Bright eyes...

 Conduits and sources of meaning..

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What makes you come alive and turns you on?

What helps you see your purpose in some task?

What are the threads of meaning in the song

you sing each day - especially when not asked?

But which arise within you heart, or mind; 

the pictures you imagine as you go

about the things you often do; you find

are often there within yourself - you know.

Our question only works as a strip tease.

It’s not like we’ve the perfect lives, and our

describing them will be a way with ease

to get the answers to our thirst for power.

For we are meaning makers, it is true.

It means something to our humanity

to speak, and mean a thing, from me to you,

and back again. Unseen though our words be.

Though some potentiality is there, 

a partnership exists, and we offspring,

must be involved ourselves/ be raised to where

we’ve learned to walk, the talk “matches” the thing!

So process is the thing, this stage is sound.

The learning, changing, growing is the core

for us who often need to turn around, 

to keep our eyes child-bright. We’re sponges for

the truth, reality, to be lived out,

expressed in love’s responsiveness to gift,

and presence of the lover who won’t pout,

but totally eclipse our visions. Lift.

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[16] Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct each other with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts. [17] Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father. ….

[23] Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for human beings. [24] Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve. [25] And wrongdoers will be repaid for the wrong things they do, because God judges everyone by the same standard. (Colossians 3:16-17, 23-25 GNBUK)

Turn around (bright eyes)

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thanksgiving..

 (spiritual discipline of)

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Today we sat, with food at breakfast time,

and one of us proposed an exercise

of thinking of past days or weeks, to shine

the lamp of goodness on parts of our lives

& then give thanks to God who did provide

us with some goodness we are grateful for.

We know that these are only some, they hide 

around the corners, out of sight and more.

They’re ones that we could name this morning when

we sat down with each other, and our food…

The context often focusses minds, then

we’re more likely to see - what then ensued:

Dunc thanked the source of goodness for his wife -

(our daughter Milly) who has brought to life

their children Hamish & Tullia (whom

he said he’s also grateful for) - Boom, boom!

Hamish (who’s one, and turning two) concurred 

the cars (& ball) he often plays with are

what he could have some thanks for. He’d demurred

for lack of abstract words, but he likes “car”!

 

For Milly: Sunlight, (on) the leaves, as well

as Duncan, Kids, & Freddy (her friend's boy).

Tullia thought of “Food”, within the shell

of “Hamish’s bowl, that he’d shared with joy.”

And “Freddy’s birthday - he is one (today)!”

And then Katrina (with sore throat and hand)

said “Tablets - pain relief, hay-fever!” Hey,

she takes a while to surface. Understand?

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Paul added too, that he might say “The Sun 

(as source of energy for Life on Earth),

& Food: a way its energy’s begun

to seep into our bodies since our birth.

And we together, gathered up these thoughts,

and send them back to that creative love

which set us into being. We weren’t bought

some grocery shop, and just appeared above

all other beings (that we mostly see

because we are the bosses here below).

Our understanding grows as losses be

experienced: “The Boss’s here below!”

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Thanks for

Dunc: Milly who's given their family Hamish & Tullia (whom he is also grateful for).

H: the ball & the cars

Milly: Sunlight, the leaves, Duncan & Freddy

Tullia: food, That Hamish had shared his bowl with me. Freddy’s birthday… he’s one.

K: pain relief tablets, Hay-fever tablets, 

P: the sun: giving energy for all biological life on Earth.

Food: which makes the sun’s energy available to our bodies to live another day upon the Earth.

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pain-a-gain

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Oh God, you’ve helped me up until today, 

so why should I now fret and start to say

(because of pain I'm in) “You’ve gone away!”

Instead I can “use words”, or just display

my pain to you. “It hurts!” And while I feel

this pain I start to know some that seem real

but might be covered, or just brought to heel, 

by pain-killers until their cause is healed.

I think that is what I have come to know

you as: “the healer, and who makes good grow”.

The fact that you allow us to join, so

we even grow in agency, might show

some sillyness on your part, (for you do

this kind of thing a lot), and I love you

a lot for letting me join up with who

is most creative, and most wise to boot!

“But I am made of clay, and feel so small.”

Yet when I let our “partnership” recall

the unseen part, then I can stand up tall,

and also keep a space in me to fall

into your satisfying hold of me

in tender care, and know I’ll always be

upon your mind, as is my lady, she

is more-so when she shares quite openly

her heart, and unseen thoughts and feelings too.

And this brings me again, right back to you.

“My tooth is sore. I don’t know what to do -

I’ll ring that dentist. Thanks for wisdom new!”

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Following the thread that’s laid…

(Beginning where we are, in Bendigo, go, go!)

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For "brew" in the new, and too, very old...

Good Reign of the who is grievously bold..

determined to grow each man, more than mouse;

8:30a.m. & @ the Brew House.

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“Go & MAKE DISCIPLES of all the nations (the Jews were the people of God, under the old covenant; that has now been superceded; under the new covenant all the nations can now be the people of God), teaching them all to obey & live out all that I have commanded you all, & washing them into having & owning themselves the name of this family/people of God! And I will be present with you, at your side, & on your side, until the end of this age. After that - it gets better!” (Matt 28:19-20)

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Gloriously going forth..

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(First-Draft Audio song with piano)

We see that God's at work amazingly.

Dear Father, please help us know how we can

join in with what you're doing that we see.

It's fun for ev'ry woman, ev'ry man..

who comes to  know acceptance of what we

have offered up to you, because of love,

(and not man-ip-u-la-tion so we’ll be 

more loved by heaven), it’s all from above.

Then there are times when we seem quite mechan-

ic-al, with roles to play and when we do

from love, instead of lesser motives.. Man,

we find we’re growing up to be like you..

Oh what a wondrous thing to know your goal -

that we would grow up to be like your Christ -

and that one day, we really will be whole,

because we're joined to him whose life sufficed

to make the changes from creative love

that put this world together at the first.

Its fun and games are seeded from above,

its griefs (with rains of tears) both best, & worst!

Love asks not “What do I feel like, & want? 

But focusses on truth, more than desire.

It’s OTHER centred, chooses dif’rent fonts, 

and focuses on what’s deeper, or higher.

“What do ‘THEY’ feel like, - and thus want, - & NEED?

And how can I affect and serve this one?

Their needs, their feelings, & their wants - are seed…

they’re seed considerations, start the fun

and games, and bring the spice of life to bear

on all our choices, and experience too.

It sets the scene and helps us focus where

we’re likely to find out, see how, & who.

Oh God, you’re good. Your plans - the  best I’ve seen!

They’re deeper, better, longer-lasting too.

Your hesed* love’s a way of life, its dream

enlightens life, so waking hours renew.

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*  hesed the Hebrew word for committed altruism, born of honouring one’s word, and one's neighbour as one’s self.

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LIFE beats Strife

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(First-Draft-Audio, song with piano)

He knew what he must do, and how, and why.

He owned his feelings and desires but yet

would not let them just rule him - rather die

than miss the will that Goodness truly set.

He knew his Father’s will, and too, what way

could help him to live under Fatherhood,

and asked his friends to help him stay awake

and knew the hearts of men weren’t always good,

or else were plain ol’ weak, and lacked the will -

pow’r which derived from love’s creativeness.

So he would have to open up until

no secrets were retained. God would be blessed

by his determined open-ness and truth,

no (under/ over)- statements, nor denials.

But plain ol’ choice to honour any who

through constant choosing to act all the while

such that all glory, honour, and immor-

tal-ness, would then come his way just because

he knew creative love & life had more -

excess, and overflowing. There are laws,

or understandings of a person’s ways

which can be quite depended on to grow

us up in bold adventure, we display

some fam’ly style or manner, ’coz we know

within our bones (and DNA), the stuff

of life that is essential to God’s own -

bequeathed to us as gift that is enough

& all that’s necessary. Love’s our home!

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Background

As his herald later put it:

[36] Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” [37] He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. [38] Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” [39] And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.” [40] Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? [41] Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [42] Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” [43] Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. [44] So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. [45] Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Now the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. [46] Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”  [47] 

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. [48] Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” [49] At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. [50] Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. [51] Suddenly one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. [52] Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. [53] Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? [54] But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” [55] At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a rebel? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. [56] But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. … (Matthew 26:36-56 NRSVUE)

As his Ambassador (later) explained:

“Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others, for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. [2] We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth. [3] Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? [4] Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? [5] But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. [6] He will repay according to each one’s deeds: [7] to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life, [8] while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but injustice, there will be wrath and fury. [9] There will be affliction and distress for everyone who does evil, both the Jew first and the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, both THE JEW first and the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality. (Romans 2:1-11)

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