The Clauses in our thoughts – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

Thomas Traherne said that “to think well is to serve God in the interior court.”  My mind is constantly the source of my worst criticism, my deepest sins, and my greatest successes.  Controlling my thoughts increases my ability to do well.

It is the moment that I must capture.  I think well long term.  I have had an excellent education thanks to the sacrifices of my parents.  I have read thousands of books.  I have written several.  I have ten years of post-secondary education.  I had worked as a college professor for twenty.  I know how to think.

The thinking I must master daily is the thought of the moment.  It is the thoughts born of emotion that are the dangerous ones.  When I feel fear or anger the next thought is the one I must control.  I must burst the thought bubbles that are negative, hateful, unkind, and selfish. 

It is the clauses in my thoughts, when not controlled by faith and following that get me into trouble.  It is my responsibility to assure that every idle thought is brought into captivity in faith. 

So as I toss out the thoughts and questions that dance through my mind I must assure that I kill the ones that are harmful, selfish, and unloving.  I must also assure that I nature and give full life to those thoughts that are wholesome and good. 

“Finally, Dear Reader, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.”  ATT – If I focus on this type of thinking the environment will not be suitable for thoughts that are inappropriate.

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 by a 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

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.”

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The Clauses in our thoughts – Criticism

Greetings Dear Reader,

As the caffeine kick starts my brain this morning and I approach this aspect of the topic I am haunted by times when I have been too critical of others.  That haunting pushes me to be less critical and deflect it when others are indulging in unkind criticism.

This is one of those things that begins in the mind and is so devastating to the thinker.  We do not realize how a critical nature erodes our ability to find joy and sweetness in life.  I have a dear friend who no matter what is said can spot the negative and call it out for all to see.   How did this person get there?  How did the positive become poison to her thinking?

It starts in the mind.  It begins when we let the negative take root in the mind.  Whether it is damage caused to us by others or selfish acts of want and jealousy, allowing negative criticism to have purchase in the mind is dangerous.  It is one of those things that grows within us and kills the good thoughts as quickly as possible.

A critical nature quickly poisons the thinking.  It also poisons others.  Friendships and relationships suffer.  Opportunities are lost.  A critical nature quickly becomes a lonely place.  It is just too dangerous a path to walk.

I must think on good things.  I must see the positive things in others.  If I feel critical I must ask why and control my thinking.  I must not dismiss cruel or unkind behaviour as “just being honest”.  I cannot justify negative criticism and claim that I am obeying the command to love others.  It just does not scan.  

It is not enough to not participate.  I must do more.  I must see and expose the positive in others.  I must recognize and call out the intrinsic value of every soul.  I must love them.  If I focus my thinking on this then there is not room for negative thought bubbles.

Prayer of Saint Francis – Sarah Maclachlan

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon:

Where there is doubt, faith ;

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

Where there is sadness, joy

O divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

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 Clauses in our thoughts – Lust

Greetings Dear Reader,

Realizing that for much of our culture this word “lust” no longer is negative it may seem odd that I address it.  First I would qualify the area in which I address this.  In most instances we associate this word with sex.  We need to associate it with a much broader range of thoughts.

We use words like craving, hunger, and hankering to soften the point.  It is the nature of our human condition to minimize things that are wrong.  Lust is a sin completely housed in our minds.  It leads to other failings but it is a cancerous thought bubble that wishes to permeate our entire lives.

I do not want to ignore the sexual aspect of lust.  An honest man must say that it is a daily battle to burst the thought bubbles implanted by our culture’s treatment of the female form.  We use lust to sell nearly everything.  I do not want to leave women out of the conversation.  Society is giving them equal time in this arena but as a male I must look to my own failings and struggles before I dare address those of others.

It is one of those places where a disciplined mind is necessary just to get through the day.  Bringing our thoughts into captivity is the only path to freedom from this form of lust. I do not wish to neglect the others areas where I must defend against lust.  The lust for food leads to gluttony.  A lust for control leads to manipulation.  The lust for control also yields lies, unfaithfulness, and betrayal.  We can even lust for a form of freedom that is not ours to pursue.  This lust leads to the breaking of commitments and vows.

These particular clauses in our thoughts betray us as quickly as possible.  Their purpose is to distract us from our intent.  We can instantly go from our actual intent to improper cravings as a single thought bubble bursts over our mind.  It is only by moment by moment determining to think well that we can defend against this.  If I fill my mind with the things that Christ values then the thought bubbles of distraction are easier to reject.

The results are what matter.  If I control my thinking about women then I see them as humans with genuine talents, gifts and needs.  I see their intrinsic value instead of a place to get my desires met.  If I control my lust for food I am healthier.  I see the needs of others in want of food more clearly.  I am more thankful for what I have.  My lust to control is alone controlled by realizing that control over anything but my own thinking is a lie. 

That is the crux of it.  The thought bubbles of lust for anything are offering a lie in place of the truth.  They are offering to satisfy with a counterfeit of reality.  Nothing but truth will satisfy the mind.  I must avoid the counterfeit thought bubbles and think well.  In this is the path to truly following Christ. 

Playing Marbles with Diamonds – Steve Camp

Waking up to a very different world

We got mud on our flag before it’s even been unfurled

Our heroes have fallen and a leader is heard to find

The clock is running out and we’re casting our pearls before swine

There’s a whole lot more than preaching to the choir

Kneeling at the alter and paying our tithe

We've been treating God like he’s happiness for hire

We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds

Isn’t it a sin how his name how his name gets thrown around

We pat God on the back like a buddy from out of town

We thank “the man upstairs” for the things people praise us for

We give God the glory but we’re happy to take the award

There’s a whole lot more than raising lots of money

Building our churches and spreading our faith

If faith is just the dice you roll to get lucky

We've been playing marbles with diamonds

There are precious things of God

And we must guard them with our lives

Like an unborn baby’s dreams

Like a husband love his wife

May the hope of his returning

May it glorify our faith

As we hold onto his holy word

May the chaff be blown away

Can we ever live up to the things we say we believe

Because the world is watching looking for some honesty

Are we riding down a freeway instead of narrow road

We turned the passion for the lost into the business of saving souls

There’s a whole lot more than preaching to the choir

Kneeling at the alter and paying our tithe

We’ve been treating God like he’s happiness for hire

We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds

There’s a whole lot more than raising lots of money

Building our churches and spread

If faith is just the dice you roll to get lucky

We've been playing marbles with diamonds.

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 Clauses in our thoughts – Promises

Greetings Dear Reader,

In the movie Radio Flyer, which I highly recommend, the story begins with Tom Hanks explaining the importance of promises.  Tom Hanks’ character, Mike says, “Well, you can't just say, ‘I promise,’ then forget about it. ’I promise’ are the most important words you'll ever say... well almost the most important words you'll ever say.”

When we make a commitment we transfer something from our possession to the possession of another.   We make or give promises.  Part of that is there must be not thought bubbles involved.  When se make the promise we must not be creating a back door as we do. 

I once heard one person in a marriage say to the other, “I only thought it would last ten years or so when we got married.”  This person stood in front of a church full of people and promised a life of faithfulness whilst holding a thought bubble that was a time bomb on that promise. 

We do not see that sacred nature of a promise.  We inject thought bubbles into that sacred space and infect it.  We say that we will help someone whilst thinking of way out.  We agree to lunch knowing we will postpone it later.  The core of our spirit gets worn away by this practice. 

I truly believe that being honest in my thinking is the only way to be honest with others.  These thought bubbles burst with a poison that infect s our confidence, strength, and integrity.  How I think when I interact with others consistently determines who I am.  The thoughts become actions, habits, and eventually a life.  I do not want them to be poisonous to me or to others.

Promises Made - Dan Fogelberg

Promises made

Promises broken

Measures of our demise

Secrets of souls that

Rarely get spoken

Pleasure's a thin disguise.

Dozens of ways

Dozens of reasons

Shielding our hearts from pain

Riddles of romance

That distance may yet explain.

Certain of nothing

So fearful of love

Nobody seems to show you enough

Over and over

The scenes are replayed

And once again

Those promises made.

Feeling forsaken

Broken in two

How did this ever happen to you?

Taken for granted

Bruised and betrayed

Lonely survivors

These promises made.

Dozens of ways

Dozens of reasons

Shielding our hearts from pain

Riddles of romance

That distance may yet explain.

Certain of nothing

You're so damn fearful of love

Nobody seems to show you enough

Over and over

The scenes are replayed

And once again

Those promises made.

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 Clauses in our Thoughts – First Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

How often in television and movies do we experience someone having a “thought bubble” that lets us in on what he or she is really thinking in a situation.  As the audience we are let in on the real emotion or intent behind what the listener is told.

We put clauses in our thinking.  We edit what we say out loud to temper our intent.  There is no light way to do this.  If we indulge in this practice we live in dishonest pretense.  We can communicate honestly if we choose to do so.  We can temper that honestly with love and compassion.

Jesus tells us that we will give account of every idle word.  Imagine if our “thought bubbles” were visible to others.  Would we be willing to do the damage?  We are required to love others.  There is not category of human that we are not required to love.  This means that our thoughts must be loving.

One of the ways I attempt to live this is by “bringing into captivity every thought.”  If I have a negative thought I look for the truth behind it.  If there is none I must dismiss it.  It I find I want to temper what I am saying with inward clauses then I must stop saying it until I am sure I can be honest.

This type of thinking permeates our lives without us truly pondering it.  As I travel I must assure that I am honest about how my actions evolve.  I must assure that the mind is disciplined to follow Christ so that the heart and actions fall in line. 

I am going to travel this part of the path for a few days to make sure that I capture my thoughts.  I hope you benefit from the time Dear Reader.  As always I value your thoughts.

Recapture Me – Michael Card

Fleeing what I do not know

Recapture me, recapture me

I flee to where I cannot go

Recapture me

The bridge between my heart and mind

Recapture me, recapture me

You come across myself to find

Recapture me

You come and knock on imaginations door

You come to show to

To know You is what eyes and ears are for

With ears that hear but not receive

Recapture me, recapture me

With eyes that see but can't perceive

Recapture me

Your paradox and poetry

Recapture me, recapture me

You speak one sacred certainty

Recapture me

You come and knock on imaginations door

You come to show to, to know You is

What eyes and ears are for

(what eyes and ears are for)

(What eyes and ears are for)

To know You is what eyes and ears are for

(What eyes and ears are for

What eyes and ears are for)

Through prophets madness make me wise

Recapture me, recapture me

Through foolish faith open my eyes

Recapture me

With sacred words, with silent words

Recapture me, recapture me

You're the living Word that must be heard

Recapture me

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/michael-card/recapture-me-lyrics/#VxdSfmew7PqB4fab.99

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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