UP and "Choosing the Rug"

Have you seen the movie UP? Today a friend mentioned it and almost immediately my mind made a connection with a key point from formation. In the movie, this elderly gentlemen is attempting to fulfill this awesome dream he and his late wife had had since they were children to build a house at the top this waterfall in a foreign land. As a young girl, the wife had made a scrapbook of all the adventures she wanted to have in her life. Of course, she grew up and married her childhood sweetheart (who she had had many adventures with), and life got in the way. After she died he was determined to live out their big dream, always with her adventure book with him. Near the end, when all his plans have failed, he decides to actually look through her scrapbook again. And what does he find? She had placed, in this book of adventures she wanted to have, a myriad of photos from the long life she had with him. All the things she had been blessed with, she chose those. It was like she was saying, "This is what I was meant to want and what I am so very blessed to have, and I choose it!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GroDErHIM_0

Choosing the rug...

"The present moment is always overflowing with immeasurable riches, far more than you are able to hold." - Jean-Pierre de Caussade

I was washing dishes last night and once again was complaining (silently) about having to do dishes by hand. No sooner had the thought concluded in my head, then I was thanking God for the fact that have dishes and food to put on those dishes and clean water to wash them with when I am finished and a house to hold it all. I think I just chose the rug . . .
"If you are not satisfied with what God chooses for you, what else can please you?" - Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Amy Polson

Great story

Robert Tuttle was the first prof I heard speak in chapel at Asbury - in l995. He captured my attention by being interesting and real. I found an article he has written yesterday and it had this story in it. I thought this was a good example of the transcendent invitation. What do you think?
____________________________________________
I was sitting on an elevated train in Chicago with my back to the window facing rows of seats not three feet away. There was no one else in this particular car except for an elderly couple, seated directly in front of me. At the next stop two young women entered the train and took the seat just behind the couple. One of the women was smoking a cigarette. The elderly gentleman simply turned around and said that he was allergic to smoke and since there was a no smoking sign on the window next to her would she mind extinguishing the cigarette. The woman reacted instantly. She blew smoke in the man’s face and then, while cursing, slapped him on the back of his head dislodging a rather obvious toupee. When the woman saw the toupee she began laughing, snatched it off his head and began stomping it. At that point the terrain stopped at the next station. The elderly couple hurried off, pausing only long enough for the man’s wife to grab the toupee on their way out.

So, there I was, not three feet from these two women. In a sense of seconds I had watched this abuse unfold in front of me and if I said nothing I would explode. I remember praying, “God give me a word, I cannot sit and remain silent.” At that moment the abusive woman looked at me and I heard something come out of my mouth that completely astounded me. “You have incredibly beautiful hair” (which she did; it was braided and beaded and seemed to cascade down her back like waterfalls.) Instantly her entire countenance changed from a grimacing snarl to a radiant smile, at which point her companion poked her in the ribs saying, “See, see, see how good that makes you feel? Why were you so mean to that old man? Why didn’t you say something nice to him so that he could feel good too? You got an attitide girl. You’re my best friend but you embarrass me.” At that the woman hung her head, obviously ashamed. Since we then arrived at my stop, I nodded at the woman’s friend, mouthed the words, “Thank you,” and exited, utterly amazed. The woman’s friend had said all the things that I had wanted to say and more.

Transcendent Moment

I was having a rough morning- brought on by myself, not really because of the kids. And after lunch I realized we really just needed to get out of the house and burn off some steam. So I loaded all 3 kids, 2 bikes, and a jog stroller into the van and headed off to Centennial park.
When we got there I was busy unloading everything when Wesley said, "Mom, peace is here!" I looked up and said, "No honey, Peace isn't here", thinking he was referring to his friend, Peace. He said, "No mom! Peace. Peace is here."
I looked up, and it literally took my breath away. Beautiful blue skies, balmy, but abundant sunshine, birds chirping, and only one another person at the park (an elderly woman doing her daily walk).
So for the next half hour, I walked with Peace. Every time I would try to start to pray, or thank God for the surroundings, He would remind me, "Peace is here." I felt as if He was inviting me to simply be present in His Peace.
Maggie Elliott

Meeting tomorrow

Tuesday is upon us and I just listened to the DVD. Sarah and Jess had trouble getting into the ideas, and maybe you did too. That is okay. We will talk about it.

I had a moment on Saturday that took my life into the 'more than.' I encountered a situation where my frustration and dissonance became apparent, and I sought the transcendent invitation. When I realized what it was I followed it, and something happened to change my day. To top it off I had a great sense of consonance - the inner music, and a sense of God's pleasure. To live consciously cooperating with the invitation of the divine means we have to slow down and listen. When life slows us down maybe it is God's way of trying to get our attention.

Wicked idea: Click fast forward and listen to Susan talk in fast speak. It is quite funny even if I say so myself.

Transcendent Living

The video we watched this week focuses on transcendent living. The possibility of living a life greater than the sum of our parts is a distinctly human trait. You never see a cocker spaniel sitting around wondering how it might become a great dane. Animals live instinctively into their being. But humans are invited to transcend what they are and become more.

The invitation to 'more than' is part of all our lives. We all spend our days in a very real, literal world. We have a family of origin, a cultural milieu, a body (that is a mixed blessing some days) and a collection of gifts and abilities and interests that show up every day in some way or another. Our world is in the here and now. And it is this here and now that is the raw material for transcendence.

I love the idea that God is alive in the ordinary fabric of our days. If you are reading Jean Pierre de Causade you will hear this over and over - the only place we can meet God is in the present moment. God is here with me while I type this blog. He is present when I walk down the hall. This moment is sacred because it contains life - my life! - and divine invitation and presence.

Tell me your thoughts on this. If you send me an email with your ideas I will copy it to this blog as you write it.

Thoughts from Tuesday meeting

The quote you shared this evening about the glory of God being man fully alive reminded me of this great song that I think speaks directly to what many of us tonight were feeling. I tried to find a performance clip on youtube but there wasn't one. Blessings, Amy Polson

Just Showed Up For My Own Life
Spending my time sleep walking
Moving my mouth but not saying a thing
Hoping the changes would take by working their way from the outside in
I was in love with an idea
Preoccupied with how a life should appear
Spending my time at the surface repairing the holes in the shiny veneer

There are so many ways to hide
There are so many ways not to feel
There are so many ways to deny what is real

And I just showed up for my own life
And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright

I'm going to live my life inspired
Look for the holy in the common place
Open the windows and feel all that's honest and real until I'm truly amazed
I'm going to feel all my emotions
I'm going to look you in the eyes
I'm going to listen and hear until it's finally clear and it changes our lives

There are so many ways to hide
There are so many ways not to feel
There are so many ways to deny what is real

And I just showed up for my own life
And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright

Oh the glory of God is man fully alive
Oh the glory of God is man fully alive

There are so many ways to hide
There are so many ways not to feel
There are so many ways to deny what is real

And I just showed up for my own life
And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright

by Sara Groves and Joel Hanson