Faith Venture

After Christmas, So What?

December 26, 2023

This morning a young boy was trying out his new scooter for the first time. At first hesitant. Unsure of balance. Within five minutes joyfully pushing along the sidewalk at speed.

Christmas gift. Joyous.

An early (the first) theory about spiritual life applying to Jesus explained the complete difference between spiritual and physical life. Everything physical (called the flesh in Biblical translations) is bad, dirty, evil. Everything spiritual is pure, light, good.

And never the twain shall meet.

A substantial chunk of the first writing about Jesus emphasized his physical side. He gestated within a woman. Was born, a baby, had to be fed and cleaned, and rocked to quiet. He had to learn to walk and speak the language (most likely more than one). No story of him in ministry even suggests that he was something other than a male human being.

Ah, but another chunk of writing tries to explain how Jesus was so uniquely filled spiritually. Writers have great difficulty trying to explain spiritual things. But several letters and other writings took great pain to try to explain how Jesus was so completely filled with the spirit of God.

(Later a bunch of smart theologian types came up with the theory of the Trinity to try to explain spiritual things in human terms. It remains a hard concept to understand for many people. I understand that difficulty and sympathize.)

These writers carefully and logically disputed the Gnostic view of life. (I’ve simplified so that I don’t have to write an essay.)

After Christmas we have a life of a real man. And he taught and showed how we can each have a part of that. He wanted everyone, not just the chosen few, to have a better life. Paul tried to define that life as the fruit of the spirit—found in chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

We will all shortly be considering how to live in 2024. Rather than some list of “resolutions” that we’ll never follow, we could say “I want to be the kind of person who lives that life.”

Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2023

In the old tradition a Feast Day of Celebration. Not necessarily Jesus’s birthday, since that exact day was not recorded. But a celebration with a fancy theology word—incarnation. A special human was born who was filled with the spirit of God. God coming to earth.

Today is almost anti-climax celebration for us. The family gathered Saturday. We attended Christmas Eve 11 pm service last night. My wife is celebrating by making cinnamon rolls from scratch for breakfast. As an enneagram type 1, it warms her heart to cook special meals and treats.

This season brings out connections that may happen only occasionally. I reached out to a nephew in prison. He has no parents. My wife reached out to a former student who suffers from mental/emotional problems. She responded with a Merry Christmas text.

Those remind us that not everyone’s celebration is without a mixture of grief or sadness. To those we reach out sending the spirit of comfort.

Still, we send wishes of Love, Hope, Peace, and Joy to everyone everywhere. Pause, take a deep breath, and bring those into your spirit, at least for a bit, today.

Posted in advent, Christianity | 1 Comment »

A Blessing for this Day

December 22, 2023

I am writing this the day after the Winter solstice. For us in the Northern Hemisphere the days will be getting longer each day for the next six months. Christmas is a feast day celebrated in ancient times as the day they definitely knew that the days were getting longer and the optimism of light and warmth grew.

It is only natural that the early Church co-opted the day to celebrate the light of God entering the world. It’s a celebration. I hope you all can find a way to celebrate this year.

I leave you with this blessing for the day from John O’Donohue:

May I live this day

Compassionate of heart,

Clear in word,

Gracious in awareness,

Courageous in thought,

Generous in love.
John O’Donohue

Posted in advent, Grace, Gratitude | Leave a Comment »

Strengthen Body to Strengthen Mind

December 21, 2023

Yoga, it was taught when I took teacher training, was developed to strengthen the body so that a person could sit in mediation longer and more fruitfully. This idea goes back thousands of years.

“We treat the body rigorously,” Seneca said, “so that it will not be disobedient to the mind.”

Seneca was a contemporary of the apostle Paul. He was a Stoic philosopher back when philosophy was the study of how to live a better life. Much of what he wrote sounded so much like Paul it was eerie.

Wendy Suzuki, PhD, professor, and neurobiology researcher, discovered that physical activity had many positive impacts on the brain.

Getting exercise as you are able has been shown to improve tendencies of depression.

Developing spiritual practices in your life benefit from adding physical practices. Paul used many examples from athletics in his letters—that was probably not an accident. He saw the benefits of the discipline and health of those athletes.

When you feel stronger and healthier, your study, prayer, and service become easier.

Try a couple of these several times per week:

Running
Sprints alternating with jog or walk (high intensity interval training)
Walking
Cycling
Resistance training (with weights or bodyweight)
Yoga
Pilates
Water Aerobics
Swimming

Switch it up to keep it interesting.

It’s the holidays, a time where weight gain is easy. Exercise will help a little to counter that.

Posted in Physical | Leave a Comment »

To Whom Do You Listen For Guidance?

December 20, 2023

Have you noticed that often when trying to think of something success comes when you stop trying so hard? Trying to remember a name? Stop trying, divert attention. Ten minutes later, “Aha! That’s the name.”

Maybe you are in your prayer position—sitting in a favorite chair, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, the tradition on your knees posture. You are earnestly trying to receive a message from God. Nothing. Then you take a walk around the neighborhood or at a nearby park. Something comes to you. Probably God speaking in the wind or sun.

Sometimes we may slip into a mood of taking counsel from the voices feeding our anxiety, particularly those who benefit from our worry. Get off social media and TV news. See the above taking a walk therapy.

Sometimes we have friends of acquaintances who have more opinion than perspective. Rather than taking guidance just nod slowly and then go, well, for that walk.

Matthew begins his story of the birth of Jesus with God talking to Joseph through an angel in his dream. Joseph listened and acted. Luke begins his with an angel with a message for Mary from God. She listened. She acted.

God is weird. He comes to us in the most unexpected moments in the most unexpected ways. We cannot force it. Therefore to constant advice about being ever vigilant, like the story of the bridesmaids waiting for the husband’s arrival. They were prepared (extra oil, just in case) and vigilant.

Here we are. Almost at the end of Advent. Still vigilant I hope. Still expectant. Welcoming a new presence of God. Are you ready?

Posted in advent, Waiting | Leave a Comment »

Growth Cycle

December 19, 2023

I came across this bit of wisdom from a newsletter:

“The three stages of career development are: 1. I want to be in the meeting 2. I want to run the meeting 3. I want to avoid meetings.”

I have lived that wisdom. I was honored to be included in meetings as s youngster. Before long I began to think that the meetings would be so much more useful if I ran them. Yes, I longed to be in charge. Then I was in charge a few times. I tried to dispense with meetings.

Beneficial meetings exist in certain contexts. I was on a school board for a few years and on the boards of non-profits at times. Meetings where the point is making decisions to take the organization forward are essential. Meetings to talk about stuff—I can live much better without.

I’ve seen the cycle so many times. I long to be in charge. I am in charge and that feels great. Well, being in charge really isn’t that great; I just want to get things accomplished.

Do you think that Jesus’s disciples went through that cycle? Maybe they didn’t understand that Jesus skipped part 2? He shunned being King in the power-over-others sense. He taught. He led. He sacrificed.

This time of year we strive to remember his coming and struggle once again with why. It’s a time to pause and consider.

Posted in Growth | Leave a Comment »

Joy–The Third Advent Candle

December 18, 2023

One neighbor came to the neighborhood Christmas party last weekend. She kept checking her phone. No, she was not being anti-social. They were expecting their first grandchild at any time. Expectation. Anticipation.

My wife received a message this morning. Baby girl. 7 lbs. Everyone well. Joy in the neighbor’s family. And the neighborhood.

That is like this season of the Christian calendar. Anticipation. Expectation. Then, Joy.

This morning I read from Matthew. He begins with the genealogy of Jesus. It was important for him to place Jesus in the context of Jewish history. The history of God working through people.

His next report is short and to the point. Mary finds herself pregnant without having had sexual relations. Then her fiancé, Joseph, hears about it (you can’t keep a secret in small villages, I know, I grew up in one). He is described as honorable. He decides he’ll just quietly divest himself of her but in such a way that she won’t be stoned. Well, a dream, an angel, God speaks. It’ll all be OK.

Dread. Expectation. Anticipation. Joy. A baby was born. They named him Joshua (the Lord saves) or in English Jesus.

Joy can be described as a temporary emotion triggered by a happy event. I think of it more as an attitude of life resulting from the indwelling of the Spirit. Joy helps us weather the inevitable disappointments and tragedies. Not at the time, but as we ride out the storm and come to a new normal living with the Spirit. Now Joy, like Peace, takes us to a deeper place.

Posted in spirit | Leave a Comment »

It Should Be Easy

December 15, 2023

“It should be easy. Here it is in black and white. How can people argue about it?”

He was in a Bible study class composed almost entirely of people who went to church regularly but who had never read the book.

He was reading in one English translation. Had he but lined up say five English translations, there may have been 2-3 different words in that passage. They may or may not have changed the meaning very much. But the nuance of the verse could have changed.

He also fell victim to the fallacy that should have been overcome by high school English classes. Unfortunately, few high school courses actually teach one how to read.

There must be hundreds of phrases and sentences taken from the Bible that altered the course of history that were completely out of context of the meaning. As I type these words several flash through my brain.

Humans so easily fool themselves into thinking they have completely arrived at understanding and wisdom, when in reality they are creatures in the process of growing. We have so much hubris as to think we know more than people who have spent their entire adult lives studying ancient Greek. And I have read some of those who still discuss the meaning of one word Paul used in a certain place. I started to learn New Testament Greek and then thought “How do I expect to learn enough in a few months to be better than scholars who have devoted 30 years to the study?”

Back to the question. It is easier if we devote time and curiosity to exploring the complete paragraph or letter. It helps to have a guide who can lead us through the logic of the Greek in the passage which is different from the logic we use in English. I am currently refreshing my knowledge of German and learning Spanish. (I should be doing Irish Gaelic and Welsh given I have grandparents from each heritage.) Each of these has its own logic. And the brief introduction to Gaelic shows me another set of logic principles.

I return to my thought about time and curiosity along with humility. As soon as we say we don’t know everything, then the work of learning begins.

Posted in Disciplines, Learning, Study | Leave a Comment »

Wandering Around

December 14, 2023

We are drilled on efficiency and productivity. I was a “GTDer” for some time—Getting Things Done (David Allen).

That begs a question, What do we miss by dashing from one focus to the next all day?

When I exercise in the morning, I quit running but I walk as fast as I can for about 40 minutes before tackling the rest of my fitness routine.

In the afternoon, however, I like to just wander outside. Look for birds and muskrats and trees and other people. There is a phrase in French called being a flȃneur. A flȃneur strolls and observes without a plan. I like going into downtown Chicago to just stroll and look at people and things. One of my favorite philosophers these days, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, calls what he does and writes about the results of being a flȃneur.

In fact there exists a management philosophy called Management By Walking Around. This is called Gemba Walk in Lean Manufacturing. There is a rich history to getting off your chair and moving.

Sometimes we get into such a rush we have no time to think and observe.

Do you have a problem you are thinking about? Looking for an insight into a spiritual teaching that just isn’t coming into focus? Take a walk. Be a flȃneur for a bit. Insights will come to you. Better have your little Field Notes or Moleskin notebook or iPhone to take notes. Preparation will pay off.

Posted in Awareness, Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

The Practice

December 13, 2023

I sit back in my chair in my office. I often like to sit back with my feet resting on the desk and laptop in my, well, lap. Staring at my bookshelves, I see one of the several books I’ve turned facing out. This reminds me of a book I wish to remember.

There at the top is Seth Godin’s The Practice: Shipping Creative Work. I highly recommend this one.

I have been thinking about style versus substance. Let’s say, for example, at church. The example works also for personal development seminars and even technology presentations. But, let’s stick with church.

There are churches that specialize on experience. You go, as if to a rock concert. You expect to be entertained. You’ll get some lively music. Perhaps a few words about the work of the organization. Then a teacher will try for the final 30 minutes to get you motivated. Then you leave.

And life goes on.

I’ve been involved with people whose focus is on decision. The focus is on getting another person to decide to believe in Jesus.

I’ve always been haunted by the question—then what?

I might like the entertainment, the style, for a brief moment. Maybe I say Hi to a few people I see each week. And that is it.

But where is the mentor relationship? The depth? Beginning the practice of following Jesus?

Yesterday I fast-walked about 3 miles followed by resistance weight training followed by 20 minutes in the hot tub. Today, Yoga replaced the resistance work. It’s my daily practice. Just like a daily practice of writing. And meditation. Well, also of eating nutritionally dense meals (thanks to my wife).

The challenge—how do we help people begin and maintain the practice of following Jesus? I think that is a lot of what Paul and James tried to do in their letters. Get us out of our comfort zone and both practice and help others practice.

Posted in Disciplines, Habits | Leave a Comment »