There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Matthew 26:7-13
Category: Personal
deChurched?
… commentators distinguish between people who are un-churched (as in never had any significant contact with a church) and those who are de-churched (as in once were involved, but no more thank you very much).
Churched, Un-churched or De-churched
I used the term for the first time yesterday. It was a little of a shock to me. “Yes, I am de-churched but still in love with Jesus”.
It is a gigantic leap to say that the earthly institution we call “church” is the same as the Body of Christ. Even more that a system of thought or decisions of a particular organisation is more important than an individual person. How can any system that is above the individual be acceptable? Obedience is not simply conformity (to an external) but accountability (for my actions). My experience is valid and meaningful to me. The individual’s confession – my confession – is “Jesus is Lord”, not “Jesus and various other things are Lord”. No Jesus+ or faith+. No institution above intimacy.
Sorry, that is a brain dump that was floating in my head for some time. I am not looking for someone to agree with me (or disagree with me). This is simply where Jesus has led me. Anyway …
sewing
Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.
Glad you asked! I am learning to sew. It is completely out of my comfort zone. I sewed my first piece yesterday! You like?
ban?
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
To be honest, I do not like the idea of banning things. There are words I wish I did not use – “unique” or “kafkaesque”. But banning seems a little kafkaesque.
What would the punishment be? “Word goal”?
[As an aside, I like the word “kafkaesque” but it makes me sound very “unique”.]
What do words really do? Is there any meaning behind them? Or only that which we assign them within our social context?
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Certainty
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
The biggest challenge is “where to from here?”. I have hit a sweet spot when it comes to my daily life – good rhythm, right interaction. I think I have found a paradigm for me in history and there is peace.
But there is never certainty. The very fact that I look for control is part of the current struggle. The desire for external consultation is the struggle.
To put it a different way: what does it mean for me that my relationship with Jesus is absolute?
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
outsider
… the reason for Weil’s refusal of baptism that most stands out to me is perhaps the simplest: She didn’t love the church. “I love God, Christ, and the Catholic faith,” Weil writes. “I love the saints through their writings. . . . I love the six or seven Catholics of genuine spirituality whom chance has led me to meet in the course of my life. I love the Catholic liturgy, hymns, architecture, rites, and ceremonies. But I have not the slightest love for the Church in the strict sense of the word, apart from its relation to all these things that I do love.”
Simone Weil, a kindred spirit for church outsiders
me
What do you complain about the most?
People who know me, know I do not like “me”. I can never recall a time when I did. Everything about me upsets me: my physical awkwardness, my silly voice, my overwhelming and overbearing personality, my constant chatter about nothingness. So I complain about me to me and others.
But apart from that? The weather.
eye-glasses
… eyeglasses. I am so blessed to have reading glasses. I struggle without them. Perhaps I could do without other major inventions – the internet, air conditioning, computers, etc. – but I could not survive without being able to read.
i just wanna see ….
And I just wanna see
If you feel the same as meDo you ever get a little bit tired of life
Like you’re not really happy but you don’t wanna die
Like you’re hanging by a thread but you gotta survive cuz u gotta surviveLike your body’s in the room but you’re not really there
Like you have empathy inside but you don’t really care
Like your fresh outta love but it’s been in the air
Am I past repairA little bit tired of tryin’ to care when I don’t A little bit tired of quick repairs to cope
A little bit tired of sinkin’
There’s water in my boatI’m barely breathin’
Tryna stay afloat
So I got these
Quick repairs to cope
Guess I’m just broken and broke
My life!
be me
I do not use “to-do lists”. I have never used them. But the one item I know will never get done is “be me”. Or maybe, “stop wearing masks”. I am unsure why but I know I hide and censor “me”. Perhaps life has taught me to be more like everyone else? Maybe life has taught me that no one will like “me”? So masks it is – pretending and play-acting something that I am not.
