Who am I? Sermon 6-8-08

     I grew up in many places across the USA. My childhood was a series of culling belongings and moving on. I learned early on to value the small portable things in my life. It always amazed me that we could pack over night. The total of our household fit in the car.

     I learned how to build my own furniture when we arrived at the new place. I found a deep love for working with wood and improvising when that was not available. To this day I enjoy creating useful things in my life and as gifts. I heard a quote a while back that could easily be recognizable in representing my life. “The difficult will be finished tomorrow; the impossible will take a little longer.” There was a definite can do attitude in my family.

     My Dad always told me that I could accomplish anything I wanted if I set my mind to it. My Mom lived this motto when she wanted to go back to study at the University. She was already an RN. She wanted to become an Archeologist. Well it turned out to be more difficult than just enrolling and taking classes.

     The University had decided that the demand for that Degree Program was too low to merit the resources. My Mom disagreed. She set up a table outside the building that the Department had the remaining classes. With Persistence, Personality, and Patience she got so many signatures on her Petition for Re-instatement of the Department as a Degree Program that she single handedly got it refunded and re-instated. I was very proud of her. She got her Degree 4 years later, going part time. She later went for Masters.

     Well it must be the Pioneer Stock we come from. If you were a Quitter you died. I do not know of anyone in our family that is a Quitter. I remember something my Dad told me when I was tiring during a race/ competition/ or ordeal. He used to say or yell if it was the place for it, “Big Finish!”. It pretty much summed it up. At that encouragement I would find a reservoir of strength, determination, and will to put on a last burst of speed.

     During my childhood my parents wanted to help me with projects. When I did I wound up with very beautiful finished projects but it was not my work. I realize now that I am not the first kid to get that kind of “Help”. I rebelled in my own way. I wanted my successes or failures to come from me. With that in mind I was challenged many times and did my own work. The most notable was in High School.

     I loved Science. I took every class allowed to keep me entertained. There was a Science Fair coming up. There were some kids that had planned on this for the whole year. I had not even thought about it. A fellow student came to me teasing me that I should thank my lucky stars that I had not entered, because I did not have a chance anyway. Well when it was put that way I could not resist. I entered with an idea that had been bouncing around in my head. Did a simple experiment to demonstrate it and won first place in the life science division. My Parents did not know because I had not told them. I was surprised when they showed up at the award ceremony. My Brother had spilled the beans.

     I try to find each lesson that is inherent in all the experiences of my life.  I have lived and traveled in most of the US.  I have had the privilege of meeting many diverse people. I have learned to see better that the hopes of most people are very simple. To be loved. To be appreciated. To have a purpose to give life meaning.  I waited for this Gospel most of my life. I feel that one of my purposes is too share this great gift that has been hidden for two thousand years, with a hurting world. I believe that there is something in it for just about everyone.

     I lived in Hawaii for 5 years. I had my first experience of Racial profiling there. As an outsider who was not born in Hawaii I was not welcomed. When I tried to further my Massage Therapy Training I was scammed and gouged by the Local Massage Industries Protectionist policies. As a White I could not find a job though I have a very diverse Resume.

     As a result I looked in other directions to build a life there. Luckily I had a Partner to feed me and some savings to invest in farm land. I had always enjoyed working with Goats. Now was my chance to build a farm of my own.

     I realized there was a demand for native trees to be used by local landscapers. With my knack for starting seeds I set out to grow starter trees to fill that need.  

     As a Goat herder I learned how a special bond can form between my Kids and me. I bought them at 3 days old and bottle fed them to adulthood. They had independent personalities, but looked to me for guidance. I fed all the babies of the herd by hand so they would know me, as God feeds us from God's hand so that we can know God as our Parent.

     I currently live in Galveston, Texas, USA. I am a Minister, Writer, Goat herder, Farmer, RMT and I work in a Hospital. As far as I know I am the first Evangelist for the Church of Thomas. I feel that it is time for more people to hear its messages. I am new to the internet. As I learn more about how the internet works I realize that Jesus would have used it to talk with the World if he were Ministering on Earth today.

  My prayer is that the words of Jesus will sound like a trumpet through this online Ministry and the Church of Thomas. The Church of Thomas was founded by the Apostle Thomas. He was the Fraternal Twin of Jesus.

  You will find that The Church of Thomas is not your written in stone variety of Church. All the people of the world are considered potential Ministers. The emphasis in our Denomination is to put faith in God's Love into Action.

  My wish is to inspire and Awaken the Next Generation of Angels. The book I have in print will pave the way. It is called "Awakenings in an age of Angels".

  God misses talking with every person on Earth. Take a few minutes of your day to say "I Love you" to your Creator.

  In the old tradition of the Bible, I will refer to God as 'The One', a short version of 'The One with No Name'. When I pray I call God, Dad or Mom, depending on my need. I do this because in the Church of Thomas be believe that God has no Gender.   

  After much Prayer I finally found the Gospel that I knew in my heart had to exist. We are an Oral Tradition so did not have a written Gospel to quote. It is called The Gospel of Thomas. I had been told that it was impossible to understand. When I read it the first time I did not doubt the meaning of any of the verses. This Gospel as I understand it, I have written is called Reconciler Gospel of Thomas. I give it away for free because its time has come. In my eyes it was a gift from God, since God led me to it.
   I found references to many modern things that could not have been understood when the Gospel was written. There are references to String Theory, prosthetics, plastic surgery, and the beginning of the Universe.
   Angels figure prominently in the verses as well. It talks about how to live closer to God. A copy of the Reconciler Gospel of Thomas is on the Tripod website for you to see and study.
   I have found through Dreams and Visions that my lifelong understanding of the role of Angels is correct. They have been teachers of humanity since the first person recognized Messengers of God. God is training humanity to be able to recognize the divine that surrounds them. It has been a long haul to help people as they matured towards God. With as much Evil that is in the world, Angels keep the light of hope burning. 

     Well that is a little snap shot of me.

God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions.

Angel Eliza