Monthly Archives: September 2025

Spirituality

The Politicization of Jesus

Was Jesus a Republican or a Democrat? When you read the narrative of either party, they want you to you think he was one of them.

Jesus wasn’t overtly political. He told the citizens to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” The Pharisees were, once again, trying to trap Jesus. They were greatly outmatched.

Jesus cared for the people. He hung out with the sinners, the tax collectors and even a prostitute was in his inner sphere. He accepted all and called out the hypocrites.

Recently, Senator Tim Kaine stated that “our rights are given to us by the government, not by God.” I guess he’s never read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. It’s clearly spelled out that our unalienable rights are granted by our Creator. There are some in Washington who would love to remove God from society.

I’m unsure of Jesus’s political beliefs. I have an idea, but I might be mistaken. But one thing I know for certain is, Jesus stood for what is right. Justice transcends politics…

Standard
Spirituality

Unsolved Mysteries

If curiosity killed the cat, then I have beaten the odds. My insatiable curiosity has outlived well over nine lives.

Unsolved mysteries fascinate me. Consider Stonehenge. Those stones weigh 50,000 pounds each, and they would have been transported twenty miles. But for what reason? They are a group of stones set in a circle.

What about Flight MH370? It left Malaysia in 2014, bound for China. At one point the transponder was turned off and the plane turned south. It eventually crashed in the Indian Ocean. Wing fragments and other debris were found, but the black box remains missing. I’m curious why the pilot turned away from his destination, yet the copilot didn’t intervene.

I love documentaries about mysteries. Mysteries of The Bible is a great one. Unsolved mysteries are a rabbit hole that is never ending.

Keeping your mind active and thinking about things will extend your life. You gotta do more than crossword puzzles. Find your interests…

Standard
Spirituality

The Broken Commandment

When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, the first commandment was “you shall have no God before me.” It sounds simple enough, right? Not necessarily.

Do you put God first every morning when you wake up, and keep him first all day? I thank God every day when I open my eyes, but there are a lot of distractions that follow. My phone, email and other things can take my mind off of God. The devil lays a lot of traps for us.

There are only Ten Commandments. You would think I could observe and follow only ten things. But I don’t even win the battle of the first commandment. Fortunately, we serve a merciful, forgiving God who is always on our side.

God wants the heart of man. And he will change your heart if you allow him in…

Standard
Spirituality

Without a Net

Sometimes life presents us with opportunities. And sometimes those opportunities are not asked for, nor are they welcomed.

Last night I was having drinks with a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in a while. We have spoken but our calendars didn’t align until yesterday. Two years ago this month, his oldest son took his own life. It’s one of those heartbreaking stories of loss. This is a good family which makes it even harder.

My friend manages a charitable thrift shop. The other thing the store does is run a food pantry. Every Saturday, they give away 1,500 boxes of food. Three years ago it was around 250 boxes per week. They are helping thousands of people in the Central Texas area.

My friend got a new boss a while back. His supervisor is good at looking at the bottom line because he quickly noticed the store loses money. This man completely misses the point. The store is underwritten by a very large church. It’s charity. This “supervisor” put my friend on notice that he was in danger of losing his job if the bottom line doesn’t improve. What a tool.

My friend wants to do something to help others who have lost a child. Empathy is shared experience, and he can listen, understand and guide others who find themselves in similar situations.

My thoughts are, perhaps God is doing my friend a favor by presenting him with this fork in the road. My hope is he steps out without a safety net and lets God steer his steps. He’s a good, good hearted guy who can make a difference. And isn’t that what makes this crazy life worthwhile?

It’s time. Trusting God when you’re scared is an indescribable act of faith. It’s time…

Standard
Spirituality

Holding On

There’s a television show I have heard about called “Hoarders.” The theme of the show is to feature people who struggle with Compulsive Hoarding Disorder. They can’t let anything go and end up living in a practical junkyard.

Even people who don’t have a malady hold on tightly to stuff, including life. They use Botox and photo filters to try to remain youthful. And the medical profession has a multitude of drugs to extend our lives if we haven’t taken care of ourselves. Everyone wants just a little more.

I have three thoughts on death: 1) I’m not afraid of it because I know where I’m going. 2) I’m not ready for it. And, 3) I don’t want it to hurt! Pretty simple, huh? But when that inevitable time comes, I’m going to perfection while leaving a broken planet. Why hold on?

Create beautiful memories while you are here. Try to live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling. Hold on to the good people in your life. You hold them in your heart…

Standard
Spirituality

Remember When…

What a great time to be alive! We have self-driving cars, immediate access to the internet without going through a squawking box, robotic surgery and way too many other incredible things to list. I’m constantly amazed at what I see.

But with all of the modern marvels in our world, let’s not forget the most important part: people. People are important. All people. It matters not whether they are poor or have great resources. Everyone matters.

Our world is facing an enormous challenge. We live in the most connected era ever, yet more people than ever are experiencing loneliness. According to many polls, about 20% of our population are experiencing loneliness and isolation. It doesn’t have to be this way.

If you haven’t heard from your friends in a while, take a moment to reach out and check on them. Your simple act of kindness might be exactly what someone needs right now. Take the time…

Standard
Spirituality

The Home Stretch

September has arrived! We are in the final one-third of the calendar year. How did the year fly by so quickly? Someone told me they even saw a Christmas ad on television recently.

Did you set any goals for 2025? Sometimes we call them resolutions. Studies show that over 90% of the population set them, and a majority abandon them before the end of January. If you are in the majority, don’t beat yourself up. Take action.

Here’s a proposal: set one goal for the last four months of the year. Maybe you begin an exercise program three days per week. Broken down into smaller increments, you are committing to exercise a total of 54 times between now and December 31st. Now the goal doesn’t seem so high, right? By the time 2026 arrives you will be well on your way!

Flip the script on life. Adopt the attitude that no matter what life throws your way, you will get your weekly goal accomplished. It’s not too late to regain your health and wellness unless you believe it is.

Take care of yourself. Be accountable, but don’t knock yourself around when mistakes happen. There are plenty of low thinkers around to do that. Pay no attention to them.

Believe in yourself and get to work…

Standard
Spirituality

Practice

Do you want to learn a new skill? If your answer is yes, I have a practical solution for you.

Commit to studying or practicing for 20 minutes per day. No outside distractions. No phone or computer. Just focused effort. Over the course of one year, you will have accomplished 120 hours of study/practice time if you’re doing 20 minutes per day.

Consistency is the most important piece of this equation. Don’t take days off. Not even one day. Within a few weeks you will have formed a new habit. Your proficiency will grow if you stay with it.

Learning something new is both exciting and challenging. Try it! After all, your personal growth is worth more than 20 minutes a day…

Standard