the winner takes it all

The temptation to react to other people can be so strong.

I am most myself when I decide to be who I am, regardless of how other people decide to be.

so when someone is mean to me, unkind, tells lies, I still decide to be who I am.

So I responded calmly. 

I do not raise my voice when they shout and wave their arms around. It’s not my way.

I challenged the lie. I state that I found a particular thing unkind.

But I don’t ‘get even’.

or maybe I do? because maybe getting even, or even winning, is not letting that person control who I am, how I behave, or who I become.

all you need is love?

I think maybe it’s true – all you need to get through is love… love that helps us to think of the other person’s view when we’re annoyed with them; love that makes us try to take account of other people’s needs; love that gives us strength to keep going when we feel like chucking it all in; love that makes us share so everyone has enough and no-one is isolated or hurt.

Why is it worth going on?

because being loved – deeply loved and known and understood – by God transforms everything… and when God blesses us with people who just ‘get’ us, love us, try to see our point of view even when we’re being annoying… that’s icing on the cake. and if we’ve even had a glimpse of that good stuff, it’s worth plodding on.

maybe it’s just too easy to write about love? despite a fair bit of crappy stuff going on in some aspects of life at the mo, I’m aware of being overblessed… there’s always the cake… and at the moment, there’s even icing on it! 

  (click to open window for this to play!)

hold on for the light…

                                                              

“yes, I can see a light that is coming, for the heart that holds on,  

and there will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes,

still i will praise you, still i will praise you…”

                                                            (Matt and Beth Redman) 

                                                   

comfort

sometimes all I can do is repeat this little hymn verse to myself! I can’t even remember where it’s from! (excuse the male pronouns – just how it’s authors wrote it):

 “He knows, He loves, He cares,

nothing this truth can dim;

God gives the very best to those

who leave the choice with Him.”

 

 

 

voice of hope – soak this in

I’ve rediscovered this song lately – I’ve downloaded it and am playing it rather a lot! and I’ve put the words up where i see them a lot at home…

As high as the heavens
Are above the earth
So high are your ways to mine
Ways so perfect they never fail me
I know you are good all the time

And through the storm
Yet I will praise you
Despite it all
Yet I will sing
Through good and bad
Yet I will worship
For you remain the same
King of kings 

You are the voice of hope
The anchor of my soul
Where there seems to be no way
You make it possible
You are the prince of peace
Amidst adversity
My lips will shout for joy
To you the most high 

You were the one
Before time began
There’s nothing beyond your controll
My confidence
My assurence rest in your unchanging world

And through the storm
Yet I will praise you
Despite it all
Yet I will sing
Through good and bad
Yet I will worship
For you remain the same
King of kings 

You are the voice of hope
The anchor of my soul
Where there seems to be no way
You make it possible
You are the prince of peace
Amidst adversity
My lips will shout for joy
To you the most high

– Lara Martin

Here’s a youtube link for it – have a listen yourself if you like… :0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbk1TGe5k0Q

blessed horribleness

I had to go to a horrible meeting this morning.

I got brave. (ready for this bravery?!)

I sent some texts and an email to friends who i know that if i asked, will pray – not the sort who only talk about it – people who will actually pray.

as i went in to the meeting, i felt so supported. and realised that although it was hard for me to ask (i hate to need to….), i realised too that this is what it’s all about – communion of saints, fellowship, support, family, body of Christ – look at it how you will – but it made all the difference today.

and the rest of the day – which could have been a bleak attempt at recovery – was almost overwhelming supportiveness of calls and texts and care.

how much i’d have missed if i’d stuck to my ‘i must be okay’, self-sufficient little ways.

perhaps i’m growing!

enough said?

the naked soul of God

 A poem by William Stidger:

                           I saw God bare his soul one day

                           where all the earth might see

                           the stark and naked soul of him

                           on lonely Calvary.  

There was a crimson sky of blood

and overhead a storm;

when lightning slit the clouds 

and light engulfed his form. 

                           Beyond the storm a rainbow lent

                           a light to every clod

                           for on that cross mine eyes beheld

                           the naked soul of God.   

…a comment adapted from Tim Zingale’s Good Friday sermon, part 2, on suite 101.com:

….From the naked soul of God comes the greatest act of love humankind has ever experienced. For the power of God was shown not in glory, or power, or fame, or strength, or prosperity, or security, or wealth, or success, but in the bare soul of God hung on a cross that endured the pain, the brokenness, the humility, the reality of this world.

(areas changed in italics)

tough days and opportunities

still a tough week… I was reminded yesterday of the wisdom of the Desert Mothers – they said (I’m paraphrasing) that every temptation was an opportunity for victory, an opportunity to resist temptation and ‘win’… which means surely that tough times are an opportunity to be faithful, an opportunity to ‘show what we’re made of’ in faith terms and get some practice in with the whole ‘trying to be like Jesus’ thing.

So maybe I should be more thankful for this? the things i don’t like that are happening.

some things aren’t right and they need to be sorted out, God’s values re-asserted.

I don’t think I should wimp out of setting wrongs right or not ‘stand up’ for myself. Rather the challenge to think of it as also an opportunity to put into action what we (I) say about wanting to be faithful in the bad times and the good.

 and in the ‘being like Jesus’ thing, to try to be kind even when I have to be tough with someone. To not let their negative behaviour dictate who I am or who I become. To stay faithful and even gentle and kind whatever other people’s behaviour is.

 challenges indeed…

courage

Courage is the first of all human quantities because it is the quality which guarantees all others                                                                       –  Winston Churchill

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.      – Mark Twain

Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.      – John Wayne

I found these quotes today in a friend’s email. Just what I needed.