Hallowed Ground

Greetings Dear Reader,

In the gas station bathroom by the condom machine,
I heard the word of the Lord.
He said "Take off your shoes, this is holy ground too,
You know I came for the sick and the bored."
Beneath the selling of beers,
And the welling up of tears,
Out beyond the beam of the remote control,
There's a whispering voice,
That the humble ear hears,
That says "I am still waiting for you to ask just to be made whole." – Waterdeep

I wonder often how a day meant for celebrating the harvest and the providence became an excuse to indulge baser instincts. So many who say they follow Christ seem to hide from the day and treat it as something unholy. I firmly believe that there is no unholy ground and that there are no secular issues.

We live in a world where the noise of battle is a constant. There are no rusty swords. There are no neutral zones or DMZs. I have a dear friend who wears her nonparticipation as a badge. We so often take a fortress mentality in sight of things we see as evil or wrong. The problem is that the love of Christ cannot be bound into a box of any size. It wants to get out and be shared.

It is not my place to judge the actions of others. It is my obligation to love them where they and for who they are. My sin is no less than anyone else’s. I do not have liberty to look at the more “flagrant” sins and call my quiet and personal ones as less unholy. A big part of the race to the bottom is acknowledging, as should every man, that I am chief among sinners.

Once I see that truth, then I will see everyone as better than myself. I see them all as worthy of God’s love and redemption. If God’s blood is shed for me then it is shed for everyone. If God deems me worthy of redemption then so is everyone else. All the noise of our entertainment and endeavors is simply an attempt to become something. Boredom is just as much a sign of our need for Christ as anything else.

When I devalue anything about someone else I am engaging in this foolish practice of making myself better than them. I do plenty to avoid the empty hungry places when they cry out for attention. Getting lost in anything is avoiding the pursuit of Christ. Perhaps the louder distractions are simply a measure of the volume of the pain and loneliness of screamer.

This is All Hallows Eve. Perhaps it is a good day to see that everyone is meant to be set apart, hallowed, for Christ. Even those we see as the very worst are meant to be seen as that which God wishes most to redeem. It is all there for them, just for the asking. I am supposed to create a safe place for them to ask. Everywhere is holy ground. Everything is set apart to belong to God. We are privileged to be included in the process as we struggle through our own journey.

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 Level

Greetings Dear Reader

Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people. Be merciful as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will never be judged. Stop condemning, and you will never be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give and you will receive. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your pocket. The standards you use for others will be applied to you." - Jesus of Nazareth as quoted by Luke the Physician

I have begun to evaluate very carefully the standards I use for assessing others. Given Christ’s words on the subject, I have little wiggle room not to see everyone as deserving of my love and respect. When you talk about this matter with people they bring up situations and personal incidents as a rationalization for judging and rejecting others. Christ gives us no such latitude.

The measure of my obligation is quite clear. The bubble of the level centers on how God the Father treats me. The plumb hangs directly over the measure of grace and mercy that I wish to have and it swings only as far as I am willing to extend myself in the direction of the Father’s love. In light of Christ’s words, my options are both limited and infinite.

· I am to love my enemies: First I must try to have a few as possible, but when someone insists on being my enemy then I must love them.
· I am to help my enemies: I am sure this does not mean in being an enemy but rather to see an enemy’s need and to help them with it.
· I am to give freely to my enemies: It is easy to assist someone when I expect it to gain something for me. This behavior is always suspect. I must love so deeply that the reward is in the giving. It is worthy of note here that when we give freely without expectation of reward that God is free to give back to us. It is also vital to note that the Father is the example in that “he is kind to unthankful and evil people.”
· I am to be as merciful as the Father: Just pondering the magnitude of this shakes me to the marrow. The bubble of God’s mercy is this; He let us kill his Son so he could redeem us. He sees me sin and still loves me as and where I am. This alone should be enough for me to show mercy in great magnitude to everyone.
· I am not to condemn others: I do not know the hearts of men. I cannot read minds. While I have much insight into people, it is not my place to do anything but use that insight to love them as the Father would. Measure for measure God will release me from condemnation as I do others.
· I am not to judge others: This is so simple. I need to just refuse to pass judgment on someone else. I know how much it hurts to be judged by others. Why would I visit that pain on someone else?
· I am to forgive: Every time I fail to do this I add weight to my own soul. I am too much in need of mercy to tip the balance by failing to forgive others.
· I am to give: Since nothing is mine anyway this should be easy. I can give of myself and of all that I have without fear loss. The Father promises to supply my needs so I will lack nothing. If there is a place where God is unbalanced it is in rewarding those who give as he wishes them to give.

The standards I use for others will be applied to me. It really is that simple. Since I am so in need of love, mercy, forgiveness, and help, how can I dare to withhold these things from anyone? If I do not commit my whole person to bringing these things as close as possible to the level that God wishes, then I am truly going to be out of balance and deeply in want.

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."

On Walls Received and Walls Toppled

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know

What I was walling in or walling out,

And to whom I was like to give offence.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall – Robert Frost

Recently I have written about the vital nature of not excluding others. I have vowed within and to those I give account to live this truth. There is a strong price to be paid in pain when we reject those who God places in our path. Sometimes there is pain in the offing if we interact with those who have harmed us. That alone is not reason enough to avoid them.

I have pondered for months the fact that I am to seek to live peaceably with all men. That pinprick at the back of my head said that I needed to stop pondering and fall on my knees. So screwing my faith to the sticking place I agreed to meet with someone who’s every memory, both bitter and sweet holds pain. I had put in place a wall I needed to tear down. I sought to wall out the pain, but in doing so I risked walling in bitterness. In seeking to protect myself I was withholding love, kindness, and grace from someone I truly love.

I understand more deeply than ever why Christ wishes us to always forgive, always show grace, always love. I say this from a sense of shame rather than pride. It is so obvious that the beauty and life that we first see in others gets buried by years of anger and bitterness. Even if we think we are getting along, if we have not truly forgiven and are not seeking the good of others at any cost, we are masking the face of Christ in the other person.

Whether it is fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, or husbands and wives we wall off parts of ourselves to protect our hearts from pain and sorrow. It always fails because the pain and sorrow is what we wall in and like a rabbit fenced inside the garden it nibbles away at the best of us even while we sleep. Not until we tear down the wall can we release the pain. Not until we become vulnerable to all who Christ puts in our path can he use us as he wills.

I know that I cry out about my hurt and pain when Christ compels me to risk all in showing love to someone whose very presence causes me pain. Christ commands me to love without limit. He commands me to constantly show grace. He commands me to be known for my love by others. How can I not when I have harmed him so many times and yet he still does all this for me. His yoke, his cross, and his path are all mine to bare, carry, and walk if I am willing to stop turning my back on his promise of sustenance along the way. The way home is dangerous and painful but Christ has armed and armoured me for the journey.

The many loves, you’ve gained and lost
Your deepest hurts
The many times you’ve turned your back on God
Who loved you first
And now the love of God will fall on you
And he’ll show you the way
To get back home – Odin Fong

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."

Voluntary Death

Greetings Dear Reader,

As my feet hit the floor each morning, I rehearse the same words as a prayer to open my day. It is a simple recitation of words that mean a great deal to me. The thoughts are not new ones. Jonathan Edwards expressed similar feelings:

“I have been to God this morning and told Him I have given myself wholly to Him. I have given every power, so that for the future I claim no right to myself in any respect. I have expressly promised Him, for by His grace I will not fail. I take Him as my whole portion and felicity, looking upon nothing else as any part of my happiness.”

I have been doing this for almost a year as my way of taking up my cross daily to follow Christ. On days when I am obedient, the next morning is sweet during this time. On days when I am not, the act is painful and I sometimes avoid it. Then the commitment nags at me. I confess my sin and can move back to the sweetness of following Christ.

One of the things that drives me back to the cross is the reminder that even though my sin put Christ on the cross, no one put Christ on the cross. He had legions of angels at his disposal. God incarnate does not go anywhere unwillingly. No one forces Christ down way of sorrows. No one flogs God without his allowing it. No mortal drives nails into his hands and feet without him taking on mortality so they have hands and feet to nail.

Christ never asks us to do anything he is unwilling to do. He never asks us to blaze a trail. He only asks us to follow. He never asks us to walk alone and he carries us when we cannot walk. Once I have given my life back to God in the mornings, the remainder of the day seems sweeter. The problems seem less challenging because I am not alone. After all, the view from the cross is far above my problems.

“But there's a peaceful refrain God'll sing in your brain when you put the nails to your hands and your feet.” – Waterdeep

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."

Past Pain and Present Anger

Greetings Dear Reader,

Someone asked me recently how to get to the place where he can forgive himself. It seems too often that the failure to forgive wholly and without condition. When I do this I know it turns to seeds of pain and anger. These seeds grow into impatience and irritability at the least convenient times. The surliness and impatience they prosper are the furthest thing from my following Christ.

There is nothing that can be done by anyone to change the past. I cannot undo my failures whether they are yesterdays or two decades ago. If I fail to forgive others and myself, those failures retain great power over me. When I find myself dwelling on failures and hurts from the past I am only feeding that which keeps me from moving forward.

I know people who must talk about the entire history of their past harm in every conversation. So much energy and productivity is lost when the past controls our present. How can you hope that screaming at someone about the sins of past will lead to peace in your future? It becomes clearer to me as I purge the things that are past poisons how much they were the substance of the chains that bind and limit me in following Christ.

There is nothing I can do to change what I have done, but I am in complete control of what I choose to do next. It is up to me to be all that I am supposed to be in Christ. It is up to me to ignore the voices that want to turn me inward and force me to dwell on what I do not have or what I have not done. Every moment spent in that place robs me of a moment to spend seeking grace.

There is no measure to the love and grace that Christ can work out through me if I refuse to be chained by unforgiveness. I owe forgiveness to everyone for the forgiveness I have already received. I owe grace and kindness to all men, especially those closest to me for the grace and kindness I need. Nothing works without it. It is a simple, moment-by-moment choice. It is a complete adoption of living in the forgiveness that is mine so that I may pass it on to others. It is choosing to journey as this as part of our path.

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."

Blood Stains

Greetings Dear Reader,

Yesterday at church I heard a song for the first time. A single line captivated me and has held me for an entire day now. I try so hard to do things on my own. I think that I have to carry things alone. I know that I cannot do this but I still foolishly try. I know I have passed this malady on to my Sons and I know that it costs us all the comfort offered in a closer walk with Christ.

Hurt, fear, and failure combined with past betrayals allow us to isolate ourselves from the community that can help us overcome and heal. Our pride pushes us so hard not to be weak and vulnerable. My false sense of self wants me to seem fine when in truth I need the company and counsel of others. All our attempts to appear clean and together are the bonds and bands that imprison us. The very thought that we are OK is a lie.

Culture and custom dictate that men are to carry the water. Patriarchal practice teaches us to keep things to ourselves and hide our pressures and pain from the world because that is not manly. It is only by admitting that our weaknesses are what make us alike. Our failures in the face of God’s righteousness are what make us common and commonly in need if God’s love and grace.

Instead of embracing this we turn to things that numb, placate, and make us feel temporarily in control. Nothing is further from the truth than that we can handle things on our own. No lie is greater than the one that tells us we can get clean or get our act together independent of Christ and each other. It is “by his stripes we are healed.” It is only through the embrace of his grace that we can find forgiveness and eventually forgive ourselves.

No one can make it alone. We know this so we turn to things that do not fulfill to keep from facing our moment by moment need for Christ to sustain us. We embrace food, drink, sex, drugs, video games, and so many other things to fill up our time so that Christ’s constant plea for us to follow him is drowned out.

It is in the silence and solitude that the heartbeat of Christ gets through and begs us to march to its ever calling march. Only when we take up the cross and accept the Via Delarosa as our path can we feel the freedom that this path ensures. It is not a martyr’s call but that of an obedient servant. It is not an act of self-sacrifice but the steps in a journey of hope.

We want to get out of our prison of pain without getting our hands dirty. We want to clean up the mess we have made before someone sees it. That too is impossible. So many already see it and wonder when we will open our eyes.

“You gotta let His blood stain you if you want to get free.” – Waterdeep

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."

Orion Continued

Greetings Dear Reader,

The air was chill and the coffee not quite hot enough as I made my way outside this morning to watch the meteor shower. I used to be able to stand out in this weather in shorts and a t-shirt but today I was rugged up and gloved. It was all worth it. Still a day away from its peak the Orionid Meteor Shower is producing some amazing sky fire.

I was not out a full minute before spotting my first meteor and the show continued for the full thirty minutes I was out. I am running tired this week but the time standing beneath the stars and praying for my Grandson is invaluable. Tomorrow we will have a baby shower for him and I wonder what things he will need. How can I be for him what my Grandfather was for me?

I think the answer is both simple and unfathomable all at once. I must give him all of the good in me freely and I must squelch that which is not conducive to following Christ to protect him from it. As I watched the shooting stars trace their way across the cold morning sky, I saw beauty and complexity in the universe that I often forget to ponder. I imagined a few years down the path taking him out to watch the same event and telling him about it. I also imagined what it would be like to not see him for months on end. That thought tasted gallish.

I do not know what role I will play in his life but I know that I love him already in ways I cannot express. I know that the moment my Son holds his Son for the first time will change my Son forever. I am sure we will all change as this new life unfolds in our midst. What the onrushing event is teaching me is to focus ever more sharply on Christ and following him. I feel things attempting to supplant this focus and I am doing all that I can to brush them aside.

The mornings out in the dark watching the stars have reminded me just how insignificant and vital I am all at once. The God of the universe put me on a backwater planet that is light-years away from most of the really cool stuff he put in his creation. Then he came to this rock and let us kill him so he could give us life. He then allowed me to find him and follow him on the journey toward things that are so good I cannot comprehend them.

Amidst all that God brings me joy in my journey toward home through my children and then my grandchild. The more I focus on this journey and the lonely companionship it offers the more I see why it is that way. Orion will enter an ever deteriorating world. His parents will be good people for him to look up to for guidance and example. I am not sure what is around this next bend in the path, but as we celebrate it, I will carry the thoughts and lessons of these early mornings gazing and Orion and praying for Orion. It is a good thing to prepare for wonderful events.

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."

Cheetoes® and Chopsticks Revisited

Greetings Dear Reader,

About eighteen months ago I wrote about using odd things and round stainless steel chopsticks to master eating with these challenging utensils (Challenging to westerners that is; A billion people in China do this as naturally as we use a fork.). The post is Eating Cheetoes® With Chopsticks if you care to revisit it.

Last night at dinner all the effort paid off. We were dining at a local Chinese buffet and I was enjoying beef and broccoli, general’s chicken, and some steamed vegetables. When Christmas went to get more food a gentlemen from Hong Kong approached me. His opening words were, “You use chopsticks like you grew up in China. How did you attain this skill?”

I was surprised and delighted. I explained how I had practiced with difficult to use chopsticks for years so that when I used wooden ones in public it would be much easier. Our conversation moved from chopsticks to other things rapidly and I have begun the path to a new friendship. We talked for a bit and learned about how he came to the United States and what his interests and vocation are.

The gentleman proved both interesting and kind. His life is one I wish to know better and we agreed to meet for lunch soon. More so, the efforts in learning, the dropped shrimps, and the fumbled fruits were all worth to be prepared to encounter this one soul on a journey similar to mine.

It causes me to wonder what else I can add to my being to become more approachable; more drawing to those who may need a friend. The very next thought is that I must simply continue to be who I am and those the Father wishes me to find will cross my path. This is always the way it is. God knows me intimately and he knew I would be quirky and often a misfit, but not rich enough to be considered eccentric. Those who are drawn to me are also almost always misfits and the out of step.

Everyone draws someone. Everyone is designed by God so that who they are can reflect his love and grace to others. So much of our society will tell us to be things we are not. It is only in following that which emanates from our Christ-centeredness that serves as the loadstone that will draw those who need our uniqueness to point them toward Christ. It is when I am genuinely who I am that things can truly matter for others.

I will be laughed at. I will be misunderstood. All that I can do is focus on Christ and follow him in everything. If this means that I appear foolish or unsophisticated so be it. What matters is the journey and where it takes me. What matters is seeking every moment to express the love and grace of God in my mind, body, and spirit. What matters is realizing that God made me who I am for a reason and in seeking Christ I can discover that reason and so make the journey richer for myself and others.

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."

Haley’s Dust and Orion’s Elbow

Greetings Dear Reader,

Orion, won't you give me your star sign.
Orion, get up on the sky-line.
I'm high on my hill and I feel fine.
Orion, let's sip the heaven's heady wine.

Orion, light your lights:
come guard the open spaces
from the black horizon to the pillow where I lie. - Ian Anderson

As I try to prepare myself inwardly for the imminent arrival of my Grandson, I decided to make time this year to get up for the Orionid meteor shower. This morning was my first attempt to view the shower that originates from Orion’s elbow. The brilliant streaks of light that emanate from this point are bits of rock and dust left behind by Haley’s comment. My Grandson, Orion, will be 50, my current age when Haley returns to resupply the dust of his namesake’s meteor shower. I must live to see a hundred years if I am to share the experience with him.

What I did this morning was sit back and simply observe the beauty of the constellation Orion. I have an excellent view from my home and as he was clear and ready to rain down his arrows of light. The moon is waxing full and as the shower approaches its peak viewing may be difficult. This morning, however, I was not disappointed. As I sipped a hot cup of pumpkin spice coffee, I was delighted to see several brilliant streaks trace the sky as if the hunter were loosing arrows in his ever continuing hunt.

I prayed for the Son and Daughter-in-Law I love and the Grandson I have yet to hold. We will have a baby shower for him during the peak of the Orionid shower. The time will rush forward toward his debut. Until then I will watch the sky hunter and bath his journey to us in prayer. I must become as close to Christ as possible so that I may be an always positive influence for him. I must daily put away self so that this fresh soul can count on me to be real and true.

The sun is up now and Orion sleeps until it is time for him to hunt again. I will rise and watch and pray. I will sip coffee and look inwardly for things that must pass. Any of you who wish may join me in the watching. We have a few days to look and hope and dream. We have time yet to become that which best nurtures a child; following Christ and leaving ourselves behind.

The path is long until Haley returns to refill Orion’s quiver. It is possible that I can make it that far if I am careful and God allows it. The next predicted perihelion of Halley's Comet is 28 July 2061. If I am around perhaps we can have a big family reunion and all stay up late to see the comment that gives Orion his arrows. For now I will enjoy the annual meteor shower and use it to examine my journey and the ways in which it benefits my Grandson.

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."

Wondering Aloud About my Faith

Greetings Dear Reader,

By faith one was commended
For the sacrifice he made
Another out of holy fear
Built an ark the world to save
Another left his home land
And as a stranger he’d reside
But none received the promise then
So in faith they died - Michael Card

I have commented before that one of my weaknesses is that faith comes so easily for me. Yes you read that correctly. I see the ease of believing that I have as a weakness. It is a weakness because I selfishly forget that it is not the same for others. I have so often told others with great insensitivity to use their faith. I have been trying very diligently to overcome this malady. I regret that I have harmed others in my short sighted understanding of this area.

Beyond that I am growing in my understanding of just how central faith is to all that we do in following Christ. We are following something unseen yet not unknown. Our faith in all its insanity is still reasonable. It is not a platitude to say that we must use our faith to overcome all the adversity we faith. We still need to plan, work, and do those things that are wise and practical. We also need to use faith to shield us from the things in the world that cause hurt, doubt, anger, and fear.

If I do not do things with faith at the center of my doing then I am not following Christ. Christ insists that we do things that seem literally insane. It is not logical to love my enemies. It not logical to put myself in the path of those who have hurt my heart. It is not logical to treat others with forbearance and kindness in return for their treating me badly. None of this is logical but it is reasonable.

The truths of obeying Christ’s example are borne out repeatedly. When I respond in love to unkindness it is disarming. When I reach out to those who reject me then it makes a difference. When I depend on Christ and not others for my wellbeing then I am well. It is choosing that whether I receive the promise or not, I will die in faith if necessary.

This is not a martyr’s plea but rather a practical understanding of the ultimate result of faith. If I, moment by moment live in the belief that following Christ will result in things ultimately being better, then I can change the world around me. I do not need to obtain, possesses, or protect. I do not need to indulge my own greed. I do not have to win approval of others. I do not need to control. I do not need to get even or take revenge. I do not need to harbor the ills done to me. I need only to follow; to journey with Christ.

Faith understands and alters
In assures and calms our fears
It can shut the mouths of lions
And make sense of scars and tears
We persevere in hope
And with conscience clean and clear
We walk this fallen wilderness
With salvation’s pioneer – Michael Card

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."

Strangers and Aliens

Greetings Dear Reader,

I wonder at the fervor of the argument that rages over illegal aliens. A dear friend recently posted the words inscribed on our Statue of Liberty on his social web page. I was stunned at how far they are from the truth of the attitude we seem to extend to those who are simply trying to honestly find a better life.

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Do we really think we make our nation stronger by forcing people who work hard, are willing to do jobs we do not want to do, and who could make this nation their nation lurk in the shadows? Have we not learned anything from the errors of our past?

I am a conservative man and do not mind being thus. I do, however, disagree with most conservatives, especially those who claim to follow Christ on this issue. I cannot reconcile refusing to share the great bounty we have as Americans with any form of Christ-likeness. I know that there are those who come here will ill intent. That does not justify not showing love and succor to those who come looking for a chance to build better lives. We are mission bound to embrace the needs of others. What more basic need is there other than that of a safe home.

Someone recently said to me that no one truly embraces the loving nature of Christ and emulates it without the world trying to kill them. I would think that Christ followers would realize that we are also aliens and strangers. We are not home in America or any other country. Balancing that truth with the command to love our neighbors as ourselves means that we are honor bound to treat those who wish to live in our land with love, acceptance, and deference. We are assured of a future home as we follow Christ. How can we dare deny a temporal home to those who ask? There was a time when it was the followers of Christ who demanded social justice in this nation. I am ashamed when I hear someone claim to be Christian and then hear them speak ill of those who are desperate for better lives. There is no argument that supersedes the command to love others and provide for them as we can. We have so much more than we need. What would it say to the rest of the world if Christ followers in the United States stepped up to provide succor for those in need? How would it change the view of us?

The stigma of strangers lost in a strange land,
In a fallen world that's not our home,
But we are not homeless prodigals here,
Because we have someplace to go. – Michael Card

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."

Why am I Surprised?

Greetings Dear Reader,

Pilgrims of passion we follow the One,

Who holds out a cross and a crown.

We travel a dark road that has but one Light,

For we have here no lasting town. – Michael Card

In pondering the challenges of following Christ one of the things I have never mastered is my surprise when my choices to do what is right bring me ridicule and condemnation. Sometimes I have been the one to cause my own grief by standing for what is right in the wrong way. Beyond that, there I times when I stand for what is right, in the right way it still brings a level of contempt from others. What is wrong is that I am surprised by it.

I am so quick to embrace the blessings and benefits or my relationship with Christ. I am also very quick to hang on to things that give me comfort but are temporal. I am often tempted to cling to things that are not healthy for me. As I have begun to look more carefully at the things that truly matter, it is rarely things that matter.

The two ponderings merge into a single truth. I am a traveler and if I am to succeed in traveling I must travel lighter. I am a stranger or alien wherever I go and I should only have that which is necessary with me. I need to remember that strangers are not always welcome. I need to remind myself daily that the one I follow promises both joy and suffering in the journey. I cannot accept the former without the latter.

I must also remember that the road I travel is dark and dangerous. Man is not basically good. All mankind is depraved and the surprise should be when we do good. Instead I tend to get enamored over things that are fleeting and temporary. I put my hope in people and then am surprised when they let me down. I cannot count on people but I should always hope in them. I should expect the best from others but count on Christ to sustain me.

The dark road is all there is except for the light that beacons us. So I approach giving my best to people who I know will hurt me focused not on the road, the danger, or the hoped for return, but focused on Christ. I must see him clearly with both cross and crown. I must see the scars and the smile. No matter what is up the road Christ is already there and knows what I need. All I need do is look for him and all else will become what it is meant to become. We are after just pilgrims; fellow travelers. We are but strangers in a very strange land.
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."

Price of the Pain 2 – A response to AK part 2

I had begun to attempt a response to AK’s comment on my post “Price of the Pain.” Here is his/her original comment. I will be taking up my answer at the part where it asks… “And also, what if what you believe was wrong?”

Interesting and insightful though I do wonder about when a family member/friend tries to reconnect after an absence of your friendship. Should you welcome them with open arms in hoping they have changed for the better.. And also, what if what you believed was wrong? As in the reason and basis you withheld that friendship. I know enough that things are never as they appear to be on occasion. We use the best judgment we have but we may not always be correct. I know sometimes we have blinders on as well and see what we want to see instead of being open to their explanations.

I know there are a lot of what ifs in the world and no one circumstance is the same but I hope you can touch on this and share some insight as I know most of us have been thru it at some time or another.

Best Wishes, AK

The past couple of years have refined what I believe in so many areas that much of what I believed about dealing with people has been revisited and redefined. I believed for a long time some things I was taught by well meaning men about relationships and how they should work. In his mercy Christ has shown me how to adjust those views so that they require me to be more loving and more in tune with the needs of others. The reasons for withholding friendship or love no longer matter.

Disliking someone is an exercise in approving my own preferences or wants over those of another. If I am dealing with someone that hurts me I must again refer back to the words of Christ that I am to love others as I do myself and that whatever I do to the least of his brethren I do to him. As important is that I do not adopt these behaviors with the expectation of reciprocation. I cannot serve self and model the love that Christ has for others.

My conscience is clear that I have attempted to apply what I knew of God in time past. It is also clear that God has shown me a new depth in loving those he loves in the way he loves them. What matters is my immediate willingness to change; to alter my thinking, attitudes, and actions so that they draw in those who for some selfish reason I hold at a distance or reject outright. Doing anything less than accepting others with all my heart is an indulgence of pride, anger, and fear that distances me from my attempts to follow Christ.

No one can love God with all heart, soul, and spirit and see any other human as undeserving of kindness, gentleness, and love. I currently face three different situations where I must purposely apply this truth. They differ greatly and all require me to set aside what I think is “right” in the name of showing deference to Christ’s example. I know that I will be hurt by some of this. I know that it is easier to withhold my heart and keep my feelings safely secluded. I also know that doing so will only foster more damage and hurt. I must allow God to mold me and use me as he wishes even though the potential damage is great. After all what good is faith if I do not use it to reach out to those whom God places in my path? Thank you for your questions AK. I hope this is some help. I know pondering your comments has been for me.

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."

Price of the Pain 2 – A response to AK part 1

Greetings Dear Reader,

AK asked some insightful questions about this post and I am answering him/her here. Please remember that this is not advice or instruction but just a response from my limited insight and experience. That said, I find the questions one that many may ponder and few discuss.

Here is AK’s comment as it was submitted. In part one I will address the first bit that is bolded here.

Interesting and insightful though I do wonder about when a family member/friend tries to reconnect after an absence of your friendship. Should you welcome them with open arms in hoping they have changed for the better.. And also, what if what you believed was wrong? As in the reason and basis you withheld that friendship. I know enough that things are never as they appear to be on occasion. We use the best judgment we have but we may not always be correct. I know sometimes we have blinders on as well and see what we want to see instead of being open to their explanations. I know there are a lot of what ifs in the world and no one circumstance is the same but I hope you can touch on this and share some insight as I know most of us have been thru it at some time or another.

Best Wishes, AK

The first thing I would have to do in approaching this is examine myself as a Christ follower. Even though the question “what would Jesus do” has been worn out, misused, and mocked, in this instance it is a most valid question. How would Christ treat this individual? We cannot measure the mind of Christ without submitting to the commands that seeded this thread of discussion. We must love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We must treat others as we would hope to be treated in a given situation. So the only example I can think of to answer the question about welcoming with open arms is to refer to the story of the prodigal son. The father did welcome him with open arms and the brother who rejected him was corrected for his attitude.

Hoping that someone has changed may be an exercise in serving my own self interests. Christ does not tell us to follow him once we get our act together. He explains that it is the sick that need a physician. If I insist that some change before I give them my love or friendship, how is my attempt to reflect who Christ is going to be seen by them? I must be wise, kind, and gentle. No one’s sin is worse than mine. I have counted on others to accept me where I am and that should be what I give to others.

Our culture has taught us to see relationships as equal partnerships built on equitable give and take. I find that when I am determined to give to others without hope of return and without feeling like I am “sacrificing” for them that a mystical thing occurs. I do not need the proper response of the individual to feel satisfied. Satisfaction is found in following Christ and in a minute way being like him in that moment. It is more important that I love people where they are than that I protect myself. It is God’s responsibility to protect me, provide for me, and see to my emotional needs. There is no promise that I will not be harmed in following Christ. In fact there is a promise that the world will hate me if I truly follow Christ. It still seems like a great bargain.

I will address the rest of AK’s comment in my next post. I think that getting my head around how insanely simple this first part is may be enough for me to digest today. No one is more important to God than me in God’s eyes. He loves us all equally and wants us to work together to bring back all we can to his arms. I cannot love my brother, friend, or enemy if my arms are not always open to their return to them. I have failed often in this but I am learning.

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."

My Favorite Pipe

Greetings Dear Reader,

We had a week of chilled weather that turned on all my winter switches and pushed all my Christmas buttons. One of the things I look forward to is the first snow of the year. I smoke a pipe occasionally and one of those occasions is the first snow of the year. I have a favorite pipe. It is a curved Savinelli that is mellow and sweet. It was gift from someone that has left my life.

I have spent a great deal of time purging stuff from my life over the last couple of years. The things I keep are those that connect me to a person on some way. I have some rocks my eldest Son gave me when he was three. I also have a pencil holder that was the first gift my youngest Son ever got for me. I also have way too much stuff that I still need to set free.

Some things I keep but do not use because the memories they raise are too painful. For two years that pipe was one of those things. I have other pipes so my times of puffing and pondering were not abandoned. The Savinelli sat in it pouch protected from dust but unused. When the weather turned warm again this week I longed for the cold and then the snow, and then to my surprise, the Savinelli. I must be healing in places I do not realize.

Today the temperature will hit a record 84 degrees. The first snow of winter is a ways off. But I will use my Savinelli again this year. I will fill it with some Cavendish I have on reserve and sit quietly on my porch as the flakes fall. I will remember the good times and the love that brought that pipe to my hands. I will shed soft tears of joy over the beauty of the snow.

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."

Who am I?

Greetings Dear Reader,

John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you don't know where the wind comes from or where it's going. That's the way it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

So often we find ourselves in situations that challenge who we are or seek to further define us. We plan our day, or we do not, and it unfolds as we move through it. Rarely do our plans and the actualization of the day coincide. Rarely do we do the things that we plan and often we plan things we never do. I so often head into work expecting to accomplish certain things in my day and perform specific duties and tasks. I have learned that the best way to assure that my day will hold many interruptions and side paths is to write down a list of things I wish to do.

We propose and God disposes. I plan and God laughs. I do not mean this in any disrespectful way, but rather I am learning just how short sighted I am when I look down the path. Last night I had planned my evening. I was emotionally tired and wished only an evening of rest. I had planned to have dinner with my Daughter and get home in time for some vegetative rest. I was blessed to run into my younger Son and a dear friend at the place where we were dining. So far the evening was unfolding just as I wished it to be. Then my Daughter mentioned that some dear friends of ours were in crisis.

I will only go into enough detail to give sensibility to the next events. This family is a large one; a father and mother with many daughters who have all befriended my Daughter Christmas and share much with her. She returns the favor by helping out with the younger children when she can. They are a family who mark their love for Christ at the center of all they do. This week and for some time the father is on the road earning a living for his family. The mother is holding the home together while he works.

Today a close member of their family had a stroke. Christmas told me about it dinner. At once I was compelled to help this family. We decided to offer for my Daughter to stay overnight to help with the wee children and give the mom a break. It was just what the family needed. We rushed home from dinner so that Christmas could collect an overnight bag and I could drop her off at the family’s home. When we arrived two of the younger girls came out to greet us. I had gotten to know the three year old whilst working on the family’s internet access.

While we stood chit chatting the three year old was being both shy and coy all at once. I was introduced to the mother’s mum. The three year old says at the top of her voice, pointing toward her own mother, “that is my mom.” Always drown to young children, I pointed to her oldest sister and asked who she was. The little one said her name but was retreating toward her shyness. She also recognized my Daughter. I asked her the obvious question, “Who am I?” Without missing a single beat this innocent child spoke a single word in full voice. She looked up at me and said, “God.”

The responses all around were funny, poignant, and interesting. I knew that I was not God, but to this little girl, all innocence and wonder, she believed that I was. What that meant to her I will never understand but what I knew was that what I said next would matter. I assured her that I was not, but something dawned on me. For that family, in a very minute way I was being the face of God by delivering help in their time of need. I have no delusions of grandeur or a messiah complex. I do yearn with all my heart to reflect Christ as much as possible in all that I do. This sweet little girl’s innocent honest answer reached to the root of my soul and caused it to kneel. I never know how my plans will turn out.

The evening unfolded much differently than I planned. I knew I was doing what was right but it is becoming a natural response. If I let the Spirit of Christ drive me then I will be what I need to be in the moment. I am content to be that even if it means being humbled by a three year old who sees God in me. Three year olds are rarely wrong about these things.

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."

Humility and Greatness

Greetings Dear Reader,

Those of you who know me well know that I do not often see greatness in athletes, politicians, or actors. I enjoy baseball, debates, and movies but seldom attach “star quality” to individuals. Today, however, I am driven to raise up someone if just for a moment, but that is beginning to near to the end.

Journey back with me for a moment to autumn of 1985. My eldest is six months old and I am still finding my way in many areas of who I am. I am running from God although if asked I am just taking a break from the stresses of the previous years. I am trying to replace my love of God with a love of money and it is going badly. In the midst of this maelstrom lies a moment that will begin a tradition. A simple announcement is made. A man has decided to take a job in Atlanta, where I live, for the sake of his family. It is not the job he wants but it is in his field and necessary for the sake of his wife and child.

It starts me thinking that I need to consider the same things in my choices. I do not have as noble a success but some of the good I have done attaches to that moment. Later that same man gets the job he wants. It is a demotion but it is the job he is destined to do well. Over the last twenty-five years I have had nine jobs and lived in four different states. One of the constants in my own chaos has been that man in Atlanta and his work. He has benefited me in some way every year for a quarter century.

My Sons have never been cognoscente of a year when this man did not give his very best to benefit us. They will enter a new era as this man quietly moves along the path toward other pursuits. The lessons of his life are not lost on me. He knew how to stand up for what he thought was right. He knew how to take the long view. He knew how to begin with the end in mind.

My love of baseball is ingrained in my love of God, my family, and resides in a place in my soul that I cannot always understand. Yesterday was the last regular season game for Braves Manager Bobby Cox. For twenty-five years as General Manager and Manager he has given his very best to his team, his players, and his fans.

It would be easy to dismiss this writing as just a sports fan saddened by change. It is so much more than that. This man knew how to win. He always talked about winning the World Series not just about winning games. He always began with the end in mind. He knew that his family mattered more than the job he was best at doing.

An example of his understanding of excellence was the way in which he changed the Braves minor league farm system. He built excellence into the basement so that it would benefit the penthouse. He knew how to build toward the long term and that is why he has 15 seasons of 90 games won. It is why he skippered a team to fourteen consecutive pennants.

I hope the Braves win it all but that is not what matters. Baseball remembers. Bobby Cox will always be remembered as one of the great team managers. Beyond that there will be those who remember his character and consistency as a man. Thank you Mr. Cox for all you gave us. Thank you for touching the lives of my sons and for the moments we all got to cheer because of your excellence. Thank you for a lifelong example of the balance between humility and greatness that can be ours if we wish 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."

The Vigil – Part 1

Greetings Dear Reader,

Waiting for flame in eye of night, I am the fuel for your fire
Light calls ever unto light. Make me a fleshen pyre.
Touch my lips with the altering coal; leave your shining upon my soul.
Zion shall ever be my goal; Zion the telling of light. – Kemper Crabb

I saw my first Christmas decorations at Sam’s Club last week. Our church has begun reminding us of the need to plan to participate in the Advent Conspiracy. I recently added my soon to be born Grandson to my Christmas list and have already bought a present for him. This year I am approaching the Advent season with a slightly different perspective. I always move toward Christmas with excitement for the season. This year I want to pay special attention to my need to be vigilant over the need of others to see Christ in the days. During October I intend to keep a sort of vigil, preparing myself with prayer and pondering.

My first thoughts on this are that I must sharpen my focus. I must look first to how I can be more Christ centered in my actions so that they point toward redemption. The Advent of Christ is for the purpose of redeeming man. I need to see how the things unfolding in my life all are a part of this purpose. I need to focus on how my journey toward Christ is influenced by others and how I influence the journeys of others as well.

In increasing my intent in being kind and loving to others I have had to become more vigilant of every thought and word. This by extension requires revisiting my purpose in every tradition and action. Tradition is not bad if it is bathed in good purpose. I know why I do most of the things I do but I must also pass that on to my children. I must also embrace the changes that this Christmas will bring as the needs of my eldest Son and his Bride change. Traditions that I hold dear must be replaced by seeing to the needs of my children if necessary.

Every step toward the celebration of Christ’s Advent must be one of vigilance for me. Expanding my time in focusing on purpose and not just practice will allow me see the true needs of others more clearly. Increasing my practice of seeing every act as one of opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love is a vigilance that can consume in the most lovely of ways. The key is to keep this vigil at the forefront; to journey with a Crusader’s Hymn on my lips and Christ’s love for me and others in my heart. 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 Price of Pain

Greetings Dear Reader,

In response to my last post someone asked a question that I feel I must address. “A Distant Reader” asked about the pain involved in following Christ in his example to love? I will repost his/her comment for the sake of others.

I'm facing a similar storm, one which I have faced for many years, and you raise an issue I often wrestle with as well. I have been using the love-at-all-costs approach for many years with a particular family member, the result of which has been a lot of pain. I have finally withdrawn over the last year, not entirely, but to a safe distance. Although I wish things were different, I feel that what I'm withholding isn't really friendship at all, because this person only abuses my friendship. Therefore, in allowing myself to be hurt, I have also indulged this person's exploitative approach to relationships. Isn't there a point where the best way to love someone is to withdraw your support from their unhealthy habits? Or am I just using that as an excuse to protect myself from more pain?I hope your situation is better than mine.

I pray that opening your old wounds allows them to heal. - A Distant Reader

I will not presume to judge Distant Readers situation but I do intend to address some of the questions asked. We cannot support the unhealthy habits of others but we tend to ignore things and live in a pretense for the sake of “peace.” When we see someone with a fault we are to restore them in love. When we allow someone to mistreat us without lovingly pointing out the injustice of the action, we promote the bad behavior. If the individual abuses our kindnesses we should realize first that we do the same to Christ daily. I cannot measure myself against how others behave in following Christ. I must measure myself against how Christ would treat them.

We do not have to allow others to harm us. My sons have taken great pains to show me behaviors of mine that cause them pain. They have mostly done it in a spirit of love and restoration. Their not putting up with my bad behavior has allowed us to grow closer.

We do not have the right to reject others. We do have the obligation to avoid the pretense of things being right when they are not. I think it comes down to really talking to each other. When we restore someone in a spirit of love we can end painful cycles of interaction that have harmed us for years.

When we do not honestly seek to love others as God loves them, including gently showing them how they cause harm, we scab over dirty wounds and they fester. When we honestly, lovingly discuss the harm people cause to us we give them a graceful opportunity for change. We can make it clear that we will not tolerate mistreatment but that we still love the individual.

There is price to the event. Christ knew he would die. We are to take up our cross and follow him. It comes down to trusting the Christ will be sufficient for us as we risk all to show his love for others. I must believe that Christ knew what he was saying when the said that we must love others as we love ourselves. I cannot afford to reject anyone. I want others to lovingly restore me when I am at fault, so I cannot fail to do the same for them. I do not want others to reject me so I must not reject them. Ponder the marriages, friendships, and partnerships that could be saved if we truly treated others the way we wish to be treated, including gentle but honest communication about the things that hurt us.

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."