Withholding Friendship

Greetings Dear Reader,

Why did it have to be a friend who chose to betray the Lord?

Why did he use a kiss to show them that's not what a kiss is for?

Only a friend can betray a friend a stranger has nothing to gain,

And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain,

And why did there have to be thorny crown pressed upon His head?

It should have been the royal one made of jewels and gold instead.

It had to be a crown of thorns because in this life that we live,

For all who seek to love a thorn is all the world has to give.

And why did it have to be a heavy cross He was made to bare?

And why did they nail His feet and hands his love would have held Him there?

It was a cross for on a cross a thief was supposed to pay,

And Jesus had come into the world to steal every heart away.

Yes, Jesus had come into the world to steal every heart away. – Michael Card

I am sailing through some difficult waters and a storm chases me. The determination to do what is right always gets followed by the need to actually do it. Faith is such a mighty ship and once unfurled her sails catch the best wind. Unfortunately a sturdy ship does not guarantee that you can outrun the storms.

I could wax metaphorical for hours but the meat of the issue is that I am facing doing what is right and I know it will harm me. I have held parts of myself in check or at bay thinking to protect my own pain. This never works. The choice to do right no matter the cost is always one that summons a storm. The choice to love at the God level is always one that leaves us vulnerable and usually targeted. The purpose here is not to garner sympathy or support, but rather to warn and seek your prayer.

Christ calls us to love as he loves. He insists that we take up our cross and follow him. He demands that we deny ourselves and put all hope in him. He promises that the pain in the journey is worth it at the end. Today I cannot see it. Following Christ today means opening old wounds that have not fully healed. Following Christ today means that I can see only the troughs at the bottom of the waves. Not following means that those wounds will never truly heal and will probably fester. Not following means that the next wave will crush me rather than lift me up.

Following today means sacrificing my rights on the altar of love and faith. Christ sailed these waters long before me. He never withheld himself from us even though he knew it would cost his life. I can no longer claim to love others and withhold my friendship from them for any reason. I cannot allow my faithless need for safety to hinder the possible grace that may be worked out in others. I must not only determine to abandon my own due, even if it is just, I must fully unfurl my sails and go boldly towards being fully vulnerable to others for the sake of Christ and his agenda for us all.

I hear the wind around me whipping “whys” and “hows” in hopes that I will pull in my sails or head for a safe harbor. The spinnaker is unfurled and she is in full billow. There is no safe harbor from the truth that we are to love everyone no matter what the cost. There is no time to rest in the doldrums of indifference. To withhold ourselves for fear or to feel safe is to actually endanger ourselves and others.

The maelstrom will catch me. My only hope is to set my course toward Christ and lash myself to the mast of my good ship Faith. I have a tall ship and a star to steer her by. What more does anyone really need. Sail on.

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 Supposed to be the Cause

Greetings Dear Reader,

“When the kingdom comes with its perfected sons, He’ll be known by the scars.” - Michael Card

I think I may have the best dentist in the world. His name is Fred. He never hurts me. Always listens to me. He treats others with respect and is good to his staff. I have been going to him for over a decade and I am healthier for it.

Since childhood and some serious verbal abuse by a dentist at a dental clinic, I have had a deep fear of dentists. This dental student used to growl into the ear of my six year old self that if I wiggled too much he would throw me out a window. On one of my first visits, Fred saw my fear. He assured me that he would not hurt me and used every means at his disposal to do just that. He explained, “I am supposed to heal, not cause pain.”

Is that not the heart of what I am supposed to be as a Christ follower? As I mentioned some time ago, one of the people I love most in the world told me that they could trace the most painful moments in their life to me. This haunts me daily. If what I am doing for myself damages and hurts others then I must lay it aside. If what I think and say causes harm then I am not following Christ. Only through consistently seeking the benefit of others can I draw closer to Christ as I follow him.

We are to diminish pain, not cause it. It is my responsibility to consistently be in the midst of those in pain without being the cause of their pain. My destiny is to heal, help, and love. What do I really lose if I give without expecting return? I lose nothing. What are the benefits of seeking to love others unconditionally? They are limitless. This week I am identifying specific things I need to do to live this truth. It is scary, scaring, and daunting. It is impossible for me to do on my own strength. I must screw my courage and my faith to the sticking place and abandon myself. “Take up your cross and follow me,” seems very raw and real today.

Someone I love has been pressed so far in this area. He has spent years giving of his time, love, and resources to a circle of friends and those friends consistently respond indifferently. I see his pain and know that he loves them and needs them to grow, learn, and become from time he has invested in them. I would say to him as I am saying to myself the words of my dear friend Ian Anderson. “And it’s only the giving that makes us what we are.”

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."

Priceless Professionals and IT Thugs

Greetings Dear Reader,

We all need vendors. We all purchase products and services from others and depend on them to provide those things with equity and integrity. Many of the items and services we need or want put us at the mercy of experts. We count on them to inform, advise, and service when we are paying the bill. When we find honorable vendors it is a blessing. When we do not it can be a nightmare.

Someone I respect for his positive attitude and understanding nature recently referred to the computer repair services of a large electronics chain as “IT Thugs.” I had to concur with his assessment. He simply wanted to purchase a wireless router for his home network. He had a new laptop and just wished to get it on the internet and be able to print. Instead of helping him get what he needed they tried to up-sell him on services and product.

When my friend resisted they tried to use inaccurate fear to induce him to buy what they suggested. I have spoken to individuals who worked for this chain in the computer repair and service capacity. They have told me that the training teaches them to up-sell services even if those services are more than the customer needs. I respect the need to make a profit, but not the practice of thuggery against the uninformed.

The other side of the coin represents the Dave’s of the world. Dave is not only a provider of valuable service. He is an honest and skilled mechanic. Most of my life I have driven Volkswagens. Dave is my, yes MY Volkswagen mechanic. He is honest, generous, kind, and extremely excellent. He provides his service with equal integrity to the informed and uniformed. He explains what you need done to your car with care and precision.

I have been the victim of auto repair thugs. I have gouged and robbed by dishonest mechanics. Dave is the example all vendors should follow. He listens to his customers and usually knows what they need before they finish the explanation. He never over charges and I believe he often under charges. I know he never does unnecessary work unless the customer demands it. He is not just a mechanic. He is a good father and husband. He cares about the community and his neighbors.

On two occasions I have seen him dismiss the opportunity to make a buck for the sake of his integrity. A customer was sure she needed new CV joints because her car was making the classic ticking sound that signals this malady. He did not charge her at all for removing the bailing wire from her axel. Early in my relationship with Dave, I went in sure that my 1984 Jetta needed a full tune up. He said would do that if it was what I wanted but that my car did not need one it just needed some minor adjustment.

Dave has gone out of his way to do a Sunday repair and speed a couple along on their honeymoon – No Charge. He gets the value of mentoring others. Dave is the kind for service provider that keeps me buying used Volkswagens. He makes the journey more joyful. Thank you Dave.

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."

Faith versus Fear

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have maintained for most of my adult life that sin is almost always the result of fear. Some with who I verbally joust have said that it is more likely selfishness. My response is usually that selfishness is an outpouring of the fear of not having or losing something. I know that is how it works in me. Over the past few months I have been pondering the juxtaposition of fear and faith.

If I act out of fear I am not exercising faith. That which I fear is not part of my relationship to following Christ. If I fear losing out on an opportunity and try to manipulate the situation then I am rejecting my faith that God has things in control. If I withhold love and kindness from someone for fear I will be hurt then I am not showing faith that God knows what he is doing when he commands me to treat others with love and kindness. When I refuse to forgive I am indulging my fear at being hurt by holding onto selfishness and anger. God wants me to forgive and trust that he holds justice and grace in balance for a reason.

Faith means that I always trust that God is in control. I truly control nothing except my response to opportunities to have faith. The only thing I have absolute power over is my response to faith and fear. I can claim to have no control. I can claim to just be reacting. In truth I always have a choice. I always determine my response; sometimes ahead of time and sometimes in the moment. My patterns of faith and fear lay the track for my reactions in the heat of a moment.

How I think about what God has to say about forgiveness, anger, and love will contribute to my faith and fear responses. If I refuse to restore a relationship that is broken, then I am not trusting God to protect me or care for me. If I choose to live by faith instead of fear I will get hurt. There is no way to avoid harm if I follow Christ, but I can have faith that it is for the greater good. That said it means that no matter the cost, I have some things to mend. It will be painful but I must do it.

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."

Caught Unawares at a Milestone

Greetings Dear Reader,

I begin this with an apology to my Mother for making her feel old and with forgiveness to my children for laughing at me. Laugh on kids, I understand. I have mentioned several times that I am excited about being a Grandfather. It is one of the aspects of ageing that lends grace and beauty to the process.

Yesterday, however, the ramifications of aging were driven home without warning. It was both a blessing and an opportunity for laughter. It was also a moment of pause for me as I realized that to young people, I look old. I know I look younger than I am, but apparently to some I look old.

I got to spend part of the day with my younger Son and we enjoyed a movie and then pizza together. During lunch he jokingly asked when he would get to take advantage of me getting a senior citizen discount. I reminded him that I am not a senior citizen for some years yet. God has a sense of humor and saw fit to remind me that age has nothing to do with it.

After time with my Son I went to pick up my Daughter from school. It being Friday she needed to go to the bank and expressed a desire to dine out for dinner. We had our usual haggle over where to dine and settled on the all you care to eat buffet at our local Hy-Vee Grocery Store. It is good food at a good price and they provide free Wi-Fi. The folks there are very friendly and provide a clean enjoyable atmosphere for a relaxing dinner.

Since it is a buffet and the grocery store is quite busy, they sensibly request that one bring the receipt for the meal when acquiring refills. It was on my second trip back from the salad bar that I realized a significant milestone had zoomed passed without so much as a by-your-leave sir or an if-you-please sir.

Whilst walking and reading the receipt I noticed that I had been charged less than my Daughter. There on the second line of the two itemized meals was a grey stony step along the path that I had hoped to avoid for at least five more years. It read “Senior Grand Buffet.”

The young lady who had so cheerfully served me at the counter thought that I was a senior citizen. She was so kind and polite. She smiled as she rang me up all along thinking that I was old. Now I do not think there is anything wrong with being old. I am just not ready for the old person to be me. I called both my Sons and they had a good laugh about it. Perhaps they will share their thoughts on it here. In any event the milestone of my first Senior Citizen Discount has come and gone and I all but missed. You, however, dear reader may enjoy it to your heart’s content.

Wishing you joy in the journey,Aramis ThornMat 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.”

Pondering Pythagoras

Greetings Dear Reader,

“There is geometry in the humming of the strings; there is music in the spacing of the spheres.” – Pythagoras

A favorite musician of mine, Kemper Crabb, penned these lines that I carry in my head; “All creation moves in a cosmic dance, before the Lord her King. The rhythm, the reason the rhyme of the dance poses within everything.” As the seasons turn from summer to autumn I have been watching the dance as I travel through my day.

The morning quality of sunlight has changed. A single sugar maple, proudly set on a high hill has raced ahead of its siblings to clothe itself in rich crimson and ginger. The squirrels in the yard seem rushed in their efforts to gather literally all the acorns beneath the oak tree. The willow is slowly turning golden though on its shady side the rich verdant leaves still off reminders of the fading summer.

The night sky is clearer as this summer’s unusual humidity has dwindled. Glimpses of Orion are more common early as he makes his imminent arrival known. Orion’s arrival is glorious to me this year. He is already bright and beautiful. I stopped last night to ponder the steady movement of our course through the cosmos. Each spin and circuit appointed and proven over the millennia speaks to the “perfect seven step time” of the universe.

I noticed a large group of butterflies over the weekend and watches as they danced among the trees and grass gathering nectar from the dwindling supply of flowers. Then as one they lifted to the breeze and ascended toward the south. I do not know their destination or the silent call that caused them to take flight in unison, but the amazing geometry of it is not lost on me.

In the patterns of the stars, the rustle and fire of the leaves, and the single minded flight of butterflies, I hear the gentle whisper that calls to me. I hear the voice of God pointing to all that he has done and reminding me that it is there so that he can get my attention. He wishes me to see it all and through it, see him.

His passion is for me and all of the geometry and physics is there to show me that there is a design. There is a design for the universe, our world, and my life. To trace the pattern I need only follow his Son. To join in the dance I need only waltz the geometry uniquely drawn out for me. The piper calls and I must simply follow and all will be well.

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.”

Prefabricated Omelets’

Greetings Dear Reader,

I know that times change and that we reinvent how we do things in the world. Some things need to be changed. Reluctantly I admit that sliced bread and the wheel have value. I can see the value of some canned foods and even frozen ones. We cannot have everything stay the same or our culture would stagnate. I have gotten dirty looks from both my sons for owning a box of pancake mix, though I did not use it for pancakes.

Most things in our society have changed and in many ways cheapened in quality. Cracker Jack® used to have real prizes in every box. Things like whistles and compasses offered no end of fun for those who ate the candy coated popcorn and peanuts. Breakfast cereals used to double as treasure troves of prizes found in the package.

Things used to be made of steel and stone. Now we can buy fake rock and there are car parts made of aluminized wax. That is wax and aluminum mixed together. I had a car that had aluminized wax parts. I touched one of those parts on a hot Georgia summer day and it was so soft it dented.

Recently I was honored to be the guest speaker at a local civic club. The people were kind. They do great things for the community and promote local business in a positive way. As the “guest of honor” I was seated next to one of the founding members of this chapter. This distinguished business man held perfect attendance for fifty years at the organization.

As I returned from the breakfast line with my plate, the elderly gentleman looked at my plate and then may clear eye contact with me. A look of sadness filled his eyes as he grunted out two words, “Prefabricated Omelets’.” It dawned on me as we talked over our breakfast of the ills of a packaged and artificial society that before me sat an octogenarian who held many of the same views my sons hold about the impurity of things in our society.

I dwelt for some time that day on the artistry that is supposed to be involved in an omelet’. Even though I am a very experience cook I struggle with the creation of this particular breakfast marvel. Mine always tear, usually due to my own impatience. What I had seen that morning was more like an egg tortilla with cheese folded in the middle.

At what point does our attempt to be efficient eclipse the necessary artistry in our society? At what juncture do we cross a line that sacrifices the soul for the bottom line? My sons talk about things like slow food and buying locally. I compare my prefabricated egg taco to the most excellent BLT’s I have enjoyed recently. The latter were made with home grown tomatoes, non-iceberg lettuce, and apple smoked bacon. They were hand crafted with love not produced by a machine. Yes, I agree with my elderly friend and express as he did with a loud harrumph, “Prefabricated Omelets’.”

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."

Ingesting Shards of Glass

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you have not seen the truth.com add about Shards O Glass Freeze Pops it would be worth your time to take a moment and watch it now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbQ4JNpXPTY I am not about to go on a rant about smoking. We all know it is bad for us and I have a different agenda today. I know that I have ingested shards of glass. Unlike the ones that come in Shards O Glass Freeze Pops, mine are much more subtle.

Some of the flavors include high expectations, demanding my way, failure to see beyond my own wants, and failure to forgive. They are all things that tear at my flesh inwardly until most of what comes out of me is loathsome and not worth being near.

Each of these things once ingested eats away at us. When I place expectations on another person, I indulge in conditional acceptance, I lack a truly giving spirit, and I place false debt on them. I used to expect the people that frequented my home help with cleanup. In truth this put a price on my hospitality that sent a message of conditional acceptance. If I am to give freely I need to allow people to act freely. I need to stay away from expecting them to act this way or that. No matter how much someone may need to learn to give as they receive, it is not my place to demand that they meet my needs to learn it. This places conditions on my love for them and drives them away.

When I demand that things be done my way I create tension for my friends and family. I also create tension for myself. Another thing that gets torn away here is the feeling of safety and security I want people to feel. I also lose the opportunity to learn other ways and new approaches to things. I lose the rich experience of learning from my friends. These shards of demanding certain behaviors tear at my humility and extend my own need for grace and understanding.

As I focus on my own wants I intentionally and unintentionally displace my responsibility to see clearly the needs of others and to “esteem them better than myself.” People go where they get their needs met. When I focus on meeting the needs of others then people surround me. When I focus on my own wants and needs I drive people away. The other thing that gets shredded when I focus on my own needs or wants is my faith. I am to trust God for those things and not insist on them from other humans. So many times I have quarreled with someone about what they were supposed to do when I should have been simply content to see that it gets done and use my faith to content my heart.

Perhaps the most dangerous shard is failing to forgive others. Harboring any ill will is dangerous. Holding onto any grudge, slight, or bad regard for another constantly shreds my heart, soul, and mind. My ability to love others where they are drains away through the sieve created in my by failure to forgive another. No matter what someone has done to me or how deeply they have hurt me I am obligated to forgive them. I must do this or I will constantly tear away the ability of my spirit to unconditionally love my fellow man.

Failing to address any of these areas is completely and willingly ingesting shards that tear at my spirit over and over again. It impacts my heart, my health, and so many other things. I do not relate to my children well, I drive friends and family away from me, and I cannot say in truth that I am following Christ.

This part of the journey seems so hard and puts so much at risk. It is difficult and demands a deep exercise of faith with each step. It is one of those constant contradictions inherent in follow Jesus Christ. It is also the only thing that truly works.

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 Filter – Current Conclusions

Greetings Dear Reader,

Jesus answered him, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' All of Moses' Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."

Heart, Soul, and Mind are all mine to command. I choose how I will interact with those around me and what I will tolerate and refuse to tolerate. It is up to me to not just passively put up with those around me but rather I am commanded to love them. Living out this simple filter is very hard. It is complex and takes all our effort to exist in the moment loving God and living out that love in the lives of our neighbors.

All week I have seen the multitude of ways in which I fail at this. I have these prideful moments of exerting my heart, soul, or mind over that which should be following Christ and his example. Fortunately, writing and dwelling on it has made me more aware of those moments and I can attempt to diminish their frequency.

Imagine if we all focused on just these two simple complex commands. Ponder the effect of a race to the pinnacle of humility and forbearance toward one another and love of God. What if we collectively set aside our pride and resentment of others? It can be done. It can be implemented in small moment by moment choices to esteem others better that ourselves. It can be our choice to express our love for God through constantly choosing to love those he created. On a practical level, try this. Try it a little every day and every day try it a little more. I promise I will:

Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me show love;
Where there is injury, pardon:
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
Where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen

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 Filter – Part 4

Greetings Dear Reader,

“To think well is to serve God in the interior court.” – Thomas Traherne

As I move through my thoughts on Christ’s citation that the first and second commandments are key to being who God wishes us to be in relation to him, I realize just how much of what we become begins in the mind. We have thoughts. Those thoughts become the fuel of our feelings and actions. If I do not monitor and master my thinking then I will not master my feelings and actions.

So how is it that I become someone who loves God with my entire mind? At the core of this seem to be some very basic exercises that can yield valuable return. The first is that I must think. I must choose to process what goes in and what comes out. I must think about literally everything I feel, believe, and desire in light of whether it obeys the command to love God and to love my neighbor as myself.

If I am going to reject someone, can I reason that it is how God wishes me to treat them in pursuit of God’s heart? If I am going to think ill of a person, can I with confidence say that Christ thinks ill of them? It is a simple thing to hang on to our anger, hurt, or desires in place reaching toward the heart of God. If I am pounding my chest, demanding my rights or wants, can I truly say that this is reasonable in light of loving God and others?

I find it a contradiction to say that I am giving God love with my thoughts and still harboring ill thoughts toward my fellow man. It is easy for me to rationalize that the individual has harmed me or may harm me again. It is simple to think only of another’s failings as the issue and to minimilize my own faults. It is a necessary discipline to filter my thoughts about others through the question “do I wish to be treated in the way I am treating this person?” The mind quickly supplies a list of rationalizations as to why this circumstance allows me to act differently. Most of these are lies.

My duty is to pursue peace. My obligation is to extend the same grace that is extended to me. There is no room for me to dismiss anyone. If I carry resentment toward anyone then my thinking is flawed. Christ expressed his view on these commandments without caveat. Remember that those asking the question had in their minds, soul, and heart to trick him. Instead of railing against their evil intent, he pointed them back to the foundation of our relationship to God. He reminded them that they were to love.

If I find myself resisting the expression of God’s love to another individual I need to think. I must process why I am resistant. I must discover what fear or selfishness drives me. I must realign my thinking so that I view that person in light of loving God and my neighbor. It does not matter what my agenda is, if I claim to follow Christ and embrace his teachings, I must submit my mind, soul, and heart to these simple filters.

What do I think about when someone wrongs me? What words do I use to disagree with another person? How do I think about complex family issues? What is my thought process when confronted with an offense? If I am not filtering my thinking through the commands to love God and to love my neighbor as myself, then I am not aligning my thinking with the heart of God.

The filtering of my thoughts, passions, and desires will necessarily be complex and painful. It means for me a race to the bottom. I must see just how in need of this same deference I am. I dare not judge, dismiss, or reject others when my need for grace and love is so dire. I must not shame the name of Christ by claiming to follow him and rejecting his most basic command. So for review I conclude my thoughts for now with this:

Mat 22:34 - 40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. One of them, an expert in Moses' Teachings, tested Jesus by asking, "Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in Moses' Teachings?"
Jesus answered him, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' All of Moses' Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."

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 Filter – Part 3

Greetings Dear Reader,

Whilst it is fairly easy to define what the heart is, and even easier to define the mind, explaining the soul has always been a challenge to me. Most of the definitions I have read lack the descriptive artistry that I think is necessary in understanding the soul of man. I still need, however, a launch point for pondering this part of the great command. If I am to strive to love God with all my Soul, then I must know what part of me that is. Here are few attempts at defining what we call the soul:

1. The principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.
2. The spiritual part of humans regarded in its moral aspect, or as believed to survive death and be subject to happiness or misery in a life to come: arguing the immortality of the soul.
3. The disembodied spirit of a deceased person.
4. The emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments.
5. A human being; person.
6. High-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage, etc.
7. The animating principle; the essential element or part of something.
8. The inspirer or moving spirit of some action, movement, etc.
9. The embodiment of some quality: He was the very soul of tact.
10. Deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by a performer or artist.

Once again I feel in some aspect all of these things are involved in loving God with all of our being. If the soul is the “principle of life, feeling, and thought,” then it must be the principle part of our love of God. Something so essential to our existence must be turned over to the soul task of devotion to God and all he is to me. If this is the immortal part of man, then it must be that which has following Christ and his devotion to the Father as a moment by moment task.

If my soul has any hope of obeying this command then my passions, emotions, and sentiments must be mastered and tasked to the singular goal of loving God. Doing this would preclude holding sentiments that shut out others, judge them, reject them, or see them as any less deserving of that same abject passion. If I reject anyone based on my feelings toward them then I have not mastered my soul in striving to love them as God loves them. I cannot wish anyone away or dismiss their right to my Christ centered love to the degree that I would wish others to love me and still claim to be pursuing the love of God with all my soul.

I also see that I neglect my soul in some areas of my artistic expression. It is God who gifts me with artistry and when I do not practice it with fervor to love God through it I am neglect a part of my soul that only God gives. If I write, teach, sing, play music, or use any other gift God has imbued into my creation, I must do it with a passion toward expressing my love of God. That does not mean that all I do must be in the theme of faith (look for a coming rant to prove just this). It does mean that every artistic act must also be an act of love toward God. This will inform my artistry in that I must govern the spirit of what I do. Expression of emotions is always fair ground with God. I must assure that I keep it holy ground as well.

What I see again is that there are no secular issues regarding the soul. All that I feel must be filtered through my love of God and the expression of those feelings must represent his love for all he has created. If I am to love God with all my soul I must convey that love in all that I feel. I must express love, joy, anger, frustration and any other emotion with regard to my love for God. It would be easy to rationalize this into something that allows me to hate in any way. I am a master at thinking my way to what I want. So I must move on to the mind…tomorrow.

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 Filter – Part 2

Greetings Dear Reader,

It is so true about our language that we overuse, misuse, and wear out words. One of my first true posts was about the word “Christian” and how it no longer communicates. In furthering the discussion of the two great commandments being the filter of our relationship between God, Christ, and our fellow humans, I would like to explore an issue that is overused in our language.

I would like to ponder with you what it means to love God with “all your heart” and how that applies to the current world. In thinking through this I have read several definitions of “heart” both in and out of the context of this discussion. Here are a few:

1: a: Physical: a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood b: a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart c: breast, bosom d: something resembling a heart in shape; specifically: a stylized representation of a heart
2: personality, disposition
3: the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature: as a: generous disposition: compassion b: love, affection c : courage, ardor
4: one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations
5: the central or innermost part: center b: the essential or most vital part of something

It seems after reading, pondering, and palavering over the issue that it must be all of them. Since my body belongs to God, the physical heart must be devoted to him in using the life he gives me for serving my fellow man. My personality must be warm, kind, tenderhearted towards God and man. My emotions and morals must respond in loving God through the expression of my feelings by a generous disposition, compassion, love, affection, courage, and ardor. My innermost character, feelings, and inclinations must be to love God and man above all other motivations and feelings. My central and innermost being, my very vitality must be bent to this cause and by extension, permeate every other cause to which I give my life.

The implications of this are quite far reaching. If I love God with all my heart as commanded, there remains no room for me to hold any negative or violent feelings toward anyone else. From this will precede an inability to see anyone else in less than a favorable light. I may condemn inappropriate actions but never condemn individuals. The very core of all that I am must be compassionate, courageous, and generous. Every physical heartbeat of my life must echo a reverberation of love toward God and all those he has given life.
Further, anything that involves the heart becomes a non-secular issue. How I feel about anyone or anything becomes an extension of how I relate to God. How I feel about healthcare, poverty, my irritating co-worker, or that undesirable relative is all irrevocably connected to my profession that I love God. The very essence of my emotional responses must be slaved to the heart of God and how he responds to things.

Obviously we cannot do this outside of the grace and providence of God. We must gain a foothold somewhere in this thin aired ascent toward feeling about others as God feels about them. Perhaps that is why we must also involve the soul and mind. For today, however, I will continue to ponder all I have to do just to manage the heart. I must filter everything through this command to love God with all my heart and, therefore, all humans as well.

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 Filter – Part 1

Greetings Dear Reader,

I was struck the other day at how much is done to present water as pure, clean, and drinkable. I am fortunate enough to have well water that is sweet and clear. Clean water is the essence of our eating and drinking. From morning coffee, to ripe melon, to the best steak, clean water is involved in the process. All vegetables and animals we consume are water dependant. Everything that sustains us was once sustained by water. I point this out as an example of how narrow some things really are and yet they impact everything.

Mat 22:34 - 40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. One of them, an expert in Moses' Teachings, tested Jesus by asking, "Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in Moses' Teachings?"
Jesus answered him, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' All of Moses' Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments."

I have been pondering much lately just how intricate these simple words are. Let us take the last sentence first. “All of Moses Teaching and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” It seems that the first and second commandments are a filter through which I may purify my interpretation and application of all else that the Bible teaches. Like the filter in my basement that removes iron from my water, this simple command from Christ can remove impurities from my attempts to follow him.

This filter in its simplicity can become the questions that serve as a foil to my fallen thinking. In both my vertical relationship with God and my horizontal relationship with other humans, I can frame what I do within these commands. The primary part of this filter may be obvious but still bears reinforcement. If I am to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, then I must love my neighbor as myself. It is impossible to do the first without doing the second. This is why Christ pointed out that the second command is like the first.

It is the heart of God to love everyone. That must also, therefore, be my heart. I cannot love God if I hate anyone. I cannot withhold forgiveness to anyone that God would forgive. I may not keep someone at arm’s length that Christ would embrace. Everyone is my brother and sister. Everyone is my concern. I cannot pretend that I am doing my bit in the vertical relationship with God if I am not engaged in the horizontal relationship with those with whom my life intersects.

As I examine this simple filter it becomes very complex for me. The clear thing is that there are no issues that are untouched by this primary of all dictates from Christ. Everything I believe, feel, and think must be informed by my need to love God and those he created. Even this first step is one of great and significant faith, but I must take it.

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."