Is God's love too much for us?

 C. S. Lewis believes this to be true, after much sole searching and contemplation so do I. 

I am working my way through my thrift store find “C.S. Lewis readings for reflection and meditation” edited by Walter Hooper.  For the longest time the second reading entitled The Intolerable Compliment pg. 20, stumped me.  I could not make sense of the approximately 187 words of this reflection.

The meditation is from “The Problem of Pain” chapter 3 and starts by positioning human happiness within the following parameters:

•  a life spent in worship of the Divine
•  a life spent obedient to the Divine and
•  a life spent in submission to the Divine

For the longest time this is as far as I went before my internal challenges stopped me.  Where is free will?  My God given right to create my own life to be self-determined?  I do not believe in a Creator God that wants humanity to be automatons - that equation is devoid of love and my God is the essence from which all love flows.

C. S. Lewis anticipated my response and in the next verse says this sounds more like a “despot” a tyrant than a loving God.  And now comes the part the stumped me and of which I am not sure I grasp even now.

“Do we suppose that we can do him any good?”

How does my happiness through worshiping, being obedient to and prostrating myself to the Divine link to God's good or lack thereof?

Then understanding started to form just outside my conscious knowing and as I write this it continues to flicker there.  To understand what Lewis means I reflected on my experience as a parent and grandparent where I work every day to provide an environment where my children can find happiness and their happiness or lack thereof does not make me less of a parent genetics and adoption make me that.  God is God nothing I do or don't do changes that fact, my worship, obedience and supplication to God will result in my happiness not a greater God.

Lewis ends by reminding us we are to follow in Christ's example by living a life full of love, stewardship in all things and servant hood because it brings self-awareness, mindfulness in all things and yes happiness.

God's love for us is so encompassing that in every moment of my life God is guiding me to, providing opportunity for me to know true happiness not for God's glory, no because God loves me, personally and passionately.

Yes it is an intolerable complement to know my God loves me that much - Intolerable and wonderful all at the same time.  So I strive to live a life of worship, obedience and supplication to my creator.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2014 twosnydergirls

Two Families Grieve

Do Not Stand By My Grave And Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there; I did not die.

~ Mary Elizabeth Frye

Death walks with each of us every day and this week it has visited two families within my circle of friends.  Mother’s both, one my mother’s age and the other mine.

Death walks with each of us, spend time with those you love and build memories that will outlive you and that you can live with.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2014 twosnydergirls

Raisin-Apple Baked Breakfast Gluten Free

Raisin-Apple Baked Breakfast

Gluten Free

This recipe was inspired by and adapted from Gooseberry Patch’s Fall Favorites Apple-Raisin Oven Pancake.  I came across the Fall Favorites recipe book in a local thrift shop paying 25 cents for what has turned out to be a wonderful little cookbook. 

The recipe itself is also dairy free and when Grandpa and the girls sat down to breakfast they added ice cream and maple syrup.  I enjoyed it as made and you can decide for yourself how your family will eat this wonder breakfast treat.

Ingredients:

2 apples cored and sliced (we did not peel our apples)

½ cup of raisins

1 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 eggs

2/3 of cup Almond milk

2/3 of cup gluten free flour mix (for this recipe I used Robin Hood gluten free flour and you can use your favourite gluten free flour blend)

2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

Directions:

1. Mix the apple slices, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon together and place them in a greased pie plate and place in a 350 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes.

2. Blend together the eggs, flour, almond milk, coconut oil.

3. When the apples and raisin are cooked take the plate out of the oven and increase the temperature to 450 degrees.

4. Pour the liquid mixture over the apples and raisin and return it to the oven for a further 10 to 20 minutes.  Keep checking the pie after 10 minutes once the pie is set and starting to turn brown remove from oven and serve hot.

This also works well with Pears instead of or with apples and currents instead of or with raisins.

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls