When you think it's all over

[Twinky]

Was in church on Sunday.  Our sermon series is about our identity as Christians.  The curate, Ben, gave a talk was about being salt and light.  Little bit different idea of "salt" but completely acceptable.  Then he turned to a discussion of "light" and hiding candlesticks under bowls, cities on hills, etc - y'all know the passage.

And then he said: "You are all lightbearers.  Bearers of the light!"

Lightbearers!!!  Not a word commonly used by people.  Never encountered it in ordinary conversation.  Maybe the Olympics talks about that, but the expression is usually "torch bearer."

I quite enjoyed Lightbearers apart from the hitchhiking.  A nice, enjoyable, two week release from the stifling prison and rigid discipline of being at HQ.  Stayed with, met, hung out with, some really nice people.  Witnessed to some nice people - and some less nice ones.  Overall, no regrets.  I could even say, I have happy memories.

Got back after one such expedition to have the whole group of us bollocksed for not being good enough.  We deserved being kicked out, etc, etc due to our lack of believing.  (Nothing about HQ's own lack of preparation or knowledge of the area!!)  Our punishment: to be sent out again a month or so later, with the admonition that those who didn't get a class together needn't bother coming back as they would be thrown out anyway.  No pressure, then.  (All teams succeeded this time, in a different city.)

 

Lightbearers!  Ben, if you knew what you'd evoked, brought back, you'd've found a different word!  But I'm willing to reclaim it and use it so that the ugly connotations get expunged.

[waysider]

Trigger words, phrases, situations. Once you learn to recognize them, they get easier to deal with.

[Charity]

8 hours ago, Twinky said:

Got back after one such expedition to have the whole group of us bollocksed for not being good enough.  We deserved being kicked out, etc, etc due to our lack of believing.  (Nothing about HQ's own lack of preparation or knowledge of the area!!)  Our punishment: to be sent out again a month or so later, with the admonition that those who didn't get a class together needn't bother coming back as they would be thrown out anyway.  No pressure, then.  (All teams succeeded this time, in a different city.)

 

Lightbearers!  Ben, if you knew what you'd evoked, brought back, you'd've found a different word!  But I'm willing to reclaim it and use it so that the ugly connotations get expunged.

Practicing mindfulness has helped me get through some challenging times.  It's nice to hear that a word from your past is being applied in a way and among people that allows you to feel safe.

I wonder if HQ patted themselves on the back for using "tough love" (my phrase) to successfully get the results they were demanding of everyone.  The fact that twi is still pushing the law of believing makes it most likely they are putting the same pressure on their "volunteers" out on the field today to get such results as well.