David Kuo has been walking with Jesus for more than 20 years, during which time he has served as special assistant to the president in George W. Bush’s White House, policy director for Sen. John Ashcroft, and speechwriter for a gaggle of conservatives (plus a few liberals here and there). He is the author of “Tempting Faith,” a book about God and politics, and is currently the Washington editor for Beliefnet.com. He is in love with his wife Kim and three other females named Laura, Rachel, and Olivia, conveniently also known as his daughters. He is a member of the Association of Professional Bass Fishermen.
J-Walking welcomes your emails. You can contact David Kuo at davidkuo@beliefnetstaff.com
posted February 10, 2008 at 10:17 am
That wake-up call was your friend.
I love Rumi, he spoke of this in his poem “Borrow the Beloved’s Eyes”
I will quote a small excerpt to stay within the bounds of fair-use, (given that putting up in Farsi would not be useful to most of us.)
Borrow the Beloved’s eyes.
Look through then and you’ll see the Beloved’s face everywhere.
No tiredness, no jaded boredom.
“I shall be your eye and your hand and your loving.”
Let that happen, and things you have hated will become helpers.
posted February 10, 2008 at 11:34 am
You don’t have to forgive something that is unintentional David.
The best way of getting over jet lag is to stay awake until the time your used to going asleep hits the clock where you are at.
It’s rough but necessary.
posted February 10, 2008 at 11:47 am
You literally and figuratively got a wake up call.
posted February 10, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Zero, everyone’s quoting Rumi these days. I’ll have to read him.
David, I understand. We must forgive our neighbors, our enemies and those who would harm us to practice for England.
posted February 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Those who have ever worked nights – 16 years here – know this thing about forgiving those who wake us when there’s nothing left. My mother-in-law would call every day at 11:00 because she was “sure you don’t want to sleep the day away”. Her perception was that no good mom or housewife would ever sleep in the daytime. She just couldn’t get it through her head that I stayed up all night taking care of sick people. Having fallen asleep at 8 am – I grew to dislike this woman intensely over my sleep deprivation. Rumi – you nailed it. “I shall be your eye and your hand and your loving.” All I had to do was ask her to help me and the perception changed. That which I had hated became a beloved figure. David – sleep is what gets us through everything. Be careful with it – let it take care of you on this trip. You are already surrounded by prayer – but remember to sleep – that’s where a lot of the processing gets done.
posted February 12, 2008 at 9:45 am
Community,
I’m going through the self-study program “A Course In Miracles”. I recently went through work-place political trauma and figured anything that could help me forgive would be good for my health.
Actually, I think anger hurts us more (it’s too bad that this idea is kind of cliche).
Jesus puts in another perspective from the cross: ‘Forgive them for they know not what they do.’
With God’s grace, I’ll get a handle on this forgiveness thing too.
BTW, I liked the Rumi quote.
Adios
posted February 13, 2008 at 9:53 pm
I’m kind of amazed that this article lacks posts. It is heartening to see the posts on the experience of poverty because compassion is love and love is Godliness.
I’ve found it’s a pretty good idea to take forgiveness seriously. Jesus commands it.
posted February 14, 2008 at 8:41 am
A COURSE IN MIRACLES:
ACIM proposes that this life of separation, angst, and alienation is an illusion/dream. If the church fathers believed in an ex nihilo creation, doesn’t it make sense that you get nothing from nothing. Love in a non-dualistic sense (much like Trinitarian theology)is the only reality in this world of illusions. The awful stuff is an experience we have for sure according to ACIM, but it’s illusory.
The aim of ACIM is to center us on God rather than our illusions, thus making the dream end happily till we’re in perfect union/connection with God.
By all means David, if you know of a better metaphysics on forgiveness – please share it. Mine was cursory and can be more explored on the iPod broadcast, ‘A Crash Course in Miracles’