#Trinity :: verse :: Knowing the Path and Walking It

[padfootagain]

Love in Verses (XVIII)

Chapter 18 : ‘What the devil do I care what I know, and what I say?’

Hi! Here is new chapter! This is a very important chapter… I hope you like it!!!

I hope you like this chapter! Tell me what you think!

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Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader (professor!AU)

Warnings: slow burn, angst, hurt, hurt/comfort, tooth-rotting fluff in later chapters, some scenes in later chapters will have heavy sexual themes even if it’s not explicit nsfw description, so minors here

Summary: Your life seems perfect. You're engaged, your career is thriving as you become an assistant professor at Trinity College, and this Andrew Hozier-Byrne you're sharing an office with seems to be a nice guy you hope to call a friend soon. Life seems to be smiling at you... until everything goes sour. When your fiancé breaks up with you, your perfect world shatters. And when your colleague also gets his heart broken soon after, your shared office seems to be a curse rather than a blessing. But Andrew seems determined to mend your broken hearts... Will things finally go according to plan?

Word Count: 3472

Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s masterlist – Main masterlist

Wisdom

This I say, and this I know: Love has seen the last of me. Love's a trodden lane to woe, Love's a path to misery.

This I know, and knew before, This I tell you, of my years: Hide your heart, and lock your door. Hell's afloat in lovers' tears.

Give your heart, and toss and moan; What a pretty fool you look! I am sage, who sit alone; Here's my wool, and here's my book.

Look! A lad's a-waiting there, Tall he is and bold, and gay. What the devil do I care What I know, and what I say?

Dorothy Parker

Classes for the first semester were over. The Christmas Holiday season had come to a close as well, leaving you buried under piles of articles and documents and books to help you get ready for the new classes that would start after the end of the exams.

It was snowing outside, a part of the Liffey had frozen during the night, apparently. Some idiot had tried walking on it, had fallen into the river, you had heard it on the news. He was equipped for a swim in cold waters, but still… how silly people could be…

You were in bed, you checked the time on the alarm clock on your bedside table. Almost midnight. You heaved a sigh. You ought to stop, catch a few hours of sleep before heading to work tomorrow. But you had a thousand things to do and to plan and… God, so many things still…

You were distracted by the vibration of your phone on the bed, looked for it in a hurry under the covers. You frowned as you read Frank’s name on your screen, picked up with a worried frown on your brow. Something ought to be wrong…

“Hello?”

“Y/N?”

You recognised the sound of his voice. He was drunk and had been crying. When the two of you were together, he was only in this state when you had a huge fight.

“You’re alright?” you asked him, knowing the answer.

“No, I’m not… God, I’m really not, Y/N. Can you… can you pick me up? I’m drunk, I can’t drive, I don’t know where to go… Christ, I’ve fucked up so bad tonight… please, help me…”

You looked at all the work you had left to do, looked at the time again, but heaved a sigh. Not accepting to help wasn’t even a possibility…

“I’ll come and pick you up. Where are you right now?” you asked him, and you heard the sigh of relief he heaved at your words.

“I’m downtown. At a pub… hang on, I’ll give you the address…”

“What happened? Where’s Samantha?”

He sniffed.

“We had a row.”

You nodded, not surprised.

“Like… a huge one. Our first row. I… I’ve fucked up. She’s home. I can’t go home, I don’t know where to go…”

“You can stay at my place for tonight,” you offered. “It’s alright, I’m on my way.”

“Thank you so much, Y/N… thank you,” he mumbled, the lilt of his accent more pronounced as his words were slurred by alcohol.

“Don’t mention it. I’m leaving now, stay where you are.”

You hurried out of bed, put on some clothes, grabbed your keys. You typed a text while you were in the lift.

Hi, Andy!

Just a warning: Sam and Frank had a row tonight, seems quite bad. Omw to get Frank from some bar downtown. He’ll stay at my place for tonight. Sam might call you too.

You were walking to your car when he answered.

Thanks for the warning. Sam has just texted me, I’ll go to hers.

Good luck with Frank.

You sat behind the wheel, locked your car before answering.

Good luck with Sam too!

You were about to put your phone away in your purse when it vibrated again.

Tell me when you’re home, okay? It’s late.

A tender smile softened your features.

Will do xx

You put your phone away, started driving. It took you a while to find the pub, but Frank was eager to leave, and you were relieved not to have to fight him for his car keys or something like that. Instead, he obediently entered your car. His eyes were red and puffy, he stunk of whiskey, cheap beer, and cigarettes.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, voice made deeper by the liquor, words slurred.

“No problem. Let’s go to my place.”

He nodded in silence, dried his eyes.

“What happened?” you asked as you drove, the streets empty at this hour, the lampposts the only sources of light in the sleeping city as clouds heavy with rain were hiding the moon and stars.

“Sam and I had a fight.”

You hummed.

“What was it about?”

“Something stupid. Fucking stupid.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, like… something about the wedding. About the guests we should put together, and I was like… like who cares? People can just… sit… wherever they like. But she was making plans, and I took the piss, and she got… so fucking mad and…”

He sniffed, looked by the window at the empty streets.

“Was fucking stupid.”

“You got angry?”

“Yeah.”

“And you said something stupid?”

“Yeah. How do you know?”

“You generally say stupid and hurtful things when you’re really angry.”

“I don’t mean them.”

“I know. It still hurts.”

He heaved a sigh, rested his forehead against the windowpane.

“I think it was a long-time coming though. We’ve been bickering a lot. I don’t know… it’s just been a lot of stress these past few weeks. I thought it would be better after the New Year’s Eve party, but it wasn’t.”

You slowly nodded.

“I mean… you’ve been moving very fast through this relationship. Maybe you’ve skipped a few steps along the way, and you’re feeling it now.”

He remained quiet for the rest of the drive. When you reached your apartment building, he stared at you, but said nothing.

You helped him through the elevator and hallways all the way to your flat. You texted Andrew that you were safely home while Frank was struggling with his shoes.

Andrew answered in seconds with a thumbs up.

“You think I’m making a mistake, don’t you?”

Frank’s voice brought you back to your apartment, made you put your phone away and turn to him instead.

You weren’t quite sure what to answer, even if this was the perfect moment to speak your mind. You were too taken aback for that.

“Everybody does,” Frank nodded. “Everybody thinks I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have… I don’t know anymore… Maybe… Maybe I’ve made a mistake, and I shouldn’t have left and… I don’t know… I don’t know…”

“I think you’re moving very fast. I think all this is going too fast,” you spoke with a gentle voice, moving closer to him. “I mean… you pushed back the engagement, then the wedding, when we were together. While this is so sudden… Everything about you and Sam seems sudden.”

Slowly, Frank nodded.

“I don’t know… I don’t know what to do, I… I want it to be fast though, I don’t want to think things through this time around. I don’t want to be cautious, the way we were, you and I, Y/N. I just… I want to live this fully.”

He rubbed at his tired eyes.

“I’m sorry, I don’t make any sense right now…”

“You should go to bed,” you gave him a sad smile, but he didn’t notice, he was too tired for that, or… you didn’t know why… but he didn’t notice.

You gave him a pillow and a blanket so he could settle on the couch, he thanked you, closed his eyes.

Before you could move away, he grabbed your hand in his, gave it a tight squeeze. You wanted to cry now.

And then, he surrendered to sleep, and he let go.

Sam wasn’t crying anymore when Andrew arrived to her flat, but her eyes were red and puffy with tears that had already fallen. She let him inside, offered him something to drink while he took off his coat, gloves, beanie and scarf, but he declined. He turned to her with a tender smile, something full of compassion.

“You’re okay? How are you feeling?” he asked with a voice he made deeper than usual, knowing it calmed her down.

“Not great,” she admitted.

“You had a fight with Frank, then?”

“Yeah… we… I… It was pretty bad.”

“Bad?”

“It was a big row.”

“Was he mean to you?” Andrew’s voice shook, a frown digging a line between his eyebrows. “Did he threaten you?”

“What? No! Of course not! We just had a row.”

He visibly relaxed, took a step closer to her. They were standing in her living room, the night was quiet. He wanted to reach out, but he didn’t dare.

“What was it about? Do you want to talk about it?”

She shrugged, but took a step closer to him too, standing close, so close… He could have pulled her into an embrace so easily…

“We fought about the wedding. We… we don’t want the same thing.”

“About what?”

“Silly things. Unimportant details, to be honest. But I didn’t know how to react to it… like… I know you sigh a lot when you’re annoyed. I know your voice quietens first, and then you raise it. I know you get petty when you’re really angry. I know you need to spend time alone to cool down. I know you’ll want to have the last word no matter whether you’re right or wrong, but you’ll never admit it. I know that it’s useless to simply bury the hatchet, that you’ll bring it up again later if we don’t discuss it when the issue arises. I know you don’t talk about what you feel, that I should not be offended if you just lock yourself up in your office until you’re calmer and we can talk about it. I know it’s useless to make you acknowledge your feelings. I know you’re so fucking stubborn when you really want to be. I know… I know how to deal with you, even with your anger, even with the ugliest of your feelings. Cause I… I know you. But I didn’t know how to handle him. I got mad, and he got mad and I didn’t know what to do. And I made things worse. I don’t know what to do…”

She looked up at him with this specific gaze, and he knew what she needed. He knew it, because he knew her. And she had just told him what he was already painfully aware of, that she knew him like the back of her hand. And perhaps this was the part he missed the most now that he was alone. That he used to have someone who knew him so completely.

He wrapped his arms around her, because he knew she needed a hug. She needed to feel safe and warm, and indeed she rested her head on his shoulder easily.

He held her close, the way he had thousands of times before. He always found solace in it, something soothing, anchoring. When she rose to her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, to thank him in a whisper for coming, his chest grew a little warm but he was surprised when his heart didn’t stumble. It didn’t rush, didn’t miss a few beats. It remained steady, although it was content. And the arms that used to soothe him were a nice embrace, a gentle shelter to rest, but they lacked something. Something… he wasn’t sure what it was. He knew that he didn’t feel the way he used to when they held on each other before. He knew he felt less than before.

They remained motionless, bathed in silence for a few minutes, the sound of their breathing the only sign of life in the room. His mind wandered off, instead of being anchored in the moment, unlike the way she used to force his brain to quieten down. Instead, he thought about the classes he had to prepare for the rest of the year, the exams coming up, he thought of Frank and was angry at him for hurting Sam, and he thought of you. He was suddenly worried about you, he hadn’t received any text from you yet, to tell him you were home. Were you alright? It was so late into the night and you were driving to a pub downtown, after all…

He felt his phone buzzing in the back pocket of his jeans, pulled away from the hug. He didn’t notice Sam’s puzzled expression.

“Andy?” she looked up at him with a questioning look.

He didn’t notice she was speaking. He heaved a relieved sigh instead.

I’m home. All good xx

He answered with a mere thumbs up.

“Andy?”

This time he looked up from his phone, put the device in his back pocket again.

“Yeah?”

“You’re okay?”

But he knew her. He knew her better than anyone else in this world. He knew this question meant ‘who is texting you at such an hour?’.

“Yeah… erm… It was Y/N. Frank called her to pick him up at a pub.”

“Did he?” she asked, clearly jealous.

Andrew hummed and nodded.

“He’ll stay at her place for the night.”

“Right…”

She seemed uneasy now. Worried.

“And why was she telling you this anyway?”

“Because you asked me to come here too,” he merely answered.

“So, she picked him up?”

“Yeah, they’re at her apartment.”

“Why is she telling you all this?”

“It’s late. I asked her to tell me when she’d be home, just to make sure she was safe.”

She stared at Andrew with an unreadable expression, one he didn’t know how to analyse, despite how well he knew her. Was it a new one? Did he simply… fail at reading her this time?

“Can you stay tonight?”

The question came out of the blue, took him aback.

Stay the night…

“I… don’t want to be alone,” she whispered.

And Andrew wasn’t sure what she meant. Probably for him to sleep on the sofa, but there was something in her eyes… No, she didn’t mean for him to sleep on the sofa…

It was his chance to get her back, and he knew it. He knew it. He could have her back, maybe, he could try, at least…

He thought about kissing her then, closing the distance between them, finding back what they had lost. But instead, he…

Instead, he thought of your lips on his, of your weight in his arms, of your kiss on his cheek while a new year was born.

He wanted to kiss you. He didn’t want to kiss Sam at all…

He didn’t want Frank to be with you now, in your apartment. He didn’t want you to kiss him, he didn’t want you to be with him, and God almighty, he could feel his heart racing at the thought that you could have sex with him…

Slowly, he shook his head.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea,” he mumbled, his voice not sounding like his own.

“But I…”

“I’m sorry… I… I should go. I should go…”

He hurried to her front door, while Sam remained standing in her living room, too stunned by Andrew’s actions to move or say anything. Before she could go back to her senses, Andrew had left.

He had left. When he sat down behind the wheel, he didn’t know what was happening, couldn’t understand his own actions. He could have tried to get Sam back, and instead… instead he had thought of you, he had… he had wished it was you who stood there before him, offering him a chance to kiss you…

Fucking hell… he bloody liked you. He liked you. He liked you enough to push Sam away…

Holy shit…

Andrew was pacing before a tired Alex, who was sitting on his sofa.

Andrew was lucky his best friend was a night owl like him, but even if he naturally longed to go to bed at an unreasonable hour, Alex was still longing to bury himself under his warmest blanket and finally go to sleep now that it was almost four in the morning.

But Andrew was still pacing. He had called Alex after leaving Sam’s flat, panicked, talking too fast about ‘catching feelings’ and ‘being a fucking eejit’ and ‘ruining everything’. Alex invited him to come over, and now Andrew was burning holes in his carpet…

“This is so bad, Alex. So fucking bad…”

“Calm down, it’s alright. You have a crush on Y/N, so what?”

“SO WHAT?! SO WHAT?! I don’t want to have a crush on Y/N! I want to have Sam back!”

“Not anymore, apparently.”

Andrew threw his hands up in the air in frustration. He had a thousand things to say and couldn’t speak them out loud, he just couldn’t. He was never good at this, opening up about his feelings… He buried them instead, and let them gnaw at his heart. Was it healthy? No, but he couldn’t help it. And then he wrote about it, and he felt better, lighter, and things were alright again.

But right now, he was too much in a state to grab some paper and pen and put it all down.

“This can’t be happening, Alex” he shook his head. “I can’t be catching feelings on Y/N.”

“Why not? She sounds like an amazing woman!”

“She is! Don’t get me wrong, she’s… incredible! But I want Sam.”

“You don’t anymore.”

“Of course, I bloody do!”

“Why did you push her away tonight, then?”

But Andrew wasn’t ready to admit that.

“I don’t know… I don’t know…”

“You’re falling for Y/N.”

“She’s my colleague! We share an office! We’re friends! We’re trying to get back with our exes! She’s still in love with the guy!”

“Well, tell yourself those arguments, cause apparently they haven’t prevented you from falling for her…”

“I haven’t fallen, I just… I fancy her, ‘s all.”

“Yeah, of course. Of bloody course.”

“Alright, I need to think straight.”

“Why do you want to get back with Sam so badly anyway?”

“Because… Because I love her. Because she… I’m…”

“The honest answer,” Alex argued, staring mercilessly at his friend.

And Andrew hated him at that moment, for knowing him so fucking well, for not cutting him any slack, for pressing him on into acknowledging how he felt… even the ugly side of himself…

He stuttered, went silent, but Alex was there to push him again. Until Andrew turned to the window and stared at the inky sky where not a single light remained uncovered by heavy clouds. All darkness. The kind so absolute, one would not see a thing if they were lost in it.

He imagined your features on that darkness, painted it with the colour of your eyes, the softness of your skin, the warmth of your lips, built your image on the nothingness of the world.

He wanted Sam… he wanted…

“I want someone to know me,” he whispered, feeling the heaviness of the confession drain all his strengths out of his body, feeling empty as he let the words leave. “I want… I want to be known. I want companionship. I’m afraid to be alone. I’m scared. I’m scared no one else is ever going to know me the way Sam does, and love me anyway. After all, even she couldn’t…”

He fell silent, sniffed as tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.

“God, it’s so fucking hard to be unknown. To have no one like that anymore… It feels so fucking lonely…”

Alex had gotten up without a word nor sound, rested a hand on Andrew’s shoulder.

“Someone else can learn to know you that way again, Andy. You deserve it. You deserve to be loved for who you are. Maybe Y/N could…”

But Andrew shook his head, shook himself out of his friend’s grasp.

“No! No, this is ridiculous! I want Sam! I want Sam! I don’t want Y/N! It was just a flukes, just a glitch, just… I don’t know, a moment of madness! But I don’t want Y/N, I don’t like her, I want Sam…”

“Andy…”

“I want Sam. I must want Sam.”

Andrew rubbed at his forehead, tightly closing his eyes.

“And anyway… even if I don’t want Sam anymore, I can’t fall for Y/N. That’s just… that would just make everything so fucking complicated, and she’s so great, I can’t risk to lose her like that… That would be insane.”

“So… you could want someone else? I could introduce you to someone…”

“We’ll see… we’ll see… I… I don’t know.”

Andrew heaved a sigh, feeling the heaviness of sleep creep up his body. He looked at his watch.

“Christ, sorry, mate… it’s so fucking late… I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. You can sleep on the couch tonight, it’s too late for you to drive, and you’re too upset for that.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, mate.”

They exchanged a pair of tired smiles, and while Alex was gone looking for some spare blanket and pillow, Andrew was gathering his thoughts and feelings. Trying to calm down.

He wasn’t falling for you. He didn’t have a crush on you. He wanted Sam, he didn’t want you. He couldn’t want you.

Andrew didn’t like you… he couldn’t like you…

… right?

[immortalmuses]

          The dilapidated stairwell remains the same. No doors rearranged, no black cats on the landing. Trinity breathes a slow sigh of relief as she heads upward, two stories, then three. She pushes on the fire escape door at the top of the stairs, its rusted hinges announcing her arrival as she emerges into the open air of the roof.

          When she sees Neo, she breathes a second sigh. Elation.

          "They haven't made changes..." Trin says by way of greeting, hopping up onto the roof ledge alongside the other hacker. She follows the line of Neo's gaze across the city skyline, wonders at how he must see this simulation now. If they are even looking at the same sunset. "... it should make things easier. Unless it's a trap."

Neo's already jacked in by the time Trinity joins him in the Matrix, watching for Agents from the roof of the abandoned building. Simulated wind whistles between the streets, but he finds that the cold doesn't really bother him these days --- they have bigger things to worry about, after all.

They have a plan, calculated to the minute, so he knows how long to wait before he knows things brave gone belly up and to start looking for an escape --- but for now, he waits for Trinity on the rooftop.

[childofchrist1983]

Like in The Book of Genesis and The Gospel Book of St. John, all three persons of the Holy Trinity are mentioned and seen here in this Bible verse. The Son, Jesus Christ, sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts upon repenting and accepting Him and His Gospel Truth with all our being. To which we are then saved and spiritually reborn and declared children of God. The Holy Spirit makes us to cry out to God the Heavenly Father, calling Him "Abba", an intimate term used by a child of his or her father. All that God does, He does as The Holy Trinity.

Many do not fully understand how God can be three in one. But we see this taught in His Holy Word which is the ultimate and living Truth, and so, we accept it. Our becoming the sons and daughters of God through His grace and by our confessed repentance and faith involved the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And as true and born-again Christians, we know these three persons are the one and only true God. May He teach us to serve and honor Him as the Holy and Almighty God that He is. May we continually ask God to transform our hearts and make us faithful and humble as we walk with Him daily. By surrendering our hearts and our lives to His will, we see all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. God our refuge and our salvation and our constant provider. We lift our voices to Him in praise for His steadfast love, mercy and understanding. Let us seek Him and a better understanding of His Holy Word daily, not for the sake of entertainment or mere accumulation of knowledge, but that we may love and serve Him more and more with each day that passes. We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with honest, humble and repentant hearts. We must seek Him and His will and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. May He help transform our hearts, help us to seek and live for Him above all else and to grow spiritually and build our faith and relationship with Him with each passing day. May He forgive our sinful nature and help us always make Him and our relationship with Him top priority.

As true and born-again Christians, we choose to walk in His righteous path and lead a life that is pleasing to Him. We desire Him and His will above anything else. We desire to walk in accordance with the love and light He has shown to us through His Holy Word and Spirit. We long for a deeper relationship with Him and a deeper fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. When we fall into temptation and sin, we must turn to Him for forgiveness, strength and guidance. When believers learn to walk in accordance with God's Holy Word and Spirit, they have deeper fellowship with both God and one another. And the sin that could threaten to destroy that fellowship, if confessed (1 John 1:9), is covered in the blood of Jesus Christ and no longer a barrier between us and God. May we ask Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ to forgive us for any sins we have sinned this day or in days past. May we be faithful to Him and His Holy Word always. May He help us to walk more consistently in the light and to not neglect long to confess and forsake any sins that hinder our walk with Him. May He lead us in the direction He wants us to go so that we may seek and serve Him faithfully. God is holy and almighty and deserving of all praise honor and glory. We rejoice in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, knowing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). May our hearts always be filled with thanksgiving and rejoicing. May He help us to praise Him freely and honestly like all believers who came before us. May we live a life that showcases our love and trust in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit as He uses us draw others to Him and His soul-saving Gospel Truth daily. May He continue guide, correct and protect us, so that we continue to grow in Him and not weaken and stray. May we all remain faithful to Him and to this duty and purpose He has called us to. Seek and put your faith and trust in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ and let Him do the rest. May He humble our hearts and help us focus on following and serving Him daily and helping others with joy and happiness. We lift our voices in praise to Him for His love, mercy, peace, faithfulness and grace - For EVERYTHING!

It is vital that we remain rooted in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit and that we live and walk as a beacon of His light and love and share and spread the Gospel Truth daily, so that the lost souls in this world can come to know Him and be saved. The more we focus on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, growing spiritually by building our relationship with Him, leaning on Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, the better off we will be. Thanks to this and our faith in Him, we know that everything will be alright. And we will forever be grateful to Him. As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word and we strive daily to walk in His Holy Spirit. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives daily according to His will.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the ONLY way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Jesus Christ the LORD of lords, the KING of kings, the GOD of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16) - He is the Living, Almighty and Everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Jeremiah 10:10). There is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5). We MUST humble ourselves before Him, turning our backs on false teachers, false gods and idols and our sinful ways. We MUST repent and turn back to God and recognize who He is and love Him in return for His great love for us. We MUST make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[immortalmuses]

Starter for @leschanceux​‘s Neo

          “I can always tell when you’re brooding...” Her voice, familiar as well tread memory, drifts past the balcony door of the tower’s private quarters. Trinity herself emerges moments later, hair slicked back from a sparing shower, the worn drape of a faded sweater catching on the jutting bones of her clavicle. She pauses and regards Neo with eyes that see too much, head tilting to one side in a way that softens her severe expression, a subtle relenting. 

         “... you seek out heights, when you need clarity.” Trinity could say more; about Neo and Flying, and Falling. But instead she walks to sit at the edge of the balcony alongside him, turning her gaze outward to the cavernous darkness of the Living Levels at artificial night, watching bioluminescent lights flickering in distant windows.  “So... What’s on your mind?”

[christowitch]

I was going through your blog because it's kind of a comfort zone for me as a reminder that I'm ok on my path. I've begun to understand more of the history of the church and how my relationship with God is mine alone.

Reading through your blog I noticed a post where you talked about getting a visit from the Greek gods. That got me thinking, what is your relationship with them? Recently I've been think a lot about Aphrodite because she reached out to me about a chord cutting spell to help me with an abusive ex.

I got nervous because although I've given offerings to Athena and Hades it was mainly for help with schoolwork and motivation. But I feel... A really close relationship or calling with the Greek gods, particularly Aphrodite and Apollo (though he's a dragon slayer so I gotta walk on eggshells because I work with dragons).

I wanted to know your opinion on God seeing us work with other gods because I felt warmth and kindness from Aphrodite the same way I feel it from Our Lady of Guadalupe. And my best friend said the verse "thou shalt have no other god before me" is better interpreted as God being my patron first and foremost, other gods are not as important but can still be worked with. What's your opinion? Because I'm scared I will offend God but at the same time I feel very welcomed by some other gods.

Me, Hestia, and Hephaestus have had an ongoing dance for quite some time. If I wasn’t a Christian witch they would be my Deities ( had Hecate show up recently which was weird but fun)

I respect them and though I do not hold them to the standard at which I hold the Holy Trinity I do sometimes drop an offering or something just to acknowledge them and let them know I still have a spot for them in my heart.

The main thing that keeps me from putting them in my practice is respect. I feel they deserve to have the full respect that comes with being a Deity and if I am placing God above them then I will be unable to give them the respect they deserve.

Will that stop me from putting a small shrine to them in the house? No. I still like to pay my respects to them I just know that I can’t give them what a full devotee can.

[theasteriae-arc]

FINN LAFFERTY.

FULL NAME: Finn Eoin Lafferty 

FACE CLAIM: Ben Rosenfield 

BIRTHDAY: January 1, 1996 

GENDER & PRONOUNS: Cis male & he / him 

ORIENTATION: Homosexual  

RESIDENCE: Oxford, England 

STATUS: Secondary; Available 

BIO & VERSES UNDER THE CUT. Trigger warning for child abandonment. 

In the early hours of New Year’s Day, 1996, Antoinette Lafferty stumbled out of The Village Inn in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, after sinking one too many pints in the run up to midnight. She stood outside for a couple of minutes, then decided to take a walk up the lane in an attempt to clear her head. When she reached the gate of the old churchyard, some way down, she paused and stood there with her elbows propped up on the wooden posts. Wind stirred the leaves that made up the hedgerows on either side of the road. The storm of the previous night had abated somewhat, but it was still snowing, small white flakes drifting down from the leaden sky. The bells in the chapel over the hill tolled the hour—2 a.m.—and she imagined the nuns shuffling from their cells, through the draughty halls for Matins. When the sound faded away, the lanes were peaceful for a moment, and then Antoinette was surprised to hear a baby crying close by.

At first, she thought she was imagining it—was it the breeze, had she had simply had too much to drink? But no, there it was again. She’d know that sound anywhere, because she had two boys of her own at home, Daniel, who was four and loved dinosaurs, and Sean, who was not yet nine months old and still got her up two or three times a night. Poor lad was teething. Their grandparents were looking after both of them tonight, God bless and help them.

When the wail came again, she did not hesitate; she fumbled with the latch with numb fingers, then she was hurrying up the path and in between the graves, trying to find the child who was in such evident distress. Suddenly, Antoinette was very, very sober.

Wrapped in a thin blanket that was no match for the elements ( the snow was falling thicker and faster again now ) was a tiny boy whose eyes and nose were scrunched up tight against a mouth that was wide open and lungs that were screaming. How long had he been out here? Antoinette struggled out of her coat and wrapped him gently in it, careful to support his head and neck with his elbow. It couldn’t have been very long; he looked minutes, not even hours, old. There was still blood matted in his downy hair. Where was his mother? If she had had him here, just now, she couldn’t have got very far. She must be in a lot of pain, and very scared.

“Hello?” She shushed the baby, tried to comfort him as she searched. “Hello?” But there was nobody there. Conscious that she needed to get the baby out of the cold, fed, and into bed, she took him back to The Village Inn down the lane.

She called police and the local doctor ( the nearest hospital was more than an hour away and neither she, nor her husband, Adrian, were in any fit state to drive ) from the telephone from behind the bar, and not long later, the latter pronounced the boy healthy, aside from a slight wheeze in his chest that they would need to keep an eye on, but the former were never able to trace his mother.

The Laffertys fostered him while they conducted their investigation, then formally adopted him six months after its conclusion. They had him christened “Finn Eoin” and he fitted right into their family; Antoinette doted on him, Adrian too, and Daniel and Sean loved playing the role of big brother to him.

Finn was a quiet but intelligent child, inquisitive, interested in the way things worked, and always asking, “but why?” He took radio sets apart and rebuilt them, spent hours building complex structures out of Lego and Meccano. In later life, in his late teens, this curiosity takes him to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studies Maths and Physics under the tutelage of Professor James Moriarty (@diabolicaltendencies​), who, unbeknownst to Finn, is his biological father. Jim never reveals the extent of their true relationship ( although he has been aware of Finn’s existence for over ten years, and even, on one occasion, visited the Lafferty home when his son was out at school ), but nevertheless, he takes a special interest in the boy’s education. Finn takes a position as his research assistant in his third year at Trinity, and it’s thanks to Jim’s mentorship, not to mention the glowing reference that he provides as part of his application, that Finn is offered a place at Oriel College, Oxford, to study for his MSc in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics.

As of 2021, Finn is a second year PhD student in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, again at Oriel College, Oxford. He lives in a shared house outside of college with fellow PhD candidates, Jakub, Sunita, and Eleanor, and his two rescue cats, Erwin and Minnie. When he’s not in the lab, the library, or studying at home, Finn enjoys stargazing and watching foreign language films with the aid of subtitles. He is currently learning Italian through a combination of evening classes and Duolingo.

VERSES.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD. | ALT. MAIN

( i. ) Kate leaves for England with Jim (@diabolicaltendencies​) as planned. Finn is raised by his biological parents. Otherwise, his life follows much the same pattern as above.

( ii. ) Kate leaves for England as planned, but with my Jim, instead of Gold’s. In this iteration of the verse, Finn and Xan are fostered by Tobias Bellamy (@omniishambles​​). This is only meant to be a temporary arrangement, while Jim and Kate got the network up and running, but one year turned into two, and two into five, and after the Fall, which takes place c. 2012, when the twins are sixteen, it was made official. Unlike Xan, who mourned the loss of their father very openly, Finn, who had been calling Toby “Dad” for years, was privately relieved.

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN. | FANTASY AU

Finn is born to the King and Queen of Dorchadas in the first year of the war. He is spirited away by agents of King Augustus of Sarahas when he is only a few days old and grows up a ward of the crown in the south. When he returns to Dorchadas, escorted by August (@diabolicaltendencies​), Bucky & the Witch Bros (@epiitaphs​ & @gunmetalgrey​), he is in his teens and the war is over. He eschews the castle in favour of the forest dwelling inhabited by his paternal uncle, Richard (@strangerinourmidst​). His mother’s people were nomads, druids, healers, who were driven out of Llandyr after the death of Queen Mary and persecuted by King Augustus when they crossed the border into Sarahas on their way to Jiaodao in the east. When Finn reaches adulthood, he founds a new tribe, and despite having no magical abilities of his own, save for being resistant to the magic of others, he leads his followers nobly and benevolently many years, listening to their divinations.

THE SUN WILL COME SHINING THROUGH. | HAPPY VERSE (MUSICIANS)

Finn is the son of Katherine Conway, a lawyer, and her husband, Richard (@strangerinourmidst​), a chef and author. They married young, when they were both only twenty, after Kate discovered she was pregnant with Richard’s brother’s child. N.B. In this verse, Finn and Xan are not twins; Finn is born five years later, when the marriage made out of desperation turns to true love. Kate goes into labour in the middle of a trial, but only makes her way to the hospital after she gets the defendant acquitted. Her son arrives six hours later, and is named “Finnegan”, by his father.

[creepymagickshop]

Soldiers of Christ, where do you fit in, in a world that wants to silence your fire?

Ephesians 4: 5-7 (YLT1898)

5 one Lord, one Faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all, who [is] over all, and in you all,

7 and to each one of you was given the grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ,

The silencing of the people of the REAL God, is something the enemy is working hard to do, and has been from the beginning, even before the fall.

Never bow to their hate. That is the only currency they deal in.

You righteous of heart, take pride in the fact that you are of Christs body, the Church. Holy and sanctified by His blood alone, not by works shall you be saved, nor by human blood line, but the spiritual blood line that you have been accepted into by faith alone.

There is no seperation of Church, no separate denomination when it comes to our heavenly family. You should be able to walk into ANY Christian church and feel at home, no matter the way they choose to worship God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Trinity, God Head three in one. If your spirit is moved with sadness, a stuttering of the feet, listen to the doctrines they are teaching? Watch the congregation for family bonds, whole Christ family, or only groups? Listen to the sermon is there good sound doctrine? Do they even use the Bible in their teachings? Do they confess the Trinity?! Do not be bamboozled by fools claiming Christianity while teaching away from the True Path.

Their doctrine should be apparent through their sermon, but also the works of the people’s hands. For faith without works is dead. Having a family without love is no true family. Leave a place stagnant, do not be drawn into their world of pastels. God will vomit the lukewarm Christians out of His mouth! You do not want to be there when their judgment comes, as surly it will soon, for the third seal of judgment has been broken.

You are better off with a small family group with fire inside their spirit, then in a mass group who forgets they are Christian the next day at work!

Gods judgment is for ALL the fallen, this includes those lukewarm self-proclaimed Christians. Those asking you to not speak His name out of fear of offending a cockroach, fallen, those with heads down mouth shut while a Christian brother or sister are being attacked, fallen, those wearing a mask on Sunday and a different mask the next day according to the group they hangout with, fallen.

Understanding you are different in the body of Christ, make a sound judgment in who the person is, ignoring the loud Christian name they scream, look at their works and the sound doctrine that they speak. Watch them, are they naturally kind? Or do they tear down others constantly? Slanderers will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Your very spirit will shy away from such actions, making you sick by the partaking of the poisons the enemy revels in.

If a church that you visit, feels sick inside, it is because it is a strong hold of the enemy; in the last day, in which we are now, there will be lambs with the dragons voice preaching! Fake Gods people, preaching words of Satan! How are you to know the difference? By their works and the sound doctrine they preach on. Always it is up to you to do you own footwork! Never, only rely by what you have been taught as a child by a new perverted version of our Holy Bible! Yes the new versions of the Bibles wordings have been change in strategic places by the enemy using unwise retards, who revamped the wordings to their own tastes!

The changing of the words in our Holy Bible is not a SMALL issue!

Never take for granted a verse from a new translation if your spirit shies away from it! You as a Christian are endowed with the Spirit of God who speaks to you, you are shying away for a reason. Look up an older translation so you can find peace in the true words of our God.

And NEVER, ever, allow a mentally handicapped fallen coackroach to quote verses of our Holy Bible at you, they especially like the newer translations because they are to stupid to understand the older versions.

You are to slap them down verbally for being so stupid, think of it as a public service. 👏

- Penelope

[geektech713]

My Bipolar life & Struggles

My Testimony! living with bipolar & healed of bipolar in 2017 about my 2008 story I am disabled by federal government and state because of my bipolar disorder .  I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after I started my business outside of high school ..I been fighting for my life since 2001 when I was diagnosed ..I started Digitalrao dba on december 15th 2001 and then I was diagnosed by doctor in  March I was on medication . I was only 18 or 19 when I started my business straight out high school I was about about to start find funding and everything ..but High school friends and bullies at school were making making me fight for get be left alone ..I was throw in ISS most the school year and everything I  eventually left I went to Private Christian school in my town to get school . I am always learning because of my disorder makes me hard to concrete . I am not the violent type of bipolar you hear about ..I like to take care of my issue ASAP before it gets worse , find the doctors to help .I am forced to take medication for my survival and I won’t be able to destroy my life or online rep . For all those who don’t know my testimony . Bipolar Disorder is Mental Illness , I believe it because I gave up on life with my Bullied bad  in high school and standed up against them . I was in school for almost 4 -5 years because of other issues  and then Private I tried to finish early but  I took college Computer Networking class at another High School in our District for extra credit an Air Force ROTC  . I flew once behind the control of small plane too . I have decided to follow Jesus with everything after finding an youth group called Portico at Old lakewood church campus before the moved into stadium ..Lakewood church ..Joel Osteen before that was John Osteen before he went up to the lord . well I was fighting to get my life on the straight path because I was fighting things unseen I don’t want to talk about it was battle over my soul after I got out the hospital and doctor visits and court from trans passing at my high school I  went too   .after couple months of dealing with State over my condition they dismissed my charged I was set free and I came running to God/Jesus because .I know medication and doctors wouldn’t be able to heal me . Bipolar disorder was called Manic Depression . yes I suffer from depression I haven’t been depressed in couple of months It is getting better.  Bipolar is very serious mental condition . it destroys life’s left and right ..I am restart my life after relapse  2 years and took me 2 years of Hard work to get back where I am now but  I had to fight for my life in everything I believe in and test my thinking and mindset and friends . I do my business because it is my dream and It is accident in 2001 Google came out and was just a start up and I heard about I google how to start a business and researched how to get into it ..I am just dba doing business as One day I will have enough money to Corporate it and just watch it grow and let some Jesus let MBA older person lead the company  .well i was saying  .                                                                              I was starting to building up on my own feet with no partnerships or anything I am boot stamping Digital Rao right now But I have partnership with Business Remedy my first independent contract . well one with my story  I was engaged to some girl that I though would be the one well I thought she was real christian and changed but I was wrong ..short story she left me after one of my business owner friends told me she was using me or cheating on me . I was heart Broken . I tried to get computers jobs to keep afloat I was working at Kroger and moved up 3 positions in 9 months of being their from sacker to dairy department but I was asked to be Kroger Department manager because I am career driven  . I told other store manager NO because some off the wall . my X fiance parents and her was telling to say NO to the offer because some stupid reason . but my  personal reason was because I wanted to be in computers not retail environment I left to Truckstop to work the cashiers and learn to run a store at night ..well I was working on my business running , taking calls and going to work at night 10-6am and then I would take calls from my ad’s in yellow pages and online and talk with vendors and so on …Lets say I almost had it but then how my story gets sad and depressing ..well I said my X fiance  . I wanted to go Trade conference in Dallas,TX  an Technology conference I was invited to go as local business I was so happy and my fiance wasn’t I was preparing to go a room at hotel some far to save on gas and food and all expenses just getting ready and then bam . I wanted to go San Antonio or Round Rock,TX aka HQ of DELL ,  I looked at my checking and asked her if wanted to go micro-vacation she told me NO . I said I need to get away from all the stress I am under and get new prospective I was trying to find my balance because I felt unbalanced and drained  . we kissed each other bye and I made to San Antonio and to get some gas and food and my personal checking account bounced on me , came back on me I was denied it was 2 hours after that i got to San Antonio from Houston area . I was at McDonald’s and realized I was broke I was cleaned out ..I had credit balance 500 dollars or more on my personal side and i tried every credit card I had I think .. receive well my other story began I ran out of gas just under the under pass at one dell way under the highway I stalled their and one dell employee put 10 or 20 dollars in my tank I was thankful but after driving short distance wasn't enough to get me to back home I went to find the Dell Diamond ..then I ran out of gas at night by some homes  ..and then I started to walk like Jesus and find someone to help me  . I was desperate I went to walking to 7-11 and asked for job application I wanted to work In Round Rock to get some money . I had crazy idea’s  after failed attempts I talked couple what  happened to me and everything and I went walking to church for help just stay the night or anything it was Sunday night as I was about step on the crosswalk of the church the Round Rock Police pulled nearly arrested me . i told them what happen with me and took me my Chevy Tahoe  , and the mental people checked me out for the County and said you are good to go not going Jail for the Night since you are small business owner from not our area . I was thankful the round rock county took me to Red Roof Inn and then  I tried to call parents and KSBJ to let them pray for me I used Google 411 to make calls out area because it was source to talk to KSBJ prayer volunteer to for my safe return home I was KSBJ Special events volunteer and Share-A-Thon they knew me if i emailed them or anything well long story short I lost everything my Chevy Tahoe and nearly my business nearly went bankrupt but I am fighting that I want to share more but I need to write a book I am looking for someone to tell my whole story about my life , I was in mediation and i heard a voice say Write a book . I meditate every now and then I  have found an Android app to help enter in God so close to hear loud as thunder and everything I know what his voice sounds like   ..I want to finish this up  my ending but I need to do other stuff  . well  my ending I had bitter-heart and nearly went back into the world and go back into all the wrong stuff , not drugs or anything just wrong people and everything . I tried to go back to church but it didn’t work . I ended up asking Jesus/God to break me down until the bare bone which I asked God to make life hell for me and He did because I asked  I need to be broken so I can return back back my where , I had find my bottom my valley ..well 4 months ago I am God Broke me down I had no friends and everything was hell I was broke ..no Job or computer jobs or 2nd jobs to get by ….I had one of my medications Lithium nearly kill me  . .it had poisoned my blood steam I was very sick , so sick ..after I realized it was medication I called my doctor told what was happening, throwing up ,stomach pains ,extreme migraines and it was hell . I was depressed and lonely and out of hope and grace I felt but I wasn’t God was close or nearby I didn’t see him or anything but something snapped in my brain I heard his voice say Fight for you life or Come back one of the two it isn’t your time yet I am not done with you yet i believe  . I said OK lets fight for my life and I live with my parents at 29 because I lost everything I asked my dad to take me to the  hospital he didn’t I begged and pleaded with him I was in no condition to drive to my Hospital ER in Sugar land for treatment I didn’t think of 911 and deal wit the police and EMS people and causing the whole street getting blocked off because of sickness I was dealing with   ..so I went to bed and fought my demons and sickness and asked God to help me get out of sickness I was tired of being sick for 3 to 5 months at all at once .. well I asked I asked God in my room after listening to KSBJ.org I was doing anything to try to get back to God after 2 years being in the wildness I am back to God I am getting praise and thanksgiving every second I have with God .. God and Jesus and Holy Spirit  ..I know the trinity .God is Love and God is grace and God is restore and many things ..I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.. Not by might nor by power my but my by spirit says the the lord Almighty .. I have many verses on my heart they will come to me  …. 2012 update here is my update I dated the wrong girlfriend she wasn’t Christian then i fell from grace after that months later I got Baptist at The 429 and made friends with wrong people and left church for awhile i didn’t even realize  i was blind and isolated to the point I didn’t have any friends to say ..in the process i lost everything again my grandma’s car broke down and won’t turn over and i lost my 2nd business Digitalrao Solutions . A couple days ago i went to see one of my Christian friends at her Christian resale shop called by Faith and she was in bad shape but had positive outlook on where she was going and had faith of mustard seed i see God flowing out when we were talking , she said alot of things i been dealing with myself one thing i said i had doubt , then slowly God started to turn on the heat on me to point i was crying and asking for forgiveness and then i got invited couple weeks ago before that Go back to church with old jr high school friend and God was talking to me thru sunday and service . I did fall from Grace ..i wasn’t the best example but I have turn from my old ways . Got right with him .. well to continue my story i was getting hell from church members calling my business line at the time i just was start up with Digitalrao Solutions,dba maybe my 3 year as start up and then Dealing with G-watts BBQ Pit  i was doing all kind programming and setup Comcast Business internet for him  and then they got the wrong tablet for square i told them go get ipad they did i did more programming even paid for fake charities he had too ..one time  i found the owner coming out of BBQ pit with red eyes he was doing some kind of drugs i caught him even partner too .. i asked do you gamble too then Micka forgot to pay my invoices they're protesting my invoices when i did 2 free jobs and then almost 3rd one ..then they hire a The Church volunteer member was volunteering lot with him i was made MVP once during winter times no one else couldn't handle Texas blue Norther's like me  so i was only one doing traffic and setting up stuff to get attention of drivers then i was dealing dealing FBI/CIA/NSA even caught Spy Satellite in the sky on my horizon then falling off into distance because I called Obama out on what he is doing and i said i know what your planning to do ..i think you know who i am on twitter ..so i was being then i got a call from mexican women not saying where that they're going to kidnap me this was Mexican drug cartels after me too then my dad started to get bitter about me approved for cars left and right but kicked to the road and walking took me off insurance he just had big anger issue since i was apart of GOP Harris county Liberty Freedom Caucus he refused to take me GOP events or go so they fired me  , then one of the Rosenberg Cops told me ya ur getting watched by cartels we see cars driving by i am not giving locations of cameras lol anyway then 2 days later i had panic mode fearing from everything around me that they might shoot up the place but then did something stupid ..later realized it was setting up for Success when i got to Group home my dad wouldnt let me come home , anyways i was in group home for 3 months then i didn't start to go back to Church of Living Waters until 6 or 8 th month because i was afraid of church who i would run into or accuse me again sometimes i run into accusers at Church of living waters they dont say anything to me . i am am slowly going back to Church of Living waters Darren Frank seen what i been thru sometimes i txt him too much ,  or quit  anyways , Jimn Kyles had nothing to do with me but Pastor Darren Frank took me under his wings and protected me and even prophecy saying i will have no friends ya that is where i am at now  . back the story I was going around town causing chaos when one time i went Mexican restaurant saying i did Youtube video of this place y'all are made here but they called the Police on me Kicked me out  anyways the most famous restaurant located by the place now they're up for sale   back to story i was saying Rosenberg Police Sargent called me criminal over my bipolar i finally gave up my secret i was one filing FBI IC3 reports they didn't know who it was ..then Assistant Police Chief got caught now facing charges anyways .. now i am giving member of Church of Living waters in Rosenberg ..i don’t give to buy out God i give to because i am generous giver, I got healed of Bipolar disorder in July ,2017 still going thru process dealing with Therapist and Family doctors that don't understand what happen to me . 2020 update my Pdoc at Texana took myself off Deproke , i haven’t had depression in 3 years so i am off my depression med , just taking 1 medication If Technical side like my Businesses use geektech713@gmail.com until i can buy back my domains back !  i do need money to live ...I want to  INC up ASAP  .

[jeremiah11-11]

The Holy Trinity - True or False?

Hello, friends and welcome to my blog! You can view this post on YouTube as well: https://youtu.be/dGJsNbRQ2Bo.

Before I dive into the meat of this post, I want to offer a bit of a disclaimer to my audience. First, please understand that I am not here to judge, correct, or condemn anyone, for any reason. I am simply here to spread the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to offer the Words that my God has commanded me to share with you.

Second, you must understand that the core of the message God has given to me is this: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This world will soon be caught in the grip of the Beast System as described in Revelations. The Church of Jesus Christ, his faithful followers and servants, will fall under great condemnation and persecution at the hands of the man of lawlessness, his false prophet, and all of his followers. During these times, I say to you my brothers and sisters, hold fast to your Faith. Cling to our savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father, for they are good and just, and shall see you through the temptation of the hour at hand. If you have yet to come to Christ, I urge you to do so the very second that your mind questions his existence. The very second you wonder if His death could actually grant everlasting life, please, for your own sake, and for those you love, call out to Him. Cry out to Him, saying, "Lord, forgive me for my wicked ways and teach me to walk the path of righteousness." For, I say unto you, the Lord, our God is just and merciful and has already laid down the life of His only begotten Son for this very purpose. To save you from sin and grant you eternal life.

But, before that Beast System comes, God has commanded me to share other teachings with you, that you may find yourself with a fuller understanding of His word and a deeper relationship with Him and His Son.

Now, the name of this post is "The Trinity - True or False?" So, as you'd expect, we're going to discuss the Holy Trinity and examine whether or not it is sound and Scriptural doctrine.

This is a debate that has gone on for far too long within the church, but I am here to tell you today, my friends, that it is a false doctrine. The Holy Trinity, as many know and believe it to be, is false. It doesn't exist. Not in the way that many currently think of it.

You know, so many of the things God has revealed to me seem to fall between two warring factions, and what I've found, each time, is that there are elements of truth to each argument. Both factions on each side of the battle line are so close to God's Truth. But, they can never see the forest for the trees. Why is that?

I'll tell you why. Because they stopped searching. They found a satisfactory answer and stopped looking. Man is prone to laziness. To taking the easy way out. And thus, when an answer seems to have been found, man stops looking.

But, I urge you, my brothers and sisters, to keep searching. Keep looking. Leave no stone unturned, for God's Truth can be found in places you would least expect it to be.

So then, if the Holy Trinity is false doctrine, then does that mean that Christ was just a man? Just another prophet to teach us about God? What about Christ's divinity? Was he in fact divine? Because, if not, then everything on which we base our faith and trust for our Salvation, is wrong.

Well, I'll tell you friends, God is good, and through my mouth, He delivers some amazingly good news today. Rest easy, friends, for God's plan for Salvation remains intact. Christ Jesus was and is, in fact, the divine Son of God. He was and is the Messiah; our Savior.

In Genesis, God said, "Let us make man in our own image?" Well, if there's no Holy Trinity, who was He talking to? The answer to that question, friends, will amaze and shock you, probably more than it shocked me when God revealed it to me.

In John 1:1, it speaks of the Word, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And we know that God spoke the world into existence through His Word. We know this from this simple declaration in Genesis 1:3. It's something we've heard used so many times in so many ways that we may have forgotten its importance. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." That simple declaration tells us all we need to know about the creation of the Earth. God spoke, and the earth was born. We see Him speaking all manner of things into existence after Verse 3,  so we must then believe that when Genesis 1:1 says He created the heavens and the earth, that He also spoke those into existence.

Now, in Genesis 1:2, it says this: "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." But, we must take note of the Hebrew word used for Spirit here. That word is ruach. It means "air in motion," it is the same word used for "breath," and it also means "life."

Now… how does all of that disprove the doctrine of the Trinity? And, who was God speaking to when he said, "Let Us,"? I'll  tell you. The Trinity is a half truth. God is not one God in three persons. But, it is true that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one. How so? Because, Jesus is the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit is His breath; yes, the very breath of Life. The Breath of all Creation. The Spirit which gave Life to not only Jesus, but Adam as well. Notice what Genesis 2:7 has to say, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Did you catch that? God breathed into his nostrils the Breath of Life. Whose breath? God's. The very same breath which would give Life to the Word, just as our own breath gives life to our words when we speak.

Furthermore, we must note that Jesus was the Word. And what did Jesus do with His time on earth? He SPOKE. He taught, using words and parables. He gave God's WORDS through his own mouth, using the breath that is the Holy Spirit. Now, let's look at John 20, Verses 21 through 22. "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Look at that! Jesus breathed on His disciples in order to imbue them with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because He is the Word of God. The Breath of God is His very life force, which is also the Holy Spirit.

Thus, you now understand that in the same way that your word and your breath are part of you, and yet separate from you, you now can see how Jesus and the Holy Spirit are of God and yet separate from God. Though they seemingly act apart from God, they come directly from Him to us so that he may interact with us the way we interact with the world; through speech. To which, I say, made in God's image, indeed! This is also why the Word - our Lord Jesus Christ - sits at the right hand of God. Most people are right-handed. And I'm not bashing the lefties in the crowd. God and I love you all the same, I promise you that. But, I am making the point that, for human beings, to create or move anything requires the use of at least one hand, because we are of flesh and bone. But, God is Spirit, and so, what we must do worth our right hand, God can do with just His Word.

But, I hear you asking another question. "But, Jeremiah, wait. You said that you would use this Wisdom to teach us who it was that God was speaking with in Genesis, but we haven't heard that answer yet." True. 

But before I answer that question, let me ask you a question of my own. Have you ever been getting ready to do something; not just anything, but something huge like taking your driver's test, or going ice skating for the first time, and you slap your hands together and you say - to yourself - "All right! Let's do this!" You know you have. I know I have. And I'm sure most people have. That's what God was doing. He was talking to Himself. We are made in His image, after all. Are we not? As He wound up to begin the creation of His finest work yet, God became overwhelmed with joy, love, and passion, and said to Himself - as we all have - "All right, me! Let's do this!"

And so, there you have it, friends. These are the words God gave me to bring to you today. I understand that what I've said here today is likely to incite a large amount of fervent discussion and angry fist shaking. But, I say, with all the joy of The Lord in my heart, "bring it on." Why? Not because I'm arrogant. Not because i think I'm the greatest of God's teachers and no more mortal can challenge me. No. I say bring it on because if you've become angry with me or you're fervently tapping away at your keyboard to form an argument, then my work is done. You've heard my words and they've gotten your wheels spinning. They've gotten you thinking and asking questions and wondering if I could possibly be right. And that, friends, is invaluable to me. Seek God and ye shall find Him. I promise. He's already looking for you.

God bless you all, my friends. Peace be with you. I'll see you next time.

[blueyesandleatherjacket]

Our last winter, 19/31

► Our last winter - Human!Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler. ► Written for @doctorroseprompts 31 days of ficmas. Day 19: Bells. ► AU Verse, Teen. ► 1,757 words. ► A/N: This is a prequelle to Ghost of you.

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is time for home.” - Edith Sitwell.

Maxence and Rose were still standing before the tomb. They had fallen silent after Maxence’s story about his past. He was shaken and discreet tears were sliding down his cheeks numbed by the cold of the air. Rose pretended not to see them because he preferred not showing his emotions. She was just being by his side and it was what he needed the most. A silent and loving presence. As a scientist, he didn’t believe in unexplained stuff such as ghosts but his less rational side liked to think that Joanne Spitz, the mother he loved dearly, was also by his side and watching over him like she had always done since he was a child. She had always led him on the right path no matter the age he was. She had told him that Rose was the one for him a couple months after he saved her from Jimmy Stone. She could always tell when people were good or bad. It was a gift she had had.

As weird as it might sound for someone so rational like him, she was right. All the time. To him, Rose was just a friend, a poor woman he had saved from a tyrant and helped to go back to a normal life. This proximity they had shared during her recovery made them know and appreciate each other. Some said love was violent and sudden. In their case, it had been slow. Love had grown between them day after day, fake date after fake date until they became real dates. From strangers, they had become the perfect couple. Everyone was either jealous of them or they were envying them. Some were asking them for advices in their own relationships but Maxence was only laughing and telling them that there was no secret behind the recipe of happiness. They just were being themselves and that was working.

The bells of the church next to the graveyard rang but it didn’t stop Maxence from visiting his happier memories. On the contrary, it was bringing him to another wonderful day: the day of their marriage.

  – Flashback –

  Maxence and Rose were both very nervous on this day. They had been waiting for it impatiently, had prepared it in every detail for it to be perfect. It was a very intimate ceremony between their friends and family. No more than a dozen persons. Rose only had Clara, Liv and him as her family. Him only had his mother and a couple friends that were also colleagues of work. He had only invited the persons he was the closest of like Jack and Allegro. They had celebrated his stag night the previous day but he had been quite serious so he wouldn’t be smashed for his wedding. His witness hadn’t been that serious and Jack was now wearing sunglasses so the light wouldn’t bother him. He was helping Maxence to fix his suit and tie.

  “You know, you can still say no. I’d be more than happy to replace your Rose.”

“I’m afraid you’re coming too late, Jack. She’s the one. Mom has been telling me this for the last ten years.”

“She can be wrong.”

“Mom is never wrong. She’s gifted with that sixth sense.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t have my chance.”

“You’ll find your soulmate too, Jack. But it’s not me.”

  Jack tapped his chest when he was done with the tie and stepped back to admire the handsomeness of his mate. If he wasn’t controlling himself, he would have poached him right here and right now. However, he had seen Rose and Maxence together and he knew that the both of them were made to be together. That’s why he turned around to hail Allegro.

  “Up for a quick session, A?”

“Definitely not.”

“You’re no fun.”

  Allegro and Maxence laughed. The security member grabbed a cushion and threw it at the DNA specialist who caught it and sent it back.to the sender. He was laughing too. They all knew that he was trying to take his chance with everyone around him and no one was taking it seriously. The bells rang. It was time for him to go to the altar and wait for his beautiful wife to come and meet him.

Beautiful was an understatement. She was radiant as she walked down the aisle on his mother’s arm. It brought tears to his eyes. Jack nudged Allegro and laughed silently at his reaction. For that, he was rewarded with a glare before Maxence focused back on his future wife. Rose thanked Joanne who sat on a chair of the front row with Maxence and Rose’s friends. Clara and Liv were standing behind Rose like Jack and Allegro were standing behind Maxence. The celebrant smiled at them all.

  “Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by His presence and first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and His Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honoured among all people. The union of husband and wife is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given to each other in prosperity and adversity; and, when it is God’s will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.”

  Maxence and Rose were smiling at each other while the celebrant was speaking. They were looking at each other with teary eyes. It was tears of happiness. None of them had thought that they would end up here one day: Maxence because he wasn’t a man who could be domesticated and Rose because she was a child of the system and never believed that someone would ever love her, especially after Jimmy tricked her into a poisonous relationship. And yet, here they were, about to officialise their union in front of everyone.

  “Into this union, Rose Marion Tyler and Maxence Jonas Spitz now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now, or else forever hold your peace.”

  As no one was showing any reason to refuse Maxence and Rose the happiness and love they deserved, the celebrant spoke again.

  “I charge you both, here in the presence of God and the witness of this company, that if either of you know any reason why you may not be married lawfully and in accordance with God's Word, do now confess it.” He turned to Rose. “Rose Marion Tyler, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together with him in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto him as long as you both shall live?”

“I will.”

Maxence Jonas Spitz,” the celebrant continued, turning to face Maxence, “will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto her as long as you both shall live?”

“I will.”

“Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?”

“We will,” replied everyone at the same time.

“Who gives this woman to be married to his man?”

“She gives herself,” said Liv, “with the blessing of her friends and only family.”

  Maxence took Rose’s right hand in his. Now was the time to pronounce his vows. He had been repeating them so many times during the last couples of days because he was afraid of forgetting them with how anxious he was for this day. But standing here and now with Rose facing him, he had no doubt and no fear left so he could speak clearly.

  “In the name of God, I, Maxence Jonas Spitz, take you, Rose Marion Tyler, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

  Rose pronounced the same vows. She too had repeated them so she wouldn’t forget them. Her nervousness had vanished into thin air as she was promised him to love and cherish him for the rest of their lives. The celebrant was now blessing their rings and they finally placed them on each other’s left ring finger.

  “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honour you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

  To them, wearing this ring was officialising their union more than the whole ceremony and it was hard to remain focused while all they wanted was to kiss each other and ran from here with the bells ringing and their friends applauding. They held hands as the celebrant kept speaking.

  “Now that Rose and Maxence have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder.”

“Amen.”

  Another prayer followed. The most known prayer of all. The prayer to the Father. Maxence and Rose were growing impatient as their friends sat down, as they were told to kneel down, as they were blessed in the name of the Holy Trinity. Their moment finally came.

  “Rose and Maxence, having witnessed your vows of love to one another, it is my joy to present you to all gathered here as husband and wife.” To Maxence. “You may kiss the bride.”

  He didn’t need to be told twice. He bent over and kissed his wife with passion. The celebrant cleared his throat for them to break the kiss and walked out of the church, happier than ever…

  – The end –

  The bells were ringing the same today and somehow, their music and the memory of the smile on his mother’s face soothed his pain and helped him to breathe better on this sad day for him…

Our last winter © | 2018 | Tous droits réservés.

×××

Buy me a coffee?

[dxiiionysus]

6 verses circa 11-12/2018

Metamoprh a line, Im a solo stagnant period. A dinosuar ,virgin stegosaurus bitch. Patar,that the aggrotato raptar call em Silent bob for and Eerykular spraying limbs ,making streams for teh hell of it. I think think its high time to infiltrate the headlinez, czndfx, Alireza, Airospace ,the holy trinity of the dmv rap bible in my book see. Hallucininja’s ybn lookin like cordae with the juice yung, kill moe sahn. My back is sweatin so I bring in the Bassgawd, not Lil B the one with Danny Seay yah. Pray to Lil B for the blessings with I’m cooking slim, soufeas korean bbq on the menu sahn. Ltq , Ek, Headband, and the fam bruh bruh. Can’t name em all but you know we be the Pantheon.  

Sad gang ,boi &girls suicidal with the ego shit. Premeditated I put the game inna deadpool and phoniex downed the shit.Fillin the spaces for shoutouts in my mind. Dead memories I hear em all the time. Ihearemallatime. God killer in this shit Rico help me on quest, gotta be the very best Jesus had and for 40 days and forty nights, I was searching for some rest missed a show and a half psychward blocked the path. Praying crying day nite Mcscuse me Kudi Jr in the bitch. Birthed onna 30 of the January in the year of the fifth, 41st president.94 for the nigga failing conspiracy, reincaration of the old school metaphysical. Deadly with the silver tongued free pour, prepoured Hasani typo flow. Meant to say dasani but this jawnt filled with shout outs so. I gotta spit it over over since its my revised wirtten verse. Ajax and another aforementioned A be the coach. Guess I’m spittin ever since I pyrolougie. Never seen how a nigga lived with the tooly. Sorry if I’m wildin but  Im just free spirit inna mech. Gundam lookin Jacob Black guess I’m kinda bulterish. Illin with the cutlery lookin kinda occulist, esoteric type of flow I j dilla in the experience.

Spit nostalgic holding in prana, Kill the shit, switch it up for the drama. Kill the crowd rapping peace just to meet the Dali llama, I Am Spark. Humanitarian for profit. Always inna cut nigga dancing got popped,locked and never stopped. Flipping pies in Admo the Edboy fava beaned my wallet. Nibble on awitches so I guess I not gonna be a prophet. Mama raised me right wild boy with knowledge. Super sayain Tarzan lopped off his locs speedin inna jaguar n I can’t cop a car but mama I promise I mma take care of it all in time or my name aint Dxxnysxs. Knocking out the vowels like widow maker and my north east god fist. Orions belt I promise I wont stop til I’m living in my name sake done started channeling my karma.

Ayo bring back the boombap aniiga really felt that, Bars on some stranger things ahegao genesis bitch/ Im talking jv tmnt robbing beetleborgs for they shit. Looking in the mirror tryna transmutate the self . Kamen rider Faix triple digits in my belt , Shouts to Joey badz for the guide to conciousness.47 lines numerology bars for the niggas counting this like me 21 gun saluting from the shores waiting on the kraken to devaste the oars. I prefer the sex so th box is checked nsfw when i tumbld on some x.Been eating roaches so I can assimalite TTC, not a drug but I’m craving Jaden see. Not a drug really innna physisense but I catch them vibes from all the ig pics. Sorry if I’m creepin plottin onna suicide, searching for that ape escape, purple golden monkey in the sky. Cho Ozaro, Sun Wukong I’m the monkey king. No disrepect dont wanna appropriate your culture but, I’m nigga king if usa be sayain, that Donald trump is two terming unless my vision is delayin. Pardon my manners but these niggas looking nannerish, shit is bananas, so I must commit. Mmm as above so below so I guess I’m thrice forgiven, picked up a pen again so I can craft my life within. Meditate on thoughts to manifest the will of the Age of Aquarians. 25, never mind mind 24 inking in the lines slipknot gentle on the floor. Not gonna lie I contemplate every now and then but I want a life with Mistress  Anju  to begin. Hot got damn das my bae jelly fish. But I’m blazed,swervin,tipsy trippy in the this bitch. Blindfolded, speedbombing hills of ice, 13 brick in the pack is how Imgoing out. 27 only if I’m cursed, but I choose life so theres power in these words

Prep the dimmensions for my geometry, chisel minds metaphysic I speak. Equations and scriptures ciphered in my lyrics,see why I can’t be written I revise my visions and references the legions of leaders of media within my generation. I lead through decision. Hug em all, death and precision bitch. Imma fucking walking paradox, not I’m not I’m afully funded pedia. Wiki-wicked nigga spitting like the broken pipes, holding burning bread of the lamb out of breath from the forbidden fruits, nectar gods gift of ambrosia, purple haze cannaball z listing ritualistic inhale to embody higher self again

[immortalmuses]

"I know, Mouse. I know he is." Trinity sighs, her expression tightening with an emotion too complicated to voice. Instead, she rolls her shoulders and sweeps the fringe of her short hair off her face, "...but being family isn't an excuse for acting like a dick. I know you know that."

Trin leaves it at that, more gentle in making her point than she might be with anyone else aboard the Nebuchadnezzar. It's hard not to have a soft spot for Mouse, even now. Despite the work they do, she's never quite gotten past looking at him like a little sibling. Not quite how Dozer looks out for Tank, but... Trinity understands the impulse, pod-born or no.

Shifting her attention to the monitors arranged before Mouse, Trin waits for the program's code to load. She stares at the blank space of The Construct and lets it clear her mind, chin tilting when the virtual workspace comes to life through Mouse's crafted imagery.

"...Well, we're off to a good start." She hums, mouth quirked. Trinity glances at the programmer, eyes creasing with subtle mirth, ".....Nothing looks like a Picasso painting yet.."

@leschanceux

immortalmuses​:

         “You didn’t miss anything, Mouse.” Trinity says it with a steady certainty, the same way she gives orders or makes tactical assessments. Simply stating facts.

         Mouse is one of the most gifted programmers they’ve seen in a generation of Redpill Zionites. For all his juvenile antics, he has a mind for interpreting the Matrix – and the actions of Agents – in a way Cypher could never hope to equal. Trinity knows how that eats at the other man, makes him vicious and mean in his jealousy. And though she trusts Cypher, trusts his intel and the skills he demonstrates as an operator… Trin also can’t suppress a feeling of wariness around him. Like handling a wounded animal, capable of biting the hand that feeds it if pressed too far into a corner.

       For now, Trinity rests a hand on Mouse’s shoulder, her touch light but solid. “…you’re right, though. He’s not worth it.” She comes around the side of the programmer’s chair to sit on an adjacent stool, elbows propped on her knees. Morpheus wants a debrief, but this… this matters. 

         “Why don’t you show it to me, I’ll be a fresh set of eyes.” 

He nods, not in agreement but in acknowledgement of Trinity’s statement — the way she says it is like it’s an absolute fact, a certainty that shouldn’t be disagreed with.

Mouse takes a breath, tapping his fingers against the keys of the keyboard just to hear the comforting tap of it. He’s not exactly sure what Cypher’s problem is, and if he’s honest, he really doesn’t want to dig too far in; there are some things that just don’t need to come to the surface and Mouse isn’t overly interested in giving the older man more reasons to needle him. He just wants to code, to create scenarios and survive whatever the Matrix can throw at their little ragtag team of rebels. He might be young, but all that really means at the moment is that he’s holding on to the last threads of his optimism as they gear up for a fight against the machines.

“He’s one of us, though.” They’re really all they have, the Redpills. They’re not native to Zion; they have no families apart from the one they’ve formed aboard the Nebuchadnezzar, so Cypher… he is kind of worth it, because he’s family. Right?

“Yeah, okay. Lemme just load it—”

[normandth]

234. Can we even imagine

Let’s embark with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and receive the fruits of the Spirit. Let’s welcome everything from the Trinity.

The person who doesn’t maintain the quality of their vehicle for a very long journey may discover that the destination might get longer and demand more time. The transmission chain of our life is the Holy Spirit and we need to make sure he’s constantly with us. May our hearts be in order to receive the Holy Spirit, to continue on the path of salvation and for the salvation of our neighbour.

Let’s not limit the Holy Spirit. We would take one reality and close ourselves to the other graces of the Holy Spirit? Let’s not do that. We cannot limit the Holy Spirit without limiting ourselves.

We have not finished discovering him and he will surprise us. Let’s dare to let the Holy Spirit ignite and illuminate us with all his fires.

Jesus proposes to evangelize:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew, chapter 28, verses 19 to 20a

Can we even imagine all the graces we receive to go on a mission, if we listen to him?

It is the Spirit of Jesus and the Father who guides his Church, who guides us in our journey, which is our guarantee of the presence of Jesus in us. We have the special grace of being in the Catholic Church with a marked dimension of the Holy Spirit. This is the Blessing for the Church. It’s a privilege for us.

The Holy Spirit is in perfect communion with the Father and the Son. When we pray to the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible to be removed from the Father and the Son. Mary is present too. All the saints are united with us.

In praying the Holy Spirit, we don’t exclude the Father or the Son. The three are eternally one. We don’t favour. We are in God when we walk with the Holy Spirit. We don’t further favour the Holy Spirit.

We know what the Holy Spirit of Jesus and the Father has done so far in our lives. We know what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives right now. We will then discover what he will achieve by passing through our soul, our heart, our spirit, in the future. We would not believe the extent and possibilities if the Spirit told us all that he’s able to do in us and through us.

Let’s not block the Holy Spirit to one reality. May we not dictate to him what we want. But let him decide what he wants for every person in the Church, to give us strength, justice, temperance, prudence, theological virtues, charisms, gifts, fruits, etc.

Let’s keep the courage and the determination to want the Holy Spirit in our life and to walk together, despite our differences which are so many beauties for each other.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014

Book: Joy in heaven, Normand Thomas

[tanadrin]

Reordberend

(Part 8 of ?; start; previous; next)

It was two or three days before Katherine felt strong enough to stand. A few people seemed to come and go from the hall as she drifted in and out of sleep, and she would occasionally open her eyes to find others sitting around the fire at the far end of the room. Every time it seemed to be a different set of faces. The faces seemed mostly uninterested in her, though; they did not approach or try to speak to her. There were no windows in the high stone walls, and she had no idea whether it was early or late each time she woke. Whoever had prepared her bed had taken her coat, gloves, and boots, and bandaged her hands and feet. Both still hurt, probably from frostbite. In theory her cybernetics could fix that pretty easily, but there was still no response when she pressed the standby switch. At some point, she woke to find the hall empty. There was one of those densely embroidered overcoats the others wore, draped over the end of the bed, but no boots. Presumably, she wasn’t meant to go wandering about outside.

So she decided to have a look around. She shuffled slowly around the hall. It was twenty meters long, maybe, its metal roof supported occasionally by stone pillars made out of the same rough blocks as the walls. There were side rooms at odd intervals along both walls, their doorways protected from drafts by heavy draped cloth. It was the same material as the coats and the tapestries, some kind of soft, dense synthetic fiber. Some of the rooms looked like they were for sleeping, with beds slightly less improvisational than the one Katherine had slept in. One was a pantry, stocked with dried meats. The last one, to her surprise, contained books. Hundreds of them. They looked immense, and the shelves that lined all four walls were full.

Katherine had seen only a few print books in her life, outside the archives of Trinity College. They had all been small, slim volumes with paper covers, the kind of thing you could slip into a large pocket. These books were enormous. There was a stand in the middle of the room, next to a heavy table, about right to read at if you stood. So presumably they weren’t just for show. She selected a few volumes at random, then carefully slid them off their shelves. She piled them on the table, then opened one on the stand.

She didn’t know the language of the Dry Valleys People, and their script made matters even more difficult. It was a Latin script of some kind, she supposed. The letters were approximately familiar. She could pick out the difference between Russian and Arabic and Chinese and the like on the signs in Port Alexander, and these didn’t look anything like that. But the forms were strange, with curls here and long stems there that made it hard to work out what was supposed to be what. There were two different kinds of r, for one. And accent marks she didn’t understand. But what was stranger than that was the books themselves. They weren’t printed books at all. They were all clearly handwritten, every letter and every word just a little bit different, painstakingly copied out on pages made of animal skin, bound in wooden covers. Mostly the text was dense, without any kind of obvious punctuation, and few line breaks, but occasionally she would turn a page and find spread out across a whole page, or sometimes two facing pages, ornate illustrations of people and animals and abstract forms, stained with dark mineral colors. They were like the tapestries in the hall: here and there was an obvious figure, or something that suggested the head or haunch of a beast, but they were surrounded by sinuous shapes, flourishes that looked like detached pieces of architecture, united together with a strange sense of perspective and a compositional logic she couldn’t follow.

She could make neither heads nor tails of the first two books. One was filled with illustrations of plants and animals and shapes that might have been landforms, or icebergs. The last twenty pages, maybe, were nothing but diagrams of the stars. She noted with interest that the Milky Way and the two Magellanic Clouds were all annotated with the same word. Clearly the Dry Valleys People weren’t entirely ignorant of astronomy. And where the first book looked to have been written all by the same hand, the second seemed to have been compiled by dozens of authors; the shapes of the letters seemed to change every few pages.

The third book surprised her. Its cover was more ornate than the others. It wasn’t just plain wood that had been painted; it was a frame in which carefully carved pieces of ivory had been set, depicting four great winged creatures. What looked like a lion, maybe, and some sort of bird, and a person, and some kind of cow, maybe. She wasn’t sure anybody around here had ever seen a cow or a lion in their lives, but it was a good attempt. She opened the book, and a thrill of surprise ran through her. The text was in two closely-written columns, divided by large initial capitals; but each section was further broken up with little numerals just above the line. It looked for all the world like a Bible.

Part of one, anyway. And in no language she recognized. Katherine hadn’t read much Scripture as a kid, and none at all as an adult. Her mother liked to read her stories out of the Bible before bed sometimes, but they were paraphrases as often as not, and what Katherine could remember of the Bible was mostly a lot of conjunctions, and really awkward syntax. But there were four verses she did know by heart. The book she had in front of her was in four parts; just the gospels, if she had to guess. She went to the beginning of the first one, then counted down six chapters, and from the beginning, nine verses. She began to sound them out to herself as best she could. 

“Fader ure, du? Du de eyart on heyofon… heyofonu, si din nama gehalgod…” She was sure she was getting some of the sounds wrong. There was this d with a stroke through the top, and a little line over the u at the end of heofonu. But even if she was butchering it, she knew what she was saying. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. And the words in front of her weren’t so different from that.

“To becume din rikke…”

“Rice,” someone said behind her. Two syllables, sharp and clear. Reach a. Katherine turned around. It was the woman who had shown her the map. She was leaning against the door, staring at Katherine with sharp, dark eyes that made her feel intensely self-conscious. Her face was framed by the hood of her cloak, on which scraps of frost still clung. She looked… puzzled? Amused?

She pointed at the book. “Rice,” she said again. “To becume ðin rice.“ Toe bekoom a theen reach a.

She straightened up and walked over to Katherine. She pointed at the beginning of the prayer.

“Canst ðu hit?” she asked.

“I’m--I’m sorry? I don’t understand,” Katherine said.

The woman took Katherine’s hand, and put her finger under the first word. Then she pointed at Katherine. “Sprec hit. Fram onginnung.”

Katherine looked down at the text, and tried sounding out the words again.

“Fader ure… du de--” 

“Ne.” The woman put a hand over Katherine’s lips, then pointed at her again. “Ne ræd. Ðu. Ðine geðeode.”

“My what? You want me to say it in my language?”

If the woman understood, she didn’t show it. She just stared at Katherine.

“Our father? Who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.” She started nodding as Katherine recited the words. When Katherine finished, she walked out of the room. Katherine stood there for a minute, feeling rather silly, wondering if she’d done something wrong.

When the woman returned, she held up her hand. She was holding Katherine’s cross necklace. She’d been wearing when she went overboard. She thought she’d lost it in the sea.

“Ðu eart Cristne?” the woman asked.

“Christian? Are you asking if I’m a Christian?”

The woman nodded. Katherine shook her head. “No. Not Christian.”

“Ne? Soðlice?” She held out the necklace and dropped it into Katherine’s hand.

“Ðu fricgest, ond ðu birst seo rod. Ac ðu eart ne Cristne?” She seemed to shrug.

She beckoned for Katherine to follow her, and they went back out into the main hall. There was a pair of heavy leather boots beside Katherine’s bed. The woman pointed to them and the coat, and Katherine put them on. She pointed to the fur-lined hood on the back, reminding Katherine to pull it up. Then she led her to the end of the hall, on the opposite side of the fire pit; there was a large doorway draped with layers of cloth and skins, which they pushed through. The woman fumbled with the heavy latch of a door, and they stepped out into dim half-light.

Katherine couldn’t be sure if it was very late at night, or very early in the morning. The sun was low against the ragged ridges that rose on either side of a long, low valley. Dark gray-brown slopes curved gently downward, to a floor littered with stones and debris. A sharp, bitter wind seemed to blow continuously, which Katherine’s coat only partly protected her against.

The hall was a large, long stone building that stood on one side of a little village square. Smaller houses stood around the square on the other sides, their doors facing toward the middle, all made of stone and roofed with metal, all windowless against the freezing wind. Katherine could see smaller outbuildings beyond, and paths leading down the valley, and up into the hills on either side. There couldn’t be more than a few dozen people in a settlement this size; she wondered how many villages like this there were in the Dry Valleys. She had imagined something rather cruder, to be entirely honest; the reports she had read had talked about makeshift shelters, barely adequate against the extremes of Antarctic weather.

Her companion led her across the square, to one of the small houses directly facing the hall. She opened the door, and they pushed their way through another heavy curtain, and Katherine found herself suddenly standing the middle of a small crowd of people.

There was a firepit against one wall of the house, with some small benches beside it, on which a few elderly-looking men and women sat. Their hair was gray to white, and the men all had thick, long beards. There were others sitting, on chairs, or on the floor, which was hard-packed sand and grit, covered with rugs, and maybe a half-dozen more leaning against the walls. The house had only one room, with a high ceiling, and as Katherine glanced up, she could even see, peering down from a wooden loft on one wall, more small faces. It appeared she was an object of some curiosity among the Dry Valleys People.

She felt a hand at her back. Her companion was pushing her forward, to the middle of the room. Every eye in the house suddenly seemed to be on her at once, and she looked around from face to face nervously. Some were old, some were young. All had an intensity of expression she had never seen before. It was like she’d shown up to a party conspicuously underdressed, times a million. Or she was surrounded by everyone she’d ever offended in her entire life. Come to think of it, she probably had offended them, just by being here. There was a terrible sinking feeling in her stomach.

One of the old women sitting near the fire looked at Katherine and said something.

“Come again?” Katherine said lamely.

“Nama. Ðin nama,” her companion said in her ear.

“Nama?” What? “Oh, my name.” She pointed to herself. “Katherine Alice Green,” she said slowly.

There was a little muttering, and the people by the fire seemed to be conversing among themselves. Finally, the old woman who had asked her name stood and took a couple steps toward Katherine. She had something in her hand, and Katherine realized it was Christopher’s letter of introduction. She said something else, rapid-fire, and looked at Katherine expecting an answer.

“I really don’t understand,” Katherine said. “I don’t speak your language. No module.” She pointed to her head. “No modules at all. My cybernetics are dead.”

This didn’t seem to help. The woman seemed to be getting annoyed with Katherine. She looked at her companion, and said something in an acid tone of voice, to which Katherine’s companion responded with a sharp, almost sarcastic-sounding retort. There was general muttering.

Things only seemed to get worse from there. Katherine’s companion and the old woman argued for a bit; then the people by the fire argued, loudly, among themselves. After a little while, some people from the sides of the room chimed in, and just when it seemed tempers were running a little too high, one of the men by the fire, who hadn’t spoken yet, stood slowly, said a single loud word, and everyone fell silent. He pointed at Katherine, and Katherine’s companion, and said something slowly, like he was intoning some ritual, then sat back down. This seemed to end the discussion. People began filing out of the house, the faces in the loft withdrew, and someone put a pot of something on the fire to cook. Katherine’s companion tugged on her sleeve, and led her out.

They went back to the hall. Katherine’s bed in the main room had been cleared away; instead, her companion led her to one of the side rooms, and pointed to a bed.

“Thanks,” Katherine said. She was suddenly very, very tired again; even mild exertion seemed to be draining for her. “What was that all about?”

Her companion left the room, then came back a few moments later carrying the book of Gospels. She handed it to Katherine.

“Ræd, ond leorn. Ðu sceal ure geðeode leornan, ond arolice.”

Katherine sank down onto the bed. It was exhausting, not understanding anything anyone said to you. To try to patch together meaning from the one word in ten that sounded vaguely familiar. Stupid as it was, she wanted to grab the woman and yell at her to just say something she could understand.

“I don’t understand,” she said angrily. “I don’t fucking understand.”

The woman seemed to understand her frustration, anyway. She squatted down next to the bed, and put her hand on Katherine’s knee. She closed her eyes, and seem to think very hard for a moment.

“Learn. Our tongue. Learn. From book. Swiftly.”

“Why?” asked Katherine. “What happens if I don’t?”

“Out.” The woman gestured, in the vague direction of the hills. “You, out.”

Katherine felt her stomach sinking. “If I go out there alone, I will die. Die? Like, to death. You know that, right?”

The woman nodded.

“And if I learn your tongue, I can stay?” Katherine asked.

The woman shrugged.

“They deem. Learn not, go out. You learn, they choose fate. Go or stay. I know not.”

So that was that. She would have to learn their language, and maybe, just maybe, they would let her stay if she did. Otherwise, they would send her out of the valleys, into the Antarctic wastes, where she would die. Alone.

Just fucking great job, Katherine, she thought to herself.

[tahlialynne]

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d

I When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d, And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in the night, I mourn’d, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring. Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring, Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west, And thought of him I love. II  O powerful western fallen star! O shades of night—O moody, tearful night! O great star disappear’d—O the black murk that hides the star! O cruel hands that hold me powerless—O helpless soul of me! O harsh surrounding cloud that will not free my soul. III In the dooryard fronting an old farm-house near the white-wash’d palings, Stands the lilac-bush tall-growing with heart-shaped leaves of rich green, With many a pointed blossom rising delicate, with the perfume strong I love, With every leaf a miracle—and from this bush in the dooryard, With delicate-color’d blossoms and heart-shaped leaves of rich green, A sprig with its flower I break. IV In the swamp in secluded recesses, A shy and hidden bird is warbling a song. Solitary the thrush, The hermit withdrawn to himself, avoiding the settlements, Sings by himself a song. Song of the bleeding throat, Death’s outlet song of life, (for well dear brother I know, If thou wast not granted to sing thou would’st surely die.) V Over the breast of the spring, the land, amid cities, Amid lanes and through old woods, where lately the violets peep’d from the ground, spotting the gray debris, Amid the grass in the fields each side of the lanes, passing the endless grass, Passing the yellow-spear’d wheat, every grain from its shroud in the dark-brown fields uprisen, Passing the apple-tree blows of white and pink in the orchards, Carrying a corpse to where it shall rest in the grave, Night and day journeys a coffin. VI Coffin that passes through lanes and streets, Through day and night with the great cloud darkening the land, With the pomp of the inloop’d flags with the cities draped in black, With the show of the States themselves as of crape-veil’d women standing, With processions long and winding and the flambeaus of the night, With the countless torches lit, with the silent sea of faces and the unbared heads, With the waiting depot, the arriving coffin, and the sombre faces, With dirges through the night, with the thousand voices rising strong and solemn, With all the mournful voices of the dirges pour’d around the coffin, The dim-lit churches and the shuddering organs—where amid these you journey, With the tolling tolling bells’ perpetual clang, Here, coffin that slowly passes, I give you my sprig of lilac. VII  (Nor for you, for one alone, Blossoms and branches green to coffins all I bring, For fresh as the morning, thus would I chant a song for you O sane and sacred death. All over bouquets of roses, O death, I cover you over with roses and early lilies, But mostly and now the lilac that blooms the first, Copious I break, I break the sprigs from the bushes, With loaded arms I come, pouring for you, For you and the coffins all of you O death.) VIII O western orb sailing the heaven, Now I know what you must have meant as a month since I walk’d, As I walk’d in silence the transparent shadowy night, As I saw you had something to tell as you bent to me night after night, As you droop’d from the sky low down as if to my side, (while the other stars all look’d on,) As we wander’d together the solemn night, (for something I know not what kept me from sleep,) As the night advanced, and I saw on the rim of the west how full you were of woe, As I stood on the rising ground in the breeze in the cool transparent night, As I watch’d where you pass’d and was lost in the netherward black of the night, As my soul in its trouble dissatisfied sank, as where you sad orb, Concluded, dropt in the night, and was gone. IX  Sing on there in the swamp, O singer bashful and tender, I hear your notes, I hear your call, I hear, I come presently, I understand you, But a moment I linger, for the lustrous star has detain’d me, The star my departing comrade holds and detains me. X O how shall I warble myself for the dead one there I loved? And how shall I deck my song for the large sweet soul that has gone? And what shall my perfume be for the grave of him I love? Sea-winds blown from east and west, Blown from the Eastern sea and blown from the Western sea, till there on the prairies meeting, These and with these and the breath of my chant, I’ll perfume the grave of him I love. XI  O what shall I hang on the chamber walls? And what shall the pictures be that I hang on the walls, To adorn the burial-house of him I love? Pictures of growing spring and farms and homes, With the Fourth-month eve at sundown, and the gray smoke lucid and bright, With floods of the yellow gold of the gorgeous, indolent, sinking sun, burning, expanding the air, With the fresh sweet herbage under foot, and the pale green leaves of the trees prolific, In the distance the flowing glaze, the breast of the river, with a wind-dapple here and there, With ranging hills on the banks, with many a line against the sky, and shadows, And the city at hand with dwellings so dense, and stacks of chimneys, And all the scenes of life and the workshops, and the workmen homeward returning. XII  Lo, body and soul—this land, My own Manhattan with spires, and the sparkling and hurrying tides, and the ships, The varied and ample land, the South and the North in the light, Ohio’s shores and flashing Missouri, And ever the far-spreading prairies cover’d with grass and corn. Lo, the most excellent sun so calm and haughty, The violet and purple morn with just-felt breezes, The gentle soft-born measureless light, The miracle spreading bathing all, the fulfill’d noon, The coming eve delicious, the welcome night and the stars, Over my cities shining all, enveloping man and land. XIII Sing on, sing on you gray-brown bird, Sing from the swamps, the recesses, pour your chant from the bushes, Limitless out of the dusk, out of the cedars and pines. Sing on dearest brother, warble your reedy song, Loud human song, with voice of uttermost woe. O liquid and free and tender! O wild and loose to my soul—O wondrous singer! You only I hear—yet the star holds me, (but will soon depart,) Yet the lilac with mastering odor holds me. XIV Now while I sat in the day and look’d forth, In the close of the day with its light and the fields of spring, and the farmers preparing their crops, In the large unconscious scenery of my land with its lakes and forests, In the heavenly aerial beauty, (after the perturb’d winds and the storms,) Under the arching heavens of the afternoon swift passing, and the voices of children and women, The many-moving sea-tides, and I saw the ships how they sail’d, And the summer approaching with richness, and the fields all busy with labor, And the infinite separate houses, how they all went on, each with its meals and minutia of daily usages, And the streets how their throbbings throbb’d, and the cities pent—lo, then and there, Falling upon them all and among them all, enveloping me with the rest, Appear’d the cloud, appear’d the long black trail, And I knew death, its thought, and the sacred knowledge of death. Then with the knowledge of death as walking one side of me, And the thought of death close-walking the other side of me, And I in the middle as with companions, and as holding the hands of companions, I fled forth to the hiding receiving night that talks not, Down to the shores of the water, the path by the swamp in the dimness, To the solemn shadowy cedars and ghostly pines so still. And the singer so shy to the rest receiv’d me, The gray-brown bird I know receiv’d us comrades three, And he sang the carol of death, and a verse for him I love. From deep secluded recesses, From the fragrant cedars and the ghostly pines so still, Came the carol of the bird. And the charm of the carol rapt me, As I held as if by their hands my comrades in the night, And the voice of my spirit tallied the song of the bird. Come lovely and soothing death, Undulate round the world, serenely arriving, arriving, In the day, in the night, to all, to each, Sooner or later delicate death. Prais’d be the fathomless universe, For life and joy, and for objects and knowledge curious, And for love, sweet love—but praise! praise! praise! For the sure-enwinding arms of cool-enfolding death. Dark mother always gliding near with soft feet, Have none chanted for thee a chant of fullest welcome? Then I chant it for thee, I glorify thee above all, I bring thee a song that when thou must indeed come, come unfalteringly. Approach strong deliveress, When it is so, when thou hast taken them I joyously sing the dead, Lost in the loving floating ocean of thee, Laved in the flood of thy bliss O death. From me to thee glad serenades, Dances for thee I propose saluting thee, adornments and feastings for thee, And the sights of the open landscape and the high-spread sky are fitting, And life and the fields, and the huge and thoughtful night. The night in silence under many a star, The ocean shore and the husky whispering wave whose voice I know, And the soul turning to thee O vast and well-veil’d death, And the body gratefully nestling close to thee. Over the tree-tops I float thee a song, Over the rising and sinking waves, over the myriad fields and the prairies wide, Over the dense-pack’d cities all and the teeming wharves and ways, I float this carol with joy, with joy to thee O death. XV To the tally of my soul, Loud and strong kept up the gray-brown bird, With pure deliberate notes spreading filling the night. Loud in the pines and cedars dim, Clear in the freshness moist and the swamp-perfume, And I with my comrades there in the night. While my sight that was bound in my eyes unclosed, As to long panoramas of visions. And I saw askant the armies, I saw as in noiseless dreams hundreds of battle-flags, Borne through the smoke of the battles and pierc’d with missiles I saw them, And carried hither and yon through the smoke, and torn and bloody, And at last but a few shreds left on the staffs, (and all in silence,) And the staffs all splinter’d and broken. I saw battle-corpses, myriads of them, And the white skeletons of young men, I saw them, I saw the debris and debris of all the slain soldiers of the war, But I saw they were not as was thought, They themselves were fully at rest, they suffer’d not, The living remain’d and suffer’d, the mother suffer’d, And the wife and the child and the musing comrade suffer’d, And the armies that remain’d suffer’d. XVI Passing the visions, passing the night, Passing, unloosing the hold of my comrades’ hands, Passing the song of the hermit bird and the tallying song of my soul, Victorious song, death’s outlet song, yet varying ever-altering song, As low and wailing, yet clear the notes, rising and falling, flooding the night, Sadly sinking and fainting, as warning and warning, and yet again bursting with joy, Covering the earth and filling the spread of the heaven, As that powerful psalm in the night I heard from recesses, Passing, I leave thee lilac with heart-shaped leaves, I leave thee there in the door-yard, blooming, returning with spring. I cease from my song for thee, From my gaze on thee in the west, fronting the west, communing with thee, O comrade lustrous with silver face in the night. Yet each to keep and all, retrievements out of the night, The song, the wondrous chant of the gray-brown bird, And the tallying chant, the echo arous’d in my soul, With the lustrous and drooping star with the countenance full of woe, With the holders holding my hand nearing the call of the bird, Comrades mine and I in the midst, and their memory ever to keep, for the dead I loved so well, For the sweetest, wisest soul of all my days and lands—and this for his dear sake, Lilac and star and bird twined with the chant of my soul, There in the fragrant pines and the cedars dusk and dim.

-Walt Whitman

[dailybiblelessons]

Friday: Preparation for Trinity Sunday

Hebrew Scripture Lesson from the Writings: Job 38:12-21

[{Job 38:1} Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:]

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,  and caused the dawn to know its place, so that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,  and the wicked be shaken out of it? It is changed like clay under the seal,  and it is dyed like a garment. Light is withheld from the wicked,  and their uplifted arm is broken.

“Have you entered into the springs of the sea,  or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you,  or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?  Declare, if you know all this.

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light,  and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory  and that you may discern the paths to its home? Surely you know, for you were born then,  and the number of your days is great!”

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Sovereign,  how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.  Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,  to silence the enemy and the avenger.¹

When I look at your heavens,  the work of your fingers,  the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them,  mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,  and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion  over the works of your hands;  you have put all things under their feet,² all sheep and oxen,  and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,  whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,  how majestic is your name in all the earth!

¹Jesus quotes part of this verse in Matthew 21:16, when he is cleansing the temple. ²This entire passage is quoted in Hebrews 2:6-9, about Jesus' exaltation. The last part (You have given … under their feet) is quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:27, part of a passage about resurrection of the dead, and again in Ephesians 1:22, about God's action in Christ.

New Testament Epistle Lesson: 2 Timothy 1:12b-14

But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Year A Trinity Friday

Selections are from Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings copyright © 1995 by the Consultation on Common Texts. Unless otherwise indicated, Bible text is from New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV) copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Image credit: Trinity Knot via the Vanderbilt Divinity Library. This image was cropped by Michael Gilbertson using Photoshop 13 May 2016. It is used under used under the Creative Commons 2.0 noncommercial use only license.