#but jesus christ have some compassion just in general

[pollenallergie]

i thought statistics was gonna be fun. i mean it’s right up my nerdy lil alley, but fuck this is a battle.

(ps. the tags contain a brief discussion of eddie x reader bc my posts can never just be about my personal struggles, i always have to involve my current obsession in some way, shape, or form)

#can i pls just use stat crunch for the rest of my life #doing this shit by hand is the bane of my existence #i could be writing fanfic but instead i’m crunching numbers #my fucking hand hurts from writing jesus christ #eddie wouldn’t make me take statistics </3 #eddie would support me being a stay at home mom </3 #eddie would support me dropping out of college to be a housewife </3 #the man may not have money but he does have compassion </3 #i need eddie to gimme a hand massage because the pain is unreal right now #and he would do it too </3 #i’m kind of a math nerd lol #i’m the only person i know who legitimately had *fun* taking trig #eddie x nerd!reader is a concept that i need to explore someday #GASP #eddie x reader but reader is a geek + nerd + a dweeb + a dork all rolled into one #he would have some much fun with them #*so much fun #fuck i need to write this #but the question is to i leave it as a general eddie x reader or do i make it a part of the best friend!eddie x reader series i’m doing???

[whogavemeapen]

On the one hand, the entire situation of James Somerton’s plagiarism sucks and I hate it, because I liked his videos, and I liked how he presented stuff. I hate that it took a 4h video from a YouTuber I’d never watched before telling me he plagiarized basically everything for me to realize. It makes me feel pretty stupid, you know? That I just took information at face value.

But on the other hand, I can now air out my main issues with stuff he’s said in his videos.

1) only the boring gays survived the AIDS epidemic

For the record, I’m not the best when it comes to empathy, all related -pathies, and emotions. But Jesus fucking Christ how insensitive do you have to be to say that?! Like holy fuck, have a little compassion or sympathy or whatever the correct term is! For fucks sake. It’s not that hard! The people who’ve survived the epidemic have had to see so many of their friends and family die. They’ve lived to see so many deaths, deaths that the government saw and did nothing about. How disrespectful do you have to be to boil them down to “the boring ones”

2) comparing sex to broccoli in a “you won’t know you won’t like it unless you try it” way

Fuck right off with that. I say this as an asexual who has never had, and never intends to have, sex, but that’s not how it works for everyone. ASEXUALITY IS A SPECTRUM! EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES! Some people have sex before they realize they’re asexual, some don’t. Acting like we all have the same experience is a gross generalization, one I especially hate to hear from someone who made an entire podcast episode thing on asexuality.

#james somerton #hbomberguy #rant #correct me if I’m wrong on anything I’ve said specifically the bit on aids I’m not that well versed in history #and unlike some people I don’t want to spread misinformation

[zeephyre]

CR3: EPISODE 63 SPOILERS

I'm literally losing my mind rn guys

i haven't even finished the episode yet as im typing this, currently ashton is holding laudna as she cries on their shoulder after she sucked the life out of bor'dor.

i always had the suspicion that bor'dor wasn't telling the truth or telling a version of the truth, but i never really talked about it cause everyone was throwing out theories. i had an...inkling that he was connected to ludinus or just ruidus in general, and i was right in a way.

him being ruby vanguard is devastating but not surprising. it connected so many things that i chose to brush off cause i didn't want to seem paranoid. a specific moment being bor'dor killing the angel of the dawn father. during that scene, the way matt described the look in that angel's eyes as it died did not match the way that bor'dor retold it and i thought i had just...forgotten how the actual scene played out. now that i know, even tho i haven't rewatched that episode, i have a feeling that the hatred and righteous judgement i remembered was the accurate version.

i don't think bor'dor is bad, simply because i have no way to come to that conclusion when i know how easy it is to let fear and pain and anger drive you to vengeance -- the hellians are feeling it too, and i feel deep compassion for them so i feel for bor'dor too.

for all of ludinus' preachy bullshit he never gave me the impression that he gave a single fuck about the people who followed him or about the lives he ruined to accomplish his goal. i don't think bor'dor was some big wig, i think he was just a kid who was vulnerable and powerful and easily coerced. i do not think he is without blame -- his actions with the ruby vanguard have led to incomprehensible repercussions for everyone on exandria and outside of exandria too. (bear in mind, we don't even know how the apple bee's soul cycle has affected the fey realm -- or any other realms for that matter).

i think that there was no way bor'dor could have survived this night with the way it went. i don't think there could have been a moment where he snuck away. if he got a lucky roll, maybe. i don't think bor'dor died because /he/ was an unforgivable monster.

he died because laudna, ashton and orym were at their breaking point and none of them wanted to pull each other from that place of hatred and anger. they've spoken about feeling powerless -- terrified and angry at the situation they were forced into when they truly have nothing to do with ludinus' anger at the gods. orym, especially, has been struggling with his grief and his stubbornness, and this moment will have effects on all of them for these upcoming battles and hardships.

laudna. jesus christ. im so upset that delilah is back. or at least pieces of her are thriving inside laudna, seemingly every time she uses her necrotic magic. for a single moment, she felt delilah's complete control over herself and other people in a situation where laudna had no idea what to do and how to get shit done, and as soon as delilah had nothing left of bor'dor to scavenge off of, laudna was back to feeling weak.

i can't even process the lore drops of ashton's heritage and his father and the history of the hishari and the fact that abadina WAS an hishari ???? they need to go that cursed town soon or im gonna lose it. hell, maybe they're already headed there.

deni$e might say she didn't care whether bor'dor lived or died but i know that isn't true because she was a) the only person who didn't actually hurt him and b) she was trying the entire time to get the others to at least interrogate him. i don't think that would work for multiple reasons. bor'dor was yeeted to kingdom come so bor'dor would likely not have anything useful for them atp, and also bor'dor is absolutely not nearly as important to ludinus as they need him to be.

im gonna miss utkarsh 😭

i think that maybe if bells hells was together, he'd live. but ashton, laudna and orym are too... there's something dangerous about these three being separated from their people. dangerous for themselves mentally and for anyone who stands in their way. i NEED bells hells to be reunited again.

it's sad that the characters with such a strong history of loss and betrayal and abandonment and grief and loss of control would have the traitor amongst them. there is nothing that bor'dor could say that would lessen the pain orym feels having lost his husband and his father, of him and his friends being killed by a cruel, vicious comrade of ludinus', of the tempest being trapped /because/ orym was the one who led her straight into it. the gods are all good and well, but i don't think it will EVER be about the gods for orym. i won't say he's correct or in the right for his narrowed vision and hardened heart. he took that locket for a reason, and throwing it aside is a calculated disposal of that inherently inconvenient empathy orym has for people around him. he can't afford to feel. not now.

#critical role #cr3 #bells hells #critical role campaign 3 #ashton greymoore #orym of the air ashari #laudna #bordor dogson #bor'dor dog'son #prism grimpoppy #denise bembachula #cr denise #deni$e #cr spoilers #c3 e63 #cr3 ep63 #critical role c3 #c3

[tanadrin]

went back and listened to the episodes on david bokovoy's personal experience with religion, and man, it's funny just how different the stuff that people twig on in their experience of faith is--for bokovoy, even as a scholar of biblical criticism, it really isn't the truth claims of the LDS church that were ever a problem for him. like his academic career definitely primed him to move from a more orthodox, small-c conservative theology to a more expansive one (and he remains a pretty spiritual guy in general from the sound of it), but the thing that really started to fuck him up was the church's insistence on beating the anti-gay-marriage drum, starting with proposition 8, and culminating in the 2015 declaration about the children of gay parents not being welcome in the church unless they denounced them.

and it's a little infuriating to listen to him talk about how he feels about the LDS church after all of that--this whole "the leadership are good people deep down, i just disagree with them on this." like, come on, dude. i get that you're a straight guy whose experiences with mormonism have been generally very positive, but you are also self-aware enough to talk with compassion about LGBT people, about the experience of having a gay daughter, about the way in which people raised in Mormonism who are gay or even just a little bit nonconformist in some aspect of their life can have a really brutal time of it, and yet you cling to this idea of the organization as having some noble core, some inherently good quality that is only failing in its ultimate expression. he even talks about the experience of watching a movie that dramatizes the way different faith leaders came together during the civil rights movement, and having a moment of acute discomfort remembering that at the same time the leadership of the LDS church was still racist as hell in its teachings and policy

like, you should not be afraid to admit that the LDS church fucking sucks! it's always fucking sucked! most organized religion fucking sucks, and the organized religion that doesn't fucking suck has mostly gotten there by virtue of progressives splintering off and forming organizations that retain only a general flavor of the awful bullshit they grew up with and none of the core dogmas. i don't know of a human organization from the beginning of time that rigidly patrols boundaries of identity politics and creates structures of authority based on spirituality that didn't rapidly collapse into tyranny, a grift, or both, except the ones that were already that from the beginning.

and this, i suppose, is my disappointment with even the very open-minded progressives that John Dehlin interviews, which is that they want to redeem an organization that i think is fundamentally unredeemable. no particular shade to mormonism here--I think the Catholic church is also fundamentally unredeemable. hell, if i knew more about tibetan buddhism, i'd probably think that whole hierarchy was fundamentally unredeemable as well. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints cannot become progressive on LGBT issues and honestly pursue truth and cease to misrepresent its history and spend its money on helping the poor and needy instead of conservative political campaigns and exploiting eighteen year olds to do morally questionable missionary work in third world countries without ceasing to be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and its leadership knows this. for the exact same reason the Roman Catholic church can't go "lol you know what, our bad, this Pope guy isn't all that he's cracked up to be" and remain the Roman Catholic church.

i mean ultimately bokovoy doesn't go to church anymore; he says that the 2015 declaration was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back, and even if it was revoked tomorrow, it's not like he'd start going back. i assume he's not tithing anymore either. and he seems like a generally very gentle soul who wants to see the best in people, and i don't want to get on his case too much about that, because i admire that. but man, i think it's kind of disappointing to watch someone as apparently smart and compassionate as he is work himself into knots to excuse the behavior of the leadership of an organization like that when the simplest explanation is just that these people are assholes on a fundamental level and always have been.

#there is a very funny moment he describes #where he and his wife came out of a movie where one of the previews beforehand was brokeback mountain #and his wife said something very generically of the form “it's awful when people who love each other can't be together” #and he recalls being viscerally upset that hollywood's gay agenda had gotten to her #like christ how do you go from thinking the gay agenda is a real thing that exists in the world #to being a socially progressive staunch lgbt ally #and can we bottle this and disperse it via airplane over the rest of utah

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Pope of Enchiridion's Memory improvement Spell.

I am Happy to annouce that the spellwork I have conceived had a very successful result in improving the memory of the recipient and rectify any problem with recalling stuff in term of short memory. I hope to present it here in an easily readable/digestable format from the grimoire and give it a body, to encourage more exploration and practice of these techniques. Prayer to Aid a Failing Memory: By the will of God + the Almighty, leave from out of here + and fall to the ground, + spirits of poor memory + whether visible + or invisible, + the + body of this creature N. As fell the precious blood of Jesus + crucified. By the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (This line is to be recited five times.)

I hope that this is a bridge from grimoire to folk magic, from theurgy to practicalities and praying to breathing it into the manifest. Anyway let's get down to Business with the ingredients 1. A red pen/marker 2. A black marker 3. Paper 4. Dried/Fresh common sage 5. (Optional) a tea bag/earl grey tea 6.(Optional) Holy Oil

7.Flask (I mean where you gonna put it... lol)

8. Compass to draw

Once you got everything ready you will prepare by writing the prayer inside the circle drawn in paper and mark/draw the cross with red ink specifically. The last line of the passion of Christ you write in full RED, like this replacing the N with your name or the name of the person you want to improve their memory like your friend, brother, sister, partener, etc.

After that you will put your flask/french press or whatever on top of the paper, and after pouring the hot water you will make the sign of the cross(you're the priest blessing this body of water) so top to down then lef to right. You can say it once, three, or nine times, the important thing is that you sign and direct the prayer AT THE FLASK/CONTAINER. You can add the extra layer where you bless the person if you're able with the holy oil or just your finger and do the cross on their forehead and toward their general body. After that you can enjoy the tea with your recipient or yourself and try to remember some old memory, something you did this past week, and just stretch the memory a bit. My personal experience with this spellwork is that the results are gradual and suddenly the person find themselves through few days getting more and more grasp on their memory...So it is a success! The translation/this prayer is taken from Tarl Warwick 's translation of pope leo if you're wondering.

Go out there and do it! if you're wondering why I choose sage it's because in Nicholas Culpeper's herbalism classic book: Sage is of excellent use to help the memory, warming and quickening the senses;

#occult #magic #witchblr #ritual #magick #invocation #folk magic #witchcraft #spellwork #folk spellcraft #prayer #catholic #christianity #bible #ritual magic #kitchen witch #herbalism #green witch #herbs #sage

[hillbillyoracle]

As an ex-fundie, every time there’s a conservative related tragedy, I just really want people to realize that there are two levels at which the religious right in the US operate. 

There’s the select few that are using the movement as a means to coalesce power for themselves. They know what they’re doing, they understand it’s not rooted in religious morality, and you’re never going to convince them of shit. 

There’s the much larger group of genuine believers and their beliefs are actually internally consistent much more than the Left would have you believe (saying this as a Leftist). 

Per gun violence, yes many of them would indeed rather risk their child’s life ending (and in their view, them going to heaven) than limiting guns. 

Something that doesn’t get a lot of media attention outside of fundamentalist churches is that most of them have an emphasis on what I can only describe as apocalyptic fascism. It’s this idea that the end of days have already begun and we’re living in the first phase of the apocalypse and ultimately the return of Jesus Christ. So people shooting up schools is a sign at that escalation and - while no one will admit it - there is an idea that if someone passes away, they’re being spared seeing the more grizzly impacts of the apocalypse as it progresses. That they’re kind of lucky. 

They also think that any limitation on guns is more dangerous. They believe True Believers will be rounded up and exterminated at some point (yes, the irony is not lost on me). That one of the signs of the apocalypse escalating is that being a Christian will be effectively outlawed. The select few using the movement have framed protecting ones family as a intrinsically Christian value so - as you might see where this is going - any attack on owning guns is an attack on Christians. 

I want to be very very clear that I’m talking about fundamentalist and charismatic Christian churches - not each individual fundamentalist and charismatic Christian, let alone all Christians. I can tell you from personal experience most Catholics and Episcopalians I’ve met when I related some of my experiences as a kid are generally respond with “what the actual fuck.” 

So why am I writing about this at all? Isn’t this like a divination blog? Well, one of the Left’s favorite coping mechanisms after tragedies is to funnel that frustration in to picking apart the so called idiosyncrasies in fundamentalist Christian dogma. While I understand it, I just want to help dispel the idea that it’s in any way useful. I want to frame that reaction for what it is - a reaction, a sign that a community in mourning and under real material threat has unmet needs.

But the illusion that what you’re doing will impact people in some way, that being technically correct will protect you, is a trauma response and doesn’t actually take care of the trauma. It tends to make another group a monolith and create more fear and aversion in oneself. Which makes further trauma reactions more likely to less stimulus. And so on. It’s understandable but it’s also avoidable. I just hate seeing folks in my orbit set themselves up to deepen their trauma through participating in ineffectual means. Believe me, I have been there and...yeah. Trauma reactions never heal trauma in my experience. 

So what to do instead? 

One, vet the information you’re sharing. See if you can confirm it with a known valid news source. If you don’t have the energy to check, just pause on sharing things. You can always share later. It’s important people have accurate information and not info based on fear or theory. One the best ways you can help regulate your community’s nervous systems and not make potential trauma worse. 

Two, if you have a personal relationship with people in or still connected with the fundamentalist Christian movement and if you are in a healed enough place to do it, they need your love and compassion. You want to know why my family is substantially more open to social support services and some gun restrictions than the average Fundie family? Because of good faith conversations. I didn’t police which words they chose to use and focused on arriving at a mutual understanding of each others positions. Over time, they’ve shifted. It took about 5 years but most now vote Democrat which would have been unthinkable years ago. They’ll never credit me and I am 100% okay with that. Cause that’s often what it takes to change hearts and minds. 

These conversations need to be held in private, away from the public spotlight where people, in my experience, are more open to change. If you’re going to attempt it, the first couple attempts might be rocky. I encourage you to cut things off when you feel yourself getting too angry or you lose touch with compassion. Remember that it’s less about supplying them with facts and more about trying to understand their position. By trying to understand their reasoning alone, you’ll likely change how they think because the perspective your questions come from alone will generally cause them to think about their belief in new ways. Then give it time. 

Trust the process. This is basically how my friends helped me begin to break free of fundamentalism as a teenager. By having those conversations, you are engaging in activism, because what most destroys the hold those select few have is their flock beginning to realize the nature of the wolf leading them.  

This is one of the reasons I think one of most valuable things we can do as ex-fundies is to heal our relationship with Christianity enough to reengage with it. It’s almost like being bilingual. We know the language, we know what is culturally significant and why, we know what events are treasured and what causes fear. We have the ability to, if we get to a stable place, to best engage with them on their own terms. Which is why so many churches demand friends and family cut off contact with us. They know. They fucking know. 

Three, if you don’t have personal relationships with fundamentalists, join larger efforts. I know a lot of people think of protests and they are good, but other work is often needed. If you can provide material support like money - do so. If you can’t or just want to do more, I really can’t understate how useful calling in, writing emails, and writing letters is. I’ve seen direct change from those efforts. 

So yeah, this was...way longer than I meant it to be. But basically, one, the fundie political ideology is internally consistent so the nitpicking is just for you but it’s honestly not that good for you and there are ways to actually meet the unmet need you’ve got. For me, this whole process can intersect with shadow work which is why it’s been on my mind lately. 

#cw: guns #cw: gun violence #cw: conservative #cw: politics #cw: fundamentalism #cw: trauma

[godlovesdykes]

hi I was just wondering if u can mention a few of ur other favorite prayers? I need a few more in my arsenal !

my favourite repository for prayers is the anglican book of common prayer! you should be able to find it online, or there’s an app with the daily offices. i like to pray the evening prayer collect before bed:

lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, o lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only son, our saviour jesus christ. amen.

compline and the prayers for families also have some very sweet ones:

keep us as the apple of an eye; hide us under the shadow of thy wings.

preserve us, o lord, waking, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may walk with christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

general prayer for those in anxiety (i usually change “their” to “our” etc):

almighty god, who art afflicted in the afflictions of thy people: regard with thy tender compassion those in anxiety and distress; bear their sorrows and their cares; supply all their manifold needs; and help both them and us to put our whole trust and confidence in thee; through jesus christ our lord.

prayer for the departed (the first part is from the old latin, second part is local to my home church):

rest eternal grant unto them, o lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them. may the divine assistance remain with us always, and with our absent brethren.

sarah bessey’s a rhythm of prayer has breath prayers and a good one for righteous anger. i also use the jesus prayer as a breath prayer:

(inhale) lord jesus christ, son of god, (exhale) have mercy upon me, a sinner

i LOVE the angelus but can never find the translation i like on prayer cards >_<

common prayer: a liturgy for ordinary radicals by shane claiborne and jonathan wilson hartgrove has a lovely office as well.

#screams into the void #christianity #rustbeltbabey #learning how to use the prayer book is the best skill. you can find all manner of lovely collects and prayers for any situation #unfortunately in the old bcp there are some. ecumenically questionable prayers but you just skip them

[kienansidhe]

hi, im kienan! im the current host of the disaster hearts system. we are a korean american body with dissociative identity disorder and have had multiple diff hosts over the course of this blogs run. i or some variation of me have been host since around 2017-18ish. for transparencys sake, the body is 25+. do not ask abt age specifics please.

we are a survivor of csa trauma, parental abuse, religious and cult abuse, and generally very traumatized, and our experience of life is irrevocably colored by that lens.

we are disabled and unable to hold a job ever since we got long covid in april of 2020. we are fully dependent on our partners, working on our disability application, and still coming to terms with the reality of being probably permanently disabled.

unless otherwise specified it is probably some variation of kienan speaking.

-♡♡♡-

i, kienan, am queer and i prefer to be addressed by strangers with he/they/it or fae/faeself pronouns. i dont rlly care which of those you use, tho, no need to rotate or anything.

some other labels that generally describe me: nonbinary, transmasc, gnc, cuntboy, [redacted], [redacted], femme, femboy, genderweird, bi, aro/ace with a couple exceptions, sex favorable, kink obligate, freak, degenerate, pervert.

i currently have 4 partners, referred to here as prettyboyfriend, nesting boyfriend, girlfriend/daddy, and moirail.

no dni, i think theyre stupid and the only ppl i would not want to interact would not respect dnis anyways lmao. if i have a problem with you i will just say so or block you or whatever.

some of my beliefs and what to expect on this blog are under the cut.

i believe in rehabilitation and compassion, full stop. yes, even for those people. i think that othering and dehumanizing others sucks, that thoughts do not define you (yes, even those thoughts), and that the only thing that matters is your actions.

i think callouts are never helpful, ever. ive literally never seen one do anything helpful or good.

i try my best to interact with others in good faith, and i expect the same in return.

we were homeschooled in a cult and our education was heavily ~moderated~ to keep us brainwashed, and every time i think ive rooted out all the misinfo new stuff comes up. please be patient with me if i ask stupid questions, i literally am stupid. i have so much literal actual brain damage. i will do my best to be open minded, i rlly want to learn!

i believe that the best ways to combat csa are better sex education, breaking down the sanctity of the nuclear family, youth liberation (more legal rights and self advocacy for children), and not clogging child abuse report portals with fucking fictional art, jesus h christ.

medicalization of identities sucks. sysmeds, transmeds, im sorry youre miserable but thats not an excuse for trying to make everyone else miserable with you.

labels are only useful insofar as they help you connect with others like you and form solidarity in order to combat systemic oppression. if labels make you angry or miserable, consider not taking them so seriously.

its okay to just dislike ppl. its not always that deep. trying to come up with moral reasons to justify disliking ppl is rlly fucking catholic.

dont talk to me abt christianity. im aware that my trauma affects my ability to be compassionate in this area, so im staying in my lane. in fact probably dont talk to me abt religion in general.

im not a proshipper or an anti i touch grass <3, HOWEVER:

antishipping / purity politics / anti-kink / whatever you wanna call it, ppl equating fictional depictions of Obvious Bad Things with condoning, supporting, or normalizing them in real life are fucking stupid and have done unbelievable amounts of damage that has now reached far beyond fandom and kink circles. get a life, for fucks sake.

ppl who call themselves proshippers and then go around harassing antis are fucking stupid and have lost the original spirit of the term proship / anti-anti, which hinged around not harassing or harming others over fiction. get a life, for fucks sake.

just be kind. dont be a dick. treat others how you wanna be treated. we are all traumatized but thats not an excuse to be cruel. leave the world better than you found it.

youre gonna make mistakes. you just are. youre not perfect and also the world is complex. remember that you cant help everyone. try your best but dont lose yourself in the process.

art is everything. the act of creation is holy. more progress is made by creating -- building communities, making art, growing plants, building houses, building relationships -- than by tearing things down. there is probably a time and place for violence, destroying oppressive systems, bombing weapons factories, but if we arent creating a positive, healthy society alongside the destruction we are just leaving fertile ground for new oppressive structures to take root. create. create. create.

-♡♡♡-

many hosts has left a chaotic mess of tags on this blog but here are some we use pretty consistently:

#headspace: original posts. diary rambling, random thoughts, actual semi coherent opinions, anything

#my face: the body

#humans are good actually: reminders

#recovery things: mental health help

#important: there is so much stuff in this tag

#bookmark: too much here too lol

#feel better: just fluffy stuff

#vine: general funny video tag

#about, #me kin id, #i ghostwrote this post: stuff we relate to rlly hard + uquiz tags lol

#posts that are funnier when plural

#pinned #headspace #my face #humans are good actually #recovery things #important #bookmark #feel better #vine #about #me kin id #i ghostwrote this post #posts that are funnier when plural #sorry this is so long idk how to make things not long #will probs edit as i remember stuff

[ave-immaculata]

I’m sorry, maybe I need some help understanding but I don’t think I cannot help a pedophile that I know has harmed and or killed children in any situation plus, didn’t Jesus say that anyone who harms children might as well tie a limestone to their necks and throw themselves into the ocean? Mathew 18:6

He says something similar, that: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." I know that this verse is commonly cited about this issue, but personally I don't find it applicable because I don't think that children are sinning when they're the victims of pedophilia; I think this Scripture is a warning to those who would lead children away from the faith, neglect to foster the faith in their children, or lead children into sin by teaching them to steal, encouraging violence, etc.

I also understand your hesitation. I experienced sexual abuse as a child and I really do appreciate the intuitive and instinctive response about how we should treat these people. They should be prosecuted where possible. They should be held accountable. They should be punished. And God will satisfy every longing for justice such that no soul in Heaven or Hell will be able to say that God was unjust. As Catholics, we believe in the temporal punishment for sins can continue even after death before one experiences eternal rest.

Jesus also doesn't make any exceptions for which people we ought to show charity to, love, and pray for. Scripture says it is the Father's will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance and receive eternal salvation. When He asks us to visit the imprisoned, He doesn't say it is only for those whose crimes we think are forgiveable or reasonable or mundane, and He doesn't say it is only for the prisoners who are contrite or apologetic. If Christ had waited to come and find me until I was repentant of my sins, I'd still be wandering through the depths of depravity, lost for all of eternity.

So, while that instinct comes from a place of goodness (compassion and justice and the desire to protect the innocent), it is not the call of a Christian. You should not help them to commit great evils, but you can't interview a homeless person to check that they have never molested anyone before giving them your change and some water. You ought to report any real or suspected abuse and help children who have been victimized, and yet you have to pray for the grace to forgive the abusers, and that God take pity on them.

These all need to co-exist, lest we be found hypocrites on the day of judgement. My own experiences left scars that still haven't healed, and despite being in therapy for 6+ years I couldn't even talk about it. I know that God is exceedingly patient with me and doesn't demand me to be farther along the path than I am, but I do need to forgive those people, and I need to forgive myself. I cannot think of myself as better than them, because I am not. I cannot wish them to be damned. I cannot wish that they be tormented for my own personal vengeance. That is not the Gospel.

In fact, when we say the Fatima prayer during the Rosary, consider who "those most in need of Thy mercy would be," because I don't think it's the robbers or the slanderers. I think it's the people who have hurt the most vulnerable and gotten away with it.

Edit: Regarding ministry specifically, everyone will experience different calls and possess different charisms. I don't think everyone who has been violated will necessarily be called to something like prison ministry, just like not everyone is called to be a Franciscan living in poverty in the Bronx; this is as a general interpretation of how we are to view our neighbour's sins and respond to them.

#saying well at least I didn't do x or at least I'm not an x has paved the way to hell for souls

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Wednesday, June 21, 2023

june 21_june 8

SAINT EPHREM, PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH (546)

Saint Ephraim, Patriarch of Antioch, a Syrian, was a military general under the emperors Anastasius (491-518) and Justin (518-527). The saint was distinguished for his virtue, piety, and compassion for all the destitute.

In 526, the Lord punished Antioch for Christians falling into the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches: an earthquake destroyed this magnificent city. A large number of the inhabitants perished. Patriarch Euphrasios was crushed beneath a fallen column.

The emperor summoned Ephraim to oversee the restoration of the ruined city. Among the workers was a bishop who left his see for unknown reasons. He predicted Ephraim's election to the patriarchal throne and asked him not to abandon deeds of charity and to struggle firmly against the heretics. In the year 527, Ephraim was indeed elected to the patriarchal throne. He governed his flock firmly and wisely by the example of his life. He also defended it against heretical teachings through his sermons and letters.

The following event gives some idea of his faith. Near Herakleia was a stylite practicing asceticism who had fallen into heresy. Learning about the ascetic, Ephraim went to him and urged him to be reunited with the Orthodox Church. The stylite could have been more agreeable. He decided to frighten the patriarch and offered to kindle a large bonfire, so they both might enter the fire. The bonfire was set, but the stylite dared not go into it. The patriarch prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ to show that he was of the correct faith, and removing his omophorion, he put it in the bonfire. After three hours, the firewood was consumed, but the omophorion of the saint was taken out unharmed. The stylite was converted from his heresy and reunited with the Church.

Ephraim fell asleep in the Lord in the year 545 AD.

Among his labors, Ephraim defended the teaching of the Orthodox Church on the union of two natures, the divine and the human, in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Source: orthodox Church in America

HOLY HIEROMARTYR THEODORE OF KVELTA (Georgia_609)

     Saint Tevdore was a simple priest who labored in the 16th century in the village of Kvelta. At that time, the Ottoman Empire and Persia were locked in a bitter feud over control of the Near East. At the beginning of 1609, the Ottomans conquered first the city of Baghdadi, then part of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. In June of that year, they launched an attack on eastern Georgia.      At that time, the Georgian ruler was the young King Luarsab II. When the Ottomans penetrated Kartli, the king was absent, abiding in his summer residence, Tskhireti Castle. But the Ottomans knew his castle's location and knew that his troops were small in number. They plotted to lay siege to the castle, capture the king, and ultimately annex Georgia.      The Ottomans quickly crossed the Trialeti mountain range and advanced into Manglisi, pillaging the lands and laying waste to the people. Miraculously, the Manglisi Church of the Most Holy Mother of God remained unharmed. One chronicler wrote: “A dense fog surrounded the church and village, concealing it from the enemy...”

     St. Luarsab had received no warning of the attack, and the enemy was just minutes from his castle.      In the village of Kvelta, not far fromManglisi, the Turks captured the priest Tevdore, a man sincere before God and devoted to his king and motherland. Fr. Tevdore could not escape to the woods with the other villagers, so he locked the doors to the church and concealed its sacred treasures. When the Ottoman Turks found Fr. Tevdore, they commanded him to lead them to Tskhireti Castle and threatened to kill him if he refused.      Hoping to deceive them, Tevdore led the Ottomans along a narrow, rocky mountain path away from Tskhireti Castle. Many horses and soldiers fell on the way to their deaths.      But after some time, the Ottomans realized that the priest had led them in the wrong direction. Embittered and hungry for revenge, they beheaded Fr. Tevdore.      As a result of St. Tevdore’s great sacrifice, St. Luarsab had time to strengthen his fortifications, assemble his armies, and finally annihilate the enemy.

© 2006 St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood.

ROMANS 8:2-13

2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

MATTHEW 10:16-22

16 Behold, I send you out as sheep amid wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, feel free to worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #wisdom

[themysticsoffering]

"I Want Jesus to Walk with Me"

The Eggs Benedict and coffee lingered on my palate as this hymn title came to mind. I must have sung this hymn at some point, but the words are not memorable. However, the title and the idea that "I want Jesus to walk with me" is intriguing.

Receiving news earlier this week that a friend has been diagnosed with a highly treatable form of cancer, and receiving news just this morning that another friend is in hospital with a serious infection, initially left me feeling a sense of doom about human frailty.

Certainly, with my turning 40 just a few weeks away, the reality and perception of time are on my mind. The reality, of course, being that we experience time; it passes and we know this because we have the capacity for memory. And yes, while it should be a point of humor to make such statements at the age of 39 and holding, the body does change, it does age.

While the mind seems only to awaken increasingly, to expand, to unfold like a blossom, I do not get the sense that my mind ages.

I'm taking the last bites of my sumptuous breakfast and clutching a second cup of coffee, hoping that the sensation of feeling awake lies at its bottom.

Bill is telling me that an acquaintance of his will need to have both kidneys replaced.

Rather than sitting dourly with the facts of life in my lap, I think, "What if you were to put a positive spin on all this frailty, passing of time, and aging?"

The phrase "I want Jesus to walk with me" rises to the surface. Intriguing!

How can one being walk with each of his many followers individually? But then logic leads me to take this phrase as figurative speech.

What it must have been like for the twelve apostles and other disciples who knew Jesus of Nazareth as he indeed WALKED with them!

More than ever before, I imagine what it would be like if had "Jesus to 'walk' with me."

Certainly, he would show me compassion for my difficulties. He might hug me or massage the pain out of my body. He would smile as I told him my dreams. He might put his arms around my shoulders and jostle me a bit and remind me not to be so unkind to myself or harsh toward someone around me. He might laugh at my humor, my fixations, or the truths of myself that I am yet unable to see.

Jesus certainly had a knack for seeing the best, the beauty in people and for leading them into the light of this self-awareness, and for putting people to work as they used their strengths and their weaknesses to their advantage.

Today we know Jesus as Christ. We have only fragmented records and poignant accounts of the historical Jesus. Knowing Jesus as Christ means we know him through Spirit. And Spirit is something any number of people can share!

That is precisely why Jesus of Nazareth told the Apostles to share his "good news" and to go out into all nations and baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

To put it in the words of my friend who is diagnosed with cancer: "We receive blessings vertically. It is our job to share them horizontally."

Life... LIFE!... is not to await the eventualities of aging, weakness, and to cower in fear of incapacity and death.

We cling to life and we enjoy our blessings! We strive to share, preserve, and increase the blessings of the people around us!

And with this, just half an hour before I meet with my personal trainer for the first time, I bid you cheer and give this advice...

KEEP MOVING! Keep your eyes and your heart open! Receive with gratitude the delights and the peace each day holds for you! With a generous heart, make and take the opportunity to spread blessings when and how you can!

[the-courage-to-heal]

What do you think of Joyofsatan.org? They claim to follow the Pagan Goddess Lilith/Lalitha, they’re pro-choice and they’re the largest Satanist group in the world.

Please bear with me because this is going to be a long response. For context here. I'm an American. The foundation of our constitution and Bill of Rights is based upon freedom of religion.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

Satanists espouse some basic beliefs: (I'm paraphrasing here)

"One should strive to act with compassion and empathy, The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused."

As you can see in general these are beliefs most of us can understand or agree with on some level. It also makes sense that they would take a pro-choice stance.

As a practicing Christian, ultimately I think Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation, and Satan is the father of lies.

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." - John 8:44

That being said, I deeply respect the fundamental right to practice whatever faith they choose as long as it doesn't infringe on my right to practice my beliefs. It's my understanding that the Satanic Temple and The Church of Satan are commonly misconstrued as one and the same. The Satanic Temple was founded in 2013 based off of the Church of Satan but it takes a hardline stance on political issues like abortion etc. This article from their website breaks down the differences in much more detail.

On the topic of abortion. I think many people view this as an issue of a woman's right over her body. If I viewed it through that lens I would be unequivocally pro-choice. However, I believe in life at conception.

"You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." - Psalm 139: 15-16

I believe if I fell pregnant it would no longer just be my body I was making a choice about. It would also involve the body growing inside of me. One that had no voice to speak for itself yet. I empathize with the desire to get an abortion. I have had pregnancy scares that truly tested my beliefs, but ultimately I could not shake the belief that my right to choose doesn't extend to ending another life. Even if I have the power to do so. That being said, I support abortion if the mothers life is in danger.

If anyone wants to hear about it; there are family experiences with abortion that shaped my beliefs around it. This is becoming a novel so I'll hold off on explaining all of that. I had some deeply conflicting feelings when Roe V. Wade was overturned. I cried because I knew it would be used to deny women DNC's and other vital care they need post miscarriage or during ectopic pregnancies etc. I haven't felt peace until the executive order came down from the president declaring federal law protects abortions that are medically necessary for the woman's life. or health.

I respect every faith, every political viewpoint etc. I lived in a world where abortion was legal for years. I’ve always understood and respected the people who felt that was a good thing. I wish we would invest in prenatal programs to protect mothers and the unborn. But that would require addressing poverty, homelessness, environmental racism etc. It's much easier to give them abortions and reduce it to a divisive political issue.

I’ll leave you with these quotes from Margaret Sanger, an individual held up as a hero for women’s rights, and I would ask you to research her ties to the Eugenics movement. 

"Consequences of breeding from stock lacking human vitality always will give us social problems and perpetuate institutions of charity and crime."

“We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members,”

P.S. I truly don't know enough from a quick google search of The Joy of Satan to make any definitive judgements but I read they've been connected with Neo-Nazi and Anti-Semitic movements which I wholeheartedly condemn. White Supremacy and Fascism are a direct threat to everyone's religious freedom. I also want to clarify my views on this issue, and my religious beliefs do not make me a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t ascribe to either party. 

[leonbloder]

Drums, Records & Passing On The Faith

I was listening to the radio the other day in my car when I heard a story about a song written by a relatively new hard rock artist named Jeris Johnson.

Johnson related that the inspiration for the song came from a guy named John, whom he met as a teenager.

John was selling his drum set, so Johnson and his father went to check it out before buying it. John was a Vietnam veteran whose old injuries finally caught up with him, and he could no longer play the drums, so he was selling his whole kit.

Jeris said that he got the feeling as they were talking that John was sizing him up and determining whether his drum kit was going to a good home before he sold it. At last, they agreed on a price, and the drum kit was loaded up, and Jeris took it home.

Almost a year later, Jeris said there was a knock on their door at Christmas. To his surprise, it was John, and he was carrying a huge stack of vinyl records. He had handpicked over half of his collection to give to Jeris.

Then he left, and Jeris never saw him again.

When I heard the song inspired by this story, I was struck by these words:

I met a man as he walked on the edge of the sky He gave me the keys to his castle and started to cry He said, "All of these days that escaped Have led me to you and I'm suffocating My last breath that I take, I give to you"

Just don't let me down It's too late for me, but not for you You will make me proud It took more than I could ever do

[If you are a fan of hard rock, check out the single "John" by Jeris Johnson.]

I got emotional listening to the song, and I've been thinking about it ever since. I believe there was something beautiful and spiritual about the song and the story.

I started thinking about the next generation of Christians and how they are inheriting a version of the Church that has seen better days, according to all the metrics used to measure health.

Strangely, I felt a sense of hope as I thought more deeply about this.

Some treasures within the Christian faith have withstood the test of time. These include deep spirituality, compassion, sacrifice, love, forgiveness, and more.

We need to pass these things on to the next generation. This might mean picking and choosing what is essential and full of truth, beauty, and love. All the rest can stay in a box in our garage.

Additionally, the greatest gift we can give emerging generations of Christians is to know when it's time to hand over the instruments we can no longer play or that we can no longer summon the passion to use as they were meant to be used.

Trust me, I will keep playing my instruments, so to speak, as long as I possibly can, but I hope I know when it's time to turn them over to someone who can play in new rhythms.

Christianity's best days are ahead, and it will be in good hands with those who will come after us. Transformation is needed, to be sure, but I'm hopeful of what comes next.

Focusing on Jesus and how Jesus is still at work in his Church is one of the most hopeful exercises any of us can participate in, and I hope we do.

May it be so. And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.

#presbymusings #dailydevotion #leonbloder #dailydevo #christian living #leon bloder #dailydevotional #faith #spiritualgrowth #spirituality

[restfeed]

#IFTTT #WordPress

[two-oaks-farmstead]

Embracing the Joy of Christian Christmas Traditions: Celebrating the True Spirit of the Season

This is a two-part series concerning Christian Christmas Traditions. Be sure to come back tomorrow for the second half! Rediscovering the Meaning Behind Christian Christmas Traditions As the holiday season approaches, it's important to take a moment to reflect on the true meaning behind our Christian Christmas traditions. In the hustle and bustle of gift-giving, decorating, and indulging in delicious treats, we sometimes lose sight of why we celebrate this joyous occasion. Christian Christmas is not merely about exchanging presents or feasting on delectable meals. It's a time to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ and embrace the spiritual traditions that have been passed down through generations. It is a time for religious festivities that bring us closer to our faith and remind us of the profound love and sacrifice that Jesus embodies. Let us rediscover the essence of this sacred holiday by immersing ourselves in heartfelt prayer, attending church services, and engaging in acts of kindness toward others. Let us remember that Christmas is not just a day on the calendar but an opportunity to spread love, hope, and compassion. So as we gather with loved ones around twinkling lights and beautifully adorned trees, let us make an effort to focus on what truly matters - celebrating Jesus and embracing the true meaning of a Christian Christmas. May this season be filled with blessings, peace, and an abundance of joy as we honor our faith and cherish each other's presence. Christian Christmas Traditions - The Advent Season: Preparing Hearts for the Birth of Jesus The Advent season is a special time of year that allows us to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. It is a time filled with anticipation, hope, and joy as we await the arrival of our Savior. One popular tradition during Advent is the use of an Advent calendar. Each day leading up to Christmas, we open a door or window on the calendar to reveal a small gift or message. This daily ritual serves as a reminder to slow down and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Another cherished tradition is lighting the Advent wreath. With each passing week, we light a new candle symbolizing different aspects of our preparation: hope, peace, joy, and love. As the wreath becomes brighter with each candle lit, so too does our anticipation grow for Christ's birth. As we journey through this season, let us take time to pause and reflect on what it means to prepare for Christ's birth. Let us open our hearts in prayer and contemplation, seeking to deepen our relationship with Him. May this Advent be a time of renewal and transformation as we eagerly await the coming of our Savior. Below are a variety of options for Advent wreaths and candles. Check out this Hallow Advent link concerning Advent. I found it very helpful. Christian Christmas Traditions - Manger Scenes and Nativity Plays: Reenacting the Birth of Jesus Manger scenes and nativity plays have a special place in our hearts as they allow us to reenact the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. These timeless traditions bring Bible stories to life, allowing us to experience the humble beginnings of our Savior. Through manger scenes, we create a visual representation of that holy night, with Mary and Joseph surrounded by farm animals, shepherds, and the three wise men. It is a powerful reminder of the profound love and sacrifice that Jesus brought into this world. Nativity plays take this reenactment a step further, involving actors who portray the characters from the biblical story. These performances not only entertain but also serve as an opportunity for reflection and spiritual connection. Some of my most vivid memories of childhood are taking part in these performances in our churches. By participating in these Christian Christmas traditions, we honor and preserve the significance of Jesus' birth. They remind us of the values of humility, love, and faith that are at the core of Christianity. So, embrace manger scenes and nativity plays as powerful tools for keeping alive the true meaning of Christmas. Christian Christmas Traditions - The Symbolism of Christmas Carols: Singing Praises to God's Gift to Humanity As the holiday season approaches, Christmas carols fill the air with melodies that resonate deep within our hearts. These hymns of praise are not just mere songs; they hold a profound symbolism that goes beyond their enchanting tunes. Christmas carols serve as a beautiful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God's gift to humanity. Through these musical expressions, we sing praises to the miraculous event that took place centuries ago - the arrival of our savior. Each Christmas carol carries its own significance, weaving together a tapestry of emotions and beliefs. From "Silent Night" to "O Holy Night," these hymns transport us back in time, reminding us of the humble manger where Jesus was born and the hope he brought to a world in need. Through music and songs, we commemorate this divine gift and express our gratitude for God's immense love. The lyrics of Christmas carols are infused with messages of peace, joy, and salvation. They remind us of the true meaning behind this festive season - a time for reflection, love, and unity. So as you listen to or sing along with these timeless melodies during this holiday season, allow yourself to be enveloped by their symbolism. Let them inspire you to embrace the spirit of giving and kindness that Christmas represents. May these hymns uplift your soul and serve as a reminder that amidst all the festivities, it is through Jesus' birth that we find true joy and eternal hope. Sing praises through Christmas carols and let your heart be filled with gratitude for God's precious gift to humanity. The Carols of Christmas: Daily Advent Devotions on Classic Christmas Carols (28-Day Devotional for Christmas and Advent) The Carols of Christmas is a heart-warming devotional inspired by some of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time. Inside, you’ll enjoy a fresh glimpse of some of the same joyful and nostalgic melodies you sing every year now set to personal reflections in this 28-day devotional journey. Christian Christmas Traditions - The Importance of the Midnight Service: Commemorating Christ's Arrival on Earth Midnight Mass, referred to as the candlelight service at some churches, holds a special significance in the hearts of believers, as it commemorates Christ's arrival on Earth. Attending church on Christmas Eve for the Midnight Mass service is not just a tradition, but an opportunity to reflect on God's immense love and sacrifice. In the stillness of the night, surrounded by flickering candlelight and hymns of praise, we come together to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time when we gather as a community, setting aside worldly distractions and opening our hearts to receive His message of hope and redemption. Midnight Mass offers us a chance to pause and reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas. It reminds us that amidst the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, it is essential to take moments for spiritual nourishment. By participating in this sacred service, we are reminded of God's boundless love for humanity and His willingness to send His Son into this world. As we kneel in prayer during Midnight Mass, we find solace in knowing that Christ's arrival brought light into a darkened world. We are reminded that no matter how challenging life may be, there is always hope and salvation through Him. Attending Midnight Mass, or a candlelight service, allows us to join with fellow believers in unity and gratitude. It is an opportunity to strengthen our faith, renew our commitment to living a life aligned with God's teachings, and experience the joyous sense of community that comes from worshiping together. Embrace the importance of Midnight Mass this Christmas season. We need to make time amidst our busy schedules to attend this beautiful service, where we can reflect on God's love and sacrifice while celebrating the birth of our Savior. May it bring peace, joy, and renewed faith into our lives as we commemorate Christ's arrival on Earth. Embrace Christian Christmas Traditions for a Meaningful and Faith-Filled Holiday Season Don't Miss Part 2 of our Christian Christmas Traditions article. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT We also, as a homesteading family, have a variety of blogs that might interest you. A Life on the Farm focuses on the more personal side of the homesteading life. We discuss subjects like family, parenting, relationships, homeschooling, cooking, canning and so much more. Two Oaks Farm Talk concerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials! Farm Raised Family is basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. The Farm Raised Family blog focuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families. You can also have a more in depth look at all that we do by visiting our Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a thing! Farm Life and Freedom is the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun! You could also check in with our Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel. Two Oaks Farmstead is the farm store… the one that holds the umbrella! Check us all out and join us, not only on our blogs and Farm Life and Freedom podcast but come join the fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… wherever you get social! Read the full article

[spiritsoulandbody]

#DailyDevotion God Wants To Be Merciful & Kind To Us

#DailyDevotion God Wants To Be Merciful & Kind To Us Psalm 103 My soul, praise the LORD, and everything in me, praise His holy name. 2My soul, praise the LORD, and don't forget all the good He does: Different cultures and philosophies teach that man has several inner parts. We don't think or talk about it much these days. Freud had id, ego, and superego. In the Bible we often see soul, mind, spirit, and conscience. There may be others. It would seem the pslamist's mind is calling out upon his soul to praise the LORD. The soul seems to be one of the higher parts of man. Not only does he call upon his soul, but then following that, everything in him to praise the LORD's holy name. The soul not only can praise the LORD. It can remember and forget all the good the LORD does for us. 3He forgives all my wrongs, heals all my sicknesses, 4saves my life from being destroyed, crowns me with kindness and mercy, 5and satisfies me with good things as long as I live so that like an eagle my youth is renewed. 6The LORD does what is right and just for all who are oppressed. 7He let Moses know His ways and Israel the great things He did. He tells his soul and everything in him what to praise the LORD and His name for: He forgives wrongs, heals, saves his life, crowns him with kindness and mercy, satisfies him with good things. We probably focus on only the first generally in church, because if we have forgiveness, we have life and salvation. But even we, in November, in the United States, we set apart a day to thank the LORD for all His other kindnesses and mercies toward us. Indeed, the LORD hears our prayer for daily bread and sets everything in motion in the world to accomplish answering that prayer. Having turned to the LORD for all good things and trusting in Him our youth is renewed. A friend of mine said of prayer, it lessens the burden. The LORD did what is right and just for all the oppressed. He became man, the man Jesus Christ, suffered, died, was buried and raised from the dead on the third day. This reconciled all the world to God. It atoned for the sin of the world. It sanctified all our suffering and loss. It brings about the state of all things being made new on the eighth day. 8The LORD is merciful and kind, slow to get angry, and rich in kindness. 9He will not always accuse us of wrong or be angry forever. 10He hasn't dealt with us as we deserve for our sins or paid us back for our wrongs. 11No, as high as heaven is above the earth, that's how great His kindness is to those who fear Him. 12As far as the rising of the sun is from its setting, so far has He put our sins away from us. 13As a father has compassion for His children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear Him. 14He knows how we are made and remembers we are dust. The psalmist invokes the name of the LORD revealed in Ex. 34:6. He quotes it almost verbatim here. The name reveals to us the nature and character of God. He is not some mean ogre in the sky just waiting for us to do something wrong so He can punish us. We see in Jesus, the Father wants to be merciful and kind to us. We can also see in our own lives that our Father in heaven doesn't punish us with what our sins deserved, but He does discipline us with worldly consequences. Whenever we do suffer, we should examine our lives, confess our sins, and turn to Him for every good. Look how it describes kindness and forgiveness to us. High as the heavens is His mercy and His forgiveness knows no end, for those who fear, i.e. have reverence to Him. So Jesus rightly teaches us to call God, Father. As we look to Him for all good, He has compassion on us. He knows our weaknesses and treats us accordingly. Merciful and kind Father, remember Your words here. Give us proper fear of You so we may know Your mercy and kindness. Forgive our sins and turn our hearts towards You, through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Read the full article

#Christ #Christianity #devotion #faith #forgiving #LCMS #Lutheran #merciful #Messiah #אָרֵךְ #חַנּוּן #רַחוּם