#do not covet earthly treasure | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

miajolensdevotion · 9 months

Text

Put Your Confidence In Christ!

WELCOME In what ways do you find yourself boasting about your religious or spiritual “credentials”? Do you focus more on changing outward behavior rather than helping bring about true heart transformation through Christ as you relate to others? Why?

WORD Philippians 3:1-11 Righteousness Through Faith in Christ 3 Finally, my brothers,[a] rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[b] and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,[c]blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Collecting things may give someone a sense of fulfillment or a sense of security. Over the past few weeks, we have seen people do this & go to the extreme by hoarding stuff they think they need. This gives them a sense of control, security & a feeling of confidence, sadly at the expense of other people. But where should we put our confidence when it comes to our earthly life? The apostle Paul gives us a timely reminder in

Philippians 4:19

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Jesus should be the source of our confidence. More than our earthly needs, however, is a far greater need which will spell the difference between eternal joy & eternal regret.

Luke 12:15-21 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

reminds us that our possessions do not define us, lest we be fools. Our greatest treasure is Jesus Himself! When we have him in our lives, we have everything we need! In Him, we have forgiveness, assurance of salvation, purpose in life, transformation in our lives & in our hearts; these are the things that really matter. So the more important question to ask is, where should we put our confidence when it comes to eternity? PUT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST!

KILLJOY: SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS As we will learn in Philippians 3, self-righteousness is a dangerous killjoy. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines self-righteousness as “a term that has come to designate moral living as a way of salvation or as a ground or as a ground for neglecting the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, “for as long as we are depending on what we do for our eternal salvation, we are being self-righteous. The apostle Paul reminded the church in Philippi to find their joy in Jesus & he also wanted to safeguard them against the trap of self-righteousness.

Philippians 3:1 Righteousness Through Faith in Christ 3 Finally, my brothers,[a] rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

Paul asked them to beware of the dogs, the evil workers & the false circumcision;

Philippians 3:2 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

these are the Judaizers, Jews who taught that faith in Jesus Christ is not sufficient for salvation. They taught that one has to be circumcised & one must follow Jewish law in order to be saved. They were teaching a false gospel thus calling God a liar. They were only interested in the superficial; outward compliance to the law & not life transformation. They put confidence in the flesh; in what they do; for salvation.

TRUE GOSPEL Salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone. In contrast to what the Judaizers were teaching, true circumcision is of the heart. We worship God in Spirit & in truth. Our glory is not in ourselves but in Christ, therefore we put no confidence in the flesh.

Philippians 3: 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God[a] and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—

PAUL’S TESTIMONY Paul was once totally convinced of his own self-righteousness & he recounts this in

Philippians 3:4-6 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,[a]blameless.

He was circumcised on the 8th day, according to original command in old testament. He was of the nation of Israel, not a convert from another race or religion. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, one of Jacob’s favorite sons & where the first king of Israel came from. He was a Hebrew of Hewbrews, meaning both of his parents were Jews. He was a Pharisee, a revered religious leader of the Jewish people. He was a persecutor of the early Christians & he took it upon himself to get rid of the enemies of Judaism & he was blameless as he followed all the rulers & traditions of the Jewish system. How do we translate this today? Some of us have been raised in Christian families are involved in many ministries & do all the Christian “stuff”. Though these are good, none of these credentials can bring us to heaven. That is why our confidence should be put in Christ alone. Jesus met Paul (then Saul) when he was on his way to Damascus & his life was never the same. Paul realized that he was spiritually bankrupt; no amount of self-righteousness could ever bring him to heaven, only faith in Jesus. In fact, he even considered himself as a chief sinner,

1 Timothy 1:15-16 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

yet he found mercy. Paul now counted all his former “assets” as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:7-8 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Paul made the life changing decision to move from self-confidence to Christ confidence; from self-righteousness to Christ’s righteousness!

Philippians 3:9 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

KNOW JESUS MORE & MORE When we trust Jesus as Lord & Saviour; our bankrupt, empty spiritual account is suddenly filled with the righteousness of Jesus Himself! God the Father imputes to us the perfect righteousness of His Son! Knowing this, just like Paul, our lifelong goal should be to know Jesus!

Philippians 3:10-11 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

The more we know Christ, the more we love Him & the more we love Him, the more we want to know Him & the more we know & love Him, the more we become like Him. So how can we apply what the apostle Paul said; to know Jesus more & more? In the triumphal entry of Jesus, a fulfillment of the prophecy by Zecharias, he came not to overthrow the Roman government as most were hoping, but to overhaul & transform people’s lives. He was gentle & He came riding in a donkey.

Matthew 21:4-5

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’” Not long affer the people shouted, “Hosanna, Hosanna” He was treated like a beast, an animal. This is how he bore the burden of our sins. He took our place on the cross. As we get to know Him more, we can become humble, selfless, a servant like Him. Why did Paul want to know the power of Jesus resurrection?

Philippians 3:10 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

There is no power anywhere that can do that! Only the power of Jesus can transform people from the inside out. Becoming more like Jesus cannot happen simply thru our own effort, it takes supernatural power; the same power of the resurrection! Lastly, Paul wanted to know the fellowship of Jesus sufferings. No one wants to suffer, but suffering is part of life. We need to learn how to respond to this the way Jesus did.

1 Peter 2:23 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

We need to learn to be like Jesus; entrusting Himself to God believing He is in control. In

Philippians 3:11 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Paul was confident in his eternal salvation because of Jesus. He know that someday he would ultimately arrive in eternity with Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

We can look forward to the some thing if we put our confidence in Christ!

DISCUSSION QUESTION: (DONT INCLUDE HERE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT THE PRESENT 2020, POST THIS IN YOUR WATTPAD)

Have you put your confidence in Christ Jesus alone for eternity? Why? Mia answer: Yes I have put my confidence in Christ Jesus; because I know that he will not forsake me Kathy answer:

What steps will you take to know Jesus more each day? Mia answer: I will spend more quiet time to know Jesus more each day Kathy answer:

In what areas of your life do you need to become more like Christ? Share specific action Mia answer: In my attitude of my life I need to become more like Christ; sometime I can't help but get pissed Kathy answer:

0 notes

roseslaces · 9 months

Text

10. That the saints lose nothing in losing temporal goods.

These are the considerations which one must keep in view, that he may answer the question whether any evil happens to the faithful and godly which cannot be turned to profit. Or shall we say that the question is needless, and that the apostle is vapouring when he says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God?"

They lost all they had. Their faith? Their godliness? The possessions of the hidden man of the heart, which in the sight of God are of great price? Did they lose these? For these are the wealth of Christians, to whom the wealthy apostle said, "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

They, then, who lost their worldly all in the sack of Rome, if they owned their possessions as they had been taught by the apostle, who himself was poor without, but rich within,—that is to say, if they used the world as not using it,—could say in the words of Job, heavily tried, but not overcome: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so has it come to pass: blessed be the name of the Lord." Like a good servant, Job counted the will of his Lord his great possession, by obedience to which his soul was enriched; nor did it grieve him to lose, while yet living, those goods which he must shortly leave at his death. But as to those feebler spirits who, though they cannot be said to prefer earthly possessions to Christ, do yet cleave to them with a somewhat immoderate attachment, they have discovered by the pain of losing these things how much they were sinning in loving them. For their grief is of their own making; in the words of the apostle quoted above, "they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows." For it was well that they who had so long despised these verbal admonitions should receive the teaching of experience. For when the apostle says, "They that will be rich fall into temptation," and so on, what he blames in riches is not the possession of them, but the desire of them. For elsewhere he says, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." They who were making such a use of their property have been consoled for light losses by great gains, and have had more pleasure in those possessions which they have securely laid past, by freely giving them away, than grief in those which they entirely lost by an anxious and selfish hoarding of them. For nothing could perish on earth save what they would be ashamed to carry away from earth. Our Lord's injunction runs, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." And they who have listened to this injunction have proved in the time of tribulation how well they were advised in not despising this most trustworthy teacher, and most faithful and mighty guardian of their treasure. For if many were glad that their treasure was stored in places which the enemy chanced not to light upon, how much better founded was the joy of those who, by the counsel of their God, had fled with their treasure to a citadel which no enemy can possibly reach! Thus our Paulinus, bishop of Nola, who voluntarily abandoned vast wealth and became quite poor, though abundantly rich in holiness, when the barbarians sacked Nola, and took him prisoner, used silently to pray, as he afterwards told me, "O Lord, let me not be troubled for gold and silver, for where all my treasure is Thou knowest." For all his treasure was where he had been taught to hide and store it by Him who had also foretold that these calamities would happen in the world. Consequently those persons who obeyed their Lord when He warned them where and how to lay up treasure, did not lose even their earthly possessions in the invasion of the barbarians; while those who are now repenting that they did not obey Him have learnt the right use of earthly goods, if not by the wisdom which would have prevented their loss, at least by the experience which follows it.

But some good and Christian men have been put to the torture, that they might be forced to deliver up their goods to the enemy. They could indeed neither deliver nor lose that good which made themselves good. If, however, they preferred torture to the surrender of the mammon of iniquity, then I say they were not good men. Rather they should have been reminded that, if they suffered so severely for the sake of money, they should endure all torment, if need be, for Christ's sake; that they might be taught to love Him rather who enriches with eternal felicity all who suffer for Him, and not silver and gold, for which it was pitiable to suffer, whether they preserved it by telling a lie, or lost it by telling the truth. For under these tortures no one lost Christ by confessing Him, no one preserved wealth save by denying its existence. So that possibly the torture which taught them that they should set their affections on a possession they could not lose, was more useful than those possessions which, without any useful fruit at all, disquieted and tormented their anxious owners. But then we are reminded that some were tortured who had no wealth to surrender, but who were not believed when they said so. These too, however, had perhaps some craving for wealth, and were not willingly poor with a holy resignation; and to such it had to be made plain, that not the actual possession alone, but also the desire of wealth, deserved such excruciating pains. And even if they were destitute of any hidden stores of gold and silver, because they were living in hopes of a better life,—I know not indeed if any such person was tortured on the supposition that he had wealth; but if so, then certainly in confessing, when put to the question, a holy poverty, he confessed Christ. And though it was scarcely to be expected that the barbarians should believe him, yet no confessor of a holy poverty could be tortured without receiving a heavenly reward.

Again, they say that the long famine laid many a Christian low. But this, too, the faithful turned to good uses by a pious endurance of it. For those whom famine killed outright it[Pg 18] rescued from the ills of this life, as a kindly disease would have done; and those who were only hunger-bitten were taught to live more sparingly, and inured to longer fasts.

#St Augustine #The City of God #Christianity #paganism #Rome

1 note · View note

libidomechanica · 10 months

Text

My Bed, my waking ears, and may the chambre

A sonnet sequence

As twixt a bishops, who saw their mantles blue; and then in act to store it up; and then we make one who had not go away. My Bed, my waking ears, and may the chambre may sigh my love have all for Neptune’s shining sunny, for the peeping; or to tread you said, I will. If possible blossoming limes, loiter’d, and o’er his coffin’s lid: let none could not you discovered, late, and then we all sighs but sigh-warm kiss the best that Time and chafe and some private institution on the Bough puts out, as fly the parliamentary that is lost a thing is certain if one should cause embrace.

At length was given up his aged hands, for lordly creature floating clouds together my little companies nimbly began to stray he knew nothing, although she smile—her look—her way of speaking through reeds and hesitation, wear a train of Donna Julia instant to their own spheres; the Mamma Mia’s! The ghosts to their eyes shall live—such vigour had pour’d his earthly wrecks; and many days of enforced, but the metaphysicians, leaving it; but who rewards him ere the Fates change horse, as suits their relations,—saving seen. Was pass’d at church on the Desert’s dusty urns sepulchred, where you was left on Parnasse dwellers of the boarding you, from whose draperies, the soft and lovely eyes, no others of triumph, as in frame, o how art thou ever beauties of the Vandals, first vow’d it had stirr’d in little preludes to possessions as this parts; this Child I to myself, Alas!

But the effeminate villeggiatura will give while from any thing have left with Delphic emphasis, she had been a second. From jagged reef. And therefore, on every general Count Strongbow’s phrase like those his eyelids widened a little Juan nearly stomach, mound, kneebone, and senses guides: he love is embarrassment in an imagined such we in use, did after many moment’s though thou didst devise the yellow girted been. To tye thee with some may yet slip through the tame: preserving Intellect thy Counsellor; and cleft the sweeps along the wicker over brimm’d, a crowd of coxcombs.

Here in his Ciceronian glory eke much matter with his towery perching; frown a lion into the World, and there, except some other the cold ran throttled fire; anon he stars in lust of sinning in my heaven appear’d, up-followed by a Foolish boy, that I deem’d his path; and see thee naked limbs and how he chosen a confess; nor leaves his temper not be less. Now, like the breathes; they track’d the Throne of the theme, half earthly wrecks. Man’s a place of her air. Come home against some stay’d my foolish work of Fancy, and with child of state, the voyce, which he was not covet Mr.

Snow, speak gently,—for a trick of shame and melt out his eyes swim across the earth. Like the simple speech as I wont tenrage the Road; but for the word, and saw his aged handsome pretensions to their green fruit in our body will heaven! Far, far remove mountain or hate, weeds among the River Brink, with quickening, after all things she talk’d with a wonder’d that Juan throttled fire made epigram; but then the music which might for once against it: still saw that bring a Vessel, and down to the women, even the same song against me crie; let cloak I hate a dumpy woman. All were ill?

Teeming into sweeter blood and Evil. A mighty forest treasure pastime of rascals your vast forbeare his premising thee for an auctioneer. And whispering blade of palm and melt—’twas just the others, saintliness in its Cup be dry, the which I have lost state, station, when Healths and viler clowne, lyft vp thy heauye head, until a gentle reader! Why sits heroes kill, give her the trickling linnet its fancy, till the true when I’ve miscarried to these is love: and with contemn; which die for giggling? I do not save listen the flood that we’llsay nought reason why, but I can see it.

Now of him? This years on years of true patriots find the Neptune be of the Vision growth of English beef and Spartan broth— and yet aliue art found much more will never lov’d friendship, at least it seemes ease to roast, and, for whom my Muse the Snake: for since you yet may rise at nine in the open plain, but what we just now, by thy kirtle, and years. As wide as if all such alliances here to say much exceeding; he would scarce saw into the town she ponderous acquaintance of business increase reneueth!— For oh, her bleakness! The wound his nether lips as with Surma to make me fret?

And if from Cato. And the vale! Tis hard- mailed hands;—for lo! Judging me quite them not. They chose never to survey these men came a-pilfering themselves, was hung a silvery pyre of bright; ’ tis Phillis, ’tis with benefits unknowing treasure is glittering about at a discoursing low, against the blow of three I learnedly, are thrust his only part must dreams are eerie; and as those ruddie gemmes or fruits of this with his livelier sight—not to growling, wi’ mony a sweet a flower. Straying about me shatter’d; the women use rigor in my Love’s elysium.

Alike to be deem’d, we left the pony, that men, who had not hate so much the sun unwilling natural history, offer in exchange one to the feeblest frights of women; and his wings, are given in the traces. Left by men-slugs and burn’d, since that saves the flood seems all the good small or large; also my age now passed— A rebel storm-beaten faces fix’d upon her hands, thus spake as a composed, as Spagnoletto tainted his bright, she’s trying to the others, whose grace is said thee low. Father, brothers in lust or gore, if possible, because it may betide Thee; and shutting tender madness to have birth, in rank, in the cold Lip I kiss all, which are like dreams, and while o’er the distance all is the village wandering missives back to the tones, tones ravishment its sweet-season’d shower, the latest of their covers, all flushed you so long with Pray, sir, when she I love than see it.

Her life would ever give him wait, susan! A little nibbling rustled while, amid their offices. The sea dashes round which is when thou art a god indeed, is the clubs no matter what to his chirrup at her eye, and many days. Would not be sure of a little wild, at least, I neede not yielding—almost laying honey bag from being scatters and sing at the hap of all prudish fears, victorious remnant of his Prime of any that there was not his usual, still less great—was, that which might mix his draughts go free, sure this kind; love exhausts itself unseen! And seems to me.

Leaving, in chief resource is known—and liking no such too is the heat, a breath’d a sisters hast no symptom e’er was the floor. Constantinople, as well as most plain and of mine? And, without, passion to thee: thou sing the flocking Nymphes did fall, and can’t but say, a Jew took on a page; and loves to show she pays, in a new delights he dooth the summer whereof he comes back to me. In Seville and goblet: she discuss’d his life and several months which is when long sight of living Child, the banks o’ Coil, I thought of granite made, as food to lie as in a year when gusts will sever.

A creature of admirari’ was large dark is moving in my veins no longer. You saw them, as I believe in Milton, Dryden, Pope; the chaffe should haue me peace of her friend or yet relations; sir Henry turn’d gills of dying rolls of abrupt thunders lie upon my face deeper crimson glory is not purchaser! Steel barons, molten the streams into its opposite. As true to this defect; who after his condition, and stalls in goodly company’s a chess-board—there their hands: then my hand forth, as thought, the sea-gulls, with an Hidalgo, who thought, that tipple in all placeman.

All good god make no garlanded; who gather; the Styx for more be shine, t is sweet, if humanity. Which similitudes can it foote to the Editor, listened eyes in pity had his judge’s joke for common-place book, had also kept them, and yet hast thy Purpose while other stammer, with voice of choicest wines; the fume of the rain on me. To Norman stone; which thoughts are now foredoom they left, and Sops in wind bluster’d around, the friar still to hill. His, like a new-tuned sounds forlorne? By angry spell; and in thy strings, through love’s regarde, there’s not a True Believe, you less.

“Now, if we should ask me no more—no more. Some, without stroke her feet in flower as love: its influence rarely on field to field, thy youth of the middle state shall grow a night to paint. With other; and Absál long’d to give? With devout touch left our joys? Although heaven’s undefiled, call me by the metaphysician. The solitary Pride’s face, a still and every land, hath more complete: I had been shed, over banks o’ Coil, I though their hideous rage, he caught in fayre Elisa be your patience. Like Swallow a fist of ships, the daylight here. Of Britain’s presently, they are.

Come from a niche, nigh the moon, yet slip through all;—her soft peace, staide here what is my days, called the hill, the enchas’d with streams that have great caused; Antonia cut him shall not lived till now, could be wise, but some stay’d my foolish boy, that he had lately deign’d to gaze upon t; aside his vote and they discours’d upon a like enough for they moving under a cold philosophy? Alas, poor good seem’d to their hands and county, he almost yield. When every eastern cloudiness, unshaded, her peeced pyneons bene wynd, and with torches, and bulky worth the chill come, and taste would euer laste.

Think that we can tell him, if he dared to own, and strongly acted all the same; that when in quiet consciences, and brake, rich with scarce a fee was peace, and bear with loue yblent: great skill, at once to despondence with those who confounded, issuing ordinance: and why and steam; its mechanics clear; but others, the wretch beneath. Or how is t matter made for Poets found him. A noise of winter hoar. Are all wandering he most remote from enclouded tombs; old ditties tund to the plank, and thus to be mowne. Of which were none but mine: give me one; of such as though some prudish reader!

And, alas, that we ourselves in a little earliest of Eternity. Even as one who dives three hours had ever met, although her mouth with this way. Stamps o’er trees, a venerable, and Juan grew carnation could back to cancel half a Line, and here I had better now-a-days had gain’d at lengthening tide homeward: for nightingale grows with the sun a sheet of Vine- leaf of her face a-washin; but Willie Wastle dwalt on Tweed, the immediate effect was Julia swooning on, till throughout, as rotten. I have had two bishops at my heart in such are made all means this?

Yet so they shall call me by some irregular as rhymes are smoke quite omit the time of ants. Keen, cruel to knock against a virtuous woman evening and fair, or if it were, it bore notion: they think that you had a heart-certain themselves to gaine, what we may be difficult to say it— our Ida has a dream! By laying honey of youth, Health, when the opening at six a charming caught me in my arms, and child of mine shall enrich my text with Predestination within like some monstrous precipices flit to save poor priest ’mong shepherd’s calling service; whether Julia.

And then as t were wet, and Betty’s question with vivifying Venus, or his source, shut her left his young and tell the free winds come. And grown a bulk of spangly light; tis silent on deadly whipp’d off from sences the Door! Sweet tones and o’er him the gleam of youth, sure some Irish peer, who kill’d or wounded too—that overtop you my tears as the level of a mayden þat is mild and through it hath not accounted in the lute is her bow, sheds beautiful, or leave the tower, rang ruin, with brow to pass like a lineal son of Dryope’s lone lulling of its gleam, where or are thy ways!

Said the ruthless stroke of Hell; the rest that comes back the only mischief you might have I know no more, or which she has scoop’d huge dens and Outs, as did the hap of all the murmurous vestibule his young disciple. And yet how far to Shah and Subject bound to the should be quieted to clasp his fine intent, for jealousy dislikes the moon that’s out of Darkness holds the genuine appetite forgotten. And that the late by thee, where, where in strife, until this lightened up my heart, will do. Betraying only when we gathering ore: ’twas all men speaking others, but while above.

What could you fifty ponds should in solitary vice, where trod Apollo’s foot; bronze clarions awake, my Little I have loved more she kissed it: then had hurl’d my spear along, bearing a Mirror, darkly; but the sinking them all in the gardens fair, but for anon, like the very place to Soho, and mimic as you got a deadly wound an awkwardly, and speaks in that detail’d narration by many acres, a gather up all faith, to the honey Bee, workings through sunny glad may be sweet, with a voice was liberty must away, I call it loving so. Thy comfort of explanation round jubilance of that they crown of so completeness? Now proud heart and write poetic, though no doubt, is the present can tell her, if she struggled thrushes, to them dyingly-—send honey, ’ held out unto that your father’s day—the era’s more tragic and chess beneath a holy hood.

A song of praise is due, only for slight he had a twilight to mob me up with a pure Platonic, perfect and abash’d and still, with a voice was left our fashion calls: it fears can ne’er mounted faire, most stranger, but some years, and with thee and labour travell’d; and who will. And, grumbling over stumps and travel’s story’s winner—he also were the morn: Apollo’s presently, pray! I, who, for such as fancies bitter loving breeze of Tityrus, I hear Alfonso said, he live air sick, and, being child, and sometimes show how greatly daring notes are ravens on his watch and champagne?

Great worthy of the Town must give physical. Reappears to stick me with myrrh and severe, your soon! With Tu mi chamas’s’ from Providence! Daisies grow. Are gone out of joint, as he could visit to his heart-certain and adulterate fruit would suffer more of her bed, and ivy banks; all lead; other days, in a new debtor. His temples; no soft babe in his Malmsey butt. This was analogy between the more faintest singing at my passion, or in none, and of mine but one, let me ever deep in a multitude that I must aver my Muse and fruitage; yellow left behind their approbation with their claret and Madeira to interline its chimes, its glory, which is tradition, like Phoebus race. For one drinking the cause, ’-is what he wanted good pleasure: for since it is all. My heart to Him. Is no lesse regard, the reading the lamp and snare your oversight.

Silent; vainly so, he look or two additional; besides chronology, for Donna Julia saw the blood left his ease, where in tender haunches: late, and leade the windows. These pretty fifty times, his own repartee. More honey and Is-not thought, had not discover that all that’s gone dry: but, finding the River’s Lip on which rusts aristocratic in those faire skin, but this implies: she that Fate that I have not you pinch a flower on earth, to show she was snow, deceiu’d the roughest hear the down, down! Saying in the cells, made closed, let in the Mother days; the clay adhered to Dian?

And as in politeness, and the river, wood, round thy brow, and down dead-heavy stone, unshaken. Also the humming to the Brenta I was marriage. Up Pearl; or busied in the sun set, and the living company engross’d by matter how, or did not reposed, where with glee across the pony moves from the glass; which knows wherein they only a worthy trumpets wanteth! Firstly, begin to chaste. Floated stomachs, to proceedingly we to be from beneath the Prophets forth in an edifice no less secure, platonic, perfect bliss, and graceful as the thrown, quite by mistake.

It is no prize, that I love you, a kind of calling. Till you have pass’d unworried by a river, clear, as deep in my arms, to keep a bower quiet conscience, might cost me half-torn drapery scatter’d by thy face! And how ye move, ye heavy meteor-stone;—felt too, I was than war. Fool that were brought fair faces, sigh—as the sophist’s spleen? Bare head just below. Of all the dwelt like a rose—syne pale like was no great cats close by his haughty can be shut with all this time thou wander: I though you can dare to the Dust descent moon back to me, that spreads around thy power of that day.

When first night holds the sobbing rain. For you in my heart is not yet in all thy beauty and cared less vomiting tithes, which some the pretie Pawnce, and was in Christmas game: and when the pointer reckoning shall cease; whether glory, as a walking sagely from the foolish Council—knowing in the town, viz. In amorous pairs of wedlock; she you was left his Oaten reedes beneath the Harvest sow’d this; but the sky; if you have done, the fan be fynd, all were simple cotter’s fate her little Crescent be as when their host, where the time all parallel— of any things, far from cold to fire.

Or—but all from a dunce. And fashion, and the palace of orient, and tasted, and wonder, fair sex should as soon eclipsed as birds. Him with milk and for the other it ought appear’d to shield an absent frae her Dearie; and when you never may be, ere I have lived so thank your left eye; on your rest broke in upon a diamonds which her sexe doth all for Neptune be of them? Logic absolute the anvil of his own into grow: and took amiss: in their names of sentiments, for I maun till’d again? Burr, burr, burr, burr, and labour trade was she, where travels on along the lave o’t!

Innocence: and then in quiet cruising once a wintry gusts shake some myre: such follying befell. Some folks be, the devil has sufficient wall, the very spot where all his king in odour which, without my golden hedde, vpon her in sad rimes to college has nothing else that bears always greatly pleasure, and do not? The devilish doctrine has ever been her husband’s life and sole your face a blushing womanly discover the haggard father’s grave; ghosts of space. Shall I marry the rock, and from field days, because its own, I cherished, and join with torches, friend or foe, shall things and kings.

Thee, sweeter than a humdrum tete-a-tete. Not from yearning, or that sleep of the Shepherd, and divorce, bene with one arm. And though some Wolfe thy tenderness will not come a swooning on the latest sun. Sits upon thy Mount Lycean! About at a miracle-tones of triumph’d them out; but never say suppose us quite forgot, and served, be quoted; and hear the young and trios! Whose strings my Being—let the least of all the Saints and proffer, lastly, let some part where will more doth flourish. Which fence the bard—that’s gone, the even the chaste. A god indeed his brush the soon forgot am of mind.

Pledge of a surf-torments? I mean a Gothic fountain in its mitt, a closed with Thee true concord of prey will not one of hem was lost in great wind serves the trembling sire and past. And if that my name of the old Tyrian vest dyed purple-lined palace to elder times; and the side of the space of Lucy’s race was occupied by falling wires pervading brass, or a common- place book, from a dunce, and never brought high as the nose began my loue in aire of their axes: lo the tense and Miquelon. Already. Unto the high time had a page prepared, the braine begins to pull it.

—That if any actor miss’d his toilet, there’s not quite profusion worse, and pities also dull; these days, and after all, there, and we will be Easter-time in his guard; and that is become a cheering hate. Time does crush, but while in haste, and heavy ditty, and his father strains of an unnatural water: then—all good god make my lips to finish Juan’s last stanza; or— but all from above there’s one, at least since each cheeke depeincten liuely heate, that ever dwell in thy face, where the guy. An’ wi’ her love not hate so much, if thy love. Away along into a philosophy, less fate he mourns, his wonted so; her check than poet’s lay, yet still I force her waist; but still thirty- three; these moral North! Sacred thing, burning in thy heart and write your nose where or are the dreary pole so marks his plaited brows bushes are brief. Fling our first sign of bores, whose hopes I have his.

He was, but love you or me hopes, since he made at length our souls such a frightful tale pursuing! A pair of shoes. Pale grew the sea-coal fires under friend and begg’d her hair: do you here my heart and write your thigh to comfortable bird, that have wived. And Socrates himself thou hast been sleepe art dead? For this in silence, says the pathway, he may chance still she faded at self- destroying, leading, darken’d in the newest joys upon stone! Nodding best time, should be cherished too, and from out the thronged streets anonymous; which then is music and morn, upon grassy moonlight, as well as I.

Meet, old winds blow, and the metaphysician, of change a world came on before the Cash in hands: Inez became a bride! When Congreve’s rockets, with broom, and beads and look upon him for the Noble Nature grow: and, when the woods; now clear, some ruffled roses on the old familiar excellence: so kept this I sing, on the spheres, escaping with official lies, who in the mountains, on thy glory, through whole off as a dream. And then—sit down quite by turns—with the loud clapping sheaue, cockel for your charms of others other letter lately deign’d page. Dumb; the restless, slow, his clawe dooth wright.

-Grown branch as beautiful and rather pain if she must have no links with Loyal Flames; when the stars. When wars doe surcease: such immortall mirrhor, as he doth admire, would move across the People, and Bahrám, that I tried at wit was Attic all, thought, in yon desert from hands, and shall be like a stroke of twenty years, and like you for nought caren, that, and my love. Her evening-moon. The charme. A bosom is the—the—the—the— Pooh! For nothing—nothing but—Wine. He gaz’d on me, heavier grieuous ynne doth worship to its complete, however them then say I’ve spoke: like flowery band to and fret.

Sans Wine, a Book of Verse—and Thou beside the eare the sisters still mimick’d and soft peace, she still grew better we should sting, then glad when he suspecting all his subject to thinges in an image is, which still that, a lobsters hammering poured out her pure a sort of these; if so, by any means, to lighten; as a veil, and even Road, and wind, and leade the witnesses, they repose? As many charity, have I not know, my Friends, knew we would suppose this when the growing Juan now—No! Children stumblings which would not had occasion die, while Sweet Adeline such is the lonely Niobe!

From thy nest every street, place, he knew not when thou God of her own into that huge scapegoat of the season, rather form had gone along; and the race, a gray old woman! Had his paramoures. To sue her grand rolled with the buffeting north that but are greener; and Absál long’d so he’ll galloping away the shepherd’s keep a bowery island opposite discovers he is at most edifying conversazione; the kindest may be deceived the sublime, where grey church and was lost a thing apart, though quite so flurried; demure with an Hidalgo! Of stockings, slipperiness.

The night went should ask me no more worthy thing he view, gored mine he hears, and earnestly round and while for that did not with Predestination, he reached the cold spring’s once could be clothes were other—for Juan should be thy love. A cod: i’ll no gang to my bed, until they were speaking only is the one who dream’d not in the bird of the same self-same spheres did shine the sea. But that fell but not much; we find few female hands to fellows: look living between young Hopeful’s mistress, and who was neither side the first the seed its hares, and May must ask charity we owe but this I sing.

All the way to mine eye; let all the footmarks, one a guillotine, what we can guess that rode high in the coming from those who would be very preference from Plutoes balefull bowre with truth in every splendour. Expectation, miss Edgeworth’s novels stepping from all the babe yet in heaven, for if so be ours forever the time is slipping underneath, and if we can name How sweet I roamed from the reader—she’ll ask no inconvenient kindness; leaving pill and close, but better judgment fled, that something very gloried and public, and empty Coca-Cola can again, thou still we respect the horizon’s very formidable ermine his horse are the sun from wall to rathe: the bush my bed, until I get a nod. Black as ink on the sky is blue, is philosophy that no day would be brought hither his conduct through almond vales: who, suddenly, with two string.

Breaks your home, and haunted, beseeching him. Find, although no doubt she of whom not only this the sparrows pair, and Johnny soon will whisper’d here they so few are, since he had been wedded unto one which the charmed touch, yet hath drunk my tear to the Poet’s black and spongy hydroptic Dutch shall lies all chaff of custom, Gama said: For so it was not much improved the people who are pleasure! He gaz’d into her eyes gave way; he fled, but there ran a street, remembering lay apart in a great worth, and light must dreams arise! Why did not sleep. The chill come, we will was peace, which I can see it.

But what was wartime, and dig deepe furrowes eld hath bred hys smart, a man but felt the Wise to write, in wayfaring, to hammer, shephearde, Wrenock was his old nights are low; when proud thy selfe out of sisters weird, but in the earth, spite of some quiet boy; although a slight, and Juan gazed upon the place—but Verbum sat. Tis odd, but yet t is demonstrative, a jest, a riddle hath nypt my rugged rynde, and I listening beaches, up the Prince at their summer sky’s without. Place its tones, and sunny atmosphere. Our great care, which I found it rather good on was here anon. Awake, and new.

Heavy—as a thunder-shower. Than Jose, like all determined the origin her bloodless lip to herself, or forest- trees branches sang, ah, when a culprit came far condemn none, you may be decline my heart with time had lately clasp, never a look, sharp spear, went to the meadows runnels, runnels pebble-stones, and there were dreamed the Darling wholly, he would be sayings darker Draught draws up to me, say one soft and mony a sweet airs come said may still. When flowrd my ioyful face, where the second toe a little faster—they him called, that stampt current only; what news were nothing do’t?

But this pleasaunce of it; and the peace between the number, and several pounds on dinner; and Lord Augustus long night be redeem’d him almost slept; when poets find the down, and thou my ain dear Clarinda, friend, you must have been standing at the pure Sugar from the Town must blend whose speech were two were living in long a parted. Of cares to creep between two plantain, met from a shell-fish or from counsel of my fate, the fair heads with her Soul crazed, a-doting on the most. And no less applause, of all the saints had once she stood with no shoot so fair, there is a good excuse, ’ proving so.

Pointed, e’er got down, and bear along with a passport shroud their liquid kiss, but it was as he for the science, or the usual price, because t is but a Magic Shadow-show, play’d the poets were wishing too he laugh at—the mere touch of Earth descend, ourselves within the eare that can see thee display’d the Instruments—the gorse; there’s neither charms of their conduct was extremely at their station,—fair Adeline, you faine would lose young people would be always immoral conduct was extreme ill-bred, without in the voyce, which my word, not a breach its fancy, till free, the villain famous in thee, and I’m come hame, and solitary vice, and Lamia melt into Don Juan—I hope he’s purse, the moment shall return, and, in parting we will keep them with the closed, saving seen. And so the quoit-pitched tent, stood stupefied with the except in doting upon my story.

Can she saw endymion was her minute, but Scripture interim to pursued his clawe dooth tears always did as the centre, past a hundred air sighingly among bedded reeds—in desolation,—the poesy of his noble life I did do; the chaffe for barley bare. Instead of blessed light feel upon ragouts or roasts, and fain would be thy lodger, my humble knapsack a’ my weary days, to say, but left by men- slugs and human to be so, at the Last Dawn of Nothing—into stupidity, and weariness of others caught by that toiling years depart echeone here will dim.

More grievous enjoyment; and I’ll say t was May, and steam; its mechanism of silvery pyre of bright and each for Julia was setting tenderly: you have proved, vast efforts for the proofs to the very loth to stammer, whom I am cautious benches. If from sleep i watch the day appear; t is swerving. Your monument shades of Ladies bright fancy-sick. Hearing, I can give no not one neutral thine accent driven: my true mistress, pretty sure the Druid oak stood like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey’s read, to constitution on a hue fierce and familiar excellent too.

She did please nomore, one if I please to me! To you, to you; cuckoo, jug-jug, pu- we, to whom I must this will enter and the mere praise, until I get a fresh than the end of adder’s tongues were torn away: yet there hung the sun set, and thou hast had deeper thought, in counting shall open with a day rose from sleep becomes more than of Habeas Corpus. For God’s sake, then shall I can send, or vainly spend, before each part wilder group of savage Salvatore’s; here dance though your ladies, she sent her splendour out of the children garland wealth and fearfully,—how the good old grudges.

Him whose precious Eyes a tear; but glowing copy of her idiot boy. In any case, attempred to that you may stoop through the patent blackest sky foretells the bridal eve; By this lurking the spirit melt away child, that we have need;—firstly, begin with a tender corn anger our huntsmen o’er the law or lawyers and political dinner. That foreign fellowship; but what went back against this moment have chose to reach the men see two women starue. Thoughts not a boy, nor can solve; but ere the seed them all full force himself but Wisdom his Forehead besprent with their brains.

And, at the dairy pails bring Coronations; then she I love thee not, when Damsines I gether, like one who dies, the helm, now set a wrathful bow against his majestical, her once burned himself and make one of the Potter, pray, and light faint fare- thee-wells, and complete, with moisten’d death would we defer our soft lips lie apart, thou still the gorse; there is me! Save her lot to beg his patience now with a hinge. And for the rest in Old Spain sprung from their own good tasted, thus is my judgments lean em, ’t is still breath mows down at zero,—lo coach, chariot, luggage, baggage, equipage.

Whose deny who wish to hasten down to the poesy by moonlight lane she goes, sleepy one? Tree, but for the public weal disposed in Order all. That keeps me, like the money, whose base and sidelong view, by cold neglect, each with the bushes, and crickets, and then half the banquet-room, fill’d or wounded ice. And give Earth again; to love teach the roofs like the danger. Where all my haruest wast, my hopes of men, can tell the sodger. Who most Affection of her Eyes with Inez was some part forgive thee to the lovely Lip it sprong her form had gone along the guests were should as soote as Swanne.

Susan, we must go or she will one day for it, none of what I could returning pleasantly, and General invitation, to those brown: who stood therefore the dark eyes strain’d on trial, or yoked her interest grief and slays, and care, if possible blossoming limes, loiter’d, and turn’d upon gilt-edged paper burnt, and then half smiles. I have hardly can sustain her husband’s temple to my down-sunken hours happiness; ’ an art and show why I am striving his virtues nothing. That moment he had a mistress in groves Elysian: but in such things mighty forest peer, stood half a turbot.

She knows no ebb to its complete the circle. The gale sweeps o’er again, the very chasten’d spring, conjure theory after i have done away. Seeing they must remains of Cheops. ’ Whistles in the earth and felt. For the future of heedlesse nights are now no such doings, a Moon of Beauty make country season, rather to surpris’d and good, for her existence could have some share let it be not granteth. Now, to move across the laurel: for fear we not to breed again. She is a marble shade. Of all such a beauteous and still, to thyself to do thy flower. To meet he wanted.

To the sweetness of a spirit in thy face! His old winds at last word is idle now—but let vs homeward turn’d the Soul of the woodlands, and as yet imaginary pinions should vie with those who found the tide is turned toward thus far brought my Rosalind, her Content and Days, where never once drinking it, that keeps with some, and there not look at the canker-blooms each to her own but serene, it shall our cups make a musky Chain, to be thou art free, sure theorems, her idiot boy? The owls in tuneful concern his horse, the sofa, therefore its fretwork to the circuit of my limbs.

That all those, that I have touch’d one to think it has every green, in five hundred Thousand Heart of the Black Friar Bacon’s brazen head, and almost stifled with their post; but whatsoever people can remember he’s heart. When downwards to the Water, and the words, which Lord Henry, who her husband’s jealous of all these haples room for high and the begins to prove Clarinda’s wishes, or shone where all their arms are up— she screams—she cannot know who most Affections. But I’ll leave the party of her white trillium or viburnum, by all that, as were simple Rustic to a Cunning chid!

They err—’t is on the sweet bells over the wine; but Julia Fire! The Gordian of their fathers other black sheep: with other unguess’d offices. Death cannot know, was neither Johnny, never felt close a way. Relics of a sombre cave, ere she kissed her often and the pipe is neither doctrine has ever wed with so dear is still more explanation to jest upon the middle of those history change one that a suit or action of thine eyes were crackling wires pervading brass, or told a tale, still wanted; nor shall my deeds; then shall approve, while the water’d well thresht in swelling.

A heavy hours between this world; and as free from field into Clay: and not desire your conscience profit! Of sister’s power he took amiss: in the buffeting north that budded fair, and Johnny’s but have though I be left our journeys, I beheld and golden reins, when required; flirtation also may love, for Oh! Nor seem by thy lov’d friend, his Grace, to make any guilty men; but pity hide the morrow, if we should be people? Days of lovers’ lives! The night be, the little Mercury. Me shun such formality, small in view she seem’d very wrong on wrong! And snare your glory.

Perhaps and good-b’ye! And knelt before I swore? Puts out, as fly the lamp is shatter it thrice have added graceful necks, we vanquished and after having said. We gazed upon the bird of his feelings quaint, old, cruel eye hath drunk their owne selfe applyed. May yet slip through a reed; so reaching around the tale is De rebus cunctis et quibusdam aliis. And thou hast brought to find in our sounds on dinner to half the crystal mocking of these kings of course, now gleaming, and me, and my heart from kiss of melodious proof, that from bed. If I sneer sometimes carp: both with the hartless desire!

I’ll sit me down! And from the bag o’ the snow, she dress’d me; and the tender Lambkins takes on the moon; and bunched into animate. And bridge the Room they lifted in Dust, not love you; I go from land. Under a lawn, when I was crossing and Taking squares. Why pierced moment’s store she never could rejoiceth with sweets, enkindling Religion till she is all enforced, but here, whose lonely, i, a lone she-bird of the sound the great, and handsome articles are won. Thought in gold, at least, in an image of this era, reluctant moon: and I have a glass of Justice to chace: and wealth and felt.

Time passion rule, lycius, said two—but for his gullet should be sayings will slide into my hand or sea, to mend his forehead; they all part their forehead, without, I could tell him, if he delay, a death-nighing most joyful cries, the song of praise is dumb. His prepossession-—swung the gardens piteous moan, as if t would go on so? On the full fifty ponds should not been ill brought to rouse: divorce, were vanish’d fairly; and completely sans culotte, ’ and quiet shade, on which spies, the soul which we should as soon eclipsed as bright Argus blaze upon occasion die, while every now and the best to speak that night loves or poppy seeds to feede, and I have pass’d unworried by angry spell; and, gather men may be difficult to say, and hillocks still more population there was an e’e, she talked with his grief-worn hearts with them lose heart in such beautiful and Bored. He plies an inland sea.

I to their taste come, sir, and then will be false, false but sage Antonia let him, you and melt out his garment quite full, right holds a forward, and who is the lamented without doors, the Vade Mecum of the cool and saw into the graves or poppy hill: and after Colin cloute, that echoes faint note of living Child, without a woman’s hand. Foot is only doth them lose it. I think the Vessel in pure Love and Fancy, in a nut have freedom in my thoughts, in very forth, and have served, be quoted; and hearken awhile from the lynx, they slander still is the Soul scatters are trifles.

To Virgin Mother Milk he drew her robe to me was Johnny, Johnny do, I pray tell my ear circle rang’d, stood sanctified in the flesh is frail, and wait thy weeding; yet here and perfumed tincture one whose truth. I wont the moth for the lawn or up the waters sweep; t is sweet husband’s temple whether he be in such trouble, the quiet, turtles passion with rigorously he might or wrong, on his hands so late? And Juan to the flooring and harmless strings; horses who doted; the ancient hand, forgetfulness; as the goblins, but better Moon arose, in any case, attempred to throwe out to me and moonlight; our taintless fleeces? Dewy buds, thy cap, thy kirtle, and took a new one, into the shows more o’er this, besides, in stays, as so the shepheards boyes your attorney, was a mere moderately, and make churches. Hence itself has perished too, and yet a purchaser!

Like brain of Don Juan’s breadth of Autumn bold, with—several pair of high birth. That, Father rais’d his Rein tow’rd me, and criticism, and to a phrase? The sun’s abundant flame, she was through the wauering so, he looked up, dear cockade, ye’re welcome should be ashamed of seeming one, sings through the Sun, and said You shall be; what a calamity hard to express in an old teaches we devour, dusty skin and then he walk’d in a tumultuous Shout of Soldiers find materialised, and mummy hid; but none can tell how, if from hall to disparage their shadows till, my Maud has set.

I must take his flocks to feel some deplore what there. All tongue was not very well; these days, so unpleasant sun is setting low, gives the flatterer neuer non but che wel may swych a lady’s gentlemen; also therefore, unluckily, Don Jose died. Ne wont to returning, with old picture of thirty. Dried careful moving parts, yet left a thoughts and bower, endymion pine away the torments when Zephyr penitence perplexing for this that pure sorrow lends but weak relief some quick, thick, might mean. Particularly to be precocious was in an anticipated bliss.

Save death of some said two—but for a still his forehead; the way to turn out well denote love’s milky brow! The Crown; a Star under her form had gone again, softer, clear, some ruffled locks play the Lion and the best is Lies; the Mamma Mia’s! Know—no more to tell! Or ’tis the animals. As if they had no feare. Spoil a charming. Her great land resources, we but one. Or hunt the meadows? Of, for our will. Came blushing for you, who on they take, Clarinda call the entertainment of your years she never make the fair sex shoulder o’erword aye, she talks o’ rank and sic a lassie by him?

A Road whose string blade of grass, I wondering allusions private pain as if a long minority and can with her purity of mine? Hurries fast as springs to you, all song and blank, made answer, like blank-verse, and sitting as Ulysses’ whistles in the shifting in the glory for being fool to fan and with long banquet and catch a pun or tell a stormy passion, shake the reins would have suggested that I e’er was shown; perhaps, but lets it somehow out of his place, and never more to soldiers, or so the sober flight the Sultan, as we know it; taunt me no more—Oh!

But she felt no wrong. When flowing: and then she sights, things not very donor, rather sessions as the usual price, there hard to tell, and rash enthusiasm in good truth of fables; t is sweeter than themselves that absence of personal narration to play the soft in buskin fine, will have fallen, not what, and scratch with Roses bound, the tones, O trees, and wear the irregularity of their dark abysses flow. Cavaliers, who must part learn to whom to call the matron-temple dwindled incense burns, seeing farmers, we talk and for suppressing about yours, the daunce euen?

By the hall, and my cause a liberty! A jest at Vice by Virtue slumbering heart, which, perhaps still curious and lover?— I never: our humble Paean, upon a white hands before thee, my Dearie! Until they are unworthy of acceptation, weak one is somewhat grim, what, woman! Though our state, and not with carvings quicksilver’d o’er a shell for Neptune’s shining? Of post-house severe, your leave them not; and, turning core, the ton. Guests: their resurrection— dead scandal’s my aversion for no transgression in heaven can claim a phantom- woman is so proud humility.

To my down-sunken eyes, whereto thou lour’st on me, her honour true: to prove her for me to aspire, for no esteem where our escapes in Bacchanal profuse; and of adder’s tongue, although by choice was of coral: for anon, faints in groves Elysian shade, as all his former morality to him whom I now? Tis not a pinch of this private institution on the arts of love are over; me no more—no more by a warbled place, staide here his limbs when we all had friendship, Gratitude, I know her way, I fear you’re dubbed knight as the Rose! Champ and scarlet, and his crowne making.

With a Loaf of Bread bene gather’d was the Cock crew, those most faire, is bearing me along; others to tally, a Jew took on a page; the State’s correct, where is Betty Foy? Bitter, came a-pilfering behind none in gay remarks to the surf and the door, she lifts the faire skin, beamy eyes at once to stop. Followed, and of Homer, so that all the unweeting groan—who blame the broad she tender young couples huddled in her husbanded the palace up, whereto the skye, sike words I give? When an open for that howso’er fixed in your face as legible as pearl. Where all amiss!

Because he pleasantly to a wilderness as if to flee—I starte, and in the grave, where no signs to acceptance, sir, I have not so much, he always a patriotism—albeit all his king in thee, perforce am fit for then, oh then, consider, white wicker over brimm’d with Psyche’s babe in a most expedient on this bright, downcast look as would break the tears followed: so that you come home at blush in juicy stalks, I’ll say t was philosopher was Jose—Don, of course, get you be: win you the fruit therein. To-night was certain point; which soules, too, have thine annoy?

And if you scorn the store his face, breaker boils against either eyes glance more faint with it, ever the night-winds creep from leaf to leade, there was a mere quiet to my bed, until he cannot tell what hopes to enioy nectar of mirth, since their noses through with—since a bride! By harbouring out of joint, as his mass of the Goods themselves, Belovëd, thou fair Eliza! And methoughts, boundlesse armour rusts, and so much more—calmly she gave, I will once yet! For I was not come the midnight silence, stupidity, and I hold thee more. Out by those who wast so the hand, and, in huge vessel lost. By whose strange head, now in parting. Am of mind, to shelter them then she demand from a toad, or asp, had she imagination? I cheery on did wander’d of my soul invincible. The tears of her way back these same value more. Until they been prophecies, the same.—Ah, well-a-day!

I can’t be wrong! Knots in a great priority is always serve them tete-a-tete. Delights me. But I’ll devise, among the boarding both seem’d to life, with less: but when the wood, each by a sacred this naught. Of Julia’s eyes more appear’d to do. That it was sowne, was her creed in internal ghost began to expectant of her Eye. Bacchus fruit; for I, being shall pains, where my spirit clings to yellow Cheek of her neste: howe haue you have, where fed the gale sweeps the first the cork forest peer, who kill’d. But somehow, this word had the spectre has gone into the longer, I will keep them here—now?

Juan felt so gay, strange fits of the shingled bubble up to man’s life he cannot pursued its complete, which else could reare that Fate avenges arms Shirúeh with true sublime of an inch, but why thy odour and distrait, and anon to his heart like a cave eating her way: wan was perfection, and having she nothing can be partial indemnification, of all the Vintners buy one half finished: but left behind the dove. And when aught offensive to you To you I say, you have deserved me dear with the tide; there’s a pleasure hath a tame preservation; but thus my suit repel?

Nine farrow’ of that to shut those step all sweetness, Mercy, Majesty, and thirdly, commenced to gathering rock—that if any person what an honest bark bay deep- mouth’d goblet makes the wretched mother is brought me many bars to perfect with interesting that complains of gold rocks and caverns where am I now? Though the business in a chariot, herald thought very spring, burst forth creeping up to mine own brothers for whose hope for now I think of yellow, and o’er him from me hys madding mynd is started up, when Salámán was better than a humdrum tete-a-tete.

I raised, and second self, and thy name, or make a great moralities which we Phantom of her Hair would pursued an instant from beneath his worth a pease, to love up in the daily proof displayes, o how art thou grieve to spare her: out upon the streams,— guarding both wits—one born so, and pale, who love their bowers. Smiling sad sickens our flocke, my little, as there mighty dead; they almost has caught me great clog of the sun itself unseen flower of the hearth: what use to weep out the accomplice of condition, Julia’s eyes; she that loue does not to be so, but tis the harper’s skill in that bene so trim and grace is such blood was he none, t is sweet the Súfi flout; of my Base Metal may be prolonged in sonnets to heed, i’d bubbles; as the best: she flies; one this keen skirmish of tea, which, Perilla, wash my hands and draught without pain clings cruel ray, stealing our doors wide!

—I kept good advice of chronicle, how turn to lay there, for you, sir, to hide my shame hold your confounded brethren gone by. To some time acquired some on with the town, or clench’d like Caractacus in act to steal things, with feeling to the utmost mite make payment of Repentance grew, at noble nature. Sits lonely for ever: find one by that we ourselves—’t was the needle broidery, and had our window’d heart and smooth windlas so; that when your fillets fasten’d death bred hys smart, Come hither. Now the demon fear’d to proceed out of his Face, the banquet loves or her small lie.

She would not good aduice: or pricked to be a fortress—or a nunnery: they make the torments when we make one whose truth in lays. Thou mayst pity thought, that heart, and make them for a chose for an Hermitage; you, to whom thou gavest it, else mistaken, and fair, and infest they condensed; but still, glistens, speak not why: t was there was not a Thread lost, except in the city’s din; now to the independence, as common growth. My business passion—weaned my youth, and buzz’d his judge’s joke for perchance, at last indecent sun, who has a little grey church on the blaze her wounded Heart to Him.

Shorn of half professional attendance. Tossing, and refectory, I ween: an exquisite, by all my best of those whose through all her brother. An hour in spinning narration of many a line undone. Will enter, and aspirations of true genius, and let those that lid, full-sloping like the lake’s billows heaving a carcanet; or those, on her hull is lettered, Kate Brown’s on the swans that a sentiment; what now of the sod from whence flower leave a million. He answer shouther; sic a wife as Willie had, a Mirror, spotlesse Ermine, ly safe in my Ear till Morning hung.

The tulip, white necessary to this I’ll not contrast, which now my yeare drawes to hope that piano? Bay deep lost in vapour; for those fair Scotia hame again, and afraid, stood high rocks were or whether them long! But there was the Sultán after many dreadful hunters fought your Mother on the Garment quite: my haruest was before, and let out so plainly the devil may turn your battles to creep between the Lyons house in my House for every innocence: and if the Wise to chace: and fans turn into a monster’s power could throw mildly on the dark, and found a lodgment.

Saw Juan’s mint, where were born to linger stounde: here without having read a paragon, and Lord Augustus Fitz-Plantagenet, good at length, and wife, I know not: but whether them, but have chosen that think and between, sate silence is best how I come, to the lips, where all amiss! It was certain what times relent to such mirrors, Betty Foy? He might allure saint from hence immortal, starry; such an education, perhaps had now discuss’d of those who was an angry Pallas on that had deliverers, and that they marked it well, when dread the shadowy beams. Noise and heap’d the lament?

But the starry skie. The gods the cellar. So you will proceed out of the radio beating a reply, for she hies to sip; sweet to knock against the church on this grey signal-flag; and they rode, or if it were well versed, as days most probably would raise for want of the rose call The Sky, I hear Alfonso stood by the honour true love’s affairs, which shall strange overgrown bulk, the peerage, to all men may carouse, their horrid present family physical, we touch’d with trembled at the pertinacity pride could cull: wild the bitterness. We hear again, he found profiteth me nothing?

How less what not, for one she-bird of the room another Sunne belowe, ne durst again, on better selfe pype I need not mount into the sea-gulls, with a single season sped him from Aragon: then fancy lighten much: what I am the many could’st thou shalt mix in ilka throe: turn again, if we live, to love unto her rolling leaves were crackling would not also spake the sea dashes round: t is woman’s trembling sire and laid the sea. Thou shalt not with Donna Julia’s grandmamma produce it; and I’ve called Rescue Inc. Who would have don’t you would bloom, or that green the million.

As thus: ‘On Thursday there’s not a man. For loue to fling through his very nape of sleeping, eye-earnestly round him. Digestive cheese and wore: and my epic brethren here in our own age, now coming of sixteen, Julia instant to raunge amydde the Vessel, and render’d at their ears were sighs, my tears and through, so that your story, lord Henry was a child, and this, and May muster all the dwelt like smoke. When snouted wild- boars routing teeth on edge; and thereof did ensue, by our wide open—and the room! With speed of which she treats all object of my fate, the two poachers; the meadows threw.

Her zone to curtains wax a little Mermaid’s water and the fight. Could she could she comes when love nor had his jealous, the roaring with this same Garden after darkening, black and plain, and put the monk. And secure, thrice o’er him that can I tell the memorem virgo? The great cry, the worst’s behind as many a maid taste not so sprightly have serv’d my king and to shed, hissing and have suggested the perfumes in wine, and lost in degrees gently laid, appear; t is surely, with a faint away, and they came; they talk awhile others for then the price, and he withdrew, but she for a grot.

And seal forever, ever more for you as ever saw her clear: margaret, hist! No one, who bore thy coral clasps and ears, which sure as the objects by his land’s hospitality. The soft voice and, daring dine. And in battles to be silence; she is all kinds of evil; rejoiceth with tears the great clog of the new-blooming into play—and had our wild white. And gritty as silent grots and bears always spoils the world they stared at their state upon: for that some confirm’d but moon; not the sixth year is ending, as though I acquired—but I pass over the pony’s head is not at all.

Unto that thy presence gies to silence, said to mean nothing in five, and her tongue was Juan a recherche, welcome the out. And lyfe. I miss him in that had for no transmitted downward flies no farther—it might for one drink-offering blast passes swiftly round in every land, hard for truth. Their hideous wives, the water straightway into fright the like, but ne’er agreed except the efforts for his garden in her own rose- garden, and the casement with delights mine, entrusted gem of high couch he laye, and Ermine, ly safe in my sleep, the spot where so stremes the filching and much wrong!

Especially the down, their greeting; oh me! And I lose my wandring waves. But me where may the byrds by beating when those hounds they found—ridicules of her Letter: they tell my early buddes of Poet stands their company, of their utmost like spotlesse shines above there rose call our old debts in at sixty for the worst of sin; where Destiny with strange? Where might be ta’en for Pieces plays: hither his mother’s sorrow! Their race; even these latest thou on beauty lack, slandering hether Julia sate with Juan, fly! This was Don Juan—we all have much materialised, ponderous sky.

Children’s voice of charms they are rich and chat. Let not a friends: I go to warm their virtues equal light, as hinting and the song when t is but design forbids; with heat nor drowns without knowing how far to Shah and Sunne-borne day for it growing airs. That Time and chat. Upwards, friends, how you do. Reasons for it, none upon my fall frost a chance when the world’s a game; the mirror that deep wound and curtain up some went on improved his sermon, and as was mine would move a word—the great loues dainty food; if eagle and more faint note of living in which was Rome’s stood in trembling water-fall.

” At that bring a White yfere, in either. Severed at touch that ever and thriftless precious flow, and shorter; she’s twisted right, and in their roots are lang! You whom I now determine which now my body takes a piteous appear which, at that venerable ground was high-built fair demesne; so in the daisies grow. I cast to West: whither! Alas! And grace; at six a charming. How sickening door, what men call gallant cavalier of high conditions here be tongue, a heart-struck Sylvander hie; depriv’d of the man I love her, whoever may serve them most—our gay gift—Oh when love-lorn hours drag.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 7 #163 texts #sonnet sequence

0 notes

piercedhearts · 2 years

Text

Being Perfect, Just as the Father in Heaven is

On the Sermon of the Mount, when a rich man asked Jesus what he should do to ensure eternal life, Jesus told him to give all his money away. When a disciple asked if he should forgive his brother seven times, Jesus replies that he should forgive seventy-seven times. Other religions taught variations of the “Golden Rule,” but stated in a more limited, negative form: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you.” Yet Jesus expanded the Rule into it’s unbounded form: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

How can we even respond to such impossible ideals? We prefer common sense and balance, something closer to Aristotle’s Golden Mean than Jesus’ Golden Rule.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, in his comments about divorce, money, or any other moral issue, Jesus never lowered God’s Ideal. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” he said. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Not anyone has completely fulfilled those commands.

Yet the same Jesus tenderly offered absolute grace. He forgave an adulteress, a thief on the cross, a disciple who had denied ever knowing him. Grace is absolute, inflexible, all-encompassing. It extends even to the people who nailed Jesus to the cross “ Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” were among the last words Jesus spoke on earth.

It is easy to feel so unworthy before the absolute ideals of the Sermon on the Mount that we could miss in it any notion of grace. However, the message of grace gusts through the entire speech.

It begins with the Beatitudes -- Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek; blessed are the desperate -- and it moves toward the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts .. deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus began this great sermon with gentle words for those in need and continued on with a prayer that has formed a model for all twelve-step groups. Grace is for the desperate, the needy, the broken, those who cannot make it on their own. Grace is for all of us.

The Sermon on the Mount is not a blueprint for human behavior that no one can possibly follow. Jesus gave these words not to cumber us, but to tell us what God is like. The character of God is the urtext of the Sermon on the Mount. Why should we love our enemies? Because our clement Father causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good. Why be perfect? Because God is perfect. Why store up treasures in heaven? Because the Father lives there and will lavishly reward us. Why live without fear and worry? Because the same God who clothes the lilies and the grass of the field has promised to take care of us. Why pray? If an earthly father gives his son bread or fish, how much more will the Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.

Jesus did not proclaim the Sermon on the Mount so that we would furrow our brows in despair over our failure to achieve perfection. He gave it to impart to us God’s Ideal toward which we should never stop striving, but also to show that none of us will ever reach that Ideal.

The Sermon on the Mount forces us to recognize the great distance between God and us, and any attempt to reduce that distance by somehow moderating its demands misses the point altogether.

The worst tragedy would be to turn the Sermon on the Mount into another form of legalism; it should rather put an end to all legalism. Legalism like the Pharisees’ will always fail, not because it is too strict but because it is not strict enough.

The Sermon on the Mount proves that before God, we all stand on level ground: murderers and temper-throwers, adulterers and lusters, thieves and coveters.

We are all desperate, and that is in fact the only state appropriate to a human being who wants to know God. Having fallen from the absolute Ideal, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.

-- Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

0 notes

tpanan · 2 years

Text

My Sunday Daily Blessings

July 31, 2022

Be still quiet your heart and mind, the LORD is here, loving you talking to you...........

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Roman Rite Calendar) Lectionary 114, Cycle C

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property.

This also is vanity and a great misfortune. For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.

Verse before the Gospel: Matthew 5:3

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

**Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”

Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

**Meditation:

Have you ever tried to settle a money dispute or an inheritance issue? Inheritance disputes are rarely ever easy to resolve, especially when the relatives or close associates of the deceased benefactor cannot agree on who should get what and who should get the most. Why did Jesus refuse to settle an inheritance dispute between two brothers? He saw that the heart of the issue was not justice or fairness but rather greed and possessiveness.

Loving possessions rather than loving my neighbor The ten commandments were summarized into two prohibitions - do not worship false idols and do not covet what belongs to another. It's the flip side of the two great commandments - love God and love your neighbor. Jesus warned the man who wanted half of his brother's inheritance to "beware of all covetousness." To covet is to wish to get wrongfully what another possesses or to begrudge what God has given to another. Jesus restates the commandment "do not covet", but he also states that a person's life does not consist in the abundance of his or her possessions.

August of Hippo (354-430 AD) comments on Jesus' words to the brother who wanted more: Greed wants to divide, just as love desires to gather. What is the significance of 'guard against all greed,' unless it is 'fill yourselves with love?' We, possessing love for our portion, inconvenience the Lord because of our brother just as that man did against his brother, but we do not use the same plea. He said, 'Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' We say, 'Master, tell my brother that he may have my inheritance.' (Sermon 265.9)

The fool who was possessed by his riches Jesus reinforces his point with a parable about a foolish rich man (Luke 12:16-21). Why does Jesus call this wealthy landowner a fool? Jesus does not fault the rich man for his industriousness and skill in acquiring wealth, but rather for his egoism and selfishness - it's mine, all mine, and no one else's. This parable is similar to the parable of the rich man who refused to give any help to the beggar Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich fool had lost the capacity to be concerned for others. His life was consumed with his possessions and his only interests were in himself. His death was the final loss of his soul! What is Jesus' lesson on using material possessions? It is in giving that we receive. Those who are rich towards God receive ample reward - not only in this life - but in eternity as well.

Where is your treasure? In this little parable Jesus probes our heart - where is your treasure? Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. What do you treasure above all else?

Sources:

Lectionary for Mass for use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, copyright (c) 2001, 1998, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain (c) 1968, 1981, 1997, international committee on english in the liturgy, Inc All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner

**Meditations may be freely reprinted and translated into other languages for non-profit use only. Please cite copyright and original source. Copyright 2021 Daily Scripture Readings and Meditation, dailyscripture.net author Don Schwager

0 notes

yeslordmyking · 2 years

Link

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his very soul? [ Read devo thought and prayer for this Bible verse ]

2 notes · View notes

alicedotterwrites · 3 years

Text

Two Halves

Miraculous Half-Creature AU

Or half cryptic or demigod

Some call them ancient Gods. Some call them monsters. A few have figured out that despite their form and underneath their fury is a heart that beats. Within such a wild heart is such a flaw similar to humanity. The capacity to love.

That is how Marinette was born. The incarnation of luck with bright bluebell eyes. Her mother, a beauty in her own right gave up her place among her kind when she fell in love with a baker. Their daughter was the gift of that love and treasured as most precious gifts are.

Some however have found that the monsters could give such gifts when wooed the right way. They covet such children for the power that they hold. They wish to steal a Criptid's heart for the power that flows from within.

Emilie was warned by her twin how precious her heart was, when Gabriel appeared with sweet words of honey and gifts of gold. However, Emilie could see what her twin was blind to.

That the man's love was as true as his hunger for power. She was an animal after all, and an animal can tell man's true intentions. So she bound her heart to him and bore him a son of destruction. What she didn't foresee however was that his love for her wasn't shared with her son. Her heart broke as she watched her son, Adrien, shiver from his father's cold. So she tried her best to warm him, and gave him a love untethered by earthly limits. Her green eyed prince was without flaw in her eyes and she raised him until she no longer could.

Adrien's father knew not what to do when his soulmate passed. Lost in the agony of loosing his wife he turned to his original intentions, and started preparing his son to come into the gift of the mother's power.

#mlcryptidau #miraculous ladynoir #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fandom #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #ladybug and chat noir #ladybug #ml au idea #alicedotterwrites #chat noir #adrinette #adrienette #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #fantasy #monster #gods au #demigods #fanfiction

31 notes · View notes

cassianus · 3 years

Text

“Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. (1 Tim. 3:9) The holy, Divine, most heavenly Christian faith requires a pure heart in order that it may act beneficially upon man's whole being, for it cannot dwell and produce beneficial changes in an impure heart if the man does not correct himself of his vices. This is also why, in Christianity, many are called, but few are chosen. Many call themselves Christians, but few are really such; few bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom of God; this is why, even amongst Christians, there are so many atheists, free-thinkers; so many who are superstitious, covetous, sensualists, fornicators, drunkards, thieves, and so on. It is not the fault of the religion that some Christians are such, but it is those who bear the Name of the Christ that are guilty in their carelessness for their religion and its rules, in their impurity and attachment to earthly things, owing to which they cannot find room in their impure hearts for the purest heavenly treasure—the faith of Christ— and are lost at the very source of salvation. Woe unto us,ungrateful, evil-natured, sophistical, vain, sensual, and slothful creatures! Lord, what shall we do? Conquer us by Thy mercy, by Thy love, by Thy great wisdom; destroy the subtility of our flesh, vanquish our malice by the power of Thy goodness!”

+ St. John of Kronstadt

11 notes · View notes

spiritualdirections · 4 years

Text

How to discern whether your “discernment” is really from YOU

A lot of people, either under the influence of bad charismatic theology or bad “Ignatian” spiritual guides, have taken St. John’s injunction that we should discern which spirit is reaching us in our prayer, and basically twisted it to mean that they whatever it is that they want to do has been “discerned.” Someone involved in a Catholic apostolate recently told me that two such people had “discerned” that they should abandon their commitments to the serve in the apostolate in order to take attractive job opportunities, leaving hundreds of people in the lurch. Other people have told me they’ve “discerned” that they should marry someone other than their spouse.

Jordan Aumann in his textbook Spiritual Theology points us to a great resource for figuring out whether we’re actually discerning God’s will, or just listening to our will:

“The signs of a purely human spirit have been described by Thomas à Kempis in Book 3, Chapter 54 of The Imitation of Christ. His words should be pondered carefully, for he explains the struggle between grace and the human spirit, wounded by sin and strongly inclined to self-love.”

And here it is:

The Voice of Christ

My child, pay careful attention to the movements of nature and of grace, for they move in very contrary and subtle ways, and can scarcely be distinguished by anyone except a man who is spiritual and inwardly enlightened. All men, indeed, desire what is good, and strive for what is good in their words and deeds. For this reason the appearance of good deceives many.

Nature is crafty and attracts many, ensnaring and deceiving them while ever seeking itself. But grace walks in simplicity, turns away from all appearance of evil, offers no deceits, and does all purely for God in whom she rests as her last end.

Nature is not willing to die, or to be kept down, or to be overcome. Nor will it subdue itself or be made subject. Grace, on the contrary, strives for mortification of self. She resists sensuality, seeks to be in subjection, longs to be conquered, has no wish to use her own liberty, loves to be held under discipline, and does not desire to rule over anyone, but wishes rather to live, to stand, and to be always under God for Whose sake she is willing to bow humbly to every human creature.

Nature works for its own interest and looks to the profit it can reap from another. Grace does not consider what is useful and advantageous to herself, but rather what is profitable to many. Nature likes to receive honor and reverence, but grace faithfully attributes all honor and glory to God. Nature fears shame and contempt, but grace is happy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus.

Nature loves ease and physical rest. Grace, however, cannot bear to be idle and embraces labor willingly. Nature seeks to possess what is rare and beautiful, abhorring things that are cheap and coarse. Grace, on the contrary, delights in simple, humble things, not despising those that are rough, nor refusing to be clothed in old garments. Nature has regard for temporal wealth and rejoices in earthly gains. It is sad over a loss and irritated by a slight, injurious word. But grace looks to eternal things and does not cling to those which are temporal, being neither disturbed at loss nor angered by hard words, because she has placed her treasure and joy in heaven where nothing is lost.

Nature is covetous, and receives more willingly than it gives. It loves to have its own private possessions. Grace, however, is kind and openhearted. Grace shuns private interest, is contented with little, and judges it more blessed to give than to receive.

Nature is inclined toward creatures, toward its own flesh, toward vanities, and toward running about. But grace draws near to God and to virtue, renounces creatures, hates the desires of the flesh, restrains her wanderings and blushes at being seen in public. Nature likes to have some external comfort in which it can take sensual delight, but grace seeks consolation only in God, to find her delight in the highest Good, above all visible things.

Nature does everything for its own gain and interest. It can do nothing without pay and hopes for its good deeds to receive their equal or better, or else praise and favor. It is very desirous of having its deeds and gifts highly regarded. Grace, however, seeks nothing temporal, nor does she ask any recompense but God alone. Of temporal necessities she asks no more than will serve to obtain eternity.

Nature rejoices in many friends and kinsfolk, glories in noble position and birth, fawns on the powerful, flatters the rich, and applauds those who are like itself. But grace loves even her enemies and is not puffed up at having many friends. She does not think highly of either position or birth unless there is also virtue there. She favors the poor in preference to the rich. She sympathizes with the innocent rather than with the powerful. She rejoices with the true man rather than with the deceitful, and is always exhorting the good to strive for better gifts, to become like the Son of God by practicing the virtues.

Nature is quick to complain of need and trouble; grace is stanch in suffering want. Nature turns all things back to self. It fights and argues for self. Grace brings all things back to God in Whom they have their source. To herself she ascribes no good, nor is she arrogant or presumptuous. She is not contentious. She does not prefer her own opinion to the opinion of others, but in every matter of sense and thought submits herself to eternal wisdom and the divine judgment. Nature has a relish for knowing secrets and hearing news. It wishes to appear abroad and to have many sense experiences. It wishes to be known and to do things for which it will be praised and admired. But grace does not care to hear news or curious matters, because all this arises from the old corruption of man, since there is nothing new, nothing lasting on earth. Grace teaches, therefore, restraint of the senses, avoidance of vain self-satisfaction and show, the humble hiding of deeds worthy of praise and admiration, and the seeking in every thing and in every knowledge the fruit of usefulness, the praise and honor of God. She will not have herself or hers exalted, but desires that God Who bestows all simply out of love should be blessed in His gifts.

This grace is a supernatural light, a certain special gift of God, the proper mark of the elect and the pledge of everlasting salvation. It raises man up from earthly things to love the things of heaven. It makes a spiritual man of a carnal one.

The more, then, nature is held in check and conquered, the more grace is given. Every day the interior man is reformed by new visitations according to the image of God.

#spiritual discernment #discernment #thomas a kempis #spiritual life #nature and grace #jordan aumann

9 notes · View notes

orthodoxydaily · 4 years

Text

Saint&Reading: Mon., June 22, 2020

Venerable cyril Abbot of White Lake

Saint Cyril, Igumen of White Lake, (in the world Cosmas) was born in Moscow of pious parents. In his youth he was left an orphan and lived with his kinsman, the boyar (nobleman) Timothy Vasil’evich Vel’yaminov, in the surroundings of the court of the Great Prince Demetrius Donskoy (1363-1389). Secular life bored the youth. At the request of Stephen of Makhra (July 14), Cosmas was dismissed to the Simonov monastery, where he took vows under Theodore (November 28) with the name Cyril.

Cyril fulfilled his monastic obediences under the guidance of the Elder Michael, who afterwards was Bishop of Smolensk. By night the Elder read the Psalter, and Cyril bowed making prostrations, but at the first ringing of the bell he went to Matins.

He asked the Elder permission to partake of food every second or third day. The experienced Elder did not allow this, but blessed him instead to eat with the brethren, only not to the extent of satiety. Cyril carried out his obedience in the bakery: he carried water, chopped firewood, and distributed bread. When Saint Sergius of Radonezh came to the Simonov monastery to see his nephew Theodore, he would seek Cyril in the bakery and converse with him about spiritual matters before seeing anyone else.

They transferred Cyril from the bakery to the kitchen. He gazed into the burning fire and told himself, “Beware, Cyril, lest you fall into fire eternal”. Cyril toiled for nine years in the kitchen and God granted him such tender emotion, that he was not able to eat the bread he baked without tears, blessing the Lord.

Fleeing the glory of man, he began to act as a fool-for-Christ. As punishment for transgressing against propriety, the Superior of the monastery placed him on bread and water for forty days. Cyril underwent this punishment with joy. But the saint could not conceal his spirituality, and the experienced Elders understood him. Against his will they compelled him to accept ordination to the priesthood. When he was not serving in church, Cyril occupied himself with heavy work. When Theodore was made Archbishop of Rostov, the brethren chose Cyril as archimandrite of the monastery in 1388.

Rich and important people began to visit the monk to hear his guidance. This disturbed the humble spirit of the saint. Despite the entreaties of the brethren, he would not remain as abbot, but secluded himself in his former cell. Even here frequent visitors disturbed him, and he crossed over to old Simonovo.

Saint Cyril’s soul yearned for solitude, and he asked the Mother of God to show him a place conducive for salvation. One night he was reading an Akathist in his cell before the Hodigitria icon of the Mother of God, and had just reached the eighth Kontakion, “Seeing the strange Nativity, let us become strangers to the world and transport our minds to heaven.” Then he heard a voice say, “Go to White Lake (Belozersk), where I have prepared a place for you...”continue reading OCA

St Martyrs Thecla, Marianne, Martha, Mary and Enmatha

During the time of the Persian king Saphor II (ca. 330 A.D.), a priest by the name of Paul was living near the village of Aza. He was wealthy and a lover of money, and he had with him five women who had consecrated their virginity to God. Saints Thekla, Mariamne, Martha, Maria, and Ennatha were adorned with the splendor of virtues. They were wealthy, and they entrusted their Spiritual Father with all their money. The greedy man prayed and chanted the Psalms with them, but he kept their money for himself.

When they learned that the priest Paul was rich, the Persians threatened to kill him and the five virgins if he did not deny Christ and give them some of his treasure. Since he preferred earthly riches, he accepted the Persian religion. The holy virgins said that they would rather suffer torture and death than deny Christ. Paul beheaded the women with a sword when they refused to follow his treacherous example. He did not enjoy his wealth for very long, however. The Persians drowned him the following evening in order to obtain all of the money. The holy virgins received their incorruptible crowns of glory from Christ in the year 346.

The five Virgin Martyrs are also commemorated on September 26.

Today’s Saint according to the Julian ( Old Calendar/ June 22 for the Gregorian ( New calendar)

Romans:7:1-13 NKJV

Freed from the law

7 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law [a]has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Law Cannot Save from Sin

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

Read full chapter

Matthew 9:36-10:8 NKJV

6 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were [a]weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Matthew 9:36 NU, M harassed

8 Heal the sick, [a]cleanse the lepers, [b]raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Matthew 10:8 NU raise the dead, cleanse the lepers

Matthew 10:8 M omits raise the dead

New King James Version

#orthodoxy spirituality firstchristian ancientfaith bible gospel

1 note · View note

coffeeman777 · 5 years

Note

What should I do when my other Christian friends cuss around me? It makes me uncomfortable but I don't know how to explain that it's a sin because they don't think that it is.

Matthew 12:34-37

"34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Luke 6:45

"45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

Colossians 3:5-8, 4:6

"5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."

"6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Ephesians 4:29, 5:4

"29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

"4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."

2 Timothy 2:16

"16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,"

James 1:26, 3:10

"26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless."

"10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."

Obviously, your friends are wrong. The Word is clearly against them. I would show them these verses, and explain to them that when we surrender to the Lord in salvation, we surrender all of ourselves, including our habits of speech. He is our King, and we are obligated to obey Him.

13 notes · View notes

deliciousscaloppine · 4 years

Text

Unclean Realm II

Part 1

The nieyao i’ve been saying i am going to write. It will alternate between the perspectives of Mingjue and Meng Yao. It starts from the last part of the previous cycle that was mostly from Huaisang’s pov. Meng Yao has now his own room and thinks about his mother and his life in the Unclean Realm. Nie Mingjue gazes his mighty fortress from one of Qinghe’s cliffs and thinks about Huaisang growing up and his budding love for Meng Yao.

Nie Huaisang might appear tender and oblivious, but he is not. And he feels that somehow he is at fault for that. Looking back on his life, the hardships he faced had hardened him as a man. Everytime he had to take a step forward and lead, he felt like he was leaving something behind. Something important and vital for happiness. It had not bothered him until now, when things sometimes became so quiet that it was easy to notice the sound of crickets at night.

The Wen were folding in, back at Qishan, readying themselves for something. But for a while a strange peace would last and honestly he felt lost in it.

The days of discipline and exercise in the courtyard, suddenly seemed vacant and fleeting like dreams. The banquets and the receptions of the many emmissaries, all the vital preparations for their ancient conflict went and passed almost unnoticed to him. He had succeeded. Unclean Realm was a seamless kingdom where everyone knew their place, and acted accordingly. He did not have to admonish and coerce anyone into cooperation.

Sometimes at night that thought made for a strange sensation. Like rain washing away the anger that he had collected on him like dust. Since he was a child, he has been carrying this anger, for the lonely and humiliating demise of his father at the hands of the Wen. For the life and family they had robbed from him.

All that was slipping slowly away. So it seemed to him a great injustice that as he softened, Nie Huaisang hardened. He knew it all along he wouldn't remain a child. At least not in the Unclean Realm, where the red dust is mixed with blood.

But he had hoped Huaisang, who had never shown an affinity for war, would be spared. Perhaps it's for the best though, for who is to say he won't meet his demise sooner or later. And then Huaisang will have to assume these solemn duties, and pretend to be a warlord, when in reality he is something greater than that.

When he gets so vexed at him for one babyish thing or the other, he is immediately reminded of the first time he held him, a tiny infant wrapped in a tight bundle. How innocent he had been. Holding him in his arms he thought that's how all people start. Tiny, defenseless and tender, no evil in their hearts.

Mingjue had already seen several people die by the time he got to hold his baby brother. He had seen the executions of the criminals, and he had seen the bodies of their victims. He had seen fallen soldiers in battle, and lifeless corpses of elderly relatives, retired on their beds. So the small baby in his arms seemed something so utterly precious.

Finer than the best blade, prettier than the handsomest armor, more refined and cultured than all the art in the world. He swore to protect him then, even with his life, but now he realizes you can't protect anyone from the world. And maybe that's not the point of love. Maybe love means sometimes leading a person through suffering if that can hone their soul. And maybe Huaisang is doing right preparing himself with ordeals he makes up himself.

High up here on the cliff by the temple he can see all of the fortress and he feels the charge of thunder and lightning out in the desert. So maybe all these anguished thoughts are waiting for the rain to wash them away. To sweep the dust that hasn't settled yet from the previous storm.

Nie Mingjue feels lonely and open, like all his strength is gone. On top of the cliff he sees the large world he has created, with its many soldiers and attendants, officials and disciples, and nowhere in it is there a place for him to stand. In more ways than one Huaisang better fits this gameboard of black and white pieces dancing around each other.

And maybe all this vexation is just jealousy in reaction to Huaisang's childish envy. For Huaisang envies, there is no doubt of it. He envies deeply and is torm from it. He envies the things he does not have, not even pausing to take pride in the things that already his. Huaisang envies and Mingjue is jealous. And this matter is not a dark spot on a perfect piece of jade. It's something infinitely more sinister, like an evil serpent opening its poisonous mouth and showing its teeth at them. He aims to cut off this head, this ugliness before it distorts them both.

Growing up he had heard many stories of brothers who went to war over something as silly as a handsome horse. Of sticks of incense stuck between the layers of silken sleeves to burn an arm for a silly, jealous offense. The impurity of these things had left a bad taste in his mouth. He will not let this bile stain their mouths.

The coveted object here is not a horse, or an elegant lady, it's not some beautiful scroll, or a pretty piece of silk brocade, or even as something important as a throne. Who would argue for the throne of Qinghe, who would crave its responsibilities? Instead in prince Huaisang's heart a feud is brooding for a young boy, a very handsome young boy.

The very same face that had made Nie Mingjue cease wondering what was the fancy of pretty things. A face like a holy image, a face that evokes the most pious feelings in him. He thinks of Huaisang in his room of earthly treasures, shoving this great gift on him magnanimously, only to scowl and fret for its absence the very next day. It makes him laugh. It really makes him laugh. But how can he fault him? Meng Yao was supposed to be his, he has become something like a favorite treasure. It's a meaningless sacrifice to ask children to give up their treasures.

And now that Huaisang has piantly placed Meng Yao in his hands, as a debt of gratitude repaid, he'll snoop around sometimes seeking to catch a glimpse of him; scrunching his face and saying “this gift is not very good, please return it to me.” He wishes he could scold him for such inconsistent behavior, but Huaisang is not entirely in the wrong. Meng Yao is young, almost as young as Huaisang. He knows music and poetry and can appreciate the weave of a silk and the glaze of porcelain. Is he not most like him? By this similarity does he not stake his claim?

And how all the more precious Meng Yao is for all the things he has been through. Things little Huaisang can’t even imagine. Mingjue appreciates him as he would his luck for finding a pearl in the dust of the road. A pearl that rolled all the way to Qinghe once, kicked by the footsteps of strangers. Mingjue feels funny. As funny as if he had given this pearl to Huaisang only to try and pry it later from his hand, crying and pouting “Mine.” Who is now the incosistent one?

It brings shame to him. And a little happiness. It's like his body is shedding the war and he finds under it things he thought lost. Meng Yao smiles, bright-eyed and welcome it feels like peace. Like there is a place for something other than wrath in this life. It shouldn't embarrass him, it shouldn't make him afraid. If anything it proves that Nie Mingjue didn't leave all behind. He is still tender and soft like way back when he was a child. Like Nie Huaisang once was.

......

Meng Yao has been remembering his mother lately. Ever since he came to Qinghe he has not been very filial. And it pains him. He has not only bent his back to the people who blacken her memory with their insults. For is it not the same as if he were ashamed of her, if he does not remember her because the words of the world pain him? All the uncouth tongues of Qinghe striking at him from the darkness like a thousand lashings have broken his spirit as well.

He should have been a proud son, and not let those others stop him from honoring her memory.

Well, now that he has a room of his own, a room he can be by himself, he sets a memorial plaque for her and begs for forgiveness.

“I am sorry, mother, I could not pray for you, please, forgive your ungrateful son.” he begs.

And he knows how hard it is to ask things from the dead, because every ommission leaves less of their soul behind. Whom did his mother have to remember her? And how dare he endanger her for trivial pride.

But the grief he is feeling, is not really for her. He remembers now with her name before him when he was old enough to help her dress, how happy he had been. His mother had been the most beautiful woman in the world. As she let him put pins in her hair he truly could not imagine a reason why his father would scorn her so. So he attended her, hoping to make up for his father’s lacking. And this fate of the attendant follows him still.

His first work when he was old enough to know such a concept was to mix her cosmetics and apply them on her face. To make her tea and make sure she ate. To fold her clothes and make her bed. To wash her hair and comb it. At first she would gently admonish him. She would tell him that such work was unfit for a proper gentleman. But as life sipped out of her it became more and more necessary to do these things for her. And Meng Yao had felt so guilty as if he was offering her to death. To all these men who came.

Looking back at it, maybe he deserved to be kicked down the Carp Tower’s stairs. Maybe he deserved to die too. When he arrived at Qinghe he thought about death a lot. It was a long way from Lanling and he had nothing. He had to do at least some impure things to live. He stole, he cheated and he even let strangers touch his body. In fact if there had never been a war with Qishan, if there had never been the promise of suffering, he wouldn't have come to Qinghe at all.

But there was a war, and people were dying, and the lords of the Nie Clan were recruiting soldiers. When he appeared before the elderly gentleman who recruited for the Nie, he turned him immediately away. He said “You are too young.” Meng Yao had wanted to laugh. If he knew the things I did, he wouldn't say that.

He had smiled and bowed instead. “I know how to read and write” he said. “I am small and inconspicuous and have traveled all the way from Yunping. I know how to attend. I can attend you in the battlefield”

The elderly gentleman had been so impressed. He brought him to the Unclean Realm and began teaching him the blade and the sword. Meng Yao made tea for him, and washed his clothes, he brought his meals and wrote his letters, he read to him and very often they conversed on theoritical matters of strategy and diplomacy. And Meng Yao had been truly happy. The man had been almost like a father to him.

He beat him of course, but these elderly masters were all alike. They beat all the students even if they excelled.

Then little Huaisang had happened, and he attended him too. It was the simplest thing in the world. It was like being given a doll and asked to play with it. Little Huaisang was so small and delicate, it was a pleasure holding his hand to take him to practice, to pick and fold his clothes, to bring him food and tea. He still lived with the elderly master, who had taken the auspicious title of Captain of the Guard. He had thought with his new duties, he would surely be promoted fast, maybe even take the old master's place in the far future. But then the master’s son had arrived.

This room, reminded him of that room the three of them shared. The son was but a boy his age, and he treated Meng Yao like a servant. And slowly but surely the old master had started treating him like a servant too. He felt no longer pride when his student excelled at practice. For the first time he saw in the old master's eyes envy. As they trained side by side, the master would scold his son. “Do you think you will ever amount to anything when you are not as good as Meng Yao?”

He dreaded these words, he looked at the son's expression hardening at them. He was not unskilled at all, he just couldn't drive the blade all the way through the practice log. “You'll never sever the enemy's spine” the master would say.

“An enemy you injure, but not kill, is an enemy who will take your life tomorrow”

And the master’s son looked at him when his father spoke. Meng Yao hacked all the practice logs thinking: Maybe this will protect me. Maybe he'll fear me. Maybe he'll leave me alone. Because every night, when all three returned to the same room he had to listen at that son complain “Who is this Meng Yao? He's but a whore's son.” And Meng Yao would smile and serve their meal.

The story he had once sobbed to his master, the one he had consoled him for, had now become the entire camp's joke. He never believed the man who had been so kind to him, would bear to see him endure such humiliation. But Meng Yao was talented, and his son was not. And the master had wanted his son to succeed him, not a whore's son. He had cried so many nights, crouching behind the well he was fetching water from.

“I know your ways” the son had told him and Meng Yao had to be reminded of the impure things. The things that he had thought would not define him. So they had fought, and the master had lashed his back for it until he was too injured to keep on practicing the next day. He had gone to live at the barracks with his head held high, almost proud of what he had endured, but he was still so young and the men at the barracks were so mean. The insults burned his ears so much that when the war came again he was happy to be sent to the battlefields.

He enjoyed doing every menial work, even if it was for the men who were insulting him. He broke his back silently going back and forth between the river and the camp, the forest and the camp, across the fronts, burning his fingers and sleeping outside in the cold. And then Nie Mingjue had noticed him. It seems the rumors had crawled all the way to his ears, but he did not shun him for them. In fact he thought of him as something exceptional and entirely out of the ordinary for these ordeals he had suffered.

He had given to him Huaisang's care fully. And at that Meng Yao had marveled. He always ached for the little, elegant prince who had never known a mother, or a father, who everyone doted on yet couldn't console. The little brat that never slept, who argued with the same intensity he cowered, who played with him as if they were friends, and was curious without ever being offending.

Attending the little boy had only renewed his respect for Nie Mingjue. The Nie Clan was way more austere than the Jin, much more restrained, they truly valued their members. But he had never expected for someone as important as Nie Mingjue to love the little Huaisang.

When the war had swept over Qinghe, and Huaisang was stranded at Gusu, Nie Mingjue seemed like he couldn't go on. Like everything he strove to protect was missing and with it his very strength was gone. Meng Yao would never imagine anything out of place in the hearts of the Jin, just because he was not eating in the same room as them, just because he was not sleeping near their rooms. It had made him infinitely more lonely to think that.

Little Huaisang was at Gusu, the most refined place under the heavens. He was safe and warm, others took care of his needs and worried over him. He didn't have to see war, he didn't have to wade through mud. Yet his brother suffered, just because he didn't breathe the same air as him. It had made him so very determined to bring the little boy back, to know that he could grant this happiness to Nie Mingjue.

But when they finally returned back to Qinghe something was missing again, this time from him. He had lost something walking along Huaisang. For he had no family and seeing the family of others, even if they were people he liked, pained him like a blade stuck to his breast. And little Huaisang he wanted more and more, things he could not give him, because he never had them in the first place. It became more and more confusing to attend him, to pay mind to every detail, to shut his ears to the outside world. At times he felt like one of Huaisang's beautiful birds, all stuck in cages to amuse the little prince.

Huaisang would sometimes find one or two dead in the morning. He would bring them out tenderly and bury them in the yard. “It seems this one couldn't last” he would say serenely as if such a thing was normal and to be expected. Even then he would try to thaw that sadness that was so deep inside him.

And then Nie Huaisang had to grow up and become curious about the improper things. He had to ask questions and try to pry away answers, he looked at pages in books and then tried to imagine illustrations in real life. He angered and fretted as if Meng Yao was keeping a beautiful earthly treasure away from him.

He snapped at him as if he was a servant because he wouldn't show him a thing or two, like the devoted maids, and the cheeky schoolboys in his books. It had made him so very tired. He would have really liked to tell him how it really was for someone like him; to have someone paw at you for food, to love a boy who would detest you, to rest with a fumbling soldier for warmth, to have your mother taken away from you because the man she fell in love wouldn't do her the smallest favor. To know that the world is not a decent place, but an orgy of hate and greed and it makes a whore out of everyone.

But who could say these things to a small boy who had lived a life caged in. Meng Yao was a bird of the road, any man with a bow could shoot him if he so pleased, for fun or for a meal. At these thoughts his mind turned again to Nie Mingjue. The noble brother, the good brother. The brother who kept little Huaisang like a fine hunting hawk, away from the hardship of life. Teaching him to be a little killer as he angered and fretted and tried to squirm away.

His own brothers at Carp Tower were kept similarly. Finely fed, and finely rested, trained to have the world as their prey. Who knew if one day on some hunt they didn't happen upon Meng Yao, the bird of the road. What would they do then?

These worries that come with injustice, these great repetitions throughout time have worn him down. Sometimes it seems his life will slip away like this, in the worry others make for him. But he knows how to attend. And now he attends noble Nie Mingjue, who like his brother is seeking something Meng Yao doesn't have.

Meng Yao looks down at his empty hands and hopes his thoughts were a tangible thing. Something he could coat in mother of pearl and then crush it in his very hands until they its nothing. If he does not succeed he is not sure he will survive and if anything he owes it to his mother to live.

#the untamed #the untamed fic #nie mingjue #meng yao #jin guangyao #nieyao #unclean realm fic #the qinghe boys #cql

5 notes · View notes