Saturday, March 31, 2007
96 year old author
Macleans.ca - Canada - National | 96 Year Old Author: "96-year-old author proves it's never too late to write that book"
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Please vote for a really good cause!
We have attended the National Youth Workers Convention for the past 10 years and have loved it so much. New this year there will be a Canadian Youth Workers Conference in Vancouver in December. It's really exciting to see that Canada is finding it's own unique thumb print on ministry and I'm excited to see it come together. To that end Vancouver is quite a distance for many youth workers to travel - so they are getting creative - using these new web 2.0 fund raising websites to raise awareness and harness some of the monies available to them.
The need 100 votes before April 15th - can you help please? No money necessary - just register at Give Meaning and vote please:
VOTE HERE!
The need 100 votes before April 15th - can you help please? No money necessary - just register at Give Meaning and vote please:
VOTE HERE!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
My Unique Brokenness
This is beautiful:
Our brokenness reveals something about who we are. Our sufferings and pains are not simply bothersome interruptions of our lives; rather, they touch us in our uniqueness and our most intimate individuality. The way I am broken tells you something unique about me. The way you are broken tells me something unique about you. That is the reason for my feeling very privileged when you freely share some of your deep pain with me, and that is why it is an expression of my trust in you when I disclose to you something of my vulnerable side. Our brokenness is always lived and experienced as highly personal, intimate and unique. I am deeply convinced that each human being suffers in a way no other human being suffers... In fact, I am more grateful for a person who can acknowledge that I am very alone in my pain than for someone who tries to tell me that there are many others who have a similar or a worse pain.
Our brokenness reveals something about who we are. Our sufferings and pains are not simply bothersome interruptions of our lives; rather, they touch us in our uniqueness and our most intimate individuality. The way I am broken tells you something unique about me. The way you are broken tells me something unique about you. That is the reason for my feeling very privileged when you freely share some of your deep pain with me, and that is why it is an expression of my trust in you when I disclose to you something of my vulnerable side. Our brokenness is always lived and experienced as highly personal, intimate and unique. I am deeply convinced that each human being suffers in a way no other human being suffers... In fact, I am more grateful for a person who can acknowledge that I am very alone in my pain than for someone who tries to tell me that there are many others who have a similar or a worse pain.
Henri J. M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tired of dried spit
This Desert Land
I said
this desert land is barren
void of life and beauty.
I drive for miles
see nothing
only sand and sage
feel nothing
only wind and heat
taste nothing
but spit dried spit.
He said
have you ever driven
in spring
through this same desert
seen blossoms flower
gorgeous wild?
It's all a thing of timing.
Seeds of beauty
are there now hidden
waiting fall of rain
to bring them life.
Lord send rain
upon my world
my life
I'm tired of dried spit.
Source: "A Psalm in Mojave Desert" from Psalms of My Life, Joseph Bayly
via inward/outward
I said
this desert land is barren
void of life and beauty.
I drive for miles
see nothing
only sand and sage
feel nothing
only wind and heat
taste nothing
but spit dried spit.
He said
have you ever driven
in spring
through this same desert
seen blossoms flower
gorgeous wild?
It's all a thing of timing.
Seeds of beauty
are there now hidden
waiting fall of rain
to bring them life.
Lord send rain
upon my world
my life
I'm tired of dried spit.
Source: "A Psalm in Mojave Desert" from Psalms of My Life, Joseph Bayly
via inward/outward
Monday, March 12, 2007
Getting to know the Spirit
I was raised with a very limited pneumatology - the Holy Spirit was basically there to convict you of sin and to illuminate "the scriptures" - very little else was ever taught or expanded upon. I think it is one of the greatest losses to much of the evangelical church. We are now in a beautiful place where the Trinity is fully embraced and I am finding great joy in getting to know "the breath of God" more fully. This quote from Nouwen today is fascinating, I need to soak in it more to get a better understanding, so I'm putting it here so I don't forget:
The Spirit of Jesus Listening in us
Listening in the spiritual life is much more than a psychological strategy to help others discover themselves. In the spiritual life the listener is not the ego, which would like to speak but is trained to restrain itself, but the Spirit of God within us. When we are baptised in the Spirit - that is, when we have received the Spirit of Jesus as the breath of God breathing within us - that Spirit creates in us a sacred space where the other can be received and listened to. The Spirit of Jesus prays in us and listens in us to all who come to us with their sufferings and pains.
When we dare to fully trust in the power of God's Spirit listening in us, we will see true healing occur.
Henri Nouwen
The Spirit of Jesus Listening in us
Listening in the spiritual life is much more than a psychological strategy to help others discover themselves. In the spiritual life the listener is not the ego, which would like to speak but is trained to restrain itself, but the Spirit of God within us. When we are baptised in the Spirit - that is, when we have received the Spirit of Jesus as the breath of God breathing within us - that Spirit creates in us a sacred space where the other can be received and listened to. The Spirit of Jesus prays in us and listens in us to all who come to us with their sufferings and pains.
When we dare to fully trust in the power of God's Spirit listening in us, we will see true healing occur.
Henri Nouwen
Thursday, March 08, 2007
The book opened -- a gust of wind
I'm passionate about juvenile fiction - it's the genre I hope to write in one day. Coming of age stories move me like little else and the journey from childhood to adulthood is fascinating to me. I think it probably has something to do with the fact that my own was so awkward and confusing and my love for tweens and teens that ties these together.
I am currently reading a novel by Marcus Zusak called "The Book Thief" about a young German girl coming of age during WWII. It's different, engaging and has some of the most extraordinary prose I've encountered. It is books like this that keep me from beginning my own, they are so intimidating I could only dream of one day penning such depth.
I remembered that I had documented the quotes I loved from "The Princess and the Goblin" here and so I thought I'd do the same with these.
The title of this post is the first quote - short, but so incredible in the way it captures how I feel when reading a story - "the book opened - a gust of wind". This is how story engages my soul. I literally feel my hair blow back when I pick up a good novel. This idea is so rich, I instantly fell in love with it.
The next quote is in reference to the main character, Liesel, who is struggling with reading and constantly mocked for her disability.
"She was the book thief without the words.
Trust me, though, the words were on their way. And when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain."
The words were on their way. For as intimidating as the first quote was, this one gave me hope. The words were on their way. Beautiful.
The picture of wringing words from the clouds like rain - this is what a good novel does for me. It deepens the pool of my soul. Wonderful, wonderful.
Thank you Mr. Zusak.
I am currently reading a novel by Marcus Zusak called "The Book Thief" about a young German girl coming of age during WWII. It's different, engaging and has some of the most extraordinary prose I've encountered. It is books like this that keep me from beginning my own, they are so intimidating I could only dream of one day penning such depth.
I remembered that I had documented the quotes I loved from "The Princess and the Goblin" here and so I thought I'd do the same with these.
The title of this post is the first quote - short, but so incredible in the way it captures how I feel when reading a story - "the book opened - a gust of wind". This is how story engages my soul. I literally feel my hair blow back when I pick up a good novel. This idea is so rich, I instantly fell in love with it.
The next quote is in reference to the main character, Liesel, who is struggling with reading and constantly mocked for her disability.
"She was the book thief without the words.
Trust me, though, the words were on their way. And when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain."
The words were on their way. For as intimidating as the first quote was, this one gave me hope. The words were on their way. Beautiful.
The picture of wringing words from the clouds like rain - this is what a good novel does for me. It deepens the pool of my soul. Wonderful, wonderful.
Thank you Mr. Zusak.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
A different take on one day at a time
My friend Cheryl found this the other day and sent it to me:
"Be where you are. Otherwise you will miss your life"
~Budda
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort,
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger,
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears,
To shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness,
To believe that you can make a difference in this world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger,
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears,
To shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness,
To believe that you can make a difference in this world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.
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