The Love of God

Dante Alighieri:

"The love of God, unutterable and perfect,
flows into a pure soul the way that light
rushes into a transparent object.
The more love that it finds, the more it gives
itself; so that, as we grow clear and open,
the more complete the joy of heaven is.
And the more souls who resonate together,
the greater the intensity of their love,
and, mirror-like, each soul reflects the other."

Awareness

The greater our self-awareness, the greater our possibilities for freedom.

A sonnet about silence and rest

I forget what is required to make a poem a sonnet, but this sonnet by Frances Ridley Havergal is a good one. He writes about a silence with God that speaks. I read it while reading Dallas Willard's "Hearing God" which I think is a must-read book.

Love culminates in bliss when it doth reach
A white, unflickering, fear-consuming glow;
And, knowing it is known as it doth know,
Needs no assuring word or soothing speech.
It craves but silent nearness, so to rest,
No sound, no movement, love not heard but felt,
Longer and longer still, till time should melt,
A snow-flake on the eternal ocean's breast.
Have moments of this silence starred thy past,
Made memory a glory-haunted place,
Taught all the joy that mortal ken can trace?
By greater light 'tis but a shadow cast:
So shall the Lord thy God rejoice o'er thee,
And in His love will rest, and silent be.

Congruency and books and balance by adventure

Here are a few random thoughts:

First, a thought I've been pondering: The goal in relationships is to be congruent. To be able to be who I am on the inside and able to express it. To be authentic.

Second, here are a few books that have recently made it onto my book list that I hope to read. Eventually. In all my spare time when I'm not reading for homework!

Harville Hendrix – "Getting the Love You Want"
Irvin D. Yalom. "Existential Psychotherapy" (New York: Basic Books, 1980).
Robert S. McGee "The Search For Significance" (Thomas Nelson publisher)
Glasser, William. (1998). "Choice Theory: A new psychology of personal freedom". New York: Harper Collins.
"Existential Psychotherapy" by Irvin D. Yalom
Yalom’s "The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy"
I also want to read some Soren Kierkegaard on the concept of freedom (Kierkegaard, Søren. Perhaps "The Concept of anxiety", "Either/Or"

Third, a week and a half ago, from Wednesday to Thursday, I spent 78 hours working, in class, or studying. This week has been lighter, thankfully. As part of my goal to thrive and to live a balanced life, I'm hoping to pursue one adventure per month. At least. One day of climbing outdoors, or going on a hike. Or snowboarding. Or something adventurous. It feeds my hungry soul, clears my head, and brings me great joy.

The Teacher

Man is a pupil, pain is his teacher.

-Alfred de Musset

He Knows What He is About

God has created me

to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me

which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission—

I may never know it in this life,

but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain,

a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for nothing.

I shall do good.

I shall do His work.

Therefore I will trust Him.

Whatever, wherever I am.
I cannot be thrown away.
If I am in sickness,

my sickness may serve Him;
in perplexity,

my perplexity may serve Him;
if I am in sorrow,

my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain.
He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends.
He may throw me among strangers.
He may make me feel desolate,

make my spirits sink,

hide my future from me--
still He knows what He is about.

-Cardinal Newman

I Am Deaf in a World of Sound

In my studies I've been reading about the doctrines of God as creator, God's providence, and the problem of evil and I couldn't help but stand in awe of God and write about them. As Calvin wrote: "the why is hidden in God's purpose".

I am deaf in a world of sound,
Lost despite splendors that abound,
For I think I hear aleatory
In the sounds of causality,
God gall to think contingency
But there's no serendipity
No dice roll circumstantially
No chance, no such thing as lucky
Nothing not premeditated,
What is here that's unexpected?
Never anything arbitrary
In light of God's economy.

But the trumpet of God does sound
Through the Logos, the Word is bound,
The will, shrouded in mystery
Creates the only history
That could ever be known or told
So it's been since oldest of old.
The I AM before time began
Did speak, create, command
All that is, the universe born.

Yet we in our small vanity
Stand in superiority.
The creature, the weakest of clay
Full of pride so foolish to say
By actions, choices, and the way
We live our lives that God does not
Give permission to what is wrought
Bring to exist all that was not
And never failing to fulfill
Unfolds history to His will.

I doubt there exists one who can
Sufficiently explain to man
The way, adn the why, and the work
Of God; for Scripture does shirk
All but to say that God is God:
Forever you will bow and laud.
Don't ask God to explain his way
God reigns forever and today
You must cherish moderation
Just feel the slightest vibration
While God plays a symphony
Of providential mystery.

So the inscrutable does grin
Dare mere mortals to enter in
To try to understand if they can
An unsearchable, hidden plan.
For the small slug which is your mind
Squirms below, so slow, and behind
The question: how can God if good
Allow evil, sin, wrong? And should
I trust God in uncertainty,
Incomprehensibility,
Shrouded in dark profundity?