Recently I saw a post that stated, "a lion never loses sleep over the opinions of sheep..." Now, isn't that a terrific mindset. While lions don't listen to sheep's opinions, the same can't be said for people. Are there 'sheep' in your world that you are listening to, that are telling you that you can't (fill in the blank). Are you 'minding' the voices of those who really are pulling you down? 'Why?' springs to mind.
Granted I've not defined 'sheep' or 'lion' and I haven't implied that you should act like or be a lion indiscriminately, but... there really are moments when you need to be a lion for your own life in order for you to become all that the Lord has planned for you. When? When compromise rears it's head - and for the sake of some 'peace' you don't stand up for your Lord, what He's asking you to do or you don't do what you know you should do.
A different type of 'when' is during those times that temptation comes your way. You can never say you were tempted by God because He tells us that this is something He never does. (James 1-12-16) v. 14 -
"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own
desires and enticed."
And not wanting to cause ripples or conflict can easily be 'own desires'. The only goal of temptation is to make you do or say (fill in the blank) that will only place you in the position of being disappointed in yourself and retracting your words and actions. Remember, a test is never a call to temptation, but temptation is always an opportunity to 'stand' (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Sheep can be plodding... remember the old saw is that we should count them if we can't sleep? But, if they are the source of our sleeplessness - that probably won't work. Are you losing sleep and it's because of sheep-causing conflict? Have you honestly looked at the sheep's comments? Valid? If so, then reconsider what you are proposing to do. If not, why are you letting them cause you to lose sleep?
Friday, August 29, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Mountains
How high are yours? Insurmountable? Surely not! Do you have faith to send your mountains into the sea? Or do you believe your mountains are too high, treacherous, and rugged so you can't get over, under, or around them? So what's your alternative? Give up? Turn around and back up? Sit down and moan? Or do you turn to the mountain leveler?
At one time or another I am certain that we've all tried all of those alternatives and probably some others as well. My question is ... how long does it take you (me) to turn to the One who can move mountains? However, it might be prudent to first determine if it really is a mountain we are facing. Is it? Perhaps it is a mountain, but is the terrain steep and hazardous or is it a small hill now that we look at it closely? Perhaps it is only a molehill and we've stopped when we didn't need to? Regardless, I suspect that minimally it is an obstacle.
Thus, our question at this time should be - what's the best method to deal with and/or remove the obstacle? Not every obstacle can be handled in the same way nor is it resolved in the same fashion. Slowly I think I am learning that when an obstacle or mountain looms in my path that the first thing I need to do is to turn to the Lord for advice. When I take the time to intentionally stop and ask rather than going into my 'fix it' mode, the time that I use up in wasted action is drastically reduced.
Mountains exist. They happen. Our growth depends on how we learn our lessons - do we repeat the same one over and over or is the mountain a new one? Much of our 'how' is based in our attitude. When we assume an 'ohhh woe's me' or 'I don't deserve ...' we waste our time and energy. Our focus should be on what the problem is and how we can resolve it. Yes, that is easier said than done - it's still true. Turn to the Lord and ask Him what you need to learn and what you need to do - the end result will be a flattened mountain.
At one time or another I am certain that we've all tried all of those alternatives and probably some others as well. My question is ... how long does it take you (me) to turn to the One who can move mountains? However, it might be prudent to first determine if it really is a mountain we are facing. Is it? Perhaps it is a mountain, but is the terrain steep and hazardous or is it a small hill now that we look at it closely? Perhaps it is only a molehill and we've stopped when we didn't need to? Regardless, I suspect that minimally it is an obstacle.
Thus, our question at this time should be - what's the best method to deal with and/or remove the obstacle? Not every obstacle can be handled in the same way nor is it resolved in the same fashion. Slowly I think I am learning that when an obstacle or mountain looms in my path that the first thing I need to do is to turn to the Lord for advice. When I take the time to intentionally stop and ask rather than going into my 'fix it' mode, the time that I use up in wasted action is drastically reduced.
Mountains exist. They happen. Our growth depends on how we learn our lessons - do we repeat the same one over and over or is the mountain a new one? Much of our 'how' is based in our attitude. When we assume an 'ohhh woe's me' or 'I don't deserve ...' we waste our time and energy. Our focus should be on what the problem is and how we can resolve it. Yes, that is easier said than done - it's still true. Turn to the Lord and ask Him what you need to learn and what you need to do - the end result will be a flattened mountain.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Starved for ???
Do you even know what you are starved for? Attention? Acknowledgement? Affection? Or is it for meaning? Or purpose? Fruitfulness? Do you feel pursued or are you pursuing? Do you know what's driving you? And if you discover what 'it'is ... then what? Is 'it' attainable? Is it a stepping stone to your ultimate 'it'? Do you need to reassess you, 'it', and attainability? Can you forgo your 'it' and realign your thinking to (fill in the blank) which is of equal importance to you? None of those are small questions but they do lead you to what will satisfy you.
As I look around at all the people rushing from point A to point C with a detour to point B, I see and sense a great deal of dissatisfaction. Many times it is almost as if the rushing gives the rushee a sense, at least momentarily, of purpose. But it is fleeting at best. I suspect that an argument could be made that people are seeking a sense of purpose and value in their lives and that the rushing provides a visible form of evidence that they really are involved in the big issues of their life.
Perhaps I'm projecting but I would argue that after the essential needs are filled (food, shelter, safety) that ALL of us seek meaning/purpose and belonging. Those are the two most important areas that many of us are starved for affirmation that we have attained or are on our path to attaining. I would also suggest that if either of these two are thwarted in some way (we are typically the main obstacle), that we feel frustrated or depressed or both and perhaps a myriad of other emotions as well. Sometimes our problem is that we never have identified for ourselves precisely what these words mean to us because our purpose and belonging is personal.
Does any of this resonate or feel familiar? We all need to be involved in the passion (meaning, purpose) of our lives and we all need to feel that we belong. If you are seeking joy and peace, life, fulfillment, etc. you will find it in a life with the Lord. I would further suggest that none of this is possible outside of a personal relationship with the living God and His Son, Jesus. Without their active involvement then, to quote Solomon - all is vanity. And vanity is very like water running through your fingers, it has no substance. So, if you feel you are starved then I would recommend you begin with your relationship with the Lord. From that basis... everything falls into place and you won't hunger or thirst anymore.
As I look around at all the people rushing from point A to point C with a detour to point B, I see and sense a great deal of dissatisfaction. Many times it is almost as if the rushing gives the rushee a sense, at least momentarily, of purpose. But it is fleeting at best. I suspect that an argument could be made that people are seeking a sense of purpose and value in their lives and that the rushing provides a visible form of evidence that they really are involved in the big issues of their life.
Perhaps I'm projecting but I would argue that after the essential needs are filled (food, shelter, safety) that ALL of us seek meaning/purpose and belonging. Those are the two most important areas that many of us are starved for affirmation that we have attained or are on our path to attaining. I would also suggest that if either of these two are thwarted in some way (we are typically the main obstacle), that we feel frustrated or depressed or both and perhaps a myriad of other emotions as well. Sometimes our problem is that we never have identified for ourselves precisely what these words mean to us because our purpose and belonging is personal.
Does any of this resonate or feel familiar? We all need to be involved in the passion (meaning, purpose) of our lives and we all need to feel that we belong. If you are seeking joy and peace, life, fulfillment, etc. you will find it in a life with the Lord. I would further suggest that none of this is possible outside of a personal relationship with the living God and His Son, Jesus. Without their active involvement then, to quote Solomon - all is vanity. And vanity is very like water running through your fingers, it has no substance. So, if you feel you are starved then I would recommend you begin with your relationship with the Lord. From that basis... everything falls into place and you won't hunger or thirst anymore.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Star Throwing
Recently I had the opportunity to read again the delightful 'story', "The Star Thrower" by Loren Eisley. It's a very quick read but with a profound message. It's a story of a young girl throwing star fish back into the ocean from the sandy beach and being slightly ridiculed or chastised, depending on your reading, because it won't make any difference. The girl is really crushed but after a moment she resumes her tossing with the comment that it made a difference to that star fish! What a terrific attitude!
Then I thought about us, me and our mindset about sharing the Lord and walking our talk. Do we 'give up' when we hear discouragement, from the person we are attempting to share, or... I have heard people say that they simply weren't effective sharing the Lord with others, that perhaps they had a different 'call'. First, how do you know you aren't effective? Are you with that person to know how they took your words and thought about them? Do you know that you may be a water-er or planter and not a harvester? Remember the scripture that tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Paul speaking:
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither
he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the
increase. ... each one will receive his own reward according to his
own labor."
The point is that we don't know, when we share our testimony with someone else if we are planting a seed, or watering a seed planted, or have the joy of the harvest - leading someone to the Lord. If we are focusing on our perceived effectiveness, then we are focusing on... us. Minimally we should be focusing on the other person. But never forget that what we are doing is testifying to Who the Lord is in our lives and what is available to others who accept His gift.
Second - do you really believe you, as a born-again Christian, have been exempted from the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)? The word 'go' somehow doesn't apply to you? We all are responsible for our response to 'go' and how our response helps fulfill the Father's plan. Do remember that 'go' may mean:
Then I thought about us, me and our mindset about sharing the Lord and walking our talk. Do we 'give up' when we hear discouragement, from the person we are attempting to share, or... I have heard people say that they simply weren't effective sharing the Lord with others, that perhaps they had a different 'call'. First, how do you know you aren't effective? Are you with that person to know how they took your words and thought about them? Do you know that you may be a water-er or planter and not a harvester? Remember the scripture that tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Paul speaking:
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither
he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the
increase. ... each one will receive his own reward according to his
own labor."
The point is that we don't know, when we share our testimony with someone else if we are planting a seed, or watering a seed planted, or have the joy of the harvest - leading someone to the Lord. If we are focusing on our perceived effectiveness, then we are focusing on... us. Minimally we should be focusing on the other person. But never forget that what we are doing is testifying to Who the Lord is in our lives and what is available to others who accept His gift.
Second - do you really believe you, as a born-again Christian, have been exempted from the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)? The word 'go' somehow doesn't apply to you? We all are responsible for our response to 'go' and how our response helps fulfill the Father's plan. Do remember that 'go' may mean:
"But you shall receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
(Acts 1:8)
WE receive power to be effective witnesses - we don't do this on our own. He tells us in many places (i.e. Isaiah 41:10) that He will be with us in this 'go-ing'. You may be called to your Jerusalem (family?), or Judea (neighbors?), or Samaria (work place?) or as a missionary. Let the Lord define your where of going. He always equips us to do the doing, you concentrate on being a star thrower.
WE receive power to be effective witnesses - we don't do this on our own. He tells us in many places (i.e. Isaiah 41:10) that He will be with us in this 'go-ing'. You may be called to your Jerusalem (family?), or Judea (neighbors?), or Samaria (work place?) or as a missionary. Let the Lord define your where of going. He always equips us to do the doing, you concentrate on being a star thrower.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
There's only one of me
I am unique. The mold was broken after me. Before you remark that this is probably a very good idea, the same can be said about you! The question is - do you believe it? And do you celebrate this? You really should celebrate you and your uniqueness. No, not pride - pride is only a false and poor representation of who you are, and probably something you really don't believe.
Uniqueness though is celebratory. Why would you want to be someone other than you? People do though. But they rarely look beyond the obvious and thus don't appreciate or understand how their 'idol' got to where they are - the experiences, people that populated their life on the way to being who they appear to be. 'Appear' is an important word in this consideration because unless you are able to be with them 24/7 you really don't know who they are when they are alone. You may think you do... but do you? And why covet what 'they' have instead of celebrating what you have?
Stop for a moment and look at your own life - who you are, how you got to this point, who you are becoming, etc. Throughout your life, you continue to become and are your who, what, and how; which is formed by the people and experiences and your reactions. This formation is also dependent upon the world (family, friends, work) you live in. There are a whole host of factors that go into this 'who' of you. But in all of that host, it's always your decision to act on it or not. Do you? Do you share the 'real' you?
Personally, I like me. I don't always like what I do or say, but fundamentally - I appreciate who I am and am becoming. Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13 are only two scriptures that support us in our quest to be who we are, doing what we have been given - yet not alone. Isaiah 49:15 end sentence and 16 - "Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..." This is God talking to us, His people and He never makes junk . He will be with us in our growing and doing . Never forget that You are the only one of you! Celebrate this.
Uniqueness though is celebratory. Why would you want to be someone other than you? People do though. But they rarely look beyond the obvious and thus don't appreciate or understand how their 'idol' got to where they are - the experiences, people that populated their life on the way to being who they appear to be. 'Appear' is an important word in this consideration because unless you are able to be with them 24/7 you really don't know who they are when they are alone. You may think you do... but do you? And why covet what 'they' have instead of celebrating what you have?
Stop for a moment and look at your own life - who you are, how you got to this point, who you are becoming, etc. Throughout your life, you continue to become and are your who, what, and how; which is formed by the people and experiences and your reactions. This formation is also dependent upon the world (family, friends, work) you live in. There are a whole host of factors that go into this 'who' of you. But in all of that host, it's always your decision to act on it or not. Do you? Do you share the 'real' you?
Personally, I like me. I don't always like what I do or say, but fundamentally - I appreciate who I am and am becoming. Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13 are only two scriptures that support us in our quest to be who we are, doing what we have been given - yet not alone. Isaiah 49:15 end sentence and 16 - "Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..." This is God talking to us, His people and He never makes junk . He will be with us in our growing and doing . Never forget that You are the only one of you! Celebrate this.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
BIG
I purposely put the title in all caps because I have a serious question for you! How BIG is your God? I realize that intellectually you know God can do all things, but do you let Him? Is He truly BIG in your life or only big? And that wasn't splitting hairs. Let me ask this question, slightly different. When was the last time you asked God to (fill in the blank)? If you said - daily. Then excellent because this indicates a close relationship between you and the Father. If you didn't... why?
Asking doesn't have to be about the mountain moving times, it can also be those moments of intimacy and request. Somehow the asking, seeking, knocking scripture is far more than we tend to credit it. Asking puts us in a position of vulnerability as we turn to the Father with our requests - large and small. But if we never ask, will we put ourselves as the 'god' in our lives, self-sufficient to fulfill our 'needs'? Or do we not completely trust that the Father will answer? Both?
I believe that when we ask, we can't do so with the mindset that the answer will be precisely according to our thinking and at the time we think it should be answered. I've never believed that God answers with conditions. When we ask, we need to turn the request over to Him to answer when and how He wills. I also believe that it is in those moments of apparent vulnerability on our part that our faith and trust is tested. But in the testing, regardless of the answer, we grow.
My point in all this discussion is that if you haven't asked the Father to move on your behalf in the 'little things' and have had the joy of experiencing this... how will you see His hand in your bigger needs? Will you be able to recognized what He does if you've never seen it because you've never asked? For me, part of the delight is seeing not only what He does but how He does. What we may be asking for may not be 'best' for us so He gives us the best.
Asking doesn't have to be about the mountain moving times, it can also be those moments of intimacy and request. Somehow the asking, seeking, knocking scripture is far more than we tend to credit it. Asking puts us in a position of vulnerability as we turn to the Father with our requests - large and small. But if we never ask, will we put ourselves as the 'god' in our lives, self-sufficient to fulfill our 'needs'? Or do we not completely trust that the Father will answer? Both?
I believe that when we ask, we can't do so with the mindset that the answer will be precisely according to our thinking and at the time we think it should be answered. I've never believed that God answers with conditions. When we ask, we need to turn the request over to Him to answer when and how He wills. I also believe that it is in those moments of apparent vulnerability on our part that our faith and trust is tested. But in the testing, regardless of the answer, we grow.
My point in all this discussion is that if you haven't asked the Father to move on your behalf in the 'little things' and have had the joy of experiencing this... how will you see His hand in your bigger needs? Will you be able to recognized what He does if you've never seen it because you've never asked? For me, part of the delight is seeing not only what He does but how He does. What we may be asking for may not be 'best' for us so He gives us the best.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Running Away
Do you ever want to just run away from everyone and everything? If given the chance... would you? Where would you go? For how long? Personally, I'd run away to England. It is often the place I go, in my mind, when I need a moment to catch my breath or take a break from the focus of my thoughts. For me, running away is only momentary but it can provide that excursion from 'the situation' so I can resolve (fill in the blank). How you respond to you and your need to run away is critical.
I have to ask... what's your opinion about running away? Is running away cowardly? Does it depend on how long you stay in your running away place? Or how often you go there? Are you embarrassed that you even need to do this? Are you the stoic type and would never engage in this type of behavior? I think I would argue that we all have running away times. Obviously, there are more important and effective approaches to resolving these times then running away... or are there? This is neither a facetious nor unimportant question and your reaction is important.
I would argue that these times are far more important then a momentary pique, whether or not the pique was occasioned by another person or just... life. These feelings (to run away) are telling us something very important - if we only take the time to understand the basis for them. Sometimes the running away can provide that momentary lull to understand what actually is happening. Running away may be a respite but it has the potential for allowing us to look at our current reality away from the drama.
Running away is not a seduction, though the time can be misused. You are the determiner of what happens. Running away is an accepted 'state' that you engage in to provide you a respite from what is happening. Returning to the here and now is determined by you and how you have used the 'in between time'. You can let this time serve you or you can waste it. I would suggest that if this feeling comes upon you - look at your why. This can be a most effective tool in your arsenal of decision-making options.
I have to ask... what's your opinion about running away? Is running away cowardly? Does it depend on how long you stay in your running away place? Or how often you go there? Are you embarrassed that you even need to do this? Are you the stoic type and would never engage in this type of behavior? I think I would argue that we all have running away times. Obviously, there are more important and effective approaches to resolving these times then running away... or are there? This is neither a facetious nor unimportant question and your reaction is important.
I would argue that these times are far more important then a momentary pique, whether or not the pique was occasioned by another person or just... life. These feelings (to run away) are telling us something very important - if we only take the time to understand the basis for them. Sometimes the running away can provide that momentary lull to understand what actually is happening. Running away may be a respite but it has the potential for allowing us to look at our current reality away from the drama.
Running away is not a seduction, though the time can be misused. You are the determiner of what happens. Running away is an accepted 'state' that you engage in to provide you a respite from what is happening. Returning to the here and now is determined by you and how you have used the 'in between time'. You can let this time serve you or you can waste it. I would suggest that if this feeling comes upon you - look at your why. This can be a most effective tool in your arsenal of decision-making options.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Deny
"But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father
who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33)
Deny? Me! Never!!! But do we? Do we deny Who Jesus is and what He did? Perhaps not overtly but subtly, often mis-using the scripture spoken by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22 (so that he would be able to convince all men) as our rationale? The result is that we present a diluted, watered down person of Jesus and thus a watered down Christian experience.
Equivocate, Webster: "to use unclear language especially to deceive or mislead someone; to avoid committing oneself in what one says." And before you (I) say that you are not attempting to deceive or mislead.. aren't we? You can never lead someone to the Lord without fully and completely sharing Who He is. And I believe that one of the biggest errors we make is to mislead. We really want the person we are talking with to become a Christian so we attempt to make Jesus as palatable as possible? No? I hope not.
I've heard it mentioned more than once that if we present the Lord and have expectations for the person we are sharing Jesus with, that they will feel they need to change. Well... duh. Definitely He accepts all of us 'right where we are' but He certainly doesn't want us to remain in that state. Accepting His Lordship has to mean more than a continuation of the same o, same o? Surely you aren't the same today as you were when you first accepted the Lord.?
If you feel the Lord will ask you to give up (fill in the blank) then that is a fairly good sign that it is something you should give up. Did you accept Jesus and immediately try to 'equivocate' this by exerting 'your rights'? Typically 'your rights' are defined as you wanting to do what you want to do whenever you want to. but why? If you trusted Jesus to save you, won't He lead you safely?
Remember the God's words to Joshua - Be Strong and Unafraid. In the first place, we are not alone in our action of bringing someone to the Lord. In one place Jesus talks about some who plant, some who water, and some who harvest. We don't always know what 'role' we play in another's life in their search for meaning. But we do know Who is in the entire process.
who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33)
Deny? Me! Never!!! But do we? Do we deny Who Jesus is and what He did? Perhaps not overtly but subtly, often mis-using the scripture spoken by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22 (so that he would be able to convince all men) as our rationale? The result is that we present a diluted, watered down person of Jesus and thus a watered down Christian experience.
Equivocate, Webster: "to use unclear language especially to deceive or mislead someone; to avoid committing oneself in what one says." And before you (I) say that you are not attempting to deceive or mislead.. aren't we? You can never lead someone to the Lord without fully and completely sharing Who He is. And I believe that one of the biggest errors we make is to mislead. We really want the person we are talking with to become a Christian so we attempt to make Jesus as palatable as possible? No? I hope not.
I've heard it mentioned more than once that if we present the Lord and have expectations for the person we are sharing Jesus with, that they will feel they need to change. Well... duh. Definitely He accepts all of us 'right where we are' but He certainly doesn't want us to remain in that state. Accepting His Lordship has to mean more than a continuation of the same o, same o? Surely you aren't the same today as you were when you first accepted the Lord.?
If you feel the Lord will ask you to give up (fill in the blank) then that is a fairly good sign that it is something you should give up. Did you accept Jesus and immediately try to 'equivocate' this by exerting 'your rights'? Typically 'your rights' are defined as you wanting to do what you want to do whenever you want to. but why? If you trusted Jesus to save you, won't He lead you safely?
Remember the God's words to Joshua - Be Strong and Unafraid. In the first place, we are not alone in our action of bringing someone to the Lord. In one place Jesus talks about some who plant, some who water, and some who harvest. We don't always know what 'role' we play in another's life in their search for meaning. But we do know Who is in the entire process.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Permitted to make a mistake?
Yes? Do you 'allow' yourself to make a mistake? Then what? My bias is that without mistakes or mis-turns you never know if you really have learned, grown, and applied - the 'information' has not been tested. Mistakes show you what you didn't know, what you need to refine. But the first step in giving yourself permission is a willingness to accept your responsibility and the knowledge that you will err. These two conditions should not keep you on edge or in 'fear' that you will make a mistake. Rather it should simply be a realization that this possibility exists.
One question is - what do you do when everything doesn't work out as planned and a mistake rears its head? Do you quickly look around to see if anyone else has seen it? Perhaps you attempt to ignore? Do you try and cast the responsibility for the mistake onto others? What is so terrible about making a mistake???!!! Why all the drama? Is it pride? And if so, you know what always accompanies pride. A fall. Knowing why you react to these situations is as important as knowing how you respond. The critical question really is what you think and feel about yourself when a mistake happens.
Regardless of the existence of mistakes, you need to have a healthy perception and definition of the word - and you have to have a process of resolution. This is really the point. If you never think that a mistake can occur, whether of your making or some other reason, then you never have a Plan B available. And, I would suggest, that if you never think about contingency plans then your Plan A probably doesn't have any risk associated with it. It typically is only those risk-less and non-experimentally based activities that never experience mistakes. Typically.
Mistakes push the boundaries of our knowledge. They are the hypotheses that call into question the status quo. They are the 'what if' experiences. They can be 'Ah Ha!' moments and they can be those 'sudden dawning' times. While mistakes can highlight faulty thinking or mis-planning, they also allow us to push our growth as far as we can. We should always permit ourselves to make mistakes, but we should not plan to make them. When they come - don't hide, encounter them and move forward.
One question is - what do you do when everything doesn't work out as planned and a mistake rears its head? Do you quickly look around to see if anyone else has seen it? Perhaps you attempt to ignore? Do you try and cast the responsibility for the mistake onto others? What is so terrible about making a mistake???!!! Why all the drama? Is it pride? And if so, you know what always accompanies pride. A fall. Knowing why you react to these situations is as important as knowing how you respond. The critical question really is what you think and feel about yourself when a mistake happens.
Regardless of the existence of mistakes, you need to have a healthy perception and definition of the word - and you have to have a process of resolution. This is really the point. If you never think that a mistake can occur, whether of your making or some other reason, then you never have a Plan B available. And, I would suggest, that if you never think about contingency plans then your Plan A probably doesn't have any risk associated with it. It typically is only those risk-less and non-experimentally based activities that never experience mistakes. Typically.
Mistakes push the boundaries of our knowledge. They are the hypotheses that call into question the status quo. They are the 'what if' experiences. They can be 'Ah Ha!' moments and they can be those 'sudden dawning' times. While mistakes can highlight faulty thinking or mis-planning, they also allow us to push our growth as far as we can. We should always permit ourselves to make mistakes, but we should not plan to make them. When they come - don't hide, encounter them and move forward.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
GPS
The following was in a Facebook post by a friend of mine, Mary Swanson, and I think it is a terrific mindset.
"A GPS navigation system in your car only cares about two questions.
Where are you now, and where do you want to go?
At any moment, any day, ask yourself these two questions: Where am
I now? Where do I want to go?
Resolutions and goals are daily commitments, not something you make
once at the beginning of the year. Every day is another chance. Remember,
a GPS doesn't beat you up for mistakes you did yesterday. It gives you a
clean slate every time."
Obviously, this agrees with my (core) belief in (my need for?) second chances, new beginnings. While this would underscore my appreciation for these words, there really is more. When I read this it was the definition of GPS that caught my attention. When you define the word you immediately realize that it is value-less. A GPS never criticizes or blames though it doesn't commend or compliment either. That's really the point - no value... except the authority you place on it. If you are going to 'use' a GPS, do you... use it?
GPS devices never ask why you want to go to (fill in the blank). They simply plug in the information of where you currently are located and where you want to go and then the device proceeds to 'plot' the best route - taking into consideration (if the GPS is updated) any detours or construction zones. Question - do you follow the plan presented by your GPS? Sometimes not though - right? For whatever reason, you decide that your route is faster or less encumbered - and this may be accurate but why use the GPS in the first place?
'Re-calculating' is a phrase our GPS uses when we miss or choose not to follow the directions. The GPS quickly provides a new route, with little problem, drama, or emotion. But how about us? How do we act on a new set of dynamics when we discover that there is an 'obstacle' in our chosen path... or we 'miss it'? If we choose to ignore our own GPS (our spirit) what do we substitute? Common sense? Other's opinions? Our own approach? Probably not the best decision. I believe it is critical to trust the spirit in us, our internal GPS. I've discovered that every time I don't, I end up backtracking, seeking forgiveness, apologizing, and wasting time. Never a happy feeling. GPS (our spirit) really is an opportunity for us to grow in our own spiritual growth of trust and confidence.
"A GPS navigation system in your car only cares about two questions.
Where are you now, and where do you want to go?
At any moment, any day, ask yourself these two questions: Where am
I now? Where do I want to go?
Resolutions and goals are daily commitments, not something you make
once at the beginning of the year. Every day is another chance. Remember,
a GPS doesn't beat you up for mistakes you did yesterday. It gives you a
clean slate every time."
Obviously, this agrees with my (core) belief in (my need for?) second chances, new beginnings. While this would underscore my appreciation for these words, there really is more. When I read this it was the definition of GPS that caught my attention. When you define the word you immediately realize that it is value-less. A GPS never criticizes or blames though it doesn't commend or compliment either. That's really the point - no value... except the authority you place on it. If you are going to 'use' a GPS, do you... use it?
GPS devices never ask why you want to go to (fill in the blank). They simply plug in the information of where you currently are located and where you want to go and then the device proceeds to 'plot' the best route - taking into consideration (if the GPS is updated) any detours or construction zones. Question - do you follow the plan presented by your GPS? Sometimes not though - right? For whatever reason, you decide that your route is faster or less encumbered - and this may be accurate but why use the GPS in the first place?
'Re-calculating' is a phrase our GPS uses when we miss or choose not to follow the directions. The GPS quickly provides a new route, with little problem, drama, or emotion. But how about us? How do we act on a new set of dynamics when we discover that there is an 'obstacle' in our chosen path... or we 'miss it'? If we choose to ignore our own GPS (our spirit) what do we substitute? Common sense? Other's opinions? Our own approach? Probably not the best decision. I believe it is critical to trust the spirit in us, our internal GPS. I've discovered that every time I don't, I end up backtracking, seeking forgiveness, apologizing, and wasting time. Never a happy feeling. GPS (our spirit) really is an opportunity for us to grow in our own spiritual growth of trust and confidence.
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