Cynicism Or Joy
Many of you remember the “Cynicism Is A Gateway Drug” post. This is from Henri Nouwen, as sent out by the Inward/Outward folks, delivered to me by Heidi Turner. Enjoy.
Cynicism or Joy
Henri J. M. Nouwen
“For me it is amazing to experience daily the radical difference between cynicism and joy. Cynics seek darkness wherever they go. They point always to approaching dangers, impure motives, and hidden schemes. They call trust naive, care romantic, and forgiveness sentimental. They sneer at enthusiasm, ridicule spiritual fervor, and despise charismatic behavior. They consider themselves realists who see reality for what it truly is and who are not deceived by “escapist emotions.” But in belittling God’s joy, their darkness only calls forth more darkness.
People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness. They point each other to flashes of light here and there, and remind each other that they reveal the hidden but real presence of God. They discover that there are people who heal each other’s wounds, forgive each other’s offenses, share their possessions, foster the spirit of community, celebrate the gifts they have received, and live in constant anticipation of the full manifestation of God’s glory.
Every moment of each day I have the chance to choose between cynicism and joy. Every thought I have can be cynical or joyful. Every word I speak can be cynical or joyful. Every action can be cynical or joyful. Increasingly I am aware of all these possible choices, and increasingly I discover that every choice for joy in turn reveals more joy and offers more reason to make life a true celebration.”
Source: Return of the Prodigal Son
Add your thoughts at inward/outward
Blend Of Fires: On Human Nature
This is a poem I wrote for one of my Master’s papers on the nature of humanity. I find that when I am writing raw poetry, I am able to say so much more with less words than when I am writing prose. In the film Contact, Jodie Foster’s character, seeing the beauties of the cosmic wonderland she touches, says “Poetry. They should have sent a poet.”
BLEND OF FIRES
On Human Nature
Blend of fires, earth and heav’n,
Beat within the mortal breast;
Transcendent love to hellish hate,
Vie in human souls on quest
Yet deep found love, and beauty’s taste,
Makes image shine though stained and quelled;
When fear and courage both require,
That finer features in us swell
And so today, this story grasped,
Means now I treat you as a flame;
That burns within the sacred breast,
Of he who gave you breath and name
If sweet redemptive voices called,
To wake your flesh from death to life;
Would you now hear celestial songs,
That lift you by their tunes so ripe?
Your nature true is divine borne,
Your eyes they glow with sparks beyond;
Yet stained and shadowed now you are,
In need of light to wave its wand
Be still and know that one who tends,
Such remedy is close and kind;
And if you turn your dimming frame,
Toward his cure yourself you’ll find
As nature starts, so it can end,
Though embattled is this coil;
For shattered images can mend,
When Love’s applied as healing oil.
Dan Wilt, May ‘06
Preparing To Prepare To Prepare
Monday July 24th 2006, 5:40 pm
Filed under:
BrainwavesJust prepping for Mahone Bay, the fall Institute and so much more.
Never seems to be quite enough time. My son, Ben, just turned 10 yesterday. Eight young boys came over and wore me out bowling, playing dodge ball and eating. Ben’s mother, my wife, is the supreme birthday celebrator. What an amazing gift for making events special.
Will post as I can. One of these days I’ll post a detailed check list for prepping for worship for a conference. So many hours, on so many details – at least if you’re as meticulous as I am (though I have great friends organizing big pieces). I find that the more details are complete for the whole team, tech, visual and band, the more peace there is during the event. I’d like to enjoy this thing, as my beautiful family is with me, and it’s a beautiful spot.
Introducing: Tim Hughes, Al Gordon & GodPod
Tim Hughes and Al Gordon have blogs now, and I’m enjoying their hearts and vibrant worship life thoughts. They’re both at Holy Trinity Brompton in the UK.
I love the heart that beats behind Tim’s offerings of creativity.
GodPod is a theological podcast out of Holy Trinity Brompton.
Tim Hughes’ Blog
Al Gordon’s Blog
GodPod
Ancient Quotes Or Prayers Deserving Songscribing
I’d like to one some of your selections of historical quotes, prayers or poems that deserve someone giving attention to writing a contemporary worship song around to emphasize their theme in our generation.
Comment away if you have one.
Setting Our Sails: Vineyard Canada Mahone Bay
Sunday July 16th 2006, 6:28 pm
Filed under:
BrainwavesWe just got through a 4 hour band rehearsal for our Vineyard Canada national gathering in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, called Setting Our Sails. I’m just plain tuckered.
It’s hard work tightening and sharpening songs, and I really don’t like to rehearse at all (especially driving rehearsal knowing all the background logistics, multiple worship leaders, budgets, and dynamics that can occur), but its worth it when people are engaging in worship with semi-seamless, beautiful music that lifts their hearts to God. Our band is a bunch of great hearts as well, so life is good.
Some beautiful violin playing, some rich celebration and times of intimate devotion, some ancient/future worship expression (Coram Deo), circles of stomp-like, all aboard worship circles going into the night, artists, wonderful teachers, beautiful Nova Scotia and some serious kitchen-party/ceilidh action with Stephanie Mainville.
Candle Of Devotion: The Brighter Flame
This morning, I lit my candle of devotion (it’s a small votive candle in a rough, earthenware dish I keep on my desk to mark the hours of prayer) and prayed my daily prayers of commitment to the Father, Son and Spirit of God.
Due to uneven burning (how true that metaphor is to life as we know it) two votive wicks were visible and ready for lighting – so I attended the flame to them both.
One flame rose high and full, the second was smaller and thinner. The second was no less alive than the first, yet noticeably liliputian to the first. The Lord spoke these words to me:
“To imagine yourself a man whose devotion to Me burns brighter than my Own to you, is to imagine vainly. I am the most devoted of all, and toward you I set my heart.”
Though many tasks, cares and visions both burden and bustle in my life today, I will recognize that there is One pursuing me now Who is the most devoted of all.
Added Note:
David Crowder reflects here on the collision of life and death related to Kyle Lake’s tragic death last year. I thought it was worth noting.
A Beautiful Collision
Introducing: Jonny Baker & Mark Berry
I just like these blogs. Led to them by dear friend Heidi Turner.
Jonny Baker
and this one:
Mark Berry
Here’s a beautiful prayer from Mark Berry based on St. Brendan and Sir Francis Drake’s writings that I’m going to use in the Institute Of Contemporary & Emerging Worship Studies this Fall.
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
Bono on Worship | Al Gordon’s Blog
Thursday July 13th 2006, 9:52 am
Filed under:
BrainwavesThis quote is from Al Gordon’s blog at Holy Trinity Brompton. I had a dream that Bono and I had a chat about what was brewing in his heart to “preach” these days.
Again, U2 is a band I dearly love, but I’m not fixated on them as my favorite. Bono is a striking heart in the world today, and I love his raw thoughts.
Bono on Worship | Al Gordon’s Blog
Waiting For Good News
Good news. We all wait for it, listen for it, hope for it.
Whether we wait for news of peace in a battle we’re close to in place or time, news of supply when we’re at the end of our rope, or news of joy when we’re wondering if life indeed holds any, we all love to hear good news.
Today, as I consider my own longing for good news, I am reminded of those I love. God is the greatest source of good news that greets me today - such peace in knowing that I am/we are not alone in my/our challenges. My wife, children, family and friends are the purest of good news to me, coming to me again today and reminding me that to be deeply loved, and to deeply love, are treasures that most newspapers and magazines will not linger over today – but which I will enjoy.
Look for, listen for, your good news today.
Tech-Locked Out Of My Blog
Hey friends. I’m so sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted; we’ve been on vacation in the US, and I’ve been tech-locked* out of my blog for the past two weeks.
I got this post up using a circuitous route. Will be up and posting asap this week.
* tech-locked is a term meaning, “snafooed upon, snaggled by, sniptuppered within a technical issue that cannot be resolved by anyone with your own skill or knowledge base in the tech arena in which you are befuddled.”
