Tag Archives: #faith

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Gift Giving

When I was a child, I would return to school after the Christmas break and all the kids in my class had the same question: “what did you get?” We were more curious about the quality and quantity of gifts we received rather than why we celebrated Christmas.

Fast forward to today, my sons tell me I’m difficult to buy for because there isn’t anything I really want or need. That’s true! All I want is to spend time with them. They are busy building their lives and we don’t get to see each other often. So, their time is the best gift I could receive.

When I buy gifts for others, I do my best to put thought into it. What will be important to the recipient and touch them in the heart is what I’m seeking. Thoughtfulness says more than the cost or opulence of a present.

As I have gotten older and perhaps wiser, I have learned that the greatest gift we have to offer is our time. Time is something we can never get back. Spend it well…

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Spirituality

Alignment

People talk about being “aligned with the universe.” But what does that even mean?

Chiropractors realign our spine when it’s out of alignment. This relieves back pain and helps with posture. Soldiers are trained to march in a straight line, which is the true meaning of alignment. Is it possible that the new-age devotees are not using the word correctly?

Churches should remain politically neutral, yet some are using the pulpit to promote their political views. Jesus wasn’t afraid to delve into politics when he said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And Jesus was the most perfectly aligned person who has ever lived.

Alignment with the universe is another way of saying, “get aligned with God’s will for your life and you will find fulfillment.” A fulfilling life is what we are looking for. Fulfillment means our life matters. Find it by getting in touch with who you are which is different from what we do.

Aligning with the universe isn’t a bad thing. It’s really a matter of semantics…

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Spirituality

The Worst First

Every day we have certain things we are required to do. For example, Friday is trash day. Should I decide to not take the trash can out to the curb for a few weeks, someone’s gonna notice. That someone is me!

Chores are routine and boring, yet necessary. But some days we have a wrench thrown into the mix. We have a difficult conversation to have with someone, or perhaps it’s something worse that we need to do. Whatever difficulties you are facing, do the hard things first. Do not leave them hanging over your head. The challenge you face will be a constant irritation if you don’t address it quickly.

We will have challenging times on this side of eternity. We live in a broken, imperfect world.

And remember this: be kind to your fellow man. They are facing challenges that are unknown to us. We are all in this life together, and we are better together…

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Spirituality

The Cool Kids

Do you remember when you were in school and there was a group of kids who were popular? You know, the cool kids. High school days end, but we still have our identity whether we were considered cool or not.

As we age we learn what is really important and what’s not. By now we have a select group of friends. Having the right people around us is vital for healthy relationships. We need people who will be honest with us, telling us what we need to hear, not what just sounds good at the time. This can create conflict in relationships. We must find the humility in ourselves to know that what we are being told is true whether we like it or not. When we do this, we grow. And solid friendships can withstand conflict.

Our identity is who we are, not what we do. The lines can get blurred over time. Attaching our identities to our careers can cause people to lose themselves. One day they wake up and realize they don’t know themselves anymore. If this is you and you’re reading this, it’s not too late!

Take some time to get back in touch with yourself. Remember the dreams of your youth. Use your talents to benefit others. When you are have become who God created you to be, then you are one of the cool kids…

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Spirituality

The Trojan Horse

Borrowing from a story in Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse represents cunning and deception. The story was shared as a teaching metaphor. But have we learned anything from it?

Everyone has been hurt and deceived by others. We aren’t without fault because we have said or done things to others we wish we hadn’t. Forgiveness is vital for us who live in a civil society, but we cannot and should not forget. We don’t need to be anyone’s punching bag, so release the offenders from your life.

When people ask for forgiveness, we can at least consider it. You can forgive them without letting them back in your life. Their actions will tell you whether they mean it or not. What we do needs to align with what we say.

When someone who has repeatedly hurt you or lied to you wants back in your life, consider the story of the Trojan Horse. Forgive, but don’t forget. Keep the repeat offenders as far away as possible…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Commencement

Recently, I was given the privilege of being the Commencement Speaker for 15 inmates who had earned their G. E. D. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I wish everyone could attend one of these ceremonies.

Commencement means a new start, a new beginning. Even though the graduating inmates weren’t getting released from prison that day, it signified a new chapter in their lives. The look of pride each man had on his face was unmistakable. This day was special. No one could take the moment away from them.

Every moment in life is special. You won’t get this day back, so do your best to live it fully. And don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You might miss something. Stay in the moment.

I guess I did okay with my speech. I received an invitation to give the commencement speech at a women’s prison in June. And as much as I can’t wait for the day to arrive, there are a lot of moments to live between now and then…

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Spirituality

The Temple

Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem as a place where people could worship God. It’s sometimes called the first temple. The structure Solomon had built was made from the finest stone and wood. The interior was inlaid with solid gold. It must have been quite a sight.

The Bible tells us that our bodies are temples. This is not a casual observation. It is intended as a reminder of the goodness of God who gave us our bodies to live in. But it’s the whole structure: our minds, heart, lungs, kidneys…everything. We must take care of it.

Solomon never lost sight of his why in this world. He asked God for wisdom, not money or power. All those things followed because Solomon ruled fairly and with the greatest wisdom that ever existed.

Take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Your body is a temple…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Forced

Many years ago there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a character he portrayed in his comedy show named “Geraldine Jones.” In the setup, Flip, as Geraldine would get caught in some bad behavior and “she” would say, “the devil made me do it!” Although Wilson died in 1998, you can find his comedy on YouTube.

We are given the gift of free will. God doesn’t force us to do anything, and that includes loving Him. We can take care of our bodies, or we can live a sedentary lifestyle and have poor health. We can be a jerk and act like the world revolves around us, thereby alienating others. Or, we can be focused on the needs of others and end up with all the friends in the world. Remember George Bailey from the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

(There are children who are forced into forced labor and sex slavery. Always be on the lookout for them. Report suspicious activity to law enforcement).

You have a choice today, right now. Will you live today like it’s your last, or will you just let it pass you by? It really is up to you…

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Spirituality

Optimism or Dread

You have a choice. A new work week is upon us. Are you facing the week with an optimistic attitude, excited about what’s to come? Or perhaps you are one of the millions of people who are just trying to make it through to another weekend.

Working at a job that lacks fulfillment is prevalent across society. It doesn’t have to be this way, but there is the challenge people face. What to do about it when I have a mortgage, car payments, taxes and food to pay for. It does require money to live.

Life is full of trade-offs. I trade some of my time off to pursue night school. Or I can remain where I am and continue the cycle, the grind.

Going back to school is just one example. You can start a garden and sell vegetables at a local Farmer’s Market. You can take acting classes. It really is up to you to decide how to use your time.

Take a moment and ask God to show you the way. You might not get an immediate answer, but you will get an answer. Then it’s up to you to take action.

It’s time to wake up every day with the attitude that you can’t wait to get started!

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Born Against

We are naturally rebellious. Parents don’t have to teach their little children bad behavior. And the teenage years are when the resistance really flourishes.

We live in an imperfect world. Imperfection is shown in more than just the breakdown of families. We have allowed our environment to become polluted. Human rights are non-existent in many countries. People are starving in the slums of third-world countries. It’s almost overwhelming to think about.

Since the day you were born, you have had an invisible enemy who wants to destroy you and everything good in your life. I’m talking about spiritual warfare, the unseen battles that are going on around us. Just because we can’t see them doesn’t make them less real.

Pray. Pray for your loved ones, the people you have hurt. Pray for the little children who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Pray for the people who are about to give up and are considering ending it all. Just pray.

God is the only one who can change the heart of mankind. Pray for a miracle…

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