*The poet, sat on a porch unpainted.

Day had arrived.

If his decision is to move, then at first it is with grace.

Man of sorrows, he dwells on joy.

His joy prompts motivation for a relentless work ethic, drive, and excellence. Always. Nothing is half measure.

Honour, and the integrity to hold true to one’s work, and life. Speaking truth, and encouragement to others. Listening. Acting. Healing. Leading.

He lives and dies with dignity and relentless pursuit of His personal relationship with His Father.

Relentless, determined, motivated.

Selfless.

Ordained to be made less than.

That’s Jesus.

I fail again and again. I’m selfish. Yet God loves me. I know that better than I know you.

I’ve learned what a life of integrity looks like.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

That makes me pause. Because I believe it enough to try and live it.

I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful for my suffering. I’m just as grateful for yours.

Why?

Because suffering refines us. It builds strength within, It gives us new perspectives on pain, fear, love, abandonment, longing, hope. Renewal.

If we never experience change then we never grow.

When I was born, I cried out helpless. I cried and I cried and cried and cried and stoped.

The need for my quest for validation had been met. I can’t remember what it was. Never will.

I learned something apparently.

The rest of our lives are spent in perfect missteps to land us directly here. Learning constantly along the way. Every one of us at the same time, wounding and healing and existing in the lives that we share in together.

In order to stay on the healing side of things we need to understand what good character is. What provides wholeness? To me? To someone else? To something else?

What restores it to the identity that it had at the beginning ?

The knowledge of one’s self? Or the knowledge of another’s?

I believe that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ represented in the Bible is the perfect example of good character.

Love God, love others.

Therefore, gratefully, try again. I’m loved. Always. I will love.

That’s Christianity. I want to be like the guy with character. Sometimes I’m out of it. I need grace and patience for that.

I’m also human. I’m fully aware of my shadow.

I restrain, resist, and reset things. Daily.

That being said. Who say you?

Another thing, if your on the wounding side of things, who’s side are you on?