When thinking about “throwing in the towel” — forget it . . . you don’t have one to throw . . .

A common idiom saying, “I’m quitting” is “Throwing in the towel”  . . .

I’m no longer going to fight in this arena, so I’m throwing my towel into the ring to signal, “I’m out of here” . . . but there is more to it than that. More than is commonly understood in the idiom’s generalised use. In fact, there is a simple problem, but first background to the idiom.

Definition background: “to throw in the towel and throw in the sponge; or toss in the sponge” comes from boxing, this action taken by the boxer's trainer to stop the fight. The trainer signals their fighter is withdrawing from the fight contest.

A simple problem of understanding – the trainer has the towel, not the fighter!

You cannot toss in what you do not have, but you can remember to trust the trainer . . . now, that gets me into ruminating on some words from the apostle Paul; words to Christians in the past who also “struggled with life in the ring” . . .  reminding them God is with them as their “trainer” . . .

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

In feeling the challenge, pressure and trusting the trainer – don’t “bite the bullet” chew on the text . . .

• Knowing that the temptations and pressures in my life are no different from what others experience doesn’t mean it’s easy, just its normative

• The trainer is faithful 

• The trainer will not allow the temptations and pressures to be more than one can stand, he is committed to one’s success, not their mere survival

•  “Stand” is not a synonym for survive – it’s a synonym for endure

•  When you are struggling at energy’s end tempted, the trainer will show you a way out so that you can endure 

Remember the trainer does not have your “dying in the ring in mind” – he does have . . .

•  A towel on his shoulder

• A plan in his heart for your future

• The capacity to enable our fights, fears, failures to serve as fuel to form our future

• Ways of escape, operative for our endurance; not one’s mere survival

 Don’t look for the towel, trust the trainer

Seeking Ruminating Insight - Easter 2014. . .

Hey it’s Easter, what insight could I ruminate over this week?

In resisting the internet, I pull a book from my study shelves. Its an old one, first published in 1927 by a dead guy—he was alive when he wrote it.

H. R. Mackintosh a Scottish scholar, pastor, and theologian in the earlier part of the 20^th century along with others (see if you can recognize his “buddies" in the pix) sought to address “yes but how” biblically reflected responses to life questions in a questioning age.

Mackintosh’s book in my hand is: “The Christian Experience of Forgiveness” (London: Nisbet). I’m reading along in a chapter entitled, “Sin and Guilt” – cool Easter type stuff.

Here’s what I’m reading . . .

“In anyone who knows God as faithfully and unchangeably Redeemer, there is an abiding sense of guilt. Forgiveness does not destroy the knowledge that we are, and have done, evil. That's why the statement that pardon abolishes guilt is not false but it is an abridged one; and as such, a clear expression of the truth that the power of our former guilty sin to banish us from communion with the Father has been taken away. He remembers our sin no more forever, yet we remember it against ourselves; indeed it is more than doubtful whether in any real sense a Christian can ever ‘forgive themselves’ for wrongdoing. . . .”

“. . . Before reconciliation with God the feeling of guilt is purely disabling and saturates the moral life with the consciousness of radical failure. Later as an undertone of felt unworthiness, it now aids in fostering a humility and receptiveness apart from which God cannot be ours.”

Now as I finish reading it (a couple of times over) I’m asking . . .

So, “What’s the good Professor Mackintosh saying?" –

        WRONG QUESTION JCD!! . . .

A better question would be, “What am I seeing?” . . . 

• An abiding sense of guilt is not a feeling of guilt.

• God’s forgiveness enables us to remember the sin that God forgets.

• Forgiveness doesn't deny the existence of evil; by its very action, forgiveness acknowledges evil.

• God forgives us, we don’t forgive Him.

• An understanding of our past sins is not the same as a preoccupation with them.

• Past sins are forensic facts, not foreboding feelings.

• Don’t just seek to get a hold of forgiveness, let forgiveness get a hold of you.

• Under the “gaze of grace” an abiding sense of guilt is not a feeling of guilt.

• Guilt and grace should add up to gratitude.

 JCD remember . . . 

“Reading and ruminating beats reacting, and leads to responding . . .  

so which insight will you chew on?"

Seeking inspiration, try reading your own writing . . .

The KJV’s translation of 1 Corinthians 14:10 resonates in my daily emails; 

• “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification” . . .

I followed my usual procedure of opening my email this morning:

1. deleted some “un-read”
2. deleted some partially read
3. read and ruminated on some
4. read, ruminated and responded to some
5. read, ruminated, reacted and deleted some
6. read, ruminated, reacted and left some for a re-read when my mind has “cooled”
7. read, ruminated, evaluated, and forwarded some, and
8. read and actioned others.

One of the “read and action” group was a survey of purchasing habits and values, lifestyle and leisure trends; interesting. 

Interested in responding to their offer of “reward points,” I’m into the survey.  In the middle of checking choices three boxes with related questions appeared; interesting.

In a flow-of-consciousness I quickly respond to their three questions, then read them over; interesting. Hey, I’m ruminating; interested? 

Read on . . .

What makes you happy? 

• Seeing people improve their opinions of others and attitudes to life's adversities - we can't alter some of life's difficulties, but we can revise our attitudes and actions in the face of them.

What makes you angry?

• It’s more a who, than a what - Me makes me angry . . . that suggests to me I can do something with or about my anger.

What is special about you? 

• I'm allegedly normal . . . that’s frightening.

Before opening my emails this morning I had already intended to read something inspirational as my day commenced. Now I’ve read some; didn’t realise beforehand I might write it first.

• Read your own writing lately?
• How long since you've written something that’s there to read in the first place?  

“There are many voices in the world and they all mean something to someone . . . “

Ready, set - comes before GO . . .

Thinking, chewing over how getting going in life and projects, requires getting ready to get started. Not just starting. You’ve probably guessed it I’m ruminating; my thinking’s “germ” flows from earlier lessons, experiences, and workabilities . . .

Sports were a feature of boyhood days in my neighbourhood; not mere sports in general, athletic sports in particular. In reality, the athletic sport of running. We all got involved, not all succeeded. I was one of the unsuccessfully involved.  But thanks to my brother’s pressure and our mother’s “authority,” I was involved. I was a consistent competitor, starter, finisher, constantly “first at the wrong end;” not a looser, a finisher.  See positive thinking is a life-long practice with me; also learned early, being a “moaner” is counterproductive.

Kit-requirements were minimal. Footwear, bare feet; I was OK for them, born with a pair. Singlet, again OK; put on a clean one every other day. White shorts; duly purchased by mum from the “Family Benefit” allowance.

Each race started with the call to take-up our marks. Settling into our starting stances we listened for three directions; ready, set, go. Go was the point the timekeeper made the first click on her stopwatch, we were running; but for us competitors that was not when the race started. Ready, set - comes before GO . . . for the runner, that’s where the race starts.

In reflection, methinks life’s like this, things start long before I’m seen to be exerting “running energy.”  I take up my mark, settling into a starting place with the finishing goal or purpose in mind. To finish well, I need “marked-perspective” at both ends of the run (aka “race”). I “run my mental and spiritual checklists”  . . . 

• What’s my capacity?

• What does completion look like?

• Will my convictions and actions go in the same direction for the duration?  

Ready - pay attention, I ask myself, “did my run-of-the-checklists increase expectancy or create aversion?”

• If it’s “YES- no” I’m ready for set; if “NO-yes” . . .  . . . ?”

Set says; “be steady, be still, don’t move, rest - but ensure you don’t relax”

GO - time is now running in the race I’d started back when “ready was called” . . .

“Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. I'm off and running and I'm not turning back.  So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet!  Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.  Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal” . . .  Philippians 2:13-17 (Message Bible).

PS – Short sprints were not my race. By my 16th birthday I was only 4’ 11” in height (150cm); by next birthday I was 179cm. Later joined a harriers’ club and enjoyed "going greater distances in community and coming home with others at the right end” – longer legs make for a longer race . . .

Now there’s another rumination possibility . . . 

Understanding, clarity, and getting on with life . . .

Advice (aka direction) given me in the first year as an apprentice typographer . . .

“Johnny, you won’t learn anything by standing still. Get going and it will come to you.”

My then response; “Yeah right!”

You’ve guessed it; I’ve been ruminating on some possible connections; connections between building understanding, gaining clarity, and getting on with life, living, work, and all the great stuff of life’s journey.

Here’s my current summary . . .

• Understanding is ongoing

•  Clarity is progressive

•  Clarity is not always in the mind, it’s more likely to be in the journey

So to; “Johnny, you won’t learn anything by standing still. Get going and it will come to you . . .”

My now response; “Yeah that’s right!”

So far I have learned something, but I haven’t learned much by standing still, as I’ve gotten going; building understanding and gaining clarity continues to come in the journey . . .

Doubt and Doubts . . .

Today my long-time friend Leigh sent me a link to an article by Kyle Cupp, writing in Patheos. Leigh thought it was worth sharing; it is . . . 

Kyle writes honestly and clearly about doubt – click the word “article” to read it . . . I read the article, it got me re-ruminating through my past thoughts and presently growing valuing of “the blessings of doubt” . . .

I’ve been thinking about doubt and doubts for decades, so here goes me (and Jesus’) thinking on doubt. 

Firstly, three opening sentences . . .

Doubt and doubts are Divine gifts resonating within our humanity. Without which we can never continue faith journey’s “traverses.” Doubt’s ruminations serve to focus faith development’s specifics.

For example when I’m reading the “commonly conflated gospel story,” doubt in the narrative of the post-resurrection Jesus resonates differently than it does in the pre-Easter story. In post-Easter faith doubt mingles well as Jesus calls His disciples to resolution, revelation, reorientation and faith. 

Consider these two instances;

Luke’s recounting Jesus in a “locked room” . . .

• They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." Luke 24:37-39

Matthew setting the “great commission” . . .

• Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . . .” Matthew 28:16ff

Jesus reads the “locked-down disciples” doubts, gives them steps to take in a new journey of faith; to the disciples at the mount who bought their doubts to worship and worshipped, Jesus commanded, comforted , and commissioned to reach others as they continued in their own faith-journey. Since Jesus clearly understands disciple-doubts are normal, His encouragement is; don’t deny them, process them.                 

Believers have doubts; without doubt there is no journey to belief.

BTW (by the way) understand clearly, doubt is not a synonym for unbelief . . .

• Doubt says “I know there are answers, so I keep journeying hesitatingly” while unbelief contends; “I now know an answer, I see its implications, and yes, I’m not about to embrace its journey.”

Examined doubt leads toward resolution, revelation, reorientation and faith . . . By all means have doubts, just don’t keep them in the dark; press and process them toward resolution . . .

• Unbelief is an enemy of your faith, unresolved it leads to dissolution . . . or, faithless faith (now there’s an oxymoron!!!)

To Chew or Not to Chew . . .

Just noticed have not blogged for almost two months; so what significant rumination should I engage in?

Question to self:

“What have I been doing lately?”

Answer: 

“Well, Dorothy and I have been on holiday with our overseas family in ole London town.  That’s occupied the last six weeks; experiencing in the city's locations, encounters and observations of its art and creativity. Some art-encounters were inspirational, interpretable, reflectable, some sub-intelligible, or downright bonkers. All such encounters encountered through our engaging the art-of-ambulant-activity (aka “walking from place to place”) . . .

So to summarise our activity in an artistic spirit I’ve “rattled off a rhyme” . . .

        Went into London for a walk,

        Not to eat a pie of pork,

        There to neither talk nor gork,

        Just to walk, and walk, and walk.

Question to self:

“So John, what’s the significance of a pork pie in your rhyme?”

Answer: 

“Good question . . .  I’ll ruminate on it and get back to you if something comes up . . .”

Next month I’ll really try to offer more by the way of depth and significance . . .