Brother moon tonight is full,
On darker days your face is dull,
But now you’re shining, set so high,
And I recall our great design,
Of dust and ash our frames composed,
But in blinding light our bodies’ clothed,
What glory, what hope, what destiny,
More wondrous plight you’ll never see,
To reflect what you lack – and to be given to bear,
The light of the sun – so pure and so fair.
Dean Briggs (author of Legends of Karac Tor and other titles, Director of our network of Houses of Prayer, husband, and father) said that he has found that our generation (my generation) is so concerned with authenticity/sincerity, that we often withhold for fear of being inauthentic or disingenuous. That, in combination with an agreement I have with the Lord on not posting every little thing He starts to speak to me as if “I’ve arrived” in the department of hearing God, instead of taking that tidbit and continuing to dialogue with Him – sometimes keeps me from blogging. That and that I don’t wanna be that guy that posts 3 times a day, nor do I even have time for that. So, here’s to messy authenticity (and not-fully-put-together-ness), even as I try to write this coherently, cohesively and concisely. Cuz no one wants to read unstructured rambling for 18 paragraphs, despite how “raw” and “authentic” it is. But maybe I’m already rambling? Ok, intro done, here’s the meat.
I’ve been struck with my own selfishness recently. Realizing how much I want marriage to be like a transaction, only, a one-sided transaction. Scripture, because of the equal nature of its writer, has no need to change. It still applies. I am the servant that was forgiven a great debt, and then I throw my debtor in prison for a sum smaller than I owed and was forgiven. My natural tendency is to want mercy for me, and exact ruthless “justice” on people who wrong me. It’s a constant struggle, laying down my life. This morning I watched an 8min short. It was a little different than I would imagine it would play out if it happened in my life, but the main message was moving. I found myself silently crying out to God, begging Him to help me serve Alyssa selflessly. I started to tear up, and was instantly reminded of Jesus, sweating blood in the garden in Gethsemane, dialoging with His Father. I’ve taken some interpretive liberties:
“Father, this is going to be so hard, if there is any other way, please let’s do that. But, I want to serve you, I want to serve these people.”
And Jesus endured and made it to the cross. God will help me make it. God will help me lay down my life. God will help me keep perspective and love even unto death. He knows how to do it. He is a good Father, He will help. That was my encouragement this morning. I don’t have to twist myself in a knot and strong-arm my way to selflessness. I can say yes to the Father, and take steps.
Abba, Father, Daddy, we love you. Thank you for your love. Thank you for modeling your love through Jesus. Thank you that you will help us, thank you that you care. We trust you, help us to trust you and commune with you always. Thank you for your Holy Spirit, your nearness, the spirit of the Shepherd, that will lead us and help us. We love you, thank you for your love, in Jesus name, amen.
11:45am, Monday, February 16, 2015
Mercyline Reporting
Across America and now across the globe, identity theft is at an all-time high. But there is another danger now targeted at our young people, facelessness. In some ways, the abundance of selfies and a clear online presence secured the identity of social media users, leaving a trail of who they are. But now for some, that trail is all but disappearing. Take Lynx for example:
Lynx is a photographer, and as you can see from his instagram, he has no face. This is a problem we are seeing more and more. Lynx recently won a photography award from an art community you’ve probably never heard of, and this was his dinner out with his wife to celebrate.
Faceless. It’s like they were never even there. In fact, the staff reports seeing no one with the features shown in this picture. One bus boy did vaguely remember an underdressed couple in the 20-somethings looking at their phones, taking pictures of each other and their food, but the staff told us this young man was unreliable and that he often claimed to “see people” fitting that description.
We did some homework and found this picture of Lynx’s wife, Piper, posting an OOTD before the evening began.
Pretty horrifying if you are seeing this for the first time, Unfortunately we have found this is all too common, and spreading quickly. Eunice for example, lives in Virginia. Her friends say they used to love seeing her face, until she got an instagram three years ago. Warning, these images may be disturbing to sensitive readers.
Where have they all gone? What can we do? It seems there is little we can do, and things are only getting worse. Eunice is not even pictured in her latest post. It’s like she is vanishing altogether.
Meet Sage from Pheonix, Arizona. He is pictured here with a mango, “his favorite fruit,” his mom said. “He used to eat it with his hands and the juice would get on his face, and the stringy fibers would get in his teeth. I made him eat them on the porch because he made such a mess, but now so much has changed. I miss those days.” And as you can see, a lot has changed.
Sage’s sister Margaret is not far behind, as you can see from this picture she posted of her and her friends at the local botanical garden.
Sage’s girlfriend is also believed to be faceless, as can be seen in his post from their coffee date earlier this week.
This is not a problem localized to one family or region. If you have 3G or high speed internet in your neighborhood, your community is susceptible to facelessness. And we don’t know this full and lasting affect this will have on future generations, but we know we must act now, because our youth are disappearing.
-Galen Rea TRD. SA. TD. (Author of “Cats in Sweaters and Outer Space; Early Warning Signs”) reporting.
Two trees in the Garden live,
providing shade and duly give,
fruit to those who seek its end,
but one will bring man’s great descend,
“Think ye able, to sort them rightly?
Judging fair and holding tightly,
to good and all that bringeth life?
Why then ate you the tree of strife?”
Its sap down through your lines will flow,
till kin to kin deals deadly blow,
worse still its wake will bring disgrace,
to those who run the noble race,
tempting to live among the boughs,
of choosing right and keeping vows,
that by their strength they may remain,
on branches that will end in gain,
but crafty tree will twist a will,
through law an evil want reveal,
and climber, wanton, leaves his post,
To reach for branch he hates the most,
for tree of knowledge holds them both,
limbs of right and limbs of loath,
and once contrition strikes his heart,
back to upright fork he darts,
but cruelty’s in the round and round,
that seeking, life may not be found,
for life in its propriety,
inhabits solely its own tree,
So those that seek to dwell in light,
must not succumb to climber’s plight,
for climber in his soreness he,
never thought to leave the tree,
for the Tree of Life is different,
than its foe of malcontent,
so instead of swimming through right and through wrong,
you look Life in the face,
you succumb to His song,
you drink deep from the cup,
that He fills to the brim,
from Him learn to shine,
to never grow dim,
you learn patience and kindness and to yield and not envy,
but all knowledge gained here, applied elsewhere is empty,
For Life’s not a practice, not a skill to be gleaned,
but a fountain to drink from, a friend which to lean,
ever stray you from Him, and try to gain on your own,
you’ll be back at the old tree, where your frailty’s enthroned,
so bask there in His glory, neath the light of His shade,
be wrought in His likeness, till His wages are paid.
Once, forever and again,
Not Adam, but second Son of Man,
Is my forefather,
And I His closest kin,
Once, forever and again.
January 9
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Rom. 8:18.)
I kept for nearly a year the flask-shaped cocoon of an emperor moth. It is very peculiar in its construction. A narrow opening is left in the neck of the flask, through which the perfect insect forces its way, so that a forsaken cocoon is as entire as one still tenanted, no rupture of the interlacing fibers having taken place. The great disproportion between the means of egress and the size of the imprisoned insect makes one wonder how the exit is ever accomplished at all-and it never is without great labor and difficulty. It is supposed that the pressure to which the moth’s body is subjected in passing through such a narrow opening is a provision of nature for forcing the juices into the vessels of the wings, these being less developed at the period of emerging from the chrysalis than they are in other insects.
I happened to witness the first efforts of my prisoned moth to escape from its long confinement. During a whole forenoon, from time to time, I watched it patiently striving and struggling to get out. It never seemed able to get beyond a certain point, and at last my patience was exhausted. Very probably the confining fibers were drier and less elastic than if the cocoon had been left all winter on its native heather, as nature meant it to be. At all events I thought I was wiser and more compassionate than its Maker, and I resolved to give it a helping hand. With the point of my scissors I snipped the confining threads to make the exit just a very little easier, and lo! Immediately, and with perfect ease, out crawled my moth dragging a huge swollen body and little shrivelled wings. In vain I watched to see that marvelous process of expansion in which these silently and swiftly develop before one’s eyes; and as I traced the exquisite spots and markings of divers colors which were all there in miniature, I longed to see these assume their due proportions and the creature to appear in all its perfect beauty, as it is, in truth, one of the loveliest of its kind. But I looked in vain. My false tenderness had proved its ruin. It never was anything but a stunted abortion, crawling painfully through that brief life which it should have spent flying through the air on rainbow wings. I have thought of it often, often, when watching with pitiful eyes those who were struggling with sorrow, suffering, and distress; and I would fain cut short the discipline and give deliverance. Short-signted man! How know I that one of these pangs or groans could be spared? The far-sighted, perfect love that seeks the perfection of its object does not weakly shrink from present, transient suffering. Our Father’s love is too true to be weak. Because He loves His children, He chastises them that they may be partakers of His holiness. With this glorious end in view, He spares not for their crying. Made perfect through sufferings, as the Elder Brother was, the sons of God are trained up to obedience and brought to glory through much tribulation. — Tract.
I came to a friend and mentor when I was afraid I would get entangled in some old junk, and this is what he gave me. He challenged me to say these out loud everyday, sometimes in the mirror to myself. He told me getting this truth inside me would help. And it’s been gradual, kinda like if I started making a healthier change in diet, but I can see a marked difference from then to now. Sometimes I even journal these back to God, making Him the subject of each truth e.g. “You have made me your child.” I hope this compilation blesses some of you. Grace and peace to you all in our good Father through Jesus Christ.
I am God’s child. John 1:12
I am Christ’s friend. John 15:15
I have been justified. Romans 5:1
I united with the Lord (one spirit). 1 Corinthians 6:17
I am bought with a price; I belong to God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I am a member of Christ’s body. 1 Corinthians 12:27
I am a saint. Ephesians 1:1
I have been adopted as God’s child. Ephesians 1:15
I have access to God to the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:18
I have been redeemed and forgiven. Colossians 1:14
I am complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10
I am free forever from condemnation. Romans 8:1-2
I am assured all works together for good. Romans 8:28
I am free from any charge against me. Romans 8:31-34
I cannot be separated from the love of God. Romans 8:35-39
I am established, anointed, sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
I am hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
I am confident the good work God has begun in me will be perfected. Philippians 1:6
I am a citizen of Heaven. Philippians 3:20
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
I can find grace and mercy in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18
I am the salt and light of the earth. Matthew 5:13-14
I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. John 15:1,5
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. John 15:16
I’m a personal witness of Christ’s. Acts 1:8
I am God’s temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
I am God’s coworker. (1 Corinthians 3:9). 2 Corinthians 6:1
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 2:6
I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
I am God’s child. Jn 1:12
Ok, so I mean for this to be a short post. There has been a lot going on for many of us, growth, spiritual warfare and change of all kinds. As religious as it sounds, I’ve made a prayer regimen in the peace of the morning while I drink my coffee. This is my “quiet time” with the Lord for the day. I pray throughout the day, but this is my “tent of meeting” time. The prayer regimen might sound stiff, but it is a guideline, like a budget or “harp and bowl,” things that add structure and give direction and acts as a platform to spontaneity so it can come out and be sustained. Plus, at 6:15am, the time the coffee’s finally made and I’m sitting down to pray, I need a template. So without further ado, here’s what I’ve been doing, hopefully this blesses some of you.
1.) I start with John Eldredge’s “daily prayer,” speaking it out loud. It includes a lot of things I would pray normally, but it lays it all out for me.
2.) Then I speak the truths on a bookmark I got from Jim Lang after talking to him about resisting the allure of temptation by finding satisfaction in God. I speak these out, or I will also journal them, sometimes even turning the wording back to focus on God as a way to not only speak the truth, but focus on, thank and interact with Him. E.g.: “I can find grace and mercy in time of need” Heb 4:16. So I will write: “God you are merciful and gracious toward me, thank you. I need you, help me to walk in that truth.”
3.) Then I sometimes pray through the apostolic prayers, changing Paul’s “that you would be filled” to “we,” praying for friends, family, and myself all together.
4.) I sometimes read through the Psalms of the day which is the date of the day as your first psalm, and then adding 30 till you can’t any more, and in a month, you will have read all 150 Psalms. E.g. today is the the 5th, so I would read Psalms 5, 35, 65, 95, and 125.
5.) I also do holy spirit journaling I learned from Alyn and AJ Jones, quieting myself and journaling back and forth with Our Father, listening to scripture confirming subtly, the same way I would prophesy to someone else. God always speaks love and encouragement. And If I’m not hearing love and encouragement, I put it on the shelf or toss it out. I use the same filter for myself that we use when we prophesy to others, out of 1 Cor 14:3:
“But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation.”
6.) I also bought myself for Christmas the kindle version of Finding Father, by AJ and Alyn Jones, it’s a brief but substantial devo that I’m really enjoying and growing in.
And that’s all! Any combination of three or four of these takes about an hour. This morning I read the Eldredge prayer and then I got distracted to write this, haha. But I’ll just do the bookmark, apostolic prayer and then Finding Father and see if anyone else comes downstairs for coffee on this snowy day, at which point I’ll be social. God bless you all! Hope this helps you squeeze in something ready to devour into your grab and go mornings! hugs!
-Galen
“Surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me all of my days, and I will dwell in Your house forever.” Ps 23
(*In case it wasn’t clear before, I’m Galen and this is my blog! I’ve also been posting my timed writing assignments here as a two birds – one stone kinda thing, by writing about topics that interest me to make me actually do the writing, and then if I like the results I can also use them as posts. Here’s one on Santa Claus:)
For most people in the U.S., Santa Claus and Christmas have become synonymous. For adults it all well and good, but for children it’s a different story. Children are not only encouraged to believe that he is exists present tense (pun intented), but that he sees everything and “knows if you’ve been bad or good” and will give presents or coal accordingly. The following will be an explanation of the detriments of the short-lived faith in Santa Claus for children immediately and later in life.
From the time a child is born, he or she must learn nothing short of all of life. Language, movement, cooking, eating, play, work, manners etc. The oyster that is the world is open to them as a universal university. A child’s ability to learn is astonishing. Children must be taught. Yes, they will learn some things on their own; like gravity (though I know of very few parents who wouldn’t catch their children whilst falling if they could). The inclination that says “don’t instruct children in morality and religion, let them pick for themselves,” is not only inconsistent but it is nonsense. Inconsistent because all morality has one thing or another as its basis. That basis inevitably includes some assumption about the universe and the nature of man, so there is self defeat number one. “Morality” of any making irremovably contains some “law” or “truth” about how things are and maybe why they are that way. Morality always contains “religion,” but maybe of a different convention. And secondly, it is nonsense, as I alluded to before about the catching and falling, because we know that there are things, good things, bad things, that we want to lead our children into or away from. So, one would only say they won’t raise their children into one religion or another because they themselves have seen little value in the religion of their origin. Or if they had, they would deem its introduction an asset to their children. Simply put, parents who don’t raise their children in a religion are indoctrinating their parental bias on the matter into their children, indifferent though it may be. But I detour. My point is that children have such a tremendous aptitude for learning that it is an abuse to their trust to tell them as fact something that is not an imagination of the child’s own making, but a ruse larger than they, that the whole world goes along with. Which brings me to my next point.
When I ask parents why they tell their children to believe in Santa, the answer makes me twitch just a little. I’ve often heard something like this: “It’s just so fun to see them get so excited, to see their joy about the magic of it all.” Two things bother me about this. The first, you’ll notice is actually that the parents do it because it is entertaining for THEM to watch their children. Shudder. This is not always bad, in fact, this is often healthy. But in this case it is at the expense of the children, which is shudder number two. Parents do this knowing that it will come crashing to a tear-filled halt one day. And why again? Because it was fun to watch. All that’s left is shattered hope and mistrust. I remember in a religion class abroad, a young woman eloquently stated that Santa, the tooth fairy, and God are all the same; whimsical nymphs created and packaged by parents to make children behave. I felt sick because she is mostly right. I became resolute that I would never lie to my children. That they would never be able to look back at anything and say: “Dad lied to us about that, what else did he lie to us about?” Children’s capacity for faith is so pure and precious, it’s not to be manipulated. I remember when I told my little brothers about the elders and angels around the rainbow and precious stone throne of God, they were amazed. They trusted me. I told them, so it was immediately a reality to them. Or when I told the elder of how Jesus was crucified on a Roman execution stake, he cried right then and there. Reality.
Children will imagine, they must. It is also harmful to ban fairy tales or disallow make-believe play. But when the tale is adult constructed and acted out, the children don’t stand a chance. It IS fun to see children be happy and excited, but how much better to see them excited about the truth, or a pint sized game of their own making with no ramifications. Remember, a comforting lie is a disservice, think of a cowardly doctor who doesn’t want to upset patients with an unpleasant diagnosis. But our condition is a hopeful one. The truth is that God is among us, He loves, He gives, He is alive, He speaks and encourages and strengthens and forgives and rejuvenates. To see children excited about the present and coming King is not just fleetingly joyful, but wholesome and sustainable.
In closing, the news we bear is good news. Some have deemed the gospel inappropriate for children, but I feel like some of the children I know that have a grasp of the gospel are some of the most sound minded people I know in a microcosm. Morality cannot be taught from a secular standpoint, it is a conflict of interests. If I (man) am the start, the means, and the finish, then I think I have the right by merit to say what I would like “right” and “wrong” to be, who can tell me otherwise? Essentially I am god if there is nothing else out there, I am the most advanced being, and I think most who have interacted with humans would not argue that by default we are anything but god-like. Justice is a man who weighs all and gives mercy to those who humble themselves and ask for it (pretty sweet deal.) God opposes the proud and exalts the lowly. First and foremost God’s will toward men is good, and its good is fully manifested when we find forgiveness and restoration, which are easy gifts to receive if you ask. God bless you all, and Merry Christmas.
December 10
“If I am in distress, it is in the interests of your comfort, which is effective as it nerves you to endure the same sufferings as I suffered myself. Hence my hope for you is well-founded, since I know that as you share the sufferings you share the comfort also.” (2 Cor. 1:6-7).
Are there not some in your circle to whom you naturally betake yourself in times of trial and sorrow? They always seem to speak the right word, to give the very counsel you are longing for; you do not realize, however, the cost which they had to pay ere they became so skillful in binding up the gaping wounds and drying tears. But if you were to investigate their past history you would find that they have suffered more than most. They have watched the slow untwisting of some silver cord on which the lamp of life hung. They have seen the golden bowl of joy dashed to their feet, and its contents spilt. They have stood by ebbing tides, and drooping gourds, and noon sunsets; but all this has been necessary to make them the nurses, the physicians, the priests of men. The boxes that come from foreign climes are clumsy enough; but they contain spices which scent the air with the fragrance of the orient. So suffering is rough and hard to bear; but it hides beneath it discipline, education, possibilities, which not only leave us nobler, but perfect us to help others. Do not fret, or set your teeth, or wait doggedly for the suffering to pass; but get out of it all you can, both for yourself and for your service to your generation, according to the will of God. — Selected
Once I heard a song of sweetness, As it cleft the morning air, Sounding in its blest completeness, Like a tender, pleading prayer; And I sought to find the singer, Whence the wondrous song was borne; And I found a bird, sore wounded, Pinioned by a cruel thorn.
I have seen a soul in sadness, While its wings with pain were furl’d, Giving hope, and cheer and gladness That should bless a weeping world And I knew that life of sweetness, Was of pain and sorrow borne, And a stricken soul was singing, With its heart against a thorn.
Ye are told of One who loved you, Of a Savior crucified, Ye are told of nails that pinioned, And a spear that pierced His side; Ye are told of cruel scourging, Of a Savior bearing scorn, And He died for your salvation, With His brow against a thorn.
Ye “are not above the Master.” Will you breathe a sweet refrain? And His grace will be sufficient, When your heart is pierced with pain. Will you live to bless His loved ones, Tho’ your life be bruised and torn, Like the bird that sang so sweetly, With its heart against a thorn?
surely goodness and mercy 