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AdonaiUplifts
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Name: Jeremy
Country: United States
State: Missouri
Metro: St. Louis
Gender: Male
Interests: +Worship+Learning + Theosis - transforming to the image of Messiah; uniting the heart and mind and body, finding their center and communion in worship in Spirit and in Truth +Making meals and desserts for friends +Housing guests + http://www.ourlifeinchrist.com/+ http://www.ancientfaithradio.com/ + http://www.frederica.com /+ http://www.rzim.org/+ http://www.gatewaylindyhop.com/
Expertise: being uninformed of major world events
Occupation: Personal Banker
Industry: Banking
Message: message meEmail: email me
AIM:  JerBear1124
Member Since:
9/9/2005
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| After Theophany, Bishop Mark spontaneously hugged me as I was leaving Church. And somehow, I was elated for no particular reason for the next 48 hours. It just kept coming back to the fact that I just couldn't get it out of my head how happy I was that the bishop hugged me.
Yes. This is strange to me too. Why am I so happy that a grown man hugged me?
I mean don't get me wrong. I do love hugs. And the man is probably one of the most humble, loving, kind men I've ever met. Not many people spontaneously weep when talking about the Eucharist.
But he HUGGED ME! And it was great 
I love hugs | | |
| So... I've been away from xanga for a while. It's changed a LOT.
Happy belated Christmas, Merry New Year, and Blessed Theophany/Epiphany to all!
Secondly, the main reason I logged in was because.... well.... Honestly, I'd nearly forgotten about xanga. I haven't been online much in the past 12 months or so. But I thought some of you might like to know (if you haven't already heard) as of November 13-15, 2008, I am engaged to the marvelous Catalina Bajuyo. We will be wed in August of 2009!
I'll try to post some pics up of the engagement or a link to our wedding blog, once we get it up an running.
Reading some great books.
Only have intermittent access to internet. Otherwise I might be on this thing more often. Really the only way to get a hold of me is via phone or email (I have a lovely Blackberry phone).
It's strange how quickly Lent appears once Theophany has past..... This Theophany was my two year anniversary in the Orthodox Church
It has been a crazy year.... Many wonderfully positive as well as awful things have happened over this past year.....
I apologize that I don't have more time to fill all of you in!
Anyway. I need to get to bed. I hope this brief 'stream of consciousness' note finds you all well: Billion, Cowboy, PrevLisa, Salongo, Jamie, and all the rest.
May our Heavenly Father bless your 2009, whatever comes your way.
Christ is in our midst.... | | |
| . . . Intimacy is what the human being is created for. Sexuality is subsumed
to that and CAN be an aspect of intimacy and yes, it feels good and
makes us feel close, but it does not define intimacy, and in fact often
is a barrier to true intimacy even within OSA relationships. That fact
is well documented within psychological research of marital issues. We
are ALL looking for "love" and often settle for sex. And as Woody Allen
once said, "Sex without love is an empty hollow experience, but as far
as empty hollow experiences go, it's one of the best."
Click HERE for the full article with comments
Actually.... although the article is very good, the extended dialogs that develop in the comments are almost more worthwhile that the article itself. Fascinating and profound discussions to say the least.
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| Here are some excerpts of an article I came across through an email from a friend addressing the topic of same sex attraction and Christianity from one person's perspective. I thought it was interesting. Feel free to share your thoughtful responses.
The article is titled "I Am Not My Sin", by Steve Robinson. Follow the link for the whole article.
. . . The Christian faith does not give us a definitive answer in the
“nature/nurture” debate on any human frailty. Genetically caused
disabilities are as much a trait of the fallen world as weaknesses
visited upon us by lack of nurture and love. The issue for the
Christian is the fact that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God” (Rom. 3:23). What is the “glory of God”? It is living in
perfect love and communion with God and other human beings.
But
we don’t live in perfect love; we are born into corruption, futility,
and death. We are conceived by fallen flesh and born into a fallen
world. We are dealt a set of fallen DNA from conception. The moment we
leave the womb, we are placed in the arms of a broken person, then
taken home to a place where broken people are working out their
salvation with fear and trembling at best, or with no fear of God at
worst. From our first interactions, we are mishandled, neglected, and
broken in ways we did not choose and often cannot consciously identify.
The sins of the fathers are visited upon the following generations, not
as punishment but as inevitable consequence. We are all broken.
. . . Obsession with sex is the signpost for our culture’s existential
descent into loneliness, isolation, and despair. We settle for pleasure
over joy, emotion over intimacy, feelings over love, and copulation
over union. The delusion is powerful. To paraphrase a Woody Allen quip,
“Sex without love is an empty and hollow experience, but as empty,
hollow experiences go, it’s one of the best.”. . . love does not require sex. As godly as it is, sex and sexuality are not
the foundations for any relationship. There is a higher union between
human beings than mutual orgasms. Sex may fulfill and enhance a
particular relationship, but it is not essential for any relationship.
Personhood ultimately revolves around who we are in godly union with
another human being of any gender. The joy of Trinitarian intimacy
comes when we struggle against sin in order to define ourselves in
Christ rather than in another human being’s arms, no matter how
comfortable and affirming the experience feels to our deluded and
shattered hearts. . . . I asked, “How can the church help people with SSA?” because
ultimately the burden for healing SSA does not fall only on the clergy,
but on the whole church. Andrew stated, “I really haven’t thought about
how the parish could ‘help’ a gay person. I’d just want my fellow
parishioners to not think any differently of me. Treat me the same as
when you thought I was straight. They have known me for ten years. I am
active in serving my parish. What could they say to me at this point?” Gregory
issued this challenge: “In our pre-communion prayers we all confess
that we are ‘the chief of sinners.’ No one should look at another
person as if they stand on moral high ground.” I believe the
message is clear. We need to adopt the attitude that we all stand at
the foot of the cross in need of mercy. The Church is the Body of
Christ and should be the place where the pure love of God that knows no
respect of persons is found. No matter what passion someone is
struggling with, we need to be the Church, the hospital for sinners,
the place where we can be healed, find acceptance and relationships
that draw us closer to God through love and compassion. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
These excerpts are just teasers to spark interest in reading the whole article. I'd prefer informed responses from people who actually take the time to read the whole thing. But I know that this is a sensitive topic and will provoke emotional responses, regardless. All I ask is that you keep your response courteous. I assure you the author of the article casts no condemnations, and his intent is not to insult or offend, but is written with the utmost respect for every human being regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Just read the comments on the original article to see what I mean.
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| THIS is beautiful
Christ is born;
Glorify Him!
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