#your designs for them are SO GOOD i hope i did them justice? <33
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🎉💛🎉 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAAACE @kellystar321 your triple threat blorbos for you!!! ily!!!!! <3333
#artz#birthday giftz#your designs for them are SO GOOD i hope i did them justice? <33#proud of you for getting through another year i hope much kindness & joy is to come to you; you deserve it all and more <3#i’ve loved getting to see your art grow and you getting new passions i hope life gives you many many more!!!! <33#spins you around i love you happy BIRTHDAYY <33333
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20th October >> Mass Readings (USA)
Thursday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
or
Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest.
Thursday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical Colour: Green)
First Reading
Ephesians 3:14-21
Rooted and grounded in love, you may be filled with the fullness of God.
Brothers and sisters: I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The Word of the Lord
R/ Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
R/ The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R/ The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R/ The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R/ The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R/ The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Philippians 3:8-9
Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 12:49-53
I have not come to establish peace but division.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
---------------------------------
Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest
(Liturgical Colour: White)
(Readings for the memorial)
(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Thursday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)
First Reading
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
It was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith.
Brothers and sisters: The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
The Word of the Lord
R/ Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Gospel Acclamation
Matthew 5:6
Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
for they will be satisfied.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 16:24-27
Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each one according to his conduct.”
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Summer is right around the corner so.. how about some beach headcanons :D with Ango, Ranpo, and Junichiro with gender neutral s/o ! It can include things such as them and their s/o making sandcastles, picking beachwear, swimming etc. Anything that you see fits the beach topic :] again i hope you're doing well <33
Thank you and I’m good! Hope you’re doing well and staying stress free 💖 WHEW it’s been a while, but I’m excited about my official post post-hiatus and this request just reminded me of how ready I was for summer so I hope I did it justice! Also if you haven’t looked at the official beach art PLEASE DO your eyes will be ✨blessed✨ Reader is gender neutral!
CW: suggestive/spicy content but no NSFW/nothing graphic
Beach Headcanons with: Ango, Ranpo, and Junichiro
Ango
So you two were both excited about today
You were beyond ready to feel the sun on your skin, the sand between your toes, and for all the activities you guys can do together!
He was relieved to finally spend some time with you and possibly get some work done in peace without being disturbed
Wasn’t getting into the water, sadly. He did want to get some things done, and he can’t work if he’s soaking wet. You were a bit disappointed, but you understood and he promised that he would give you his full and undivided attention right after he’s done typing this last report
Although you have threatened to throw his laptop and himself into the water if he does one more report-
Shopping was fun surprisingly, and you can only laugh at how meticulous he can be with everything, even with something relaxing as this
You had a feeling that you guys may have overpacked a bit, but you can never be too prepared (or atleast in his eyes)
Ango is perfectly fine with just resting underneath the shade and getting some work done while you go enjoy yourself. He’s content with just seeing you having fun, that’s more than enough for him- but you refuse to leave him be
But he couldn’t even pretend to be upset with you. You even dragged him off of his folding chair and demanded begged that he joins you. What kind of man would he be if he didn’t grant your requests?
(Honestly he couldn’t say no to you, especially when you get that specific pout on your face. It’s a weakness of his)
Your jaw dropped at his sand castles. Seriously, you would have never thought sand castle designs can be so intricate
“(Y/N), it’s not that impressive nor is it difficult. If you want, I can show you exactly how I did it. Here-”
Cue Ango being unintentionally romantic by coming behind you and placing his arms right onto of yours to guide you
Seeing you happy makes him happy, and it puts a smile on his own face
And he couldn’t stop blushing at the swim wear you picked out. You always look so stunning, but the way that the sunlight is making you glow is just making his heart beat faster than usual, and it’s kinda making him lose his focus to finish this report…
He’s not complaining though
This beach day was much needed, and he’s glad that he was able to spend it with you. And he actually had fun, and it wasn’t as pointless as he thought beforehand. Dare he say he would do it again, and without his laptop next time
He needs to make more time for you in general, but he’s also planning some surprise beach days in advance. Maybe looking into going to a private resort. A very private resort where he can show you just how much he truly appreciates you, just the two of you
Ranpo
I SCREAM YOU SCREAM WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
But really it’s just Ranpo screaming for ice cream. And he’s not screaming, but he is whining to the point that you’re about to really start screaming if he whines for ice cream one more time-
When I say Ranpo is a man child omg
The only way to convince him to deal with the heat for today was the promise of the frosty treats which you would give him as long as he doesn’t complain so much
(Really he was still coming with you either way but he wanted to guarantee that he was getting a lot of sweets today)
But anyways, you guys definitely share ice cream together even if it’s messy on your end
He may or may not have offered to lick it off of you
Shopping for bathing suits were a hassle, only because Ranpo can be so picky. You don’t know how long you guys spent in there going back and forth, but the shop owner was ready to kick you out at some point
But hey, you guys got some cute swimwear out of it! Even if Ranpo wasn’t planning on swimming (which kinda bummed you out but you weren’t super surprised)
He still looking good tho
He doesn’t want to be in the sun (he honestly believes that he’s gonna melt like his ice cream), but the umbrellas big enough to make sand castles underneath it, so prepared to be amazed!
Just kidding, halfway through he fell asleep, and on you no less! But you’re not really mad
Ranpo is lazy, but he does like to talk and people watch. Prepare for speculated stories about random strangers, which are surprisingly entertaining and actually making you laugh out loud. The made up “deductions” about these people are so ridiculous that you can’t stop laughing, and Ranpo can’t hide his smile so much because of you
You did however had to stop him from throwing hands with the seagulls because they kept trying to steal his snacks, which made you laugh harder
He loves being the main reason that you’re happy, and this is stroking his ego right now (while also making him love you even more if that’s possible)
He sticks to his word and isn’t swimming, but he is floating in a tube which gives you a devious idea
He already knows something is up when you waddle up to him and ask to float with him in it. “Nope! You just want me to get wet. If you’re trying to prank me, you’re gonna have to try harder than that.”
“Ugh fine. Can you atleast hold my hand then, party pooper?”
He pretends to think about it, but he guesses that he doesn’t mind holding your hand if you’re that desperate-
You ended up “slipping” and took him down into the water with you. When he did sit back up, spitting water out, popsicle off the stick and floating beside him, you should have took that time to run
You definitely should have ran when his eyes opened fully, then darkened, but it was too late
You couldn’t swim fast enough before he grabbed you. For onlookers, you looked like a sweet couple just spending quality time floating in the water together, but you knew just what kind of danger you gotten yourself into now
“I think we need to have a chat somewhere more private.”
It led to an all out war, which lead you to being held and tickled until you could spit out some type of apology, and even then he wasn’t letting you go
After your ultimate defeat, you both laid out underneath your umbrella, stuff already packed and ready to go, reflecting on the day. You’re shocked to hear him suggest that you guys come here more on your day off (or just come here more despite work. He solves cases so fast that he can take a day of not working to come here with you)
Ranpo knew what your little plan was from the jump, but he decided to indulge you anyway (even if it meant losing his popsicle, rip). He got his treats, he got to spend the whole day with you uninterrupted, and he had fun. Today was a success, but he can’t wait to get home
You still had to make up for your little trick, and his offer is still available from earlier~
Junichiro
You guys are both so pumped for the beach! It’s like a well deserved family day
You guys packed pretty well too: popsicles, water, extra towels, umbrella, beach ball- pretty much more than enough to entertain yourselves for the day
You definitely snuck in water guns too, but he didn’t need to know that until later
He’s down for pretty much anything too. Beach volleyball, building sand castles, playing Marco Polo and getting splashed everywhere- there’s never a dull moment with you guys together!
Matching themes for swimwear! It doesn’t matter what type you got, you got matching prints
You guys were THAT couple lmao
After another game of volleyball, you guys decided to get ice cream. This man was confused when you just got one, and his ears were turning red when you said that you can share
He was even more flustered when you started to eat it, your tongue sticking out to lap up the melting drops escaping from your lips
He knows that you’re his partner but still! It just feels so intimate
You bout to make him act up
Splash wars! And y’all do not hold back
Okay he still does because he doesn’t want to hurt you
You two did have a water gun war though, and he didn’t hold back on that
Even though he cheated by using his ability
You guys did everything and anything that you could think of, and right when you were about to start packing, he handed you a flyer. The beach was doing a special fireworks show, and he wanted to know if you wanted to stay and watch, which DUH, of course you wanted to stay!
While the fireworks lit up the sky, you told him that you have to come back ASAP, and he just chuckled at you. He was already planning another beach day as a surprise for you, but he didn’t want to spoil anything just yet
Junichiro loves spending time with you, and this is one of the best opportunities to do so. It’s a chance for you both to just have fun, to see you stress free, care-free, and to see you genuinely happy. Why would he want to miss out on something like that? He would be dumb if he didn’t schedule another beach day
Hearing you talk about going to the beach more together means that you still see him being in your future, and it brings him relief to hear that. That means that you’re both on the same page, and he’s reassured that he’s not alone
He couldn’t see his future without you in it anyway
#bsd x reader#bungou stray dogs reader insert#bungou stray dogs x reader#bsd#bsd ango#bsd ranpo#bsd junichiro#bsd ango x reader#ango x reader#bsd ranpo x reader#ranpo x reader#ranpo edogawa#bsd junichiro x reader#junichiro x reader#ango sakaguchi#junichiro tanizaki
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𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕙𝕒 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕕𝕒𝕪
╰┈➤ includes: bakugou, todoroki, jirou, midoriya, momo, aizawa
╰┈➤ cw: none!! just them being incredibly sweet (if there are any, please notify me!!)
╰┈➤ A/n: this was requested by one of my friends, so i hope i can serve it justice!! also if you have any requests, feel free to request them in the questions box!! <33 also im sorry if there are any word mistakes!!
╰┈➤ word count: 1,803 words
╰┈➤ summary: how they end up finding out it’s your birthday, what they give you and how you spend the day with them (they’re your s/o, general neutral reader)
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
bakugou
you would probably have to tell him like either when you first meet or something like that
but after you tell him, he would act as if he didn’t care, but he would put it on his calendar on his phone
he would also be the type of person to text you at midnight just to say happy birthday bc he wants to be the first person to say it and if you actually ended up replying, he would tell you to get to sleep skfsfn
i feel like he would give you something quite small, but something that you can always be reminded of him by when you have it
it would probably be something you can wear with his name on it or both of your names put together but he would definitely act as if it wasn’t a big deal
like you would be like “thanks katsuki, you’re so sweet” “stop thanking me, i just did it because people get gifts for others when it's their birthday"
i feel like he would also not want to make it a big deal bc he wouldn’t want people think he’s some big softie for you so he would act as if it wasn’t too much to get done
you would probably spend the day with everyone else, celebrating your special day, but he would want some alone time with you in the evening
you would either play games together inside or watch a movie together or even just lay outside on the grass of the ua dorm building and look up at the stars (it's entirely up to you!!)
it would just be really peaceful and you would both be able to just appreciate each other in the silence <3
todoroki
i feel like there are two ways he would find out about your birthday
number one is he overheard someone in the class talking about your birthday coming up and he would immediately take note of it or he literally just asked you
you wouldn’t really think nothing of it since he didn’t know your birthday before if it was the second option (and he would just want to know), but he would make sure to prepare like a least a few weeks earlier
he would probably get you something quite expensive (obviously using his dad’s credit card skfnf)
it would probably be like something that you’ve really wanted and you’ve talked to everyone about it, so he probably just overheard or you’ve even talked to him about it
and seeing your eyes light up as you talk about it, he would just feel so motivated that it was the perfect gift for you
and it definitely would be, since you never thought he would get it for you, but he would say that it didn’t even cost that much and you don’t need to give him anything back bc it's your special birthday (as if you would have to get anything back for him on a normal day skfsnfn)
he would also treat you to gifts throughout most of the day, whether that be taking you shopping or taking you to get food or even going to a theme park
he wouldn’t care as long as he was with you
the day would probably end with you both taking a walk somewhere (probably to the park) and you would just sit on a bench side by side and just admire the surroundings around you
“thank you for today, roki.” “you’re welcome, i hope you had a special day”
he would be so sweet about it all too skfnf
jirou
i just have a feeling that she would know skdndb
either by finding out from one of her classmates or just overhearing you talking about it from someone else asking you when your birthday is
she would definitely prepare something and she may also start to doubt how much you would like your gift
but anything from jirou would be a gift skfnf
she’s been preparing her gift for a while, and she’s quite nervous about it, but she wrote a song about your relationship omg
it’s just overall so adorable and she would probably wait until the evening to perform it to you
you would just be sitting in her room together and she would be like “i have something for you, which i hope you’ll like”
you’re honestly quite confused bc you didn’t really expect her to get you a gift since the whole day had gone by and she hadn’t given you anything
she managed to keep it a good secret and the song would just be about how much she loves you and about the different qualities you possess and what she loves about you (which is everything but she manages to fit everything into a 4 minute song)
literally hug her after she finishes bc it was amazing, like everything about it was amazing
the way she managed to make the guitar sound so soft and the tune was so slow and soothing
and her voice, her voice is just perfection
it would just be the best birthday gift ever
midoriya
he just straight up asked you and scribbled it in his notebook skfnfn
nah cus he’s been preparing this for MONTHS and he’s so nervous about it and especially when he’s around you as your birthday gets closer
so you probably know what he’s planning just bc it’s so obvious but bless him for trying skfnfn
i feel like he would get you something probably that he made or something that’s really special to him (and no it would not be some all might figure kdfn)
he would start the day off by getting you your favourite flowers as he knocks on your room door at like six in the morning
you would usually hate people waking you up this early but seeing him give you flowers and telling you happy birthday with the perfect grin on his face, you can’t help but not be mad
he would probably get everyone to say happy birthday to you like even bakugou would probably be forced to say smth or he would mutter it under his breath
he would make sure that you have a cake and that everything has to go according to plan, he would definitely be the whole leader of the day
then after the whole party is over, he would take you to a special place (either where you had your first date or where you first met) and he would just prepare a picnic for you both
it would be really sweet and he would end up giving you a special piece of jewellery or one of those matching jewellery that connects when you put it together
he would probably have to end up saving up most of his money for it, and he wouldn’t even mind bc it would be spent on you which would give him more motivation
“i hope you had a great day! it took a lot to prepare all of this and i really hope you enjoyed it! i mean even though, the candles arrived at least two minutes late than the designated time, and the cake had a darker shade to the outline than what i had requested and the-”
then the muttering starts, you’re gonna have to stop him and assure him that you had an amazing day and it couldn’t be more perfect since you appreciate all the hard work he had done
momo
she definitely just asked you like it would just seem like something she could easily slide into the conversation and she wouldn’t even notice like “y/n, when is your birthday again?”
and you would just answer her and not think anything of it, she would probably hear about when your birthday was from someone else but she would want to confirm from the person herself just to have a second source that was 100% correct
she would definitely go all out for your birthday, no doubt
she would make sure that at least everyone in the class knows and that everything would go according to plan which it would
she would probably take you out shopping and if you dislike shopping, she would take you to somewhere that you do like and would allow you to spend how much money you want
you would be quite unsure at the start since you don’t want to spend too much of her money but she would say that it’s for your birthday and she wants to treat you so she would insist on it
and don't keep declining bc at this point she’ll think that maybe she should’ve tried harder and she’ll start to doubt herself so please just spend her credit card skfnfn
she would probably get you something quite extravagant after the whole going out trip
whether it be an expensive piece of jewellery or some expensive clothing that you really wanted, she would make sure to get it for you
it would just be really sweet and she would probably be blushing whilst giving it to you after she sees how much you love it
“i just saw that you really wanted it, so i wanted to surprise you with it” bless her heart omg
she’s just overall very precious so please thank her for the whole day skdn
aizawa
for this one, let’s just say that you’re probably a pro hero also or you work at the school (it’s up to you)
he would probably overhear about your birthday coming up from another person, but he wouldn’t think much of it, he would just keep it in mind
on the day of your birthday, you would spend the morning in bed and he would probably get you breakfast in bed, just bc he would want to stay in bed for most of the morning also sjdnf
but if you wanted to actually do smth for the rest of the day, then he would oblige since it was your birthday
you would be able to do whatever you wanted to do, while he follows you around and tries to enjoy himself but he just enjoys being with you
he would end up giving you a ring (smth similar to a promise ring) but he wouldn’t admit it was a promise ring sjnffn
“i just thought it looked nice, don’t think much of it” he would say something similar to this but he would just say that to hide how flustered he is after seeing you appreciate it after opening the box
the day would be similar to a normal day, but just with you being able to enjoy yourself without having to be around the students or (if you’re a pro hero) having to fight villains all day
#my hero academia#mha x you#anime scenarios#anime#bakugou x y/n#todoroki shouto#bnha todoroki#bnha#jirou kyoka x reader#bnha jirou#midoriya x you#midoriya x reader#momo yaoyorozu#mha yaoyorozu#yaomomo#aizawa shouta#mha aizawa#aizawa x reader
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Notes on Robert McKee’s Story 33: The Principle of Antagonism
I had the hardest time trying to condense this section, so unfortunately this post will be almost entirely direct quotes from the text.
"The principle of antagonism: A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them."
McKee believes that the principle of antagonism is the most important and least understood precept in story design, and this is the primary reason screenplays and the films made from them fail.
"Human nature is fundamentally conservative. We never do more than we have to, expend any energy we don’t have to, take any risks we don’t have to, change if we don’t have to. Why should we? Why do anything the hard way if we can get what we want the easy way? (The “easy way” is, of course, idiosyncratic and subjective.) Therefore, what will cause a protagonist to become a fully realized, multidimensional, and deeply empathetic character? What will bring a dead screenplay to life? The answer to both questions lies on the negative side of the story.
The more powerful and complex the forces of antagonism opposing the character, the more completely realized character and story must become. “Forces of antagonism” doesn’t necessarily refer to a specific antagonist or villain. In appropriate genres arch-villains, like the Terminator, are a delight, but by “forces of antagonism,” we mean the sum total of all forces that oppose the character’s will and desire.
If we study a protagonist at the moment of the Inciting Incident and weigh the sum of his willpower along with his intellectual, emotional, social, and physical capacities against the total forces of antagonism from within his humanity, plus his personal conflicts, antagonistic institutions, and environment, we should see clearly that he’s an underdog. He has a chance to achieve what he wants—but only a chance. Although conflict from one aspect of his life may seem solvable, the totality of all levels should seem overwhelming as he begins his quest.
We pour energy into the negative side of a story not only to bring the protagonist and other characters to full realization—roles to challenge and attract the world’s finest actors—but to take the story itself to the end of the line, to a brilliant and satisfying climax."
To make your protagonist stand out even more, he needs to have a good antagonist that not only pushes him to the very brink of his ability and willpower, but also acts as a fine foil.
Take Story and Character to the End of the Line
“Does your story contain negative forces of such power that the positive side must gain surpassing quality? Below is a technique to guide your self-critique and answer that critical question.
Begin by identifying the primary value at stake in your story. For example, Justice. Generally, the protagonist will represent the positive charge of this value; the forces of antagonism, the negative. Life, however, is subtle and complex, rarely a case of yes/no, good/evil, right/wrong. There are degrees of negativity.
First, the Contradictory value, the direct opposite of the positive. In this case, Injustice. Laws have been broken.
Between the Positive value and its Contradictor, however, is the Contrary: a situation that’s somewhat negative but not fully the opposite. The Contrary of justice is unfairness, a situation that’s negative but not necessarily illegal: nepotism, racism, bureaucratic delay, bias, inequities of all kinds.
Perpetrators of unfairness may not break the law, but they’re neither just nor fair.
The Contradictory, however, is not the limit of human experience. At the end of the line waits the Negation of Negation, a force of antagonism that’s doubly negative.
Our subject is life, not arithmetic. In life two negatives don’t make a positive. In English double negatives are ungrammatical, but Italian uses double and even triple negatives so that a statement feels like its meaning. In anguish an Italian might say, “Non ho niente mia!” (I don’t have nothing never!). Italians know life. Double negatives turn positive only in math and formal logic. In life things just get worse and worse and worse.
A story that progresses to the limit of human experience in depth and breadth of conflict must move through a pattern that includes the Contrary, the Contradictory, and the Negation of Negation.
(The positive mirror image of this negative declension runs from Good to Better to Best to Perfect. But for mysterious reasons, working with this progression is of no help to the storyteller.)
Negation of the Negation means a compound negative in which a life situation turns not just quantitatively but qualitatively worse. The Negation of the Negation is at the limit of the dark powers of human nature. In terms of justice, this state is tyranny. Or, in a phrase that applies to personal as well as social politics: “Might Makes Right.”
Consider TV detective series: Do they go to the limit? The protagonists of Spenser: For Hire, Quincy, Colombo, and Murder, She Wrote represent justice and struggle to preserve this ideal. First, they face unfairness: Bureaucrats won’t let Quincy do the autopsy, a politician pulls strings to get Columbo off the case, Spenser’s client lies to him. After struggling through gaps of expectation powered by forces of unfairness, the cop discovers true injustice: A crime has been committed. He defeats these forces and restores society to justice. The forces of antagonism in most crime dramas rarely reach beyond the Contradictory.
Compare this pattern to MISSING, a fact-based film about American Ed Horman (Jack Lemmon), who searched Chile for a son who disappeared during a coup d’etat. In Act One he meets unfairness: The U.S. ambassador (Richard Venture) feeds him half-truths, hoping to dissuade his search. But Horman preserves. At the Act Two Climax he uncovers a grievous injustice: The junta murdered his son… with the complicity of the U.S. State Department and the CIA. Horman then tries to right this wrong, but in Act Three he reaches the end of the line—persecution without hope of retribution.
Chile is in the grip of tyranny. The generals can make illegal on Tuesday what you did legally on Monday, arrest you for it on Wednesday, execute you on Thursday, and make it legal again Friday morning. Justice does not exist; the tyrant makes it up at his whim. MISSING is a searching revelation of the final limits of injustice… with irony: Although Horman couldn’t indict the tyrants in Chile, he exposed them on screen in front of the world—which may be a sweeter kind of justice.
The principle of the Negation of the Negation applies not only to the tragic but to the comic. The comic world is a chaotic, wild place where actions must go to the limit. If not, the laugh falls flat. Even the light entertainment of Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films touched the end of the line. They turned on the value of truth as Fred Astaire traditionally played a character suffering form self-deception, telling himself he was in love with the glitzy girl when we knew that his heart really belong to Ginger.”
In Summary
“Fine writers have always understood that opposite values are not the limit of human experience. If a story stops at the Contradictory value, or worse, the Contrary, it echoes the hundreds of mediocrities we suffer every year. For a story that is simply above love/hate, truth/lie, freedom/slavery, courage/cowardice, and the like is almost certain to be trivial. If a story does not reach the Negation of the Negation, it may strike the audience as satisfying--but never brilliant, never sublime.
All other factors of talent, craft, and knowledge being equal, greatness is found in the writer's treatment of the negative side.
If your story seems unsatisfying and lacking in some way, tools are needed to penetrate its confusions and perceive its flaws. When a story is weak, the inevitable cause is that its forces of antagonism are weak. Rather than spending your creativity trying to invent likable, attractive aspects of protagonist and world, build the negative side to create a chain reaction that pays off naturally and honestly on the positive dimensions.
The first step is to question the values at stake and their progression. What are the positive values? What is the preeminent and turns the Story Climax? Do the forces of antagonism explore all shades of negativity? Do they reach the power of the Negation of the Negation at some point?
Generally, progressions run from the Positive to the Contrary in Act One, to the Contradictory in later acts, and finally to the Negation of the Negation in the last act, either ending tragically or going back to the Positive with a profound difference. BIG, on the other hand, leaps to the Negation of the Negation, then illuminates all degrees of immaturity. CASABLANCA is even more radical. It opens at the Negation of the Negation with Rick living in fascist tyranny, suffering self-hatred and self-deception, then works to a positive climax for all three values. Anything is possible, but the end of the line must be reached.”
McKee also breaks down what the positive, negative, contrary, and negation of negation are for many more common values such as love, loyalty, greed, courage, intelligence, etc. But that would make this post entirely too long. I definitely invite you to get this book and check them out yourself.
I found this section incredibly helpful to me. Until now I've always thought of conflict in terms of "good vs. bad" and...not much more than that. I had never contemplated the Contrary, let alone the Negation of the Negation. If I can manage to pull off a conflict of that level, I think I might have a really good story on my hands! This has helped me to shape my antagonistic forces and plot. I hope it helps you too!
Source: McKee, Robert. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting. York: Methuen, 1998. Print
#writing prompts for friends#writing advice#writing tips#writing resources#creative writing#writing#writer#write#writers block#writing inspiration#writing inspo#creative writing theory#robert mckee#writing fantasy#writing fiction#writing fanfiction#writing novels#writeblr#writing prompts for friends notes on story
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60 Once Upon a Time Prompts
Clearly I’m trying to keep my mind busy. 60 OUAT quotes I love this time. Most of these are angsty again, but some are sweet or hopeful. I tried to pick ones that would work for most if not all books. Another long one so breaking at 15 again.
1 "When I win your heart NAME, and I will win it. It won't be because of any trickery. It will be because you want me." — Killian James Hook
2 “Magic always comes with a price." — Rumplestiltskin
3 "Maybe I don't need answers. Maybe I just need to punch you in the face." — Emma Swan
4 "True love isn't easy, but it must be fought for because once you find it, it can never be replaced." — Prince Charming
5 "Your happy ending may not be what you expect. That is what will make it so special." — Snow White
6 “I will find you. I will always find you.” — David/Prince Charming
7 “Love makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease.” — Rumplestiltskin
8 “Now that I know you love me too ... “ “I don’t.” “ ... what?” “Love you. I don’t. I’m sorry. You said I would always be in your heart, and ... that is too cruel a fate. Go live your life. Live it without me, because there is no place for us together. And fill your heart with love for someone else — someone who can love you the way I never have. The way I never will.” — Prince Charming & Snow White
9 “What do you see in me?” “Evidently the same thing you see in me. A second chance.” — Evil Queen & Robin Hood
10 “I’m sorry, do ... do I know you?” “No. But you will.” — Belle & Mr Gold
11 “I do hope you like apples.” — Regina Mills
12 “What the hell are you doing here?” “Helping.” “Well, you’re too late.” “Am I?” “I thought you didn’t care about anyone but yourself.” “Maybe I just needed reminding that I could.” — Emma Swan & Killian James Hook
13 “I love you, NAME. I just wish I was strong enough to stop all this. I’m just not.” “You may not be strong enough, but maybe we are!” — Regina Mills & Emma Swan
14 “The future isn’t always what it seems. I will see you again.” — Belle
15 “Why should we trust you?” “We don’t have to. If he/she tries anything, I’ll shoot him/her in the face.” “Quite hostile, aren’t we?” “Just being clear.” — Emma Swan, David Nolan & Killian James Hook
16 “We have history together.” “That would explain the distrustful look on her face.” — Regina Mills & Mr Gold
17 “Because hero’s do what’s right ... not ... what’s easy.” — Snow White
18 “You promised me the truth, not a bloody tour.” “The truth is tricky. You have to look for it.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan
19 “‘Envy’ is just another word for ambition.” “Well, that’s just ... not true.” — Zelena & Evil Queen
20 “NAME, I’ve seen what life has thrown at you, and you still fight against the darkness every day. Sooner or later, your heart will find its way to happiness.” [sighs] “that doesn’t feel possible.” “But it is. I know you, and you feel things deeply, with or without it, you feel things with your whole soul. Don’t let anything hold you back.” — Snow White & Evil Queen
21 “You must leave, because despite what you hope ... I’m still a monster.” “Don’t you see? That’s exactly the reason I have to stay.” — Mr Gold & Belle
22 “Love is sacrifice.” — Mulan
23 “I know love when I see it.” — Princess Aurora
24 “I suppose this is your doing.” “Most things are.” — Regina Mills & Mr Gold
25 “That thing out there is dangerous. And NAME ... he/she left to protect you. So even if I don’t believe in his/her methods, I’m going to honor his/her wishes. I’m going to keep you safe.” — Mulan
26 “You’ve grown so much.” “You know me?” [smiles] “I’m your mother/father/grandparent/aunt/uncle.” — Anita & Red Riding Hood
27 “No matter what you might’ve done in your past, NAME sees the good in you, and ... that tells me one thing.” “What?” “That it’s in there. So if we can all see it, why can’t you?” — Belle & Ruby
28 “I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose your family.” “I didn’t lose my family today. I protected it.” — Snow White & Red Riding Hood
29 “You saved me.” “No. You saved yourself. I just reminded you of what you already knew.” — Ruby & David Nolan
30 “He’s/She’s not that powerful.” “Love how you underestimate me. Adorable.” — Ursula & Rumplestiltskin
31 “NAME. Shall I move some things, make a bit of space for your rage?” — Mr Gold
32 “Two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy ... can accomplish even more.” — Mr Gold
33 “He’s/she’s a snake, NAME. You need to be careful you get into bed with.” — Regina Mills
34 “You didn’t pick a great friend in NAME, NAME. But he/she does make a superlative enemy.” [smiles] “Enjoy that!” — Regina Mills
35 “I believe you can do anything you want, as long as you can dream it.” — Dreamy (dwarf)
36 [about love] “It’s the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope, it fuels our dreams. And if you’re in it, you need to enjoy it. Because love doesn’t always last forever.” — Belle
37 “Now go, find your love. Find your hope. Find your dreams.” — Belle
38 “You see me as a villain, NAME. But that’s just your perception, you’re wrong. Learn your place in this town/country, or soon enough you won’t be in it.” — Regina Mills
39 “Well, if you can’t beat him/her/them ... drink.” — Sidney Glass
40 “Love makes people do foolish things.” — King Leopold
41 “I thought you’d only risk your life for love or revenge.” “One other important thing — me.” — Tinkerbell & Captain Killian James Hook
42 “There’s not a day that will go by that I won’t think of you.” “Good.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan
43 “Please, you couldn’t handle it.” “Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it.” — Emma Swan & Killian James Hook
44 “There’s nothing more important than family.” — Evil Queen
45 “You were right, NAME. You don’t abandon family.” — Evil Queen
46 “How can he/she remember who you are, when he’s/she’s lost sight of who he/she is?” — Jiminy Cricket
47 “I‘ve spent far too much time looking for my husband/wife. It’s time to bring him/her home!” — David Nolan
48 “Ok, don’t take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you get here?” — Emma Swan
49 “I want justice.” “Tread carefully. It’s dangerous to confuse vengeance with justice.” — Princess Aurora & Mulan
50 “Why can’t you just listen to me?” “Why couldn’t you have trusted me?” — Mary Margaret & Emma Swan
51 “Family is everything, my dear. Losing all hope of having one — there is no greater misery.” — King George
52 “Just who are you, NAME?” “Wouldn’t you like to know.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan
53 “You know, there's not a ton about my father/mother that I remember that doesn't suck. But he/she used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens, happens by design, and there's nothing we can do about it; forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny, whatever you wanna called it, the point is... maybe we met for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together.” — Neal Cassidy
54 “Well, who doesn’t love a surprise?” — Emma Swan
55 “Doesn't matter now. I'm over it. And you.” “Why do you wear the, uh ... key chain/necklace/ring/item I got you?” [stops short to think this over, then pulls the item off and hands it back] “To remind myself never to trust someone again.” — Emma Swan & Neal Cassidy
56 “There's no greater pain than regret.” “Try abandonment.” — Mr Gold & Neal Cassidy
57 “I'm not sad. I'm pissed. Yes, NAME just died, but I lost him/her years ago. All that time thinking that he/she didn't love me, only to find out that he/she did, and it was too late. I can't even tell him/her how angry that makes me, or how much it hurt when he/she left, or how terrified I was when he/she came back. I knew the moment I saw him/her, I never stopped loving him/her.” — Emma Swan
58 “We've only been together eight months. I've had leftovers in my fridge for longer than that.” — Emma Swan
59 “I say we fight!” “Fighting is a bad idea. Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything.” “And how many wars has a clear conscience won?” — Prince Charming & Jiminy Cricket
60 “Oh, you foolish girl/boy! Don't you know? Love is weakness.” “No. It’s strength!” — Cora & Emma Swan
#once upon a time prompts#once upon a time quotes#ouat prompts#ouat quotes#writing prompts#drabble prompts#dialogue prompts#emma swan#david nolan#ruby#princess aurora#prince charming#killian James hook#mr gold#tinkerbell#regina mills#evil queen#belle#snow white#rumplestiltskin#mulan#jiminy cricket#neal cassidy#zelena#red riding hood#mary margaret blanchard#long post
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Is Saying ‘If it’s GOD’s Will’ Biblical? J.Warner Wallace
For example, the following two SCRIPTURES clearly identify things
that are GOD’s will: Having & communicating a thankful attitude
toward GOD no matter what’s happening in your life & silencing
foolishness with good actions instead of arguing.
● Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is GOD’s will for
you in CHRIST JESUS (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
● For it is GOD’s will that by doing good you should silence
the ignorant talk of foolish people (1 Peter 2:15).
When You Don’t Know
Although you can find many other SCRIPTURES to know
the will of GOD, some things aren’t in the BIBLE.
For example, who to marry, what house to buy, if you ought
to go to college, & many more life decisions.
These lead us all back to James’ point.
When you don’t know the will of GOD there are four things
you can do:
● Submit to GOD—asking for HIS will
● Pray for wisdom
● Seek godly counsel
● Trust the HOLY SPIRIT
When you sincerely want to know the will of GOD, HE
will always help you find it.
Yes, it is GOD who is working in you.
HE helps you want to do what pleases HIM, & HE gives
you the power to do it [Philippians 2:13]
Matthew 23:14-15 | ¹⁴ Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you devour the houses of widows, & as
a pretext are praying at great length. Because of this,
you shall receive greater condemnation. ¹⁵ Woe to you,
scribes & Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land
& sea to win a single convert, & when he becomes one,
you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
Charles John Ellicott, Theologian [1819–1905] | Matthew 23:14
[14] You devour widows’ houses—The avarice thus described
may have attained its end either [1] by using the advantages
which they possessed, as the jurists & notaries of the time, to
press unjust claims against wealthy widows, or to become
their heirs, or
[2] by leading devout women, under the show of piety, to
bestow on them their estates or houses.
To minister to the maintenance of a scribe was, they taught,
the best use of wealth.
The “long prayer” refers probably to the well-known 18 Prayers,
which formed the standard of the Pharisee’s devotion.
The whole verse, it may be noted, is wanting in many MSS., &
may have been inserted here from Mark 12:40 or Luke 20:47.
Matthew Henry, Nonconformist [1662-1714] | Matthew 23:13-33
The scribes & Pharisees were enemies to the
GOSPEL of CHRIST, & therefore to the
salvation of the souls of men.
It is bad to keep away from CHRIST ourselves,
but worse also to keep others from HIM.
Yet it is no new thing for the show & form of godliness
to be made a cloak to the greatest enormities.
But dissembled piety will be reckoned double iniquity.
They were very busy to turn souls to be of their party.
Not for the glory of GOD & the good of souls, but that
they might have the credit & advantage of making converts.
Gain being their godliness, by a thousand devices they
made religion give way to their worldly interests.
They were very strict & precise in smaller matters of the law,
but careless & loose in weightier matters.
It is not the scrupling a little sin that CHRIST here reproves;
if it be a sin, though but a gnat, it must be strained out; but
the doing that, & then swallowing a camel, or, committing
a greater sin.
While they would seem to be godly, they
were neither sober nor righteous.
We are really, what we are inwardly.
Outward motives may keep the outside clean, while the
inside is filthy; but if the heart & spirit be made new, there
will be newness of life; here we must begin with ourselves.
● Proverbs 16:2 | ² All a man’s ways are pure in his own
eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
● Proverbs 26:5 | ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he become wise in his own eyes.
● Proverbs 26:12 | ¹² Do you see a man who is wise in
his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
● 1 Samuel 12:23 | ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I
should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you.
And I will continue to teach you the good & right way.
The righteousness of the scribes & Pharisees was like the
ornaments of a grave, or dressing up a dead body, only for
show.
The deceitfulness of sinners' hearts appears in that they go
down the streams of the sins of their own day, while they
fancy that they should oppose the sins of former days.
We sometimes think, if we had lived when CHRIST was
upon earth, that we should not have despised & rejected
HIM, as men then did; yet CHRIST in HIS SPIRIT, in HIS
word, in HIS ministers, is still no better treated.
And it is just with GOD to give those up to their hearts' lusts,
who obstinately persist in gratifying them.
CHRIST gives men their true characters.
Albert Barnes, American Theologian [1798-1870] | Matthew 23:14
Devour widows' houses—The word "houses" is used here to denote "property" or possessions of any kind.
You take away or get possession of the property of widows by improper arts & pretences.
This was done in two ways:
1. They claimed a very exact knowledge of the law & a perfect observance of it.
They pretended to extraordinary justice toward the poor, friendship for the distressed, & willingness to aid those who were in embarrassed circumstances.
They thus induced "widows" & poor people to commit the management of their property to them as guardians & executors, & then took advantage of them & defrauded them.
2. They put on the appearance of great sanctity, & induced many conscientious but credulous women to give them much, under pretence of devoting it to religious purposes.
Long prayer—Their prayers are said to have been often three hours in length.
ONE rule among them, says Lightfoot, was to meditate an hour, then pray an hour, & then meditate another hour—all of which was included in their "long prayers or devotions."
Damnation—Condemnation.
The word here probably refers to future punishment.
It does not always, however.
It means, frequently, no more than "condemnation," or the divine disapprobation of a certain course of conduct, as in 1 Corinthians 11:29; "HE that eateth & drinketh unworthily, eateth & drinketh "damnation" to himself;" that is, he that eateth & drinketh in an unworthy manner disorderly, not with reverence—is guilty, & his conduct will be disapproved or condemned by GOD referring solely to the impropriety of the manner of partaking of the LORD's supper, & not at all to the worthiness or unworthiness of the person.
See the notes at that place.
Compare Romans 14:23.
For a pretence—For appearance or show; in order that they might the better defraud poor people.
They would not be condemned for "making" long prayers, but because they did it with an evil design.
Public prayers should, however, be short, & always to the point.
A man praying in a Sunday school should pray for the school, and, usually, not for everything else.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown BIBLE Comment | Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, &c—Taking advantage of the helpless condition & confiding character of "widows," they contrived to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much "the greater damnation" awaits them.
What a lifelike description of the Romish clergy, the true successors of those s
cribes!
Matthew Poole, Nonconformist [1624-1679] | Matthew 23:14
Mark hath the same, Mark 12:40 & Luke 20:47.
If any should think that long prayers are here condemned, he will be confuted by Luke 6:12, where he will find that our Saviour continued all night in prayer to GOD.
It is the end of their long prayers which alone our Saviour blames, their making them a pretence to devour widows’ houses; which whether they did as interested in the civil power, [in which it is certain the Pharisees amongst the Jews were employed], or by virtue of their ecclesiastical power or influence, persuading silly women to give them their estates, or at least to give them a great part of them, to the service of the tabernacle, that they might pray for their souls, was an abomination to GOD, not only for the hypocrisy of such prayers, designed for another end than they pretended, but because GOD had taken upon him the special care & protection of the widows.
As our Saviour had before blamed their religious acts for the ostentation in them, seeking only their own honour & applause, so he here blames them for their covetous design in them.
John Gill, Baptist & Calvinist [1697-1771] | Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites—The same character is given as before, & the same woe denounced, & a fresh reason given of it:
for you devour widows' houses; that is, the goods in the houses of such as were left with fatherless children, & but little to support them; who being left alone, & none to advise them, & being weak, & prone to superstition; these greedy dogs, as Isaiah calls them, who could never have enough, easily imposed upon them, wormed them out of all their substance, stripped them bare of the necessaries of life, prevailed on them to sell their houses & goods, & bestow them on them; or got their little estates into their hands, pretending to take care, & dispose of them for them, to their advantage:
& for a pretence make long prayers: as if they were very holy, good men; or pretended that the substance of these widows, which they got into their hands, was for their long prayers for them; or they made long prayers for them in return for their substance.
Maimonides [x] says, that
"the ancient saints, or good men, used to stay an hour before prayer, & an hour after prayer, & "prolonged", or "held an hour in prayer":''
& this being three times a day, nine hours every day, as is observed in the Talmud [y], were spent in this manner; & on this account they got the character of very devout & religious men, & hereby covered all their avarice, rapine, & oppression of the poor: but GOD will not be mocked;
therefore you shall receive the greater damnation; both on account of their plundering & distressing the poor, the widows, & the fatherless; & also because of their hypocrisy in doing this under the cover of religion & holiness.
Hence it appears, that there are degrees of punishment in hell, & that hypocrites, & all such who oppress the poor, under the mask of godliness, supposing gain to be that, will be partakers of the greatest degree of it.
In Munster's Hebrew GOSPEL it is called , "a long judgment", or "damnation", in allusion to their long prayers: & is the very reverse of what they expect on account of them: they say [z].
"three things prolong a man's days & years, "he that is long in his prayer"''
is the first mentioned; & he that is long at his prayer, it is an excellency, they say; but instead of a long & happy life, he shall have a long damnation.
This verse is left out in some copies, & in others it stands before the former; in which order it is read in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, & Ethiopic versions.
Geneva Study BIBLE, Protestant Affiliation [1557-1560] |
{6} Woe unto you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, & {o} for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.
[6] It is a common thing among hypocrites to abuse the pretence of zeal when in reality they are exercising covetousness & extortion.
[o] Literally, under a colour of long praying; & the word & signifies a double wickedness in them: the one, that they devoured widows goods: the other that they did it under a pretense.
Expositor's Greek Testament, William R. Nicoll [1897-1910] | Matthew 23:14
Vide at Matthew 6:2.
This epithet is applied to the scribes & Pharisees in each of the woes with terrific iteration—κλείετε, you shut the gates or the doors of the Kingdom of GOD, conceived as a city or palace.
This the real effect of their action, not the ostensible.
They claimed to be opening the Kingdom while really
shutting it, & therein lay their hypocrisy—ἔμπροσθεν τ.
ἀ.: as it were in men’s faces, when they are in the act
of entering—ὑμεῖς γὰρ, etc. Matthew 5:20.
Matthew 5:20 | ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your
righteousness exceeds that of the scribes &
Pharisees, you will never enter the
Kingdom of Heaven.
�� They thought themselves certainly within, but in the
judgment of JESUS, with all their parade of piety,
they were without—τ. εἰσερχομένους,
those in the mood to enter, in the act of entering; the
reference is to sincere seekers after GOD, & the
statement is that the scribes were the worst advisers
such persons could go to:
the effect of their teaching would be to keep them out.
This is the position implied throughout the
Sermon on the Mount & in Matthew 11:28-30.
Cambridge BIBLE, Anglican Editor John Perowne [1882] | Matthew 23:14
You devour widows’ houses] i.e. “consume their substance,” by illegal exaction or by working upon their religious feelings; a common form | of rapacity.
The Vatican & Sinaitic MSS.
omit this verse, which occurs Mark 12:40, & Luke 20:47.
Bengel's Gnomen | Matthew 23:14
Κατεσθὶετε, κ.τ.λ., you devour, etc.] The extreme of avarice.
To devour widows’ houses[997] is the most atrocious species, which is put for the whole class of rapacious actions—καὶ, even]—μακρἀ, long] The word has here the force of an adverb.[998] Some MSS.
also read suitably enough, μακρᾷ, in which case it must be construed with ΠΡΟΦΆΣΕΙ, sc.
with a long, or great pretence—i.e.
they made of their prayers a great pretence, pretext, or plea for devouring widows’ houses.
Herodian uses the expressions, πρόφασις ὀλίγη, εὐτελὴς, μικρά, sc.
a small, useful, little pretext or plea—λήψεσθε, κ.τ.λ., you shall receive, etc.] sc.
as the reward of such prayers—περισσύτερον κρίμα, more abundant damnation] He who acts ill is condemned; he who abuses that which is good, to adorn that which is bad, is condemned to sorer punishment.
[997] Who of all persons ought especially to be spared, but who, as being liable to be easily acted on by persuasion, are most open to oppression—V.g.
[998] According to this reading, which is that of EM, it must be construed with προσευχόμενοι, praying; & the words mMatthew 23:14
ust be rendered, “who pray long”—i.e.
“who spend a long time in prayer”—[I.B.]
Donald Spence Jones [1836-1917] | Matthew 23:14
14.—Second woe—against rapacity & hypocrisy.
There is some doubt about the genuineness of this verse, & our Revisers have expunged it from their text, relegating it to the margin.
It is omitted by א, B, D, L, Z, some copies of the Vulgate & some versions; on the other hand, it is found in E, F, G, H, K, M, & other later uncials, & in the received Vulgate & Syriac Versions.
Critics reject it as a supposed interpolation from Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47.
At any rate, whether spoken now or at another time, it is undoubtedly an utterance of CHRIST, & to be received with all reverence.
Ye devour widows' houses.
Women who have lost their natural protector become their prey.
To these they attach themselves, winning them over by flattery & fraud, & persuading them to assist them with their substance to the ruin of their fortunes.
GOD had always defended the cause of widows, & had urged his people to deal gently & mercifully with them [see Deuteronomy 10:18; Deuteronomy 27:19; Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 1:17; Luke 18:3-7].
This woe is followed in Luke by the episode of the widow's mite [Luke 20:47; Luke 21:1-4].
And for a pretence make long prayer; or, & that, making long prayers for a pretence.
They put on an appearance of extraordinary devotion, that they might more easily secure the favour of the widows; or else they exacted large sums of money, engaging to offer continual prayers for the donors [compare Paul's words in 2 Timothy 3:6].
Thus these hypocrites made a gain of godliness at the expense of the most helpless members of the community.
Greater [περισσότερον, more abundant] damnation.
No condemnation in this world or the next can be more justly awarded than to him who adds hypocrisy to covetousness, & makes religion a cloke for
twitter.com/jwarnerwallace/status/1349189508789628933
christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/is-saying-if-its-gods-will-biblical.html
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Fanfic Progress Update 43
Hey~ It’s Saturday, so it’s time for Fanfic Progress Update! Stay tuned to the end of this post for a spoiler-y glimpse into the next chapter of Adventure Gone Mini AND the next chapter of Shit, the Radio Demon is a part of my afterlife.
Current WIPs:
Adventure gone Mini
Fandom: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild / The Minish Cap
Summary: Sidon is given his very own Sheikah Slate, the first replica Purah has managed to make, and sets out to travel with Link with the intention of registering warp points for convenient travel in the future. However, when a malfunction shrinks them down to the size of bugs, and they meet little people called the Minish, they have to change their plans from “fun adventuring” to “getting out of this mess”. Not that those two have to exclude one another. Link/Sidon.
Progress: Chapter 32 is the current latest chapter and was posted on 18th of December. Chapter 33 has been started and is scheduled for 8th of January. Yes, progress was made; there was about one paragraph last Saturday, and now it’s actually properly started.
I update this fic every three weeks on Wednesdays.
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Shit, the Radio Demon is a part of my afterlife
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Summary: Husk is just your everyday demon, minding his own business and living his afterlife mostly in self-caused misery. He’s been at it for about ten years when he rather abruptly finds himself on the Radio Demon’s radar. Suddenly his life becomes a lot more interesting. For fuck’s sake, he did not ask for this bullshit.
Progress: Chapter 3 is the current latest chapter, and was published on 20th of December. Chapter 4 will be published on 27th of December. Chapters 5-13 are also ready and waiting. About half of chapter 14 is written as well. The final chapter count will be either 16 or 17, so yay for more chapters!
I will update this fic every Friday. This may change to twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) once I get the whole thing written out and no longer have to reserve writing time for it.
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Radiohusk that makes me question my life choices (workname)
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Summary (temporary): Alastor and Husk make out and have pillow talks that range from cute to mildly disturbing to glimpses of Alastor’s backstory. Alastor is an awkward asexual who never really did romance because of that and now truly doesn’t know what he is even getting himself into. Basically a PWP but without smut.
Progress: No progress. I may just set this one aside for now, and possibly never properly finish (in which case it’ll end up on my website at some point). It’s a hot mess.
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Drunk Alastor (workname)
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Summary (temporary): Roles are reversed in many ways when a drunk Alastor knocks on Husk’s door and has no intention of going to his own room for the night. Why yes, the author has one specific goal to get to here (no, not that one, eww), and you guys are going to love it, mwahaha! Oneshot, Alastor/Husk.
Progress: I’d say this is… maybe 2/3rds done. Or at least half done. It’s a long oneshot anyway. No progress since last Saturday. I’ve been hella busy with Christmas preparations, so I decided to concentrate on Afterlife with the little time I have. I’ll get back to this at some point, probably after Christmas.
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Other WIPs I’m not currently working on but intend to get back to someday:
PoE Drabbles (Pillars of Eternity)
DC Drabbles (Justice League)
Diaphanous Relations (Forgotten Realms, R.A. Salvatore’s books)
Rolling with it (Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
Possibly worth staying for (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)
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That’s it for the WIPs! Here are the promised sneak-peeks into Mini and Afterlife. (Note: the text may end up slightly different in the fics themselves due to more editing happening before publishing). Enjoy!
Mini
Link and Sidon woke up nice and early, well rested and eager to face the day. They ate a hearty breakfast on a bench near the marketplace with Link taste-testing the local specialities – super expensive roasted spider leg for one – and Sidon mostly eating from his own stash, as there was nothing that would satisfy his hunger available. They hoped that the town at the entrance of the Lost Woods would have a better selection. After all, the forest there was all misty and damp, so frogs were a likely find.
After they were done eating, they headed to the library.
Librari was sorting books that had been left in the return box overnight, or had possibly been brought in this morning by the early birds. She looked up when they entered, and smiled widely.
Afterlife
Husk glared at his radio. It was sitting innocently on the glass top of its designated small, round table in the corner, like a regular old radio should. The problem was that today he planned to use it as a telephone, like a good little lunatic, to call a serial killer over.
Yes, the act would be exactly as crazy as it sounded. At least there was nobody around to judge him for it, and he didn't need to explain shit to anyone regardless. No, it was just him judging himself, and that was the fucking worst.
He didn't actually want to invite the Radio Demon over. He didn't want to invite anyone over, period. But he had made a promise in his moment of weakness the last time they met and one didn't make promises to homicidal maniacs and then break them. He was stuck in this situation whether he liked it or not.
That’s it this time. See you next Saturday!
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The Pursuit of Hope & Liberty
The concepts of liberty and hope are often missing in modern dialogue. Our culture is far more concerned with talking about suffering and drawing attention to issues than it is liberating people from such places of chaos. Part of this is because powerful people have built their public influence on their ability to point at problems. They do nothing more than point at problems for two reasons: they would lose their relevance if the problems went away; also, this is because they have no power to address the true problems that affect the world. Sin is the root cause fallen creation, and sin runs deeper than what can be easily seen. If people are to ever find true hope and liberty, then it must come from God in the form of cleansing sin, for it is the curse of sin that causes our eternal souls to rot and our world to perpetually move down the chaotic line of entropy. Thankfully, Christ Jesus came that we might find true hope and liberty.
True liberty means that you are free from that which is destroying your eternal soul. When Jesus heals a paralytic He first forgives the man of his sins, and it was necessary to do so if Jesus was to bring liberty to this man. Being paralyzed is tragic, but it pales in comparison to the eternal decay of the soul caused by sin. All of our bodies will experience problems if we live long enough, but such illnesses can only harm the body. It is sin which will endure long after the body is gone. Therefore, if Jesus is a merciful God desiring to liberate people then He must free the man from sin. This cleansing is something only God can do, and Jesus desires that we have liberty and hope.
Sadly, there are many who reject the eternal hope and liberty that is found in the Gospel. As we discuss the hope found in the Gospel, I want us use three stories in Matthew chapters 8 and 9 as reference points. The first is when Jesus cleanses a leper, the second is when Jesus casts out demons, and the third is when Jesus heals a paralytic.
Matthew 8:1-4
8:1 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; 2 and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (NRSV)
Suffering is intrinsic to life in fallen world, but we were not designed to be creatures of suffering. God did not design us to be creatures of suffering. This was not meant to be our story, and it was not meant to such a profound part of life that the entirety of our lives were shaped around our unique sufferings.
When this man comes to Jesus, he is making a profound question. He is asking something very personal to himself, as well as speaking for every one of God’s creatures who has hit the moment in life where the suffering is too great to bear. He comes before his Lord and makes this statement, “if you desire it, you have the power to make be clean.” The text contains two prominent words in Greek, “thelles” and “dunasai.” Thelles means to wish, to desire, and to want something. Dunasai has the same root as our word for dynamite, and it means that you have the power to make something happen.
When this creature comes before his Lord, he states the truth of reality: If the Lord desires to cleanse this man, He has the power to do so. In this moment Jesus liberates the man with a simple response saying “I desire it,” or in the Greek it is the single word “Thelo.” God wishes that we have liberty.
The man is then sent on his way to make the sacrifice, and to start a new life freed from leprosy. Jesus does not spend his time talking about how someone needs to bring justice to the lepers; instead, he does something no man can do and liberates the man, this precious creature, from its miserable prison and sets free to live a new life that is not defined by leprosy.
Matthew 8:28-34
8:28 When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31 The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. 33 The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. (NRSV)
In this story Jesus does not consult the persons whom the demons possessed. However, that does not mean that he does not care for them. These creatures are in such a horrific state that they do not really have any control over what they say or do. There is literally something else inside of them taking control over their body. This is not how humans were designed to live. God designed people in His image, that they would have will, and the ability to make choices of their own volition. Even though these people are not able to voice their pain, Jesus knows what is best for them, even better than they do. God knows what we need better than any of us. Our lives are far more complicated than we are able to analyze them, but God, who looks at us with omnipresence, knows our every need.
For whatever reason, the townspeople in this text do not want the hope and liberty offered by Jesus. They would much rather have demoniacs in the cemetery. Jesus casts out the demons, and the townspeople want to cast out Jesus. The come to Jesus begging Him to leave.
There are many people in our world who don’t want righteous transformation to come into their town. They don’t want people to actually liberated from their suffering. It is more convenient for them to pretend their designs for society know how society should look rather than God’s. The truth is this: God knows what we need, and only God can fix the problems of sin.
God did not design people to be possessed by forces that shut down their minds and make them hideous monsters. Only God can liberate people, and any solution we have for oppression in our world must begin by submitting to God’s authority to forgive sin and realize that all people, including both the oppressor and oppressed, are sinners in need of cleansing. All hope and liberty must begin with the repentance of sin and holy transformation into what God designed us to be, not what we want to be. Without this basis, any solution is doomed to failure.
Whenever we do not start with this premise, we find that we are townspeople begging Jesus to leave, because we think we know what is best for society. This is what a society without God looks like. It has some people oppressed, and some living more comfortably, and those who live comfortably beg the power of hope and liberty to leave. They beg the hope and liberty of Jesus to leave because they think they know better.
Matthew 9:2-7
9:2 And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 Then some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” the then said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.” 7 And he stood up and went to his home. (NRSV)
Creation was not meant to be a place of suffering. The fall happened as a result of people deciding they could do better at determining good and evil than God. Pastor Amanda Sparrow, presented a very intriguing angle to the story of Adam and Eve. It was not that God did not want humanity to have any knowledge of good and evil, but that God wanted to sit with them in the cool of the day and teach them of as they matured. When they consumed the fruit bearing the knowledge of good and evil, they broke away from God’s design.
Whenever people think they know what is good better than God, they are setting the world up for suffering. No matter how good they believe their intentions to be, if their actions do not line up with the will of God, then they will add suffering to the world. Now, one of the beautiful ironies of history is that sometimes God’s will is carried by people in spite of their own intentions, for such was the case with Jonah.
The scribes in this text think they have a solid grasp on good and evil. Yet, God the Son is standing before them giving liberty to a man and they think it is blasphemy. In spite of their best intentions, the scribes had wildly misdiagnosed the situation. Moreover, the scribes are so absorbed in their understandings of good and evil that they cannot even comprehend the liberty being given to this man. The scribes, with their highly educated understanding of religious law, cannot comprehend liberty. It is worth emphasizing that their education is not in any generic notion of law, but in the religious law. The very people considered to be experts on morality could not discern freedom from blasphemy.
God did not design people to be paralytics; furthermore, the all-seeing eyes of God know that there is a curse even worse than paralysis: this is the curse of sin. Jesus is teaching the crowd an important lesson in this moment. If people are to find real liberty, than it must start with their soul. No matter where people were at when they met Jesus, they must have their sins forgiven and find the holy transformation that comes from God. No single man, collection of men, or any human institution in the world can provide the liberty that Christ Jesus can, for none possess the power and authority needed to do so.
An Absence of Hope & Liberty
Part of the reason that liberty and hope are missing in modern dialogue is that the driving forces in our culture have figured out that it is not easy to elevate people out of suffering. Our culture has taken notice of the fact there are differences between people, and the sufferings people endure in life seem to be too great for some people to overcome. People who believe they have good intentions look at the sufferings in our world, and decide the only reasonable solution is to level the playing field and try to make it so that all people experience the same outcomes in life. The problem with this is that people are not God, governments are not God, and if people do not willing submit to the cleansing of their sins then the only possible way to level the playing field is to reduce us down to our most carnal nature of suffering and sin. To restate this more compactly, since no person possesses the power to raise people up, our culture has determined that must do what stick together in the desperate moments of life.
Sadly, the unspoken conclusion of this sort of culture is that it remains in desperation. This is a culture without the Gospel, and it is a culture without hope and liberty, two things which necessarily must come from God. Hope and liberty must come from a power and authority greater than our own, and it must be arbitrated from a viewpoint free of human limitation.
God did not design us to be creatures of suffering. We were not designed to be creatures who identified ourselves by our sufferings and desires. God wants us to have liberty as creatures created in His image. There is no liberty without the law, as Charlton Heston says after receiving the Ten Commandments. This is not obvious to people who think that they know better than God on how to deal with good and evil.
One of the things that God wants to liberate us from is bondage to our own will and our own desire. This does not mean that we become mindless hulls, like the people possessed by demons in Matthew 8, but that we have our minds transformed away from the corrupting thoughts of sin and towards the righteous state for which they were originally meant. Sin corrupts us, and often people engage in activities that they resent. Sin blinds us from clarity.
Imagine if I were to open up a book and start reading the technical details of certain items design. Say I have something with 13 keys, 14 springs, 12 pads, 5 rings, 26 studs, some wood, cork, and glue. If you have no context, nothing to tell you what the words mean, you would likely find yourself overwhelmed very quickly. However, if I start by saying I have the technical details of a clarinet, this might all make a bit more sense. But even saying that may throw people off, because some people are unfamiliar with clarinets and others who are familiar with clarinets would say “you don’t have enough parts” because they assumed I was talking about a modern clarinet and not an old albert system clarinet. All of this turns into a mess quite quickly. Some don’t know where to start, and others know enough to criticize the details for not being sufficient. In any case, if one does not have clarification as to what they are dealing with, the situation can be very difficult. Having clarity does not make you a mindless drone, having clarity allows you to see the larger picture.
God tells us who we are, what His creation is, and how we are to live. All people are capable of missing the mark if they do not begin with God. Some are too smart to see the big picture, because they think they know better. Others might be so wrapped up in their desires, or their sufferings to see the big picture, but in the end it does not matter, because we are all sinners in need of cleansing.
Jesus does not intend for us to stay imprisoned by the sufferings of life. Rather, He came to us as one who was fully God and fully human to teach us how to live and to liberate us from the curse of sin. The curse of sin is eternal, and it is the root of all other problems. Governmental laws do not stop sin, they only give a means for adjudicating those who have broken criminal code. The only antidote to sin is the cleansing power of Christ Jesus.
#Sermon#Nazarene#Christian#Pastor#Holiness#Church of the Nazarene#Jesus#Liberty#Hope#Freedom#Salvation#Faith#Prayer#agatha christie
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2020 Pandemic Ponderings
Each year, I like to reflect on what God has taught me. This year, I reflected on what God has taught me during Covid. It's lengthy, but writing is the mode I use to synthesize the things God is teaching me for the purpose of looking back in years to come.
Fifteen Things I learned amidst a pandemic:
1. God is still on the throne. Amidst elections, amidst tragedy, amidst disease, amidst injustice, amidst division, amidst it all.
I love passages like Revelation 4, Isaiah 40, and Psalm 123 which remind me Who is reigning in the times when our world seems so out of control. And the One on the throne is a God who is surely in control, yet He is also a God who rules with righteousness, justice, love, understanding, and compassion—qualities which are absent more commonly than they are present in this age.
He is the sure foundation of our times. And I needed this truth pretty often in 2020. (I still do today).
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength.” Psalm 89:14-17a
“When the earth and all its pillars quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.” Psalm 75:3
“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?” Isaiah 40:12-14
2. Comparison kills contentment, and Jesus knew it 2,000 years ago.
This theme from Matthew 20:1-16 has been the biggest thing God has reiterated this year. In the parable, a man went out early in the morning to hire men to work his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day, and they started to work. He went out at the third hour, the sixth hour, and the ninth hour and hired more workers, telling them “I will pay you whatever is right,” and they agreed to work. He went back out at the eleventh hour and hired more workers, saying the same “I will pay you what is right.”
When evening came, he paid all the workers, all of them, a denarius—those who had worked all day and those who were the last hires in the eleventh hour. Those who had been hired first grumbled that the wage they were given was the same as the men who had been hired last, who had only worked an hour- “You have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day” (Matthew 20:12).
The landowner answered: “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:13-15)
I’m not saying we “agree” to work for God to get something or earn something, because that is the opposite of God's grace. The thing that has stuck with me about this parable is this: comparison killed their contentment. The early hires agreed to work for a certain wage, but when others received the same wage as them—when the first laborers compared what they were given to what others were given—that is when they became dissatisfied. If they had kept their eyes on what they had rather than comparing to others, their satisfaction would have differed greatly.
How often is this me? I compare the life God has given and think “Um, God, you know my heart. Wouldn’t my life be better if I: looked like her, had his sense of humor, had that set of gifts and strengths, was married and had kids, had her athleticism, had his job and salary, had that car and home, etc."
I can compare, or I can choose to rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those with mourn (Romans 12:12) and recount God’s goodness and faithfulness in MY life.
3. I need to pray to know the Lord most deeply in the place He has me, rather than praying only for contentment. The end goal is to know and delight in Him more, resulting in contentment and joy- the end goal isn’t contentment in and of itself.
Paul talks about “learning” contentment in Philippians 4. How did he learn it? The way we learn anything else- through practice, repetition, and experience. He faced the good things and the hard things in life and “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12). His secret? Paul could do all things through the One who gave Paul strength- through the Lord. His contentment came by means of the strength the Lord provided, but also came from Paul having a deep understanding that regardless of the highs and lows of His circumstances, His eternity was set and secure.
In the previous chapter (Philippians 3), Paul talked about his perspective. He says: “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Philippians 3:8) and talks over and over in Philippians of rejoicing IN THE LORD. Not rejoicing in his circumstances, not rejoicing in his gifts, not rejoicing in his friends, but rejoicing in the Lord. His heart sought after God, and thus he rejoiced in God-- and He learned contentment in all the good and hard places in-between.
“We don’t seek satisfaction, hoping that God will deliver it. No, we seek God, and the result is satisfaction of heart. It’s one of the big ironies of the heart. If you give your heart to seeking satisfaction, satisfaction will be the one thing you’ll never find. Your heart will never be satisfied in things. No, your heart will only be satisfied in the Giver of the things.” Paul David Tripp
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." -John Piper
4. It’s important to be bold in conversations with those who know Jesus and those who don’t.
As a believer, I am called to be an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), a light (Matthew 5:14), Philippians 2:14-16), and a witness (Isaiah 43:10) to those who don’t know Jesus. I’m here to tell others about the best news that has radically shaped my life and altered my eternity. If it really is good news, then I should jump at chances to talk about what God has done in my life and continues to do in my life.
As a believer, I am called to spur others on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25). A horse that gets a spur in the side likely doesn’t love it, but sometimes the spur can keep it from danger or keep it moving forward. I don’t naturally enjoy entering into the hard conversations, but sometimes we need to. And we need to invite others into having those conversations with us, too.
5. We were made for community. It is by design, not by accident.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in community, and when Jesus was on earth, He lived in community. Who am I to think I could make it without it?
Covid has reinforced what the Bible states as truth: we are not meant to live in isolation; we need each other desperately. So plug in and engage and get people in your corner who will call you out when you’re grouchy, laugh with you, cry with you, point you to truth, remind you that you are loved, keep you accountable, play games with you, go sledding with you, workout with you, facetime you, bike to the grocery store with you, hammock with you, and challenge you to be who God created you to be.
And choose to love your community deeply so that others can see Jesus in it.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
6. Restlessness in my soul reminds me that this world, these relationships, this stuff—it isn’t IT. It’s not the destination, and it’s not supposed to satisfy.
My soul was never meant to be fully at home here on earth, because God has put eternity into our hearts. Restlessness is meant to point to the reality that we were created for more than this earth offers—we were made for heaven and for a relationship with God that alone can satisfy. I’m convinced that God allows us to feel a sense of restlessness, loneliness, unfulfillment, and dissatisfaction on this side of eternity to keep reminding us that stuff, relationships, success, and status aren’t the end-all, be-all. He is.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
7. I have to fill my soul with the stuff that takes work in order to truly be satisfied.
I’ve read Isaiah 55 a lot of times. But this summer, it hit a little deeper. “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.” Isaiah 55:2-3a
It asks “why?” several times- so I asked myself that question. Why do I try to feed my soul with the things the world offers? It has proven time and again that it doesn’t satisfy- yet I’m still so prone to do it. It is, hypothetically, like feeding my soul potato chips instead of vegetables. It seems to fill for a short time, and then hunger sets in again—and quickly. The things the world offers don’t fill, nourish, grow, satisfy, or help. Social media, seeking success or wealth or popularity, desiring to be liked or respected or enjoyed, to want nice clothes, décor, cars, landscaping, shoes- all the things: it only fills temporarily and just leaves us craving more.
So why do I seek what I know doesn’t satisfy? For one, it seems like everyone else does, too: it is counter-cultural to seek the opposite. It is easy, convenient, and takes less work for instant gratification. Satan is deceptive and the father of lies. And beyond that, my pride rules the way I live far more than I’d like to admit-- I like to feel important, successful, loved, and beautiful in the world’s eyes.
It takes work and discipline to eat vegetables or cook meat, but it is worthwhile. I need good nourishment daily and more than once a day. If I’m full of other things, I won’t hunger for good food. And the same is true spiritually.
So how do I fill with what satisfies? Do what Isaiah 55 says. Come to him. Hear him. Listen diligently to him, beyond just hearing Him. Through the Word, prayer, community, studying the Bible, worship—through intentional, prioritized time.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:8-10
“Only you can quench our insatiable hearts, for our rest can only be found in your arms. Our lives are yours, only you can satisfy.” -Only you, Of the Land
8. I need to be in the Word daily.
Covid reinforced this all the more. There are so many other inputs in this life- so many opinions, perspectives, viewpoints, and agendas. We are constantly bombarded by it all through our phones, televisions, computers, and circles of influence. How can we know and hold onto truth if we don’t know what truth is? How can I expect to find hope in God’s sovereignty amidst a crazy world if I’m not being reminded of it?
Psalm 16:8 says “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” What am I setting before me? For me, it’s usually success at work, the desire to have a family, security, and a lot more. How do I set THE LORD always before me, instead of those lesser alternatives? Also, note the word always. My mind needs to be continually renewed by truth, convicted, reminded of what I’ve been given, and encouraged by His character—and that happens when I’m in the Word consistently.
“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:114
“Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.” Psalm 119:140
“Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. Yet you are near, O Lord, and all your commands are true.” Psalm 119:150-151
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
9. COVID was a glimpse into what it looks like to live life apart from Jesus.
When Covid first started to gain traction last March, we didn’t know what "Covid truth" was regarding the risks, research, course of the virus, actions to take against it, testing—all the things. There were so many unknowns then, and some still remain. How did people respond to it? Most of the decisions we made and the way in which we lived was based off of personal convictions regarding research, what we had heard, and others’ opinions. There wasn’t an ultimate truth, because no one genuinely knew what was true, so everyone just tried to survive based off of the information they had. People kept adapting their version of “Covid truth” if it didn’t seem to be working well. It was a year of unknowns and fear.
This so closely parallels what it is like to live apart from Jesus and His truth.
People live without knowledge of the absolute truth in life, without knowing or understanding the message that gives meaning, purpose, and direction to how we spend our time on earth. And people think “This doesn’t seem to be working, maybe I’ll try what that person is doing based on their convictions and see how it works.” Life without purpose and without hope in Jesus would be full of so much uncertainty, fear, stress, and search for meaning and purpose.
In Jesus Christ- The Way, the Truth, and the Life- we have the answer. We know the truth: we are sinful humans who desperately need a savior, because what we deserve for our sin is eternal separation from God. Yet God, being perfectly loving and perfectly just, didn’t simply excuse our sin and say “It’s fine, I’ll forget about your sin.” No. Instead, He did the only thing that could be done. In love, He sent His only Son, Jesus, in the likeness of man, to live a holy, sin-free life. And Jesus, undeservingly, died in our place, fulfilling the justice we rightfully deserved and crediting His sinless record to our account.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6
10. People always matter more than stuff. Fight to keep it that way.
I was on a retreat at the very beginning of Covid, and we watched Francis and Lisa Chan talk about desiring to value the people in their home more than the stuff that their guests would sit on, spill on, or break. They also talked about buying things 'used' in order to keep a Kingdom/soul-focused mindset rather than a "I really love my stuff" mindset. God keeps bringing this to mind again. And again. And again.
11. Those who endure to the end will be saved. And I want to endure.
A friend asked me last fall how I would articulate the main themes of the Gospel, and after I had finished, she said something to this effect:
“I agree, but I think that we are too quick to jump from 'trusting Christ' to 'assurance of salvation.' The Bible talks a lot about enduring to the end, about holding fast to God, and about our trust in Him leading us to repent from our former ways and press forward toward sanctification.”
It made me look into the concept of enduring until the end, because that is something I truly want to do. I was shocked when I read Matthew 24:12-13, which says “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Isn’t it terrifying that the love of most will grow cold?
I’m not trying to say that we can lose our salvation. I am saying if I sincerely understand the Gospel and understand God's unmerited grace, it will lead me to want to know Jesus more and look more like Him. As a believer, my life should look different than the life of someone who doesn’t know Jesus.
I should continue holding fast and growing in sanctification until the end of my earthly life.
The Ephesian church was rebuked in Revelation 2 for losing their first love- yet, when Paul had written to that church earlier (in the book of Ephesians), he didn’t give them many corrections. So, what happened in the “in-between” that made them lose their first love? And how can I continue on without losing my first love?
First, I can’t do it by my own strength. But one passage I love returning to is Psalm 92. “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night” (verses 1-2). Each day, I need to reflect on God’s unending, undeserved, undeterred love for me- which He showed when He sent Jesus to die for me. And I also need to reflect on His faithfulness and remember what He has done in my life. It will keep me aware of my need for the Gospel and excited about the Gospel.
Someone (I think it was Christine Caine) once said at a conference “The greatest testimony if not our initial conversion, but it is continuing to choose to follow Jesus day-after-day as the years go on.” The end of Psalm 92 also encourages me in this, talking about the righteous flourishing and continuing to bear fruit in old age—it is possible! “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him’” (verses 14-15). Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Are my words depicting a heart which claims Jesus’ righteousness, faithfulness, and salvation as the years go on?
We need to press on one day at a time, with humble and teachable hearts and the Holy Spirit’s power in us. I get to choose today what I value, choose today what I live for, choose today what I prioritize. May it be Jesus. His Word. His mission. By His power in me, sustaining me.
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.”
12. There are usually 4 primary idols in our lives: power, control, comfort, and approval.
And, at least in my life, COVID has exposed those all the more. But in some ways, that is a blessing, because if we don’t realize we have an idol, we won’t turn from it.
I challenge you to sit with God for a few minutes and think about these, because wow, they’re stealthy and sneaky in working their way into my heart and life.
13. Souls matter more. In fact, they matter MOST.
They matter more than preferences, opinions, political stances, differences, and pet peeves. Souls are eternal.
There are only three things which will endure beyond this life: God, His Word, and people’s souls. So what hills am I willing to die on? The most important reality is whether or not my friends, my neighbors, my family, my coworkers, the people behind me in the checkout lane KNOW the Son and what He has done for them.
1 John 5:11-13 says: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
When my earthly existence ends, I will stand before God to account for my life. Let me tell you, I’m not good enough to enter heaven, because one sinful deed is enough to make me imperfect, unfit to be in the presence of a holy God. I’m a chronic sinner, deserving wrath. And that’s the place where Jesus enters in.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.” 2 Peter 3:18
Jesus, the only Son of God, left his throne in heaven and came to earth 2,000 years ago to live as a human. He lived a sinless life, yet died the death reserved for the worst of criminals- on a cross. The past sins committed and future sins which will be committed were placed on Jesus, and He died in my place (and yours). He could have come down off the cross, but He stayed there because of love.
In Jesus, the love of God and justice of God intersect perfectly. Our sinfulness demands justice and payment—“the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and Jesus paid the debt which I rightfully owed, which I deserved to pay. The One who didn’t deserve death stood in my place and took the wrath of God which I rightfully deserved for MY sin. God couldn’t simply dismiss my sin, or He would no longer be just. But He loved me (and loves you) enough to make a way for justice for sin to be served, and reconciliation of relationship to be possible. Through Jesus.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Anyone could claim to be God and die, but Jesus died AND came back to life, showing He is who He says He is. He is our Savior, and He was- and is- victorious over satan, sin, and death.
When I die and stand before God to account for my life, my record of sin will stand before me. And Jesus will intercede, saying that His blood covered my sin completely. The perfect record of Jesus and payment of Jesus cover my sinful record. THAT truth is the hill I want to die on.
On another note- we just finished studying Philippians 4 in a Bible Study, and Paul urges two women to agree IN THE LORD. Yes, the Bible is clear about a lot of issues, and I want to stand for what is right and true. But how quickly do I get caught up in the things that don’t ultimately matter in life? I need to agree about the Gospel, cling to the grace of God, rejoice in His justice and love on my behalf, and share His good news with others more than I share my opinions on things that won’t matter in eternity.
14. Sometimes silence and ceasing are the things that get our attention the most quickly and make us face the things we don’t want to think about.
I like to be busy and efficient and productive, and I have a high capacity- it’s how I am geared. I want to squeeze the potential out of every day and use it to the fullest. But Covid has helped me realize that sometimes my busyness acts as a defense mechanism. Often, my busyness is a distraction. It keeps me from having to think about disappointment, about sin, about motives. Rather than running from silence, it’s healthy to sit in it and honestly evaluate my heart and my life.
15. There is beauty in the mundane, and God is faithful in the mundane. And the test of our faithfulness is often how we live in the mundane.
Social media is typically a highlight reel or a lowlight glimpse. Covid meant days (or weeks or months, let’s be real) without getting dressed up, and it meant less traveling, fewer big celebrations, more unplanned evenings, less entertainment, and more mundane. But it also meant more walks in nature with time to take in sunsets and to notice leaves changing, more time with my roommates for workouts, prayer walks, and games, more creativity and spontaneity, more capacity to give and serve, more biking and baking, and more margin.
The word “mundane” even sounds boring, doesn’t it? Yet, you often hear that character is built and growth occurs in the moments in-between. And in my life, I have seen that to be true. Most days aren’t that different from the rest-- they don’t hold a major achievement or a ground-breaking revelation in life or in the Word. But the culmination of those days shapes me, and the way I act in the mundane reveals my heart.
“I tell people all the time that we don’t just live in big, important moments. We make only a few grand decisions in our entire lives. Most of us don’t have a biography written about us. We live in little moments, so the character of our relationships is not set in three or four big moments, but in ten thousand little moments of life. What do the little moments of your relationships look like? How are you dealing with the messiness that lives there?” -Paul David Tripp
I heard a Matt Chandler sermon several years ago in which he talked about the paradox of the ordinary and extraordinary. We live most of our lives in the ordinary, while hoping and praying for the extraordinary. And if every day was extraordinary, then the extraordinary would actually become ordinary.
It relates so closely to my work as an occupational therapist. People who have suffered strokes or brain injuries are in my care. I treat their deficits with evidence-based interventions which are known to be effective, yet I pray daily for healing -from the ultimate healer- for their brain and bodies. All I can do is the ordinary work, while praying for God to intervene and do the extraordinary work of healing. Yet, I’m still called to the ordinary work each day, to be faithful with what is in front of me right now. And I can trust that God is faithful in the midst of my ordinary- He’s shown it again and again.
Something else I’ve learned this year: Life being mundane doesn’t mean it can’t also be full of laughter and adventure and depth. So tell a pun, bring joy to someone’s day, or do something out of your comfort zone. And I’ll leave you with one of my new favorite jokes:
How can you tell whether a joke is a dad joke? It’s apparent :)
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By Faith
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,[a] they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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How Capitalism Drives Cancel Culture
Beware splashy corporate gestures when they leave existing power structures intact.
The delete button over a tumbrel
Story by Helen Lewis
JULY 14, 2020
GLOBAL
Tumbrels are rattling through the streets of the internet. Over the past few years, online-led social movements have deposed gropers, exposed bullies—and, sometimes, ruined the lives of the innocent. Commentators warn of “mob justice,” while activists exult in their newfound power to change the world.
Both groups are right, and wrong. Because the best way to see the firings, outings, and online denunciations grouped together as “cancel culture,” is not through a social lens, but an economic one.
Take the fall of the film producer Harvey Weinstein, which seems inevitable in hindsight—everyone knew he was a sex pest! There were even jokes about it on 30 Rock! But it took The New York Times months of reporting to ready its first story for publishing; the newspaper was taking on someone with deep pockets and a history of intimidating critics into silence. Then the story went off like a hand grenade. Suddenly, the mood—and the economic incentives—shifted. People who had been afraid of Weinstein were instead afraid of being taken down alongside him.
The removal of Weinstein from his company, and his subsequent conviction for rape, is a good outcome. But the mechanism it revealed is more morally ambiguous: The court of public opinion was the only forum left after workplace protections and the judicial system had failed. The writer Jon Schwarz once described the “iron law of institutions,” under which people with seniority inside an institution care more about preserving their power within the institution than they do about the power of the institution as a whole. That self-preservation instinct also operates when private companies—institutions built on maximizing shareholder value, or other capitalist principles—struggle to acclimatize to life in a world where many consumers vocally support social-justice causes. Progressive values are now a powerful branding tool.
But that is, by and large, all they are. And that leads to what I call the “iron law of woke capitalism”: Brands will gravitate toward low-cost, high-noise signals as a substitute for genuine reform, to ensure their survival. (I’m not using the word woke here in a sneering, pejorative sense, but to highlight that the original definition of wokeness is incompatible with capitalism. Also, I’m not taking credit for the coinage: The writer Ross Douthat got there first.) In fact, let’s go further: Those with power inside institutions love splashy progressive gestures—solemn, monochrome social media posts deploring racism; appointing their first woman to the board; firing low-level employees who attract online fury—because they help preserve their power. Those at the top—who are disproportionately white, male, wealthy and highly educated—are not being asked to give up anything themselves.
Perhaps the most egregious example of this is the random firings of individuals, some of whose infractions are minor, and some of whom are entirely innocent of any bad behavior. In the first group goes the graphic designer Sue Schafer, outed by The Washington Post for attending a party in ironic blackface—a tone-deaf attempt to mock Megyn Kelly for not seeing what was wrong with blackface. Schafer, a private individual, was confronted at the party over the costume, went home in tears, and apologized to the hosts the next day. When the Post ran a story naming her, she was fired. New York magazine found numerous Post reporters unwilling to defend the decision to run the story—and plenty of unease that the article seemed more interested in exonerating the Post than fighting racism. Even less understandable is the case of Niel Golightly, communications chief at the aircraft company Boeing, who stepped down over a 33-year-old article arguing that women should not serve in the military. When Barack Obama, a notably progressive president, only changed his mind on gay marriage in the 2010s, how many Americans’ views from 1987 would hold up to scrutiny by today’s standards? This mechanism is not, as it is sometimes presented, a long-overdue settling of scores by underrepresented voices. It is a reflexive jerk of the knee by the powerful; a demonstration of institutions’ unwillingness to tolerate any controversy, whether those complaining are liberal or conservative. Another case where the punishment does not fit the offense is that of the police detective Florissa Fuentes, who reposted a picture from her niece taken at a Black Lives Matter protest. One of those pictured held a sign reading who do we call when the murderer wear the badge. Another sign, according to the Times, “implied that people should shoot back at the police.” Fuentes, a 30-year-old single mother to three children, deleted the post and apologized, but was fired nonetheless.
In the second group, the blameless, lies Emmanuel Cafferty, a truck driver who appears to have been tricked into making an “okay” symbol by a driver he cut off at a traffic light. The inevitable viral video claimed that this was a deliberate use of the symbol as a white-power gesture, and he was promptly fired. Cafferty is a working-class man in his 40s from San Diego. The loss of his job hit him hard enough that he saw a counselor. “A man can learn from making a mistake,” he told my colleague Yascha Mounk. “But what am I supposed to learn from this? It’s like I was struck by lightning.”
The phrase is haunting—not being racist is not going to save you if the lightning strikes. Nor is the fact that your comments lie decades in the past, or that they have been misinterpreted by bad-faith actors, or that you didn’t make them. The ground—your life—is scorched just the same.
It is strange that “cancel culture” has become a project of the left, which spent the 20th century fighting against capricious firings of “troublesome” employees. A lack of due process does not become a moral good just because you sometimes agree with its targets. We all, I hope, want to see sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination decrease. But we should be aware of the economic incentives here, particularly given the speed of social media, which can send a video viral, and see onlookers demand a response, before the basic facts have been established. Afraid of the reputational damage that can be incurred in minutes, companies are behaving in ways that range from thoughtless and uncaring to sadistic. For Cafferty’s employer, what’s one random truck driver versus the PR bump of being able to cut off a bad news cycle by saying you’ve fired your “white-supremacist employee”?
Let’s look at another example of how woke capitalism operates. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, and the protests that followed, White Fragility, a 2018 book by Robin DiAngelo, returned to the top of The New York Times’s paperback-nonfiction chart. The author is white, and her book is for white people, encouraging them to think about what it’s like to be white. So the American book-buying public’s single biggest response to the Black Lives Matter movement was … to buy a book about whiteness written by a white person.
This is worse than mere navel-gazing; it’s synthetic activism. It risks making readers feel full of piety and righteousness without having actually done anything. Buying a book on white fragility improves the lives of the most marginalized far less than, say, donating to a voting-rights charity or volunteering at a food bank. It’s pure hobbyism.
Why is DiAngelo’s book so popular? Again, look at economics. White Fragility is a staple of formal diversity training, in universities from London to Iowa, and at publications including Britain’s right-wing Telegraph newspaper, as well as The Atlantic. The client list on DiAngelo’s website includes giant corporations such as Amazon and Unilever; nonprofits such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Hollywood Writers Guild, and the YMCA; as well as institutions and governmental bodies such as Seattle Public Schools, the City of Oakland, and the Metropolitan Council of Minneapolis.
In the United States, diversity training is worth $8 billion a year, according to Iris Bohnet, a public-policy professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School. And yet, after studying programs in both the U.S. and post-conflict countries such as Rwanda, she concluded, “sadly enough, I did not find a single study that found that diversity training in fact leads to more diversity.” Part of the problem is that although those delivering them are undoubtedly well-meaning, the training programs are typically no more scientifically grounded than previous management-course favorites, such as Myers-Briggs personality classifications. “Implicit-bias tests” are controversial, and the claim that they can predict real-world behavior, never mind reduce bias, is shaky. A large-scale analysis of research in the sector found that “changes in implicit measures are possible, but those changes do not necessarily translate into changes in explicit measures or behavior.” Yet metrics-obsessed companies love these forms of training. When the British Labour leader, Keir Starmer, caused offense by referring to Black Lives Matter as a “moment” rather than a movement, he announced that he would undergo implicit-bias training. It is an approach that sees bias as a moral flaw among individuals, rather than a product of systems. It encourages personal repentance, rather than institutional reform. Bohnet suggested other methods to increase diversity, such as removing ages and photographs from job applications, and reviewing the language used for advertisements. (Men are more likely to see themselves as “assertive,” she argued.) Here is another option for big companies: Put your money into paying all junior staff enough for them to live in the big city where the company is based, without needing help from their parents. That would increase the company’s diversity. Hell, get your staff to read White Fragility on their own time and give your office cleaners a pay raise.
This, however, would break the iron law of woke capitalism—better to have something you can point to and say “Aren’t we progressive?” than to think about the real problem. Diversity training offers the minimum possible disruption to your power structures: Don’t change the board; just get your existing employees to sit through a seminar.
If this is a moment for power structures to be challenged, and old orthodoxies to be overturned, then understanding the difference between economic radicalism and social radicalism is vital. These could also be described as the difference between identity and class. That is not to dismiss the former: Many groups face discrimination on both measures. Women might not be hired because “Math isn’t for girls” or because an employer doesn’t want to pay for maternity leave. An employer may not see the worth of a minority applicant, because they don’t speak the way the interviewer expects, or that applicant might be a second-generation immigrant whose parents can’t subsidize them through several years of earning less than a living wage.
All this I’ve learned from feminism, where the contrast between economic and social radicalism is very apparent. Equal pay is economically radical. Hiring a female or minority CEO for the first time is socially radical. Diversity training is socially radical, at best. Providing social-housing tenants with homes not covered in flammable cladding is economically radical. Changing the name of a building at a university is socially radical; improving on its 5 percent enrollment rate for Black students—perhaps by smashing up the crazy system of legacy admissions—would be economically radical.
In my book Difficult Women, I wrote that the only question I want to ask big companies who claim to be “empowering the female leaders of the future” is this one: Do you have on-site child care? You can have all the summits and power breakfasts that you want, but unless you address the real problems holding working parents back, then it’s all window dressing.
Along with anti-racism and anti-sexism efforts, LGBTQ politics suffers a similar confusion between economic and social radicalism. The arrival of Pride month brings the annual argument about how it should be a “protest, not a parade.” The violence and victimization of the Stonewall-riot era risk being forgotten in today’s “branded holiday,” where big banks and clothing manufacturers fly the rainbow flag to boost their corporate image. In Britain and the U.S., these corporate sponsors want a depoliticized party—a generic celebration of love and acceptance—without tough questions about their views on particular domestic laws and policies, or their involvement in countries with poor records on LGBTQ rights. Some activists in Britain have tried to get Pride marches to stop allowing the arms company BAE to be a sponsor, given its arms sales to Saudi Arabia, an explicitly homophobic and sexist state. When Amazon sponsored last year’s PinkNews Awards, the former Doctor Who screenwriter Russell T. Davies used his lifetime-achievement-award acceptance speech to tell the retailer to “pay your fucking taxes.” That’s economic radicalism.
Activists regularly challenge criticisms of “cancel culture” by saying: “Come on, we’re just some people with Twitter accounts, up against governments and corporate behemoths.” But when you look at the economic incentives, almost always, the capitalist imperative is to yield to activist pressure. Just a bit. Enough to get them off your back. Companies caught in the scorching light of a social-media outcry are ike politicians caught lying or cheating, who promise a “judge-led inquiry”: They want to do something, anything, to appear as if they are taking the problem seriously—until the spotlight moves on.
Some defenestrations are brilliant, and long overdue. Weinstein’s removal from a position of power was undoubtedly a good thing. But the firing of Emmanuel Cafferty was not. For activists, the danger lies in the cheap sugar rush of tokenistic cancellations. Real institutional change is hard; like politics, it is the “slow boring of hard boards.” Persuading a company to toss someone overboard for PR points risks a victory that is no victory at all. The pitchforks go down, but the corporate culture remains the same. The survivors sigh in relief. The institution goes on.
If you care about progressive causes, then woke capitalism is not your friend. It is actively impeding the cause, siphoning off energy, and deluding us into thinking that change is happening faster and deeper than it really is. When people talk about the “excesses of the left”—a phenomenon that blights the electoral prospects of progressive parties by alienating swing voters—in many cases they’re talking about the jumpy overreactions of corporations that aren’t left-wing at all.
Remember the iron law of woke institutions: For those looking to preserve their power, it makes sense to do the minimum amount of social radicalism necessary to survive … and no economic radicalism at all. The latter is where activists need to apply their pressure.
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Can you rec any stories?
Oh boy. You better strap in, because I have read a lot of fics. Most of these will probably be Dick Grayson centric, though, so just a fair warning. I’ve seen a couple people format fic recs like this, and I really like it. I hope it’s organized enough!
Of course, you can always go through my fic recs tag, too!
The Bonds that Tie by DawnsEternalLight Words: 59,507 (between 2 fics)Summary: A series exploring the Batfamily growing closer together.My Comments: Absolutely amazing and heart wrenching. The first fic in thisseries is finished, which is a lot more about Dick and Damian’s relationship,but the second is still ongoing, which is more about Jason and Tim. It’s a wonderfulseries!
To Pass Through This Night by DawnsEternalLightWords: 4,147Summary: When Dick was captured by the Syndicate he died, for a short period of time, but he still died. It’s a fact he kept from his closest friends and family to protect them. When Damian and Tim find out he has to face not only them, but the emotions he’s buried from the event.My Comments: It’s a forever evil fic. Like, you don’t even know how much Ilove this, especially because it involves the whole family’s feelings, not justDick’s.
Even When You’re Down by DawnsEternalLightWords: 4,628Summary: Jason is expecting pizza at his door, not a very sick Dick Grayson. When he can’t figure out what’s wrong with his brother he turns to the only person he can, Bruce.My Comments: Ahhh I love sickfics so much, and this one did not disappoint!Jason and Bruce coming together to care for Dick was amazing to read! To be honest, @preciousthingsareprecious‘s fics are all amazing, and I’ve read so many of Dawn’s works. These are just my absolute favorites!
Stubborn by audreycritter Words: 20,359 (4/4)Summary: Dick is usually the one taking care of everyone else and he’s bad at asking for help.So bad, in fact, that he never even actually asks– but Jason shows up anyway.And then Dick returns the favor. And then they both do for Tim. And it’s just going to keep going from there.It’s probably Alfred’s fault. When your butler mom calls and says, “Go check on your brother,” you don’t argue. You just do it.My Comments: The first chapter absolutely killed me. It’s a sickfic, witheach chapter focusing on a different batkid. It’s so well written, and it’s oneof my all time favorites!
The Mechanics of a Hug by incogneat-oh Words: 4,154Summary: “So,” Tim ventures. “It's… what, a cuddle pollen?” Bruce just shrugs. “Something like that.” My Comments: It’s funny, it’s angsty, the dialogue is absolutelyamazing, and I would recommend this author’s fics (all of them, really) a thousand times over. This one is just my absolute favorite that I’ve read a bajillion times.
World’s Apart by Fernandidilly_yo Words: 37,169 (3/?)Summary: Dick’s world is falling apart. With all the heroes and Batman gone, the teen thinks this is the end, that is until Dick miraculously end up in an Alternet Universe where the world is whole and there’s a family waiting for him.My Comments: This is an AU that absolutely BREAKS MY HEART. There’s so much description and it’s such an amazing story. It has a lot of potential, and besides the occasional typos/spelling errors, it’s probably one of the best I’ve ever read. I’m looking forward to more!
Locked Away by AutumnHobbit Words: 3,021Summary: anonymous asked: would you consider writing dick being asked to empty jasons locker at school after jason dies?
“Uh, Wayne residence,” he said, cringing after the fact at how hoarse his voice sounded. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes in frustration.“Um, hello. Is, um….” the female voice trailed off hesitantly. “Is Mr. Wayne available at the moment?”“I’m afraid not,” Dick said, trying harder to channel his inner Alfred. “Can I take a message?”“…Yes,” the woman said. “It’s….well, it pertains to his son, Jason.”My Comments: THIS IS SO SAD. I still love it, because it shows a side of Dick that we don’t see often. We see Dick happy around his family, angry, frantic, but never this grieving boy mourning the loss of a brother, and it’s heartbreaking. There are a lot more quality fics by this author, as well.
there is a design, an alignment by irnanWords: 584Summary: Dick’s just had brain surgery. No wonder it hurts.My Comments: This is so sweet. But, of course, Bruce can only seem to show affection to his kids when they’re hurt or unconscious.
exactly how this grace thing works by irnanWords: 22,710Summary: Dick gets de-aged. You’d think this would be a routine thing.My Comments: Honestly, this is the fic that convinced me to stay in the fandom. It’s the fic that I will always aspire to write, quality wise. It’s an amazing piece about a de-aged Dick learning to accept the family that’s suddenly thrust onto him, and his family, in turn, learn things about him that they didn’t know before. The whole fic is amazing.
Who We Were by ZiZzyWords: 105,025 (33/?)Summary: When the Graysons fell their son went to his great-uncle to be trained as a Talon. Four years later he is rescued and taken to live at Wayne Manor. But, he is not the talkative boy he once was, in fact talking at all is a bit of a problem… A series of connected oneshots about how the Batfamily is formed when the older brother is not quite who he was meant to be.The timeline of each chapter is in the A/Ns.My Comments: It’s a little hard to get used to this fic, since most of them are read like one-shots in the same AU, but this fic destroyed me. Dick is so adorable, and he’s going through so much, and Bruce is so understanding. The last couple of chapters had me in tears.
Half Lost, Half Found by takadainmateWords: 23,632 (4/5)Summary: Driven underground, Batman fights to keep Nightwing alive. There is a fight. There’s always a fight.My Comments: I always recommend this story, but it’s amazing. There’s a lot of tension between Dick and Bruce, but they have to work together in order to survive. Sadly, this fic hasn’t been updated since 2013, but it’s only the last chapter that’s missing. It’s still a great story, even without it.
Family is a Crisis by LysicalWords: 4,172Summary: In their family there’s always some sort of crisis going on.“Probably a fashion crisis,” Jason muttered. “He probably dragged us all here so he could show off some chartreuse and fuchsia monstrosity.” “You aren’t making a new costume again, are you?” Damian added, nose wrinkling. “I thought we all agreed you were staying away from colors.”My Comments: This fic is hilarious.Seriously, as much as I wish Tim was in it, too, it is the perfect sequel to the one scene at the burger joint in Batman #16.
Grade School by KagSesshloveWords: 100,098 (13 fics)Summary:Imagine that Damian goes to a regular school full time. And has to do things that normal grade-schoolers have to do. This is his life now: pretending to be a normal 10 year old at school all for the sake of the public. But, honestly, the public would rather he not.My Comments: When I first found this fic, I think I started screaming at @stepichu to read it, too, I was so excited. I think I actually read it twice in one week? Please read this entire series. It’s hilarious and serious and just plain amazing. Sometimes the characterizations are a little exaggerated, but I still love it. It totally adds to the story! And the best part is that it was just completed!
the man with guns for eyes by 8swordWords: 22,056Summary: “Don’t blame him, little D. He gave me a choice.” “He always makes it a choice,” Damian mutters. “If you’re the one who makes the decision, it’s your fault if it’s the wrong one.” (Dick comes back from the dead.)My Comments: Hm. Okay, on the one hand I really like reading this fic, because the boys are all forced to talk to each other and try to work things out. On the other hand, sometimes this fic leaves me reeling. There’s a lot to get through in one sitting, and sometimes I have to break it up.
With Friends Like These by ChimaeraKittenWords: 4141Summary: How Artemis got to know both Dick Grayson and Robin before finding out they were the same person. My Comments: This is a YJ fic, but it’s really good. Like, I didn’t know I needed Artemis getting to know Dick Grayson so badly until I read this. There are also some other really good fics by @chimaerakitten, but this one is one that I fell in love with.
Crowded Enough by CaraLeeWords: 18,744 (15/?)Summary: An AU built off of the titular line from the pilot episodes of Young Justice. Dick Grayson comes home from the events at CADMUS to the enjoyment of his various siblings, friends, and sibling-like people. Now extended: One chapter per episode of the first season. Plus a few extras.My Comments: I love this so much. Each chapter is gold.
Save You by ArsenicInYourPuddingWords: 6538 (4/4)Summary: The three times Wally West made sure Dick Grayson lived to fight another day, and the one time he didn’t have to.My Comments: Warnings for suicidal thoughts/actions. The bromance between Dick and Wally in this is amazing, and this fic got me through some tough times. The whole thing always has my crying by the end, no matter how many times I read it.
That’s just on ao3, and it’s getting really late, so I needed to shorten this a bit. I will say that you’re welcome to look through my bookmarks on ao3 and my story favs on ff.net if you’re looking for more. There are a lot of amazing fics out there that I didn’t mention. I probably will come back to update this sooner or later.
edit because I don’t know how I forgot these:
Interval of Shadow by CaramelMacheteWords: 41,403 (15/?)Summary: Nightwing, Robin and Red Robin take on Clayface. Nightwing does not emerge unscathed.Is this the end of Nightwing’s career? How will the rest of family react? Will Dick recover, and what should he do if he can’t?My Comments: My goodness, this fic is honest to god amazing. It shows the struggle Dick goes through and how his family scrambles to be there for him. The interactions between everyone is so spot on, and if you haven’t read this, read it. And then come scream at me or @caramelmachete about it.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by anon_nom_nomWords: 3,614Summary: Prompt from yj_anon_meme:Okay, so I always thought that the reason DCAU Dick turned into such a bitter little thing was because he only ever had Batman, and sometimes Batgirl, but he never had his Titans or his Wally or anything.So I would like so see something where Robin is starting to show early warning signs of this, maybe just frustration after a really bad night on the job in Gotham with Batman, and him actually having his team there to help him deal with it.In which Robin has a bad night, discusses poetry, and gets a massage.My Comments: This is a YJ fic that shows the struggle that Dick goes through as a partner of Batman, and I find it super realistic. It’s really fluffy with a hint of light angst, and all of the characters are spot on.
Fear by tristen84Words: 18,622 (6/6)Summary: While on a stake-out together, Robin and Kid Flash have a frightening run-in with Scarecrow. Dick-Wally friendship.My Comments: Another YJ fic. If you want Wally and Dick bromance, like, this is the fic. It’s a really good story, too, and it shows just how much both Dick and Wally care for each other. It’s a good read.
I’m probably still forgetting some, but these are all amazing, too, and please check them out!
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#33 – Wetterhorn Peak 14,015 and Matterhorn Peak 13,590
The weather today for just about every 14er in Colorado was the same: Windy. I’m not a fan of wind gusts of 45+ mph (which usually end up being around 85mph up on the peaks if we’re honest) but they’re manageable if it’s a warm day. I ruled out any peak with snow on it because wind and snow don’t mix (as I learned last week). That left me with Wetterhorn Peak for today’s 14er. I checked the weather: 20% chance of snow and 100% chance of 25mph+ winds with gusts of 43mph. Hmmmm. That didn’t sound too promising. Not bad, but not great. I knew there wasn’t any snow on Wetterhorn, so that was a plus. I was just worried it would get snow during the night/day and ruin the trip. I didn’t want to drive 6 hours out there to turn around.
I was musing all this to my kids when my youngest said “Mom, you should just go. You’ll never really know the weather or if you can make it or not unless you try.” She’s a smart 14 year old. (She must have an amazing mom…). I told her she was right, and set my alarm for midnight. Besides, this would be my 33rd 14er and my 3rd class 3. Lots of 3’s mean it’s meant to be, right?
The trailhead is easy to find/follow. From this sign it’s really a 4WD road.
I know others have posted it’s manageable in a 2WD, and I’m sure it is for those amazing 2WD gods out there, but if you value your 2WD vehicle, do NOT take it on this road. However, if you’re looking for a reason to get a new vehicle, by all means proceed. Here are a few pics:
I made it to the trailhead at 5:30am and was on the trail by 5:45 (I drive fast). There were 2 other vehicles in the lot (I parked lower down). There’s probably room for 15 vehicles total at the upper trailhead, including parking about 10 yards below the lot. Here’s what the trailhead looks like in the daytime. The trail starts to the left of the trail signs.
Note: Most of these pictures were taken on the way down because my fingers were too frozen to take pictures on the way up.
The beginning of the hike was pretty uneventful. (Another Note: The summit ledger is full and the pen provided doesn’t have any ink left. Maybe a hiker could bring new supplies with them?) It was just me hiking in the dark. The trail was wide, clear of snow, with just a few muddy spots in areas. It was about 37 degrees, and there wasn’t any wind. Yet.
As soon as I hit treeline the wind began to blow, but it wasn’t too powerful and it wasn’t cold outside, so it was bearable. As the sun began to rise I noticed what looked suspiciously like snow clouds on the mountains next to where I was hiking. Luckily the wind was blowing them away from me. It seemed like the sun took an awful long time to rise this morning. I passed a boulder field that was easy to navigate but didn’t have any cairns? This could be a problem in the winter.
The entire trail was very well maintained, all the way to the ridge
I looked for the turnoff to Matterhorn Peak but never saw it? I did see this sign, which, despite it’s name, does not go to Matterhorn Peak.
I could see a few hikers in front of me by their flashlights. They seemed far away, but I quickly caught up with them. They looked really cold in their hoodies. I was cold in my snow clothes.
At this time the sun began to rise and the temperature began to drop as I hit the ridge and the wind picked up. I still think Colorado Flag sunrises are cool!
At the top of the ridge I could see most of the route left. This scree hill was insanely slippery! I could tell a lot of people had chosen to just walk on the tundra. I put on my microspikes and braved the scree.
At the top of the scree hill I could see the path to the summit (or part of it).
It included a LOT of scrambling over a lot of rock walls/large gullies/insanely tall boulders. These pictures just do not do them justice!
This part should have been fun for me (I love scrambling) but the weather made it really difficult to find my way. The wind was cold and intense. I had to find a cave to shelter in to get out my map, and taking my gloves off made my fingers freeze instantly. I’d look at my map, put it away, put on my gloves, head out to hike, and the terrain kept changing on me. I even brought up the pictures on my phone. Nothing up close looked like the pictures I had? Well, every once in a while they did, but not on a consistent basis. I gave up and just followed the cairns. Luckily there were a lot of them.
Did I mention the boulders were COLD? My hands were frozen! And it was pretty windy, so I didn’t want to rest too long to appreciate the view. I just wanted to summit, and was thrilled when I did!
I could see Matterhorn Peak and Uncompaghre Peak in the distance.
I took a selfie to prove I’d summited
And a quick 360 degree video
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And headed back down. I needed to get warm again. Soon. I was seriously worried about two fingers on my left hand at this point that were solid and starting to burn. I kept trying to flex them to keep the blood pumping but they wouldn’t move. (No, not frostbite, I have Raynaud’s, so I’m overly susceptible to cold temperatures).
Climbing down is different than climbing up, as your center of gravity is off and you can see more of the exposure so it’s more mental. I took my time, even though my fingers were frozen. I didn’t want to slip.
Just as I was finishing the climbing part of this hike I ran into the three hikers again, getting ready to cross over the first obstacle.
OK, time to book it back down in elevation to warm up these fingers! Luckily the sun was coming out and the clouds all seemed to gravitate towards other peaks. It was still windy though. As I hiked back down I contemplated Wetterhorn. She was beautiful!
Summiting had been really anti-climactic and I was trying to figure out why? I should have LOVED that climb! It must have been the cold/wind. I mentally tried to decide if I was even up for hiking Matterhorn Peak today? I went back and forth in my mind a few times, and told myself the decision hinged on actually finding the trailhead and my fingers defrosting. Oh, and warmer weather and less wind wouldn’t hurt…
As I descended into the basin and passed through the boulder field there was a brief period where all wind stopped. The silence was deafening. I didn’t hear a bird, marmot, pika, airplane, wind, etc. Nothing. I grew up in Southern California, and directly before and after earthquakes everything becomes still (for different reasons). That’s what this felt like: The still before the chaos. I hoped that wasn’t foreshadowing for the hike ahead.
I kept debating the whole Matterhorn Peak thing. My fingers had finally defrosted, the wind had died down a bit (but don’t let those photos fool you: the wind was intense!) and I didn’t really want to drive all the way back here to hike Matterhorn at a different time. But I was tired, and I still wasn’t sure where that trailhead was? As I was hiking I had a thought: Could it be here? At the Ridgestock Driveway and Wetterhorn Peak junction?
That wasn’t in any of my notes, and didn’t really make sense (shouldn’t it be at the Matterhorn trail junction where it wasn’t?). But in the daylight it looked right. I got out my altimeter. Ugh! I was at 12,500’. If I was going to do this hike I was going to have to gain another 2000’ in elevation, after already doing 3300’ this morning. I was tired. Did I REALLY want to do this? I heard my daughter’s voice in my head again: “Mom, you should just go. You’ll never really know if you can make it or not unless you try.”
Before making the decision to hike Matterhorn Peak I decided to see if this was actually the correct junction to take. Then if it was I could either continue hiking, or know for next time when I’d most likely be hiking in the dark. I started up this hill. It really did seem to go on a lot longer than it looked like it should, and more than once I thought about stopping this nonsense and heading back down the trail. But I’m stubborn, so I continued on.
At the top of the hill the trail kind of split in two. Left is the correct way to go
This is what I saw:
I was intrigued. What I saw before me truly looked like fun. Sure, I was tired, but this looked like FUN! There was no trail, I’d get to make a trail for the first time, and this looked totally doable! I just needed to cross the stream and head up! I was in a basin, so it would be difficult to get lost.
I was in. Since there was no established trail I designed a plan: I’d leave the trail, cross that little creek and hike straight up the mountain (no sissy switchbacks for me, I wanted that elevation gain). I looked at the entire mountain and visually picked cues (rocks) to aim towards. Here’s the route I took:
Before heading out I turned around to get a good visual of where I’d started from so I could return to the same spot. I snapped a picture with my camera just in case I forgot, and was off!
I told myself no looking back/down. The elevation gain was indeed intense because I just went straight up, but I kept making small goals and taking breaks when I met them. I took a lot more breaks than I normally do. As I got further up the mountain I could see the rocky ridge above me, and made out two figures in the center that looked to me like rabbits (think Easter Bunny Chocolate Candy). They were right in the middle of the ridge, so that’s where I aimed.
As I got closer they looked more and more like rabbits.
I reached the rabbits and gave them my trekking pole for safe keeping. I trudged on. I could see the summit in front of me.
There was no clear path to the top, but I could clearly see the peak and several routes I could take to summit. There was a lot of easy scrambling (compared to Wetterhorn this was a piece of cake!) and a very small summit. So small I couldn’t get a summit selfie. I straddled the summit and just sat there, thinking about what I’d just done. I’d rocked that climb! And check out my view!
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I was surrounded by Uncompaghre, Wetterhorn, and the entire mountain range. I was in the middle of it all, sitting on a peak, completely enjoying the experience. I the sun and a huge smile on my face. This was awesome! This is why I’d come to hike today! And guess what? For the 15 minutes I was on Matterhorn Peak the wind completely stopped. I was warm, could take off my gloves, and took a few pictures.
I was happy. I was thrilled. I felt accomplished and my self esteem soared. I love solo hiking!!! I spent about 15 minutes on the summit, which is unheard of from me. I usually summit, take pictures, and head back down to a lower elevation to warm up. However, it was now time to head back. I still had a 6 hour drive home ahead of me. I revisited the rabbits, thanked them for watching my pole, looked for my point of reference and headed back down the mountain.
I kept looking for and finding my past reference points and headed towards where I’d initially gone off the trail. I must have done a really good job, because about three quarters of the way back I started walking over the tracks I’d initially made! How crazy is that? All those years of practicing orienteering paid off!
I made it back across the creek, found the trail, and headed back down the mountain. I was in a much better mood than when I’d started today! I was so glad I’d decided to come hiking. Matterhorn Peak is my new favorite 13er!
Total Miles: 10
Total Elevation Gain: 5300’
Total Time: 6 hours
#wildwanderer#14er#14erchallenge#13er#14erchallenge33#WetterhornPeak#MatterhornPeak#14015#13590#hiking#summit#climbing#colorado#sunrise
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God Lifts Us Out of Our Adversities
God never said that life would be easy. There are many setbacks in our lives that we must overcome. We set place some of them in the middle of our own path through lapses in our godly thinking and acting. Other setbacks come from other people who suffer from the same and we get blindsided due to active interference from our spiritual adversary.
However, God is bigger than all of that; and He can lift you out of any affliction that you find yourself mired in. There is no better biblical account of this than in the book of Job.
Job is introduced to us as a man of great wealth and one who possesses righteous character - always bent on doing his best to serve God. (Job 1:1 - 3.)
The narrative then shifts heavenward to the throne of God. Satan approaches and tells God that he has been roaming the earth. God responds by asking him if he’d seen His righteous servant, Job. The devil retorts by claiming that Job only acts righteous because He has blessed him so mightily. Moreover, he asserts that if those blessings were stripped away, Job would turn against Jehovah and curse Him.
God is so sure of Job’s righteousness and devotion, that He allows Satan to take away everything Job has, except his life. On the surface, this seems cruel and unjust on God’s part; but God is going to use Job’s upcoming trials and tribulations to show him (and all of us) His glory, in how He honors those faithful to Him and so that He can provide hope and assurance to anyone who is afflicted in life.
The devil takes away all of Job’s material wealth and even his children. How did Job respond? He grieved, as anyone would, but he did not curse God:
And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. Job 1:21, 22. NKJV
(There’s a huge lesson about the fleeting meaning of material things.)
Heavenward, God is pleased with Job. Satan protests, saying that if Job suffered personal injury, he would turn on God. So, he afflicts Job with painful boils.
Job sits in the dirt in resignation. Even his wife screams at him to curse God. Job responds:
“Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10 NKJV
Life happens. But God never throws things towards you at random. If God is placing something in your way, it has to do with spurring you on towards your highest purpose - love lessons sent repeatedly, until you get it. It’s always about bringing you closer to Him…
Three of Job’s friends come to comfort him, but Job begins to indulge in self-pity. Yet even in his despair, we find jewels of God-inspired wisdom:
“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?” Job 3:23 NKJV
I believe that Job was wondering as to why God would bring the good news of His love and salvation to those whose situation would seem to be hopeless. There is no doubt that some people have a rougher time in life than others, with no apparent reason. But it is how we respond to our circumstances that determine whether we expand as a human being.
We must make ourselves available to learn from the lessons that we receive, or from those that others have gotten. I also believe that God uses adversity to bring people to Him.
Job wails again:
“For the thing that I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” Job 3:25 NKJV
Another great pearl of wisdom. Job was apparently a worrywart - even when things were going his way. Fear leads to worry, worry keeps your fear on the center stage of your mind, and what you think about comes about. You must sweep off that stage and recast it with thoughts of God, His love and abundant provision, and of His protective arms.
After Job’s little fit, his ‘friends’ lambast him - telling him that it is his sins that are the cause of his situation. Job retorts with a little self-righteousness.
A fourth friend shows up and condemns the first three for their attack on Job, tells Job to quit trying to justify himself and adds that he is wasting his time trying to figure out the nature of God.
True enough. God’s big picture will always elude us to some degree because we cannot grasp plans that were made on a universal scale. Yet, God does not leave us totally blind. He tells us what we need to know, to wisely navigate through the part that He wants us to play in His grand design:
“In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.” Job 33:15 - 18. NKJV
Finally, the fourth friend tells Job to be patient and wait upon God, keeping his righteousness in the face of duress:
“Although you say you do not see Him, yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.” Job 35:14 NKJV
“He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted.” Job 36:7 ESV
At this point, God Himself enters the fray - telling Job that none of his assumptions are true. Then He asks Job if he could possibly have any comprehension of the galactic scale that He operates on.
Job does the wise thing. He humbles himself before His Maker:
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted…Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” Job 42:2, 3. ESV
“Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:6 NASB
God is a loving and merciful God. It doesn’t matter what we have done - even if it includes blaming Him and doubting His ways. He knows that we cannot grasp His ‘Big Picture’ (which always has our highest and best purpose in it).
He is demonstrating His unchanging character and His desire for us to turn around, (confess and repent). Love, forgiveness and mercy will always follow.
What was Job’s outcome?
And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10 AMP
And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. Job 42:12 ESV
Notice that Job grew prosperous again after he prayed for someone else. Notice too, that even though Job indulged in self-righteousness and self-pity, he never cursed God or lost faith in who He was.
God loves you. There is a reason for everything that is happening around you. Ask God what it is, (especially when it doesn’t make sense), so that you can learn from it. Ask Him to strengthen you, so that you can move through it and grow thereby.
There are no bad times with God. There are only lessons that we need. And God always delivers those lessons (including a way out of them) with love in mind…
Goodnight and God bless.
#a rough life#book of Job#God gives life lessons#God removes afflictions#God thinks higher#God uses adversity#learning life lessons#loving and merciful God#why me God
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#33 – Wetterhorn Peak 14,015 and Matterhorn Peak 13,590
The weather today for just about every 14er in Colorado was the same: Windy. I’m not a fan of wind gusts of 45+ mph (which usually end up being around 85mph up on the peaks if we’re honest) but they’re manageable if it’s a warm day. I ruled out any peak with snow on it because wind and snow don’t mix (as I learned last week). That left me with Wetterhorn Peak for today’s 14er. I checked the weather: 20% chance of snow and 100% chance of 25mph+ winds with gusts of 43mph. Hmmmm. That didn’t sound too promising. Not bad, but not great. I knew there wasn’t any snow on Wetterhorn, so that was a plus. I was just worried it would get snow during the night/day and ruin the trip. I didn’t want to drive 6 hours out there to turn around.
I was musing all this to my kids when my youngest said “Mom, you should just go. You’ll never really know the weather or if you can make it or not unless you try.” She’s a smart 14 year old. (She must have an amazing mom…). I told her she was right, and set my alarm for midnight. Besides, this would be my 33rd 14er and my 3rd class 3. Lots of 3’s mean it’s meant to be, right?
The trailhead is easy to find/follow. From this sign it’s really a 4WD road.
I know others have posted it’s manageable in a 2WD, and I’m sure it is for those amazing 2WD gods out there, but if you value your 2WD vehicle, do NOT take it on this road. However, if you’re looking for a reason to get a new vehicle, by all means proceed. Here are a few pics:
I made it to the trailhead at 5:30am and was on the trail by 5:45 (I drive fast). There were 2 other vehicles in the lot (I parked lower down). There’s probably room for 15 vehicles total at the upper trailhead, including parking about 10 yards below the lot. Here’s what the trailhead looks like in the daytime. The trail starts to the left of the trail signs.
Note: Most of these pictures were taken on the way down because my fingers were too frozen to take pictures on the way up.
The beginning of the hike was pretty uneventful. (Another Note: The summit ledger is full and the pen provided doesn’t have any ink left. Maybe a hiker could bring new supplies with them?) It was just me hiking in the dark. The trail was wide, clear of snow, with just a few muddy spots in areas. It was about 37 degrees, and there wasn’t any wind. Yet.
As soon as I hit treeline the wind began to blow, but it wasn’t too powerful and it wasn’t cold outside, so it was bearable. As the sun began to rise I noticed what looked suspiciously like snow clouds on the mountains next to where I was hiking. Luckily the wind was blowing them away from me. It seemed like the sun took an awful long time to rise this morning. I passed a boulder field that was easy to navigate but didn’t have any cairns? This could be a problem in the winter.
The entire trail was very well maintained, all the way to the ridge
I looked for the turnoff to Matterhorn Peak but never saw it? I did see this sign, which, despite it’s name, does not go to Matterhorn Peak.
I could see a few hikers in front of me by their flashlights. They seemed far away, but I quickly caught up with them. They looked really cold in their hoodies. I was cold in my snow clothes.
At this time the sun began to rise and the temperature began to drop as I hit the ridge and the wind picked up. I still think Colorado Flag sunrises are cool!
At the top of the ridge I could see most of the route left. This scree hill was insanely slippery! I could tell a lot of people had chosen to just walk on the tundra. I put on my microspikes and braved the scree.
At the top of the scree hill I could see the path to the summit (or part of it).
It included a LOT of scrambling over a lot of rock walls/large gullies/insanely tall boulders. These pictures just do not do them justice!
This part should have been fun for me (I love scrambling) but the weather made it really difficult to find my way. The wind was cold and intense. I had to find a cave to shelter in to get out my map, and taking my gloves off made my fingers freeze instantly. I’d look at my map, put it away, put on my gloves, head out to hike, and the terrain kept changing on me. I even brought up the pictures on my phone. Nothing up close looked like the pictures I had? Well, every once in a while they did, but not on a consistent basis. I gave up and just followed the cairns. Luckily there were a lot of them.
Did I mention the boulders were COLD? My hands were frozen! And it was pretty windy, so I didn’t want to rest too long to appreciate the view. I just wanted to summit, and was thrilled when I did!
I could see Matterhorn Peak and Uncompaghre Peak in the distance.
I took a selfie to prove I’d summited
And a quick 360 degree video
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And headed back down. I needed to get warm again. Soon. I was seriously worried about two fingers on my left hand at this point that were solid and starting to burn. I kept trying to flex them to keep the blood pumping but they wouldn’t move. (No, not frostbite, I have Raynaud’s, so I’m overly susceptible to cold temperatures).
Climbing down is different than climbing up, as your center of gravity is off and you can see more of the exposure so it’s more mental. I took my time, even though my fingers were frozen. I didn’t want to slip.
Just as I was finishing the climbing part of this hike I ran into the three hikers again, getting ready to cross over the first obstacle.
OK, time to book it back down in elevation to warm up these fingers! Luckily the sun was coming out and the clouds all seemed to gravitate towards other peaks. It was still windy though. As I hiked back down I contemplated Wetterhorn. She was beautiful!
Summiting had been really anti-climactic and I was trying to figure out why? I should have LOVED that climb! It must have been the cold/wind. I mentally tried to decide if I was even up for hiking Matterhorn Peak today? I went back and forth in my mind a few times, and told myself the decision hinged on actually finding the trailhead and my fingers defrosting. Oh, and warmer weather and less wind wouldn’t hurt…
As I descended into the basin and passed through the boulder field there was a brief period where all wind stopped. The silence was deafening. I didn’t hear a bird, marmot, pika, airplane, wind, etc. Nothing. I grew up in Southern California, and directly before and after earthquakes everything becomes still (for different reasons). That’s what this felt like: The still before the chaos. I hoped that wasn’t foreshadowing for the hike ahead.
I kept debating the whole Matterhorn Peak thing. My fingers had finally defrosted, the wind had died down a bit (but don’t let those photos fool you: the wind was intense!) and I didn’t really want to drive all the way back here to hike Matterhorn at a different time. But I was tired, and I still wasn’t sure where that trailhead was? As I was hiking I had a thought: Could it be here? At the Ridgestock Driveway and Wetterhorn Peak junction?
That wasn’t in any of my notes, and didn’t really make sense (shouldn’t it be at the Matterhorn trail junction where it wasn’t?). But in the daylight it looked right. I got out my altimeter. Ugh! I was at 12,500’. If I was going to do this hike I was going to have to gain another 2000’ in elevation, after already doing 3300’ this morning. I was tired. Did I REALLY want to do this? I heard my daughter’s voice in my head again: “Mom, you should just go. You’ll never really know if you can make it or not unless you try.”
Before making the decision to hike Matterhorn Peak I decided to see if this was actually the correct junction to take. Then if it was I could either continue hiking, or know for next time when I’d most likely be hiking in the dark. I started up this hill. It really did seem to go on a lot longer than it looked like it should, and more than once I thought about stopping this nonsense and heading back down the trail. But I’m stubborn, so I continued on.
At the top of the hill the trail kind of split in two. Left is the correct way to go
This is what I saw:
I was intrigued. What I saw before me truly looked like fun. Sure, I was tired, but this looked like FUN! There was no trail, I’d get to make a trail for the first time, and this looked totally doable! I just needed to cross the stream and head up! I was in a basin, so it would be difficult to get lost.
I was in. Since there was no established trail I designed a plan: I’d leave the trail, cross that little creek and hike straight up the mountain (no sissy switchbacks for me, I wanted that elevation gain). I looked at the entire mountain and visually picked cues (rocks) to aim towards. Here’s the route I took:
Before heading out I turned around to get a good visual of where I’d started from so I could return to the same spot. I snapped a picture with my camera just in case I forgot, and was off!
I told myself no looking back/down. The elevation gain was indeed intense because I just went straight up, but I kept making small goals and taking breaks when I met them. I took a lot more breaks than I normally do. As I got further up the mountain I could see the rocky ridge above me, and made out two figures in the center that looked to me like rabbits (think Easter Bunny Chocolate Candy). They were right in the middle of the ridge, so that’s where I aimed.
As I got closer they looked more and more like rabbits.
I reached the rabbits and gave them my trekking pole for safe keeping. I trudged on. I could see the summit in front of me.
There was no clear path to the top, but I could clearly see the peak and several routes I could take to summit. There was a lot of easy scrambling (compared to Wetterhorn this was a piece of cake!) and a very small summit. So small I couldn’t get a summit selfie. I straddled the summit and just sat there, thinking about what I’d just done. I’d rocked that climb! And check out my view!
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I was surrounded by Uncompaghre, Wetterhorn, and the entire mountain range. I was in the middle of it all, sitting on a peak, completely enjoying the experience. I the sun and a huge smile on my face. This was awesome! This is why I’d come to hike today! And guess what? For the 15 minutes I was on Matterhorn Peak the wind completely stopped. I was warm, could take off my gloves, and took a few pictures.
I was happy. I was thrilled. I felt accomplished and my self esteem soared. I love solo hiking!!! I spent about 15 minutes on the summit, which is unheard of from me. I usually summit, take pictures, and head back down to a lower elevation to warm up. However, it was now time to head back. I still had a 6 hour drive home ahead of me. I revisited the rabbits, thanked them for watching my pole, looked for my point of reference and headed back down the mountain.
I kept looking for and finding my past reference points and headed towards where I’d initially gone off the trail. I must have done a really good job, because about three quarters of the way back I started walking over the tracks I’d initially made! How crazy is that? All those years of practicing orienteering paid off!
I made it back across the creek, found the trail, and headed back down the mountain. I was in a much better mood than when I’d started today! I was so glad I’d decided to come hiking. Matterhorn Peak is my new favorite 13er!
#WetterhornPeak#MatterhornPeak#14015#13590#hiking#climbing#summit#14er#14erchallenge#13er#14erchallenge33#wildwanderer#sunrise#colorado
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