Deep Sea Fishing - 8/16/2012

Here are my "good reads" of the week!  Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!



Deep Sea Fishing - 8/16/2012

The Theology of the Dark Knight Rises - Experimental Theology - This was really interesting to me as, well you know, I believe you should always be Batman.  Surprising was also one of the comments that said the movie was terrible because Batman relies on violence too much.  I'm not a fan of movie violence; I don't go to horror movies at all actually, so I was puzzled by that remark.  Do you think it was too violent?

Your God is Too Big - Experimental Theology - A reminder for Christians that there is a difference between a God so big that we don't see the small miracles in our everyday lives and that God is big enough to handle our problems and love us.

Six Surprising Ways Jesus Changed the World - John Ortberg, Huffington Post blog - Whether you believe he was the son of god or not, Jesus was a real person whose examples of love and kindness historically changed the world for the better.

Sexuality & Scripture  - Zone0fScilence - "An important thing to remember about the rules laid out in Leviticus is that they are part of the Old Covenant, replaced by Jesus’ New Covenant. Indeed, Jesus violates several of the rules laid down in Leviticus, and teaches his disciples that there is a new way." Amen. This blog also stresses the importance when engaging in biblical study of examining entire chapters and not just the verse.  Too many times, in my opinion, verses are taken out of context and used improperly to support bigoted beliefs.  I always knew I didn't need to actually be silent in church or "submit" to my husband...

Sexuality isn't a Choice - Zone0fScilence - This was linked inside the previous blog.  A must read for anyone still on the fence of whether our sexual orientation is a choice or not. 

What Beer Can Teach the Church - the abp blog - Okay...I'm listening... ; )  In all seriousness, good comparison between trends in the beer industry and how the church might follow those trends to minister to the communities they may be out of touch with.



And since I am convinced we all Google incessantly...

Happy Fishing!

--Red

Beachcombing

     I was an an English major in college...

     ....I am coming to the realization that I have awful reading comprehension.  Not easy for one with such a major to profess.  Have you noticed lately though how much prior post referencing I'm doing in this blog?  This isn't just a cheap ploy to improve my blog post stats.  It's because I get that deja vu feeling of  "I've been here before" then realize, I have.

     When I started writing this blog, it was with the intention of sharing my personal journey of finding that which I am supposed to be doing with my life.  So many books on finding out what your purpose is focus on a perspective that comes from hindsight.  You don't actually get to see the writer going through the motions that brought them to their current position in life.  In my opinion, this brings more questions than it does answers of how they got there.  I am hoping to answer the question of how I get from point A to point B through my posts in this blog.

     The problem comes when I realize I've hit a "roundabout" on my way to the "beach" and am repeating some of my past trials.  Seems I'm as bad at learning from my own mistakes as I am at reading comprehension.

     Beachcombing is the act of search the beach for things of value, interest, or utility.  I feel like I am so close to the "ocean"...maybe it's time to search the "beach" for all those things that have gotten me to this place.  I am taking the "donkey" as of late, so it's probably a good time to reflect (see You can take the donkey or you can take the tram, February 21, 2012.  Again, not a cheap ploy, but you won't get the "donkey" reference if you didn't read it).

     Hopefully this doesn't come off like the Baz Luhrmann song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)", as if I am giving a commencement speech, but here we go:  

       Stop being busy with things that aren't important in your life.  Asses your gifts and passions.  Embrace, and don't bury, your true self.  Know unequivocally what you want to say "yes" to in your life so you can say "no" to other things.  Say a final goodbye to the past with no regrets about the path you've walked thus far. 

      Realize that everything you have done previously is ultimately linked to an innate part of your personality.

      Make decisions about what works for you, what doesn't, and how it all fits into your life.  Take responsibility for your own self-worth.  To start moving forward, take baby steps.   Don't let someone else's vision for your life get int the way of your vision for your life. 

      Focus.

      Make every journey a series of tiny, achievable goals.  Even small steps can be momentous occasions.  Face your fears; it only hurts for a minute. Engage in constructive cathartic process as they will heal your soul.

      Know that we all deserve a chance to move on and live our lives. 

      Let people know who you are on the inside be reflecting it outwardly.  Don't withdraw from the world; love openly and enjoy connectedness with others.  Slow down and enjoy the ride...

     So here we are. I am ready to get in the "ocean" and look for that "starfish"...but I'm thinking I'll need to wade in a little off shore first before the perfect little creature presents itself. Wow...I just realized...in my mind, I am on a "beach..."

      ...Wear sunscreen...
     

Happy Fishing!

--Red