Rambling Ragamuffin Remarks

I often wish I could extend as much grace to me as God does.  I suppose if I had that much grace I would be God...and the whole world would be in trouble!

Sometimes I get tired of being a ragamuffin, which is another way of saying, "I'm tired of the dysfunction."  I just want everything to make sense.  I'm glad that God's grace is there.  It is a gift.  All I have to do is unwrap it and give him a big "Thank You!"

I know this post will not win a Pulitzer Prize.  The reward is to be able to express myself and know, if you are reading this, there is at least one other human being that thinks what I have to say has value.  What I say to that is, "Thank you."  Now, let me read your Pulitzer pontifications :)

Another Ragamuffin

I spoke with a friend today...another ragamuffin find!  we shared a lot about our struggles and the wonderful "furious love" and grace of God.  I'll be making another post from the book soon.  Please join us in the conversation.

Short Memory Ragamuffins

I heard, read, or dreamed about the memory of those little guppy fish.  Their brains are kind of small and they can only remember as far back as a few minutes.  So each time a predator heads toward them they think, "Oh look.  A new friend!" they say enthusiastically as they are being eliminated.

As a Ragamuffin, my memory gets short at times.  I let the waters of life distract me from the many blessings, graces, and mercies God provides me.  If I'm not careful I can get in places of danger without realizing it.

Can my fellow Ragamuffins relate to this?  Please share your insights and I will try to remember what you said! :)

Complacency In Ourselves

Page 58 of Ragamuffin:

"The danger with our good works, spiritual investments, and all the rest of it is that we can construct a picture of ourselves in which we situate our self-worth.  Complacency in ourselves then replaces sheer delight in God's unconditional love.  Our doing becomes the very undoing of the ragamuffin gospel."


As much as I try to not be a "human doing" there are times it sneaks in.  Things are starting to get busy in my new  ministry endeavor.  I was so busy yesterday, on my birthday, that I didn't have time to celebrate.  I'm involved in a lot of good stuff but I must remember that my real delight is to be found in God's unconditional love for a ragamuffin.  And ragamuffins can't earn that, they can only accept it and live their lives conscious of the fact that their good works didn't get them to that supreme delight.

And now my fellow ragamuffins, let's hear your response to this quote or my attempt at eloquence!

Fallen Angel Ragmuffin

Since this past New Year's Eve I have been struggling with an injured knee that became staph infected.  I was hastily sent to the hospital for surgery that would need to be followed up with an IV pump for six weeks and numerous physical therapy sessions.  Since I was so focused on my pain and recovery it seemed my other human frailties vanished.  But as my health improved, the old battles returned and I would have to say I have been somewhat disappointed with myself, much like a smoker who quit smoking due to a long hospital stay but later returns to his old habit.

At the bottom of page 31 of THE RAGAMUFFIN GOSPEL, Brennan says:

     "Often I've been asked, 'Brennan, how is it possible that you became an alcoholic after you got saved?'  It is possible because I got battered and bruised by loneliness and failure, because I got discouraged, uncertain, guilt ridden, and took my eyes off of Jesus.  Because the Christ-encounter did not transfigure me into an angel. Because justification by grace through faith means I have been set in right relationship with God, not made the equivalent of a patient etherized on a table."

I guess that makes me a fallen angel ragamuffin.  No, just a plain old every day garden variety ragamuffin.

Making God Laugh

Do you think you ever make God laugh?  Here's a Ragamuffin quote, p. 32:

     "According to an ancient Christian legend, a saint once knelt down and prayed, 'Dear God, I have only one desire in life.  Give me the grace of never offending you again.'
     When God heard this, He started laughing out loud.  'That's what they all ask for.  But if I offered everyone this grace, tell me, whom would I forgive?"

I guess for my sake I'm glad God has a sense of humor!:)  When it comes to my life I'm like the bank robber who practiced his line before he held up the bank, "Don't mess with me, this is a stick up!"  The poor guy was rather nervous when he actually walked up to the teller, pointed the gun and said, "Don't stick with me, this is a mess up!"

I'm grateful for these...That there are people in my life who have the grace to put up with my mess ups and a God who loves me in spite of them.  He truly does loves ragamuffins!

Perception & Acceptance

Hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year.

Manning makes this point on page 29:

"Never confuse the perception of yourself with the mystery that you are really accepted."

He continues by saying that we do not need to be like Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, that has to hide his ugliness.  Jesus came for us precisely because we are all Quadimodos, ugh...Ragamuffins.

I wish I could easily put that into practice.  There are times I feel so ugly because of my sins and shortcomings.  It's like I'm looking in a carnival mirror.  My imperfections are there but they are distorted.  But there are times I believe the reflection!  Lord, help me to let go of the broken idea of needing to look good in your presence.  Help me to know what's more important is my honesty in your presence.

What say ye about this fellow Ragamuffins?