The Viking
The Vikings were preparing to defend their territory from a small army of invaders. Jorn was told to sound the command for the Viking army to assemble.
Jorn took his shell horn and walked toward the edge of the cliff to sound the alert. As he raised the shell to his lips, still walking, a blue portal opened up in front of his path. Catching him off guard, he stopped a moment and put his hand into the blue, round portal. It made his arm tingle and he felt a slight suction. He drew back his arm and decided to walk through it to get to the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea to sound the alert to the Vikings below. As he took a step foreward, the suction grew great and pulled him into the shimmering blue portal that he had thought to be a mirage. After a long experience of feeling weightless, he found himself on the other side.of the portal. He landed on some kind of strange, whitish rock. The rocks were cut into squares and layed one after the other, each one touching the rock on two sides in a straight line. As he saw the strange houses that went up to the sky, he was struck with shock and awe, His arms dropped and he stood dumbfounded. "Where did the cliff go? Where did the sea go?" Everything looked very different.
Jorn had unknowingly landed in 21st century America. The portal had taken him through both time and space. A car drove by and he tried to attack it, thinking that it might be a vicious predator. He found its skin to be hard as armor and its speed had knocked the sword out of his hand. He then noticed that there were people inside and determined that it was some kind of self-powered cart. Again he gasped in awe and his arms dropped. He stood there several more minutes and started to walk along the strange stone path. He ran into a person and asked for help but the person wore strange clothing and spoke a different tongue. He thought, "What kind of magic was this? How will I get back to my land where I belong? I can't even speak their tongue. If I do get back, what will they do to me for not sounding the alarm?"
He retrieved his sword and started walking down an alley. Some gangsters started laughing at him and tried to take his belongings. Jorn responded with a sword to the stomach of one and another gangster pulled a gun and shouted something at him. Jorn cocked his head and shrugged his shoulders since he didn't understand the stranger.
The stranger was demanding his belongings but there was no way for Jorn to understand. This made the stranger and the other surviving strangers angry. The stranger in front of him with the gun pointed it at a dumpster and shot a hole in it so Jorn would understand that he meant business. Jorn cut off his gun hand with the sword and prepared to fight the others in the gang. Jorn bent over and charged one of the strangers, impaling him with the horns on his helmet. Another of the gang grabbed the gun from the ground and shot Jorn until the clip was empty.
Jorn fell to his knees then landed with his face on the ground. He had died fighting, the honorable way to go. He arrived at the gates of Valhalla and was greeted by his mother, father, and his grandparents. He had made it home.
Jorn was hurled what seemed to be a great distance. His whole body felt electrified.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Friday, September 4, 2015
Being Moved When You Age
Being Moved When You Age
I recently fell ill for five months and found myself... not in my home but in Brookdale Park, a Senior Independent Living community. It was quite a change from my retirement to the woods where I expected to live my final days and die in the comfort of my own home.
It's very beautiful here and the residents and hosts are friendly but it doesn't feel like home. Instead of cathedral ceilings, I have straight, cracker box ceilings. It took everything I had left from my retirement (which was basically nothing) after spending it on trying to heal Diane's stomach cancer in order to purchase a double-wide trailer with cathedral ceilings. Now it's taking everything I have to live here.
It's alright I guess. It's just not what I'm used to. I was trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and have enough room between my place and the neighbors to work on my music without disturbing them too much. Now I'm in an apartment and the neighbors are close but so far no one has complained about the music. In fact, I'm becoming a bit of a celebrity around here. Of course, I'm playing an acoustic guitar right now and not my electric. There ARE some people here who like blues but most of them seem to be into Country music (yuk) rather than the type of music I generally play. I even got cussed out by two different people for not knowing San Antonio Rose. Boy, those old ladies can get MAD if you don't know their favorite song! I'm just glad they didn't pick up their purses and start hitting me over the head! Haha
I'm trying to make the best of things. I get one meal a day... the large meal being lunch in the dining room. Sometimes the selection isn't optimal for me since I have no teeth so I have to get creative in my ordering. I don't REALLY want to order a ten dollar hamburger everyday. They have a nasty habit of substituting a pasta dish when I order potatoes... sometimes with cheese, which is bad for my IBS, and the pasta makes me choke because it gets stuck in the flap where I pulled out my vocal cords trying to pull out my breathing tube after my second CABG. I guess I'm going to have to be more firm about getting what I ask for instead of what they WANT to give me. I realize that there are a lot of people ordering a lot of different things, but they DO have electronic devices on which they can write the orders. These are the same devices on which they charge you for your meal.
I need to start cooking again. My sister did buy me some new pots and pans. They're not the expensive ones I bought and are used to but I COULD cook with them. I just have to wait for payday and see if I have any money left for food. I have very little in my refrigerator and pantry at the moment. That's another thing I have to get used to. It's just strange being without a way to get the things I need. I can starve myself of some of my medication if I have to in order to buy food. They seem to be overdosing me on blood pressure medicine at the moment anyway. Either that or my heart is just on its last legs with the arteries being so plugged. I DO still seem to be getting around fairly well with my mom's rollator though so as long as I don't have a sudden blood pressure drop, I'm okay. I can cook what I need when I get some food and what I need right now is spinach. Strangely enough, if I start getting warts, I know that I need spinach. I had three on my foot and ate spinach everyday for two weeks and they went away. Fifty-nine years of trial and error has let me know what my body needs. Oh, and I also need to learn to cook meat that's tender enough for me to eat. My heart still needs it to heal. I really don't get enough protein from Vegan diets or even eating just fish for some reason. Eating beef seems to line out my blood pressure generally.
Socializing is strange at first. I'm lucky that I smoke or I probably wouldn't have many friends yet. Playing guitar and singing helps as well. They keep wanting me to perform for the Fun Friday event but I'm not performance ready at this time and I don't have the equipment that I really need to make it a better experience. Some people are suspicious of strangers at first because they're afraid that you're going to "narc" on them for smoking cigarettes outside their door instead of going to the designated areas. Heck. I don't care what they do. If they want to drink in the smoking area (which I don't think is allowed since the American Bistro serves alcohol), I don't care. It's cheaper for them to buy their own than pay $4.00 a beer. I know what it's like to be on a very strict budget. I just try to get along with everyone and stay out of their squabbles with other tenants as much as possible. Being probably the youngest tenant here makes things a little strange sometimes and I feel like an outcast most of the time except when I'm with my friends at the smoking table. I try to keep them laughing as much as possible but there are some days that it's hard for me to joke around. It would be nice to find someone who can make me laugh too. A couple of the ladies come up with a nice zinger on occasion but many of the people here can't hear or don't have the mental faculties to carry on a conversation. Sometimes people avoid me because they think I'm one of the staff unless I'm carrying around my guitar. I guess I need to carry around my guitar more often.
I HAVE gotten the nickname Superman here since I generally wear a Superman shirt when I play guitar for the ladies. It was my performance outfit online so it may as well be here too. The old folks like Superman anyway. As long as it makes people happy, who is it hurting? The only people who seem to object are my family. Ah well. I think they're at least used to it by now. I really don't know what they have against Superman. Maybe they're Batman fans. hah
If I had my vehicle, the Willowbrook Mall is only one block away. I could probably make it with the rollator if I took enough sit breaks but I'm a little uneasy about getting out of the range of my locator until the doctor gets my blood pressure medications straightened out. Right now my body is holding me captive from going and exploring the hot spots. Of course, money is an issue at the moment as well. After having someone somehow getting my new debit card number (which I haven't even had a chance to use) and putting a bunch of $39.00 charges on it, it hasn't left much to even pay the bills. My sister went to the bank and thinks that she finally got it straightened out. They cancelled the card again so HOPEFULLY they won't be able to get the new card number AGAIN. Every time I ordered the MIDI cables for my electric piano, my mom lost the card and cancelled it anyway so it was useless for me to try to order anything online. I'm not sure what happened this time. I went to the websites listed on the bank statement and they appeared to be phishing sites though so I suspect that someone tried to order something with my card, perhaps by accident.
I guess the biggest adjustment to being moved into a place like this is the loss of control over your own life. Yes, I forget people's names sometimes and I can't remember telephone numbers since the mini-stroke but other than that, my brain seems to be functioning fairly well. Maybe I'm not functioning as well as I think I am but everyone here seems to feel that I'm functioning just fine. Yes, I have problems when the diarrhea hits and my blood pressure drops making me nearly pass out or completely pass out once but I'm on a medication to help control that now. If it works, I should be fine. That and not eating milk products does make a difference. It's probably good to be in a place where there are people in case something DOES happen, but it's still hard losing control over your finances and possessions. I'm not BIG on possessions but I WOULD like to have what I need to do the things I'd like to do to at least bring a little happiness to others. Knowing that you're probably serving a life sentence in a place, even if it's nice, is a difficult adjustment. A nice prison is still a prison. I'm not really confined since I can leave when I want as long as I check out and back in so they know why the locator alarm is going off but it still feels as if you're being monitored. I understand that it's for my health but it's still disconcerting. I don't feel old enough to be in this situation. I'm pretty sure that even the 80+ year olds feel the same way. Still, I'm quite a bit younger than most of the people here so my feeling this way is probably a little more justified.
I guess I'll get used to it eventually. I might have to have a few good cries with some of the other tenants who feel that they were snatched from their lives and abandoned in a place out of the way of the family on occasion, but I'll get used to it. It's just a major adjustment.
This isn't the first time that God has moved me around. I know that I'm helping people but I thought that I had finally finished my work and was moving on in the place in which I chose for that purpose. Maybe I'll be miraculously healed again and be able to travel around to other places to cheer up the elderly again. Maybe I'll just finish my time here. This place wouldn't be so lonely if I had a mate and a vehicle. I envy those who do. I guess I'll just have to wait to see what God has in store. I'm just having to do without so many of the things that I used to have at my fingertips and having to do without the company of my pets that I'm feeling stir-crazy. Well, it's almost 2:00am and my mind is very tired so I guess I had better go back to bed. Maybe one of these days I'll get used to this place enough to be able to sleep at night.
Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ Be With You,
Cal-el
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Hiding in Plain Sight
Hiding in Plain Sight
Ah ha! I just had a brilliant dream... a vision if you will. It told me about all of the secrets of the universe 🌌. Well, not exactly, but exactly how the universe operates and what's important.
You see, all this mumbo jumbo about positive thinking and wishing for what you want are actually detrimental. By blocking out the unpleasant details that you don't want coming near your thoughts you are losing vital information that would later come together as sort of a code to let you know exactly what you need to know. These pieces don't come out and tell you all at once but are sort of links in a chain. While seemingly unpleasant at the time, each link fits a later link that will also come to you as something unpleasant so that you don't forget it. Once you have enough links of the chain, you get the all-important, vital message that can not only give you what you desire but also prevent you from repeating a serious mistake that is part of your personal history. In some cases, these historical chunks of knowledge are also part of human history which should never, never be repeated. Once blocked though, you have lost important pieces of the message that the universe wanted you to retain. It may seem very complicated but it's relatively straightforward.
This isn't to say that you should constantly dwell on the negative links. Once received and acknowledged, they will remain in your consciousness enough for you to link it to the next link. Since they fit together so perfectly, all you need do is acknowledge them and wait for the next link of the message to come along and they will join together like magic. Don't lose one of those pieces of seemingly negative information though or you will completely lose the message and will be doomed to repeat your failure until such a time until you learn not to try to ignore or hide the pieces of information from your history.
I cannot stress to you the importance of this revelation. It is not only vital to you but also to all of humanity. A lesson blocked is a lesson unlearned. Remember... all of these pieces of information were hiding in plain sight before you decided to erase them from history.
DO
NOT
ERASE!
Ah ha! I just had a brilliant dream... a vision if you will. It told me about all of the secrets of the universe 🌌. Well, not exactly, but exactly how the universe operates and what's important.
You see, all this mumbo jumbo about positive thinking and wishing for what you want are actually detrimental. By blocking out the unpleasant details that you don't want coming near your thoughts you are losing vital information that would later come together as sort of a code to let you know exactly what you need to know. These pieces don't come out and tell you all at once but are sort of links in a chain. While seemingly unpleasant at the time, each link fits a later link that will also come to you as something unpleasant so that you don't forget it. Once you have enough links of the chain, you get the all-important, vital message that can not only give you what you desire but also prevent you from repeating a serious mistake that is part of your personal history. In some cases, these historical chunks of knowledge are also part of human history which should never, never be repeated. Once blocked though, you have lost important pieces of the message that the universe wanted you to retain. It may seem very complicated but it's relatively straightforward.
This isn't to say that you should constantly dwell on the negative links. Once received and acknowledged, they will remain in your consciousness enough for you to link it to the next link. Since they fit together so perfectly, all you need do is acknowledge them and wait for the next link of the message to come along and they will join together like magic. Don't lose one of those pieces of seemingly negative information though or you will completely lose the message and will be doomed to repeat your failure until such a time until you learn not to try to ignore or hide the pieces of information from your history.
I cannot stress to you the importance of this revelation. It is not only vital to you but also to all of humanity. A lesson blocked is a lesson unlearned. Remember... all of these pieces of information were hiding in plain sight before you decided to erase them from history.
DO
NOT
ERASE!
Friday, May 8, 2015
Test for Rev. Laura
Wednesday May 6, 2015 Saved By His Love Finding Truth By Reading Between the Lines
Good afternoon, welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries. My name is Rev. Laura A. Neff, the Rainbow Minister. The choice for Rainbow has to do with the fact that the rainbow symbolizes a promise made and one that can and will be kept. I made, long ago, a promise to God that I would do all I could to keep that faith within me. We are normally posted on Sundays for sermons and Wednesdays for studies. You can find these posted in the following locations.
Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter &Google+ & Blogspot
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list has grown from last week. This is our current prayer list for this week.
- Please pray that the good tidings which have occurred for my family far away from me would continue for as long as it can be.
- Please pray for a friend Susie Bartholow as she is in hospice. She is in very grave condition with cancer. Hospice care is in her home with her family. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.
- Pray for my sister-in-law who has been in the hospital with a dangerously high fever and an elevated heart rate.
- Please pray for my nearby family members as we are going through some tough times here.
- Please pray for Elder Cal Jennings as he is going through a whole lot health wise and emotionally as well. Please pray that he will be able to find and follow inspiration still.
- Please pray for a friend of ours, Lucy, whose liver is failing. She is going to be on medication but may need a transplant. Pray that the first option works and she returns to health.
- Pray for a friend of my brother’s, who is far from home right now. There have been many problems for her right now. It is our hope that she will return and be here to complete her healing and more.
- Pray for our members Theresa and Wayne who had a very rough year last year. Theresa has had even more chaos in her life regarding family and finances. Wayne has been very ill and I haven’t had an update in a while. May some of their trials and tribulations end in time for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.
- Pray for those near and far who have been suffering in battles that do not have to be. Pray that peace can be found amidst the fear and anger, frustration and more. May hope blossom and bring that peace once more.
- Pray for our friends and our enemies, may they all find that the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, holds the hope and faith everyone seeks.
- Pray for some friends who have had all manner of chaos, sorrow, and more. May the Lord bless them with peace and solace.
- Keep hope alive in your prayers no matter the pain or strife we might suffer.
- May God bless every one of us as we continue on.
Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We thank You for the blessings brought, and for those yet to come. We pray that You can remind us always what we should be looking forward to. We bring prayers for those who have been seriously ill. Help those who are working to fight serious illnesses by bringing the ability to find solutions. We pray for those who suffer pain, that their pain be relieved. We pray for those lost and those who mourn. We pray for all those who are victims of violence. We pray for patience and courage for those we love and care about, and ourselves as well. We pray for peace to reach out from the heart and be heard, felt, and understood. We pray that Your grace and love would fill the hearts of the many in this world. We pray all this in Your Holy Name through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: You Are Loved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGLSk3AVcUU&index=154&list=FLys7UjSJHrgrNHy9kLrkxpw
Sermon: Good afternoon. Today’s inspiration came very early this morning after reading an article about how many Christians worship via doctrine as opposed to “reading between the lines” to find the true meaning, as opposed to just the words written. Truthfully many have left Christianity for this very reason. Bringing people back to Jesus is no easy task, and never has been. However, the article brings up interesting points of view. Take, for example, the man beside Jesus hanging on the cross, dying with him and simply seeing truth. It doesn’t take doctrine to see the truth. This is why Jesus told him he would go to heaven. Some say this is favoritism, yet, in truth, Jesus was showing that loving one another is more than just words written in doctrine. That’s one thing people often forget. Let’s take a look at some verses in Scripture that portray this view.
Luke 23:39-45 KJV – And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple rent in the midst.
The thief has a simple request. “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” He didn’t know his Scripture. He knew what love could be, should be. Love is the ability to give as much, or more, than we receive. Love is the ability to ‘read between the lines’ whether written or spoken. Love is the gift of forgiveness. Hope is offered in these facts. You can’t write everything love is about. It doesn’t matter how hard we try, speaking or writing as to how much love affects us is nearly impossible to put into words. Yet we can share that love without a single word from our mouths. We can do so without a single verse of Scripture. The thief proves that, even within his sinning, he remembered God. In his request to be remembered he was also asking forgiveness. Someone I know went through a very hard time and felt as though they had been abandoned by anyone and everyone. When asked what they wanted most these are the words that person had to say. “Someone to remember me.” Jesus always remembers. God always remembers. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here. They keep their promises. God promised salvation. Jesus promised He was the path toward that salvation. His resurrection provided that path in more ways than one. Read between the lines and see what really must be seen within Scripture. Doctrine only goes so far. Faith is knowing where doctrine meets the heart and finds the truth. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Open the Eyes of My Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZ9iuo1kRs
~Shalom~
Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister
Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot
Calvin Jennings ~ Facebook & Twitter &Blogster
Covenant of Hope Ministries
Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press,The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA., USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2015
http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries and Poetic-Expressions is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the rainbow in the darkness.
This mission statement speaks of the rainbow in the darkness. Every time I would have a seriously traumatic thing happen in my life I would wake in the middle of the night. When I do I see a rainbow at the end of my bed, or even through the window behind my head. I’ll see that rainbow in a dark room even during the day. It will hover in the shadows and reassure me that God is with me.
Good afternoon, welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries. My name is Rev. Laura A. Neff, the Rainbow Minister. The choice for Rainbow has to do with the fact that the rainbow symbolizes a promise made and one that can and will be kept. I made, long ago, a promise to God that I would do all I could to keep that faith within me. We are normally posted on Sundays for sermons and Wednesdays for studies. You can find these posted in the following locations.
Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter &Google+ & Blogspot
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list has grown from last week. This is our current prayer list for this week.
- Please pray that the good tidings which have occurred for my family far away from me would continue for as long as it can be.
- Please pray for a friend Susie Bartholow as she is in hospice. She is in very grave condition with cancer. Hospice care is in her home with her family. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.
- Pray for my sister-in-law who has been in the hospital with a dangerously high fever and an elevated heart rate.
- Please pray for my nearby family members as we are going through some tough times here.
- Please pray for Elder Cal Jennings as he is going through a whole lot health wise and emotionally as well. Please pray that he will be able to find and follow inspiration still.
- Please pray for a friend of ours, Lucy, whose liver is failing. She is going to be on medication but may need a transplant. Pray that the first option works and she returns to health.
- Pray for a friend of my brother’s, who is far from home right now. There have been many problems for her right now. It is our hope that she will return and be here to complete her healing and more.
- Pray for our members Theresa and Wayne who had a very rough year last year. Theresa has had even more chaos in her life regarding family and finances. Wayne has been very ill and I haven’t had an update in a while. May some of their trials and tribulations end in time for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.
- Pray for those near and far who have been suffering in battles that do not have to be. Pray that peace can be found amidst the fear and anger, frustration and more. May hope blossom and bring that peace once more.
- Pray for our friends and our enemies, may they all find that the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, holds the hope and faith everyone seeks.
- Pray for some friends who have had all manner of chaos, sorrow, and more. May the Lord bless them with peace and solace.
- Keep hope alive in your prayers no matter the pain or strife we might suffer.
- May God bless every one of us as we continue on.
Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We thank You for the blessings brought, and for those yet to come. We pray that You can remind us always what we should be looking forward to. We bring prayers for those who have been seriously ill. Help those who are working to fight serious illnesses by bringing the ability to find solutions. We pray for those who suffer pain, that their pain be relieved. We pray for those lost and those who mourn. We pray for all those who are victims of violence. We pray for patience and courage for those we love and care about, and ourselves as well. We pray for peace to reach out from the heart and be heard, felt, and understood. We pray that Your grace and love would fill the hearts of the many in this world. We pray all this in Your Holy Name through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: You Are Loved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGLSk3AVcUU&index=154&list=FLys7UjSJHrgrNHy9kLrkxpw
Sermon: Good afternoon. Today’s inspiration came very early this morning after reading an article about how many Christians worship via doctrine as opposed to “reading between the lines” to find the true meaning, as opposed to just the words written. Truthfully many have left Christianity for this very reason. Bringing people back to Jesus is no easy task, and never has been. However, the article brings up interesting points of view. Take, for example, the man beside Jesus hanging on the cross, dying with him and simply seeing truth. It doesn’t take doctrine to see the truth. This is why Jesus told him he would go to heaven. Some say this is favoritism, yet, in truth, Jesus was showing that loving one another is more than just words written in doctrine. That’s one thing people often forget. Let’s take a look at some verses in Scripture that portray this view.
Luke 23:39-45 KJV – And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple rent in the midst.
The thief has a simple request. “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” He didn’t know his Scripture. He knew what love could be, should be. Love is the ability to give as much, or more, than we receive. Love is the ability to ‘read between the lines’ whether written or spoken. Love is the gift of forgiveness. Hope is offered in these facts. You can’t write everything love is about. It doesn’t matter how hard we try, speaking or writing as to how much love affects us is nearly impossible to put into words. Yet we can share that love without a single word from our mouths. We can do so without a single verse of Scripture. The thief proves that, even within his sinning, he remembered God. In his request to be remembered he was also asking forgiveness. Someone I know went through a very hard time and felt as though they had been abandoned by anyone and everyone. When asked what they wanted most these are the words that person had to say. “Someone to remember me.” Jesus always remembers. God always remembers. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here. They keep their promises. God promised salvation. Jesus promised He was the path toward that salvation. His resurrection provided that path in more ways than one. Read between the lines and see what really must be seen within Scripture. Doctrine only goes so far. Faith is knowing where doctrine meets the heart and finds the truth. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Open the Eyes of My Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHZ9iuo1kRs
~Shalom~
Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister
Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot
Calvin Jennings ~ Facebook & Twitter &Blogster
Covenant of Hope Ministries
Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press,The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA., USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2015
http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries and Poetic-Expressions is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the rainbow in the darkness.
This mission statement speaks of the rainbow in the darkness. Every time I would have a seriously traumatic thing happen in my life I would wake in the middle of the night. When I do I see a rainbow at the end of my bed, or even through the window behind my head. I’ll see that rainbow in a dark room even during the day. It will hover in the shadows and reassure me that God is with me.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
The Reflecting Pool and
The Reflecting Pool
My grandmother returned to her uncle's plantation home for a final visit before her marriage. Her mother died in childbirth which led to her being raised in a convent while her dad worked as an engineer on the railroad. He died on his way to see her engagement ring when his train hit a stretch of bad track. Her uncle was all the family she had left.
The outside of the plantation home was nothing but painted plywood, the home having been burned by the Yankees after the civil war. Because they had been treated as sharecroppers, the negroes stayed and continued to work their share of the crops. The sharecroppers houses out front remained undamaged and were a couple of acres in front of the main house. Out back, though, the old trees and reflecting pool remained.
My grandmother used to play here with her assigned "servant" whom she merely considered a friend. As she sat reflecting on those days, a servant about her age approached. It was Simone, her old friend from her childhood.
My grandmother jumped up and embraced Simone.
"How are you doing, Simone? It has been forever since I've seen you!"
"I'm doing just fine, Miss Delhomme. I heard you done got engaged!"
"What's this 'Miss Delhomme' nonsense? It's Lorraine just lime before. Yes, I met a man. His name is Albert Hamilton Tribe. He performs on the radio in the Rice Hotel in Houston. He's so dreamy! He finally popped the question! See the ring? Isn't it beautiful?"
Yes, it's beautiful, Miss Lorainne! I'd better keep the 'Miss' so the master of the house doesn't think I'm being disrespectful to our guests. What brings you back to Louisiana, Miss Lorraine?"
"Well, as you know, my father died and I just needed the company of some family. I'm an orphan now, you know."
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Miss Lorrraine. Let me give you a hug."
They embraced once again and my grandmother started crying on her shoulder.
"There, there, Miss Lorraine. We're still here for you and you know that your uncle loves you dearly. Besides, you'll soon be Mrs. Tribe and you'll have a man to look after you."
"Yes, I know. It's just hard losing my father. We were so close even though he rarely got to come home. It's a shame about all of those hobos who died in the wreck. My dad wasn't supposed to let them ride but he could never turn down a poor person who needed a hand. My step-mother took all of the money from the train company. She was always so jealous of me. Dad had to sneak away to come visit me at the convent."
"It's sad, Miss Lorraine. She sure weren't mother material. As much as you hated that convent, you were probably better off than being raised by THAT selfish witch. I feel for you."
"So, is Uncle Curtis still treating you alright? Have you married yet?"
"Your Uncle Curtis is treating me just fine. Things were tight last year because of the bad crops but he saw that we were fed and taken care of. I sure do miss the extra desert you used to sneak me when you were here when we were young though."
"Haha! I'll order double again tonight and you'll have your extra dessert."
"Oh, thank you, Miss Lorraine. It will be just like old times. Hehe"
"Just like old times. Now, if you don't mind, could you leave me here alone for awhile? I have a lot of things to think about at this old reflecting pool."
"Sure thing, Miss Lorraine. Just ring this bell if you need me. I'll be sitting in the shack over there catching up on my knitting."
Simone reached in her pocket and pulled out a small, ornate silver bell with an ornate handle and handed it to my grandmother. My grandmother took the bell and put it into her pocket.
"Thank you, Simone."
"My pleasure, Miss Lorraine."
My grandmother turned back to the reflecting pool as Simone walked to the shack. She stared at the Japanese Carp swimming and floating around the pond and started thinking about her childhood. She thought about the harp that her real mother owned... and her stepmother despised... and remembered how much she wished that her mother had lived so she could grow up listening to the harp being played as she grew up. She thought about how much she hated the convent and the cruel nuns who raised her but how much more special that made it she her dad came home to visit. She thought about how much she missed him and wept awhile. Her thoughts then turned to her future. She would soon be married and having children. She would no longer be mistreated by the Sisters in the convent. She would leave the church and become a Methodist like her husband. It was both exciting and scary at the same time.
Ah, the reflecting pool. She remembered listening to the workers working the fields and singing hymns. She remembered the feasts after harvest. She remembered everyone sitting with the workers and eating watermelon on hot days. It would soon be time to return to her apartment in Houston and get on with the business of planning the wedding. For now though, she had family and the reflecting pool.
Monday, March 16, 2015
The Woofie
The Woofie
Hello. You, yes you. I look like a stuffed dog animal toy, don't I? Nothing could be further from the truth.
I can imagine that you are starting to feel that something very strange is going on here. Indeed it is.
First, notice that you're listening to what you think is a stuffed animal speaking to you. You're intrigued so you can't pull away. Something else is going on as well though. Maybe you're starting to sense that something is wrong?
Yes, by now you are. You want to turn and walk away but you can't. That's because I've homed in on the motor cortex of your brain and made you completely defenseless. That's how I start. Once I have your attention and have made you defenseless, there's really nothing you can do about it. You can't run: You can't hide: You can't scream for help. You are totally defenseless and you are totally in my power.
Now what will happen is I shall drain you of all of your knowledge except for that which you need to serve me. You wouldn't think something so sinister of such a cute little stuffed toy, would you? That is why we chose this form.
You see, we are a race from a distant planet outside of your solar system. We call ourselves Woofies. Our minds became so developed that we didn't have much use for a physical body. Eventually, though, we realized that we needed corporal bodies to accomplish certain menial tasks... like reproduction.
You will find now that our minds are slowly becoming linked. We will start to share in each others' thoughts, feelings, and emotions in as much as I allow it. As I said, you are totally helpless and there is nothing you can do about it. Soon I will ask you to pick me up and carry me to my mate who, by now, inhabits a member of the opposite sex. Yes, you are my sex slave. You are my love slave. The female of your species will carry the offspring made today to term and it will carry not only psychic information of my mate and I but some genetic information which we shall soon impart to you. Once the child is born, he will start to grow in both body and intellect at a slightly higher rate than human children do. He will receive another shipment of Wolfies and shall distribute them among other human children to be carried into their households where those childrens' parents will be taken over as easily as you were. We may keep your bodies for our pleasure once in awhile or we may decide to create more offspring , forcing you to mate with the victim of our choice. You are totally and completely unable to do anything about it. Soon, we will be in control of your entire planet.
Since there is nothing you can do about it anyway, I may as well tell you the last part. Once we decide that you are no longer useful to us, you will be terminated. There really is nothing you can do to stop us. We may have you fight each other in games for our amusement. We may cause you to walk off of a tall building or into a hot, live volcano.
If you had stopped listening to me as soon as I began speaking to you, you may have had a choice. Now you have none.
It is time now, sex slave. Pick me up and take me to my mate who is awaiting our arrival. You may as well enjoy the sex anyway since YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
Hello. You, yes you. I look like a stuffed dog animal toy, don't I? Nothing could be further from the truth.
I can imagine that you are starting to feel that something very strange is going on here. Indeed it is.
First, notice that you're listening to what you think is a stuffed animal speaking to you. You're intrigued so you can't pull away. Something else is going on as well though. Maybe you're starting to sense that something is wrong?
Yes, by now you are. You want to turn and walk away but you can't. That's because I've homed in on the motor cortex of your brain and made you completely defenseless. That's how I start. Once I have your attention and have made you defenseless, there's really nothing you can do about it. You can't run: You can't hide: You can't scream for help. You are totally defenseless and you are totally in my power.
Now what will happen is I shall drain you of all of your knowledge except for that which you need to serve me. You wouldn't think something so sinister of such a cute little stuffed toy, would you? That is why we chose this form.
You see, we are a race from a distant planet outside of your solar system. We call ourselves Woofies. Our minds became so developed that we didn't have much use for a physical body. Eventually, though, we realized that we needed corporal bodies to accomplish certain menial tasks... like reproduction.
You will find now that our minds are slowly becoming linked. We will start to share in each others' thoughts, feelings, and emotions in as much as I allow it. As I said, you are totally helpless and there is nothing you can do about it. Soon I will ask you to pick me up and carry me to my mate who, by now, inhabits a member of the opposite sex. Yes, you are my sex slave. You are my love slave. The female of your species will carry the offspring made today to term and it will carry not only psychic information of my mate and I but some genetic information which we shall soon impart to you. Once the child is born, he will start to grow in both body and intellect at a slightly higher rate than human children do. He will receive another shipment of Wolfies and shall distribute them among other human children to be carried into their households where those childrens' parents will be taken over as easily as you were. We may keep your bodies for our pleasure once in awhile or we may decide to create more offspring , forcing you to mate with the victim of our choice. You are totally and completely unable to do anything about it. Soon, we will be in control of your entire planet.
Since there is nothing you can do about it anyway, I may as well tell you the last part. Once we decide that you are no longer useful to us, you will be terminated. There really is nothing you can do to stop us. We may have you fight each other in games for our amusement. We may cause you to walk off of a tall building or into a hot, live volcano.
If you had stopped listening to me as soon as I began speaking to you, you may have had a choice. Now you have none.
It is time now, sex slave. Pick me up and take me to my mate who is awaiting our arrival. You may as well enjoy the sex anyway since YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
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