Aligning …

---

Dear fam’ly of the Father & the Son, 

and Spirit sent by both t’be embod-

-ied in the set of acts which will have won

at “end of this time”, clothed in us and shod

in each and all of this one family!

It’s Pete who said that all God’s promises

are precious for they bring to you and me

the very nature of YaHWeH* who says

that God’s delighted to use weak, fragile

immature and incomplete critters

to further his own purposes, to smile 

on his creation, gath’ring what’s dispersed,

dispersing what’s been gathered - as he wills.

And it’s the will of God to honour HIM 

the human who kept close through all the spills

of life on Earth, both glorious and dim

at times, as this HIS story moves and more..

Our neighbour over road told me this last

twenty four hours what transpired before

[when we saw him ‘n’his neighbour (in the past)

a-talking out the front, with cut of trees(?)]

He said “Let’s say of past, ‘Good-bye’, ‘Be-gone!’ ”

And start afresh in present time.” And squeezed

each other’s hands. And then the man went on

to share more pers’nally some weaknesses.

The best may not have finished up the job

as yet, but I see this as sign that says

new WAY (of Jesus Christ) has somehow lobbed

into the camp of tight defences and

that there grenade might soon blow up road blocks.

Let’s keep on asking heaven’s court to stand

and join us so that both join with his flocks

in showing off the truth and life, and way

of Jesus, God’s anointed leader who

bore all the discord of our lives that say

that life is not worth living - It’s all poo!

Well God, for this one’s sake, your chosen (Christ!),

may this man lower, and his lower three,

be blessed by life, and love, and not demised,

till your good will is real-ised in each knee.

---

Footnote

H* - YaHWeH (the only God who IS God) is the personal name of the one Jesus of Nazareth called “Father!”, and whom this father said of Jesus “This is my beloved son. Listen to him!”, Peter who heard that voice from heaven said later to other followers of Jesus: “ He has by his own action given us everything that is necessary for living the truly good life, in allowing us to know the one who has called us to him, through his own glorious goodness. It is through him that God’s greatest and most precious promises have become available to us men, making it possible for you to escape the inevitable disintegration that lust produces in the world and to share in God’s essential nature.”(2Peter1:3-4)

---

Answering before Listening,

is folly & shame*

---

Dear God, please help me (thanks for help so far)

to learn by observation, not spruiking.

In words of James (who’s Jesus’ next brother)

“..be quick to listen, slow to speak a thing,

and slow to anger* (though I might still need

to get angry, but it should take a while)”.

I’m wond’ring what he meant by using “speed”

words: Does “quick” here refer to accent, style,

or time that’s taken to initiate?

Or does it mean a living kind of thing? -

where movement might be linked to time and state,

as passage through both time and space may bring*,

or else a movement responsive to will -

[and ours is not mature, or fit, quite yet,

for ruling worlds. And it won’t be until

we come out of this womb. But then I bet

our training will be solid till we can

be fit to rule the angels - and this world. 

And then we’ll listen better than a man

or woman could today, wherever hurled.]

That quickly, even actively, takes on

the list’ning mode to ev’ry -thing and -one,

we might request to uncover what shon

out light & help elucidate. Begun,

it might keep on (thus call for us to speak,

but here speech is the serving kind of stuff)

(not as the final judge who can't be tweaked

by past & future); wise & full of love!

---

Footnotes

e* - Proverbs 18:13

r* - (James 1:18-27)

g* - as the ancients considered the planets to be living (wandering) entities, if not metaphors (or icons) for them.

---

If I spend time with God, I'll just get sick.

“He does not heal at all” is my big stick.

---

My God, my God, my biggest fear is that 

You might abandon me (as Jesus cried*!)

He faced that fear himself, and though not glad,

expected to be answered - other side…

and did not flinch at the experience, 

but let that Psalmist* speak for him as well

as of his own life, and it's weary-ance

(not “Ev’ry day feels further from the Hell…”

… we brought into the world with choosing snake

as mentor, just because he could be seen

(no questions still remained, that then could make

us humble and still learning inbetween.)

But God, on other hand does not appear

so, always showing self to outside eyes,

or even heard (by us) with  outside ears.

He looked through metaphore, did not despise

the lowly physical, but vaunted it:

his own ident’fication “Son of Man”

or “Son of Adam” - spirit haunted it

as weak, or immature, a leader - banned

from Garden of delights, with God - on Earth.

I s'pose those kids* had felt abandoned there,

as Cain accuses God’s discipline, worth

those words “My punishment's too much to bear*.”

And God, as gracious Father, stigmatized

as never wanting to provide or give

mentoring to his children, dramatized

in parables, and ev’ry day he’d live:

“If you have ears to hear, then use them now*” ..

..(& hear the deeper meaning underneath!)

“Don’t you have eyes to see*?” He said, somehow

entrusting wisdom that just God bequeathed.

This second “Son of Adam”⁶, unlike Cain,

a murderer from jealousy and pride,

was murdered as those motives lived again,

and showed another way than “run & hide””.

He trusted discipline of God as good,

and not “too much to bear” (unless alone)

and as was said by Jesus, he “could

do nothing by himself*” - he will atone!

---

 Footnotes:

d* - on the cross at the end, he cries out “with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; Matt 27:46)

t* -  the Psalmist who wrote: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?...”(Psalm 22 in the Bible Jesus would have memorised, & then chose to live by)

s* - i.e. Adam & Eve, billed as completely innocent children of God, at first, who then listen to a talking animal instead of YaHWeH-God, to follow the world-view of.

r* - Cain’s words to God (Genesis 4:13)

w* -  (Matt 11:15; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8)

ee* - “Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear? And do you not remember? …Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”” (Mark 8:17-18, 21)

de* -  as did Adam & Eve, after choosing Snake’s way, instead of obedience to the will of God, as expressed by God’s word to them : “They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:8-21) 

f* -  e.g. “I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” [27] They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. [28] So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. [29] And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” (John 8:26-29 )

---

Some One’s Psalm

[Paul, with stories from Beth & Bevan Walker, Annabelle & Matt Walls (& Arthur), and Katrina the lovely]

(20 May 2026)

---

Today my Dad & Mum flew down to stay

for one week here in Orange, in the cold,

from coastal place that’s called  Runaway Bay

in Northern Sunshine State. “We’re getting old”

they say, “But don’t get old yourself…”

Mum said that this day started off with stress;

she packed a larger “port” as nightly elf. 

An early start, and then rested as best

she could in plane while travelling quite fast.

Their neighbours drove them to the plane at first,

and baby Arthur screamed  with them at last.

And then we sat and talked, till we might burst…

We talked about a sleep-in for the morn- 

ing following, coz some people were crook

who’d normally join for breakfast after dawn.

And little Orange ear-plugs they both took.

They wandered down the back steps, to arrive

at studio for visitors and such.

And took the code (by text) to get inside,

A fam’ly’s set to teach us very much..

but specially ‘bout the love that goes beyond

our own world, to include someone (not us)

and care for them as if they had belonged

here with us. Sometimes that means making fuss.

And then I s’pose it’s letting love-light grow

as indicator of another way

at odds with what our culture seems to know.

Then God with his own fam’ly’s on display!

---

the Anterior Cruciate .. Lament

(not quite ..)

---

For pleasure of mere movement in the wind,

the joy of moving fast and turning quick,

on top of that the game that won't recind,

sheer strategy, and courage to the brink,

creative - bringing options fresh released,

& skilful in dependability:

these gifts are exercised, thus not decreased

through  games with all their physicality.

Competitive sport covers all these well,

so I would like to thank YOU - for it’s real!

But now recall it sometimes brings on hell,

with injuries that can take months to heal,

or maybe leave with loss, or lack somehow,

and that is where a bloke could today be 

if in a game of soccer with some pow’r

he ruined all that’s helpful in his knee.

And he might hope for healing yet again,

and therefore his direct pain might decrease,

but still there might be other kinds of pain

and lacks that feel like there’ll be no release.

And that is where things are for my friend Sam.

He’s thought, and still no options come to view.

I feel for him, for YaHWeH (the I Am)

hears cries and comes up close, and pers’nal, too.

And so a groan comes out, turns into prayer,

as with that deaf/mute man* they brought to him

and looking up, we speak to his leg where

it bends (or doesn’t): “Open up - that limb!

---

Footnotes

n* - (Mark 7:31-37)

---

appendix -

-itus

---

God, pour your love on this one, (y)our daughter.

And thanks for each who helped, as supporter..

And all those who just had a chance as well

to join with “your will for your world” - ('gainst hell),

to make it heavenly by choices made

to represent your truth & love as bade

by you when you made humans in the shade

of your good mentoring (before way-laid -

by us who've looked to snake to learn/ to teach

us how to live with wisdom and to reach

out with two hands to partner with the love

that's given all good gifts come from above....)

Your healing comes to us from deep inside

each body you have given us to hide

creative love in action in this world;

and those folk joined with you, where they were hurled

by Providence who has provided well

a world for us to care for and to dwell

in, so to learn co-operation too

(with providence itself, &) me and you,

so parents, children, neighbours living near,

and others from afar who might come here..

Co-operating in a partnership

to learn to see another's win or slip

as way to join with them and multiply

the goodness in this world, so bye and bye...

(not "buy & buy", as money’s entity)

we'll even grieve with anger and pity*!

---

Footnote

y* - e.g. “Jesus was angry as he looked round at them, but at the same time he felt sorry for them, because they were so stubborn and wrong. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and it became well again.” (Mark3:1-6)

---

Camera.. Action!

(Script)

---

Well things are happening around me now.

Before “words” come to me, I start to see*..

that I'm to learn to watch, to look, then bow

in recognition of the good ’round me.

To honor good in all the ways it should 

be honoured as appropriate in that..

..that time and place and instance where it could

be then expressed, embodied on this mat…

material and energetic place,

a concrete model of what’s come to mind

of YaHWeH GOD, who IS (existence Ace),

where we are meant to model, and to find

all goodness, since it’s woven secretly

into the fabric of the Universe,

then learning to extend it more, to be

co-opperators (not just some perverse

young operators of machinery, 

who play with the controls in ignorance)

apprenticed under one who made for me

& you, designed this whole she-bang (not chance) 

to now be finished - with his kids once grown

up, so to join in with the fam’ly trade

of building (& then helping with a groan

or two - as sign of processing what’s made, 

or being formed around us, in between

us, & within us, as we join with the

terrific purpose of our being seen

on this stage, till we have that final meet-

ing with Producer and Director who

will look at all our acting up till then.

Decisions will be made ’bout me and you:

Will we be picked for next production when…

the stakes get higher, viewers - many more.

So, starting now I am a viewer first,

but then I am an actor, singer for

this musical, with music fit to burst

this tiny little heart with joy & grief,

emotions must be just appropriate,

to plot-line where they frame, or bring relief…

We're in this First Production ’t any rate.

---

e* - copying YaHWeH GOD who “saw that it was good”, seven times in Genesis One.

---

But wait…

There’s more!

---

Background:

After a difficult Tuesday, I did what I needed to to process it (e.g. yesterday’s blog). Then set myself to live the next day (Wednesday) dependent on creative love, not my own independent resources. And shared my need with those who asked, and asked for prayer. At the end of the day I texted this to some mates: “Men, thanks for your prayers .. it was a beautiful day today... God stepped in and helped heaps. Thank you brothers for joining with me. Thank you God for your help in handling the difficulties and my forgetfulness etc... very “looked after” I was!!”. And this came out:

---

Oh God you helped, the atmosphere was great,

the setting - with two other adults there

with attitudes of helping, not of hate,

capacities honed sharp to show the care

that those kids really feel and understand,

& step up to, to do their very best,

along with do-able assessment planned.

Disruptions were disrupted - and the rest 

was “his-tor-y” (this morning), as they say. 

It felt like bits of heaven opened up.

Creative love itself involved today

itself in the classroom of this “young pup”.

And I am linking help effective from

yourself in ways as obvious as this,

to my inviting you in prayer (and song!),

‘n’the “body” joining with, not taking piss..

And for the chance to work like this in part-

-ner-ship along with you, I’m very glad!

But something makes me long for more, the art

of conversation as I walk, and gad

about the place, responding to their needs,

& opportunities (& threats) as well,

not just on outside, growing plants from seeds,

but inside, with my own “electron shells”.

My own subjective sharing of this life,

my feelings world, and motives, images.

I think I see how ev’ry bit of  strife

was tuned to, like your son in scrimmages.

It took my all, and knowing too, the game.

Expecting help along the way, and fun

that will involve my going past what sane

& “normal” life calls for. I had to run!

Not thoughtlessly, as frantic person might,

but joining in with much more than the norm.

And thus I would live all my life - in sight

of you, my God, my Father, through each storm.

Filled with the spirit of creative love, 

to try to make it manifest down here

that Earth reflect the heavens up above.

The very sea turns blue*, it would appear!

---

Footnote

e*  - not the “blue” of depression, but the regal blue of ancient cultures, also appreciated by flower lovers and bower birds.

---

Invite to come!

---

God give us wisdom from yourself to share

in ways that are appropriate and true,

that mirror you "the God who is still there”,

though these days yet we find we don't see you.

---

feelings before facings

(pre-face*)

---

Conceptions which are underlying for

our further understanding here; as such

Ontologies are central if we’d more

relate in ways that grasp, but do not clutch.

The purpose of our grasping-well affects

the way we use, and interact, and know.

The ways we interface and share reflect

the kinds of stuff appropriate to show

and tell within these times we learn & teach

and form each other, maybe deform too.

Re-forming right-relating here with each -

as much as it depends on me (& you).

Affecting our Epistemologies, 

our Pedagogy, Ethics will flow on..

Communities that practice truth will please

not power-mongers, but folk  who belong

to such communities that listen well, 

yet do not lose their voice by doing so;

in fact their service - fighting all the hell

that thoughtlessness does spawn, will go to show

and tell those stories, of the others here,

because we’re tuning in to their own speech

or lack of it. Acts make options appear,

creative, they make space for all & each.

And tuning in ourselves to deeper things

that colour all our acting, speech, and thought:

the hidden wholeness & 

imaginings

we wake up to bring more than what we brought.

---

Footnote

e* - Reflecting on the Preface (entitled “Recovery of Community in Education”) to the Paperback Edition of Parker Palmer’s book “To know as we are known - Education as a spiritual journey”, which was first published in 1993.

---

In this world …

... you will have trouble

---

God, please give wisdom to your young child Ian.

And help him in his weakness to look up

to you his father who knows how he's been

and still may ask him to drain down that cup.

And help me not to battle flesh and blood,

but spirits that rule by default for they

affect the options we see: sky, or mud! -

curtailing contexts, even what we’d pray.

So help me please to see the way you do,

to understand priorities as you

do, with the kind of options that you view,

because your focus is much broader too… 

For those two students I taught this past week,

who didn't show respect, or quickly lost

the bit they had; please help their lives so bleak

to come in touch with power of Pentecost..

And I as carrier of that strong wind,

those tongues of fire that speak of your good works

do set myself to not flail or recind

the unction you set on me; he who lurks(!)

And even if I fall, and body dies,

I set myself to trust you in my grave,

and crucify that part of me that tries

to justify myself, or else to rave

about my rights, or else capacities,

as though I were a God by my own right.

A joke, to think that ev’ryone should please

me. I would please the one who’s “outa sight”!

---

Practice

 being Godly

---

It's not the thinking of good thoughts* alone 

that makes me good (as even man may be*). 

Just speaking of good words don’t flesh the bones

of glory, honour, immortality.

There must be actions in this world, but not

just once or twice*, the flukes of happenstance.

And there must be intent to get to what

has baited humans through the years: The chance

of seeking honour, glory immortal-

ity by doing good repeatedly,

till it’s our character, habit settled,

and by this, programmed into us steadily.

This is the way YaHWeH has chosen to

now partner with us in creating more

reflections of him-self in me & you:

his love’s creative discipline gets poured

around the place by creatures on themselves.

Authority of him, is shared with us

to make a creature who can work for health

somehow by ways that act more than they fuss.

Appearances are NOT what “floats his boat”! -

unless we think “appearing on the stage”,

but there's a set of “skills” to learn (by rote),

till our whole selves are able to engage

in acting out the part he’s picked for us - 

to re-present creative love itself

in all the settings of a life that does;

to show an instance of a life with health!

---

Footnotes

ts* - though the process clearly does involve choosing to “think about what is good” (Philippians 4:8)

be* - “a good man, full of the holy spirit and faith” (see Micah 6:8; Acts 11:24; I Tim 3:8, 2 Cor 1:12; Gal6:7-10; )

ce* - (see above footnote, with emphasis on “all of life” or “in every way”) & this sort of passage: “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he (God) will give eternal life.”(NIVUK, with italic font (& bracketed but) added by me for emphasis (& clarity); Rom 2:7)

---

(T)hankering

This hankering for recognition which

I find is deep within myself, inside; 

I’ll recognise, and name. It’s like a twitch,

or ‘tick’, or stutter. Not to be denied, 

but not to be the focus of my life.

My life is like a lens to focus on…

not me, but “good-ness”, in “good” times & “strife”:

good things to recognise, to think upon,

to give thanks for, & then good works to do,

because they’d help not me, but this cosmos,

where God has put me, at this time - where you

& I affect folk here for good, or loss.

I now recall what Pete*, or was it Paul*

said in the scriptures that we read today,

“God is my witness*” and too these words fall

quite nat-ur-al-ly, as a way to say

that this is really true, not “for affect” -

to garner praise or well-wishing from folk. 

He lived his life before the one who checked

him out and judges ev’ry Sheila/ Bloke.

And so I think I'll take a leaf from them,

or learn a lesson from the way they spelled

things out, God sees, & knows what I do, when,

and where, with who, & how & why, as well.

Don't think that recognition’s not that good!

That cannot be, unless God’s not around.

But as, in Jesus’s words, God is, and should

be trusted. I’ll walk gladly on (t)his ground!

---

Footnotes

e* - 2 Peter 1:3-11 and the rest of the chapter…

l* - Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:8

s* - e.g. Galatians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Romans 1:9

---

Growing

Responsiveness to God

---

Dad, after our brief talk on the phone Sunday Arvo, 

---

this morning I read through one of the 20 (?) different things that have helped me get or nurture the right attitude, or mindfulness to tune in to God through a day. This (The Examen) is one, maybe Laurie passed on to us:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/0B-x3YoQ3OQpLM2xMbjBUbHRZTDA/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=100279994004385559468&resourcekey=0-movByCwoDYI-SMYvPRWWpQ&rtpof=true&sd=true

.

Another thing is to kind of be a midwife for them as they look over their interactions with God, to start to develop a personalised discipline or "Way" that is helpful for them at this stage of their journey.. ie. To make or develop good "habits of responsiveness" ( based on the critter they are at the moment, and the critter they sense God wants them to become more of - to spread the life of Jesus more into the world.

Another example for me has been that little summative (& formative) passage of general advice the Apostle Paul says to the Thessalonian Jesus Followers: "Be JOYFUL always,  PRAY at all times, be THANKFUL in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; https://bible.com/bible/296/1th.5.16-18.GNBUK, plus then, the rest of the chapter)...

 I found it worked backwards for me... i.e. when I PRAYED in all circumstances, then I found I was THANKFUL to God for his help and gifts through every circumstance, and then I found I was JOYFUL (about something, even if it wasn't some change of circumstances, but simply the chance to share that part of life with God himself)...

---

Lamb & Lager ..

..& the Larger One..

---

Prologue:

Text2me: “…Not sure if this might interest you but we're having a men’s Lamb and Lager dinner on the 23 May. 6:30 at Holy trinity. $20. We'll hear from a local shepherd..”..

Text from me: Thanks brother, I like both lamb, lager, & the larger One. I may have a VIP visitor then, & if so, it probably won’t work. But if not, and if God brings me in touch with someone else who would appreciate company at such an event, I'd love to come.

 

---

GOD, may your people who bear your good name

and image in this town be yours, and its -

as Jesus wept for those towns* and inflamed

their leadership against him bit by bit

so in the end they killed him dead before 

the blocks of their great building were knocked down.

Oh may the people you love love you more

than all the stuff we gain from those around.

Oh grow, please God, some hearts of "flesh" that beat

as your heart does, to beat of diff'rent drum

that helped Him hear your voice out in the street

and at the table where who loved would come.

And may the King of Love who shepherds still

his sheep, and knows each lamb to care for it,

send out more shepherds to this town who will

find needy folk who feel they hardly fit

in set-ups under those who found "their niche",

(by which they don't mean ways to suffer well).

This Christ you sent to us, and too to each,

that we might learn to live "absorbing hell".

Or in the words of those who came around

to follow Him whom you said we should 'hear',

"love covers over piles of sin". They found

forgiveness is for giving out. He's near!

That’s He whose goodness never fails or falls

off just because he doesn’t find his match.

He’s faithful, so he builds; and he will call

and then equip, and also bind and patch.

---

Footnote

s* - e.g. Luke 10:13-15; 13:34-35; Matt 11: 20-30; 23:37-39 …

---

What's the RSVP date?

---

Inconvenience..

..or Adventure

---

Today the weather’s somewhat colder and

it might just snow sometime the bureau says.

The wind is chilly, and so I have planned

to wear a cap on head, for I can guess

my lunch-time duty will require I stand

out in the weather at the “lower front”.

So here I am in company so grand

as those around about me in this hunt.

This hunt I say, for “Truth (through Knowledge)” here

is hunted down, as gold is sought from ore.

For motivation’s key, it would appear,

and more is found the more it is looked for.

And things are truly looked for in this world

when they are really prized, or treasured in

themselves, or some good function they hold furled

within their nature, or where they have been,

or else because of their relationships 

to other things or people round about. 

So attitudes of honour, care, friendships,

or mis-trust can affect what is found out.

And many things will not be even sought

for, just because our models don’t yet let

those inputs in, so outputs can’t be brought

to match experience we can’t forget.

So sometimes fresh friendship, or love, or hate,

or even pain, discomfort brings me back

to live out in this real world, of late.

instead of just my model that’s off track!

---

Performing chants/ chance

to make a brand new world!

---

Well KHESED-love performs such deeds and words;

such words, and deeds then come to pass as well

the essence of intent before they’re heard

when mouth that formed the word was soon to tell

it out into the world, as spark of fire, 

(or seed of living animal or plant).

Its word speaks of intent and shares its ire,

or joy, or grief, and mind [not emptied out,

but teeming with what might be called desire,

if that means understandings, will, and plans 

to bless all others - creatures lower, higher.]

It starts with keeping its own word. It stands

to reason, and to creativity, to power to create (not just to change),

and understanding as with my kids, me.

It doesn’t help them if I am deranged.

And what en-love-en-ed father, though he be

as evil and mistaken as we are,

would try to “raise” his kids to hinder he

who gave them life? ..He hopes they shine as stars!

And I feel quite unlike that shining self; 

reactive and defensive when pain’s near.

My hopes and spirit, like a willing elf;

my “flesh” is weak to motivate and cheer.

But KHESED-love if you will enter me

and be my breath to take life further in,

and higher up, then I am glad to be

receptacle for your life. May it win!

---

EMOTIONS (as a result of our knowledge)...

..can smudge*, or bear witness to* KHESED-love’s actional communications.

---

To bear witness is not just to speak words

of language made by Hemisphere of brain 

that’s left (when pointing forward) - even birds

and reptiles, mammals might have to refrain

from learning just from sound-wave symbols when

they’re round about, and learn from acts, in fact

some things are best passed down the line again

by dramatised responses. For a pact

can be made that is binding, without words, 

though understanding’s necessary still.

And honour, glory can be seen, or heard

somehow by oft repeated acts that will

display the choices of a life well lived*.

It might be just the lack of fear, or else

the overbearing way the facts are sieved,

and seen in light of threats perceived from hell’s

capacity to taint the whole of life,

and lead to accusations and the like,

instead of questions, which can, like a knife,

cut out our immaturity and hike

on further than the accusations could

go, yet don’t need accuse at all, they leave

that for the ones who answering claim good-

ness at their beck and call. And on their sleeve

they wear emotions, and as humans would

be, they are vuln’rable to claiming judge-

-ment as their right, which may be well ‘n’ good,

when under-teamed with side that doesn’t fudge.

---

Footnotes

e* -  interesting little phrase (“εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς”=“to bear witness to them”) seen in two scenes showing Jesus’ intentions - at least one (the first citation) where his hopes were un-realised (or at least smudged), the second referred to some time in the future (where Jesus’ hopes would be either fulfilled or not fulfilled): Mark 1:42-45 esp v.44; Mark 13:9-11,esp v.9.

o* - see footnote above - second citation)

d* - Rom 2:7

---

Exploring

(a culturally "Jewish" lifestyle..)

---

As we left, after sharing an evening last night, my new Jewish friend talked about an old fellow he knew in Sydney (whom he was probably  going to the birthday party of next weekend) who was about (or over) 80yrs, very sprightly, and creative, when he gets knocked over he gets going again, it’s like he is a model of persistence,  innovation and creativity in his approach to life, and he has a personal trainer. That got me thinking later the next morning about how good it could be to have a personal trainer..

How helpful the gymn has been for me, and how I've been kept at it. It’s almost like each person in our LTG has “a personal trainer” (or small group trainer) in the others, and my times in the nights and mornings with my heavenly father, where he acts as a personal trainer for me. Then I realised that I HAVE A PERSONAL TRAINER ALREADY! And therefore I understand the goodness of it - and the need for manifesting this principle on Earth (it’s not, “So I don’t need one.”) because it’s “as in heaven so on Earth” [seen in Noah’s experience of building the ark (to make it like the one God had already shown him - in principle, in plan, in a vision of the mind), and in Moses’ experience of building the tabernacle (where it was to be made like the one God had shown him already*), and Jesus’ teaching in answer to the request (of his talmudim) to teach them to pray, and Jesus’ personal practice of going away in the busiest times (e.g.Mark 1:21-39) to be alone with the creative KHESED-love that made the Universe, (not as our flat materialistic or monistic view of it communicates in that word “Universe”; but) as is communicated in the title  “the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1&2) . It almost looks to me like he was modelling letting that creative KHESED-love be his personal trainer!

An appreciation of culture, meant as a support for the growth of Human beings to maturity, in security, like the scaffolding around a building while it’s being built (till it is built). Then the disassembly of it and storage of the scaffold - till a new building needs to be built.

This (along with a general journey I have been on*)  made me want to understand “Jewishness” for its capacity to perform a beautiful and actual scaffold-making function. 

• as seen in the extraordinary lives of this Jewish couple, who are only the second, third, or fourth Jewish people I have personally met, & started to get to know, who stand out, and then later we find out that they have a Jewish heritage. 

• As seen in the extraordinary life of my master, boss, Lord, Anointed Leader, Yeshua [who grew up as a Galilean-village Jewish builder, in the days when Israel was seen as (maybe a recalcitrant) part of the Roman Empire].

---

Footnotes

y* - Ai generated response on 02/05/2026: According to the Book of Exodus, Moses constructed the tabernacle (or Tent of Meeting) with meticulous detail, strictly following a divine blueprint or "pattern" (\(tabniyth\)) shown to him by God on Mount Sinai. This instruction, repeated seven times, ensured that the portable sanctuary exactly mirrored the heavenly reality intended to house God’s presence among the Israelites. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Divine Pattern Revealed

• The Vision: Moses spent 40 days and nights on the mountain receiving the revelation, seeing not just a verbal description but a detailed model or "vision" of the sanctuary and its furnishings.

• The Command: God commanded, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain" (Exodus 25:40; Hebrews 8:5).

• A Heavenly Copy: The earthly tabernacle was a "copy and shadow" of the true sanctuary in heaven. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

n* - in my own teaching & learning to understand ancient “occasional texts” (like the Judaeo Christian Scriptures) firstly (though not only) via the Historical, Grammatical, Cultural Hermeneutic with books like “How to read the Bible for all it’s Worth”, (with its recognition of History, Grammar, Culture, & Genre, & Louis Tverberg’s 3  books: “Sitting at the feet of/ Walking in the Dust of/ Reading the Bible with … Rabbi Jesus” with their recognition of Culture]

---

Busy life

 

..and learning..

---

God bless this man, your son, and father of

the children you have given them so far.

And give your grace to raise them to know love,

experience your khesed  where they are!

---

---

a friend goes in

for heart surgery..

---

Lord, you're the one who gave us hearts of flesh.

We want them to beat right in time with yours.

To see the good around, and get enmeshed

in multiplying it in time, because

that's what you said to do, and your good word

is food and drink to us, the way to life

that's worth the living. But we've also heard

of your great grief* endured, 'coz of your "wife*".

We want to enter into joy and grief

in company with you who bears them both.

Your company is what brings our relief.

And also leads us on - to all our growth!

---

Lord we love you too.

Footnotes

f* - “The Lord saw that the wickedness of humans was great in the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. [6] And the Lord was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”(Genesis 6:5-6 NRSVUE)

e* - God’s people are sometimes (metaphorically?) spoken of as his “children” taking on the family “trade”, and at other times they are (oddly, to our ears) spoken of as his “wife” (Isaiah 54:5-10; 62:5, Ezekiel 16), whom he wants to share life with intimately and who is bound by covenant to share life and focus and the creative purposes of YHWH, Creative Love himself …

---

the two handed approach

(On the one hand…, On the other…)

---

Oh God, I feel embarrassed about us,

the way we are so programed, so to speak,

& though we are in charge of Earth, we're dust.

I feel two kinds of shame: So strong! So weak!

And now I think a bit more (while in love),

I’m being led by you to understand,

stand under your authority above

what you have put me over, as you planned!

Some shame can come from immaturity

that’s right and proper, for that’s how all growth

must happen on this Earth, where limits be.

But some’s from wasting, slackness, even both.

And forward way that’s good today, for all

is “truth to tell” - to think! to say! as small,

as well as big, let human mind not fall

in one rut or the other. But stand tall*.

And be the little toddler that I am!

Both showing off my skills (and prowess too);

and laughing at myself as a “big man”

who’s “free*”, but glad to be a person who

is growing in a family who loves,

so here I need to stand under my Dad 

& Mum, and learn from hand that doesn’t shove

so much as lead and draw me on a tad…

I own my shame, then name the kind I see.

Then in the presence of the God of all,

I laugh, and smile, repent, forgiven be!

Move on, both kneeling down, AND standing tall.

---

Footnotes

l* - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.” (Proverbs 3:5, 23-27 GNBUK)

e* - my three year old grandson sometimes talks of his father and grandfathers as each being “a big man” compared to himself as much smaller, but in the next breath he will talk of himself as so much bigger and more grown up than the babies around him, because now he is a “big man” who’s “free*”

---

renovating

downstairs

---

Please help, Lord of the heavens and the earth,

for me as builder of a dwelling place,

to understand our needs and what they’re worth

to value truly, minimise disgrace.

In working with the rules of this good land

& honouring our government’s job here,

to help us live responsibly, and stand

up on our legs, and not to just appear

that way, but have in fact, a good impact

on this world, as environment and web,

as ecosystem, so in word and act

we’ll use authority we have to tread

lightly, where we must, while serving all

with sense of that proportion which is tuned

to outcomes for the whole she-bang, not small-

ly thinking just to minimise our wound.

So using the resources of your world, 

and using our own income as He* would,

to value add in this place we’ve been hurled,

and make this whole adventure pretty good

for serving all the humans you put here,

to serve this Earth to bring your will as is

the case in heaven, as it does appear

from what he said to ask in prayer of his..

his teaching of his children to enact

the kind of life that manifests on Earth

the life which your eternal love has tracked

down here where we have all had our first birth.

---

Footnotes

e* - He, being the model or leader of humanity, and of Manhood, the Christ or Messiah of God, Jesus of Nazareth., who was by trade, a builder (before he was a Teacher, then said as Father of a new people of God, a new Israel, “I will build my ekklesia”.

---

asked us to pray...

Please God do your good thing for my friend there,

and help him get ahead a bit today.

Then for his healing, we ask you to care

for him, and keep him ev'ry other way.

Amen.

grace

Sleeping and waking affected by yapping dog

---

God, you sent those folk next to hell ’n we..

We know you love their neighbour, and her kids.

We pray for insight, creativity,

and grace from your own spirit under lids.

---

The greatest

of these is*…

---

So, I can either take for granted gifts

you’ve given me like beating heart, and chest

that breathes involuntarily to lift

“cells” up to function as a human, best

seen in that model human - Jesus Christ,

whom God has chosen as the leader of

Humanity. His life and death sufficed

to  show, and pique our appetite for love.

The fight is waged on many fronts just now,

and hatred, or just boredom’s love-lack ways

will do all that it can to break and bow

us at its feet, as though that then displays

the winning of the war it wants to wage

to beat another “ideology”;

for it cannot endure, on the same page

another getting honour or glory.

But he was “just a builder” from that town

on cliff-side, where things were precarious

and needed good foundations, and a frown

of thought to stand things up on various

odd angles against gravity’s down-pull..

And humans in His story are concerned

to let their “Yes”, have meaning, be faithful

to their own word, and God’s good that they’ve learned.

They’re learning to give place to feelings and

God's given, programed, built-in gifts/ desires,

but also to discern an order planned

to give ascendancy to KHESED’s* fires!

---

Footnotes

is* - after considering, faith, and hope, Jesus’ apostle (=Ambassador) Paul says this famous statement about the kind of love demonstrated by God, throughout his creation, but most fully in Christ: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”(1 Corinthians 13:13)

’s* - KHESED is the Hebrew word for covenant love, the kind of love that is not coerced, that reigns itself, and makes other good things up, creates to simply keep its own word, to back its own word up with action in this world.  Thus it is variously translated "faithful love, loving-kindness, steadfast love... etc", a high love, different to the tawdry self-serving love we are left with once we live disconnected from the eternal source of such love.

---

love's rôle with the punches

respecting..

---

..sorry to have missed your call. … Will try to ring back when I get a chance.

How are you going/ staying?

Any changes?

How is hubby coping?

---

God, please help Sis. ta speak the truth in love, 

and see your image in those round about

her, as she loves your image from above,

formed in her staying/ going  in & out.

---

Love Xx Oo

---

help comes

(from the Lord…..*)

---

How do I lead in loving? If that’s what

a husband’s job is under God’s world-view.

I just saw two things i could do a lot

more over coming weeks please help me do

them. Scared, I am. For I see others might

just misinterpret one of them as me

reverting to old ways of holding tight-

-ly to control. And so I let her free.

But afterwards she felt I didn’t care

for her. Maybe ‘coz others got my gaze:

my focus, or my time. Folk  who came where

I was. I feel prejudged, and caught these days.

Just like machines and animals might fight.

No malice, and no bragging. Just “They won.”

Or lost. They act as though they’re in the right,

some options do not show, if not begun.

But once begun, they hardly can be hid-

den, lion’s lair is where it wants to tear

to pieces and eat up each tiny bit.

Love wins if it does.. KNOW that God is ne’er

absent. ’Coz he’s “near” but will not man-..

man-ip-ul-ate or pressure those he loves.

He’ll ask the questions love asks - if it can.

And if it can’t it might enact. No shoves!

Oh God I’m such a baby at that love.

I now recall that you are here, with me.

My help comes from the Lord. Comes “from above”.

Your vantage point allows that more you see.

---

Footnotes

.* - “I look to the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help will come from the LORD who made heaven and earth...” (Psalm 121:1-2)

---

..renew a right..

(spirit within me*)..

---

But if the spirit* of his son who cries 

out to YaHWeH: “my Daddy*” in his grief,

and pain, and need, discussing as he tries

to understand, while trusting GOD’s belief…

in him, and hearing God’s word spoken when

it’s breathed (on God’s own breath*) into his ear

(as dove that stays on shoulder might do when

it softly coos, or warbles, always “near*”);

& breathed on breath that breathed on prophets past

(& some got written down - though not that much),

and breathed through “mind that’s set*” as Paul at last

speaks of God’s own - responsive to his touch,

his indication, verbal, or to look

at things he “got across” to us somehow

by pointing, or associations cook-

’d up through the hist’ry of our lives to now.

A fierce wind* that blew the oceans round

at the beginning, other times exposed 

dry land beneath the water that was found 

by feet of slaves escaping unjust foes.

Another time it blew together “shaved”

dry bones of long-gone bodies and enfleshed 

an old/new people from those un-en-graved

and desecrated, for ends that were meshed

with goodness as it weaves with wisdom’s ways

a new creation under KHESED-love

which is here shown in clear enough displays

in such a way we know it’s “from above*”.

---

Footnotes

me* - Psalm 51:10

it* -many languages [& both Hebrew & Greek (the primary languages used in the Judaeo-Christian scriptures) are such languages] employ one word for the concepts of “wind”, “breath”, “mindset/ attitude”, & “personal incorporeal being”. This allows their poets to play with three or four concepts with the use of only one word.

y* - “Abba” is a word from Aramaic (& Hebrew) often first spoken by children in their mother-tongue in Palestinian village life during the First Century (C.E.), as “Dadda” might be in English. Mark five times gives Jesus's actual words (or other local phrases) in Aramaic (transliterated into Greek in the text) followed by a Greek translation of the sentence, phrase, or word. This occurs with Jesus' form of address to God, in Jesus's garden prayer and is taken note of by Jesus' Ambassador (Apostle) Paul twice: Mark 14:36-41 , Rom 8:15-17, Galatians 4:5-7)

h* -many languages [& both Hebrew & Greek (the primary languages used in the Judaeo-Christian scriptures) are such languages] employ one word for the concepts of “wind”, “breath”, “mindset/ attitude”, & “personal incorporeal being”. This allows their poets to play with three or four concepts through the use of one word.

r* - working backwards… to early followers of YaHWeH it was sung: “the Lord is near to all who call on him”(Ps 145:18), & written “seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near” (Isa 55:6); to early followers of Yeshua (as YaHWeH’s representative on Earth) it was said: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20), and written: “always remember the nearness of your Lord” (Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:5) and to recall that “ ‘the Lord’ is ‘the spirit' ” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

et* - Galatians 5:18, 25; Romans 8:5-6

d* -many languages [& both Hebrew & Greek (the primary languages used in the Judaeo-Christian scriptures) are such languages] employ one word for the concepts of “wind”, “breath”, “mindset/ attitude”, & “personal incorporeal being”. This allows their poets to play with three or four concepts by the use of one word.

ve* - the phrase “..from above” is played with by poets in scripture that see this phrase as a referent to the source and origin of life.., love.., wisdom.., and insight- giving- experience.., or every good gift.. .

---

Look up

(to Jesus*)

---

I’m learning much by looking more at my

young grandson who is three years old just now.

He’s confident and bois-ter-ous. He’ll try.

Determined to grow, have a shot, know how.

While I feel more retiring, past my date.

And stuck in habits. Voice says: “Just give up”.

But I am hearing you. That’s not my fate!

You see me, as I see that tiny “pup”.

You're confident (and boisterous). You’ll try.

Determined to grow me. You’ll have a shot!

And since you will persist, then by.., and by…,

I’ll grow, and know, and learn how, why, and what…

The partnership is poss-ib-il-it-ies. 

Alone, my feelings of despair prove true!

That dead-end way finds only what it sees.

It seize-s not, nor adventures with you.

And I will knuckle under your good will

for me, because you think about what’s good

’n’ true, for all that is, and will until

it comes to be, existent. Now I could

as well, ‘coz all inertia’s lost its sting.

You’ve led the way, and made available

Christ’s life-blood with its  antibodies brings

it's antivenom unassailable.

That blood is poisonous to poisons round

because it is the source of life and health.

One life, a portal bringing heaven down

to Earth, & Earth to heavens. Health & wealth!

---

Footnotes

s* - and listen to his word through stories like this: 

“So Jesus called a child, made him stand in front of them, ³and said, “I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven. ⁴The greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child. ⁵And whoever welcomes in my name one such child as this, welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:2-5 GNBUK)

---

Holding his hand

(into the unknown)

---

There is a sense in which there’s much of God 

I have no clue about. I just don’t know.

There’s much that he’s experienced, a lot

in fact for me to learn from “tell and show”.

And sometimes diff’rent cultures may have some..

some diff’rent edges on aspects of the..

the culture of eternity that’s come

down close enough for us to touch and see

and learn some diff’rent ways of acting out ..

it’s culture that gives boundaries that make

for more of that creative love that’ll shout

or whisper to bring understanding 's slake-

-king of our thirst for knowledge which is best 

kept centred on my father’s will, and self

and when the task he gives me is a test

for everyone to see and know my health

in order to join in and work for good..

good purposes which I must learn (not hate!)

in rote ways, how to join in as I should

if I were not to stand out but relate

and then myself be understood as well.

For words aren’t all, but then God’s Word in past,

is what has come and saves us from the hell

we bring when we live our will first not last.

My grandson is my helper here today*.

He mirrored my responses as I’ve done.

He helped me see from distance what I say

and do. Thank you, my three-year-old grandson!

---

y* - I only understand about 50-80% of my grandson’s speech sometimes. Though he will boldly continue speaking loud and clear. “G” sounds come out as “D” sounds. Etc. I have to very carefully make it a fun game and not overdo it. For learning any culture is arbitrary, and his feedback loop is lacking with close family members getting >90% of his words. He can quickly lose motivation. Here,  I see me in him. Thank you for helping me see myself grandson.

---

Into the unknown

(holding his hand)

---

I am at peace, with knowing you yourself,

not just an understanding of some facts* -

capacity to model on a shelf

the thoughts and words and hopes and all the acts

of that Creative Love that gives language

as gift to help us model and to learn

and not be too upset if at this stage

of life our language still falls short, no spearn-

-ing of this gift because it’s not as great

as who gave it. I’m thankful for help on

the Way he walked, as small child in the state

of toddler hand-in-hand. His light upon

this small world where the  cosmos was lit up

by that one visit as a man who’s shown

us all a solid prophet interrup-

-ting all the plans of mice and men alone.

For we were never just another one. 

We’re made more like a Left brain hemisphere

that’s meant to work in tandem, but as “son”

in terms of who’s the boss. The Right is clear-

-ly in Authority, and this must be, 

for only it connects us to the world

that’s larger round about us. And now HE

has lived it out and called us to be hurled

out as ambassadors of this new/ old-

-est way of living which does not need food

& drink for that’s internally resolved

by HIS resources inside. We’ve been clued*!

---

Footnotes

s* - Psalm 131

d* - “These women looked after him from their own resources”. (Luke 8:2-3); and he said “take, eat. Share among yourselves.” (Three gospels) “unless you eat.., & drink… you have no life in you” (John); “the words I have spoken to you are spirit and truth” (John); “who comes to me...rivers of living water will be springing up within them.” (John) a counsellor… this he spoke of the spirit who had not yet been given (?); "Our people must learn to spend their time doing good, in order to provide for real needs; they should not live useless lives." (Titus 3:14 GNBUK); "I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’ ”(Acts 20:35 GNBUK)

---

in Canberra (ACT)

---

God help your son to be a conduit for

your love that comes to him through light and air,

through humans who have smiled on him and more,

through your own heart that he's begun to share..

completing now the circuit of your pow'r..

the power of love that may look very weak,

help him inside to choose & not go sour

to let your love out in the acts that speak...

---

Jesus’s daughter,

(on the way to Jairus’ daughter)

---

Dear God, our father, you who knows us well - 

we show you how we are by what we do

and ask you to help us the Truth to tell

as best as we now can. Open to you,

and your creative options to learn love..

for we are small, and weak, and immature,

and made from dust as animals here gov-

earned by instincts that are not straight and sure.

We thank you that your own creative love

was breathed into the dust that is our lives,

& if you don't give wisdom from above

then we can’t be at all like Jesus Christ.

But the distinctive thing about that man

was he could clean us up from right inside,

our motives and directives, & he can

we’ve found and know that this can’t be denied

(of course it can if we choose our own world 

but) this is what your leader came to lead

us in, wherever we are (by you) hurled

to show off small and weak light’s quite quick speed.

And so, as James learned from his big bro. then,

we’ll learn to let your love light do it's quick

and active thing within your world right when

a list’ning ear is needed. I am sick

of quickly talking, frustrating inside.

I give this sickly self to you, again.

Please heal me. I will walk, if I can’t ride

with you, or else Lord Jesus, touch your hem*.

---

After a phone discussion with my daughter (who has made the second turning, to grow younger as the daughter of her father in heaven) on a set of wierd incidents that had the smell of supernatural involvement and testing to snapping point… (but that through help provided by God, and followed through with by her, DID NOT snap her, but that almost appeared to strengthen her). 

The second or third try, we gave up on the glitching phone, and decided to sing a hymn or Psalm that came to mind, where we were. This is the one that came to my mind and by this blog I am sharing it with you, daughter:

Draft 2 recording

---

Footnotes

m* - Mark 5:21-37

---

..Love your work!

(as witnesses of, & junior partners in it)

---

Oh God we like the way you let us work

beside you as "your little helpers" and

there's no way that we ever want to shirk,

but neither to walk not "holding your hand".

It seems we're more like one-year-olds, or two-

year-olds who must refer often to you.

But this is not an immature state to

grow out of, it's the forward way for new...

new-humans in a New Creation of

the Heavens and the Earth, where we are like

left hemispheres of brains that aren't impov-

er-ished by their connection to the right...

We're very happy learning here to look

and see the things that grieve your heart in time,

and let you be our comforter who took

the burr-den out of burden, and who'll rhyme

a resurrection with creation's good

(and seven times in that process you "saw

that it was good", by letting all that could

do partnership with you, do that, and soar!)

So we would like to join up more with you.

Our chief delight is working hard beside

you, and at your direction a task to

do shopping, knocking, coffee, or to hide

away and hang out with our fam-il-y

is so delicious, a delight of life.

And we thank you for letting us just be

your offspring, vasal, friend, close as your wife.

---

listening

(quickly, actively, livingly)

---

So ask more questions when I feel that urge

to differ, or to incredulity;

before I let myself express to purge

the world from ignorance or foolery.

I see I'm called to follow in Christ’s wake:

ask for recalling or interpreting,

restatement, or on what basis they make

conclusions such as what I heard them bring

there to the table, metaphoric’ly,

to add to all this conversation fare.

Before I let reactions out of me, 

I need to find out more, the When? & Where?

The Who?, What? How? and Why? of what I heard.

So letting them, in stages, spell out more.

For us to clarify not “give the bird”,

unless it is that dove that came before.

The dove, the homing pigeon, Noah sent

to bring back from the larger world outside

some news from all the places that it went

in flying round about. It sussed the tide.

Or else the dove from heaven coming down

and resting on him (not just shooed away)

and being welcomed, glad to have around 

a smaller weaker one willing to stay,

and just to softly coo into his ear, 

but also send him out to suffer well,

to serve as slave to all who would appear

and come into his orbit, whom he’d tell

that simple news to freshly, and then show

it off in all the habits of his life;

like what his little brother came to know

as quite distinctive, got him into strife!

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the pazazz ...

...that one has!

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The fun of teaming up with a great bird

(a being which can see beyond our sight)

is hard to put to word, but can be “heard”

through body language, acts that may, or might

communicate the energy it brings.

It’s more a “taste and see” yourself then know,

than theoretic-al com-pre-hend-ings.

Why even human friends surprise us. Though

you get to know their character somewhat,

and recognise their choices’ patterns as

the integrated higher life they’ve got

is here expressed, on Earth, with a pazazz.

And difference in the patterns keeps it fun. 

The ever-learning new things to adjust

as love delights to do, that good be done

to benefit another - not from lust.

But that the will of God (that’s good; God’s love)

be spread and made more concrete on this Earth

by wisdom that we get from God above

as we hang out with this bird since our “birth”...

our “birth” I say, coz we have not controll’d

our birth, we are more passive, well respond-

-ers, mirroring through our own nature doled

out to us. Our job is “take it beyond…”

Not “on our own” (we wouldn't have a chance

of knowing how to drive such complex stuff).

We’re offered partnership, coaching to dance

by none other than THE creative love

who put this world together at the first…

and partnership in this love’s creating

of more good here (my heart is close to burst-

-ing) is the reason that I want to sing!

So "thank you" to this great creative love,

KHESED* itself, is everlasting for

it is synonymous with YaHWeH-dove, 

and wiser than the serpents at the door.

It made them all, and gave us too the word,

capacity to hear, and then to speak,

but is itself more than we’ve ever heard

or seen with eye. Reality’s not bleak!

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D* - KHESED is the Hebrew word for covenant love. It is variously translated or seen as steadfast love, faithful love, family-style-love,  and with YaHWeH God is based on keeping one’s own word, not for any higher reason, but as the higher reason to choose & continue on with any course of action. It is a kind of commitment for the good of the whole shebang, not just the self in isolation. (Thus it purposefully partners with as many as possible, to enable them to share in this goodness more deeply.)

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Quick.., Slow.., Slow..

(..to listen..to speak..to anger)

---

So just to clarify, and too recall:

to here fulfill love’s hopes and plans for me

I must first love the One God, overall,

and then the images of him that be

here living, moving round about, they walk,

and something in us loves to well, relate

to see each other, hear our father talk;

yet some acts build up love, and some build hate!

Will I expend my energies “to hear”?

To really hear his words & thoughts, and his..

..his motives and his ways to bring good cheer,

that set our heaven’s constellations wizz-

-zing overhead - which if we’ll start to see,

we’ll start to recognise and feel home in.

And this brings on, in us, an energy

that slows, and calms, as well as "soaks up sin*”.

This quickness in our soul to listen big,

observe, and note with active energy 

what’s happ-en-ing a-round us, even dig -

for asking is a way of mining - see (!)

and active looking, listening is called

for in this world (where things are often hid)  

not just more passive open up - stand tall,

but moving round, and asking what folk did.

And letting then, that spirit of KHESED

(creative covenantal love) speak out

with words, to bind itself to what it said,

so “slow to speak” is fitting, there’s no doubt!

And “slow to anger” is an upshot too, 

for in this way of living that relates 

more than reacts (by physics laws that do

their thing by mechanis-im’s  measures, weights, 

& thus can only try to quite suppress

the equal and the opposite force which

is just in line with physics in this mess -

which happens when relating gets “the ditch”).

And yet emotive-anger has a place

within a world where hell has taken root.

As shame’s a thing that should show on a face,

if shamefull acts we’ve done, we'll “give a hoot”!

---

s l o w . . . .

to speak*…

---

If I am to be slow to spruik, to speak, 

to say a word to others, in this world,

it’s prob’ly gunna be ’coz I’m too weak

to come across “on top” of all I’m told.

Then I won’t feel so confident myself

in knowing what to say that makes folk think

that I am truly knowing, wise & health-

-y. No jokes with a surreptitious wink!

‘Coz my own ego will feel bruised and warn,

not fresh - to battle up the hill, like goats.

Oh give me love’s own impulses, reborn

as crucified “with Christ” must then denote.

So here I hear his call once more to track

him through rejection by this world, and then

some unjust suffering & death, then back - 

for forty days to hang about with friends.

And all this while I’m learning privately, 

to keep an intimate “romantic”* life

quite flourishing, through which I’m re-viv-ed-

-ly nourished ‘coz love thrives when it's in strife!

So in this interchange, not built on words,

but giving rise to many “in their place”,

with bridge between the beings formed unheard

‘cept for the groanings love works into space.

And this gives rise (in ya’ way, YaHWeH God),

to new and living ways to walk on Earth,

not trying to be bolstered by this lot

I’m sent to show your love* to, since my birth.

---

Foot notes

k* - as seen throughout human history, taken as a whole, the Creator God very rarely speaks audibly from heaven. And as James recalls his “big brother” Yeshua, and dote-ingly passes on to his other “brothers”: “My dear brothers, everyone of you must be quick to listen, and slow to speak…” (James 1:19)

c* & e* - it turns out that instead of love for the creative spirit (behind the creation of the whole of the heavens and the Earth) being somewhat romantic/ sexual in nature, it is more like romance/ sex has been invented to give us a humanly experience-able metaphor for that creative spirit’s commitment for the highest and best, most pleasing, kind of love, KHESED (covenantal, family-kind love, based on “keeping one’s own word”, and thus allowing a real option to the coercive, manipulative control kind of “power” this world only “knows”, because this world is like a human brain’s left hemisphere trying to play the role of both hemispheres simultaneously) to build a family which will share and expand the KHESED work on Earth.

---

BE quick* - “jump in” - listening!

(like God*!)

---

If I will not be quick to listen then,

and now as well, I'll turn into A.I. - 

dispensing facts and stories in a blend 

to keep attention on me as I try

to not bore people, yet they’ll fall asleep,

or walk away, from boredom or disgust

at lack of listening and hearing deep-

-ly those around me, brought by God, from dust

but breathed into by YaHWeH God himself..

the spirit of an oversee-er who

can influence for more disease or health 

within this world around, and Others too.

And what’s the thing that stands out in YaHWeH*?

I think it was “he IS, he IS*” - not “WAS”,

although he was as well, as people say

and always will be*. And that’s just be’coz..

..he didn’t just create, he keeps it here, 

within his mind and purposes: he keeps

his word once he has given it. It’s queer, 

he binds himself, is faithful*. Yet still weeps

or deeply grieves, when children go off track, 

and doesn’t just unwind it all while one

of them remains who would perceive a lack

of faithfulness in father (or in son).

He’s bound to his own children such that he

is quick to listen, to expend himself.

And slow to speak, and “slow to anger”. We,

in growing up like him, come to our health..

---

Footnotes:

k* - “In view of what he has made us then, dear brothers, let every man be quick to listen but slow to use his tongue, and slow to lose his temper. For man’s temper is never the means of achieving God’s true goodness.

21-25 Have done, then, with impurity and every other evil which touches the lives of others, and humbly accept the message that God has sown in your hearts, and which can save your souls. Don’t I beg you, only hear the message, but put it into practice; otherwise you are merely deluding yourselves. The man who simply hears and does nothing about it is like a man catching the reflection of his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, it is true, but he goes on with whatever he was doing without the slightest recollection of what sort of person he saw in the mirror. But the man who looks into the perfect mirror of God’s law, the law of liberty (or freedom), and makes a habit of so doing, is not the man who sees and forgets. He puts that law into practice and he wins true happiness.

26 If anyone appears to be “religious” but cannot control his tongue, he deceives himself and we may be sure that his religion is useless.

27 Religion that is pure and genuine in the sight of God the Father will show itself by such things as visiting orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world” (James 1:19-27)

H*  - “God said to Moses, “I am that I am.” And he said, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” [15]  God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘The LORD – the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’ [16]  “Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, appeared to me – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – saying, “I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, [17]  and I have promised that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ (Exodus 3:14-17 see especially the footnotes (a) in vs 14 of the NET version)

d* - God’s message to his people in their suffering: “ The Lord said, “I have surely seen[a] the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.[b] 8 I have come down[c] to deliver them[d] from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious …” (Exodus 3:7-8)

S* & r* - An in-family announcement given to Moses: “The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the LORD by name. [6]  The LORD passed by before him and proclaimed: “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, [7]  keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7 NET etc)

l* - “...yet if we are faithless he always remains faithful. He cannot deny his own nature.” (2 Tim 2:13)

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kids camping at our place

Please God help us to see the stables that 

you have prepared for your kids to stay in

with animals of yours whose king laid/ sat

in Mary's arms and manger with hay in..

 

My son ...

...dispise not the Lord’s discipline*

---

As “of the earth”, and also “of the wind, 

the breath or spirit of the very God”, 

amphibious, or hybrid is not sin

depending on relationships we’ve got

with both the heavens* and the Earth beneath 

our feet. For we could walk bowed down*, or crawl,

or lower still, could slither underneath

the legs of all, but we’re made to stand tall: 

we walk, skip, jog, dance, even run erect, 

yet need to bend our knees to move ahead. 

These oft repeated practices* help set

our whole selves to the right  spirit, as said

or maybe intimated, just before, 

we didn’t make ourselves (nor all the Earth).

We are not over all, we’re under more

than just the God who gives us breath since birth..

the other sons of God, not of the Earth,

right now are ruling us, until we grow

up big enough to come out* (a new birth?)

and then be ruling/ judging them; or so

we’re told in bits that slip out now & then*.

But habits* where we prostrate ourselves here

before the only wise God, help defend

us from that kind of pride that has no fear,

respect of God’s word to declare his will;

and listen carefully, to understand

but going that much more, & further still,

to act it out on Earth* - as is the plan*.

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Footnotes

ne* - my son despise not the Lord's (your father’s) discipline, (fitness-regime, teaching, training)... (Proverbs 3:1-17 ff) and “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. [24] Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. [25] Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame. [26] Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. [27] Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.”  (Proverbs 4:23-27 GNBUK)

ns* - “the heavens” seem to be the seed dimension where core attitudes and models hover, not (fully) embodied yet on Earth… but the plan is “as in heaven, so on Earth” and we are portals meant to carry out and help bring about that will, in that way (of HESED love).

wn* - remember that lady who walked bent over who came into the Synagogue in front of Jesus, and what he did for her, and said about her? (Luke 13:10-17)

es* - it appears to me that oft repeated practices, become habits, of our whole selves (heart, soul, mind, and strength), trained body, trained emotions and thus trained mind… or in the words of a wiser one: “Without the aid of trained emotions the intellect is powerless against the animal organism.” C.S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man.

us* - Psalm 8; plus “the law” “given by angels” Acts 7:53), being a tutor to bring us to (and then help us to grow up to become like, the) Christ (Gal 3:23-4:11).

ut* - as in Romans 8:17-27 

en* - “we will judge the angels” (Paul to early Christians - 1 Cor 6:2-3)

ts* - like those spoken of by Jesus (or by God, or by Jesus’ little brother, speaking about his big brother, to his other dear brothers) to his disciples (disciplined ones) “watch & pray”, and “when you fast…”; “when you give alms”; “This is my beloved son; Listen to him”; “be slow to speak”; “be slow to anger” (Mark 8:31-9:13; James 1:19-27), … etc…or see Peter’s ladder (2Pet1:3-11) etc..

th* - again  “as in heaven, so on Earth”... our longing, requests, and our own actions (in partnership with God as our senior partner) are to be that the reign of God might come on Earth, as it is in heaven..

an* - “the plan”, might well be summarised in the 4 words of the title of a Christian Ethics text-book which I read bits of years ago. Its “thesis” - that the basis of what some might call Christian Ethics, others might say it is the direction all the narratives, commands, pointers,  reminders & encouragement are trying to take us (by hook or by crook). It could even be said to be an inexorable “Law” [{given Jesus’s use of it to both enemies and family when he said “you are just like your father, the devil, he was a murderer from the beginning…” (John), and “be … just as your father in heaven is …”(Matthew)}. I say inexorable, but this doesn’t preclude either that there is an off-ramp or an on-ramp, these two ramps are… existential facts (which are also metaphors for existential choices), and they are…  ? (hint: Jesus mentioned one to Nicodemus)]. The four words are: “like father, like son”. Other idiomatic phrases that communicate something like this might well be “a chip off the old block”, or “the spitting image of his/ her old man/ woman”.

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