Anne Marie Javouhey

I just got home from a meeting with some of our church's artists. My new friend Amy asked if I've got a calendar person to share about. I had said I didn't think I have anyone I remember until next week. I was wrong. There's a woman on the church calendar for July 15, yesterday - Anne Marie Javouhey. She's known as a "woman with a mission". She lived in the early 1800s.

Her family hid priests during the French Revolution when they were trying to destroy the Church and Christianity. During the revolutionary years "Nanette", as she was called, taught local children, and always dreamed of helping black people, though she'd never seen any.

She was asked to serve in French colonial Africa, and successfully established schools, hospitals, and leper colonies. France then asked her to its dominions in French Guiana, South America, in an effort to bring it some measure of civilization.

It was an inhospitable colony. She was known as Mother Javouhey, "Mother of the blacks", and when asked how she managed to subdue the tough characters she dealt with, she'd reply, "I just acted like a mother among her children", "I was placed as a mother in the middle of a large family". She bought them their freedom, giving them land, and teaching them how to farm; educating by means of gentleness and patience. She based her civilizing work on the family.

Altogether, starting many missions, she traveled 75,000-plus miles - amazing considering the times and modes of travel available! What interests me, is that she was called upon to help in so many very tough places, even to Tahiti and India. Where men were brought in to establish governments failed, she had many successes and was often called upon, even by other countries. The gospel always met with success and prevailed.

"Let us take care," she said, "not to go faster than Providence, which wishes to be followed and not led ... Experience has taught me that the work of God is done slowly."

Woman

One of my best friends, Ellen, has begun a blog. She's an excellent writer (she has a chapter in a recent book) and I've so waited for her blog so I could 'read her heart' on an almost daily basis. I've been waiting for her most recent post I knew she was going to write, to mention what I'm about to mention...

Just as China has been preparing for hosting the Olympics and trying to improve their image before the world (and I've posted long ago about their involvement in Darfur, which is in the news again this morning, that I learned about from reading a Lost Boy of the Sudan story), Denver Colorado is preparing to host the Democratic National Convention in August. So close to home, we probably hear a lot more of the stories than the rest of the country.

One thing you don't hear about in all the preparations is the human trafficking that goes on behind the scenes. Ellen has a huge heart for women and the misogyny that goes on around the world and throughout time. She's attended world gatherings where women share their stories. Being her friend, I've heard the stories. Her love for the church, and what it can look like, is what she likes to ponder, and write about. How can we help God co-create the world?

St Benedict

Depending on what calendar you use, it looks like Benedict has two feast days. Today the 11th is his day, as is the day he died, March 21st. I think I read somewhere that they didn't want to celebrate him during lent, so moved his remembrance date.

Benedict is the founder of Western monasticism and had an immense influence on the Christianization of Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. His "how-to" book for monks, the Rule of St Benedict, is one of the basic documents of the Middle Ages, those centuries during which monasteries were Europe's only surviving centers of art, learning, and civilization.

He lived during the first half of the sixth century, born in Italy, of noble parents. His twin sister, Scholastica (strange name, I wonder if she lived up to her name - brainy!) has a day on the church calendar too.

He was dedicated to the principle that "to work is to pray" - thereby opposing the foolish prejudice of those unenlightened days against manual labor. He layed the foundation for the greatest monastery in all Christendom: Monte Cassino.

He said: "If you are really a servant of Jesus Christ, let the chain of love hold you firm in your resolve, not a chain of iron."

What I may do some day, since I've not seen one, is create a chart of all the Christian monastic groups to see where they most differed. I'd like to understand each of their roots: Benedictine, Franciscan, Carmelite, Dominican, Augustinian and Jesuit orders, mainly. I do know the Jesuits seemed to push more in the education, knowledge realm, yet Thomas Aquinas, at the height of the Scholastic era, chose to be associated with the Dominicans.

The bits of history I do know show me so many of these orders began during times of great social change. Like when Constantine made the empire Christian and you were persecuted if you were NOT a Christian - the Desert Fathers and Mothers sought a new holy way of life. Benedict was at the timing of Barbarians ransacking all of Europe, and we'd not have so much literature and art work saved, if not for those monasteries. When the merchant era of Europe was beginning, Francis sought to show a dependance on God's providing...We have monasteries to thank for their missionary and philanthropic work and as islands of refuge. And then unfortunately, the Reformation destroyed most of the monasteries of northern Europe.

Today there's a new monastic movement stirring. The Holy Spirit is moving in new ways. I've heard and read of many groups of peoples living out the Gospel today in exciting ways and places, all over the world. It isn't a call to return to the Middle Ages but challenges us to open our imaginations to new possibilities.

Evelyn Underhill Quote

A spiritual life is simply a life
in which all that we do comes from the center,
where we are all anchored in God:
a life soaked through and through
by a sense of God's reality and claim,
and self-given to the great movement of God's will.

I like Evelyn Underhill. I only have one book of hers and should have more. I've quoted her before.

Thomas

Today is the calendar day to remember the Apostle Thomas's story. His story? Not much is known of Thomas and if not for the Gospel of John, we wouldn't know much of anything. Other's have mentioned Thomas in their writings. And it's said he was allotted to go to India as a missionary and died a martyrs death.

He's called "Doubting Thomas" by most Christians. The term is used in a sardonic way - like "better are we who believe without the need to see!" Or like it's wrong to doubt. Are Christians not to doubt? If no doubts, why would we need faith?! "Doubt is the shadow cast by faith" - Hans Kung. (The painting is by Caravaggio.)

Thomas is also referred to as Dydimous, meaning "twin". The idea of twin reminds me that I can be two people - both a doubting person and a believing person at the same time. In my doubts, a community of faith can help me see the Truth, and not let doubt destroy me.

I liked what Michael Yaconelli said of Thomas in his book Dangerous Wonder (oh, that Mike were still alive to write more wonder-full books!). Thomas asked a lot of questions. He had a childlike curiosity. During the last supper, Jesus assured the disciples they knew where He was going. Thomas, just like a questioning child ... "where?", "why?" ...

Thomas missed seeing Jesus after the Crucifixion. Thomas wasn't satisfied with just seeing Jesus, he wanted more. He wanted to touch Jesus, embrace Him! I don't see Thomas as doubting. I see him as longing for Jesus. I thirst, hunger, and long for more of Jesus too.

"Curiosity is a hunger of the soul, and because Thomas was strong and courageous and spoke bluntly, he was daring enough to ask tough questions. He was not refusing to believe, he was refusing to settle for secondhand faith. Thomas was driven to know truth--to mingle with it, wrestle with it, become intimate with it." Mike wrote.

On Thomas's calendar day I remind myself Jesus wants me to live as a child - curious, daring, reckless, adventurous ... Not asking questions just for information, but for relationship.

Who Am I?

I read two things this morning that got me thinking ...

A Nietzsche quote (he is so quotable, and tho he didn't understand what Jesus and his disciples was really about, he was so right-on in many of his comments on Christians and humanity) -

"We are unknown, we knowers, to ourselves ... Of necessity we remain strangers to ourselves, we understand ourselves not, in our selves we are bound to be mistaken for each of us holds good to all eternity the motto, 'Each is the farthest away from himself'--as far as ourselves are concerned we are not knowers."

This was in context with the subject of a book Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book - that we can learn more in ten minutes about the Crab Nebula in Taurus, which is 6,000 light-years away, than we presently know about ourself, even though we've been stuck with ourself all our life.

And I read James 1, and paraphrasing here, verses 22-24 -
"You listen, but you do not act upon what you read and hear ... Hearing and not doing is like looking at yourself in a mirror, and after walking away you immediately forget what kind of person you are ..."

I've lately been reading in both Numbers and Deuteronomy and see how ridiculous the Israelites were! So many times in frustration, God wanted to wipe them out! They 'saw' so much, and yet in the next instant would forget and grumble and live wrongly. If they, like children, had so much of God's personal attention and guidance, and saw so many miraculous things on a daily basis, can't 'grow up' into a mature faith - how can we?

They wandered the desert for 40 years, killing off a generation and growing up a new generation. Before they were to enter the new land, God did not want them to melt into the surrounding cultures. He wanted them to know who they were and not forget. How did he do that? He gave them rhythmical calendar celebrations and lots of visuals and imagery and ritual/tradition to instill into their lives so they would remember and not forget who they were/are in God.

We too can get so caught up in our current culture and learnings and not know who we are. How best to remember who we are? First: know and believe that God loves me first as I am, and that He desires a relationship with me. Then act on that!

The very nature of love means choice. Choice means I need to know something (or someone), so I can make good choices. But there's so much to know! I boil it all down to simply going about my days in love with God. The same tools God gave the Israelites, I have for my use too. I use the calendar days and all the connected stories of so many who have lived in love with God. If God was there for them in their midst, then He's going to be here for me today and tomorrow. I can know who I am, and live better ... live fully alive! live more whole.

Peter and Paul

Yesterday, the 29th, was the church calendar day for remembering both Peter and Paul. Every year I remember differing things about them.

Some years I've felt so empty that I remember Saul's lightening bolt experience of God and beg God for something similar for me, even if just a wimpy candlelight flicker of hope. Some years I've focused on Jesus' asking Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" - and remember God loves me first - me, as ME.

This year? First I thought how both had their names changed by God. God pursued them and renamed them.They butted heads with each other and challenged one another and this all was a part of the newness to come. Devout Jews, what does it mean to follow Jesus? What does this new community of believers mean, and what does it look like?

They were so different - Peter was a simple uneducated fisherman who probably had no knowledge of the theological debates of his time. He simply responded to Jesus in a direct, impulsive way. Paul was well educated, sharp, deeply concerned about truth, and willing to persecute those he considered in grave error.

The church is built upon the foundations laid by both Peter and Paul. Their togetherness on the same calendar day speaks to me of unity, of working together, even with all our differences of backgrounds, and varieties of strengths and weaknesses, and emotions and rational/reasonings.

Happenings

While I'm at it (and I do love to write ... and I was going to go to bed early tonight ...) things are happening just this moment around here. Furniture Monte and me have been waiting for came in at the store, and they're currently having a huge 4th of July sale ... so we went today ... it reminds us of why we want to keep our pick-up (just don't want it as our primary vehicle!).

Dawson just came home with some friends and they are bringing the stuff in to where it's going to belong. (He's playing in the worship band this weekend at church for the three services, and his friends will spend the night, leaving early in the morning for the next two services.)(We're making use of Dawson and his friends a lot ... soon he'll be gone ... and getting-old-Monte-and-me want things finished up around here - for us to carry-on into our next season of life.)

I saw the image above and it directed this post. Our home is SO messy right now. Maybe not so messy as dusty-dirty. I've been so busy outside - Monte was gone - and this is pine pollen time. I keep all the windows closed for several weeks. I'm waiting for rain to settle the pollen - PLEASE RAIN! We've just gotten wind and some spittle. So yellow dust is everywhere - even with just the front and back doors open. It is the one thing I'm allergic to, but I don't panic in trying to avoid it. I just have to remind myself - DON'T TOUCH or rub my eyes! It's about now that I keep a generic allergy pill handy or the allergy Visine handy - & I have a kind-of cold.

I have my famous quote (my daughter-in-love Sarah wrote my quote on our graffiti wall in the guest bathroom) - "Dust is country". We don't have a lot of dust. We don't have air-duct-work - for heating or cooling. So I don't do a lot of dusting. And with our house being a farm/country/mountain home type decor, I feel that dust is just a part of it all! But this time of the year! ...

And the characters!!! We ARE quite the characters!

?

Should I open a 'can of worms'? I like long hair and dread-locks. It's the hippie still very much alive in me.

Infovore

I've learned I am an infovore since I like to acquire, interpret, and understand information. A study shows that it actually triggers a chemical reaction, causing me to feel good, thus causing me to seek more - an opioid hit, making me a junky.

Theresa's Prayer

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

My friend Ellen sent me the above. I'm guessing it's from Therese of Lisieux, since all the others are Teresa without the 'h'. Therese's saint day is October 1. She's a 'childish' saint to me, and though I know her story, I haven't added her to my calendar of people I remember. She's known as "The Little Flower", thus the pretty roses - which is what I really like in the email. And the prayer would be a good one to occasionally pray, believing it into our lives

Show & Tell

Last night artists in our church, plus extra artist friends, gathered at a home for Show & Tell. Other than a meeting of some of us a couple weeks ago, we'd not gathered like this for several years, and want to do it more. We want to invite more art showings from others into our church, and us participate in showings elsewhere too. 

When you have an environment that values what God's gifted in each other ... and care to learn about one another ... and listen and learn ... it's amazing!

Another aspect to my Starburst felted picture I posted and explained several postings ago, is that so much art work - from literature, to paintings, music, sculptures, movies - because everyone is created in God's image, I believe the searching that human's do, often comes out in art. Even if someone is not yet a Christian (therefore, from my Starburst post, would that be considered the darkness?!*), they often give us a glimpse, like a window, into some truth ... into God's heart, into heaven, into compassion, into grace ... and yet they themselves haven't made that truth their own for their own lives (do any of us fully?! when we're still in process?!). 

We told about ourselves - like passions and our process or journey to what we're currently doing. Some people brought notebooks, or portfolios of what they do. Like Kent can't bring his large bronze sculptures! We've seen some at church, before they sold. Jannelle, (?I don't know her, but want to know her) brought her 'rock' - beautiful sculpting. She loves sculpting, but God has dropped commissions of painting pets into her lap currently. Others: writers of books and songs, photographers, logo graphic artists, clay sculpture, sketches, acrylic, watercolor, and oil painters, and admirers! 

And me? I brought my basket of current needlefelting. I brought lots of sculpted heads! Across one of my looms, I have heads! I have lots of heads and unfinished heads and bodies from all the classes I've taught, and I do eventually finish them. Some people see these, and roll their eyes saying, "Karey, this is weird!" Yet they love them! I love them. 

All I can say is that though there's an aspect of me that shows them as being mine, I still don't have total control. My personality comes through in each one and the differences I'm striving for. But they still create themselves!

Calendar Stuff

So, it's Friday the thirteenth today! I heard on the news about some people's phobias. Well, I think I was born on Friday the thirteenth, and have no problems with the line up of the calendar.

I've missed several calendar things I thought I'd just skip, but my continued thoughts and liking to write them down, won't let me leave them behind.

I need to go back and check my posting on the Old Testament counting 50 days, Omer, between the two first fruits festivals to see what details I gave. The link will be here if you want to read more. But on day 40 is Ascension Day. Because Western Christians were celebrating Pentecost Day on Mother's Day, they celebrated Ascension Day earlier then I did. I was 'remembering' it's story and meaning on May 29, along with Eastern Christians.

I like to imagine me as one of Jesus' original disciples, having lived with him for three years. I've probably dreamed of ousting the Roman rule and Jesus setting up a Jewish Kingdom, that I can help lead. BUT WAIT! Jesus is rising into the sky! He's leaving us! This isn't the way I imagined it! Now what do we do?! Before leaving, Jesus told them to go back to Jerusalem and wait till the next Jewish First Fruit Festival - Shavuot. I imagine them in that upper room for ten days reliving every moment with Jesus, everything he did and said, and asking, "Now, what the heck did he REALLY mean?"!

June 5 was saint Boniface day. That's the day he died, thus his birthday into heaven, but I remember his story more in relation to Christmas since some Advent traditions are a result of his doings. In the early 700's he was sent to work among the Norsemen and Teutonics. Boniface was constantly jeopardizing his own life for the sake of the young, the vulnerable, the weak, the sick, and the poor - often imposing his body between the victims and their oppressors.

The Norsemen had brutal pagan sacrificial practices. Boniface decided to strike at the root of their superstitions by cutting down the sacred Oak of Thor. Since no immediate judgement came against them, doubt about the power of their gods began.

A few evenings later, on the first Sunday in Advent, a young boy rushed into Boniface's camp breathlessly telling of a sacrifice soon to be done - his sister was to serve as the vestal virgin. They ran, arriving in the sacred grove just when the Druid priest raised his knife. Boniface ran, pushing his wooden cross forward. The knife blade pierced the cross, saving the girl's life. Boniface seized the stunned silent moment to proclaim the gospel's good news, saying that the ultimate sacrifice had already been made by Jesus on the cross - there was no need for other sacrifices!

Boniface hacked off lower branches from the sacred grove, handing them out, telling each family to take them home and adorn their hearths. These branches, like wreaths were reminders of the completeness of Jesus' work and tokens of his grace. Logs from the grove were burned in fireplaces, later called Yule logs.

On June 9, we passed Columba's day, Columba of Iona, who died in 597. Columba was a scribe and poet. I might have written this on St Patrick Day posting, but while most of Europe was being ravaged by barbarians, books were being restored, protected, and copied in Ireland. Columba established a monastery on the island of Iona. When the Roman church was becoming more ceremonial and priestly, the school at Iona emphasized the Bible as the sole rule of faith. For these Celtic Christians, Christ alone was the head of the church - they did not follow the hierarchical authority or the liturgical ceremonies of the Roman Church.

Many missionaries went out from Iona. The Celtic Christians evangelized all of Europe, bringing a breath of fresh air to the church. Pope Gregory tried to bring the movement under the authority of the Roman Church. For a century there was a struggle between the British Isle Church and the Roman Church for authority. Read the Celtic Way of Evangelism for a great read - How Christianity can reach the West ... again! Roman rule of course won, but revival came in the 16th century during the Scottish Reformation under John Knox and George Buchanan.

Then the last missed calendar date I was wanting to post was the 11th, the remembrance day of Barnabas on the church calendar. What do you remember of Barnabas and the beginnings of "Christ"ians? I remember him as being the one who introduced Saul, renamed Paul, to the disciples. Barnabas took Paul's side in his disagreements with Peter. Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel together for a period of time ... 

BUT, I also remember Paul and Barnabas having a split - going separate ways. Is this the first church split? We so agonize over church splits. We just went through one, it's been awful. I'm sure the spreading of the gospel and the starting of new churches could be done less painfully. I suppose it's a mixture of God's desiring relational growth for all, and human blunderings ... (Exclusion & Embrace!) ...

I took Monte to the airport yesterday morning. He's in Calgary Canada for a bit over a week - working with scientists in the part of the world where the oldest life exists for all to see. They want Monte and Stan to share their science with them, and they will probably be writing together papers (and books?) on their understanding of the origins of life. Monte sees the blueprint written in every cell's DNA, as do others. Scientists DO see a creator's hand, authorship, design ... Sermon's could be preached by scientists - Monte does. It's just that many scientists don't see God as someone desiring a personal relationship with us, but I'm betting that they do have this mystical thing going on within them. And I trust them to God. He'll lead them to know Him!

CS Lewis Quote on ...

This CS Lewis quote reminds me of one of my needle-felted pictures I did several years ago called "Starburst". It's inspiration grew from an image I got while reading, and drew in my journal and developed further. I'll explain what it means to me at the end of this post.

In his book, An Experiment in Criticism, Lewis writes, "We therefore delight to enter into other men's beliefs ... even though we think them untrue. And into their passions, though we think them depraved ... And also into their imaginations, though they lack all realism of content ... in order to see what they see, to occupy, for a while, their seat in the great theatre, to use their spectacles and be made free of whatever insights, joys, terrors, wonders, or merriment those spectacles reveal ...

"This, so far as I can see, is the specific value or good of literature considered as Logos; it admits us to experiences other than our own. ... Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realise the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors (and other artists, including movie directors).

"We realise it best when we talk with an unliterary friend. He may be full of goodness and good sense but he inhabits a tiny world. In it, we should be suffocated. The man who is contented to be only himself, and therefore less of a self, is in prison. My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through the eyes of others. Reality, even seen through the eyes of many, is not enough. I will see what others have invented. ... In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself. Like the night sky in the Greek poem, I see with a myriad eyes, but it is still I who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in moral action, and in knowing, I transcend myself; and am never more myself than when I do."

God is love and light. God, and us too as we walk in Him, lights up the darkness. My Starburst felted picture has people walking into the darkness. I don't fear walking out into the darkness - the world's cultures, arts, etc. Walking on the rays of light I bring my gleanings back to center, to the light, to Truth, before venturing out again on another ray of light.

Charles Dickens

Today, June 9, in 1870, Charles Dickens died. His writing really did a lot of good for the common people and outcasts, improving poor working conditions, and creating child labor laws. His tomb is inscribed with - "He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world."

I've both read and listened to, most of Charles Dickens' novels. Though not his most popular or most remembered book, my favorite is one of his last books, which was made into a movie, which I really like - Our Mutual Friend. And I've read GK Chesterton's book on Charles Dickens, who raves about his writing and likes Our Mutual Friend best too. So I'm in good company!

A Tale of Two Cities depicts both England and France. Dickens was trying to show the difference between a country who lived believing in God and another who seemed to be rejecting God - especially during the era of the guillotine!

Though Great Expectations may be his most remembered, it is my least favorite. Oliver Twist really tugged at heart-strings for street children in horrible working and living conditions. I like David Copperfield, and feel it's autobiographical. Little Dorrit could be autobiographical too. I saw it as a movie from our library, and it depicts life of families who's main bread-winner is in debtor's prison, with the family living there, but able to come and go, whereas the one who could be working to pay off his debts, is not free to go (many of them were shipped to American and Australian colonies).

There's another book series us Coloradoans like, since they take place very close to home - by Ralph Moody. Little Britches is the first book (another title earlier) made into a movie (with the current title). In that first book in the series, the family is homesteading west of Denver. It's a true story and as good a read as Little House on the Prairie. On their 'day of rest' they often went into the Bear Creek River basin below their ranch for a picnic and Mother would read from the books they ordered in the post. Charles Dickens' writings were what the book mentions being read most.

Charles Dickens said, "This is a world of action, and not for moping and droning in."

Preaching/Teaching

I helped preach this past weekend. We have three services, so I spoke once Saturday evening and two times yesterday morning. Our church celebrated Pentecost for the first time - celebrating the birthday of the Church.

I remember one of our pastors often ending prayers before he preached, "And God, help us to preach!" This may seem odd, but then that would be because our perspective of what goes on at church is odd. What we tend to think and do, is go and sit and sing and listen and hope to leave with, "that was good music and a good sermon". We tend to be an audience critiquing those in front 'on stage'.

I see God as the audience. Those in front are more like cue givers. I'm/we as congregation, parts of a whole body of Christ, are being critiqued in our worship by God. And does our worship and love of God overflow into our daily life? We preach with our daily living.

I grew up under theology that said 'women do not teach men', and especially in a church 'sanctuary' from the 'pulpit'. Let me share a couple personal experiences.

In our old church we were a part of a thriving Sunday school class. One of the class leaders/teachers knew of my 'knowledge' and giftings and asked me to co-teach a series. After he introduced the new series he had me do the introduction. I think it was at the end of that class that a guy stood and said he was offended to be taught by a woman and was going to leave the church, and they did. It was painful to lose his wife as a friend; we had just begun working together on a women's ministry team. Another male friend was terribly disappointed, as he loved what I had presented and was looking forward to more. Rather than making an issue of it I backed down from teaching.

Monte and me got accepted to participate in a national communication seminar. All the attendees were a mixture of pastors, youth leaders and other people who speak within whatever ministry they were involved with. We were assigned a group we'd be meeting with every evening for the week. Every morning was lots of teaching techniques and examples from many teachers, both men and women, pastors and speakers. Afternoons we met with our group's leader, mine was a mid-west pastor, and brainstormed through what my next 'speech' was going to be and then worked on it and presented it before my group. That was the hardest work (worse than school-I didn't work that hard!) I've ever done - a totally different 5 minute talk every night for a week! and then having the group critique you and the final night, video-taped. 

There were five guys and another gal in my group. She occasionally preaches at a church in Seattle WA. There were a couple senior pastors, a youth worker, and leader of a huge singles ministry, and then a guy from Gainsville GA, that I think worked for Larry Burkett's organization. The pastors sometimes did speeches totally out of their spiritual mode. Like a fun one on 'how to grill the perfect steak'.

At the end of the week the Georgia man had a confession to make. He said he was horrified in the beginning that he'd have to sit and listen to women. But after the week he was going home and discussing, with his wife, their theology. He said he had been totally blessed by our speeches; he learned to appreciate the feminine perspective, and really learned things from us.

As a part of one body, if one has a gifting that all can be helped by, men and women, and not just children (which is where we women are told we CAN teach), shouldn't we desire to grow together? in whatever way we can? And aren't we all created, male and female, in God's image? The feminine is a part of God! It takes both males and females together to give a 'wholeness' of what God's image looks like, to the world.

In the visual image the Bible gives us of 'the body of Christ', there are many parts and many giftings. Every part is valuable for the body's functioning. And we need to be utilizing everyone's giftings - which would begin with learning each other's giftings.

So I talked this weekend about a piece of my story that led to my understanding the background of Pentecost - living in the sandals of the disciples, in their Jewish culture of First Fruits Harvest Festivals. God chose these festivals for Resurrection Day and then the pouring out of the Holy Spirit into human hearts, Pentecost Day - so we can carry on as walking Jesus's in the here and now. 

And too, I shared my relational growth with God thru a differing approach to 'Bible Study', which is a read, think, pray and live, approach, called lectio divina by some. Not a dissecting of scripture, but entering into the wholeness of it as a story, into the context, and letting it speak to me, touching where I'm at today, and live it into my life. 

My friend Ellen, one of the pastor's wives, preached with me. For years she's studied ecclesiology - what is 'church'? what does it, can it, look like? Is what 'church' has become right? is it what God would like his body to look like? the representation of Him to look like? If we're indwelt by God, do we listen and follow His promptings? Do we even recognize and know our Shepherd's voice?

Lots of children had drawn pictures for Pentecost - asked, "what does God mean to you?" A fellow artist and me hung them across the front of the church last Wednesday from a red cord with clothespins. Other art was contributed and a gal wrote a song that she sung with a friend this weekend. Ellen had brought her dancing Trinity candleholder (like mine - I posted a picture of it long ago) to adorn a table in front of where we spoke, along with one of my felted pictures on an easel, I call "Transformation". (I may have posted it before but I'll put it below.)

Lots of tables were set up for eating and fellowship decorated with red cloth and lots of red balloons. And Gretchen even made what we called Red Velvet Cake for desert, after barbeque brats and burgers. The whole body really got into celebrating what the Trinity means to us and the birth of the Church. 

This is just the beginning of a new beginning for our church. We've come through a tough time and the body is healing by paying attention to all of it's parts and acknowledging each part and letting them 'do' their part!

Jane Austen Quote

"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."

Jane lived in an era when women hoped to marry money. They weren't allowed to write books, only correspondence. She'd write in the family sitting room and whenever someone came into the room, like even a servant, she'd hide her writing under something on the desk. At least she had her family support, who even helped in publishing her novels.

Virginia Woolf tells of women's plight needing a Room of One's Own, along with a 5 pound income - T'would have been nice. Tis why there's less early stuff from women (although as you read my saint day blogs, you'll see the early church had given women some voice) and why many women wrote with pen-names - take George Eliot, for example.

Speaking of women's place ... I am helping preach at our church next weekend.

Ramblings

I'm supposed to be working on my piece in next week's church services, but first I'm writing some stuff I've thought of but not written. I'd have lots more written if there were such a device that could transfer thinking to paper or computer! Monte's finishing roto-tilling the next part of the garden I need to plant. Then all that's left is the borders. Dawson's digging a trench all around to put chicken wire. We're going to see if we can prevent the pocket gophers from burrowing in. I'm going to put week block around the edges and plant edible bushes like currants, jostaberry, cherry, serviceberry ...

We've past a few Saint Feast Days, just to mention -
27- There is another Augustine, Italian, and sent by Pope Gregory in 596 to England, and he ended up living in Canterbury, so he's Augustine of Canterbury. He was supposedly a tedious prig and did not get along with the Anglo-Saxon 'savages' - and even less so with the Celts. Gregory had told him to respect the local customs and not destroy pagan temples and give witness by their lives.

The 30th was Joan of Arc Day. Her hearing of voices from Catherine of Alexandria, Margaret of Antioch, and Michael the Archangel, led her into the Hundred Year's War in its 87th year as a teenager, and led her to her death, because she would not deny them. Though somewhat of a French victory for a doubtful French Prince, she was sold to the English, who found her guilty of heresy and burned her at the stake in 1431, as a 'witch', at nineteen. Authors Mark Twain and George Bernard Shaw were madly in love with her. Many plays and movies have been done on her story.

The 30th in 1483 is the day Le Morte d'Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory, was published. King Arthur tales have captured imaginations of every generation and spawned other literary classics and movies. Malory claims he was a hapless medieval soldier who identified himself as "a servant of Jesu, both day and night." He didn't invent the tales but collated them from documentary histories, ballads, and minstrel songs, turning them into a coherent narrative structure. When did King Arthur live? Legend has it, he died on May 30th in 542 from wounds in a battle.

31- Visitation of Mary to Elisabeth

And oh ... In reading the news, today is Celebrate the Child day in China, but most aren't celebrating. It's interesting that most recent news, other than the lakes, is why schools seemed to be the buildings that didn't hold up. I don't hear anyone holding rallies against the One Child rule. Does China still only allow one child per couple? So you have a child die in the earthquake - it's your only child!

A week ago I was going to write and say you can go to the World Vision website and donate money. Monte and me have done work with World Vision. It's more than just adopt a child for $30 a month. They have storage facilities all over the world, ready in an instant to mobilize to disasters. The NGO's (Non Government Organizations) that work around the world know each others strengths and call upon one another for help. The Red Cross and World Vision are allowed into most countries right away - World Vision with their kits for families for tents, clean water, etc. Some of the Child Adopt organizations work through churches so are not allowed into a lot of countries. World Vision was allowed into the Muslim countries following earthquakes and tsunamis. Little Christ's walk the world!

Palimpsest

I've been reading reviews of the new CS Lewis movie release, "Prince Caspian". I learned a new word - palimpsest. One reviewer suggested that rather than say the movie is 'based on the novel', say 'it's a palimpsest of the novel' - that it has traces of the novel.

I guess artistic license has created a good action film that's not really a family film - and that it's missing most of CS Lewis's core story value.

I read (listened - I listen to hundreds of audio books) Dumas's Man in the Iron Mask and found the movie's story line was gleaned from only one paragraph of the book. When we're looking for movies to be like the books, I think we usually feel disappointed. And there's times I think the movies are an improvement on the book, or a whole new story to still enjoy and maybe touched by.

I like a lot of the past few decades movies over the older movies. I think today great questions are being asked - lots more to ponder and even discuss.

Pius V, Council of Trent, & Elizabeth I

Church History and the Calendar again. Pope Pius V is one of the persons on the Church calendar for today. He excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1570.

The Council of Trent straddled 18 years and several Popes. It was finalized in 1563. Pius V had the job of instituting it. It's main purpose was what to do with Protestantism (which was 'no Protestantism). It's beginnings were to deal with what Martin Luther (and many others) wanted the Church to reform. It became a Counter-Reformation.

Queen Elizabeth I was determined to complete the separation of the Church of Rome begun by her father Henry VIII (with Bloody Mary between them). I've written before that Protestantism and Catholicism took over a hundred years to be able to co-exist. For a long while, the religion of the monarchy became the religion of the country. And unfortunately Elizabeth forbade Catholics to practice their faith. They were fined or imprisoned and heavily persecuted and many were killed. (Read about Protestantism in Scotland with John Knox, and then France and other countries had horrible massacres too.)(Read my blog on Edmund Campion.)

We don't imagine the possibility of living with only one religious option; can't imagine what's so hard about letting other religious viewpoints exist. We so take advantage of having scriptures in our own language and can read anytime for ourselves!

Catherine of Siena

This is the day I remember aspects of Catherine of Siena's story. With many of my posts being Saint Days, you'd think I'm Catholic. I'm not, and didn't grow up knowing anything of church history, and to tell you the truth, I never read the Bible for myself till I was 19, though I grew up in a 'Christian home'.

At a desert place in my life, I wanted to strengthen my knowledge of the past. I began with Jewish history, realizing their history is retold rhythmically each calendar year. As my reading took me into early Christian history I started reading stories of people who had days on the calendar that the church had set up. I see it as a carrying on of the first and second Testament stories into the Third Testament.

Why not carry on the many verses in Old Testament scriptures telling us to "tell the children". It's a great way of knowing myself, that my identity is in this larger drama than me, myself, and I.

Several years ago, when other people were filling out a questionnaire, that asked who your hero/heroine is, with people like Dr Phil and Oprah ... I filled the blank in with Catherine of Siena.

When you read saint hagiography there's so much we, looking back on, think is ridiculous and weird. It sometimes takes a lot of wading through before you find the real person.

Catherine was the 23rd child born in her family and was very religious from a young age. At 16 she rebelliously cut off her hair and cloistered herself in a room of her home. When 18 her family let her join the Dominican order where she spent another 3 years in seclusion.

It was an era when people desired visions and the stigmata and many women betrothed themselves to Christ. Many too lived with harsh asceticism.

The part of her story that really spoke to me was when after the three years of seclusion Jesus said, "Enough. The only way you can serve me is in the service of your neighbor"! I could easily be a hermit or contemplative and just read and putter around my home.

Catherine, along with Teresa of Avila are the only women Doctors of the Church. She died in 1380 at the age of 33. She lived through Europe's Famine and the Plague of 1374 nursing people. People called her "Mama". She also wrote many letters to kings and popes (unheard of by women of her time). She lived during the Church's Great Schism when there were two popes and then three - divided between France and Italy. She worked tirelessly to help heal the Church.

Her spiritual testament is found in her book The Dialogue. The last two years of her life she spent praying for church unity.

In one of my books I wrote (but don't know where it's from) -

"Athletes of the Spirit usually start out in physical inactivity and mystical exercise."

William Paul Young: A Look Inside 'The Shack'

The author of The Shack on The 700 Club tells some of his story.

But there's even better footage at his website "You are Welcome Here". He didn't intend to write a book, he told his six children stories about the Trinity, trying to help them understand a very approach