tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post4161602500221505501..comments2024-03-22T03:10:08.766-05:00Comments on The Good Raised Up: Friends Journal essay:On the significance of benchesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-29577971432090993492007-02-12T21:19:00.000-06:002007-02-12T21:19:00.000-06:00David - I'm glad you are thinking of sharing your ...<B>David</B> - <BR/><BR/>I'm glad you are thinking of sharing your concern with M&C. I have learned that when I share ideas and concerns with others, sometimes they have other pieces, other insights of what might help. No single individual has the whole Truth, as you know. It's just as much about living into the questions as it is about waiting for an opening to suggest doing something different, then seeing if a small group or larger one is ready to come under the weight of that concern, and then taking the risk as a community of engaging in an experiment and reflecting on how it went. <BR/><BR/><B>Robin</B> - <BR/><BR/>Like you, I agree that there is some benefit to sharing with others what we learn by traveling among Friends. Hooray for the renewal of intervisitation! <BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>LizLiz Opphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09802348848085930901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-80775654865320754242007-02-12T14:13:00.000-06:002007-02-12T14:13:00.000-06:00Dear Liz,Your article is wonderful. But you knew t...Dear Liz,<BR/><BR/>Your article is wonderful. But you knew that. One thing this teaches me is that we should be less shy about speaking of the things we are learning in meeting for worship and in traveling among Friends. <BR/><BR/>Keep up the good writing!<BR/><BR/>Robin M.Robin M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10336915224193704866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-48240838897087019742007-02-12T12:42:00.000-06:002007-02-12T12:42:00.000-06:00Liz,Your article (which I just read in Friends Jou...Liz,<BR/><BR/>Your article (which I just read in <I>Friends Journal</I>--I still like to read on actual paper) spoke to a concern I have been feeling. We have a large, old meeting house with a small meeting. The result, of course (just like on a half-empty bus) is people scattered about the room. I've been wondering recently if we might have deeper shared worship if we cordoned off part of the room, forcing people to sit together. Your article may finally get me to talk with M&C in my meeting--though I can only imagine the uproar if I propose it in meeting for business! At the very least, though, it would provoke people to think about the state of our meeting.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the article. As you can see, it spoke to my condition.<BR/><BR/>DavidDavid Korfhagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08483910268144751116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-91479448364646767082007-02-09T18:38:00.000-06:002007-02-09T18:38:00.000-06:00Christine - Thanks for dropping by and correspondi...<B>Christine</B> - <BR/><BR/>Thanks for dropping by and corresponding with me offline. I appreciate it.<BR/><BR/><B>Nonsequitor</B> and <B>Linds</B> - <BR/><BR/>I feel rather humbled by your comments. I simply was writing about my experience because it had transformed <B><I>me.</I></B> ...Well, that and because <A HREF="http://showerofblessings.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">another blogger fFriend</A> encouraged me to submit something to Friends Journal.<BR/><BR/>I think that both of your responses point to why I believe it is important that--as difficult or tender as it is--we share parts of our journey towards faithfulness with other Friends: We cannot be Friends in isolation, and we can never know how our own description of how Spirit is moving within us may open others to consider the life of the Spirit <B><I>for themselves.</I></B> I hope that makes sense.<BR/><BR/>Then again, we have to be intentional about when and how we share those bits and pieces of our journey--some things are meant to be held in order to be understood and integrated, at least in part, before sharing them, lest we share them prematurely.<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>LizLiz Opphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09802348848085930901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-72892946034670007642007-02-09T12:32:00.000-06:002007-02-09T12:32:00.000-06:00Liz--Just "delurking" to say thanks for the post. ...Liz--Just "delurking" to say thanks for the post. You said some things that I really needed to hear--I've been making excuses for not reaching out to people lately. I'll be keeping your words in mind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-81411627644432743792007-02-08T23:21:00.000-06:002007-02-08T23:21:00.000-06:00Liz, thank you for this post... it spoke to a few ...Liz, thank you for this post... it spoke to a few questions and concerns I've had on my mind lately... the ego telling me to insulate myself and stand out versus my heart telling me to sink in, be still, and learn. I am still new to Friends' Meetings and occasionally find myself overwhelmed or confused when faced with what I must learn and what I should discard.Nonsequiturhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18173868118973875988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-52476859107604662042007-02-08T18:34:00.000-06:002007-02-08T18:34:00.000-06:00Friends Journal is fortunate to have your contribu...Friends Journal is fortunate to have your contribution; terrific article and many thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-23738550526615208212007-02-08T13:17:00.000-06:002007-02-08T13:17:00.000-06:00Hey, Jodi, thanks for dropping by and for taking t...Hey, Jodi, thanks for dropping by and for taking the time to comment. And just so you know: I still have the "too many excuses" syndrome. I'm working on it, though God is really the one working through me, all the time.<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>LizLiz Opphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09802348848085930901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10737238.post-83143576927974825572007-02-08T12:50:00.000-06:002007-02-08T12:50:00.000-06:00Absolutely wonderful article. It is often hard to...Absolutely wonderful article. It is often hard to remember the larger community that we are a part of and to step outside of our comfort zone to do for others or to be there for someone we don't even know. And there are too many excuses on why not to. What good are we if we aren't sharing who we are with others.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing.<BR/>JodiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com