whatareyouthinking

A couple went away for the weekend and entrusted their son with watching over their home.  Since their son wanted to impress his friends, he invited them to the house to party in his parent’s absense.  

As the party progressed, the situation became increasingly out of control.  By the time it was over, the property was severely damaged and many of the guests were harmed. 
The young man mused extensively over his predicament.  First, he thought there might be a way for him to cover up the whole event so that his parents would never find out about it.  After a time, he realized this was not possible. Next, he began to ponder a good defense for having such a party while glossing over the damages it caused.  Yet this brought no peace to his mind.  Then, he considered attempting to undo all the harm that was done to the home and compensating his friends for their injuries.  Still the task was too overwhelming.  He also considered making it up to his parents by doing everything he thought they would want him to do all of the time.  Nevertheless, he eventually realized that he was quite incapable of keeping such a commitment.

Finally, the young man thought about the character his father had demonstrated to himself and others in the past.  He knew his father cared for him and would not do anything unreasonable regardless of the magnitude of his error.  Therefore, when his parents came back home, he simply showed his father the condition of the house and admitted to all he was responsible for.  The damage was so extensive that he knew there was no way he could fix any of it on his own.  As a result, the boy depended solely on his father’s kindness to deliver him from the situation.

Tripp was seeking consolation from one of his friends.  As Tripp poured his heart out, his friend silently prayed, “Lord, give me the words that I need to say so to help this man!”  The more that Tripp talked, the more his friend prayed these words.  Nevertheless, he found nothing comforting to say, and Tripp walked away just as depressed as he was at the beginning.

Tripp’s friend inquired of God, praying, “Why did you not give me the right words to say?  Why could I not help Tripp?”

Then he heard God’s answer, “If you had only listened to him, you would have known what to say.”

A concerned parent, overwhelmed by her child’s seemingly lack of interest in everything sensed a feeling of relief when she overheard her child mentioning that he would like to get a particular book on psychology.  She thought to herself, ‘Oh, he’s finally taking an interest in something—and in his own father’s line of work!’
 
Not wanting to disturb the husband’s office bookshelf, the woman went to every new and used bookstore in town, purchasing every unique psychology book that she could find.  She raced home and anxiously knocked on her son’s bedroom door, saying, “Quickly, come outside, and see what I have for you!”  He walked outside the house and glanced toward the driveway.  He was amazed at the sight of a weighed-down SUV packed with psychology books in nearly every space excepting the driver’s seat.
 
“I overheard your conversation earlier, and now, here you are!” His mother proudly exclaimed.
 
Her son returned with, “Thanks for doing this, Mom.  But don’t you think this is a little extravagant for a Father’s Day gift?”

A woman and her husband had four children of various ages.  They made a commitment to treat all four of them both fairly and equally.  They felt it was their duty to ensure that neither [child] felt inferior nor superior to the other.  When the parents went clothes shopping for the kids, they were sure to purchase exactly the same style and size shirts, pants, and undergarments for all of them.  This was so that none of their children would be uncomfortable. 

A wise man once said
Or was it something I read?
That a soft word turned away wrath
But another wise man
Put that phrase in a can [and]
Ancient Wisdom turned into math

Still I drank from that cup
Though it didn’t add up
‘til I just spit up—all I had
For my mentors and me
Things did taste differently
And some of them thought I was mad

Faith, Hope, Love, and War
For we’ve heard these words together before
Yet one of these things is not like the other
One of which I don’t wish on my brother
For I don’t want the same crashing on me
No,  I don’t want to be a casualty

Still God bless those fighting for Peace
And may the God of Peace
make the fighting cease!

Though I don’t claim to have all the answers
    or profess to know it—all
I’ve made wars of my own
Placed my home on a throne
    for I’m just a poet—and that’s all

So I ask, ‘who is right?’
God says, ‘Let there be Light’
But Light travels only so fast…
When it comes, sometimes Truth
Hurts like a bad tooth
Close the window [and]
Light doesn’t last

But in the light of the night
The right still make might
And Good still turn the other cheek
For Peace, I’m interested
But pray I’m never tested
For blessed—are the meek  

Fusion of certainty and confusion
Union of reality and delusion
Intrusion of fatality of what life is all for;
Faith, Hope, Love (but not war)

© 2005 J. “Xakk” Marshall  [january 28, 2005 @ starbucks @ sunrise]

In a Universe of Seven Heavens
Grace is in the Eighth
High when we’re within it
Or fall from it
To a ruminated fate
But I won’t stare at the ceiling
Nor affix myself to the floor
But rather look — for a window
Or to behold — an open door
I think these might be everywhere
Although nowhere in sight
So I unearth myself from the atmosphere
And begin to take my flight

Looked bad at the time of its birth
Its looks would change, but not its worth
One second it would ride the wind
And walk on feces, not chagrined
Though in the midst of a public throng
Helps himself to food and flies along

A congressional hopeful, not affiliated with any political party, went door-to-door campaigning for the upcoming election. He stopped at a woman’s house and had a lengthy discussion with her. The woman was impressed by his answers to her tough questions and awed by his character and integrity. Finally, the woman said, “Sir, I believe that you would make a wonderful congressman, but I’m afraid I cannot give you my vote. You see, I’m a Republican.”

There was a woman entertaining some guests in her home. One [guest] mentioned that she thought it was too cold in the dining room. Soon, the others, along with the hostess zealously agreed that something needed to be done about the temperature. So they set the house on fire.

Jane insisted that she could not apply for a certain job because she didn’t understand measurements and conversions.  Dick, attempting to help her by showing her that she was already familiar with the basics, asked, “Jane, how many inches are there in a yard?”

She replied, “I can’t do it, I just don’t know anything about that stuff!”

Dick said, “Very well,” and asked “How many FEET are there in a yard?”

Jane replied, “I told you already—I don’t know anything about this stuff!

Finally, Dick asked, “Jane, how many YARDS are in a yard?”

Then Jane said, “Look, I’m telling you for the last time!  Leave me alone!  I just don’t know anything about it!”