On the Way

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
~ Psalm 84:5

Saturday, February 28, 2009

pearls before swine

i'm increasingly learning the wisdom of 'not casting my pearls before swine'!
you have to trust your 'gut' or intuition. Live and learn as they say. Related to this is Jesus' admonition to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
Matthew 7:6 is the reference where Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount:
"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

The ESV study bible has this to say about 'pearls' in this verse:
Pearls symbolize the great value of the message of the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matt. 13:45–46). Believers are to be merciful, forgiving, and slow to judge (7:1–5), yet they should wisely discern the true character of people and not indefinitely continue proclaiming the gospel to those who adamantly reject it, so that they can move on and proclaim the gospel to others (cf. 10:14; also Acts 13:46; 18:6; Titus 3:10–11).

I think the commentator is right on but I also believe that 'pearls' can refer analogously to important values we hold dear which are kingdom related---our sense of calling, family, etc.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

the exile and his friends ~ Alan Jacobs' article

I was thinking of this wonderful quote from Samuel Johnson cited by Alan Jacobs in a marvelous book of his essays. I first heard the audio version put out by Mars Hill Audio and read by the author, one of our best in the Christian community.
I was gladdened to find a link to the article which I forwarded to a friend with the said quote. Hope my readers find it encouraging!

http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=5942

the greatest sum ~ Avett Brothers lyrics (love this song)

Listen, who I used to be
Don't matter much at all to me.
To pin you down, to plant your feet's
a far cry from my destiny.

Not even the clouds,
Not even the past,
Not even the hands of God
could hold back from you.


Dark and lonely is the ride,
the devil always by my side.
Though no match for what lies between
the thought of you,
your trust for me.

Not even the sun,
A bullet from a gun,
No, nothing that this world could bring or
Anything someone could do
Could hold me back from you.

No can of gold placed in my hand,
the largest find,
the greatest sum.
Though some would say
It'd ease our pain,
We know that it can't be done.

Not even the sun,
Not even the clouds.
Not even the past,
No, nothing that this world can bring or anything someone can do,
Could hold me back from you.
Could hold me back from you.
Could hold me back from you.


(Thanks to Jen for these lyrics)
[ The Greatest Sum Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

Lent

http://www.thetransformingcenter.org/pdf/ash09.pdf

good night!

p.s. bebs

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

ash wednesday

the beginning of Lent is today.
I will strive to focus by God's grace on changing myself where needed---serenity and Lord's prayers are continual models and instruments.

Collect of the Day: Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

end of the day

I've seen the end of the day come too soon
Not a lot to say, not a lot to do
You played the game, you owe nothing to yourself
Rest a day, for tomorrow you can't tell
You can't tell

I've seen the end of the day come too late
Seen the love you had turning into hate
Had to act like I didn't even care
But I did so I got stranded standing there
Standing there

It's nothing that I haven't seen before
But it still kills me like it did before
No it's nothing that I haven't seen before
But it still kills me like it did before

I've seen the end of the day come too soon
Like the prison dogs they set out after you
You owe nothing to the past but wasted time
To serve a sentence that was only in your mind
In your mind

It's nothing that I haven't seen before
But it still kills me like it did before
No it's nothing that I haven't seen before.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

ENFP ~ Hello Quizzy Personality Test

our result for The Brutally Honest Personality Test ...
Scumbag- ENFP
(kudos to Ron Nelson of dimlit.org for pointing out this test in his blog. I dig these kinds of things and this is certainly the most tactless version i've seen of the MBTI--ha...if you take it, let me know your results).

60% Extraversion, 87% Intuition, 13% Thinking, 0% Judging

Scumbag- ENFP
I have a feeling you're not going to like this much. Do I care? No. How do I know? It's because you hate criticism. You love to be loved and you'll do anything to be accepted.

Unfortunately for you, I can see right through your insincere compliments and over-the-top greetings. No matter what you do, I'll always hate you for what you are. An arrogant, unstable, overly enthusiastic scumbag.

I bet you're pretty proud of your accomplishments, huh? You seem to achieve at whatever you put your little mind too. Trust me. Nobody likes the person who is good at everything. NOBODY LIKES YOU.

This might also have something to do with the fact that you're a cheating machine. You're just not the type of person to make long-term commitments. You enjoy seeing "what could be", rather than being satisfied with "what is." This, of course, means you often leave others in the dust while you seek out another lover.

Well, at least you're not the one left in the dust.

Unfortunately, when you're the one lying in the gutter with a bloody knife in your back, you might think differently.

f you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.

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The other personality types are as follows…

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Pushover - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving

Freak - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging

Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving

Sap - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging

Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving

Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Busybody - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging

Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Take The Brutally Honest Personality Test at HelloQuizzy

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If you enjoyed that test, make sure you check out my latest venture: The Presidential Capacity Quiz - It's much shorter, just as fun and just as accurate. Find out how far you would get in the race for President. Are you fit to rule the free world?

therapeutic camping and backpacking

I returned this afternoon from a tremendous trip to the Pinnacle north of Reading, PA with 3 amigos, dear brothers in the Lord, who share my love of nature, and were willing to hike and camp in freezing or near freezing temperatures in February. It's been years since I've done this and this is the first time I've done it in the Winter.
Would I do it again? Absolutely. My muscles are sore, as is my throat, I got little sleep and I was damned cold but it was a rich experience in many ways. It was good to test one's self out in nature. And I love the roaring fire. The shot of bourbon, the beef jerkey, the laughter, stories and physical exercise in the midst of some beautiful scenery made it all very worthwhile!
It was great hiking out of our camp site today. It snowed gently much of the time and the quiet except for our own footfall, occasional talking, was refreshing to my soul.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

practicing gratitude

today, my spirits have been lifted some.
i try not to take such things for granted.
i'm seeking to live more in the present---easier said than done but worth the effort.
i'm grateful for several blessings in my life even in the midst
of the hardship, unfulfilled dreams, and intense struggles.

may grace and peace be ours in abundance (2 Pet 1:2)