This week in church we talked about grenzbegrifflich.
Grenzbegrifflich is a German word for something that is very real, but that defies description. Things that are grenzbegrifflich include that amazing concert/dance show/theatre piece you saw, the experience of love (or hatred for that matter), or spiritual matters.
Thinking about it, I wonder if most people who pursue spiritual growth do so because of some experience of grenzbegrifflich. They (we?) have a feeling or a tangible experience of something greater that cannot be adequately described but is undeniable: there is something more.
This week in church we talked about knowing yourself.
Specifically, we talked about how when you get to know yourself, your true self, you get to know God. It's the same philosophy that exists in yoga and a lot of other practices, so I like it already. It also times up perfectly with my 2017 project of figuring myself out. For someone who loves introspection, I have no idea what my priorities are in life right now, and that's a problem.
This week in church we talked about fixing your eyes on Jesus.
I've always hated it when pastors and church people talk about "fixing your eyes on Jesus". What the heck does that mean???? He isn't even on our current plain of existence, if he truly "exists" at all!!! At the very least, he is totally incorporeal and invisible. How do you "fix your eyes" on that? UGH! (Yes, I know, "read your Bible, Andrea." It's not the same and you know it.)
What we talked about was how you can fall in and out of love with anyone (God, a friend, a partner, family) depending on where you place your attention. The more "affectionate activities" you have with someone, and the more you pay attention to those moments, the bigger they grow. The more you focus on the hurts and negative things, the bigger those things grow.
So, you know, pay attention to the good things, I guess? I'm still not sure how to functionally apply this to God, but it's a good reminder for my other relationships.
This week in church I learned that nothing makes you appreciate Communion more than being on a no-carb diet.
That bread was extra blessed, you know what I mean?
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