BinghamBooks

Jan 28, 2014 5:11 AM EST

When I feel the overwhelming feeling of unconditional love.
thank you, John-

- Gretchen

Jan 29, 2014 10:03 AM EST

John,

Well done and well said. God is present, even in the mundane. Thanks for reminding us to notice.

Glenn

- Anonymous

Mar 17, 2014 1:20 PM EDT

I was sorry to have missed this last blog posting-- but thanks for an inspiring reflection John. It's had me further reflecting (and Im doing a good deal of that lately working step 4 of the 12 steps, a written moral inventory w/sponsor and my mens group)... The Holy in my life has been most prominent in the warmth and caring (a life giving, unexplainable type of compassion) of some men and women I've been blessed to meet and get to know-- oddly enough, some were known also in 'big dreams' (ie., during a particularly harsh time in my life there's one dream I had of meeting Peter, yeah the apostle, and as I was sitting around watching my daughter who was a distance away playing and she couldnt see me-- knowing my pain and how I wouldn't feel it then, custody battle mindset or whatever, he sat with me lovingly and just cried without saying anything; I woke up feeling amazed, and thought 'so THAT'S compassion'-- to "feel with" someone...It felt very healing). Other experiences of the Holy have included the bewildered looks, laughs, and enthused responses of the college students these past 7 years who-- maybe in rediscovery of their own earlier encounters or maybe a first encounter-- meet the holy hilarity of the God of the Bible (the REL134/133 classes)... My own captivation with God's sense of humor has me, probably, paying too much attention to that aspect of Him-- but as a result, I have found something of the Holy in people like Andy Kaufman (a theologian of the ridiculous, and how many there were who thought even his own untimely death was staged for an elaborate prank that we'd all someday discover...), or the humorous theology of Twain. I look at my two English Bulldogs-- with twice the skin they need, as cute as that looks, and legs too short to keep their fat bellies from dragging on the ground, and think (by the very existence of creatures like these) the Holy is closely connected to humor, and absurdity. I'm not referring to Jung's "Trickster" in this sense (that's more of a satanic figure as I see it), but benevolent and good natured 'surprise' that seems to lighten things up or give new perspective (like how Dostoevsky had Jesus return during the Inquisition and his response to the long winded Inquisitor was only a kiss and off he went...Brilliant and humorous 'surprise'). Those moments give me hope in new surprises in my own life... Elswhere, I miss the ocean and the Fair Oaks American River trail (don't get out there anymore as much as I should, but the Holy was always there-- and always made me want to draw it accompanied by lived ones...). Just weighing in on a great subject John, thanks for the blog that got me reflecting (and for sharing your experiences of the Holy). God bless you, Mark

- Mark Peterson