Monday, December 9, 2013

JBU Audio Archives Fall 2007 (in part)

Do you ever have recurring theme metaphors in your life? Like the ones that seem to follow you?

I have a few including, but not nearly excluded to, knitting, puzzles, and bubbles.

Bubbles are the ones I've been thinking of today, starting with this sweet Vine of smoke bubbles. 

Then, I decided to start at the back of the JBU audio chapel archives and listen through the last five years of chapels. Not today but in my spare time, like when I'm puzzling or playing geography games or blogging.

I started out with a chapel by Tracy Balzer who also happens to be my mentor, so it was a double bonus of Jesus and Tracy. She spoke about the concept of the JBU bubble. It's a pretty popular topic of complaint among JBU students, that they are trapped in "the bubble."

She had some good thoughts on The Bubble, though. Bubbles are translucent (my brother Chon's answer to "what is your favorite color" all while we were growing up). You can see through them. You can't be trapped in ignorance if you have the total ability to see the world around you. Internet, the news, newspapers. You have the opportunity.

Second, bubbles are permeable. You can go in and out of them.

Quotable Quotes from Dieter Zander (spiritual emphasis speaker for Fall 2007)'s first, second, and third chapel talks.
"Grace is not opposed to effort. Grace is opposed to earning."
(speaking in relation to himself as a non-runner becoming a marathon competitor): "I was able to accomplish something through training which  I would never have been able to accomplish through trying...trying is a spur of the moment effort with no preparation. Training is intentional, strategic preparation for an inevitable outcome." 
"Spiritual disciplines create the space in our lives needed for the Holy Spirit to work."
"You can't be a loving person if you're moving too fast, [are anxious/overwhelmed], or [self-absorbed]." 
To become loving: 1. The spiritual practice of slowing. "If I can start [the day] slow, I can stay slow." 2. Observe the Sabbath. 3. Start saying "no." 4. Take time to really see people. 5. Serve others. Go beyond the stated request.
"Jesus was interruptable." 
That last one there is what caught me. A lot of these quotes did, but this last one especially. I often am glad to help but require a few minutes to finish up something. That's kind of ungracious (though perhaps may feel necessary to me). Slow obedience is no obedience. Slow service is no service. Demonstrate through your actions and attitudes that other people are more important than you are.


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