Slow Down ~ Greet Instead of Delete

Greetings Dear Reader,

Whilst we are in our homes, it is necessary to stay in touch with people.  We have the advantage over every previous global plague in that we have social media to support us in our social distance.  I have seen something a couple of times that I wish to ponder in a positive way.

It seems, in a time when people are experiencing forced isolation, one of the choices they make is to edit their “friends list”.  Sometimes they put out a post to see who responds and delete those who do not.  It always seems to me that this puts a narrow, heavy condition on friendships.

If we expect others to respond to us, we must know all of their circumstances.  We must understand everything about their lives and how they use their social media.  Without this knowledge, our conditions are unjust.  We have discussed often that any expectations make love conditional and can kill it.  It is the same for friendships.

I have been unfriended by people who are angry with me and by those who did not hear from me as often as they wished.  I think I want to propose something that could be healthier for everyone.  Instead of going on a public purge, quietly reach out to people with whom you have not connected in some time.

Post something positive on their wall.  Send an instant message that is encouraging.  Tag someone in a post that will be uplifting.  Give someone a surprise that is positive and kind.  These acts of love and kindness that encourage can be an oasis in the sea of fear and negativity.

We are seeing humans controlled by fear and panic.  We can provide a little light in this gloom.  Our positive interactions can give others a place to stand.  Our faith can help others have hope.  As we move more slowly through this time, let us consider investing in those we know who may need the encouragement.  Perhaps we can give enough light so that others can find their way. 

I spent some time yesterday evening looking over my friends' list.  I invested in praying for my friends and sending some of them encouraging notes.   I will use the fortnight of solitude to send them notes of encouragement and kindness.  It is a simple thing but it may help.  How about you Dear Reader; care to take up the challenge?

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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Slow Down ~ Turn the Page

Greetings Dear Reader,

I promised to suggest some things to do with your time.  According to the Pew Research Center, in 2019 roughly a quarter of U.S. adults (27%) say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or audio form.  As an author, this really hurts my feelings.  This means that for one-quarter of you, there is a zero percent chance of you buying my books. 

Since we are to shelter in place as much as possible over the next fortnight, I would suggest that you take advantage of Amazon’s amazing delivery options.  You can order many books to journey through and catch up on your reading time.  This link will take you to my Author Page on Amazon and this one will take you to My Publisher. 

What is more important, is that you read.  Reading feeds the mind and nurtures the soul.  It takes our focus off of the problems and allows us to escape from worry.  Books do not have commercials or news breaks.  One can dive into a world where anything can happen.  In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Guinan, the Enterprise bartender says, “Books can take you places a Starship can never go.”  Ponder that for a moment.

Some of you are thinking “but I do not read books.”  No one does a good thing until they do it.  Your past need not be your future.  There are great books out there that can take you on adventures whilst you sit in your comfy chair and enjoy your favorite beverage. 

Books change us.  They teach and guide.  They reward and warn.  If you dare you should read more.  I know I am going to do so.  I would prefer that all of you buy my books and read them.  I care more that you read.  As always, I would suggest that you share your thoughts and questions with me, but if you get lost in a book and forget to, that is a great reward.  You give me more insight when we share our book adventures together.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

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Slow Down ~ The Value of a Thing

Greetings Dear Reader,

The entire quote is from Larry Niven in the book Lucifer’s Hammer.  This is one of my favorite dystopian novels.  “The value of a thing is what that thing will bring.”  When we consider this, we find it both true and a lie.  It cannot be accepted as an axiom.

When we see people willing to sell hand-sanitizer for $79 we understand the idea behind it.  Price-gouging is a recurring theme when there are disasters.  There is a federal agency, The National Center for Disaster Fraud.  Their job is to prevent a package of 320 Lysol disinfecting wipes that usually cost $13.57 being priced at $220.

If we accept this practice during a time of trouble, we are not loving our fellow humans.  We are moving fast when we should slow down.  If we truly believe that the Father provides our needs, we do not have to engage in either end of this kind of transaction.  We are always better off than our fears tell us. 

When we move too fast, we hoard when we should be sharing.  We raise the price when we should be giving.  When we move slowly, we see the needs of others.  We share, give, and love.  During times of trouble, we can stand out by moving slowly.  Dear Reader, it is far better to give than to receive.  It is what will reflect Christ to others.  It is what puts us on the path where the Father can care for us as we care for others.

This is the path that we all must walk.  It is the journey that gets us closer to home and further from our lower selves.  It is where the joy is.  It raises the opportunity to be moving slowly enough to see the Father at work in the world.  That is priceless.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

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

Slow Down ~ Panic Buying

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we consider the spectrum of things that we need, I wonder sometimes if we have a misunderstanding of need.  If the needs are genuine, we should find good ways to meet them.  We should also realize that getting our needs met is never permission to neglect the genuine needs of others.

If we think we need toilet paper that is not a problem.  No one needs all the toilet paper.  Further, no one needs to explain why they need toilet paper.  No one needs to justify meeting his or her genuine needs.  The danger in panic buying is that it is a loud proclamation that we are not trusting the Father to meet our needs.

In truth, if we claim to follow Christ, there is never a time to panic.  We may feel fear but fear is never supposed to be in charge.  When we fear not having toilet paper, we are expressing our lack of belief that the Father will care for us.  We are walking without faith.

As we slow down for a bit whilst the world shelters in place, perhaps we can adopt a different view.  Perhaps we can inventory our needs honestly.  We can consider others when we buy what we need.  I wonder how many people buying toilet paper got some for a neighbor who might need it.  I ponder if we really get that we are our brother’s keeper. 

Perhaps a calm, slow, and loving accounting of what we need can lead us to better seeing where our faith falls during a pandemic.  I would never promote not being cautious.  I would also never deny you a hug.  It is good to wash your hands.  You do not need a 55-gallon drum of hand sanitizer.  It is a good idea to wash your hands slowly.  You do not need a song to do this if you are intent on the moment of handwashing.

If we truly wish to follow Christ, everything must be deliberately devoted to him.  That means that we must slow down.  We must not panic about anything.  The Father has never gotten the weather wrong, missed the death of a sparrow, or not known what is coming next.  Put the energy of panic into slow deliberate expressions of faith.  As we travel Dear Reader, I am content to set a slower pace for us if you wish.  Just let me know what you need.  I know that I am going to slow down.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

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Slow Down ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

I must confess that I am surprised that I am surprised at the response to the Coronavirus.  If you had told me a week ago that people would be panic buying toilet paper, I would have expressed greater confidence in my fellow travelers.  I even expressed this to some friends, thinking that people would ignore it.  To my chagrin, I was very wrong.

If I had considered it, we have been training to be fearful and panicked by this.  Our fiction and our fears have honed our ability to react in ways that are not the best.  We have taught ourselves to be led by our fears through our politics and entertainment.  We rush to react instead of thinking and responding.

With schools closing and events being canceled, we have an opportunity to slow down.  We have the chance to reconnect, unplug, and touch down in our lives in ways that we have not in a long while.  Since I have spent most of the last year doing this anyway, I wish to ponder how I can improve my walk with you during this time Dear Reader. 

I hope you will walk with me and share how you are going to make this time meaningful for you and yours.  Perhaps together we can turn reactions from fear into responses of faith.  The journey is about the one we follow and loving each other along the way.  Fear and panic have no place.  Let us slow down a little and see if we can gain some permanent changes that better suit our lives.  As always, I treasure 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 homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

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

The Impossible ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

We opened this thinking by considering baseball.  The act of hitting the ball is clear evidence of doing the impossible.  There is other evidence that we do the impossible every day.

When I set aside my anger, preferences, or selfishness to show love to others, I am doing the impossible.  It is made possible because of grace and love.  When I am called out on something I do wrong and respond in humility instead of pride, I am doing something that is impossible for me to do alone. 

When we follow Christ faithfully, we make the impossible not only possible but probable.  Love and grace crush the impossible that allows others to change.  A friend told me last night how different I am over the last year.  The observation was based on hours and hours of conversation and interaction over real issues.  The conclusion that people can change makes the work worth it.

The thing we get to be a part of that is the most impossible is the impact of our love on the lives of others.  We get to turn death into a fighting chance to live.  We get to see others become their better selves.  Relationships can be restored.  Families can heal. Those we have written off can be written back on. 

It only works when we believe that the impossible is possible.  If the Father can redeem us, we become the impossible transformed to the possible.  Our lives become testaments to the journey that reveals the possible every day.  How we travel with others reveals the impossible coming alive in us and being shared with others. 

In this space, in that 1/10 of a second when we believe and choose to act in love, we make it all possible.  That, Dear Reader, is where life exists.  It is in that moment when we choose to believe, follow, and act.  I hope that you can embrace the depth of this reality long before I did.  Life is so much richer when we see it this way.  There is still pain and sorrow.  The difference is that each replication of that moment yields results that can last for eternity.  That is the impossibility that we can all make possible.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

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Second Thoughts – International Nurses Day 2020

Greetings Dear Reader,

Over the last year, I have been privileged to befriend several nurses.  Each of them brings to their work compassion and a passion that reminds me so much of the love that Christ wishes for us to see.  They work difficult jobs over odd shifts, sacrificing time with family to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

My friends who are nurses do everything from neonatal care to emergency room trauma intervention.  Some of them were students of mine and some are friends I have met along the way.  Each of them shows love for other lives that few get to freely express.  I am proud of each of them for the dedication they show to their vocation.

Today we honor nurses around the world.  I wanted to take a moment to be sure that the nurses I know are aware of how much I love and respect them.  I will listen when you tell me what to do to care for myself.  I will understand when you are tired.  I will always pray for you and the work you carry.

I pray for your families as well.  They lose a little of you as you work to extend life to others.  I know it is taxing but the greater good you do is vital to us all.  Today is the day I renew my commitment to honor nurses and all the things they do for us.  Join me, Dear Reader, in thanking them.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

The Impossible ~ Not Forgotten

Greetings Dear Reader,

I recall an event from when I was four.  It may be earlier.  I know it was before the oldest of my younger siblings was born.  I was singing a song I had heard.  My mum asked me how I knew that song.  I said I had heard it on the radio.  It had not occurred to me that I had only heard it once.

It seems that I have the ability to hear a song once and retain most of the lyrics.  This complements that thing in my brain where I hear a song relative to almost every conversation that I am having.   I am able to carry music with me anywhere I wish.  It is entertaining for me when songs bubble to the surface and I immediately see how they relate to the current conversation.  Sometimes I can share this with the person because I feel the song will help him or her.  Mostly it is something that helps me understand the person better.

As part of this, I associate songs with people as well.  Almost all of my friends and family have a song that is “their” song in my mind.  It plays in my head when I encounter them.  It truly helps me assess my attitude about the person.  It also tells me a great deal about my instincts concerning that person when we first get to know each other.

What does all this have to do with making the impossible, possible you may ask?  It is impossible for me to remember all the songs.  I wish that I could.  What I do know is that there are songs surfacing that I have not considered in many years.  They are the “songs that the darkness composes to worship the Light.”  They spin on the turntable in my mind with the pops and crackles of an old LP. 

The songs remind me to constantly be aware that the time is coming when all the music that matters will be available to me.  The one I follow will bring about the harmony that can only exist in the one song that contains all songs.  This seems too simple I know.

It is, however, true.  There will come a time, outside of time, when the music is always there and it is always good.  Until then, know that in my heart and mind you have your very own song, Dear Reader.  I may or may not tell you what it is.  You are welcome to ask.  It is never bad and always reminds me how to love you.  We can sing together as we walk home.  I have been told my voice is passable.  What matters most is the growing catalog of songs that remind me to love others and by doing so, love the Father.

When the Music's Not Forgotten ~ Deadman

Please come close, for I long for you to hear
Hear the sound that will rid you of your fears
In a land, where no water can be found
In a place, where there is no fertile ground
Longing for, yearning not to be forgotten
In an age, when the music is forgotten
In an age, when the music is forgotten

And the truth (in the truth)
Speaks of great and mighty things
Teaching us (teaching us)
What the peace of heaven brings
We must give (we must give)
We must give to all the others; those in need (those in need)
Who we fear to call our brothers

Reaching out (reaching out)
So that we are not forgotten
In a time (in a time)
When the music is forgotten
In a time (in a time)
When the music is forgotten

If we stand on a hill and do not touch
How can we do good?
If we wash our hands of all our friends
What change can really come?
If we hide our fears and don't draw near
Have we really lived?
Or are we all just standing here
Hoping there is grace?

In a dream (in a dream)
That I had not long ago
Visions of (visions of)
A city made of gold
And a sound (and a sound)
That I never heard before
Such a sound (such a sound)
Saturating to the core
Such a sound (such a sound)
One that cannot be forgotten

In a time (in a time)
When the music's not forgotten

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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

The Impossible ~ The Water Before the Water

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the things that seems impossible to me is to further reduce my consumption.  I think that then I laugh as new ideas surface as to how to accomplish it.  I have determined that I am going to focus on my water usage as preparation for the realization of Project Tortoise Shell.

In that pursuit, I have tried to measure out the water I consume each day and the way in which I obtain it.  In my apartment, I have readily available water.  Once I have my motorhome (Tortoise Shell), I will not.  The model I am seeking has a 26-liter fresh water tank.  This will matter.  In that knowledge I am trying to learn better discipline with water consumption.  I may write a longer piece about everything I am doing but today I want to focus on the water I drink as plain water.

If I am supposed to consume three liters a day, I need to have that much available to me.  This does not count the water needed for cooking, bathing, washing hands, and toilet flushing.  This morning I needed to wash a dish.  For this, I needed hot water.  I have wondered in the past how much water it takes to get it from the heater to my faucet in my apartment.

Having wondered and then measured, I know it is almost four liters.  This means that I can fill my two 1.5-liter bottles and my 1-liter bottle with water whilst waiting for the hot water.  When I do this, I have water for the day at my desk without having to get up.  I also have a 5-liter jug if I need to get to hot water from the sink at another time during the day.

When I first considered it, managing my water this way seemed impossible.  Now that it is a habit, I realize that I save time and water.   Since it is normal, I understand how much water is wasted simply waiting for the hot water.  The water before the hot water is good water.  Adding the step of capturing it for later use has saved me much time in the day filling my vessels. 

If I can manage this simple change in habit just to reduce water consumption, in what other areas can I achieve what seems impossible?  If we break down all of the things we think, say, and do we can discover healthy efficiencies that seem impossible at first.  We can turn gaps in our intention into intentional acts of kindness, grace, and love. 

The jump from saving water to loving my fellow humans is not that far.  I recently mentioned to my friend Kim that one of the first instructions given to humans by the Father was to care for the planet.   Proper planetary stewardship is part of loving the Father with all that we are; the first commandment.  

I cannot honestly say that I follow the Son if I am not doing all that I can to love the Father.  If I focus on this, Dear Reader, then every act of consumption must be intentional, thoughtful, and loving.  That seems like a great way to turn the impossible into possible one liter of water at a time.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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

The Impossible ~ Losing Oneself

Greetings Dear Reader,

Recently a coworker said, “I really need a vacation from my life.”  Given the level of pressure in her job, I can understand that need. I suppose we all reach times when we wish to live in a different place in a different way for a bit.  This is likely why destination vacations are so popular.

Then there are those events or circumstances which push us to change our lives on a larger scale.  Sometimes this is good.  Sometimes it is not.  The common denominator in all of these is the discrepancy between what is desired and what exists.  We can lose ourselves if we let that discrepancy endure for too long. 

The crux of this is that we need to lose ourselves in some ways.  Who we are outside of Christ is not something we can endure well.  I am not saying that all of us have miserable lives because we do not follow Christ.  I am saying that no matter how good or ill our lives are with Christ, it is not our first, best destiny to remain that way.  Until we lose ourselves in Jesus, we are not complete.

I realize that this sounds both simple and puerile.  In truth, it is what works.  When I gave up everything, it was because I was no longer able to sustain anything.  My fork in the road had three paths.  Two of them led only to darkness where my mind embraced the unthinkable.   The third was giving my entire being over to the impossible task of dying to self so that I could live.  A year and a bit down the road, I can see the impossible becoming the possible.

Even though I have a glimpse of this impossibility, I still have so very far to go.  Leaving my self for my better self is the hardest divorce there is.  Years of habits ingrained in my journey are hard to ignore when the call for my attention.  The more often I succeed, the easier it becomes.

There are still some parts of my heart and mind that want to reclaim their superior inferiority.  The journey gets hard and the discipline is tiresome.  I know, however, that I am being pried away from something that I wish to be free of anyway.   The peace and sweetness of being removed from those things that harm me and others is incomparable to anything that resembled home before it.

We must lose all of our natural selves in order to find our way home Dear Reader.  It is in this losing oneself that we can find our true enduring selves.  It is here that we can see the path home, walk it together, and become examples of the impossible becoming possible.  We can discuss this as much as you wish.

Home from Home - Roo Panes

Bright young sun, it looks like the morning's come,
And its all come so easy like the heavens are wishing me well.
And those dawning eyes brought forth my own sunrise,
Well, it's been a long time since the beat of my heart was a friend,
It's been a long time since I felt I was breathing again.

In you, I found my home from home,
Left all that I knew for a love that I know.

So fresh air, open ways, mild nights, wild days, wondering in wonder, pondering what wandering we'll do.
I guess I don't care about what? When? Or where? Because I'm starting to realize the question worth asking is, who?
I'm starting to realize the question worth answering is you.

In you, I found my home from home,
Left all that I knew for a love that I know

And that grip you prized me from I was already trying to lose.
It was holding me, to hold me back from you!

I guess its funny, this two-fold irony;

I guess its funny, this two-fold irony,
My greatest victory was my own defeat,

Greatest victory in my own defeat.

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:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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Medium         Instagram 

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