Today’s Lent thought from Giving It Up was based on what is probably my favourite story from the bible.
Maggi gives a taste of her thinking on her blog today.
‘the first person in the story to throw the cash around was actually the Father, not the son…’ intrigues … go read more!
As I have said before I am reading Maggi Dawn’s ‘Giving It Up’ during Lent.
I have been moved close to tears by this morning’s reading and thought. The reading is Exodus 3:1-4 where Moses ‘turns aside’ to investigate the burning bush. Maggi uses this to outline how Moses has seemingly got into a rut, trying to stay below the radar, so not to get into trouble for his past life.
When Moses turns aside and follows his curiosity that he hears God’s voice. He did not do the sensible thing – the sensible thing would have been to stay away from fire and protect the sheep that were in his care. He left the sheep to look after themselves and went to see what was happening – he was attracted by the bright sparkly thing …. and in the bright sparkly thing which he was naturally interested in he found God.
I chat with too many people today who seemed trapped inside their own minds. People who feel the call from God on their lives means lots of hard work and little fun. It’s the ‘Oh I don’t say I’ll never go to Africa – because if I don’t want that God is sure to send me there’ syndrome.
How doid we get here?
How have we missed one simple fact which oozes from scripture.
GOD LOVES US AND WANTS THE BEST FOR US!
yep – that’s in capitals, yep its bold, and yep I was shouting it!!! No … it’s not netiquette!
If you love dancing and that gives you joy – dance for God!
If you love singing, sing. It’s its football, play for God.
If you love numbers, solve sums with God!
If it’s serving in the armed forces, serve for God!
Follow your dreams – they come from your creator!
Don’t believe all callings are into full or even part time ministry -God needs people who are fully alive, and you become fully alive by following your dreams and using the gifts you have.
Maggi ends todays thought with this paragraph:
Put aside what other people say you ought to do, and put aside your own mental commentary about what you think God will make you do. Instead, do what Moses did. Follow whatever you find intriguing, intellectually or artistically stimulating; go where your curiosity and your natural gifts lead you; and when you do, keep an ear open, because sooner or later you will hear the voice of God whispering your name.
Go be …..
Yesterday was the First Sunday of Lent. I have not spoken much about Lent this year but there are plenty of other people doing so. I have not subscribed to the ‘give up something that is bad for me’ group as I am not sure, based on my readings and experiences of the last few years, that this is what Lent is all about. I have learned, mainly from Maggi’s writings, that Lent was originally about giving up the basics and essentials, i.e. the things that are good for us rather than luxuries, or bad habits, that are not that good and which people seem to be doing today.
I have noticed lots of people giving up Facebook for Lent … in my honest opinion … if so many people really think that Facebook is that bad for them to give it up for Lent (based on this newer idea of what Lent is about); then I question why they think it is ok to use it for the rest of the time? I digress … but it follows that if we use Lent to give up luxuries that we are then using the season of Lent in a very different way to our ancestors. Giving up essentials will give a different meditative focus than giving up luxuries.
This year I am reading Giving it Up in the morning and using the Sacred Space for Lent book as part of my Compline in the evening. I particularly like Maggi’s book and am challenged by her teaching that Lent is about giving up our images of God that we have allowed to develop and allowing God the space to renew or refresh the images that we have.
I am inspired by this view of Lent as well as being heavily challenged by it. As I look back I hear myelf saying things like ‘I like to think of God as …..’ and realise that in some cases I have no idea how I have come to that way of thinking. I guess I am trying to use Lent this yer as a bit of an onion peeling process as far as how I ‘see’ God.
I’m not sure where this will go, it may lead to frustrating dead ends, but I hope not. So I am on a Lentern journey …. walking along the alleys of my life, hoping to rediscover the God that God wants me to rediscover.
“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”
John Cleese
As the week draws to a close this quote from one of my favourite comedians reminds me how fortunate I am in my current situation – I am being trusted to ‘play’ in order to create. Along with this permission to ‘play’ I also believe that complicit with that comes a permission to, or an understanding that things may, fail. There is an acknowledgment that some of what I try may not immediately, or ever, work.
It’s a privilege being based at the cathedral for which I am thankful and I pray that this permission and space to play becomes infectious in the diocese.
“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you.” Ghandi
a different perspective on creativity.
‘Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you`ll find that when you`re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out’.
Tina Turner
The Easter Path is very very cool – if you are in the Brighton area you really should check this out!
At the end of last week I was able to accept an invitation to the launch of Nucleus Arts which I have blogged about before when it was in Rochester. I hope its new location means more people are able to access this extraordinary creative space.
I love this space not simply because of the creativity, but also because it is an exhibition space for local artists as well as a space for local people to acquire great art.
The visiting of Nucleus has caused me to think on the creativity of God and how humanity has a sense and ability of that creativity from being created in the image of God. I have been reflecting, personally, on how I need to find space away from ‘normal everyday life’ and have quality time mull over stuff before I am even able to think creatively yet alone start to create.
The Lentern desert is a space where that hidden creativity which is suppressed within us by the normality of life is able once again to find its voice. If we allow ourselves to enter that silent space, we hear our voice of creativity again. If we listen and act, we may be surprised by the outcome.
As this week draws to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot more on life following yesterdays thought, possibly due to some sad young deaths both locally and nationally. I’m slightly embarrased to say that I never thought I’d be quoting Jade Goody in such a poignant way.
‘I want to be remembered as the one who irritated and entertained people in equal measure! But I also want to be remembered as the girl who put up a fight. I was given a death sentence, but I didn’t let it kill me. I fought it, got married, got christened. I’ve achieved more in 27 years than some achieve in their lifetime. I could bitch about dying young, but at the end of the day, I can look back on my life and be proud of what I have done.’ Jade Goody
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”
A commitment I have made for Lent is to notice more (blog less!) as I travel in the familiar. One of the things I have been doing to help me with this is have my camera with me as often as I camera with me as often as I can. Sometimes the wonder of God’s creation does take my breath away.
The Shiny Headed Prophet 