T turning 3 - 2014-11-09 10:53 AM  I just watched a few episodes of Vikings, and very intense series and I really enjoy it.  There is a man in turmoil on that show, he was a captured priest named Athelstan.  He comes to learn of the Viking gods and how the way the people live explains why they fear their gods so much and pay such close attention to them.  They live a very hard life, and expect to, yet they ask their gods to make it livable. They do not really ask for miracles, but for life things like healthy children, long growing seasons, etc.  They seek answers in nature and signs in the sky.



In this series the English appear to have better farm land, more gold and culture.  Mostly it appears they have an easier life, and although they fear God, it isn’t because they ask for more, they fear it being taken away.



It seems to me that most people view God in ways that match their life.  If your life has been good, then God is merciful.  If your life has been hard, then God us unapproachable.  But what if God is the same for all people?  What if your choices were to lead you to another place, better or worse in your mind, but a place to build a foundation that will hold you for a lifetime?  What if the lesson you learned today was one to keep you from a harsher lesson in the future?



The other thing I find interesting is that most religions have a trickster.  Loki, Coyote, Satan are the ones that come to mind.  They are those that test you.  Christianity’s trickster if thought of as evil by most, yet he is the one that teaches us our lessons.  In other faiths the trickster has a place at the table with the other gods, even the biggest most important one of the faith.  But not so in Christianity.  This is where the guilt is built into the religion and I think it is a shame.  We are all here to learn our lessons, we are all here to become better people, learn and grow.  How can we know how well we are doing if we aren’t tested now and then?



In this country the “trickster” has run rampant.  People do not pay for their mistakes and no lessons are learned.  I know of no other place in the world where people can choose not to work, and be fully capable of doing so, and still they are given money.  I know of no other place where someone can spill hot coffee on their lap and instead of figuring out to check the lid first, gets millions of dollars.



We live in world of plenty.  People feel they don’t need to learn lessons, because we have it all.  But “trickster” still reigns.  Because many aren’t learning their lessons they are bilked out of their life savings, college funds, all because someone told them, give me money and you won’t have to work, you will be rich!  And people give them money.   

We live in a country where doing the right thing will get you in trouble, sued or imprisoned.  Trickster is smart, and played by the rules.  The bible says, Love your neighbor as yourself.  Sadly this has come to pass.  People don’t have good self-image, and they do love others as they love themselves.  Poorly. 



People need purpose, a reason to know their life is on the right path.  Doing for others, building, improving, inventing.  Something to keep your place in the “village”.  So many don’t venture out of their comfort zone, yet they miss so many things. 



Look around your community, find the broken and fix it, find the lacking and give, find the problem and figure a solution.  We are just one in the sum of the whole.



Matthew 17:20  Jesus replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."  YOU can move mountains.  If you are on the right path all things are possible.  Don’t give up hope, we are just getting started.



Thank you for reading this.  Be blessed, and share your blessings with others.