The Big Picture

I subscribe to a blog. Sort of. It’s in my Reader, it’s the Big Picture from the Boston Globe.

I don’t know how significant Boston is but it’s newspaper has some pretty amazing shots in it from around the world. They’re big, too. Hence the name. I’ve found it informative and moving. Ah, photography. Especially photojournalism. Makes me feel more alive! (Just like documentaries!)

Anyway, today’s picture moved me. (Do view it “Big.”)

At first I noticed the faces of the soldiers (or are they just citizens with guns?). Grimaces, really. Then my eyes were drawn to the background of the picture. You’ll notice the composition is a triangle. Pointing to the bottom right axis of the Golden Mean. At least, that’s my amateur estimation of it. Well, aside from all that, look at the clouds.

They’re beautiful.

I have a special relationship with clouds. Whenever I see them (not the overcast, blown-out sky days but the times when clouds are giants towering cumulus wonders), I think of God. The world we’ve created can be so ugly, full of decay and broken apart (look at the rest of those pictures), but no matter what we do or how we mess things up, clouds are always these huge, towering monuments to the beauty and goodness and presence of God. They remind me that our world is very small, that I am very small, and that our God is big.

Psalm 19:1
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.The skies display his craftsmanship.

For this reason my favourite aspect of nature is clouds.

After viewing the rest of the photos in that series, you definitely need something to remind you that God is here, and that there’s hope.

Da Amish

Who knew?

In his book The Faith, Chuck Colson retells the aftermath of the Amish schoolhouse shooting in 2006. The donations to the families of murdered children were not kept, but passed on to the murderer’s widow and three kids. Resentment and even revege would have been socially acceptable; blatant neglect would have been considered charitable. Yet, in that moment, with the world watching, that Amish community communicated a shocking representation of God’s unrelenting grace.

This made me veritably TEAR UP. It’s odd what does it. So random. Didn’t think I was feeling particularly emotional. But DANG. Had to share.

Bible

Bible reading is at an all-time low while Bible study aids are at an all-time high. Never has there been more available for the Bible reader than there is today: Bible atlases, Bible commentaries, Bible concordances – both in books and online – and Bible reading guides. Yet, the average Christian has never read the Bible from cover to cover, nor does the average Christian read the Bible daily.

I got the Neue Quarterly in the mail a couple days ago. First off, LOVE THAT DESIGN. Secondly, it seems to have a theme of Bible-reading. LOVE IT!!! Just flipping through right now, but the above quote is from an article by Scot McKnight entitled, “Reading the Bible with Magic Eyes.”

When we pick up the Bible with nothing more in our quest than a “Tell me what to do!” reading of the Bible, we make a big mistake. Two things come to mind: first, we tend to make God nothing more than a lawgiver and second, we tend to become legalists.

Intertwined in the commands of the Bible are lots of blessings and lots of promises, and we need these words of assurance from God. But some open the Bible with only one intent: “Tell me something nice!” …In the midst of suffering and tragedy and death, we might seek for blessings and promises, but we need to know that the Bible is more than a Hallmark calendar…

Some people treat the Bible like an inkblot: the reader projects onto the Bible whatever he or she wants to see. Democrats see Jesus as a Democrat. Republicans see Jesus as a Republican. Instead of seeing Jesus as Jesus, a first-century Galilean Jew, they see a Jesus of their own making.

Well anyway, enough of them quotes. The rest of the article is quite good, too.  It illuminates some of the errors we make when we elevate systematic theology or try to pick one author in the Bible and make the rest of the Bible conform (like Jesus or Paul). His conclusion is basically to read the Bible with “Magic Eyes.” The story should shape us, and we can only do that by entering into it. Engaging fully. We’re a part of the text, it affects how we live, that kinda thing.

I think I heard this guy speak once at a Today’s Teen conference. Or I watched a vid online. Can’t remember. Anyway, he really is great. He has a book. I think I should purchase it.

Humble and contrite

I read this last night,

and it came to mind today as I was contemplating what I’m going to do regarding the issue in my previous post.

This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Isaiah 66:2

I have a tendency to like running away from my problems. Not dealing with things. Sometimes, by God’s mercy, the time away allows me room to breathe, and time to think.

I haven’t forgiven Eloise. I can feel anger bubble up when I think of how she’s treated me. And tremendous frustration at the idea that the resentment may not be mutual, that it was just carelessness on her part that allowed her to treat me so. I feel anger that I’m not conniving enough to have a numbered list of each instance where I felt stepped on, proving my point without a shadow of a doubt. A list of each instance when I’ve felt like my extended hand was spurned, that I was stepped on in a moment of my vulnerability. To me, I felt hated by her. Like a disease.

And I hated back.

But it’s a really empty, dark place to be. It’s like a hole. It’s hollow. And I can’t let it stay that way.

I want to change. I want this feeling to change. I don’t want to make decisions based on what causes me the least pain while refusing to do anything about the pain I already have. I don’t want to hold on to that.

I’m not going to Eloise’s wedding. But I shall hold nothing against her, I shall be happy with her, and if I get to see her, it will be good.

It really is forgiveness.

That felt like mental/spiritual acrobatics. But I can envision it; I can envision being happy and not resentful that I didn’t attend her wedding, and it’s probably for the best that I don’t go, and I will still have a lot of fun with no burden on my shoulders at our retreat. And if, before then, I struggle again with feelings of resentment, I will grab hold of Christ’s hand for strength, and remember his forgiveness he gave on the cross. I can feel peace in my heart.

Forgiveness is as easy as deciding, again, to believe. To believe that where you are, you don’t want to be, and there’s someplace better, with Christ.

Email that gives you upset stomach

Ever get yourself in the middle of one of those situations

where you feel guilty

and you fear a confrontation

and you just wish the situation would go away

but you have to deal with it

and so until it’s resolved

you can’t stop thinking about it?

I got an email this morning that has gotten me anxious.

I’m feeling guilty for a situation I’ve left unresolved, that I hoped would go away on its own, that would be forgotten with time.

Alas, I suppose when I put my foot down, way back when, I knew there would be aftershocks.

We’re going to use fake names, because it’s fun.

I have a friend name Eloise. Great girl. I loved her, I thought she was amazing. We had a long friendship, not without its ups and downs. We worked hard for peace, and there was reconciliation. Much healing that went on in that friendship.

But then I got engaged. And she got stressed out. At least, I think that’s what happened.

The way she treated me broke my heart, again and again. For a long time I assumed she knew what she was doing, and had decided that was the end of our friendship, but recently, a number of instances made me think that perhaps she was so stressed out that she didn’t even realize  her behaviour.

I fear, actually, that she doesn’t think anything is wrong, even though, as far as I’m concerned, I could never see her again and be happy as a clam.

You see, Eloise was surprised when  I didn’t invite her to my wedding. And I was surprised when she invited me to hers.

Not wanting to get back on the emotional roller coaster that is the unending cycle of “is she mad at me or isn’t she?” I decided to just keep my distance. I put my foot down by not inviting her to my wedding. And I put it down again, to reaffirm my decision to distance myself, as I “regretfully declined” to attend hers.

I assumed no one would notice until the day of, and if they asked, I would give a pat answer, “We decided not to go for personal reasons.” Those who were suspicious could have read into it all they liked. I’m not going to lie and say I was busy. The truth is, I once would have loved to see their wedding, but now I have no desire to put myself out there again. It feels like an open wound that I just want to stop prodding and let heal.

The email I recieved this morning, however, was from another friend. “Deborah.” She is hosting a retreat and has invited five people I consider amazing individuals. However, the day of the retreat is now set for the day after the wedding, because (she assumes) we’ll all be together already. No one (apparently not even Eloise herself) knows how I feel about Eloise, and I suppose I hoped it would have stayed that way.

You see, I planned on attending this retreat and knew it would come up, the awkward reality that I wasn’t going for “good” reasons. I figured I’d just stay pretty quiet on the issue, and people could assume the best or the worst.

I knew I’d be the only one not going to the wedding. But I didn’t know our retreat would be the very next day. Everyone in high spirits and me carrying my ugly little reality that there is someone in this world I couldn’t care less about because of how she’s hurt me and it’s our dear friend Eloise.

Arg.

Funny Books recommended by Dr. Laura

I have no idea who Dr. Laura is.

My best guess is that she’s

a female, Christian-American psychologist.

I’m wary of her.

Somehow I stumbled upon her recommended book list. It’s extensive.

But I found some of the book titles pretty funny.

Like…

…this scary book (not the font choice and colour and use of the term “lady”)

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

This is a cute title & nice cover design … but I do wonder what the heck “males” need saving from…

Save the Males: Why Men Matter Why Women Should Care

Something I didn’t know you could write a book on…

Parenting with Pets

and last but not least…

something I know I’ll need one day….

Bringing Up Geeks: How to Protect Your Kid's Childhood in a Grow-Up-Too-Fast World

Here are two beautifully designed book covers of books I will never read.

Taking Sex Differences Seriously

Brainwashed : How Universities Indoctrinate America's Youth

And the winner for best book cover with a cat and the author on the cover:

The Wit & Wisdom of Cal Thomas By Cal Thomas

Not gunna lie, some of that stuff looks fascinating, but the rest I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. (I wonder if the cat-man mentions his cat in the book)

IKEA = MARRIAGE

We went to IKEA last night. Bought stuff. Lots of stuff.

Including ice cream which was consumed as we waited in the check-out line (a little-known benefit of marriage is that one spouse can buy ice cream while the other spouse waits in line and then deliver the ice cream back to the aforementioned awaiting spouse) and swedish meatballs which I ALMOST forgot in the middle of the living room with the rest of the IKEA miscellany after I went to bed.

Nothin’ makes you feel married quite like a pile of unassembled IKEA furniture in your living room.

East Side Mario’s

We (our “team”) went out for lunch today, for a “team lunch.”

We experienced probably the worst service I’ve ever had in a restaurant, but it was funny, rather than annoying. And in the end we still gave them a good tip (I think).

Matt didn’t get his refillable salad bowl, so they ended up serving him about 6 individual sized plates of salad (you’d think after plate 2 or 3 they’d just give him the “serve yourself” bowl with the tongs).

His first plate of salad didn’t arrive until about a minute before his meal arrived.

JB ordered cranberry juice, which at one point, after she had ordered water, a server we had never seen before came up and poured orange juice into, as he explained that he hadn’t realized her order was for orange and cranberry (it wasn’t, that was the table beside ours). We all laughed after we told him, no, that in fact, the cranberry juice was fine, and he took away her now orange/cranberry juice and replaced it.

Matt ordered another diet Pepsi and she brought him an iced tea, a mistake she realized as she put the iced tea down on the table. She then said she was going crazy (in a cute, self-deprecating way), and then corrected the order.

Our main course was correct, and delicious.

After I had finished eating, however, a fourth server (not the hostess, not the waitress, not the woman who brought out the food nor the guy who brought the juice), came and tried to give me a garden salad, which I hadn’t ordered.

And then finally, as JB and I stood at the front of the restaurant to wait for Matt who was in the bathroom, the hostess tried to seat us, again.

It was just one of those examples of poor communication, I suppose. The place wasn’t busy, and there were (clearly) a lot of people working there.

Ah well. Good times. I’d still go back. The food was good. I had the marbiola (sp?) wrap. No salad. And their coffee was good, too.

Peanuts

Our workplace is supposed to be a safe place if you have peanut allergies. It’s “peanut-free” or “nut-free”, perhaps. I forget the terminology. But basically, don’t bring peanut butter to work.

But no one at our office has a peanut allergy.  I’m all for sacrificing my love of peanut butter snacks to ensure someone doesn’t DIE just trying to git da job done.

But “just because”?

Top 100 Bible Verses

I found this fascinating.

These are the top searched for Bible verses from BibleGateway.com

This is what people are looking for, and what God is saying to people.

1. John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2. Jer 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
3. Rom 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
4. Phil 4:13: I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
5. Gen 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
6. Prov 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
7. Prov 3:6: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
8. Rom 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
9. Phil 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
10. Matt 28:19: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
11. Eph 2:8: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
12. Gal 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
13. Rom 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
14. John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
15. Acts 18:10: For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
16. Acts 18:9: One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
17. Acts 18:11: So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
18. Gal 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
19. 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
20. Rom 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
21. John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
22. Matt 28:20: and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
23. Rom 5:8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
24. Phil 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
25. Phil 4:7: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
26. Josh 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
27. Isa 40:31: but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
28. Eph 2:9: not by works, so that no one can boast.
29. Rom 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
30. Gal 5:23: gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
31. Isa 53:5: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
32. 1 Pet 3:15: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
33. 2 Tim 3:16: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
34. Matt 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
35. Heb 12:2: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
36. 1 Pet 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
37. Eph 2:10: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
38. 1 Cor 10:13: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
39. Matt 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
40. Heb 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
41. 2 Cor 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
42. Heb 13:5: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
43. 2 Cor 12:9: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
44. Rom 10:9: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
45. Isa 41:10: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
46. Gen 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
47. Matt 11:29: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
48. John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
49. Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
50. 2 Tim 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
51. Isa 53:4: Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
52. 2 Cor 5:21: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
53. Rom 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
54. John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
55. Heb 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
56. John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
57. Jas 1:2: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
58. Isa 53:6: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
59. Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
60. Eph 3:20: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
61. Matt 11:30: For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
62. Gen 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
63. Col 3:12: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
64. Heb 12:1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
65. Jas 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
66. Acts 17:11: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
67. Phil 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
68. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
69. 1 Cor 6:19: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
70. 1 John 3:16: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
71. Ps 133:1: How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
72. John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
73. Heb 4:12: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
74. John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
75. Mic 6:8: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
76. Rom 10:17: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
77. John 1:12: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
78. Jas 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
79. Jas 1:3: because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
80. Rom 8:38: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
81. Rom 8:39: neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
82. Heb 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
83. 2 Pet 1:4: Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
84. Phil 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
85. Ps 133:3: It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
86. Heb 4:16: Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
87. Ps 37:4: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
88. John 3:17: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
89. Acts 4:12: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
90. Isa 26:3: You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
91. 1 Pet 2:24: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
92. Josh 1:8: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
93. Matt 28:18: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
94. Col 3:23: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
95. Matt 22:37: Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
96. Ps 133:2: It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
97. Matt 5:16: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
98. Isa 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
99. Heb 4:15: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
100. John 13:35: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”