Now why don’t he write…?

Okay….here’s the situation…as you know I have been going through a LOT over the last bit of time, and I have been trying HARD to overcome it all…no…really…I HAVE.

So…how to paraphrase this so that I take up less of your time and make the situation clearer….

Well..they say that the best way to start is at the beginning…

So, I lost my home in Scotland and had to move to America again…this you all know…then my baby Hazelnut Butterpig passed….then I lost my beloved Rincewind, and a LOT of people I had been caring for at the other job, including a couple of people I had really gotten to know and love….and it really hit me hard. I sunk into depression, and even went to “The Dark Place” in my mind, as it were, and was starting to give up….then, when I was just coming through to where I was able to process things slowly, my beloved friend and Bishop passed away.

Well, needless to say, it really threw the curve ball at me.

The problem is that I had LEGAL things to see to. Was my Ordination ended? Did God say “Okay…you are retired” …!?!?!? So…I am still working through the Legal aspect of this problem… am I still Friar Jeff?…or am I just JEFF….??? (BTW: still sorting this out)

Without a Church to be affiliated with (because he was the head of the church, as it were), does my Ordination end?

So, as you see, while trying to sort out the MENTAL side of my life, I am struck down with the LEGAL side as well…so…you see…I felt I did not have the RIGHT to be your cleric till this is resolved.

There are legal precedence to consider, lawsuits that could ensue…etc….and I am quite incapable of having LEGAL issues to add to the pile.

I am not avoiding social media…just trying to determine what, when, where, how…and more importantly, WHO I am in the grand scheme of things.

Hence why I have been off lately.

There may be some who say “He abandoned us”…or that I do not care anymore…FAR FROM IT.

I care enough to know that I cannot help THEM without first helping myself.

After all, how can I counsel those in need if I myself am in more dire and darker situations? (That, and the fact that it may send me over the edge as well)

NEVER think for a minute I do not care…for you, my friends, mean more to me that the entire world.

I just want to be sure I can BE, not just ‘be’, there for you all.

I really AM trying, but as anyone who suffers from severe depression, PTSD, and physical tribulations can tell you, it is NOT as easy as it seems when they all gang up on you and decide to stomp you into the ground.

So…we are all in this boat together, and I am looking at the charts to see where we are, even though I am a bit lost as well.

So I will keep you all updated as I can and make sure you all understand it takes time…and only God knows the length of that.

Peace be with you all…

READING OF THE DAY: 16 AUGUST, 2017

“Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.

If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:15-20. 

READING OF THE DAY: 2 AUGUST, 2017

“Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.

When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it”. – Matthew 13:44-46. 

READING OF THE DAY: SATURDAY JULY 15, 2017

“Jesus said to his Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master.

It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

Therefore do not be afraid of them.

Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.

What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.

Even all the hairs of your head are counted.

So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.

But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”‘ – Matthew 10:24-33. 

READING OF THE DAY: THURSDAY 13 JULY, 2017

‘Jesus said to his Apostles: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.

Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick.

The labourer deserves his keep.

Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave.

As you enter a house, wish it peace.

If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.”

Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words–go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.

Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.” ‘ – Matthew 10:7-15. 

 

READING OF THE DAY: 3 JULY, 2017

“Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them.

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” – John 20:24-29. 

READING OF THE DAY: 21 JUNE, 2017

‘Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden.

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”‘ – Matthew 6:1-6.16-18.

READING OF THE DAY: 16 JUNE, 2017

“Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.

We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.

For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence.

Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-15.

READING OF THE DAY: 10 JUNE, 2017

‘In the course of his teaching Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.

They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers.

They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.

Many rich people put in large sums.

A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.

Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury.

For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”‘ – Mark 12:38-44. 

READING OF THE DAY: 08 JUNE, 2017

‘One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?”

Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’

And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

And when Jesus saw that (he) answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

And no one dared to ask him any more questions.’ – Mark 12:28-34.