Pam's Perambulation

Give, Live and Love Generously – Christmas Day 10

•January 3, 2013 • 3 Comments

Salvation Army volunteer hands hot meal and water

Ronald Reagan is quoted as saying,

“Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God.”

Some times we can feel we’re a bit all ‘given out’. That we have nothing left, or perhaps that we’d like someone to give to us for a change.

As Christians we are called to love, and live generously.

To be generous, we need to hold what we have very loosely.

Nouwen points to being able to give means that we are moving from fear to love.

People who fear cling to things, hold them tightly around them. If you are afraid, you cannot let go, and you cannot give.

Nouwen also tells us that the word generosity comes from the same root as referring to being of one kind. And so true generosity comes from knowing not feeling. Those to whom I give belong to my family – whether I recognise them or not.

It is from that basis that we give. Not because we know, like or feel sorry for someone – but because they are our fellow human being.

Psalm 37:7-9, 16,21

Trust the Lord

⁷Be patient and trust the Lord.
Don’t let it bother you
when all goes well for those
who do sinful things.
⁸Don’t be angry or furious.
Anger can lead to sin.
⁹All sinners will disappear,
but if you trust the Lord,
the land will be yours.

¹⁶It is better to live right
and be poor
than to be sinful and rich.

²¹An evil person borrows
and never pays back;
a good person is generous
and never stops giving.

At our church, we have a 10% Challenge going: Each week as we do our shop, we are challenged to calculate 10% of it and spend that on buying things for the Winter Shelter for the homeless in our town. That certainly focuses my mind – both on what I have in abundance that I take for granted and what others don’t have. I actually find myself grateful for the opportunity to give in that way – thought it costs me little in personal terms than some money.

Giving is not just about ‘things’, though it’s a place to start. Giving is about so much more – giving ourselves, our time, our skills, our attention, being open and available.

What have we, that someone else needs? How freely can I give? Can I let down my barriers, that I can let go – of what I have, of my very self?

Can we live, give and love generously? That is the work of God, the work begun at Christmas in the manger.

(h/t to Robb for these words http://bigbible.org.uk/2012/12/is-christmas-over/)

And the prayer from the book:

Lord,

you who were given to the world

by your Father.

whose gift is beyond all generosity,

teach us to give generously

out of the love you have granted to us.

Amen

This year for Advent – and into Christmas, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen. You’re welcome to join us on this journey. Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Also blogging on the #adventbookclub are:

http://www.likeasthehart.me.uk/

http://drbexl.co.uk/

http://clairemaxim1.wordpress.com/

http://runninglife.wordpress.com/

http://dorothy726blog.wordpress.com/

Posted in Advent Book Club, bible, faith, God, Religion, theology
Tags: #adventbookclub, give, Henri Nouwen, Psalm 37

Open Hostilities – Christmas Day 9

•January 2, 2013 • 3 Comments

What kind of things worry us? Which type of people scare us? Who brings out hostility in us?

Nouwen reminds us that our fears and hostilities are not just reserved for those we might naturally be wary of. We can be guilty of fearing those who we see as an intellectual, professional, and I would add social, threat. Places that should be healthy seats of growth have become battlefields of not wanting to be the one to lose out, or to look bad.

Hebrews 12:1-3

A Large Crowd of Witnesses

12 Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. ²We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God’s throne! ³So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won’t get discouraged and give up.

Nouwen says no more here, but I believe such fear comes out of insecurity, of worrying that someone else has something better to offer than me, or that what I have to say is wrong, or that fundamentally I am not good enough.

But that is not what God says. God welcomes each and every one of us, and invites us to take part in his kingdom. We are each welcome to bring what we have to offer – our part is invaluable and without it the whole picture is not complete.

Yesterday Dorothy reminded me of this song, which seems to fit well here

Whatever we feel we have, or haven’t got to offer, God welcomes it and accepts us. We need not always be looking over our shoulder to check if we are good enough – because in him we are.

Do not worry about what others think. If they are sneering at your offering that is their problem – you are enough for God, as are they.

This year, lets keep the focus on Jesus

Lord,

there is so much that worries me;

things I am afraid to say,

because of what others might think;

things I am embarrassed to share,

because my offering doesn’t seem as good;

parts of myself I keep hidden,

because I am afraid of what others will think.

Thank you Lord,

that you accept all I am,

and all I offer.

I bring it now to you

in fullness,

knowing that you

receive what I bring,

and never,

ever,

let go of me

This year for Advent – and into Christmas, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen. You’re welcome to join us on this journey. Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Also blogging on the #adventbookclub are:

http://www.likeasthehart.me.uk/

http://drbexl.co.uk/

http://clairemaxim1.wordpress.com/

http://runninglife.wordpress.com/

http://dorothy726blog.wordpress.com/

Posted in Advent Book Club, bible, Christmas, faith, God, Religion, theology
Tags: #adventbookclub, acceptance, Hebrews 12:1-3, Henri Nouwen, hope, love

Choosing Gratitude – Christmas Day 8

•January 1, 2013 • 9 Comments

By Pete unseth (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

When the glass if half full, you can choose to look at the negatives, the emptiness, what’s missing – and have a woe is me attitude; or you can see the positives, what is there, what you do have – and give thanks. I confess to being a bit of a half-empty person, but I am making it my mission to look for the positives rather than the negatives. I have been struck by the thought on Day 22 about looking at people with the eyes of love, rather than looking at the challenges, and I think perhaps a similar attitude applies here. Am I looking for the good or the bad in a situation? Because it’s very easy to see what you’re looking for.

Colossians 3:16-17

¹⁶Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. ¹⁷Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.

To give thanks, can be a choice. Sometimes it has to be. Yes there are things missing in our lives, things we wish were any other way – but there are also things to be thankful for, not in a trite way, but truly and heartfelt.

So, as the year turns over, what will we choose this year to be? Moaners or thankers? Will we look for the good, or the bad? Are we going to bless others with our thankfulness, or drag them down? I am going to really try to look for the best – because God HAS given me so much, and I need to live a life of thanks.

The book calls for us to give thanks in the little things. And gives us this Estonian Proverb:

Who does not thank for little will not thank for much

Lord,

I thank you

for all the wonderful things

you have done and continue to do.

This new year,

I pray that I may see blessings

rather than annoyances;

the good

rather than the bad;

and instead of seeing a glass half empty,

may see that my glass is actually overflowing

with your love,

peace,

goodness

and hope

And a little musical treat

Joy to the World! the Lord has come;

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven and nature sing!

Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns;

Your sweetest songs employ.

While fields and streams and hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy!

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

The wonders of His love,

The wonders, the wonders of His love.

This year for Advent – and into Christmas, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen. You’re welcome to join us on this journey. Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Also blogging on the #adventbookclub are:

http://www.likeasthehart.me.uk/

http://drbexl.co.uk/

http://clairemaxim1.wordpress.com/

http://runninglife.wordpress.com/

http://dorothy726blog.wordpress.com/