god

Fandango’s Provocative Question #19

Fandango24 Comments

FPQEach week I will pose what I think is a provocative question for your consideration. By provocative, I don’t mean a question that will cause annoyance or anger. Nor do I mean a question intended to arouse sexual desire or interest.

What I do mean is a question that is likely to get you to think, to be creative, and to provoke a response. Hopefully a positive response.

This week’s provocative question is a spinoff of a question that Melanie (Sparks From a Combustible Mind) asked in her last Share Your World post. Her question was:

“You find a book and begin to read it only to discover that it is about your life. You get to the point in the book that you are at now. Do you turn the page knowing that you will not be able to change the events to come?”

That question from Melanie got me thinking about the notion of fate and predestination. So here’s this week’s provocative question. Actually it’s a multi-part question.

“Do you believe in fate and/or predestination? If so, what or who is the source? If you do believe in predestination, is there anything anyone can do to change their predestined fate?”

And bonus: “If you believe God is the source, and God has already determined the future for each of us, why should people bother to pray?”

If you choose to participate, write a post with your response to the question. Once you are done, tag your post with #FPQ and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Or you can simply include a link to your post in the comments.

And most important, have fun.

Share Your World — Heaven Can Wait

Fandango9 Comments

Melanie, at Sparks From a Combustible Mind, brings us another episode of Share Your World. Here are her questions and my answers for this week’s sharing.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?  If you don’t think Heaven nor God exists, you might want answer by saying something outrageous, just for fun!

I’m in the heaven and God don’t exist camp. That said, if I did come in contact with God after I died, I’d love to hear him say to me, “Yes, I know I’m supposed to be infallible, but me dammit, I made a mistake. It’s not your time yet, so I’m sending you back.”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Having Donald Trump as president.

What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

I’m rarely alone in my car anymore except when I have to run errands where I can’t walk or take a bus. So when I am alone in my car, I’m typically thinking about the fastest or shortest route to get where I’m going.

How would you rate your memory? 

I can’t recall.

And lastly:

What’s one song that always cheers you up, no matter how blue you’re feeling?

I’m going to reach way back into the vault and drift on up to the roof.

Butt-Ugly Beautiful

Fandango13 Comments

fa54ceb6-2378-49c3-a736-91c5382d2414As they rounded the corner of the far entrance of the Music Concourse at Golden Gate Park, Craig said, “Look at those trees. They have to be the ugliest trees I’ve ever seen.” Then he whipped out his iPhone and took a picture of the nearest tree.

“What are you doing?” Allison asked.

“I’m taking a picture of this butt-ugly tree and I’m going to post it on Instagram so all of our friends from back east can see it.”

“These trees may be different looking, but that doesn’t make them ugly,” Allison said. “They’re examples of the beautiful balance of nature that God has created. I actually find these trees strangely inviting.”

“Oh come on, Allison,” Craig said. “You’re just goading me into a big discussion about God, aren’t you?”

“Not at all. But unlike you, I do see beauty in that tree. And I am also a fan of Joyce Kilmer.”

“Who’s Joyce Kilmer?”

“He was was an American writer and poet mainly remembered for his short poem titled ‘Trees,’” Allison said.

“I’ve never hear of him or that poem,” Craig said.

Allison started reciting the poem by Kilmer.

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Written for these daily prompts: Daily Addictions (entrance), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (tree), Ragtag Daily Prompt (balance), Word of the Day Challenge (create), and Your Daily Word Prompt (inviting).

JusJoJan — So Help Me God

Fandango9 Comments

82cab2ad-b8f2-4519-bb50-c409fe129a8dToday’s word for Linda G. Hill’s Just Jot It January prompt is “testify” and it was suggested by Dan Antion over at No Facilities.

What I will never be able to understand is how anyone who is summoned to testify before Congress or who is subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury and who is under oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help him (or her) God can lie.

SoCS — Mysterious Ways

Fandango18 Comments

e2cd22fc-d18b-40ab-b028-3accb7270d21“It’s less than three months away!” Brian exclaimed. “I’m not ready.”

“Not ready for what?” Ben asked his roommate.

“The Rapture.”

“The what?”

“The Rapture,” Brian repeated. “Here, take a look at this full page ad that was in today’s paper.

Ben read it out load. “Get ready for the Rapture. April 23, 2019 AD.” He handed the ad back to Brian. “Isn’t that what you call ‘end times’ or something like that? Where all true believers who are alive will be saved and will rise, along with the resurrected dead believers, into heaven to join Jesus?”

“Close enough,” Brian said. “And it’s happening in less than three months. I’m not ready, Ben.”

“Well, you know that I don’t believe in all that religious mumbo jumbo, Brian,” Ben said. “But you’re a believer, so what are you worried about? I’m sure you’ll float up to heaven with all of the other good boys and girls for fun and games with Jesus for the rest of eternity.”

“It just doesn’t add up, Ben,” Brian said. “Anna and I are supposed to get married on May 5th. But that will be too late.”

“Why will it be too late?” Ben asked. “Anna’s a good Christian, right? Maybe you and she can float up to heaven together, hand-in-hand, and get married once you’ve settled in. Hell, maybe Jesus, himself, will officiate at your wedding.”

“It’s not funny, Ben,” Brian whined. “I’m not ready for this. Why didn’t God give me some sort of sign so I could have planned for this?”

Ben pulled the newspaper ad from Brian’s hand and held it up. “Isn’t this a sign?”

“I don’t mean a physical sign,” Brian said. “A spiritual sign.”

“I don’t know, Brian,” Ben said, “but haven’t you been telling me ever since we met each other how God works in mysterious ways?”

This little sacrilegious tale, one that I hope doesn’t offend anyone, was written for Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. We are asked to use “ad/add/AD” (Anno Domini) in our post. We can use one, two, or all three.