Until Monday my husband and I had been out of town for ten days–most of it was work-related and exhausting. When I arrived home on Monday, I had to write a 3500-word paper for which I had done months of research. Yesterday I presented the paper to the group I described in yesterday’s blog. The presentation felt good; others seemed to enjoy it.
So I was looking forward to the possibility of a carefree, work-free Friday. Fridays are Andy’s and my usual day off, so we really try to honor our play day and sabbath time together. When I got into bed last night I realized I hadn’t written or thought of a blog post for today. I started to rail at myself for wrecking our day off and for being ditzy and imperfect. Then I remembered a story I once heard. I think it’s fact but it may just be true. Here’s a badly-told rendition.
A young man in college took a test with a professor who was new to him. When the professor returned the graded tests, the student saw he had received a score of 99/100. He looked through the paper and saw no errors. He went to the professor and said, “Excuse me, sir, but the grade is only a 99 and I have a perfect paper.” The professor replied, “Young man, there is only one Perfection and you are not it.”
So today I rejoice in the One Perfect God I love and the grace I receive to accept my own imperfection. It will be a good day!
I belong to a group which was started by women in the 1920s. The purpose of the group is continuing education. Each month the group meets and one member presents a research paper. After four years in the group, my number is up. Today is my day to present a paper. I love math and theology, so my topic is about both. It’s a teeny tiny history of the number Zero and its unlikely partner Infinity. Western mathematicians, the Greeks, in particular, rejected both concepts.
For almost 2000 years, Christians, along with the Greeks accepted Aristotle’s understanding of the cosmos. The Earth was the center of the universe and all of the other heavenly bodies revolved around it in a finite number of nicely spaced spheres. The last sphere was very dark blue with stars. And that described the entire universe, the whole deal. There wasn’t anything else except God. God rotated the outermost sphere and each sphere in turn rotated the next one in. There was no space, no void outside of the last sphere. So the notion of a void (a zero) or infinite space was very scary and even heretical.
Mathematics could not progress until zero became a number and the concept of infinity embraced.When Calculus acknowledged the relationship between the two seemingly distant ideas, scientific, industrial, and technological innovation took off.
I sometimes wonder why we Christians are often afraid of the evidence of science. If the universe is crafted by God in a beautiful scientific way, what do we have to fear? “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.” (Isaiah 12:2 NKJV)
I just returned from ten days away from home. My husband and I flew from Memphis to the West coast, to the west coast of Florida, and back to Memphis. It was a tiring trip, but it could have been a grueling one. It was a wonderful trip, but it could have been just tolerable. Because of the hospitality, generosity, and tender-loving care of the people in my prayer below, we had a great trip and arrived home full of thanksgiving.
I read the prayer below in the Morning Office on Sunday. It is a request for and acknowledgment of God’s presence throughout the day.
This new day you give to me
From your great eternity
This new day now enfold
Me in your loving hold
You are the star of the morn
You are the day newly born
You are the light of our night
You are the Savior by your might
God be in me this day
God ever with me stay
God be in the night
Keep us by thy light
God be in my heart
God abide, never depart.
Every October since 1989, our church has hosted an AIDS Healing Service. People living with HIV/AIDS, family and friends of people with HIV/AIDS, and caregivers of people with AIDS gather for comfort, healing, and worship.
I love this service because for me it is about confession and compassion. I don’t have HIV/AIDS but it is still an opportunity for me to face my own brokenness and to identify with the suffering of others. It’s a time for me to leave fear and judgment at the door and to be open to whatever healing I need and whatever service I might be called to do.
The AIDS Healing Service is a reminder of the ongoing affect of HIV/AIDS on the families of rich and poor, black and white, believers and non-believers…. It is also a call to love. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34 NIV)
For the month of October a huge, white muslin sculpture designed by David Johnson in 1989 hangs from the rafters of the church. It is a visual reminder to pray for people and families affected by the terrible disease of HIV/AIDS.
Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God combines memoir with theology. Step-by step instructions introduce the practice of praying in color as a way to do intercessory prayer. »ABOUT SYBIL MACBETH
