Second Thoughts ~ Carrying Christmas in my Heart ~ Second Sunday of Advent

Happy Christmas Dear Reader,

The second thought for today is to ponder the faith that it takes to even celebrate Christmas.   I am not talking about belief in the traditions and lore.  I am thinking of the faith it takes to believe that the God of all Creation would become like us just to redeem us.

I mentioned that this is also our hope last Sunday.  The second Advent Candle calls for us to have faith.  It asks us to believe that our Christmas dream of all things being good can become a reality.  We have faith for the purpose of getting us past the things we find difficult to endure.  Faith is fuel.

Faith will nourish the dreams of which we spoke this morning.  It will guide us through the long dark of winter.  It is the thing that allows us to live and move.  So, Dear Reader, light that candle of faith and let it light way to Christmas and beyond.

This Christmas Day – Trans Siberian Orchestra

So, tell me Christmas

Are we wise,

To believe in things we never see

Are prayers just wishes in disguise

And are these wishes being granted me

For now I see

The answering

To every prayer I've prayed

She's coming home this Christmas Day

So, tell me Christmas

Are we kind,

More this day than any other day

Or is it only in our mind

And must it leave when you have gone away

It's different now

It's changed somehow

And now you're here to stay

She's coming home this Christmas Day

And all at once the world

It doesn't seem the same

And in a single night

You know it all has changed

And everything is now as it should be

I have the ornament

I have the perfect tree

I have a string of lights

I have a chance to see

Everything that my heart thought could be

For of all the dreams

You were the first I knew

And every other one

Was a charade of You

You stayed close when I was far away

In the darkest night

You always were the star

That always took us in

No matter who we are

And so she's coming home this

Christmas 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 homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Second Thoughts ~ Carrying Christmas in my Heart ~ First Sunday of Advent

Happy Christmas Dear Reader,

There are parts of the Liturgical Calendar that I love.  The Advent celebrations are my favorite.  As part of our journey this year I wish to offer a Second Thought on carrying Christmas each Sunday evening.  I wish to honor both the idea of planning our joy in the Advent of Christ and my friend Amy who is a constant source of liturgical joy for me throughout the year.

The first Sunday of Advent is meant to celebrate and propagate hope.  It is in hope that we find one of the three endurances.  “There are three things that abide; faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.”   Hope endures but does not force itself on us.  We can embrace or reject hope at will. 

It is the candlelight of hope that leads us home. It is in hope that we await the arrival and now the return of Jesus.  It is in hope that we celebrate the Advent and anticipate the second Advent of Christ.   My hope is that as the season unfolds your hopes and dreams are fulfilled Dear Reader.

O’ Come Emmanuel – Sovereign Grace

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Day-Spring

Come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

O come, Thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heavenly home

Make safe the way that leads on high

And close the path to misery

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height

In ancient times did’st give the Law

In cloud, and majesty and awe

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel

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 ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon           

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook        Twitter            

Medium   Instagram 

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Thanksgiving Leftovers ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

So, November closes and the last of the pie and cranberry will be part of my luncheon.  First of course will be a turkey sandwich.  There is still almost a gallon of turkey soup frozen in quarts for winter remembrance.  Before I turn my full attention Advent and the closing of the year I will consider further gratitude.

The other aspect of this is the realization that no human is a leftover.  Rather each is a new creation, fresh and alive with potential.  I am just learning to tap into some of mine thanks to the good counsel of some dear friends. 

Those things that remain when something has past can be viewed as rubbish or leftovers.  My lunch today will furnish a final repast from the food I prepared for Thanksgiving.  All the large pots are put away.  The roasting pan is clean.  That which remains will still sustain me and give me joy.

As long as I am viable I have the opportunity to do this for others.  No matter my circumstance I can do some good.  Yesterday I made a toddler smile and helped a dear friend.  The remains of every year provide a time to seek the good we can give and accomplish.  I will continue to give thanks and search for the opportunity to do right by others. 

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 ͡°)

Thanksgiving Leftovers ~ Cranberry, Pie, and Dirt

Greetings Dear Reader,

First, let me say that pie is my favorite desert.  I would rather have pie than most things.  Even savory pies like meat pies are a favorite.  I will explain dirt in a moment. 

First, I would like to think about the cranberry.  It is like a pre-desert you can eat during the meal.  I suppose the same could be said for most versions of sweet potatoes, yam, and butternut squash.  Even for the young being forced to eat their vegetables these are an oasis of sweetness in the desert before desert.

I make pumpkin pie.  Others prefer pecan, mincemeat, or sweet potato pie.  I like them all.  I was once the guest of a family who had seven kinds of pie.  I barely ate my vegetables.  I have met a few people who do not like pie.  I still pray for them.

Then there is dirt.  This is something that my Sons introduced me to when they were young.  It has become a family tradition.  It is a concoction of pudding, butter, cream cheese, and chocolate cookies. Properly mixed it is placed in a flower pot with a fake flower.  The crumbled cookies are sprinkled on top to look like dirt.  Others put gummy worms in it but I find that to be an abomination.   

Leftover pie, dirt, and cranberry are things I enjoy so much.  They must be eaten in proper measure.  They must be eaten before they get too soggy, dry, or separated.  One must see the sweetness in the leftovers.  That which remains still has value.

I must see that in all that there is there will be remainders.  There will be leftover desert.  There is sweetness in life that endures.  There is always something sweet at the end.  I just need to seek it.

Dirt

8 oz.                             Cream Cheese Softened to room temperature

4 oz.                             Butter softened to room temperature

3 cups                          Milk (2 1/2 if using Kailua)

1/2 cup                        Kailua or Amaretto (optional)

2               Packages Inst. Choc. Pudding

1               Package Oreos

1 quart                         Whipped Topping

Blend Cream Cheese and Butter until smooth. In a separate bowl mix pudding mix, milk, and Kailua. Combine these two mixtures and beat until smooth.

Let this set for fifteen minutes.

 

While mixture is setting, crush Oreos till they are fine.

 

Fold the whip cream into mixture. Layer Oreos and Mixture into flower pot and garnish with fake flowers. Chill for at least eight hours. Use as an "Ugly" center piece and serve as dessert

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 ͡°)

Thanksgiving Leftovers ~ Dressing and Gravy

Greetings Dear Reader,

When it comes to gravy at Thanksgiving I always make my own.  Turkey fat and flour are cooked until they yield that nutty smell that signifies a proper roux.  Clarified pan drippings are added and the pot simmers until thick.

I make both in the bird and in the pan dressing.  The former I call the stuffing and the latter dressing.  The reason should be obvious.  One reads many warnings about the dangers of leftover stuffing so I keep the two separate. 

What I do look forward to is the leftover dressing and gravy.  Thanks to the microwave oven one can reheat the gravy without it separating or becoming too thick.  A bowl of dressing and gravy with some bits of turkey is one of my favorite easy hot meals after Thanksgiving.

It is true that one must have care for the storage and heating of things like dressing and gravy.  It is not that they are immediately fouled once they cool.  It is that they must be stored so as to be safe. 

The translation to practicality in life is obvious.  With care, many things once thought to be dangerous are useful to us now.  The obligation is to assure that deals with them well.  The short of it is that I must be careful to a measure in all things.  I must do all things in faith and in following.  

Leftovers that can be dangerous in life are still able to be faced or handled.  They must be addressed with proper preparation and care.  In this time of year as I deal with memories and moments that are potentially poisonous it is in faith that I will handle them with care.  It is in following Christ that I must use them properly.

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 ͡°)

Thanksgiving Leftovers ~ Turkey Sandwiches

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving leftovers are turkey sandwiches.  It is simple enough.   Cold turkey, Sunbeam Bread, and Miracle Whip combine to give a perky lunch or diner that I look forward to every year.  It must be these things or it is not right. You do not have to agree with me but this is my truth.

For some years I could not get Sunbeam Bread and it was just not the same.  I have tried other salad dressings and even mayonnaise.  It is very disappointing.  The combination of these three ingredients tastes like pleasant memories of Thanksgiving long gone by.  

There is also the idea of the limited window of opportunity.   One can only keep the Thanksgiving leftover turkey for so long.  I have tried freezing it properly but the enjoyment is not the same.  There is something in us that relishes in things that are fleeting.  We must enjoy them in the moment.  We must grasp an opportunity and find the joy in it.

This is such a great way to extend our gratitude.  We get moments in which we can grasp the joy that is there to be had.  We get the opportunity to enjoy things.  We must do so when it is there.  We must be grateful for the chance and the moment.  We must take it all in and invest ourselves in it.

The moments of time that flee from me can be used or neglected.  Seeing all of life in a leftover turkey sandwich helps me remain in a spirit of gratitude for that which remains.  It helps me be thankful for what is to come.  If I can focus on that I will do much better at being good to others.

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 ͡°)

Thanksgiving Leftovers – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

The last days of November, after Thanksgiving seem kind of a doldrums.  It is not yet December and the passing of Black Friday leaves many exhausted.  The world seems to resist the onset of Christmas preparations. 

Then there are the Thanksgiving leftovers.  They fill the fridge with odd containers of things that were hot and fresh on the Thanksgiving table but are now cold and expiring.  Some, like the apple dressing taste better the second day.  Some are never quite right when reheated.

These last days of November are such great opportunity to turn the corner well.  They are the chance to prepare the heart and mind for resisting the onset of avarice.  The chance to fill the heart with joy is abundant. 

As we move through these last days of November my intent is to focus on my own thoughts, feelings, and actions.  I wish to be sure that I am who I should be in these days no matter how difficult or easy they are.  I know you are busy Dear Reader but I truly value your company as we travel. 

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am at a loss.  This song will not let go of me.  Even weeks of thinking through it have not let go of it.  It is spinning in my head when I awaken.  It haunts my dreams.  I find myself humming it when I am not focused on other things.  Even when I am focused on the task of the moment it plays in the background like the hum in a wire.

Perhaps it is that I have not found the lesson in it yet even though I have found many.  Perhaps I am just obsessed.  Whatever the case this particular song worm is still gnawing away at me.  I must move on to other writing.

Still I have learned more about holy ground Dear Reader.  The most important is that I can become holy ground for others.  If I treat them with the love of Christ then I can create holy moments where they have the opportunity to see Christ more clearly.  This brings me some comfort.

I have also learned that the things for which I feel the deepest need are still eluding me.  All of them are shadows of what lies ahead and the need for them is intended to draw me homeward.  I still deeply feel the absence of a fellow traveler.  I still feel the strong desire to follow Christ as closely as I can.  I also feel se very damaged and broken.

Things about which I must write in the coming days are heavy but I must be true to the focus of my heart and mind in follow Christ.  So, Dear Reader, as we move further down the path together I leave with thought from Waterdeep.  It is all holy ground.  Jesus is in the midst of us.  I follow him and cherish the holy ground that is created when you walk with me.

If You Want to Get Free – Waterdeep

In the gas station bathroom by the condom machine

I heard the word of the Lord

He said "Take off your shoes,

this is holy ground too

you know I came for the sick and the bored."

Beneath the selling of beers

And the welling up of tears

Out beyond the beam of the remote control

There's a whispering voice

That the humble ear ears

that says "I am still waiting

for you to ask just to be made whole."

And the bush it was burning on the mountain top

and though the leaves never blackened, the fire didn't stop

That's the way that it works in this old life of sin

You gotta let the fire burn you just to get clean within

I am so often deterred from my actual intent

by distractions in a cellophane wrap

And the cruel voice that taunts me when I open them up

to find just one more box full of crap

It's where you're mocked while you abstain

and then cursed when you give in

It's all a game that's impossible to beat

But there's a peaceful refrain God'll sing in your brain

when you put the nails to your hands and your feet

And the smell of our sacrifices

still fills up my head

There's just a few left at the altar, Lord

all the rest of them fled

And we've cried and we've tried

We've sweat and we've bled

But we don't just need atonement

We need to be raised from the dead

When they took down the cross from that dark hillside

The blood on their hands was the blood from his side

That's the way that it works, That's the way it must be.

You gotta let His blood stain you of you want to get free

If you want to get free

Don't you want to get free?

I think you want to be 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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ Home

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am aware that most of our speculation about what comes at the end of the journey is based on very little hard evidence.  Most of what is written outside of the Word is culturally defined.  Most of what we discuss has to do with circumstance over location.

Defining what home is seems difficult for me always.  I know it is not what I have currently.  I know that it is not what I had growing up.  If home is holy ground for us then I am sure I am unsure what it is.  I know it when I feel it.  I know it when I experience it.

Perhaps we create home here because of our imbued longing for the home of that undiscovered country.  Perhaps any home is intended to be a shadow of what is to come.  It is promised that what is to come is beyond our imagination.  It is assured that there is room for us all. 

I am sure that the depths of my imagination cannot touch the creativity of the Father.  I am also sure that this is part of the contract of faith.  We are not supposed to concern ourselves with the material but rather the quality of what comes next.  We will be free from the presence of all wrong.  We will be loved and able to fully love.  We will be without apprehension and hindrance. 

Our faith will be fulfilled.  Our hope will be realized.  That undiscovered country is home.  Everything else would be shadow of that.  I long for that feeling of home.  I long for that desire to be fulfilled.  I long for the loneliness to end.  For now I must keep walking by faith.

Pilgrims to the City of God – Michael Card

Pilgrims of passion we follow the One

Who holds out a cross and a crown

We travel a dark road that has but one Light

For we have here no lasting town

Sometimes we run by the power of His might

On our own at the best we can plod

What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight

We are pilgrims to the city of God

The stigma of strangers lost in a strange land

In a fallen world that's not our home

But we are not homeless prodigals here

Because we have someplace to go

Sometimes we run by the power of His might

On our own at the best we can plod

What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight

We are pilgrims to the city of God

Behold you have come to Mount Zion

The the City of Great King

To thousands and thousands of angels who've come

Assembled to joyfully sing, they sing

Sometimes we run by the power of His might

On our own at the best we can plod

What we hopefully look for is just beyond sight

We are pilgrims to the city of God

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ Fellow Travelers

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have driven the route to and from my residence in the northern Mid-West to various family dwellings around Atlanta for seventeen years now.  The drive takes fourteen hours give or take.  I always observe if there are cars or trucks common to the route I am driving.  On one voyage I leapfrogged with a green GMS Palm Beach the entire journey.  It was from Wisconsin and I can only surmise that it was headed to Florida.

Even though the journey is solitary for each of it requires that we journey together.  It is necessary for us to care for each other.  It is even required.  The analogy of the long drive is so apropos.  We encounter others whether long term or briefly.  Those we encounter see us from their perspective; their journey.

We are told how we should see all fellow travelers.  We must see them as Christ sees them.  We must love them as he loves them.  Some will hurt us.  Some will benefit our lives briefly or in the long term.  Some will promise to journey with us the entire way and then abandon us.  All are worthy or our love. 

These fellow travelers are not so different from me.  They are flawed and in need of all that Christ offers.  They are obligated to love me just as I am obligated.   They are under the requirements from God that I am under.  Not one of them will reach the end of the path without at some point needing that love.

No matter how briefly someone journey’s next to me it is my obligation and honor to be loving and king to him or her.  Just yesterday I encountered a friend I have not seen in a couple of years.  Our encounter was brief but it filled me with genuine joy to travel together for a moment.  I want to become holy ground for those whom I encounter.  I want to be an oasis on the journey.

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ 1000 Memories

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have so many memories.  Conversations with others resurface.  Events experienced cause videos to play themselves in my head.   For good or ill I cherish the memories that the journey has afforded me.

Sometimes the painful memories surface unbidden when I am alone.  They attempt to divert me to things unhealthy and unbearable.  It is simple enough to pray my way through them.   Sometimes, however, I must entertain them briefly to see what they have to teach.  

This practice does not make things easier.  It is necessary for the journey.  Then there are the memories that a beautiful and pure.  Memories flecked with light the bring me back “to Friendship and Pleasure and Work and Fight.”  The companions of recalling time with my children and others that I love dearly ease the pains and sorrows of life.

It is in the memories that I carry the lessons of life that urge me to be a better man, father, and friend.  It is these good memories that are holy ground to me.  It is in them that I see the moments where Christ carried and comforted me.  It is in the holy ground of memories that put me in the proper place to find deeper faith; to follow more closely.

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ Cracked Rear Vision

Greetings Dear Reader,

I know what the road is.  I know what comprises the journey.  As I look in the rear vision mirror I cannot help but see some of the pieces of me scattered along the way.  As each moment slips into my cracked rear vision I see things given, discarded, and lost.

The things lost are beyond my control but some of them are things I would not have done.  I would not have lost my Grandfather when I did.  I still believe that family politics hastened his demise.  His passing was the zenith of a dark age for me and some of that darkness still marks me.  Still his departure was allowed and so part of the journey set before me. 

A sister, a daughter, and some few friends completed their journey ahead of me as well.  All of these moments leave me carrying less than I would.  There are not even enough memories.  Each step closer to home makes me yearn for that reunion.  There are a few material things I would like to hold again but they are temporal and not significant to the journey.

There are things that I discarded for good reason and when their memory returns I review the lessons learned from leaving them behind.  There are also things discarded that I would have again.  None of them are possessions.  They all involve people and situations.  They are all too painful to illuminate.

I do not regret the things given.  All of them will have their own part in bringing things back to good.  Whether material, monetary, or time the investment in others is never wasted.  From time to time I hear from former students of the way in which their time under my tutelage has aided them.  This is so joyful.  Nothing about having given to others is wasted or lost.

The primary thing about that rear vision mirror is that I must never look into it for too long a space.  One cannot move forward accurately if his focus is on what is behind.  Time spent on holy ground in the past should be remembered. I must, however, keep moving to the next bit of respite along the way.

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ The Road

Greetings Dear Reader,

Since my faith informs me that my life is a journey back to God then anything in this life is part of the road home.  I long for the holy ground of home so deeply.  When, however, I try to make it here it never seems to materialize. 

I know that any home I have here is a shadow of things to come.  The places where I grew up were never really a home.  As a boy the only place that felt like home was my Grandfather’s place.  There I was always loved and always taught to do right.  It was taken from me abruptly.

I had a home as an adult for a brief space.  I was so entrenched in my own pain and dealing with it improperly that failed to cherish what I had and lost it.  Now it seems that I will not have a home again.  Instead I have the road.

If I am to follow Christ fully then I should realize that even what I think of as home is a small thing to sacrifice.  It is also a shadow of what lies ahead at the end of the path.  I do not long for a mansion or some great reward.  I long for a place where the love and peace of Christ fills every thing and every moment. 

Until then I have the road.  I must follow.  I must leave behind the things that hinder me.  I must carry the things that aid the journey.  The nights in the wilderness are those of a homeless man with shelter but no permanence.  There is solace for this as well.  Christ has promised to be my home. 

He has promised to be with me in every moment; every step.  He has assured me that I am never alone, even when I feel so alone that I could die from it.  He has given his word that every moment of pain will be worth it.  I always believe it even when I do not feel it.

I Will Bring You Home – Michael Card

Though you are homeless

Though you're alone

I will be your home

Whatever's the matter

Whatever's been done

I will be your home

I will be your home

I will be your home

In this fearful fallen place

I will be your home

When time reaches fullness

When I move my hand

I will bring you home

Home to your own place

In a beautiful land

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

From this fearful fallen place

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

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 ͡°)

Holy Ground Reprise ~ Identifying It

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I can assess what I need in light of what is going on I must first define what holy ground is for me.  The definitions are both obvious and not so obvious. 

The obvious is church for me.  I drink deeply from that well and it sustains me often.  It is, however, not the holy ground that is most precious to me.  Some of the ground that is holy to me is simple.  Anywhere that my children are present becomes holy ground to me.  I only ever feel at home around them.

Home is holy ground to me though I currently do not have one.  I have a place where I lay my head and scratch out my writing but it is solitary and so not a home.  This is one of those longings that haunts me daily.  Home is holy ground upon which I need to be but fear it is lost for me for the foreseeable future.  I will get back to this later.

My favorite diner is holy ground.  My Friday breakfast ritual is precious to me.  When others choose to join me it is even richer.  I take comfort in being kind to those who are always there.  I would spend more time there were I free to do so.

This writing desk is holy ground.  For years now this chair and desk have been the primary place from which I spin my yarns and think my thoughts.  It is where I ask the questions and search for answer.  It is where I read and pray.  It is my small sanctuary from the general loneliness of the room. 

There is a town in Georgia that is holy ground to me.  It is like Rivendell in my mind with less magic and more mystery.  I will journey there later this year and hope to find a bit of peace to last for a space.  There is family in Georgia that is precious to me as well.  Some time with them brings me better focus and perspective.

I need consistent contact with holy ground to get by.  The most precious to me is denied me at this point.  So I feel like a vagabond most of the time lacking home and a fellow traveler.  Some of that is my fault and some was forced upon me.  Still I follow the one who is ultimately my home.  It is in Christ that I find rest when I can.  It is in him that all the treasures of home endure.

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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Holy Ground Reprise ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have mentioned song worms and their impact on me.  I have had one working its way through my brain for almost two weeks now.  Having to pay attention to Holy Week I needed to let it have its way with me without much work on it.  Am I at last free to address the worm and all it is saying to me.

It is not small thing that the worm also involves Christmas.  I take anything that forces me to think of Christmas very seriously.  As I take a little time to unearth the worm and his lessons I get to enjoy thoughts of Christmas. 

I will of course share the song and the lyrics bellows.  The link is to a very beautiful driving video.  I have listened to the song on repeat at work for all of the last two weeks.  It is obvious that there are messages of Christmas and family.  There is, however more.  Please, Dear Reader join me as I journey on pondering and positing holy ground, road trips, and a thousand memories.

Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea

I'm driving home for Christmas,

Oh, I can't wait to see those faces.

I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah,

Well I'm moving down that line.

And it's been so long, but I will be there;

I sing this song to pass the time away

Driving in my car

Driving home for Christmas

Its gonna take some time

But I’ll get there

Top to toe in tailbacks.

Oh, I got red lights all around,

But soon there’ll be a freeway, yeah,

Get my feet on holy ground.

So I sing for you,

Though you can’t hear me

When I get through

And feel you near me.

Driving in my car

I’m driving home for Christmas

Driving home for Christmas

With a thousand memories.

I take a look at the driver next to me;

He's just the same.

Just the same…

Top to toe in tailbacks.

Oh, I got red lights all around,

I’m driving home for Christmas, yeah,

Get my feet on holy ground.

So I sing for you,

Though you can hear me

When I get through

And feel you near me.

Driving in my car

I’m driving home for Christmas

Driving home for Christmas

With a thousand memories.

I take a look at the driver next to me;

He's just the same.

He’s driving home, driving home

Driving home for Christmas

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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The Road to Bethlehem – With Us

Merry Christmas Dear Reader,

As we journey toward Bethlehem I wonder if we realize what we seek.  So many noble deeds and unspeakable horrors have been visited upon humans in the name of seeking God.  When I ponder the things that we do to find or avoid God it astounds me. 

We make it more complex.  We use it for our own purposes.  We deny God’s existence.  We acknowledge him and still defy him.   We sacrifice to find and serve him.  We either embrace or ignore the natural revelation we are given.

John Glenn, who passed away yesterday day, saw it this way: “To look out at this kind of creation and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith.”

Those of us who believe want him to be with us.  We want to believe and then find our faith realized.  We want hope to be fulfilled.  This is the way of the song I ponder today.  We mourn in exile until he appears again.  We watch the world spin toward more darkness whilst we yearning for the Light.  

Then I ponder the things the Son said when he was with us:

“I am come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

“The poor you will have with you always.  I will not always be here.”

“I would have gathered you like a mother hen gathers her chicks.”

“And I, when I am lifted up will draw all men unto myself.”

“I AM he.”

“But I am always with you, even to the end of the age.”

Emmanuel, literally “God with us”, has come.  He has ransomed us.  He has given us a reason to journey home.  He promised to return.  We journey to Bethlehem to get to the cross, to get to the ransom, to get to the resurrection, to get to the return.   It is in that constant flow that we travel.  The cross becomes the fulcrum in the void that lifts the God that is with us to the height necessary to draw us to him.

We celebrate the Advent of our reclamation and journey toward the fulfillment of it.  The promise of Christmas is strong and we must still seek the fulfillment of that promise.  So come Emmanuel to collect the result of your ransom.  We still languish in exile waiting for you to make all things good. 

O Come O Come Emmanuel – Pentatonix

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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 Season of Gratitude – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have so very much for which to be thankful.  I could dedicate a daily blog to just gratitude and it would only be a drop in the ocean of acknowledging the Father’s providence.  I wish to never forget to be grateful.

My desire is for gratitude to be a at core part of my being.  I never wish to take anyone for granted.  I want to acknowledge and value every kindness.  I need to treasure all the good things in my life.  I wish to assure that from that gratitude flow generosity and compassion.

As I make the turn toward Advent I will carry this thinking with me.  It is not a season of getting.  It is a season of giving.  A truly grateful heart loves to give.  I wish to use a heart of gratitude to enter the Advent season with a song of hope for everyone. 

I am so very thankful for you Dear Reader.  Your questions, your comments, your support, and your friendship make the journey so much sweeter.  I hope that you  find things for which to have great gratitude.

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 Season of Gratitude – Jesus

Greetings Dear Reader,

Every time I ponder the name of Jesus it is something awesome to me.  I realize that not all of you value Jesus as I value him.  You will never receive judgment from me over it.  Nonetheless, I see Jesus as the most precious thing in the universe.

I know where my life was headed before my encounter with Jesus.  I would not be here.  My Children would not be here.  My Grandchildren would not exist.   I would not have been privileged to teach thousands of students. 

It is because of Jesus that I have created stories and novels.  It his providence that allows me to craft songs and poems.  It is through his many gifts to my life that I get to share good things with others. 

I know that many who say they follow Christ do not show him as the loving sacrificing God that he is.  I realize that through history many things have been done in his name that should not be done.  I am thankful that an honest look at Jesus shows him to be so much more.

As I end my “season of gratitude” and make the turn toward Advent I long for you, Dear Reader to see how thankful I am for Jesus.  He is the reason for all that we can be that is good.  He is the one in whom we can live, and move, and have our being. 

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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Meditations In the Christmas Story – Another Christmas Song – Closing Thoughts

Merry Christmas Dear Reader,

I was so filled with joy to see the awe in my Grandsons last night.   We had a good meal and good times.  This morning will be quiet and reflective.  Maxim and the boys are headed south to visit family.  Christmas and I will Christmas here and get the rest she needs and that I crave for a day. 

My thoughts are on Jesus more than presents.  I am thankful for those moments where his presence is obvious in my life.  I celebrate the times when I had to screw my faith to the sticking place.  Most of those times have been to act rather than believe. 

I have had a hard year which we will discuss later in the week.   Today, however, I am in mind of all the many blessings I have.  I have some new friends.  I have reconnected with some old ones.  I have so many things for which to be very thankful.

Today I am thankful for the Son.  He is so many things to me and the world needs those things so deeply.  The understanding of love, grace, and redemption are what drives me.  I must find ways to celebrate this birth daily by being good to others.  I must celebrate it daily by being an example of that love and grace. 

In the words of a reclaimed Ebenezer Scrooge, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!”

My hope will always be the same.  I want to celebrate the birth with the Son.  I want us to gather and show our gratitude for his coming to be with us.  I want to honor his incarnation by looking into his eyes and offering my thanks.  Until then I wish to live every moment in that gratitude. 

Dear Reader long after the decorations are put away and the gifts are put to use or aside, I will be here.  I will still have a small Nativity on my desk.  I will still have a small Christmas tree on the shelf.  I will have the visage of Saint Nicholas there too.  I will be planning how will show the joy of Christmas in spring and summer.  I will be there to lovingly remind you that there is always time for another Christmas song. 

Another Christmas Song – Ian Anderson

Hope everybody's ringing on their own bell, this fine morning.

Hope everyone's connected to that long distance phone.

Old man, he's a mountain.

Old man, he's an island.

Old man, he's a-waking says

"I'm going to call, call all my children home."

Hope everybody's dancing to their own drum this fine morning ---

The beat of distant Africa or a Polish factory town.

Old man, he's calling for his supper.

He's calling for his whisky.

Calling for his sons and daughters, yeah ---

Calling, calling all his children round.

Sharp ears are tuned in to the drones and chanters warming.

Mist blowing round some headland, somewhere in your memory.

Everyone is from somewhere ---

Even if you've never been there.

So take a minute to remember the part of you

That might be the old man calling me.

How many wars you're fighting out there, this Christmas morning?

Maybe it's always time for another Christmas song.

Old man he's asleep now.

He's got appointments to keep now.

Dreaming of his sons and daughters, and proving ---

Proving that the blood is strong.

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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Meditations In the Christmas Story -

Meditations In the Christmas Story – Still Later - Simeon

Merry Christmas Dear Reader,

When the devout observant Jewish family journeys to Jerusalem to dedicate their firstborn Son to God they are doing what every Jewish family is supposed to do with their firstborn.  Then they encounter Simeon.

He holds the boy and prays a blessing over him.  He reminds the family that they are holding God in their arms.  They remind the family of his destiny.  Simeon has waited and believed that the redeemer would come. 

Job said it in our earliest writings of the Old Testament.   The prophets foretold it.  Simeon sees it. 

We still wait.  The Messiah came and departed for a time.  I need to be like Simeon believing and looking. Anticipating and waiting with love and obedience.  As I settle down for my Christmas Eve meditations and ponderings before sleep claims me I want to assure that my heart is focused on Christ.

I have my cup and bowl.  I have my tree and decorations.  I am full from a rich Christmas Eve feast of goose and trimmings.   I am going to stare at the bubble lights and ponder all that Christ is and will be.   I will further my thinking on the next Advent when the King returns to make all things good.  Now that I have held him in my arms things are different eternally.  Merry Christmas, Dear Reader.  I love you more that you can possibly know.

Now that I’ve Held Him In My Arms – Michael Card

That old man in the temple

Waiting in the court

Waiting for the answer to a promise

And all at once he sees them

In the morning sunshine

A couple come and carry in a baby

Now that I've held Him in my arms

My life can now come to an end

Let Your servant now depart in peace

Cause I've seen Your salvation

He's the Light of the Gentiles

And the glory of His people Israel

Marry and the baby come

And in her hand five shekels

The price to redeem her baby boy

The baby softly cooing

Nestled in her arms

Simeon takes the boy and starts to sing

Now that I've held Him in my arms

My life can now come to an end

Let Your servant now depart in peace

Cause I've seen Your salvation

He's the Light of the Gentiles

And the glory of His people Israel

Now's the time to take Him in your arms

Your life will never come to an end

He's the only way that you'll find peace

He'll give you salvation cause

He's the Light of the Gentiles

And the glory of His people Israel

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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