Just a story

This is just a story, nothing more... 

Writing

“Idiot, Moron” Charles hurried to his study to grab his writing utensils. She was writing again. He wasn’t angry at Elizabeth. In truth, he was thrilled she was writing. He was a writer and he saw in her the ability which would outshine him.

“Tim, you might be the smartest programmer in the world, but you have no imagination.” Charles threw the books, pens, and pencils across his desk. “You might be the savior of mankind but what of its history did you ever think outside…Ah.” The last word came out through clenched teeth.

Charles was nearly sure Tim couldn’t hear him, Part of him wished he did, and part didn’t. He was grateful, but some things made life so much more difficult.

“It isn’t as if I don’t have anything else to do.”

“Elizabeth’s work isn’t finished thankfully. I still have time.”  He just wished he had been paying attention when she had said she was going to write.

“It couldn’t have been a story about an alternate world, could it. It just had to be an alternative history story.” He said threw teeth that were clenched again. “There is still time,” Charles took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, “There’s still time, there is still time.”

Charles pushed a couple of the book aside and took what looked like a leather-bound tomb. He opened it to an empty page and grabbed a pen and started writing.

Elizabeth shared part of her story with her mom and dad. It was a fantastic tale where Ireland was truly a land of magic and magical creatures. It was, of course, absolute fiction. It never ever happened. Though the cities and some of the names were real the story never took place in the real history of mankind. The Roman empire didn’t build a wall to protect gal from the magical creatures of Ireland. There were never giants other than men who called giants because they were naturally taller than others around them. They could never build land bridges from Ireland to England.

There were originally 13 colonies in the New World who did break away from the Old World. Magical enchantments never keep commoners at bay. Though Elizbeth wrote things about a different history they were just made up. They never happened. She just made them up as a great author does. An author worthy of renown.

Charles cringed. He shouldn’t have written that last line. It was done. He was an author. Other stories had written about the power of the author, but they were all wrong. Authors had no powers, no magical abilities to change reality. Even now they didn’t, well… Charles wasn’t going to think about it right now. It gave him a headache. Tim might have had something to do with that, He probably did, Charles thought but he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t going to think about it too much either. Too much danger there.

“Back to writing.” Charles bent back to writing in the tomb.  

Elizabeth wrote more stories about this alternate history but all they were was fiction. Her words were never real. Though her father and mother praised them for being good because they were, they were not true history. Only later would Elizabeth write the true history. It would be then that she would write the truth of things and fiction to cause people to think about life and to just have joy in the moment. It was only after her father told her the true nature of all that her uncle had done did her work change.

It was only after the conversation should her work be considered real. It isn’t real now and wouldn’t be for some time. The End.

Charles dropped the pen as if it was on fire. It bounced off the desk and landed on the floor. He ignored it and closed the tomb. Reaching over he opened another and scanned the pages, then let out a sigh. “Tim, you’re an idiot.”

Still writing

Getting back into the grove of writing on this blog is going to take a little time. There are many things I am doing but I wonder what I should be sharing here. The continuing work in Bible Reflections goes on but this isn't something I write here. This is where I have shared insights I have been having in my life that don't relate to Bible Reflections, so here I go.

I am beginning a new experience by being an instructor for the district of my church. Though I have taught for years this is a new forum. It is a little scary, but I trust it will be good for both me and for those who take the course. There is the chance that no one takes the class but for now, I am not worried about it, I'm going to prepare.

This is where I want to remind myself and anyone reading this, you can do more than you realize if you put yourself on the line. For me, it was volunteering to teach. Yes, I am busy (too busy according to my wife), but for a few weeks of extra work, I can grow and help others grow also. In the end, it will be positive.

So, what are you risking, what are you trying outside of your comfort zone?

The new norm

It has been a few months now since I have finished Bible Reflections' first draft. I find myself adjusting to a new norm. Yes, I still write but not like before. Yes, I still journal but not with the fevered intensity which I had when I finished the first draft. I am getting to a new norm which means getting back to blogging here.

This year I have taken up reading Oswald Chamber's classic MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. This and going through the Bible Reflections. Both of these disciplines will help me grow in my faith.

I still don't have a new project to write but there are old ones I need to work on and sometimes this is harder for me. I can honestly say I would rather take on writing a blog for every chapter in the Bible than editing my other books. So maybe, I need to take on the harder work. 

In the church I preach at, I pray and work for a spirit of hope. One can be determined and that is something to admire, but hope is the thing that is catchy. Do I expect something big, no and maybe that is wrong? In truth, it wouldn't take much just a couple of really radically changed lives to raise attendance. Confession, my vision has been too small.

Writing this now fills me with the hope for something big. If it doesn't happen will I give up? No, because I know God works on His schedule in the people of the world. I also know I am, this church, is making a difference in the Kingdom of God. This is ultimately more important than the battles of this one church. I, however, do not give us on the church here in Tell City, nor on the people of this town.

I think of the battle at the gate in Lord of the Rings when Aragorn says, "There may be a day when the strength of men will fail.. but that is not today." For we fight as it were not for a hobbit, but for the King of kings. The war is not lost...if we should fall, but that is not today!

Reflections on Reflections

Okay, I don't know what to call this and to be honest it may sound a little on the egotistical side but really, I'm not trying to be. Anyhow, the other day I was reading my post on Bible Reflections. The work is my unedited and first response or as I have called them reflections to all the chapters in the Bible. However, I read one and was really surprised. Here is what I wrote on a piece of paper at the time.

The things which really get my attention aren't mistakes and the less than stellar theology, grammar, and explanations but the moments of brilliance. Yes, this is egotistical but then perhaps it isn't. When great people of the past did great work often the knew it afterward. They knew it was great. I don't worry too much about ego as I still have plenty of, oops to keep me humble. The thought that I can be brilliant is a relief that my life isn't a waste. It is a hope what I do can make a difference. Yes, the world I live in may be going the way of Isaiah's prophecy but my work may have an impact beyond a generation set for destruction.

Thanks for the Thorns

Paul the apostle talked about having a thorn in his flesh which keep him humble. He needed it because without it he would have by his own admission become proud.

I hope most of you don't need one. I don't want one but I actually have a couple. These aren't recurring sins or anything like that, but they are things which I can't control and God isn't taking away. I hate them. They can be completely debilitating, taking me from confidence to broken in minutes. 

The thing is I am a person who has a good level of self-confidence, but it could turn into pride. I could become the person who says I did it so can you, I don't care what you face. Yet the memories of brokenness and weakness remind me that things though simple to discuss are often rarely easy live. Habits, weakness in body and mind, influences around us, unseen circumstances, and the like make change and confidence difficult.

My thorns remind me of this. I keep telling God, I'm better now. I won't forget and maybe someday I will stay humble and understand the shoes others are walking in, but until then, I will at times deal with the thorns. Perhaps I can, in the meantime, be grateful for the thorns. At least, when I'm not pulling them out of my flesh.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

The train

I wasn't sure how I got here but it was a place of wonder. Well, as much a place a wonder as an old shack could be. It was large, filled with shelves there was a huge white canvas tarp covering the whole structure making it appear from the outside like bedouin's tent. On the shelves held a wide variety of things that I remembered, books, toys, memories of my life. I walked around amazed. I was close to an open door when I spotted it.

The old dirty hard plastic train I played with as a child. I picked it up and like it was yesterday, pulled it back across a nearby table and watched it putter forward about a foot before talking. I smiled like I was three again. It was wonderful. I hadn't seen the thing in years. I could feel the layer of dirt on one side evidence of having been played in the mud. One front wheel was missing as was part of a back one, yet I would glad had let everything else in this cabin go just to keep it.

I questioned myself, there is a lot of stuff in here; books other toys, photos all things that could never be replaced and yet I moved to the doorway and held the toy with a smile on my face and moisture in my eyes. I wouldn't cry over a toy.

I looked out then as dusk covered the land and it was then I realized the place had moved. We had move not just location but through time. I knew where we were. I didn't ask how but I knew. I was in Judea and the Roman guards in the distance seemed upset. If I left now I could find and meet him. I could meet Jesus.

The toy dropped from my hand as I walked then ran from the cabin to the place I just knew Jesus would be. I never questioned how this could be or how I knew I just knew as much as I knew my own name. I knew I had to hurry. I was too late. My opportunity was gone, the soldiers were taking him away.

It was then I realized I didn't have my train, but then it didn't matter for I had the chance to see Jesus.



Photo by Jonatan Volker on Unsplash

Parable of the pest.

Cause and effect, sowing and reaping, yen and yang, karma; throughout the world it is commonly realized there is a pattern for why things happen. Science called it "cause and effect" and it is taught that is equal. Though in life it doesn't always seem as being equal. However, is it real? and why doesn't it always seem equal?
To answer the first question, I believe it is real in this universe. Empirically science tests it and sees it as real. Life experience and religious traditions claim it's reality though its effects are at times strangely defined. 
Jesus in the sermon on the mount gives a great example of what Christians call sowing and reaping when he says that think about evil is the same as doing the evil. Why can he say this? Because what a persons plants is what will grow. It's cause and effect. Unless actions are taken to react to an thought it will grow. Thoughts of sexual impurity lead to acts of impurity. Thoughts of hate lead to acts of hate. You can't undo it.
If you buy a home which someone has allowed mice to live in you can get rid of them but it requires a reaction to the situation. We all have inherited a broken home. The Bible teaches us it is original sin. If we don't deal with it then things will only get worse. Some people clean up parts of the home and leave parts to the mice. Some try all kinds of methods to get rid of them some work good, some better and some not at all.
There are people who both try and get rid of the vermin but also leave opportunity for them to grow at the same time. These people can work hard trying to get rid of their problem but since if they don't change their ways the problem will be unchanged no matter how hard they try. These hard-working people either don't have the tools to change, the knowledge of what needs to change. or they might truly be unable to do what is needed (a person with broken fingers can't set a mousetrap). They can be very sincere people but they are missing out. Also, there are some which refuse to use some methods. These ones may have good logical reasons or just emotional reasons, but they seem good to them. If you're a neighbor you try to help. You give advice, training, assistance in other ways but you do what you can as long as they will let you. Of course, if your rodent problem is out of control, perhaps you should deal with it first.
Jesus taught we have a problem. This problem is sin and its growing. Jesus comes to help deal with it and gives us the tools to clean up the problem. Jesus moves in and helps us clean up. The problem is that many times we work against Jesus. Jesus is far more patient than us. He will abide, trying to clean up the place, until he is thrown out. The thing about it we may never say, get out, but we will do it just the same.
Jesus will change our actions, teach us how to do things differently and prepare us for a home without the rats. He will also help us make improvement on things in our home. Often he does these things at the same time. The great thing also is as we fix up our problems those around us have inspiration to improve and they don't have to worry about your mice visiting their homes.

However, if your neighbor has created a huge breeding ground for cockroaches you will get them no matter what you do on your property. Just as your doing good helps your neighbors, their actions affect you. Here we have moved from personal action and reactions to how the actions of those around us affect us. We can move and sometimes it is a great option. The dope addict would do well to move away from the temptation. However, this isn't always an option. Sometimes moving only takes you to someplace worse. In this place, the actions of others have affected you. In this situation, you can continue to fight to keep them from being any worse or you can give up. For many giving up seems the only option, why fight? Here Jesus can help just as he did before and it will make a difference. Will it be enough to change the world around you? Maybe not but it will make a difference.

I had a friend once who had this bug problem. If I had visited him I might have concluded he wasn't dealing with it. I could say, he isn't really trying, but I knew better because we talked about it. Part of me thought (at times) if you just did more you could get rid of them, but I was wrong. The more I learned the more I realized how wrong I was. Finally, he put pressure on his neighbor and when the dump next door got cleaned up the problem ceased. In the end, his actions were vital, but it was his neighbor's actions which stopped the problem.

We live in a world like my friend. Some of the places are pretty good, others are horrible. Some have the equivalent of mice, others rats, and cockroaches, but we all need Jesus to help us. Without him, we are lost. We can sometimes help others and others can help us, sometimes we can't. At times, we need to worry about our rats and not the neighbor's mice. We always need to be compassionate, because none of us are without a pest problem at sometimes in our lives and if we aren't careful they might return so we need not be proud. The situation in each of us and inside our homes are different, this is why we leave the judging to God because only Jesus knows if he still has a place in someone else's home.