Academy of Heroes 2

Legend has it, there's a school for the truly gifted. For those who want to be heroes.

But a scale has two sides. And where there's good, there must be evil.

Legend has it, there's a school for the truly gifted. For those who want to be villains.

The heroes-in-training were called Eldritch

And the villains-to-be, Obviators

Jim Blow's HERO ACADEMY p2

"Good morning, Flynn." a man with a deep voice began. "Sorry about your head, but we needed you to come with us."

Flynn blinked in the darkened warehouse. He couldn't be completely sure where he was. There was a sound of rushing water nearby, which meant this warehouse was near some body of water. Or somebody was using the restroom rather loudly.

"Flynn, you've been studying the scale of good and evil for sometime. How much do you know about the Obviators and the Eldritch?"

Recognizing the forces being spoken of, Flynn looked up. The man who was talking to him had a bald head and a long, pointed nose. Happiness was absent from the man's wrinkled face, and it looked like this horrible kidnapper hadn't taken a moment to observe the morning like Flynn had.

"Not very much," Flynn began slowly. His speech was slurred, and his head pounded loudly in his ears. "Forces of good and evil. It's a battle that's been raging for centuries."

The man nodded slowly. "Well, Flynn, welcome to the Obviators. I'm Zed."

Flynn frowned. "But you're the villains!"

Zed chuckled slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "And isn't that interesting."

"So what am I doing here?" Flynn asked. His head had stopped throbbing, but some pain was still present. He realized then that his hands were bound behind the small metal chair he was sitting on.

"The Eldritch have grown powerful. The scale is tipping. So, we need to rise to face them. But, we Obviators are growing old. We can't match like we used to. That's where you come in. We're moving to end the Eldritch once and for all. And you, Flynn, will help us."

Academy of Heroes 1

Legend has it, there's a school for the truly gifted. For those who want to be heroes.

But a scale has two sides. And where there's good, there must be evil.

Legend has it, there's a school for the truly gifted. For those who want to be villains.

The heroes-in-training were called Eldritch

And the villains-to-be, Obviators

Jim Blow's HERO ACADEMY p1

Flynn walked innocently down the street. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Everything was still around him. Pulling the straps of his backpack tighter over his broad shoulders, Flynn couldn't help but take another breath. The trees lining his walkway rustled slightly in the breeze, and the flowers surrounding the trees' trunks seemed to grow before Flynn's eyes, feasting on the warm sunlight that seeped through the over-hanging tree branches to grasp hold of the Easter-colored petals. Flynn looked down at the green, green grass that covered the ground from one part of land to the next. It was soft, neatly trimmed, and as comfortable as a well-feathered pillow. The scene almost looked animated in how majestic and calm everything was. A cheery bicyclist nodded to Flynn as he passed. Flynn stopped a moment, bending so his face was close to the ground. He examined the small stem of what was to become a brilliant yellow tulip. There was so much potential in yet this tiny bud. At first glance, the plant may have seemed as a thorn among roses, but Flynn's key eye understood that this wasn't a thorn in the roses, but a future sight to behold. The morning sun poured downward upon Flynn's back. In his t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, Flynn wasn't hot beneath the sun's gaze, but rather he felt lifted. Rising again to his full height at nearly six feet, Flynn thought there had never been a morning as peaceful or beautiful as this one.

Little did Flynn know, the morning was fleeting, and soon the scene that had brought him joy and comfort would strip his mind of anything but remorse and discomfort. For as Flynn took another deep breath of spring air, a black car rumbled down the street toward him. There were three men in this car, and they weren't enjoying the morning like Flynn was. In fact, they were armed. These men were about to wreck the wonderful day for Flynn--and they'd step on the small, sprouting tulip that Flynn had foreseen an instilled hope wherewith.

Yes, little did Flynn know that Obviators were in their recruiting season.

Talk talk

The following is an Excerpt from an ecclesiastical speech I presented, including excerpts from the religious text of the bible: John 17

World War Two. Prayer. Goliath. Us. What do these things have in common? They’re all part of a list.

Now I want to talk more about this idea of lists. Specifically, a list that saves people.

In World War Two there was a list like the one I’m describing. It was called Schindler’s List. Now this guy named Schindler ran a company in Germany. The factory he ran made ammunition that was vital to the Nazis. Except Schindler wasn’t really making ammunition, he was helping refugees to escape. Schindler would deliver lists to guards with names on it. These names belonged to refugees. He said that he needed these certain people to keep his factory running. So the Germans gave him the people on the list to help fun the factory. Then Schindler helped the people escape, and delivered new lists. His was a list that saved lives.

(side note: there's a movie made of Schindler's endeavor. (called Schindler's List) and it's worth it to watch)

There are lots of great lists. Lists at the Temple. Lists like the Book of Life. From these two examples alone, I hope a picture has been painted in your mind about the importance of lists. This is awesome.

All right, another important list. Let’s turn to the scriptures. A very good place to start. John 17 in the Bible. To really appreciate the list described in Christ’s Intercessory Prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane, I’m going to fill a little bit of context.

Close your eyes...or just imagine. It’s peaceful. Quiet. And you’re walking through a beautiful and solemn garden. Then you see a man. There are other people with him. But you recognize the man as Jesus Christ. The son of God. You Savior. And mine. Jesus Christ is before you in the Garden of Gethsemane. Or rather, you’re there with him.

Bidding farewell to his apostles, asking them to stand and wait these final hours, He moves forward to pray alone. Found in verse four of John 17 is--and I’m paraphrasing--Our brother talking with Our Father. He says, “Hey...I’m done. I finished the Work you had for me.”

When we finally go, don’t we all want to be able to say that we, too, finished the mission?

This is leading up to the prayer, and the burden about to be loaded onto the shoulders of our Savior. Spoiler Alert, after the prayer Christ will be betrayed and move literally into the darkest hours. But besides all this pain--which, mind you, the Lord is knowingly walking into--Besides all that, and the ordeal He’s about to go through in the garden, we find ourselves back where my talk started.

With lists.

Again I’m paraphrasing the next several, meaningful verses as Christ prays, “I’m about to go. But there are people that I’m leaving behind. Watch over my friends, who are just outside the garden. Watch over those faithful followers. Help those along that did heed my word. And bless those that will heed thy word.”

Are we on this life-saving list?

Verse nine: I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for the ones thou have given me. Because they are yours.

Earlier I mentioned Burdens, specifically the great burden Christ has undergone. The burden of our sins. The physical burden of the cross on his back, the nails driven into his body, and the crown of thorns placed harshly upon his head.

Oh when we hear about this, we cringe and worm in our seats. Crucifixion was a nasty business. And the Romans perfected it to administer pain and agony.

Everybody is going through trials right now. Everybody has their problems. And when we get a glimpse into the trials another is going through, we weep for them. Sometimes we even wish we could take the pain from them. On the road to Mount Doom in Mordor, Sam-wise gamgee to his master, Frodo Baggins, says, “I can’t carry IT--being the one ring of power (and horrible burden)--I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

We can’t take burdens away, but we can lift up the people who bear them.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are one in purpose. We can join them in that purpose.

So how do we stand as witnesses? What are we to do? How can we stand as a light upon the mountain, when those in the valley below are ignorant of even the mountain’s very existence?

But there’s still hope. There always is with Christ on our side. Someone once said, “This is part of the infinite goodness of God, that he should allow evil to exist, and out of it produce good.”

It is possible, I promise. My pal David in the Bible illustrates this.

In a way, all of us has a Goliath to face. For some, shyness may be their Goliath. For others, education might be a Goliath. For David, Goliath was a very big, dangerous man, who wanted to kill young David.

But no matter who your Goliath is, isn’t it comforting to know you’ve really already beaten him. If we clad ourselves in the armor of God, armor that is stronger and stronger every time you do good, isn’t it great to know that you're part of an army that has already won the battle?

Can’t we fight. Stand as a light. Love our Father in heaven. And face the Goliaths of life?

I’m telling you that you can.

If nobody’s looking up at your light on the hill, pull out your trumpet and shout!

Guys! Life is made up of stories. Which are you telling?

Jesus Christ has a List. There’s a spot on there for you. For me. For everybody!

This list saves lives. Why wouldn’t you want to be on it?

In this honest, truthful Prayer, Jesus pleads with Heavenly Father on our behalf. He prays for his friends.

Verse 12: While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Verse 15: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Verse 20: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

World War Two. Prayer. Goliath. Us. What do these things have in common? They’re all part of a list.

Now I want to talk more about this idea of lists. Specifically, a list that saves people.

That can save us, if we so desire.

Who’s on your list?

I want to conclude with Verse twenty six of John 17

“And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

JB on FB

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See you all soon in the Academy of Heroes next week.

Water Difference

The difference of Water Bodies

Jim Blow


puddles ponds
streams rivers
lakes oceans

It's small. Can you step across it?
If yes, it's a puddle.
If no, pond.

It's long. Can you step across it?
If yes, it's a stream.
If no, it's a river.

It's big. Can you see across it?
If yes, it's a lake or sea
If no, it's an ocean


But is it a sea or lake? Are these accurate? What about other bodies of water? Helllllppppp!

It's water. Does it really matter, anyway?

To me there are only a few questions that matter:

Drink or not.
Swim or not.

Happy Happenings

"Are good things happening because I'm happy, or because I'm happy, good things are happening?"
--Jim Blow

We've all heard--and if you haven't, I'm telling you now--that attitude and outlook is everything. There's a myth, even, that our mood is more powerful than can imagine.

The idea is, that if you are happy and optimistic, you'll see events as happy, and only see the best side of an event. If you only see the best side of the event, then you can only assume it's a good event. This is like saying you're brother is your favorite, when you only, in fact, have one brother.

So, it goes to say that if you're happy, happy happenings are coming your way. That's a fair assumption.

But which came first? The chicken or the egg? I mean, which came first: the mood, or the event?

It boils down to this (I'm not talking about chickens any more): Which did come first?

If the mood came first, then the scenario is likely that you're happy, so perceived said event as great.

If the event came first, then the scenario is likely that something good happened, which instituted a happy feeling.
From here it's confusing. At this point it can be either or through the next hundred events.

Thanks for reading

--Jim Blow Out

Poem III

I promise I'm still a writer. But poetry is a part of that.

Sirens

Jim Blow

At the melodic call of a beckoning mermaid, sailors heads are turned.

They abandon their duties, their posts, their raid, and flock to see the beautiful mermaid.

At the rails of the ship the sailors gawk,

staring down at the beautiful sirens.

With a wink and a paddle, the mermaids mock

the land-bound swabbie's labored chagrin.

Shirking their duties, and piratical work, the mates look back to see no reward.

Unsure and peer-pressured they leap o’er the rail, their captain pleading for them not to bail.

Only now in the water do the crewmen now see,

the mermaids were lying down here in the sea.

In a quick flash the men are dragged down, knowing only too late they’re about to be drowned.

Some dragged deeper feel shame and remorse,

They regret ever having fallen off the horse.

Whether saved by their captain, or resisted their own, any survivors are, with mermaids, well-known.

So when the tempting sirens comes, see the sirens, Turn and run!

To stay on the ship, work to reap a reward,

is far better than to fall overboard.