humour

Posted on August 31, 2007
Filed Under funny, blog | 3 Comments

I’ve not been in a good place today but Bill’s post gave me a good laugh - where do these people come from?

I’ve also discovered ASBO Jesus, these cartoons are very funny (for those of you who don’t know an ASBO is an “Anti-social behaviour order”  HT Jonny Baker

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Let the little children come to me

Posted on August 30, 2007
Filed Under children, blog, faith | 18 Comments

Grace has written a really great post today.  In it she talks about whether her and her husband have done enough to help the kids have a passion for God.  She wonders if they are OK or are they slipping?  In her words:

“We have done a good job of raising kids that are not religious. Their BS detectors are keen to legalism and hype. But have we done enough to ignite their passion for the things of God? or have we leaked too much cynicism, drowning out that spark? These are the things that keep this mother up at night.”

It is a great post and there are some thoughtful and helpful comments.  I really resonate with what Grace wrote.  My children are not teenagers, they are eight and six, but I already find myself asking these questions.  Are we going to miss the boat with them?  Is our journey going to harm them, or will it end up enhancing their own faith?  They don’t like children’s church, we have the grumbles and moans each week.  Alan Knox pointed out to Grace that maybe she should live what God is showing her.  Maybe that is some of our problem as well.  We talk all of the time about what we believe in, how we would like to see the Christian community move, what we would like to do for God.  Yet here we are in a pastoral role which is only touching the edges of all of that.

I’m not sure what Jonathan is thinks about it, but I feel very drawn to YWAM at the moment.  Our permanent residency for Canada is taking much longer to come through than we expected, and we are really in limbo.  I think this is affecting the kids as well.

If there is one thing that I want to be able to say in ten years, then it is that my children have their own faith, they are walking with God in a strong way.  I am their mother, and I believe it is the most important thing I can teach them and guide them into.  It’s not the church’s responsibility to teach my children, it is mine and my husbands.  the church is a supporting role.  The question is, how do I get from here to there?

Any thoughts?

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Prayer Request

Posted on August 29, 2007
Filed Under Prayer | 6 Comments

As we’ve been on the subject of prayer I thought I ask for some prayer for my beautiful little boy today (OK he’s not so little now!). Part of his autism means that things like the dentist are too much for him, so today he has gone off to get some dental work done at a specialist. Jonathan has taken him as my knee is still not right, so I couldn’t drive the distance. Ben has been sedated, but they had to use a needle to do this. When Jonathan asked them to use EMLA cream they said that our doctor should have prescribed it - well, it was nice for someone to tell us that before hand, eh? All I’ve heard is Ben screaming whilst Jon has been on the phone to me. My heart is breaking. The worst thing is that they won’t even let Jon stay with Ben, even though the documentation said that “you will be with your child at all times” - really sucks. Please pray that Ben does not remember any of this, and that he isn’t even more put off by the dentist than usual by this - apparently really calm, reassuring dental clinic (mmm, I’m not so sure now). Also pray he makes a full recovery. Daddy has promised him a clone trooper, although he is now hoping that Ben does not remember this! ;-)

Update - He’s on the way home, oh, he is not happy :-(

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Synchroblog update

Posted on August 28, 2007
Filed Under synchroblog | 2 Comments

Cindy has gone through every post so far and has put together a few sentences from each - thanks Cindy!  Do go to her site and read it. There were many similarities coming out yesterday.  Cindy, Erin and I are going to get our virtual heads together and collaborate some form of summary - hopefully for later this week, we’ll have to see how it goes.

I’ve been updating the participation list as we have got new entries in, so do check below to see if you’ve read them all. Thanks to all of you once again who took part.  There have been some excellent posts, and I have learnt so much.  You’re all great :-)

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Synchroblog - How Do You Pray?

Posted on August 27, 2007
Filed Under synchroblog, Uncategorized | 29 Comments

God, Prayer and Me

This prayer synchroblog came about through a conversation Erin, Cindy and I had following a post I did last week called Emerging Prayer. In that post I wrote about how I see prayer as my “chat” with God which I do where and whenever, and I also shared about how I had recently started to do some art meditation work which equated to prayer. Today I want to share some more of my thoughts and experiences. Erin, Cindy and I are really looking forward to reading what others share today.

I tried writing this a little while ago, and found myself stumped for words, as I know that my prayer life is not what others would call prayer. You see I follow no formula, no set routine. I don’t have the daily quiet time which I have been taught about time and time again in church. Then I read Julie’s post and felt free to be me, as, like I think we’ll read a lot of today, there are many of us who have been wandering in the same direction.

I talk with God a lot, maybe my biggest down fall is that I do not always listen to what he has to say to me. When I read the news, have a phone conversation, read an email etc I am praying silently in my head. With me prayer and praise go hand in hand. My prayers tend to be more of a cry out - “Be in that situation God” “Help them” “Why is the world in this state?” I guess praise is what I would call my prayers of thanks. I will praise God when I see the wonders of creation. I will praise him when I hear a friend has given birth. I will sing songs to God whilst I’m cleaning the house - these songs are my prayer. They are both secular and Chrisitan. The truth be known I get a lot out of bands such as U2. You see, I want to see the world changed. I want to see justice and peace. I want to see God working more and more in my life. I want to see God transforming the community around me. I guess in some ways my life is a prayer.

I like the fact that there is no agenda with God and I. I love it when he just shows up, makes his presence known to me. I like watching a candle burn down whilst thinking. I like listening to instrumental CD’s. I will sit or lay down, and just listen. I try hard to focus on God. Sometimes I get no where, my thoughts start to wander and I’ve given up before I’ve begun. Other times I can really sense God. I can feel him. The air smells sweet and I want to stay there forever, just listening, feeling. Sometimes I think God speaks to me, other times he doesn’t, but I know he is there. Those are the best moments. The moments no one can take away from you.

I don’t always have the words when I pray. I always tell God how it is, I don’t mince my words and I’ve let go of the Christianise. Sometimes though, I just sigh, groan or wail. I simply don’t know what to say or how to say it, sometimes I don’t have the energy to begin to try. Romans 8:26 says “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Even though I’m not saying anything, he is listening, he knows, he’s there.

Prayer for me isn’t about how good I am at getting up early, reading some scripture and praying. I don’t do devotions. I am no good at them. I’ve failed before I’ve begun. Prayer is one of my expressions to God, it is key to how I connect with him. It is personal and intimate and more importantly it can never be wrong. No one, apart from God, can ever tell me that I am not praying properly. I think it is something unique to each individual, although there will be many similarities with others. Others may judged how I pray but at the end of the day it’s all about the heart, and God knows that in my heart I want to be with him, I want to follow him, and that’s good enough for me. I don’t have to meet any human mark or standard. I want to finish with Jesus’ response to how we should pray.

The Message 6:7-13
“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

This is my prayer today.

Those participating in the synchroblog today are:
Cindy Bryan Teach Me to Pray…Again?
Lyn Hallewell God, Prayer and Me
Erin Word Prayer=Sex with God
Rick Meigs Prayer Helps that Get Me Deeper
Alan Knox Pray without Ceasing
Julie Clawson Prayer Synchroblog
Heather Synchroblog Prayer
Alex (Heather’s Husband) Prayer Synchroblog II
Lydia How Do You Pray
Che Vachon My Thoughts…
Paul Mayers Praying and Learning to Pray Again
Sonja Andrews The Appearance of Holiness
Jon Peres How Do I Pray?
Paul Walker One Congregation Experiments with Emerging Prayer
Susan Barnes Synchroblog: How Do You Pray?
Brother Maynard Fear Not the Silence
Nate Peres How Do I Pray?
Barry Taylor Synchroblog:How Do You Pray?
Emerging Grace Clearance Sale on Intercession Books
Jim Lehmer Synchroblog - How Do You Pray?
Lew A How Do You Pray? - Synchroblog
Jon Hallewell When I’m Spoken To
Deb Prayer Synchroblog
Barb Prayer without Throwing Things
Patti Blount How Do I Pray
Doug Jones How I Pray
Glenn Hagar Prayer Phases
Pam Hogeweide The Art of Blue Tape Spirituality
Mary How Do I Pray?
Rhonda Mitchell Prayer SynchroBlog
John Smulo Praying Naturally
Rachel Warwick How Do You Pray?
Barbara Legere How to Not Pray
Jonathan Brink Posture - Sitting With My Daddy
Andy How Do I Pray
Cynthia Clack How Do I Pray
Makeesha Fisher The Mystery of Prayer
Joy Prayer 
Robby Mac Synchro-Prayer
Larry Prayer Is Weird
Rick Stilwell Push

Thank you to everyone who has taken part today. We are truly amazed by the response. There are some excellent posts out there, be sure to check them all out.

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