What I was thankful for today?

My sister wrote me the kindest words today. My real sister and I are still spiritual friends after growing up together. Nice, and seemingly rare.

Nice to have spiritual intimacy with siblings-as I get older, it appears to be unusual. When your blood family, is actually also a spiritual family, it’s a gift.

Love my sister. Kind of her to write today. She wrote me an encouragement about my voice meeting special ones with healing, and meant it. The tone told me so. I have that spiritual relationship with both my parents, we have a shared spirituality, sort of like Jesus (not that I’m even in the ballpark with Jesus, i mean we are in the same ball park, but He owns the whole stadium and is the team, and the organ which plays before the game and all the fans; I’m just talking about his friendship with his parents here) had with His mom, and I assume His dad as well (I think they were actual friends, it’s just a hunch). But it’s even cooler, as I get older, or as cool, to have a sister love which is also real.

Most people really struggle to make a spiritual or any other type of intimate connection with their family. My family actually cares and prays for each other, and we love each other. It’s a blessing really. Maybe we have the grace of quick forgiveness, because we like each other in clear view of our faults. Nothing to sneeze at, as they say, in the south.

Anyway, nice to get a kind, erudite (our mom, as well as being a remarkable artist, was an english major so we both had to learn to write well) and love en-toned word from my sister today. Words still matter! Especially from a loving sister! So thankful that my actual family is also part of my spiritual family, and that my sister and I dig each other. Nice gifts in life, and as I said, it appears to be rare. That’s what I was thankful for this today anyway.

She’s much more functional than me (I wasn’t the black sheep in my family, but certainly more a purple one; and a bit of an unidentified flying object; i certainly wouldn’t have wanted to parent me!). She is a medical doctor, top of her field, working with traumatic pregnancies, serving women (especially low income) in need all over the world (most recently in Ethiopia); and she’s a great wife and mom, and all that; yet she does more than tolerate her strange artistic brother, she actually likes me, prays for us, and cares about our lives, and invites us into hers. Her culture is very different than mine, but we welcome one another into ours, in tangible love. What a gift. I must be blessed for know family love. Thanks sis. Love still matters! As do kind words from sisters! Best blessing i got today!

All walls can begin to be broken down by love in family. Nice to have a loving sister example of that. Healing begins at home.

I wasn’t the black sheep in my family, more a purple sheep- someone interesting, but your not sure what to do with it. More of a unidentified flying object really. I wouldn’t have wanted to parent me. My sister through the years, has often given me simple love, which keeps me flying.

Sister love can’t be overrated. Thanks sister for your loyal steadfast love to a strange or, at least, as grandmother would say, “peculiar” brother.

Anyways, thankful today for my sister’s kind (and well written-our mom was a english major, so we were both taught to write well early on) words of encouragement today, and thankful that my actual family is also part of my spiritual family. Nice gifts in life, and as I said, it appears to be rare. That’s what I was thankful for this day.

Today’s book reviews and re-visiting some of my favorite southern American writers.

My mom reminded me today of one of my favorite writers, so re-reading a few I like. If you haven’t read these authors, they are treasures.

The great southern woman writer, Flannery O’Connor, who’s peacock farm i got to visit, is a great southern gothic, or she would say grotesque spiritual, writer. Very redemptive themes, who once described the south as “Christ haunted”.

Great perspective on the shift between old and new south in America, and what occurred spiritually and psychologically to regular people during that shift. Or any country’s shift from post-industrialism, or even religious to secular societal transitions, as observed through a particular sense of place. Savvy observations, she makes. But also universal themes of human brokenness and redemption.

Enjoying re-reading her short stories again. Brilliant writer. Has to ability through tone to say a lot with one detail—she shows not tells, really well!

There is a good movie of her first novel “Wise Blood” as well. It’s well done and moving, about a preacher who blinds himself to see God. And many other things. She had a way of loving on her characters while showing all their worst flaws; and somehow making the whole thing about Grace for people. Endearing writer really. Had true empathy for the human condition!

A catholic (religiously, but also in the best sense—universal; for people) writer like Walker Percy, who is also a brilliant southern author to read—“Second Coming” and “The Movie Goer” are both great books, as are his essays on linguistics. Real thinker, also with a tone of Grace. These may be my two favorite southern writers from the previous generation. Enjoying revisiting them.

Last night, watched a great documentary on the American poet Robert Bly, who I also got to meet on my birthday, years ago at Harvard. He and I talked Jesus and death, and he dedicated a poem to me in his reading. Interesting teacher, a mixed bag, as we all are, but a real poet-a lover of the inner life of words- when poets used to matter in society, or were able to prove there was still an inner life worth nurturing! Enjoying re-visiting these writers this season, and considering what they were circling around and in. And what upper story they were pointing towards! Galway Kinnel is another of my favorites I met in Vermont–tender palmed long hearted men, both, seeking a deeper ground of being than most! I love considering considerers on Sunday! Those who tried to live out and express their inner poetry of being! And gave it as a gift to others!

I also got to meet and visit Eudora Welty in Mississippi long ago before she passed. Sweet lady, and great writer also from the deep south. All three of these 20th C southern writers are worth exploring anyway. Enjoying sitting on the porch in southern style with them again today.

I basically just want to write, make art, express and encourage and bless people in Him the rest of my life. I want to stay in Him through all I do. And make everything flow out of that core relationship in my life. That much hasn’t changed since i met Christ. All my mediums lead to Him. I really like writing words which help others. And I need less world stresses to do so. The pressures and stresses of the world do get to me. I lived in between worlds for as long as i know. I still do. I’m an ironic participant really in every role down here. But I don’t want to be afraid to incarnate either.

When I was little i would draw the man walking the tight rope between heaven and earth. I drew him over and over, adding musical notes as sky. He basically lived in the sky, but was tethered to both earth and heaven through The Son. Literally a son made of all the saints! It’s still my life doddle. His rope was connected to cities and people on earth, and to the saints, or rather through them to Jesus above.

I had many visions of my home above. At times, i feel i know that space much better than the one down here. It’s my actual home. And it’s very near Jesus, but with lots of un-repetitious movement. I get messages and run around telling other creatures things. That’s my joy. The joy of my true name. That’s what I do above and down here. Down here, as I said i like to write, express and encourage people from what I see up there. I love people, but I see us all down here as somewhat in hiding from who we really are. We are much bigger than we imagine. I try to live in that much bigger version of myself. I’m trying to live down here, from who I am up above in Him in both places.

I often take a balloon up to heaven in my visions. We talk, He shows me things, then sends me back down through the atmosphere of song to earth. Sometimes I am happy to be back, other times not. But it’s where He goes as well, and we really are close friends, so I’ve come to love what He loves, and stay close by Him. That’s my story really, or how I live.

Along the way, i typically found others living in the invisible circus, or space between–mostly artists. Some where more centered in Christ than others. Those who were, seemed more able to sustain a lifestyle of in between. Not so much a nomadic lifestyle as a truly spiritual one regardless of outer geographic circumstances. That’s always seemed like spiritual contentment to me–to be in and with Jesus regardless of what is going on outwardly. St Paul was in jail and as content, and with Christ, as when speaking in the courts, or talking to the poets. I’ve tried to live like that also. And to serve others from that space of contentment in Christ.

Since Christ is always serving, we end up serving also. But mainly we are just trying to stay very close intimate friends with Him through every season of life. The rest takes care of itself–our destinies, our path prepared beforehand, our callings, our purpose, all spring from this well of friendship with Christ. Our names are revealed in that space over time. Our identities are hidden in Him, and revealed through our relationship. That’s how the unfolding of identity works out over life. And I suppose continues after this life. The white stone poem never ends. For, we are eternal in Him.

All my expressions flow from that core relationship with Christ. I chose that. Sometimes, He let’s me make art and meet Him there, other times counsel or minister to people, and meet Him through that activity. Each activity is a medium of meeting God. See, in Christ, I’ve had a million dollar view!

Love is also a stubborn way. It never relents from us, until we know it more, fully.

Our names are hidden in another Name, which we must seek out and find. Where our true names are hidden is the quest. Then, while doing so, we are both eternal, as we discover our names together. We find ourselves, by finding His Name. The Name above all others, ends up being the harbor of our own identities. To seek The Name above all others, ends up teaching us and revealing our own.

Love into knowledge into deeper insight-that’s what Paul taught. Then, fruits of righteousness follow naturally, according to what we are unioned and united with with. The fruits follow the depth of the union and relationship. They are overflow from that unseen point of union. Whatever we are united with will bear fruits after it’s kind. So if, Jesus, then those sorts of fruits. If somethings else, then you will see those. A tree is by law known by it’s fruit. But also the fruit itself is a sign of the health of the roots, and what they are actually grounded in.

As I was praying for a friend today, caught a blessing…
Caught a blessings from Psalm 139- my favorite song in the book- today!
I hope that I’m described as the commenters describe Psalm 139—“this song, defies all categories! It’s a non-egotistical look at the celebration of being human from God’s perspective, the highlighting of identity as a song of God, or at least, the perspective of someone in love with God!”
Nice reading commentary today on my very favorite psalm—the bible’s song of ourselves! David takes himself as a meditation on God’s creative goodness. This Psalm really has carried me through life! Nice to come across this commentary today, anyway.
Perhaps, each of us defy all categories! Such wondrous poems, each person, God’s specific poetry, despite our personal interrupted cadences at times, we are God’s autobiography!
Fun celebrating other’s identities in prayer today! Let’s celebrate one another as poems of God today! Why not! It can’t hurt to treat one another as the poetry of God!

In Philippians, St Paul is telling us to press on regardless of our stories—both successes and failures in them. He is asking us to continue to allow Christ to form Paul’s motto—“Not I, but Christ” in us all the way until we are face to His Face.
What God has begun in us, is irrevocable, and He is able to complete it. The formation of our true selves in perfect alignment with His Life and Nature in Christ is accomplishable by God. In short, God is able, as Paul puts it.
There is great comfort in this. And then Paul describes what happens along this way: increasing Love, knowledge and insight! The fruits of righteousness, as Paul called them, start forming increasingly in us. That’s the way into the Life of Christ. And this was Paul’s encouragement for his brothers and sisters in Pillipi.
He who started, will complete His work inside of us, until we, like Him are made whole, one. God wants to be One in us through His Son who was and is One. And Paul is promising that God is able to complete this “good work” in us. Nice promise. Let’s live it out!
The Oneness of God is our hope. It is the basis for us becoming more one whole integrated being. He wants to, through His Son, align us into Him, so that we are ever increasingly becoming more Real, more truly ourselves. Poems, hidden in Christ for The glory of His Father! Amen.
God’s oneness is the basis of our healing or being made more whole. The Shema is everything friends! God is One, God loves us, God wants to make us one. Then we can be helping others become more one, or baptizing them more deeply into each of His Three Names—which is the great commission!
These three foundations: God is One, God loves us, God is able to make us whole; these, are the basic foundation for real healing in life. Everything else rest on The Shema!

If God’s not One, then He didn’t send the Son, and our whole Christ-centered faith is in vain. Everything, then rest on the Shema. God is One in Himself, therefore everything else is True! And we are being made new creatures in Him! The whole new creation rest on the fact that God is One! And then that He is Love, and Loves us so much to have sent His only Son! Everything precedes from The Shema!

My own message has to do with helping people be who they really are, and locate themselves in God’s story of them. To become the poems they truly are in Him. To help people find the true image of themselves, necessarily involves them meeting Christ, because He is who tell us our names, and helps us become them. Peter saw Jesus, so Jesus told Him his real name. That’s the path towards true identity. I’ve tried to stay on that path, and to help others get on this trajectory to who they really are. It’s a joy mostly to see people come home! And it’s my life’s task, as I become the living song I am meant to be as well. This is the true identity journey we all eventually must get on! The principles behind it, are that God loves us and want to bring us home into the Name of our true names. The identity above all others is His (the Name above all names), and it is in Him that our real names are hidden and revealed. He contains the white stone room where our eternal names are written, and knows how to guide us there.

“Make things more whole, wherever you go, as you yourself are becoming complete. Help bring things towards what they really are.” Nice life goal, i came across today in study.

Sort of the Shema prayer in a nutshell: God is One and wants to make us more one. And as St Paul taught, He who started a good work inside of us, IS ABLE to complete it. Nice morning meditation today. Hopeful.

Sort of an argument from true identity–help others, things and places even, become who they really are, as you are becoming who you really are. Help things align with Reality in other words. Nice daily mission!

This is applying the Shema prayer about God’s oneness to us as well. It is saying He is One and based on that fact, desires to make us one integrated expression–in short to align us with what is Real in Him. That’s why the Jews pray this daily. God is into the business of restoration! Restoring things into their true identity. We are those who partner with Him in helping make things whole, or more “in Him”, as He sees them. That is what is Real.

So in some sense, we are helping others become more Real, more what they truly are. That is part of our mission. We do so by being in His Love towards them. Love is the method, for making things more whole.

As we do so, we ourselves are being made complete, one whole expression in Him. That is one of His mysteries about true identity. As we help others shine into theirs in Him, we ourselves are being completed as His exact expressions.
It was said of Jesus that He was the exact expression of The Father. He stayed “in” The Father–that was His secret. We must do the same. We stay in Christ, and He keeps us in The Father, and this is the path to true identity.

It is also part of our commission on earth–to help make things whole (kratos–to help complete)! We are helping people, places and things, align to Him–what is Real. Grounded and founded in His Love, we are being made whole by the One who is already One! Behold, your God is One! We are caught up in this mission of oneness!

As I was praying for a friend today, caught a blessing…
Caught a blessings from Psalm 139- my favorite song in the book- today!
I hope that I’m described as the commenters describe Psalm 139—“this song, defies all categories! It’s a non-egotistical look at the celebration of being human from God’s perspective, the highlighting of identity as a song of God, or at least, the perspective of someone in love with God!”

Nice reading commentary today on my very favorite psalm—the bible’s song of ourselves! David takes himself as a meditation on God’s creative goodness. This Psalm really has carried me through life! Nice to come across this commentary today, anyway.

Perhaps, each of us defy all categories! Such wondrous poems, each person, God’s specific poetry, despite our personal interrupted cadences at times, we are God’s autobiography!

Fun celebrating other’s identities in prayer today! Let’s celebrate one another as poems of God today! Why not! It can’t hurt to treat one another as the poetry of God!

Two little alliterative thought homilies for ya today:
Soil, sight and skin—the three needed, and often neglected areas which Christ wants to incarnate more deeply in us: His conversation with ecology, the imagination, and the physical body.
The other teaching I’m working on is about where Wisdom and the prophets tend to hang out: rims, ridges, and rivers. I’m getting very alliterative in my old age; must be my baptist background!. Baptist’s love re-callable application, and repetition-making it easy for people to remember and reproduce. Not a bad thing, though sometimes, a bit oversimplified. Yet it, makes it easier to remember so i can write it on tablets quickly, so others can run with it!
These two teachings i’ve been working on for some time, and they just get more simplified and essential over time. Looking at where God wants to incarnate globally (the conversations already happening and deepening), and looking at those at the edges who are receivers of His Realm. Fun study.
Simplicity is a Kingdom virtue, as a friend recently said to me. Eventually, my life poems will be written in haiku! Until, then I appreciate your patience with my loquaciousness!

“You are wearing time well!” someone told me today. Nice compliment. I hope so.

I like getting older. You gain efficiency, as you work on completing your symbols, which you finally already know. If the first half of life is about finding who you are, the second is about refining it, stewarding your symbols, and making them more fruitful for others. You get to be a beginner again-new motivations for service. Time gets a bad rap. Time’s not so bad, especially as our names somehow go on forever. We are God’s great ellipses! Takes the pressure off! I think I’ll keep wearing time.

At my wedding I wore nine watches, one even ran backwards (my Hebrew watch) all set on different time zones. I did this mainly back then to remind me to pray for all my friends all over the world, but I think i was into time, even back then.