I Swear To Lie

Master manipulator

I swear to tell a lie, a whole lie, and nothing but a lie, so help me Satan. I swear, on the holy grail of my mirror, to honour my own self worth, my own esteem, my own glorious shiny reflection: to this I commit my energies and interests (to the exclusion of the rather selfish interests of others). 

I hereby swear, to give way to my natural inclinations toward self preservation, and my personalized brand of entertainment. 

It behooves me to recognize that I will only come this way once, that life is fleeting and rudely short and I must, of necessity, grab for the gusto. I expect nothing less for myself.

Dated this day, in my own history:  __________________

Signed:  _________________

Approved by the master manipulator of the universe:  Lucifer

(This plan condemns the party that agrees to the terms and conditions ascribed to the selection of a life lived for personal gain to the exclusion of all other parties who may be entitled to indemnity otherwise pronounced and stated clearly in any and all previously agreed upon and signed contracts. There are many guarantees discoverable upon signing of this agreement, to be realized in the near and too far to be seen distant future. Signing now, permits the bearer of this contract the right to do whatever they please at any given moment for the sake of their own pleasure and to give way to their desires, without regard to impact or consequences. You will find that you are amongst many by signing this commitment to self).

Committed upon application
of pen to paper

NOTE: Full disclosure of future crippling and disablement is not to be discussed prior to the signing of the above. An immediate decision is required to active this plan and you have no time to waste since the clock is running down and you are approaching the cliff of death with every breath and step you take. You are a being unto death, never forget this delightful truth.

What the hell are you waiting for, sign the damned contract. Do it NOW!

Gollum and modern man

Dear reader, I can hear conversations in my head. I have not been diagnosed with schizophrenia, nor am I delusional. I am observing what is happening in this world of ours and it is disturbing. 

You may not like what you see and hear. You too, may be baffled and soul sickened, from the real world experience of The Lord of the Rings. I see Gollum, the one seeking his precious, as modern man clinging to his own life at all costs, to the exclusion of living and loving for and with others. I see the battle between good and evil, truth and alternatively, tolerance of deception. There is the pull of selfish ambition verses conquering this, with gravity defying faith in what is righteous and worthy for the greater good of the many. It is an age old battle, and we are players, you and I. We get to choose who we serve and forgive me, but I simply must be this bold. You and I are always choosing, the devil or God; hell or Heaven.

My prayer is this, from the Our Father:

Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven ...

We cannot have this dear one, if we choose to put ourselves first over others. Love is always sacrificial, and comes from a desire to serve, be Christ like, love to the point of being willing to give our lives for another. 

Your life, it is a summer flower, in bloom for a very short time, and withered and browned far too quickly. Only onlookers can appreciate your beauty: we never bloom for our own pleasure, it is always and forever for others, and in particular, for The One who first gave us life.

• What can you do for someone today, without reward or recompense? 
• What would going out of your way for another look like this day in mankind's history? 
• How can you give of yourself sacrificially, today? 

It really isn't about you, it is about, Him.

How can you be more like Jesus, right NOW? 

Milk

Perpetually rejected
Do you perpetually put yourself in a position to be rejected? Do you find you want relationship with someone that may, hopefully, possibly, it-is-not-for-certain-but-might-happen-someday, come to discover, you are exactly what they want and need in life to be fulfilled? This sounds like pure misery to me dear one, and I ask you, how can you stand it?

Behaviour doesn't lie
I love the line, behaviour doesn't lie. Inherent in this statement is that how I behave, how you behave, indicates our intentions. Here is a simple example: I go to the grocery store, pick up milk and take it to the check-out, where I wait in line. What are my intentions? One would assume, from an observational point of view, that I intend to purchase the milk. You and I have seen this a thousand times before, and to change the story would be adventurous and perhaps, imaginative... and quite clearly, misguided. Me, the bag of milk, the check-out counter and a line-up should really only mean one thing: I am buying the milk for goodness sakes! Now, let us go deep or go home, without the milk, so to speak.

The grocery store of life
You have told someone you love them. They say it back. You both behave in ways that seem to indicate that you want milk. You approach the check-out counter together, waiting in line for your turn with the cashier: there will be an exchange of money for milk. This is the point in the transaction where there may be some dicey, insecure moments of doubt. Did we get skim, whole, 2%? Was the three bagger the right choice or should we have gotten a carton? What about the chocolate milk, did we consider that? Lactose free or plain old regular right from the cow without tampering? Oh dear, there was buttermilk, goats milk, camel milk, bat milk... did we make the right choice? Wait wait, I don't recall being involved in the decision and there was no discussion! I don't even like milk and eeeeeckkkkkk, we drove here together and now I am stuck with milk and this guy or girl I find myself at the check-out with! How did this happen and where is the exit? Oh my gosh, I swore I would never buy milk with this person again and here I am, panicking in line and wondering what the heck I am doing here?

Snickers bar
Now let us pretend that you are the one trying to pay for the milk, and you suddenly notice your partner. They seem to be making their way to the exit, sans the milk and... you. You call out, hey, wait, wait up, I'm still paying! Hey, um, do you want a chocolate bar? I know you like chocolate, Snickers? You see them hesitate, considering the candy, the temptation to maybe get something delicious. There is a pause, a moment where it would appear there is a weighing of the options. To stay means candy and yucky milk. To go means no candy and no milk and the exit, away from you. 

You are on tender hooks because you have been hoping, wanting, wishing, pleading with your eyes and your heart for them to really want to share in your delight of milk, on cereal, in coffee, cold and hot, or with chocolate mixed in there and some of those melty mini marshmallows! You wait, wondering if they will rejoin you at the check-out. A seed of painful doubt has been planted in your heart and there, an ache of rejection begins. In a flash, you realize, this may be the last time you go to the grocery store together. In a moment of clarity, you see that the object of your affections, the one you had hoped and dreamed about, really doesn't like, well, really doesn't like... ummm, really doesn't love...

Feet pointed for the exit
Dear reader, rejection can be a chronic state of being. Are you investing your time, energy, and emotional well being in someone who clearly, will never reciprocate? Since behaviour does not lie, and you are an intelligent observant person, what do you know to be true? When someone lingers close by but has their feet pointed toward the exit, what does this indicate to you about their intentions? Do you want to be chronically rejected, or can you decide, for yourself, that you want a partner that likes what you like, chooses what you choose, and will stand next to you for the duration of the transaction, no matter what the purchase, no matter what the circumstances, no matter what?

Gone starts with thoughts

Holding on or pulling away?

I return now to an age old reality. We are naturally, truth detectors. When in doubt, meaning if you are not sure about someones intentions, don't trust their words, trust their actions, their behaviours. While we are truth detectors, we can also smile at one another and lie right through our teeth. Admit it, you are more than capable of lying, aren't you dear reader? If you are, so is that non-milk-drinking-chocolate-bar-loving-heading-for-the-exit-wanna-be-out-of-your-life-psuedo-partner-of-yours. Gone starts with thoughts, then shows up in behaviours. Hope will not bring back a partner if the partner is already halfway out the door.

You get to decide, with your rational mind, whether or not you want to continue fantasying about what will never be. Move on, dear one. There is a someone out there, mooing and waiting for their perfect milky match, in you.  

Moral Lobotomy

Dear reader:

Relativism: their is no absolute truth
Secularism: an ideology that places all emphasis on the here and now
Humanism: a rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters

Dispiritedness

Is this what we are agreeing to?

Cursed are the rich in materials,
 for theirs is the kingdom of
   earth.
Cursed are those who celebrate,
 for they will be mindless and numb.
Cursed are the proud and arrogant,
 for they will injure on the earth.
Cursed are the merciless,
 for they will be shown brutality.
Cursed are the black hearted,
 for they will see Satan.
Cursed are the hate mongers,
 for they will be called sons of
  the devil.
Cursed are those who are exalted,
  because of their selfishness,
 theirs is the empty eternity of
  separation from God.

Changing the wording
Relativism, secularism, humanism: These are destroying the fabric of our society. In the above writing, I have taken the Beatitudes from the gospel of Matthew 5:3-10 and changed the wording. If you have mourned and begged for the answer to the question of why humans have become vile murderous monsters, please please consider the prevailing attitudes of our modern uncivilized world:

If I want what I want when I want it, why not take it? If I hate and feel like killing someone because life is worthless and I believe what I believe and no one can tell me I am wrong, then why not murder, why not rape, why not? Don't judge me, this is my truth. I'm entitled. People are no better than the slime we crawled out of.

Dear reader, I beseech you to consider the words of Jesus:

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12)

Christian: I ask you to stand up faithfully and count yourself among those who serve God fearlessly, knowing that if you don't, you will banally blend into the background. There will be no one to compare the godless to dear reader. Living the Beatitudes is not for your sake, it is for the sake of those who have yet to know the saving grace of a merciful sin forgiving God. Please, please consider being bold in your faith... we are called to be disciples.

The Great Commission
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

Truth is not relative. Moral truth cannot be compromised. Absolute truth unarguably exists. You and I matter and no human or devil, can take this truth from us. God help us each time we turn away from The Truth.

Let us say no, to hell. 

Addressing Bad Behaviour

Southern belle accent

I love accents. It just so happens that my southern belle accent is delightful, at least, to my ears. I like the drawl, the etiquette rich verbal approach, and the none too subtle subtle messages that speak volumes, minus vulgarity. When you read what I have written, do try to image the accent. If you know me, chances are good you will be able to hear the accent as you read. 

Disclaimer

WARNING: You might be a cheater who does not appreciate being outed this way. My hope is that God convicts you, that you feel the heaviness of a guilty conscience. If you are a female reading this, my hope for you is that you know how precious and valuable you are in Gods sight, and that you deserve to be treated like the daughter of The King. Gentlemen do exist, and they deserve to be rewarded with our appreciation. The dogs  they need to be turned out. 

Let us not accept bad behaviour dear ones, for the sake of our children, the ones that follow closely in our footsteps. 

Addressing behaviour

Sir, you have taken a liberty unbecoming of a gentleman. I ask you politely, do take your hands off of me. Now your eyes, they are travelling to places unchartered. You have not been invited to the road map of my body. I ask you again, take your hands and eyes off of me, or I will have no choice but to scream 

Allow me to explain. I am a God fearin', Jesus Christ lovin' passion fueled red blooded woman. The Holy Ghost, He is my constant companion! When you are with me, we are never alone. In fact, the Lord has His eyes on you, and those hands of yours. I am not sure if you know this yet, but He can read your mind. That's right, He knows exactly what you are thinking. He knows what you would like to do to me and He does not approve, nor do I!

Guilty as charged? 

Now, let us begin again, shall we? I understand you are married? You have a momma and she is still alive? Oh, you have daughters too? And a son? My oh my, you are blessed aren't you? How lovely, how very lovely for all of you! I am sure they are very proud to have such a fine, gentle and strong man like you, leadin' the family?

We had a bit of an unpleasant ruff start, you and I. Oh no no, I pronounced ruff correctly! But I am ever so pleased we had this conversation... Now you go on with your bad self. Get yourself home to that wife and those precious children of yours, before they send out a search party lookin' for you! Go on now.

Oh, just one more thing before you go, so we are very clear? Don't you ever show your face round here again, do we understand each other? My God, He is mighty, and He doesn't take kindly to men like you sniffing around woman like me. 

You have a nice day now, ya hear?

Love Poured Out Unabashed

And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume...

I imagine the luxurious scent, a pint of expensive perfume poured lavishly on the feet of Jesus, wiped by Mary's unbound hair, the fragrance filling the house. Jesus was the guest of honour at a dinner party thrown by grateful friends in appreciation: Jesus had raised a man named Lazarus from the dead, and his sisters were the grateful. What would you give or do for someone if they brought back your loved one from the grave? Could you possibly repay them? Would a pint of perfume poured lovingly on their feet be enough?

Spellbinding adoration

Love poured out unabashed 

This spellbinding display of adoration for Jesus came six days before the last God ordained Passover. Jesus was to be the final sacrifice, the last sin offering for a fallen world. The nard, the expensive oil poured upon His feet, was typically used for burial. A liar and a thief (Judas Iscariot) witnessing the act of love objected, saying:

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein (John 12:5-6)

How will you be remembered?
Which one would you be dear reader? The adoring perfume pourer, or the black hearted mercenary? I curl my lip at the thoughts that come to me when I hear Judas and his greedy intonation. While Judas witnessed an act of unfettered, uninhibited adoration, he saw money being poured out, perhaps even taken from his pockets. 

In his self-serving-money-grabbing-mind, he resented the act of worship, and put a price tag on Mary's gift, something that was hers alone to give. This would not be the last time Judas put a price on what is pure and precious. This was a foreshadowing of the heinous selling out of Jesus, that Judas would become infamous for, just days later. 

Think of it dear reader, to be known for millennia as a traitor: a turn coat on diety? Who would want to name their child Judas, defined now as: a person who betrays a friend or comrade. To name a child this would be a curse on his life.

Good vs evil theme
In my good vs evil themed writing, I see each of us, hear each of us choosing:

• Do you lovingly lavish Jesus, unabashed and adoringly? 
• Or are you a traitor trapped in your own self-obsessed-money-making-mind, seeing opportunity to cash in, at the expense of your very soul? 

It is a Mary vs Judas question dear reader, and we make our choices every single day. We choose to honour God or honour ourselves.

Life blood poured out
Now, we must not lose the thread of truth that travels throughout The Bible: let us pick it up once again here. 

Jesus is the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. He was the last ordained passover sin offering, and Mary poured burial perfume on His feet and wiped them with her hair. 

Would you sit at his feet and publicly display your love for Him this way? She did not know about the cross yet, or the price He was about to pay for her sins, and her sisters sins, and her raised from the dead brothers sins. She knew He was God and that he had resurrected her brother, Lazarus. 

Fast forward to you and me. We have knowledge of this and so much more. Jesus was raised from the dead by God Almighty after He did what He came here to do. He died on that cross, His life blood poured out, for me, for you... for your brothers and sisters, your mother and father, your children, your... He died for us.

I ask you again dear one, which one are you? A lover of Christ or one who continues to crucify Him? 

Which one, are you?

Mechanical Engineer

Sunday school, the summer of 2018

Clean Plates
George is asked, what was the highlight of your week? He tells our group that he washed a lot of dishes, volunteering his time at a Christian summer camp. (As an aside, this is week number two of full-time volunteering for George, and I don't think he is done yet). I am confident this young mans generous contributions to meal time success, was not even a remote thought to the young campers who were served, fed, cleaned up after, and had clean dishes to eat from for every meal consumed. 

The behind the curtain activities of the many, make for fabulous experiences for those who receive unaware. For children, being given food really ought to be an automatic thing. Children are to be taken care of and provided for: teaching them gratitude is essential and yet, sharing with young ones all of the nitty gritty details that goes into say, feeding one hundred plus kids at a time, might just be overkill; the information overload too great to grasp. As a teenager, George is learning rapidly what adulthood looks like, and I am betting, he is appreciating his parents that much more these days.

Behind the curtain
Let's do a tie in, shall we dear reader? While you and I see the mechanics, the how to parts of getting things done, there is a mechanical engineer, The Man behind the curtain, that has taken care of some details we have no clue about. Perhaps you are thinking now about the Wizard of Oz? The button pusher and lever mover? Quite simply stated, God is this dear one. I pray God forgives me for this reductionistic approach but hello, He keeps the sky from falling and He waters the earth so that we can put food on our plates and either hand them to a dishwasher or place them in a machine that automatically does a spit and polish. You may believe you are a rain maker but dear one, this means you are directly deluded. 

Here, allow me to scare you with scripture

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away  (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Avarice, otherwise known as greed
You see dear reader, the consumerism? The consumption without the thankfulness? The taking without recognizing the hand that extends? Imagine your children, never being grateful? You cannot force gratitude, but when the words Thank-You are spoken, it does something for the heart of the giver and the receiver. Without gratitude, the taking becomes a self-absorbed exercise in avarice, otherwise known as greed.

Godlessness gone gangrene
Dear reader, can you see it? Look again to the scary scripture above. We are currently living this reality. It is godlessness gone gangrene. We are rotting as a society. The words written above are a warning to each of us, not only to take a close look at ourselves, but also to stay clear and turn away, from the ones described in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. 

Just think on this: God knows exactly what we are like. People are people, and we have always had two options. Thank the hand that feeds, or bite it. Are you a thanker or a biter?

God likes you

A full heart is forever thankful

It isn't too late. God likes you, He made you after all. Start saying Thank-You God, for your yesterday, today, and God willing,  tomorrow. 

And now, if someone has cooked your food, served it to you on a clean plate and takes that plate away once you are full and satisfied, look them in the eye and tell them you appreciate all their behind the scenes contributions to your wellbeing.

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

Shifting Gears

My car is a six speed standard transmission. I have been driving stick for over two decades: recently I realized I have no clue how to drive a standard: somewhere along the way, I have forgotten how!

Unconsciously chosen
I have been driving a gear shift car for so long now, that it has become automatic, until of course, the periodic grinding of the gears, or the selection of the wrong speed surprises me with a back and forth body jolt. These unconsciously chosen miscalculations remind me to pay attention. Recently, my car has been resisting my attempts to start it, and when this began, I had to stop and take notice: how do I start my car? 

While I share, please bear with me, so we can get to some kind of point: I promise, your time will not be wasted if you choose to continue reading.

Driver error or need a new starter?

My left hand lightly grips the wheel, while my right hand turns the key. My left foot presses the clutch until it is in full contact with the floor... the right foot, well now dear reader, where do you suppose I should be placing it? There are two options at this point, the gas pedal on the right or the brake pedal that plays middleman, placed between the clutch and the gas. 

Which one do you choose? If you have never driven a standard, you have a fifty-fifty chance of guessing correctly and if you have driven a standard, like I have for so many years, your guess is still, fifty-fifty!

Relearning a whole bunch

I have to chuckle, because I got to the point this week where I committed to looking up the standard starting procedures for a standard transmission... do I place my foot on the gas or the brake when turning that key? When my car doesn't purr awake, is it resisting starting because of driver error, or is something wrong with the car? I confess, I used to live in blissful happiness, content with the knowledge that I was confidently right about so many things: now, well now dear one, I am humbling admitting that I am learning, constantly learning, and at this stage, relearning a whole bunch too.

Gas or brake
The question that came to me is this: am I to put my foot to the gas or the brake? One will accelerate me, taking me wherever I am meant to go. The other, it will hold me in place and prevent movement and momentum... somewhere in-between go and stop, is the perfect speed, and I am learning that gear shifting can sometimes be a grind, an uncomfortable palpable rattling of the body that forces awareness. I am made to pay attention when the car doesn't start, when I shift badly, when acceleration is dangerous, and when staying stopped in one spot prevents my now from unfolding. 

Life is like this, isn't it dear reader, one big metaphor?

Needing a new start(er)
Since I have been on auto-pilot as a driver for far too long, you and I will agree that I have been starting my car without error for all of the years I have been driving. There is something called muscle memory, and my body knows how to get into all of the necessary positions to get an engine started. Left foot on clutch, right foot on brake, vroom vroom... unless of course, I need a new starter. And dear reader, don't we all, sometimes, need a new start(er)?

Stalling out
Now your turn:

• Are you stalling out dear reader? 
• Is there something amiss with your starter? 
• Do you need a tow or have you forgotten, that you knew all along how to get going but somewhere along the way, you found your foot pressing hard on the brakes, screeching you to a halt or dead stop? 
• What do you need to learn or relearn, to get you moving in the right direction again? 
• I might need to take my car to the shop... do you need to take you somewhere for a soul adjustment, or part replacement? 

Get back into action. Notice whether or not you just stopped paying attention. Stop the drafting and drifting dear one, start driving again, consciously.

Take that wheel and drive. It is time