Tell me about your good works to help the needy, the broken, and outcasts, and I'll smile and at your efforts.
Introduce me to those very same people you've helped who are your equals, who have been promoted to places above you, who are now your teachers, and I'll know you have served them and not yourself.
There is a difference between ministering to those whom we perceive as less fortunate victims and serving people because they are people... because their humanity, more than their situation, defines them.
The first boosts our egos, the second decreases our ego as we profess... we are equals and yet, I am less without you. We all belong.
I would rather hear about how the lives of those you've helped have changed you and others rather than hear how you have changed them.
Humility and servanthood are the foundation we need to build on, not our individual success stories and our giftedness.
If we define ourselves by the gifts we give, if an expectation of how we should be treated in the future is attached to those very same gifts, then they were not gifts at all, they were payments for future benefits.
Once a gift is given it belongs to the one who received it. The giftor holds no claims to the gift nor claims over the one receiving the gift. It is freely given.
That is the type of gift that is given in love.
The goal of service is not to have others look, act, and believe the exact same way I look, act, and believe.
The goal is for them to love others... no matter what.
It is not about what we do; it is about how we love.
"Freely you have received; freely give." Jesus
Friday, June 16, 2017
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Grace
Grace sometimes looks like the ability to get out of bed and go be with others when all I want to do is hide under the covers.
At other times, grace leads me into a deserted soulful place to be alone so I can get to know myself, when I would rather be with my friends.
And finally, grace is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am loved in solitude and in community.
Grace, the anchor of being; the paradox of entrusting life into the hands of the broken; the jewel of those who breathe.
Life is a gift. I'm slowly learning to believe it; I'm slowly learning to breathe.
At other times, grace leads me into a deserted soulful place to be alone so I can get to know myself, when I would rather be with my friends.
And finally, grace is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am loved in solitude and in community.
Grace, the anchor of being; the paradox of entrusting life into the hands of the broken; the jewel of those who breathe.
Life is a gift. I'm slowly learning to believe it; I'm slowly learning to breathe.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
PRIDE
Certainly, pride can be a downfall, especially if the proud berate, condemn, and degrade those they think are sinful. Of course, that is the ugly side of pride. (Each and every one of us has the potential to fall into that trap.)
However, to me, PRIDE means this:
Authenticity
Courage
Honesty
Acceptance
Freedom
Bravery
Community
Love
I'm not ashamed of who I am. If my choice is to be in a closet, cowering because of judgement from prideful people or be out and proud, I choose to be out; I choose to be me... nothing more or nothing less than who I am.
Pride is only a dirty word if it is used to harm other people. So to those who curse us, we bless you to find love, we bless you to find peace, we bless you to find the commonality of our shared humanity rather than focusing on our differences that cannot be changed.
Love is stronger than hate.
Acceptance is more powerful than condemnation.
Kind words heal what degrading words have wounded.
I'm proud of myself and I'm proud of my community for standing tall... For discarding the shame of the accusers... For being authentic in a hostile culture... For being real.
I'm also proud and thankful for the many gays and lesbians who over the years have fought for the rights of their community. We have every reason to be proud of you. Thank you!
PS I'm also very grateful for all the folks who have stood up for their friends and family members within the LGBT community. We are thankful for you, and we are proud of you, too!
However, to me, PRIDE means this:
Authenticity
Courage
Honesty
Acceptance
Freedom
Bravery
Community
Love
I'm not ashamed of who I am. If my choice is to be in a closet, cowering because of judgement from prideful people or be out and proud, I choose to be out; I choose to be me... nothing more or nothing less than who I am.
Pride is only a dirty word if it is used to harm other people. So to those who curse us, we bless you to find love, we bless you to find peace, we bless you to find the commonality of our shared humanity rather than focusing on our differences that cannot be changed.
Love is stronger than hate.
Acceptance is more powerful than condemnation.
Kind words heal what degrading words have wounded.
I'm proud of myself and I'm proud of my community for standing tall... For discarding the shame of the accusers... For being authentic in a hostile culture... For being real.
I'm also proud and thankful for the many gays and lesbians who over the years have fought for the rights of their community. We have every reason to be proud of you. Thank you!
PS I'm also very grateful for all the folks who have stood up for their friends and family members within the LGBT community. We are thankful for you, and we are proud of you, too!
Sunday, June 11, 2017
My Journey Toward God
I began my journey of religious deconstruction thinking I understood where I was going, how I would get there, and what it and I would look like when I arrived.
I'm still on my journey. I've not arrived.
At times I feel like I look worse now than when I began. It's taken time to realize the deconstruction is just as much within me, as it is in the dismantling of the man-made constructs in which I believed.
On this journey, the realization is dawning on me, that what I thought my was a strong foundation (doctrine of my denomination and aspects of how my tribe did church) was sand, and what I felt was revelatory (eye opening) within this construct, was not...my eyes were, and in areas are still, blind.
The deconstruction of the the way I did church, the way I viewed life, and the way I viewed God, are painful. There is, however, hope as reconstruction occurs, but the process is not merely a recognition of a new truth, it is a reorientation of life in regard to God... Father, Son, Spirit.
Deconstruction is a part of reconstruction. The journey has been filled with joy as well as grief and pain as well as peace. I've had to come to terms with the fact that in all my Christian values, I truly didn't know how to forgive. And if I couldn't forgive, I sure didn't know how to love. I recently was asked been how this process has been for me, my answer struck me as poignant, "It's been a beautiful misery."
This post, for me, is a part of the beautiful misery. It's painful to realize how easily I can co-mingle the way I choose to express my beliefs with who I think God is.
Thankfully, the journey continues. Thankfully, my eyes are being opened one step at a time. Thankfully, God is outside the constructs of my box, and thankfully, he is lovingly beckoning me to pick up my cross and follow him.
I'm still on my journey. I've not arrived.
At times I feel like I look worse now than when I began. It's taken time to realize the deconstruction is just as much within me, as it is in the dismantling of the man-made constructs in which I believed.
On this journey, the realization is dawning on me, that what I thought my was a strong foundation (doctrine of my denomination and aspects of how my tribe did church) was sand, and what I felt was revelatory (eye opening) within this construct, was not...my eyes were, and in areas are still, blind.
The deconstruction of the the way I did church, the way I viewed life, and the way I viewed God, are painful. There is, however, hope as reconstruction occurs, but the process is not merely a recognition of a new truth, it is a reorientation of life in regard to God... Father, Son, Spirit.
Deconstruction is a part of reconstruction. The journey has been filled with joy as well as grief and pain as well as peace. I've had to come to terms with the fact that in all my Christian values, I truly didn't know how to forgive. And if I couldn't forgive, I sure didn't know how to love. I recently was asked been how this process has been for me, my answer struck me as poignant, "It's been a beautiful misery."
This post, for me, is a part of the beautiful misery. It's painful to realize how easily I can co-mingle the way I choose to express my beliefs with who I think God is.
Thankfully, the journey continues. Thankfully, my eyes are being opened one step at a time. Thankfully, God is outside the constructs of my box, and thankfully, he is lovingly beckoning me to pick up my cross and follow him.
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Kindness
One of my favorite things to do over the years has been to watch sappy commercials and movies. And with the advent of the world wide web, I now enjoy watching short, sappy video clips. And yes, from my youngest days until now, and for probably for the rest of my life, I will cry when I watch them.
For a long time I was embarrassed by my tears, and if anybody else was around, I would covertly try to hide them. The longer I live, the less I care if others see those pesky, salty droplets rolling down my face. Because... when I watch people deliberately show kindness, that is either spontaneous or well thought out, my heart jumps, it grows, it cries, and everything in me says, "This is what life is all about!"
In that split second, when we are kind to another person, or animal, or even to nature, we show ourselves, not only to be the best we can be, but we show that connection to one another matters. People matter. Animals matter. Creation matters. We are interrelated in the most incredible ways.
Community happens and is fused together by intentional acts of kindness. It is a tribute to life, to love, and it marks our place in the universe. I honestly think that kindness has the ability to change everything.
I have learned that the seemingly littlest act of kindness can produce the largest change. So I want to be kind. I want to love well. I want to be so intentional about those things that I would be more amazed that they don't happen than I am when they do happen.
When I see kindness in real life or through the media, I hope and pray that my heart and soul takes note of the intentionality I've witnessed in others and I follow their lead. In following, I need to remind myself that intentionality of the heart begins with a decision. So today I will be kind. Today I will make a difference in someone's day.
I can guarantee you as kindness happens in and around me, my tears will flow. And I can also tell you that when that happens, I will feel no shame about it. I hope my tears water the hard places of my heart so that kindness will continue to grow.
If kindness is the smile on the face of life, I want to share it; I want to see others share it. Today, let's see how we can change the world with our acts of kindness. I want to hear your stories. They inspire me to risk, to grow, and to be kind.
For a long time I was embarrassed by my tears, and if anybody else was around, I would covertly try to hide them. The longer I live, the less I care if others see those pesky, salty droplets rolling down my face. Because... when I watch people deliberately show kindness, that is either spontaneous or well thought out, my heart jumps, it grows, it cries, and everything in me says, "This is what life is all about!"
In that split second, when we are kind to another person, or animal, or even to nature, we show ourselves, not only to be the best we can be, but we show that connection to one another matters. People matter. Animals matter. Creation matters. We are interrelated in the most incredible ways.
Community happens and is fused together by intentional acts of kindness. It is a tribute to life, to love, and it marks our place in the universe. I honestly think that kindness has the ability to change everything.
I have learned that the seemingly littlest act of kindness can produce the largest change. So I want to be kind. I want to love well. I want to be so intentional about those things that I would be more amazed that they don't happen than I am when they do happen.
When I see kindness in real life or through the media, I hope and pray that my heart and soul takes note of the intentionality I've witnessed in others and I follow their lead. In following, I need to remind myself that intentionality of the heart begins with a decision. So today I will be kind. Today I will make a difference in someone's day.
I can guarantee you as kindness happens in and around me, my tears will flow. And I can also tell you that when that happens, I will feel no shame about it. I hope my tears water the hard places of my heart so that kindness will continue to grow.
If kindness is the smile on the face of life, I want to share it; I want to see others share it. Today, let's see how we can change the world with our acts of kindness. I want to hear your stories. They inspire me to risk, to grow, and to be kind.
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