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Update

Last week I was suffering from vertigo. Spending time at the computer and staring at a screen wasn’t easy. This week I had to catch up on all the things left undone during the previous week.

This is how life works isn’t it? We stumble on unexpected events, and then we pick up the pieces. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

I did do a lot of thinking while I was incapacitated. I just need to marshal those thoughts and put them to some use. I’m working on that now. The brain is whirling.

Hoping you are all well and that God is walking with you and that you feel his presence.

Tap has run dry

I’m hoping it’s temporary, but I have had nothing to write the last few days. A bit frightening as I usually have lots of thoughts swirling in my head. I still do, but none of them have solidified into something concrete enough to write about.

I’ve perused my Bible, looking for ideas to jump off the page. That too has failed. Again lots jumped out but nothing I understood enough to write about. Like the bit in Genesis about Melchizedek. Who is he? Where did he come from? If he was a priest of God, why don’t we know more about him?

So many questions!! Maybe you have answers. Comment if you do.

Genesis 14: 18-20 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said:
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And he gave him a tithe of all.

An update

I am planning to start a virtual bible study this fall. I emailed my list but some of the folks following the blog are WordPress users. If you are interested in more information please email me at roberta.davis@silverwords.ca – I’ll get you more information.

Blank slate

I have nothing to write about today. I have struggled all day to think of something worth saying and well… I’ve come up dry.

I’ve contemplated how we look down on the past and somehow think we are more advanced and smarter. This bothers me, but I haven’t quite figured out how to frame my thoughts on this one. It might pop up before long.

I have to let thoughts ruminated a while. Sometimes I think of a verse first and the thoughts around it form. Other times it’s the opposite. Either way I’m pretty happy with how many thoughts I’ve been able to come up with for this blog. I have surprised myself.

Today I feel tapped out. All out of ideas. Tomorrow will likely be better.

The great comforter

How often have you been disappointed by people. We are a selfish, self centered lot. We care more for our own feelings and ideas than we do the hurts of others. How often have we offered to help only to run away not ready for the commitment required? How often do we misunderstand the hurt and anger in other and feel critical? How often do we desire to help, but in a way that doesn’t inconvenience us?

We all do this. We all fall short. We are flawed.

But Jesus isn’t, he said:

Matthew 11: 28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reach out

We have, as a society, suffered great trauma recently. No matter which side of this whole Covid business you espouse, you have suffered trauma. There are people who have listened to the news daily and have lived in fear for almost a year. There are people who have not seen family and loved ones out of respect or fear. There are people who have lost jobs. There are people who have been told they aren’t essential. There are people who have been told they are selfish because they don’t agree with the main narrative. There are people who have lost loved ones to Covid or have fallen ill themselves. There are people who have to wear a mask a work or school. There are others who want their freedoms back.

For the normal every day people there are no winners. None.

What can we do now? People who suffer trauma are no longer using rational as their primary mode of processing. Fear has significant and detrimental effects on our ability to think and plan for the future.

So what do we do?

We go small. Cross the street and talk to your neighbour. Cook with your kids. Watch the neighbor’s child show off how well she can skip. Give a gift to a friend. Drop a meal at the home of an elderly person. MAKE IT PERSONAL. Don’t send a text, or call. GO!

We need faces. We need people. We need community.

Be present in your own life. If each one of us did this, much of the trauma we have suffered would start to heal. You are powerful if you act small. Don’t get caught up in the world’s drama, the wide sweeping events that are too big for you to solve. Go small.

Question

“Why is the sky blue?” It’s the stereotypical question that children ask adults. The child asks this question in a naively curious way. They are trying to find a frame work in which they can understand the world.

Have you ever noticed that the way adults answer the question is more of a ‘how’ than a ‘why?’ “Why is the sky blue?” The adult will usually give some sciency answer about reflection and the atmosphere, blah blah. But that is actually a mechanical answer, that is more how than why. That is presuming the adult wasn’t a coward like me. My favourite answer was, “I don’t know, ask your father.”

Why is the sky blue? That is how God made it. Why is that not a better answer? It may not be as complicated, but without the motivation to create and shape the world there would not be a sky. I have no idea why God chose blue. One day I will be able to ask him or maybe it won’t be relevant anymore. Who knows?

Perhaps a renewed wonder and desire to seek answers from God would be a way to refresh my spirit. I can approach the ‘why’ questions I have in my own life in a more naive and curious way too.

Matthew 18: 2-5 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Voice

He spoke and there was light. He spoke and the world began. The Great voice had purpose and a plan. The Word was with him. The Word is separate but the same. The Word put His will second. He made Himself subservient to God.

Have you ever said something and wondered, “Where did that come from?” It happens a lot in anger. We speak in anger. We speak without thought. The words seem to have a life of their own, a will of their own. Regret is the reward for such haste.

Is the problem our words? No.

The problem comes from not showing deference to Him in our speech. We are better when we control our words and don’t let them fly from our mouths without purpose. Our voice matters. What we say and how we say it can create or destroy. It takes focus, purpose, and practice to harness our voice.

In speaking, we are echoing the creator. Using our voice is a divine act. We need to remember this connection and honour God through our voices.

Psalm 141: 3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.