Just been on the 2nd 'annual hOME weekend away' - it was a good time I think, I managed to avoid the usual demons that haunt these things for many of us (e.g. insecurity because lil' old me was hanging out with the "beautiful people", guilt because I wasn't doing any work) and I really had fun (I enjoyed '40-40' and 'Ultimate Frisbee' - unheard of!!) I was slightly weirded out by not really having any 1-2-1 time with anybody for 48 hours - I'm not used spending all my time with at least 3 other people or more!
Anyhow at one point we were talking about God's mission in the world and that we are called to join in with what He's up to i.e. bringing in to the world justice, peace, reconciliation, celebration (etc) with Himself and with others ... and up came the old chesnut about doing actions that show the good news of Jesus 'versus' speaking words which explain and challenge people with it (the 'dreaded' evangelism word). And whilst I am no great one for actually talking about what I believe, it struck me that very often nervous Christians are so worried about being inappropriate/ embarrassing that we forget that knowing Jesus, finding healing and wholeness with God and other people that that brings is actually really really good news - so that we devalue it, we don't celebrate it all, we don't love our friends enough to share it ever - pretty much saying to ourselves and perhaps to God that we don't really believe it...
Something that kind of connects with this, is that I've recently been challenged to connect up my core 'intellectual' beliefs in a much more real way with how I'm feeling, with the crap/good stuff I go through - it's made me realise that a lot of the time I use what have become cliches for me, other people's words (from the Bible, prayer books or songs) to relate to God, and that this means I'm not really real with Him about how I'm feeling, what I'm worried about - that actually I need to develop my own vocabulary to relate to Him, so I own what I'm saying, so that I really know that I fully mean it!
7 comments:
The beautiful people? The guilt thing about not working?
I'm really glad that you managed to avoid those things!
From time to to time I have suffered from the insecurity about comparing myself to other people. But I say to that that we, all of us, are the beautiful people. Sure some people may be more trendy or pretty to look at but that trendiness or prettiness in themselves doesn't make them beautiful.
Funny how I picked up on the things that didn't effect you on weekend? Does that mean I'm trying to turn your blog entry into one of my own? Arghhhhh!
There's a poem coming your way.
Happy Birthday from Canada! Hope it's a great day.
Ohhhh. Sudden thought! I hope I haven't invited a whole lotta spam on you today!
Sorry....
Happy Birthday, my friend.
Happy Birthday Naomi!
Emma x
our linda has now commented on Jim's blog...
hello! where are you?!!
Hey momes you havent written anything for a while. I want to know about your trip to Italy please. Love val austeniox
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