Perdido River

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Perdido River gets its name from Native American's and the word itself translates to 'lost'.  

It is very easy to get lost if traveling the twisted bends and joining pond like pockets.  

I was fortunate enough to live on that river for 25 years of my life.  

My father owned a small boat which I would borrow when I needed to escape to a more

peaceful state of mind.  One section of the river from my backyard led to a thin trail-way

which could only be crossed by oaring your boat.  Moss laden trees, swamp grass and 

lily pads pack together beneath a blue sky.  This is reflected back and forth from slow

rippling water back up and all around the traveler.  I called this one area the 'Amazons' 

because it was a miniature mental image of how I imagined that great river to be.  It was

untamed and quietly waiting for anyone to join on its lazy path.

You can only hear your oar in the movement gliding yourself along, cicada and other voices from natures family.  Sticking the oar deep into the mud lets off a powerful primeval algae like smell which is not really bad if you associate it to the mystery of life's beginning.

I attempted one time to get lost while going upstream in and out of numerous pocket type ponds.  When I believed I had gone far enough and achieved my goal I crossed to the opposite side of an island to head home.  I noted the river had a certain direction and surmised it should be flowing back to the ocean.  This should be the correct way to follow back on a separate route back to my home.  It also made it easier to travel as the boat floated slowly but steadily with the current.  I believed I would eventually see familiar surroundings if I just stuck to this natural flow while keeping the boat from landing or finding underwater stumps (from trees near the shore that had fallen in storms).  

There is a peaceful feeling in being lost when you trust your inner guide and let it take over so to speak.  This was a long trip but so calming that I would continue to return to it many times.  I even visit it still in my dreams, waking with the same peace and contentment as I'd felt all those years ago.

The water then was clearer than today.  The land seemed to be richer in greenery in my recollection.  I was blessed to see deer, otters, beavers, alligators from a safe distance, osprey, cranes, blonde puma, bobcats, families of raccoons and all sorts of beautiful wildlife.  

My family and our home survived through several major hurricanes with no damage to its structure.  I have seen a waterspout jump the shore, fly over our home and hit a neighbors house across the street.  We have been stranded without electricity, only well water which my father treated after storm contamination and no outside connection to society for 2 weeks at the most.  This improved once the road was paved and governing officials realized we did not have water without electricity.  Our region is still missing from most maps in spite of technology.  I suppose the Native Americans who first named the river knew

(once again) what they were talking about.

For years I had a strong mental vision of a tall proud Native American, standing at the rivers edge behind our property.  When we moved from there it seemed that he'd left for it has change drastically over the years.  I suppose everything does and that-that is the natural order of things.  The water is no longer clear and fishing is no longer allowed.  Our city and its corporations are currently engineering a waste system which begins at the factory level then joins into suburbia waste which ends up on the wetlands I once called home.  The land is governmental owned and now private.  Warnings of camera's and against trespassing dot the once free roadside in ominous silence.  Promises of safety, environmentally sound procedures drip like honey from the typed information hiding actual faces behind the machine of advancement.  

Surprisingly I am not saddened by all of this, but more disappointed as a mother with a mischievous child would be.  I am also sorry.  Sorry for those with authority and one sided visions of the future.  

I am hopeful for the energy of youth.  The next generation whose fault does not lie in any of it, will find ways to mop up behind our government of today like wiping a toddlers dirty bottom.  Till then all that I feel I am able to do is to ride the current flow to its outcome, where ever and when ever that will be.  I will try to help educate, fight to my own ability and pray for more natural answers so that we may cohabit this home in a better way.

Life...is but a dream.

Game Applications and the Bible

Christianity as defined by our dear friend Webster as states

Definition of CHRISTIANITY
1: the religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the Bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies

2: conformity to the Christian religion

3: the practice of Christianity

My definition of Christianity is the study of the New Testament Bible along with references to the old testament along with daily practicing to behave as Jesus Christ and taking on his discipleship.

This lifestyle comes with a whole lot of discrimination from every walk of life including by its own practitioners. Debating the Bible is fine by me, but quarreling over various dogma's and divided sects is not. Now if I can only continue that line of thought (myself) while getting to the point of this blog.

There is a new application on facebook called 'Holy Land'. The object of the game is to have sermons (teachings from the Bible) twice a day along with fund raisers in order to help the players church to grow (or game in reality). In order to play a person agrees to give over all of their friends and family from their personal facebook account to 'pass-on the word' of God or the game in truth.

This sounded a little good, but it also smacked of using my faith against me in order to have a battle of the 'Wills' -- Mine, versus the game, versus God? Yes.
The 1st sermon I was given instructed me to type and keep up. ??? Now it is a test on my typing skills...never-mind that. The 1st sermon was a bomb shell of controversy and the point behind my problem with the game itself.

Acts 2:4
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:3-5

This is dynamite for an argument between differing churches beliefs or interpretations of text which has been chopped apart, loosing the lesson.
By not reading the whole of this text one can use it for their own purpose and not Gods. IF you are interested in reading the whole this is what it says in the NIV, OR you can scroll past it.

Acts 2
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[c]

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[e]

29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’[f]

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Footnotes:

Acts 2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11
Acts 2:9 That is, the Roman province by that name
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32
Acts 2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles)
Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11 (see Septuagint)
Acts 2:35 Psalm 110:1

There are in-numerable such passages (which is another sermon, but more of my own), throughout the Bible. My point being that I can not consciously participate in this game as I find (in Christian terms) the fruit to be somewhat tainted.
If others wish to continue with the game that is fine by me. I am not trying to attack any game, gamer or game maker. It just seemed against my personal Christian belief of attacking others in a subtle way with my personal convictions versus their own. THAT is between each of us and God.

Echo's from the darkness: Ghost Hunting

Echo's from the darkness: Ghost Hunting