Tag Archives: Iran

Awakening

Awakening: (n) an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something.dictionary with letter A

There are minor disruptions to our emotional and spiritual sleepiness, but there is only one Great Awakening.

I know it may be popular to complicate the life journey, making it seem like an unholy maze, but really, the secret to human interaction is so simple that people almost feel the need to complicate it to convince themselves of their intellectual superiority.

This Great Awakening came to me about thirty-five years ago, but I have to constantly revive it and refurbish it every thirty-five minutes. If I don’t, I start believing the lies that infest my heart, which I have condemned, but they still refuse to take their baggage and leave.

  • What is the Great Awakening?
  • What will change the world?

A simple statement: “It’s not just me.”

There you go.

No matter what happens, no matter what situation comes up–whether you’re dealing with nation against nation or husband negotiating with wife–it’s not just me. Other people have feelings, other people have needs, other people want to escape depression.

So whatever issue comes up, rather than espousing some reverent scripture or proclaiming my own prowess or knowledge, I insert the awakening phrase: It’s not just me. Other people have requirements also.

And if I’m going to enjoy certain privileges and blessings, I must be aware that others may also desire completion.

When we’re dealing with Iran, it’s not just us.

When we’re dealing with ISIS, it’s not just us.

Somehow in the midst of our righteous anger, we should muster the righteous wisdom to realize that we are not alone, and therefore cannot act alone.

It’s not just me.

Freedom was not created as my playground with a gate on it to keep you out.

It is the Great Awakening.

It is the answer.

And when I allow myself to realize that it’s not just me, I become both a better person … and a possible friend.

 

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Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) —  J.R. Practix

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Abadan and Abaddon

by J. R. Practix

dictionary with letter AAbadan: a major port and oil-refining center on an island of the same name on the Shatt al-Arab waterway in western Iran; pop. 308,000

Abaddon: (in the Bible) a name for the Devil or for hell.

A couple of evenings ago, after dinner with some friends, we got into a discussion on hell. It was either that, another piece of pie or trying to figure out how to play UNO again.

During this exchange, it quickly became evident that no matter how theologically involved each person was, the general consensus was that hell was not a very good place and that everyone hoped it would not be as advertised–an institution of eternal damnation. Most people agreed that there are consequences in life.

Now, hell is an easy one for me–and these two words personify it. Anyone who digs a hole in the ground, discovers oil and realizes he are rich–BUT the next notion that comes to his mind is, “How can I get richer off of this?” is pretty much a brat of hell.

For instance, if you follow the story of Lucifer, this was exactly his profile. He was IN heaven–actually holding a good position with a nice office in upper management–and one day, he decided, “I wanna get richer.” That’s why he ended up in the basement, here on earth.

Some oil refinery in Iran, filled with people wearing robes and desert hats, who get together and try, in the name of Allah, to annoy the western world by raising the price on their product, causing great grief to working moms and dads across the world, have, in my opinion, already laid the foundation and built the boundaries for hell.

Somewhere along the line, enough has to be enough. If you’ve got enough crap to buy a golden toilet seat, you may just have booked passage to Perdition.  The only thing that links us to the devilish is when we are not willing to be satisfied with our portion of extreme blessing, but instead want to “own it all.”

So heaven begins here on earth, with those who want to do heavenly things with each other. And hell is also instigated in the hearts of those individuals who are constantly trying to come up with ways to make the lives of others more hellish

I am sure the people of Abaddon would resent my tying them in with the lake of fire. But after all, when you live near an oil refinery, you should be careful playing with matches–especially when you’re sitting near a lake.