Rev. Glenn ChaffinNewThoughtStudy.com

Relation Ships

• “I knew the ship was sunk before I ever set foot onboard”. Seneca

Battle Ship

• Shouting Orders

• Danger

• Crisis

• At war[What did Seneca say?]

Sailing Ship

• “I didn't know it would be so much work.”

• Constantly Correcting Course

• Mutiny

Cargo Ship

• Tons of Goods

• No Fun

• Slow Boat to ...?

Cruise Ship

• Life's a Party

• I'm a Passenger

Canoe

• In the midst of nature's beauty …

• “Sit down, sit down sit down! Sit down -you’re rocking the boat”

• “Shut up! You’re rocking the boat”.

Boat Rocking Strategies

• Time Management – “It’s Now or Never”! / “When”? / Curfew, Curtail, Control

• $ Management – Allow-ance / Saving / Benefit and Tax / Pay to Play

• Weight Management – throw your weight around / Prioritize / Burden

• Personnel Management – Rule / Judge / Persuade / Promise / Policy / Police

• Who is rocking the boat?

Walking the Plank

• Balance:– relative "weight" & relative "distance" from pivot point

• Weight: – add another person, bricks of gold, burdens, baggage, etc.

• Distance: – we move toward or away from the pivotal point of the relationship,

seeking balance.

• Pivotal Point:– it’s what we are going back and forth, over and over, up and down on!

Balancing Acts• MASTER /\ SLAVE

PARENT /\ CHILDOWNER /\ PET – The pivotal point is Self-awareness.

• DIVORCE /\ MARRIAGE– The pivotal point is Giving.

• WINNING /\ LOSING– The  pivotal point is Self-worth.

• TAKING /\ GIVING– The pivotal point is Fulfillment.

• LISTEN /\ SPEAK– The pivotal point is Recognition. 

• JUDGMENT /\ LOVEANGER /\ ACCEPTANCEWRESTLE /\ EMBRACE– The pivotal point is agreement.

Equality

• Premise 1: We are never = , therefore we must seek balance to express love.– equality cannot be established by a balancing act

because … – we can't keep up the balancing act in the midst of

change; and because …– equality IS; and nothing we do, while thinking it isn't,

will ever overcome our ignorance. • Premise 2:

We are = , therefore we express love and things balance out.

Relation Ship with God?

• God is the ocean, not the Captain of our Relation Ship.

• We are not in a Relation Ship with God, because we are one with God.

• If you are one with the Infinite, then you are equal to any one, deserving of their love, respect and gifts.

• We don't seek a personal relationship with God. We express God personally in all relationships.