The Bigger Picture

Good morning,
 
I’ve found myself studying the life and teachings of Yahshua ever more closely these days, placing, as it were, each of his moves that have been chronicled under the microscope of my mind, searching through every nuance of his character for something new, something I have yet to discover, something I haven’t had…preached at me. The experience has been other worldly, as I guess it should be, meditation can be telescopic in that way. Place anything or anyone under its powerful lenses and you will find there is much more there than you ever expected, like the crowded, overpopulated city of cells in a single drop of blood.
 
I rummaged through the stories and accounts that have been told and retold countless times, at first unable to find anything new, for everything had been used, reused and recycled yet again. However, one day to my astonishment and glee I came upon a nugget in my sifting pan: a common thread that ran through each account of Yahshua’s life on earth. Everybody has a thesis. It is a statement that declares what you believe and what you intend to prove. Yahshua had one also, and it is in every story ever written of Him, in every word he uttered to His disciples, His friends, His family, even His enemies as he languished on the stake. For totality’s sake, let us begin at the beginning:
 
When Yahshua was born wise men came to visit him bearing gifts because they saw the star that they had been awaiting and knew that the Messiah had finally arrived. They held audience with King Herod for, who better to tell them of the new King’s whereabouts than the current King himself. Herod was baffled by this and more than a little concerned, so he asked them to bring word of their new King when they had found Him, and find Him they did, in the unlikeliest of places – not wrapped in a manger in swaddling clothes as we have always been led to believe by erroneous scenes of nativity, but as a toddler spending days running happily through a tiny house along with His mother. They bowed down and worshipped the young Savior and delivered their gifts, but did not return to Herod after being warned in a dream. The safety of the Son of Man was far more vital than any amount of foreign relations. They returned to their countries secretly, because when it came to Yahshua…there was a bigger picture.
 
At 12 years old we reacquaint ourselves with young Yahshua, and we find Him encircled in the Temple conversing with learned men, shedding light on subjects they thought they had full grasp of. His parents were out in the streets searching frantically, calling out his name in dismay. Finally after so many hours of looking they decided to check the one place a normal 12 year old would not have ventured had he procured for himself the freedom of at last being under no supervision. Mary and Joseph were grieved very much and asked, “how could you do this to us, we were so worried”. Yahshua answered, “why did you look for me in all those other places, didn’t you know I would be about my Father’s business?”. In essence he told his parents not to fret…there was a bigger picture.
 
At the beginning of His ministry we come upon Yahshua wading out into the River Jordan, John the Baptist watched Him as he approached, John swallowed hard trying to clear the nervous lump in his throat for he knew that the man standing before him was no average man, and this occasion was no typical baptism. John hesitated. “You?” he asked, “you come to me for baptism?” Yahshua nodded humbly smiling at His forerunner. “But I should be getting baptized by you!” he added. Yahshua touched his forearm gently and told him to let it be this way for now, “do you see the people on the river bank?” Yahshua asked. John nodded. Yahshua knew that this was an opportunity for Him to set an example, even though the Son of Man had no need of baptism by the hand of mortals, yet…there was a bigger picture.
 
One Sabbath day Yahshua and His Disciples wistfully strolled through a corn field and, as they were terribly hungry, they began to pluck ears of corn. The Pharisees, who seemed to always be on the scene to point out the wrong, but never around to help those in need (sounds like the NYPD), of course pointed out to Yahshua that it was unlawful to harvest food on the Sabbath. They were not wrong as far as the letter of the law is concerned, according to the law this was a trespass. Yahshua pointed out though, more for our benefit than for theirs, that unless we keep the Spirit of the Law it was unable to bring salvation. Laying a charge against a man for for this trespass was unjust, just as it is unjust for a man who, runs across a busy street to save the life of a child in the crosswalk only to be given a ticket for jay-walking by the city. Even when it came to the Law of Moses…there is a bigger picture.
 
When Yahshua told His disciples of heavenly things, using parables to drive His point home, they were often unable to take hold of the meanings. Many times they would be left scratching their heads asking themselves whether Yahshua was speaking literally or figuratively. When He told them that He must die in order to save the weak and the oppressed they denied it vehemently. Peter said it would not go down this way, but Yahshua rebuked Him because he did not “savor the things of Yahweh” but rather clung to earthly relationships. Peter finally understood after he had denied the Son of Man three times what Yahshua’s words really meant…there was a bigger picture.
 
As Yahshua bled on the stake, his fragile body going in and out of violent convulsions, the nails ripping through the center of his palm under the weight of his limp limbs which he was too weak to bear up on the wooden platform placed at his feet for support; as the sun baked his skin that had been shredded with the barbed whip of the cruel Roman Empire (a whip they still use with great efficiency today through Economic Slavery of the underclasses); as his throat dried up so that He found it hard to breathe, and people at the base of the tree looking up could hear the short wheezes as he took in His final breaths; as the thief to his left mocked Him for his willingness to die for no cause, and the one to his right worshipped Him for the same reason; Yahshua thought of you and I, and did not think it an injustice at all that he should bear the sins of the world, though His life was not marred with a single transgression, and his lips had never uttered a single offense, he bore willingly the pain and disgrace we deserved because in His divine nature he knew, as he had known from the foundation of the world…there was a bigger picture.
 
So today I hope this jars us all into real thought of what our purpose may be here on Earth. Is it to simply endure the tedious sermonizing of the same old lessons in the same old mode of thought, in the same old place we have always been? Is it to exist in this perpetual state of inaction, even as the trumpets of change blast all around us? Is it sufficient any more to praise and worship behind the four walls we find so much comfort in, as spiritual hermits, of whom the very neighborhoods we inhabit have no idea of our existence? Is it enough to remain ineffective in this war that wages so thunderously, as outdated unreliable weapons of artillery that simply will not fire though the enemy charges forward? This message is much bigger than us and our small insignificant lives, and our small insignificant differences that we can’t seem to find resolutions to. This message is much bigger than the slivers of truth we cling to for justification, the Holy Name, the Sabbath, The Feast Days. Oh yes, we are remarkably keen to make sure we count down the days with careful precision, but when was the last time we reached out to the masses who hold out their hands in extreme hunger and thirst. Sometimes I fear we resemble too closely the Pharisees yelling out “Do not pick that corn!”, never realizing in our programmed minds that… there is a bigger picture. 
 
Marc Wellington 
 
 
Scripture of The Day
Matthew 16:24-26 (New King James Version)
 
Then Yahshua said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his stake, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
 
Quote of The Day
 
“Fi kill di ghetto youths Babylon strong like a crane. Fi help the Black Woman dem weaker than a corn grain. Do not make dem fool you, The government dem run da biggest Bandulu.” – Sizzla Jamaican Songwriter/Singer
 
p.s. Thanks be to the Yahweh, ever loving, ever merciful, ever kind, ever righteous, ever true, for such a blessed Feast of Unleavened Bread. Although we return to our diets of yeast and leavening let us keep our houses purged of the leavening of the heart, remember there is a bigger picture and these Feast Days point toward it. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list please send an email request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list I will take request based on order of names. Today we start with names that begin with the number 1, 2, and 3. Pay attention because we start the letters as soon as the numbers are done.

The Race of Man

Good morning,
 
At the beginning of it all they were just like us, finding sustenance as we did in the bountiful gifts of nature. They forged intimate friendships with the trees and the rivers, acquiring their food and medicine from the one, and bathing and drinking in and from the other. They would run and play during the days, sprinting through the forests like so many happy gazelles, the echoes of their laughter affected all around, these charismatic creatures with their broad smiles and their gleaming eyes that had yet to know the burning sensation of tears. Yes, at the beginning they were not as fragile, they would leap from heights unthinkable and spring to their feet again without breaking stride, they suffered injury yes, but not so easily, and the years of their lives was not as fleeting – not as insignificant. At night they would huddle together about fires whispering stories to their young, telling them of things past and things that may come; simple things, like where the best berries grew, and how to cure a scratch, and the secret places where monkeys whooped and danced in the branches causing rainstorms of ripened fruit. They were peaceful beings too, and except for the occasional playful skirmishes, showed no signs of a vicious nature, but somehow all that changed. They acquired, we know not when, a taste for the meat of the animals they once befriended, and this we believe was the beginning of the end. The fires they started for warmth took on a new purpose, and during the days they once spent playing among the trees they now spent clearing them away, in their new and unquenchable desire for more space. They built borders with wood they had hewn from the corpses of their stationary, defenseless victims; they called them fences, to keep out unwanted visitors, we thought it was rude and so we stayed away. They divided themselves into teams they called countries and immediately the warring began. They fought for land; they fought for animals which they had caged up; they fought for shiny pieces of metal they had discovered underground; they fought for love of a home they had invented; and most absurd of all – bless their hearts, they even fought for peace. They decided that the legs they had been given moved too slowly for a changing world, so they cornered horses whom they had eyed with envy for years, and ”broke” them fiendishly, and sat atop them majestically to be whisked away to ”business meetings” and pageantries that served no inherent purpose. Folly. Then the horses became too slow and they decided to harness the energy of fire instead, so they started to clear away huge masses of forests and to dig massive holes into the ground, they dug and dug until the earth bled that blackened flow that they danced about in and sold for the shiny trinkets they had dug even larger cavities to find. They traded what was already theirs among themselves, to think of it makes me cringe, a race of beings that used to be so intelligent. The time they once spent living and teaching their young is now spent working to gather trinkets so they can buy the very food they once had in abundance. Now some have in excess while others starve to death and they do it all good conscience because they believe so much in the borders of countries: imaginary lines they created themselves.  They now live in huge fortresses with the automatic fences to shield themselves from their own kind. They don’t view each other as their own kind because they have separated themselves by skin color, by hair texture, by eyes, by areas of inhabitance, by speech, by superstitions, by beliefs, by habits, by practices, by diet, by wealth, by gender, and by any other difference they can discover. What a change has come over this once simple race of beings, and how speedily they race toward their imminent destruction. Perhaps then Mother Earth can recover from the virus that has been man.
 
 
In recognition of Earth Week
 
To my readers:
Every moral is not spelt out in the scripture. There are some things that Yahweh tranfers directly into our souls. Let’s learn to be more conservative and more conscious of the environment. Yes, yes, I’m a back-packing, cargo-pants wearing, left wing supporting, believer in conservation, and even if you haven’t been aware of these issues before, focus some attention on it from today onward. The Earth is a gift for which we are help accountable, and even though we know that man’s fate has already been sealed by the prophecies of the scripture that in no way exempts us, as Believers, from being environmentally conscious.
 
Yah Bless!
 
Psalm 2:8 (King James Version)
 
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
 
Marc Wellington
 
“Thank Yahweh men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the Earth.” – Henry David Thoreau
 
p.s. A hearty “Living Well”-come to the newest members of our tiny circle; Pastor Daniel Thompson (Bahamas); and Beverly (Bahamas). Thank you all for your continued support, and please let’s try to think on today’s lesson, it is something very personal to the author you’ve come to be friends with. Turn out those lights and fix that leaky faucet. Everybody have a green day and enjoy this masterpiece that Yahweh fashioned with his own hands, and which others are currently in the process of murdering. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list please send an email request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list send a written request on a piece of paper which I will promptly put our for recycling.

Growth

Good morning,
 
For most of us our children are the most important gifts Yahweh has blessed us with here on earth. We spend the greater portion of our days catering to their needs; we spend astronomical sums of money making sure that all the doors of opportunity that we can affect are opened wide to them; we are not at peace unless we are assured of their absolute safety; we are constantly monitoring their health, both mentally and physically; we set rules in place that will protect them, even from the things they may not know can hurt them. After all they are a part of us; they came from our very bodies, and we would lay down our lives in an instant to save theirs.  
 
What if you noticed that one of your children was not developing as they should? What if you realized that they were much shorter in stature than most children their age? What if they hadn’t developed teeth when they should, or hadn’t begun to speak by a reasonable age? If any one of these occurred we would waste no time in taking them to see professionals who could diagnose and treat these growth and development deficiencies.
 
Growth is a very important aspect of our natural lives on earth, and is an indication of who have a better chance of survival. The same is true spiritually. Yahweh loves us as we love our children and he takes note of our development. Some of us have been crawling for years and haven’t the strength to get up and walk, so when the race gets tough we find ourselves overtaken. Some of us have not learned to communicate as we should and we haven’t developed the speech necessary to make ourselves intelligible to our spiritual siblings, hence the origin of much confusion and dissension. Some of us have not grown the teeth necessary to consume the bread and meat that Yahweh wants to give to us, so we are stuck with the milk of basic teachings that we should have mastered years back. And as for our spiritual stature, don’t get me started! Why have new converts come in and flourished while you still remain the very same height in Yahweh year in and year out? Could it be because you have not been to see the Professional? Maybe you can’t recognize your own shortcomings, so Yahweh has sent his physicians who are well-read in your specific issue and has pointed out the diagnosis, now its up to you to accept the treatment.
 
Today can we focus our thoughts on the areas of our spiritual lives where there seems to be a lack of development. If you are unsure of where those areas lie, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a perfect time to have allow Yahweh to perform that complete physical on us. He can diagnose the problems and prescribe the very things we need to overcome these issues that have become so chronically debilitating to our spiritual health.
 
Have a blessed day everybody!
 
1 Peter 2:2-3 (New King James Version) 
 
As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that Yahweh is gracious.
 
Marc Wellington
 
Quote of The Day: On Childhood
“You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play, and run all day long? Never in life will he be so busy again. – Jean-Jacques Rosseau (Emile 1762)
 
p.s. Give your kids a kiss and a hug because despite their inherent ability to drive you crazy they are such precious gifts from above. Never will they be more innocent, more like Yahshua than today. If you’re aspiring to be perfect, take a closer look at your babies. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list please send an email request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list, add clinically insane to your list of deficiencies.
 

Indulgent Reminiscence VI

‘Who Drank The Sunny D?”
 
In the year 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas, and five hundred years later in 1992 with help from American Airlines, so did I. Needless to say Chris and I had as much in common as a pigeon and pit-bull, but in one particular we did share this – we both had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. I landed at Miami Airport with a grin so wide that I resembled a pez dispenser. It was so exciting. My younger brother and sister, and two of my cousins were requested to spend an entire Summer in Georgia by our Aunty Ina. Before I go on, if you were paying attention, you would have noticed something particularly strange in the sentence above: a person actually volunteering to take on the task of handling the responsibilities of five island kids during a Summer in sweltering Georgia. There are two types of people in the world, those who could handle a task of such magnitude without missing a beat (and I use that word beat inclusive of all definitions), and those who would have ran into the woods screaming after the very first week. My Aunt Ina was the former.
 
A word about my Aunt Ina. 
 
She absolutely presided over our souls, from birth to adulthood, as if Yahweh had whispered the order to her Himself: “These children are your responsibility until you decide to have one of your own…and make sure you don’t do that until they’re all grown up.” She obeyed, and thus became the woman we both loved and feared, feared because no slip-up was small enough to escape her notice, loved because – hmmm, loved because…we’ll come back to that.
 
She was attending Fort Valley State at the time, and doing very well from all accounts. Many a report came back home about her academic proficiency, and about the consistent way in which she dispatched each course. A B-grade was a failure in her book, and what she expected of herself – she expected of her nieces and nephews. So every end of term, when our grades came out, we would have to plead shamefully with our parents “ground us, punish us, take away the T.V. but do not be so cruel as to inform Aunt Ina of our utter failure”. It was useless, they were in her pocket, and so we accepted our fates like the peasants that we were, we lived in a world where Aunt Ina ruled supreme.
 
Back to Georgia.
 
She lived in a mobile home right near Campus, and we would spend the mornings there after she had prepared our breakfasts and left for morning classes (she even did Summer School). When she was gone we would entertain ourselves with anything we could, music, dancing, water balloon fights, tennis matches in the living room, make-believe fashion shows, and plain letting loose (never leave island kids alone in your house). About an hour before she came back we would go into a full operational cleaning offensive. Kitchen, bathroom, living room, carpet, clothing, each of us had a job and knew we had to do it perfectly, any tell-tale sign of non compliance and the jig would be up. She would come home around noon to meet us watching The Price is Right as if we hadn’t left the spot. Brilliant. The evenings were spent with Aunt Ina showing us how to prepare a meal, teaching us table manners, and practicing all forms of acceptable etiquette. Her discipline knew no bounds, so even our culinary inclinations were affected; I have never eaten such an array of exotic vegetables in my life. Up to that point we had no idea that things such as the ”squash” existed, but we were made to eat bushels of the horrid, yellow, gushy substance that I’m still not convinced is an actual food. All in all, though, things were going well until:
 
The Sunny D incident.
 
My cousins and my siblings will tell you that we will never forget, for as long as we live, what occurred one morning when my aunt reached into the refrigerator to pour out some Sunny Delight and found that the bottle was entirely too light. I remember being aroused from my sleep that morning very suddenly, and my younger brother looking at me solemnly. We could hear our Aunt calling out our names from the living room, government names, so we knew full well we were all in trouble: Wellington, Antoine, Lakeisha, Yulanda, Shakera…in order of birth, even in her anger she maintained order. By the time my brother and I got to the opera the first act was already under way. A stool had been set in the middle of the living room, it may as well had been a gallows, such terror it struck in us. We sat on the couch and listened intently; “I’m only going to ask this once, and I want an answer and I want it now.” Then she asked the question that will characterize her in our hearts and mind for good: “Who drank the Sunny Delight?” I was sure I would go into cardiac arrest. Nobody budged. She waited 2 minutes and the massacre began. One by one we stepped onto that stool and had to stand there as she lashed our bare legs with a leather belt. As it says in the scripture – there was weeping and moaning and gnashing of teeth, not to mention some really undignified howling on the part of my little cousin Kera. Yikes! That day we all tasted the belt because we would not give up the person that drank that historic punch.
 
How can he possibly tie this in to scripture? Ahh my loved ones…you underestimate the power of freelance association. David, in his flee from King Saul, had hidden out for a time with the Priests of Nob. When Saul caught wind of this he came to the Temple there and demanded that they tell him David’s whereabouts. Those priests never budged, and never once thought about betraying David, the anointed of Yahweh and rightful King of Israel. They paid the ultimate price for their loyalty as Saul massacred each man for refusing to help him (1 Samuel 22:17-19). Now its true, David didn’t exactly steal some Sunny Delight, but let’s look at the big picture, when we find our brothers or sisters overtaken in a fault we should do our best to help them to help them to overcome their obstacles. I’m in no way encouraging sweeping sin under the rug, it is just that sometimes the one thing an individual needs is to know that somebody will stand with them in times of hardship.
 
And as for who actually drank the Sunny Delight; I always knew who it was and after 16 years I’m still not ready to tell. Sorry Aunt Ina this one may go to the grave shrouded in a cloud of mystery. It’s the only secret we have managed to keep from you, because you were always so good at seeing into our souls. We loved you because you made us better human beings and did it with tender touch and an iron fist all at the same time.
 
Scripture of the Day
Galatians 6:1 (New King James Version)
 
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
 
Marc Wellington
 
At sunset today we partake of the Passover Supper. This is an extremely significant time in our calendar year and signifies our communion in the death and resurrection of Yahshua the Messiah. We have fasted and prayed in preparation and we are ready to present ourselves before Him, let us pray that the sacrifice we are about to lay on the altar will be acceptable to our King and Creator.
 
Tomorrow is the 14th day of the month Nissan in the year 5768. The Sabbath Candle Lighting Time is 7:21 pm EST. The sun sets at 7:39pm EST.
 
Have a great Sabbath everybody!
 
p.s. Please be reminded that you can view any one of the articles at the website and even have a little chat with the author. Just click this link: www.marcwell0978.wordpress.com and you’re there. If you would like to add a friend please forward an email request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list please forward a request to cannotbedone@hotmail.com.

[Pending]

Good morning,
 
I find it interestingly curious how quickly its become
The verve and life of morning hours that used to be hum-drum
I wait impatiently for its arrival twiddling my thumbs
And like the wind blows
Who knows where it goes
Who knows from whence it comes.
 
It whispers to my willing ears stories of ancient borders
Of kings and tribes beyond our times, of valor and of honor
Its worth more than any amount I could get from the ‘pawner’ (pretty sure that’s not a word)
So I’ll retain it…
What did he name it?
Oh yeah… “The Thursday Reading Corner”.
 
Welcome my dear loved ones to ancient memories that sweep into the soul and ushers you back to famous days of yore:
 
 
Excerpts From The Diary of Philip of Goshen
 
Day One:
 
If I wrote that I thought I would ever see this day, it would be a falsehood. I never thought we would be allowed to leave this place. My father’s father was born here, and made bricks here, and died here, and was unceremoniously buried, and I am not ashamed to admit that I was certain I would share the same fate. It seems I was wrong. We’re packing up as quickly as possible, who knows if that erratic man will change his mind again. I can’t hear much over the shouts of joy and gladness bouncing off the walls of the caverns. It’s like a being trapped in a bottle of happy echoes. Laughter never seemed so abundant. An old woman I have never met just kissed me on the cheek. Her grungy hands, no doubt from years of toiling in the tar pits, have left streaks across my skin; streaks that I dare not wash away. And there he is with his staff, standing at the summit, the man they call our savior who barely utters a word. Such a mystery.
 
Day Seven:
 
If anyone should find this, it is the last will and testament of Philip of Goshen. Let the history books mark that I lived a good life, and that I knew this was going to happen. We’re trapped….trapped! Like dogs we await the harsh whip of our masters, here with our backs against the impassable waves. How could nobody have thought about this? Nobody considered that we might need a ship? Look at him; standing there at the summit with his staff, he isn’t even saying anything, not telling us what to do. That “man of few words” thing is losing its charm fast. The old lady that kissed me before is tugging on my legs, get back…get back…I don’t know how to swim either. We’re finished!
 
Day Seven and a half:
 
Seems I was a bit shortsighted before. Scratch my last entry. We’re good. The waves have opened up and we’re moving through the middle of the sea. How is this possible? Never mind, it’s happened and that’s all that matters. The man with the staff leads the way in front, he still hasn’t said anything, but he certainly has made good use of that staff, let me tell ya! It seems Philip from Goshen will live to write another day, but that was definitely too close for comfort.
 
Day Fourteen:
 
Okay I’d do anything for a droplet of water. We walked through the middle of the sea and now we’re dying of thirst…ironic. Everybody is weak and staggering around like the army of the undead. I haven’t seen that creepy old lady, maybe she kicked the bucket. This is what I call terrible exit strategy. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail man. We’re in the middle of a dessert with absolutely no water, yeah salvation is sweet!
 
Day 21:
 
Okay he solved the water thing, I didn’t see it myself but they told me he hit a rock or something and water gushed out. They also said he lost his patience and the “man of few words” called us bad names one of which was rebels. I don’t think I’m a rebel, but I am hungry. I’ve lost at least 30 pounds since we left, and that hard bread has ran out. Now what? Okay so we walked through seas, and drank water from a rock, what good is it if we can’t get some food. What about the children…and me, what about me and the children?
 
Day 28:
 
If I eat another piece of that bread that falls down here every morning I’ll gag to death. Who eats off the ground anyway? We need some meat! Meat! Protein is a very important part of a nutritious breakfast, how do we live on just bread and water. It’s okay for him, he looks like he hasn’t lost an ounce since we left, maybe he knows something we don’t. They’re chanting again…I’ll join in – “Meat…meat…give…us…meat!” 
 
Day 133:
 
This guy has been gone for almost 12 days now. Are we waiting for his spirit to appear? Come on people, think! He’s dead, and we’re lost…hopelessly lost! We need help, don’t shush me Sheila (Sheila’s my new wife, she’s a bit dense). I just saw a footprint that looks like mine three weeks ago, we’re going in circles! What we need is a plan and I’ve got it. I’m going to suggest to that brother of his that we fashion some sort of deity. I’ve seen those other folks do it a million times and their nation made out pretty okay. What we need is all the gold we can muster up, we have lots of goldsmiths in the crowd. We make ourselves something to worship and it leads us out of here, maybe back to where we came from, though I’m not too keen about crossing that sea again, I saw what happened to those chariots. Either way we leave this spot at the bottom of this mountain where we’ve camped out all this time. We’re wasting precious moments.
 
Day 143:
 
I’ve never seen him so angry. One of those tablets almost hit me. What did he expect, we thought he was dead. Were we supposed to just sit here and wait patiently as he camped out up there. You have to be proactive; it’s the only way to survive in this world. Now he wants to know who is going to stand with him. Well I’ll tell you what; I’ve had enough of this guy. I’ve had enough of this terrible dessert food, and sleeping out in the elements. I’ve had enough of this walking and walking without really getting anywhere. I’ve had enough of him not admitting that he’s lost too. I never see him look at a map, all he does is kneel down and whisper words holding that staff. I’m not budging from this spot!
 
Last known entry from the diary of Philip of Goshen.
 
The End
 
Don’t forget to make your title suggestions for a chance to win lunch on me! Announcement date has changed to Thursday afternoon.
 
Scripture of The Day
Psalm 27:14 (King James Version)
 
Wait on the Yahweh: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on Yahweh.
 
Marc Wellington
 
Quote of The Day
 
“How poor are they that have not patience, what wound did ever heal but by degrees.” – William Shakespeare (Othello)
 
p.s. I hope you all will enjoy the latest installment of the Thursday Reading Corner series. I didn’t bother to explain the rules because I believe every reader is familiar with them. Keep living well my loved ones! If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list then kindly send an e-mail with such request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list I have two words for you “CAT Scan”.

Place of Worship

Good morning,
 
My loved ones! How are you? I feel refreshed today and I’m ready to roll. I hope you are because the train is about to leave the station and it’s time to board. Don’t wait until it chugs off because we can’t stop until we get to that city by the river. Ahh yes my loved ones… there is a river whose streams makes glad the city of Yahweh, and we’re on our way there together, coasting as if nothing else matters. Refreshments will be served: bread and water, I know it sounds meager, but the bread gives life and the water quenches thirsts everlastingly. Lounge at your leisure, perhaps some light reading from the greatest book ever written, and you may even get to meet the author and the finisher of your faith – if you’re diligent. So here we go…buckle up because the ride gets bumpy at times, but don’t worry the destination is well worth the trip.   

 I want to let you in on a secret – well not really a secret because most of my friends are aware of it. Come closer…closer…closer…okay not that close back up a little you’re violating my ‘cyber space’. There that’s better…listen…I am not (hold on let me check my peripherals to make sure nobody else is listening), as I was saying; I am not a fan of gospel music. GASP! I know what Bethelites would say to say to such a thing: “such a situation cannot exist and to speak of it is heresy”. It’s my dirty secret – look away…I’m hideous! Unfortunately, it’s true folks, my musical affinities have never settled themselves on the Gospel Arts – except for John P. Kee that is, whose music I’m strangely moved by. I prefer instrumental music, I’m more of a Jazz and Classical guy, give me Vivaldi and Miles Davis, and hold the Kirk Franklin and Hezekiah Walker. I always question whether this is a flaw in my spiritual character, I enjoy hymns and such, but the contemporary stuff doesn’t do it for me. Sorry guys.
 
There is a silver lining though, and here it comes. When I do happen upon a song that moves me, that is just what it does – move me! There is one I’ve come across recently that has really touched me in the deep chambers of my mind, and has really altered the bleak outlook on my Gospel Music deficiency. You may know it:
 
Go…find your place of worship
 
The cares of life can be so time-consuming that we can barely find a minute to just commune with our Father. When I wanted to talk to my natural father when I was younger I knew just when the best time was. It was while he was shaving, that’s when I could really get through to him and it was kind of ‘our time’. With Yahweh I find that the best time I can reach him during the week is just after I get home from work and I’m alone in my apartment. I turn out all the lights and I just open my heart to Him.
 
Look into your pain and find your praise…

Many of us are going through some treacherous storms and the waves have crashed down on us for what seems like an eternity. Hold on. Help is coming. Nobody who ever gave up was ever rescued, cling to that life jacket and wait for Yahweh’s salvation. He has promised to bring you out, just keep shooting those flairs in the air, and if you’ve run out of those, keep shouting out for His help, He is nearer than you think.

 Every low place in your life…prepares you for your high place

When the trials come, remember that the trial of your faith works patience, and you can’t be perfect unless you face and overcome the pitfalls of life. A wise man once said that life is like a clock, the hour hand gradually makes its way down to six; the low pint in our lives when burdens weigh the heaviest, but wait for it…that hour hand will eventually start making it’s way back up to twelve; these are the times when things are going well, the bills are paid, the kids are acting right, the marriage is sweet, but wait for it…that hour hand gradually begins to descend to six again. Real Believers are faithful no matter what time of day it happens to be.

 …and every tear you’ve cried was water for the garden of your victory.

 Sow now, so you can reap a good harvest later. All those tough times you’ve endured will pay off in the long run. The present troubles we face are absolutely nothing compared to the glory Yahweh will reveal in us. So let the tears fall freely. You’ll feel better. And the victory that you’ll win with Yahshua at your side will be even sweeter.

 Even though you’re in the valley, victory comes through your adversity…

 The valley…what a place to be. There’s only one way to go when you’re there, and that’s up. So let’s cast off the doubt and get to work, planting our feet on the Rock that does not move, climbing to higher and higher elevations in Yahshua. The valley cannot hold down the resilient Spirit of Yahweh. The valley is for dry bones, not for the Saints of the Most High.

 Go…find your place of worship.

 (Excerpts from song: Place of Worship by Marvin Sapp)

 

 Philippians 3:3 (New King James Version)

 For we are the circumcision, who worship Yahweh in the Spirit, rejoice in Yahshua the Messiah, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 Marc Wellington

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” – Leonardo Davinci

 p.s. Have a great day my loved ones and continue to love and live well. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list please send me an email and I’ll make sure it gets done. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list send me an email and I’ll make sure it gets deleted.

 

 

Blood Relatives

I love my physical family very much, though sometimes I don’t show it as much as I should. I go weeks sometimes without calling home, a habit which my father is not too fond of, and which drives my mother to pull her hair out in frustration. Yes I’m a bad boy sometimes. So I may not be the quintessential individual to write about this, but I feel led to, and that’s that! It’s the only selling point I need. Is it wrong for me to be so detached from them sometimes; is my moral compass broken and blithely leading me away from the expectations of society? Where, my loved ones, is true north?
 
The free-thought writer Prentice Mulford states in his essay ‘Who are our Relations’ that: “Physical or ‘blood relationship’ has very little bearing on the real or mental relationship. It is possible for a brother or sister, a father or mother to be very closely allied to you in thought and sympathy. Again, it is possible for a father or mother, brother or sister, to be very remote from you in thought and sympathy, and live in a realm or atmosphere of thought very unlike yours.” I agree very much with this sentiment and I’m beginning to understand what it means. In the islands, as I’m sure it is in most cultures, the family is the centerpiece of existence, and nothing of greater importance existed beyond it’s fortified wall. After my conversion, though, I found that mentally I existed in an altogether different city and the walls encompassed a very different group of people.  
 
My spiritual family has taken inalienable precedence in my mind and heart over recent years. This change in perspective has come about despite my staunch family-oriented upbringing in which I was taught that blood always came first. “Never go against the family”, as Marlon Brando might say, was the unspoken rule, and we adhered with unyielding allegiance. I believe this mode of thought is prevalent in most families, especially among immediate family relations where you share everything from the tax refund to the toothpaste. In many ways we are shaped by the family we are born to, we take on their value system and judge ourselves based on the boundaries they set. I remember it was absolute sacrilege in my house to have sibling in-fighting (though that didn’t stop me from landing my share of blows over the years), but in some of my cousins’ households fighting was not as bad as neglecting chores, so forgetting to do the dishes was a much more outrageous offense than say drop-kicking your little sister in the back as she ran down the hallway to her room (sorry Lanny). So our attitude toward life was basically a reflection of what was morally important to our respective families. Our upbringing or ‘brought-upsy’ as the island folks call it, does factor into our personalities as adults, and the people who have molded us since childhood always maintain an important place in our lives on earth – but, as Believers, should they continue to occupy that topmost position at the peak of our mountains of affection…according to Yahshua the answer is no.
 
In the book of Matthew Yahshua was in the middle of delivering a very important message to his followers when he was interrupted by one of them who told Him that His mother and siblings were outside and desired to speak to Him. He stopped suddenly staring at the the person. Who is my mother? He asked. The follower did not know what to answer and probably thought to themselves that it must be a trick question seeing that they had just told Him that his relatives were outside. Yahshua then said something that may have changed the way he was viewed up to that point. “Behold”, he said stretching out his hand toward His disciples, “my mother and my siblings”. What Yahshua was saying was that true conversion means that the physical ties of this material world do not matter as much once the heart has been circumcised. Our brothers and sisters are those who follow after the precept and ordinances given to us by our true Father. Yes, physical ties have their place, but these ties are not as significant as the relationship we should hold with the body of Messiah – our true ‘blood relatives’.
 
Ephesians 2:13 (New King James Version)
 
But now in Messiah you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Yahshua.
 
Marc Wellington
 
“The great gift of family is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you. – Kendall Hailey, The Day I Became an Autodidact
 
p.s. I offer a heartfelt good day to my loved ones, my spiritual family in Yahweh, to whose affection nobody on earth can even hold a candle. And also one to my physical family for whom my love remains undiluted. Thank you all for your unwarranted support and kindness, may Yahweh continue to bless us all as I pray that in the end there will be no distinction between the two. If you would like to add a friend to our tiny circle please don’t hesitate to send their e-mail address. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list I’m glad to do it, just do me a small favor, find out the whereabouts of the Olympic Torch, that thing has become as protected as plutonium nowadays.

Absence

Good morning,
 
MY LOVED ONES! I’ve missed you guys so much over the past week. Did you miss me, have you been maintaining spiritually…physically? Have you been spreading the good news of the hope that Yahshua entrusted you with to those around? Have you been reading the scriptures? In a word…have you been “Living Well”. I know it may be futile at this point, but allow me to offer my flimsy excuse for last week’s hiatus. My secretary was on vacation and I had to do a lot more than I normally do, and unfortunately I did not have the time to write my column in the morning. I know, I know, horrible excuse…tar and feather me and drive me out of town. I’m sorry, my loved ones for stepping away for such a long time. We have always maintained that consistency is the key within our tiny little circle, and I have transgressed. However, there are always lessons to be extracted from the circumstances of our lives, this one is – do not put your trust in the hands of man, he will find a way to fail you, trust only in Yahweh because he won’t ever let you down, and in the mornings when you check your spiritual in-box you will always have mail.
 
Now for the bright side because what we have also learned in our tiny circle is to view things from a positive perspective. The writings have been absent for a full week, so this morning’s will be a little sweeter than before. You’ll find yourself poring over each line a little more. You’re strangely a little more curious about who won the last “Name That Title” contest. You can’t wait for the next Bible snap shot portrait, and the Friday indulgent reminiscence. The words seem a little more potent now, and as you read you’re beginning to realize a lot more clearly what this movement is all about. Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say, and here we are together again just you and I – so i ask again…did you miss me?
 
I’ve been overwhelmed with calls, e-mails, and text messages asking if I was okay. What happened Well? Many of you came up with some wild ideas about what may have happened, which makes me strangely proud because of the imagination you’ve exhibited, (did the Anti-Linky kidnap you and take your place?). Don’t worry folks, I’m okay…I’m good…I’m copasetic…”I’m Well”. I haven’t ran out of things to say, Yahweh has blessed me with a superfluous store of words so I doubt that can ever happen, do not be dismayed.
 
Absence, though sometimes a necessary ingredient for growth, can be a bitter pill to swallow. Even Yahshua, when it was time for Him to face Satan left His Disciples alone to go into the wilderness. David had to part with his best friend Jonathan when their relationship placed them in peril. Elijah had to leave Elisha when it was time. Sometimes you are going to have to step away from the ones you love, and the things you like to do, at these times it is imperative that we maintain that spirit that Yahweh has blessed us with by staying the course no matter the circumstances. Yahweh loved David and called him a man after his own heart; this was not because he was perfect (how many perfect men commit adultery and then try to cover it up with murder) but it was because David’s desire was to always strive toward perfection. When light was shed on his shortcomings he admitted his wrong and debased himself before Yahweh. This was what made him different.
 
In that same spirit I am saying sorry. I should have sent out a mass e-mail to my readers. It was wrong of me to just leave you guys hanging like I did. I won’t ever do that again. Forgive me? Great! Of course you do (presumptuous Well). So let’s start fresh with a brand new approach to this relationship we have going on, for what can separate us from the love of the Word of Yahweh – I’ll tell you what…nothing.
 
It’s good to be back my loved ones…take my hand, let’s continue “Living Well”.
 
Philippians 2:12-16 (New King James Version)
 
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is Yahweh who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of Yahweh without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Messiah that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
 
Marc Wellington
 
“The imperfections of a man, his frailties, his faults, are just as important as his virtues. You can’t separate them. They’re wedded.” – Henry Miller
 
p.s. Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement, and your sharp words of disapproval at my unheralded leave of absence, which have mixed together to do the same thing – spur me back into action. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list kindly forward their e-mail address. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list, you got a taste of what that would be like last week. Now that’s not what you want is it?

Indulgent Reminiscence V

The Anti-Linky
 
Good morning,
 
While my mother was experiencing the euphoria of childbirth her older sister, my Aunt Sandra was enjoying the same bliss. The ending result was similar; two bouncing baby boys weighing in comparably. One voiced his displeasure with shrieks that rang out through the hospital halls, while the other entered the world in a more conciliatory and dignified fashion, but the distinction between them ended there, or so everybody thought! I was never told whether it was mere coincidence, or whether the two sisters had conspired beforehand (I guess it matters little now) to give their sons very similar names. I was named after my father – Wellington, a name, though mired in the muck of slavery, I think fits me perfectly, like a well tailored suit. My cousin was named after – I know not who, but ended up with, to my utter disgust (and I don’t use that word lightly), the name Arlington. This, you can imagine, was a blatant offense on its own, but it was not where the insult ended. People are usually tied together for life for large and obvious reasons; attending the same school; having common acquaintances; living in the same neighborhood; marriage; my cousin and I however were perpetually linked by the minutest of details - the “ling” syllable in our names. This gave rise to the nick name that has haunted me all my life, and that was not only embarrassing for its face value but, because I shared it with him, carried with it implied undertones that still curdles my blood:
 
Linky
 
The name would not have been so bad if it were not so brilliant. I have always been tall and skinny and so the implicit relation to the word ”lanky” gave the horrid thing legs and wings. It took off. It has been airborne ever since, finding its way even to the shores of America where I thought I had laid the thing to rest for good.  
 
The name, though embarrassing, merged with me and I accepted it, until I spent a fateful Summer with my cousin “Linky” ugghh, and I realized that not only was I related by blood to one of the most detestable little boys one could hope not to meet, but when people called out to me his head would spin around too, making it the most confusing and horrible trip ever labeled a vacation. My cousin was an absolute menace. If I was mischievous when I was younger, he was Juvey-bait. He absolutely terrorized the complex my aunt lived in back then, running through its narrow corridors, sling-shooting marbles at unsuspecting passersby heads, demolishing whole flocks of turtle doves and pigeons, pulling clothes from clotheslines, beating up weaker boys, taunting stronger ones, stealing fruit, stealing money, stealing his way into his own house after he had been locked out. How could this person be a part of my family, I would ask myself as I saw him retreat behind a corner after pulling my pants to the ground – underwear and all! I will never forget the time he lured me to sneak off to the beach, he challenged me to a breath holding contest and we went under, I shot up about thirty-eight seconds later in time to see him make off with my brand new sneakers. “Hey! YOU!” I yelled out, I never gave him the dignity of calling him by ”our” name. He whooped around like a Tasmanian Devil and leapt into the bed of a pickup truck. I didn’t see him for 3 days, which was totally normal, nobody would even call the cops. My sneakers were ruined, and even if they weren’t torn to shreds, the smell of his feet was disgusting enough to render any footwear unusable.
 
Yes. My cousin Linky was the direct opposite of me. I liked reading; he started fires with perfectly good novels. I tried to be as cordial as I could to older people; he would hide their walking sticks just to see them limp. I tried to keep myself as presentable as possible; he would have to be netted and tranquilized when it was time for a haircut. I tried to be friendly with other children; he would swindle the boys and grope the girls. Yes…my cousin Linky. It got to the point where the people in the neighborhood found a way to distinguish between us, they would call me “The Good Linky”, and call him “The Bad Linky” – what a shame. He wasn’t bad at all, my cousin. He just needed structure and balance, and the support I had, then he could be anything because his imagination was far superior to mine, and he had the courage to be whatever presented itself that day. I remember him bringing flowers to my aunt as an apology for one of his rampages, and I saw the good in his eyes and how much I had misjudged him, even though later we found out that he had bought the bouquet with money taken from her purse.
 
As believers we should never give up on anybody. There are lots of people in the world who may not have had the support we enjoy, and the constant guidance that comes from the knowledge of the scripture. let us not turn aside from these ones, as the Pharisees so often did. They barraged Yahshua with questions about his affinity for the sinful members of society, but Yahshua never ever turned his back on a single needy soul. This is the example we must follow, even though it may mean coming outside our comfort zones to do it. Don’t just walk by next time, tell that dying soul that there is hope in a place they may have never looked, and see how quickly your vineyard will produce sweet fruit. 
 
Matthew 9:10-13 (New King James Version)
 
Now it happened, as Yahshua sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Yahshua heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
 
Dedicated to my cousin Linky. You tortured me as a child but I love you just the same. Batman needed The Joker, Superman needed Bizarro, I needed you.
 
Marc Wellington
 
Have a great Sabbath everybody!
 
Today is the 28th day of the month Adar II in the year 5768. The Sabbath Candle Lighting Time is 7:06 PM EST; the sun sets at 7:24 PM EST.

 
Quote of the day
 
“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you’re riding through the ruts don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief, and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake up and Live!” – Robert Nesta Marley 1945-1981 Musical Legend
 
p.s. A hearty “Living Well”-come to the newest members of our tiny circle: Ms. Valerie Brown; Ms. Marcia Dell (Jamaica), I hope the words are enough to add a bit of enjoyment and a pinch of spirituality your days. Thank you to all my supportive readers, especially to those who submitted their Title Suggestion entries yesterday. I have received some very insightful ones; keep up the good work you Royal Priesthood. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list just send an email request, if you would like to be removed from this mailing list just the written request to my cousin Linky who I will be sending to your home to promote his shoe cleaning service – motto: “So clean you won’t even know they’re there”.

[Pending]

Good morning,
 
How are you this morning my dear ones? I hope you’re all feeling well inside and out, and if not, just give yourself a slight reminder of the promise entrusted in you as the people of the King. I am feeling especially energized today because I actually got enough sleep last night, which has become so rare these days. So I’m sitting at my computer wide-eyed and alert, ready to transmit the inspiration for today.
 
Its Thursday again and we all know what that means for our tiny circle: that’s right! Its time for another Thursday Reading Corner. You get to choose a topic for the biblical depiction I compose. A few scholars have been added to the tiny circle this week and I have no doubt they will be inventive with their title suggestions, so all you prior readers who have just been cruising by, get ready for some high octane creativity! When you have identified the biblical account I’m depicting just think of a title that best suits the piece of writing. Make it relevant to the story, irony is always a plus, and catchy-ness is definitely a requirement. Each Monday a winner is recognized for their innovative brilliance and given a ten dollar prize. So get those intellectual juices flowing, my loved ones, because here it comes:
 
From the field my love for her grew, as she danced about and did cartwheels for our amusement. She was wild. I would raise my eyes from my toils just to catch a glimpse of her smile, which was more than enough to fuel the rest of the day’s work. Her hair was never adorned, it was always disheveled, but it suited her that way – like her, it was free from the burdens of custom’s restrictions. She was dark. Her skin glowed and made it seem as though some celestial light accompanied her every step. She would steal looks at me too, and I would pretend not to see; that was the agreement, but I never agreed to complacence, so whenever it was convenient I would take off my shirt. She would gape as I swung my hatchet, and I would quietly congratulate myself. Once, a ball she was playing with found its way past the sea of goats and mules that surrounded me and came to a stop at my feet. It was the thrill of my life to know she was coming near. To their credit, every member of my body kept their composure, all except my heart which betrayed me right away; it hammered at the walls of my chest as though it wanted to have a look for itself. She came to me. I had never been so close. Her brown eyes were even more alluring than they were when I arrived in this place six years ago, she was only a child then, but now, upon the threshold of womanhood, she was breathtaking to behold. Her face was absolutely flawless, and when I saw it become flushed I thought I could die a happy man right there in the open field. Would she mourn my passing? Would she cry at my going away? All the questions of the lovesick fool inched their way across the deserted stretches of my vacant mind. She was my oasis. “Well..” she said in a raspy voice. My heart had not let up, and now my sweat glands joined the fray, my face burned, and my words left, and I was undone. “…the ball, can I have my ball back?” The ball! Somehow I picked it up and handed it to her, she paused for an instant leaning her head to one side, smiling with her eyes, speaking to me without saying a word, then….suddenly! She snatched it from my hands and ran back toward her father’s house laughing out loud. And I laughed too, picking up my staff and hissing to the herd for, like my mind, it had began to wonder. One more year, I said to myself…one more year!
 
The End
 
B’deep…b’deep…b’deep that’s all folks!
 
Please send your email your title suggestions and don’t forget to visit the website for some of the stories I’ve depicted before. Last week there was no winner because nobody tried, this week I hope it will be different. Even if you think your suggestion is terrible, submit it anyway, and then I’ll tell you its bad and then at least you’ll know for sure. But seriously folks, every suggestion is good because it means you took a moment out of your busy work schedule to think on Yahweh’s Word, and that is always, always a good thing.
 
Song of Solomon 4:1-3 (New King James Version)
THE Beloved
 
Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, going down from Mount Gilead. Your teeth arelike a flock of shorn sheep which have come up from the washing, every one of which bears twins, and none is barren among them. Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate.
 
Marc Wellington
 
 
Did you know?
 
Jehu was the original wreckless driver. 2 Kings 9:20 (Okay, just to be safe…No Sedra can borrow my car!)
 
 
Quote of the Day
 
“You don’t love a woman because she is beautiful, she is beautiful because you love her.” – Author Unknown
 
p.s. I thank each of you for your support and kind words of encouragement. May Yahweh continue to bless us all as we strive for perfection in the light of His Word. Dear Yahweh order my steps and help me not to stray from the road you have paved for me, and when it is all concluded may I hear the words “well done thou good and faithful servant, you have used the talent I have given you, enter into My rest”. If you would like to add a friend to this mailing list please send an email request. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list please send your request via a more reliable medium…hand written letter in a coke bottle off the shores of Long Island Sound…hey don’t knock it til you try it, those undercurrents can be quite precise.