Tag Archives: Self-Acceptance

06Oct/23

The Way Home

October 6, 2023Random Thoughts, Social Commentary, SpiritualityAnxiety, Beauty, Chaos, Fear, Religion, Self Worth, Self-Acceptance, Self-Examination, Spiritual Growth, SpiritualityMichael

So, to me, for someone to say that they are “spiritual, but not religious,” means that they are saying something to the effect of “I’m a human being.”

Of course, I’m being deliberately obtuse with my own question, because what people generally want to convey with that statement is that they simply do not subscribe to any form of organized religion, and prefer to find their own method of making sense of the world; that they do not find any meaning in the structures others have created, but prefer to create their own order within the chaos.

22May/22

Duct Tape and Dwelling Spaces

May 22, 2022SermonsFaith, Faith in Action, Fear, God, Hate, Hatred, Love, Self-Acceptance, Self-Examination, Self-Importance, Sin, TransformationMichael

There can never be a beloved community – a community that includes all God’s children regardless of any self-imposed differences to keep ourselves apart – there can be no peace, no living together in harmony, unless there is forgiveness and understanding.

17Feb/21

Un(ash)amed

February 17, 2021Daily Office ReflectionsCrucifixion, Joy, Lent, Motivation, Righteousness, Sacrifice, Self-Acceptance, Self-ExaminationMichael

What motivates us to enter into these self-congratulatory states of inflated valuations of our own self-worth? We may indeed be better than some – by our own standards – but by our own standards we are also worse than others (Matt 7:1-2). Yet we still try and congratulate ourselves on our own righteousness, when standing before the God who reconciled us to Himself, no less.

07Jan/21

Rest(ive)

January 7, 2021Random Thoughts, Things I Read SomewhereAnxiety, God, Praise, Rest, Restlessness, Self-Acceptance, TransformationMichael

“You have made us for yourself, oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

Strange that.
I was restless.

24Nov/20

Thanksgrumping

November 24, 2020Daily Office ReflectionsBlessings, Fear, Renewal, Self-Acceptance, Self-ExaminationMichael

Daily Office Readings Psalm: 126In convertendo1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, * then were we like those who dream.2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue withRead More…

03Nov/20

Add a Little Manure

November 3, 2020Daily Office Reflections, Memory Lane, Random ThoughtsJudging, Judgment, Prophecy, Self-Acceptance, Self-Examination, SinMichael

When I was a pastor for a small church up in the pacific northwest, I received a phone call one day. The call came from another pastor in our diocese, who wanted to let me know that he had a “word of knowledge” for me.

For those of you not particularly versed in the charismatic / pentecostal nomenclature, a “word of knowledge” is a personal prophecy, or discernment, regarding what God is doing in the life of another person. These can at times be very powerful, when truly directed by God. When not directed by God, they tend to take on the likeness of a battering ram.

24Sep/20

Remember when we were little?

September 24, 2020Daily Office Reflections, Random ThoughtsAcceptance, Growth, Self-Acceptance, Self-ExaminationMichael

“Didn’t we play stickball with him?” “Didn’t he once pull the tail of a donkey an make it bray so loudly at 3am that all the neighbors woke up?” “Didn’t he used to catch frogs down by the river and scare the girls with them?”

“Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”