Penny and Pound ~ Intolerant Inclusion

Greetings Dear Reader,

It seems that both the right and the left have a blind spot that I am not sure how to heal.   They both seem to demand that if I side with their side on anything that I must side with their side on everything.  When I offer a penny, each side demands a pound.

Some of these arguments for consistency are logical.  I cannot want equality in an area without wanting it for all humans.  I cannot speak of the value of life without speaking to the value of every life.  Where the demand for pounds over pennies confounds me is in the assumption of cross-pollination of values.  

My faith does not allow me to accept every position of either side.  I cannot claim to follow Christ and accept hatred of any kind.   I cannot promote violence and follow the Prince of Peace.   I cannot worship the Father and allow the slaughter of children. 

It is my experience, however, that both sides demand that I follow in the extreme no matter how illogical the position becomes.  To bolster this untenable dichotomy false syllogisms are created.  It is assumed that because I disagree on a point that I disagree on all points.   In the inverse if I support either side’s position on a single point it is assumed that I support it on all points. 

I can oppose the murder of the unborn without feeling that women should have less rights than men.  I can believe that all people should have access to quality affordable healthcare without being a communist. 

What I must do is follow Christ no matter who it offends.  As with so many things the demands of both sides make no room for the things that are reasonable.  The truth is often somewhere in the middle.  I must seek Christ and the truth no matter what the cost; penny or pound.

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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Penny and Pound ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I begin with the presumption that we have all heard the expression “in for a penny; in for a pound.”  For those of you who do not it simply means that one is all in for something.  It means that if accept a part of something then you accept it all.

I find that I ponder this in light of things of and not of the faith.  Let me mitigate a question.  All things are of faith.  There are no secular issues.  There are, however, sectarian issues.  There are questions of custom, practice, and politics that one must answer individually. 

These questions have to do with faith and following.  They have to do what is required of me by the Father and sometimes its opposition to the church, the public, and the politic.   By way of example I consider that there are those who would have me hate people who do not share my faith.  This is not the way the Father deals with the world.

In some things I am all in.  In some things I must not be because I cannot accept all things.  To hone my skill in following I must ponder all of them carefully.  In this part of the journey I will not get to them all but I hope you will walk with me for a bit as I ponder those before me.  Thank you as always for your company Dear Reader. 

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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In Memoria ~ Taps

Greetings Dear Reader,

As the sun sets on Memorial Day I ponder all that is lost to history, to time, and to memory.  As long as there have been wars there has been the need to remember.  For some the memory is there unbidden daily because they must carry on with the loss.

I leave with this thought Dear Reader.   We have so very many things because we are free that we take for granted.  I remember the fallen and thank them for what they have given me.  I remember those they leave behind and grieve with them.  I cherish my freedom provided by the Father and defended by good men and women.

For those we memorialize, I wish you rest…

Day is done, gone the sun,

 From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;

 All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Fading light, dims the sight,

 And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.

 From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

Thanks and praise, for our days,

 'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky;

 As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Sun has set, shadows come,

 Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds

 Always true to the promise that they made.

While the light fades from sight,

 And the stars gleaming rays softly send,

 To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

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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In Memoria ~ Lest We Forget

Greetings Dear Reader,

In 1866 in Columbus, Georgia some women decided to set aside a solemn day to clean and decorate the graves of the fallen Southern soldiers.  The nation divided would lose more lives to military conflict than in any war before or since.  The tradition grew and many areas of the nation and after the World War I spread to the rest of the world.

Different nations observe this in different ways.   We seem to have reduced it to lip service and cookouts.  We have a new generation of tombstones in Arlington and across the nation.  We have new widows, widowers, and orphans.  While people have their cook outs and festivals we still have Americans dying on foreign soil.

We will see our flag everywhere we go today.  They should be at half-staff until noon.  We need to take the opportunity to explain to our children why we need to cherish our freedom.  We need to explain why it is vital that we use that freedom wisely. 

I need to follow Christ more closely so that I understand what a blessing it is to live free.  I need to cherish freedom and never let it become common or plain.

Freedom Never Cries – Five for Fighting

I took a flag to a pawn shop

For a broken guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

How much is that guitar

I took a flag to a pawn shop

I got me that guitar

What's a flag in a pawn shop to me?

I saw a man on the TV

In a mask with a gun

A man on the TV

He had a ten year old son

I saw a man on the TV

His son had a gun

And he says that he's coming for me

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

Until my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I never cherished freedom

Freedom never cries

I wrote a song for a dead man

To settle my soul

A song for a dead man

And now I'll never grow old

I wrote a song for a dead man

Now I'm out in the cold

What's a song to a dead man to me?

I never loved the soldier until there was a war

Or thought about tomorrow

Until my baby hit the floor

I only talk to God when somebody's about to die

I never cherished freedom

Freedom never cries

You can cry for her

Die for her

Lay down your life for her

Kiss and wave goodbye to her

Anything at all

You can cry for her

Die for her

Make up your mind to her

Anything at all, oh

There's a baby on the doorstep

Wailing away

There's a baby on the doorstep

Longing for the day

There's a baby on the doorstep

Who'd give his life to take

A flag to a pawn shop

A flag to a pawn shop

May he forget why he is crying some day

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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In Memoria ~ Absent Friends

Greetings Dear Reader,

This will be brief.  As the day closes; a day of worship and rest, I find that I feel the loss of so many lives so deeply.  I hate war passionately.

I am going fill my glass with a potent potable.  I am going say a prayer of thankfulness.  I am going to beg the Father to end all war.  Had I the power I would just stop it.  I will raise the glass to absent friends. 

We pay for the party with our dearest blood.  Thank you to the men and women who never set foot on home soil again.  Thank you for giving all to protect it.

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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In Memoria ~ Sunday Morning

Greetings Dear Reader,

If the rain lets up I plan to attend an outdoor church service this morning.  I have had two very memorable such events in my life.  One was in Florida whilst on vacation.  The other was at a Seminole reservation also in Florida.

There is something about worshiping outdoors that is precious to me.  There is a freedom and openness to it.  There is a connected feeling that I find nowhere else.

This puts me in mind of the people who are forbidden to worship openly.  It makes me sad for those who must hide what they believe or face torture and death.  We still have religious freedom here and in part that is due to men and women who have died to protect it.

I get to choose whether or not I go to church.  I get to choose how and when I worship.  My faith is my own to live and hold.  No will tell me how I have to live it.  Christ spilled is blood so that I could have a living faith and others have spilt theirs so that I could be free to live it.  That alone is reason enough to cherish it and live it well.

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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In Memoria ~ Days at the Beach

Greetings Dear Reader,

Many of us see Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start of summer.  Thousands of families travel to beaches and soak up the sun.  They get in water, surf on it, and fish from it. 

This evening as the colours are lowered and taps sounds I think of another beach.   We have our days at the beach because of days at the beach like that one.  Thousands went to the beach that day too.  They went in battle dress.  They ran into gunfire.  They took heavy casualties.  They won.

They paid for the party with dear blood.  Some of the young men there did not even get off their landing craft.  They died on the shores of France so that I could be free to go to the beach for my Memorial Day weekend. 

Days at the beach should be times of family and fun.  There should, however, always be a moment of solemnity.  There should always be a moment when I recall those men who died on a beach in France so that I could enjoy the sand beneath my feet and the salt air.  They did it so that I could breathe free. 

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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In Memoria ~ Simple Freedoms

Greetings Dear Reader,

So many people are traveling for this holiday weekend.  Last year at this time my family was on a journey back from a week at the beach.  A few weeks ago my Daughter and I packed a bag and drove to spend a weekend in northern Wisconsin. 

Freedom of travel is just one of the things we take for granted.  In many countries travel is restricted and just a simple weekend getaway requires someone else’s approval.  The things we take for granted are so precious to others.  We have no requirement to report our whereabouts, participate or abstain from religion, or support a specific political agenda.

We, unfortunately use these freedoms to ignore the greater good and feed our own selfishness.  We are quickly becoming a nation that does not tolerate dissenting options.  We use our freedoms to try and limit the freedoms of others. 

When we do this we dishonor the blood and lives of others who died to give us these freedoms.  It is vital that we allow others the same freedoms we enjoy.   There is risk in it but it is how the Father deals with us.  We are free to follow Christ or not.  We are free to obey the commands to love or not.

It is in this paradoxical position that our freedom in Christ lives.  I must cherish this human form of freedom because it reflects the perfect freedom that Christ wishes for us all.  I must honor those who died to provided and protect it.

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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In Memoria ~ A Six Year Old’s Viewpoint

Greetings Dear Reader,

On Thursday evenings I have the pleasure and privilege of having dinner with my eldest Son and my two Grandsons.   This is almost always the highlight of my week.  It amazes me how much the boys grow from week to week.  Time with my Son is precious to me as well and there is never enough of it.

This past Thursday after dinner the discussion turned to Brat Fest which is always a part of my Memorial Day weekend.  We planned in part what we wanted to do and when we wanted to go to the world’s largest brat festival.  The Grandson’s wanted to talk about rides and the eldest Grandson was talking about Ferries Wheels.  I asked him if he knew what Memorial Day was for.  His answer was profound for a six-year-old.

In a roundabout way he explained that we remember the people who died so that we could have a great country.  He said we had to remember to keep our country good so that their deaths would not be wasted.  I was astounded at his depth of understanding.  I was proud of him for caring about something so profound.

I am also saddened.  It may be that a brat and carnival ride focused little boy will give more thought to the purpose of this holiday than many adults.  As I eat a warmed up brat in the safety of my home tonight I pause to feel and express gratitude to the Father that he has let me live in a land where freedom reigns.  I also ask him to heal our land of its lack of love, purpose, and unity.

It is in this freedom, paid for by the blood of our forefathers, that we find the right to do as we please.  I need to make sure that it pleases me to show gratitude and respect to those who have died to keep that freedom alive.

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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In Memoria ~ Opening Thoughts – Flags In

Greetings Dear Reader,

I want to do something a little different this Memorial Day weekend.  I will still enjoy some traditional leisure pursuits buy I also want to make sure that I observe the weekend for what it is.

Yesterday soldiers began placing over 230,000 flags on the graves at Arlington National Cemetery.   The tradition, known as “Flags In” began in 1948.  Imagine the impact on soldiers placing flags on the graves of their fallen comrades.  The loss is not lost on me.

My thoughts this weekend will be what it must be like to walk among those stones where we honor those who died to provide freedom for the rest of us.  I will think of my friends and family who have served and seen those deaths first hand.  I will beg the Father to bring all things back to good and peace so that we quit losing our dearest blood to hatred and war.

Walk among the stones with me Dear Reader.  We can be grateful together and comfort each other.

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

The life of a carpenter is one of doing what so many of us dream.  It is making a living as an artist creating functional beauty.  Two thousand years ago this could not have been an easy occupation. 

All wood was naturally sourced because you had to find your own.  Your shop was environmentally friendly because there were no power tools.   Everything was all natural because there were no synthetics. 

This particular Carpenter left his shop and became an itinerant preacher.  He took his love for creation and transformation with him.   The love drove him to repair the world.  It drove him to give all to redeem it from it brokenness.  The world responded.  It nailed him to a set of rough-hewn beams to kill him.

How do we deal with a Carpenter King?  We kill him.  We reject him.  We malign him because he dared to love us with truth and compassion.  What I am supposed to do is follow him in every opportunity.

I must let him shape me.  I must become the image that he sees in my raw potential.  I must follow and become beautiful and useful. 

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Humble Honing

Greetings Dear Reader,

Wood does not speak.  It may communicate it beauty amidst plays of light and hue.  It may touch our spirit with is shape and the quality of its patterns.  Still wood does not speak.

It does not cry out when the carpenter saws away what is unnecessary.  There is no complaint from the wood as the carpenter uses chisels and planes to shape his creation.  The wood does not whine about the time it takes.  The piece being formed does not tell the carpenter how he should shape it. 

 One of the ways to follow Christ more closely is to realize that all that the Carpenter King does is to shape us into the beauty that he is creating.  He hones into what he has designed us to become.  He conceived us and is building us.  I need to always accept the honing of who I am with humility.   I need to give the carpenter his way and not think that I can avoid it.

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Large and Small Cuts

Greetings Dear Reader,

In every piece of wood that becomes furniture, finishing, or art there is cutting.  The carpenter must shape the wood to his design.  He must remove what is not useful to that design.

There are large and small cuts made in this refining.  It may be that the carpenter must reduce the lumber greatly from it rough form to form something small and useful.  It may be that to be useful the lumber must remain large and rough.  The carpenter knows what is needed to make the wood suitable to his purpose.

It may be that fine chisel work is required to make the work beautiful.   Turning and shaping may seem to be taking away too much.  The pile of shavings on the floor might appear to be much more than what is left of the piece.  The carpenter knows what to take away and what to leave.

In dealing with a Carpenter King we need to understand that we are the wood.  We will be shaped to his design.  The cuts may be large, small, or both.  The shaping might be speedy or take a lifetime.  All I have to do is be shaped. 

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Raw Lumber

Greetings Dear Reader,

I once saw a desk made of “Tiger Oak”.  “Tiger oak is oak that is milled into quarters at an angle to the growth rings of the tree. This method produces boards with heavy stippling visible in the grain. Tiger oak, also called quarter sawn oak, is used for cabinets, furniture and projects for which the flecked pattern of the boards is desired.”

The desk was bare.  In the fine polished surface the tiger stripes shown beautifully in the in the natural light of the room.  The desk is the most beautiful desk I have ever seen.  I had daily access to the office in which the desk resided.  I would often sit in the afternoons watching the sun play on the surface of the wood.

I would ponder the carpenter who had the vision to see what could be in raw oak lumber with which he worked.  He saw what he could fashion out of the wood.  He knew what could become with the proper cutting down and shaping back.  He knew he could create something strong and beautiful out of dead oak. 

This is how the Carpenter King approaches us.  We are dead wood.  Left to ourselves we will rot and decay.  The Carpenter has plans for us.  He sees the beauty and potential in our raw lumber.  He knows how to craft us into something enduring and strong. 

I must deal with the Carpenter King by allowing him to fashion me according to his design.  From rough sawing to planking to fine sanding and polishing he knows what to do for me.  He knows how to shape me and cut me. He knows how to bring out the natural beauty in me.  I cannot do it for myself. 

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Type Amen?

Greetings Dear Reader,

Carpentry is a simple beautiful art.  My Grandfather was a hobby carpenter.  He even continued to practice the art after a table saw cut his hand almost in two.  After the injury healed he had pins in his hand.  He could create beautiful things with wood, work, and patience.

I am trying to imagine how Jesus the carpenter would deal with social media and the technology age.  There is a web site, Coffee with Jesus that addresses this occasionally.  I try to use technology and social media for good things. 

There is a trend that some of my fellow Christ followers have adopted that disturbs me.  I believe that we should live our faith outwardly.  I do not hesitate to claim Christ and try to follow him.  I do not think that the trend to post something then ask for proof of agreement is wise.

It is not saying amen to a post or sharing it that spreads the Gospel.  In fact I think it makes us look foolish to those who do not understand the love and compassion of Christ.  I know that these posts are meant to be a good thing.  Some, however, go too far.

One cannot gain a blessing, money, or healing by participating in this modern form of chain letters.  In fact it wastes resources and time.  Every piece of data sent costs something.  Every post has a price.  When we forget that the Gospel like carpentry is a patient artful process we lose its beauty and grace.  The Gospel is the process of turning raw material into lovely useful things.  What better leader to follow than a Carpenter King?

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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How Do We Deal with A Carpenter King ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

The life of Christ is filled with paradoxes.  An honest look at the man Jesus; his human side often helps me understand how I am to behave and be as I follow him.  It is in Christ that we find the ultimate example of what it means to be human.

We were not meant to have flaws and failures.  We are designed to be good, noble, and loving.  Perhaps a clear examination of the human side of our divine Brother can help.  Perhaps a better understanding of how to be a human and do what is right can make the journey easier.

Really nothing makes it easier but some things make it bearable.  There is something in carpentry that gives me insight into who Jesus is.  It gives me a better understanding of how to follow him. 

Please, Dear Reader, walk with me through some saw dust and shavings.  Reason with me as we have a look at the way we must deal with a Carpenter King.  As always I value your thoughts.

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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A Pause to Pray

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have a friend or two in real need.  Instead of writing this morning I spent the time in prayer for these people.   I realize that all of you do not pray and I neither expect nor require it.  I do pray for you Dear Reader.

It is not proper for me to go into the details of the friends that have needs.  The Father does not need that to know what to do.  Rather prayer is an act of obedience and faith.  I know that my friends and family for whom I pray will benefit because the Father knows his plans no matter where we are in the mix.

If you wish to pray for those things on my mind it is simple.  There are people that matter to me that are injured, ill, hurting, healing, have lost faith, have found faith, are seeking guidance, are taking risks, and so many other very specific things.  I know new parents and empty nesters who have asked me to pray.  I have friends who are seeking work and ready to retire. 

I could go on and on but you get the point.  This is the first morning I have set aside my writing time to only pray in quite a while.  Three of the people I prayed for this morning reached out to me today updating me on how they are.  That is such a reward.  Tomorrow I will continue examining the journey and my place in it.  Hugs and prayers for you Dear Reader.

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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Four Words ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

As a species we are very good at denying the inevitable.  We do things that harm us and deny that they will.  We fail to learn from history that we create.  We are willful to the end. 

The ultimate truth is that the Father’s will is going to be accomplished.  We look for signs and certainty instead of following in faith.  We say we believe or we refuse to believe and try to make our own path.  We have a trailblazer who knows the way.  Instead of following in faith we willfully demand that the Father conform to our image of him.

In faith I must say, “They will be done.”  With all my heart I must follow the Son who will lead me to the Father.  In love they both promise that they will get things back to good again.  By grace and mercy they will show me the way. 

It is not about my will.  It is about the Father’s will.  This heart and attitude is also following Christ.  It is what he chose in the garden.  It is what I must choose every moment if necessary.  Father, not my will but yours.

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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Four Words ~ Faith

Greetings Dear Reader,

The ultimate task of asking for the Father’s will to be done is to have faith.  Faith, belief, and trust are required in all our transactions with the Father.  He wants us to have the faith that small children have in their Fathers.

It is in this faith that we find our way.  The just live by faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please the Father.  We are redeemed by grace through faith.  If we just focused on the ways in which the Word tells us to have faith we could muster an excellent understating of why wanting the Father’s will to be done is logical and wise.

It is in belief that we have the courage to want his will over the things that seem wise or obvious to us.  When we believe we do.  My Grandfather always said, “You do what you believe.  Everything else is just religious talk.”  If I am not kind to others then I dare not speak of the kindness of Christ.  If I am not willing to love others then I must not tell them that God loves them.  The fact is that I must do what I believe of my belief is dead and not focused on the living God.

It is in trusting him that we find the freedom to forgive and love others without reservation.  It is in trust that we can say that we wish the Father’s will to be done here as it is above.  I must desire for the two worlds, ours and the Father’s kingdom to come to be one.  I must long for this.  It is easy because I do.  I want this so much.

I become weary of the struggle with sin.  I see the unkindness in the world and it hurts me.  I see my own failures and long to be free of the things that drive me to fail.  I want every thought to be loving and kind.  I want to never be selfish or self-serving. 

I have faith that the Father wants this.  I believe that he is working to get things back to good.  I trust that his will will be done.  Without this I have no hope.

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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Four Words ~ Just

Greetings Dear Reader,

When I question the will of the Father I not only question his goodness.  I question his justice.  When I do this I move away from the safety that God is always just. 

We often cry of injustice when we do not like the circumstances or understand all of the situation.  There are injustices created by man.  We wrong each other constantly for selfish reasons.  We create injustice and then assign it to God.

It is in the Father’s justice that we can find the courage to say “Thy will be done” when we do not understand the circumstances.  Again, like the Father’s goodness his justice is based on his understanding of the universe and not ours.

I can only see what I see.  He sees everything.  He knows what comes next and works out final justice for us all.  We cannot define justice as we wish it expect God to comply to our definition of it.  We try to remake the Father’s justice in our image. 

I know that the way out is through.  I know that the justice that the world needs is found in doing the will of the Father.  Even when he allows what is unjust to us he knows how he will get all things back to good.  He asks me to trust him and follow.  That is the just thing for me to do.

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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Second Thoughts – A Bold Adventure

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

I always try to reflect on good things in my life on Mother’s Day that are there because of my mother.  Of significance is a gamble she took when I was six that has influenced my entire life.  It seemed a simple thing for a long time.  Then as I grew older and understood my Mother’s preferences in life, it was clear that she was trying to invest in me.

It was September of 1966.  We were living in Atlanta and barely getting by.  We had a twelve in black and white TV with foil on the antenna.  I was the remote control.  I had been told to go to bed an hour early and reluctantly obeyed.

Later, just before ten in the night I was awakened by my mom.  The house of warm popcorn and I was led to the living room.  Mom told me to have a seat on the scratchy orange herculon couch.  What unfolded was the first episode of a new TV series, Star Trek.  The episode was The Man Trap.

We ate popcorn.  We talked about what was happening on the show.  She made sure it was not scaring me.  As the final series credits rolled she explained that we would do this each week if I went to be early without complaint. 

That experiment in investing in a boy yielded a lifelong love of Star Trek, adventure, and the possible.  As a fatherless boy Captain Kirk was second only to my Grandfather in my admiration of male figures.  The series ended just about same time that my Grandfather reached the clearing at the end of the path. 

Great darkness followed but Star Trek reruns were one of the things that sustained me through that darkness until I discovered the hope that is in Christ.  The two things, Star Trek and the Great Adventure are so intertwined for me that I often ask the Father for a star ship to explore his undiscovered country.  Thanks mom. 

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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Four Words ~ Good

Greetings Dear Reader,

Hillary Scott’s song Thy Will Be Done  juxtaposes the pain of a situation with the need to understand that the Father’s will must be done even when we do not understand.  When understanding fails we must stand on faith.  We must want the Father’s will no matter how difficult it is to get there.

We must recognize that God is good even when we do not feel good.  The situation must not determine what we think of the Father.  As a father who has failed at times I understand how it feels to be judged wanting by your children.  This can only be an inkling of what the Father must feel when his every move is to show us his love for us.  He has never failed us and yet we fail to trust him and follow his Son.

When I doubt the Father’s goodness I fight against what he allows.  I run in directions that are not part of the journey home.  I hinder my progress in getting back to good.  I make the journey more difficult than it must be for me.  God is good.  He is good indeed.

I may never understand how my shattered heart is a part of the plan.  I need to cling to the reality that the Father is good and that it is that goodness that I can count on.  I do not always need to understand to honestly say “Thy will be done.”

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Collaboration

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we form sentences we are making words collaborate to express a thought.  It is not just the words that communicate the thought.  There is emotion of expression.  There inflection and context. 

These four words directed at the Father express the desire for his will to be done.  The expression can be situational or overreaching.  One can mean that they wish the will of the Father right now or that they want it in all things. 

There is also the timbre and attitude of the expression.  One can be committed and certain.  One can be resigned.  One can be fatalistic.  We express all things with an emotion or attitude.  When we tell the Father “they will be done,” we can be doing so in faith, fear, or fatigue.  We can be expressing that we want it to be so or that it will be so whether we wish it or not. 

In truth expressing this is simply acknowledging what will be in the future, in the now.  Sometimes for me it is an expression of all that I have left.  When the pain is at its highest or the sorrow at it deepest, I express this with my whole heart.  It is in the Father’s will that all is safe and right.

I must increasingly become a man who understands that if the Father allows it to happen then it is part of the overreaching plan to bring all things back to good.  It may not be what I want or what seems logical to me.  That does not mean that the Father does not know what he is doing.

Thy Will Be Done – Hillary Scott

I’m so confused

I know I heard you loud and clear

So, I followed through

Somehow I ended up here

I don’t wanna think

I may never understand

That my broken heart is a part of your plan

When I try to pray

All I’ve got is hurt and these four words

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

I know you’re good

But this don’t feel good right now

And I know you think

Of things I could never think about

It’s hard to count it all joy

Distracted by the noise

Just trying to make sense

Of all your promises

Sometimes I gotta stop

Remember that you’re God

And I am not

So

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Thy will

I know you see me

I know you hear me, Lord

Your plans are for me

Goodness you have in store

I know you hear me

I know you see me, Lord

Your plans are for me

Good news you have in store

So, thy will be done

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

Thy will be done

I know you see me

I know you hear me, Lord

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Done

Greetings Dear Reader,

Once again we find the power of a small word.  Done is complete, finished, ready, or accomplished.  When something is done it is an action that is completed.  It is a task that is accomplished. 

We use this word in negative ways.  When we are at the end of our patience we will tell people we are done.  This is not accomplishment as much as it is resignation.  It is one of the things we do.  We think we have done something when we have quit.

The idea for me is to complete what must be done.  I must follow.  I must be faithful.  I must love and hope and endure.  I must learn.  Most importantly I must not be done until the Father says that I am done.  I must keep moving and following until the journey is done.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Be

Greetings Dear Reader,

This itty-bitty word has so much power.  Coupled with the preposition “to” it becomes the short definition of our existence.  Anyone who knows a little Shakespeare knows the phrase “to be or not to be” even if they do not know the context or significance.  “Be” is the verb that defines that we are.

To be or not to be...

We fill our lives with questions about being.  “What are you going to be when you grow up?”  I remember first hearing this question when I was four.  I wanted to be my Grandfather.  We struggle all our lives with what we will or are becoming.   We become what we feel, think, and do.

When I came to faith I was on the edge of ceasing to be.  I was ready to end my life because the pain and anger had become unbearable.  A man took the time to show me that I could be.  He showed me that the pain might no end but there was a path to follow away from the anger and hurt. 

The Father longs for us to be his.  He wants us to follow his Son.  He wishes for us to become like him.  It is in him that I live and move and have my BEING.  I must learn to be still.  I must learn to be in his presence constantly.  I must be journeying ever closer.

The very name of the Father, “I AM” is a form of “be”.   In all that there is in life, at the core is the realization that the Father is.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Will

Greetings Dear Reader,

Will is an interesting thing.  We see it as a power.  We use it to accomplish what to our reason seems impossible.  I wonder if we truly ponder how powerful will is.  We have done great things by force of will.  We have done terrible things as well.

We choose what we WILL do and what we will not.  We have the freedom to choose.  It may be that the most obvious act of grace is that we are allowed to choose.  God could force us to see him as he is.  He could remove the will he created in us.  He could demand that we do all that he wills.

That is not how the Father treats us.  He wants our love based on choice.  He wants us to see his love for us and choose him.  We use our will to reject him.  We judge him imperfect based on our world view and will him away from us.  

We live in a world where it can be difficult to work the will of the Father even when we want to do so.  I need to become someone who constantly realigns my will with the Father’s no matter how difficult it is.  At times I do not want it.  At times I feel I cannot align my will with his.

Fortunately he works in us to reform our will.  He gives us grace and mercy to get to the right place.  He gives us freedom from the things that hold us away from him.  He promises to give us the will not just the ability to do his will.  He works in me to both will and to do his good will.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Thy

Greetings Dear Reader,

Pronouns have always been peculiar to me.  They ebb and flow in their use and meaning.  They are misused and even politicized.  Pronouns change form over time as well. 

Pronouns derive their meaning from context.  It is one of the reasons they are so useful.  Using then properly is important because the wrong pronoun can point us in the wrong direction.  A plural pronoun used where there is a singular subject can be confusing.  It is why using “their” to avoid gender specificity is inaccurate.

This tiny word “thy” is an archaic pronoun that means “your”.  In context of the phrase we are building it refers to the Father.  It points to the God of the Universe with three tiny letters.  It signifies that the Father is the subject of what we are about to say.

At some level the Father should always be the subject of our purpose.  He calls us home, reminding us that he is our Home.  He asks that we follow his Son.  He asks that we put love above all that we do.

It is with this word that we approach the Father and call to him.  I must never let this tiny possessive pronoun cloud the understanding of the one I approach.  I must always realize who it is I am addressing.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Four Words ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

It occurs to me often that we make things far too complex.  We layer pretense end complexity onto the basic.  We systematize and codify We make rules where we are supposed to follow our hearts.  We disavow the basic rules we are given and put rules in place that are untenable.

Too often I build pretense and complexity into the things that are simple.  Even more foolishly I allow the past to complicate the future.  I allow the things I cannot control to keep me from being who I must be in the moment.  At times I put my expectations at the forefront.  I put what I think I need in the moment ahead of following Christ.

All of this can be mitigated by four simple words.  I can focus, as Christ did on the response that he gave and instructed us to give.  I can follow him in his example even though it is not a popular thing to do.  At times I must think this through.

I must remind my heart of the simplicity of the Gospel.  I must recall that what I have is to be entrusted to his will and guidance.  I must follow.  That means that I submit to where I am led.  I do not follow blindly so I must think it through.

You are welcome to walk with me Dear Reader.  Your company is always a comfort in the journey. Please see the warning sign.  Sometimes the path reveals truths we do not like.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Courage in the Moment

Greetings Dear Reader,

It is ever increasing that I encounter people who openly speak against Christians.  It runs a gamut from dismissive rejection to virulent hatred.  People openly generalize about those who follow Christ in a way that is rejected as generalization for other groups of people.

People call us ignorant, racist, and hateful.  They use the worst examples of poor Christ followers to paint us all.  The poor example are there.  We must answer for that.  I say also that were I to apply the same paint to any other sect I would be an ignorant hateful racist.  So in a world where the tide is against those who follow Christ what am I to do?

I am required to have courage.  I am required to love no matter what.  I am expected to rise above whatever is said about Christ followers and live an example that proves it wrong. 

Sometimes courage is easier than others.  Sometimes the situation or the source of the hatred makes being courageous difficult.  At times the courageous thing to do is be silent.  I must not do harm to be right.  I must not argue or disrespect others to be right.  I must through love and example communicate the Gospel.

I must learn when to speak and when to be silent.  I must renew that learning daily.  I must follow in faith that I was warned. I was warned that following Christ is not safe.  It does not promise that I will be loved for it. 

There are days when I do not understand why the Father does not intervene.  I must remember that it is up to him.  I must remember that I do not know all that he does.  Faith is the thing that sustains courage.  Faith in the moment yields courage for the moment.  That’s the way that it works.  It’s the way it must be.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Guardians of the Galaxy ~ NO SPOILERS

Greetings Dear Reader,

The summer movie season begins with Marvel offering chapter two of Guardians of the Galaxy.  As with most sequels to super hero movies we are treated to the funny bits we wanted from the first movie.  The expected Stan Lee cameo is awesome.  I will not say much more so as not to spoil it for anyone.

I found that the impact of the movie very deep hot on the heels of writing about Father Wounds.  It is the premise of the tale that Peter Quill (Star-Lord) is searching for his father.  I cannot detail the impact without revealing too much of the plot.  The story is masterfully told.  The production is amazing.

What stays with me is the search for a father.  At the core of things, we all search for that figure that can be an example, mentor, and guide.  Fathers are supposed to be all of these things.  As I sit here in the dark pondering the film and what it has taught me it is all very simple.

I follow a Son who never disappointed his father.  I search for a Father who is God and would claim me as a son.  The Son will lead me to the Father and all will be good again.  I want to love the Father.  I want to be in harmony with him.  Everything else is pretense.

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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)