I am light as air
And with this easy yoke
I see the stormclouds as just clouds
With no malcontented guise

I lift my hands unto the sky
And from the hills my help pours down
With all the rolling of the sea
And in this day my hope draws near.

I see the way and it is clear
I see the moment all alone
Free from all the burdens now
Today the sun breaks free.

I have a nature

Describing man as having a nature seems a convenient thing. Why wouldn't there be something driving our behavior? Trying to imagine not having something internal driving our every decision seems almost unthinkable. I ask the question, "what is man's nature? Is it good or evil?" because I believe that I myself have internal driving forces that inform and make possible my decisions and behavior. I would like you to think (for at least a moment) what you would be like if you did not have a nature. How would you account for the activities of your mind? How would you account for your desires? How would you account for your behavior? Now I know so many of us are afraid of mental gymnastics, but really, you should just give it a try.

The Second Definition

The 2001 edition of the Random House Webster's College Dictionary says nature is:

5. the particular combination of qualities belonging to a person, animal, thing, or class by birth, origin, or constitution; native or inherent character. 6. character, kind, or sort: two books of the same nature. 7. characteristic disposition; temperament: an evil nature. 8. the natural, primitive condition of humankind. 9. biological functions or urges. 10. the laws and principles that guide the universe or an individual.

I find the frequent use of the term "character" very interesting. Let me know what you think.

On Nature

When I think of my nature I tend to think of moral desires and proclivities. I do not often think beyond this. I have not long thought on such things as being made in the image of God or what Francis Schaeffer calls the "mannishness of man". I think that in the realm of desires we feel the need of our nature. Is that the only realm, though?

First Definition

Noah Webster defined nature this way:

3. The essence, essential qualities or attributes of a thing, which constitute it what it is; as the nature of the soul; the nature of blood; the nature of a fluid; the nature of plants, or of a metal; the nature of a circle or an angle. When we speak of the nature of man, we understand the peculiar constitution of his body or mind or the qualities of the species which distinguish him from other animals. When we speak of the nature of a man, or as an individual of the race, we mean his particular qualities or constitution; either the peculiar temperament of his body, or the affections of his mind, his natural appetites, passions, disposition or temper. So of irrational animals. (Noah Webster." American Dictionary of the English Language." Foundation for American Christian Education: San Francisco, 1996.)

I would love to hear what people think about this one.

The Nature of Man question begins with...

What is it mean to have a certain nature? It seems have a lot of possible slants and it seems terribly grey. Now I realize that this is most likely a result of my ignorance and not something else. While Mencius says that human nature is good and the doctrine of the Christian Church is clear that man's nature is evil, I am forced to ask, "what is nature?"

The Nature of Man

The Chinese philosopher Mencius believed that man's nature was ultimately good. He believed that when a man sinned it was not the fault of his nature, but rather it was something else. Here is a quote from, "The Book of Mencius" where he applies this but also makes an interesting critique on men in doing so.

"Mencius said, 'Humanity is man's mind and righteousness is man's path. Pity the man who abandons the path and does not follow it, and who has lost his heart and does not know how to recover it. When people's dogs and fowls are lost, they go look for them, and yet, when they have lost their hearts, they do not go to look for them. The way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind." (Mencius, from: "A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy. Translated and Compiled by Wing-Tsit Chan. Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1973)

While I cannot agree with his view on the nature of man- I do find it interesting that he thinks that a lack of self-examination is absurd. I couldn't agree more. I know that my own priorities may have a way to go- but I just do not understand how people can not look into so many important things. Let me know what you think.

The Presence of the Lord

What do you think of when you see the sunrise? Do you see new possibilities? Do you see new chances? Do you see hope? I know that everymorning when the sun rises the Lord is present with me. I know that every noonday when the sun is high overhead (I have a good memory) baking the life out of everything on the ground- I know the Lord is present with me there too. I know that when the sun slips low below the horizon and sets the clouds on fire- then also is the Lord with me. I know in the dark watches of the long cold nights that brook no talk of happiness- I know that then, too, the Lord is with me. I know He is present in the lifting and present in the laying low. I know that He is present in the joining and present in the sundering. I know that He is present when I wake and present when I lie down to sleep at night. I know that God who is my Lord is ever-present with me. Do you remember He is there when you hurt? Do you remember He is there when you rejoice? Do you remember that He is there when you sin against Him? You cannot escape the creator. He is always here; He is always present.

Abort73

If you think that abortion is a choice, you should visit this site. If you think that abortion is wrong, you should also visit this site. If you are about to eat lunch and you think it is wrong, perhaps you should not visit this site (until after lunch). Avoid defending things that you have not seen.

The Divine Art of Meditation

On This page you can download and listen or read four sermons by Dr. Peter Toon on meditation given at St Thomas' Episcopal Church in Houston, TX. I feel that the art of meditation has been lost on me and much of the American church. I think you will find these four sermons quite enlightening. Unfortunately, I fear that meditation is not the only thing that has been lost by the Church at large in America. This should be another reminder of why history matters, and as Dr. John Piper has said, "the study of biography is mandated in scripture." Let us not forget what has gone before.

The Morning He Heard The Voice of God

Here is a brief piece on the Word of God and Extra Biblical revelation by John Piper that I thought you would all like to hear. Just click on the title of this post.

My Father's Son

I am my father's son
And every day I wake to find him gone
And every time I think of him it hurts
Just like it did at first.

I am my father's son
And he will never see me grow
And he can never tell me what to do
And everyday he's gone.

I am my father's son
And though I wish that he were here
And though I wish that he would know
It was said to be.

I am my father's son
I wish that I could know him now
I wish that he could read my words
For everyday forevermore I am my father's son.

Remembering Francis Schaeffer.

An article for you to read courtesy of Christianity Today (via CT Direct).

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/april/13.40.html

Is Autonomy a Lie? Is Relation eternal?

I have been told something for most of my life that I have never actually meditated or thought much upon. I have been told that love exists and always has existed in the Trinity. So the Father loves the Son who loves the Father who loves the Holy Spirit who loves the Father, etc... More recently I heard submission alluded to in the Trinity. The gospel of John attests to this last one in great detail and with frequent repetition. Jesus is forever doing the will of the father and not doing his own will. What has hit me hard, however, is the recent assertion by an Anglican priest named Dr. Peter Toon, that the individual as a noun does not exist. He said that Jesus most certainly was not an autonomous individual and that we as members of the Body of Christ- as members of the Church- were always just that. He said we are always our Father's sons. He said we were always our Lord's servants. He said we were always our brother's brothers. His assertion was that although there are individual persons, that those persons always exist in relation to someone and often in relation to some thing (as in a body or polotic). I, as an American, have believed my whole life that I was not these things. I have always believed that I was alone and independant. This has often in dark times underscored my belief that I was alone. I have not felt connected to family or other people most all my life. Dr. Toon's assertions on the nature of man as man in relation strikes a sharp blow that cuts deep into my American soul. I do not know how to respond, but I know that I have no good response from the Bible to contradict him. May the Lord grant mercy to us His servants and upon that clarity and discernment and trust in His word.

The Lion Inside

Shield me oh Lord from the wicked that surround me
And from my enemies within protect me oh my God
The truth of your Word lies heavy in the vault
The lion paces in the cage
Unleash my defender oh Lord and let him fight.

Forgive me oh Lord for I have sinned
Have mercy upon me in my hour of distress
My sins consume me
Let loose the Lion inside
Fight for me my Lord.

I am tired from the hiding
And all the running has made me weak
Let me stand in thy holy presence
Gird my loins with righteousness.
Make a path for me to walk upon oh Lord
Go before and clear the way.

Make me to stand in thy Word
Cause me to see what the world has hidden
Raise my broken body up
And fill me with thy strength.

To you, oh Lord, who saved my soul
To you I give my blessing
Let the praise from my lips flow from within
From the heart that you have made.

On Terrorism

There is less than a week left before the movie "300" comes out in theatres. Mostly shot with blue screen, there is a whole lot of to do about the fantastic look of the film. The story is one we all learned in highschool and has a strong emotional kick to it. Whenever the few take on the many and are willing to fight to the death... it can have a teary heart-rousing impact on all of us.

That impact is less strong, however, if the few are believed to be terrorists. They too are few and take on the many. What do you think?

Understanding What?

You know, I wonder sometimes about just what it is that makes me the way I am- and anyone who knows me has no idea what I am talking about- so if you don't know me, don't worry, you are not missing anything. What I want to know is, if I understand how I came to be, can I change anything? If knowing changes things, then there is real motivation to look into the past. If knowing is some sort of trivia, that just informs you on what to avoid if you ever reproduce, well then, I just don't have the same motivation.

I am tempted to make comparisons between myself and the middle east. Let's say we knew conclusively why the middle east is the hot bed of overflowing joy that it currently is. What would that mean for fixing anything? Is this a problem of too many factors to digest and put in their place? Or is it a problem of principle- are fixing it and knowing how it got that way two unrelated things? Or is it a poor analogy?

On Faith

I see before me the eyes of death
And my teachers bid me stare it down
But I just want to look away
I don't want to see.

I see before me the death of self
And my father's bid me learn it well
But I am afraid to make a choice
I just want to run away.

I see before me the path of pain
And my mothers bid me use it well
But I just want the pain to stop
And I just want to flee and hide.

I see before me a step to life
But I do not see the path
I only see the next foot forward
The rest remains unknown.

Holidays of Joy

Thank you americancatholic.org

"The roots of St. Valentine's Day lie in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on Feb. 15. For 800 years the Romans had dedicated this day to the god Lupercus. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year.

Pope Gelasius I was, understandably, less than thrilled with this custom. So he changed the lottery to have both young men and women draw the names of saints whom they would then emulate for the year (a change that no doubt disappointed a few young men). Instead of Lupercus, the patron of the feast became Valentine. For Roman men, the day continued to be an occasion to seek the affections of women, and it became a tradition to give out handwritten messages of admiration that included Valentine's name."

Is This a Letter?

I am often reminded of the great gulf between us, you and I. We stare across it at each other. But it is a large gulf. Who would try to jump across it? It is too great. Where is there a bridge, someone always asks? Where can we connect? But when you look down, all you see is inky blackness- who knows how deep it is. And no bridge in sight. So we walk along the edges you and I, and sometimes we call to each other. I, myself, would just like to fall in and find the bottom. But there is the matter of the fence. This is all well and good to say out loud- but the real question is- who is writing? And who are they writing to?