And speaking of the word, I give you mine that this blog will not be entirely devoted to Biblical perspectives. (Today’s title refers to John 1:1) But, what I will offer as a primary thread, is a synthesis of lessons I’ve collected mostly from intensive reading and study in the last year and previously. As mentioned in my first post, I was locked up for 10 1/2 months in the county jail (more on that in a future post) and began this blog after release to a rehab house in central Connecticut.

Many inmates “find” God in jail, whether his name be Jesus, Allah, Jah, Yahweh, Krishna, and so forth. What I like to say is that before lock-up, I knew God, but I didn’t know God. As my court dates were repeatedly postponed, it became apparent that I would have time to really study the Bible in a scholarly fashion, more like a text book than a mystical tome. And this prophesy, if you will, came true; the more I “studied” the scripture, guided by pamphlets like ‘The Daily Bread’ provided by the jail ministry, the more exciting the lessons became. After a few months I could make connections, follow story lines and unveil the messages and guideposts I had been looking for in the first place.

When I moved, penniless and skirting homelessness, from the Hudson Valley (NY) back to my childhood home in Fairfield County (after my dear mother passed, God keep her soul), my father and I returned to attending Sunday services at the church in which I grew up; where I attended Sunday school, was confirmed, and played drums in the praise band, before they were called praise bands.

This time around, to an adult who had been around the block a few times, these services delivered a different message. For some reason (maturity? acceptance?) the sermons began to really make sense and captured more of my attention. Some new blood in the ministry (an assistant minister, also a musician and bike rider, about my age, plus a visiting pastor who preached all over the country) were enlivening the scripture for me, and thus began my second “reformation”, little knowing that a third and greater one was still to appear.

I’ll close this post with a preview/tasting menu of things to come; As much as I’ve learned from studying “the good book,” it always was, and still is, my intention to absorb and integrate lessons and inspiration from other sources. Thus, if you decide to tag along with me on this funky path, we’ll hopefully share some learned direction, sage advice from various sources, an ample serving of comfort, plus a large slice of humor (to wit, Mel Brooks has finally made good on his decades-old promise to release “History of the World Part II”**) One thing I can tell you is, you’ll never have to ask me, ‘was it good for you too?’ 🙂

** Update: I was just informed that “HOTW2” is not a film, but a series streaming on Hulu. Viewer comments and reviews are encouraged.