tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6328552684307323136.post6502909894330217745..comments2012-03-04T07:09:37.076-08:00Comments on No Longer Asleep: Something Awesomekrutawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318935063795394612noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6328552684307323136.post-61634124319692806482012-03-04T07:09:37.076-08:002012-03-04T07:09:37.076-08:00Today I rode on a bus for 13 hours through God'...Today I rode on a bus for 13 hours through God's amazing creation here in Japan. Along with many of the others in the bus, I couldn't stop taking pictures. Why do I need sixty five pictures of the same mountain? We were all trying our best to take this majesty home with us because we were in such awe of God's beauty.<br />Thanks for sharing!Shan in Japanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02467051065525879573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6328552684307323136.post-89054794430271373682012-03-03T05:01:14.712-08:002012-03-03T05:01:14.712-08:00This is so beautifully written Ben. I feel like I&...This is so beautifully written Ben. I feel like I've had such a similar awakening to creation over the last few years, and learning so much about the peace my heart really longs for and the patience that it requires to create space for listening and abiding with God. I have been so struck by how the monastics flesh out this idea of prayerful, quite living. They structure their whole day, their work and fellowship and rest, all around their prayer - worshiping God for his creation and petitioning him on behalf of others for mercy and grace. I took a short January term class on it a few years ago and it challenged all my perceptions of monastic life (mainly that they're a bunch of sex-starved religious do-gooders who think they can earn some higher life in heaven by living some sort of higher life now. <br /><br />Instead, what I found when we studied the Rule of Benedict and when we visited a Convent for several days, was a genuine and simple faith. Men and women professing that their faith is as weak as mine, and God has called them into this community to teach them and build them up. They see their primary focus (and not apart from, but woven into their actual daily work of providing and income for the monastary/convent and daily chores)of supporting the christian body worldwide with prayer. So they wake up to pray at 3am, and they pray for those who are restless in the night, those who are ill and alone, those who are caring for children or elderly and feel ragged. They pray for peace. They stop their work during the day repeatedly to remind themselves that God goes before and behind and all they do is a simple offering. Tasks can be left undone but God cannot be left unknown. <br /><br />it still sends chills down my spine. Oh to have such faith!<br />Anyway, all that to say, I'm so thankful to hear that you're finding God in the small stones and sticks, the leaves and streams of His earth. may he who is ever making all things knew reveal his beauty and grandeur to you more and more every day!Julianne Van't landhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05785906909336561717noreply@blogger.com