Rains Remind Me of Strength of Noah

Geetings, blogosphere!

It has been raining in the Boston area all summer, and it has brought to mind for me, again and again, the story of Noah, and his ark. Because the story is so well-known, and is usually one of the first taught, it actually loses some impact. Think about it, though: Noah was an amazing man.

The Bible has many stories of men (and women - just look at Mary) putting their lives, reputations, and others' lives on the line for God - Abraham, the Apostle Paul, Job, and firstly, now and always, our Savior, Christ. Noah has his own special story to live out - he had to literally build an ark in the face of family and friends, with not a cloud in the sky.

Imagine having a faith that is so focused and so pure that you take on a long-term project that, on it's human face, makes no sense. Taking out the tools, building the frame, having setbacks that may make you look ineffectual and silly...all in front of your community. The naked project. It is one thing to take a private journey or do a quick task for the Lord; not many people have to know about it. What Noah did was different. Could you build an ark in your backyard if the Lord told you to? I fear that my rational mind would take over and dissuade me, which blocks faith. How did Noah do it?

By Grace, I think. The Lord saw his pure heart and focused faith, and recognized a good man from the race He created and that He had had so much hope for, and bestowed the grace to finish the race. Noah gladdened the Lord's heart; here was what He had had in mind! In saving Noah, and the animals He loved and also created, He saved us all. And it wasn't to be the last time, as we know.

The rainbow and it's meaning are still special; I hope to see one soon. Because it is forever a promise from God - and it always means that the sun has come out. :-)

Make every minute count!

We Change, World Stays the Same

Sometimes I think that the craftiest work of the devil is the subtlest; encouraging societies to immerse themselves in news, warnings, pop culture and "trivial activities" such as Twittering. (I am twittering, by the way, but have only "tweeted" once.) The trick in all of these is moderation, and the human animal is really, really prone towards the other direction, and the devil knows this. We stare for hours at a computer screen instead of getting up and helping around the house, we're on our LinkedIn account seeing if anyone has "checked us out" instead of playing with the dog or making that call we've been putting off. The activites feel important, and that is the subtle devilishness; we are inactive and living in the life of the mind and ego instead of out in the real world God gave us. I think that the Lord will always think that a living tree of His design, and the contemplation of what it tells us about Him, is more important than our Facebook account or Youtube downloads.

News pours into our brains, and infiltrates our sleep, our conversations, and our comfort level. Is another terrorist attack around the corner? What will happen enxt in Afghanistan? Is the Dow up or down? Is the rest of the week going to be rainy? In moderation, these questions are pertinent and worthy of consideration and prayer. Immersion in one or all causes spiritual stress, and also, interestingly, dilutes them.

Thank Heavens that no matter how people change, (and we ARE changing, have no doubt), God and His creations stay constant. Mountain ranges of His design still sit, silent and austere, frosted with clouds, also of His perfect, artistic design. Puppies still love to play, trees still bear delicious fruit, and rain still smells clean and full of natural promise. A spontaneous human smile, and that which caused it, are both God's miracles, presented in real time. Our failure to notice them or need them does nothing to alter them; we are nowhere near that powerful, and they are still beautiful in their scope and constancy.

So...how are you spending the bulk of your day, day in and day out? Are you more likely to meet God, whom you say you crave, in front of that computer screen, or going outside and soaking it all in, through the things He has laid out like a living carpet in front of you?

Days are numbered. Spend them well.

Politics and Faith, Faith and Politics

Supposedly taboo at any interesting dinner party are two topics: politics and faith. Today, these two "dangerous when combined" topics seem to be wound around each other tightly, as Christians find themselves again and again being put in the position of fighting for their faith. I believe I first felt it when "Merry Christmas" was watered down to "Happy Holidays," and when I realized just how many faiths were being celebrated in December besides Christ's birth and the Jewish holidays - there is no feeling as bland as children singing "holiday" songs.

Yesterday, Christian Children's Fund announced that they are changing their name to a more generic name, dropping the Christan. I felt like I felt when the President spoke in front of black bunting recently; the bunting covered Christian wording on an old building on an American university campus. Anyway, how I felt was hollow; if we keep asking God to butt out of our society, we should be careful; he just might. We are in danger of being painted, by carefully orchestrated brushes, as either a dangerous fringe cult or a "cute" religious group - even though Christ is followed by millions around the world. Our numbers are not talking.

Apathy, leave us! God move the fog that restricts our speaking out for you, after all you have done for us. We are weak and think too much; please - make us stronger. Is there anything more important than You??

Swine Flu Makes Us Think

As we receive more and more information on the swine flu, it is hard not to worry. Now we have to potentially make decisions on where to travel (or not travel), we have to remember personal hygiene on an hourly basis, and we have to be more concerned for loved ones.

God is in this, as He is in every concern we have. His love is there in sickness and in health, in worry and in stress. because of the very nature of stress, the Lord is left out of the equation sometimes - our brain only has so much room in it! But God will protect and provide, and we cannot understand the mystery that is God's will.

So, wash your hands, stay informed but not barraged with news, and say your prayers. God is great.

Newsweek's Provocative Cover Aimed at Christians

On their latest cover, Newsweek has just heralded in the "fall of Christianity," at a time when I feel that Christians are very strong in their faith. I did not read the magazine because I didn't want to give Newsweek my increasingly precious dollar, but I felt more amusement than anything else. (In a related note, by the way, magazine readership is falling down, too. :-)) A provocative cover - making you either want to smile or spit - is just what the accountant ordered.

Christianity will always be under attack. When Newsweek is just a faint memory in our culture, Christians will be meeting all over the world to celerate, worship, and lean on Christ. Newsweek and other media institutions are trying to make Christians feel like fringe elements or cult-like worshippers instead of what we are: the most vibrant, the largest, and the most loved faith in the world. Notice I didn't say "most loving," because we've got our human issues, of course. But "most loved," because no one can love us like Christ.

Better luck next time, Newsweek!

Easter

Hi to all who are preparing for Easter!

Yesterday, my husband and I took our ten year old son to a Stations of the Cross service, where children acted out the different steps to Jesus's sufferings the day He was crucified. Children played the parts of soldiers, apostles, both Marys, and Jesus. I was particularly struck by the boy who played Jesus - he brought such an air of dignity and understanding to Jesus as He suffered, and in the last scenes, true to scripture, had to go shirtless and "nailed" to a cross. For anyone who knows about ten year old boys, this is the year that they get very self-conscious about their bodies, and yet this young man offered up his own unclothed torso to the mass attendees. That, I thought, is understanding Easter - a young boy forgetting himself and offering it up to and for God. In love for what Jesus went through, this boy acted it out - literally every step. And through this boy, Jesus reached out to all of us - the tired, worried, overwhelmed mass of worshippers, and made us halt right there, and remember what the biggest sacrifice in the history of the world has been.

When the actors quietly came up the aisles, they must have been instructed to remain somber, because as we appreciative adults and children in the audience tried to smile at them as they passed, they remained straight-faced and did not seem to be aware that we were there. A teenager extinguished a candle on the alter, and turned and walked away. We were unsettled; no wishes for a happy Easter, no closing hymn. The LIGHT HAD LEFT THE WORLD. And we could feel it. Tears sat in several people's eyes, as we quietly had to make our way out together - and yet alone.

Sunday, the light will return to the world, with Jesus' glorious Resurrection, as He came to fulfill the scriptures and come back to us. All of us. I don't want to feel the way I did again in that church. Thank you, Jesus, for your return.

Today, I have several small jobs that I really hate - cleaning the bathrooms, going to the store for dribs and drabs, laundry. I am going to do them gladly and offer them up to God - or more to the point, try to offer up the spirit with which I do these jobs to God - in thanks. How lucky I am to be able to do them, and to have an eternal future, thanks to Jesus.

Happy, happy Easter. Laugh and sing; the Lord has returned to us all.

**Special thanks to St. Jospeh's Catholic Church in Wakefield, Ma., and to the cast of the Stations of the Cross production. ***

The Eleventh Hour - Jars of Clay

Enjoy this video of one of my favorite artists, Jars of Clay. An energetic hopeful song of faith and trust. Have a GREAT day!

Deirdre