12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Galatians 6: 1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load.
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
Meditation is like that, you keep mulling over the thought that has come to rest on your heart.
Loving others is what it’s about… and what to do with the sin of others, their shortcomings… we can comfort ourselves with we don’t do, and what others do… but where is the growth if all I am doing is noting how I’m not as bad as that guy… there’s always somebody worse than me. And what about the plethora of folks that are doing better than me? There’s no use comforting myself like that either… so I’m left to ponder, testing my own actions.
I have no control. No pride in that. I like it much better this way.
Its hard though.
I want to run ahead, and be the one who figured it out. But I am finding – once again – that God is my only Obstacle.
When I wrote that in my journal all those years ago, I was expressing my exasperation with trying to become whom I was supposed to be by now. All these years later, the begin point of this blog, there’s still that same frustration. And then, there’s that same submission to his rule and authority?
I don’t think the evil that God allows to co-exist in this world is God’s idea. His grace and mercy is attached to us – his children. The evil around me, the pain of the ones around me, effects me, limits me, and gives me pain.
I think of that family down the road, pain in every room. Each with their own burden. When I speak to him, he hears through the paradigm of his own experience, of his own lens. He doesn’t say it out loud, but my words land on his ear, and are instantly re-ordered. Do we do that to God, as well?
A young man that was walking through our neighborhood the other day, for example. I noticed out loud that he had no fear of me. He later re-iterated that he couldn’t accept what I’d said about him, because he lacks confidence. I told him that’s not what I said. He equated “no fear” with “confident”. So words, break down, communication isn’t a simple transaction, its fluid, its interactive. But there has to be trust. There has to be safety.
Oh to be a SAFE PLACE to be.
‘Treat the other man’s faith gently; it is all he has to believe with. His mind was created for his own thoughts, not yours or mine.’
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
“Is it not time to break silence? Three months have passed since we quarrelled on the eve of your departure for the mountains. I wrote twice during the first week. You did not answer. Pride forbade my risking another rebuff.
…
“I have stopped running risks in the water. I observe the legal rate of speed in my car. But I have not given up an equally hazardous adventure—loving you.
“Forever and ever yours,
“John.”
Full Text click there for the rest of their correspondence
When I made the treasure chest for My first grand child… it was from my heart…
Then, a sweet young lady asked me, what are you going to make for my child?
…I spent a year labouring over what to make, from my heart… so much at stake
And when I finally built it, my own design, a homage to guitars, to music… my son, whom I am in awe of for his music, for surreptitious phone calls and Red River Valley, played over the phone…
I milled the wood, yellow cedar and yew wood, from old growth salvaged by Clinton, our brother… my son, and when I delivered it… all I could see was awe* in the eyes of all around
I felt guilt for eclipsing every other gift there… a happy moment… worth all the effort, proof of my good heart… I know you’re in pain… I know your life has had a hard start… but you are being carefully crafted by a loving creator…
So also my life as I look back…. Hewn, milled, design, and craftsmanship… all here…
I love you Jamie, you’re worth the wait… I mourn also, forgive me, for I do still Love Ria… I never gave up on her… I can let go but I won’t forget her… I’ll let her go… but only as one who has passed away
Hmmm… there’s not much distance between verse 20 and 21… seems like it was a night’s sleep was had. Cuz in verse 20 God’s saying,
“Yes, go…” but look at verse 22?!? What the heck happened?!? Nothing is said as to cause… just that God is angry with Balaam “when he went…” take a look:
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lordstanding in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. 31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. 32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.” 34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” 35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
This is where I insert the fact that I’m no Bible scholar. I’m a bus driver. I’m an ordinary man, reading the bible with you.
This assertion? Suspicion? Accusation?
“God is my only obstacle” appeared in my journal one day. It was in my own hand writing LOL. But I can let you know that I was about 26 years old, and frustrated with trying to get to where I was convinced I should be by now. I always journal. Lately it seems I do so by shouting down this well that nobody is drawing water from. But back then it was in various notebooks.
I found out from Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird) and Marion Milner (A Life of One’s Own)… that these things happen when you “get lost” while writing… your inmost being, untethered by should and shouldn’t… past the goal posts of trying to impress… and just expressing what’s flowing out… writing – flowing –
Then the next day you are re-reading… and you realize, you see… and well, “God is my only obstacle” was there one day… and what puzzled me then, and not so much now is that folks reaction to that statement… the lack of willingness to engage with me in discussing just what that meant…
In a crowded tote… the investigators worked hard to find a correlation between all of what they found.
This image, most likely drawn by the oldest daughter, was key.
As frustration mounted, human reasoning was more and more abandoned. In the spirit was found a longing for Christ Jesus.
While praying today, I kept finding myself longing for Jesus to appear and set things straight. It was quite different from the empty hope of winning the 70$ million jackpot.
I looked briefly for an image to represent it all, and realized there could be none!
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Running Down Vimy 