You are here100405 Reading #7 pp 48-54
100405 Reading #7 pp 48-54
After waiting most of the day for Larry to post this week's questions, it occurred to me that he is on study leave this week! So I am posting the questions today and I'm going to do it without the preamble that he usually puts in - except, of course to remind everyone to log in and put something on the boards this week. Even if all you do is say, Hi! or offer a quick comment on someone else's post, let's hear from everyone. Once you get started, you will find it gets easier every time and soon you'll be eager to get into the conversation!
This week's reading is from Francois Fenelon, "A Will No Longer Divided":
1. What is the one disposition (attitude or approach) that Fenelon believes is necessary in order to move from a miserable to a joyful spiritual life?
2. Those who give themselves to God, writes Fenelon, are delivered from a "countless mass of evils." From what things has God delivered you?
3. The divided souls are those who are weak and timid, who desire to "stay where we are." Describe a time in your life when you wanted to stay where you were, but God was calling you to move ahead.
4. In the Bible selection, Peter reminds his readers of their past. Consider your own past, and answer this question: How is you life different as result of your faith?
5. Peter also addresses the problem of "peer pressure," which is a problem even among adults. As new Christians, Peter's hearers were being ridiculed by those who had known them before they changed. How have you dealt with those who knew you before you became a follower of Christ?
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Since my faith has grown, I feel more settled an quieter. My body and soul seem to be much more at peace.
3. The divided souls are those who are weak and timid, who desire to "stay where we are." Describe a time in your life when you wanted to stay where you were, but God was calling you to move ahead.
I didn’t feel I wanted to publically declare such a time in my life, [where would I start?] but here is the proof that I know the struggles of the divided soul. The poem speaks of the times when we believe we are moving forward, simply because we have changed tactics, when in fact we are growing more and more stubborn and deluding ourselves. [I tried to get rid of the weird extra spaces between some of the lines but for some reason they stayed there]
The Stone
Lori G
The stone in my heart
lodged there gradually.
I felt it squeeze between my lips
where it crashed against my teeth
and scraped my tongue.
I should have spit the stone out then
but it had such an interesting taste.
It was something to amuse me.
Gradually the stone stuck
to the roof of my mouth
hidden there
like a fly on the ceiling.
It began to argue then
challenging and debating every morsel swallowed.
The deliberations were exhilarating
until, at last, the ceaseless debate grew exhausting.
It was a relief when the stone finally let go
and slid down the back of my throat.
Eventually the stone lodged
about halfway down
and I could not speak
without being aware of it
scraping and bruising my words.
For years I massaged my throat
with my right hand
a soothing gesture
seemingly pointed towards redemption
until finally and by surprise
the stone slipped further down
lodging awkwardly in my windpipe
where it entertained itself
with a delightful panic
before reaching the center of my heart.
The stone in my heart
although it weighs a ton
has offered me nothing since.