Compline

I watched Born Without a Face last night. Like other TLC stories, this one touched my emotions. I felt love for Juliana through her parents.  It was like she was Ella and I was hugging and kissing her before a surgery.  I think there is something sacramental about putting yourself in the place of another.  Perhaps that is why I like acting.  After watching the show I had to give the kids an ardent good night kiss and hug them, though they were asleep already.  

I also felt I had to pray.  The emotions and images wouldn’t leave me alone.  I got on universalis and prayed compline.   Ray Orth sent me an email asking me how the hours were going, and I had to admit since my Lent book ran out, I haven’t tried much.  This Sunday night, last night and now twice today universalis has been a joy and succor to my soul. I’ve missed praying the psalms.    

Consecration

The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life, Nelson Royal Classics By Hannah Whitall Smith

Often I have held on to the "Not-yet" part of my salavation. It reminds me that there is still a world of discipleship yet to be experienced. Reading this book focuses me on the already of salvation - that I have consecrated myself, given myself as an offering to him. What is given to him is recieved and made holy because he who recieves it is holy. Resting in this fact means not questioning the truth of my consecration even when I fail. Does my sin mean that I am not God's? No. Only that I stand in need of Grace yet, and rest in the knowlege and belief that God gives grace.

It is refreshing to think of sanctification in terms, not of doing, but of resting and trusting. Thank you my Father and King for recieving my offering of my body.

Mourning the loss of a friend

this is not a drill: "there is no rhyme or reason to it. i feel so lost. so useless. there is nothing that can be done to change what happened. nothing that will ever console the hearts of my friends."

Naseem came into the coffee shop Saturday morning. I thougth she looked like she had lost her best friend. It was her best friend's little brother. As she told me how he had been hit by a car while riding his bike, what his life had meant to her and how hopless it all seemed, I suffered along with her. I had the privlage experience the best in being a pastor and a barista... being a listener. God, be with Naseem and those who suffer at Captian's death.

On the loss of a friend

Here I stand mourning the death of Don Quixote of la Mancha. His madness in committing himself to his profession gave me strength to commit myself to mine. Now I bid farewell to Alonso Quixano the sane. Thank you for the joy and sweetness your delightful madness has brought me. May my own peculiar madness be as sweet to me, and sanity find me praising God!

"He could sell that cookie" A comment at the coffee shop about how Foster could be a model.