Regaining Consciousness

"Suppose you were having an operation on your leg, and suddenly you begin to be aware of people talking about you. Someone says, 'I think he's recovering?' You start to feel an ache in your knee. You say to yourself, 'Where am I? What's going on?' And you start to remember you were operated on. What you're doing is regaining consciousness. In short, consciousness consists of sensations, thoughts, emotions, desires, beliefs, and free choices that make us alive and aware."
J.P Moreland, PHD

After I had read this statement made by Moreland who has a degree in chemistry, a doctorate in nuclear chemistry, a doctorate in philosophy and a master's in theology. I came to realize that regaining consciousness physically runs parallel with  regaining consciousness spiritually. The more I began to develop my relationship with God and the more time I spent with Him and helping others and studying His will... the more I regained my spiritual consciousness. But is spiritual consciousness a reality?

What is consciousness?

Definition

consciousness noun (UNDERSTANDING)

/ˈkɒn.t ʃə.snəs//ˈkɑːn-/ [U]

the state of understanding and realising something or the state of being conscious; awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.

It's when you are paying attention to what is going on inside of you. All of us are aware to some degree or another of our physical consciousness but many have no idea that there is a spiritual consciousness as well, or they just don't want to think about it, or they believe it's all part of this physical world and when we die our consciousness dies too.


What if consciousness didn't exist in the world? What if the physicalists were right by saying, "consciousness is no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules."?


"Apples would still be red, but there would be no awareness of red or any sensations of red." Moreland goes on to say, "The soul is the ego, the 'I', or the self, and it contains our consciousness. It also animates our body..... If everything were matter, then you could capture the entire universe on a graph - You could locate each star, the moon, mountain, your brain, etc.
That's because if everything is physical, it could be described entirely from a third person point of view. And yet we know that we have first-person, subjective points of view - so physicalism can't be true.... there would also be no free will. That's because matter is completely governed by the laws of nature... for example a cloud... It's just a material object, and it's movement is completely governed by the laws of air pressure, wind movement, etc. So If I am a material object, all of the things I do are fixed by my environment, my genetics, and so forth... that would mean I'm not really free to make choices..." (If you would like to read more see 'The Case for a Creator' by Lee Strobel)


We are free to make choices  and we do have a conscience and consciousness. It's our choice to search for truth and it's our choice to not bother. We can be aware or unaware. It's our choice. I choose to believe in a spiritual consciousness because of the books I have read from Quantum Theory to Theology and everything in between and because of experiences, my own and in the lives of those I respect. 


"You can't get something from nothing. If the universe began with dead matter having no conscious, how then, do you get something totally different - consciousness, living, thinking, feeling, believing creatures - from materials that don't have that? But if everything started with the mind of God we don't have a problem with explaining the origin of our mind." Lee Strobel

1 Corinthians 13:12

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.


The foolish are those without questions and a desire to know the truth. 


If you have questions but don't know where to begin, we are here to help Deeds for Needs.


deedsforneeds@yahoo.ca

Holes in Your Gas Tank?

"A fill up again?" my daughter called out from the back seat of our 1986 VW Vanagon. "I thought we were here Yesterday?"
"Yup." I replied frustrated and jumped out of the van, "Mommy can't fill up the tank all the way."
"Why?"
"There's a hole in the top of the tank." I sighed, dreaming of the day when I could drive a new vehicle. A vehicle without the unique idiosyncrasies of an ancient automobile.
"At least I've never had to turn the car on.... by violently turning a crank on the outside of it." I thought to myself as I put another $25 bucks into the rust bucket.  My van can't fill up because it leaks when it's full. Then I began to think about my own gas tank... the one my spirit feeds from and I wondered if it were leaky?
 Anger, selfishness, revenge, unforgiveness and judgements they rust and put holes into my own tank..... and I leak..... and that precious living water that God pours into me, pours out the holes that I've made in my gas tank and I end up being less patient and less understanding as I should be.
 I'm glad God forgives and loves me constantly, so I am always able to tap into that living water of His, and my gas tank gets patched up with His grace and filled once more.

John 4:13-14
 Jesus replied, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life."

 Go fill up at the pump of living water. It never runs dry and we can fill up at any time.

Sheeple

The other night, I had difficulties falling asleep. I've never been one to count sheep before, but I was desperate. Nothing else was working. My mind would not turn off. Ever so slowly, the sheep jumping over my imaginary fence began looking like people I happen to know.

 "There's my daughters, cantering over the barricade on a horse called Max . There's my Dad arguing with Mom as they jumped together. René jumped over riding a BMW motorcycle." Must have been the hot chili peppers I had for dinner or the conversation about sheeple, with my brother-in law this past weekend. Perhaps a mix of both?

 Sheeple, you can not find this word in a dictionary. Spell check does not recognize it as a real word and yet if you Google the word.... it is well known. Sheeple (a portmanteau of sheep and people) is a term of disparagement, in which people are likened to sheep. It is often used to denote persons who voluntarily acquiesce to perceived authority, or suggestion without sufficient research to understand fully the scope of the ramifications involved in that decision, and thus undermine their own human individuality or in other cases give up certain rights. The implication of sheeple is that as a collective, people believe whatever they are told, especially if told so by a perceived authority figure believed to be trustworthy, without processing it or doing adequate research to be sure that it is an accurate representation of the real world around them. The term is generally used in a political and sometimes in a spiritual sense. In other words, sheeple are people that follow blindly and never question their leaders.

 We are all sheeple in one form or another, every single one of us follows a person or a philosophy that someone has come up with. You can follow Adolph Hitler or you can follow Gandhi. You can follow a Stoic philosophy or an Epicurean philosophy. You can follow the world’s idea’s or you can follow God’s idea’s. The choice is yours… but make no mistake we are all sheeple.

 The Christian faith has it’s sheeple's as well. We are told in Sunday school that Christ is our Shepherd and we are His sheep. Only His sheep will hear him call. Do you realize that even in the Christian faith we have our Stoics and our Epicureans? An Epicurean believes that this life is all we have and that we should enjoy it to the maximum. A Stoic believes that humans should be indifferent to pleasure and pain, should never give way to passion and should devote themselves to seeking the summum bonum – the highest good – which consists of these 4 principles: wisdom, self-control, justice and courage. So who is right?.... and who is wrong? Do we follow the Billy Graham’s of this world or the Todd Bentley’s? God made it easy for us, he wants us to follow him.

 God say’s he’s quite disappointed in the leaders or the Shepherd’s of this world. It’s right there in Ezekiel 34. “…How terrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who feed only themselves! Why don’t the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the milk curds, and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill the fat sheep, but you do not feed the flock. You have not made the weak strong. You have not healed the sick or put bandages on those that were hurt. You have not brought back those who strayed away or searched for the lost. But you have ruled the sheep with cruel force. The sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for every wild animal.“  The really great thing is…. God doesn’t just walk away defeated, read further in Ezekiel 34. “… I myself, will search for my sheep and take care of them. As a shepherd takes care of his scattered flock when it is found, I will take care of my sheep. I will save them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries. I will bring them to their own land and pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the places where people live in the land. I will feed them in a good pasture, and they will eat grass on the high mountains…. I will feed my flock and lead them to rest, says the Lord God. I will search for the lost. Bring back those that strayed away, put bandages on those that were hurt, and make the weak strong.” He says basically, were not doing a good enough job tending to ourselves, so… He sent Jesus to search for the lost, put bandages on the hurt, taught the weak to be strong. This is what He did for us and still does for us. The only hitch is… we need to trust Him… He will not force Himself upon us. He did not make us robots that follow blindly… He would like us to choose Him.

John 10:2

“The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.”

Jesus is calling us all to lead the sick, weak and lost. Not to be sheeple. He goes on to say…

 John 10:7

“So Jesus said again, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the door for the sheep. All the people who came before me were thieves and robbers. The sheep did not listen to them. I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out and find pasture.

He is calling us to go through the door to find freedom.

As we live and grow we all look for truth – we seek mentorship. We follow what seems right at the time. Alexander the Great, Caesar Augustus, Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler. Benito Mussolini and Mao Zedong were all loved and revered by their citizens when they started changing the world for the good of all. Then they became dictators, and they enslaved their people. Christ frees us – Not enslaves us.

1 Peter 2:25

“You were like sheep that wandered away, but now you have come back….”

We were sheep… but no longer. He calls us friend now.

Luke 15: 4-7

“….Suppose one of you has a 100 sheep but loses one of them. Then he will leave the other 99 sheep in the open field and go out and look for the lost sheep until he finds it. And when he finds it, he happily puts it on his shoulder and goes home. He calls to his friends and neighbours and says, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep.’ In this same way, I tell you there is more joy in heaven over a sinner who changes his heart and life, than over 99 good people who don’t need to change.”

 If you are perfect and don’t need to change or seek guidance in your life, well…. Good for you. I know I am not perfect and still have a ways to go. I still have questions… I’ve been laid off since last June and I wonder what’s next? What is my life’s work? What’s the purpose of my life? Where can I find meaning and fulfillment? There’s a place deep down inside everyone of us that cries out for significance and we look out at the lives of our heroes who have made a difference in our world and we secretly want to be among them. That’s why who we chose to follow is so important.

 I still have a lot of questions…. and I have not always agreed with everything I have read in the Bible…. or have heard from a fellow Christian. But, God is okay with that… He loves a good discussion and eventually I find the truth.

 Jesus calls us to live with a God perspective. He wants us to prioritize like he does, love with respect to his holiness, move and find our being in His purpose.  You interact with the world differently when you are aware of God’s presence. To love God is to live thankful, humble, and unwilling to be blown around by the demands of people or expectations. That’s why we need a strong foundation to build our lives on. So when the storms of life come our way… and they will… we won’t be blown away.

Psalm 125:1-2

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which sits unmoved forever.”

Accepting Christ in your life doesn’t mean you’re a sheeple. It means, you understand what Christ did for you… It means you’ve come to terms with and accepted the kind of love God has for you – Unconditional.  To die for you kind of love.....  Oprah doesn’t love you like that.

Ephesians 5:14

“…Wake up sleeper! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you.."

Mary and Martha of Bethany

Luke 10:39-40 

.... Martha had a sister Mary, who was sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to him teach. But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, "Lord don't you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me."  

"Hello Martha!." I joke around, and call Krista, every once in a while. She's been leading and organizing this women's coffee group since it started. She's very  organized and on the ball with things, gets things done and does it well. It's her forte. It's one of her many gifts and I admire her for it. I am more like Mary.... not that I'm lazy or anything... but I prefer to sit around listening to a good speaker or read a book than I do cleaning and serving dinner.  Is that bad? Truth be told, I have thought so over the past year.

Now, Krista has never gone to God and said," You know, I would really like some help here Lord. Can't you see my sister in Christ, Anuschka, has left me all alone to do all the Deeds for Needs organizing! Tell her to get off her derriere to help me!" at least I don't think she's gone to him and said that. LOL! But....I have wished that I was more on the ball, more organized, more social..etc... I'm not. God made me the way I am for a reason.

In John 11 we meet up with Mary and Martha again. Their Brother Lazarus was sick and died. Both Mary and Martha in their pain, looked to Jesus and found comfort. He loved both Mary and Martha equally and both Mary and Martha needed him.

I love this quote from Charles R Swindoll from his book 'The Grace Awakening'.

"Acceptance means you are valuable just as you are. It allows you to be the real you. You aren't forced into someone else's idea of who you really are. It means your ideas are taken seriously since they reflect you. You can talk about how you feel inside and why you feel that way - and someone really cares.                                                                                                            Acceptance means you can try out your ideas without being shut down. You can ever express heretical thoughts and discuss them with intelligent questioning. You feel safe. No one will pronounce judgement on you, even though they don't agree with you. It doesn't mean you will never be corrected or shown to be wrong; it simply means it's safe to be you and no one will destroy you out of prejudice."

 Tamara was a bit apprehensive this morning at coffee, because she felt like something was missing the last time we got together. We got too busy to pray over the food last week... we haven't been placing God 1st. At first, she felt a little uncomfortable voicing her opinion... little did she know most of us felt exactly the same. Jesus said, "When you serve other's, you serve me. When you serve self, you don't serve me."   She said her piece and gave us each a framed scripture quote.

Isaiah 43:10

"You are my witness," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen."

 That's what I love about this woman's coffee group. We are a handful of women from different churches and so very different from one and other.... yet it works. It works because of GRACE. 

 It's our job to accept others; it's God's job to direct them.

I will leave you with this quote from Elizabeth Kubler-Ross:

"I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fiber of life, the flame of that heats our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives. It is our connection to God and to each other." 

It's all a matter of perspective

PERSPECTIVE: the interrelation in which a subject or it's parts are mentally viewed : Point of view: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.

What the caterpillar calls the end, the butterfly calls the beginning.

 I was challenged today to look at things in a different perspective. My husband was in a rush and he was missing something.... some papers got dumped onto the kitchen table and never were returned to their proper place... the recycling box. In the mean time... my girls had a little fun with the scissors before he left for the Motor cycle show and shredded a few bank slips . A few minutes later, one girl was rushed off to The Rock Wall for a 2 hour lesson and I, with the other girl took the dog for a nice long walk. René said he wasn't coming home for dinner, so I took the girls to Wendy's for a hamburger afterwards. Then we played some games... watched a Cosby Show (rented from the library) then they were off to bed. I had just sat down to write this blog when René came home. The mess was still all over the Kitchen table.
I was meaning to clean it up... I got side tracked.
"You didn't clean this up with the girls?" he said, "I can't believe it's still here!" he ranted, "How difficult is it to ask the girls to help you clean this up!" He continued. I was laughing... He got more upset. I could have gotten upset with him for thinking it was my mess to clean up. I could have yelled back, "You and the girls made the mess... I didn't! You should have cleaned it up before you left!" but I didn't... He thought it was my fault... I thought it was his. Perspective. Perspective is what gets us into trouble.... sometimes... it causes wars... it causes divorce... it's what separates us from one and other.

I'd like to share a story I wrote a few years ago for a creative writing assignment. It's in 4 parts... 4 different view points of a single moment in time. It's called "The Kiss".

Adults view:
"The girls just went upstairs." Joe smiled seductively at his wife. He nudged her ear and whispered. "Let's do some laundry?" It was his favourite term for a quick make out session. Linda laughed at her amorous husband.
"I don't think so!" she smiled up at him, the will was there... but.... "The house is full of kids and my mother will be here any minute. I promised to take her shopping." She put her arms around her husbands broad shoulders then gently kissed him. The moment their lips met she knew she would not be released quickly. Their kiss grew deeper. Shivers of pleasure washed over her and she was amazed that after 15 years of marriage he could still make her feel this way. Then, they're son walked in.

Girls view:
"What are you're parents doing?" Samantha asked her friend Laura.
"They're just kissing." Laura replied, "They always do that kind of stuff."
"EEEEWWWW! I never see my parents kissing." Samantha muttered then Laura's older brother walked in, "Let get out of here before Dillon sees us. "You want to play Barbies?"
"Okay." They ran up to Laura's room and pulled the barbie house from underneath a pile of dirty clothes and began to play house. It wasn't long before Ken was holding Barbie tightly in his arms.

Teenage son's view:
"What are you doing?" Dillon said as he entered the kitchen. His Mom and Dad were making out up against the stove. "Aren't you guys too old for that?" He opened the fridge door and grabbed an ice cold can of coke from the bottom shelf trying to ignore his parents.
"You're never too old to give a beautiful woman a kiss." then his dad smiled at him and winked.
Dillon rolled his eyes, shook his head and walked out of the kitchen in disgust.
As he walked back to his room.... he began to think about Sara. He began to think what it would be like to kiss her and his heart beat faster. She was the most beautiful girl at school. Long blonde hair, beautiful big green eyes and her smile was just amazing! He flopped down onto his bed... put the coke can down... picked up the phone and began to dial her number.

Grandma's view:
"There's never any spots close to their house." Elsie muttered as she parked her car at the end of the street. She was looking forward to the shopping expedition with her daughter. They hadn't seen each other in weeks, due to both their busy schedules. She closed the car door and began the small hike up to the front door.
"I feel like I'm climbing Mount Everest!" she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Two kids raced past her up the hill. For a moment, only a moment she wished she was young again.
"Almost there", she huffed as she pasted the kitchen window. "What?" she stopped abruptly and laughed out loud. Her daughter and son-in-law were in a passionate embrace.
"I remember faintly when these lips felt the heat of passion." she thought and smiled as she gently touched her lips. "Now, all I feel is the heat of my latest cold sore."

Perspective.... it's an interesting thing? Don't you agree?

I read somewhere that the Bible is the #1 selling book in the entire world. If so many people are reading it... why is there a war in Afghanistan? Why is there hatred in the world? Why is peace so far away? Are they using the books for toilet paper?

Ah! Perspective....

If I am sitting in a public place reading my Bible around an unbeliever... I am certain he or she would be thinking that I am a foolish woman for believing in God. I know they would be thinking that... because I was once an unbeliever and thought that Krista was nuts. I still think that... but for different reasons now (insert smiley face here).

Jeremiah 23:23:24
"I am a God who is near," says the Lord.
"I am also a God who is far away. No one can hide where I cannot see him," says the Lord. 
"I fill all of heaven and earth." says the Lord.


How can we as mere mortals reach a God who controls the universe? It's all in our perspective. It's in following the path of grace. It's in listening to the quiet place of our hearts... if we stop long enough to really listen... we can hear him in our heart... in our thoughts... through His word... or through the deeds of others around you.

Regardless of one's education, it is impossible to decide whether Christianity is true or false if you do not know what it is about.
Walter Hooper

So, pick up the Bible and start reading... apparently.... according to statistics... you have one on your book shelf.

The Perfect Woman

  Really.... come now.... is there such a thing? Logic tells me no.... The Bible tells me no... Yet, I have come across women in my life that just seem to "have it all together"... you know what I mean? Their house is immaculate (no matter what time of the day you visit or drop by), their calendar is full yet they never forget anything because they are so organized, their emotions are always under control they never yell at their kids, their kids are polite and respect everyone... even their dog behaves... They always have a heathy homemade treat for their children when they come home from school (Hot out of the oven... perfect timing as always)... they are "In Love" with their husband of 25 years.... they have awesome "special snuggles" (a kid friendly blog) few times a week  .... and to top it all off... they are always in a good mood. Are these people "robots"? Or are they "fake"? I have come to the conclusion, after years of scientific experiments (this includes the one about growing mold in the refrigerator), that any woman resembling "The Perfect" woman is either on "happy pills" or is faking it. Where does that leave us as? Even Martha has fallen.

 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures."

God is love. We are made in His image. Think about that for a minute.

1 Corinthians 13 doesn't say.... Love is dusting and cooking. Love is not a messy house, and does not get upset with good organizational skills. Love takes pleasure in "doing right" to your spouse and rejoices over a roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy.

Psalm 139:14
"I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well." NCV version
Here's another version:
"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Each and every one of us is wonderfully made. Each in our own unique way. He is a creative God. Who wants us to be who we were made to be. There were times, over the years,  when I did wish I was someone else. I would love to have Krista's organizational skills or Betty's patience with kids or Deb's healing wisdom or Winefred's quiet strength or Tamara's kindness and grace.  But, I am Anuschka and God has gifted me with other things. I need to accept that, work with it, and see where God wants me to use those gifts.

"Self-doubt will sabotage you before you ever get to the new place God has for you. You will paralyze yourself with your own thinking. The paralysis of analysis."
Joyce Meyer  from her book "Never Give up".

Stop wishing to be someone you are not. Accept who you are and the gifts you have. Learn how to improve them and if things don't work out the way you thought they would.... get creative and see what you can do with what you have. It won't be easy.... but it will be real.

Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to destruction, and many people enter through that gate. But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road."

 You know... the people we refer to as "blessed" did not always start their lives that way. They've had their share of challenges and adversities; they've gone through difficulties; they have had to work at it by being diligent to live by God's word; stayed faithful to Him; given to others when they have had little to give; prayed when they did not feel like praying; patient, loving and kind to those God had place in their path even though they themselves were going through a storm. They continued to do these things because they knew, eventually, by being obedient to God, joy would follow.

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"The more you are open with yourself and God, the more genuine you will be."
Joyce Meyer

 My house is a mess... there may be unfolded laundry on the sofa.... muddy paw prints at the back door... and dishes in the sink. If you are okay with that... you are welcome anytime for coffee. I may be at the computer writing, studying or reading... but I will make time for a chat and a laugh... or a cry... if you need it.
...."Go ahead.... help yourself to another store bought cookie."

Stay Real!

Characteristics of a weak-willed woman

1) Consumed with worry and fear
2) Self-absorbed and obsessed with the opinions of others
3) Either beaten down or loud and brash
4) Filled with no personal ambition; yet wants to control
5)Unsure of her hope in glory
6) Empty and turns to everyone but God
7) Harbouring grudges
8) A gossip
9) Obsessively indulgent in secret
10) Easily hurt or offended
11) Filled with some spiritual knowledge but no spiritual power
12) Critical in spirit

The weak-willed woman is easy prey. She cowers when bullied.
The weak-willed woman eventually hides out, afraid to stand for anything or do what is right. Spiritually hesitant, she watches everyone else live while she's stuck inside her own weakness.
What kind of woman are you? Ask God... then listen with a sincere heart.

Our glory is not in never falling, but rising each time we fall.