42~Truths ~ Control

Greetings Dear Reader,

I often ponder if we understand the nature of control.  It is not simply the idea of one who directs others.  Even in the negative you cannot have control over someone who is willing to fight you.  One may manipulate and attempt to control others but even that is subject to outside forces.

We fight for control.  We manipulate to control outcomes.  Some will even kill for control.  We grasp for money and power all in an attempt to control our lives and the lives of others.  Lies, theft, and even war often circle the drain of control over resources and lives.  

Religions, including those in my own faith have lied and deceived for control of people.  Threats have been used to control the masses so that false dichotomies may be supported.  Recently my friend Shane was bemoaning the fact that there are still people who believe that the earth is flat.  We should not be surprised when dishonest beliefs refuse to support honest science. 

I do not wish to stray too far nor ponder overlong before making my point.  We control so very little in the world.  No matter how well I do at whatever I do things are not in my control.  Even when I fail at doing what is right in an attempt to control events I have no real control.

The difficulty and beauty in life is that we all have free will.  We can all choose to do what we wish.  No one can force me to do anything if my will includes a willingness to die rather than compromise.  My faith informs me that the only being control over me is the Father.  He is also the one who gives me free will.  He is one who could force me to see him yet instead asks me to do so and gives me a choice. 

We do have control for now over our choice of the reality of God and his love for us.  Some day we will not have control over even that.  I must build my faith whilst it is something that matters.  We have so little over which we have control but this vital thing is mine to choose.  Perhaps at a base level we know this and that is why we cling go tightly to the TV remote.

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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What Do You Fear? ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

That which we fear can control us.  If we allow it to control us it stops us from achieving.  Fear devours us.  When fear assails us we choose the way in which we will respond.

The other danger when I let fear control me is that I harm others by acting out of self-interest.  Once again that is not the way to follow Christ.  When fear guides me I look for my own protection and control.  Instead I must let love and grace be my moving force. 

So often we can defeat fear by facing it and pushing through it.  We do not have to do it alone.  I must not allow my fear to be my guide.  I must allow my security in Christ to give me courage and strength.

Fear must not have power over me.  I must think and act  in ways that weaken fear and diminish the power it holds.  “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind.”

How Far this Road Goes – Gareth Dunlop

Come take this trip with me

Keep your eyes wide and keep me company

If you tag along you just might see

What is it I'm trying to reach

I'm still tied to my hopes and my dreams

Adventure I will always see

A child I will always be

So won't you come take this trip with me

Through the winding roads

Further then we've gone before

Past the `turn back now` sign post

And see just how far this road goes

To see just how far this road goes

I just can't wait for all we're gonna do

So let's go make a memory or two

And think what's ahead and all that's new

This journey was made for me and you

Through the winding roads

Further then we've gone before

Past the `turn back now` sign post

And see just how far this road goes

To see just how far this road goes

To see just how far this road goes

To see just how far this road goes

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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What Do You Fear? ~ Relationships

Greetings Dear Reader,

I think that I must first be very clear.  If you are in a relationship where you are being harmed, you need to do what it takes to be safe.  No one should remain in a place where they are being abused. 

Still too many relationships are ruined by fear.  People fear that things will not improve.  They fear that they will not get what they want or at some level need.  They fear forgiving slights and wrongs.  They fear not controlling things.  They fear being alone so they stay in dangerous or damaging relationships.

When we let fear dictate how we relate to others it destroys trust and love.  It is love that casts out fear.  It is love that gets us to courage and kindness.  When couples wed the promise “till death do us part” is bedrock for facing the unknown in love and respect.  When someone plays the leaving card he or she violates the bedrock of the relationship.  The promise that you make to work things out together is meant to hold back the flood of fear and give time to learn to love more deeply and build on that foundation.

It is too easy in our world to discard others.  God makes is clear that fear is not a good reason to refuse to love.  Love is the perfect antidote for fear.  If I allow fear to rule my heart then I cannot love.  I cannot relate. 

We forget that even our relationships belong to God.  We forget that our commitments to others are the opportunity to create something beautiful and it is not ours to throw away.

It Ain’t Yours to Throw Away – Clare Bowen & Sam Palladio

That same road that brought you here

Will sure as hell take you home

The life you left behind will have you back

You're tired of paying dues in worn out shoes

And Broadway blues

And any fool will tell you

The damn ol' deck is stacked

What if you're just a vessel?

And God gave you something special

It ain't yours to throw away

It ain't yours to throw away

Every time you open up your mouth

Diamonds come rolling out

It ain't yours to throw away No...

And all of the players, the movers, and shakers

The story maker suits have gone home

You drew the last slot

You thought it was your shot

But now it's just one more chance blown

What if you're just a vessel?

And God gave you something special

It ain't yours to throw away

It ain't yours to throw away

Every time you open up your mouth

Diamonds come rolling out

It ain't yours to throw away, No...

And our town is cold as January

Life comes true, and dreams get buried

Every day...

Destiny won't be denied

It ain't yours to throw away

No, it ain't yours to throw away

'Cause every time you open up your mouth

Diamonds come rolling out

It ain't yours to throw away

It ain't yours to throw away ...

Throw away

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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What Do You Fear? ~ People

Greetings Dear Reader,

Not every introvert is afraid of people.  Some people prefer to be alone.  Some people like solitude.  Before I delve into those who fear others I want to point this out.  If you have a friend who is an introvert then they have chosen to let you in.

Honor this and learn from it.  Learn that there are others who fear interaction with people.  They have been harmed by people.  Perhaps they had poor family examples or a bad relationship.  Perhaps they have been damaged by prejudice or injustice.

At the bedrock of my faith is the requirement to be good to everyone.  At the core of my beliefs is that every human soul is worth knowing.  There is the image in which they are created.  There is the spark of their Creator whether they accept it or not.   It is my obligation to see the treasure that is every life.

I must be a builder of bridges.  I must be the one who is willing to see those who need a friend and be that friend.  I have done this often and found such beautiful people.  It is in the extending of friendship that I find amazing people who just need the space to get past their fear of others.  It is also in this that I find ways to conquer my own fears.

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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What Do You Fear? ~ The Unknown

Greetings Dear Reader,

For some of us the unknown and undiscovered wields a siren call that draws us to risk all for the sake of discovery.  For others it freezes and frightens.  The unknown, the future is always a mystery.

When I think of how daunting it must be to need to know the unknown to have peace it fills me with compassion.   We bet so many things about our lives on an unknown future.  We make vows and promises based on the unknown future.  We assure others of our intentions without knowing how things will unfold.

Not knowing and getting burned can teach us to fear the unknown.  We forget that we have no control over the future.  Things change and we cannot prevent the tide of that change.  We can choose to face the future and realize our lack of control.  We can choose to let fear freeze us. 

The essence of the unknown is that we do not know.  It is that we cannot see past the horizon or the next minute.  This is when I must screw my faith to the sticking place.  This is when I must put what I do know in perspective.  In the moment I make the choice.  In the nexus I pick a direction.

Perhaps this is why the relationship with Christ is following.  We do not have to know the future.  We only have to know who to follow.  It is not his followers or what someone else says.  What I must follow is Christ alone.

New York Minute – The Eagles

Harry got up

Dressed all in black

Went down to the station

And he never came back

They found his clothing

Scattered somewhere down the track

And he won't be down on Wall Street

in the morning

He had a home

The love of a girl

But men get lost sometimes

As years unfold

One day he crossed some line

And he was too much in this world

But I guess it doesn't matter anymore

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

Things can get pretty strange

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

Lying here in the darkness

I hear the sirens wail

Somebody going to emergency

Somebody's going to jail

If you find somebody to love in this world

You better hand on tooth and nail

The wolf is always at the door

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

Things can get a little strange

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

And in these days

When darkness falls early

And people rush home

To the ones they love

You better take a fool's advice

And take care of your own

One day they're here;

Next day they're gone

I pulled my coat around my shoulders

And took a walk down through the park

The leaves were falling around me

The groaning city in the gathering dark

On some solitary rock

A desperate lover left his mark,

"Baby, I've changed. Please come back."

What the head makes cloudy

The heart makes very clear

The days were so much brighter

In the time when she was here

But I know there's somebody somewhere

Make these dark clouds disappear

Until that day, I have to believe

I believe, I believe

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

You can get out of the rain

In a New York Minute

Everything can change

In a New York Minute

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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What Do You Fear? ~ Intolerance

Greetings Dear Reader,

In a popular Star Trek episode from the Original Series, “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” two aliens with vast power are fighting across the cosmos.  They are battling over their insurmountable differences.  The fight has been so fierce that they have destroyed their entire world and are the last two living members of their species.  Their difference is the cause of all the destruction.  Their faces are half black and half white.  The difference one is white on the left and the other on the right.

In continuing with thoughts on my friend’s response I realize that I have covered change. What my friend brought out though is the intolerance of society for unpopular differences.  It does not matter what the difference is.

This fear is as old as history.  We are intolerant of things we do not fear, understand, or accept.  We translate differences to discrimination.  We use the things we reject to reject people and think ourselves superior.  We put our values ahead of treating other with love and respect.

Even those who proclaim that tolerance is the only way to live are often intolerant of those who disagree.  The world continues to spin on battles over values.  Hatred and anger seem to be the most popular things given to those with whom we disagree.  I share the same fear as my friend.

I do my best to follow Christ without hating anyone.  Still I am mocked for things that I feel are wrong.  I am accused of fear, hatred, and bigotry for having standards.  So many do not see that those standards include love for everyone.  They include kindness to everyone.  Because I carry the label they have assigned to those who share my faith.  I will not hide what I believe but I honestly think that we all need a reset button. 

Perhaps everyone needs to really remember what tolerance means.  It does not mean that I accept all of your values or opinions.  It does mean that I love and respect you.  It does not mean that I hate you because I disagree with you.  It does mean that I will support the fact that we share common needs that should be provided for.

So tell me again why your philosophy allows you to hate me?

Which Way are You Goin’ – Jim Croce

Which way are you going, which side will you be on

Will you stand and watch while, all the seeds of hate are sown

Will you stand with those who say, let his will be done

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

One hand on the bible

One hand on the gun

Which way are you looking, is it hard to see

Do you say whats wrong for him, is not wrong for me

You walk the streets, righteousness but you refuse to understand

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

You say you love the baby

Then you crucify the man

Everyday, things are changing, words once honored turned to lies

People wondering, can you blame them

Its to far to run, and to late to hide

Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach

Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me

Well you light has changed, confusion rains, what have you become

All your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

Your olive branches turned to spears

When your flowers turned to guns

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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What Do You Fear? ~ Change

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do know a person who is afraid of coins.  She thinks that all money but especially coins a rife with germs.  That, however, is not the kind of change that most people fear. 

We like things that are familiar.  Things and are common and comfortable tend to be where we gravitate.  I like my routines.  I like doing things in a proper order.  Change, however, is the constant of the universe. 

The planets have their courses but those courses are never identical.  There are patterns to the tides but they are not ever exactly alike.  The universe changes daily.

We settle into the familiar and the routine.  In truth that is not how we are supposed to live. There are tasks we must do and routines that are beneficial.  We must not, however, become dependent on the routines.  We must not put our thoughts of patterns ahead of the fact that we are to be free to be driven by the Spirit.  

That is the purpose of my life; to be driven by the spirit.  This means that impending changes are not a cause for fear.  They are, rather, the opportunity to be hot on the heels of the one I follow.  Big changes are the time to have big faith.  They are the time to follow.

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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What Do You Fear? ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I know the things that cause me fear.  I know which ones are mild and which ones cause me inaction.  I have long believed that fear is one of the prime movers in the wrong we do. 

The problem is that fear always weakens us when we give it too much lease.  My Grandfather always told me when I was little, “It is OK to feel afraid.  Never let the fear be in charge.”  There is always a bad turn out when I let fear control my choices.

That is a huge part of it.  That which we give control is that which we serve.   When we serve our fears we allow our world to be shaped by it.  When I let my fears determine my interactions I always fail to be loving and kind.

Please walk with me as I make the journey down the path of remembering that God has not given us a spirit of fear.   Rather he has given us power, love, and sound reasoning.  As always Dear Reader I value your thoughts and questions. 

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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Ode to Spring, no Winter, wait err…um…

Greetings Dear Reader,

Two days ago we recorded the highest temperature ever for that day in February.  Today there is a fresh covering of snow on the ground.  That is the way of things in late winter in the northern Midwest. 

It is the reaction of people that has my attention.  On Thursday as the sun was shining people where smiling and rejoicing over the spring-like weather.  Yesterday as the temperatures fell and the falling rain turn to sleet the same people were complaining about the weather.  I am not condemning these people.  It is our nature.

We complain about the weather instead of seeing the beauty in it.  We rejoice when it is the weather we like and complain when we dislike it.  It is our nature to only appreciate the things we like.  I must assure that I am aware of the value in all things about creation.

I must see the beauty in each season.  I must see my journey in them and accept changes as they come.  I have no power to control the changes in the weather or life.  Rather I get to follow the one who sets the seas in their courses and directs the wind.  The kindler of stars loves me and promises to guide me through it all. 

I will rejoice in the sparkle of lights on the snow until it gives way to the rebirth of Crocuses and Daffodils.  I will enjoy the sun when it is warm.  I will try to take each moment of the journey as it is given instead of how I wish it were. 

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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Entertaining Angels – Control

Greetings Dear Reader,

We think we control our destiny.  We control our choices.  That in part leads to the unfolding of our destiny.  It is not, however, the focal point.  We focus on our rights, what we are owed, and what we want the world to look like. 

I have spent too much of my life trying to shape the world to be as I wished it.  When I stopped doing that living became much more enjoyable.  Beyond that I have realized how little I can control.   God has made is clear that everything is under his control.  It has become cliché to say it but he does have a plan.

As discussed over the last couple of days I am a single piece of the multidimensional chess game.  We all are.  The problem is that we all think we are the king or queen.  The billions of pieces are moved in harmony in a grand design.  The only purpose that we have been given for that design is to bring us back to good.

We think we are there but we are so far from it.  There are so many things that distort our view.  So many things we assume that we just do not know.   All the universe moves back toward what its Creator wishes it to become in his design.  This view is no longer popular but I still believe it. 

It may sound paranoid but others watch to see what I do with what I am given.  God already has the countermoves chosen to respond to my moves.  He wants me to choose good but has chosen moves to bring me to good no matter what I choose.  He promises to provide all we need to do what is right.

I must do what is right no matter how much it costs.  I must not try to control anything but my responses to the world.  Even the control of those must be given over to what God has asked of me.  I must predetermine that my responses are going to be loving and kind.  Sometimes this is so very difficult.  Then again if I obey all will unfold as it should because even though I am a valued part of the dance, it is not about 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 home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Setting Standards for Feelings – I Feel

Greetings Dear Reader,

Before I delve too deeply into the negative part of this self-discovery some things about feelings must be addressed.  We feel.  If we deny that we feel we damage ourselves.  If we ignore some feelings we will not be able to fully understand things. 

Fear for example is a vital feeling.  We must listen to fear.  We must listen to and evaluate the things it triggers.  We have feelings for some very important reasons.  Those reasons are connected to our emotional health and sometimes our survival.

The error that we make is we give control to our feelings.  We allow anger, fear, or greed to control us.  This is very dangerous.  When our feelings control us we ignore sound reason and act. 

It comes down to the difference between responses and reactions.  It is often necessary to react.  Instinctive reactions built into our DNA are very important.  They can protect and save us.  When we interact with people on a social level we must be responsive and not reactionary. 

When we feel anger we must take a beat.  When we feel fear we must reason.  To move through life allowing our feelings to control us hinders our ability to be good to others.  In any situation when we let our feelings decide our course of action we need to assure that we have reasoned our way through the actions.

As I work through the proper place of feelings in my life the first thing I must assure is that they are not in control of me.  I must master them or they will be my undoing.  I must allow them to live but not allow them to rule.  That alone is a daily task requiring attention and balance.

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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On Change – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

When change barges in without so much as a: “by your leave”.   We choose how we will deal with it.  We choose how we will believe.  We choose how we will treat others in the midst of change.

When the gritty sands born on the winds of change chafe the soul it is vital that I embrace my faith and following.  I may howl in protest and pain but I am still required to be an example.  I am still obligated to do what is right no matter the personal cost. 

If my faith is real then I must weather any wounds of change from red raw to scab to scar.  I must be good to others no matter where I am in the process.  I must listen to the good counsel of others.  If my let go of my wants and desires and follow. 

When change invades unwelcome, it can refine me into a better man.  I must always want that.  I must not harm anyone trying to control that which is out of my control.  I must have faith that things will unfold toward Christ if I do not interfere. 

What I possess, have, and enjoy is all a gift from God.  As Job said, “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return to God. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”  Anything beyond that is a blessing. 

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

all that he owns he forgets

More than the nets

he abandoned that day,

he found that his pride was soon drifting away

It's hard to imagine the freedom we find

from the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful

of taking the tax,

pressing the people to pay

Hearing the call,

he responded in faith

followed the Light and the Way

Leaving the people

so puzzled he found,

the greed in his heart

was no longer around 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

Jesus, our only possession,

giving becomes our delight

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 worshipping goods we possess

Jesus has laid all our treasures aside

"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

its 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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On Change – The Wilderness

Greetings Dear Reader,

Change can refine us.  We often will not let it but it can.  When change is forced upon we choose how we respond.  So often the change is something we do not wish to endure.  We know we cannot stop it and it screams toward us like an oncoming train. 

Change can destroy us if we try to fight against it or deny it.  Wrong action or inaction can lead to danger, pain, or even death.  The unwanted change is medical ignoring it can be deadly.  If we act wrongly we can inflict collateral damage that does not heal for years.

As the forced change rips into our lives we must look to our faith.  If God is in control he has already approved the change.  It does not mean that the actions that force the change are right or just.  We need to cling to the fact that the change can make us better.  It can refine our faith.  It can burn away the self.

Forced change reminds us that we are following someone who promised there would be times of pain and suffering.  There will be day, weeks, months, or even years when we think the pain is unbearable.  We will think that the darkness will never end.  Fear and uncertainty will try to claim us. 

There is a way out but it is through.  Christ is standing in every moment to carry us if necessary.  Our only duty is to do what is right no matter what the cost.  That is the duty of everyone who claims to follow Christ.  That is my duty.  That is my responsibility.  That is my privilege.  I must do what I believe.  Everything else is just talk.

In the Wilderness – Michael Card

In the wilderness

In the wilderness

He calls His sons and daughters

To the wilderness

But He gives grace sufficient

To survive any test

And that's the painful purpose

Of the wilderness

In the wilderness we wander

In the wilderness we weep

In the wasteland of our wanting

Where the darkness seems so deep

We search for the beginning

For an exodus to hold

We find that those who follow Him

Must often walk alone

In the wilderness

In the wilderness

He calls His sons and daughters

To the wilderness

But He gives grace sufficient

To survive any test

And that's the painful purpose

Of the wilderness

In the wilderness we're wondering

For a way to understand

In the wilderness there's not a way

For the ways become a man

And the man's become the exodus

The way to holy ground

Wandering in the wilderness

Is the best way to be found

In the wilderness

In the wilderness

He calls His sons and daughters

In the wilderness

But He gives grace sufficient

To survive any test

And that's the painful purpose

Of the wilderness

Groaning and growing

Amidst the desert days

The windy winter wilderness

Can blow the self away

In the wilderness

In the wilderness

He calls His sons and daughters

To the wilderness

But He gives grace sufficient

To survive any test

And that's the painful purpose

Of the wilderness

And that's the painful promise

Of the wilderness

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 ͡°)

On Change – Control

Greetings Dear Reader,

When change occurs without our wanting it we seek to control it.  We seek to stop it, attenuate it, or manipulate it.  Change reminds us how little we control things.  Change is an emotionless force that can rip us apart if we try to control it.

Natural disasters invade lives and force change.  Homes and lives are ripped apart.  Whole communities can be destroyed.  The world responds to these with aid, comfort, and restoration.

Individual change unwanted and unwelcome can be the most dangerous.  The mind seeks to find a way to prevent it or deny.  Situations we do not control and cannot prevent rip into our lives and the whim or will of another.  A slight discomfort turns into the need for a biopsy.  A spouse decides he or she wants something more than the vows they swore before God and witnesses.  You become redundant at a job you love.  Someone dies suddenly.

Change rips into your life and you have to make choices amid the pain and terror.  You have to choose your responses.  If we try to control the change we usually respond in bad ways.  As a Christ follower we must accept change and do whatever it takes to do what is right.  We do not have to be silent about the wrong in it but every word and action must be loving and kind.

We can feel the anger, pain, betrayal and loss.  We should feel them.  We should also never take them out on anyone else.  We should only be motivated by our determination to do whatever it takes to seek Christ in the change. 

If I believe that God is in control of everything then no change comes into my life without his allowing it.  Whether I like it or not my only hope is to seek Christ in the moment.  My only way out is through.  The only thing I can truly control is my response.  The only power I have is to do what is right no matter what the cost. 

Christ promises to give us the will and power to let go of control if we will do so.  He promises that we are never alone.  In every moment, even the darkest ones, he promises to be there if we will simply seek him.    

The Sunrise of Your Smile – Michael Card

Reject the worldly lie that says

That life lies always up ahead

Let power go before control becomes

A crust around your soul

Escape the hunger to possess

And soul-diminishing success

This world is full of narrow lives

I pray by grace your smile survives

For I would wander weary miles

Would welcome ridicule, my child

To simply see the sunrise of your smile

To see the light behind your eyes

The happy thought that makes you fly

Yes, I would wander weary miles

To simply see the sunrise of your smile

Now close your eyes so you can see

Your own unfinished memories

Now open them for time is brief

And you'll be blest beyond belief

Now glance above you at the sky

There's beauty there to blind the eye

I ask all this then wait awhile

To see the dawning of your smile

For I would wander weary miles

Would welcome ridicule, my child

To simply see the sunrise of your smile

To see the light behind your eyes

The happy thought that makes you fly

Yes, I would wander weary miles

To simply see the sunrise of your smile

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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