I made a decision a while ago to not just worship with my mind. I decided to let wonder...everyday wonder...be a major place of worship. Watching for how I'm encountering Him in regular moments through my senses, my imagination, my passions, my love of stories...all of it has unlocked an awareness of "God WITH Us". Right here, right now. Attach gratitude to it...Yep...it's amazing. Boy...it has also made worship through song so much fuller. When I hear a song, I permit my imagination to do its thing. To picture it...and then enter in to the things I'm seeing. For some reason, I can picture this song...and it's been rocking my socks off. ;)
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Compassion Hurts
The Charter For Compassion
I'm sure this video causes a great deal of controversy...the idea that all people, regardless of religion, can gather around the notion of compassion and make a difference in the world. I'm absolutely sure that some in any of the religions would strongly disagree..perhaps even wondering why they should be asked to work alongside someone "else" for "others". I know many others, though, who profoundly disagree on issues of belief but without question would extend a helping hand with any and all to any and all. If that's delusional...well, it's my kind of delusion. ;) Here's to compassion from all to all!
Great Quote
"I must be a mermaid, Rango. I have no fear of depths, and a great fear of shallow living." ~Anais Nin
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Better Together Minnesota
So...here it is! The official start of "Better Together Minnesota". Right now, it's a website and a Facebook page that highlight service opportunities in East Central Minnesota. Hopefully, people will check it out and get involved! I'm on the hunt for more events to add to the list. If you know of any, let me know! In the future we hope to add organized service projects to compliment the others being offered! So excited!...and hoping that with exposure to the opportunities that abound more and more people will share their strengths and make the world a better place!!! :)
Better Together Minnesota
Better Together Minnesota
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Great Teaching
I know this is on the longer side, but if you are a Jesus-person, it's fantastic. The ending is just phenomenal. Well...all of it...but the ending was so sweet. :)
Monday, September 3, 2012
The School Year Bucket List
I'm preparing an activity for my 11th-12th graders on making a "School Year Bucket List". It's the beginning of the new year...a fresh start...so I thought it was fitting to make a list of the hopes, challenges and resolutions that are desired. Things we will make right, things we will challenge ourselves to do, adventures we will step into. I'm excited...and kids this age (the age of ownership) are in a good position to start to consider the direction of their lives a bit more. How about you? :)
The Rejection Blues
It's Wounding 101 really...taking the message of a wound and adding it to our grid to apply to other situations. What do I mean?...we suffer a tough experience (hurt by someone we love), we take the message of that wound (they thought I was worth rejecting, etc.) and we carry it into other unrelated situations (he/she/they must be rejecting me too, etc.).
What we do with that can take a variety of forms. Many stay perpetual victims, always assuming rejection from others. Some quickly form judgments and overreact with negative self-talk, "pity parties", withdrawal and tantrums. Some become aggressors...either by rejecting (or leaving) before getting rejected or baiting people to see what it would take to be rejected (and then acting like they don't care when those others have finally had enough).
Being the one that someone with rejection issues is targeting (or just being someone in regular relationship who cares for a person with this affliction) can be really overwhelming. I get to the point where I just want to scream, "STOP IT!!!!...it's not true that someone is necessarily rejecting you by not inviting you to something, having other things to do, not needing your help, not being super communicative at the moment, being more intense than you, and on and on and on!!!!!" Sigh. Alas, we all have to decide that on our own...and it sucks waiting for that.
On the flipside...bringing this from the realm of "others" to ourselves...it truly is hard but imperative that we face, nurture and release our rejection issues. It's the only path to healing...and a life less driven by our woundings. Real moments of rejection are painful. And from my heart to yours...it wasn't ok. Truly, though...going after others (assuming rejection all the time) is NOT a way to defend ourselves from a painful moment a long time ago.
I have to be very intentional with my rejection issues sometimes. I have to purposely try to view others without applying my hurtful experiences from a few. In the moments where that's difficult, I'll actually take some time to pull a particular hurt off the shelf (the one that situation is bringing to mind) and really let God speak to that experience. I'll ask Him what His view of me and that situation is and ask that His message now be what reigns true in my life. I'll ask Him to help me forgive...and to let go. Seriously...He does an amazing job of breathing new life to those dead places. And slowly...with time and intentional practice...we can become more secure in our worth and live a life of more "response" than "reaction".
No one's worth rejecting...but life happens. More than anything...we need to let God's view of us be the truest thing in how we view ourselves and the situations of life.
What we do with that can take a variety of forms. Many stay perpetual victims, always assuming rejection from others. Some quickly form judgments and overreact with negative self-talk, "pity parties", withdrawal and tantrums. Some become aggressors...either by rejecting (or leaving) before getting rejected or baiting people to see what it would take to be rejected (and then acting like they don't care when those others have finally had enough).
Being the one that someone with rejection issues is targeting (or just being someone in regular relationship who cares for a person with this affliction) can be really overwhelming. I get to the point where I just want to scream, "STOP IT!!!!...it's not true that someone is necessarily rejecting you by not inviting you to something, having other things to do, not needing your help, not being super communicative at the moment, being more intense than you, and on and on and on!!!!!" Sigh. Alas, we all have to decide that on our own...and it sucks waiting for that.
On the flipside...bringing this from the realm of "others" to ourselves...it truly is hard but imperative that we face, nurture and release our rejection issues. It's the only path to healing...and a life less driven by our woundings. Real moments of rejection are painful. And from my heart to yours...it wasn't ok. Truly, though...going after others (assuming rejection all the time) is NOT a way to defend ourselves from a painful moment a long time ago.
I have to be very intentional with my rejection issues sometimes. I have to purposely try to view others without applying my hurtful experiences from a few. In the moments where that's difficult, I'll actually take some time to pull a particular hurt off the shelf (the one that situation is bringing to mind) and really let God speak to that experience. I'll ask Him what His view of me and that situation is and ask that His message now be what reigns true in my life. I'll ask Him to help me forgive...and to let go. Seriously...He does an amazing job of breathing new life to those dead places. And slowly...with time and intentional practice...we can become more secure in our worth and live a life of more "response" than "reaction".
No one's worth rejecting...but life happens. More than anything...we need to let God's view of us be the truest thing in how we view ourselves and the situations of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)