tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-320699342024-03-07T20:05:53.803-05:00Notions+ Stuff I Ponder +Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-85346654788773589162012-05-27T20:56:00.000-05:002012-05-27T20:56:37.537-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>IF NECESSARY, USE WORDS</strong></div>
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<em>living, loving, and (sometimes) speaking</em></div>
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“Preach the gospel at all times.</div>
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If necessary, use words.”</div>
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–Saint Francis of Assisi</div>
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The above statement, often attributed to Saint Francis, highlights the priorities of a truly spiritual life, stating what ought to most concern us. While it obviously matters what we say with our mouths, and though truth must be spoken, even more relevant is the way we live.</div>
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I am amazed how often we get this backwards, treating our formulations and treatises as if they are the end-all of anything spiritual. Of course words <em>are</em> relevant. Jesus spoke words; indeed, he is the Word. Scripture itself involves words, words that lead to life. In fact I am at this moment sharing these thoughts through the use of words. Clearly, we cannot operate for very long without invoking language and seeking to apply it to our lives. But, and this is the point, <em>words alone</em> are never enough. Indeed, even the words we rightly embrace are words intended, in the final analysis, to transform us.</div>
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What Saint Francis is saying is that God is after not merely a series of well-crafted theological formulas or a proper articulation of the good news. Though these matter, the purpose of the truth we have acquired, the intent of the gospel, is to actually find its way into our hearts and lives, dramatically altering the way we live, love, and relate to others.</div>
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How are people drawn to faith? What benefits them the most? How does the truth actually change us, and what is this change that we are concerned to facilitate in the lives of others? What is paramount is that we love God and our neighbor, bear fruit, and become increasingly like Jesus himself. </div>
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It is obviously important that we and others accurately perceive Jesus, and clarifying this involves some measure of word-usage. But when we are in heaven, the core of our existence will involve <em>being</em>—<em>being</em> what we were created to be, <em>being</em> for one another what we only imperfectly fulfilled while here, <em>being</em> image-bearers of divine love and truth.</div>
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So it is now. Words are significant, very significant, but nothing compares to a life changed, and nothing better alters another person’s outlook and attracts that person in a positive direction than a life that “preaches” all day long.</div>
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Our lives ought to exude compassion and care. The good news—the news that we are loved and accepted, that we are empowered to love, that we have purpose—should flow from our lives in such a way that no one can deny it. Now, being realistic, we can anticipate many a blunder and countless inconsistencies, at least I know I can. But, to the extent that we accept this challenge, this mission, we will be most effective when we pay attention to what Jesus and others have said (using words, of course): “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Here’s another one: “By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Or, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17)—words plus deeds: there’s the balance.</div>
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Preach the gospel at all times. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, be it morning, afternoon, or evening, whether it’s raining or the sun is shining, let the good news, the news of faith, hope, and love, emanate from your life. And, when it’s needed, when the situation and setting warrant it, open your mouth too. Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. </div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-59167346978273942892009-03-21T23:04:00.008-05:002009-03-21T23:33:47.608-05:00the ultimate apologetic<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEXS2tHRiHEanp6qDxffDSoV4pSmf3ExyDPtqKDF6JDHqc2f0a9oMwSp3ybFJjRqmyyVHTdkPkNr08UNJxBH9cQyhBmN9n08006umBzKcHXKiVGmKGqSenJWHnUKJTiwHA-tbgw/s1600-h/a.lover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEXS2tHRiHEanp6qDxffDSoV4pSmf3ExyDPtqKDF6JDHqc2f0a9oMwSp3ybFJjRqmyyVHTdkPkNr08UNJxBH9cQyhBmN9n08006umBzKcHXKiVGmKGqSenJWHnUKJTiwHA-tbgw/s200/a.lover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858345503172914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br />Apologetics and Human Relationships</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;" >“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />These words capture the essence of what truly matters when it comes to our relationships with others. Presenting evidence for the Christian faith or seeking to demonstrate the reasonableness of a theistic worldview, significant as these are, pale in comparison to our ability, as Jesus puts it, to shine. It is in this way that we display righteous and godly living, for such shining draws attention to God. Thus, the God who is invisible to human eyes is made visible through the works of His followers. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A closer look at the immediate context of Matthew 5 makes this even more clear. For instance in verse 13, believers are described as “the salt of the earth” and in verses 14 and 15 as “the light of the world.” We are to live in such a way that we add flavor to society, preventing moral and spiritual decay, and we are to illuminate the ways of God for others. While the manner in which we give expression to these realities may not always be clear, what is clear is that “People of faith, in radical relationship to God, are called to be flavorful salt and a shining light.”<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">[1]</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This passage serves to highlight a theme that is all too often neglected in our discussions of Christian apologetics and far too often lacking in our lives. People are attracted to the faith, drawn into a relationship with God, when they see God’s love expressed. Love demonstrated is more important than an academic forum or an intellectual defense. Of course these are not mutually exclusive, and there is no need to choose one over the other. It is important to recognize, however, that whatever arguments we provide, however sound our intellectual processes, these will remain ineffective apart from this “shining” about which Jesus speaks. Love, in other words, is the central apologetic, for it allows everything else that we say or do to find resonance with those whom God calls to Himself. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A sampling of relevant texts will help to make this clear: </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ John 13 –</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">John’s Gospel records that Jesus showed His love for others by washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). This, He did as “an example” (15). If the Master, i.e., Jesus, can serve others, how much more must we? A little later in the same Chapter, Jesus utters this challenge:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The focus, once again, is love, in this case the love of Jesus’ disciples for one another. When this attitude permeates a faith community, it has an impact on outsiders. What Jesus is saying, in other words, is that our sacrificial concern for others, our willingness to love others (both within and outside of the faith), is an apologetic that shows that we are in fact His. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ John 15 –</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The necessity of love is made clear in John 15:17, which reads as follows: “This I command you, that you love one another.” Jesus is straightforward and to the point, and this is no mere word of advice. Instead, it takes the form of a command. To care for other believers and–by way of extension–those without faith, is not an option but rather the essence of our created and redemptive purpose. God has sent His Son, and His Son’s requirements can be boiled down to this: “Love one another.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Later in John 15, the author addresses the subject of misunderstanding and persecution, which are sure to occur when someone seeks to follow Jesus. Yet, despite difficult realities, those who follow Him are to retain a love for one another and for all people. Jesus even promises the aid of the Holy Spirit, who testifies of God’s Son:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-size:78%;">26</span>When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about me, <span style="font-size:78%;">27</span>and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">[2]</span></span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Though, in one sense, the world–the organized system that dishonors truth and righteousness–is outside the scope of Jesus’ concern, being rather the recipient of divine displeasure, in another sense, some of those within the world will indeed hear the message and believe. For the sake of others, and with the help of God’s Spirit, we must demonstrate love.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ John 17 –</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">In this passage, Jesus reflects on the relationship He has with God and how this spills over into the lives of those who follow Him. “I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Again, Jesus prays to His Father, asking that their shared love (i.e., as Father and Son) would flow into the lives of others. In other words the love that originates in the triune God is revealed to us. Experiencing this love in all of its personal, infinite, and emotional force, transforms us and enables us, in turn, to share this love, God’s love, with others. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ Luke 6 – </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Luke further explores this motif as he records the command to love our enemies, seeking the betterment of even those who hate, curse, and mistreat us. Jesus expects that we will live in a way that is driven by mercy (Luke 6:32-36). The so called “golden rule” summarizes this: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Again, it is plain to see that followers of Jesus are to embody a distinct lifestyle, one in which love for others is the dominant theme and motivation. If ever we are to have a positive influence in the lives of others it will be by means of a sincere concern for their well-being. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ 1 Peter 3 –</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Another example is found in 1 Peter 3:13-17, which is often used as a proof text for apologetics. As often cited, this passage tells us to “make a defense” (NIV: “give an answer”) and “give an account” (NIV: “the reason”) for our hope. What is sometimes missed, however, is the larger context. Our answer and reason, our communication of a clear and cogent apologia, will be ineffective if we fail to share it with “gentleness and respect” (3:15). Whatever else this entails, a Christian apologetic includes far more than intellectual feasibility and consistency. The driving force of a persuasive apologetic is the life that we live. Specifically, it is our willingness to genuinely care about the people we encounter. Even, as in this text, if we are maligned for our faith, we must keep a clear conscience and maintain proper behavior. (3:16-17). Again, love must win the day. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">■ Colossians 4 –</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Colossians adds to this mix of practical, others-centered injunctions. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-size:78%;">5</span>Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. <span style="font-size:78%;">6</span>Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:5-6). </span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">“Outsider” is not a pejorative term but a description of those who do not currently embrace Jesus. These individuals, our fellow human beings, are to be the object of our concern and the recipients of our love. Far from being “religious projects,” they are people we should appreciate and care for.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">When given the opportunity, we must assist others, which includes interacting with them and sharing what we know of the good news. To this end our conversation is to be “full of grace.” Contrary to the defensive and critical approaches that abound, our lives are to be governed by grace, that is, controlled by the overarching recognition that God accepts us freely in Jesus. As a result, we are to treat each case individually, providing what each person requires. The “seasoned with salt” metaphor probably entails living in a manner that adds flavor to the lives of those we encounter. We attract people to the faith, in other words, not by forced presentations or overly judgmental statements but by making the lives of others better. Love, once again, is a powerful component of an authentic apologetic. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This sampling of texts helps to orient us to that which is of utmost importance. We are to love one another, acting as conduits of divine love, sharing our hearts and lives with those God brings our way. There are many, of course, who have acknowledged the need to love, pointing out the hypocrisy of a message devoid of a changed life. But the life of love is no mere addendum to a Christian apologetic. Indeed, love is the very essence and driving force of apologetics, the chief means through which people are drawn to faith and inspired to join the journey with the Savior. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Christian apologetics can and does involve a number of features. Truth must be explained and misconceptions corrected. Theology must be defended and argued for. False ideas must be countered and replaced with authentic ones. And we must allow the sheer force of truth to hold sway in our lives. But, at the end of the day, what truly matters is that we come to the realization that there is–How can we describe it?–love in the universe. This love is personal, real, and most profoundly expressed in the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of God’s unique Son, Jesus. Through Him there is forgiveness and reconciliation with God and one another. Because of Him there is purpose and hope and genuine compassion. In Him love takes on a tangible form as the eternal deity becomes a human, thereby joining us to our Maker. Through Jesus, God’s love flows through us and out to others. Our responsibility, our honor, is to shine forth this love. To the degree that we do, we engage in the ultimate apologetic.<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">[3] </span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">NOTES</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />1. Elaine A. Robinson, <span style="font-style: italic;">Godbearing: Evangelism Reconceived</span> (Cleveland, Oh: The Pilgrim Press, 2006), 98.<br /><br />2. Though the immediate reference is to the first disciples, the broader application seems to include future followers, as well (Cf. John 17:20).<br /><br />3. Although I wasn’t initially aware of it, I believe I borrowed this heading from Art Lindsley, <span style="font-style: italic;">Love The Ultimate Apologetic: The Heart of Christian Witness</span> (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008). I recommend this work.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-32763350294344355672009-03-09T17:55:00.002-05:002009-03-09T18:08:04.745-05:00is evil a problem?<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFWGT0djSFYSxod53rKgmhplTY7ZPRNNxkm57uMigKHoOAEonE6SIXKiQqkn-7eC2QU4ZgKNDUn7tsjWj7WTwaFre4mrmhTPXAucsfoz3cEH9RBBkkKmHanyjmu4AuiGNrWbeIQ/s1600-h/a.problem.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFWGT0djSFYSxod53rKgmhplTY7ZPRNNxkm57uMigKHoOAEonE6SIXKiQqkn-7eC2QU4ZgKNDUn7tsjWj7WTwaFre4mrmhTPXAucsfoz3cEH9RBBkkKmHanyjmu4AuiGNrWbeIQ/s200/a.problem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311325930472376178" border="0" /></a>One of the greatest arguments against belief in God is the reality of human suffering and evil. Historically, this is sometimes referred to as the problem of evil.<br /><br />Some theists (believers in God), however, prefer to call it the so-called problem of evil. It appears to be a problem, but it really isn't one. To this end, a friend of mine recently asked me what I thought of the issue. I offered this brief reply.<br /><br />This is a tough one. I think I'd say this:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">(1) <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">For us, evil is definitely a problem, both emotionally/personally and theoretically/ theologically.</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Obviously, we all grapple with evil and its many manifestations. Anyone who has encountered really bad stuff and believes in a sovereign God has to wrestle with this seeming inconsistency. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Why would a good God who possesses all power allow for such and such? And, if He is truly sovereign, how can He "get off the hook"? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">While our experiences, emotional makeup, and theological assumptions all play a role in how we approach these matters, I cannot get away from the fact that–at least in my opinion–there is indeed some sort of "problem" with at least some of the manifestations of evil.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">(2) <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Evil is not a problem for God.</span> Since He is entirely good and wise, there is not taint of frustration on His part. He does not fret or ponder how He's going to explain this or that (though I believe He understands why we wonder about such things and is sympathetic). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">The point here is that God has done absolutely nothing wrong, and in the end it will make sense (or at least sense enough).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">(3) <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">We accept by testimony of Scripture, personal experience, and through the use of our minds that evil is not ULTIMATELY a problem. </span>All of this is–how shall we put it?–laced with faith? We "see" what we cannot currently see, and we trust that it will one day make sense, though it often </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);">makes no sense now.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">I suppose we could say that evil is a problem (for us), no problem for God, and we by faith accept God's verdict on the matter. We thus (like the biblical characters) complain about the real difficulties and inconsistencies we observe and feel, but our complaints are saturated by at </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">least some degree of faith. Indeed, when we express our doubts to God, our genuine ignorance and pain in the face of the apparently unfair, given that our complaints are made TO God, we are simultaneously expressing faith. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0);">Hope this makes sense!</span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-56974698160025601682009-02-16T11:48:00.006-05:002009-02-16T11:56:00.663-05:0012 thoughts on spirituality and facebook<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcHZGz69WyfBY9XvLSiZLb6vRlr63KWpR6sr9UbkuSHrFF1c2CET_BjZUTzwfoTb7_jRth19p1dhlyBwcVjUtswlKRD4SwZEvcF-XHhvq31khQJJUAjM8epTOBDPynahAfWYAsw/s1600-h/a.facebook+narc..jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcHZGz69WyfBY9XvLSiZLb6vRlr63KWpR6sr9UbkuSHrFF1c2CET_BjZUTzwfoTb7_jRth19p1dhlyBwcVjUtswlKRD4SwZEvcF-XHhvq31khQJJUAjM8epTOBDPynahAfWYAsw/s200/a.facebook+narc..jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303438427588339458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;">The other day, my brother sent me an article about facebook. It can be found <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=50201249052&h=5pJGL&u=0-d7Z">here</a>, and it wouldn’t hurt to peruse it. It states, among other things, that facebook could be an example, a demonstration, of the egotistical, self-loving attitude that too often permeates our society. Having briefly considered the matter (and the rest of the article), I offer this rudimentary response. I first provide a brief introduction, followed by a dozen thoughts on facebook and its implications on spirituality.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">INTRODUCTION</span><br /><br />By itself considered facebook should probably be considered a neutral means of communication. The pencil, the computer, a text message–they can all be used to promote either healthy or unhealthy ideas. By means of these and other instruments, you can send a love song, a death threat, or anything in between. They can each be used in helpful and harmful ways, in other words.<br /><br />There are of course positive and negative features to every avenue by which humans connect, and facebook is no exception. The positive might include, for instance, that facebook allows us to express ourselves creatively and to relate to those who are not in our immediate presence. When my (eventual) wife was still at college and I was already home, our phone would have been significantly reduced had such technology been available. Negatively, facebook can obviously provide access to a false world in which we believe (as the article states) that we are on center stage and everyone is watching.<br /><br />This all said, I thought I would sent out this note, for it helps me to make some sense (and at some level to defend) my own use (or misuse?) of facebook. This is nowhere near an exhaustive list, but perhaps it’s a start. Well, here goes . . .<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">12 THOUGHTS</span><br /><br />1. We live in this age. So, it’s important to live in this age faithfully and appropriately, whether on facebook or anywhere else.<br /><br />2. There is such a thing as faithful and appropriate, but these require that we look outside of ourselves to others and, especially, to God for guidance, direction, wisdom, and strength. Neither facebook nor any other endeavor can be engaged in effectively if we ignore such resources.<br /><br />3. There is a certain narcissistic tendency that is revealed via facebook, but this is rather a societal tendency than something isolated to facebook. Facebook merely provides a platform by which we give expression to whatever tendencies govern us.<br /><br />4. One ought to be careful about what one says publicly, and some of us seem to take little time thinking about the implications of the messages (or pictures) we send. I have learned this when writing, for people read what you have to say and always have a permanent record of it. What we say (and especially write) ought to be tempered with humility and wisdom, and when we mess up it’s best to fess up.<br /><br />5. Then again, there is also a need (and in some postmodern circles a greater tendency) to be genuine or authentic. Too many people, especially in “church circles,” are consumed with maintaining the plastic images they project to others; this way, I suppose, they can “appear” spiritual to other plastic individuals. In contrast, it’s okay to laugh, cry, express frustration or anger, and a whole host of other emotions. These are good because they are human. To the degree that facebook facilitates these matters, it is a refreshing thing.<br /><br />6. We are made in God’s image, and the God in whose image we are made is a triunity (a 3 in 1/1 in 3 being). As God is a relational deity, we, his creatures, are born to relate, to connect with others. Facebook is simply another avenue by which we express our social inclinations. We are creatures who relate, and it is up to us to relate in helpful and dignified ways.<br /><br />7. In the grand sweep of things, it’s likely that facebook is simply one more tool along the way. Something else will eventually become popular. At that point, facebook will either adapt or be absorbed by newer avenues of communication. Thus, we mustn’t make facebook an idol any more than we should a computer, an online chat group, or anything else.<br /><br />8. Facebook and other technologies (emailing, chat rooms, gaming, etc.) ought not so dominate our existence that they crowd out other important aspects of healthy relationships (face-to-face contact, etc.).<br /><br />9. God is on facebook. Don’t fall off of your seat! What I mean is that if He is everywhere present, as traditionally perceived, we can expect His presence (via human beings) among the various connections. This ought to breed humility and a careful spirit, but it also is a reason for celebration, for it means that good and ultimately helpful things can be accomplished through facebook. (By the way, God is everywhere else, too!)<br /><br />10. Facebook serves as a microcosm of a greater story, one in which God actually does see and hear and read everything about us. If you have any sense, this will seem a bit (or a lot) scary.<br /><br />11. Facebook also reminds us of what we often forget. We require forgiveness and grace or else we are in big trouble. Again, God knows everything about us (whether or not we display some of these matters over facebook), and–according to Christian tradition–he freely accepts us anyway because of his Son; he came, in other words, not to condemn us but to restore us to himself and our true humanity. Forgiven for facebook blunders and for all of the other foolish things we ever do = grace.<br /><br />12. Facebook is also cool and allows for creativity, and both the cool and the creative are–within the confines of wisdom–good and God-given things.<br /><br />More . . . ?<br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-65524625675502941342009-02-08T09:46:00.001-05:002009-02-08T09:49:47.014-05:00restored<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtU-szLVPn7n0AHynpCiSpcma6B37vi5y1W9FTsb0VJmxpZbtKGEcLH9Zuh4OxVnj1mtgdI7AP05e9Ao5Bi1nxvjwRmdW5xeaaSGQCW1B-LNsSEGfLqGxU7O1ZxzHoVYWfK5ZCA/s1600-h/a.lighthouse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtU-szLVPn7n0AHynpCiSpcma6B37vi5y1W9FTsb0VJmxpZbtKGEcLH9Zuh4OxVnj1mtgdI7AP05e9Ao5Bi1nxvjwRmdW5xeaaSGQCW1B-LNsSEGfLqGxU7O1ZxzHoVYWfK5ZCA/s200/a.lighthouse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300438188848542402" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Have you ever done anything wrong? It’s a stupid question, I know. We’ve all messed up in numerous ways. We’ve violated our consciences, hurt our loved ones, damaged our own souls, and ignored God’s requirements. There are good things we’ve failed to do and bad things we should never have done. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">We’re all guilty. More times than we’d like to admit, we have disregarded truth and placed ourselves in a precarious position before our Maker. But this is not the entire story, for the same One whose ways and commands we’ve ignored, the very same Creator whose heart we have broken, has promised to forgive our countless misdeeds and restore our sanity, making us whole. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">When we screw things up–and we’re so prone to in many obvious ways–there is often a sense of shame that accompanies our behavior. We’ve blown it, and we know it. Though we’ve promised a million times to “get it right,” we once again find ourselves humbled by our own foolishness choices. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">At this point, we tend to beat ourselves up. Having recognized the error of our ways, we simmer in a mixed state of anger and frustration, wanting to make things right. Personally, I understand these reactions, for they at least indicate that we possess a distaste for that which is harmful and idiotic; at least our frustrations reveal that there is indeed something (and Someone) to which (to whom) we are accountable. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">But there is a better way, the way of mercy and restoration, the way of forgiveness and grace. You see, God is not some concept for theologians to debate. He’s not trapped within the confines of “religious” activities. And he’s certainly not to be considered a disinterested deity, a deity who is unconcerned about our lives. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">No, God is a personal being, a being who has sent his one and only Son to earth in order to rescue and restore us. Indeed, it is because of his Son that you and I can unhesitatingly turn to him at any moment. We don’t have to wait until Sunday. We need not go to church. Our relationship with him is not for a second dependent on the presence of some member of the clergy. While Sundays, church, and clergy all have their proper place, all you really need is right in front of you. You need this same God, who promises that he will not forsake you.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">So, you’re struggling with a sense of remorse. You feel guilty because you are guilty. That is, your awful feelings are a result of your inappropriate choices. So, what do you do? Sometimes, when we mess up, there is restitution to pay–if you’re caught running a stop sign, saying you’re sorry doesn’t eliminate the fact that you may have to pay a fine. Other times, there are important practical things we can and should do (e.g., apologize to someone we’ve wronged). But, at the end of the day, our sense of stability and peace is provided by the God of love.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">In one place it is stated like this: “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). You can’t get any more separated than east is from west! This is another way of saying, God will forgive us, and he won’t ever remind us of our previous indiscretions. He can do that, after all, for he is God. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">So, you’ve done it again. Welcome to the club. We’ve all “been there” more times than we know. The way ahead, however, is not all darkness and gloom. The path before us is one of forgiveness and grace, and it is ours–at any moment, in any place, whatever the specific circumstances–when we simply and sincerely ask for it. So, ask!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">But what is next? Well, I think it’s relatively simple. When someone has done something wonderful for you, you think about it, and you appreciate it. What, then, ought our response be? What does God require? Simply that we turn him where we are, asking for his restorative grace and invigorating love, reflecting on how good he must be to freely grant us such forgiveness. There is no formula. There are no special words. All we need is simple faith, ongoing faith, and he takes care of the rest. Indeed, he provides “the rest.” By childlike faith, we can be (will be) restored.</span><br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-46399114620220219852009-01-25T15:41:00.002-05:002009-01-25T15:53:14.378-05:00prayer<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPPqPosTaWDPQFXnJtDRbz8xAviGXlnORM3ulaAflYYdV6_VNT1Ddmh4E5OxTyVnbisIos38jkhupRNRMdlElOoNhwR5ZvyFre5XQCiuuJtTB-BkfNR6tHW4d7xUlIZQ2Yi_6ew/s1600-h/pict+light+in+cave.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPPqPosTaWDPQFXnJtDRbz8xAviGXlnORM3ulaAflYYdV6_VNT1Ddmh4E5OxTyVnbisIos38jkhupRNRMdlElOoNhwR5ZvyFre5XQCiuuJtTB-BkfNR6tHW4d7xUlIZQ2Yi_6ew/s200/pict+light+in+cave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295335244967271922" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">People talk about it a lot, especially when they have some sort of need. But, what is prayer? Some see prayer as a formal act that is performed in a formal setting, i.e., church. Others see it as the repetition of words or the mouthing of a formula. While not necessarily denying any of these avenues, here are some additional thoughts about prayer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 51, 0);font-size:130%;" >Prayer is . . .</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• an acknowledgment that we do not have all of the answers (and can’t even formulate all of the proper questions). Since it is true that we lack complete knowledge, the prayer impulse is completely sensible and wise, for it fosters an attitude of <span style="font-weight: bold;">humility</span>. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• equally, an awareness, an intuitive sense, that there is indeed something (and Someone) bigger that we are. Not only are we smaller than some would assume, but there is a corresponding something/Someone that/who is larger than any of us have completely envisioned. This encourages the <span style="font-weight: bold;">relational</span> impulse in us, the need to connect to this Someone. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• built on the assumption that this something/Someone is actually good and powerful– good enough to care and powerful enough to do something about our circumstances. This, I think, is an encouragement, for it teaches us that Gos is <span style="font-weight: bold;">approachable</span>. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• a realization, however subtle, that we have value. Indeed, the reason we sense the need to look outside of ourselves to another is because we believe that there is help available. Thus, prayer prompts humility (as mentioned above), not humiliation, for we instinctively know that a good <span style="font-weight: bold;">God values us</span>.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• an actual connecting to this Someone, comforting our hearts and allowing us to sense or comprehend his plan, purpose, and presence (the alliteration is coincidental . . . or is it?). God is not merely a theory, an idea, or a belief. He is a real person with whom we can connect. This makes prayer <span style="font-weight: bold;">personal</span> in a dual sense: we are (1) people who connect to (2) the ultimate Persons (i.e., trinity). </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• that which enables us to see our lives within the context and the presence of a being who declares his love for us and also demands our devotion to Him. It is thus <span style="font-weight: bold;">ethical, moral, and devotional </span>in focus, along with being personal. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">• evidence that this Someone who actually exists is not a mere Anyone, a being we get to define and create out of whole cloth. While we must, by the nature of the case, walk by faith, this faith is neither irrational nor imaginary. Having connected with this Someone, we instinctively lean into his purpose and seek to know something of his <span style="font-weight: bold;">identity</span>. Without getting into a prolonged argument or debate, this Someone appears to be revealed most unambiguously and clearly in the One who specifically came from God (as God) to live among us. This Someone, in Christian terms, is Jesus. Whether we know a little or a lot about him, whether we are confident or doubtful in our faith, he is the I Am, the One who comes to us in grace and love and embraces us in spite of our ignorance and foolishness. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);">Prayer, it seems to me, involves our hearts and lives (formally or informally) connecting with God, bathing in his love, cognizant of his presence, keenly (or not so keenly) aware of our association with Him. It is intentionally recognizing that all of life is sacred, and all of life is his (since he creates and sustains it). When you think of it this way, it makes perfect sense that we would be invited to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). </span><br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-61647054869718856602009-01-24T11:45:00.004-05:002009-01-24T11:50:37.841-05:0025 things<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r6nwg76oJ2sNJPHIXKOu5g1AdXq894erpijIP4Iyv7STvPa1b5wtwPKqQ8qx_GEzHSufio0pDDL2JmDsjpy1jUjDE7aBOavBwuDFkCcEhREn7dzUxoqNv3VthrvZoWRGjK9zmg/s1600-h/pict+eternity.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r6nwg76oJ2sNJPHIXKOu5g1AdXq894erpijIP4Iyv7STvPa1b5wtwPKqQ8qx_GEzHSufio0pDDL2JmDsjpy1jUjDE7aBOavBwuDFkCcEhREn7dzUxoqNv3VthrvZoWRGjK9zmg/s200/pict+eternity.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294902887157533906" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0); font-family: georgia;font-family:verdana;" >This is something I wrote for facebook. Why? I don't know. :-)</span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:verdana;" ><br />1. I love my wife and kids.</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">2. I love work/teaching.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">3. I love (at least some of) my school kids.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">4. I love writing and often have multiple projects going on simultaneously. (I’ve written 2 books . . . so far.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">5. I wrote a dictionary article for a major Christian publisher on the subject of extraterrestrials.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">6. I love to read and tend to be reading 5-10 books simultaneously.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">7. I’m ranked in the top 100 in the world in Pi recitation, having recited Pi to something like 250 digits.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">8. When I was younger (note the implication: I’m still young but not as young as I once was. Who is?) I was able to leap high enough to hit my head off the bottom of a basketball backboard. Hmm, perhaps that explains a lot. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">9. As a kid, my favorite basketball player was Dr. J.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">10. When I was younger, I played basketball for hours each day.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">11. When I was younger, I once did 1,234 consecutive sit ups. I stopped because I was bored.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">12. When I was younger, I could leg press the entire universal gym leg press stack with one leg. Honest.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">13. I’m still young . . . just not younger. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">14. When I was younger, I did a lot of running, and I’m still running. See, I told you I am still young. :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">15. I love the old Western Bonanza because of the values it represents, and I love Seinfeld because I think it’s a brilliant comedy (despite some of the questionable values).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">16. I love music.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">17. I believe that “music” is playing every day, God’s music, and it is up to listen for (and to) it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">18. My great aunts (my dad’s aunts) had a major impact in my life.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">19. One of my best friends and I almost always conclude our conversations with KP, which means Keep Praying.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">20. I love cake batter.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">21. I am a strange combination of levelheadness and crazy emotion. Was that schizophrenia? :-)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">22. I love movies and watch them all of the time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">23. A good friend of mine, who used to be a professional body builder and who lives in Florida, always makes it a point to give me a call and visit each Christmas season. Talk about faithful! We’ve been friends since kindergarten, which we attended in something like 4 B.C.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">24. I’ve used the word “I” entirely too much in writing this.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">25. I could easily write much more. Oops, there goes that “I” word again. I will shut up. :-)</span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-62095372602628787302009-01-17T00:04:00.005-05:002009-01-17T00:35:18.455-05:00why teach?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE7tkkclhUK8ZSJx3LrPnnn3Ufw2kn8eKm2Fyl8FAQLm7pACaOC6XVN3SSl52Ro9Ubq6EFYSlaSAvs0vCDl4c3nnMr-bKIl96icUM04-KJKU-enGAU_BDz7AeH2wzAALqn-S3qw/s1600-h/pict1.teacher.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE7tkkclhUK8ZSJx3LrPnnn3Ufw2kn8eKm2Fyl8FAQLm7pACaOC6XVN3SSl52Ro9Ubq6EFYSlaSAvs0vCDl4c3nnMr-bKIl96icUM04-KJKU-enGAU_BDz7AeH2wzAALqn-S3qw/s200/pict1.teacher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292124330654559314" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >The other day I was handed a questionnaire by a member of the school's newspaper staff (Genessa Lopez). In response I wrote the following, which I thought I'd share here . . . for what it's worth. </span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">Teacher Feature</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >1. What do you like best about your job as a health teacher?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >(obviously, I teach health)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Connecting with young people is what matters most. Connections lead to relationships, and relationships present the possibility of mutual growth. My class involves a good amount of group work, which provides ample opportunities to share with students. Given my subject matter and the breadth of material in my curriculum, I take a very holistic approach to health, which I love. I really enjoy being able to relate broad topics to the everyday lives of students. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >2. What do you look forward to most each school year? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Actually, there are lots of things I love, including pep rallies, sporting events, various school functions, and the school spirit that permeates this building. That said, the thing I most look forward to each year is the opportunity to build relationships with tremendous young people. It is a privilege and a joy to interact with fine young men and women, to get to know so many of them, and in some cases to establish lifelong connections. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >3. Do you enjoy teaching at the same school your son attends? </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >(my son is a sophomore in the school where I teach)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">It’s been both fun and strange having _______ here with me. Having taught so many years before he arrived, it was a little different at first. Now, it’s hard to believe that I’ve actually had him in class. Though it was perhaps a little awkward initially, I think it went very well and, overall, having him here has been great. Next up is my fifth grader, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">_______</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">, who will arrive at PAHS in less than four years!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >4. Why did you decide to become a teacher? Why health?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Teaching began to appeal to me as I came to realize the impact you can have in people’s lives when you interact with them on a regular basis. When you combine intellectual pursuits with social ones, you have a recipe for success. This combination has always fascinated me. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Health, by the nature of the case, provides access to topics that have enduring relevance, especially for young people. Given that we are all concerned about our bodies (the physical), our minds (the emotional), and our relationships (the social), health is the perfect vehicle for addressing these issues. A balanced health program, in my opinion, joins the academic to the real world.</span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /></span>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-6356457418679529552008-10-02T16:26:00.005-05:002008-10-02T16:34:15.425-05:00unseen . . . but real<div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OFBqnAU6ZiHGxBGvIYzPNLOeSlZuBEclXesv49bzMhmsktup5UGq_FPO4PMeRBoKQhDHiIeEij9bCKKNPVUid5ZmMcQ9KXTB4FXA1BC05syxfauk1z2GNBZw1R8GtRFzI8FFMg/s1600-h/pict.FOOTPRINTSINWATER.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OFBqnAU6ZiHGxBGvIYzPNLOeSlZuBEclXesv49bzMhmsktup5UGq_FPO4PMeRBoKQhDHiIeEij9bCKKNPVUid5ZmMcQ9KXTB4FXA1BC05syxfauk1z2GNBZw1R8GtRFzI8FFMg/s200/pict.FOOTPRINTSINWATER.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252672300968363090" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">One of my fondest recent memories is of my seminary experience. After years of attempting to further my education through traditional means, the time and distance involved in such an effort were beginning to wear me out. It seemed like it would take many years and much hassle to complete a degree program.<br /><br /></span>Therefore, it was a major revelation to discover that there were non-traditional ways of attaining a degree. Specifically, I learned of a long distance educational program through a school named Columbia Evangelical Seminary (CES). CES operates in much the same way as the British educational model. Basically, you work with a adviser, and together you construct a program of studies.<br /><br />My mentor through my Master of Divinity and Doctor of Theological Studies programs, and also president of CES, was Dr. Rick Walston. I first spoke with Dr. Walston over the phone, and I immediately sensed a connection between the two of us. Thus, when he offered to be my academic guide, I quickly accepted.<br /><br />Over the course of the time, Rick and I worked together in structuring my programs. He gave me suggestions, pointed out weaknesses in my methodology, challenged my presuppositions, and helped shape me into a more effective thinker and writer.<br /><br />As the years went by, Rick and I had many conversations. As a result, we got to know one another better. This, in turn, led to a number of non-school-related projects. Sometimes, he would ask me to proof-read a paper he had written. Or, I would ask the same of him. On other occasions, we swapped personal stories, or laughed together about something that struck us as particularly humorous. Over time, we interacted about a host of subjects, and for a variety of reasons.<br /><br />What was happening, of course, is that we were getting to know one another and enjoy one another’s company. In essence Rick and I were becoming friends. In fact I would consider him one of my closest friends and advisors. He’s someone I can count on, whose words I highly respect, and a person with whom I seem often to be “on the same page.” I look forward to many years of continuing camaraderie.<br /><br />Having offered this synopsis, I think it is important to point out one very important fact: <span style="font-style: italic;">Rick and I have never actually met!</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">+</span> All of our discussions have taken place via email or through telephone conversations. Though he was (and is) my spiritual and intellectual friend, I have never shaken his hand, stared him in the eye, or visited his home. Though my friend, I have never actually seen him.<br /><br />Why am I telling this story? Well, besides sharing a little bit about something that is important in my life, the primary reason I write these things is to illustrate a point, which is this: <span style="font-style: italic;">It is possible (and reasonable) to sustain a relationship with someone whom you cannot see.</span> That is, you can get to know and appreciate a person you have not yet officially “met.”<br /><br />In light of this illustration, it is fascinating to consider the claims often made by skeptics about the existence and nature of God. Some ask, “How can I believe in someone whom I am not able to see?” Others say, “If God were real, I’d be able to identify Him more clearly.” Or, “Your God is merely a figment of your imagination, a hopeful creation of the human heart.”<br /><br />For those who think these and similar thoughts, I recount my relationship with Rick Walston, for in some ways it mirrors the relationship people can have with God. For instance Rick is, in one sense, very far removed from me; he lives in Washington state, while I reside in Pennsylvania. In another sense, however, Rick is very near to me, a phone call or an email away. God is like that, too. He is far removed from us, an invisible being of unimaginable greatness and glory. Yet, at the same time, He is near to all who call on His name.<br /><br />Likewise, I have seen pictures of Rick. Some of them show him being serious and others jovial. But in all of them, I get a glimpse of what Rick is like. Similarly, God has given us “pictures” of Himself. We see these “pictures” in nature, in His followers, and, of course, most profoundly, in His word and in His Son, Jesus. As Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”<br /><br />Consider also that Rick and I have often spoken of getting together some time, that is, traveling to one another’s homes. We’ve discussed the times we’ll share, hanging out together, eating pizza, and simply talking through the night. It is a real hope of ours that we will one day get together. Again, this resembles the Bible’s portrayal of a relationship with God. While we know Him truly, and though our relationship with Him deepens, we look forward to the day when we will be able to see Him face-to-face.<br /><br />Of course no analogy is perfect, including this one. Indeed, every illustration or parable breaks down at some point. When it comes to God, all an analogy can hope to do is express some aspect or facet of that which defies full explanation. This being said, the analogy provided here will hopefully provide at least a glimpse into what the divine-human connection is like.<br /><br />If you are a believer, take heart when you are questioned for your belief in an invisible God. Though you have not seen Him, His presence in this world is undeniably real and powerful. Likewise, you can look forward to the time when faith gives way to sight, when full disclosure takes place.<br /><br />Then again, you may be one of those skeptics mentioned earlier. If this is the case, I would ask you to consider that life is often more complex and wonderful than you’ve imagined. It is true that many of God’s ways are hidden from our view. But what should we expect? After all, He is a spirit being, a non-corpuscular entity, a transcendent Lord. Thus, Scripture’s portrayal of God fits what we find in our daily experiences with Him.<br /><br />But this is not the entire story, for the elusive God is also with us. Indeed, He took on our nature in the person of His Son, Jesus. Through Jesus, we have free access to our Maker. Countless individuals, including some former skeptics, have experienced His grace, love, and mysterious presence.<br /><br />If you are still not convinced, why don’t you ask God to reveal Himself to you? Prayerfully consider His ways by reading Scripture, surveying its contents, seeking the One who is both its Author and central figure, and remaining open to the changes God may bring about in your life.<br /><br />The true God is a God of surprises, a deity whose ways often go against human expectations. One of these “surprises” involves the amazing relationship we can have with our invisible Creator. Though imperceptible to the human eye, God’s ways can be seen, for He has left an indelible impression in many places and on innumerable hearts. Many of us already know this to be the case, for He has “emailed” and “telephoned” us on many occasions. Have you checked your messages lately?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:85%;" >+ At the time of this writing, I had not met Rick face-to-face. Since then, however, I have had the opportunity and privilege of meeting him. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:180%;" >☺</span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-50513922294524403712008-09-28T11:22:00.005-05:002008-09-29T14:42:13.509-05:00getting personal<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pNM2v_LAPRCv4daKc6E3H552PDFjAlyw0jExyczCGkxNjy0JvOXmumNxQuMLZPk-x_Q1J7GuKz25qmEPe3p0LPB2RQ8sOMUw56IVmf2c1zJDAUwKPQdRchIODcUuGCi4Ce1Tqg/s1600-h/pict+kid+in+light.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pNM2v_LAPRCv4daKc6E3H552PDFjAlyw0jExyczCGkxNjy0JvOXmumNxQuMLZPk-x_Q1J7GuKz25qmEPe3p0LPB2RQ8sOMUw56IVmf2c1zJDAUwKPQdRchIODcUuGCi4Ce1Tqg/s200/pict+kid+in+light.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251110209407403074" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">When it comes to thinking properly about God, life, and our relationship to higher things, it is obviously important to get our facts straight. In other words it is imperative that we understand the truth about those things that matter most. Since nothing matters more than God, it makes sense to organize our thoughts about him.</span><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); text-align: justify;"><br />All this said, however, we must not fail to recognize the intention of these words and the One to whom they point. We must know about God–facts about Him, who and what he is, what he requires of and promises us. But these pieces of knowledge are <span style="font-style: italic;">person-oriented</span>, that is, they point us consistently to a <span style="font-style: italic;">person</span>. Here is a sampling:<br /><br />“But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find <span style="font-weight: bold;">Him</span> if you search for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Him</span> with all your heart and all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– It is the Lord, it is God, whom we search after.</span><br /><br />“But seek first <span style="font-weight: bold;">His</span> kingdom and <span style="font-weight: bold;">His</span> righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– Whose kingdom and righteousness? God’s! </span><br /><br />Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– Of whom do we inquire? The implied answer: God! </span><br /><br />“Come to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">I </span>will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– Though theoretical truths are important (facts about the person in view, his identity, etc.), it is a person that we must embrace. Come to ME.</span><br /><br />“Permit the children to come to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:4).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– The children come to a person, the living Jesus. </span><br /><br />“Everyone who comes to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span> and hears <span style="font-weight: bold;">My</span> words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like” (Luke 6:47).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– It’s not merely about abstract ideas, truths about Jesus. We must approach and look to HIM! </span><br /><br />“If anyone wishes to come after <span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Me</span>” (Luke 9:23).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– Our discipleship entails a selfless approach to life, but this is not done in a bubble or in isolation from God himself. We follow a person, Jesus.</span><br /><br />“Follow <span style="font-weight: bold;">Me</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">I</span> will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">– Often, we highlight the “fishers of men” facet of this passage. But the key to this text is not simply that we be faithful to some evangelistic endeavor. The key is following Jesus, for he is the one who teaches us about “fishing,” molding us into people who can benefit others. It’s all about following HIM! </span><br /><br />What we are talking about here is a deity, a personal God, who must be sought and followed. Ideas about him, <span style="font-style: italic;">necessary as they are</span>, were never intended to be a replacement for him; rather, they point us outside of ourselves to the living One himself, the One who lives among us still.<br /><br />Of course our ideas about Him impact our expectations, the manner we approach him, and even the zeal with which we seek him. But it is the person of God that we must seek, inquire of, look to, and follow. He is the ever present One, the One of whom the promises speak, the Lord described in many places, the being who is actually with us now.<br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-78817791461485981802008-08-19T10:54:00.002-05:002008-08-19T11:03:41.684-05:00false humility<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOXk_-iJf7tJthISAEPnzgdhAxq8YnmjaHRBiqQBqxqW_9hvQb9eLUvtdnhJhNmwav0jlA_k6SiqHHi-Zi_9rJ3NVOFfXS_XtsLawlU7mEe-8mRYGTHOJaAxzJL_zXt681fNbzA/s1600-h/pict+i%27m-humble.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOXk_-iJf7tJthISAEPnzgdhAxq8YnmjaHRBiqQBqxqW_9hvQb9eLUvtdnhJhNmwav0jlA_k6SiqHHi-Zi_9rJ3NVOFfXS_XtsLawlU7mEe-8mRYGTHOJaAxzJL_zXt681fNbzA/s200/pict+i%27m-humble.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236258973500411362" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: georgia;">“Be ‘humble,’ never saying or doing anything that might sound too dogmatic, for you really can’t know anything with certainty or confidence.”</span><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); text-align: justify;"><br />Those who promote such perverse versions of humility are amazingly confident that they can and should maintain such a view. They are <span style="font-style: italic;">certain</span> that we <span style="font-style: italic;">cannot be certain</span> about anything. Huh?<br /><br />Of course if you break into the homes of such relativists, if you over charge their credit cards, underestimate their accomplishments, oppose their ideas, damage their automobiles, or a whole host of other things, it becomes incredibly self-evident that we can be certain about at least some things.<br /><br />Humility, of course, is a wonderful and biblical trait, an attitude we must all seek and sustain. But humility is not to be confused with stupidity or dressed up arrogance. Indeed, humility, above all else, is a willingness to see ourselves as we are, creatures dependent upon the Creator, imperfect individuals who must trust in the only perfect One, often bumbling idiots in constant need of wisdom, strength, and grace.<br /><br />False humility, however, is not good or noble. Though we must always retain an openness to change and a willingness to correct our often mistaken perspectives, true humility must not be mistaken for the ultimately arrogant position that nothing at all can be known with confidence and, therefore, nothing is truly worth fighting for. When we violate common-sense and dismiss truth, we are not demonstrating humility. Rather, we are minimizing or ignoring the very basis on which we can seek true humility in the first place.<br /><br />“Lord, enable us to walk humbly with you and one another, but keep us from the politically correct and cowardly attitude of false humility. Keep us, in other words, from the pride that masquerades as humility.”<br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-79393358615925362272008-07-19T10:50:00.003-05:002008-11-12T21:08:39.998-05:00epistemology and soccer practice<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIp24sa6BWEHbTzhWdO-9q8Obbnc0bfkg5-KNFuM7mmVWxqEi0o-CVaXD2_-eipLbEOxC9WRcnimlqvXi-CUwowhMTOTUkTHgKTek6S-aXsAONlT7upidhxTbV5qPBy91l_g1bQ/s1600-h/pict+knowledge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIp24sa6BWEHbTzhWdO-9q8Obbnc0bfkg5-KNFuM7mmVWxqEi0o-CVaXD2_-eipLbEOxC9WRcnimlqvXi-CUwowhMTOTUkTHgKTek6S-aXsAONlT7upidhxTbV5qPBy91l_g1bQ/s200/pict+knowledge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224754239581246786" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Having read a good amount of material about the subject of knowing, I am well aware of the limits of knowledge that have been brought to the fore by those with postmodern inclinations. Without a doubt, some modern thinkers simply assumed too much about the human ability to interpret, to understand, to know. It is thus refreshing to hear the best insights and practical wisdom of postmodernism brought to bear on the subject of knowing.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">If you’re at all like me, though, you find yourself in a variety of moods when contemplating these rather high thoughts about thinking. Thus, my reaction to postmodern skepticism can vary, depending on who I’m reading and my current life-situation. While it is imperative, in my view, to lean into and absorb the best features of postmodernism, including a much needed realization of our inability to know anything perfectly and the concomitant need to remain careful and duly humble in our declarations, it is also necessary to remain, if I may borrow a rather modern-sounding word, grounded in our assessments.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Whatever epistemological claims we make, whatever theories we propose, they will be essentially meaningless unless they contribute to the everyday task of living. This means that we must not only make humility a constant endeavor, but we must also be willing to allow the powerful realities of God’s world to make their imprint in our hearts and lives.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Therefore, as I read some radical postmodernist deny our ability to know, I am slackened away from despair by the sheer force of my kid’s need to attend soccer practice at 7:00, my wife’s directive to take out the garbage, my boss’s demand that I show up for work, and the ability of many human beings to convey elements of truth in meaningful and decipherable ways. I am very much cognizant of the human tendency to mislead and misunderstand. I know about the limitations of human language and human beings in general. And I am alert to the fact that our claims of truth, whatever we mean by “truth,” can sometimes be naively constructed opinions that have no universal impact. Still, the real world calls me, and when it calls I get a sense, perhaps a God-given sense, that we do have at least some ability to know, to understand, to share our knowledge, and–with God’s grace–to both comprehend and communicate something that looks like truth.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Clearly, some type of critical realism is essential if we are to make our way in a world that has far too often been governed by overly confident claims of Cartesian certainty. Modernity has for far too long dominated our thinking, blinded us to our own inadequacies, and actually hindered our pursuit of truth. Still, in the desire to learn from these things, it is not necessary that we spend a decade or two going too far in the other direction, only to one day realize that we have exaggerated our limitations and denied the very imprint of God, which equips and enables us to know in the first place.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">We are capable, it would seem, of knowing at least some things, at least some of the time, with at least some measure of confidence. My wife and kids, along with a myriad of other factors, remind me of this fact all the time. Perhaps, we are living in some Twilight Zone episode in which we are all part of some other person’s dream. Maybe, we are part of an experiment being carried out by advanced alien life forms. Then again, the better part of wisdom would have us believe, at least for the time being, that these scenarios are not likely. Furthermore, this same wisdom seems to be embedded in the world around us and, as such, compels us to balance the recognition of our situatedness, our local biases, our obvious ignorance, with the fact that the logos (the Word, Jesus) has indeed visited our planet. Through Him, knowing and communication must be possible. </span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-58055615466362050212008-07-19T08:41:00.002-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.179-05:00epistemology and heaven<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sn9vSEpyIWeH5OF5yDIP6sRrGvz64mGiZ67LfO7_zfJgv70RBdFSkbVVsL5x7SXel7EC94D9YCZ_X_8IjBdWwz2pH7wYlQdsq6Z_77XPMTB9pTcsjTrIlN6D6Dyr-WSuoL3Xbg/s1600-h/pict.beatific.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sn9vSEpyIWeH5OF5yDIP6sRrGvz64mGiZ67LfO7_zfJgv70RBdFSkbVVsL5x7SXel7EC94D9YCZ_X_8IjBdWwz2pH7wYlQdsq6Z_77XPMTB9pTcsjTrIlN6D6Dyr-WSuoL3Xbg/s200/pict.beatific.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224721436523924210" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Have you ever wondered how skepticism will handle the beatific vision? I mean, it is one thing to say we can’t know certain things today, but what about later, when we stand before God? To be honest, I’m not sure how this will work out. That is, how will we know that the One before whom we stand is actually the true God? Will we ask for proof? Do we dare? Would proof be convincing? How does a skeptic respond to the reality of a present God, a speaking God? Again, I’m not entirely certain. However, I do think that when God appears, when we stand before him, that it will be undeniably evident that he is indeed the One. There will be no doubts, no guesswork, no efforts to persuade God to show off His wares. Furthermore, I don’t believe that this acceptance of knowledge in heaven is merely a matter of force, of God saying “”I’m bigger and stronger than you, so listen.” Rather, I honestly think that we will all know, even as we are known. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). At that point, truth will permeate our hearts, and doubt will melt away. Does this mean that we’ll know everything? No, I don’t think that creatures, even glorified ones, can know everything. There will still be major (even insurmountable) gaps in our thinking. But we won’t doubt God’s existence, nor his love, fairness, holiness, or wisdom. And we’ll have an immeasurably increased capacity for taking in and absorbing who and what God is. Thus, our thinking will never be exhaustive, but it will be clear.</span><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Now, if any of this is true, and if the Christian picture of this things is even generally correct, we have to ask how our view of then, of the future, ought to affect our perception of the here-and-now. In what ways does our sense that everything will one day be undeniably clear impact the way we think through issues related to knowledge and epistemology? Though there are no clear-cut answers, I believe it is reasonable for Christians to incorporate these eschatological (i.e., future) realities into their current understanding. If we walk by faith–a sensible and defensible faith but a faith nonetheless–our belief in and experience of the future now (the “now and not yet” of Christian theology) must play a role in the way we approach these manners. In heaven our access to God, His ways, and our relationship to both of these will be incontrovertibly clear. Surely, this must have an impact on us now, as we walk through this often uncertain and baffling world. We believe, Lord. Help our unbelief, and increase our faith.</span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-85425686382212178222008-07-16T09:34:00.005-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.325-05:00it's so subjective (or -- it's not always clear)<div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z4_Vj3sQMTVxqpw0VFZDk3ikLk9YqBnS_5bm90P4CxAm9FJ1FKBFZDlHfZXj4SWzbUpeBbb8wimINgDlUf2r28xDwyVA09SPCY-GHhvt5IExotG_5MPZ8P23UpjDQTe3hFOFOQ/s1600-h/pict.think.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z4_Vj3sQMTVxqpw0VFZDk3ikLk9YqBnS_5bm90P4CxAm9FJ1FKBFZDlHfZXj4SWzbUpeBbb8wimINgDlUf2r28xDwyVA09SPCY-GHhvt5IExotG_5MPZ8P23UpjDQTe3hFOFOQ/s200/pict.think.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223620784316962370" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Some people want everything laid out in simple fashion. If you want to live for God, all you have to do is this or that, and everything we be fine. It’s simple, really.<br /><br /></span>At a certain level, of course, this mentality is a helpful thing, for most of us yearn for stability, and this is often equates with objective standards of one sort or another. For instance we know that stealing and lying are wrong and that benevolence and truth telling are right. Without these parameters we would find ourselves in a sad state of affairs, floating about in a universe with no fixed points. It is good, therefore, that at least some portion of our lives can be lived with confidence that there is something objective on which we can pin our hopes. By means of special and natural revelation, we can know certain things.<br /><br />Other things, however, are not so clearly delineated, and being a believer cannot (or at least should not) be reduced to a lists of do’s and don’ts. Think about this for a moment. We are called, for instance, to pray, to love, to be holy, to follow Jesus, and to demonstrate faith. Each of these is objective in the sense that there is a clear distinction to be made between, say, faith and unbelief or between holiness and unholiness. But, we must also acknowledge that these same responsibilities are subjective. So, for instance, we are not told how long to pray, for whom, or when. Likewise, holiness is non-negotiable trait, but there is no precise explanation of how this holiness ought to manifest itself in our lives. Are we allowed to attend this or that movie? Is a certain type of clothing proper or not? Are tattoos optional or forbidden? The fact that equally sincere Christians often disagree about these matters should tell us that at least some things are less than clear.<br /><br />The bottom line is that we are not provided a rigid system of requirements for living the Christian life. And so, it appears that we are left in this world without a detailed agenda for how to make each and every decision and the manner in which God’s Word impacts our lives. The assumptions of legalistic types notwithstanding, life is not that easy. There is no “how to” book for each and every facet of daily living. Life, in other words, is somewhat undefined and subjective.<br /><br />If this is true, if some things are not automatically discernable, one wonders why God chose to do things this way. While He might have given us instructions for every imaginable decision, from prayer time tables to how to tie our shoe laces (okay, that’s a bit of a stretch), instead He created a world without an exact blueprint? Why?<br /><br />First, as already mentioned, there is a broad framework for living by faith. It is important to remind ourselves that framework is provided for us in Scripture. Furthermore, the people of God (i.e., the church) has–many blunders admitted, helped provide illumination for and application of Scripture. Believers in every era have grappled with various issues, trusting in the reliability of Scripture. While we might not be able to identify the precise manner in which godliness manifests in our lives (at least not to the satisfaction of all Christians), we can agree that there is such a thing as godliness, and we ought to pursue it. This broad framework keeps us from wandering aimlessly through the world with no sense of direction, and it protects us from relativism, the belief that everything is “up for grabs.”<br /><br />Second, it is also important to grapple with the reality that God calls us not primarily to a rule book mentality but to Himself. If we were given details for making every choice, deciding moral dilemma, or eliminating all controversy, we might “get it right,” but we would also likely forget about the rule Maker, thinking we could get along just fine with a set of regulations. But God does not simply want people who “follow the rules.” He wants a relationship, which, I think, may be part of the reason why He created the world as He has.<br /><br />This leads us, perhaps, to a greater awareness of why it is imperative for us to wrestle with so many decisions and moral issues that impact the way we give expression to our faith today. God wants us, I believe, to recognize that we consistently need Him. Jesus said it best when He uttered these words: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). His point is that if we want to really live life successfully, we must do so in relation to Him. We walk by faith, leaning on Him, often wondering if we’ve done it right or best, and ever mindful that it is often the process, the walk of faith, that transforms us and shapes us into what God truly desires.<br /><br />In a life that is often subjective and less than completely certain, what do you do? You ask for wisdom, as James says (James 1:5), trusting that God will remain faithful to you and will–through whatever means He deems fit–provide the wisdom He promised. This way of living, I would submit, builds maturity. After all, good parenting is not about establishing a moment by moment agenda for your children but of instilling in them the basic values by which they can live successfully without your holding their hand. This is what God does for us, providing freedom and his assistance along the way. As a result, we are able to develop a lifestyle that is unfettered by the trappings of legalism, guided by the basic truths of God’s Word, and relationally connected to the One who says He will never leave us or forsake us (Matthew 28:20).<br /><br />It’s true that a good amount of living is subjective, but it is also true that faith is enlivened by our connection to the ever present Lord. We are not left to live any old way. Rather, within the sphere of the truths we are given, we are called to prayerfully consider how best to apply what we know, and always relying on the One whom we must trust along the way. It’s somewhat subjective, but it’s never arbitrary. It’s somewhat subjective, but it is also personal. We walk by faith. We walk with Him. More importantly (and we can easily discern this in Scripture), He walks with us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).<br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-49961237860977556852008-07-15T10:51:00.004-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.448-05:00outreach<div style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaWZjwMtFJHsCxAKmcuCwhgVQT7SGZ6C0mX3zfjLgAij6vMeQADGTJdBixhwWIIWY94adSXWl7-PqOMI7MP6ol0F8oMMXyMmsabR9M4lHtKYC1jR76BaXpW0lZUv3CDljWYEmew/s1600-h/pict.Outreach+2706218+XSmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaWZjwMtFJHsCxAKmcuCwhgVQT7SGZ6C0mX3zfjLgAij6vMeQADGTJdBixhwWIIWY94adSXWl7-PqOMI7MP6ol0F8oMMXyMmsabR9M4lHtKYC1jR76BaXpW0lZUv3CDljWYEmew/s200/pict.Outreach+2706218+XSmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223269134163257698" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">There is a lot of talk in religious circles about the type of relationships we are to have with those “outside the faith.” In particular this discussion centers on the Christian’s connections, or lack thereof, with the world. On the one hand, some believers are leery of anything that might, in their view, lead to compromise. If we get too close to those outside the faith, we are liable to find ourselves in some type of nefarious behavior. On the other hand, others seem committed to mimicking cultural attitudes precisely because they hope to reach others with the gospel. So, if we look and dress like others, we might win them to our cause.<br /><br /></span>In thinking through these issue, a number of factors warrant our consideration. First, it is obviously important, in whatever degree of closeness we attain with others, to avoid anything that is actually inappropriate. Fidelity to Christian priorities is essential. Second, it is also important to seek as much clarity as possible when it comes to these priorities; if we are going to avoid the error of the Pharisees, a clear distinction must be made between genuine truth claims and their bearing on our lives and cultural (including Christian sub-cultural) mores. This distinction is critical, for confusing truth with human ideals, however well intentioned, will likely lead to either spiritual laxness (“nothing matters, so we can let our guard down”) or legalism (“our scruples are equivalent to God’s commandments”). Third, it is unquestionably important to have an others-centered focus, attempting to reach others with the message and compassion of Jesus. Fifth, this outreach is best accomplished by simply being with others, living among them faithfully. There is no need, in other words, to avoid contact with the world, which only serves to distance us from those we claim to care about. In doing this, however, we needn’t go to extremes, somehow thinking that we must frantically emulate others. Artificial efforts to copy others make us look like outsiders ourselves, as those who live on the fringe of society and pretend to be a part of it, which is disingenuous. When this occurs, we come across like we have a (not so) hidden agenda.<br /><br />The way ahead in these matters is to conduct our lives in a authentic fashion, with minds bathed in the truth, hearts aware of own weaknesses and tendencies, and with a genuine commitment to the welfare of others. We’re not out to win them to our team or to win an argument or to prove that we are right. Rather, we see them as God’s creatures, as those whom God loves, as human beings who can benefit from a touch of divine grace. To the degree that we can facilitate their reception of this grace, we are truly reaching out to benefit others. In a mysterious, uncertain, and sometimes dangerous world, our responsibility is avoid any type of arrogant stance, instead seeking to share the love of God with those He sends our way.<br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-89709475252835467712008-07-10T13:19:00.001-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.558-05:00very blessed<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1yb3VMZuo5fP1j6zl2ZmnuOPgI2pRcdXRYAoDFNeRzFni5m0JdDyn_XKaxGPhDAhiX2u0jT8mHiisO8xj3XnL1cNfqw5HPTIpuOHbhFb0EtAtZJz7Acp_cyCgp1UbC4kWtFxtA/s1600-h/pictblessed.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1yb3VMZuo5fP1j6zl2ZmnuOPgI2pRcdXRYAoDFNeRzFni5m0JdDyn_XKaxGPhDAhiX2u0jT8mHiisO8xj3XnL1cNfqw5HPTIpuOHbhFb0EtAtZJz7Acp_cyCgp1UbC4kWtFxtA/s200/pictblessed.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221454153774149698" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Just this morning, I received an email from my friend, Rick Walston. Among other things, Rick, who is the president of a seminary, occasionally writes these short essays on a variety of topics, which he calls Coffee Talks. Well, <a href="http://www.columbiaseminary.edu/coffeetalk/143.html">today’s CT</a> was about being blessed. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">In countless ways, I am immensely blessed. This morning I received an email from a friend, who is a train engineer; he sent a few pictures from years ago of my oldest (who is now 15 but was then about 3-4), sitting on my lap inside a train. Then, I received an email from my sister who said she'd be at today's Philadelphia Phillies game and wants us to look for her on TV; how blessed and free we are! As I look around my room, pictures of my wife and kids surround me. A couple of running medals/trophies are here. My Masters and Doctorate degrees sit above my desk. A picture from a handful of traveling seniors sits there; they are all on the beach, the Pacific Ocean in the background, in a "thumbs up" pose. Hanging on my wall is <a href="http://ollecid.blogspot.com/2008/06/honored_05.html">the Dr. Atty Award</a>, which I recently received. Around me are books and a variety of toys (figures from Casablanca, an autographed football, etc.). In fact I was just interrupted by someone who came to the door, and when I went outside I realized what a beautiful sunny day it is; I think I'll take my coffee out on the front porch . . . another blessing. In the back ground I can hear my wife, my 15 year old is still asleep--it's his day off from work. And my 10 year old just took the dog out and I can hear him shooting basketball in our driveway. It is true. I am incredibly blessed! Thanks, Rick, for the reminder! :-) </span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-22495566516021701792008-07-06T16:06:00.003-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.729-05:00a hopeful vapor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8qXxKfbhfZ5MOw8Nnkd5yFbBLaIZMy0evF09Ebx8VVjpmC-2VsR1xPGr0-8xgfxAoUaZA_pA4JkLK4lbrXu8HzLrugzCGit2Dn6pV73bcaEv9NMs9LhcBbaH_sYcZrNi01LAHQ/s1600-h/pict.vapor.a01.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8qXxKfbhfZ5MOw8Nnkd5yFbBLaIZMy0evF09Ebx8VVjpmC-2VsR1xPGr0-8xgfxAoUaZA_pA4JkLK4lbrXu8HzLrugzCGit2Dn6pV73bcaEv9NMs9LhcBbaH_sYcZrNi01LAHQ/s200/pict.vapor.a01.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220015218310742482" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Whoever dies with the most toys wins.” </span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Life’s a bitch, and then you die.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Don’t take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive.”</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">These and similar sentiments express the somber but accurate assessment that there are some things in life that we cannot escape. Try as we might, we cannot avoid all pain. Pretend as we may, we cannot escape the grave. Wish as we please, we simply cannot get away from some rather harsh factors, things that threaten to suck the life out of life. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Of course this idea is nothing new. The author of Ecclesiastes, many centuries ago, said: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccles. 1:2). The term used here means a vapor, something that is difficult or impossible to grasp. Or, as Ecclesiastes says, even the most noble of tasks is “chasing after the wind.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">There is something about life that, when faced up to honestly, utterly stuns us. Life is temporary, fleeting, and out of our control. Each day in an unstable thing, which explains why so many of us do whatever we can to bury, run from, or escape such depressing thoughts. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">For instance we spend much time in our society trying to prolong life but, however successful our attempts, we all eventually die. Many put forth great energy in seeking to accumulate things, gadgets and toys with which to amuse themselves, or else to brag about. But whatever the efforts, the toys will eventually deteriorate and even what survives will be inherited by someone else. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Some, with more noble motives, want to create a legacy for themselves, passing on whatever they can by way of material wealth and inheritance, but this, too, will soon be lost to time. Certain individuals want to be memorialized by building a reputation that survives the grave. This way, it is thought, even after they are gone, others will appreciate the achievements and remember the names of their predecessors. But how many people leave this kind of mark? We’re familiar with an Abraham Lincoln, an Albert Einstein, or a Babe Ruth, but few of us are consistently captivated by what even these admittedly remarkable individuals, now long gone, have done. What’s more, these famous figures, who have accomplished so much, are not here to enjoy their own accomplishments or personally benefit from their acts of nobility, intellect, and athleticism. And, let’s face it, even those of us who truly appreciate other individuals can only do so for a short time, for we too will one day die. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Perhaps another will say, “My hope is to pass on traits and ideals that my children and grandchildren will enjoy for years to come.” Yet, even here, there is no guarantee that anyone’s children and grandchildren will take heed to what their predecessors worked so hard to promote and embody. And, again, even if we successfully pass on high ideals to our descents, they too will be swallowed by the grave. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">These admittedly gloomy thoughts are hard to manage, which is precisely why so many people spend a lifetime running from them. Yet, inevitably, we find that they are all too accurate. So, we must ask, <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> life truly meaningless? Is there nothing to be gained from all that we say and do during our sojourn on earth? Is it all a waste?<br /><br />Contrary to what one might originally think, the author of Ecclesiastes does not want us to abandon all hope. Indeed, in a number of places, he states what we all intuitively know, that life does have meaning As Ecclesiastes notes, God has “made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts” (3:11). Here, I think, we find a key to understanding how life can both seemingly meaningless and yet have ultimate meaning. This is somehow tied to understanding our transcendent purpose under our Maker. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">If we consider life “under the sun” as an end to itself, if life is viewed as unrelated to God, then life takes on a depressing hue. If no one remembers, if all that we work hard for is eventually taken from us, if even our best intentions are squandered and lost, our lives are futile. As another writer records: “If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). In other words, if what we observe around us is all that there is, we might as well drown out our meaningless existence. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">But, and this is the point of Ecclesiastes, there is something more, and that something is located in the One who created us for Himself. And the point here is not merely that doing right now will yield benefits in eternity, as true as that it, but that life “under the sun” takes on meaning precisely because it is life that flows from and to God. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Therefore, we read that “there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor–it is the gift of God” (3:12). Joy and goodness are meaningful, therefore, because they come from God. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Is life sad and filled with uncertainty and frustration? Yes, it is, and we would do well to recognize this and lead our lives in ways that reflect these facts. But there is also more here, for these dispiriting thoughts are intended to not only place reality before our eyes but to turn us outside of ourselves. Life is ultimately meaningless only when separated from a transcendent resource. Life does have meaning, however, when lived from the vantage point of our Creator. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Our efforts to achieve goals in this life are completely proper because they stem from a meaning-making God and so will endure forever. While our goods will eventually deteriorate, our noble efforts to accumulate and share them are not forgotten by the Lord of heaven and earth. Though death comes for all of us, we also have an intuitive awareness that this life is a passage way to an even fuller existence, a life that is impacted by the choices we make in the here-and-now and which will extend, illuminate, and fulfill the best features of our lives under the sun.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Our responsibility, therefore, is to recognize the futility of life outside of God and to embrace him as the One through whom “every good and perfect gift” comes (James 1:17). Despite the hard to handle features of life–its brevity and uncertainty and pain–there is joy and purpose when we see and live this life through the template God has provided.<br /><br />As the book of Ecclesiastes draws to a close, we receive these instructions: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Or, as the Contemporary English Version puts it: “Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Life is a vapor, impossible to completely manage and often frustrating. These realities humble us and drive us, at times, to despair. But hope remains for us as we turn our hearts to God, believing that the things of this life, even the harsh and difficult things, have ultimate meaning. Look outside of yourself to a mighty God, a transcendent being whom we must honor, and embrace a life of godly integrity, for these are the things that will last throughout this life and into the next.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"></span></div><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"><br /></span></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-29095155221196164152008-07-04T19:47:00.004-05:002008-11-12T21:08:40.896-05:00what is faith?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMaJbrIHkozmUVIFVLPwCXE5Gpb3U2AydoAt8xtRaz3KbO91rf0V5KlhscgYAQyWV6-sUpyzyACrf4zNvl9dYUBfpx25QuTQ9Kzn2DuCdcz-HHDwvHxarOiqj3VXw1UGFy8QQHA/s1600-h/pict.walt+whitman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMaJbrIHkozmUVIFVLPwCXE5Gpb3U2AydoAt8xtRaz3KbO91rf0V5KlhscgYAQyWV6-sUpyzyACrf4zNvl9dYUBfpx25QuTQ9Kzn2DuCdcz-HHDwvHxarOiqj3VXw1UGFy8QQHA/s200/pict.walt+whitman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219327280400274530" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">You hear it all the time. “Have faith.” “You gotta believe.” “Keep the faith.” But what is faith, and what is it that we are supposed to keep?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">In its most basic sense, faith involves believers–those individuals who express faith–and something (or Someone) in which (in Whom) to believe. Men and women, young and old, rich and poor–we are all called to faith. And this faith is a personal thing, entailing belief in the only ultimate object of faith, the living God. This God, according to Christian teaching, created human beings to know him. We, for our part, have abandoned our created purpose, which is why this same God–seeking to rescue us from ourselves and reestablish a relationship with us–has intervened in human affairs on numerous occasions, most profoundly in His unique emissary and Son, Jesus. At its core, then, our faith looks to Him. But not all people believe, and even those who do, often demonstrate varying degrees of faith. Perhaps an illustration will help to clarify these matters.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Each year, my family travels from our home in Pennsylvania to Cape May, New Jersey, our usual vacation destination. On the way to Cape May, we travel through Philadelphia and across the Walt Whitman Bridge. It is obviously possible to know about this particular bridge without having seen it. In other words you can read about the bridge or acquire knowledge of it from someone familiar with the Walt Whitman. Assuming reliable resources, you would be fairly confident about the existence of bridge and perhaps certain facts about it. Then, if someone were to ask you about the bridge, you would be able to provide a measure of useful information. This type of knowledge constitutes a type of faith. In other words you would have faith that there is such a bridge as the Walt Whitman.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /><br />Of course it is also possible travel to Philadelphia to catch a glimpse of the bridge for yourself. You might park your car near the bridge and observe its sturdiness and how well it supports the many automobiles that traverse it each day. Not only would you know about the bridge, having heard of it from others, but you’d be convinced that it is durable and provides a safe connection between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After all, you would have seen how well it worked for others. Again, you awareness of the bridge and its capabilities is a kind of faith.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">But all that you’ve done so far is only preliminary to the much more personal use of the Walt Whitman Bridge. If you really want to make use of the bridge, you have to traverse it yourself. This involves more than facts (There is a bridge called Walt Whitman.) and even more than acceptance of those facts (The Walt Whitman bridge is safe and travel worthy.). It requires trust, actual personal commitment, in this case, to the Walt Whitman Bridge.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">True faith is a lot like this. While it surely benefits from research (learning about faith) and is motivated by what it sees around it (paying attention to faith in others and in the world), it also goes to the next level, resting in faith’s object, relying on God’s promises, and trusting (even amid doubt) in God’s reliability.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Faith, then, is trust in the truth of God (whatever He’s revealed) and in the God of truth. To believe is to cast your hopes, day by day and sometimes moment by moment, on the One who has pledged His love to those in need. Given that we are the ones who must believe, and recognizing how fickle and foolish we can be, it is not at all surprising that faith tends to fluctuate. But the issue is not how much faith we have (Jesus mentioned that faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain!) or how impressive it looks to others (the pursuit of which can lead to hypocrisy). What truly matters is that our faith is in One who does not fluctuate and who promises to travel with us through this world.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Is your faith wavering? Ask for more. Are you filled with uncertainty and doubt? Look through the doubt to the One who can counter incredulity. Do you want more faith? Ask, for “He is a Rewarder of those who–even when plagued with uncertainty and confusion–seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Learn about the bridge, observe others who travel across it, and drive across it yourself. As you do, you will sometimes waver, no doubt. But you may also find your soul strengthened as you trust in the One who can keep you from falling and guide you successfully through this life. Keep the faith.<br /><br /></span> </div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-80928772595548850382008-06-27T16:50:00.003-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.048-05:00what are we looking for?<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69t7LSGlUmbrw0Pa3JxVJXnxpEjgpocGooWTDPyOOgsTiRge6Q3_ILCh5YiZq3GA9RcoykdizkXc5r9bWUHQjfT8Bp0WeEq4V6per6qF0M3znY6RcRSOj9ZvFcQfHEUpEOAYINg/s1600-h/pict.spirituality22jx7fn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69t7LSGlUmbrw0Pa3JxVJXnxpEjgpocGooWTDPyOOgsTiRge6Q3_ILCh5YiZq3GA9RcoykdizkXc5r9bWUHQjfT8Bp0WeEq4V6per6qF0M3znY6RcRSOj9ZvFcQfHEUpEOAYINg/s200/pict.spirituality22jx7fn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216684334513966578" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Use the proper lingo, and say whatever is “acceptable.” Go to the right places, and promulgate the proper principles. It seems that these are the chief characteristics that we look for in a Christian. You are spiritual and holy, and you deserve respect, if you fit the stereotype.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">The other day, I was listening to such an individual, who was demonstrating his spirituality over the radio. He is a rather popular guy, and he is someone that others have recommended to me. As I concentrated on his words and the way he related to his listeners, there was no doubt that he fulfilled the expectations of many within the Christian community. But, as I absorbed his manner, something dawned on me. He sounded like–and I don’t intend to be mean–a jerk. At least when I was listening, he sounded <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> self-assured, condescending, and arrogant.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Though nearly everyone (in the church) would hold him up as a standard bearer, I honestly wonder what standards govern us. Of course I do not know the man, and I truly hope that he’s a nice guy, and that God blesses him (I’m sure he already has). What’s more, I know that I, too, can be a jerk, so I certainly don’t want to display my own version of arrogance. But, whatever correct principles he promulgated (and I think he did this), whatever truth he embodied (and, again, I don’t doubt this), he came across as a typical, in-your-face believer.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">What role, I asked myself, does love play in our evaluation of spirituality? How about looking out for others, denying ourselves, and displaying traits like gentleness and compassion? Though proper principles ought to be shared with others, and while we ought not apologize for our adherence to that which is sometimes unpopular, these should be an outworking of deeper ideals.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">It seems, at least to me, that we have messed up priorities, and we often pay the price for it as those outside the church wonder about our silly and hard-to-understand priorities. Yes, those who are faithful will experience persecution, but we mustn’t think that we’re spiritual big shots, great defenders of the faith, simply because we’re criticized for being . . . well, arrogant loudmouths. When we <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> criticized (and we will be at times), it ought to be for our stance for the truth; that’s a part of it. But I truly hope that this isn’t the only thing we’re known for.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Do people see us giving consistent expression (and not simply exclamation) of the truth? Are we known for our God-enabled willingness to lend a hand? Do we care, and can others tell? Is our reputation one of (what shall we call it?) <span style="font-style: italic;">bold kindness</span>? How often do we display unfeigned concern for others? These are the things that we too often miss in defining and evaluating and living out our spirituality.<br /><br />It’s relatively easy to stand with a bunch of people and say this or that. Though we mustn’t minimize the relevance of words properly spoken (I would never want to do that!), it is imperative that we exude the truth in real and undeniable ways. This is no easy task, for we are pressured by circumstances, the struggles of life, the pressure of others to conform to less than holy ways, and our own erratic hearts. But this is, I think, the path to genuine spirituality. “Lord, help me (us) to embody the faith and not merely talk about it.” </span><br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-31620416368814950462008-06-24T11:42:00.005-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.182-05:00pc<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdSafT2TM3k5aZxumMGMtyyD4am6dh32YI3pRapfFwjfdRj8aBQnqPu6J58qMmk_kNWWxp6wYnSJurzN4dkBUqf18On40OXIGwSmrvLHs3Br3MSMwRZ5M7XDFsISt5RRG5tYLnA/s1600-h/pict.political+correctness.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdSafT2TM3k5aZxumMGMtyyD4am6dh32YI3pRapfFwjfdRj8aBQnqPu6J58qMmk_kNWWxp6wYnSJurzN4dkBUqf18On40OXIGwSmrvLHs3Br3MSMwRZ5M7XDFsISt5RRG5tYLnA/s200/pict.political+correctness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215489756042557570" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Political Correctness says that we ought to do, say, and think certain things simply because “the powers that be” say so. The big shots, the people who are supposedly in-the-know, determine the parameters for civil discourse and human behavior. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">But, besides the fact is that such a perspective smacks of elitism, despite the reality that it bypasses the pathways by which <span style="font-style: italic;">any</span> good is properly discovered and promulgated, political correctness doesn’t actually effect the change it demands.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Political correctness gives certain individuals and groups a false sense of accomplishment (“Look what we did for society!”), but it does so in ways that actually violate our humanity, derailing reasonable discussion and debate. As a result, politically correct views fail to resonate with any thinking and caring people. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">I would submit, therefore, that political correctness is bad for us and for civilization in general, for it fails to comprehend that there is something far more honorable that coercing others to conform, far more substantive than the intellectual snobbery that gives rise to arbitrary assertions, and far more life-altering than the force-fed views of self-proclaimed do-gooders. That something is truth. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">You see, our greatest aspirations are buoyed and realized not by the commands of politically correct advocates but by the determination of all of us to locate and embody truth. Of course if there is no truth, then all of our works and claims are irrelevant at best. But if truth does exist, hope remains. Only truth can strike a cord with human beings, made in the image of the one described as the truth. While political correctness ignores or stifles this divinely planted impulse, it is the truth that sets us free.<br /><br /></span></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-83986631080855506742008-06-13T10:55:00.003-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.255-05:00apologetics and humility<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4yH2iuz7khCeI21cdi9yFilq65nkGu1eiAzefw-v1srA15tiQCE4-SDsuJsVDknsCPq0dP0GmKSvAOI-fZUgMBx5NNztcTvxuqYXOC5_k1iILLyauVr5gyxJdeAGpAfIm7186g/s1600-h/pict+apologetics.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4yH2iuz7khCeI21cdi9yFilq65nkGu1eiAzefw-v1srA15tiQCE4-SDsuJsVDknsCPq0dP0GmKSvAOI-fZUgMBx5NNztcTvxuqYXOC5_k1iILLyauVr5gyxJdeAGpAfIm7186g/s200/pict+apologetics.htm" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211396732138331202" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">In arguing for a Christian apologetic and Christian presuppositions, one of the more obvious roadblocks is the simple realization that we might be wrong. In our determination to be true to the gospel, there is always the possibility–being human and imperfect–of error.<br /><br />What if we are inaccurate about this or that assessment? What if we overly emphasize a truth to such an extent that other truths are minimized or ignored? </span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">These and similar possibilities require that Christians approach apologetics in a truly humble fashion. Though boldness can be an admirable trait, and while confidence is not to be despised, any truly Christian endeavor will be saturated with humility. To this end a number of factors come into play.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">First, as Christians we are called to grow, which implies growth in every area, including apologetics. Indeed, even the perfect Jesus grew in wisdom and knowledge. How much more so must we.<br /><br />Second, as believers we are called to follow Jesus. Following assumes that we don’t have all of the answers but instead follow the One who does.<br /><br />Third, humility is probably best facilitated through what we might call “big picture” apologetics. That is, we are on much more solid ground when we defend, exclaim, and show forth those aspects of the faith that have been affirmed down through the ages and which are not extraneous to the larger cause of the gospel.<br /><br />Fourth, all apologists are, by the nature of the case, recipients of grace. This means that we ought to be able to sympathize with the hurts and uncertainty of our non-Christian counterparts to the degree that what they experience is a part of the common human condition. To approach apologetics in a distant and unaffected manner is not only unhelpful to the apologetics enterprise but is a sure sign that we lack authenticity.<br /><br />Fifth, as many passages in Scripture affirm, apologetics entails humility and gentleness. The presentation of evidence and the promulgation of Christian presuppositions ought always to be bathed in a realism, compassion, and love. If we are truly humble and gentle, we will also remain cognizant of the possibility of blind spots, inaccuracies, and errors in our approach to apologetics.</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><br /><br />Apologetics, like all facets of the Christian life, must be a humble endeavor. While we should not shy away from sharing the truth with confidence, our apologia ought always be tempered with humility and a sense that we, too, are fellow travelers on the way, dependent on the mercy of God, and always excitedly anticipating whatever new light He might shine on our paths. </span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-74291271028950062402008-06-05T10:07:00.005-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.443-05:00honored<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gXvypDXFI1QBdxX3z4JaAJNfIM57xBQaRjSrh0G80xHYbGcJ4oji2ql6aJfmNVUtyd-pqBcp9QhqlrO2t1uxD4ZNan8wJmI357nLSXheD1sjpPdExEUMkCWuqMg9N2XRxWhLag/s1600-h/pict.pahs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gXvypDXFI1QBdxX3z4JaAJNfIM57xBQaRjSrh0G80xHYbGcJ4oji2ql6aJfmNVUtyd-pqBcp9QhqlrO2t1uxD4ZNan8wJmI357nLSXheD1sjpPdExEUMkCWuqMg9N2XRxWhLag/s200/pict.pahs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208414399702934290" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >It is a day I will never forget. May 27, 2008, a little over a week ago, our entire school gathered together for what is sometimes referred to as the Senior Farewell Assembly. It is during this time that we say goodbye to the graduating seniors, and certain awards are given to a number of deserving students. It is also when one particular award, The Dr. Alex Atty Student Council Award, is presented to a chosen member of the faculty.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The Dr. Alex Atty Award, which is named after a former superintendent of our schools, is one of the most prestigious awards that a teacher in our district can receive. Well, on this day, I was both shocked and honored to discover that my name would be added to the list of previous recipients.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >To be honest, I truly love my job. As I told the student body that day, a lot of people live for the weekend and for the summer. Though I appreciate time off as much as anyone, I actually love the week. The reason? The young people I get to encounter and interact with on a regular basis.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >While any teacher can tell you about the difficult-to-manage students, the kids who are a pain in the neck, we can also name–if we are honest and reflective enough–a number of terrific young men and women, students we have gotten to teach and have been privileged to know at a more personal level. To me these students are gifts from God, sent my way for a time and a purpose. Their lives intersect my own, and I hold them in my heart forever.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >What an incredible honor it was to stand before these kids, including the very special ones I’ve had the opportunity to know at a deeper level, and to receive this award from them. Wow! Even now, I cannot fully take it in, and I am immensely humbled.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >The Dr. Alex Atty Student Council Award will include my name for 2008. The plaque that hangs on the wall outside our main office will actually have Mr. Carmen DiCello on it. Again, what an honor this is. But a greater honor still is the honor that is mine each day of the school year, to rub shoulders with the up-and-coming generations, to converse with the terrific young people God sends my way, to encounter in my travels some very, very special students, whom I will never ever forget. I am honored not only to have received this award but to have gotten to know and love the class of 2008. Thank you for allowing me to participate in your journey. I love you guys!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" >Mr. DiCello<br /><br /></span></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-59626460549133684422008-05-18T09:51:00.002-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.630-05:00faith . . . just faith<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnF7ynApEmlLpr1KdRnfQGsBhWaOpXXwbtKkNryUzm4_9t7R9tSevFAQoyqFoihq8U3dDZ92L3f3khymg_XPZAbNVTbBpmz85rYaJry1r8XOJtMSwQQ9t7Q1txW0GA2LRXGhWAA/s1600-h/pict+faith+typewriter-close-up-shot-faith.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnF7ynApEmlLpr1KdRnfQGsBhWaOpXXwbtKkNryUzm4_9t7R9tSevFAQoyqFoihq8U3dDZ92L3f3khymg_XPZAbNVTbBpmz85rYaJry1r8XOJtMSwQQ9t7Q1txW0GA2LRXGhWAA/s200/pict+faith+typewriter-close-up-shot-faith.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201730727897279762" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Faith has sometimes been wrongly characterized as a blind leap in the dark. This is clearly not what Christian faith is about, and it misrepresents what millions of believers have proclaimed and lived out for millennia. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">At the same time, faith is not at all a simple thing, something akin to flipping a switch and activating some easy to identify and undeniable reality. No, faith can be hard and challenging, and it certainly ventures, on many occasions, into the dark. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Faith, or so it seems to me, involves a combination of identifiable realities along side of some rather difficult to locate ones. The identifiable factors include the belief in, the presupposition or commitment to, the God of Christian orthodoxy. He, we believe, is the God revealed in the Old and New Testament Scriptures, the One who actually visited our planet in order to rescue us and give us life, and he is with us still. We can know certain things about his character and demands, and we are given various assurances that he is working on our behalf to bless us and lead us to our ultimate good. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Still, this faith, these pieces of orthodox belief, must be taken into the world. There, as we all know, we encounter a whole lot that is difficult to decipher and manage, and there we must–if indeed we are to exude faith at all–to take our faith, which at times seems so clear and undeniable, into the fuzzy and undefined places of daily living. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Faith, one writer says, is the evidence of things not seen. What a great definition! Yes, we see or know or feel certain things, but we are also–by the nature of the case–compelled to enact our faith by believing in that which we cannot currently see. It’s not that we don’t ever have confidence in these unseen realities, for sometimes (often?) we do. But in the real world we are forced to act on these principles, calling on the realm of the invisible, trusting in a God we cannot see and often do not understand. This is faith. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">As we venture into the world, as we encounter people, relationships, and situations that are often unpredictable, we must somehow learn to trust that God is worthy of our faith and worship. We must accept that, even when we don’t see it or “get” it, God knows what he’s “up to,” and he’s always “up to” that which is for our ultimate (not necessarily immediate) benefit. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Faith travels around corners with who knows what on the other side. Faith trusts that the truths we know are real and will win the day even when the opposite seems to be the case for now. Faith holds onto the ever-present Lord even when we have little or no idea where he’s leading us. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Faith, then, is a type of following, an ongoing and always needed effort to walk with God, a very personal (because it involves persons–God and people) endeavor, a determination to remain faithful and close to the One who long ago said, “Follow Me.” </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Lord, enable me (us) to follow, and show me (us) that this is good and right . . . and that it actually works. Lord, increase my (our) faith, and help me (us) to remain confidently and joyfully faithful to the Way.”</span><br /><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-31968691614850988332008-05-13T23:33:00.006-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.752-05:00sad hope<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeLfstz0Dv1YCcCks9Rkb3GU9pd4_JCQZrnrL707zloiWa1E27sBPymjYDNU1pdOuyGYIW42QyZpQ72YL53XkTgU_IlL7PQk8cwAoDP5lp-gyUZvnJ27tMJMyCz6VdnaB5xkDVQ/s1600-h/pict+field.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeLfstz0Dv1YCcCks9Rkb3GU9pd4_JCQZrnrL707zloiWa1E27sBPymjYDNU1pdOuyGYIW42QyZpQ72YL53XkTgU_IlL7PQk8cwAoDP5lp-gyUZvnJ27tMJMyCz6VdnaB5xkDVQ/s200/pict+field.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200087112632577266" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">sad hope</span></span></span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >As a high school teacher, each year I experience a “blue” period, a time when I am somewhat saddened by the reality that some fine young people, students that I’ve grown to know and care about, graduate from high school. While I realize that this is a part of the process, and though I am fully aware that a new “batch” of kids will follow, I still feel the pain of it all.<br /><br />Still, as a Christian, I try to place these moments, these temporary losses, within the framework of the eternal. As a result, I say my goodbyes with a measure of hope, a hope that my efforts, concern, and genuine love for these kids are not ultimately lost.<br /><br />I live, therefore, with a sense of hope combined with sadness. You might say that I have a sad hope. The words that follow are a feeble attempt to capture some of what I feel. These awkward thoughts are intended especially for the ones who already know that I care. </span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">getting acquainted<br />through time, heart poured out<br />trying to show<br />what this life’s all about<br /><br />some pass by quickly<br />while some leave a mark<br />those special ones shine<br />as they light up the dark<br /><br />touching hearts truly<br />intending to care<br />reaching to teach them 'bout truth<br />do we dare?<br /><br />bonds are created<br />a moment in time<br />deepened connections<br />with lives that can rhyme<br /><br />knowing the depth<br />it is real, not pretend<br />feeling a sense that<br />this shouldn’t ever end<br /><br />can’t pause to sleep<br />no time for dozing<br />buying up time<br />for the window’s fast closing<br /><br />next phase beginning<br />the future looks bright<br />seeing through tears<br />that their going is right<br /><br />as they turn outward<br />it hardly seems fair<br />again, worth repeating<br />just how much I care<br /><br />forever you’re with me<br />though gone now away<br />in hope’s promised goal<br />you will finally stay<br /><br />faith filled with love<br />a time of reunion<br />coming’s the time<br />of unending union<br /><br />dwelling on good times<br />it helps me to cope<br />hanging on God’s dreams<br />a sad sort of hope<br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32069934.post-65566373316878569842008-05-13T17:22:00.004-05:002008-11-12T21:08:41.884-05:00confusion . . . and faith<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1w4BacBBG0hkvzW1eAxK3GYnGbiHjAN7dTGkQqtG48SiVW2wzb_osnYKbiezTBdN75hZQm8-O4uPzwuaGkf3jWEtBu3cAQmTXTnpNWM6Ty8JVqzIPc9mqPvqHiJuPcJXmD8enA/s1600-h/pict+candle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1w4BacBBG0hkvzW1eAxK3GYnGbiHjAN7dTGkQqtG48SiVW2wzb_osnYKbiezTBdN75hZQm8-O4uPzwuaGkf3jWEtBu3cAQmTXTnpNWM6Ty8JVqzIPc9mqPvqHiJuPcJXmD8enA/s200/pict+candle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199992872460168402" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Sometimes, I don’t have a clue. I just don’t know what God is up to or what he wants me to do. Recently, I’ve been reminded of this fact. There are times, of course, when I know exactly what I’m supposed to do, and I think I can sense what God is doing. Other times, though, I am baffled . . . to say the least.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">So, I find myself in this or that situation, and I can think of a number of ways that I might attempt to handle it. But the more I think, the less certain I am of which option (if any!) is best. Then, on top of all this, there is this glaring tendency in me to do the wrong thing. Selfishness can get in the way, as can pride or laziness. Boy, some things are not so easy.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Yet, even amid this uncertainty and confusion, there is a way ahead. To be honest, it’s really not a surprising way, but it is filled with lots of uncertainty and ambiguity. It’s the way of faith. There are time, or so it appears, that God simply wants us to trust him . . . period. There may be answers later (only God knows), but there is (right now and always) the need to believe, to trust, to walk by faith.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The way we take is the path of faith. This way is a matter of following, and it entails “going with the flow” of God’s providence. Along the way, we look clues and nuggets of insight and wisdom, for we want to (or at least should want to) be as faithful as we are able. But always we must rely on the (currently) invisible One, the One who is the Way.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“Lord, you know how little I know, and you are fully aware of how frustrated I can get when I feel uncertain about what I’m supposed to do in this or that circumstance. Please supply wisdom and enable me to walk by faith. Guide me, and manifest your love in and through me.”</span><br /></div>Dr. Carmen C. DiCellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07852158168592169053noreply@blogger.com0