Category Archives: Spirituality

Spirituality

Take A Holiday From Politics

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Christmas is just around the corner. This is a time of great anticipation, excitement and celebration. Don’t miss it because you prioritize your politics over your family and friends.

In 2022, the American Survey Center published a study demonstrating that 11% of respondents had stopped talking to a family member because of political differences. The real question is why. People you have known all your life have been isolated from your life because of a politician you don’t know. I know a handful of politicians. They are decent people, but don’t fool yourself. They want your money and your vote, not your friendship.

Who shows up when the shit hits the fan, your representative in Congress? No. Your family and friends arrive, and they bring reinforcements and refreshments.

Please don’t make the mistake of severing relationships over political differences. If everyone agreed with each other on all matters then there would be no divorces or wars. But we know that’s not the case.

Strong people can handle conflicts. The politicians don’t spend one nanosecond think about you, no matter what they say. A family member in isolation does, and they miss you.

Conflict resolution is messy because of pride (arrogance). Be the bigger person and start the process of reconciliation…

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Spirituality

Without Limits

We limit God’s ability. Our unbelief is our problem because God can do anything. Anything…

This is cited in the Bible. For example, in Matthew 13:57-58 the author says : “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Jesus, being fully God, could do miracles but chose not to because of their lack of belief. They really missed quite a display! Water to wine, eyesight to the blind and raising the dead, just to name a few. The important point that must not be missed is their tiny Faith was the reason they missed out.

Take a moment to consider the unlimited power of God. He doesn’t get angry with us when we doubt him. But he does want our faith to grow, not remain stagnant.

My encouragement to you is to become more reliant on God and less on yourself. No matter what you are going through, God can handle it. Let Him…

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Spirituality

Thanksgiving Week

In the United States, this is the week of Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day (always Thursday), families and friends will get together to celebrate everything they are grateful for. The day is filled with food and football. Everyone takes a moment to appreciate what they have been blessed with. But why only one day?

My belief is that we should take time to reflect on all the good in our lives every day. It’s easy to fall into the trap of taking things for granted. If you have a few dollars in your pocket, you are better off than most of the world. Life is a struggle, but some people face challenges we have no concept of. In 2025 there are still people who have to walk miles to get fresh, clean water. Think about it.

It is my hope that our world begins to be filled with gratitude. Actively practicing gratitude changes the biochemistry of our brains. Change your mind and you change your life…

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Spirituality

War Games

In two World Wars the United States was dominant. Brave men and women fought for a common cause. Did our citizens have political differences then? Of course they did. They put their differences aside and fought.

There’s a war going on inside the United States. We are fighting each other over our politics. Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Candidate Trump had two attempts on his life (two that we know of). This madness must stop.

Before the country was formed our Founding Fathers had plenty of different ideas and beliefs about what this new experiment would look like. Things got so crazy that George Washington called for a three day recess for fasting and prayer. Perhaps this is a better way to handle our internal conflicts.

We don’t need another World War to arise so we can be united. We must examine our own hearts and decide to be better. It starts with me…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

There’s A Little Bit of Clark in All of Us

Have you seen the “Vacation” movies with Chevy Chase? Chase plays the role of Clark Griswold, a chemical engineer who desperately wants to create great memories for his family. As hard as Clark tries, stuff always goes haywire and the comedy follows. But Clark never gives up.

There’s a little bit of Clark in all of us. We want to create something special for our family, but our best plans rarely turn out as planned. I fault the Hallmark movies for this. Everything is perfect in those movies, and everyone lives happily ever after in the end. My own attempts at making holidays special looked more like a sitcom than a Hallmark movie! But no one can say I didn’t try.

The holidays have arrived. The season brings enough stress on its own. People add to the stress because they want everything to be perfect. And when things go awry, the stress levels rise.

My encouragement to you is to enjoy the season. Take it in stride when unexpected surprises happen. In fact, expect them to happen.

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to create a Hallmark movie. You will have beautiful moments. Hold onto those and don’t concern yourself with the rest.

All you can do is try your best. When you give it your all, take solace in that…

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Spirituality

In Faith

We are told to “step out in faith” or to “take a leap of faith.” But what does that mean? Let’s take a look!

Faith is a verb, an action word. God can give us every victory our hearts desire, but He wants to see us trust Him in the process. God is interested in developing our character. If He gave us our wants in addition to supplying our needs, we would be a bunch of spoiled brats.

God isn’t a vending machine. His unlimited power goes on display when we rely more on Him and less on ourselves. I say let’s allow God to show off a bit. But let’s remember to give Him the credit He deserves.

This life is not about us. It’s a great ride when you put your faith in action…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Art and The Heart

The greatest art is created from the emotional side of the brain. Whether it’s music, theater, a painting or sculpture, feeling inspires the artist.

God is the original Creator. We are his artwork. Each of us is an original masterpiece. None of us are like any other. Even identical twins have different fingerprints! Coincidence? I think not. According to Albert Einstein, “coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

Everyone has a creative side. You just have to tap into it. Spend some time focusing on how you feel about things. Do it daily and watch where it goes.

And I encourage you to spend time actively practicing gratitude. Gratitude changes the biochemistry of your brain. You will begin to pay more attention to the art and beauty all around you. It has always been present, but now you notice.

Every morning, physically write down three things you are grateful for. Try this exercise for twenty one days. You will feel different, I promise. Then continue the daily practice.

You can get into your creative side. It might have been dormant for a period of time, but it has never gone away…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Enemies

Who are your enemies? Do you really have any? Generally speaking, an enemy is someone who is actively hostile towards you or someone who betrays you. We stay as far away as possible from those people. Or do we?

In this life we are surrounded by people from all walks of life. For the most part we exist together peacefully. Some days we get cut off in traffic. While we might be upset temporarily, we don’t make an enemy out of the offender.

Holding grudges might make us think the offense made someone an enemy. Unresolved problems can lead to shortened, less fulfilling lives. When the time is right, let it go. Forgive when you are ready.

Jesus taught in a counter-cultural way. He told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Huh? Pray for them? I want to see them suffer for what they did to me!

Prayer changes us. If you are harboring people you consider to be enemies in your mind, give prayer a try. Do it even if you don’t mean it. Watch how you change…

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Spirituality

I’m Obliged

Next week is the beginning of the holiday season. There are parties to attend, presents to buy, and of course the food. What a great time of year!

This is also a period of great stress. People obsess over details. They don’t want to miss anything or anyone. Too much stress can strip the holidays of any joy they might bring.

Take it all in stride. You may have obligations to fulfill, but you are obliged to yourself as well. By taking care of yourself you will be better for others. Remember this.

The holidays will pass and then we are into 2026. Don’t get so busy that you miss out on a wonderful season…

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Spirituality

Who’s Piloting the Plane?

We make plans for our lives. We set goals for our careers. Young married couples talk about their future together. These are all good things. But what do we do when our best plans go awry?

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” This is a solid reminder of who is in control. We have no idea how many car accidents or horrible situations God has protected us from behind the scenes. But we do know this: God has a plan and purpose for us being here. We can try to live it out or we can ignore it. That part God leaves in our hands.

One of the beautiful things about life is that everything in our future is unknown. Being an eternally optimistic man, I believe it’s something good. Even if whatever lies around the next corner turns out to be a dumpster fire, good can come from it.

When life throws you curveballs, swing at them. Remember who is in control, even when we think it’s us. You will get through whatever you are going through. Just keep going…

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