tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65074372273867597032024-03-13T14:53:16.033-07:00Advancement PointsMoving forward, gaining strength, improving skill, sharpening senses, increasing knowledge, widening vision, leveling up - our lives are meant to advance.JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-62292397156061135522021-03-05T22:59:00.006-08:002021-03-05T23:16:35.697-08:00The Sacred Duty of Being Creative<p>I haven't posted anything here for months. To those who have been paying attention, please accept my sincerest apologies. In fact, I haven't posted anything on this site since June, 2020. According to the stats, however, I think most of you come to this blog because of your interest in The One Ring roleplaying game, which is a good thing or I might not have any visitors at all!</p><p>Given that a vast majority of you are J.R.R. Tolkien fans, I try to keep most of my posts related to him in some way. This post will be no different.</p><p>Let me begin by asking you a couple of questions. <i>When was the last time you really worked on improving your creativity? Did you know you have a sacred duty to be creative?</i></p><p>A couple of years ago I picked up a book called <i>Caffeine for the Creative Mind</i> by Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield. It was during a time that I was re-discovering drawing again after a long absence. I wanted to start my creative juices flowing again and I needed some practical exercises to kickstart the process. The book did not disappoint. Not only was it filled with practical and creative exercises, it was filled with teaching about creativity in general. Very inspirational.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ena9MVJ-dho/YEMnV-MQXNI/AAAAAAAABiM/KSf-MfmfGB8W7nq_yjploF_DAKxZZfl7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s430/cftcm-side.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="430" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ena9MVJ-dho/YEMnV-MQXNI/AAAAAAAABiM/KSf-MfmfGB8W7nq_yjploF_DAKxZZfl7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/cftcm-side.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here is a sample of the kinds of things taught in this book:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Everyone on the planet is creative.</li><li>The only difference between you and those you think are truly creative is execution.</li><li>Creativity is a muscle.</li><li>Creativity is producing something original which has value to others because it makes them laugh, cry, or think.</li></ul><p></p><p>I named this Blogger site Advancement Points because my goal is to provide thoughtful content to anyone desiring to improve their life. One sure way of advancing your life is to exercise your creativity. Tolkien believed that we are all sub-creators; that we are a reflection of our Creator. </p><p>In his book <i>The Proverbs of Middle-earth (1981)</i>, Author David Rowe provides this take on the subject: </p><p>"Tolkien’s original hope, to provide a mythology for his beloved but generally legend-free England, was far more than a quest for exciting stories. He believed that the creative process of myth-making is nothing short of a sacred task; <b>that humans have a special responsibility to reflect their Creator by becoming sub-creators</b>. As a result, Tolkien sought to bring into being an internally cohesive sub-creation, credible in every way; having the air of being well-worn and lived in, not fresh from the oven. When sub-creation is successful, the inner consistency of wholly fictional environments is so convincing, so real, that the imagination is enchanted and the reader under the storyteller’s spell. But this ambition (in Tolkien’s estimation, at least) could only be fully realised by the handcrafting of an entire world—from the minutiae of geology and regional flora to the dealings of characters and cultures over the course of millennia. Each intricately detailed leaf on Tolkien’s Tree demonstrates this tireless pursuit of depth and a convincing ‘inner reality.’ The Council of Elrond, for example, begins with an extended history lesson before showcasing a range of cross-cultural disagreements, all packed with authentic-feeling historical and anthropological detail (and not a few proverbs). Likewise, when Pippin corrects King Théoden’s Holbytlan to Hobbits the narrative is not advanced, but the exchange has an underlying etymological integrity that serves to provide (what Tom Shippey calls) the ‘illusion of historical truth.’"</p><p>As a result of these beliefs and unwavering dedication to them, we have <i>The Silmarillion</i>, <i>The Hobbit</i>, and <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. These are great works of sub-creation.</p><p><i>What sort of beliefs do you have about your own creativity and responsibility to create? What will you create next? Are you willing to work hard at it and dedicate yourself to it? </i></p><p>I will end this post with a final comment about Tolkien. I have read many times that Tolkien struggled to finish <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, "the new Hobbit." He began writing it in late 1937 and wrote in stages until he finished in 1949. Twelve years is a long time, but he didn't give up. With the encouragement of C.S. Lewis, he kept going. And even after he finished writing, he failed negotiations with Collins to publish it in 1952. Tolkien would have to wait until July 1954 before <i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i> was finally published by Allen & Unwin.</p><p>The lesson? Never give up on being a sub-creator and make sure you surround yourself with encouraging friends. You will need them!</p>JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-19895713236537984032020-06-05T00:10:00.001-07:002020-06-05T00:11:44.601-07:00Snapdragons!Tonight, I am sitting up thinking about the future of The One Ring Roleplaying Game now that a new partnership has been formed between Sophisticated Games and Free League Games (Fria Ligan). I was highly involved with Cubicle7 Games, helping them at GenCon for many years, and just being a devoted fan, commenting on their forum until it came down, but then on BoardGameGeek for awhile. Now, I'm happy to report that Free League has started a <a href="https://forum.frialigan.se/viewforum.php?f=129" target="_blank">forum</a> for the game. It feels like going back home after a long while. In fact, the forum setup is very much like the old C7 one.<br />
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Enough catching up! Let me get to the point of this particular blog entry. It has to do with a word that Tolkien used in the opening chapter of The Hobbit, and that word is <b>snapdragons</b>.<br />
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<i>"They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons...and hang in the twilight all evening!"</i><br />
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Funny thing, for many years I have used the term "Snapdragons!" as an exclamation like one would say the word, "Shoot!" But, I never remembered where I got it from or what it meant...until now.<br />
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There's a great book I'd like to recommend to you by Oliver Loo called A Tolkien English Glossary: A Guide to Old Uncommon and Archaic Words Used in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. You can download it on Kindle for free <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-English-Glossary-Uncommon-Achaic-ebook/dp/B003WQAT28/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=A+Tolkien+English+Glossary%3A+A+Guide+to+Old+Uncommon+and+Archaic+Words+Used+in+The+Hobbit+and+The+Lord+of+the+Ring&qid=1591339993&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxvBqerb61g/XtnsQe4jrSI/AAAAAAAABXE/WMwfhp4A1jQ3qZCN7jbId_2X8cn2p0NxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/A%2BTolkien%2BEnglish%2BGlossary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="383" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxvBqerb61g/XtnsQe4jrSI/AAAAAAAABXE/WMwfhp4A1jQ3qZCN7jbId_2X8cn2p0NxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/A%2BTolkien%2BEnglish%2BGlossary.jpg" width="245" /></a>Here is the the definition of snapdragons:<br />
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A plant of the scrophulariaceous genus Antirrhinum, esp. A. Majus, an herb long cultivated for its spikes of showy flowers, of various colors, with a corolla that has been supposed to look like the mouth of a dragon.<br />
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That sounds like a pretty cool looking plant to me!<br />
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Tolkien's attention to geography and flora, especially, has always impressed and intimidated me. I'm no botanist and I feel very uneducated when it comes to the science of geography and ecosystems, etc. When I write, I have to study so much about flora and fauna and recently I found a website to help with this called <a href="http://inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist.org</a>. I highly recommend it to anyone writing adventures for The One Ring or Adventures In Middle-earth roleplaying games and you want to add some interesting descriptions to give your gaming sessions a more authentic Tolkienian feel. If anyone finds a geography site with land and water descriptions, please let me know!<br />
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Oh, look here! I found a picture of snapdragons. Beautiful.<br />
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<br />JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-57875753307852982392018-10-21T22:37:00.000-07:002019-03-07T12:57:12.738-08:00The Terrible Battle of Five Armies<div>
As many of my friends and readers know, I am a huge fan and contributor to The One Ring Roleplaying Game (see my page on this blog dedicated to unofficial materials I've created for the game). In my view, it is the greatest roleplaying game ever produced for a number of reasons that I won't jump into in this post, except to say that one of its greatest strengths is how it was designed around the source material: the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover art for The Battle of Five Armies board game published by Ares Games.</td></tr>
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As I was thinking about how characters develop in a roleplaying game versus how characters develop in a novel, my thoughts turned to <i>The Hobbit</i> and imagined if Professor Tolkien were a Loremaster running a game of The One Ring based on that adventure story. Particularly, I imagined how he would handle the climactic battle at The Lonely Mountain. What would be his true focus and why? Would he set up hours and hours of rolling dice and testing the prowess of his players' weapon skills? In the end, would everyone go away exhausted, yet thrilled with the glory of battle?</div>
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Looking at <i>The Hobbit</i> critically, The Battle of Five Armies is perhaps the second most important event in the story, second only to Bilbo's finding of the One Ring; the defeat of Smaug is probably third. Yet, in a game of The One Ring, this battle would probably be handled best as a prolonged event in narrative time, rather than as an episode of combat round by round. This seems to be the way Tolkien treats the battle in his book as well. Rather than long and detailed reports of the action, he only gives us broad and general descriptions, leaving much more to the imagination of the reader.</div>
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Let's pretend the game is underway. Tolkien, the Loremaster, calls the battle "terrible" and then gives an overview of the situation: the history, the geography, and the importance of the unity between Elves, Men, and Dwarves against a common enemy.</div>
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Bilbo is a player-hero and his player grabs storytelling initiative to tell everyone his thoughts. He says that the battle is the most dreadful of all his experiences and he hates it more than anything else. Tolkien allows Bilbo's <i>Merciful</i> trait to keep him off to the side, where he remains "quite unimportant" in the battle at the moment and out of harms way.</div>
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Tolkien then retakes the narrative and describes the rocks as being "stained black with goblin blood" and that "many of their own [the goblins'] wolves were turning on them and rending the dead and the wounded." Their bodies "were piled in heaps till Dale was dark and hideous with their corpses." In general, he describes the Battle of Five Armies as being filled with blood, betrayal, and death.</div>
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Because of such anguish, Tolkien requires a Corruption test. Bilbo's player fails the roll and gains 1 point of Shadow. He says, "Misery me! I have heard songs of many battles, and I have always understood that defeat may be glorious. It seems very uncomfortable, not to say distressing. I wish I was well out of it." Because he plays his character's qualities well, Loremaster Tolkien thinks of a way to let him out.</div>
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Tolkien tells Bilbo he can see Eagles approaching. "The Eagles!" Bilbo cries, informing his allies. The player suddenly has hope that the end is near. Maybe the glory of victory will remove his misery. </div>
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But that is not how Loremaster Tolkien decides to end it. Instead, a stone hurtling from above smashes into Bilbo's helm, he falls to the ground, and is knocked unconscious. When he finally wakes up, he is all alone lying on the flat stones of Ravenhill; no one is nearby. It is obvious that the battle is over and the victory has been won, but he missed it all. Tolkien says, "A cloudless day, but cold, is broad above you. You are shaking, and chilled as stone, but your head burns with fire..." </div>
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Bilbo's player reveals his thoughts. "Victory after all, I suppose!" But the Loremaster reminds him that his head is aching. "Well, it seems a very gloomy business."</div>
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At this moment, the second most important event in <i>The Hobbit</i> is upstaged by an even more significant development: Bilbo's growth as a hero! </div>
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You see, war is a terrible and gloomy affair, and the Battle of Five Armies teaches him that there is not much glory in either defeat or victory. Yet, long afterwards, Bilbo would recall the battle with fondness; he was proud to say that he took part in it. Certainly not because he enjoyed violence, but for the unity of the Free Peoples.</div>
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I'm not going to lie. I enjoy combat in roleplaying games. I like defending the good, the innocent, and righteous while vanquishing evil enemies. This is heroic to me. I see it as a form of compassion toward the weak and helpless. Tolkien, however, was a bit more familiar with warfare than I. If it were always so clearly good versus evil, he might agree with me. But, he saw corruption at various stages. He also saw that God could even use evil to bring about good. Therefore, we should not be so quick to kill, but to show pity. Look at how he treated Gollum.</div>
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All of this teaches me that roleplaying games do not have to glorify violence in order to be entertaining or satisfying. A change of focus to the heroic development of the characters and the overall advancement of good makes for a much deeper game than spending hours rolling dice and killing the bad guys. </div>
JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-86978263623593517492018-03-19T10:40:00.002-07:002018-03-19T11:39:29.982-07:00They Stand Tall in Our Dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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‘I need no map,’ said Gimli, who had come up with Legolas, and was gazing out before him with a strange light in his deep eyes. ‘There is the land where our fathers worked of old, and we have wrought the image of those mountains into many works of metal and of stone, and into many songs and tales. They stand tall in our dreams: Baraz, Zirak, Shathûr.<br />
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‘Only once before have I seen them from afar in waking life, but I know them and their names, for under them lies Khazad-dûm, the Dwarrowdelf, that is now called the Black Pit, Moria in the Elvish tongue. Yonder stands Barazinbar, the Redhorn, cruel Caradhras; and beyond him are Silvertine and Cloudyhead: Celebdil the White, and Fanuidhol the Grey, that we call Zirakzigil and Bundushathûr.<br />
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‘There the Misty Mountains divide, and between their arms lies the deep-shadowed valley which we cannot forget: Azanulbizar, the Dimrill Dale, which the Elves call Nanduhirion.’<br />
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<b>—Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings: One Volume (p. 283). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.</b><br />
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Deep into their hearts and minds the Dwarves engraved the images and names of these special peaks, the mountains where their fathers worked in days long past, so much so that Gimli didn’t even need a map, though he had only actually seen these lands once from afar. They did this through the arts of metalwork and stonework, as well as oral tradition.<br />
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In our world, remembering is something we no longer work very hard to do. We have technology to do our thinking. Google it. Ask Siri. Ask Alexa. We can retrieve information in seconds. To be honest, it’s annoying at times. Anyone can act like an ‘expert’ after reading a detailed online article. (I’ve been guilty of this myself, so I’m not pointing fingers.) But, how quickly that information disappears from our minds! Heck, I’ve even memorized scripts, maps of locations, and pieces of foreign languages, but now I forget them. I guess they weren’t that important.<br />
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Where am I going with all this? <b>We remember the things we love, and we find ways to honor them. </b><br />
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The Dwarves loved their mountains and they stood tall in their dreams. What stands tall in your dreams? Who, what, or where would you never need to ask Siri about? How do you honor those things in your life?<br />
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This small portion of <i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i> has reminded me to honor the things I love and to cherish them through the arts. God gave me the desire to draw and write and speak and he has gifted me in those things. Through them, I think I can do more to show honor. So often, I am focused on creating new things or fresh ideas. This has given me a new approach to art: to honor and memorialize what I love and to share them with my family and friends. After all, those will be the remembered things, the mountains that stand tall in our dreams.JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-48891647602899341522017-08-03T07:22:00.004-07:002017-08-03T07:30:40.296-07:00 A Good Sermon<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professor J.R.R. Tolkien</td></tr>
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In <i>The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien</i>, entry 63 is addressed to his son Christopher Tolkien and dated 24 April 1944. The letter begins with reports about what the Professor ate for breakfast (toast and home-made marmalade) and the warm weather. But after awhile, he gets around to a topic that any pastor or preacher of the gospel could benefit from: what constitutes a good sermon.<br />
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"But as for sermons! They are bad, aren't they! Most of them from any point of view."<br />
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Have you ever heard a bad sermon? They're tough to sit through.<br />
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Tolkien offers two reasons for the problem of bad sermons, and one comment about what makes a real sermon.<br />
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First, he explains that delivering a good sermon requires art, and a bit of virtue and knowledge. His critique is that most preachers lack these things. Ouch! In other words, they bore their listeners with unprepared and ignorant remarks while showing off. When I was young, I once heard someone describe an unskilled preacher like this: "He couldn't preach his way out of a wet paper bag." Tolkien compares the bad preacher with a pretender who sits down at a piano to play, yet doesn't know a thing about the piano or maybe even music for that matter.<br />
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For many people, these comments alone would suffice and there would be no need for further explanation on the problem of a bad sermon. Yet, Tolkien goes deeper. He sees things beyond the performance:<br />
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"But preaching is complicated by the fact that we expect in it not only a performance, but truth and sincerity, and also at least no word, tone, or note that suggests the possession of vices (such as hypocrisy, vanity) or defects (such as folly, ignorance) in the preacher."<br />
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Now, he enters into the personal realm of the preacher. Not only should the message be delivered artfully, but the messenger who delivers it should be a person of Christ-like character (no suggestion of vices or defects).<br />
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<li>A good sermon requires a good messenger, because it is partly a demonstration of truth.</li>
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I think that it is quite clear Tolkien's sermon satisfaction would have been at 99% if the preachers in his day had simply performed well and showed truth and sincerity. Sadly, that was not his observance. To describe the epitome of a good sermon, he offers one last comment that reaches beyond the natural realm.<br />
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"Real sermons require some special grace which does not transcend art but arrives at it by instinct or 'inspiration'; indeed the Holy Spirit seems sometimes to speak through a human mouth providing art, virtue and insight he does not himself possess: but the occasions are rare."<br />
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Art and virtue and insight are still part of the equation of a good sermon, but now enters the Holy Spirit who provides it all the more. This special grace leads to what Tolkien called a "real sermon." In other words, when God speaks through a human mouth, it carries a weight of truth and grace that is felt by all who listen. They know that something special is happening and that God is assisting the performer.<br />
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<li>A real sermon requires a special grace, because it is a timely message from God to the listeners.</li>
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So there you have it. According to the Professor, a good sermon needs three ingredients:<br />
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<li>Preparation and training in knowledge and art</li>
<li>Truth and sincerity from the preacher</li>
<li>Special grace and help from the Holy Spirit</li>
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I like that. I humbly desire to preach good sermons, real sermons, whenever I am afforded the opportunity.JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-66010312384172771982015-10-23T16:15:00.000-07:002015-10-23T16:50:03.674-07:00Diversity Makes Us Complete<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Here's another word from the book <i>Write Well, Speak Well</i> (Houghton Mifflin) that caught my eye. It's a word that is often misused and confused. The word is...</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;"><b>com.ple.ment </b>(kŏm′plǝ-mǝnt); <i>noun</i>; Something that completes, makes up a whole, or brings to perfection.</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Example: <i>The large beautiful tree still held its full complement of leaves.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Looking at the definition for this word made me think of some other things that have come up recently in my church. We have been studying our fundamental doctrines lately and one of the teachings focused on the church and its mission. The apostle Paul writes in the book of Romans, chapter 12, verses 4 and 5:</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;"><i>4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (English Standard Version)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">This basically teaches individual Christians that even though they are unique individuals, performing different functions, they all belong to one another and only together do they make up the full body of Christ—the Church. One member cannot say to another, "I don't need you." Each member is needed to make up the full complement and to bring it to perfection.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The diversity of Saints around the throne of heaven.</td></tr>
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;"></span><span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Where there is division and hate, there is brokenness.</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Now, think about that in the context of the human race. God has created each human being in His image and in His likeness. Yet, we are all unique persons. I think the greatest picture of God can only be obtained when a diverse group of individuals comes together and learns to appreciate differences. And diversity to me is way more than language and culture (although the Bible gives a great picture of heaven when it says there were individuals "from every tribe and language and people and nation" worshiping God around the throne; <i>see Revelation 5:9</i>). Diversity involves personality, interests, skills, dreams, gender, and color. Think of all the wonderful things we could bring to the table if we would only believe that we belong to one another.</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">Now, don't misunderstand me. I am not advocating that we should all lay down our beliefs and convictions in the name of unity. I am, after all, unapologetically a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I cannot help it. After some deep and sincere soul searching, Christ saved me and called me into the ministry twenty-eight years ago at the age of fifteen. He is as real to me as everything we see. I talk to Jesus every day and I have dedicated my life to spreading the Good News that there is hope for everyone who calls on the name of Jesus! But, I try to do it in accordance with the Scripture with gentleness and respect.</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">What I am proposing is that we remember we are all first born of God. There is something to be appreciated in each human being. There is something to respect about the image of God they bear. They may not recognize they bear His image and likeness, and their behaviors may sometimes make it hard to see, but in them are the attributes of their Creator. And our Creator loves us. We should love one another too. It is through His love displayed that people have a chance to respond to God and love Him back.</span><br />
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<span style="font: 13.0px Arial;">We, friends, belong to one another. Together we make up the full complement of the human race. One race made up of diverse peoples. To our Creator we are worth more than the stars that shine in the universe. Why can't we see it that way too?</span>
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JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-79537102186250247302014-12-19T12:44:00.000-08:002014-12-19T12:44:51.926-08:00Lembas, the Bread of Life<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6MPjtsnS6Lg/VJSM4q1MK5I/AAAAAAAAAPc/nDS9L-PTxGE/s1600/lembas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6MPjtsnS6Lg/VJSM4q1MK5I/AAAAAAAAAPc/nDS9L-PTxGE/s1600/lembas.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a><i>Now as the blackness of night returned Frodo sat, his head between his knees, his arms hanging wearily to the ground where his hands lay feebly twitching. Sam watched him, till night covered them both and hid them from one another. He could no longer find any words to say; and he turned to his own dark thoughts. As for himself, though weary and under a shadow of fear, he still had some strength left. <u>The <b>lembas</b> had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die</u>. It did not satisfy desire, and at times Sam's mind was filled with the memories of food, and the longing for simple bread and meats. <u>And yet this waybread of the Elves had a potency that increased as travellers relied on it alone and did not mingle it with other foods</u>. <u>It fed the will, and it gave strength to endure, and to master sinew and limb beyond the measure of mortal kind</u>.</i><br />
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—<i> J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Book SIX, Chapter III, Mount Doom</i><br />
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What an amazing power Tolkien has given to <i>lembas</i>! A quick study of it will tell you all about its origins and how it was made. Check out <a href="http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Lembas">Lembas</a> on the Tolkien Gateway website for an interesting read. One of the things you'll find is that the word <i>lembas </i>is Sindarin (one of the languages of the Elves) from the older <i>lenn-mbass </i>meaning <i>journey-bread</i>. In Quenya (another language of the Elves), it is called <i>coimas </i>which means <i>life-bread</i>.<br />
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Outside of the Elves, other races were seldom given <i>lembas</i>; but Frodo and Sam obtained it from Galadriel, who gave it to them at the beginning of their perilous quest. It would literally keep them alive and feed their will to carry on. Otherwise, they would have given up and died!<br />
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Interestingly, <i>lembas</i> is vile to evil creatures such as Gollum and the Orcs. They cannot stand it.<br />
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When I think of how <i>lembas</i> works, I cannot help but think of how Christ Jesus and his Word play the same role in my life. In fact, the Bible records this declaration of Jesus: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35).<br />
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Jesus feeds my will, gives me the strength to endure, and helps me accomplish things beyond mortal ability. Seriously, when I am serving people in my community, there are times in my natural body I have felt completely drained, having worshiped God with all my strength, and yet I gain a divine second or third wind to carry forward until the work is done and I can finally rest my head.<br />
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The potency of <i>lembas</i> is increased when it is not mingled with any other foods. I see this true also when I adhere to the authority of Holy Scripture and do not mix Truth with worldly philosophy. When I doubt and debate with God, I get weaker in spirit; but when I believe by faith what God has said, and press ahead through prayer and trust in him alone, his power increases in me.<br />
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I have also found that those who oppose the will of God are offended by Jesus Christ and his Word. It is vile to them and they cannot stand it. They will not have it. Even the mention of Biblical truth brings up distaste in their mouth (and I'm not talking about shoving it down their throat, only the casual mention of it). I've even heard some express it in that exact way. "I think I just threw up in my mouth," they say in response to any traditional or fundamental interpretation of Scripture.<br />
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But there are many, like myself, who are well blessed to have found the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Spiritually I am more satisfied than I've ever been and I would never want to go on this long and perilous journey called life without him. If you haven't already, you should try coming to him and believing in him. I believe you'll find his promise to be true! You will never go hungry or thirst again.JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-76168577980646382822014-10-03T13:36:00.000-07:002014-10-03T15:45:39.534-07:00The Power to Follow<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then Aragorn led the way, and such was the strength of his will in that hour that all the Dúnedain and their horses followed him. And indeed the love that the horses of the Rangers bore for their riders was so great that they were willing to face even the terror of the Door, if their master's hearts were steady as they walked beside them. But Arod, the horse of Rohan, refused the way, and he stood sweating and trembling in a fear that was grievous to see. Then Legolas laid his hands on his eyes and sang some words that went soft in the gloom, until he suffered himself to be led, and Legolas passed in. And there stood Gimli the Dwarf left all alone.</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>His knees shook, and he was wroth with himself. 'Here is a thing unheard of!' he said. 'An Elf will go underground and a Dwarf dare not!' With that he plunged in. But it seemed to him that he dragged his feet like lead over the threshold; and at once a blindness came upon him, even upon Gimli </i><i>Glóin's son who had walked unafraid in many deep places of the world. </i></span><br />
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<i>- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Chapter II</i></span><br />
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Following Aragorn was the errand of the Rangers, Legolas, Gimli, and the horses. It was not their duty to face the terror of the Door and take the Paths of the Dead; it was Aragorn's. So, why did they go with him? How did they muster the courage to follow him into a mountain haunted by ghosts?</span><br />
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In the passage above, several things are made plain about each follower:</span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Dúnedain and their horses followed because of Aragorn's great strength of will.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The horses of the Rangers followed because of great love for their riders.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The horse Arod followed only after the touch of Legolas upon his eyes, along with words sung to him.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gimli the Dwarf followed when he couldn't bear the thought of an Elf being more courageous than he to go underground; Dwarves were made for such things!</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier in the chapter, the Lady Éowyn gives one more motivation for the followers of Aragorn. She says to the returning king, <i>They go only because they would not be parted from thee - because they love thee.</i></span><br />
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In life we will take up many errands to follow. We won't always play the role of the leader, nor should we. Others will have duties that do not belong to us, yet we will give ourselves to aid them because of our relationship and bond with them. We will let them lead us.</span><br />
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Love is one of our greatest motivators. It gives us the power to follow a leader. But before that, comes strength of will demonstrated by the leader. It is hard to follow someone who is not resolute, even when we love them. Therefore, the full power to follow is only realized when there is love for a leader who demonstrates great strength of will. Or is that really the full power?</span><br />
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Gimli gives us one more ounce of motivation: knowing who we are.</span><br />
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It has been said that the two most important moments in a person's life are the day they are born and the day they find out why they were born. When we begin to understand deeply how we entered the world, why we are here, what we are capable of, and where we are headed in the future, our fears can be overcome.</span><br />
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Following is scary business. Why? Because the quest is not ours to lead. We are not in full control. We have limited influence and knowledge, which makes things very uncomfortable for us. But, if we have a leader who is sure, a leader that we love, and a healthy understanding of who we are, we can face our doubts, overcome our shaking knees, and plunge into the dark right behind our leader.</span><br />
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On a spiritual level, I believe God created us to be with him and he invites us all to follow him on a great quest to tell everyone, everywhere, about his wondrous love. Jesus said, <i>Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be (John 12:26, New International Version). </i>But what will motivate us to serve and follow him? Fear is a certainty. Evil abounds and actively opposes God's righteousness.</span><br />
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I would propose that our power to follow God flows from the same things we see in the Grey Company that followed Aragorn: we can endure our fears because God is resolute; our love for him compels us to follow; and we know who we are!</span><br />
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Listen to these words that God spoke to Joshua, the successor of Moses who would lead the ancient Israelites into the Promised Land: </span><br />
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<i>Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. </i></span><br />
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<i>- Joshua 1:6-9, NIV</i></span><br />
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God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. He tells him exactly what he will accomplish. He gives him precise instructions on what to fill his mind with and how to act. He commands him to be strong-willed by saying not to turn from the law of Moses to the right or the left and by not letting it depart from his mouth. Finally, he tells him not to be terrified or discouraged. Why? Because God would be with him wherever he went. Jesus' words centuries later would be an echo of this, <i>And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20, NIV)</i>.</span><br />
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Not everyone could have had the power to follow Aragorn. Tolkien tells us, <i>But when the dawn came, cold and pale, Aragorn rose at once, and he led the Company forth upon the journey of greatest haste and weariness that any among them had known, save he alone, and <u>only his will held them to go on</u>. No other mortal Men could have endured it, none but the </i><i>Dúnedain</i><i> of the North, and with them Gimli the Dwarf and Legolas of the Elves.</i></span><br />
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"Only his will held them to go on." It will ultimately be only those who recognize and submit to the will of God and his leadership that will follow him to the end. Love for God and self-awareness are key powers to begin the quest of following him; but when the darkness and gloom settle in, and the demons of the unseen realms manifest themselves, wreaking their destruction, the only power we have to endure is the unquestionable truth that God is with us and in him we place our hope and trust.</span><br />
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Today, will you accept the presence, leadership and authority of Christ in your life? Will you love him and commit yourself to serving by his side? And will you let him reveal to you who you really are?</span><br />
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I will end by leaving you a verse of Scripture the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned for spreading the message of Christ.</span><br />
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<i>For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).</i></span><br />
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The original Greek word for <i>workmanship</i> is <i>poiema </i>from which the English word <i>poem</i> is derived. If translated literally, it means "work of art." Think about that. We are God's work of art - his greatest poetry! </span><br />
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Even so, that marvelous truth may not be enough to keep us following. Our power to follow God will be found in submitting ourselves to his strength of will and doing the good works he has prepared in advance for us to do. </span>JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-63608379091029591812013-07-04T08:31:00.000-07:002014-10-03T13:56:28.849-07:00Love your neighbor as yourself.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Loving people is the second greatest commandment that Jesus left us with. The apostle Paul describes our responsibility to love our fellowman as a debt that is never satisfied in Romans 13:8. We truly do prove our love for God by loving others.<br />
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But, Jesus said to love our neighbors as ourselves. What does that mean?</div>
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C.S. Lewis reveals that Jesus was teaching us something very profound when he said those words.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“I remember Christian teachers telling me long ago that I must hate a bad man's actions but not hate the bad man: or, as they would say, hate the sin but not the sinner. ...I used to think this a silly, straw-splitting distinction: how could you hate what a man did and not hate the man? But years later it occurred to me that there was one man to whom I had been doing this all my life -- namely myself. However much I might dislike my own cowardice or conceit or greed, I went on loving myself. There had never been the slightest difficulty about it. In fact the very reason why I hated the things was that I loved the man. Just because I loved myself, I was sorry to find that I was the sort of man who did those things.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">―</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1069006.C_S_Lewis" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">C.S. Lewis</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/801500" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Mere Christianity</a></i></span></div>
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Disappointment in our own actions proves we love ourselves. Saying, "I hate myself" is really admitting "I love myself, but I hate what I did." How? Because we realize that we are better than that. In the end we want to be good. </div>
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Therefore, we may hate the behaviors of others, but Jesus said we should forgive them anyway and go on loving them, believing that they can do better. They are valuable creations of God.</div>
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Just as we discipline ourselves to change for the good, our discipline of others should have the same motivation. It must include love and forgiveness, even if the correction is severe. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. </div>
JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-59168665552914082272013-02-23T22:33:00.000-08:002014-10-03T13:57:16.174-07:00A real poser.Take a look at this kid's face.<br />
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What kind of look is that? To me he looks puzzled. I wonder what he's stumped about. Someone must have asked him a real poser, but the look in his eyes says the question was terrifying.</div>
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Life can be that way too. One day you think you have everything sorted out and then, wham! A puzzling, nagging thought enters your mind and you don't know what to do about it. Should you forget about it? Should you take action? What will happen either way? If you take action, will you regret it? If you don't, will you regret it? Will you mess things up? Will you tell someone else about it? Will you lose credibility in the process? Will your faith stretch and become an example for others? </div>
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The biggest questions of all: Where did the thought come from? Did it come from your own heart or did God pose it? Is it something you want, or is it something you were destined for? Is the thing you want also the thing you were destined for?</div>
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Any person who wants to advance in life will experience these kind of posers. That's because they aren't satisfied with the status quo. They realize that life is short and they only have a small window of opportunity to take hold of greatness. </div>
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So, what should we do when ideas and visions pop into our heads?</div>
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First, we should ask God for His wisdom. Second, we should ask appropriate people for their wisdom. Finally, if there are no red flags, we should take action and step forward. Even if it all turns out to be a failure or never comes to pass, we can at least say we took the risk and tried. And, we can always try again if we wish, until we succeed. One thing is for certain: If we never try, we will never succeed, and we will never know if that puzzling, nagging thought was something we were destined for. </div>
JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-15543269602204216492013-01-29T23:25:00.000-08:002013-01-29T23:40:02.115-08:00The Love of Galadriel<div style="text-align: right;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibilnâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dûm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone.' She looked down upon Gimli, who sat glowering and sad, and she smiled. And the Dwarf, hearing the names given in his own ancient tongue, looked up and met her eyes; and it seemed to him that he looked suddenly into the heart of an enemy and saw there love and understanding. Wonder came into his face, and then he smiled in answer.</span><br />
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He rose clumsily and bowed in dwarf-fashion, saying: 'Yet more fair is the living land of Lórien, and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth!' —THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE MIRROR OF GALADRIEL</span><br />
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What beautiful language to describe the melting of hatred through the generosity of praise. J.R.R. Tolkien has given us yet another scene we can all benefit from. It is the lesson of Christ — to 'love your enemies.' </span><br />
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There is power in love! Power to transform the most stubborn of evil persons into a good friend.</span><br />
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If we could only be like Galadriel, we might be surprised at how many who would respond like Gimli. Yet, we are afraid, too fearful to say anything complimentary or sympathetic to those with whom we have profound disagreements. We are so caught up in our differences and deep seated emotions against them, that we will not allow ourselves to be charitable. God help us! What a foolish trap to be stuck in.</span><br />
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Let us break free! Let us open up our mouths and permit understanding to roll off our tongues. May our words be sweet. May we offer a smile to counter the sadness and gloom of our enemies. Let us gaze into their eyes and let them see that our hearts are bigger and purer than they had imagined.</span><br />
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Wouldn't it be wondrous?</span><br />
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JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-37886871086091915092012-12-06T07:54:00.000-08:002012-12-06T08:01:11.050-08:00An Unexpected Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On December 14, <i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</i> will arrive in theaters. I have been looking forward to this film all year, believing that it will be one of the greatest movies of the year. Peter Jackson did a fantastic job with J.R.R. Tolkien's <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> stories, adapting them to film and exposing the world to the professor's most beloved cast of characters. The third film, <i>The Return of the King</i>, was for me, emotionally rousing. Even my wife teared up in the end when Frodo and Sam are overcome by exhaustion on the side of Mount Doom. The Ring had taken a tremendous toll on Frodo and his best friend Sam talked to him about home.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><u>Sam</u>: </i>Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><u>Frodo</u>: </i>No, Sam. I can't recall the taste of food... nor the sound of water... nor the touch of grass. I'm naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil... between me... and the wheel of fire! I can see him... with my waking eyes!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><u>Sam</u>: </i>Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!</span><br />
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It was a beautiful picture of friendship, endurance, and fighting for the restoration of uncorrupted times. In <i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</i>, the lesson will be about courage and maturity. Bilbo Baggins, comfortable in his hobbit hole in the Shire, will venture out into the Wild on a quest. But he won't be alone. He will be accompanied by a band of dwarves, but he'll also have the wise Gandalf coaching him.<br />
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I call this blog, "Advancement Points," because I believe we all need to get out of our comfortable holes and go on a journey. That is how we mature and become everything that our Creator intended for us to be. The good news is, like Bilbo Baggins, we don't have to go alone. We have a wise teacher - Jesus Christ - who will guide us if we'll listen, and he'll even come to our rescue once-in-awhile! I know this, because that has been my life. God called me away from my family and home when I was a teenager to pursue His purposes. I said "yes," and it has certainly been a grande adventure!<br />
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If you go to the movies to see the film, enjoy the story first and foremost. That's what J.R.R. Tolkien would want. Then, go and buy the book and read it. He would want that even more! But, he also believed the power of mythical fairy-stories lies in the fact that they speak to the listeners (and viewers - in this case) about their own lives. Look for the good lessons and the values that shine through. With Tolkien's stories, it's really not that hard to do. But, if you would like some great book recommendations to help you sort through the lessons, try the following resources:<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Finding-God-Hobbit-Jim-Ware/dp/1414305966/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354809000&sr=1-1&keywords=Finding+God+in+the+Hobbit" target="_blank">Finding God in the Hobbit</a></i> by Jim Ware<br />
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Devotional-Bilbo-Baggins-Bible/dp/1616267437" target="_blank">A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible</a></i> by Ed Strauss<br />
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1587433001" target="_blank">A Hobbit Journey</a></i> by Matthew DickersonJamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-11614657106847769182012-09-24T23:47:00.000-07:002012-09-24T23:47:02.330-07:00Finding God in The Lord of the RingsMany of my closest friends know that I am a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. I am very excited about the new Hobbit movie trilogy coming out by Peter Jackson. The first movie will be here December!<br />
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A few years ago, my wife bought me a book called <i>Finding God in The Lord of the Rings</i> by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware. I thought I would share an excerpt with you...<br />
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<i>"What's the matter, Mr. Frodo?" said Sam.</i><br />
<i>"I am wounded," he answered, "wounded; it will never really heal."</i><br />
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It had been two years that day since Frodo received the terrible wound in the dell under Weathertop.<br />
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A new year came, and Mr. Frodo continued to conceal his pain with great effort. Until one day, entering Sam's study with a look of finality, he invited his dear companion to accompany him on another journey. Uncle Bilbo Baggins had reached his 131st birthday, surpassing the Old Took, and the two would travel to Rivendell for a visit. "I wish I could go all the way with you," came Sam's reply. But they knew he could only go part of the way. A new father, Sam knew that long adventures were a completed chapter in his story.<br />
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While preparing to go, Sam was presented with the book begun many years earlier. The book, in which Bilbo and Frodo tell tales of the parts the hobbits had played in the downfall of the Lord of the Rings, was now nearly complete. "I have quite finished, Sam," said Frodo. "The last pages are for you." It was now clear to Sam what was happening. Mr. Frodo was finalizing details as he prepared to leave Middle-earth along with other Ring-bearers. He had received a mortal wound during his quest, and the sad reality of his departure was at hand. Approaching the place of their separation, a tearful Sam spoke.<br />
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"But I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done."<br />
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"So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."<br />
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Great sacrifice was necessary to defeat evil. Frodo had been chosen to carry a load none other could bear and fulfill a task none other could endure. Though Frodo was only one of many who had given up something for the greater good, none had suffered such direct confrontation with darkness or remained as faithful when tormented by the terrifying, possessing power of wickedness. Such was his role, to lose so that others might gain. And so, by completing his scene in the story, Frodo Baggins also performed the most heroic part.<br />
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Redemption. What a beautiful word! The lost regained. The ruined restored. The sick healed. The broken repaired. The enslaved set free. Wrong made right again. The deep yearning for God finally satisfied by the restoration of goodness!<br />
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But redemption can only occur after evil is defeated. Freeing captives requires entering enemy territory. Giving life may mean facing death. The paradise of peace is often secured through the hell of war. In every instance, someone must be willing to give up his or her self for the sake of others. Someone must be a hero.<br />
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The essence of every heroic act is self-sacrifice... From soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from tyranny to a frightened hobbit willing to destroy the Ring of Doom, every heroic act is a reflection of the ultimate hero in history, Jesus Christ. He left the respect and comfort of his rightful place for one reason: to redeem you and me from evil. He faced death to give life, endured sorrow to restore joy, confronted hate to show love. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross to pay for our redemption. He was chosen for a burden none other could bear and a task none other could endure. In his words,<br />
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<i>"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)</i><br />
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And in the words of one he redeemed,<br />
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<i>"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)</i><br />
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And in the words of the jubilant song our story reveals,<br />
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<i>"You were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. . . . Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:9-12)</i><br />
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Someday, the rightful King will once again sit on the throne. All will be as it should be. In a strange twist of providence, our joy will be greater for having endured sorrow, turning even the intentions of evil into a greater good. And when that day arrives, the song of all ages will culminate in a chorus of redemption, a redemption made possible because the story includes a hero willing to sacrifice himself. Someone who was, in the words of Frodo, "willing to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-76849336557391391152012-09-05T08:35:00.001-07:002012-09-05T08:35:34.145-07:00AbjureStudying vocabulary is something most people haven't done since high school. And yet, words are wonderful, powerful, and advance our communication ability in so many ways. Being a pastor, most of my time is spent writing sermons for my congregation, but I also spend a fair amount of time writing adventures for <a href="http://www.cubicle7.co.uk/our-games/the-one-ring/" target="_blank">The One Ring roleplaying game</a> along with additional rules and helps for players of the game. It brings me great joy!<div>
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When I write, I keep a tab on my internet browser open to <a href="http://www.thesaurus.com/">www.thesaurus.com</a>. It's one of my favorite sites. Writing in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien is extra challenging though - if you really want your stories to sound like the professor's, you've got to learn his words...but that is a subject for another post.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Write-Well-Speak-Houghton-Mifflin/dp/0618668519/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346858946&sr=1-1&keywords=write+well+speak+well" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A4pTJBmFY4c/UEdwkydM_jI/AAAAAAAAACo/cQDe8R9cw2Q/s1600/Write+Well+Speak+Well.jpg" title="Write Well, Speak Well" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Write-Well-Speak-Houghton-Mifflin/dp/0618668519/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346858946&sr=1-1&keywords=write+well+speak+well" target="_blank">Write Well, Speak Well, 2005 Houghton Mifflin</a></td></tr>
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Last year, I was yard-saling with my wife and I stumbled across a vocabulary book for 25 cents. "You can't go wrong" for that price, so I picked it up. (I first heard that saying from my father-in-law and it has proven true.) Today, I want to share a word from the book: <b>abjure</b>.</div>
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<b>abjure</b></div>
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<b>1. </b>To recant solemnly; renounce or repudiate: <i>Here and now, I abjure my violent temper</i>. <b>2. </b>To renounce under oath; forswear: <i>The prisoner abjured his previous state. </i><br />
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RELATED WORDS:<br />
<i>noun</i> - abjuration<br /><i> noun</i> - abjurer <div>
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We all make mistakes, but one of the hardest things to do is <b>abjure</b> them. Mom first taught us how to say, "I'm sorry," but it has proven to be a tough lesson. Yet, when we renounce our poor behaviors or attitudes with sincerity of heart, it can unlock the door of our isolation chamber and restore the relationships we should have been enjoying all along.</div>
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I want to be an <b>abjurer</b> and practice <b>abjuration </b>even in the little things. So, to all that I've ever been off-putting, I <b>abjure</b> my egotism and impatience. I pray to do better the next time we communicate.</div>
JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6507437227386759703.post-28281572129427206712012-08-23T01:19:00.001-07:002012-08-23T11:07:42.428-07:00Escape Your RoutineEveryone needs something that takes them away from their normal routines of work. This is important so that they can re-create themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It also helps them to escape the danger of tunnel vision. When it comes to happiness and vitality, I don't believe leisure is an option - it is absolutely necessary!<br />
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So, the question is: What takes you away from the grind and the stress?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild</td></tr>
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As for me, I am in love with games; board games, card games and roleplaying games to be precise. Especially roleplaying games. They energize me and fuel my creative urges. They bring friends into my home and allow us to bond through cooperative storytelling.<br />
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You may call me a geek or a nerd who needs to get a life, but you would be missing a great point about me. I AM full of life because I am ALSO a gamer. What are you ALSO?<br />
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If you want to advance toward a healthier, happier, and more interesting life, escape your routine and enjoy other interests.JamesRBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320888488949809428noreply@blogger.com0