For years, I’ve been passing on the three most important words in mediation to my students. I say “passing on” because I was taught these three words by my professors, Randy Lowry and Peter Robinson. In those special moments when I share this valuable advice, I’m met with one of three reactions. The most prevalent [...]
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
I have to admit, I turned on CNN as soon as I received the newsflash on my phone. The jury in the Casey Anthony trial was coming in with a verdict! Moments later, millions of us watched as Ms. Anthony was found not guilty of all of the felony charges against her. The four misdemeanors [...]
Monday, May 30, 2011
This series of posts was inspired by the strong debate over the phrase “social justice.” Political conservatives view social justice as a redistribution of wealth intent on destroying personal initiative. Liberals counter that social justice is a necessary exercise because those who “have” show no inclination to help those who have not. That context left [...]
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Situational irony. I’ve been asked to present a brief devotional thought based on a chapter from a book that presents problems for me. The book is on social justice and the particular chapter I’ve been assigned is entitled “Why Should We Do Justice?” If you don’t find that ironic, let me remind you what I’ve [...]
Monday, May 9, 2011
In my previous articles on the problem with social justice, I suggested that: The problem with social justice is that it is based on justice. Since most of us have become very comfortable with the idea of justice being a very good thing, I went on to say that: The concept of justice as understood [...]
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Over the past few weeks, I have noticed a great deal of the news is devoted to the presentation or the pursuit of information that would prove one thing or another. We’ve tracked down birth certificates and we’ve clamored to see pictures of a dead terrorist. And we’ve then spent countless hours discussing whether it [...]
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Is there really a problem with “social justice?” In part 1 of this series, I suggested that: The problem with social justice is that it is based on justice. Obviously, the important question to pursue is “What is justice?” By definition, “justice” is: a: the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b(1): the principle [...]
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Yes, there is a problem with “social justice.” If your first reaction to my statement is one of strong agreement or equally strong disagreement, I really hope that you’ll read this series of short posts. You may find yourself agreeing for a totally new reason. Dictionary.com defines “social justice” as “the distribution of advantages and [...]
Sunday, April 17, 2011
I was four hours early for my flight out of Denver. I was hoping that there would be an extra seat on the three flights that would leave prior to my 11:20 a.m. boarding time. The ticket agent laughed when I floated the idea to him. The first of those three had already been canceled [...]
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
As I write, I’m thinking about a wonderful, four-legged friend who has become a rich part of our lives over the past couple of years. Zoe, aka Foster Dog, was a temporary placement at our house. She was much too big for our small yard and we had another dog and . . . the [...]
Hope seen . . . slowly softens the crust of worry. Hope celebrated . . . melts worry away. Melted worry is the compost that feeds faith and destiny.
An abundant life is not one free from worry, but one filled with hope.
Have you ever been in a really big hurry?
Have you ever been in a really big hurry . . . and everything seems to go wrong?
You drop your keys just as you get to the door. You leave your phone on the nightstand. You hit “reply to all” on the email that should have gone to one discreet individual. You can’t seem to hit the trash can with that one wad of paper. You find yourself face-to-face with the one person you don’t “really have time to deal with.”
Frustration builds inside. Anger, dismay, and depression grow like grass in a flower bed. What can you do? What is the most effective action step for the moment.
Slow down.
That’s it. Slow down. Take a breath. Whisper a prayer. Hum a song.
Slowing down allows tension to melt away. Slowing down allows your emotions to moderate. Slowing down allows you to gain control . . . by easing your grip.
So, slow down . . .
“Constantly Pleasant.”
That’s how she was described. Not a person attending the memorial service would have disagreed.
As I sat and listened to the accomplishments of this remarkable person, I was somewhat awestruck by the thought that I had been blessed to know an individual who touched so many and did so much . . . while being constantly pleasant.
What if I could become constantly pleasant? What would that change? How would I change?
Thanks, Colleen. For being constantly pleasant. It’s just one of many ways that God shone through you.
If you’ll just let go, your hands will be free to . . .
If you’ll let go . . . empty your hands of things and your heart of worries . . . you’ll be delighted with what you find in those sacred hollows.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
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