What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
When a person is obviously being falsely negatively criticized by someone with “issues,” but remains calm and respectful, even if applying a little appropriate correction.
Archive for the ‘(almost) Alone’ Category
Sparks My Admiration
20251210Take All My Life
20251130
Words and Music:
I need to take some time now in this quiet place
with all the noise and struggles left outside.
Some pieces of my soul
are out of Your control,
But I want You for my Friend and Lord.
I need You now to
Take all my life.
Take it into my life.
Take what I’ve kept from You
and all that chains me inside.
Precious Lord, the time is right.
I’m ready to give up the fight.
Your children die in order then to rise.
I need to take some time now in this quiet place.
I need to know exactly who I am.
With hungry souls to feed,
and my own soul in such need,
No human strength is strong enough,
and none is needed.
Take all my life.
Take it into my life.
Take what I’ve kept from You
and all that shames me inside.
Precious Lord, the time is right.
I’m ready to give up the fight.
Your children die in order then to rise.
Thankfulness and Entitlement
20250901
Thankfulness, Gratitude, A new joy, shared with the giver of something undeserved.
How easily the word passes through the semi-conscious mind with little notice.
How habitually taken for granted as a concept, no matter how thinly practiced.
That is remarkable, really.
How often am I like Eve in the garden - unable to take my gaze away from that one tree, in order to turn and celebrate a whole garden of delights?
See how I take routine, constant pleasant things – good things – for granted
to the point of complete entrenched unawareness.
While all the while, the occasional pebble in the foot
• or the intrusive driver
• or the muggy day
• or the rainy day
• or the temporary soreness in the elbow
• or the critical look from a stranger
• or the “failure” of (whatever we think of as) God to “answer” a “prayer”
Essential invitations to deeper kinds of life, or competence, or even joy,
these occasional thorns and distresses can grow within me, like grains of sand into vast treacherous deserts.
Then...
Along comes the apostle Paul (for example) in the New Testament and his seeming obsession to constantly remind those who will listen - regarding thankfulness, both intentional and spontaneous:
One of the great failings of corrupted humanity in general is their neglect of thankfulness, Rom_1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Producing thankfulness in those he served was a primary goal of his efforts. 2Co_1:11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many. 2Co_4:15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
His own secret inner life was subject to sudden eruptions of thankfulness. 2Co_9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Genuine thankfulness is a component of effective prayer Eph_1:16 I do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; Phm_1:4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, 1Th_1:2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers.
The great contrast and warfare between two spiritual climates in routine human experience Eph_5:4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. Col_3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Thankfulness gently dominates the human life that God intends. Eph_5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; Col_3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 1Th_5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 2Th_1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren,
True Christian (and human) growth cannot but involve gratitude Col_2:7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 1Ti_4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;
Thankfulness is a major bridge between faith and transformation. Heb_12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe
There is a strong sense in which those outside of Christ Jesus really cannot be expected to have the most profound forms of intended human thankfulness. Heb_13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
A concluding thought:
The fact is that a persistent sense of “righteous” entitlement pervades conventional human nature in its current form. It is so persistent – our nature is so infested with it – that we cannot notice it with much objectivity or accuracy. Without God's merciful assistance, it would be like a person in lifelong darkness trying to perceive who or what is there with herm in the room.
Take note how your surrounding culture seems hell-bent (literally) on making sure only the negatives - or mere trivial positives - are emphasized, even though they are far outweighed by reasons to feel grateful.
Yesterday’s disciplines are today’s habits, tomorrow’s character, and ultimate destiny
20250628What are your daily habits?
my very high recommendation on this point:
The Spirit of the Disciplines,
by Dallas Willard
My t-shirt message
20250625If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?
Please tell me about this God you don’t believe in
On Spirituality
20250625How important is spirituality in your life?
When the subject of “religion“ arises, my experience is that most people will simply call themselves “spiritual.“ I am in the habit of asking such people if they can define for me what a “spirit” is. No person that I have asked this question has ever been able to give any answer, whether accurate or inaccurate.
I conclude that what people mean when they call themselves “spiritual“ is something like “there are things about me that are really great, and sometimes I think about or do things that seem connected to that greatness.” There might be some reference to some kind of “higher power” – also without any real clarity of meaning, or genuine motivation to go further.
In my view, this sort of lazy thinking, protected by a wall of culturally approved trivial distractions, is both toxic and dangerous.
There is at least one Spirit that has been rightly called Holy. I recommend caution for all other spirits with which one can be consciously or unconsciously connected.
You Can’t Fix a Zombie with Makeup
20250414
You can't fix a zombie with makeup
or by making sure it's well-fed.
Wealth redistributions,
Reformed institutions:
The walking dead still remain dead.
A zombie will get what it asks for,
then go on demanding in swarms.
It craves acquiescence.
Your blood is it’s essence,
and comes in a number of forms.
You can't fix a zombie by paying
for “Give me my rights” show and tell.
Exploit an election?
That's no resurrection.
Just wanderers under the spell
of a garden hose pointed toward hell.
You can’t fix your car at the car wash,
no matter what soap it provides,
nor gaze at the sky
with ordure in your eye.
(You’ve grown use to darkness, besides.)
And you can't fix a zombie with makeup.
That’s not where the deadness resides.
“Spiritual”
20250405
A “spirit” is a mind that needs no brain to function.
There is one Holy Spirit.
He can provide a very healing and empowering interaction with your personal spirit.
Be very cautious in the midst of other “spiritualities.”
We are all bound to discover in time that the spiritual realm is actually more substantial and powerful than anything perceived in conventional experience.
A Mean and Greedy Deed
20250403
"A mean and greedy deed, indeed.
He would not heed the leader's lead.
You plant the seed, then weed the weeds,
So growth with speed can feed our need.
It is decreed. All are agreed.
A child could read the simple creed.
But he is of a hackneyed breed.
A knock-kneed weakling weasel. We'd
plead like feeble reeds, while he'd
proceed unyielding, guaranteed,
and freed in his mind to recede.
He would not heed the leader's lead.
A mean and greedy deed, indeed."
The Ballad of Worthe
20250323(pronounced “WORTH-ee”)
Worthe's name was spelled a bit
clumsy, a case not all that rare.
No “y” there at the end of it.
Instead, an ancient e - Unfaire.
For careful, caring Worthe cared,
devoted every energy
to be Someone, Something, Somewhere.
For worthy Worthe had to be.
He made himself spiritually fit -
well-read, in earnest, like ten pair
of sacred shrines who like to sit
or stand, if need be, always there
with something wise and good to share.
He thought of us and watched to see
if we, thinking of him, would swear:
“So worthy certainly, is he.”
To save the world, one must commit
to its - and not one's own - despair.
He had to quash, ignore, omit
the Things regarding which he erred -
that sometimes, from a distance, stared.
He never loved one entity
that gave him joy - no, never dared -
while Worthe worthy tried to be.
And now he stirs his last few hairs
as days draw to an end, and we
attempt to keep him from despair:
“Yes, you were Worthe - all agree.”
“My Lived Experience” / “My Truth”
20250316
"My Lived Experience"
The phrase's current popularity is understandable, a representative component of the cultural spirit. Used in conversation, it is a summary form of:
"I am the only one who has had my unique set of experiences. Thus, any belief I express shall stand firm in the face of any disagreement as long as I wish it so.”
Note that this represents a certain attitude at least as much as a certain article of faith. More than simply “this is what I believe,” it implies (at least) something like, “any attempt to nuance or argue the matter further with me is likely to be met with a firm defense.”
There is at least one good reason for giving this approach a modicum of credibility. Unless all ideas and beliefs at all times are to be considered by all as merely theoretical or contingent, we must allow ourselves and others a degree of privilege to arrive at what we think of as “understanding” ...no matter how subjective another’s understanding of a thing may seem to be.
But why only a modicum of credibility? Why shall we not be as unquestioning of another's "lived experience" as s/he seems to wish us to be? The answer is: because we are considering here the realm of one person's subjectivity.
Subjectivity: One person's own unique experiences and the meanings assigned to those experiences, bound up in various ways with one’s individuality, unique awareness (“consciousness”), and giftedness, but which cannot but be in many ways inherited, unconsciously derived, unexamined, self-serving, and habitual.
If I am pursuing anything like adult functionality, or anything approaching wisdom for life, it seems best to give proper value and attention to my own unique experiences and the meanings assigned to those experiences.
It also seems vital to place such priorities not too high on the priority list, given the vast expanse if Reality about which I have little or no awareness, and the great value of all the "lived experiences" of the rest of humanity.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
20250223What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Don’t be a slave to the negative reactions of others, but also don’t be fool by ignoring or rejecting them.
Aphorism Re: Harm
20250111Do no harm to that which causes no harm, for its protector cannot remain passive.
Freeway Billboard
20250106If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
If you think faith is only for religion, you have overated the tiny flashlight mind you have to explore the vast darkness.
Some Personalized Definitions Related to Human Nature
20241224Aletheia [origin: koine Greek, pronounced ah-LAY-thee-uh]: Reality (“the way things really are”) and Truth (accurate perceptions, ideas, or statement regarding the way things really are), treated as one, with no intrinsic effort to distinguish the two meanings from each other.
Aletheite [dlm adaptation of the above]: One who strives to recognize, explore, and restrain the separations of Truth from Reality that have been constructed by hers corrupted core.
< – – – >
(s)Elf: A person’s corrupted temporal self, including the natural body in which that corruption primarily resides. This (s)elf has actually been fragmented into several isolated niggling (s)elves, each of which is alternately over-confident, expansive and rivalrous, then deflated and self-deprecating. See James 4:1-3:
What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires? You jealously want what others have so you begin to see yourself as better than others. You scheme with envy and harm others to selfishly obtain what you crave—that’s why you quarrel and fight. And all the time you don’t obtain what you want because you won’t ask God for it! And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. [James 4:1-3]
< – – – >
spirit/Spirit (a definition from the human perspective):
A personal energy
– contingent upon no corporeality,
– – consisting of an overarching mood, an embedded narrative, and a will,
– – – that is the source influence of an individual’s perceptions, experiences, and actions, or a group’s social influences,
– – – – manifested by means of “personality” or “enculturation” as conventionally conceived.
< – – – >
Three Primary Components of the Human Individual through which a s/Spirit or spirits become manifested (incarnated or embodied):
FEMII / F.E.M.I.I. (pronounced FEH-mee-i) Feelings | Emotions | Moods | Instincts | Impulses: Energies generally associated with subjective feelings, taken as one major category of characteristics in the individual human psyche-spirit.
PANII / P.A.N.I.I. (pron.: PAA-nee-i) Perceptions | Assumptions | Notions (Idea, Intuition, Intimation) | Imaginings | Inspiration (Identity, Enculturation, Persuasion, Ideology): Energies generally associated with subjective thoughts, taken as one major category of characteristics in the individual human psyche-spirit.
WAVII / W.A.V.I.I. (pron.: WAY-vee-i) Works | Actions | Ventures | Influences | Impacts: Energies generally associated with outward action or activity, taken as one major category of characteristics in the individual human psyche-spirit.
Temporary Man
20241123Man-whose entrance is a womanly thing-
has a short and troubled existence.
He starts out like a precious frail flower and soon enough will wither like a flower.
He watches his life like watching his shadow as the sun sets behind him.
Through it all, God gazes at him and makes him think:
contrive meanings, chase relevance, assume justifications.
Who can take the refuse and turn it into perfumed delights? Nobody!
And it is all set down in the shallow artifice of space, the narrative fiction of time,
the beating of time, time out, out of time, end time.
His life is bounded by walls, guarded with vehemence.
He will not escape the custodianship of finiteness.
So why not keep a little distance for a while?
Give him and yourself a break.
Let him relax a bit.
Give him some time to recount his wealth, even gathered in a shopping cart,
and anticipate his fire-ing.
Fragments 
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