I Am Thine O Lord

 April 13 2008

Dad The Gathering hymn

Birthday/Anniv by JH?

Special Day Song

Piano Call to Worship/Prelude

Hymn We Gather Together

13'15" Story

Around 25' Children Story DM?

Prayer

Around 40' Sermon JH?

Hello Readers,

Was my Dad a Nine or a Seven? Was my Mom an Eight? or a Five? at their best together were my parents Mary and Martha Two's?....hmmm I enjoy thinking about them and pondering all the ways they were each of the Nine Enneagram Types.

I recently listened to the Nine episode from the Sleeping At Last podcast series. As I've mentioned in more than one Blog over the years this podcast creator, Ryan, wrote a song for each of the Nine types. Ryan posted insights about each personality type along with insights into his song writing process. Throughout the series he mentions numerous times that he identifies as a Nine. For example during the Eight episode Ryan states a need to get in touch with his anger. I enjoy the fact that the Nine types create a circle and that each has wings on each side. Therefore Nine is winged to Eight and One. An Eight is often protective and empowers others while the the Enneagram One often seeks to make the world a better place with a clear view of right and wrong. 

The Nine have a lot to balance and thus often feel they should not speak up. They may struggle to manage their own innate sense of empathy with their wings of protectiveness and morality. As a society we missout (an expert on the podcast pointed this out) when Nine Types are quiet, we all need their voice BECAUSE of their empathy. Early in the song the autobiographical lyrics say he's been sleepwalking since he was fourteen....here are more lyrics from the middle of the song that I find encouraging in my relation to the type Nine:

 Song Nine 

...it looks like empathy to understand all sides, but I'm just trying to find myself through someon else's eyes, so show me what to do, to start this heart of mine...how do I forgive myself for loosing so much time?

 wake up. roll up your sleeves. there's a chain reaction in your heart. muscle memory, in remembering who you are. Stand up. fall in love again and again and again - wage war on gravity...there's so much worth fighting for, you'll see...

Ryan is vulnerable as he shares about having a closed-up heart. Another expert on the podcast, Chris, points out that it is very important for Nines to get in touch with their anger to truly be able to open up their heart. I believe anger is encouraged in the video with a capital S in Stand up as few words are capitalized. Jesus Stood up when he turned over the tables in the synagogue. Jesus also Stood up and wept when his friend Lazarus died before he got to him. This doesn't mean they were unexpected just that Jesus Stood up.

What I most took away from this final Nine type is that it can be said that the Nine's superpower is empathy. The Nine is the culmination of the whole Enneagram circle, we all need to look to the Nine both figuratively and literally as the examples of how to use the Enneagram to grow in empathy for others. At the end of the Nine song a challenge is given to all Nine Types. 

...to know and love ourselves and others well is the most difficult...and meaningful...work we'll ever do...

In Mark 12:28-31 Jesus continues to take questions. I like to think the person asking about The Greatest Commandment does so with pure curiosity. It is not my intention to preach here only to connect the importance of an undeniable truth of how we can all grow in peace and love for one another as we learn to love both our neighbor and ourselves.

Thanks for reading.

Stay Well,

Amy BH


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