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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: Notes Anthology

On My Mind

George

I’ve had a lot things on my mind as of late. The result has been blogging paralysis. Today I will attempt to dump some of what is on my mind and hopefully break the log jam.

Up the Down Escalator

I recently blogged about Steve Elliot’s sermon “Up the Down Escalator”. It is finally available on the FAC website. You can listen to it HERE.

Questions

I really enjoyed our recent visit with our friends from Kansas. I especially appreciate Ron’s relentless questions. We talk a lot about our respective spiritual journeys. That is somewhat unusual in its own respect. What is more unusual are his probing questions. He is always wanting to understand the why of my journey. It is really helpful to have to think about and articulate reasons and processes that have brought me to where I am today. Equally helpful is his follow up question, “What does that look like?”. His questions continue challenge me beyond our conversations and I deeply appreciate his honesty and openness and sincerity. I believe the ability and willingness to ask and answer questions in such a way are a barometer of the quality and health of a relationship. 


A Wonderous Week

George

This has been a really interesting and significant week. Ann and I traveled to Townsend Tennessee with our friends Ron & Jean Like from Kansas City. We spent four nights in a cabin on the Little River. Ron and Jean are easy to vacation with. I particularly enjoyed our hike to Abrams Falls in Cades Cove. It was a 6 mile round trip and gave us a great workout. The highlight of the week for Ron was when he encountered a black bear while we were fishing Wednesday. We played cards each evening. I think I lost every game. We did the Smokey Mtn things: drove the motor trail, ate at Pancake Pantry, toured the Arts and Crafts loop, had lunch at the Wild Plum Tea Room, climbed to Clingman’s Dome, fished for trout (no luck), cruised Pigeon Forge and had ice cream.

In the midst of our activities I learned that my old friend Don Stack died Tuesday morning. I also received word that my friend Gary had been fired from his ministry position at OCC. That news kept me grounded in reality. 

Friday we drove to Gardendale, Alabama and visited with Carter and Lori. Friday night we went to a high school football game. Lori’s son, Curtis got to play in his first varsity game. It must have been 30 years since I’ve done that. It was a beautiful evening and our team won the game. Today we drove to Rogersville to visit with my Aunt Imogene and cousin Jerry. Tomorrow we will go to church with Jerry and then drive to Nashville for a short visit with Linda and Jim Arnett before we head home. I’m looking forward to being home.

Feast

George

Today was a spiritual feast. The sermon by Steve Elliott entitled “Up the Down Escalator” was based on David’s encounter with Saul in 1 Samuel 17:30-40. I must say that it may make my top 10 sermon list. I will post a link when it is put up their website.

These quotes made it worth being there:

If all that is best of our spiritual life can only be spoken of in the past tense, we are on the wrong escalator. 

Our kids do not need our armor any more than today’s athletes need our old running shoes. Our kids need the example of our vital, vibrant faith.

They (our kids) need to see us ahead of them on the up escalator, not passing them on the down escalator.

Faith is meant to be handed across generations … it (faith) is defined by a heart that trusts God explicitly and daily.

It is not just the occasional giant that we have to contend with. All of life is too big for all of us to handle on our own.

The class that followed was led by Steve’s wife Marilyn. The premise of the class is that God speaks. It was a challenging and rewarding experience and I’m looking forward to the next six weeks.

Out of Commission

George

I am at a local cafe so I can get an internet connection. Our DSL has been out for a day and a half and I do not know when it will be back up. The process of trying to get some assistance is as bad as not having a connection. It is pretty easy to get really upset when MY life gets disrupted by such inconveniences. Ordinarily, I would be fired up and getting all this mess straightened out. Instead, I have witnessed the inconvenience of Hurricane Ike, learned of friend’s diagnosis of Alzheimers, received news that another friend’s cancer has spread and hospice has been called in. I’ve watch grandparents taking guardianship of their young grandchild. I’ve talked with widow’s struggling with health and loneliness. 

I guess I am really not out of commission at all. I just got distracted and confused for a moment.

God of the Possible

George

I continue to read Greg Boyd’s God of the Possible. He presents his case for an open view of God. At this point, I am increasingly convinced that he is correct. Admittedly, it is a short trip for me to get there. I have never given it a great deal of specific thought but the ideas have been simmering in my mind for a long time. I suspect that many, like myself, have no idea what an open view of God, or open theism, as it is sometimes decribed, is about. 

The classical view of divine foreknowledge holds that the future is completely settled in God’s mind and has been from all eternity. Boyd’s open view, in contrast, does not hold that the future is wide open but that much of it is settled ahead of time, either by God’s predestining will or existing earthly causes. However, the future is not exhaustively settled ahead of time. The future is unsettled to the extent that it is yet open to be decided by free agents. To that extent, God knows it as a realm of possibilities, not certainties. 

Boyd builds his case from scripture and it is worthy of serious consideration. I intend to read some rebuttals from the classical view point. As I continue to entertain the possibility of a God of the possible it has heightened my sensitivity to how the classical view permeates much of our lives. For example, in a recent conversation, the statement was made “Everything happens for a reason” implying that the future is determined. An open view of God has potential to reshape how we view our lives and relationships both with one another and with God. 

A small example came as I was reading the account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac a few days ago. In the past, the story was exciting and filled with a sense of the tension that Abraham and Isaac must have experienced but I always assume it was a “done deal” for God. When I read it from an open view, I was struck by what God must have experienced as he watched and waited to see if his free agent Abraham really trusted him and would obey him. What risk God was willing to take. What joy and happiness God experienced as Abraham trusted the promises he had made to him. It really was a test. He could have chosen to not to sacrifice Isaac. God chose to leave the future open to Abraham’s decision.