Write Now!
This blog started as a 'Lenten Writing Project', where we wrote each day in Lent. Now that Summer is here, let's keep up the discipline of writing with a weekly writing challenge! A prompt will be posted each week and anyone is welcome to join in and post their writing here or participate just by reading it.
Every writer has their own special light to add to this blog and all of your writing offerings are appreciated, whether poetry, prose, essay, thoughts, lists or comments and encouragement.
To begin with -- Yes I was born in a Christian family, my parents are Christians, so are my grandparents…Looks good, Born and raised in Christian family, then came Baptism, then confirmation and of course marriage all in Church. Book keeping of record sounds good I think Thanks to my parents for the way they raised me.
ReplyDelete…But not until, I would say late 20’s, while I was in India, that I realized the essence and importance of Prayer. My parents are partners with Benny Hinn and they would not miss his TV programs.
I started watching his shows on the TV with my mom. The part that struck me the most was about PRAYER. I never paid attention to the words that came out of my mouth during prayer time, neither did I know how to effectively pray. He did open a new aspect of Christianity to me. As I started growing in this and using this effective Christian tool, I was seeing myself drawing more closer to God and understanding what it is like to be in His presence. The power of the Holy Spirit is so powerful and intense if sought in lines with God’s plans.
I would like to thank my mom to introduce me to this teacher. Thank you Mommy and Benny Hinn to help me grow in Holy Spirit.
Books! The world in my head and the worlds between pages – searching for the TRUTH.
ReplyDeleteI was a slow learner my first two years of school. Everyone was beginning to wonder what was wrong with me. Finally, someone decided to have my eyes checked. What a miracle the first time glasses were hooked over my ears and I was led to the window! Wonder of wonders! I could see leaves while still on the tree!
I returned to my second-grade classroom and became such a voracious reader that my country-school teacher went weekly to the county library and brought back a box of books just for me.
The first time I myself entered that little county library, I stood dazzled. I stood in awe of the shelves of books stretching all around the room and into the next. “I want to read every book!” I thought to myself. I filled out my first library card and checked out the maximum 8 books.
Motivation for my impossible goal to read every book was a deep down belief that I could know the truth about everything. I mean, the TRUTH. Why was I so hungry to know the TRUTH? I don’t know where that came from, but I had the idea that in books worth reading I would know the TRUTH.
From those thousands of books read, which ones had the most impact? Of course, different ones at different times. How can I choose just a few?
The Junior Confirmation Book by Jacob Tanner coupled with Martin Luther’s Small Catechism was the first serious theological reading I did. I was 11 years old when I started Confirmation Class in my Lutheran Church. I was thrilled to read something "adult" and “important” and “true”; it had a profound and continuing influence on my life.
But how to choose just a few? I cannot… I spent the last hour looking through my lists and my shelves – it’s been so much pleasure and joy to review and think about these wonderful books and the lessons I have learned. Some favorite authors: Madeleine L’Engle, C. S. Lewis, NT Wright, Susan Howatch, Barbara Rossing, Diana Butler Bass, Kelly Fryer, Barbara Brown Taylor, Soren Kierkegaard, Walter Wangerin, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Bishop Herbert W. Chilstrom, Martin Marty, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Kathleen Norris, Barbara Kingsolver, James Michener, Pearl Buck, so many more.
Hasn’t everything I read influenced me in some way? Perhaps my reading choices have been guided by my lifelong search for the TRUTH. Indeed, I have found the Truth, the God of Grace, Mercy and Justice revealed in Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God.
Two things shaped my thinking. The first is the understanding ofkenoticism in Russian theology. It is the idea that God reveals himself in the creation and by observing and engaging in reality we experience the glory of God and what has been done.
ReplyDeleteThe second was a statement by M.L. King back in the 60's to the effect that churches should stop preaching about what should be done and actually do what they believe. Both ideas made me think that church was more of a 7-11 store rather than a destination resort.
In these later years, I have had the privilege to visit St.Peter's cathedral, Hagia Sophia, a Sikh Gudwara (in fact several)and the temple/burial place of Mevlani, prophet of the dervishes, in Turkey. Experiencing how people believe and what they are like when they do it, gives me a chance to see the good in others and experience what they have to offer. Doug Millar
by Pat Mason
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to beat the Bible.
There was a time in a Crossways class long ago when we were studying the book of Jeremiah. It suddenly dawned on me that what was written literally may be interpreted spiritually as well.
Things kind of changed for me after that.
New Life
ReplyDeleteHe had done something that he couldn’t live with.
It was past embarrassment,
it was beyond shame.
It was pure pain inside.
So he took on the work.
He took on a physical task,
that was nearly impossible even for him
and he was a strong man.
He pushed himself.
He strained and struggled.
he sweated and grunted.
He yelled and kept at it
until the physical pain
overwhelmed the trouble in his soul,
until his whole being wept in helplessness,
until all of him fell
and there was no more left
no more fight
no more fear.
Finally, he was still.
Only then,
did his friend, his holy man
his spiritual guide
free him from his physical burden.
Only then did he realize
his soul couldn’t carry the load
his past had given him.
Only then did he embrace help.
Only then did he finally
feel free.
Broken and whole.
Old and new.
Emptied and filled.
Born again – through pain – to life.
Note: Books have been a powerful part of my life and my spiritual growth but right away this morning when I read the prompt I thought of a scene from the 1980's movie "The Mission" with Robert Deniro. It is a powerful, beautiful and haunting movie that has an amazing scene about forgiveness, forgiving yourself and grace. It made me think a lot about how sometimes we need to struggle - for our own self - even when grace doesn't require it. This writing is my attempt to capture some of that scene from the movie.
Music:
ReplyDeleteMusic is my path to life: It helps me breathe!
I have been in choirs off and on most of my life but I am really enjoying the choir I am in now. The director can take a piece of music that seems, difficult, non-interesting, etc... and somehow it comes to life and with it comes a spiritual message. The voices are able to capture the words and feelings. I love to hear the voices as if they were direct gifts from God. When I am going through difficult times in my life I find rest in music.
JackieD
A Walking Bibliography
ReplyDeleteby Marlene Obie
I started listing books that have influenced me and couldn't stop. So many are a part of me and have pushed me on down the road of my journey.
The Bible, of course. The Psalms, the encouragement of Isaiah, the Gospels especially.
As a child: Heidi books, Ann of Green Gable Books, Nancy Drew Books
First Self-Help Book- The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale = tipped me in direction of optimism.
Influence on my writing and surviving parenthood with humor:
Everything by Erma Bomback; I Should Have Seen it Coming When the Rabit Died by Theresa Bloomingdale; Who Am I God? & Hold Me Up a Little Longer Lord by Marjorie Holmes
For wisdom on the journey: You Just Don't Understand by Deborah Tanner; Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda by Dr. Arthur Freeman & Rose DeWolf; Passages & Silent Passage by Gail Sheeny; Love & Living, Loving & Learning by Leo Buscalia; The Wall by Gloria Jay Evans
Spiritual Growth: When Bad Things Happen to Good People & When All you Ever Wanted Isn't Enough by Harold Kushner; The Theft of the Spirit by Carl Hammerschlag; Rescuing the Bible From Fundamentalism & Born of Woman by John Shelby Spong; Love, Medicine and Miracles by Bernie Siegel, M.D.; 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness by Greg Anderson; Mary Magdalene-Myth and Metaphor; Illuminata & A Woman's Work & Everyday Grace by Marianne Williamson; Co-Dependent No More & Language of Letting Go & Finding Your Way Home by Melody Beatie;
More trail guides: Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach; The Comfort Queen by Jennifer Louden; Living Juicy & Inspirational Sandwich & Succulent Wild Women by Sark; How You Can Survive When They're Depressed by Anne Sheffield; Growing Old Disgracefully by Angela Martin; I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron; Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish; The Courage to be Yourself by Se Palton Theole; Two Old Women by Velma Wallis
On Writing: Bird by Bird by Ann LaMott; The Artist Way & The Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron,
Aren't you glad you asked?
At first I wrote a list of the books, movies and songs that I loved, but in thinking about them, there is one media piece that has resonated most for me in my life. It is the one that inspired a religious awakening in my 20’s and is (please don’t cringe) believe it or not (gaah, this is embarrassing), the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. I love the UK version and the Broadway version and the movie version. Musicals are a language in itself for me anyway, so of course God would choose a musical to speak to me. A musical of strung out hippies playing the holy week story. One day, I discovered it on my Aunt’s CD player and I became obsessed with it. My sister and I were just wrapping up a vacation to the Lutheran Holyland – Minnesota – and she made a tape of it for me to take home. On the way home, our plane had to make an emergency landing because the landing equipment wasn’t working correctly. I mean, like, there was a chance that our landing gear wouldn’t come down and our plane would – I guess - explode from the friction. All of the passengers were all holding hands and praying across the aisles and we all really thought we were going to die. Though I was terrified at first, the words “To conquer death, you only have to die” from the musical kept going through my head. I realized in that moment that I wasn’t so afraid of dying as I was of watching others die or getting hurt myself. The worst that could happen if I died was that I would go to heaven. I was suddenly at peace. We made the emergency landing and though it was extremely bumpy and we were all braced for impact and the flight attendants kept yelling into the mic, “brace for impact! Brace for impact!” no one was hurt. It was an epiphany for me.
ReplyDeleteLater, in the more experimental portion of my 20’s, I took JC Superstar with me. I had the musical memorized, of course. I took a seasonal job at the Renaissance Faire (in LA – for those of you that are geeks like me, this was with the Living History center and very historically accurate. No druids or unicorns allowed.) I won’t go too far into that little episode of my life, but the funny thing was – with the depth and breadth of religions there – from God, to Ra, to Wiccan, to literally the Devil, e-v-e-r-y one of them knew JC superstar and when one of us would randomly break out into the musical, we would all start fighting over who got to be Mary Magdeline, Judas and Jesus. Somehow that was a language that everyone knew. In later college, when I was a women’s studies major, the musical opened me up to seeing Mary Magdeline as more than just a cool prostitute that Jesus hung out with – she was and is an actual disciple of Jesus, representing one of many women’s stories that are coded within the Bible (Like, Mary & Martha: not just a cute little story about squabbling over housework) It led me explore the Gnostic book of Mary Magdeline and though it sounded a little crazy on the surface, it told me a story about disciples using an ancient Greek philosophy to be able to accept Mary as one of them in order to hear more words of Jesus that he may have said only to her. Now that I have kids, I don’t listen to it as much, though I don’t know why. My tradition use to be that every Good Friday I would watch the musical and sing (among the rest) the part of Judas with special inspiration. Jesus’ story is such a paradox. He had to be betrayed and die on a cross in order to save the world, so in bennefitting from that, I am a Judas too, in a way. A sinner. Though he had to fulfill the prophesy, it involved me and who is to say that I wouldn’t betray or deny Jesus if I was part of the story? I hope not, but I can’t pretend that I am better than anyone else in that story. I want everlasting life in Heaven – even as a robust sinner, but I wish that Jesus didn’t have to go through what he did to get it. In that, I am truly humbled and thankful. “Did you mean to die like that or was that a mistake? Did you know your messy death would be a record breaker?” Time to dust off the ol’ CD…
Anne Lamott and Barbara Brown Taylor have been hugely important for me. Anne Lamott has written that the two prayers she prays most often are simply, "thank you," and, "help." I find those two can get you through quite a lot. - Pastor Katy
ReplyDelete"Take This Bread" by Sara Miles was the final nudge I needed to listen to my call to diaconal leadership in the church. If I started to write about how great Sara Miles is, I might never stop, so please just trust me. Go read this book. Pr. Katy has it might loan it to you. Or I will. Or you could buy it - you wouldn't regret it!
ReplyDelete