The Study

Chapter 2 and part of 3

Last week we began our time together with a few rounds of "Home-Made Game."  If you're curious as to what that is, you'll have to come this Tuesday.

Our discussion began with a quick overview of last week's chapter.  Then we stepped into the main point of Chapter 2.  Sleeth wrote about his fear of blood and how over time, step-by-step, his fear of blood disappeared.  His point was that at the beginning, huge changes are difficult, but if we take it one step at a time...

Change is overwhelming and the facts about the amount of toxins we exist in is also overwhelming.  It would be easy to shoot for ignorance or throw your hands up and quit.  Sleeth uses his blood story to remind us that we need to see it all one step at a time.  I guess the main idea is to actually take those steps...

We started to look into Chapter 3 and his some of the myths that Sleeth brings up.  We'll continue to go into this chapter deeper this Tuesday, July 14 at the Crandall's.  Check the site for directions this week.

chapter 1: genesis

Growing up around youth group, I learned about God's love and how He cares so deeply for us.  I learned that we are to love others and part of loving others had to do with being kind.  I also learned about the feelings that come with God impacting our lives, but then something changed.  I came across a statement by T.S. Eliot: "Christianity is primarily a matter of thought and not of feeling."

I sat in my Church and Society course at Azusa Pacific University, and started to really think through the passage in Matthew 22.37, where Jesus quotes Deut. 6.5: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  The passage reminds us that our faith has everything to do with our feelings, our beings, and our thoughts...all of it connects, so faith requires us to think through our faith...these thoughts hopefully will lead to feelings that push us to act.

In our book discussion of, Serve God, Save The Planet, we talked about the changes that the author and his family went through.  J. Matthew Sleeth took his family from a large home to a smaller place; he got rid of their dish washer and unplugged their dryer; and he put in a chicken coup and vegetable garden.  We talked through the feelings that we felt at the thought of changing our lives as drastically as he did.  Some feelings that came out were frustration, fear, and anxiety. 

In the end, we ended with a challenge...

Sleeth, at the end of the chapter, talks about how an act he witnessed in Rome made an impact on him.  He talked about how the words shared in Italy that same summer were long forgotten, but the generosity of a nun to a begger will last in his mind.  Think through your actions this week...how does what you do impact those around you?  What do your actions actually say about you and the God you love with all your heart, soul, and mind?

Serve God, Save the Planet

It was great to see you all this last Tuesday and for those of you who missed it, no worries...we're only just beginning!  We will meet at PCOM Tuesday, June 30th for our first book discussion.  We will be reading Serve God, Save the Planet to start off the summer.  Since the chapters are short, we will read Chapters 1 & 2.  If you need a copy, email me (jessy_osehan@yahoo.com) or call me (805.637.8208) and I will make sure you get one. 

Bring your friends this Tuesday.  We'll have coffee, treats, conversation, and maybe a showing of Arrested Development just for conversation's sake.

Summer Break
Tuesdays, 7-9 pm
PCOM youth room

Summer Break Orientation

On Tuesday, June 23rd we will gather together for some hot dogs and hamburgers.  We'll eat, talk, and get a better idea for what is in store for PCOM's college and young adults ministries. Come join us from 7:00 - 9:00 pm for food, fun, and discussion. 

Summer Break Orientation
Date: Tuesday, June 23 @ 7:00 pm
Location: 21 Corte Garrucha, San Clemente, CA 92673
What to bring: a towel and swim suit

College Summer

This summer, college and young adults will get together on Tuesday evenings for Summer Break.  We'll spend some time wrestling through the big issues you hit in college.  It will mostly be discussion, so be there.  We'll start things off on Tuesday, June 23rd with a BBQ!  Stay tuned for location and time for this particular event.

Summer Break (coming to you soon)
Tuesday nights @ 7 pm

Club H2O
July 6-10, 2009

Briefing at Forest Home
September 4-7, 2009 (register today for Adventure Mountain)

https://forms.foresthome.org/reg/

"All this exile to hard labor, and formerly with floggings, does not reform anyone, and above all does not even frighten almost any criminal, and the number of crimes not only does not diminish but increases all the more...it turns out that society, thus, is not protected at all, for although the harmful member is mechanically cut off and sent far away out of sight, another criminal appears at once to take his place, perhaps even two others.  If anything protects society even in our time, and even reforms the criminal himself and transforms him into a different person, again it is Christ's law alone, which manifests itself in the acknowledgment of one's own conscience" (The Brother's Karamozov)

One's Own Conscience

"...but a real punishment, the only real, the only frightening and appeasing punishment, which lies in the acknowledgment of one's own conscience" (Dosteovsky, The Brother's Karamazov).

I have gotten the chance to read, The Brother's Karamozov, and am trying to reread (it's difficult).  I love the book.  It has had a profound impact on my thinking and every time, when I get to page 64 (where this quote lies), I have to stop.

In this scene, there is a gathering of people (mostly brothers and an wise elder).  In the scene they are discussing the issue of separation of Church and state.  The discussion had been about excommunication and the punishments that would come if the Church ran the state.  In the middle of it all, the elder made this statement about how the real punishment would come in the form of acknowledging one's own conscience.  His claim was that if the Church were truly to judge criminals, there would be no mechanical punishment, but there would be one that would be harsher than anything we have developed...our conscience.

The elder continues to speak of Christ's law and how it manifests itself in the acknowledgment of our conscience. What does that mean?

I've been thinking about this for a few days, since I just reread it a couple days ago.  What is it about our conscience that would hit us hard? How does Christ's law manifest itself this way?

If you haven't read this classic...pick it up and commit to reading it (because it takes commitment).  More to come on the book...

Reconciliation

For those of you who are interested, there is a film out there titled, As We Forgive.  It was done by students from Fuller (I think).  It's about reconciliation in Rwanda after the genocide.  It's well worth watching.

 http://www.asweforgivemovie.com/

40 days and nights

Here's a challenge for you...what if you prayed this prayer throughout the Lenten season?  Try it.

A FRANCISCAN PRAYER

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

Made to Worship

It's been over a week since I've posted something on this site.  I want you all to know that I do think about you and as soon as the summer hits, we'll have a fun gathering at my house.  Until then, here are some thoughts about worship...

I'm preparing for High School tonight and thought a lot about worship.  The question they get to talk about is, "What does worship look like to you?"  This was what Eugene Petersen came up with (paraphrased)...

Worship is like a standing ovation.  It is what you feel that brings you to your feet at an amazing performance.  It's like failing in love...it's the point where you are ready to throw yourself at the feet of the one you love.  Christian worship is throwing ourselves down at the feet of God...it could look like a woman comforting a good friend or a man caring for his neighbor.

You become what you worship...worship makes you more truly human...we become who we're made to be.

I don't know what your week is like or what is has been like, but I had a difficult one, not for any specific reason.  It was just difficult.  So, today I read the lyrics to Made to Worship a few times, and it didn't make my day easier or better, but it reminded me of something...that I get to worship God and that is what I'm made for.

Here are the lyrics...

Before the day
Before the light
Before the world revolved around the sun
God on high
Stepped down into time
And wrote the story of His love for everyone

He has filled our hearts with wonder
So that we always remember

You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
You and I embrace surrender
You and I choose to believe
You and I will see who we were meant to be

All we are
And all we have
Is all a gift from God that we receive
Brought to life
We open up our eyes
To see the majesty and glory of the King

He has filled our hearts with wonder
So that we always remember

You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
You and I embrace surrender
You and I choose to believe
You and I will see who we were meant to be

And even the rocks cry out
And even the Heavens shout
At the sound of His holy name
So let every voice sing out
And let every knee bow down
He is worthy of all our praise