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“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

Category: End of Year

2024 – 2022 Baggage

George 2 Comments

2022 Baggage
At the start oof 2023 there were issues, questions and challenges worthy of — prayer, writing, study, conversation— for 2023. Below is a list of those issues and commentary on their impacted on 2023.

Spiritual Formation
Challenged by readings, experiences and conversations related to spiritual formation over the past year, the subject remains a high personal priority for 2023. 

The subject of spiritual formation was significant in 202 and produced deeper understanding of the nature and character of spiritual formation i.e
Dallas Willard:
Spiritual formation — Christlikenesstrue change of character—which comes from living in relationship to God —
Michael Spencer:
In the midst of life, we “practice the presence of God” by listening and speaking to him in every circumstance. Spiritual formation happens through a life of contemplation. In the midst of our daily activities, we ponder and meditate on God’s words and works. We talk to him in prayer. We listen, we question, we complain. We give thanks, make requests, and express our doubts. We study, analyze, and consider how to apply his teachings. We walk or sit silently with him and enjoy his presence. For a believer the veil between this world and the “heavenly places” is thin and there is constant interaction between the two realms.

Participating in a men’s discipleship group focused on Brother Lawrences’s The Practice the Presence of God was transforming. The presence of God has become a recurring theme in my life. Below are some books that were helpful resources.Last year’s encounters with spiritual formation, in particular, the presence of God, took me to places unfamiliar but wonderful and mysterious. I plan to linger there in 2024.

War on Reality
An essay started in2022 and originally entitled “What is True and Real?” then renamed. “War on Reality” is in my writing cue. Highly relevant to our chaotic culture, I hope to finish it in the 1st quarter of 2023. 

“War on Reality” is still in my writing cue. I regularly add notes and references, however, other writing projects have taken preference. I am optimistic 2024 will see its completion.

THE CHURCH
16 posts in this category over the past two years has not diminished my interest and concern for the church. 

The Church remains a subject of concern and interest. 2023 continued to present many challenges for churches in America. There are a wide range of issues that I intend to write about in 2024.

Euthanasia
A seldom discussed subject that is increasingly important in our post-modern secular society.

My excursion into the subject of euthanasia was a Segway into a protracted examination of death and dying which has not been exhausted. 2024 will continue that exercise, with end of life, dying well, living wills, ethical wills, advance directives and other relevant subjects.

Conversation as a Spiritual Discipline 
“the most loving thing one can do is have a meaningful conversation.” 
Heather Holleman

The subject of conversation generated several posts in 2023. Meaningful conversations continue to be a personal challenge and opportunity for spiritual formation. I expect to write more in2024.Some great reads on conversation.

Penal Substitutionary Atonement 
A long held faith principle has come under scrutiny and a subject of personal interest. 

Examination of penal substitutionary atonement is a segment thoughts on theology. The role of theology in spiritual formation and ecclesiology is on my writing agenda for 2024.

Patriarchy and Masculinity 
Critically important subjects for the Church and society.

Women’s role in the church has been and remains an important subject for me. Several books and readings in 2023 primed the pump for some posts in 2024.

Looking forward to 2024.

STILL ON THE JOURNEY

A New Year – 2023

George 1 Comment

For the most part, New year’s Day is welcomed with relief and anticipation of a fresh start, a clean slate. An occasion for sincere, but mostly unrealistic, resolutions.
For reasons I struggle to explain, this New Year has a different vibe for me. 2023 emerged ominously as the ball dropped at midnight. Perhaps Ohio State’s missed field goal at the stroke of midnight was prescient, so much hope dashed in reality. Happy New Year ?
Thinking about 2023, I realized that it is not a clean slate, nor a fresh start but is more akin to a roundabout in a continuing journey. As such, there are several possibilities — a new direction —proceed with minimal disruption —or, confused, loop back, re-routing to 2022.
Of the those possibilities, the most desirable, but unlikeliest is minimal disruption. Re-routing to 2022 is not practical nor healthy. New direction is attractive but requires forethought snd strategic planning, neither of which has happened.
I am entering 2023 with baggage from 2022 and anticipate of new challenges. Certain about my destination, I’m still seeking clarity on directions. This quote from Thomas Merton gives much needed perspective for the New Year.

I have been absurdly burdened since the beginning of the year with the illusions of “great responsibility” and of a task to be done. Actually whatever work is to be done is God’s work and not mine, and I will not help matters, only hinder them, by too much care.

Thomas Merton

LOOKING AHEAD

ChatGPT
The arrival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a program that generates sophisticated text in response to any prompt you can imagine, may signal the end of writing assignments altogether—and maybe even the end of writing as a gatekeeper, a metric for intelligence, a teachable skill.
The implications of ChatGPT are mind-boggling. I have signed up. Perhaps it is the answer to my blog slog? Feeling discouraged about my blogging, prompted ChatGPT with “Reasons why elderly persons should utilize a blog site.”

This is the response it provided:

Reasons why elderly persons should utilize a blog site

  1. To stay connected with friends and family: Many elderly individuals may be unable to physically visit with their loved ones as often as they would like, but a blog allows them to share updates and keep in touch with those they care about.
  2. To express their thoughts and feelings: Blogging can be a therapeutic outlet for elderly individuals, allowing them to express their thoughts and emotions in a safe and supportive space.
  3. To share their experiences and wisdom: Elderly individuals often have a wealth of life experiences and wisdom to share, and a blog is a great platform for sharing those stories with a wider audience.
  4. To stay engaged and active: Blogging requires the use of technology and can help elderly individuals stay engaged and active, both mentally and physically.
  5. To maintain a sense of independence: A blog allows elderly individuals to have a sense of independence and control over their own content, allowing them to share what they choose and interact with others on their own terms.
  6. To stay current and informed: A blog can provide elderly individuals with access to current events, news, and other information that they may not have access to otherwise.

Keep in mind this response was generated by artificial intelligence, nothing from me but the prompt. It is unreasonable to imagine my future posts could be responses from ChatGPT to a particular prompt? No more blog slog? 🙂 Lots of questions. Would that be unethical on my part? What if I disclosed the post content was from ChatGPT?
I really like the ChatGPT response above, it was helpful in thinking about writing a blog at my age. It is definitely cogent. Would it qualify as wisdom? How is that response different from doing a Google search on a topic and compiling the results? Would attribution to ChatGPT make a difference? How can writing be trusted to be original?

Based on the attention ChatGPT has gotten in media, it to will definitely be conspicuous in 2023.

2022 BAGGAGE

Like many people, 2022 was a challenging personally. Unlike previous years where the new year was greeted with a sight of relief and “Thank God, it’s over!”. For me, 2023 inherits baggage from 2022. Over the course of 2022 there were numerous issues, questions and challenges worthy of — prayer, writing, study, conversation — that were not satisfactorily addressed and remain for 2023. What lies ahead in 2023 could make all of the 2022 baggage moot, but I intend to engage them in the coming year.

Spiritual Formation
Challenged by readings, experiences and conversations related to spiritual formation over the past year, the subject remains a high personal priority for 2023.

War on Reality
An essay started in2022 and originally entitled “What is True and Real?” then renamed “War on Reality” is in my writing cue. Highly relevant to our chaotic culture, I hope to finish it in the 1st quarter of 2023.

THE CHURCH
16 posts in this category over the past two years has not diminished my interest and concern for the church.

Euthanasia
A seldom discussed subject that is increasingly important in our post-modern secular society.

Conversation as a Spiritual Discipline
“the most loving thing one can do is have a meaningful conversation.”
Heather Holleman

Penal Substitutionary Atonement
A long held faith principle has come under scrutiny and a subject of personal interest.

Patriarchy and Masculinity
Critically important subjects for the Church and society.

Book Bag
I’m taking my 2022 book bag with me in 2023. It includes books read, current reading and planned to read. As you can see, some of them relate to the 2022 “baggage”.

STILL ON THE JOURNEY

2022 – “off road”

George 0 Comments

“ Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.
Psalm 39:4 -NLT

With each new year the palmists’ words become more relevant. HopefullyI will celebrate my 80th birthday this year. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase later in Psalm 39: Ah, God, listen to my prayer, my cry—open your ears… Give me a break, cut me some slack before it’s too late and I’m out of here.” captures the essence of my prayers these days.

Given the reality of my numbered days, making New Year’s resolution becomes tedious. Reaching the point in life when life-time guarantees and bulk purchases are no longer meaningful, resolutions require thoughtful consideration. Losing 25 pounds, running a marathon, 5K or, for that matter, a mile are off the table.

I am not trying to be morbid, only realistic. My days are numbered but yet to be determined. Resolutions should be chosen accordingly. I don’t want to expire during a CrossFit session. Want I do want is to enjoy life more fully in 2022. With that in mind my New Year’s resolution for 2022 is to take my journey “off road”. Unless you have read my post about “off road” you may not understand. Read it HERE.

Too many of my days resemble driving on I 75. I am resolving to take each day “off road” — avoid congestion and constant competition with its inherent danger and stress. Traveling “off road”, with its slower pace, I will stop frequently to rest and refresh, take time to see the countryside, pause to help people with car trouble and express gratitude for all of it.

Still on the Journey

Hindsight is 2020

George 1 Comment

Hindsight, ever the cruelest and most astute adviser” 
 R.J. Ellory, Bad Signs

It seems review the past year is compulsory. This post is a submission to that demand. I am reluctant to comment on 2020 primarily because of Ellory’s judgement of hindsight…it is a cruel and astute adviser.

2020 confirmed Pogo’s wisdom.

202o…
… Impeachment/acquittal
…Covid-19 Pandemic
… Social and political upheaval
… Death of George Floyd/ riots, protests
… Quarantines/Lockdowns
… Economic collapse
… Presidential campaigns/elections
exploding flares illuminating the landscape of my life exposing my delusions, misconceptions, misunderstandings and sins. With each occurrence, disappointing realities have been revealed …biases, fears, anger, hatred, prejudices, doubts, impatience and rudeness. The assault has has been relentless. Secreted idols have been exposed, stripping away naive facades of my faith.
Surprisingly, 2020 did not leave me disheartened. My temptation is to attribute survival to the triumph of my faith, but that would be disingenuous. Hindsight reveals a coping strategy dependent on observing and condemning “them”, shielding me from the truth… “the enemy is me”. It saddens to think I may well have squandered an opportunity for spiritual growth in 2020 for “thirty pieces of silver”?

Unlike Judas, my filthy lucre can be redeemed. 2020 is not the end, 2021 it is not the beginning of the end, it is the next page in a story that continues to be written. 2021 is not a light at the end of the tunnel but a bright star in the dark night, the star of David leading me through darkness…the end always in sight.

Ellory is right:
Hindsight, ever the cruelest and most astute adviser.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

What will we teach our children and their children about 2020?

2020 Top 5 Posts

George 1 Comment

It is hard to believe the end of 2020 is just a few days away. The calendar year is closing, hopefully the beginning of the end of the pandemic.

This post highlights what I consider my top 5 posts fo 2020. Sorry for this exercise in a bit of self-aggrandizement, but after all, isn’t that what having a blog is all about?
Listed in descending order, these posts were selected based on originality and personally relevant content. I am open to other nominations.

# 5 – SAY WHAT?
This post made the cut for its farcical idea. I remain hopeful someone will pick up on it and develop a desperately needed “SAY WHAT?” app.

SAY WHAT?

#4 – THE SKY IS FALLING
An opportunity for me to gloat a bit. This post, written prior to the emergence of the pandemic, was prescient. My advice, though largely ignored, remains relevant.

The Sky is Falling


#3 – LIFE IN THE SUNSET
This short post written at the beginning of 2020 has at its core my best description of living in the autumn of my life.

2020 life in the Sunset

#2 – MIDDLE TINT
Middle Tint is a metaphor which connected deeply with me and continues to challenge me.

Middle Tint

#1 – THE CHRISTIAN VALUE – AGAPE
The concluding post to my series on Christian Values, Agape emerges as The Christian Value. If you are going to only read one of my posts for 2020, this is it.

The Christian Value – Agape