Comments on Decompressing Faith: Be Helpless...

You're welcome, Jon. I'm just glad I don't get tar...

2008-05-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

You're welcome, Jon. I'm just glad I don't get tarred and feathered around her for posting Rumi.

very cool. thanks for sharing it.

2008-05-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

very cool. thanks for sharing it.

Mike - I'm glad it was meaningful to you...for me ...

2008-05-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Mike - I'm glad it was meaningful to you...for me it went right along with a talk I was having with someone about being "right" in theology, and this poem came up in my feedreader that same day. It was really cool.

Robert - Well said. I think we always fight the su...

2008-05-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Robert - Well said. I think we always fight the surrender...it's human nature.

Erin ~ I don't know if it's that I have been in so...

2008-05-01T23:48:00.000-07:00

Erin ~ I don't know if it's that I have been in somewhat of a rut concerning "religion" lately but this post resonated with me on a deep level...so deep that words cannot describe how closely I am attached to what it says.

Thanks for sharing.

very solid stuff erin. Surrender seems to be such...

2008-05-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

very solid stuff erin. Surrender seems to be such a battle, for even when we know surrender to God is the very best thing, our flesh fights it and still wants to have its own way. Love how poetry captures tensions we go through so powerfully.

Barbara - Glad you liked it. :)

2008-05-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Barbara - Glad you liked it. :)

FF - That's not off topic at all. Interesting obse...

2008-05-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

FF - That's not off topic at all. Interesting observation. Maybe that has something to do with the word "Christian" meaning "little Christ". Little as understudy, but also little as children.

or as the proverb goes:Lean on, trust in and be co...

2008-05-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

or as the proverb goes:

Lean on, trust in and be confident in the LORD with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize and acknowledge Him and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (3,5-6)

slightly off-topic...
I have heard one teacher say that in the Jewish culture at that time, children were not looked at as the happy-go-lucky nostalgic view of childhood today. That children were seen as apprentices or students... diligently watching and learning at every turn how to be an adult and learning the skill of their family. .. and turning into copies of whoever they were training under.

I don't know if it's exclusively TRUE or not but it kinda changes how i see Jesus calling the little children to come to Him! instead of the "I've got candy" it's "would you like to study under Me?"

I like this. Thanks.

2008-05-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

I like this. Thanks.

Thanks Gary. Wow, yeah I know how that feels, for ...

2008-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks Gary. Wow, yeah I know how that feels, for sure. Thanks for sharing it. Confession: I've never read Merton. Maybe I should?

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.I do ...

2008-05-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"

Sue - You know six months ago I wouldn't have post...

2008-05-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

Sue - You know six months ago I wouldn't have posted Rumi...too heretical. Thing is he was a poet, not just a religious icon.

Barb - Sometimes I find other traditions have bett...

2008-05-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

Barb - Sometimes I find other traditions have better words for things, and Rumi is no exception. I love where it says to "not be sure of anything"...

Hi Dustin - It's OK that you commented here, the a...

2008-05-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Dustin - It's OK that you commented here, the about page is closed for comments. It's nice to meet you. I'll check out your site.

Oh, Rumi, I love you.Wonderful stuff, thanks for p...

2008-05-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

Oh, Rumi, I love you.

Wonderful stuff, thanks for posting, it was lovely to be reminded this.

Then a stretcher will comefrom grace to gather us ...

2008-05-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

Then a stretcher will come
from grace to gather us up.

And....When we've totally surrendered to that beauty,
we'll become a mighty kindness.

Wow...Utterly beautiful! I think I shall steal it for my post tomorrow because it so aptly sums up what I wrote about today.

Thanks Erin for this, this morning.

I tried to post this on your about page, but it wo...

2008-04-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

I tried to post this on your about page, but it wouldn't let me....Pretend this is on that page...

You have my attention. I am interested to see how you endured life in the midst of trials. Enduring life is what I am all about. It is the purpose of my website, www.endurelife.com

I hope to read about your process of falling into a deeper love with our wonderful God.

Dustin