I am learning that it takes time to see God's glory. It is always there, but when I write I tend to look for it more. And so I write this blog. It's simple, thoughtful and a glimpse of the journey I'm on. I enjoy hearing your ideas, so comment freely. Love, Lindsay
Thomas Moore : To live ordinary life artfully is to have this sensibility about the things in daily life, to live more intuitively and to be willing to surrender a measure of our rationality and control in return for gifts of the soul.
::: A nice run on the dew-covered golf course ::: Panera bagels with another Linsey ::: And now a quiet house to myself to settle into the learning of human anatomy
I'm going to start studying and I'll leave you with a few photos from my trip to Martha's Bloomers Garden Shop in Navasota, TX on Sunday and the lyrics to Feeling Good by Nina Simone.
Birds flying high You know how I feel Sun in the sky You know how I feel Reeds driftin' on by You know how I feel It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good
Fish in the sea You know how I feel River running free You know how I feel Blossom in the tree You know how I feel It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean Sleep in peace when the day is done And this old world is a new world And a bold world For me
Stars when you shine You know how I feel Scent of the pine You know how I feel Yeah freedom is mine And I know how I feel It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me
And I'm feeling good
We had a little tea celebrating an upcoming wedding.
There's something about mornings. I hopped up, washed some blueberries and brewed some fresh coffee. I love how the simple things seem to bring so much pleasure this time of day. You are looking at the last little bit of yellow paint left in the upstairs living area. After moving home, I decided it was time to make this area a little calmer. With the help of my momma and a very dear friend, it is almost complete! It just feels so good to breathe deep and enjoy my new surroundings. Today will be filled with filing and learning a little more anatomy. I don't mind one bit because I'm learning that everything can be good when my heart is joyful.
I'll leave you with a Tuesday theme song...enjoy.
I just looked back at a post I wrote on July 4 of last year and it is ironically entitled A New Day.(Click here) I could share all the ways I've seen God bring some things I mentioned in the post to fruition, but I'll just simply tell you that most of the people in that photograph, God has used to bring deep joy and abundance to my life.
Here I am. Back at my desk for some more study time. This morning has been beautiful and it's only 10:45. ::: waking up to summer sunshine ::: a crunchy bowl of grainy cereal. delicious. ::: dancing at the gym to 'footloose' and various other upbeat tunes ::: mailing a dear friend's shower invitations at the local post office ::: cutting zinnias from my momma's garden
It's been a fuscia kind of morning. I've been thinking about something new. God keeps bringing this concept up in little ways. Have you ever thought about what our hope truly is as believers in Christ? I have peace that there is deep hope in the grace and power of Christ, but it is still a deep mystery to me. I find little if any peace in the old adage...Jesus is the only way. I'm not saying it's false, but what is this way that Jesus has figured out better than anyone? What is our hope as followers of Jesus? Where are we following Him?
Here is an exerpt from the book Surprised by hope that I've been reading.
We should recall in particular that the use of the word heaven to denote the ultimate goal of the redeemed, though of course hugely popularized by medieval and subsequent piety, is severely misleading and does not begin to do justice to the Christian hope. I am repeatedly frustrated by how hard it is to get this point through the thick wall of traditional thought and language that most Christians put up. The ultimate destination is not "going to heaven when you die" but being bodily raised into the transformed, glorious likeness of Jesus Christ. (The point of all this is not, of course, merely our own happy future, important though that is, but the glory of God was we come fully to reflect his image.) Thus, if we want to speak of "going to heaven when we die," we should be clear that this represents the first, and far less important, stage of a two-stage process. Resurrection isn't life after death; it is life after life after death.
Also, my friend and I were talking about this concept a few days ago and she came across this excerpt in a book she is reading called Religiously Transmitted Diseases
Contrary to what many think, God isn't trying to get us to heaven. According to Scripture, eternity is spent here, on planet Earth. God's intent has always been to eventually come here to live in His creation. In the end, heaven actually comes to earth (Revelation 21). Yes, believers who die now go to heaven, but heaven is not the point. Earth is.
I'll leave you with her thoughts on the matter,
I thought it was good timing. This is the first pastor I've heard speak about this.....maybe ever. I knew it to be true, but I've just never heard someone speak about it......especially 2 days in a row!
This morning, I just want to share a paragraph from N.T. Wright's recent book, Surprised by Hope.
It is, I believe, part of being made in God's image that we are ourselves creators or at least procreators. The extraordinary ability to bring forth new life, supremely of course through begetting children but in millions of other ways as well, is central to the mandate the human race receives in Genesis 1 and 2. To make sense of and celebrate a beautiful world through the production of artifacts that are themselves beautiful is part of the call to be stewards of creation, as was Adam's naming of the animals. Genuine art is thus itself a response to the beauty of creation, which itself is a pointer to the beauty of God.
Yesterday I mentioned that God has great purposes for our imagination. Today I'll share a little more on the topic. I found an exert in the Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard that intrigued me.
There are ways in which we may present God to others, as well as ways by which we individually may seek to fill our minds with him. Through them, the lovely God wins the love of the disciple. He comes to us (1)Through His creation, (2) through his public acts on the scene of human history, (3) though individual experiences of him by ourselves and others.
Now in light of Dallas's suggestion that God comes to us through His creation, take a look at the first definition of art in the American Heritage Dictionary.
Art:Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.
We normally say that God relates to us through God’s power of love, of compassion and so on -- and of course that is true. But if imagination is the capacity to envision the existence of something that does not yet exist -- the clearest instance of this being the artistic imagination -- then it makes sense to speak also of the divine imagination.
The author goes on to remind the reader of God's incredible imagination throughout human history...guiding some runaway slaves through the desert, establishing Israel despite seemingly insurmountable enemies, the incarnation of God in human flesh, the destruction of death's finality and the inclusion of gentiles into the Abrahamic covenant. All of these are examples of God imagining and setting into motion those things which were inconceivable beyond even our wildest stretch of the imagination. If we are faithful readers of the stories of these imaginative acts, we will find our own imaginations expanded and transformed. Thus scripture claims us and gradually forms us into a new people.
In light of all these bits of information, I cannot help but believe that the capacity I have to imagine is from the same part of me that is able to believe God for better. I guess you would call that faith.
Faith: Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. (American Heritage Dictionary) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Recall from yesterday our definition of imagination...The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind. If art is the human effort to imitate nature and God is the creator of nature, then art is the human effort to imitate God. As we seek to imitate God, we can do so fully as we engage our own imagination in the creative process. Our creations will produce beauty to the extent that they respond faithfully to the imaginative power of God.
Take some time to glimpse at the creation around you. Try your hand at expressing a response. The east Texas pine trees always remind me of God's faithfulness somehow. Their height makes my jaw drop every time I stand under them and look up. He is awesomely creative.
The next few days, I'm planning to share some thoughts on imagination. This has been a recurring theme in my daily life lately and I've decide to camp on this idea a bit.
Let's start with definitions.
Imagination: The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness: handled the problems with great imagination. or The formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses.
Take a look at this next definition...
Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. or reverential awe, esp. toward God.
A teacher of mine recently pointed out that "fear is the misuse of God's gift of imagination." Perhaps even the Biblical mandate to fear God is an encouragement to renew this part of our mind that may be overcome by fear of evil.
So over the next few days, I'm going to share some things I've found on these topics
1. Art and imagination 2. A political imagination in view of real politics 3. Imagining in response to biblical texts 4. Communities; what could they look like?
As per requested, here is a photo of the wallpaper in my room currently. I have edited the image and created some alternative looks. Can you guess which one is the real wallpaper? What do you think of the black plaid Stephanie? As I mentioned in a previous blog, I'm ready to move on from the florals of my younger years. I'm still searching for inspiration and time.
A list of things I'm going to do today and maybe you can pick up a few ideas... 1. drink a hot cup of coffee 2. Read a chapter of Jesus for President 3. Take my first Texas Woman's PT exam online...wish me luck! 4. Try to figure out how to make a gratitude wrap 5. Do a little pilates or walk around the block 6. Await a call from a certain friend who is quite pregnant and due any day now
Independence Day Celebration in Centre Square, Philadelphia, a depiction of the celebrations of July 4th 1819, painted in 1819 by John Lewis Krimmel
In the concluding paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, you can see that our forefathers were in fact a little fed up with Great Britain. The king didn't let the colonies make any laws, they made smelly soldiers sleep in their beds and eat all their food. After a litany of complaints against the crown, here's the concluding statement.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
It's interesting to think about what our lives would be like if they hadn't broken from the rule of the British king. Would you want smelly foreign soldiers sleeping in your bed?
Do you ever think about what it means to be a citizen of a nation? Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if we were known as the Clump of British States (AKA CBS)? It doesn't sound near as impressive as the United States of America and we wouldn't get to watch beautiful fireworks tonight. I guess my point is that what each of us chooses to be allegiant to effects our very way of life.
I've been wondering lately what it means to be allegiant to God's Kingdom right here in everyday life.
There are a million conflicting messages out there that preach everything from violence for peace to consumerism equals love. The one thing I do know is that Jesus is real and the love of my life, but as many of you married women know...I'm still trying to figure Him out. Just because I'm in love with Him doesn't mean I fully understand Him, it just means that I trust Him.
I'll leave you with this verse. Let me know what you're thinking.
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"
"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"
Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of the truth listens to me."
"What is truth?" retorted Pilate......
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."
When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out..."Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews......
"We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.
John 18:33-38, 19:12-15
Enjoy your holiday today. Pray for the oppressed and enjoy the people in your life.
Meet Gracie. She moved in a couple of years ago and has been a good addition. Sometimes she forgets to brush her hair and we have to remind her that personal grooming is important. She is about to move to College Station with my sister and she will be missed, but she will be back on all the Texas A&M Student holidays. Enjoy your day and don't forget to brush your hair.
This stack of books can seem daunting to say the least. But don't be too impressed they contain a lot of overlapping information formatted in different ways. I'm not going to Harvard, just a little school up I-45. I'm facing my mid-term for the online anatomy class I'm taking through Texas Woman's and I'm questioning if I'm adequately prepared. This morning Beth had a little wisdom to share with me.
Repetition and deliberate practice of recollection are vital if we want to retain God's Word to abide and remain a storehouse of riches in us long after we conclude our study.
Beth was speaking to studying the Bible, but it gave me a fresh encouragement as I face this stack of books. If I am going to be able to use this knowledge ten years down the road, I need to start recalling it now. I tend to read and reorganize and outline until my face is blue, but I bet a little practice in recall would go a long way.
