Have a laugh, think, and wise-up . . .

This cartoon got me thinking, ruminating actually . . . 

Its humour’s an easy one for me to think on, most of my flights around the country are "no-baggage-check-in's". While overall baggage check-in is down, I observe a high percentage (myself included) travel with their "stuff" with them in back-packs. One’s “on my back carry stuff” gets x-rayed, and examined. But, is it self-examined? Do I know what I’ve bought with me? What’s in the bag on the back is matter for scrutiny; security personnel look at on-screen shapes and patterns, asking occasional questions of us as we repack and move onto our destinations.

We travel with things on us and with us; things visible, and invisible—baggage. The invisible is not merely with us, it’s within us. 

Do we really know what's inside of us in our life-travels? We know there's seen baggage; we've got eyes for that; how do we “see the unseen emotional and attitudinal baggage on our back”? There’s unseen baggage; some of which is not only OK, its necessary and needed for our life-travels. 

Early Christian apostle, Saul of Tarsus’ rumination with the Corinthians connects with my previous paragraph. He was interacting with them on self-knowing and understanding, wisdom; simply, what “God-only-knows” (a common statement of my late mother) through the Spirit’s interactions with our spirits. Try doing some assisted reflective self-knowing—some ruminating . . . 

Hey, when ruminating about me or you, why not “chew-on-a-bullet-or-two”—here’s what the Corinthians* were offered . . .

·         The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along.

·         Whoever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself?

o   The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it.

·         God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us.

o   We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions.

·         The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit.

o   There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness.

·         Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion.

·         Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics.

Thot: While there’s often some unnecessary (or unresolved) baggage in our inner selves, most of what we travel with is highly necessary for our life-journey. Don’t just lose your baggage, evaluate and re-engage life through it—Paul infers “what we carry in concert with the Spirit, in fact carries us . . . "

*Bulleted selections have been excerpted from 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (Message Bible)

JCD’s on a Geneva Journey: Rumination #5

Today was the last day of our ecumenical officers’ meeting at Geneva. A very busy day that started in the Bossey chapel where we worshiped together, it concluded with an evaluation session; evaluation of the week’s involvement and our own engagement in the varied aspects of the experience together.

Evaluation as normally conducted revolves around questions and responses. Not questions and answers, questions and responses; so the questions came. I was caught, more correctly challenged as I listened to the response of one of the delegates from Asia. The question itself was not the challenge, it was the way he made his opening comments of response.

The question’s request, “tell us one thing you have learned that you will now do differently.”

Our colleague said; “I have learned not to pack everything I’m carrying into my checked baggage.” 

We laughed knowingly . . . knowing his baggage had arrived 24 hours after he had. Then I heard my ruminator starting up, and saying—"JCD, don’t laugh; reflect on that statement—hear it as a word for considering . . . "

I could picture our evaluation as a “packing session”, packing the meetings’ content, experiences, equippings, learnings, and resources. Packing it all to take it home . . . take it or ship it?

So, while I have listed my range of change-ideas on paper, I’ve two not “packed in my checked baggage” – ones for ruminating on the journey home . . .

• What are they?

• Do you want to know?

Write me an email in 7 days, and I will gladly let you know in two paragraphs . . .

JCD’s on a Geneva Journey: Rumination #4

Today we all went by coach (that’s a flash bus) into the Geneva headquarters of the WCC**. The place is massive and impressive. Though it’s more than a place, it’s a living community of mission.

There we heard and saw “lots” through various sessions, presentations, Q&A’s, targeted-publications, handouts and visual media. I’ve much to think about and integrate, but not ruminating on that tonight . . .

Tonight it’s the people I travelled with; those I ate lunch beside, consumed coffee and pastries with in the breaks that have my “ruminators-attention.”

I’m asking myself . . .

• “What makes different people, ones with whom I hold common interests and mission commitments; interests and commitments that bring us significant distances to be together, most inspiring when we interact in the casual aspects of well planned and executed informational event?”

So, three thoughts I’m “chewing over” . . .

• Could it be they’re not only different, they are distinctive?

• What makes the difference between distinctive and different?

• How often do I grasp in the casual-encounter what I missed in the formal-presentation?

Well, I’m now off to ruminate and rest . . .

 

** World Council of Churches

JCD’s on a Geneva Journey: Rumination #3

Today we got to hear the General Secretary of The World Council of Churches** address our meeting. He said lots of good, interesting, and challenging stuff. He got me thinking (aka “ruminating”) right from his opening statement . . .

• “Today the challenge is not merely about knowledge; we need people who will act on what they know.”

Good statement; but I, and probably you've heard or said something like his statement’s general idea before—so what got me ruminating? Simply it was the spirit and context of his speech that gave it traction. He talked to us . . .

• Talked about things we already know (hey, I’m in a room of smart people from around the globe) . . .

• Talked about truths we already believe about God’s call to His church to bring His kingdom of justice and peace into situations 

• Talked about situations in the nations where neither justice nor peace are evidenced . . .

• Talked about people have “a right-to-hope” and Christ’s church has “a responsibility-to-act” . . .

• Talked about this reality; the Triune God who has called us to act with Him through the permanent presence of Jesus’ resurrection—to act on what we know . . .

When he was saying we, we could clearly grasp the spirit and context of the “we” was in the room, and beyond the room; the “we” is Christ’s church.

So what am I chewing-on (aka “ruminating”) . . . 

John, "we already know enough to act; for Jesus’ sake, let’s act  . . . "

**Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit

JCD’s on a Geneva Journey: Rumination #2

Today, along with over forty other persons from “around the globe” I got to share in an ecumenical experience, great!  Now both I and you already know what the word experience can mean, so what’s ecumenical about?

Is it a posh term, theological jargon, or one of those words I’m at times accused of “making up”? Well, no, no, and no.

• It’s the term is most widely connected with religious unity, specifically Christianity experiencing her inherent unity. The original Greek root word, oikos, means “house,” and that grew into the word oikoumenikós, which means “the entire world.” Today it most often refers to bringing people of diverse Christian groups or “communions” together.

Ecumenism at heart is not the mere idea of unity inherent in the Christian faith. It is the intentional pursuit and experience of that unity; experienced, not for its own sake, but for “God’s sake”.  At its’ heart ecumenical experience is being the people of God together, doing the work of God for the purposes of God, by acting in the ways of God, as we progress in the mission of God in the earth.

The mission of God catching our souls and calling us to heart and action is a journey of peace and justice; being globally involved in God’s mission.

Today we were thinking and feeling, yes; but how?

Peace and justice as journey in the earth . . . that’s a big one, eh?

But then, how big is God?

Well, that was my day, that’s what I’ve been up to . . . what your day been about?

On a Geneva Journey with JCD: Rumination #1

Today at Geneva was a free day, so with two other Kiwis here for the meeting; I journeyed into the city. 

Upon arrival we asked; “wadda-ya-wanna-see”? 

Stopped briefly, quickly, and easily we made three calls, then off again; now we’re journeying with purpose.

First stop was at the Reformation Wall, a monument honouring many of the main individuals, events, and documents of the Protestant Reformation by depicting them in statues and bas-reliefs.

Looking at the “big-four” filling the monument’s middle, someone said. . . 

• “what’s different between them and church leaders today?" “I mean them and us . . . "

They’re all . . .

• Wearing hats
• Sporting a beard
• Guys (aka Male-type-persons)
• Not showing their feet
• Holding Bibles

Which one got my attention, leading into a brief “on-the-spot” rumination?

Well, I’m not telling you—so ha!

So why not you have a look at (1) the wall pix, (2) our list and make a call, (3) ruminate, and (4) reflect on “why you made your call” . . .

It’s not always what we think that matters, but why we got to think about it in the first place

If you wish respond or interact, use the comments section below . . .

PS – the “big-four” are; Theodore Beza (1519–1605), John Calvin (1509–1564), William Farel (1489–1565), and John Knox (c.1513–1572)

Looking under my summer thinking-cap . . .

It’s a great summer here in the Southern hemisphere . . .

Had my thinking- cap on, not to guard against the sun . . . but to ruminate on some aspects in news, letters to editors, and those “user-friendly articles” that proliferate in the holiday reading season . . .

Ruminating on “the Right of Free Speech”

• “Free speech is a great principle, but it sure helps if you’ve got something worth saying.” 

Ruminating on “letters to the editor”

• “Its one thing to have an opinion, another to give it; but its really helpful if those its given to can actually get it.”

Ruminating over article on “tips for disciplining children”

• “Discipline is not a synonym for punishment; it’s the systematic and supported practice of formation.  It’s an open-ended and ongoing practice. Too often punishment is a stopping-point, whereas discipline’s an ongoing starting-point.”