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Place

“I am a man: little do I last and the night is enormous

But I look up: the stars write

Unknowing I understand: I too am written,

and at this very moment  someone spells me out.”

– Octavio Paz

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A Step Back

Regardless of which side of the Kavanaugh confirmation (or for that matter any of the political activities in the U.S.,) you sympathize with, I’m pretty sure you are going be dissatisfied with the outcome; that’s just our new ‘state of nature’.  Here is a thought from the 42nd Saying in the Gospel of Thomas that may keep you from getting sucked in to madness:

Jesus said, “Become passers-by”.

Enjoy both the journey and the show.

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My Neck of the Woods

Temperatures are finally moderating and the rains will end today.  Looks like I’ll be able to get into a tree stand this coming week.

One rather large setback in my hunting plans is the closure of two nearby deer processors.  By asking around, and by research on the Tennessee health departments website I was able to locate another is roughly 20 miles away.  It’s a ‘setback’ because, while this is an excellent butcher, he will only process deer that are field dressed; he does not do taxidermy, he is closed on Sunday’s and Monday’s, and I have to take the bones with me when I pick up the meat.  More on these ‘sorrows’ later.

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Tis the Season

I’ve had the Game Cams out for a couple of weeks now and we have several good groups of deer roaming about.  Still have not identified where the big bucks are at, the big ones didn’t become big ones without being very cautious.  Have seen some smaller ones but I really need to find something that will both fill a freezer and decorate a wall.

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Precedence

The Nag Hammadi (Coptic) version of the The Third Saying in the Gospel of Thomas bears a striking difference with that found in the Oxyrhynchus (Greek) Fragment.  Both are a thought provoking and complex series of phrases, however, the Coptic version begins with what could be an admonishment to misguided teachers or a guide to us on how to evaluate the worthiness of a teacher.    The beginning of both are below:

Coptic:  (3) Jesus said: If those who lead you say to you: See, the kingdom is in heaven, then the birds of the heaven will go before you; if they say to you: It is in the sea, then the fish will go before you. But the kingdom…

 Greek: (3) Jesus said, “[If] those who lead you [say to you, ‘See] , the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky [will precede you. If they say that] it is under the earth, then the fish of the sea [will enter it, preceding] you. And, the [kingdom…

While I believe the ‘but’ and the ‘and’ are important distinctions, what is most intriguing (and appearing in both) is the concept of ‘precedence’.  I do suppose there is great significance to this.

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Weekly Outlook

Looks like we are going to finally catch a break in the weather.  We have not had any reasonable amount of rain here for several months and this has hurt the farmers in area; particularly those in corn and beans.  All of the corn has been harvested and I suppose the soy beans will be taken from the fields in the next couple of weeks.  Cooler weather is also much appreciated as the fishing (not the fisherman) has been terrible.

Have a great day!

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Fishing on the Elk

Elk River near Elkmont Alabama

One of the great things about living along the state line in southern middle Tennessee is my proximity to the waterways of Alabama.  In 20 minutes I can trailer my boat to multiple launch points on the Elk River and Lake Wheeler.  Another 10 minutes will get me on Wilson Lake.  More here.

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Finding Our Way

The 7th Saying in the Gospel of Thomas is entirely different than words spoken by Jesus in the New Testament.  It says:

(7) Jesus said, “Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man.”

Rather than try and understand this saying by replacing the word ‘lion’ with a word or phrase and then determining if the saying remains true on both sides of the parable (blessed is a lion and cursed is a man), lets step back from that mechanical approach and ask if this saying provides insight into the spiritual world that God created and our relationship to Him in that realm?  If we can, then an interpretation of the 7th Sayings could be:

God created spiritual powers and forces for man to subdue and wield; they enhance and complete the man and both are returned to God and live in the Kingdom.  Should these forces consume and subdue the man he falls away from God and the powers return God.

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Timber

Drove into Huntsville today to retrieve the trailer and haul a 4 wheeler back up to the farm.  Son-in Law took them down two weeks ago in order to scope out some property that he was considering investing in.  I needed the trailer to haul some corn and sweet mix for the cows, and I’m planning on picking up a deer stand and some lumber later in the week.  More here


 

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My Neck of the Woods

Not much chance of catching a weather break here in southern Tennessee.  The heat is bad for fishing and we could really use some cooler temps as deer season approaches; opening of bow season is this Saturday (22nd).  

This will be the first season that I’ve hunted with a bow (actually cross-bow) and was looking forward to dropping a monster.  That’s not going to happen any time soon as the bucks will stay well hidden away until the weather cools.  Next week (below) shows some moderation.

On the upside, the cross-bow I picked up throws bolts down range at 370 FPS.  That’s a blistering speed for a $300 bow.  It came with a inexpensive scope but will still group three bolts in an inch at 30 yards.

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The Awakening

Via Running Cause I Cannot Fly.

 “Ex Obscurum” (From Darkness).   Featuring original poetry narrated by the author Matthew Schwartz.

“The Awakening”

“Remnants of my arrogance
Crumbles like ancient paper.
Why have me suffer this way?
Knowing I’m unable to lift myself up?

My dreams of grandeur are dead.
Glory is no mortal treasure;
Only a mirage for a lost soul.
Booze and drugs do not know my pain.

My body fails me.
My skin yellow, my vision dim.
I come to you burned and beaten.
Still clinging to these toxic vines,
The last rays of sunlight fading.

Is something or someone listening?
Hear my prayer:
Cut from me these twisted limbs.
Or, let me perish and be free at last.

I’ve failed at both life and death;
Must I wallow in this hideous morass,
Giving back nothing of any worth?
Death should have come many times past.




Why have you thwarted my retreat?
This is no pardon for a man like me.
To change I’ve tried, but look at me:
On the floor begging for eternal peace.
Begging you for one final breath.

Is this the mercy that befits your loving omnipotence?
Should I live one more moment of one more day,
Let it be free from hate.
Let it be unspoiled by fear,
Unencumbered by shameful lies.

Let it be imperfectly human.
To the power of all powers I come here now.
Spirit over all spirits I need your help.
You have always known,
When like a burning match my life was flickering.

No mere accident has kept this heart beating.
Could these odds persist year after perilous year?
No! To your power I surrender. But what now?
The black spots on this leopard are many.
Only a stroke from your sacred brush could change me.

To one knee, I lift my broken body. 
Salty tears wet my parched lips.
My dingy railroad flat on Second Street glows.
The fog clears from my blurry eyes.
The burden of my regrets and guilt lift 
away.

Loneliness and despair evaporate,
Like a dewdrop in the midday sun,
A voice within me, but not within calls.
Like thunder after a passing storm
The rumbling echo speaks softly:



“You are never alone. I love you enough to let you suffer.
I love you enough to let you choose between
Light or darkness;
Love or hate.”

– Spadecaller

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The Prologue

I have heard that no great undertaking should begin without first asking for God’s blessing.  This is doubly so here as we endeavor to discover more of our God and what requirements/responsibilities, if any, He would assign us. 

The paths taken by each of us in this life are many, solitary and unique.  Life is different for each man and we live it alone save the spirit of God.  It can be no other way.  Along a path in my walk of life I came across the Gospel of Thomas.  And so my sincere prayer to God is that I can understand what he would have me know through this work.

Along this path, one of life’s many, I pause to dip my toes in the waters that flow within the Gospel of Thomas —here—

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Confusion (Verses versus Verses)

I’ve always thought that there is/was an upside to confusion.  Being confused usually tells us that a piece of information that we have is wrong or doesn’t fit.  I suppose the scribe that worked on transcribing Thomas’ work ran into a real head scratching moment when he got to the 5th, 6th and 14th sayings.  Go here for the ‘as written’ texts along with how I think they should have been compiled.