What are we thinking???

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!