Everything I needed to Know – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

As the Good Ship Earth sails is courses I dream often of what it would be like to sail among the stars.  I am a starship captain born two hundred years too soon.  It is one of the reasons I can watch and re-watch most of the Star Trek episodes. 

The lessons of these great adventures aid me in the great adventure.  They remind me of who I am supposed to be.  They often align with what I must become in Christ.  If I can use the stories to live the truth then I am better for it.

The capturing of my imagination so long ago has aided me for fifty years.  I look forward to the crafting of new adventures and exploring new frontiers.   It is the stories that give me safe ground to sift through my thoughts and feelings on important real issues.  It is a safe place to ask the hard questions.  Perhaps this is one of the primary roles of all fiction.

As I seek to follow Christ daily this gift from Roddenberry and his apprentices aids me in many ways.  The final frontier is far beyond space.  It is that undiscovered country to which we all draw near with every breath.  My hope is that I can use the lessons of Star Trek to navigate my way in a manner that befits the best of those lessons.    

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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Everything I needed to Know – We are Guardians of Forever

Greetings Dear Reader,

My favorite episode of the original series is The City on the Edge of Forever.   In it we encounter being called The Guardian of Forever.  It is able to deliver vast amounts of data on the history of those around it. 

I will not further expose what happens for the sake of the two or three people who have not seen it.  The key to my thinking here is the parallel between the entity and Christ followers.  There is a forever.  We are its guardians.

The Gospel is entrusted to us.   We are to teach others as we boldly go home.  We are to be ready to answer questions.  It is our responsibility to love and care for the world so deeply that they can see the hope and possibility we offer.

We get in the way.  We interfere with the world instead of building grace and peace into it.  We are to be guarding the path to forever.  We are to live an example that puts the benefits of our forever at the forefront.  We are to do this by being good, loving, and kind in the present.

I am required to always have an answer as to the reason and the hope within me.  No matter what is done I am not to argue or be unkind.  No reason is good enough to fail to be loving.  There will be questions I cannot answer.  There will be circumstances where all seems lost.  There will be days that are grim. 

In all of these times I must cling to faith and following.  I must stand guard over forever.  So, Dear Reader, I await a question…

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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Everything I needed to Know – When Your Logic Fails, Trust a Hunch

Greetings Dear Reader,

There are times when reasoning through things just does not work.  We cannot make sense of something or do not have all the data needed to make a logical choice.  Yet there are times when we still must make that choice without delay.

We forget how to trust out instincts.  We fail to listen to that little voice in our head that is always more aware than we are.  We don’t trust out gut. I suppose that the first thing I would say is to trust that instinct.  Listen to your first thought as long as it aligns with good and right. 

I also have a method for choosing when I cannot choose but must.  This will sound simplistic but done in faith I have found it to be true and reliable.  Proverbs 16:33 tells us “The dice are thrown, but the LORD determines every outcome.”

When I must choose and there is no logical or clear direction I pray, toss a coin, and obey the outcome.  This may sound puerile but as long as I honor the process in faith I believe that it works.  I have established clear rules for this.

It must not be done lightly

I must pray first

I must set the binary choice clearly

I live with the outcome without equivocation

There will be times when logic fails us.  Circumstances occur where we do not know what to do.  We will have to trust our instincts or allow others to guide our choices.  We will find that we must in times act in faith.  Then again, without faith it is impossible to please 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.”

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Everything I needed to Know – Invisible Enemies

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the great devices in Star Trek is that enemies have cloaking devices.  The enemy can hide in plain sight.  He can lay in wait for the moment that is right to attack and disarm us.  He can stalk us and destroy us.

In truth we do have hidden enemies as we journey home.  Whether it is the enemies of God who seek to destroy his creation or our enemies in society we do have hidden enemies.  The more we work at being good and doing what is right the more we will draw the attention the enemies of good.

Unlike the fiction of Star Trek our enemies can attack whilst cloaked.  They can plot and scheme.  In some cases they can even destroy us without us knowing what was done to us.  In reality TV the blindside has become a device for winning.   In life being blindsided add betrayal to attack.

When this has happened to me it has done so much damage.  My choice is to learn, heal, and move on down the path.  My defense is not my own ability but rather that Christ promises to defend me. 

It sounds paranoid and a little delusional.  Sounding that way does not make it so.  It is the denial of unseen enemies and an all sufficient Saviour that endangers us.  The cloaked enemies in our lives will attack and try to destroy us.  It is only in clinging to Christ that I have any 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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Everything I needed to Know – Aliens

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do not have the time here to present my entire reasoning on this but I do believe there are other worlds with sentient life.  We speculate and theorize about them in literature and on film.  There are even a few songs about them.

Sometimes I identify with aliens more than I do my own kind.  I am allergic to this planet.  In spring time the very air assaults me.  Since we made things no longer good in our world the fact is that we live in a death based echo system. 

The writers of the New Testament made it clear that we do not belong to this world but are merely sojourners here.  Attachment to this world is a hindrance to our journey.  Yet it is this world through which we travel that we want to reclaim and redeem.

We are not meant to “fit in” but rather to stand out as examples of love, kindness, and generosity.   We are to be tolerant of each other’s differences but must not tolerate evil in any form.  We are to love every human but hate the sin that weakens us all.

The very truth is that we are not home.  We are on our way there but we must not get to comfortable here.  Nothing here will travel on with us but the love we give and the good we do for others.  Even on our own world we are alien.

Aliens and Strangers – DeGarmo and Key

Sunday morning, and the pews are filled with friends of mine, yeah, friends of mine,

And, for the first time, I look around,

I realize, I realize...

My closest friends are aliens and strangers,

Travelers here, living with danger,

My closest friends are aliens and strangers,

Travelers here, living with danger.

I used to wonder why they act so strange,

Now I know, yeah, now I know,

I heard the preachers say this world we're in is not our home, it's not our home.

My closest friends are aliens and strangers,

Travelers here, living with danger,

My closest friends are aliens and strangers,

Travelers here, living with danger.

They're all pilgrims just passing through, heroes away from their homeland,

And, since I've discovered the truth, I look at my friends and I can't help but think that....

All of my friends, they're aliens,

Just passing through, yeah, they're aliens,

My closest friends, yeah, they're aliens,

My closest friends, oh, they're aliens,

Just passing through, just passing through,

Just passing through, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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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Everything I needed to Know – Phasers on Stun

Greetings Dear Reader,

As we move out into the world each day we will encounter things that endanger us.  There will be enemies.  There will be struggles and challenges.  Things will go wrong.  Friends may betray us.  Competitors will try to beat us.  Adversaries will attempt to undermine us.

We must be wary and careful but we must also not retaliate.  Whether it is actual attack by an enemy or the cutting remarks of a coworker we must always be gentle and kind.  We can use love and patience to be disarming.  

Just last week a customer told me that when we first met almost three years ago, she thought my kindness was being sarcastic.  She is excellent at her job and expects those who work with her to be the same.  She told me also that realizing that my kindness was genuine gave her confidence in what we do.

It is too easy for the things we do to become adversarial.  We must be vigilant in our pursuit of living peacefully with all humans.  We must not harm others to gain or control.  We are always to love and make that our most powerful weapon.  It can crush barriers and disarm the angry. 

In all that I do and in all that I think my heart is to lead with love for others.  It is vital that I set my phaser to stun.  It has become obvious that this tactic disarms and instructs.  I am usually the one who does most of the learning.

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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Everything I needed to Know – IDIC

Greetings Dear Reader,

The Vulcan philosophy of IDIC is one that I have understood long before I understood the idea of Christ and following him.   IDIC is infinite diversity in infinite combinations.  It is the idea that each life is unique and is valuable for that uniqueness. 

Since I believe that every soul is a unique creation of the Father’s this makes every life has unique value to me.  I am not allowed to devalue an enemy, an adversary, nor even a detractor.  I choose to live this by choosing to love everyone. 

I do not have to like someone’s choices and values to love them.  I do not have to agree with someone to love him or her.  I do not hate anyone because I find what he does to be wrong.  Because I choose to love everyone does not mean that I accept all of their values or condone all of their actions.

It does mean that every life is precious.  Every pain and sorrow matters.  Every injustice impacts me.  Every death diminishes me.  Christ followers who dismiss any other life as less than precious are not following Christ.  It is in the diversity that we see the great creativity of the Father. 

 It is the obligation of all who follow Christ to embrace that the Father has created all lives to be held in love and value.  It is my duty to love and value everyone.  It is my joy to see and learn the diversity in the lives of 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.”

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Everything I needed to Know – The “No Win” Scenario

Greetings Dear Reader,

The “Kobayashi Maru” is the unwinnable test that every star ship captain must face.  It is to measure how he handles death.  Like Captain Kirk I do not believe in the no win scenario.  I do not believe that death is losing.

I do not believe there is ever a time when there is not a way to turn death into a fighting chance to live.  Even when things are grim and seem hopeless there is the opportunity for a victory.  The essential element of winning is always the application of faith.

We suffer loss but we do not lose without hope.  It is in faith that the just live.  It is not death that is loss.  It is instead a transition from the shadow to the light.  It is in faith that we find this transition.

You will notice Dear Reader that there is never condemnation in my writing.  It is my place to give hope not to condemn.  There are things that are wrong and there are people who do wrong things.  That does not mean that I condemn people.

I do not believe that ultimately the Father will not win all he wishes.  He is not willing that any should perish.  The Son draws all to himself.  I do not pretend to know how the Father will work it out.  I do know that if anyone can beat the no win scenario it is him.

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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Everything I needed to Know – Having is not so Pleasing as Wanting

Greetings Dear Reader,

Once again we are confronted with a truth that is not logical.  We want so much more than we need.  We desire things that are not good for us.  It is not that it is wrong to desire things but that desire must be held in perspective.

It is that drive to consume that we must avoid.  It is the culture of more that contributes to our destruction.  We want and acquire then those acquisitions do not satisfy.  We repeat this futile exercise.  We gather and hoard.  For some it is destruction of their lives.   

The line one must watch is that line between the justice of things earned and the gaining of things out of greed.  Knowing where the line is becomes a vigilance we must keep.  The love of things is always one sided.  The love of power destroys us.  The love of money leads to evil.

It is not seeking things that I want that matters.  It is seeking Christ and drawing closer to him that must drive me.  Having the next thing does not satisfy.  Having many things becomes a burden.  Having Christ as my only possession makes me “richer than a king’s exchequer.

The Things We Leave Behind – Michael Card

There sits Simon, so foolishly wise

Proudly he's tending his nets

Then Jesus calls and the boats drift away

And all that he owns he forgets

But more than the nets, he abandoned that day

He found that his pride was soon drifting away

And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful of taking the tax

And pressing the people to pay

Hearing the call, he responded in faith

And followed the light and the way

And leaving the people so puzzled he found

The greed in his heart was no longer around and

And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free

From possessions that hold it so tight

'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own

It's the power to do what is right

With Jesus, our only possession

And giving becomes our delight

And we can't imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives

By worshiping goods we possess

Jesus has laid all our treasures aside

And love God above all the rest

'Cause when we say no, to the things of the world

We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

And when we say no, to the things of the world

We open our hearts to the love of the Lord and

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

Oh, and it's hard to imagine the freedom we find

From the things we leave behind

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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Everything I needed to Know – Humans are Illogical

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am not saying that we do not use logic but at the heart of it we are illogical beings.  We reject that which is best for us often.  We see clear paths and instead take rough and brambled ones.  We know what our heart wants but instead settle for a grind that saps our life and energy.

We scream and march for our own rights whilst ignoring the needs of others.  We say we love our enemies whilst allowing their children to starve.  We are illogical in so many ways that betray our faith.

We also fail to embrace the illogic of our faith in ways that will make it real.  It is not logical to love our enemies but it is right.  It is not logical that the Creator should die to redeem his creation.  It is foolish to give up the pleasures or a life we can see for the treasures of a life we cannot.

The one we follow holds out both a Cross and a Crown.  We must embrace both or neither.  There are no half measures in following Christ.  Whilst we can make sense of our faith as it is a reasonable faith.  It is also, all at once, foolish and illogical. 

We are asked to choose to follow the most illogical of dreams.  I must always embrace that I am a fool for Christ’s sake.  I must abandon the illogic of my own designs and embrace the both logical and illogical call of Christ.

God’s Own Fool – Michael Card

Seems I've imagined Him all of my life

As the wisest of all of mankind

But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men

He must have seemed out of His mind

For even His family said He was mad

And the priests said a demon's to blame

But God in the form of this angry young man

Could not have seemed perfectly sane

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise

He played the fool and He opened our eyes

When we in our weakness believed we were strong

He became helpless to show we were wrong

And so we follow God's own fool

For only the foolish can tell-

Believe the unbelievable

And come be a fool as well

So come lose your life for a carpenter's son

For a madman who died for a dream

And you'll have the faith His first followers had

And you'll feel the weight of the beam

So surrender the hunger to say you must know

Have the courage to say I believe

For the power of paradox opens your eyes

And blinds those who say they can see

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise

He played the fool and He opened our eyes

When we in our weakness believed we were strong

He became helpless to show we were wrong

And so we follow God's own fool

For only the foolish can tell-

Believe the unbelievable

And come be a fool as well

So we follow God's own Fool

For only the foolish can tell

Believe the unbelievable,

And come be a fool as 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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Everything I needed to Know – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

There have been so many things that have contributed to my character as I have journeyed this half century plus.   Long before I came to the place where I wanted my life to belong to Christ alone I was influenced by Tolkien, Lewis, and mostly Roddenberry.

Many years ago I was given a gift of a poster that was styled on the poplar “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, by Robert Fulghum.  I highly recommend his book.  What I was given, however, was titled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching Star Trek.”  

This world that Gene Roddenberry created sustained me through some dark times when I was too young to have dark times.  The more direct social lessons about racism and the like were lost on my youth.  I did not yet understand their vitality.  They would do much in later years to shape my thinking. 

There were lessons that I did learn.  They are made clear by the simple lines of the poster that I was gifted.  As I focus on becoming more attuned to following Christ in every aspect of my life I return to some simple phrases to reinforce that I cannot live the vertical relationship with the Father if I do not live the horizontal relationship with people.

As I reread the advice of the poster it reminds me that I must dwell on the things it says and align myself to many of them to faithfully follow Christ.  I will spend a few days enforcing the thoughts on my standards to assure that they align with my actions.  Please walk with me Dear Reader.  I value your company and thoughts always. 

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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