commUNITY

I believe that the underlying part of all of this is listening to the Holy Spirit and living out His leading within the framework of the Scriptures in the midst of godly community.
… Strong communities are self-correcting. But our churches have bought into the lie that what someone does is his/her own business. It’s not, though. If you live in true community, it’s the community’s business, too.

The above excerpt is from a comment to Jan’s post on perseverence. There is also further discussion on discernment and “our inability to distinguish the Spirit from the flesh”.
I wonder if people desire to be a part of such a community; a community in which all are actively participate in one another’s discernment processes. One with trust and vulnerability. One where we learn to patiently wait on God.
I am not truly patient but I am learning. Learning to give over control — God’s will versus Jenn’s wants. Learning to live without my ducks in a row and details carefully sorted into boxes (boxes which are labelled, alphabetized, cross-referenced, archived and colour-coded). Learning to be silent and listen to the Spirit. Learning to seek community that asks tough questions and insists on accountability. Learning to continue to walk in faith, to keep moving, striving forward.

Mind games

I began running the morning of August 20, 2006 after a long, long absence. I ran a fair bit in elementary and high school – cross country and various track & field events. My excuse for not getting out there was that I needed new runners. I still need new runners but I’d had enough of my own excuses.

That first run a week ago was not so much running and quite a bit of walking. I was stiffer than a board for the next few days. Things are better now. If you want, you can check back to see how well I am doing … in consistency that is. You’ll find the link on the left side near the top. I do this out of my own selfish needs for accountability and encouragement.

Running is mostly a mind-game for me: can I get myself out of bed, can a choose a suitable pace, can I push myself those last few squares of the sidewalk? No distractions — just me and the pavement…and maybe a few of the regulars I pass each morning. Perhaps I’ll write their stories in the future.

On this cloudy grey day

On the cloudy grey day that was today, there were but two moments of glorious light; one figurative, one literal.

This morning, one of the coordinators came in with her new daughter — baby Georgia. (Georgia is now one of my new favourite baby names.) She was passed around to various folks as babies often are; all ohh-ing and ahh-ing appropriately. There is something remarkable about children: they tap into a corner of everyone’s soul and joy quickly permeates the room. When the opportunity presented itself, I held the new little wonder for the rest of her visit; she and I in our own little world … she nestling contentedly in the crook of my arm, I marveling and growing ever contented myself. I think they just might have noticed if I “borrowed” her for a while. This morning, Georgia was my little ray of light.

I had relocated my workspace today to one beside a window and had the priviledge of witnessing hours of of gentle rain. Late this afternoon, I found myself squinting and not quite knowing why. A few moments later I realized that all things grey and been enveloped in sunlight poking through partly cloudy skies. Autumn is my favourite season: crisp mornings, flickering white butterflies, medolious songbirds and evenings that bask in rich golden sunlight. The skies are once again shrouded in dark blue-grey cover, but, this afternoon, I was offered my second ray of light.

Pronoun intrigue

I get caught up in details from time to time. Still haven’t worked through my Zephaniah 3:9 issue yet … but I have another question.

Let the nations be aroused
And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
For there I will sit to judge
All the surrounding nations.

Various translations do interesting things with quotation marks: NASB quotes v.1-8 only; NIV v.1-8, 12-13, 17-21; NKJV v. 1-8, 9-10, 12-13, 17, 19-21; ESV v. 1-8, 17-21.
Why am I intrigued with quotations? Verse 8 ends with something like thus saith the Lord–thus v. 1-8 are referencing speech, and some versions (ie. not NKJV) would suggest Joel begins speaking himself with the absence of quotations in verse 9.
If this line of reasoning is to continue, what do you then make of NASB and ESV lack of quotations in v. 12-13…notably in v. 12 for there I will sit to judge? Who exactly is sitting and judging? I would suggest “I” still refers to God. However, is there anything to be inferred by the fact that it is now Joel speaking and not God?
Not having an actual Strong’s by my side (but only having a web version), tracking to whom/Whom this solitary pronoun belongs is a bit of a challenge. Indeed, my rather narrow focus may preclude some understanding of Joel’s (God’s) message. My Hebrew is not up to snuff either, otherwise I could simply read an untranslated version (trusting that a valid manuscript was used/manuscript pieces put together) and be done with it.
Anyone wishing to aid in this pronoun dilema would be most welcome to do so. Otherwise just add it to the ‘just another eclectic thought from her head’ pile.

Milan choli

Ignore the title. Neither word has anything to do with this post. It was a poor attempt at creativity. I suppose I might be feeling differently if I were in Milan and happend to be purchasing a choli. Shopping, let alone shopping in a foreign country, is a quick fix.
I’m just in an odd mood right now. No need to worry. I’m just procrastating. I’d hoped to have some news today … no such luck. I’ll likely hear tomorrow; they’ll pass the message along in person. A message of yay would mean a tough decision: am I ready to settle down, ready for added responsibility, ready for a commitment? A message of nay would in many ways be a relief: I should be content where I am at and slow down my ambitions; learn to say no once or twice along the way.
My company also left. It was most wonderful to have them here but there is always a small sense of loss when folks leave. These two should be back in the general area in a short while. I’m looking forward to having old friends that much closer.
A few hours of listening to Arcade Fire and Blue October has also added to the melancholic-restless feel for the afternoon.