Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Narnia
The Narnians have been deceived by an Ape who shows them a false Aslan and barks out commands as if they were from Aslan himself. Only these new commands go against the character we know Aslan to be. King Tirian finds a donkey dressed up as Aslan, which the Ape uses to deceive the Narnians. He then comes across some dwarfs who have been sold in to slavery because of “Aslan’s orders”. He is excited to show them that it has all been a lie. He shows them the obvious flaws in what they had believed, but they do not respond as he had hoped.
“I don’t know how all you chaps feel, but I feel I’ve heard as much about Aslan as I want to for the rest of my life... You must think we’re blooming soft in the head, that you must... We’ve been taken in once and now you expect us to be taken in again the next minute. We’ve no more use for stories about Aslan, see! Look at him! An old moke with long ears”
“By heavens, you make me mad,” said Tirian “which of us said that was Aslan? That is the Ape’s imitation of the real Aslan. Can’t you understand?”
“And you have got a better imitation, I suppose! No thanks. We’ve been fooled once and we’re not going to be fooled again.”
“I have not,” said Tirian angrily, “I serve the real Aslan.”
“Where’s he? Who’s he? Show him to us!”
“Do you think I keep him in my wallet, fools?” Said Tirian “Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He’s not a tame lion.”
“Not a tame lion, not a tame lion... That’s what the other lot kept on telling us.”
Tirian had never dreamed that one of the results of an Ape’s setting up a false Aslan would be to stop people from believing in the real one. He had felt quite sure that the Dwarfs would rally to his side the moment he showed them how they had been deceived.
“I don’t know how all you chaps feel, but I feel I’ve heard as much about Aslan as I want to for the rest of my life... You must think we’re blooming soft in the head, that you must... We’ve been taken in once and now you expect us to be taken in again the next minute. We’ve no more use for stories about Aslan, see! Look at him! An old moke with long ears”
“By heavens, you make me mad,” said Tirian “which of us said that was Aslan? That is the Ape’s imitation of the real Aslan. Can’t you understand?”
“And you have got a better imitation, I suppose! No thanks. We’ve been fooled once and we’re not going to be fooled again.”
“I have not,” said Tirian angrily, “I serve the real Aslan.”
“Where’s he? Who’s he? Show him to us!”
“Do you think I keep him in my wallet, fools?” Said Tirian “Who am I that I could make Aslan appear at my bidding? He’s not a tame lion.”
“Not a tame lion, not a tame lion... That’s what the other lot kept on telling us.”
Tirian had never dreamed that one of the results of an Ape’s setting up a false Aslan would be to stop people from believing in the real one. He had felt quite sure that the Dwarfs would rally to his side the moment he showed them how they had been deceived.
Friday, 14 May 2010
Three Steps to Falling in Love:
I have just started trying to read my Bible differently. Too often I see it as a book to support my views, I read over it as say “see, I am right.” I no longer want to read the Bible like that. I actually decided that a while ago, but more recently I have thought of a new way to read it. (because it is hard to stop reading it one way if you have no other way to put in its place). I started asking the question “who is God?” as I read. I am trying to figure out who he is so that I can love him.
One of the girls at my youth group is obsessed with a boy whom she affectionately refers to as MJ. She was looking at pictures of him tonight, and gleaning information off of them. “He wears Abercrombie... he has beautiful Abs” etc. I thought, I wish I was as obsessed with God as she is with MJ. The better thing with being obsessed with God is that God loves me back. I want to fall in love with God.
One of the girls at my youth group is obsessed with a boy whom she affectionately refers to as MJ. She was looking at pictures of him tonight, and gleaning information off of them. “He wears Abercrombie... he has beautiful Abs” etc. I thought, I wish I was as obsessed with God as she is with MJ. The better thing with being obsessed with God is that God loves me back. I want to fall in love with God.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
The Attention Seeker I Know all to Well.
She sits there silently as though she is not listening to what you say, but she hears every word. You next conclude that she is indifferent to the topic, but really she knows time is short, and she figures that there be more important things to discuss then her thoughts, but there is a lot that she wants to share.
The talk goes back and forth and she is not going to compete to be heard, but she wishes someone cared enough to ask her opinion. Actually, before she feels good attending to the agenda she wishes that someone would attend to her heart. The brokenness feels overwhelming, even though really nothing is wrong. She just wants to be heard. She wants to be cared about. She wants someone to listen with genuine interest and show her that what she has to say matters. But she has been let down far too many times, and it hurts too much to try again and face the possible interruption. So she is quiet. She sinks deeper into the couch and writes her thoughts down on a paper. At least the paper will not interrupt her.
I don’t know what her problem is. She has experienced over and over that if she expects too much from people, that they will just disappoint her, yet something has her hoping that maybe this time it will be different. It never is. She knows that there is one who cares for her unconditionally. He is always there for her, always. He is eager to hear what she is going through. His longing for the communication is deeper than any longing she has ever had. His love for her is deep, far deeper than any of the hurts she has ever felt. And she knows all of this, yet when the pain comes she doesn’t go to him. She hopes someone else will hear her story; she wants to find someone else who will listen eagerly to what is going on. Somehow his attention is never enough for her, until she is worn out from facing rejection all day and she crawls to his feet. Whatever the pain was in the morning no longer matters, she comes to tell him that the rejection has caused more pain then she can bear. While she left hoping to find someone who had time to care and offer comfort, she found the world in as much need as herself. Everyone is searching; everyone is hungry for attention and too busy with their own problems to worry about her. They scream “look at me. Who do I have to be to get you to see what is here? If I must act, or make up a fact, I will do it if I know your listening will be sincere.” So, on they go. Acting, and only listening if they think it will mean that they in turn will be heard, but he is there. He is waiting and listening. He is waiting for her, to crawl into his arms and share with him her pain. He wants to hear about the small things that go on which bother her so much. He cares about that. And he won’t get distracted, and his cell phone won’t ring. His time isn’t scheduled, his listening is genuine and he will never leave her. He literally has all day. She just must believe that his attention is the best; indeed, it is better than all she chases after.
The talk goes back and forth and she is not going to compete to be heard, but she wishes someone cared enough to ask her opinion. Actually, before she feels good attending to the agenda she wishes that someone would attend to her heart. The brokenness feels overwhelming, even though really nothing is wrong. She just wants to be heard. She wants to be cared about. She wants someone to listen with genuine interest and show her that what she has to say matters. But she has been let down far too many times, and it hurts too much to try again and face the possible interruption. So she is quiet. She sinks deeper into the couch and writes her thoughts down on a paper. At least the paper will not interrupt her.
I don’t know what her problem is. She has experienced over and over that if she expects too much from people, that they will just disappoint her, yet something has her hoping that maybe this time it will be different. It never is. She knows that there is one who cares for her unconditionally. He is always there for her, always. He is eager to hear what she is going through. His longing for the communication is deeper than any longing she has ever had. His love for her is deep, far deeper than any of the hurts she has ever felt. And she knows all of this, yet when the pain comes she doesn’t go to him. She hopes someone else will hear her story; she wants to find someone else who will listen eagerly to what is going on. Somehow his attention is never enough for her, until she is worn out from facing rejection all day and she crawls to his feet. Whatever the pain was in the morning no longer matters, she comes to tell him that the rejection has caused more pain then she can bear. While she left hoping to find someone who had time to care and offer comfort, she found the world in as much need as herself. Everyone is searching; everyone is hungry for attention and too busy with their own problems to worry about her. They scream “look at me. Who do I have to be to get you to see what is here? If I must act, or make up a fact, I will do it if I know your listening will be sincere.” So, on they go. Acting, and only listening if they think it will mean that they in turn will be heard, but he is there. He is waiting and listening. He is waiting for her, to crawl into his arms and share with him her pain. He wants to hear about the small things that go on which bother her so much. He cares about that. And he won’t get distracted, and his cell phone won’t ring. His time isn’t scheduled, his listening is genuine and he will never leave her. He literally has all day. She just must believe that his attention is the best; indeed, it is better than all she chases after.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies
adapted from http://www.silksoymilk.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies
½ cup vegan margarine
2/3 cups sugar
2 TBSP soy milk
1TSP vanilla
¼ cup cacao
1 cup flour
½ TSP baking soda
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add soy milk, cream well, then add vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips.Drop by teaspoons on cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F degrees for 8-10 minutes.
½ cup vegan margarine
2/3 cups sugar
2 TBSP soy milk
1TSP vanilla
¼ cup cacao
1 cup flour
½ TSP baking soda
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add soy milk, cream well, then add vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips.Drop by teaspoons on cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Monday, 23 November 2009
An undeserved moment with God
At the Starfield concert the singer told us to stretch out our arms to God, and a child reaches up to his father. This I did (which is somewhat unusual from me because I tend to go against whatever I am told to do in worship) and without much thought. But then I imagined God lifting me, as a small child, up, spinning me around, and loving me. I was safe, protected, and carefree. I felt Joy, peace and freedom. It was a time when I could do nothing but be with God, and that was enough. I rested in his arms.
Juxtaposition:
I looked at my own life, and what I had felt didn’t seem to line up. I had been running on my own strength, feeling busy, not rested. Strong, not weak. Burdened, not free. Like I had to shield myself, rather than finding a refuge in God.
God, show me how I can live in your arms, in your strength and in your rest. In your love, and under your care and protection.
"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing." ~Zephaniah 3:17
"as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you." ~Isaiah 62:5
Juxtaposition:
I looked at my own life, and what I had felt didn’t seem to line up. I had been running on my own strength, feeling busy, not rested. Strong, not weak. Burdened, not free. Like I had to shield myself, rather than finding a refuge in God.
God, show me how I can live in your arms, in your strength and in your rest. In your love, and under your care and protection.
"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing." ~Zephaniah 3:17
"as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you." ~Isaiah 62:5
Monday, 8 June 2009
GOOD NEWS!!!!!
Luke 18:9-14
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
God had mercy, I am perfect!
The standards are set high. The Bible commands us not to murder, it then goes on to say that being angry at someone could be just as bad. It tells us not to commit adultery, but then goes on the say that a lustful look is just as bad. We are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves, not to be afraid, and to give without expecting anything in return. We are called to a high standard, and if we break one small part of the law, then we are guilty of breaking it all. Jesus sums up what is required of us in Matthew 5:48. We are to be perfect.
Yesterday I realized something. I am perfect! I haven’t killed anyone, so I figure I am doing pretty well. However, in grade 4, I was angry at my friend. I became so angry in fact that caused her to die in the story I was writing about us. It was a few years later when I realized the full extent of how horrible that had been. I was, in a sense, a murderer. There is not much perfection in that. My perfection comes not from what I do. No tithing will make up for my sin. No volunteer efforts will reverse my selfishness.
The calling is high. We all fail and nothing we do can make up for our short comings, but the tax collector went home justified before God. He was acceptable in God’s sight, and God accepts only those who live up to the standards. The tax collector was made right in the sight of God. God saw him as perfect!
God can see us as perfect because he sees Jesus when he looks on us. Christ took for us the debt owed for our sins. He paid it for none of us could have.
I cry out “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And, he does! This is good news. This is exciting! I am justified before God. My sin has been taken away, and I am perfect!
I must never become like the Pharisees. Far be it from me to think that I can stand before God because of what I have done. It is his grace alone which allows me into his Holy Presence. I have been let into his Presence, a way has been made for me, and since it is a Holy Presence, then logically only that which is perfect could stand before God. I am perfect. I can stand.
God I Thank you for your great love: the mercy and grace you have showered upon me. Your grace is enough. There are no works which bring me closer to you. It is only by grace that I can approach your throne. Amen and Amen!
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
God had mercy, I am perfect!
The standards are set high. The Bible commands us not to murder, it then goes on to say that being angry at someone could be just as bad. It tells us not to commit adultery, but then goes on the say that a lustful look is just as bad. We are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves, not to be afraid, and to give without expecting anything in return. We are called to a high standard, and if we break one small part of the law, then we are guilty of breaking it all. Jesus sums up what is required of us in Matthew 5:48. We are to be perfect.
Yesterday I realized something. I am perfect! I haven’t killed anyone, so I figure I am doing pretty well. However, in grade 4, I was angry at my friend. I became so angry in fact that caused her to die in the story I was writing about us. It was a few years later when I realized the full extent of how horrible that had been. I was, in a sense, a murderer. There is not much perfection in that. My perfection comes not from what I do. No tithing will make up for my sin. No volunteer efforts will reverse my selfishness.
The calling is high. We all fail and nothing we do can make up for our short comings, but the tax collector went home justified before God. He was acceptable in God’s sight, and God accepts only those who live up to the standards. The tax collector was made right in the sight of God. God saw him as perfect!
God can see us as perfect because he sees Jesus when he looks on us. Christ took for us the debt owed for our sins. He paid it for none of us could have.
I cry out “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And, he does! This is good news. This is exciting! I am justified before God. My sin has been taken away, and I am perfect!
I must never become like the Pharisees. Far be it from me to think that I can stand before God because of what I have done. It is his grace alone which allows me into his Holy Presence. I have been let into his Presence, a way has been made for me, and since it is a Holy Presence, then logically only that which is perfect could stand before God. I am perfect. I can stand.
God I Thank you for your great love: the mercy and grace you have showered upon me. Your grace is enough. There are no works which bring me closer to you. It is only by grace that I can approach your throne. Amen and Amen!
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