Post Mark from Paradise

Michelangelo's David, housed in Florence's Accademia Gallery, is one of the most famous works of art, period.

If

By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/if-by-rudyard-kipling

Americans are known for broken convictions; then aims, limits, and possibilities are just wishful thinking. A man never starves because he did not take time to eat. Unbelievers in God actually believe that all problems can be solved by human technology. Technology has nothing to do with talent. When will we learn that history did not begin the day we were born? When will we learn that everyone does not think as we think? When will we learn that some minds are superior to others? Let's talk about Michaelangelo, many have seen the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, can anyone actually imagine a man lying on his back, all those years to paint that ceiling?

This world traveler (passport stamped in 157 countries)/8 around the world trips including both poles, has had the pleasure of visiting many museums. The most famous museum in the world, has only 1 item, Michaelangelo's Statue of David. This magnificent sculpture is 13 feet tall, perfection. The artist was looking for a piece of marble from which to sculpt this great work of art. It was all in his head, his mind, not a normal mind. He went to a marble quarry and saw a large piece of marble laying near the entrance discarded by men because they were seeking to build one of the many edifices in Italy. He said, "I saw David in that discarded slab of marble, it was a matter of chipping away and letting David come out". He sculpted the most famous artwork in the world from a discarded slab of marble. His famous sculpture of Moses, which I have seen, housed in the church of San Pietro in Rome, was so lifelike when he finished, he hit Moses with his hammer and said: "Speak to me".

What do all robbers, killers, and lovers have in common...a mother. The year I was a freshman and UNCCH, I was hitchhiking home attempting to catch a ride across from NC Central Prison. In a large field next to the prison there was a panel truck and some men digging a grave. Next to the truck, a cheap cardboard coffin. Of course, I had my suitcase with UNC all over it and they began to yell at me about Carolina's ball teams. I went over to speak to them, not realizing that this was the graveyard for prisoners. I said, "what is going on?" One said, "we have a dead one that will never bother anyone else. Would you like to see him"? I said," no, I'll pass". The thought occurred to me that this dead man in this cheap coffin was some mother's son, no one to mourn, no one to even read some scripture over his body. I realize then as I do now that he was a loving baby, a cute schoolchild. Why did he go wrong and contribute nothing to the world? What is the difference between a dead prisoner and a live Michaelangelo? Both had mothers, both were blessed by God with eyes, hands, minds...what is the difference? 

Anyone crazy enough to kill another person, to rob or rape, does not think like the rest of us. Anyone with the magnificence of mind (God's chief creation) such as a Michaelangelo or Einstein or even a Bill Gates does not think like the rest of us. A message from paradise from those saints who are already there; skin of different colors, minds of different abilities, DNA of different genes...only one message, the only thing important in life and living, your personal relationship with God through his son, Jesus Christ. "(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." http://biblehub.com/kjv/hebrews/11-38.htm 

Let's face it, we live in a world of feel-good religiosity, feel-good civic clubs, feel-good parenting, it makes no difference how much you have been in the church house, if you as a parent are not concerned about the destiny of your child, heaven or hell, you have failed as a parent. If you as a politician are not concerned about your country, those who have given lives, limbs, eyes, health for your country your country has failed. It simply makes one feel good to do good. You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving whether time or money, at the church house, schoolhouse or your house. 

Generosity in time or money is not a feeling but an action. Faith is action based on belief, sustained by confidence. 

Vacuums and Vulgarities

This morning, Jan 23rd, we learned about a tsunami off the coast of Alaska. Yesterday we heard of an earthquake in Chile. The best way to explain or determine the unexpecteds in our own lives, and the lives of others, is to know that very few things are predictable. The weather is entirely unpredictable. The largest word in the English language is the word 'why'. Trying to explain to a family whose family members have been killed in an accident or fire; trying to explain to someone with cancer why they have that dreaded disease. You have heard this writer say many times there is not a maverick molecule in the universe. God is in control and we must learn to trust him.

The greatest blessing of God to man is free will. We have the freedom to make decisions when we hear the vulgarities of "Hollywood life". The vacuum in heads of people who do evil things, it all comes back to that lifelong question "why?". Why would parents chain up their children in a home?; why would men, who know better, assault women?; and more important why do those women who have experienced assault wait so long to report it when they know the law is on their side?

Most of the time, the problem is, there is not enough interest by law enforcement in enforcing the law. In my own life, since I sleep in the summer with my window open, I heard child abuse across the street from me yet, could get no one to do anything about it.

I own an office complex where wild foxes are hiding, coming out to play around sometimes during the day, unafraid of human beings. I feel sure they are rabid, one of the worlds most horrible diseases, untreatable, incurable. I have reported this midtown, mid-city location many times and yet nothing is done.

It is so easy to criticize law enforcement, politicians, unconcerned parents; even children recognize hypocrisy. It is so easy to criticize church people, educators, professional people. So many were baptized but were never evangelized. So many can sing a patriotic tune but escape patriotism when it comes to taxes.

Most of us hate losing more than we love winning. There are many weights that hold us back. The most important one in my experience, is we care more about what people think of us than what God knows about us. Work up a good appetite by making yourself vulnerable to the needs of others. My favorite hymn, "others lord yes others, let this my motto be. Help me to live for others that I may be more like thee".

Years ago, I heard a famous orthopedic surgeon, spine surgeon discuss how he had eliminated most spinal surgery from his practice, perhaps the most common complaint in any primary care office (back pain). Dr. David Halscom (Back in Control) said that it is so simple to rid yourself of back pain, to get rid of the need for spine surgery. https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=dr+david+hanscom&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=241579028334&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16018053371189253868&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010074&hvtargid=kwd-298730535556&ref=pd_sl_8h2j9xuzfb_b I advise anyone to get his book and study it to learn about what I am going to discuss here. He said, each morning, take 15 minutes and write, by hand, on a piece of paper, everything in your system for which you have not forgiven others and for which others have not forgiven you. GET IT ALL OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM. Your sinful nature-forgiveness for the sinful nature of others. Get it all on paper. Then, tear up the paper and throw it in the trash.

Years ago, with one disease I was treating, I used this very unusual method of treating myself. My family, friends, associates, would just laugh about my treatment along with the fact that I used so many supplements. One VA dr told me I was the king of supplement taking. All I know, at 87, though totally blind, which I turned over to God 50 years ago, I have enjoyed decent health; but after I saw great improvement, other than my usual prayers and daily communion service (the taking of a small piece of bread and a simple wine) showing the memory of what our blessed Lord did on Calvary Castle Rock (But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5) Last year we found that cancer had spread all over my body. Along with experimental drugs, I am doing everything possible to battle this disease. The victory has already been won. Jesus died for my salvation as well as my healing.

When will people go to the answer book to find answers to all their questions, solutions for all their problems?