kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth

Friday Foto

Paul Sibley — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:00:12 +0000

This week’s picture is another one from Grafham Water. It’s easy to see why it has become a popular leisure area in the locality. When the sun shines over the weekends, the car parks around the reservoir get crowded, and there’s a constant stream of cyclists on the cycle-paths.

Until The Whole World Hears — Part 9

Paul Sibley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:00:46 +0000

I have been listening to a lot of Casting Crowns music through YouTube recently; I really like what they do. I came across a series of video’s, which I thought I’d post here over the next few weeks. They’re worth watching and listening to, hope you think so too.

Until The Whole World Hears — Part 9 — Sharing with the World

Casting Crowns is on a 10 week journey to talk about what it means to live your life Until the Whole World Hears. Mark, along with a few friends, will share scripture and encouragement on how to live your life on purpose, how to share your faith with family and friends and how to impact the nations in the name of Jesus. Check it out!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Rich Man

Paul Sibley — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:47 +0000

This is one of those jokes that highlights a particular truth, the one that says that you can’t take it with you. And it helps to highlight, too, that maybe you wouldn’t actually want to.

The Rich Man

There was a very rich man who was just about to die and he wanted to take some of his wealth with him. So he started negotiations with God about the matter. God was not sure as it had never been done before and he did not want to set a precedence. Finally after long talks God reluctantly agreed to allow him to bring his wealth to heaven.

Just a few days before he died the rich man converted all his money into gold bullion. He died and the funeral home made sure that the suitcases containing the gold bullion went with him. He arrived at the Pearly Gates with his suitcases and there was Peter. Peter told him he could not bring the suitcases into heaven. But the man said he had already spoken to God and he had said it was OK. So Peter got on the God phone and sure enough it was true. So Peter was curious as to what was so valuable that the man wanted to bring it into heaven. Peter said, “Could I look in the suitcases?”

So the man opened the suitcases and Peter exclaimed, “You brought paving stones to heaven!”

Do I love God, or my own accomplishments?

Paul Sibley — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:13 +0000

This is the second in a series of posts about ‘Love’ from the Daily Meditations of Fr. Richard Rohr. In this one he talks about our ego’s, and how they can hinder our spiritual life.

Do I love God, or my own accomplishments?

The ego wants to ensure us that the things we do are all significant and worthy of our attention, that this event will make me important. Our activities become attempts at self validation and little life merit badges. We all enjoy putting another check on our life resume, or even on our spiritual resume.

Much religion uses God to bolster one’s own self-image, I am afraid. True religion would not be attached to self-image at all, but only to God. In fact, the closer you actually get to the Light, the more of your own shadow you see. Maybe that is why a lot of people do not persevere on the journey toward the Lover.

Christian life has little to do with me doing anything right. It has everything to do with falling in love with a Lover who always does everything right. What I love is that Lover and not my own accomplishments; nor am I surprised or unduly humiliated by my own failures. We must come to know who is always the Lover and who is always the beloved.

Adapted from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 23, day 22

Mantra:
Be in love

One thing I particularly like about these meditations from Fr. Richard Rohr, is the way they get me to think about myself in a different light. As I was reading this one, my ‘ego’ was telling me that perhaps I’m doing okay. That was, until I came to the second half of the penultimate sentence: “nor am I surprised or unduly humiliated by my own failures”. Ouch! I’m not surprised that I fail, but I do feel unduly humiliated when I do so. And I can see that that isn’t good. Something else for me to pray about, and to work on, methinks.

The email this came from was one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. If you would like to subscribe too, and I can recommend them, the website is here: The Center for Action and Contemplation. It won’t cost you anything.

When we prosper save us from pride

Paul Sibley — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:00:12 +0000

I don’t think of myself as being prosperous, far from it in fact. On a continuum with “prosperous” at one end and “needy” at the other, I would generally put myself closer to the “needy” end — closer to, “when we are needy save us from despair” than, “when we prosper save us from pride” from this Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

But, in reality, that would be comparing myself with the society I live in — a society that would be considered prosperous in comparison to many other societies around the world. Comparing myself to many millions of people from all around the world, I would find myself in a very different place on that continuum — much closer to the “prosperous” end.

I’m sitting here in front of a reasonably good computer, accessing the internet and writing a blog post on a website on my own domain name. All of this costs money. There are far too many people around the world that would be grateful just for the chair.

I drive a nice car, not very old — being able to lease a car at favourable rates is one of the very few advantages to the health problems I have. But, nevertheless, it still costs money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for one of the tyres, to turn into makeshift footwear.

I haven’t decided yet what I’ll be having for dinner later, but I have plenty to choose from, and it’ll be reasonably easy to prepare. This does, of course, cost money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for a piece of bread to assuage their hunger.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the picture. If you’re reading this you must, like me, be much closer to the “prosperous” end of the continuum than you are to the “needy” end.

It’s all too easy to only concern ourselves with how things are in our immediate vicinity, and despair because of our neediness can overtake us. I know that is something I’m guilty of. So I would generally be much closer to “despair” than “pride”. But this Collect reminds us that both are wrong; and that we should put our trust in God alone. It’s a great “ideal” to aim for, but not so easy to achieve in practise.

In amongst the Additional Collects, that I reflect on each week here, there are one or two prayers in each season that are designated to be suitable for use instead of one that’s set for the day. This week’s is one of those Collects. I guess that helps to highlight the importance of what we’re praying for — learning to trust more in God, and his providence.

A good prayer to be praying methinks.

Lord God,
your Son left the riches of heaven
and became poor for our sake:
when we prosper save us from pride,
when we are needy save us from despair,
that we may trust in you alone;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Eighth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Anonymous Encouragers

Paul Sibley — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:00:43 +0000

I have just been reading about this fledgling ministry started by 16-year old Jennifer Grimes from Texas. And what a wonderful, and achievable idea it is too. Is it something I might get involved in in a small way on this side of the Atlantic? Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?

Anonymous Encouragers

In early 2010, 16-year old Jennifer Grimes of Jacksonville, Texas, wanted to encourage others in following Christ. “I thought I’d tell you about a project my sister and I have started called Anonymous Encouragers,” said Jennifer. “Basically, it’s an idea to write strangers found in the phone book of your town anonymously (without putting your name or return address). The letters are usually short and always include an encouraging Bible verse. Anyway, we started it a couple of weeks ago and are writing one person each week.”

Jennifer’s achievable goal of one person a week will have her encouraging 52 people each year. She has signed up her sister and enlisted others to write letters. “My prayer is that not only the people that receive the letters be encouraged but even the ones that write them.”

If you would like to learn more about “Anonymous Encouragers”, here is a link to their website.

Friday Foto

Paul Sibley — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:08 +0000

We have a few Hollyhocks, of various colours, growing along the fence in our garden. I was watching a bee flying in and out of the flowers and gathering pollen all over itself — attempting, unsuccessfully, to get a picture — when I realized how beautiful the star-shaped centre of the flower looked.

Until The Whole World Hears — Part 8

Paul Sibley — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:07 +0000

Until The Whole World Hears — Part 8 — Following Jesus Daily

Casting Crowns is on a 10 week journey to talk about what it means to live your life Until the Whole World Hears. Mark, along with a few friends, will share scripture and encouragement on how to live your life on purpose, how to share your faith with family and friends and how to impact the nations in the name of Jesus. Check it out!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Good Dog

Paul Sibley — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:58 +0000

This joke about a clever dog dropped into my inbox the other day, and I thought it was hilarious — gave me the real belly-laugh I needed. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Good Dog

A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: “Help wanted. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.”

A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined. Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he led him into the office.

Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said, “I can’t hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type.” The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair.

The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, “The sign says you have to be good with a computer.” The dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded!

He looked at the dog and said, “I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can’t give you the job.” The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The manager said, “Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual.”

The dog looked at the manager calmly and said, “Meow.”

What can our enemies teach us?

Paul Sibley — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

This is the first in a series of posts about ‘Love’ from the Daily Meditations of Fr. Richard Rohr. In this one, he talks about the difficult commandment Jesus gave us, to love our enemies, and asks what we can learn from them.

What can our enemies teach us?

In the spiritual life, your enemies are your best friends. That’s why Jesus makes his most daring commandment that you must love your enemies (Luke 6:27). Until you allow the enemy at the gate to come in, allowing the “not-me” to enter your world, you’ll never be able to face your sin, your dark side, nor will you love others at any deep level.

People who turn you off, people you’re afraid of, have a message for you. We reject and hate our own faults in others, for some strange reason. I’m not saying you have to go out and become best friends with people who threaten you, but you should put up your antennae: they’re triggering something within you–about you. You need them.

From Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 182, day 194

Mantra:
Be in love

I really like what Fr. Richard has to say in this. I can certainly recall times when I’ve found myself taking an instinctive dislike to someone, and realized, when I’ve really thought about it, that what I’ve disliked in them, is a character trait of my own that I dislike too. But I haven’t thought of taking that realization further, as Fr. Richard is encouraging us to do, and try to learn more about myself from them.