Trending Now ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

There are so many things that clamor for our attention.  The engine of the world is run on getting and spending.  We are asked to invest in what trending but then it is out of fashion before we have a chance to enjoy it.  We are driven to be in the know and to fit in the trends that are popular today.

We have to choose what is going to get our time, attention, and resources.  We increasingly seem to invest in things fleeting in popularity and value.  The entire day is filled with choices about where our time and attention will go.  The choices are ours but they get weighted by our desire to be part of whatever trend is attractive to us or embraced by our tribe.

The filter for me becomes more simplified daily.  If I cannot see Christ in the moment of attention, investment, or participation then I do not want to give it my time.  This does not mean that everything is focused on the church or doing things that are religious.  It is determining that I will seek Christ in every moment for every purpose.  It is hard to see him ranting about politics or social issues instead of lovingly assisting.

We are supposed to communicate the love of Christ in all that we do and we are supposed to seek him in every experience.  If we do that then trends wash around us like the changing tides they are.  We see things for their true value instead of being towed under by the receding worth of the latest social distraction.

I am certain that things will shine and get my attention.  I am particularly sure that some things will distract me.  I must shorten the time between seeing something shiny and realizing that it is just clever packaging and sly marketing.  I must avoid the trends and invest constantly in the things that last.

Love, kindness, mercy, grace, and peace are all things that we can invest in with confidence Dear Reader.  Even when no one admits it, they are always trending where it matters.  Shall we hashtag them all?

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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Trending Now ~ And Then…

Greetings Dear Reader,

Consider how long you spend on any one item in your social feed unless that item really catches your attention.  Consider the brevity of advertisements.  Even our articles and books have been broken down into smaller lengths and more digestible chunks.  It seems that we are all seeking something predigested instead of something hefty to chew on with our minds.

We seem to no longer give thought to things that are deep and long.  Our business, leisure, and social communication have become the traffic of short responses and clever quips instead of thorough analysis and thoughtful interaction.  The idea of careful discourse with reason and respect seems to be lost.

In the depth of who we long to understand and be understood.  We find great solace when we connect with others at a genuine level of communication.  It is the basis for enduring relationships. 

Earlier this week, I was pondering the relationship I have with my brother.  In over forty years of relationship and friendship, we have never had an argument or been at odds with each other.  I know he is the only human that I can honestly say this about.  We have disagreed but we have done so properly. 

We have conversations about important matters but we take the time to hear and see each other in an attitude of love and respect.  We give attention to the time and patience required to communicate well.  We defer to love and kindness over being right or making our point. 

We are all in need of expressing our hearts and minds.  As our attention takes on deficit, our circle of friends increasingly expect faster responses.  We scroll through conversations and interactions as if we will actually catch up with all the information coming at us.  We will not.  The idea is to filter out the things that do not matter and not grasp at things just because they are trending or speak to our pet causes.

I have been without commercial television for nine months now.  I am blissfully aware of the things of which I am unaware.  I have missed out on months of political, medical, and product ads that want to grab my attention long enough for me to vote, ask my physician, or act now to buy.  It is all the same; they want my money and support in the middle of me trying to watch something that I am paying to watch.  Those thirty-second spots are much more costly than I consider because they train me to digest things as they are given to me rather than chewing on them first.

I must take my time and evaluate what is sent my way.  I must filter what I take in.  I must further and better filter what I put out.  It does not matter that the trend is to be clever, quippy, and brief.  What matters, Dear Reader is that we communicate love and kindness.  Those are things worthy of long and focused attention.  This is where we should act now.

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/ 

Trending Now ~ Meme - Me Me – Meme Me

Greetings Dear Reader,

I love a humorous meme and often find good food for thought in them.   I also find that they are used as stones so that others can hurl insults, hurt, and anger whilst hiding behind the wall of social media.  People I love will launch venomous attacks using humor that is trending across the social pages of our lives.

This psychological defense mechanism, hurling and hiding, is focused on expressing hurt, anger, anxiety, or outrage without having to deal with the consequences of that expression.  The meme is focused on the poster’s expression or social signal and not considering the negative impact on those who see it.  Or, worse, the individual realizes the impact and either does not care or wishes it to be thus.

The harsh or negative meme is about the individual.  It imparts feelings of cleverness or pride when posted.  When one becomes viral or even locally (as in recognized by your social media circle) popular, then the feelings of power and validation become stronger.  The trend toward negative memes is a clear signal of our frustration with the world and our self-centered way of dealing with it.  Memes are about me even when they are not.

If you disagree with this, I would ask you to ponder something, Dear Reader.   I would ask you to consider that negative or hateful memes break the hard deck of our journey.  You cannot create or redistribute hate of any kind in a loving way.  It does not matter how witty or clever the meme is crafted. 

When we celebrate causes or social issues of the day, then we are free to celebrate them with love.  It does not matter what your cause is, it is not celebration to attack, insult, or generalize negatively about your opposition.  It is a trend that only does harm to others and weakens one’s position.

I see clever memes often that attack and insult things that I think are wrong.  I have to check my heart when I find that I want to enjoy them or pass them on to friends.  What I need to do is reaffirm that I must not think that way.  I must love others with all that I am.  I must avoid insults and refuse to hurl and hide even from the relative anonymity of social media.  The memes that are trending now are not always good for us Dear Reader.  If I am going to make it about me, I want to make it about creating a better me.

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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Trending Now ~ Intolerant of Tolerance

Greetings Dear Reader,

My pen stroke is broad today.  I do not think that there is any group that does not trend toward this particular problem.  Well, there are extremes that avoid it but they are the exceptions that prove the rule. 

I had already chosen this topic for today.  Avalon and I happened to discuss it deeply last night.  We agree that this is a problem that plagues every group and not just this conservative or that liberal one.  We claim that we are tolerant of those who are different from us and the trend is not to judge, be prejudice, and tolerate hate. 

There is nothing wrong with those things.  I think that we are lying to ourselves.  I think we claim we are tolerant but we hold out exceptions because there is that one group or sect that we make the exception and outwardly disavow.  There is also the idea that we think our ideas are right and that is the end of it.

We are not supposed to tolerate anyone.  I submit that tolerance is intolerant.  When someone says to you, “Hey, I like your coat!”, should our response ever be, “Hey, I tolerate yours”?  We need to get over the idea that being tolerant is a good thing.  It is not because we should be tolerant.  It is because we must be much more.

The trend is to be tolerant of everyone.  Let me say some things about what I am required to be and we can go from there.  I am not allowed to be simply tolerant.  I am supposed to actively, practically, and inclusively love every human there is.  It goes far beyond tolerance.  The requirement is to sacrifice and to love.  The demand is to see every life as precious and worthy of my love and God’s. 

Further, I am required to love with this depth and intensity without compromising my own standards.  I think this is how the tolerance trend began.  In place of love or hate, we put tolerance.  We construct something bland that we can social signal whilst nursing our rejection and judgment under its summer parasol.  The problem is our parasol cannot shield us from the thunderstorm of conflict that has risen because of the intolerance we still carry.

The storm of difficulties exists because in our failure to love we have believed that lie that if we feel something is wrong then we must hate those who live in that wrong.  That is not how anything is going to work.  It is not how love ever works.  Love is never tolerant because that is condescending.  Oh, and in case you wonder why I do not get down to real examples, it is because I will offend someone because I either did or did not use their pet example. 

I know what I believe about right and wrong.  I know that some of those things will cause others to hate, sideline, discount, or tolerate me just because I do not agree with the popular or trending thought on their issue.   I will try to choose a neutral way to make my point.  There are people out there who think it is WRONG to put pineapple on pizza.  It happens to be one of my favorite pizza toppings.  Paired with bacon or ham and slivered almonds, it is my favorite full stop.

Now, I would not deny healthcare, social status, or human rights to anyone who hates pineapple on pizza or hates me because of my love for it.  I would go further and say that I will love and demonstrate that love to anyone no matter their pizza topping identification choices.  I might even buy him or her a pizza. 

Tolerance is trending but it cannot sustain.  It is not what we are meant to do Dear Reader.  It is instead, our obligation to love deeply every human that exists.  There is no room for simple tolerance or half measures.  If you would like to discuss it further, I will buy the pizza.  You can get yours with whatever toppings you choose.

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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Trending Now ~ Do You Love You

Greetings Dear Reader,

Do not think for a moment that I will suggest that we not love ourselves.  We must have self-respect and value our lives.  We must love ourselves if we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  

The problem is the trend toward self-love over responsibility and community.  We are too self-absorbed.  We put ourselves first in too many situations.  Advertising, social media, and popular trends push us to focus on our own wants over the needs of others.

There are things we must seek before we seek things for ourselves.  We are to be willing to sacrifice everything for Christ.  We are to seek the kingdom and righteousness.  We are to seek the welfare of others over our own wants. 

Instead, trends tell us to focus on ourselves.  We can give token effort to the needs of others but everything that comes at us is geared toward our wants and desires.  We are told that it is acceptable to neglect others and fill our own vessel first.

It is not the way in which we are supposed to trend Dear Reader.  We put so many things ahead of our faith and following.  We fail to see that every moment is supposed to be focused on Christ and seeking him.  If we do this, then there will be less need for the trends that do not satisfy.  There will be less need to recover and heal when we trend toward the selflessness of Christ.

I must seek what is good and right over what I want and wish.  My needs will be met by the Father if I seek only to follow.  The trend toward self-absorption not satisfy and will untimely fail.  Do I need to take proper care of myself?  Yes, but not to the exclusion of the path I am called to walk.

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/  

Trending Now ~ Emoji Engaged

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you do not yet know what an Emoji is, you may wish to remain in the bliss of ignorance. 😊  An Emoji is “a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion.” They are popular enough to get their own plush toys and even a very bad movie. ☹ 

I may use more Emoji (not “Emojis”) in this post than all the collective Emoji I have ever used.   For those who are baffled about the meanings of Emoji, there is an Emoji  Encyclopedia.  👍  One can insert them into one’s text by simply pressing the WIN and period keys at the same time.  This brings up a box with thousands of choices.  You may wish to consult the Emojipedia before going too crazy on this. 😁

So, what, you may ask does this have to do with following Jesus?  I am glad you asked even if you did not. ⁉  Even though it seems to be a simple playful thing it has value in communication.  It can bridge communication barriers.  I once had a conversation to give directions to someone who did not speak English using only Emoji.  😲  It proved useful to be able to help. 

Anything we can do to enhance our ability to help or communicate has great value.  💰  We can also benefit from the brevity of conversation when texting or using other messaging tools.  ✍  Emoji are also valuable in communicating emotion. 💖🤟  There is a danger of being misunderstood, so, again there is Emojipedia. 

I think my favorite Emoji are those that represent food.  Here is a message I received from a friend recently.  “Do you want to get 🍕 and 🍺, or would you rather get🍔 and 🍟 at 🔔🔔?  Can you 🚙?”  Were the bells unclear to you Dear Reader?  There is a great burger place here called Bell’s.  I am sure you understood the rest of this.  The point is that she was able to communicate more in a smaller space. 

I think that Emoji will have a long run at being a popular trend.  I use them rarely but will learn them so that I understand others.  There is great value for me in understanding what others communicate.  Your thoughts and insights always get my attention Dear Reader.  What do you think of Emoji?

This is not as deep as most of my thinking but it is also important.  Tomorrow I will return to deeper things.  For today, however, know that 🤟 and am thankful that you read my 📚.  

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/  

Trending Now ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

What’s the buzz?  Any news?  Did you hear about the new ap?  How do you inquire about what is trending in the world?  We want to know what is going on.  “You got to keep up to know what’s going down.” 

Our society is geared in many ways to chase whatever trend is at the peak of the news, entertainment, or our Twitter feed.  Information about what is new or popular is not bad.  It is the question about what is trending that captures my attention.  With so many things rushing at us to demand our time and attention, I must filter what gets in.  I must monitor which trends I choose to give my time and effort.

One of the requirements of following Christ is to be able to be accountable for all that I do.  It is to bring into captivity every thought so that they are focused on faith and following.  The point is to choose where I will focus and to know why I focus there.  It is my responsibility to control what I do with my time and attention relative to what has focus.

I am going to spend some time on some of the larger trends and determine what will be both my filter and my standard.  You are welcome in the conversation Dear Reader.  Your thoughts and questions will always trend with me.  Let us walk together a bit and sharpen our focus on what matters. 

Oh, and I realize that this song is very dated.  It is still worth a listen.  The title is always a link to the song in my blog.

They Won’t Tell You – Dion

Good Morning America glad to tune you in,

The days of our lives are playing around to the end

On the morning examine you find the price is right.

Your mid-day romance you’ll find on the edge of night.

And we’ll take a pause to tell you what you need

To get through the days of our lives and to succeed,

A pill for pain, some soap to clean you up,

A brand-new car, and some coffee to fill your cup.

But they won’t tell you what you need to know

That Jesus paid the price to save your soul.

TV keeps you strung out on the pleasures of this world,

While the radio keeps you hooked on rock ‘n roll.

I tell you now it don’t make no sense at all,

But it’s been that way ever since the fall

The powers of darkness trying to do you in

Driving you deeper and deeper into your sin

Now it’s time to turn on the evening news.

But I’d rather hear Muddy Waters sing the blues.

You gotta keep up to know what’s going down,

Who’s winning and losing; which side’s gaining ground.

A little bit later we’ll turn on some comic relief,

Something funny to make you show your teeth,

A fantasy island to help you get away,

A celebrity show to see what they got to say.

But you won’t find it on the Johnny Carson show,

And Norman Lear won’t put you in the know,

Archie Bunker will say goodbye when the season ends,

But Jesus will always be your friend.

I tell you there’s just one way to go;

Turn on your life and turn of the picture show

Stand in the love and the light of reality,

Accept him as Lord and he will make you free.

But you find it in the People Magazine

The Truth; the Life, the One who makes you clean

Charlie’s Angels cannot save you from the darkness in this world

Barnaby Jones, he cannot clue you in the know.

But they won’t tell you what you need to know

That Jesus paid the price to save your soul.

TV keeps you strung out on the pleasures of this world,

While the radio keeps you hooked on rock ‘n roll.

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        Google +    Twitter     

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