nakedpastor

Some Sunny Thoughts

Posted in thought, art by nakedpastor on the April 25th, 2008

dscn1282.jpgWhen I was down in the Dominican Republic this last week I got up early every morning and walked the beautiful sand beach as the sun rose. I’m an early riser, so it was always a pleasure. One morning I took my journal. When I finished my walk I wrote down exactly, verbatim, what you read here. I do not claim to be a theologian. But these thoughts tease me like certainties that, once grasped with violence, escape me. They are subtle, shy and full of adoration:

  1. The love of all things. All beings. All life. My heart swells at the thought. My eyes get wet. The love. The benediction. Permeates all.
  2. There is no god with substance, form, location, existence. Yet all is full of benediction, blessing. But even this confines. All-theism. A-theism.
  3. Serve. Rescue. Liberate all! Faithful in little, faithful in much. There are none in, none out. All are. Rules divide. Faith expressed through love.
  4. Impermanence and transitoriness of all things. All things pass. Nothing is permanent. Change. Urgency. Now!
  5. Jesus is the historical event and undying incarnation of all the above. He IS, in whom all are and none aren’t. To speak of him is not to speak of him. To not speak of him is to speak of him.
  6. The mind’s perception is the deception. The utter ego-centricity, self-serving, self-serving, self-protecting, self-seeking, narcissistic obsession of the brain. See this and be healed of blindness.

Well, there you have it. See what the sun, sand, and Cervezas can do to you?!

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11 Responses to 'Some Sunny Thoughts'

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  1. steve martin said, on April 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    The cervezas are fine. Next time find some shade.

    I think you are complicating this stuff way too much.

    - Steve

  2. Guillaume Smit said, on April 26th, 2008 at 6:57 am

    Hi Steve

    My heart goes out to David who most probably only tried to convey his impression of a beautiful morning and God’s word to him.

    I also note that he is an artist and artists tend to think “artsy-ishly” complicated. Go soft on the poor guy! He’s probably only trying to articulate his experience of rediscovering the reality of Christ in his life (that’s how I read his post, anyway).

    - Guillaume

  3. Jacquelyn said, on April 26th, 2008 at 9:18 am

    I love times with Him while on vacation and having the ocean near makes it even better… so glad you went David.
    Your number one and six caught my eye today for different reasons. # one is where I want to live/be but in reality just visit and six is where I most often live my life.

  4. steve martin said, on April 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    Guillaume,

    You are absolutely right.

    I can be a real jerk sometimes (sometimes?).

    He is a great artist! I have some of his art in my home and we love it!
    And I hope he knows that I love him too. If not, then he knows now.

    If I had as much brains and talent in my whole person as he has in his little pinky, I’d be doing alright.

    Thanks for the(gentle) reminder Guillaume.

    God’s grace and peace to Guillaume, and David!

    - Steve

  5. Guillaume Smit said, on April 26th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

    Hi Steve

    Come to think of it, I was just as blatantly harsh towards your comment as the impression your original comment left about David.

    I am very sorry for that as well - it seems we all stand somewher in the “jerk-line-up” sometimes.

    Guillaume

    PS I also went in on your website and am impressed.

  6. steve martin said, on April 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    Guillaume,

    No you weren’t! You did it so well, that I want to do it again just to see how you did it.

    Thanks for the compliment on ‘the old Adam’. Aw shucks…

    Your site, The Emerging Bracken’ looks much more interesting and when a get a bit of time early next week I’m going to dive in!

    Thanks and God bless!

    - Steve

  7. Chris F said, on April 27th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    “these thoughts tease me like certainties that, once grasped with violence, escape me” - beautifully expressed; “The mind’s perception is the deception” is often true. I went to some woods nearby yesterday that I visit every year when the bluebells are out - great swathes of them. It is a magical place, full of enchantment, a place to simply be present and wonder. I thnk you’re on the right track and your words encourage me, too, to keep going and trust these things that are impossible to put into words

  8. Kait said, on April 28th, 2008 at 3:51 am

    Same place, what a constrast…
    http://www.shaungroves.com/shlog/

  9. nakedpastor said, on April 28th, 2008 at 6:14 am

    you are right kait

  10. Julia said, on April 28th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    I love your fifth statement. ” …To speak of him is not ot speak of him. To not speak of him is to speak of him.”

    How beautifully profound.

  11. Abundant said, on April 28th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    My observation is not to observe, and in that, am I not truly observing?

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