~
I Hate You Don’t Leave Me – Understanding Borderline Personality – Jerold Kreisman
p. xi – For decades, physicians treated diseases and illnesses as the symptoms occurred, with little attention to prevention. The idea of preventing heart attacks and strokes, for example, by implementing certain lifestyle changes – diet, exercise, nicotine/drug abstinence – was almost completely unheard of. Aside from a few basic home remedies, self-care was viewed only as a poor second choice to prescribed medications and treatments.
Western medicine is basically emergency care. People wait until they get sick and then seek a treatment or CURE. Doctors dispense drugs to treat SYMPTOMS, often ignoring the cause of the disease. Over-medication becomes the norm, especially in (but not limited to) the elderly.
In general, patients relied on the medical profession to correct their condition rather than prevent it. They did not expect thorough explanations of diseases, nor did doctors provide them as part of their professional services. Basically, the public viewed illnesses as numbers on a roulette wheel – one was lucky and stayed healthy or one became sick or injured and went to a doctor for treatment.
I think that is how most people view illnesses today. They feel that they have no control over diseases - especially if certain diseases "run in their family." It is just a matter of "bad luck."
Unfortunately the medical profession is driven by economics and expensive drugs are prescribed, expensive procedures are developed and performed.
This approach has changed radically over the past thirty years. Self-care and preventive medicine have become central components of quality health care programs. Medical research, consumer awareness, and dramatically rising health care costs have led to a recognition that many diseases can be prevented with proper preventive measures. More than ever, people are concerned about their health; they want to understand and take control of it.
I feel it is important that people are exposed to the truth. Our culture, tradition, peer pressure, and resistance to change make it difficult for most people to accept the obvious. What they do after they are exposed to this information is entirely up to them.
--------------
“I have one body and one life….”
We are blessed with only a limited time on earth. This realization was one of the main reasons I personally decided to never use drugs (both legal and illegal). I felt it unforgivable to waste any of my precious time in an impaired state.
God has given me one body and one life. I feel it is my responsibility to do everything in my power to take care of it to the best of my ability.
Unfortunately the general public is bombarded with so much misinformation from special interest groups (meat industry, dairy industry, pharmaceutical industry) that they lack basic understanding of scientifically-good nutrition and most Americans are eating themselves to death.
~
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
Aware and Awake
~
We tend to associate the energy of intent with complicated or profoundly meaningful actions that require our full attention and effort in order to succeed. For example, walking a tightrope, taking a test, and taking a vow are all tasks that call us to be fully present and single-minded. However, intent can also be applied to everyday events, like eating breakfast or going to work. In fact, everything we do benefits from the presence of intent, which has the power to transform seemingly mundane tasks into profound experiences. You only have to try it to find out.
Intent is one of the cornerstones of the Zen tradition of Buddhism in which monks work for years to develop the stillness and sharpness of mind to do only one thing at a time. Most of the time we are doing one thing and thinking of something else, or even doing three things at the same time, such as talking on the phone, doing dishes, and boiling water. There is nothing inherently wrong with multitasking, which seems necessary at times, especially in the midst of family life. However, balancing this with a healthy dose of intentional activity can provide valuable insight into the benefits of doing one thing at a time, being fully present with whatever the task at hand happens to be.
From the moment we wake up, we can apply intent to our situation by simply saying to ourselves, “I am aware that I am now awake.” We can use this simple tool throughout our day, saying, “I am aware that I am driving to work.” “I am aware that I am making dinner.” Or even, “I am aware that I am breathing.” As we acknowledge what we are doing in these moments, we come alive to our bodies and to the world, owning our actions instead of habitually performing them. We may realize how often we act without intention and how this disengages us from reality. Applying the energy of intent to even one task a day has the power to transform our lives. Just imagine what would happen if we were able to apply that power to our entire day.
The most vivid memories of my past, whether they are from recent events or from many years ago, are when I was TOTALLY focused. This intense focus was either by intent or by the relative importance of the occasion.
I must concentrate on doing this (focusing on the moment and saying to myself, "I am aware....") more often so as not to "sleepwalk" throughout my life.
~
We tend to associate the energy of intent with complicated or profoundly meaningful actions that require our full attention and effort in order to succeed. For example, walking a tightrope, taking a test, and taking a vow are all tasks that call us to be fully present and single-minded. However, intent can also be applied to everyday events, like eating breakfast or going to work. In fact, everything we do benefits from the presence of intent, which has the power to transform seemingly mundane tasks into profound experiences. You only have to try it to find out.
Intent is one of the cornerstones of the Zen tradition of Buddhism in which monks work for years to develop the stillness and sharpness of mind to do only one thing at a time. Most of the time we are doing one thing and thinking of something else, or even doing three things at the same time, such as talking on the phone, doing dishes, and boiling water. There is nothing inherently wrong with multitasking, which seems necessary at times, especially in the midst of family life. However, balancing this with a healthy dose of intentional activity can provide valuable insight into the benefits of doing one thing at a time, being fully present with whatever the task at hand happens to be.
From the moment we wake up, we can apply intent to our situation by simply saying to ourselves, “I am aware that I am now awake.” We can use this simple tool throughout our day, saying, “I am aware that I am driving to work.” “I am aware that I am making dinner.” Or even, “I am aware that I am breathing.” As we acknowledge what we are doing in these moments, we come alive to our bodies and to the world, owning our actions instead of habitually performing them. We may realize how often we act without intention and how this disengages us from reality. Applying the energy of intent to even one task a day has the power to transform our lives. Just imagine what would happen if we were able to apply that power to our entire day.
The most vivid memories of my past, whether they are from recent events or from many years ago, are when I was TOTALLY focused. This intense focus was either by intent or by the relative importance of the occasion.
I must concentrate on doing this (focusing on the moment and saying to myself, "I am aware....") more often so as not to "sleepwalk" throughout my life.
~
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The Shack
by William Paul Young
I'm glad that Fran encouraged me to read this book. It presents many interesting perspectives of what God might be like.
Words within quotation marks, unless otherwise noted, are Mackenzie’s, the main character of the book, as he converses with God who appears to him in three persons. Words not within quotation marks are words spoken by God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
My thoughts are in italics.
We and Our refers to the trinity (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). Independence refers to separation from God.
p. 26 “Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets.” – Paul Tournier
This is one reason I cherished our relationship so much.
p. 94 Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationship.
We are free to “talk” to Him or not.
p. 97 Only I can set you free. The truth shall set you free and the truth has a name – God.
I do believe that peace of mind can come only from God.
p. 97 Freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with Him.
p. 98 Love always leaves a significant mark.
p. 98 I’m not who you think I am. – God
This book is thought-provoking in many ideas it describes.
p. 98 I’m not like who you think I am.
p. 98 I’m not like you. I am God. I am who I am.
p. 113 Once you really get to know me, it won’t matter to you. – His appearance.
God’s appearance in the three earthly bodies in this book were FAR from what humans would normally think God would choose.
p. 114 Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter.
I can relate to this concept. Appearance is very important when I first meet a person, but after they become my friend, it matters VERY little.
p. 122 Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside.
I think this is true if a person has a conscience, but I question if all humans are tormented from committing sin.
p.124 We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command….
I believe true relationships (especially a committed relationship between a man and woman) should be this type.
p. 124 We don’t need power over the other because we are always looking out for the best.
Again, I think this is important in a committed relationship.
p. 128 You cannot produce trust, just as you cannot ‘do’ humility. It either is or is not. Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. Because you do not know that I love you, you cannot trust me.
Trust is something that has to be earned over time, especially after one feels betrayed.
p. 135 Humans have a great capacity for declaring something good or evil, without truly knowing.
I feel most humans judge others according to their values and beliefs. I certainly tend to judge others according to my own perspective. I realize I should be LESS judgmental. It is something I must work on.
p. 138 Evil is a word we use to describe the absence of good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of light or death to describe the absence of life. Both evil and darkness can be understood only in relation to light and good; they do not have any actual existence. I am light and I am good. I am love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring independence will result in evil because apart from me, you can draw only upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from me: Life.
These are VERY interesting concepts. I tend to agree with these ideas. This is somewhat parallel to my thoughts about hell – not a physical place, but NOTHINGNESS or the end of existence; the opposite of being with God or Heaven.
p. 143 Do you think humans were designed to live in the present or the past or the future?
p. 143 Where do you spend most of your time in your mind, in your imagination: in the present, in the past, or in the future?
I spend FAR too much time thinking about, worrying about, and planning for the FUTURE. I must concentrate on living IN THE MOMENT and relishing each second of my precious life.
p. 144 The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe I am good nor know deep in your heart that I love you.
I have wasted much of my life worrying about what might happen in the future. Almost everything I worried about never materialized. Rational fears about legitimate dangers are understandable, but the time wasted worrying about what MIGHT happen or what others might think of me was precious time wasted.
p. 148 Like most men, you find what you think of as fulfillment in your achievements, and Nan, like most women, finds it in relationships. It’s more naturally her language.
I am guilty of this.
p. 148 You abandoned relationship with us to assert your own independence. Most men have expressed it by turning to the work of their hands and the sweat of their brows to find their identity, value, and security.
p. 149 By choosing to declare what’s good and evil, you seek to determine your own destiny. It was this turning that had caused so much pain.
p. 150 Power in the hands of independent humans, be they men or women, does corrupt.
I feel power and fame/celebrity are VERY difficult for humans to handle honorably.
p. 150 We want male and female to be counterparts, face-to-face equals, each unique and different, distinctive in gender but complementary, and each empowered uniquely….
This would be the ideal in a committed relationship.
p. 150 We didn’t create man to live alone; she was purposed from the beginning.
Possibly some individuals (both male and female) are better off living alone, for their own sake and others.
p. 150 Our desire was to create a being that had a fully equal and powerful counterpart, the male and the female. But your independence with its quest for power and fulfillment actually destroys the relationship your heart longs for.
p. 160 You have judged many throughout your life. You have judged the actions and even the motivations of others, as if you somehow know what those were in truth. You have judged the color of skin and body language and body odor. You have judged history and relationships. You have even judged the value of a person’s life by the quality of your concept of beauty. By all accounts, you are quite will practiced in the activity.
I realize this is an area I should work on.
p. 160 Judging requires that you think yourself superior over the one you judge.
Interesting observation.
p. 160 Mack knew he was thoroughly guilty of being self-centered. How dare he judge anyone else? All his judgments had been superficial, based on appearance and actions, things easily interpreted by whatever state of mind or prejudice supported the need to exalt himself, to feel safe, or to belong.
p. 172 “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” – Blaise Pascal
Sadly there seems to be much truth to this.
p. 172 “Once abolish the God and the government becomes the God.” – G. K. Chesterton
Interesting.
p. 175 She was never alone. I never left her; we never left her, not for one instant. I could no more abandon her, or you, then I could abandon myself.
p. 176 It doesn’t seem to hold the same power now. --> K
p. 177 Then you grow up on the outside, but on the inside you’re still that kid….
Yes I am! I still have many of the same insecurities and still think of myself as being young. When I was young, I always thought and assumed that when I “grew up” I’d no longer be concerned about what others thought about me, and I would no longer be shy. Not so.
p. 180 Referring to the church – You’re seeing only the institution, a man-made system. That’s not what I came to build. What I see are people and their lives, a living, breathing community of all those who love me, not buildings and programs.
Institutions tend to have their own agendas. The church should be the community of people. How can they be separated to prevent corruption?
p. 180 It’s all about relationships and simply sharing life. …being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people, and life is all about relationships.
Relationships are really what matter most in life.
p. 180 Perhaps it was because humans are so utterly lost and independent that they take what is simple and make it complex.
p. 181 An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional, very contrary to my purposes.
p. 182 I have no agenda here.
This is unlike religious agendas of some churches, some church leaders, and some church dogmas.
p. 183 The whole thing is a process, not an event. All I want from you is to trust me with what little you can, and grow in loving people around you with the same love I share with you. It’s not your job to change them, or to convince them. You are free to love without an agenda.
Changing myself will be a life-long process.
p. 183 I can give you freedom to overcome any system of power in which you find yourself, be it religious, economic, social, or political. You will grow in the freedom to be inside or outside all kinds of systems and to move freely between and among them. Together, you and I can be in it and not of it.
Young believes most systems (or institutions) are corrupt and have their own agendas – religious, economic, social, political (and even marriage). He believes they have taken the simple and made it complex. When Mack questions God about the institution of marriage, God corrects him stating that marriage is NOT an institution, it is a relationship.
p. 184 Who said anything about being a Christian? I’m not a Christian. – Jesus
We tend to want to LABEL people. And what do labels REALLY mean?
p. 184 Those who love me have come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims; some are Democrats, some Republicans and many don’t vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and may who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jew and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.
Again, labels are meaningless. And they just encourage judgments.
p. 187 Just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I needed it to accomplish my purposes. That will only least you to false notions about me. Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets….
Tragedies sometimes tend to bring out the best in people.
p. 194 It is not the nature of love to force a relationship, but it is the nature of love to open the way.
I can’t force someone to have a relationship with me.
p. 197 I am always with you; sometimes I want you to be aware in a special way….
p. 199 Just because you believe something firmly doesn’t make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe. The more you live in the truth, the more your emotions will help you see clearly. But even then, you don’t want to trust them more than me.
p. 200 You didn’t think you could live the righteousness of God on your own, did you?
I need his help to live the my life the way He wants me to live it. I pray that he leads and directs me.
p. 200 You might see me in a piece of art, or music, or silence, or through people, or in creation, or in your joy and sorrow. My ability to communicate is limitless, living and transforming, and it will always be tuned to Papa’s [God’s] goodness and love.
p. 204 Why do you think we came up with the Ten Commandments?
“I suppose, at least I have been taught, that it’s a set of rules you expected humans to obey in order to live righteously in your good graces.”
If that were true, which it is not, then how many do you think lived righteously enough to enter our good graces?
“Not very many, if people are like me.”
Actually, only one succeeded – Jesus.
p. 205 “Are you saying I don’t have to follow the rules?”
Yes. In Jesus you are not under any law. All things are lawful.
Trying to keep the Law is actually a declaration of independence, a way of keeping control.
“Is that why we like the Law so much – to give us some control?”
It is much worse than that. It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than those you judge.
Rules cannot bring freedom; they have only the power to accuse.
“Are you telling me that responsibility and expectation are just another form of rules we are no longer under?”
Yes.
I don’t agree with this. I feel we should strive to live the way we feel God wants us to live. We might not be perfect, but we should do our best to live by those guidelines.
p. 208-209 “But don’t you want us to set priorities? You know: God first, then whatever, followed by whatever?”
The trouble with living by priorities is that everything is seen as a hierarchy, a pyramid…. If you put God at the top, what does that really mean, and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?
You see, I don’t just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were abele, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day.
I don’t want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than the top of the pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life – your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities – is connected to me….
This is an interesting concept.
p. 211 “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” – Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth
I can feel those I love with me when we are apart. And when we reunite, it usually feels that no time has passed since we were last together.
p. 215 Each relationship between two persons is absolutely unique. That is why you cannot love two people the same. It simply is not possible. You love each person differently because of who they are and the uniqueness that they draw out of you.
This is an interesting observation that I can relate to. Each of my friendships IS unique.
p. 220 “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others. – A. W. Tozer
This is something I should keep in mind. I feel special “in God’s eyes,” but I must remember that God has that individual relationship with every man and woman. This is another reason I must be more mindful to treat EVERY person I come in contact with, with the utmost respect.
p. 224 I knew that my creation would rebel, would choose independence and death, and I knew what it would cost me to open a path of reconciliation. Your independence has unleashed what seems to you a world of chaos, random and frightening.
I’ve often wondered WHY God allows bad things to happen. This book offers an interesting perspective that addresses this question.
p. 225 This is not about shaming you. I don’t do humiliation, or guilt, or condemnation. They don’t produce one speck of wholeness or righteousness….
I’m so glad that God is above this.
p. 227 Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver, to release you from something that will eat you alive, that will destroy your joy and your ability to love fully and openly. Do you think this man cares about the pain and torment you have gone through? If anything, he feeds on that knowledge. Don’t you want to cut that off?
This is an interesting concept that I have heard before.
p. 229 “So is it all right if I’m still angry?”
Absolutely! What he did was terrible. He caused incredible pain to many. It was wrong, and anger is the right response to something that is so wrong. But don’t let the anger and pain and loss you feel prevent you from forgiving him….
p. 230 Don’t ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.
Tears CAN be SO healing.
p. 233 “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” – Thomas Moore, “Come Ye Disconsolate”
I must keep this in mind, especially when I lose loved ones.
p. 237 Everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again.
This is important to remember. This is why I pray for God to guide me and help me to have a positive effect on others.
p. 235 Excerpt from the epitaph for Missy:
Till you and I are one
And we will dance among the tombs
Until all death is gone
And no one knows that we exist
Wrapped in each other’s arms
Except the One who blew the breath
That hides me safe from harm
Till you and I are one
And we will dance among the tombs
Until all death is gone
This is similar to part of my “sympathy thoughts”:
A person never really dies as long
As someone remembers.
And after there is no one left to remember
It doesn't matter - because then you're together.
p. 237 “And I really believe that you will never leave me or abandon me….”
I suppose He is my rock. When I need Him, especially when I am under pressure or when I realize what a miserable failure I am, I feel His presence.
p. 248 Humans continue through a process of change. While some welcome change, most tend to resist it. Those who feel close to God tend to love more, are quicker to forgive and even quicker to ask for forgiveness. Perhaps they also live life with more simplicity and joy.
I certainly resist change. It takes me a while to adjust to the idea. Although I feel I have an intimate relationship with God and I pray to him frequently, I’m not sure He communicates with me.
~
I'm glad that Fran encouraged me to read this book. It presents many interesting perspectives of what God might be like.
Words within quotation marks, unless otherwise noted, are Mackenzie’s, the main character of the book, as he converses with God who appears to him in three persons. Words not within quotation marks are words spoken by God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
My thoughts are in italics.
We and Our refers to the trinity (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). Independence refers to separation from God.
p. 26 “Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets.” – Paul Tournier
This is one reason I cherished our relationship so much.
p. 94 Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationship.
We are free to “talk” to Him or not.
p. 97 Only I can set you free. The truth shall set you free and the truth has a name – God.
I do believe that peace of mind can come only from God.
p. 97 Freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with Him.
p. 98 Love always leaves a significant mark.
p. 98 I’m not who you think I am. – God
This book is thought-provoking in many ideas it describes.
p. 98 I’m not like who you think I am.
p. 98 I’m not like you. I am God. I am who I am.
p. 113 Once you really get to know me, it won’t matter to you. – His appearance.
God’s appearance in the three earthly bodies in this book were FAR from what humans would normally think God would choose.
p. 114 Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter.
I can relate to this concept. Appearance is very important when I first meet a person, but after they become my friend, it matters VERY little.
p. 122 Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside.
I think this is true if a person has a conscience, but I question if all humans are tormented from committing sin.
p.124 We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command….
I believe true relationships (especially a committed relationship between a man and woman) should be this type.
p. 124 We don’t need power over the other because we are always looking out for the best.
Again, I think this is important in a committed relationship.
p. 128 You cannot produce trust, just as you cannot ‘do’ humility. It either is or is not. Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. Because you do not know that I love you, you cannot trust me.
Trust is something that has to be earned over time, especially after one feels betrayed.
p. 135 Humans have a great capacity for declaring something good or evil, without truly knowing.
I feel most humans judge others according to their values and beliefs. I certainly tend to judge others according to my own perspective. I realize I should be LESS judgmental. It is something I must work on.
p. 138 Evil is a word we use to describe the absence of good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absence of light or death to describe the absence of life. Both evil and darkness can be understood only in relation to light and good; they do not have any actual existence. I am light and I am good. I am love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring independence will result in evil because apart from me, you can draw only upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from me: Life.
These are VERY interesting concepts. I tend to agree with these ideas. This is somewhat parallel to my thoughts about hell – not a physical place, but NOTHINGNESS or the end of existence; the opposite of being with God or Heaven.
p. 143 Do you think humans were designed to live in the present or the past or the future?
p. 143 Where do you spend most of your time in your mind, in your imagination: in the present, in the past, or in the future?
I spend FAR too much time thinking about, worrying about, and planning for the FUTURE. I must concentrate on living IN THE MOMENT and relishing each second of my precious life.
p. 144 The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe I am good nor know deep in your heart that I love you.
I have wasted much of my life worrying about what might happen in the future. Almost everything I worried about never materialized. Rational fears about legitimate dangers are understandable, but the time wasted worrying about what MIGHT happen or what others might think of me was precious time wasted.
p. 148 Like most men, you find what you think of as fulfillment in your achievements, and Nan, like most women, finds it in relationships. It’s more naturally her language.
I am guilty of this.
p. 148 You abandoned relationship with us to assert your own independence. Most men have expressed it by turning to the work of their hands and the sweat of their brows to find their identity, value, and security.
p. 149 By choosing to declare what’s good and evil, you seek to determine your own destiny. It was this turning that had caused so much pain.
p. 150 Power in the hands of independent humans, be they men or women, does corrupt.
I feel power and fame/celebrity are VERY difficult for humans to handle honorably.
p. 150 We want male and female to be counterparts, face-to-face equals, each unique and different, distinctive in gender but complementary, and each empowered uniquely….
This would be the ideal in a committed relationship.
p. 150 We didn’t create man to live alone; she was purposed from the beginning.
Possibly some individuals (both male and female) are better off living alone, for their own sake and others.
p. 150 Our desire was to create a being that had a fully equal and powerful counterpart, the male and the female. But your independence with its quest for power and fulfillment actually destroys the relationship your heart longs for.
p. 160 You have judged many throughout your life. You have judged the actions and even the motivations of others, as if you somehow know what those were in truth. You have judged the color of skin and body language and body odor. You have judged history and relationships. You have even judged the value of a person’s life by the quality of your concept of beauty. By all accounts, you are quite will practiced in the activity.
I realize this is an area I should work on.
p. 160 Judging requires that you think yourself superior over the one you judge.
Interesting observation.
p. 160 Mack knew he was thoroughly guilty of being self-centered. How dare he judge anyone else? All his judgments had been superficial, based on appearance and actions, things easily interpreted by whatever state of mind or prejudice supported the need to exalt himself, to feel safe, or to belong.
p. 172 “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” – Blaise Pascal
Sadly there seems to be much truth to this.
p. 172 “Once abolish the God and the government becomes the God.” – G. K. Chesterton
Interesting.
p. 175 She was never alone. I never left her; we never left her, not for one instant. I could no more abandon her, or you, then I could abandon myself.
p. 176 It doesn’t seem to hold the same power now. --> K
p. 177 Then you grow up on the outside, but on the inside you’re still that kid….
Yes I am! I still have many of the same insecurities and still think of myself as being young. When I was young, I always thought and assumed that when I “grew up” I’d no longer be concerned about what others thought about me, and I would no longer be shy. Not so.
p. 180 Referring to the church – You’re seeing only the institution, a man-made system. That’s not what I came to build. What I see are people and their lives, a living, breathing community of all those who love me, not buildings and programs.
Institutions tend to have their own agendas. The church should be the community of people. How can they be separated to prevent corruption?
p. 180 It’s all about relationships and simply sharing life. …being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people, and life is all about relationships.
Relationships are really what matter most in life.
p. 180 Perhaps it was because humans are so utterly lost and independent that they take what is simple and make it complex.
p. 181 An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional, very contrary to my purposes.
p. 182 I have no agenda here.
This is unlike religious agendas of some churches, some church leaders, and some church dogmas.
p. 183 The whole thing is a process, not an event. All I want from you is to trust me with what little you can, and grow in loving people around you with the same love I share with you. It’s not your job to change them, or to convince them. You are free to love without an agenda.
Changing myself will be a life-long process.
p. 183 I can give you freedom to overcome any system of power in which you find yourself, be it religious, economic, social, or political. You will grow in the freedom to be inside or outside all kinds of systems and to move freely between and among them. Together, you and I can be in it and not of it.
Young believes most systems (or institutions) are corrupt and have their own agendas – religious, economic, social, political (and even marriage). He believes they have taken the simple and made it complex. When Mack questions God about the institution of marriage, God corrects him stating that marriage is NOT an institution, it is a relationship.
p. 184 Who said anything about being a Christian? I’m not a Christian. – Jesus
We tend to want to LABEL people. And what do labels REALLY mean?
p. 184 Those who love me have come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims; some are Democrats, some Republicans and many don’t vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and may who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jew and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.
Again, labels are meaningless. And they just encourage judgments.
p. 187 Just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I needed it to accomplish my purposes. That will only least you to false notions about me. Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets….
Tragedies sometimes tend to bring out the best in people.
p. 194 It is not the nature of love to force a relationship, but it is the nature of love to open the way.
I can’t force someone to have a relationship with me.
p. 197 I am always with you; sometimes I want you to be aware in a special way….
p. 199 Just because you believe something firmly doesn’t make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe. The more you live in the truth, the more your emotions will help you see clearly. But even then, you don’t want to trust them more than me.
p. 200 You didn’t think you could live the righteousness of God on your own, did you?
I need his help to live the my life the way He wants me to live it. I pray that he leads and directs me.
p. 200 You might see me in a piece of art, or music, or silence, or through people, or in creation, or in your joy and sorrow. My ability to communicate is limitless, living and transforming, and it will always be tuned to Papa’s [God’s] goodness and love.
p. 204 Why do you think we came up with the Ten Commandments?
“I suppose, at least I have been taught, that it’s a set of rules you expected humans to obey in order to live righteously in your good graces.”
If that were true, which it is not, then how many do you think lived righteously enough to enter our good graces?
“Not very many, if people are like me.”
Actually, only one succeeded – Jesus.
p. 205 “Are you saying I don’t have to follow the rules?”
Yes. In Jesus you are not under any law. All things are lawful.
Trying to keep the Law is actually a declaration of independence, a way of keeping control.
“Is that why we like the Law so much – to give us some control?”
It is much worse than that. It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than those you judge.
Rules cannot bring freedom; they have only the power to accuse.
“Are you telling me that responsibility and expectation are just another form of rules we are no longer under?”
Yes.
I don’t agree with this. I feel we should strive to live the way we feel God wants us to live. We might not be perfect, but we should do our best to live by those guidelines.
p. 208-209 “But don’t you want us to set priorities? You know: God first, then whatever, followed by whatever?”
The trouble with living by priorities is that everything is seen as a hierarchy, a pyramid…. If you put God at the top, what does that really mean, and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?
You see, I don’t just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were abele, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day.
I don’t want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than the top of the pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life – your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities – is connected to me….
This is an interesting concept.
p. 211 “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” – Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth
I can feel those I love with me when we are apart. And when we reunite, it usually feels that no time has passed since we were last together.
p. 215 Each relationship between two persons is absolutely unique. That is why you cannot love two people the same. It simply is not possible. You love each person differently because of who they are and the uniqueness that they draw out of you.
This is an interesting observation that I can relate to. Each of my friendships IS unique.
p. 220 “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others. – A. W. Tozer
This is something I should keep in mind. I feel special “in God’s eyes,” but I must remember that God has that individual relationship with every man and woman. This is another reason I must be more mindful to treat EVERY person I come in contact with, with the utmost respect.
p. 224 I knew that my creation would rebel, would choose independence and death, and I knew what it would cost me to open a path of reconciliation. Your independence has unleashed what seems to you a world of chaos, random and frightening.
I’ve often wondered WHY God allows bad things to happen. This book offers an interesting perspective that addresses this question.
p. 225 This is not about shaming you. I don’t do humiliation, or guilt, or condemnation. They don’t produce one speck of wholeness or righteousness….
I’m so glad that God is above this.
p. 227 Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver, to release you from something that will eat you alive, that will destroy your joy and your ability to love fully and openly. Do you think this man cares about the pain and torment you have gone through? If anything, he feeds on that knowledge. Don’t you want to cut that off?
This is an interesting concept that I have heard before.
p. 229 “So is it all right if I’m still angry?”
Absolutely! What he did was terrible. He caused incredible pain to many. It was wrong, and anger is the right response to something that is so wrong. But don’t let the anger and pain and loss you feel prevent you from forgiving him….
p. 230 Don’t ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.
Tears CAN be SO healing.
p. 233 “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” – Thomas Moore, “Come Ye Disconsolate”
I must keep this in mind, especially when I lose loved ones.
p. 237 Everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again.
This is important to remember. This is why I pray for God to guide me and help me to have a positive effect on others.
p. 235 Excerpt from the epitaph for Missy:
Till you and I are one
And we will dance among the tombs
Until all death is gone
And no one knows that we exist
Wrapped in each other’s arms
Except the One who blew the breath
That hides me safe from harm
Till you and I are one
And we will dance among the tombs
Until all death is gone
This is similar to part of my “sympathy thoughts”:
A person never really dies as long
As someone remembers.
And after there is no one left to remember
It doesn't matter - because then you're together.
p. 237 “And I really believe that you will never leave me or abandon me….”
I suppose He is my rock. When I need Him, especially when I am under pressure or when I realize what a miserable failure I am, I feel His presence.
p. 248 Humans continue through a process of change. While some welcome change, most tend to resist it. Those who feel close to God tend to love more, are quicker to forgive and even quicker to ask for forgiveness. Perhaps they also live life with more simplicity and joy.
I certainly resist change. It takes me a while to adjust to the idea. Although I feel I have an intimate relationship with God and I pray to him frequently, I’m not sure He communicates with me.
~
Monday, March 22, 2010
Happiness
~
By Janice Taylor
Happiness is a state of being that only you can create. Happiness is a choice that you make.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Be your own best friend. Enjoy your own company. Embrace everything about you! Without a doubt, it’s the most important step towards being a happy person.
Growing up as an only child, I learned to depend on myself, I became introverted, I developed a close relationship with God, and I learned to be comfortable being by myself. Although I’m usually hard on myself, I am comfortable being alone, and I usually enjoy this time.
Smile. Smiling releases serotonin in the brain, which instantaneously gives your mood a lift.
Being nice to others brings happiness. Simple things like smiling at a stranger and saying, “Hi,” stopping to pet a dog or cat, holding a door for a stranger, courteously letting another driver into your line of traffic, or picking up litter while walking, all make me happy and help me to feel good about myself. And helping others gives me the greatest satisfaction.
Sing out loud! Shut the doors and the windows tight, put on your favorite song, and let your voice ring!
Music itself can be uplifting. And joining in when alone at home, in the car, or in the shower can uplift my mood and outlook on life.
Expect a miracle. Believe that something wonderful will happen for you today. The universe is waiting to shower happy blessings on you.
We shouldn’t take for granted one second of this GLORIOUS life that God has given us! There’s so much beauty to appreciate, so much to learn, so much to create, so much to enjoy, and so much to share! I feel dulling this magnificent experience with mind altering drugs is a sin. Life is ours for the asking; we should savor each moment!
Meditate. Pray. Research shows that people who are spiritual tend to be happier and healthier than those who are not.
When I am alone, I am alone with God. I pity those who have no faith. As glorious as this life is, to believe this is ALL there is, is so limiting and depressing. When a loved one dies, believing that is the end, having no faith that this person is now with God, and having no hope that one day you will be reunited, has to be tragic!
Laugh at your shortcomings. We all make mistakes; none of us is perfect. Forgive your imperfections, accept your faults, and laugh.
I more easily accept others’ faults and imperfections than my own. In certain areas of my life, by desire for perfection or excellence sometimes makes it difficult to accept my shortcomings or mistakes.
Sleep. Seven or eight hours each night should increase your energy and decrease moodiness.
I am tremendously blessed with the ability to fall asleep VERY easily!
Take a cat nap. A 10-minute nap is all it takes to rejuvenate your spirit and get the happiness to flow.
My blessed ability to fall asleep so easily allows me to do this. And it always refreshes and rejuvenates me.
Count your blessings daily. Gratitude, the emotion of thankfulness, is one of the key ingredients for living a happy life. Make gratitude a habit and happiness will be yours.
I realize I am SO blessed in this life, yet SO unworthy!
Create a positive affirmation. Think it, read it, say it, sing it! "My happiness brings me more happiness."
Health also has a huge effect on happiness. Taking care of oneself increases the quality of life. Exercise and diet (avoiding the killer typical American diet) increases one’s health; thus it helps foster happiness.
Say “Good job.” Think it, read it, say it, sing it! "My happiness brings me more happiness."
Freely give others credit, and thank others for their kindnesses.
Catch happiness from others. Remembering that happiness is contagious, surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values, goals, and dreams.
I try to surround myself with positive people. Negativism is contagious.
Look to the future. Set goals and then make plans to succeed and take action. Pursuing something we value always makes us happy.
For me, building things, creating things (writing, designing), repairing things gives me self-satisfaction thus happiness. Use your God given talents.
Accept what you cannot change. Don't waste your precious time, energy, or thoughts on something that is beyond your control. Let it go.
You can’t blame the past; accept it, learn from it, and move on!
Love everything! Love who you are. Love what you are doing. Love the person you're with. Love your friends and your enemies, too. Love! Love! Love!
One of the biggest blessings in this life is LOVE. Love your family and friends FULLY. And NEVER take for granted your loving relationship with your partner!
~
By Janice Taylor
Happiness is a state of being that only you can create. Happiness is a choice that you make.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Be your own best friend. Enjoy your own company. Embrace everything about you! Without a doubt, it’s the most important step towards being a happy person.
Growing up as an only child, I learned to depend on myself, I became introverted, I developed a close relationship with God, and I learned to be comfortable being by myself. Although I’m usually hard on myself, I am comfortable being alone, and I usually enjoy this time.
Smile. Smiling releases serotonin in the brain, which instantaneously gives your mood a lift.
Being nice to others brings happiness. Simple things like smiling at a stranger and saying, “Hi,” stopping to pet a dog or cat, holding a door for a stranger, courteously letting another driver into your line of traffic, or picking up litter while walking, all make me happy and help me to feel good about myself. And helping others gives me the greatest satisfaction.
Sing out loud! Shut the doors and the windows tight, put on your favorite song, and let your voice ring!
Music itself can be uplifting. And joining in when alone at home, in the car, or in the shower can uplift my mood and outlook on life.
Expect a miracle. Believe that something wonderful will happen for you today. The universe is waiting to shower happy blessings on you.
We shouldn’t take for granted one second of this GLORIOUS life that God has given us! There’s so much beauty to appreciate, so much to learn, so much to create, so much to enjoy, and so much to share! I feel dulling this magnificent experience with mind altering drugs is a sin. Life is ours for the asking; we should savor each moment!
Meditate. Pray. Research shows that people who are spiritual tend to be happier and healthier than those who are not.
When I am alone, I am alone with God. I pity those who have no faith. As glorious as this life is, to believe this is ALL there is, is so limiting and depressing. When a loved one dies, believing that is the end, having no faith that this person is now with God, and having no hope that one day you will be reunited, has to be tragic!
Laugh at your shortcomings. We all make mistakes; none of us is perfect. Forgive your imperfections, accept your faults, and laugh.
I more easily accept others’ faults and imperfections than my own. In certain areas of my life, by desire for perfection or excellence sometimes makes it difficult to accept my shortcomings or mistakes.
Sleep. Seven or eight hours each night should increase your energy and decrease moodiness.
I am tremendously blessed with the ability to fall asleep VERY easily!
Take a cat nap. A 10-minute nap is all it takes to rejuvenate your spirit and get the happiness to flow.
My blessed ability to fall asleep so easily allows me to do this. And it always refreshes and rejuvenates me.
Count your blessings daily. Gratitude, the emotion of thankfulness, is one of the key ingredients for living a happy life. Make gratitude a habit and happiness will be yours.
I realize I am SO blessed in this life, yet SO unworthy!
Create a positive affirmation. Think it, read it, say it, sing it! "My happiness brings me more happiness."
Health also has a huge effect on happiness. Taking care of oneself increases the quality of life. Exercise and diet (avoiding the killer typical American diet) increases one’s health; thus it helps foster happiness.
Say “Good job.” Think it, read it, say it, sing it! "My happiness brings me more happiness."
Freely give others credit, and thank others for their kindnesses.
Catch happiness from others. Remembering that happiness is contagious, surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values, goals, and dreams.
I try to surround myself with positive people. Negativism is contagious.
Look to the future. Set goals and then make plans to succeed and take action. Pursuing something we value always makes us happy.
For me, building things, creating things (writing, designing), repairing things gives me self-satisfaction thus happiness. Use your God given talents.
Accept what you cannot change. Don't waste your precious time, energy, or thoughts on something that is beyond your control. Let it go.
You can’t blame the past; accept it, learn from it, and move on!
Love everything! Love who you are. Love what you are doing. Love the person you're with. Love your friends and your enemies, too. Love! Love! Love!
One of the biggest blessings in this life is LOVE. Love your family and friends FULLY. And NEVER take for granted your loving relationship with your partner!
~
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Quotes by Abraham Lincoln
~
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
These wise words of Abraham Lincoln from 150 years ago should be heeded by today's political leaders.
~
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
These wise words of Abraham Lincoln from 150 years ago should be heeded by today's political leaders.
~
Thursday, February 25, 2010
THE MOMENT
~
Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh was interviewed by Oprah in the March 2010 issue of O Magazine. The following are direct quotes from the interview. Words in italics are mine.
THE MOMENT
Happiness is the cessation of suffering. Well-being. For instance, when I practice this exercise of breathing in, I’m aware of my eyes; breathing out, I smile to my eyes and realize that they are still in good condition There is a paradise of form and colors in the world. And because you have eyes still in good condition, you get in touch with the paradise. So when I become aware of my eyes, I touch one of the conditions of happiness. And when I touch it, happiness comes.
How often do I FORGET to SEE and appreciate this glorious paradise around me?!
Breathing in, I am aware of my heart. Breathing out, I smile to my heart and know that my heart still functions normally. I feel grateful for my heart.
I should be MOST appreciative of my healthy heart!
You need to practice mindfulness to bring your mind back to the body and establish yourself in the moment. If you are fully present, you need only make a step or take a breath in order to enter the kingdom of God. And once you have the kingdom, you don’t need to run after objects of your craving, like power, fame, sensual pleasure, and so on. Peace is possible. Happiness is possible. And this practice is simple enough for everyone to do.
The KEY terms here are MINDFULNESS and establishing myself IN THE MOMENT!
When you focus ALL of your attention on being alive at a specific moment – such as a simple act of drinking a cup of tea – In that moment you are real, the cup of tea is real. You are not lost in the past, in the future, in your projects, in your worries. You are free from all of these afflictions. And in that state of being free, you enjoy your tea. That is the moment of happiness, and of peace.
The key is to be free of all distractions and focus entirely on the present simple activity – block out the past, the future, and all other distractions. Be FULLY CONSCIOUS of the present activity at that moment in time.
This was always easy for me when I participated in sports. During those times, my attention was COMPLETELY focused on the game. All other distractions were blocked out.
Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.
Happiness comes from WITHIN. And that is possible when I remain IN THE MOMENT, in the PRESENT. Doing this will allow me to FULLY appreciate the simple blessings in life.
Many people come to our center and learn this art of mindful living.
MINDFUL LIVING is living COMPLETELY in the moment. There is a time to pay the bills and plan for a future, but so often I LOSE or miss out on the present by worrying or focusing on something from the past or something in the future?
As you walk, you touch the ground mindfully, and every step can bring you solidity and joy and freedom. Freedom from your regret concerning the past, and freedom from your fear about the future.
Mindful living in the moment can free me from much regret and fear.
People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and now.
LIFE IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN THE PRESENT. How often have I LOST part of my life by not living fully in the present? How much of my sons’ lives as they were growing up did I miss out on because of my preoccupation with other distractions?!
Happiness and suffering support each other. To be is to inter-be. It’s like the left and the right. if the left is not there, the right cannot be there. The same is true with suffering and happiness….
I more fully appreciate the good times when I have been through bad times, victories when I have enduring loses, good health when I have experienced bad health….
The same is true with … good and evil. In every one of us there are good seeds and bad. We have the seed of brotherhood, love, compassion insight. But we have also the seed of anger, hate, dissent.
I must focus on cultivating my good “seeds” or qualities.
Mantras:
“Darling, I’m here for you.” When you love someone, the best you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?
And I must be MINDFULLY present when I am in their presence.
You look into their eyes and you say, “Darling, I’m here for you.” You offer him or her your presence. You are not preoccupied with the past or the future; you are there for your beloved.
I must focus on LISTENING and be totally engaged during our time together.
The second mantra is. “Darling, I know you are there and I am so happy.” Because you are fully there, you recognize the presence of your beloved as something very precious. You embrace your beloved with mindfulness. And he or she will bloom like a flower. To e loved means to be recognized as existing.
To be fully present in the company of my beloved IS VERY PRECIOUS! I must focus on embracing her with mindfulness.
And these two mantras can bring happiness right away, even if your beloved one is not there. You can use your telephone and practice the mantra.
I am NOT good at using the telephone, possibly because of my self-consciousness. I'm concerned that I might be holding the other person up.
I’m very happy. The third mantra is what you practice when your beloved one is suffering. “Darling, I know you’re suffering. That is why I am here for you.” Before you do something to help, your presence already can bring some relief.
Just being WITH someone, they know I care about them. That alone is a start. But again, I usually hesitate to go to someone for fear they would rather I not be there.
And the fourth mantra is a little bit more difficult. It is when you suffer and you believe that your suffering has been caused by your beloved. If someone else had done the same wrong to you, you would have suffered less. But this is the person you love the most, so you suffer deeply.
This IS the toughest suffering because of the emotional investment and the intimacy (whatever level it may be) of that particular relationship. My faith and trust in, and the personal security I feel with that person is shaken. It sometimes is devastating to me.
You prefer to go to your room and close the door and suffer alone.
Being very introverted, this IS the way I react. I do suffer alone, possibly because it's how I’ve done it my whole life. It also allows me to remove myself from the situation - the presence of the suffering. And it allows me to work out my feelings, usually by writing my thoughts.
When you love someone, you want to share everything with him or her.
I DO! When we are apart, and I see or experience something special, I wish she was there experiencing it with me, and I can’t wait to share it with her! Possibly that is because part of her is always with me?
So it is your duty to say, “I suffer and I want you to know” – and he will, she will appreciate it.
It is EXTREMELY difficult for me to admit I am suffering and need help. I always try to endure it and work through it myself.
This is the case of two people who love each other. Your beloved one.
I am SO blessed to have that SPECIAL one. Or at least I used to be. :(
~
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Western Diet (Typical American Diet)
~
Food logic ?!
Direct quote from Sarah Palin’s new book: “If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?”
Is she a complete IDIOT!
Other obtuse logic could conclude: Cannibals eat humans because God made them out of meat. - OR - If God wanted man to play soccer, He wouldn't have given us arms.
I am losing empathy for people who are now suffering from heart disease. Although special interest groups and some health agencies are trying to stifle information from scientific research, research IS available that proves that people are literally eating themselves to death.
Heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes are only “normal” diseases in cultures that eat the rich Western diet.
When discussing former President Clinton’s health status after his latest heart episode, the newsperson said research has not yet found a cure for heart disease.
Excuse me?! There IS a cure for heart disease. Changing what you EAT reverses heart disease!
A lifetime of feasting on the wrong foods CAUSES heart disease. Eating a healthy diet cures heart disease.
People make all kinds of excuses to eat what they want to eat, and it is certainly their choice. But they are RESPONSIBLE for their own health. If they feel enjoying their customary Western diet is worth suffering with and dying from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - so be it.
What does bother me is that many people are eating what they THINK they should eat to maintain good health. They are being misinformed by the government, special interest groups, and even national health agencies! EVERYONE should at least be exposed to the TRUTH.
I believe it is a crime that special interest groups (the meat, egg, and dairy industries) work to suppress accurate scientific research studies that prove their products CAUSE these diseases. Then they flood our schools and the media with propaganda to brain wash people into thinking their products MUST be consumed to achieve good health! If you hear something enough times, you begin to believe it! They spread intentional MISINFORMATION!
I also feel it is UNFORGIVABLE that national health organizations (Heart, Cancer, and Diabetes) do not make available fully accurate scientific information about the effects of the Western diet for fear the recommendations would be too stringent. They should make SURE the public has the FACTS to allow Americans to make their own dietary decisions.
After people understand the facts, I feel they get exactly what they deserve – whether it be good health or poor health and early death.
~
Food logic ?!
Direct quote from Sarah Palin’s new book: “If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?”
Is she a complete IDIOT!
Other obtuse logic could conclude: Cannibals eat humans because God made them out of meat. - OR - If God wanted man to play soccer, He wouldn't have given us arms.
I am losing empathy for people who are now suffering from heart disease. Although special interest groups and some health agencies are trying to stifle information from scientific research, research IS available that proves that people are literally eating themselves to death.
Heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes are only “normal” diseases in cultures that eat the rich Western diet.
When discussing former President Clinton’s health status after his latest heart episode, the newsperson said research has not yet found a cure for heart disease.
Excuse me?! There IS a cure for heart disease. Changing what you EAT reverses heart disease!
A lifetime of feasting on the wrong foods CAUSES heart disease. Eating a healthy diet cures heart disease.
People make all kinds of excuses to eat what they want to eat, and it is certainly their choice. But they are RESPONSIBLE for their own health. If they feel enjoying their customary Western diet is worth suffering with and dying from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - so be it.
What does bother me is that many people are eating what they THINK they should eat to maintain good health. They are being misinformed by the government, special interest groups, and even national health agencies! EVERYONE should at least be exposed to the TRUTH.
I believe it is a crime that special interest groups (the meat, egg, and dairy industries) work to suppress accurate scientific research studies that prove their products CAUSE these diseases. Then they flood our schools and the media with propaganda to brain wash people into thinking their products MUST be consumed to achieve good health! If you hear something enough times, you begin to believe it! They spread intentional MISINFORMATION!
I also feel it is UNFORGIVABLE that national health organizations (Heart, Cancer, and Diabetes) do not make available fully accurate scientific information about the effects of the Western diet for fear the recommendations would be too stringent. They should make SURE the public has the FACTS to allow Americans to make their own dietary decisions.
After people understand the facts, I feel they get exactly what they deserve – whether it be good health or poor health and early death.
~
Global Warming?
~
Cooling off: time to take a different look at global warming
By Patriot-News Op-Ed October 04, 2009
by Tom Russell - chief meteorologist at CBS Channel 21 in Harrisburg.
Hey, the weather is changing! Somehow, just in the last week or two, things have gotten rapidly cooler. Oh wait, it’s called fall. Seems to happen every year around this time. Funny how weather seems to work in cycles.
We know we had a cooler and wetter than average summer. But did you know the June-August 2009 temperature for the whole U.S. was below average?
Yeah, despite the heat waves in the West and Southwest, the Northeast had its eighth wettest June-to-August on record. Does this prove there is no global warming? Of course not, no more than melting ice caps prove it does exist.
Weather changes. It fluctuates minute by minute, hour by hour, weekly, yearly, by decade and by century. Those of us forecasting the stuff daily know what a fickle mistress Mother Nature can be.
So, when I see humans trying to blame weather cycles on something other than nature, I get incensed. I don’t know what’s more arrogant: Saying we caused it or saying we can stop it.
Truth is, we can’t keep a stray shower from ruining your picnic, so how are we going to stop global weather patterns?
Ironically, the same people who tease me about not getting the seven-day forecast correct totally believe in the faulty science that says we can predict the weather 100 years from now.
When this global warming debate comes up, I always start with the premise “What is the ideal global temperature?” We only have 120 years of accurate records to tell us what “normal” is. We’ve been warmer in the past and we’ve been cooler in the past.
In his book “Climate Confusion,” Dr. Roy Spencer says attributing most or all of the current warmth to mankind is a statement of faith, because it assumes something we don’t know: How much natural climate variability has there been during the same period of time? And then I continue with the basics. Despite what you’ve heard, carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It’s kind of important to our survival. Research now shows that CO2 does not drive temperature but rather temperature drives CO2. Adding twice the CO2 does not double the effect. The initial tons of CO2 matter, but adding more has less and less effect. Imagine painting a window with black paint: The first coat does most of the work, the extra coats don’t matter much.
And even though I’m a big skeptic of anyone who says they can give you an accurate global temperature, satellite data show the world has not warmed since 2001, even though carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased.
The biggest change in this debate over the last 10 years isn’t temperature. It’s the change in the marketing from global warming to climate change. Climate change is a much better moniker, but for what? An agenda, of course.
So get ready, after the politicians put health care to bed, cap and trade is next up on the agenda. Imagine, making carbon a currency. That’s pretty ingenious, but it has nothing to do with the climate.
I watched Tom Russell on WITV's Smart Talk which motivated me to look up this thought provoking Op-Ed that he wrote last October.
Like just about everything else, "global warming" has become a political agenda. Corruption of data used to prove "global warming" has been discovered, and peer-reviewed studies (which are the backbone of TRUE scientific research) now contradict global warming alarmism.
I believe we should be good stewards of our environment. And I agree with the Native American proverb that "we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors but rather borrow it from our children."
But I believe we should procede with common sense and have come to the conclusion that "global warming" is a fraud - a fraud perpetrated by people with their own agendas.
~
Cooling off: time to take a different look at global warming
By Patriot-News Op-Ed October 04, 2009
by Tom Russell - chief meteorologist at CBS Channel 21 in Harrisburg.
Hey, the weather is changing! Somehow, just in the last week or two, things have gotten rapidly cooler. Oh wait, it’s called fall. Seems to happen every year around this time. Funny how weather seems to work in cycles.
We know we had a cooler and wetter than average summer. But did you know the June-August 2009 temperature for the whole U.S. was below average?
Yeah, despite the heat waves in the West and Southwest, the Northeast had its eighth wettest June-to-August on record. Does this prove there is no global warming? Of course not, no more than melting ice caps prove it does exist.
Weather changes. It fluctuates minute by minute, hour by hour, weekly, yearly, by decade and by century. Those of us forecasting the stuff daily know what a fickle mistress Mother Nature can be.
So, when I see humans trying to blame weather cycles on something other than nature, I get incensed. I don’t know what’s more arrogant: Saying we caused it or saying we can stop it.
Truth is, we can’t keep a stray shower from ruining your picnic, so how are we going to stop global weather patterns?
Ironically, the same people who tease me about not getting the seven-day forecast correct totally believe in the faulty science that says we can predict the weather 100 years from now.
When this global warming debate comes up, I always start with the premise “What is the ideal global temperature?” We only have 120 years of accurate records to tell us what “normal” is. We’ve been warmer in the past and we’ve been cooler in the past.
In his book “Climate Confusion,” Dr. Roy Spencer says attributing most or all of the current warmth to mankind is a statement of faith, because it assumes something we don’t know: How much natural climate variability has there been during the same period of time? And then I continue with the basics. Despite what you’ve heard, carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It’s kind of important to our survival. Research now shows that CO2 does not drive temperature but rather temperature drives CO2. Adding twice the CO2 does not double the effect. The initial tons of CO2 matter, but adding more has less and less effect. Imagine painting a window with black paint: The first coat does most of the work, the extra coats don’t matter much.
And even though I’m a big skeptic of anyone who says they can give you an accurate global temperature, satellite data show the world has not warmed since 2001, even though carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased.
The biggest change in this debate over the last 10 years isn’t temperature. It’s the change in the marketing from global warming to climate change. Climate change is a much better moniker, but for what? An agenda, of course.
So get ready, after the politicians put health care to bed, cap and trade is next up on the agenda. Imagine, making carbon a currency. That’s pretty ingenious, but it has nothing to do with the climate.
I watched Tom Russell on WITV's Smart Talk which motivated me to look up this thought provoking Op-Ed that he wrote last October.
Like just about everything else, "global warming" has become a political agenda. Corruption of data used to prove "global warming" has been discovered, and peer-reviewed studies (which are the backbone of TRUE scientific research) now contradict global warming alarmism.
I believe we should be good stewards of our environment. And I agree with the Native American proverb that "we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors but rather borrow it from our children."
But I believe we should procede with common sense and have come to the conclusion that "global warming" is a fraud - a fraud perpetrated by people with their own agendas.
~
Thursday, February 18, 2010
What I Think Love Is (REPOSTED)
~
I first posted this blog on Monday, January 08, 2007. I am reposting my original ideas of what I thought love was three years ago with my current thoughts interspersed throughout in italics.
What I Think Love Is
I believe I have been in love only one time in my life. I should be thankful I have actually had that experience.
I believe this is still true. But the ONE time I feel I have truly been in love is with YOU.
I think maybe the initial thrill of falling in love is so intense that it might HAVE to change.
I still think it has to change and vary over time. Can it keep its initial intensity? I still love you, and it feels more intense at certain times more than others. But I wonder if we had met and fallen in love 20 years ago if we would we be as “in love” as we are now.
I’m not sure that that intensity can last forever, so there’d better be something there after that initial thrill subsides. Maybe that is where communication and commitment come in. Mutual respect is a given.
I know you have questioned if I really know what love is. I realize you are more experienced in this area than I am; you have been in love with men other times in your life. All I really know is from my experience with you.
Uncle Ben once shared with me in an email his belief that our culture misconstrues the concept of love. He never fully explained his concept of love to me. I wish he had, because the love he shared with Aunt Gladys seemed to be the truest form of love.
This is part of what he shared with me in that email:
"Your comments on 'feeling' in your relationship, I think, need to be examined a little. Emotions are certainly a part of 'love'--too much in our culture; but there is more to it than that. Love is a matter of the will--as in the two Great Commandments: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your being, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Feelings will come and go depending on a lot of things, but they are an uncertain measurement for an inquiry into the foundations of marriage, and the living out of it year in and year out."
I think being in love is wanting to share yourself TOTALLY - being completely open with that person - TOTAL trust and acceptance. It is sharing your opinions, values, dreams, desires, fantasies, fears, and insecurities, with no fear of ridicule – within the safety of knowing you are loved and accepted unconditionally; being totally vulnerable yet completely content in all-encompassing mutual love.
We have shared most of these things, and for me it is as wonderful as I had imagined it might be.
I think being in love involves TOTAL acceptance of that person – including accepting flaws, differences and differences of opinion, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies, quirks, faults, and all – without ridicule and maybe even cherishing them.
I think it is the desire to care for, share with, accept, protect, support, cherish, comfort, confide in, make love with, cry with, laugh with, tease lovingly, kid with and feel comfortable doing everything and nothing together.
I cherish doing these things with YOU.
I believe it is the yearning to spend the rest of your lives together. Being with that person makes EVERYTHING seem right.
There is NO other person I would rather be with.
I wonder if this is all just a fantasy to want this or to think that I might find this and actually experience living in love someday.
Thanks to YOU, I’ve found it is NOT a fantasy. With you, I have experienced living in love. If I would die tomorrow, I have experienced something that many never experience in their lifetime.
~
I first posted this blog on Monday, January 08, 2007. I am reposting my original ideas of what I thought love was three years ago with my current thoughts interspersed throughout in italics.
What I Think Love Is
I believe I have been in love only one time in my life. I should be thankful I have actually had that experience.
I believe this is still true. But the ONE time I feel I have truly been in love is with YOU.
I think maybe the initial thrill of falling in love is so intense that it might HAVE to change.
I still think it has to change and vary over time. Can it keep its initial intensity? I still love you, and it feels more intense at certain times more than others. But I wonder if we had met and fallen in love 20 years ago if we would we be as “in love” as we are now.
I’m not sure that that intensity can last forever, so there’d better be something there after that initial thrill subsides. Maybe that is where communication and commitment come in. Mutual respect is a given.
I know you have questioned if I really know what love is. I realize you are more experienced in this area than I am; you have been in love with men other times in your life. All I really know is from my experience with you.
Uncle Ben once shared with me in an email his belief that our culture misconstrues the concept of love. He never fully explained his concept of love to me. I wish he had, because the love he shared with Aunt Gladys seemed to be the truest form of love.
This is part of what he shared with me in that email:
"Your comments on 'feeling' in your relationship, I think, need to be examined a little. Emotions are certainly a part of 'love'--too much in our culture; but there is more to it than that. Love is a matter of the will--as in the two Great Commandments: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your being, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Feelings will come and go depending on a lot of things, but they are an uncertain measurement for an inquiry into the foundations of marriage, and the living out of it year in and year out."
I think being in love is wanting to share yourself TOTALLY - being completely open with that person - TOTAL trust and acceptance. It is sharing your opinions, values, dreams, desires, fantasies, fears, and insecurities, with no fear of ridicule – within the safety of knowing you are loved and accepted unconditionally; being totally vulnerable yet completely content in all-encompassing mutual love.
We have shared most of these things, and for me it is as wonderful as I had imagined it might be.
I think being in love involves TOTAL acceptance of that person – including accepting flaws, differences and differences of opinion, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies, quirks, faults, and all – without ridicule and maybe even cherishing them.
I think it is the desire to care for, share with, accept, protect, support, cherish, comfort, confide in, make love with, cry with, laugh with, tease lovingly, kid with and feel comfortable doing everything and nothing together.
I cherish doing these things with YOU.
I believe it is the yearning to spend the rest of your lives together. Being with that person makes EVERYTHING seem right.
There is NO other person I would rather be with.
I wonder if this is all just a fantasy to want this or to think that I might find this and actually experience living in love someday.
Thanks to YOU, I’ve found it is NOT a fantasy. With you, I have experienced living in love. If I would die tomorrow, I have experienced something that many never experience in their lifetime.
~
The Awakening - Sonny Carroll (REPOSTED)
~
I originally posted this blog on Thursday, January 11, 2007. I am posting it again – this time with my reactions interspersed in italics. Bold face emphasis was suggested by a person I am VERY close to and whose opinion I respect very much.
The Awakening - by Sonny Carroll
There comes a time in your life when you finally get it.... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective. This is your awakening.
You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
When I stopped waiting, I did not SETTLE for you! I found something MUCH better than what I had been waiting for. I still hesitate to tell you how much I appreciate your physical attributes for fear you sometimes feel that is ALL I love about you. Your maturity, character, honesty, intelligence, faith in God, trust in me, and our mutual love are all important qualities that make you a VERY special person. And I realize you are CERTAINLY much more than I deserve.
So you begin making your way through the “reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:
· how you should look and how much you should weigh
· what you should wear and where you should shop
NOT something I ever cared much about
· where you should live or what type of car your should drive
Also nothing I ever was concerned about
· who you should sleep with and how you should behave
· who you should marry and why you should stay
It was VERY difficult for me to leave my marriage, and I still at times feel guilty for doing so even though I wasn’t happy. Was I too selfish for leaving?
· the importance of having children or what you owe your family
Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.
Actually I probably have become more firm in my basic beliefs and points of view as I have grown older from observing the world around me.
You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that’s OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions.
I still probably worry too much about what others think of me, even though I realize that most people don’t really care or even notice.
And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10” Or a perfect human being for that matter. So you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare.
I still try to be the best person I can be.
And you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others.
It is still find it difficult to give myself unconditional love. I am usually much harder on myself than I am on others. I believe I can accept faults and weaknesses in others more easily than I can accept them in myself.
I feel very unworthy which is one reason I have a very difficult time accepting gifts or charging for my services.
Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.
I VERY often lack self-confidence in ALL areas of my life.
And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by.
I think I am less “consumer” hungry than I might have been when I was younger. But I still too often seek approval and “admiration” from family, friends, and others.
Then you discover that it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of “creating” & “contributing” rather than “obtaining” & “accumulating.”
I HAVE discovered these important truths – even more so since I have retired.
And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of people upon the face of the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.
I AM very grateful for the true blessings in my life
And then you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships.
You rescued me from my life of waiting to live.
You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising.
I continually try to improve my lifestyle.
And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest.
Oh, I CERTAINLY do that!
And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.
I DEFINITELY enjoy my life!
Then you learn about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.
Because of YOU, I am learning about love – probably not as quickly as you’d like.
And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch.
You DO glorify me with your touch!
You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you.
I realize that I have lived a VERY blessed life! I really have nothing to complain about.
And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.
I do try to improve on my faults. I also believe you become what your friends are, so I try to spend my time with QUALITY people.
You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties.
It is much easier for me to accept and forgive others for their human frailties than for me to forgive myself.
You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture.
I try to be a good person and have a positive affect on the people with whom I come in contact. I try to treat others with respect unless they prove they don’t deserve my respect. I am also trying to better appreciate the good in people, sometimes giving them the benefit of the doubt.
And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you.
As I said, I try to select my friends and acquaintances carefully.
You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.
Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship.
I DO have insecurities.
You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.
I have always tried to NOT live through my sons. But I DO appreciate YOUR beauty, your intelligence, and your love.
You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations.
Your love is one of my greatest blessings.
And you learn what it means to love.
Because of you, I know what it feels like to love. And I am still learning.
So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that “alone” does not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with yourself” and “on yourself.”
I have always been comfortable being alone. When I was younger, I ached to share my time with someone, but I feel that that time in my life actually helped me develop a closer relationship with God.
Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self Love. And so, it comes to pass that through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.
Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends.
I am VERY fortunate to really have nothing to rehash. Even if I did, I would probably keep it to myself anyway.
You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So, you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind.
I feel I began my life anew with you.
Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.
You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment.
I realize that I am more blessed than I EVER deserve to be!
You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.
And you stop looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.
Is that the reason I stayed and talked to you after that meeting? :) But I certainly DID get a LOT more than I bargained for! You can only “connect the dots” looking back....
Then, you learn about money... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth.
Money has NEVER been a problem for me as I have ALWAYS easily lived within my means.
Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire.
I have NOT settled!
Then a sense of power is born of self-reliance.
I do enjoy my ability to control my own environment with my talents and skills. These skills and talents are also a way I might be able to “give back.”
And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life.
Without honor and integrity, one has NOTHING.
And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility.
Life is SO rich in possibilities for learning, enjoyment, and beauty! I don't understand how ANYONE can be bored or need artificial stimulants.
Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.
The older I get, the more I appreciate that it is the SIMPLE things in life that are the most important.
Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.
If God is with you, who can be against you?
A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed not for the answers to my prayers or for material things but for my “God” to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.
My faith in God, and my relationship with Him, is one of my biggest blessings.
Remember this: “You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you.” My “God” has never failed me.
I pray that He guides me.
~
I originally posted this blog on Thursday, January 11, 2007. I am posting it again – this time with my reactions interspersed in italics. Bold face emphasis was suggested by a person I am VERY close to and whose opinion I respect very much.
The Awakening - by Sonny Carroll
There comes a time in your life when you finally get it.... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective. This is your awakening.
You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
When I stopped waiting, I did not SETTLE for you! I found something MUCH better than what I had been waiting for. I still hesitate to tell you how much I appreciate your physical attributes for fear you sometimes feel that is ALL I love about you. Your maturity, character, honesty, intelligence, faith in God, trust in me, and our mutual love are all important qualities that make you a VERY special person. And I realize you are CERTAINLY much more than I deserve.
So you begin making your way through the “reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:
· how you should look and how much you should weigh
· what you should wear and where you should shop
NOT something I ever cared much about
· where you should live or what type of car your should drive
Also nothing I ever was concerned about
· who you should sleep with and how you should behave
· who you should marry and why you should stay
It was VERY difficult for me to leave my marriage, and I still at times feel guilty for doing so even though I wasn’t happy. Was I too selfish for leaving?
· the importance of having children or what you owe your family
Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.
Actually I probably have become more firm in my basic beliefs and points of view as I have grown older from observing the world around me.
You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that’s OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions.
I still probably worry too much about what others think of me, even though I realize that most people don’t really care or even notice.
And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10” Or a perfect human being for that matter. So you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare.
I still try to be the best person I can be.
And you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others.
It is still find it difficult to give myself unconditional love. I am usually much harder on myself than I am on others. I believe I can accept faults and weaknesses in others more easily than I can accept them in myself.
I feel very unworthy which is one reason I have a very difficult time accepting gifts or charging for my services.
Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.
I VERY often lack self-confidence in ALL areas of my life.
And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by.
I think I am less “consumer” hungry than I might have been when I was younger. But I still too often seek approval and “admiration” from family, friends, and others.
Then you discover that it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of “creating” & “contributing” rather than “obtaining” & “accumulating.”
I HAVE discovered these important truths – even more so since I have retired.
And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of people upon the face of the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.
I AM very grateful for the true blessings in my life
And then you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships.
You rescued me from my life of waiting to live.
You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising.
I continually try to improve my lifestyle.
And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest.
Oh, I CERTAINLY do that!
And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.
I DEFINITELY enjoy my life!
Then you learn about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.
Because of YOU, I am learning about love – probably not as quickly as you’d like.
And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch.
You DO glorify me with your touch!
You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you.
I realize that I have lived a VERY blessed life! I really have nothing to complain about.
And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.
I do try to improve on my faults. I also believe you become what your friends are, so I try to spend my time with QUALITY people.
You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties.
It is much easier for me to accept and forgive others for their human frailties than for me to forgive myself.
You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture.
I try to be a good person and have a positive affect on the people with whom I come in contact. I try to treat others with respect unless they prove they don’t deserve my respect. I am also trying to better appreciate the good in people, sometimes giving them the benefit of the doubt.
And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you.
As I said, I try to select my friends and acquaintances carefully.
You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.
Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship.
I DO have insecurities.
You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.
I have always tried to NOT live through my sons. But I DO appreciate YOUR beauty, your intelligence, and your love.
You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations.
Your love is one of my greatest blessings.
And you learn what it means to love.
Because of you, I know what it feels like to love. And I am still learning.
So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that “alone” does not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with yourself” and “on yourself.”
I have always been comfortable being alone. When I was younger, I ached to share my time with someone, but I feel that that time in my life actually helped me develop a closer relationship with God.
Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self Love. And so, it comes to pass that through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.
Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends.
I am VERY fortunate to really have nothing to rehash. Even if I did, I would probably keep it to myself anyway.
You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So, you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind.
I feel I began my life anew with you.
Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.
You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment.
I realize that I am more blessed than I EVER deserve to be!
You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.
And you stop looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.
Is that the reason I stayed and talked to you after that meeting? :) But I certainly DID get a LOT more than I bargained for! You can only “connect the dots” looking back....
Then, you learn about money... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth.
Money has NEVER been a problem for me as I have ALWAYS easily lived within my means.
Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire.
I have NOT settled!
Then a sense of power is born of self-reliance.
I do enjoy my ability to control my own environment with my talents and skills. These skills and talents are also a way I might be able to “give back.”
And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life.
Without honor and integrity, one has NOTHING.
And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility.
Life is SO rich in possibilities for learning, enjoyment, and beauty! I don't understand how ANYONE can be bored or need artificial stimulants.
Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.
The older I get, the more I appreciate that it is the SIMPLE things in life that are the most important.
Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.
If God is with you, who can be against you?
A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed not for the answers to my prayers or for material things but for my “God” to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.
My faith in God, and my relationship with Him, is one of my biggest blessings.
Remember this: “You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you.” My “God” has never failed me.
I pray that He guides me.
~
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
How I Use Computers
~
I spend a TREMENDOUS amount of time on the computer. It used to be part of my job; and it has always been my passion since I first started using computers in the early 80’s. There are MANY reasons I have been drawn to and extremely interested in using computers.
At first it was the logic involved. When I first started using computers, there was NO software. To use the computer, you had to write your own programs. I enjoyed the extreme logic of programming in BASIC language. Possibly my working with kids who were unpredictable and often NOT logical, made working with a machine where I had complete control of the outcome something I enjoyed very much. I got satisfaction from writing a software program and then seeing the computer do what I wanted it to do. It was very satisfying having COMPLETE control over the outcome.
Then when software for computers DID become available, I saw all the possibilities of the true power of computers! The first software program I used was AppleWorks on Apple II type computers. It opened a whole new world for me, allowing me to use the computer to do what I had been doing by hand for years in my job and in my personal life – word processing, data base, and spreadsheet. It not only made things simpler, but it increased my productivity and power to manipulate information exponentially!
My early use of computers was enhanced by my ability to touch type – a skill I acquired in 9th grade by taking Typing I. Taking that course was an unusual decision on my part since I was in College Prep at the time, but it truly enhanced my use of computers 20 years later.
My zealous enthusiasm for computers led my teaching other teachers how to use computers and productivity software – at first informally and then in formal classes that I designed and taught. This led to my becoming much more outgoing and comfortable with my colleagues. Before I was in my mid 30’s, I could have NEVER imagined myself teaching classes to teachers!
I integrated computers into my teaching in the early 80’s in the middle school. I would write computer programs to use with my students and then take them to the computer lab. After moving to the high school in the mid 80’s, I immediately brought computers into my classroom through my classroom budget and a state grant. This eventually led to recognition – being named “1989 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year” by IBM and Classroom Computer Learning.
I became involved with the Internet in the early 90’s when the Internet was in its infancy. To use the Internet at that time, you had to use Telnet or other cryptic programs which involve typing code and using dial-up modems. The Internet was exclusively text based and was NOTHING like it is now!
My interest and experience with computers led to my Masters degree in “Computer Technology in Education” from Johns Hopkins in 1992. My degree eventually led to computers becoming an official part of my job at Dallastown. During the last six years of my teaching career, I taught special education in the morning and was the BTC (building technical coordinator) at the high school in the afternoon, a job that I LOVED!
When I first became enthralled with computers in the early 80’s, I wondered to myself if my intense interest in computers would eventually wane or end. It never has; it has only become stronger.
My involvement with computers and technology has had a huge influence on the direction that my life has taken over the years. It is absolutely true that you can only “connect the dots” looking back on your life.
Thus I spend MUCH time (possibly too much) using computers. This has caused me to look closely at how I really use computers and what I actually do on the computer, which has led to this analysis.
How I use the computer:
Express myself – Write! (Word)
.....Sort out & organize my thoughts & feelings
.....Blog
.....Email
.....Letters (snail mail)
.....Résumé
.....Personal memories
.....Archive information
Email! (text & attachments)
.....Communicate with friends
.....Stay in touch with friends & relatives
.....Communicate with Dallastown Golf Team & other YAIAA coaches
.....Communicate with businesses
Research (Internet Explorer & Safari)
.....Facts – determine accuracy of information
.....News
.....Weather
.....Search for information on specific topics
.....Gasoline pricing
.....Information about people
..........Entertainers (personal information)
..........Friends & acquaintances
.....Information for my Blog
.....Movies (information about, location & times)
.....Items that I will purchase (selection, quality, pricing)
.....Phone numbers & hours of operation for businesses
.....Mapping
..........Check distances
..........Pre GPS information
.....Pricing for shopping
.....Travel (cruises, etc.)
.....Personal items
.....Books, etc.
.....Learn how to do things
.....Home maintenance
.....Repairs (appliances, computers, etc.)
.....Computer application questions (word processing, spreadsheets, Photoshop....)
.....Fix computer issues
.....Miscellaneous information
Create & maintain spreadsheets
.....Banking/Checking/personal information
.....YAIAA Division I Golf League Stats
.....Golf team budget
.....Staff golf outing budget
.....Brooke Wade’s business
.....Personal information
.....Quotation data base
.....Create forms
Music & Sound
.....MP3’s (iTunes & LimeWire)
.....Create MP3 recordings (Audacity)
Shopping online
.....Research products
.....Compare pricing
.....Purchase online (with Internet checking account)
..........eBay / Amazon / etc.
Entertainment
.....Watch TV programs online
.....Watch movies online (Fran’s Netflix account)
.....Check TV schedule
.....Check movie schedule, places, & times
Banking online
.....Move money between accounts
.....“Bill Pay” bills
.....Reconcile bank accounts (online bank statements with my spreadsheet)
Facebook account
Create & maintain Blogs
.....Brooke Shoffner blog (http://brookeshoffner.blogspot.com/)
..........Self expression
..........Venting
.....Thoughts blog
Photography (Photoshop Elements)
.....Crop photos!
.....Cosmetic corrections
.....Adjust exposure & correct photographic defects
.....Special effects
..........Artistic filters & effects
..........Add text to photos
.....Develop – send to Sam’s for developing prints
.....Archive photos (on computer, on CD, on DVD)
Create Photo Story videos
.....For special occasions
.....For Fran
.....Send some to http://www.youtube.com/
Create greeting cards (Publisher)
.....Birthdays
.....Anniversaries
.....Special occasions
Create business cards
.....For Brooke Wade
.....Dallastown golf coach
.....Handy Man
Create calendars (Publisher)
.....Personal
.....Business
Websites – Create & Maintain
.....Dallastown Golf Team / YAIAA Division I stats
..........www.leaguelineup.com/dallastowngolfteam
.....Handy Man website?
Create posters (Publisher & Word)
.....Staff golf outing
.....Handy Man
.....Quotations / Selections
.....Calligraphy
Scan (digitalize information)
.....Photos
.....Documents
..........Image (.jpg / .pdf)
..........OCR (scan & convert to text)
.....Scan document & email as attachment
Help others with their computer issues – problem solve issues (in person or over the phone)
.....Hardware issues
.....Software issues
Learn Software
.....To improve my use
.....To recommend software to others
.....To teach others
Burn copies of CD’s and DVD’s
.....To copy
.....To archive information
Sell items
.....eBay
.....Craigslist
Programs I use the most:
Microsoft Word – word processing
Microsoft Excel – spreadsheets, forms
Microsoft Publisher – greeting cards, business cards, calendars
Microsoft PowerPoint – create / modify slideshows
Microsoft Photo Story – create .wmv files with digital photos
Adobe Photoshop Elements – work with digital photography
Apple iTunes – play MP3’s & convert (rip) CD music to MP3 format
LimeWire – download MP3’s
AVG - FREE Antivirus
Malwarebytes - anti-malware
Microsoft Internet Explorer – Internet browser (explore Internet)
Mozilla Firefox - Internet browser (explore Internet)
Apple Safari – Internet browser (explore Internet)
Microsoft Windows Explorer – navigate / manipulate files on computer
PDF Creator – convert digital information to .pdf files
Audacity – digitalize audio (create, merge, modify)
Free Programs
OpenOffice
PrintFolder
PDFCreator
AVG - FREE Antivirus http://free.avg.com/us-en/download
Avira AntiVir Personal - FREE Antivirus http://www.free-av.com/
Malwarebytes - FREE anti-malware http://antimalware-download.com/
Lavasoft Ad-Aware
Belarc Advisor
Audacity
Photo Story
iTunes
LimeWire
Firefox
Picasa Photo Editing
~
I spend a TREMENDOUS amount of time on the computer. It used to be part of my job; and it has always been my passion since I first started using computers in the early 80’s. There are MANY reasons I have been drawn to and extremely interested in using computers.
At first it was the logic involved. When I first started using computers, there was NO software. To use the computer, you had to write your own programs. I enjoyed the extreme logic of programming in BASIC language. Possibly my working with kids who were unpredictable and often NOT logical, made working with a machine where I had complete control of the outcome something I enjoyed very much. I got satisfaction from writing a software program and then seeing the computer do what I wanted it to do. It was very satisfying having COMPLETE control over the outcome.
Then when software for computers DID become available, I saw all the possibilities of the true power of computers! The first software program I used was AppleWorks on Apple II type computers. It opened a whole new world for me, allowing me to use the computer to do what I had been doing by hand for years in my job and in my personal life – word processing, data base, and spreadsheet. It not only made things simpler, but it increased my productivity and power to manipulate information exponentially!
My early use of computers was enhanced by my ability to touch type – a skill I acquired in 9th grade by taking Typing I. Taking that course was an unusual decision on my part since I was in College Prep at the time, but it truly enhanced my use of computers 20 years later.
My zealous enthusiasm for computers led my teaching other teachers how to use computers and productivity software – at first informally and then in formal classes that I designed and taught. This led to my becoming much more outgoing and comfortable with my colleagues. Before I was in my mid 30’s, I could have NEVER imagined myself teaching classes to teachers!
I integrated computers into my teaching in the early 80’s in the middle school. I would write computer programs to use with my students and then take them to the computer lab. After moving to the high school in the mid 80’s, I immediately brought computers into my classroom through my classroom budget and a state grant. This eventually led to recognition – being named “1989 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year” by IBM and Classroom Computer Learning.
I became involved with the Internet in the early 90’s when the Internet was in its infancy. To use the Internet at that time, you had to use Telnet or other cryptic programs which involve typing code and using dial-up modems. The Internet was exclusively text based and was NOTHING like it is now!
My interest and experience with computers led to my Masters degree in “Computer Technology in Education” from Johns Hopkins in 1992. My degree eventually led to computers becoming an official part of my job at Dallastown. During the last six years of my teaching career, I taught special education in the morning and was the BTC (building technical coordinator) at the high school in the afternoon, a job that I LOVED!
When I first became enthralled with computers in the early 80’s, I wondered to myself if my intense interest in computers would eventually wane or end. It never has; it has only become stronger.
My involvement with computers and technology has had a huge influence on the direction that my life has taken over the years. It is absolutely true that you can only “connect the dots” looking back on your life.
Thus I spend MUCH time (possibly too much) using computers. This has caused me to look closely at how I really use computers and what I actually do on the computer, which has led to this analysis.
How I use the computer:
Express myself – Write! (Word)
.....Sort out & organize my thoughts & feelings
.....Blog
.....Letters (snail mail)
.....Résumé
.....Personal memories
.....Archive information
Email! (text & attachments)
.....Communicate with friends
.....Stay in touch with friends & relatives
.....Communicate with Dallastown Golf Team & other YAIAA coaches
.....Communicate with businesses
Research (Internet Explorer & Safari)
.....Facts – determine accuracy of information
.....News
.....Weather
.....Search for information on specific topics
.....Gasoline pricing
.....Information about people
..........Entertainers (personal information)
..........Friends & acquaintances
.....Information for my Blog
.....Movies (information about, location & times)
.....Items that I will purchase (selection, quality, pricing)
.....Phone numbers & hours of operation for businesses
.....Mapping
..........Check distances
..........Pre GPS information
.....Pricing for shopping
.....Travel (cruises, etc.)
.....Personal items
.....Books, etc.
.....Learn how to do things
.....Home maintenance
.....Repairs (appliances, computers, etc.)
.....Computer application questions (word processing, spreadsheets, Photoshop....)
.....Fix computer issues
.....Miscellaneous information
Create & maintain spreadsheets
.....Banking/Checking/personal information
.....YAIAA Division I Golf League Stats
.....Golf team budget
.....Staff golf outing budget
.....Brooke Wade’s business
.....Personal information
.....Quotation data base
.....Create forms
Music & Sound
.....MP3’s (iTunes & LimeWire)
.....Create MP3 recordings (Audacity)
Shopping online
.....Research products
.....Compare pricing
.....Purchase online (with Internet checking account)
..........eBay / Amazon / etc.
Entertainment
.....Watch TV programs online
.....Watch movies online (Fran’s Netflix account)
.....Check TV schedule
.....Check movie schedule, places, & times
Banking online
.....Move money between accounts
.....“Bill Pay” bills
.....Reconcile bank accounts (online bank statements with my spreadsheet)
Facebook account
Create & maintain Blogs
.....Brooke Shoffner blog (http://brookeshoffner.blogspot.com/)
..........Self expression
..........Venting
.....Thoughts blog
Photography (Photoshop Elements)
.....Crop photos!
.....Cosmetic corrections
.....Adjust exposure & correct photographic defects
.....Special effects
..........Artistic filters & effects
..........Add text to photos
.....Develop – send to Sam’s for developing prints
.....Archive photos (on computer, on CD, on DVD)
Create Photo Story videos
.....For special occasions
.....For Fran
.....Send some to http://www.youtube.com/
Create greeting cards (Publisher)
.....Birthdays
.....Anniversaries
.....Special occasions
Create business cards
.....For Brooke Wade
.....Dallastown golf coach
.....Handy Man
Create calendars (Publisher)
.....Personal
.....Business
Websites – Create & Maintain
.....Dallastown Golf Team / YAIAA Division I stats
..........www.leaguelineup.com/dallastowngolfteam
.....Handy Man website?
Create posters (Publisher & Word)
.....Staff golf outing
.....Handy Man
.....Quotations / Selections
.....Calligraphy
Scan (digitalize information)
.....Photos
.....Documents
..........Image (.jpg / .pdf)
..........OCR (scan & convert to text)
.....Scan document & email as attachment
Help others with their computer issues – problem solve issues (in person or over the phone)
.....Hardware issues
.....Software issues
Learn Software
.....To improve my use
.....To recommend software to others
.....To teach others
Burn copies of CD’s and DVD’s
.....To copy
.....To archive information
Sell items
.....eBay
.....Craigslist
Programs I use the most:
Microsoft Word – word processing
Microsoft Excel – spreadsheets, forms
Microsoft Publisher – greeting cards, business cards, calendars
Microsoft PowerPoint – create / modify slideshows
Microsoft Photo Story – create .wmv files with digital photos
Adobe Photoshop Elements – work with digital photography
Apple iTunes – play MP3’s & convert (rip) CD music to MP3 format
LimeWire – download MP3’s
AVG - FREE Antivirus
Malwarebytes - anti-malware
Microsoft Internet Explorer – Internet browser (explore Internet)
Mozilla Firefox - Internet browser (explore Internet)
Apple Safari – Internet browser (explore Internet)
Microsoft Windows Explorer – navigate / manipulate files on computer
PDF Creator – convert digital information to .pdf files
Audacity – digitalize audio (create, merge, modify)
Free Programs
OpenOffice
PrintFolder
PDFCreator
AVG - FREE Antivirus http://free.avg.com/us-en/download
Avira AntiVir Personal - FREE Antivirus http://www.free-av.com/
Malwarebytes - FREE anti-malware http://antimalware-download.com/
Lavasoft Ad-Aware
Belarc Advisor
Audacity
Photo Story
iTunes
LimeWire
Firefox
Picasa Photo Editing
~
Sportsmanship Dilemma In Our Culture
~
In the following article, Chase defends Peyton Manning’s behavior after his Super Bowl loss.
Peyton Manning storms off Super Bowl field. Is he a poor sport?
By Chris Chase
Peyton Manning didn't shake hands with New Orleans Saints players after his Indianapolis Colts lost 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Apparently some think this is a sign of poor sportsmanship from the NFL's greatest player. It's not.
Walking off the field without congratulating Drew Brees may go against our misguided notion of what sportsmanship should be, but it wasn't at all disrespectful or bitter. It shows how much Peyton Manning wanted to win the game. And who can argue about that?
LeBron James was caught up in a similar controversy during the NBA playoffs last year and the same thing that was true then is true now: A perfunctory handshake doesn't make someone a good sport. It either makes them indifferent to the game's result or a good actor. What would people have preferred Peyton and LeBron do, laugh off the loss with apathy and treat the victors to dinner after? This isn't Little League.
The only time I question my sports fandom is when the players I'm rooting for seem to care less about the result than I do. I don't want to see my team's quarterback laughing on the sideline while losing a big game. If I care so much, why shouldn't the players?
"It's just a job for these guys," is a familiar refrain. The natural response to that is the great ones make their job their passion. Hall of Famers don't tend to include guys who can't care. The desire to win is what sustains greatness. You think Michael Jordan was hugging Isiah Thomas after losses in the 1980s? Or that Larry Bird stayed on the court to congratulate Kareem? Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio weren't going out for drinks after the Yankees beat the Red Sox. The great ones are competitors and competitors can't flip a switch immediately after a devastating loss and act like it didn't matter.
I can’t believe the ridiculous “logic” Chase uses to defend poor sportsmanship. He says Manning’s walking off the field without shaking hands with Drew Brees “shows how much Peyton Manning wanted to win the game”! You’ve got to be kidding! According to that “logic,” any form of poor sportsmanship would just show how much someone wanted to win.
Chase claims “a perfunctory handshake … either makes them [the losing player] indifferent to the game’s result or a good actor.” Unbelievable!
“The great ones are competitors and competitors can't flip a switch immediately after a devastating loss and act like it didn't matter.” That’s true, but the truly great ones should be able to handle themselves with CLASS and DIGNITY. No one expects the losing team to “laugh off the loss with apathy,” but we SHOULD expect EVERY athlete to act like a mature adult and not a spoiled child.
And to say someone who is respectful and shakes hands after losing a championship doesn’t really care if he lost is absolutely LUDICROUS!
To make excuses for poor sportsmanship is pathetic. Unfortunately we no longer expect our professional athletes to put forth the effort to act like decent role models for the millions of impressionable youth that are watching them.
I participated in amateur sports my whole life and was fortunate to play in many championships. I never played in any championship where the competitors didn’t want to DESPERATELY win. But there can be only one winner, and someone has to lose. And it’s the responsibly of the winner AND the loser to act like a decent person after the competition is over.
How athletes act can be remembered long after the win or loss is forgotten.
I judge an athlete’s character more by the way he handles himself after losing than after he wins. It is EASY to be a good winner! What is tough is how you handle yourself in defeat!
~
In the following article, Chase defends Peyton Manning’s behavior after his Super Bowl loss.
Peyton Manning storms off Super Bowl field. Is he a poor sport?
By Chris Chase
Peyton Manning didn't shake hands with New Orleans Saints players after his Indianapolis Colts lost 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Apparently some think this is a sign of poor sportsmanship from the NFL's greatest player. It's not.
Walking off the field without congratulating Drew Brees may go against our misguided notion of what sportsmanship should be, but it wasn't at all disrespectful or bitter. It shows how much Peyton Manning wanted to win the game. And who can argue about that?
LeBron James was caught up in a similar controversy during the NBA playoffs last year and the same thing that was true then is true now: A perfunctory handshake doesn't make someone a good sport. It either makes them indifferent to the game's result or a good actor. What would people have preferred Peyton and LeBron do, laugh off the loss with apathy and treat the victors to dinner after? This isn't Little League.
The only time I question my sports fandom is when the players I'm rooting for seem to care less about the result than I do. I don't want to see my team's quarterback laughing on the sideline while losing a big game. If I care so much, why shouldn't the players?
"It's just a job for these guys," is a familiar refrain. The natural response to that is the great ones make their job their passion. Hall of Famers don't tend to include guys who can't care. The desire to win is what sustains greatness. You think Michael Jordan was hugging Isiah Thomas after losses in the 1980s? Or that Larry Bird stayed on the court to congratulate Kareem? Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio weren't going out for drinks after the Yankees beat the Red Sox. The great ones are competitors and competitors can't flip a switch immediately after a devastating loss and act like it didn't matter.
I can’t believe the ridiculous “logic” Chase uses to defend poor sportsmanship. He says Manning’s walking off the field without shaking hands with Drew Brees “shows how much Peyton Manning wanted to win the game”! You’ve got to be kidding! According to that “logic,” any form of poor sportsmanship would just show how much someone wanted to win.
Chase claims “a perfunctory handshake … either makes them [the losing player] indifferent to the game’s result or a good actor.” Unbelievable!
“The great ones are competitors and competitors can't flip a switch immediately after a devastating loss and act like it didn't matter.” That’s true, but the truly great ones should be able to handle themselves with CLASS and DIGNITY. No one expects the losing team to “laugh off the loss with apathy,” but we SHOULD expect EVERY athlete to act like a mature adult and not a spoiled child.
And to say someone who is respectful and shakes hands after losing a championship doesn’t really care if he lost is absolutely LUDICROUS!
To make excuses for poor sportsmanship is pathetic. Unfortunately we no longer expect our professional athletes to put forth the effort to act like decent role models for the millions of impressionable youth that are watching them.
I participated in amateur sports my whole life and was fortunate to play in many championships. I never played in any championship where the competitors didn’t want to DESPERATELY win. But there can be only one winner, and someone has to lose. And it’s the responsibly of the winner AND the loser to act like a decent person after the competition is over.
How athletes act can be remembered long after the win or loss is forgotten.
I judge an athlete’s character more by the way he handles himself after losing than after he wins. It is EASY to be a good winner! What is tough is how you handle yourself in defeat!
~
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
I Must Remember....
~
People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
It is very easy to get so involved with day to day life that I sometimes forget to treat others with the respect they deserve. I must remind myself to be GENTLE with ALL whose lives I touch.
~
People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
It is very easy to get so involved with day to day life that I sometimes forget to treat others with the respect they deserve. I must remind myself to be GENTLE with ALL whose lives I touch.
~
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Does God Exist?
~
Is there PROOF of God's existence? We certainly can't prove God exists through our five senses. But neither can we prove that love exists, yet we KNOW it does. Is love itself proof of the existence of God? Is the love that we give and feel, the essence of God here on Earth? Is our desire for God, or our search for God, in itself proof? Is our self-consciousness or self-awareness proof? Great persons far more intelligent than me believed in and had faith in God.
Those reasons that God does exist are logical. For me there is also intuitive proof that God exists. At specific times in my life, I have felt VERY close to God; I could FEEL His presence.
For these reasons I do believe in God.
I believe “Intelligent Design” is obvious. I can’t understand how any logical person can NOT see the INTELLIGENCE behind the creation of this wonderfully ordered and intricately complex universe! The self-evident truths in mathematics, the EXTREME order of science (chemistry, physics, and biology), and the miracle of life itself, seems to me to be fingerprints of God's intelligent design. It is totally ILLOGICAL to think that all of this could have been the result of some cosmic accident!
The question remains – is God INVOLVED in our lives? Or did He just create this miraculous universe for us, give us life, and then abandon us? I choose to think He did not abandon us. I suppose that is where faith comes in.
~
Is there PROOF of God's existence? We certainly can't prove God exists through our five senses. But neither can we prove that love exists, yet we KNOW it does. Is love itself proof of the existence of God? Is the love that we give and feel, the essence of God here on Earth? Is our desire for God, or our search for God, in itself proof? Is our self-consciousness or self-awareness proof? Great persons far more intelligent than me believed in and had faith in God.
Those reasons that God does exist are logical. For me there is also intuitive proof that God exists. At specific times in my life, I have felt VERY close to God; I could FEEL His presence.
For these reasons I do believe in God.
I believe “Intelligent Design” is obvious. I can’t understand how any logical person can NOT see the INTELLIGENCE behind the creation of this wonderfully ordered and intricately complex universe! The self-evident truths in mathematics, the EXTREME order of science (chemistry, physics, and biology), and the miracle of life itself, seems to me to be fingerprints of God's intelligent design. It is totally ILLOGICAL to think that all of this could have been the result of some cosmic accident!
The question remains – is God INVOLVED in our lives? Or did He just create this miraculous universe for us, give us life, and then abandon us? I choose to think He did not abandon us. I suppose that is where faith comes in.
~
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
~
I read an article about making New Year’s resolutions which consisted of 21 steps. I like to keep things simple (KISS), so from the article I gleaned what I feel are the most important steps.
1. Write down your goals. Be specific so that you have a definite plan. How will you achieve each goal?
2. Limit the number of resolutions. “Less is more.” The more things you have, the less likely you will change.
3. Journal. Note your successes, failures, and thoughts.
4. Set a timetable. The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline! When will you reach the goal, and how will you get there?
I have limited my resolutions to six:
1. Control my temper
2. Eat more healthy
3. Don’t be negative
4. Exercise daily – walk & some basic exercises
5. Put back everything after using
6. Organize a little each day
~
I read an article about making New Year’s resolutions which consisted of 21 steps. I like to keep things simple (KISS), so from the article I gleaned what I feel are the most important steps.
1. Write down your goals. Be specific so that you have a definite plan. How will you achieve each goal?
2. Limit the number of resolutions. “Less is more.” The more things you have, the less likely you will change.
3. Journal. Note your successes, failures, and thoughts.
4. Set a timetable. The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline! When will you reach the goal, and how will you get there?
I have limited my resolutions to six:
1. Control my temper
2. Eat more healthy
3. Don’t be negative
4. Exercise daily – walk & some basic exercises
5. Put back everything after using
6. Organize a little each day
~
The Four Agreements
~
Wisdom comes through every culture and every age. Don Miguel Ruiz writes about Toltec wisdom in his classic book "The Four Agreements." What is great about this book is that it is so simple. And that's the way life is supposed to be! But sometimes simple is not so easy for us, is it? We tend to complicate things, to over analyze, to argue. But if we could just follow these four little agreements, we would find that we relate so much better to people, and that we can handle problems with more grace. Here are the four agreements, according to Don Miguel Ruiz, in a nutshell:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don't take anything personally.
3. Don't make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
This is very good advice. But I would add a fifth agreement – the golden rule – treat others the way you would like to be treated.
~
Wisdom comes through every culture and every age. Don Miguel Ruiz writes about Toltec wisdom in his classic book "The Four Agreements." What is great about this book is that it is so simple. And that's the way life is supposed to be! But sometimes simple is not so easy for us, is it? We tend to complicate things, to over analyze, to argue. But if we could just follow these four little agreements, we would find that we relate so much better to people, and that we can handle problems with more grace. Here are the four agreements, according to Don Miguel Ruiz, in a nutshell:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don't take anything personally.
3. Don't make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
This is very good advice. But I would add a fifth agreement – the golden rule – treat others the way you would like to be treated.
~
Thursday, November 26, 2009
What I Am Thankful for this Thanksgiving 2009
~
This morning, after I made this list of blessings for which I am thankful, I remembered that I had posted a list on my blog last year. I looked it up and found that this year’s list is quite similar; only the bold faced ones differ from last year’s.
My health
Having Fran in my life
My sons
My relatives, friends, & good acquaintances
Financial security with no debt
My faith
My memories
My talents & abilities
Maddie
My home
My coaching position
Last year’s (December 14, 2008) list:
1. Health (I am so blessed to have no back pain and good health.)
2. Fran (I never dreamed I’d ever have such a relationship. To love and be loved is everything. I feel God has saved the best for last.)
3. Family (Brooke Wade & his family and Brent give my life meaning.)
4. Extended family (I cherish the love and acceptance of the “clan” – as Uncle Ben used to call it.)
5. Friends (They say that friends are the family that you choose. I have a few close friends, whom I cherish, and many very good acquaintances.)
6. Memories (Memories of all the wonderful past occurrences, achievements and recognition, people, and blessings make my life what it is. How tragic it is to lose your memories!)
7. Retirement & Financial Security (The comfort and security of my secure retirement pension after 35 years of teaching allows me to enjoy these years. I am blessed not having to worry about money – through my pension, savings, & lifestyle.)
8. Maddie (My cat offers me companionship and warmth when I am home.)
9. Talents, Skills, & Abilities (I sometimes take for granted what I have accomplished and what I can do. I also get a sense of satisfaction and pleasure from using my skills for myself and to help others.)
10. Recognition & Achievements (I have received WAY more than my share of recognition for achievements – athletically, educationally, and professionally.)
11. Intelligence & Education (I’ve been blessed with some innate intelligence and quality education from York Suburban School District, Millersville State College, and Johns Hopkins University.)
12. Living in the United States (Although there are many problems in our country, I am so blessed to have been born here and to live in the best country on earth. It is indeed the land of freedom and opportunity.)
~
This morning, after I made this list of blessings for which I am thankful, I remembered that I had posted a list on my blog last year. I looked it up and found that this year’s list is quite similar; only the bold faced ones differ from last year’s.
My health
Having Fran in my life
My sons
My relatives, friends, & good acquaintances
Financial security with no debt
My faith
My memories
My talents & abilities
Maddie
My home
My coaching position
Last year’s (December 14, 2008) list:
1. Health (I am so blessed to have no back pain and good health.)
2. Fran (I never dreamed I’d ever have such a relationship. To love and be loved is everything. I feel God has saved the best for last.)
3. Family (Brooke Wade & his family and Brent give my life meaning.)
4. Extended family (I cherish the love and acceptance of the “clan” – as Uncle Ben used to call it.)
5. Friends (They say that friends are the family that you choose. I have a few close friends, whom I cherish, and many very good acquaintances.)
6. Memories (Memories of all the wonderful past occurrences, achievements and recognition, people, and blessings make my life what it is. How tragic it is to lose your memories!)
7. Retirement & Financial Security (The comfort and security of my secure retirement pension after 35 years of teaching allows me to enjoy these years. I am blessed not having to worry about money – through my pension, savings, & lifestyle.)
8. Maddie (My cat offers me companionship and warmth when I am home.)
9. Talents, Skills, & Abilities (I sometimes take for granted what I have accomplished and what I can do. I also get a sense of satisfaction and pleasure from using my skills for myself and to help others.)
10. Recognition & Achievements (I have received WAY more than my share of recognition for achievements – athletically, educationally, and professionally.)
11. Intelligence & Education (I’ve been blessed with some innate intelligence and quality education from York Suburban School District, Millersville State College, and Johns Hopkins University.)
12. Living in the United States (Although there are many problems in our country, I am so blessed to have been born here and to live in the best country on earth. It is indeed the land of freedom and opportunity.)
~
My Childhood Memories of Thanksgiving
~
I just finished reading an article in Guideposts about the memories of the author’s Thanksgivings while she was growing up. It reminded me how special my memories are to me of my childhood Thanksgivings.
We ALWAYS went down to “Philadelphia” for Thanksgiving. My mother and father and I would pile into the car and drive down to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Ben’s on Thanksgiving Day. My childhood memories are most vivid when they lived in the old parsonage in Lima. Then they moved into the new parsonage that was built at the same church. In my later teenage years, Uncle Ben was transferred to Reading where the parsonage was a large modern house that had been built by musicians.
Some years, my father and I would then go to Norristown to watch the traditional football game between Norristown and Upper Merion (the high school from which he graduated). After the game, we’d return to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Ben’s place (the parsonage in Lima) to join the rest of the “clan,” as Uncle Ben used to later call it.
It was always a large family gathering: my Aunt Dot (Shoffner) and Uncle Sam Park, Aunt Edith (Shoffner) Cook (Uncle Walter died in 1962) and Phyllis, Aunt Mary Shoffner (Uncle Harold died in 1960) and George and Patty, Aunt Gladys (Shoffner) and Uncle Ben Gould with their three children Bev, Judy, and Steve, and of course my parents and me.
For Thanksgiving dinner, smaller tables were set up for the kids in an adjacent room to the dining room where the adults ate. The kids were my cousins Steve and Judy Gould, George and Patty Shoffner, and Phyllis Cook. Bev Gould was old enough to eat with the adults.
I always felt a bit uncomfortable in such a large gathering, but I was grateful that the focus of attention was usually on my father, who was the “life of the party.” The elders would tell the same old stories of years ago, and we’d all laugh as the stories became more embellished each year.
I never thought about all of the work that went into the preparation and serving of the food; Aunt Gladys was an amazing host and cook as she took it all in stride being the perfect pastor’s wife and made it all look so easy. Although I felt “nervous” at times (probably because I put my elders up on a pedestal and always cared TOO much about what they thought of me), it was easy to feel the FAMILY LOVE when we were together.
Steve and I, (and George before Aunt Mary eventually stopped coming to the family get-togethers) would then go outside to play. We’d pass the football around. I always looked forward to when Uncle Ben would come out (the only adult to ever do so) and join us, passing the football to Steve and me.
When we got older, and after Uncle Ben was transferred to Reading, Steve and I would always find things to do together inside. When it was time to go, when my parents would first say we were going to go home, Steve and I knew we had at least another hour to play.
Although Steve and I only saw each other a few times a year (always on Thanksgiving and Christmas and maybe one or two other times when my parents and I would visit them), each time we got together, it was like no time had passed. We had the same values and interests and ALWAYS had a good time together. I always wished that we lived closer so that we could share more time together.
Thanksgiving Day was when the extended family gathered together, feasted, laughed, joked, and reconnected in the warmth of family. It was precious time.
~
I just finished reading an article in Guideposts about the memories of the author’s Thanksgivings while she was growing up. It reminded me how special my memories are to me of my childhood Thanksgivings.
We ALWAYS went down to “Philadelphia” for Thanksgiving. My mother and father and I would pile into the car and drive down to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Ben’s on Thanksgiving Day. My childhood memories are most vivid when they lived in the old parsonage in Lima. Then they moved into the new parsonage that was built at the same church. In my later teenage years, Uncle Ben was transferred to Reading where the parsonage was a large modern house that had been built by musicians.
Some years, my father and I would then go to Norristown to watch the traditional football game between Norristown and Upper Merion (the high school from which he graduated). After the game, we’d return to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Ben’s place (the parsonage in Lima) to join the rest of the “clan,” as Uncle Ben used to later call it.
It was always a large family gathering: my Aunt Dot (Shoffner) and Uncle Sam Park, Aunt Edith (Shoffner) Cook (Uncle Walter died in 1962) and Phyllis, Aunt Mary Shoffner (Uncle Harold died in 1960) and George and Patty, Aunt Gladys (Shoffner) and Uncle Ben Gould with their three children Bev, Judy, and Steve, and of course my parents and me.
For Thanksgiving dinner, smaller tables were set up for the kids in an adjacent room to the dining room where the adults ate. The kids were my cousins Steve and Judy Gould, George and Patty Shoffner, and Phyllis Cook. Bev Gould was old enough to eat with the adults.
I always felt a bit uncomfortable in such a large gathering, but I was grateful that the focus of attention was usually on my father, who was the “life of the party.” The elders would tell the same old stories of years ago, and we’d all laugh as the stories became more embellished each year.
I never thought about all of the work that went into the preparation and serving of the food; Aunt Gladys was an amazing host and cook as she took it all in stride being the perfect pastor’s wife and made it all look so easy. Although I felt “nervous” at times (probably because I put my elders up on a pedestal and always cared TOO much about what they thought of me), it was easy to feel the FAMILY LOVE when we were together.
Steve and I, (and George before Aunt Mary eventually stopped coming to the family get-togethers) would then go outside to play. We’d pass the football around. I always looked forward to when Uncle Ben would come out (the only adult to ever do so) and join us, passing the football to Steve and me.
When we got older, and after Uncle Ben was transferred to Reading, Steve and I would always find things to do together inside. When it was time to go, when my parents would first say we were going to go home, Steve and I knew we had at least another hour to play.
Although Steve and I only saw each other a few times a year (always on Thanksgiving and Christmas and maybe one or two other times when my parents and I would visit them), each time we got together, it was like no time had passed. We had the same values and interests and ALWAYS had a good time together. I always wished that we lived closer so that we could share more time together.
Thanksgiving Day was when the extended family gathered together, feasted, laughed, joked, and reconnected in the warmth of family. It was precious time.
~
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Live in the NOW
~
In-Between Times
It could be argued that life is more about the time spent waiting for something to happen than it is about something happening. What this means is that the big events in our lives are preceded by many days and nights of dreaming, planning, organizing, and waiting. The times of waiting in between the big events actually constitute the majority of our lives. These in-between times are anything but uneventful. In fact, they are rich with possibility and filled with opportunities for reflection and preparation. Like a pregnant woman awaiting the birth of her child, we have a finite period of time in which to prepare internally and externally for the upcoming event that will define a new chapter in our lives.
When we find ourselves in an in-between time, we often can’t help but feel impatient for the impending event. We just want to get to the future and have the new baby, the new job, or the new house.
You must remember to remain fully engaged in the present as you await your future, savoring the in-between time as a vital experience in itself.
I must remember to NOT take each minute, each hour, and each day for granted, WAITING for the next “big event” in my life. Life is PRECIOUS, and I must remember to savor each blessed moment that God has given me.
Most of life is made up of everyday “common” moments (or "little events"), and I’m afraid that I miss out, by taking too many of these moments for granted. I don’t appreciate them enough. There is a lot of truth in the song “Live Like You Are Dying.” Perhaps coming to terms with our own mortality helps us to cherish even more, this precious life that God has given us.
I tend to “save” certain things for “really special” occasions. I have clothes that I “save” and don’t wear. This is crazy! What am I saving them for? I have to force myself to live more in the moment and NOT save everything for a future time. Fran has reminded me of this, and it is something that I am trying to work on.
It is also VERY easy for me to be NOT FULLY PRESENT in the moment. I have to FORCE myself to FOCUS on the moment. I must pause, take a “time-out,” look around me, and concentrate on FULLY taking in the consciousness of being alive at THIS second. Besides helping me LIVE in this moment, it will also make THIS moment of my life more vivid in my memory.
Life is not made up of a series of OUTSTANDING events; it is the common day to day things that happen and the simple (yet PRECIOUS!) interactions with others that make life so special. And all too often, these moments are overlooked, taken for granted, and not fully appreciated until they are gone.
I must concentrate on SAVORING each moment, and live in the NOW!
~
In-Between Times
It could be argued that life is more about the time spent waiting for something to happen than it is about something happening. What this means is that the big events in our lives are preceded by many days and nights of dreaming, planning, organizing, and waiting. The times of waiting in between the big events actually constitute the majority of our lives. These in-between times are anything but uneventful. In fact, they are rich with possibility and filled with opportunities for reflection and preparation. Like a pregnant woman awaiting the birth of her child, we have a finite period of time in which to prepare internally and externally for the upcoming event that will define a new chapter in our lives.
When we find ourselves in an in-between time, we often can’t help but feel impatient for the impending event. We just want to get to the future and have the new baby, the new job, or the new house.
You must remember to remain fully engaged in the present as you await your future, savoring the in-between time as a vital experience in itself.
I must remember to NOT take each minute, each hour, and each day for granted, WAITING for the next “big event” in my life. Life is PRECIOUS, and I must remember to savor each blessed moment that God has given me.
Most of life is made up of everyday “common” moments (or "little events"), and I’m afraid that I miss out, by taking too many of these moments for granted. I don’t appreciate them enough. There is a lot of truth in the song “Live Like You Are Dying.” Perhaps coming to terms with our own mortality helps us to cherish even more, this precious life that God has given us.
I tend to “save” certain things for “really special” occasions. I have clothes that I “save” and don’t wear. This is crazy! What am I saving them for? I have to force myself to live more in the moment and NOT save everything for a future time. Fran has reminded me of this, and it is something that I am trying to work on.
It is also VERY easy for me to be NOT FULLY PRESENT in the moment. I have to FORCE myself to FOCUS on the moment. I must pause, take a “time-out,” look around me, and concentrate on FULLY taking in the consciousness of being alive at THIS second. Besides helping me LIVE in this moment, it will also make THIS moment of my life more vivid in my memory.
Life is not made up of a series of OUTSTANDING events; it is the common day to day things that happen and the simple (yet PRECIOUS!) interactions with others that make life so special. And all too often, these moments are overlooked, taken for granted, and not fully appreciated until they are gone.
I must concentrate on SAVORING each moment, and live in the NOW!
~
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Dolan's view of the stimulus plan:
Although many are BLINDLY hanging their hopes on Obama's and the Democrats' bloated stimulus plan, this is Dolan's perspective - not very optimistic. Being a REALIST, I'm afraid I agree with him.
Dolan's view of the stimulus plan:
Over the last few weeks, you've probably heard dozens of comparisons between this "new" New Deal and our current economic crisis to the "old" New Deal from Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression of the 1930s.
In the 1930s, we were the largest creditor nation in the world. So, even though all that spending did nothing to end the Depression, we had a lot of bucks sitting around to play with before creating a deficit and the federal budget.
This time around, we are the largest debtor nation in the world. So, continuing to spend money that we don't have, will only make the hole in which we currently find ourselves deeper and deeper.
This bill violates Rule #1 of intelligent planning: When you're in a hole, stop digging!
Congress and the President have not only not stopped digging, they're about to hand out shovels to more Americans to help with the excavation.
Let's take a look at the big areas the stimulus package will address and give you our take on what to expect.
HOUSING
It is almost universally agreed that without establishing a bottom in the decline of home prices, we will not be able to stabilize the economy. I agree.
But, the focus of buying up bad mortgages and/or changing bankruptcy laws to allow judges to rewrite mortgage contracts to shove down lenders' throats, isn't the answer.
Precedent shows that the idea of allowing judges to reset mortgage rates will also fail.
Bankers who already worked with homeowners in default of their loans by lowering interest rates on mortgages, and therefore their monthly payments, are finding that within six months, more than 50% of those mortgages go back into default. That's not working.
So, how effective might a judge be?
The Effect on You:
Earlier this week, we saw Wall Street's answer to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's plan for shoring up our financial system–the market sank 5% on the announcement. In the words of Barclay Bank's U.S. economist... it was a plan of "shock and ugh !"
Part of the Street's reaction came from the fact that there were NO SPECIFICS, just rhetoric.
The only thing this piece of the bill guarantees is that mortgage rates will rise and only the "cream of the crop" borrowers will be able to qualify... and they will do so only with very large down payments.
JOBS
The Congressional Budget Office says that only 25% of the stimulus money will be used in the first year…roughly 12 cents of every dollar. So how many jobs do you really think will be created?
More interestingly, a large part of this plan is earmarked for schools and healthcare sectors... the only two sectors that ADDED jobs in 2008!
The bill contains $400 million for the Social Security Administration's computer center. Congress estimates that 400 jobs might be created during the construction process. WHOOPEE! That would cost taxpayers $1 million per job!
Another job creator... $524 million allocated for the State Department's Capital Investment Fund that may open up 388 positions at a cost to you of $1.35 million per job!
As for all the infrastructure jobs we keep hearing about (repairing roads, levees, bridges, etc.), don't hold your breath. Infrastructure takes time to plan and many hearings before all the regulatory agencies can okay the project.
The Effect on You:
There will be few jobs created by those of you in need of employment over the next year because too little of the stimulus is really allocated to job creation.
In the words of economist Thomas Sowell, "Using drawn-out processes to put money into circulation to meet an emergency is like mailing a letter to the fire department to tell them that your house is on fire!"
My biggest fear is the thought of our drawbridge over the Inter-coastal here in Florida being worked on by an army of unemployed investment bankers wielding jackhammers and concrete.
TAXES
$280 billion in the plan is allocated for refundable tax credits and tax cuts. This will suddenly remove half of working Americans from the tax rolls. The rest of us will, then, be carrying on our backs not only the largest deficit in history, but also half of the rest of the country. I know that I'm my brother's keeper... but should I be his sole support?
By the way, the amount of the tax credits being touted in the joint bill to be voted on has been scaled back from $500 per worker to $400 and from $1,000 per working couple to $800.
If you boil that amount down to a weekly basis, every worker's "stimulus share" works out to be a whopping... drum roll, please... $7.69 a week. Holy Mackerel!
PUH-LEEZ!! How stupid does Congress think we are?
The Effect on You:
Beware of this administration's definition of "Middle Class."
Anyone still paying taxes will be excluded from the "tax relief for the Middle Class" category. This is the only way that stimulus plan can ever be paid for. Middle Class will morph into WORKING POOR before the next Inauguration Day. Bank on it (if we still have anything left to put in the bank!)
THE DEFICIT
Even before the passage of the stimulus package is accomplished, the 2009 budget deficit is at roughly $1.2 Trillion or $1,200,000,000,000 (much scarier when you see all those zeros isn't it?)
When this hog finally is passed ("pork" just isn't a sufficiently descriptive word for this one), it will add just shy of another $800 billion to the deficit before even calculating interest costs we'll have to pay ("we" is you and me, folks... our children... our grandchildren and our... you get the idea).
You see…we don't have that money at the ready, so, we'll have to borrow it. When you borrow from others, they expect a return ON their investment not just a return OF their investment!
The Effect on You:
I won't touch on all the gory details of a $2 billion plus interest drain on us. They're too depressing to deal with right now.
Suffice it to say that we will all be a little poorer due to this crushing debt.
STRENGTHENING THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET
This is where most of the money will be spent. Along with increased unemployment benefits, food stamps and health coverage... the bill will spend $87 billion in Medicaid payments to the states; $44 billion in state aid; $10 million to help low-income students, $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts; $54 billion for states to build and repair schools; $10 billion for the National Institutes of Health, to name just a few.
I wasn't going to mention it – but I must - $30 million for marsh toads in San Francisco? You've got to be kidding, Mrs. Pelosi.
The Effect on You:
Now... don't get me wrong. Social safety nets are important and, to some degree, a humanitarian, moral thing to support.
But most of the $800 billion will be spent in this safety net arena... not in actual job creation. So, the mantra of the stimulus plan that it will create 4 million new jobs is a bunch of bureaucratic bull. No jobs are created by this spending. Yes, it may keep body and soul together, but it doesn't make work for people desperately in need of jobs.
The Bottom Line:
As a way to put this economic crisis behind all of us, this package will fail.
As a way to increase government's presence (some might term it intrusion in our lives), this bill is a winner.
We believe the government will be discouraging private investment in our long-term growth by pushing investors aside with a heavy-handed approach of "I'd rather do it myself!"
America became the greatest nation in the world because of her people: dreamers, doers, fighters... all with a strong belief in self-reliance and the ability to fail as well as sail.
No government, anywhere or at any time, has ever accomplished what one person with a dream has accomplished.
But, we will learn this lesson the hard way as President Obama and the Congress lead us down the pot-holed path to a new socialistic experiment.
It didn't work in the '30s; it hasn't worked in France and it will NOT work for us this time.
What ever happened to COMMON SENSE? THINK about it; how did the government stimulus of giving $4,000 for each new car sale (Dollars for Clunkers) stimulate the economy or create new jobs? Give $4,000 to make ONE sale!
Let's apply the government's "logic" to education. Every teacher should give each student an extra "A" in the grade book. I'm sure that will make all of the students smarter and encourage them to study harder.
INSANITY!
.
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