The Trespassers - "F" Words on Golgotha

A cross on a mountain is a foot bridge.

 The children's minds seemed to soak up the darkness descending on the mountain. Most of the children had lost their flow of venomous insults against the Chosen Victim. Without the verbal abuse intended to devalue the heart of the Victim, they could not continue the game of Put Downs. The wind  carried sounds down the mountain into the valley of Shabbat. When the children listened intently, the sounds began to take the shape of words. They strained to hear and decipher what the words were. The words were mixed with cries of anguish distorting any clarity that would help them understand. One sound seemed to be as loud as the cries themselves. It sounded like an "F" sound. The "F" words slowly became louder than the groans of agony as the cheering had disappeared.

Some of the older children who always won the game of Put Downs tried to restart the game. They did not like the idea of losing control and possibly losing the Crown of Opinions. They even tried throwing fruit from the Gossip Tree at the other children which backfired as it made the children angry at them. The wind carried the "F" words with greater clarity. They could almost make out a word as it slowly seeped into their hearts. It was a word they had heard before but they knew very little of it's meaning. The wind strung the letters of the "F" word together and it sounded like:

"F          a          t          h         e          r"

The children all began repeating the word: "Father." They had heard the word several times while growing up. They began to tell each other what they knew of the word "Father."

• "My Mom says that's how I got here."
• "I had one but he's in a jail."
• "My Mom doesn't know who mine is."
• "Doesn't he send money sometimes?"
• "I stopped talking to mine because he always lies."
• "Father's only help Mom's make us and then they go away."

The children gave many other answers until one of the older boys got their attention. He was bitter because he had a greater understanding of what a "Father" was. His "Father" had made him feel good until his "Father" was killed by some religious people. The boy remembered the day his "Father" died. The religious people were arguing with him about someone called God. His "Father" was very intelligent and the men were getting angry because they knew he was telling the truth. Then some men came and told lies about his "Father" and the crowd became angry and killed him. The boy became lonely and bitter as he started acting like the angry crowd. His bitterness infected the other children until today. He wanted his control of their opinions back so he made up his own lie.

The boy told them a story that he said happened long ago when "Fathers" still lived in families with the Mothers and their children. A wizard appeared one day as all the children were gathered together during a game of "Neighbor." The object of the game of "Neighbor" was to amass points by doing something nice for somebody (everybody is a neighbor.) The clothing of the wizard was eye catching, his words were ear grabbing. One look from his eyes froze the children's hearts. He told them that he could make their dreams come true.He asked them a question: "Would you like to have anything that you ever wanted on everyday of your life?' The children joyfully shouted as one: "Yes!" The wizard continued: "Then gather in dear children and I will give you the secret. You are very smart children and I'm sure you have noticed that your "Father's" give you many rules. I'm sure that sometimes you have had the thought that life would be more fun without rules from "Fathers." I will show you how to remove the rules so you can have anything you want. Would you like that?" The children once again shouted joyfully and this time with anticipation: "Yes!"

The wizard continued: "The first step in your beautiful new life of having everything you ever wanted on everyday of your life is to remove the "Fathers." They are the problem. They set rules that you don't like that prevent you from having the fun you deserve. The first step in making you happy is to make your neighborhood "Father-less." There is a secret code that I can reveal only to those who want to have a life of fun. Who is ready to hear the secret code?" Most of the children once again said: "Yes!" A few of them left and were jeered by the crowd who remained enraptured by the wizard's words."Listen carefully as I reveal to you what most children never have a chance to hear. You must say the phrase very fast everyday for the rest of your life. As you keep repeating the phrase, the first word will disappear and only part of the phrase will remain. There is only one more rule, you must look upon me as your father. Whenever you feel lonely for your "Father" you must call upon me. I am your wizard and my name is Leye Ar. I will help you get anything you ever want. Are you ready?" A few more of the children drifted away but the majority remained.

Here is your secret phrase that will remove rules and get you anything you ever want, remember to say it fast without thinking. Repeat after me:  

"Father or Fun!      Father or Fun!      Father or Fun!"

The wizard and the children chanted the phrase for many hours. The change happened quicker for some and happened without them even noticing it. The more they chanted, the latter part of the phrase erased the first part. Pretty soon, the chanting sounded like: "Or Fun! Or Fun! Or Fun!" The children were in a frenzy and decided that they would have no more rules and live in happiness. They would give themselves a name and they would be called the "Orfuns!"

Next: "The Shuttered Father Museum."

Thank's for your time. Go do something nice for an old head.
Jesus loves you and so do we.

Bob Kuebler is the Founder & Director of Youth With A Purpose. Bob has spent the last 12 yrs. learning about pain and perseverance from inner city young people and their families. Healing starts with love and encompasses compassion and empathy. Our mission at YWAP is to inspire inner city young people to develop as God's leaders who overcome the mindset of poverty and gang violence. Bob is the Author of four books, several magazine articles and blogs including The Bright Spot Report. He regularly shares with audiences about how God is redeeming our cities through young people.



Bob can be reached at 716-830-8240
or ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com.
www.youthwithapurpose.org

The Trespassers - What is a Man-tree Cross?

A heavy film seemed to be spreading over the sky. The light of the noon day was slipping into the shadows on the nearby mountain. The children sat under the Gossip Tree sipping on freshly picked fruit as they began their game of Put Downs. It was strange that there would even be shadows on the mountain as the sky had grown quite dark. The day began with 3 shadows of the strange man-tree crosses and now it appeared that 2 of them had converged as one. Now there were only 2 distinct shapes of man-tree crosses and 1 seemed darker than the other. The children could feel that something strange was happening. Their lack of understanding caused them to feel fear, so they focused on what they had become comfortable with - playing games.

Trees play Put Downs and let their leaves fall. People play Put Downs and let their neighbors fall.

  Put Downs was a game taught to them by their parents. Many generations of Trespassers had played this game. The object of the game was to see who could score the most points by saying cruel things about the Chosen Victim. One person would be given the role of submitting to whatever cruelty the children could inflict. Points were awarded by a panel of judges called the Rejecters. Bonus points were awarded if the victim was made to cry out in pain. Total rejection inflicted upon the heart of the victim was the goal. The winner received the Crown of Opinions. The Crown entitled the winner to force all the other children to agree with his or her opinions. There were a select few who always seemed to be declared the winners and thus their opinions ruled the neighborhood.

How close do you have to get to see the likeness of Christ on a Cross in this tree — at On Lafayette Street near Main in Buffalo, New York, USA.

The wind was still carrying the strange mixture of sounds down the mountain, across the valley and onto the Highpoint of Shabatt. As they sat under the Gossip Tree, the drifting sounds caused the children to interrupt their game of Put Downs and listen. Sometimes the children would hear mocking cheers and taunting laughter that sounded like games that their parents played. At first, the children reasoned that some adults must be playing a game of Put Downs over on Golgotha Mountain. Then the wind shifted. Sounds of moaning mixed with cries of sadness filled with pain entered the ears of the children and flowed straight to their hearts. They were touched in a way that was foreign to them. Unable to understand this strange Heart Touching, the children wondered if the adults had found a new way to play Put Downs. This caused a greater fear than they had ever known. Their fear was mixed with excitement, what was a Man-tree Cross and how could it cry?

To be continued.....

Next: "F Words in The Wind"

The habits of adults create traffic patterns that are the draw bridges to the future habits of children.

The Trespassers

Once upon a minute,
there lived a group of people called the Trespassers.
They lived in a valley town called Unforgiving.

Look closely, do you see a man with outstretched arms with his headed hanging low?

A mountain called Golgotha overshadowed the Town of Unforgiving.
One day, the Trespassers noticed that the shadow of the mountain had grown bigger. From a distance, it appeared that 3 trees had been planted on top of the mountain. The shape of the trees was unfamiliar and un

like anything they had ever seen before. Each tree looked like a cross between a tree and a man. There were three of these odd shapes, each with their own distinct shadow.

The valley Town had a highpoint in elevation from where the townsfolk could get a better view of the mountain. The highpoint was called Shabbat and was a favorite place where the Trespassers would gather with their families and teach their children the fine art of fault finding. From the Highpoint of Shabbat, the Trespassers got a better view of what was actually happening on top of the mountain.

The colors of these Man-trees became a little clearer. There were many veins of red mixed with dark browns. The wind currents carried an ebb and flow of sounds down the mountain toward the
Trespassers gathered at Shabbat. The wind seemed to be conducting a chorus of cheers mixed with groans. One of the Trespasser children tugged on the hem of her mother's garment and said: "Mommy I think I hear a tear." The Mom laughed and said to her daughter: "O silly girl, you can't hear the sound of tears! Besides, trees don't cry. Run along now sweetheart. The fruit on the Gossip Trees is ripe, maybe you and your friends can pick some." The children could sit and be pacified for hours sipping from the nectar of the Gossip fruit.

To be continued..........

**********************************************
Matthew 13:43-44
The Message

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?

44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.

Running

SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER.

Life can be hard and your depression may seem unbearable.
This too shall pass.
There are better days ahead.
Did you ever notice that a new day always dawns
even after the darkest, longest night?
Somebody needs you
to reach out to them so they feel valued.
You are valued and

you were created for a reason.
There is only one of you
that will ever be created.

Struggle is only the gateway to a stronger life.
A life that has understanding and wisdom.
Butterflies struggle and find freedom.
Diamonds are formed from pressure and stress.
A pearl is a product of irritation.
You are a precious jewel who is loved
even when you can't feel it.
Even when you don't see the sun,
you know it's going to eventually rise.
 

Don't give up.
 

People need you and you need them.
You are a tree that has lost a few leaves.
Soon, you will start to bud and grow new life.
Take a deep breath and think about the 4 seasons.
Everything in life happens in the sequence of 4 seasons.
Every second is filled with the 4 seasons.
The Fall is the time for letting go.
 

Forgive.
 

Winter is the time to rest and reflect.
Spring is the time to plan and hope.
Yes - HOPE - THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.
Summer is the season to celebrate accomplishments.
Each accomplishment should be a celebration -
it doesn't matter how small.
Celebrate this moment as a rest filled
with forgiveness, acceptance and hope.
Faith is believing the sun will rise when you don't see it.
Hope is the plan of what you will do with another new day.
Love is what I have for you at this moment.
God loves you and made you in his image.
Just believe that there are better days ahead.
Speak them into existence.
Your words are a seed.
Even the seed starts in the darkness under the soil.
You are a seed about to break forth and plant new roots.
 

Just believe.

Why Did The Priest Die?

I felt shock when I heard that the Priest had taken his own life. A man of God who was highly respected by many had decided to commit suicide. How the heck does that happen? Isn't he supposed to be able to defeat the demons of depression? How does somebody cope with the pressures of being a counselor to many?

I've been feeling a heaviness lately that could be called burnout. The cause of the heaviness could also be a result of financial worries. Money doesn't flow into prevention programs, the government would rather fund intervention. It could also be a byproduct of being an empathetic human being who soaks up the pain of others. I think it's all of the above. I am a Youth Director in the heart of a poor and violent City. I watch people suffer and I soak up their sufferings like a tree soaks up rain. I tell prospective volunteers to expect to get your heart broken at least once a week.

In a Buffalo School today, I told the 7th Graders that the heart is a muscle. Your heart must be broken before you are able give more love. I listen to the stories of young people. This is what they told me today when I asked them why a student might come to class in a bad mood: "Their Dad just beat them." "Someone bullied them." "They were molested." Their Mom walked out." "A family member was killed." Everyday I hear these stories and more. Sometimes I see the pain happening in front of me. I have had my hand on the chest of a 15 yr old murder victim as he took his final heart beat. Road trips to cemeteries are too numerous to count. Jail cells hold many broken dreams still cradled in the souls of boys who are not yet men. The pain our children carry is enormous. They do not know how to embrace brokenness. I carry what they cannot embrace. I embrace it for them and carry it with them.

The Priest died in brokenness. He probably embraced brokenness many times before he lost his grip. He carried the burden of being the Brokenness Carrier. He had what may be the highest calling of humanity: he carried other people's crosses along with his own. He got to the point of being alone. He lost his grip on the hand of Jesus. He died alone. The Priest lost the ability to pray with clarity. He staggered to the end of the road where brokenness and loneliness meet at a dead end. Unable to shoulder the burden, unable to cast it upon the shoulders of Jesus, he lost spiritual clarity and ended his life alone. I hurt and my eyes are filled with tears as I think of a wasted end of a valuable life.

How do we avoid the trip that leads to our own dead end? Ask someone for help. Ask someone for help. Ask someone for help. I am not good at that. It's hard for me to ask somebody to pray for me. It's my job to pray for other people. I'm a giver and a lousy receiver. I am guilty of a prideful condition. Pride can lead to carrying unnecessary burdens. God has designed us to have companionship in all areas of our lives. We are not meant to be alone. Pain can be removed by grabbing the hand of Jesus. If your wound or burden is too heavy, reach out for a hand of hope and understanding. Give yourself permission to look your wound straight in the eye. You need to realize that the burden is not you and does not define you. It is temporary and is designed to strengthen you. Embrace brokenness as a blessing that will help you to love in even greater ways. Where will you find the hand of Jesus? In the hand of someone willing to listen and share your burdens.

Thanks for being here and listening. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do I.

Bob

A New Sin

One instructor can be the difference in a life or death flight for many people.

 It seems like everyday a new law is created. Everyday we are given new opportunities to break new laws. Is breaking a law the same thing as committing a sin? Do new laws create opportunities for new sin?

What is sin?

My definition of sin would be a moral transgression against God or man. It's a character blemish that is infectious and causes a chasm to develop that erodes love and promulgates fear. It hurts. I have always thought I knew what sin was. Now, I'm beginning to realize that sin is much deeper and widespread within me as I understand more of what truth is. It's almost like the greater my understanding of what truth is, the greater my understanding of what a lie is. The bigger my understanding of truth grows, the greater my vision in revealing the smallest of lies. When you study the real thing, you can spot a counterfeit a mile away. I think this morning I discovered a new sin.

A mountain can be a safe place if the guide gives proper directions.

 Enlarged Understanding

I was reading about a guy named Ezekiel this morning. My understanding was enlarged. A spiritual weightlifting had taken place within me. The kind of weightlifting that requires heavy exertion. It was like going to the gym for a strenuous workout that would result in the tearing and rebuilding of muscle tissue. Here is what I read:

Ezekiel 3:16-21 The Message

 ¹⁶ At the end of the seven days, I received this Message from God:
 ^17-19 "Son of man, I've made you a watchman for the family of Israel. Whenever you hear me say something, warn them for me. If I say to the wicked, 'You are going to die,' and you don't sound the alarm warning them that it's a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn the wicked and they keep right on sinning anyway, they'll most certainly die for their sin, but you won't die. You'll have saved your life.
 ^20-21 "And if the righteous turn back from living righteously and take up with evil when I step in and put them in a hard place, they'll die. If you haven't warned them, they'll die because of their sins, and none of the right things they've done will count for anything—and I'll hold you responsible. But if you warn these righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they'll live because they took the warning—and again, you'll have saved your life."

 It seems pretty clear that when you are given a responsibility to teach somebody and you fail to follow through, you will suffer. Imagine a Doctor who fails to continue his medical education. If a patient suffers or dies as a result of the Doctor not being aware of new life saving discoveries, he would be guilty of negligence. If God has given you an assignment and you ignore it and somebody dies, I think God would hold you in contempt of His court.

A healthy respect for danger allows you the freedom to enjoy the scenery. You don't have to be swept over the Falls to enjoy the beauty of the Niagara River.

What's A New Sin? 


As the Director of a Youth Center, life is much easier when there is peace. Sometimes I have to instruct a young person regarding respect for the other young people. It would be easier to keep my mouth shut because I know that my intervention will lead to a boisterous confrontation. The alternative of not intervening is allowing the bad habit to gather a greater destructive force that will hurt more people eventually. Part of that enlarged destruction would be on my shoulders. If I feel that God has put me here as a watchman and spokesperson and I refuse to honor His calling on my life - that is sin. I call it new sin because my understanding of love and truth has been enlarged. I now see the detriment of disobeying God in the light of a greater understanding. My job is to be a potentiator. To seek out the potential in other human beings and encourage a life of truth and understanding that will unleash that potential.

Is New Sin A Greater Burden?

The burden is light when the heart is focused on Christ. The revelation to me of a greater sin represents a greater opportunity to climb a bigger mountain. Climbing a mountain requires training and knowledge. Climbing a mountain requires exertion and patience. Standing on top of the mountain and glimpsing the excellence of God's glory is liberating. There is freedom in the immenseness of God's love. Responsibility leads to greater opportunities that enlarge the place of truth and love in all people.

Thanks for your time. God o something nice for somebody.

"Find new ways, 

  in as many ways, 

    in more excellent ways, 

      on all of your days, 

        to show love." 

Bob Kuebler
YWAP Director

Youth With A Purpose

In School & After School
In The Mountains & In The Hood

157 Locust Street

Buffalo, New York 14204

716-830-8240

"All Children Are Gifted" 

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A Simple Message of Hotdogs and Jesus

DEATH - An Open Letter to God

I'm not sure where I'm going with this but it's pretty much a discussion with God about death, especially the death of young people. I call it a discussion because I have an expectation that God will answer me eventually.

I feel sad, mad, angry, defeated and a host of other negative emotions when I hear about a young person who died. Yesterday I received news that my friend's son had died. He was only 32 yrs. old and died from cancer. He was a great guy He was a Husband, Coach, Son, Friend, Mentor and many other things. HE WAS A GREAT GUY! So why do some great young people die young? Why God?

 I know that you have a purpose and a plan for all of us but sometimes your plans hurt. I have watched young people die and get hurt a lot. Sometimes a young boy with a bullet in his head. Sometimes a child is battered and abused by an adult. Many young people in our City have died way too young. I do know that death and disease and depression have a way of turning people to you God. I understand that. I understand that as kind of like being a burning bush to get my attention so that I focus on you. Sometimes I feel like some people and families are continually the burning bush. I know we have choices and you gave us a free will but I still hurt. I do trust you and I want to be closer to you but I hurt.

 I believe my friends son is sitting with his head resting against your shoulder as you recount all of the ways that he loved on people. I am happy for him. He doesn't have. nor will he ever experience any pain ever again. I am grateful that you touched my life through his. I going to just believe that you used him to touch more people with life giving healing by his death than I could ever conceive or imagine. Yeah, I know we all have a purpose. I'm just believing that in the big picture that you have shown love in a greater way by pouring your love into Justin so he could share you in a greater way with everyone who knew him.

His short life of 32 years was an explosion of love. I'm going to focus on the love you shared with us through Justin and focus on trying to share your love in greater ways. Could you put your fingertips underneath the hearts of his family members. Please let them know that you won't let them sink any deeper. I trust you God, I trust that your love will live on through the legacy of loving others "The Justin Kunick Way."

In Jesus Name. Amen.

Heart Nose or Heart Knows

HEART NOSE or HEART KNOWS

"Daddy, how can your heart have a nose?
Do I really have a heart nose?" asked the Heart Farmer's Daughter.

"Well my little Beauty, it's kind of like smelling this manure that we use as fertilizer in our fields. When we first spread the manure it stinks but after we get used to it, we don't smell it anymore. It's almost like everything blends in with the smell of the manure.

Sometimes we go into the big city and we see homeless folks. Some of them don't have a place to bathe and they smell. Most people look at the homeless folks like they are disgusting, dirty things. But, my little Beauty, they are people with hopes and dreams just like you and me. We can smell a person who hasn't had a bath and hold our noses while we walk away to escape the smell. Or we can stay and look into their eyes and smile and say; 'It's good to see ya! How can I help you?' When we stay around them long enough, the smell seems to go away and love takes over. That's what happens when our heart knows how to show love to everybody we meet." Said the Heart Farmer.

"Oh Daddy, I think I understand now! You mean it's not really a heart nose, it's really a heart knows!" Her Dad the Heart Farmer smiled: "Yes Beauty, your heart knows how to give off the aroma of Jesus by showing love for our neighbor!"
The Heart Farmer's daughter grinned from both sides of her heart and said:
"I love you Daddy!"

2 Corinthians 2:15
Amplified Bible
"For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:"

2 Corinthians 2:15
King James Version
"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:"

2 Corinthians 2:15
The Message
"14-16In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse."

Author's Note: (I wonder if we ourselves are on our way to destruction when we treat people like they are the stench from a rotting corpse?)

The Heart Farmer and his daughter Beauty at Daughter's and Dad's Night sponsored by The Chapel.

 

 

CAN A MAN GIVE UP HIS LIFE FOR A WOMAN?

It's a noble and romantic thought that a man would lay down his life to protect someone he loves. That's a distant thought that very rarely happens. We can speak that thought to give ourselves a momentary pat on the back. Yeah, it's easy to profess a belief in something that will probably never happen. Maybe it would be more noble to take the moment that will never happen and use it as a seed that will grow giving  moments that will happen.

It's easy to take a bullet and whisper your last words in a brief moment of painful glory. Can you take the bullets of life and turn them into pearl like jewels that will bless those you love?

Instead of giving up his life, what if the man lived his life in pursuit of more excellent ways to lift the woman into the glory for which God created her? The strange thing about giving up is that it creates more opportunities to receive. If a man gives up his whole heart, soul, mind and strength to that which God has called him to be, then he is blessed by a love that transcends all understanding. The other areas of his life will prosper as well.

If you have been called as a husband and a father, seek to sow the love of the Father in your wife and children. You have been called as a Heart Farmer to sow love that will help other hearts to grow in love. Sometimes you will have to sacrifice when you don't feel like it. Sometimes you will not understand. Mystery is okay. "It's up to a king to conceal a matter." Proverbs 25:2

If you are not married and maybe you are not called to be married, you still need to be a role model for young men and  teach them how to honor a woman. Many people carry the scars of woundedness that cause us to view the opposite sex with contempt and treat them vindictively. You need to seek healing. Search your soul for malice regarding the opposite sex. The healing starts with you. You cannot trust others until you trust yourself. Your healing can sow seeds of healing in those around you. Don't punish people in the present for wounds you suffered in the past.

The electricity of current relationships can be short circuited by memories of past power failures.

This is where the healing begins. Go do something nice for somebody.
The name of this plane is: "Jesus is Lord."

by Bob Kuebler on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 10:19am