Better Than I Deserve

When folks ask me how I'm doing I usually answer that I'm doing "better than I deserve." I picked this up from a woman in Letcher County, Kentucky awhile ago and it seems to fit. People who know my story and the stories of some of the men in my life who are closest to me will understand why, but it's also a general statement that I think applies to many more people who I know.

Now, when I give this answer at, say, the grocery store or the gas station here in Oregon I usually get a blank look or no look, and in a natural foods store here I sometimes get some push-back. "Oh, I think everyone deserves the best" is a pretty common response at the natural foods store. Those good people don't know me or some of my friends, or didn't know us at other times in our lives. I appreciate their sense of fairplay and inclusion, though it seems naive to me. In a better world everyone would have the best of everything available and everyone would have the necessities of life, even if it meant everyone having less, so that no one is shut out or excluded. But we're not living in that world yet. One woman at a hardware store here did get it, though, and I knew from her look and her laughter that she's been through a few things.

When I said "Better than I deserve" to people in Central Appalachia I got a different response. I got "Amen!" or some short sermons from folks or a "Bless you, darling!" or a knowing smile most of the time. I love that. And more than loving it, I respect that.

I found this fellow on Youtube last night. You can tell from his look and the way he lays out what he has to say that he has a story. I have not been through the long list of videos on his Youtube channel, but it looks like he's doing some good work. I hope that some of the readers on this blog will look him up.

I didn't know that "Better than I deserve!" is almost a movement, but it makes sense if it is. I'm glad to be a part of that movement---the alternative is far worse.

   

Peace and the heart's quiet in Appalachia

The following is taken from the Around Each Bend In West Virginia Facebook page, including the short remarks or sermon. I think of these as images of peace and my heart's quiet. I hope that this gives you some peace as well. 

FEAST AT GOD'S TABLE

I made a post about the Commercial Golden Corral and want to make a final comment regarding why I liked this commercial.

You know it reminds me of God's Table when He invites us to "come and dine., His offer to all who will come for life everlasting.

Folks, as Christians how many times have we pulled up to God's table, and instead of taking all that God offers us, we for no reason fill our plates with just what feels good. But in reality, God wants us to take all of His plates to fill us to the full.

Let me explain:

Here's the plate God offers His plate of mercies, His plate of love, His plate for our witnessing, His plate for our burdens, His plate for our prayers, His plate for total healing, His plate of encouragement, His food for our soul that will carry us to grandeurs of heaven. Finally His plate of LOVE. He died but has RISEN. PRAISE HIM!

Instead, what we partake of only partially gets us through the hour.

Don't neglect to feed our souls on the bounties of heaven so we can be an example from Ephesians, Are we willing to put on the "whole armor of God." His offering is free and His burden is light, come take of Him and fill your soul, mind, and heart for the one who will give you victory.

Thanks, Facebook Viewers. You're all special as I look over the thousands of folks who come to our site I'm amazed and pray for you because I know some are suffering, some are discouraged, and some are financially burdened.

His table is full, will you come and dine?

By The Way - The Price has already been Paid t t t

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 kjv.

What About the Unforgivable Sin? - Josh Rasmussen

 It's a deep and heavy topic, but this a good argument for universalism and universal salvation.

Some solid preaching and testimony from West Virginia

A Living Prayer - Alison Krauss

 

Bummer sheep

The following story comes from Sheila Walsh, a conservative Christian writer. I picked up this quote from her from Facebook. It reminded me of an encounter I had with a Mexican shepherd many years ago in a bar in rural Colorado. I could not tell the man's age because he was so weathered, but he was much older---and much wiser---than I was. He told me a story of having had to wrap himself in a bloody and dirty sheep skin on the prairie late at night in order to save a lamb. I don't remember if he was successful or not, but I remember that he wept as he told the story.

Sheila Walsh is intending to tell a story of Jesus and saving grace, and I think that she does this well. But as I think about the Mexican shepherd in the bar and this story I also think about how the Shepherd Jesus uses disguises and human beings to do the work of salvation, and I am reminded that there are saints in this world who step in and give. I am also reminded that the story holds up if we take the parable or simile out of it. Animals are also the work of God's hands and have souls.

Sheila Walsh wrote:

Every once in a while, a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. There are many reasons she may do this. If the lamb is returned to the ewe, the mother may even kick the poor animal away. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind.

These little lambs will hang their heads so low that it looks like something is wrong with its neck. Their spirit is broken. These lambs are called “bummer lambs.”

Unless the shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die, rejected and alone. So, do you know what the shepherd does? He takes that rejected little one into his home, hand-feeds it and keep it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the bummer can hear his heartbeat.
Once the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock. But that sheep never forgets how the shepherd cared for him when his mother rejected him. When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess who runs to him first? That is right, the bummer sheep. He knows his voice intimately. It is not that the bummer lamb is loved more, it just knows intimately the one who loves it. It's not that it is loved more, it just has experienced that love one on one.

So many of us are bummer lambs, rejected and broken. But Jesus is the good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to His heart so we can hear His heart beat. We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.

-Sheila Walsh, "Loved back to life"

The Reign of God...

 

A world that is full of wonderful and saving surprises

 

A Nonviolent Atonement? - Sharon L. Baker Putt

 

On Dogs, Religion & Salvation, Rigidity & Beauty

Introduction

This is a two-part post with the common thread of how our experiences with animals can connect us to the divine and how our experiences with animals can lead to a universalism and a rejection of certain kinds of dogmatic rigidity.

The first post was written by Chuck F. Queen and was taken from the Progressive Methodists Facebook page with Chuck's permission.

The second post comes from me.

I do not share the view that rigid and conservative people, including Christians, can't or shouldn't change. I don't think that their refusal to change in the face of facts and Scripture and outstanding human needs and planetary crises is okay. More needs to be said here about organizing and solidarity. But I do appreciate the universalism and humanism expressed here and the insight into how anxiety drives rigidity and conservatism and the conservative appropriation of religion.

First Part---Chuck F. Queen

Julie, our Down Syndrome adult daughter who lives in our home, has a little dog named Cuma, part Yorkie and part Chiwawa. Cuma has been a means God has used to teach me about God’s love. Cuma needs to be loved, and you see her cry for love and affection in her eyes and face. She is up in age now and there are days when it is obvious she is hurting, because her face reflects it. I can see the suffering of creation in her eyes. When she was young and full of life and energy, she would bark continuously at people or animals she saw outside, which would sometimes drive us crazy. Now, with her health failing and loss of energy, there are days we will place her in front of the open front door to encourage her to bark. Sometimes that works. What always seems to work, however, is the prospect of table food, and I’m the easy pick. She can no longer jump down from the couch, so if she sees me pull up to the table she starts yelping to be lifted down to the floor so she can come over and get some food. She has always been a highly anxious dog and that hasn’t changed. If someone she is unfamiliar with enters our house, she barks and barks and barks. I pick her up, hold her, pet her head which she loves, and say, “Cuma, this is a good person; she is not going to hurt you.” But no matter what I do, she is going to keep barking. She cannot see what is through her anxiety.

There are many, many religious people, Christian people just like Cuma. They are blind to the oneness of creation and to the universality of the indwelling Spirit. They think their faith is the right, correct faith; that only through their Jesus can a person know their God. Their ego will not allow them to believe that we are all children of God, that we are all one people, that we all belong, that we all live within the force field of God’s unconditional love regardless of what stage we are in along the path of moral and spiritual evolution. Their ego insists that others must be “saved” in the same way they think they are saved, not realizing that “salvation” is a process of becoming. They make scripture bend to their programmed beliefs to justify their faith in a tribal God. And no matter how much we try to shake their foundation, no matter how excellent and often we reason with them using the best logic and common sense available, all our efforts tend to be futile. Like Julie’s little dog, Cuma, they are not going to change. And God will speak softly to them and draw then close like I do for Cuma, and keep loving them, and they will go to their grave believing and worshiping and serving a little, tribal god. And God will welcome them and love them and enlighten them as they are able to receive it.

And that is what we must do. We don’t need to yield to them or bend to their will or in any way cater to their exclusive Christian beliefs and practices. If we are living within the flow of God’s Spirit, we will keep on loving them, accepting that in all likelihood they are not going to change (at least not in this lifetime). And that is okay. I was as dogmatic and exclusive in my Christian faith as anyone at one time, but then a crack opened in my ego and the light burst forth. It does happen. Not often, but there are breakthroughs. God needs a few people who will keep at it, praying, sharing, teaching, reasoning, writing, talking, arguing, and all the while loving and hoping a crack will appear that will let the light in. And when it does, when it happens, like the shepherd who found the one lost sheep, there is much joy and gratitude.

Second Part---Bob Rossi

Many years ago when I lived in West Virginia I heard about a woman in a community pretty far out of the way who had some hounds for sale. Hounds are my favorite breeds and I went out to find her and take a look. She showed me to the barn and yard where the dogs lived. It was feeding time so she set out some trays of food and a litter of puppies and their mama came running out of the barn.

One dog in particular, the only male of the litter, made it out first by pushing, bumping, and jumping ahead. But he didn't eat the food. Instead, he grabbed the main tray in his mouth and dragged it going backwards as the other puppies charged. He backed up with the tray in his mouth all of the way to the fence, or about six feet. And then he tried to push his sisters away. 

Now, I knew right then that I wanted that dog. Any of those others would have made great companions and hunting dogs, but I liked that little guy's spirit and sense of humor. I bought him and we had a pretty good time together.

I think about that adventure quite often these days. You can focus on something that is good or functional or smart and you will be okay. And I do understand that you need to look at everything from many different angles in order to understand what you're looking at, know history, and understand context and development. But, you know, I used to look in that dog's eyes and watch it pick up and follow a scent or watch it running through the brush with what I'm sure was a smile and know that that dog was part of a history that I did not share. There were times when I knew that that dog had an entirely different intelligence and had sense that I lacked. There is a great beauty in that, and beauty has to figure in to this.

What's my point? Well, when I hear someone talking about religion or politics or organizing and solidarity these days I think more often about whether or not beauty and history intersects in what they're talking about. I say this after almost 30 years spent as a union organizer: every project that we embark on in order to find salvation or make change should be a work of beauty, following its indigenous directions and intelligence with spirit and a sense of humor. And you should be able to hear the echo of what we're doing as if you were there with us in the dark night in an abandoned strip mine full of Jerusalem Artichokes us much as we could hear the hounds miles ahead when we went hunting. And we would pause, look up at the sky and follow the stars and the dogs leading us up far ahead in the darkness and know that we were never really going to get lost. Our movement and our salvation needs to work like that.

I think about the bad things going on in the world today. I fight back---not as hard as I should, though. But I also know that I'm in this for as long as I draw breath, and in order to stay in the fight I have to look at things sometimes as if there is a pack of hounds there in front of me and I get to take one home and into my heart. I watch for that one thing that crosses my path every day that has spirit and humor, history and strength, to it and I try to hold on to that and let the rest go on.       

From Richard Murray's "Four Reasons the Early Church Did Not Believe “Hell” Lasts Forever"

Read the scholarly and well-reasoned article "Four Reasons the Early Church Did Not Believe “Hell”by Richard Murray here at Progressive Christian.

Here is a thought-provoking  excerpt:

Well, the majority of the early Church believed that Hell was place where God would rescue, reform and reconcile all lost sinners back unto Himself. The process of Hell was intense, thorough, critical, painful, agonizing and anguishing. But, it was ultimately restorative as each and every sinner was led through and past their own Hellish valley of sin and death, and into a deep and heartfelt place of Godly repentance.

The early Church had a significantly different view of Hell than much of the Church does today. Hell’s purpose, for the majority of the Church fathers, was seen as purifying rather than punishing, restoring rather than torturing, healing rather than destroying. They believed Hell was “God’s crisis-management for lost souls.” Hell was for all those who did not authentically receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior during their earthly lives.

CeCe Winans - Believe For It (Acoustic One Take)

 

Healing & Being Rescued---You And Your Story Matters

 

I started the post thinking that the two posts above take different approaches to the same matter. But as I reflect on this I come to a point of thinking that rescuing and healing are sometimes different and sometimes not. I also come to a point of thinking that God took human form to heal and rescue us and that Christ gave or bequeathed these powers and the responsibility for using them faithfully for the benefit of all to human beings. It's clear to me that people can save and heal others: anyone who helps get someone into recovery is saving them, the folks who help immigrants crossing the borders are saving them, you may save someone today who is despondent or angry with a smile or an affirming word or a courtesy, the story of how you came to manage your depression or heal your anger and the people it hurt can save others.   

Ralph Slone Jr - O'er Death's Sea In Yon Blest City

 

"He Has Risen — How About You?" with Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar

 

An Easter/Pascha Meditation from Chris Brooks

Today we celebrate the refusal by liberation movements everywhere to allow death to be the final word. Today, we celebrate the moral choice to place the life of an impoverished person of color - conceived by a single mother out of wedlock and born in a filthy manger in an area of the world occupied by a brutal imperial force - at the center of history. For liberationists, Jesus was a working-class prophet whose teachings and life exemplified the subversive and seditious road toward the beloved community: loving one another, providing for one another, removing the powerful from their thrones and actively reorganizing society so that the poor and the sick are first and the rich and healthy are last. Christ was brutally executed by the state for this vision of love and community, but the story does not end there. The beloved community continues, it is resurrected in every truth spoken to power, in every act of justice by the oppressed, in every moment of reconciliation between the world-as-it-is and the world-as-it-should-be.

Carlton D. Pearson: The Salve of Salvation

 

Please consider this if you feel that you're losing hope. Take your time; be gentle with yourself. And think about changing coats (see below).

High Road: "Two Coats" - Official Music Video

God's Love and Justice - Sharon L. Baker Putt

 

St. Mary of Egypt