John 14 - my favorite verse

John 14King James Version (KJV)

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

⁴ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

⁵ Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

⁷ If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

⁸ Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

¹⁰ Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

¹² Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

¹³ And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

²⁰ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

²⁸ Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

²⁹ And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

³⁰ Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

³¹ But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Not today

Maybe it's the utter exhaustion from this week.

6 years ago I buried my own mother.  The worst part of the preparations was putting on clothes and appearing in church with her physical form for the last time.  Not long after I came to visit my husband, his sister and their mother, and I remember saying at one point to Reggie "I know it is inevitable but if I could I would ensure that you never have to feel the loss and pain of losing your mother."

Today we bury my mother in law.  I think that, of everything that has transpired this week, this is the day I don't want to complete.  It's not so much my sadness and longing for her but bearing witness to the pain and suffering of my husband and his sister.  Not only bearing witness but knowing there is nothing at all I can offer as a balm, as a comfort - their mother is dead and she won't come back.  She wouldn't want to even if she could, and we would be so selfish to request it.

But we miss her.  One of the hardest realizations was "the woman whom I have known my entire life is no longer here to help me survive the rest of it."  I don't even know if they have fully grasped this concept, but when they do I know how devastating it will be.

May God lend me the strength to be strong and consistent for them.

Sushi

It is such a joy to find that many friends also understand what a treat it is to consume sushi.

Further, it is such a joy to find friends willing to share and revel in partaking in and discovering new cultures respectfully presented to is by their proud representatives.  To eat, to listen, to learn and to fellowship with those of our Thai brethren, Jamaican family, Mexican clans and Chinese dynasties is a blessing too few appreciate.

On Transgenders

It occurs to me that I have yet to read in any holy book where the body, a mere vessel into which we are born, should dictate the journey upon which our spirits travel.  God makes no mistakes.  Therefore, to identify with another gender must be a lesson learned after much trial and error in one form, realization the gift of technological and medical advance, thus seeking wholesomeness of mind, body and spirit.

Do you ever sit and wonder what your gift in life might be?

I know some people are meant to be healers, protectors, or comforters, or teachers, or leaders.  Some are uniquely made for stardom.Then there are "the least of these", and even less likely to be noticed, the lesser - we who fill in the gaps.
I remember being a kid and being fascinated by words.  Two that have always come back to me are patience and tolerance.  Both can be so expansive, yet each has to have a limit, not just to compliment justice but to also serve as barrier to your own personal breaking point.
I think one reason why I like my degree so much is because when we study a situation, or society from different sides we create more opportunity to see balance, fairness, but also the more harsh imbalances and unjustness.  And then when we know better we can choose to do better.

I suppose my takeaway is your gift should not just be recognized but also acted upon, even if it will never bring you fame or fortune.  I am happiest when I can touch and agree with all sorts of people from different walks, and also sit and listen to differences of opinion and find common ground.  I love recognizing barriers and forging bridges.  We're all in this together and we need each other to make it through. 

Get On Up

I don't want to get up
For I just suffered The Fall
You saw me and alight a few steps away
Your wings spread mightily as you call softly to me "You can get back up again"
I roll over on my back and squeeze my eyes shut tight against your light
Stubborn and ashamed
You step closer "For a saint is just a sinner who fell down..."
"I know, I know: 'and got up'. I know the words. I've heard the song. But I..."
"Am beautiful," you finish for me. "Fearfully and wonderfully made. Now share this good news. Get up."
And I do.