Some important thoughts on failure.
Monthly Archives: November 2014
Weekly Photo Challenge: Converge
This week the Daily Post’s photo challenge is the word :CONVERGE
Go to
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/converge/
to see how an absolutely phenomenal convergence of bloggers takes on the subject.
Here are my thoughts on the matter…
Autumn Snows
Here I am in New England the place where seasons meet and play together for days at a time.
Killarney, where the lakes meet the mountains and the mountains introduce the skies and the waters run off with them both in a divine romance.
The convergence of souls.
Pastor Wrinkles: Laboring To Rest Pt. 1
Me reclining after walking up the “Rocky” stairs at the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Today in our church we continued our study through the paradoxes of Scripture. As our Lead Pastor, Barry Risto, has shared many times over the past few weeks:
a paradox is simply- Something that is made up of two opposite things that seems impossible but that is actually true or possible.
Here are some examples of paradoxes.
“You are never too old to become younger!”
― Mae West
“The Universe is very, very big.
It also loves a paradox. For example, it has some extremely strict rules.
Rule number one: Nothing lasts forever.
Not you or your family or your house or your planet or the sun. It is an absolute rule. Therefore when someone says that their love will never die, it means that their love is not real, for everything that is real dies.
Rule number two: Everything lasts forever.” Craig Ferguson
Today’s Scriptural paradox says, “If we are ever to find rest then we must labor for it.”
This is found in Scripture verses like Hebrews 4:11
“ Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
And Ma 11:28-30
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
So how do we find ourselves laboring to rest? How is it possible to work hard and rest at the same time? How can we labor to enter rest? How can we take on a yoke (a burden a chore) and find rest?
Let’s start by talking about some of the myths about Christian labor and rest. Let’s talk about what it does not mean.
- Laboring to rest does not mean that Christians never get weary. Some people say if you labor for God perfectly and in the things that God wants you to really do, then you will never get tired. Some say that any sign of weariness means you are not listening to what God is really telling you to do because if you were you would have enough energy.
- and not be tired.
But even Paul the apostle said he had served the church…
“In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” 2 Cor. 11:27
We will get weary.
Isaiah 40 says, “Even princes get weary… but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.”
Weariness is to be considered a normal part of this life.
- Neither does laboring to rest mean we should never rest. Some people say that the Christian life is all about exhausting every bit of energy you have and never resting. I have heard Christians say “I’ll rest when I’m dead. There are souls to save.”
But we are not the savior and the same Lord that told us to go out into the harvest field said “The Sabbath the day of rest was made for man.”
What are some myths you have discovered about labor and rest in the Christian life?
Caddo’s Seven Word Sunday : 11-30-14
LEARNING TO REST’S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS
The Thanksgiving Storymatic
Life has changed much in the last few years. Kids going to college, moving to my mother’s home, my sister moving to The Netherlands, the addition of new family members have meant nearly constant change to 25 years of family tradition.
I have learned that celebration is a state of mind and not a set of circumstances. I think that too often when it comes to holidays we center our joy in traditions instead of on the actual purpose of the holiday itself. When the traditions change as all traditions must in time we experience a sense of loss and many times instead of reinventing the day we just give up on it.
I have determined not to do that. I am sold on the idea that as I am in a new place in life I must make new traditions and rejoice in the making.
For instance I have discovered that I really enjoy cooking the meals myself. The size of the meal or the number of guests doesn’t matter. It is the joy of cooking. I also love cleaning in preparation of the arrival of guests.
This year my daughter asked if we could play a game after dinner. We played a pick up game of Pictionary on the Thanksgiving table cloth (not to worry it was disposable). And then we played this game I got for Pastor’s Appreciation Day called Storymatic. Four of us took turns writing a line of a story at a time. It was great fun. The results are found in my next post called Thanksgiving Storymatic II.
I guess my point in writing here is that holidays are about celebration first and then tradition. Traditions come and go but do not let their passing steal the joy that the holiday is meant to communicate. I rediscovered one of my holidays in a game called Storymatic. What new tradition is your holiday hiding in?
la la la la la la la la la la
Are we becoming like children?
There’s a great song by Matt Redman called “One Name Alone” that has as part of its lyrics the words la la la la la la la la la la. People sometimes think that such words (?) are nonsensical and out-of-place–particularly in a Christian song. Our worship pastor disagreed. He said that the words made him think of children happily skipping, and skipping joyfully. I have to admit that can I easily picture kids doing just that. Matthew wrote what Jesus said, I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). Little children express joy and happiness far more easily than adults. They recover from the guilt of the things they do wrong quicker and more completely. It is, however, easier to picture than to do.
I, on the other hand, pictured someone who…
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Cee’s Which Way Challenge #22
Which way will you go this week?
Tell us all about it in Cee’s Which Way Challenge at
http://ceenphotography.com/2014/11/26/cees-which-way-photo-challenge-2014-22/
Here is the way I recently walked upon.
These photos were taken in the forest belonging to the Blarney Witch.
Transparency and Rough Writing.
Lillian’s back.
Hello! It has certainly been awhile since I last posted. Life has gotten even more busy and I’m still processing it.
The biggest thing I have learned so far at Bible college is to be transparent, so I will be transparent with you, my reader.
I have been genuinely overwhelmingly busy. I have signed on to wordpress and written drafts but they were never posted. I don’t have the time to seriously write like I used to. I can’t clear my head or edit properly. My brain is spinning, but I think my lack of flow shows that. I’m struggling to breathe, but the Lord keeps me going.
So when I post, they might be harsh: with improper grammar and typos here and there. But I do want to keep this going and keep writing my thoughts- because I have a lot of things I want to share with you…
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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Joints Or Things You Enjoy
This being Thanksgiving, Cee has given us a couple of choices for this challenge. I have chosen to loosely interpret both!
In the snow the tree branches in my back yard remind me of arthritic joints. Because it is the first snow and only because it is the first snow I am kind of enjoying it.
Now take a jaunt over to Cee’s joint and see how others are enjoying the holiday.
http://ceenphotography.com/2014/11/25/cees-fun-foto-challenge-joints-andor-things-you-enjoy/
Preparing For Thanksgiving
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Matthew 25:1-9
I love Thanksgiving. It is such a day of rejoicing, relaxation and rest…that is unless, of course, I don’t use the day before Thanksgiving properly. If I don’t use the day before to bake pies and peel turnip, if I don’t mash the sweet potatoes and mix the green bean casserole or raise the rolls then Thanksgiving become a day of heavy labor, stress and freaking out.
In its own way Thanksgiving is an object lesson for Matthew 25. The foolish virgins came to what was supposed to be their day of rejoicing but they had not made themselves ready for the day, or for the One whom the day was really about (the bridegroom); So they found themselves racing around trying to fill their lamps only to discover on their return to the bridal chamber that they had missed much more than the day. They had missed their opportunity to travel with the bridegroom.
How many times do we turn away from the call of God telling ourselves there will be time “later”? How much stress do we create for ourselves because we put our obedience to the Lord second, or third, or….
As you prepare your Thanksgiving meal this day or tomorrow maybe just maybe it is an opportunity to take a look at bigger things than a twenty pound turkey and ask yourself, “Could I be preparing better?”
Lillie-Put 