The Root of Evil

It’s the day before Christmas and I have many thoughts to share.  What do I say, how do I say it and who will read it?  These are just concerns of any writer, but, I do not concern my- self with the trivial.

You see if I let my mind be absorbed by concerns, than it will not be open to really express what I really feel and what I am receiving into my spirit to communicate.  My writing on this blog is my gift to my fellow man, because it was gifted to me.  I know that may be hard for some of you to understand, but it is a tradition as old as the hills and it took a very wise Indian story teller to explain it to me…and he only had to say it once…and I got the message.

There are many stories on this blog and yesterday when I was listening to a sermon on the radio the message was about evils and how to identify them and eliminate them in your life.  I’ve had discussions with folks on evils and the old saying “money is the root of all evil” certainly comes to mind.  But I do not agree with that statement and here’s why.

If money is the root of all evil it had to exist (money that is) in the very beginning of time, because evil has been part of our world since, well almost the beginning.  The word root establishes the meaning of a foundation, so since money is a fairly recent concept (coinage and such) it can’t possibly be the “root” of evil because evil existed long before money ever did.

So what is the root of all evil?  Many a frustrated man has said “its women, they are the root of evil.”  To me this holds slightly more merit than money given the fact that had Eve never took the apple, evil would not have established itself in the Garden.  But one mistake does not forever mean your soul will take…and true evil, the real root of evil…has the power to take your soul.  A woman may take your heart, but she’ll never be able to take your soul as evil does.

So to me defining the “root” of all evil requires us to understand that in the beginning evil did not exist…it was and is a concept foreign to the forces that created us…for their entire being is made up of love, compassion, friendliness, hugs and kisses and all the other things evil tries to destroy in our lives.

So what does evil mean to you?  I’m sure you’ve seen it, I’m sure you’ve felt it and I’m sure by now you realize it can and has destroyed many people including innocent folks caught up in its fury, but they never lost to it as some have.  You see evil is all around us and there's even a part of it in all of us.  For some it manifests itself to do unspeakable crimes in an attempt to crush the good inside them that is in constant battle to keep evil in its place…to keep it chained with triple irons…to starve it out of existence…to hold it in darkness with no light except that of a distant star watching and waiting just in case it breaks its chains. 

The root of evil is a force most of us can not truly conceive of in our minds, because real uncontrolled hate, jealousy, greed, vanity, and lies are foreign to us.  None of us have ever been in the mind of a serial killer, none of us can relate to the hatred Hitler had for the Jews, none of us can relate to the crowd that crucified our King and none of us can relate to the levels some people will go to, to amplify their own agendas of evil, for it comes in many forms and has the best disguises imaginable.

So it’s a simple answer to a complex question.  The root of evil is satan and all his minions…but be advised the Faithful has him cornered, not quite in chains yet, but we’re getting close to locking him up and throwing away the key, along with his twisted followers and evil doers that try and pull people from the light of the faith and into the darkness of their unholy and deadly sins.

It’s the day before Christmas and I celebrate in my own ways and I do not ask for anything from anyone, but I do ask my Lord for many things and always, always I ask for forgiveness as I thank Him for all the blessings around me.  Then I ask something I’ve asked and prayed for, for as long as I can remember….I ask that He take and bind the forces of evil, that He and His mighty angels take satan and throw him in the bottomless pit and that the pit be closed and never opened again to spoil the majesties of this world…a world God created and loves dearly…and through this love the greatest gift He could ever give us is in the near future….I feel it, I know it, He’s promised it, and all His promises are true.

This Christmas don’t think of evil…think of love and understanding…and evil will run from you like a dog that just ate a jalapeno.  The following post was written by hand over 10 years ago…it expresses another side of evil, the side that is in all of us…but it is up to us to put it in chains in our own lives and let God sort out the details.  He is the Judge, His angels are the jury…we’re just in the gallery...watching it all.

My Enemy, Is In A Me.  (Hand written in 2009)

It is a lonely battle I fight; stranded on this hill, watching for the enemy combatants to pass my way.  I watch them and study them. I search the depth of their souls and if by chance I perceive a wretched rotten to the core heathen body…I take it out.  I have no doubt about my mission on the hill.  My orders are simple…use your own best judgement, use everything you’ve been taught, use all your senses, use all your subconscious thought and most important use all your experiences to ping your gut and guide your heart as you make the final call…to live or die…it is in your hands to call. 

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Over the years I have slain many, many a common foe.  Some as big as a red oak tree, others as small as a ring tailed pigeon.  Some were as strong as a team of ox, others as weak as a dying fires ember.  It doesn’t matter to me where they came from, when they got here, or why they found their self at the trail beneath my hill…they are there.  It doesn’t matter which way they came, or which way they go, my orders are simple…if they bad they got to go…if they good then save their soul.

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Much time I have to sit and ponder.  Much of my days and sleepless nights I wonder…do I sit at the base of another man’s hill?  Am I in the cross hairs of an executioner’s will?  I ask such things and pray for guidance.  Over the years an answer begins to form.  It took years of trial and error, but I believe I have been given a bit of insight as to where you, I, and others stand on the path of eternal life.  For some their life is cut too short, exterminated perhaps for no cause.  For others life is endless…it goes on and on.  What is important throughout either life, short or long, is that you realize the greatest enemy is not out there, oh no…the greatest enemy is not up there or down there.   The greatest enemy is not he who spites you.  The greatest enemy for you to fear…is right inside you.

It is a lonely battle I fight.  Look into any mirror or calm body of water; you will see your greatest enemy staring you square in the face.  My enemy, is in a me.  My enemy, is in a me.  So as I sit and cast judgement on others…compassion I first seek.  For many souls are led astray by the enemies around them, but if they reflect and realize their greatest enemy is in themselves then perhaps their troubles will fade.

It is a lonely battle I fight…Quiet…here comes a lost soul down life’s eternal spiral path…you decide this time…for it to live, or for it to die.

© Bryan A. Stross 3/30/2009 6:30 AM EST

The following are some notes I wrote on the sides of this paper and the Bible verses that I was concentrating on at the time that I wrote My Enemy, Is In A Me.

The Book of Micah Chapter 7 Verses 6-8

To seek a higher power you must first crawl and cower, then maybe you’ll wash in life’s shower.

The meek shall inherit the earth, and the rich will pay for it.

To peek into the future is one of mans most wanted treasures.

The beak of an eagle is used to tear and rip, but it also holds its nose.

The claws of the bear will slice and hold, but beneath is a soft pad of sole.

The Book of Ezekiel Chapters 40-42.

Have a safe and glorious Christmas, shed light on someone’s darkness…and watch as evil is put in its place once & for all…well, at least on this Earth anyway.  May your heart beat strong, your mind rest easy, your spirit soar to new heights and your soul be for our Lord’s to keep. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holy Days…I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings…for me if it brings any form of evil…I will take it out of my life and I will do my best to take it out of yours.  That is my gift to you, to all of you that have taken time to read my blog and to those that don’t even know it exists….yet.

If these are the last words I ever write…so be it…I rest in knowing I tried my best to share the gifts He has blessed me with…now I’m out of smokes and gotta make some coffee…gonna be a long day of travel, to warmer shores, brighter days, family ties and nights of fun and games.

Peace, Love, Understanding & Wisdom…cherish them…they are the gifts from God bestowed on His Faithful to battle the forces of evil, whose roots run deep, but never reach the bottom of the dark, lonely and cold pit of hell that evil is destined to accompany when He says the time is now.

Bryan A.Stross 12/24/2018 5:39 AM EST

The Book of John Chapter 3...Revelations Chapter 22...Joshua Chapter 24

AMEN

Lap of Gemini---Repost

I made the following post in September of this year.  At the time I accompanied it with several Facebook pics and some on the blog page…but one picture eluded me…even though I am sure I snapped it.  It was the pic of the Moon in the Lap of Gemini.

I do not believe in Horoscopes, but I do like to observe the Constellations and other signs and lights in our night skies.  The SkyView App helps with that, as these formations are often hidden to the naked eye, but they are there…they’re always there.

And history repeats itself…as last night was an example.  I woke up at around 2AM with an urge to look to the sky and there it was again…the Moon in the Lap of Gemini…and this time I got the pic.

So in that vein I am reposting my short poem/story while I work on another writing based on some current thoughts I have and a post from long ago and at a time of pain and learning…but for now take a peak outside tonight, the moon will be on display and at some point it will rest in Gemini.

Post from September 2018:

It is a glorious morning to be alive.  The sky is dancing and this is the waltz I see:

I woke this morning at 3:50 AM with an urge to look to the sky and there I found a dance of signs that spoke to my spirit, encouraged my soul, eased my mind and soothed my body as I took it all to heart.

There are a series of individual pics I posted on Facebook that try and capture what I saw this morning between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM EST…it now being 4:54 AM.  But with all these individual pics it is hard to see the whole big picture.  To do this I have to draw it out or upgrade my free SkyView App, but funds don’t allow at present, so I resort to paper and marker to capture the moment.

Last year at this time I knew I was living in a special location.  I say that because I have two doors, a front door and a back door.  Most all of the pictures, including the one’s I posted on Facebook this morning, were taken out my back door on my small patio.  This morning the moon is straight up due East, just above the horizon.  I have an unobstructed view of the Moon and Sun rise out my back door looking East at this time of year and out the front I see them set in the West, but my view is obstructed by trees at the horizon.  So I have to get up early to see the best part of the day, the Sun rise.  But this morning the Moon was in the lap of Gemini well before the Sun rise and the whole big picture looked like this:

As I sit here and listen to Sting’s Best of CD songs five thru ten, starting with “Fortress Around Your Heart” and ending with “Why Should I Cry For You” speak to me that I wish I could tell him.   Sting’s music is incredible and if you are not familiar with it, become so, it will speak to you too…. if you have an open mind and a willing heart.  Listen to those lyrics as the melodies drift away….it’s magical.  It is part of the tapestry that weaves through our hopes and dreams…another example of a faith based reality.

"THE LAP OF GEMINI"

The crescent Moon rises above the horizon, about a hand and a half high now.

September 5^th, 2018….4:00 AM EST with a slight bit of misty clouds in tow.

The Moon is resting in the laps of Gemini…something pretty rare.

Time is short so I will describe best I can with care.

Starting with the Moon in the East, rising up and slightly to the right

We find Taurus, Aries and Pisces…it’s quite the sight.

Below the Moon and angling slightly to the left is a fight

It’s Cancer with Leo coming in below the horizon.

Leo has Mercury to help and he’s mad at the poison.

That’s six of twelve Zodiacs in a line, but that’s not all

To the left of the moon is the Bear and he’s tall

Ursa Major has the Space Station on his back

His mouth is open and he’s ready to attack.

But here’s the best part, Orion is right of the Moon

He’s going after sights unseen and a mystical tune.

The Big Dipper is on display with others to see

I say a prayer of thanks that this is all for free

What’s this a telescope coming in from the right

Bringing us knowledge, powerful in any fight

The Hubble Space Telescope sweeps in and pause

Taking a few pics at Orion’s belt for a just cause.

Now what does this all mean, what does it tell?

Well we have to take a step back and think

Let all this be absorbed in our mind sink

It can’t be seen in the sky…it is too big out there

But I have this drawing I made, its right here

We have eight of twelve constellations in formation

Six form a direct line with the Moon included

From the horizon at a slight angle it won’t be excluded

Then there’s the other most powerful two hunters

Ursa Major and Orion in a line with the Moon in center

Do you see it…We have 8 of 12 a very good score

And what does this show us but so much more

Yes sir, there it is…you have to see the drawing

It is though it has fallen, tilted to the right, yawing

A cross is there my friend and you can’t deny it

It is showing itself to you, just open up a bit

And as I take all this in, all these “signs” in the sky

I look at Facebook and see a post that makes me cry

From a friend I haven’t heard from in a long time

But I knew she was always there in God’s rhyme.

It said “Peace Be With You”…and the timing was perfect

And another post with a Lion’s head and a warriors creed

For even in death we leave behind seeds for others to see.

© Bryan A. Stross 9/5/2018 6:04 AM EST

Genesis Chapter 1… Matthew Chapter 25      

Sunshine Bird

So it's Saturday morning and the sky is clear and I let the pup out and see this pic thru the trees:

It's about 7:30 AM EST when I took it...if you zoom in on the Sun it looks like a light bulb.

Anyway my wife, we're currently separated but friendly, has read a lot of my blog.  Often times she has been a sounding board for my ideas, she encouraged me all thru my Bachelor's Degree program, which I finished this time last year.  She has, at times, provided a source of inspiration and positive reinforcement for me.  And for that I am grateful.

We have been married for going on seven years I think and for the most part, the drastic majority part, it has been a good thing.  It's that other 10% that we have problems getting over, especially me.

So we remain separated for now.  But, I have to tell you I am even more encouraged by her in the last few months.  We all have our vices, be they mighty or small, and we're no different.  But, with my wife she has been sober 100 days now, and that was a big part of the 10% I struggled with.  Keep it up Maline, I'm not the only one proud of what you're doing in your life.

So, the other day she asked me to someday when it was right to write something for her on my blog.  I usually do not write to specifics, but her request has been on my mind.  So this morning when I took that pic above a little verse came into my head..."As the Sun shines thru the trees....I wonder what the bird sees."  And it kinda stuck in my head...and after I tended to the pets I sat down and wrote it out, which I don't do to often...write it out on paper...but this was fresh so I went with it.

About half way thru it I thought this was meant for her...so here it is Maline...My "Sunshine Bird"

As the Sun shines thru the trees,
I wonder what the bird sees.
Does she know how lucky she is?
Does she see her life as it really is?
She has her worries & cares to concede,
But in the end on high she can flee.
To distant heights unknown to you & me,
It is only for her to see these majesties.
As the Sun shines thru the trees,
Does the bird see me as me
Or as some unknown entity?
No...she sees me as me,
Because that's the way
It's meant to be.  𐐒ᎠⓈ

(c) Bryan A. Stross
9:00 AM EST
December 22, 2018

Luke Chapter 14...John Chapter 4

This pic was taken a few minutes later out the back door...looks like Two Suns to me...
To All the Glory We Deliver Unto Him
Him, the One & only One to deserve the Glory
For He conquered death on our behalf
And that is something no one ever did before or after
Or ever will again...So we are Blessed it happened here.

For it does not happen everywhere, count these blessings
Because He keeps score up there
And right now, we're whippin some ass.

Good Day All...I hope you are enjoying these Holy Days
As much as I am...For it was meant to bee.    

 

Freedom's Hill Revisited

I belong to a small group that is growing.  It is on the web at Spiritual Hooligans and its founder is Matthew Ferry.  It is a great sight for…insights; insights into what makes people tic and what makes others toc.  I engage at times on discussions people have posted.  These next two correspondences were sent recently and often when I write something like this and hit send it goes…and never comes back.  Unlike the blog where it is saved on some magic server in God knows where, it is hard to retrieve those often hidden little gems you threw out there….even if you were the only one to understand and appreciate it, you got your thoughts out there and that is a good thing…a good thing to release and express your thoughts because that’s part of learning.

Anyway this first reply to Matthew was written this morning and I copy and pasted over to this Word doc and then I put it on the blog…where you’re seeing it and it is saved as part of my “Recent Thoughts of Distant Memories” blog…because that’s what my Faith is guiding me to do this morning…and I don’t question it…I just roll with it.

Reply #1

To Matthew Ferry (Who reponded to an earlier post of mine and told me to "Rock On"..... Oh I'm trying sir....often when we have struggles others may not see them...because many don't share them or wear them on their sleeve...but the struggle is there and as we learn in life we often have to lift ourselves up...we create our own reality...for me the biggest part of my reality is something many do not feel is reality because they've never tapped into it, or if they have it was a half-hearted effort that left them disappointed.

So be that, for me however, since a young age I knew...I just knew there was something more out there to help, to lift me up when down, to be the eyes around the corner and a light in the dark.

As my spirituality grew I had to name this force, this magic, this timeliness of opportunity that seemed to always find me. Of course it had a name carved in reality, but so many discounted it, trashed it, spit on it, killed it and cursed it that I had to find a new name that I could relate to and call my own...regardless of what those around me thought of me or this "force" that drove me to say, do, see, hear and feel what I do.

I have found that name and it is Faith...Faith in forces we don't see but know are there. Faith in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to guide and move mountains on our behalf...for what mountain can stand in the way of Faith... none and here is an old saying to prove it: "It is easier to climb a mountain and look down...then to dig under and look up". 🐝

Reply #2

To Cathy… we all celebrate in our own way...religion is an organized celebration....true faith comes in all kinds of shapes and colors....religions vary in their traditions....but one thing is constant....the unending, unyielding, undeniable and unencumbered Love our Lord has for us and the Way the Word speaks to those seeking or strengthening their faith. My favorite T-Shirt says....”Jesus is the truth, the way and the light....all else is just mere details”. 🙏✝️🐝

This morning when I woke up Steve Winwood’s “When You See a Chance” was on the radio…a magical song from a great musician…then the next one 95.7 FM The Ride played was “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel.  It got me thinking of this poem I wrote a while ago….It’s called “Freedom’s Hill”…blessings!!!

FREEDOM’S HILL
Thru our dreams the Lord can do many things
Last night I had a dream that made my heart sing.
I was led down an old country road
The corn was at harvest ready to be sold.
As far as you could see stalks of green
With golden ears and seed, a sight to be seen.
We made a turn at an old missionary church
It was white with burnt tiles and a cannon perch.
Ahead lay a boulevard of magnolias and oak
The sight was so beautiful I let my mind soak.
Soon we walked that boulevard to a distant hill
Then the dream ended before I had my fill.
Hopefully it will continue when the night is still
For just a moment I saw a mansion on that hill.
A glimpse of the future or maybe the past
In either case our dreams are within our grasp.
I lie here in jail, no freedom do I see
But thru my dreams I can be all I want to be.
The days grow long as well as the sleepless nights
But I know one day soon I’ll see pleasant sights.
The Lord has shown me thru dreams like magic
How all that is around me is mine to have it.
While all around me is depression, boredom and pain
I must keep the faith and let my wisdom gain.
The mansion on the hill in a valley of corn
Is a vision no man can from my soul be torn.
So now I pray to God to guide and deliver me
In the hope that one day soon Freedom’s Hill I’ll see.

BAS 5/10/09 7:30 AM  revised 7/10/2018 
Isaiah Chapter 65   Zechariah Chapter 8

Do not let your reality stand in the way of your dreams….rather, use your realities to make your dreams come true.   BAS  4:00 AM EST  12/22/2018

© Bryan A. Stross

Funding the Wall

If I was a senator as the clock ticked towards midnight and a government shut-down over trivial bi-partisan divisive stances regarding the current funding bill which includes $5.7 billion towards the protection of our southern border, I would have these comments:

Ladies & gentlemen and those not sure what you are…a great Democrat once said. “Ask not what your country can do for you…but rather what you can do for your country.”  Those my friends are words to live by…and if we live by those words….this vote is easy; for we have a business to run and a holiday approaches. 

The business of this country cannot wait for you to make up your mind.  The time is now and as an Independent representative who leans towards Conservatism in this time of liberal socialistic confusion let’s not for one second be delusioned by the likes of those that would have our country ripped to pieces by their aspirations of some kind of unholy one world order.

We live in perilous times.  We live in dangerous times.  Some of the highest crime rates ever witnessed on this planet are south of our border.  What we as a nation must ask is…are these folks fleeing a repressive government, national emergency, or personal persecution…or are they traveling to our borders for an easy way out of a fixable situation in their homelands, which may very well require them to stand up in their own country for the rights of Freedom and Democracy.

If we as a nation think for one second our success should be used as an open door for others to jump on board anytime they feel like it…than we will crumble under the weight of the world’s misgivings. 

Ours was not an easy fight, having won we must protect what we have gained, or risk losing it again.

This spending bill has many folds, but the crease that seems to threaten the passage of it in its entirety is funding for increased security measures on our southern border.  For two and a half years now we have heard of a wall…why?  Why is it still an issue?  Why, is because of whom it appears to show victory. Do you really have any other opposition?  If so let's hear it now, before God and His creation.

Sad, so very sad that it has come down to this, to those of you considering voting no on this spending bill…you as a representative of your people have deserted them and should be ashamed to call yourself a Senator, for you are nothing more than a traitor; a traitor who would put their own self- interests and partisan headlines ahead of their countries. 

Shame on you and shame on all of us for letting this, this funding of a National Security issue, go for over two years while the in-fighting of party affiliations and lobbying continues to heed its progress.

Let me let you in on a little secret…these enhanced border security measures will be accomplished…with or without you.  Do you think for one second that security starts or stops with a brick and mortar iron fortified and steel erected wall…no sir, no mam, no whatever you are over there, it starts and stops with the blood of American Patriots, the sweat of hard work and the tears we shed along the way.

And in the end when we triumph…you will wipe your tears away…as we thank God for delivering us to this victory, for we stood proud in doing what our country needed and He blessed us for it.  

Cast your vote as you may, but be aware the people are watching and waiting to see your true colors.

Bryan A. Stross

12/21/2018 1:56 PM EST 

Isaiah Chapter 62...Revelations Chapters 20-21

Proverbs Chapter 26 & 8