Fragments

Hope seems to be the strength in the heart muscle when it has been exercised by trials.

See Rom. 5:1-5

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Gam zeh ya’avor = This too shall pass – on a ring worn by the guy who was the chaplain to the prisoners at the Nuremburg Trial

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“A detective is a sociologist too; a rule-of-thumb practicing sociologist, or he wouldn’t be a good detective.” 

Isaac Asimov,  in Naked Sun.

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“If you’ve been in the game thirty minutes and you don’t know who the patsy is, you’re the patsy.”

Warren Buffett

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[A Navy SEAL] was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. [The] team flew in by helicopter, made their way to the compound and stormed into the room where the hostages had been imprisoned for months. The room … was filthy and dark. The hostages were curled up in a corner, terrified. When the SEALs entered the room, they heard the gasps of the hostages. They stood at the door and called to the prisoners, telling them they were Americans. The SEALs asked the hostages to follow them, but the hostages wouldn’t. They sat there on the floor and hid their eyes in fear. They were not of healthy mind and didn’t believe their rescuers were really Americans. The SEALs stood there, not knowing what to do. They couldn’t possibly carry everybody out. One of the SEALs … got an idea. He put down his weapon, took off his helmet, and curled up tightly next to the other hostages, getting so close his body was touching some of theirs. He softened the look on his face and put his arms around them. He was trying to show them he was one of them. None of the prison guards would have done this. He stayed there for a little while until some of the hostages started to look at him, finally meeting his eyes. The Navy SEAL whispered that they were Americans and were there to rescue them. Will you follow us? he said. The hero stood to his feet and one of the hostages did the same, then another, until all of them were willing to go. The story ends with all the hostages safe on an American aircraft carrier. …I never liked it when the preachers said we had to follow Jesus. Sometimes they would make Him sound angry. But I liked [this] story….

Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

Sightings on a Walk

 

A flag with two stars – two military deaths?

A utility pole with a seriously twisted trunk, I’ve never seen anything like it.

A house with cactus layout in the front yard, stepping stone paths criss-crossing, seating areas, a porch-type swing, all abandoned. The cactus showed some kind of fungus, but also yellow flowers. A plant with big, beautiful yellow flowers. The cactus needs to be removed, and all the landscaping needs to be refreshed, cleaned up, cleaned out.

A home with a large back yard, with a motorhome, cars, stacks of white plastic chairs, easily room for a large pool or play yard.

A small church where the banquet hall had tables set out with table cloths, someone putting out place settings, preparing for party of some kind, but what? It was already 7 pm and no one else was there. Was it for a Saturday morning breakfast?

The big church had all their jasmine in bloom, a very strong, very pleasing fragrance. A meeting was going on there – the gates were unlocked, open and a few people were outside talking. I could see a basement doorway that had a drawing that looked like the old stained glass drawings, a stylized man figure with his arms around a long sheet of paper. There were letters on the window, but they must have spelled a word in another language. Maybe it was John, since it was St. John church.

I walked up to a bus stop just as a bus was rolling up, so I stood back so the driver would know I wasn’t waiting for him. I sat for a moment. Saw someone riding by, window open, wearing a paper Covid mask.

I picked up a small cloth flag.

I picked up a small Styrofoam container that was holding water. I didn’t want to leave a place for the mosquitoes, even though it’s not mosquito season. I don’t think.

A young girl walked by, out for exercise apparently. She stepped into the street to pass me.

My toes hurt because my shoes are too small.

I quick-stepped across the street to avoid oncoming cars, with plenty of time to spare.

The whole walk took about an hour, and most of the stuff I noticed was on the way back.

I wanted to walk slow enough to think, but I didn’t think much. I only observed, and wondered why those yards looked so abandoned, like the owners just gave up, just stopped caring so much about the yard, and thought about other things. Hopefully good other things.

Pleasing God

 

Thankfully it is our desire to please Him that pleases Him 

- unknown

Lords and Ladies

 

Lady – from two words that mean ‘maker of bread’

Lord – from two words that mean ‘guardian of bread’

Anger

 

Anger is the devil’s cocaine – Andrew Klavan

I'm Just a Florist

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qYobWEjl_A

Writing

 

It is all very well to be able to write books, but can you waggle your ears?

• Said by J.M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan) to author H.G. Wells.