Writing Tunes

I've been working on a few writing projects lately. For whatever reason, I can write way better when this song is playing. A musical muse?...Haha!

Worship

And if you want a little worship.. ;)

How Great

I'll will post and re-post this for the rest of my days. I gave up on God notion a few years back, but it was science that actually brought me back. Magic in the physical, all over the place!!! The other thing this video does for me is remind me that there is always HOPE...and that I want to be an agent of that hope come what may.

For Once...

...I'd like to see people suggesting a new idea actually do it without turning it into an "us vs. them" scenario. They'll instantly lose potential assistance because of a feeling of disrespect. Why do people have to do that???...to build a team??...to make sure the need is appreciated??...maybe an insecurity thing?? Hmm.

Spring of Life

Dr. Schaefer

I was so disappointed that I missed Dr. Schaefer's lecture at Bethel University yesterday. Oh my...that must have been interesting. Leave it to youtube, though...not the same, but some interesting lectures for sure! Here's a piece of one.

Brennan's Sermon

This kind man is the mystic's priest. Such a tender soul. 5:30-7:30ish ROCKS MY WORLD. The Christianity that is NOT a religion. Pure gold.

Tall Girl

If you are a tall girl, you'll understand!!! Hahahahahahaha! It's so perplexing sometimes! I never go up to "short" people and go on and on... 'Tis the curse of the Amazon. But, hey, we make it look good. ;)

Smile from your Soul

Time to remember to live deeper. I'm aware of how much our circumstances tend to be our reality. If things are going well, we're happy. If not, depressed. What a roller coaster!!...Happiness dependent on the moment.

There's a deep ocean underneath all of that, though...the well of the soul. The heart that defines humanity. It's the place of the still waters as opposed to the "storm-tossed". And, depending on our surrender to Goodness, it is the place of Life. "The glory of God is man FULLY alive."

I wonder how daring we are to access it more...to live fully quenched from that spring. Full of peace, hope, joy, love...permeating whatever else...

It requires a "letting go"...a "leaning in"...a life in the mystery.

Fewer facades of control...less fear, less insecurity...the real you...priceless...

A smile from that soul is irresistible.

Attraversiamo

For the Ladies ONLY

You'll see... ;)

KAH Meals

Saw this post on the Kids Against Hunger Facebook page this morning:


"We are hoping to hear that there wasn't much damage from last night's earthquake in Haiti. Last week Kids Against Hunger shipped 1,425,000 meals to Haiti. Since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Kids Against Hunger, with the help of the US Navy, has shipped more than 41 Million meals to Haiti."


41 million meals!!!! That's phenomenal! If you've helped pack food at the Cambridge satellite, you've been a part of this! People living BIGGER stories for others!!!

Achilles' Heel

We are only as strong as our weaknesses allow. The degree we are mastered by our insecurities, offenses and wounds directly relates to our successes in our true callings. Being driven by them turns a life-journey inward...making us subject to our own filling. The life of an addict, really...

It's inverted. It's less-than-human living.

By original design we were made to live connected to the Divine...not simply through belief, but through relationship. The life received in that interchange strengthens, forgives, heals...FILLS us to overflowing. It's the "With-God" life...one that upon filling turns outward.

I've been thinking about it a great deal in terms of my own strength...my own destiny. But, I've also been considering it for my job, my other involvements, life beyond my yard... I wonder how much I am...we are...living/leading from places we shouldn't...and what ends we are creating because of it.

It makes me pause...

Give Me Faith

Rev

Well, this is going to be interesting. The political season is revving up. Caucus meetings, endorsing conventions, fair booths, door-knocking...busy times. What I'm dreading, though, is the dishonor. There is HUGE potential for people who have stood by each other on the same 'team' to become suddenly against each other for the position or power. It gets messy...and it makes me so sad.

Honestly, I have to admit that I tend to vote consistent with whom I feel has been the most honorable. Who has played fair. That integrity, even if I don't see things exactly the same on all the issues, will emerge and drive their service. I respect that.

Here we go...

Who Knew

Haha! An oldie but goody! I can always count on P!nk for a little honesty. ;) After 2:30, she lets loose. Love it.

 

Hard on Us

(Note...this one is going to get me in BIG trouble...hehe.)

Hmm...I've noticed that I tend to be hardest on a particular group of people. A place of apparent critique. I literally want to designate a spot on a wall to bang my head in frustration sometimes.

It's a "love/hate" thing really...because they are some my own "kind"...the "Jesus" people. ;)

I can't stand the small stories. Here we are invited into the grandest, eternal story EVER written (and being written), but we often choose a self-focused story that turns our own front yards into the "whole world". Destiny fueled by the deepest and richest identity could be the reality we know and release, but we choose boring copies of less-than-ideal lives of the people next door.

Some create little boxes and systems for God and faith...all so we can feel safe and secure in a risky world. We spread that "gospel" which seems to offer fear (or denial) more than hope. We embrace lifeless legalism and intend to force the world into a mold so we can feel better about our own prideful existence.

On the other extreme, we choose a lifeless lack of discipline and call it "true grace and freedom". We do whatever we want, not acknowledging that the good Father actually calls us to a Him-fed holiness. Any challenge or accountability is an "abuse of authority". "I'm going to get drunk, get it on with whoever, leech the world of whatever I want...but, hey, I'm a Christian and we know the 'truth'!" Umm...

We love our Golden Rule to "Love our neighbors as ourselves"...and we love to criticize others for how absent of love they are...but we build complexes to ourselves instead of feeding starving children, saving people from slavery, taking care of nature, helping the poor and homeless...making the difference we could as people who love the compassionate Jesus.

And we are the people that say that we have a relationship with the Divine Love!

Sigh, sigh, sigh...do we even understand how hypocritical we are??? A world that's watching sees it clearly...

Deep breaths.

But, I guess it's true that humanity is humanity. All of us, regardless of creed, can live less-than-human lives. And for whatever reason...regardless of our "Ick"...we still are the desires of God's heart. He takes us as we are and helps us "become". That's a messy journey...so why would I expect anything different than a messy faith and messy people? He is gracious with us, so maybe I should be a bit more kind as well...

Patience, Sarah, Patience...because truly, I'm in this boat too. And how could I not? My acceptance of Jesus' love didn't result in instant perfection...but I have to say...it did result in instant, transforming relationship. The POTENTIAL is there for all of us...if we choose it! Stepping into true love IS a release into life-changing, box-exploding, eternal reality...if we choose it!! A core identity that expresses destiny...

Oh how I wish we would embrace it more deeply and consistently...because maybe, just maybe...the ones who say they love Jesus could really live loving lives in the wide-open spaces with Jesus every day.

I'd like the "watching" to see that...

Somewhere

This one is for my parents who are returning from Hawaii soon. :) It's also one of my life theme songs...because there's always so much hope!!! :)

Only Love

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.

When I read this quote this morning, a few situations instantly came to mind. Some within the church at-large. Some within the political realm. It's so interesting how pride (whether religious or secular, conservative or liberal) gives people such permission for hate-mongering. Whew...not attractive in the least. AND...not contributing to real change remotely.


Having opinions is one thing, and it's not inappropriate to stand up for what's right. Look at Martin Luther King. Doing so without compassion and humility, though, is completely counter-productive. It actually fuels the rage.

...and in my opinion...it's inexcusable. 

Power of Presence in Repentance

I had an interesting experience the other day with facing a sin. Bitterness, to be specific. (Over the years, it's been one of my struggles.) I knew that God was inviting me to stop for a moment...to enter the stillness...and enter into repentance.

I, of course, have been a bit hesitant for some time because I want explanations and answers before being willing to part with the sentiment. (Justification can be a great, but unhealthy, self-defense.) What I felt more powerfully this time, though, was a desire to be free of the prison I was feeling. So I decided to throw caution to the wind, and I stepped in...

Specifically, I sat in a few verses for a while. The story of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her hair. More than just reading it...I put myself in the situation. I decided to experience Christ in the moment...mine in hers. I don't know what was in the heart of the woman as she washed His feet. I imagine that sorrow was among them. So, I made myself the woman....but in my position of hurt and subsequent bitterness. (Sin, I find, is usually about something deeper...a broken heart.)

In His Presence, it became easier to give him the situation, the pain, the loss...and to open myself to receive His love and forgiveness.

Even more, though, He told me to read the last verse of that story. It ends with "Go forth in peace!". In addition to forgiveness, He released me into His powerful shalom-peace. His wholeness, His health, His harmony. And then, He got up and started to walk forward...beckoning me along with a wink and a smile. (Seriously, Jesus is so...amazing.)

I found myself surprised that He wasn't keeping me there to beat up on me a bit or review all my problems. We entered the power of His presence, honestly laid things out there, and shared profound and releasing peace.

Now, it's just an issue of remembering! When the feelings return or when I run into those involved, I actually can access His presence and become an agent of His peace. It'll be a challenge in the beginning, I'm sure, but it will actually be POSSIBLE.

That's the power of Presence...

Power of Presence

There's one truth that has stood out to me in this month of "Be Still and Know that I am God" at church. Simply put...it's the power of Presence. Taking the time...even a few minutes...to still the heart really can usher a person into an encounter with His Presence. And THAT'S "quality time"...the kind that transforms...

One of my new-found friends was talking about a serious loss that she has experienced. The pain was and still can be so overwhelming. She started to talk about something that she has found in the journey, and it really struck me. The overwhelming experience...the helplessness, the loneliness...has often left her with a desperation for God. Even though she finds herself questioning Him sometimes, what she finds more...what she finds His answer to be...is His Presence. It immerses her in peace and delight...and as the journey out of grief has progressed, she has found that she is continuing this entrance into stillness. The difference is that it's not always out of desperation. Now, it is birthed from a place of desire. Not only does she continue to find peace, but the Presence is releasing her into more "becoming".

In this adventure, whether in loss or in victory, there is great power in Presence...in stopping, in quieting, in accepting the invitation...to so much more of Him in the "here and now".

The Challenge

Being challenged to think about things...mind or heart...and being invited into more discovery...is unfathomably exciting for me. The people who issue that invitation???...irresistible. Commencing "fan self". ;)