looking to you..

God here it is. I see, just now, that I

want people seeing, understanding my..

my efforts and the unseen work I do.

The limits that I pass, and then go to…

I'm like a little three-year-old who wants

his mum or dad to “Look at me!” - (the ponce!)

He gets all their attention. Immature,

and plainly knows his place, in their secure

and all pervasive love, that mimics yours

to varying degrees, and that's because

they're playing now their part in this enact-

ment, play, or drama, starting with your pact

to be an “us1”, who's “ONE2” in heart and mind,

at least in purpose to listen, be kind

to all who'll join in (with all that they are),

that there will be an “all3” made “one4”. Ta da!

It seems like there might be more magic tricks.

Well joining with a god “through thin and thick”

seems like a project worthy, slow or quick,

of all of our attention, through our sick-

ness and our health, this is our “life-time” chance.

To join in this production, to advance

an artwork of this scale, I'd do a dance

just like that three year old, without my pants.

But now I only see, that I'm, to you,

much younger than a three year old. I'll do

what he would do, and lift my eyes up to

you often, over me. One of some few*!

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Footnotes:

1. “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’. Gen. 1:26‭-‬28 NIVUK

2. “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. …” Deut. 6:4‭-‬12; “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”  1 Corinthians 6:17 NIVUK

3. “..Holy Father, protect them by the power of  your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.   ‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:11‭, ‬16‭-‬17‭, ‬20‭-‬23 NIVUK

4. as above… plus God's plan to make ONE flock through the Messiah ( in John's rendition of the gospel, Jesus’ mention of “I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.  John 10:16 NIVUK

..”, and Paul's talk of Christ's followers being all united in the family/houshold of God, My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,.. Colossians 2:2 NIVUK. “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”  1 Corinthians 1:10 NIVUK etc..

*  Luke 10:41-42, in the context of its whole story-let…

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Sad news

I am doing fine thanks Paul.  Jack is sad, in a hole and not doing well at all.  I despair...... xx

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Oh God, there's Jack who's in a hole and sad.

“Not doing well at all”, his mother said.

It isn't true to say “He's not too bad”

-  his mum despairs. Oh God, we lift our heads

to you, who else could we go to for aid?

Our culture's chucked the only love that could.

We know you, not because we've seen; we're made

by you, not to do things, but for your good..

.. good purposes, to share your love around.

Reflecting on your care for crying ground,

we see a very great love that abounds,

your hopes and dreams are so good they astound!

Oh God, there's Jack. Please make his eyes to see

your love for him, that can't be bought or sold,

just like a baby child, may he now  be

delighted that he's loved (& not controlled).

And then Yeshua's way of serving, strong,

and not expecting to be served in turn,

committing himself to whom he belonged,

(and other things that I begin to learn)

might just become his way of life and love.

Oh God please help his mum, who's “doing fine”,

keep running to you, while looking above

(my greatest need, myself, most of the time)!

Please, also, thinking now of those two “girls”,

I don't know how they're taking this at all.

Please let them know that they're loved more than worlds

of stuff, when “Dad’s” love ain't enough. Too small.

---

xx. Tears ..

the leading leader...

You will not find a better leader. He's smart, he's intelligent, his game-plan went beyond this life, He understood real leadership, real delegation, real help, and the necessity for life-giving human culture to be lived, not just talked about. And he was realistic. He could cope with both imagined human failure, and real human failure.

He embodied the way forward for a real humanizing use of “the power of god”, a real portion of which God has given to humanity to use in looking after God's world, and God's other people (whom he saw as living, small and immature likenesses of, or representations of God in his Earth)

Yeshua (the pure) Bar-Most-High, the tallest poppy!

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the image and likeness of God..

No one could tell me where my soul might be.

I searched for God but he eluded me.

I searched my brother out, and found all three;

my soul, my God, and all humanity.

---

Quoted by Dusty or Dinty, (a Catholic & a Baptist) in the Japanese POW (prisoner of war) camp, and recorded by Ernest Gordon in his book: “Miracle on the River Kwai”.

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the way of life

Of all the possibilities, let us

avoid the refuge that is really false -

collapsing wearily, with no more fuss,

a giving up to hopelessness, no pulse,

a yielding to things just because they are.

It is the life in us that’s discontent-

ed; we need MORE of what brought us this far

to discontentment, not more that is bent

which causes all of this here discontent.

For humans have the vic-tor-y when they

in midst of pain and weaknesses, when spent,

then cry out, not for death, not for the day

when they repose in full forgetfulness,

but for the strength to fight; & for more pow’r,

for more of be’ng alive with consciousness;

more of the God who makes good ev'ry hour.

---

This is what I've been thinking about. It is some sort of antidote to that Malcolm muggeridge quote.

It's by George MacDonald: “Of all things, let us avoid the false refuge of a weary collapse, a hopeless yielding to things as they are. It is the life in us that is discontented; we need more of what is discontented, not more of the cause of its discontent. He has the victory who, in the midst of pain and weakness, cries out, not for death, not for the repose of forgetfulness, but for strength to fight; for more power, more consciousness of being; more God in him.”

KW.

in him was life..

Ye-shu-a Bar Abba's* the one who knows

the Father of all fatherhood, who is

aware of all our weaknesses, and goes

about with grieving heart, because of his

dear children, who ate fruit from tree forbade

by he who made them and gave them this world

of luscious, plenteous fruit in garden made

by him who planted trees, which then uncurled

all kinds and shapes of fruit, for them to eat.

(They didn't have a lack, more like a glut)

The first Adarm grew less, not more, complete

by eating fruit from this tree which was shut

off from that pair, be-ing the only tree

which helped them to develop, live, & grow

by eating NOT, the fruit, which they could see,

by trusting who knew better, they could know

the good that was not evil, unlike what

had come about instead, but here they were,

now knowing evil (and it was good NOT)!

We need a Second Adam as our “Sir”,

or “Lord” who knows the good to then reveal

it, introducing others to his friend

or father. He had trusted him for real,

and would now trust him to the very end!

This brings rest that's internal and profound

-  from trying to control the universe.

The God who loves unceasing is around.

We abdicate, then “rest” within our hearse.

And since he is the God who can bring dead

folk “back to life”, or maybe it is “on..

..on to a better kind of life ahead

of all humanity that's in his son,

They rest from all their work (that is their own),

but since God is the one who gives all life,

and all things in ourselves, right to the bone,

to trust him is to trust who gives each wife

to husband, and the other way around,

as chances to “look out for” more than “self”,

to learn to really love, in ways profound,

that give us energy, as well as health.

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*  “In Aramaic, the prefix bar- means "son" and is used as a prefix meaning "son of". In the Bible, Peter is called Bar-Jonah in Matthew 16:17 and Nathanael is possibly called Bartholomew because he is the son of Tolmai (or son of Ptolemy, with "P" being reduced). The titles can also be figurative, for example in Acts 4:36-37 a man named Joseph is called Barnabas meaning "son of consolation". From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patronymic  accessed Friday 10 May 3:05am AEST. Thus we have Jesus (the son, of the father whom he addressed in Aramaic as “ABBA”) called CHRIST/MESSIAH, and the criminal Jesus Barabbas . Interesting possibilities from the textual variants.

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At that time Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.   “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”
Matthew 11:25‭-‬30 GNTD
https://bible.com/bible/69/mat.11.25-30.GNTD

“And now, my friends, I know that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was due to your ignorance. God announced long ago through all the prophets that his Messiah had to suffer; and he made it come true in this way. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that he will forgive your sins. If you do, times of spiritual strength will come from the Lord, and he will send Jesus, who is the Messiah he has already chosen for you. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for all things to be made new, as God announced through his holy prophets of long ago.
Acts 3:17‭-‬21 GNTD
https://bible.com/bible/69/act.3.17-21.GNTD

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grumpa

Well “Arrgh”, I feel so “grumpy” now, my God,

or maybe more “on edge”, or “less than bright”.

When people don't applaud me I feel what

I feel just now. I'll come into your light

and even if I feel embarrassed by

my immaturity, why that's ok.

For embryos don't always seem quite right,

proportions are 'bit weird. That's me today,

compared to you who's been around a while.

This universe compared to you, is new.

And I am just a twinkle in your smile.

So here I am a running back to you.

To cry with you. To tell you how I've felt.

To tell you what I'm scared about, again.

My fears affect me, often your big “belt”

helps clarify, so I am scared of pain -

not only physical that's through a nerve,

but also pain from broken friendships and

the lack of love, though love is not deserved,

the loss of purpose and a place to stand.

But since your love has showed up, I will run

to you and unashamed, be glad of what

you give, like time of day before it's done,

and rest each night - regenerative shot!

And thoughts of truth and goodness that are greater,

that come from your own heart - where we've come from.

Your love that "covers over" - “suffocator”,

then helps make compost of what's dead & gone!

---

Grow Up

Lord please help us today to learn to pray

to lift our eyes to you above the skies

and thus to grow like you in every way.

The small gifts from your hand I won't despise.

That's even if they're just a traffic light,

to slow me down, or take another turn,

or friend who offers to help me to right

some problem or deficiency, or learn.

So thank you for the changes, and the “sames”,

“expected” things, as well as those more “un-”.

I need your wisdom, thank you for the names

you let me call you, and that I'm your son.

So there's a chance that I could grow to do

the things you model, and help me aspire

to do and be, I want to love like you!

And throw “my life” away, for what is higher.

You pull all these together God, so well.

And spec’ly through the things around about,

both common & uncommon things can swell

with your love, till they can seem that they shout!

So here, I'm asking you to help discern

what's best to do, and when today to act

about these things that you just helped me learn,

I would recall, but often fall; a pact

might work, but still the “jerk” in me seems strong.

I've just decided, That is just a trick(!)

-  compared to you, it's weak, that's if not wrong.

Please hold my hand, I want to do this quick!

---

We R ... r we

Oh God you've made us up to be like you.

Your one “besetting sin” is that you do

like each of us so much. Your love is true!

As Dad & Mum like Baby that will spew,

& cry & scream, & wee and also poo.

They don’t love for commodities returned,

for love will always love, it is not earned;

Although love doesn't like to be, well, spearned,

but welcomed and allowed to grow as learned

by creatures who can choose to grow who've turned

some corner so they really can know love,

and be concerned with good, right from above,

in people as a whole, not just who'll shove

inside some little group like that's enough.

It's Open by its nature. It's that tough!

Hopeful Hunni

Young Hunna-Bunna's turned thirteen - again!

-  but this time it is back-to-front, she says.

And she recalls the first time: that was when

we didn't live in town, so then she wears

her clothes that matched the farm, yet still friends came

from other places in the world to there,

and often they were older, with no shame,

their lives they'd gladly tell her of, and share.

And so, Fiona Hutchins celebrates

with us on that first Thirteen Years back then,

and hides a birthday thing for her and waits

for Hanni to discover (by hints) when

she gets so close that she must see it plain.

Well, she had made the teenage years, that time;

and eighteen years along, there’s been some pain,

but also greater joy, when there's a rhyme

in sharing life, and languages with folk.

The bright adventures beckon to her still.

“The best is yet to come!” - is not a joke,

but truth, that is true now, maybe it will

be always true, since God is growing us

to more reflect, some more of our Pa’pa,

the One we are the spitting images

(together) of, when we love well, we are!

We all will influence each other too.

There's times when we may not have acted well

our parts, that we were given, God by you!

But with you, God, hope grows, it's not dispelled!

---

Dad - on Earth!

Lamb Ent

When anger & frustration rise up and

disturbances and grief come piling on,

when loss & then hypocrisy demand

a clean up, as a sign “Corruption's gone

for long enough!” & will be dealt with when

the dealer has dealt all the cards to each,

but may demand the same cards back again

to clarify if there is any breach.

Not as a rule, but more “each eye has seen

quite clearly all the scales that have been just.”

And ev'ry person knows all good that's been

reflecting God's own “goods & services”

to all creation that has ever lived.

Not one good deed untested or unshown.

For evil is a hole with good “un-gived.”

No person overlooked. All will be known.

The lamb who went full knowing to that “tree”

to let all lacks, and hellish holes be filled,

to shed “unguilty blood” quite willingly

not crying out that murderers be killed,

but surely leading all who'd follow him

to take their cross themselves, in self-denial;

& trust this God (who loves upon a whim)

to make a new creation, single-file,

and bring all trees alive to dance and sing

to clap their hands & wave with mountains tall

to bow before their coming future king,

may then allow laments to grow quite small.

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Work in progress

God, you’re a safe and pow’rful rock, or wall,

that gives protection, refuge, safety too!
And you’re a proven help in times troubled -

available whenever we need you!

Our hopes come to reality through trust -

foundational to building what's longed for.

Thus faithfulness is evidence that must

show these realities - unseen before.

When times I feel the spirit moving in

my heart, by blue of sky, or light of day,

or problems, troubles I'm perceiving in

the world a-round-about me, I will pray.

I will look up to you, and then look down,

from your own vantage point upon my world.

And take your gift of presence, not as frown-

ing, evil, and malicious one who's hurled

my problems, diff-i-cult-ies, down on me.

In truth, I hear from James, why you've allowed

them is because my problems clearly be

adventures in disguise, and you are proud-

ly wanting to go on one - with your child,

together do what's deemed “impossible”

(you are at heart not tame, but very wild).

I'd love to share with you, life to the full!

Since you began your great, & glorious work

in me, I'm sure you'll finish off your job

‘til you unveil Lord Jesus (not this jerk).

Please keep on training, sculpting, raising up!

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God, you are such a safe and powerful place to find refuge!!

You are a proven help in time of trouble- always available when we need you!! Psalm 46:1 (PM Version)

Faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.  Hebrews 11:1 (PM Version)

Any time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I will pray. (Bobby McFerrin, "Spirit-you-all")

I am fully convinced that the one who began a great, glorious work in you, will faithfully continue the process, and will put his finishing touches to it, until the unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ!!  Philippians 1:6 (PM Version)

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the faith of Christ

Is faith in God (or faithfulness) a proof,

or evidence that God is with us here?

Does unconditional, and positive

regard for fellow humans make things clear

-  well clearer than things were before we saw,

in living life, an actu'l specimen

of something “mythical” we had ignored?

Well, categ’ries become unsettled, when

I think of certain kinds of people, I,

I have some doubts as to just where they fit.

And then I can't as eas'ly, even try

to make my labels stick. Why that is it!

When faithful people come into my world

it's like they break a spell of unbelief,

or like a clown-magician who's uncurled

in circus act, they bring on some relief

and open “other” possibilities.

Good comp’ny, who help me to laugh at things,

are o-pen-ing old avenues of grace:

to laugh instead of cower also brings

a model, or a way, to now retrace

my previous i-de-as, turn around.

Instead of owning truth, let truth replace

my ownership conceptions since this ground

(I've found) is owned by it, which has a face.

This truth brings on stability and hope.

The face of Christ brings kindness, glory's traced,

in words, and healing pow’r, to thrive and cope!

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