85%

    Praise the Lord, today I completed 85% of my sentence for Count #2. My accrued/"banked" earned credit/"good boy" days became activated and then fulfilled/discharged the remainder of my Count #2 sentence today. 3723 days down and, if worse comes to worse, 2482 days left to go as I begin to serve my Count #3 sentence. However, I currently have my Commutation Packet and Parole Packet under consideration. I have already signed my lower security/minimum transfer paperwork. I won't serve the entirety of this sentence for Count #3 for which my prodigal Absalom/Kylo accuses me of leering at him (or rather Det. Baumann and ADA McAmis created a weaponized false allegation of to then accuse me of on his behalf).

    Returning from this exile is so close it is palpable. A recently released report by forward.us (fwd.us) continues to show Oklahoma has the highest incarceration rate in the nation. The state has no more financial incentive to keep us locked up. Corporate greed and covid induced inflation have raised the cost of all food items and energy costs. Fortunately, newer Federal regulations require the state to maintain certain nutritional standards, mandated a higher degree of medical treatment, and provide year-round heat/AC, which all drive up costs. These are all areas that Oklahoma has skirted for decades, which they now must pony up for. Because Gov. Stitt began the process of discontinuing the use of private for-profit prisons, there is now no more financial incentives for counties to adjudicate all of these consecutive and extremely lengthy sentences.     Exile can take a toll on a person, but mine is quickly coming to an end! I've tried to refrain from adopting an institutionalized mentality while surrounded by the most ashewed our state has to offer. I recently listened to a podcast series by Rick Warren about Resuming Life After Captivity. He gleans and then offers some advice from the post captivity Prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi: 1. EXPECT to feel mixed emotions when returning from captivity. In Ezra 3:8-13 some (mostly young folks) celebrated, and some (mostly older folks) grieved, weeping and rejoicing, upon return home. I'm ready to laugh and cry, to even miss the familiarity of strangers I'll be leaving behind. 2. EXTRACT the lessons learned and write them down (Galatians 3:4). Record the spiritual truths learned in pain......if you're reading this blog, you know I've been doing that. 3. EVALUATE everything before automatically resuming it; Haggai 1:5-6 and 2:15,17-18 admonishes us that returning from exile is a rare opportunity to reset my entire life (again); to develop new habits and patterns; as Socrates said, the unexamined life is not worth living; Proverbs 19:2 encourages that zeal without knowledge is not a good thing; don't move too quickly......I need to go only after those things that I am passionate and excited about. 4. ENGAGE slowly. Don't be in a rush to restart everything all at once......I am a decade older and need to be choosy over how I spend my time and my physical/mental energies. Habakkuk 2:3 and Exodus 23:29-30 says to seek God's plan for my future realizing it won't all happen at once. In God's sovereign plan delays are always for my benefit. He works little by little every day. 5. ELIMINATE the non-essentials. Hebrews 12:1, 1 Corinthians 6:12, and Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to run your race, throw off the weight that hinders you down, get rid of old attitudes and expectations.

6. EXCEL at what really matters most. Psalms 90:12, Proverbs 17:24, and Luke 10:41-42 remind me that time is my most precious commodity, to live on purpose, and to keep the number one thing the number one thing 7. EMBRACE the new things that God does. In Isaiah 43:18-19 the prophet says to not dwell on the past because God is doing a new thing. 8. EXPECT incremental change. Proverbs 13:11, 28:20, and Isaiah 26:3-4 encourage that God works faithfully little by little even for my future financial security.     Victory over my prodigal's weaponized false allegation of abuse is quickly coming my way. Upon my return from my exile, I realize that time is my most valuable commodity (Psalms 90:12). I am a decade older and need to be choosy over how I spend my time as well as my physical and mental energies. I need to be hyper focused on my ministry, family, and financial goals as I only have 35-40 years to achieve them.     Elizabeth, the former Queen of England said, "I need to remember that each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God." I understand and echo her sentiments.     Now more than ever I need to place a watch on my lips and tongue. Adhering to Proverbs 4 I need to continue in my sobriety and avoid pathways (websites) that are not healthy for me. I need to let the tongues of my shoes speak louder than the one in my mouth.     I need to immediately focus on learning more about becoming a digey in a gig economy. I need to focus on skill stacking, knowing everything about my new profession or business, how the pieces fit together, and cross training in all areas of potentiality. I need to figure out how to reintroduce myself to a post-covid, post-trump, post-George Floyd society.     Emancipation will bring so many restored freedoms. I need to seek wisdom on how to use social media to my benefit for both curation and keeping it 100. I want to BeReal (app that sends all users a notice to immediately post a picture of where they are and what they are doing. The app utilizes both front and reverse facing cameras simultaneously) while tempering that with BeAccountable (I'm going to make my parole officer my best friend with daily texts and pin drops), and BePrivate.     Naysayers will be waiting for me as I return from my exile, just as they were for the Israelites. I will trust King Jesus to take care of the naysayers while I go about continuing to find and follow His will for me. Exodus 23:20 says that little by little God will drive the enemies away. Even Noah had to wait while the flood waters gradually receded before he and his loved ones could begin to rebuild. I'll let Him deal with the doom scrolling rage farmers while I walk out of my exile and into the family, the ministry, the employment, the house, the car, and the future He has set aside for me.     Truth be told, I'm never going to be the person I was, but I don't yet know the person I'm meant to be. I'm never going to have the life I had, but I don't yet know the life I'm meant to have. And I am OK with that......I'm just so ready to move forward expecting, extracting, evaluating, engaging, eliminating, excelling, and expecting to discover what King Jesus has in store for me. #prevenient