Tag Archives: #hope

Spirituality

Random Happenings

There is nothing random about your life. You were born in this era with a great purpose attached to your life. What you do with it is your choice.

God has a plan. As brilliant as our minds are, we are not capable of understanding it. We try, but we can’t even get in the same ballpark. God’s thoughts are way higher than ours. He is always in control, even when chaos is everywhere.

Think back on your life. How many events have you attributed to coincidence? I love the words of Albert Einstein when he spoke of coincidence: “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” There are no coincidences.

Letting go and letting God take control is a scary feeling. We desperately want to control our lives. But it’s important to remember that God is always working on us, always communicating with us. He wants us to fulfill the purpose He gave us. Like an unruly child, we need to submit to His greater authority.

See the world as full of miracles. You are one of those miracles, too. Then get to work on fulfilling your purpose. You will make a difference in this world if you’re willing to do what you are here for. Don’t waste another moment…

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Spirituality

Eyesight to the Blind

We have become blind to the truth. We are better together, yet we have allowed outside forces to keep us separated and angry. We can turn this ship around, but it will happen only when we become willing.

Do you remember learning about barn raisings? During the frontier days, entire communities would come together to build a barn for a family. Everyone helped. There was no payment for services. They simply relied on each other for survival. They were in community.

Do you remember the search and rescue efforts after the drownings at Camp Mystic? People showed up to help. No one segregated themselves by their politics. They just worked.

The people you criticize are your fellow citizens. If your politics are the only thing that defines your identity, you are one of the blind. Open your eyes and see the beauty that surrounds you.

The Amish and Mennonites still do barn raisings. These communities don’t have television or social media. Perhaps they are the smart ones…

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Spirituality

One Slip

Sometimes we fall into temptation. The devil is always on the prowl, looking for an opportunity to influence us into sin. We must stay alert.

Jesus was tempted in the desert. Satan hit him when he was tired, hungry, and at his weakest. Yet, Jesus never sinned. He showed us it is possible to resist the temptations meant to harm us. And he showed us how to do it-with Scripture embedded in our hearts and minds.

There is also the temptation to avoid doing what we know is right. Even the great Apostle Paul fell into this trap. In Romans 7:15, Paul writes “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

When we slip, let’s pick ourselves up and resolve to not do it again. Should we slip again, pick yourself up again. And again. And again. God never runs out of forgiveness. We do. He doesn’t.

This life we are living is a struggle. But we have hope in the eternal realm. God sees everything, and He will send His messengers to help us through our challenges. Just ask…

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Spirituality

The Big Game

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here. The Super Bowl is the most watched game on television. People have parties while Las Vegas has a big day, too.

The game I’m referring to in the title is the game of life. This is the game we all participate in. Are we winning the game, or are we behind? I suppose the answer lies in which part of life and when are we checking in.

If you are having a difficult period, perhaps your teammates are carrying you through. Your team is your family and friends, so choose wisely.

On the flip side, when you are winning is the time to celebrate with your team. Victorious times are a lot more fun when shared with others.

Life can be hard, but you don’t have to go through it alone. There are a lot of good people in this world. Find them and place them on your team…

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Spirituality

Seriously, Though…

I’m eternally optimistic, grateful for everything good in my life, and I don’t have bad days. Even though my attitude is different from most people, there are things in this world that concern me.

It’s expensive to live. Costs are rising at a much slower pace, but a lot of strain was placed on family budgets because of hyper inflation. Affordable housing is part of the mix, too.

There are a lot of good people in the United States who are living in the shadows. They go about their business quietly, doing what’s right, contributing to their community, yet they are afraid. I don’t want anyone to feel afraid. There is a viable path to citizenship for them.

Our food is getting fixed, thanks to HHS Secretary Bobby Kennedy and his team. Obesity is off the charts, especially in children. Kennedy’s efforts continue to face great opposition from the food industry lobbyists. When profits are threatened, the solution becomes more challenging.

There are other areas of concern, but for the sake of brevity I will save those for future columns. My motivation is to leave this world better than I found it.

More government is not the solution. Our politicians created much of the mess. It’s time that we the people run the show and demand the politicians either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. Seriously…

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Spirituality

Where Are They?

Sometimes I wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Those poor souls may still be wandering around.

The “they” I’m referring to in the title are the people who are willing to take a stand for what’s right. Many are concerned, but they also don’t want to get involved.

There are heroes among us. These are the people who show up when they are needed. They aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Sometimes their involvement requires great risk. I’m sure they have a moment of hesitation, but they find their inner strength to help when help is needed.

Find the areas where you want to make a difference. Yes, you will be giving up some of your free time. But you will be helping countless unseen individuals. Everyone counts…

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Spirituality

Truth Tellers

As a child, I was taught that George Washington “never told a lie.” The story about Washington and the cherry tree was made up by a biographer after Washington’s death. Was this story taught in school to teach virtue, or was it taught to little children so we would grow up trusting our politicians? I have my suspicions it was both.

Telling the truth is easier than lying or even stretching the truth. You never have to question what you said to someone because you simply spoke the truth. No spinning of a story, just the simple truth.

In today’s society, “living my truth” is a popular phrase. You may live however you like, but there is only one truth. Stick with it and you’ll live with more peace.

Back to our politicians, we expect them to stretch the truth. Fiery rhetoric without substance is hollow. Like everyone, watch the actions of people. Do they align with their words? When they do align, you begin to trust them more.

Washington was careful with his words. He was a brilliant general who used deception and lies to manipulate the enemy. And we can be grateful he did, cherry tree or not…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Heads Down

Sometimes a person will yell “look out” or “heads up” when they are trying to get your attention. Oftentimes this is to warn the other person of potential danger. It has certainly helped me in the past.

We have a world filled with people whose heads are down. Their phone screens have dominated their attention. Countless times I have had to stop my car quickly because someone is walking in front of my vehicle in a parking lot, unaware of how close they got to ending up in a hospital.

There is nothing so important that it can’t wait a few moments until you are out of potential danger. The same goes for texting while driving. It can wait.

We only get one chance to make a mistake. Many are unavoidable, but some that are due to our minds being lost to our screens can be avoided.

Keep your head up…

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Spirituality

Faithfulness

Old Faithful is the most famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Its name goes all the way back to 1870. There are hundreds of other geysers in the park, but none with the notoriety of Old Faithful. It erupts every 60-100 minutes without pause.

To be considered a faithful person means you are reliable, steadfast and loyal. Your loyalty could be to a person or a cause. To be called faithful is quite the compliment. It means you will stand up for someone, even when they aren’t around. That kind of person is a treasure. Keep them!

The Book of Hebrews tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” This reminds me of the story of the man who brought his son to Jesus so his son could be healed. The man was full of doubt because he had tried everything to cure his child. He asked Jesus to heal his boy, “if you can.” Jesus replied, “everything is possible for one who believes.” The man asked Jesus to “help him with his unbelief.” Jesus didn’t turn away or tell the man to return when he had more faith. No, he commanded the demon to leave the boy. The man’s tiny faith was enough.

Our faith tends to grow when we are in distress. Crying out to God in these moments is an act of desperation. But inside, you know he can do anything. That’s why we ask.

Being a person of faith is not an easy thing. You have an invisible enemy attacking you every chance he gets. But it’s good to know that he can’t do anything God doesn’t allow. Stay faithful in the dark, difficult times. Ask God to help you with your own unbelief. I certainly do…

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Spirituality

The Art of Listening

We live in a noisy world. It seems like most people just want to call attention to themselves. Some even do outrageous things to grab attention. And how many times have you been in conversations where the other person hears you, but they aren’t listening?

Being a good listener can be exhausting. It requires a lot of energy to clear your mind and focus on your counter party’s words and meanings. You can tell when someone is formulating a response in their mind before you finish speaking. This is both rude and disrespectful. If you are engaging in conversation with someone, have the decency to hear them out. And it goes both ways.

You have probably heard the saying about “the smartest person in the room.” Maybe that has been you in some instances. Yet, it’s important to remember that we can learn something from just about everyone. You won’t learn anything if you are arrogant and self-righteous. If you feel the need to tell the world how smart you are, you might not be that bright. It’s a good idea to humble yourself and listen.

Keep your mind open to the beliefs and ideas of others. Your fellow man is important. When you take the time to listen, you are showing others that they are valuable…

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