...a barely thematic journey through my tangentizing mental life...: 04.09

Monkey Bar Theology (Definition)

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The slow-changing structure of our corporate theological and philosophical understandings, founded on the secure ground of God's truth, provides the space for freedom and creativity.

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Related
on Laura's Writings
on Who in the World Are We?

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Eight Ways to Get the Bible in You

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Read it aloud.
Create a handwritten copy.
Ask hard questions.
Translate into poetry.
Read it repeatedly.
Create a display.
Pray it.
Read in large chunks.

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In the object of trust, the power rests.

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it’s all about trust. (Isaiah 36-39)

185,000 trust military power
and become dead corpses (Isaiah 37:36-38)

one trusts Yahweh: Jerusalem lives (Isaiah 37)
one trusts self: Jerusalem captured (Isaiah 39)

how about you?

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Am I living abundantly?

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abundant life is a life lived well;
it is holistic, involving body, intellect, affect, and volition,
and fueled by the meaning God gives our circumstances.

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Inputs:
Thousand Pines Women's Retreat 2009
Chris Simning
John 10:9-11; Philippians 1:20-21; Hebrews 11:1; Proverbs 13:12; Psalm 90:17; Proverbs 17:22; Galatians 6:9

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Low Carb Week

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Pucks: coconut flour (1 c); sunflower seeds (2 c); beef stock (1 c); egg whites (1 c); dried nori (1 c)--bake at 375 F until done
Savory: whole chicken legs (3); green cabbage (1); olive oil (0.5 c); garlic powder (1 T); sea salt (1.5 t)--simmer chicken in olive oil until lightly browned, add garlic powder, add rough chopped cabbage, top with salt and cook until the cabbage nearly melts
Salad: Hass avocado--peel and eat

NOTE: amounts refer to all food M-F.

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Working on the Blog

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Please be patient :-)

UPDATE 1: columns now in place, thanks to Prib. I'll be fixing the column contents later on.

UPDATE 2: still having a few issues inside Blogger and I'm not yet happy with the color scheme in the three column format, but it's coming along.

UPDATE 3: tweaked it a bit more, moving both sidebars to the right, trimming sidebar contents a bit.

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Revisiting Paul's Letter to the Ephesians

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Ephesians 1:1-2
"The Wealth and Walk of a Christ Follower"

This Paul
writes
to these holy ones
in this
thoroughly pagan
place,
these faithful
holy ones,
these "in Ephesus,"
these "in Messiah."

And it begins…

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Further Reading
Watch the Irony Dance, Eph 1:1-2
Ephesians tag on Laura's Writings
Ephesians tag on TFB Sermon Discussion

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A bit of star anise, a bit of ginger, a bit of lime

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Pucks: 1c steel-cut oats cooked in enough beef stock to make a semi firm dough; 0.5 c coconut flour in 1c egg whites and enough water to make a smooth paste; 1 inch grated fresh ginger; 0.5c sunflower seeds; 1t of sea salt; baked at 400 F until browned and done. Makes 12.
Savory: I begin experimenting with the crockpot this week—2 lbs stew beef, browned in olive oil; 4 large turnips, 1 inch cube; 4 star anise, 1.5 inches sliced fresh ginger; 6 hours on low
Salad: 2 large jicama, 0.25 inch cube; zest and juice of 4 limes; paprika and chipotle powder to taste; shake and eat

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Evangelicals Engaging Emergent--I was cited...who knew!

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I just did a random search for whointheworldarewe (my other blog) and found out I’ve been cited in a published book. Cool.

click to enlarge.

Why isn’t the truth obvious?

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we all assume
we see so clearly,
dividing fact from fiction,
truth from falsity.

blind to the corruption
that stains our reason,
we pluck specks

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Further Reading:
Matthew 7:1-5
Where are we going?
Hidden Yet Revealed
This world is a mess. Why doesn't the Creator intervene?

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"God is concerned, not merely with how you work, but what you do for work." -Dodson

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"Theological integration is not an esoteric practice, but rather a mundane activity celebrated by Jesus... In cultivating theological integration, work can become worship.”

Yes, yes!

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Check out Jonathan Dodson's entire article: Working Theologically: What We Do or How We Do It?--good stuff!

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Isaiah 34-35—when justice and blessing are complete

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the rejectors,
spending centuries in arrogant assumption,
finally, then, receiving their full, terrible reward.

the chosen,
spending centuries in stumbling trust,
finally, fully, gloriously blessed.

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What’s the big deal about Easter?

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humiliation and exaltation
sacrifice beyond description
deliverance as basic
the single source of life
the despicability of sin
God’s grace and justice

all in Christ.

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Mixing Spicy with Mellow

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Pucks: steel cut oats, coconut flour, nori, beef stock, olive oil, and egg whites.
Savory: whole chicken leg, dredged in coconut flour, chili powder, garlic powder, and a touch of chipotle powder and roasted, served with roasted with fennel and leek dredged in the same mix
Salad: diced celery, seasoned with white pepper and nutmeg, topped with apple, marinated in sweet lime
Snacks: unsalted almonds, dark chocolate, banana, coffee

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What happens after God’s Purging and Re-Creating?

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we dance
his dance,
our dance,
bringing forth
creative amplification of his truth
and in the dance,
the scars of corruption and division
are healed.

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Twenty-five Biblical and Theological Resources

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Websites

Biblical Sites

Theological Sites

Bible Software

Biblical/Theological Books

What resources would you add?

Added by Readers

Blue Letter Bible

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How can we hold on when now seems such a mess?

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it is a hard thing to realize
that we can’t judge reality
by current circumstances.

the truth is bigger than now
and larger than us.

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Isaiah 33

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We need to worship because without it, we can forget

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how easy for us to slip into thinking
that worship is all about music and style—
as if it were entertainment.

it’s not.

it’s declaration.

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Resources:
TFB Sermon Discussion: Growing a Big God
Matthew 14:22-33
Isaiah 40

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Manilla Mango and Sweet Limes

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Pucks: stepping away from the usual pucks, legumes are out and coconut flour is in; these are seasoned with sweet lime juice and zest and red jalapeno
Savory: layer 1--browned Brussels sprouts, with manila mango-honey-sweet lime glaze; layer 2--onion strings, sweat in marinating liquid and olive oil; layer 3--stew beef, marinated in sweet lime, onion, jalapeno, and olive oil, and stewed in its own juice
Salsa: orange bell pepper, mango, sweet lime juice, and red jalapeno
Salad: diced celery, broccoli, and orange bell pepper, in a dressing of pureed mango, lime, red jalapeno, and olive oil, with flaked salmon

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When will we stop muting the voice of the deep orderliness?

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so easily we forget the enormity,
the complexity, of it all,
searching from micro to macro,
missing one for another,
refusing to lift the canopy.

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Idea Fodder

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Since God created humanity male and female, what sort of humanity should we be?

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we are both/and,
dancing across a presumed dialectic,
reflecting the Whole One,
who is One-in-Three:
distinct without division,
one without confusion,
make like the Son.

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This side of divinity, a multiplicity of perspectives is necessary.

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Our viewpoint here is so partial, so filtered, that when quite certain we are correct, we must hold our conclusions and interpretations with open hands.

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