pray harder

Daily writing prompt
What podcasts are you listening to?

So, I am not a huge consumer of podcasts. I was in the past.

I recently listened to The Secrets We Keep: Pray Harder. I like cults, and this one is local. The podcast was somewhat one-sided and a little simplistic, but I really enjoyed it. I cannot expect all podcasts to be a theological exploration within a wider historical context. One thing that always interests me is the assumption of intent on the part of the leader. Anyway, interesting.

Also, as I have your attention, I am doing a podcast. (And, to be honest, doesn’t everyone.) I have a trailer for Season 1 in the feed. I am hoping to record on a Friday. Just random stuff!

religion?

Daily writing prompt
What was your favorite subject in school?

The great thing about subjects at school is that they can be held at arm’s length. I can study and collect all the knowledge but not emotionally engage with it—a little like Mary’s Room.

At the end of my schooling, it was mathematics. I was hoping to be a math teacher. I even started a university degree. But that did not happen.

When I was just starting, my reports say I was very good at religion. (My mother reminded me on Sunday.) I am not sure what that means. Later, I found other things to “excite” me. Somehow, my life has come full circle.

I should add that I am “good” (relatively) at religion, theology, and philosophy. That does not mean I have it all together or am perfect. I am working on the lived experience every day.

online food shopping

What could you try for the first time?

I could try online grocery shopping—and I did yesterday! So, I do not need to leave The Anchorage (enclosure) at all this week. I have used an online store for books, but this is my first food order.

This week, I am aiming for solitude and silence—a new year, a new start. Perhaps that is what I am really trying for the first time: be a recluse without excuses.

3 things

Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I cannot swim, so I do not like wide open spaces of water.

I cannot fly, so I do not like heights or flying in an aeroplane.

I like speaking in public, even to large crowds. (I rather not speak with individuals – see next.)

I like to be alone to focus on what is important to me.

I cannot count.

distance and love

Daily writing prompt
What makes a good neighbor?

Distance! In a physical sense. Love in a spiritual.

I have no neighbours at the moment. One side is the church, and the other is a car park. There is lots of space!

But how am I a good neighbour to those in my life? I make choices that benefit them (or perhaps for their good). And I do that without asking or looking for anything in return. The starting point is not “the good” (an ideal I created) but the good in the other. I have a duty to love, and that duty is to the person, not to an idea. I try to live that with the people in my life. It is not easy and, at the moment, almost impossible.