I'm rereading Eugene Peterson's Practice Resurrection, a title he borrowed from Wendell Berry's Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front.
"....the subject is 'growing up.' In dealing with something so critical and personal, so full of consequences for all of us, here is a surprise. This...places us in a cosmos in which God starts everything. Everything. There is not a single verb commanding us to do something, not so much as a hint or suggestion that we are to do anything at all. No requirements, no laws, no chores, no assignments, no lessons. We are born into a cosmos in which all the requirements and conditions for growing up are not only in place but in action."
I couldn't go to sleep tonight, so grabbed the camera to find the bulbs popping up in our yard. Daffodils, crocuses, and specimen tulips are all practicing resurrection - in the midst of a dark, cold, wet winter's night.
They just do it. So also will I.
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Hmmm. I wonder, though, if this puts us too much in a spiritually passive mode. I find that growth comes mostly through moving - doing something, anything, to get started on the journey. It is through dealing with difficulties, conflict, obstacles, these are what creates growth. Then, in this process, I would say, yes, God puts the cosmos in motion to grow us.
But I like the idea of "God starts everything." Well, he already has, hasn't He? We're just playing into it!
Aw, who knows. He is probably the one that gives me the will and motivation to start anything to begin with.
Ok -- so the bulbs are coming up already. You west coasters. Love to rub salt into snowy vistas. LOL -- we are soooo far form bulbs it's sad.
I think the beauty is that we grow,often in spite of ourselves. We grow because we are Divine beings, part of a Divine life we are born into.
Love the bulbs. And I know, under the snow, there are bulbs nurturing their way into spring.
Hugs
Our bulbs look about the same miss Kathleen... They, like us, just need to drink in the water and grow roots deep.
Blessings.
Our week's forecast is to be in '60s by week's end. I can't recall a time in February when we had '60s. In a way, I hope we don't get that warm because things will push up too soon.
Thought-provoking quote.
I noticed my crocuses poking up this morning! Yippee! Spring is on the way.
And I had the most beautiful Valentine in the mail today. Thank you, Kathleen. You always know how to lift the spirits.
I've been praying for your girl.
Much love to you today.
I am thinking of the paperwhites that I set into pebbles and water every year the week after Thanksgiving which thrust thick white roots down and fastgrowing green stalks shooting with nodding clusters of fragrant white seeming to burst out. These bulbs are forced, and most of the time will not grow and bloom again even if buried in the soil to grow naturally. I am wondering if sometimes our own efforts are forced in this manner, not practicing the patience for God's timing.
i just looked up the book on amazon and skimmed some reviews. it looks like this book completes a series of 5 books on spiritual theology, and perhaps the best. i haven't read any of them. now i'm interested.
I love this.
I'm loving the Peterson text I'm reading right now. Perhaps must move on to this one next? I'm reminded of Jesus' words in Mark 4, that whether the farmer works or sleeps, the seeds sprouts and grows, all by itself produces grain.
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