Thoughts and Questions from Aramis Thorn: October 2020

31 October 2020

Second Thoughts ~ Once in a Blue Moon

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am writing this whilst sitting under the blue moon. It is chilly but not cold. This place and time holds a uniqueness that is rare. A blue moon on All Hallows Eve reminds me that everything in the universe is sacred at some level.

From the moonlight stream through the trees to the pictures of my friend’s babies in their first costumes there are moments that will never be again. I am smoking my Savinelli pipe, a gift from Avalon that I cherish. In it part of my diminishing supply of McClelland Black Cavendish lends its fragrance and warmth to the pale night. This pipe tobacco is an endangered brand as the company is gone and what remains of it are all that I will ever have. Again, even my pipeweed is hallowed under the pale light of the blue moon.

I ponder friends whose uniqueness I will never encounter again this side of Home. I think about the friends and family that I love that are not with me for one reason or another. They too are a portion of the universe that is singularly unique. On my own for the most part for many All Hallows Eves, I have learned to use it to launch my way into the season of gratitude and celebration.

Further, I consider my Children and Grandchildren. Even if there are billions of inhabited planets out there, each person is singular in his or her place in the universe. Those that descend from me are treasures to my heart. I love them more than they can see and value them more than life itself.

Some of the unique lights that have shown in my life did not make it to tonight’s blue moon. I hallow them as well. The deeper I dive into my understanding of Christ, the more clearly, I see that every star matters. Especially important are the ones that dance through our lives and impart a bit of the divine to us when we let them.

As I sit alone here under a cloud tattered Autumn sky, I see all at once how insignificant and how vital I am to the cosmic dance. I feel a cosmic loneliness that draws me home and gives me pause at the same time. I know that I have work yet to do. There are unique souls yet to discover. I do have a dream in my heart but it is difficult to dream without a fellow traveler.

What I will carry is that even though I end most days alone, I can count the moments where I have brought light and hope to others and they comfort me. I can look to you, Dear Reader, and know that even though you are silent most of the time, you are there. I can look to my lonely, lovely Jesus in the garden, who longs for us to love every soul he made with the love that the Father has for him and there I can find companionship that is unique. I can sit under the blue moon of All Hallows Eve and know that I am seen, and loved, and solitary in my existence. I can love the One who split the darkness to give us light so that we could find our way home and never feel loss or lack again. For tonight, as the cherry on my Cavendish winks at the moon, it is enough.

Blue Moon – Lizzie Naylor

Blue moon you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for
You heard me saying a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appeared before me
The only one my arms will ever hold
I heard somebody whisper "Please adore me"
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!
Blue moon!
Now I'm no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own

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 homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
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Like all those with the Blue Moon as their companion, you are unique in all that ever was, ever is, and ever will be and I love you.

Three Hallowed Days ~ All Hallows Eve

Greetings Dear Reader,

My first published book, Chronicles of Thanatos the Reaper, is about the Angel of Death. It is my attempt to justify the necessity of death in our lives. This year it has been in the media every day. Many have faced death who had not anticipated it.

The origin of today is the chance to reconcile the necessity of death in our lives. It is set in a time where death is ongoing in our part of the world. Nature embraces the death of leaves and bees and the world turns colder. We fail to hallow death as we should.

It is not death that we need to embrace but, rather, we need to see that death is the transition. It is our embarking on our journey to “that Undiscovered Country from whose burning no traveler returns.” The evidence of how we deal with this is found in our language. We speak of the dead in the past tense when our faith tells us they are not gone from anything but our presence.

“How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.” It is not a no-win scenario. Death is the ultimate victory over life. The loss is for those who are still living. If I follow Christ and Death joins our journey, then I am secure that it is hallowed by Jesus. I owe a death and will pay that debt when required to do so. For now, I must live as if each moment could be my last.

It is in each moment that I find love, Christ, and life. It is following his path that leads to life in every way. Life will not exist without Christ. In him, we live and move and have our being. So, today I pause to hallow all those who have ventured to that Undiscovered Country and remember that they are all still there.

Today we all can gaze on a blue moon. It is said that these events occur rarely and that those with a blue moon in their eyes are unique. I will take some time to sit under the blue moon and remember those who have preceded me. Each of them is unique. Each is created, loved, and cherished by the Father. So are you, Dear Reader. We are required to hold every life sacred. If follows then that we are to hallow every life that moves on ahead of us.

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 homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“Death is no more than turning of us over from time to eternity.” – William Penn

30 October 2020

Three Hallowed Days ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

My younger Sisters and my friend Ashli are about to engage in their favorite weekend of the year. As is my custom I will spend the next few days pondering what those days mean to me. This year, I wish to focus on something that seems to have touched all of us. This year we have all been touched by death.

We all know someone who knows someone who has died this year. Some of us have lost friends and family. Whilst pumpkins, costumes, and candy fill the minds of those who see this as the day we have made it, I view these next three days as they are.

Over this time, I will ponder that which is hallowed. We will consider how whether there is belief or not there is truth. I must ponder what I am to carry through these days. How am I to follow well in these days?

Before I dive into that I wish to pause a moment to state the obvious. Not everyone who celebrates Halloween is evil. They are not all engaging in devil worship. Not everything about this day is wicked.

Further, when we treat it that way, we miss the opportunity to show love and build bridges. When we judge everyone by a narrow standard that rises from our own beliefs, we are also expecting those who do not believe to act like they are believers. This is always unjust.

What I hope to do over the next three days is honor the observances that are part of our liturgical year and at the same time find new and better ways to follow Christ. Adopting his attitude about all of this will enhance my ability to see Christ in the moment. It will improve my perspective to see Jesus more clearly. As always, Dear Reader, you are invited to join me on the journey. Your thoughts and questions are always a treat and never a trick.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue.” The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

29 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

In light of yesterday’s summary, we need to see Jesus through the lens of love. What I wish to focus that lens on is his actions when pressed. Many times, during his last three years the leadership of the Jews tried to stone Jesus or kill him in other ways. Each time he eludes them in ways that are not fully described.

Then we come to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jewish officials, Roman soldiers, and Judas come to the Garden. Here is how John gives the account:

John 18:4-5 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

They seek the carpenter of Nazareth. Their lives are about to be radically different. Most translations make it a point to be grammatically correct here when what might serve us better is to render the translation as it is and make the obvious evident. Jesus' reply is a simple two-word sentence that contains all that there is in the universe. Jesus' short reply is “I AM”.

It is what happens next that shows that he is not simply stating that he is Jesus. He is not merely admitting to being the man they seek. They are looking for the carpenter from Nazareth and what they have found is the Messiah God. When he says these two words, they get a glimpse. They see for a moment who stands before them and their reaction is what tells the tale.

In that instant after he says who he is they all fall back and fall to the ground. What they see is the revealed Son of God. For a moment they see that he is not just a man. They see that arresting him is something he allows and not what they are doing. The world is his and all authority has been given to him. Knowing all things that are about to happen, He has wrestled with the cost of this next phase of his journey and accepted it. He makes sure that they know who they are arresting.

As I close on this series of thoughts, I see Jesus more clearly. He will make it clear that he could summon legions of angels to stop the madness that follows. No matter what is unfolding, everyone in the garden that night knows one simple truth. That madness is allowed by the Living God; the Messiah. All the pain and harm they visit on him is allowed by him. He chooses to be all of the other things he has said about himself by suffering to redeem us.

What I must see is the truth. Jesus, the human aspect of God, yet still fully God loves me. He is all the things he claims to be. His intent is that I follow him with the love that the Father has for us all. After all is finished, it is the love that will remain. It becomes my obligation to live in a way that reflects that love. It is vital, Dear Reader, that I live in such a way that it tells you what I see. After looking at Jesus like this, it demands that I ask you to tell me what you see.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

When a word is in italics in the Bible it means that it was added for grammatical clarity.

28 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Adjusting the Lens

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I deal with the last “I AM” tomorrow, I want to check in with you. The point of this is to refine how I see Jesus so that I only look at him and not what others say he is. We are given many opportunities to see Jesus as others wish us to see him. We also get false messages about who he is from the failures of his followers.

Since I chose to follow Christ, I have only wanted to be a good example of his followers. I have failed often in this and there is much that echoes from that. Failing to follow causes much pain for ourselves and others. When I fail to follow, I put the lens of seeing Christ out of focus.

For every human, it is vital that they confront who Jesus is. If we look at all of his statements of who he is, we see that it is much clearer than what some say he is. Too many people pour extra things into who Jesus is. He is everything but at the same time, he is not what many represent him as. We must see Jesus for who he is.

As I close this tomorrow, I will turn my attention to other things that I wish to see as they are meant to be for me. For now, Dear Reader, I want to see Jesus as his followers saw him. I want my focus to be on his desire for us to love. Because I have been reading and rereading John’s account of him in developing these thoughts, I was reminded of something Jesus desires for us; for me.

When he is praying for his disciples and for us he says this, “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus desires that the love that the Father has for the Son be in us. Jesus is asking that we have the love of the Father in us so that we can love the Father, the Son, and every human we encounter. This same John, Jesus’ best friend will write later, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

The lens we must bring into focus when trying to see Jesus is that the foundation of all we do to follow Christ must be done out of love. In that secure place, we are asked to see Jesus as the way, the truth, the life, the bread, the vine, the sheep gate, the shepherd, the resurrection. When we see clearly that every aspect of his is founded in love, it becomes easy to accept.

Every moment, I must renew my commitment to loving the Father and following the Son because of my love. It is how I must treat every human with the same love. If I can learn to do this perhaps, I can help others see Jesus for who he is. When someone acts out of love for others tell me what you see.

The Humbling River – PUSCIFER

Nature, nurture, heaven, and home
Sum of all, and by them, driven
To conquer every mountain shown
But I've never crossed the river
Braved the forests, braved the stone
Braved the icy winds and fire
Braved and beat them on my own
Yet I'm helpless by the river
Angel, angel, what have I done?
I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire
I've conquered country, crown, and throne
Why can't I cross this river?

Angel, angel, what have I done?
I've faced the quakes, the wind, the fire
I've conquered country, crown, and throne
Why can't I cross this river?
Pay no mind to the battles you've won
It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle
Open your heart and hands, my son
Or you'll never make it over the river

It'll take a lot more than words and guns
A whole lot more than riches and muscle
The hands of the many must join as one
And together we'll cross the river
It'll take a lot more than words and guns
A whole lot more than riches and muscle
The hands of the many must join as one
And together we'll cross the river

Nature, nurture, heaven, and home
It'll take a lot more than words and guns
Sum of all, and by them, driven
A whole lot more than riches and muscle
To conquer every mountain shown
The hands of the many must join as one
And together we'll cross the river
Braved the forests, braved the stone
It'll take a lot more than words and guns
Braved the icy winds and fire
A whole lot more than riches and muscle
Braved and beat them on my own
The hands of the many must join as one
And together we'll cross the river

And together we'll cross the river

And together we'll cross the river
Nature, nurture, heaven, and home
And together we'll cross the river
And together we'll cross the river
Nature, nurture, heaven, and home
And together we'll cross the river
And together we'll cross the river

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“Pay no mind to the battles you've won, It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle” - PUSCIFER

27 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Making Grapes

Greetings Dear Reader,

I learned about the patience of planting, growing, and pruning from my Grandfather. Between his garden and his farm, he was often walking among crops and trees he had planted. I was often with him in his garden when he would cut back plants to yield space for healthier ones or when we would pinch suckers off of tomato plants together.

Once, on the farm, I watched my Grandfather prune his pear and peach trees. His father had planted those trees. He cut away branches that were not putting out good fruit or healthy leaves. His fruit trees were always rich with peaches and pears during harvest season. My Grandmother would have ample fruit for her pickled peaches and pear preserves.

This I am statement of Jesus’ is one that requires understanding. When we prune grapes, we institute the plant's natural response to produce more fruit. We leave the parts of the vine that will yield the most grapes. All of this is useless without a strong, true vine. Here is what Jesus says about himself:

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

We understand pruning. What impacts me here is that we have a deeper understanding of our connectedness to Jesus. We proceed from him as branches from his true vine. He prunes us so that we can produce more fruit. He makes it clear that he cuts away what hinders us. Jesus states that apart from him we can do nothing.

I have to remind myself of this daily. I have to be pruned. It really hurts sometimes but it is always worth it. Jesus’ cousin John said, “He must increase and I must decrease.” Luke reminds us that in Jesus “we live and move and have our being.” It is not possible for me to do anything apart from Christ that is not dead.

When we look at Jesus honestly, we can see that all he does is to make us more suited for helping others see him. When we produce the sweet fruit that love and kindness yield, others can be grafted into our vineyard. Look at the way Jesus cares for us to make us better. Look at the Vine and tell me what you see, Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“He is divine and you are de-branch. He’d love to get you through it if you give him a chance.” – Keith Green

26 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Separation Anxiety

Greetings Dear Reader,

I need to put myself in the place of the disciples for a moment. I have been hanging out with Jesus for three years. We have witnessed him raise the dead, heal hundreds, maybe thousands of people. We saw them try to take him by force and he would elude them without fighting. Despite our varying levels of doubt, we all know that he is the Son of God.

Now, he is talking about dying. He is saying that he is leaving. He tries to comfort us. First, Jesus reminds us that we should not be troubled:

John14:1-6 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

I need to unpack this from the perspective of the disciples. Jesus is trying to comfort them with a roadmap of the future. It is vague but clear all at once. He has made it clear that he will die and rise again. The disciples will not or cannot hear it. There is room for all of them in the place he is going to prepare. He is investing in their and our future by leaving.

He promises to come back. He is coming back for all of us. He says we already know the way. Thomas, however, argues with Jesus that we do not know the place or the way. We must pause in our unpacking to recall that Jesus called the disciples to follow him. They have done so for at least three years. Thomas still insists that he does not know the way.

Then, Jesus reminds them of exactly who he is. He says, “I am the way.” They simply need to keep following him. He has given them all they need to do so. He says that he is the way and they know him. He has given them his power. He has sent them out on their own and they have used that power.

He says, “I am the truth.” They know that if he says he is leaving and coming back that it is true. There is no truth other than this that they need. They know how to follow even when Jesus is not physically present. They are on the edge of their greatest trial. They are facing the loss that will require all their faith.

Then, after speaking of his death he says, “I am the life.” Remember how John begins. “In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not comprehend it.” Again, we have that arching connection to life. Here again is the fighting chance to live, to comprehend the light. He tells us and them that we already have a way to escape the darkness. He is the resurrection. He is the way.

Thomas does not receive the comfort. His faith will be tested and he will fail. He will proclaim that he will not believe in the Life until he sees with his eyes what he is supposed to have already accepted by faith. Jesus grants his request but promises us that there is a greater blessing for seeing Life where we are still in darkness. We are called to follow the Way, live in his Truth, and find our life in his Life. I must do all of this no matter how dark it seems or how grim the situation. That is where we move and have our being. Tell me what you see when you look at this way, this truth, and this life, Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

We see the amazing beauty in a world that Jesus made in seven days. Imagine the beauty of a place he has been preparing for millennia.

25 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Someone to Watch Over Me

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have recounted this before, but it leads to what I am pondering today. During my senior year in high school, I broke my leg very badly. I was in the North Carolina woods but my home was in Atlanta. Once I reached home, after a painful but temporary setting at a small clinic, I visited a renowned surgeon who operated on my led to repair it.

That night neither of my parents were available to stay with me. I was in the most severe pain I have ever known. A nurse, the mother of some of my friends “just happened” to be on duty on the evening shift at the hospital. After my parents left, this nurse told me she remembered me. She stopped by room every half hour to check on me. Then, when her shift ended, she took a seat next to my bed. Throughout that first night, she sat by me, fed me ice chips, prayed for me, and constantly quoted the 23^rd Psalm to me. She watched over me all night.

When we look at Jesus’ statement about being our Good Shepherd, we are given the great gift of someone to watch over us. We have a shepherd who loves his sheep. Here is what Jesus says:

John 10:11-18 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

The thing I wish to see clearly is that once again Jesus connects who he is to love and life. He does not dwell on the shepherd being in control or the authority. He focuses on the relationship. His aim is to remind us that from the Father to the Son to the sheep there is life and love.

The Son loves us so he lays down his life for us. The Son puts our lives ahead of his. He knows us and wants us to know him. All that he asks is that we follow in faith. He wishes for us to love the Father and love each other. He provides for our needs and never leaves us alone. He guards and guides.

Again, life is tied to who Jesus is. Again, when we look at him, not what is said about him by anyone, there is something there that matters deeply to each of us. I have to see the Shepherd that Jesus is. He is good, sacrificial, and constant. This helps me see clearly who I follow and why. Tell me what you see, Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood, I know I could, always be good to one who'll watch over me” – Ella Fitzgerald

24 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ A Fighting Chance to Live

Greetings Dear Reader,

In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Kirk stands on the dying Genesis planet watching his fallen and falling Enterprise streak through the atmosphere. He has destroyed his beloved ship so that the information in it will not be taken by the Klingons and used as a deadly weapon. He chooses to allow his ship to self-destruct rather than endanger the galaxy. His friend and second officer, Spock died saving that ship.

Standing there as the Enterprises traces her last flight through the dark sky, the Captain asks a question. “My God Bones, what have I done?”
It is Doctor McCoy’s answer that has stayed with me all these decades. “What you always do, turn death into a fighting chance to live.”

It is this comment from Bones that epitomizes the character of James T. Kirk. He has been a hero of mine since I was six. Still, one must understand the unintended parallel in Star Trek that draws me to it. I will get to that in a moment. First, I want to look at who Jesus is relative to all of this. I am pondering the death of his friend Lazarus.

John 11:21-27 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are [c]the Christ, the Son of God, even [d]He who comes into the world.”

In case you do not know the event, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. He is ultimately the one who turns death into a fighting chance to live. Martha has lost hope for her brother. She has witnessed Jesus perform acts beyond comprehension. Christ has come back to a place where the Priests want to kill him. He knows before he comes that Lazarus is dead.

His clear purpose is so that those watching him will see his power over death. The ultimate loss of human control, death, is easily in the hand of Jesus. When Jesus says “I AM the resurrection and the life,” He is doing what he has always done since Adam brought death into the world. He turns death into a fighting chance to live. He foreshadows his own death and resurrection which gives us all the chance to live.

A fighting chance to live is what we are when we follow Christ. Death is not the end. We live in a death-based ecosystem where life fights to keep its place. It is true of nature and it is true of our natures. When we find and follow Christ, we become a part of the fight; we journey with the Resurrection and the Life. We follow the life that is the light of men shining in the darkness. Dark death cannot comprehend it. Tell me what you see, Dear Reader.

When we fight from our death by extending life through love and grace; tell me what you see. When we fight to live like Christ through loving the Father, we offer others a fighting chance to live. When you hear Jesus speak the words, “Lazarus, come forth,” please, Dear Reader, tell me what you see.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon
Web Page: www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook
Twitter
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Instagram
BLOG Archive: http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/

“My God Bones, what have I done?”
“What you always do, turn death into a fighting chance to live.”

23 October 2020

Second Thoughts ~ The Passing of Robert McCann

Greetings Dear Reader,

Over the past week, I have watched as three men I love dearly mourn the passing of their father. At different stages during my early walk with Christ, all three of these men were friends to me and went the extra mile. Their mother, also gone on to be with Christ ministered care to me as a nurse when my family had left me alone and in pain. I would honor the passing of Robert McCann by sharing the stories of his sons and their impact on my life.

The first son I met was Jeff. He was on his way out of our church’s youth ministry when I arrived. He was kind to an angry misfit teen who was so broken and lost that only kindness would keep his attention. He always had time to talk to me and never pushed me about finding my faith. Instead, he invested the love of Christ in me by action, attention, and acceptance. Robert McCann would have been proud of the way his son welcomed and loved a lost boy with few social skills and even less love in his heart.

A short time later I met Mark. I shared more things with Mark and he was part of the first five years of my walk with Christ. I was not in any way healed of the pain and anger that I had carried since I was a boy. Still, Mark was my friend and was brave enough to ask me hard questions when they were warranted. No matter what state of pride or arrogance I was in, Mark was that friend who saw past it to a confused teen who needed friendship and love. I saw Christ in this later even though I did not appreciate it at the time. His father would have been proud of Mark’s moments of patience and friendship where I took more than I gave.

When I left Georgia for college in Florida, I met Bobby. He accepted me as help in the journalism room where he taught me much about editing and setting a paper by hand. We would work to make the lines straight and accurate. Amidst my ham-handed skills, he taught me the value of a good job, well done, for the sake of doing it right. Again, a son of Robert McCann showed me love and acceptance when it was needed. I was more secure in my faith but had not learned yet the value of humility and grace toward others. When I began to wrestle with these things, I recalled how Bobby has shown them to me when he did not have to. I am sure that his father loved this attribute of his son.

I only met Robert McCann once. It was in his driveway and it was very brief. He took a moment to say hi to me and admire my 1965 Dodge Dart. When he learned that this was my Grandfather’s car, he said what a good thing it was to pass along a good car. He never knew that his simple statement stuck with me for life. I have never sold a car. I always give them away to someone in need because of his words.

Though I never knew Robert McCann, I learned of him from his sons. I have not seen any of them in years but their part in my journey with Christ runs deep and strong in my heart. I grieve and hope with them as they walk through the loss of a loving and godly father. I hope that their collective influence for Jesus is some comfort because they know that it was their father and mother who built into them the tools to be the men that they are. I owe a debt to this man who has gone on to be with Christ. I look forward to knowing him better when we all get home, Dear Reader.

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

“We sorrow not as those who have no hope.”

Tell Me What You See ~ The Way In

Greetings Dear Reader,

There is a tavern that I used to frequent. Their ultimate nachos were the best I have ever had. They also made some good beer. It was their name that was so inviting. The name of the place was The Do Drop In.

One of the peculiarities of the place was that when you entered there was a legend above the door. It simply said “The Sheep Gate.” It was the only entrance into the place and you had to stoop a little to get in. The building is over a hundred years old and not required to meet current codes.

The owner, Dave is a Christ-follower who is always there when the tavern is open. He greets everyone as they enter. He takes an interest in every customer and if one is a regular his greeting is usually arriving at your table with your customary beverage in hand. Dave is generous and kind. He pays his staff well and the place is always filled with people who understand his rules. The primary one is that you may not arrive or depart from his place inebriated. This is why he is the gatekeeper in his establishment.

How, you may ask, does this relate to Jesus and seeing him more clearly? Jesus says in explaining why he healed on the Sabbath that he is the Sheep Gate. In his conversation with the Pharisees, Jesus points out that they are the robbers that enter over the wall and steal the sheep.

The practice of the time was that sheep were kept in a large walled area. The wall was short enough to climb over but tall enough to pen the sheep. The shepherd would sleep in the doorway to guard the sheep. Thieves and predators could not get in and the sheep could not escape. Look at what Jesus says and tell me what you see.

John 10:7-10 “So, Jesus said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’”

The Shepherd, Jesus is the way through which we enter into the safety of faith and following. When it is time to rest as we journey, he is there to protect us from those who would steal us away from him. He is the Good Shepherd who wishes for us to have a life that is filled with joy.

Again, we can build a bridge across time seeing how the metaphor of the shepherd is a constant part of the Father’s design for our redemption. The symbol of sacrifice has always been the lamb. The shepherd has been a clear image of how God cares for us. The large difference is that Jesus is both the Good Shepherd and the sacrificial Lamb of God, who carries away the sin of the world.

Jesus wishes us to see him as both. He has done his part as the Lamb. Now he acts as the Shepherd and the Sheep Gate. If you see him as all these things, then the matter becomes choosing to follow in faith. What we need to remember is that he promises us security in his care and life that is abundant. So, tell me, Dear Reader, tell me what you see.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

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“The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”

Thoughts and Questions from Aramis Thorn

31 October 2020

Second Thoughts ~ Once in a Blue Moon

Three Hallowed Days ~ All Hallows Eve

30 October 2020

Three Hallowed Days ~ Opening Thoughts

29 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Closing Thoughts

28 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Adjusting the Lens

27 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Making Grapes

26 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Separation Anxiety

25 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ Someone to Watch Over Me

24 October 2020

Tell Me What You See ~ A Fighting Chance to Live

23 October 2020

Second Thoughts ~ The Passing of Robert McCann

Tell Me What You See ~ The Way In

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