Karen Spears Zacharias on fundamentalism and us-vs-them-ism: “The truth of the matter is that I’ve come to realize that it’s not when we argue over our differences that we change anyone’s minds. It’s only when we are able to agree upon our similarities that we are truly able to see the Spirit of God in one another.”
A David Hayward cartoon on the ‘disruptive’ nature of questions
Bruce Springsteen’s spiritual vision for America
Tom Smith, cardiac asthmatic ,on labels: “But, I am more than my brokenness and labels. I am more than number 595400000040 who is a cardiac asthmatic. We are more than the labels that are ascribed to us. I am also husband, father, friend, pastor, joker, jogger and Lion’s rugby team supporter. One of the hardest things in life is to bring our fragmented lives with their shattered identities to the One who ultimately names us. Because Jesus loves us with all our stuff and invites us into a relationship with Father, Son and Spirit where we are named and offered the gift of healing. This does not mean that I can ignore all those other labels, even though some will have to be ignored. What it does mean is that I have to herd all those other labels under a Label that can bring wholeness and coherence to the rest of those ordinary labels. Like stray sheep we have to bring those labels into the sheep pen with ashepherd that can name us in a way that the other labels become secondary.”
Bert Montgomery’s Ode to Being Unladylike
A beautiful post on grace and forgiveness: “Like Jacob, you wrestle the angel who holds you there till morning. And the mark, the blessing, is the sound of God’s voice to your teenage ears. I love you I love you I love you. And this: Forgive him now because there’s more to this story. And in that night, you forgive. The wound is opened wide and into it God offers relief. “Listen,” God says. “You forgive from the softness of the wounded place. Forgive before it hardens.”
