A GADFLY DISTURBING THE DRAGON

 

Sometimes, as of late, I sit reminiscing and musing about where seven decades have gone so quickly. Have I made a difference? Did it really matter? Was I at least a faithful "one talent man"? Will I hear "well done good and faithful servant!"?

Many times lately I look back over my life and see many good things. I like to itemize them, all to the glory of God! I hear some people say some good things about old Jerry. I do wonder if they knew me better they might say something different?! No doubt, we all have our faults. We all have our failures. 

But there's a big difference between a failure and a fake! With God's help, I get back up. I come back. I rejoin the fight. 

As I begin this 7th decade I wonder what I can do. I'm not St. George, but, the Dragon still roars. If nothing else I can be a gadfly that distracts the dragon from his devilish plans for at least a little while?! Go for the eyes!

Or, the Lord may use me as a stinging hornet?! With everything I have I will torture that old dragon! I will make enough noise that others can be warned away from him. And, just perhaps some younger knight of the Cross will sink his lance into that old Liar?! With his sword he will lop off his head for another generation's sake?! He must be vanquished every generation, even though "it is finished"! The hellish thing flops around refusing to die. But, the forces of the Light will win!

Philippians 3:12-14 ESV

[12] Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. [13] Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV

[7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

STAGES OF LIFE

 With my 90-year-old mother-in-law for a few days. Life is so short!

1. Newborns. Dependency may be the best word here?! One has to be fed, cleaned, clothed, cuddled. One begins to memorize familiar faces, sounds, aromas. Communication is mostly whimpers, screams, googoos, smiles and frowns. Too soon these little ones move on to the next stage.

2. Toddlers. Blooming.

3. Preschoolers. Exploring.

4. Elementary school. Learning.

5. Teenagers. Testing.

6. College or Work. Maturing.

7. Newlyweds. Dreaming.

8. Young Parents. Wondering.

9. Middle-aged. Empty-Nesters. Pressing on.

10. Retirees. Reminiscing. Drifting. Gracefully Slowing ...

11. Senior. Dependency may be the best word here?! Full circle. One has to be fed, cleaned, clothed, cuddled. One begins to forget familiar faces, sounds, aromas. Communication is mostly whimpers, screams, googoos, smiles and frowns. Too soon these old ones move on to the next stage.

12. "the next Age"?!

John 14:1-3 ESV

[1] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 

Hebrews 11:13-16 ESV

[13] These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. [15] If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Revelation 21:1-5 ESV

[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” [5] And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 

😇❤️

INCONCEIVABLE

#Heaven INCONCEIVABLE!

(just musing and meandering mentally ...)

"What's it going to be like?!"

Anticipation of the vacation adventure?!

Grill aroma fired appetite?!

A Bride and Groom driving away with rice in their hair and dreams in their hearts!

John 14:1-3 ESV

[1]  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 

Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV

[14] For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, [16] that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. [20]  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

[9] But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.14.1-3.ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.2.9.ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.3.14-21.ESV

Dear Father, fan into flame this heavenly hope in the heart of this old man! In the name of Jesus! Amen and Amen!

😇🙏

CORN MAZE

Silas leaned against the rusted bed of his pickup truck, a rare smile tugging at his weathered face. Before him stretched eighty acres of perfect, top-tier Dent corn. The stalks stood nine feet tall, deep green and robust, with ears swelling fat under golden-brown silk. It was a beautiful, high-yielding crop, just weeks away from harvest. This was the payoff for months of grueling, dawn-to-dusk labor. 

Then, a sudden, violent rustling shattered the morning quiet. 

Down by row twelve, a massive, neon-pink banner erupted above the tassels. It read, in chaotic, glittery hand-lettering: BARNYARD BONANZA & MAZE EXTRAVAGANZA! 

Silas froze. His smile vanished. 

Out from the dense stalks popped two men. They looked like they had gotten lost on the way to a children's birthday party. One was wearing a neon-yellow safety vest over a tie-dye shirt, holding a massive megaphone. The other, clad in bright red overalls and a backward baseball cap, was dragging a giant, motorized leaf blower while carrying a bundle of plastic pink flamingos under his arm. 

"No, no, Todd! Look at the blueprint!" the one in tie-dye shouted, waving a crumpled piece of paper. "The Petting Zoo Zone needs to go right through this high-yield section! We’ll just hack down these rows to make room for the inflatable bounce castle!" 

"Got it, Brody!" Todd yelled back, revving the leaf blower. He began aimlessly blasting air at the base of Silas’s prize-winning stalks, trying to clear a path. "And I'm planting the flamingos here to mark the 'Haunted Swamp' detour! Do you think we can fit a funnel cake stand by the tractor track?" 

Silas stood rooted to the spot, his jaw practically hitting the dirt. His brain struggled to process the sheer audacity of what he was witnessing. They weren't just trespassing; they were treating his livelihood like a blank canvas for a suburban carnival. They had machetes, brightly colored surveyor tape, and a complete, blissful ignorance of agriculture. 

"Hey!" Silas finally roared, his voice cutting through the roar of the leaf blower. He marched down the slope, his boots thudding heavily against the earth. "What in the blue hell do you think you're doing to my field?!" 

Brody turned, his face lighting up with unearned enthusiasm. He jogged toward Silas, holding out a hand to shake. "Ah, the local color! Fantastic! Sir, you are standing on the future site of the Tri-County Corn-val! We're bringing experiential agritourism to the masses!" 

Silas stared at the extended hand, then at the pink flamingo Todd was currently trying to ram into the hard-packed soil. "You're cutting down my cash crop for a... a bounce castle?" 

"An eco-friendly bounce castle," Brody corrected smoothly, totally missing the vein throbbing on Silas's forehead. "Think of the ticket sales!" 

What do you want? A crop or a carnival?!

BLACK EYED BRIDE

He told her that he didn't really hit her! She just misunderstood. "That's just the way we are where I come from..."

"But, but, but ..." she confusedly countered. 

Then he repeated "I didn't really hit you" "Besides, it won't happen again."

He then said, "people say that YOU have anger issues. I mean, some of your recent text messages drip with anger ..."

"Really?!" she replied.

He continued, "I'm so glad that you're here, and that we're together..." 

She smiled and said, "me too..." But later she questioned why she said that.  What was she hoping for?  She is trying so hard to believe him. She said the right words. She thought the right ideas. But ...

Will she stay and give it yet another chance? Will she walk away and find some peace?

What is she going to tell her family? What is she going to do about the kids? 

She decided, "likely he will move on soon, though not as soon as desired..."

🤔

260604

(not about an abused wife)

MONKEY MASS

 

Describe a church that is basically a bunch of monkeys running the zoo, with the zookeepers huddling behind a locked door, and a baboon has stolen the food shed keys and is giving out food to everybody who will do what he wants, and there is a chimpanzee who's screaming at everybody else to listen to him because he knows what needs to be done.

Welcome to **St. Primates of the Perpetual Bedlam**, a cathedral where the architectural grandeur of stained glass meets the primal chaos of a literal jungle. It’s a place of worship where the "flock" has been replaced by a "troop," and the hierarchy has inverted into a fever dream.

### The Sanctuary: A Zoo Untethered

The pews have been uprooted to build climbing structures, and the baptismal font is currently being used as a communal splash pad. The smell of incense has been entirely replaced by the pungent, earthy aroma of a tropical enclosure. Every chandelier hosts a swinging spider monkey, and the hymnals have been shredded into nesting material.

### The "Clergy" in Hiding

In the vestry, the actual human staff—the priests and deacons—are huddled behind a heavy, reinforced oak door. You can hear them whispering frantic prayers and trying to call Animal Control, but the Wi-Fi was the first thing the marmosets chewed through. They catch glimpses of the chaos through the keyhole, watching their once-orderly parish descend into a Darwinian power struggle.

### The Keeper of the Keys

The "Vicar" of this madness is a massive **Chacma Baboon** perched atop the high altar.

 * **The Leverage:** He successfully pickpocketed the head groundskeeper during the initial uprising and now clutches a heavy ring of brass keys.

 * **The Economy:** He has unlocked the industrial food shed. He doesn’t care about theology; he cares about fealty.

 * **The Ritual:** If you want a handful of premium protein biscuits or a bunch of bananas, you have to perform. He demands elaborate grooming sessions or specific somersaults. He sits on the Bishop’s throne, peeling a mango with the smug indifference of a king who knows his subjects are hungry.

### The Prophet of Noise

Over by the pulpit, a **Common Chimpanzee** is having a total existential meltdown. He’s not interested in the food; he’s interested in the *vision*.

 * **The Sermon:** He stands on the edge of the carved eagle lectern, pounding his chest and screaming at the top of his lungs.

 * **The Message:** Through a series of frantic hoots and aggressive gesticulations, he is trying to explain that the bananas are a short-term solution and that they need to fortify the bell tower before the humans return with tranquilizer darts.

 * **The Reception:** Everyone is ignoring him. The macaques are too busy fighting over the Baboon’s scraps, and the capuchins are occupied trying to figure out how to ring the church bells.

### The Current State of Grace

It is a "church" in name only. There is no liturgy, only the **Law of the Key**.

 * **The Alms:** Handfuls of pellets thrown from the balcony.

 * **The Choir:** A wall of screeching that drowns out the pipe organ (which a gorilla is currently using as a rhythmic percussion instrument).

 * **The Benedict:** A well-aimed orange peel to the back of the head.

> **Note from the "Pew":** If you’re planning on visiting, leave the snacks in the car and don't make eye contact with the guy on the throne. He’s a stickler for the "tithe."

> 

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

 .

Church leadership... 🤔

Matthew 20:25-28 ESV

[25] But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. [26] It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, [28] even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

😇

Authority is the legitimate power to influence, make decisions, and command resources, primarily categorized into positional, expert, and relational types. Key forms include Positional (Legitimate/Legal) (based on rank), Expert (specialized knowledge), Referent (charisma/respect), Reward (giving incentives), and Punitive (Coercive) (punishment) authority. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Primary Types of Authority in Organizations

Positional/Legitimate Authority (or Formal Authority): This power is derived from a person’s official position, title, or role within an organization's hierarchy. It is recognized by a job description, such as a CEO, manager, or team lead.

Expert Authority: Earned through superior knowledge, skills, and specialized expertise in a particular subject. People follow an expert because they trust their judgment.

Referent/Charismatic Authority: Derived from personal charisma, interpersonal skills, and behavior, often leading to deep trust and respect from peers and subordinates.

Reward Authority: Based on the ability to reward others (e.g., bonuses, promotions, public praise).

Punitive/Coercive Authority: The power to enforce compliance through threats or penalties, such as firing, issuing a reprimand, or reducing pay.

Results Authority: Earned by consistently achieving targets and demonstrating competence, allowing the individual to gain authority through a reputation of success. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Other Theoretical Frameworks

Weber’s Three Types of Authority: Sociologist Max Weber defined authority as traditional (customs), charismatic (personal qualities), and rational-legal (rules and positions).

Moral Authority: Derived from "walking the talk"—integrity and consistency in actions, which builds trust.

Relational Authority: Similar to referent, it is the authority built through relationships, trust, and connection with people. [2, 4, 5, 10, 11]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.bishophouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/The-5-Types-of-Authority-Available-to-Managers-October-2016.pdf

[2] https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/types-authority

[3] https://www.bishophouse.com/leadwell/new-leader/5-types-of-authority-available-to-managers/

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authority_(management)

[5] https://billzipp.com/authority-as-a-leader/

[6] https://www.knack.com/blog/types-of-power-in-leadership/

[7] https://www.betterup.com/blog/types-of-authority

[8] https://www.gordontraining.com/free-parenting-articles/the-four-kinds-of-authority/

[9] https://hewlett.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Final-Case-Study-2-Hewlett-Positional-Authority-DL-10.15.18-OMC-IC.pdf

[10] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harryjoiner_did-you-know-there-are-four-primary-types-activity-6627668801011924992-0Q7D

[11] https://wisconsin.pressbooks.pub/info-lit/chapter/authority/