I Said All That… ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I thought I was finished with this topic yesterday, but the boys in the basement had other ideas.  It is darkly humorous to me that when I focus on growing in an area, challenges to my determination appear to test my resolve.  This is exactly what happened yesterday.

I will not reveal the actual situation because I would have to say negative and unkind things about someone else.  I will say this, in an attempt to do something kind for someone I was treated to an hour of fending off attempts to engage in gossip and harsh talk about other humans.  This time could have been pleasant and forged a good memory.  Instead, there were repeated attempts to engage me in saying terrible things about others.  When I refused to participate, first passively then actively, the copperhead quips ensued. 

My own words written over the last week played over in my mind.  I tried to change the subject and focus on good things.  My companion was having none of it.  I switched to something neutral but the anger and bitterness had been summoned in the other person.  It was my obligation now to show love in the storm of this behavior.  What lasted only an hour seemed like days.  I left the encounter spent and battling my own anger.

I chose to spend a little time wandering and praying before returning to my abode.  I had an errand to run.  Being kind to clerks and cashiers always lifts my spirit, so I stooped at a store to complete my errand.  As is always the case, the Father provided for me.  As I entered the store, two dear friends who always transact with me in love were checking out at the store.  These two also understand me and the journey I have undertaken. 

The couple took a moment just to be there for me even though they were headed to something important to them.  The difference in the brief encounter compared to the hour of strife was amazing.  In just a few minutes their love, compassion, and kindness fed the streams of grace and mercy in me to diffuse my hurt and anger.  Their goodness served as antivenin to my wounds from the copperhead quips.  I left that encounter feeling much better. 

There is not always a warning when the serpents will strike.  There is, however, always the opportunity to love the copperhead.  There is always provision by the Father for recovery.  The entirety of our human interaction is intended to be based on love of others and love of the Father.  When we lease expect he will provide an oasis in our wilderness.  He will heal the wounds and comfort out sorrows.  We may not see it coming when we are in our distress, but it is there if we will embrace it, Dear Reader. 

I said all that to say this: Thank you, Dear Reader, for walking with me. I do love you. If you have encounters that damage you, I care about it. I will listen, pray, and be with you until the venom dissipates. Before you lose hope, let us go somewhere virtual or real and talk about it.

Somewhere Only We Know - Kacey Musgraves

I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river, and it made me complete

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I’m getting old, and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in
I’m getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me.
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I’ve been dreaming of?

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I’m getting old, and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in.
I’m getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin.

And if you have a minute, why don’t we go,
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don’t we go,
Somewhere only we know?

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I’m getting old, and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you’re gonna let me in?
I’m getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin.

And if you have a minute, why don’t we go,
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don’t we go?
So why don’t we go?

This could be the end of everything
So why don’t we go
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know?

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:

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I Said All That… ~ To Say This

Greetings Dear Reader,

We are more than we choose to be.  We can be great.  We settle for good.  My Grandfather would often say to me, “Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is your best.”  This begs the question, “what is the best of grace, mercy, and kindness?”

The point is to evidence our love for each other.  Jesus seems to have had a best friend.  His name is John.  This is what he said in relation to how must treat each other: 1 John 4:7-10 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (NASB)

I have been driving at this all year.  You may pick any social, economic, or spiritual issue you wish.  If your hard deck is not love, then you are not understanding the world properly.  Everything we do, not just the spiritual things, should be based on love.  If I claim to follow Christ then I am required to love you and anyone else, full stop.   I am obligated to think through every issue based on my love of the Father and of my fellow humans. 

Think this through, if we are not putting love as the primary filter for our choices, we cannot build anything else properly.  Jesus made it clear that all of the Law and the Prophets were founded on the requirement to love God and to love each other.  Keep thinking Dear Reader, keep thinking about your relationships and attitudes.  Filter out the ones that do not begin with, “I love you, therefore, I am going to…”.   Let us try a few that do not balance out and see if we can gain some deeper truth.

I love you, therefore, I am going to deny you shelter when you need it.

I love you, therefore, I am going to deny you healthcare because I do not like your lifestyle.

I love you, therefore, I am going to kill you because it is an inconvenience for you to live.

None of this sounds like love.  It sounds like the foundation is something less than love.  It reeks of standards that ignore mercy, kindness, and grace.  It is a foundation other than love and we do not need to identify the foundation, we need to rebuild.  We must reconstruct our thinking and attitudes.  If someone claims to love you but will not speak to you there is a lie in there somewhere.  He or she may love you but love is not being shown properly.  They may have convinced themselves that whatever you did is worse, and, therefore, they do not need to show you love.  That, however, is not how it works.  Love is the foundation for everything. 

If you find that you are looking for arguments against this Dear Reader, you may wish to question your motives.  You might want to trace your feelings to their root and ask if you are obeying the basic command to love.  It may be, there is something you need to forgive or release.  Perhaps, there are priorities that require realignment.  The idea is that there is no equilibrium in any effort that ignores the basic requirement to love. 

I said all that to say this:  If we do not deal in love with each other, no matter the barriers or differences, then we are not following Christ.  For those of you who do not share my faith, hold us to this standard.  Require us to be this way.  Demand that we proceed in all our interactions with love and that we evidence it through kindness, grace, and mercy.  If we who attempt to follow Christ do this, we will make a difference.  We will treat others better.  We will improve the world.  That, Dear Reader is worth saying until everyone listens.

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:

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I Said All That… ~ YOLO

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have been following the journey of a dear friend as she traveled mountains and rivers.  She has found new adventures and great beauty in the world this past week.  Further, she has enriched my life by sharing it with me.  She reminded me, through her expressed joy, of something written in the seventeenth century by my favorite writer from that era.

"29. You never enjoy the world aright till the sea itself flows in your veins, till you are clothed with the heavens and crowned with the stars: and perceive yourself to be the sole heir of the whole world, and more than so, because humans are in it who are everyone sole heirs as well as you. Till you can sing and rejoice and delight in God, as misers do in gold, and kings in scepters, you never enjoy the world.” – Thomas Trahern, Centuries of Meditations – First Century

I will be headed west soon.  I will travel to places I have not been in decades.  I will see things my mind has long forgotten and connect with people I love.  The world is mine.  It is yours as well Dear Reader.   You only live once (YOLO).  We can find great beauty in the world if we take a beat to look for it.  We can see in that beauty the great power of creation and hear the message the Father has for us if we are willing. 

l am not asking you to believe in creation as an instant universe dropped from the fingertips of God.  I also am not saying that this is not how it happened.  I am asking that you see that the design of it all has a purpose.  There is no guesswork in the clockwork.  The same Father who offers us Grace, Mercy, and Kindness, offers the beautiful cosmos as a simple example of the beauty he sees in us.  He wants us to employ these things so that we can get a hint of what the world, the universe can be like. 

We are time travelers who have a single ticket on a limited journey.  We can only move in one direction.  We are headed for a place where Grace, Kindness, and Mercy win.  We are going somewhere where the beauty and sweetness of the universe will not be hindered by our shortsighted selfishness.  If you look around at those from whom you withhold Grace, Kindness, and Mercy, you will see your fellow travelers with whom you have to share the end of the journey.

I said all that to say this:  You only get this one chance to be someone who lives this way.  When all this is passed, there will be no more need for grace and mercy.  Kindness will be as common as hydrogen.  There is only today to employ the things that express that we understand the love we are given and asked to emulate.  We all are heirs if we choose to be so.  I choose to be with you and everyone Dear Reader.  I am willing to share the journey with you and we can enjoy the world properly together.  I do not need you to be just like me.  I wish to be good to you.  Shall we walk together and enjoy the view?

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

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I Said All That… ~ Kindness

Greetings Dear Reader,

As I move through these things, I consider what it takes to carry them daily into every interaction.  Grace and mercy are responses.  We choose to show them after something has happened.

Kindness is almost always proactive.  We put it out there as a message to others that we intend to be good to them.  We choose to lead with kindness in situations where it is common and in circumstances where it is not.  My desire is to be kind to everyone.

Ponder with me for a moment.  If we are required to be kind, tenderhearted, then what is a reasonable explanation for not being so as a default.   I wonder if we realize that we give ourselves default settings?  We choose how we are predisposed to situations.  We have things that “always” make us mad.  We have “pet peeves”.  We have default settings that tell us how we are going to treat others.

If we predispose our hearts to kindness, we will be kind and gentle.  It is not enough to be gentle.  One can be soft and sweet and not be kind.  It is possible to do good things and not be kind.  So, what then, distinguishes kindness?

Kindness is the act of helping others without prompting or gain.  It is having a warm and generous spirit that seeks the good of others in every situation.  It is an attitude that in every circumstance I am going to treat others with respect and seek to help where I can.  It is a default setting regarding how I view and treat my fellow travelers.

It does not matter what others are predisposed to in attitude and action.  I am required to be kind.  I am obligated to build this along with grace and mercy on a foundation of love.  It is not optional.  It is not allowed to be passive.  In the idealist part of my brain, I imagine a world where we actually ask the question, “How can I be kind to you today?”

I imagine what it would be like if we expressed love by acts of kindness to a degree that it became a default culture instead of a default setting.  When wielded in love, there are very few who can resist the relentless assault of selfless kindness.  It crushes that which would be selfish and self-serving.  It is left then to ask you, Dear Reader, how may I be kind to you today?

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

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

I Said All That… ~ Mercy Me

Greetings Dear Reader,

When my sons were wee lads, they knew when they had done wrong.  They knew also that there were consequences for doing wrong intentionally.   Sometimes, however, I wanted them to learn about mercy.  We would discuss why what they had chosen was wrong.  Once I was clear that the one committing the infraction understood why what was done was wrong, I would explain that I wanted him to understand about mercy as well.

I would explicate that this time there would be no consequences for the infraction.  I would explain that it is as important to understand mercy as it is justice.  My eldest Son caught on quickly.  He evidenced it through the kindness he would show to others when they did not deserve it.  My younger Son got it as well.  He also thought that he could use it to his advantage.

One early Saturday morning when was I writing, Bezel, my younger Son came into my office looking very nervous.  He asked me if I was busy and I responded that I was not too busy for him.  He came over and gave me a big hug.  I asked what was the matter.  He responded in his most adult four-year-old tone, “Papa, I think that today I need to learn about mercy.”

It took all I had to not laugh immediately.  I asked about what I needed to be merciful.  He told me that he had eaten the blueberries that I was going to use for breakfast.  I was moved with great compassion as my boy put his hope in my hands that there was forgiveness and mercy for his wrong of taking what he was told not to take.  In his defense, blueberries are one of his favorite foods of all the foods that are food.

I could tell that he needed to be heard and we had a good talk about how it hurt the whole family that he took something that was meant for everyone.  He did receive mercy and we took a one on one trip to the store to get more blueberries for breakfast.  Mercy may be one of the best uses of power there is.

Mercy is that reverse of the coin of grace.  Since grace is receiving something we do not deserve, mercy is not receiving something that we do deserve.  Whether we admit it or not, we are at the mercy of the Father constantly.  We do not merit grace and it is in his mercy that we are given it.  Mercy is what gives us a path to reconciliation, reclamation, and redemption. 

It takes humility to choose mercy.  It takes sacrifice.  We do not deserve any good thing from God but he shows us mercy all the time.  He makes a path for us to follow.  The path to mercy is blazoned with God’s own blood.  It is easy to find and hard to follow.  He gives us mercy and asks us in return to be merciful to others.  Therein, Dear Reader is the great challenge.

There are people in our lives who have wronged us deeply.  They may be friends, family, parents, or children.  It is common in the current culture to cut them off and disavow them.  It is encouraged that we label people as toxic and remove them from our lives.  We do this, claiming still to love them.  We may be completely right in our assessment of the character and actions of the other person.  We still have an obligation to mercy.

When someone has wronged us over and over, we have great power.  Even if they do not see the wrong they do, we are commanded to love them.  We are required to be merciful.  We must set clear boundaries that protect us from enabling the wrong people commit.  We must also always provide a path to reconciliation.   The absolute expression of love for someone who is consistently, undeniably wronging us is to find ways to show love and mercy with faith and humility. 

That person that we have cut off may not deserve our mercy and kindness.  He or she may deserve to never again feel the genuine love we carry in our hearts.  Instead of measuring by that standard, Dear Reader, I must measure by the standard of the great mercy I need for the wrongs I have done.  My love and mercy must be expressed out of recognition of my debt, not my power.  Only then can I use the power I hold.  Only then may I employ deft strokes of retribution for the wrongs done to me.  Strokes of retribution must be acts of love, fueled by mercy, dealing out grace. 

I said all that to say this: At that intersection Dear Reader, where love is trafficked through the joining of grace and mercy is where real healing can begin.  It is where we find power and strength to continue.  It is where we begin to rise above the mire of the wrongs we commit against each other and begin to get a glimmer of what we can be if we choose grace and mercy as a way of life.  The path is clearer and easier if we carry these things in our heart.  I have plenty for you and could use all you can spare.  Oh, and because we get our grace and mercy freely from the Father, we never run out.

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

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

I Said All That… ~ Grace

Greetings Dear Reader,

Of the things I mention often, grace is at the lead with a few other things.  It seems that we have a diminishing understanding of this term so vital to our journey.  An understanding of grace may lead to a deeper understanding of why I mention it so often.  It is paramount to understanding the foundation of this path.  It is necessary to walk.

What then is grace?  It has been explained in the context of following Christ as “God’s righteousness at Christ’s expense.”  It is also defined as unmerited favor.  It is receiving that which we do not deserve.  It is free but it is not easy.  It is a gift but it comes with responsibility. 

Grace is that which moves the Father to build a way for us to return to him.  It is grace that gives us a way to find faith and then to follow.  Grace is the mover that draws us to other key facets of our journey.  It is the grace of the Father that we are to emulate in all things.

Think about how the world could look.  Ponder if we moved in grace every time someone offended us.  We could pass on to others that undeserved grace that we ourselves so desperately need.  When someone does not respond the way we hope or wish, we could refuse to get offended.  When love is not expressed to us in the way we wish, we instead offer grace and show him or her more love instead.  When others intentionally harm us, we can deal in grace rather than offense and hurt.  Grace is choosing to see things in a way that perhaps the other person does not deserve but will communicate the love of Christ.

Genuine grace only functions out of love with humility.  We cannot think proudly that we will be gracious.  We must act based on the grace we need.   It is vital that we deal in grace with everyone with hearts that understand it is not power but service.  It is, however, service that yields great power.

“It is by grace we are redeemed through faith.  It is not of ourselves.  It is a gift from God.  It is not what we do for then we could boast.”  We cannot merit grace and we are to deal with others in it freely.  It is one of the things that smooth the path for us and makes love obvious.  We need grace too desperately to avoid showing it to others Dear Reader.  We all benefit from it when given and received. 

Grace is not excusing the wrong that others do.  It is not dismissing justice and right.  It is choosing that love is greater and giving dry ground for others so that they do not drown in their own flood of failures.  I need it and so do you, every day, every moment.

I said all that to say this:  Grace is one of the stones we build on a foundation of love for God and each other.  It is in this that we are to build our journey.  When we abandon grace, we get angry, anxious, and afraid in advance.  We carry things of the past that harm us into new future situations.  We must be gracious to show love.  How about we work on that together Dear Reader?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a 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

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

I Said All That… ~ Copperhead Quips

Greetings Dear Reader,

We all know someone who is deft at the subtle but painful barb in conversation.  He or she will be talking merrily along and you are engaged in the palaver.  Then, without warning, the strike comes.  The pleasant moment is transformed into one where you are bitten and the poison is injected.

There are people I love dearly who do this regularly.  A recent example can refine my point.  I was having a nice conversation with someone about project Tortoise Shell with someone who should be supportive and loving.  The person seemed to be engaged in this very vein.  Then, I paused in my description of the motorhome that fits my needs and desire.  This person struck: “You won’t really do this.  You don’t have what it takes.  You won’t follow through.”

There was no thunderous warning like a rattlesnake.  There was only the instant strike of the copperhead.   The poison was there trying to kill my joy.  It put my dream on the knife-edge of doubt and tried to murder my heart for it.  I felt my pain and doubt try to surface.  Worse than a hemotoxin or neurotoxin, this form of spirit-toxin can kill dreams, aspirations, and goals.    

We are supposed to use the power of our words to build up each other.  We are supposed to be kind and loving.  Still, the world is filled with copperhead quips that poison dreams and destroy hope.  I must not engage in them and must find ways to fight the poison of spirit-toxin.  It is vital to be sure that my words are encouraging.  I am required to be good to you and never inject harm just because I can.

I said all that to say this Dear Reader:  If someone treats you this way, you do not have to believe, endure, and embrace it.  It might be hard but you are better than the copperhead quips of others.  I love you.  I believe in you.  Even if you are one of those who bite at me, I will love you and never do it back.  I know that some of you have copperheads in your life.  Remember that it is not you, biting is just their nature.

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

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

I Said All That… ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I was talking word count with my agent last week.  She mentioned that I should probably make a couple of stories in the book coming out in the fall longer if I could.  I mentioned that it was a collection of short stories.  She countered that I could add a couple.  I said that the idea of the book is that it is twelve Christmas stories.  She countered again that no one is going to get mad at me for giving them more.

It is the word count that got me thinking.  If I average 500 words per BLOG post and there are over 3,000 posts on this BLOG, that is over 1.5 million words (this estimate is low so as not to be exaggerated).  I suppose that it is time to take a look at what has evolved over fourteen years of facing a blank page.  For the last six years, I have not missed a day and it is part of my life that I treasure. 

There is a question begged by this constant conversation.  That is, “what is the point?”  I am not sure how many days it will take to get it out Dear Reader, but I intend to make one.  This is the first year that I have chosen to choose a central theme that is deeper than that overarching one of following Christ.  That is what I wish to be the focus in all that I do but I fall, flag, and fail at times.  Still, there is a grand theme of following in faith in and unfollowing world.

Still, since you have walked with me through one and half million words, I wanted to give you glimpse into what drives me.  I wanted to review clearly some of the things I am saying so that you can enjoy or endure my musings with clear understanding.  This may motivate your love or anger depending on the way in which you see things in the world.  I get as many agreements as disagreements.  I do not allow the hateful comments to go live.  I read them and respond to them, but disagreement and hatred need not be companions.

I said all that to say this:  Please walk with me and consider some of the things that are subtle or not so subtle subtext to this constant conversation who’s primary purpose is to make me a better man.  The goal is to openly analyze my life in the moment in hopes of making the next ones better.  If I can benefit you in the process that is a true blessing to me.  When comes to truth and following Christ, I truly believe in the concept of sauce for the goose.  As always, your thoughts and questions are welcome Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a 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

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