Words are Powerful. We can look at every corner of history and see where some one's words has made a huge impact. From Martin Luther King Jr and his inspirational words to Adolf Hitler and his dangerous anti-Semitic words. Words have created revolutions, it has instilled fear but also hope. It is incredible how this powerful tool can have such an amazing impact on our society and our individual lives. The unfortunate consequence of words is misinformation and most of all, misinterpretation. We read a story and often times interpret it based on our beliefs and/or traditions. This is very evident in how different religions have interpreted religious books which have been the foundation of wars and land divisions (Israel /Palestine). Evidence of misinformation is the irresponsibility of reporters and how they decide to report our news. Although reporting should be an unbiased activity, we should not assume everything we read in a newspaper or an online news site is unbiased. The news will report on what they feel the public will read. They will make sure the story sounds appealing enough to catch our attention and to hold it there until we are done reading their story.
While reading and listening to some one's words, remember who is speaking or writing them. Ask yourself, what motive could they have? We are all responsible for our words and how we present our ideas and opinions. Do not use this tool to manipulate or create hate. Words are powerful and if you must speak or write, please remember the following “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” -Mother Teresa
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Powerless- A letter to God
Dear God,
As I sit here, I feel afraid. I feel afraid for what the future holds for this planet. I have lost my faith in humanity, government, medicine and business. I understand our advanced technology allows for us to be more connected to what is going on in the world, but in many ways, I wish it was not so advanced. The suffering, cruelty, greed, betrayal, shallowness, stupidity and craziness of our world bombards us every hour of the day. It creates fear and doubt and furthermore, leaves me feeling completely powerless in my desire to make a positive change in the world. I know I should lean on your understanding, rather than my own, but how do I do this if I do not see you in these times? I hear you talking to me, I feel you tugging at my heart, but I do not SEE you helping us change what is going on in our businesses, government, medicine and global instability. I know people claim they believe in you, but behave the opposite way from what they hear in church, I hear people use your name but doing terrible things in your name.
I know what you want me to do in my life. I feel it and I am trying to gain the courage to take that first step to trust you and do it. However, I need some help please and it is not a help just for me. Please help our world. Help it run away the greed that has taken over people who have taken an entire country (countries) hostage. Help us be kind to each other, help us understand the cure for cancer is more beneficial to our human race than the billions of dollars made with "cancer medication" (which have probably killed more people than helped them). Help us see ourselves and others as you see us. Help us plant more trees and actually feed the hungry and provide basic needs to those less fortunate without the people in charge taking advantage of those who are willing to give.
I will continue to listen to you and will ask you to please help me find my courage to do your work here.
Amen
As I sit here, I feel afraid. I feel afraid for what the future holds for this planet. I have lost my faith in humanity, government, medicine and business. I understand our advanced technology allows for us to be more connected to what is going on in the world, but in many ways, I wish it was not so advanced. The suffering, cruelty, greed, betrayal, shallowness, stupidity and craziness of our world bombards us every hour of the day. It creates fear and doubt and furthermore, leaves me feeling completely powerless in my desire to make a positive change in the world. I know I should lean on your understanding, rather than my own, but how do I do this if I do not see you in these times? I hear you talking to me, I feel you tugging at my heart, but I do not SEE you helping us change what is going on in our businesses, government, medicine and global instability. I know people claim they believe in you, but behave the opposite way from what they hear in church, I hear people use your name but doing terrible things in your name.
I know what you want me to do in my life. I feel it and I am trying to gain the courage to take that first step to trust you and do it. However, I need some help please and it is not a help just for me. Please help our world. Help it run away the greed that has taken over people who have taken an entire country (countries) hostage. Help us be kind to each other, help us understand the cure for cancer is more beneficial to our human race than the billions of dollars made with "cancer medication" (which have probably killed more people than helped them). Help us see ourselves and others as you see us. Help us plant more trees and actually feed the hungry and provide basic needs to those less fortunate without the people in charge taking advantage of those who are willing to give.
I will continue to listen to you and will ask you to please help me find my courage to do your work here.
Amen
Monday, September 12, 2011
Purpose
My grandfather is dying. He is weak and pale. He has already discussed memorial service plans with his pastor and is beginning his "transition". None of us know how many days or weeks this will take, but we will remain attentive and listen to his last requests. My sadness does not come from knowing he will die, but from watching his body suffer and also knowing in our medically advanced world, we still have not found a cure for cancer and that we may never "find" one due to the incredible amount of money pharmaceutical companies make from cancer care. That is for another blog post.
The purpose for this post is to bring to light our purpose, or rather, to understand why we have humanity. If you think about it, we are born to die. Or is it, we are born to live then die? Whichever it is, we are born and then we die. We have no clue when, but we all do. In between though, we are alive to live whatever life we believe we should live. It sounds very simple to me, but I am struggling to understand why. Why even exist if we will not after a certain amount of time? Why struggle, suffer, ride that emotional roller coaster if at the end, it is all over? Sometimes it feels like a cruel game. Where there are a couple of players who just throw humanity for a loop and see how they interact and react to whatever happens.
What is the purpose?? Can it be to just worship a God? Can it be to just BE? Today, I have no idea why. I don't know why we are born, live, have our own kids (or not) and then die. And does it really matter if we know? I would say no it does not, since we all know the final outcome. So I guess, for now, our purpose when we are born is to live; However one would like to.
The purpose for this post is to bring to light our purpose, or rather, to understand why we have humanity. If you think about it, we are born to die. Or is it, we are born to live then die? Whichever it is, we are born and then we die. We have no clue when, but we all do. In between though, we are alive to live whatever life we believe we should live. It sounds very simple to me, but I am struggling to understand why. Why even exist if we will not after a certain amount of time? Why struggle, suffer, ride that emotional roller coaster if at the end, it is all over? Sometimes it feels like a cruel game. Where there are a couple of players who just throw humanity for a loop and see how they interact and react to whatever happens.
What is the purpose?? Can it be to just worship a God? Can it be to just BE? Today, I have no idea why. I don't know why we are born, live, have our own kids (or not) and then die. And does it really matter if we know? I would say no it does not, since we all know the final outcome. So I guess, for now, our purpose when we are born is to live; However one would like to.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Im not crazy, Im just misunderstood....
I have been called many things in my life and my favorite by far is CRAZY. Usually I am called this when I am not doing what someone else wants me to do. For me, I would rather be crazy than be like everyone else. What is Normal anyways? From my observation (and in my very humble opinion), normal is not talking about your feelings; Normal is doing the same thing over and over and over; Normal is running through the rain to get away from it, Normal is watching reality tv to get away from whatever your own reality is; Normal is looking for quotes to relate to; Normal is feeling inadequate because the person next to you has more money, beauty or personality; Normal is smiling in someones face and talking about them behind their back; Normal is worshiping each other; Normal is telling lies to cover up actions and self; Normal is loving but with half of your heart worried about being hurt; Normal is making promises and not following through.....So for the next person that calls me crazy...YES, I AM ONE CRAZY WOMAN!!! I am crazy because I will cry, laugh and scream to get my feelings across; I am crazy because I will challenge myself by doing something different; I am crazy because when it rains, I would rather dance and jump in puddles than run to get out of it; I am crazy because I would rather figure out my own problems than watch how people do it on TV; I am crazy because I love me, the ugly me, the poor me and the stupid me; I am crazy because I do not keep people in my life that I do not feel are genuine and If I smile in your face, I genuinely like and appreciate you; I am crazy because I do not worship the things or people of this world, I worship GOD; I am crazy because I am honest with people about myself and my intentions; I am crazy because I love completely and throw my entire self into the people that I love; I am crazy because I do not make promises I cannot keep and I am crazy because I am not afraid to let YOU, who is reading this, know that I am crazy! Now, who else is crazy out there??
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Exhausting Awareness
I know many can relate when I express that being aware of the world can become extremely exhausting. As soon as we turn on the news, we see the cruelty, suffering and insanity that pollutes our society. Even in our personal lives, we hear stories about friends going through difficult times or we watch our loved ones lose battles against terrible diseases. Although we try to watch the sunrise and hope for better days, something awakens us to the reality of the day again.
I have yet to find a way to deal with the awareness of what kind of world we live in. I envy those living under that naive umbrella think it is all alright, or the ones that accept that nature is cruel and it is in our spirit that we find the morality of our lives. The awareness of it all is exhausting. I can see why people want to become numb to it all or try to seek out some kind of understanding through religion,meditation or therapy . For me, it is only faith and certainty. Faith that God hears my prayers for a better world and certainty that all of this is temporary.
I have yet to find a way to deal with the awareness of what kind of world we live in. I envy those living under that naive umbrella think it is all alright, or the ones that accept that nature is cruel and it is in our spirit that we find the morality of our lives. The awareness of it all is exhausting. I can see why people want to become numb to it all or try to seek out some kind of understanding through religion,meditation or therapy . For me, it is only faith and certainty. Faith that God hears my prayers for a better world and certainty that all of this is temporary.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Jesus
I don't like to discuss religion much, but this I have to get out of my head.
I am taking a journey to understand the concept of Jesus, the only son of God, who died for our sins. My current stand on Jesus is that he definitely existed, he was a spiritually enlightened man who we should strive to be like. He was a forgiving man who died for what he believed in. He had a strong relationship with God and he came to this Earth to show us all how to have THAT relationship with God. That has always been my opinion of Jesus. I know Christians would say I am completely wrong, but I cannot wrap my head around Jesus being the only son of God who died for our sins.
Although I have attended church, read parts of the bible and continue to listen to NPCC online, I still am not understanding the concept. More recently, I have prayed to God to please help me understand. I am hoping God's nudge to write in my blog will help.
So here are my questions about Jesus:
1. From my understanding WE are all children of God. So why do they call Jesus the only son of God?
2. Jesus died for our sins....we still sin, we even have the 10 Commandments to remind us not to. So how did he die for our sins?
3. Why are Jesus and God one in the same for Christians? God is the highest being, Jesus was a carpenter. Should we not only worship ONE God?
Ok God, now help me understand.
I am taking a journey to understand the concept of Jesus, the only son of God, who died for our sins. My current stand on Jesus is that he definitely existed, he was a spiritually enlightened man who we should strive to be like. He was a forgiving man who died for what he believed in. He had a strong relationship with God and he came to this Earth to show us all how to have THAT relationship with God. That has always been my opinion of Jesus. I know Christians would say I am completely wrong, but I cannot wrap my head around Jesus being the only son of God who died for our sins.
Although I have attended church, read parts of the bible and continue to listen to NPCC online, I still am not understanding the concept. More recently, I have prayed to God to please help me understand. I am hoping God's nudge to write in my blog will help.
So here are my questions about Jesus:
1. From my understanding WE are all children of God. So why do they call Jesus the only son of God?
2. Jesus died for our sins....we still sin, we even have the 10 Commandments to remind us not to. So how did he die for our sins?
3. Why are Jesus and God one in the same for Christians? God is the highest being, Jesus was a carpenter. Should we not only worship ONE God?
Ok God, now help me understand.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
What goes up must come down....
...and when you are down, there is no where else to go but up...CLIMB!
Nothing lasts forever, the only constant is change. Preparing for change is never possible, we can imagine what life would be like but we never truly know until we are in the experience. Once in the experience, we may look around and wonder how we have arrived at the present moment, we look into the memory bank and may be able to trace back the one decision which made us end up in the present experience. We play with the idea of making a different decision and visualize a different experience...only to remember we will never know about that experience because the present one is what is true.
Overwhelmingly noted, every trip down and every climb up is one step at a time. Although, the trip down feels like a literal fall and the way back up feels like a climb on Mt. Everest. Whichever way we are going, it is an experience with lessons to be learned and to be applied on the fall back down or on the climb back up.
Nothing lasts forever, the only constant is change. Preparing for change is never possible, we can imagine what life would be like but we never truly know until we are in the experience. Once in the experience, we may look around and wonder how we have arrived at the present moment, we look into the memory bank and may be able to trace back the one decision which made us end up in the present experience. We play with the idea of making a different decision and visualize a different experience...only to remember we will never know about that experience because the present one is what is true.
Overwhelmingly noted, every trip down and every climb up is one step at a time. Although, the trip down feels like a literal fall and the way back up feels like a climb on Mt. Everest. Whichever way we are going, it is an experience with lessons to be learned and to be applied on the fall back down or on the climb back up.
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