Month: June 2023

DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/25

Posted on by Patrick

On the drive to Perth there was a junction into a concrete tube, combed with dry wells. I could no longer see the road. At the end a funnel fanned out into the lap of a chess board, and I dragged the old car up onto the gravel shore. There were rooms clinging to the high walls and to the ceiling, like leftover soap bubbles, boxes clinging like residual packing peanuts. I followed the smell into the narrow room, ostensibly near the floor on the south.

A noticeable deterioration allowed me to view a beam’s section of the world around outside – wind-scraped, and hunkered under sliding blades of ground stone meal. I knew then the diversion was heroically in time.

Getting down through the mass of rods to the door, and looking down on the chequered board from a weary bird’s view, I was lost again. Crawled along a ladder in a gritty pipe. Tumbled in a chute that smeared my clothes with tan, and pried a metal door in a squeeze that did not allow my elbows.

But then out, into the dying wind, and I scratched some of the stone from the road with my boot. My grand old car I could not return for, not now, but perhaps I will meet it again.

#DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/25

SabbathPosts 2023/06/24

Posted on by Patrick

Even if I never forget for a moment that God is, and that he sees all that I and we do or think, and that he rewards them that do good, even if I never forget these things for a moment, if I ever do not do 100% of what I can, if I ever do not fully realise and appreciate these things by my actions, to the same degree, small or large, I have been as a fool, who says in his heart there is no God.

#SabbathPosts 2023/06/24

#DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/18

Posted on by Patrick

There are four transparent surfaces surrounding, with a faint flow of soapy iridescence, and a roughness above and below like the ends of a broken and worn crystal.

Outside these walls are many other parallel surfaces, eating away at each other’s transparency until it has the obscuring effect of thick fog, without the softness of the form of fog. Even the soapy colours cannot well be seen beyond the closest, except as a hazy movement travelling along vertical knife-edge paths.

A drop of clear yellow falls from above, and is lost on your shoe. A plucking rains over the rigid planes, and the iridescence flees into nothing, leaving all as colourless as the void, or an old photograph. Another drop falls, and you hear the “plick” as it lands again on your shoe; now a crash shakes the light, which gives again a sense of movement to the unmoving clustered walls; this movement the opposite of hazy.

A crack races through within the walls where you stand, and you shift quickly, as it almost trims you. You suddenly beat with your fists on the wall, but this does nothing. Another drop falls, now on your back, making you jerk, and you could not see if it was yellow.

It must have been, as the all the walls open like so many baobab flowers, or bananas, the peeling surfaces passing through each other. You dodge them, spread your wings, and buzz away.

#DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/18

#SabbathPost 2023/06/17

Posted on by Patrick

Christ gave a parable against the envious desire for equality: when the later-hired workers were paid the same amount (for less work), the first workers were envious, though they had received what they had agreed to be paid (Matthew 20). You are due what you are due, you have no excuse to complain when more bounty is given to another.

Yet today many will condemn and speak against showing more favour to one than to another, in direct contradiction of Christ who called it good and lawful: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?”

Those who condemn this teach and preach envy, and in doing thus they poison families and sow discord among brethren.

“These six things doth Yahweh hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him … a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6

This is not a trivial thing!

#SabbathPost 2023/06/17

SabbathPost 2023/06/10

Posted on by Patrick

Some thoughts: God’s knowledge of us and our hearts is perfect, and this means that for all practical purposes he experiences what we experience. Now, he also experienced living mortal life first hand, but how it felt he already always knew, more than we could. He senses every temptation and hassle and complication, and every time we feel nothing he feels the aimlessness, boredom, and fog. He knows how it feels to be confused, how it feels to keep on forgetting things, making mistakes, getting distracted, and he experiences every discomfort and chronic pain.

Is this always sympathy? Not always; as Paul says in Romans, he “endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction”, and as David says, “Though Yahweh be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” Ps 138. God knows it all perfectly, every heart, and every sensation, but his presence is with them that fear him; while the hearts of the wicked, which he thoroughly knows, do not have his regard. “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.” Pr 10

(Notice how many of the proverbs can have the word “even” inserted, as they contrasts extremes: even the tongue of the just is precious, and even the heart of the unjust is worthless. Another example is: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Pr 12. The righteous regardeth even his beast, and even the tender mercies of the unrighteous are cruel.)

#SabbathPost 2023/06/10

DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/07

Posted on by Patrick

Laced miles runting for all runtung. Levered brutes nautically made in maiden string, thin and strengthen more for over. Nave of fair flint oscillates more for upon, the crown of the hastened head upon. Mitre riders run for runtung, and he levered brash glass into the laver. The beaded words meted out in pairs sent to mesh with saved sitters. Landing outstrife while landung brought the sifters braved – a net drawn through the hose across the brush head, heading upon the ride.

Twin layers flung all proportion into runtung revered, if ever reversed he said and sat for sifting silt urns severed off. Without the miles there was salt for every seat in the main, quiet numbers strewn on the masterful floor; never draw the door through a trough crack, for far under the earthen brow braced rests needlepoint graves over the run.

#DailyCreatedOOM #WrittenOOM 2023/06/07

SabbathPosts 2023/06/03

Posted on by Patrick

This is the Sabbath Post for yesterday, which did not get posted as our power went out. 😋

Some thoughts on Christ’s command: “he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Lk 22

One thought is that we immediately have an example application: given Christ’s great emphasis on this, the twelve were no doubt concerned, and wondered if the two swords they had among them were enough; and Jesus assured them that they were enough. So we can look at the circumstances of this case, and find some principles for why it was enough: for applying the command.

One of the most obvious reasons is that they were dirt poor; they may not have been able to buy another sword if they all sold all their garments. The command thus is not to sell all one’s clothes and go without until one has enough money to buy a sword; rather it is this principle: it is God’s command that being well-armed and ready to fight must come before being well-clothed: it must be a higher priority.

Another thing is that they were a close-knit group, nearly always together. Having two of them armed with swords, one could go at the front, the other at the rear, one on this side and the other on that side, or fighting back to back, while the others could make their escape and bring other help.

Also, it was a group of fit men, who could no doubt hold their own with their staffs, or empty-handed in a pinch. So swords were less needful for them – but needful.

#SabbathPosts 2023/06/03