BEHOLD BEHELD

     Dear All of Us,

       A thing of 

beauty and goodness

  is a joy to behold.

    

   As we behold it

 we find ourselves 

      Beheld

    being held

       by it.

       

That's communion.

That's contemplation.

That's Oneness with God, 

the source and center of all

Beauty and Goodness

         ******

    SOUL SAVOR

   Speed reading 

 doesn't stop for soul

         So

     we slow

    we gentle

 time and tempo 

   to behold    

   to be held.

    ******

       "Contemplation 

 "A gaze that grasps us."

        John Frank

    What most of all

  holds our attention?

        ******

Given where I am, five places 

of beauty and goodness 

to behold unto being beheld are:

(e.g. a stream, an art museum, 

a concert, a children's playground,

a ride in the country...) 

............................................

............................................

............................................

............................................

............................................ 

Given as I am, five ways for me

to behold unto being beheld by

beauty and goodness are:

(e.g. reading, hiking, music, art,

cooking, playing with children, 

gardening, writing, ...) 

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

............................................ 

Given how I am, five rituals 

to behold and beheld by 

beauty and goodness are: 

(e.g. Holy Communion,  

closed door intimacy with God,

sharing in a Prayer Group,

full Shabat observance,

spiritual journaling,

once a week watching 

a Bob Ross episode) 

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

.............................................

............................................

What happens in those 

        where's

          as's 

         how's

        ******

"You become what you behold."

         William Blake

    

  What do I mostly behold?

           ******

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

           Ode on a Grecian Urn

                  John Keats

What's it like to really be in the know"?

                   ******

        "Take a walk with a turtle. 

     And behold the world in pause."

                  Bruce Feller

             Can I slow to see?

                    ******

       "Behold I stand at the door 

                 and knock;

        if anyone hears my voice 

           and opens the door, 

          I will come in to him 

           and dine with him 

           and he with me."

           Revelation 3:20

    What's knocking at the doorway 

           of our attention?

      Just what are we open to?

                ******

To put all of the above yet another way:

          When it comes to God 

          we've got it right when 

          we are gotten by God.

     Hers's prayer that we behold the

           Beauty and Goodness

        all about us so deeply that 

             God breaks into 

          a universe wide smile, 

           scooping us up into a 

                Divine Hug

                BEHOLD  BEHELD

               John Frank

                 ******

                  WELCOME ALL

                    to

          frankly speaking

     spirituality for the street

          a weekly blog at

  johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

This past week we were blessed 

with visits from a large group 

of folks from Canada.

Thank you for letting us be with you.

        Blessens on all: you, yours,

      us, our world, all Creation.

         See you next week

*************************

   

      

 

PONDERINGS

Dear All of Us,

Pondering.

What a plus.

"The pause that refreshes."

We slow to settle

      Soul See 

      Spirit Sense

      Heart Hear

Looking out the plane window,

having that first cup of coffee,

on the bus,

waiting in the doctor's office,

listening to the prelude,

raking the leaves,

taking a walk,

sitting home alone,

prayerfully reflecting -

    any gentled 

    time and place.

Hopefully these ponderings 

that we share here

will be taken like a worthy wine.

 slowly, deeply savored.

For most of us one a day would be best,

a Soul Tasting in prayerful reflection.

                   PONDERINGS

     "The secret to living well and longer is:

                       Eat half

                       Walk double,

                       Laugh triple,

                       Love without measure."

                       Tibetan Proverb

                                        ******

       "When I grow up, I want to be 

      the me God offers."

            An eighty-two-year-old

                Gues who?

                  ******

A suggestion: take a few days with this.

I was blessed to interact with Jerry 

a number of times over the years.

He was soul-full,

a psychiatrist, 

spiritual mentor,

deep and real, 

and a hell of a lot of fun.

He shares:

"Love is the prevailing passion of all things

 that draws diversity into oneness,

 that pleads for union,

 that aches for goodness and beauty,

 that suffers loss and destruction.

 Love is the Power that births and grieves,

 the laughter that fills the heavens,

 the tears that water the earth.

 Love is the energy that fuels, fills and

 embraces everything everywhere.

 And there is no end to it."

          Gerald G. May

   Wisdom in the Wilderness

             ******

          "God is love."

           1 John 4:8

That's where we come from and 

where we are invited to go and be.

Worth pondering.

          Your Brother

               John Frank

             ******

                

       frankly speaking

   spirituality for the street

          a weekly at

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

            ******

 

UPDATES

Dear All of Us,

Doesn't it just make you crazy nuts

when the "techie's" take over 

your phone or computer screen

force feeding a menu of ads and

             UPDATES

Well, hope this doesn't make you 

too crazy nuts, but, minus the ads, 

here are a few 

              UPDATES

    

    This is the final posting of

          frankly speaking

           in its six-year 

             FORMAT

Going forward we will have 

a variety of short sharings,

some from me, many from others.

Subject and expression will differ 

from posting to posting,

all offered in support of a

full, free spirituality 

out here on the streets of as is.

So, here's a touch of "some such."

Could be a mix of:

            a brief reflection

               a prayer

           a piece of poetry

         points for meditation

              an excerpt

               referrals

               quotes

                and 

The Spirit only knows what else.

Please have a taste of this new menu

that follows below.

*****************************

 

Dear All of Us, 

For our prayerful reflection here is a      

 A SPIRITUAL POTPOURRI:

 

The master was asked,

 "What is spirituality?"

 He said,

"Spirituality is that which succeeds

 in bringing one to inner transformation."

The disciple:

 "But if I apply the traditional methods 

  handed down by the masters 

  is that not spirituality?"

The Master:

 "It is not spirituality 

  if it does not perform 

  its function for you. 

  A blanket is no longer a blanket 

  if it does not keep you warm."

The Disciple:

"So spirituality does change?"

The Master:

"People change. 

 So what was spirituality once 

 is spirituality no more.

 What generally goes 

 under the name spirituality 

 is merely the record of past methods."

       The Song of the Bird

         Anthony de Mello

           

  John Frank here.

     In other words,

     don't cut the person

     to fit the coat!!

Soul Scope:

        What does this say about our

        spiritual approaches and practices?

        In our right now,

        what's a God fit for us?

                    ******

        

Vision

"It's a terrible thing

 to see and 

 have no vision."

  Helen Keller

Soul Scope:

What is our, the church's,

our country's, vision?

Is there one?

If so, should/do we follow it?

If not, why and what 

might be a good way to start

or reset?

             ******

A Prayer Pause

"Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song..."

           Psalm 149:1

Soul Scope:

What are a few newly noticed things 

for which I praise the Lord?

What are ways to "praise the Lord"?

           

           God Bless,

           John Frank

**************************

I sure hope "some such" 

as above will be helpful.

As always, the goal is to

  clarify and encourage

as we journey spiritually 

out here on 

the streets of as is.

Why a change?

Well, quite "John Frankly",

time is telling and

time is running out.

At four score and more,

time shows and slows.

That means less energy 

to do things and 

more time to get 

those things done.

Private and communal prayer, 

meditation, family, friends, 

offering spiritual direction, 

study, chores, naps, writing, 

recording a family 

and personal history,

a wonderfully expanding 

silent oneness,

claim more than the clock 

of how things are and I am

wants to allow these days. 

Before "Times up!"

there's the hope to complete

the writing of

        END NOTES

It is a collection of "notes"

here at the "end" of my days.

It is a bequest of insights, 

understandings, enthusiasms, 

lessons learned, references,

a witness to the Good 

in them and way beyond them,

and also the other side 

of the currency of now -

challenges, concerns and cautions.

I really don't know a hell of a lot.

I just want to share what I do know

in support of my Grandson, 

Ollie the Younger,

and any other takers as 

this next and so dear generation

work their way forward to

Real and Full.

Something else I want to share.

These latter days I'm as honest as 

I know how to be.

         END NOTES

               is

unvarnished, unbleached.

As a pastor and educator 

I've had to tame my words 

to the tolerance level of institution 

and the people in it, 

especially those in the front office.

That's how it is when you go public 

and take a salary for it. 

That can be prudent. 

That can be cowardly.

That can be a lot of a lot.

Well, these days 

there's no institutional salary 

crimping content and extent.

      I hope, I pray that

          END NOTES 

will be a legacy shedding a few    

            RAYS OF REAL

  for facing a future that can be 

  bright as the sun, 

  yet at the moment is clouding over

  ever more dangerously dark,

  as Empire dims people 

  and place to death.

       I hope, I pray that

           END NOTES

           will highlight, 

           be beacon, 

             to the 

  promise, potential and power

     of thriving together in 

      THE REALM OF REAL

   THE KIN DOMAIN OF GOOD

    LOVE LIVED COMMUNITY

Well, yah, my enthusiasm shows!

But you know what, 

to adjust the metaphor,

  "This little flashlight of mine,

   I'm gonna let it shine."

So, the short of the long above

is I need to trim the sails.

And yet this slowed old man 

with lots to be and do

is happy to continue with you all 

in a new way offering 

   frankly speaking

               

  GOING FORWARD

    Anyone wishing 

    to automatically receive

    future postings 

    is invited to sign up 

    for the email format.

    Please go to the online posting.

    "Sign Up" is top right.

    The emails are delivered Fridays.

     Those currently receiving 

     the blog by email 

     are all signed up and set.

     No further action necessary.

   Online postings go up

    by mid-day Wednesday,

    east coast USA time.

    

   

   All past postings, 

   six years of them, 

   are available by going to 

           Archive

  It is in the right column 

  of the online posting.

         ******

                

              A great big, happy 

                  Welcome

         to folks new here this week.

         Among others, we were fortunate 

         to have a large number of

              new folks from 

              the Netherlands 

             and from Japan.

    Great for us all to be together 

    here at

               frankly speaking

           spirituality for the street

       johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

            Looking forward to  

            gathering next week.

          In The Love Who Is God,

                 John Frank

                  ******

 

                

"IN ALL TRUTH"

 

Dear All of Us,

"In all truth..."

Let's hope so.

If not, the bottom falls out:

marriage, media, morality,

friendship, advertising, 

politics and governance,

packaging, commerce, sports,

history, contracts, trust, religion -

           everything 

           everywhere 

           always.

We can survive weakness, mistake,

screw up, flubs.

We're had, dead in the water

without truth.

The gears grind to frozen stop.

Truth is what is, 

actuality,

reality,

as is -ness

It's bedrock basic

to our spiritual life,

to our shared lives.

              "What is truth?"

                    Pilate

                John 18:38

             Did he not know, 

     or did he not want to know?

                   And us?

                   ******

"Once the line between truth and fake is eroded, 

everything will become fake. 

We will not be able to believe anything?"

             Wael Abd-Almageed

           Professor of Enginering

     University of Southern California

           Quoted by Rachel Merz, 

        CNN Business, 25 March 2022

         "Deepfakes are now trying 

        to change the course of the war"        

             

             THE PUBLIC PART IN PART

Pinocchio politicians with noses so long they tip over 

and take us down with them.

Synthetic media.

Alternate facts.

Causing chaos - to confuse - to control.

Artificial Intelligence - by definition not real - 

in all truth how intelligent is that?

Dictators dominating, violating peoples, 

waring - land grabs, life denying,

teetering toward nuclear incineration. 

"All men are created equal..."  -  "With justice for all..." 

except indigenous peoples, slaves, the poor, 

LGBTQIO, migrants and...

In all truth all are not treated as equal nor with justice.

Build a democracy on less than bedrock truth and 

"Ashes, ashes, we all fall down."

Fake is the fault line and fail-fall when we are not based 

                   "IN ALL TRUTH"

         

           THE PERSONAL PART IN PART

Two martini friendships.

Casual sex.

Fronting a phony persona.

Religion as a prop.

Social climbing.

Trashing others.

Part time parenting.

Me First-ism.

Shop until you drop.

Not paying a living wage.

Addictions.

Frenetic, superficial lifestyle.

Falling for the latest flash of fashion.

Hoarding.

Gossip.

A life of trivial pursuits.

Such and sadly too much more are 

basing persons on delusion. 

It's like trying to build a skyscraper on a cloud.

It can't hold up because it is based on 

the absence of what is actually so

             "IN ALL TRUTH"

                   ******

               Fortunately, 

        we don't have to stop,

            or be stopped, 

                    by

          Empire Fake To Fail

                because

  "The truth will make you free."

                Jesus

             John 8:32

Well, it sure will and thank God for that!

We can be reality based, 

based in what actually "IS"

      "IN ALL TRUTH"

We can be free, living in the midst of 

the delusional and spiraling demolition of Empire.

Its social, governmental, cultural, economic, 

religious apparatus is in free fall, 

not at all a freeing fall.

We can't escape it.

We live in its midst.

We can, though, live a "For Real" life 

in the mess mix of Empire's unrealness.

Jesus did.

In him we can.

He invites us to abide in him, 

to join others in the kin domain of good-

        The Kingdom of God. 

He shares it in word, example and inclusion,

a lived lesson that enlivens, wraps us in.

He is the embodiment, 

the personalizing presence 

of Ultimate Realness.

          "In All Truth"

       He is life shared, 

       truth based, 

       the way to go  

                      

     "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

           No one comes to the father 

                 but through me."

                       Jesus

                    John 14"6

Have we, will we ever more, "in all truth" 

                accept inclusion?

       "Abide in me as I abide in you."

                     Jesus

                  John 15: 4

Are we in a "for Real", however flip floppy, 

spiritual community?

Do we accept so intimate an inclusion 

abiding in Jesus that we embrace 

his teachings, values, lifestyle

and do so in community?

We live in a time of fake out.

We don't have to be.

              "The truth will make you free."

              "Abide in me." 

              "I am the way, the truth and the life."

              "The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind - 

               Just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you,

               So they might be one heart and mind with us.

               Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.

               The same glory you gave me, I gave them,

               So they'll be as unified and together as we are - 

               I in them and you in me.

               Then they'll mature in this oneness,

               And give the godless world evidence

               That you've sent me and love them

               In the same way you've loved me.

               ... So that your love for me

               Might be in them

               Exactly as I am in them."

                             Jesus

                    John 17: 21 - 24 & 26

                       The Message

             "By this everyone will know that 

             you are my disciples, 

             if you have love for one another."

                            Jesus

                        John 13:35

Phony folds, collapses all about us.

Most likely more and worse to come.

Rough!

Not the end.

"Thy kingdom come,

 thy will be done

 on earthy as in heaven...""

We have a way to be, 

a way to go.

We bond and base

 "IN ALL TRUTH"

 Hold to TRUTH,

   John Frank

     ******

Welcome Greetings 

to our seventy-six

visitors from the

Netherlands 

and all new here

this week.

        frankly speaking

    spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

              ******