Making Home
Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Guiding Light by Foy Vance with Ed Sheeran
• Life’s difficulties leading to these lines . . . ‘Cause the sun is
low, and I yet have still so far to go, my lonely heart is
beating so, tired of the wonder . . . There’s a sign ahead,
though I think it’s the same one again, But I’m thinking ‘bout
my only friend, so I find my way home
• Then, the chorus follows: When I need to get home, you’re
my guiding light, you’re my guiding light
Started me thinking . . .
• Who has done this for me?
• Who have I done this for?
• How do you become the kind of person that does this for
others?
Cleaning the house, finding treasures
• A note I copied from a mid-18th century monument in the
13th century church at Kirk-Whelpington (she 70, he 80):
They were affectionate and faithful to each other, Patterns of
true conjugal love, Kind to their children, Humane to their
servants, Obliging to their neighbours, Friendly, Just and
Courteous to all, Religious without Superstition, Charitable
without ostentation, Lovers and practicers of Virtue.
• Notes from Joel Warne, a teacher on our last trip to Turkey,
Greece and Italy
From Joel
• There is little or no neutral territory between the land of the
blessed and the land of the cursed. You have to choose
where it is you want to live and that choice is one you have
to keep making from moment to moment. Henri Nouwen
• Lord, help me to accept the truth about myself—no matter
how beautiful it is. Anonymous
From A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Romans 8: 15-17 (again, from Joel)
15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear
again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by
which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself
testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if
children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified
with Him.
Slaves or Religious Employees
• I must perform for God and you in order to avoid wrath
• I must serve values and goals I don’t personally believe in
• I must keep my wretchedness large in my mind, and my
beauty in God small
• I must push myself toward perfection
Slaves or Religious Employees
• I must fear your reaction to my true feelings
• I must worry in case something bad is coming
• I must not believe I deserve the desires of my heart. Instead I
must hide my true passions, gifts and calling in favour of
activities that keep me secure but don’t express my deepest
identity
Because I am a Child
• God yearns for me, watches for me, looks for moments when
we can be together
• I no longer have anything to prove. God says of me, This is
My beloved son, my beloved daughter, in whom I am deeply
pleased
• I can listen to my passions, gifts, and calling and take risks in
response to God’s call with the certainty of God’s gracious
companionship
Because I am a Child
• I can spend my life noticing and rejoicing in what’s good,
beautiful, and life-giving in me and others rather than
focusing on what’s wrong or missing
• I’m never on my own. Life is not entirely up to me
• All is well, and all will be well
Reminds me of The Four Degrees of Loving
God by Bernard of Clairvaux
• The First Degree of Love: When Man Loves Himself for His
Own Sake
• The Second Degree of Love, When Man Loves God for His
Own Good
• The Third Degree of Love: When Man Loves God for God’s
Sake
• The Fourth Degree of Love: When Man Loves Himself for the
Sake of God
My talk with Andre . . . Followed by
th
Inward/Outward on August 18
As we love ourselves, we move toward our own bliss, by which
Joseph Campbell meant our highest enthusiasm. The word
‘entheos’ means ‘god-filled.’ Moving towards that which fills
us with the godhood, that place where time is not, is all we
need to do to change the world around us. Then we, naturally
and without effort, love others and allow them to move
beyond their self-imposed limitations, and in their own way
Diane Osbon
John Powell: The Secret of Staying in Love
• Living in the Red from an emotional point of view
• Concept of Love Dollars
• Moving from the Red to the Black
• Usually happens because someone is unconditionally
appreciated by a group of friends, a community
• When it’s no longer an issue, you can spend yourself on
others, you can help them move toward a sense of home
From Aesop’s Fables, The Mouse and the Lion
Jesus
• In some mysterious way has done this for the world
• He helps souls to feel rooted and grounded in security
(admittedly, this is not always the clearest message coming
from His Church . . .)
• His example and His teaching, and His Spirit with us now, all
encourage us to try to help in this process for others
But it could be anyone . . .
• Who did this for you?
• Who have you helped?
• What makes it difficult for you to love yourself and to believe
that you are a Child of God?
• Who might you help toward home?
Surprise for me
A message of thanks came by private message through the
night for something said a long time ago. First thing I saw this
morning.
Unusual . . . I take it as a sign that the Spirit of God is watching
us and wanting to grow as homemakers
From L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz