About Reading/Listening...
Reading is a wonderful thing. It entertains, it teaches, it renews, it motivates. Imaginations are engaged and can be excited and moved to untold pleasures, but also gut-wrenching learning can happen.
Every time I buy, or borrow a book, before I start to read, I am aware that I am opening myself to the unknown. Even if I may be aware of some of the content, I understand that reading it could lead to things that will cause me to laugh, cry, and to experience feelings that I may like, or not! It could contain a threat, of sorts, to long-held beliefs, but it could also open me to new possibilities that may renew my life, give new direction, offer New Life. WOW!!!!
In other words: I could change! Actually, I will change! No doubt about it!
I cannot read, hear, see, be a part of the day without changing in some way! Some adjustment in my outlook, my perception of others, including myself, will happen when I read.
The same is true of listening, say, to a sermon, or a lecture. It may be in church, on TV, any program will affect me in some way. That also means that the differnce it affects in me, will be shown in my speaking, behaviour, and other things I do.
Are you prepared to read a book now? Or, hear the next sermon...that you may give! And that others will 'hear'. Growth is mostly blessing, though it may be some time before we 'see' that part of it, or understand it. And, are we not fortunate that we can do this....have the freedom to pick up a book, or borrow one, to do that?
Or, to hear a lecture, or go to a workshop, or be in church of our choosing.... that we want to be a part of?
One day, when I was still in public school, it was summertime, and my friends and I decided we were not going to learn anything that day. We made a pact.. Not To Learn! We agreed to meet at the end of the day to check in with each other just to show we hadn't learned anything. ..(accountability). When we gathered, each was a bit slow in coughing up just how our 'we-had-not-learned-anything-day", actually went. All of us in turn, had to admit that no matter how hard we tried, we had all...yes, all... learned something that day. From that we learned again, much to our consternation.....
We learned that...
1. Learning was a part of being alive and part of life.
2. It could not be avoided.
3. We also discovered in the discussion that we were glad we had learned exactly that.
4. School became a little more tolerable and so did teachers.
5. It allowed us to 'see' we had choices in what, and how we learned;
6. gave us courage to ask more questions; give more answers;
7. and to protect ourselves in certain things we didn't and shouldn't be learning....e.g. from other kids, or adults.
8. We began to discern who was okay to listen to and who we could trust.
Yikes! 8 things and I just decided to number them.
I said once, that it takes a community to raise a child, no doubt it may have been said before, I don't know, but we don't do this alone, whether we think we do, or not. And we need to know this and be grateful.
My younger brother, a teacher, had grade 4 students and one girl in his class was not interested in reading. He had a book in mind that he knew would open up untold worlds of learning and adventure for her, but could not coax her to read it. He involved her parents in trying to get her to read it, to no avail. Finally, just to get everybody off her back, she agreed to read this book and did so.
She read it rather timidly at first, then fell under its spell. Neither she, nor her parents could thank her teacher enough and gave him a gift that signified her new found freedom. She was changed! From that point on she read constantly and widely.
More proof of what reading can do for and create in us ...any of us!
So, books open up worlds of all sorts. Yea! .... to all those who write...like poormadpeter. And to those who read in order to write great sermons remember that all who hear will take something home from what you say, but perhaps even more from how you say it.
Well, perhaps if you read this more things will come to light in your own mind about how reading and listening both end up moving us from where we are on to another place. But, never think God will leave you in one place very long, perhaps just long enough to learn and hear what you need for this moment.
Blessings as your spirit calls you, and me, into flight!
Free Flying Spirit
Reading is a wonderful thing. It entertains, it teaches, it renews, it motivates. Imaginations are engaged and can be excited and moved to untold pleasures, but also gut-wrenching learning can happen.
Every time I buy, or borrow a book, before I start to read, I am aware that I am opening myself to the unknown. Even if I may be aware of some of the content, I understand that reading it could lead to things that will cause me to laugh, cry, and to experience feelings that I may like, or not! It could contain a threat, of sorts, to long-held beliefs, but it could also open me to new possibilities that may renew my life, give new direction, offer New Life. WOW!!!!
In other words: I could change! Actually, I will change! No doubt about it!
I cannot read, hear, see, be a part of the day without changing in some way! Some adjustment in my outlook, my perception of others, including myself, will happen when I read.
The same is true of listening, say, to a sermon, or a lecture. It may be in church, on TV, any program will affect me in some way. That also means that the differnce it affects in me, will be shown in my speaking, behaviour, and other things I do.
Are you prepared to read a book now? Or, hear the next sermon...that you may give! And that others will 'hear'. Growth is mostly blessing, though it may be some time before we 'see' that part of it, or understand it. And, are we not fortunate that we can do this....have the freedom to pick up a book, or borrow one, to do that?
Or, to hear a lecture, or go to a workshop, or be in church of our choosing.... that we want to be a part of?
One day, when I was still in public school, it was summertime, and my friends and I decided we were not going to learn anything that day. We made a pact.. Not To Learn! We agreed to meet at the end of the day to check in with each other just to show we hadn't learned anything. ..(accountability). When we gathered, each was a bit slow in coughing up just how our 'we-had-not-learned-anything-day", actually went. All of us in turn, had to admit that no matter how hard we tried, we had all...yes, all... learned something that day. From that we learned again, much to our consternation.....
We learned that...
1. Learning was a part of being alive and part of life.
2. It could not be avoided.
3. We also discovered in the discussion that we were glad we had learned exactly that.
4. School became a little more tolerable and so did teachers.
5. It allowed us to 'see' we had choices in what, and how we learned;
6. gave us courage to ask more questions; give more answers;
7. and to protect ourselves in certain things we didn't and shouldn't be learning....e.g. from other kids, or adults.
8. We began to discern who was okay to listen to and who we could trust.
Yikes! 8 things and I just decided to number them.
I said once, that it takes a community to raise a child, no doubt it may have been said before, I don't know, but we don't do this alone, whether we think we do, or not. And we need to know this and be grateful.
My younger brother, a teacher, had grade 4 students and one girl in his class was not interested in reading. He had a book in mind that he knew would open up untold worlds of learning and adventure for her, but could not coax her to read it. He involved her parents in trying to get her to read it, to no avail. Finally, just to get everybody off her back, she agreed to read this book and did so.
She read it rather timidly at first, then fell under its spell. Neither she, nor her parents could thank her teacher enough and gave him a gift that signified her new found freedom. She was changed! From that point on she read constantly and widely.
More proof of what reading can do for and create in us ...any of us!
So, books open up worlds of all sorts. Yea! .... to all those who write...like poormadpeter. And to those who read in order to write great sermons remember that all who hear will take something home from what you say, but perhaps even more from how you say it.
Well, perhaps if you read this more things will come to light in your own mind about how reading and listening both end up moving us from where we are on to another place. But, never think God will leave you in one place very long, perhaps just long enough to learn and hear what you need for this moment.
Blessings as your spirit calls you, and me, into flight!
Free Flying Spirit
posted by Free Flying Spirit @ 9/08/2006
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