Our K6 kids at Westwinds were writing poems about sin/redemption and God. Check out the westwindskids.blogspot for their work.
Here's my attempt at writing poetry.
SIN
false promises
seducing, isolating, destroying
Need to see Jesus
slave
SIN
self seeking
breaking, separating, destroying
Endless cycle of fear
isolation
Friday, August 15, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sin - what is it?
In August Westwinds’ K6 experience studios are studying Genesis 3 – the fall and redemption of humankind. Sin is an abstract, complex concept to understand. We’re asking the kids to do some hard work.
Over the month long studio sessions we are asking the kids
to define sin
to determine if some sins were “worse” than others
to describe the nature of sin, and
to identify how we can restore our relationship with God.
Of course in the midst of preparing for the kids, the Spirit is at work in my own life. My understanding of sin is much different today than when I was a child. As a young person my understanding of sin was the “don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t have sex.” Some people would have added “don’t play cards and don’t dance,” but I was much more “liberal” in my theology J. Within my faith community there was definitely a hierarchy of sin.
My friend and boss Dave McDonald (one of the most brilliant people I know! seriously, checkout his blog Guerillahost) defines sin as anything that separates or breaks your relationship with God. Working with kids and quite honestly most adults, I needed a concrete way to describe sin and used the contrast and comparison idea.
sin is self-focused (selfish),
Iove is other-focused (unselfish)
or
sin breaks down
love builds up and restores,
Ultimately the end result of sin a break in my relationship with God.
Looking at sin this way is much more challenging than having a list of 10 things I shouldn’t do like “don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t have sex, don’t play cards, don’t lie, don’t steal, and don’t dance, etc.” That means throughout my day, whenever I make a choice that is focused on my desires over and above other people’s needs and desires, whenever I make a choice that this is more convenient for me; I don’t feel like doing that; I don’t want to make that extra effort – this has the potential to be sin, in my life.
So sometimes reading is a sin for me, not because I’m reading “bad” things, but because I’m using my reading to disengage from others when I really should be engaging.
Sometimes eating is a sin for me, not because food is “bad” but because I’m using food to avoid feeling my real feelings.
I can no longer live by a list of sin, rather I must allow God’s Spirit to guide and show me how to live each moment of my life. . . . . so right now to continue writing my blog, instead of being with my daughter would probably not be honoring to God.. . . so later
Over the month long studio sessions we are asking the kids
to define sin
to determine if some sins were “worse” than others
to describe the nature of sin, and
to identify how we can restore our relationship with God.
Of course in the midst of preparing for the kids, the Spirit is at work in my own life. My understanding of sin is much different today than when I was a child. As a young person my understanding of sin was the “don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t have sex.” Some people would have added “don’t play cards and don’t dance,” but I was much more “liberal” in my theology J. Within my faith community there was definitely a hierarchy of sin.
My friend and boss Dave McDonald (one of the most brilliant people I know! seriously, checkout his blog Guerillahost) defines sin as anything that separates or breaks your relationship with God. Working with kids and quite honestly most adults, I needed a concrete way to describe sin and used the contrast and comparison idea.
sin is self-focused (selfish),
Iove is other-focused (unselfish)
or
sin breaks down
love builds up and restores,
Ultimately the end result of sin a break in my relationship with God.
Looking at sin this way is much more challenging than having a list of 10 things I shouldn’t do like “don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t have sex, don’t play cards, don’t lie, don’t steal, and don’t dance, etc.” That means throughout my day, whenever I make a choice that is focused on my desires over and above other people’s needs and desires, whenever I make a choice that this is more convenient for me; I don’t feel like doing that; I don’t want to make that extra effort – this has the potential to be sin, in my life.
So sometimes reading is a sin for me, not because I’m reading “bad” things, but because I’m using my reading to disengage from others when I really should be engaging.
Sometimes eating is a sin for me, not because food is “bad” but because I’m using food to avoid feeling my real feelings.
I can no longer live by a list of sin, rather I must allow God’s Spirit to guide and show me how to live each moment of my life. . . . . so right now to continue writing my blog, instead of being with my daughter would probably not be honoring to God.. . . so later
The Simple Path
The fruit of silence is
Prayer.
The fruit of prayer is
Faith.
The fruit of faith is
Love.
The fruit of love is
Service.
The fruit of service is
Peace.
- Mother Teresa
a simple path that begins in silence.
Help me slow down, breathe in deeply
rest quietly and listen for Your voice.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
God, puppies and St. Igantius
There are about 5 more weeks before I start the final year in my spiritual direction program. I went online and purchased my books. I can’t imagine how all the pieces of life will fall together this fall, but I am confident that they will.
I picked up David L. Fleming, S.J. book, Draw me into Your Friendship: The Spiritual Exercises. It’s St. Ignatius’ spiritual exercises both a literal translation written 500-600 years ago and a contemporary reading. The spiritual exercises are a 4-week long silent retreat. It was Ignatius’ intense approach to helping others know and experience God. The exercises can also be broken down so that people can do them over an extended period of time.
Examen, basically means to examine; to become more reflective and more aware of God’s presence in my life. It’s been a wonderfully simple, yet effective practice/habit/discipline/exercise to integrate in my life.
Mid day, if I remember, or at bedtime I review the activities and conversations of my day asking myself “What drew me towards God?” and “What drew me away from God?”
What drew me towards God? Simply being with my family and enjoying them. Tonight after dinner, while Randy finished up some work, the kids and I made healthier version of rice krispie treats. Jeff got out the ingredients, measured and stirred, while Allie helped. While the “treats” cooled, we played ping pong and watched Disney’s “Camp Rock.” We simply played together. It was fun.
Years ago I would never have thought that playing with the kids, was Godly or spiritual. Isn’t spiritual watching a “Christian” movie? Today I believe that God loves to play and laugh. I believe that He was filled with enjoyment as my kids and I spent time together, loving, teasing and playing. Imagine that -- a god that loves to laugh and play. I want to follow a God like that.
What drew me away God? My beautiful little puppy, has hit the terrible twos! He doesn’t listen to me. He runs away when I call him. Quite honestly I was very frustrated and angry.
Then I recalled my brother’s words about dog training, if your dog doesn’t listen to you, he doesn’t understand what you want. So I calmed down and walked quietly towards the puppy thinking to myself. . . .
He doesn’t understand that I want to keep him safe.
He doesn’t understand that I want to love him
He doesn’t understand that I want to give him a great life with our family
He doesn’t understand that running away from me will NOT get him the things he thinks he wants - freedom, deer droppings, rotting apples, etc.
I wonder if God, My Father ever thinks the same thing about me? He wants to love, protect and care for me, but I’m so busy running around that I don’t hear Him quietly calling my name. Inviting me to come back home, where I’ll find everything and more that I long for and need.
I picked up David L. Fleming, S.J. book, Draw me into Your Friendship: The Spiritual Exercises. It’s St. Ignatius’ spiritual exercises both a literal translation written 500-600 years ago and a contemporary reading. The spiritual exercises are a 4-week long silent retreat. It was Ignatius’ intense approach to helping others know and experience God. The exercises can also be broken down so that people can do them over an extended period of time.
Examen, basically means to examine; to become more reflective and more aware of God’s presence in my life. It’s been a wonderfully simple, yet effective practice/habit/discipline/exercise to integrate in my life.
Mid day, if I remember, or at bedtime I review the activities and conversations of my day asking myself “What drew me towards God?” and “What drew me away from God?”
What drew me towards God? Simply being with my family and enjoying them. Tonight after dinner, while Randy finished up some work, the kids and I made healthier version of rice krispie treats. Jeff got out the ingredients, measured and stirred, while Allie helped. While the “treats” cooled, we played ping pong and watched Disney’s “Camp Rock.” We simply played together. It was fun.
Years ago I would never have thought that playing with the kids, was Godly or spiritual. Isn’t spiritual watching a “Christian” movie? Today I believe that God loves to play and laugh. I believe that He was filled with enjoyment as my kids and I spent time together, loving, teasing and playing. Imagine that -- a god that loves to laugh and play. I want to follow a God like that.
What drew me away God? My beautiful little puppy, has hit the terrible twos! He doesn’t listen to me. He runs away when I call him. Quite honestly I was very frustrated and angry.
Then I recalled my brother’s words about dog training, if your dog doesn’t listen to you, he doesn’t understand what you want. So I calmed down and walked quietly towards the puppy thinking to myself. . . .
He doesn’t understand that I want to keep him safe.
He doesn’t understand that I want to love him
He doesn’t understand that I want to give him a great life with our family
He doesn’t understand that running away from me will NOT get him the things he thinks he wants - freedom, deer droppings, rotting apples, etc.
I wonder if God, My Father ever thinks the same thing about me? He wants to love, protect and care for me, but I’m so busy running around that I don’t hear Him quietly calling my name. Inviting me to come back home, where I’ll find everything and more that I long for and need.
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