Taking on the Tough Tasks (TOTTT)

 Not many people are eager to take on the tough tasks these days. They may not mind helping a little but when it comes to the tough things they would rather not get involved.

It takes a special kind of person who is willing to step into shoes such as this. You see them volunteering in hospitals or homeless shelters, helping feed the hungry, mentoring our youth, or just reaching out and doing whatever they can to help those who are less fortunate, or in dire straits. 

Until you get into the trenches you really don’t know the reality of what’s down there. Most of us refuse to consider getting involved out of fear of how tough the task may be. Fear is the operative word here. We are afraid of the unknown so we refuse to start, mainly because of our fears.

It’s easy to drive by a homeless person and hand them some change or a few dollars, but much tougher to speak with that person and hear their story. First of all most of us would not be caught in close company with such a person because we don’t know what sort of problem they may have. Many fall into this predicament because of mental illness or addiction to some sort of substance. Not knowing what to expect we normally keep space between them and us.

At the senior centers there are many lonely seniors, many of whom seem to be sitting there waiting on the final bell to toll. In many cases they have few or no visitors. Some have lost hope and given up on life.

Some of the workers at senior facilities are very caring and compassionate while there are others that merely work the job with little sensitivity to the troubles of the people they serve. If you don’t have the right sort of attitude for working in such a place you probably do more harm than good to the residents. Again, not everyone has the right heart for the tough tasks.

Take many of our public servants such as law enforcement or government employees. If they don’t have the right attitudes they easily abuse the people they were hired to serve.

Post Office workers, DMV clerks, Unemployment Office workers, Social Security employees, IRS workers, all should serve the public, but have you noticed the attitudes of a number of them?  Once in a while you will find one that is pleasant, but that seems to be rare. If you don’t have the right attitude for certain jobs you do a disservice to that profession.

Like many I concentrated so much on getting ahead in life and achieving my personal goals. I knew there were people in all walks of life that were suffering greatly but personally I did not allow their suffering to enter into my "caring space." My interest was on my own gain. I made no room in my heart to care about people I didn’t even know.

There are people that make helping others a lifestyle. Missionary workers, healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, dentist, childcare givers, senior helpers, adoption agencies, child-protection agencies and the like, they take on the tough tasks as their job. Although not all of them have the kind of compassionate heart to be well respected in their chosen profession, most of them know walking in the door that the task ahead of them will be tough. Thank God for people such as these that are willing to do the tough tasks that most people would rather avoid.

Perhaps as you get older you realize that life is not all about your personal gain, but more about how you may assist humanity in overcoming at least some of their suffering. In our own small ways we need to learn how to care more for others and do more things that help our fellow man.

Although it is frightening thinking about how tough it may be down in the trenches, once you get down there and see the gratitude in the eyes of the people that you help when they are helpless, you suddenly realize that there is so much more to life than just striving to reach your own selfish goals. 

You learn that doing unto others as you hope they would do unto you in a similar circumstance is priceless. You  learn why it is better to give than to receive. You feel the essence of most of the scriptures written in our Holy Books. At that point you will actually get pleasure out of taking on the tough tasks that others shy away from.

If it be within your heart, even if only occasionally, and if you really can endure the tough task, reach out and do something really tough knowing that the recipient on the other end of your offering would benefit more than gratitude could even express. If you ever decide to do such a thing then you would know the heart of Christ, of Buddha, of Krishna, and of all the Saints that ever walked the earth.

Taking on the tough tasks is usually reserved to those who are the saints amongst us. God made them and sprinkled them on the earth in such small numbers. If this message inspired you, go out and help someone whom you see is in need today. May God richly bless you!

A rash of senseless shooting events

 Over the period of just a few weeks we have been experiencing a rash of shooting events causing panic, harm and even the death of innocent victims. What is driving this senseless trend?

I don’t know if it may be a factor, but when such events happen we are bombarded by countless hours of news coverage from every imaginable angle on so many networks and by numerous news agencies. Neighbors, friends, childhood friends of the assailants, classmates, law-enforcement agencies, teachers, emergency services, and GQ public are all caught up in the news programs.  This happens for hours at a time.

Might all this coverage start a flow of people getting caught up in the frenzy so they may become famous as well? It is almost like putting blood in the water where sharks roam. Likewise some people seek attention and this is certainly a way to achieve it. It so happens that they may also have a few loose screws in their decision-making abilities.

Understandably so news agencies make their living from covering such activities, but at a point could their coverage be too much (over the top). On their shows you have the additional news commentators and experts that expand upon the news events until it is no longer the news, but network programming. This is almost like art imitating life that is imitating art. Can we find a way to get off this merry-go-round and curve trends such as this?

Without point fingers of blame can this trend be addressed in a way that addresses public welfare and safety? We really need to consider what sort of monsters we are creating with all this media attention. FYI!

Toxic Public Discourse

For quite some time now there has been an ever-increasing toxicity spewing from various facets of society. Never is it more obvious than when we hold our national elections in this country. You have factions from both sides that shout out vile rhetoric about their opponents. The tone is so sharp, so negative, and so vile that it is a wonder that more people haven’t been fatally wounded because of it.

Why the rise in the toxic level? Could we be witnessing a very blatant wake up call to tone down or otherwise disarm this loaded weapon? When you spew out energy it finds a place to land and produces more of its kind. This is a very basic law within the universe that is very precise. The problem we have is that we can’t always see energy, as it is transferred. At times you can sense it or even feel it, but rarely do you see it.

Without assessing blame on a single source it’s time for all to take note of the lines we are drawing. We must also be mindful of crossing into an area of darkness that is extremely dangerous to everyone. People from all sides, and nearly all walks of life are being affected by this trend.

You have the Democrats against the Republicans. You have the religious right against the left, or Christians against Muslims against the Jews. You have the whites against the blacks. You have the Lakers against the Celtics or the Yankees against the Dodgers. People are not taking these differences casually, but with very sharp stances. The Cleveland fans constantly boo LeBron James for leaving the team. With a tiny spark and a huge conflagration of violence could occur.

What caused the 911 tragedies? What caused the Oklahoma City Bombing? What caused the countless school shootings of innocent children? What causes political assassinations? What is it that causes countries to wage wars against each other?

One would think that spoken words are relatively innocent but that has proven to be a false assumption when it comes to the public discourse. Very negative rhetoric has been known to start riots and even wars. This has always been the case, but still you have public figures using tones that border on irresponsibility. They say things very damning without remorse or compassion for where that flaming dart will land.

Our politicians claim that they speak for the American people when in truth they only speak for a particular segment of the public. To use language that castigates the other side is down right irresponsible. To vilify an opponent with negative ads and information with no regard for the truth is irresponsible. It is taking a loaded gun and putting it in the hands of a person that is willing and eager to use it.

There are always extremist on both sides of the equation. You have the far left and the far right but you also have the sick and criminally insane that tether out on a limb and attach themselves to a particular ideology. Do we not remember Adolph Hitler? He was a perfect example of this phenomenon. How quickly have we forgotten the many lessons of our recent past!

When people take very sharp stands on a particular ideology or philosophy to the point that it vilifies the opponent you are placing a loaded gun in the hands of those that will use it. To incite people against each other just to prove your point or the other to be wrong is the same as starting a war when you have no idea where it will end.

Does this mean that people shouldn’t strongly disagree? No! It means that people need to be aware of the fact that all energies find a place to land. When you throw out statements intended to dig or vilify another that energy eventually finds a place to cause harm. It is as though they create the bullet that is looking for a gun that eventually finds a person that is seeking both and one that is capable of using it to carry out the original wish.

Quite frankly the very politicians that claim to represent the people are culpable for far too many of the toxins that lead to violence. As they fight for their own specific causes with blatant disregard for the opponent they create the bullet that finds a gun that will be used by a psychopath who is only too willing and eager to use it.

If you trace back the origination of the energy of a tragic public event it probably started in a secret back-door political establishment that had an agenda of merely winning, but doing so at whatever the cost. This is one of the main reasons why the public no longer trusts the political establishment. They are in the game to win and not necessarily in it for the people. As long as their side wins they care nothing about the fate of the other side or even for those who may be innocently trapped in the middle.

In a sense we are all to blame in part for this escalating problem. Our desire to be right or to carry the will of the day is what drives animosity. People can and do differ sharply, but it’s the manner in which they show their disagreement that causes the rift.

We should be able to strongly disagree about nearly anything but do so in a way that is respectful of the opinion or beliefs of others. However, when we use energies, spoken words, acts or deeds, we must be mindful that they eventually find a place to land. It is like shooting a gun up in the air at a New Year’s celebration. Those bullets eventually find their way back to the earth where innocent people are living.

We need to start intentionally taking the sting out of our rhetoric a bit. We need to stop vilifying each other. It is okay to disagree, even sharply, but the manner in which you express those differences could mean anything from intentional separation to intentional and violent confrontation. Unless you truly desire violence you need to tone down the toxins when expressing your displeasure. Do we really want another sick individual to make good on the threats we purposefully make? Flaming arrows always find a place to land and burn. Rarely do they disappear into thin air…

When life takes an unexpected turn

What do you do when something happens to you totally out of the blue and so obviously catches you off your guard? A statement that I use occasionally is, “Along the way life happens and you must deal with it.” I’m sure this statement is not an original one, but it always IS what it IS. On the other hand life is usually filled with surprises.

The normal reaction to bad news or situations is to go into a form of shock. Your rational senses go almost numb because you are unable to process such a strange happening. Fear usually rushes in and depending upon your faith you may feel temporarily hopeless until you gather your senses.

Those who have little to no faith are left “out there” to the forces that may be present in their minds. Having nothing to rely upon despair usually sets in and it may feel as though you are walking through a very dense fog. It is like being a zombie. You are alive and breathing, but not mentally present. How long this state might last is up to the individuals.

Such an event could be a life-changing moment. Many have been known to reach out to the faith community and actually find something there that is comforting. They are invited into a network of people that choose to believe in the divine and in an unseen world within the one they live.

If one is fortunate enough to discover this unseen world their lives are usually forever changed from that day forth. They find out that no matter what, they are not alone in the world, as it may have appeared before the event. Albeit the faith community of believers or the unknown and unseen God, they find a safety net that was well worth finding.

Obviously not everyone discovers this safety cushion from just one catastrophic event. Some hit a wall several time and still do not surrender to the Great Teacher of life. For whatever reason they continue to believe that they are somehow above the unseen forces that control life.

Those that are belligerent and bullishly stubborn are simply turned over to their own ignorant devices. They are left to the reprobate mind that becomes their God.

When a child refuses the wise and gentle council of a parent all the parent can do is let the superior forces of life take its own course. One thing is certain: no mortal being is beyond the unseen forces that life presents. They may run, but there is no place to hide.

Enough of the dark side, for I bring you a message of hope and good cheer. When life takes those unexpected turns it is usually to teach you lessons that you would not otherwise learn. It is one thing to teach someone something that they have never known, but another when they are somehow compelled to experience it in life.

Perhaps a parent told their child not to touch something that was hot and the child never touched what the parent cautioned them against. Was the lesson learned simply by the cautioning of the parent? One could say the child learned how to be obedient, but it is questionable as to whether the child actually learned the consequence of touching something hot. On the other hand if the child insists upon touching something hot and was burned, that child would know within its own mind the consequence of touching something that is hot. I dare say the lesson was truly learned.

In life we do not always have the love and guidance of loving parents to teach us all the nuances that come with living. Many tough lessons come to us long after we are past our youth. The Great Teacher shows up, but many times the pupil is not ready to be taught. For those the lessons become stiffer and the consequences may become even greater. One thing is certain; life is patient, only because its Creator loves us.  However, if you are unwilling to submit to divine authority your fate is of your own choosing.

A simple word to the wise… when life takes an unexpected turn take note and inquire of the Teacher, “What lesson am I to learn from this episode?” The Teacher always shows up when the pupil is ready to accept and to learn in earnest, for what is in you will rise to the occasion when the times call for it. If you have nothing in you don’t expect anything to come from you.

While the sun is shining it would be a good time to store up the essentials you might need on the rainy days. –WORD- 

If You Were God – What would you change?

I’ve heard many people use the existence of suffering as a reason for not believing in God. They would say things such as, “If there were a God why would He allow so much suffering in the world?”

 

First of all we are only in a position to speculate or ponder about God because we don’t have the assurance of anything we could consider as being factual about Him. We may quote what we have heard, studied, read, or even in our own way experienced, but that does not prove beyond the shadow of doubt, to others, what we choose to believe.

 

It is said that God is unsearchable, unknowable, unimaginable, unfathomable, unreachable, or otherwise unsubstantiated to us by means of physical proof. Essentially that means that what the world accepts as proof is virtually unavailable to us in reference to God. According to the Holy Scriptures no mortal man has ever seen God, yet we’re encouraged to do so, not merely to believe in, but also to worship this unsearchable God/Being.

 

If you were to think about this for a moment this notion would be the epitome of a quagmire. Not only would it be most difficult, it would be virtually impossible. In essence we can’t know, perceive, imagine, find, or understand God in physicality, but it’s supposed to be completely possible through spiritual means. That means that we would need to shut off the five physical senses in order to open senses that are not physical.

 

In order to come close to God one would need to strip themselves of the carnal (flesh) attachment and enter a non-physical state, that which is spiritual. We would need to learn how to place our trust in things that are unseen above those that are seen. In essence we would need to reprogram the manner in which we view things in a new way contrary to how we were previously conditioned.

 

Think about it: having faith means being certain of things that you cannot see or touch. You believe in it using non-physical means. There is nothing tangible with which you can connect. 

 

What is it that one may use to enhance one's ability to have faith? How can you afix this in your mind in order to get a glimpse or grasp of what this entails?

 

If you have ever witnessed a magician at work you may notice that the good ones have the ability to make you totally believe their tricks. Even though you are aware that he or she used legerdemain, or tricks plus techniques to fool the mind, they appear to be so real.

 

If you have ever been hypnotized or seen someone who has you will note that they believed in something that was totally not real, but their mind accepted it as though it were.

 

Even many of the movies you see today have such great special effects that you actually feel that you have entered the world of make believe. It feels as though you are right there with the mythical characters. If you totally immerse yourself into the story it is almost hard to draw the line between the imaginary and the real.ity.

 

We actually go to such places in our minds quite often, but we do it so naturally that we don’t really realize what we are doing. Temporarily or even for long periods of time we allow our minds to be in a different reality. The only problem is that eventually we have to come back to our physical reality otherwise we could literally run off a very steep cliff.

 

Have you had dreams that were so good that you didn’t want to awaken and others from which you fought hard to awaken out of fear? In both cases the mind accepted where it thought it was. Even the body may have gone into a cold sweat from what you were experiencing. People have organisms in their dreams. They feel real to your senses.

 

Subconsciously we can enter such states of mind, but consciously it is much more difficult to convince the mind and body to accept what you do not believe to be real.

 

Since we know we have this hidden ability to cross over into a different realm of existence, as we do in our minds or in dreams, our challenge is to learn to cross over that threshold while we are awake. Many believers manage to do this in varying degrees. For most it requires a lot of practice and dedication.

 

If my examples have allowed you to grasp spiritual things in the few minutes that you have been reading this essay, imagine what you could do if you were to seek Godliness, or those things that are spiritual, on a daily or regular basis.

 I would like to share a secret with you: God is not really hidden. He reveals himself in plain view for all to see and know.  The only thing secret is that you must seek Him in order to find what is clearly there. The more you seek the more you find. The more doors you knock on the more will be opened to you. The more you ask the more you will be answered.

 

The operative verb here is that IT, the draw, must be generated from you. When the desire comes from your being it attracts what it seeks. It does so using the very laws of nature that were set up from the beginning. It happens when the universe, God, knows when all things are ready. It is similar to how a seed knows exactly when to sprout without either a brain or a heart. God made it work in the manner He intended.

 

So if you were God what would you change? Until you take the time to seek the heart of God you have no idea how perfectly created things are. Try not to just look at what your physical senses reveal, but instead try opening your spirit to see God’s perfect divine will. It is not here that you need worry, for this is but a drop in the bucket of your eternal existence. God sees all things in their infinite existence.

 

I’m so happy that none of us are God because we would only change things that are for our own selfish ambitions in such a manner that we see fit with our very small physical limitations. If I were God I would do exactly what God did and does. I would only LOVE!

Community – Harmony, Charity, and Unity

An interactive group sharing a particular populated environment

A community forms when people coexist in a particular area. It begins to take shape and character when the participants are secure enough to start sharing and learning how to get along with each other, in various degrees. Not all the inhabitants get along peacefully, but that does not mean that they don’t form a community. Their ability to assimilate, or not, forms the character of the community. It could be a close-knit warm community or a cold segregated one.

One might say; it takes all kinds to form a community these days. With the invention of the World Wide Web communities have essentially shattered the previous boundaries where people share commonalities.

Our world community is developing its own character as never before. Since this technology is relatively new it will take some time for people to get accustomed to sharing such a large space. Most will need to make some adjustments.

How do we begin to build small bridges that could be exponentially duplicated in order to form a more harmonious habitat in this new world frontier?

I’m not sure if there is enough commonality within the human species where all could agree with anything in particular. Even when suggestions are offered that are intended to make a positive change there will usually still be naysayers, those that disagree. One would wonder, are there any things we could agree upon just for the sake of forming community?

In order to build a foundation it would be necessary to first understand what causes human beings to be (exist) as they are.

Perhaps there is a common belief that people should think and act in similar ways; that is not true. Different people think and act in ways according to the factors that shaped them. In truth they are so uniquely assimilated that there aren’t even two people who are identical in every way, out of the nearly seven billion people of the world.

Because of how people are indoctrinated and how they process that indoctrination makes it virtually impossible for any two to become truly identical. Both internal and external factors cause people to develop as they do. Additionally, they are guided by their hearts and minds through a maze of decision-making processes of countless choices.

The five natural senses shape people. This means that what we see, hear, taste, touch or smell become molding factors. These are the navigating tools we use to process the physical reality. In addition we have other senses such as intuition, premonition, clairvoyance, and other hidden or submerged senses that shape us, mostly without our perceived awareness.

On top of all the above-mentioned factors we also have to deal with pride and ego. Some think too highly of themselves and others too lowly. In between the two are countless degrees of variations of people dealing with themselves. That does not even take into account how they perceive what others think about them, something that helps shape their personality.

Obviously we can’t overlook traits such as race, culture, gender, physical characteristics, size, and other personal variances we have. Also did I mention our personal preferences as in likes and dislikes? These all make up our personal and unique chemistry.

I remember at one time thinking why other people did not think or act like me. When I put together the many ways that shape us into the individuals we eventually become the better question was how could we possible think or act alike. This leads to another question, which is, how can we learn to utilize our vast differences in order to develop things that achieve the common good? This also leads to a roadblock of discovering what is commonly accepted as good.

Speaking of distinguishing what is good or bad, right or wrong, or otherwise defines our concept of morality, this is where some of our sharper dividing lines exist. Coincidentally this brings back into the equation things such as religion, spirituality, culture and environmental issues again.

So when you put all this together is there any hope of creating a community among human beings that are so distinctly different? There is one element that can bridge all the gaps: Love is the key. In order to create community, harmony, unity, peace and other such redeeming qualities one must put love in front of all other differences. Without love there can be no community.  

Trying to make a difference

 I personally know of many people who are aggressively trying to make a positive difference in their worlds. The problem most face is finding allies that would assist them with their selected generosity.

Unfortunately when you are in the mode of making positive changes you are not usually in the majority. Even though many would agree with what you are attempting to achieve they are not willing to go out on that limb with you.

How many people do you know who are willing to go against what is popular in order to make an unpopular positive change? People like this seem to take on uphill challenges akin to swimming upstream. Is it any wonder that so many surrender to the forces that war against their well-intentioned efforts?

First of all one should understand what they are undertaking in deciding to take on a philanthropic goal. One does not take on such a venture based upon its degree of difficulty; they do it in spite of it. When they offer their gifts, talents, or abilities to those who can’t achieve it for themselves they do so against insurmountable odds.

Not all people are born with the same adeptness. Some seem to come with extra stamina, tenacity, perseverance, compassion, or loving-kindness. Some are givers while others are takers. Some seem to care more while others are far less compassionate. Some of our basic qualities may come through their DNA, even though many can be modified by willful choices.

The fact that we are so differently and wonderfully made seems to indicate that it was done with intent and purpose by a very sophisticated, divine intelligence. Many believe in this divine being, GOD, but know very little about His operations. Such knowledge is far above our ability to fully comprehend, for our thoughts and ways are not even close to that of our Creator, yet we have been told that we are made in God's image.

It is said that as the heavens are that much higher than the earth, so are God’s thoughts and ways that much higher than our thoughts and ways. Trying to understand things such as nature or the operation of the universe are beyond our abilities to totally grasp, yet they are fully known in the minutest detail by the Creator. Our ignorance of such things does not make them cease to exist, including God. It simply means that we are not aware.

There are those amongst us that appear to be more finely tuned to the heart of God. They care about others because they feel a connection with God’s purpose and intent. Fulfilling a need or trying to assist others comes from the awe-inspired God Spirit. Some are more intensely aligned with His magnetism than others, but this Spirit is within us all because our spirit is part of the whole from which we were all spawned.

As you attempt to compare your benevolent offerings with those of others just know that to each is given a mission according to the ability that was given to them. Each has different abilities that should align with their purposes. If it is serving, let them serve; if it is teaching, let them teach passionately; encouraging, let them encourage; and if their purpose is to contribute or fill  the needs of others, let them do so generously; if it is leading, let them lead diligently, and if it is showing mercy, let them do so cheerfully.

Do not think of yourself more highly or lowly than you ought but always do so in sober judgment according to the measures God has given to you. In truth we all come from one Source that is the Creator of it all. We are actually members of one body with many different parts. A certain purpose was given to one with a different one to another. It is how things were designed from the very beginning.

You, too, can make a huge difference, but do so in the manner that you were designed. Find your God-given gifts and use them to administer your unique brand of helpfulness.  Most of us can help and it doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. When you offer yourself to be of service let all credit be to the One who designed all things for the good of those who live according to His original purposes. Don’t get so caught up on trying when you can just do what you do best and let that be your godly gift to others.