Jennifer Vance Free Choice #3 Martin Buber I and Thou

The excerpts from Martin Buber I and Thou made my head spin. I read it atleast 25 times and each time it made me feel unintelligent. I read it to my friends, parents and grandparents and by the end of all of this I can say I got the just of it. In the excerpts Martin Buber makes the distinction between expierence and encounter. He states that “Those who experience do not participate in the world. The world does not participate in experience. It allows itself to be experienced, but it is not concerned, for it contributes nothing, and nothing happens to it. I could not wrap my brain around the part "it contributes nothing" I understood nothing happens to it but doesn't the object contribute itself? For example if an object in the world causes me to fall and get hurt it has to contribute something to this event and the event would not take place? Maybe I didn't understand because they were just excerpts.

Jennifer Vance Landscapes of the sacred #3 Three approaches for understanding sacred place

Lane presents three approaches to understanding sacred place. He argues that all three of these approaches are necessary in understanding the complex character of any sacred place. While studying these three approaches I found the Phenomenological approach to be the most confusing. Below is my understanding of what he was trying to articulate to readers.
The ontological approach focuses on intuition and reason alone. It is based upon being or existence and suggest that a sacred place is perceived only as a matter of transcendent experience. The Cultural approach is opposite from the ontological approach. It suggest that places alone do not have any inherent meaning but peoples values, beliefs and disagreement have greater influence on a place being deemed as sacred. The Phenomenological approach is a more objective view of the place. The place itself participates in the meaning of a place being sacred. For example, the particularities of the place (all of the land, the animals, trees, sky, and geographical feautures) are significan in understanding sacred place.

Jennifer Vance Landscapes of the Sacred # 2

How can Mount Rainier be considered a mask of the Holy-

In Lanes Landscapes of the sacred he suggests that ordinary landscapes can be viewed two ways. A landscape can be valued simply for what it is (ordinary) or when seen through the eyes of faith, valued as something far more than ordinary such as a mask of the holy.
A mask is something that reveals and conceals something at the same time. A mask identifies the character but its identity is hidden. A sacred landscape that is considered to be a mask of the Holy is Mount Rainier. Lane describes certain aspects of the mountain that can make one who encounters it feel insignificant. Standing over 14000 feet Mount Rainier is referred to as Tohoma, The Mountain that was God. Locate yourself next to one of its 27 glaciers and you will gain a sense of their power. Professor Redick mentioned that the sounds that penetrate from the glaciers cracking and the rivers that roll across steep boulders can make one tremble. Although I have never been to Mount Rainier I can understand how these characteristics can prove Mt. Rainier to be a mask of the Holy. Mt. Rainier reveals that it was created by God and it gives us a part of him but because of God's majesty we are incapable of coming face to face with Him therefore a part of him is also concealed.

Jennifer Vance Image and Pilgrimage #1

In Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture Victor Turner presents the concept of communitas. He explains it as an unstructured community where people are equal. Communitas is similar to community but communitas contains strong feelings of togetherness and is characteried by sharing a liminal experience usually through rite of passage. Rite of passage is the sacred component of communitas it usually involves a ritual a person must go through to pass to the next stage of life such as marriage and baptism. Communitas brings everyone to a level of equality, even if you are higher in position, you have been lower and you know what it means to be in a lower a position. You can relate and sympathize with the individuals who are where you have once been. After reading this I felt like commumitas could also be defind as an attitude of humility.

Jennifer Vance Natural Setting #2 Botancial Gardens

One of my girlfriends favorite places to visit is the Bontanical Garden. During this semester she invited me to go along. The trees and flowers we encountered there were breath taking. We were both fascinated by two massive redwood trees that were planted side by side. From a distance they stood proud over all of Botancial Garden. It was as if they grew up together. As we approached these trees I could feel a strong connection between them. Standing under them it appeared they were holding hands. Although their branches were touching they grew outward, each protecting the other from anything that might come between them. Attached is a picutre that was taken from that day. By looking at this picture one can get a glimpse of what we encountered that day but it doesn't do it any justice. This picture can never replace was is planted vividly in my memory from that day.

Jennifer Vance Free Choice #2 Requied Compassion

I have always wondered why God would allow so much pain and suffering in this world since he has the ability to prevent it. I’ve learned about sin, Adam and Eve, and the antichrist but I still struggle to understand why. After much thought I’ve decided this is his way of preparing us for Gods Kingdom. The one thing that is certain in this life is death. Many of us will experience the loss of a mother, a friend or loved one. The pain and feelings of sadness that go along with this type of loss is almost unbearable. I recently lost someone close to me and those feelings are still very fresh. Around this time my sister’s girlfriend called her upset about a break up between her and her boyfriend. Later that night my sister called me and said she had a hard time sympathizing with her after what had just happened to me. I reminded my sister that at this point her friend had not experience the death of a loved one and what her friend was experiencing with her boyfriend was real to her, she was hurting and my sister needed to be there for her. I reminded her of how she felt when she broke up with her boyfriend of 7 years. She was devastated. Then it dawned on me that until walk in someone’s shoes you don’t fully understand what they are going through. When my five year old has a melt down because one of his toys broke I need to remember that in his short five years on this earth this is something of great importance to him. It isn’t until you experience something very similar to another that you can truly understand what they are going through. This allows individuals to become compassionate and sympathetic both of which I believe are needed before you enter Heaven to reunite with God’s children.

Jennifer Vance Natural Setting #1

View from the Lion’s Bridge at the Noland Trail

I missed the field trip with class to the Noland Trail because I had a doctor's appointment. I procrastinated on completing this assignment because I had to make a special trip after classes ended. At first I was aggravated that I had to take time away from my children after the semester had ended. Because I work and go to school fulltime I cherish the extra time I get to spend with them before the next semester starts. When I first arrived at the Noland Trail I couldn’t think of anything to write because it was not where I wanted to be. I sat there for over an hour and could come up with nothing to put on paper. All I could think about is time and how I wish I had more of it. After a while I realized my attitude towards this assignment was preventing me from completing it. It wasn’t until I stopped resisting and approached it with an open mind that I was able to understand what I was supposed to take away from this natural setting. It is at this point that the words began to flow from my thoughts effortlessly. While driving home from the Lion’s Bridge I felt a sense of relief and realized that I enjoyed spending time by myself. I felt refreshed and more adapt to handle the things that go along with everyday life :)

Jennifer Vance Landscapes of the Sacred#1

In the introduction of Landscapes of the Sacred Lane writes of always hoping to immediately discover God on his pilgrimages but it isn’t until he gives up the search that his goal is accomplished. He gives an example of one such pilgrimage to Pore Marquette State Park. While on this pilgrimage he sougt to find God’s presence when he first arrived. However, it wasn’t until the end of his journey, when he was invited to a clearing in the woods and had a meeting with a deer, that he found what he was looking for.
This story reminds me of a well known saying “it will happen when you least expect it.” Often times you hear of a couple unsuccessfully trying to conceive a child. After several attempts they turn to fertility drugs for help. My aunt, after years of trying to procreate gave up and adopted a little girl. Four years later without any help she was blessed with the ability to conceive and had a set of twins.
Another example of “it happens when you least expect it” is when an individual desperately searches for their soul mate. Usually, its not until after several failed attempts and hope is lost that a person will meet the love of their life.
In Lane’s personal story as well as these examples I believe it is God reminding us that he is in control. It is when we stop tying to control our own lives and live out God’s will then we will receive his blessings.

Jennifer Vance Free Choic #1 Zolton's visit

When Zolton came to CNU to share his stories of his pilgrimage to the Appalachian Trail he repeatedly spoke of the sublime aspects of his travel. Several times during his visit he associated the word sublime with feelings of fear. While listening to his story I had a hard time making the connection of fear and how it pertained to the subject of sacred places. When I think of God I think of His love, grace and mercy. My curiosity intrigued me so I looked up the definition of sublime for clarification. I found that sublime is defined as awakening feelings of awe and reverence; high in place or excellence; exalted in nature, elevated in manner or style: that which is awe inspiring in works of nature or art as distinguished from beautiful. While I understand that God and all his glory can certainly provoke fear because He is the creator I’m still confused when using the word in this context