The Block

The cedar break

As a Newly ordained youth minister in a fundamental baptist church in Texas - I found myself in need of a job. You know , one that pays for bills like food and clothes and electricity, rent , gas , things like that. I came to these 2 conclusions -- the bigger the faith the more freedom you receive. The more freedom you receive the more it cost.
I met a man - we will call him Red - ol Rev. Red. This man compared to me was short. Built like a chunky man , he preached with fire from his heart I had never seen. He was red headed and freckled and wore a mustache like Wayett Earp. In the struggle to find a job he invited me out with him one day to help him cut cedar. I was born in the city. He called me city boy. He grew up in a place in Texas I had never seen or even heard of. While I grew up on the streets, he grew up in the break. The break- a term used by those who "log" woodland areas of private property . Cedar is so --- free growing in Texas it's almost considered wild. People in Texas who own land generally dislike cedar - to the point that they allow people and some times pay people to come on their land and cut it out. To them it gets in the way. This is where I found my self - ol reds assistant. Cedars bushy and Kinna sappy and very flammable. It grows nearly every where and it tends for the most part to grow big fast and thick and strait. As a wood , cedar smells nice and looks pretty. Beautiful red wood mixed with white sometimes dark red. Being a city boy I stood in a old pair of jeans and watched my pastor begin to shave a post out. After what seemed a few jerks with his Orange chainsaw - there was a solid cedar post rising high where a big green bush used to be. " let's stack what we don't use in a burn pile " he said ... so i did. It would be a few days later we would go through all the piles and with a smaller chain saw - "fish out" the smaller logs and "staves" as they are called ( small -walking stick type of 5 foot sticks- in betweeners--- from fence post to fence post these were the fillers - you tie these to the fence wire to keep animals from crossing the fence , cows horse so on and so forth. Here's the deal- these cedar logs has to be 8 ft or longer for a cedar yard to buy em and they had to be, depending on shape , thick enough to use as fence posts. The thicker the post the more they brought. Cedar , in the ground will out last any metal as a fence post. So here, we are loading a truck with difrent size logs made from solid Cedar. I'm not gunna lie - them thing were heavy and solid. The old saying is "if you cut it you pack it" in real talk if you cut a log , your gunna have to cart it to the truck and stack it . Red could pick up 2- yea 2 post 12 long and 2 foot round. Dude was solid! Them something happen on the break - I fell in love with the land and the tree and the way. A love I still hold to this day.
I can still cut n pack cedar just like the first time. You never loose it - it's as much a part of me as I am of it. I smile some mornings and look on my home and notice the small stack of cedar to the side or in the driveway and it takes me back to the break.

With much faith comes much freedom and freedom isn't cheap. Some times freedom takes a few trips to the break. There in the break you won't find anything easy and no one does anything for ya. Is it dangerious - yup. Depending on how you leave it and how well you cut - they may not ask you back or even better, they may.

May the force be with y'all!

Me and my family are a Nintendo generation type of family - I am and they follow suite. I blame the 80's lol . Now - we have a WII. We bowl and tennis - ping pong- shoot- rock out and very frequently : drive. Mario kart is a very real thing in my family. It binds us , allows us to defuse and brings us closer together. I've played Mario kart so much I am a self proclaimed Mario kart master. Jk
During play , I've found hidden truths in the game I never thought possible. I often fight the wife and brother in law and friends for first place. On the wii , there is a blue turtle . It's got horns and runs past every one else and guns for the person in first place. This is its purpose. It even has a whistle all on its own. During the course of play and over time I've found some times you can't out run it . You hear it at the last moment due to every other noise crash banana dodging and red turtle going on. It can get chaotic at times. To the experienced gamer, there are tricks of the trait . I've found at the last moment , if I'm gunning for first with others right on my tail .... hit the brake let some one take 1 st and slide away . Boom . You can hit the brake and take every one else out as well leaving you sliding into first place again. Some times it works , sometimes it don't , some times the wife does it and I'm left inches away from the finish line as she slide in for the win... then the infamous saying happens -" that's Mario kart"
Another trick I learned is sometimes it's gunna be close. Sometimes it comes to the inches of seconds and sometimes if you take the blue turtle the right way - it throws you foward ... tword the finish line. I've done it several times. Stolen first regardless of what color turtle or intent hits me !
That's Mario kart at its best. A very good "evener outer. " ( equalizer) When you get a gold mushroom at the end and just blaze thru the water sand and blocks that keep every one else back.
Its Kinna what I see in life. Life is no way a game to be played to me but I see so many others quit ... right before and they could easily win if they just ... learned a few tricks or stayed a bit longer or even learned to take a hit or two ... in a difrent way.
My encouragment to this wonderful place is play again - ( put another quarter in- as we arcade "Ian's " say - I got an extra quarter and I got you ) get more experience points ! Do it again till you get it right and do it till you get the hang of it - after all this is Mario kart - this is life . No telling what's next . In all the toil- trauma- drama - red turtles blue turtles that always seem to come at the wrong times... keep playing !!!!! Keep going , keep driving ! DONT quit ! Each time you try - you learn somthimg new ! Pass it on, some one else might not know the blue turtle can be used , rather than feared!
Peace to all y'all ! Play on temple , play on!

A good Monday thought !

An excerpt from “ The World according to Mister Rodger”
By Fred himself
You don’t have to do anything sensational for people to love you. When I say “ It’s you I like,” I’m talking about the part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can see or hear or touch ... that deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which mankind cannot survive: love that conquers hate , peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.
So in all that you do in all your life, I wish you the strength and the grace to make those choices which allow you and your neighbor to become the best of who ever you are.
...
2004 Family communications- Hallmark edition page 189


May the Force be with y’all my friends my neighbors and my Temple!
Maybthe force give you strength peace joy and what you need to make your path what it needs to be !

Have you thought about punlishing a book? These are quite wonderful

*blushing . . . Thanks pastor
Maybe ?

Taken from here


https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/open-discussions/121089-what-does-authenticity-mean-to-you?limitstart=0#319215


I love this discussion honestly . The next few statements are tword the modern day Jedist and to those who believe and make the active and try to apply the common core beliefs to a real life practice.
The human potential... the ability to say we are individuals ... the inherit worth of all... this belief creates “authentic” individuals or as we find - equally difrent individuals. Personally - I don’t think The Jedi practice isn’t so much as finding these individuals And the definitions ... (not in my practice ///actually , it may be difrent for others- give it a few seconds and it will be obvious) but —- and this is the big but in our faith I find - can we be with the rest of the world. ? Can we be us ... our own authentic self as others be their own authentic self? Can we support / not us / but some other authentic sentient being? Or does it make our existence - the others or the acknowledgement of others “ not “ like us and even not willing to harmonize with us —- make others not receive the freedoms our faith and or practice or idea or philosophy or what ever we call our Jedist path is ? Not sure if that question was clear or not. I find the hardest part of my own faith as a Jedist is to allow - not me - or not my ideas the freedoms my own ideas and practice gets. Authenticity - can we actually let it be outside our own definition?

In my very own practice ...

There is no greater place than that of equal. To give every avalible freedome I posess is the toughest thing I think I have faced since becoming a modern day Jedist. In my path as a Jedist there are no longer “enemy’s” or this side or that ... for
Me, it’s just another link another way a difrent color a difrent idea another road along side my own. (Equal) To see the world like this can change our actions in a significant way. Very significantly . It can change our view of things as well.

This week, I encourage us as a Temple
And as Jedists to take a few minutes and breath deep - feel the connection- and feel that the Force is as possible - mine ,
as it is yours and as much as you have I also can have as well as you can have my equal share. When views this way - then inherit worth of all can show a brighter shade. There is no compotition when we see things like this. Only receiving - only gifts only giving and getting ...


Isn’t that a difrent way to look at th world today ?
Be well and maybte Force we seek share and serve be with y’all!

Ps feel
Free to leave a comment. I leave in peace!

Good bread or bad bread ?

Bread - wheat - I’m amazed at the information we have and the ability google or research things to as far as we can. The origin of wheat is still unknown. (Tid bit)
Bread is shared by every culture. Every culture seems to have some form of bread around the table and it’s easly shared or easly hoarded. Doesn’t last too long and even better is it is best served fresh.
This weeks questions is this - if you light a loaf of bread and throw it in a crowd and it explodes - is that good bread or bad bread?! Second question- if you light a stick of dynamite and throw it in a rock quary and after the dust settles it reveal s gems or precious things - is that good dynamite or bad dynamite?
Same stick you light and throw in a mall- same result -boom! Still bad dynamite ?

So many times in life we light our fuse or let our fuse light and the end result is devastation, even to our own inner circle. Some of us ( myself included) light the fuse and watch the dust settle in the aftermath yet - we expect everything to be - ok when we’ve thrown our stick into a group of people or even lit our “bread” and watched it explode.
-Intent - application- purpose - focus -
These are things we can have before - waaaaaaay before we even grab the matches. If it turmoil and ground zero we seek than by all means - there’s no need to sit and think about anything - in will come easly. But - BUT - if we would like to be a bit different... maybe a diffrent approach and a diffrent focus and view can help.

Are we lighting our bread ? We watching our bread explode ?what - is - your bread ? Are we sharing ? What’s the intention of our bread ?
Don’t let your bread explode - share it !
Something to think about
Force be to y’all !

There can be many, many .. MANY things that can keep a Jedi from their path. Money time effort to name a few. Yet, if these things can keep - these can also free. How - that’s the kicker! Some master them, others disregard and yet others still overcome. Some have entirely different ways of dealing with things that would take us years. To be Jedi is not to say which is right or wrong but which can I use to help me.

Kinda changes things I hope as far as how we see things.

This week change the way ya see things maybe and get a new center or a new way to tackle - overcome or even grow something new from some where else than us. Totally possible !

Bitch
The female dog became a word of insult in Western civilization because of her ancient association with Goddess religion. Often the Goddess herself was called the Great Bitch, or her priestesses described themselves as her hunting bitches: especially the priestesses of Artemis/Diana, whose original people were the Alani, “hunting dogs.” The nurse of King Cyrus the Great was a representative of the Goddess, as Kings nurses had to be at the time. Her name was Cyno, meaning “bitch” in Greek, or Spako, meaning “Bitch” in the Median language.
The word lupae, “wolf bitches” used to be applied to harlot-priestesses in Rome; and Herodotus described the wolf-like howlings in the temple performed by priestesses of Athene. The divine queen of Troy escaped death by transforming herself into “one of those fearful black bitches that follow Hecate”. Similar Goddess-following, promiscuous huntresses seem to have kept a foothold in British forest lands, as the Arthurian legends indicate. The word “bawd” which came to mean a loose woman, formerly meant nothing more than a hunting dog.
“Son of a Bitch” became an insult because it used to be the equivalent of son of a whore, or perhaps even worse, a son of the Goddess—-that is a devil by Christian definition.
This is an excerpt taken from: page364/5 of “The Woman’s Dictionary of symbols and sacred objects” by Barbara G. Walker.

Just a tidbit of different information, in case you didn’t know, now you know.

There is a line most of us have . Jedi or not - there exist a place where when we cross it - we know that some point is reached. Some of us , anger pain patience annoyance fun pleasure - can all be their limits. It happens to me not to often but it does happen. So...
What do you do when you reach that point? To be wise is to understand and define these moments as existent and to frequent them , sometimes can give us the ability to have a better understanding rather than just automatic meltdown. When that point is reached here’s a suggestion (only a suggestion) identify it and say “hey ! There it is !found it! Yay!!!!” At that point, the automatic response can change into something other than anger or what we are used to. Some times it’s the people I choose to have present that remind me of my goals and my focus.
From one Jedi to another think about this if you like - when you teach your point - any point - be glad you got the ability to see it and notice it and even maybe —- change the outcome !
May the force be with y’all as we all seek it!
We are never alone - especially in THIS please .

Very thought provoking Master! You often post things that make me think about if I am doing the right thing and whether or not I can continue. You are an inspiration and you always drive me to push forward. This is definitely something to think about.
May the Force be with You Always

And may the Force we both serve seek and find - continue to be with you My jack! Keep living your practice brother !

Tuesday morning I sit with coffee (coffee thanks to my president ) and omlet s and good company. My wife’s got the audio of “teaching meditation” by Alan Wats playing . Truth be told it’s been about two years almost three years now with her IP.
We have talked about it so many times and Our actual practice of meditation is a key thing we even try to pass to the children we have.
Truth of the matter is - our time is full. All our time. Children - dishes - eating - breathing - cleaning- classes - lessons - work - groceries - man , some days we can’t even catch a break to do all the things we like. Some days we won’t have time or the effort or the availability to do things we like. So here’s my encouragement to all you great people here - realize that just because we don’t have time for things doesn’t mean they are not important to us. It’s the very human thing to say sometimes if I’m not directly in it ... It can’t have value and I can’t be satisfied with my involvement. I suffer this many times. The small freedoms I have I have learned and this one I learned from a grouchy old farmer.
“Carl-us- that’s how he said my name - Carlus - I’m a farmer in the winter as much as I am in the summer” think about that for a minute ... and may it help some one out there today.
All my heart my Temple . May the Force be with y’all as we seek it and as we find it !

Ah yes the IP, someday I will finish it, but as life happens some things fall to the back burner, but that doesn't mean they don't matter. Carlos and I discuss temple matters daily and although my presence is rarely seen, my thoughts are frequently with the temple. As far as our discussions in the house have gone, the IP seems silly to me at times because of the rudimentary status of the lessons in comparison to how far I have grown outside of them. It doesn't mean they aren't relevant but it does prove that without direct guidance and structure the Jedi path is available to all who seek it. HAVE A GREAT DAYS GUYS!!

I have to say im not happy with my involvement wish i was here more doin more, and doin lesson in shorter time but it doesnt mean its not important as my self i think about it daily . life does happen i just tell myself i will try tomorrow sometimes it affects me in ways that i get to feeling bad bc i didnt get to do it or i get angry for the same reason or i just tell myself i get to it when i can to keep me from getting frustrated or down .

Some times I remind my loved ones and myself -“ in my best crush voice from finding Nemo - dude - your riding it !!! Your a part of this , remember young Jedi , if it wasn’t for you there would be no us! Be well and may the Force CONTINUE to be with you friend !

smile and nods thank u master as im glad i am a part of . definately took in a moment in where it makes u go hmmm so true ..

One of my favriot people is Mr Fred Rodgers. While watching Mr Rodgers neighborhood with my son, the song - “it’s you I like” came on. He sings it himself. I remember growing up and watching it on a crappy little 1 ft box - at the old home I grew up in. Now , in 2018 we have a blue ray player and a much bigger television. While watching Mr Rogers - the part where he sings - I noticed some thing I never could have growing up - at the end part of the song , thanks to the blue ray - Mr Rogers tears up at the end of the song. That man ... gives us his whole heart some times. Any how, he says something often and since he says it in a book he says it as often as I can frequent it. Smiley face

“If you could only sence how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person. “

The world according to Mister Rogers - important things to remember

What are we as Jedi leaving with the people we meet - touch - we y’all to- what impression do we leave? Cus you know- we will most likely, we will see them again!
May the force be with y’all!

Compassion
What a word . Some choose to live by it and even swear by it others ... well others don’t see it as a priority. In the real world we live in , there is a huge mix of every value and definition of this one simple word. If - what- how- and to what degree we value it is strictly to us as true individuals and as human beings. Even greater is who gets it from us. This week,
As we live and go to work or the store or even just stay home , let’s ask ourselfs - where compassion is and who gets it. Should we shift some ideas around? Can we ? Can we practice a bit more the simple word that can remove ones self so often. ? Maybe ... what’s your definition? Where do you practice ? Do you ?
May the Force be ever with you in your every day Jedi!