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Beth Patterson

Host, Virtual Tea House

What it's like...rather than what it is

Anthropomorphizing God and God's kingdom is the best most of us, maybe any of us, can do.  Similes, metaphors and other analogies are thus the honest homily. 

This post is part of a synchroblog of other bloggers writing on 'the kingdom of God'.  Check out the links to their posts at the end of this one as they become available. 

 

The kingdom of God is like...

 

the intricacies of markings on a butterfly's wings

made of thousands of minute scales

each a kingdom unto itself

 

the color brown

made of red and yellow, compost and water

each a kingdom unto itself

 

the welcoming wag of a dog's tail

made up of synapses and sinew, love and hikes

each a kingdom unto itself

 

a delicious frosted cake

made of the salt of the earth and the leavening of love

each a kingdom unto itself.

 

The holographic nature of the universe

Speaks to the nature of the kingdom of God

But cannot define or even illuminate it.

But we, both the cake and part of the cake

Can have and eat it, too.

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Synchroblog

This post is part of a synchroblog on the theme of The Kingdom of God. You may enjoy other posts on this theme at:

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Published Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:01 PM by Beth Patterson

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CHARIS SHALOM » Synchroblog (Multiple Bloggers Writing at the Same Time) on the Kingdom of God said:

PingBack from http://charisshalom.fjministries.com/2009/05/synchroblog-multiple-bloggers-writing-at-the-same-time-on-the-kingdom-of-god/

May 19, 2009 5:11 PM
 

DancesWL said:

Wonderful choices of earthy, yet divine remembrances to nudge us towards that which we cannot know.  Love your stuff Beth.

May 19, 2009 8:16 PM
 

Kingdom, power and glory « Khanya said:

PingBack from http://khanya.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/kingdom-power-and-glory/

May 20, 2009 1:12 AM
 

The “Kingdom”: of God? « Sound and Silence said:

PingBack from http://soundandsilence.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/the-kingdom-of-god/

May 20, 2009 1:47 AM
 

The Kingdom of God Is At Hand « Grace Rules Weblog said:

PingBack from http://gracerules.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-hand/

May 20, 2009 2:05 AM
 

Liz Dyer said:

Beth - I love the imagery - I am particularly fond of being the cake and eating it too - it was delightful, like the kingdom of God:>)

May 20, 2009 2:39 AM
 

The reign of Godde « tim victor’s musings said:

PingBack from http://timvictor.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/the-reign-of-godde/

May 20, 2009 3:43 AM
 

nic paton said:

Beth - the sentiment that abides in your words is the way that Gods being is in All things. Everything is a microcosm of this Being. All things are connected. Joy is knowing the homely simplicity of this, and the paradox of this simplicity located within immense Divine Diversity.

Thank you for the poetry, the particularity, and the de-anthropomorphising.

May 20, 2009 4:55 AM
 

Susan said:

<i>The holographic nature of the universe

Speaks to the nature of the kingdom of God</i>

I like it!

May 20, 2009 8:07 AM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Thank you Dances, Liz, Nic and Susan for your comments! Glad you like the de-anthropomorphizing of the kingdom!  Just carrying on in the tradition...if you want to read a mo' betta list of what Jesus said the kingdom was like, go to Liz's excellent post!

http://gracerules.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-hand/

Thanks again--

May 20, 2009 9:25 AM
 

Deborah Godin said:

Oh I enjoyed this post immensely!  Great to read everything! And I was kind of on a similar path this morning.

May 20, 2009 12:56 PM
 

Andrew said:

Hi Beth

Yes, the Kingdom of God is both smaller and bigger than we can ever imagine!!

Thanks for this!!

Andrew

May 21, 2009 5:29 AM
 

Yewtree said:

Beautiful poem, Beth.

Here's my thoughts on the Kingdom of God (or the <a href="http://heartofflame.blogspot.com/2009/05/republic-of-heaven-on-earth.html">republic of heaven on earth</a>, as I prefer to call it)

May 21, 2009 6:14 PM
 

Ellen Haroutunian said:

Beautiful poetry! I will sit with this for a long time.

May 26, 2009 3:24 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

&#160; “The kingdom of God is like a feast where everyone is welcomed with a jubilant divine indiscriminacy,

February 26, 2010 12:54 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

&#160; “The kingdom of God is like a feast where everyone is welcomed with a jubilant divine indiscriminacy,

February 26, 2010 12:55 PM

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About Beth Patterson

The Virtual Tea House website became 'word-ripe' when, over a cup of jasmine green, I realized that the web has an expanding part to play in the communal aspects of spiritual growth.

With a master's degree in religion, my career spans 20 years in end of life care and I currently work in the field of child abuse intervention and advocacy.

Here in beautiful Central Oregon, my spiritual homes of the high desert and the mountains are both in proximity. And for good measure, four hours away is Grandmother Ocean and the stunning Oregon Coast.

I'm making decent progress on the goal set by my mother early on: she taught us that the goal of humanity should be to become ever-more eccentric, i.e. more fully human.

Entering the 'forest-dweller' phase of life, I am honored to host the Virtual Tea House for all who wish to explore how our lives are enriched and made new a thousand times each day by the spirituality we embody. Exploring this engagement together is the purpose of the Virtual Tea House.

Welcome! Let's have a cup of virtual tea together and share what brings us joy, what we are being taught by life, how we are leaning into the Big Questions posed to us each day in sometimes 'distressing disguises'.

Follow me on Twitter, if you must
http://twitter.com/MyraB

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