Four Words ~ Be

Greetings Dear Reader,

This itty-bitty word has so much power.  Coupled with the preposition “to” it becomes the short definition of our existence.  Anyone who knows a little Shakespeare knows the phrase “to be or not to be” even if they do not know the context or significance.  “Be” is the verb that defines that we are.

To be or not to be...

We fill our lives with questions about being.  “What are you going to be when you grow up?”  I remember first hearing this question when I was four.  I wanted to be my Grandfather.  We struggle all our lives with what we will or are becoming.   We become what we feel, think, and do.

When I came to faith I was on the edge of ceasing to be.  I was ready to end my life because the pain and anger had become unbearable.  A man took the time to show me that I could be.  He showed me that the pain might no end but there was a path to follow away from the anger and hurt. 

The Father longs for us to be his.  He wants us to follow his Son.  He wishes for us to become like him.  It is in him that I live and move and have my BEING.  I must learn to be still.  I must learn to be in his presence constantly.  I must be journeying ever closer.

The very name of the Father, “I AM” is a form of “be”.   In all that there is in life, at the core is the realization that the Father is.

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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To Be or Not to Be – Good

Greetings Dear Reader,

I always remember being told to be good.  What does it mean to be good?  One of my friends from my high school years had a jersey the simply said “good boy” on the back.  After a time it lost one of the “o” letters and so it said “god boy”.  The owner was a good guy and grew into a good man.

So what does it mean to be good?  A cursory reading of the online definitions of the word reveals that these four letters carry a heap of baggage:

Adjective:

1. to be desired or approved of.: healthy, fine, sound, tip-top, hale and hearty, fit, robust, sturdy, strong, vigorous, pleasing and welcome, expressing approval.
2. having the qualities required for a particular role, fine, superior, quality; More
3. appropriate to a particular purpose, convenient, suitable, appropriate, fitting, fit; More
4. (of language) with correct grammar and pronunciation. "she speaks good English"
5. Strictly adhering to or fulfilling all the principles of a particular cause, religion, or party. "a good Catholic girl".  close, intimate, dear, bosom, special, best, firm, valued, treasured
6. possessing or displaying moral virtue, virtuous, righteous, upright, upstanding, moral, ethical, high-minded, principled
7. Showing kindness.  kind, kindhearted, good-hearted, thoughtful, generous, charitable, magnanimous, gracious
8. obedient to rules or conventions, well behaved, obedient, dutiful, polite, courteous, respectful, deferential, compliant
9. commanding respect
10. Giving pleasure; enjoyable or satisfying. enjoyable, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, delightful, great, nice, lovely
11. Thorough, whole, full, entire, complete, solid

Noun:

1. that which is morally right; righteousness, virtue, righteousness, goodness, morality, integrity, rectitude;
2. benefit or advantage to someone or something, benefit, advantage, profit, gain, interest, welfare, well-being

After wading through that I find that I am thinking of other four letter words.  I need to be good, however, so I cannot dwell on them here.  I do need to see just how important it is that in an attempt to be good as a person I embrace all of the nuances of that word. 

Imagine if in our daily congress we only tried to be good.  I do not mean simply saying that we are but actually in every effort tried to be good.  The impact of just choosing to be good can be life changing. 

As a Christ follower I must be good to people.  I must be good.  In areas that I am not I must become good.  I used to teach my students this quote.  It still rings true. 

Good, better, best,

Never let it rest,

Until you good is better

And you better is your best.

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 ͡°)

To Be or Not to Be – I am Designed to Be

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do not want to ignore that Hamlet is talking about death.  We are designed to be.  We are created to live and to live that life fully.  It is the courage to truly live life that is the greater courage. 

Photograph: Public Domain

We live in a world where it is easy to hide.  It is easy to escape and not engage with the beauty and wonder that is the human condition.  We avoid the pain and suffering of life instead of seeing that through it we can grow.

It is vital that we ponder that we are to be.  We are to grasp life and live it.  It will have pain and suffering.  It will possess disappointments and hurt.  We are to choose to live.  God designed me to be.  I must therefore be.  To be means to live in this moment.  To be is to search each moment for Christ to follow him.

In that following there are things I am required to be.  If I choose to be then I must become those things in my following. 

It is best that you read this aloud.  It was meant to be heard.  Here is his entire thought at the juncture where he asks the question:

Hamlet – Act III – William Shakespeare

To be, or not to be, that is the question—

Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer

The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,

Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,

And by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—

No more; and by a sleep, to say we end

The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks

That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,

To sleep, perchance to Dream; Aye, there's the rub,

For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause. There's the respect

That makes Calamity of so long life:

For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,

The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's Contumely,

The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay,

The insolence of Office, and the Spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his Quietus make

With a bare Bodkin? Who would these Fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscovered Country, from whose bourn

No Traveler returns, Puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills we have,

Than fly to others that we know not of.

Thus Conscience does make Cowards of us all,

And thus the Native hue of Resolution

Is sicklied o'er, with the pale cast of Thought,

And enterprises of great pitch and moment,

With this regard their Currents turn awry,

And lose the name of Action. Soft you now,

The fair Ophelia. Nymph, in all thy Orisons

Be thou all my sins remembered.

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 ͡°)

To Be or Not to Be – First Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

All around me New Year’s resolutions are dying.  My Daughter has asked me several times about mine and this served as evidence that she has not been reading my blog.  I heard four different individuals yesterday say something to the effect of “there goes that resolution.”

I think that instead of resolving to change something I benefit from identifying what I am supposed to be as a Christ follower and being that in the moment.  As I begin the journey through this New Year I want to examine things that I am supposed to be and assess how I can be a better version of those things.

From the outset I proceed from the assumption that I can be better at all the things that are good and right.  Proceeding from there allows me to start this portion of the journey honestly.  It helps me identify the areas of my life that need to be honed, pruned, or strengthened.

Even though I love my church I don’t need another sermon or song to tell me what I am supposed to be as a Christ follower.  Those things give me ideas for application and improvement.  So as I ponder what I am “to be or not to be” I focus on the “to be.”  My Grandfather would always say that if I spent my time focusing on the things I am supposed to do I would not have time to do the things I should not. 

Walk with me as I ponder "taH pagh taHbe'!" ("To be or not to be!").  After all if I am to live a life that follows Christ I must live moments that do so.

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 ͡°)