I promised some quotes from these books I am reading because I am getting so much out of them:
Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen:
He speaks about the spiritual life and what he calls its 3 poles that we vacillate between:
1. Loneliness and solitude
2. Hostility and hospitality
3. Illusions and prayer
These quotes are from the first part:
"When we have no project to finish, no friend to visit, no book to read, no television to watch or no record to play, and when we are left all alone by ourselves we are brought so close to the revelation of our basic human aloneness and are so afraid of experiencing an all-pervasive sense of loneliness that we will do anything to get busy again and continue the game which makes us believe that everything is fine after all."
"By running away from our loneliness and by trying to distract ourselves with people and special experiences, we do not realistically deal with our human predicament. We are in danger of becoming unhappy people suffering from many unsatisfied cravings and tortured by desires and expectations that never can be fulfilled." because
"No friend or lover, no husband or wife, no community or commune will be able to put to rest our deepest cravings for unity and wholeness...Friendship and love cannot develop in the form of an anxious clinging to each other."
"To live a spiritual life we must first find the courage to enter into the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude...Do not run, but be quiet and silent. Listen attentively to your own struggle."
Stay tuned for more on solitude or read the book!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
The Drawers Won't Open
I promised Cindy I would post this so this is for you. Sorry it took so long and left you in suspense:
I was in Walmart a couple of weeks ago with all 4 kids (oh the joys of summer!). In the center of the main aisle where all the "we hope you buy all this stuff so we put it in the center aisle"is, were some plastic drawers. I stopped, of course because that is the point, and thought out loud that maybe these drawers would help our mess in the basement office-organizing. Then I tried to open the drawers-they wouldn't budge. So I said, "What is the point of these? The drawers don't even open!" So Jonny wisely says, "Mom (in his head-you dolt), they are taped shut! You would have to remove the tape." To which all four were almost on the floor laughing and now, almost every time they see me they say, "What's wrong with these drawers, they won't open" So mom the dolt will never live this down now. But it is good wholesome family laughter and keeps me humble.
Hope you get a laugh out of this too.
I was in Walmart a couple of weeks ago with all 4 kids (oh the joys of summer!). In the center of the main aisle where all the "we hope you buy all this stuff so we put it in the center aisle"is, were some plastic drawers. I stopped, of course because that is the point, and thought out loud that maybe these drawers would help our mess in the basement office-organizing. Then I tried to open the drawers-they wouldn't budge. So I said, "What is the point of these? The drawers don't even open!" So Jonny wisely says, "Mom (in his head-you dolt), they are taped shut! You would have to remove the tape." To which all four were almost on the floor laughing and now, almost every time they see me they say, "What's wrong with these drawers, they won't open" So mom the dolt will never live this down now. But it is good wholesome family laughter and keeps me humble.
Hope you get a laugh out of this too.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Books and Pray without Ceasing
Some books to recommend to you:
Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (can't believe I haven't read this before)
I will quote from these in near future as I have time.
I have been convicted to pray more so pray I pray more!
Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (can't believe I haven't read this before)
I will quote from these in near future as I have time.
I have been convicted to pray more so pray I pray more!
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
School and a walk in the woods
I finished my first course earning my first 3 credits toward my master's degree. I am currently in the middle of my second course. After this summer, I will only have 54 credits to go!
Tuesday we went to Locust Shade Park which is a bit north of Stafford on route 1. If you haven't been there, it is very pretty. Lots of paths in the woods, a creek, a pond, cute ducks, etc. Anyway, of course Arianna had "to go". She picks the most inoportune times to do this. Of course, there is no port-a-potty in site and no bathroom. She's jumping up and down. Off to a semi remote place in the woods. At least she had a skirt on (fancy that-her favorite article of clothing). "Squat" I say, and "don't get it on your shoes". She manages to go on the leaves and steps over them saying "ewww, gross". Wiping with a leaf was gross too. We walk back to our group and she says, "Wow, that was my first pee in the woods!" Yeah well, don't get too excited about that achievement. My friend says now she will want to go in the woods every chance she gets. As we walk back, of course a few yards away around the bend is a port a potty!
Tuesday we went to Locust Shade Park which is a bit north of Stafford on route 1. If you haven't been there, it is very pretty. Lots of paths in the woods, a creek, a pond, cute ducks, etc. Anyway, of course Arianna had "to go". She picks the most inoportune times to do this. Of course, there is no port-a-potty in site and no bathroom. She's jumping up and down. Off to a semi remote place in the woods. At least she had a skirt on (fancy that-her favorite article of clothing). "Squat" I say, and "don't get it on your shoes". She manages to go on the leaves and steps over them saying "ewww, gross". Wiping with a leaf was gross too. We walk back to our group and she says, "Wow, that was my first pee in the woods!" Yeah well, don't get too excited about that achievement. My friend says now she will want to go in the woods every chance she gets. As we walk back, of course a few yards away around the bend is a port a potty!
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