Don’t blame other people
for your problems.
Don’t expect other people
to rescue you
either.
They are not
the cause
or the cure.
Your choices
determine your reality.
Things happen
that are beyond your control
but your reaction
is within it.
What you do or don’t do
is your choice.
How you respond
in thought, word, and deed
is your choice.
Take ownership
of your life
and take
your own life
back.
It was yours
all along
after all.
There’s a line in the Gospels that I’ve wrestled with for a long time. It is in Matthew 11:6. It reads – “And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.” (HCSB)
This has not made sense to me until now.
Here it is in context –
Mt 11:2-6 (HCSB)
2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples 3 and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. 6 And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed.”
Here is the rendition I put together for the Condensed Gospel, using HCSB, TLB, NRSV and NIV –
John’s disciples brought him reports about everything that Jesus was doing when John was in prison. John sent two of them to Jesus to ask him “Are you the one we have been waiting for, or should we keep looking?” Jesus was healing many people of physical and mental illness at this time. He answered their question “Report back to John everything that you have seen and heard – the blind are able to see, the lame can now walk, skin diseases are cleared up, the deaf can now hear, the dead are raised back to life, and the good news is preached to the poor. Also tell him this – anyone who is not outraged by who I am is happy.”
And yet this still isn’t enough.
I now know about a Messianic Jewish translation of the Bible that is called the Tree of Life. Here is that same section in that version –
2 Now when John heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, he sent word through his disciples 3 and said to Yeshua, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 4 Yeshua replied, “Go report to John what you hear and see: 5 the blind see and the lame walk, those with tzara’at are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 6 Blessed is the one who is not led to stumble because of Me.”
For further study, the TLV cross references with the verses in Isaiah that Jesus is referring to. They are these – 35:5-6; 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1. They prove that Jesus (Yeshua) is fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah, which for John would be enough to know that this means that Jesus is the One that they had been awaiting – the Messiah.
As an aside, I think it is important to note that Jesus never came out and said that he was the Messiah (which is the charge leveled against him by the Sanhedrin – a charge he was innocent of). He simply pointed people towards the prophecies – the signs of what to look for and then pointed to what he was doing. Do they match? If so, there is your answer.
But verse 6 in Matthew 11 is the focus right now – “Blessed is the one who is not led to stumble because of Me.”
Jesus often talks about how important it is that religious leaders teach their students how to follow in the correct path. He often railed against the Pharisees who made up extra rules for people to follow and in so doing caused them to ignore or even violate the commandments of God. He often said that to cause anyone to be led astray is a huge offense.
It is important to understand that God’s commandments are not really laws, but a way of life. The word “Halacha” which is translated as “Jewish Law” means something so much deeper. It really means “Walk”. It is a way of living that makes you holy. It is a path towards and with God.
What Jesus is saying here is related to the idea of “You will know a tree by its fruit”. Look at those who follow him and see what they do. They are doing good deeds and living correctly. This is proof that his teaching is valid. Those who follow his teachings are blessed, because they have not been made to falter in their walk. He teaches correctly, and his followers are blessed because of it. They are not harmed by him, like so many other people’s followers are, but blessed and strengthened.
Around late Advent, just before Christmas, it is common to have this reading from the Gospels:
Matthew 1:18-23
18 The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 So her husband Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. 20 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel which is translated “God is with us.”
Matthew 1:23 refers to Isaiah 7:14.
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
(FYI – Immanuel is sometimes spelled “Emmanuel”.)
So is the prophecy fulfilled? A virgin did conceive and give birth to a son – but he was named Jesus, not Immanuel. Does it matter?
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua,” which means “The Lord saves” or “Yahweh saves.”
So his name doesn’t even mean the same thing – “God is with us” and “The Lord saves” are not the same.
It reminds me of the discrepancy with the death and resurrection – it wasn’t three days – it wasn’t even 48 hours – that Jesus was entombed.
Does it matter?
Is it a deal breaker?
And how come nobody else has pointed this out?
(All translations are from the Holman Christian Standard Translation)
I was wondering about how we will share the earth with all the dead after the resurrection. I can’t even imagine how many people that would be – millions and millions. There will be no room for everyone – the planet is overpopulated with the living as is. We can barely support ourselves.
The answer came that we will all be in a new phase reality. There will be many translucent layers of existence, rather than one. This already currently exists, but isn’t visible or manifest to anyone except prophets and seers. But after the resurrection, we will all see like this.
This will not be overwhelming. We will all have new eyes. We will all be able to shift our perception and see more, as we choose. We will not feel like our lives are crowded with people. They will be like the host of angels – ever present, but not always manifest.
Something disturbs me about burial. It isn’t the idea that my body will be in a coffin and then under several feet of dirt (six isn’t the norm, by the way). I won’t need it anymore.
Why bury? So someone can visit me? I’m not there – not the part that matters anyway. What if they don’t, however? There is something so sad about abandoned graveyards.
In theory, when you buy a grave site, some of the money is put into a trust for the perpetual upkeep of the grounds. But who oversees that? What happens if it doesn’t happen? Who notices?
And then there is the idea of flooding. Sometimes this happens.
This was in 1994 in Georgia. Officials had a bear of a time figuring out who was who to rebury them correctly.
And then there is archaeology. They call it science when they dig up somebody and show him or her off in the name of education. This is Genghis Khan’s grave.
So how is this not desecration? How is this not violation? So much for “rest in peace”. This wasn’t the intent when he was buried – to be dug up and shown off. This is rude.
And then there is what the Catholic church does to saints. A “first degree relic” is the entire body – or a piece – of a holy person. Rather than hoard up all that saintly goodness in one place, it is common to divvy them up. A finger here, a toe there, a head there… This is in complete violation of their policy that members cannot scatter the ashes of their loved ones.
Graves aren’t permanent. Bodies can be dug up, and have been. One reason for the modern “grave liner” or “vault” is that it deters people from digging up a body. Why would they? One never knows the reasons for the strange things people do – but it has happened enough that there is a need to protect against it. Sure, my body isn’t being used by me anymore, but I’d hate to think of someone doing something perverse with it after I’ve vacated it.
Then there is veneration. This is Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris.
This does not seem respectful. Look at all the graffiti on all the nearby graves.
The Tibetans practice “air burial”. A person cuts up the body to make it easier for the animals to eat it. The dead body feeds living beings. Every part of the body is useful and benefits others. While to Western sensibilities this seems disrespectful, it is far more generous and giving than putting the body in the ground to rot. No coffin is used, no grave is dug. It is much less expensive on the family. Also, there is no chance that someone will idolize the dead body by returning to the grave. The person isn’t there anymore.
My two cents on the “Hamilton” hullabaloo. He should lead by example. How about he apologizes to the veterans with PTSD who he said were “weak”? Or perhaps the women he said were fat and ugly? Or those he sexually assaulted? Or the people who are disabled? Or basically everyone who isn’t a white male? He should apologize first, to show us how it is done. This is what leaders do.
But – here’s the important part. We are being distracted and divided again. He’s leading the dance. We are all puppets when we get distracted like we are on such little things. This is what he wants – to divide and distract us. Don’t be fooled.
Stay focused. Be alert. Take care of yourself and those around you. Take care of marginalized people in your community. If we each take the time to re-direct our energy, we’ll get through this. No longer can we count on the government to take care of us. We’ve given away our power for too long anyway. It is time for the American people to take care of each other. We must. We will be stronger for it.
We are not being loving
or inclusive
when we exclude anyone
even
(and especially)
those who are themselves
not loving
or inclusive.
Can you be bigger than them?
Can you include those
who want to exclude others?
Can you listen to those
who want to silence others?
Can you rise above,
and show them
how it is done?
How is it possible
to see between,
to know Truth as it is
rather than
as others suppose,
as others propose
It is when one chooses
alone, a nation of one
to see alone, as one,
to look, personally, as if
an explorer, discovering
for the first time
a Land, previously unseen.
———
Small art journal page – cardstock, Distress Inks, gravity, rubber stamp, red gel pen.
I think the problem a lot of white people have with immigrants in the US is that deep down, unconsciously, they are terrified that the immigrants will behave exactly as the white’s ancestors did and displace them. That it won’t be a melting pot of peaceful coexistence but a radical and forced overturning of power.
The whites moved to America for a better life, free from religious oppression, and ended up using their religion to oppress those people who were already living here. Deep down, those who are opposed to immigration are afraid that they will become the new Native Americans and will be force marched on a new Trail of Tears to new reservations. They know karma is a bitch.
This doesn’t have to be. We can live together and work well together, but it takes a lot of work.
(“Together” art journal piece I made 11/16/16 – cardstock, Distress inks and stains, stamp, gold pastel, scissors, weaving) I like making art that shows how different colors work against each other to show each other off to make each other be their brightest.
I was working on an art journal page recently and started digging through my paper collection. I have some ephemera of my own, but I also have a stack that I’ve bought from a lady who meant to use the items for her own art. She soon realized that she had more ephemera than time for art. It turns out she has a great eye for things that spark creativity. One of the pieces was a page from a book of fables – stories designed to teach us something. I think this one is remarkably appropriate for what we are experiencing now. The entire wording is contained between the lines below. My comments will follow.
————–
A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: “If you desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we follow after the enemy.” The Horse agreed to the conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: “Now, get off, and remove those things from my mouth and back.”
“Not so fast, friend,” said the Hunter. “I have now got you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present.”
If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs.
—————
It is now time to be aware and awake to our divisiveness. Our lack of unity with each other and within ourselves allows us to be led astray by others. It renders us passive and not active members of life, of community.
It is not time to worry or complain about those who seek to divide us – to put us into “us” and “them” categories, who want to bait us like fighting dogs.
To be against those who seek to use us for their own gain is to further be drawn into the spiral. It is to become that which we are trying to be aware of.
The goal is to be aware of every time you are distracted.
Notice when you are being baited, being told that “they” – whoever “they” are – are the reason that you are down.
“They” aren’t the reason for why you feel the way you do. “They” are the same as you. They are struggling too.
It is easy for people to pick on those who are seen as weaker. It is easy to scapegoat. Don’t do it. Rise above. Don’t be drawn into that game. Turn it upside down. Notice who you are being told to be afraid of, to hate and instead make friends with them. Learn everything you can about them. Join up with them for your common cause of working together.
Remember the old phrase – “United we stand, divided we fall.”
Remember the motto on the back of the US dollar bill – “E pluribus unum”. It means “Out of many, one.” It means we are stronger together.
It is time to stop being scattered and divided. We allow others to use us when we are like that.
betsybeadhead 
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