NOTES FROM 5 FEET 7 AND 1/2 INCHES ABOVE GROUND

“It is the way of the world to praise dead saints and to persecute living ones.”—Nathaniel Howe, found in Uncle John’s in an article about St Nicholas, about whom we know next to nothing.

 

A poem about government:

“Government is a Soft Pig.”  

 

Tola son of Puah son of Dodo saved Israel for 23 years

Then Israel, pushing for a more exotic diet, served the gods of their enemies.

They served cold drinks to Baal and Ashtoreth, which were left to get lukewarm—like the cold milk left to Santa…"cookies" anyone?

So The LORD sold the servers to Fill-istines

“who that year shattered and crushed them.”

Is it good to be “shattered and crushed”?   Apparently.  May be essential for saint formation? Well another reason not to buck for sainthood, at least not the canon-ized  kind…

 

If I take other people’s gods, I am merely becoming a servant of these other people; all the more so if their gods are not gods at all. And do I think in spite of a temporary convenience, that these folks will be kind to me?

Not at all—I would be treated like Jepthah, not as a  native son, but as the son Gilead and a prostitute, and driven into the ground.  “Never good enough.”  So, if you serve other gods that are only idols, whether mute or made to talk by CGI –well,  you only get what your pay for, and as Christ said,

 

“They have their reward already.” Or as Dr Tom Williams used to say:

“You pays yore money and you takes yore chances.” 

Of course that depends on the belief in another idol set: the married couple of Lady Luck, and Chauncey Chance, the patron saints of gamblers and thieves.

 

“Anger over sin is one of God’s inherent attributes. It is an expression of his goodness and his love for what is true and right.”  --Donald Stamps

Or as the Black Eyed Peas sing: “you can’t know love if you don’t know truth.”

 (butbutbut… beware of the man who gets his truth from himself, his colleagues, and his “polis.”---“My truth, your truth, urban(e) truth.   Idols cannot tell the truth because they aren’t persons at all—at best they are arcane, unnatural abstractions born of human iron willfulness—people today do not worship idols of stone but worship mere undifferentiated  information and  odd ideas that seem new but are as old as dirt and dressed up in “wedding clothes,” as the sinful will themselves to believe;  at a huge personal cost which they cannot begin to afford.

The rich nearly always will to do so, regardless of their party of convenience—because they have the unfortunate( horrible, really) illusion that, “My will will be done.”

 

Another not so stray thought; my “idol” was once Jim Morrison, who famously sang, “They’ve got the guns/ we’ve got the numbers/ gonna win yeah/ we’re takin’ over.”  Ah yes, a prophet indeed!!!

But what happens when we have the guns AND the numbers? What then?  I note that “900 iron chariots,” and Midianites as numerous as locusts were not enough; and only Israel is left…

“But you have forsaken Me (Judges 10) and served other gods. So I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to them whom you have chosen.”

 

But the recurrent forgiveness  of Israel is the only reason that Israel and the Jews are still distinct entities; proof indeed, for those who assume that God exists, that God hates sin, as He must, but loves the sinner; both Jew and Gentile.  It also shows that God will not do other than uphold what He is and does, which is Love and Truth, “conmingled down.” (“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”)

 

 

ARE WE UNRAVELLING YET/ARE WE THERE YET?

Goin’ Round in Circles lalala

Here’s a thot which I am sure has been thot by others more thot full than myself:

 

Some people have tried to break out of the chain gang of linear time by resorting to the concept of cyclical time. 

But have you ever noticed that cyclical time is still a ribbon of time; just rolled up in a ball; or pulled out into a spiral;

Or wound up into a curlique like a pig’s tail?

(Would you believe a broken Slinky?)

 

But perhaps a more apt comparison would be to a knot.

Yet I can say with some confidence that God does not hold up a knot, and say:

“There it is—that’s all,folks.”

(All will “bow” down—eventually, uh, at the end)(O Manuel....)

"Snares" (not drums--but beat them as if they were)

It is meant to be duly and deeply noted that “Screwtape” came at Christ Jesus in the desert with the gross misuse of Scripture—but Jesus came back with Scripture correct not only in its immediate context but its universal one, supremely so.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Reading about Gideon reveals that even a full blooded albeit reluctant hero can be a great leader on the battlefield for at least a few days, but an utter failure at home—repudiating but repeating Baal in his own flesh—the desire to control much wealth and many women, caused one of his sons, Abimilech, to kill all the others on one rock in one day,once Dad was out of the way. (Shakespeare makes much use of such bloody  scenarios)

Man, like Gideon, may serve God for one day; often inadvertently or under much protest; but like the Israelites indeed, they go back in the manner of those who eat their own vomit and wallow in their own manure.  If one has grown used to a pig sty, one gets a pig’s eye…this from Christ Himself…

…Who said far more than we can accept or realize. For instance, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham says to the rich man, who wants to warn his brothers of their danger, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them.”

“But Lord” (we always say—butbutbut) “if someone comes up from the dead, surely they will listen!” (my paraphrase here hopefully with the essence intact) But Abe replied:

“If they do not believe Moses, then neither will they believe even if  one rises from the dead.”

(Speaking of the Resurrection but also the Great Denial, “despised and rejected of men.”—Is 53 in Handel’s Messiah.)

This is no less—nor more,actually—than is true in our current generations, BB,X,Y,toZ. The predicted predicament of the Jews has merely become worldwide; enough so that a Jewish columnist from the New York Times called the persecuted Christians in the third world, “The New Jews.”  (well we are engrafted in…)

Other Scriptures from Christ paint the picture even more vividly.  Some are prone to embrace portions of the Beatitudes by, like Screwtape, taking them out of context for their own largely political and self-legitimization projects—and to support their defense mechanism of projection;  not to mention Freud’s Friendly Others. It helps to read the whole thing, even though it is, as a whole, not only overwhelming but unperformable by any but Him who spoke the Words.

Let’s see…”Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”  And to continue, a bit more prosaically: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.” 

Yes, He said that.

 

James the brother (once a bother) of Jesus put it another way, one that Christians in general have a hard time with: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops  perseverance. “  Well it can—but without joy?

Or as Rev. Dan Smith (“I didn’t go to seminary—but I’ve been to Calvary.”) sang, “Take every knock as a boost, every stumbling block as a stepping stone…just keep goin’ on.”

 

Gideon and his gold—supposedly self-effacing but in actuality just the opposite—see Judges 8—became another poster child of the Sad Snare of Success.   McWorld and its many disciples don’t mind at all if we are successful—it just means we will buy more of their “stuff.” See Bunyan’s Vanity Fair, not the magazine which glorifies itself and also hates the prophets.  Success, yes.  But if we are happy for more than a moment, between purchases, it growls.  If we are content,  it howls.  But if you have joy—from Christ—don’t worry, but it will try to kill you, not just ignore you…”Faithful” met his end in the gaol of Vanity Fair’s Unanimous Judgeship—just for not buying…”He’s not buying this.” Said Calvin of his Dad. Should we,  then, lend our votes and ears and tongues to be “a six year old all your life.”?

 

 

As I was talking to a friend on the phone the other day, I was trying to recall the Esalen-originated "Gestalt Prayer."  I couldn't get the first part, but now I have the gist of it:

"I am not in this world to meet up to your expectations;
and you are not in this world to meet up to mine.
If we get together, it's a beautiful thing;
if not, it can't be helped."

This of course is not so much a prayer as a humanistic credo.  Neverthe less it seems pungently helpful for many situations: in which the problem is, "Behind every upset is an unmet expectation."  Maybe we would get along better if we expected less than perfection from our fellow humans; because that is the one expectation you can count on...

IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT OUT.

Saul "becomes" Paul, Unbecomingly

No matter what, the world would rather have their king to be Saul; as opposed to non-king Paul.

 

“Give us a king…so that we can be like everybody else.”

 

Let’s see why:

 

Phillipians 2-3, Paul formerly Saul’s last known letter from prison, prior to his execution:

 

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write these same things to you, and it is a safeguard to you. (See Galatians to expand on this.)

 

…we who worship God by the Spirit of God (the only way to go per Jesus in John 3)

…who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh…though I myself (as Saul) have every reason to do so…(as a zealous Pharisee)

 

…as for legalistic righteousness, faultless…(but)

 

…whatever was to my profit, I now consider everything a loss, for the sake compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing  Christ Jesus, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes through the law, but that which is through faith—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

 

“I want to know Christ and the Power (caps mine) of His Resurrection and the fellowship that comes from sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death , and so, somehow, to attain to the Resurrection from the dead.”

(It was precisely at this point that Paul lost most of his philosophy majors at Mars Hill—just as he was stoned for it by both Pharisees and Sadducees in Jerusalem—only to be rescued by the Romans, who would then kill Paul themselves…”yet some believed.”)  While Herod, responsible for the slaughter of the innocents to try to kill the Christ, stood by, snickering.)

 

More Paul, post- forced dismounting of his Great High Hobby Horse:

“Not that I have already obtained all this (even though he was under  multiple death sentences), or that I have already been made perfect,” (nota bene) but I press on to take hold of that for which Jesus Christ took hold of me.  Brothers,” (keeping in mind to whom he was writing who, as was the nature of the Phillipians who gave Paul great joy; and who would therefore understand him) ,”I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But this one thing I do: forgetting what is behind, and straining for what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

(It is beyond the world’s comprehension that God would call anyone to anything this specific—“foolishness to Gentiles,” as Paul said elsewhere. )

 

“…and if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.  (but you have to have at least enough interest to ask!). But let us ( while not having yet attained, yet,) live up to what we have already attained.”

The world cannot discern what is spiritually discerned—it is too concerned with its own material affairs—and it by its very Nature rejects Who Christ actually is and said He was—it is the persistent and sometimes deliberate delusion of McWorld  that Jesus Christ came solely to create, “nicer people with better morals.”  (proof-testing at its very worst)  And this is what it feels it has every right to claim—never mind that it was a coalition of forces alive and unfortunately  all the more thriving in the world today, that crucified God Himself, and would do so again in a nanosecond  when given another whack at it. As we also see, vividly, across the globe today at fever pitch. 

 

But in that light, we must recall, and recall again, that we are not struggling primarily against people esp. not individuals for whom Christ died, and who, like us, are not done yet.  Paul also says that, “We struggle not against flesh and blood “(you and I)  “but against principalities and powers of wickedness in high places.” (higher than that to which mere flesh/sarx can possibly attain)  The reality of the struggles we really have are artistically and uncannily revealed in The Screwtape Letters, a wonderful but awful depiction about how our chains are continually jerked by powers for which we, in ourselves, are no match.  Not even with our I-phones, may I add!)

 

 

 

 

Lapsometer of the Latter Days

The "Lapsometer," is an esoteric creation of Walker Percy from Love in the Ruins; a failed scientifically designed lab device for measuring sin.  "Lapsarian" refers to original sin incurred by the fall of the original pair of turtledoves.  (the partridge don't figure into it, me lad! But the pear? May Be!!!)

"Hamartology," however, is no laughing matter.  This is the study of sin; from the Pelagians who denied original or ancestral sin altogether; to the Calvinists for whom it is a supra-deadly given.

So what about this hand clippers stuck in the ice?

"Well, I'll tell you..."  (He's going to tell, he's going to tell...)

("Uh, somebody want to give me a push?" -Sir Lance-a-Lot.)

Well if you insist...


It was not all that long ago that we had genuine floods in our backyards, during which Spring Creek, which empties into the Illinois River and curves in and out of our neighbor's property,  used to cover our roads and leave them full of woody debris and thousands of corn cobs. The last time was two years ago, when we had an abundance of rain.  Since August, however, there have only been a few stagnant pools left; no running water at all.  There is virtually no runoff, and we are at least 12 inches of rain behind--having gone in one year to an overflowing water table to a stream bed that still is covered with the fall leaves of 2012.  With a good chance they will still be there next "fall" as well.

Go back three years however.  I had just bought a nice red--no not uniform-- hand pruner from Ace Hardware--choosing red because I have a habit of losing clippers by putting them down on the ground whilst weeding my heart out. Red, like blood, has a way of capturing our attention even in high grass.


My other bad habit is running with scissors--the nuns in my day-care in Oregon Ill. forgot to tell me about this--more specifically with clippers.  Not long after said purchase I was jogging over one of the bridges --we have four close by--and for reasons unknown had the pruners in hand and inexplicably I flung my right hand in the air, and my new pruner "sailed right out there," into the raging flood.  To say I kicked myself a few times would be obvious.  But to say that I despaired of ever seeing the pruning tool would also be plain; what is not so plain except to me is that I never forgot the incident. I have managed to hold onto all my other clippers since then, and now have quite a collection--Stephen and Grace, tool persons as they both are--just presented me with the best one yet for Christmas. So I am keeping that in my car!! (It's orange--and a cut above--oooh--Fiskars)

Well, one lesson learned. Are there others?

Going right on:  the current drought, the most severe in my lifetime, has given me an opportunity to actually look for these blades. And there they were! At the edge of one of the deeper pools under said bridge, basically unmoved by any amount of water or forces thereof, was the clippers, as you see them now.  Once chiselled out of the frozen mud and  ice, thawed out, and washed, the blade is as sharp as ever, having been half-buried in the creekbed for over 3 years. Pretty good for a generic Ace brand, eh?

 I tell this not to impress anyone--if anything it is a pungent display of my own dimness and  faults and in spite of them; but in using them, as I think intended, will at least give me a few object lessons; Take what you need--really need--and leave the rest. (Old AA slogan) 

As my friend Dr. Vercimak observed some  years ago, some of us wouldn't know a miracle if it came up and spit  on us in the face. I find that most materialists are materialists to the bone; having a deep and lifelong addiction to the various variations of materialism including spiritualism,  religionism, scientism, and rationalism (sans any actually raw rational reason to fanatically devote one's self to any of this pantheon of panaceas.)

To quote, as an example, this paragraph from Love in the Ruins: "Books matter. My poor wife, Doris, was ruined by books and a heathen Englishman; not by dirty books but by clean books. God, if you recall did not warn His people against dirty books. He warned them about high places."

Let that soak in...

"My wife, who began life as a cheerful Episcopalian from Virginia, became a priestess of the high places...beware of Episcopal women who take up with Ayn Rand and the Buddha (Siddhartha) and Dr. Rhine, formerly of Duke University.  A certain type of Episcopal girl has a weakness that comes on them just past youth...They fall pry to Gnostic pride, commence buying antiques, and developing a yearning for esoteric doctrine." (I do of course except my wife, raised Episcopalian but taking "the road less travelled,"  instead of the variations on the above taken by most Episcopalians; then again she is certainly not your typical anything, including native Chicagoan!!!)

Of course in a fictional work one has to paint as specific a picture as possible, as an oblique angle on painful and  probably universal truths; which people will not embrace unless attenuated and adumbrated.

To me, however, my personal tale of pride and pruners (pruners of pride, I hope; and errant branches thereof,  all so very neatly disguised as virtue.)  is rife with lesion-lessons for me, starting with the present drought which is, according to almost everyone, brought about by human sin--and not just relating to burning the trash in the backyard, either. Casting blame is our Constant Comment Cup of Tea, is't not?

Whether any of my loyalist readers will glean  anything from this, I wonder.  But I am compelled to write, as you  know, regardless.  (This is only the tip of the iceberg--none of you have ever seen my notebooks)  Most of what I write is Bible meditation; with a lot of tentative and sometimes hazardous and impertinent commentary which God Alone knows how to take; and mostly overlooks as one might overlook the graffiti of a five-year old.

But HE willing, I will live another day to expand on the meaning  of droughts, not merely the physical ones which are, one way or another, the indirect and/or much-delayed results of  accumulations of legions of overlapping sins;  but the most important drought which lasted 400 years BC, was a famine of Hearing from The Lord, which may be, now and again,  just getting a  new start. (Inferred by Percy) We must now study our "hamartology",  as in The Screwtape Letters, with as much pain and grief as it cost that author.  While I enjoy writing, I must be so very cautious that, as CSL warned, I do not believe in devils, "and have an excessive and unhealthy interest in them."