7/20/2022 Today is my group meeting and it is a blessing, especially when I do not want to go. This quote came to me when I was looking for another quote. The language is rough and shocking but it is appropriate for the subject. Please meditate on this.

“Power itself is founded largely on disgust. The whole of advertising, the whole of political discourse, is a public insult to the intelligence, to reason - but an insult in which we collaborate, abjectly subscribing to a silent interaction. The day of hidden persuasion is over: those who govern us now resort unapologetically to arm-twisting pure and simple. The prototype here was a banker got up like a vampire, saying, 'I am after you for your money' . A decade has already gone by since this kind of obscenity was introduced, with the government's blessing, into our social mores. At the time we thought the ad feeble because of its aggressive vulgarity. In point of fact it was a prophetic commercial, full of intimations of the future shape of social relationships, because it operated, precisely, in terms of disgust, avidity and rape. The same goes for pornographic and food advertising, which are also powered by shamelessness and lust, by a strategic logic of violation and anxiety. Nowadays you can seduce a woman with the words, 'I am interested in your cunt' . The same kind of crassness has triumphed in the realm of art, whose mounds of trivia may be reduced to a single pronouncement of the type, 'What we want from you is stupidity and bad taste' . And the fact is that we do succumb to this mass extortion, with its subtle infusion of guilt.
It is true in a sense that nothing really disgusts us any more. In our eclectic culture, which embraces the debris of all others in a promiscuous confusion, nothing is unacceptable. But for this very reason disgust is nevertheless on the increase - the desire to spew out this promiscuity, this indifference to everything no matter how bad, this viscous adherence of opposites. To the extent that this happens, what is on the increase is disgust over the lack of disgust. An allergic temptation to reject everything en bloc: to refuse all the gentle brainwashing, the soft-sold overfeeding, the tolerance, the pressure to embrace synergy and consensus.”
― Jean Baudrillard, The Transparency of Evil: Essays in Extreme Phenomena

“Quotes aren’t something we use when we are lazy or can’t find the words but are to be used when they say something better than we can in our own words.” Me

 

7/19/2022 Is hope realistic? Is hope just some fantasy to make us feel better?

“Despair is a refusal of reality.”
― Marty Rubin

It actually is the other way around! For thousands of years Creation has run orderly in spite of the deep corruption of sin. Hope is natural and is the acceptance of the reality of the Creation we depend on.

This is an entry from my Hope Journal which helps me hope, beyond hope.

Despair is a refusal to see and accept grace as well as hope. Even within the Church many do not truly believe in redemption which changes a person from bad to better. We see other through the distorted vision of their past and our prejudice. Reality reveals people and times change all the time!

From my Grace Journal to remind me of our need not for agreement but grace in our relationships.

 

7/18/2022 “There is no way I can stand against the powerful and the evil.” “One person could never make a difference.” “Why does God let evil have so much power?” “Can tomorrow be any better?

Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? Are they really questions or are they excuses for our failure, that is failure to try? Many great things have happened because one person or a small group stand up and make things better. Some fail but even they encourage others. There are historical stories that as Christians died for their faith they sang and people in the crowd would join them in their sacrifice because they were drawn to a people who not only had something worth living for but also worth dying for!!!

This is a combination of my Hope and Grace Journals.

 

7/17/2022 Some see Sunday as the seventh day of the week but it really is the first day of a new week. Saturday is the seventh day and the Sabbath – a day of rest. Sunday is the first day of the week and is the day of resurrection – the first day of life!!!

This is a combination of my Hope and Grace Journals.

 

7/16/2022 When the clouds cover the sky does the sun still shine? When pain sucks the very marrow from our bones is their still life? When grief shreds our soul can we still love? Hope gives the ability to know and see the sun beyond the clouds, life beyond pain and love beyond grief.

This is an entry from my Hope Journal which helps me hope, beyond hope.

Grace needs eyes to see where feet must carry it and hands to know who needs its touch. We can teach our eyes to see the need and where grace is needed but if we are open to guidance by God’s eyes grace can reach beyond our sight and ability.

From my Grace Journal to remind me of our need not for agreement but grace in our relationships.

 

 7/15/2022 Hope is not only possible in the midst of pain, grief or loss but it is essential! In the day to day when all is going well hope may be in background and not appreciated. When all seems to fall apart hope leads you to the light at the end of the tunnel of what you are passing through. Hope also helps you know that light is not a train!!!

This is an entry from my Hope Journal which helps me hope, beyond hope.

Some people may not see the need for grace because they have never opened the eyes of their soul to see the grace that surrounds them. God’s grace is available for the lost as well as who have a relationship with Him. Grace is also offered by others to them each and every day. Look for grace and it will be revealed in all its wonder!

From my Grace Journal to remind me of our need not for agreement but grace in our relationships.

 7/14/2022 This was not a good day. For awhile I thought saying it was a bad day or not a good day was pessimistic and so I would say it was a good day. Then saying I was having a good day became meaningless so I went to the pessimistic, possibly realistic, phrases.

Why? Oh well.

Why was the only thought that came to my mind as I stood by the side of the road next to my used to be faithful car. Why did my car break down and why now? Though is there ever a convenient time to break down?

Help was coming in the form of a tow truck so now all I had to do was wait for my knight in towing truck to appear. I looked both directions down the road even though I knew it wouldn’t help my help come any sooner. Oh well.

Why does it always take so long? Or does any amount of time waiting for help seem to be long? And why do I take times like these to become philosophical? Oh well.

Seeking any kind of diversion my mind wandered to thinking about time. After all at this time I had time and hopefully it would keep me from both anger and impatience. Oh well. Hopefully.

Is time always the same for all? Does time run faster for some and slower for others or do we just perceive it that way? Is my minute the same as everyone else? Oh well.

Suddenly I realized it had been a very long time since I had seen a car pass me. Was this road so desolate? Didn’t anyone live around here? How long had it been since I saw a house or lights? Is it possible to be that lost? Oh well.

As if in answer to my questions headlights appeared coming from the way I had come. As they slowly drew closer I could see the headlights were from a car rather than the long awaited tow truck. Oh well.

That clanking sound seemed familiar. What were the chances someone would have the same problem I did? I pulled up in front of me. What? My mind seemed to make the same clanking noise my car made. Both my car. Is it possible to break down in the same place at the same time?

What am I thinking? Of course not! Or could it? Have I lost my mind or just touch with time?

Looking up the road at myself I didn’t know what to do. Should I go and talk to myself. Did I just think that? I must be losing my mind! Aren’t I, or are we losing our minds? Oh well.

Just as I was starting to walk to my car and talk to myself headlights came toward me – us? A light bar lit up the surroundings and in shock I watched a tow truck pull up and quickly prepared to tow the car.

Then I got in the truck that is pulling my car and then it drove away. Hey! That was my tow truck! I stole my tow truck! Did I just steal my tow truck from myself? Oh well.

Is this from my mind? Thoughts I probably shouldn’t have.

(I added this new category to fit the devotions I do not know where to fit. Could I have started to get my sense of humor back? Oh well.)