Scala Sancta and the 40 Day 40 Minute Challenge Day 3

I wanted to give up 40 minutes of my morning like I wanted to climb the steps of the Scala Sancta on my knees after uncooked grits had been sprinkled on them. I even tried to convince myself based on my lack of want to that sitting down with my bible and doing the challenge would be about as fruitful as performing that ritual or purchasing indulgences. That's how I start rationalizing, neglect discipline and go back to what is comfortable....that life is all about what I want to do and when I want to do it. Next I tried to convince myself that I have some great stuff to listen to and some books about biblical counseling that I could substitute. Somebody must be praying for my success. I relented.

Yesterday my pastor decided to tease me about going "Rick Warren" on him. Rick Warren is *so* not on my radar. I had forgotten completely about his 40 day plans for purpose etc. I wonder if pastor will read this and tease me about advocating plenary indulgences? He knows me far better than that but I am sure the title of my post will catch his eye. Anyway, I want to assure everyone this is merely a personal journey to build discipline, no formula or gimmick and I am blogging it to keep myself honest. I doubt I will gain readers, but I do believe I can achieve the discipline and that is a greater benefit. Not that readers aren't a good thing and again, not that I couldn't use some company along the way.

Today I read Colossians and I Thessalonians. Something that stuck with me from Colossians was that real wealth is wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. When we truly understand God's mystery, Christ Himself, we have assurance. Wealth and confidence from a biblical perspective have little to do with how the world defines them. Sadly, many churches out there are being led to believe that indications of wealth that the world recognizes are what Christians should aspire to.... blab it and grab it theology is pervasive.

Reading I Thessalonians 1:9 made me wonder if picking up a clay idol and destroying it was exponentially easier than what we have to deal with- invisible idols. Sure there are folks who have shrines in their homes that truly recognize them as such, but what about all the folks who have no idea they are worshiping things because they don't recognize them as gods? Our lives are full of things. Do I recognize my smart phone as an idol? My television? My computer? Are they? They sure can be. Was it easier to throw away a lump of clay or stone fetishes and turn to God? If you knew you wouldn't have to sacrifice your child to Molech or some other god, could you be easily persuaded to honor Jehovah? Did these people have a greater sense of relief than we do to be free of their old gods?

I certainly have more questions than answers. Again, it is much easier once you get started than it is to come to the table and start. Totally worth it. The time does go by quicker than I thought it would. I'm benefiting even if I don't want to admit it.

Character Flaws, Sin and Remediation

I have been thinking about my last post in which I offered to talk about how having a job has shown or magnified my character flaws. Before I do though, I want to distinguish between character flaws and sin. My character flaws predispose me to sin in certain areas more readily than in others. Indulging in my character flaws is sinful. Entertaining the idea of indulging my character flaws is sinful. They are the weaknesses in me where my flesh makes itself known by screaming, "You know you want to!!" Too often I hear Christians lamenting that they "make mistakes" or are victims of their genetic make-up and intimate that they should, therefore, be excused from culpability for being prone to certain activities. Our cultural dependence on a medical model to define our behavior has given many what they see as a plausible excuse for sin. I don't see that caveat in the Word. For Christians, the Word is always our standard. It is the standard by which all will be j

Fear Down, Hope and Peace to Go!

Last night I had the honor and privilege to present some information to the women of my church. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love and appreciate them. The seminar I did was on fear. God is clever and He had me present the information to them because I needed it. It's not that I don't want to study things for my own benefit and growth, but whenever I do a topical study to teach it, I see how badly I needed it and how much more I have to repent of than I realized. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. That's a topic I want to return to in another post. I want to talk about the ladies for a moment. They are an incredibly loving group of women. Women who seek God and are teachable. They have gone out of their way to include me and love on me, which speaks volumes of their characters because I am not all that lovable. I am not being self-deprecating here. I am a mix of endearing and maddening qualities like anyone else. What I am telling you is

Super Church a song for the Emergent-sy

In the early 70s I was in a youth choir at my church. Our youth pastor was a musician and his way of connecting with us as a group was through the choir and music. Somehow there was an affiliation between him and The Continental Singers, New Hope and Jeremiah People. He was worked with Moishe Rosen of Jews for Jesus too, I think. Are any of these names familiar to you? Though I remember the church fondly I was a profoundly lost and troubled young woman during my years there. That and time have muddled the memories quite a bit. Today I was digging through some old paperwork and one of the books to the musical we did. It's Getting Late For the Great Planet Earth, a folk rock oratorio by Cam Floria. Yes, that's right. Cam Floria put Hal Lindsey to music. There's a lot to laugh about and some to groan about but as I was looking through the songs and remembering, I found this little ditty and I only wish I could sing it for you. Just remember that this is circa 1972 and even th

rambling rosemarie

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