On a point somewhere in the middle between thesese signs on the road.

What do you do with this?

The Road So Far.... Proverbs 16:9

What a strange world we live in. You never know where the road is going to take you. At least I don't. I never have. It's definitely a strange road. Always. Even on the straight ways. I just told a friend this week, I have NEVER had more than one foot on the balance beam. Never. Don't get me wrong, I've tried to control it. All of it. A lot. But the "failures" have always derailed the delusion of control. But the "failures" have most likely saved my life and preserved me time in and time out. In spite of me. In spite of my desire to control the shape of the road. I'm still learning. Forever learning. But I have figured out a couple of things. Only hold on tightly to the things in life that are critical. God, family, and friends are just about the only thing to keep in your pack. Of course you have to carry yourself too so your footing is really important but that footing is really determined by what's in the pack. It's weird. The rest of it is temporary. Education, your job, a house, a political leader or movement, even religious "movements" fall into ash. At least at some time. But they fall eventually and may drag you with them if you are identifying yourself by them. Consequently I've kind of tried to hold these things loose in a free hand so that I can drop them if they start to throw me off the side of the mountain. It doesn't mean I don't hold onto them if they are good things but I also acknowledge they don't fit on my back. There isn't room and they will crush the things that are important if you pack them wrong. Hold them too tightly in hand and they will pull you off course and cause you to lose everything you are carrying along with you.

Thinking

I am thinking about what it means to belong. An odd thing to think about as I do not believe I have a frame of reference for the thought. I have been placed into a lot of classifications, phylums, sub-phylums, and mutations I suppose. But belong? Belong to what? To who? Its not a pity party. Its a contemplation. A puzzle. One that drifts in and out of my awareness based on the quantity and length of distractions of the day. It is not a question of whether there is kindness and light from others. There is that and I am very thankful for it. But that does not equal "belong". I am an ally to life. To a lot of people. I will help where help is needed and received. This is good. But that doesn't equal "belong" either. I am not sure if it is possible to "belong" for me. Again, not a pity party. Just an introspection by an introvert. Except maybe belonging to God. Pretty sure that's real.

Time to this this thing back on the road.

Back in the Day

Blueberry Festival 2010

The Fountain

Map to NAHA competiton in Massillon on Jun 19th

White Feather Meats Highland Games

Sesame Street was brought to you today by the number...

Idiot

The Devil made you do it? Don't think so...

I have no basis in fact, fiction, or scripture for what I am about to say:

I don't think that God knew what was going to happen pre-launch of his creations but only their potential. However, once time/creation began, it became a thing that an eternal could hold like a book (again my own thoughts). Not something an immortal could hold but an eternal. Everything beyond God had a beginning whether it is mortal or immortal. If God were to completely alter some element in people, after seeing all of history played out poorly by said people, then He would not have the creation that was originally made. The creation that He wanted.

The particulars of why He wanted us? I have no idea. I can only guess that being the only eternal would have to suck and be quite lonely. But that's coming from my mind and not the mind of God so I don't know. Just a guess.

Yes He runs interference in our lives but I have to believe that any and all interferences have already happened past/present/future without destroying free will and that this reality is the best we can get under that premise. It's not, to me, "why aren't you doing anything God???" it's "man do we suck if this is the best reality we are permitting God to be involved in". This would include your decisions and mine. If it ends up that we go to hell it will not be because we haven't been called away from it. It will be our decision to call ourselves gods. Satan doesn't care if he's worshipped. He hates his followers. All he cares about is hurting God as much as he can and the best way he can do that is steal God's unwilling children from Him for eternity. Satan knows he is going down and the closest thing to pleasure for him is that misery loves to have the company it hates.

There will be no Satan within reach to blame on judgment day. There will only be you. There will only be me.

Scary isn't it?