Things I Learned from R. B.

Jonathots Daily Blog

(4322)

Episode 3

The next morning my phone rang at seven o’clock.

It was R. B.

With nearly a tear in his voice, he explained that he’d been up most of the night, worried about the money he would receive while traveling with the cast of the musical.

The producers had joined with me in giving to these student-actors, who would be performing the parts, thirty-five dollars a week plus all expenses. At the time, most traveling casts of this style were charging the participants for the privilege of traveling. But it felt right for us to offer the young humans a little money for their concerted efforts.

But R. B. was not satisfied with the base wage.

He explained his bills. Three times. He also shared that his father had taught him that being frugal and prudent with your money was the best way to stay happy, and free of both debt and interference from others.

He was about to tell me that he was going to bow out when some evil spirit of compromise jumped up in my soul and I said, “How about we give you seventy-five dollars a week? But please, don’t tell the other cast members.”

There were so many things wrong with that statement, I don’t know where to start. But whereas R. B. was worried about the money, I was concerned about filling all the cast slots, and was in no mood on this early morn to lose one of them.

He agreed—with just a hint of reluctance, to let me know that he was well worth the offer and more.

As I hung up the phone I thought, “Is this going to end up biting me in the ass?”

I knew it would.

But I thought some scrambled eggs and turkey sausage might sooth my nervous soul.

PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant … June 27th, 2018

 Jonathots Daily Blog

(3716)

Dawning of This Day

by Jonathan Richard Cring

My skin prickles when you speak

I am much more than a biological freak

I occupy Earth as a human being

More than what you insist on seeing

Barely beginning to reach my peak

 

I am blamed for Eden, a symbol of weakness

A delicate flower, the mother of meekness

Yet my body rallies to birth a new student

Teaching love, strength and all that is prudent

Taking time for the problems I address

 

I am not angry at men

I consider them my friends

I might curse the sky

To contradict the lie

Embracing “BE”–not what has been

 

Just listen to me, mister

I am your powerful sister

Ready to stop our struggle with two

Prepared to fight the battle with you

For I am the conscientious resister

 

It’s time to clear the way

To think before we say

Finding the power we generate together

Unite our might, birds of a feather

We shall meet at the dawning of this day.

This week’s guest reader is Anisa, who lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, with her husband, Matt

*****

Enjoy today’s PoHymn? Buy the book!

             $9.99 plus S&H

*****

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

 

Jesonian: Good in Your Sight … March 8, 2015

Jonathots Daily Blog

(2525)

Republicans and Democrats.

Religious and atheist.

Men and women.

Black and white.

Gay or straight.

We seem to live in a time when we love to square off against one another into camps of conflict. Anyone who suggests similarities between these warring compounds is considered to be quaint or foolish.

Trying to resolve the difficulty often places you in the center of the field of fire and therefore criticized by both sides.

One day Jesus stopped and breathed a public prayer. Actually, he wasn’t too fond of public prayer, warning that it could be a pretense. But on this day he felt it was important to make sure those around him understood his meaning. He thanked God that the heavenly Father had “hidden truth from the wise and prudent.”

That’s the way it is today. Some people think they’re wise and some people think they’re prudent. The wise people are proud because of what they know. The prudent folk tout what they believe.

And when knowledge meets belief, there’s an immediate conflict–because to some degree, all knowledge requires a certain amount of belief, and all of our beliefs should be challenged by knowledge.

But I guess it’s just easier to brag about being smart or brag about how you’re going to heaven.

Jesus said true knowledge is delivered to babes–God wanted it to be that way, and it was “good in His sight.”

Nobody wants to be a baby. It’s much more fun to brag about being wise or prudent. But for every piece of wisdom I gain, I must admit that it was   gained, which means at one time I did not have it.

So to some degree, I am perpetually ignorant, trying to move forward in my understanding. And for each time that I extol the value of prudence, I also have to accept that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen–or maybe not prudent.

It places me in a no-man’s land, where I am vulnerable to learning and dependent on mercy and grace.

I am a baby to my own planet. Any time I feel that I’ve achieved maturity and adulthood, I am always thrust back to the high chair, to be spoon-fed new knowledge, to reveal a fresh flavor of my faith.

How can we teach people to cease battling with one another over knowledge or belief instead of realizing that without having both, we are incomplete? Because every baby has to learn how the planet works and certainly is dependent on the love of a father.

• Jesonian is when we’re not afraid to be babies.
• Jesonian is when we abandon being wise or being prudent.

I am convinced that the truth about Republicans, Democrats, men, women, gay, straight, religious, atheist, black and white is yet to be fully ascertained.

I want to be there when the next shipment of revelation comes through, and instead of being entrenched, be ready, like a baby, to suckle the nourishment.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

click above for information on 567!

 

A Prudent Student … January 3, 2013

(1,749)

So what do you think of my sexy picture? On second thought–please don’t tell me.

Sex. Sex is a three-letter word that is so intimidating that it scares four-letter words back to attending church. The trouble with sex is that most people fictitiously believe they’ve mastered it and therefore need no more training, insight or awareness of those around them. It’s why we often equate sex with violence–because people tend to become very defensive about their prowess, often to the point of hurting others to prove their superiority.

But as I said, in 2013 I am determined to go back to a child-like perception which will grant me power in my faith instead of draining off my potential relationship with God and human beings through my arrogance.

So what do children think about sex? Children are curious. Me too.

There is nothing in our entire experience as people that blends more of the carnal and the spiritual than sexuality. Those who approach it purely as a physical act end up frustrated, often degrading themselves in personal mishap. Those who insist that it’s purely spiritual are often relegated to a comedy of errors, and then overemphasis on the propriety robs the passion.

I want to be like a child. I want to remain curious. I want to learn about my own body, heart, soul and mind–and try to bring all four of them to the party of sexual relationship.

What else do we know about children? They have lots of questions and should never be pushed aside because we are nervous or feel their inquiries are premature or inappropriate. I have many questions. I have learned this–sex is always at its best when both parties are excited. If a woman believes that sex is a way to manipulate a man, she will not only fail to hold his attention and devotion, but she will often find herself without pleasure. If a man thinks that sex is a way to impress a woman, he will discover that much of her foreplay happens in stimulating her own level of enthrallment in the process.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we actually lived in a religious system  which is not afraid to discuss human sexuality and would answer questions instead of tabling them because they seemed too “nasty?”

And finally, as a child who wants to gain a simpler approach to my sexuality, I need to learn to “school the rule.” Is there any better example of the Golden Rule than human sexuality? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you… We know this–sex is really stinky when you expect more than you are willing to give. And if the Golden Rule works with sexuality, it gives greater credence to the fact that it will work with our emotional system, mental acuity and spiritual well-being.

So what do I want to be in 2013 sexually? A prudent student.

I want to stop being a cocky male who thinks that every woman in the room is intrigued with his magnetism. Instead, I want to be curious, ask questions without fear and apply the Golden Rule–do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In the process I can break down this phony, manipulative attitude that presently is permeating the sexuality of our culture.

I am a child learning about myself sexually. As long as I have that approach, I will be gentle, tender and valuable to my partner.

I am a prudent student. It’s a wonderful way to take that three-letter word and make it much less frightening.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity