tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post116062787323359407..comments2023-12-23T05:26:40.855-06:00Comments on Showers of Blessings: Keeping our eyes on the prizePaul Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03483071863453025925noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160974292192040572006-10-15T23:51:00.000-05:002006-10-15T23:51:00.000-05:00Your post reminds me of a favorite bumper sticker:...Your post reminds me of a favorite bumper sticker: "God laughs when we make plans." Quaker meetings are not supposed to be churches. There are plenty of Churches that think they collectively know what God is, what the Kingdom of God is, and how to plan to make it happen on Earth. Quaker meetings are not churches. We don't come to agreement (Ha!) on what the Kingdom of God is and plan to make it happen (How? By force?) on Earth. We wait in silence, we follow our inner light on matters of the spirit, not some plan handed down by the fathers of Churchianity. What you suggest seems like the opposite of Quakerism to me. Aren't you just yearning for a standard Christian church? If you try to create and implement your Church plan, you might just find out that modern Quakers are more like George Fox than you thought!<BR/><BR/>My advice: FORGET about planning. You want to breathe some life into your Quaker meeting? Go to meeting for worship with no preconceived notion about what God is or what God wants you to do. Absolutely, mercilessly search your heart. You find something, blurt it out. Don't worry about looking like a hypocrite -- Dare to be a hypocrite! Don't worry about looking like an idiot -- Dare to be an idiot! You find something, blurt it out! Then do what you must.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160971107161512272006-10-15T22:58:00.000-05:002006-10-15T22:58:00.000-05:00I have some further thoughts. Actually this came ...I have some further thoughts. Actually this came together for me in the form of vocal ministry in my main meeting (Live Oak Preparative, Monterey County, CA) <BR/>Nurturing ourselves and bringing about the Reign of God on Earth are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are two halves of the same process, like breating in and breating out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160930337857998822006-10-15T11:38:00.000-05:002006-10-15T11:38:00.000-05:00My goal is to literally freeze Hell.My goal is to literally freeze Hell.Peggy Senger Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05193006027950622923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160794232197243102006-10-13T21:50:00.000-05:002006-10-13T21:50:00.000-05:00Thanks, so much, Paul!I read your comment because ...Thanks, so much, Paul!<BR/>I read your comment because a month or so ago I was admiring the latest Nature Conservancy magazine. I started to wonder, "Why can't the Society of Friends" be more like the Nature Conservancy?" The secret of TNC's success is that they know what their goal is: preserving every square inch of the natural envaironment that they possibly can. What is our goal as Friends? My own personal goal as a Friend is to love and worship God and to work for the establishment of Gospel Order--that Order which brings about the harmony in all creation and in human society which God which was God's intention at creation and continues to be God's intention. How does being a Friend help me to reach that goal? Often it's a struggle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160739881013051602006-10-13T06:44:00.000-05:002006-10-13T06:44:00.000-05:00Paul,Your post speaks my mind. Friends are a midw...Paul,<BR/><BR/>Your post speaks my mind. Friends are a midwife to the Kingdom of God. And, most of the time, we don't act that way.<BR/><BR/>At the same time, getting to see (and live) that this is our mission, is the business of ministry. It's not easy.<BR/><BR/>We (not just Friend, all of us on the planet) are in deep dispair about achieving the Kingdom. So, we cover our dispair in denial that we are even trying. It is so much easier to mop the floors and sit down in front of the TV.<BR/><BR/>Cutting through that denial and dispair, in ourselves and in those around us, is hard steady work. <BR/><BR/>We do a disservice when we chide ourselves and each other that it somehow ought to be easier.<BR/><BR/>much love,<BR/><BR/> BowenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160696545978107142006-10-12T18:42:00.000-05:002006-10-12T18:42:00.000-05:00Paul,Glad you didn't wait for me to make your comm...Paul,<BR/><BR/>Glad you didn't wait for me to make your comment a guest piece. It would have been a few more days, I think! And its Light shows itself much better here, IMHO. smile<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>Liz Opp, <A HREF="http://thegoodraisedup.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">The Good Raised Up</A>Liz Opphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09802348848085930901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14041973.post-1160664169440431332006-10-12T09:42:00.000-05:002006-10-12T09:42:00.000-05:00This last issue of Friends Journal was awesome! T...This last issue of Friends Journal was awesome! The best since I have been a subscriber.<BR/><BR/>I suggest that this issue should answer the question where the Journal should go and why it should exist.<BR/><BR/>Even the editor seemed amazed at the deep level of spiritual hunger that is out there in Quaker circles. It is time to reclaim our distinctively Quaker spirituality and build upon the foundations that have been laid by our foreparents. <BR/><BR/>It seems this reclaimation/renewal is happening. It appears that Friends Journal is one with this new move of the Spirit. Everlasting Gospel, indeed!quakerboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00762340904563467030noreply@blogger.com