Jonathots Daily Blog
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DUDLEY
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PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant … July 19th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
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YOU, DO, DO, BAY BLUE
Docile, for a while, see me smile, have no guile,
What a pile, I am vile, start the trial,
Change my style, the second mile, scan the aisle, for my file
Total denial, a revival,
Hit the street, who do you meet, don’t retreat, wash some feet
Face defeat, then delete, from the elite,
Just can’t beat, it’s so neat
Kind of dead, feels like lead, time for bed, where I’m led, underfed, tools in shed,
A sparrow clan, words, man, the lily can.
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Cracked 5 … July 17th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
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Other Than the Traditional Transforming of Adam’s Rib, Different Things That God Considered Using in Making Woman
A. Turtle dove tears
B. Sugar, spice and everything with a price
C. Hairspray and bolts
D. Cadbury chocolate Easter eggs
E. Jawbone of an ass
Good News and Better News… July 17th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3371)
Church attendance is dropping.
The statement is so widely accepted that no one is objecting, nor considering the ramifications.
We are absolutely terrified if the ocelot become an endangered species, but barely flick an eyebrow over losing an intricate part of our society–the church.
Those who hate the church smile in a bit of wistful glee, and those who still attend look around at the empty room, shrug their shoulders and quietly head to the altar for communion.
If the American church dissipates to nothing, what are we losing?
We are forfeiting a place where once a week we can come and admit that we’re sinners. The humility does us good.
Also, it’s a location where we can rejoice over being forgiven.
Where else in America do you sit in a room and sing with other people?
How about the message? A lesson on the power of good.
It gives us the chance to be quiet. Everything roars around us–and we have a tendency to roar back.
When I was growing up, I was suddenly around kids from other school districts, who became my “church friends.”
It gives me a chance to think about possibilities other than myself.
While I’m trying to stay awake, I have the realization that I’m part of something.
I have to look for a shirt that matches my socks.
I find myself giving.
I also am put in the position to receive.
I’m actually leaving my home for something other than shopping, games, movies and dinner.
I am in a room full of people who will pray for me.
When church is done right, I can question. I can doubt. I can shout.
I can see, hear, feel and touch the gospel.
We certainly should be concerned about baby seals–they are a part of creation.
But if we allow the church to go the way of the dodo bird, we should stop wondering why things are not flying high and straight.
The good news is, there is still a church out there.
The better news is, that church is waiting for our unique input.
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Catchy (Sitting 6) The Boat Ashore … July 16th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
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Michael always hated the process of trying to get his ducks in a row. Unfortunately, if you follow a duck, it will eventually end up at the pond–but too often makes far too many detours.
Michael resorted to his logical nature. He decided to resign his position on the school board, and three months after Rachel’s departure, he sat down with young Alisa and Bernice and told them of their mother’s preference. Much to his surprise, the girls were infuriated with Mum, repulsed by the notion of the homosexuality and sympathetic to him for being treated so poorly.
Michael mused. What was he waiting for? It was time to share the story in the community, or at least leak it to the people who would do the gossiping for him. Let his conservative community draw their own conclusions, which certainly would be anti-lesbian and therefore, anti-Rachel. This would set him up for his next political adventure—senator in the state assembly in Columbus.
Sure enough, the good Buckeyes repudiated the actions of Rachel and Connie and sent messages of encouragement to the budding political Adonis.
Exactly three hundred and sixty-seven days after Rachel’s departure, Michael began to date a woman three years his senior. She was a handsome lady of means. She fell in love with his two young daughters, an affection they returned gratefully. Her name was Barbara–politically correct.
Two days before Michael and Barbara became the new Hinstons, he announced his campaign for state senator. Freshly married to a woman who showed little interest in her sexual similars, with two lovely daughters blooming with promise (on record with abstinence pledges), he was the H-E-R-O of O-H-I-O.
Toting his family and his Bible across central Ohio, he trumpeted his slogan: “Everyone Needs a Second Chance. Isn’t It Time for Yours?”
Michael was elected with a fourteen-point margin. He fulfilled two terms as a state senator, waiting for his dream job to open.
Then the oldest Congressman from the state of Ohio decided to retire for health reasons. Well, that’s one story. There was a rumor that he struck a deal with the District Attorney to step down instead of facing indictments for soliciting illegal donations for political favors. This was the reputation within the twelfth district–there were many industrial concerns in the borders–enterprises always trying to dodge federal regulations and desiring a champion in Washington to protect them.
So Michael Hinston ran for the Congressional seat and, in a very close race, lost. He was devastated in the grumpiest of ways. He threatened to quit politics until Coach Mack came along and reminded him of how many elections Old Abe Lincoln lost before gaining success. Michael liked being compared to Abraham Lincoln.
Meanwhile, the Hinstons started to have some marital problems. Barbara was like a 1974 Chevy Malibu that was just fine as long as you ran it, but when you kept it parked in a barn somewhere, it tended to wear out more quickly. Barbara felt that Michael had parked her in such a barn.
She felt abandoned. Michael had no interest in any other women, but had an ongoing love affair with his own aspirations. It had been months since they were sexually entwined and weeks since they had even touched. Barbara contended it had been a fortnight since he had even looked her way. She requested that they see a marriage counselor. Michael was terrified over the possible bad publicity.
He shared his dilemma with Mack, who said, “Go ahead and do it. Therapy and counseling are really ‘in things’ now. You know–uptown. People don’t look down on it anymore. It’s kind of hip and contemporary. Shows you give a damn. Just make sure you go to two different counselors—one a psychologist. And don’t be so stupid as to go to a psychiatrist. They’ll think you’re on medication. And you should also see your minister. Go through the motions, work it out, come to a resolution. It’s only gonna make points for you.”
Michael never advertised the conflict he was having with Barbara, but it was the state of Ohio and people do talk. Mack was right. The electorate expressed great admiration over the unfolding counseling sessions. Michael even found the interaction a bit more interesting than he had expected, and Barbara was greatly appeased.
Michael was grateful. Wife two was satisfied by some comforting words and book reading instead of lesbian love.
Then a tragedy.
Not really tragic for Michael, though propriety forced him to feign deep concern. The newly elected Congressman from the state of Ohio had a fatal heart attack on his way to Capitol Hill. A temporary replacement was put in the position. And at the next election, Michael ran for the office, and this time, on the strength of his previous campaign and his recent marital mending, won the seat handily.
He was a Congressman in Washington, D.C., from the state of Ohio, with a wife and two lovely daughters.
Two weeks later, while sitting at his desk, Michael opened an envelope from Caine Industrial, a prosperous concern from his district. The package was hand-delivered by courier, and contained a check for $50,000. Michael was breathless, bug-eyed and baffled.
The phone rang. Michael picked it up, still gazing at the huge amount printed on the face of the check.
“Mikey! This is God-guy!”
Michael paused for a moment, trying to reconnoiter the voice. It didn’t take him long. There was only one person who had ever called him Mikey. He hated the name. But he loved the man, so he tolerated it.
It was Matthew Ransley.
“Mikey, listen. I got this problem. I got a billionaire who wants to give me two hundred fifty million dollars if I can find a way to make Jesus popular. I need your help, buddy. Here’s what I want you to do. . .”The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Jesonian–Troubling (Part 3)… July 15th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
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I must apologize. I’m still a bit troubled.
It’s the whole “Abraham” thing.
There are supposedly three religions–Judaism, Muslim and Christianity–that are knit together in a quilt based on a person named Abraham. If such a weaving is true, it is sewn with a dynamite fuse, ready to be lit at the least provocation.
A very simple study of the Gospels about Jesus will tell you that he was neither a practicing Jew nor did those around him deem him to be. If he felt he was Jewish, he certainly failed to convince anyone, and if they believed him to be their brother, they probably should not have crucified him.
On one occasion the Jews called Jesus a “Samaritan and a demon” while proclaiming themselves to be “children of Abraham.”
He alarmed them by stating that before Abraham existed, he was around. They did not muse his statement nor ask for evidence, but instead, picked up rocks to kill him, and he barely escaped with his life.
Christianity has many benefits but one of the main missions is to gently untangle itself from the Abrahamic family tree, so as to be able to make peace between these two feuding brothers–the followers of Abraham’s son, Isaac, and those of Abraham’s son, Ishmael.
Where would we begin?
We can commence this very worthwhile journey by understanding that Judaism is a culture, Muslim is a culture, but Christianity is a lifestyle.
So whether you’re from China, the Netherlands, Russia or Argentina, the ideas and message of Jesus will fit into your surroundings. Judaism basically works around Jews, and the Muslim faith has the greatest appeal to those who are Arab. That’s because they are cultures, not lifestyles.
As American Christians, we favor the Jews, not because they have any affinity for Jesus. Actually the Quran contains more respect for Jesus than the Old Testament. No, we favor the Jews because they were dispersed into Europe and they seem more American. Yes, it is another one of our racial bigotries–and when Jews look like Arabs, we are much less likely to be tender in their direction.
So let’s get over the foolishness and back to our theme:
If Jesus is God, then Jehovah and Allah are not.
If God is Jesus, then maybe there might be a little bit of Jehovah and Allah lounging around His man cave.
Christianity has the opportunity to heal one of the greatest family squabbles of all time. We cannot do so by saying we are “children of Abraham.”
In the Gospel of John, he clearly states that we are not born of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit. As followers of Jesus, we are not part of a lineage, but instead, linked by a salvation into what truly can be called the greatest opportunity for peace on Earth, goodwill toward men.
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G-Poppers … July 14th, 2017
Jonathots Daily Blog
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G-Pop is fully aware that he’s reached an age when there is a fine line between being colorful and being crazy. Yet there are some things that need to be said, because the integrity of character and moral soul of America are in jeopardy.
It has nothing to do with political parties or whether one group of pundits is more favorable than another. Rather, it has to do with an overriding attitude–that as long as the goal is kept in sight, the means by which we achieve it are somewhat irrelevant.
It came to a head yesterday when G-Pop listened to one of our national leaders proclaim, “I think everybody would do the same thing.”
It hearkened back to a playground perception we used as children, attempting to explain to the adults around us why we chose a particular behavior. You remember:
- Everybody was doing it.
- I didn’t want to be weird.
- It seemed all right–matter of fact, it seemed natural.
- There was no real reason not to.
- Since everybody was doing it, I didn’t think anyone would get in trouble.
Just as our elders corrected us on such errant thinking, we need to stop, take a deep breath and cease being a nation of children who move on whim and justify it by saying, “What else could I do?”
There is only one advantage to being an adult: you get to make your own decisions.
When you were a child, you were surrounded by pressure, intimidation, and obvious manipulation.
That is supposed to change.
G-Pop wants his children to know that there is a day and time when the only purpose for continuing to live on Earth is to get better–not to rationalize obtuse, repetitive and useless actions.
If you’re not getter better you’re getting “badder.”
And the end result of getting “badder” is that you’re going to be exposed and trumped by those who have a brighter idea.
I don’t care if everybody else is doing something stupid. I don’t care if it seems natural in the moment, if the end result is unnatural.
G-Pop wants his children to stop watching the actions of our leaders and government, and begin to find the inner voice that says, “Let me pause for a minute and find out what’s right.”
G-Pop places no judgment on those who are trying to take us into the depths of uncertainty.
But G-Pop wants his children to realize that just because “everybody would do it” actually makes it suspect, instead of righteous.
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