how to work for food... see that it is chewed!

And do not work for food that spoils, but for 

food which endures throughout  eternal life, 

and which the Son of Adam will give. More,

for to him God the Father gave as wife

all of humanity. He is the one!

(he complements each piece of God in us)

God's great-approval seal was placed upon

him. He's the tree of life, eat without fuss!

But know that first of all your death must come,

to that old greedy way of being soul,

that's sold out to some other interest. Numb-

ly thinking of small groups and not the whole.

And he went on to say that "Anyone

who chooses now for God's will to be shown,

will find out where my teaching all comes from:

from God, or whether I speak on my own.

Who speaks just "on their own", does so to gain

some glory for themselves, but he who seeks

the glory of the one of whom our names

and nature, and capacities still speak,

and who has sent him to this world of his,

this person is a person of the truth;

there will be nothing false about his biz-

ness.  He's the source of that eternal youth!

Stop judging by appearances, and guess-

es, & instead judge by outcomes and truth.’

The facts are sometimes weirder than the mess-

es, we think up - to feel we've got some tooth!

---

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’. John 6:27 NIVUK

Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Luke 9:23‭-‬24 NIVUK

Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.  Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.  Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.’. John 7:17‭-‬18‭, ‬24 NIVUK

---

...to justify myself?

But he, this teacher of the Law of Mo-

ses, wanting to now justify himself,

would ask of Jesus further questions so,

says: "And who is my neighbour? - Who's this "elf"

that I must love (and must I also meet)?

So Jesus gave this Teacher of the Law

a children's exercise, like Ses'me Street:

"... Now can you tell the one who's been neigh-bour?"

To help him see that he could do that task.

(You can work out who is your neighbour, see!)

Now learn to do the job that you've been asked

to do towards your neighbour. You'll be free!

It's strange how our responsibility

can bring with it, for humans as we are,

(increased respect, but) the propensity

to justify what we have done thus far.

Yeshua said that no-one serves two boss-

es very long (without an arbiteur).
'You can't serve God and Money without loss

to one of them, or else to the other!’

The leaders of religion, who had loves

for money, heard all this and sneered that "elves"

who didn't live in real world's "push & shoves"

might not know which investments were "top-shelves".

They sneered at him and… He responded too:

‘You are the ones who justify yourselves 

within the eyes of others. God knows you!

What people highly value, can be "Hells".

---

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’. Luke 10:29 NIVUK

13 ‘No-one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.’

14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.  Luke 16:13-15 NIVUK

---

Our Father (Arthur) in Heaven; our Nature, nurtured on Earth.

There's "Nature red in tooth and claw"*, ... and hoof,

and horn, and venom, bear-hug, slipp'ry slope,

and snapping, snipping, stopping, stinging. Smooth,

but also rough and tumble. And there's hope.

On two counts, maybe three, some insight comes

(that is, it seems to me to bring some light):

we do not readily do all our sums,

and think to make new rules, with pow'r and might

to back them up, and "make" folk do what's true,

& right, and "think of others", and be fair.

If love exists in either me or you,

then nature is but mechanism where,

like fam'ly pet (a creature lifted up,

and named and given status in the house),

it plays a part, like kitten or like pup,

and gains some family culture, not as spouse,

or child, or parent, friend, though none the less,

with some appreciation (though not much)

it might sometimes attempt to rule the "nest",

it must be put in place, and kept in touch

with how the fam'ly works (and who's the boss).

That's not because the fam'ly works that way

with members who are people. Pets ha'en't lost

their personhood, they gain it more each day

that they can stay and live within this thing

called fam'ly life, and household ways and means,

though birds might help young children learn to sing,

the household doesn't shrink to what pets seem.

---

*  Quote from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's epic elegy for his friend Arthur, In Memoriam, as he wrestled, pondering this same "question". Discussed here (in Wikipedia) & here (in a magazine article, written by a presuppositional? Materialist).

---

We need good Leading - not so much pleading. ....................... With Good to be praised, not just debts erased.

A great privilege to join in with a wedding, & to join in on the celebrations of a broader family... and be included so beautifully.

I'm doing well. Feeling a bit out of my depth most of the time. 

---

God help me to learn, with all of these yearn-

ings you've put in me, and others I see,

right here where we be. May we not just spearn

them, or try to burn them, 'sthough then we're free!

And you're amazing - (I say) - profoundly!

---

players can be stayers

21.9.2019 11:50pm

---

Ol' Alex the Boyd, & Eva his girl

with settled focus will work building ā

new "fam", decided to give it a whirl.

They'll give it a go! I heard them both say!

Worth coming over this side o' the world

to meet friends & family, & celebrate.

These two lives noticed each other, unfurled

to fy a new flag - each other's first mate! 

Not easy to do, when hard times are hurled.

The things that made it work so well today

will probably be what helps you stay curled

around each other, so that you both stay!

---

"waif" or "ward" ? ?

---

Thinking of leadership, corruption, and a way forward..

---

"The present system's dead, and will corrupt!"

I don't say this as just a bozo clown.

Though maybe jester's learn to say enough

to give some people pause to look around.

And maybe then to see things freshly from

a slightly diff'rent angle, point of view,

which then allows some diff'rent options gone,

to be seen in a diff'rent light then too.

Well, do I have a forward way from here?

Am I just saying "Bury it, and see!"

So moving, when we do, first steps appear,

and then there opens "possibilities."

And I'm not saying I will always be

around to see it happen, and to clap.

But I will cheer, and with the angels see

a new creation coming with that chap!

There's only one, in hist'ry of the world

that fits the bill in saying "Follow me.."

"..to painful death, humiliation hurled

at you - and out the other side, we're free!

"And if you can't believe in God, I'll show 

you how to do it, in the midst of life

in territ'ry that's occupied, you know

most are, when we use power, to make strife, ...

...to make the people. Not as God does that,

from dust of stars to be a being who

can learn to choose, to love, not just grow fat."

I know whom I will follow, now. And you?

---

Practicing character responses with a willing friend..

---

I'll talk (about things I could say) with God.

Consider cultures of those folk, and me.

My culture and my country may seem odd,

to other eyes (now I've been there), I see.

And I could never learn and grow at all,

unless I start with owning where I'm at.

To do that I must start with being "small",

and asking many questions - grow in  that.

And sometimes just jump in and have a go

and interact with people, not from shame.

But see that all my interactions show

I'm willing to "admit", instead of "blame",

in case that comes across in what I say,

I can't just trust my attitudes to be

apparent to my audience today.

I'll prob'ly have to "overkill", you see!

And in the end, I cannot make myself

be understood by others who would hear.

I must entrust myself to who can smell

health and hypocrisy; and then, not fear.

And be a bit thick-skinned myself, to not

be buckled by what criticism comes.

But here I am, thin-skinned at best my God -

skin thickens where it's used on hands and thumbs!

So maybe as I talk, and listen too,

about what's dear to me, or round about

it, on a walk I go alone with you,

that could be helping me to think things out!

---

Thinking of what I said to the Korean Flight attendant lady, possibly accusations of her regarding my wrong dinner, and then exaggerating to Sam (the Korean man beside me from Soel to Vancouver). And the help of putting ideas into words first, even to myself or my lady, yet the drain it is on others; therefore positing the advantage of talking things through with my father in heaven. Talking "as if" there was a personal God, who utterly loved us. (Interesting that this view-point keeps bearing good fruit in all kinds of situations eh?)

---

Let Communicating Begin!

Oh God I'm thinking of my wife right now.

And of that 1 year old you brought as well!

And then of those Ten Words you said. Somehow, 

you made and gave a track forward, to tell

the way, and then when Yeshua himself

"the Way", the one who lived it fully out,

came on the scene, and mostly brought good health,

in body, mind, & spirit, he's about

this freeing up their world-view at the core;

to make it not a power-play at all,

to show the core is personhood, and more -

the love in a good family is small

compared to this "volcano", or this "sun"

of love that's "looking out", and "making up",

in stead of ou-r  "looking down upon",

"manipulating", "making to" and stuff.

Wow, one with all this power, came to serve.

To show a forward way, for wayward kids.

I love the way you spoke. I love your nerve!

You clearly spoke your hopes, but then you did

not get involved, unless they asked for help.

Large parts of how you acted was through them.

Instead of like a bear that eats it's whelp,

you act as father Emu, or good men.

A "trail" exists to help us understand,

if understand and live it out, we would!

You will not force it on us. You have planned

for us to be Like-You. You are that good!

---

Quick!...Slow down!.. Slow down!

---

I'd LIKE to be learning, ... to be ... quick to listen, slow to anger, and slow to speak.... 

---

Oh God, you do so well at modelling,

yourself, what it is that you call us to;

you're only heard by those who specially

are setting themselves up - to learn from you…

And even then, you're like a Moose that's wild,

who dain't desire intrusion in our life.

You're quick to hear, and any call your child

might make to ask for help, finds your help rife

(not if it's help they're wanting to exist

apart from you, and then to just "get by",

yet) you'll enable life that will enlist

itself to learn, and give good things a try;

and live in wonder ("fear", they used to say),

instead of thinking ev'rything's sewn up

with all the findings we've got here today;

that's willing to believe truth will erupt,

and end up being vindicated by

reality (that certainly "takes sides"

with some ide-as, those that truly "fly"

in fact, while others "fog", and cause divides.

And then you're "slow to speak (to make us hear)!"

And when you do, it's specially to serve,

There's none of your own life needs us, it's clear,

you love us, well, quite freely, what a nerve!

And like you said to Moses, you are still

quite "slow to anger", full of patient love,

you'll let them make their choices, always will;

while backing up those born here "from above".

---

First & Last Ardarm’s Fruit-tree

background...

After forming the Ardarm from the soil of the Ardarmah (ground) and his own breath, then after planting a garden (East, in Eden) with all kinds of beautiful trees to produce good fruit, and putting the Ardarm in it, and after naming two trees   in the middle of his garden, God says that the way forward for the Ardarm in Eden, was “You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” God went on to say, “You must NOT EAT the fruit from that tree-  for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”[1].

Later, Snakey says “That is a lie! You won’t surely die!” In fact, (though he doesn’t command it straightforwardly, he sows doubt into Eve’s mind about the character and motives of the previous commander, with the view to tempting her to eat it, to get the knowledge of Good & Evil that it will supposedly give to them - when Eve & Adam EAT the fruit. Then, to compound things,  it looked like when they do eat the fruit, that they DON’T DIE - in that day! [it seems to me that God wasn’t  talking about the death of their biological life (bios) which came along years later]

But the whole sad story - after Genesis 3 shows something dead, lost, purposeless, stinking , rotten about humanity. We are “The living Dead”, zombies who are born, & move, grow old, have kids, do work to maintain the system (or work against it, to make another system basically the same) then die & perpetuate the cycle.. (of “life(bios)”). And, Jesus later says, “I tell you the truth (not like snakey), the time is coming, - the time has now come- when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God, & come to Life(zoe).”

Another thing from the bible... Israel is a tree planted by God in his garden. It is a “vine/olive-tree/fig-tree”, the planting of the Lord, meant to bear fruit for it’s gardener to eat. (Am I pushing it too far when I wonder whether it Is meant to be a tree to bring the knowledge of good & evil somehow to the onlookers or even non-partakers, & also wonder whether, in this new garden of God, it is  meant to be a tree of life to the nations?)

One more thing from life... two nights ago we had some mind-games/riddles on the way home from the Teen Camp. Jayden Sweeting told us one that was simple enough, but  we all gave up before we got it (We might have got it if we had acted it out concretely?). But solving it hinged on information gained not only from what happens, but also from what doesn’t happen in the scenario:

   

That, & the stories above that I had spoken of with others, alerted me to another level of story the next day, when I was reading or thinking about Jesus - on his way one morning to clean out the rotting “thieves’ den” of a temple[2] & tthen also the next morning going back to the same place[3].

And, since then, I've also been reminded of a  story from Israel's history; as they learned to be ordered as the people of God to serve the Nations and be a blessing to them... there was a time when the leaders quibbled over the power/authority and the spiritual leadership of God's people and (maybe a bit like snakey) didn't want to have God's choice of leaders (Moses or Aaron) "over them". Aaron and his descendants were given the priesthood via a sign from God: his dry stick of a staff/rod being miraculously given buds (and flowers, and fruit) overnight.

---

Ardarm’s Fruit-tree

“..in the day you eat of it, you will surely die.”

came the words to the first pair from the One On High.

Leader, he - named  that tree, then[4], to let children know,

and told them   how to spend life   with this tree[5], to grow.

And o-nly  one more tree was   named by Father God,

and we’ll see   what’ll be the upshot of his nod,

his ok,  to today go   and find you’ve eaten[6]

fruit from The  LIVING Tree that   grows in God’s Eden.

Later on,  when second Ar-darm came to get fruit

from fruit-tree,  lovingly plan-ted in his “youth”;

poet he,  used that tree then   to let children know:

Ardarm came,  to it’s “shame” the    fruit-tree’s fruit dain’t grow!

And the Fa-ther must ’a said   something “like” back then

“..in the day   you don’t eat of   it, that tree ‘has been’!”

'cause sure e-nough when Pe-ter next day saw that tree

that there stood,  “Aaron’s Rod”, had    no buds to be seen.

Later on  a tree of Life  was planted on Earth quick(!)

by the Ro- man Empire,  but planted as a stick,

on that same day, at that tree, someone surely died

of their "Bios" life, but "Zoe" life was multiplied!

---

[1] Gen 2:16-17

[2] Mark 11:12-14

[3] Mark 11:20-25

[4] Gen 2:9

[5] Gen 2:16,17

[6] Gen 3:22-24

---

Though crook, don't sook.

God, you are good, and thanks too for your love

and care you share so fully from above.

With Brad, we'd say we're glad that you don't shove!

But if you did, we'd gladly bid you cov-

-er all you thought to do, both big and small,

for you would only do what would install

a greater good, that we would feign forestall.

In this we trust your miss-shun, overall.

---

Tough times... What to do?

(Names may be changed, to protect the innocent)

I hope you get a job, ol' Henny mate,

or some way for this world to "Henny fit"

that all your skills and attitudes to date,

and knowledge would be of most benefit!

I'm looking at the sky, just now and then,

as sun is setting, dark blue's washing light,

but clouds are rolling in here, such that when

they do it will seem early on-set night.

And this reminds me of what Jesus did

(I don't know why, oh yes I do), that time

when towns-folk brought a bloke (or just a kid?)

to him, who couldn't hear or (prob'ly) rhyme,

He took him off away from all the crowd,

& did a pantomime for him alone,

so he could understand what's going down,

then looked up to the sky and gave a groan.

No words were spoken then, a sigh is traced.

I didn't understand what happened there,

until a Chinese visitor named "Grace"

said that this was a case of him at prayer.

"He's praying in the language of that man,

- who hardly can say anything at all"

(And now I'm glad Grace helped me understand)

That Jesus, like a priest, prayed (for us all).

Then like a prophet he could speak God's word

to that there chap and it sure did the trick.

It just led me to think (might be absurd),

that you (& I) could "look up, and groan", quick!