What if Christmas was the REVERSAL of the universal entropy????

The usual story - a hopeless tangle of last years Christmas tree lights...crushed bulbs, lost coloured-covers that make it look scrappy, and the unending search for undoing the mess without screaming.

The 'Naked Scientist' BBC program which aired on ABC's Radio National set three scientists the task to untangle some fairy-lights each, with ensuing discussion on the need for "a system" to eliminate this problem - an "entropy reversal" system that could AVOID the annual mess, restore order, and reduce stress.  [See their website https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/entropy-christmas-lights]

They suggest something as simple as an empty cereal box, for careful winding around once the lights are not required. This then can be placed in a crate or on a shelf so that the infernal tangle is no more!  The scientists and the presenters continued on their discussion, concluding "if only, there was such a system!" for the problem of this just going awry when left to itself.

This got me thinking - what about the problem of human entropy, and the tangled mess we find ourselves, our societies, and our planet, knotted up in?

What if the ancient scroll is true and that humanity "is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards"? Found in the Book of Job, chapter 5, verse 7, paraphrased by me.

What if the Promised Saviour who was to "save his people from their sins", (Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, verse 21) - from their tangles, their mess, and the pain of self-induced or other-caused actions was the REVERSAL of the universal entropy of which we are all suffering?

The Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (chapter 8, verse 22) says that "we know that the whole creation has been groaning" under all this sin - entropy - and is waiting for salvation!

Well, SALVATION has come!  Jesus was born, and we celebrate this at Christmas.
The possibility of the NEW CREATION has arrived by God's grace, and by his plan as told in the scriptures - the promises to Eve, to Abraham, and in the texts of Isaiah and other prophets.

Old Simeon and old Anna rejoiced, as they SAW what had been promised come true (Luke chapter 2, verses 25 to 38), and they gave God the credit due the One who had said that the "offspring of the woman would crush the serpent" (Genesis chapter 3, verse 15).

So, is entropy inevitable?  Is there something in the Maker's manual that can assist us to not only resolve 'tangles' but reduce and avoid them?

May you seek the meaning of Christmas, as you search to untangle big and small things in your life these holidays.

Trouble in the woods... (10th century)

Poetic lines from the 10th Century, written by Shmuel HaNagid – prime minister of the kingdom of Granada, head of its Muslim army, and leader of Andalusia’s Jewish community:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/story/20170616-the-1000-year-old-lost-arab-poetry-that-lives-on-in-hebrew

A Poem for Quietness

A poem for quietness

When I was quiet

When I died

down

It took a while to remember 

What really mattered.

The noises I had made

Shrieked in chiastic

emptying

As the diamond scrape of Words cut to the bone:

I am

enough

For you are held in 

Hands that sprinkle wonder.

Cross I bore shred My voice,

And now hear this:

Surrender means I love you;

Be still and see God's glory.

Be at rest, I tell anxious survivor,

for One has conquered,

and Christ's cleansing touch makes whole.

 

(c) J.C. Vandersee 24 August, 2017.

A new poem for a new season of grace...

I can only preface this by saying that I am blown away by God's amazing love and abundant grace.  I want to serve the Lord God, who sent his Son Jesus Christ, to seek and save humanity.  This is a part of the message - a parable of love, told by Jesus, in Matthew 22:1-14 (find in any Christian Bible).

The feast  by Joanna C Vandersee 18July2017

Breathless arrival.

Yet, one could not

          slip unaided through

the entry Way.

Led, beaming;

          vast corridors of perfection

          glared

at my resistive frame.

Until the Hand that

          bade me welcome

          indicated –

Sit and eat.

And I was shyly resting

          on the pillows of

          majestic grace,

          and dared take crumbs –

and saw

the others too

who feasted

now so far from road and by-way lanes.

I lay back – gleaming,

bright new robe -

then ate up lavish

serves of love.

© JCV

A POEM: 'Les Courageuses - The Courageous Ones [Women of the Lord Jesus Christ]'

LES COURAGEUSES   by Joanna C Vandersee [23June2013, Dalby, Qld, Australia.]

They lived for the Lord Jesus Christ in distant, far-off places;

They were many and different and varied of faces.

Some died old, yes old, and so strong in their faith;

Some died young, still determined, determined - go on!

They all gave their life, all their love and their hope.

They held on with courage beyond human strength…

To all of you –

Christianas, Christopheras, Christines:

To you who have gone, left, sailed and flown;

Who have served and led;

Preached and taught,

Managed and fought.

And borne His pure image and borne His pure name.

To Anne, and the Marys; Susanna - “the others”;

To Lydia, Syntyche, Euodia, Phoebe, and Chloe,

To Veronica, Margaret, Marie and Nina;

To Perpetua, Felicity, Monica and co.;

To Hilda, to Claire, Therese, and to Agnes,

To Mother Julian; and mothers, and the mother of Bede.

To Princesses, Duchesses, and daughters of dukes;

To the sisters, the mothers, the aunties, the friends.

To the veiled and the robed,

To the bodiced and girdled,

To the wimpled and dimpled,

Bespectacled and squinting.

To the gloved and the hatted,

The modern and manicured.

To the sweating and fainting,

To the feverish and frail:

To Florence; to Lilias;

To Amy; Priscilla;

To Mildred, Francesca,

And to all of their known, and some unnamed, companions.

To the pioneer, the path-finder,

The side-saddled and astride.

To the hikers, the climbers and the seated in sedan-chairs.

To the sea-sick, the bus-sick and all severely home-sick.

To those who packed wedding dress in simple pine coffin.

To those who brought baby-clothes remaining unused.

To the wives; and to all of the women ‘unmanned’.

To the merciful and mothering;

Child-bearing, child-caring, child-rearing ---

Alone.

To the back-seat, the back room, the back door, the backers.

To the cooks, and the cleaners and keepers of home

fires ----far, far, far,

Oh, so far from home.

To all of those who wiped feverish brows,

And to those who had no-one;

no-one to wipe theirs.

To the harvesters; to the pray-ers;

To the purposeful; the proclaimers.

To the doctors and midwives and nurses and maids -

Through whose hands Jesus touched first-born of nations.

To the translators and teachers;

Engineers, chemists ----

Drivers and driven;

Going on, bringing light.

To the determined and daring.

To the hurt and heart-broken.

To the givers and thank-ers.

To the humble, the contrite.

To the brazen and bold;

To the hopeful and fruitful.

To the tearful and tear-stained.

To the lovely and grey.

To the wrinkled and beautiful.

To the smiling and gentle.

All the Christlike brave women in places away ----

The city, the country, the hellish, the cold.

The mountain, the desert, the oceans and sea.

To the changing and resourceful.

To the imaginative and careful.

To the neat and the practical;

The artistic and wistful.

To the messy and colourful ---

To the Lord of them all.

To the constantly packing, unpacking and checking.

To the good-byes and hellos all over again.

To the fleeing of gun-shot and bombing and danger;

The uncertainty, worry, and knowing the pain.

To the friendships eternal that were forged in the flame.

To the worldwide returning to places again.

To the hand-maidens of Him who made heaven and earth.

To the women who served Him and loved Him and gave -

Hearts of both gold, and bloody raw flesh;

Hands - both of steel, and velvet, touching in love.

To Jesus who called them and for Whom they gave all ----

Les Courageuses :  Courageous, “ The Courageous Ones”.

(edited 05/02/2015 JCV)

(re-edited 12/04/2017 JCV)

Poetry – art that never ends… (JCV)

Easter Day 2017 - what really happened

MY EASTER SUNDAY 2017

Today I saw love.  

I went to lunch at the home of people who I have come to cherish and respect these past 2 and 3/4 years in Brisbane.

They always open their hearts, and regularly their home, as they know that they are blessed to be a blessing.

...

Around the table today sat their 'blood' - sons and grandchildren - also, their daughters-in-law, a neighbour, a few church friends (myself in this group), and total strangers:  a refugee woman in hiding from severe domestic violence, and an international student from the former Soviet block who was raised in atheism.

The woman came with one of the church friends.  She walked into another church one day because that is where you go for help - Christians are kind - they will help the weak, the poor, the abused. 

She is safe, in hiding, but the police have her estranged husband's number, picture and details. A Christian barrister is on the case to advise and support. Clothes and other items have been donated and more is coming.

The international student is solemnly taking in the scene - he asks me who is actually the related kin of the hosts, and then how the others (me included) fit in. 

He looks puzzled: How is it we are all here in this house, at this table, like family????

He is amazed, and yet, joins in.

The lunch goes on. 

We share stories, eat too much, and talk too much about politics for a polite gathering.

We slowly move out to the veranda and watch the children play. Surrealistically, bagpipes start somewhere nearby and the multicultural mix is complete.

As he is saying his goodbyes to all, the student approaches the hostess. His English is very good but he struggles to find the words: "Why do you do this? Why is it that you act this way, with these people in your home, and sharing like this?"

My friend, the lady of the house, who cannot NOT be hospitable, gently puts her hand on his arm.

I hear her take a breath and I breathe in too - praying for her to have God's words:

"It's because we are so blessed, and we have God's love that we want to share. We believe that this is how we should live and show the love of Jesus to everyone that we can. 

We love because Jesus loves us."

(Something VERY similar came from her mouth - this is my frail recollection)

I slowly breathe out, trying not to cry - smiling, smiling, smiling - rejoicing!!!

The Gospel - Easter Good News - went forth today, and I humbly watched it happen!

To God be the glory!

Easter Day Reflection 2017

http://mikefrost.net/homepage/greatest-easter-painting-time/

See the article above...

I love that 'Easter morning' painting so much – Peter and John, both scared and hopeful,

at a brisk walking trot, nearly running to see if He has risen.... 

Hands-wringing, faces forward, thinking about ALL that had happened...

Maybe, just maybe…

Then, later, not understanding, not knowing, so they go back fishing - back to life "before", 

but never being able to “be the 'same' “....

Jesus is cooking some fish over a fire, on the shore of the lake they are fishing in. 

Jesus is making THEM breakfast, again serving the disciples - 

serving those who slept while He had agonized in Gethsemane, 

who fled, who deserted, who denied Him three times while he suffered and died.

[And - by the way - where did Jesus get His fish? His wood? His fire?]

No-one asks.  Who dares speak?  

They are in the presence of a miracle.  This is Holy time.  

"None of the disciples dared ask him 'Who are you?'

They knew it was the Lord." John 21:12b

They are silent in His presence. 

Silent before awesome Resurrection wonder and Love personified.

No excuses for their human weaknesses, and none demanded. 

Jesus fills their physical need of breakfast, and their spiritual hunger...

Jesus speaks first. 

Jesus starts the conversation with Peter.

Jesus does the restoration.

Jesus initiates and completes salvation. 

Jesus paid it all.

Jesus is alive, and I'm forgiven!  [listen to Don Francisco’s wonderful song, “He’s Alive!”]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPBVwOCYmM 

….

I am Peter.

John 21:15-17

Paradoxical Life in Death, Part II

Reflecting on how death brings new life, Jesus being considered this Easter Eve...

I'm pondering my own "sufferings" (nil, compared to Christ, compared to our brothers and sisters in other lands, especially the Christians of Egypt who have been slaughtered this year), and I am convicted to repent, and convinced to have to share:

I am a very slow learner.  Yup.  For all my brains, quick thinking and logic and linking together threads of ideas to see 'the big picture' [which is a great strength of mine], I am slow.

Slowly, I am 'getting' that praying for things - like patience, gentleness, etc - is not how these develop.  God will not just hand me down from heaven a big 'bucket of patience'!!!!!

No, in his love and tolerance for my childishness, he will just walk beside me in LIFE as difficult situations and people come my way, and I will chose to rest in his power and ask for help, OR struggle on in my own human wisdom and 'plough' through - detrimentally, often - on my own.

Slowing down, paradoxically, to reflect on this slowness of my heart, has been very necessary.

This little offering of the table below is to show what I have been thinking about.
Maybe it is something you could adapt and add to in your life:   Write it out, and take it to the Lord - sit before him and ponder his love and his grace that will help you - if only you (and I) will ask:

Guideline for my life                                        Why? Purpose: characteristic/Fruit of the Spirit desired
-acknowledge God is with me                           thankfulness, joy, love
-think of others                                                  love
-don't swear                                                       self-control, goodness
-be grateful                                                        thankfulness, joy
-no jokes, no jesting                                          self-control, gentleness, love
-listen more                                                       patience, love
-include others                                                  love, patience, gentleness
-think the best                                                   self-control, love
-sing hymns more                                             joy, thankfulness
-"smell the roses"                                             thankfulness, joy
- .....

In the death of my selfishness, impulses, desires, "jumping to conclusions", wanting to be "funny", etc, there will be the NEW LIFE of Christ-likeness, the fruit of the Spirit - and glory to God.

From death, the power of God brings life.  This is the miracle of Easter.
This is the Christian message.

Paradoxical Life in Death, Part I

There is life in death.  Yes – IN death.  

When the old makes way for the new, as a tree falls, and other ones take its place.

The dead or dying tree has life IN it – it has organisms, from the microscopic bacterium 

to the ‘macro’ animals and birds that have used it for food, shelter, reproduction and fun.

From rotting bark and release of nutrients, comes a smell – pungent or pleasant, 

it is part of the process.  

Where a tree falls, it crushes somethings, destroys somethings, 

and yet makes a pathway for life of other things.

On the dead trunk and in the rotting leaves and branches, mushrooms, microbes, fungi, ferns and flowers grow.  Things that have not been able to reach the sun are given light.  

And there is life.  In the decay – in the death, comes something new.  

Even the same species which is allowed to flourish with the passing of this old tree, is not the “same”.  It is unique, it has survived waiting in the shadows and now its time has come.

What “trees” of inner strength or independence or pride are blocking 

the possibility of new growth in my life?

What stinks the stink of decay in my soul that is necessary for new life to begin?

Am I willing to let the old go, and allow different and new to grow in Christ-likeness?

What is Jesus requiring of me as I follow Him this Lenten season of repentance, 

that I may be more like Him?

I love my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ – “born of the Virgin Mary, suffered and died 

under Pontius Pilate, was dead, buried and descended to the grave; on the third day God raised Him from the dead and now He is seated at the right hand of God, 

from where He will come again to judge the living and the dead….”

 – and I want to live FOR Him.

In my large and small inner deaths, there will be a rising again to new LIFE 

because that is the good and perfect plan of God for all who trust in Jesus.

The old hymn “My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine; for thee all the pleasures of sin I resign…” is a prayer and a purpose for me in my Christian life.

What about you?

Lenten Struggle, Lenten Prayer 2017

LENTEN STRUGGLE, LENTEN PRAYER 2017

Loving and gracious God –

The words of this song are a cutting challenge to me:

"...for Thee all the pleasures of sin I resign..."

- the pleasure of getting my own way

- the pleasure of having human understanding over just accepting that God understands

- the pleasure of making my own decisions without stopping to pray

- the pleasure of being 'right'

- the pleasure of easy faith without 'dark nights' of hanging on

- the pleasure of times where no one ignores/threatens/maligns or judges me 'unfairly'

- the pleasure of 'certainty'

- the pleasure of taken-for-granted comforts (clean water, shelter, electricity) that so many do not have -

For these sins - the sins of unthankfulness, sloth, selfishness, pride, despairing, independence, demands for 'fairness' - and as well as all the other sins that plague me which I don't even recognise: Lord have mercy.

I ask you Lord Jesus to help me today to change and grow, as you save us all from ourselves, so that we live and work to your praise and glory.

AMEN.