I realize that I'm really into analyzing the theology of pop songs. I'm not sure if because they are the most accessible of "art" to analyze or I just analyze too much, but whatever it is, the lastest piece to cross my path is Florence Welch's "sweet Nothing". Because is that what the whole crux of Christianity rests on? "Sweet Nothings" of God? The sweet nothing of faith. What is faith? What is love? What is hope? What is our belief in Jesus? "nothing" in the sense that it is not measurable matter, it's unseen, immeasurable, hard to grasp physically, though so important spiritually.
And yet so powerful. But nothing at the same time. The Bible, tradition, experience, church those are tangible- but faith? intangible.
I like how she put it:
So I put my faith in something unknown
I'm living on such sweet nothing
But I'm trying to hope with nothing to hold
I'm living on such sweet nothing
And it's hard to learn
And it's hard to love
When you're giving me such sweet nothing
Sweet nothing, sweet nothing
You're giving me such sweet nothing
The mysteries of faith! Though we've never seen Jesus, we still believe! Oh those sweet nothings of grace, redemption, and reconcilation! Hallejuah!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
the meaning of marriage
I read an awful book. Okay it wasn't that awful, and I shouldn't be too mean or critical because I did win a free copy off of twitter and I highly respect the editor and think highly of the enterprise, but it is a book i almost wish i hadn't read. I'm struggling with its message and its perspective on marriage
It's a bit of an icky book. A book that delves into the world of hard and troubling marriages and relationships and gets down and dirty with them. The characters are messy. Their marriages are messy and not once does the author shy away from the horrible parts of marriage that married people experience. Which all could be a good book, but I am not sure the book executes what it has to say well enough to do marriage justice. It's a little heavy handed, so the reader is beat up a bit, brutal even. I kind of ended up feeling rubbed raw and slapped in the face and stripped of some dignity for having read it. And I really wanted to put it down, but it wasn't up to my standard of "quality" reading so I felt like I might have be reading a b-list romance novel, it was that kind of bad. But the end turned out okay and there were some good parts- but i am not sure enough.
And I couldn't handle the book for two reasons: One, having to do with quality of the written word. I think it needs to go one more round in the editing stage as some parts are BRILLIANT and some parts need further work. There is really great writing in a few chapters promising a really great story somewhere in the awfulness with some really great characters, but there wasn't a polished execution, so the mind gets scraped up a bit, trying to tying up the loose ends or the characters that don't quite work. And two, I disagree with some of the underlying priniciples, mainly that you stay in a marriage no matter what. I severely disagree with that sentiment. There are reasons to end a marriage that are godly and biblical and HEALTHY. ANd that's what I couldn't stand about the book: the message to stay in an unhealthy marriage no matter what and that being the "redemptive" quality of the book.
He** no.
If you are just hurting your spouse for the sake of hurting them and or are cheating on them because you are bored or what have you (examples of marriages in the marriage support group that the main characters attend), then you probably should get out of it. Albeit, you'll get out and be broken, but I am not sure why staying in an abusive marriage is edifying or redemptive and OKAY! IT'S NOT!!!! Have some self-respect! Sure get counseling, exhaust all sorts of means, but if the relationship has deteriorated so much that you go out of your way to HURT YOUR SPOUSE, then why are you married? Seriously. The purpose of marriage is to "help" the other person and glorify GOD and in our twisted, broken world means you will hurt them, but not in spite, not premeditated and not on purpose continually.Not sure how "hating" your spouse emotionally, physically and spiritually glorifies God and how being okay with your spouse doing what ever the f he or she wants is okay. I'm not okay with my husband hurting me, b doing whatever he wants whenever he wants when I know he's going to hurt a lot people... MY MARRIAGE IS NOT GOD. And I think the book proposes that... and gets it way wrong.
So, in conclusion, I have big issues with this book. It needs some development from a writing perspective (there are a few 2 dimensional characters who I think need some depth and other such problems in the storyline) and then idea-lly, I disagree with some of the fundamental premises.
Agree? Disagree? The book is "Better Food for a Better World" by Erin McGraw. It is rough, but has some really funny, brilliant and wonderful parts. In my meanest moments, I call it the antithesis of Tim Keller's "Meaning of Marriage" as Keller's book uplifts Marriage so dang extremely well and effectively that I felt i needed to read it after McGraw's book to 'cleanse' me. But boy do I have a lot to say after reading McGraw's. I appreciate my marriage and my husband that much more because we don't purposely try to hurt each other like some of the marriage presented in the book- at least not yet~!!!
It's a bit of an icky book. A book that delves into the world of hard and troubling marriages and relationships and gets down and dirty with them. The characters are messy. Their marriages are messy and not once does the author shy away from the horrible parts of marriage that married people experience. Which all could be a good book, but I am not sure the book executes what it has to say well enough to do marriage justice. It's a little heavy handed, so the reader is beat up a bit, brutal even. I kind of ended up feeling rubbed raw and slapped in the face and stripped of some dignity for having read it. And I really wanted to put it down, but it wasn't up to my standard of "quality" reading so I felt like I might have be reading a b-list romance novel, it was that kind of bad. But the end turned out okay and there were some good parts- but i am not sure enough.
And I couldn't handle the book for two reasons: One, having to do with quality of the written word. I think it needs to go one more round in the editing stage as some parts are BRILLIANT and some parts need further work. There is really great writing in a few chapters promising a really great story somewhere in the awfulness with some really great characters, but there wasn't a polished execution, so the mind gets scraped up a bit, trying to tying up the loose ends or the characters that don't quite work. And two, I disagree with some of the underlying priniciples, mainly that you stay in a marriage no matter what. I severely disagree with that sentiment. There are reasons to end a marriage that are godly and biblical and HEALTHY. ANd that's what I couldn't stand about the book: the message to stay in an unhealthy marriage no matter what and that being the "redemptive" quality of the book.
He** no.
If you are just hurting your spouse for the sake of hurting them and or are cheating on them because you are bored or what have you (examples of marriages in the marriage support group that the main characters attend), then you probably should get out of it. Albeit, you'll get out and be broken, but I am not sure why staying in an abusive marriage is edifying or redemptive and OKAY! IT'S NOT!!!! Have some self-respect! Sure get counseling, exhaust all sorts of means, but if the relationship has deteriorated so much that you go out of your way to HURT YOUR SPOUSE, then why are you married? Seriously. The purpose of marriage is to "help" the other person and glorify GOD and in our twisted, broken world means you will hurt them, but not in spite, not premeditated and not on purpose continually.Not sure how "hating" your spouse emotionally, physically and spiritually glorifies God and how being okay with your spouse doing what ever the f he or she wants is okay. I'm not okay with my husband hurting me, b doing whatever he wants whenever he wants when I know he's going to hurt a lot people... MY MARRIAGE IS NOT GOD. And I think the book proposes that... and gets it way wrong.
So, in conclusion, I have big issues with this book. It needs some development from a writing perspective (there are a few 2 dimensional characters who I think need some depth and other such problems in the storyline) and then idea-lly, I disagree with some of the fundamental premises.
Agree? Disagree? The book is "Better Food for a Better World" by Erin McGraw. It is rough, but has some really funny, brilliant and wonderful parts. In my meanest moments, I call it the antithesis of Tim Keller's "Meaning of Marriage" as Keller's book uplifts Marriage so dang extremely well and effectively that I felt i needed to read it after McGraw's book to 'cleanse' me. But boy do I have a lot to say after reading McGraw's. I appreciate my marriage and my husband that much more because we don't purposely try to hurt each other like some of the marriage presented in the book- at least not yet~!!!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
And then...
When the thought of returning to work excites me, we get sick and I realize that the highest priority in life at this moment is to be a mom.
Hearing you, Lord. I am a mom and need to live into that fully. No side ambitions yet.
Or maybe just a few small ones. But probably not any 9-5 ones. I have two very beautiful and remarkable creatures under my charge that need a lot of me right now so one day, I'll send them out into the world shining like stars in the heavens.
They already do a little bit, says me the proud mama. I gots me some movers and shakers for progeny. Little E knows no strangers, animal or human, and can make anyone her friend. Stubborn and demanding, wily and sweet as she is. And little man C likes to give anyone who will stop and say hi to him the most winning grin that can melt iron. They are little suns, bursting with energy and love.
They are wonderful to behold and I am grateful and privileged to be the one who will show them the ropes of this life (and, I hope, into the other). It is no small feat, being a momma. Even though I feel that mantle overshadows anything else I might be.
Dear Lord, bless the little children. Draw them unto you and may we not turn them away from the gates of your kingdom. Guide them in understanding faith and hope and love and protect them from all wickedness. Bless them, keep them, turn your face to them and give them peace to follow you all the days of their lives. In your name, Amen.
Hearing you, Lord. I am a mom and need to live into that fully. No side ambitions yet.
Or maybe just a few small ones. But probably not any 9-5 ones. I have two very beautiful and remarkable creatures under my charge that need a lot of me right now so one day, I'll send them out into the world shining like stars in the heavens.
They already do a little bit, says me the proud mama. I gots me some movers and shakers for progeny. Little E knows no strangers, animal or human, and can make anyone her friend. Stubborn and demanding, wily and sweet as she is. And little man C likes to give anyone who will stop and say hi to him the most winning grin that can melt iron. They are little suns, bursting with energy and love.
They are wonderful to behold and I am grateful and privileged to be the one who will show them the ropes of this life (and, I hope, into the other). It is no small feat, being a momma. Even though I feel that mantle overshadows anything else I might be.
Dear Lord, bless the little children. Draw them unto you and may we not turn them away from the gates of your kingdom. Guide them in understanding faith and hope and love and protect them from all wickedness. Bless them, keep them, turn your face to them and give them peace to follow you all the days of their lives. In your name, Amen.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Exploding
Does anyone else ever feel like they are exploding? The past few weeks I've felt like I've been exploding. Exploding with ideas. Exploding with things to say. Exploding with stress about next year. Exploding with vigor and joy and excitement.
It's been a little much. The possibilities and unknowns are overwhelming. What will I do next year? What career path should I choose if I choose to go back to work? What should I do if I think I should pursue something instead? What if I am called to this? What if I need to speak up about this? How will we make ends meets? How will we balance kids and work? and many more questions crowd my head at night trying figure out why this sudden explosion of activity in my life.
I guess this is what happens when you feel the Spirit at work. I'll try to ride the wave and listen to how and to what he calls. But it is extremely nerve wracking and scary and sort of exciting! Is it terrible that I am ready to shed a bit of my "stay at home mom" skin and do something new? Even if that new is something unseen as of yet?
Daniel and I are at a crossroads of new beginnings and opportunities. Not sure what the cards hold, but is sure is fun anticipating what's around the corner!
It's been a little much. The possibilities and unknowns are overwhelming. What will I do next year? What career path should I choose if I choose to go back to work? What should I do if I think I should pursue something instead? What if I am called to this? What if I need to speak up about this? How will we make ends meets? How will we balance kids and work? and many more questions crowd my head at night trying figure out why this sudden explosion of activity in my life.
I guess this is what happens when you feel the Spirit at work. I'll try to ride the wave and listen to how and to what he calls. But it is extremely nerve wracking and scary and sort of exciting! Is it terrible that I am ready to shed a bit of my "stay at home mom" skin and do something new? Even if that new is something unseen as of yet?
Daniel and I are at a crossroads of new beginnings and opportunities. Not sure what the cards hold, but is sure is fun anticipating what's around the corner!
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