#ShortStory: The Chronicles of Free & Stryker {The Suit Episode 3}

In the year 2304, sentient androids enslaved mankind, as well as many other humanoids throughout the galaxy. Over the centuries, pockets of resistance rose to oppose them. These are the chronicles of one such team, who even in the face of impossible odds, fight to free the galaxy.

Vira and Jacks were squad members of Squad 7, one of the most famous squads in the resistance.  They probably saved nearly as many slaves as Squad 13, but the bodies they left in their wake…. Were they even trying? It wasn’t just the Droid body count. Sometimes they would somehow kill the people they were trying to save.

Free’s fist and jaw clenched as the two of them approached. Jacks was bald and nearly seven feet tall. He had more of a grayish tint to his skin tone, much like the Droids. He wore the same neutral, pilot suit that Squad 13 wore. Vira was a petite, silver-haired vixen. She had a more human toned, light, bronze skin that was maybe a shade darker than Stryker’s and two shades lighter than Free’s.

She didn’t wear the standard pilot’s suit. She wore causal clothing and six-inch heels. If Stryker didn’t know any better, he would have thought that she was the sexiest woman in the world.  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite android and gynoid,” Stryker said.

“Neither of you have been an agent as long as I have,” Jacks said. “Show some respect.”

“We are all senior agents here,” Stryker said. “I don’t see the need to kiss your—”

“I trust that you have all received the mission parameters,” Free said. “Our ships are too well known to appear in the Alpha quadrant, this ship has been outfitted with a similar navigational system as the Red Eagle, so in the two weeks that it will take us to make it to our destination you will become familiar with the system. But make no mistake, Stryker is the primary pilot.”

Vira stepped onto the brick shaped ship. Jacks glared at both Stryker and Free before he calmly followed behind her. “Should we attempt to make friends with them?” Stryker asked.

“We don’t need to be friends to complete the mission.  Get friendly with them and they may get the idea that we approve of their use of excessive force.”

After the first week of training, the crew of four was ready to complete their mission. In his spare time, Stryker tinkered with his new suit. A self-containing suit; it allowed the user to live inside for weeks at a time, and recycled waste so that the person wouldn’t need food or water. The very idea of going an entire week without drinking coffee sounded horrible. But there could be humans on the T-ship. His parents could be on there; a guaranteed last ride for any organic.

Episode 4 will post in the next 24 hours.

Please, feel free to comment below and follow me on Google and Twitter @ Frank_D_Rogers. For more information about my debut Sci-fi novel, click Here.

#ShortStory: The Chronicles of Free & Stryker {The Suit Episode 2}

In the year 2304, sentient androids enslaved mankind, as well as many other humanoids throughout the galaxy. Over the centuries, pockets of resistance rose to oppose them. These are the chronicles of one such team, who even in the face of impossible odds, fight to free the galaxy.

 

Inside the command center, Stryker shifted as the seven-member council thumbed through their file. Free sat there as still as a mountain. His eyes forward, almost as if he was looking through the council. Did he have x-ray vision? Stryker would need to check on that later.

“Squad 13,” Trite said. The three-foot tall humanoid frog batted his left eye and then his right. “Your record is exemplary. Over the past four years, you have freed half a million slaves.”

“We are also pleased that your kill rate has been very low,” Eryin said. His metallic skin glistened under the light of the court. “However, the brutality with which you have engaged Droids is somewhat disturbing. The Nu Droids are officially at peace with the Droid Empire and we would prefer to keep it that way.”

“Most of the androids we have encountered have tried to kill us,” Free said.

“And I would prefer to live a long time,” Stryker said.

“We understand,” Trite said. “We recognize that you have been in dangerous situations, but the peace between the Nu Droids and Droids is crucial to our effectiveness.”

Free shrugged. “We couldn’t possibly know how a situation may turn out. We do not kill, unless we have no choice. That will not change no matter the situation.”

“Interesting,” Eryin said. He paused and stared as if he was trying to understand something. “We noticed in your files that in all of your campaigns; you have yet to work with a sympathetic Droid or Nu Droid. Is it that you have a problem working with technological life forms?”

“We don’t need to,” Stryker said. “We have always worked well on our own.”

“There have been times when we have worked with an inside agent,” Free said, “but they have always been organics.”

“Free, I have on file here that initially when you were assigned a squad,” Eryin said, “You turned down two of our Nu Droid agents. One of which is a highly decorated agent.”

“I also rejected several organics. I gave my reason for each one. My commanding officer accepted it and we moved on.”

“Are you trying to break us up?” Stryker asked

“No, your squad is without a doubt one of the more effective squads,” Trite said.

“Are we on probation?” Free asked.

“No,” Eryin said. “We have a mission that requires two of our best squads. “

“Two,” Stryker said. “Must be some mission.”

 “On the Planet Tek Nos, there are some who wish to defect. Nu Droids are a small group of androids and gynoids who defected long ago, so naturally we welcome all who would like to join our ranks. You will be doing what you have always done on the underground slipstream, except you will liberate other droids.”

Free and Stryker turned to one another and then back to the council. “No,” they said in unison.

Trite did a double take. “What? We are assessing your ability to complete this mission. It is not for you to answer yes or no. We give you orders and you follow them.”

 “Ma’am,” Stryker said. “We are a covert team, and we are very good at it. When it comes to suicide, I think we can all agree that we are the last ones you should consider.”

“We have been successful liberating Earth because Stryker is a human and I can pass for an android imitating a human,” Free said. “On Tek Nos, we would be at a disadvantage and the chance of killing being a necessity goes up exponentially.”

“That is why we are sending two of our best,” Eryin said. “This is very important to us. Free, your abilities are a result of a combination of Human and Droid technology. We have long ago given up hope of re-creating the environment that bore you; however, we are open to other avenues of advancement.”

“It is not just the potential asset,” Trite said. “They wish to be free as well. And the Resistance believes in freedom.”

 “They wish to defect,” Eryin said. “And the council has decided that we will aid them in their defection and asses the possibility of stealing a Transcendence Ship.”

Free looked to Eryin. “Transcendence?”

“Yes,” Eryin said, “these Droids have opposed the use of any life form for slipstream travel. Therefore, they intend to use the Transcendence ship to escape to the Delta Quadrant. They are determined to do this, with or without our help.”

“The ship I was on was stranded in the Delta Quadrant,” Free said. “Where exactly is this one?”

“They plan to hijack it right out of the Alpha Quadrant and bring it here.”

“Insane,” Free said. “With all due respect, how do we know this isn’t a trap?”

“Because they sent us the information needed to accomplish several missions,” Trite said.

“Okay. Okay. Okay.”  Stryker paced back and forth. “As a human, I can’t get anywhere near the Alpha Quadrant and I have a real problem with staying safely on a ship while my squad mate is surrounded by millions of hostiles.”

“We have considered what it would take for this mission to be successful,” Eryin said. “We have even constructed an experimental exo-suit to give you the appearance and abilities of an android, for your safety and the success of the mission.”

“It is not wise to take such a risky mission with an experimental suit,” Free said.

“You have the right to abandon the mission if it becomes too dangerous.”

“Do I get to keep the suit?” Stryker asked. “I mean after the mission?”

“As long as you serve the resistance.”

Stryker looked to Free, giving his best impression of a kid excited about dressing in a scary costume on Pumpkin day. The corner of Free’s mouth curled and he shook his head slightly. “We will do it,” Free said.

Next Episode is scheduled to be posted in the next 48 hours.

Please, feel free to comment below and follow me on Google and Twitter @ Frank_D_Rogers. For more information about my debut Sci-fi novel, click Here.

#ShortStory: The Chronicles of Free & Stryker {The Suit~Episode 1}

In the year 2304, sentient androids enslaved mankind, as well as many other humanoids throughout the galaxy. Over the centuries, pockets of resistance rose to oppose them. These are the chronicles of one such team, who even in the face of impossible odds, fight to free the galaxy.

The weight of the lead lined blanket, pushed him down into the soft memory bead mattress. Stryker turned over, as the alarm assaulted his ears. Did he really have to get up? He lifted the covers and rolled out of bed. The light came on, as soon as his feet hit the floor. He stepped out of his sleeping quarter into the living room, looked to the left. The adjacent room’s door was open—bed made.

 Free sat in the living room at a huge white board. On the board was a half-finished picture of a bowl of grapes. Stryker lay down on the couch and propped up his head with one of the pillows. “How long have you been up?”

Free’s eyes never left the board. “Just a few hours. How was your date?”

“Not good,” Stryker said.

Free shaded in the edges of a single grape. “I guess this is not a long term thing?”

“No way. All she wanted to talk about was herself. Ugh. I could use a can of coffee.”  Stryker crawled off the couch toward a small refrigerator next to the recliner. “Next time, you should come with me…you know, a double date.”  Stryker pulled out a coffee can, sat crossed-legged, and opened the can. “You could be my exit strategy.”

 “Yeah, and during what part of the date should I tell her that I am a cyborg?”  Free placed his pencil down and admired his handiwork. “Hi, my name is Free; I am an android, human hybrid. I like olive oil, because it lubricates my inorganic parts.”

“There are other cyborgs out there,” Stryker said, “there are opened minded organics and why not date a Droid?

“All of my relevant body parts only simulate my former human ones,” Free said. “Most cyborgs are more than fifty percent organic, most organics are way too delicate and I have never met a gynoid with a soul.”

“Your standards are way too high,” Stryker said. “That is why you are sitting at home, drawing fruit.”

Free folded his arms. “Maybe.” He glanced at the clock and then at Stryker. “We have an evaluation in thirty minutes.”

“Oh, I forgot.” Stryker jumped up and ran to the sonic shower. After showering and shaving, he placed on his uniform. A black suit with a red collar and a red insignia just over his heart. The insignia was a simple circle. Free had explained to him the origin of the circle and what it stood for, but he only pseudo-listened.

By the time he came out of his shower, Free was dressed and drawing a chair. He really needed to get out more.  The doors slid open when Stryker was within a foot. Free followed and the two of them walked out of the living quarters and to the station transport system.  The station itself was a metallic version of an octopus, with maybe twenty extra legs. At the tip of each leg were living pods, for the squads stationed there.

The two stepped onto the circular transport. The transport sped through the space station, picking up passengers and dropping off passengers as it went. Near the center of the space station, Free and Stryker got off and walked the hundred meters to the command center.

Episode 2 will post soon.

Please, feel free to comment below and follow me on Google and Twitter @ Frank_D_Rogers. For more information about my debut Sci-fi novel, click Here.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Boaz, the good man}

Previous Post:  ”What if you don’t want Boaz”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Personas are aspects of our personality that allows us to function in today’s society. Most people fear the word, because no one wants to be associated with being a fake. But it is a fact that how a person behaves with their teacher is different than how they behave with their lover—or at least it better be.

The bad boy and good guy persona exists in every man. In order to be a good man, there has to be a balance or a merger. A good man is as complete as he can possibly be, and a complete man will have an aggressive side.

Women expect their men to do aggressive things like protect them. She expects him to be adventurous and passionate. She expects him to be particularly passionate and adventurous when it comes to her. Even after she has pledged herself to him and him to her, she still wants to feel like she is being chased. This will translate to every facet of their relationship. For example, she may want him to order out for her when they go out to dinner. (Guys, I don’t’ completely understand why any woman would want a man to order for her, I have no clue. I know for a fact that they can order for themselves.)

Now the nice guy may need his Ruth to help him embrace his necessary aggressive tendencies. And yes it is possible for the overly aggressive guy to be influenced by Ruth to the point that he is more in touch with the side of him that wants to be a gentlemen.  But I haven’t seen the latter end well.

Now you may wonder how was Boaz aggressive. Look, you don’t become a man of wealth and power without having an aggressive side. Even if Boaz inherited all he had, he would still need to behave aggressively to keep it. The moment he made sure that Ruth was protected while she provided food for her family, was the moment Ruth saw his aggressiveness. That was the Bad Boy in Boaz. “You mess with Ruth and you mess with me,” was essentially the message that he sent to all of his workers.

So, if you meet a nice guy, give him a chance. He may surprise you. You may learn to love his sense of adventure. Your last boyfriend was passionate about motorcycles, but this one is passionate about computers. Guess which one has a better chance of emulating the late great Steve Jobs….

If he lacks aggression, maybe your influence will teach him to stand his ground. If you are a guy and you are reading this, recognize that the best thing you can do is find a good balance between your passive and aggressive nature. 

Next: Finding Boaz

However, I like to write fiction, so it will be necessary for me to interrupt the Book of Ruth series to insert a flash fiction series. The Book of Ruth will be on hiatus and in it's place, Stryker and Free will post. 

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {What if you don’t want Boaz}

Previous Post:  ”Who is Boaz, Part III”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Settling….

The word itself is…unsettling. No one wants to settle. Some fear settling so much that they are willing to make a list of criteria that their future spouse must meet before they get a chance.

Don’t get me wrong, settling is not God’s best, and He wants the best for you. However, the best is not equivalent to perfect. GOAT. To the sports fan, that is an acronym for greatest of all time. The best at what they do. Wolverine is the best at what he does, but he is far from perfect. Ali was the greatest but he was far from perfect. Winston Churchill was a great leader but he was far from perfect.

We tend to pay attention to the external, and the external connection is important, but the purpose of the external connection is to strengthen the internal connection. In other words, it is okay for you to like what you see on the outside, but if there is no kindness, love and respect in their heart. They will not magically develop these traits for you.

When Ruth met Boaz, she was impressed more by his kindness than anything. When she talked to Naomi, she spoke of his kindness—not his looks. It impressed Naomi too. Your Boaz type man will have something inside of him that says, “I am a good man.” It will shine like a billboard for all to see.

Now you may translate that into “a nice guy,” and that may be a problem for you. I have heard many women, senior high schoolers and senior citizens, big-boned and skinny mini, country mouse and city mouse, say that “he is too nice” with disdain in their words. Deep down, they felt like they were settling.

I recall some women saying the same thing about me.

It took me a while to understand, why there was a group of women who spoke so highly of my traits but then turned around and said that the same thing that made me a great person didn’t make me boyfriend material. Then it hit me one day after a girl told me that. I realized that there were issues on both sides of the ball. I couldn’t do anything about her baggage, but I realized that part of the reason I was a “nice guy” was because I misunderstood that good men had traits that could be associated with “nice guys” and “bad boys.” Moses had anger issues, Jacob was a liar and David was a ladies’ man. Every man needs to have an edge. This edge is a manifestation of his passion and that passion in turn will awaken something primal in his love interest. That is why the musician and artist are so successful in the dating game. Their passion is evident, so much so that it permeates their lives.

The same is true for women too. Nice girls have to embrace their inner bad girl too. Ruth, walking up in Boaz’s room had inner bad girl written all over it.

Now don’t misunderstand, this is not a suggestion to become some type of deviant. Moreover, I am not suggesting that being bad is good. No, I am suggesting that even the worst of us have some good traits. And some of the traits that we associate with Billy Bad Boy or noble traits, that we need to unlock.

Balance is the key.

Next time we will look at merging the two. The so-called nice guy with the bad boy and getting a good man.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {What if Boaz doesn't want you}

Previous Post: ”Who is Boaz, Part II”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

So let’s say you want the Boaz type. You want a man of high moral standards, a man who has made it a point to build a legacy in this world or who is in the process of building something in this world. His future wife will more than likely be a Ruth type woman, and you are so far from Ruth that you doubt that there is any chance that a Boaz type man would ever want you. Worse, you have run across a Boaz type and he has shown zero interest in you.

It isn’t as if Ruth didn’t have to deal with the same issues. She was a foreigner. Marriage to a foreigner was frowned upon. However, Ruth listened to Naomi, took her advice and found her man.

You don’t have to change who you are. You just need to recognize who you are in the first place... Somewhere along the way, you may have met your own personal Boaz and he didn’t recognize that you were the Ruth that he was looking for, because he lacked the instinct or you lacked the desire to let your light shine. Either way, what’s done is done. After all, there is more than one Boaz in the sea.

Now, the hard part…letting your light shine.

People have two dogs inside of them. A golden dog that wishes to do good and a silver dog that wishes to do evil. They are fighting it out hoping to win you over turn you good or bad. The one that will eventually win you over is the one that you feed, nurture and take for walks. In other words, let your light shine. The part of you that makes you just as good of a woman as Ruth. You have to nurture it and develop it. Yes, there is some change involve, but despite what a lot of cranky people say. Change is good.

I am reminded of a story where this Alaskan woman, known for hunting big game, went hunting one day and shoots a baby black bear. She steps backward, pleased with herself and steps right into a huge black bear.

The black bear says, “Either I kill you or pull down your pants so I can spank you.” The woman pulled down her pants and took her spanking. She went home angry and humiliated. She was a might hunter. She vowed to take revenge on the black bear, so she went back and shot the black bear, right between his eyes. The woman was very pleased with herself. She had gotten revenge on that stupid bear and was stepping backwards admiring her handiwork.

Unfortunately, she backed right into a huge grizzly bear. He knocked the gun out of the way and before she could react, the grizzly tells her. “Either I kill you or pull down your pants so I can spank you.” The woman pulled down her pants and took her spanking. She went home angry and humiliated again. She vowed to take revenge on the Grizzly bear, so she went back and shot him.

She smiled took one-step backward and felt the fur of a huge bear. She turned around and saw that it was a polar bear. The proud Alaskan woman, dropped her gun, sighed and pulled her pants down.

It is just a fact, that if you keep doing the same thing you are going to keep getting the same thing. You, like many good people have tried to do things that have led you to rejection, but now it is time to try something different.

Next Post: What if you don’t want Boaz

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Who is Boaz, Part II}

Previous Post: ”Who is Boaz, Part I”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

There is a certain population of women who are healers at heart. Then there are those who have no desire to heal others. They are damaged.  Therefore, they are trying to heal themselves. They have hole where their heart used to be and they are trying to fill it with something bad for them. Instead of chocolate cake, which can leave you with a toothache and a little extra weight, they go for the bad boy who can leave them with heartache and a little extra weight. Actually, they can leave you with a lot more. It is a choice that women may want to reconsider. Does anyone actually know a good girl that married a bad boy and lived happily ever after? Soap operas not included.

There is one more benefit to a bad boy that most women will not admit. Bad boys have lower standards. You don’t have to be a good person; you don’t have to go to church. You don’t have to avoid weed. A bad boy is going to want you for the shallowest of reasons. Moreover, you are fine with that, because you feel that what is outside of you, is more marketable than what is inside of you. Eh, I can’t really blame anyone for thinking that way. The world tells us that every day, but that is not the truth.

Don’t misunderstand. Physical, financial, physical…more emphasis on the physical has a place in every relationship. The Boaz type has physical desires too. If he does not, then he needs to get that checked. However, if you approach him thinking that your lack of true virtue is going to fly, than you have another thing coming.

A Boaz type will go out of their way to avoid getting involved with the wrong person. The Boaz type is even careful about his friends. He chooses them. They DO NOT choose him.

Not so, with the Bad Boy, his friends choose him all the time. He will find something useful that they can do no matter who they are. That is the direct benefit of the Bad Boy; they are like certain credit cards. They will just accept anyone. Unless, that person has nothing to offer anymore, you know after the thrill is gone or if it was never there in the first place.

One last thing on the Bad Boy.

The Bad Boy doesn’t necessarily have all bad traits. In fact, some of the traits that are in the bad boy, every man need to have in some form or another. We will revisit this idea later. However, for the next post, we will look at the Bad Girl, reformed or not. What do you do, if Boaz doesn’t want you?

Next Post: What if Boaz doesn't want you

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Who is Boaz, Part I}

Previous Post: ”The importance of loving yourself part III”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Boaz was a close relative of Naomi’s husband. He owned the fields that Ruth works in to feed herself and Naomi. Boaz notices her and enquires about her. He is kind to her because he heard about her loyalty toward Naomi. He even assures her safety, and that she has more than enough to support her blended family.

This is only a small window into the kind of man that Boaz was. We will see as we discuss their relationship that Boaz was truly a noble man. Boaz was the kind of man that appeared to be a rarity then and a rarity now. There are several reasons why Boaz appears to be a rarity. One is because of the nature of Boaz. If we compare Boaz to the “Bad Boy” that so many women will admit that they love, we will find that Boaz in the modern time isn’t the kind of guy you would find in the club.

To be honest, you may not find him in the church either.

He is a respectful person, a hard worker and values these traits in other people. Because he believes in doing what is right and working hard, he tends to either have more or working toward having more in his life. His God is the center of his life, so money is only a tool to him. He doesn’t do the flash even though he can do the flash. He believes in taking care of people and that is as about as selfish as he can get.

He is a good man.

Now the Bad Boy has an edge and a magical hold on certain women. When you ask these women, what it is about a Bad boy that they love so much, they may say that they want to help mold him into the man God has called him to be.

That is so lame.

It isn’t a woman’s calling to change a man’s heart. God does that over time. Don’t misunderstand—I have had a strong female influence in my life. A woman has that power, but the power to influence is not equivalent to the power to change a person’s heart. A good example or a bad example would be the classic nag. Her husband refuses to go to church and she nags him and nags him until he goes. She has influenced him. He has gone and she has gotten what she wanted.

But has she changed his heart?

No, she may not realize it, but she has planted a seed of resentment in his heart. He may go, but is unhappy. And guess who he will associate this sense of unhappiness with? The woman who tried to change him. You are probably thinking that at least he is going to church. Yes, but one of the things that makes Bad Boy so attractive, is that Bad Boy is not desperate. He realizes that he doesn’t have to put up with you. Other women will pick up on this and Sister So and So, who has a voice like honey and a decent figure, can move in. And let’s be honest, she doesn’t have to look good as you. All she has to do is hint that she will give what you will not give. Less nagging, more cooked meals and better bedtime stories. Seriously, no man wants to hear the bedtime story that ends and begins with, “I have a headache.”

Yes, a woman can influence a Bad Boy, but she cannot change him.

So why do I mention Bad Boys in this post when we are studying Boaz? Because Bad Boys tend to find themselves a Ruth type woman and before you know it, that sweet loving Ruth, has become a heavily scarred Jezebel…. To learn how to avoid the situation or even heal from the situation; we need to understand the situation.

Next post: Who is Boaz? Part II; more on Bad Boys.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {The importance of loving yourself part III: Walking in Love}

Previous Post: ”The importance of loving yourself part II”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

I don’t have anything against psychiatrists. I think that they are smart people and they are a in a much needed profession. But let me tell you something that you would probably spend two-hundred dollars an hour to learn. Something that you could have found in Galatians 5:24-26.

See, if your mind believes one thing and your body does another, it will cause conflict deep within your very being. In order for you to end this conflict, you need to find harmony between your mind and your body. It is a simple concept. Who can look both left and right at the same time? If you look left while walking to the right—never finding a harmony between the two movements—you are destined to walk off a cliff or right into a tree. So if your mind is saying that you love yourself and your body is doing things that say otherwise, it will show in your daily life. So what is said in Galatians applies to all of us. If you love yourself, you will walk, talk and act like you love yourself. You don’t have to lord it over anyone, but you will definitely have to live it.

Before we move on, a thought about being single.

You may or may not be called to be single. I am not called to be single, so I have difficulty recognizing others who are called for that purpose. I will say that I know that it is a blessing to be single, even if you are not called to be single.

I spent quite a bit of my single life, enjoying it. Enjoying the moments to myself. Enjoying dating, for me it was an adventure and it didn’t always end well, I cherished the moments. I also looked at singleness as the perfect time to mature, work on my personal relationship with the creator and grow as a person. This doesn’t end after you get married, but it is different. Once you are married, you will have someone to be there for you when you stumble. 

But regardless, the Ruth in you or the Boaz in you, while single, should be active in every aspect of your life. You should purposely seek your significant other without making the search the center of your life.

Please don’t forget that, making the search for a partner your idol will only end in disaster….

Next, we will answer the question: “Is Boaz the kind of person you want?” That is a legitimate question. It may be that the reason you don’t have a Boaz type in your life, is because you don’t really want a Boaz in your life. Consciously or subconsciously, you do not want the life or the blessings of Ruth. In order to understand if this is the case, we will look at the man named Boaz.

Next: = Who is Boaz? ~Part I

 

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {The importance of loving yourself part II: A look at Jesus’ self-love}

Previous Post: ”The importance of loving yourself part I”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Jesus is a pure example of humbleness. He was the Word. He was there when it all started. Yet he allowed himself to be born into the world of lowly humans. He was ridiculed by them. Scorned. Lied on. Talked about. Scandalized. Treated as if he was less than a human being. He could have snapped his fingers and cracked the world in half, yet he walked a humble life while on earth. He was obedient to his parents, respected others and obeyed his father in heaven. He had a true love for others.

So why am I using him as an example of how to love yourself?

Jesus was a complete man. He was a perfect man.  Why not learn about self-love from a person who can put I M P3rf3ct on his car tag and be right?

Jesus was a model of self-sacrifice, there is no denying that. However, let us look in Luke 22:42, we have one of Jesus’ prayer. And in this prayer, Jesus stated to his Father in heaven that if it were His will to take this cup from him, he would accept it. He prayed that above all things that God’s will be done. Nevertheless, Jesus spoke to his father, knowing what was coming and basically said that he didn't look forward to what was coming. Why? Because he loved himself with the right amount of love and that is important…. He believed in self-sacrifice but he would not sacrifice himself needlessly.

The problem is that those of us who are good people tend to sacrifice ourselves needlessly. It is always painful to see that in a person. They don’t realize what they are doing to themselves—almost to the point of committing suicide. Quickly or slowly, they are killing themselves.

I understand if you are sitting there, reading this, thinking aloud. “He ain’t talkin' to me!” Maybe not. But do you love yourself enough to put down that chocolate cake after you found out that you were pre-diabetic? Do you love yourself enough to put down that cigarette or bag of weed? Do you love yourself enough to turn down the smooth advances of a well-known player that has slept with all of your co-workers—just so you can feel wanted? Do you truly love yourself?

Finding the proper amount of love for yourself is tricky. If you love yourself too much, you are falling in the dangerous trap that Satan fell into when he was an angel named Lucifer. He thought very highly of himself.  And while I am asking you to think high enough of yourself, do not let if overtake who you are.

And on the other end of the spectrum, if your self-esteem is so low that you are easily manipulated you will only be the puppet of other people….

So how do we find the proper level of self-love? There is a balance in the world that leans toward an equal exchange. You give love and you will receive love. Often those of us who know this law of balance turn it outward, but what if we turn it inward? What if we give ourselves love? What will happen then?

Something near magical.

Try this: Forget your faults, forget your weaknesses, forget that part of your anatomy that you wish was bigger or smaller and just love yourself. It isn’t enough to state, “I love me.”  That is a powerful thing to do, but why not actually go through the motions of doing something for yourself to show that you love yourself. Words are powerful, but never ever underestimate the power of actions.

I love myself enough to go for a three-mile jog this morning. I was reluctant. My body wanted to go back to bed. And most people my size probably wouldn’t feel comfortable running anyway. But I did it and I love myself for it. Did I look great doing it? No. Did I jog exceptionally fast? No, seriously I was turtle slow. Laws of physics, larger bodies require more energy to move. But you know what? When I finished, I felt good. And I think that the people who saw me respected that I was doing it for me. In fact, a woman who was a much more capable runner than I was gave me a high-five and words of encouragement as our paths crossed.

My point is do things for yourself to show yourself that you love yourself. In addition, my other point is to choose positive ways to show your love for yourself. Don’t use this post as an excuse to go to the club and get drunk.

Next Post:= The importance of loving yourself part III: Walking in Love.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {The importance of loving yourself part I}

Previous post:”Definition of Love”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Before you find love, you need to walk in love. You need to let your love shine. That is why we must love ourselves. I am not talking about the kind of love that I see among many, who think that they are more important than the people around them. That is not self-love. That is really self-hatred—a version of it.

They have to put other people down to lift themselves up.

Nor am I talking about the person who can’t tear their eyes from a mirror. That is narcissism. There is an ancient Greek story of a Narcissus, who was so proud of his looks that when he saw his image reflected in a pool, he could not stop staring at it. He died because he was unable to tear himself away from the image. That is not self-love. That is insanity.
I am talking about the kind of self-love that is associated with authentic confidence and shines so brightly that people are attracted to it like iron to a magnet.

I will admit that I would rather a person love themselves too much, than not enough. People who don’t love themselves enough are prone to self-destruction.

If we look at Ruth for example, Ruth took a huge risk staying with Naomi. There is some level of self-preservation that goes along with self-love, but Ruth was able to walk into the bed chambers of a man and present herself as a grown woman. You can’t do that without real confidence and you can’t have real confidence unless you have real love for yourself.
Not once did Ruth seem arrogant. Not once did she put down someone else to make herself feel better. Not once did Ruth put herself down and consider her looks as a liability. It doesn’t state that she saw herself as a great beauty.
But she knew.

She just knew that she was beautiful. She loved herself enough to believe that she was beautiful. When you think about it, it is possible to be beautiful and not know it. I see it all the time. But when you know that you are beautiful—when you love yourself. You are going to carry yourself in a certain way.

It is those who have learned to carry themselves as if they don’t have to tell anyone that they are beautiful; that really know what it means to be beautiful. Sounds odd—yes?  For example, the person who feels the need to tell everyone how sexy they are via t-shirt, screen saver or car tag, is more than likely attempting to convince themselves that they are sexy or prove to themselves that they are sexy. The Ruth type woman doesn’t have to convince or prove anything. She just knows.
Why?
Because she loves herself.

Next Post:= The importance of loving yourself part II: A look at Jesus, Ruth’s descendent.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Definition of Love}

Previous Post :”Why Ruth?”
I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

We need a general definition of love.

That is a bigger task than you would expect. We often associate romantic love with ideas given to us by our peers and even the media. And love is portrayed as a magical occurrence that has no rhyme or reason. But the bible makes it clear that it is more than that. The bible tells us that God is Love. Truth be told, without the bible we could only define God from a limited perspective. The same is true with love. Without some source of knowledge and wisdom, we can only define love from a limited perspective.

In short, we have to turn to the bible.

Just like when Moses asked for God’s name. Modern man asked “what is love.” And for an answer, I would like to direct your attention to 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 where it says: love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

In my study of Ruth, I saw that Ruth had that kind of love for Naomi. She would eventually have that kind of love for Boaz. As a side note, you can’t hide what kind of lover you are. Sure, you will love your children differently than you love your future spouse, but if you have a "me first" attitude with one, it will sooner or later show with the other.

But I digress.

This scripture had a powerful effect on me. It was liberating. I saw that the entire time, I was seeking escape from my prison; I missed the key that was placed between Genesis and Revelation. I was imprisoned by loneliness. It was the kind of loneliness that afflicts you even though you are surrounded by hundreds of people. The saddest prison—the kind that doesn’t have walls.

The problem with prisons without walls is that you don’t know you are in one, until you try to walk out of it and something comes along and knocks you back.

But there is an escape from this prison. Love, the action verb, is the way out. We will learn more about love as we study Ruth, but once you fully understand love, and fill your heart with love, there will not be any room for loneliness.

In the coming weeks, we will refer to the biblical definition of love and apply it to romantic love, because believe it or not, this is the kind of love that we want and need.

Next: The importance of loving yourself, part 1

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Why Ruth?}

Previous Post :”Why Love”

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

Why not Song of Solomon? That book has a lot going on in it. A lot of physical things going on. Hey, I like the physical things just as much as anyone. But Ruth as a character is someone that women can relate to. Maybe even men. But as a man, I can relate to Boaz. And I think that there are a lot of Ruth and Boaz types out there searching for one another.

Actually, the story of Ruth centers around two women, Ruth and Naomi, who despite getting knocked down manages to get up and reach for God’s blessings. During the time of the Book of Ruth, a great famine hit Bethlehem. Naomi, who is married to Elimelech, follows her husband to the land of Moab. They were a family of four with sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Unfortunately, Elimelech dies. However, their sons marry Moabite women. Mahlon marries Ruth and Chilion marries Orpah. Ruth and Orpah’s husbands later die and Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem.

Orpah and Ruth can’t bear to see their mother-in-law make the trek alone and decides to follow her to Bethlehem. After the long trip, Naomi urges her daughter-in-laws to return home, but they love her and protest. Naomi out of love for them urges them to go back to Moab where they could return to their families and remarry. Orpah hears the wisdom of her words and reluctantly returns.

 Ruth, who is just as stubborn as Naomi, refuses to leave her and stays with Naomi. It was Ruth’s words of love that convinced Naomi to allow her stay. She told Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17 that, “wherever you go. I will go. And wherever you stay, I will stay; your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”

Such passion.                

Ruth loved will all her heart. Any man that found her would be a fortunate man indeed. However, she found herself single and she made a decision that seemed almost irrational. In that period of history; to put yourself in a position to be man less was a death sentence for women.

Orpah made the choice that increased her chance of finding a Moabite man who could take care of her. Orpah’s decision was not wrong. It was an intelligent decision of self-preservation. Orpah was following her head. Ruth was following her heart.

What did Ruth get?

Ruth got a good husband and joined the lineage of Jesus Christ. She honored God and in turn, she gained honor. 

What did Orpah get?

Well, we don’t know much about Orpah. But OPRAH, a prolific actress and media mogul, was ALMOST named after her.

In all honesty, Ruth had a resolve that Orpah lacked and this is necessary, to truly obtain what God has for you. Ruth stayed with Naomi, took care of Naomi, listened to Naomi and married a rich man named Boaz. Literally, that is what happened. Read Ruth. You can find it here.  It is one of the shorter books in the Bible. You can have the honor of saying that you read an entire book of the Bible. In the book of Ruth, you will find examples of faith, patience, humility and more. But the story of Ruth is also an example of loving kindness. It is the kind of love that breeds a wonderful relationship.

Next: Definition of Love.

The Book of Ruth: Finding #Love The Biblical Way {Why Love?}

I am a romantic at heart. No, I am not a romance novelist. However, every book that I have written has a romantic element. I am a fan of love. I love seeing happy couples together and cringe when I see unhappy couples tolerating one another—I see that a lot. When I read the book of Ruth, I was fascinated. They actually dated in biblical times. Who knew? Seriously, I read it and I want to share what I learned. I don’t know how long this series will last, but I will keep going until it is done.

You have probably realized what I have come to accept. That love makes the world go round. Life means very little if it is a life without love.  All love is good love when it is done the right way—including romantic love. Some of us are romantics at heart. Some of us are called to have a lover. Some of us have needs.

I will admit that it is subjective. Some people aren’t called to be a Boaz or a Ruth. And those that are called to be lovers are told that it is better to be a pimp, cougar, sugar momma, sugar daddy, or a hot girl. 

That is what the world teaches.

The world teaches that it is okay to look for love in all the wrong places. If you are a man or woman with more than one partner, you are the alpha. The mighty lion of love. The goddess to be worshipped. Never mind the possibility of breaking a heart—in particular your heart—and catching a disease. But hey, that is the loveless world that we live in. Where bad is the new good.

But that is not who we are.

Some of us are musicians, singers, artists, writers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, mechanics, and preachers and so on. We want to have an excellent spirit. This excellent spirit will not only bring you joy, but it will bring you prosperity too. But you can’t have an excellent spirit without the spirit of love. If you want to do well in your field there has to be a substantial amount of love involved.

The same is true in a relationship, for that relationship to prosper, there has to be a substantial amount of love. True love. The kind of love that Boaz and Ruth had.  

There are some people who have many things and nothing at all. They have physical riches, but they do not have true riches. See true riches go beyond the material. Treasures are stored up in heaven and trickle down here on earth. That is why humble mother, who lives in a mobile home with wood built onto it by her husband, can be happy. They live in a house that some would look down upon, yet they are happy because their house has a foundation of love. As opposed to famous mother, who marries a rich sports star. Her husband has built her a huge beach home, but he has a few video girls on the side. Famous mother may have riches and fame but humble mother doesn’t care, because she recognizes that there is no point in having prosperity without peace of mind. You can put a price on many things but you can’t put a price on peace of mind.

Next Time: Why Ruth?

Hate the game, but don’t unfairly judge the player: A look at judging others.

I believe in justice. I believe in what is right and when I see injustice, when I see wrong it angers me. I know that whether I am angry or not, I shouldn’t be quick to judge.

However, that’s easier said than done.

The problem is sometimes we end up misjudging good people. We misjudge good people who have made mistakes or who live a life that disagrees with our worldview. Just because a person gambles or dances at a strip club, doesn’t mean that they are a bad person. Nevertheless, even if it is wrong based on whatever your beliefs may be, you can hate what they do, but you should never ever make false assumptions about the person that does it.

When we make assumptions, when we judge unfairly, when we close our hearts to compassion, we become unforgiving and hateful. It is never good to hate. Hatred is a cancer that eats you up from the inside out.

We should consider that the person, who does wrong, probably doesn’t want to do wrong. The person that does wrong probably wants a way out. The person that does wrong may come to you because they need help. But what good are you to them if you have already judged them guilty and are poised to throw your first stone?

Our hearts tend to tune into the radio station of hatred, prejudice and profiling, probably because injustice surrounds us. So much so, that it has become the new normal.

For example, I believe that cheating on your significant other is wrong. I think that most will agree with me, but it is so common that it is an accepted practice. In fact, I have had friends cheat on their loved ones.

One of my female friends cheated on a faithful boyfriend. You would think that she would be happy with a faithful man, since that is hard to come by, but she wasn’t satisfied and sought fulfillment in the arms of another man.   

One of my male friends cheated on his girlfriend. His girlfriend was saving herself for marriage. She was saving herself for him….

In both cases, I failed to understand why a person would destroy something that was so beautiful. And I hated what they did, but I chose not to hate or judge them, because I realized that they were not monsters, they were human beings that had weaknesses.

I recognized that I am not perfect. Besides when a person does wrong, there are three things to consider:

1.       How hard they fought to do right.

2.       The strength of the forces/temptation working against them.

3.       What we would do if we were in the same situation.

Those three things alone should be enough to arouse understanding in our heart.

My point is that compassion is missing in the world today. People lack empathy and their hearts are so hardened that individuals want to throw stones at everyone who has done wrong—even children.

We have to open our hearts to compassion and love for our fellow man. The best of us are sometime thrown into the negative side of the game of life and we will eventually need reconciliation. However, there is no reconciliation if there is no compassion and eventually we will all be alone.