BY FORCE

Matthew 11;11-13
"Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.



pictured: Demon Hunter

12"^(L)From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

13"For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

I have been pondering this phrase and I am still not sure what to make of it.

Here is the cross reference from Luke 16;16

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

I just read over in Luke chapter 3 because the verse above says that the Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. So what was John preaching: I believe the gospel of the kingdom of God. [ And for the very first time, since I picked up the Bible as a believer, I can see where the Fire and Brimstone preachers get there heat. Again I digress] In this account in the gospel of Luke, John is telling the people to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, but for those who are portrayed as truly repentant that is not enough for them. Luke just gives a small sampling of people saying what should I do and in conjunction with who is doing the asking John get specific but each answer can be summed up in "Love your neighbor."

The other thing that is evident laid right along side with repentance and love is justice. In the kingdom realm, there will be absolute love and absolute justice and that conversation is for another time. Although, I am sure that you can find blogs and websites out there that deal solely with those 2 issues. (for example: Fire and Ice)

"Violent men take it by force" and "everyone is forcing his way into it," the visual that I get on this is a FBI SWAT team or an army coming in on the ground fully armed and taking a village by storm. I don't think that is what we have here. It may be a safety in numbers kind of thing, going outside of the Jewish religious norm to hear this wild guy in the wilderness preach as opposed to the synagogue or temple to hear those dressed in fine clothes and are properly educated. Or perhaps it is more like, no one can stop me, there is something this guy John has to offer and nothing and no one will get in my way.

Did you ever think on these couple of verses?

Has the Word of God hit you between the eyes looking for your attention?

Do you know that this book is not just words on pages but living and active?

Today, in a sea of American Churches people are looking for the real thing, the kingdom of God, not rules, not programs, not an outstanding leadership staff. I believe in seekers, those who have already made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, they are the seekers, looking for Jesus in the presence of those who call themselves His People. We know that the kingdom of God is here, it is not some far off distant place where we go when we die. It is here.

Grateful Hearts
Lots of people consider today Black Friday and Thanksgiving can be somewhat overshadowed by the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season. I don't want to do that and yesterday, my family and I did what some would call, "count their blessings" and we simply call it a gratitude list, which each of us write and then share with one another.
This time some one said let's do it like boggle and see who has matches, instead of crossing the item off we simply checked them off. It added some fun and flare to something I hope will never grow old. Each of us are grateful for one another and God who provides for all of our needs along with a wide variety of things. Our identities and life experiences were found in each of the lists.
Reflecting on the concept of being grateful, I have discovered that grateful people and those who practice gratitude are rarely found complaining. I must admit when I don't remember to be grateful, my tendency is to fall into "fault finding" in things, people and circumstances. Being grateful breeds contentment, acceptance and optimism.
Instead of stealing from yesterday's list, I will come up with something on the spot. Today I am grateful to be writing this blog, I am glad to be Dan's wife and the mother of Grace, Katie and Michael, I thank God for heat in New England and air conditioning in Florida, I will not take the reading of God's Word for granted, the rising and setting of the sun, clean drinking water and fresh fruit and vegetables, the many opportunities to love other people.
I would also like to recall the first time my friend, Kathleen asked me to list 5 things to be grateful for: my knee jerk reaction was FIVE things!!! Are you kidding? I asked her. She was dead serious. So while on the phone I did my best to list 5 things, I imagine that my Newport Light cigarettes were on the list and perhaps that I was sober, but whatever else I came up with, I couldn't tell you. However, it was the beginning of developing a habit of writing a gratitude list every morning. (one that would not be a bad one to get back into)
Here is to hoping that every person who stumbles upon this blog will take time to express gratitude for blessings receive and strength given for trials faced.

Value life

This past Saturday was National Suicide Survivor's Day and I was made aware of it by a younger friend on Facebook. I just want to be another voice added to those who are crying out, "Life is worth living. There is an Author of life, He writes the book and you play your part. The role He has for you only you can play. Life is not easy but we tend to forget that Death comes to all and that it will be soon enough."

In an article in the Dallas News a young man committed suicide with a live streaming on the internet:

Montana Miller, an assistant professor of popular culture at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, said Biggs' very public suicide was not shocking, given the way teenagers chronicle every facet of their lives on sites like Facebook and MySpace.

"If it's not recorded or documented then it doesn't even seem worthwhile," she said. "For today's generation it might seem, 'What's the point of doing it if everyone isn't going to see it?"'

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/112308dnnatwebsuicide.10081a7.html

This quote from the article got me to thinking about living life to an audience of One. The question posed "What is the point of doing it [whatever 'it' may be] if everyone isn't going to see it?" So often the riches things in life are the hidden treasures. Right now our family is finding some in the midst of a small trial, it is those things that the Father sees done in secret that reap rewards. Those who are web camming or are fully documenting the deeds on a social network, you have your reward in full. I am not saying there is something wrong with documentation, we need to have documentation for many things, what I am saying is that some things are intimate and ought to be private. There are times when we need to be extremely courageous or humble depending on what our circumstances present us and to know that the Father has his eye on us is enough. (see Matthew 6;3-6)

To achieve balance between knowing when to keep your own life private and when to live your life as an open book takes discernment. We so need to continue to keep a check on ourselves as well as guide our children. I continue to make mistakes. If there is one lesson that I would like to have solidly down it is "to pause and to think before I speak or act." Failing to do this gets me in more trouble then anything else. There are many things that we could list definitely on each side of the ledger.

One thing that I would like to be more invested in is the sharing of ideas on the open book side. I think this is one of the hardest to discern. Some ideas come from left field and don't belong on either side, other ideas are excellent that we may share with a close friend and that friend may encourage us or help us to know whether or not to share it with others. The young man who committed suicide with an Internet audience, talked about it. Generally, those who really don't want to go through with it will start talking about it because they want help and perhaps they don't know how to ask. If you go and read the article it says that this guy was talking about it. It is not a joke. The pain of living does appear to be greater sometimes to some people but if someone you know starts talking about suicide, I implore you to help them to get help.

The hope that I have as a believer in the Giver and Sustainer of Life is the first thing I want to share with the hurting. God created each and every human being in His likeness, in His image. Let that be the first word, "You were made on purpose." There is a lot of help out there, counseling, medication and meditation. Most people need the right combination but all people need to know the truth, that their life matters.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
This is the concluding thought in the letter from Paul to the Philippians.

I have been thinking about departing words perhaps because in the last week I have been to a memorial mass and a funeral mass. It is not just our good-byes at death but the end of the day with our kids and when we are leaving someone after a visit.
Over the last 5 & 1/2 years we have had almost nothing but blessings spoken over us. We have pulled out from Marlborough, MA (twice now), Virginia Beach (03 & 04), Ft. Myers, FL (04 & 05), Tilman, MD (04), Knoxville, TN (05), Quichee, VT (05), Naples, FL (06), Gainesville, FL (07), Charlottesville, VA (07), Hull, MA (08). Each place has its dear people that hold special places in our hearts and those that we have gotten to know and love that have blessed by their words as much as their actions.
I would agree with James one of the writer in the New Testament that the tongue is the hardest thing for us to tame and that both blessings and curses come from the same place. For the last 20 plus years, the Lord has been at work in me, disciplining and training me and I still find myself with my foot in my mouth and lately, I have been choking on a calf muscles and knees (at least it wasn't the whole leg). I want to get back to just nippling on my toes once in a while.

This requires a very simple principle: THINK before you SPEAK. After pondering this for some time, in between my large blunders, what do I want the last word to be? Seems like a no brainer, blessing of course! If life were so clean! If sinners never sinned! Most of us, have to work at it. There are people out there that seem to just have "it." I just don't happen to be one of them.

Some of our favorites are: "I love you" "Thanks..." "See you soon" "Have a good day (unless you have other plans)" "Take care" "Safe home"
There are 4 that I want to say more often to four very special people in my life:
"May the God of Hope fill you, Michael with all joy and peace as you trust in Him. So that you may over flow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
"And God is able, Katie, to make all of his grace abound to you, so that at all times having all that you need you may abound in every good work."
"May our Lord Jesus Christ, himself and God our Father, who loves you, Grace and by his grace has given you eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you in every good deed and word."
"So then Daniel, just as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord continue to live in Him, be rooted and built up in Him and strengthened in the faith just as you were taught and be overflowing with thankfulness."
I would love to hear some of your favorite parting words!

Bibliophiles
My family consist of 5 very different people who all happen to love reading and collecting books. It is rare that each of us do not have a book going. At least a third of what we pack each time we moved have been books. Try as we may we just seem to keep collecting. We send some to my dear friend, Elizabeth to store and enjoy and then we find ourselves buying more books.
Recently, I found myself willing to put some of our books on sale at Amazon. Some of these books have never been cracked and as much as I may have wanted to read them at the time of purchase, they just never grabbed my attention. Sitting in a box or on a shelf, never having been open, the books are but blocks of paper. That is not to say that the author did not pour his or her heart and soul into the book. I am sure he or she did. However, if it is not being read or referred to by me or my family, it is just taking up space longing to be read by someone.
Other volumes hold such a place in my heart. My eyes simply landing upon the binder of a title that I have either read to myself or possibly read to my children brings back a flood of memories. The authors are my friends because they have spoken from their heart to mine.
Books communicate life affirming truths and deadly lies. We must be discerning in what we read. This does not mean that we should avoid reading those writers who we may disagree with or spew lies. Some people may choose to avoid all that contains "sin" and find themselves in a cloister. Thinking that they are keeping themselves from sin, but have they? The books that delight, encourage and challenge us do in fact promote life, growth and stimulate both the heart and mind.
There is more writing to do. I am in the back of the pack in the November marathon known as NanoWrimo.

The Modern Day Storytellers

There are a group of people who are our modern day story tellers. Some tell story that only last for a season or two and others seem to be able to write a series of stories that take quite a long time to tell. Then there are those stories that we want to see again and again. Yes we want to see a sit-com, dramatic series, mystery or crime solvers. Some call it the idiot box, however like a book, it is just the means which is used to deliver the story. Television can be destructive and a life sucker, but writers do use it to tell stories.
The first season of Joan of Arcadia was well done. This show was created and written by Barbara Hall and seven other writers. For those of you not familiar with this particular story. It is about a girl named Joan who is in high school, lives at home with her mother, father and 2 brothers. God appears to Joan in the form of every day people. God in whatever form challenges, encourages, and comes along side Joan in everyday circumstances. Sometimes it looks like God sets Joan up and then walks away, leaving Joan to make decisions and take action. Joan wants to do the right thing, quite often does and sometimes doesn't, and we get to witness the outcome. All characters are engaging and you can't help but love Joan and her whole family.
I know this is not a very current series but this is the 21st century, you can rent the DVDs or perhaps find them in your public library.
So, what is your favorite TV show that tells a story?

A day without writing is like a day without eating. You can survive many days without eating but eventually you have to eat or you will die. So it is with the writer who fails to write.

Let's Tell a Story
In my house November has become the month that each of us face the challenge to write a 50,000 word novel inside of one month. There is a global community of people from around the world who take on the challenge and encourage one another to get the task done. I have added the website to my links on the side bar.
Our return to New England in 2005 was the first year that we participated. I came up short by 3,000 words. It is by far still my favorite story and I still haven't finished it. In 2006 each of us were winners (reaching a minimum of 50,000 words). Katie wrote 2 novels that month! In 2007, I just did not commit to the task and the site has so much traffic right now, that it is taking a little bit of time to load.
So here I am at my blog letting my reader know what I will be up to this month. Along with caring for Dan who broke his foot the same night the Red Sox lost in the 7th game to the Rays. So, I am off to my other blog and then I will start my 50,000 word novel. Yes, I will write even though I am a good 30 hours behind Katie and Michael.
KEEP WRITING! (now where have I heard that before ;-)

New BLOG
My new blog for my fiction writing is up, bare bones and I will add meat and muscles as I go along. One of my faithful readers said to me, I am still waiting. So here it is in it nakedness.
By any other name
Thanks for reading.

Maintaining the Identity of Caitriona
Upon further thought, I will create a new blog to accommodate my fictional musings and maintain the pilgrim journey here at Caitriona. I realize that I didn't really give any warning to my readers. We have moved into the house pictured here in Sutton, MA, a little town just outside of Worcester. Acquiring a third Massachusetts address may seem like we are circling the wagon and that is exactly what it feels like. At this point we are looking to resettle here in the Commonwealth, the home of our fathers.
Look for a link in the future for my fictional writing.

Not to be taken for Granted

Brilliant, breath-taking, crisp, is one way to start describing an autumn day in New England. The colors are alive here in Sutton and my personal favorite is the mix of orange and red, a very different type of eye candy. Some times this mix of the two colors looks very much like the color of my daughter Katie's copper red hair.
Today as I was driving home with my kids in a sea of color, I noted that there were some years when I took it all for granted. Honestly, I didn't bother to take note of the Father's captivating handiwork. The trees were made this way on purpose. Soon they will be bare. What a way to die! Full of lively color! It's that the way we ought to live.
May the Lord grant me the willingness to continue to live life for all it is worth until my last breath. As long as my spirit is renewed day by day, I will gladly continue to walk the path laid before me, though the body may grow old, I will purpose to be a child of the King, dancing in His garden, enjoying crunching leaves (one of the best noises in New England) and resisting the urge to give up when I face the hills of difficulty.

Home Again......
We are making our home again in MA for the 3rd time this year. Not sure if I have talked about it on my blog here, but the Mullaney Pilgrims are looking to settle down. At this point it looks like it will be the greater Worcester area but we will see how things play out over the next few weeks.
And those that we know and love from long ago are saying welcome home. Truth be told, I would like to make my home here again. From a political and cost of living stand point it is probably not one of the best places to live. However, from a personal level it is one of the best places to live on this side of the Atlantic. The five of us were all born here so in a human from the dust of the ground sense this is our mother land.
This has been our 16th move in 5 and 1/2 years. People say, "How do you do it?" Pack up, clean up and go.....by faith. The last 2 moves although fairly close together have been really different. It is as if we are in a holding pattern waiting on the tower to let us know it is OK to land. So for now we are circling and looking forward to settling down somewhere in the future.
PAX,
CM

The Craft

During my senior year of high school (yes, I can remember that far back), Pat Stewart was my English teacher. In all my years of public education I can probably count on one hand the teachers that inspired me, Pat was one of them. The only reason that I got to have Miss Stewart for English was because I almost flunked out of the honors English program my junior year and so I was not allowed to advanced in the honors program in English. I am so grateful for it.


A large part of our grade in Miss Stewart's class was our personal journal that we were required to write during every class. The content was of our own choosing: fact or fiction the point was to write daily while in her classroom. My journal may still be in my mother's possession, now that is a frightening thought, because I am pretty sure that you might describe the contents as "bleeding all over the page" or "verbal diarrhea." However, the point is it was raw, unedited attempt to communicate in writing, a dangerous activity, which is essential to personal and business relationships throughout our lives.


Recently, I have quoted from The Christian Imagination and it was while reading it this morning that I thought of Miss Stewart. Writing is a craft worth cultivating just like acting, sculpting, playing a musical instrument, architecture, and the list goes on. "Beautifully written" "Well said" "a storyteller in the making" "this should be made into a movie" or as Luci Shaw said in her article from The Christian Imagination, "my soul crying out to your soul," all comments on writing. Miss Stewart believed that every student in her senior class had the ability to write. Learning to express ourselves through the written word is essential to a well educated individual.


God created us in His Image and He is the great Creator! We were made for creating, that includes writing. He is, after all, the Author of Life. In fact, one of the names of God is "The Word." It is natural for us to be creative in some way. There is no such thing as a non-creative person.



If you subscribe to this blog then you know that I missed writing yesterday and I missed it. Friday's post was to explain that I am writing fiction, since my blog is written in the first person, one of my readers expressed concern that someone may think I have picked up smoking again or that you just might be scratching your head trying to figure out where I am going with this blog. Well, I will be writing the way I always have coupled with the raw piece of fiction which is a work in progress, a creative outlet.

With iMaGiNaTIoN
(I'll get there)
By Harry Connick Jr./McLean

I've travelled many a mile
And I haven't found a home
I've travelled many a mile
And one seed's unsown
I'll travel another mile
"Til I finally find my own
With Imagination
I'll get there

I started with a dream
But came to a decision
I started with a dream
But now I have a mission
I have a goal
To see beyond my vision
With imagination
I'll get there

I've got to be strong
TO CLIMB THE NEXT HILL
I've got to be strong
MY FATE TO FULFILL
And from a strength
STRONGER THAN MY WILL
WITH IMAGINATION
I'LL GET THERE

In my father's house
No harsh words are spoken
In my father's house
No vows are broken
In a holy place
My soul like beams oaken
With Imagination
I'll get there

When weary is your world
Go and spin another
When weary is your world
There's heaven to discover
Here on earth
We're sister and brother
With imagination
We'll get there

And if I stand alone
To my cause I'm loyal
If I stand alone
Either common or royal
I'm not afraid
To cross their see of toil
With Imagination
I'll get there
With Imagination
I'll get there

"A Christian imagination does not see the world as a prison from which the soul must escape, but as the stage of humanity's interaction with its God. This world makes sense. God made it with a plan of His own; it is the imagination's role to delight in this plan and explore each person's role in it. Neither is the Christian imagination suicidal, it does not seek to climb its way back to "dark with brightness" glory lost at birth by the fallen individual. It certainly does not thrive in Rimbaud's famous dereglement de tous les sens (throwing all the senses out of kilter). Rather, it gratefully anchors itself in the gift of reality, seeking to decipher its message, not to get drunk on it. From its encounter with a man-God, it has been taught to experience life, not as imprisonment in the flesh, but as the generation of a body for resurrection. It sees reality, not as a horror to abolish, but as an ongoing revelation to orchestrate in praise, as an unfolding mystery in which we have a role. To the Christian imagination, history is not meaningless clashes, but the saga of God's kingdom, the very arena of personal and communal "divinisation," to use the term of the Greek Fathers.

As a result, the Christian imagination has manifested itself from the very first as typological. It sees every moment in this kingdom-saga as linked mysteriously to every other, and it envisions itself as actor in this drama. It reads life as a meaningful history, the structure of which (that "plan hidden since the beginning of the world") was revealed in Christ. Counter to the Sesame Street culture of three minute bites, the Christian imagination is a storytelling imagination. In every era, in every life, it recognizes the creation-death-resurrection pattern epitomized in Christ's life. And it interprets every event as an essential moment in the movement of time toward eternity."
Janine Langan
from The Christian Imagination edited by Leland Ryken

I dare say that this is one of the most important books that I have read in many years. Since, I probably read between 10 and 20 books in a given year, that is significant. The most shocking line in these two paragraphs is "This world makes sense." How often have I heard many a Christian say the complete opposite. My thought is if God is a loving all powerful and all knowing Creator then it has been crafted by Him. Although I do not understand everything, if I believe then I will trust that indeed He is the Creator, this is His world and He is the one True God, loving, just and beautiful. It is for me to trust Him and live within the Mystery called Life.

"It[Christian Imagination] gratefully anchors itself in the gift of reality, seeking to decipher its message, not to get drunk on it. "

WOW! No wonder all those brilliant artists of the past were indeed themselves Anchored in Christ. They understood the connection between reality and imagination. We are the image bearers and we are fashioned to be creators and revealers of Truth.

As I pack up the books that I can not seem to help myself from lugging around, I confess that I am a lover of stories, story telling and living out my life story. We have all kinds of books, the majority being literature, biographies and non-fiction.
There is so much more that these two paragraphs stirred up in my heart and mind but I will have to leave it at that. If anyone reading has already read, The Christian Imagination, I would love to discuss it with you.

To quote Grace, "Your life is a story. It is worth telling."

Tell me the Story
is a book by Max Lucado
We owned it at one time and in story form it tells us about creation, forgiveness, redemption and other matters of faith. I sure hope it is in storage somewhere. It was delightfully written and the paintings by Ron Decianni are captivating.
Sometimes, when we loose touch with someone, or you don't show up for a very important engagement he/she might ask, "So, what's your story?"
Then there are the times, at a wedding, a funeral or some other gathering, where you may have the opportunity to share a story about how someone else life intertwines with yours.
Lately, Grace has been talking with us about the importance and power of stories and I recently started reading a book entitled The Christian Imagination edited by Leland Ryken that shares the same message. Both have also touched upon an essential understanding about man being created in God's image and how every single human being matters.
For I don't know how many weeks I have been walking in the morning with my dear friend Elizabeth, we share stories and ideas and prayers as we walk through downtown Marlborough and French Hill (which is now mostly populated with Brazilians). There are two homeless men that we usually pass at different points in the walk. The one up on French Hill I affectionately call Sunshine. One morning as we were passing by he said, "Good Morning Sunshine!" I thought he was saying it to us so I responded, "Good morning to you too!" He said, "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the Sun." Since then whenever he is there I say, "Good Morning Sunshine." Usually, he is having a discussion with one of his imaginary friends or he pretends to ignore me. One day last week he was walking slowing up the street ahead of us, well he slowed down, turned around, saw us coming, so he stepped aside, as we approached him, he was poised, I said, "Good Morning, Sun...." he said "Good Morning, Sunshine!" for all of the Hill to hear taking the words right out of my mouth. It was precious and we were both amazed and delighted.

Will you let the dream be resurrected? If it is, will you try to achieve it?

When I was young I did have some dreams that were drowned in drunkenness and depression. Newness of life came as I entered my 20's and life quickly became something entirely different. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think I would marry or have children. God had other plans for my life. As the teen years seem to be racing by, I find myself thinking about the not too distant future. And these two questions seem to be popping up here and there, so I find myself pondering.

Never stop growing and allow life to unfold, there is always another adventure somewhere down the road.

Meditation for the Day
from Twenty-Four Hour a Day devotional

"The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." Sheltering arms express the loving protection of God's spirit. Human beings, in their troubles and difficulties need nothing so much as a refuge, a place to relax where they can lay down their burdens and get relief from cares. Say to yourself: "God is my refuge." Say it until its truth sinks into your very soul. Say it until you know it and are sure of it. Nothing can seriously upset you or make you afraid, if God is truly your refuge.

Walking
gets me out of bed in the morning. For a good part of the summer, I have been walking with a friend but that is really not why I get out of bed that is more of what gets me out the door. The question "Why do you get out of bed in the morning?" I have a family to take care of, I am a wife and mother, the maker of our home and it is the job that is in a constant state of changing. I have gone from infants, to toddlers, to preschool, school age and now in the home stretch of high school with all three. At this point in time, I am looking down the road a little bit and asking myself a lot of questions that I am not even ready to talk about but this question covers them all.

There are so many opportunities. Dreams, thoughts, as well as questions are stirring inside of me. It is important to just be still right now, do the next right thing and know that God is God.

Questions
"Why do you get out of bed in the morning?"
"What are you doing that I can support?"
"Do you love her?"
"Why can't I be freed from who I've been?"
"Why didn't you ever buy a house?"
"Where do I belong?"
"How do you make that decision?"
Then there are the questions that people ask when they meet you for the first time: "What do you do?" "Where are you from?" "How many children do you have?"
To say that I really enjoyed answering those last three questions for the majority of the last 5 years, may be an understatement. Now, in the midst of transitioning from moving regularly to being on the hunt for a house. The questions make me revert to the "smart" answers or I simply say we are in transition without getting into a discussion or turn the conversation to them and get to know them a bit. It is a very small handful of people that I want to speak with about my current status.
Back to the questions I listed. These are questions that have either been asked of me or that I have asked. Continuing on in this life, I have more questions than answers and I am finding that it is a very teachable place to be. The difficulty lies when I am unwilling to find answers or at least allow myself to meditate upon what is being asked.
There is a lot to explore, discover and learn about myself, others and the world we live in and only so many hours in the day. This is just a start but I will be back soon to continue these thoughts.