We read quite a lot in the gospels about Jesus’ teaching of God’s Kingdom on earth. We even often repeat his famed prayer. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. I sometimes wonder if we actually think about what we are praying when we repeat that prayer.
I like to think of that kingdom as God’s Paradise rather then “kingdom” since we no longer find many kingdoms on the earth. And Paradise on earth was the original goal of very early Christians. They hoped to establish a place on earth where peace and justice prevailed and people lived together as family and in community.
Early Christians remembered the teachings of Jesus. They cared for the poor, fed, ministered to the needs of the imprisoned and even shared a common meal in their worship services. All that changed over time. Salvation began to be thought of as occurring in the afterlife but Jesus had taught that the kingdom was already on the earth.
For nearly a thousand years, that vision prevailed. Then something truly terrible happened. The vision of paradise was overcome by the vision of salvation by violence. The Crusades commenced and Jews, Muslims and infidels of all stripes were put to the sword. It was another thousand years before that new and terrible vision began to be seen for what it really was. Salvation by violence as reward in the afterlife is not the gospel Jesus taught.
These earlier followers of Jesus embraced a theology of hope, life, and living in community as opposed to the emphasis on torture, suffering, and death that came later.
This was an earlier understanding when Jesus teaching was understood and depicted as opening the possibility again of human life together in an earthly paradise, before that vision was replaced by one of Christian imperialism and salvation by violence.
From where does the violence of our society come? It comes from a thousand years of emphasis on acceptable violence. It was a thousand years before it became acceptable to take human life for any reason. But when that teaching was instigated, it birthed violence of all kinds.
How do we return to the proper vision of Jesus?
I think we begin by teaching the principles Jesus taught. The principles taught in the stories of Jesus’ wonderful acceptance of women, the outcasts of society, untouchables, those who were mentally and physically ill, and those who were hated as pawns of the Romans, are principles we all need to be embracing.
We need to be feeding and caring for the poor, instituting principles of justice in our courts, and pursuing peace with the same vengence we have pursued war. Principles such as “just war”, vengeance and revenge have no place among those teachings of Jesus.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Tired Sunday
Scott left this morning before church and then I got around and went to the market. The woman who was going to have the early breakfast at church called at 9:50 last night to say she was not going to be able to do it after all. They had unexpected company.
So I made a run to the deli/bakery department and picked up cinnamon rolls, frosted rolls, juice and chocolate milk for the early breakfast. It isn't anything I would usually serve but it was better then nothing at all.
We went to lunch with Cyndi and Jeff and John and Leslie. Jeff bought all our lunches...unexpectedly. That was very nice of him but then Jeff is a very nice young man.
We came on home and I did my letters and also printed off the new pictures Leslie sent me of the progress on the house. I will not scrapbook them right away. This will be a very busy week.
Tonight we have "Living the Questions" over at Bredesen's house. Tomorrow, I will clean. It's supposed to rain tomorrow so that will be a good thing to do.
Tuesday, I will go over to my sister's to have a visit with her and her husband will get to go to breakfast with his friends. Later, at 11:00 I have a Montgomery County Health Clinic meeting in Independence.
Wednesday, I have my hair appointment at 8:15, will have breakfast with Juanita afterward and also have the Independence Ministerial Association meeting at Mercy Hospital at noon.
Thursday, Bob is supposed to go to Tulsa for a 9:00 class for Red Cross. I will possibly scrapbook that day.
Friday evening is our Valentine Dinner at the Railroad Inn in Independence.
It should be a busy week. I may paint for our daughter one or two evenings that week too. They finally started with the bricking, as you can see in the picture above.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Shocking Developments!
I thought if we could find Leslie at home today, we would take Scott and go out and see the progress on the house this weekend. She was going to help a friend empty a storage building today.
We went out to see the progress on the house by ourselves and the brick work had been started. That looks lovely.
The most startling development, though, was the installation of the sound system. The installer cut out a section of their wall next to the fireplace to install it and the builder will have to patch the sheet rock there. It is a strip about six feet tall and four - six inches wide from the floor to halfway to the ceiling. It will be interesting to see what John and Leslie think about that and also what the builder thinks about it. Personally, I would have been sick about it if the house had been mine.
Of course, they probably should have had the sound system installed before the sheet rock was up but they had intended to put it in the ceiling. The installer said there was only about two feet above the ceiling and there were solid 2 X 4s all the way down the wall so they couldn't get the wires threaded down there.
We went out to see the progress on the house by ourselves and the brick work had been started. That looks lovely.
The most startling development, though, was the installation of the sound system. The installer cut out a section of their wall next to the fireplace to install it and the builder will have to patch the sheet rock there. It is a strip about six feet tall and four - six inches wide from the floor to halfway to the ceiling. It will be interesting to see what John and Leslie think about that and also what the builder thinks about it. Personally, I would have been sick about it if the house had been mine.
Of course, they probably should have had the sound system installed before the sheet rock was up but they had intended to put it in the ceiling. The installer said there was only about two feet above the ceiling and there were solid 2 X 4s all the way down the wall so they couldn't get the wires threaded down there.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Painting Evening
Bob and I went out to Leslie's last night at 5:30 and I helped her paint the great room of their new house. Our grandson, Jeromy, was there too. Between the three of us, we got the second coat of paint on all the walls. She will not get any more paint until Wednesday when the truck comes for the lumber yard. I suggested she buy the paint for the bedroom and paint that but haven't heard back from her yet.
We had a call from our son, Scott, when we got home last night and he is coming Friday night after all. He will not stand in the way of any painting plans we have for Saturday though.
Today, we will go to Independence and take our daughter to lunch and while there, Bob will take his W2 form in to the Social Security office and see if what he made last year with FEMA will raise his social security any at all. Otherwise, we have no plans for the day. Also, I could paint again tonight if Leslie gets the bedroom paint.
They have the counter tops on now and are slowly, and I do mean slowly, making progress.
We had a call from our son, Scott, when we got home last night and he is coming Friday night after all. He will not stand in the way of any painting plans we have for Saturday though.
Today, we will go to Independence and take our daughter to lunch and while there, Bob will take his W2 form in to the Social Security office and see if what he made last year with FEMA will raise his social security any at all. Otherwise, we have no plans for the day. Also, I could paint again tonight if Leslie gets the bedroom paint.
They have the counter tops on now and are slowly, and I do mean slowly, making progress.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Busy Wednesday
Yesterday was pretty busy. I went to Independence to get my hair done, go to breakfast with Juanita and dropped by Nanny LaRose to see if Karen had any new jeans for Spring. They won't be here until next week so I'll check back.
I came home and had lunch and after Bob's nap, we went to see my sister who finally went home from the nursing home on Monday. She is very feeble. My brother-in-law has his hands full. He put bars next to the tub and stool so she could bathe herself and get up and down from the commode but he ended up having to bathe her himself. She can barely navigate herself but even worse is that the Alzheimer's Disease seems to have gotten even worse. She asks the same questions over and over again. I told him to call me when he simply has to get away and I will go sit with her and visit her.
She and he had watched that special on PBS on Tuesday evening about Alzheimer's Disease. It was very appalling to him that there seemed to be no hope...even with that new drug that is supposed to slow it down.
Taking care of her is going to be a job...that's for sure.
Today we will go to Ministerial Alliance at noon. We have nothing else planned. I may go out this evening and help Leslie paint her house. She is working on the great room.
I came home and had lunch and after Bob's nap, we went to see my sister who finally went home from the nursing home on Monday. She is very feeble. My brother-in-law has his hands full. He put bars next to the tub and stool so she could bathe herself and get up and down from the commode but he ended up having to bathe her himself. She can barely navigate herself but even worse is that the Alzheimer's Disease seems to have gotten even worse. She asks the same questions over and over again. I told him to call me when he simply has to get away and I will go sit with her and visit her.
She and he had watched that special on PBS on Tuesday evening about Alzheimer's Disease. It was very appalling to him that there seemed to be no hope...even with that new drug that is supposed to slow it down.
Taking care of her is going to be a job...that's for sure.
Today we will go to Ministerial Alliance at noon. We have nothing else planned. I may go out this evening and help Leslie paint her house. She is working on the great room.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Unbelievable!!
We have bailed out the Wells Fargo Bank to the tune of 25 Billion dollars and now they plan to take their executives on a very lavish junket to Las Vegas!
What is this world coming to? What are these people thinking of? And the president!!! What is he thinking of if he lets them get away with this!!
Read all about it at this link!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28999671
WASHINGTON - Wells Fargo & Co., which received $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money, is planning a series of corporate junkets to Las Vegas casinos this month.
Wells Fargo, once among the nation’s top writers of subprime mortgages, has booked 12 nights at the Wynn Las Vegas and its sister hotel, the Encore Las Vegas beginning Friday, said Wynn spokeswoman Michelle Loosbrock. The hotels will host the annual conference for company’s top mortgage officers.
The conference is a Wells Fargo tradition. Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.
“I was amazed with just how lavish it was,” said Debra Rickard, a former Wells Fargo mortgage employee from Colorado who attended the events regularly until she left the company in 2004. “We stayed in top hotels, the entertainment was just unbelievable, and there were awards — you got plaques or trophies.”
While the nation’s recession has led other banks, such as Bank of America, to cancel employee recognition outings, Wells Fargo has not.
“Recognition events are still part of our culture,” spokeswoman Melissa Murray said. “It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.”
What's wrong with a pat on the back??
What is this world coming to? What are these people thinking of? And the president!!! What is he thinking of if he lets them get away with this!!
Read all about it at this link!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28999671
WASHINGTON - Wells Fargo & Co., which received $25 billion in taxpayer bailout money, is planning a series of corporate junkets to Las Vegas casinos this month.
Wells Fargo, once among the nation’s top writers of subprime mortgages, has booked 12 nights at the Wynn Las Vegas and its sister hotel, the Encore Las Vegas beginning Friday, said Wynn spokeswoman Michelle Loosbrock. The hotels will host the annual conference for company’s top mortgage officers.
The conference is a Wells Fargo tradition. Previous years have included all-expense-paid helicopter rides, wine tasting, horseback riding in Puerto Rico and a private Jimmy Buffett concert in the Bahamas for more than 1,000 employees and guests.
“I was amazed with just how lavish it was,” said Debra Rickard, a former Wells Fargo mortgage employee from Colorado who attended the events regularly until she left the company in 2004. “We stayed in top hotels, the entertainment was just unbelievable, and there were awards — you got plaques or trophies.”
While the nation’s recession has led other banks, such as Bank of America, to cancel employee recognition outings, Wells Fargo has not.
“Recognition events are still part of our culture,” spokeswoman Melissa Murray said. “It’s really important that our team members are still valued and recognized.”
What's wrong with a pat on the back??
A Quiet Day
This should be a quiet day. It's too cold out to go anywhere and do anything but just stick close to home. Bob has gone up to Red Cross to a budget meeting and I am just sitting here reading the news and posting here. I had to do some work on this laptop yesterday since I ran short on virtual memory. It is working better now.
I don't have anywhere to go until tomorrow morning. I will get my hair done at 7:15 and then go to lunch with Juanita. Then I have to go get some makeup or shock everyone badly when I go to CMA on Thursday. :)
Bob wants to go along tomorrow and I don't know how that will work out. It's usually just Juanita and me. Also, Slinky will be having to go outside and I'm not sure how cold it will still be at 6:45 when I have to leave. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I am reading this book, "Saving Paradise" and I am finding it very interesting. It's amazing how little most of us really know about the development of the theology of the early Christian church. At least speaking for myself that is true. Perhaps you readers are better educated on that subject then I am. Anyhow, it has been a very interesting read.
I don't have anywhere to go until tomorrow morning. I will get my hair done at 7:15 and then go to lunch with Juanita. Then I have to go get some makeup or shock everyone badly when I go to CMA on Thursday. :)
Bob wants to go along tomorrow and I don't know how that will work out. It's usually just Juanita and me. Also, Slinky will be having to go outside and I'm not sure how cold it will still be at 6:45 when I have to leave. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I am reading this book, "Saving Paradise" and I am finding it very interesting. It's amazing how little most of us really know about the development of the theology of the early Christian church. At least speaking for myself that is true. Perhaps you readers are better educated on that subject then I am. Anyhow, it has been a very interesting read.
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