Sandcastle Virtues

Greetings Dear Reader,

And the sand-castle virtues are all swept away in, the tidal destruction, the moral mêlée.
The elastic retreat rings the close of play as the last wave uncovers, the newfangled way.
But your new shoes are worn at the heels and, your suntan does rapidly peel, and your wise men don't know how it feels to be thick as a brick. – Ian Anderson

Sometimes I am so weary of the struggle to be better than I am. I have tried shortcuts that do not work. The journey sometimes is so much longer that I thought it would be when I started out. I never expected to fail and fall so often. I never thought I would be where I am when my younger self chose to venture forth.

I am not depressed or feeling morose. I am instead wondering aloud how to deal with the feelings of despair that two steps forward always lead to a step back. I am weary of struggling with sin. I know that I am better than I was but I want to be better than I am.

I remember as a boy wanting so badly to be grown up so that I could do the things I wanted to do. I wish I could go back and tell that lad to do some things differently. He would not listen but at least I would have the satisfaction of trying. You see we want to be better men. We wish to follow Christ closely but then things beset and our certainty becomes awash in pondering how close to the edge we can get without going over. I am not in some deep crisis but the daily drumming of the little sins seems to be driving me mad. In Christ alone my hope is found and in him I will have dwell and move and have my being.

The thing that I can give you is that when you feel this self same way, you are not alone. I am with you. I will never arrive on my own and neither will you. We must get there by following Christ and by caring for each other. So we, like a beleaguered and beaten Superman, get up one more time and do that which we were created to do. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I serve him.” Even in the failing light of a very dark day we know that morning is coming. All we have to do is stay at our post. We already know we will win.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

Taking the Lord’s Name in Vain

Greetings Dear Reader,

Growing up I was taught that combining the name of God, “God” with the expletive for damnation was the great and grievous sin of “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” This of course would be a direct violation of the Ten Commandments. Like so many other things we have socialized the intent of the actual command from God into puerile restriction that carries neither the intent nor the spirit of God’s prohibition.

Many individuals who would never utter the two words adjacent in a sentence, and yea verily would not utter the second under any circumstances except to reference a hydroelectric device would gladly violate the actual command. When we inwardly or outwardly try to use God and our identification with him for our own purposes we are “taking the name of the Lord in vain.”

For so many, giving homage to God is an outward way while trying to manipulate that for their own purposes is a way of life. From those who bomb Tel Aviv Pizza Huts in the name of God to those who control the lives of their congregations through legalistic interpretations of the Bible there are glaring examples of identifying with God for our own purposes. The examples in my own life can be just as glaring.

When I use what may be valid truth to push someone to be other than they are for my own purposes that is vanity. I become just as guilty as those who systematically manipulate large groups of people. I am not the Holy Spirit and it is not my place to do anything other than love others as Christ loves them and to follow his example of love and grace.

Another way in which we falsely wear the mantle of Christ Follower is when we try to use our faith to manipulate God to our own purposes. We cannot out think God but we try. We pridefully think that we know better than God what is best for us and attempt to enter into cosmic bargains in the name of Christ.

In truth, I am learning that when I claim to be a follower of Christ I need to do it with fear that my life will not measure up to what I should be in following. The purpose of association with Christ is to show how loving and merciful he is not how good I am. That Christ allows me to utter his name without striking me dead on the spot is an anthem to his power to forgive and redeem.

I must become humble so that when I identify with Christ, others see him and not me. In the words of his cousin, “He must increase and I must decrease.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

The Gift of a Peach

Greetings Dear Reader,

The following tale is true. I am missing Avalon greatly today and attempting to dwell on good things.

The summer morning had dawned warm and steamy, baking the sun cracked asphalt of I-75 in South Georgia. The air conditioning seemed to do little to cool us as we traveled through the textile towns and peanut farms. My Bride, Sarah, and I were on the northern leg of our honeymoon, looking forward to the cooler temperatures as we reached the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Having grown up in Georgia, I was anxiously looking for and soon found a roadside peach stand. We pulled off the highway into the shade of its awning, drinking in the sweet smell of watermelon, Vidalia onions, and ripe Georgia peaches. We purchased a dozen peaches and a ten-pound bag of Vidalia onions. We filled our gas tank and consumed the first peach. It was liquid heaven, perfectly ripe and juicy. As we pulled back onto the expressway, we were devouring our second peach and its cool juices soothed away the heat or our afternoon.

Each morning for the remainder of our honeymoon, we ate peaches and thanked God for his foresight and wisdom in creating them. There were just three left and we decided to save them for the long drive home. Our last stop was in Cherokee, North Carolina, where we spent a day enjoying the light cool rain, quaint crafts, and gift shops. Afternoon was upon us and it was time to start the long trek back to our home in Chicago.

Seeing that the weather was not going to break, we decided to enjoy the drifting dark clouds by taking the Blue Ridge Parkway across the Smokey Mountains. On the northern side of the parkway, we realized that we had not had lunch and Sarah reached into the back and pulled the bag of peaches from the cooler. We were crestfallen as we saw that our peaches had molded and were completely inedible.

Seeing the potential for a cloudy moment to inhibit our joy, I told Sarah to toss the peaches, one by one, out the window down the mountain. I laughingly said that we could come back in a few years and see the peach trees we had planted. This attitude was infectious and we shared a very special moment as we realized that we had so many other things for which to be thankful. We enjoyed the rest of our lunch and the mountain scenery.

This event, however, still left me hungry for peaches. During the expedition, home we actually reviewed the eating of the nine we had so richly enjoyed. Each time I would end the conversation with, “But I would sure like to have one now.”

After driving through the night, we arrived home at five in the morning, exhausted and road weary. We unloaded only essential items from the car and went to sleep. We awoke around ten to a day of ninety-degree heat and the chore of unloading a sun-baked black car. Hot and irritable, I grumbled about the heat and wished in my heart for peaches and the cool of the mountains.

All was unloaded and I ventured back into the assaulting heat to make one last check that all was unloaded. The back seat was empty except for one item. In the center of the seat sat one of the largest peaches I have ever seen. Excited and confused I rushed in to show Sarah the peach. We rehearsed the disposition of each of the peaches in our bag. We could not understand where this peach had come from. Together we stood over the sink in the kitchen, and enjoyed the juiciest, ripest, sweetest peach I have ever had. We thanked the Father for the unexpected gift. We are both convinced that it was He who put it there.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

The Spirit of the Song

Greetings Dear Reader,

Music is a great barometer for me. What I listen to and what I avoid is an excellent indicator of where I am both emotionally and spiritually. I wake up with a song in my head almost every morning. I use what is there to guide my morning thoughts so that if the song is positive I enhance that and if it is negative I combat the negative.

I think that music very much defines the generation that produces it. It gives the sense of the values, feelings, and conflicts of a time. I struggle with the spirit of many currently popular artists. I think that honest expression of thoughts and feelings does not have to be course or disrespectful. I am not becoming an old guy here. I truly think that we become progressively blatant in our disregard for morals and values that matter and this is expressed in the popular music.

I do not believe that any form of music can be wrong or evil. I do believe that what a song says to us; the message crafted by the artist can aide or hinder our following of Christ. I truly believe that music speaks to our spirits and that we must control what it sings to us. We need to be sure that where piece of music takes us is where we want to go. We need to examine ourselves and the message. I find that when I am in a morose or unloving place that I embrace songs that are not healthy for my spirit. Recently I have been awaking with a singular song in my head. I hope that it is because it is becoming the central song of my heart.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom – Stuart Townend

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

Back Where We Fell

Greetings Dear Reader,

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here - Dare you to Move - Switchfoot

Recently I had a very vivid dream of the time I broke my arm when I was boy. I was running with some friends and I fell, my arm landing under me. I knew I was hurt because of the pain in my arm when I attempted to rise from the ground. I remember thinking that if I could fly all would be OK.

Through the magic of the dreamscape I could fly. The pain was not any less. I awoke with true pain in my arm because the dream had been so real. I realized that there were things about that moment that I needed to revisit. I still carried some emotional hurt because of the surrounding circumstances. Things happened when I was five for which I had not truly extended forgiveness.

I know it all seems simple but we must return to the root of things for which we have not either asked or given forgiveness. The roots of being bitter, angry, and hard hearted are always found in the absence of forgiveness. I once asked a man who has an excellent lawn how he did it. He said that he constantly planted good seed and fertilized it well. He did not use any week killer or pesticides. He just kept planting and tending the good things.

I have learned that there are places in my life to which I must return and seek forgiveness. There are moments where I withheld forgiveness that I must give freely no matter the attitude or actions of the other individual. Redemption and forgiveness are two sides of the same coin. In his instructions on how to pray Christ expressed that we are to expect forgiveness from God in a measure equal to our forgiveness of others.

Redemption does have stories to tell. When we see the past poisoning our future, we should look into the events for a place where we need forgiveness or need to give it. Then we need to act even if it is only to internally release our bitterness to the past where it belongs.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

Not Really Sin At All

Greetings Dear Reader,

In my young days as a Christ follower I attended a very conservative church. The foundations for my faith had some excellent and some rotten pillars. One of the things that my early spiritual leaders did that was a grave error was that they majored on things that are minor. In doing this I was inducted into a system of legalism that does not reflect the grace and love of Christ very well.

An example of the misapplication of what is taught in the Bible is the conservative approach to alcohol consumption. I was taught, and many still are taught that all drinking is wrong. There are so many books, articles, and sermons that try to twist things into a “biblical prohibition” regarding drinking. The Old Testament law actually makes provision for “strong drink” within limits. One of the allowances for the tithe of joy is that one can buy wine or strong drink as they desire to share with the family (Deut. 14:26).

Some more conservative sects insist on things that Christ never intends when he speaks of modesty or separation from that which is doctrinally in error. The thrust of the Gospel is more in line with love, patience, and caring for one another than in measure my spirituality by my adherence to a list of church made laws. It has been said that these laws keep us from the sin that follows their abuse. I would respond to that with the fact that making a hedge around the law does not teach people to follow the laws of God with their hearts.

Following Christ is not doing what a body of individuals says you should do. Rather, it is looking into who Christ is and imitating him in love and compassion. If we focus on the needs of the poor, the widows, and the orphans then we will accomplish great things. If we spend our energy frustrating those seeking Christ by giving them a spiritual to do list so they can measure up, then we will hinder their progress. We are to be example of love, acceptance, and grace as filtered through the teachings of Christ. If I choose to sit on my stoop with my pipe and snifter to ponder how better to do these things, it is no sin at all.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

Curmudgeonly

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I wish I could embrace the idea of becoming a grumpy, ill tempered, and curmudgeonly individual. I am a crooked stick and my fallen nature is both wicked and warped. I do not hate mankind but I am increasingly impatient concerning man’s absurdities. I suppose I have not become crusty enough to alienate people through pure irritability.

I realize that I can be pretty hard on people. Even though I have told myself I was trying to help I was instead making myself feel better about myself. There are times when I was genuinely trying to help but that is beside the point. I easily see the stupidity of mankind’s moral and social schizophrenia but I love people too much to write them off as bumbling fools. I get in my own way through my faults and selfishness.

Recently I observed that there are times when I wish to shut out the entire world and escape the invasive timbre of electronic or human input. I have never liked quiet before but am finding it to be an ineffable sanctuary from time to time. I am trying to balance learning the skill of looking inward honestly without losing my ability to look outwardly with vision and optimism.

Added to that is the constant decay I see around me of morals, values, and man’s regard for his own kind. The thing that I must battle against is the cynicism that accompanies tempering my optimism. I wish to see things as they are without indulging the anger or hopelessness entangled in this vision. I also must not indulge in pride offered when I see things that I might see “worse” than I am. I cannot afford to compare myself to anything but Christ and who I need to be in his eyes. I cannot indulge in seeing my fellow man in any other way than how Christ sees them. The miniscule portion of my anger that is just must be tempered by love, compassion, and grace.

I will reserve my curmudgeonly adventures to my inner thoughts and times of solitude. I will also explore ways in which I can prevent my nature from becoming crusty or too malcontent.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

Uncommon Courtesy

Greetings Dear Reader,

I was pondering today how shocked a lady was that I held the door for her at the grocery store. She responded with, “You do not have to do that. I can get my own door.” I simply smiled and let her pass. The responses that formed in my brain were twofold.

My first thought was to the first half of her statement. It was that I do not have to do that, but rather I do it out of politeness and courtesy. The second was that I do have to do it. It matters to me that others are treated with politeness and courtesy. We walk through a world where courtesy and politeness has become less important.

The language I hear in public offends me. Words that should not be uttered anywhere are spoken by our musicians, on TV (cable), and by my children. A student actually swore defiantly at a professor in class last week. We lose something every time we fail to be kind or polite. The words we use define who we are. What is in the heart comes out of the mouth.

Courtesy becomes less common. The world grows farther from the image that Christ, not religion wishes it to be and we lose our footing in the knowledge of the holy with each failure to show deference and kindness to others. It is a symptom of a much deeper disease that I fear has no cure other than Christ.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 - So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store.”

A Universe of Wonders

Greetings Dear Reader,

Do you know that in a universe full of wonders, humans have managed to invent boredom? -
Death in Hogfather by Terry Pratchett.

I am rarely bored. There is always something that snags my interest. Lately I have been pondering the night sky a great deal. I have also been fascinated this year by the things that snow and ice do when left to their own devices.

Most mornings I awake with my head full of things to do. Most days are filled with things that can recapture our sense of awe if we let them. It really only takes a determination to see what is there. Currently a pair of cardinals flit in the tree outside of my window. This is their third winter with us and they obviously benefit from the filled bird feeder in the yard. What they give in return is a constant dance of brown and crimson beauty that reminds me daily of Christmas.

I pondered for a while the other day how many children they have nested and sent out from the simple nest in the lilac bush currently barren of leaves. Amidst the cold death of winter the pair of Cardinals tend their home in preparation for the advancing time when they will again bring new life into a warm spring.

Through that same window I can see an inspiring example of life leaping forth from death. A tree needed to be cut down during our first year in this house. The stump stands still in the yard and I thought to remove it. Then it burst forth over the summer with new life. At the moment it is a comical collection of stump, dead branches, and snow. Come the spring it will resemble an odd dwarfed tree filled with life and possibility. A constant reminder is this tree of what God does for us daily; turning death into a fighting chance to live.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 - So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store.”

The One Song

Greetings Dear Reader,

All creation moves in a cosmic dance
Before the Lord her King.
The rhythm, the reason, the rhyme of the dance
Poses within everything. – Kemper Crabb

Last night I stood out in the cold crisp air looking up at Orion. Fresh snow is on the ground and the moon was the barest of Cheshire grins. Though weary I stood for a bit looking up at the grand constellation; admiring the brightness of Rigel and Betelgeuse. The flickering of S261 was a brilliant red and the entire sky-scape shown crisp with effervescent clarity.

It occurred to me that the most ancient texts consider Orion a shepherd and not a hunter. It is also said that the juxtaposition of Orion and Taurus is the inspiration for the Epic of Gilgamesh. Every culture from the ancient Far East to Native American mythology has given a designation of importance to this group of stars.

At that moment last night I was taken in by the vastness of the heavens and how truly small I am in the entire cosmic dance. Yet in that seemingly endless expanse I am significant to the one who created it all. From the courses of entire galaxies to the movement of microbes through my bloodstream God controls it all. In that moment, with a bit of pain in my knee and my cold breath taken aback by remembrance there came an apostrophe (read epiphany and thank you Mister Smee).

Everything I worry about is beyond my control and everything I fear is useless to fear. I cannot prevent anything or cause anything. My actions are my choice but if they are for good they are predestined to serve the greater good. If they are for ill then God has prepared a response to work his will in the world despite my failures. In the innumerable measure of the Universe there is a single song being played out by the ultimate composer. When my notes are those of disharmony he has already written subtext to bring things back into proper time and step at the appointed movement of the song.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 - So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store.”

Oh the Places You’ll Go

Greetings Dear Reader,

Lately I have been doing a bit of reading in the area of travel speeds and measurement of great distances. These kinds of things usually get me into trouble but I have decided there are things I want to know better than I do and am pursuing said knowing. I spent some time with a math instructor colleague discussing substitution cryptography.

I have a cryptographic puzzle that I have been working on for some years now and I have made little headway. On the journey, however, I have learned a great deal about cryptography and it has aided my teaching in network security. It has also, as a side benefit sharpened my thinking in the area of problem solving. I said all that to say that the journey is as much joy as the anticipated destination.

So I was wondering why we abandon some references for time. Most of the English speaking world still uses the term fortnight. This is a reference to a two week period of time. It is much more elegant than two weeks. Instead of bi-weekly one says fortnightly. Something that happens every fourteen days happens fortnightly. I just like it.

When one combines this with addressing small distances using terms for vast distances one can have quite a good time with the words. Since I love to play with words this presents some interesting opportunities. For example if one is traveling forward at 2 miles per hour they could be said to be moving at 32.5 atto-Parsecs per microfortnight; roughly, give or take, if I carried the 2 properly. This of course assumes constants in terrain, ambulatory exertion, and wind resistance and other irritatingly odd variables.

It is really all in how you consider things. We seldom look at the world from differing points of view than our own. When we do can see things in a new way or develop new thoughts. As we think new thoughts we can try new things. In this is the essence of recreating ourselves. That done through the filter of following Christ can bring new and glorious things. The journey will be marvelous.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

A Milestone

Greetings Dear Reader,

Let me first say that I love you all dearly and am thankful for the time you invest in this old scribbler of tales. Today I turn fifty. Half a century does not feel as long as it is. The ruddy sand of life slips through the pinch at its unrelenting pace. Each grain counts out the moments spent until the last red grain slips through demanding that I settle with the house.

Perhaps I will indulge the cup tonight or sit in the wind with a bright cherry atop my favorite pipe or both. A golden toddy and some good Cavendish are a fine way to end the day that marks your fiftieth year. I will have spent most of the day attempting to explain virtual machines and network servers to young minds still hoping for a better future.

I will miss my Avalon all day today. I had grand plans for this milestone for us, but alas they are lost to her will and my shelf-life. Please know that today I feel the truth of a scarecrow’s dreams. I also feel the firm love and support of Christ as he sustains me in the darkness and silences of the things that call me other than he sees me.

I am reasserting my efforts in completing some works promised to you along ago. I have several new ideas under development as well. In potential works alone I have much time still to use. As I look into the next half century I wonder if I will have the time to complete my task. I know that I am determined to try.

For today I ponder the things missed along the way that I would revisit. Some of them I can and some of them I cannot. I will journey where and when I can but for now I will enjoy the moment and live the day to its fullest.

Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though we pass them by today,
Tomorrow we may come this way
And take the hidden paths that run
Towards the Moon or to the Sun. – J.R.R. Tolkien

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

1 Mile and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet. – J.R.R. Tolkien

I am making the turn toward the lighted inn. Like my dear friend Bilbo I will have more adventures along the way. Hopefully there will be few dragons and Orcs in my path but I know that both joy and trouble await me. I come to the moment in a far different life than I imagined even a fortnight of years ago.

Some of the things past are wonderful memories. Some of them are things I cannot wait to have erased from my memory. I am attempting to realize some of the memories I wish to have later on and accomplish some things the matter long beyond the end of my time.

I have been thinking a great deal about friends along the road. There are people I miss greatly. More so there are friends I cherish that I do not get to see as often as I wish. There are places I miss as well but most of those are from my youth. I see great beauty still in the world even though with every passing decade the world seems tired, weary.

I fear for the disillusionment of my children’s generation. There is a loss of innocence there that troubles me greatly. At a young age they know too much of loss and pain. For my own children that is partly my fault and I am working to mend what I can. For the world I fear that our acceptance of things that harm the young causes them to mistrust us as a generation.

So as I grow nearer the inn, I will draw out my pipe, fill the bowl with some Longbottm leaf, and pull my cloak more snugly around me. Perhaps there will be more time for storytelling, baseball, and a find snifter of Grand Marne. I hope there is room for me at the inn. We shall see.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

2 Miles and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say. – J.R.R. Tolkien


Some days I forget that it is a journey and that my current home is not the destination. I have dreams of other homes and find that more often I think of them than I used to do. I want another temporal home but that is dependent on many things beyond my control. I have a great wander lust that I rarely give place to but ponder almost daily. At times I am gripped by the desire to make a turn that I have not made just so I can say I have made it.

As far back as I can remember I have nourished a desire to be on the road. During my last work search I actually considered becoming a truck driver. Every time I buy something at the market I am thankful for these hardy folk who travel daily so that my pantry may be full. We are not considerate enough for them.

Also my desire to succeed as a writer is tied to this wanderlust. A successful writer may live anywhere and almost everywhere he wishes. I would like to travel and see only so that I may use the richness of that travel to enhance my tales. I am still unsure of how I have been to all the places I already have. As Tolkien so profoundly put it, however, the road goes ever on and on and today my feet truly are weary. I have lost some companions along the way that I would see again. I have yet to meet all with whom I will travel for a space.

Where I am at this moment is not the destination and I cannot see even the road that leads to it. I know that it is up ahead somewhere and that the bend that currently hinders my vision will pass behind me and perhaps I will find wonder to distract me from the weariness. They say that it will snow tomorrow. That is a wonder even though it makes the travel harder.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

5 Miles and Counting – Fellow Travelers

Greetings Dear Reader,

Several of my friends celebrate their birth this week. All of them are dear to me. I would fill this space with words for kindness for them. Two of them are brothers and though their differences in mind and action are equally loved. They are both intelligent seekers and lifelong learners. They have both been of good council to me and stood by me in times of pain. The young lady whose birthday is today is also quiet intelligent. Her imagination and wit are refreshing. She has a unique ability to bring a smile to others. I would also be remiss to forget my best friend in the second grade. We traveled together briefly but with permanent impact on my life.

We are all blessed with fellow travelers along the way. They aide us and mold us. They shape our thoughts and attitudes for good or ill as we let them. No matter their impact on our lives we must be more aware of our impact on theirs. It is our responsibility to be true friends and love them as deeply as Christ does to our capacity.

I know that I am not always a good friend but hope that as I travel on that I will remember to see them as Christ does and so do better.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

6 Miles and Counting – A rest stop

Greetings Dear Reader,

Even on the most serious of journeys there are rest stops along the way. Longer trips require more times to rest and refresh. Along the way there have been some beautiful things. Holding my Sons for the first time was life changing. Watching my eldest hold my youngest for the first time as well was lovely.

There have been many natural things that have captivated and refreshed me. Countless sunsets, scuba diving, a triple rainbow, and the Grand Canyon have all energized me along the road. There have been lovely way sides that both restored and recreated me. Moments as sweet as ripe Georgia peaches continue to refresh me along the way.

The moments of sweet re-creation serve to remind me that what lies ahead is better than anything I have already had. The day will come for me, for all of us when creation is completely redeemed and the beauty will rule the journey. Until then I will keep to the road, enjoying the sights along the way and marveling in the wonder of all things. I will also, as always, travel…

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

7 Miles and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am really quite surprised to be here. I do not feel as old as I am. Many do not believe my age, but there are signs. I thought about a girl from my youth today. It was a sunny summer afternoon and we had gone to her house to escape the heat. I had to leave for home and dinner but she wanted me to stay. I was young, tan, and fit back then.

She held me close as I headed for her door and whispered, “Please stay. I will let you do anything you wish if you will just stay.” I knew she meant it. She did not desire sex. She did not want to be alone. Her desperation for love that was real made her willing to settle for the false kind to not feel alone. I left, explaining that I wished to protect my purity and hers. She never spoke to me again.

I have done less noble things since then. I have done foolish things to keep from being alone myself, or rather to keep from feeling alone. I have walked with Christ for thirty six years; some closer than others, and I have never been alone. My greatest sins have come when I felt fear of abandonment or rejection. I could have just embraced that Christ loved me and would fulfill those needs but I chose to try and fix, make, or build the security on my own. The price for that has been high for everyone it touched.

The thing is I do not feel as old as I am. I had to work to not become a man of no feeling. I fight the screaming denizens of my fallen nature daily. There some who seem to see only where I need to go when I wish so desperately they would see how far I have come. Then I realize that the road is ever rising and it is what I must expunge from my nature that matters. “I have promises yet to keep and miles to go before I sleep.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

8 Miles and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

As I mentioned yesterday, my insurance company says I will live to be 82. I hope they are correct. So much of what I do is optimistic. It is not that I do not feel the pain of loss or the fear of eventualities. It is that I know in that way that only faith can know that God knows what he is doing even when I am clueless.

I do not always live the faith that I hold but when I do it is sweet and steady. When I fail the fear and pessimism can grip me in their claws and wring all sorts of wickedness from me. Only the acts of life that are lived in faith seem to produce anything good. The miles behind me where faith has ruled are the ones I can remember with a smile. Those where I ignored the voice of faith within me and instead listened to my own fears have produced little other than lies, pain, and great sin.

I can see clearly the moments where my sin has harmed others and still hear the echoes of choices made in selfishness and self preservation. For the follower of Christ, there is no need of either. Selfishness rejects the very purpose of following Christ and self preservation denies the faith that I need not control my own circumstances.

Everything does work together for good but that statement is conditional and we ignore the conditions. Everything works together for good under two concurrent conditions: to those who love God and who are called according to HIS purpose. Every time I stray from following in faith I do not love God and am not called according to his purpose. This does not mean that I thwart God in any way but it does mean that the ensuing consequences are my own filing and little else.

The miles slip away and only the ones traveled in faith matter.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

9 Miles and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

Snow is in the forecast. Not much but enough to make the world white and clean looking again. What is still on the ground at present is dirty mostly and melting around the edges. I love the snow. It is beautiful, unique, and still magical to me. The air is cold and dry and I see changes that say the road is getting a little less paved and easy to navigate.

I get cold more often than I used to. I used to be furnace but from time to time now I need a blanket in the evening. It is harder to do some things. My have a stiffness they have never had. I will make the transition to real spectacles this year having needed only something to magnify for most of the last decade.

My spirit, however, feels renewed. As I measure my part and portion of each failure and embrace Christ in his forgiving grace, I feel hope. I know that the journey holds more good than bad up the road. A few of my friends have run out of road and are aware of the answers to all the mysteries I still ponder. Some will far out distance me and some are on the same pace. A couple ran off the road before they reached the end, unable to carry the weight of years or pain.

I am hoping for one more great adventure before I head for that undiscovered country. I know that this is not near the end of the path but I can see that mile marker as well. According to my insurance company it is around mile 82. There are still tremendous things I wish to do but more importantly I wish to make the next miles count for Christ and Christ alone. If in doing that I find some adventure, mores the better.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."

10 Miles and Counting

Greetings Dear Reader,

The sign post grows closer and I am trying to organize my thoughts so that I take the best crossroad. I must admit that my life is much different than I imagined it to be at this time. Some of the missed goals are my own fault and some are not. I have been thinking through them, trying to honestly assess my failings and find a foothold on which to keep climbing out of my falleness toward following Christ more closely.

Recently someone told me that they could trace most of the great hurts in their life back to me. I am thankful that this individual had the courage to be honest with me. It hurt greatly but I have to acknowledge the places where I have failed. I have spent a great deal of time in my life being “right” or trying to know everything. I am just realizing how little I know and how far from right I am when I neglect the essence of who Christ is for some doctrine or discipline.

Resistance to the truth is futile. There is no time in the following of Christ to resist the pull toward him and truth that he is. I fail daily. I get detoured by my own fears and self centered desires. I allow the ghosts of my past to determine current actions. It is only when I follow Christ in truth, love, kindness, and grace that I make a positive difference.

I cannot change the past. I can begin the process of renewal internally that leads to an evidence of following Christ outwardly. As the miles slip by I can determine that each one will be spent with my attention of following and not on the things that do not matter. The milestone ahead is not arrival but rather just a marker. It is too late to turn back but that also is not something to ponder. The way lies always up ahead. The joy must be found in the journey and hope of the destination. I am to follow and that is all.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."