by Liz | Feb 14, 2011 | main
I hesitate to admit that I am a faithful follower of “Private Practice” but there are lessons to be learned in all aspects of life.
If you follow the show you are familiar with the story line concerning Charlotte’s rape and the aftermath. If not, here’s the brief run down: Charlotte, one of the doctors on the show was attacked and raped in her office. In the immediate aftermath she admits to being attacked (hard to deny considering the bashing she took and the resulting cuts, bruises and assorted injuries); As the story unfolds, she finally gets past that denial and her friends and fiance are of course outraged, angry and looking for vengence (I have no idea how to spell that word, I’ve tried every variation I can think of and the spell checker hates them all).
Long story short, the rapist reappears, in Charlotte’s hospital, with a knife in his chest as a result of an altercation with his girlfriend.
Now it gets really interesting. Charlotte can actually decide whether to save him or not. This is reality — we’re not talking morals here, but gut level emotions. As she struggles with this, one of her friends, Naomi comes to her with advice. Forgive him. That’s how you move on with your life. That’s how you free yourself from the burden of living with this brutality and fear for the rest of your life. Forgive him. Don’t let him die.
In the end, Charlotte does just that. She faces her attacker after he is stabilized and tells him that she forgives him. That he has no hold over her. He no longer scares her. She walks away, I dare say, a new woman. I also figure that she will have to work out that forgiveness over time. But, she made the decision to forgive.
Forgiving is often a very difficult road. Just because you say “I forgive you” doesn’t magically make it happen. I know this. But, to decide to forgive is a first step in the process. It is necessary for the injured party. It doesn’t have to be accepted by the person you forgive. The person doing the forgiving gains as much, if not more that the person being forgiven. If I forgive, I can quit drinking the poison and hoping the other guy dies.
Jesus was definitely on to something here. The Our Father asks that we be forgiven as we forgive others. To me, that strongly suggests that the first steps in being forgiven is to forgive another. Think about it…
by Liz | Jan 11, 2011 | main
In my daily movements around this side of town, I frequently pass a sign at a local church that gives me pause. Actually, to be honest, I pass the sign and I am disturbed.
It is a banner sporting a view of the back of a fellow’s [bald/shaved] head which he seems to be clutching in frustration. The sign reads “Hard questions answered here.”
I pass it and ponder. It’s all wrong to me. In frustration, I have been known to nearly shout “If God would just give me the syllabus for this course called Life, then maybe I could pass the course. Just give me a chance to study up on the answers!” So, I rather understand the desire of the man depicted on the sign. Really. I do.
Faith just doesn’t seem to work that way. Oh, there are times when I get answers. Sometimes I even like the answers, but often I’m not fond of them. But, mostly, I find that answers are not spelled out. Answers are definitely not black and white and are definitely not things that can be applied blindly to all situations. I seek answers and the answer I get most frequently is “I am the way” — which I have finally learned means — “Walk with me, and we’ll deal with everything as it comes up.” Often, the answer only leads to more questions.
It seems that so many people just want the right answer to parrot. It seems that we often want the answers fed to us instead of taking the responsibility for our own learning. I know that there are many times that it would be so much easier to just have someone tell me what is right or what to do rather than listen in the context of my own relationship with Love.
I would think far more positively if that sign read “Tough questions? We can walk/sit with you as you listen for answers.”
That sign just bugs me.
by Liz | Jan 9, 2011 | main
Some days I really am bothered by the changes that God seems intent on making in my way of seeing. It is uncomfortable to say the least.
How so? Recently I posted on my FB a comment about the cost of the death penalty — not just in dollars but in other ways. One affirming respons. Good. And then came one tearful, pained, angry response from a friend who has had 2 family members murdered and is all for the death penalty. This response led to a series of posts, with both of us digging deep. I in no way seek to minimize the pain. I mean no disrespect. I hope she knows that I will stand with her in the pain. I cannot change my stance. Really uncomfortable.
And then yesterday I read about the stupid, senseless shootings in Arizona. Six people dead including a 9 years and a federal judge, and a sitting congresswoman shot in the head. My first reaction was almost nausea. I lit a candle on the TrueMajority website. I wrote a note. I read the AP article. I found myself praying not only for the victims and their families, but also for the young man who committed these heinous acts – praying for a healing of the hurt in him, and in others who are like him — healing before something similar and equally as painful and appalling happens again. I suspect that admission is not going to win me friends and help me influence people.
But, God has not yet met with 100% success. I still harbor anger toward those who foster hateful and divisive rhetoric to advance their politics (not just the real fringies, but the T-Party and way too many Republican politicians, and Ms. Palin, just to name a few.) These are the same folks who cry out for respect for officials while fostering campaigns that encourage folks to “take aim” at others, and do so with visualizations such as gun sights. I’m still having trouble praying for those folks… even though I suppose that come under that umbrella of healing things before another tragedy occurs.
Today’s 2nd reading at mass, reminds us that God is discriminates far less than we do… it reminds us that Jesus, after His baptism, when about healing ALL those oppressed by the devil… if He did that, then, I suppose I must be open to praying for those who perpetuate these senseless crimes and those who perpetuate the attitudes that encourage others to carry out these acts.
Note: the reading is from Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38.
Peter proceeded to speak and said: Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. You know the word (that) he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
by Liz | Dec 13, 2010 | main
It’s already into the 3rd week of Advent, and I’ve not posted a thing. I’ve not settled enough at one level. But in other ways, I am very much into Advent.
I read on various blogs and other places about how we are awaiting something/someone much more developed than the Infant Jesus. And, this is true. However, for me, this year Advent seems focused on the infant and the child.
I have 3 granddaughters, aged 4 years, 2 years and 7 months. They are a source of great joy to me. And, a bit of a reminder of Advent. The baby, Genevieve, helps me to understand this expectation and hope the most (just as her cousins did 2 and 4 years ago.) I spent last week with her. Every day she becomes a bit more of herself. She explores her world. She would light up when her daddy called from Europe. She tried twelve ways to never to figure out how one gets oneself from prone or supine to sitting. She smiled, she laughed, she cried. By being there, I got to know her better. I had the chance to begin to see the little person she is becoming.
It’s rather that way with the Infant Jesus and Christmas and God the Father. You start with that infant. You put your hope in Him. You stay close and learn who he is becoming — especially who he is becoming in your own life. If you spend the time being close, you will experience the smiles, the laughter, the love, the tears. Therefore, I will stick with my images of a baby in a manger, of a new family making its way in this world, learning to trust and growing together. I am comfortable with the idea of starting at the beginning once again and walking the way once more. Maybe this segment of the journey I will learn a bit more how to trust and love and just be on the journey without understanding the map.
Oh — and, I’ll understand that you don’t always get to see the results first hand. Baby Genevieve finally pushed herself up to sitting only a few hours after I left.
by Liz | Nov 29, 2010 | main
Today is Madeleine L’Engle’s birthday. I read “A Wrinkle in Time” in the 5th grade and never forgot this author. Apparently, this most wonderful of books was turned down by 26 different publishers before it was finally published and won a Newberry Award. For me — I am so glad that publisher number 27 took a chance.
A few years ago I discovered that Madeleine L’Engle wrote more than “A Wrinkle in Time.” I went on a journey through her writings and found not only more children’s / juvenile fiction (which I read as and adult I found out about them), but I also discovered her other side — a deeply spiritual person. Who knew that the author of “A Wrinkle in Time” and it’s sequels, “A Wind at the Door” and “A Swiftly Tilting Planet” could communicate so profoundly about a time in her own life as she transistioned from wife to widow?
Anyway, I’ll pick up my copy of “Glimpses of Grace: Daily Thoughts and Reflections” and celebrate her birthday today.
Books by Madeleine L’Engle (found on Amazon)
