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Turning Point
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Brian often labels a message or word for a year, as I was talking with a friend, Ryan, today, and we were discussing and trying to put words to goals for the new year, I mentioned a few things, keeping up for the first time with DAB 2012 and finishing with the community, ending my dulled walking through life on psychotropic drugs to dull the depression and anxiety thing and finally going to God instead of the drugs to solve thing, and finally balancing the budget and learning to be content in what we have. The words that came to mind as a phrase for 2012 was: Turning Point. I think that is good, turning to God - I am an adopted son of God, through the blood of his Son. I can live in that, being washed each day in the word as I learn to keep up in the DAB readings. Turning from man's solutions to God's solutions, and turning from discontentment and overspending, to contentment and peace. I like that. Turning point. Welcome to 2012. I'm thrilled to be here.
John
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John T 01/01/2012 18:02 |
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Lanny Carlson
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01/01/2012 18:57 |
Thanks for sharing, John.
My word for the year is "Deeper."
I explained this on an earlier post today, which I will reepost here;
Yesterday, Brian suggested that some 2011 listeners would not be back in 2012.
I thought I would probably be one of those.
But, it's January 1, and here I am, having completed Day One!
Part of it is HABIT.
It's said that if you do something consistently for long enough, it becomes a habit.
And that was certainly true for me in 2011.
After 5 years of inconsistency, in 2011 DAB became a deeply ingrained habit.
I just couldn't start the day without listening,
and fell behind only a couple of times all year.
Even though my mind often wandered and I didn't always catch every word,
I still felt compelled to listen, and I'm sure the words got through subconsciously!
And if I were to skip a few days right now, I know I would really miss it.
Part of it is also SPIRITUAL.
Though I can't honestly say that I have experienced the dramatic life changes to which some bear witness,
I do believe that listening to DAB has kept and will keep me grounded.
Most people here know that theologically I am quite "liberal," for lack of a better word.
And I guess my key word for 2011 was "EXPAND."
Our finite minds will never be able to fully grasp the nature and reality of the divine,
and I believe our usual view of God is much too small.
Though I have always been open-minded,
in 2011 I came to appreciate more than ever before the beliefs and insights and practices
of other peoples and traditions.
I love http://www.SpiritVoyage.com and resonate to the sacred chant music of Snatam Kaur, GuruRamdesh, and others.
Through a number of "coincidences," I was able to attend SpiritFest in September;
it was held at a Jewish retreat center, and this retired United Methodist pastor
was able to join with Sikhs, as well as some Jews and other Christians,
in worship and praise of the One God.
It was truly one of the most God-filled and uplifting weekend I have ever experienced.
Over the past couple of years especially, My view of and my relationship with the Divine
has grown far beyond the narrow exclusivism I sometimes see in Christianity (though not in Christ,
and my word for 2012 is "DEEPER."
Other than listening every day to DAB,
my spiritual practice - prayer, meditation, sacred chant, yoga, etc - has been inconsistent at best,
and I need to be more intentional and consistent and grow more deeply spiritually and physically in 2012.
But as I grow, I need to stay GROUNDED.
Thich Nhat Hanh has always spoken of the importance of ROOTS,
and insists that Christians drawn to his teachings not forsake their Christian faith
but allow his insights to make them better Christians.
(The Dalai Lama shares similar views, insisting that there is no such thing as a "Buddhist-Christian,"
which he likens to putting a yak's head on a sheep's body!
Both agree that the aim of every Christian should be to become the best Christian they can be.)
So, even as my faith grows and expands and deepens,
I am a Christian, and Jesus continues to be my polar star and my guiding standard.
Though my theology and Christology would not be acceptable to many,
including many at DAB with whom we have mutually agreed to disagree,
I can never forsake my commitment to Christ as the One in whom I see and know God most clearly.
So - I WILL continue to be a regular listener to DAB,
even though some of the images of God conveyed by some of the writers in another time and another culture
are at odds with with what I see in Jesus,
in order to stay grounded in my Christian tradition
and to allow the Divine to speak to me through the Scriptures
in whatever way the Divine choses to speak.
And I will continue to be grateful for the DAB community,
in all its diversity and its genuine love of another.
Grace and Peace,
Lanny R Carlson
P.S. If anything I have written is offensive or troubling to anyone, I apologize.
That was not my intent.
My intent was simply to share my heart and mind as we begin this new year together.
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tina
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01/05/2012 21:56 |
Very well said John..my word is " crave" Crave his word more than anything else in my life..then it just begins..
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Heidi
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01/05/2012 22:09 |
Hey John, My word is Faith. Faith that God will work out what I can't see or understand. I want God to grow my Faith to that greater than a mustard seed. I want Faith that can move the world not just mountains.
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susanst53
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01/07/2012 03:35 |
john = concise and poignant! glad u r here. Lanny - i share your path here = i too have times when my mind wanders and i am hopeful that my spirit "heard' what was said.
I think, if truth be told, that why the DAB works for me is because of Brian's tone of voice and his thoughtful background music. He reads with such 'inflection' and passion. I have heard other readings and I am comforted in 'coming home' to Brian's voice. I like when Jill also reads. They have become 'family' of sorts and in touching base with the DAB and checking the forums is now habit and I am unhappy until I get my daily dose of it. The community of people also have become family and I am 'concerned' with the welfare of the members. this is the most awesome Christ community and 'church' of the 21st century. long may it reign.
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John Cai
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01/07/2012 11:27 |
Thanks for sharing, John.
My word is "light". I walked in darkness and i didn't kknow, but now I see light. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
Let's keep walking in his path.
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John T
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01/14/2012 14:47 |
Thanks all - great stuff!
John
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