#i once got genuinely angry at paul because i worked out he is like 6 heads tall | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mstrumpeter · 3 years

Text

And When He Smiles I Swear I Can’t Breathe

Alan Rubin x fem!Reader

Word count: 1,618

Fandom: Blues Brothers

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blues Brothers characters or movies. This refers to Alan Rubin as a character in the movie, not the real Alan (although he obvsly played himself but you know what I mean)

I’d like to add that I made everyone of the band a few years younger (so the age gap between the reader and Alan isn’t that big), so he’s approx. in his early 30s.

Warnings: !!! IMPORTANT trigger warning mentions of physical abuse !!!

Chapter VII

Charlotte looked up to the musician, who only stood there, scowling at the woman while anger spread through him. “Anyway.”, Lari started again. “I don’t wanna ruin your date. I see you around then.” She winked at him and started walking away, disappearing in the nearest backstreet. Alan stood there, still saying nothing and he feared looking at Charlotte. He couldn’t bear to look into her eyes. He knew they’d be full of disappointment and pain. “Alan? I’d like to go home now.” His heart sank. “Sure.”, he replied with faltering smile.

As the two got into the car, the atmosphere was tensed. And before Alan started the engine he took a deep breath. “I had ended things with her before I even met you at our concert. We wanted different things.” He looked at Charlotte with concern, who wasn’t showing any reaction but fidgeted with her hands. “You gotta believe, me since I’ve met you I can’t get you out of my head. A-and the night she was talking about, I… got weak but I can’t undo what’s done.” Finally she looked at him. “Please Charlotte. The more time I spend with you, the more certain I feel I wanna be with you. Only you.” He smiled and carefully touched her hand. “It’s fine. We’ve just started dating, Alan.”, Charlotte answered him. “Alright, let’s take you home then.” Nothing’s alright. But Charlotte knew she had to keep calm, she had no right to be angry, he didn’t do anything wrong. She told herself she had to fight off those demons in her head if she wanted a proper chance with Alan. And she wanted that chance, more than anything in this world.

The next morning Alan couldn’t help himself but paid Lari a visit. He eagerly knocked at her door. “Alan, didn’t think I’d see you so soon again.” He pushed her inside. “What the hell were you thinking last night? I don’t run around town telling people who you fucked!” “Aww, did I made your date jealous? I assume you didn’t hit a home run last night? No? How about third base.” “Lari…”, Alan warned her, being on the edge. “You’re not loosing your skills are you?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “C’mon with a girl like her, you should have had an easy time.” Alan rolled his eyes in response. She slowly made her way towards him and moved her hands over his chest, tugging at the upper buttons of his shirt. “You know she won’t make you feel like I do.” “I don’t even know why I’m talking to you.”, he said, pushing away her hand and made his way to the door. “Don’t tell me you’re up for anything serious with her…” “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” He started to open the door as Lari slammed it shut with one hand. “Seriously? You dumped me cos I wanted more than a casual hook-up and you didn’t! And now you do? What has changed?” “The woman at my side.”, the musician snapped and left Lari’s apartment.

Later on the band had finished their rehearsal, when Lou approached his best friend in a quiet moment. “Alan, how are things going with Charlotte?” “Um, quite well, thanks. We went dancing last night.” “Dancing? Is that the newest code word for sex?” Alan laughed. “It certainly is not. We’re… not there, yet.” Lou took a breath and was about to say something when Alan continued. “I know, I know. Don’t you say it, it’s rather unusual for me. But Charlotte, she’s different, with her it’s different. She shines and has that aura around her-“ “Speaking of auras, her’s just walked into the room.”, Lou interrupted him and gave a nod towards the door, where a slight insecure Charlotte was standing, her gaze wandering across the room, in search for her trumpet player. And when their eyes met she excitedly started walking towards him. “Hi Lou, hi Alan.”, she grinned at the short haired man. “Hi Charlotte nice to see you again.”, Lou greeted her. “What are you doing here, hun?”, giving her a peck on her lips about which she seemed rather surprised. She didn’t expected him to be affectionate in front of his boys but liked it all the more. “Wanted do ask if you’d be free for coffee?” “Sure, just let me grab my stuff.”

They agreed on a small, welcoming café and took a seat on it’s outside area. “I’m genuinely surprised to see you.”. Alan took a sip of his cappuccino “Why’s that?” “Well, because of last night. You didn’t seem too pleased.” “I told you, I’m fine. I really am.”, Charlotte assured him and touched his thigh. “Did you find home well?” “Huh? You took me home, Alan, don’t you remember?”, the girl laughed. “I remember taking you to your neighbours house… again.”, he said in a dry tone. Charlotte sighed. “I know, I will tell them. But after the night at the Chez Paul I don’t think they will be happy to see you. I need some time to prepare them, if that’s the right word.” “I think it’s not.”, Alan raised a brow. “Anyway, I’m not keen on meeting them, I just think they should know that you’re dating, someone. Cos I don’t want you to get in trouble for constantly sneaking out of the house or lying to them. Or… you could move out.” That phrases instantly caused Charlotte to have a flashback. She could hear the glass of whisky shattering on the kitchen floor. The feeling of her knees buckling. He grabbed her throat, pushing her head up and forcing her to look at him. “Charlotte?”, Alan touched her shoulder causing her to startle. “Aren’t you feeling well? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “I-I’m fine.”, she stammered. “I will tell them, I promise.” And she tried to give him a smile. “I know your father can be difficult but he’d never hurt you, would he?”, he asked her with a concerned look on his face. “Probably not.” “I swear to God if he ever lays hands on you… You’re gonna tell me, right?” “Of course, Alan. I will.” Feeling uncomfortable talking about this issue she quickly changed the topic. “So did you pick up any new songs?” “Oh yeah, we’ve started on ‘Gimme Some Lovin’.” “You did? I love that song! Hopefully you worked out a great part for the horns.” “I think we have a quite lively arrangement, first rehearsal sounded wild already. You’re gonna like it.” “Is it in for your next concert?” “I guess so. Why, you wanna come?”, he asked her with a smirk. “Well, obviously. Someone’s gonna keep away the female groupies from you.”, she nudged his shoulder. “No one better than you hun.” and planted a warm, lingering kiss on her lips.

When Charlotte got home from her coffee with Alan, she felt confident telling her parents about the trumpet player. Sylvia was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Frank was in his home office next door, doing some paper work. “Mum? Dad?” As she saw the glass on his father’s desk, she hesitated for a moment but felt like it was now or never. “There’s something I’d like to tell you.” “Uh huh.”, Frank murmured. “Dad, it’s really important to me, please?” He sighed and got up, joining his wife and daughter in the kitchen. Charlotte cleared her throat nervously. “So… How are you doing?” “Charlotte, what do you want?”, her father asked annoyed. “Er, alright. I-I’m dating someone.” “Oh that’s lovely, dear!”, Sylvia gave her a big smile before pulling her in a hug. “Who is it?” As Sylvia let go of her daughter Frank repeated his question. “I asked ‘who is it?’” “He’s a musician, playing with ‘The Blues Brothers’”. “The Blues Brothers?”, Frank laughed. “Shit, you know half of those thugs served time in prison?” “How do you even know?” “Fella of mine had to do some community service as a public defender.” “Sound like your fella isn’t the most honourable person either then!” “What did you just say?” “Frank! Charlotte! Why do you two always have to bicker!” “No, I’m sick of this control mania, I ain’t no teenager anymore!” “How about you introduce the young man to us, eh?”, Sylvia said with a smile, desperately trying to soothe everyone’s nerves. “You know what? You’ve already met him. It’s that sweet maître d at the Chez Paul, the one you spilled your fuckin culinary Hindenburg on!” “That kike?” “So what if he is?! Cos I don’t care.” “But honey, we are Christians, how is that supposed to work?”, Sylvia ranked on Frank’s side. “What the hell mum? We’re not living in the 19th century anymore. And by the way we don’t even go to church! Nice try!”, Charlotte scoffed. “You are about to become lawyer, Charlotte! Don’t you forget that You can’t associate with criminals.” Frank started yelling. “Bollocks to that!” “Not this again!” “Why are you two so stubborn? You’re making my life hell!” “We are making your life worth living!” “Jeez, I can’t do this anymore, I’m out of here!”, Charlotte spat. “You will not see this waiter again!” Frank grabbed her arm “Are we clear, Charlotte!?” but she could wrest herself free until he pushed her shoulder, causing her to run into the open kitchen door. As she tried to steady herself, she loosed her balance and fell. Lying on the floor she saw her father coming towards her with clenched fist. “Must I beat obedience into you once again!” “Frank stop it it!”, she heard her mother shout but it was already too late.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

#Alan Rubin x fem!Reader #Alan Rubin x Reader #Mr. Fabulous #Blues Brothers #blues brothers fanfiction #Blues Brothers fandom #Lou Marini

8 notes · View notes

ispybluesky · 4 years

Note

All for circumstance and fortune if that’s not too much, I wanna know Everything

SORRY THIS TOOK ME ALL DAY AAHHH

CIRCUMSTANCE

their voice: it's soft and medium-pitched. he doesn't usually raise his voice above speaking level even if he's agitated

their smile: he usually does a closed-mouth smile, it's hard to get him to grin with his teeth! but even his little smiles are usually genuine, since he's not the type to fake smile

their greatest achievement: he's something of a prodigy in the order and he's really talented and innovative with the lady's gifts

their insecurities: he's always worried about getting in trouble because despite often getting in trouble he's very unwilling to stray from the things he wants to do, so he's always trying to like.....fit his own desires into the framework of what he's supposed to be doing? and he's always a little uneasy about that because he knows he's supposed to be the order's golden child

their shortcomings: imdnfndndnf he's SO like........rigid?? that's not quite right and neither is stubborn, i described him as unbending and i think that's the closest? he's very much not the kind of person to be deviated from a path or way of thinking, not because he refuses to be swayed but just because he's so singleminded. he's also kind of naive and unsuspicious but luckily for him his tunnel vision makes him harder to manipulate. also he's. kinda lazy. fhfngndnf

how they deal with grief: outwardly he shuts down and powers through it, but it makes him prone to just like crying at random times and he also will become more emotionally withdrawn and prone to trying to do stuff by himself. if he's allowed to exercise by himself while he's grieving he'll sometimes go too hard and hurt himself

how they like to dress: he likes loose unrestricting clothing when he's not wearing his vestments because he is, unfortunately, a jock. he probably wears dresses a fair amount, but he also likes loose tank tops and shorts, that kind of thing

what they like to eat: he likes salty foods like grilled fish and he likes soups!

their theme: if the question is thematic arc i'm still hammering that out but his theme song is natsukage by KEY

their fashion sense: he really likes bold patterns and interesting fabrics despite his own tendency to wear plain neutral colors most of the time

their family life: he loves his mom and his little brother!!! him and fortune are close (both emotionally and in age) so they spend a lot of time together. their mom is a [term for luck-bearing person] while they're both [luck-using people] so they don't spend as much time with her, but they try to have meals with her at least once a week and they see her around the order with some regularity. the order isn't small but it also isn't super big so mostly everyone knows each other and it has that kind of familial aspect

their romantic life: he gets hopeless crushes on cute boys but never actually enjoys being around them fhsjdngndnf or like does enjoy being around them but in the same way you like being around people you're friends with. he's never actually dated anyone and he's never met anyone he's wanted to like actively chase after, but he does get a fair amount of confessions from people who like aloof-looking prettyboys

their embarrassing memory from years ago: when circumstance was little the room he shared with fortune was such a mess that once in the middle of the night a pile of his stuff collapsed onto fortune's bed and buried him and they had to get a bunch of adults to excavate him. fortune has never let him live this down

how they react to burning their tongue on food: sticks his tongue out, maybe does a small "ah", immediately goes to get an ice cube on it

how they react to a brainfreeze: that gif of paul rudd in front of a computer going "oh shit!!!" and closing his eyes really tight

their dreams: he dreams of a day when the order's outposts are connected more firmly and he can travel between them more often

their ambitions: he wants to discover new applications of the lady's gift!

how they sleep: face down upside down on the bed so his feet are on the pillow. he usually wakes up one or two times a night unless he's really tired

their reaction to betrayal: he'd search desperately for a reason to forgive or excuse them, and then afterwards he would just be sad

their reaction to a mystery love letter: fgdhjfj probably unfazed.....if whoever sent it approaches him he'll kindly let them down but if there's no sender name then he won't do anything about it

how they react to pain: a hiss through the teeth unless he's around fortune or his mom AND it's not a big deal in which case he's a huge baby and wants to be coddled

what they're like on two hours of sleep: imfngndndnf he functions poorly on no sleep so he always feels really normal and rational internally but from the outside he doing really dumb stuff, like how when you're drunk you think nobody can tell but it's super obvious

how they act when they're sick: whiny and dramatic, if he has a cold he Is dying. if he gets some kind of stomach bug or a bad flu though he just becomes a zombie until it's over because he hates it so much

what motivates them: he's really motivated by the order's job (balance of luck, that kind of thing) because he knows it's important job

why you enjoy them: that;s my son...i really enjoy how like gentle and mothering he is sghsnfnfndf

FORTUNE

their voice: an upbeat kind of husky voice, clear with coarse edges

their smile: big bright grin! he's an expressive boy so you can almost always see what's happening on his face

their greatest achievement: every time he outshines circ it feels like an achievement to him. also once he cooked a big dinner for the order and it went off perfectly

their insecurities: he's got a bit of an inferiority complex abt circ being better at using the lady's gifts....he's also a little insecure about how slowly his hair grows. the people at the order are always telling him how well he follows rules compared to circ but he's always sure they're just saying it to make him feel better

their shortcomings: he's envious and a little mistrustful....he has a lot of trouble not comparing himself to others (Esp Circ) and seeing where he falls short instead of where he excels in comparison. he's also got a lot of drive and not very much place to put it which results in him being unnecessarily competitive about Everything

how they deal with grief: it ferments very quickly into bitterness if he doesn't talk with anyone about it, he also tends to get angrier and pick fights when he's going through stuff

how they like to dress: very similar fashion style to circumstance (they steal each other's clothes sometimes) but he tends towards more long-sleeved shirts. he finds the underlayers of the vestments pretty comfy. both him and circ are pretty into big jackets and straw sandals as well

what they like to eat: he likes light cold foods, like a bagel or some cucumber slices or stuff like that

their theme: rever's edge (b-6) by the pillows

their fashion sense: he likes loud color blocked stuff but doesn't like stuff with patterns on it

their family life: he's super close with his brother & fairly close with his mom + he's so generally cheerful & outgoing that he's kind of the equivalent of that classmate that everyone likes

their romantic life: running joke that he should be [a luck-bearer] bc his luck w relationships is so bad (mostly unrequited crushes, a handful of breakups: he tends to put people on a pedestal and it causes problems)

their embarrassing memory from years ago: he once got an important visiting member of the order's birthday wrong and threw them a surprise party on the wrong day....it went fine but he's mortified every time he thinks of it

how they react to burning their tongue on food: AGHHH HOT HOT HOT, accepts the ice cube circ is already handing to him while also flipping circ off because he Is laughing

how they react to a brainfreeze: goes fetal, shoves the pad of his thumb against the roof of his mouth as fast as possible

their dreams: he daydreams about being a famous chef

their ambitions: he's very ambitious!!! i don't know enough about how the order works to explain what his ambitions are!!! help!!

how they sleep: worlds SLOPPIEST sleeper, he knocks out immediately and stays asleep through hell and high water, mouth open + drooling + starfished at a weird angle across the bed w at least one limb hanging off + at least one pillow is on the floor every morning. if you put a cat on his chest he will wake up immediately

their reaction to betrayal: jovial resignation that masks hurt and anger & you will find him in the gym hitting a punching bag at 1am

their reaction to a mystery love letter: he'll think about it all day and go around asking everyone if they sent it (but is really casual and jokey about it because if this is a prank someone is pulling on him then god dammit they are not gonna get a reaction)

how they react to pain: if he gets a minor/sudden injury he gets Angry and then has to tamp that down, bigger or duller hurts he bears with aplomb and tries not to think about it. he lets circ fuss over him because it makes him feel cared for even though externally he acts like he hates it

what they're like on two hours of sleep: HUGE kid at a sleepover at 1am energy (bro......do you think pigeons have feelings???) + he gets super weepy

how they act when they're sick: he doesn't get sick very often but when he does he knocks out for one to three days depending on severity of illness and then is perfectly fine. circ, who once had a head cold that lasted a month, will never forgive him for this

what motivates them: he wants to be good at a lot of stuff (versatility!!) and get praised

why you enjoy them: he's a good boy!!

#ask #cospinol #coincidence divine tag #THANK UUUUUU

3 notes · View notes

dweemeister · 5 years

Text

2018 Movie Odyssey Award for Best Original Song (final round)

TAGGING: @cokwong, @dansmonarbre, @dog-of-ulthar, @emilylime5, @fredsbarandgrill, @halfwaythruthedark, @ideallaedi, @introspectivemeltdown, @itsjustangc, @loveless422, @maximiliani, @memetoilet, @mindo80, @monkeysmadeofcheese, @myluckyerror, @nazur, @phendranaedge, @plus-low-overthrow, @saucy-witch, @shadesofhappy, @somequeerdistortion, @stephdgray, @themusicmoviesportsguy, @umgeschrieben, @underblackwings, @yellanimal

Also TAGGING older followers/friends/supporters who I really haven’t been in touch with lately, have done the final before, or are on the inactive side. And also some newcomers who have been supporting the blog a lot: @astorytellertothestars, @babeltwo, @celibatemachine, @classwarhooligan, @dakotarosie, @emergencyhugs, @haveyoubeentobahia, @ineedanumbrella, @jayb3, @justtheguest, @mundi41, @nudehearth, @sadisticsunglasses, @shootingstarvenator, @thenarddog, @thethirdman8, @thewolfofelectricavenue, and @voicetalentbrendan!

And now the grand finale. For those of you who have never seen this before, I have an Oscar-like ceremony on my blog celebrating all the movies of that year’s Movie Odyssey (all the movies I saw for the first time in their entirety) at the year’s end. For the last four years, I have asked family and friends to help out with the Best Original Song category - because in all other categories, you'd be forced to watch entire movies to decide it. This is a musical thank-you to all of you, who have contributed, in your ways, to support the Movie Odyssey and me. Please do not feel like you have to do this; there are no hard feelings if you do not participate, and you have my thanks either way. But if you are, I hope you enjoy this 2018 edition!

This final round has the largest chronological spread we have ever covered: eighty-eight years. Songs in English, German (making its debut), Hindi, Japanese are all involved. A Vietnamese-language song made its debut for MOABOS, but was eliminated in the preliminary.

INSTRUCTIONS Please rank (#1-16) your choices in order. The top ten songs will receive nominations. Be warned, there is a new tabulation method for this year's final (described in the "read more" at the bottom). There is no minimum or maximum amount of songs you can rank, but because of the nature of this new tabulation system, it is highly recommended to rank as many songs as possible, rather than only one or two. Those who rank fewer songs run a greater risk of their ballots being discarded as I am counting the ballots. Again, this is all described in the "read more". Why not implement at a minimum number of songs to rank? Well, I believe in giving you folks as much freedom as possible.

Please consider to the best of your ability: how musically interesting the song is, its lyrics, context within the film (if you've seen it - this factor also includes integration into the film's score), choreography/dance direction (if applicable; not many song-and-dance numbers this year), and the song's cultural impact/life outside the film (if applicable, and by far the least important factor). Imperfect audio and video quality may not be used against any song, as this disadvantages older and non-English language songs. You may absolutely send in comments and reactions with your rankings - it’s always fun to read reactions to individual songs, and it usually makes the process (for everyone) more enjoyable!

The submission deadline is Sunday, December 31 at 6 PM Pacific Time / 4 PM Hawai'i / 5 PM Alaska / 8 PM Central / 10 PM Eastern. If you're across the Atlantic, that's New Year's Day at 2 AM GMT / 3 AM CET / 4 AM EET / 7:30 AM IST. There will be no deadline extensions.

And now the sixteen finalists in this category, for your listening pleasure (contextual blurbs are provided, and I hope they are informative; if links do not work there are most likely alternatives across the Internet but please inform me if that does not apply to you):

“Bless Your Beautiful Hide”, music by Gene de Paul, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Performed by Howard Keel

The opener to Seven Brides; its melody is used as the main orchestral theme throughout (most memorably in the barn dance scene). Oregonian backwoodsman Adam Pontipee (Keel) has little experience with society (let alone women), as he looks for a bride to take care of him and his six brothers in this satirical musical of gendered misbehavior - which pokes fun of, never endorses, said misbehavior.

“'Bout Time”, music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968)

Performed by John Davidson and Lesley Ann Warren

In this Disney musical, Joe Carder (Davidson) has convinced the Bower family to move to Dakota Territory. Joe is suitor to Alice Bower (Warren), their relationship complicated by her grandfather's politics. This song takes place on the first day in their new hometown, and before her first day at work at the schoolhouse.

“Candle on the Water”, music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, Pete's Dragon (1977)

Performed by Helen Reddy

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song

Nora (Reddy) has just tucked Pete in, not before describing the story of her long-lost fiancé (missing sea for over a year) to him. After being scolded by her father for clinging onto the past, Nora goes up to the lighthouse balcony to sing this.

“Chaar Kadam”, music by Shantanu Moitra, lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, PK (2014, India)

Performed by Sushant Singh Rajput (dubbed by Shaan) and Anushka Sharma (dubbed by Shreya Ghoshal)

Lyrics in Hindi (song ends at 16:20)

In Bruges in Belgium, an Indian Hindu woman named Jaggu (Sharma) has met a Pakistani Muslim, Sarfaraz (Rajput) - both are students. This is their love duet before her family objects due to nationalistic and (especially) religious reasons. Don't worry about the dude at the end - he's the one who got them together.

“Charade”, music by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Charade (1963)

Performed by orchestra and chorus; conducted by Mancini

Used as main theme throughout this romantic comedy/mystery/suspense film. This song is more famous for its instrumental version without lyrics.

“Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It)”, music and German lyrics by Friedrich Hollaender, English lyrics by Sammy Lerner, The Blue Angel (1930, Germany)

Performed by Marlene Dietrich

(English-language version... excuse the badly-edited video) / (German original)

A college prep school professor is angry at his students for passing around photos of cabaret singer, Lola Lola (Dietrich), in class. In hopes to catch the boys at the club, he goes to the cabaret and is overcome with lust for Lola after seeing her perform this song. Their relationship will become toxic, based on his groveling and humiliations.

“Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”, music by Dimitri Tiomkin, lyrics by Ned Washington, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Performed by Frankie Laine (the above was re-recorded in the 1980s when Laine was in his mid-70s, so those familiar with Laine's voice will notice it sounds weaker)

Played in the opening credits, with additional verses sung during montage scenes across the film. Used as main orchestral theme in the film's score. This version of the song contains additional lyrics that can't be found online.

“Hooray for Hollywood”, music by Richard A. Whiting, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Hollywood Hotel (1937)

Performed by Johnnie Davis, Frances Langford, and Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

Considered an unofficial anthem of Hollywood. Usually played at least once in every Oscars ceremony and other movie awards ceremonies worldwide.

Small town saxophonist Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell) has just won a contract with a major Hollywood studio. His friends and former employer, Benny Goodman, arrive at the airport to send him off. The lyrics are meant to satirize what people do to become famous as actors.

“Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein”, music by Sachin Dev Burman, lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi, Pyaasa (1957, India)

Performed by Guru Dutt (dubbed by Mohammad Rafi) and Mala Sinha (dubbed by Geeta Dutt)

Lyrics in Hindi

Broke poet Vijay (Guru Dutt) encounters his university ex, Meena (Sinha), who is now married to a hotshot publisher who won't publish Vijay's work. Vijay then has a flashback, and within that flashback is this foggy fantasy song-and-dance sequence. Flashback-ception?

“It's Not Easy”, music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, Pete's Dragon (1977)

Performed by Sean Marshall and Helen Reddy

Pete (Marshall) and his dragon, Elliott, are on the run from his abusive foster family. The lighthouse keeper and his daughter, Nora (Reddy), take Pete in. Nora has not met Elliott yet, and believes that he is Pete's imaginary friend.

"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", music by Sammy Fain, lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Non-film version performed by Nat King Cole; film version performed by chorus (and is unavailable)

Used as main orchestral theme throughout this romantic drama's score; version with lyrics sung by chorus first appear at the end of the film.

"Mystery of Love", music and lyrics by Sufjan Stevens, Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Performed by Stevens

(single version) / (use in film; song isn't played in its entirety)

This song appears as the film's main characters, Elio and Oliver, take one of their many day trips in this Italian summer.

“Rain”, music by Shin'ichi Nakajima, Saori Fujisaki, and Satoshi Fukase, lyrics by Saori Fujisaki and Satoshi Fukase, Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017, Japan)

Performed by Sekai no Owari

Lyrics in Japanese (rough translations)

Appears in the end credits; this song is not referenced in this anime fantasy's score (but like the score, there's a prominent and unusual use of a dulcimer).

“Shallow”, music and lyrics by Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt, A Star Is Born (2018)

Performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Aspiring singer-songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) has fallen for declining artist Jackson Maine (Cooper). At one of his concerts, he begins to put music to a song she sung to him in a parking lot, inviting her onstage.

“This Is Me”, music and lyrics by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, The Greatest Showman (2017)

Performed by Keala Settle and company

After being shunned from a dinner including P.T. Barnum’s wealthy sponsors for his circus, the circus "freaks" sing this ballad which eventually becomes a montage, refusing to put up with those harass and put them down.

“You're the One That I Want”, music and lyrics by John Farrar, Grease (1978)

Performed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

At the post-graduation high school carnival, greaser and bad boy Danny Zuko (Travolta) is stunned to see his relatively restrained, somewhat prudish, girlfriend, Sandy (Newton-John), committing to change herself for him to win him over.

Well, have at it! And thanks for your time and consideration! You may submit your responses in any way, as long as they come in before the deadline. I am free to answer any questions about anything you have about the process. The 2018 Movie Odyssey has been a rewarding one, and I have been glad to share it with you.

TABULATION Like the preliminary... a respondent’s first choice receives 10 points, the second choice receives 9, the third choice receives 8, etc. HOWEVER, the points system is used only for tiebreaker purposes.

The way the winner will be decided is through a process called instant-runoff voting (IRV; the Academy Awards uses this method to choose a Best Picture winner, visually represented here - you should really watch this video if the below doesn't make sense... which it probably won't):

All #1 picks from all voters are tabulated. A song needs more than half of all aggregate votes to win (50% of all votes plus one... i.e. if there are thirty respondents, sixteen #1 votes are needed to win on the first count).

If there is no winner after the first count (as is most likely), the song(s) with the fewest #1 votes or points is/are eliminated. Then, we look at the ballots of those who voted for the last-placed song(s). Their votes then go to the highest-remaining (non-eliminated) song on their ballot.

This process (in #2) repeats until one song has secured 50% plus one of all votes. We keep eliminating nominees and transfer votes to the highest-ranked, non-eliminated song on each ballot. NOTE: It is possible after several rounds of counting that respondents who did not entirely fill in their ballots will have wasted their votes at the end of the process. For example, if a person voted the second-to-last place song as their #1, ranked no other songs, and the count has exceeded two rounds, their ballot is discarded (lowering the vote threshold needed to win), and they have no say in which song ultimately is the winner.

A song wins when it reaches more than fifty percent of all #1 and re-distributed votes.

Tiebreakers: 1) first song to receive 50% plus one of all #1 and transferred votes; 2) total points earned; 3) total #1 votes; 4) placement on my ballot; 5) placement on my sister’s ballot; 6) tie declared

Previous years’ results for reference: 2013 final 2014 final (input from family and friends began this year) 2015 final 2016 prelim / final 2017 prelim / final

#2018 Movie Odyssey Awards

4 notes · View notes

ramon-balaguer · 3 years

Photo

Do You Know my Jesus?

https://www.facebook.com/REBT.D/posts/4095564410487302

Do You Know my Jesus?

No seriously, My King & God, Do You Know Him, Jesus The Christ? Now, I’m Not talking about Jesus to cutting your grass, painting your home or replacing your roof… I certainly Not talking about the Jesus "exclamation mark" Christ the Bostonians often yell out to make a point. No, no, no… And I’m Not talking about the prophet or Messiah or messenger God sent to guide Israel for a short time and was eventually replaced by a “last” prophet named Mohammad who while high on opium in some cave got visions of Judaism and Christianity to create Islam…

I’m Not even talking about the man called Jesus the Mormons through the revelation after the Holy Bible Revelation according to Joseph Smith (the other “last” prophet) who while high on weed had a vision of an angel he called Moroni and wrote the Book of Mormon to create the church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints. Their Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and the one and only god the Father who was once a man like present day human beings, but who lived on another planet and sent his semen by his spirit to spiritually inseminated her and therefor Jesus inherited godly powers as His son. When I found out I wasn’t following the real Jesus, I was totally undone. I had long left Catholic private school I attended and Catholicism my family raised me in to run the streets and women as an atheist and eventually landed in the Mormon cult and subsequently dibbled and dabbled in Islam (Yes, they have a Jesus too, mentioned above as one of many prophets) having read and studied the Koran or Quran at least 5 times cover to cover while serving in the US Army.

The hard work of making Jesus fit my brain, answer when I called, and label me righteous was a full-time job that robbed me of peace. When I finally fell into the loving arms of the real Jesus, I began a genuine relationship with the Savior of the world—the One who died for me. He is everything He promised and so much more. Our culture presents us with so many versions of Jesus, letting us make Him in our own image, as oppose to us in His image and likeness. Maybe you’ve come to depend on a false Jesus and didn’t even realize it. If you are struggling to find peace, read about these false Jesuses with an open mind. Consider what Jesus said about Himself and test your beliefs against the Truth from Holy Scripture.

Here are 10 false versions of Jesus people keep falling for:

1. Mean Jesus Perhaps this image of Jesus comes from social media and the rants we see from devoted churchgoers. Maybe it is our constant news sources bickering over who is better or what is Right & Wrong. Or it could be you had a hellfire and brimstone pastor growing up, and this became your earliest depiction of Jesus. Mean and angry, full of wrath, ranting and raging about how Sin would destroy you (it will, if you remain in it and reject Jesus). But balance this image of Jesus with the story of the little children gathering to him, with His compassion for the Lazarus’ sisters, with His dealing of the woman at the well to forgive her and her to reject Sin and share The Good News. While Jesus called out Sin when He saw it, He was never cruel it except that one time with the Pharisees and Sadducees in His House of Praise, Prayer & Healing. Jesus, the Lamb, went to slaughter so that you would be free from His Wrath.

2. Political Jesus How would Jesus vote? Since there were no Democrats or Republicans in His day, we don’t know. What we do know is that He loved and would Never Vote against Himself or His Father. I other words, he would Not Vote for Satan and his followers or folks for killing babies or justifying illegal activities or any manner of Sin. But the apolitical Jesus took the side of those in need and that my friends is what we The Church should be doing and Not trying to depend on the government to do for US.

Today, we are all in need in one form or another, and we all need Him. As a believer in Jesus Christ, He is on your team. He is for you. He is for your redemption. He is for your Sanctification. He died for you while you still Sinned. Right or left, wrong or Right, He is for you. He is patient with us as we learn and grow and understands the frustrations that we face with both the Republican and the Democrats and especially the Sin Sick Socialist Lying Leftist Liberals. He walks with us through the valleys, and He delights in our newfound wisdom and growth.

3. Genie in a Bottle Jesus Your wish is not necessarily His command. That the Oprah Winfrey kinda Jesus. We’re often mystified when we clasp our hands tightly together and summon Jesus to answer our every request…and nothing happens. We become deflated by what we believe is unanswered prayer, allowing our faith to increase or decrease by what we perceive.

If you’re a parent, chances are you desire a good relationship with your child. But if your child asks for $10,000 and you say no, does that mean they stop believing or depending in you and the relationship is destroyed? Of course not. In the same way, you must consider what you are asking of Jesus. What are your expectations and motives? And are you still going to Believe in Him even when you don’t get your way?

4. I’ll Teach You Jesus. Imagine what your relationship with your child would look like if these were some of the requirements: You will meet me at 5:00 every morning, I don’t care if you didn’t sleep. Now tell me what you want. I may or may not give it to you. If you have been completely impossible to deal with, I might sprain your ankle or give you a brain tumor to teach you something. Laughable? Sure. But how many of us believe in this works-based and punishment-loving Jesus? He died while we still Sinned. He came to bind up the brokenhearted, not break our hearts and spirits to keep us in line.

5. You Look Like You Can Take It Jesus. “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Do I look like I can handle the Big C “cancer” or even the lil c “COVID19″ the left has left many in fear of or the lung disease doctors have given up on my brother-in-law is dying from and dealing with? Or the Black Lives Matter and Antifa domestic terrorists’ Stealing, Killing and Destroying Democrat ran cities the “leadership” there allows? Or bankruptcy, or a natural disaster, or the death of a child? Do I even look like I could handle an itchy rash or ingrown toe nail much less a combat related wound or Divorce?

Scripture teaches that we can’t handle anything apart from Jesus Christ. Far from doling out sickness or discomfort or tragedy, He promises to be with us in times of need, Not to mention at all times to Never Leave us nor forsake us. In our weakness, He shows Himself strong and makes us stronger by His Spirit.

6. I Couldn't Care Less Jesus. Sometimes we feel like He is nowhere to be found. We call, and there is no answer. This Jesus is not the Compassionate Christ who laid down His life for ours. Still, in times of heartache, it is hard to understand why He doesn’t answer. Or at least, we don’t know or understand His answers. He has shown me it is okay to question Him. My most favorite prayer in these seasons? “Lord, help my unbelief.” One of the shortest but most impactful and helpful prayers in The Holy Bible.

A relationship with Jesus is a journey. There will be ups and downs. He can take the heat—He proved that through the cross. It is okay to ask why. He always shows up, every time. He said in this life, your life, you will have troubles, but be of good cheer, He has overcome it ALL. Ask, Seek, and Knock. He will answer.

7. Church Jesus The Law is Holy and Good, but it doesn’t make me Holy and Good. No more than the full nice 2” clerical or ordained minister’s collar I wear from time to time. No matter how good a church and it’s teaching of the Word of God, it does not make me Holy. Paul reminds us, do not neglect the assembly (Hebrews 10:25). Yes, hold each other up, hold each other accountable, and by all means encourage one another. But if the pew is shaken, guess what shouldn’t be? You and Jesus. Your relationship with Jesus is separate and not dependent on the church (body of Believers congregating in a place), But The Church, You, Yes, You. No matter what unexpected challenges happen in “the church,” you and Jesus should still be on solid ground. He is the Solid Rock of our Faith, Salvation and ALL.

The church is made up of imperfect people, while Jesus is Perfect and Holy.

8. Rule-Play Jesus This Jesus and I have been super tight for many years. I obeyed all the rules. I even laminated a list and used color-coordinated markers to check off my accomplishments, believing they counted me worthy, while Not writing down my failures and Sin so as Not to remember them or the wretched man I am. Beloved, Salvation is the Cross plus nothing. The thief on the cross was asked only to Believe and that very hour he was Saved. There was really nothing left for him to do. He couldn’t attend a service, memorize Scripture, sing in the choir, take a meal to a neighbor, volunteer, or wash feet or the altar clothes. He was made Righteous because he said Yes to Jesus.

There was no other requirement to fulfill. Circumcision? No; Water Baptism by full or even partial immersion, pouring, sprinkling or even the mystical and unseen Fire Speaking in Tongues Baptism? Nope! There is nothing that can make the Perfected Work of the Cross anymore Perfect than the Perfect One our God, The Son and Lord Jesus The Christ. Your yes to Jesus counts you as Righteous. Toss out the rules of religiosity and bask in the refreshment of relationship. But stay connect and Sin Not so as Not to lose the salvation you gained as a Born Again Believer; or rather remain Not in Sin that His Grace may abound. God forbid.

So don't get it twisted, Jesus does have a Rule Book He Lives and Plays by, it's Called The Holy Bible or The Word or His Word... Because He Is The Word. Just remember, that all the Rules and Laws Given fall under His Two Greatest Commandments to Love Him with ALL your Heart, all your Soul and all your mind. And the second is like unto the first, You shall love your neighbor (Family and friends or everyone) as yourself.

9. Confused Jesus A couple years ago I went to a pastor and asked some questions about the Sermon on the Mount. The pastor laughed and said, “Yes, ours is not to understand. Ours is just to obey. Jesus was a confusing guy.” I lived with this, heavy on my heart. It would be two more years before I heard a sermon by another pastor and was undone by the revelation that Jesus was not confusing, except to unbelieving hearts and minds.

My Jesus fulfilled the Law and set us free from this heavy burden of condemnation. Jesus did died to set me and yes, you free. There is nothing confusing about Him, this and His Word. Not Confusing, No Contradictions and No Controversies. We walk free from condemnation in the grip of grace.

10. If/Then Jesus This is the most elusive and deceptive Jesus. If I do such and such, then Christ will do what I expect. But Jesus cannot be manipulated, and our works do not make Him move; our Faith does. Our good deeds do not make Him love us more and our bad deeds less. In fact, NOTHING can separate us All Sinners and Saints alike from His Love (Don’t get that confused with our ability to lose His Salvation and therefor Separate or Sever ourselves from Him). Again and most Importantly, nothing can separate us from the LOVE of JESUS.

The belief that “If I do or do not do, then Jesus will or won’t do” is a Jesus of colossal works. This Jesus keeps us in bondage to busyness and striving that keeps us apart from the good nature of my Jesus Who just simply Loves. He Is Love. He Loved perfectly so that we might be together for eternity. That was all. Simply Jesus.

Was there even a twinge or flutter in your spirit? One that said, “Oh, that is the Jesus I have been serving?” I know as I came to a place of Knowing, Understanding and Loving the real Jesus, my God, I saw pieces of the false Jesuses falling away and more of His natural and good character shining through to make me more like Him.

Will you pray this prayer with me?

Jesus, I said Yes to You. Thank You for Saving from this world and myself, the clutches of Death and the Devil. I Love You with ALL my heart, soul and mind; and live to Serve You. I want Only You First and Foremost in my Life, Heart, Soul, Mind and Spirit. The real You. All of You. You promised that if I seek I will find. Help me seek the Truth in ALL things and keep my eyes wholly fixated on the True and Holy You to Love and Serve You ALL the more and to love and serve fellow Believers and others all the more. Amen. 🥰🙏💘 #REBTD 😇

0 notes

thespecialrelationship-phff · 7 years

Text

Chapter 15

AN: I’m soooooo sorry! Life got a little complex there for a bit but we’re back on track! Enjoy the chapter guys!

Harry’s POV

“Shopping?” I ask, now deeply confused. We’ve just run away from hers and my security. We’re alone in one of the most busy places in the world and she wants to shop. “What?”

She looks at me with wide eyes, as if I’m the idiot. Then she starts to peruse the shelves, looking through the sweatshirts. Then it hits me. “Never mind, I understand.”

“Took you long enough.” She says with a smirk.

Our security will be looking for us wearing the clothes we’re in. We have to change so at least we’ll be more difficult to spot.

She pulls out a black sweatshirt with a huge Minnie Mouse on it, it’s plain but she’ll blend right in. And even though I’m loathe to have her cover up I understand the necessity. I find a simple long sleeved t and bring it over. She frowns. “What?”

“You can’t wear that over your shirt.”

“I’ll just take off my shirt and put it in your purse.” She opens her mouth as if to argue but then closes it quickly.

“Fine. One last thing we need.” She strolls through the store. “Hats.”

She starts riffling through the ears and I finally put my foot down. “I think wearing those ears will make us more conspicuous.”

“Really?” She asks, hands planted on her hips. “Look around.”

I do and I notice that most people are actually wearing these silly things. She sighs, “but if you’re feeling that insecure, here’s a baseball cap.”

I catch the hastily thrown hat, “Thank you.” And then I notice that it too has ears. “Unbelievable.”

“Alright, let’s check out.” Kennedy is flying through the store it really is too difficult to keep up. The woman is on a mission and I’m just along for the ride.

The store clerk about has a heart attack when she notices the two of us, she just keeps pointing and staring, “You’re..you are-you’re. Oh my god.”

Kennedy smiles, “Hello. We just need these quick things, no need for a bag.”

“You’re not paying.” I reach to grab my wallet.

She holds up a hand, “My country, my bill.” The clerk is still looking mesmerized but takes Kennedy’s cash anyways. “Besides, we probably broke the law running away from my security detail.”

“Great.”

I look up at the clerk who is handing us the merchandise with shaking hands. Kennedy throws on the sweatshirt and pulls her hair into a low bun. If I wasn’t looking for the first lady I probably wouldn’t guess that it was her, “If people come looking for us please tell them that we went to Pirates of the Caribbean.”

She nods mutely. “Thank you we really appreciate it.”

I grab Kennedy’s hand and we walk out of the store the clerk’s belated, “I voted for your dad!” filling our ears.

In our new disguises, I feel invincible, I want to hold her hand, walk arm in arm, do something. But I check myself. We are still in public and we’re both leaving tomorrow. The last thing we need is concrete evidence of a romance following us.

“So I take it we’re not going to Pirates of the Caribbean?”

“You would be correct.” I let the silence drag on for a few minutes.

Finally she breaks, “Please tell me where we’re going.”

I drag her around the park knowing that we’re on borrowed time so we quickly go through the attractions, hitting the ones that I know I want to see, the Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World and the teacups. We have a couple close calls with security but we’ve been lucky.

I can feel them getting closer though, maybe it’s some 6th sense but I just have a bad feeling.

We’re walking through Cinderella’s castle towards the front of the park when Kennedy’s mobile rings. “It’s Anna. Should I answer it?”

I nod, it was fun while it lasted.

“Hello?” We stop with the castle looming large behind us. “Anna? I can’t hear you.”

I look at her confused. “Huh. She hung up.”

“Odd.” We’ve reached a cross roads, either go down the Main Street towards the exit or head over to Fantasyland. “Maybe it’s time to turn in.”

Kennedy glances to the exit with a frown. She isn’t ready to leave yet. And I refuse to be the one to upset her. “Wait.”

“What?” She asks.

“Excuse me, sir?” I approach a young man with his girlfriend. He turns and cocks his head as if he should recognize me, but he can’t remember from where. “Would you take a picture for me please?”

He nods, “Sure man.”

I hand in my phone then pull Kennedy over, “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”

“It is.” I declare.

The man turns back to us. I watch as realization dawns on his face. He’s definitely recognized Kennedy but blessedly just holds up my mobile.

I settle my hand around her waist pulling her close to me. I’m genuinely smiling when she relaxes into me, placing her hand on my chest. On a whim I kiss the top of her head then retrieve my camera. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Miss Randolph, thank you for what you do.”

She blinks sharply, “What?”

“My little boy he wants to be an author, because of your reading initiative and my daughter wants to be a lawyer because that’s what you do. So thank you.” I look over at Kennedy who looks gobsmacked. The man shakes her hand.

Finally she smiles, “Trust me, it’s an honor. Have a good night.”

“It’s good to see you happy too.” He adds and I feel like that his promise to keep our secret. I’m touched and incredibly thankful.

I pull Kennedy along but we start fighting against crowds pouring into the square. “What’s going on?”

“Fireworks.” She responds. “Follow me, I have an idea.”

We break through the crowd in Tomorrowland outside of an attraction called the PeopleMover. “What’s this?”

She smiles, “It might not be showy, it might not be fancy but it’s a classic.” She explains as we step onto an escalator.

“Is it a tram?”

“Even better. It’s the way of the future.” She says in exaggeration.

We sit down in one of the rows on the long trains. There’s commotion near the entrance to the ride. The two of us turn, “Oh no.”

Paul and one of my RPOs is there and they spot us. We’re already in the vehicle so there’s no where to go. Kennedy sighs, “Fucking hell.”

“Miss Randolph,” Paul practically shouts. “Mind if we join you?”

Kennedy huffs and just turns around. Paul and my RPO climb into the row directly behind us. Their door slides shut and the train keeps moving. I glance at Kennedy who has a smirk dying to be a flown blown smile. “What are you smiling about?”

She just shakes her head tightly.

Then I notice that we speed up but behind us our chaperones haven’t.

It’s actually more than one train.

Paul is yelling something angry and incomprehensible while Kennedy turns around and gives a little wave, laughing.

I sit back, amazed. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or fear you.”

“Maybe a little of both.”

The PeopleMover is just that, a tram that is taking us around the Tomorrowland portion of the park, it ducks in and out of the attractions while explaining Walt’s dreams of the future. Kennedy was right, maybe not flashy but definitely a classic.

Eventually Kennedy rests her head against my shoulder, I saddle closer, letting my arm drape around her shoulders once again. It feels comfortable, right. I place a kiss on her forehead.

The tram turns a corner and the castle comes into view just as the fireworks begin. Kennedy gasps full of awe and wonder. I have to admit that I’m moved as well. It’s like something out of a movie.

I glance down and see her face illuminated by the soft blues and reds of the fireworks, her eyes reflecting the sparks. Slowly, I tilt her chin up. I lean down and place a kiss on her lips. It’s chaste, innocent and her head tips back with a sigh.

She leans closer placing a cool hand on my cheek as the ride goes back into a tunnel.

I’m lost in her sweet spell, enjoying the soft, languid press of her lips against mine. She’s soft and warm and in my arms. It’s just about perfect.

I pull back ready to say that when the tram lurches then comes to a stop. “What the-.”

The lights flick on immediately then a robotic comes over the PA system, “We’re currently experiencing difficulties, please remain seated until a ride host comes to assist you.”

“It’s broken.” I say in disbelief. Then look at Kennedy who doesn’t look that surprised. “Don’t tell me you planned this as well.”

She shrugs, “I heard that sometimes it happened with older rides.”

I pull her close to press another kiss on her lips, “God, you’re diabolical and it’s great.”

“I think diabolical may be pushing it.”

I shake my head, “Not at all, own it.”

We sit in comfortable silence until an employee comes around. The young woman looks like she’s been working way too many hours with way too many annoying people, but she perks up when she sees us. “Oh, Miss Randolph! There was a rumor going around that you were here. It’s so good to see you. My mom is a huge fan.”

“Oh, thank you.” Kennedy glances back. “Would you like a picture?”

“Yes!”

The employee unlocks our tram and we get out, Kennedy poses for a quick picture with the woman. She leads us through the “backstage” area of the ride and then to the exit. Kennedy pauses. “If you could unload those two men last I would really appreciate it. We’re trying to enjoy a quiet evening.”

“I completely understand.”

We say our thanks then step back into the public area.

“I think it’s time to call it a night.”

She nods, “You’re right.” She steps closer to me and entwines her hands with mine. “Your room or mine?”

I swallow thickly. Sure, a part of me wanted this to happen, anticipated it happening but now that she’s said it my brain has gone haywire. She’s still staring at me with an expectant gaze. Focus Wales.

“Mine.” I manage to say gruffly.

She smiles then walks away dragging me along by the hand.

The fireworks are still going off behind us as we fight through the crowd. I keep her hand firmly in mine my eyes trained on her. There’s no way I’m losing the First Lady tonight.

You don’t want to lose her ever.

I shake my head, needing to get errant thoughts like that out. There isn’t going to be anything past tonight at least not without a major shift in her life. I just need to enjoy tonight and her for what it is.

On the short journey back to the hotel we keep a respectable distance between the two of us very aware of all the people around us. I do stay close though, wanting to keep potential strangers at a distance.

Once we make it up to our private floor I grab her hand in mine and tug her close.

In my suite it takes all of my self-control to not immediately pull her into my arms. She’s standing in the center of the space, looking slightly uncomfortable, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. I walk over to the bar to grab wine for us.

“I don’t want to drink.” She states, her voice and intention clear.

My heart pounds.

I turn back to her smiling ruefully, “Truth be told don’t want to either. But there is one thing we have to do.”

Her brows furrow.

“Call Anna let her know you’re back here and safe.”

“Good point.” She nods, fishing out her mobile, throwing my extra shirt on the couch. “Am I safe though?”

Her eyes sparkle with mischief. I have the distinct feeling that she doesn’t care about being safe right now. “As safe as you want to be.”

“How can you read me so well?” She asks in wonder.

I shrug, knowing there’s no good answer. It’s something that’s bothered me as well. I’ve always been attuned to her, since the beginning. I wish I could say it’s something I have with everyone but it’s never been like this.

She checks in with her people and I do the same, instructing that I shouldn’t be disturbed for the evening.

With that done I look at her, she’s standing near the windows looking out at the wide expanse of the lagoon. “Kennedy?”

She turns so that I can see her profile. God, she’s beautiful. Slowly she removes her mouse ears, letting them fall to the floor. Then she turns fully to me. I’m braced, breathing heavily, anticipating her coming into my arms.

She doesn’t though. Instead she slowly walks away from me towards my bedroom. I remember that our suites are essentially the same so she knows. I watch transfixed as Kennedy, the most beguiling, confusing and beautiful woman I’ve met saunter towards my bedroom. Se pauses at the double French doors and looks over her shoulder at me.

Her smile is one full of erotic promise. It’s confident, sexy and bloody hell, all for me.

I take a deep breath and follow her into the room.

Chapter 14

AN: Again, my apologies for the late update! -M

#thespecialrelationship #prince harry fanfiction #phff #royalfanficcollection #phf

36 notes · View notes

ahopkins1965 · 4 years

Text

Intersection of Life and Faith

Toggle navigation

10 Smart Ways to Respond When You're Offended

Cindi McMenamin

Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

2020

16 Jun

It happens to all of us. A personal accusation, a misunderstanding, careless words, or an action on the part of another that rubs you the wrong way and before you know it, you’re offended. But, how you choose to handle that offense makes all the difference – or all the drama – in the world.

As I was writing my book, Drama Free, I realized a common reason for drama – especially among followers of Christ – is the spirit of offense and how we deal with it. The spirit of offense is what causes division between people. It’s what destroys friendships, breaks up marriages, and splits churches.

The more I examine Scripture, the more I find that a Spirit-controlled person is not one to give in to the spirit of offense. Proverbs 19:11 says, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” (NIV).

Having a strategy for dealing with offensive behavior can not only keep us from unnecessary drama, but it can shield our hearts from being taken captive by the spirit of offense and becoming bitter.

Here is a strategy of 10 smart ways to respond when you’re offended.

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/tommaso79

1. Respond maturely, don't react emotionally.

Are you one who lets everything steamroll you? Do you allow others’ opinions to get to you? Do you snap back or pout or plot a way to get even? You and I can’t control what others say or think about us, but we can control how we respond. If you know that God’s opinion of you is the only one that matters you will be able to respond appropriately and even biblically, rather than react emotionally. Remember, the offense isn’t so much about how you feel, but more about how you respond.

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/tommaso79

2. Realize there is always more to the story.

Much of our offense comes from having too little information. There is always another side to the story. There is always a context within which the story – or the offensive statement or action – occurred. And there is always a back story (what a person may have been dealing with that caused her to say or do what she did to offend you). Ask God for the discernment to know if you really need to hear the context or the other side of the story, or if you need to just blow it off and move on.

Photo credit: Pexels.com

3. Retain a sense of humor.

Are you taking yourself – and what others say about you – too seriously? When we retain a sense of humor, it keeps us from taking offenses to heart. It also keeps us humble if we can laugh at ourselves, along with others, or be okay with being the brunt of the joke. Humor can also help ease a tense situation. Learn to laugh about it or laugh it off. You might even find that what offended you in the first place was intended to be a joke as well.

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock

4. Refrain from acting impulsively.

Being impulsive in our words and actions often leads to drama. James 1:19 tells us, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

As we take time to think through our responses, we can keep from reacting emotionally and impulsively, which many times escalates drama.

Oswald Chambers said: “Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman – an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.”

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/kieferpix

5. Resist the urge to defend yourself.

This step has been the most helpful to me through the years. I can lose sleep at night trying to defend my image, or waste energy on explanations, defenses, or attempted retaliation. But none of that is necessary when I realize one golden truth: God’s got my back.

In his book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes:

“A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process of adjusting our public image. We fear so deeply what we think other people see in us that we talk in order to straighten out their understanding.” But, Foster says, when we choose to be silent – putting the stopper on all self-justification – we are showing God and others that we believe He can care for us, reputation and all.

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/pecaphoto77

6. Rely on God to protect your name.

There is such freedom in being able to let an offense or accusation fall by the wayside with the mindset that “my name is Christ’s. And, therefore an accusation against me is an accusation against Him. And He can defend His name.”

Trust God in the midst of the drama and let the offenses of others lead you to a greater dependence on the Lord. As you do that, you’ll experience the best kind of drama – the dramatic way in which you will grow in your relationship with – and dependence on – God!

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/SIphotography

7. Remain hidden.

The Bible tells us:

“Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 1:1-3, emphasis added).

To be hidden with Christ is to be invisible – so others see Christ and not you or me. Imagine, as you are being offended, as people are talking about you, as someone is going out of their way to make you miserable, if you were to just stay hidden with Christ and unseen until He works it all out. (You certainly couldn’t escalate drama in that condition, could you?)

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock

8. Remember it's not all about you.

In Galatians 2:20, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Dying to self and living to Christ means identifying ourselves with Him. Surely, the offense you are dealing with is part of making you more like Christ, who was offended, mocked, and ultimately executed though He did nothing wrong.

Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/GordonImages

9. Reflect on any seed of truth.

Within nearly every offense or accusation is a seed of truth. Even if just a tiny one. What might have provoked the offense? Is there something you could’ve done to prevent it? Get in the practice of taking every offense to God and asking Him to show you what, if anything, is true in the accusation or offense, and what you can learn from it. This offense might actually provide an opportunity to grow in faith and better yourself. Once you have learned the lesson, let the pain of the offense go and move on.

10. Return the offense with a compliment.

There’s nothing quite like loving the unlovable and giving a compliment to the one who has cursed you. That is truly living out Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:27-36 to “love your enemies” and “do good to those who hate [or offend] you” (verse 27). Heaping genuine compliments on the head of one who has offended you shows that you are not impacted by the offense, only Christlike in the face of it.

Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker who helps women and couples strengthen their walk with God and their relationships. She is the author of 15 books, including the best-selling When Women Walk Alone (more than 125,000 copies sold), When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts, and her newest book, Drama Free, upon which this article is based. For more on her speaking ministry, books, or free articles to strengthen your soul, marriage, or parenting, see her website www.StrengthForTheSoul.com.

Drink This Before Bed, Watch Your Body Fat Melt Like Crazy

Healthier Living Club

Sponsored by Revcontent

Find Out More >

18,392

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Crosswalk App Do Not Sell My Info (CA Only)

0 notes

ilovewhatweare · 6 years

Text

July

“Today i am counting my blessing- not my problems”:

7/1: Sangria & Big wave @ Rayyans. Danced with the family. Enjoyed hanging out with Ruben, Elizabeth, and connected with maria. for a moment of darkness as a opportunity to see all good light.

7/2: I did a 2 mile run today. with Jorge, abby joined us. and Sally even got a long walk at MLA.

7/3: Hung out with Dad and fam. We ate outside and later we watched Mulan.

7/4: Woke up early and Ran 2 miles at Nixon. Went to John;s apartment. I had his fam. starwberry moscow mules. Ended up taking the kids to Outdoor Cafe.

7/5: Manny’s blow off valve came in. I helped him install it. He had to stay home but it was a good day, we got tapatio. tacos and horchata are always delicious. Saw Indian and the Cupboard with abby and Naty, while manny went to play YugiOh.

7/6: Went shopping with Abby and Naty. Got Layla and my mom , and my tia a gift for their birthdays.

7/7: Bday Party at Grandma’s. Made the ladies a Mimosa bar. Celebrated with the family. had vegan cake made by Cari. It was honestly so delicious. rasberry, red velvey, and peaches. 3 tier cake! After the party we all went to see Ant man and the Wasp at the Webster Theatre. It was so much fun.

7/8: Grilled outside. Kathy came over and we saw Pacific Rim Uprising.

7/10: Moms Bday. We got mom a magnolia cake and Marvin came over and we sang her a very happy bday :)

7/13: Hungout with mom , went to grandmas, saw tio chucho., took brandon and jacob to go run at nixon. helped them change their profile pics on xbox.

7/14: woke up early , manny and i had coffee outside, and worked on gathering wedding stuff. picked up shawqi, saw incredibles 2. then we picked up Kathy. and we went to get tacos at los comales on Milkwaukee. today was special to me because manny wore his ring. ever since i shipped it to get polished he hadnt wore it.

7/15: with the kids, shawqi n me went to aldi to pick up some brkfsst stuff, and then we watched American Assasian with Dylon O Brian. We cooked sausage outside and it was fun.

7/16: Bubble Tea date with the fam. Yvette, angel, kathy. we played “thats it’ and had some good laughs. Manny and I had some ice coffee outside in the bakyrd once he came home from work. it was nice relaxing with him on a wknight.

7/18: our new grill arrived! hung out with abigail and watched Brain on fire.

7/19: went for my eye exam today. Got new contacts; new prescription at -5.5 , and the eye doc was so patient with me.

7/20: out early from work, hung out with my mom and dad. i had a good night with them, we drank a beer and drove over to los comales on dempster. then we had another one.

7/21: woke up and had coffee with mom. got zip ties and fixed the civic, went to get Coffee and Tea! they were able to grind it up fine enough for my Moka pot. Had brazilian bowl for lunch at the lake. got wet. had some laughs about that . i genuinely had such a good time. those good vibes splashed into Sunday.

7/22: Tried out the new “praline” coffee and it tasted sooo delicious. got ready and went to Noe’s house. i meet Noe (+Carmen), Paul/Pav (+Katrina), Peter, and TJ. new vibes, new circle, great food, and of course Sangria. lots. i sang and danced all the way home because- why not? Manny and i watched a snipet of tv before i had to knock out for the day.

7/23: I have alot to be thankful about today. Manny picked me up from the train today, we went and picked up my contacts, we stopped by Marianos and bought some jalepeno cheddar & blue cheese burgers, and some Cedar Salads. Also delicious. we grilled em in the backyard, then manny played a lil bit of Cajon, the beat he was trying to learn is a lil difficult. We then watched a bit of netflix. I brewed up some Praline coffee. and we drank it outside. manny monologed about yugioh. it was fun seeing his excitement. after we relaxed and played along with jackbox . that was funny.

7/24: so a simple moment, but i woke up kind of angry today, due to the stomping above me at 5a, i got up needing to go, and manny quickly got off the couch and hugged me, hushed and calmed me down. it was wierd but i felt better so much faster, i havent woken up angry in a while but he knew what to do..went back to bed and Manny drove me to the train stop/ still a good day to have a good day :) (3:40pm) so Jaysen and manny showed up to pick me up and it was a great! so we went home and manny & jaysen played YugiOh, i made them iced coffee, i praticed the uke a lil, then we met up with Jorge at MLA and i ran 2.1 miles. my time wasnt amazing BUT i never stopped running/jogging, so thats good right! then jaysen came back home with us, we grilled some dogs and burgers outside, we drank some sangria, and honestly i thnk everyone got buzzed and it was fun kicking back with them. i drove Jaysen home and manny & i didnt stay up too much longer than that, watched some tv and i went to bed.

7/25 . Today was a good day, Manny took me to the train station, work went b smoothly. i left work slightly early, and manny picked me up from the train station and we went to Costco, and got . case of sangria. lol. along with some other items (chicken, gauc, hevy whip cream, etc)/ we went home and ate a little snack and basically hung out with each other for the remainder of the day. i enjoyed that. we played some cajon, sat outside, went for a walk at nixon with sally. watched tv. i know it may seem boring, at times, but i feel happy when i know he is relaxing.

7/26. happy anni (7.4 now) / i am thankful that coconut coffee exits, it tastes so delicious! / chicken salad walnuts cranberries, yum! / Nico and the Niners Video released and it is beautiful. / after work we went to welles park and watched Shawqi at football practice. we then picked up kathy, and the kids slept over. later at night we went to nixon. i did another 2 mile run. while the kids played at the new park, including Abby, naty, and her friend Anahi. It was fun and we cooked outside that night, i made a garbanzo salad and it was delicious. it felt like a really good night.

7/27 - i got my make up done today by Jacob. He was so professional and so sweet. Kathy and I made a trip to the vitamin shoppe and i was fortunate to find the Collagen peptides i was searching for. We both found these two beautiful dresses at Francescas. Later that night we dropped off the kids and i put in another 2 mile run with Jorge at MLA. my time got better! so that is a good sign. i need to work my way up to 3 miles.

7/28 woke up so early. Our first stop was the Country Inn, which we got a mini tour from Lori Davis. She was a sweetheart. After comparing it to the Ramada, we agreed that Country Inn was better for us. . . We drove to Dubuque, Had a really good tasting at HyVee. We then even had a drink at their cafe bar afterwards. drove to the family liquor store! and they had Stella and DElaCosta Sangria! - then we went and saw valley perrienals and that was a nice lil pit spot. then wandered and saw what chestnut mountain . went to our hotel at eagle ridge. that was actually really nice too. After manny took a nap we went to DeSoto House and had an amazing dinner (Crab bisque, Blue Cheese Soup, and Prime Rib! with vegetables and mash potatoes) drank some more there and along with the laughs about the Moon and Manny driving ‘too fast’ it was overall such a fun funny night

7/29 woke up so tired, mom and dad made it to Oak Hill! i think they enjoyed it as much as i did. dad would not stop taking pictures. and that was so funny. i know his parents loved it too. it felt like a sense of relief and happiness for them to finally see it. we then drove and ate at Rafters. They had a pretty good brunch buffet. once we got bak we went to the Rayyans chilled a bit there. then John said he needed to get suits so we went to MW and he bought two suits (BOGOF) so that was a good deal. We also stopped at carsons and kohls. We then ate at portillos. that was delicious. drove home. mom picked up KrispyKreme donuts for the rayyans. so we dropped those off. manny n i relaxed. watched AttackOnTitans and we were both so tired and went to bed early. felt good to be back in our own bed. x

7/30 another day for an amazin day. manny dropped me off at the train this morning. :) and he picked me up. we went and bough Memoria from Dona Mari’s and i cooked it when i got home. it came out tasty. Manny n i relaxed on the couch and that was nice. Then i went to MLA, picked up Kathy, met Jorge there. we did a 2.1 mile run. We had better times! then we goofed around, trying to do cartwheels and some hop thing we were not too successful at. lol. But boy did we laugh a lot! - see newer posts for the vids. came home to have a protein shake and manny n i hit the hay early. overall it was a really good day.

7/31 Today is Erics and Jorges Birthday! Love them so much and honestly i cant imagine how my childhood would have been without them. Today i feel great! i put the collagen peptides in my coffee and manny drove me to the train station :)

#collectionofJuly

0 notes

sarahburness · 7 years

Text

Boost Your Happiness: 10 Mindfulness Tips for Busy People

“There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Do you ever feel as though you would be happy if only things were a little different?

You know that happiness is important, but you keep putting it on the backburner because there simply isn’t enough time to prioritize your own inner joy.

And at the same time, you know that meditation would help, but you can’t even imagine where you’re going to get the spare time you need to sit still and meditate.

In an ideal world, we would schedule moments every day in which to cater to our health needs, because health and well-being are paramount. Yet despite our best efforts we will inevitably face those times when we’re busy every minute of the day. I know I’ve been there.

A few years ago I moved country while pursuing life as a freelance journalist. I was working non-stop for a less than minimum wage, and I had zero time to focus on my mental health.

Life became unbearably stressful. And while I knew that I could stop the stress if I meditated, I simply couldn’t work out how I would ever get the time to do it.

My happiness drifted further and further away. Stress built. Anxiety hit hard. And with zero free time I simply couldn’t find a way out of my misery.

I knew meditation was the key. I just didn’t have the time for it. So I made a choice. Instead of meditating the old-fashioned way, sitting still doing nothing, I would find ways to meditate while still being productive. That way I could work on my happiness while still doing everything I needed to do.

The key was mindfulness.

By simply being present and living in the moment, I could meditate while getting things done.

This was a total game-changer for me. Suddenly I had all the time in the world to practice mindfulness because I could do it while still being productive.

I was mindful day and night. I would eat meals mindfully, walk mindfully, read my email mindfully… whatever I needed to do I would do mindfully.

Suddenly I had gone from having no time to meditate to making mindfulness an integrated part of my life.

All mindful moments were helpful at this time. But there were ten mindful practices that I found particularly valuable. And even though today I keep a much healthier schedule and make sure not to spread myself too thin, I still use these practices.

Whether you’re going through a busy time or looking for an alternative to traditional seated-meditation, you can use these techniques to boost your mindfulness while saving time.

1. Walk mindfully.

Walking is one of the most relaxing exercises in the world. But it can be all too easy to ruin a good walk by thinking too much. When walking, be mindful of the world around you, paying attention to your five senses. Alternatively, meditate on the feeling of movement in your legs, which is a practice used in Zen walking.

2. Eat mindfully.

Eating mindfully is one of the most wonderful things we do for both body and mind. When we eat mindfully we become more aware of the food we are eating. This makes us more appreciative of food and of the digestive process, and also makes us more likely to eat healthily. Take time eating meals, and focus on the food.

3. In a queue? Meditate.

Here’s a great time-saving tip. When you’re in a queue, meditate. You’re standing still doing nothing anyway, and you could be there for a good few minutes, so why not make the most of the time.

Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Or, if you don’t feel comfortable with your eyes closed in public, gaze at a wall or something else that is not distracting, and focus on breathing. This is a great way to actually make use of time that would otherwise be wasted.

4. Meditate on the bus.

This is my all time favorite mindfulness practice. I’m frequently using the bus in order to help cut emissions, and my trips range from half an hour to well over an hour. That’s time that would be utterly wasted. But by meditating I actually get something out of my time on the bus.

Personally, I’m always happy to sit with my eyes closed and look a little bit funny doing so. But if you prefer not to draw attention to yourself, keep your eyes open and simply drop your gaze to a forty-five-degree angle. Now focus on your breath.

5. Exercise with body and mind.

Oftentimes when we’re exercising the body thoughts are still ruminating in the mind. Big mistake. Physical exercise can be used as training for both body and mind. All we need to do is focus while we exercise.

Some exercises are more conducive to this than others. Yoga, tai chi, and Qigong are all excellent mind and body exercises, and running can be another good choice. Other exercises such as weight-lifting and competitive team sports are less appropriate.

6. Actually watch the TV.

How often do we have the TV on without actually focusing on it? We’ve got some random show playing in the background while we’re thinking of what to make for dinner or what we have to do at work. This creates a rift between our reality and what’s occurring in the mind. And this is detrimental to mental health.

When watching the TV, actually set aside an hour or so in which to genuinely watch a show. Focus on the show. And when it is over turn off the TV.

7. Lie down in body and mind.

Lying down is, of course, an act of rest. But too often when we lie down we rest the body while still working the mind. How many times have you gone to bed worrying about the next day? Such moments are not genuine rest, and they certainly are not conducive to good sleep.

When lying down with the body, we should lie down with the mind too. To do this, focus the mind on the body. Focus on the body at rest.

Begin by focusing on the crown of your head. Notice what sensations are there. Is there any tension? If so, imagine breathing fresh air into that area. The fresh air relaxes. It carries away the tension.

Once the crown of your head is relaxed, move down to your forehead and repeat the process there.

Continue one step at a time, progressing through your eyes, nose, mouth, neck and so on, all the way to your feet.

Your entire body will now be utterly relaxed. Focus on it. Be mindful of your entire body. Particularly be aware of the sense of relaxation. Keep the mind there, your consciousness evenly spread across your whole body.

This is lying down in mind as well as in body. It is an immensely relaxing experience and one of the best ways of refreshing the mind.

8. Really listen.

Everyone loves a good listener, and listening can be an act of mindfulness too. All we need do is pay absolute attention to the person speaking. When doing this, we do not judge their voice or what they are saying, and we do not worry about how we are going to respond; we simply focus on the sound of the other person’s voice.

9. When working, work.

Let’s be completely honest, most of us do not focus on work 100 percent unless the boss is standing next to us. Instead, we’re thinking about how we want to get out of the office, how we’d rather be at home or out having fun. But dreaming about not working while we’re at work simply makes us miserable.

When we focus the mind 100 percent on the work we’re doing we come to actually enjoy our jobs. So, when writing, write. When selling, sell. And when listening to that angry customer’s complaints, listen. This will stop work from feeling like a chore and make it a pleasurable, mindful experience.

10. Listen to the kettle and meditate on the drink.

As an Englishman, my kettle is turned on far too many times throughout the day, and I do delight in drinking far too much tea. (It’s usually green, so at least I’ve got that going for me.)

One way to make a cup of tea or coffee even better is to meditate on it. Meditate on the sound of the kettle when it is boiling. Focus on the process of making the tea or coffee. And drink mindfully. This will make you appreciate the drink more, while also increasing present-moment-mindfulness.

—

Mindfulness needn’t take time. We can be mindful while doing the things we need to do. And in the process, we can boost our happiness and health without losing time.

The ten tips we’ve looked at provide ways to boost mindfulness while saving time. And there are many similar tips.

What is your favorite way of being mindful?

About Paul Harrison

Paul Harrison is a meditation teacher based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He has read hundreds of books, attended lectures, spoken with gurus, and learnt everything there is to know about mindfulness and meditation. He shares his wisdom in the inspiring and enlightening book Journey To The Buddha Within You and in his guide to 31 different ways to meditate.

Web | More Posts

Get in the conversation! Click here to leave a comment on the site.

The post Boost Your Happiness: 10 Mindfulness Tips for Busy People appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

from Tiny Buddha https://tinybuddha.com/blog/boost-your-happiness-10-mindfulness-tips-for-busy-people/

0 notes

ramon-balaguer · 3 years

Text

Do You Know my Jesus?

No seriously, do you know my Jesus? Now, I’m Not talking about Jesus to cutting your grass, painting your home or replacing your roof…

I certainly Not talking about the Jesus exclamation mark Christ the Bostonians often yell out to make a point.

No, no, no… And I’m Not talking about the prophet or Messiah or messenger God sent to guide Israel for a short time and was eventually replaced by a “last” prophet named Mohammad who while high on opium in some cave got visions of Judaism and Christianity to create Islam…

When I found out I wasn’t following the real Jesus, I was totally undone. I had long left Catholic private school I attended and Catholicism my family raised me in to run the streets and women as an atheist and eventually landed in the Mormon cult and subsequently dibbled and dabbled in Islam (Yes, they have a Jesus too, mentioned above as one of many prophets) having read and studied the Koran or Quran at least 5 times cover to cover. The hard work of making Jesus fit my brain, answer when I called, and label me righteous was a full-time job that robbed me of peace.

When I finally fell into the loving arms of the real Jesus, I began a genuine relationship with the Savior of the world—the One who died for me. He is everything He promised and so much more.

Our culture presents us with so many versions of Jesus, letting us make Him in our own image. Maybe you’ve come to depend on a false Jesus and didn’t even realize it. If you are struggling to find peace, read about these false Jesuses with an open mind. Consider what Jesus said about Himself and test your beliefs against the Truth from Holy Scripture.

Here are 10 false versions of Jesus people keep falling for:

1. Mean Jesus

Perhaps this image of Jesus comes from social media and the rants we see from devoted churchgoers. Maybe it is our constant news sources bickering over who is better or what is Right & Wrong. Or it could be you had a hellfire and brimstone pastor growing up, and this became your earliest depiction of Jesus. Mean and angry, full of wrath, ranting and raging about how Sin would destroy you (it will, if you remain in it and reject Jesus).

But balance this image of Jesus with the story of the little children gathering to him, with His compassion for the Lazarus’ sisters, with His dealing of the woman at the well to forgive her and her to reject Sin and share The Good News. While Jesus called out Sin when He saw it, He was never cruel it except that one time with the Pharisees and Sadducees in His House of Praise, Prayer & Healing. Jesus, the Lamb, went to slaughter so that you would be free from His Wrath.

2. Political Jesus

How would Jesus vote? Since there were no Democrats or Republicans in His day, we don’t know. What we do know is that He loved and would Never Vote against Himself or His Father. I other words, he would Not Vote for Satan and his followers or folks for killing babies or justifying illegal activities or any manner of Sin. But the apolitical Jesus took the side of those in need and that my friends is what we The Church should be doing and Not trying to depend on the government to do for US. Today, we are all in need in one form or another, and we all need Him.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, He is on your team. He is for you. He is for your redemption. He is for your Sanctification. He died for you while you still Sinned. Right or left, wrong or Right, He is for you. He is patient with us as we learn and grow and understands the frustrations that we face with both the Republican and the Democrats and especially the Sin Sick Socialist Lying Leftist Liberals.

He walks with us through the valleys, and He delights in our newfound wisdom and growth.

3. Genie in a Bottle Jesus

Your wish is not necessarily His command. That the Oprah Winfrey kinda Jesus. We’re often mystified when we clasp our hands tightly together and summon Jesus to answer our every request…and nothing happens. We become deflated by what we believe is unanswered prayer, allowing our faith to increase or decrease by what we perceive.

4. I’ll Teach You Jesus.

Imagine what your relationship with your child would look like if these were some of the requirements: You will meet me at 5:00 every morning, I don’t care if you didn’t sleep. Now tell me what you want. I may or may not give it to you. If you have been completely impossible to deal with, I might sprain your ankle or give you a brain tumor to teach you something. Laughable? Sure.

But how many of us believe in this works-based and punishment-loving Jesus? He died while we still Sinned. He came to bind up the brokenhearted, not break our hearts and spirits to keep us in line.

5. You Look Like You Can Take It Jesus.

“God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Do I look like I can handle the Big C cancer or even the lil c COVID19 the left has left many in fear of or the lung disease doctors have given up on my brother-in-law is dying from and dealing with? Or the Black Lives Matter and Antifa domestic terrorists’ Stealing, Killing and Destroying Democrat ran cities the “leadership” there allows? Or bankruptcy, or a natural disaster, or the death of a child? Do I even look like I could handle an itchy rash or ingrown toe nail much less a combat related wound or Divorce?

6. I Couldn't Care Less Jesus.

Sometimes we feel like He is nowhere to be found. We call, and there is no answer. This Jesus is not the Compassionate Christ who laid down His life for ours. Still, in times of heartache, it is hard to understand why He doesn’t answer. Or at least, we don’t know or understand His answers. He has shown me it is okay to question Him.

My most favorite prayer in these seasons? “Lord, help my unbelief.” One of the shortest but most impactful and helpful prayers in The Holy Bible. A relationship with Jesus is a journey. There will be ups and downs. He can take the heat—He proved that through the cross. It is okay to ask why. He always shows up, every time. He said in this life, your life, you will have troubles, but be of good cheer, He has overcome it ALL. Ask, Seek, and Knock. He will answer.

7. Church Jesus

The Law is Holy and Good, but it doesn’t make me Holy and Good. No more than the full nice 2” clerical or ordained minister’s collar I wear from time to time. No matter how good a church and it’s teaching of the Word of God, it does not make me Holy. Paul reminds us, do not neglect the assembly (Hebrews 10:25). Yes, hold each other up, hold each other accountable, and by all means encourage one another.

But if the pew is shaken, guess what shouldn’t be? You and Jesus. Your relationship with Jesus is separate and not dependent on the church (body of Believers congregating in a place), But The Church, You, Yes, You.

No matter what unexpected challenges happen in “the church,” you and Jesus should still be on solid ground. He is the Solid Rock of our Faith, Salvation and ALL. The church is made up of imperfect people, while Jesus is Perfect and Holy.

8. Rule-Play Jesus

This Jesus and I have been super tight for many years. I obeyed all the rules. I even laminated a list and used color-coordinated markers to check off my accomplishments, believing they counted me worthy, while Not writing down my failures and Sin so as Not to remember them or the wretched man I am. Beloved, Salvation is the Cross plus nothing. The thief on the cross was asked only to Believe and that very hour he was Saved. There was really nothing left for him to do. He couldn’t attend a service, memorize Scripture, sing in the choir, take a meal to a neighbor, volunteer, or wash feet or the altar clothes.

He was made Righteous because he said Yes to Jesus. There was no other requirement to fulfill. Circumcision? No; Water Baptism by full or even partial immersion, pouring, sprinkling or even the mystical and unseen Fire Speaking in Tongues Baptism? Nope! There is nothing that can make the Perfected Work of the Cross anymore Perfect than the Perfect One our God, The Son and Lord Jesus The Christ. Your yes to Jesus counts you as Righteous. Toss out the rules of religiosity and bask in the refreshment of relationship. But stay connect and Sin Not so as Not to lose the salvation you gained as a Born Again Believer; or rather remain Not in Sin that His Grace may abound. God forbid.

9. Confused Jesus

A couple years ago I went to a pastor and asked some questions about the Sermon on the Mount. The pastor laughed and said, “Yes, ours is not to understand. Ours is just to obey. Jesus was a confusing guy.” I lived with this, heavy on my heart.

It would be two more years before I heard a sermon by another pastor and was undone by the revelation that Jesus was not confusing, except to unbelieving hearts and minds. My Jesus fulfilled the Law and set us free from this heavy burden of condemnation. Jesus did died to set me and yes, you free. There is nothing confusing about Him, this and His Word. Not Confusing, No Contradictions and No Controversies. We walk free from condemnation in the grip of grace.

10. If/Then Jesus

This is the most elusive and deceptive Jesus. If I do such and such, then Christ will do what I expect. But Jesus cannot be manipulated, and our works do not make Him move; our Faith does. Our good deeds do not make Him love us more and our bad deeds less. In fact, NOTHING can separate us All Sinners and Saints alike from His Love (Don’t get that confused with our ability to lose His Salvation and therefor Separate or Sever ourselves from Him). Again and most Importantly, nothing can separate us from the LOVE of JESUS.

Was there even a twinge or flutter in your spirit?

One that said, “Oh, that is the Jesus I have been serving?”

I know as I came to a place of Knowing, Understanding and Loving the real Jesus, my God, I saw pieces of the false Jesuses falling away and more of His natural and good character shining through.

Will you pray this prayer with me?

0 notes