Thanksgiving

I AWAKEN TO A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY MORNING. THIS IS THANKSGIVING DAY. APPROPRIATELY I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY IN ALL ITS BLESSINGS. I CANNOT BEGIN TO NAME THE WAYS IN WHICH DIVINE PROVIDENCE FILLS MY LIFE WITH TLC. SO TO EVERYONE RECEIVING THIS THOUGHT I SIMPLY SAY I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU AND PRAY YOUR DAY WILL BE BLESSED AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GOD'S LOVE IN YOUR LIFE IN WHATEVER MAY BE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE WHETHER IT BE JOY OR PAIN, HAPPINESS OR SORROW, SICKNESS OR WELLNESS,  IN WHATEVER MAY THE BLESSINGS OF GOD BE UPON YOU AND WITHIN YOU.

Your Self-worth

The Bible is full of stories of humans behaving badly toward one another. It is always a lot safer to blame someone else thus turning attention away from your own faults. Well, it is no different today.

NEVER EVER TURN YOUR SENSE OF SELF-WORTH OVER TO WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAYS OR THINKS ABOUT YOU. THERE IS NO OTHER HUMAN ON EARTH QUALIFIED TO ASSESS AND JUDGE YOUR WORTH. YOUR WORTH IS NOT DEFINED BY YOUR MISTAKES OR LACK OF MISTAKES, THAT COMES WITH SIMPLY BEING HUMAN. LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SAY YOU ARE REALLY WONDERFUL THEN GO OUT AND LIVE LIKE YOU ARE WONDERFUL. 

DO NOT ACCEPT IT WHEN SOMEONE DUMPS THEIR CRAP ON YOU MAKING YOU TO BLAME. REFUSE IT, DO NOT OWN IT, TURN YOUR BACK AND WALK AWAY.

BEHOLD, GOD MADE MAN AND WOMEN, AND GOD SAID THIS IS GOOD. 

REMEMBER, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS TO LIVE TRUE TO YOUR BEING GOD'S CREATION AND WHAT GOD CREATES IS DONE TOP QUALITY. AND CHRIST SHOWS US THE WAY……..

Suffering

ALL SUFFERING IS BEARABLE IF IT IS SEEN AS PART OF A STORY. -Isak Dinesen- this is true.Suffering is involved in building business, a career, a family, a home, a marriage, a government.  It took some suffering to grow a family and reach this point in life. It takes some suffering to be where we are now, but it is worth the pain because it is part of my story and my story is worth living and telling and it is not finished. We don't get through this life without pain, mistakes, broken promises, failures—all part of the story, but that is part of the big picture. Some of our greatest learning is done in bad times. We discover more about ourselves. Character grows…."I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all to the glory that is going to be revealed to us…." (Romans 8:18) - Your life, my life is a story and our Creator would not have given us life if the story was not worth living and telling, even the suffering Now if you want to go someplace where there is no suffering and pain, go walk through the cemetery. 

Trust what little light you have

> “An old woodsman told me that the reason most people get lost is because they don’t go far enough. They doubt where they are and change direction too soon. Somehow we are called to lean forward by what little light we are given.” -Nepo — One reason we doubt where we are may the voices in our head telling us we are wrong or don’t know what we are doing. We are vulnerable to what other “authorities” think. It is one thing to be stubborn, arrogant and not value other opinions, but it is also important to trust our own instincts and stay on the path of this deep sense of the way. After all the Spirit of Truth is in us as much as anyone and we are accountable for that awareness Jesus is talking about when he asked the disciples to tell him what they personally thought to be truth about him...
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Faith Hope Love

"We turn our attention….away from fear and toward hope." I read this a few minutes ago and find it a great thought to use as a mantra during the thoughts, feelings, experiences, challenges and whatever today. Fear presents a roadblock in our minds and feelings but lift your eyes and see hope beyond fear, then move beyond fear toward hope. FAITH, HOPE, LOVE dissolve fear-gives you inner vision to see through fear to what really matters. Just try it, — turn your attention away from fear and toward hope.

It's OK

IT'S  OK  ???????   THREE PEOPLE STAND ON THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN. ASK EACH ONE WHAT HE/SHE SEES AND EACH WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE AWESOM BEAUTY.  SO IT IS WE NEED ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE TRUTH, AWARENESS, EXPERIENCE OF EACH OTHER AND HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO EACH. MY LIGHT ENHANCES YOUR LIGHT, YOUR LIGHT ENHANCES MY LIGHT. AND THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE WILL HAVE MORE LIGHT……….

make the world a better place

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> Why do anything other than work to make the world a better place, especially with the amazing benefits we've been given? (Howard Buffett) - and this is something every person can do at any time and any place - to begin the day with this thought in mind sets the stage for wonder-full living and unexpected opportunities to do good. and, "as thy days so shall thy strength be."
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My Light Enhances Your Light

IT'S  OK  ???????   THREE PEOPLE STAND ON THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN. ASK EACH ONE WHAT HE/SHE SEES AND EACH WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE AWESOM BEAUTY.  SO IT IS WE NEED ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE TRUTH, AWARENESS, EXPERIENCE OF EACH OTHER AND HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO EACH. MY LIGHT ENHANCES YOUR LIGHT, YOUR LIGHT ENHANCES MY LIGHT. AND THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE WILL HAVE MORE LIGHT……….

Daily Quiet Reflection on the Word of God

"Daily, quiet reflection on the Word of God as it applies to me (even if only for a few minutes) becomes for me a point of crystallization for everything which gives interior and exterior order to my life." Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor in Germany who assisted the underground resistance to the Nazi regime..he had a strong biblically based spirituality which called him to work against political injustices. Daily quiet meditation on the Word of God as it applies to me results  in interior and exterior order to my life. At the very outset of my call to preach pilgrimage and to this very day my sense of order inwardly and outwardly came as a result of being centered in the Word of God as I understand its meaning for me. This is sanity, this is balance, this is purpose even though I am a hesitant and far from able practitioner of this truth. God does not expect us to be perfect but to set our sights in His Word. Thus our little pebble upon the surface of each day sends it ripples of influence upon this day and age....

This is the Day the Lord has Made

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> without a healthy spiritual core we are liable to use the creation in which we live foolishly, selfishly, harmfully. Our relationships will suffer all kinds of distortion and dysfunction. Therefore, "Create in me a clean heart and put within me a right spirit….". Let me see this day as, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
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live it if you preach it

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> faith, hope, charity—key ingredients for living a worthwhile life. CHARITY: "kindness and tolerance in judging others.." thus the dictionary defines this word. C.S. Lewis once spoke of his pastor: "He taught but first he practiced it himself." — if you want a child to behave in a certain way that you think is right, it is best that first you practice it in your relationship with the child and with others. in every generation the world needs persons who live charitably with their fellow humans. start being judgmental toward a person and he will put up his defenses. be kind, gentle, respectful toward him/her and you will find someone more open and ready to listen. so today my intent is to do some charity practicing.
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Howard Buffet

 

 

 

Why do anything other than work to make the world a better place, especially with the amazing benefits we’ve been given? (Howard Buffett) - and this is something every person can do at any time and any place - to begin the day with this thought in mind sets the stage for wonder-full living and unexpected opportunities to do good. and, “as thy days so shall thy strength be."

 

dad/papa

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith, Hope, Charity

 

 

 

faith, hope, charity—key ingredients for living a worthwhile life. CHARITY: “kindness and tolerance in judging others..” thus the dictionary defines this word. C.S. Lewis once spoke of his pastor: “He taught but first he practiced it himself.” — if you want a child to behave in a certain way that you think is right, it is best that first you practice it in your relationship with the child and with others. in every generation the world needs persons who live charitably with their fellow humans. start being judgmental toward a person and he will put up his defenses. be kind, gentle, respectful toward him/her and you will find someone more open and ready to listen. so today my intent is to do some charity practicing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FW: thought

 

 

 

 

“IT TAKES GREAT EFFORT TO BECOME EFFORTLESS AT ANYTHING. THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES” (Roth) - the person of calmness in the storm has likely learned through experience the futility of reacting in haste and anger. my high school friend played the piano so easily and beautifully only after hours and days of practice in the privacy of home. one stands on the peak of the mountain enjoying the wonderful scenery, and seeing great distances, but the peak was reached after hours of hard and painful climbing. a new life comes into the world only after the mothers agonizing birth experience. Jesus moved quietly, confidently, patiently teaching and doing good works only after days of agony and indecision and temptation and value sorting in the distant wilderness. wherever you are in life today, pause allowing yourself to benefit from the rough journey to be there…and he said, “I will always be with you in Spirit."

FW: thought

 

"That day which you fear as being the end of all things is the birthday of your eternity." -Seneca_ this intrigues me. what is he saying? the “securities” we build around us can take on a life of their own and become the end of all things for us. we can so depend upon these contrived  structures that we have no identity apart from them. a type of idolatry. if these are suddenly destroyed, eliminated from our lives we initially are devastated and feel the world for us has come to an end. I hear Seneca saying this end of all things opens the door for us to really find out what life is all about. eternity opens for us and discovery really begins. fortunately this can happen at any stage of life. one is never to young or too old for this liberating and wonder-filled adventure with Creation…..herein " you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” — those words within themselves open for us the real pilgrimage of experiencing the One Known By Many Names. For me that is Holy Spirit. After all The Kingdom of God/Presence is within you and nothing happening outside you is bigger, stronger than what is within you……”the birthday of your eternity.” ----

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

don't be a victim

 

 

I CHOOSE NOT TO BE A VICTIM. INSTEAD I CHOOSE TO BE A LEARNER.This speaks to two sides of the coin. Trouble happens and the attitude we choose determines our response. We can think we are victim or we can think this is opportunity to learn another lesson of life that will make us wiser and stronger and more able. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — so, my prayer is that we will each one have a learner day instead of a victim day.