7-17-02, Sunday Journal
TOMARANU KOKORO
By Dalton Roberts
IPS Features
Among
samurai warriors this means "developing a mind that knows no
stopping." I recall when Jesus was heading into Jerusalem for his final
showdown with the religious powers of His day, it said, "He set his face
toward Jerusalem." It gave me a mental picture of concrete because we speak
of concrete setting – getting hard.
Back in ‘84 I was studying samurai warriors as models for success in life. I
liked "tomaranu kokoro." It has a ring to it. And it delivered a
mental picture to me of Jesus setting his face like concrete toward the
accomplishment of his mission.
We operate more often than not unconsciously in our mental images. Like once I
knew a mother who was always telling her brilliant son, "You'll never
amount to anything. You'll be just like your uncle and waste your life
catfishing down on the river." Know what? That's exactly what he did and I
am positive he had a mental picture of his uncle that propelled him in that
direction.
Another image I have of developing a mind that knows no stopping (tomaranu
kokoro) is a mule at the sorghum mill. This one helps me with those plodding,
necessary tasks of life. The mule just keeps plodding forward, grinding the
juice out of the sugar cane.
Even though plodding isn't an exciting picture, making sugar juice is. In every
necessary task of life we are making something sweet from our hard work. Keeping
our mind on that "juice" keeps us moving. It's our "tomaranu
kokoro."
RESTORING LOCUST-EATEN YEARS
Back in ‘88 I was writing in my journal, "Our lives are our picture
shows." As I meditated on that thought today, I remembered a verse from
Joel that used to baffle me: "I will restore unto you the years the locust
has eaten."
How is that possible? The same way we would edit a picture show.
A friend said, "Oh Brother Where Art Thou would have been perfect if it
wasn't for that scene where the thief beats the two stars up mercilessly."
Well, I can't edit that one without buying the film and copying it without that
scene. But we can edit out much of our own lives.
How? One way is forgiveness. When we make peace with an old enemy, it's like the
years of enmity are erased. Another way is reframing old scenes on the basis of
what we have learned since they happened. Ever notice how many things that
almost kill us, like losing a lover, are later viewed as great blessings?
Take back your life from the locusts. Edit your picture show. It's not denial.
It is using the creative powers of your own mind.
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