is off to a good start. I'm excited about where this is headed.
I'm going to try to run with Maria's comment here, and this whole concept of the River of Life being the source of power and healing for the infirm. I really think it may be the broader theme that could tie some of these ideas together.
I originally outlined my interpretation of the River of Life being a place where all our streams merge--a body of water brimming and rushing with all the different talents and perspectives each of us brings to this community of believers. But where does that river flow? Eventually the river has got to feed some larger body of water. For our purposes, lets call that "ocean" our community.
Okay, let's quit the metaphor and start talking sensibly. How can we bring life and healing to this community? Here's my thought: it can't (or maybe "won't" is a better word) happen until we ourselves are alive and healed. And that's really the driving factor between fellowship, corporate worship, small groups, and things like this blog. Healing begins with openness and honesty; I have found that being open and honest is much easier among those you can trust--and you can't really trust people you don't know. So I suppose if I had to boil down the real purpose of this blog, it's to start building trust between us--trust that invites openness and honesty, and paves the way for the healing we desparately need.
Does that resonate with anyone? Let me know in your comments. Also, for fun. . .you know how people like to talk about their pet peeves? Well that's annoying, and frankly, my pet peeve is listening to people recite their pet peeves. Oops.
So don't tell me your pet peeve. Tell me one of your pet joys. Here's one of mine: I like to set my alarm clock early just so I can be jarred awake. In that moment of self-inflicted grog, there is nothing like the sheer ecstasy of remembering that I set my alarm clock early and don't really have to get out of bed.
Jeff
wanderings, musings, and general commentary on the process of becoming more like Christ
5 comments:
Petjoy…hmmmm. Well, I enjoy inciting our two labs, which in turn makes the chocolate lab talk. It annoys my family, but it makes me laugh.
Up until this point I haven’t been a blogger, but I am starting to see the value in using this medium as a way to connect with people on a level that well…. may not take place otherwise. I have had the view that technology tends to be impersonal, but really blogging is personal. I mean, it’s never going to take the place or fill the need for real live conversations, however, it is a forum that promotes discussion that may not be able to happen on a superficial “hey how ya doin” that often takes place on a Sunday morning. Though necessary, it will never get you to a place of trust, honesty and openness. Not that a blog will solve all the communication problems, but it can at the very least open a door for someone that enjoys it. Some people seem to be better communicators in the written word rather than the spoken word. For others, they are better orators. The truth is that we all communicate differently, and to say that one style is better than another is well….untrue. And to people my age who don’t want to embrace this style, I say ok, but don’t knock it till you try it.
my petjoy is trying to tackle my roommate, so i can feel like the man of the apartment. yea...
To what my mom said in her comment above. I like blogging, everyone should try it and it helps you express on how you feel. its like writing a journal(or diary) in which everyone sees. Truly for me, it makes me feel refreshed because i get the stuff off my chest. It's like telling the truth after you are holding it in for quite a time.
So, let me express my life right now, if you dont mind. I have a job interview tomorrow. Its at a paint shop, i forgot the name, its across the street from Dodge Litha, heck yeah. I'll probably be working there for about a month, tell i go to Alaska for month, to work up in a cannery. i hope that ain't a sin, cuz i would feel pretty bad about getting the job and only working there for only a month,then just quiting. But i need the money, i am kinda broke at the moment. Hopefully, God will provide for me tell i go there, so yeah.
Another thing that is going on in my life is. i got accepted at a Masters Commission in Los Angeles. It's a program which you spend nine months of your life devoting to god. You go on missions to other country's and being a disciple, and whatever else they do. The only problem is, The tuition fee in $5,400 for the whole nine months that i will be there. So really, i cant see myself raising that much money before it starts. I'll be sending out support letters to everybody that wants to help me out. I would be very grateful. If you have any questions for me just ask. I'll gladly answer them.
God bless you, have a great week.
-Nate
What delightful pet joys. Jeff, yours in particular, cracked me up!
BTW, it is fun checking out this blog on a regular basis to see what everyone has to say.
My pet joy is a day when I don't have to be anywhere on a schedule! Give me blue skies & sun as well and wow, it's double joy!
Maria
My pet-joy is seeing people come to wholeness and freedom. I guess that is why I love doing the "Freedom weekends." I was loosing my vision for them because I wasn't in the group, just helping to coordinate, but last time I led a group and got so blessed. There is nothing more amazing than seeing Jesus talk directly to a person, who maybe doesn't even know they can hear His voice,and see the healing and freedom He brings. He is truely a Wonderful Counselor.
The other day I had a young man from out of town stop by who had done a Freedom Weekend a while back. He was struggling with some stuff and so we talked about it for a while. Then I asked if we could take it to Jesus. He is a pretty stoic type of a person, but when he heard Jesus tell him some cool stuff the tears began to flow. He walked out so much lighter. That is one of my major pet-joys!
Another pet joy I have is riding my dirt bike with Mark. This weekend I am in Boise and we are going to ride to a ghost town, Silver City, if there isn't too much snow!
Blessings,
Rod
PS Another pet joy is when people sign their name to a blog so I can put their comments in context! :)
hmm, you're so right. Honesty and being open are very important to healing. Sometimes we let things eat at us rather than discussing those things with a Christian we trust. That takes courage, especially if you don't know any Christians well enough to trust them.
Petjoy? Gotta love that word! I guess my petjoy is finding out what a person is passionate about and letting them rip. Especially when they're passionate about a particular subject I'm lousy at or passionate about something I once thought was humdrum.
It's so fun to watch a person come alive. When that happens, you can see the fire in their eyes and sometimes their hands dance in the air. Their attitude is contagious. It's refreshing.
Oh and another petjoy of mine is puns. It's a guilty pleasure I inherited from my dad. No matter how many times people groan or stare at me with such blank expressions, I can't help but experience such mirth when I come up with a clever arrangement of words all by myself! Maybe because it doesn't often happen, who knows? ;)
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