Gratitude thoughts from Brian Walsh

In a culture of perpetual dissatisfaction,

…a culture where you are what you have made yourself,
…a culture of ceaseless craving
……for new experiences,
……for consumer goods,
……for power,
……for sex,
……for wealth,
……for status,
…a culture of hyperactive frenzy and anxiety,
…a culture of paralysis and numbness,
……in this culture,
……gratitude can set us free.

Gratitude receives life as a gift,
…not a self-made accomplishment.

Gratitude is rooted in deep satisfaction,
…not held captive to dissatisfaction.

Gratitude replaces isolation
…with community.

Gratitude replaces competition
…with friendship.

Gratitude meets an economy of ‘more’
…with the audacious experience of ‘enough.’

Gratitude abandons aggression
…for gentleness.

Gratitude shakes off arrogance,
…for humility.

If the peace of Christ rules in our hearts,
…if we know the power of forgiveness,
…if we have been renewed in Christ,
…if love binds our lives together,
…then we will be thankful.

If the word of Christ dwells in us richly,
…if the word of Christ takes up residence deep in our lives,
…if that word begins to bear fruit in us,
…if wisdom begins to shape our imaginations,
…then we will sing songs of profound gratitude.

If we have come to Christ,
…if we give our whole lives to Christ,
…if we submit every dimension of our lives to his loving rule,
…if we do everything in the name of Christ,
……then our whole lives will be a thanks offering,
……our whole lives will give thanks to God our Father.

Christian ministry is not a duty,
…it is an act of gratitude.

You can find the rest of Brian's stuff here.

Together

Some ponderings from my Theology of Church and Ministry notes.

I've been asked before "How is your relationship with God?" Usually it causes me to ponder and reflect, finding those places of joy and sources of sorrow. Sometimes I've used the question with teens. The usual response is, "Um, good, I think." Okay. Good. What's that mean?

Anyway, I've been thinking about the question and wondering if it can be asked in this way, "How is our relationship with God?" or "How is your family's relationship with God?" Is it possible to relate to God together? If so, what does this look like? Is it only on Sunday morning or through Bible Study or serving?

When Christianity has primarily been viewed through the individualistic lens of "my relationship with God", it is important that we ask further questions, guiding us to examine how "we" are relating to God together. I know this, but I'm wrestling with what it looks like.

So, I've just typed about 13 sentences. Incoherent they seem to me now that I look over them, but I wanted to see what my ten readers think.

How do we relate to God together? Is it possible to evaluate/measure/picture a community's relationship with God?

Saints and Stains

Reading The Holy Longing by Ronald Rolheiser for a seminary course...there were sections of the book that left me feeling naked and cold and other sections that warmed me to the core.

One section that did both to me was the chapter of the book dedicated to the community of faith. Here are some thoughts spawned from it...

In the church we have saints and stains. We have the greatness of God and the fraility of humanity. We have a peace that lasts and the daily grind that disrupts any efforts for peace. We have the promise of forgiveness and the continuing selfishness that builds bitterness and emotional distance.

what if...

what if love was the hallmark of the church?

what if people left the church because the community loves so much?

Quote from Life After God

"For so many years I lived a life of solitude and I thought life was fine. But I knew that unless I explored intimacy and shared intimacy with someone else then life would never progress beyond a certain point. I remember thinking that unless I knew what was going on inside someone else's head other than my own I was going to explode."

143, Life after God, Douglas Coupland

some interesting thoughts on the need for community and intimacy that all people have...

Thanks Dude

So the other day I was working and getting everything together for this huge event called Creation. And I had to get all these tents and things together, but you know what? I couldn't do it alone, at least not if I wanted to eat supper with my wife by 6. So, my good friend Dan helped me out.

Thanks Dan!

Good Conversations

here.

focusing on these questions:

What do we all have in common that keeps Christianity alive?
What does it mean to be a practicing community of faith?
What are the basics of Christian practice that we have forgotten?
How can we truly change the church to embrace our diversity and bridge our differences?

my friend brian pointed me here.

also friend from college just discovered on blogosphere. mr. swaim. good kid, he is.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness lifts me above the battle, disentagles me from the mangled mess of anger, vengeance, trustlessness. In the heat of the battle, I am brought out so that when the dust settles and all that remains are ears ringing and carnage my "opponent" discovers I was never in the fight anyway. His words of deceit aimed at inciting me have landed softly without impaling.

Forgiveness brings us into another realm; a realm of understanding, love and patience. Understanding that all of us have stories that drive our character; love for all the people in their stories-love that existed before their story was written; and patience/hope that all will someday enter that realm.