The Best of Times; the Worst of Times – Abase and Abound

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do not speak of it often outside of family.   I was homeless once for about six months.  A colliding set of circumstances and some friends who turned out not to be friends at all put me on the streets for a space in my early twenties.  It was surely a worst of times.

At this time in my life I have a measure of security.   Stable income and a mature attitude toward that income make for life of relative plenty.   As I am turning this home back into a house I ponder the former time of homelessness.  The lack of home back then did damage to me that has not healed completely.

It did give me an undying compassion for the homeless.  It showed me that there are places that truly work to help the homeless and that there are places that take advantage of them.  I remember in that time succeeding in being good to others.  I also remember failing to truly trust Christ to care for me during the first half of my exile.

Paul talks about being abased and abound or being made low and being exalted.  I have been both.  In all of it the thing that I have learned is that Christ is there.  He is there in every moment if I will seek him.  Paul also talks about being content in every situation.  I am still working on that one. 

I have to assure that the contentment is not a flat response to my situation.  I have to assure that I am content that Christ is with me even when I face things I would rather not.  I have to assure that I look for Christ in the moments of joy and laughter as well.  It all comes back to seeing Christ in the right way in every circumstance.

For some reason Jesus is asking me to face my deepest fears.  He will be faithful if I seek him.  Being with God and being content with just that is a lesson he has taught me over and over.  It is my responsibility to apply the lesson.

Box Number 10 – Jim Croce

Uploaded on Oct 18, 2010

Well out of southern Illinois, come a down home country boy

He's gonna make it in the city playin guitar in the studio

Well he hadn't been there an hour, when he met a Broadway flower

You know she took him for his money and she left him in a cheap hotel

Well it's easy for you to see, that that country boy is me

I'm sayin how'm I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home

Well I was gonna be a great success, things sure ended up a mess

But in the process, I got messed up too

Well hello momma and dad I had to call collect

cause I aint got a cent to my name

Well I'm sleepin in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'd be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission Box Number 10

Oh back in southern Illinois, they still worryin' bout that boy

But this boy's goin home soon as he gets the fare

Because as soon as I got my bread, I got a pipe upside my head

You know they left me in an alley, took my money and my guitar too

Well hello momma and dad I had to call collect

cause I aint got a cent to my name

Well I'm sleepin in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'd be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission Box Number 10

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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