Mmmmm.

There is just something about rain.

Yesterday I journeyed to Seattle with a few friends. And, after driving around for what seemed like hours, finally found a parking spot several blocks from a very important record store (one of our many destinations that afternoon).When we first set out early in the morning, the weather looked promising. So I did not bring an umbrella. But true to Seattle, it began chucking it down by lunch time. We decided to walk the odd number of blocks to the record store anyway.

At first, I felt a little unsure of this whole "getting wet" thing. The rain came down harder and harder as our heels pressed into every new step, soaking us to the absolute brim. But eventually I learned that puddles feel ever so lovely to step into, and even began to outstretch my hands as a gesture of acceptance towards the rain. It reminded me of that old musical "Singing In the Rain". I swear, I even heard the rain come down like tiny music notes, each resounding uniquely together upon my face. And for a moment, the world froze - like they do in the films when lovers embrace upon first reuniting or when a suffering soul reaches the cleansing joy of redemption.

I collect moments like that; moments when no matter where I am or who I am with or what I am going through, I am filled with some strange kind of delight that everything in all of its complexity really is simple. Those are the moments when the world slows on its axis, and I get this picture in my mind of God just...smiling. You know, the way a Dad smiles when he's delighted to give his child something they really really really want. It's that reaction: that quiet "you know I'm happy to" reaction. Oh! That's such a good reaction. Blimey, I feel like such a child when that happens!

Ha! And that's what I want to accomplish. I spend so much time trying to be grown up and forget what it means to delight in being a child. At times I wonder if that's all it takes - to have the kind of faith that shakes mountains. A simple faith full of wonder and awe towards God. It puts us in such a position of true humility; joyful humility. I mean, how many of us, if we're honest, get stuck in a rut thinking we know all there is to know about theology or church or the Bible? That arrogance is a sin and a distraction from the beautifully simple relationship we have with God.

If we feel we are at a place where we no longer need to grow (or even that there is not much more to God and faith than we already know), may we pray for God to slap us in the face with a wake up call - immediately! And that is what I have to say today.

With love,
Courtney Danielson

Oh Holy Spirit.

I want to start a book. I have waited a long time to do such a thing. And by that, I really mean I have not waited long at all. 22 years of life claim me. I'm young. I suppose my life will be the novel; my reflections and prayers the flesh. I do not know where this book will go and I have no expectation of it ever being published. I may only be writing it for myself, or for the few who most appreciate my picture-like writing style. We shall see.

Separately, a close friend rang me last night in the middle of his vacation. He just had to tell me about his experiences in Redding, California. If you know nothing of the place, please google it and click on anything having to do with revival. Man, the things my friend told me made be cry. I could hardly say much after a time, which is unusual for me. I just felt so...impacted or...I'm not sure. I suppose I felt helpless. Let me say why.

My friend talked about what God is doing in Redding - how the Holy Spirit is moving. It all sounded amazing, and though it was not new news (I have heard such reports on numerous occasions of Christians performing miracles as a daily task), I still felt surprised. I would even venture to say I felt shocked. I have experienced many wonderful things from the Holy Spirit, but I have really only had a small taste. He is doing so much more elsewhere. I won't go into details because there is just SO much. But my conversation with this young man...ugh! I WANT MORE! I know I am limited right now. I have felt it for some time and it has frustrated me beyond the point where I can take it. I MUST experience more freedom in the Holy Spirit soon. As a wise and dear friend often says, 'to live in the flow of the Holy Spirit'. Even the thought of such a thing fills me with unexplainable delight.

Politics and C.S. Lewis among other things.

I've been thinking about politics lately. I don't like politics much. I'm beginning to realise this as of late, what with the presidential elections sitting on our laps and all. I doubt many people will appreciate that I don't like politics - or that I have little faith in human governing. It's flawed of course since we are flawed. I'm not an anarchist by any means. I have less interest in that than I do American politics.

Mostly, I prefer not to think about politics if I can help it and just focus on Jesus things - like relationship and the church. We have no control over the future, though we may think we do by pushing our political causes (or candidates) til it is no longer about what the cause will help and instead about being right. I have also observed that very political Christians spend more time arguing about issues with each other than they do praying together about them (or praying for one another). My thoughts? It is only God who knows what must be done about anything. We bicker and argue and fight to keep our prides; in the process damaging or hindering relationships and missing the bigger picture of God (2 Timothy 2:22-24).

I don't know the answer for how a kingdom child must go about politics. What we consider many of the purposes of Christ might fit perfectly well into political causes and stances. I have no opinion there (or a developed one at least). Other than such an observation, unfortunately, politics is an important part of our world. Whether it is a necessary one is another matter. With that in mind, I am not excempt from having political views, which may sound very hypocritical of me. I don't really care. I am being honest and admittedly processing through things. Now these thoughts come spewing out into one terrible and incomplete mess. It is likely that a year from now I will be just as uncertain.

Seperately, I'm reading more. The past few weeks I've managed to get a few good books in. I like this. I've been making time in the evenings and some mornings to read Christian fiction. I just finished The Great Divorce by our beloved Clive Staples Lewis - what a name - and I do recommend this reading. It offers an interesting and challanging view of Heaven and Hell through a dream. Now I have just begun yet another C.S. Lewis read: That Hideous Strength. It's of a trilogy and so far I am finding it quite difficult. Lewis writes this in a way I'm not accustomed to, not to mention it is not a simple work to follow. But I'm enjoying the challenge.

It seems I am going in waves of being disciplined about one thing and not another. And so it is with reading - disciplined about reading, but not about other things. Deary me. This is hard, but I'm not worried about it. It's all about God anyway. And He can take care perfectly well. ;)