G-Poppers … October 28th, 2016

 Jonathots Daily Blog

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“A storm,” says G-Pop.

• Certainly everybody gets wet.
• Some souls are frightened by the lightning.
• Others are chilled by the thunder.
• The wind blows a portion away.
• And many suffer under the devastation–loss of heart and home.

When the storm ceases, the healing needs to begin.

In what should have been a celebration of our democracy, our unity and our abiding purpose, the 2016 Presidential campaign has been a storm which has swept across our land, terrifying the citizens. Even those who prided themselves on being resilient, or were accustomed to boarding up their feelings to protect themselves from the onslaught, have been shocked by the fury of the blast.

It is certain that November 9th will still usher in a season of great conflict which will require sane people of hope and faith to step in and restore healing.

What will the healing be? The removal of complexity, providing a path to simplicity.

We will have to stop being Republicans, Democrats, old, young, people of color, white, poor or rich, and instead, nurture ourselves on the beliefs that have eternal power and everlasting worth.

G-Pop has decided to be a contributor to the common good. It doesn’t make him special–but it does make his mission purposeful.

Three treatments will be necessary to set in motion the remission from stupidity and the beginning of restoration:

1. Love your neighbor as yourself.

There’s no replacement for it. “No one is better than anyone else” is not a slogan, but rather, a constant reminder that attempting to find differences stymies commonality.

2. Take responsibility for your own life.

Stop blaming the government, abortion, the gay community or Wall Street. Count your pennies, and find things you can buy for a penny. Count your talents and multiply them. And count your blessings and be thankful.

3. Be of good cheer.

Good cheer is not happiness, but rather, a road map to get to it. It is a decision to maintain peace and stillness in the midst of the storm. For I will tell you–the storms are not gone. There are more coming.

So we must heal, but also prepare.

G-Pop offers this definition for our strength:

Nothing happens until we show up; nothing is over until we give up.

 

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Jesonian: Reasonable (Part 19) Apolitical … April 10th, 2016

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It is impossible to pursue the dictates of a political party and stay faithful to the Jesonian.

There. I said it.

Anyone who follows a political persuasion is bound by that party to defend the stances presently being taken in the moment instead of embracing a more historical and eternal view.

Politics are for those who have given up on the power of the Gospel.

It is a way of trying to convince Caesar to accept your principles, or a way of forcing your principles into becoming “the new Caesar.”

Let us realize–they were constantly hounding Jesus to become political. They wanted him to fly the flag of Judaism and reject the Samaritans, or criticize the Greek woman who came for healing, attack the tax collectors, who were considered betrayers to the seed of Abraham, and most certainly, deny Rome the authority to rule and reign.

He disappointed all of these factions by living off of two simple concepts:

1. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
2. Go the second mile.

There is no political party in the United States of America that fully lines up in agreement with either of these concepts.

For “do unto others” is a decision to include all of humanity into your circle instead of rejecting some. So as the Republicans are infuriated with immigrants and the Democrats despise the South, the Jesonian individual must remain apolitical–loving the new visitors to our country and honoring the brothers and sisters in the Southeast.

No political party in this country believes in going the second mile. Going the second mile is finding out what energizes us instead of exhausts us.

The constant debate, attacks, and gridlock caused by political maneuvering becomes a national fatigue which removes the initiative to do just a little better than we did the last time.

• “Do unto others” is spiritual.
• “Go the second mile” is practical.

But you will find that when you do unto others, it has a practical edge, making you a friend of all tribes.

And you will discover that when you go the second mile, you gain spiritual credibility, as bystanders view your endeavors.

It is not reasonable to be political.

What is reasonable is to maintain a profile that is apolitical, while doing unto others and going the second mile–allowing the future to be determined by the wisdom of inclusion and the impetus of excellence.

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PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant… September 9th, 2015

 Jonathots Daily Blog

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Yada, Yada, Yo

Behold the beautiful tree

Was it made for me?

The sky, ever so blue

That was just for you

The fish like to swim

To bring glory to the heavenly Him

And the stars twinkle above

As a tribute to His love

God must love us dear

So calm your aching fear

Yes, we are arrogant asses

Clumped in our selfish masses

Promoting a God to our demand

Enforcing His rules as holy command

To confirm our eternal worth

And espouse a spiritual birth

While ignoring the flourishing flower

We insist we’ve greater power

And shooting the sparrow from the sky

Forgetting the Father counts them on high

While spitting upon our Mother Maker

Failing to be a giver, only a taker

For if God created it all

And we created Eden’s fall

Are we not the planet’s pestilence?

As we persist in our obstinance?

Truly. humility is required of those who rule

Be it God … or any earthly fool.

 

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PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant … July 8th, 2015

 Jonathots Daily Blog

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The Lore of Love

Eve loves Adam

Adam adores Eve

Tamra marries her madam

Dan commits to Steve

 

Each one pays a price

An internal sacrifice

For love has a voice

Often without choice

Compelling us to share

Daring us to care

Breeching our tradition

To announce its admission

Yea, of the eternal three

The “greatest of these is me”

Always on my mind

Thankfully gentle and kind

Making me believe

Teaching to receive

Can we question while kneeling

What is truly our inner feeling?

For if God is love, you see

And God is living in me

Then love must be my essence

The evidence of His presence

Or I am a foolish ass

Clanging sounding brass

So who am I to know

The one who helps you grow?

And who am I to refuse

The message of your good news?

Yes, and the best place to start

Is to birth mercy deep in my heart. 

 

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***************************

NEW BOOK RELEASE BY JONATHAN RICHARD CRING

WITHIN

A meeting place for folks who know they’re human

 $3.99 plus $2.00 S&H

 

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He Said It Right Out Loud… November 27, 2013

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Children’s Sermon.

Honestly, I think the two words contradict each other. No child actually wants to hear a sermon, and no sermon is normally conducive to those under three feet tall. But there are gallant souls who make a valiant effort to communicate very important principles to little ones.

I was sitting in a church listening to one of these brave attempts by a delightful lady as she shared what Thanksgiving meant to her, proffering her ten points of gratitude. She started out by mentioning her home, followed by a house full of food and a warm furnace to keep things toasty. She shared with the kids that there are people in the world–mainly the homeless–who don’t have such blessings. She was about ready to go on to her next point when a young man piped up in a voice as clear as a bell, and obviously, a mind to match.

“Why don’t we let those people who don’t have homes come to our homes and eat our food and stay warm?”

It must have been that all the angels of God silenced the birds, because the room was still–almost afraid to move.

To her credit, she responded, “That’s what we should do.”

She then continued on with her list. Honestly, I don’t remember a single other installment on her array of goodies. My mind was frozen, transfixed on the question from the little boy.

Why don’t we?

I had to ask myself, what would I have answered this young man in the same circumstances. Please understand, I am not being critical of the woman or the job she was doing with these little folk. It’s just that sometimes a truly eternal question enters the room, demanding our attention and requiring that we drop previous plans and veer in the direction of the Spirit instead of clinging to tradition.

Why don’t we invite the homeless into our warm houses with lots of food in the refrigerator?

1. We don’t do that because it’s scary.

We’ve watched episodes of Law and Order in which homeless people are portrayed as possessing deviant behavior and all sorts of mental illnesses, not to mention infectious diseases. It’s that old American philosophy that “the danger outweighs the benefit.” I guess as long as we’re scared of people who are cold and hungry, they should keep their reservation for the park bench.

2. We don’t do that because no one said we could or should.

Most of us don’t have memories of our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles protecting the less fortunate or providing them a night of greater comfort. We never asked; they never told us. It was just understood that some people work, make money and get the fruits of the endeavor … and others don’t.

3. We don’t do that because cool people haven’t made it cool yet.

Our cool people are too busy promoting their own causes, nefarious attitudes and latest projects to take the time to consider something more universal, like brotherly love. Our cool people argue with each other about what’s cool. Our cool folks are overloaded in their schedules, making fashion statements. Our cool people must bring government to a standstill to prove how really cool they are. Like it or not, as humans we have a tendency to mimic the style of those who have more, know more and do more. Our cool people just don’t think it’s cool to bring others in out of the cold.

I suppose no one else ever gave the little boy’s question another thought, but it haunts me to this day. Can I overcome the scary parts of life to do more than I was told to do and make myself cool enough that I could start a new trend?

I don’t know.

But it sure gives me a lot to think about.

 

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For Bidding… October 7, 2013

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The Good Book tain’t good unless it makes good things happen when people are thrown together.

A few days ago, after one of my shows, I was getting ready to pack up my books when a teenage boy inched his way to my side. Apparently he had stood around for a good half-hour while people talked to me, looking for a chance to have a private moment.

He wasted no time.

“There’s a girl I like. How can I ask her out on a date?”

I paused for a moment, trying to make sure I didn’t come across surprised, alarmed OR amused. I guess he chose to ask me the question because he knew I wouldn’t be around tomorrow to tease him about it. Or he thought I might be one of those “cool adults” who would give him a real answer instead of one that’s canned, sealed and labeled “for grown-up consumption.”

My answer was simple. I told the young man to figure out what he liked,  take the things that came to his mind and start doing them for the girl he was interested in.

He thought that was really nifty. (Forgive me. I guess “nifty” is no longer used. Let us just say he was impressed.)

His last words were: “I can do that. Because it’s about me.”

As he raced away, I had to chuckle. You see, all I had given him in the way of advice was a remake on the Golden Rule—“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

But you see, it worked, was valuable and was understandable to him because it’s true.

We spend entirely too much time talking about the Good Book as if it’s suspended in mid-air, on gossamer wings, with the supernatural breath of the divine Creator.

Shoot. If it doesn’t work on earth, it sucks.

You see, it’s easy to go from something that is “for bidding” to something that can become “forbidding.”

The gospel that was put together as a means of inviting all of humanity to discover its better side and therefore generate salvation in our souls can just as easily be turned into a message of hatred, prejudice, incrimination and selfishness.

So let me give you a clue:

• I don’t recommend agnosticism. It turns you into a jaded grouch, critical of human life while devoid of any eternal possibility.
• I don’t recommend religion. It keeps you panting for heaven while simultaneously missing buckets of opportunity on earth.

Here’s what I’ve discovered: if you find something that works in everyday life, it won’t take you too long to discover that this same idea is in the Good Book.

Don’t try to go to the Good Book to explain everything you see in life. Get rid of your fear of living and in so doing, discover the three or four things that universally work. Then go read your Good Book and be delighted when you find out that God thought it up millions of years ago.

No wonder that book itself tells us that everything written within its pages can be boiled down to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

It is “for bidding” others, welcoming them to your life, removing the anger of “forbidding” personal contact.

And when all the chickens come to roost, you find out, like this young man will certainly discover, that the Golden Rule even works with dating.

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Always Finishing … January 14, 2013

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The key is in changing your wanter.

Yes, there are things I want in life, but honestly, most of them are temporary ticklings in my soul rather than permanent inclinations. Perhaps that’s the definition of maturity–understanding that what I want right now is going to change, so instead of becoming stubborn about it I should learn to be prepared to change my wanter based upon availability.

One of the worst pieces of philosophy being propagated in our society is that we should have a dream and stick with it. What if our dream sucks? What if this vision of our future is riddled with inconsistencies, with no acknowledgment whatsoever of our factual abilities? Then we’re not dreamers–we’re just fools, waiting for the next bus to hit us as we energetically step off the curb.

I arrived at All Saints Lutheran Church in Tamarac, Florida, yesterday morning. Here is what the average person would ask me about my morning’s activities:

1. Do you really, really, really want to be there?
2. Is it a fulfillment of your dreams?
3. Do you consider it a stepping stone on your way to your five-year goal plan?

You see, this is the kind of garbage they write about in self-help books. It has nothing to do with the reality of the soup in which we are stirred. So let me answer these questions as a soul who has learned the quality of changing my wanter:

1. Do I want to be there? Well, I am there and it is my next best possibility toward acting out my heart’s desire in front of a group of people who may be particlly interested in listening. It is my experience that the quick door to success is often located on the edge of a cliff. It is better to slowly, meticulously, intelligently and joyfully work with what you’ve got, change your wanter and convince yourself to do immaculate work as if you were doing it in a larger venue in front of millions of people. I did not give the congregation at All Saints Church a presentation based on the size of their particular configuration. I gave them the best that Jonathan Richard Cring had on January 13th, 2013. That’s what I deserve, that’s what they deserve and that’s what God anticipates.

2. Is this a fulfillment of my dream? My dream is to be usable. When I start trying to illustrate that dream with a picture in my mind of the ideal, I arrogantly eliminate most of the real possibilities that will come my way. If I want to be taken seriously by millions, I must faithfully finish my work in front of the ten, one hundred or one thousand sent my way. So if this all ends tomorrow, I can complete my course knowing that I put on a show that was worthy of millions in front of the audience provided.

3. About my five-year goal plan–I don’t like stepping stones. That connotes that everything is located beneath my feet instead of being embraced by my heart. Those beautiful people yesterday were not a stop-over on my way to my journey–they are my journey. Maybe in the process of the journey I will meet more. Or perhaps I will end up with fewer. But I will finish what I set out to do with the vigor, height and depth of my talent.

Sometimes when I’m on stage I close my eyes. Because I am a believer in faith, I also recognize that everything I am doing is being transported to some eternal storage facility where it will be valued. It is my treasure. I will finish it with flair. I will learn from my mis-steps. And I will change my wanter to match my “got it.”

I feel so fulfilled today because I was granted the immense opportunity to share in front of the precious souls at All Saints. After all, what can be more humbling and blessed than being allowed to proffer your limited resources in front of all the saints?

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