Westwoods

To panic is to be attacked by sudden alarm, fear, and anxiety and to act out on it by slamming doors, running, or laying down the law. ( my definition ) Panicking is never quiet or sensible. It is often noisy and unreasonable. So, I think it is logical to call some of the chaos in our lives today panic. When we feel out of control with the way the world is turning; we feel helpless to improve the part we live in. Our tendency is to make more rules and boundaries to prevent more bad stuff from happening.  Panic for a Christian is kinda worse I think. We are supposed to have something more that helps us face each storm or upheaval. We are not supposed to lose it. Right? But we do and its because we forget the power we have available to us...For God has not given us the spirit of fear. But of power and of love and a sound mind......... 2 Tim 1:7.  Panic is the feeling I got after birthing a baby and six weeks later looking down into its innocent face and mourning a thous...

As in most things in life there are two sides to this subject. It seems when we take a stand for right or wrong the lines of distinction are even stronger. While I can appreciate the things we stand for in our Anabaptist groups, I also see things I don't appreciate so much sometimes on the same subject. I am not against our trying to hold on to tradition and culture and heritage so long as it is something that Jesus would be calling worthwhile. And that seems to be the problem. We then start to hear debate on what things really do matter in the eyes of Jesus.  Often the people that are chasing after and pursuing the heart of Christ are also involved in helping the poor, feeding the hungry, and being a home to the homeless. Did that last phrase make you feel insecure? And often the people that are more concerned with tradition and culture and heritage are just concerned with those things...those things become their emphasis and it doesn't get a whole lot deeper t...

I get 'too much' before most people I think. I'll be humming along doing life...whatever my people need me to do...and bam! Suddenly, I've had it clear up to here and my joy is gone. Some of the same things that bring me joy regularly are the things that zap it, things like children and friends and a husband... how can this be? Last week I went to the big city with my husband. He had a college class to go to and I needed to get out of my "overwhelmness" so I went with him. After dropping him off at the college; I spent hours alone shopping for Shaunti's birthday, finishing with a few quiet hours at Barnes and Nobles. I sat in Starbucks with my cup of coffee and wrote and people watched and tried to sort out why everyone must zoom and be so busy. Somewhere between the rows of books and the smell of paper and coffee my soul began to feel peace. Little trickles of joy started dancing in my head and so I sat there and had my little moment of worship and ...