turn and turn about

---

Somehow I start to see, but like a babe

it seems too much for me to handle well.

I have to take a break, enjoy the shade,

and have a play within your house, and dwell.

Not just to dwell on it, but in it too.

I now recall that ancient psalm* (prayer/ song),

of king who tried to understand, but knew

“relating, as a child” made him belong.

I needs go “back to basics” now & then,

as breathing has that flow of in, and out.

The outward part is “try to understand”,

the inward is to “see what’s good about..”

and then relate, as small child would to Mum, 

or Dad, when fed and sheltered - just enjoy 

their company, and rest ourself, in some

small way, to let me trust (as a small boy)

my parents to know more than me, to look..

look after me, to know more, and still be

aware of what is needed, they will book

me in to train my immaturity..

And I can take some time to try to gain

an understanding, strengthen my insight.

Though this must be acknowledging the plain

fact that I am contingent, and each night

the world goes on when I must fall asleep,

become unconscious, can’t be in control,

entrust my very self to you to keep

me as a self, within yourself or soul.

---

*  “..Lord, I have given up my pride

    and turned away from my arrogance.

I am not concerned with great matters

    or with subjects too difficult for me.

Instead, I am content and at peace.

As a weaned child lies quietly in its mother's arms,

    so my heart is quiet within me.

God’s people, trust in the Lord

    now and forever!.” (Psalm 131:1-2)

---

2025th Christmas

Anniversary celebrations

---

We sat, the five of us, at table, on

the night before, and played the Five Crowns game.

Reminded me of Magi who did more, 

though Anne had travelled something like the same.

And I recalled Paul Kelly’s songs which tell:

“From little things, Big things grow”, & then recalled

nine months before the baby, there’s one cell.

When life & growing’s nurtured, we don’t “fall”..

fall down, but can grow up (though I feel flat, 

and immature, & babyish, to boot.

I’ve seen so many children grow like that -

when in a world where love has taken root,

and then’s acknowledged, though we mightn't feel

too able to conveigh it through just words,

it’s sometimes just a nod, a sign, a meal,

a showing up, a lead in Way  Forwards*).

A fam’ly in a distant place contacts,

by video and says “Hello” & greets,

& shows some tables set, and too relax-

es while they wait for others in their streets.

Then there’s the baby girl whose birthday is..

(first anni-ver-sar-y is).. on today;

we rang and sang and said Hello to this 

whole fam’ly. Then both “Merry Christmas!” say.

Since celebrating great things often will

involve our lowly animal nature,

we celebrate with food (and swim) & swill;

So “wise and harmless” source, we celebrate ya!

---

*  Thinking of many things: 

• The Shepherd, by Fredrick Forsythe as told by Al "Fireside" Maitland; 

• the claim for the babe whose birth is celebrated at Christmas, and whose claimed identity gives rise to its name.

• ..

---

(prieve and)

re-prieve

---

Oh God! These bodies have done very well.

They scare us though, with your attention to

the details of how we can bring on Hell

into this Middle Earth, and how we do

have power to, by our responses, lift

or lower our whole Universe, in views

that we would hold tenaciously as gift

to care for, or as just resource to use.

But thanks for bringing options (into space

& time of our existence) here on Earth.

So thanks for ways to partner & to place

our trust (of friendship) in you since our birth...

foretold, which seems like coming very soon,

as soon as this womb world has done its trick

conduiting our connections (as the moon

can transfer light from Sun, so very quick,

round corners, into shadow we call night)

and brought us to enough maturity 

to make the journey which may seem quite fright-

-ful (through the birth canal) till we can see

our fam’ly: Dad & siblings, even Mum.

though we could only see her body since

our eyes began to work, our sight to come.

But seeing more can sometimes make us wince.

We're taking on our duties in the way 

a small child does, who follows whimsy where

it leads, curtailed by what their parents say.

That friendship, list’ning, babbling, is our “prayer”.

---

Meaning?

---

It's funny how at times I feel empty,

like purpose & life’s meaning’s drained away.

I’m left a shell, an empty garden. Me.

With no life growing in me on display.

No register of passions,  feelings “dead” -

though ‘tsnot as though my feelings on this thing 

are very tuned, or accurate or shed 

much light as basis for a sound judging.

But still it should be said, so when researched

it can be found that this has  now occurred

within this world, in this body now perched

on side of bed. At times things do get blurred.

But also, that there are two good things which

appear to help me not to fall apart:

First is a slight distrust of feelings. Glitch-

-es seem to still occur. It’s still an art -

the feedback loop from body back to “me”.

It might depend on which side of my brain,

is handling the data then, to see

and understand my purpose. Then again

sometimes just one response must do for ā 

few diff’rent kinds of feedback; like there’s tears -

of pain, of joy, of sadness, or  eye strain.

If I mistake the context, then my fears

will all be “proved right”, as my eyes and sight

have testified to me at forty five.

I thought some bad infection came at night.

But teary eyes were just “years been alive”.

The second, is a story, not some “fact”.

And story is what lets right hemispheres,

see context for interpretting each act

and “seeing” what significance appears…

So I recall my story in this world,

to get involved in my self-authoring.

Identify the purpose I've been hurled

here for, get straight my  reason for being!

Then doing it (in chunks), is my next step

to bring me to experience, not just

"in theory". ’Times I need to have just wept

with someone-else, else I  grow full - ‘n bust.

---

with Emmanuel, God is "with" us! (not against us)

---

With Kev, right now, said Martin in a text,

what comes to my mind is “signif’cant life’, 

and ‘loved’. And also the words “cheerfulness”

and “genuine courtesy” & “warmth”. Alright,

I tried to pass these on to him today 

while Annabelle & Milly joined me at

the hospital where we hoped things to say

or read a Psalm, and sing a song. We sat

or stood by his still body (open mouthed, 

not breathing any more while we were there, 

before the doctor came to check what housed

his very self, we thought he was somewhere

within the care of his shepherd, a sheep,

and read Psalm 23, and something else,

and sang of Peace Boat as he slipped to “sleep” 

(as Jesus spoke of death). God’s several* selves.

---

*   Annabelle Rose Elvita Heer Walls, Millicent Jayne Tullia Heer McLean, Harriet Jayne Elowyn McLean, & Paul Lindsay Walker, saying “good night” to Kevin Angus McIntyre.

The Big Question: What DO we need?

---

Communities of Practice, where we learn

to “practice what we preach” and that’s the Christ

of God - as one who died in his good turn

at ripe old age in nursing home, enticed

to focus on a life of luxury,

provided with his servants round to care 

for ev’ry need, until he died in sleep,

surrounded by his fam’ly who were there,

and loved him, as he’d loved them through the years

denying their own selves gladly to serve, 

to hang out with him when he faced his fears..

Communities which practice keep their nerve,

Embodying their words spoken to bless,

& showing how to make this practical,

once taken in, to live it out in  stress-

full situations when they lacked a full

experience, or ways to speak of it,

both to yourself and others you affect,

within the group, & outsiders who sit

around who see, & gain a great respect.

Our biggest need, it’s said, is words to speak

about these good lives, we’ve all had till now,

about good choices, things we’ve done which tweak

& maximize investments, Take a bow.

An audience who’ll clap, and pat my back,

and tell me I am better than I thought.

And then we sell our merch off, don’t be slack,

and roll into our coffins - which we've bought.

---

new-world way!

---

My old habits of barging in and then

just trying to smooth off the ruffles made,

has worked at times, and espesh-ly when

my immaturity was clear & bade

folk overlook it, from a gracious heart.

I helped to “multiply grace in the world”!

But as God’s Reign’s Ambassador* has start-

-ed to call us, by questions, where we’re hurled:

“Shall we keep sinning, so grace will abound?”

The answer that then clearly must erupt

into the world volcanic’ly, I've found

to be what causes mountains to grow up:

“ .. a ghastly thought! We, who have died to sin—

how could we live in sin a moment long-

-grr?”° That’s the grrunt, the grrit, that helps us win,

that might come out in strong determined song.

And I recall that Jesus is a gent-

a gentlleman, who’ll knock and stand around

till he’s invited in (to where he’s sent)

And little brother James said that he’d found:

The way to be was just like his big bro:

that’s very quick to listen, look, and think,

(took thirty years, and that seems), very slow

to speak out public’ly, and then he’d wink…

and tell a story, ask a question and

do an act of kindness, that would show

the truth of Herald's message^ (which he planned)

and clearly spoke, so ev’ryone would know.

---

Footnotes:

*° Jesus’ Apostle Paul, in his Letter to the Roman Christians 6:1-4

^ his "gospel", the timely message of who reigned now, those 15 words (in Greek): as in Mark 1:14-15 “Time’s fulfilled: God’s reign is “near”! Give up all your own agendas - take this seriously.”

---

Step out! - into the dance I'm learning…

---

And learn to do the simple thing - admit

when I am immature or self absorbed;

and, on the side of greater good, then git -

to work again, the sacred oil’s been daubed

on toe, and thumb, of this priest of the God,

the spirit of creative love who loves 

creatively, with pow’r that’s not just nod-

-ding to a principle, with gen’ral shoves

in right directions. Partnership it is,

but still not one of equals; I must start 

with humble, loving, learning ways of his,

who’ll reach, impeach, and teach me all his art

of living well, by seeing good that’s there

around about me, ev’ry step I take,

and letting my heart well in thanks, and prayer

for others round about, then help them bake

the cakes they love to make, to bring more good

into God’s great good world, when thirst is slaked, 

and hunger which is meant to serve, or should

enhance the passion - fruit icing what’s baked…

and say the thing his prophet should then say,

and rule the world - bring order as a king

is meant to do, who knows the kingly way

of God who rules the rulers of each thing

or aspect of our lives here down below!

I’ll recognise, then speak, and sing, and play

his praises, to his honour, for I know

the kind of songs he sings, and words he’ll say.

---

look out, slow down, see clear, step forward now ’n live "near"...

---

I'm so affected by those round about,

by people whom I love, and want to please.

I’m scared of what it means with those who lout-

ishly accuse, command, so I’ll appease.

I’d cease to be the person who you made,

or play the part you wanted me to play

within this drama, with its heat and shade,

and problems which show while you seem away.

This shows my insecurities up well.

It shows my own propensities to act

instinctively, defensive of the self,

not with the view that’s overall in fact.

Not closely, well connected with the GOD,

the spirit of creative love that’s formed

a world like this, and me to serve the lot,

to work as partner with your ways en-normed.

Ennorm-ously in need of your input, 

inhibiting affects that slow me up,

to check, and tune, and get in step, without

just throwing in the tow'l when I’m shown up.

So here I am, so weak and immature,

who knows so little of your kinda love,

HESED*, that lives in covenant with who’re

a willing partner with who’s “from above”.

So my first call is from yourself: “Respond…" -

in kind, to all the care you've shown to me.

My first love will then draw the others on;

do you see, Paul, how they are then set free?

---

* HESED is the Hebrew word for loving-kindness, loyal love, covenant love, and is based on keeping one’s own word, affected by, but not predicated upon the other’s responses.

---

Draft audio song

...doing well…

---

Well here’s a thing I’m learning* that’s a “trick”,

a “hack” for living down here as we do

(for those of us who travel slow or quick

upon this Earth through time - and distance too).

For those who live within this kind of world

where processes are part of how things work.

Instead of just events where stuff is hurled

near “ready made” at us. It’s quite berserk

that even then, like when a baby’s born,

it takes a bunch of years to learn to use

it's body prop’ly - 'cept for how to mourn,

or cry aloud. We help them learn to choose

to live out of their instincts, and then learn

to do things that are helpful to their place 

within a human culture: take their turn

at turning round, at sitting in a space,

at crawling on all fours, and using words,

and learning to participate within

the structures of authority [like birds

within the unseen air wherein they swim

both up, and down, and join in flocks to aid

in simple things like moving right along

in line with seasons (though they are not paid

in cash) there’s gifts they take. They thank in song.]

So forward Ways we go, we learn to trust

the process that is bigger than ourselves

of mateship that means friends who do not bust

when hard things come about. So “anti- hell”!

---

*  This year I followed the process of a bunch of mediocre skills that required ongoing repeated work towards an end that seemed (& was) far, far removed from my starting point, over a time frame of 5-12 years, or more: 1) with my wife, I bought a house and oversaw (& significantly contributed to) the insulation & recladding of it, then upgrading its front & back landings, and the usability of its various rooms and underneath for  storage & living areas; 2) I jammed a (piano/) keyboard with some real (band-ed) musicians playing new songs in different keys, and got a very fun outcome; 3) I got gamer to do fun “3 min portraits” of possibly over a thousand people; 4) I completed walking the length of Australia NOBO (NOrth BOund) every step (possibly apart from 10- 50 meters, the difference between some pickup points and drop off points, e.g. across a road outside Weipa) from South Cape in Tassy, to North point in Tassy, then from Wilson's Promontory (Southern tip of mainland Victoria), to Pajenka (Northern tip of Cape York in  mainland Queensland) including Melbourne to Mapoon; then from the Southern tip of Thursday Island (South of the helicopter pad), to the Northern most sand/mud spur of Thursday Island, (on the northern mangrove-flat/ beach); 5) I lived intimately with & raised a family with - my woman for 39+ years; 6) I  responded (in the Way of Jesus)  to real, freely offered friendship from unexpected quarters, like a little child; 7) I am trusting the process I began over 65yrs ago. The process of “growing up”, which is as with a grain of wheat, a process that comes about mystically, invisibl-ly, and in the words of Jesus,  “automatically” or “all by itself”; yet a process that, with humans, can never occur “all by one’s self”; though a child is certainly involved in the process of parents “raising it”, it seems to me that loving parents/ guardians are essential to the human genome being transferred from a collection of molecules into a whole person of the human kind, an adult Woman or Man, relating with those younger and less mature as a conduit of the resources of the wellspring of HESED - lovingkindness. ...

---

left over?

Thursday 11/Dec/2025

---

Today we had a diff’rent day @ school

the normal teacher was away so we 

did diff’rent things; it could have been quite cool!

Instead we tried to hear, & think, & see,

& learn about the "right" side of the brain.

A fellow said it could do magic stuff; 

& I believe it 'coz I've seen again 

how magic’ly it operates in tough

& tricky situations - It connects 

us with the world around us where we live

& helps us to "belong” in all respects 

not just to 'use'; but even how to give... 

That’s not to say what’s left is “just no good”!

That speech and language (indexed by that side)

have no place, or can’t help, or that we should

not use them to communicate (or hide)

the truth about ourselves (or what goes down)

from those about us with their interests -hey!-

in us, our world, our country, or our town.

It’s just that we’ll think in a diff’rent way

not just about “What is it that I want?

(Though we might well be quite aware of that,)

We’ll also think of body-language, font,

and who we might affect by what we’ve shat..

within the eco-system we received -

to influence for good, in ev’ry act,

and word, and thought (imagined, or perceived).

The "right"* sees right, by rights, (and rite,) in fact!

---

*  i.e. the right-hemisphere of the human brain (as understood by the statistically verified generalisation of what is common in the human species, while acknowledging variations in individual bodily manifestations of the general "rule".

---

a Mum works hard to birth a babe

Oh God, the God of fatherhood itself, 

and motherhood as well we've come to see,

whose Leader for us is our life and health,

our food and drink, as Mum is to Baby.

The El-Shaddai who succours those who come

beneath your wings of pro-tec-tion and care,

as chicks come to the hen who is their Mum,

knows all the cost, and pays it. God's aware.

Not standing off, aloof, (as some Dad's did, 

in days gone by.. because we trusted our

culture & our science   to keep hid)

To notice you, we have to take a bow.

Then from a lowly spot we see more your

ways of hiding in the lowly spots

when crying, wailing, groaning, would implore

and yet we learn to trust you, more than not.

Please Help Milly!

people swamped by storms & massive flooding…

---

Oh God of Abraham (who trusted you)

we’ve seen you act to help him rectify

his family caught, enslaved, delivered to

some enemies. Please now do help us die

to our own comforts (as our guiding lights)

and ease the weather for your kids to shine

your attitude towards the folk in plights

beside them in that country all the time…

and give the spirit of your child to them.

A child who trusts implicitly his Dad,

and lives the fam’ly values from tree-stem 

out to the branch where he can rightly add

expressions that are tailored for that time

and place within your world where they have lived,

to show the fam’ly thriving as aligned 

to root of fam’ly tree of life as sieved

out to the world now through this avenue

of your fam’ly, with motives of its source

and start, as at its heart - the heart of you,

once broken by our failures and the course

we’ve taken as we walked away from you,

and fell asleep, or died (which-ever one),

our flesh now has not strength enough to do

the things impossible that are not fun.

We need a way to team up yet again,

with that creative love that thought and made

a world for children to grow up, be sent

to waft the fam’ly scent within its shade.

---

sore affected

---

My Abba I love you, show you my hurts,

my arm that’s aching, my shoulder that stabs

whenever I use it, or put on my shirts,

lean on my elbow, or clean up or dab

something in front of me. But I recall

this body’s a gift from you to me now.

You mentioned another more permanent thrall,

a body that will serve better somehow!

I love that you made this whole world - and dust.

It matters to you, and me more-so as 

your child so small, learning  largely to trust.

And so, we’ll grow - as our big brother has!

Unlike a brother who tried to secrete

things for himself, and would not let eyes meet

with others in openness sharing his loss

with all the world as Christ shared in our cross.

Here is my pain, and un-comfort as well.

Here are the fears - that I won’t play much more,

let alone work. I’ll be “crangry” and yell.

Push people away. God, oh help - it’s sore!

So thank you for each chance to look and see 

your goodness dancing with great energy,

and sometimes to speak out, even to sing

of good that’s present, though evil’s a thing!

I’m learning to trust you, and to speak truth 

out of the HESED love (that sources youth,

as well as wisdom, and beauty forsooth),

that what I say will match, and has some cooth.

---

 

to raise^ a child*

---

The spark of genius that is this Christ's

who takes up death by cross so willingly,

who warns folk that no sign would quite suffice

unless it’s Jonah’s quite “Will-’e? Nill-’e!” 

edge, with a disappearing - out of sight;

& burried underneath the surface bling

of world, where happenings of hist’ry might

be known by all (with secret suffering).

Where love brings birth, but at a cost - that’s paid

by someone paying forward in the past,

because of that creative love which made 

the world from the beginning - to the last.

It pays the price which love alone can pay.

For no-one who’s impelled by less will want

to do something that gives, when there’s a way

to get control, to have acclaim. Their font

has guise of ’munication, but in fact

it seeks t’impress, to note-a-riot-y

as end it really wants, behind each act.

A mother/ father’s kind society

is seed-bed for a human being born.

The method that’s from love means suffering.

The blood of birth, a badge that may be worn

with pride, when it’s not getting, but would bring

an offering of love, to bless, not bind,

unless with chords of only love itself.

A Song of Serving One° can only find

the lonely, who have lost their hope & health.

---

Footnotes:

^ note Christ’s repeated prophecies warning his disciples that the Son of Adam must be “Handed over, made to suffer, killed, (buried,) raised!!” Note also his repeated reference to being “lifted up”, which drew both concepts together of “raised”, and “crucifixion” (a physical being made higher, but as a mockery of the person themself).

*  Note that “unless you change and become like a little child, you cannot enter the reign of heaven”; “The reign of heaven belongs to such as these (little children?)” etc

° see Isaiah’s several  “Servant Songs” e.g. Isaiah 42:1–9; 49:1–13; 50:4–11; 52:13–53:12 which are possibly mirrored by the later  “Songs Of The Annointed Saviour” e.g. Isaiah 59:15-60:22; 61:1-9; 61:10-62:12; 63:1-6  recounting the one who comes from YHWH God, to the people of God as one who serves & suffers with & for them, to lead them into real right relating with their God, with eachother, & with those around (and with the  newly-made-right whole world)?

to grow up more like YOU!

---

Please teach me your ways Lord! Please grow me up

to learn to love, as Christ displays down here.

He trusts his shepherd to fill up his cup;

as Dave before him sang+ -  trusting he’s near.

So don’t “forget the nearness of your Lord”*;

He’s close, and I’m made up to link with him!

Thus I can never get what they call “bored”.

To conduit love from source has nothing dim

about it, many-coloured “goods” abound

within that coat which goes on over all^.

Creative in existence love has found

a way to make the world, not just a wall

or fence to keep our other neighbours out,

demarking bound'ries, minimise confus-

-ion, clarify somehow. But folk still pout,

and feel excluded, ‘coz they didn’t choose

to invite whom they’d like, and have them come

to their place, so to share life in a meal, 

a cuppa, or a walk, or talk, or some

way that life can be shared, a deeper deal.

I s’pose that must be friendship at its core,

we keep our word to each and carefully

consider what we say, to not say more,

or less than what is helpful$. Speak slowly#.

And “slow to anger#” too is just like you,

Yahweh the GOD who IS, who gives us breath.

And quick to listen#, tune to helpful$ too.

To show more of you here, before my death.

---

Foot Notes: 

+  (Psalm 23)

* “Delight yourselves in God, yes, find your joy in him at all times. Have a reputation for gentleness, and never forget the nearness of your Lord.”(Philippians 4:5 look at footnote of NLT)

^ “ As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of the same body you are called to live in harmony, and never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you.

16-17 Let Christ’s teaching live in your hearts, making you rich in the true wisdom. Teach and help one another along the right road with your psalms and hymns and Christian songs, singing God’s praises with joyful hearts. And whatever you may have to do, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through him.” (Col3:12-17 translated by J.B. Phillips, link show Greek & also other translations which can be changed)

$  All things you choose to do may be legal but not all are helpful. (See 1Cor 6:12; 10:23)

#  Exod 34:5-8; James 1:19-27

---

“Communicating with kids!”

---

Book Club for parents and for humans who

do have an interest in what’s in this book 

by Steph’nie Davies-Arai, so we’d do

it. But we're finished now, our faces look

not only sad, but happy to have won.

We finished what we started months ago.

We worked hard, and we’re lucky to ‘ve had fun

along the way with open sharing so…

God, thanks for such a mazing job as this.

We sometimes feel quite lost, and seem to be

a-going round in circles, lost in biz-

nus of the jobs you gave us (and that we

would love to do well too - the way you made

us, to be quite a lot somehow like you).

Yet we know that you are amazing shade,

protection and revealing what to do

as it is needed, necessarily,

and we can be amazed, & still learn trust

and grow in wisdom, understandingly

as you allow (who knows that we are dust).

Our first job might just be to speak in love,

while acting out of creativity

to form some space and time, down from above,

where living/ moving ones like you and me

might then attain a life increasingly, 

as we share what your hopes and dreams might be

by living into our identity-

a nature nurtured in your family.

---

Full of Life

---

It’s been a busy day dear Lord.

We drank some coffee in that park,

we heard some stories told by Mark,

we walked through places that were dark.

It’s been a busy day dear Lord!

It’s been a busy day dear Lord,

we (some) went home and had a sleep,

and clubbed a book* to life, to keep

what’s true and loving, growing deep.

It’s been a busy day dear Lord.

---

Notes

*  Thinking of the opposite of clubbing baby seals to death for their furs, we finished today a book club discussing (one a week - over wine and cheese)  the eleven chapters of Stephanie Davies-Arai 's book “Communicating with kids”. A life-giving exercise, that all of us (probably) would like to repeat with other friends. We had wood-fired pizza together today after a late, last Book-club meeting. A busy day, dear Lord. What else would I spend this life doing? Good things - with you!

---

Tripsy daisy ..

---

Mate, thanks for sending those pictures that whet

my appetite to hear the stories which

go with them so their memories then get

unlocked and meaning compounds, while the kitsch

remains to always hang about with us!

To move into the changes, holding hands

seems like the stuff ADVENTURES which build trust

are made of, till one fine’ly understands

each loved one in a hopeful, open way.

Adventure* pokes its head out as we do

what’s needed (even in the stuff we say)

to build up good for ev’ry thing/one who

we have to do with - where we BE that day.

It looks a great adventure you're all on!

Hope friendships in the fam will grow, not fray.

Connecting to creative love brings song!

So I will sing this ditty now to you.

Please prosper with - the language that you learn;

relating with the others in your group;

and spreading more creative love in turn

to those “outside”, you do not understand.

And speaking of the day that’s past, at night

or in the morning (not just what is planned),

to savour and to process, thank, delight,

each heart, and too creative love itself!

And what a start - to more to come each day

for each small life we live (sickness or health)

as ships (made for this passage) berth. Hooray! …

---

Notes

*  “Inconvenience is only adventure wrongly considered.” Or was it “Adventure is simply inconvenience rightly considered”; not sure… I think that one or both quotes, or ones very like them, are from G.K.Chesterton.

---

A Hallow'een tweak to Progress, Re-incarnation & Karma..

( three wells )

---

Get to know well, so that you can Remember well who owns you! .. and then use this self well, today! 

Part of the Backstory: 

The “given” you is 'on loan' (SHŌMA), & this life (in this body, in this world) is your chance to be involved in the creation of a new permanent version, and to choose some of its capacities.. in the service of pro-found ‘creative love’, or simply ‘control’ (as another cog in the machine where ‘machinery’ and ‘desire’ are its only impetuses).

---

That Prayer

---

His glorious, unlimited resource

is such that as he speaks a world begins

and I’ve been made a messenger with laws

beyond this universe. A power that wins -

in ways that folk who gain internally

the impetus to act and move and live

from just desire of their biology

(don’t know much love, to grieve or to forgive)

will never know, unless they let that love, 

(creative and continuous) express

itself through them as it comes “from above”,

because they stand beneath it, and would bless

as much as they are able to, they pray

for others too, that love might give the strength

inside them in their spirit ev’ry day

em-pow-er-ing them so that then at length 

the Christ will make his home within your hearts

as you trust him to come, and then to do

it, rooting you in God’s love ’s how it starts

(it doesn’t stop) and it will keep you too. 

And may you have the pow’r to understand, 

as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, 

how high, and deep is this great love expand-

ing more than this whole Universe in song.

May you ex-per-i-ence the love of Christ, 

though it’s too great to fully understand. 

Then you’ll be made complete & fully spliced 

into the life and power that God has planned…

---

Notes:

Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT :

¹⁶I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

+  To see Eph 3:16-19 in Greek, & other English translations NTIME, GNT, NRSV, & NLT- you can also choose other translations too!)

---

That Prayer’s Prelude

---

To shine out, and to show, and thus convey

his great intention from “back in the day”

when all of this world came out ‘coz he Said

(by God! He Saw what was Good, in his head);

The point of this all was humanity

that’s thriving, right with  world, & carefully

still looking over it, knowing it well

(not “just to use it” which brings out more hell),

to help appear the reign of the heavens,

make it quite clear, infecting as leaven’s

small influence does one grain at a time

(his spirit’s presence starts whistling and rhyme).

Humanity anointed by the God -

was called Jesus, the Christ - led Way for lot

to enter room of throne, and gladly now

fall on knees, or then raised up we bow,

or run to our “Papa”, father, it’s he

who loves us, wants that all  his children be

so open up, to learn from his leading:

to speak as he did, maybe with pleading,

and all of this must be after looking

& list’ning, hearing, then knowing the thing.

The Way of Christ makes open quite a lot.

To follow him we gladly throw out rot,

and clarify who’s boss (because it's true),

and enter love’s great loss in  death’s dark hue,

to find that all that’s timed has been renewed

in joy, dramatic song, we come to YOU…

---

Notes:

Ephesians 3:9-12, 14-15 (NLT plus Greek “explained” word by word when verse number is link-ified) 

⁹I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. ¹⁰God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹²Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 

¹⁴When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, ¹⁵the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. (Ephesians 3:9-12, 14-15 NLT)

Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT: I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

+  (Eph 3: 9-19 Greek, NTIME, GNT, NRSV, NLT)

---

Love's leading - 7

---

Love* leads & I would follow  as a living sacrifice,

but also as one buried and entombed,

until I'm resurrected - and this life’s to dramatize

the bigger story outside of this womb.

Each day take up my cross, buried then raised, 

and when I’m walking round about the world,

I dramatize up close (his name be praised)

the new creation’s energies unfurled.

For I am in this Christ and too his life,

his spirit, goals and impetus as well,

have breathed and entered (as husband does wife),

a branch that’s in its tree will start to smell

quite like a “cedar”, or a “gum”, or “pine”, 

or “camphor”, or a “dead-meat” I suppose.

for sap and cells are energized divine-

ly by the tree itself as it just grows.

And all the branch does is keep in the tree, 

or vine that is its kind and essence true,

depend, remain, stay, live  “yourself in me”

is what he said*, repeated then by Jude*.

And let his words live deep inside me too, 

and let them wash me clean as he gives them 

their meaning, through his life and proverbs - new

new parables, and metaphors that hem

and give a stronger edge that won't wear through,

the clothing that we wear within his world.

We’ll “put it on” like new clothes, when we do,

reminding us of our new job uncurled.. 

---

e* - the biblical concept of love often involves “tender devotion to”, but also another edge. HESED is the English transliteration of the Hebrew word חֶ֙סֶד֙ , used in the Hebrew Bible to communicate something like "covenantal love", steadfast love, family love, loving kindness, love that is based on your own word. It has been said (repeatedly) that the Love of YHWH  is a core attribute of God (Ex 33:19-34:11) & endures forevermore (Psalm 118; Ps136 etc). This leads me to speak of God as both creator, but as love itself too. So creative love might be an apt family name for God. Indeed when this concept of Love is translated into Greek in the New Testament it is expressed as ἀγάπῃ (transliterated in English as agapé) and that is then the word used in the Greek New Testament to express this kind of attitude, impetus, spirit, mindset of God himself, and therefore of his true children. It is the single verb in both the greatest command & the second command - just like it), as well as the initial impetus for all true actions, and the first fruit mentioned of the very spirit of God being displayed in a human life, and the top of the ladder of things to work with God on fruiting in human life. It turns out (as Eirene Gruber used to say) that the greatest sin is to miss the greatest command ( Matt 22:35-40; 24:12; Luke 6:31-36; John 3:16-21; 5:19-42; 13:1-17, 33-35; 14:1-7; John 14:15-31; 15:9-17; Rom 8:38-39; Eph 3:14-19, 5:1-2; Col 3:10-17; 1Cor 12:31-13:13; 1Pet 4:8; 2 Pet 1:1-9; 1John 4:7-19; 2John 1:1-7 ).

d* - John 15

e* - Jude 1:20-25

---

Love's leading - 6

---

Love leads & I would follow where it walks,

and how it walks - on water, or on land,

and why it walks, and acts, and thinks, & talks;

its ends & means I’ll try to understand.

And simply trust it to enable this

small child of that creative love which breathes

its life, and wisdom, love through ev’ry kiss

to raise a kind of animal that sheaths

creative love itself displaying it

to all the rest of God’s creation here

on Earth, but maybe too in hea’en a bit,

the Lamb that’s Worthy made deeds here appear

which fleshed out love as verb of time & space,

which makes all matter, energy to be

and move about, creating more a place

called home, right here within the world we see,

while also trusting that creative love

embodied in Yeshua to do more

as Senior Partner to bring “from above”

a new creation growing well before

it’s quite apparent to the world at large,

for now is its confinement in the womb -

a secret place where God’s great entourage

encounters life on earth, thus ev’ry tomb.

And so each day we take our cross up and

then follow in the footsteps of our Christ -

true Son of Adam, we must understand,

but no less follow - as the sacrificed. …

---

* HESED is the English transliteration of the Hebrew word חֶ֙סֶד֙ , used in the Hebrew Bible to communicate something like "covenantal love", steadfast love, family love, loving kindness, love that is based on your own word. It has been said (repeatedly) that the HESED of YHWH (creative love that simply IS) is a core attribute of God (Ex 33:19-34:11) & endures forevermore (Psalm 118; Ps136 etc) when this concept is translated into Greek in the New Testament it is expressed as ἀγάπῃ (transliterated in English as agapé) and that is then the word used in the Greek New Testament to express this kind of attitude, impetus, spirit, mindset of God himself, and therefore of his true children. It is the single verb in both the greatest command & the second command - just like it), as well as the initial impetus for all true actions, and the first fruit mentioned of the very spirit of God being displayed in a human life, and the top of the ladder of things to work with God on fruiting in human life, and it turns out that the greatest sin, bringing down the greatest judgement, is to miss the greatest command ( Matt 22:35-40; 24:12; Luke 6:31-36; John 3:16-21; 5:19-42; 13:1-17, 33-35; 14:1-7; John 14:15-31; 15:9-17; Rom 8:38-39; Eph 3:14-19, 5:1-2; Col 3:10-17; 1Cor 12:31-13:13; 1Pet 4:8; 2 Pet 1:1-9; 1John 4:7-19; 2John 1:1-7 )

---

Love's leading - 5

---

Once love led & I followed  (’stead of spearned).

Not my truncated, altruism, which

devolves the word to cover what’s been earned,

a contract-like agreement been arranged

to benefit the self at final  ends,

and minimise its suffering as well.

But love, creative, suffering, depends

on using its life here to absorb hell..

no matter what the suffering will be

for self, at heart it pays the sacrifice

itself. Just think of parents with baby.

A structure set to lead us like the Christ:

“My children..” he says to his followers.

That HESED* kind of love, which keeps its word -

that’s even to its own hurt, as though spurrs 

were turned upon itself, not on a hurd

of horses, bullocks, bisen, elephants,

and trusts creative love that made the world

and put his children here to wear the pants,

and learn to understand, before they hurled

a word out in command, much less a stone.

Love makes distinction, and so too will I,

between those here in need (for them atone),

and those who here would like to lead, or try

to, that’s where suffering will come to live

and share their life more intimately for

they’ll have to learn quite truly to fore-give

from source of Universe and so much more.

---

* HESED is the Hebrew word, used in the Hebrew Bible to communicate something like "covenantal love", steadfast love, family love, loving kindness, love that is based on your own word. It has been said (repeatedly) that the HESED of YHWH (creative love that simply IS) endures forevermore (Psalm 118; Ps136 etc).

---

Love's leading - 4

---

Oh God I see a certain serpentine

mindset in me that thinks not of the one

I would allow my thoughts or words to shine

out to; it only thinks of things begun,

not of the process being helpful too.

It is truncated, like an exercise.

A practice time to clarify, argue

a concept or idea. I’m not wise

as serpents are, nor harmless as a dove.

I’m often harmless as a serpent, and

about as wise as dove (strutts, coos it's love -

but doesn't see with depth or understand).

If I am understanding this at all, 

I'm very hopeful, ‘coz you seemed to say 

(quite clearly, I might add - this is no small

and incidental thing) that you would pay

attention to our words and looks, requests 

and  gladly will share wisdom - which is acts 

of understanding, insight, skill that bests

opponents, makes them fearful, hides, distracts

them from your re-al purposes and aims,

from comprehending modus operand-

-i, all the while you understand their trains

of thought, de-syr’s which they live by, demand..

So, if it’s true that I can go to you, 

creative love, and you won’t cease to be

yourself, but gladly share. Then I now do

that: (eating) “You’re my wisdom, knowledge tree”.

---

Love's leading - 3

---

So clean up what I can, and ask for help

where I can’t reach alone, or job’s too big.

And focus on my partner’s hopes, each yelp

of joy, or groan of pain or grief, and dig

down deeper to respond where I can join

in what our partnership is meant to be.

But don’t let me devolve to then purloin

things for myself, as though I’ll soon be “Me”;

that’s on my own without a need for love.

For that might be my one necessity.

And who I’m with is truly “from above”

beyond my expectations, they know me!

And love me anyway, have plans & hopes,

and don’t seem unrealistic in their pleas.

They plan for me to join, to really cope 

with hardships - and my immaturities.

And knowing I’m a “small child” and my thoughts

and mind is immature, to say the least,

creative love itself has done all sorts 

of timing & developing, not ceased

to work to make Truth concrete, personal,

organic’ly connected to a Way

of Life that shines with love whose arsenal

(creative) is persistent, ev’ry day

to welcome suffering, & loss of pow’r

because it trusts its very self to one

much greater in their knowledge, yet not sour,

& that’s when Life that’s Real has just begun!

---

Love’s leading - 2

---

So Love, creative, and eternal too,

we need your help to now un-strangle* you.

We’re stuck in mechanistic ways to see,

and don’t know how to change* our view*, so we

come to the only one who could affect

a change in us to save us from neglect 

(neglecting sunlight* on our solar cells*

which plunges us beneath to certain hells*).

Please clean us up, so your light can pass through

to land on surfaces reflecting you

somehow, and which then brings an energy

to what is dormant there deep within me*.

This brings alive a past amazing world

of love which can just start again, uncurled,

and functioning, with light as motive force.

It only didn’t function then because

it wasn’t opened up to light and cleaned,

and focussed where those rays would, un-demeaned,

just do their job of visioning*, give death*

to certain viruses that use no breath,

and make up basic food for all the plants,

when captured, in those chloroplasts which dance

around within a cell with “see-oh too”

and just ol’ basic water. Then renew-

-al comes into the ecosystem here,

and its long hibernation then appears

to be aborted and fresh life ensues

from energy which love, through life, embues.

---

Notes

le* - the “feeling/ lived-experience” of love being rendered “ineffective & unproductive” in my experience of a partnership   (which had been, at least at some time in the past) based on love, but may in fact have been set up to be a seedbed for love.

ge* - thinking of the quote from some children at a party to a trusted adult (mentioned in the interview below): “We’re being naughty, & we don’t know how to stop.”

ew* - thinking of the interview entitled “Change your Way of Seeing”, yet the inability of the Left Hemisphere to see what it cannot see (e.g. metaphors, depth perception in vision etc), & how it might just come down to the Left Hemisphere being itself & living “under” the greater relational view of the Right Hemisphere, where a living allegiance just works!

ht* - problem experienced from sunlight differentially not passing through dirty glass as well as it passes through clean glass. Thinking of C.S. Lewis’s observation : “When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him. And, in fact, he shows much more of Himself to some people than to others -- not because He has favorites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favorites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as a clean one.”(Mere Christianity, I think).

cells* - thinking of the above quote with respect to a photovoltaic cell, instead of a mirror… & recalling the Skyward series of novels by Brandon Sanderson where Spensa finds sets of ancient asteroid-like war machines all set up and ready to go with some kind of (solar?) energy that is available but must simply be tapped. (& cf. chloroplasts within a plant cell)

hells* - thinking of some ancient Buddhist concepts of frozen Hells.

me* - one part of a solution I can see for the problem outlined in Note ht*  above, (but, as also mentioned above, thinking of a photovoltaic cell, instead of a mirror).

ng* - one of the functions of sunlight. It simply allows us (who have functioning eyes) to “see”, to build an new internal picture of reality, 

th* - one other helpful function of sunlight is its disabling of “germs” living, dormant or viral (simply mechanical/ informational ?).

---

re: s'pondings

---

Oh Lord, we seek to see the openings 

where your bright glory/ serendipity

shines in and through, and so life truly sings -

responding to your creativity!

---

Love's leading - 1

---

So Love will win out, and I have a chance

to fight upon its side, with sword, or lance,

on horse back, or else on foot as its man.

For Love will win the day, as just love can.

This Love will win out! And now I can fight 

with all that I am, for this love, that’s light

& life (that's worthy of the “human” tag).

For all who Love, are God’s kids - “in the bag”

all-ready to fight on as Love has spurred, 

with personal identity confirred-

- not by some earning process or accounts

but by heredity and birth we bounce

into love’s world to be led so to win

our fight with rock, & tooth & nail, & skin

and all we have (as well as who we be),

our means includes all our technology

(not just what’s physical, but social too -

technology that’s personal, renewed,

relational - just think of Star Wars’ FORCE, 

and understand that PRAYER tunes greater laws)

And Love won’t ever just change, for it's not

at all like all desires that we’ve got -

our passions (anger,  jealousy, or greed), 

our laziness, or else pride that dain't bleed

(for it is not a boasting in some-one

but pride of place, relating that’s not fun

for both sides). Now I have a chance to let 

love be embodied in me, un-forget!

         So help me God. . .

---

a reflection on.. (receiving &) reflecting on ..(seeing, hearing, processing, speaking)..

If we are like “radios made able to tune in to YAHWEH (Reality, Personality, And Love That IS)” [cf C.S.Lewis in Mere Christianity]...

---

Recall the words spoken into God’s world by Jesus in his often repeated phrase before & after his parables (which were most commonly not-understood by his own disciples): “Let, those who have ears to hear, hear”; 

Recall what happened the second time to the man who was NOT healed by Jesus’s fingers rubbing his blind eyes the first time, yet after that, when he began to join with Jesus’ work by begining to “look-intently/ try-hard- himself-to-see”... then … in his mind’s eye people took focus, and became more than “trees walking around”.

Recall also Jesus’ words to the man who was dumb (& “deaf”, it turns out) - after putting his fingers in the man’s ears, and touching his tongue, he said to the man  “Ephatha!” which the gospel writers then translate from Aramaic into common Greek for us, & tell us means “Open up!”

(For further reflection: Notice connections to the servant song/prayer/psalm: Isaiah 50:4-11, especially verses 4-5,  and sing the blue version of a morning prayer/song to the tune suggested above it) 

---

…then use our whole being: spirit, heart, soul, mind, and body, all our chosen, un-chosen, and developed responses to events in God’s world coming to be on our retina, tympanium, skin nerves, emotions, imaginings, etc… to tune to what God’s heart is, his will, his wants, & his “desires”, treating them as worth more than, and choosing them over ours. 

---

Can you see anything? What do you pick up, see, hear, perceive?

How do you interpret that? What do you understand that to mean? What implications come from that?

---

To me as I drove along, I came to see that I must :

• Live above that “poverty mindset” which pre-judges things as static, numbered, limited… [a mindset which is true (in the sense that it corresponds to reality) without God]... and recall that I need never live that way again, and that WITH GOD all things are possible, nothing shall be impossible, I am given life, overflowing, springing up within me. (And I have started to try to understand this better via looking at it from different angles etc, & teasing it out here, or in this blog here)

• 
  

when personal worlds collide

---

Oh God! You made up wonder as a way

that we might have some feedback (like feelings)

on meshing with you, sharing time of day

(although it’s messy too, like other dealings

that are not just transactions, but a kind

of kindness that’s superfluous to some),

a way of well relating. Brings to mind

a word that is not spoken but has come,

is taken, and received, & understood.

And in that meeting, two worlds have come near,

or maybe more “dimensions”, which are good,

and present to each other, but appear

to casual eye to not be present to

the other. Thus we think that if we die,

then we might go to heaven, up to you.

Forgetting that you’re present, though we try

for getting you or even for giving.

You are not present as each other is.

For this relationship - all those living

connected to the source - time is a fizz

and not so constant as we thought it was.

And secret stuff can just be being done

between each one belov'd and lover ‘coz

those things are just enjoyable and fun

for those in love, but not for anyone

who won’t be so committed in themselves.

It is reserved for those who chose the sun,

for others stay inside, or on the shelves.

Draft 1: Audio 

---

poverty-mind-...

---

an old habit to get out of (Part 1 of more)

---

I choose today to live above, beyond

that “poverty mindset” which “thinks it knows”..

It makes its judgements, finds propond-

-erance of evidence to back them up. It shows

the things that point to its conclusions drawn

before the good hard work of finding out

and sifting through detritus like a prawn

does (at the bottom level - true - no doubt!)

So, in the end, it does its judgement by

appearances of things, as they present.

It wouldn’t waste it's time of life, or try

too hard, or stop to wonder why it's sent

- for purposes of love (know “God is love!”).

It hardly understands the Duke of York,

and his ten-thousand men - weren’t just above 

if they were not below, as people talk.

It seems to just forget that verbs exist.

It thinks in terms of nouns and adjectives,

of definitions from the past, a twist

and tweak just here or there. It hardly lives.

Or so it tells me, as I live along..

long-side it, it says “Life is hell, for me!”

I used to think it couldn’t sing a song,

I think it thinks that song’s hypocrisy,

for mostly songs have movement, ups & downs,

they can’t be static (that would be just “noise”),

they have a heart-like beat, & feel (like clowns)

- reminds you of those little girls and boys.

---

Download Draft Audio Spoken, & sung.

---

---

Live above that “poverty mindset” which pre-judges things as static, numbered, limited… [a mindset which is true (in the sense that it corresponds to reality) without God]... and recall that I need never live that way again, and that WITH GOD all things are possible, nothing shall be impossible, I am given life, overflowing, springing up within me.

---

not "wanting to" skip..

---

Txt2Me: ...big day tomorrow filling skip!!!

Response: Wow. 

---

God help that lady there with all that stuff

to have your wisdom as to what to do

with ev'ry task, in questions asked, and tough

decisions; thanks that she is there WITH YOU..

---

---

start of the day prayer/hymn…

---

Forth in Thy name, O Lord, I go,
My dai­ly labor to pur­sue;
Thee, on­ly Thee, re­solved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.

The task Thy wis­dom hath as­signed,
O let me cheer­ful­ly ful­fill;
In all my works Thy pre­sence find,
And prove Thy good and per­fect will.

Preserve me from my call­ing’s snare,
And hide my sim­ple heart above,
Above the thorns of chok­ing care,
The gild­ed baits of world­ly love.

Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes mine in­most sub­stance see,
And la­bor on at Thy com­mand,
And of­fer all my works to Thee.

Give me to bear Thy ea­sy yoke,
And ev­ery moment watch and pray,
And still to things eter­nal look,
And hast­en to Thy glo­ri­ous day.

For Thee de­light­ful­ly emp­loy
Whate’er Thy boun­te­ous grace hath giv­en;
And run my course with ev­en joy,
And close­ly walk with Thee to Heav­en.

---

Above, an old Charles Wesley hymn. 

Below, found on the net edited by someone(s) to be slightly modernized, with Paul Walker strongly editing verse 3, and adding verse 7. ( Can be sung to the rollicking tune of  "What shall we do with a drunken sailor?")

---

          Am

1. Forth in your name, O Lord, I go,

          G 

my daily labor to pursue,

          Am 

determined firstly you to know

          C.         G.            Am 

in all I think or speak or do.

2. The task your wisdom has assigned,
   O let me cheerfully fulfill;
   in all my works your presence find,
   and prove your good and perfect will.

3. Preserve me from ignoring you

         while following good purposes.

         That I might follow good right to

         its source, and treasure all it says.

Hooray! Up she rises! x3   

Earl-i-e in the Morning

4. May you be found at my right hand;
   your eyes see truly what I do.
   I labor on at your command
   and offer all my works to you.

Hooray! Up she rises! x3   

Earl-i-e in the Morning

5. Give me to bear your easy yoke
   and ev'ry moment watch and pray
   and still to things eternal look,
   and hasten to your glorious day.

6. For you I gratefully employ
   whate’er you in grace have giv’n:
   I run my daily course with joy
   and closely walk with you to heav’n.

7. With you I'll use the open ears

          you’ve given me to listen well,

          past what is known AND what appears;

          to play my part, against all hell!

Hooray! Up she rises! x3   

Earl-i-e in the Morning

Draft Audio of above version put here when available.

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Newer (ten sylables per line) version:

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1. Out in your name, O Lord, today I go,

to do my jobs, & labor to pursue,

determined my first job is you to know

in all I (even think, or) speak, or do.

2. The task your wisdom has to me assigned,
   O let me strongly, cheerfully fulfill;
   in all my works your very presence find,
   and prove your truly good and perfect will.

3. Preserve me from my own ignoring you

while following some great, good purposes.

That I might follow all that’s good right to

its source, and then to treasure all it says.

4. May I find you right at my own right hand;
   your eyes see truly ev’ry thing I do.
   I labor on at your gracious command
   and offer all my words & works to you.

5. Give me the chance to bear your easy yoke
   and ev'ry moment learn to watch and pray
   and still through this to things eternal look,
   and thus to partner with  your glorious day.

6. For you I set myself to fully use
   ev’rything that you in grace have given:
   I run my course down here with you, and choose
   to closely share this life with you in heav’n.

7. With you I'll use the very open ears

you’ve given me to learn to listen well,

past what is known, past all that here appears;

to play my part, down here against all hell!

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Draft 2 Audio recording of last version above entuned to be sung

Draft 3 Audio recording of tune for verses 1-3 & 5-6 along with variation for verses 4 & 7.

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Christmas-break kid's program

Brad's brief outline of the Christmas break kid's program he is inviting us all to help with:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y7n9QJu-DH2Vi7N0-RS5zZNH3bmYA-Np/view?usp=drivesdk

Raised Above - through trust, expectation, & love.

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Our next chapter in Stephanie Davies-Arai’s book “Communicating with kids” is Chapter 6: Responding to Negative Feelings.

I expect Katrina's & all your openness to God's wisdom will help you make sense of what may at times feel like contradictory strands... In a two dimensional world... The third dimension of wisdom is what resolves the apparently paradoxical advice of this chapter ..

Hope it is a good time together.

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God, please give wisdom to these folk to raise

(as you did with your Christ) the children you

have given them as just one cell in space,

to grow more to reflect the Christ to view.

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Cross purposes

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That secret weapon Christ claimed as a tool

when taken from the pow’rs that dominate,

coerce, control, make others’ plans look fool

-ish; just by letting them, and then await

-ing love’s creative deep capacities

and trusting all his self to its judgement,

above, beyond all pow’rs of enemies,

enlisting “deeper magic” as it’s sent

out ev’ry day, as rain falls on the fields 

of good and bad alike, and gives to each

a joy and pleasure, which helps each heart yield

somehow to love’s big purposes to teach

us how to shine it back in kind, good hearts

to shine the light, in universe so dark

unless there was a light, that truly starts

all life off, just as fire can come from spark.

They wanted more machines, so used up men

& women as machines to serve their “need”.

He wants God’s children, now, as well as then, 

to raise them up, by following his lead -

to grow through all potential ways when let..

that great love, which keeps this whole world in place

(if not for all eternity, I bet

it’s for confinement time, until there’s traced

a coming out of elements & stone…

and wood would do the job of raising love

above desire (to feel good, or atone).

And tree limbs could help raise us up - above.

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start to spring

Busy… following through with plans from the past and commitments to connect…

Txt2Me:Sounds like a start to spring

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Text from me: Yes..

What is it that keeps life full springing forth

from dormant, or dead-looking sorts of forms?

What is it that points magnets to the North,

impelling love to venture past the norms?

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medical procedure

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God, please give all the team your wisdom in

the carrying of this procedure out

or in to my friend's body where blood's been

a-coming from. We know you care about

these things which mean our body's vul'nrable.

But that is just what you made that was good,

and meant for us to have as use-a-ble

to get us on the ground as Jesus could

& did, to serve this world you made - to serve

your little children as their home sweet home.

This lovely house (or tent) helps us have nerve

to follow him who taught us how to roam.

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three days dead outside front door

I know Paul John & I weren't close, but we knew of each other's lives by what his parents & my parents passed on. And it felt like we were kept open to each other that way. And that possibilities were kept open, that may not (or may well) be there now... (@ least short-term).

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God rest his soul, in arms that he has known

when child, and at times as he grew up too,

and help return both he and we (as shown

by Jesus) to the grave-womb that Christ knew.

And if we will again as children come,

he said that he would not turn us away.

Though we live in this time where we see some

things, we are glad you, God, said what you say...

through your own chosen and anointed one,

and know the Judge-of-all will know the facts,

and we are not that Judge, but the true Son

said more is told by (not our words, but) acts

and that there are surprises still in store,

for all of us, in that reality:

The smallest weakest may be that much more,

and first may be the last. Soon we'll all see.

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Memorial Service: Sent by Dad, just before I talked with Aunty Glenna at ~10am

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