Celebration and Pain 2

I never cease to be amazed by the power of the mind. I was helping my son clean out his back yard this weekend. I could do diddley squat. The slope was steep and I just couldn’t perambulate. Loving to connect with my son through work, a great saddness crept in. The loss of a connection with the guy in this world I love the most.

I had a choice: linger on the circumstances and get depressed or change my mindset. In the last post, we saw how the Philippians 4 passage shows us the healthy way to think.

1. Celebrate God for who He is and what He has done (for me).

2. Serve others.

3. Remember the big picture. Christ will return. No more pain.

In the next few verses the writer reveals even more specific mental processing.
Thus the pain of loss subsided as I brought my thoughts into captivity, beginning with praising God for all He has provided for me these 72 years.

But there was still the nerve-damaged leg and foot pain. It seems as I focus on the pain, physical and emotional, the hurting becomes more intense. Celebatng God seems to be somewhat of a “spiritual narcotic,” in that though the pain is still there, the magnitude lessens.

Second Corinthians 6:10 wraps this up this pain dilemna neatly: “Our hearts ache, yet we have the joy of the Lord.” Pain is inevitable, but I believe in the sovereignty of God and He promised to work all for my best and His glory. For that there is joy.

There can be value in pain. For me, the last six months has seen much needed character growth evolve out of the accident. Have you seen the value of your pain? How are you doing celebrating God? I hope you’ll join me in making that a more consistesnt exercise.

Bonhoeffer on Community - 2

Bonhoeffer evaluates and contrasts two types of community: the spiritual versus the psychic or human.

Spiritual: based on truth; human: based on desire
Spiritual: called by Christ. human: fellowship of devout goals
Spiritual; love is agape – brotherly service; humn love is eros, desire for pleasure.
Spiritual: Word of God rules; human: leader has exceptional powers.
Spiritual: the Spirit governs; human: psychological techniques and methods rule.

Human love seeks direct contact with the other person but does not serve.
Spiritual love is bound soley to the Word of Christ, doing what He guides. (I believe one’s focus is then giving and not getting – a significant ingredient in the health of any relationship - especially marriage.

Before we moved to Kentucky, I was so blessed to be part of a "once a week community" in Nampa, Idaho. It wasn't a residential community as we are examining, but how graphically these tenets of Bonhoeffer were at play - successfully. I sure miss those men. The Band of Brothers!

Next we'lll look at how Bonhoeffer suggests a daily community schedule.

Knowing and Enjoying God - 2

Barron Olaf, ready for battle!

Three wonderful responses came to my query of yesterday - why and how do you know and enjoy God? Thanks Dan, Barb and Gary. These next posts will communicate the nuggests of truth they shared.

From Dan: I think there may be even another perspective. What has been presented so far seems to imply that knowing God better is something I personally initiate.

I think that God is at work at all times drawing me into a closer relationship with Himself. He will use whatever means He deems best based upon what it is in my life that is a barrier.
Sometimes adversity and sometimes enjoyment or exhilaration is His tool.

My challenge is to be prepared to recognize His outstretched hand and respond in faith. Scripture, prayer, praise, and all the spiritual disciplines can help prepare me to better perceive His hand at work.

I can hardly wait to share the other two nuggets with you in the next posts.

Angry addicts - 2

How did all the mishandling of anger begin in an addict’s life? Childhood home environments were often the culprit.

1. Parents who didn’t constructively express and resolve anger, modeled the same for their children. Some taught that “nice guys” didn’t get angry. They taught repression – the art of swallowing anger so quickly it was unrecognizable. It’s destructiveness usually took the form of a passive aggressive behavior (getting even with others through subtle maneuvers of revenge.)

For example, the person who is chronically late is often a person getting even with another who is very time conscious. An addiction has a strong component in many cases of getting even with someone to whom they are close. A husband to a controlling, dominating wife. A wife to an emotionally neglecting husband. Could the pictured dog sitting on a cat be an example of passive-aggressiveness? And I’m wondering how much passive-aggressiveness plays a part in the following letter from a 13-year-old girl to her addict brother.

Dear brother,
“I have a question for you. Why are you so stupid? Harsh! No! I could tell you all these things you’ve done to me but I won’t because I love you and care about you. Even though I do, you are making it harder than licking a cactus. I know it will be hard but you need help. I don’t know how long we can do this. I want to see you more than once a week. You’re my brother. Do you remember that or are you high or something? Can you read this or are you not able to see the truth?
“I tell you something, I can barely read this because I am crying to hard. In school if someone says something to remind me of you, I have to choke down my tears. I know you’re an addict. But for me, for your family, STOP. We will still love you always but you can’t put us through this anymore. I can’t even begin to tell you how I feel. My feelings are racing. I don’t know what to do anymore. If you want to screw up your own life (which I don’t advise) fine, but don’t bring us down with you.
“Don’t keep running. Face what you have done. I may even be able to forgive the people who got you hooked on this disgusting stuff. What is getting drunk or high going to do – let you escape from your problems for a few hours anyway? Go to rehab for me. I love you with all my heart. PLEASE DON’T BREAK IT! your sis

More tomorrow on the genesis of anger and addictions.