The festival is only two weeks away. The King cannot sleep. Something is bothering him. Tan had said the banquet table and wagon were finished, but that did not bother him ...he believed Tan. But, something just didn't appear right. He decides to take the long hike to what he was told was the new workshop.

The King travels through the low areas between the hills ...to where he knows will be the steep climb up the central towering hill.  As he nears, there appears to be more light through the trees than he had imagined.

And then he sees it!!

Large swaths of trees had been cut out ...and deep ruts were being filled with trickles of  water, then adding to more trickles, now beginning to stream down where the trees had been dragged.  He walks a good distance to be sure.  His suspicions are verified, as he sees the trees had been cut out in that wide swath, all the way to the peak.

But, one thing else is noticed as he is about to turn back.  Several sturdy oak homes have been built a safe distance from the swath.  Some people are standing out on high balconies ...sipping on steaming coffee, as they look down toward the valley, to what is inevitably going to happen.

One voice calls out:  You should have been smart, and built where we have been advised is the best location. Now, who will you be king of?  A new one is about to emerge, as you will have no one left to rule.

The King hurries to warn the people.  Instead of the trees covering the hillside and absorbing the spring thaw, water is beginning to stream directly away from the stream that flows to the West.  It will now be diverted to the East, and flood the village.

The King does make it in time, and the people in the village quickly follow his directions to move to slightly higher ground. From there, they stand with the King ...and watch as the gushing waters build up such a force that when it strikes the castle walls, well, it was not built like a reservoir and cannot withstand the force.  The rivers of water quickly force their way past the castle ...and soon the entire village is gone.

They were able to save only a little of what they had ...but, they were grateful all their families are safe.  They had no time to salvage anything they had accumulated in their homes.  They had offered to save their King's throne chair, but he said no, the animals were more important ...and they should take with them small carts with as much food as they could gather.

The King now says he has a journey he has to make, and encourages them to begin planting more crops ...as the soil is still good in the lower high ground, though not as good as it had been in the valley.

The King follows the bank of the stream.  He passes many of the homes in the area of the central highland.  It is very early morning, and it will be probably hours before they awaken to have their coveted coffee.  Three-fourths of the way up the long climb, the King sees a cave with some crude ore carts just within the mouth of the cave.  The King is very familiar with ores, metals, and precious stones.  This is definitely gold.

The sun is just about to shine its brilliance at the horizon.  The workshop of the builders will be likely active in a couple hours, but silence still fills the air.  The King climbs to the peak, where there is the largest home he has ever seen ...not as large as a castle, of course, but a very enormous home with a huge balcony overlooking the valley.  On that balcony is a throne chair twice as large as the one the King had before the river had washed it away.  And the way it is glistening as the sun rises above the horizon, it is clear that it is overlaid with gold.

Suddenly, Tan walks out on the balcony ...sipping coffee.  He sits down in his throne chair, then looks below, noticing the King.

Tan (putting the coffee down, peers down): I never thought it very wise to build in the valley.

The King:  We spent much time and effort surveying the area. It was very safe, until you affected the watershed.  You diverted the stream.  I don't believe that was too wise.

Tan:  I don't see much regret among my people. Where is your kingdom?  I don't see much of a following ...did they go quickly downstream??

The King:  What has happened to you, Tan.  Did you fully think through what you were doing??

Tan:  I tire of this conversation.  You will not find much support here ...unless you want help leaving this area, which you are not welcome in. 

Tan reaches beneath his throne, and pulls out a trumpet.  He blows it loudly. Soon throngs of people show up.  They also see the King.

Tan (speaking boldly):  Say, King ...what is it that you'd like to say?

The King says nothing at this moment.

One person (calls out): Say, Tan ...what is it that you'd like to say?  Say it, and we will carry out your desires.  It is truly your wisdom which has saved us from the flood.  Say it ...and you will see it come to pass.  Say it ...yes, say ...say ...

Another: Yes, say it ...yes, say ...say, Tan ...

The people (in concert): Say ...say, Tan!  Say, Tan!  Say, Tan!!

The King slips away as the people shout.  The highlands has poor soil ...and it cannot support productive growth of food for the people to eat.  The wisdom they thought they followed will soon find them running out of food.
                                     
                               **********************************************************************************************
Yes, there is one who tried to build a throne above the King of Kings.  Who would you aspire to rule over you??  

There are many governments throughout the world that operate much differently from each other.  Some even operate with what is called a free enterprise system.  This next story is one of those societies:

Snowden knew what it was like to be teased.  He can’t remember a time when he was not teased.

“You don’t want to live here, you’ll not be able to tolerate the ‘Snow’ here in Minneapolis.”   He remembered the first time they called him ‘Snow’ …and the nickname stuck, and to him, it stuck to him colder than a January morning.

His last name, Banks, didn’t help much either.  “You know what ‘Snow Banks’ is made of …a bunch of flakes.  His family is a bunch of flakes.”

Snowden was silent, but his inner resolve was, “I’ll show them one day …one day I’ll show them!”

But, he never really got over all that teasing …and he began to think they were right about him.  Yet, there was one girl from school that never seemed to enjoy the teasing, and she felt it was a bit cruel.  Her name was Storey.  It took Snowden a while to build the confidence to ask her out …and even longer to propose to her. And Storey began to think he never would.  But, in their late twenties, Snowden & Storey got married.

A year later, Storey gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  Snowden was so proud.  The one feeling he could not escape, was the feeling of how he’d been teased as a child.  “No one is going to make fun of our son …we’ll give him a manly name.”  And so began the life of Manley Storgen Banks.

When people asked what the baby’s name was …they could detect snickering, when they said they gave him a real ‘Manley’ name.  Storey said that her husband was making too much out of it, but when their next child was born, Snowden decided to just give him initials.  And it pleased Snowden, as J.P. did not bring nearly as much snickering.

Storey & Snowden didn’t have any more children for ten years, but then to their surprise, they had three more boys in the following six years…all two years apart.  The third born, they named Triton, then came Shiro, and two years later …Quintin.

Manley was on the high school swim team.  It seemed that swimming was the only thing he could do well.  Yet, he excelled in swimming …and it was difficult to compete with him. They were riding on the bus, returning from a statewide meet in the big city …when a reckless driver almost ran their bus off the road.  The driver lost control and ran his car into a river. Manley did not hesitate as the bus pulled safely onto the shoulder.  He hurried down the bank of the river, following the deep car tracks.  He swam out …and disappeared.  A long minute, that seemed like eternity, passed …and finally his classmates cheered, as Manley could be seen swimming to shore with someone in tow.

The police arrived, and soon the reckless driver’s dad showed up.  His dad insisted that an ambulance was not needed …that everyone was okay.  To his dismay, a news reporter showed up. The dad said that his son had witnessed what appeared to be a drunken driver forcing another person off the road.  He was so proud, he said, of his son ...for saving the young man from drowning. He then put his arm around Manley, and allowed the reporter to take a picture of himself and Manley …telling the reporter that Manley was his son.  When the reporter left, the dad gave Manley a large sum of money and asked him not to mention anything about his son having been the drunken driver.

The next day, it was all over the newspapers.  And the news network also arranged a huge segment for their evening news.  It so happened that the dad owned the biggest bank in the country …and he gave Manley another large sum of money to pretend once again that he was the son and vice-president of the bank.

That’s how it all began, and soon J.P. also had a job in the banking firm.  The fact that it was all brought on by deception, did not prevent Snowden from being proud of his boys.

A few years later, Shiro was graduating from high school, and J.P. decided to gift his brother with a bright red Corvette.  Manley teased Shiro, “You know, your brother didn’t just give you that car to look at …you have to give the two of us a ride.”

The three of them went for a ride that night, and they were run off the road into a river by another reckless driver.  But, this time Manley was knocked unconscious …and couldn’t save himself, or his two brothers.

At the funeral, Snowden & Storey stood beside their two remaining sons, Triton and Quintin.  Storey had a particularly difficult time coping with the deaths of their two sons, and soon her health deteriorates.  That is not the end of the Storey though.  It is just the beginning.

Triton and Quintin were put in charge of another bank …to follow in the footsteps of their now deceased brothers. Snowden was consulted by Quintin as to what name they should use for the bank. Snowden thought of how he had lost his first, second, and fourth sons, “How about calling it Fifth Third Banks?”

Triton and Quintin both marry …and their wives give them each a son.  Triton’s son is named Proteus, and Qunitin’s son is named Denny.  And it was brought to my attention, that both dads had a much different perspective on how they believe things should be passed on …to their children.

Triton believed that since he had great wealth, he’d pass that wealth on to his son …and immediately after graduating from high school, Proteus was given a much coveted position with the bank.

Quinitin believed it best not to follow his brother’s example. Though he did also give his son, Denny, a job at the bank …as a custodian.  As it was, Denny didn’t like the banking business much …and he saved his money, until he could put a down payment on a restaurant he’d name after himself.

And really this is not about how the two sons succeeded, or not.  It’s about what a reporter wrote.  The reporter had decided to write an extensive article about how each son was treated by his dad.  To the reporter, it did not matter how each son felt about it …it was how the reader of his article would perceive it.  Both dads had seemingly unlimited funds, position, and power in the business world.  One dad quickly was bestowing upon his son all the prestige and power.  The other dad seemed to more than try to humble his son …but, rather seemed to humiliate him by giving him a custodial position, at least that was the reporter's angle.

Yes, as many reporters do …they write with a bias, or as they would phrase it, a point of view.  And in reading the article, it would be easy to see he was praising Triton …and making Quintin look rather badly.  It would appear that Denny was driven from the status of the banking system …into the lowly restaurant business, when he could have easily been much more than a grill boss.

Okay, I’ve taken a very long time coming around to it …but, God had decided to create those whom He desires to call the Sons of God. (And that includes loyal angels, and us humans who choose to follow Him.) 

We are to know Him …and desire to be with Him.  It is my belief that those two things are foremost what we should aspire to. 

But, God was to decide who He would create first …the angels, or us.  And of course, God knows beforehand how it will all play out.  He knew a third of the angles would rebel …but, He also knows that we are much like reporters, viewing the day’s events and assigning our biases to our perspective on so many things.

I don’t really know, but I believe most of you would agree that God gave the angels much …and the restriction came after a third of them rebelled.  And hopefully, being able to read of that gives us more of an understanding why restrictions make sense. 

Not everything that God does has to make sense to us …but, I believe God does much to make things clear to us.  

Here is another story, not in the Bible, but something again that I wrote.  It’s about however long ago …the first angel created.

Angel:  How come you are called Father, Son, and …what are you doing HS?

HS:  I just designed a flower.

Angel: What is a flower?

HS:  It’s something both beautiful and delicate.  I designed many others, but this will be a favorite among many.

Angel:  It is beautiful.  Are you going to fill this place with it?

HS:  No, it is reserved for another time.  I designed it for the Son.  He will fill another place with all the flowers, not just this one.  It is a fact that things are often seen as more beautiful by contrast …and also if there is less of them.  We can also view things as equally beautiful, yet a slight contrast is very useful for identification.  Many more angels, like yourself, are going to be created.   The Father, Son, and Myself could still tell you apart if you were identical …though you angels may not be able to tell each other apart.

Angel: I was created first …am I going to be the most beautiful?

HS laughs:  You will see …but, as you see, you certainly are not delicate.

Angel:  And you say the reason for contrast is for useful identification purposes …is that why you are all equal, but are called Father, Son, and HS?

HS:  Besides identification, there is also comprehension.  The ones who are going to be created in the place where these flowers will be placed, will be much more delicate than you.  And they will also need more help with comprehension.  Yet, their own father-son relationship with Us ...well, it will help them understand much about themselves.

Angel:  But, about the contrast concept ...I'd like to know more about that.

HS:  Well, beside the father-son relationship ...there will be another important relationship with another gender.

Angel:  I wasn't asking about a contrast with relationships.  What I really wanted to know is whether the ones with the place where the flowers will be …will they be more beautiful than me?

HS:  No, beauty will not be their main quality.  Those who think it will be …will be mistaken.  Contrast can be valuable in showing differences, especially with characteristics worthy of value.  But, contrast can also be a very bad thing if one aspires to be more than another.  Each that is created, has value …and no one should promote certain characteristics that they view as of more value than another.

Angel:  Can I help create?

HS:  No, that is part of the learning of relationships.  The Son will create, and I and the Father are in agreement with that. Hopefully you are also content with that.

Angel:  What is contentment?

Yes, these are just the 'beginning' thoughts …but, it is not about the characters I wrote about here in these last couple short stories.  It is about the “In the beginning …” that we read about in the start of the Bible.  And there is so much there …in the first few pages.

No, I didn’t see it before …it would have been difficult for me to motivate myself to read the entire Bible, if I was to completely study at length the first few Chapters.  And besides, I felt I kind of knew the gist of the story.  Yet again, reading it again …new things seemed to surface.  I am cautious not to imagine what is not there.  But, I found there is much there that I imagined was not there.

Like I said …there is much there, and instead of repeating those things here, it may be best just to refer to other articles.  I often write down my thoughts, and then re-read what I’ve written, so I can re-think what I’ve previously thought and perhaps change my own insights.  Much of this is my own reference points.  And of course, I also need all of you to help me think it through …but, primarily both of us needing God to guide us through.

I used to imagine what Heaven would be like ...but, more often I probably thought of where it would be.  I felt it was beyond the Heavens, beyond the stars ...way beyond what we can see.

But, as I read the Book of Revelation, the last two Chapters speak of a New Jerusalem that comes down to earth.  It says there is no night, as God is the Light of this place ...and it also says the Tree of Life is there.  It is not what I imagined, but I don't want my imagination to rule ...rather, I want the truth. And this, which I read about, appears to be truly Heaven.

Now, politically ...it has been popular to some people, and very unpopular and unfair in the eyes of others to talk about a wall. But, there is a wall around the New Jerusalem ...that is approximately 200 feet high.  The average professional player can dunk a basketball reaching just over 10 feet, but this wall will be 20 times higher than the hoop.  The longest fire truck ladders only reach half that far.  

Why would the New Jerusalem need a wall??  Once people whose names are in the Book of Life arrive in Heaven, I can't imagine they would want to leave.  And most walls are not made to keep people in, they are constructed to keep people out.

But, there is more to it than that ...as the Bible says there are twelve gates.  The only purpose I can see for a gate is to allow people to pass through ...though in this case, the flow would not be unregulated, as there is an angel at each of the twelve gates.

I don't claim to know much ...and I don't know what is outside of the New Jerusalem.  But, it does seem curious about the wall and gates.

I also don't know where the lake of fire is to be ...but, the Bible says specifically that three persons are going to be forever tormented there.

The Bible says that those whose names are not written in the Book of Life, are also cast into the lake of fire ...but, technically, it does not say how long they will be there.  That has been a point of discussion (and arguments) since ...well, for seemingly forever.  And there is not much agreement as to how this is viewed.  My point though, is that I don't know why anyone would want to spend any amount of time in a lake of fire. Wouldn't it be preferable to be close to God ...in Heaven, where He is the Light and there is no darkness??

What manner of person cast into the lake of fire would not want to be out of the lake of fire??

And if it would be preferable to be closer to God ...why is that not a goal now??

Yes, if we would want to be close to God for eternity, (instead of being with the ones being tormented forever) ...why wouldn't we also want to be close to Him now??  Yet, wouldn't that also mean that we'd have to be close enough to follow Him?? And wouldn't we want directions or a guide to help us get reconnected ...in case we get separated??

Isn't being close to God accomplished by acknowledging what He has said (and obeying)??  Simply put, isn't that following Him??  I may not be a very good servant, student, or scholar ...but, I have the best teacher, leader, and Lord to rule over me.

Yes, I am a lot like you.

I fail a lot.

But, Jesus made the grade ...

Jesus balanced the books, paying the debt ...

More precisely, Jesus died ...providing a way for us.

It is our choice ...whether we follow His path.