The 10 commandments

[MaryBS]

I'm shocked! I discovered today that Catholics number the 10 commandments differently from the C of E (and probably everyone else!)

In the 'Catholic' commandments, number 4 is "Honour thy father and thy mother". I told my Vicar I'd broken the 4th commandment, he assumed I meant keeping the Sabbath day holy, and we had a very confused conversation until we figured out the differences!

Anyone else come across this?

[MaryBS]

Lizzi - thanks for your advice. I've been told there is a book allowance, and that "I'm to use it and not to expect to have to pay for everything". There is a library, and when I go on 15th for my study day I'll see whats there. I received my first 'work' in the post yesterday. I started to look at it last night.

SAHMof1, don't beat yourself up too much about prayer. God understands. When you're sitting with your baby, just sit quietly and listen for Him. Some days my prayer has been "God, You know whats in my head, I can't put it into words, please figure it out!!!". Prayer for me has come easier since I made my commitment to God to become a reader. Its also become harder too, because while I feel blessed with His grace, I feel so much more conscious of my own inadequacies, and find I have to battle with myself so that its not all about 'me'. (BTW Xavi, I pray on the loo too! NOT something I confessed at selection, when asked when/how I pray )

[Lizzi04]

I am glad I'm not the only one who prays on the loo!!!!! Isn't it the case that sometimes it's the only place you can sit quietly uninterupted?! I hope God is cool with it!

Isn't God FAB?!! My life has changed so much since I got to know Him

Mary I am really excited for you! I am so glad we got in touch. Good to hear about your book allowance as some of the books are SOOO expensive! I was shocked. What's your first work then? I had to read through some printed bible passages and decide what category they fit into, ie, Laws, poetry, etc.

[MaryBS]

Thats it! Peace and quiet!

This is what I have to do in prep. for the study day.

"Choose two passages from the NT that are particularly significant for you. Write a short paragraph on each, describing ways in which the passage has increased your understanding and influenced your spirituality"

I've been given 3 images from "the Christ We Share" series of pictures..

"look at the images and say which I find most attractive and/or helpful... which is least...
Write brief notes describing why. What is each of the 2 images saying about Jesus? What clues does each picture giver about the context in which it originated?"

"Read the gospel of Mark. Note down main images/impressions of Jesus in this gospel"

"Read the photocopied pages of Charpenier's How to read the New Testament". Make notes on teh main stages in the formation of the impressions of Jesus portrayed in the four gospels"

I've looked over it all, and the first passage of significance is the '2' commandments of Love the Lord your God... etc. I'm still thinking about the second.

The picture one is challenging as they are 3 very different pictures. I know what picture I don't like, I can't choose between the other 2 - one is a picture of a gathering, sharing food, fellowship. The second is that of a crucified African Christ. The former is more uplifting the latter is more thought provoking and spiritual.

Mark's Gospel I've yet to do

The last one, I'm finding the most difficult as TBH I don't like the man's style of writing and I'm not entirely sure what they mean by the question. If you have the book, its the chapter entitled "Getting ready for our journey". I feel he makes assumptions about what I am thinking, and I'm not thinking how he thinks I'm thinking, if you know what I mean

As for knowing God, I feel I've known him all my life in a distant sort of way, now I feel much closer to Him. Like he is really inside me (which he is, I know), and you can't separate me from Him. I feel more at peace with myself. Ever since I started work I've always felt there was something else I should be doing, something missing. Now, as Reader in Training, I believe I've found it...

[Lizzi04]

Wow Mary that's alot of work they are expecting from you!! I didn't have to do that much initially. How different our courses appear!

Your final paragraph touched me.... I so understand and get where you are it's lovely to hear someone express how I too feel :-)

A good book for you (not for study as such but for understanding of our new role) is:

"Bridging The Gap, reader ministry today" it's available from Church House Publishing. and a good website I found for books is www.eden.co.uk
Love and prayers.

[MaryBS]

It does seem a lot doesn't it? I'll do what I can before the day. My vicar let me a few books on Mark, so I've started reading one of those. The book you mention was one I was lent when I was initially applying for reader training - it IS very good, but have to admit that it made me feel a bit inadequate when I read it!

Its nice when someone else understands where you're coming from! My mother is struggling to come to terms with my 'calling' - although she hasn't said it, I don't believe she thinks I was called by God (although initially she thought I was coerced into it by the Vicar!). Its hard for her though as she is RC.

[nearlythree]

SAHMof1, prayer is our whole lives. Yes, it is important to find silence sometimes, but everything we do becomes prayer if we offer it to God. And remember that we are made in God's image so God is mother too. When I had dd1 I found it hard to pray, and so when I held her I used to try and use my hands to show her how much Jesus loves her. After all, ours are the only hands he has in this world.

Lizzie and Mary, I am so pleased to hear you sounding so happy and fulfilled. Part of me is very sad as I once felt like you do about my vocation, but it has all changed. Will definitely go back to my degree though once the children are bigger.

I used to pray for dh to be converted, until I realsied it was for my own benefit, not his, I wanted him to be on the same journey as me so I coudl share it with him. Now I realise he has his own journey to make. And in many ways he is far more 'Christian' than I am.

[MaryBS]

Wise words nearlythree.

Don't worry about being a 'new' Christian SAHMof1. Firstly Lizzi, nearlythree and I aren't experts by any means, and I'm sure we'd all admit to times in our lives where we struggled and found it all overwhelming. After having a baby, doubly so! Don't be too hard on yourself. When you look at your baby in your arms, and have feelings of love, thank God for your love and your baby. Thats a prayer in itself!

[MaryBS]

Lizzi (or anyone else who wants to) - if you ever wanted to discuss anything in depth, or wanted to talk about the course without posting it on the board, my email address is [email protected]

Have you found the reader website? The forums are very slow, but occasionally there is something interesting. I found the topic answering the Da Vinci Code very good!

Mary

[MaryBS]

Lizzi - just come back from our PCC meeting. The Vicar raised the subject of the book grant - I'm to be given £200pa, payable upfront - so result! Takes some of the financial worries away!

I've ordered the 2 books I need for the NT course, total cost £27 so far...