I received an email advertisement about a hot new program that creates canned tele-conference calls. People who earn money doing workshops by phone can now devise one that "sounds live." They can run it every Wednesday night, making millions while eating steak dinners and watching reality TV.
You would think that the reason people choose a tele-conference is because of the personal touch. Instead of reading a book, watching a video, or listening to a lecture, they want to link up with others. The attraction is the group synergy, the possibility of asking questions and being heard; the hope for some real interchange in this cold, cruel world.
The fact that a canned conference call is a hair's breath (hare's breath) away from lying doesn't seem to bother anyone. After all, the goal is to have a money machine that carries on while you are hopping merrily down the garden path. And of course, this particular advertisement arrived in an email that began, "Hi Alliee"--one of the thousands of canned letters, email and phone calls that cheerily use your first name and then spit out an unwanted marketing message.
We have moved from the Emperor having no clothes, to the clothes having no Emperor. The personal touch is an empty sleeve with deep pockets, a hidden metallic claw that rips out trust from the seeking heart.
"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." - Frank Lloyd Wright
Of course, it is impossible to personally be-there for a limitless number of people. You end up with all sorts of folk miffed because you can't work in lunch or tea with them. As finite beings, we can only personally relate to a few at a time. Even Jesus, bearing his promise of I am with you, couldn't pull it off without the Holy Spirit.
Yet, the promise of Christianity is that someone is really there; that this particular religion is not just a canned message running on an endless loop but has the give and take of a real relationship--an ever present, intimate presence birthed within.
And in theory, the working out of this promise includes the continual addition of more people; an ever increasing number of listening hearts that feel the stirring of the spirit, hear the lively word and personally respond to cries of the people. May we be people of the promise.
"Trust is the first step to love." -Munshi Premchand
Kathryn Kuhlman's A Glimpse of Glory sat on the corner of our desk for months. I'm not sure why. The cover of this slightly scruffy paperback said, "first time in print." Maybe I thought it was worth checking out the value of a first edition. Anyway, one day when I was tired of schlepping books from shelf to shelf, I started to read it. Turns out this collection from Kathryn Kuhlman was compiled by Jamie Buckingham. I've been fond of Jamie Buckingham ever since I read his essay on exorcizing the sock demon out of his dryer. As editor of the magazine, Ministries Today, he also endeared himself to me by publishing my article about women ministers. I even would have gone to his writer's conference at the Living Waters Retreat Center in Arizona if he hadn't up and died. (So rude!)
I took A Glimpse of Glory home and settled into reading Kathryn Kuhlman's words in the good glow of Jamie Buckingham fondness. Very quickly I felt homesick for the ERM conferences where I'd been converted, for Friday nights at Family Camp, for various Healing Services, for all those places where the Holy Spirit ministers freely--manifesting His gifts to an expectant people. Last week Susan and I talked about hanging out in soup of the Spirit, about the feeling that this was our natural habitat and we live too much like fish out of water. We agreed that splashing about in the sea of the Spirit releases our gifts and increases our ability to function. Spending an evening in the court of the Lord is wonderful thing--and altogether too rare.
My favorite story in A Glimpse of Glory was about an eminent theologian who came to Kathryn Kuhlman's offices and said he didn't understand this being slain in the Spirit thing. Kathyrn said she didn't understand it either, but maybe they could pray. She started to pray and down he went. "Whooeee," he said staggering to his feet. Secretaries looked up from their typewriters with tears springing from their eyes. Down he went again. I wonder if he ever figured-it-out.
Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
The Friday before Christmas I stuffed The Aladdin Factor into my bag, hoping no one would see. It was clearly one of those cheesy, self-help books about learning how to ask for what you want. Written by the Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (the Chicken Soup for the Soul guys), the book promised the usual round of success and fulfillment, along with a smattering of psychology on why people are afraid to ask for what they want. Each point was illustrated by a heartwarming story or two. I loved it. Saturday morning I sat in bed surrounded by notebooks, made lists of 101 wants, outlined books I might write someday and in between, read another chapter. A lovely morning. Packaged hope: $4.
“Our wants,” says George MacDonald, “are for the sake of coming into communion with God, our eternal need.”
The problem with reading lots of self-help books is that pretty soon you're trying to improve on too many fronts. The effort gets diffused, if not downright confusing. It's hard to get thin, rich, prayerful, active, self-assertive, giving--not to even mention holy--all in one fell swoop. A gaggle of great ideas roll around in the brain and eventually fall out invisible holes. Therefore, I like to focus on one hot tip at a time. Several years ago I gleaned a tip a week from William Edward's 10 Days to a Great New Life. Last year I tried John Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Edward's actionable items worked better than Maxwell's principles. For example, being grateful is a nice principle, but writing a thank-you note every day is an action that could become a useful habit.
If you have a little hot tip that makes a difference in your life, send it to me. Include what, when, where and how it works for you. The tip should be ACTIONABLE--something one could do regularly, preferable in less then 10 minutes. It also should be useful and generally applicable. Include the source of the tip if you can. Keep 'em short, under 500 words. When I get an interesting hand full, I'll start sending out one every week or so to those who ask for them.
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." Abraham Lincoln
Meanwhile we're having a LITERARY PRAYER PARTY this month at The Word Shop. Bring your favorite book on Prayer or borrow one from our shelves. Be prepared to rant for a couple minutes on why everyone should read the book you're waving around. The reason I like books on Prayer is praying between the lines. All Prayer Party Participants will receive a free Pile of Prayer Publishings to Peruse in Peace. It would be nice if someone also brought cookies. Friday, January 23, 1:00. Someone will really be there.
"There's a limit to how many times you can read how great you are and what an inspiration you are, but I'm not there yet." - Randy Pausch
Happy New Year!
Blessings,
Alliee +