Uphill idealist

Image found at My Hero Project There is the idea of "No man or woman is an island.” The philosophy of Ubuntu lifted up by South African culture to promote balance of relationships within community, says we are not complete when left solitary. “South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95. Mr. Mandela led South Africa's transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after 27 years in prison for his political activities.”( BBCNews Article ) In honor of Nelson Mandela’s life and his death this week – it’s timely to ponder the importance and meaning of “Ubuntu”. President Mandela was a man that risked everything in order to stand up against the injustice of Apartheid. This challenge was not one without fear, but fear did not keep him from stepping into the fray - for the restoration of justice for others. "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he...

The lyrics of the song, "Please release me, let me go.."  (thank you Tom Jones ) have been bouncing around my mind all week. I've been pondering on the practical and spiritual meaning of the story of Lazarus and what it means to be "untied" from things that bind or hold people back. Later this weekend, I will be sharing a children's message based on the reading in John 11, concerning the death of Lazarus. I know the story and I'm pretty sure that we shared it with the kids at VBS a few years ago, but I'd like to be careful in how it's presented. This Sunday is All Saints Sunday, it was just Halloween - and as much as I like the fun of Halloween, I don't want the account of Lazarus and Jesus to sound like another spooky story. The more I read this account, the more I'm struck on how Jesus walks into a situation of grief, experiences that grief, and takes action to release his friends and himself from it. The words that I keep g...

Image from blog Soul Sanctuary Flip the switch that switched in me. Where did that feeling of rest go to be. Wonder never cease and the sun shines bright. Can I go back to that place of fancy free and flight? If I could, I'd throw that worry switch far away, so it would never again darken my door or see the light of day. Let loose that hair and put on those comfy clothes, no matter the placement rest won't have to say "Adios!" Flip that switch that switched so silently... Flick it again, and quick get out that duct tape and stick flurry forever "off" and away from me. T.L. Eastman July 2010

Freedom image found at Flicker. Freedom is an interesting concept. There are many categories in life in which people seek or are seeking freedom. Speech, religion, press, thought, assembly, association and choice are the immediate freedoms that come to my mind. I suppose it's obvious to say that that my freedom pondering presently has been in the area of my thinking. In much of my reading this week in my Sacred Space devotion, freedom was the focus of the week. Much of it's emphasis was in the freedom to be oneself and to think upon how God delights in the creation of each and every person. Some of the thoughts of freedom led to a common ground of unity and love. All these connecting statements got me thinking. Can freedom truly be experienced without a foundation for living based on love and unity? Recently, I've had days that cause me to spend (probably) too much time pondering the dark corners of my own mind. I found in this last week that my struggle with freedom had m...