EASTER THOUGHTS 2013

It seems so easy, after so many years to think one knows all there is to know about Easter. It is s easy to know what and how to contemplate the blessing bestowed on us by the Father.  I awoke this morning hours before I needed to, unable to return to sleep, rappelling back down through my own history.  The theme of thought was primarily one of all the times in life that I had chances and cause to forgive others for trespasses against me and of all the times my actions begged for the forgiveness of others.  We Christians generally look at Easter and the Resurrection simply as a pathway to salvation through grace.  God is hardly one to do anything without the presence of a life lesson or direction on how best to live our lives.  Enclosed within the envelope of His Gift are lessons to be learned by His example.

God loves us regardless of our failures, our inadequacies and our outright lack of respect.  He showed us that in our inability to comply with the covenants between Him and His chosen peoples, mankind would never make it into Heaven. The transformation of law and edict into the pure example of His love in the act of forgiveness also involves our honesty in admitting our failure and the humbleness required to ask for forgiveness.  The ability to accept the Gift is another requirement.  This requires that we leave pride at the foot of Christ’s cross. We need to accept His forgiveness.  God has shown us through example how we are to relate to our neighbors, not the emotion of love but love as an action.  How difficult it would be for any of us to sacrifice our own child for the life of another person, especially if it involved the horrendous tortures as endured in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is through love of our neighbor, strangers, friends and family that we need to grasp the ability to forgive.  We are unable to live our lives in such a way that we need not ask for our own forgiveness. We require that petition.  We truly need to use the lessons of Easter. We all require forgiveness and we are all asked to forgive others.  God has shown us the extent to which pure love will go for the action of love and the act of forgiveness. 

If you need forgiveness ask. Give it before being asked.  As the Father gave us example, be an example to others.

ETHICS (THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTICUS) SIRACH

TO BEGIN WITH:

My politics and my personal beliefs have pushed me into unexpected sources of knowledge.  My politics made it necessary to learn as much as I could about the Koran so I would better understand Sharia law. This hopefully would give me an understanding of those who would harm others in the name of their Islamic faith.  My personal beliefs put a halt to this endeavor.  I am a convert to Christianity, but due to a lack of study in my younger years, I neglected to read and understand the Old Testament and its relationship to my beliefs.  I was hit with the fact that I could not in good faith delve into the Koran without getting through the Old Testament at least once.  One of the other aspects leading to the discovery of this particular book, The book of Ecclesiasticus, was my return to Catholicism and the Catholic Bible.  The book of Ecclesiasticus, also known as the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, is missing from many if not all of the Bibles I read during my trek to Christianity.  The relevance of this book also struck home with me in terms of what is going on with our society and our national political positions.  The more I read in this book the more relevance I saw.  This book not only spoke to my spiritual life, but even more so, to everyday living experiences.  Many of my writings have originated out of the desire to pass things on to my grandchildren and of an abhorrence of the hatreds within our society.  This book speaks to those desires and I hope this writing will prompt you to investigate its possibilities in your own lives.  Due to the enormity of Ecclesiasticus,  I will try to limit my thoughts to what I think may help my progeny and the roots needed for good ethical, productive, God fearing lives.  The need for God in our lives, to me, is the foundation of Wisdom. Should you disagree,  you have that choice.

As our country and the documents that it was founded upon are being attacked and disregarded, we might ask why.  The United States has gone through birth, childhood and is now in the state of adolescence.  We are at a critical time in the life of our nation, a period of growth which runs parallel to one of the primary aspects of most teenagers, that of rebellion. That rebellion exemplifies questioning the intelligence and controls put on us by our parents.  As teenagers we all think that we are smarter, we want more freedom to choose our activities, and we basically want what we want, and want it now.  What if our country and our society are in the throes of adolescent struggles to have whatever feels good?  Disregarding rules and beliefs in favor of self-gratification can always be justified by some form of rationalization.  

What if, in our denial of pathways of the past, we have put our people, our society and our country in peril?  What if the God of the past was real and held mankind accountable at that time, as stated in the Old Testament?  What if He were the same today as He was yesterday?  What if He were to hold our nation, our people and our society accountable for the things the prophets of old warned about?  The book of Ecclesiastes states that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  Is history repeating itself once again?

The God we read about in the Old Testament gave His people ample opportunities to obey and follow His precepts.  The major problems seemed to occur time and time again.  If we take the time to compare then to now we can see where in His eyes we have moved off the path. The people of the Old Testament were blessed when their feet were on the path and were met with violent retribution when they continued to stray.  If God is real, our world of today may be in for some tough times.  Suppose that in order to save our country and our way of life, we need to recognize God, recognize our misbehavior, ask for God’s forgiveness, and actually change our direction.

What if God is real and He is not pleased with our current state of divergence?  Our form of government was born during a time of turmoil, not without its own birth pains. In an effort to move from under Britain’s thumb, the “Fathers” of our country’s government conceived the documents that allowed for our emergence from the womb.  Not all of them believed in the same definition of Our Creator, but all agreed to that term as part of our Declaration of independence and within our Constitution.  A belief in God as our Creator most certainly has an effect upon our sense of Ethics in a positive manner.  An underlying use of the Ten Commandments as a basis of our law has a similar effect.  My own life requires that I seek Wisdom and that requires truth.  One of those truths is as simple as this:

  The book of Eclesiasticus is a practical guide for an ethical and productive life, regardless of your beliefs or disbeliefs.

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ecclesiasticus

^{COMMENTARY REGARDING ECCLESIASTICUS  CHAPTER 1}

¹ The Prologue of the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach. Whereas many and great things have been delivered unto us by the law and the prophets, and by others that have followed their steps, for the which things Israel ought to be commended for learning and wisdom; and whereof not only the readers must needs become skilful themselves, but also they that desire to learn be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and writing: my grandfather Jesus, when he had much given himself to the reading of the law, and the prophets, and other books of our fathers, and had gotten therein good judgment, was drawn on also himself to write something pertaining to learning and wisdom; to the intent that those which are desirous to learn, and are addicted to these things, might profit much more in living according to the law. Wherefore let me intreat you to read it with favour and attention, and to pardon us, wherein we may seem to come short of some words, which we have laboured to interpret. For the same things uttered in Hebrew, and translated into another tongue, have not the same force in them: and not only these things, but the law itself, and the prophets, and the rest of the books, have no small difference, when they are spoken in their own language. For in the eight and thirtieth year coming into Egypt, when Euergetes was king, and continuing there some time, I found a book of no small learning: therefore I thought it most necessary for me to bestow some diligence and travail to interpret it; using great watchfulness and skill in that space to bring the book to an end, and set it forth for them also, which in a strange country are willing to learn, being prepared before in manners to live after the law. All wisdom cometh from the Lord, and is with him forever .  ^{ECCLESIASTICUS  1:1}

This is an acknowledgement by the original translator that holds true universally when seeking the truth of what we are discovering, what we are being taught and what we imagine.  When we absorb information into our belief structure that will dictate our future action or inaction we need to understand the frailty of our interpretation.  It is almost impossible for any of us to correctly understand another person’s truth because it is made up of so many different life experiences.  The only thing that we can really take as Gospel is just that, Gospel.  When we listen to what our teachers, our parents, friends and leaders say we need to listen and relate it to what we see in their lives and in their history.  We have so many interesting studies of dichotomy available to us in today’s society it is as if the Son of Sirach were talking to us face to face. 

We need to be constantly aware that teachings are most generally colored to agree with the teachers’ beliefs rather than the facts and truth.  Do not be afraid to question and seek alternatives.

Beliefs are frequently formed by ideological propaganda and then passed on as truth.  We see that in our national discourse on a variety of topics.  In the days that this book, (Ecclesiasticus), was originally written the spread of prevarication, propaganda and miss information was at the pace of a tortoise where as today it is at the speed of thought.  Most of us do not have or do not take the time to research the avalanches of information that bombard us daily.  Just try and imagine the volumes of information that we live our lives by, and forming opinions that are truly fallacious.  We can choose to be living a life of ignorance or one of informed study of the probability of factual basis for our beliefs. Our perceptions of truth are weakened and turned throughout our lives and it is by chance that we stumble upon factual truths. 

A fact of life is that we live a good portion of our lives on faith, acting on what we know cannot be proven by any of the five senses but just because it makes more sense to believe it than to doubt it.  Sometimes those faith based belief systems are stronger than what we experience sensually.  In my own case it is very difficult, I believe in God not because I have seen, touched or heard him but because of enough faith based evidence.  I have seen prayers answered, and I have seen needs addressed with and without prayer. I see a universe that exists without any means of origination other than that of creation, which would require a creator and for all practical purpose most of us call that, God.  There are other indicators of Gods existence such as the order of life, and the evolution of plants, animals and organisms that cannot honestly be explained by happenstance.  That puts my reliance on faith based beliefs at odds with my habitual search for factual truth and it also feeds the bit of skepticism that forms my questions.  Once again God answers my needs way before I knew I had them.

Throughout the first chapter the theme is strongly put forward that true knowledge is really only available to God, the rest even scientific knowledge, is not known in totality.  (There is one wise and greatly to be feared, the Lord sitting upon his throne.
^{ECCLESIASTICUS  CHAPTER 1:  (see v 1 above)}

² Who can number the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of eternity?

³Who can find out the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the deep, and wisdom?

⁴ Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding of prudence from everlasting.

⁵ The word of God most high is the fountain of wisdom; and her ways are everlasting commandments.

⁶ To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed? or who hath known her wise counsels?

⁷ Unto whom hath the knowledge of wisdom been made manifest? and who hath understood her great experience?

⁸ There is one wise and greatly to be feared, the Lord sitting upon his throne.

⁹ He created her, and saw her, and numbered her, and poured her out upon all his works.

¹⁰ She is with all flesh according to his gift, and he hath given her to them that love him.

¹¹ The fear of the Lord is honour, and glory, and gladness, and a crown of rejoicing.

¹² The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart, and giveth joy, and gladness, and a long life.

¹³ Whoso feareth the Lord, it shall go well with him at the last, and he shall find favour in the day of his death.

¹⁴ To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and it was created with the faithful in the womb.

¹⁵ She hath built an everlasting foundation with men, and she shall continue with their seed.

¹⁶ To fear the Lord is fulness of wisdom, and filleth men with her fruits.

¹⁷ She filleth all their house with things desirable, and the garners with her increase.

¹⁸ The fear of the Lord is a crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish; both which are the gifts of God: and it        enlargeth their rejoicing that love him.

¹⁹ Wisdom raineth down skill and knowledge of understanding standing, and exalteth them to honour that hold her fast.

²⁰ The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and the branches thereof are long life.

²¹ The fear of the Lord driveth away sins: and where it is present, it turneth away wrath.

²² A furious man cannot be justified; for the sway of his fury shall be his destruction.

²³ A patient man will tear for a time, and afterward joy shall spring up unto him.

²⁴ He will hide his words for a time, and the lips of many shall declare his wisdom.

²⁵ The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom: but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

²⁶ If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give her unto thee.

²⁷ For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction: and faith and meekness are his delight.

²⁸ Distrust not the fear of the Lord when thou art poor: and come not unto him with a double heart.

²⁹ Be not an hypocrite in the sight of men, and take good heed what thou speakest.

³⁰ Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall, and bring dishonour upon thy soul, and so God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation, because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord, but thy heart is full of deceit.

PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE

Morning Prayer for Guidance

Most Holy Spirit I ask for your guidance, the touch of your wisdom in all that I undertake today.  Let my feet, my hands, and my mind be on the path leading to the grace of forgiveness and the healing power of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I may show the glory and the power of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in all that I do.

( Glory Be to The Father) x 3

MY MORNING PRAYERS

I am a normal human and I endeavor to say and do, but I am a creature of numerous failures to do and be my best.  I do promise to pray for you and ask that you pray for me.

DICTATED BY OUR LORD, to release 1000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said.  (Origin Catholic: Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said.  The prayer was extended to include living sinners, which would alleviate the indebtedness accured to them during their lives)

Eternal Father,

I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the World today, For sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family.  Amen.

*St. Gertrude the Great was born in Germany in 1263 A.D.  She was a Benedictine nun who meditated on the Passion of Christ which many times brought tears to her eyes.  She did many penances and Our Lord appeared to her many times during her life.  She passed away in 1334 A.D. and her life is remembered as a Feast Day, Catholic, on November 16^th each year.

PRAYER FOR THE protection of our household as promised, (March 28^th 1975 at Dozule’ France, a town between Lisieux and Caen, where many of our soldiers were in the 2nd Word War and many had given their lives.

The person privileged to receive messages from heaven is Madeleine Aumont, born in 1924. She and her husband had 5 children. She neglecter her faith for many years but was encouraged by her mother to make her Easter duties in April 1970. At communion she made a great experience of faith, a discovery of a new life. 

Her main message, "Proclaim that Jesus exists, He is alive, He is present in all your trials and of those who suffer.”.  This prayer was given her by Our Lord with his promise that “those who say this prayer daily with great confidence will be protected from every cataclysm”, and The Lord will pour HIS DIVINE MERCY, into hearts.

JESUS OF NAZARETH has triumphed over death, His reign is eternal.

He is coming to conquer the world and time

Mercy, my God on those who blaspheme You, forgive them they know not what they do.

Mercy, my God, for the scandal in the world, deliver them from the spirit of Satan.

Mercy, my God, on those who run away from You, give them appreciation for the Holy Eucharist.

Mercy, my God, on those who will come repentant to the Glorious Chross, may the find there peace and joy in God our Saviour.

Mercy, my God, so that Your Kingdom may come, but save souls, there is still time.  For the time is drawing near, see I am coming.

Amen.

Come Lord Jesus.  (recite 1 decade of the rosary: 1 our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, 1 Glory be to the Father)

Lord, Pour out on the whole world the treasures of Your infinite mercy.

This is a prayer that Catherine has been saying for most of her life.  I have changed it to satisfy my own heart and soul.

Lord, I pray that you bless my day,

That within me you will stay.

That you bless my steps and guide my way

That words of anger not fill my head

But praise for you and love instead.

Lord, I pray that you bless my labors of mind and hand

That they be fruitful in your eyes, and in the eyes of man

Lord, I pray that you protect

My soul from the sins I know and those I forget

My mind from the lies of Satan

My body from the harms of illness

My life from the deceit of others

My spirit from the loss of Hope and the sin of Pride

Lord I pray in you I will abide.

Pray for Special Intentions: Needs of family, friends, Our country, Those in the News, Our Military, Our pastors, Those in need of sustenance.  Those in conditions of suffering. Our martyrs. Mankind.

Read Bible: New Testament and Old Testament.

repost of SPIELBERGS LINCOLN....RATIONALIZATION

I recently went to the Spielberg movie about the last few days of Lincoln’s life.  It turned out, at least for me, to be a story about one man’s fight to remove the practice of slavery from the relatively new republic of the United States of America. 

In today’s world it’s difficult to know the difference between fact and fiction when watching that type of presentation because of the propagandic state of our society.  We seem to be pummeled by point of view rather than the facts and we tend to react like a herd of mental sponges soaking up whatever is spilled in front of us.  Real or fiction this movie did make my mind whir with a multitude of questions and observations, so many in fact that it is hard to settle down and approach my thoughts with any real sense of order. 

(part one) POLITICAL PASSION

I was struck by the passion that Spielberg’s depiction attached to the congressional members involved in the conflict, and the effort put forward by the Executive as well, and the depth of purpose behind that effort.  The passion depicted was not that of party politics but of morality, a passion of the right thing to do versus a status quo.  In this portrayal I saw distinct differences between imagination of what may have been at that critical juncture and the faux political discourse our government bodies indulge themselves with today.  The struggle to achieve true emancipation has been an ongoing problem in our country.  This enactment shows the torment involved not only during the Civil War itself but that of our President to achieve a purpose worthy of that war.  Politicians in today’s government do not exhibit (as a whole) the resolve of purpose in addressing the needs of our country.  Rather it is the political stage play that will coerce the public into choosing their party over the other in the next election cycle.  Unlike the times in which the Lincoln era politicians seemed to be aided by strong public sentiments forcing them to act, our politicians are acting and reacting to sentiments of our society that are persuaded and provoked.  Their goal seems to be re-election rather than the success of our great nation.

The United States of America, a republic formed under the banner of the Declaration of Independence, had existed in the presence of hypocrisy.  Economics had created the need for rationalizing among the slave owners and in order to fill their needs the slaves needed to be de-humanized.  Support for that rationale is and was impossible to find.  Slavery has been a part of humanity as long as man has been a territorial being, but in most instances the slaves were regarded to be human beings.  Our country has always been filled with beliefs flowing from fear and fiction but in the end our collective conscience brings us to differentiating between right and wrong and a confrontation of fact.  Lincoln was the figure put in place to help power that confrontation.  The struggle of conscience for a society holds a definite similarity with our own individual conflicts of right, wrong, good or bad.  If there is something we want we will rationalize enough good to counteract any wrong involved grabbing our goal.  Conscience will eventually be impacted by our choices and to lose that part of our being, as a person or as a society, is loss humanity cannot survive.  The Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution, were not just about right and wrong they were needed for the survival of our conscience, the victory of fact over rationalization.

(Part two) NATIONAL RATIONALIZTION AND PERSUASION

I look at some of the similarities and divergence of our moral pendulum today versus that time (the Lincoln era) in our history.  Perhaps a different conundrum, different rationalization, but still about right and wrong and the rationalizations required to deny the existence of humanity.  That instance would be regarding the fetus as no more than, as one proponent of abortion stated, road kill.  The abortion question allows for rationalizations on a major scale and the enormity of it will certainly cause a fracture of conscience within our society.  Part of our society has decided to enforce and strengthen the argument in favor of all forms of abortion with the rationalization(s) of women’s rights, the dehumanization of the unborn, the inability to afford, and a mother’s health (this is an unending list of why’s). 

The supporters of abortion use those rationalizations as speaking points accusing opponents as being against women in general and specifically against a woman’s right to control and care for her own body.  The two aspects, a woman’s rights and the rights of the unborn, are never really viewed as equal points of morality by those in favor of abortion.  Disregarding the presence of human DNA at conception as the beginning of a human life makes it acceptable to take away the life of the unborn child.  Rationalization and denial of fact makes it easier to hide the conflict of conscience involved in the act of abortion.  Rationalization circumvents logic when one tries to use the argument that women have the right to choose.  The choice is no less than condoning the right to murder any other human being in similar circumstance. 

Logic dictates continuity and the logical argument might go as follows:

 It is illegal to take the life of another human being except in the protection of another life.

A fetus is a human being with all the potential and rights of humanity because of the existence of human DNA.

Therefore it is illegal to take the life of a human fetus excepting in the case of saving the life of another human.

Seems so simple excepting when the insertion of partial truth mixed with rationalization components are put into the mix. 

Human beings are able to think and to act on those thoughts

Fetuses are unable to think  (supposition?)

Therefore fetuses are not human

Therefore it is legal to terminate their existence

We are all too often forced back by arguments filled with innuendo, political correctness and name calling when we should be demanding the argument be conducted with fact and logic.  The removal of these two components allow for propagandizing and fabrications that support the factually unsupportable.  The facts may not be readily available and in the case of deciding at what point in time human life exists that is certainly true.  Belief structure calls the shots in these cases and they are swayable in all directions in favor of what one wants to believe.

 The one similarity that I am able to put together in the depiction of the time of Lincoln and today is that passion is weighted in favor of morality questions and has little to do with the facts.  Morality is something that can be directed in societies through the beliefs put forward through the education of the children.  Conscience can be dampened by indoctrination and propaganda.  To quote, "As a man thinketh, so he is."

To expand the thought, "as men thinketh so goes their society".  It is truly each mans responsibility not to accept the thoughts of others, but to seek truth.

THE OLD and THE NEW

THE OPERATING MANUAL SAYS

Whether one believes the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God or fiction does not diminish the importance as a guideline and explanation of mans nature and dealing with societal and personal situations.  It does affect the trust and belief we put in those writings.  As a Reborn Christian I am under the New Covenant and believe the New Testament and the teachings of Christ to be all important in how I live my life.  The Old Testament shows the sinful nature of mankind, The New Testament shows Gods forgiving and loving nature towards man. 

The Old Testament does give us some examples of acts of forgiveness, such as the Prodigal Son, and Josephs act of forgiveness toward his brothers but it is more helpful in showing us the repercussions of excluding The Father God from our lives.  The New Testament shows the pathway to Heaven through atonement and forgiveness.  If we use the Old Testament as a study of the pitfalls that will separate man from God, or in the case of non-believers, separate man from the good in life it maps a way of life that puts our feet on a better path.  Going through the Old Testament one can find almost every failing of mankind and the resulting consequences.  One other thing it points out very emphatically is the result of wrath when used against humanity.  Not a very pretty picture and it points out the fact that without an escape plan mankind in total would face a disastrous finality. The New Testament explains the need for, the how and the why of forgiveness.  Through Christ’s words we are able to cross reference to the Old Testament and see the affects of the seven deadly sins (Pride, Lust, Anger, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed) and how virtue can overcome these. We have been given the tools to counteract and avoid the consequences.

Chastity - overcomes the sin of Lust.

Liberality (Generosity) - overcomes the sin of Greed.

Temperance -overcomes the sin of Gluttony.

Brotherly Love -overcomes the sin of Envy.

Meekness -overcomes the sin of Anger.

Humility - overcomes the sin of Pride.

Diligence -overcomes the sin of sloth.

Oddly enough these tools are all attributes of those most appreciated when we find them in others with whom we associate.  These are also the traits of some of our most successful humans.

FORGIVENESS and JUDGING

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

This is a very good question.  It should precede all of our everyday actions as well as  those of monumental proportion. 

We have been shown in the New Testament what Christ intended in the case of judging the actions of other people.  It is not mans’ place to judge other men in the spiritual sense of things.  “Judge not lest ye be judged” and “let he who is without sin cast the first stone” are His words meant for us to live by. 

Leopards can change their spots, but not on their own.  God is our creator and He does have the power to do all things.  God the Father could not only change the leopard’s spots but if he chose to do so, He could change this carnivore into a confirmed vegetarian.  Our responsibility toward the sinner is not to abhor the person but rather the activity.  We have a further responsibility for forgiveness and prayer directed to the healing of the afflicted party through God, not through our judgments.  It might also be added that we are to do this in our own silence not in the clamor of gossip.  No one on this earth could cast even the smallest pebble based on the words of Christ.  JOHN 8:1-11

As you are busy casting the stones of unforgiveness, gossip and self-righteousness, the Lord is busy writing your name and your sins in the sands of time. Christ was aware of the woman’s sins.  That is a fact that cannot be questioned.  Christ was also aware of the sinful nature of mankind, and of the individual sins of each of those in that crowd.  Christ did not ask them to turn a blind eye to the sins of the woman.  He did advise through His actions and words their time would be better spent in self-admonishment and correcting their own weaknesses.  Christ Himself did not condemn the woman.  He did offer her forgiveness and direction to “go and sin no more”. JOHN 8:11

We have the opportunity on a daily basis to use the lessons taught through the Gospels.  Christ’s words are as meaningful today as when first spoken.  There is not one action that cannot be discerned by His words and the example shown in His life.  The Gift of His existence here on earth is God’s way of giving evidence that love and forgiveness are very high on His list of attributes.

Nothing made God give us a redeemer. A lamb to sacrifice for mans’ cleansing, forgiveness, and total retribution for our sins.  Nothing made Him show us the extent He would endure through His Son’s anguish to make things right between mankind and their God.  When you stop and think about Christ’s pain being correlated to the sins of mankind for all time, it is truly unimaginable. 

Nothing outside His nature made Him show us His ability to forgive. He shows us through Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension that He has the power to raise man from the depth and death caused by sin.  Even in our weakness as mere man, we might live again as Christ did.  Christ’s return from three days in the depths of Hell. His appearances to the Apostles and His eventual Ascension into Heaven are all there to show the power that God possesses over death, in both the spiritual and the physical world.  The fact that all this was done for mankind even in the face of our sinful and rebellious nature speaks to the ultimate act of forgiveness.  Nothing made God do any of this except His own nature, that of a loving, compassionate and forgiving being.  We as reborn Christians are instructed by Christ to emulate these very attributes.

a DONKEY'S TALE

This is a re do of a posting on facebook.  It made me think and this is my take on it. Arbee

One day a farmers’ donkey fell down into a well.  The animal cried piteously for hours until he alerted the farmer to his plight.  The farmer studied the situation and decided that it would be pretty expensive excavate the well and get the animal out of the deep hole it was captured in.  The farmer called together a committee of the neighboring cities smartest politicians and together they decided that the donkey was just too old to spend money on, and that the best solution was to bury the problem and the donkey together so that no one else would know a problem ever existed.

Because the wise people of the committee had suggested this action the farmer agreed to give up his mule, even though it had been faithful and productive, and he had to hire a bunch of laborers who were hanging around the feed store, to help him bury the donkey and fill in the well.  As the laborers continued to shovel dirt the donkey quit crying for help.  Eventually curiosity got the best of the farmer and he looked into the well and was amazed at what he saw.

There was the donkey as calm as he could be, shaking off the dirt that was being thrown in an effort to bury him.  The faster they tried to bury him the quicker he would shake the dirt off, and the farmer noticed that the faster they shoveled the faster the donkey seemed to be closer to getting out of the fix he was in and pretty soon the donkey was able to step out of the well on his own.

Now there are a couple of different morals to this story with more than a few thoughts to ponder.  Here are a few to think about:

1.     Every once in a while we will find ourselves in a hole and usually we get there because we didn’t pay attention to where we were going.

2.     If we are in a bad situation it doesn’t hurt to let those who care know that we could use some help

3.     Everyone gets dirt piled on them in life and it can be used as something that will bury us or as something that will put us in a better position. 

4.     If politicians decide how to solve a problem the odds are they never realize the hidden effects of that decision.  Sometimes they get lucky sometimes they don’t.

5.     Don’t give up on yourself.

6.    Don’t trust the government to solve your problems

THANKSGIVING 2012

Thanksgiving, for me, has evolved over the years and it seems that it’s not the same as my life travels through the different phases of life.  Memory recall is something I have in poor quantity but it seems that food and smells seem to increase the aptitude.  I remember during grade school Thanksgiving was not so much about eating as it was about drawing turkeys, learning about the Indians taking care of the pilgrims and showing my new acquired knowledge to my parents.  Then there was the era of high school, away from home and old grade school friends.  My thanks being measured in how soon and for how long I could be back home for the holiday.  At that time in my life the meaning of Thanksgiving was measured more in what was to come than what had occurred during the previous year.

It is the high school period Thanksgivings that I am able to recall (not vividly) but at least not from hearsay memories alone.  I can remember the bus rides home to Portland and onto Arlington unless the holiday celebration was at Grandma’s house in Portland.  I remember the most thanks in my mind at that time was the reprieve from what seemed like an incarceration and an exile from the familiar.  I wasn’t as much that I was thankful as it was just happy for the break.  I do remember it as being a time of family gathering, a time for extended family to spend time together.  Thanksgiving and most other holiday gatherings were spent at my Aunt Louise and Uncle Johnny’s place.  Their house was the only one that could take care of the numbers.   Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa’s child producing years, I had no shortage of uncles and aunts to relate stories of the past, and no shortage of cousins to spend time with.  I wasn’t nearly as thankful then as I am now recalling those times.  Like most things in life we tend to overlook the sweetness at the time and fail to give it full value.  I’m not really sure that is a universal fact of life, but at least it speaks to my own.

The main thing I am gleaning out of this token bit of recall is that Thanksgiving has had a lot of different meanings for me.  I’m not sure of the exact timing of when I started to understand the meaning of sincere thanks and its’ relationship to the holiday.  I am sure today that understanding of things comes in two general ways, an “ah-ha” moment or a metamorphosis from child to adult.  Mine was apparently the latter.  It seems to me that thanksgiving requires the loss of narcissistic tendencies and the emergence of compassion and awareness of conditions.  This year, the year 2012, has seen a lot of things occur both personally, for family and friends, and for our country. Not everything has been gentle and sweet, but all are cause for Thanksgiving and this is my thanksgiving statement and prayer for this year.

I am thankful for: For a wife who loves me and shows it daily through kindness, caring, friendship and laughter; Family and friends that have held me in their minds and hearts regardless of my warts and differences of opinion; My (our) God who has faithfully covered me, through all the trials and tribulations, in ways not even known; The growing understanding that good is hiding in everything that happens in life if we are patient and prayerful;  The roof over my head, the clothes on my back, the food that feeds my body, the forces of the Holy Spirit that feeds my soul.  Thank you Lord.

EDNA'S PRAYER FOR ED

EDNAS PRAYER FOR ED  (At Ed's Bed)

You might remember a story that once went around 

Bout a gatherin’ of church folks in my old home town

There was quite a ruckus caused by a prayer that was said

By a new member of the flock, a man named Ed

Now I saw Ed once again a few years back, as a favor

 and I thought to ask him if he remembered that prayer

It hadn’t been forgotten like prayers one usually hears

It had stayed there in my memory throughout the years

Ol’ Eds’ looks hadn’t changed a lot since then

Course his hair was whiter and his back was bent

You could see he was in there behind all the wrinkles

by the slight smile and the way his eyes would twinkle 

He’s the same guy who passed the hat and winked at me

But somethin’ was diff’rent and that was plain to see

You could see there was somethin’ else inside his mind

Something had changed inside him with the passin’ of time 

It was like he was watchin’ something that was hard to see

And when he fin’lly caught the time and place, he looked at me

He said son

 a lot of waters passed under the bridge since then

sometimes things just change and you don’t know when

I was younger and still pretty mad ‘bout all the things I’d lost

It seemed to me that all that God stuff had just too much cost.

Cause with all that had happened I just wasn’t sure  

That goin’ to church and prayin’ would hold any cure

that stupid ol’ prayer was just one way of shakin’ my fist 

to shout at a God I was sure didn’t even exist

My wife she was purty quiet on the way home that day

After the way I had acted there wasn’t much she could say

My prayer really wasn’t one, and that was real plain to see

She was so embarrassed I wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive me.

That night when she knelt down to pray

I was quite surprised at what she had to say

I was sure she wanted God to make me pay

For the unthankful things that I said that day

She told God that I just couldn’t understand

Why He didn’t give in to our simple demands

And why He gave man the freedom of choice

To follow, or not, direction of the Spirits small voice

I heard her ask God to give me some proof

And to show His loves personal and not so aloof.

Let him know this Lord for You sent us your Son

To wash clean mans sins since his time was begun

I waited for Ed as he paused, for a minute or two

Recalling Gods small whisper about what to do

He said He told me

To give thanks for all things whether big or small

And to read about Job from whom Satan took all.

Bad things can happen Ed, but it’s not all just a test

Practice Faith, Hope, and Charity to clean up a mess.

The next morning Ed remembered his wife’s prayer for proof

As church members kept commin’, some patched up his roof

He watched in amazement as those neighbors built him a shed

It was like they all had forgotten the kinda prayer that he’d said 

They all worked together, built a new barn and filled it with hay

Ed said he learned a lot about forgiveness in just that one day

And that to love your neighbor is more than just Gods plea

It’s a way of healin’ the pain that hides in you and in me.

He said to remember Hope’s a thing that let’s man keep on goin

And faith is belief in the good things without them really showin’

The wealth in our worlds are just work and things to tend

The real wealth and riches are God, our family and friends

Now I watched as Ed lay there restin’on that hospital bed

I wondered what thoughts were goin’ on there in his head

I could tell he had faith and could hear what God had to say

‘Cause Ol’ Ed he smiled, he winked, and then quietly he slipped away

Now I’m sure when ol Ed got to Heaven they all had a good laugh

About how Eds prayer had cleared up his path

And his wife’s prayer for The Spirit to give Ed the proof

And how The Spirit used Ed’s neighbors, to show him the truth.

I’m sure I’ll see ol’ Ed again

He’ll wink, and smile and say 

Welcome friend

a PRAYER FOR FAMILY SALVATION

This is a prayer I have said nightly

for our family.  I hope some of you

will continue it.

Family Prayer for Salvation

Lord today I pray for my family

Past Present and Future

That your gentle call will be heard

And your Path will be followed

I pray that our names will be known

And will be written in your book of life

That we all will be blessed

To spend our eternity in Heaven

With You, The Father, The Son

And The Holy Spirit.

I pray for my Grandparents (by name)

My Parents  (by name)

My Children  (by name)

May Grandchildren (by name)

Those who have gone before

And those yet to come.

(2) Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father

Ed and Edna with sound

If any of you had a chance to read my poems about Ed and Edna, give these a listen to.  Listen to Eds Prayer first.

http://soundcloud.com/ronslyrics/eds-prayer-wav

http://soundcloud.com/ronslyrics/ednas-answer-mp3/s-1pv44

hope you enjoy
rb

SPECIAL NOTES TO SPECIAL PEOPLE

Some thoughts that I ran across today
that covered somethings I would like to say
but it appears that someone else beat me to the punch
so I'll just pass them on.  For my grand children.  There ain't no free lunch
Luv u Gramps
rb

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.                         A. Lincoln

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about eleven (11) things they did not and will not learn in school.
He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and
how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.
Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem.  The world will expect you to accomplish something
BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school.   You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping:
They called it opportunity.
Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,
cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were:
So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation,
try delousing the closet in your own room..
Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades, and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.
*This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters.  You don't get summers off and very few employers
are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. *Do that on your own time.
Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life.  In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds.  Chances are you'll end up working for one..

a CHILD OF THE 1940's

I am a child of the 1940s' and growing up I was taught the importance of:

God,

Honesty,

Integrity,

Responsibility

The results of cause and effect.  

I eventually came to believe that: 

Competition creates achievement,

Success is a product of smart thinking and hard work.

Innovation and creativity are products of individual freedom.

We all have the right to believe and practice our religion or not.

Each person is unique in talent, ability and in contribution to society. 

In the freedom to express myself, and the right of my neighbor to do the same.

A country and society divided against itself will eventually crumble and fall into weakness.

Common sense is the best aid in decision making, it most plans are destined to fail. 

True education promotes digging through piles of drivel and deceit in order to discover truth

Indoctrination promotes actions based upon unsustainable falsehoods and a lust for power. 

That it makes more sense to believe in God, eternity, grace and forgiveness than in the nothingness of atheism because of possible result. 

PROCRASTINATION, FEAR, and WORRY

Procrastination can be helpful.

Being a procrastinator has its advantages, and in case of this project, it gave me time to think. This little endeavor of explaining a simple child’s game could be used in more than one way. I could just explain the game as played during my childhood but the phrase “he’s lost his marbles” kept haunting me. How many useful (more or less) bits of information have been lost over the centuries in passing teachings from life experience and parents onto our progeny. If we were to look at these things as something to collect and pass on rather than just using and discarding, we might save our family some time and trouble.  Looking back on one’s life is so much more accurate than trying to force our tomorrows and the reason is simple, we can see the cause in relationship to the effects.  I have been a procrastinator for quite a bit of my life and the main reason is probably fear.  However, don’t take that as just one fear, because there is generally more than one that can put us into a state of inaction.  The subject in this segment is not cause but putting procrastination to good use and keeping it under control.

Procrastination is useful if you really have no idea of how to handle a situation or problem, and in those instances you put off acting until you can get good counsel on how to correctly take care of the solution.  The thing here is to act on asking and not being afraid to ask for help.

   Fear and Worry major components of procrastination, and it has reactions that are basic to our being animal or human nature, fight, flight or freeze. The most commonly recognized is that of fight or flight and those two are the most acceptable. The one that causes procrastination is the instinctive protection mechanism of freezing all motion to become hidden in plain sight.  

 Procrastination is also used as a way of dealing with things we consider to be dangerous to our life patterns, so we worry and fret about all the things we are simply just imagining.  Looking back on life again it’s very evident that most of the things we spend worrying about never come to pass in the end.  If we use our procrastination as a tool for sorting out what is a real concern, versus imaginary demons, it becomes a positive means of dealing with  

 Worry is probably the biggest waste of time, and cause of mental problems of the human condition.  The idea that if you don’t worry you don’t care what happens is a ruse.  The secret is not to worry about a situation but to find an answer for dealing with it and then do it.  Worry saps your mental and emotional power, until there is no thought except the worry.