Wisdom of the Ageless

TAKING A RISK

2012-02-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try at all is to risk failure.

But risk we must.
Because the greatest hazard to life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Only the person who risks can be called free.

-- Author unknown

ATTITUDE

2012-01-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

I ran across something in a file this morning that I thought I would share......

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, a giftedness or skill. It will make or break an organization...a school...a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past....We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have. And that is our attitude....

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you....

Your life can be enriched with success, recognition, security, energy, achievement, happiness, growth, adventure, health, friendship, love, and inner-peace. These all can be yours with a proper attitude.

Back again!

2012-01-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

I was reminded recently that I had a blog that has been neglected for two years. In fact, I forgot I actually actively wrote in it for maybe two years. After looking it over again, I decided that I will see if I can write my thoughts once again and hopefully someone can benefit from something I have to say or experiences that I share.

In the two years since my last blog life has been pretty normal. We found a good church in our community and are very happy. The "claim to fame" is that our church has no fights. That is a blessing and probably pretty rare. We also have watched sermons online from a very large church in the Tulsa area where the preaching is very practical - something that is understandable and can change lives. http://www.churchonthemove.com/service

Our family is increasing. The oldest grandchildren are married and now one of them is expecting their first child in May. Our step-grandchildren have had babies too, adding to the fun and excitement of family life. Another grandson graduates from high school this spring and college in the fall is getting closer for him. My son got married on 11-11-11 to a beautiful gal and blended their families and homes. My daughters' lives have changed with their families growing. Nothing stays the same and that is good. That shows there is normal life, excitement and progress.

Our pets are the same, LC (our kitty) is 13 years old and Gracee (our Australian Shepherd) is 12. They are doing fine and are fun to have around.

So this is an update now for the past couple of years. I will post some pictures to update a little so hopefully I can continue to write this blog and that others will enjoy what I write.

SOUND WAVES

2010-03-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Science has intrigued me lately and I just received this email which I thought was worth sharing.

SOUND WAVES

Some scientists believe that the smallest particle is not the electron, the neutron, or the proton. It is SOUND, sound waves, or vibrating strings that have “notes.” When you take the smallest atom known (a neutron or a proton) and split it to its smallest form, there is one more particle inside the smallest particle - - a vibrating sound wave.

If this is true, and if the Genesis account is true that God used His words, or sound, to create, then I believe that sound waves are the smallest living substance unseen by the human eye that is at the core of every living thing.“The very stones will cry out.” Luke 19:4

Sound is the main ingredient in the base composition of all created things…. There are sound waves embedded in every created thing. Water particles and other sub-atomic particles actually respond to sound and even voice recognition. Every created thing can hear in a sense and respond in some way, as all things were created with the same core ingredients - - sound and glory. In Psalm 148 God commands the sun, moon, and stars to praise Him. He even commands the mountains and hills to praise Him. All creation has the ability to hear, listen, obey, respond, and worship its Creator.

NASA scientists recently discovered that sound waves of musical harmonious notes were coming from black holes. And other experiments revealed similar results from rock samples taken from outer space. In fact, they found that every created thing has musical sound waves imbedded in it. Why would musical sounds be produced from His creation? The Lord commands everything to worship Him. Hence, rock samples from distant planets emit sounds of worship that we can hear when put under special machines that track sound waves and energy.

Have you ever noticed that when you are traveling alone in the countryside, walking in the woods, or enjoying a beautiful natural setting, you often sense the presence of God? Creation emits “sound waves of worship” that are invisible to your natural ear, but your spirit receives them.

Have you noticed that you often can connect with God easier in a beautiful natural surrounding? I believe that all creation, in its natural state, is worshiping the Creator. There is an on-going symphony praising Him 24/7 in nature. Every created thing has sound waves and responds to sound waves spoken with the Glory and the Spirit of God.

Just saying words or reciting scriptures is not the key. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life. Get into the glory zone of His presence first, then speak forth and the creation will respond to your word.

Even cancer responds to the sound and command of your spoken words! Doctors use sound waves to treat cancer… using a procedure called high-intensity focused ultrasound, which is high energy sound waves, to destroy cancer cells. The high-intensity words you speak are much more powerful with the Holy Spirit and Glory.

Now you know why Jesus said we could speak to a mountain and it would be removed. God told Moses to speak to the rock and it would produce water. Satan tempted Jesus to turn the stones to bread. He knew it was entirely possible for Jesus to perform this miracle. You can even command broken bones to reconnect. The bones can hear and respond. Body parts and creation can hear and respond!

More soon.....

Personal experience

2010-02-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

A friend and I were discussing (through emails) our spiritual experiences. I decided to share this one with you.

When I was nine years old we used to go to "Youth for Christ" meetings in Seattle. My brother, Arlen, would sit with his friends while Mom, Dad and I often sat in the balcony of this large auditorium somewhere in Seattle. At a specific time in the meeting, the lights were turned down low and they always sung the chorus, Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.... It was a very special time. The excellent meetings had special singers and speakers.

One night we came home and I started crying. I couldn't tell my parents what was wrong but Mom either sensed it or I said enough that she called the pastor. He came over and talked with me. I guess I was feeling conviction. That is when I accepted the Lord.

A very dramatic change occurred. I wanted to tell all my friends about it and get them to go to church. I became a little missionary! :-) I was baptized soon after. We were all to give a little testimony before baptism and I remember the verse I said then as my favorite verse and it stuck with me all my life.... "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus".

I hung onto that one many times throughout my life. And those needs are more than financial. Our needs include emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical. I have claimed it for all! :-)

CLAY BALLS

2010-02-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

A man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock .. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone.

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

Discussion of 1998

2010-01-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

Warren and I have gotten into some pretty good discussions over the years and one Saturday morning in 1998 we decided to record it. I found this transcribed copy that I had saved in the computer and hope that you can get something out of it.

Warren: You know we were talking a little bit earlier about what’s natural and what is supernatural. You know, you have more of a natural tendency in what you believe and in the way your personality fits. You have a tendency to be more realistic and more natural. With me I’m more spiritual and more mystically inclined and there has to be a happy medium and I think when you were saying that the natural is the way to be….what were you saying about that?

Yvonne: Well, first of all, to clarify that, you know we hear all the time from preachers that we’re a new creature and the Bible tells us we’re a new creature. Well, being natural is like looking at a cat washing her face, licking her paw. We don’t look twice at that because that is natural for the cat to do that. That is what I mean when I speak of ”natural”. I don’t mean that natural is fleshly and worldly. I mean natural is our new state. We walk our daily life….

Warren: You say new state. You mean there is a new state of natural and an old state of natural?

Yvonne: Yes, I think so. I think when you are living for the world and your own pleasures, your “natural” inclination is to do whatever suits you, to do whatever feels good and whatever the world says and get involved in all the hype or whatever. Your natural state may be to go to bars if that is what you like. Your natural walking out your life will be setting your own goals and not caring about anything else.

Warren: In other words, it’s self-centered?

Yvonne: Yes, it can be. However, some people can spend their whole life giving to others in food programs and other beneficial endeavors.

Warren: Entrepreneurial.

Yvonne: Well, in any case, that is their natural state. They are either givers or takers, but it is not based on the new creation life.

Warren: It’s not Christ-centered.

Yvonne: Right. So once we become new creatures then our natural state has changed to where …..

Warren: We have a new nature.

Yvonne. Yes.

Warren: In other words, we act different, like the metamorphosis of a butterfly starting out as a caterpillar and acting like a worm and crawling around and eating leaves and then they get into the cocoon state and they change and come out as a butterfly which is their new nature.

Yvonne: Then, to see them groveling around on the ground would be un-natural. So their new natural state is to fly and you don’t become alarmed when you see a butterfly flying.

Warren: No, because that is their nature.

Yvonne: That’s what they do.

Warren: And you can hardly remember when you see a butterfly flying, that they used to be a crawling around worm. Like that old grub worm. Then when you see the worm crawling around, you don’t think of them as a butterfly.

Yvonne: or ask why aren’t they flying? So this is my basis, when I am talking about being natural, I am saying it should come so naturally to us that we don’t have to think twice. I started to tell you about being in a car with a preacher friend and he turned around and said something prophetic to me specifically and it struck me so impressively because we weren’t at the altar, we didn’t have special music going, worshipping, or talking specifically about the Lord. We may have been having a discussion. I don’t remember. It wasn’t anything we were doing when something came to him prophetically and I remarked to him “You didn’t have to get worked up into a spiritual “state” to give a prophecy. It came out of you naturally.”

Warren: In other words, it was just a natural tone, it wasn’t a “thus saith the Lord, thou art this or that....”.

Yvonne: Right.

Warren: And so, that would be natural.

Yvonne: to your new state. For instance, if you’re at work and you say something to somebody, you may really be helping the person. I think the most effective thing that ever happens is when you don’t know you have done any good for somebody. Because it is coming out of you very naturally, it is how you think and how you respond to the people around you.

Warren:Maybe it’s not necessarily what you speak but your actions as well. I mean your actions are probably more…

Yvonne: That’s true but I am thinking in the terms of prophetically, like he turned around and spoke to me. He didn’t say, let’s pray, let’s get into a worship mode because God wants to speak. No, he just spoke what came to him. That would be the same as doing a household task and a thought suddenly comes to “go to your neighbor with some food”. You do it. You don’t stop and think about it but just do it. It’s coming naturally and you are obeying easily.

Warren: You just have a natural desire to want to go do these things for your neighbor because you feel that inside, you’re not being forced by duty or obligation. It’s something that you really long and desire to do. It is something that comes out of you as natural.

Yvonne: That’s true, but in the case of the Lord speaking, it may be a one time happening. It’s not that you go around saying, oh who can I help today, I have such a desire to help somebody. No, I am talking about a specific action that you automatically do. Because it’s your nature, you just do it. You move into it and you don’t even stop and think, oooh the Lord told me to do that. You just do it because it is natural to follow that little inner voice that you are not even thinking about, it’s just happening. To me that is being natural. That’s being the new life in us at work. Because you don’t have to be at the altar, you don’t have to be on your knees to have these things happen. You don’t have to be “religious”. But because you have a relationship with the Lord, you have become more sensitive to his voice.

Warren: You can be in the most unpredictable situations. Like a lot of times God speaks to me in the shower, and I wonder why would he do that? Or when I am shaving something really neat comes to me. You wouldn’t think that God would speak to you when you are doing normal things. You would have to be in a holy state, in a holy atmosphere.

Yvonne: That is where I object to that because I think that’s where religion has affected a lot of people. God put in us a hunger for him and we mess it up by being “religious”. We go back to works then and feel that we have to do something to be spiritual. That’s my objection. We have our own language, Christianese like Rick Godwin says. We have our own gang. We have our own gang symbols and….

Warren: Bumper stickers….

Yvonne: and methods of operations.

To be continued….

Quotes for the Day

2010-01-24T06:55:00.000-08:00

"Never try to compel others to change; leave them free to change naturally and orderly because they want to; and they will want to when they find that your change was worthwhile.

"To inspire in others a desire to change for the better is truly noble; but this you can do only by leaving them alone, and becoming more noble yourself."

Christian D. Larson (1874-1954)

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"The greatest revolution in our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." William James (1842-1910)

* * *

"Most of the limitations you think you have are the ones you have decided on. They are often entirely self-imposed. You might think, 'I can't do this, I can't do that, I would never do that, my parents could never do that, I never played baseball, I never climbed a mountain, I never, never, never'... It's the old broken record in your head. Throw out that negative thinking right now! Learn to play a positive message in your head because it's all about attitude."

David Patchell-Evans

Thoughts about Thoughts

2010-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

An interesting comment was made in Sunday School yesterday about the woman (Mark 3) who reached out and touched Jesus' garment. She made the statement "If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole." (Mark 5:28). The comment was that she limited herself by thinking she needed to touch him. She could have said when he passes by or when I see him I shall be whole or just believed she would be healed because of Jesus. She thought she had to touch him. How do we limit ourselves? The things that we think and say may actually be limiting us. The pastor brought out the previous week in Sunday School that when a person gives their heart to the Lord, maybe they go to the altar or to some person, but the moment their thoughts gave over to it, that was when they were saved. The rest is formality, confirmation, etc.

Several years ago I was at a Bible Study in a home. As I sat on the piano bench I was in pain from a sciatic nerve problem. Over the years I had dealt with this occasionally and had come to find out that if I took Vitamin B Complex it would go away. At this particular time I was really in pain. We happened to be in prayer at that moment when this thought came to me (I believe the Lord spoke to me) and said "Why don't you ask for healing?" It surprised me. I hadn't asked for healing because I knew how to take care of it myself with Vitamin B Complex. However, at that moment I gave in, agreed, consented, or whatever would describe what I did. At the moment that I gave in and my thought was in agreement, I was healed. A warm feeling went from my hip down through my leg and there was no more pain. I got up and walked a little to make sure it was gone. I haven't had it since and that had to be 25-30 years ago. But the point I wanted to make is that I did not actually ask for healing. In my thoughts I gave over to it and was healed. My thoughts agreed to asking and it was granted immediately.

Of great interest to me in recent years is how our thoughts really do affect our lives. Too often our thoughts are just what I've heard referred to as default thinking. Thoughts that we have during the day with absolutely no awareness. They are free to come and go. They are always there. Thoughts of worry, fear, maybe resentment over something that has happened to us, sometimes rehearsing over and over an experience, a bad scenario (recent or from the past), what we will say next time, what we plan to do and the list goes on.

Having learned about the law of attraction, I realize now that those random, default thoughts can be attracting things into our lives that we don't want. We need to be aware of what we are thinking and stop all negative or self-defeating thoughts. We do have control over our thoughts. We can change our thoughts. It only takes being aware of them and the desire to attract good things into our lives. From my own experience I know we can do this.

THINK of what you are thinking. Don't just fall into old habit patterns of thought. Be aware and change your thoughts. If you have to start singing a song to stop the flow of thoughts or to change the direction, then do that. Once you become aware of your thoughts you will be amazed at how many follow old habit patterns, patterns we can break. Thoughts of gratitude for what we have will definitely get us off the typical negative track and we will attract more things for which to be grateful.

One more example from the Bible, Mark 5: 38-43....this twelve year old girl was dead. Jesus came and said she was only sleeping and they laughed him to scorn. So he put them all out leaving only the father, mother and those with him and went to the girl and she was healed. It stood out to me that Jesus put the doubters out. Those who were laughing (didn't believe) were made to wait outside. This emphasized the fact that we need to surround ourselves with people who are positive in their thoughts and words. With all the negative news, all the economic problems people have been experiencing, there are negative things bombarding us but when it is possible, keep the doubters at a distance. Dwelling on negative things bring us down to a hopeless feeling of dispair. Positive happy thoughts bring us up and give us hope.

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."— Benjamin Disraeli: British statesman and author

"Your thoughts Are The Rudder That Guides Your Heart Through Life." Robb Thompson

Good Stuff for the New Year!

2010-01-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy with business and Christmas and then also not too motivated so haven't written in a long time. However, as this new year begins, I must share a page from The Secret Daily Teachings which I ordered for daily inspiration. We have found this to be true and just want to share it. It can be life changing.

*****************

"Whatever feelings you have within you are attracting your tomorrow.

Worry attracts more worry. Anxiety attracts more anxiety. Unhappiness attracts more unhappiness. Dissatisfaction attracts more dissatisfaction.

AND......

Joy attracts more joy. Happiness attracts more happiness. Peace attracts more peace. Gratitude attracts more gratitude. Kindness attracts more kindness. Love attracts more love.

Your job is an inside one. To change your world, all you have to do is change the way you feel inside.

How easy is that?

The True Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

2009-12-25T05:19:00.000-08:00

A guy named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter, Barbara, sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer. Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dads eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob. Being small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember.

From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938. Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook!

Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book. In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.

But the story doesn't end there either. Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas." The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing!

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Inner Peace

2009-11-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

.....Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

And you thought I was going to get all spiritual. :-) Have a Great Weekend!!

Eight Gifts that Don't Cost a Cent!

2009-11-20T06:25:00.001-08:00

Since our minds are turned towards Christmas and our gift giving, this came to my attention and I'm passing it on to you.

This simple checklist can help measure how you are nurturing your relationships.

The Gift of Listening. But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, and don't plan your response. Just listen.

The Gift of AffectionBe generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

The Gift of LaughterClip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of SolitudeThere are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone.Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

The Gift of a FavourEvery day, go out of your way to do something kind. Good deeds are cool.

The Gift of a Written NoteIt can be a simple "Thanks for your help" note, or a longer expression of your appreciation for that person being in your life. A brief handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.

The Gift of a ComplimentA simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

The Gift of a Cheerful DispositionThe easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.

These are eight important ways we can contribute toward whole and healthy relationships. They cost nothing, yet they may well be the most valuable gifts we can ever offer another person.

Phil Evans

END-OF-THE-DAY QUESTIONS

2009-11-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

A few END-OF-THE-DAY questions for YOU!

Did I take the time to really listen to someone today, with rapt attention, as if nothing else mattered in that precious moment but the words they spoke and the look in their eyes?

Did I allow myself to focus on all the blessings in my life today instead of contemplating the things I don't have?

Did I take a moment to imagine what I would like to experience in my life, if for no other reason than in the imagining, is the living, and in the living, comes the joy and delight?

Did I let go today, let go of resentments and unforgivingness that I have been holding onto, all the while realizing that another person may be wounded too and struggling with their own pain?

Did I keep my word today, no matter how simple a promise I may have made, knowing it meant a whole lot to someone else?

Did I make a conscious choice just to be happy today, no matter what is happening in my own life, just for the next moment, and the next moment and the next?

Did I stop caring about what other people think of me, and give myself permission to be who I am regardless of their good opinion of me or not? Did I set myself free today just by doing that?

Was I successful in noticing and appreciating the bounty before me wherever I went or was I just too busy or lost in my own thoughts to notice?

Did I contribute something beautiful to the world today? A new creation of some kind, a poem, a dinner, a dance?

Was I kind today to anyone or anything that crossed my path, no matter how trivial or how monumental? Did I give away my heart?

Is one person richer because of me today, because of my presence on the planet, my essence, my decision to keep on going no matter what?

Did I learn something new today, something about life, something about myself, something about another that I didn't know before?

Did I let go of my attachment to being right today, and open my mind to the possibility of another way, without judgement?

Will someone sleep better tonight because of me? Will they awaken in the morning believing in themselves again, and walk with their head held high?

Was I the answer to someone's prayers today?

If today was to be my last day on the planet, would I feel happy about how I lived it?

..........Veronica Hay, Author of In a Dream, You Can Do Anything.

Begin Becoming a Whole Human Being

2009-11-03T06:22:00.001-08:00

Whenever I find an article that I think is especially good or pertinent to our daily situations, then I want to share this with you. Occasionally I add quotes and one-liners so you might want to check those. I often have my own thoughts and passion about something and will write those also, but when someone else says something worthwhile, I feel it needs no other comments from me. Here is the article (emphasis mine) that I read today that I want to share:

Begin Becoming a Whole Human Being

Have you ever thrown your hands in the air and asked yourself "What in the world is going on with me? How come my best intentions and the ability to accomplish them seem to live in two different universes?"

We intend not to run off like a mad human being, spending money ill-afforded. We intend not to do something mean-spirited or otherwise self-defeating. Yet that is often just what we do. Then we ask, "What happened... how could we?" Yet, for all of our questioning, this mystery remains unsolved.

To paraphrase St. Paul, we don't do what we know is right, and do instead what we sense is all wrong for us. See if the following insight doesn't shed much-needed light into this darkness of our spiritual inability: No intention can be any stronger than our ability to remember it in the moment that it is needed. Considering this fact brings us to a vital discovery about our present nature. The reason we can't remember our intention is because we are not one self. We are a being fragmented into many parts, all of which have separate agendas and therefore individual intentions.

As you have no doubt witnessed, these various aspects of self "argue" with one another -- one tugging this way, the other that way -- and all are unconscious of the fact that their conflict consumes our life's energy. In effect, our time is spent trying to be accountable by pleasing one master after another within ourselves -- only there is no pleasing this "self" (or any other, as they pop up in this psychological chain of false command). However, when you can see how one part of yourself manages to take control of the rest of you, it is the beginning of the end of its authority over you.

To state this same idea in other words, this new and higher form of self-discernment begins with realizing that you are in wrong relationship with these false parts of yourself -- that you are not intended to be their servant, but the other way around! Within this discovery begins the process of letting go of the anxiety and worry that must attend being unconsciously identified with these temporary characters within yourself. As you realize that your greater intentions are rendered powerless in the hands of these vagrant parts of yourself, it also becomes evident that you are not going to be able to fulfill these higher aims until you begin to become a whole human being.

But how can self-unification take place when this aim itself is thwarted at every turn by the very nature it seeks to replace? This question brings us to the solution of a great spiritual mystery. The more we awaken to how inwardly divided we actually are -- and start to see all of the forces randomly operating within us, with no guidance apart from the "good" each separate self desires at the moment -- the more we realize the need for a new kind of unity, a wholeness we are unable to create by ourselves, within ourselves.

With this new understanding comes the dawning that the only way to accomplish our higher intentions in life is to start embracing God's intention for us to be whole and conscious creatures. Our will must be redirected, married to a Greater One. In this gradual redirection of our "willingness," a new sense of self begins to surface in us; no longer do we struggle to will ourselves into being strong or righteous; no more do we turn on ourselves for our "weakness." These former choices, once thought of as being part of what we needed to succeed with our intention, are now recognized as being part of the problem and not the solution.

Our new intention is simply to remember God in our life, and this will becomes the one part of ourselves with which we meet everything that life brings to us. -- Guy Finley

If You Change One Thing, You Change Everything

2009-10-30T04:46:00.000-07:00

Looking back on your life, what would you change if you could?

In the classic 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, the main character, a small-town bank officer played by Jimmy Stewart, is about to commit suicide when an angel shows him how different the lives of people in Bedford Falls would be if he hadn't been born. The movie is a favorite because it affirms how each of us touches the lives and shapes the future in unexpected and often marvelous ways.

More modern films like Back to the Future, Sliding Door, and Frequency are built on a similar premise: If you change the past, you change the future - often in dramatic and unpredictable ways. If you change one thing, you change everything.

Given the potential impact of every decision you make, it's wise to think ahead. Although few things turn out exactly as we plan, the better we understand how our choices start a chain reaction of events, the more likely we are to get what we want.

The enormous complexity of cause and effect leads to another conclusion: It's futile to look back at our lives with "what if" scenarios. What's done is done. Although changing our past would change our present, it would do so in ways that are so unpredictable that we could never know whether it would be for better or worse.

Accept and celebrate the fact that what you are today is a direct result of everything that's happened to you. It's pointless to wish things were different. Remember, if you change one thing, you change everything.

Michael Josephson
http://www.charactercounts.org/

IS GOD IN CONTROL?

2009-10-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't written anything now for a couple weeks and thought it was time I do so. At our church we have been considering this question, is God in control? It has brought about some very good discussions. In the past we have sung songs like "God is in Control" and we say it as a matter of habit and form without really thinking too much about it. It does sound spiritual. But it also sounds like we don't have to be too responsible because God is ultimately in control and the results are up to Him. Sometimes it is simply a cop out.

But consider this: In Genesis 1:26....God says.... "and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth". Then in verse 28... "and subdue it: and have dominion". Then go to Deuteronomy 30:19...."that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." If we believe God is engineering our life, molding us into something He wants, why would he have given us the choice to do what we want? People have heard this phrase for so many years and think they don't have to do anything because God is in control! They use that as an excuse to live a mediocre life and hide in the church all their lives. And these people feel they are being spiritual because they are allowing God to "be in control".

God did not make us to be robots. He gave us a mind to use and the power to choose. We were given the responsibility to choose and then the results were there. Sometimes we don't like the results but it is the natural outcome of our choices. God actually trusted us with choices but He gave us Jesus to show us how to live and how to make the right choices. We know that God IS in control of the entire universe in an overall sense. He is over all but it is amazing to think that He gave to us the ability to choose for ourselves.

Sometimes people feel it is easier to follow rules than be responsible and make right choices. But to God relationship with Him is what counts. The closer we get into relationship the more we trust God. Any relationship that has trust involved takes time to develop to warrant the trust. God is no different. When we have fear, worry, and are overly concerned about the future, is that an indication that our relationship with God isn't established enough to trust Him? Are we just saying and doing the "right" things?

I grew up in a Christian family and we learned all the do's and don'ts, the list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. It was all done believing it was the right thing to do and of course most parents followed this pattern in raising their children. As the years went on I began to think about how I raised my kids. Did I teach them to be "good", to mind me, to avoid punishment, to do all the right things and avoid the wrong, to learn a way of behavior, or did I teach them to love God with their whole being and to be individually responsible to God to learn what was right for them.

You can teach children almost anything since they are pliable and able to learn. But with the church teaching the set of rules to obey, all we have to do is abide by that and don't take seriously our personal relationship with God. We feel we are doing okay because we are doing all the rules right. However, we need to know ourselves how God wants us to live and what to do or not do. My parents were doing what they learned and had the best of motives and I am SO thankful for my Christian heritage that it sometimes overwhelms me. But there are things I could have done as I grew up that would not have been wrong. The Bible advocates moderation. Would this have been a better way to have been taught: "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." I believe personal responsibility is what is needed. Rules are to be broken while choices keep us responsible.

Many years ago I was under the impression that I should be "called" to something special, to do a work for the Lord, and I didn't know what it was and struggled to find out. Finally I came to realize that what God wants for us is to live a simple life, and BE a witness wherever we go. I read a quote the other day that was pretty good. "Evangelism exists because worship doesn't". If we develop that relationship that God wants with us, people will be coming to us!! And our choices will be the right ones!

Your Attitude Makes the Difference

2009-10-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

Many things about your life boil down to the hand you have been dealt. You can't change the fact that you were born in that place and with certain givens for your appearance, IQ, or physical skills. Education and training can open some doors for you, but they cannot change your past, make you taller and more athletic, or alter the fact that some people are unfair in the way they treat you.

In spite of the fact that all of us know that most of our life circumstances are beyond our control, we are all still tempted to fret and complain about things that cannot be changed. Of course they cause distress. They certainly put us at a disadvantage in certain contexts. They mustn't be allowed to define and limit us.

The people who do best with life move beyond the temptation to whine and feel sorry for themselves. They face the disappointment and move beyond it. They acknowledge the bad break and look for a way to turn it around. They work from a half-full rather than half-empty glass mindset.

These people have a different attitude than the defeatist and whiner. They have found a way to make lemonade from their lemons.

There is a section in John Baillie's A Diary of Private Prayer that reads . . .

Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.

Let me use disappointment as material for patience;
Let me use success as material for thankfulness;
Let me use suspense as material for perseverance;
Let me use danger as material for courage;
Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering;
Let me use praise as material for humility;
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance;
Let me use pains as material for endurance.

When a given day begins, countless things are headed your way over which you have no control. It may be bad weather or someone's bad temper, a deadline that won't budge or a client equally resistant to change. The one factor you can control through it all is your attitude toward them.

Your attitude today will make all the difference in everything that matters.

Rubel Shelly....Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, MI

The Cookie Thief

2009-10-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

"There’s a nice poem by Valerie Cox circulating on the Internet about a woman who bought some cookies and a book at an airport and sat down to read and nibble while waiting for her plane. She soon noticed a man sitting next to her, who casually took a cookie from the bag.

Although shocked and seething, the woman remained silent as the man, without the slightest sign of shame or gratitude, quietly helped himself, matching her cookie for cookie.

When there was one cookie left, she watched in amazement as he picked it up, smiled at her as if he were being gracious, and broke it in half. He ate one half and gave her the other. Congratulating herself for maintaining her cool, she said nothing to this rude cookie thief, astonished at the nerve of some people.

Later, when she was settling into her seat on the plane, she rummaged through her purse and discovered the bag of cookies she’d purchased, still unopened. The moral message is contained in the poem’s closing stanza:

“If mine are here,” she moaned with despair,“Then the others were his, and he tried to share.”Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

Being sure is not the same as being right. Certainty without humility can lead to self-righteousness that distorts our view and understanding of the world and of people.

Humility doesn’t require us to be equivocal or doubtful about our deepest convictions. What it asks is that we hold and advocate our beliefs without dismissing the possibility that others may be right instead.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts."

Michael Josephson
http://www.charactercounts.org/

Gratitude

2009-09-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. I can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

I'm sure we all know gratitude is good but do we give it the importance of top priority in our lives? When our thoughts are centered on gratefulness there is no room for negative thoughts. That is one major blessing of living in gratitude.

Another important element is the Law of Attraction. We attract into our lives by our thoughts, so when we are grateful, we open the way for more good to come to us! And we all want that!

When my mind is too active at times to go to sleep, I think of all the things I'm grateful for and in a few minutes I'm sleeping sound. It changes my focus and relaxes my mind and works every time.

Cultivating the attitude of gratitude is an extremely important habit to form. We do not know what lies in our future politically or financially. Days seem to be uncertain. Wars and rumors of wars continue. Also, there is talk of the end of the Mayan calendar being December 21, 2012 and other ancient culture's writings indicate the same thing. Cataclysmic occurrences have been considered as possible scientifically but no one really knows what all this means.

Since that is only two years away, let's make these two years be the best years possible. Gratitude is one way to start. Living each moment to the fullest, doing our best efforts at whatever we do and helping others when the opportunity arises. Getting our spiritual houses in order is top priority. We've always said "life goes on".... but what if it doesn't? Are we spiritually ready for whatever happens?

I am not writing this to instill fear, worry or doubt. But to encourage us to change our thinking to gratitude of what we currently have and the list is long. Our society always wants more. We all do. But let's develop our gratitude attitude and see what transpires!!

Rise Above the Blame Game

2009-09-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

I thought the following was very good and decided to use it here and share it with everyone.

Blaming conflict-filled feelings on any condition, or person, outside of yourself is like getting angry at your shoes for being laced too tight.

So here is an effective inner life step designed to help you grow and develop greater spiritual strength: No matter what happens, never blame anyone -- or anything -- for the way you feel. Rising above the blame game is the same as learning how to be in total command of yourself.

Irritated inner states never seek solutions; they only seek reasons for why they have a right to exist! These states constantly feed you "good reasons" as to why you feel badly. The weakness that blames others blinds you to your real inner condition; which is going nowhere except around and down.

The next time you feel yourself starting to become frustrated, angry, or scared, do your best to confirm this next vital insight: Negative emotions cannot exist without having something to blame for their punishing presence.

Even if you have to remove yourself physically from a developing situation, then do it. Find some way to temporarily isolate yourself -- along with your smoldering emotional state. Please note: Isolate yourself along with your agitation.

Voluntarily isolating yourself along with your irritated thoughts and feelings doesn't mean cutting them off; nor does it mean that you should pretend that you're not on fire. Suppression of these weak inner states is just the opposite of angrily expressing them, and every bit as harmful. Don't express -- or suppress -- any negative state. Besides, either one of these opposite approaches always produces the same results; nothing changes except for what's being blamed. Choosing to not blame lifts you above both of these losing choices.

Your conscious non-action turns you into the objective witness of your own superheated emotions. And from the safety of this higher awareness you see about yourself what you couldn't see before because of all the inner fire and smoke. Your discoveries empower you to cancel the real cause of your inner combustibility. Not only is your self-command restored, but it's heightened. Each discovery of an unseen weakness heralds the coming of a greater spiritual strength. -- Guy Finley

A Great Recipe

2009-09-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti- depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today. I am thankful for______________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

What are we thinking???

2009-09-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to think about your "default" thinking? Default thinking is simply the thoughts that we have that we aren't conscious of, those automatic thoughts that pop into our heads or our old ways of thinking about what we observe and do. Our thoughts become habit and unless we are aware of our thinking, we may be getting ourselves into trouble!

How many times have you heard, or even said, it's going to be a bad day, or I think I'm getting sick or making remarks about ourselves such as that was stupid, I'm not very smart, etc. Or how many people have had people say things about them that they aren't going to amount to anything or they're stupid or something about how they look? Sometimes we grow up with these negative inputs so our thoughts are just programmed to think negatively about ourselves.

The Bible states: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he". Prov. 23:7. We know that what comes out of our mouths is in our hearts. "What you say flows from what is in your heart". Luke 6:45. We need to reprogram our hearts. The more we read good positive materials, listen to good positive teaching series and use affirmations, the quicker we will get reprogrammed.

Think about these quotes: "There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge; both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought." Napoleon Hill. Someone on The Secret said "What you think about you bring about". And Mike Dooley (from The Secret) also says "Thoughts become things... choose the good ones! ®

This instruction is found in Phillippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." That is plain enough, but The New Living Translation states it a little more in our modern language: "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." There will be no room for negative thoughts if we fill our minds with these good thoughts.

We have read many reports stating that stress is the cause of 95% of all sickness. If we take control of our thoughts (and we can!) and become aware of what we think and say, we can eliminate so much trouble for ourselves. Isn't it worth it???

Pictures from recent activities

2009-09-16T07:32:00.001-07:00

Sunset at Ft. Gibson Lake

Love those friendly butterflies

Tour through Har-Ber Village
Karla and Rick at Har-Ber Village Spavinaw Spillway

The big catch at Spavinaw Creek

Christianese

2009-09-10T12:06:00.001-07:00

J. B. Phillips version of the New Testament is my favorite. I only wish he had lived longer so he could have written a version of the Old Testament too. [Then we would have had "Phillips 66".] :-) This following devotional that I received is very good and definitely is one with which I totally agree. I thought I would share it.

The defenders of the jargon and phrases of the Church's traditions hold that there must of necessity be a specialized vocabulary, just as there is in any other specialized form of human activity, whether it is music, architecture, or electronic engineering. To me, at least, this is a thoroughly unsound argument, for Christ did not come into the world to bring men "specialized activity," but life, fuller and more satisfying than it had been ever before. If the churches have made Christianity appear to be some kind of specialized spiritual performance so much the worse for them. The real purpose of Christ, the real relevance of the Gospel, is surely to enable men to live together as sons of God. Human beings, like children, love to have secrets, love to be "in the know." But the Christian religion was never meant to be a secret recipe for living, held by a few. It is Good News for all mankind and, because it is that, the more clearly and intelligibly it can be presented, the more faithfully it is following its Master's purpose.... J.B. Phillips (1906-1982), Is God at Home?, London: Lutterworth Press, 1957, p. 8-9

Yes, there are certain words that apply to various occupations or group activities, sports, etc., but when a newcomer is around, does it make them feel excluded? Why can't Christians just be normal people, living in the world, living life to the fullest, without all the Christianese? Any language can be learned and people who "join" the church can learn this language too. Does it have any meaning or is it just the need to be like everyone else? Sometimes Jesus' ideas and teachings get lost in the shuffle as we focus on all the superficial things. And many words or phrases are repeated and become a habit more than an intentional statement.

Jesus meant for us to live a simple life (I Tim. 2:2b that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.) No facades, just being real. Many people have lived a life so "perfect" that they don't really know what being real is all about. To me being real is recognizing your mistakes and learning from it. To be real is to be yourself with all your flaws and yet having an intense desire to grow and learn and be that better person that we all want people to think we are. Being real to me is not following a set of rules which because you do, makes you better than others. Many people have lived a life that may appear to be perfect because all their ducks are in a row. They go to the right places, have the right friends, avoid all the wrong activities, say the right things, have the right upbringing, etc. Years ago as I was getting acquainted with a new friend, she said, "Now I'm getting to know the real you!". I answered that I would rather be real and growing than stuck in a facade that wasn't really me! I am thankful to her for that statement because it caused me to think.

Did Jesus emphasis doing the right thing (obeying a particular set of rules and we know the various denominations have different rules, from what to wear in clothes or jewelry, what activities you can or cannot do, etc) or did he empasize having a relationship with God through Him? Jesus' parable about the prodigal son shows that this son that squandered his money and did all the wrong things was welcomed back like he was royalty. Being real means admitting where we are in humility and the mistakes we have made and then growing from the experience.

I am not advocating doing wrong things so that we have some experiences or "reality" but to understand that although we may "act" perfect, we all have issues and baggage. However, sometimes our biggest problem is that we don't even know we have a problem. Let's not be too introspective but let God reveal to us our flaws and mistakes and show us how to live life to the fullest completely free from the bondage of having to be perfect.

Happy Times

2009-09-06T06:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had a combination birthday party for three people in our family, Chris, Bob and Andrea. It was at Larry's and was very enjoyable. Jason and Andrea provided homemade ice cream (and some desserts), Karla provided the birthday "cake" and other desserts, and the rest of us provided the remaining food for a wonderful meal. Here is a picture of the birthday "cake":

This looks like a hamburger and french fries but it really is dessert!! Cupcakes, brownies, frostings, and sugar cookie french fries. It was yummy!! and so cute.

What a blessing to have family gatherings and see our family grow as the grandchildren marry and add spouses to our number. And to have friends join with us is an added blessing.

It is great to have a 3-day weekend so some projects can get accomplished. We went to a llama farm yesterday to pick up some large fans for Warren to repair and there are many more that need repair. His electronic repair business is picking up. Word of mouth works!! The llama farm was very interesting and we learned about raising llamas. They do not like humidity and therefore need lots of large fans circulating the air in their barns. Their nature is more like a cat. They are curious but kind of standoffish in nature. They do spit but usually turn their heads and it is used as a warning much like a dog growling. It was very fascinating.

It is time to get ready for church so I leave you with this quote which is directly relating to our fun time at the birthday party: "Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment." Grenville Kleiser 1868-1953, Author

Enjoy the long weekend.

Rainy Day

2009-09-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

About 3 am this morning the thunder was sounding in the distance. By 4:00 it was raining and the thunder and lightning was putting on quite a show. As I write it is raining again and I am thankful that all of our trees and flowers are getting a drink without the effort of dragging a hose around to water our newer trees and plantings. It saved the day for me!!

My thoughts this morning go along the lines of being quiet. Guy Finley had a quote the other day on his website that says: "There is nothing as certain as silence, stillness, and solitude to introduce you to the secrets of yourself." Not only do you find "yourself" in the stillness but you find God. "Be still and know that I am God". Psalm 46:10.

These are the times when there is noise all around us. Many people have to have the radio on, the TV blaring, music going, or talking with friends. All those things are good but when is the quiet time to contemplate? Years ago I heard that a person that has to have some kind of "noise" always coming into their ears is one that does not like to be alone with their own thoughts.

We need time to meditate. We need a time to be quiet and still our mind from all the stress of the day or the stressful times in which we live. We can either just sit quietly or even lay down for a few minutes to relax every muscle.

Even when we seem to have time we tend to fill it with busy thoughts, phone calls, TV or any number of activities. Maybe we should arrange in each day a little time to think about our day and cultivate an attitude of gratitude. We don't usually have any trouble finding time to think of negative things, like what someone said or did to us, all the bad news we hear on TV, the political scene, etc.

Remember the quote on The Secret: "What we think about we bring about". So what are we thinking about. Are our thoughts building or tearing down? Are they relieving us from stress or adding to the problems?

"Quiet time to be alone is not an optional nicety; nor is it just for the retired, the lazy, or those naturally inclined. It is for all of us. It is valuable time well spent. And above all, it needs no justification other than its own noble purpose: to become more fully awake and to remember what you most need to remember about yourself and your life." David Kundtz’s Quiet Mind

Just something to think about! Have a great day!

A violinist

2009-08-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

You may have received this story in an email but I thought it was worth putting here. It makes you stop and think about our lives... if we would have been any different than these people. I googled the name to find out about this guy and found out the story is real.

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. A violinist played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3 year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

45 minutes: The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk at their normal pace. He collected $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written with one of the most beautiful instruments ever built... How many other things are we missing?

Thoughts and Words

2009-08-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

August is on its way out, only a few more days left. It has been such an unusual and pleasant August. It is just perfect with cool nights and mornings and the heat isn't our unbearable like our usual August temperatures. The grass and trees are still as green as spring so we hopefully have a long fall ahead of us, my favorite season. That is it's my favorite until spring comes and then that is my favorite. Who can resist the beauty of new flowering bushes in yards and woods and daffodils blooming announcing the break from winter?

Yesterday was a productive day in the kitchen. Besides making my weekly carrot/veggie juice, I froze a small batch of okra from Diane & Bob's garden, froze 5 baggies of 2 cups of grated zucchini to be used for zucchini bread, made 3 loaves of banana bread and 4 loaves of zucchini bread. Also did other prepatory stuff with vegetables so they are ready for use and made two large salads for dinner. With a quick trip to the bank, that pretty much filled my day.

I felt inspired to write on this blog but since my day went for cooking it never happened. I have been pretty excited over the DVDs we have seen recently. When visiting our friends last Friday, we watched a new one that we received recently called The Shadow Effect: A Journey from your darkest thought to your greatest dream. It was very thought provoking. We definitely will need to see it again. We also watched other inspirational DVDs which were conversations we had recorded from TV about The Secret and later in the weekend we watched another one which we have had for months but never watched called Pass It On.

It was wonderful to be reminded about how easily we can fall back into old habits of negative thought or speaking. I am so grateful for Dr. Gregg Coker telling Warren about the DVD, The Secret. Since watching (and have now seen it probably at least 2 dozen times) we have seen so much change in our lives and the lives of those around us that have also seen it. It changes our focus and makes us aware of the negativity in our own thoughts and words and how we attract to ourselves according to those thoughts. The Bible states, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he!" It all fits. Our words come out because of what is in our heart. We need a heart "transplant". By pursuing all the positive books, teachings and DVDs on this transformational subject, stating the affirmations that are given to us as suggestions, we can change our hearts. What is in our heart has been placed there by all that has gone before.....what we have learned in church, school, from parents, from friends, experiences, books, movies... and most people need a total overhaul in that area.

One teaching that we have that is very powerful is in book or CD form called Letting it Go by Guy Finley. This is not always easy to do but so very important to be free of all those things that hold us down. He has another book that I will eventually have to have: 365 Days to Let Go. Here are a few excerpts from that book:

Until we become conscious of how many more times a day we complain about our life than we feel gratitude for the gift of it, we not only miss the taste of life's secret sweetness, but we continue to sow the bitter seeds of our own sorrow.

It seldom occurs to us that whatever we persist with in our lives works to perfect the same, so that by allowing persistent negative thoughts and feelings to have their way with us, we unknowingly perfect self-punishment!

Learn never to blame another for the pain you feel, nor to complain about anything that life brings to your door; but this doesn't mean to be accepting of those who would see you ache, nor should you be apathetic in the face of anything that challenges your hopes and aspirations. (Guy Finley).

One of my strong interests over the years has been in understanding people and reading about temperaments, why people do what they do, etc. I have been interested in handwriting analysis (the scientific approach, not the fortune telling) and see a direct connection between handwriting and personality. And as the circumstances change (such as a negative person becoming positive or vice versa) the handwriting changes. I have observed this personally in an acquaintance years ago and it was amazing. I hope to take the time to study that area further soon. So many projects, so little time! :-)

Have a wonderful day!

Some good quotations:

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

The greatest discovery you'll ever make, is the potential of your own mind.— Jose Silva

The more people complain about their unwanted circumstances in life, the less likely they are to do anything to change them! Guy Finley

William James, over a century ago, said, "The greatest discovery of this generation is that a human being can alter their life by altering their attitudes"

Change Is The Result Of Choices Not Chances. Robb Thompson

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. — Brian Tracy

One-Liners:

You can't enjoy today if you're worrying about the past or the future.

You can tell how big a person is By what it takes to discourage him.

He who angers you, controls you!

2009-08-18T08:45:00.001-07:00

This morning I received an email from Guy Finley that I wanted to share with everyone. He has some good thoughts and this time it is about wasting time, or our vital life forces as he calls it. Take a look at these 21 ways and we can take an account of ourselves and have a quality life instead of a mediocre life.

"Study these thieves closely and catch them in the act of stealing your chances for Higher Life as they drain away your vital life forces.

1. All forms of useless talking
2. Being wrongly involved in the life of anyone else
3. Daydreams of any nature
4. Using excessive emotions
5. Keeping "accounts" on those who have displeased you
6. Sitting in judgment of anyone for any reason
7. Becoming identified with anything
8. Useless thinking, such as speculating "why?"
9. Overindulging yourself
10. Resisting your environment or the unpleasant manifestations of others
11. Being concerned with how others see you
12. Defending yourself from imagined enemies, as with quips or sarcasm
13. Puttering around in order to keep yourself feeling productive
14. Any form of sexual imagination
15. Rushing through or to anything
16. All forms of frustration, including impatience and anger
17. Doing anything in half measures, or leaving things hanging
18. Telling "little" lies
19. Taking part in any dialogue with yourself
20. Seeking any form of vengeance or retribution, embracing resentment
21. Wrestling with anxious feelings and trying to think your way out of pain

For extra benefit, make a list of ways you suspect your own vital forces are being wasted. Then stop throwing away your chance to know Real Life! -- Guy Finley"

So many of these ring a bell. From time to time we find ourselves thinking about the "what ifs"; or rehearsing the circumstance of some offence we received; or what we would like to say to someone that hurt us; or spending time in fear or worry over something that likely wouldn't happen anyway and we can't change by thinking this way. If we eliminate this kind of wasted time and do the best we can with the time we have, we will feel more joy, satisfaction and accomplishment for the time we do have. We often state that we don't have enough time. Many times that is simply an excuse for lack of motivation. If we need rest, then let's rest without guilt. If we need to do a task, do it with all of our might. I learned, while at the law office buried in stacks of files of work to do, stacks that went as tall as they could before falling over, stacks that went out into the hallway, that when an "ugly" file came along, to just DO IT. This eliminates the hours of dread if you put it aside. The same is true for some household task or anything that we would continually put off until another time. It was inevitable that it had to be done so doing the dreaded thing right away gives you freedom all the rest of the day. It was a great lesson learned.

I hope this list gives insight into the little thieves that rob us of the joy of living a quality life.

Have a wonderful day!

It's a Gorgeous Day!!

2009-08-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

This morning the words to the song in "Oklahoma" ring out in my mind....."Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day!!!" and I can add the next sentence.... "I've got a wonderful feeling everything's going my way!!!" That's a great start to a day.

Our weather is perfect (at least until afternoon when the temperature hits the high for today). Banana bread is just out of the oven making wonderful fragrances float this way and the current bank statement is balanced so I have some accomplishments already this morning.

I have spent some of my morning reading and also communicating by email with family. There is nothing I treasure more than my family. All of my children, their spouses, and the grandchildren and spouses are super-terrific. They are precious to me and such a joy to have around and be able to communicate with them. Now I know I share those thoughts with most other parents and grandparents, but I feel so blessed to have them in my life.

Another very valuable thing to me is learning. From a very young age I was inquisitive. To this day I have a book that my mother gave to me in 1945entitled, "The Question Book for Young Folks" by Sylvia Weil and Rosetta C. Goldsmith. There are pages of 25 questions and the answers are in the back. One would think I know LOTS of information at this point, but I have forgotten most of it but to me it proves that it was very important for me to know things. I suppose it could be called a Trivia book for the types of questions and answers. But it was fascinating and was always my favorite book. This desire for learning has been active down through the years. I can't imagine my life without books. Experiences and communication with others also is a great learning tool. Sharing knowledge and insights is fun.

Due to this insatiable desire for more, I have read some very interesting books. Check out my list of books which I will update from time to time. Also, I will occasionally add more one-liners and good quotes so you might check the blog for these. I do not think they show up on the email updates.

This is all for today. I will close with this thought: "Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment." Sidney PoitierActor and Author of The Measure of a Man

Blessings.........

Sunday morning musings

2009-08-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Every morning I receive a devotional from the writings of Oswald Chambers. They are excellent and cause me to think and many times confirm my own thoughts. Over the years I have always wondered where common sense fits into spirituality. Having socially interacted with many levels of education over the years I observed that common sense appeared to be missing in many people and great education did not always produce any or more common sense.

I have always felt it was desirable to have common sense but was not sure about how that fits in with Bible beliefs. Some preachers have given the idea that common sense was wrong. This did not set well with me because the Bible speaks volumes about the need for wisdom. "Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not" Prov. 4:5; "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." Prov. 4:7; "For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it". Prov. 8:11 and many more.

This morning Oswald Chambers addressed this issue. I think this is the first time I've heard something on this subject. To quote him:

Never let common sense obtrude and push the Son of God on one side. Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will. Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God.

Now to me this means it is good to have common sense but if supernatural sense says something else, then at that time it has to supercede common sense. When we read God's Word we can gain Godly wisdom and our decisions will be the good. But I believe we have to give over to the "supernatural sense" when those occasions warrant it. For example, if we are going some where, it may be common sense to go the shortest route to our destination but we sense we should go another way. We don't know why we feel that way but this is when common sense has to give over to supernatural sense. Perhaps there was danger going the other way. The soft inner voice of the Holy Spirit speaks to us and we have the choice to obey or use common sense. Then, of course, we reap the results of our choice.

So this little devotional today helped put common sense in the proper perspective for me. It definitely is needed for everyday life but we have to be open and sensitive to Supernatural sense and be willing and quick to obey.

Time to get ready for church....... Have a great Sunday!

2009-08-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

This morning I had planned to sleep in but LC, my kitty, woke me early for breakfast. I love early mornings so decided to stay up. After a very enjoyable day yesterday I thought I would need more sleep but really wasn't worn out from all the activities. Diane and Kevin came over and we went to see my neighbor's new sun room. It is really nice and will provide many hours of enjoyment.

We decided to check out a few garage sales, and picked up a few small bargains. After a nice relaxing lunch we went to swim with Daniel & Markus. That was so very relaxing and refreshing. Fresh air and water has a way of rejuvenating even though it usually also makes one tired. After having put in two swimming pools of our own, this only renewed my memories and enjoyment in having a pool. Now where could I put one??? Just kidding - that is very far down my list of to-do's.

After making potato salad for our lake day today, Warren and I watched a very enjoyable 50's classic music program. That was even worth staying up late. It definitely was fun to watch.

Till next time.........Keep your face to the sunshine and you will not see the shadows. ~Helen Keller

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Oklahoma morning thoughts

2009-08-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful morning in Oklahoma. The breeze is blowing, the sun is shining and it is too early for the extreme heat that is predicted for today. The hummingbirds continue to deplete their supply of sugar water in the feeder we put up last Saturday. They are fun to watch and so tiny and cute but why do they have to fight when there are four flowers to share? We will put up at least one or two more for them to enjoy.

One of my favorite things to do in the mornings is read together. I usually read aloud a portion of a book to Warren. We enjoy this time because we can stop and ask questions, discuss issues, or affirm that portion we read with a personal example. We also get the book read at the same time so we have that common interest for future discussions.

The book we are reading now is called "Writing in the Sand - Jesus and the Soul of the Gospels" by Thomas Moore. We have read three chapters so far and find it very interesting. Moore brings a deeper meaning to the parables of the gospels with the purpose of creating a happier and more meaningful life. To quote a sentence from the book jacket: "In his examination of the original Greek texts, Moore draws upon his background of studying theology, world religions, art history, depth psychology, and world mythology. He dismisses the cautionary voice of earlier interpretations and instead explores the deeper significance of language, stressing the origins of words and their many levels of meaning in an effort to discover what we can truly learn from the Gospels' most significant stories." This book is making us think and go deeper than the more common preaching of the gospels. Whether or not I will be agreeing with everything in the book is yet to be seen but I am reading with an open mind. I will "eat the grapes and spit out the seeds!"

This weekend we have a big day planned at Lake Keystone. Karla & Rick will bring their boat and all of the family plus many other friends will come and enjoy all the fun they can tolerate on a 100+ day. Boating, swimming, skiing, tubing and jumping off cliffs....lots of fun!!!

You know there are still some really good people around. Larry just told me that he got into his SUV which was parked outside in his own driveway overnight, went to work and then looked out the window and noticed someone had spray painted some very offensive words on the side of it in red paint. He was shocked. It was suggested that he take it to a body shop so he went immediately to the place he has used before and had recommended to me and they are reasonable and very nice. They took it in, fixed it as good as new in just a few minutes and then said he didn't owe him anything! How often do you find businesses like that these days? That business will get (and probably already is getting) many referrals from his good will. For the local people, the shop is called W&J Auto Service. Larry said he was 1/2 the price of other quotes for some hail damage he had repaired so we see the pattern of his goodwill. He truly knows the pay-it-forward deal. Thank you Terry!!!!

I have many projects to tackle in the coming weeks, one being to find all my loose photographs and put in albums. This includes not only recent ones but those from my Mom's box that go back to when I was a baby so that is going to be a huge task. I also have the website business bookkeeping to catch up on and in the background of my mind I am thinking of taking out the quilt pieces to put together another quilt top. Also, one of these days I will return to my project of converting cassettes to CDs. It isn't a hard task but you have to pay attention when the cassette ends so I can't be multi-tasking very easily. So I do have enough to keep me busy for quite awhile and I'm sure I will think of other projects as well.

"The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are." Thomas Dreier Author

Have a blessed day.

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ASKING FOR AND ACCEPTING HELP

2009-07-31T05:02:00.000-07:00

On Fridays I have sent an email to many friends with an inspiring story. I have decided to put at least some of the significant quotes on this blog because they can stir our own thinking to where we can see change where it is needed.

It’s common knowledge that, globally, business people are being inundated by one challenge after another. These are considered by most everyone, tough times. Personally, I’ve been in business for a long time. This is my 41st year in this business. I have a number of companies that operate globally and like everyone else, we’re experiencing challenges on a number of fronts. However, over the course of these 41 years, I’ve seen this happen more than once. Fortunately I’ve always weathered the storm … and not by accident - by design. I thought I’d share with you today some of the ideas that have helped me to keep moving in the right direction.

.....You see, I learned that one of the great secrets in life is recognizing when you need help and graciously accepting it. I coach people from all over the world, and I do this because the coaches I had made such an enormous difference in my life. The changes I experienced came fast and furious and they’ve all been long lasting. The names of the 6 people are Raymond Douglas Stanford, Earl Nightingale, Lloyd Conant, Val Van De Wall, Dr. C. Harry Roder, and Bill Gove. Let me touch on each of them, one at a time because I believe the lessons I learned will benefit you, as well.

I was working in a fire hall in Toronto when I was 26 years old, and I was not a very happy person. I was earning $4,000/year and I owed $6,000. The idea of getting out of debt never entered my mind. That’s when Ray Stanford entered my life. He encouraged me to take an honest look at the results I was getting. He said “Bob, you keep talking about not having a formal education and using it as an excuse for getting poor results.” He then said, “Those are only reasons why you’re not getting what you want. Set those aside and start to focus on all the reasons you can get what you what.” Then he gave me Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich. He said, “Bob, if you will make the commitment to do exactly what this book says and to do exactly what I suggest, I’ll help you change your life.” I didn’t really believe I could, but I believed he believed I could. And it was his belief in me that inspired me to begin to study. One year later, I was earning $175,000 a year and, from there, I took it to over a million a year. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but I was beginning to realize a lot of the things that I had been thinking weren’t true. I thought some people were lucky but others weren’t. I was to find out that you and I have exactly the same potential.

I then got a hold of Earl Nightingale’s condensed narration of the Napoleon Hill book, Think And Grow Rich on a record. I began listening to that record every day.......Earl Nightingale taught me how to study. He said, “Don’t just read the book, study it. Attempt to understand the idea the author is attempting to communicate in each paragraph. To do that you might need to study that paragraph for a month.”

As I’m writing this story, I’m surrounded by a few thousand books in my own library, all of which I’ve studied. Lloyd Conant taught me to take the lid off my mind and let it soar. He said, “Bob, nothing is big or small, except our thinking makes it so. No one alive knows what we’re capable of doing. Go after something big. Even if you miss, it can be exhilarating.”

........On Earl Nightingale’s recording of The Magic Word … the magic word being Attitude … at one point he says, “Now right here we come to a rather strange fact. We tend to minimize the things we can do, the goals we can accomplish, and for some equally strange reason we think other people can accomplish things that we cannot. I want you to understand that that is not true. You have deep reservoirs of talent and ability within you that you can bring to the surface and achieve all that you desire.”

.......I want to leave you with one thought: These are only tough times if you think of them as tough times. I see these as good times. It is times like these that cause us to grow… to dig down deep inside and bring something out of ourselves that we might not have known was there. I am very pleased that I have been able to share what I have learned with many thousands of people from every walk of life through our Coaching Program. I’ve watched people who were in financial trouble become prosperous; companies that were struggling grow into viable organizations. Any way a person can be helped, I’ve seen it happen because the answers are within us. And, because of what these great men taught me, I was able to pass it along.

[If you would like to change, let me help you learn what my coaches taught me. If you think I could help you, send me an email at bob@bobproctorcoaching.com and I’ll get back to you.]

.,..............Bob Proctor Chairman Life Success Productions.

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Love Yourself This Summer . . .

2009-07-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

Summer has begun and with it some people worry too much about how they are going to look in that bathing suit. Whether you are truly overweight or just stressing about how you look, it's time to stop the self-criticism.

It's important to realize that all of our actions are designed to meet a need. Oftentimes, being overweight is caused by insecurity, self-rejection, and fear of our own feelings, while overeating is usually an attempt to love and nurture ourselves with food. The original problem may very well stem from childhood beliefs and choices. Once seen and addressed, these outdated beliefs can be released for new ones that serve us now as complete and perfect adults. Filling our minds with pleasant thoughts is the quickest road to health.

Start today by saying these affirmations and posting them somewhere in your home:

I love my body exactly as it is.
I release the fear of food.
Every morsel I eat rejuvenates my cells.
I love to exercise.
I have respect and a high regard for myself.
I balance my life around work, rest, and play.
I support, love, and accept myself unconditionally.
I am happy and peaceful beyond my wildest dreams.

Enjoy the summer! ............Louise Hay

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New Beginnings

2009-07-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

This is a new experience for me. I am willing to try having a blog and see what response I get and how much time it consumes. I will share the materials that come to me through various ways in hopes that others will enjoy them.

Some things may come across as not very "religious" and that is fine with me. It is not "religion" but a relationship with God that is necessary. I am not afraid to read or hear anything because my trust is in God. If writers, that are not ordinarily accepted in main stream Christianity have something good to say, it matters not to me that they are not accepted. If it is a correct statement then I want to know it. Many times others have a handle on things that we are too close to the situation to see clearly.

One thing that I have always desired is to have wisdom. "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment." Proverbs 4:7. (NLT) So in my quest for wisdom I find many things that I want to share. We all need to exercise discernment for ourselves but we can eat the grapes and spit out the seeds. Get all the good we can and discard what doesn't apply to us.

So here goes.... a new adventure!!

Enlarge Your Life with Compassion and Consideration

2009-07-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

It is within relationships that we grow as individuals in everything valuable, because it is through them that we become stronger and wiser, allowing us to realize a love that transcends our unseen self-limiting self-interests. What do we have to do to change the balance sheet of our lives so that for every measure of impatience and intolerance there may be at least an equivalent sum of compassion and consideration?

Your willingness to work your way through the following special exercises -- striving to employ these higher ideals in your relationships with others -- will show you how to use each developing moment in your relationships with family, friends, and coworkers to consciously change your relationship with yourself.

1) Let anyone who wants to psychologically defeat you have his victory, and do it without revealing that you chose to give him the last word.

2) In any moment of consequence, be as willing to see that you may be wrong as you are convinced that you are always right.

3) Even when you know that you are solidly in the right, rather than rub it in, sacrifice your righteousness.

4) Should a sarcastic or unkind remark pop into your mind to tease, torment, or in any way "trash" another person, try swallowing it first to see how it tastes before you dish it out.

5) Let there be times when you don't tell someone everything you know about her problem, even if your understanding of it is better than hers.

6) When feeling displeased with someone, don't show your displeasure, and save any necessary correction for a later time.

7) There are times when the greatest strength (and kindness) one can possess is to allow another his weakness without pointing it out or otherwise punishing him for it.

Keep in mind that everything true we discover about ourselves enlarges our relationship with life. .......Guy Finley http://www.guyfinley.com/

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