Transfigure Me

This week’s theme is Transformation.

“Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” Victor Hugo

Ever have a thought that was doable, but not necessarily pursuable?  These are those fleeting thoughts, projects, ideas that are in a person's talent range, however the person does not feel they are capable or lack the confidence to accomplish the task.  The doubt can take over and suddenly the blessing that would have come from the completion is lost.  These are the thoughts agonized over in hindsight when the full realm of understanding comes, bringing questions of “What if?” to the forefront.

Lent is not only about giving up of oneself, but embracing the gifts that lie within.  Part of the journey may be adding a 15 minute walk to your daily routine or taking 30 minutes for a Kiswahili or guitar lesson.  We may not lose a lot of weight, learn how to speak fluently or play like Jimi Hendrix, but we will increase our own understanding of what we do.  It could also be about conferencing with others to bring an idea to fruition.  Perhaps that guitar lesson will introduce you to a classmate that shares your career or ministry vision.

Jesus, once it was declared that he was the son of God, went to the highest point of the mountain to conference with Moses and Elijah about the pending passion.  His prayer changed his countenance and brought on a life altering affirmation of the moments to come. If Jesus had given up or delayed because of doubt, there would be neither salvation nor his widely known legacy of which even non-believers are aware. All our mountains, challenges and obstacles pale in comparison to the ultimate sacrifice, but our sentiments are similar when it comes times to make the life changing decisions.  The ideas, as well as the resources, are there, waiting on us to start the motion so that others can execute the plans.

Consider gathering a group together and tackling that project doubt has cause you to postpone not for how it can enrich you in the right now, but for the blessing it will become.

~ Amina S. McIntyre

Poem: Transfigure Me

I am weary

I am tired

I am overworn with images of my spilled substance

Troubled by visions of a path called righteous

But painful in its delivery

My body broken worse than stallions in a livery.

You mean to tell me this is the only way I can display my wife chivalry?

My hands and feet nailed the solitary option for opening Heavens' doors?

My side pierced the absolute answer to calming wars?

The thorn crown the testament of false judgment passed,

 a full mockery of everything we built to last?

Why must I be the martyr?

My mother the one to clean up the blood spilled at my slaughter?

I'm not interested in excuses or litanies of my uses.

This Trinity is feeling more and more obtuse

in its balance

Should be more regular, a perfectly hung valance.

So I come in the wake of words verbalized

Knowing this calling but wondering if it is the right size

Not quite so sure the shoes and gloves fit

So can they acquit me on grounds of defense?

No answer in my normal prayers

That is why I'm here, having climbed stone stairs

To the highest peak in Ceasara Philippi future Lebanon, strenuous

work for my three brothers,

Who can not fathom the full knowledge in plain sight but undercover.

I'm kneeling demanding a response

Like the ones given before this earthly body smothered

My direct line.

I demand the right to see ancestors not given to any simple beings

It is time - I want a conference

To guide my pending exodus.

Make my countenance a brilliant, dazzling light,

purer than the freshly fallen snow so white.

Wider than the biggest moon lit so bright

My clothes even reflect the change.

In the company of the Law and the Prophet we discuss exit strategies

In the spirit realm.

Translate Me

Grant me access to the resources

Transform Me

Mold this clay from the Rabbi

into the second coming of Adam warrior

Responsible for conquering Death and any minion that wishes harm

Our children.

Transpose Me.

That my presence, long after this body is gone, might stay

Restore me to my former glory, I pray.

Transfigure me

Amina S. McIntyre

copyright (c) 2013

In the Drying Process

Hear the post by clicking the link above.

The theme for this week is Transformation.

“Not all who wonder are lost.” J. R. R. Tolkien

The hardest part of doing laundry is waiting on the clothes to dry.  Washing seems to have no real affect on a person's patience - there's not much that can be done to hurry the cleaning process.  But drying has many variables; clothes may still be damp and will need additional time to "damp dry"; or there's an event contingent upon the finishing of the task, whether it's to wear the clothes or just concluding the chore.  Drying is what completes the cycle - dyes are made permanent, a sweater's shape is set, and a towel could be deemed ready to dirty up once more.

Our Lenten journey is very much the drying cycle - for these 40 days and nights, we tumble along the path, or lay out in the open our desire to align ourselves closer spiritually.  We hope we don't catch too many snags, shrink, fade under the intense heat or lose the other half of ourselves.  And we anxiously await the timer signaling the end of the journey - Easter Day - probably mostly to say we've been through it.  But what if, by focusing on the chimes, we miss the magic of the glowing coils, whose blown heat is the key reason the process occurs?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were also in a dryer of sorts - a huge fiery furnace (Daniel 3:19-30).  Many of us often look to the miracle of them being released and unburned, however while inside the heat is where their faith deepened.  The furnace was turned up 7 times the normal temperature and killed the men who placed them in; but inside with the brothers was a fourth man who looked like a god.  Whatever was said or done inside of the furnace was enough to solidify the presence of God as the source of the miracle in that moment and for the rest of their lives.  Even Nebuchadnezzar and his subjects, waiting on the side, were amazed at their survival. 

This week, consider, while on the Lenten journey, paying more attention to the inner transformation, for we never know what we can learn from the presence of God there in the fire with us.

Monday Meditations

Happy Monday (and Tuesday):

Here are just a few meditation/journal prompts to consider; work on one or all as you move through the week.   The subject: Transfiguration.

Monday:  How are you looking to be transformed (Lent or no Lent)?

Tuesday: What message have you possibly been overlooking in your desire to get to the end??

Wednesday: What is the one project you've been doubting?

Thursday: Revisit the Wednesday project idea.  Can you complete it? With a group of friends?

Friday: Identify persons who can help you complete it and call them.

Saturday: Find a small symbol (sea shell, penny, four leaf clover, quote) to keep with you at all times 

Sunday: Reflect on a time when you were at the midpoint.

Embracing the Challenge

Hear the post above:

"We must learn to view change as a natural phenomenon - to anticipate it and to plan for it. The future is ours to channel in the direction we want to go... we must continually ask ourselves, 'What will happen if...?' or better still, 'How can we make it happen?' "

- Lisa Taylor

During Lent, in solidarity of the wilderness walk, people give up or promise to add something to their lives to enhance it. Anything from avoiding chocolate, to not playing Bejeweled Blitz, not checking FB or just adding 10 minutes of prayer daily are promises made.  They are almost like New Year's resolutions with an extra spiritual focus. Sometimes the task is daunting, while other times an easy feat that requires attention to detail. Regardless, it grows and molds us, refining our commitments to self and others.

About a week into the program, it has become second nature. Sure the sacrificed item is mourned, but truth of the matter is that time moves us beyond our initial fears of doing without.  What becomes most fascinating then is the response from others who can not seem to fathom how the sacrifice can be kept.  Moreover, about a week in, we see what drove us to eat or do that activity before.  Realizing how previously our cars would mysteriously end up at the McDonald's driveway to order fries after a particularly difficult day allows us to see how much we relied on fried foods in times of stress.

As the good habits start to form, our spiritual world shifts, providing a fuller understanding of ourselves.  We pour out a little in order to be filled and, even if we don't notice it at first, the process becomes richer.  We embrace the challenge, grabbing it in our arms and pulling it close, to not let anything stand between us.

When Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane praying to take the cup from him, in his weakness, an angel comes to strengthen him.  “Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength” (Luke 22:43).  It is in this moment he fully wanted to give up the fate that would save so many, Jesus was given the tools to grow.   Such is the same for us as we maneuver our Lenten journey.

Continue, this week, fully accepting the benefit of your Lenten challenge, considering it as the beginning of a lifestyle change.  And when there’s a moment of weakness, know that angels will come to strengthen you.

Love Intervention

Hi Everyone,

Somehow, the blog post didn't actually post yesterday for Peace and Praise.  My complete apologies.  Here is the meditation, a spoke word sermon entitled, Love Intervention. Enjoy!



Love Intervention from Amina McIntyre on Vimeo.

The Tale of Two Loves

Click above to hear the post.

This week, we have a guest writer, Rev. S. William Brown, Pastor of St. Paul CME in Bowman, GA, who will bring us two reflections on Love.  This is the second of the two.  Enjoy!

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps, leap fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”  ~ Maya Angelou

In this second week of February, as Valentine's Day approaches, we start to reevaluate our relationships. One has to reevaluate ourselves to see if even we know what love is.  So, what is Love? To this writer it that feeling in which you are made complete. When at times you wait by the phone, to answer and become elated to hear the voice of that special someone. To get to where you start to complete each other sentences. Those of us in more seasoned relationships wonder if the love is still there, sometimes overanalyzing our situation to the point where we are either all in or trying to get out.

This is common because often times we are unaware of what love is. As mentioned earlier this week, there are four types of Love defined by the Ancient Greek: agape (unconditional), eros (passionate love), philieo (brotherly/friendly love), and storge (parental).  Here, we focus on eros and philieo, which are similar to us.  We sometimes enter into romantic relationships with those we consider our soul mates, but sometimes our mates really should only be our friends.  And just because they have everything that you desire, or you feel they complete you, we can mess up God's plan by pursuing a romantic relationship.  Yes, some relationships start off as friendships and can be allowed to grow into a deeper connection.  

I am not saying go leave home because of your soul mate is really suppose to be just a friend. What I am suggesting is that when the Eros have left I pray that you fall back on the Agape that unconditional Love to keep your fire and desire in your life. 

To those of us who are in search for the love of our life, I encourage you to first love your self, for if cant love our selves then how can we Love. Then allow God to place you in the place to find that one whom he has prepare for you. Scripture what God has put together let no man put asunder.If eros and phileo are so close, then how can we tell which one to pursue?   Before we can love others, we must first love ourselves the way God loves us. God gives the opportunity to learn how to love.  We are nurtured from our mother's womb and shown love through our rearing up. Paul, in I Corinthians 13:4-7 writes,  “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”.  Only then can we go out and experience love and find the one we want to be with start a family and continue to show that same love.

Consider evaluating your eros and phileo relationships and, with God’s help, discern how to deepen each one.

Be blessed

S. William Brown

Agape: The Greatest Love of All

This week, we have a guest writer, Rev. S. William Brown, Pastor of St. Paul CME in Bowman, GA, who will bring us two reflections on Love.  This is the first of the two.  Enjoy!

“The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve,

Learning to love yourself

It is the greatest love of all.”

~ “The Greatest Love of All”, as sung by the late Whitney Houston.

While we are in this week of Love, our minds sometimes wonder and consider the definition of Love. And truly it could be describe in many ways. There are the four types of Love defined by the Ancient Greeks: agape (unconditional), eros (passionate love), philieo (brotherly/friendly love), and storge (parental).  Today, we focus on agape.  Overall, it is as an emotion in which we are genuinely concerned and care for the well being of others. We respect each other to agree and disagree. We are happy when things are good and sad when there are not.

But who has shown us how to love? And what is it to love? Think about a time when it seemed like everything was going all wrong and something, out of the blue, happened to make things all better. Perhaps it was a call, a song and or even a sign on the roadside. At that moment love was being shown, that unconditional love where God sees and meets our needs.  Somehow, when we feel all alone where it seems that no friends or family to turn, God puts someone in our life for season or period of time.

There is only one I know of that can fulfill our every need and that is God. This Love is what Christians call agape.  This agape began within us before we were born. This feeling, love, has been shown from the beginning of time. The Scripture says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11 KJV).  Hezekiah received a prophecy concerning death and turned to the wall and prayed; his days were extended 15 years. There was this certain woman whom had an issue with blood and she reached out and touched Jesus's clothes and was healed. And then the was another woman whom had a little meal and oil to make food for her son and herself, so they might eat and die, but her barrel never ran empty. And then there was God who put on earthly flesh to endure earthly trials and went to a rugged cross that we might live.

Consider sharing agape, that unconditional love, with others, including your friends and your foes. Maybe feed a homeless person or even pay it forward. By doing these things we are truly showing agape.

Be blessed

S. William Brown

Monday Meditation

"Love
A word that comes and goes
But few people really know
what it means to really
love somebody"
~ from "Love" by Kirk Franklin

This week, which starts Lent and observes Valentine's Day, consider journaling on the following:

Monday
What is Love to you?

Tuesday
Where can love be shared?

Wednesday
Using pictures from magazines, describe a picture or create a collage of what love looks like.

Thursday
How can you deepen your love (with God, family, significant other, friend, co-worker)

Friday
How can you show love (tangibly)?

Ever Evolving: Peace and Praise

This week, Peace and Praise will be expanding to give you more on the blog.  Mondays will start the week with a weekly journal reflection. Tuesday and Thursday will be the original Peace and Praise Newsletters. For now, Wednesdays and Fridays will feature memes with quotes about our weekly theme.  We're evolving - so keep it coming!

We are also advertising a Lenten Journal, which can be purchased through Paypal. The book, compiled by First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia and edited by Melanie Lucear, includes a CD for just $8.  You can also purchase a gift pack that includes a candle and lenten offering coin folder for $12.  Get it while supplies last!  To pay via Paypal, please click the link below the pictures.

 
 <-- Book with CD - $8



                                Lenten Kit (book, CD
                                candle, and coin folder) -->
                                $12

The Next Moment

 

“We have to recognise that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.” ~ Cornell West

Ever wonder why the moment a commitment is agreed upon, everything else seems to happen at once? The moment a credit card can be paid off, the water heater goes out.  The moment a new relationship is formed, a former crush reveals their true feelings.  Temptation to eat the juiciest, tenderest piece of marinated meat will come just after a Daniel Fast starts.  The first gut reaction may be a form of regret while vividly imagining the alternate course.  Ultimately, contentment, satisfaction and/or acceptance of the consequences of the decision will be a guide, serving as a reminder of exactly why the choice was originally made.

In preparation of Lent, when planning to give up (or establish) a habit, it may be good to keep in mind that temptations do occur.  While we only hear about the final temptation 40 days and nights in, the true test starts at the confession for baptism.  The newness of the walk has not even worn off yet and Jesus is thrust into a major life changing moment.  Everything is good - we feel great about our decisions.  Then starts the first hunger pangs after a few missed meals or the shirt you’ve been coveting for weeks finally goes on sale. These are actually more difficult because they can knock you off track before you even get settled into the new routine.  In the 1800s, the first miles of the Underground Railroad were difficult to traverse, especially after committing to walk so many miles, but the promise of freedom (or perhaps the strict reminder of death before surrender), outweighed that desire to turn back.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (NRSV). This first church, that was doing stellar in its attempts to maintain the commitment, needed some encouragement to continue – and they had a real life disciple!  If only some of them could see how wide spread Christianity had become from their efforts then.  We, likewise, have to remember to stay grounded; the decision was made for a reason, probably strategically with an earnest thirst, sincere thought and sound mind.

Consider gathering quotes, scriptures, pictures or keepsakes that will remind you of the goal for your Lenten journey (or life’s goals).  Use them as a reminder that when temptation sets in, there is always something to keep you focused.

I Look to You

In honor of Black History Month, this post will include a reflection and integrate facts from the history of people of African descent around the world.

“Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.” ~ James Baldwin

During the winter months, in places where cold weather coverts the landscape into snow globes and freezers, many people choose to stay inside and bundle up. As fun as this can be in the beginning – eating soup, playing card games, and participating in winter activities – after a while it can become a little monotonous with restrictions of being able to only do a few things.  Cabin fever can set in and dampen the mood.   It’s during these winters – whether the physical season or a down time in an individual’s life – that we often lose focus or start to doubt and question our reasons for staying on our particular course. 

How can we persevere, especially when the Groundhog sees his shadow and the winter sentence is prolonged, testing our strength and will against the harsh times? The enslaved Africans in the United States, who chose to convert to Christianity (there were those who retained their traditional religions in private) made parallels between their condition and biblical stories. Their status as a slave and lower class member was reminiscent of the plight of the children of Israel, while Harriet Tubman was considered Moses, leading the people to the promise land.  The similarities in the situations gave some hope, and when in doubt, they would take solace in the outcomes of the stories. 

What really comes from these winters is the ability to adapt and persevere.  We become more malleable, flexible and even more creative in our approach.  Isaiah 40:31 reads, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” If considered as a time for refinement, we can be renewed and enriched, so that when the next big summer arrives, we’re more prepared than ever to showcase the skills we’ve acquired. 

Consider identifying your own personality traits, then seeking a biblical story or character that matches them. Go beyond the obvious; ask God to direct you and do a little research.  Over the coming weeks, study the person and the episodes as a source of enrichment on  your own journey.  

Amina S. McIntyre