It's Maundy Thursday. The day of the Last Supper. We're winding down. For a minute, I thought 'cool, it's almost here'. Then I remembered what 'it' was... It's sad - the beating, the crucifixion, the dying... We have to go through all that to get to Sunday - the good part. The awakening, the resurrecting, the redemption - the joy.
I remember a drama I saw in church once, where the devil was running around all creepy like in a black hood, jingling his keys - and the narrator kept saying - it's Friday - but Sunday's coming. Maybe it's a Carman song. Yeah, I think so.
Anyway, it's been good to read the devotionals, to (attempt to) be mindful of what this season means.
Tomorrow I get to attend a Good Friday Service and a Seder (a traditional Jewish passover meal). I think there will be meat at the Seder, but it's ok, it's the last night, and we will be remembering Jesus's last meal. I have never attended a Seder before, and I've always wanted to. I could go to my Jewish friend's family's but it's on Saturday and I'd miss church, so I will have to try for next year.
Here's a quote from Bob Goff - that man knows a lot about love:
@bobgoff If someone were planning to kill me, I wouldn't have my last dinner with them. Love somehow does.
God is good. This week has been trying, but I know that He is faithful, and I know that Sunday's coming.
Amen and amen,
t.
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Lent - continued...
It's been exactly a month since my last post - I suck at daily writing...
I am doing Lent, though.
Finished my book - Francis Chan's Forgotten God. Deep stuff. A lot like his other book - Crazy Love - which i highly recommend. I wanna have the guts to live radically for God. I've been asking for more stuff lately - not material stuff (for me anyways) - but more insight, discernment, leading by the Holy Spirit. And waiting expectantly... It's the listening part that I have a hard time with. I pray, and then I do - when I should just wait...
Still reading the daily Lent devotional on You Version. Very good. Thinking about starting another reading plan as soon as this is over...
Hitting the knees at least in the morning or at night. Today I got a major head rush when I stood up, though. Gotta watch that before eating. :)
Fasting: I kinda suck at this, too. Wait, not really... I've been sticking to the 'no meat on Fridays' deal - except one dinner, two weeks ago... and it was a judgement call - I was just dropping by someone's house, and they had the table all set, and invited me to stay - I felt like I should, and so accepted. Because of this quote & Matthew 6:16-18.
(of course that brings to mind - why am I writing this at all? Well, for one thing, no one really reads it...)
Here's the quote (it's from the website mentioned on the Ash Wednesday post).
Let humility be your guide. Resist the temptation to explain that you are fasting and so refuse. If you can politely refuse without hurting the person's feelings, then do so. But if someone has prepared something for you to bless you (a special desert at the end of a meal, cookies for a visit, or a big steak dinner right after you gave up meat), then perhaps the more humble response is to accept gratefully. After all, the point of Lent is not the elimination of a specific food, it is sacrifice. Sometimes the greater sacrifice is to give up the idea of a perfect day of fasting for the sake of another.
But it is also supposed to be more than just avoiding meat - it's supposed to be about eating less. And I am no good at that.
On the upside, I've been cooking a lot of vegetarian and gluten free meals. The better to take care of this temple with, my dear.
peace & love,
tc
I am doing Lent, though.
Finished my book - Francis Chan's Forgotten God. Deep stuff. A lot like his other book - Crazy Love - which i highly recommend. I wanna have the guts to live radically for God. I've been asking for more stuff lately - not material stuff (for me anyways) - but more insight, discernment, leading by the Holy Spirit. And waiting expectantly... It's the listening part that I have a hard time with. I pray, and then I do - when I should just wait...
Still reading the daily Lent devotional on You Version. Very good. Thinking about starting another reading plan as soon as this is over...
Hitting the knees at least in the morning or at night. Today I got a major head rush when I stood up, though. Gotta watch that before eating. :)
Fasting: I kinda suck at this, too. Wait, not really... I've been sticking to the 'no meat on Fridays' deal - except one dinner, two weeks ago... and it was a judgement call - I was just dropping by someone's house, and they had the table all set, and invited me to stay - I felt like I should, and so accepted. Because of this quote & Matthew 6:16-18.
(of course that brings to mind - why am I writing this at all? Well, for one thing, no one really reads it...)
Here's the quote (it's from the website mentioned on the Ash Wednesday post).
Let humility be your guide. Resist the temptation to explain that you are fasting and so refuse. If you can politely refuse without hurting the person's feelings, then do so. But if someone has prepared something for you to bless you (a special desert at the end of a meal, cookies for a visit, or a big steak dinner right after you gave up meat), then perhaps the more humble response is to accept gratefully. After all, the point of Lent is not the elimination of a specific food, it is sacrifice. Sometimes the greater sacrifice is to give up the idea of a perfect day of fasting for the sake of another.
But it is also supposed to be more than just avoiding meat - it's supposed to be about eating less. And I am no good at that.
On the upside, I've been cooking a lot of vegetarian and gluten free meals. The better to take care of this temple with, my dear.
peace & love,
tc
Monday, February 27, 2012
Lent - Day (whatever)
OK, so I'm not sure which day it is. Thinking it doesn't really matter. I'm in a season, and here I will stay - until Easter...
I'm hanging in:
- no meat on Friday
that was easy.
- reading daily
OK, I could do more, but Thank God for that You Bible reminder on my phone!
- hitting my knees
It's awesome the things you (re-)learn from new Christians. Be diligent with your prayer life, get on your knees daily. It's such a good place to be.
- listening
It seems like everything I hear/read these days has to do with listening. We (I) really need to listen. Quiet, mind of mine! Be still and listen...
I read this today on Donald Miller's blog:
http://donmilleris.com/2012/02/27/the-dance-toward-god/
God bestows three blessings on man: to feed him like the birds, dress him like the flowers, and befriend him as a confidant. Too many take the first two and neglect the last.
Life is a dance toward God. And the dance is not so graceful as we might think. For a while we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes. He lowers His head, whispers soft and confident, “You will dance to the beat of ‘Amazing Grace’ or you will not dance at all.” So we learn to dance with the One who made us. And it is a taxing dance to learn.
But once learned, don’t we glide. And don’t we sway. And don’t we bury our head in His chest. And don’t we love to dance.
peace & love, tc
I'm hanging in:
- no meat on Friday
that was easy.
- reading daily
OK, I could do more, but Thank God for that You Bible reminder on my phone!
- hitting my knees
It's awesome the things you (re-)learn from new Christians. Be diligent with your prayer life, get on your knees daily. It's such a good place to be.
- listening
It seems like everything I hear/read these days has to do with listening. We (I) really need to listen. Quiet, mind of mine! Be still and listen...
I read this today on Donald Miller's blog:
http://donmilleris.com/2012/02/27/the-dance-toward-god/
God bestows three blessings on man: to feed him like the birds, dress him like the flowers, and befriend him as a confidant. Too many take the first two and neglect the last.
Life is a dance toward God. And the dance is not so graceful as we might think. For a while we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes. He lowers His head, whispers soft and confident, “You will dance to the beat of ‘Amazing Grace’ or you will not dance at all.” So we learn to dance with the One who made us. And it is a taxing dance to learn.
But once learned, don’t we glide. And don’t we sway. And don’t we bury our head in His chest. And don’t we love to dance.
peace & love, tc
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Lent - Day 2
Day 1 - I failed on my reading goal for Forgotten God - didn't even open it. :-( sad.
I did not eat meat. Yay!
I read the Word. Yay!
Day 2 - Made up for the reading at lunch time.
I'm really liking the ideas in this devotional - especially this suggested fast:
Days: Leave it all behind: leave junk food, TV, cars, noise, and all the media and messages of the culture. Pack the very minimum (water, warm clothes, etc.) and find a trail, a mountain, or a beach, and feast on God.
Now, to find a free day with which to do so...
http://www.imby.net/easter/fast.html#other
peace & love,
tc
I did not eat meat. Yay!
I read the Word. Yay!
Day 2 - Made up for the reading at lunch time.
I'm really liking the ideas in this devotional - especially this suggested fast:
Days: Leave it all behind: leave junk food, TV, cars, noise, and all the media and messages of the culture. Pack the very minimum (water, warm clothes, etc.) and find a trail, a mountain, or a beach, and feast on God.
Now, to find a free day with which to do so...
http://www.imby.net/easter/fast.html#other
peace & love,
tc
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