Thought For Today

When knowledge is not purified by love, humility and crucifixion of the flesh it becomes molten lead instead of Gold. When then poured into the empty heads of others it becomes an image of them rather than the image of God. Then pity the religious people who do not recognize and agree with how beautiful they are.

The Doo Doo Catapult

Have you ever heard the story of the “Doo, Doo Catapult?” Most likely you haven't. It comes from a bedtime story made up when my son was very young. We would cuddle up for a bedtime story and let our imaginations run wild. There were no limits to the things we could do or the places we could go.

These stories were made up as we went along. I say we because he was involved in making up the story as much as I was. I would start the story and go until I got stuck and then ask a question like, “What do you think happen next, or what do you think they did?” He never failed to fill in the blanks with something imaginative for the story to continue. Many time the newly supplied information would take the story into some bizarre twist like the, “Doo Doo Catapult.”
I started a story about the first indoor toilet. It is a topic all little boys find to be endlessly fascinating. Anyway I was trying to explain how indoor plumbing worked in conjunction with the toilet and when I asked him what he thought they did before indoor plumbing and he came up with something called the Doo Doo catapult. Try working that into a story. Soon the catapult was doing the work of what indoor plumbing does only with much more excitement.  Quickly the story found us fighting off invading hordes, making them dodge the payloads of the Doo Doo catapult. I don’t recall the rest of the story but I do recall both us laughing till we hurt

It was a lot of fun and we did it for I don’t know how long, but one night, I told the last story. I don’t remember what night it was, or the name of the story, but there was a final story. It wasn’t planned. It just happened, without my even knowing it and now that time is past. There is no going back, my son has grown up and became a young man and now has a son of his own. I hope they will have stories of their own maybe even one that about the Doo, Doo catapult.

There are so many things in life that end like our story time; a child completes their last lesson and graduates. The man or woman completes the last assignment and they retire. We give our last smile, our last compliment, our last word of encouragement and do not realize that it was the last.
I wonder if we knew it was our last would we act any differently. Would we frown less and smile more, would we be less critical and praise more? What will come to mind of those who know us best when they think of us?

As I have grown older I would like to say it has become easy to accept the common everyday irritations of life with more grace and wisdom but I can’t. There are still too many times when my responses are down right silly. One area of wisdom that I have grown in is to realize long after a deed has been forgotten the way I respond will remembered. The way my wife does or doesn’t make the bed, mop the floor, or load the dishwasher is not nearly as important as the way I choose to respond.

I Know now it is an exercise in foolishness to think my life would be better if everyone would do things my way. To think I can somehow mold another’s behavior to suit my own personal desires is like thinking I can through psychic applied pressure influence the lottery. Applying outward pressures upon others to conform to our preconceived Ideas is a sure fire way to get in the crosshairs of the "Doo Doo Catapult." To love, forgive,and to have tolerance and patience is a far better way to live and persuade another human being.

Let's Go See God!!!

I've always liked to explore. As a child when cutting across the back pastures to my grandparent’s house I would imagine I was on a quest; a fallen tree was turned into an ship where someone had to walk the plank, an irrigation ditch became a mote were deadly snakes where kept, a grove of trees a place where buried treasure was hid. Maybe that is why I enjoy activities; like kayaking, hiking and biking. It’s an opportunity to get off the beaten path and go exploring. A new place to kayak or hike promises something unexpected, something I have not seen is just around the next been in the river a new places to explore.

 I’ve often turn to resources to tell me about places someone else has found. These resources often have maps, nearby activities, driving directions, nearby cities, trip length, skill level, and suggested seasons to go. These resources are very helpful but once you get there you always hope you will find something no one else knows about. Part of the enjoyment of going is being able to share with someone else what you found.

A trail at one time was not even a path until someone decided to go exploring. Once the first explorer came back and shared what they had found others decided to go see and soon there is a path. Gradually people know what to watch for; places to avoid, where you might camp, or go fishing and soon the path became a trail. In much the same way you can compare a spiritual life. At first it is unexplored territory to us. It is exciting we have no idea where we are going. Gradually as we walk we begin to get the lay of the land and we have some Idea of where we need to walk. A very helpful resource are those who have gone before us and can share their walk with us it helps us to get to know the path better and make the walk enjoyable.

Our life in many ways is like exploring unexplored territory, things happen that taken us in directions we never expected. Those areas present a challenge for us and opportunities for God to work in our lives. We can’t always see that when the unexpected happens which is why at those times it is wonderful to be able to have the experience of one who has already been there.

This is what I have in mind with this blog. I hope to share some of what I have learned on the path of purity. What you will find here is a place where we can share our observations made along the way. You or I will see something the other did not see that can be helpful to each other. As we travel along we will take time to see the sights, things which will encourage us in our spiritual walk. I know we will see some breath taking vistas of what God has done places where we can be inspired and awed by the beauty and power of who He is.

A path not only has a destination but is something to be enjoyed along the way and so is the path of purity. A unique quality of the path of purity is our enjoyment and destination is the same, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." It truly is a path less travelled. It is my hope that you can join me. Come, let's go see God.