5/6 Limerick: Thanks-Making

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When our world seems to be flaking
We must engage in thanks-making
We break zero-sum
When we become
Part of the Body He’s breaking!

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.

Mark 6:41

Today I will feed those I love
With thankfulness
As part of the brokenness
Of Christ’s Body

Me Encountering Jesus 2023-03-18

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I had two contradictory encounters at yesterday’s PAWS for Men Encountering Jesus.

Painfully Happy

During Immanuel Encounter,
I saw Jesus on a cliff overlooking the sea.

His arms were outstretched.
He had a huge grin.
He said, “Come fly with me!”

He had a huge grin on His face.
I heard the words “So Happy” over and over.

And I started sobbing great gut-wrenching sobs.

[on reflection: perhaps “un-wrenching”, like resetting a dislocated shoulder]

Joyfully Broken

The second was when Paul M. prayed for me.

I was describing unforgiveness as a barrier.
When you sin against me, you reveal that you and the world are broken.

Unforgiveness is my refusal to internalize that brokenness.

I saw Jesus sucking out my brokenness.
Leaving wholeness in its place.
Except where my brokenness was holding to that barrier.

Forgiveness is realizing I need to release that barrier.
So Jesus can suck out all my brokenness.
And yours through me.

#EmbraceTheSuck

I saw Him absorbing all that sin and shame on the cross.
And I just started laughing and laughing…