Peace

Living a life where we transcend ourselves gives way to a greater cause than merely existing here for the moment.  Living a life where we rise above our pettiness, selfishness and hurt will allow us to go beyond the self-imposed limitations we place upon ourselves.  Unforgiveness is like self-imposed prison sentence in a torture chamber of sorts.  We daily beat ourselves up for a multitude of lame reasons and only give power to the other person who in all truthfulness is never really affected by our internal hurt.

So how do we release this resentment we harbor?  I don’t claim to have the answers.  Most people always insist time heals wounds, but that is a fallacy; time heals nothing.  Real healing is determined by a choice we make to no longer hold to the hurt we have and overcome it by deciding to live in the presence of God.  Now, I know what you are thinking, I have really gone off the deep end this time.  But in reality, if we were to live our lives as if we are constantly in the presence of God, how would we change our thinking and our actions.

In the presence of God, we would praise Him for the magnificence of creation.  We would praise Him for our undeserved salvation and we would confess sin after sin.   Unfortunately, even in His presence, we would continue to sin, what a sad statement.  However, we would live far better lives realizing in His company, we would seek to always live to a higher standard rather than continue in our indolence.  We would discover the level of our faith and belief in the answering of our prayers would also skyrocket off the charts.  We would probably be more apt to believe in miracles and our prayer life would undoubtedly improve.  And in understanding all of this, become one of the biggest proponents of forgiveness.

So why do you and I continue to live in this quagmire of hurt when it is nothing more than nonsense? The reason why is our failure to evolve and to grow as human beings.  We would rather wallow in our hurt and pain and complain to others because of the hurt we feel, rather than to trust in God.  I am the worst to preach this message, because sometimes we fool ourselves into believing it feels better to be embittered rather than to release the hurt; as we feel we are entitled to embrace the personal violation against our dignity.  However, living an evolved life as if we were in the presence of God would cause us to live with far less pain.  We would trust Him more with the satisfaction of knowing He has a greater plan than we could ever imagine.

So, here we are in the court room of well-being, which life do we choose?  A life of hurt and resentment, or a life of trusting God and realizing the abundance He has in store is much greater than we could ever imagine.  Sure, it takes faith, the faith of a mustard seed, but with that faith and belief in God Almighty to lead us and bring us to a new place in our life, we find ourselves transformed.

I heard a sermon and the preacher said, “Fear is what makes hell work!” ‘Satan is the author of fear, fear is not okay!  Fear destroys…. It truly destroys.  The platform that holds fear up is selfishness, and fear is expressed through anger.  Don’t ask yourself what you are mad at, rather what you are afraid of.’  So what are we afraid of?  The truth!   The truth that some dream we have been chasing is not really the best for us; the truth that we are chasing too hard rather than to allow the pieces of the puzzle of our life to fall into place effortlessly.  The truth that those who have said they love us so much in reality do not.  So, who does that leave us to trust?  Only in God!   He is the only one who does not disappoint.

Overcoming hurt takes vision as we must mightily trust in God knowing that the right persons, circumstances, conditions, and opportunities are on their way to be unfolded before us.  Based upon this knowledge, we find peace, and in our waiting we pray and ask God to rejuvenate ourselves to help us become more and improve the state of our well-being.   Of course this takes patience, but if we get on our knees and pray intently knowing our prayers are already answered, then patience will not be needed.  Without doubt, we must trust God will answer!  His answer will come quicker than we realize.

Living a life where we transcend ourselves is to live in the presence of God, trusting Him and knowing all of our prayers are already answered.  And the answers are indeed the best for our lives. 

In this reassurance, may you and I both find peace.

Today's Adventure

Every day we awaken to new opportunities and adventures, occasions to embrace life and live.  Not every day is as fascinating as we may like, but each day is comprised of the energy and effort we put into them.  There are new people to meet, places to explore, challenges to face and territories to discover. 

Instead of dwelling on the past, we must believe in ourselves, embrace today and begin anew realizing the future holds many exciting moments we are yet to live.  And rather than let the tears of yesterday hold us back, we must live with zest knowing today and tomorrow will be so much more brighter than anything we experienced in our yesterdays.

So with recognizing this premise, we take a new step forward trusting in God and in ourselves to know our finest moments await us.

New loves, careers, family experiences, travels, adventures, personal goals and achievements, they all are within our grasp.  Living iconicly requires nothing more than daily concentrated focus to achieve our dreams. 

So with this thought, live an unsurpassed life, be happy and discover the magic which life has to offer by trusting God and know He wants nothing but the best for you and I.  We pray, we believe and we live.     

Mother Teresa

This post is written in honor of Mother Teresa, a very devout Christian.   I am not Catholic and sometimes think Christians get way too caught up in their denominational battles and lose sight of God’s Holy Church.  Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, and of course, it is His bride.  More so than most people because of my background and interests, I have an understanding of the differences in doctrine.  Rather than always point out our differences, it is better to comprehend our similarities.   If we were to embrace one another, I think you will find our belief in the same precept.  'We are all saved by grace through faith from our Lord Jesus Christ.'  This last sentence is the basis of faith as written in John 3:16.  The majority of the posts written in my blog is about my feelings in regard to love, compassion, forgiveness and caring.  I think as you read this post today, you may also find these quotes from Mother Teresa also reflect her feelings about love, compassion, forgiveness and caring.  Remember, as Christians we are to embrace our brothers and sisters, and if we were all able to accomplish this in the same manner as she did, our world would be a better place.  My hope is that as you read her thoughts, you will discover a new insight into our similarities as God's children all belonging to the human race.

Quotes from Mother Teresa

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

“It is not how much we do,
but how much love we put in the doing.
It is not how much we give,
but how much love we put in the giving.”

“Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen,
for God speaks in the silence of the heart.”

“If you are humble nothing will touch you,

neither praise nor disgrace,

because you know what you are.”

“Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure

as long as you have done your best.”

“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.”

“When a poor person dies of hunger,
it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her.
It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to
give that person what he or she needed.”

“Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen,
for God speaks in the silence of the heart.”

“It is not enough for us to say: "I love God," but I also have to love my neighbor.
St. John says that you are a liar if you say you love God
and you don't love your neighbor.
How can you love God whom you do not see,
if you do not love your neighbor whom you see, whom you touch, with whom you live?”

“I see God in every human being.
When I wash the leper's wounds I feel I am nursing the Lord himself.   Is it not a beautiful experience?”

“Do not wait for leaders, do it alone, person to person.”

“There is a terrible hunger for love.
We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness.
We must have the courage to recognize it.
The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.”

“The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give.
But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom.  It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom.
There is no television here, no this, no that.
But we are perfectly happy.”.

“If we pray, we will believe;
If we believe, we will love.
If we love, we will serve.”

“You and I, we are the Church, no?
We have to share with our people.
Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing.
Jesus made it very clear.
Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me.
Give a glass of water, you give it to me.
Receive a little child, you receive me.
Clear.”

“Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor
for helping us to love God better because of them.”

“Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger.
Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread,
and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.”

“The hunger for love
The most terrible poverty
is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.”

“If you cannot feed a hundred people,
then feed just one.”

“Where there is great love,
there are always great miracles.”

“We know that whatever we do is simply a droplet in the ocean.
But if that droplet were missing, the ocean would be lacking.”

“Joy is a net of love
by which you can catch souls.”

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Be the living expression of God's kindness:
kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”

“God is the friend of silence.
See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence;
see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...
We need silence to be able to touch souls.” 

“Peace begins with a smile.”

“There is no greater sickness in the world today than the lack of love.”
- Mother Teresa

Today, make a decision to make a difference in just one person’s life.  It may be a family member, a friend, neighbor or a complete stranger.  God placed you on this earth to make a difference, and today is our opportunity to do so.  Remember not to judge,  but to love.

Godspeed!

Truth

Life is fleeting, time is precious, we must make the most of every day, every moment and realize we only have so little time to live.  I love you!  Is that so hard to say? Let’s try again… is that so hard to do?  The difference between the most evolved human beings and those whom think they are is humility, grace, undying forgiveness, unfailing love, kindness, gentleness and true compassion laced with real understanding. 

I am sorry for my imperfections, my failings and shortfalls; it is my fragility that makes me human.  I am unafraid to reveal myself to you.  Question is… why are you so timid in opening the doors of your spirit to me?  I do not think it is because you lack courage, no one has more to be ashamed of than me, so why do you fear? 

Fear does not become you or I, it is our enemy!  Faith is our ally, hope and optimism springs forth from our daily consciousness.  We choose to embrace life only seeking the best.  Today, let’s choose to walk together, be unafraid to take my hand as I take yours.  The path may not always be straight, are you okay with that?  Do you understand there is never a straight path, if you choose to believe so, then you choose to believe in delusion.  I am much stronger than you will ever know, the source of my strength is the revealing of my emotions backed up by the leading of the Spirit and the power of God. 

Do you really seek truth?  Do you really pursue to live your life with real devotion being true to yourself and others?  Are you really so faithful living with dedication, candor and loyalty to the most sincere in your life?  What degree of true fidelity do you really have towards them, can you be trusted?  Are you legitimate, just what is your reality?  How certain are you about the accuracy of your thoughts and feelings?  Are you sure your opinion is the truth or are you fooled into believing a false sense of reality based on your fears and insanities rather than acknowledging the veracity of my authenticity?

Life is fleeting, I was brought to you for a reason.  Our presence in one another’s lives is the fulfillment of our shared destiny.  Do you find me genuine?  If so, then why all this insanity? 

Today, I get on my knees and pray for God to reveal the truth, for strength to follow His word, discover my destiny and to remember who I am may not be who you are.  As much as I hate to pray for patience, I pray for Him to provide me with strength, as those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up on wings like Eagles. 

You and I both desire to make the right choices based on timing as our decisions will impact our lives forever.  We both know to live with the freedom true love has to offer is better than suffering the consequences of poor choices, no matter how enticing.     

Stay with your dream...

Are you dedicated to fear?

What is your life dedicated to….. fear or faith?

We become so entranced with what we do not want.

Instead we should stay with our dream.

We feel fear when we do not tend to our dreams.

We decide to be afraid.

We may not be able to control the conditions, but we can control our thoughts.

Stay with your dream and let fear reside in the other corner of the room.

You do not have to go over there.

Stay with your dream!

Believe in yourself.

Believe the best in others.

Seek relationships in your life with others who believe in you.

Never leave your dream!

Stay dedicated to faith!

Let fear stand by itself alone in the other corner of the room, never go over there again!

Your dream is too important.

Your life so much larger than what you fear, believe me, trust me, you are so much more.

Dedicate you life today to faith!

Dedicate your life today to live your dreams.

Every possibility is available to you.

Be bold, live brilliantly, live large.

Be Faithful to Yourself, remain Faithful to your Dream.

Stay With Your Dream...

Who I want to be...

In this moment I pose the question, “Who do I want to be?”  This is a really great question as the answer begs so many possibilities.  There is so much to who I am and to whom I want to be, and for whom.  I want to be a lover!  That is what I want to be.  I want to love my life, my family, my friends and others, everyone I meet.  I want to love a special woman and grace her with a constant shower of love and understanding, friendship and true caring.  I want the connection to be so great, the spark always there combined with real commitment, true loyalty and honor.  I want to love my children and help them grow to be strong, smart and wise, to lead the lives they want. The choices they make may not be my idea of ‘shangri la,’ but as long as they can express themselves and discover self-actualization, it’s okay.  I want to love my grandchildren and give them the best I have to offer, my sensitivity, my tears, my kisses, my caring and the wisdom their parents refused to heed.

I love my parents, they are so incredibly special, maybe I always did not listen, take heed or live up to the best of their expectations, but their love never left me.  From my parents, I have learned compassion.  They may not always show it and speak a tough talk, but they always melt.  Their dedication to each other now going on 50 years is a tribute to themselves and the power of God within their lives.

I love my siblings and want to acknowledge to them without question, I am always here for them.

I want to love my friends and their children; I want my friends to know they can always call me.  The best of my talents belong to them, and always are available for the asking.  I may not always be graced with all the riches of the world; however they make my life rich.  I want them to know I love them and their children, and I pray for them every day and ask God to bestow the greatest blessings on heaven and earth upon them.

I want to love myself!  So many of us do not, we conjure up fear, anxiety, and false realities.  Rather we must humbly recognize our own brilliance in the quiet shadows of the day unbeknownst to others.  There are so many possibilities in our lives, why do we stop ourselves?  I want to be the best I can be and write, paint, give, care, teach, speak, sell and change the world and turn it upside down.  I want to pray such deep prayers, that God stirs within my soul at the moment of their utterance, and know with so much vivid clarity that He is there, causing me to tremble. 

I want to kiss everyone, and to never be afraid to do so, or to take the hands of others and hold them, look them in the eyes, and soulfully connect with their spirit.  I want to go somewhere and dance in the streets, jump for joy, smile broadly and laugh voraciously. I want to wake up with one shoe on and one shoe off and wondered what happened. 

I want to travel the world before it ends.  You may not know it, but you might just be coming along… Paris, London, The Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, navigating the desert on camelback, rafting the waves, sail boarding, diving in the deep and frolicking on Islands with white sand, taking on the Bush, or maybe exploring the ruins at Machu Picchu.  There is too much to do and we’re going to make time to do it!

I want to teach you to live, live, live.

We work to fund the rest of our lives, the problem is we spend so much time planning our work; we fail to plan our lives.  It is time to end that nonsense!  There is no reason to live with regret for the things we did not do in the name of chasing a rat.  Yeah, you and I are going to chase rats, and we are going to be wildly successful doing so; but we are also going to make the race our own, and live exceedingly fulfilled.

I want to be the person who inspires himself and others to live well.  Living well does not mean you are eating steak every night, or without heartbreak and hurt. Living well is to acknowledge the resources of God to always overcome life’s hurdles grow and become stronger.  There are some of you who have lifted me up in your own special way with your resources, love and caring.  And I know the reason is you believe in me, and know that together we will experience brighter, happier days.  And you also know I will always be there to help you when you need it and recognize our mutual gratification for one another is truly sincere.  

In Eric Osterle’s senior seminar class at Purdue, an old man from near Peru, Indiana visited class one day and said, “Opportunities lie in windrows!”  He was indeed right, they are absolutely everywhere, all we have to do is open our eyes, pick up the phone, send an email, knock on a door, write a note, connect with others and be unafraid to look beyond what we know.  It may cause us to stretch, but it is worth the stretching.

We all pride ourselves in being hard workers, hard work itself never made anyone successful.  It has taken me years to learn this fact, it is the smart worker putting first things first that makes the difference.  It is also our own ability to overcome our fear of rejection and just move forward. We must proudly pronounce to the world, ‘Carpe diem – seize the day!’ 

I want to love people whom I do not know and yet to meet.  I want to help people who are unable to help themselves, to find ways to enrich their lives even if on the most basic level of life.  I want to teach others to reach outside of themselves and become who God created them to be.  He did not place us on earth to live in obscurity. The shadows are no place for you and I.  The world is our stage, and this is our moment to shine, to live distinctive lives.  The whole world does not need to know our name, but if to each other we are iconic, that is enough celebrity to distinguish ourselves to one another.  We comprehend who we are, appreciate each other’s strengths and live with humble gratitude recognizing the impact we have stamped upon each other.  Rather than to live selfishly, you and I have chosen to live differently.  I love you, I want you to know this in a very real way.  The greatest honor, the greatest gift I can ever receive is when you reach out to me and say…. with great sincerity those three words and together we smile, soulfully embrace and experience in that moment eternity.  

Are You My Miracle?

Are you my miracle?

Will you hold my hand?

Will you kiss me?

Will you love me and never let me go?

When we embrace, will you know I am real?

Will you accept me for who I am?

Will you really talk to me?

Will you be my best friend?

Do you know how to forgive?

Do you know how to love?

You won’t run away, will you?

Do you accept a man who cares?

Do you accept a man who gives?

Are your smiles real and genuine?

Are you truthful and transparent?

Can you handle all my emotions… all of them?

Good and Bad!

I am not to be feared!

Can you pray with me?

Are you who you say you are?

Do you really believe in God?

Do you truly trust in Him?

Are you able to stand life’s tests?

Are you truthful and honest?

Do you want to be loved?

Are you afraid?

If so, of what, whom, and why?

Do you know the meaning of compassion?

I always will care and never run away.

If I choose to love you, I will give you the best of my soul.

I’m not perfect, and I do not expect you to be…

It’s okay to admit our sins.

I can accept you for who you are.

Question… can you accept me for all my shortcomings?

Will you focus on my strengths?

Will you take me as I am?

I know how to really love!

My heart has been shattered

All the healed cracks make it stronger and better

At least that is what they tell me.

I wonder if two shattered hearts repaired are the strongest of them all.

Will it be okay if I just stop and gaze deeply into your eyes?

I want to be mesmerized…

Do you?

Are you looking for a miracle?

Do you believe a miracle is hard to really find?

Are you my miracle?

Are you seeking a miracle?

Could this encounter of words be the answer to a prayer?

Again, are you afraid?

What do you fear?

I know we have both been betrayed

But you are strong, and together we make each other stronger

And we can get past the hurt.

In fact, when I see you

There is none.

So you know… I believe in miracles!

I believe in you.

When our eyes meet, I hope to see your smile.

Because you will see mine

As I will know

You are truly my miracle.

January 31st

It is 5:16 a.m. and I have been awake writing for an hour or so, and thought it was time to write something which can be shared.  There is a smile on my face this morning, probably because yesterday I spent the afternoon with my daughter after church and even though our conversation may not have been those most fluid, we enjoyed our time together.  And no it just wasn’t me, as she was patient and lately can sense she is beginning to appreciate me, which for only those of you that know me is a great thing. 

I have a smile on my face, as I have been listening to some really great Spanish guitar by Al Marconi as he played live on a city street.  If you close your eyes while listening it takes you somewhere, I cannot even explain.  If I were there, I would grab the person with me, or perhaps even a stranger and dance in the street. We would let ourselves go and be free, smile and laugh, and glance excitedly into each other’s eyes, no matter who it may be and enjoy the connection of the music into our souls.  I cannot explain the music, you must check out this url, then you will know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IPRBQ3yrSs&feature=related

I have dedicated time to praying this weekend, when I wrote the last post for my blog, I wasn’t sure who it was exactly written for, but on Saturday evening realized it was written to me.  How can I pray and ask God for anything when there is so much on my heart which must be confessed.  I ate alone at my kitchen table, and with elbows on my tabletop and hands folded laying my head against my arms I cried tearfully and asked God how can I ask for anything, even to bless my food with such anger in my soul.  I am so ashamed, there is more to be said, but not here. 

It is amazing to me why God would want to love me when there is so much in my soul that is corrupt. I am a poor miserable sinner!  ‘I a poor miserable sinner confess unto thee all my sins and iniquities which I have ever offended against thee and justly deserve thy temporal and eternal punishment.’ I know I am not perfect, but He still loves me, why?  If I were God, would I still love me?  He knows every evil thought that has every crossed my mind, he knows my weak nature.

But God also knows my hurts, He recognizes everything that is in our hearts, and maybe because He has searched our hearts…. (There is nothing to explain) He just loves us because He loves us.  Unfailing love is unconditional love, it is the love we have for our children.  No matter what they do, how they treat us, disappoint us or leave us in confusion and disbelief, we still love them and like the father of the prodigal son, our arms remain outstretched and we cannot but smile.  This is how our Father in Heaven loves us.  Again, why I will never know, and truthfully there is no theologian who can really explain.

There are many in our lives we love unconditionally, people we have loved, even if they may not love us anymore or see us as special, friends we truly care for, and over time in our heart developed a true enduring love for, and of course our families. 

While running on a treadmill this past Saturday and watching a movie, a line caught my attention which the writers knew is probably true. “A love may take two months to get over, a good love two years to get over, a great love, well…”   This was the line in the movie, and even though not everyone may agree with everything that happens in Hollywood, the writers have hearts too!  It makes me wonder, for all the people who end up end hell, what does that do to God’s heart? 

It Is January 31^st, a special day for my family.  Today is the birthday of one of my sisters, but it is also the day that my Grandmother entered Heaven.  The day she died, I told my sister, since it was birthday, what greater honor to know that the day we celebrate your birth, we also celebrate our grandmother’s entrance into Heaven.  My grandmother was very special to me, she and I had a very wonderful connection.  I stayed with her nearly every night from 7^th grade through high school, and when in college would spend my summers there.  She was my best friend for many years, and I hers.  She taught me it is okay to cry, reach out and hold another’s hand, how to gaze deeply into another’s eyes, and how to love.  She would sometimes really get mad at me and say, my full name adding along in the same breath, ‘you make my butt tired’, but with a little different phrasing.  I knew she always loved me and protected me, and will always be in my heart forever.  There is not hardly a week that goes by, that I do not stop at the cemetery, and sit or stand in front of her grave.  She and I used to go to church together every Sunday, I would walk her into the church arm in arm, and hold her hand while we sat together and listened to the preacher. 

I have to stop, thank you for reading, and I am sorry, too overwhelmed with emotion for many reasons. 

Today, decide to love.      

Seeking Peace

Seeking Peace…

Today in the news there is upheaval throughout the world; it does not matter what country no matter how free or controlled.  How does one find peace?  I think about Nelson Mandela and how he was imprisoned, and then there is the gentleman in the U.S. just released a few weeks ago after being unfairly incarcerated for thirty-plus years.  I think about Malika Oukfir and her family imprisoned in Morocco for a crime her father committed, even her three year old brother for nineteen years.  Where do these individuals find peace?

My friend Rick, a priest told me about a family where three immediate family members have cancer, including a child who has inoperable brain cancer, where is the fairness in all of this tragedy?

I am certain none of us have the answers, why does life have to be this way?  Why do some people stay in love and others cannot remain committed?  These are all good questions, and in the whole scheme of things at some point we will learn the answers.

It is uncanny how God works to make our lives better and we keep messing them up.  Prayer is the key to changing our lives.  It is while you and I are on our knees we truly find peace. 

So what should we pray for?  Is it to illuminate our lives and make the lives of others better; is it wealth, health, kindness, boldness, momentary brilliance or something else?  I contend we should pray for thanksgiving for the gift of Christ and His forgiveness and our reconciliation back to the Father.  I pray for God to place His hand upon us and grant us patience and fortitude, and to understand His plan is so much more wonderful than we could ever imagine.  We should foremost pray for faith. 

In my moments of insanity, it is my faith that brings me back to reality.  A reality that God has chosen me and He truly loves me beyond understanding, no one will ever care as much as He does. 

For most of us, we seek a special someone to share our lives, unfortunately human beings are not perfect, and they do not always make the right choices, and it can dramatically affect our lives.  God always makes the right choices, which too dramatically affects our lives. 

Today, take time to kneel down somewhere, it doesn’t matter where, just somewhere by yourself with no one else around, a private place and no matter your circumstance in your life, ask God to enter your heart.  Ask Him to send His Spirit to transform you.  If you are upset and mad, still kneel down; scream if you must, cry if you must, let it all out!   Tell God how you feel.  It may not be that exact moment, but at some moment the Holy Spirit will engage you and suddenly the anger and upset are converted to contrition and peace.  And in this peace, we find freedom.

Some people believe to live free is to do what you want, the truth… freedom is following God doing what He wants, and as a result in obedience we find peace, love and joy.  I pray for you today to find personal peace.

The Lord bless you, and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.

Reach Higher

Reach higher, reach higher than where you are today!  There is a great life out there awaiting you and it is within your grasp, you only have to claim it.  Don’t settle for where you are now, look around and realize how much more you can become.  You have deep inside of you what is required to expand your personality, enlarge your territory and become a change agent in this world.

Who needs you?  Who needs you desperately and without your presence will never be who they are supposed to be?  Maybe all they need is your prayer, perhaps a kind word, possibly some money, or your time and encouragement.  What can you do to brighten their life?

When was the last time you brought flowers to your mom, grandmother or special mentor in your life? When was the last time you wrote your mother, father or child a love letter to express the deep emotion you feel for them and how they have impacted your life?  Are you doing all you can to be Godly in your actions and helping others to grow, or are you stuck in some comfort zone acknowledging a mundane existence as an easier way to live?

Uproot yourself out of that comfort zone and embrace paradise is not found in complacency but in the illumination of your most desired qualities to care, to strive forward and to make a difference.  Inside of you there is so much more.  You know the best of who you are, what you have to offer and how you can impact the world around you.  Love is the answer to so many maladies of life and God needs you to be His instrument.

You are so special, and there is truly nothing that you cannot do or achieve.  You have so much personal power within you; it is incredible to think of how you can transform the world.  God has great plans for you.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  – Jeremiah 29:11

There is a great quest for you to pursue, a mission of impact and change, an expedition to reveal the magnificence of God.  Don’t be afraid to carry His torch to light up the world, as you walk with Him there is nothing to fear.  He needs you to fulfill His greatness and in doing so for you to discover your future.

So today, lay down your cross and pick up His, empty yourself of your own ambition so the Lord may fill you with His Spirit and lead you down a new path of adventure to be a difference and make a difference.

Godspeed!

Better a dinner of herbs where love is...

It is 2:33 a.m., I have been awake for awhile, I opened my Bible to Proverbs and then to Psalms.  In Proverbs I read a couple pages of teachings filled with wisdom.   One of the scriptures reads “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is. Than a fatted calf with hatred.” – Proverbs 15:17  It is actually the very first verse that I was led to this early morning hour.

The Lord knows my heart, how I feel, as He too feels my pain and my joy.  He knows what is in my heart and my true nature which is to innately love others.  When I opened my Bible a few moments ago, this is the page which laid before me, and my eyes were drawn to this scripture.  With it there is great wisdom and it serves as a guide providing knowledge in how we should be loving and seek others to enter our lives who treat us lovingly.

We must become who we seek in our lives.  I am a better person than who I have become.  Bitterness and upset does not become me.  Those who truly know me… ‘truly know me’… know a person is very caring, deeply loving, extremely honest, exceedingly giving and very earnest in all his efforts.  I seek to live a better life than what I have now.  I have a very giving heart and nearly always easily forgive. 

It is so hard to let go of hurt when we truly love without abandon, especially when we love completely without restraint giving of our whole selves and our soul.  It is like we have traded our soul for nothing!  And in the realization of receiving nothing more back than a bad check, our spirit becomes broken and we experience despair and all other unattractive emotions.

It is appropriate for awhile to feel and to express our hurt, because in our life, things really are not okay.  There is no reason to pretend or not be transparent in the expression of our feelings. 

My greatest strength is dedication, to never give up living a life of true perseverance.  In my work, I negotiate and build bridges and rebuild bridges and in some cases constantly throw out lines to keep everyone together.  When most give up, I always press forward with real belief that nothing is hopeless.

I am an eternal optimist and do not understand people who are unwilling to build bridges, I think they are fools!  They only fool themselves into believing a false reality leading them into a quagmire of later regret.  Of course, my friends sometimes feel my optimism leads me to a quagmire, but trust me it is not the same pit; and I would rather live on a higher plane of diligence and be called a fool than to be something less than what God created me to be.  The joy is always found in stretching one more mile, reaching a little further than you thought you are capable, and all of the sudden… Eureka!  You got it! It sometimes takes additional effort to reach your personal gold mine, it usually isn’t easy, this is the reason why only a few ever find theirs.

“Better a dinner of herbs where love is.”  My personal spiritual mission statement is taken from the NLT version of Proverbs 21:21.  “Pursue righteousness and unfailing love and you shall receive righteousness, honor and life.”  Seeking purity is an admirable desire, none of us will ever achieve it while on this earth, but it is worth seeking!  Unfailing love, that is hallmark of how I want to live my life and when I die want to be remembered as always seeking and always giving love and known for how I lived.

I hope for those of you who know me, may sometime break bread at my table of herbs, and in my presence feel my love for you, and when you walk out of my door, to know my heart and my love remains with you.

Grand Canyon

Several years ago when my daughter was in 7^th grade, I surprised her and my father on Christmas day with airline tickets to travel to Arizona in March of the following year.  Of course we made it to the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, Sedona, an abandoned copper mine, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Phoenix and other places.  The most special place was the Grand Canyon.

When we first arrived at the canyon it was nearly 11:00 p.m. at night, we drove up to the rim and parked, and while the others waited in the car I ran out and looked over edge.  Of course, could really see nothing, but could sense the vastness of the space and immediately understood the power of this special place and felt the spirit of the canyon overtake my soul.  There was an inner excitement which stirred within me, as the moment had arrived to visit a place I always had wanted to experience.

The next morning, we awoke bright and early, well maybe not so bright, but definitely early around 4:00 a.m. to position ourselves at the rim for the first crackling of dawn over the canyon.  I worried the night before that we may not get up in time, but my dad was the first one awake and roused our bodies and spirits to get moving.  We stayed in the park at one of the lodges and we only traveled three minutes to the parking lot near the rim.  When we arrived only a handful of enthusiast like us were there, but every five minutes or so more additional people arrived to view one of the most glorious sights on earth.  As the sun rose over the canyon it glistened through the clouds as if the light was awakening each geographic formation as the sun’s rays touched their face.  The colors were magnificent, brilliant and bold, unlike many of the professional photographers with camera lenses that appeared to be three feet long capturing every glimpse of this impressive event, I had only my disposable camera, but yet the shots taken in the panoramic mode still grace the top of my file cabinet in my office and remain impressive. The reverence of our comrades that morning was notable, as each person came there for his or her own individual reasons.  Some only to view another sunrise, others to dwell upon the multi-faceted colors of the sky and the rock, and for a few to be spiritually moved by the inner feelings of their soul as the sun not only touched the earth, but their face as something deep within was awakened.

The Native Americans, including the Havasupi, Hopi, Navajo, Southern Paiute, Hualapai tribes and others felt a deep reverence for the canyon and some believed this is where life began.  Some of the most spiritual felt this place to be other-worldly as their ancestors spirits dwelled there, hence the term ‘wind- walkers’ as Indian spirits.

Upon leaving our sunrise viewing point, my father, daughter and I traveled in our rental car to the cafeteria for breakfast, while driving we came upon a large moose in the road, a spectacular creature creating a greater feeling of excitement for our day’s adventure. Upon finishing breakfast, we walked through some small buildings highlighting the history of canyon, exploration, settlements and ancient daily life.  After an hour or so, our real adventure began.

We walked along the edge of the south rim of canyon, the path well worn by many who have gone before as the park boasts around five million visitors a year.   Obviously, not everyone would embark upon what we had decided to do hiking along the edge as far as we could.  Truthfully, I am not sure if my daughter and dad understood my plan, but they quickly embraced my idea.  We started walking the path which was at first a few yards from the edge.  As we continued forward on our path the yards turned into feet and feet turned into inches and we literally walked along the edge of canyon.  In some places if you stumbled and fell, there would only be less than ten feet before encountering an obstacle to break your fall and as we continued forward the drops became larger and in some places it may have been hundreds of feet or perhaps more if you have stumbled.  As a father, when we first encountered these places fear quelled in my veins as I worried about my daughter.  Of course, her independent spirit and confidence overrode my worries.

The views were unbelievable absolutely divine, it was very easy to determine why the Native Americans felt this place to be so sacred.  We filled our eyes with so much beauty, each glance was like a taking a photo to be imprinted within our minds forever.  Our souls were alive, you could feel a deep stirring with each step, and every glance, walking and remaining quiet.  I am sure like myself, my father thought many thoughts about his life, those he had encountered, who he is, where he is going and how God had impacted him.  I am sure he prayed as I prayed for others, for peace, for love, and for release. 

My Dad, the history teacher recalled the exploits of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and how he taken a small group of Spanish soldiers led by Hopi guides to the canyon in 1540.  And of course, you thought about John Wesley Powell who in 1869 traveled down the mighty Colorado River which appeared to be only a small stream from so far above.

We kept walking as the sun moved over us and then as it shined directly overhead we stopped to eat as I had carried a backpack with drinks and food.  We all remained in a cheerful spirits and continued our momentary quest.  Each view seemed to overshadow what we had seen before, our souls filled with the most beautiful views which nature has to offer.  It was incredible!  We experienced amazing view after amazing view, and after awhile we walked off the path and into place of sparse woods and native grass blazing our own trail until we came upon the well worn path again.  As we walked along the trail we could see the north rim and imagined what the scene must look like from a different vantage point.  We were not the only ones who had chosen our fanciful venture, as talking to others we learned of the viewing point for sunset.  We continued walking and finally arrived at the end of our trail and along with many others positioned ourselves to view the next most magnificent event of the day, ‘the sun disappearing on the other side of the canyon’.  You could see for miles and miles, it is scene you must see for yourself.

In the darkness we climbed aboard a bus and traveled past each of the points where we had visited marking our day’s journey recalling the voyage of our souls.  When we arrived back, we lined up behind many others at the cafeteria tired yet truly satisfied.  We ended up walking twelve miles that day and enjoyed one of the memorable experiences of our lives.

Questions For You

Am I so difficult to understand, I am just a simple person with a simple mind seeking love and caring.  My purpose is to help others to understand themselves to seek a higher version of who they are by adventuring deep within their inner-recesses of their own minds.

What is your purpose?  Who are you?  Do you love me?  Are you here today only to be gone tomorrow?  What do you want?  Why do you want it?  How am I involved in your plan, and why are you and I of all the people in the world to encounter one another?  What does it mean?  How can I help you to become more of who you are?  If I brought you fresh flowers what would you say, or would you run away?  Would they provide you a certain feeling?  Would you stare at each flower and each petal noticing the vibrancy of the colors and how delicate observing the fragility of their remaining life?  Would you water them or just let them fade away?   Would you be grateful for them?  Would you find them to be beautiful?

Who are you?  Are you afraid?  And if so, of whom, of what and why?  Have you looked in the mirror today to see your reflection?  Were you happy to see yourself?  Did you happen to notice how beautiful you are? 

Who did you pray for today?  I prayed for you, I pray for everyone who reads these words.  I pray God places His hand upon you and blesses you with abundance in all areas of your life.  I pray you find peace, you deserve peace.  You are wonderful.  Of course, you thought I did not notice, but I did.  You are special… maybe no one has told you that lately, but you are.  There is a smile growing on your face, you are lovely when you smile.  You should smile more.  God loves you!  Stop running around scared!  You have nothing to fear, you are invincible, or at least I think so, maybe because I think you are wonderful.  So, have  you figured out who you are, I mean really, who are you?  Why does God love you so much?  You have nothing to fear, absolutely nothing!

I believe in you, do you believe in me?  The question I ask isn’t so much about me, it is about you, who you are and your character.  What do you need in your life?   What do you have to give?   Do you have the capability to love more than you are now, and if so, what is stopping you?