Tell the truth now

photo By Tomwsulcer

 

My husband recently used one of my favorite songs- Tell the Truth to Yourself– against me. We were discussing our diets and he claimed I put a LOT of cream in my coffee, to which I argued that I did NOT. He grinned at me and said,  “Tell the truth to yourself.”

I must confess I kinda did the same thing months ago with the line “I lied to the doctor”, teasing him because he tries to be so good with his eating the week before he goes in for lab work.

All joking aside, it’s not easy to tell the truth to yourself. To face the music. Lately I’ve had to admit to myself that I am no spring chicken, whatever that is.  I can still hike, but some days I go pretty slow. I have to be careful when I’m playing chase with Ruby. And when I dance in the kitchen.

There is a Bible verse that says “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).  I don’t mean to just take this out of context, but I think the words can be applied here somewhat. Knowing the truth and telling the truth to ourselves seems quite similar. I think that when we are honest with ourselves and with each other, there is a peace and freedom that comes with that truth. 

 

Hold On

“I just always loved the feeling of how strongly you held on. As if you were a monkey up in a tree. Boy skinniness and boy strength.” From Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

   

When I read this quote I immediately thought of my grandson. When I was at his house last October, when he was almost five, I let him climb around in a tree in his backyard. I thought of the fun I had as a kid – playing in the woods, building forts, pretending. I want this fun and freedom for him and his sister. I want their carefree days to last as long as possible. I want to protect them from the big bad world. So, I pray for them.

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. – John 17:15

Connections

First off I need to preface this, and really many of my posts, with the fact that these posts are for me, too. Or mainly for me. Writing helps me to stop and reflect.

I have been saying for a long time, to myself and sometimes to others, that I need to quit wasting time online (read: social media).

Here are some insightful words from Woodrow Kroll, written in 2007 and even more applicable today – “Why would we give others so much access to our lives? Perhaps we have come to believe that any connection is better than no connection at all. When does our total connection to the rest of the world become a distraction? When we don’t choose wisely between competing connections.”

Wow. Think about that.

Then think about our Main Connection as Christians .

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. –John 15: 1,4

One Way

There are “many roads to get from point A to Point B” works well on maps. But, as Woodrow Kroll says, “As soon as you begin to drive, you will have to choose which road you will take. When you decide which road to take, you have excluded all others.”

Religious pluralism goes beyond simple toleration. It’s the active seeking of understanding across lines of difference.

I’ve not given much thought to pluralism before, and don’t claim to be an authority. I just know what scripture has to say.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. – John 14:6

He Does All Things Well

Picture taken at my niece’s wedding

“Jesus knew when to be restrained and when to be radical. He transformed a wedding party and demolished a shopping mall” – Woodrow Kroll

You can read the full story in John 2:1-25

At the wedding, Mary went to Jesus with her need. We can follow her example in going to Jesus with our needs, too. And we can trust Him to do the right thing. He always does. He made the best wine. What an example to us in the way we treat our neighbors. We should give the best, not the leftovers.

Just as with the wedding, Jesus did the right thing when he cleansed the temple. He does all things well!

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’ – Mark 7:37