Comments on: My joy is in God http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/my-joy-is-in-god/ Then, oh then I heard a voice which said, "There is one, even Jesus Christ, that can speak to thy condition": and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. - George Fox Mon, 04 May 2009 02:44:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Christine http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/my-joy-is-in-god/#comment-117 Christine Fri, 16 May 2008 15:50:42 +0000 http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-117 The song running through my heart after reading this post, and the next, is so hopeful or "joyous"! "My life goes on, in endless song above earth's lamentation... How can I keep from singing?" Thank you for writing with such honesty, clarity and thoughtfulness. Chris The song running through my heart after reading this post, and the next, is so hopeful or “joyous”!

“My life goes on, in endless song
above earth’s lamentation…
How can I keep from singing?”

Thank you for writing with such honesty, clarity and thoughtfulness.

Chris

]]> By: cath http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/my-joy-is-in-god/#comment-109 cath Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:50:09 +0000 http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-109 I've just had another thought, and I hope you don't mind that I am posting twice. One side of my family is of a culture that discourages showing emotion. It's very hard to know if folks are happy, sad, angry, frustrated, etc. I don't remember hearing a lot of "I love You's" from my grandparents, for example. (I was raised among the people of the other side of the family, a more intense set of people. LOL) It would be easy to interpret reticence as distance. But my seemingly unemotional grandfather's behavior made a big impression on me, along with noticing the things he felt deeply about (he was on board with organic farming long before it became trendy and now almost necessary). One of our most powerful slogans is a good rule of thumb: Let your life speak. Thanks again for opening up your private life to start a conversation. cath I’ve just had another thought, and I hope you don’t mind that I am posting twice.

One side of my family is of a culture that discourages showing emotion. It’s very hard to know if folks are happy, sad, angry, frustrated, etc. I don’t remember hearing a lot of “I love You’s” from my grandparents, for example. (I was raised among the people of the other side of the family, a more intense set of people. LOL)

It would be easy to interpret reticence as distance. But my seemingly unemotional grandfather’s behavior made a big impression on me, along with noticing the things he felt deeply about (he was on board with organic farming long before it became trendy and now almost necessary).

One of our most powerful slogans is a good rule of thumb: Let your life speak.

Thanks again for opening up your private life to start a conversation.

cath

]]> By: cath http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/my-joy-is-in-god/#comment-108 cath Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:19:11 +0000 http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-108 Susanne, thank you for this personal post. It goes beyond merely your story and has something for all of us (now, that's preaching in the best way, IMHO). Anyway, I've often been in the company of Friends (even at worship) when all discussion (even vocal ministry) comes from a place of anger at the state of the world. I don't for a minute want to denigrate the need to speak truth to power or call out the inequities of this life. But when we lose our sense of joy (your word) or reliance (my word) in faith, we run the risk of becoming fist-wavers without the added benefit of also being role modelers. (Is "modeler" a word?) I'm a very straightforward person. Sometimes this causes confusion because it's hard for people to sense my reliance on faith when hearing my direct language. But I hope that in other ways, my behavior will show that when the chips are down, the most nourishing thing I know is that God loves us all and there is that of God in all--even people we dislike and feel are doing harm to the world. cath Susanne, thank you for this personal post. It goes beyond merely your story and has something for all of us (now, that’s preaching in the best way, IMHO).

Anyway, I’ve often been in the company of Friends (even at worship) when all discussion (even vocal ministry) comes from a place of anger at the state of the world. I don’t for a minute want to denigrate the need to speak truth to power or call out the inequities of this life.

But when we lose our sense of joy (your word) or reliance (my word) in faith, we run the risk of becoming fist-wavers without the added benefit of also being role modelers. (Is “modeler” a word?)

I’m a very straightforward person. Sometimes this causes confusion because it’s hard for people to sense my reliance on faith when hearing my direct language. But I hope that in other ways, my behavior will show that when the chips are down, the most nourishing thing I know is that God loves us all and there is that of God in all–even people we dislike and feel are doing harm to the world.

cath

]]> By: Tarald Stein http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/my-joy-is-in-god/#comment-106 Tarald Stein Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:37:58 +0000 http://quakersusanne.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-106 I find it easy to relate to the anger as a source of energy to make the world a better place. I also think you are right that it often just leads to exhaustion. I've heard many times that one cannot truely love someone else before one loves oneself. One cannot forgive someone else before one forgives onself. I also think it's impossible to create peace among others before one has peace within. And I think peace is the ground where joy can blossom. I do have a slight problem with the idea that one can decide to be joyful. One can decide to be open to all the joy of living, but to feel joy I think one needs peace first. Then the joy will come. At least, that's how I feel. God has given me His peace, as He promised. And that makes me joyful. I guess inner peace is extreamly important to me at this stage in my life. I'll end this here and go make it a post in my blog of faith. Thanks for the inspiration! I find it easy to relate to the anger as a source of energy to make the world a better place. I also think you are right that it often just leads to exhaustion.

I’ve heard many times that one cannot truely love someone else before one loves oneself. One cannot forgive someone else before one forgives onself. I also think it’s impossible to create peace among others before one has peace within. And I think peace is the ground where joy can blossom.

I do have a slight problem with the idea that one can decide to be joyful. One can decide to be open to all the joy of living, but to feel joy I think one needs peace first. Then the joy will come.

At least, that’s how I feel. God has given me His peace, as He promised. And that makes me joyful. I guess inner peace is extreamly important to me at this stage in my life.

I’ll end this here and go make it a post in my blog of faith. Thanks for the inspiration!

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