God in Beauty

I'm back from the Great Alaska Adventure and what an adventure it was. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity and means to see so many awesome sights.  Every time I looked at some outstanding natural formation, be it the ocean, the sunset, the glaciers, the mountains or the forest, I was reminded of the power of God.

I was in awe of the Hubbard Glacier. The ice at the tip of the glacier, next to the ocean, is anywhere from 400-600 years old. A crew from the ship went out in a small boat and picked up a large piece which they used later in the day to showcase ice sculpting. I touched a piece of the ice....that means I touched something that is anywhere from 400-600 years old. It doesn't seem possible.

It doesn't look real does it? This is an actual photograph one of my friends with us took. See the ice falling into the ocean? It sounded like thunder each time before that happened. What a sight to behold and it made me realize the vastness of God's creation.

The top of Mount McKinley was visible! Most of the time it is obscured by clouds. How lucky we were to be part of the 30% of the people that are gifted with such a sight!  God blessed us over and over again during this trip.

The waterfall, Nugget Falls, at Mendenhall glacier was so big and so powerful it sprayed water on us even this far away from it. Again a glorious sight to behold.

Here's a whale we were trying to photograph on what I called The Deadliest Catch whale watching tour. There was a rough water advisory out and the boat ride was bumpy and I mean flying out of your seat bumpy. Standing out on the front of the boat was slippery, wet, windy, and wild. We laughed and laughed!

Why you might ask am I sharing photos from our trip. How is that soul musing?  I can tell you that every step of the journey was a testament to God's wonder. He gave us this earth to protect and to enjoy. Being so close to nature in the rough, land that probably had never felt a footfall on it, and the sheer size and beauty indeed brought me closer to God.

The Denali Wilderness tour took us through wilderness, untouched and protected from interference from humankind. As stewards of this world sometimes we fail in our appreciate of the other species that exist with us. We are greedy to "own" the world, when really no one does or can.

Hugs to all of you. Thanks to an awesome God who provided the means and the good health for me to see so many wonderful sights and to experience His glory though His creation.

Festivals, Water, and Doubt

Gospel of John: Chapter 7

Once again in chapter seven we have Jesus speaking of the "living water."  Water gives us life. Without it we would die from thirst. Jesus is the living water of our spiritual lives, without him we die.

There is much talk, questioning and doubt during the time of the Festival of Tabernacles. Jesus's brothers urged him to go to the festival to show himself to the world. "No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret." John 7: 4

At first Jesus does not attend but halfway through he does appear at the festival and begins to teach. There is a great division among people about who Jesus is. One of the main sticking points became the belief that a "prophet does not come from Galilee". Rather it was foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem.  Was it not known that Jesus was born in Bethlehem or was the tradition that where you come from was based on your hometown rather than place of birth?

The doubt amongst the Jewish leaders grows and Nicodemus speaks up in defense of Jesus only to be shut down rather quickly.

 

This is a turbulent time. The end is near and even as Jesus knows it, He continues to teach. There comes a time when they try to seize Jesus but no one laid a hand upon him because his hour had not yet come. The crowds begin to waiver towards Jesus asking, "When the Messiah comes will he perform more signs than this man?" This whispering and belief is what incises the Pharisees. They cannot allow Jesus to achieve any momentum or power.

 

On the last day of the festival Jesus again says:

 

"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." John 7: 37

 

It's easy to feel the energy and the mob mentality in chapter seven. It is so similar to secular examples in today's world. New fads, political bickering, disbelief and maneuvering. There is much turbulence in the world today. Yet where is the living water?  While Jesus did not truly act "in secret" he was not an "in your face rebel" either. He was calm, he was assured, and when the time was right he spoke his mind. In chapter seven you sense a certain frustration when the Pharisees assert that he can not testify on his own behalf but overall he simply teaches.

 

Again I ask; In today's world where is the living water? There are preachers on street corners, evangelists on TV and multibillion dollar churches, yet I doubt the living water is in them. If Jesus is the living water, where is he?  He is in the small churches, the individual acts of kindness, the prayers in secret, the songs of celebration and in those that search. He's just not an "in your face" sort of guy. He prefers that those who seek him, find him in the stillness of life, in the smiles of strangers and in the loving touch of a friend. He said "You do not know me or my Father"  Know him, not because you sit in a church pew every week but because you find him in the simple things in life. Things as simple as water.

 

Hugs to all. I'm off on a vacation so won't be posting for a bit. Until then drink of the simple love and kindness of a life well lived and know that He is there also.

 

 

 

 

Language of the Soul: Notice

It occurred to me after writing the original post about all the things that make up the language of the soul that I'd like to muse about each of those voices of the soul, the components of self or the things we can do to learn to speak the language of the soul. I'm sure in working my way through the list I'll discover even more aspects that will help me on this quest.

Let's start with a definition:

 1. information that tells you or warns you about something that is going to happen

 2. attention that people give to someone or something

 

I primarily want to write about definition two as it relates to the language of the soul however, let's just think about definition one for a moment. It's as if sometimes my soul is giving me a message or a warning or at the very least trying to point me in some direction. At times the information or warning is crystal clear and at other times it is difficult to understand (like trying to understand a foreign language) or perhaps I do not listen. Some people call this intuition or "gut instinct" but what if it is something different? What if it is the lost language.

 

I started out musing this topic by saying that the language of the body is one we are familiar with and so we are drawn to that "level" again and again. I pondered that the language of the soul is something we are not as familiar with and perhaps have lost our ability to "speak" this language. My main question is "how do we learn to speak the language of the soul?"

 

When I was jotting ideas down in my planner that day the word notice made the list. I think we live in our own bubbles now days. Truly how often do we actually "notice" the world around us? We are constantly screening out so much of what is going on (both around us and in the world) that we fail to notice things that are right in front of us. I'm not just speaking of noticing people that need help or a mission we should help with, I'm talking about just noticing LIFE. The dew on a delicate flower, the fresh air of a spring day, the music being played, the words someone is speaking. Are we living in the here and now?  The world Jesus lived in was so different from our world. The distractions that present themselves today have downed out the voice of the soul. It is something we can rediscover if we take time to notice!!

 

 

 

This image that I happened upon says it so well. To see like my Savior is to truly notice life. God wants us to know the beauty of life not just see it as a constant rat race with more and more technology vying for our attention. He doesn't want our focus on the evil, the crimes, the daily grind. He wants us to savor this life and prepare ourselves for the next. He wants us to notice, to make connections, to search for that language of the soul that links us to Him. Oh, how your soul will be lifted when you do so.

 

Hugs, I hope you will take time today to notice the world around you, to truly take in the beauty of life.

 

 

 

The Bread of Life and Walking on Water

 

Chapter 6 Gospel of John



 

In this chapter is the well known story of Jesus feeding the crowd of over 5000 with five small barley loaves and two small fish. After doing so there were twelve baskets of food left over. This act of "caring" for the people caused many people to believe in Jesus as the Prophet.  A lesson to be learned for today's world for sure. As we "feed" the hungry, people will come to see and believe in Jesus through our acts. Not all for sure, just as we can help people into the pool, there is still a level of personal responsibility.  

 

 

"I am the bread that came down from heaven." John 6:41

 

 

 

The story of Jesus walking on the water is probably my favorite story of all. I think it is because it resonates with me so much. Not so much the part with Jesus walking on the water but the part where Peter gets out of the boat. By the way, the story of Peter attempting to walk on the water is not included in the account in John but rather in the Gospel of Matthew.

 

I'm so like Peter, brave and weak at the same time. Getting out of the boat is easy but having the faith to walk across to Jesus is not. The story is about faith and our failings as humans in maintaining that faith. This story has sort of developed into my motto: "Get out of the boat..." and yet I am constantly reminded that getting out is not the problem...walking in faith is the challenge.

 

In this chapter some disciples dessert Jesus. Many are frightened and unsure of the story Jesus tells about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It is a hard teaching that they cannot accept. If only they had remained to hear the story of the bread and wine at the last supper, the symbolic representation of Christ's body and blood. Again it's a matter of faith, don't you think? 

 

Hugs, may you not only get out of the boat but also walk in faith.

 

 



Healing, Authority, and Hearts

 

Chapter 5 of The Gospel of John

 

In chapter five we have the healing of the lame man, questioning of authority, and knowing what's inside our hearts. That's quite a lot contained in one simple chapter!  Remember that John's purpose in writing the gospel was to "prove" Jesus was Christ by preserving the stories of the miracles he preformed.

 

The healing of the lame man reminds me a bit of life today.

 

"Sir, the invalid said, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. " John 5: 7

 

This brings to mind two things to me...one I must admit seems rather cynical and unchristian like. The thought is: So like today when people do not take personal responsibility and want a "helping hand.". I told you it wasn't a very nice thought but when I ponder it I think there is some validity to it but in another way. Here's what I mean: People must take some personal responsibility for their own spiritual lives. No one is going to "hand that" to them. Their relationship with God is a personal choice and it is their responsibility to nurture it. Yet we are called to "help them into the pool." Once there it is their choice as to how to proceed. We can help them in again and again but we can't force their faith.

 

Second, how so like the world today to ignore the lame man and push ahead of him in the line. Getting to the pool ourselves is somehow more important than helping someone else "make it." Yet in pushing ahead we miss many opportunities to grow in our connection to God. It came to mind that if you enter the pool with an attitude of selfishness than the whole process is tainted. However, should you "miss the pool" because you are helping someone else won't your "reward" be even greater?

 

In this chapter we again have the Jews questioning the authority of Christ for his healing on the Sabbath. "By myself I can do nothing..." Jesus explains that all power is from God. Something we should heed even today. By myself I can do nothing.

 

Jesus also speaks of knowing what is inside peoples hearts. This can be scary. Sometimes when praying I realize that it is not necessary to explain my thought processes to God. For goodness sakes, He already knows my fears, my pains, my "not so nice" thoughts. No matter how "nicely" I play, if there is darkness in my mind or heart, He will know.

 

 

I've actually completed my study of John and I'm just now blogging my thoughts from my journal. It's sort of like a second study as I find myself rereading parts and pondering my notes again.

 

Hugs to each and everyone of you. As I write this I am thinking (perhaps hoping) that something I write will be like a step toward the pool and it will help you in some small way to know the healing love of Christ.

 

 

 



The Woman, The Well, and The Water

 

 

Chapter 4 of the Gospel of John:

 

The story of Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman is one of my favorites. It is the story of a "common" woman and an extraordinary man, Christ. It is about taking care of the simple things in life, like a drink when you are thirsty.   It is about comparing earthly things, "water" with holy things, living water.

 

First of all, once again we have Jesus "breaking the rules". Jews were not supposed to talk to or interact with Samaritans. Regardless of this societal norm Jesus proceeded not to just talk with her but to teach her. While she listened intently she was confused by his words. She questioned him. In telling her about her life, something He had no way of knowing, He convinces her that He is the Messiah.

 

 

"Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst." John 4:14

 

Again we have Jesus explaining his existence, the "gift" He has to offer in simple terms with a simple story. While water is necessary for human life the water Jesus offered is necessary for "spiritual life." When we drink water here in this earthly home we are thirsty again and again. However, once you drink of the water Jesus offers you will not thirst but be satisfied. Bodily needs and spiritual needs compared,

 

Many of the Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman's story. Yet many more believed because they came to "see" for themselves. It speaks to our human existence "seeing is believing". Yet even today we experience this same phenomena. Doubt is rampant, and those things we can not see, or taste, or touch do not exist for us. What a narrow focus we have in our day to day lives. There is so much more outside the realm that we live in.

 

 

Hugs to each of you, may you never be thirsty.