Keeping this blog alive as a link to others I find illuminating, entertaining, or informative is the best I can do for now.
The Culture War Is Over
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Fate and Freedom
More from David. I have not read his blog in a while, it looks like I've been missing some good stuff.
Fate And Freedom
Fate And Freedom
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Christ Is Risen !!
"Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life"
Voices of Paschal Joy
Voices of Paschal Joy
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Part 2...
Crap, what a depressing post that last one was. I just couldn't leave it at the top, even if I don't have much new to write.
Writing inspired by pain and struggle might make good art for some, but too much of a bad thing really suks...heh..
Hopefully more later.....
Writing inspired by pain and struggle might make good art for some, but too much of a bad thing really suks...heh..
Hopefully more later.....
Monday, December 15, 2014
Jealousy
Malcolm The Cynic recently posted about jealousy on his blog: My Fatal Flaw.
What he wrote really struck a nerve with me. Pride? Yes. Lust? Yes. Selfishness? Yes, but jealousy being at the root core of my sin? Had not occurred to me until reading his raw, honest account of discovering the dark, green flow in his own soul.
And so it is here, with me, one of many heavy weights pulling me down. Especially now, today, December 15th 2014. It is the day after what should be a joyous anniversary, with loving exchanges of simple gifts, and and sharing happy smiles and playful glances.
But it's not.
In my late 30's my doctor diagnosed me with mild SAD: seasonal adjustment disorder. From Fall to Spring I tend to fall into a funk. The dark stays longer, temperatures cool, and most of the time I want to get away from everything and curl up in warm bed in a dark corner like a grouchy bear hibernating for the Winter. It's been almost 3 years since my family was torn apart and my yearly struggle made even worse, at times feeling unbearable, and hopeless.
Facebook really adds to the hurt. Every post of pictures, with smiling faces and happy families gathered around food, drinks, and presents just feel like knives digging deep into my back, pushing me down into a thick mire of regret, and bitter.......jealousy.
I long for what other's have, or at least appear to have. I suspect there is an underlying sense of entitlement, somehow I should have and experience what they do. The fact that I'm painfully aware of the lives I've both earned and failed to earn doesn't help at all.
But today on Facebook someone posted a link to a broadcast of "Fresh Air" on NPR about a Punk Rock drummer from D.C. who made a profound and timely connection to ancient Christian (and some Muslim) music in Syria. I found it to be sorrowful and hopeful. Sorrow concerning the tragic fate of communities of faith being systematically uprooted and scattered, if not completely exterminated, and hopeful that God is showering grace and mercy upon them and miracles may await. Although His instrument and servant of love is not armies or governments with treaties or wars, but a Yankee punk rocker on NPR.
I invite you to listen to the whole thing. The first piece of music shared during the interview is a Muslim chant, but there are some examples of what may be the oldest existing Christian songs and chant later in the broadcast.
What he wrote really struck a nerve with me. Pride? Yes. Lust? Yes. Selfishness? Yes, but jealousy being at the root core of my sin? Had not occurred to me until reading his raw, honest account of discovering the dark, green flow in his own soul.
And so it is here, with me, one of many heavy weights pulling me down. Especially now, today, December 15th 2014. It is the day after what should be a joyous anniversary, with loving exchanges of simple gifts, and and sharing happy smiles and playful glances.
But it's not.
In my late 30's my doctor diagnosed me with mild SAD: seasonal adjustment disorder. From Fall to Spring I tend to fall into a funk. The dark stays longer, temperatures cool, and most of the time I want to get away from everything and curl up in warm bed in a dark corner like a grouchy bear hibernating for the Winter. It's been almost 3 years since my family was torn apart and my yearly struggle made even worse, at times feeling unbearable, and hopeless.
Facebook really adds to the hurt. Every post of pictures, with smiling faces and happy families gathered around food, drinks, and presents just feel like knives digging deep into my back, pushing me down into a thick mire of regret, and bitter.......jealousy.
I long for what other's have, or at least appear to have. I suspect there is an underlying sense of entitlement, somehow I should have and experience what they do. The fact that I'm painfully aware of the lives I've both earned and failed to earn doesn't help at all.
But today on Facebook someone posted a link to a broadcast of "Fresh Air" on NPR about a Punk Rock drummer from D.C. who made a profound and timely connection to ancient Christian (and some Muslim) music in Syria. I found it to be sorrowful and hopeful. Sorrow concerning the tragic fate of communities of faith being systematically uprooted and scattered, if not completely exterminated, and hopeful that God is showering grace and mercy upon them and miracles may await. Although His instrument and servant of love is not armies or governments with treaties or wars, but a Yankee punk rocker on NPR.
I invite you to listen to the whole thing. The first piece of music shared during the interview is a Muslim chant, but there are some examples of what may be the oldest existing Christian songs and chant later in the broadcast.
Before War, A Punk Drummer Preserved Syrian Chants
***********************************************************
Saturday, October 25, 2014
TED Finds Religion
TED Talks on the local NPR station was discussing relative happiness when our minds wander.
The conclusion was people are happier when focused a some task at hand rather than when their minds were wandering. Most of the time when our minds wander it is to unpleasant thoughts, like worry or anger about something.
This prompted some rather joyful giggling on my part. Most religious monastic traditions have discovered this a very long time ago. Mindfulness, living in the moment, capturing our thoughts with good things are common threads and themes.
The TED Talker also claimed that it didn't matter how significant or complicated the task in focus was, just focusing seemed to bring about more happiness. He specifically used commuting as an example.
People expressed unhappiness with commuting, not because of the mindlessness or dreariness of the task, but rather with the tendency of the their minds to wander to even more unpleasant things. People were happier when they focused on the task of driving and were able to control their wandering minds.
Our Orthodox tradition of The Jesus Prayer serves a similar purpose. It focuses our minds and hearts on a simple, repetitive task, and constrains us from wandering our attention to other unpleasantness. We also apply significance to the content of the prayer as a simple yet complete expression of repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.
Ted Talk: Stay In The Moment
The conclusion was people are happier when focused a some task at hand rather than when their minds were wandering. Most of the time when our minds wander it is to unpleasant thoughts, like worry or anger about something.
This prompted some rather joyful giggling on my part. Most religious monastic traditions have discovered this a very long time ago. Mindfulness, living in the moment, capturing our thoughts with good things are common threads and themes.
The TED Talker also claimed that it didn't matter how significant or complicated the task in focus was, just focusing seemed to bring about more happiness. He specifically used commuting as an example.
People expressed unhappiness with commuting, not because of the mindlessness or dreariness of the task, but rather with the tendency of the their minds to wander to even more unpleasant things. People were happier when they focused on the task of driving and were able to control their wandering minds.
Our Orthodox tradition of The Jesus Prayer serves a similar purpose. It focuses our minds and hearts on a simple, repetitive task, and constrains us from wandering our attention to other unpleasantness. We also apply significance to the content of the prayer as a simple yet complete expression of repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.
Ted Talk: Stay In The Moment
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