Stop. Look. Listen...

As an individual born into partnership with countless siblings by the Creator, I am fluid... and a bit quirky. My ways might not resemble his or hers, but as we grow to understand that none of our ways totally meet the Most High's, the abundance of quirks, like quarks, becomes clear. Anyone close or concerned enough to notice mine (hopefully without undue prejudice and harsh judgment), will. One known to my folks is my pleasure to meditate on daily Bible verses, devotionals and—I admit—dictionary entries whenever possible, often at their midnight generation online. Between the quiet stretches that occur in my personal communications and longer ones in my entries here, the Scripture in particular helps to set a healthy tone for the nightly rest period I forbid anger or negative trifles to enter along with the much-needed benefit of grounding yet uplifting guidance for each new day I am given.

Today's words at the popular Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com websites struck a unique chord with my spirit while offering an (until now) unfamiliar option for even trying to describe the Sovereign justice system to some degree. Please consider the entries

          peruse \puh-ROOZ\
          verb

          1

                  a : to examine or study attentively and in detail  

                  b : to look over or through in a casual or hasty manner

          2

                     : read 

and

           nomothetic \ nom-uh-THET-ik \  
           adjective
           1. Giving or establishing laws; legislative.
           2. Founded upon or derived from law.

           3. Psychology. Pertaining to or involving the study of formulation of 
               general or universal laws (opposed to idiographic).  

with me. The words' co-incidence hint at the human ability to learn from the large, necessary yet simple laws laid out all around and within us. Needless to say, ability (even faithful knowing, skill) and activity (being/doing, applied work) are two different things. Then, of course, we all have the choice to express either in a harmful or helpful manner. Like the inventory suggested by the above definition of "peruse", worldly affections, knowledge and pulses in the Oriental medical paradigm for that matter can be superficial and subject to upset by the whisper of a sneaky wind or deep and abiding.

Just as Christ drew The Line between His stance and the era's popular hypocrisy against the Living Word and women who could read, for instance, the Holy Spirit will assist each of us in possibly unexpected ways to stay fair and focused in a confused world. Riding certain lines of the Long Island Railroad into New York City, I have witnessed a large Korean church the signage of which I do not understand save for its asking in English "Is it nothing to you". Being presented with what could be the prophet Jeremiah's lament before stepping onto streets bustling with haves and naughts alike is one such blessing. The 'it' of over seven billion people takes on forms that only the Most High can track and attend to with equal sufficiency. Should tears of sadness ever result as per our (mis)use of balance and blur our perspective, be reminded that they, too, shall pass away.

I encourage you as I am encouraged to truly stop, look and listen along the Way, beyond any minor dimensions our own boxes may take to the burdens of another. Detours, misleading signs, some third-party definitions or interpretations and other temporary obstacles aside, the journey and destination of right relationship with the Lord Whom the world mocked, forsook and went missing from the side of first is well worth it. We must stay the course, though. A casual or hasty peek won't do nor will selfish rules yield Love's proof.

References: Lamentations 1; Psalm 30, 119; Proverbs 20; Isaiah 55; 
John 15; Romans 13; Galatians 5-6; Philippians 1; 2 Timothy 3; James 2 
(AMP, MSG, NLT)

Whether or Never

Standing to the best of its ability between the sun glaring from a great distance and the empathetically chilled foundation of even vast seas, the s-talk of a plant once asked how the latter could endure what some would call inclement weather.

But Grace...

Full of gratitude in any season, it answered
"Rain who nails the earth, whose infinite legs
nail the earth, whose silver faces
touch my faces, I marry you. & open
all the windows of my house to hear
your million feral versions
of si si
        sí
                               si
                      si"
within her s(i)mile.

*

Despite any protests from the homeless or 'hire', inherent to all living is the importance of a secure belonging and of change. As such,young girl or "boy, go be a [wo/man]. Old [wo/man], go be a snake."

To Peace

It lives in Salaam, shalom and even Shlomo. While Salem, Salome, salami and other related words
might have developed contrary implications to it over time, the soul purpose is peace.

The Biblical King Solomon has long been touted as one of the wisest people ever born. It was the highest frequency of his energy that recently came to mind during a conversation on human nature and its sometimes supernatural feats of (in)humanity. When the dynamic discourse visited suffering, namely from abuse of all kinds, we agreed that the conditions were likely to create further sexual and/or emotional deviance in the victims; forms of perversion or power-seeking that seemed to narrow one's options to the plight of pimps and prostitutes. An old testament of the latter is key to today's post, so there's no need for alarm regarding my choice of words or corresponding song. Lord knows Life gets down and dirty sometimes, so I'm grateful for the omnipresence of what poet Nancy Thomas calls a "Hard God".

The third chapter of 1 Kings presents the former prince-turned-preacher with two members of the aforementioned profession. Bittersweetly, Solomon's family -- the root of Jesse that branched into adulterous parents; homicidal, incestuous siblings and then the Messiah -- had yielded all the practice he would need to provide right leadership like that which discerned the liar from among the pair of freaks, so to speak. Due to earnest relations with the Most High, the options expected, if not encouraged, by the family's dysfunction expanded to include the proverbial fifth element of prudence.

Having argued or otherwise engaged with foolishness before, I understand what it was to be mistaken, however briefly, for the same. For example, receiving "Again?" as a response to my first and only sharing of serious events with some believed to know me well followed by a third-party feeding of information only they knew was enough to pause my calling on them even for dire reasons. As 1 Kings 11 and Nehemiah 13 attest, the false dominion of his many wives' deities and thighs would temporarily confuse the king and dim his light. In our respective seasons, the merit of consecration (cleansing and setting something aside for spiritual purposes) became clear to us both. Past mistakes were rendered powerless save to inform and enhance the positive, larger Message.

The earlier conversation's good spirits as well as the classic Jodeci remix track that came to mind reframing the king's activity grew distant from the perpetual present and notion to post here. With the delivery of a raw diet women's health newsletter subscription on this morning's wings, I was subject to the ticklishly blessed assurance that "If you think it's about your thighs, it's not" and encouraged to share my sentiments anyway. May It all serve God's will well. Case closed.