Let's Talk about God
Let’s talk about God.
As soon as I say those words, I realize how impossible it is to try to capture God in words. How impossible it is to describe who God is and what God is like. An analogy: If you have ever tried to write a eulogy for someone, you realize the inadequacy of words to capture the essence of that person. If we humans cannot capture even another human being in words, how dare we think we can adequately describe God in words!
That being said, it is still helpful to try to say something meaningful about God. But first, we must acknowledge that our human language is limited, finite, and inadequate. Coupled with this fact is another fact: God is too much and too near. Lauren Winter, in her book Wearing God, says: “God’s utter difference from the world is too much to describe, and God’s nearest intimacy with the world is too near to name.” We can only gesture toward who God is and acknowledge that what we have said is inadequate.
God’s “too-much-ness” we experience every time we gaze at the stars at night, knowing our nearest star (excluding our sun) is almost 5 light years away. This means the light from that star–traveling 186,000 miles per second—takes almost five years to reach the earth! And the Hubble telescope has taken pictures of galaxies (such as the sombrero galaxy) which is 28 million light years away! Facts like these always make me utter to myself, “What must God be like?” I ask that same question when I study the inner
workings of a single cell, the community life of bees, or the intricacies of the human brain. God, indeed, is “too much.”
But God is also nearer than we can imagine. If we hold a picture an inch from our eyes, it becomes strange and unknowable not because it is too far away, but because it is too close. God is something like that—too near to us for us to grasp fully.
In her book, Winner talks about another favorite Biblical image of God: God as hider. In Isaiah 45 we read, “Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.” Sometimes God hides. When we are tempted to say that God is absent, the truth is God may be hiding in that very person or situation we have declared bereft of God.
In one way we can even say God was hiding in the person of Jesus. Jesus was so unlike what people expected of the Messiah. He was so ordinary and so human. And his crucifixion—ironically—seemed devoid of any redeeming qualities. Yet this Jesus dared to call God “Abba.” He described God in lovely words we humans could appreciate: a good shepherd, a wise farmer, a dutiful housewife, a caring mother hen, a forgiving father.
Jesus also pointed out to us some of God’s favorite hiding places: God hides in bread and wine… in silence… in creation… in poverty… in hunger… in pain… in joy… in sickness… in loneliness… in children… in friendship… in music and song… and even at wedding receptions. The God who hides, is also the God who self-reveals. God is like a little child playing hide-and-seek who gives herself away by giggling. The theologian Belden Lane says, “Our job, as friends and disciples and reverencers and lovers of the Lord is to listen for God’s laughter.”
Sometimes we must put aside all our words about God and just sit in the presence of God. Or we can use our inadequate human words to commune with this Too-Much and Too-Near Beloved One:
Beloved God… You are too much and too near… What can I say about you?… My words fall short of anything I could express of your goodness… your beauty… your power… your creativity… your love. You are beyond the beyond… You are nearer than the near… You are hidden all around me and within me… Give me the eyes to see you especially in the suffering and the needy ones… in situations that seem hopeless… in circumstances that don’t make sense. I desire to find you… to know you.. to love you… to thank you… to be one with you. Please keep my yearning for you alive… my curiosity about you constantly stirring… and my love for you steady, strong, and filled with laughter and joy. Amen.
Is there anything in this reflection that stands out for you?
Have you ever experienced God as “too much and too near”?
Where is God “hiding” in your life right now?
Do you have any favorite images of God–even if they are inadequate?
Since we just celebrated Pentecost, I chose a hymn of praise today: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” written in 1867. The music is an old Welsh hymn. The words were written by Walter C. Smith.
Is there anything you’d like to say about this reflection… about God? I welcome your response below!
Let’s Talk about God
Let’s talk about God.
As soon as I say those words, I realize how impossible it is to try to capture God in words. How impossible it is to describe who God is and what God is like. An analogy: If you have ever tried to write a eulogy for someone, you realize the inadequacy of words to capture the essence of that person. If we humans cannot capture even another human being in words, how dare we think we can adequately describe God in words!
That being said, it is still helpful to try to say something meaningful about God. But first, we must acknowledge that our human language is limited, finite, and inadequate. Coupled with this fact is another fact: God is too much and too near. Lauren Winter, in her book Wearing God, says: “God’s utter difference from the world is too much to describe, and God’s nearest intimacy with the world is too near to name.” We can only gesture toward who God is and acknowledge that what we have said is inadequate.
God’s “too-much-ness” we experience every time we gaze at the stars at night, knowing our nearest star (excluding our sun) is almost 5 light years away. This means the light from that star–traveling 186,000 miles per second—takes almost five years to reach the earth! And the Hubble telescope has taken pictures of galaxies (such as the sombrero galaxy) which is 28 million light years away! Facts like these always make me utter to myself, “What must God be like?” I ask that same question when I study the inner
workings of a single cell, the community life of bees, or the intricacies of the human brain. God, indeed, is “too much.”
But God is also nearer than we can imagine. If we hold a picture an inch from our eyes, it becomes strange and unknowable not because it is too far away, but because it is too close. God is something like that—too near to us for us to grasp fully.
In her book, Winner talks about another favorite Biblical image of God: God as hider. In Isaiah 45 we read, “Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.” Sometimes God hides. When we are tempted to say that God is absent, the truth is God may be hiding in that very person or situation we have declared bereft of God.
In one way we can even say God was hiding in the person of Jesus. Jesus was so unlike what people expected of the Messiah. He was so ordinary and so human. And his crucifixion—ironically—seemed devoid of any redeeming qualities. Yet this Jesus dared to call God “Abba.” He described God in lovely words we humans could appreciate: a good shepherd, a wise farmer, a dutiful housewife, a caring mother hen, a forgiving father.
Jesus also pointed out to us some of God’s favorite hiding places: God hides in bread and wine… in silence… in creation… in poverty… in hunger… in pain… in joy… in sickness… in loneliness… in children… in friendship… in music and song… and even at wedding receptions. The God who hides, is also the God who self-reveals. God is like a little child playing hide-and-seek who gives herself away by giggling. The theologian Belden Lane says, “Our job, as friends and disciples and reverencers and lovers of the Lord is to listen for God’s laughter.”
Sometimes we must put aside all our words about God and just sit in the presence of God. Or we can use our inadequate human words to commune with this Too-Much and Too-Near Beloved One:
Beloved God… You are too much and too near… What can I say about you?… My words fall short of anything I could express of your goodness… your beauty… your power… your creativity… your love. You are beyond the beyond… You are nearer than the near… You are hidden all around me and within me… Give me the eyes to see you especially in the suffering and the needy ones… in situations that seem hopeless… in circumstances that don’t make sense. I desire to find you… to know you.. to love you… to thank you… to be one with you. Please keep my yearning for you alive… my curiosity about you constantly stirring… and my love for you steady, strong, and filled with laughter and joy. Amen.
Is there anything in this reflection that stands out for you?
Have you ever experienced God as “too much and too near”?
Where is God “hiding” in your life right now?
Do you have any favorite images of God–even if they are inadequate?
Since we just celebrated Pentecost, I chose a hymn of praise today: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” written in 1867. The music is an old Welsh hymn. The words were written by Walter C. Smith.
Is there anything you’d like to say about this reflection… about God? I welcome your response below!
"Pet Peeves" and "Dear Delights"
Today I thought we would have a little fun with pet peeves. As you know, a pet peeve is something you find particularly annoying. It is usually something small. Some say the word “pet” is a shortened form of “petty.” But others say “pet” means particular to you. Who knows? The phrase originated in a comic strip called “The Little Pet Peeve” that ran in the Chicago Tribune from 1916-1920. The cartoonist, Frank King of Gasoline Alley fame, asked readers to submit their pet peeves and he illustrated them.
Pet peeves are not the same for everyone. What annoys the heck out of me may not bother you in the least—and visa-versa. Often pet peeves involve people close to us—a spouse, other family member, a roommate, or a colleague at work. I checked a number of websites and came up with this list of popular pet peeves. Do you see any of yours here?
People who: sneeze or cough without covering their mouth… interrupt constantly… leave common places (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.) messy… copy your idea and get credit for it… invade your personal space… let children scream and scream in public.
People who: complain a lot… whine a lot… drive too slow in the fast lane…do not use turn signals… park their car across two parking spaces… text while driving… who cut in front of you in line… who, when you let their car go in front of you in traffic, don’t say “thank you” with a wave.
People who: chew their food with their mouth open… who talk with food in their mouth… walk too slow… are just plain rude… show a lack of respect for others’ opinions… talk loudly and long on their cellphones in public places… are on their cellphones during meals… leave shopping carts in parking spaces… do not pick up after their dogs…
Other annoyances: slow internet… so many ads shown on TV and popping up everywhere on line… chronic tardiness… misusing words like your/you’re or they’re/their/there… overusing the word “like”… leaving only a little bit of something in a container and putting it back into the refrigerator.
As I looked at this list, I thought:
+ Parents, you have a BIG job, for you are primarily responsible for teaching your children basic social skills.
+ It definitely demands a certain level of patience and thoughtfulness to get along with other people.
+ Did Jesus have any pet peeves? He certainly was annoyed by hypocrites… and he got impatient with his apostles on a few occasions… and he became very angry at the money changers in the temple that day…
+ How can we deal with our pet peeves? I came up with three ways: 1) Share your annoyance (if appropriate) with the person who is annoying you. As someone has said, “The breakdown in all human relations is unstated expectations.” 2) Put this small annoyance in perspective with more important issues of life. 3) Reflect on why this particular action annoys you so much. Is there a deeper issue involved here? Maybe this action makes you feel unappreciated. Or maybe you’re (not your!) judging the motive of this person’s annoying behavior.
I also wondered, do we ever reflect on the opposite of our pet peeves—on things people do that we find particularly nice? I’ll call them “dear delights.” Here are a few of mine:
People who: are consistently pleasant… smile regularly… ask how you are and mean it… clean up after themselves… are genuinely interested in what you have to say… are fun to be with… hold the door open for you… help you carry something… give you a break in traffic… drive sanely… plant flowers in their yards for all of us to enjoy… know how to do a variety of handy things… can identify birds, trees, flowers… use their cellphones softly and only for short conversations while in public.
Did Jesus have dear delights? He certainly liked children. He appreciated love whenever he saw it: the Roman soldier who begged him to heal his servant… the elderly widow who put two small coins in the temple treasure… the woman who anointed him shortly before his death. Jesus took delight in nature: in lilies and birds… the beauty of trees… the changing seasons… the miracle of growth in mustard seeds and grains of wheat. He also appreciated good friends, good food, good wine, and good parties (a man after my own heart!)
Now it’s your turn (not you’re turn!):
What are some of your pet peeves? Do they say anything important about you?
How do you deal with your pet peeves?
What are some of your dear delights? Do they say anything important about you?
PS: I will be giving a weekend retreat at Christ the King Retreat Center in Syracuse, NY July 17-21, 2019. The theme is “Hanging onto Hope.” The center looks beautiful! Check their website for details: ctkretreat.com. I’d love to see you there!
The song today is “God Is Love” by Ali Auburn. The bottom line of this song and today’s reflection is really love, not so?
I welcome your responses below. I know my other readers would also appreciate your thoughts!
“Pet Peeves” and “Dear Delights”
Today I thought we would have a little fun with pet peeves. As you know, a pet peeve is something you find particularly annoying. It is usually something small. Some say the word “pet” is a shortened form of “petty.” But others say “pet” means particular to you. Who knows? The phrase originated in a comic strip called “The Little Pet Peeve” that ran in the Chicago Tribune from 1916-1920. The cartoonist, Frank King of Gasoline Alley fame, asked readers to submit their pet peeves and he illustrated them.
Pet peeves are not the same for everyone. What annoys the heck out of me may not bother you in the least—and visa-versa. Often pet peeves involve people close to us—a spouse, other family member, a roommate, or a colleague at work. I checked a number of websites and came up with this list of popular pet peeves. Do you see any of yours here?
People who: sneeze or cough without covering their mouth… interrupt constantly… leave common places (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.) messy… copy your idea and get credit for it… invade your personal space… let children scream and scream in public.
People who: complain a lot… whine a lot… drive too slow in the fast lane…do not use turn signals… park their car across two parking spaces… text while driving… who cut in front of you in line… who, when you let their car go in front of you in traffic, don’t say “thank you” with a wave.
People who: chew their food with their mouth open… who talk with food in their mouth… walk too slow… are just plain rude… show a lack of respect for others’ opinions… talk loudly and long on their cellphones in public places… are on their cellphones during meals… leave shopping carts in parking spaces… do not pick up after their dogs…
Other annoyances: slow internet… so many ads shown on TV and popping up everywhere on line… chronic tardiness… misusing words like your/you’re or they’re/their/there… overusing the word “like”… leaving only a little bit of something in a container and putting it back into the refrigerator.
As I looked at this list, I thought:
+ Parents, you have a BIG job, for you are primarily responsible for teaching your children basic social skills.
+ It definitely demands a certain level of patience and thoughtfulness to get along with other people.
+ Did Jesus have any pet peeves? He certainly was annoyed by hypocrites… and he got impatient with his apostles on a few occasions… and he became very angry at the money changers in the temple that day…
+ How can we deal with our pet peeves? I came up with three ways: 1) Share your annoyance (if appropriate) with the person who is annoying you. As someone has said, “The breakdown in all human relations is unstated expectations.” 2) Put this small annoyance in perspective with more important issues of life. 3) Reflect on why this particular action annoys you so much. Is there a deeper issue involved here? Maybe this action makes you feel unappreciated. Or maybe you’re (not your!) judging the motive of this person’s annoying behavior.
I also wondered, do we ever reflect on the opposite of our pet peeves—on things people do that we find particularly nice? I’ll call them “dear delights.” Here are a few of mine:
People who: are consistently pleasant… smile regularly… ask how you are and mean it… clean up after themselves… are genuinely interested in what you have to say… are fun to be with… hold the door open for you… help you carry something… give you a break in traffic… drive sanely… plant flowers in their yards for all of us to enjoy… know how to do a variety of handy things… can identify birds, trees, flowers… use their cellphones softly and only for short conversations while in public.
Did Jesus have dear delights? He certainly liked children. He appreciated love whenever he saw it: the Roman soldier who begged him to heal his servant… the elderly widow who put two small coins in the temple treasure… the woman who anointed him shortly before his death. Jesus took delight in nature: in lilies and birds… the beauty of trees… the changing seasons… the miracle of growth in mustard seeds and grains of wheat. He also appreciated good friends, good food, good wine, and good parties (a man after my own heart!)
Now it’s your turn (not you’re turn!):
What are some of your pet peeves? Do they say anything important about you?
How do you deal with your pet peeves?
What are some of your dear delights? Do they say anything important about you?
PS: I will be giving a weekend retreat at Christ the King Retreat Center in Syracuse, NY July 17-21, 2019. The theme is “Hanging onto Hope.” The center looks beautiful! Check their website for details: ctkretreat.com. I’d love to see you there!
The song today is “God Is Love” by Ali Auburn. The bottom line of this song and today’s reflection is really love, not so?
I welcome your responses below. I know my other readers would also appreciate your thoughts!
"My Hummers Are Back!"
Years ago, my mother would often call me in early May and announce, “My hummers are back!” Notice Mom didn’t say, “The hummingbirds are back.” She said, “My hummers are back.” Mom loved her hummers and always hung her hummingbird feeder in her back yard at the end of April. Then she waited in joyful anticipation to spot the first returnee—usually around Mother’s Day.
This past week, the June/July issue of Birds & Blooms arrived. It features hummingbirds. So I took that as a sign to devote today’s blog to hummingbirds. Let’s begin with a few facts. There are over 300 species of hummingbirds. Some are teeny: .08 of an ounce. Others are “big”: .7 of an ounce. Hummingbirds beat their wings 80 times per second. Amazingly, they can fly left, right, up, down, forward, backward, and even upside down! This maneuverability requires a strong heart. A hummingbird’s heart is 20% of its weight and it beats 1,260 times per minute. Compare that to our human heart. A person weighing 175 pounds has a heart that is 0.3% of their body mass and it beats 72 times per minute.
Hummingbirds need a lot of nourishment to stay active and alive. They typically eat nectar, tree sap, insects, and pollen. Even their long tongues are fast. They can lick 13 times per second. Hummers need to eat eight to ten times their weight each day! If you required that much food, how many pounds of food would you have to eat in a day?!
Hummingbirds are found only in the Western hemisphere, from southeastern Alaska to the tropics. Interestingly, they cannot walk or hop. Their feet are used only for perching. If they are perched on a twig and want to move over a bit, they can’t scoot over. They have to fly to move over.
The gestation period for hummingbirds is 13-22 days, depending on the species. The female lays 1-3 eggs in a nest the size of a thimble or shot glass. The nest is usually made from saliva and spider webs. The female is totally responsible for raising the young. I don’t know what the males do with all their free time! The young birds fly in 18-30 days. Hummingbirds are very territorial and have been seen chasing even large hawks from their territory.
Decades ago, the major threat to hummingbirds was the human species who killed them for their incredibly beautiful feathers. Today the greatest threat is still humans who are destroying their habitat at an alarming rate. But there is hope. So many people love hummingbirds, that many of them hang feeders and plant flowers in their yard to attract and support this amazing little bird.
I have two videos for you today. This first one (a little over 2 minutes in length) is called “The Hummingbird Whisperer” and it tells of a researcher and photographer’s love for hummingbirds. I chose this one because I feel to appreciate hummingbirds, we must see them in motion. I also appreciate the young woman’s enthusiasm for hummers!
The second video is Peter Mayer’s beautiful “Everything Is Holy Now.” I have used it before, I know, but it seems so appropriate for this topic. At the end, he compares a little chirping bird to a scripture verse!
Did anything touch you or surprise you in this reflection?
Have you had any experiences with hummingbirds that you would like to share with us?
Is there anything else in creation that you think of as one of Mother Nature’s jewels? We’d love to hear from you!
