Tuesday, March 29, 2011

It's Time to Say Goodbye

Nothing is new under the sun and so to say that life is full of twists and turns is simply to repeat what anyone who is living knows already. When I first started writing my meditations on certain verses back in January of 2008 the turn of my life at the time prompted me. The following three years provided the appropriate twists and turns dealing out copious fodder for meditations. It remains fascinating, after all these years, to see how pertinent, how fresh, how spot on, are the lives of the Old Testament, the ministry of Jesus and the epistles to the turbulence of life today.

But just as life events prompted my writing I find that life events are prompting me to stop posting anymore writings. It has been a tremendous experience and I am grateful to all who took the time to read my musings - some of you even commenting on them! So, it is with a great deal of sadness and yet peace that I sign off from writing anymore On Crooked Knees.

Thank you again. My life has grown and changed for the experience. As you continue with your journey I hope that you will make new discoveries in how God intersects with your life. He is not absent in his silence. May we all live in the fullness of the knowledge that we are created in His image.

Blessings,
Valerie

Monday, March 21, 2011

On Vacation

Hi! I'm leaving town on Tuesday and will be gone for the week to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday! What fun! Look for new writings next Monday!

Blessings!
Valerie

Friday, March 18, 2011

It's Time to Jump

But for you that honor my name, victory will shine
like the sun with healing in its rays, and you will jump
around like calves at play.

Malachi 4:2

On any given day there are times when I don’t feel very playful. My spirit is depleted and even a sun shinning day doesn’t dispel the grayness. And as far as feeling victorious, well, some days I’d feel more comfortable walking around with a capital “L” on my forehead.

At these moments I become desperate for relief.

God expects a lot when He demands honor in the middle of adversity. However, I do find hope in the word but. God promises that He will deal with the arrogant and evildoers, but my true pleasure will come when I give Him the glory.

During desperate times victory will come in due time. The sun will shine again and leaping with joy I’ll finally walk out of the darkness into the sun’s warmth. So today I stand in His presence. Calf jumping will come later and no doubt when I least expect it.

Jesus, help me to live each day in a way that honors You.
I trust that when it is time for jumping
my spirit will be ready.
Amen.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Doing Church

But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.

Matthew 9:17b

In ten weeks I have worshipped at eight churches. There’s a lot of talk about “doing church” differently but so far I haven’t seen any significant change. Flashing images have replaced crosses, drums pound in lieu of organs vibrating, shirt tails instead of suits are the norm but the structure has essentially stayed the same. This truth I learned, on a recent Sunday, as I sat after singing a few songs, and listened to an hour sermon.

When the Jordan waters dripped from Jesus a genuine change happened. The traditionalists became aware of an uncomfortable sensation - change. Rituals and structure began to crumble under the words, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” They flailed about as their religious “plates” shifted, unceremoniously dumping them into the unfamiliar. Jesus brought a new paradigm, a different way to “do church” in the world. Very little of his ministry happened in the synagogue. Most of it was spent on dusty roads, amongst pressing crowds, crowded dining tables, rolling hills.

If I want Jesus’ new wine paradigm to influence my world I guess that I need to chuck "the way it used to be" wineskins and start making new ones. As uncomfortable as it may become, I’m going to move beyond the way “church” used to be, because the world isn’t the way it used to be.

Jesus, you transcend time, cultures and centuries.
Help us to be paradigm shifters, showing You to the world in a new way.
Amen.