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Pastor Wayne Braudrick was teaching today about Epaphras and his example as a servant of God. He included a paragraph out of Reclaiming God's Original Intent for the Church. I was challenged to re-examine my mindset as I work in ministry:
"Do you see how far we have drifted from the Lord's calling for disciples? There is a great difference between a volunteer and a bond-servant. A volunteer gets to set her own schedule. A volunteer calls his own shots. A volunteer comes and goes as she pleases. A volunteer gets to be his own boss. But a bond-servant has a Lord. Jesus never told us to go and recruit volunteers - he told us to go and make disciples. He doesn't call us to pitch in - he calls us to surrender all as we work together in his church." Wes Roberts & Glenn Marshall
For one who has found, to her dismay, that she has expensive tastes it's nice to slow down and enjoy simpler pleasures. (Ha! for those of you who thought I'd just stand on a soap box all day).
A trip to the party store with a roomie and a stop at Starbucks on the way home.
Keeping another roomie company while she irons and talking about family and childhood memories.
Writing down three new quotes for the Bonsai House quote book.
Cooking. I find I enjoy this very much :)
Orchids. I love these flowers! Hoping the yo-yo TX weather doesn't kill them.
The hope of yet another snowfall. Will we wake up next morning to a white wonderland?
Appreciating the hard-working coworkers around me. Especially when their absence is felt!
Puddle-jumping! Wish I had rain boots. Although last summer roomies and I just went bare foot and played in the storm.
Reading a good book. I recently went to a bookstore with a friend and she pointed out several novels I've not read yet. I'm excited to find new friends in these books!
I purchased A Year with C. S. Lewis a few days ago. I really like it!
His writing on theology resonated with me. I'm concerned that we, the church, are edging away from solid theology in favor of the emotion of the moment, and whatever flashy teaching hold our attention longest. Now, I like both songs with feeling and well crafted sermons. So I'm not completely knocking them :)
Is it just me, or do we avoid examining the theology of some of our songs and teaching? Saying, "It's legalistic. And besides, theology is boring, dry and unimportant." I think some theology is boring too! But I'm beginning to understand the danger of accepting just anything that strikes a chord in our hearts without examining it first. I'm becoming more thankful for those who have taken on the arduous task of writing down just what we do believe.
"Now, Theology is like the map...Doctrines are not God: they are only a kind of map. But that map is based on the experiences of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God - experiences compared with which any thrills or pious feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused. An secondly, if you want to get any further, you must use the map. You see, what happened to the man in the desert may have been real, and was certainly exciting, but nothing comes of it. It leads nowhere. There is nothing to do about it. In fact, that is just why a vague religion - all about feeling God in nature, and so on - is so attractive. It is all thrills and no work: like watching the waves from the beach. But you will not get to Newfoundland by studying the Atlantic that way, and you will not get eternal life by simply feeling the presence of God in flowers or music. Neither will you get anywhere by looking at maps without going to sea. Nor will you be very safe if you go to sea without a map." -- From Mere Christianity
I've pretty much decided that sorbet in a tropical flavor is better than ice cream. Tonight I'm enjoying mango frozen goodness. A result of a late night run to the store with roommates. We've discovered that sugar takes approximately 10 min to reach the blood stream and work its magic. I've fond memories of a game of Life that got out of hand after we had too much dessert. Roomie S. promptly took advantage of the situation to rob the rest of us blind. Winning the game by an absurd amount of income. It was lovely.
Another C. S. Lewis quote, for the fun of it:
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) “I was wondering — I mean — could there be some mistake? Because nobody called me and Scrubb, you know. It was we who asked to come here.” “You would not have called [M]e unless I had been calling you.” (The Silver Chair)
I read on Dorinda's blog that it's been 7 months since I posted. Tonight I choose to post a couple of quotes from C.S. Lewis. After reading several paragraphs from his books, I have a renewed respect for the late author. The depth, beauty and ready whit of his writings is like a breath of fresh air in the smog of mediocre scribblings.
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."
(The Four Loves)
"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."
"I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity."
"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become."
[Ten points to whoever can tell me what song I have stuck in my head - above.]I'm enjoying a rare, quiet, Sunday afternoon. This holiday weekend has been full of all sorts of things: girls' day out, dress "shopping", watermellon, Starbucks four times in two days, Johnny Carinos, fireworks, Sahara, family, and a nap! I'm amazed my mind slowed down enough for that final item. I can't remember the last time I was able to sleep in the middle of the day. The next three+ weeks will continue to be packed. The current School of Discipleship year is ending, and I'm gearing up for the next. It's an odd time of year that finds me with each foot planted in two separate classes. I've been reminded of God's mercy: He doesn't show us too far into the future. I would have flipped out if I knew about everything He's kept in store for me. But I'm grateful He doesn't allow me to become stagnant. I'm enjoyed making time to get to know a few "new" ladies at GFA - and amazed that it actually worked out! And in spite of how busy I am, I'm relieved that I'm not abandoning my close friends entirely.
I've got a couple hours before our prayer meeting. Tried to take a nap once I got home but that's usually a challenge. At least I got to rest for an hour. I hope to last as long as I can, however it tends to be rare that I can make it all the way through. Looking forward to hearing a little bit more about the recent India trip my roommates went on.
This week has had its ups and downs. It felt good to be caught up with work, although for some reason Wed and Thurs felt like a Friday. Probably because I wasn't sleeping well.
I enjoyed going to Starbucks last night with a roommate for a little "down time". I had a new book to read (fiction) for the first time in ages. I promptly dove in and was done by midnight. Speed reading is awesome!
The next few days will be crammed full: house cleaning and shopping tomorrow afternoon. School of Discipleship movie night after that. Sunday I get to go to coffee w/ a friend. We figured out it's been six months since we've gone out! Way too long. Unfortunately it's usually my schedule that makes it difficult. Monday is a breather night. Tuesday is prayer meeting, Wednesday is house devotions, Thursday my parents are in town (!!!!!) so I'll be visiting with them, Friday is a GFA movie night and Saturday is cleaning, shopping and S of D activity again, Sunday I hope to squeeze in more time with my parents before they leave. *Whew* Crazy days.
