Archive for July, 2008

Paradox of Love

{ July 17, 2008 @ 3:01 pm } · { Relationships, Sociology, Spiritual Musings, Theology }
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“…God will fill it (creation) with himself so that it will both remain an independent being, other than God, and also be flooded with God’s own life. The is part of the paradox of love, in which love freely given creates a context for love to be freely returned, and so on in a cycle where complete freedom and complete union do not cancel each other out but rather celebrate each other and make one another whole.” N.T. Wright

“Love is union with somebody, or something, outside oneself, under the condition of retaining the separateness and integrity of one’s own self.“ Erich Fromm

I have been intrigued by the social psychology and psychoanalysis of Erich Fromm. It really makes sense to me. He even has an accepting stance towards spirituality, in a universalist way, but none the less makes room for the validity of spiritual expression. As I have read his book “The Art of Loving” I feel congruence with the teachings of Jesus. I try, though, to not “Christianize” what he says because that was never Fromm’s intent. However I can see the truth of Jesus in what he writes…call it general revelation if you so desire. Then I have been reading “Surprised by Hope” by NT Wright and found the above quote that captures I think the essence of what I felt when I read Fromm.

It is simply fascinating to me how much of God is infused in our world, in the fabric of who we are. How many people are seeing glimpses of Him in their own thoughts and beliefs and yet are so turned off by Christianity. We have got to do a better job of engaging people on the ideas and beliefs at the core of who they are and genuinely being loving (caring, responding, respecting and knowing). I don’t know how many times in the last several weeks I have shared with others Fromm’s core concepts of love and each time it provokes an amazing conversation. And the more I ponder it the more congruent it is with my beliefs about Christs’ love and the kind of love he has called us to. At times when I was reading Fromm’s book I felt guilty that so much of it resonated with on a very deep level. For so many years I was fed a belief that it is only from the Bible and good Christian authors that we can learn anything. Now don’t get me wrong, the Bible is essential to understanding God, it is His story, our story and everything I believe is measured against what is taught in it but as I have matured in my faith, my journey I am not threatened by and value all the glimpses of Jesus no matter where I see them.

Just What We Needed

{ July 13, 2008 @ 8:00 pm } · { Life }
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Tom had planned a 5 day kayak trip which would have resulted in ending at Astoria on Sunday where we would have picked him up…what really happened was weather and currents that didn’t co-operate and an early pick up of Tom at Scappoose Bay on Thursday night and a HUGE BLESSING for our family.  I bailed on 2 events I had earlier in the weekend, which is unusual for me and we ended up having an extended weekend at the coast. The weather was absolutely beautiful. We spent 2 days at the Jetty, driving on the beach, kids’ body surfing, climbing rocks, laughing and just having a great time. I cannot think of one argument between the kids…miracle, they really enjoyed each others company. Attitudes all around were fabulous. Every morning we woke up to a field with horses grazing and bright blue skies outside our window. I got to take two saunas…the wet steam kind, none of those silly dry sauna’s :) Ryan got to skate at the skate park…he resolved his skateboard issue! I got to take the family to Coffenbury Lake in Fort Stevens State Park where I spent many years of my childhood at. Ryan got to watch his Papa clean a sturgeon

Papa, Ryan, sturgeon and Mummi

Ryan, sturgeon head, and spinal cord

Ryan, sturgeon head, and spinal cord

My dad has this sick habit of hanging all the fish heads of the season on a tree. Notice the various stages of decay. I told you I come from an odd family!

Mackenzie has the rest of the photos on her camera…she took the normal ones. It is a good thing she got a camera because Tom and I suck at taking pictures.

It is amazing how just when we think we know what we need to feel better about our life God throws a monkey wrench in it and gives us what we really need…I am so grateful that Tom’s trip got “ruined” because we definitely got what we needed, all 5 of us! of and even the dog:

Samantha grinning

Samantha grinning

Life Lessons

{ July 9, 2008 @ 12:51 pm } · { Life, parenting }
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Time after time we have told our son to put his skateboard in the garage or at least in the backyard. He argues and argues that no one will take it. What should we do insist he put it away or let him make his own choice? At age 7 we insist at age 10 we let him make his own choice, especially since he bought it.  At some point they need to start feeling the pain or blessings of their choices. So far he has had pretty moderate boards designed more for kids than adults so his boards have not gotten stolen. Just a few days ago he upgraded not price wise but size why to a bigger board. And low and behold the board has disappeared. No back up boards either laying around either. On one hand I want to loan him the money and let him get a new board but my wiser side says no. First he has to learn to care for his stuff and on the second he can’t get in the habit of using “credit.” It just sucks that it all happened the night before Tom took off on his 5 day trip and we are going to Astoria where there is a cool skate park. Life lessons are hard to learn but it’s better to get a head start on learning them…the cost is much greater after 18.

I am being translated

{ July 1, 2008 @ 3:22 pm } · { Musings }
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I have found my blog translated into 4 languages now, Dutch, German, Japanese, and Spanish and it is always the same post I am perplexed as to the draw and how they are finding it. And it is my top viewed post since I began blogging. Hmmm….