Sunday, April 22, 2012

Questions to Ponder

If I, as a Christ-follower, am only able to relate to others who call themselves Christ-followers or Christians; through using Bible verses or other Christian jargon, how can I relate to the rest of the world?

If my love and words only seem to be relevant to those who call themselves Christians...there is something missing...what could it be?
- connection?
- authentic love in the presence of diversity?
- trust in the relationship over trust in having similar beliefs?

What kinds of messages does my life preach to those who do not personally identify with "Christianity"?  With those I walk with or in close proximity to, whom have different philosophies on life and God, -am I relevant?    


Love is always relevant.
Jesus was always relevant.

Jesus was found least relevant, but most troubling to the religious leaders/experts in the law.
He was found most relevant and safe to sinners and outcasts.

Can I relate to Jesus in whom I can relate to?
What kinds of people am I found to be the safest to?
Whom am I found to be the most offensive and troubling to?

Something to ponder over I guess...

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Rhyme Time - My PoeTRY

Slow and steady wins finishes the race,
Set your own rhythm, set your own pace.
Give to yourself, both time and grace,
Breathe, and acknowledge that He's in this place.

Enjoy your journey, trust His path,
Make time to play, and make time to laugh.

Embrace all life that's free & full
Seeing the mundane as all but dull.

Keeping a journal, and writing often
Helps to discern, and helps to soften,
A heart which is searching,
Or breaking or thanking.

Accepting the limits within all humanity,
Draws you to God, and away from insanity.

Gaining the courage to change what you can
And trusting God's work; redemption of man.

Honor His role, which cannot be taken
His grace and His love, will not be shaken.



Monday, April 9, 2012

Denial Speaks

Hello, have we met?

Let me please introduce myself to you...My name is Denial.

Usually I don't do this sort of thing...make honest confessions.  I am true to my name...but, then again my name is Denial, so being true to my name means I can deny its true meaning whenever convenient.

I like to pretend that I am your friend, that you need me to feel good about yourself.  I love it when I'm embraced so that my Embracer feels as if they are a quasi-god, -they do not need to change because they are above reproach.

This is how I like to operate...

After any type of painful or negative experience, I, Denial, will woo, pursue and sweep people off their feet so they rarely, if ever, need to ask themselves questions, or more than that..answer these questions that could teach them self-empowering lessons.  If they are self-empowered, they won't embrace me.  These lessons could teach them that they willingly played a role that resulted in their painful experience, hence they could willingly play a different role and maybe be a part of the solution, rather than perpetuating the problem by clinging to me. No, I will come and save the day, I will rescue them from being victimized to that sort of thinking.

No, that is not the message I,Denial, want to give to.


This is the message I want others to believe with all their hearts and minds about me, Denial:

My address is on the Island of Paradise, on Easy Street, for when you reside with me there you'll see why I've chosen that as my homeland.  You will never have to face anything unpleasant.  And if you do, it's never your fault!  Never!  I will cater to you with illusions of selective forgetfulness and numbness.  You can stare deeply into my eyes and feel as though that prickly thing called reality and self-examination dissipates when you lock your eyes with mine.  You can believe whatever you fancy, and I will support you, as long as you trust me, Denial, 100% and never question me.  I will be your caretaker, so that you'll never have to fall victim to taking care of yourself.

Questions, those icky things are what you'll never have to ask yourself or answer honestly...because asking questions will lead you astray from me, Denial.  Searching and questioning are dangerous.  Looking for answers which could lead to change within yourself is a huge no-no.  The moment you'll start doing that, I'll start to depart from you.  I cannot handle questions.  I can only handle your complete blind trust in me, without questions.  Close your eyes and turn your head away from questions.  If you want to walk with me, you'll need to just trust me.  When others try to dissuade you from submitting to me, Denial, it's because they do not understand, and want to buck the system of their norms.  They are dangerous people who are to be avoided at all costs.

Denial is my name and denial is my game  
Walk with me, and everything you hate fundamentally stays the same 

But that's not my fault after all
You're the one who made the call

I am your greatest asset to remaining stuck
Cuz lack of self-awareness, makes you, the devil's sitting duck

Hate me, love me, I don't care
I got no heart, no soul to bare

Where we'll eventually end, is exactly where your troubles began
Because facing reality and change are what you won't ever need to withstand

Denial is my name and denial is my game
It gets you nowhere, but I ain't to blame
I'm staying true to my name, which results in your shame
But I sure won't admit that I, Denial, am to blame

-by kristen lopez.

Thank you for putting up with sarcasm to make a dramatic point...
Informal Disclaimer: This is NOT meant for people who blame themselves for their abuse or exploitation they received in which they were powerless to prevent or stop, like children for example.  This is primarily for the adult who refuses to take ownership of their choices and instead..blames and hides behind denial.
We all fall short...own up and grow up.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

T-R-U-S-T

Trust...

I am not entitled to being freely trusted.  Trust is something to be received with honor, I cannot take it for granted without regret.  It is either gained or lost by how I choose to conduct myself in relation to others.

I'll work hard to earn trust, just like people work to earn a raise.  Trust is a relational commodity, a valuable and necessary resource for a harmonious and healthy relationship to thrive.

To a certain degree, the depth or amount of trust I've been given is an indication of how much time and effort I've put into earning it, in how trustworthy I've shown up to be.  When given blindly or freely, I may have the propensity to take it for granted and not esteem it as highly as it's worth.

But when all is said and done, the level of trust I'm given does not define me as a person.  Though it may say something about where I'm at in my character development, it does not speak to my value or worth as a person.  That has been spoken for already by the cross, just as yours has been.

I will work hard to earn trust in my relationships, I'm not entitled to it.  But I will live knowing that the amount of trust I receive doesn't bind me to my worth or value.

No matter how hard I try, I make a lousy God, and only He can be consistently 100% trustworthy.   This frees me from placing all of my trust in anyone or anything else.  And it frees me from placing that expectation upon my own shoulders.

Trust God to be God.  He's really good at it and has tons of experience with that role.

While I value being found trustworthy, it is not my worth that's defined by that.  Live life free and trust that He fits the job description for God, therefore I don't need to.  It's far more important that I'm found trusting in His trustworthiness, one day at a time, instead of trying to trust in my own trustworthiness.

Period.