why the colour, i wonder ..

everything says ' this is the real '
but we know different
or should

what we see and perceive, 2 differing experiences, really isn't all there is to it ..
damned good thing too
'cause i, for one, could never figure the point of it all ..
what is the point ??

not for some strange ' feeling ' in the pit of my mind that there has got to be more to it than this life as it appears onthefaceofit, i, one of those southpawish introverts, might well have left already ..
apart from the introversion stuff, there's the uselessness ..
unless of course you're willing to reduce it to a monarch-ish butterfly's creaturely instinctive life that passes-on its creatureliness to the next generation while travelling to exciting new lands with grand vistas .. they die on the journey, never witnessing the arrival, leaving the rendezvous at travel's-end for another generation to relish ..

the instinctive drive to perpetuate life

i'm sure there's pleasure for the butterfly in that journeying, but i think that ..
i think
i go beyond the pleasure of the moment
to wonder
beyond

..

there's this turn of theology that looks dangerously reducive, wrapping all of God's creation into one beautiful ball-shaped manifestation in all it's admitted glory ..

aside .. .
this happens to be my favourite time, colouring my year with my personal colour scheme of redsyellowsorangesgoldsbrownsgreens and the colours between, stretching my awe, Fall after Autumn, jaw agape, camera clicking as i try to take it all in again, and capture something of the emotional content to boot ..

that pallette presents itself in all its glory, falling leaf by leaf towards the hard ground of our humanity, as a human experience of beauty and wonder ..

but i am able to appreciate that beauty in an otherly manner, an observer, wondering and processing it all in a fashion that offers me a distinctive view, while being absolutely here

the difference is something in my makeup, something that distinguishes me from the leaf, the tree, and allows me to ponder, to awe ..

i am somehow different
it is that difference that calls humanity to a far greater accountability than any other creaturely form, a responsibility to not only appreciate the other, but to do our damnedest to preserve and perpetuate it as a manifestation of the 'divine' in me that speaks cool colours and beauty in its own right

there's something behind the beauty, some designing purpose
some calling to appreciate not only the beauty, but the beautiful purpose
..

the real we see is an inyourface thing
the real we do not see lies in back and beyond

so while i wonder at the colourfull fall in all its own glory
i go beyond to the beauty that saw that beauty in the designing of it for us humanity, who can somehow appreciate the beauty in its own right and yet appreciate the beauty behind the beauty
the beauty i see is merely a manifestation of a purposeful mind who not only understands beauty, but knows somehow what beauty is for me ..

there's a resonate there, a commonality in the mind of the purposeful beauty-creator and my mind

wow

really ??

really ????

..

somehow there's a connection between the i that i am and the person that created
and that defies the reductive 'theology' that wants to place the Autumn gorgeous and the beholder in the very same crucible of life that dies for the propulsion and propagation of life .. life fostering life fostering life ..

somehow i differ from that cycle
my crucible isn't that
at least not only that
there's more
there's more

..

i am not the same as the rest of the creation we know
somewhow i'm other
although i am integrally part of

that difference lies in recognizing the godness in me
that i am like an-other
somehow different
not the same
but like
a like that differentiates me from the creation-like i'm part of

that godlikeness is found right at the creation story, right at the beginning
in the opening chapters of the hebrew christian holybook

and God said this .. let's make humans ..
let's make them like we are
like us

that was the distinctive
the setapartness
the 'holy' design of the human that set them in a different light from the rest of God's good creation, that made the human accountable to CreatorGod and responsible as Godlikebeings for the rest of creation

..

so .. i'm not only part of the created order of things
and i'm not only like Creator
i'm a mix
a blend of the red and the green
a halfbreed
a privileged being, like God, living in the world i am part of

that leaves me a mysterious creature
able to appreciate the grandness of Fallcolour
able to appreciate the great Fallenness of the world of which i am
able to appreciate the majestic beauty and purity of the person who dreamed it all up, the person that made it happen and then infused it with creaturely images of Godself, while all at once comprehending something of the grandeur that first adorned it in its pristinity..

what an absolutely incredible thought ..

that leaves me in a most delicate suspense

a delicacy that callsout for wisdom
to understand
why
and what part is mine

somehow i have to be part of this, yet responsible to That
to somehow manifest the reality of who i am, who i was created as
and follow that through

it is a tall tall wall to climb
i'm not sure i have the wherwithal
but .. somehow i have to try
for failure to try is tantamount to a denial of the That i am like
and the world in which i live and move and be
observing its occasional beauty in the midst of all the dark horror of its life
   war
   power
   ownership
   and all the slavery that falls into that
      enslaved mind
      enslaved body
      bound by what i see and 'know'
      socialized to live in the pens created for us
         who refuse to look beyond the breeding grounds of a manufactured
         society that breeds more for the powers-that-be
         fuel their wealth
         perpetuate their pleasured power

..

i am so blessed to be able to perceive beyond the seeing
to know the Creator i am like
to be able to ask for wisdom to understand and to move in that direction
   beyond
   toward
while being here in the now with the other creatures in all their beauty

..

that journey, that climbing-the-wall, is a journey we all are called to take
that journey is the human endeavour
the trek beyond
upward
outward from me
to find the me i am created to be in the midst of life as it seems
in honour of the person that created it all
in the knowledge that i don't really know or understand it all
and that i need Creatorly insight, wisdom from above

..

that crucible is my forming fire
the place where the Creator was fired as human
as Jesus

i want that fire
for i want to be just exactly precisely Jesus ..
nothing less
nothing more

how about piping a different tune ..

" And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. "
acts 2

the context just beyond Pentecost, when the holy Spirit took up dwelling individually in Jesus' followers, just as Jesus had promised when he was about to face his final days - ' i will not leave you comfortless, i will come to you '

he did come, in the person of another Comforter

`|`

a few days ago a friend asked me my opinion on a piece written by a wellknown christian commentator and preacher
please read it; it's short
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-should-christians-think-about-socialism

`|`

the pic in the piece is bernie sanders

there are a couple problems from my perspective

bernie s does not promulgate socialism: what he speaks of is capitalistic socialism, which is obviously different, or he wouldn't have renamed it
and i daresay Mr sanders is not decrying the private ownership
he is crying-out against the blatantly unjust circumstance of the 1%, with the rapidly diminishing middle class and the rapid growth of poverty in the richest nation ever to exist ..
not that i'm a bernie s fan, just pointing that out

and, unlike the piper's take, mr sanders is not advocating for the state ownership of everything ..

`|`

but the more pertinent issue arising out of the article by the famous gentleman is the religious rather than the political

a point made was that people obviously had personal property in order to be able to give it away ..
true ..
however that comment in defense of capitalism and ownership rights does not reflect the scripture passage quoted
the obvious outtake is that they sold what they owned and gave it to the church to be used for the benefit of the group as a whole
the church became the manager of the pool of wealth
and everyone had their needs met

that's quite different from what the piper piped, quote:
" .. all of the Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament, assumes both the legitimacy — and, I think, the necessity — of personal ownership. " ..


secondly, while aditting that noone in the church should go hungry, the blatant fact is that they do .. and houseless and begging for clothes
if for some reason you beleive that christians aren't on the street, i advise you to think again ..
so the church is hardly accomplishing that task


thirdly, we in the church have this habit of restricting our responsibility to the 'members' of christianity
so that, while the good gentleman didn't address the issue, the massive migration of syrians would, i imaging, not suit his religious agenda for north america .. unless he vetted the lot for religious affiliation ..

the glaring problem with that think is that Jesus specifically answered that issue when asked by a smartypants " and who is my neighbour ? " (referred to in last blog post)
Jesus' response was to tell a story in which religion was blasted and lovingkindness exalted in the persons of a priest a levite and a dreaded samaritan
it was the strange outcast samaritan who rescued and cared for the (presumably) jewish man who fell among thieves, while the religious bigots crossed the street to pass by the beaten man ..
= your neighbour is anyone you meet anywhere anytime
as in any other human


fourthly, the author points to 2Corinthians 8,9 as bolster for private ownership
but Paul was telling the predominantly gentile (non-jew) church in corinth that they should be sharing with the church in jerusalem who were undergoing famine
this was 2 distinct segments, 2 churches in different locations
in the beginning of that passage he references the macedonian church and their giving, as an example, and he points out that they were poor and undergoing tribulation oof some sort, yet they gave out of their poverty to the same jerusalem church, and in addition - more significantly - gave of themselves, that is, they told God that what they had was God's, and relinquished their ownership to the Lord

that, again, is a very different take on the scriptures the writes refers to, and he's using it to defend private ownership and mine-mine, in my opinion

" I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. "
2Cor 8:8,9

well then .. seems that Jesus himself set the example
the Word of God, who was in the beginning with God, and was God, gave up Godhood to become human for our sakes
he impoverished himself
what on Earth could that exemplify in Paul's argument, i wonder

" I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. " 8:13
share, so that everyone has what they need
that's the simple message
no ?

" Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. As the Scriptures say,
' Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. ' "
8:14,15

it's true, they had private property .. but seems to me they didn't consider it theirs
like we do
..
i'll stop
i could go on

the message is clear, in my humbled opinion

`|`

one last thing

of all the scriptures and doctrines we have that speak to this, Jesus stands-out as the predominant exemplar, as noted
but moreso in this respect: he not only relinquished his godhood for humanity, but even as a human, he was a servant
now, we can ' dance all around robin hood's barn ' on this, but the fact is that Jesus was a person without private means, without a home (and if he had one, hardly went there (that we know of from the scriptures)), shucked corn in the fields for food, took coinage from the mouth of fish to pay taxes, slept outdoors often, etc.
we also know that there were some better-off disciples who used 'their' money to support him and the cause ..
furthermore, he refused to ask the Father for help by sending heavenly forces when his life was about to be taken

`|`

so, ya
it isn't so much private property that i have a problem with, it's the idea that it's mine

`|`

i have a problem from the gitgo when i hear someone defending capitalism at the cost of the poor, the fatherless, the widow, the homeless, the emigrant ..
seems to me i'd rather err on the other side of that argument, sir

for followers of Jesus, the weight should always .. always .. land on the side of the downtrodden, the unfortunate, the alien, the prisoner, the margined, the outcast

`|`

when we are unwilling to forego the social norms with which we have been indoctrinated for the sake of Jesus and the kingdom ..
hmmmmmm ..
then i have to question what sort of disciples we are ..

those men left their very families to follow Jesus
left their livelihoods
their homes

..

question is this .. if Jesus was to appear today and require that of me .. .    .
would i ?

sundays speak .. violence and hope

one of the pleasures of my life at present is Sunday routine ..
if i can, i get to be with church
   and participate in the Gospel in its fullness, in context
and then spend some private time in a public coffee place
   ruminate
   read
   write

for me, it is a blissful blessing all its own

..

perusing Huffpost, the hot headline is ' days of rage ', a report on the dread israeli/palestinian conflict as it persists - death, threat, anger and rage, offense, abuse and confrontation ..

..

the hot topic at church was Magdalene house for abused women in Nashville and its Thistle Farms ..
hospitality
which, according to the preacher, speaks this .. " at bottom, at its core, christianity is hospitality ..
' in my Father's house are many dwellings; i go to prepare you one' .  " ..

..

while we war at one another
   there are pieces of peace in places
while we dispute vehemently over shiite and sunni, catholic and protestant, evangelical, fundamentalist, liberal ..
   there is the gospel in its going, here and there
while we kill in all its forms - abuse, hate, cast out, curse, malign and gossip, disregard and shame
   there is lifegiving in the name of Jesus

..

a certain man was travelling down to Jericho
and fell among thieves ..
a story Jesus told when asked about eternal life and "so, who is my neighbour ?"
a story about an outsider, a stranger who stopped on that wicked road to help
while all the religious folk walked on by, smelling themselves ..
the neighbour was the stranger, the outcast samaritan, the outsider
   says the preacher

..

while this world is marked and defined more by evil than by good
   there is the indescribable peace of God

i am fortunate to live in a 'free' country
while the majority live in or under threat of violence and war and greed that leads to poverty ..
very fortunate
and yet, there is a violence and war of another not-so-bulleted-and-bombed sort all around me ..
that abuse, hate, cast out, curse, malign and gossip, disregard and shame
that divide into groups
dismiss for colour
denigrate for sexuality
degrade for religion
disregard for social status
deprive of basic wellbeing for poverty
   the senseless delusion of finding oneself in riches
      “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” ( Lk 12.15 )

..
the fruit of godliness is
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
humility
self-control

this is where Godspirit leads and dwells

..

while we are a most violent and abusive breed of creature
there is Good News
messages of hope
for us
here, in our context
to be planted in the hearts of our neighbours ..
good seed
producing such fruit

hope in the face of dread

let us be a people of hope
blessing our neighbour with good! news
   in Jesus' name

falling into colourful suffering ..

i dont know which is my mostest favourite .. spring or fall ..
it's falling right now, so i guess this is it

i love the colour
absolutely

but there's that nagging thought in the midsection of my brainthink that resurects itself - winter's coming
and i hate winter ..
every bone in my body cries out to be warmed
every muscle tenses at the cold
.. it's a tense time for me
and i spend much of it anticipating the resurrection of warmth
via that sun
the sun is the redeeming icon of winter for me

one day i'm going to tattoo that sun (as part of a more iconic symbol) onto my back

`|`

meanwhile the colours are showing - o my ..
i never ever tire of the awe of it all, and i'm sure if i retrace my blogsteps i'd find similar posts falling around this time in years gone by ..

i must get deep into the mountains soon
camera astrap
dog in tow

i relish that

`|`

the cycle of life
..

we humans arrive, grow, live, degenerate and die
pretty awful when it's put like that ..
simply awful

but we know the 70 or 90 (or 50) years we have are a whole lot more complicated than that simplistic statement
a whole lot more
there's great food and sparse cupboards
wonderful moms and mothers that abuse
schooldays missed and bullying
teenage flirts and rejection
upscale careers and production lines
3 bed homes and doublewides
retirement and 'homes' where you go to die
.. even that's a precis ..

that look that made your day and the comment that unmade it
the kind gesture of an opened door, the harsh bark of an angry boss ..

a thank-you card, a note slipped in your lunchbox, sharing a samich with your bestie, kicking around a (real) football on the beach, a beer and some laughable chat, coffee and a good read, the squeeze of a tiny fist around your finger ..
the 'friend' that inserted the knife blade, that illness that ruined your vacation, a backhanded slap, the soul-tearing disappointment of love-to-be lost, family feuds and broken thanksgivings, no reply to your application, $32.18 in the bank, eviction notice, what-the-hell-happened-to-my-church ? ..

now multiply that by 100 a month for 60 years ..
then add a ton of other disappointments and pleasured moments
and maybe you get a life

`|`

the cycle of life ..

..

richard rohr spoke to that some, recently
but his focus was on the 'downside' of life in that particular speak ..
his comments centered around the embracing of suffering as the definitive characteristic of truly human
as per Jesus, the real human, the ultimate ..

he took our brokenness within himself, acknowledged it, knew it, understood it, experienced it, in love, for us
he embraced our demise and made Life from the mix

that's a whole lot different than it is for us in our natural state of being
we rebel, in disgust, begrudge, respond aggressively, hate, search-out vengeance, sometimes many years after the fact, blare at God, dismember our fellow church 'member' ..
we carry the hurts as scars to be recounted, bruises on our shirtsleeves, all black-and-blued and obviously resentful of life and what i've suffered ..
quite unlike Jesus

..

there's a theme related to suffering in this life
it runs thick red with depth, breadth of soul, compassion, relatedness to this world in which we live and to the others that share it with us, mercy, caring, forgiveness, sorrow for others' hurts, compassion, forgiveness, a right view of money and possessions and the relatedness of giving and sharing, compassion, respect for each life - not only for those that fall into our clique and church and our view of socially acceptable, relief of the aching heart of a friend, a heart that runs toward the abused and downtrodden, compassion ..

suffering can breed beautiful crowfeet on the soul, lines that betray a soul well traveled, wisdom from beyond ..
if we let it

it's almost like .. it's a privilege to suffer .. .    .    .
   although it took a lot to write that statement
   a whole lot

do i really believe that ? ..
you ..  . ?

`|`

do i really believe that Jesus became my sin
took it
in himself
shared in the ruin of me
the brokenness of my life
?

that right there is the secret to knowing life
Life, with a cap
true life

for when i take that perspective on as mine, mine
i see God as Godself truly is
in all God's glorious beauty
relief and release for the hurting and abused and downtrodden
rescue from the detriment
the dislocation
the separation from GodCreator

reconnection
reinstallation in the family of God
unification
oneity

..

that was accomplished through suffering the humiliation of being human
the final humiliation of human death
for the God that was
that became human
for us

how can we let that go
let it pass
like another autumn
like the fleeting coloured grandeur of summerfade, winterdawn ..
just another season ..
?

i cannot

simply put, it's far too dangerous to Life
to my life, lived

it is the most astounding revelation to humanity ever
and it calls-out for a response that engages the all of me
every ounce
every molecule
every neuron
every intangible piece and part of me

i cannot but respond wholeheartedly, wholemindedly, wholesoulily, wholebodily
for that, my friend, is true life lived
life lived in fullness
in honour of that Man who loves me
and you
like we were his very own brothers and sisters
family
cofamily with him in the family of God who love us so, in just this way, that the very life of GodFirstborn could be willingly given for us

if that doesn't speak to us .. .
i'm not sure what ever will

respect to the One that suffered for me

may i learn that attitude
and attitude that

the Fall of nature carries with it a beauty that can sustain us through winterdeath ..
bring us out on the other side more mature for our weathering

peace

when God leaves ..

sometimes
   God backs-off
   just pulls a reverse
   leaves us there
      hangin'

   leaves ..

God abandons us
for a time

..

have you ever cried-out to God
got no response
as in zero ..
nothing there ..

" where are you ! ?? "

" why don't you answer me ? ... . ? " ?

`|`

i know the scripture .. ' i will never leave you nor forsake you ' ..

God doesn't forsake us
God forsakes us
for a time
for our good

..

one of Hebrews' issues is God's testing us
and it's a point worthy of serious consideration, because it's repeated throughout, with warnings attached

the prime illustrator used is Israel
rightly so, since they were the people God was going to use to win the world back

God displayed a strong arm in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, humbling the Egyptians,
using a man God had humbled 40 years,
a runner-from Egypt, for murder
a man who had been raised as son of the imperial court
taught and trained under the best
..

God does things in wavy freaky twisty ways
befuddling the mind ..

..

God releases them, forcibly
leads them out
   leave
Egypt

..

then God
   leaves
them ..

o, they saw the cloud, the fire
but they didn't see God
or hear God
only Moses did

and they got antsy
mouthed-off
complained
accused Moses
accused God

said they wanted to
   leave
go back

..

it wasn't a big deal for God to give them meat
and water ..
   when they got tired of the sameol-sameol manna
eventually God did

what God was driving-at was
' are you with me ? '
' are you in ? '
as in in for the long haul
in, regardless

as in ' do you trust me ? ' .. ?

that is the issue with God

' i need you to be my child, to show the world who i am, what i am ..
but i need to know i can trust you ..
can i .. ? '    ..

`|`

so God simply stepped-back
to see what they would do

and they did respond
but not with faith
they responded with rebel

the Good News was preached to them too, just like it is to us
but it accomplished nothing in themm
because they didn't respond in faith
   with trust
faith didn't get in the mix ..
so God rejected them
God said ' you will not enter my Rest ' ..

God had promised them a land of their own
a land ' flowing with milk and honey '
and God was dead-on serious .. some eventually got there, got that ..
but not this generation, God did that for the next generation of Israel

and then ..
God tested them

and then, God tested

and tests
to this day

.. Rest

`|`

God is into testing
because God is not into mouthing-off
not into pretense
posturing
facades and whitewash
talk talk
labels and tattooed crosses
fancy church buildings
displays and promotions
..

God is real
God wants real
   more than anything

that's why God refuses the sacrifices and offerings and ..
God says ' don't bring it; i don't want it '
lots of talk and posturing
   but your heart
      is far from me
your heart
is
far
from me

' i rejected them
'cause they rejected me .. '

`|`

God isn't a fool
God is not a human that God lies
   or doesn't see our lieing
      our facade
      painted face for the world

God is into real

when we come to God
bring the real

`|`

so
consider ..
if we're going to be ' christian ', follow Christ
best do that
as in ' do ' that
and not play
   games ..
God is so not into playing games

when times get tough
when we lose-out
when people walk away
when ' friends ' un-friend
when all seems lost
bottoming-out
and we stand there ..
   all alone
   where to turn ?
   who is out there ?
   what do i do now ?
   where to now ?

that is just the time to hang-on ..
hang on !
do not turn back
don't do it ..

back there is slavery, bondage, inhuman
unhuman

how can we turn back
after tasting of the Spirit and the gifts and the release and experiencing God in all Godgoodness ..

it's impossible to renew to repentance those that do ..
they do despite unto the Spirit of grace
trample underfoot the Son
and treat the blood of the covenant as if it were a vulgar thing

we must hold on
God is God
what else is there ?
.. even when God is not there

because even when God is not there
God is there

God isn't playing games, friend
God is serious
about us
about you
and me

God wants us in
as in all in
as in committed, whatever the cost, whatever .. regardless

`|`

God tests our resolve ..
are we serious about this
or just playin' ?
using God for convenience, when it suits us ..

then when things get rough ..
man .. i'm not doing this anymore

it is those that endure
persist
refuse to turn back
patiently waiting on God to God it

those are the children of God

friend, what child doesn't experience discipline
if you do, it's proof you are God's child
be thankful your GodParent treats you like a Godchild
recognize it for what it is
bear-up in that discipline
..
God wants us to share in GodHoliness
God wants Godchildren that experience Godholiness
know what it is to share in Godnature
understand who God is
experience
God
in all Godfullness
filled with all the fullness of Godself
one with God
God in us
us in God
one

`|`


what is it worth to you ..

thanks ..

in mouthing my personal feelings toward the church which, for the most part, fails to include the marginalized, and therefore resists the very mode of Jesus' ministry, I've failed to acknowledge that there are churches who do ..

not many; a few; but there are ..

i know personally of 2
and i want to express my sincere appreciation for them and for the leaderships' forging and moulding a people towards an understanding of the term 'neighbour' and Jesus' injunction to do for 'the least of these' in Jesus' name

it's not an easy thing to include 'abnormal' people, and to treat them as people, include them and love them as we do the 'normal', or to teach the 'normal' members what it means to love and include ..
we humans gravitate towards tribal, accepted, our clique, and sneer at those who walk outside those lines
we christian humans do that
religion tends to be isolationist and clubbish, the in vs. out, the righteous vs. the wicked ..

Jesus was absolutely outside religion of that sort
he soundly renounced rejection and exclusion
in fact he went outside the camp (Jerusalem, where was the Jewish temple) to offer his body a sacrifice

we ought to spend some time in the Gospels
maybe that would justify (original sense) our misled, mistaught, socially-misdirected, religiously-misdirected view of what Jesus was about, and redirect it towards all, in love

..

it is worth noting that, at one time, we gentiles (non-jews) were outside the people of God ..
Jesus broke down that wall of separation by the sacrifice of himself for all people everywhere over all time
apostle Paul speaks to the fact that there is no division or distinction on any basis anymore - male/female, bond/free, Jew/Gentile, rich/poor ..
all people now stand on the same level in God's sight

..

thank you to those 2 pastors/leaders
who see the needy as Jesus sees them - the result of a sin-infected world, embracing them lovingly, as human, bearers of Godimage like us, deserving of our love and compassionate care, and that more so because of their situation ..
we should offer more care to the weak ..

" In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.
So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. "   (1Corintinas 12.22 ff.)

true religion, says James and the author of Hebrews and Paul, is found in visiting the sick and those in prison, caring for the orphan and the widow ..
not mouthing our christianity in some attempt to convert people, pointing out their sins, but living our christianity in order to model Jesus, the saviour of mankind


thanks to them and those like them, there is still hope for the church
and i am very thankful

pure wisdom ..

" the wisdom from above is pure wisdom
it is is peace-loving
and considerate
it is willing to yield to others
full of compassion
full of good deeds
it shows no favoritism
it is sincere
the wise will be peacemakers, sowing seeds of peace, producing a harvest of righteousness
James 3:17

The context is jealousy and selfish ambition .. the greater context is the tongue ..
restless and wicked, it is poisonous; it can praise God and it can curse people, made in God image ..
this is evidence of impurity and insincerity;
a spring produces fresh water or salty, not both; a fruit tree produces the fruit of that tree, not some other

if I am wise to God, then I will live that out; it will show up in good works done humbly, the fruit of pure wisdom ..

sometimes .. leave

sometimes
it's time to go
leave
get gone

space has run out
time to run

what was open now closed
where you were disappeared .. poofmagic

it might be you
it might not

.. .

you were pushed
over the edge
headfirst at breakneck speed
down
jagged rocks below

either fly
or decorate the rocks with a thousand bloodied pieces

you're not God
   but sometimes God wings you
..

somehow the Adversary got slimy fingers on the deal
and a fingerhold a space makes
space for a knife
to cut
separate
sunder

bleeding-out you limp-run
away
you know if that knife catches up you're a usedtobe, a oncewas


so you run
for life
to fight another day
maybe ..
but run

..

sometimes
even God doesn't win out ..
least not there
not then
not with you

run

..

those fleeings deep scars wrought
sometimes
   when you turn your head just this way
      a piercing pain brings you up sharp
you remember that run
   those fleeings
hang your head in shame
like it was you
like the running marked you
made you a coward
a runner
from life

maybe ..
maybe

.. .

you're here though
here
now
alive
scarred, true
but alive
moving
heading in a new direction
not bleeding-out
scarred
but heading there
over there
not sure where exactly
just heading that way
some modicum of hope fueling the daily upandmove

not for that hope
you might justaswell be blood spots on the rocks

..

and too ..
   remember this
remember the good of it
the place that brought laughter to your heart
   even in the midst of pain
the people that changed you
   while God was 'using you'
the 20/20 of God in the faces of the hurting that sat by you, ate with you, talked
   the truth of God erupting here and there
      out of the mouths of babes
into your ears
   baby ears

there was great joy then ..
that bears remembering
even if
you had to leave
running
eventually never to go back
doors and windows slammed shut
to you

..

accept the loss
relish the gain
forgive the run
head onward
foot by foot
in hope
   that God places you in another place
      doors and windows flung wide
   welcoming arms agape

that's all there is really ..

what else is there
but the pain of living life in this life
   in the hope of Life
      even when you have to leave
and maybe
   maybe
      being able to remember
         the gain with the pain
         the joy with the sorrow
forgive yourself
   and try your damnedest to forgive the others
be adversarial with the Adversary that cut you
   deep
be hopeful in Big Brother
   who was cut deep
      for me
      for them

what else is there really ..