February 13, 2009
Joy
Welcome the coming day as irreplaceable and unique, the today in which God is present. Look how to live it with a heart that trusts. The past is buried in God, and of the future he also takes care.
God is never the author of torment within anyone. He gives inner peace. What dizzy anxiety if God tormented the human heart, keeping account of what each person is not! We would be imagining God to have manipulative designs, as if he willed to make human beings guilt ridden. Whereas God suffers together with every person who is tormented.
In times of trial, search steadfastly to discover all that can light up our night. Gather up the events, however small, which awaken thankfulness and joy.
Remember that the presence of the Risen Christ cuts through the darkness: ''Darkness is no darkness with you, the night sheds light like the day.''
When you do not understand what is happening to you and there are difficulties to be lived through, would you forget the inner joy offered by Christ who declared nine times over:
- Happy are the simple in heart: the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Happy are the gentle: they will inherit the earth.
Happy are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for what is right:they shall be filled.
Happy are the merciful: they will have mercy shown to them.
Happy are the clear in heart: they will see God.
Happy are those who are persecuted because of their justice: the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Happy are you when people abuse you, persecute you and falsley say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, your reward is great in heaven.''
By faith, you are able to choose the road which mounts up towards serene joy, and you will build your dwelling in the lands of joyfulness.
''You jesus, my joy, you give rest for my heart.''
Perfect joy lies in transparency of heart. In order to shine out, such joy requires no less than your whole being. It awakens others to God: above all by what you are.
Let Christ sing in you the radiant gift of life, to the point that the springs of jubilation never run dry.
Perfect joy is in the eagerness of the one who runs towards Christ Jesus.
One day , seeing that Zachaeus had climbed up in a tree to watch him pass by, Jesus called to him ''Zacchaeus, come down! Hurry, for I have to stay at your house today.'' So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed him joyfully.
Posted by Paul Northup at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
End the Siege of Gaza
Click here to download the PDF.
Posted by Paul Northup at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2009
John O'Donohue Blessing used for Barack Obama
On his way to Washington D.C. for his inauguration, President Barack Obama stopped in Baltimore, Maryland. He was greeted by Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley and a crowd of well-wishers. As he welcomed the then-President-elect to Baltimore, Gov. O'Malley offered a blessing - a reading of John O'Donohue's, 'For One Who Holds Power' from 'To Bless the Space Between Us' (entitled, 'Benedictus' in the U.K.). Nice link!
Posted by Paul Northup at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2009
Now that's what I call a prayer
Dr. Joseph Lowery delivers Inauguration Benediction for Barack Obama
Posted by Paul Northup at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2009
Spring 2009 dates
Fuzzy moves back to Wednesdays for 2009 - with the possible theme 'visions of the future' ...
January
Sat 17 Control Film night at Jake and Gillian's
Wed 21 Jake and Gillian's
Wed 28 Nive's
February
Wed 4 Jem and Helen's
Wed 11 Steve and Niki's
Wed 18 Half Term break
Wed 25 Paul and Chantal's
March
Wed 4 Nive's
Wed 11 Steve and Niki's
Wed 18 Jem and Helen's
Wed 25 Paul and Chantal's
April
Wed 2 Glenfall House for an early evening picnic
Easter break
Posted by Paul Northup at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2008
Welcome to Holland
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this.....
When you’re going to have a baby it’s like planning a fabulous vacation - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland”. “Holland?!?!” you say. “What do you mean, Holland? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy! All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
But there’s been a change in flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting place full of pestilence and disease. It’s just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you will learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you never would have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you have been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has tulips, Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is coming and going from Italy and they’re bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” And the pain of that will never, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the special, the very lovely things about Holland.
Found in the Down’s Syndrome Newsletter, Spring 1998.
Posted by Paul Northup at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2008
Alastair McIntosh's Lecture at the Do Lectures
Posted by Paul Northup at 03:33 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2008
Sigur Ros - Svefn-g-englar
Posted by Paul Northup at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
Autumn 2008 Dates – now Thursday nights!
September
25
October
2 Jem and Helen's
9 Steve and Niki's (Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement)
16 Nive's
(18 - 25 Nive and Paul in Israel-Palestine)
23 Charlotte's?
30 Paul and Chantal's
November
6 Jake and Gillian's – early start at 6pm for sparklers and bonfire
13 Jake and Gillian's
20 Jem and Helen's
27 Nive's
December
4 Steve and Niki's
11 Charlotte's?
18 Fuzzy Christmas meal (adults!)
Posted by Paul Northup at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2008
The Holiness of Place – a Leunig Prayer in response
Dear God,
We give thanks for places of simplicity and peace. Let us find such a place within ourselves. We give thanks for places of refuge and beauty. Let us find such a place within ourselves. We give thanks for places of nature's truth and freedom, of joy, inspiration and renewal, places where all creatures may find acceptance and belonging. Let us search for these places: in the world, in ourselves and in others. Let us restore them. Let us strengthen and protect them and let us create them.
May we mend this outer world according to the truth of our inner life and may our souls be shaped and nourished by nature's eternal wisdom.
Amen
Posted by Paul Northup at 09:07 PM | Comments (0)