daily life as life goes on . . .

I've run across a number of people lately who talk about religion being a dusty set of rules and spirituality being freeing.  Christians talk about knowing Christ and leaving dead religion behind.  I can understand those thoughts that do turn following Christ into a matter of mere rules - following the letter of the law and not the Spirit. At the same time our society has looked favourably on the term spirituality - as though this were the cure all.  Unfortunately this has meant a whole approach which sounds good but seems less than expected.  Here are a few thoughts/quotes I've also been hearing lately: Spirituality lacks discipline. Spirituality is merely living for one's self in such a way that God becomes me, and life is lived on my set of rules.  Ruled based religion in reverse??

Here is a guest post by Cheryl Glass: Hi.  I've been thinking about mothers of the Bible lately.  For example, if David's mom had been on the hill of battle when Goliath came out to challenge the Israelites, and David stepped out to answer the challenge, do you think she would have grabbed him and told him to sit down and be quiet?  Or buried her face in her hands and just stood there wondering where she went wrong?  When John the Baptist started wandering the wilderness in camel hair and eating locusts and honey, do you think Elizabeth tried explaining to her friends that he'd always been just a little bit odd, or that it was just a stage?  Did Moses' mom blame herself after he murdered the Egyptian, thinking that if she could have raised him, things would have turned out differently?  Do you think Rachel wanted to step up and tell the other others to stop picking on her boy just because he was different than their sons?  This couldn't really be a Bible study, because there is no where to find the answers, but it's something I wonder about....

Knives a wielding and peelers a peeling.  That was this afternoons engagement! As Jill and I prepare for a day off tomorrow, we worked on preparations for our Tuesday seniors luncheon.  That means St. Patrick's day stew! Carrots, potatoes, celery and turnips.  All needed to be cleaned and peeled.  The meat needed to be browned.  And all of that done in three hours.  Not a record time, but not too shabby. I've almost gotten a blister out of it.  Had I listened well, I would have used a different peeler.  Nevertheless, there is a certain satisfaction in a job well done. Now we just have to wait until Tuesday to see who agrees with us!

For some years the church has been trying to speak to people.  Trying to impress them with truth.  Trying to persuade them. Unfortunately this has evolved to the point where a preacher is expected to speak the truth, and others are invited to just listen in.  But things are changing. More and more of those who have brought people to listen are becoming the ones who walk with others, talk with them, live with them moment by moment as living examples of Jesus.  Intentionally using this as the platform from which people hear about Jesus.  Not that a preacher is a bad thing (I'm one!).  But the preaching is done on the street as much as on the platform. So, here is the saying I heard recently.  We are no longer looking for "a sage on the stage,  but a guide by my side." Not a bad thought.