#because altare gets to choose whether to be good or evil

[ministarfruit]

having normal thoughts about the demon king today

[witchcraft-and-metaphysics]

Amulets and Talismans: Your New Favorite Witchy Jewelry

Let’s talk about amulets and talismans, shall we? If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you already know that witches, Wiccans, pagans, and the spiritually curious alike are drawn to these little magical trinkets for a reason. But why? What is it about these seemingly simple pieces of metaphysical jewelry that have been so treasured for centuries? Well, buckle up, because I’m about to dive into why amulets and talismans are essential for any witch or pagan—and why you should be wearing one (or several) right now.

I’ve spent my entire life surrounded by these little pieces of magic. In fact, I own a variety of amulets and talismans in different shapes and sizes—some to protect, others to enhance, and a few to just look awesome. And honestly, if you’ve got a heart for magic, there’s no reason why you shouldn't have your own collection. It’s not just about looking cool (though, let’s be real, they do). It’s about harnessing the energies that resonate with your soul. Whether you’re a witch, a Wiccan, or just someone who likes to dabble in metaphysical practices, amulets and talismans can serve a number of purposes in your spiritual toolkit.

What’s the Deal with Amulets and Talismans?

Now, let’s talk about the difference between an amulet and a talisman because, yes, there is one. Although many people use the terms interchangeably, I assure you, amulets and talismans each have their own purpose. An amulet is generally used for protection. You wear it, carry it, or place it on your altar to ward off bad energy or evil spirits. Think of it as your spiritual armor. On the other hand, a talisman necklace is something you use to enhance or manifest a specific energy or desire. It’s all about conjuring the vibes you want in your life. Need more love? Grab a heart-shaped talisman. Want to boost your creativity? Go for a moonstone or lapis lazuli piece. Both are magical, but each serves its own distinct purpose.

Let me tell you, there are a lot of options out there. From symbols like the pentacle, tree of life, and triquetra, to stones like amethyst, carnelian, and peridot, the choices are practically endless. Some people are drawn to ancient symbols, like the Celtic knots or Thor’s Hammer, while others gravitate toward crystals with specific metaphysical properties. Yet others will simply carry pocket stones or charms. Whether you're working on protection, manifestation, or spiritual connection, you’re bound to find a talisman or amulet that resonates with your energies.

Why Do We Choose Certain Amulets and Talismans?

For the witches, Wiccans, and pagans among us, the selection of an amulet or talisman often goes deeper than aesthetics. In fact, the symbolism behind the piece is typically the deciding factor. There is a lot of Wiccan jewelry now. Consider the amulets and talismans of the Celtic peoples, for instance. The Celtic tradition is rich with symbolism: the spirals, the knots, and the triskelion all have deep metaphysical meanings. These symbols have been used for thousands of years, and they still carry power today. If you’re drawn to Celtic jewelry, you’re likely aligning with energies related to nature, growth, and cycles of life—stuff that's foundational to pagan practices.

Personally, I’ve always been fond of sun, moon, and star symbolism. Those of us who feel a strong connection to the celestial bodies often gravitate toward celestial jewelry that reflects those energies. Whether it’s a sun pendant, a moonstone ring, or a starry charm, these amulets and talismans can help you channel celestial power. Plus, let’s be honest, they just look cool. If you’re a moon lover like I am, wearing something with the Triple Moon symbol is a great way to remind yourself of the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

Amulets and Talismans: The Magic in Your Jewelry

Now, let’s get down to the real reason we love amulets and talismans: the magic. It’s not just about what they represent—it’s also about the energy they hold. Amulets of magic are said to hold protective energies, and many witches wear them during rituals or on a daily basis to help safeguard their spiritual well-being. Crystals like black tourmaline and obsidian are particularly powerful for this, as they are believed to absorb negative energies.

As for talismans, these work wonders for manifesting your intentions. Whether you're looking to enhance your personal power, attract prosperity, or draw more love into your life, wearing a talisman can be a potent reminder of your goals. Think of it as a constant energy infusion. I’ve got a garnet pendant I wear when I’m focusing on personal strength, and it’s like having a little energy boost tucked under my shirt. I also like to wear a citrine talisman whenever I'm manifesting some financial abundance. Hey, a little magic never hurt, right?

Taking Care of Your Magical Jewelry

Let’s talk about the care of your precious amulets and talismans, because, as much as we love these pieces, they do require a bit of attention. Crystals and stones can absorb energy, and if you’re using your jewelry for magical or protective purposes, you want to make sure it’s working at its peak potential. That means regular cleansing and charging are essential.

Cleansing can be done in several ways, depending on the stone and the type of energy you’re trying to clear. A smudging with sage is a classic method, but some people prefer to use palo santo or even the cleansing powers of moonlight. I personally love placing my amulets on a selenite plate overnight—selenite is famous for its ability to clear negative energies.

As for charging your jewelry, well, that’s equally important. Just like you wouldn’t expect a battery to work without charging it, your amulets and talismans need to be recharged to keep their energy fresh. One of my favorite ways to charge my magical jewelry is by placing it outside under the full moon or letting it soak up the sun’s energizing rays. Trust me, your amulet will thank you.

Wearing Amulets and Talismans in Rituals

Many people wear their amulets and talismans in rituals, as the energy they carry can amplify the power of the practice. Whether you’re calling the quarters, opening a portal, or working with elemental forces, having your talisman nearby is like having a personal magic amplifier. Some of my favorite rituals involve wearing my pentacle talisman when invoking the elements or using my goddess pendant during rites to honor the divine feminine. I find that the right amulet can really help focus my energy and intentions.

In addition to wearing your amulets during rituals, many people like to place them on their altars, in their sacred spaces, or under their pillows at night. If you’re working on specific manifestations, it’s a good idea to keep your talisman close by as a reminder of your goals. If it’s charged with the right energy, it’s like a constant, quiet little prayer or incantation on your behalf.

Conclusion: Find Your Perfect Amulet or Talisman

So, whether you’re drawn to a tree of life pendant, a pentagram, or a simple amethyst amulet, remember that amulets and talismans are more than just pretty jewelry. They are powerful tools in your metaphysical practice. With the right care, they’ll serve you well, helping you to manifest, protect, and enhance your life in ways that only magical jewelry can. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to find that piece that resonates with you, cleanse it, charge it, and start wearing it with intention.

Now go ahead, get yourself an amulet or talisman—you deserve it. Magic, after all, is a lot more fun when you’re wearing it on your sleeve (or your neck). ✨

[a-really-big-cat]

A recent post and a heated response has caused me to think more about the issue of catholic and jewish interactions. i couldn't understand how or why somebody could compare genocide and evangelization, since the difference seems so clear to me. But a friend helped me understand there's emotional and cultural context that autism makes it difficult to see. Here's what they said about it:

i think the situation between jews and christianity is a bit more complicated than that. it seems to me that the person in that post is carrying some hurt about the antisemitism in the church, which is pretty valid. we can't just say "that's not what the catholic church teaches" when there is in fact a long history of people claiming to be christian but acting terribly towards jewish people. its important to recognize this isn't necessarily an academic conversation but an emotional one

it wasn't that long ago that a commonly held belief was that jews were all collectively responsible for Jesus's death, and should all be blamed for it. the Catholic church has repudiated this, but even that was fairly recent. and a lot of this reflection happened after the holocaust. for reference: https://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01111997_p-31_en.html and there's a bunch of christian churches who actually STILL have not disclaimed this idea i've heard catholics talk about how all the jews need to be converted before the second coming. and like that is not at ALL taught in theology, but it is a cultural thing. and its important to recognize that people saying these things, even when its ignorant of and flies in the face of church teaching, will still affect how people view the church in a massive way the religious aspect is part of it. but it's also this huge cultural thing and ethnicity thing that has gone on for quite some time. and is still worryingly sticking around in some internet communities. most conspiracy theories are drawing from antisemitism talking points, about evil people being in charge of the global banking system and secretly scheming to kidnap children and use their blood for dark magic. which sounds ridiculous, but hey, qanon is a thing! which is Very Bad i guess i'm saying that i don't think this person is really talking about the theology of the church at all they're feeling attacked and attributing that to the broader culture of discrimination, which like it or not is culturally christian in a lot of places. think of how we get holidays for christmas but it's difficult for jews to get yom kippur off. thats culturally christian, and for people who've been hurt by antisemitism it's going to sting like that's an intentional slight, whether or not it is

i think a lot of the resistance comes mainly from the idea that the jews are going to be "erased." which was a fear back in Jesus's time! because the jews have been historically oppressed a lot! to some, it probably feels like betraying their family by choosing a new religion or choosing a new culture, because of the number of jewish people who were martyred. i don't think its accurate to say the christian goal is "no more jews". judaism has been fulfilled through the coming of Jesus the Messiah. and there are a lot of jewish traditions that can give catholic traditions lots of meaning, like the canopy over the altar (which is from jewish wedding traditions). but i can see why people would feel that way, especially if they've interacted with people who've told them being ethnically jewish is something they need to atone for, and they must abandon their culture and traditions and language to become redeemed.

i think it's usually a matter of broken trust, and feeling like this "good news" is actually just an attack in disguise. a way to silence them. and thats not an issue with the theology, its an issue with christians. and we need to do better to reach out to those who've been hurt.

[neuxue]

Hi, neuxue......If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite “villains” (or antagonists) in MXTX works? Whether it’s a final boss like Jun Wu or more of a side character like Xue Yang. (Whether you want to do a ranking or just write out in no particular order)...Sorry if you've answered this question before....

If I don't mind??? If I don't mind? Please, my friend, you give me an opportunity to talk about favourite villains and I am yours for as long as you'll listen.

Not going to attempt to order them so we'll just go by story:

CQL

Xue Yang - characters who don't realise what they want, or that they've found a way to have it, until the moment when they destroy it!! Who destroy it because on some level they don't truly believe they can have it at all, and because it's easier to lose something when you can convince yourself you were always going to, and that it was your own choice. The whole time-bomb of Yi City just wrecks me.

I'm also generally here for his brand of competence and mercuriality - the knife-edged playfulness that doesn't quite mask a deeper darkness, the tendency to dance just a little too close to the edge with the particular carefree abandon of one who cannot imagine living beyond youth.

Finally... oh man do I even want to try to articulate this? So, he has several traits that often get used as a shorthand for not just ‘evil’ but ‘inherently evil’. Which... frustrates me. But with Xue Yang... yes, he's cast as a villain and yes he loses everything and yes he dies alone and unmourned... but there's a sense of 'it didn't have to go this way'. If the cart driver had been kinder; if his capability had been put to some use other than ‘weapon’. Or that moment in Yi City where he seems to delight just as much in cheating at a silly game of choosing sticks as he does in tricking Xiao Xingchen into killing people. This idea that there could have been another path. (And also, via Yi City, that he is not... inherently unlovable). His story ends in tragedy, but it’s not framed, at least the way I (choose to) read it, as ‘your story can only end in tragedy, because of the way you are’. It gives the option to read it as ‘you are not inherently monstrous’.

(Which then almost feeds back into the tragedy of the first point, because it’s only there in a kind of meta sense: Xue Yang himself? only ever receives the you are a weapon, you are a monster, that is all you can be side of it. Oh man okay I’ll stop here before I get pulled into a whole essay on this because suddenly I want to).

Jin Guangyao - I love a schemer! I love a pragmatist! I love ruthless competence beneath an inscrutable smile! I love characters who will tolerate nothing less than absolute perfection in themselves because they have learned the hard way that it’s the only possible way to survive. Characters who are not exempt from their own ruthlessness, their own cost-benefit analysis. Characters who have learned from their world that happiness must be sacrificed at the altar of survival, and who will do so with heartbreak but without hesitation when necessary. The only way is forward; to look back is to fail, but the irony is they can still never outrun their pasts.

Also he’s another one where there’s such a sense of it didn’t have to end this way. So many points at which things could have been different, so many alternate versions in which his capability could have been channelled towards a different goal, if the goal carved into his bones didn’t have to be survive, in a world that will try to make that impossible. 

I love villains and antagonists of all stripes and moralities, but in this instance what I love is a character who doesn’t want to be a villain, doesn’t want their hands stained with blood, doesn’t want to hurt those they love... but they do not see a choice. 

Wen Zhuliu - he’s highly competent and wears fingerless gloves; what more do you want from me?

Honestly though, he fascinates me. In part it’s the fact that we just don’t get much interiority to him, and only one exchange of dialogue that really suggests his motives, but we also get these little moments, that collectively build this sense of a kind of... lawful neutral, I suppose? Not even villain-by-necessity so much as villain-by-...debt? loyalty? But he also so clearly has such a strong sense of honour, and I just love trying to reconcile all of those pieces into a cohesive whole. 

The other thing that really gets me about him is his extraordinary power and how it’s regarded - especially when juxtaposed with Wei Wuxian’s. In both cases you have a single individual who holds a terrifying and mostly unique power that threatens or pushes the boundaries of their whole society and world. Wei Wuxian commands ghosts without a sword; Wen Zhuliu can extinguish someone’s power with his hands. But, crucially, the difference between them seems to be... that Wei Wuxian is a wildcard; Wen Zhuliu is leashed. And so I have to wonder once again at the strength of that leash, and at what would happen if Wen Zhuliu, like Wei Wuxian, decided to rebel. And in that whole question lives in this really interesting space of... what is it people truly fear? The power? The wielder? That person’s ability to choose? The uncertainty of what they will choose? The possibility of them realising they can?

***

TGCF

He Xuan - I mean the theme here obviously is competence, and He Xuan has a killer aesthetic to go with it, but mostly it’s just... the way his whole character is an exploration of revenge, and the line between vengeance and justice, and the question inherent in the irony of... throwing away the very thing you wanted vengeance for, in order to exact that vengeance.

(And also the whole cycle-of-revenge in doing unto another what was once done unto you, in the process of exacting that vengeance).

I’m just. Unbelievably here for a good betrayal story, and this one has it all! The intimacy! The self-betrayal! The emptiness and hunger!

And while with Xue Yang I love that moment of realising what he wants, or what he’s losing, only in the moment when he destroys it... with He Xuan what I love is that he goes into this, in so many ways, knowing what he’s doing. This is not spontaneity; this is the ultimate premeditation. He knows what he has, in his guise as a heavenly official. He knows, intimately, the person he is betraying. He has given great thought to the how of that betrayal. 

(Is it worth it, in the end?)

(After all, he’s still here)

Bai Wuxiang - one of the dynamics that will wreck me pretty much every time is what I like to call ‘intimate enemies’. Enemies-to-lovers can fit under that umbrella, but it’s a broader umbrella than just that. The idea of characters who (either one-sided or reciprocally) know each other so deeply, and can wield that knowledge to wound. The awful gentleness and precision of holding a knife to the core of someone’s identity. 

That, plus the identity fuckery in general. The way Bai Wuxiang frames himself as Xie Lian’s mirror, and the way he then reflects and warps and tugs at those pieces of Xie Lian’s self and name and will, trying to shape them in his image, but so gently. The way he talks to Xie Lian! The way he strokes his hair as he stabs him! It’s just so much, okay!

So yeah, a lot of it is that I’m just very into the highkey fucked-up dynamic he has with Xie Lian. But also Bai Wuxiang’s own story hits me in a kind of... if you’ll forgive a Wheel of Time reference: betrayer-of-hope betrayed-by-hope kind of way. That he tried so hard once, only for it to fall to ruin in his hands, and now he watches another try (and fail!) as he once did. And the way he seems to, in trying to mould Xie Lian’s present to his own past, be searching for a kind of... vindication? A confirmation of that inevitability? That of course he failed, that he could never have succeeded, because this is the nature of humanity, and it is not worth saving, and so his attempts weren’t failure. 

But the thing with that is: it’s a lose-lose situation. If he succeeds and Xie Lian fails, yes, it gives him that sense of ‘there was never another way, and no point trying to find one’ but is that really... winning? Is finding vindication in despair truly a success? And yet if he fails and Xie Lian succeeds, then does that not also feel like a sword to the heart: that it wasn’t inevitable, and that means he has to come to terms with his own failure and the heartbreak it wrought?

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH130

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

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Chapter 130: The Dream of the Holy Nun (XX)

"Because it hurts too much," Qi Leren replied seriously. "But it doesn't hurt now. It doesn't hurt after drinking the antidote."

"Really, that's good." Su He sighed softly and took the antidote to give to Dr. Lu.

"Please look after Dr. Lu, I’ll go back to find Ning Zhou," Qi Leren said.

Su He shook his head: "Well, you should send Dr. Lu back to the Lord's castle first and I will go to the old site of the Vatican first. If Ning Zhou is in trouble, I’m always more experienced than you."

The ground was still shaking slightly. With the death of Witch of Nightmares, the demon energy she had accumulated for so many years seemed to be going out of control. Qi Leren was very worried that her former companion would be in the former site of the Vatican and regretted that he hadn’t bring insisted on Ning Zhou coming back with him - although he knew that Ning Zhou would definitely choose to stay there just in case - but if Ningzhou met any danger…

"Okay, you go first, I'll be right there," Qi Leren agreed.

Su He smiled at him and said, "Don't worry, it will be over soon."

Qi Leren helped Dr. Lu, who was still unconscious: "Yeah, it will be."

Su He nodded to him with a smile, then turned and walked into the darkness.　

　　&&&

The night wind blew quietly through the branches and leaves and the site of the Vatican, which had been closed for more than 20 years, was as quiet as sleeping in a grave.

Ning Zhou went up the stairs, walking the same steps Maria had taken so many times, and headed for the church at the highest point.

Along the way the earth continued to shake, and it became more and more frequent. The scattered demon energy rampaged under the earth's surface, awakening the sleeping birds.

A gust of wind blew and a large number of dead leaves and fallen flowers swept past Ning Zhou. The eagle's voice came from overhead and it circled and landed, throwing a small piece of blue and white petals in Ningzhou's hair. Ning Zhou picked off the petals. The blue and white petals should have been blown from the Garden of the Holy Tomb. He deeply remembered that the petals had fallen on Qi Leren’s lips as he slept, and the memory soaked in the afternoon sunshine was as gentle as a dream... He touched the eagle's head and moved on.

He had never been here before, but when he walked here, his heart was filled with an unwarranted kindness… and a strange fear, as if this was both his holy land and his hell.

The Witch of Nightmares had died not far away and the memento brooch had fallen to the ground. Ning Zhou picked it up. The one-time trap attached to it had been used up, and the debris and ashes on the ground proved it all.

It was just a simple trick, but sometimes winning is as simple as that.

Ning Zhou touched the ward in front of him. This ward set by his mother still dutifully protected the deepest secrets of the Vatican even after she’d left more than 20 years ago. Although it had begun to become fragile because of the erosion of demon energy over so many years, it had still blocked the footsteps of the Witch of Nightmares.

The field memento was once again raised in front of the enchantment of the Holy Nun. Golden ripples flowed away from the brooch and slowly spread out. The enchantment of the highest church of the Holy See began to blur and finally disappeared.

Further down was the cathedral that has been isolated for more than twenty years.

Ning Zhou looked up at the half of the churches that had been turned to ruins, where Maria had killed the Devil.

The black bird on his shoulder let out a cry and NingZhou turned around. From the distant stairs came the sound of high heels on the stone steps, getting closer and closer.

Someone was coming.

The blade rubbed the scabbard as he pulled it out. Ning Zhou stood on the steps and waited quietly for the person to come. The demon's energy, which was left unchecked by the other, came flooding in from the deep night, full of evil thoughts from hell.

A woman wearing a black veiled hat and a black evening dress walked at an elegant pace, and the evening dress inlaid with pearls and precious stones shone brightly in the night. She pushed back the brim of her hat and behind the black veil was a face with delicate makeup and her eyes flashed with demonic brilliance, which was quite different from the ordinary village girl from that year.

"Long time no see," Isabel nodded slightly to Ning Zhou.

Ning Zhou looked at her with a complicated mood.

Deep in the underground palace, Isabel had volunteered to become a witch of the Devil of Fraud and walked onto the altar. However, after more than half a month, she appeared in front of him again but was no longer the ordinary human girl.

The raging demon energy was fueled by numerous killings. She had become a witch completely.

The most terrible thing was, how had she crossed this closed field and come to him? She couldn't have a field memento, so she couldn't enter Maria's field by herself unless…

"To introduce myself again, I am Isabel, the Witch of Jealousy. At the order of my Lord, I came to compete with you." Isabel, wearing black silk gloves, lifted her skirt and graciously bowed to him.

A holy light shone on the knife and Ning Zhou looked expressionlessly at the Witch of Jealousy: "Ning Zhou, the exorcist of the Holy See, is the one who will kill you."

In the dark and silent site of the Vatican, the power of faith and the power of evil suddenly collided in the void and a raging billow of air broke out, where the trees fell and the stone steps broke.

The witch smiled lightly: "I won't let you pass."

　　&&&

After settling Dr. Lu in, Qi Leren immediately left the Lord's castle and hurried towards the former site of the Vatican.

Residents who had been transformed into demons had been restored to their original state. After dawn, these demons would end forever. The night watchmen had also restored their human identities. From now on, they wouldn't have to struggle on every night of the new moon - they had been freed, forever.

As long as they got Maria's memento of destruction, they could reopen this field and let the people who had been trapped here for more than 20 years ago leave.

In the quiet night, Qi Leren's footsteps went faster and faster, and at last he started to trot all the way and soon came to the former site of the Vatican, but Ning Zhou had disappeared and Su He was not here.

Shining his flashlight on the road ahead, Qi Leren walked along the steps to the higher buildings.

The ground was still shaking intermittently, so Qi Leren had to be careful with his steps so as not to fall.

The mountain stone path had broken in front of him into a pit with a shocking width of more than ten meters, and the surrounding trees had fallen down. It looked like there had been a fierce battle here and Qi Leren’s heart went into his throat. Judging from the trees, this was not a remnant left by the demon invasion more than twenty years ago, but was fresh. Although it wasn’t clear whether Su He or Ning Zhou had a conflict with people here, there must be danger ahead.

The space seemed to be distorted ahead, and the deep darkness could not be illuminated by the flashlight. There were no figures, no sound, only pure darkness, frightening and disturbing.

The road was also broken and the Qi Leren hesitated, circling another stone staircase, and soon he came to the cathedral at the top of the hill.

Under the starry sky, this broken church was still majestic. The round stone terraces and all the stone pillars along the road have been broken, but even so as he passed through, he found that these broken walls still exuded holy and solemn beauty.

Along the way, there were all kinds of angel sculptures, some having lost their heads, some having had their wings cut off, and some even having only their legs. They surround the center of the square where there was a disk with a diameter of four or five meters, which seemed to be the base of some giant sculpture. However, there was no statue that should exist on this base, and there was no statue wreckage around it. It was like it had disappeared into thin air, making this group of angels around it extremely lonely in the night.

Going further, half of the church had been destroyed. The front hall was almost completely destroyed. Even the dome had disappeared. After the wind and rain, it had become covered with weeds and shrubs. Qi Leren walked carefully on the weeds, passed through the rows of stone pillars, and came to the stone door of the main hall.

These were two doors that could be pushed away from the center, almost ten meters high. The exquisite reliefs on the doors had been covered with moss, but it was still faintly clear that the reliefs were about the magnificent scenes of wars between angels and devils in heaven.

Behind this door, what could be there?

Qi Leren's hand had been placed on the door. His heart beat faster and his breath was short. He retracted his hand and adjusted himself.

[S/L Data], [Rain-Day Clothes] and [Primary Fighting Skills] have been equipped.

If there was a battle later and S/L skill entered cooldown, he also had the [Countercurrent Sand] item. This exquisite hourglass item could reset the cooling time of one skill card at will. If he still couldn't defeat the enemy by then... He also had the Easter Egg.

There was no need to be afraid, the Witch of Nightmares who was polluting this field was dead. If she still had allies, they should have stopped him on the road.

The ground shook again and this time it felt stronger than before, as if the church was the source of vibrations. What had happened inside, and what would happen if the earthquake continued like this? He couldn't wait any longer…

Once again, Qi Leren put his hands on the cold stone door and pushed forward hard.

Save completed.

To his surprise, this giant door was not as heavy as he imagined. Under his touch it opened almost automatically, fresh air swept forward, his flashlight lit up the marble floor, and Qi Leren looked at the starry sky exposed by the huge collapsed wall of the church. He took a step toward the darkness ahead with his dagger.

A light suddenly lit up in the deep shadows, as if lit by the hand of God.

The darkness was dispelled and the light in front of him became more and more bright until finally it was as bright as day.

Qi Leren looked at the temple in front of him for a while in wait, just in the deepest part of the hall. A huge Maria held a sword high, piercing the flesh of a ferocious roaring black dragon, crucifying it in front of a giant cross.

This shocking scene showed the tragic battle that had occured here many years ago, but this was not the reason why Qi Leren was stunned. After a moment of shock, he looked at the throne belonging to the Pope under the huge cross.

On the throne decorated with reliefs and gems, Su He leaned on one hand and looked on at him with a smile.

His expression is still peaceful and gentle.

Except for those red, evil eyes.

-----

Editor’s Notes: You didn’t think it would end that easily, did you?

-----

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[aki-draws-things]

NaNoWriMo #03

That was supposed to be angstier, and yet... Oh, well... there’s a whole month for me to write some real good angst. (Any comment or idea for future parts is so very welcome, that goes without saying. I may be really slow, and stray from prompts, But you’re gonna have my endless love. Even Though most this month prompts are on Mingjue and Zonghui.... and I’m not sure many people ship them...)  aaaaahhh anyway! Day: 03/11/2020

Prompt: Ritual Sacrifice

Ship: None

Word Count:  2234

Qinghe was a cursed realm, every other sect always said that and despite loving it even the Nie sect living there had to agree. 

Every region had their own legends made to scare misbehaving children. “If you don't go to bed, the wood spirit will take you.” “Eat everything or the howling demon will come for you at night.”, for some reason it always worked up until a certain, varying age. Then one day those children would learn that the spirits and the demons didn't go after misbehaving children, but after everyone they crossed their path with. “be careful when walking at night.”, their parents' words turned into, instead of the little stories to scare them. The Qinghe children never fell for any of those stories, not even the scariest, most gruesome, other children would tell. But they had some stories of their own. 

“there are demons living in the mountain.” Nie HuaiSang said one night in Gusu, his two friends listening close to his story. “Sometimes they get hungry, other times they get angry at the heaven's for having been banished there and they walk down into the woods and into villages.”

“And they take the first born!” Wei WuXian ended, like he knew the story already, well, that was how most legends went after all, but Nie HuaiSang scoffed. 

“No. They roam and roam. They destroy and, yes, they kill. So the Elders choose someone pure and just, and this person gets sacrificed to the demons. It is said, - He lowered his voice just a bit. - that this will grant that person's soul immortality because of their selfless sacrifice. I don't really believe that, but the demons leave after the sacrifice, their thirst for blood satisfied.”

Jiang Cheng frowned. 

“It doesn't sound like a story…”

“Because it's not.” Nie HuaiSang said. “Qinghe is guarded by demons.”

In truth Qinghe wasn't cursed, not in the proper meaning of the term. The unclean realm was a fortress built as a last defense, circled by mountains and distant from the rivers, the first place most demons would encounter when they descended, and the Nie sect had, for many years, perhaps even centuries, protected the region, all the little villages and the civilians. It was an honor, the elders said, to be born in that family.

“Honor?” HuaiSang asked. “If there's something cursed in Qinghe that's our blood.” And in truth his older brother couldn't help but agree. It was almost like they were personally connected to those demons. Nie members never lived long. But they've never been sacrificed either, bad luck, Elders said, to rob them all of their best protection. At least they were safe from that fate. 

Or so they thought. 

The demons were led by a woman. Everyone knew that but not many had ever seen her, she left the mountains less times than the rest, older and more used to surviving the blood lust the others experienced. 

She was scary, hideous even. Like any demon. She walked among men many more times than people thought, able to change and look like them, she even let some of them try to court her for a day before disappearing. She didn't like to deceive them and, much to the other demons' surprise, she even grew fond of the people of Qinghe. 

That didn't stop the call for blood, she still was a demon, a beast. Human souls was what kept them alive, and she liked that life. 

“Xiao Nie.” A voice greeted Nie MingJue, coming from the air around him, he was sitting cross-legged in the middle of his chamber, busy in  meditation. 

“Mysterious voice.” He greeted back, the tiniest smile appearing on his face. “Coming to haunt my meditation hour again?”

The voice laughed and didn't answer him. 

“Well, since you're here, - MingJue said again. - you could be helpful. That song you sang last time. It was really calming for my mind, would you mind if I asked you to sing it again?”

And she sang. 

It wasn't a language Nie MingJue was familiar with, foreign and yet calming, he couldn't make out the words, nor try to learn them, but the voice was now a constant in his evening meditation, and for some reason he couldn't explain, Nie MingJue trusted that stranger's voice, he had for years by then. Every night she talked to him, she sang and she taught him, she guided him through meditation. 

“We'll meet soon, Xiao Nie.” She whispered that night when he finally fell asleep. 

Nie MingJue never talked to anyone about that voice, part of him was convinced it was a trick of his mind, the sickness getting hold of his family's mind, maybe that was the beginning. He was still too young to die of qi deviation, despite having had some before, but maybe he was starting to grow sick too. 

One night the demons came down. From the mountains, converged silently as ever in the streets of the unclean realm, people shut the doors and windows, they hid in the safety of their homes and prayed. 

A demon walked forward in the courtyard and everyone bowed more or less gracefully. 

“In one week from now I will return. - Her voice was like melted metal. - bring your sacrifice to the altar and you all will be safe.” Then she turned and the crowd of demons opened to let her pass before following. 

No one noticed how Nie MingJue's eyes went wide as she spoke. The familiarity of the sound merging with the voice singing to him. She was a demon, he reminded himself, she can use any voice she wishes, maybe everyone hears a different voice, someone they like or find comforting… Maybe--

“You will have to meditate without me for this week, Xiao Nie.”

He gasped and attracted the attention of the elders and his younger brother. 

“Da-ge?”

“Sect Leader is everything…”

“Yes.” He cut them short. “Do what you need to do.” He turned and retreated to his chamber. 

Despite the warning he waited for the now familiar company but she didn’t come. Nor she did the following day, or the one after, just like the demon said.

It was strange. Him, Nie MingJue, born and raised in the Unclean Realm, in a Sect that gave sweat and blood to keep the world safe from demons, he who now was leading said sect, he was wishing to hear that voice in his head. A demon’s voice!

“She had been kind to me.” He would try to justify himself. “She never harmed me in any way. She even guided me through meditation.” He said aloud once more, just to himself. “Even Baxia is quiet with her.” So she can’t be too evil, or his Saber would make sure he knows.

Meditation was leading nowhere during that silent week Nie MingJue realized, he got so used to her presence and her voice that the silence was even more distracting, there was no point in trying.

“After this week everything will be back to normal.”

He wondered for a moment if it would actually be, or if knowing would make meditation different. “She’s not evil. I feel it.”

He would ask for her name, next time, so that he could properly greet her. One leader to another.

“It’s the obvious decision.”

“But… He’s a Nie.”

“He’s useless. The Sect will be much better without him.”

“The Sect Leader will oppose.”

“Ah! Let him talk, that child. He acts all big and strong and what he is in truth? An overgrown boy.”

“He still has the final word.”

“Oh, but don’t worry about that, he will understand our reasons. More and quicker than you.”

“But…”

“Sect Leader Nie. It’s time.”

The Elders gathered in the council room, before them Nie MingJue sat behind a desk, Nie HuaiSang stood by his side, anxiously shifting from one foot to the other. Everything would end in a couple of hours and for at least six months Qinghe would be able to forget the demons and their blood sacrifices, families will sigh in relief and him and His brother would pay a visit to the family of the chose sacrifice. Then everything back to normal. Why did he feel so anxious then? What was that fear crawling in his chest and wrapping cold fingers around his heart? He swallowed.

“So? - Nie MingJue asked. - Who is the one?”

The Elders spokesman lifted a hand without speaking, his finger pointed straight at Nie HuaiSang.

“Wh— What?” He managed to whisper, mouth suddenly dry. Nie MingJue looked back and forth between his paling little brother and the Elders wondering when they all went insane.

“I thought the rules forbid a Member of the family to be given in sacrifice.”

“There are certain… reasons that would make the rules bend. - The man explained and he almost sounded valid, except he was too mechanic not to have studied beforehand those very words. - The Queen herself came here, we can’t simply offerer a farm girl or a young boy. We need something more.”

“Then find something more.” Nie MingJue growled, two soldiers moved to grab HuaiSang but immediately stilled as Baxia flew from her sheath in front of them, trembling in rage.

“Sect leader, you must understand.”

“Find your more. And I’ll find a way to stop this blood madness.” “I will talk to her, she will listen, I can find a way that will suit both, I… I’m turning my back to the rules of my family…”

“There is no more time. He’s the best candidate, whether you like it or not, Young Master. He’s no use to the Sect anyway.”

“Da-ge!” Hands grabbed Nie Huaisang’s arms and dragged him out of the room to get ready. Soon Nie MingJue was left alone. His brother, his only little brother sentenced to death and he could do nothing to avoid it.

Or… No, maybe he could.

He didn’t have much time before the sacrifice ceremony start, but he had enough.

Dismissing the usual robes to the ceremony ones was fast, finding the golden jewels he had laying around a little slower, he never wore them much. Making the braids, that took him way longer than expected, but in the end the result wasn't as bad as he feared, white and gold beads shone under the lights of the candle, barely a shadow of golden make up over his eyes. HuaiSang would complain that his style was too plain, that he needed more colors and details, something red perhaps. But HuaiSang wasn’t there. He threw a cape and covered his head with a hood before leaving the room without turning back. Baxia rattled for a moment in her sheath then went still, he trained her well, Nie MingJue thought, she understood. He asked for her forgiveness, but her voice was silent.

The demon’s Queen was clothed in  gold and red, standing above the silvery white altar and waiting, far more patient and calm than all the other demons and spirits.

“Bring him forth.” Nie HuaiSang almost tripped as strong arms dragged him toward the altar, tears streaming down his face; that shouldn’t happen, he was a Nie, He should have been safe, he—

“Stop!” Nie MingJue’s voice ringed through the crowd, he walked ahead, he tried to look fearless, glad that they couldn’t hear his heart hammer fast against his ribcage. “I will go. I will do it.” He turned to look at the Elders, daring them to stop him, they wouldn’t, he knew it, they couldn’t risk of being accused to go against their Sect leader, no matter how young he was.

“You can’t! Da-ge, you ca—” HuaiSang ran to him grabbed his robes and pulled at them weakly. “You can’t. I… I don’t know what to do…”

“Oh, but you know, HuaiSang. - He said smiling. - You’re far better than what they all think, you’re strong and capable. And you’re going to be a great leader for Qinghe. Listened to them, and then ignore their words because you know better.” He pushed him back lightly. “You have it in your blood as a Nie, you will know what to do. When it’s time, it will be clear.”

He kneel on the altar and let the outer robe fall on the ground, looking up and meeting the demon’s eyes, she looked almost surprised, definitely intrigued by that change. Maybe a little saddened too, or perhaps it was the candle light giving MingJue that idea. Why should she look sad?

“Would you mind if I ask you something?” She unsheathed the silver dagger and teared open the robe in a swift movement, the blade briefly tangling with a golden necklace. “Your name. - Nie MingJue continued, unfazed by the weapon and by his fate. - I was going to ask the next time but there won’t be a next, so…”

She leaned closer, pure white hair falling to cover her face, she hummed a song Nie MingJue heard many times over the years during meditation, but for the first time he understood a couple of words. “Oh, Sweet soul of mine.” The dagger went through his heart and he gasped , blood trickling down from his lips on the altar, he felt himself fading, his brother’s voice broken as he called him, and then… then he heard her, and it was like he had always known.

“Baxia.”

[illegiblewords]

5 Questions for Writers!

               5 Questions for Writers                                                        

I got tagged by @kunstpause, it looked like fun so figured I’d go for it! THANKS TO KUNST!

Tagging @wouldyouliketoseemymask, @nilim, @azwoodbomb, @peregrineroad, @frostmantle, @autumnslance, @strangefellows, @redbud-tree, @nozomikei​, and @rivenroad​. No obligation to anyone but full permission to steal granted to anyone else who might like to. I’ll literally be delighted if you pick this up spontaneously and blame me as an excuse lmao.

1. Do you have a favorite character to write? Who and why?

2. Do you have a favorite trope to write? Or one you want to write?

3. Share your favorite description you’ve written?

4. Share your favorite dialogue you’ve written?

5. Scene you haven’t written, but want to?

I made long answers so have a cut!

1. Do you have a favorite character to write? Who and why?

It depends heavily on what fandom and where I am mentally, but I’ve figured out I tend to love writing angsty lameass dudes with blonde hair who are prone to doing really silly things despite taking themselves entirely too seriously. Honestly, I have a pretty huge track record at this point. Harvey Dent, Vexen, Dmitri, Lahabrea, probably more besides. Every one of them fits the right balance of lameass to angst. I like seeing them grow and find fulfillment as people and they are very very cute while still having an edge of badassery and cleverness. Also they’re funny.

Lahabrea is my favorite at the moment, and him reaching that position is an accomplishment considering how stiff the competition is in FFXIV. Loser tricked his way to the top while I was busy laughing at him.

2. Do you have a favorite trope to write? Or one you want to write?

I really, really, really love redemption arcs and people recovering from fucked up experiences. Latter case especially I love seeing characters in those situations successfully connect to the people and world around them, especially if they get to grow together with a partner. I also LOVE “hero saves the villain and villain takes it to heart”.

(You may be sensing a theme here haha.)

There are a few reason these concepts resonate with me, the first being I think they’re really hopeful, inspiring, and something I always wanted to see growing up but rarely did.

People fuck up in life. People get hurt in horrible ways that bring out the worst in them. Sometimes when that happens they dig themselves deeper and deeper into ugliness. The more a person’s bad side comes out, the more hopeless it can feel. And for mental illness especially I’ve found this can be a major issue.

Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has flaws, but I think there’s something really significant in seeing someone who has hit rock bottom, who can no longer imagine a way out, get offered a hand for support and take it. While recovery and redemption (not synonymous of course) ultimately need to be carried by the individual struggling, I really can’t understate how important it is to know in those situations that you’re not alone and someone believes in you.

I think a big part of why this theme is important to me is because mental illness, both genetic and due to trauma, is something unbelievably difficult and painful not only for the sufferer but those around them. The most mentally ill characters in fiction tend to be villains, and are disproportionately more likely to be suffering severe trauma. It frustrated me since I was pretty young to see over and over again cases where a mess could have been avoided if there was any support system in place.

Seeing compassion and connection given that kind of power means a lot to me, as does recognizing that villains are people before they are villains. It’s also very reassuring in the sense of “If this person fucked up that badly but still tried to better themself, I can too. And odds are I’m also worthy of love and compassion, even when my issues make things harder for others. I just have to keep working to improve.”

3. Share your favorite description you’ve written?

Eff.

Straight up I think I’ve written too much to have just one favorite description. It’s been a lot of years and I have hundreds of fics and I’m lame. So I’m going to put a few of my favs.

Anytime there’s a gap in block quotes it’s a different section within the same fic.

22 - A Batman Fanfic

He trembles beneath the weight of their expectations but his smile never fades flashes before cameras microphones under his nose crowds screaming questions bleeding together he answers like clockwork the District Attorney who must bring justice to us all paying tribute to false idols with golden hair and silver tongues we the people bow down in worship to this guardian of the law with words and deeds I believe in Harvey Dent so he swears in hallowed halls to bring prosperity to smite the wicked to damn the criminal with authority invested in him by Gotham’s dutiful children and himself.

***

On the precipice of victory we stand united our voice raised like a torch like a spear like a golden arrow against the beast of Lerna we are gods and monsters we are so much more than good and evil we are order in the court cauterizing corruption our head held high and mighty manifest in Harvey of the doubletalk Harvey who writes himself into the fabric of Gotham’s history Harvey who will not bend before the Roman we command you the unworthy we condemn you the unrighteous we will not be merciful and you will fall before our eyes.

***

I am Dionysus divided at the altar of Tyche O Fortuna O Fortuna give me guidance in the light of the moon you dance sacred silver dollar I see and obey the wax and wane your whim Wheel of Fortune the card I am dealt your servant your slave venerated puppet of flesh blessed is your wisdom bestowed upon I am your disciple wine-mad twisted chanting your word becomes law holy splendor against gavels desecrating your name defiant in denial extend your will through me and we shall strike the innocent enlighten the ignorant or spare them all for now.

Doppelganger - A Spider-Man Fanfic

She asks him to tell the story of himself, and like Scheherazade he begins anew each day.

As with many other things, this comparison is imperfect. The Ravencroft Institute is hardly a palace and neither of them could pass for royalty. She sits in a chair across from him over a carpet the color of sawdust. Her walls are lined with insects pinned on display. Not many butterflies, quite a few beetles. On a bookshelf Dmitri sees The Metamorphosis nestled between non-fiction texts more relevant to her profession. He thinks maybe it's an inside joke she has with herself, but doesn't say so.

He's received an invitation to call her Ashley instead of Dr. Kafka and doesn't know whether to accept. It might be to make him more comfortable. It might be something else. In her late fifties Kafka is built from delicate features, and he suspects the lines around her eyes mean they crinkle when she smiles. Short black hair, beige suit, only jewelry a pair of diamond stud earrings. Dmitri thinks she looks like a mother, but not his.

Her weight sinks into leather, darker than the floor. The couch he rests on matches. He finds himself leaning forward with one elbow propped on his thigh, the other locked in a cast suspended by his neck. There is something reassuringly empty in the gray fabric of his uniform, cheap and utilitarian and harmless. Dmitri’s wrists are thin, but then he's lost a lot of weight recently. He probably wouldn't be able to run as fast as he used to, but then circumstances would be the same anywhere he went so that really doesn't matter. His espionage days are over. His free arm is shedding in flakes but at least his skin is dry. Clean.

Dmitri no longer looks like anyone, unrecognizable to himself. A face without much in the way of edges, short nose. Weak chin. Mismatched eyes that shift between green and blue and brown and every other natural hue as moments pass into minutes pass into hours. Dark blotches interrupt his forehead and chin. They will peel in new patterns across a span of days. For the most part though, he is pale enough to trace veins where his body seems on the brink of spilling out.

It's been a while since he shaved his head and the hair that grows back is almost foreign. An unruly mess of black, blond, brunet, and red—strands as unlike in texture as anything else. The mask that made him Chameleon was white plastic embedded with hardware. Left deformed after trying to resemble others in flesh too many times, it allowed him to duplicate any face, any body he could remember. More than holograms, the most complete sensory illusions technology could perform.

Without it, Dmitri feels stripped.

When Kafka looks at him she’s receiving constant signals and missing none of them. The moments he needs to turn away, flat monosyllabic turns of phrase he chooses or resorts to or blankly accepts as his own. It doesn’t have to be this way. It isn’t comfortable and he doesn’t even trust it’s not calculated. But she’s going to notice no matter what he does at this point, and lying about it doesn’t do anyone much good. They both know why he’s here.

***

“We were poor. We worked hard to keep ourselves fed and clothed and less than an embarrassment. I probably could have worked harder. Mother,” he begins before stumbling over himself.

The story he’s telling isn’t hers. Whatever else she was, Sonya Smerdyakov wasn’t Mrs. Bates. He remembers her voice as the beginning of an echo, forever following someone else’s lead.

And so he followed her.

She was bright like a light going out. She was gentle without being kind. Her fingers were short and delicate and she touched him as little as possible. He found her attention in the way she avoided his name.

***

In the privacy of his room, Dmitri began talking to himself.

Celebrities. Teachers. Children. The flat, steady rhythm of his father’s voice. The words and intonations favored by mother. Sergei’s laugh. He lost himself in a fantasy of conversations, strode through space to mimic confidence he didn’t feel, flashed teeth in front of his mirror like other people.

Once, Dmitri raised his voice. And when his older brother came, eyebrows knitting in confusion, he found himself full of stammered explanations, hands fumbling at his elbows, stumbling over his tongue to make sense of it.

Just making stories for himself. A game with no ending. That was all.

***

He would have died in that town under the eyes of speechless parents. Dmitri remembers the confusion that took his peers when he found a job for people who spoke for themselves. They thought he might be growing up.

He could lie. And when he began he understood it would always be a game with no ending.

Dmitri lost himself in a fantasy of conversations with real people and a voice that didn’t belong to him.

They asked a stranger to sign their yearbooks without even realizing it.

And then he was eighteen, and he left to continue elsewhere.

He didn’t announce his departure.

From Umbra - A Final Fantasy XIV Fanfic

It was probably a dream.

Lukewarm water crept down his throat, nearly making him choke. A skin pressed to his lips, insistent. He coughed, and for the first time there was moisture enough for resistance.

The face that obscured his vision was shrouded in white cloth. Cenric found he couldn’t focus on it. Mismatched eyes, one light and the other dark. Impossible to say if blindness caused the inconsistency.

A string of shells dangled from the figure’s neck, rattling gently. The skin pulled back for a moment. Careful. Patient.

It returned only once he'd grown quiet. Cenric drank for as long as he could. Impossibly, a great deal remained by the time he relinquished his hold.

There wasn't enough of him present to say thank you. Cenric barely registered being dragged, being carried onto a cart. Awareness was altogether gone by the time they started to move.

***

…to the blessed traders who enrich our lives we’re bound to pay with our lives in turn aether born fire-walker your will sees us to rest we entrust ourselves to your sight forged of oschon for peace and prosperity and an ending you do not weep for father azeyma lives in the earth with you her fan brings no breeze the air is hot and thick and breathless your domain a silent place that does not stir have you forgotten the sound of your own voice have you known what it is to live and fail have you been alone do you know what it is to die how can a god pass judgment without being judged nald’thal lord of departures of flame and sand whose coin purse overflows who knows not what it means to starve what it means to spoil the legacy of one who loved you nald’thal who holds shells and souls and precious stones as if their worth were equal nald’thal who cannot know mercy without knowing pain who are you to weigh mortal affairs?

***

In darkness he unwinds the black bandana, steps first from his slops and then his kurta. Yuyudana has provided robes, which rest neatly on a small rock nearby. It crosses Cenric’s mind that the bones of his knees, his hips, his wrists, even his face have all started to protrude strangely. He looks less hyuran than before, maybe less than he ever has. Closer to something priests would exorcise than anyone deserving aid.

He wonders if this idea has occurred to them.

The water, when he advances, is cold. Goosebumps raise across his skin as slowly, gingerly, he wades in to his waist.

Cenric ducks under.

His hair is a long and tangled wreck. Being wet only disguises this slightly. It drifts past his neck, comes to float near the surface. Cenric holds himself in silence, eyes open, watching the silver scatter of light over stones and plants and fish. He remains for as long as he can bear.

His vision stings afterward. Gasping, he can’t tell if the cause is exposure or something else. For a time he simply waits, breathing hard through his nose, hunched so that his lips are partially submerged.

He thinks of nothing, pretends that this time instead of no future he has no past.

Only one moon remains. Maybe the sky aches for losing Dalamud, but better that than the blow which scarred Eorzea.

Stalemate - A Final Fantasy XIV Fanfic

He is presented with impressions of a horse, gaunt and fetid and decayed. Spreading ruin wheresoever it goes. Occasionally it sloughs off portions of its own flesh, which collect flies and blacken any land that surrounds. On its back rests a world, and alongside it does the herd struggle under their own burdens. But even beasts of such endurance have limits. Theirs are reached. When the rotten steed lags, its companions cannot afford to falter. Cannot turn. Without its ability to bear loads, this aberration has no place. Falling is inevitable.

Yet a heart still beats and lungs yet swell.

The Ascian shivers in his grasp, but does not attempt escape.

Here, something festers. Something bleeds. An old wound exacerbated over time.

Fevered, coated in a film of self-disgust, the core of Lahabrea convulses.

 Don’t…

 Don’t leave me like this…

***

Teeth and tongue. Lingering, wet, disembodied. Another finds his hip. Another his thigh, slipping beneath what clothes remain.

And another.

And another.

Warm, human, seeking. The Warrior tightens his hold, uses the moan crawling from his own chest as incentive. Barred by naught but fabric, driving close as he can manage. Lahabrea makes a strangled sound, his gasp crushed empty. A new mouth finds the dark knight’s ear in response.

These are parts of him no one dares touch, no one dares acknowledge. Slick now, attended with something like reverence. Supplication.

He resolves to fuck the Ascian senseless for this, presses his intent deep into Lahabrea’s aether. He is going to steal all his fancy words away. Make him squirm.

“I… I…” Tight, airless, like a plucked string. The Warrior feels Lahabrea’s voice reverberate against the roof of his mouth.

The feeling is difficult to describe. Cracked ice. A fraying rope. Such is Lahabrea's response, fumbling and disoriented as it is.

The Warrior lets go.

4. Share your favorite dialogue you’ve written?

Just imagine me weeping over here lmao. Same deal as before, I’VE DONE TOO MUCH SHIT.

Spare Change - A Batman Fanfic

"Stop," he gasps, "I wouldn’t—"

"You would Harvey. You did. It’s what makes you such a damn good instrument. You had to test yourself, prove that you’re not a real person.” He can feel fingers grinding against bone. His knees bend. Harvey kneels, shuddering, gazing up into the destruction of his own visage. Two-Face meets his eyes, blue on blue. “People are weak. People are ruled by what they want and don’t want. You’re capable of anything if the wind blows just right. You can’t even stop yourself.”

"I wouldn’t," he repeats, numbly.

"Did you," demands Two-Face, forcing him down further, "or did you not flip for their lives, Harvey Dent?"

"We…We aren’t the same people anymore."

"Of COURSE we’re the same people!" Another shove and he’s on the ground, Two-Face sitting on his chest, teeth bared, coin clenched tight between them. "Do you really think you can close your eyes and pretend you aren’t capable of these things? They’re alive," and there is something hideous in his expression, something certain, "because they were lucky. No other reason.”

"The coin is gone! Even if I wanted to listen to it—I can’t!”

"If you’re so sure," says Two-Face, "then how about you improvise?”

And with one motion the silver dollar is under his tongue, forced back so hard he feels himself gag and begin to choke before his eyes open.

The Inquisitor’s Letters - A Dragon Age: Inquisition Fanfic

To His Worship Inquisitor Mahanon Lavellan of Skyhold, My name is Isell from Amaranthine and I’m seven. My mum is helping but says I can send you all by myself. Thank you for fixing the hole in the sky and also the one by the dead man’s house. There were demons but they’re mostly gone now and people are going outside now. Da says Amaranthine has been through too much and can survive anything and he says you’re an elf like us and the Hero of Ferelden was an elf too. He says people used to think elves can’t be heroes but now they don’t. Have you met the Hero of Ferelden? Also I heard that even though you’re Dalish Andraste helped you in the Fade and that humans let you be in the Chantry because anyone Andraste likes must be a really good person. What’s Andraste like? The Chant says a lot but it’s different meeting someone I think. Also I think I saw you a little before but Mum wasn’t sure because you had a helmet on and we were far away and there were a lot of people but I bet it was you. Da wasn’t sure I should write because he says the Dalish don’t like city elves like we are but I think you must be nice and Mum agrees with me. I’ve been playing demon hunters with my brother Arrion (he’s just five still) and Da said templars are who fights demons usually and elves can’t be templars. People thought elves couldn’t be heroes and inquisitors though and we are so I bet I could too. Is it hard fighting demons? Da says they’re real scary but I’m not scared. Thank you for helping us and everyone and I hope you kill lots of demons. Sincerely, Isell U’venlan

From Umbra - A Final Fantasy XIV Fanfic

Cenric sits on the floor, draped in a white cotton tunic. It might have been snug on a Roegadyn but anyone else would find ample room. Behind him, Memesu stands on a cot holding shears. Gold earrings dangle on either side of her face.

“I fought at Carteneau, you know,” she mentions casually. There is a soft hsssssshhhh. Click.

Hair hits the floor. Coils.

He starts to shake his head, aborts the gesture partway through. Stills. “…you saw Bahamut?”

Memesu snorts. “I’m sure everyone this side of Hydaelyn saw Bahamut.” Click.

“That’s probably true,” he concedes. The dragon is what everyone knows, everyone remembers. He can't imagine the proximity. “What about the Warriors of Light?”

“Pff.” Gentle tugging at his scalp. Cenric does not open his eyes but leans into the motion. “I wasn’t of rank to see their like. Not that I’d remember. Stop moving.” Click.

Cenric hesitates.

“What do you remember, then?”

For a time, the only sound comes from blades and a thousand strands cut short. This lasts for several minutes. Cenric resigns himself to secrets.

Then, “I used to think I was special too. As a twin. My sister was Memeni. We studied together.”

 Was.

The exhale hits him slowly, quietly.

“She died?”

He can feel the shrug in her hip against his shoulder.

“It was Carteneau,” says Memesu. “Of course she died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Click. “It had nothing too do with you. If you keep trying to claim responsibility for every misfortune you find, you’re going to get self-important.”

Cenric only grunts, quiet and non-committal.

 Click.

 Click.

 Click.

“Carteneu was so much worse than people remember. Only four years later and already we hurry to dispose of details.” There is a hard undercurrent to Memesu’s voice, but what contact she makes remains light. Careful. “I remember the arcanist from Limsa who didn’t dodge a magitek canon in time. Miqo’te. Spells come faster in that discipline, so there’s less stress on distance than thaumaturgy. Girl got careless.” Click. “The mess smelled like rotten eggs and charcoal. Her face was… melted.” Click. “I try not to look in those situations. They only make casting harder. But she was so close.”

Cenric doesn’t move. Doesn’t say a word.

Memesu continues. “One of our own gladiators, an Ala Mhigan, took to mutilating any pureblooded Garleans he could catch. The man had a string of eyes hanging around his neck. I’m pretty sure one enemy officer wet himself before he started to beg. Not that it particularly mattered.”

 Click.

“Memeni… didn’t anticipate what she was getting herself into. She saw magic as a way of being useful to craftsmen. My focus has always been theoretical. Right side.” Startled, Cenric lets her guide his jaw to get a better view of his profile. Click. Click. “Meni used to think I was a priss. She preferred to develop magitek kettles alongside alchemists. See if she could find a way to capture light like the Mhachi did. She still enjoyed fishing when she could, even though it smelled awful. Never outgrew the braids she wore growing up. ” Memesu sighs. “…just understand she died afraid, in pain, and with things left undone. My sister didn’t even resemble herself at the end.”

Cenric is very still. Thinks carefully.

“…I wish it could have gone differently,” he says at last.

Memesu’s mouth slides up in a small, crooked smile. She tousles the neat, ear-length hair before her. “So do I.”

Eclipse - A Final Fantasy XIV Fanfic

It ends at Elidibus’ untimely arrival.

“Lord Zodiark,” he says, so smoothly that were he not searching for it that the anger would be undetectable, “appreciates your attentions.”  His gaze does not waver from Lahabrea as he speaks. “But there is work to be done and I’m afraid there are words I would have with your Speaker.”

They disperse.

Nabriales, careful and curious, folds himself out of sight beyond the chamber then makes his way back to its edge.

Lahabrea, farthest from the exit, attempts to steal some small dignity. Turns to face Elidibus.

The Emissary makes him wait. Expressionless red masks matched by those who wear them.

Then, with more speed and force than typical for his demeanor, the Emissary closes distance to trap his colleague against the wall.

“It was my error,” hisses Elidibus, leaning in, “to have stayed silent upon rescuing you. A mistake I will remedy now, so we can be on no uncertain terms.”

Lahabrea lowers his eyes. Nabriales notes that despite the dread they all share of such reprimands, the man does not brace.

“You know as well as I that these words offer less succor to our Lord than action,” continues Elidibus, his fury quiet and no less sharp for that, “just as we both know your thoughtless action is the cause of repeated missteps these past centuries. Make no mistake—for all the strides you’ve made, your fixation and your impatience have cost the rest of us considerable time.”

Silence.

“Do you truly think this is your best service to Him?” asks Elidibus. “To us? Compromising your ability to fill the hours? Even Emet-Selch agrees these displays are disgraceful. You have ever borne them poorly, but being a 'paragon among paragons' naturally you continue ignoring your own better judgment with ours to continue this exercise in futility. Idiot.”

A twitch of the head. Almost a flinch.

It is one of few moments Nabriales has seen the Emissary express his anger so openly. Even after the Thirteenth fell to Igeyorhm’s error, Elidibus allowed the Angel of Truth to lead and voiced his own reproach with a more typical icy demeanor. Scathing though it was.

“I can be of use,” says Lahabrea softly. “Only three of us remain, and I—“

“You,” Elidibus snaps, “cannot follow the most simple instructions for the good of us all. Not for Him, not for Amaurot, not even for yourself. Your pride has made you not simply an embarrassment but a liability.”

Neither man speaks for several moments after that.

And then, at length, Elidibus exhales.

Says the Speaker’s name.

Receives his attention.

“What would you have me do?” the Emissary asks. His tone now is almost weary. “Clearly it would be unreasonable to trust you’d simply listen. Must I mind you like a child?” This is what breaks Lahabrea’s composure.

Knowing the man’s temper, Nabriales had expected him to lash out. Even on the back foot their orator is perfectly capable of defending himself from insults.

Instead, he embraces Elidibus fiercely—face just within the bounds of his pauldrons. Jaw locked shut firmly enough to hurt. Expression downcast.

Elidibus remains perfectly still at first. In the absence of conversation it is possible to hear the rush of Lahabrea’s breathing. Only through the nose, withheld briefly between each inhale as if that offers some means to steady himself.

As if that would make it better.

Tentatively, Elidibus holds him back. Lahabrea's fingers contract, and though he remains upright when his knees begin to give it is the Emissary who helps him kneel.

“Easy,” he murmurs, and Lahabrea removes one hand to run it reflexively over his face—coming against the mask.

Nabriales finds himself staring, searching. A puzzle with missing pieces whose image he may yet divine

“It was not,” says Lahabrea roughly, “my intention to…”

Elidibus reaches beneath the other man’s cowl, finds the hair and skin beneath. Draws him in once more.

Naught that would be shared with or among the Sundered. Nothing so personal as that.

Nabriales has worn his own share of flesh. Bedded lovers, adopted companions and families of vessels to fulfill a purpose. Passable enough, perhaps, but never for him. Not in truth.

It’s as if he looks upon two strangers.

Parched - A Final Fantasy XIV Fanfic

The door closes behind them. Lahabrea, projecting his preferred likeness over the host, waits on a couch within.

It’s admittedly a surreal sight. Ishgardian finery with its gilded edges, its elaborate wallpapers and marble floors. A collection of creams and blues and greens, fine furniture with velvet seat cushions. All ostentatious in the extreme… and then Lahabrea. Masked and cowled. Pouring three glasses of La Noscean arrack.

Elidibus freezes, and though none of them can see his eyes the confusion is clear enough.

“What is this?”

“Your turn,” says Emet-Selch, lightly but less flippant than he might have been.

Lahabrea proffers a cup from where he sits.

Elidibus neither moves nor speaks.

Emet-Selch approaches. Takes the drink. Presses it carefully into the other man’s hand.

“Don’t think,” he says smoothly,” that I won’t let you drop it.”

Mercifully, Elidibus has a good grip.

“Sit,” says Lahabrea, gesturing with his own glass to the sofa across from him.

Elidibus sits.

Emet-Selch sits.

Takes his own glass, perhaps a bit pointedly.

Elidibus’ mouth is pressed tight. It opens briefly, as if to speak. Shuts again.

“Explain,” the Emissary manages eventually.

Lahabrea meets his co-conspirator’s eye. Downs his arrack in a single attempt.

It is a long attempt.

It lasts several moments.

The other Ascians watch.

“Elidibus,” says Emet-Selch as Lahabrea endeavors to catch his breath in the aftermath, “Lahabrea and I are concerned that you may be experiencing some difficulties in recent years.”

“I’m fine,” replies Elidibus coldly. Holding his drink. “Why did you think this necessary?”

“Because—“ wheezes Lahabrea.

“Because you’re practically a mammet,” says Emet-Selch, picking up Lahabrea’s glass. Moving it just out of reach. “Truly. It’s been what, two hundred years? Three? Neither of us can remember the last time you so much as spoke of matters unrelated to the Rejoining.”

Lahabrea reaches. Elidibus pours his arrack into the other man’s glass before nudging it back toward him.

Elidibus makes eye contact with Emet-Selch.

“I remain focused,” he says evenly. “Nothing more.”

Emet-Selch gestures to the bottle.

Elidibus sighs.

Refills his own glass.

“There are matters I must attend myself. As is the case with each of you.”

“Undoubtedly,” replies Lahabrea more evenly. “But with few exceptions, you haven’t done so.”

A hard stare from behind the mask.

“What would you have me do? I can’t very well take time off.”

Emet-Selch sips.

“A negligible amount of time,” he says, “taken sparingly, may be forgivable.”

5. Scene you haven’t written, but want to?

Lmao see this is a plus side/minus side deal. Minus side, it’s being asked just before I embark on a MASSIVE ASS FANFIC. And I basically am excited for all of it. Plus side, there are things I refuse to spoil.

So... putting it vaguely, in no particular order:

- Lahabrea and Hydaelyn meet a second time after Praetorium.

- Moonfire Faire

- Thancred

- Conversations over mulled wine

- Silvertear Lake

Some of these are sex scenes. Most aren’t. But I am very hyped.

[keire-ke]

What does Steve want?

tl;dr going back in time fulfills neither Steve’s narrative wants nor needs, because the former are too broad and the latter are negated by foreknowledge.

Aside from other reasons for disliking how Endgame ended, I find Steve's arc narratively unsatisfying, and it comes down to one simple thing: because what Steve wants to do and what he believes is right were always consistently the same thing, I never had the sense Steve wants anything except doing the right thing, and as such the absolute selfishness of leaving everyone to deal with the present and going back in time to get a life comes out of nowhere.

This is not necessarily the wrong narrative choice, but it also isn't one that feels like an ending of an arc that set a character up to face the difficult choice between the right thing and the consequences of the right thing (and never delivered).

Contrast with the beautifully clear and coherent arc for Iron Man: Tony wants to go home to a family and Tony wants to save everyone. We know this about him from very early on, and his story is consistently about navigating between those two wants, so when the choice comes to sacrifice going home versus saving everyone, we feel the gravitas of the moment. This is the culmination of his two warring wants, finally coming to fruition.

What does Steve want? What does Steve sacrifice on the altar of doing the right thing, what has he given up in his quest to fight for the world that he needs to reclaim to grow and be happy?

I honestly don't know.

He loses certain opportunities as a result of his choices, sure (e.g. being with Peggy), but losing things, especially opportunities, that you might have wanted is not the same as consciously sacrificing something, even opportunity, especially when those things are lost to snap decisions. There is no point at which the right thing is in question, versus the desire for something, in no small part because the right thing is always stopping the imminent danger, and not stopping it would likely also take out the thing Steve wants in that moment: in fact it is no choice at all.

Not putting the Valkyrie in the water was not an option because auto-guided missiles were threatening millions right that minute, not stopping Hydra was not an option, because if the war was lost there was nothing left to want, not fighting Bucky meant letting SHIELDra probably have him back and killing millions. Civil War comes closest to presenting an actual dilemma, but there was never a choice between things Steve wants and things Steve thinks are right: not letting Bucky be killed was the right thing to do and also something he wanted, not signing the Accords proved to be the right thing and also what he wanted. Argument can be made about the conflict with Tony, but jury's out on whether their friendship was sufficiently established in the MCU, at least from Steve's end. Steve never seems to have to choose between losing something he wants by doing what's right, or getting it by not doing it: what's right and what he wants are always intertwined.

It ties in with another facet of Steve to contend with, and that is his inability to not make everything his problem. That is a huge factor of how something drastic needed to happen before he stepped down and got a life, it is, in fact, the clearest example of what Steve needs versus what Steve wants. Steve can't seem to walk away from a fight: for all of his life he was doing the right thing because it was the right thing, which mostly meant fighting. This is not sustainable, and Steve needed to stop to some degree, but stop what, that's the question. Stop fighting all the time, certainly. Learn to enjoy victory, build something instead of throwing everything you have at a brick wall all the time. Learn to accept that there are things you cannot change, that you shouldn't change, because other people's freedom fucking sucks. In that light going to the past may be just what he needs, finally giving up control, giving up the illusion that if he just tries hard enough he will save everyone, because all of it already happened. On the surface that works.

However.

Learning a lesson like "you need to not fight sometimes" can't be "remove yourself from the world and all temptation". It is the narrative equivalent of an opium den. Retreat into a world where none of your choices matter, because all choices have already been made.

Leaving the world he saved would have worked, were he forced to sacrifice or lost that which made him fit in along the way, except that never happened. Time and again we are shown that Steve very much belongs in the XXI century, that he has a life there, friends, family. Even as early as the Winter Soldier Steve was shown to be very much at home in the 2010s. Occasionally it was lonely, sure, but so was Tony, so was Bruce, so was Natasha. Missing the people of his past is not the same thing as missing the past itself. Steve needed to make connections, and by the end of CAWS he did: he had Sam and Natasha, and the ball kept rolling. In fact by the end of Egg Steve has more people anchoring him in 2023 then he had in the 1940s.

The last thing is that we are at no point sold the idea that Steve truly wants anything concrete. He doesn't even particularly want to save the world, or at least doesn't view it as an attainable goal (with good reason – the world will always need saving, that is the price of freedom). Steve never seems to want stability, or a nuclear family, or security, or... seriously, what does Steve want from life at any given point? He says in CAWS he wants to do the right thing, but doesn't know what that is anymore, and that is resolved by the end. Steve never wanted to work for SHIELD for the sake of SHIELD, he just wanted to do his part and SHIELD appeared to enable that. That desire doesn't change. He doesn't give anything up, his wants and needs do not change, only the circumstances do, and even then they don't change enough for him to be forced to adjust his perspective.

Steve’s never been shown to be torn between “I want a normal, happy life” vs “I can’t stand by while evil is afoot”. If anything, his dilemmas tended towards “I can’t stand by while evil is afoot” vs “not standing by causes problems” (further weakened because he always ends up justified in choosing the former). Has this been resolved? Has Steve learned to pick his battles, to weigh cost and benefits of engaging depending on the situation? Has Steve learned to accept sacrifices in the great war against evil, or does he still consider sacrifices a personal failing that he needs to fix and or undo?

In the end we don't know, because we are not shown. Or told. All we know is that Steve existed consciously for another century, and either took the opportunity to re-do things that went wrong the first time (not great in terms of accepting and honouring the sacrifices of people who fought the first time, and also not a retirement), or sat back and not only let evil flourish, but watched his beloved wife take pride in building the place where he knew it flourished (…yikes).

…yeah, I'm gonna guess: no. Steve didn't learn.

There is one candidate for want: Egg tries to sell the idea that it’s Peggy, Peggy personally, which... okay, I buy that Peggy was the singular person with whom Steve ever dreamed of being, so being with Peggy, alright. That’s not nothing. That is a very clearly defined want.

(would help if we knew Peggy spent her whole life waiting for Steve to come back because he was the One Man who could make her happy. Nothing weakens that ending quite like the knowledge that the woman has been regressed into the desired prize)

But it’s also not much, considering Steve is never shown to want the things that going back to be with a woman usually represents, like home and stability and “life”. AoU was a golden opportunity to have Steve wistfully look at children running around a farm and be like “ah, that’s the dream”, but he just looks bemused. So the "want" is just Peggy, the specific person, however here is the final kick: Peggy-the-person represented something when Steve knew her in the 40s: she was the kindred spirit that believed in the same things and validated his wants, because those were the same things she wanted. They both believed in doing the right thing no matter the cost, standing up to bullies, being true to yourself. The thing is, all of that is voided by the fact that Steve needs to go back to be with her: going to the past is not the morally right choice, it is a selfish one. By going back Steve negates the entirety of why he wanted Peggy in the first place, and what he gets is just the shadow of Peggy, really, the undefined shape of a beautiful woman at the end of the day. In the end the fulfilling of Steve's apparent want is like cotton candy. It is pretty, well-shaped, sweet, and exactly what you think you want, except once you get it is nothing but a spoonful of empty calories that melts in the sunshine.

The problem with Steve's arc is that for all the talk about always doing the unselfish thing Steve has never done anything he didn't want to do, and that matters, as context. Steve is never conflicted about fighting, Steve is never shown wanting things other than the things he chooses, because the narrative never puts Steve in a position where he needs to choose between what is good for someone, and what he feels is right. We never see him grapple with the consequences of choosing his rigid morality at the expense of other people, which on one hand is fine – this is not necessarily the right genre for the meditation on the nature of selfishness, but on the other that leaves him with little room to grow, so to have an arc it must be one of selfishness, which would be fine, if it didn't play out as a happy ending. It is a deeply unsatisfying thought, that always choosing the right thing is so taxing that to be happy you need to eschew it altogether.

In conclusion: what Steve needs to be happy is to gain the wisdom to know the difference between the things he can change and the things he cannot change, and the serenity to accept the latter. Going into the past gives him the opportunity for none of that, because as mentioned above, depending on interpretation, he will have to either accept all things, or claim the power to change all things.

[tipsycad147]

50+ Fun Family-Oriented Pagan Activities for Winter

Winter is a time of inner reflection, but it’s also a time of family, feasting, and fun. Here are my favourite fun, family-oriented pagan activities for winter. Time to get out the mittens, mugs, and mistletoe! Whether you celebrate Yule, the Winter Solstice, or Christmas, these pagan activities may become traditions for your family. Keep in mind, you’ll see Christmas mentioned in this article, because many of us grew up celebrating Christmas and have blended the Winter holidays to meet our family’s needs and traditions. Just because the term Christmas is used, doesn’t make a tradition any less pagan. In fact, most of the Christmas traditions originate from older pagan traditions! Feel free to adapt each tradition and name to fit your beliefs and preferences.

DISCLOSURE: I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you information about the paranormal and paganism.

50+ Fun, Family Pagan Activities for Winter!

1. Candles in the Window

An Irish custom for centuries, placing candles in the windows guides your loved ones home in the winter months. It also invites the sun’s return. My grandmother did this every Christmas and it was a tradition I always loved.

2. Cloves in Oranges

Who doesn’t love the clove and cinnamon scents of the winter holidays? There’s a winter tradition of sticking cloves into oranges which is called pomanders. Pomanders date back to Medieval times and were used to ward off infection and bad odours. Hang cloved oranges around the house to scent your home and also draw in abundance. Cloves represent success and the oranges summon the sun’s return.

3. Bake Cookies

Whether you call them Yule or Christmas cookies is up to you, but baking cookies is a tradition for any family who loves sweets during the winter holidays. Let your kids decorate gingerbread and sugar cookies. Use cookie cutters in the shapes of stars, Santa, and his reindeer to represent the night sky, Odin, and his steed.

4. Advent Calendar

Advent Calendars are a fun way to countdown to Yule and/or Christmas. Instead of using candies for each day’s gift, replace with natural items like crystals. Advent means “coming” in Latin. Christians think of it as the coming of Jesus, while Pagans think of it as the coming of the sun.

5. Christmas Lights

The winter nights are long and dark, hence the tradition of Christmas lights. They light the way plus work sympathetic magic in inviting the sun’s return. Hang them up on the house and around the interior of your house. And don’t forget to go on a car ride around the neighbourhood to see all the beautiful light displays!

6. Cider or Mulled Wine

A cold night can always be warmed up with a hot cup of cider or mulled wine. Give the kids the hot apple cider with a stick of cinnamon and an orange slice, and let the adults partake in mulled wine with cloves, star anise, cinnamon and oranges. The Norse peoples used to refer to Yule as “Drinking Yule”, so why not let it live up to its name?

7. Women’s Christmas

The Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th) is also called Women’s Christmas in Ireland. Its tradition in County Kerry and County Cork to allow the women to have a day out on the town, while the men do the housework and cooking! Honour the women in your life, as you do the Goddess, and give them a day off for Women’s Christmas this winter. It’s also tradition on this day to take down Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree.

8. Gingerbread House

Gingerbread originated in Germany in the fifteen hundreds. If you have German ancestry, honour their memory by making a gingerbread house with your family.

9. Reindeer Food

Odin was known to ride his steed, Sleipnir, through the skies on winter nights. Sleipnir is thought to be the original “Santa’s reindeer”. Reindeer were sacred animals to Siberian shamans. Make reindeer food with the kids and leave it out for the reindeer on Christmas or Sleipnir on Yule.

10. Cookies for Odin & Santa

Whether you celebrate Yule or Christmas (or both), leave out a cookie offering for Odin on Yule and/or for Santa on Christmas Eve. The tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa clearly originated in leaving sweet offerings to appease the winter gods in the old days.

11. Caroling

Caroling has ancient roots that go back further than we know. “We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!” Going from door to door, singing blessings to the people inside in exchange for a cup of hot cocoa or a round of applause? Sounds like you’re bestowing good luck and abundance in exchange for offerings to me! Caroling is the newer version of traditions called mumming and wassailing.

12. Offerings to the Winter Fairies

They say there are a different set of fairies for each season. In the winter season, wouldn’t it be nice to set out offerings for the winter fairies? Frosted cookies and hot beverages would be greatly appreciated by the wee folk. This makes for a fun tradition with the whole family. Set the offerings outside on a tree trunk or somewhere in the garden. This is one of those purely pagan activities

13. Holly & Ivy

Decorate your house and hearth with holly and ivy. Holly and ivy as Christmas decorations predates Christianity. Our pagan ancestors used evergreens to decorate hearth and home for a couple reasons: to keep the “warmth” of the earth alive in their home and hearts, to ward off evil spirits in the winter, and to bring abundance in the new year. In new pagan traditions, the Holly King and Oak King battle it out on the Winter Solstice and the Oak King wins! He represents the return of the sun/earth/summer.

14. Gaze at the Winter Sky

Sometimes the sky looks so clear on a winter’s night. Spend a minute or two gazing up into the sky – notice the brilliance of the stars and the darkness of the black space between. If the moon is out – praise her for her light and glory. Wish upon the north star.

15. Wassailing

A similar/same tradition as caroling, yet wassailing in apple orchards is believed to provide a good harvest in the coming year. Wassailing is basically singing to the trees, honouring the spirits in the trees, and ensuring a plentiful bounty of apples in the coming year.

16.  Yule Herbal Sachets

Make herbal sachets full of Yule and Christmas spices to hang around the house. Cinnamon, clove, star anise, and apple serve to sweeten the air, plus bring abundance in the coming year to your home. Choose herbal sachet bags of red, green, silver, and gold.

17. Sun Bread

The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. But the following day brings hope with the sun’s glorious return. Bake bread in the shape of the sun to celebrate the sun’s return to the earth. Recipes and instructions can be found online. Eat and partake in the sun’s warmth and abundance for the year to come.

18. Pinecones

The pinecones have dropped. Hopefully you collected some last Fall! Now you and the family can decorate them with silver and gold spray paint and glitter OR decorate them like Christmas trees and hang them on the tree!

19. Winter Solstice Spiral

The spiral symbol represents the never-ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth and did so for our ancient Celtic ancestors. On a snowy day, go outside and create a spiral made of evergreens and stones to honour our ancestors and the great cycle of life. It also makes for gorgeous photos and a lovely offering to the winter spirits.

20. Resurrection Flower

The Resurrection flower is also known as the Rose of Jericho. It is a tumbleweed and desert plant that seems dead, until soaked in a bit of water then springs back to life! It’s used in hoodoo tradition to bring abundance if 5 coins are placed in the water along with the resurrection flower then the water is used to wash one’s front door. Keep the resurrection flower all year, then add water in the winter to represent the return of the sun and renewal of the earth.

21. Yule Altar

Clean, consecrate, and re-decorate your altar to honor the Winter sabbats, gods, and spirits. Choose evergreen garland, red and green candles, and silver candle holders to name a few.

22. Yule Log

The Yule log is steeped in ancient tradition. Choose a log and decorate it with greenery. You can even carve out holes to use as candle holders until it’s time to burn the yule log. Traditionally, it was burnt slowly over the course of the 12 days of Christmas then a piece was saved to light the next year’s yule log. That piece of the yule log was thought to ward off misfortune in the coming year.

23. Yule / Christmas Tree

The true origins of the Christmas or Yule tree are heavily debated, but I think its clear bringing an evergreen tree into one’s home is an ancient pagan thing to do. Whether to preserve the tree’s spirit through the winter or to bring life into the home, the Yule tree is a popular tradition during the winter holidays for many people, religious or not.

24. Books on Xmas Eve

In Iceland it’s called Jolabokaflod or “Christmas Book Flood.” This tradition is about giving each other books as presents on Christmas Eve and then staying up late that night to read them. Give your family books this year and read them together as the Icelanders do!

25. Yule Bock

A Northern European tradition that dates back centuries is the Yule Bock (Yule Goat). Scholars believe it is tied to ancient Germanic paganism, the Harvest, and/or the Norse god Thor. Make your own yule bock out of hay and red ribbon. If it’s small – hang it on your tree. If it’s large – place in random places around the home.

26. Christmas Wreaths

Make your own Christmas wreath out of evergreens like holly or spruce. Hang on the front door for good luck and Christmas cheer. The Christmas wreath is thought to date back to ancient times as a symbol of eternity or divinity (circular shape and evergreen).

27. Hot Cocoa

Drinking hot cocoa is a sweet tradition that all kids love…and many adults. This sweet treat has surprising pagan origins. Sources say the ancient Mayans or Aztecs invented hot cocoa as a drink for royalty.

The ancient Mayans invented hot cocoa…make and drink it as one of the sweetest pagan activities in the winter!

28. Gifts

Without falling into the cycle of mindless consumerism, giving gifts to loved ones during the winter is a time-honoured tradition. During a season of cold, bleak days, gifts can cheer us up and bring us closer together. Choose to give gifts with meaning. Special framed photographs, experiences, etc. instead of useless objects that will end up at a thrift store or at the dump.

29. Fruit & Cinnamon Garland

Another fun seasonal craft is making your own garland out of fruits and herbs. String together dried orange or apple slices along with star anise and cinnamon as a beautiful, rustic piece to hang on the mantle or around your home. This is a simple craft the whole family can do!

30. Simmering Potpourri

Want to make your house smell like Yule? Try making a simmering pot of potpourri on the stove this year. Its as simple as adding cinnamon sticks, orange slices, star anise, and cloves to a simmering pot of water.

31. Sun Decor

Bring back the sun by decorating your altar and home with sun decor. Find sun plaques online, or make your own from felt and hot glue.

32. Oranges in Stockings

My grandmother used to add oranges to our stockings at Christmas. This tradition is said by some to be a Christian representation of the gold thrown down the chimney by St. Nicholas; however, pagans know it as a nod to the end of winter and the sun’s return (think citrus – sun).

33. New Winter Holidays

Add a different winter holiday to your winter repertoire. Depending on your culture, there may be a holiday you’ve never celebrated with pagan roots.

34. Bonfires

Not only does a bonfire keep us warm on winter nights, it also reminds us of the same element our ancestors used to survive the winter months. Without fire, we might not be here. Roast marshmallows and sing Christmas songs together this winter.

35. St. Stephen’s Day

One of those “other” winter holidays we discussed previously, St. Stephen’s Day is celebrated the day after Christmas Day. In Canada, it’s called Boxing Day. Whatever you want to call it, make your own tradition of celebrating this winter holiday in your own pagan way.

36. St. Lucia’s Day

St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated in Scandinavia and is thought to be a more modern Christian celebration of St. Lucia who was once a pagan goddess. Perhaps she had another name, perhaps not. The Grimm Brothers say St. Lucia as another representation of the ancient goddess Berchta. It was originally celebrated on the Winter Solstice, giving it a clear pagan foundation.

37. Dough Ornaments

Another craft tradition centred around the Yule tree – try making dough ornaments with your kids and family members. Stars and suns add a perfect pagan touch to the tree.

38. Ghost Stories

Traditionally, winter was thought to be the season following Samhain (Summer’s end) where spirits roamed the earth…particularly dangerous spirits. Ghost stories were once told around the fire. Bring back the ghost story tradition this winter!

39. Oak King and Holly King

If you have a family of thespians, assign roles to your family members, print out a script, and put on a play of the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. You could even make special costumes for the event! The winter solstice is when the Oak King takes over rule of the earth, winning against the Holly King in battle.

40. Feast on Yule

What’s one thing we love to do as human beings? Eat, of course! Feasting during the winter holidays has been going on for thousands of years. Long before the church’s rise, our pagan ancestors feasted during the winter as a way to “lighten the mood”, bring the tribe together, and thank the gods for a bountiful harvest. So feast on Yule!

41. Feast on Christmas

See above. Already had a feast on Yule? Throw another feast on Christmas!

42. 12 Days of Christmas

Once upon a time, Christmas was celebrated over a span of twelve whole days! Where do you think the song comes from? Also called Christmastide, the celebration of a holiday lasting more than a few days is said to originate before the rise of the church but was adapted by the church to make conversion easier. Who doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas longer? Do something simple for each of the 12 days of Christmas starting Christmas Day and lasting until January 5th.

43. Charity

Nevermind religion, giving of your time or goods to those in need feels good during the holidays and teaches kids a wonderful morality lesson of compassion and kindness. The holidays are about community and giving.

44. Story of the Baker’s Dozen

There’s an old tale about where the baker’s dozen comes from. It involves Saint Nicholas, an old witch, and a baker in New Amsterdam (NYC). Read it to your kids by the fireside.

45. Story of La Befana

Continuing on the lesser known Christmas stories, children in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world might have never heard the story of the Christmas witch – La Befana. If you live in Italy, you will know the story. La Befana is a witch who gives presents to children on Christmas Eve. Read the story and add the tradition to your home!

46. Story of the Perchten

Does your family like scary stories? Read and tell the story of the Perchten, a horde of scary monsters that parade through the streets of Germany, Hungary, and other countries during the winter holidays, scaring off evil winter spirits. The Perchten are named after the germanic goddess Berchta – read their story here.

47. Christmas Movies

One of the best things about the Winter season is all the family-oriented Christmas movies on TV. Watch a different winter movie each weekend together. Our pagan ancestors put a huge emphasis on family. Elf, Rudolph, and The Santa Clause are just a few of my family’s favourites.

48. Cuddle

More emphasis on family, but also to keep warm, make time to cuddle up with your favorite person this winter.

49. Letters

Have the kids write letters to Santa or Odin and send them “up the chimney” (aka leave it on the fireplace/mantle) or send in the “mailbox”.

50. Mistletoe

Mistletoe is steeped in pagan history. The Druids found mistletoe to be a sacred plant because it grew on their holy tree – the oak. Mistletoe was banned from the church because of its pagan associations for many years. Hang mistletoe in the house and when two people are caught under it together – they’re supposed to kiss so goes the old custom.

51. Goddess Ritual

With Santa, the elves, and Odin getting all the attention during the winter holidays, don’t forget to include the Goddess in your holiday fun. Write and perform a ritual dedicated solely to the Mother Goddess. Perform on the Winter Solstice or on the Full Cold Moon.

52. Snow Fun

If you live in a region that gets snow in the winter, why not get outside in warm clothes and enjoy the winter landscape? Go sledding, build a snowman, have a snowball fight, and make snow angels! Bundle up and enjoy Mother Earth in her glistening, snowy glory!

https://otherworldlyoracle.com/50-fun-family-oriented-pagan-activities-for-winter/

[buggie-hagen]

Sermon for St. Michael and All Angels (Michaelmas) (9/29/19)

Primary Text | Luke 10:17-20

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Dear People of God,

You may notice instead of our usual green on the altar we have white. Today we celebrate the minor festival called St. Michael and All Angels, also known as Michaelmas. It only occurs on September the 29th and we only celebrate it when it by chance lands on a Sunday. The next time it will happen will be in five years, so it seems good to take the opportunity to learn about it and celebrate it today. Here you can see that we as Lutherans acknowledge angels as having something to do with our human reality—namely, to protect us. The reading from Daniel brings up St. Michael the Archangel as the protector of God’s people. The reading from Revelation portrays St. Michael defending God’s people against the ancient serpent. And the Psalm brings up angels in general as spiritual beings who do God’s bidding and act according to his will. Michael is often depicted using a sword, but we must remember that the sword is a metaphor, as Revelation says, “They conquered the Devil by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Therefore, the angels guard us by nothing other than the Word of God—whom we put our faith in. For God promises to save us from the hand of all our enemies.

So, if today is supposed to be about St. Michael and All Angels it’s funny that the Gospel of Luke’s reading for today brings up neither St. Michael nor the angels. Well, not happy angels as you will see. The seventy disciples returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” Demons are considered angels who have fallen; they are spirits who have rejected God and live lives contrary to God’s Word. Our Lord Jesus said, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.” Satan, who is the sum of all evil, is also an angel—though he is the Devil. He is a liar and a murderer, and what’s nothing else but to crush God’s people. But here Jesus teaches that Satan’s power and time is limited and short. And Jesus says to his disciples and he says to us, “See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.” The imagery of snakes and scorpions of course is picture language to mean the spirits who seek our demise. They whisper in our ears that we are not worthy of God’s love, or of any love. Ultimately, the snakes and scorpions hate and obscure the gospel and seek to sabotage it. And the trick is that they want to lure us into hating God and the gospel too.

But the secret is not to look at them, but to look at our Christ and him on the cross. We must always come back to God’s word and God’s promise, for he promises to save us from all the power of the enemy. And it is why we must constantly turn the Lord’s Prayer where it says, “Deliver us from evil.”  For God certainly hears and gladly welcomes our prayer. So, if you are ever afraid, say, “God save me.” “No one,” Christ says, “shall snatch you out of my hand, because my Father who has given you to me is greater than all.” The Word promises to save us and the Word does what it says it will do. Whether it be Satan, demons, or our own battle in life, we fight not with swords but with the Word of God. The great Reformation hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God will be our teaching hymn throughout October. It has the lyrics, “Though hordes of devils fill the land, we tremble not, unmoved we stand…For God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit.” The weapons of course are the Word and the Sacraments—the only places where the Holy Spirit chooses to work. There may be many evil spirits, but we can take comfort that there is only one Spirit who is the Holy Spirit.

When you think of St. Michael and all angels who protect and defend us, remember we have the same power as them—the power of God’s Word—namely the good news of Jesus Christ. That we are justified by grace—God loves us entirely by his own choosing without conditions, that we are justified through faith—that is, a trust that God creates and kindles the flames of in our hearts, on account of Christ—meaning that on the cross Jesus died for us and for the sins of the world—that all may be united to God in peace eternally, and finally the gospel means we are saved without our works. We mustn’t look at our own selves to determine whether or not we are worthy of God’s love—for nothing in all creation can separate from God’s love in Jesus Christ. No enemies who accuse us of our faults will convince God otherwise, not even our own doubts. God only considers the Christ who loves us without end. And that’s all that matters. Turn to the back of your hymnal to page 1166. There you will find “The Morning Blessing” in the Small Catechism. It says: In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the sign of the holy cross and say: “God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.” Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you wish, you may recite this little prayer as well: “I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected me through the night from all harm and danger. I ask that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you. Into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

[dfroza]

A sacred act of rebirth means everything:

Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.

Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!

The Letter of Colossians, Chapter 3:1-4 (The Passion Translation)

we see now, dimly, just a mirror of what is promised to be pure (Clarity)

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 3rd chapter of the Letter of Colossians:

So it comes down to this: since you have been raised with the Anointed One, the Liberating King, set your mind on heaven above. The Anointed is there, seated at God’s right hand. Stay focused on what’s above, not on earthly things, because your old life is dead and gone. Your new life is now hidden, enmeshed with the Anointed who is in God. On that day when the Anointed One—who is our very life—is revealed, you will be revealed with Him in glory! So kill your earthly impulses: loose sex, impure actions, unbridled sensuality, wicked thoughts, and greed (which is essentially idolatry). It’s because of these that God’s wrath is coming [upon the sons and daughters of disobedience], so avoid them at all costs. These are the same things you once pursued, and together you spawned a life of evil. But now make sure you shed such things: anger, rage, spite, slander, and abusive language. And don’t go on lying to each other since you have sloughed away your old skin along with its evil practices for a fresh new you, which is continually renewed in knowledge according to the image of the One who created you. In this re-creation there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and conqueror, or slave and free because the Anointed is the whole and dwells in us all.

Since you are all set apart by God, made holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a holy way of life: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Put up with one another. Forgive. Pardon any offenses against one another, as the Lord has pardoned you, because you should act in kind. But above all these, put on love! Love is the perfect tie to bind these together. Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful.

Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing—sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness. Surely, no matter what you are doing (speaking, writing, or working), do it all in the name of Jesus our Master, sending thanks through Him to God our Father.

Wives: be submitted to your husbands as is appropriate in the Lord. Husbands: love your wives, and don’t treat them harshly or respond with bitterness toward them.

Children: obey your parents in every way. The Lord is well pleased by it. Fathers: don’t infuriate your children, so their hearts won’t harbor resentment and become discouraged. Slaves: obey your earthly masters in all things. Don’t just act earnest in your service only when they are watching. Serve with a sincere heart (even when others aren’t watching), fearing the Lord who is always watching! So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as man’s, because you know your reward is the Lord’s inheritance. You serve the Lord, the Anointed One, and anyone who does wrong will be paid his due because He doesn’t play favorites.

The Letter of Colossians, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 17th chapter of the book of Jeremiah about choosing whether or not to trust in the Eternal:

Eternal One: Judah’s sin is engraved on the tablets of their hearts, inscribed on the horns of their altars with an iron tool, tipped with a diamond point. Their children remember their pagan altars and the sacred poles used in idol worship beside leafy green trees on high hills. I will see that My mountain in the land, your nation’s wealth, and all your treasures will be handed over as plunder to your enemies. I will even give your pagan high places to pay the cost for the sins you committed all over Judah. You’ll let this inheritance I gave you slip through your fingers. I will make you slaves to your enemies in a land you have never known because you have stirred My anger into a roaring fire that will last forever.

Cursed is the one who trusts in human strength and the abilities of mere mortals.

His very heart strays from the Eternal.

He is like a little shrub in the desert that never grows;

he will see no good thing come his way.

He will live in a desert wasteland,

a barren land of salt where no one lives.

But blessed is the one who trusts in Me alone;

the Eternal will be his confidence.

He is like a tree planted by water,

sending out its roots beside the stream.

It does not fear the heat or even drought.

Its leaves stay green and its fruit is dependable, no matter what it faces.

The heart is most devious and incurably sick.

Who can understand it?

It is I, the Eternal One, who probes the innermost heart

and examines the innermost thoughts.

I will compensate each person justly,

according to his ways and by what his actions deserve.

Like a partridge that hatches eggs that are not hers,

so is the person who gains wealth unfairly.

In the middle of his life a fool’s money will abandon him.

In the end he, too, will be shown for what he is—a fool.

Jeremiah (to God): But from the beginning, Your throne of glory,

our holy place, has always been exalted.

O Eternal One, the hope of Israel,

all who forsake You will be put to shame.

Those who turn their backs on You will be written in the dirt,

because they have forsaken You, the spring of living water.

Heal me, O Eternal One, and I will be healed.

You alone can save me; to You alone do I sing my praise.

The scoffers keep mocking me, saying,

“Where is the word of the Eternal you keep talking about?

Why haven’t His words come to pass?”

You know I have not run from my calling—

I have been a shepherd to Your people as You commanded.

I have not secretly desired the day of disaster and sorrow.

You know everything I’ve spoken to these people,

because it was the task You’d set before me.

Do not turn and terrify me.

Be my refuge when the dreaded day of reckoning comes.

Bring shame on those who persecute me, but save me from that shame.

Bring terror on them, but save me from that terror.

Bring them to the day of disaster; shatter them, destroy them with double the destruction.

Eternal One (to Jeremiah): Go, stand at the public gate of Jerusalem, the one through which the kings of Judah come and go; then take up your post at the other gates around the city. Say to them, Listen, you kings of Judah, you people of Judah, you citizens of Jerusalem, and any who pass through these gates. Listen to the words of the Eternal; this is what He says: “For the welfare of your lives and the good of this city, be careful! Stop violating My Sabbaths by carrying your loads through Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day. Do not bring your loads out of the house on that day—do not work at all on the Sabbath. Keep the Sabbath day holy as I commanded your ancestors all those years ago. But even then, they did not listen or pay attention to Me; instead, they stiffened their resolve not to listen or accept any instruction from Me.

“But if you will listen to My words and obey Me by not carrying your loads through these city gates on the Sabbath, if you will live differently on the Sabbath, differently from the rest of your week by not working on it, I promise Jerusalem will be your home forever. The family of David will always reign on his throne here. The kings and rulers of this land will pass through these gates in chariots and on horses. As for their officers, the people of Judah, and the citizens of Jerusalem, they will live securely in this city forever. People will come from Jerusalem’s surrounding villages and the towns and the regions in Judah. They will come from the territory of Benjamin, from the rolling hills in the west, from the hill country, and from the Negev wilderness. They will bring their burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, incense, and freewill offerings to the Eternal’s temple. But if you refuse to obey Me—if you continue to bring your loads though the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath even though I’ve separated that day as a time of rest—you will be punished. I will kindle a fire to these very gates that cannot be quenched, and all Jerusalem will burn—even her palaces.”

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 17 (The Voice)

to be accompanied by these lines in The Message:

“But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,

the woman who sticks with God.

They’re like trees replanted in Eden,

putting down roots near the rivers—

Never a worry through the hottest of summers,

never dropping a leaf,

Serene and calm through droughts,

bearing fresh fruit every season.

* * *

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful,

a puzzle that no one can figure out.

But I, God, search the heart

and examine the mind.

I get to the heart of the human.

I get to the root of things.

I treat them as they really are,

not as they pretend to be.”

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 17:7-10 (The Message)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, August 30 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the “essence” of Love:

The central message of the Scriptures is to turn to God for life... Rabbi Sussya once said, "There are five verses in the bible that constitute the essence of the Torah. These verses begin in Hebrew with one of these letters: Tav (תּ), Shin (שׁ), Vav (ו), Bet (בּ), and Hey (ה), which form the word for repentance, "teshuvah" (תְּשׁובָה). The five verses are 1) Tamim tiheyeh (תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה): "Be wholehearted before God" (Deut. 18:13); 2) Shiviti Adonai (שִׁוִּיתִי יְהוָה): "I have set the LORD always before me" (Psalm 16:8); 3) Va'ahavta lere’akha (וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ): "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18); 4) Bekhol derakekha (בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶיךָ): "In all your ways know Him" (Prov. 3:6); and 5) Higid lekha (הִגִּיד לְךָ): "Walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). In other words, the way of teshuvah, of answering God’s call for you to return to Him, is to sincerely set the LORD before you, to love others, and to walk out your days in heartfelt gratitude.

In other words, "teshuvah" (repentance) is an acronym that stands for being whole, seeing God, loving others, knowing God in all your journey, and walking in humility... [Hebrew for Christians]

and another about this week’s Torah reading:

Our Torah reading for this week, parashat Nitzavim (פרשת ניצבים), is always read on the Sabbath before Rosh Hashanah, serving as a prelude to the holiday. The sages found an allusion to Rosh Hashanah in the opening verse: "You are standing today all of you before the LORD your God" (Deut. 29:10), where "this day" refers to Rosh Hashanah, when "all of you" shall stand before the LORD your God in judgment. The "last" shofar blast refers to Rosh Hashanah when the dead shall be raised (Rosh Hashanah 16b), whereas the "great" shofar blast is sounded at the end of Yom Kippur, after Israel has received the atonement.

Rosh Hashanah has long been associated with the Day of Judgment (יום הדין) in Jewish tradition. According to many of the sages, the time immediately preceding the appearance of the Messiah will be a time of testing (nisayon) in which the world will undergo various forms of tribulation called chevlei Mashiach (חֶבְלֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ) - the "birth pangs of the Messiah" (Sanhedrin 98a; Ketubot, Bereshit Rabbah 42:4, Matt. 24:8). Some say the birth pangs are to last for 70 years, with the last 7 years being the most intense period of tribulation -- called the "Time of Jacob's Trouble" / עֵת־צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקב (Jer. 30:7). The climax of the Great Tribulation is called the great "Day of the LORD" (יוֹם־יהוה הַגָּדוֹל) which represents God's wrath poured out upon a rebellious world system. On this fateful day, the LORD will terribly shake the entire earth (Isa. 2:19) and worldwide catastrophes will occur. "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Rev. 6:17). The prophet Malachi likewise says: "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,' says the LORD Almighty. 'Not a root or a branch will be left to them'" (Mal. 4:1). Only after the nations of the world have been judged will the kingdom of God (מַלְכוּת הָאֱלהִים) be established upon the earth. The remnant of Israel will be saved and the 1,000 year reign of King Messiah will then commence (Rev. 20:4). For more information, see "As the Day Draws Near" (find link below). [Hebrew for Christians]

8.30.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

August 30, 2021

Showing the Way of Salvation

“The same [a demon-possessed servant girl] followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.” (Acts 16:17)

Paul and Luke first witnessed to European unbelievers in Philippi and saw them wonderfully converted (v. 14), but a young “soothsayer” continually interrupted them, mocking and interfering. Paul cast out the controlling spirit of divination (v. 18), denying her owners their source of income. In retribution, they convinced the city leaders to have them brutally flogged and thrown into the innermost prison (v. 24).

But God had other plans. A mighty earthquake seemingly freed them, causing the jailer to prefer suicide rather than face capital charges for his “offense.” Paul intervened, and the jailer desperately pled, “What must I do to be saved?” (v. 30).

What would cause a Roman official in a decidedly pagan culture, who had heard little (if anything) of the truth, to abruptly turn to God for salvation? Certainly the earthquake had captured his attention, as had Paul’s behavior through his trial and abuse, but what made him think the truth was with Paul? Why did he ask for salvation from an incarcerated prisoner?

Perhaps during the trial he had heard of the slave girl’s testimony. In our text she had exclaimed, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.” Was this ringing testimony, given in derision but heard nonetheless, involved in his decision?

We can’t know for sure, but we do know that this was the introduction of the gospel to Europe. Surely God’s ultimate plan can be seen in the events at Philippi that day. Even the unknowing truth from a demonic soothsayer contained lasting truth. Christians should never hesitate to declare gospel truth, for God will not allow it to go unheeded (Isaiah 55:11). JDM

A tweeted question mark (?) by illumiNations:

@IlluminationsBT: DID YOU KNOW...some languages have evolved so much over the years that the most recent Bible translation in their language is longer easily understood. illumiNations also works to bring revised Bibles that are understood by today's people.

8.30.21 • 12:03pm • Twitter

[godly-habits011497]

Prayer: Father, protect my family

We have been going through complicated times with health, unemployment, families splitting up and so many things happening around us, so today I want to pray for our families, for protection, restoration and an open door.

I know that today may not be an easy day and in the middle of it all, we still sometimes have family disagreements, which destabilize our home and seem to take away the peace. So, pray with me now for your family. I leave here a passage especially for you today:

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

-Joshua 24:15

Remember that you don’t have to repeat the prayer exactly as I’m going to leave it here, because each one of us has a specific way of communicating with the Lord. But if you want to follow along, it will be a pleasure, feel free to speak it in your own way.

Prayer

Beloved God, I thank you for my family, country, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, I thank you for each one of them. I also thank You for all that You have given us up to now, for every deliverance and blessing that You have given us.

You know Father, things have not been easy, the world is in such a turbulent moment, many are losing their jobs, getting sick, and I worry about my family, so I want to put the life of each one of them, on your altar. Protect my home from all evil, free us from all viruses and other diseases. May unemployment not come to my home and may my unemployed family members soon be able to work again.

Please, Lord, protect my family from hunger and misery, that the larders be stocked. I ask for abundant health for everyone also, so that we can continue to do all that is necessary. I also pray now that every spirit of strife, division, and whatever is trying to take away our peace will now be rebuked by the authority that I have in Jesus Christ.

Blind my family from all envy, persecution, and greed. May we be good examples wherever we go, being vessels of blessing to other families as well. My God, Yours is the power, the glory, and the honor forever. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray, give thanks and ask that my words may reach the Lord like a sweet perfume

Prayer of a mere servant of God

God bless you!

[deansmultitudes]

So, 2020, amirite? Surprisingly, turned out not as creatively barren for me as it seemed. I published 24 fics, including two longfics and two collaborations, as well as two tiny original drabbles. Together, I published over 84,880 words this year, which, I’d say, is pretty neat.

Here’s a round-up of all my 2020 fics (under the cut)

Advent Calendars Are For Children - dean x lisa | 1104 words; G Lisa buys advent calendars for the kids.

A Matter of Heart and Mind - dean x cas | 32109 words; M Cut off from Heaven after closing the Gates, Castiel becomes human. But to Dean, he also becomes something else—something Dean couldn’t admit to himself until now: the love of his life. The feelings are reciprocated and, for a while, things are good. Until the headaches begin. In true Winchester fashion, Cas pretends he’s fine until he can pretend no more. In true Dean fashion, Dean’s worried. Because the headaches might be something more than a migraine. Whether it’s a human sickness or something of a more angelic nature, they have to figure it out before Cas’s time runs out.

In The Empty - dean x cas; cas & benny | 1152 words; G The Empty promised Castiel sleep. An endless, peaceful slumber. So why are Cas’s eyes open?

Scripted - gen; dean | 635 words; T Dean always knew he’d go down swinging.

Heaven and Heaven - gen; dean | 1478 words; T After dying, Dean goes to Heaven—one he shares with Sam. It only sounds good in theory.

One Last Dance - dean x cas; cas x kelly | 2637 words; T This is not how Dean imagined Castiel's wedding. They were supposed to be standing at the altar together, then dance the whole night through. But Cas made his choice and now, the only thing Dean wants is one last dance.

The Samhain Feast w/ @kitmistry - dean x cas | 5840 words; T The end of the harvest. The one day the veil between our world and the otherworld is thinnest. The day when a witch coming of age can try summoning and binding a familiar. The Samhain Feast is a tradition so ancient, no one remembers how it started. Dean has attended every single one of them since he was old enough to walk, watching witches meeting their familiars and bonding with them. This year, it's his turn to make an offering. And hope one of the familiars chooses him.

Winchester's Haunted House w/ @kitmistry - dean x cas | 3417 words; T For the Halloween evening, Dean turns his new home into a haunted house for neighboring kids. But once all the guests are gone, is when the real haunting begins.

Tunnel - dean x cas | 13567 words; E An injury during a hasty job makes Dean, Sam and Cas split up in the underground tunnels. Confused and trapped in a maze of walls that seem to shift at the will of something evil, Dean's frantically searching for his loved ones.

the brand - dean & emma | 921 words; T Emma doesn't hate the scar on her wrist. She just wishes it wasn't there.

Holding On - dean x cas | 956 words; T Dean saved the Earth and all it got him was getting buried six feet down in it.

On the Road Again - claire x kaia | 653 words; T Life's been good since Kaia came back. But Claire has to go back to hunting sooner or later.

rot - gen; dean | 475 words; T Dean still remembers the fetor of rot that filled his casket.

for good - dean x cas | 829 words; T Cas made a deal with the Empty, and he never said a word.

Dean Doesn't Dance - dean x lisa | 1619 words; G Lisa's sister's wedding is coming soon, but Dean's reluctant to test out his new dancing shoes.

absinthe - dean x cas | 289 words; T Once upon a time, Castiel's world became green.

Third Time's a Charm - dean & jack | 3706 words; G Jack's third birthday goes a little different than he hoped it would, but it's not a bad birthday at all.

Back into her Arms - dean x lisa | 5673 words; T After a year of constant combat, Dean escapes Purgatory, at last, and he can finally come back to the family he was torn away from. When he finds himself at Lisa's door, he's covered in dirt and blood, with a collection of new scars and a bushy beard hiding the uncertainty on his face—a whole year away is a damn long time. But his fears melt away when Lisa welcomes him with all the love she can give and, with her tender touch and a lot of soap, helps him feel that he's safe again. He's home.

Be My Valentine - dean x lisa | 859 words; T Dean surprises Lisa on Valentine's Day.

shallow grave - gen; emma | 277 words; T A bullet can't kill an amazon

Last but not Least - gen; dean | 810 words; T Dean's Birthday has always been just a day like any other.

Regarding the End - gen | 808 words; T Sam got a glance at the future that won't come to pass. There's something about it that doesn't sit well with Dean.

Out with the New - dean x cas | 3616 words; T They say no one who tried to retrieve the Leviathan Blossom ever came back. But that doesn't stop Dean and Cas from trying. Soon, Dean finds himself facing another shocking turn of events that makes him question his loyalties and his long-harbored feelings.

Countdown - dean x lisa | 600 words; T At a New Year's Eve party, the big countdown sneaks up on Dean.

No, Come Back! - og; wlw | 529 words; T

That’s The Easy Part - og, wlw | 321 words; T

[xtheromanticrealistx]

I guess I can only ask a question, because messenger was being a bit wonky. I'm curious, on your post about faith and female reproductive health, how that fits in the paradigm of premarital sex. I'm without judgement on either mind you. What's your feeling personal feeling on physical intimacy before marriage?

Sorry for answering this question so late. I had intended to answer it during my spring break, then became swiftly overwhelmed with personal and familial responsibility and never got around to it, and then I kept putting it off because I wasn’t quite sure how to handle such a big, personal question without writing a novel. I’ll try to due my best in a short response, admitting that these are, as you’ve asked, my personal feelings.

I think premarital sex is, in general, discouraged by most religious institutions and cultures for historically good reasons, and if it feels like women get the bulk of the finger-wagging, it’s because they’re largely the ones who suffer for it & because they, as the primary stewards of their children’s futures, should know to do better. The sexual revolution and the emergence of the acceptance of casual sexual encounters has led to upticks in children born out of wedlock, fatherless families, date rape culture, women cheapening their worth in the sexual market that is the dating sphere of the West, men left empty in paternal rights, etc.  I could go into any of those points on their own forever. Honestly, my biggest precaution against premarital sex is this:

I’ve never met someone who has tons of one-night-stands and casual sex who is happy with themselves. Not.A.One.

They’re invariable broken or ruined in some way--emotionally,mentally, etc. in the way they value themselves and others, with bad family lives--and they’re never role models in the other parts of their lives. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying these people are evil, or undeserving of your love or kindness or sympathy, but you know what they say: don’t put your dick in crazy. I’m just stating no-fluff-attached observable pattern I’ve noticed among my own family, peers, and so forth. If someone has had a ton of sexual encounters with many partners, it’s normally a red flag to something they’re trying to fulfill in themselves, poorly, much like a drinking or drug addiction (even though, in my opinion, substances use doesn’t have to indicate addiction when not used to excess). Whether its a guy, a girl, whatever: don’t mess with thots. Our grandparents’ generation was more accepting of complete or quasi-arranged marriages because they understood that you *could* choose who you love by learning to love, or not love, someone. (Hollywood’s lie that love is the same as lust, which we have little control over, is ruining people’s love lives. You can pick who you love, family and lovers, as long as you train the mind to think logically. So pick wisely). 

I’m well aware that not all premarital sex encompasses a one-night-stand, and that very committed people can have sex with someone, that same someone, and not be married.This is where my stance has softened a lot more over the years. As someone who has been in a long-distance relationship for 3 years now, I understand the desire for intimacy. My advice on this: just get married. It doesn’t have to happen 6 months after you first meet, but I think the sooner you don’t put it off, the better. 

I’ll be blunt: most people can’t handle premarital sex, because most people are bad at relationships and are bad at birth control, too, to boot. I’ve seen more people get knocked up by accident than should be possible in 2018, and I’ve seen plenty of people who swear up-and-down that they’ll marry their sweetheart get left in the dust when the sex gets good and boring, because they are constantly chasing the high of a new relationship and because they keep picking broken people. I don’t want the movement to discourage premarital sex to rush people into marriages doomed for divorce anyway: the point isn’t to rush people to the altar, but to make people think much more critically about why they want to have sex with someone, and the responsibility towards having sex. I strongly encourage people to consider the following:

A. Sex is intimate enough to spread disease and impactful enough to literally rewrite your neural pathways and release hormones to cloud your judgement about another person, no drugs needed.  Look up studies on male voles during sex, human men are no better. Sex changes you, mind and body. Never look lightly on that. It’s more than a game of tennis. If it weren’t, than rape wouldn’t be as egregious as it is.

B. Everyone you ever have penis-in-vagina sex with could be a parent to your child. You could get pregnant with this person. Half of your kid’s biological makeup...which is a major determinant of their health, their temperament, their intelligence, and their environmental upbringing, no matter what anyone tries to reassure you...is reliant on this person.

(Men should be especially weary that his female partner will gain all legal control of his child. Everything from whether his child lives or dies in the womb, to how it’s raised, is her choice today. You’re lucky if you get to suggest anything as just the guy that knocks her up. The girl, of course, gets to worry about the kind of father they could kind in the person that knocks them up, any financial support they may need, etc)

Whether your kid has a good parent in your sexual partner or not is entirely on you, and its the first choice you get to make to help or harm your kids life. 

You can’t fuck that up due to sheer negligence and call yourself a good parent. Sorry, not sorry.

That alone would get me not to want to have premarital sex with anyone I didn’t want to marry anyway. If the wait is whats hurting people who are already prepared to make the commitment of marriage, with points A and B in mind, then my advice is...don’t wait. I certainly wouldn’t be waiting till March 2019, if I weren’t in an LDR and still in school. If you have a partner thats shying away from commitment--whatever that looks like to you, even if thats just moving in together or signing a marriage contract, whatever, I’m not assuming you even prescribe to traditional marriage ideals as represented in a Christian ceremony or anything--it’s a red flag. Points A and B are even important for people in the BDSM community to consider, nonmonogamists, etc. 

The exchange of disease, the psychological attachment, and the potential for procreation need to be explored as something of a natural outcome of sex, and we should never get too comfortable in it being a purely recreational act. Marriage doesn’t magically answer these points for you, but it is supposed to compel you to come up with answers, or otherwise draw back from these actions if you can’t feel comfortable getting into it so thick with your potential fuck buddy. If you have some other symbolic moment of commitment that helps you to separate the cream of the crop of sexual partners, then so be it, I dob’t expect everyone in a free society to get married as I would, but you’ll need *something* to tackle these points if you don’t want to end up another statistic in the casualties of the sexual revolution. I’m not here to lecture you on my Christian traditions, but you asked me for some basic explanation for why they exist, so here ya go.

[dailyaudiobible]

01/18/2018 DAB Transcript

Genesis 37:1-38:30, Matthew 12:22-45, Psalms 16:1-11, Proverbs 3:27-32

Today is January 18th. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is a pleasure to be here with you for the next step forward in our week, in our month, in our year, in the Bible. And to take that next step, we will continue doing what we’ve been doing this week, we will read from the New Living Translation and we’ll pick up where we left off yesterday. Today we will read Genesis chapter 37 and chapter 38 in our Old Testament reading.

Commentary:

Okay. So, Jesus is having another confrontation with the religious leaders, ironically, because he offered healing to someone. He set a person who was oppressed by demonic activity free and the people who witnessed this, they’re seeing it for what it is, a move of God, and they’re asking themselves, could Jesus be the one? But somehow this is not the question that the Pharisees, the religious leaders, are asking at all. And when they find out about it they say, no wonder He can cast out demons, He gets His power from Satan, the prince of demons. And part of Jesus response is that every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. So, I grew up in a pastor's home. So, I've been around the Bible my whole life and I had heard this Scripture as a kid and this particular scripture was terrifying to me because this is the unpardonable sin, as it was called, at least until his days. But I could never really understand what blasphemy was and especially blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Like, how could I, as a little kid, know whether that had happened, but if it had happened, well then, I was doomed. So, it’s one of the Scriptures that had me down at the altar a lot. Thankfully, it's not quite as confusing as I had made it as a kid. However, what Jesus is saying is cautionary indeed, and we may find that we been way closer to this than would be comfortable. So, Jesus healed a person who was oppressed by demonic activity. He set this person free. And in response the Pharisees do not give glory to God for this freedom or for the good that is happening in the world that is following Jesus wherever He goes. Instead, they’re saying, His authority and His power comes from Satan. So, Jesus basically just feeds the logic back to them, any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he's divided in fighting against himself, his own kingdom won't survive. And if I'm empowered by Satan, what about the stuff you're doing? You’re doing this too. So, none of what you're saying is making any sense. A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good, but if the tree is bad its fruit will be bad. So, He’s basically saying, a person just got set free here, free from the torment of the devil, and yet you are telling me that by the devil I have participated in this. And that is blasphemy. You've labeled the work of God as the work of the devil. And as long as you’re believing and saying that, it's an unforgivable thing. You're denying the power of God. You're denying God and attributing this to the devil. Okay, so now that we've got that clear, how does that come close to our own lives? Well let's think about our own faith journey. We believe what we believe. And then we surround ourselves with people who believe the same way that we do. And, overtime, we can lock ourselves in saying, God only works this way, and we are the only ones who actually have it right. Everybody else, maybe not so much to varying degrees. But what happens when God starts to move outside of our box? What happens when God starts to use someone who doesn't think the same way that we do, maybe doesn't believe quite the same way that we do? Well, as Jesus said, any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. So, if we find ourselves condemning someone for doing God's work, and the fruit bears out, but they just happened to see things a bit different than we do, then we’re taking on the role of the Pharisee in the story. And if we want to serve ourselves best and God's kingdom best, then we would we would do well to tread lightly, understanding that we don't have a say in the matter. Nothing is going to make us the judge. And when we elevate ourselves above God in the matter, that's blasphemy. And when we call what God is doing, no matter who he chooses to do it through or how he chooses to do it, and we call it of the devil, that's blasphemy. And, unfortunately, there's a lot of that flying around all of the time. It's backward to what Jesus is teaching us, which is, that our primary sense of identity isn't found in anyone else or any set of beliefs or any traditions or any rituals. It's found in a direct relationship with God through Jesus. And if we are walking with God, intimately, then we won't find ourselves judging everyone and everything that doesn't line up with our box. If our agenda is to bring light and life and good news into this world and to be true and to endure until the end, whenever and however that is, then we will be able to recognize what God is doing around us, even if it's completely counterintuitive to what we think we know, or as Jesus said, if a tree is good its fruit will be good. So, we have an invitation here to climb down off of our soapboxes and walk a little bit more humbly among each other, because we don't want to be calling what God is doing something of the devil as the Pharisees were doing to Jesus.

Prayer:

Father, we enter into that. We realize that there is much room for humility and grace and we acknowledge that the grace that You have offered to us is beyond our capacity to offer to anyone else. And, so, the least that we can do is imitate You, our Father, and offer mercy and grace everywhere, and to re-center ourselves in You and You alone. So, come Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, its where you find out what's going on around here.

So, from a calendar perspective, looking forward to February 7th. I'll be speaking in Bakersfield California at New Life Church and us. So, that's a Wednesday evening. And I’m looking forward to it very much. If you are in the area, hopefully you come out and say hello. You can get all the details at dailyaudiobible.com in the Events section.

Also want to remind you of the Daily Audio Bible shop that’s at dailyaudiobible.com. There's a number of resources available there that can help equip you as you take this journey through the year - journals and writing utensils that we found to be perfect for this journey. The Promised Land films that we talked about a couple days ago that allow you to come kind of fly in and look around at the places where the Scriptures happened, and a number of other resources. So, check out the Daily Audio Bible shop if you haven’t had a chance.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, then a humble heart of gratitude is extended your way. We do what we do because we've done it together all along. So, thank you. There’s a link on the homepage. If using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi family. Happy new year. This is Viola from Maryland. I hope you are doing well. __ God bless you. It’s a brand-new year as well. The Lord is working wonders. Family I want to pray for the brother that said he was struggling with opioids. Brother, I heard your prayer request and I know I haven’t called in a while but every time I listen and I hear prayer requests I pray fervently. And I pray that our God this year will deliver you in the name of Jesus. That you will no longer have any desire even to put any of those prescription medications, you will be like oil and water. You will no longer mix, in the name of Jesus. Brother, be strong and know that God is there for you. Now, Marilyn from Houston I’m praying that our God will touch you and give you an overhaul, __ , __ , I pray for healing for you in the name of Jesus. Not because the God of our God because __. And, so I’m praying for you sister that God would just touch your body, will give you the overhaul that you need, will give you wisdom, whether you should go for surgery or not in the name of Jesus. Suzanne from Albuquerque, I’m praying for your nephew and for your niece in law. I pray in the name of Jesus that both of them will come to know the Lord in Jesus name. And that whoever is clouding their minds right now, Father I pull down in the name of Jesus every blinder that the devil has over their hearts their eyes I pulled down in the name of Jesus. Father I pray that you will set them free from the clutches of the evil one in Jesus name. Sister, I continue pray for your loved ones. Family, I want to encourage you to go and sign up for the More conference. It’s an awesome conference. And I can tell you that life has changed every time I go to that conference. So, I’m going to encourage you to go sign up. Go sign up for the More conference. And then I need a prayer request family. The contract I was working on ended. So, I am looking for a new job, but I am not looking for just any job. I’m praying that God will provide the job that He wants for me. In the name of Jesus.

Hi this is Gloria in New York City. It’s Saturday the 13th. I was listening to the podcast and just got to listen to that thank you poem that someone was reading and then Vicki your message came on about your son taking his life. And I just want to pray for you Vicki. I can’t imagine anything worse. So, I know that so many of us, whether we’re parents are not, our hearts are just with you and your sons little girl. So, Lord God, thank You for all the brothers and sisters out there who are tied, whose hearts are tied in with Vicki’s through You Lord Jesus. Father God we together as a family lift up our sister and we ask You God just to be with her and us in a very strong, clear way, Lord God. Give her comfort that we know no one else can give her this time Father God. Lord God just bring her peace that that rises above all understanding. Lord, I lift up that little girl to You and I pray Lord that you would break any curse that the enemy has over that family Lord, that it would not touch this child, that it would not touch future generations. Lord, our hearts just go out as we ask You to just surround this woman and this whole family Lord in this time of mourning. You tell us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn. Lord God we mourn with our sister and entrust her into Your hands. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pray with me family. Our God we come to You to pray for Bayer our brother over in the north-western front. We ask Lord that Your piece, Your clarity, and Your love of family Lord would come into his life, holy and truly Lord. That he would abound in joy in the goodness of who You are father. I pray Your love in the hearts of all his family Father, that You would come and reconcile all things unto that love Father for the glory of Your kingdom. It is true that love indeed conquers all. Slave of Jesus, shout out, and Ed in Oklahoma, Blind Tony, Mark and Mike J. in Australia, and to all my 2010 and 2012 Wild at Heart event brothers, you warriors, you __ to __. Shout out. Love you guys. Brian, family, love you, great work. China, you’re doing a great work with Chronological. Really enjoying it. Just…sorry Just I haven’t called as much. This is Delta Alpha Foxtrot calling from the southern Texas front. God bless you all.

 This is and from Charlotte North Carolina. I wanted to call about generosity and encourage myself and all of us in the community to be courageously generous in the coming year, not to be frightened about being generous, but to test God, to believe God’s promises, which are so overflowing, about generosity. He promises that if we test Him that He will open the windows of heaven and if we water we ourselves will be water. He says not to rob Him. There are so many promises with generosity and we can out give God. I’m reminding myself and all of us of this. I want to encourage all of us of be sure to give to our local church, which is just the foundation of our community, and to give something to the Daily Audio Bible. And others have called and said, and I want to echo that, $5, $10, $2, as much as you can, do something, even the cost of a cup of coffee every month, because it costs just to keep the equipment rolling. We don’t think of those behind the scene things, keeping the lights on, keeping the equipment going. My husband is a musician and I know people don’t realize the cost of just him keeping his equipment going to bless people with his music. So, may we all overflow with generosity in new and courageous ways and see God do amazing things for us. We ask Him for that in Jesus name. Amen.

Good morning DABbers. This is Kristin from San Antonio Texas and on the first-time caller. I’ve been listening on and off for about two years now and one of my New Year’s resolutions is to listen all the way through, while taking Brian’s advice, and journaling my day-to-day thoughts and experiences. I can tell you so far that God is definitely on fire and moving in my life in so many ways. I want to thank Brian and his family for this resource and just following God’s plan and bringing about, you know, the Daily Audio Bible app to so many people out there. It truly been such a blessing. I deftly believe in the power of prayer and I want to ask for all of you to just pray for my company, KFW engineers, that God will open doors and opportunities for our company, its leaders, and employees to just witness a change in KFW’s culture as a whole. And that it may not be a playground for the enemy to play in. I pray for more opportunities to just share my faith without fear and lead more people to Christ. I also want to ask for prayer for myself and that they may be steadfast in my relationship with our Father and that my alcohol dependency be completely relieved. I am so thankful for this community and I thank God for each and every one of you out there listening. May He bless you and draw you closer to His plan for Your life each and every day. Thanks everyone. I love you guys. Bye. Have a great day.

[pastelbatfandoms]

20 Questions for Witchy-Folk

1. What would you classify your path as? Grey Eclectic Witch,I guess. I don’t really remember the names for all the different paths. 

2. What deities (if any) do you worship, study, honor, feel drawn to, etc? Besides God and Lucifer. I’ve always been drawn to The Greek Gods (and by extension The Roman ones) most notably Aphrodite since I was 18 (ironically one of my Ex’s Gods was Ares), Selene,Hecate and Morpheus before then,as well as Hades and Persephone. More recently since becoming a Mother I’ve noticed Hestia has become more drawn to me. Recently I’ve been drawn to The Norse Gods as well notably Loki and Sigyn. My Husband’s God is Poseidon. 

3. Is there a particular element you seem to gravitate towards or work with most? Spirit

4. Is there an element you work with the least? Water 

5. Are there any paths, practices or types of magic you are inexperienced, but very interested in? Not so much anymore. 

6. What tools do you use? I haven’t practiced any a long time. I mainly do Tarot Readings or Protection spells.

7. Do you use altars or shrines? I did. When I have the space I plan to have an Altar. 

8. If you celebrate the sabbats, which is your favorite? Samhain.

9. Have you found any music that relates to your craft or that helps you work and express? I listened to a lot of Loreena Mckennitt when I first started. Now I listen to Lindsay Stirling. 

10. If you could live any three places, where would you live? Like for its  Atmosphere?  New Zealand,England and any place that’s green and forested. 

11. Are you open about your beliefs or are they mostly kept in the broom closet? I’m pretty open,have been since I was 16. Whether anyone chooses to take me seriously is up to them. 

12. Have you ever run into any stereotypes or problems relating to your beliefs? Um yes. More so as a Teen,Classmates thought I was Evil or scary just because I was a Witch (att Wiccan) I will not even get into a member of My Family....

13. Do you have any ‘witchy’ things you do daily? Not really

14. Is there a particular time you prefer to work? (Night, day, dusk, dawn, seasons, am, pm, etc.) Anytime I’m inspired. 

15. Do you work with others, by yourself, or sort of a mix? By Myself.

16. If there was one thing you could change or have happen in the craft community, what would it be (if anything)?

17. Do you work with plants? If so, how do you use them? Do you grow your own or buy them? Fresh, dried? No I am not good at keeping Flowers alive and I’m not interested in Gardening or anything like that. 

18. Any familiars? My Cat Luna

19. Are there any quotes, lyrics, poems or passages from a book that resonate with you in regards to your craft? Not sure off the top of My head,But My Favorite Wiccan/Pagan books are A Wiccan Bible and Anything by Scott Cunningham. 

20. Is there anything in particular you study or know a lot about? I used to know alot more about Paganism then I do now. But I am also into Astrology and know more about Satanism thanks to My Hubby.