“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2 The call to imitate God sounds impossible. Yet, just as a small child imperfectly mimics a parent’s actions, disciples of Jesus copy him. […]
The organizer, a three year old child, a little boy with a big heart. He heard a voice. Get them together, and tell them what you heard. The boy told his pals, we got God on our side, lets organize a meeting. So the first meeting of T.A was organized. Being organized by children, it attracted a most unusual crowd, what was the interest. They stretched around the corner, and ran for miles, the bullies.
The children look at each other, how are we going to deal with this lot. A tramp appears out of nowhere, I know where they are heading, a reversal of fortune, he says. The first will be last, the last will be first. That’s what Jesus said!.
Who are you the little kids said. I’m the overseer he replied. The children nod, That’s God or one of his close friends. You never know who you meet these days. Do Tyrants eat popcorn asked a voice, a young girl with entreprenerial skills. Well, we might as all well feed them, give them treats, before they have to visit that other place.
Why does a bird just get up and fly, have you ever asked why, or does the bird have to explain it, it just does it. Why do marriages in the entertainment industry tend to fail, is it the attention seeking, the focus in rather than the look out, how some are filled with a sense of their own preciousness, me, mine, is there room for such talk in a world of Love, as marriage is supposed to be that. Why do you dress like that, how often do you hear that question, you never dress up for me, then it’s out the door, then the wait, till they return.
Solomon was reflecting on the challenge that faces those that love earnestly, who do not want to become cynics, as so many of their friends are, when will you get sense, and the feelings that have to go without nourishment. The papers were full of news, the usual suspects were trying to stall the corrections necessary for the world to work for the better of all, same as an old dress hanging in the closet, it’s there but no one is going to wear it, its’ just a reminder. Solomon read about the exploits of Abraham, a man who had won God’s approval, a man of righteousness. Did God spy on Abraham in the bedroom, does God Spy on horses in the field, men do all those things. Did God count the number of wives Abraham had in those times, did he put a number on the times Abraham let his hair down, you wonder.
The twenty first century since those times, fifteen hundred years since the time of the establishment of Islam, and Abraham is considered the father of all, it’s written in ancient words, so why would men in these times, assume that men made rules could ever overcome the will of God, and have they tried. The Pope Francis was trying to bring up to date meaning to words lost in translation, same as other Spiritual leaders trying to lead their people to the light. Solomon sighed, it has to be from the Heart, and it has to be love of a Jesus scale, amen.
She is unwell, her mind can’t handle the modern world of speed, all roads leading down the same path, so called progress. Ambition overcomes her man, the love was once existed, and still does, hides under bales of pride, man made of course, while her Spirit drifts. She is no good for my career, he should have married his job instead.
Their Currency is Love
She loses her balance every time he comes in, he changes her rhythm, same way a child grabs the attention, she is made to honor love, has no choice in the matter. Years before she lost the plot, it was Christmas, there was a global disaster, something she can relate to. Love deserted her, leaving her rudderless for a year or two. She will never make the same mistake again, will never trust a man. Bad enough having to fool demons, it would ware you out most days, having to worry about the gasoline going into your heart, that she can control, but everyday, she droops, until he appears, what is happening.
The boss was furious, have you lost the plot. Only true Spirit can revive her, amen.
Across the world there was a sense of injustice, much of it if not all, powered by poverty and the feelings it evokes. Hows long can you prod an arm before a bruise appears. For many years, for centuries in some minds, there was a great imbalance between the roles of men and women in societies everywhere, some of it justified. Solomon wondered why the arguments continued on the same vein, equality. Men could not bare children alone, and women needed men to bare children, it was a relationship of communication. The rapid growth of technology had overtaken wisdom and wise thoughts. The impulse today is instant gratification, and everyone knew that couldn’t last. The currency of Love was badly needed, amen.
They say your real treasure lies in there she said, while pointing to her heart. Gloria was with her grandson at the kitchen table, the family having come on a holiday visit, in there she said again, this time, tapping her heart with her forefinger, her thumb pointing up towards the sky, sign language.
Bypassing the daily stuff, freeing the mind, giving your self inside space, the ability to absorb what is lasting and eternal, against the flow of that which perishes. Solomon was reminding himself, the ancient words are so life giving, but because their meaning had been lost in the mad world so many tried to cope with, it was not easy finding the space, and even harder at times, keeping the space once found. He compared it with a parking meter, into which you had to put real coins, it had to be topped up regularly.
The mystery of God was and is the greatest mystery of all, how does it work, why does a bird simply fly at will, why do humans worry so much about the material, when only the Spirit is eternal. Solomon was listening to music, and wondered ever more, how music was so calming, and free. His heart could be moved to a time and a place, with the mere lyrics of a tune and a sweet rhythm.
A clean cloth, unused, begins the process, of gathering and cleaning, the beginning is easy, nothing too hard, nothing you can’t deal with. You age, the experience gets wider, you accumulate, the lessons learned, your influences grow, the first test, a scenario, you have a choice, you make one, you move on. The intentions climb, the risks increase, the safety zone is not as wide, it’s getting more pointed, you have to decide, there is a future in store for you. Male or female, its not the same, there are different routes, some coalesce, you find your plateau, the foundations for the next course of life, you are a pyramid, and reaching for the point, why do I exist.
Teachers and influences, who we learn from, Solomon was remarking on an old friendship, the day being a reminder, how lives are molded. There were streams of positive influence, many of them, seen in the efforts of those, who live in them, the reasons, mainly the way people are taught. Some lives lead us to be compassionate, some lead us to be utterly selfish.
We are celebrating the Spirit of God on earth, we are giving presents on account of it, we are not commercial minded, we are bargain conscious. The soul stops, remembers a good deed, wants to acknowledge it, purchase is made.
Year pass by, the soul is in a home, not as dainty as they used to be, but still there. What have I done with my life, the answers soon appear, when the Children arrive, and they do it again and again, all year round. Solomon smiled, a lot of people buying gifts, hope in many eyes, some seeking release from a family grievance, some seeking peace for the heart, all of them guardians of the earth, so you’d hope, for the soul knows that the body is the tenant of the other. Four lives in one small space, four souls seeking it’s place.
The do’s and the don’ts, the rule book was pretty well defined, the rural and the country, those street savvy, those country wise, how the townies looked down on the country cousin, so unsophisticated, behind in the trends, from the backwater dear, what do you expect, they haven’t seen a barber in years, and they come to shop twice a year. The movement of people, the slide to the city, adoption of city life, neighbors, you get to know them, you form your community, usually same culture, ethnic or otherwise, a few bad experiences you hear about, the move to the ghetto, the commencement of a life, that builds barriers around you, well, she doesn’t look like us, he has strange ways, but at least there is safety in numbers.
Solomon was looking back, finding as point in time, what it was like to be a child, the expectations and the guidelines, the do’s and the don’t’s, had all that much changed. The gap of poverty was huge, insurmountable almost, women calling to the door, alms given, see you next week missus, the fear of crime, what you might read in a newspaper. TV time, never allowed to watch anything after 11, adult time, no exceptions, you don’t want to be bamboozling the heads, they will learn soon enough for themselves. Anyone encouraging a lapse into easy living, looked at, every negative influence looked down on.
That old pace of life, a pace so many long for now in this busy time. It wasn’t impossible, just a little planning. As for influences in our lives though, were we loosing that neighbor hood bit, as the new neighborhood was a long way from the street or road you lived on. Whatever the changes, God is the same all the time.
He is in the bed, there are days, and this a heavy one, his mind is trouble, apart from the pain, there are memories. Lying on the bed, all the time in the world to think, the only noise, the coughs and roars of others in the wards, the rush of feet on the corridor, old age he sighed, wishing he could get to his feet. He has a rush of thoughts, it’s as if all that is wrong, his mistakes have come to overtake him, crush him inside. Fight he says, trying to push the images away; it’s a collage of all the harm he has encountered, why did I not do more. Please God, release me from this nightmare, please, he pleads, how I wasted my life, why did I gather all those things; the previous week he was worried about the insurance cover on his classic car collection; at this moment he doesn’t care if they all suddenly rust, what does it matter when you can’t take it with you. That was before the stroke. Alone in a private room, who needs time to think when what they have to think of is only about themselves.
Solomon had lunch with a good friend, a co believer; they were exchanging Godly wisdom, the conversation was alive, there was energy, the conversation they have; the lives that had touched them in many happy ways. How the heart fills with light, when you look outside yourself, how the body has time to heal, when you don’t have to stress yourself out. Rest sighed Solomon to his friend, a very thoughtful soul, who spent most of their days, encouraging the words of eternal life, rest is essential; as he pointed out to his friend, gesturing with h
is hands to his fellow diners; no one here got here on their own, no one ever does, amen.
Dress for affect, it’s not everyday the boss gets drunk, the ideas that go around the heads when booze celebration and Christmas merge, and the ideas are a long way from the memory, of Jesus. Ungainly at times, the number of affairs that start during the holiday party, the marriages that fall to the floor, the opportunity to make amends with an employee you want to thank personally, the Christmas party is one of those events.
Solomon sighed, the giving part of the season was on the radio, the call for help, the multiple organisations doing their job, canvassing for help, using the giving season to ramp up the coffers, Solomon sighed, there has to be an easier way. There is an awful lot of dread in the world at any given time, too much for most minds, but they exist, you wonder why, ask the polar bear on his last lump if ice, when will he jump and go where, well, sounds like the immigration trail.
Meanwhile at the office party, they gather, the doctor offers the usual warnings, flying hormones, hard work, the need to let the rocks flow, the normality of it all, when you close up inside., the fear of those easily passed on diseases, it’s quite a list.
There is an easier way He sighed; raise the Spirit of Well being, remind oneself of the great interventions, the rapid changes in so short a space of time, even the four seasons in one day, enough to remind yourself, there is a Heaven above. Solomon wondered why there wasn’t more of an effort to celebrate the Greatest Party of all, in the way the three wise men intended, amen.
I should be here, he is awkward, there are lights on the tree, the air is filled with joy, it’s made for children, the wonder and the surprise, Ahmed is surprised, they celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the same Jesus we pray to, why aren’t we having a celebration like this. His friend TJ is showing him his home, their parents are away, normally they would not be allowed to do this, the adults not allowing it, but since they are children, they don’t have any of this bias.
Solomon sighed, how barriers are so easily created, when a little wisdom could short change this negative approach easily. Children enjoying the promise of Joy, families and friends being a little more thoughtful, people more together than usual, the world a little warmer in some hearts. Jesus, it’s the same one, for all of us ,why allow a little dogma separate you from joy. The rules we create that divide us and the walls we build around us.
Stuff we need to get right, amen.
paddypicasso 