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"The dawn of day only happens to which we are fully awake."
Henry David Thoreau
The collapse of the global economic structures, the devastation of the environment, global warming, global social injustice...have we awoke too late too see the dawn of day.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...I just took these out of the oven a few minutes ago. You can sort of tell, there warm enough that the white chocolate on top is still melting. Maybe, if your imagination is good enough you can press your nose to the screen and smell them.
Anyways, I thought I'd share these with my daughter Megan. Ooops, I just remembered she is Vancouver. Ahhh, too bad Megs.
No worry, I'll bring some over on the weekend. But, I'll share the recipe if you can't wait. The good news, if I can make them anyone can. Here's the recipe.
Fudgy Chocolate Strip Cookies
3/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Cream the above together with an electric mixer
then add 1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix all the above together.
In another bowl mix and sift the following
2 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Then add 2 cups chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Then with a wooden spoon mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together.
Then divide into 4 equal parts.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface into logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
Bake for 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees.
Then drizzle melted white chocolate ( 3-4 oz ) and slice when warm.
Then and enjoy with your favorite dark roast.
Pax...Ron+
From Tony Campolo in Ekkelsia, " a revelation in the midst of the economic collapse "...
As our economic system collapses, I am coming to realise for the first time in my life that Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount are the most sensible words ever spoken. He said:
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.
I must confess that I had previously thought these words were for the likes of saints such as St Francis or Mother Theresa. As I read these words, I understood why Darbyites, with their Scofield Reference Bible, tried to assign this way of life to some future dispensation as not viable for this present age. But now, as my retirement funds evaporate while the Stock Market plummets, I wish I had taken Jesus’ words seriously and “taken no thought for the future” as to what I would eat and how I would live. Living more by faith and trusting less in Mammon now seems like the wisest course of action and the one I should have taken.
I increasingly feel a regretful kinship to that man I read about in the Bible, who built a barn and filled it with those things that would provide for his retirement (Luke 12.16-20). He then reflects, perhaps in light of inflation, that he ought to tear down that barn and build a bigger barn to provide even more security for his future. As he is about to launch into a life of leisure, the Lord says, “Thou fool.” Having worked hard to set up 401Ks and IRAs, I can hear the Lord saying the same thing to me as I watch these funds evaporating daily. Over the years, I thought I had been a generous giver to the poor. Now I wish I had given far more.
" Truth divorced from experience will always dwell in the realms of doubt. " — Henry Drause
The above quote has been tumbling around in my mind since Easter, sort of like something stuck in the washer on the spin cycle. And in the midst of tumbling, the washing, this thought just keeps coming more clear...Truth must be in a intimate relationship with experience, it must be fused to it constantly, or it falls apart...into doubt.
I love the above image; the cross, the murder weapon; and the tomb...evidence there was a murder committed. There are witnesses to the crime, but no body. The truth around this profoundly mysterious case...Jesus has risen from the dead.
Yes, people did see Jesus after wards, we have written eye witness testimony to these facts. But, there were also skeptics. Even among Jesus closest friends, there was doubt around the truth. Thomas, wanted to physically view the body like some crime scene investigator to ensure everything lined up, evidence, and the story.
For Thomas for the truth to be " real "...he had to experience the " risen " Jesus. And we recall Jesus' response, " So you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe with out seeing ". Now Thomas was an intimate friend of Jesus, he followed, he slept, he ate, he heard the outrageous parables and had even seen Jesus live them out, he'd seen miracles...he walked the dusty roads of Galilee for 3 years with Jesus...and even he was skeptic.
Maybe the problem to day is we've read the text too literally...that people would just believe without seeing, and be blessed. I really believe he expected the world to " see " him in a different way. We all have an images of Jesus.
The problem, all our images are distorted and not true because they are divorced of experience. We can paint pictures, write an image with words and there will always be skepticism because they are divorced of the experience of the " risen " Jesus. They are just lifeless inanimate objects. For the truth to be real and tangible that avoids skepticism, we need to go back to the gospels and breathe and live them. We need to incarnational people, the " risen " Jesus needs to rise out of our lives. People need to see and experience Jesus in us. When this happens, people will " see ", and experience " truth."
And when we live out of the gospels, we realize it is impossible to produce " an image " of Jesus, either through a painting, through the latest Hillsong worship music,or through a word bytes of scripture...it does the real truth of Jesus no justice.
St Francis said, " preach the gospel at all times, and use words if necessary." No I'm not advocating silence when it comes to talking about Jesus, he definitely needs to be talked about. But, " seeing is believing " in the culture that surrounds us. Truth is believed when it is experienced, the gospel is believed when it is seen. For the church to be a witness to the surrounding culture, Jesus is believed when his " risen " body is seen.
The challenge, read the gospels, and then read the gospels again, and again. Meditate, reflect and pray the gospels...let the spirit of God fill you with Jesus. Then breathe, speak and live the gospels...every waking moment. Even as you sleep, pray the spirit of God renew your heart and mind...to strengthen you.
The greater challenge for the church is to be the " risen " body of Jesus. If it is nothing more than the Sunday morning/evening service, programs to get people into the building...what we might be saying is, the stone has been rolled back over the tomb and Jesus is dead. The gospels should challenge the church constantly. I suspect it will not be church as usual.
In order to enlighten people to the upcoming conference "Social Justice Awareness Conference: ‘Marginalization: From the Shadow Towards the Light’, and from talking to people about the conference, some people have not heard of Sara Miles author of " Take This Bread ", and her journey of faith. So, I thought I'd share some links from podcast interviews with Sara Miles and some folks I really respect.
Dick Staub is one of today's most experienced and thoughtful observers of belief in contemporary culture. He is an engaging, broadly informed listener who consumes a vast amount of information each day and then communicates his observations and insights as a broadcaster, writer and public speaker. He enjoys learning about people's ideas and the personal journey that shaped their views.
While he is a man of far reaching interests and curiosities, Staub is particularly fascinated with America's spiritual quest, which today is often unlinked from organized religion. He believes there is a vibrant ongoing conversation about "ideas that matter" and belief going on in today's popular culture through movies, books, theatre and music. Part of his mission is to listen to and facilitate that cultural conversation.
This a 4 part interview he did with Sara Miles back in 2007.
And the last podcast comes from Nick and Josh...you can subscribe to the podcast ( here ). Oh, yah...I'll add one more podcast from " Steve Brown Etc."
And video clip and interview from Religion and Ethics Weekly.
You are seeking God and he is everywhere. Everything proclaims him to you. He is by your side, over you, around and in you. Here is his dwelling and yet you still seek him. Ah! You are searching for God, the idea of God in his essential being. You seek perfection and it lies in everything that happens to you—your suffering, your actions, your impulses are the mysteries under which God reveals himself to you.
Source: Jeanne de Caussade in Abandonment to Divine Providence
I've always struggled with the idea of finding God's will in my life, as if it were some strange code that could only be unraveled by fervent prayer, and decoding scripture. After numerous wrong turns, or taking the path that was so less traveled it was like chopping my way through a jungle with a machete. I might have felt godly, but I was lost. And, if God was there he was rolling around on the ground laughing.
I like to think of God's will more in terms of faith. Remember, maybe being a kid crossing a stream, and the only way you could get across was to jump from rock to rock. It's my faith in God, and God's faith in me working hand in hand. I have to have faith enough to take the step, and if everything is lined up...I land on the rock safely. If not, I'm wet...on my ass in the stream.
So was I wrong, was it the wrong choice of rocks to jump to, was this not God's will. Yes, and no...we could give up and look for another rock to jump to and maybe find God's will, or we could persist and jump to the original rock again, and keep going. Sometimes, initially it may feel like he's not there. But, sometimes if we continue in our faithfulness we discover him. God's will is not complicated. I think his will is we'd find him in everything.
You seek perfection and it lies in everything that happens to you...your suffering, your screw-ups, your sin, your great achievements, your daily life, your comings and goings. The pulse of your life is filled with the mysteries of God in which he reveals himself.
You want to do God's will, then live life to the fullest and if you take the time to look around and listen...He's in all of it. Don't beat yourself up...live life faithfully.
St. Saviour’s Anglican Church Rainbow Kitchen announces its First Social Justice Awareness Conference, featuring Sara Miles, author of “Take This Bread.”
Conference Date: September 11 and 12, 2009
Conference Title: “Marginalization: From the Shadow to the Light.”
Conference Focus: How can we, as faith communities, more effectively reach out to and incorporate the most marginalized people in our midst via innovative liturgical practice, advocacy, and social justice initiatives?
Sponsor: St. Saviour’s Anglican Church Rainbow Kitchen. (The parish hosts and administers the 75 interfaith volunteers who provide a hot and nutritious lunch to 100 - 140 marginalized Victoria residents five days per week.)
Conference Leadership:
Sara Miles, best-selling author of “Take This Bread,” and founder of the Food Pantry for marginalized folks at St. Gregory of Nyssa, San Francisco; Paul Fromberg, Rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa, San Francisco, avant-garde liturgist, and artist; Dr. Christopher Lind, Economic Justice expert, author, and Fellow of Massey College, University of Toronto; Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Bishop of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, responsible for a diocesan Habitat for Humanity initiative in Regina, and actively engaged in First Nations discourse.
In addition to conference presentations there will be a panel discussion involving, marginalized members of the community, local outreach advocates and the conference leaders. Also, a community action project will be incorporated into the conference focusing on brain trauma, homelessness, and youth; in conjunction with the Cridge Centre for the Family.
Conference Location: St. Saviour’s Anglican Church Rainbow Kitchen, 310 Henry Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V9A 3J2
Conference Registration: Cost $100.00 (Friday and Saturday lunches and break snacks included.) Please make cheques payable to: St. Saviour’s.
Only 120 participant spaces available; of these, ten fee-free spaces will be available for unemployed persons. Please register promptly in order to be guaranteed a space.
Mail registration fee with an accompanying letter detailing contact information, including e-mail address for confirmation of registration, to:
The Reverend David Opheim
Re: Conference Registration
St. Saviour’s Anglican Church
Rainbow Kitchen,
310 Henry Street,
Victoria,
British Columbia,
Canada V9A 3J2
Parish Phone - 250-384-8773
E-Mail - saintsaviours@shaw.ca
Website - www.rainbowkitchen.ca
Come and journey, journey inward,
come and seek him deep within,
where he meets us in our living,
in our striving and our sin.Come and journey, journey outward,
where the cross calls us to care,
where injustice and where hunger
and the poor call us to share.Come and journey, journey and journey
with a Savior who has come.
We are all God's sons and daughters;
in Spirit in we are one.(Herbert O'Driscoll)
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. "If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places."
It's not a coincidence that in the scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It's not an accident. That's a lot of air time, 2,100 mentions. (You know, the only time Christ is judgmental is on the subject of the poor.) 'As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me' (Matthew 25:40). As I say, good news to the poor.
( Bono...activist, singer U2 )
The gospels are about a radical journey of faith, we can not miss that. To read the gospels and come up with a believable story that makes us comfortable, giving us a new sense of spiritual enlightenment is to delude oneself to the point of being deaf and dumb. It is mysterious, it's wild, it's radical, it's scandalous, it's outrageous...it's hardly believable, and it is definitely not comfortable.
Context is important, and we certainly can't compare then with now. But, we can't use that as an excuse to avoid the truth. The gospels are all about journey into the messiness, and brokenness of humanity. Faith is that journey. Faith must be lived out, if it is not lived...it must be called something else. Something, not found in the gospels.
It's easy to talk radical scandalous theology of the Kingdom, the difficulty is to live, to practice radical scandalous theology. It's one thing to announce that God is a radical scandalous host who throws a feast sending His servant to the gutters, the alleys, dumpsters and skid row hotels to invite anyone and everyone so his table will be full. Jesus announced the Kingdom, and at the same time lived in the reality of the Kingdom being here and now. All barriers were erased. So radical was Jesus that he took his table to them...in the midst of there oppression, sin, brokenness and sickness.
Are we doing the same.
This is not a guilt trip, it's a nudge of encouragement to come and journey outward into the messiness and brokenness of your neighbourhoods. Yes, it is not comfortable...but, you will find Jesus. That is the good news. He's there in the midst of it, all of it...the cracks, the rubble. This is what living faith looks like. This is where he says, come follow me.
More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.
Yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. Nature still offers her bounty and human efforts have multiplied it. Plenty is at our doorstep, but a generous use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply.
Primarily, this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failures and abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men.
True, they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit, they have proposed only the lending of more money.
Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored conditions. They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers.
They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.
The money changers have fled their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths.
The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit.
Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money, it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.
