The Flocking of Birds

I received an interesting set of downloads from my online Mama Adrienne. She attended her church's national conference a few weeks ago, and I always tell her if she sees or hears something interesting, to feel free to share.

She attended a series given by Bishop Noel Jones, and she wanted me to listen to them... This is uber cool, because I can always get something out of it all...

She is tapping her feet, waiting for a set of notes and thoughts from me about it all. That is hard, because those notes will reach dissertation length. Goodness.

You know me, I like to chew on stuff like you chew on a good piece of fried chicken. Gnaw on the bone and get ALL the flavor out of it that I can.

What was so interesting about this series? It went a LONG way in thoroughly explaining a verse of scripture that is true, but has baffled me nonetheless.

Romans 7:14-25 (Message version)

"I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different."

I must say that I have never cared for that verse of scripture. It describes the dicotomy that exists within us all. I've pursed my lips at it over the past 15 or 20 years. Probably because it is true.

So that seem to be the gist of the downloads: this Dark Side we have and how to deal with it.

Because we all got it.

I myself open my good Book of Cuss on folks from time to time, and read verses and chapters from it. It happens to the best and worst of us alike. It is rare like a lunar eclipse, though. There have been folks who like to push, push, PUSH my buttons. Push my buttons so hard that ALL the buttons break. And I just lose it.

And when all is said and done... I end up wondering "Where the HECK did THAT come from? Was that ME?"

And I, your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl, have this passive agressive nature that rises it's head from time to time. That gets me in a world of trouble. A world. Those who know me well and have dealt with it, and are still choose to deal with me, well I know they love me truly for who I am. Those who have dealt with it, and punish me for it, well... they can kick rocks.

Let those reading who don't have idiosyncracies cast the first stone, man.

Sigh. Frustrating to say the least. Interestingly enough, the more I nurture my spiritual side, the dark side becomes a rarity... but it is still there.

Yes, we all have a dark side.

BUT, I don't want to talk about that. I want to share something I heard within those sermons, something closely related to it.

If I have a lot of crazy people around me, it is because I enjoy crazy. And because they are crazy. If you come into my space, you will find crazy people. Because I have some crazy in me, and the crazy in me likes the crazy in them. So I have them in my space, to feed the crazy in me. I like the madness. But my ego will say I‘m too sophisticated for madness. But on the other side of the sophistication, there is room for madness.

I was sitting at my desk, scratching away on some paperwork, crunching numbers when I had to
STOP.

And go back and listen to that, and think on it.

And I raised an eyebrow.

Whispered "That's very true" to myself in my own private space.

It's a crazy way of saying "Birds of a feather flock together."

Yes, it is true.

And in the above statement, you can replace the word "crazy" with a plethora of words.

But the word "crazy" has highly idealogical and visual connotations.

In other words, we all have our own definition of what "crazy" is.

And we all have ran into "crazy", or got a little crazy in us.

Interesting.

Now when I think of "crazy", I think of the word DRAMA. So yes, I can rebuild that quote above very easily.

If I have a lot of dramatic people around me, it is because I enjoy drama. And because they are dramatic. If you come into my space, you will find dramatic people. Because I have some drama in me, and the drama in me likes the drama in them. So I have them in my space, to feed the dramatic part of me. I like the madness.

I have come across people who have A LOT of drama going on. And you can tell they love it, although they be hollering how they don't. (That's that ego, the sophisticated part of them talking.) And eventually, I get caught up in their vacuum, even though I tend to stay waaaay out on their outer fringes. Sigh.

I don't like drama. I get in trouble for not being dramatic.

Like I said, I don't validate folks questionable behavior.

Trust me, I've paid dearly for such. I've been punished like you wouldn't believe.

Birds of a feather flock together.

I would much rather soar with the eagles, if I can.

Or at least get my strut on with some strong strutting chickens.

Hence, we can put a positive spin on that quote, can we?

If I have a lot of successful people around me, it is because I enjoy success. And because they are succcessful. If you come into my space, you will find successful people. Because I have some success in me, and the successful part of me likes the successful part of them. So I have them in my space, to feed the successful part of me.

That sounds more... soothing. Less jarring.

Much more positive indeed.

Yes it does. Alas, all of it is true. Whatever adjective you choose to use, well, it is a true statement. I like good positive words: successful, caring, compassionate, strong, moral, spiritual... and the like.

And you know what it made me think about?

The people in my personal space.

No, I don't do cliques. Ugh. I fail at such. And cliques, let's admit, have negative connotations.

No, but the people who are around me, who know me well, who know my business, who help me with advice, etc.

And those people who are a thorn in my side.

It makes me assess those things.

What and who needs to strengthened?

What and who needs to be pruned?

Just who is in my flock? The chickens, the eagles... the birds in general.

Who's flocking with me? Who am I flocking with?

Lots to consider and think about...

My poor online Mama... Honey, expect a few extra pages attached to those dissertation length notes you are expecting from me.

Sigh.

(But a good sigh indeed.)