Tag Archives: #goodness

Spirituality

Outdated

Foods have an expiration date. Software needs updates. And one day we will experience our last heartbeat. But there are some things that never go bad.

Manners are always in style. So is kindness, being thoughtful, and we must include doing what’s right even when the crowd is against you. Standing up for the weak is a good thing.

Scripture hasn’t lost its relevance and truthfulness, no matter what the New Age “gurus” say. Everything from our health to our finances is covered. You gotta read it and apply it, though. Otherwise it’s just another book gathering dust on your bookshelf.

Modern technology has given us some helpful shortcuts to get us where we want to go. Artificial Intelligence is in its infancy, but will soon lead us to new ways to battle disease. And when that happens, say thank you. Being thankful never goes out of style, either…

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Spirituality

Fair or Unfair

We have been told that life isn’t fair. And we have been cautioned that all is fair in love and war. So, which is it?

Anyone who has lived any length of time has observed that life really isn’t fair. Sometimes the bad guys win at the expense of the good people. There isn’t anything fair about that. Yet, the good people continue doing what’s right. Maybe things even out in the long run or perhaps they don’t. But we must live with ourselves regardless.

It is suggested that there are no rules or boundaries in love and war. I’m not sure there is any truth in this saying. In love we are dealing with people’s feelings. It’s not right to play with the emotions of others. Same for war. The people that the enemy slaughters are someone’s sons and daughters.

The good news is, God sees everything. He promises to make everything just and right. And that’s good enough for me, even when things don’t go my way…

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Spirituality

Deposits

In your mind, I want you to picture a large vault. You might want to draw a picture of it. Label the vault as “Good.” Now comes the fun part.

Every time you do something for someone else that isn’t required of you, make a deposit in the vault. Perhaps it’s a random act of kindness or something as simple as a smile given to a homeless person. Make a deposit.

This is a metaphorical way of applying gratitude. It feed on itself. Over time you will find yourself wanting to do more. The act of doing good releases endorphins in your brain which gives you a feeling of elation. It’s a natural high.

Others will notice a change in you. Along with your new mindset, you grow from within. You will have more energy.

Keep quiet about what you are doing. The right people will notice. God sees everything. And He is our one true audience…

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#inspiration

Trendy

When a new fad comes along, you can’t escape it. Traditionalists like me place an internal bet about how long it will last. It’s the safest bet I have ever made because I can’t lose. Or win, for that matter!

There are some things that never go out of style. Manners, kindness, consideration of others and compassion are just a few examples. The goodness of mankind is on display daily. You have to take the time to notice because there’s a lot of noise vying for your attention.

Let’s keep goodness trending. Fads will forever come and go. Goodness moves mountains…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Karma

Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This might be a scientific explanation for the Hindus or Buddhists believing in karma.

You do good, you receive an equal amount of good in return. The same goes for bad. This certainly makes sense at a topical level, but I don’t believe it holds true in the real world.

It has been my observation that when you are putting good into the world, you get more than you give. Doing good builds momentum. And it hits the area of your brain that produces dopamine, so it encourages you to do more good.

Doing good never goes out of style. So, keep bringing light into the world. Do not concern yourself with getting praise from others.

Everything we do is noticed by God. He doesn’t miss a single thing…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Seen or Unseen

Everyone wants to be seen, heard and understood. It’s universal, yet many are afraid to let their guard down and show themselves.

Musicians have written about this conundrum for years. The Goo Goo Dolls, one of my favorite bands, wrote this chorus in their song, “Iris:”

“And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am.”

I believe people stay guarded because they believe if someone saw them for who they are, they wouldn’t be liked. A hard truth is, not everyone is going to like us. And that’s okay. When you are trying to make a positive impact in the world, you’re gonna rub some people the wrong way. And that’s okay.

I encourage you to continue showing the world who you are, spreading goodness and light along the way. If you piss a few people off doing that, it’s okay…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

The Next Day

Once again I spent my day speaking in two prisons. It’s a very fulfilling experience for me.

The pain and suffering people lay on each other is almost indescribable. Hurt people are creating their legacy by hurting their children. People are either seriously angry with God, have drawn closer to Him, or they don’t consider Him at all. My message is one of forgiveness, acceptance and gratitude.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with prisoners. There are people who will reject them after they have finished their sentences and are released. I won’t…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Are You Angry With God?

Bad things happen to good people. We can’t understand why nor can we explain it away. They just happen.

When we are on the receiving end of something terrible, we want to lash out and blame someone. Sometimes we take our anger out on God. We blame God for causing the injustice. We can’t understand why a loving, all powerful God would do this to us or someone we care about. Let’s examine this a little deeper.

First off, God cannot do bad things to us. His nature is good and only good. He would be going against himself if he caused evil. He allows things to happen. This occurs because He wants us to rely on Him and not ourselves.

I want you to, the reader, to know it’s okay to be angry with God. He understands. You can yell at Him, tell Him off and God will never retaliate. When His children hurt, He hurts, too. Tell God everything you are feeling. Ask Him to help you see a God-ordained outcome. It will happen. He’s still in control.

God wants to hear from us when we hurt. He can take a punch…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Initiative

Initiative is the desire to do something before anyone else does. If you have initiative you are taking the lead.

Look around. What needs to change, whether it’s something in society or someone in your life? There are multiple challenges that we need to engage with and move the bar forward.

Nothing changes until we take the initiative. Do something today…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

In My Head

We are thinking every minute of every day. Our minds continue working while we sleep. We are unable to turn our minds off.

What we fill our brains with will dictate our thoughts. Fill it when junk and you begin to think in a small, distorted way. Filling your mind with rich history, art and The Bible will turn your thoughts to greatness for the greater good.

Keep your mind clear of negativity. Turn the news shows off. Read and absorb the works of Thoreau, Wilde, the Apostle Paul and others. Then, notice the change…

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