The church, universal, nourished, in the wilderness

 "Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that 

which they have received,  but to build it up. 

And for this cause have I said: 

If this generation harden not their hearts, 
I will establish my church among them.  
Now I do not say this to destroy my church, 
but I say this to build up my church; 

Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear,  for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."

  "And the woman fled to the wilderness, 
where she had a place prepared by God 
where she would be sustained... "

how long did she linger there,
their in the wilderness

nestled by the fire,
     of his writers and poets.

concealed was she,  there, nourished. 

when to come forth,
and replenish the earth?

   Milton unearthed her,
concealed among the poets.

"Say Heav'nly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein [ 15 ]
Afford a present to the Infant God?
Hast thou no vers, no hymn, or solemn strein,
To welcom him to this his new abode,"

The Devils built a city in Hell,

called it Pandemonium.

Did they arrive in Hell, 

or bring it with them.

Let no one wonder, 

the truth they uncovered, their.

The truth of their own damnation.

 "And dig'd out ribs of Gold. Let none admire [ 690 ]
That riches grow in Hell; "

 "That underneath had veins of liquid fire  [ 701 ] ...

Severing each kind, and scum'd the Bullion dross:"

    Let no man question, then,

    How he reached his church, 

    and nourished her, in the wilderness

    till revealed again,
    in the wilderness, she remained,

    to be brought forth .
    in all her restoration, and glory.

(The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 10:50-55)

(Revelations 12:6)

(John Milton, On the Morning of Christ's Nativity) Compos'd 1629

(John Milton, Paradise Lost Book i)

Elousia, In her womb ..

"... with mighty wings outspread, 

Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast Abyss, 

And mad'st it pregnant:" 

Their I rest ...
In her womb.

The bosom of the father.

Like the great egg. 

I rest ...

To be embraced, and luved.

To come forth, and return.

When ready I am.

She "upbraideth not"

My false starts.

But looks forward to, when, 

I fly.

John Milton, Paradise Lost Book i

On RACHAM : Hebrew, mercy, bosom, womb

Papa: The Shack, William Paul. Young

Elousia; the name that  Paul gives to the feminine define.

On the Bastardization of English by the vulgar folk ...

       

       "Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devising anything ourselves, or revising that which hath been laboured by others, deserveth certainly much respect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold entertainment in the world. It is welcomed with suspicion instead of love, and with emulation instead of thanks: and if there be any hole left for cavil to enter, (and cavil, if it do not find a hole, will make one) it is sure to be misconstrued, and in danger to be condemned. This will easily be granted by as many as know story, or have any experience. For, was there ever any thing projected, that savoured any way of newness or renewing, but the same endured many a storm of gainsaying, or opposition? A man would think that Civility, wholesome Laws, learning and eloquence, Synods, and Church-maintenance, (that we speak of no more things of this kind) should be as safe as a Sanctuary, and out of shot, as they say, that no man would lift up the heel, no, nor dog move his tongue against the motioners of them. For by the first, we are distinguished from brute beasts lead with sensuality; By the second, we are bridled and restrained from outrageous behaviour, and from doing of injuries, whether by fraud or by violence; By the third, we are enabled to inform and reform others, by the light and feeling that we have attained unto ourselves; Briefly, by the fourth being brought together to a parley face to face, we sooner compose our differences than by writings which are endless; And lastly, that the Church be sufficiently provided for, is so agreeable to good reason and conscience, that those mothers are holden to be less cruel, that kill their children as soon as they are born, than those nursing fathers and mothers (wheresoever they be) that withdraw from them who hang upon their breasts (and upon whose breasts again themselves do hang to receive the Spiritual and sincere milk of the word) livelihood and support fit for their estates. Thus it is apparent, that these things which we speak of, are of most necessary use, and therefore, that none, either without absurdity can speak against them, or without note of wickedness can spurn against them.  

Yet for all that, the learned know that certain worthy men have been brought to untimely death for none other fault, but for seeking to reduce their countrymen to good order and discipline; and that in some Commonwealths it was made a capital crime, once to motion the making of a new Law for the abrogating of an old, though the same were most pernicious; And that certain, which would be counted pillars of the State, and patterns of Virtue and Prudence, could not be brought for a long time to give way to good Letters and refined speech, but bare themselves as averse from them, as from rocks or boxes of poison; And fourthly, that he was no babe, but a great clerk, that gave forth (and in writing to remain to posterity) in passion peradventure, but yet he gave forth, that he had not seen any profit to come by any Synod, or meeting of the Clergy, but rather the contrary; And lastly, against Church-maintenance and allowance, in such sort, as the Ambassadors and messengers of the great King of Kings should be furnished, it is not unknown what a fiction or fable (so it is esteemed, and for no better by the reporter himself, though superstitious) was devised; Namely, that at such a time as the professors and teachers of Christianity in the Church of Rome, then a true Church, were liberally endowed, a voice forsooth was heard from heaven, saying: Now is poison poured down into the Church, etc. Thus not only as oft as we speak, as one saith, but also as oft as we do anything of note or consequence, we subject ourselves to everyone's censure, and happy is he that is least tossed upon tongues; for utterly to escape the snatch of them it is impossible. If any man conceit, that this is the lot and portion of the meaner sort only, and that Princes are privileged by their high estate, he is deceived. As the sword devoureth as well one as the other, as it is in Samuel [2 Sam 11:25], nay as the great Commander charged his soldiers in a certain battle, to strike at no part of the enemy, but at the face; And as the King of Syria commanded his chief Captains to fight neither with small nor great, save only against the King of Israel: [1 Kings 22:31] so it is too true, that Envy striketh most spitefully at the fairest, and at the chiefest. David was a worthy Prince, and no man to be compared to him for his first deeds, and yet for as worthy as act as ever he did (even for bringing back the Ark of God in solemnity) he was scorned and scoffed at by his own wife [2 Sam 6:16]. Solomon was greater than David, though not in virtue, yet in power: and by his power and wisdom he built a Temple to the Lord, such a one as was the glory of the land of Israel, and the wonder of the whole world. But was that his magnificence liked of by all? We doubt of it. Otherwise, why do they lay it in his son's dish, and call unto him for easing of the burden, Make, say they, the grievous servitude of thy father, and his sore yoke, lighter. [1 Kings 12:4] Belike he had charged them with some levies, and troubled them with some carriages; Hereupon they raise up a tragedy, and wish in their heart the Temple had never been built. So hard a thing it is to please all, even when we please God best, and do seek to approve ourselves to everyone's conscience."

(Preface King James Version in the edition of 1611)

This is good standard 15th century English.  I can understand very little of it.  It is not the language of the common or Vulgar people.  It was written in a time when the language of the court was French or Latin.  The church was unwilling to produce a Bible in English because it was doubted the English Language had sufficient linguistic capacity to convey difficult theological subjects.

A generation before, William Tyndale began a project to demonstrate that the language of the vulgar, or common, English could transmit gospel teachings. 

  "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God.  As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee; The voice of a crier in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptise in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins.  And all the land of Jewry, and they of Jerusalem went out unto him, and were all baptised of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a beast's skin about his loins. And he did eat locusts and wild honey, and preached, saying, "A stronger than I cometh after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I have baptised you with water: but he shall baptise you with the holy ghost." 

  (Mark Chapter 1)

This is a good standard street level language of the English People.  It is easily read with rhyme and meter.

The Language of the English is a combination of Language of the Germans, Angles, Celts, and the Norman French conquerors.  It was ruled by Rome for 300 years but it did not develop a Latin Language.

I know we often disparage the change in the English Language as the common folk create, change and mold it.  Twitter, texting, and Facebook have strongly shaped the language in the current generation.  Even as The Tyndale Translation and English Common Book of Prayer shaped and molded 16-17th century English.

The ability of the English Language to shape and mold itself to the needs of the rising generation while retaining its ability to communicate ageless thought is part of why it is the dominant language in the world today.

The drink, ... with a friend.

In it comes, out it goes.

A confession, or renewal.

The invitation.

To return, thus, it is.

Now to renew, the journey.

Hope of a rebirth, of the covenant.

Thus a trade, a restoration.

The end, of the beginning.

5-28-2017

On the power of myth.

"Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some sacred well. People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards gained glory for it. Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her." (G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy)

 The stories of Luke Skywalker or Han Solo are the sacred myth of my generation. Though set "Long ago and far, far away" They are the sacred fire we built our culture around.

Another is the story of Adam and Eve. This story has transformed my relationship with my mother. Thus the power of this myth.

Eve was a woman who desired to have children. In her desire to have children, she became broken. In this brokenness we now live. Eve sacrificed her presence with God so I could be born.

My mom and I have a difficult relationship. We are both broken souls. It is the power of the Eve myth that rebuilds our relationship. I value  the sacrifices offered by her,  her mother, and her mother's mother, to create my life. This gratitude has driven me, to restore my relationship, with my mother.

These sacrifices , are not in theory.  These sacrifices, are in fact. My mother's family have collected these stories. I know their names and birthplace to at least 7 generations. I have their stories. The babies, they lost. The husbands they buried. They are real to me.

Thus, the power of the Eve myth to shape and forge, mine and my mothers relationship. 

These myths tie me to my mothers, for all time.

When she, was part, of him ...

their she was, in him, Adam
did he not see her.

she was a part of him,
but he was alone.

all of creation had a companion,
he did not, or so it seamed, to him.

then came the separation,
now she was not part of him.

now he was not alone,
or so it seamed to him.

now, through all eternity,
he must strive,
to return,
to when, she was part of him.

To'be less, is more. ver 2.0

To be grateful is,
To be grateful for.

This more, I seek,

Then, less I am,

T'is this I seek

To be less ...

then, more.

The more I am,
The more I seek.

The more I seek,
The less I am.

Till then I am,
To'be no more.

I will seek,
Then less of more.

To then I 'come,
All the more.

it is a twilight

a ris'n or a setting mourn

no more they mourn
when gone, i am
who will mourn
in the mor'n
or in eve,
the twilight
is it a rising
or  a setting mourn.

This, new feeling, so long ago.

What was it she said,
...this, now, so long ago.

It seamed new, and fresh,
...this, now, so long ago.

this feeling was old, yet new

this feeling, of yester-year

was it lost,
or was it found

This feeling, I never knew,
...this, now, so long ago.

Steven Bassett
April 2015

To be, less is more.

To be grateful is,
To be grateful for.

This more I seek.
Then is it more?

The more I become,
The less I am.

T'is this I seek
To be less, then more..

The more I am,
The more I seek.

The more I seek,
The less I am.

Till then I am,
To'be no more.

I will seek,
Then less of more

To then I 'come,
All the more.

Steven Basset
April 2015

The choice, She made.

She luv'd him,
but why.

This then, the many years.

If luv is a verb ...

Then luv him, she did.

Many actions, through the years.

He knew, no children,
might be their lot.

Still ...

She luved him.

Accepted her, he did ...
only to discover, it was,
he not her.

Then came the gift, of the two.

But would he be,
the one, she choose, always ...
,to luv.

This then, must be ...
,his choice, to serve her, then ...
he must, and choose

This luv, daily.

Still, know I not.

Still know I not,

The poetry,
Comes forth.

Long did it rest,
Rest, in My soul

Then whence,

 was it, still.

Their it,  to lie, 

the truth, it no more.

Then more, no less,

It ly'th,  no more.

The Talent, To cultivate.

To be'still my soul,
Come'th it now..

Invited I not,
yet come'th, then forth.

This talent, long buried ...
lay dormant it still.

To this, then the garden...
the garden, my soul.

Tragedy, brought for'th,
To cultivate, thus,

This, to the muze,
be grateful, ther'by.

Still know, I not then

From whence,
doeth it come.

Come'th it does,
To now and then

Then and now
come'th it still

still to my heart
come'th it now

Still doeth it come
To'be quiet my soul

My soul to be'stilll
Doth quiet it now.

To reveal is to hide
Remaith their, still.

April 4, 2016

The Tau, of Stev,

It came at a great cost,
The Tao, of Stev,

Momma full of pain.
Papa,  lost his mind.
Brother, not certain, of love.

Two sister's,  struggled, to find a place,
... and each other.

How does one struggle?
... for a Tao.

He thought he found it,
... in the church that supported, him, them.

More discoveries, on the mission,
to Mississippi.

A wife.

Two children ...
Gifts from one, who loved them.

Then, the car accident,
... the cancer returns.

He lost it all,
in the deepest part, of his soul.

How to recover, the Tao ...
,saught he then.

, ... still does now.

The circumcision

To the doctor we go, today.

Today, is the circumcision.

He is 73, I am 51.

51 years ago he made, the choice...
... the same for me.

Now I make choices, for him ...
... for us?

In ancient Israel, it was the sign,
... of the covenant.

Now it is a sign, of ministrations,
... mine, for him.

Once he made the choices for me,
... now I make them for him.

We both did choose,
... of love, and care.

Then with choice,

... comes,

... redemption.

Of both, have come,
... sins.

Of ignorance,
... and choice.

With redemption, comes ...

... forgiveness,

... learning, 

... and joy.

He is helping me,
... to understand, his choices,
... and mine.

To heal, a broken soul

I am damaged goods .
Born defective..
Of broken soul's.

Young they were...
these broken soul's.

They sought to repair us...
the doctor's ...
... and the priests.

This long time ...
... they have sought our souls.

He was broken too.

Broken by the ones,
he sought to redeem.

In this brokenness,
...then beyond redemption, are we?

Then on, to redemption, 

this journey, then we seek

Then to serve,
... in our brokenness,
... is what remains.

The drive, to rescue, a soul.

Many years ago, it was, the drive.

Planned not was it.

Who would have planned, this drive.

He luv'd the boy.

Had since their youth.

He was the son, he might never have.

How does one walk, into a court room.

To send one, where, the boy is now.

This then, the van, was purchased.

Then loaded, was it, not, now ...

Then off, to rescue, the boy.

Others, were, their not, in the van too.

The parents who raised him, as their own.

I would not, after, this drive be permitted, to visit, him.

Then in the van, I would sit,my wife and I, waiting ...

Hoping, the boy, would feel our luv, through the razor wire.

This crime was horrible, but he was not the crime.

To separate the boy, from the crime, this was his goal.

Years later, the crime, is not remembered.

Forgiveness and healing have come, to them, all.

This then to be grateful.

How many times,
had he returned.

Alone.

Was he alone,
in crowds?

This three days,
this then, no more ...

Alone.

The dishes, she cleaned,
the table, she set,
the dinner, she served.

This, the one,
who gave him life.
had ceased to do,
long ago,

This three days,
she had come,
to change, his life.

Then to be grateful,
must he, 
then be.

This, then,
to show,
gratitude, and luv.

To return, to luv, and youth.

Luv is so sweet,

When taken, this choice.

To choose to luv,

T'is it  a gift, from diety.

Tougher, then, this choice,

A return, then, to joy.

The sweetness can come,
... after years of bitter sorrow.

Earned thus it is.

Like vinegar, that reduces, to wine.

This reversal to youth ...

like young luv, it returns.

The bitterness, long forgotten. .

It, the act of a two part ...

Forgiveness,

...

Thus returns, to youth, and joy ...

tobe, then, to the,

... "I Am" ...

She, who bore, the children

The choice, she made.

The gift, they shared.

Two for them,
was the gift.

A choice, not an accident,
or mistake.

This, a free will gift ...

of Luv.

Honored they were,
by the gift ...

this gift of Luv.

Together ...

they cherished,

The Children.

This daughter of Eve.

This daughter of Eve,

and ...

Adam's off-ox.

To luv her ...

In the end, was the choice.

But how to choose.

Her sisters would have replaced,

... her.

This choice was not made,in his youth.

This daughter off Eve ...

was distant, as was, Adams off-ox.

How many of Eves daughter's,
had sacrificed to create, her life.

How many of Eve's daughters,
would he lose, if he selected, an aunt,

for, his mom.

This price, he would not pay.

Reach out again ... he did.

This dance, this time, they,

... did not pull away.

Together they danced,
and celebrated Eve's daughters,
and Adams off-ox.

This then the Miracle

This, then, the miracle,

He comes ?

Tis pierced, and shunned.

This then, the miracle,

We seek.

To recognize.

The one, we do.

This, then the miracle.

This then pot, the plant

I prayed for a miracle,
I got the pot, planted.

Her death, would it come ?
Know I not, but when,

soon...

God, then sent, this gift
This to recognize, took but, years.

Death has not come,
Pass by it thus,

Has ...

This wife, still thus,
I have, and children too.

Plus one. ..

Solved ...

The great Nephretic puzzle
Thus, I have.

Now to be greatful,
For the miracle, he hath wrought.

And gifts, we now share.

(Book Of Mormon, 1 Nephi ch. 4)

Chapter 4

Nephi slays Laban at the Lord’s command and then secures the plates of brass by stratagem—Zoram chooses to join Lehi’s family in the wilderness. About 600–592 B.C.

10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
...
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief

She closed her heart

Luv her, a choice...

not a feeling.

She closed her heart.

Like the lady, that swallowed that fly,

I know not why.

I reached for her,

there, as a boy.

There, on the bench, in the car,

she beside me.

Cuddled, under her arm,

like the puppet, beside me.

She purchased the puppet,

at the pink ladies' shop.

We had gone to the hospital,

to discover, why, I wet the bed.

She was damaged goods,

as was I.

When life gets tough,

it hardens you.

You grow a shell,

thicker with the growing years.

I wet the bed, this because,

distant then, began I to feel ...

Not loved, not wanted,

cast aside. ..

This, I had thought.

Forty more years, we spent...

In this cuddle, or embrace.

I would reach out...

only to be pushed away.

In the end, she reached out, to dance.

only to be brushed away, ...

almost, still,

Once more, we danced,

and beautiful,  it was then.

Luv, being a verb

... love being a verb
is a things that retains ...
requires action to endure

life being unfair,
Is ment to sustain.

how to be greatful,
and not bitter and angry
when those we love are,

Tobe,,  taken..

strive always...

to awaken each morning,

to be greatful,

...that you share, one more day.

Dec 2015

The scars, they shared.

"She took a broken piece of glass and held it in her hand

Sharp as a razor and a wire from the ground

It was a broken piece of love that she had tried to cover up

And outside her window was the world"

Serrated, the knife,

Sharp, was it not?

The burden, he carried...

The more.

Long together, they had been,

He, and the burden.

To carry it now,

He must.

But how, then, he knew not,

Still...

Peeled back the layers, he did,

The top layers only,

On his forearms.

The burden to, release...

Help, 

Did, it not.

The stress, to release...

The pain, it would,

For a time, mask,

The burden...

But carry it, still he did.

The shame, hurt, and guilt.

Of all the yesterday's.

Still, their is another,

Who carries the scars.

The shame, hurt and pain...

For, all the world...

He created.

He would carry this pain too.

To remove the shame

Guilt, and scars.

To lift the burden, and make it light.

This was his task.

"Follow me all you who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."

Now,

Only one need, carry the scars,

For they both.

"For He, so the luv's, the world. That he give'th his beluved son ..."

"But on the day she realized that she was stronger than the lies

She broke through her window into the world

And she was singing...

Come on, come on set free

All that is a prisoner inside of me

Come on, come on set fire

Burn through the wreckage, leave it all behind"

Bebo Norman, "Outside Her Window was the World"

Bebo Norman "Outside Her Window was the World"

To peer into his soul.

I peered into his body today,

Can I see into his soul.

Scoped it, for us, the Doctor,

Today,

as our god, scopes my soul.

I care for him now, 

as he once cared for me.

I feel the luv,

as I minister,

to his needs.

Luv then, really is a choice.

to see beyond the pain,

... well beyond the tears.

So much i'd have lost,

if not these many years.

So greatful I am,

that god peers, into my soul,

and chooses to luv, me still.

*I am now my Fathers Guardian and we go together to his doctors appointments.

--

Steven Bassett

A near miss, and a shared loss.

too walk, in their shoes, today.

died young, I did,

almost ...

like grandma and granddad  before...

Their hearts failed

while they were, yet young.

all of them, young.

this then young, but 62.

know I not, but that its is.

together children, had they lost,

together and apart.

My uncle lost, but one,

my grandparents, but two.

... many years, were lost, with regret

and a marriage too.

still, in the end, 

the regret, took a greater toll

a greater toll, then it should.

My wife lost i young, almost...

younger then them all.

no regret do I have, 

and no loss, do i share.

but a greater understanding,

and compassion do i share.

For the near miss, and loss,

we shared.

*My story, and my families. I nearly died at age 50 with a collision, with a cement truck.  My wife nearly died from stomach cancer like my Uncle Willard had done over a decade 

My grandparents Leo Herzog and Elnora (Nora) Byington Herzog, died young at 62 of heart disease.

Uncle Willard lost a son in a snowmobile accidents and marriage of + 25 years . My grandparents lost two children, young, in car and motorcycle accidents. 

I have compassion from walking in their shoes.

 

--

Steven Bassett

--

Steven Bassett

A near miss, and a shared loss.

too walk in their shoes today.

died young he did,

like his momma and daddie did

Their hearts failed

while they were yet young.

all of them young.

this then young, but 62.

know I not, but that its is.

together children, had they lost,

together and apart.

he lost but one,

and they but two.

years of regret were lost,

and a marriage too.

still, in the end, 

the regret, took a greater toll

a greater toll, then it should.

My wife lost i young, almost...

younger then them all.

no regret do I have, 

and no loss do i share.

but a greater understanding,

and compassion do i share.

For the near miss and the loss,

we shared.

*a story of my Uncle Willard Herzog, My grandparents Leo Herzog and Elnora (Nora) Byington Herzog.  With my wife's near loss to cancer I have come to understand and walk in their shoes.  Willard lost a son in a snowmobile accidents. My grandparents lost two children, young, in car and motorcycle accidents. They died of hearts disease and Willard Died of the same cancer that almost took my wife's life.

 

--

Steven Bassett