Comments for The Wood Between the Worlds http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com Exploring transitional spaces between Life and Motherhood. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:49:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Class assignment re: the end times by Anon http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/class-assignment-re-the-end-times/#comment-1310 Anon Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:49:41 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/class-assignment-re-the-end-times/#comment-1310 The experience I had with Christianity, most especially with the Evangelical Protestantism that I was raised in, is one of confusion: a desire for Christ, but not understanding much about what Christians actually believed from the start. That sort of un-rooted situation opens up all sorts of bad paths. I actually have found this to be at its worst in friends who have devoted their lives to Evangelicalism. Have you ever talked with an Orthodox Christian? Orthodoxy represents "the consensus" of the first thousand years of the Church without much by way of change. In many ways, there's theologically no change from the first century. The focus is on getting life aligned with Christ, to try to live a life that models the Trinity: one that sees God's Love as the central revelation of Christ. It is also Evangelical in the truest sense. I resisted this for a long time. Looking back, it was all about my assumptions that I was right in the place I stood and the things I thought - I couldn't see past my cultural context or personal experience. Now I see coming to Orthodox Christianity as not only the best thing I have done, but the only thing I could have done: it is the undiminished Faith and also a story of Perfect and Uncompromised Love. The experience I had with Christianity, most especially with the Evangelical Protestantism that I was raised in, is one of confusion: a desire for Christ, but not understanding much about what Christians actually believed from the start. That sort of un-rooted situation opens up all sorts of bad paths. I actually have found this to be at its worst in friends who have devoted their lives to Evangelicalism.

Have you ever talked with an Orthodox Christian? Orthodoxy represents “the consensus” of the first thousand years of the Church without much by way of change. In many ways, there’s theologically no change from the first century. The focus is on getting life aligned with Christ, to try to live a life that models the Trinity: one that sees God’s Love as the central revelation of Christ. It is also Evangelical in the truest sense.

I resisted this for a long time. Looking back, it was all about my assumptions that I was right in the place I stood and the things I thought – I couldn’t see past my cultural context or personal experience. Now I see coming to Orthodox Christianity as not only the best thing I have done, but the only thing I could have done: it is the undiminished Faith and also a story of Perfect and Uncompromised Love.

]]> Comment on Imperfect Action by Rose http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/imperfect-action/#comment-1308 Rose Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:54:03 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=350#comment-1308 So glad you are back on the blog! I'll be reading! So glad you are back on the blog! I’ll be reading!

]]> Comment on Summer Sabbath by rena http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/summer-sabbath/#comment-1305 rena Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:13:18 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=358#comment-1305 Dan cracks me up with his clever ways to entertain Sadie!!! I had a good laugh just picturing the look on Sadie's face when she pulled out a gym sock, a screwdriver and so many other crazy things. Kudos to Dan!! Dan cracks me up with his clever ways to entertain Sadie!!! I had a good laugh just picturing the look on Sadie’s face when she pulled out a gym sock, a screwdriver and so many other crazy things. Kudos to Dan!!

]]> Comment on A Guilty Pleasure that Made Me Think by Sunny http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/a-guilty-pleasure-that-made-me-think/#comment-1298 Sunny Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:18:29 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=367#comment-1298 It's hard for me to enjoy it all too. Sometimes I feel like all I need is to be able to step back a bit to get perspective, I don't do that enough. And not only can you love what's coming next, you can love the here and now! (that's something I have to remind myself on a moment to moment basis!) It’s hard for me to enjoy it all too. Sometimes I feel like all I need is to be able to step back a bit to get perspective, I don’t do that enough. And not only can you love what’s coming next, you can love the here and now! (that’s something I have to remind myself on a moment to moment basis!)

]]> Comment on Imperfect Action by Ellen http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/imperfect-action/#comment-1297 Ellen Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:32:54 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=350#comment-1297 Hooray!!! (Success--- a new blog post!! Go eat some chocolate and celebrate!) Love, The Wiener Hooray!!!

(Success— a new blog post!! Go eat some chocolate and celebrate!)

Love,
The Wiener

]]> Comment on Summer Sabbath by Sara http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/summer-sabbath/#comment-1296 Sara Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:18:43 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=358#comment-1296 What a great idea!! I usually just pack the run of the mill crayons and coloring book which lasts a whole ten minutes. One "church" game I read about one time is having you and your kid count how many times the pastor says "God" or "Jesus" in a sermon. We did it once for about 5 minutes. Good to see you back in the blog world. What a great idea!! I usually just pack the run of the mill crayons and coloring book which lasts a whole ten minutes. One “church” game I read about one time is having you and your kid count how many times the pastor says “God” or “Jesus” in a sermon. We did it once for about 5 minutes.
Good to see you back in the blog world.

]]> Comment on Summer Sabbath by Sun-Kissed Savages http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/summer-sabbath/#comment-1295 Sun-Kissed Savages Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:15:25 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=358#comment-1295 Your church sounds awesome. Wish I could come. Surprise bags save our lives for car trips. I'm not as creative as Dan, though!! And way to go, old man! I love it when elderly people maintain their sense of humor. We had an elderly guy play with my kids in line at the store the other day. He pulled half dollars out from behind their ears, and then let them keep the money. It was the highlight of our day! Your church sounds awesome. Wish I could come.

Surprise bags save our lives for car trips. I’m not as creative as Dan, though!!

And way to go, old man! I love it when elderly people maintain their sense of humor. We had an elderly guy play with my kids in line at the store the other day. He pulled half dollars out from behind their ears, and then let them keep the money. It was the highlight of our day!

]]> Comment on Summer Sabbath by jim http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/summer-sabbath/#comment-1294 jim Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:53:39 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=358#comment-1294 We just started our month of "camp meeting" in which our 100 year old uber-formal sanctuary becomes the setting for folksy hymns, the ministers doff their robes and the choir is on hiatus. We keep on with 3 services, all identical except that 8:30 has communion every week. And the senior minister preaches from the chancel steps instead of the pulpit. I'm not all that thrilled with a steady diet of 19th century self-centered hymns but I do think that the break from the formal service makes me appreciate the robes and processing choir all the more :) And quite a bag she has there. Peter is most excited about a piece of "big gum" -- some sort of squishy-center bubble gum that he only gets in church, after the sermon begins. We just started our month of “camp meeting” in which our 100 year old uber-formal sanctuary becomes the setting for folksy hymns, the ministers doff their robes and the choir is on hiatus. We keep on with 3 services, all identical except that 8:30 has communion every week. And the senior minister preaches from the chancel steps instead of the pulpit. I’m not all that thrilled with a steady diet of 19th century self-centered hymns but I do think that the break from the formal service makes me appreciate the robes and processing choir all the more :)

And quite a bag she has there. Peter is most excited about a piece of “big gum” — some sort of squishy-center bubble gum that he only gets in church, after the sermon begins.

]]> Comment on Summer Sabbath by Marcy http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/summer-sabbath/#comment-1293 Marcy Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:40:23 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=358#comment-1293 I think I could handle a mixed service like that for the summer months, then go comfortably back to my preferred format the rest of the year. And way to go, Dan! I think I could handle a mixed service like that for the summer months, then go comfortably back to my preferred format the rest of the year.

And way to go, Dan!

]]> Comment on Imperfect Action by Sun-Kissed Savages http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/imperfect-action/#comment-1292 Sun-Kissed Savages Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:17:22 +0000 http://thewoodbetween.wordpress.com/?p=350#comment-1292 So glad you are back and writing!! Keep it up! So glad you are back and writing!! Keep it up!

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