If you have been following this, you will notice there has been a long break in my writing.
That is because I learned something...when your leg is broken, so is your life!
Finding the positive in the midst of pain and doctor visits is very difficult. Yes, you get to meet new people and you get to be part of a new round of experiences. Yes, you learn why they let people with handicap stickers park close and you learn that feet can go on the back of couches as you put your foot up to drain.
But all in all, positivity and pain do not go together. Instead pain seems to bring out sadness and negativity.
The only upside I have found so far is the renewed joy in life at the accomplishment of simple things like walking up the stairs, even slowly!
So please be patient as I heal ! And check back as summer promises new insights for me to share with you.
Thanks!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Niceness...Timid or Aggressive?
Ever watch any sports? I'm thinking of soccer or volleyball or basketball at the moment...even though hockey is really my favorite sport.
Think about how players play those sports. Those who hang back get trampled. Hockey is not bowling. With bowling, you get the whole lane to yourself for your moment in play. Hockey has a different definition of lane.
All those sports, including bowling and some others, require an aggressiveness on the part of the participant. Ever see a timid bowler? They wind up waiting patiently for their ball to ka-chunk its way slowly down to bump the pins and slide to the gutter. They don't score well.
Timid hockey players are left behind as are timid soccer and basketball atheletes. They watch the play move away from them. Wise players follow the play and do so aggressively meaning with intention and speed. It is even worse for the timid volleyball player. You get elbowed, flattened, and trampled...I know ... I am the ultimately timid volleyballer.
Niceness is a good quality. But timid niceness never gets seen. Timid niceness is the internal thought that never has a "thank you" fall out the mouth. Timid niceness is a shy smile at someone in a wheel chair who is having trouble negotiating the cafeteria line. The person knows you understand and appreciate that you aren't pushing them out of the way to get ahead of them in line. But niceness could do more!
I like to teach about "aggressive niceness" which is, simply, a niceness that has enough courage behind it to allow it to be seen. With "aggressive niceness" you actually become a player on the court of life for the niceness team. You are in the game and making plays.
Timidity is a modern curse disguised as "minding your own business" for most of us. We don't want to be pushy or overbearing. We certainly don't want to be aggressive in a negative sense.
Remember The Good Samaritan? Now there was a guy who practiced "aggressive niceness" far better than the other folks in the story. He will always be remembered for that.
Each day, life presents us with an opportunity or two where we could flex our "niceness muscles" but for most of us it would take practice. Put away that timid spirit for just a day or two and you might find there are great rewards for simple "niceness" well exercised.
Think about how players play those sports. Those who hang back get trampled. Hockey is not bowling. With bowling, you get the whole lane to yourself for your moment in play. Hockey has a different definition of lane.
All those sports, including bowling and some others, require an aggressiveness on the part of the participant. Ever see a timid bowler? They wind up waiting patiently for their ball to ka-chunk its way slowly down to bump the pins and slide to the gutter. They don't score well.
Timid hockey players are left behind as are timid soccer and basketball atheletes. They watch the play move away from them. Wise players follow the play and do so aggressively meaning with intention and speed. It is even worse for the timid volleyball player. You get elbowed, flattened, and trampled...I know ... I am the ultimately timid volleyballer.
Niceness is a good quality. But timid niceness never gets seen. Timid niceness is the internal thought that never has a "thank you" fall out the mouth. Timid niceness is a shy smile at someone in a wheel chair who is having trouble negotiating the cafeteria line. The person knows you understand and appreciate that you aren't pushing them out of the way to get ahead of them in line. But niceness could do more!
I like to teach about "aggressive niceness" which is, simply, a niceness that has enough courage behind it to allow it to be seen. With "aggressive niceness" you actually become a player on the court of life for the niceness team. You are in the game and making plays.
Timidity is a modern curse disguised as "minding your own business" for most of us. We don't want to be pushy or overbearing. We certainly don't want to be aggressive in a negative sense.
Remember The Good Samaritan? Now there was a guy who practiced "aggressive niceness" far better than the other folks in the story. He will always be remembered for that.
Each day, life presents us with an opportunity or two where we could flex our "niceness muscles" but for most of us it would take practice. Put away that timid spirit for just a day or two and you might find there are great rewards for simple "niceness" well exercised.
Meek, humble, and never mild
When we talk about being meek... what image comes to mind? My question... is that the style the "faithful" are supposed to have? Is there any other image?
My answer would be certainly and absolutely and necessarily!
The word that throws us off on our faith journey is the word MEEK. Modern folks identify that word with one that sounds like it... weak. But that is not the meaning in the Hebrew traditions.
Meek means humble in many ways...including who gets picked to be the poster child for Meek.... Moses! Now that was a surprise for me! I would never think of Moses as meek. He challenged lots of folks in his day! How can he be meek?
But he was never full of himself. He made mistakes. He was unsure of his speech. He didn't always listen well. He ran away a time or two. He sounds so much like me. And because of that, he doesn't sound like a leader is some ways, many ways.
Still, he was a pivotal leader for the Hebrew people. That basic fact leads us as we consider who he was. And he was, some say, the person to image when we image meek. Humble but dedicated, he was not weak.
When we are told the meek will inherit the earth, it sounds so very much like Moses and the Promised Land. But we miss that reference.
Moses was humble but had strength of character. He had some issues but was willing to work with God to overcome them. Moses made mistakes but prayerfully overcame those too.
If we could all be meek like Moses, I bet the faithful would make a bigger difference on this earth. I bet we'd maybe even turn a few things around politically, socially, economically and I bet then we would find we had indeed inherited the earth.
My answer would be certainly and absolutely and necessarily!
The word that throws us off on our faith journey is the word MEEK. Modern folks identify that word with one that sounds like it... weak. But that is not the meaning in the Hebrew traditions.
Meek means humble in many ways...including who gets picked to be the poster child for Meek.... Moses! Now that was a surprise for me! I would never think of Moses as meek. He challenged lots of folks in his day! How can he be meek?
But he was never full of himself. He made mistakes. He was unsure of his speech. He didn't always listen well. He ran away a time or two. He sounds so much like me. And because of that, he doesn't sound like a leader is some ways, many ways.
Still, he was a pivotal leader for the Hebrew people. That basic fact leads us as we consider who he was. And he was, some say, the person to image when we image meek. Humble but dedicated, he was not weak.
When we are told the meek will inherit the earth, it sounds so very much like Moses and the Promised Land. But we miss that reference.
Moses was humble but had strength of character. He had some issues but was willing to work with God to overcome them. Moses made mistakes but prayerfully overcame those too.
If we could all be meek like Moses, I bet the faithful would make a bigger difference on this earth. I bet we'd maybe even turn a few things around politically, socially, economically and I bet then we would find we had indeed inherited the earth.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Finding the Positive
Did you know that all words are not created equal?? That shouldn't surprise us. The English language has a way of doing things oddly... ask anyone who has learned English as a second language. It is filled with inconsistencies and special cases.
I am leading a workshop on "The Positive in God" and find to do so I have to invent a word. There is no word for the basic on-goings of a positive personality or outlook. We have a word for the negative and it is simply "negativity" ... it even gets dictionary space.
"Positivity" is another matter entirely. The word isn't listed in the dictionary. It even sounds odd to our ears. It just starts the whole debate: can you really invent words?
But I would argue this is no invention. You simply apply the same rules of the English language to the word Postive that you do to the word Negative. Why not? And why hasn't it been done before?
I think the word doesn't exist because it would get so little use. We live in a culture filled with negatives. We live in a news world that features tragedy because people enjoy watching the "tough thing" happen to somebody else. Our television watching includes lots of drama and crime. Even the situation comedy turns on a misfortunate turn of events.
I think there is a way to look at God, and God's world, that is not all gloom and doom. I think there is a way to look at God as a creator who celebrates giraffes and elephants and parrots. That is a Creator with a sense of humor and a sense of wonder. A negative God would have been content to stop at crows!
I don't expect to run into any giraffes today, even though I may walk into a room with a couple of elephants in it (that happens a lot in parish ministry). But I think God would want me looking for the giraffes even as I navigate the elephants.
I think God enjoys a smile. Since it takes fewer muscles to smile than frown, I have to bet that was God's subtle vote for smiles. I think that speaks of positivity.
I am leading a workshop on "The Positive in God" and find to do so I have to invent a word. There is no word for the basic on-goings of a positive personality or outlook. We have a word for the negative and it is simply "negativity" ... it even gets dictionary space.
"Positivity" is another matter entirely. The word isn't listed in the dictionary. It even sounds odd to our ears. It just starts the whole debate: can you really invent words?
But I would argue this is no invention. You simply apply the same rules of the English language to the word Postive that you do to the word Negative. Why not? And why hasn't it been done before?
I think the word doesn't exist because it would get so little use. We live in a culture filled with negatives. We live in a news world that features tragedy because people enjoy watching the "tough thing" happen to somebody else. Our television watching includes lots of drama and crime. Even the situation comedy turns on a misfortunate turn of events.
I think there is a way to look at God, and God's world, that is not all gloom and doom. I think there is a way to look at God as a creator who celebrates giraffes and elephants and parrots. That is a Creator with a sense of humor and a sense of wonder. A negative God would have been content to stop at crows!
I don't expect to run into any giraffes today, even though I may walk into a room with a couple of elephants in it (that happens a lot in parish ministry). But I think God would want me looking for the giraffes even as I navigate the elephants.
I think God enjoys a smile. Since it takes fewer muscles to smile than frown, I have to bet that was God's subtle vote for smiles. I think that speaks of positivity.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Positively God
Down through the years, I've heard lots and lots of discussions.
Is Christianity INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?
Is God known primarily for LOVE or WRATH?
I've heard a lot of comments too. From people who are comfortable in Church and from people who would never come, I've heard comments. Some have interesting and thought-filled understandings. Some have heartfelt and compelling understandings. I learn from each one.
And in the end, I have to return to the two commandments Jesus chose. It was actually a rabbinical position of the day, that all could be summed in: Love God and Love Your Neighbor.
If Jesus chose at that moment of confrontation to speak of LOVE, how can I do less? There must be a depth to God that goes beyond an exclusive and wrathful presence. If not, why would Jesus focus on LOVE?
Peace and Blessings, Dianne
Is Christianity INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?
Is God known primarily for LOVE or WRATH?
I've heard a lot of comments too. From people who are comfortable in Church and from people who would never come, I've heard comments. Some have interesting and thought-filled understandings. Some have heartfelt and compelling understandings. I learn from each one.
And in the end, I have to return to the two commandments Jesus chose. It was actually a rabbinical position of the day, that all could be summed in: Love God and Love Your Neighbor.
If Jesus chose at that moment of confrontation to speak of LOVE, how can I do less? There must be a depth to God that goes beyond an exclusive and wrathful presence. If not, why would Jesus focus on LOVE?
Peace and Blessings, Dianne
A Sense of Humor
WELCOME TO BENT MINISTRY !!!
I have always been told my sense of humor is a little bent (I'm the one scratching my head at jokes)... that my views on political and religious issues are a little bent (I'm the one playing the "GOD IS LOVE" card) ... and my last name spells BENT ...so it just seemed logical.
I have written a blog before but wanted to simplify finding the blog and emailing me so have begun this new blog. Before all that, I served as an editor of a newspaper and had the distinct joy of writing a column all my own each week. The joy was compounded as I talked to folks who liked, loved, or disagreed with what I had written.
As I share my thoughts with you, I invite you to let me know your thoughts ...many of them encouraging I hope!
My presentations at the North East Jurisdiction Clergywomen's Convocation will be the beginning basis of this time together.
Thank you for stopping by and hope you will visit often.
Dianne
I have always been told my sense of humor is a little bent (I'm the one scratching my head at jokes)... that my views on political and religious issues are a little bent (I'm the one playing the "GOD IS LOVE" card) ... and my last name spells BENT ...so it just seemed logical.
I have written a blog before but wanted to simplify finding the blog and emailing me so have begun this new blog. Before all that, I served as an editor of a newspaper and had the distinct joy of writing a column all my own each week. The joy was compounded as I talked to folks who liked, loved, or disagreed with what I had written.
As I share my thoughts with you, I invite you to let me know your thoughts ...many of them encouraging I hope!
My presentations at the North East Jurisdiction Clergywomen's Convocation will be the beginning basis of this time together.
Thank you for stopping by and hope you will visit often.
Dianne
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