Words of Fire
  • Home
  • About Margaret-Ann
  • Storytelling
  • Flames (Blog)
  • WORDshops
  • Resources
  • Contact

Wednesday's Word: The Sound of Music

10/2/2013

 
There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of 
the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if 
you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of 
strings that somebody else pulls.

Howard Thurman
PictureThe Australian Didgeridoo
I recently attended a calligraphy workshop--a self-indulgent treat to my amateur skill set. During the workshop's first exercise, our instructor played music and asked us to paint what we "heard." 

One piece which featured the Australian didgeridoo, sparked a creative wildfire. My brush leapt across the page, almost as if by some unseen force.  Raucous reds, impatient oranges and joyous yellows danced together.  Fellow students later displayed their work, and many of them were inspired by the same piece.  However, no two resembled each other.  It seemed that where I had heard electric sunshine, others responded with quiet pastel purity or subtle earth tones of the savannah. 

As a storyteller, I have to trust the words to speak, but I cannot dictate how others will react.  My responsibility is to create a space where my audience can be free to hear what Thurman calls the "sound of the genuine" in themselves.  At the same time, we must tune our listening ear and to hear the cries of injustice, pain and suffering.  Not every story I tell has a happy ending; not every song we hear brings us joy. 

May we ever hear the music all around us, and be genuine enough to paint, to sing, and to follow the path that leads us to our best and truest selves.  

Wednesday's Word: Hope

6/13/2012

 
"Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake,
so the waves  swept over the boat.”  Matthew 8:24

Today has turned out to be  incredible.  It began with strong winds and dark clouds. Now the sky  is full of low hanging white cotton balls; azure blue waters roll by in seamless harmony.  I just want to sit and take it all in: Gaze at the sky. Be mesmerized by the clouds.  Hear God’s whisper along the wings of
the wind.

Don’t many of our days begin with calm and end in chaos?  We are on blue waters that suddenly threaten to engulf us—with no  warning, with no chance of escape, with no life guards on duty.  

That’s exactly what  happened to the disciples. There was no warning.  All of a sudden, the water that they trusted became the death that they feared.  Worse still, Jesus was sleeping—seemingly unconcerned with their plight.  

What do you do when the day has turned from sunny to stormy? From warm into wild?  I must confess that I am all too often like the disciples, who immediately entered panic mode.  I believe that God has forgotten me; abandoned me; left me to perish in the storm of sickness, the squall of failure, the tempest of broken dreams and lost loves.  We find ourselves drowning in the fierce waters of depression, despair and desolation. We don’t think that we can be saved.

But the story tells us otherwise.  It is precisely when we are afraid that the water to be stronger than our faith that Jesus walks towards us--holding out His hand, offering us His help.  He is ever near us to save us.  He will not let the waters overtake us.

How can I be sure of this?  Do I dare believe?  His story tells that I can be sure, that I can believe, and that He will save me. 

Tell the story:  You will be giving hope.  Tell the story:  You will be offering a life preserver to a drowning soul.

Picture

Wednesday's Word: On Fire

6/6/2012

 
Once upon a time…
     In a galaxy far, far away… 
            
         Tell me a story, sister, so as to pass the waking parts of the night…

                In  the beginning…

All great stories introduce us to  wonder.  We are invited to  adventure, mystery and distant lands.  At the same time, all great stories also contain  elements of the familiar: the  faithful friend, the jealous retainer, the beautiful dreamer, the wicked  step-parent, the hateful villain.  Finally, the peasant becomes the princess; evil is defeated, and all live  happily ever after.  
God’s stories are no different: the bride will be rescued and taken to  the kingdom. The peasant will become a princess and we will live happily ever  after.  The evil that lurks in the  shadows and destroys all that is good and right in the world will be  defeated.  It will happen—because  the story of God tells me that this is so. 
          
Yet simply reading His stories is not enough.  I must be bold enough to tell and to live in His stories.   If I want to learn how to pray:  I must place myself in the Garden of Getsemane.   If I want to feel God’s love: I will put myself in Jesus’ arms and become  as His child, receiving His blessing.   If I want to experience His joy: I will stand next to Mary Magdelene was  she cries “Rabboni!”

If I ever wonder whether or not God cares for us,  we should place ourselves at the foot of the cross.   If I am feeling as if I’ve failed Him:  I will stand with Peter in the  courtyard and then run to Jesus from the shore. If I’m angry about injustice: I  will live in the story of the temple cleansing, understanding that God’s anger is for His own.   

I will find myself in God’s story.  I will see myself as a part of his  great drama.  I will live with  wonder, adventure, and hope in the happily ever  after.

The  story is told of the ancient desert fathers that Abba Lot went to see Abba  Joseph complaining that his spiritual disciplines rought little  satisfaction and less power.  According to the tale, he said, “Abba,  as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I  live in peace and as far as I can I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?”  Then the old man stood up and stretched his hands toward heaven; his fingers  became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, "If you will, you can become  all flame.” 
 
As we extend our hearts to God and place  ourselves in His story, let us become His flames: flames to encourage; flames to  strengthen our flagging faith;   flames to lighten another’s burden; flames to set the world on fire. 

Let our stories join with His in extending  light to a broken and dark and lonely world.

Light a fire today:   tell God’s story.  
Picture

A God Who Tells Tales

3/2/2012

 
My God is a storyteller.  It's no mistake, then, that the Bible I read is mostly stories:  Stories that make us laugh and cry, gasp and giggle. We read of kings and shepherds, prophets and prostitutes, warriors and widows.  We see how God relates to people.

Take, for example, the story of Jesus and the woman at the well.  (John 4)  Instead of condemning or judging the woman, Jesus speaks to her. Here is a God who accepts me.  Likewise, when Jesus sees the widow of Nain grieving over the body of her child, the story tells us that He "had compassion" for her. So, He raises her only son from the dead (Luke 7).  Here is a God who understands my pain and is moved by my tears.  My Bible's stories help me to understand my God.   

It's not suprising, is it, that we learn about others by hearing their stories?  We learn about families and failures, loves and losses.  We gain friends because we are able to share our stories with others.   In the same way, we grow closer to God through reading His stories.

Why is it, then, that when we hear God's stories, we want to explain them, not just experience them?  We want to place them into theological structures:  christology, soteriology, trinitarianism, ecclesiology, pneumotology.  But our God doesn't want us to dissect his heart, He wants us to feel it.

Why not try it?  Read God's stories.  Experience His pain and ponder His passion. Hear His heart beat.  

You will find that it beats in time with your own.

    
 
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Ash Wednesday
    Celebration
    Community
    COVID 19
    Creativity
    Dating
    Death
    Easter
    Encouragement
    Faith
    Family
    Generosity
    Gratitude
    Healing
    Hope
    Hospitality
    Intimacy
    Joy
    Lent
    Palm Sunday
    Peace
    Prayers
    Psalms
    Purpose
    Racism
    Relationships
    Resurrection
    Stories
    Storytelling
    Transparency
    Trust
    Wholeness
    Work

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    May 2020
    April 2020
    November 2016
    May 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.