July 11, 2012
Ashes to Ashes
Now that I have the ability and the
control to discard some my loved one’s earthly possessions, I’m on a
cleaning binge and nothing is sacred. For instance my sister Shelly lived with
us for awhile before she passed away in ’09 and still sitting on a shelf in her
bedroom were the cremated remains of her beloved dog Cowboy. I certainly mean
no disrespect to those who have passed away, but their treasures are not my
treasures, so yesterday I unceremoniously put Cowboy in the trash. I can picture
the Lord viewing all of my earthly possessions in a similar fashion. “Do not love the world or anything in the
world….The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of
God lives forever.” (John 2: 15-17
NIV)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Gail;
-----Memory works more in the part of the child’s brain which deals with facts and information. It works more in the part of the adult’s brain which deals with meaning. Much of our basic personalities are formed within the tiny context of information we experience before we leave childhood, then comes the turbulence of meaning as we transition to adulthood. The physiological effects are more than merely body chemistry, physique, and function. The infinite realms of meanings eventually form the pinnacles of distinctiveness which make each of us unique in who we are. In a very real sense, right or wrong, each of us is what stuff means to us, however realistic or unrealistic be that meaning.
-----Everyone is to some extent aware of what the world and its purposes mean, whether these be chaotic, marvelously emergent, or gloriously orchestrated. We have to be thusly aware, otherwise we would be incapable of functioning. But not as many realize that these meanings are subtly, if not substantially, reflections made by their own choices and reactions to the conversation of life. Fewer realize how completely within and of their own experienced meanings each and every other person meets life, how completely meaning constructs them too, and how individually unique those meanings are in them. These fewer sense that loving another person may have something to do with at least acknowledging the importance those meanings are to the other person, whether or not understanding or accepting them.
-----The actual meanings of the world, in all their subtleties, stand quite apart form anyone’s perceived meanings. May we say they are the I AM’s perceived meanings? In as much as they are the real meanings, all ours are more or less the unreal ones. Sure they work for each one of us. They have to work for us to function. But have you ever noticed how often they fail for each of us, too? They do because they are not perfect. So, in as much as your meanings are good and beneficial to who you are, another person’s are good and beneficial to who they are. That in itself is good for now. So God mercifully relates to each of us respective of our meanings even though He knows which particular meanings must later be trashed.
-----Likewise, when a loved one dies and leaves all their physical effects to be our burden or enjoyment, their meanings have passed with them to effect the survivor‘s meanings. Will those who survive dispose or use them in manners respective or irrespective of the deceased one’s meanings? It makes zero difference to the deceased. But it makes diametrical differences to the survivor’s meanings and thus shapes what sense his memories of the deceased will eventually take.
-----It would be simpler if our memories continued to proceed from the informational part of our brains. And although Jesus proclaiming the necessity of coming to Him like children may have somewhat to do with getting our facts straight, going to one another still has loads to do with respect for meanings.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Am committed to de-trash, but it is difficult to throw my "babies" away, even if they have not been growing but just sitting in a file. I'm proceeding, but what I discarded today looks tiny, like one flea on a dog.
Betty,
Good for you. Maybe you are making room for those babies that will grow!
Gail
Post a Comment