At the Well

A strange thing is happening to me.

I'm beginning to like Rexdale.

This Be What We Do...

...We Be Jammin'

If I learn one thing from a book I'm pleased

You all probably knew this already, but it's something that I think I've been missing for a while...

I remember when I was around 12 or so I saw a sign in the front window of a lingerie store that said "God is Love". I was offended at the time but didn't understand why, I just felt like I should be. I guess I thought that the reference to lingerie was a little disrespectful. But I think I understand the phrase now. I still don't really like how they turned God into politics, but that's not the point here.

I guess it first hit me when I read the real thing in the Bible. There it was, "God is Love". Then at least I could be certain that the phrase was sound. But one day I was teaching a kid's club and used that phrase. I was a little suprised but I felt God just using my words there. It suddenly hit me that that doesn't mean God just knows how to love, heck, He created love and is the very definition of it. So I ran with that thought for a while.

I think a problem hit when I started to think that God was trying to tell me that all the relationships I was surrounded by weren't perfect because my relationship with Him wasn't perfect. I got this twisted idea that when I had learned to make God first in my life, then all the other relationships would fall into line (Maybe that would really happen, but I wouldn't know since I haven't gotten there yet). So anyhow perhaps you can see how thinking like that all the time would start to kind of mess with your head after a while. Because it's not humanly possible for me to make God first all the time. I guess I can through His strength, but I'm not perfect and haven't mastered that yet.

So a new thought hit me recently. Maybe I have it backwards. Maybe, God has given me all these imperfect relationships to teach me love. Because when you care about somebody, not only does it mean you have to love them, you have to be able to receive their love in return. This was an entirely new thought to me. If I can learn from relationships how to both give and receive love, then maybe I can almost maybe kind-of start to fathom how a relationship with God ought to look like. Maybe.

Masterpiece

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

-Ephesians 2: 10

Maybe part of our journey is figuring out what colours He gave us and how to use them?

Muse

When tragedy strikes:

'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

-Anne Graham

I struggled with this, here's what I've got.

I'm reminded of the narration of a lover courting his darling. He dotes on her day and night, cares for her, teaches her, loves her, and she sends him packing. He leaves with an aching and dejected heart, and watches from afar as she drives herself into the ground single-handedly. He reaches out a hand to her, leaves his door unlocked, keeps a candle burning in his window, but she's stubborn. She forgets him, makes love to haters and dances with the devil. Only when she falls on the dance floor and sees the crystal shattering around her, does she remember her lover. And like Scarlett O'Hara she races through the streets, steadily upwards towards his house. Her feet grow weary, her knees buckle, and she falls. With her last strength she lifts her lowly head and gazes up at his house so distant, but the light is gone from his window. Her head drops dejectedly as she reminisces of the good times past. As she concludes that her lover has finally left, a foot appears before her. Her eyes wander until she is gazing into the loving eyes of him, the candle light he brought to meet her illuminating his merciful face. his one hand remains outstretched towards her and she takes it. He easily raises her up, and supporting her with one arm, flicks out small specks of shattered crystal in her hair. Then he smiles at her and kisses the tears on her cheek.

Not overly original, I think theres something like this in the Bible called the Prodigal Son. Ah well, I think I'm done for a while - cheers.

Does it really.

You're there three times a week,
but really only maybe once.
That other thing, that other person,
it isn't really working out the way it should.
I had a plan 3 years ago for him,
maybe it wasn't His though.






Was this His idea? I guess it must have been.
Last week I was asked if my refrigerator was running,
too bad I ruined his joke by stealing the punchline.
It isn't working the way I thought it should.
Am I missing His message the way they are?
I hope not, that's scary.

I saw three today,
They looked happy,
I felt sad.
making bad choices
take a while to get over.

and for the optimism because the pessimism is old.

Mercy,
I deserved it
but He didn't give it,
Thankyou.

Grace,
I didn't deserve that did I?
He handed it over,
Thankyou.

Be ...

I was thought to be,

planned to be

born to be,

made to be,

desired to be,

hoped to be and

willed to be,

wished to be,

killed to be,

brought to be,

called to be,

asked to be,

envited to be,

chosen to be,

feared to be.