Just the roadie...

Brennan Manning and I just don't see things the same way sometimes. He tends toward the pretty bells and butterflies where I tend toward the darker side of life. Maybe it's how he sees life and maybe it's because I always look for the redemptive story. I'm always rooting for the underdog and pulling for the triumph of the down-trodden and forgotten. That's why I love the stories of the prodigal son, Peter, Paul, and Mary in the bible (sorry - had to do it). Brennan Manning attributes the story where the woman weeps on Jesus feet, dries His feet with her hair, and pours oil on his feet in Luke 7 to Mary Magdalene. Whether it is her or not, Manning feels she was drawn to Jesus and her act of adoration by "the beauty and compassion of this magnetic man"... He imagined that "His eyes called out to her: Mary, come to me". Okay, I'm sorry, but that doesn't cut it for me. Too fluffy and near romance novel level for my tastes... LOL! I...

I'm reading now through the Spiritual Retreat at the end of Brennan Manning's, "The Ragamuffin Gospel". Today's entry deals with being in the here and now. Living in the only time we can affect. We can't change the past or the future so Brennan Manning talks about seizing the gift of the moment God provides for us. Admittedly, his example was kind of lost on me. It seemed just silly but I understood his point. I just know I won't be chased by a tiger toward a cliff, where with no where to go, I spot a rope, climb to "safety" from the tiger, while the jagged cliffs loom below, the tiger waiting for me above and hungry mice chewing through the rope... but then I spot and eat the most delicious strawberry growing out the side of the cliff. I get his point, God gives us the now. Live for what God gives us. Don't live in the past or future. Don't worry about the past or the future but look for what God is providing for you right now. ...

Today I tried to start making changes. No Twitter, limited Facebook, email or texting, and a lot of quiet. I really enjoyed the quiet. It was a rainy day (drizzle - spit - on again - off again) so that kept noise and traffic down on the street which also helped with the noise. It was nice while reading to not have distractions. Even now, in the evening quiet I can hear the gentle rain on the awning over the front porch; and in a lot of ways it is incredibly soothing. I'm WAY too easily distracted and not the fastest reader so concentration is pretty important. That's another reason I want to try to "Disengage... Reengage..." for a while. I just need to refocus on some important things. I've decided to work with the spiritual retreat at the end of The Ragamuffin Gospel. There are only nineteen entries yet I think I can actually do this for almost three weeks. There may be days or entries skipped or combined. We'll have to see. Toward the end of The Ra...