Negating Needs ~ Home

Greetings Dear Reader,

I live in a nice apartment.  It is nowhere close to the abode I have dreamt of for so many decades.  That dream is long gone now.  Too much water is past under bridge for that vision to be realized without direct intervention from God.

Even though the place I live as nice, and affords a pool for my children and grandchildren to enjoy (the real reason I chose this place), I live alone.  In truth, this means that I’ve been homeless for three years.

Growing up the places I lived never felt like a home to me.  The abuse, strife, and lack of real love created a space that was never safe and from which I escaped as soon as I could.  I wandered for a while alone and unsure.  I almost lost myself then.

I returned to the place I grew up and foolishly reentered the household that did so much damage to me.  It was only for a short time because I was going to marry the girl I loved all through high school.  When I held our firstborn son and looked into my wife’s eyes for the first time I felt that it could be home.

All too soon I learned how patently unrewarding I must be as a companion.  I love my son and was determined not to visit upon him the same pains I had endured.  For a brief time, there was a feeling of home again after our second son arrived and I made progress in my career that allowed me time to be a good father.

Also growing in me was in the overwhelming need to provide a sense of home for others.  The light in me long to help others feel what I so desperately lacked for so many years.  The darkness in me use my concerns over the wellbeing of others to feed its desire to control.  The truth of the world is that no matter how much could you do at to beginning, when you fail it just does not matter.

Maybe I have missed a vital truth all along.  Maybe my need to feel at home is just to want created from the depths and sorrow of living and lonely fear for so long.  Perhaps in negating my needs that are not needs, I even need to abandon my desire to have a home; to feel it home.  Along the way every human that has promised to be part of my home has eventually rejected me and said that I was to blame.

The vital truth, Dear Reader is that this place, this world is not my home and perhaps if I give up all desire for it to have a any feel of home I can destroy that in me that others find so abhorrent.  We are all blind to the worst thing we do.  When those we claim to love fail we do not restore them in love.  We do not draw closer to them to help them heal.  We leave them alone in pain, sorrow, and salve our own hurts by judging them worse than we are.

It is not lost on me that it is three years to the day that I became homeless in my comfy little apartment.  I think I am done trying to seek any home but the one that lies at the clearing at the end of the journey.  That is where I am headed anyway and anything in between is just temporary shelter for a lonely traveler.

I Will Bring You Home – Michael Card

Though you are homeless

Though you're alone

I will be your home

Whatever's the matter

Whatever's been done

I will be your home

I will be your home

I will be your home

In this fearful fallen place

I will be your home

When time reaches fullness

When I move my hand

I will bring you home

Home to your own place

In a beautiful land

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

From this fearful fallen place

I will bring you home

I will bring you home

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 ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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

Facebook      Google +   

Twitter            Medium    

Kids BLOG

Novels on Amazon             

Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Abdication Disallowed – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

There are so many things for which Christ followers are responsible.  We are not permitted to abdicate any of them.  We are not permitted to relegate any of them to others sources.  We are our brother’s keeper.  We are to love our enemies, our neighbors, and the Father at any cost.

This means that no matter what our moral position on someone’s actions, we are not to deny our responsibility to meet their needs.  We cannot use judgment of character as an excuse to fail in caring for others.  We cannot abdicate the command to love unconditionally. 

Whenever the church fails at this the cost is devastating.  The church is made up of people who claim Christ.  It we claim to follow Christ and do not adhere to this then we are not following.  We are instead using his name for our own purposes.  Part of loving God is refusing to use his name for our own purposes.

The simplicity of this encompasses the entire complexity of the world.  We are to humbly, lovingly care for others no matter who they are or what they believe.   If we do this one job it changes the world.  It crushes resistance to faith.  It destroys hatred.  It is in this one command, to love that we find the path that is follow Christ.

If we fail to do this we abdicate all that Christ calls us to be as his followers.  I must assure that I do this above all else.  I must become this and not abdicate it for a moment.  It was entrusted to me and is not mine to give 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.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Abdication Disallowed – Faith

Greetings Dear Reader,

“The just shall live by faith.”

It is faith that connects us to the Father.  It is in faith that we are to do all things.  It is in faith that we follow Christ.  I have talked before about the common nature of faith.  We all have faith in something even if it is that faith is not necessary.

My thought here is that we may not abdicate faith in anything we do.  If I do not act in faith that my actions follow Christ then I should not act.  It is in faith that we are to do all things.  We cannot believe that we are doing what is right without faith. 

We will have doubts but must doubt in faith.  We cannot abdicate our faith.  Embracing Christ is a commitment.  It is establishing a relationship.  We follow in faith.  We live in faith and we abide in faith.

Whether I abdicate faith in a moment or permanently I am violating the foundation of my relationship with Christ.  I am not allowed to do this.  I must live by faith. I must not abdicate even in a moment.  I must hold onto my faith at any cost.  It is in faith that life is found.

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 ͡°)

Abdication Disallowed – Social Justice

Greetings Dear Reader,

I loathe politics.  It seems to almost always be about money and power.  Even those who want to do good get embroiled in the machinery.  Part or the problem is that Christ followers have abdicated social justice to the government.  

It does not matter what a person’s politics are if they are in need.  They are either friends or enemies and we are to love both.  I do not have to agree with someone’s lifestyle or choices to be loving and kind.  I do not have to accept all of another’s values to live out the value I am commanded to have.

Medical needs, common respect, and genuine kindness transcend all social barriers.  I may not abdicate my responsibility to care for others to anyone else.  The church must not give over its Christ commanded obligation to care for the needs of those around us.  We cannot deliver our vertical message of divine justice if we do not live the horizontal message of social justice.

We need to stop expecting those who do not follow Christ to act like Christ followers.  We need to see the needs of others as an opportunity to exemplify the love of Christ.  Every time we judge and condemn instead of loving and giving we abdicate our calling in Christ.

It does not matter what social position an individual takes.  It does not matter what someone believes.  What matters is if Christ is allowed to be seen through us in every circumstance.  I must assure that my disagreement with any social position does not cause me to abdicate my responsibility to social justice for everyone.   Allowing someone else to be mistreated is mistreating him.

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 ͡°)

Abdication Disallowed – Love

Greetings Dear Reader,

We abdicate the command to love very often.   As I look back on my life some of my greatest failures have been because I failed to love unconditionally.   Marriages, relationships, and strangers suffer when we fail to love unconditionally. 

When we give negative emotions control we abdicate our responsibility to love.  When we are selfish or greedy we abdicate love.   The two commands prevail.  Upon the commands to love God and love each other (neighbors and enemies) rests everything we hope to become. 

When we abdicate our love for God the weight of it can be eternal.  The consequences send out destructive ripples to those around us.  We can choose to also abdicate the truth of this but that does not change it.  We lose friends and family when we abdicate our responsibility to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind.

Abdication of our love for those around us is just as costly.  When I fail to treat others with unconditional love I fail to love the Father and I damage people.  In business and in personal dealings I find the most peace when I respond in love to the situations around me.  When I withhold that love (and that is what it is) I fail.  I often fail badly. 

It is never that I get fed up, or angry, or tired of something.  It is always that I abdicate my responsibility to love others fully and completely.  It is always that I choose not to love.  That is the abdication that I am never allowed.

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 ͡°)

Abdication Disallowed – The Hungry

Greetings Dear Reader,

If we are honest we do not do enough to solve the problem of hunger in the world.  I have plenty.  I have been homeless and hungry.  It was a short time but long enough for me to understand what hunger is.

When we turn vital necessities into profit centered commodities it is destined that we propagate hunger.  A deeper issue is that we do not manage waste.  As we left our time at the sea we had to discard food that was still viable simple because there was no way to transport it.  Someone with vision could find a way to get that food to the hungry. 

The problem is that there are not ways to feed those who are hungry.  The problem is that we do not care enough about it.  I enter the grocery store and get what I need with little thought for those around me who cannot do the same.  I participate in things that help feed the hungry but perhaps have abdicated too much to agencies. 

I am not allowed to abdicate my responsibility for those who are hungry in my community or the world.  As long as there are hungry in the world waste and overabundance are wasted opportunities.  I must find new ways to assist in feeding the hungry.

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 ͡°)

Abdication Disallowed – Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

“Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses?”  In A Christmas Carol Scrooge asks this question when approach about being charitable concerning the needs of others.  His pre-specter opinion is that the needs of the poor are the responsibility of charities and the government.

One of the things that seems to be common is for us to relegate things to social organizations that are individual responsibilities.  I must concede that some things need to be handled by trained professionals but there is much more.  Many societal needs are the responsibility of individuals.  When we relegate them to the government or charities we abdicate our obligation to help others.

This creates a situation where I am too far removed from the needs of others.  We need processes in place to help on a large scale.  We also need to assure that we do not forego our personal responsibility for the needs around us.

In order to refresh my understanding of this I am going to walk through some social issues in my pondering.  I want to be clear that I am not relegating or abdicating my obligation to others.  If Christ followers do not take on social responsibility then we cannot show Christ to others.  Walk with me for a bit Dear Reader and let me know what you think.

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 ͡°)

Compassion and Compromise

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the things about the election cycle that tasks me is the politicization of social issues.  No matter which of the candidates one prefers they have used social stresses to divide the electorate.  Money and energy is spent screaming “our side is right” that should be used to address healthcare and hunger needs.

The biggest problem I see is that if we show compassion over an issue that “our side” rejects that we have compromised our standards.  We let people go hungry because we would rather argue over entitlements that feed people.  We would rather argue over morality issues than see to it that everyone has healthcare. 

It gets reported daily that this or that candidate has spent millions of dollars on his or her campaign.   Why not require that those running spend millions enhancing the programs they support instead of promising to do so if they get the job. 

I am not compromising my faith or standards if I am compassionate to everyone.  I am required by my faith to feed the hungry and care for the poor no matter who they are.  There was a time when the early church was criticized for not only help their own poor but helping the poor that were their enemies as well. 

When we wonder why our banner is torn and disrespected we should consider what goes on beneath it.  We are supposed to quietly and humbly serve the needs of everyone.  I am required to show unconditional compassion to everyone no matter what their social or political stance.  It is my obligation to do good to others no matter how I feel about what they do. 

It is not a compromise of my standards to feed my enemy or opponent.   It is not a violation of my standards to love those who violate them.  Following Christ is following this standard.  No matter what my politics I am not following Christ if I neglect the poor.  I am not following if I do not care for the health of everyone.  I need to follow his eample if I am going to follow him.

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 ͡°)

The Best of Times; the Worst of Times – Abase and Abound

Greetings Dear Reader,

I do not speak of it often outside of family.   I was homeless once for about six months.  A colliding set of circumstances and some friends who turned out not to be friends at all put me on the streets for a space in my early twenties.  It was surely a worst of times.

At this time in my life I have a measure of security.   Stable income and a mature attitude toward that income make for life of relative plenty.   As I am turning this home back into a house I ponder the former time of homelessness.  The lack of home back then did damage to me that has not healed completely.

It did give me an undying compassion for the homeless.  It showed me that there are places that truly work to help the homeless and that there are places that take advantage of them.  I remember in that time succeeding in being good to others.  I also remember failing to truly trust Christ to care for me during the first half of my exile.

Paul talks about being abased and abound or being made low and being exalted.  I have been both.  In all of it the thing that I have learned is that Christ is there.  He is there in every moment if I will seek him.  Paul also talks about being content in every situation.  I am still working on that one. 

I have to assure that the contentment is not a flat response to my situation.  I have to assure that I am content that Christ is with me even when I face things I would rather not.  I have to assure that I look for Christ in the moments of joy and laughter as well.  It all comes back to seeing Christ in the right way in every circumstance.

For some reason Jesus is asking me to face my deepest fears.  He will be faithful if I seek him.  Being with God and being content with just that is a lesson he has taught me over and over.  It is my responsibility to apply the lesson.

Box Number 10 – Jim Croce

Uploaded on Oct 18, 2010

Well out of southern Illinois, come a down home country boy

He's gonna make it in the city playin guitar in the studio

Well he hadn't been there an hour, when he met a Broadway flower

You know she took him for his money and she left him in a cheap hotel

Well it's easy for you to see, that that country boy is me

I'm sayin how'm I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home

Well I was gonna be a great success, things sure ended up a mess

But in the process, I got messed up too

Well hello momma and dad I had to call collect

cause I aint got a cent to my name

Well I'm sleepin in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'd be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission Box Number 10

Oh back in southern Illinois, they still worryin' bout that boy

But this boy's goin home soon as he gets the fare

Because as soon as I got my bread, I got a pipe upside my head

You know they left me in an alley, took my money and my guitar too

Well hello momma and dad I had to call collect

cause I aint got a cent to my name

Well I'm sleepin in the hotel doorway

And tonight they say it's gonna rain

And if you'd only send me some money

I'd be back on my feet again

Send it in care of the Sunday Mission Box Number 10

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 Truth – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Son Maxim has some rules that he is teaching his Sons.  One of them is that we are always honest men.  Imagine what Christ followers could accomplish for the world if they were always honest.  Our command is to speak the truth in love.  If we take away hate as we discussed yesterday and lovingly always spoke the truth what would that look like?

It would mean that our message would be that God loves everyone.  It would mean that we did not fabricate things to advance our cause.  We would share the Gospel through serving hands and not the hammer of condemnation.  We could admit openly and honestly when we think things are wrong without attacking people who do those things.

Until the Church both universally and locally is known for its solutions to the social problems caused by evil it does not have the right to be heard on spiritual matters.  If we are going to say abortion is wrong we should be known for our care of the parents and children involved when there is an unwanted pregnancy.

No matter where you are on the political spectrum that we allow homelessness and poverty it shameful.   It is truth that we must care for the needs of others.  Currently a very small percentage of those who call themselves Christians do anything to meet the needs of others.  Preaching the Gospel the homeless and hungry is like throwing a book on swimming to a drowning man.  Unless we are committed enough to the commands of Christ to help others we have no way to show that the Gospel has hands and feet.

Jesus’ brother James cautioned us that our faith must be shown by our works.  The truth of what we say can only be seen in what we do.  It speaks loudest when it is in service to those who can do nothing for us in return.  I must be vigilant concerning the needs of others. It is through honesty application of the commands of Christ that I can hope to impact others.

If I believe all of this to be true then I must live that truth.  I must find my faith acting in the lives of others for their good if I hope to earn the right to share that faith.  If I neglect the needs of others and try to ask you to follow what I follow then I am not living the truth. 

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 ͡°)