Tag Archives: #faith

Spirituality

Simply Said

Have you ever listened to someone who uses a lot of lesser known words to make themselves sound smarter than they are? Those types will drone on and on and all I can think is, no one speaks this way in everyday conversation.

I have had a good number of teachers who made learning interesting. Chemistry became a class I looked forward to because the professor was an excellent teacher. We were learning advanced chemical combinations but we were really learning them. It made sense.

A phrase I repeat often is, less is more. If something can be adequately explained in 20 seconds or less, then there is no reason to turn it into an hour. Speak clearly and precisely and you will become known as an excellent communicator.

Always remember, less is more. Actions matter. And I will finish with a quote from St. Francis: “Preach the Gospel often. Use words when necessary…”

Standard
Spirituality

Reflecting

This morning I learned that a girl I used to know had passed away last night. While I haven’t seen her in decades, it still affects me. You see, she was a bright light in this world. Our world became a little darker without her in it.

We remember the people from our past. School friends, old girlfriends and even those who briefly passed through our lives are all in the mix. We hold them in our hearts. They have been a part of who we have become. I will always treasure the good people.

All of us are on the train to our final destination. The train ride began when we were born. It’s a great ride most of the time. There’s an occasional tunnel to pass through, but we come out of it. Then one day the conductor will say, “yours is the next stop.”

Life doesn’t end when we leave this world. We live on in eternity where there is peace and perfection. Make your difference on this side before the conductor stops by your seat.

Live with purpose…

Standard
Spirituality

Willful Blindness

James was the half-brother of Jesus. He didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah until the resurrection. Could you imagine growing up having Jesus as your older brother? The kid never did anything wrong so you couldn’t blame him for anything!

The Book of James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. James has been referred to as the “in your face” Apostle because he talks straight. No ambiguity. The book is only five chapters but he packs a lot into it.

James 4:17 says “ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” This is haunting. Lots of things can distract us from doing good.

Let’s face it, sin is fun. If it wasn’t everyone would be good all the time. Sinful desires will tug at us all our lives. Yet, we aren’t powerless over it. God promises us a way out. Since God cannot lie, I believe it.

We will face temptation all our life. Let’s try to replace it by doing what is good and right. Then we will have the satisfaction of knowing we are living in God’s will…

Standard
Spirituality

Armed and Dangerous

You and I are carrying a weapon of mass destruction. Did you know you are armed and dangerous? Very dangerous, actually.

The weapon I’m talking about is our tongue. The words we say to others, and ourselves, can be used to encourage others or they may be used for harm.

What we say can reverberate for generations. Consider the quotes from history that were offered by JFK, Abraham Lincoln, Churchill and countless others. They have inspired millions for good. Those great men and their legacies are countered by Nikita Khrushchev who vowed that the communists would “bury us, and they wouldn’t have to fire a shot.” They haven’t quit trying.

God gave us free will over our words and actions. He doesn’t want us to use them to hurt others. We should offer constructive criticism in private and leave the ridicule and name calling to the low thinkers. Aim higher.

In prisons, I have met so many people who are carrying pain from the words of others, oftentimes from family members. Sadly, they believe they are worthless and don’t matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone is important. Everyone matters.

My encouragement to you (and me) is to hold our tongues as best we can. Not everything needs a response. Not everyone deserves a response…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Before You Begin

New week, new you, right? People begin changing their lives at the beginning of the week. A large percentage will abandon their goals before they have accomplished what they set out to do. There is a way to place yourself in the minority who succeed.

Before you begin, you must recognize that the battle is in your mind. It doesn’t require physical willpower to effect change. The change you desire can be made when you win the fight over your old ways of thinking.

Your mind is powerful. Really powerful. How we think will determine our outcomes. If you want better health, become health conscious. Keep your thoughts focused on the healthiest version of yourself and put blinders on to anything else. This works with time management, finances, even spiritual growth.

After a while your mind will take over. If you start thinking about going back to old, bad habits, your mind will stop you. When this happens you know you have retrained your brain. Victory!

The fight for the life you want is fought between your ears, not in the physical world. Change your thoughts and change your life…

Standard
Spirituality

Trading Places

Do you ever look at someone else’s life and wish that was you? Maybe you would love to trade places with them if even for just one day. That might not be a bad idea.

People are great actors yet they don’t receive awards for the parts they play in real life. They might be falling apart inside but you would never know it. The great comedian Robin Williams took his own life and he had everything so many want. His brilliant comedy masked the pain he was carrying inside, a pain that never goes away.

If you were able to trade places with someone who you believe has it all together, you would see that they don’t. Everyone has challenges. Others are dealing with different problems than you, but they still have them.

God gave you the life you have. He has equipped you with everything you need to thrive, to find fulfillment. God never said it would be easy, nor did he say this side of eternity would be perfect. He did say our faith would be shaken. Mine has been. Yours probably has been, too.

Keep your mind focused on your purpose. Everyone has one. Find yours and give it everything in you…

Standard
Spirituality

Originality

The meme creators are having a field day! I must admit, there are some seriously funny, creative people out there. But some of the creations are intended for harm.

People share others creations readily on social media without checking the veracity of it. The volume of stuff is too much for a successful person to investigate. Time is precious and time is limited. We have to use it wisely.

Some of the inaccuracies are meant to influence young people. Misleading a child is one of the most heinous things that someone can do. When people hurt children I tend to go al-Qaeda on them.

My encouragement to you is, get on the creative side of your brain. Create original material, stuff that will inspire and encourage others. You are an original creation made for a purpose by the Creator of everything good. Use your talents. Keeping them hidden helps no one…

Standard
Spirituality

It All Started With A Mouse

Walt Disney is a name that is recognized all over the world. Disney was born in 1901 and raised in an abusive home. It was so bad that two of Disneys older brothers ran away from home before finishing high school. Walt tried to escape by enlisting in the military to fight in World War I, but was rejected, being only 15 years old at the time.

When he was in his 20’s, Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded Disney Brothers Studio in 1923. His first animated character was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Through a series of underhanded moves by a competitor, Oswald was stolen from Disney. Oswald never made it big but Walt’s next character did. You know him as Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse first appeared in “Steamboat Willie” in 1928. The cartoon was the first to synchronize sound with animation. In 1937, Walt Disney mortgaged his home to produce “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.” It was the first full-length animated film and to the surprise of his many critics, it was a blockbuster hit! So much for the self-proclaimed experts.

Walt Disney died shortly after his 65th birthday. By the time of his death he had won 22 Academy Awards, still a record for an individual. It’s fair to say that Walt Disney changed the world of entertainment for children and adults.

One of Disney’s favorite sayings was, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney had an impossible dream, starting with a drawing of a mouse. What’s your dream?

Standard
Spirituality

The Seduction of Wealth

We revere our celebrities, don’t we? People Magazine, Star Weekly, even the National Enquirer found success dishing on the lives of the rich and famous.

You have probably heard it said that money is power. The truth is, money is potential power. Resources such as wealth and notoriety offer the holder great opportunities to do good. If we make a lot of money but only use it for ourselves, that will leave people feeling hollow and empty.

Over the course of my life I have been privileged to know some famous people. They have tremendous resources and access, yet to a person they are just normal people who haven’t forgotten how blessed they are. They are quietly charitable even though their lives are lived in the public eye. This is a testament to their character.

Recently, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez married in Italy. The cost of the wedding was estimated at $50 million. Some critics called out Bezos for the extravagance of it all. The critics failed to acknowledge the billions Bezos has given to worthy causes, including $100 million per year to provide free preschool. And think about what the wedding did for the local economy of Venice, Italy.

Money can seduce you if you aren’t careful. Don’t chase it and don’t worship it. Save your worship for God. He gives us everything good in our lives. It’s up to us to determine how we use it…

Standard
Spirituality

Finding God

A couple of years ago, on a Sunday morning, I was driving through my neighborhood headed to church. I saw a family of four riding their bicycles going the opposite way. Dad was in front followed by two young kids who were probably 5 and 6. Mom was bringing up the rear. I thought to myself that what I was seeing was a version of church. They weren’t home sitting around watching television or playing video games. They had togetherness. Doesn’t that sound like church?

Everyone is trying to find God whether they acknowledge it or not. The 17th century French philosopher Pascal said we “had a God-shaped vacuum” in our hearts that only God could fill. People pursue spiritual connection through everything from prayer and church to yoga and spiritual retreats. We pursue the Divine yet He pursues us at the same time. Why are we missing each other?

We find God in the quiet. We find him in our service to others. We find him in nature. And we can see God manifest goodness when tragedy strikes. He’s there. We just need to look.

God wants our hearts. All through the Bible are references to God examining the heart. He doesn’t need anything more than our willingness.

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Slow down. Get quiet. Find Him…

Standard