Comments for Just Trying To Stay Faithful http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com Sun, 27 May 2007 17:56:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Important Questions by littlesoulatthebigtable http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-7 littlesoulatthebigtable Sun, 27 May 2007 17:56:32 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-7 Thanks for the comment, Marilyn. I think you definetly captured the positive aspect of appreciating what we have in our lives and living in the moment. But I think that the story of Poto-lamo is also a cautionary tale, at least it is for me. It reminds me that contrary to the American Dream, I can't have it all. Somethings are mutually exclusive like selling as many onions as you can vs. enjoying life and selling enough without destroying relationships and a life-style of real value. I struggle with my desire to live out the gospel. The story reminds to challenge some of the un-challenged definitions I have inherited from our culture in order to shed some light on my blind-spots. How much is "enough?" Am I moving too fast and missing people because my internal drive to justify myself says that I have work a certain way? I don't, but to "earn a living" and "contributing" means... I don't know if this makes sense. I'll keep blaming the pain meds as I recovery from lithotripsy. I definitely want to have peace and appreciation for the blessings right in front of me. I definetly don't want to go on auto-pilot when it comes to challenging what is important and what success and quality of life means. Peace Thanks for the comment, Marilyn. I think you definetly captured the positive aspect of appreciating what we have in our lives and living in the moment. But I think that the story of Poto-lamo is also a cautionary tale, at least it is for me.

It reminds me that contrary to the American Dream, I can’t have it all. Somethings are mutually exclusive like selling as many onions as you can vs. enjoying life and selling enough without destroying relationships and a life-style of real value.

I struggle with my desire to live out the gospel. The story reminds to challenge some of the un-challenged definitions I have inherited from our culture in order to shed some light on my blind-spots. How much is “enough?” Am I moving too fast and missing people because my internal drive to justify myself says that I have work a certain way? I don’t, but to “earn a living” and “contributing” means…

I don’t know if this makes sense. I’ll keep blaming the pain meds as I recovery from lithotripsy.

I definitely want to have peace and appreciation for the blessings right in front of me. I definetly don’t want to go on auto-pilot when it comes to challenging what is important and what success and quality of life means.

Peace

]]> Comment on Important Questions by Marilyn http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-6 Marilyn Thu, 24 May 2007 13:40:17 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/important-questions/#comment-6 OK, you are probably right. You should not be writing while on medication. However, your point is not missed- at least I don't think so. The things that are right in front of us, right now, those simple things that seeminlgy look unimportant because they are so routine or taken for granted are the important things. So many of us complicate our lives with striving to attain or achieve something to make us feel more "important" or "worthy". What many of us are doing right now, really is enough. Being good human beings to our neighbors, our friends and our family; enjoying the simple things- do you really stop and smell the roses or do you pass by, say how pretty they are and keep moving on. Is that really experiencing the moment? There are so many wonderful things we are graced with, the opportunity to be present, to have hope. Even if you are sad right now, you should be thankful for that, because you have the ability to feel. If you know what it feels like to be sad, then you also know what it feels like to be happy. That is a great thing. The future is wonderful to think about, but somehow, someway, we need to really get back to focusing on the present. Look around you. What is happening in front of you or in you right now? Embrace it. OK, you are probably right. You should not be writing while on medication. However, your point is not missed- at least I don’t think so. The things that are right in front of us, right now, those simple things that seeminlgy look unimportant because they are so routine or taken for granted are the important things. So many of us complicate our lives with striving to attain or achieve something to make us feel more “important” or “worthy”. What many of us are doing right now, really is enough. Being good human beings to our neighbors, our friends and our family; enjoying the simple things- do you really stop and smell the roses or do you pass by, say how pretty they are and keep moving on. Is that really experiencing the moment? There are so many wonderful things we are graced with, the opportunity to be present, to have hope. Even if you are sad right now, you should be thankful for that, because you have the ability to feel. If you know what it feels like to be sad, then you also know what it feels like to be happy. That is a great thing. The future is wonderful to think about, but somehow, someway, we need to really get back to focusing on the present. Look around you. What is happening in front of you or in you right now? Embrace it.

]]> Comment on The point is… by littlesoulatthebigtable http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/the-point-is/#comment-5 littlesoulatthebigtable Mon, 21 May 2007 20:09:44 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/the-point-is/#comment-5 Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the feedback. This is still new, and I'm still learning how to communicate better with it. Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the feedback. This is still new, and I’m still learning how to communicate better with it.

]]> Comment on The point is… by Stephen Pradarelli http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/the-point-is/#comment-4 Stephen Pradarelli Fri, 18 May 2007 18:51:18 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/the-point-is/#comment-4 Tim -- I think this is one of your best entries yet. I especially love the "But that's not the point of the story..." message. Opening our hearts and eyes -- yeah. "All you need is love," sayeth the Beatles. Just that simple. Just love everyone you meet. Of course, there's nothing simple about it at all. It's the hardest thing I've every tried to do. By the way, I hope you feel better soon. Peace, brother-in-law. Steve Tim — I think this is one of your best entries yet. I especially love the “But that’s not the point of the story…” message. Opening our hearts and eyes — yeah. “All you need is love,” sayeth the Beatles. Just that simple. Just love everyone you meet.

Of course, there’s nothing simple about it at all. It’s the hardest thing I’ve every tried to do.

By the way, I hope you feel better soon.

Peace, brother-in-law.

Steve

]]> Comment on My Own Darkness by Stephen Pradarelli http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/my-own-darkness/#comment-3 Stephen Pradarelli Mon, 14 May 2007 18:39:02 +0000 http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/my-own-darkness/#comment-3 Not sure I should be commenting, since I'm not a member of your church, Tim, but this entry really struck a chord with me. I'm reading Shane Claiborne's "The Irresistible Revolution," and he addresses just this issue of the risk of ministering to God's people from a safe distance. To quote, "When the church become a place of brokerage rather than an organic community, she ceases to be alive. She ceases to be something we are, the living bride of Christ. The church becomes a distribution center, a place where the poor come to get stuff and the rich come to dump stuff. Both go away satisfied...but no one leaves transformed." (p. 159) I, too, am appalled, grossed out, freaked out, etc., whenever I actually get my hands "dirty" encountering the poor, serving free meals, helping with the homeless shelter overflow, etc. And then I'm appalled at my reaction. Not sure how to get around it other than "kiss a lot of lepers," which is how St. Francis got past his revulsions. Peace. Steve Not sure I should be commenting, since I’m not a member of your church, Tim, but this entry really struck a chord with me. I’m reading Shane Claiborne’s “The Irresistible Revolution,” and he addresses just this issue of the risk of ministering to God’s people from a safe distance. To quote, “When the church become a place of brokerage rather than an organic community, she ceases to be alive. She ceases to be something we are, the living bride of Christ. The church becomes a distribution center, a place where the poor come to get stuff and the rich come to dump stuff. Both go away satisfied…but no one leaves transformed.” (p. 159)

I, too, am appalled, grossed out, freaked out, etc., whenever I actually get my hands “dirty” encountering the poor, serving free meals, helping with the homeless shelter overflow, etc. And then I’m appalled at my reaction. Not sure how to get around it other than “kiss a lot of lepers,” which is how St. Francis got past his revulsions.

Peace.

Steve

]]> Comment on About by littlesoulatthebigtable http://littlesoulatthebigtable.wordpress.com/about/#comment-2 littlesoulatthebigtable Sat, 12 May 2007 12:35:31 +0000 #comment-2 I'm the pastor of a church in the Chamblee-Doraville section of Atlanta, GA. New kid at the grown-ups table is about my thoughts and experiences as we continue our transition from a suburban church to a new expression of faith in a more industrial/commercial part of the city. The name of the blog comes from my feelings of gratitude for the mature people and ministries who have generously "invited us in" and are helping us. It captures my feelings of inadequacy as I talk, listen, and try to respond to the challenges of people who are already the type of ministries and people I hope to be "when I grow up." It's also a play off of the title of our fellowship "Open Table." I’m the pastor of a church in the Chamblee-Doraville section of Atlanta, GA. New kid at the grown-ups table is about my thoughts and experiences as we continue our transition from a suburban church to a new expression of faith in a more industrial/commercial part of the city.
The name of the blog comes from my feelings of gratitude for the mature people and ministries who have generously “invited us in” and are helping us. It captures my feelings of inadequacy as I talk, listen, and try to respond to the challenges of people who are already the type of ministries and people I hope to be “when I grow up.” It’s also a play off of the title of our fellowship “Open Table.”

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