Category Archives: Spirituality

Spirituality

The Thinking Game

We live in a meme culture. People see a headline they love and share it as dictum without investigating it. There’s so much stuff thrown our way that no working person has time to check it all out.

God gave us the greatest gift when He gave us our brains. Filled with 86 billion neurons, each with the ability to fire hundreds of times per second, our brains are more powerful than a nuclear reactor. Yet we only use a small part of it.

Thinking has almost become a lost art form. From what I’ve read, many colleges and universities have been teaching students what to think rather than how to think. The results are a mindless society.

Parents are our children’s first teachers. Solid families with strong values are more likely to engage in constructive dialogue. Communication is part of thought.

When you see a meme that piques your interest, stop and ask yourself if it really makes sense. Then ask yourself a better question: does it matter?

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Spirituality

Just Visiting

Everyone has a past but we live in the present. Mistakes, failures and regrets are forever stored in our subconscious mind. The past tends to make an appearance when we are trying something new or changing a habit.

We cannot allow past mistakes to stop us. We were created for a greater purpose than many are living. We stop ourselves. No one else has that power. The truth is, the fear of failure has stopped more people than lack of talent ever has.

We learn from the mistakes we made. They can be used if we are willing to try again. And again. And again.

When the past rears its ugly head, and it does for everyone, remember that it’s just paying a visit. Keep it where it belongs. Stay focused on the future while living in the present.

The world is waiting to hear from you…

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Spirituality

Unseen Power

What comes to mind when you think of power? Perhaps money, position or connections are part of the mix. This is what we see but they are nothing when compared to the unseen power of God.

There have been countless times in my life where God has saved me from myself. I’m sure you have a few stories of your own. These experiences are what I have seen, and I know the source.

Let’s consider what we don’t see. Gravity works every day. The earth rotates around the sun without pause, and the sun is at the exact distance we need to sustain life. The stars hang in the sky. I could go on and on until I break the internet!

Most of my prayers are prayers of gratitude. We all take things for granted. Yet each day is both a gift and an opportunity to make a difference.

Make your own mark on the world. You were born in this era to make a difference. Always remember where your power to influence comes from. It doesn’t come from ourselves…

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Spirituality

Convenience

When United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was six years old, he and his mom and sibling moved into his grandparents home. Little Clarence would sit in the bathroom for hours flushing the toilet. He was amazed by it. You see, up until this time he had never experienced indoor plumbing. He didn’t even have an outhouse. Only a creek behind the shanty where they lived.

Entire industries have been created by the desire for convenience, to make life easier. Think about it. There’s an “easy chair,” fast food and 7-11 convenience stores. Henry Ford didn’t invent the assembly line. He perfected it. I immediately embraced the technology of a Keurig, and I don’t know what I would do without it!

The convenient or easy way isn’t always the route to take. Forgiveness isn’t automatic. It takes time. Healing from past trauma takes a lot of work. There’s no easy path to being made whole again. But God has given us a way through.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it did get built. Your life is built on a foundation of either substance or quicksand. Choose wisely…

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Spirituality

The Spirit of Christmas

I have a friend, Bert Simon, who goes all out for Christmas. He puts up a ton of lights and has two Christmas trees. There’s nothing unusual about this except that Bert is Jewish. In his words, “Christmas is a positive holiday, and I’ll celebrate anything positive.”

Bert gets it. During the holidays, people are nicer. They come together in a spirit of unity and togetherness. It’s a beautiful thing to witness. I’m curious why it isn’t this way all year long. It can be.

Many of us are extremely fortunate. It’s important to remember those who have not experienced the blessings we have received. The homeless, inmates in prison, and those who have experienced loss aren’t feeling the same sense of joy as the rest of us. Everyone is equally important in the eyes of the Creator. God cares about the poor, the marginalized and those in prison.

I’m grateful for a lot of things, and I’m thankful to have Bert as a friend. I have never seen him without a big smile on his face. By his actions, he is bringing light into the world every day. We can, too…

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Spirituality

Are You Talking to Me?

Great communication is one of the foundations of relationships. You build trust when the words of people align with their actions.

How are you talking to yourself? We spend a lot of time inside our heads. Too much, sometimes. We must be honest with ourselves while, at the same time, forgive ourselves for the things we wish we hadn’t said or done. All of us make mistakes. That’s how we learn. These are useful lessons but we don’t need to drag ourselves through the mud and mire repeatedly.

Focus on the good you have done. Keep those moments in the forefront of your mind. Mistakes from the past are always stored in the subconscious. Acknowledge them but don’t dwell on them.

Remember that the road less traveled is not the easy road. There are potholes and curves along the way. Find it in yourself to keep going when everything inside of you wants to turn back. Just keep going no matter what happens…

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Spirituality

I’m Trying

Did you have any bad habits you need to break? It is my belief that all of us have room for improvement. Perhaps we need to drop a few pounds, stop being judgmental of others, or something else. Let’s take a look.

A habit is only bad if it causes harm to you or others. Abusing alcohol has ill effects on all the organs of the body. In addition to the physical damage, it’s awful to be around a drunk. But rational thought goes away if someone wants to get drunk. Let’s hope they don’t get in a car, have an accident and cause irreparable harm.

If there is something you want to change, you can if you really want to. It takes more than willpower alone. Ask God for help. He cares about every detail of our lives. He will show up. Every single time.

The New Year is going to be here soon. Make a decision to change one thing in your life. Think about what you are gaining, not the bad habit you are eliminating. Break it down to one day at a time.

Finally, write your goals down. Physically write them. Review them daily. If you experience a setback, get right back up and try again.

You can do anything you set your mind to. Anything…

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Spirituality

Works

Do you enjoy your life’s work? I believe it’s important that we have a fulfilling career, the kind you would do for free if you could.

God has given us work to do on this side of eternity. In many cases this is different from our career. This is where service and action meet. It’s an intersection you can avoid if you want to. Or you can dig in, get your hands dirty and serve others. The choice is always yours.

People are important. All people. In Austin where I live, there are panhandlers on every street corner. It’s impossible to know who has a legitimate need and who is conning people. I’ve had experience with both. I don’t give out money, but I will buy people a sandwich. You can, too, if you feel compelled. Only give if you feel moved to from the heart. Never give out of guilt.

We are in the season of giving. There are endless opportunities to help. In The Book of James we are reminded that “faith without works is dead.” God uses people to accomplish his will on earth.

Always stay in gratitude. If you have a few dollars in your pocket you are better off than 90% of the world. Focus on what you have, not what you lack…

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Spirituality

Echoes of the Past

Creating wonderful experiences with your friends and family turns into beautiful memories. They not only give us something to remember fondly, but we feel encouraged to create more of them.

Have you ever heard of triggers? Triggers are stimuli that cause a sudden, intense emotional reaction. The mind stores everything. Triggers are oftentimes a warning signal. The mind is trying to protect us from something even when we don’t understand what is going on.

The holidays can trigger me. From my observation there are many like me. Don’t misunderstand, I love the holidays but they evoke memories of disappointment. Perhaps the Christmas movies set a false expectation. On the other hand, those perfect holiday films give us something to strive for. We must keep believing.

I snap out of my funk by doing for others. Selecting thoughtful gifts for my children brings me great joy. I believe that when we are giving of ourselves we reflect the light of our Creator. Thinking of others removes our selfish nature.

Unresolved traumas can bring ugly echoes of the past. I encourage you to work through them. It’s not easy, but anything worthwhile never is. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you’ll get there…

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Spirituality

Curves

Farm-to-Market Road 1431 connects north Austin to a small town called Marble Falls. The drive is beautiful, filled with hills, curves and a lot of greenery. It’s hard to keep your eyes on the road because it’s so pretty.

Life itself has its own share of curves. Much of life can be routine, boring even, Then you have a curveball thrown at you. Something out of the ordinary disrupts your flow, sometimes causing great stress. We must be able to hit the curveballs, too.

My encouragement to you is to expect the unexpected. Don’t fear or dread the disruptions. Welcome them. See difficulties as opportunities to grow and learn.

Life on this side of eternity is going to have challenges. When you are going through a dark time, always remember that resilience is built in the hard times, not when things are easy. Just keep going no matter what happens…

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