Have you heard of a thing called extreme ironing? Its when people iron in the most bizarre of places, like on top of a mountain or whilst riding a surfboard! Then take a selfie and post it on social media. So there's ironing (which I quite enjoy) and there's extreme ironing... ...And there are blessings (of which I have received so many) and there are extreme blessings. I count giving birth and being mother to my two children extreme blessings. But let me tell you about something in the 'deep blessing' category I was pondering this morning. When I was a young Christian I was very inspired by the life and writings of a man called Floyd McClung. Especially a book called 'Living on the Devil's Doorstep' which described his and his family's experience of living in an apartment in Amsterdam, right by the Red Light district. How, having been part of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) for some years by then, he spent his life and energy to show the love of Jesus t...
A few days ago I had a bit of a revelation - one that I think I've had before, but this time it went a bit deeper.... It was about the denial of self. If you're christian, you will know well the scripture where Jesus says 'Deny yourself and follow Me'. Being someone who wanted to be all out for God and become closer to Jesus in my life and ways, I tried to put this into practice for many years. I also lived in a christian community for nearly 20 years where there was much teaching on holiness and self-denial. But it was mixed with a cultural practice that subjugated women and elevated men, the church and 'building the kingdom' above all else. Everything in life bowed the knee to maintaining 'the brotherhood', which had slowly devolved into a controlling, empire building, cult-leader-led church. Within that setting, I learned to deny everything that was uniquely me, anything that didn't fit into the paradigm I was in, all opinions, most self expr...
AS KINGFISHERS CATCH FIRE... As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame ; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring ; as each plucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name ; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same : Deals out that being indoors each one dwells ; Selves - goes its self ; ' Myself ' it speaks and spells, Crying 'What I do is Me : for that I came. Gerard Manley Hopkins
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