THE FLOODGATES OF EMOTION BEGIN TO OPEN –

The dammed-up
emotions of years
break out of their con-
finement, and miracu-
lously vanish as soon as
they are exposed. As the
pain subsides, a healing
tranquility takes its
place.” (12 & 12,
p. 62)

“The sacrifice you
want is a broken spirit.
A broken and repentant
heart, O God, you will
not despise.”

– King David (c.1037-970 BC)
second king of Israel

In what ways would a “broken and repentant heart” be on display through your own spiritual practice, lately?

Blame It – (Jaimie Foxx & Jake Gyllenhaal) 

King David’s Terrible Sin (3:12)

Psalms 22 – Jesus’ Infinite Sacrifice (7:44)

The Ant and The Cricket :

A fable is a story often with animals as characters that conveys a moral. This poem about an ant and a cricket contains an idea of far-reaching significance, which is as true of a four-legged cricket as of a two-legged one. Surely, you have seen a cricket that has two legs!

A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing

Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,

Began to complain when he found that, at home,

His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.

Not a crumb to be found

On the snow-covered ground;

Not a flower could he see,

Not a leaf on a tree.

“Oh! what will become,” says the cricket, “of me?”

At last by starvation and famine made bold,

All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,

Away he set off to a miserly ant,

To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant

Him shelter from rain,

And a mouthful of grain.

He wished only to borrow;

He’d repay it tomorrow;

If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.

Says the ant to the

cricket, “I’m your servant

and friend,

But we ants never

borrow; we ants never

lend.

But tell me, dear cricket,

did you lay nothing by

When the weather was

warm?” Quoth the cricket,

“Not I!

My heart was so light

That I sang day and night,

For all nature looked gay.”

“You sang, Sir, you say?

Go then,” says the ant, “and dance the winter away.”

Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,

And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.

Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true:

Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.