On this day one hundred years ago the human catastrophe that was World War I was over.  The eyes of the world turned from death to hope.   Never again would millions be lost senselessly in the name of greed, hate and Nationalism.   The war to end all wars.

Yet, unfortunately as we know this did not happen as we lived through the evil of World War II, were millions upon millions where murdered, not just the combatants.  And so it goes one year, upon year there is war or innocent people are killed.

Even this week on the way to the memorials for the end of World War I the President of the United States decried his predecessor for cutting military spending (which was a lie as side note).  How much more do we need to spend?   Only a fraction of this budget could solve global poverty, hunger, healthcare and climate destruction.  Yet we continue to spend money that can destroy the world several times over and never learn continues to espouse to hate and destruction of Nationlism. It is so wrong that words cannot do the evil and justice.

In the words of the hymn at Church this morning:

O God of every nation, of every race and land, redeem the whole creation with your almighty hand; where hare and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled, in love and mercy guide us and heal our strike torn world.

Lest we forget!

Never again!

-Richard 

I am confused!!   

Some of the strengths of a Christ following disciple is faith, hope and trust with an overarching command to live a peaceful, humble loving life.   It is the core of the message. 

I am confused!!

The main stream church, the evangelical church in the US is now the opposite.  They are in bed with a political party that preaches, or, bullies and they do the same from their pulpits.  They preach fear where Jesus said “do not fear”, they preach hate where Jesus said “love”, they preach violence and war where Jesus said “be peacemakers and out down your swords”, they preach greed where Jesus said “give up your wealth and follow me!”  They have removed Jesus and the power and beauty of the gospel leaving just an empty shell!

I am soo confused!!

I am grief stricken!!

-Richard 

I’ve been thinking about Communion over the last week or so.   What does it mean and why?

I read a book written about the Pastor and Priest who served the prisoners at the Nuremberg trials.   It is almost inconceivable to me how knowing what these leaders of the Nazis has done they could talk and build relationships.  Yet they did.  They put away their personal horror to try and share the gospel and what the Eucharist table was all about.  I don’t think I could do it, or even come close.   

The second thought was from Church today.  When we go to the table we are all equal as far as Christ is concerened.  It is the true eqalitarian place.   It does not matter who you are, what race, sex, social status coming to Christ at that point it does not matter.  Unfortunately in our broken world the moment we leave the table this equality goes away and we are back into our boxes.  How it must grieve Christ.  A challenge to me and all to take this away into the world and not leave it at the alter.

As I am sitting here pondering this imagine what would happen if this was discussed in politics, especially modern American pages politics.  One would immeditely called disparaging names: “Libtard”, “ socialist”, “communist” etc..mainly by those that like to preach Christianity.    Yet, this is what Christ wants and teaches not the hedonistic, selfish greedy version of Modern America.   Going back to my book of Nuremberg this is how at all started faux Nationilism and hate of those that were different.   We all know how that went!

-Richard

-Richard

‘Votions

A way to finish the day

My family all together

Cuddling on our bed, 

My girl, 

My puppy,

Me.

Reading our devotions together,

Praying as one,

Giving our days

Past and present 

To our loving God;

A great way to finish our day.

29th May 2002, Townsend, Tennessee, United States of America.

-Richard

Joy

Joy is watching you

Joy is seeing you

Joy is sitting next to you

Joy is when your face lights up

Joy is knowing you

Joy is how you look at me

Joy is being married to you

You give me the joy

That adds the colour to my life.

29th May 2002, Townsend, Tennessee, United States of America.

-Richard

“I Watched the News Today”

It’s hard to imagine

The world beyond

Our own little place

With nothing around

Where birds sing

Snakes slither

With mist rising

Beyond the green canopy

That surrounds and isolates

And insulates

All that is outside.

Is it an illusion?

Or is it real?

The pictures on the screen

Gives a lie to what I see.

Nuclear war?

Bridge collapse?

Child murdered?

War in far places?

What does it mean?

It seems so far removed

From the natural world I see.

It must be false

As my senses and mind

Can’t comprehend such beauty here

And ugliness there.

I close my eyes and see darkness

I open them and see God’s creation.

So, why did I watch the news today?

29th May 2002, Townsend, Tennessee, United States of America.

-Richard

I haven't written a post for a while.   The events over the last year or so here in The States have rocked in some way my foundations.   I have been questioning if it is actually possible to mix "Christianity and Politics".   My thoughts are still jumbled so I am going to try and put them down in what will be certainly a very muddled way.

What do I mean by rocked my foundations?   The messaging of so many of the Countries Evangelical leaders in supporting certain political opinions and statements has been in my view heinous.   I have struggled trying to align the teaching of Jesus with this.   The Sermon on the Mount has been front and center of my thoughts.   We are called to be Peacemakers yet a leading pastor encouraging the President to blow North Korea up.   I have no words apart from heartbreak and grief.   This is just one of the many examples I could quote.   It seems that the Church, or, at least the "religious right", for lack of a better term has turned the current climate and secular leadership into a personality cult reminding me of the Lenin, Stalin, Hitlers cults of early part of the twentieth century.   This has became a worship of politicians, flag and Country with this coming higher than any thing else including the God they profess to serve as leaders.  I can't get my head around it and doubt I ever will.   The other part of this is the hateful things they spew forth.   You only have to look at social media and read the despicable comments and then look at the profiles.   The worst comments come from those who then post how they love Jesus etc..  How can not this disconnect be seen? 

This made me think that it is impossible to be a Jesus follower and active in politics.   The two just do not work.   It is even hard to see how the Constitution can be followed (despite what we are seeing above!!).   What should I do?   What should we do?

I think the answer is we are called to be light in the world.   Be divorcing myself and walking away I think is as bad as the misrepresentation of who we should be.  I'd like to think of myself as an Independent and try to look at each issue in the light of Jesus teaching and I don't really see me changing that attitude.   However, in 2018 I totally align myself to the Democrat party, which, ironically is perceived to be the more secular wing.  I can no longer with a clear conscience side with anyone in the GOP.   I have posted before on how I no longer can call myself an Evangelical.  This still breaks my heart, but, it is the honest situation.   We are living back in the world of the Pharisees and the early founders of the Church would not recognize their Church.  They would see a new Sanhedrin.   I can't agree with everything the Democrats say and I still and will continue to say that I think it is impossible to completely agree with one party.   That just means lack of thought, laziness or an ideologue.  However, when it comes to a choice between trying to treat everyone fairly, respectfully and with dignity there is only one way to go.   It is time to stop worrying about the different ism's and just follow Jesus's teaching.   Even if you are not a Christian and just think Jesus is an historical figure you cannot go wrong following His teaching or putting it into a modern terminology His politics.  Doing this we would have a safer and fairer world.

It is time to stop sitting on the fence.   It is time to say NO MORE.  It is time for the Church to say to it's leaders:  STOP.  Stop teaching greed, stop supporting hate, start teaching Christ!!!  

I hope this ramble captures a little of what I have been struggling with and my thoughts.   There are so many issues to discuss and I will try and do this some more.  In closing this I am going to copy the Beatitudes from Matthew's Gospel.   Let's try and use this as our ideology!!

      Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)

Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)

Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10)

-Richard

Memorial…to what?

A day is set aside

To remember those we lost

On land, air or sea

In places so far away.

So, what do we remember?

Glorious victories or painful defeats?

The loss of loved ones

Or one National pride?

How do we remember?

A public holiday for all

To go and spend at all the sales

In the local shopping malls.

Therefore, those who died are remembered

With sympathy and dignity

Proud of their glorious contribution

Giving today’s economy such a boost!

29^th May 2002, Townsend, Tennessee, United States of America.

“Real” Dark

A jet-black sky,

Nothing to see,

No lights,

No cars,

“Real” dark.

God’s dark.

No man!

  

28^th May 2002, Townsend, Tennessee, United States of America.          

A Photograph

It is true

That a single picture

Can eclipse a thousand words.

The image of Belsen

Is so horrific words fail,

Or a smiling child

Gives a joy that words can’t describe.

We need to look, learn

And take these images to heart

To the deepest part of the soul,

Live them,

Remember them,

Honour them,

So the evil will never again be captured

And the joy will always remain.

  

4^th April 2002, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

Valentines ‘02

Another Valentines day

Has arrived upon us

A day to show our love anew

A day to reflect on

Things past and present

Where we started and are going to.

You changed my life all those years ago

Making in better day by day.

The memories from the past make me happy

The love we have today makes me smile

The future wherever it leads

Is only bright with you by my side.

Another Valentine’s day

Has arrived upon us

A day to show my love to you

As it gets stronger and stronger

Making every day with you

Another Valentines’ day.

14^th February 2002, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

Still a Foreigner

Sometimes it’s hard to remember

That I’m not from this land

As my life here

Is so right

So me

So good.

Sometimes I’m made to realize

That I’m not from this land

As my life was far away

Touch down or try?

Boot or trunk?

So confused!

However, I will never forget

Where my heard belongs

As my life with her

Is so right

So us

So good!!

3^rd February 2002, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

“Close to You”

As Karen Carpenter sang

“Close to You”

I sit here thinking

How I’d like being

“Close to You”.

Something changed

Did I do something

Was it me?

Your picture is fading

A wall is growing

And the door is locked

So that even Karen’s beautiful voice

Fails to get me

“Close to You”. 

2^nd February 2002, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

The Puppy II

You saw the white stuff

For the first time

Cold on your paws

But, fluffy and soft.

Playing in it,

Diving in it,

Eating it!

All new experiences

To be enjoyed

And experienced

All for the first time.

  

  

28^th December 2001, North Ridgeville, Ohio, United States of America.

The Puppy

A bundle of energy

Bouncing around

From one thing to another

No concentration span.

Everything’s a toy

From tissues to shoes

To be eaten, licked

And then spit out.

Everything is simple

Play, eat and wee

Nothing to complicate

And get in the way.

An unquestionable trust

Follows everywhere

Tail wagging feverishly

Not a doubt in her mind.

We can learn so much

From the attitude

Of a new born puppy

And her view of life.

  

8^th December 2001, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

Left Behind

What if the end comes

And I’m left behind?

My life and professions

Have all been a lie,

False and not trued

An act the got left

On the cutting room floor.

What if the end comes

And those I love are left behind?

Family and friends,

Those I hold so dear

To be left to years of torments,

Famine, destruction and war

Whilst I am safe in Heaven.

Lord, show me the way.

Teach me so my life

Is all You need

Glorifying You now

So that I can be raised

And join You in Paradise

Worshiping You for eternity.

Lord, show me the way

So that I can reach

Those that don’t know

The truth of Your Word

Your revelation, Your promise

So that they can be raised

And join me in Your Paradise.

22nd November 2001, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

Who’s Land?

Looking across the vast land

I could see herds of buffalo

Stampeding across the plain

Followed by proud Indian warriors

Masters in their own domain.

Then, I blink.

What I thought were buffalo

Were actually thousands of bushes

And not an Indian in sight.

Ah yes, how could I forget

They were eradicated from their land

By a disease from the east,

The disease of expansion,

The disease of the white man?

18^th September 2001, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America.

The Mojahve

Miles upon miles

The highway winds on and on

With nothing to see

But sand, desert and mountains

Showing how great

God’s creation is

Making all we can do

Such meaningless trivialities!

  

16^th September 2001, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America.

The Match

For ninety minutes nothing else matters

Except what happens

On the field below.

The rest of the world

And all that’s going on

Is irrelevant to the thousands in the stands.

The outcome determines the mood

Of everyone leaving the stadium.

There is war all around

And children are suffering

But, depending on the result

Life is good, or, bad.

For ninety minutes other things matter

What happens on the field below

Is fun and entertaining and important

As it gives fans release

But, it’s not life or death

It doesn’t matter to the billions outside.

19^th August, 2001, Antioch, California, United States of America