The Journal of Theo

I have started more than 5 blogs in my life. When I started this one, I tried to find a good name. I couldn't think of anything else that wasn't already taken. I decided to use "The Journal of Theo." It wouldn't have been my first choice, but, as someone who has been writing for a long time, I know what it is to regret my choice of words. Well, until I make a new blog with another name, this shall have to do for now. With the name, I figured I would share more of the personal letters I have written to God. I have more than a hundred stored on my Google Docs account. But I have not done so. The reasons I've used are as follows. 1. I'm too lazy. 2. Nobody cares. 3. They are not good enough. 4. AJ doesn't share much about his personal conversations with God. There must be a reason for that that I don't know of yet. Well, I thought I'd break convention and share one with you today. Submitted, for what it's worth, is the following: God, how do I...

Recently, I applied for membership to an Intentional Community (IC) here in Texas. An IC is a group of people who share similar ethical values who live together on a plot of land. After writing a letter of intent, I was given a Questionnaire to fill out. I found the Questionnaire very engaging. I was able to learn more about myself and also more about what is important to the people at this particular IC. I thought I would post the Questionnaire and my own responses here for those who may be interested in ICs and my current worldview. I made a few visits to the IC. I enjoyed my time there, learned a lot, and came away feeling lifted up in my heart. Despite these facts, I decided not to pursue a membership as other plans began to take shape in my life. The Lightning Ranch IC, located in Merkel, Texas, is currently looking for members. Please check out their website for more information: https://lightningranchhealing.weebly.com/ Or take a look at their Youtube channel: https://w...

What is beauty? What makes something beautiful? Is a scar beautiful? A scar tells a story. That's beautiful because it's true. But if the story is a tragedy, it's not so beautiful. I fell off a skateboard when I was a child. Some top skin layers over my knee were scraped off. Blood began oozing out, then coagulated, then formed a scab. And the scab later healed. The story is true which is beautiful. The incident was not beautiful. It triggered some real pain I had. It reinforced the idea that I was not safe in this world, especially when I try new things. What about a discoloration? What about a blemish on the skin? What about someone who limps or someone who has lost a body part. What about someone whose parts never grew to begin with? We have an image of the body. And that image has meaning and significance in our lives. When that image is deformed, the truth of that deformation is the sad part of the story of that body. Most women spend a great deal of time working on ho...

  In a small village in India, there lived a young woman named Sana. In a week’s time, a large festival will be held with visitors from all over. As Sana anticipates the event, she imagines herself wearing a beautiful dress to greet her many friends and make new ones. Green is her favorite color and so the dress must be green but it must also have red flowers. But how could she afford such a dress? In her world, fine dresses are rarely enjoyed by the poor. And she couldn’t ask her parents when they are pressed just to keep the household together with enough food in the belly of her siblings. Even with those thoughts, Sana is not discouraged. She knows that she could have the dress and what a pleasure it would be to wear it among her people. As the days pass by and the event gets closer, her mind again turns to the dress. She begins to think of situations that could enable her to acquire her dress. And when she gets it, she will put it on. In such moments, she can almost feel the fa...

When people appreciate the importance of feeling over thinking, great changes will happen

 Many thanks to Grace for putting her pen to paper to write this simple but powerful poem. I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day; I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray Problems just tumbled about me, and the heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help Me?" I wondered. He answered, "You didn't ask". I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak; I wondered why God didn't show me. He said, "But you didn't seek." I tried to come into God's presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock." I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day; I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray

So many people have come and gone out of my life. Work friends, family, acquaintances, business associates and salespeople. I don't know when someone is really a friend and when they aren't. I thought I'd write my own definition of what I think a friend is so I can compare them to that and then I can know. Someone that loves you the way God loves you. Someone who cares about you but makes sure you don't depend on them for anything. Someone who helps you but doesn't pity you. Someone who knows you can take responsibility for yourself if you just found the way to do that within you. Someone who calls you out when you are wrong but doesn't judge you. Someone who doesn't manipulate you but looks forward to your success and joy in life. Someone who puts distance between yourself and them when either party is being unloving.