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Wisdom

Wisdom: AACRC Fall 2011: In working toward a design for this installation, we the members of the Worship and Art interim class considered the passages of Proverbs 8 and Ecclesiastes 3.
There were many images that came to mind as a result of these passages. As a group, certain things stood out–one of them was the perception of Lady Wisdom who predominantly figured in our corporate minds in white flowing garb which has led to the back drop of white that you see in this piece.
We also looked at the description in Proverbs 8 of Wisdom’s presence everywhere–in the city and in nature as well as at home.
The depiction of a colorful globe represents this inclusiveness and the beauty of life with Wisdom in the times of abundance and the times of need.
Finally, the door way is the reminder that Wisdom is waiting at the door for our response and gives a sense of the security of being at home there.

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Intimidating vision

A recent MinEmergent musing that I want to remember and ponder – how backwards this seems, and yet so true.
If the size of your vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God.

Steven Furtick

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Vulnerability

This winter I read a book by Brene Brown about the gifts of imperfection. Gave me lots to think about, how God views me and how twisted my view of myself can become when the world’s influence is strong. MinEmergent’s message for today was this poem, that I think it deserves remembering and coming back to (and finding where it is from so that I can read it.)
The Power of Vulnerability
by Brene Brown 
To be vulnerable is to see all of me 
And to be open to 
The possibility of 
Authenticity 
The courage to love me 
And ask for what I need 
With no certainty 
And holding my own 
Hand with accountability 
Of boundaries that 
I Set to let go of 
Who I think you need me to be 
And the ingredients include 
Courage, compassion, connection 
And the nest is acceptance 
Of all of me Shame and guilt 
Must be looked at 
With severe honesty in 
Owning my story 
Trusting my spirit solely 
Letting go of shoulds and pushing 
Practicing gratitude into a 
Shifting of joy that 
Doesn’t exclude fear or sadness 
But delivers the need for 
Certainty turned into faith 
And in the calm and still place 
Don’t forget to play 
God brought us each here 
With a gift to create today 
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Creating well-being

I wanted to save this post from MinEmergent to ponder through Easter….
Is our primary responsibility to ourselves or to the world? When it comes to creating peace there is only one answer that makes sense. I need to be in peace myself before I can possibly help anyone else to be in peace. I have heard this countered like this: helping others has the result of also helping ourselves. But that is a fallacy. Dirty water cannot make other water clean. A hungry person cannot feed a starving person. The blind cannot lead the blind. It was not God’s intent that we should come into the world and suffer greatly for the sake of others who are also suffering greatly. That’s ridiculous. Suffering creates more suffering. But, healing creates more healing. It works the other way too. Well-being creates more well-being. It’s contagious, just like suffering is. We are all holding up a tent pole underneath a heavy canvas tarp. The higher I raise my own tent pole the easier it is for the person next to me to raise his or hers.
Stephen Muires