Observing Obsequiousness-Donald Trump

Since behaviour never lies, one must take seriously the actions and body language that betray an observed person's inner workings. 

The word obsequious is perfectly placed when we watch someone acting in such a way as to seem overly friendly in a subservient manner, in order to garner favour; or to let everyone know, who is boss. 

Obsequious is defined thusly: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

When the president of the United States of America waits for a man to sit down, and then pushes in his chair, we are witnessing attentive and excessive, servile behaviours. Seeing Donald Trump behave in a manner unbecoming of a president, while being strangely uncharacteristic of a very arrogant and self-proud man, has alarm bells ringing in my ears. 

Benjamin Netanyahu's chair was held for him. He placed his bottom on the cushy seat, and seemingly unaware of his helper, pulled the chair in to get himself closer to the table. What prompted Donald to do such a thing? I have an idea, but I would rather ask you a few questions first: 

● Do you find it unbecoming for the president of the United States of America to behave in a servile manner toward a leader of another country?

● What do you make of this strange behaviour?

● Can you think of a reason for Donald Trump to behave deferentially toward Israel's prime minister?

Now for my opinion, or should I say, my more obvious opinion, since I hinted at it above. 

I know the big plan, the grand scheme, the soon to close the curtains finale of this earthly saga. The Devil loses but in the mean time, he has some Christians he wants to trick and then treat, to the death gallows. There exists a hierarchal pecking order, and the greatest killers in the world are the ones that serve Satan without hesitation or reservation. Imagine with me, the killing of God incarnate, the killing of Jesus Christ ... the cold blooded murder of a perfectly innocent man, and this at the hands of those he created. Now picture your death too, and the deaths of those you love that cannot protect themselves. Does it make sense to you that if men can plot and plan the killing of their promised Messiah, that they do not give a damn for you or yours?

Donald and Benjamin serve the same Devil. The pecking order is in place, and they behave according to the established plan. They agree that war is the way to peace ... at the expense, of course, of lives. Does this sound strange to read? Do you agree with them, that the way to peace is at the expense of lives? What if it is your life, or your livelihood, that they are willing to sacrifice for their greater good?

I cannot help but recall what I recently read. Moses was the priest of priests and then he consecrated his brother Aaron as the first priest, in the wilderness wanderings. Samuel acted as judge on behalf of God for Israel, until they wanted a king of their own that was similar to the pagan kings that ruled in the surrounding areas. Way back in Samuels time, people wanted God out of their government, out of their lives, so that they could sin with impunity. They figured they could do as they pleased along with everyone else, and that God could be pushed out of his Righteous seat of Judgment ... the separation of church and state started with rebellious Israelites, and it will end with them too, since they hate the living God that condemns disobedience. 

The commandments are broken daily by government and we are so accustomed to the vileness of the violating of God's laws, that the majority are perfectly accepting of presidents and prime ministers behaving as utter heathens and degenerate pagans. They prance and preen in their perceived importance, and all the while, Christians, of all people, applaud and encourage the behaviours without red faced shame. I am embarrassed, dear reader, truly and surely embarrassed, at how so many are willing to pledge their allegiance to people that are hell bound and bent on following the Devil to his demise, and trying to take you and I with them, without a second thought. 

Donald bent his back while holding and then pushing in Benjamins chair. He waited for the man to be seated ... how come? How do you make sense of this, if you can at all? You can make all the excuses in the world, but I know that a man with dignity would never hold a chair for another man, let alone wait and then push it in: gentlemen do this for women, for goodness sakes! 

My father surely would never have done such a despicable thing, and the thought of it makes my stomach queasy while my soul whinges. Would your father do this for another man?

Dear reader, I ask you to consider putting back together your own mental government, and judging people according to God's rule and reign as Sovereign over all. Stop separating in your thinking and soul, church and state: when you do this, you act as an ancient and modern Israelite, accepting human governance that betrays God, rather then looking to godly ways to reject what is considered debauchery in God's sight. When you excuse bad behaviour, you make it your own. God does not condone sin, and you commit it each time you align with those that freely and openly, break God's commandments. 

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29-31)

Dear reader, you may be making the mistake of loving the world more than you do God, if you persist in believing that humans will make things "better" when clearly, we are coming to the close of history, meaning the end of our earthly existence. The Devil knows this is true; his worshippers know this is true, and thus the mighty grab for global power; and Bible reading Christians that abide in the Lord of hosts know this is true. The question is, do you?

His Blood Be On Us

Picture yourself, bludgeoning club in hand, raised to smash to death a man you revile, loathe with every fibre of your vibrating being. You want him gone and will do anything, everything in your limited power, to have him eviscerated to expedite his death. You have murder in your mind, and a killer has taken up the fast beating of your heart. The club in your hand is clenched tightly, and rage beams from your eyes. If you could get your hands on him, you would rip him limb to limb, chew up his flesh and spew it out for all to witness. You care nothing about who hears you, who sees you, in fact, you want all to know how much you hate, and how desperately you want to kill this man. 

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified (Matthew 27:22-23)

Damn it, you seethe. What the hell is the hold up? Talk talk talk, no action. Galvanized, you sway forward, leaning in the direction of the man, while an invisible something holds you back. He is within reach and yet you cannot approach. All you can do is restlessly wait and watch. You can feel the rage in the men that surround you; there is a force that has unified you with the crowd. You taste blood as though it has been trickled onto your tongue. Your imagination falls short and is not enough to satisfy your lust; you crave more, and impatience boils in your veins. 

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children (Matthew 27:24-25)

There now, there. As one body we have shouted our desire. Innocency be damned. This man must suffer and pay and ... Who cares if his blood splatters on us?! Pilate can wash his hands and do our dirty work at the same time, so we can rid ourselves of the Presence of Jesus. Don't get me wrong, I would do the killing myself if I could, but for some reason, I just cannot get to him. I cannot reach for and grasp him ... it is as though my arms are tied to my sides. 

His blood be on us, and on our children

Imagine now, dear reader, as killer, something catches your eye. There is movement in your peripheral vision, and you glance in that direction to see your family approach. There is a baby in your wife's arms, and your three year old, having spotted you, races toward you shouting Papa, Papa ... as he passes the raised platform on which Jesus is being scourged, blood splatters, coating the left side of your child's body. His robe, face, and hand, soak up droplets and in sick satisfied horror, your words come true ... His blood, because you cried the words Crucify him, are now own your own offspring. 

Whatever have you done, dear one? 

The Jews that wanted Christ crucified were coated in his innocent blood. The evidence of a murderous heart is a curse upon the killer, and on their children too. God does not take lightly the shedding of innocent blood, nor does he esteem those that bring their children to bitterness by teaching them to hate their King. We damn ourselves when we turn away from our Sovereign, and drag our children to hell with us when disobedience prevails in our minds and hearts. 

Imagine committing crime, and wanting your children to suffer for it too. Next, imagine that you want your children to be just like you ... does this frighten you in the least? Are you proud of who you are, and do you want your offspring to be your replicas? 

I want to be an image bearer of Christ my King, and by God in heaven, I most certainly want this for my very own son. Cursed be the man that wants the blood of the innocent to be upon him and his children ... repentance is the only cure for this soul malady, and I pray that the guilty are pierced in conscience and drop to their knees before Jesus and plead for their lives and the lives of their children. 

Slip Away Fades and Goodbyes

Committed but not obligated

I enter the room, committed but not obligated. I am there because I made a contract with myself in an attempt to live a commandment. Honouring a person in relationship when there is history, minus affinity, is toilsome. I have been here before, here being that feeling, of barely tolerating, wanting to escape; to fade out of a room and leave enough space between them and me, to hear silence. 

My ears hum while words rattle in my mind until I sense an urgency that they must come out onto a page or a screen because if they don't, they will make yet another useless track of soot in my memory, and that, simply, does not serve me. 

I have become a phantom of sorts. In the relationship world, there is that haunting term known as ghosting. I have been ghosted, and I have done some ghosting too, meaning when it is time to say goodbye to someone, rather than saying, We are done here, I have drifted away, like a boat untethered, floating from a dock with no rope to grab at to draw me back in. A friend of mine, in agitation, stated, There is a beginning, a middle, and an end, to each conversation. She had been ghosted, right in the middle of an exchange, and this was irksome: as an elegant communicator that relies on what appears to now be outdated etiquette, she could not fathom why anyone would be so rude as to not finish what a person has started, with another. 

I was reading about goodbyes this morning, and how so few of them are done correctly. I suppose we can make excuses for why we do what we do, but I think it better that we ask ourselves, How come? What makes me behave a certain way when relating becomes a painful chore, I want a way out, and rather than addressing a difficulty, I leave, just ... leave. 

Alone with his sorrow

I see my father now, sitting silently on the couch. Wordless days have gone by and the silence is deafening. He is a phantom in my memories, a big man in my mind, full of strength, drive, ambition. He had many a terrible time, fighting for his life at a very young age. The communists had invaded his country and he killed, but never shared what that was like. He was shot, stung by a scorpion, had nothing to eat and lost his teeth and hair ... he was seperated from his momma at the age of twelve, and never saw her again. I remember him closing himself in my parent's bedroom, alone with his sorrow when he learned, six years after her death, that she was gone. No chance of a goodbye momma, I love you and missed you all these years ... 

The etiquette of the beginning, the middle, and the end, hasn't been taught and so, we haven't learned this marvellous art of relating. We connect and disconnect from one another, and leave unfinished business. Do you have unfinished business, dear reader? I must consider my own ... have I left things undone?

Merry go round relationships

Some relationships are circular and do not edify, and yet we cannot leave them: the circumstances do not permit our departure. Yesterday, a pal said: Why don't we jump on a merry-go round and spin round and round and pretend we are having fun. I laughed at the imagery, the pretending. Spinning things make me nauseous; repetitive unproductive communication that is circular in nature makes me want to jump off and speed wobble away from whomever it is that wants me to travel in their stuck thought grooves. When we stay, when we cannot leave, sometimes we become phantoms of ourselves, no longer relating, just co-existing. The meaty middle part of communication disappears, and all that is left is a weak hello, and slip away goodbyes. 

Silent treatment

I learned the silent treatment from my father. There was unspoken disapproval in his ghosting me, my sisters, and my mom. I had to guess at what I had done wrong, always assuming it was me. Perhaps each of us were doing this, believing we had deeply offended without knowing how, except the one person it was really about ... him. He lived slip away fades and goodbyes. He was with us one moment, laughing and joking, whistling and singing, and the next, he was there and gone, body present but unavailable for interaction. Have you had this before, dear one, this experience of someone being close enough to touch, but the world between you keeps you forever apart?

I understand my father from a distance, as an adult. I understand myself better now too. Relationship requires effort, and conversation, once initiated, must follow a formula of beginning, middle, and end. When to stop talking and or listening, is a whole other skill set, and that, is a topic worth exploring, but not for me this day. I just want to float in my boat, look up at the blue sky, and drift, untethered.

Recognizing Abuse

A moment prior to the deletion of my instagram accounts, my eyes and mind were assaulted. I had tapped on the application to open it, and behold, in seconds, I saw a man violently striking another man while they stood in close proximity on what I believe, was a subway. I can still see the slow motion stills, one image added to the next, in my mind's eye, and it continues to disturb my peace when I ponder how willing a person is, to strike a stranger, while someone video tapes the scene as though it is a movie shoot. 

Are we in abusive relationships, dear reader, when we witness violence and say and do nothing, as bystanders? I think so, because it violates the spirit and vexes the soul, and then there is that feeling that the exact same thing can happen to us, or to someone we care about. 

Have you expressed your thoughts on social media only to be verbally insulted and attacked, as though your character deserves assignation? This is common practice, and we are all aware of how very vulnerable we are, when moral agents are few and far between. 

I look at the paragraph above this one and think to myself, I am only vulnerable when I expose myself to pathogens of the sick people variety. This stated, I have carved out a new routine that I am enjoying immensely. I read the massive tome entitled Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible, in my quiet office, first thing in the morning, minus media. Minus media has such a lovely ring to it, doesn't it dear reader? 

Exclusivity

I have given myself the gift of exclusivity. I have excluded interruption, interference, and interlopers that have nothing valuable to add to my life. I don't watch the news, so why in the name of all that is holy, should I see the vulgarity that others think funny or entertaining, that only demeans humanity and makes them a mockery? It has taken me some time to come to terms with what we have all experienced, that has shell shocked us into a stupor. The title of this writing is Recognizing Abuse, and is that not exactly what we have been subjected to, with all the broadcasts that insight hate, division, and cruelty amongst men? 

I consider my cell phone now, and how I want it to fit in, and out, of my life. I get to decide - minus an unwelcome sense of obligation, guilt, or an unspoken suggestion, that I must respond immediately when it receives a message - if I want to respond, and in what manner. This clearing the way to peace in my mind has been challenging because I am a relational person, and I never want anyone to feel as though they are not valuable, and deserve a response. I wrote that last sentence, and I admit, some people will not get the response they would like, but that is a part of life and relationships, and we all must consider what is important, and how to spend the short time we have been granted by God. 

Uninterrupted time is our most valuable choice and soul asset. Being alone with God is what revs my engine and grants me the comfort of knowing him as my Provider. I want for nothing when in his Presence, and I am made servant for the good of God's people when I abide first in him, and then go amongst the brethren. When I ponder, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, I am renewed in my resolve, to live according to God's will and God's way, for the sanctification of my soul, and the edification of his children. 

Joshua 24:14-15

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

Dear reader, you cannot be exposed to a dust storm and not have particles enter into your eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and soul. To be clear, you cannot be exposed to any form of abuse, without having it infiltrate your being, and cause you massive and sometimes ignored, discomfort. It is the ignoring of the discomfort that will have you return to the abuser, and have you yet again, subjected to his/her maltreatment. Social media is now a prevalent and public form of predator, and I pray that more people decide to scroll and post less, spend time alone with God in The Bible, and get right with our Maker. 

God is our hope, and our salvation. We must choose rightly, otherwise perfect strangers will chose wrongly for us.  

Stages of Change

Coaching is an offshoot from psychotherapy and social work. Coaching is a here and now approach that the trained professional takes with the client that wants to be somewhere they have yet to visit; here are some examples of attainable goals: 

1. Liking yourself while understanding your own inner workings, by being aware of intentions and behaviours

2. Getting along in wholesome and rewarding ways with others while creating intimacy that nurtures trust

3. Breaking free from patterns taught, and imposed by your family of origin, that are harmful and do not serve you or others

4. Being truthful with yourself and others; living a life of integrity

5. Actuating ... living as the person God designed you to be

When deep down issues and desires are brought to the surface, a client begins the process of change. From there, success takes shape, meaning families, communities, businesses, and relationships flourish, with understanding and communicating becoming easier and more honest. A sense of peace and calm can be felt as a reward for effort invested. 

College vs University

Coach training is a lot like attending college as opposed to going to university; the former is hands on experiential, while the latter is some kind of surreal experience, heady in the learning. I am very grateful to have had my mind trained in university to think, and my soul raised up in coaching, to feel. God provides the education we need to be civil servants, and in one room, my office, I house my Bachelor of Arts degree, and my coaching certificates - I am a Certified Professional Co-active Coach (CPCC), and I completed an intensive, life altering for the better, leadership program through CTI, The Coaches Training Institute. This said, my learning must continue, because regardless of what the pieces of paper indicate regarding my progression through established programs, I must be refined in the fire of wisdom. God has taught me that The Bible is my very best life manual, and the Holy Ghost is my most favourable and trusted instructor. 

Recently, I delighted to learn the stages of change, enumerated as follows:

1 Pre-contemplation, 2 Contemplation, 3 Preparation, 4 Action, 5 Maintenance, 6 Relapse (or lapse). 

I am going for the jugular, dear reader, when I use examples of what it looks like for a client to live some of the stages of change. What I have seen and heard as the most heinous of life circumstances, that have either been ignored and tolerated, or worked through diligently for the sake of personal freedom, is quite shocking. I will not be sharing details, and I do hope to 1. help you see that their is light at the end of the tunnel you may be travelling if by chance, you see yourself in the examples I use, and 2. you are willing to do the work to change your situation. There is, and always will be, an out: God provides us a way. Let's go in now to the examples that I touch upon in the various stages of change.  

Pre-contemplation 

In pre-contemplation, a person is unaware that there is an elephant of a problem that is not being addressed in their life. When I see a client for the first time, we discuss what is most prevalent in their life, where their thoughts go most often, and how it impacts daily activities and moods. This is when they may not want to admit, that their partner is cruel, cheating on them, or leading their children astray. Perhaps the spouse is sexually abusing a child, is into pornography, or exposing their offspring to vulgar and debasing television programs. I am being mild here, dear reader, because there are some things that are better left unsaid; suffice it to say, I have seen and heard much that has demeaned sweet human souls, and facing the facts is a very painful process, thus there is some resistance to acknowledging what horrifies our sensibilities. 

I have heard people speak about what they are being exposed to, almost as though it is not happening to them. There is a disconnection in feelings, an almost robotic acceptance of what is horrible and untenable, and yet, they sit in the coaching seat, which is a very good sign that the client understands, they have some things they need to work out with professional guidance. 

Contemplation 

In contemplation, a person looks in the direction of the elephant, that problem that they do not want to address. A person may know something is amiss but they are unprepared to do the heavy lifting of stating the issues they face, and then equipping themselves to affect the changes that need to occur to lift them up, and out of their current circumstances; change may seem impossible. Change is a threat to well-being at this point, and thinking about something and taking action, don't always coincide. There is a hint, an inkling, that goes along with the contemplating ... that maybe someday, things will be different. The how to part is yet to be considered, and is pushed off as a possibility, thought of and then quickly dismissed. The problem lurks in the shadows waiting to be looked at and addressed. The unspoken question for the abusive relationship hinted at above may be, Do I leave this person that disrupts my life and causes me undo suffering? The answer may be a whispered No ... or Not yet ... or Maybe, someday?

Preparation 

In preparation, a person knows that they must affect change. The first step is to say out loud to listening ears, that the elephant of a problem is occupying every inch of space in their thoughts, in their heart, in the essence of their soul. I had a client whose children were in peril: a predator lived amongst them, and while the mother acknowledged safety was compromised, she could not bring herself to believe that her husband would harm his own children. She excused and danced around the elephant and eventually disappeared from the coaching chair, knowing what she ought to have done but deciding to remain is sick status quo. Facing the drastic changes required to secure the well-being of her children and heal her mental and soulful anguish, sent her running to denial, where all manner of unconscious and detrimental behaviours are given full vent. 

A person may visit the stage of preparation and planning, but never really live it out. Is this you? Are you prepared to continue as you are, or will you do the work to get to where you want to be? Some people stay in contemplation all their lives, only to regret the choice further on down the road, when their options are narrow and limited. 

Action

In action, a person lives the plan they have established during the preparation stage. This is where confidence lives and breathes. Taking action is life affirming and soul equipping. The client sees the elephant of a problem, works out what must be done to move it out of their life, and they recruit help to affect change via friends, family, and professionals employed to handle details. A person may need to make a request, make a statement, take a stand, start saying no, set boundaries; draw a line of demarcation between them and that elephant. 

Let us face the facts here, dear reader: We've all faced behemoths that threaten to stampede and trample who we are and what we want to accomplish. If your goal is make a difference for the good in this world, does it not behoove you to work through your own character flaws, misguided thoughts and behaviours, and take action to become a respectable person of integrity? I suggest you take action to affect change for the better. You can, and you must, do this, for yourself and for others in your circle of influence. 

Maintenance

In maintenance, there is resolve to keep the newly established and healthy thoughts and behaviours in place. Consider here possible changes made to lifestyle, via who you associate with, followed by your thinking, praying, exercise, eating, sleeping, and drinking habits. The questions are:

 

What do you want your life to look like, followed by; 

What do you need to do to maintain that desirable way of being? 

Much thought and awareness must go into the maintenance phase, because there is always the chance of a relapse, or lapse. You and I know how easy it is to fall back into well worn thought and behaviour patterns. Change is possible, but it will require intensive attention and effort, at least, in the beginning, until habit settles you into auto-pilot mode.

Relapse (or lapse)

In relapse, or lapse, a person has returned to what they decided they no longer want to do. Here are some relapse examples: eating a bag of potato chips on a Friday night; drinking until drunk and hung over; calling that ex boyfriend/girlfriend that cheated; making plans with someone that you know, talks behind your back; believing your former abusive spouse/partner has changed, because they say the words, I have changed - minus any proof of change. Oh dear, dear reader, here you are again. What to do, what to do?

Acknowledge the relapse or lapse and take a good look at the outcome for having backslidden. What impact did that return to thoughts and behaviours, have on your well-being? How did it compromise your integrity and sabotage your long term goals, of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being? 

You have been here before, and got yourself out of this mess. You can do it again, I assure you. A relapse or lapse is common, but it does not have to be damning or entirely defeating. A relapse can be seen as a stop in forward movement on a learning curve, a place to really consider and reinforce, who you want to be and how you want to be perceived. We live in relationship with others, and while we all make errors in judgment, we are also responsible for course correction, to improve how we relate. 

Evade an elephant

You don't have to stay broken or wounded. You don't have to expect little or hope for nothing ... you can decide who and what and where and how and why, for all the overly large and conversely, incredibly tiny difficulties, that rear their massive or minuscule heads in your life. Squish a spider, evade an elephant, do something to live according to God's will and way for you, and you will have the gift of joyful living eventually, and a sense of accomplishment too, for tackling the tough stuff, and making good on the life you have been given. 

I am a Christian, and a coach. Change is possible, I have lived it and thrived too. I am here to help you if you have decided that something needs to change, and you desire the environment and encouragement, to get to where you want to be, and not only visit, but stay there. 

Give me a call. We can work out a time for a soulful coaching session, to affect change, for your betterment. 

When God is Most Real

When I felt the wiggling movement from my little friend, my constant companion, my soon to be babe in arms, I could hardly grasp the concept of a whole human being being shaped with wonderful working parts inside my womb. While he grew, my belly extended as proof of his existence, and as proof that while I ate to facilitate growth and development, I most certainly did not create this human child. God did, and I was, and am still, grateful. 

Holding my son in my arms made God more real to me than any other experience I had had, prior to becoming a mother. I recall my vision being impaired (temporarily, thank goodness) because of the amount of time I spent in near sighted staring at tiny little grasping fingers with perfectly tiny matching nails. That button mouth, the sweet perfectly round head, and those eyes that seemed to speak innocent wisdom when they gazed into mine, had me melting and weeping with gratitude. Thank-You God, Thank-You, for the gift of my son. 

When my father died, my world went grey and stayed murky and muddled for a very long time. His death was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, and just as I had no say in the making of eyes, ears, a brain, and other gloriously crafted body parts when my son was being shaped and formed, I had no say in the decline, the decay, and the dying of my father. 

Birth makes us weak in the knees, death makes us drop to them. 

As I consider the dying, because dear reader, there are so many people dying, I think of the time God graciously gives us to come to our senses, so to speak, to reconcile with him as Author of life, and death date stamper. I think of God and how real he must be in the end; how merciful and kind he is to us, even when we deserve his disdain. One way or another, we will be on our knees before Jesus, dear one. Just like you cannot deny your own death and try to wiggle out of it, you will not be able to stand before the King: that will not be an option for any of us. 

Philippians 2:10-11

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Let us understand God's ways together, dear reader. The following is an excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible, page 707:

2. He has never been rigorous and severe with us, but always tender, full of compassion, and ready to forgive.

(1.) It is in his nature to be so (v.8): The Lord is merciful and gracious; this was his way which he made known unto Moses on Mount Horeb, when he does proclaimed his name (Ex. 34:6,7), an answer to Moses's request (ch. 33:13), I beseech thee, show me thy way, that I may know thee. It is my way, says God, to pardon sin. [1.] He is not soon angry, v. 8. He is slow to anger, not extreme to mark what we do a amiss nor ready to take advantage against us. He bears long with those that are very provoking, defers punishing, that he may give space to repent, and does not speedily execute the sentence of his law; and he could not be thus slow to anger if he were not plenteous in mercy the very Father of mercies. [2.] He is not long angry; for (v.9) he will not always chide, though we always offend and deserve chiding. Though he signify his displeasure against us for our sins by the rebukes of Providence, and the reproaches of our own consciences, and thus cause grief, yet he will have compassion, and will not always keep us in pain and terror, no, not for our sins, but, after the spirit of bondage, will give the spirit of adoption. How unlike are those to God who always chide, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease! What would become of us if God should deal so with us? He will not keep his anger forever against his own people, but, will gather them with everlasting mercies, Isa. 54:8, 57:16. 

(2.) We have found him so; we, for our parts, must own that he has not dealt with us after our sins, v. 10. The scripture says a great deal of the mercy of God, and we may all set to our seal that it is true, that we have experienced it. If he had not been a God of patience, we should have been in hell long ago; but he has not rewarded us after our iniquities; so those will say who know what sin deserves. He has not inflicted the judgements which we have merited, nor deprived us of the comforts which we have forfeited, which should make us think the worse, and not the better, of sin; for God's patience should lead us to repentance, Rom. 2:4.

Is God's patience, leading you to repentance? 

When the body is frail and sickness prevails and no end seems in sight, the sickly are weak, vulnerable, and in need of compassionate care. Who, pray tell, can be salve for a perishing soul, than the Lord Jesus Christ? There is nothing like imminent death to make one ponder what will happen to their spirit when they pass through the thin veil that separates the physical and spiritual realms; and pass through it we all must. While the body erodes and becomes worm meat, the spirit lives on. As Matthew Henry states so eloquently, The hope of deliverance is built upon the goodness of God, page 706. 

Deliverance is being born again, dear reader, and being adopted into the family of God. There are two births for some, and two deaths for others. In the first birth, we come into the world as babes; in the second birth, we die to self and are reborn in Christ when we know him as our Saviour from sin. In the first death, our bodies are no longer animated with spirit, and as a result, they become useless carcasses, that soon enough, lose shape and form and become part of the earth once again; in the second death, the spirit is sent to hell for eternity, to live in perpetual torment and torture. 

Does the concept of eternity in hell, terrify you, as it does me? Do you agree, you had no say in being born, and you will have no say in your death? Is this reasonable, and sensible to you, dear reader? If not, how come? 

If you are here, reading this, do you think it is time now, to reconcile with the God that formed and shaped you in your mother's womb; tended to you as you grew into adulthood, and sustained you when your world tipped this way and that, threatening to fling you far from safety. Is it time that you thank him for his tender mercies, his long-suffering, his compassionate caring, when you deserved it least and sinned the most? 

What, pray tell, will drop you to your knees willingly, before Jesus Christ as King, and have you confessing him Lord, for the glory of God the Father? 

One way or another, we will bow, we will confess. Perhaps you can choose, rather than be forced ... that would be one of those wise decisions that so few make while they are able. Don't be the type that waits until their death bed, to honour and magnify the very God that made you. 

Do it today. You have a lot to be thankful for. 

Satan Counterfeits Prophecy

PAY ATTENTION! 

I think this is what God is saying to us, dear reader, in bold capital warning letters: PAY ATTENTION!

The Devil knows The Bible, and my question is, do you? I do not mean to sound aggressive and rude, I am asking out of genuine concern for your well-being. The fact of the matter is, we have a whole lot of news coming at us, being broadcast from many moving mouths, and there is a theme showing up repeatedly that we must all be aware of, and pay attention to. The talkers speak of ushering in the golden age, and by God in heaven, the golden age surely is upon us, but not in the ways the mouthpieces for Lucifer suggest. Satan counterfeits prophecy, and his demonically animated workers of iniquity speak the words he places like saccharin, in their mouths. The president of the United States of America is letting you know to whom he belongs when he proclaims, and I quote:

"The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation. We will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply, put America first."

While this part of Trump's speech may be music to the ears of many an American, to the Christian ear, there is an echo of emptiness. Put America first? Has God been conveniently displaced? In a pagan world, it makes perfect sense for men that represent their country, to speak of elevating their countries degraded status, and to profoundly ignore their Creator. Alas, Christ is King, and there is this:

... let the enemy of his kingdom tremble; for he will either bring them into obedience to his golden sceptre or crush them with his iron rod (an excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible, page 703). 

Hating Donald Trump

You may be wondering if this writer hates Donald Trump? I do not hate the man, but I do vehemently hate sin. I find pride and arrogance distasteful, and when men boast, I feel embarrassed for them. I see not the humble serving heart of a Christian in this man that plans to put his country first, before all other countries. There is this oddity too: he believes he can bring about peace amongst people that have been warring with one another since Ishmael and Issac's time on earth. Donald reads from a script and periodically inserts his personality into his speeches, and I see that he is playing his role well, with much applause from an adoring and deceived audience. 

Some may think me a fool for perpetually beating this drum. Perhaps I am seen as someone that just does not know what I am on about, and maybe it would be better for me to sit back and watch the show, as America is made "great again". I am not too concerned for my reputation as naive or perhaps stubborn in my position. I am more concerned with people taking their eyes off of the mouthpieces with the microphones, and lifting them heavenward ... and perhaps, turning their eyes to the Word of God and soaking in some wisdom so that discernment leads, rather than deception. 

The Golden Age is indeed upon us. Jesus Christ has authority, he reigns and rules, and his golden sceptre is extended to each of us. Obeying him is my delight, and I pray it becomes yours too, if you have yet to know him as your King, your Sovereign. There will come a time when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord, and I would not want to be caught dead, standing behind any of the men and woman that believe the propaganda promoted by the Devil's spokesmen. 

Read The Bible. Ask God for Truth to lead you. Listen to what trusted commentators on The Bible have to say and learn for yourself. The people that have the most air time, have the prince of the air as their producer ... meaning the Devil is their promotion manager and they do his bidding, whether they are aware of it or not. Performing monkeys work for treats, and that is exactly what we are seeing with all the showmanship from the presidents of this carnal world. 

If you have yet to open a King James Bible, now is the time, dear one. If not now, then when? Soon is not soon enough if now never happens. That last sentence is a mind bender. Untwist yourself and get your hands on the Word of God for the salvation of your own soul. 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

King Of The Jews

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east of Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen a star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1-2)

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel (Matthew 3-6)

The scripture above is the detailed fulfillment of prophecy, and what is written is historically verified. The gospel of Matthew opens with an introduction to the long awaited King of the Jews, and dear reader, the Alpha/Beginning, and the Omega/End, fills in all the blanks in the synaptic spaces of our knowledge of him, when we open our minds to the wisdom he generously bestows. 

The birth of the King of the Jews was a promise, and Herod, like any seed of Satan, did not take kindly to his earthly kingdom being threatened, even if the Little King was a baby boy wrapped in swaddling clothes. Herod intended to murder the new born.The devil likes to think that killing makes him the ruler, but alas, his end is near, his time is nearly up, and that too, is prophesied. 

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20)

Satan fell from heaven ... see now, how he is associated with serpents and scorpions. The Kingdom of Christ is built, according to Matthew Henry, upon the ruins of the kingdom of the devil. But, dear reader, we are not to brag about the power Jesus gave us to trample upon demons that are serpentine and scorpion stingy, we are to rejoice that our names are written in heaven! How marvellous for us to see this progression: Satan falls from above, and our names, when we belong to Christ the King, are written in heaven. This is cause for rejoicing; do you agree?

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:9-10)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time (Revelation 12:11-12)

When we consider how wrathful the Devil is, we can comprehend how wrathful his children are too. If you and I, Christian, are to love like Jesus, does it not make perfect sense that the seed of Satan, hate with a vengeance, just like their father? 

What delights me is how clearly God delineates for us, where he begins and where Satan ends. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecy, born the King of the Jews. Nothing and no one could stop this from happening, despite the hate heaped upon God incarnate by those that clearly, worshipped the Devil rather than their creator. Heathens like Herod and Pontius Pilate did what they were meant to do, and so did the Jews that denied their own Christ, and wanted him put to death, as though death can conqueror the King of the world, and Author of life. Ridiculous really, isn't it?

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? and he answered him and said, Thou sayest it (Luke 23:3) 

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS (Luke 23: 38)

What we know, is that people either love and live for Jesus, or they don't. What we witness is some people proclaim him King, while others deny his deity. There were Jews that knew Jesus as their Saviour and there were Jews that wanted him dead, and they plotted to kill him ... and nothing has changed over the last 2000 plus years. 

Know this, dear one And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9) and;

Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time (Revelation 12:12)

The King, Jesus Christ, rules and reigns, and is our Governor. No matter what the Devil does, our Sovereign in heaven is undeniably in charge. When you want comfort and peace of mind, you can go to his word, and rediscover what I have this very day, that he goes before his people, and we must be fearless and anxious for nothing. If anyone ought to be afraid, it would be those that recklessly live as though there is no God. That is what The Bible calls, a fool. 

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good (Psalm 14:1)

Severe Soul Spanking

The nightmare I had early Wednesday morning scared the hell out of me, and I mean this in the most literal sense. When I consider the people I have loved while they walked the earth, and the possibility of in their death, hell became their eternal reality, I cannot help but weep. There is nothing more horrifying than these thoughts. My recent glimpse into the dark side has drastically changed me, and is exactly what I needed.

Days before my horrifying awakening to the terrors of damnation, I had asked God with some reluctance, some hesitancy, to see what he sees. He gave me a glimpse that felt like a severe soul spanking, and I am ever so grateful to him for loving me in my chastisement. I knew I needed a change in my thinking. My well worn patterned thought track was faulty; derailment was required to recalibrate to Christ as righteous Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge. My old thinking wasn't serving me, or anyone else for that matter. The saints in my life have prayed, and from their hearts to God's ears, I am newly broken, and filling up with compassion for those that know not God, work against themselves, and worse yet, against him. I admit, I am shy to admit, how much the saints sweetly prayed, never rubbing in my face how very wrong I have been. In hindsight, mercy is the prettiest blessing to the newly rebuked. 

What, you ask, was my thought error and grand sin? First let me ask you, have you figured out yours, dear reader? If we are going to share in a soulful and vulnerable come to Jesus way, you must address yourself, stand before your maker, and ask him to teach you a thing or two that may feel like a whooping! Go on now, do some salvation recognizance with fear and trembling, before the God that made you. 

Confession time

Okay, confession time for this writer. I wanted justice, NOW. This isn't my first foray into being demanding in my thoughts and feelings. This isn't my first time on the bench, impatiently waiting while suggesting that now, now is a good time for the tomfoolery to be stopped and for the tom fools to be held to account. Vengeance is the Lord's, I knew this, but Hurry up God I can't wait all day, was my mentality. For shame, how dare I?

Thankfully, God is kinder to his wayward saints then we deserve, and on the heels of Wednesday morning's nightmare, I had some instructional insights that are salve to my soul. Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible is my resource, page 699:

... look upon the pride of oppressors with a holy indignation and the tears of the oppressed with a holy compassion. Look upwards to the righteous judge with an entire satisfaction, and look forward to the end of all these things, with a pleasing hope 

My checklist for what I had right:

holy indignation regarding the pride of oppressors

holy compassion for the tears of the oppressed

My checklist for what I wasn't doing:

Look upwards to the righteous judge with an entire satisfaction

Look forward to the end of all these things with a

Pleasing hope

Once we leave these tents, these shells that house our spirits, there are two possible outcomes and only two, for each human being, namely, eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. To actuate eternity in one place or the other, there are two possible ways and only two, namely, repentance or rebelling, which in turn lead to redemption or ruin, respectively. My sin was wanting the ruin of those that have hurt the oppressed and vulnerable to the point of severe injury and death. My sin was believing that the oppressors are unforgivable and damned, knowing full well that where there is life, there is hope. Who am I, to want the damnation of others based on what they have done? My nightmarish realization taught me that only God is truly just, and but for God, go I ... meaning, I too could be damned, if I start acting as Judge in his place. Vengeance is the Lord's and while I take breath and walk the earth, I want my conscience and hands clean. I want to be blameless before him and this is only possible when I turn away from my own sin and walk in his ways. 

Justice

Justice, yes. I want those that have committed heinous crimes against their fellow man, that have acted as though they are un-human, and work on behalf of Satan, to be judged in a court of law, given death sentences, making them pay with their own lives for what they have done to the innocent and vulnerable. This attitude is godly and displays my holy indignation against the enemies of God and his people; it also displays my holy compassion for the tears of the oppressed. The change in my thinking and heart is the looking up, the looking forward to the end of these things with a pleasing hope, that God will bring many to repentance, redeeming them and securing their place with him in heaven, and that he will damn those that bring themselves to their own rebellious ruin, for believing they are not accountable to anyone, including him. 

The bottom line, is God knows what we think, how it tenderizes or hardens our hearts, and ultimately, where we will end up ... and no one else does, not one amongst us, and praise God, while their is life, there too, is hope.

Now I pray for the wicked without resistance or reluctancy. I truly desire, none to be lost, in Jesus name. 

Nightmare About Damnation

It was one of those gripping I can't escape dreams, the kind that has me praying as soon as I shake loose and come awake. I have tried, without too much effort, to remember what I dreamt. I don't really want to recall what terrified me in slumber, so I write, not to share what I saw and heard, but rather, to impart the lesson I came instantly away with that had me praying with zeal. 

I learnt about damnation. In the dream I was trapped, held hostage to things that horrified my soul. That is how nightmares work: you see what you never want to see, feel what you never want to feel, and just can't seem to make a get away because arms and legs are somewhat immobilized during sleep, and rightly so, otherwise we would be a hazard to ourselves and others in dream states. Sleep is an oddity, a thief of consciousness, and when it is done just right, it restores, rebuilds, revitalizes. Bad dreams, however, traumatize, demonize, and leave one feeling somewhat wrecked upon waking. 

Back to the damnation. For the first time in my life I was truly terrified for the damned. There are people in this world that are hell bent on proving they belong to the devil. It is as though they have preordered their trip to hades; like it is a hot vacation location, to be looked forward to and counted on as the best place they have ever been. If my disturbing headache causing nightmare mildly approaches the horrors of hell, I am afraid for those that will go there. This is why I started praying with fervency; I don't want anyone to arrive in the inescapable place, where never ending torment and torture are the rewards for breaking God's commandments, and having the gal to perpetually and often publicly, go against our Creator. 

It occurs to me that perhaps sleep is a warning to all humans to heed and acknowledge, how very vulnerable we are to one another, to circumstances beyond our control, to perpetrator's and predators of the nocturnal and demonic variety, that aim to seize control of the senses, when rest is what we require to face the next, new day. Sleep is also a wonderful gift that lets us know that we cannot be on perpetual duty, on guard vigilantly protecting ourselves and our families, and that God is watching over us when clearly, we are made inept and incapacitated. When sleep blankets us in the night, it is meant for everyone to partake and participate in, without our choosing. Sure, we can decide to delay sleep, ignore our need for it and pretend we require very little, but that is a self-told lie. Eventually, sleep will "catch up" with us, taking us to the land of slumber, whether we want to go or not. 

Yesterday, a new person in my life said: There's nothing like a nightmare to make you appreciate what you have. This struck me as a simple and powerful statement, and stuck with me. This morning I am appreciating what I have, namely: Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. In my waking hours he is my light, my life, my all in all. Jesus is my King, my God, my delight, my favourite Name. When I pray I have peace and my heart is whole. Nightmares steal what in the daytime, I know is mine, when I am lucid; and dear reader, I fear that the day is drawing near for the wicked, the day when they awake from this wonderful place, this wonderful God created world, to a perpetually dying damnation, a hell from which there is no escape, no waking up and shaking loose from the sharp tooth and nail gripping on their soul. 

Prayer was on my lips for those in my immediate sphere of perception that are vicious, self-serving, God denying, and damned if they do not repent of their sins, plead for forgiveness from God, and from those they have grievously injured. Jesus is the only one that can chase away the nightmare of hell, because he has the keys to hades and he is the one that sets captives free. 

Revelation 1:8

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

I am learning the meaning of praying for the enemies of God and man. This is what I have resisted, wanting instead for them to pay for their persecutions of people that they want to hurt and maim in their service to the wicked one. The thought of eternity in hell is still fresh and lingering this morning, and I am recognizing why God, the all powerful all knowing God of the universe, wants none to be lost. 

Luke 23:24

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The men that killed Jesus were the very men Jesus prayed for, requesting mercy for them from the Father. This is what we must do too, plead for mercy, for hearts tenderized by God's love, so that they are forgiven and can be with Jesus in paradise for all eternity. This, dear reader, is the work of intercessory prayer. We have a ministry of reconciliation when we are in Christ, and by God, my night is affecting my day, and I am chastened and humbled to the point of wanting what God wants: 

Matthew 5:44-48

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

It is easy to love the lovable, and quite the challenge to love those that display their hateful inclinations. God gives breath, life, sun and rain to all his creatures, no matter their dispositions and intentions. He gives each of us abundant time to thank and praise him, and also to look away and pretend, if we so choose, that he is not there and that we are self-made and can live independently from his care. This thought has me chuckling! Try to hold your breath for five minutes ... you just can't. Try to stop your heart from beating for ten seconds ... you just can't. Try now, to stop the sun from rising and then exchanging places with the moon ... you just can't. Make the rain stop and the snow start, go ahead, try ... you just can't do it, dear reader. 

What you just can't do, God can. You can't save yourself, but Jesus surely can save you. 

That is all from this cat this morning. I pray your nightmares are scared away and your daydreams are filled with the Light of the world. 

Filtering Coffee Grounds

Procrastination is the putting off of what we don't want to do - I am aware, you already know this to be true. It may be a task, it may be a conversation, it may be the self-care you committed to once again, on January first; whatever "it" is, you haven't gotten to it ... yet?

In a previous blog entitled, Conversation With Things Undone, I wrote about doing what I don't want to do. In this piece of writing, I am adding to the theme of getting things done, with this: While I Am Waiting. Let us visit a for instance. 

I want coffee in the morning, and I quite enjoy the smooth and aromatic heat waves that travel to my nostrils, coming off the dark brew that pours out of my new stainless steel french press (Thank-You for my birthday gift baby sis). The end result of coffee made, takes time in the beforehand. In the beforehand, water for one mug is measured and boiled. While I wait for the water to boil, I measure a heaping tablespoon of previously ground coffee (I buy the beans and grind them in a convenient little machine), and drop it to the bottom of the french press. When the kettle of water gurgles and then switches off, I pour the hot water onto the coffee in the french press, apply the lid with the filter-plunger attached, and set a timer for four minutes. 

Mundane, you say? Boring description, you think? Maybe, but that is not the point. I don't want to bore you or tell you about things you already know and perhaps do yourself regularly, I want to share the before-hands, the in-betweens, the opportunities to accomplish what waits to be completed and doesn't get done, because you and I don't feel like it, you and I think we can put it off, you and I would rather, do something else. 

Water boiling, timer set ... there is a stretch of moments in the waiting, and I am keenly aware that I have wasted more time than I have made use of. This is what I want to avoid, change, stop doing. I want to do what must be done in order to savour the good. Work goes into every little marvellous achievement. Work is the mundane, the minuscule, the unseen and unsung hero that makes our world go round. Did you know, God keeps all of creation working, round the clock, world without end? 

Let us return to my morning kitchen, and the pile of washed the night before items that rest ready in the drying side of the sink, waiting to be put away in cupboards and drawers. I have never liked putting away dishes, but hey, someone's got to do it, why not me? While I wait for boiled water to soak up the essence of coffee and become a drinkable brew, I buzz around the space between the sink and the various places plates, pots, lids, knives, forks, spoons, and spatulas go. I could play a game on the near-by iPad as I wait, but that is a form of procrastination that will steal valuable time away from doing something productive and worth while, because those sink things, still need to be put away at some point in time. 

I love something my father used to say: When you are at work, your time is sold. Is your time sold, dear reader? Is it only sold, for pay? Will you work when money is at stake, or do you value work so much, that you see what needs to get done, whether you feel like it or not, and just plain old, do it?

I made my coffee this morning, and enjoyed sipping while I read Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible. I read a page, and knew that this topic, the one that has been brewing in my head for weeks on end, had to be tapped out from my fingertips. While I am waiting ... our time must be put to most excellent use, to do what is mundane, so that important items on our personal check lists can get done. 

With tasks done, will you, dear one, move on to the more vitally important items on your list of things to accomplish? Will you take a look at your thought life, your inner workings, the emotions you plunge to the bottom of your mental french press and never wash out? What is stale and growing mould in that mind of yours? What conversations do you need to have, that will filter the grounds that can catch in the throat, so that you can enjoy the essence of relationship? 

Maybe while you are waiting can turn into something wonderful, as in, I am not waiting anymore, I am doing. Do not get me wrong, I wait on the Lord when I am in my most excellent state of godly mind. I wait for his timing because it is perfect, but in the beforehand, in the mean time, I am learning about who he is and how he runs our universe, and it is a never stop, won't stop way of being that we must admire and assimilate. 

You have time, the same amount of time you had yesterday and the day before. You have time, the same amount of time as your super successful friend, brother, sister, former spouse, present boyfriend or accomplished girlfriend. Come on now, you have time, to think about what is valuable, what is important, what needs to get done that is a tasky tasky, that feels mundane but contributes to your overall well-being. 

That french press is sitting in my kitchen, waiting for me to wash it. If I don't dump the grinds in the garbage pail and rinse the stainless steel container, tomorrow morning won't be nearly as delicious for me. Bigger on the list though, dear reader, are the people in my life. I take care of what needs to get done, so that I can be with the ones I love the most. I kill procrastination so that I can savour the good things and people in life. 

What, do you do, while you are waiting? What are you avoiding that is soulful and has been pushed to the bottom of your to-do list? 

You have time to read this ... you have time to do what you know you need to do. Do it now.