Archive for July, 2009

Walking With Baxter Kruger A Theologian

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

I was listening to Baxter Kruger while walking.  He is a theologian who was a student of Thomas Torrance in Scotland.   Overall organised religion is a turnoff to me.  Playing church is not a game I enjoy.  I wish I could buy it, but my heart is not in it.

So Dr. Kruger is a breath of fresh air.  One comment he made was about our enlightened state referring to how science and knowledge have brought us into a new era over the last hundred years or so (I am not a good historian so that hundred years is an estimate).

In all our knowledge we as individuals have been reduced to believing who and what we are make little or no difference in life or time.  We believe in the insignificance of our beings (my quote not his).  If that is true and I suspect it is, no wonder we have the mental issues and stress related symptoms of our day.  Hopeless is as hopeless does.

Now the bright spot.   Dr. Kruger says that is not true and in trinitarian thought the Father , Son and Holy Spirit invite us to share in their being.  Which translated into our everyday lives means all the groaning and stresses we go through are all part of the creation coming to know Him.  We aren't designed to play harps on clouds, or be placid waiting for GOD to take us off the shelf.  He wants us to be one with Him.

My soul has rechewed for two years a statement that Torrance made, " The Trinity invites us to know them as they know themselves".  I still can't explain that because I still don't perceive the depth of it.   It is becoming visible in my minds eye though.  Perhaps that is "salvation", our working out our relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So if all that is true and I suspect it is, then we are important to our Creator.  He invites us to relate to Him.  Through the incarnation of Jesus Christ we have access to this relationship.  While Jesus is the only begotten, we share equally as adopted sons and daughters in this relationship. We are not illegitimate bastards who stand trembling at the entrance of the mansion waiting to be summoned.  We are loved by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit just as Jesus is loved.   A relationship working itself out in creation to a grand fulfillment.  Loving and learning to be loved.  Wow!

I hope that isn't too wordy or heady, but I think that's why they call it the Good News!

Keep Walkin

Ron

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Walking Solo and Yet Not Alone.

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Mark and Noel are visiting their new grand baby so my walk this morning was solo.  Not to worry though I have a new series called "The Big Picture" by Baxter Kruger.  Interesting look at life.  So I was not alone.

The funniest thing down on Water Street was 4 ducks feeding in Stoney Creek.  They would just go bottoms up with a tail and feet above water, taking turns eating.  It looked like an amusement game.  If I can get the video from camera phone downloaded I will post it here.

Today was beautiful with the temperature not too cold or too hot.  Blue skies and nature is vivid in color and detail.  On Palmyra Road there is a field of wheat that was cut and it is golden and a unique design that made for another perfect picture if I can get it on here.

Just so Sonya knows, her son was fishing last night down by the creek because he did lose his wallet there and I saw him this morning.  He is a good kid and hard to believe Ryan is 16 going on 21.  My daughter and Ryan were born within a few days of each other right after a blizzard in March.  Life marches on.

So I walked on up past Nellies house and then turned around before a house with 4 barking dogs.  They didn't look mean but I didn't want to spend the next hour coaxing them back into their yard.  The river was beautiful with the currents going over ledges and around rocks.  It is clear and full.  We have had quite a bit of rain this year and I don't think there is any drought in site.

On the way back I saw Mary getting into her car.  For those who don't know Mary she was a realtor, now retired and has a great sense of humor.  She was rooting around in her purse, a large bag, looking for lipstick and came up with a flashlight.  She said you just keep rooting till the right thing comes up.

We approach life like that.  At times it seems like I just keep rooting till the right thing comes up.  I think that makes me blessed.  How nice!

Keep walkin,

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Lost In Life But Still Walking

Monday, July 6th, 2009

Today I walked with Terri at 5am and again at 7:30 with Noel.  For whatever reason it is a good thing to get outside and move around.  At 5 it was foggy and actually cold.  Terri and I walked and talked.  It was a good and we need that time to know what is happening.

Then Noel was ready to walk and went out again.  The sun had come up bringing warmth and light.  Edinburg has many different moods during the day.

I believe that is true of us as well.  We have many different moods through our lives.  I had never understood people who say they had the worst year of the their lives until this last year.  I began last year with a trip to the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack.  Turned out it was just the stress of dealing with my parents and an alcoholic brother.   At least the next couple of months of counseling helped me to understand I wasn't nuts.  I remember going to the first meeting and thinking what if he uncovers a bag of worms and totally blows me away.  He didn't.  He said I had done very well dealing with it up to this point.

Then a close friend started having problems health wise and within a couple of months died from cancer.  Too much time in the hospital.  However it helped me to deal with my Aunt's death who passed away a few months later.  Aunt Louise was as close to me as my own mother and was a dear friend too.

All this set during a tremendouse downturn in real estate that aside from the great depression has never been seen before.  So we have my mental and physical health, death and financial stress.  Then about 3 months ago I was hit by a car while washing the window of my car in a gas station, a month later had a stroke in my eye and now have another problem happening with my leg that was hit.

The not so funny thing everyone around us was having the same issues.  Not to the same degree perhaps but people always have stress it seems.

So this morning while walking, I get the sense of someone waking out of a sleep, sitting up and looking around.  It's about time for a new season!  Normally I am resilient and positive but this last year stretched me beyond the usual limits.  It feels like the resiliency is back.

So while life can divert and distract us for a time or a season, it shouldn't be permanent.  There is a lot life all around us.  Life is a dance if we will but join in.  Or perhaps a walk, up tall hills, down high mountains and trails beside cool waters.

Keep walkin,

Ron

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