My Mojo’s getting low
Don’t know which way to go
Need to row with the flow
Posted by: John | August 26, 2013
Row for Mojo
Posted in Poetry
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 25, 2013
Choices
Choices, again
they sure look like
a re-presentation
of past patterns.
I’m wary.
But maybe they’re
really new and right
this time.
Old lessons make
fresh choices
possible.
Posted in Poetry
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 20, 2013
Endless Praise
Busy busy busy
we drive our cars
shuffle papers
answer email
balance bank accounts
struggle and toil
to earn a living
Hurry hurry hurry
Quiet quiet quiet
the trees and rivers
still live and breathe
give endless praise
and perfect worship
to our loving God
Who always speaks
Whisper whisper whisper
Posted in Poetry
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 16, 2013
Saved
“When Jesus came to the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples this question: ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘And you,’ he said to them, ‘who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!'”
— Matthew 16:13-16
The word Messiah means Christ or Savior. However, “Christ” is much bigger than the historical person we know as Jesus of Nazareth. Christ has always existed and continues to exist. The Savior who has always existed came to earth as Jesus to show us the way to be saved. Jesus taught that the way to salvation is total self-sacrifice to the will of God – which means giving up selfishness in order to love God and love neighbor fully. Jesus’ death saved us from the fundamental sin (otherwise known as “original sin”) of duality, which is the basis of all other sins. Duality causes us to “miss the mark” of oneness with God and with all. When we willingly die (rather than being forced to die) to duality in each moment, we follow Jesus and find new life.
Posted in Spiritual Life | Tags: being saved, duality, Gospel of Matthew, Messiah, Saint Peter, self-sacrifice
Posted by: John | August 13, 2013
Cloud Formation
Posted by: John | August 9, 2013
Memories
I worked on military computers much of my life and saw them develop. I learned the difference between digital and analog way back when. Now I’ve come to feel digital is the ultimate objective effort. Analog is the subjective. I know that Extended Memory Technology has so greatly expanded the use of computers in our culture. With more memory we can do algorithms to the Nth degree and add more pixels to further enhance our visual displays. Regardless of the search engine used, as soon as the first letter is typed, you’re given an immediate choice of words. I feel like I’m dealing with an adolescent or a smart-ass trying to impress me with all they know, how much memory they have. Sometimes I think they’re trying to make me look stupid. The analog memories in poetry are subjective: friends and lovers, growing up, the things that made us who we are. I love the Joe Walsh song, Analog Man. The computer is a tool but it doesn’t have all the answers. We still must go into ourselves, our analog mind.
Posted in Journal entry | Tags: analog, computers, digital technology
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 6, 2013
Enveloped
Lord Jesus
transfigured
upon the Mount,
resplendent
in holy Light,
embracing
your Baptized:
We’re Yours,
on a mission
in Your Name,
enveloped
in Your Glory
and sharing
with love,
and through grace,
Your suffering
and death.
Make us all one,
united in You.
Posted in Poetry
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 3, 2013
Heavenly Height
Okay, this is my dream life. Seriously. (Now, I realize God isn’t actually calling me to such a life – but wow!)
Check out this photo essay, “Monk takes devotion to new heights.” Be sure to read through all the fascinating info on the first photo and then click through the remaining thirteen pics with their captions. Awesome stuff!
Maxime says, “It’s up here in the silence that you can feel God’s presence.” Certainly, God is always everywhere, but I agree that silence and solitude bring God’s presence into greater focus.
Can’t you just see me living like this? HA!
Click here for more info on Stylites: Stylites (Pillar Saints). It’s nice to know they still exist somewhere.
Posted in Religion, Spiritual Life | Tags: hermit life, monastic life, monks in Georgia (country), Photo-essay, seeking God, Stylites
Posted by: John | August 2, 2013
Writing on the Computer
My company had a mandatory meeting last week in our largest conference room. It was all about our newest company computer system. The CEO began with all the phony BS, then started his Power Point presentation.
Suddenly we lost power. The computer ran on its battery.
The words SIMPLICITY, SERENITY, HUMILITY came up on the large monitor and wouldn’t go away.
A hush fell over the room.
Posted in Poetry
Posted by: Jivani Lisa | August 1, 2013
Sleepy
It’s 8:00PM – and John just announced that he’s going to sleep. He said: “I feel a wave of sleep coming on.”
I said: “Do you really have to go to sleep now?”
“Well, if I’m sleepy, I wanna sleep. If I’m hungry, I wanna eat. If I’m horney, I wanna make out.”
“So you’re just gonna live an animal existence?”
“I’ll live my animal existence, but every once in a while, I’ll drop something on the blog.”
So, there ya have it, friends! John will not forget to share his wisdom with you on our blog. Hooray! Just know that he’s sleeping peacefully at the moment. Tee-hee.
Posted in Journal entry
John and Lisa's Blue Skies Blog - Soaring with God 