More Than Stone

Rob Bell quoted Mark Kurlanski’s book, Nonviolence: Twenty-Five Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea,
in a recent sermon.

“If someone were to come along who would not compromise, a rebel, who insisted on taking the only moral path, rejecting violence in all it’s forms. Such a person, would seem too menacing, that he would be killed, and after his death, he would be canonized or deified because a saint is less dangerous than a rebel.”

This book is a secular, historical overview of nonviolence. Wow. Is a saint less dangerous than a rebel? Mark Kurlanski was not referring to any one person, he was simply making a general observation. I just simply can not get past the truth of this statement. Have we lost the “rebel” nature of Jesus? Have we deified and sanitized Jesus until He is simply a really nice guy(God)? Or have we taken His rebel nature and twisted it so that we can justify our own violent natures? Or both?

Technorati Tags: Mark+Kurlanski, Rob+Bell, nonviolence

Both John Smulo and Phil Wyman have posted on spiritual warfare. Phil has several other posts on spiritual warfare here, here, and here. I find this topic fascinating.

I was at a friends house yesterday. I picked up a little magazine and began to leaf through it. It was a magazine put out by Derek Prince Ministries. The article was about healing. I don’t need to go into it, but the bottom line was that we are sick because we do not believe and we do not ask for healing. I have always met these types of statements with skepticism. However, after dealing with a child with a chronic health problems this past year, I now believe these types of beliefs are not only deceptive, but hurtful and dangerous.

Generational curses, demonic harassment, strongholds, unforgiveness, and sin are a few of the “reasons” given for sickness by those who hold this belief. If we battle against these things, does that mean we don’t get sick? If so, why do we all die? What do you think of healing and spiritual warfare? Why did Jesus give us so many examples of healing during His ministry and what does this mean for us, as believers?

Technorati Tags: spiritual warfare, epilepsy, healing

John Smulo, or should I say J.J., tagged me. I’m new at this game, but apparently, I’m to tell you 5 things you may not know about me.

1. I lived in a group home from the time I was about 15 years old until the age of 18 years.

2. I love to sing.

3. I love water…the lake-the beach. I don’t care. When I am near a body of water, I’m a different person.

4. I’m a doula.

5. I think I could live in Africa.

So, there you go. My 5 things. I now tag
Cindy, Shannon, Brian, Creature, and Ruth.

Your turn, guys. Merry Christmas!

Last night my husband and I were going to finish up purchasing a few last minute Christmas items. The phone rang; it was my eldest daughter, Erin. She and my youngest daughter, Becca, had left about an hour prior to go to a gym. Becca had a seizure in the car. Erin had pulled over and called the rescue squad. By the time Erin called me, the seizure was over and Becca was shaken up, but ok. Erin was also shaken up. I’ve always had a fear that Becca would have a seizure while I was alone in the car with her. I can’t imagine how scary it was for Erin.

It’s been almost 4 months since Becca had a tonic clonic seizure. This was a set back. I’m not sure what triggered the seizure, as normally, they are in the morning. She has never had a seizure at night. We think that perhaps it was some of the flashing lights on the freeway, as she does have some photosensitive triggers. I hate epilepsy. I simply freaking hate it. Erin said she could not fall asleep last night. No matter what she tried to think about, she found her mind always going back to seeing Becca seizing. It’s traumatic to see. It’s terrifying to witness.

What do you tell your 14 year old daughter? What do you say when she looks up at you with her big blue eyes and asks “Mom, why did this happen again? I’m taking my medicine. Why?” What do you say to your 18 year old daughter when she says “Mom, I just kept wondering how long Becca was seizing before I saw her. How long did I not notice?”

The picture below is my daughter and her best friend, Reagan. Reagan has witnessed several of Becca’s seizures and has been a wonderful friend. Last night, Reagan and Becca cried together. They cried over another lost moment. The cried over the setback. They cried because of epilepsy.

There are thousands of people that do not have control over epilepsy, even with the many treatments now available. Epilepsy is a horrible disease. It affects every aspect of life. I know that it’s Christmas. I know that many have given to (RED)emption. Would you consider making a donation to the Epilepsy foundation? Every penny counts. Every penny has the possibility of making a difference for those who have this disease, and the people that love them. Would you consider posting something on your blog to raise epilepsy awareness, even if you can’t give?

Technorati Tags: epilepsy, epilepsy+foundation

I thought I was really preparing well. I began my knitting for Christmas in early November. Little did I know that one of the projects I chose would end up taking forever. I found an absolutely fantabulous Griffindor (Harry Potter) scarf pattern for my youngest daughter. However, this stupid thing must have taken 40-45 hours to knit. I chose to knit a scarf for my middle daughter, mittens for my eldest and yet, another scarf for my aunt. I’m down to one mitten to knit. 8 days before Christmas, so I think I’ll make it.

In the meantime, however, some of our “adopted” sons have also asked me to knit for them. Mittens, scarf and yet another Harry Potter scarf (which I can guarantee you I will adjust the pattern, so it doesn’t take eleventy hundred hours). I am afraid I will be knitting from now until my first social security check comes.

I have all the Christmas presents wrapped (except for the one lonely mitten waiting for it’s mate). However, even with my preparedness, I will be knitting like a crazy woman in an attempt to get these addtional items finished as close to Christmas as possible. My posting levels may be down, as my fingers will be bleeding and mangled.

Here we go. My eldest daughter, 18, is moving out. She has found an adorable studio apartment and will be signing the lease this weekend. Of course, I have mixed emotions. I am excited for her. I am scared. I am sad. I can’t really fathom her living somewhere else. Over my years of parenting, I have heard so many parents say that they were happy and relieved when their 18 year old went away to college, or moved into a dorm or apartment. That there was just too much conflict between the child and parent. I do not feel that way. I’m just beginning to cross over that boundary that my daughter and I relate more and more like equals and less and less like parent and child. I’m enjoying it. If there was a time that I would have preferred she moved out to avoid conflict, it would have been when she was 15. Of course, I think that’s against the law.

She will only be a few miles away, so I should consider myself fortunate that she’s not in a college halfway across the country, or as several of her friends, IN another country. But call me selfish; I will miss her coming home every night and recounting her day. She’s an avid and humorous storyteller. She can make the most mundane event entertaining. In fact, I’m certain that her new venture of independence will yield mountains of great stories.

Since my children are all 2 years apart, I knew that once the first one left home, (even if she did come back), that it would be with head spinning speed that the others would follow. We will be making trips this spring to universities for my middle child. My youngest is now a freshman in High School. Yep. Head spinning speed. My husband I will turn around one day very soon to find an empty house. When my children were small, my husband and I would “fantasize” about the empty nest years. “Won’t it be wonderful,” we would say to each other, “to have the house clean and to be able to do what we want. Won’t it be nice to
Sleep through the night,
Not change diapers;
Not have to potty train,
Not have to carpool,
Not have activities and clubs and games to keep track of,
Not have teachers telling us that our daughters talk too much in class,
Not have to ground anyone,
Not have to deal with the drama that only middle school girls can engage in,
Not have to consider whether we should buy stock in Kotex,
Not have to worry about nose piercing,
Not have to worry about 16 year olds driving,
Not have to worry about boys and dating.”

Well, now that I’m staring it in the face, I’m not sure it will be nice. It might be quiet. But nice…. I’m not so sure.

Phil Wyman has called for synchronized blogging on syncretism in the Church. Though I’ve not been asked to post on this topic, leaving the matter to those more educated than I, it has caught my attention nonetheless. And for those that don’t know me, I do have trouble keeping quiet

Individualism:
~ a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual
~ the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action.
~ the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests; egoism.
Philosophy.
a. the doctrine that only individual things are real.
b. the doctrine or belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole.

Individualism is the cause of many of the ills we see in the American church. Our churches stress and teach individualistic notions as the primary message of the Gospel. In our atomized society, church and God have become a quick pit stop where we can fill our individual spiritual tanks. “Salvation” has become a completely independent experience and excercise. There is no sense of the communal sense of salvation; as we join with Christ, we are joined with the Body, in which Christ dwells.

An individualistic society stresses independence and individual achievement versus interdependence and group success. I was recently talking with a group of 30 or 40 Christians about world poverty and the churches role in eradicating poverty. Someone said, “Well, it’s not our responsibility to take care of that.”

An individualistic society stresses private property, ownership and upward mobility versus group property, ownership or economic commonality. Think about how often one of the first major tasks a local church takes is working towards setting up the building fund. We must own something. We have to have a place to call our own. Without regard for how this “need” might affect the Church worldwide or it’s mission in the world.

In every study done on American parents, compared with other nations, even industrialized nations, US parents overwhelmingly stress the goal of making their children independent, both socially and economically. I would add, as Christians, we also work towards spiritual independence. The church has become the classroom, where personal holiness can be individually mastered.

We do not see the Church as something that trancends geography, economics, education, time and space. The church is now a group of individuals gathered around a doctrine, a ritual, a person or an ethical code.

I stand alone before God, giving my 10%, reading my bible, confessing my sin, and receiving personal forgiveness. And then, I go to heaven.

Technorati Tags: syncretism, personal+salvation, church,

This video sums it up. I have nothing to add.

Technorati Tags: law, religion, freedom, Derek+Webb, mockingbird, New+law

Tracking the Edge: Now I know how it feels.

Take 10 minutes and read Cindy’s post. She writes with humor and honesty about an encounter she has with someone trying to get her “saved”.

I’m reading a book called “Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet Tackles The Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face.” by Tony Campolo. In the book, he addresses tough topics. A brief survey of the chapters follows:

Is Evangelicalism Sexist?
Are Evangelicals Handling The Gay Issue All Wrong?
Is There A Second Chance For Those Who Die Without Christ?
Is Islam Really An Evil Religion?
Can we help the poor without making matters worse?

Tony C. brings some topics to the table that are heavy and well worth the time to ponder. His chapter on how the evangelical church handles the gay issue is both thought provoking and heart breaking. He simply poses the question, if gays aren’t allowed or welcomed in our churches, where does that leave those people that hunger for God? He speaks truth when he states that many in the evangelical church will say that anyone that does not accept Jesus is going to hell, yet with the same breath, say that an infant or mentally handicapped person is exempt from damnation. Where is the scripture reference on that little piece of doctrine? (My wording, not Tony’s). The book also speaks of the fact, that though much evangelical missionary work has done great things, it has also brought a cultural, contextualized Gospel.

I think the book is worthwhile reading. Perhaps some of you have already passed into post-evangelicalism. I’m still walking that out. Either way, if you are/were of an evangelical heritage, it’s a good book to open eyes to some of the harm that we evangelicals have done.

Matthew 21

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Technorati Tags: Tony+Campolo, Evangelical, Evangelicalism, Gay, Hell