Spirituality

Free Range Chickens

The term “free range chicken” has a nice sound to it, doesn’t it? It makes us think that the chickens are running wild in the barnyard, and so they must be better to eat and the hens produce superior eggs. It’s really just a marketing term, nothing more.

People are free range beings. We are independent thinkers. We don’t like being labeled or confined. All of us are unique. We come and go as we please. As long as we obey the law, we remain free.

We also have a desire to be part of a group, a community where we “fit in.” This makes sense because we do need other people in our lives. But let’s not take unity too far. Being part of a unified group is good unless the group doesn’t want people to express themselves freely. Go against the group and you’re out.

Stay true to yourself. The qualities and characteristics you possess are what makes you the beautiful person you are. Be who you are, not the person that others want you to be.

Be free range…

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Spirituality

Beliefs

Someone recently asked me what I believe in. So, I thought I would share a few of my beliefs here.

First off, I believe in God. Our world is in a spiritual battle, an unseen fight. God has already won the battle. It’s just a matter of time until we see it.

I believe in what is true, what is right, and what is noble. I believe most people are good in their hearts. We see the goodness of mankind show up when tragedy strikes. Sure, there are bad people, really evil people in the world, but that’s not most.

I believe in the next generation. It’s hard to be a child nowadays, but I believe our young people are some of the best.

I believe in justice. If we don’t find it here, God will make it right.

And I believe in spreading goodness and light into the world. People need to find hope and know they aren’t alone in their struggle. It’s easy to criticize. It’s worthwhile to encourage.

If I wrote everything I believe in, it might break the internet! This was a small glimpse into my mind. And yet, there are people who will find fault with my beliefs. That’s okay. God loves all of us, even the critics…

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Spirituality

Clear Vision

Seeing the world around us as it is rather than how we wish it was is vitally important for objective thinking. Believing things are better (or worse) than they are is a form of denial. Reality never denies the truth.

Do you have a vision for your life? Many people are just going through the motions, getting by, and living for the weekend. Living with unfulfilled dreams is merely existing. There is a lot of life on the other side, but you gotta go get it.

We were placed here for a reason. God created everyone with a purpose in mind. There is nothing random about your life. You know in your heart that this is true.

Life may have knocked you down but it didn’t knock you out. It’s time to re-engage. Bring the calling on your life to the front of your mind. Create your unique vision for your life and get started. Conditions may change but your vision doesn’t have to.

Remember the writings of Thoreau and plant his words in your heart: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still in them.”

Don’t allow your music to die with you. The world needs what you have to offer…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Detractors

There are people among us who love to tear you down. I have never understood this. It must come from an area of their own insecurity embedded in their hearts. Deeply embedded.

The world is hard. Take a moment and notice the faces of the people around you. Wherever you are, in an elevator, walking around The Domain, in restaurants, the effects of isolation are still felt today. These are opportunities to show kindness and compassion to others, even to those who don’t deserve it.

God created us to be in community, not alone. We need solitude but not isolation. Even the CDC has put on their website that human connection is vital for good emotional health and wellbeing. If you haven’t heard from your friends and acquaintances for a while, take a moment to check on them. It will do both of you well.

Don’t fall for the distractions of life, or the detractors. Stay focused on spreading goodness and light, no matter what anyone says…

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Spirituality

Free Radicals

In the science world, free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron, which makes them highly reactive. They are produced naturally in the body, but outside influences such as pollution, smoke and processed foods can cause them, too.

What happened to the Democrats? The party used to represent working people while also standing up for free speech. Today’s party is full of elites who detest the working class. And the crazies shout you down when you disagree with them. This represents a far cry from the party of JFK.

Jesus was a radical. He revolutionized his era, preaching love while hanging around with the people who were outcast by the religious leaders of their time. Jesus gave people hope and he never wavered.

Today’s Democrats are the free radicals in the physical world. Not all of them, of course. Just the far-left wing which are the ones who get most of the attention.

My encouragement to you is to continue standing up for what is true, right and just. Those things transcend politics…

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Spirituality

Uninspired

Do you ever have days where you just can’t find any motivation? Of course you do. It’s natural. But the real question is, how do you respond on those days?

Periods like this are when you must be careful. Be careful to not allow your mind to play tricks on you. Your mind will tell you to coast, that you deserve to slow down or not give your best. Don’t fall for it!

My encouragement to you is to walk away for a moment. Get outside if it’s possible. Breathe deeply. Your waning motivation is merely a feeling, nothing more. Feelings pass. Taking that brief recess will get your mindset right.

Once you’ve reset your mind, get after it! You have a reason for being here…

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Spirituality

Play on Words

Sometimes a play on words is funny. Like when you provide comfort to a grammar freak: “there, their, they’re.” Goofy stuff like this makes me laugh.

Words have meaning. Actions have meaning. When they don’t align then they are hollow. Some of us had parents whose actions didn’t follow what they said. This created confusion in our brains because our parents were our first teachers.

Be careful with what you say. People pay attention and they can see what we do. Never allow your emotions to take over your words. Stay calm in the chaos.

There are good people in this world who say little but accomplish much. Follow their lead. They are solid.

I leave you with this:

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Spirituality

Rising Against

It takes courage to take a stand for what is true and right. There are seen and unseen forces against the one who does.

We are living in a culture that, according to some, believes God made a mistake when he created some people. A biological male believes he is a man trapped in a woman’s body. This is a lie, yet I have some warped people argue with me about this. God doesn’t make mistakes. He’s the only one who doesn’t.

There’s a group of people who pervert Scripture. The same people who support open borders use Bible verses to justify their claim. The law doesn’t matter to them as long as they get their way. I guess they forgot that Jesus told us to obey the law. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to him.”

There will be moments in your life where you’re going to be faced with standing up for the truth or going along with the crowd. My encouragement to you is, find the courage to take a stand. Dig as deep as you need to find it…

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Spirituality

Peaceniks

Sometimes you gotta fight. You go into battle when there is no viable alternative. The men and women who make the decision to go to war carry a heavy burden.

I hate war. In fact, you might even call me a peacenik. Peaceniks are opposed to war unless you must fight. Peaceniks are different from pacifists. Pacifists believe there’s never a reason to fight. That’s a nice belief, but it’s not reality. if no country defended its sovereignty and territory, the world would be filled with tyranny.

The United States stayed out of World War II as long as it could. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they stirred the wrong bear. Since I wasn’t alive in 1941, I am not sure where the pacifists stood. I do know the Military-Industrial (MI) Complex loved it. They still love war.

The MI wanted President Kennedy to send troops into Cuba. Kennedy refused for a good number of reasons, and his refusal eventually cost him his life.

Peace through strength is a powerful motto. You must be able to back it up. The United States has the greatest, most powerful weapons in the world. And under Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, our military is the best trained, most formidable force that exists. We can back it up.

Don’t mess with Texas, as the brilliant saying goes. And don’t awaken the guardians known as The United States military…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

You’ve Got to Want It

Nothing happens without desire. You have to really want what you are pursuing. Being lukewarm won’t cut it. Neither will occasional effort.

The pursuit of your purpose in life will be filled with ups and downs, setbacks and obstacles. This is unavoidable. But consider this: when you are going after your God-given purpose for your life, you will find success if you refuse to give up. God doesn’t plant a dream in your heart to set you up to fail.

People oftentimes think they need to have perfect conditions or more education before they begin pursuing their purpose. Not true! You are already equipped. Just begin.

When frustration comes, instead of dreading it I encourage you to welcome it. The more difficult the path you are on, the more confirmation that you are doing what you’re meant to do. No one said it would be easy.

Start with desire. What do you want to accomplish in this life that benefits others? Once you have answered this question, then it’s time to get after it.

Don’t wait or hesitate. Just begin and keep going, even when the road is dark…

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