fabulous article about healing

I just read the most fabulous article about healing. The anonymous author talks about his struggle with homosexulaity and the amazing path of grace and healing that God has led him down. It is honest and realistic and presents a totally different perspective on homosexulaity, wholeness, and healing than today's media gives...and, sadly, a different perspective than many churches give. I encourage everyone to read it. We all know people who struggle in this area. For some of you out there, maybe this is your personal struggle. For those of us in the church, we need to learn how to offer the grace of God while standing firm in truth (which is a very difficult balance). This article speaks to that tension.

I want to paste a quote from the article, from C.S. Lewis, that I thought was particularily moving and convicting (the link to the article is below the quote; check it out):

"[E]very time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature."

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/april/36.57.html

The Ragman

The day of Resurrection Celebration begins in less that two hours. In honor of this momentous occassion, I want to share one of my absolute favorite stories. I've read it a hundred times (probably more), and every time, it makes me cry (in a good way). One note: if you are planning to attend Hopewell United Methodist Church in Groveport, OH tomorrow morning, stop reading NOW...come back after the Sunday service and you will have a written version of the wonderful story the pastor shared in her sermon.

Be blessed, my blog-reading friends!!!

(The following is a story called The Ragman by Walter Wangerin, Jr.)

I saw a strange sight. I stumbled upon a story most strange, like nothing my life, my street sense, my sly tongue had ever prepared me for. Hush, child. Hush, now, and I will tell it to you.

Even before the dawn one Friday morning I noticed a young man, handsome and strong, walking the alleys of our City. He was pulling an old cart filled with clothes both bright and new, and he was calling in a clear, tenor voice:

"Rags!" Ah, the air was foul and the first light filthy to be crossed by such sweet music.

"Rags! New rags for old! I take your tired rags! Rags!" he sang.

"Now, this is a wonder," I thought to myself, for the man stood six-feet-four, and his arms were like tree limbs, hard and muscular, and his eyes flashed intelligence. Could he find no better job than this, to be a ragman in the inner city?

I followed him. My curiosity drove me. And I wasn't disappointed.

Soon the Ragman saw a woman sitting on her back porch. She was sobbing into a handkerchief, sighing, and shedding a thousand tears. Her knees and elbows made a sad X together. Her shoulders shook. Her heart was breaking.

The Ragman stopped his cart. Quietly, he walked to the woman, stepping round tin cans, dead toys, and Pampers.

"Give me your rag," he said so gently, "and I'll give you another."

He slipped the handkerchief from her eyes. She looked up, and he laid across her palm a linen cloth so clean and new that it shined. She blinked from the gift to the giver.

Then, as he began to pull his cart again, the Ragman did a strange thing: he put her stained handkerchief to his own face; and then he began to weep, to sob as grievously as she had done, his shoulders shaking. Yet she was left without a tear.

"This is a wonder," I breathed to myself, and I followed the sobbing Ragman like a child who cannot turn away from a mystery.

"Rags! Rags! New rags for old!" he sang.

In a little while, when the sky showed grey behind the rooftops and I could see the shredded curtains hanging out black windows, the Ragman came upon a girl child whose head was wrapped in a bandage, whose eyes were empty. Blood soaked her bandage. A single line of blood ran down her cheek.

Now the tall Ragman looked upon this child with pity, and he drew a lovely yellow bonnet from his cart.

"Give me your rag," he said, tracing his own line on her cheek, "and I'll give you mine."

The child could only gaze at him while he loosened the bandage, removed it, and tied it to his own head. The bonnet he set on hers. And I gasped at what I saw: for with the bandage went the wound! Against his brow it ran a darker, more substantial blood: his own!

"Rags! Rags! I take old rags!" cried the sobbing, bleeding, strong, intelligent Ragman.
The sun hurt both the sky, now, and my eyes; the Ragman seemed more and more to hurry.

"Are you going to work?" he asked a man who leaned against a telephone pole. The man shook his head.

The Ragman pressed him: "Do you have a job?"

"Are you crazy?" sneered the other. He pulled away from the pole, revealing the right sleeve of his jacket, flat, the cuff stuffed into the pocket. He had no arm.

"So," said the Ragman. "Give me your jacket, and I'll give you mine."

Such quiet authority in his voice!

The one-armed man took off his jacket. So did the Ragman and I trembled at what I saw: for the Ragman's arm stayed in its sleeve, and when the other put it on he had two good arms, thick as tree limbs; but the Ragman had only one.

"Go to work," he said.

After that he found a drunk, lying unconscious beneath an army blanket, an old man, hunched, wizened, and sick. He took that blanket and wrapped it round himself, but for the drunk he left new clothes.

And now I had to run to keep up with the Ragman. Though he was weeping uncontrollably, and bleeding freely at the forehead, pulling his cart with one arm, stumbling for drunkenness, falling again and again, exhausted, old, and sick, yet he went with terrible speed. On spider's legs he skittered through the alleys of the City, this mile and the next, until he came to its limits, and then he rushed beyond.

I wept to see the change in this man. I hurt to see his sorrow. And yet I needed to see where he was going in such haste, perhaps to know what drove him so.

The little old Ragman, he came to a landfill. He came to the garbage pits. And then I wanted to help him in what he did, but I hung back, hiding. He climbed a hill. With tormented labor he cleared a little space on that hill. Then he sighed. He lay down. He pillowed his head on a handkerchief and a jacket. He covered his bones with an army blanket. And he died.

Oh, how I cried to witness that death! I slumped into a junked car and wailed and mourned as one who has no hope because I had come to love the Ragman. Every other face had faded in the wonder of this man, and I cherished him; but he died. I sobbed myself to sleep.
I did not know? how could I know?? I slept through Friday night and Saturday and its night, too.

But then, on Sunday morning, I was wakened by a violence.

Light--pure, hard, demanding light--slammed against my sour face, and I blinked, and I looked, and I saw the last and the first wonder of all. There was the Ragman, folding the blanket most carefully, a scar on his forehead, but alive! And, besides that, healthy! There was no sign of sorrow nor of age, and all the rags that he had gathered shined for cleanliness.

Well, then I lowered my head and, trembling for all that I had seen, I myself walked up to the Ragman. I told him my name with shame, for I was a sorry figure next to him. Then I took off all my clothes in that place, and I said to him with dear yearning in my voice: "Dress me."

He dressed me. My Lord, he put new rags on me, and I am a wonder beside him. The Ragman, the Ragman, the Christ!

Dogwood and Crucifixion

Since it is Good Friday, with Holy Saturday just an hour away, I thought I’d share a couple trivia items. First, the legend of the Dogwood and then some information about crucifixion.
May we all be profoundly aware of how much our Jesus went through for us.

(all the following information comes from a website called www.gotquestions.org which has a lot of biblically based information in a question/answer format)

The Legend of the Dogwood

Question: "What is the legend of the dogwood tree? Was the cross Jesus was crucified on made of dogwood?"

Answer: The Bible does not tell us what type of wood the cross Jesus was crucified on was made of. Roman history does not go into specifics as to how the crosses were made or what type of wood they were made of. As a result, we cannot know for sure what type of tree was used to make the cross. There is a legend that it was made of dogwood. This is unlikely considering the typical size of a dogwood tree. The legend of the dogwood tree, author unknown, is as follows:

In Jesus' time, the dogwood grew
To a stately size and a lovely hue.
'Twas strong & firm it's branches interwoven
For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen.
Seeing the distress at this use of their wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:
"Never again shall the dogwood grow
Large enough to be used so
Slender & twisted, it shall be
With blossoms like the cross for all to see.
As blood stains the petals marked in brown
The blossom's center wears a thorny crown.
All who see it will remember me
Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree.
Cherished and protected this tree shall be
A reminder to all of my agony."

Again, this is just a "legend." It is a nice poem, but there is no Biblical basis to it. The legend of the dogwood tree is very likely not accurate. (But, you never know…)

Information about crucifixion

Question: "Was Jesus crucified on a cross, pole, or stake?"

Answer: The Bible clearly and undeniably teaches that Jesus died on a cross (Matthew 27:32,40,42; Mark 15:21,30,32; Luke 23:26; John 19:17,19,25; Acts 2:23; 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; Colossians 1:20; 2:14-15). The Greek words in those Scriptures specifically identify a cross, not a pole or stake. The most common method of execution by the Romans in Jesus’ time was crucifying a person on a cross, with nails through their hands/wrists and feet/ankles. Sometimes people were tied to the cross in addition to being nailed to it. There were instances where people were crucified to poles, stakes, trees, x-shaped crosses, etc. But this was not the case with Jesus – He was crucified on a cross.

Crucifixion was a form of punishment that had been passed down to the Romans from the Persians, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians. It was designed to be a lingering death. Roman executioners had perfected the art of slow torture while keeping the victim alive. Some victims even lingered until they were eaten alive by birds of prey or wild beasts. Most hung on the cross for days before dying of exhaustion, dehydration, or, most likely, suffocation. When the legs would no longer support the weight of the body, the diaphragm was constricted in a way that made breathing impossible. That is why breaking the legs would hasten death (John 19:31–33), but this was unnecessary in Jesus’ case. The hands were usually nailed through the wrists, and the feet through the instep or the Achilles tendon (sometimes using one nail for both feet). None of these wounds would be fatal, but their pain would become unbearable as the hours dragged on.

The most notable feature of crucifixion was the stigma of disgrace that was attached to it (Galatians 3:13; 5:11; Hebrews 12:2). One indignity was the humiliation of carrying one’s own cross, which might weigh as much as 200 pounds. The soldiers would escort the prisoner through the crowds to the place of crucifixion. A placard bearing the indictment would be hung around the person’s neck.

Why is this night different from all other nights?

When I first watched Mel Gibson’s movie, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, I was touched by many things. Admittedly, I cried through the whole thing! For whatever reason, the part that effected me the most was when Mary (Jesus’ mom) watched Jesus fall under the weight of the cross--and she flashed back to when Jesus was a little boy and had fallen--and Mary rushed to his aide. This time, unlike when Jesus was a child, there was nothing she could do. My tears kept flowing. In the midst of my tears, there were artistic symbols in the movie that left me confused and unable to decipher. I still haven’t figured out what that weird Satan-baby thing was about during the beating scene. Even more curious to me, was this: There is only one line in the whole movie that was in quotations (since the whole thing is in subtitles); why is that? I finally figured out that everything else in the movie is actually from Scripture, except for one line. When Jesus is arrested, the movie suddenly flashes to a scene of Mary Magdalene and Mary (Jesus’ mom). Mary Magdalene seems to be awakened by a sense that something is wrong and she says: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” That line is in quotation marks on the screen. It isn’t from Scripture, like everything else in the movie. It is a line from the Passover meal, a question traditionally asked by the youngest child present.

That one line stuck out to me from the movie. It jumps out at me at any Passover meal, like the one we had at church tonight. Why is tonight different from all other nights? Because tonight is the night that started it all. God saved His people through the blood of the lamb back in Egypt. Now Jesus, the Passover Lamb, agonizes in the Garden of Gethsemane…then He is betrayed and arrested. Tomorrow He will be crucified for the sins of the world. Tonight is different because nothing will ever be the same again.

For your education and inspiration, I found an intriguing article about this very thing (about this night being different from all other nights). This comes out of an organization called “Faith and Action” and their motto is: “Bringing the Word of God to bear on the hearts and minds of those who make public policy in America”. Sounds good to me!!! The article (below) is from their website.

Why is this night different from all other nights? Jesus and Passover
by FAA Staff03/27/07
http://www.faithandaction.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=221

Jewish heritage is rich with tradition and abounding with poetic symbolism, none more breathtaking than the feast celebrating the Israelites liberation from their slavery to Egypt, the Passover. Taken from the historical narrative described in the book of Exodus, the commemorative feast was established to memorialize Israel’s escape from God’s judgment and subsequent release from captivity through the sacrifice of the Passover lamb.

There is a celebrated axiom that proclaims, “In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed, and in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed.” Nowhere in the Scripture is this adage more vividly affirmed than in the Old Testament account of the Passover and its New Testament counterpart expressed in the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Passover venerates the historical move of God universally referred to as the Exodus. The Lord had broken the back of Egypt, the most formidable superpower on the globe, ruining their economy, devastating their armed forces, and critically compromising their ecology through ten powerful plagues He unleashed upon the idolatrous nation. Once regarded as invincible, its Hebrew slaves could not negotiate their position or mount a rebellion to secure their freedom, but instead endured as organic assets invested at Pharaoh’s pleasure to enhance Egypt’s quality of life.

The evening of the Tenth Plague God commanded a ceremony designed to protect His people from His impending judgment, and prepare them for their liberation from bondage. This final scourge was the death of the first-born, and included Pharaoh’s child, heir to the most powerful throne in the world. In addition to breaking the scepter of Egypt, the plague issued a direct challenge to their highest deity, Ra who was powerless to protect their people or stop it.

The God of the weakest, most vulnerable people in the kingdom, who languished at the bottom of the Egyptian food chain, was determined to show Himself mighty on their behalf. At the end of the day, He flexed His muscle in a manner that left very little to the imagination.

Unlike their “owners,” Israel's first-born were delivered from death by living out a faith that sacrificed a lamb and placed its blood upon the doorposts and the lintel of their homes in obedience to God’s command. Thus, death played by the rules doing homage to the Almighty One, saw the blood of the lamb, and passed over those homes that had vigilantly obeyed God.

Passover is a foreshadowing of the destiny of those who have embraced the Blood of the Lamb by faith thus assuring the wrath of God will 'pass over' them on the Day of Judgment, sparing them from eternal death.

The Tenth Plague eroded the bedrock of Egypt’s brittle religious reality upon which most of its cultural institutions rested. It was not only the death of the nation’s firstborn, but also the resounding destruction of their spiritual understanding and worldview that was leveled. To their horror, the Egyptian gods were no match for the God of the Hebrew slaves: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Passover is rich in cultural and spiritual heritage, given to us by God to honor what He has done in setting Israel free from slavery, and for Christians, humanity free from its bondage to sin and death by the Blood of the Lamb of God. The celebration itself revolves around a ceremonious meal called a Seder, which, when understood in light of the New Covenant, adds a unique depth to the faith, especially the Lord’s Supper, a tradition which was part of and instituted at, a Passover Seder.

The traditional gathering incorporates explicit foods, methods of preparation, and moving observances, along with deeply evocative customs that vividly recount the miraculous deliverance of Israel from its bondage to their Egyptian taskmasters. And while all of these dramatic sacraments cannot help but fill the heart with wonder, the beginning of the celebration may be the most wondrous portion of the Passover. For it begins with the youngest member of the family asking the father what are known as The Four Questions.

The Four Questions describe key portions of the Seder and probe the historic meaning of the Passover. Their answers, given by the father, instill a solemn sense of gratitude while invoking the memory of the slavery, suffering, and deliverance of Israel.
They begin with a threshold question that some feel is the only question really asked: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” The other queries simply describe how the night is different. Throughout the centuries, these questions have changed marginally, but never in substance so that while the message may vary slightly, its meaning has remained unblemished.

The Four Questions are:

1. " Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?"

2. " Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?"

3. " Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?" and

4. " Why is this night different from all other nights? Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?"

Their answers are:

1. We eat only matzah because our ancestors were unable to wait for their bread to rise when they were fleeing slavery in Egypt. They had to take their bread out of their ovens before it had risen and was still flat, which was matzah.

2. We eat only Moror, a bitter herb, to help us remember the bitterness of slavery that our ancestors suffered while in Egypt.

3. We dip twice, first with green vegetables in salt water, and then the Moror in Charoses, (a sweet combination of nuts and wine). Dipping green vegetables in salt water symbolizes replacing our tears with gratitude, while dipping the Moror in Charoses represents sweetening the yoke of bitterness and suffering to lessen its pain.

4. We recline at the Seder table because in ancient times only free people reclined at a meal, slaves could not. And so we recline in our chairs at the Seder table to remind ourselves of the priceless glory of freedom.

Passover describes the salvation offered through the New Covenant in that the Hebrew people went from slavery to freedom inheriting the Promised Land. Through the work of Christ, we are all set free from slavery to sin and death passes over all humankind, both Jew and Gentile. And just as Passover remembers the death of the lamb in Egypt, which protected and led to the freedom of the Israelites from slavery, Jesus, the Lamb of God, protects us from sin by His shed blood and leads us to a new life free from its tyranny. Thus, we are told that as often as we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we do it in remembrance of His death, the Lamb of God who is our Passover and takes away the sin of the world.

Chocolate Jesus?

Here’s the big news this Easter: Christians are outraged by an anatomically correct, life-sized sculpture of Jesus, made entirely of chocolate. Hear this, before I make my final point: I’m NOT saying that Jesus should ever be replicated in chocolate; I find the whole situation more ridiculous than offensive, really. I wonder what the world would be like if Christians put the same amount of energy into telling (and showing) people the amazing, life-changing love of Jesus—instead of just complaining and boycotting stuff. My impression is that the “artist” must not have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ to treat Him (or His image) with so little respect or dignity. This would be a great time--and opportunity--for Christians to engage with this man about the reality of Jesus Christ and His ressurection. Instead, we complain and protest and we get the chocolate Jesus taken down…but what kind of witness have we been to the world, or the artist, or the gallery in the process?

What do you think?

In case you are wondering, “What the heck is she talking about a chocolate Jesus for?”, here is the impetus behind my thoughts:

N.Y. gallery cancels naked chocolate Jesus exhibit
Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:56pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Manhattan art gallery canceled on Friday its Easter-season exhibit of a life-size chocolate sculpture depicting a naked Jesus, after an outcry by Roman Catholics.

The sculpture "My Sweet Lord" by Cosimo Cavallaro was to have been exhibited for two hours each day next week in a street-level window of the Roger Smith Lab Gallery in Midtown Manhattan.

The display had been scheduled to open on Monday, days ahead of Good Friday when Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus. But protests including a call to boycott the affiliated Roger Smith Hotel forced the gallery to scrap the showing.

"Your response to the exhibit at the Lab Gallery is crystal clear and has brought to our attention the unintended reaction of you and other conscientious friends of ours to the exhibition of Cosimo Cavallaro," Roger Smith Hotel President James Knowles said in a statement addressed to "Dear Friends."

"We have caused the cancellation of the exhibition and wish to affirm the dignity and responsibility of the hotel in all its affairs," the statement said.

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights had called for a boycott of the hotel, writing to 500 religious and secular organizations.

"This is an assault on Christians during Holy Week," said Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the league, which describes itself as the largest U.S. Catholic civil-rights group.

"They would never dare do something similar with a chocolate statue of the prophet Mohammad naked with his genitals exposed during Ramadan," she said before the cancellation.

The archbishop of New York called the sculpture "scandalous" and a "sickening display."

"This is something we will not forget," Cardinal Edward Egan said in a statement.

Matthew Semler, the artistic director of the gallery, said earlier that the hotel had no knowledge of what the gallery planned to show and was being unfairly targeted. Moreover, he said the work was not irreverent.

"It's intended as a meditation on the Holy Week," Semler said of the sculpture, which depicts Jesus as if on the cross. Easter Sunday, this year April 8, is celebrated as the day of Jesus' resurrection.

A photo of the piece on the artist's Web site (http://www.cosimocavallaro.com/) shows the work suspended in air.

New York is familiar with clashes between art and religion.

In 1999, then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani tried to withdraw a grant from the Brooklyn Museum of Art for a painting depicting the Virgin Mary as a black woman splattered with elephant dung adorned with cut-outs from pornographic magazines.

Current Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a different approach.

"If you want to give the guy some publicity, talk more about it, make a big fuss," Bloomberg told WABC radio. "If you want to really hurt him, don't pay attention."

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved. From: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-03-30T185605Z_01_N30244192_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-CHOCOLATE-JESUS.xml&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2

My Jesus

I LOVE this video...but I love the song even more. The words are INCREDIBLE!!! Don't watch this if you aren't ready to be convicted, though...but it's worth it!!!
Even those of you who normally skip the videos (ummm, Jessica!!), give this one a try. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this!!! It's especially perfect heading into Holy Week. Be blessed!

Going to Russia...

I am going on a mission trip to Russia this summer. I just finished a letter about it for our church newsletter. I thought I'd share it (below) with the blogoshpere, as well...because who knows how God will move or in what mysterious ways He might provide for my prayer and financial support needs.

For me, this trip is one of those "stepping out of the boat" experiences. My sensible side wanted to say "no"...realizing that I do not, personally, have the funds to pay for this trip. However, I felt like God was very pointedly saying, "Tina, you challenge other people to step out on faith and to see how I will provide, but then you hesitate when it comes to something I call you to personally do". All I can say about the whole discussion is "ouch". It is easier telling people to have faith than actually having faith myself! God was telling me to put my non-existent money where my mouth is. So here I am now...going and trusting...stepping out on the water and hoping I don't sink. I know, I know, it's only when you take your eyes off Jesus that you sink. I'm trying to keep my eyes where they belong, to not look down, and to get ready for the water-walking ride!

So, here is my letter:

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Russia this coming July 25th through August 4th. A team of West Ohio Conference leaders will travel to Samara, Russia to lead a Christian summer camp at an orphanage for Russian children. This is a chance to offer resources of leadership to those in our sister conference in Russia (our Conference of the UMC has several sister conferences in other countries, including Mexico, Africa, and Russia). This will also be a chance to for me, personally, to grow in leadership skills and in faith. Most importantly, this will be a way to help lead Russian children into a saving, growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

When I was first approached about this opportunity, I felt excited. I love Jesus and sharing Him with others. I love to travel and doing mission work of any kind. The only hesitation I had concerned the cost of the trip. As I prayed about the trip, I felt the Lord saying, "I am calling, will you go…and will you trust Me to provide?" What could I say then…except "yes".

I am seeking your support of my trip. Most importantly, I need people who are willing to pray for me, for the team, for the ministry, and for the children of Russia. If you are willing to consistently and fervently pray for me and this mission, would you send me a note or an email, letting me know of your "prayer partnership" in this ministry? I will make sure to keep you up-to-date on things to specifically pray about, as well as giving more details about the others who are going and the place we are going. I believe that prayer is powerful and I need your prayers. Would you consider committing to this ministry of prayer?

I am also seeking people who will participate in this mission trip through financial support. We cannot all go to Russia, but we can all be a part of what God is doing there—and a part of what He will be doing there this summer. The cost of the trip is approximately $2700 (the majority of which is for the plane ticket). Would you prayerfully consider being a part of this mission trip through a financial gift? If you would like to contribute, you can make a check payable to "Hopewell United Methodist Church", with "Russia" in the subject line or with a separate note included. You can also mail it to my attention (Hopewell UMC, Attn. Pastor Tina, 4348 London Lancaster Rd., Groveport, OH 43125). By giving/sending it to the church—instead of to me personally—the amount will be tax deductible. I appreciate your prayerful consideration in this matter.

In Christ,
Pastor Tina

Celtic Prayers

Friends, I wanted to share some prayers from the Celtic Christian tradition. Below are three prayers and then, in closing, one version of compline, which is a service of prayer for the end of the day. This mini-prayer service has been particularly meaningful as I’ve reflected on it just before sleep. I pray, out of all these prayers, one (if not all) may touch your soul and draw you closer to Christ.

The first prayer is one that emerged from the remote highlands of Gaelic-speaking Scotland. I cannot find who wrote this particular prayer, but I thought it was beautiful:

THOUGHTS
God's will would I do,
My own will bridle;

God's due would I give,
My own due yield;

God's path would I travel,
My own path refuse;

Christ's death would I ponder,
My own death remember;

Christ's agony would I meditate,
My love to God make warmer;

Christ's cross would I carry,
My own cross forget;

Repentance of sin would I make,
Early repentance choose;

A bridle to my tongue I would put,
A bridle on my thoughts I would keep

God's judgment would I judge,
My own judgment guard;

Christ's redemption would I seize,
My own ransom work;

The love of Christ would I feel,
My own love know.

All of the following is taken from Northumbria community (www.northumbriacommunity.org).
(from the website, a description of who they are: “The Northumbria Community describes a network of hugely diverse people, from different backgrounds, streams and edges of the Christian faith. We are united in our desire to embrace and express an ongoing exploration into a new way for living Christianly - a way that offers hope in the changed and changing culture of today's world. Inspired by, drawing from, and living in the spiritual tradition of monasticism, the Community is geographically dispersed and strongly ecumenical but with an identity rooted in the history and spiritual heritage of Celtic Northumbria.”)

(incidentally, John Michael Talbot—Catholic troubadour--has a beautiful song with this prayer as the lyrics)
Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Another prayer to inspire:

Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.


Finally, for your reflection any time, but especially at night: The Aidan Compline

Aidan came to Lindisfarne from Iona in the year 635 at the request of King Oswald. He was a man of deep prayer who meditated on the words of Scripture, equipping himself in quiet for an active and highly effective apostolate. He remained at Lindisfarne for 16 years. In 651, Aidan was taken ill at Bamburgh and died. Cuthbert, who was at that moment looking after his flock of sheep on the Lammermuir hills, saw a vision of angels taking Aidan's soul to heaven.

O Christ, Son of the living God,
may Your holy angels guard our sleep,
may they watch over us as we rest
and hover around our beds.

Let them reveal to us in our dreams
visions of Your glorious truth,
O High Prince of the universe,
O High Priest of the mysteries.

May no dreams disturb our rest
and no nightmares darken our dreams.
May no fears or worries delay
our willing, prompt repose.

May the virtue of our daily work
hallow our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
so our work be fresh and hard.

I will lie down and sleep in peace
for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

My dear ones, O God, bless Thou and keep,
in every place where they are.

Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
I give it to You with all the love of my heart.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

I make the cross of Christ upon my breast,
over the tablet of my hard heart,
and I beseech the Living God of the universe -
may the Light of Lights come
to my dark heart from Thy place;
may the Spirit's wisdom come to my heart's tablet
from my Saviour.

Christ without sin, Christ of wounds,
I am placing my soul and my body
under Thy guarding this night,
Christ of the poor, Christ of tears.
Thy cross be my shielding this night,
O Thou Son of tears, of the wounds, of the piercing.

I am going now into the sleep:
O be it in Thy dear arm's keep,
O God of grace, that I shall awake.

My Christ! my Christ!
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.

My Christ! my Christ!
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.
Be near me, uphold me,
my treasure, my triumph.

Circle me, Lord,
keep protection near
and danger afar.

Circle me, Lord,
keep light near
and darkness afar.

Circle me, Lord,
keep peace within;
keep evil out.

The peace of all peace
be mine this night
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Money...wish you had more?

Sitting down to pay bills today it seems the minute money comes in, I turn around and send it back out again. There are even some bills this month that I have no idea how I will pay. When I frantically turn to the Lord in my financial fear and stress, His firm yet gentle voice says to me: "Tina, do you have a place to live, food, clothes, a job, transportation?" I have to answer "yes"...and it calms me down--and helps me to remember to take it one day at a time, not to borrow worry from tomorrow, because each day certainly has enough worry of its own.

All around me, people I care about are experiencing financial problems. Yet, in reading a recent blog, I was reminded of how very rich we are as Americans. A comment on that blog said: "Experts say to provide water, basic health, and nutrition for everyone in the world, it would take around $20 billion. That is what Americans spend in one year on ice cream. We are rich in America." Ice cream? Seriously?! We are so overwhelmingly blessed!

I have not heard that particular statistic before, but I have heard others--equally staggering. I thought I'd share a few more facts (below) about hunger and poverty to give us a little perspective on how blessed we are as Americans...and, perhaps, to inspire us toward greater compassion for our brothers and sisters around the world, who are suffering as we live high on the proverbial hog.

These statistics come from a wonderful organization called "Bread for the World" ( www.bread.org ). I encourage you to check out their site. It seems like a fabulous organization.

Hunger Facts: International

World Hunger and Poverty: How They Fit Together
854 million people across the world are hungry, up from 852 million a year ago.

Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.

In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.

Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.

Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.

Facts and Figures on Population

Today our world houses 6.55 billion people.

The United States is a part of the developed or industrialized world, which consists of about 57 countries with a combined population of about 1 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population.

In contrast, approximately 5.1 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.

The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Facts and Figures on Hunger and Poverty

Worldwide, more than 1 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.

Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.

Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.

Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.

Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.


Go to the World Food Programme website ( www.wfp.org/english ) and click on either "Counting the Hungry" or "Interactive Hunger Map" for presentations on hunger and poverty around the world.


Facts and Figures on Health

Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization.

Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment.

In 2005, about 10.1 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.

Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger.

Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities.

The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death.

In the developing world, 27 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 10 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 31 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age.

Facts and Figures on HIV/AIDS

The spreading HIV/AIDS epidemic has quickly become a major obstacle in the fight against hunger and poverty in developing countries.

Because the majority of those falling sick with AIDS are young adults who normally harvest crops, food production has dropped dramatically in countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates.

In half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, per capita economic growth is estimated to be falling by between 0.5 and 1.2 percent each year as a direct result of AIDS.

Infected adults also leave behind children and elderly relatives, who have little means to provide for themselves. In 2003, 12 million children were newly orphaned in southern Africa, a number expected to rise to 18 million in 2010.

Since the epidemic began, 25 million people have died from AIDS, which has caused more than 15 million children to lose at least one parent. For its analysis, UNICEF uses a term that illustrates the gravity of the situation; child-headed households, or minors orphaned by HIV/AIDS who are raising their siblings.

1 % (ages 15-49) of the world is HIV prevalent (2005 data).

1.1 % (ages 15-49) of developing countries are HIV prevalent (2005 data).

Approximately 39.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Of this figure, 63 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2006, 4.3 million people become infected with HIV and 2.9 million people died of AIDS.

Thoughts to Inspire

Since I didn’t get a day off last week—and because my usual Monday morning Bible study was serendipitously canceled this morning—I took today off. I rested, read, played with the dogs, enjoyed the sunshine, and even watched a movie on tv. It was great. Because of my lack of interaction with the “real world” today, I have no provocative “thoughts” to share…so I am posting, instead of my own thoughts, two writings that have meant a lot to me.

First, a prayer that we often hear, but only in part. I actually like that last part of the prayer better than the more familiar part. What do you think?

The Serenity Prayer
by Reinhold Niebuhr

God grant me
Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship
as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.

Second, I love this poem: one of John Donne’s holy sonnets. It is Old English, so it takes a certain amount of analysis to really understand it. I first encountered this as a freshman in college, during a British literature class. To me, it talks about the human struggle to love God as we long to love Him—how we can only love God well if God pulls us away from the lesser loves of our lives and binds us to Himself. I, unfortunately, relate way too well to this sonnet, but I love it, nonetheless. I hope you enjoy it!

Batter My Heart
by John Donne

Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend

Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.

I, like an usurp’d town, to another due,

Labor to admit you, but Oh, to no end,

Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,

But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,

But am betroth’d unto your enemy:

Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,

Take me to you, imprison me, for I

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.