What happens when we find God? What does it take to convert to Christianity or to another theistic religion?
Once we gain an awareness of God - once revelation is complete - then what happens?
Redemption, ideally, but not necessarily.
Once we gain this knowledge and experience of God, He continues to be a gentleman and doesn't impose His will on us. It remains up to us to accept what He has to offer. We get to choose what to do with our new-found knowledge of God. It's our choice whether to proceed to the step of redemption or to stop just with revelation.
When we meet God, we're confronted with how unlike Him we are. This is the Being from which creation springs. This is the Being who gave us our marvelous capabilities. This is the Being who sent His Son to die on a cross for those who are so far from being like God that they couldn't ever have reached Him otherwise. He is Love. He is Good. He is inexplicably determined to direct that Love and Goodness towards us.
What is an appropriate response to meeting such a Being?
One option is to maintain your prior agenda, to continue being exactly who you were, to keep your worldview, your ambitions, and your pride intact and to conform God to your image.
Has such a person really converted to Christianity? Where is the conversion portion of their experience? Have their actions conformed to the character and essence of God that we're supposed to mirror?
If someone can't admit their need for God, if someone can't acknowledge their need to be transformed by God, if someone can't put God's agenda for man above their own agenda, isn't this revelation without redemption? Aren't we seeing only one step in a multi-step process. Isn't the process of conversion incomplete?
Isn't the conversion experience one in which we must first find God and then look inwards and find ourselves anew in the context of God's existence? Have we completed the process of conversion if we have only found Him but have not found our need of Him?
Friday, February 26, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Impersonal Motherhood
Research. Ask others with expertise. Carefully select. Plan. Invest time & energy.
There's a general way that I handle things in my life that I care about. I take a certain approach to work, major purchases, big life decisions, etc. So far this multi-step level of attention to the task at hand has produced great results. I've now survived a few major purchases, big plans (wedding/travel/relocation), and met pretty good success in work by following my methodology.
Is this way of approaching things enough to make a good mom?
The answer appears to be no.
I used the same approach I've always used when it came to becoming a mommy. I researched, asked others' opinions, weighed my options, and put up good sums of money making sure we had the best of everything as Alessandra came into the world. I chose a great doctor, a great hospital, went to birth classes, went to parenting classes, selected the best pack & play, carseat, and bottles. I wouldn't say that time and attention was wasted, but how has it enhanced Alessandra's bond with me? How does it affect her perception and memory of mommy?
Alessandra doesn't know what went in to selecting her crib, how many music classes I researched before I chose one, or the hours I've spent in stores reading over labels to make sure everything is non-GMO, gluten-free, and organic.
What part of my parenting is Alessandra aware of?
I want Alessandra to have memories with me. I want her to see my smile, to remember my laughter, to recall good times with me. I want her to be able to flip through volumes of photos capturing our shared experiences. I want her to pick up my mannerisms. I want to hear people tell her that she's just like her momma. I want her to miss me when she goes to college (maybe not every day, but often enough).
I can't create the bond that I want to have with Alessandra just by getting her the best of everything. I can't leave the imprint I want to leave on her life just by making good choices for her. In order to create the best bond with Alessandra, I need to be present in her life and show her my love in ways that she understands.
She is my heart. I want her to know it.
It doesn't get much better than this:
Playing on the mats before music class:
Hanging out at the park with extended family:
Playing with mega-blocks:
There's a general way that I handle things in my life that I care about. I take a certain approach to work, major purchases, big life decisions, etc. So far this multi-step level of attention to the task at hand has produced great results. I've now survived a few major purchases, big plans (wedding/travel/relocation), and met pretty good success in work by following my methodology.
Is this way of approaching things enough to make a good mom?
The answer appears to be no.
I used the same approach I've always used when it came to becoming a mommy. I researched, asked others' opinions, weighed my options, and put up good sums of money making sure we had the best of everything as Alessandra came into the world. I chose a great doctor, a great hospital, went to birth classes, went to parenting classes, selected the best pack & play, carseat, and bottles. I wouldn't say that time and attention was wasted, but how has it enhanced Alessandra's bond with me? How does it affect her perception and memory of mommy?
Alessandra doesn't know what went in to selecting her crib, how many music classes I researched before I chose one, or the hours I've spent in stores reading over labels to make sure everything is non-GMO, gluten-free, and organic.
What part of my parenting is Alessandra aware of?
I want Alessandra to have memories with me. I want her to see my smile, to remember my laughter, to recall good times with me. I want her to be able to flip through volumes of photos capturing our shared experiences. I want her to pick up my mannerisms. I want to hear people tell her that she's just like her momma. I want her to miss me when she goes to college (maybe not every day, but often enough).
I can't create the bond that I want to have with Alessandra just by getting her the best of everything. I can't leave the imprint I want to leave on her life just by making good choices for her. In order to create the best bond with Alessandra, I need to be present in her life and show her my love in ways that she understands.
She is my heart. I want her to know it.
It doesn't get much better than this:
Playing on the mats before music class:
Hanging out at the park with extended family:
Playing with mega-blocks:
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