As winter comes upon us.

Maybe you are like me, a summer person. I love summer, warm weather, long days. Give me a season to choose and it will always be summer. Winter to me is, cold mornings, flu epidemics, high heating costs! I'm also a member of the snow haters club, as it produces slush and bad road conditions! There are some good things, warm evenings with the family, knowing on days off I can, if I wish, snuggle further down into my bed!
But if we didnt have the seasons, if we didnt have winter, we wouldent appreciate summer so much. Its interesting that in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrope" by C S Lewis that the reign of evil is seen as having the affect of winter, and that as Aslam approaches, and good comes over the land of Narnia, spring comes ushering in summer.
This leads me to think of my own spiritual journey, that the difficult times are needed for me to fully appreciate the good times. I often need hardship to make me yearn for (Aslan) for Jesus!
In dayly life tiredness is rewarded by sleep, hunger by food, cold by warmth. So in my spiritual journey I may not like "winter", but if it makes me yearn for the comming of Aslan (Jesus) then this in itself is a blessing! Scripture tells us, "That all things work together for those who love God, who are called according to His purposes". Maybe you are like me, you yearn for blessing so much you dont appreciate the times of trials! If this life was all blessings and joy I wouldent yearn for Heaven. Yes I still prefer summer to winter, joy rather that harships, but we need the season in nature, and in our spiritual journey!

When it all falls apart!

Katrina made life fall apart for many, loss of home's, earnings, community, etc. "Life" , as somone said, "Can sure turn round and kick you hard!"
In my own small way I have known life to turn round and kick me hard! So I have a little understanding of this emotion!
Whether its through disastor, family pain, financial trouble, etc, when it happens we feel, probably to some extent are, victims of circumstances outwith our control!
We are left feeling vulnarable, at the mercy of others, and we can loss our sense of self value!
Being valued by others, having respect, in famalies, church, community, work place, etc is vital to our sense of well being, its importance cant be emphasised enough! We receive any self of value from those we come into touch with from day to day. Many folks commit suicide when all sense of self value has been removed.
First we must seek to understand, as fully as possible, what a person is actualy experiancing, going through. We must understand that accumulative stressers will result, at some point, in health being affected in that person. No person is a rock, and no-one can be an island. I have talked to many who have suffered hard events, or accumulation of stressers in their lives, and all replied, "I wanted a hand on my shoulder, to feel worthy of others concern!" So first thing people desire is that touch, word, smile, of encouragment. The first murderer in history Cain, when challenged by God as to whereabouts of his brother answered, "Am I my brothers keeper?" The answer of the Bible rings out, yes we are our brothers keeper!
People who have endured disator, stressers, troubles, need folks to be their keepers, to take responsibility for building them up again in themselfs. Maybe we cant give them back their home, if its been destroyed in a storm, or take away events that have led to their situations, but we can be their brother/sister, their friend, and possible the shoulder they can cry upon. The Bible also tells us, "The rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep". In other words it says to the individual, especialy to those of us who would profess to be christians, that we do have a responsibility.
Now,as in all my bloggs, I am thinking no no specific cases, i talk here generaly of how we, christians or none christians react to folks going through crises, of various kinds. We need to first, comfort, second, help to restore their feelings of self worth. Now I would add thirdly, that we need to offer practical help solutions. Is their a package that can be put together? Is there practical assistance that might help? and so on. I'm convinced that when things start to fall apart for people, in any senario, through no fault of their own, we have a God given duty to aid them. People might feel a person is seeking for sympathy, is that so wrong? Off course people desire sympathy, but my experiance is that they want sympathy that is structured. I'm convinced no-one wants to be seen as a cry baby, but that they only seek dignity. So in giving people emotional and practical dignity through assistance I/we might offer, we begin to repair the cracks and stop the falling apart process!

Our Spiritual Humanity!

Jesus came to earth, God in flesh, and wore our humanity, suffering terribly on the cross!
The world we live in looks for humanity, acts of kindness, humane sacrifice, etc! This is because world knows there is something better than our humanistic material society!
I have talked about love, being accepted, etc in previous entries, these are all part of humanity crying out, for love, help, acceptance!
As christians we must never be soo spiritual that we forget, lost touch, with our humanity! I am a christian, a spiritual being, but also a humane who broke the mold..in other words, each of us is unique!
Our humanity is formed of many events, experiances, imputs, not all of them good!
But what was good for me was becomming a christian, this humane taking in spiritual relity through Christ!
Since that day I have had to live with the new man, spiritualy I am, and also with me, the person, the man, I am!
I often get so disgusted with myself as a christian, because of the humane man I am!
I still can, mistrust, fear, doubt, yearn for love, for acceptance, for dignity...as we all do!
I even manage, though it hurts, to admit when I'm wrong!
Spiritualy I cling to Jesus, He is my all in all!
Humanly, I experice the things all others experiance!
What I am saying dear friends is...dont despair about your humanity....but rejoice in your spirituality....which can only be gained through Jesus and the cross!