HAPPY NEW YEAR---JANUS 2016


      According to Roman mythology, JANUS, the name of one of the multitudinous Roman deities, is  from where the word for January derives.  The god Janus is depicted with a double head; one looking back, and one looking forward. It is a good depiction because the month of January, being the beginning of the new year, is the time when those in business take inventory, to track the business progress for the year just completed, and take stock and make plans for the coming year.  This is also a good time for individuals to take stake and examine themselves and see how they measured up during the previous year and and to plan for amendments and resolutions to make their lives better in the coming year.

GOD's Word, the Bible, has something to say about this examination process when we look back at the failures and the successes that we might have had in the year just completed.

      "...but this one thing I do:  forgetting those things which I are behind; and reaching forth unto those things which are before; I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"  Philipians 3:13b


As we look back over the previous year we might see failures and places where we did not measure up to our expectations. We should not be discouraged or distressed in any way.  We need to use these failures as springboards and motivation to spur us on to improve and do better in the coming year.  We might, on the other hand find Successes and great victories that we achieved during 2015.  We can't
allow ourselves to get too puffed up and big headed about any successes we might have had.  Improvements can always be made.  No matter how great the successes, we must always strive to do better. 

According to the above scripture, whether successes or failures, we must forget those things. They are in the Past.  We must press to set our goals higher and strive to meet them.  And for the Christian, our highest goal is the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!!


                           HAPPY NEW YEAR

SIMPLICITY IS BEST OR...KEEP IT SIMPLE-STUPID

    During my last post, I said that I would share some ways that  we could best take advantage of the New Year which God has given us.
    Many times at the beginning of a new year, we want to make resolutions.  We are tempted to look at the big things in our lives that need changing, and we attempt to work on these big items.  Because we have a tendency, at times to bite off more than we can chew, and certainly many times more than we swallow we fail, and go down in flames.  We are discouraged, and frightened away from ever again trying to change our lives for the better.
   Instead of focusing on the big issues, maybe it would be better to work on the little things in our everyday lives that we can do something about.  The magic is that when we begin to beautify the little, or simple areas of our lives that our Heavenly Father will see to it that the big areas are changing too!

EVERY DAY:

• Wake up being thankful that God has given you another day of life
• Every day say some nice and loving to a child
• Determine that you will reach out to others and encourage them
• Work harder today than you did yesterday

• Play harder today than you did yesterday

Simplicity is really the best way!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

        This is my first post of 2015.  God has given us a brand new page to write on.  It doesn't matter whether or not 2014 was a good year for us.  That is past history, and like my mother used to say to me in growing up..."Don't cry over spilt milk"  What is important is the year that is ahead of us, that we make the best of it.  Over the new few days, I will be sharing with you thoughts on the mindset and focus that we need to have in order to take full advantage of the clean slate that God has given us in the year 2015. 

We can make this the best year of our lives!

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!

    This upcoming April 02, it will be 2 years since I broke the bone in the heal of my left foot.  This is a bone that the doctors call the 'Calcaneous'.    I was walking to my job in Downtown Detroit that particular morning.  I was about half way there, when I saw straight ahead of me, one of those annoying Waste Management trucks; the kind that have the garbage dumpster attached.  They pick up the full dumpster, and leave the empty dumpster.  I knew where the truck was headed.  It was going to leave it's dumpster right by the path by which I would be walking.  I could have been patient, and waited for the truck to finish its job.  Or I could have crossed the street and keep walking.  What did I do?  In my haste to get to work, and it comes to me now, a bit of insanity, I decided to step off a curb, after the truck picked up the old dumpster, and has backed up.  What I didn't consider was this curb was part of a loading dock depression.  The step off at that point was nearly 10 inches.  I waited until the truck backed up, and stepped off the curb.  I lost my balance, and fell flat on my face.  As I struggled to get back to my feet, I realized that I could not put any weight at all on my left heel.  I ended up that morning calling an Emergency Medical vehicle and going to the Emergency room of a major Trauma hospital, Detroit Receiving, to get an x-ray of my heel.  That is when I discovered that my heel bone was broken.  I went through a series of casts.  For the first time in my life, I used crutches.  I used a walker.  
    I am now walking without any assistance.  But my ankle is sensitive.  And from time to time I find my self limping.  What happened is when I came down on my foot that morning, the force collapsed my arch nearly 50%.  When I stand that leg is shorter because of the collapsed arch.  That, in turn causes added stress on my left heel when I walk.  The ankle is still quite sensitive at times.  People that I talk to confirm to my that these injuries sometimes take years to heal.  Now, I quite understand what the great English playwright, William Shakespeare said in 'Othello', Act 2, Scene 3:

      "How poor are they that have not Patience.  What wound did ever heal but by degrees?"

    So work to develop patience during your life time.  It will pay big dividends. 

IT'S ALREADY MID-JANUARY!

    Here in Michigan, we are entering what is known as the mid-winter period.  It lasts until approximately February 15th.  This period has the potential for being the coldest part of the winter.  Although it is hard for me to see it getting any colder then it already has this winter.  Last week, as you probably are aware, most of the nation was gripped by a phonomenom that they called the 'polar vortex'.    Here in the Detroit Area which is in the Southeastern part of Michigan, we had actual temperature readings of -15 degrees fahrenheit, with wind chill readings of 30 degrees below zero.  And to top it oo we had a foot of snow to go with extremely bitter temperatures.  We've already had quite a bit of winter.

    The Month of January is named for the Roman deity 'Janus'.  He is pictured as the head of a man with two faces: one face looking ahead to the new year, and the other face looking behind at the old year just completed.  At the beginning of each year we need to meditate on the joys, and disappointments; victories, and failures of the past year.  We also need to look forward at the new year ahead with optimism, and positive enthusiasm knowing that this brand new year promises to be the best year of our lives.


REMEMBER-"Meditation is the price of REALITY" REVEREND MARY-LOU BROWN

KNOW THYSELF!

                            HAPPY NEW YEAR-2014

    In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius said, in:  Act 1; Scene 3,  "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man".  It is important as we go into this new year that we realize again how vital it is that we know ourselves.  It is sad to realize that most people live in fantasy about themselves, maybe their entire lives and never discover who they really are.  That is the reason, I'm sure, why we are told that up to 50% of marriages end in divorce.  How can a person learn to live with, and become one with another human being,  if they have never learned to live with, and to know themselves.

    Know your Strengths;  also know your Weaknesses, because failures are the materials that Victories and Successes are made of.  It is good to confess one faults and failures.  The Bible says in the book of James:  "Confess your faults one to another that ye may be healed."  When we hear, with our own ears, ours confessing a fault or a failure to another, it helps us to face it ourselves, and it galvanizes us so that we can change that failure to a glorious success.

   Speaking of Confessing failures.  I failed miserably on at least two accounts last year.  I write about them in this blog post because last year, I pledged myself in two areas of my life that I absolutely dropped the ball on.  I wrote about them in several blogposts at the beginning of 2013.

      I promised to write a post every day in 2013, excluding Sundays.  What the reality was, I didn't write a post after the first week of June.  I think the problem was I pledged myself into a box.  What I will promise for this year, is I will be more consistent in my posting in 2014.

   Another area that I posted in this blog in January 2013, and failed to accomplish was the matter of recording the checks I write, and my other financial transactions, as well as balancing my checkbook each month.  I need, desperately, to start doing this as that now I am retired, and living on a pension income, I need to be able to track my finances, and know where I stand at any point in time during the month.  Without a doubt, this is one area that I will be working on in 2014.  

     I will report my progress in these matters in a blog post.

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamsha106104.html#8bIUMVmWS0ymwqHO.99

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamsha106104.html#8bIUMVmWS0ymwqHO.99

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamsha106104.html#8bIUMVmWS0ymwqHO.99

To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamsha106104.html#8bIUMVmWS0ymwqHO.99

THE MOST DANGEROUS THING ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

     It seems to be appropriate to talk about this today seeing that the United States Supreme Court had a ruling today on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and the California (Prop 8) issue.  Yesterday the Michigan Legislature started working on a bill that would attempt to overturn the amendment to the Michigan Constitution that prohibits same sex marriage.

     What is the most dangerous thing regarding same-sex marriage?   It isn't the fact that same sex 'partner's can't procreate. And that violates God's first command to be fruitful and multiply.  And it isn't the fact that a nuclear family with a father and a mother is the foundational building block of human society.  And it is, but it is not the most dangerous thing

FOCUSING ON THE TASK AT HAND

     A good example of focusing at the task at hand is taken from the life of Henry (Hank) Aaron who broke Babe Ruth's home-run record.
      During the 1957 World Series, Yankee catcher Yogi Berra noticed that Aaron grasped the bat the wrong way.  "Turn it, he said,  so you can see the trademark."  But Hank kept his mind on the pitcher's mound.  "Didn't come up here to read.  Came up here to hit."  

      This Anecdote from the life of Hank Aaron is taken from the "Little Brown Book of Anecdotes"  page 3.  General Editor Clifton Radiman.

IT'S A BRAND NEW DAY!

   It's a brand new day today. Each day is a gift from God himself.  The first thing each morning is that we should fall on  our knees, and that Almighty God that he allowed us to wake up to another day of life.  

     If we are not saved, that means another day of mercy;  for while there is 'life', there is still 'hope'.  We can only get saved and right with God, while we have life and breath and rationality.    

    If we are saved, we should rejoice, because we have another day to know, and walk with him as the children of God.  He gives us 'heaven' on earth; and then we have the prospect of finally making it to heaven when we die.

    So, let us use each day wisely, for remember Each Day Is A Gift!

   

HOORAY ITS MONDAY!

   Today, it is Monday June 10, 2013.  Right now, Sunday's and Monday's are my favorite days of the week.  I get to sleep in, relax and lay low on Mondays.  Today I got the oil changed in my car, and did some needed grocery shopping. the rest of the day I relaxed.  
     This week marks the mid point of the month.  There are 10, 11 more days until the Summer Soltice which marks the first day of the Summer season

GIVE PEOPLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, BUT DON'T COMMIT YOURSELF TO THEM

     It is said in the Bible, in fact, it is the last verse of John Chapter 2, that the Lord Jesus Christ, did not commit himself to any man because He knew what was in man.   

     We tend to be to naive and trusting with people that we don't  really, truly know. Sometimes we can get hurt badly because of it.  We don't really know who anybody really is.  Sometimes we don't really know ourselves, unless Almighty God, reveals ourselves to us.  So the message is, we need to put absolute trust in God, and to those people that God puts in our pathways like Godly Pastors, Parents Close Friends, Spouses we trust conditionally.  Other people we need to give the benefit of the doubt.   

    Nearly a year ago, I befriended a young man whose father I knew and loved.  I am trying to help him and his family in several ways.  Because I don't really know who he is really, or where he is coming from, I can only really rely on what he is telling me.  I want to believe that he is truthful, but every once in a while, the criticism comes to me that I am being too naive, and my young friend isn't being genuine. 

   What I will do is to give my friend the benefit of the doubt, and continue to try and help him and his family; but I will keep my eyes open, and keep my mind open to what God shows me about the relationship.  I will be prayerful and watchful, and I will not be foolish and over commit.

USE TODAY WISELY, IT IS A GIFT

   In the Holy Bible, in the Book of Revelation, which is the last book of the Bible, we are told that one day, an angel of God will set one foot on land, the other foot on the sea and declare with a loud, solemn voice, that there shall be time no longer. The Bible also says in Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
    We have no promise of tomorrow.  Yesterday is past, a closed book; never to be opened again.  So the only time we have is today;  the only thing we are promised, so:

• If you've got something to do, do it today;
• If you've got something to say, say it today;
• If you've got somewhere to go, go there today;
• If you've got something to be, or achieve; make sure you attempt it today
• If you've got kindness to show, good words to say; show it, and say it today
• If you've got forgiveness to ask, or forgiveness to give; ask it or give it today

 Today is all we got.  Yesterday is past.  Tomorrow will never come.

I STILL FEEL LIKE A YOUNG CHILD GROWING UP!

    In February, this year, I turned 60 years old.  That was 4 months ago.  Today, June 06, as I was going through my morning, all-of-a-sudden, the thoughts were coming to me:  I can't believe it, I am 60 years old!  I still feel like I am growing up.  I am youthful in my mind, and young in my spirit.  
    Last year, I did retire from my job after working for the Federal Government for 32 years.  It's been nearly 30 years since I served on active duty with the US Army.  And this month it will be 42 years since I graduated from High School.  I have gone to the same church for 42 years.  
     I've always said that everyone has a book inside of them waiting to be written.  Well, I've got a life worth of events, stories, and memories, indeed a book waiting to be written.  It only seems like just yesterday.
    This is the perfect post to follow the one I did yesterday: "Time flies when you're having fun"  For I've enjoyed my life so far.  
    As far as being just "a young child growing up", that's what I am!  You see, as a Christian, I am in God's family as a child.  He wants me to have simple child-like faith and trust; not thinking that I know anything and that I can guide the course of my own life, but looking to him as a trusting child.
    I believe that God still has further plans for my life, and the best days are still ahead.  
    I guess I am still just a child.....

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN

    I just heard the clock on my laptop computer say, "It's 11:00PM".  It's my bedtime.  I had no Idea that it was that late.  I got home from Church tonight after 0800P.  I cooked a hamburger, and was working at registering my new Kindle Fire which was shipped to me today.  I watched part of a video movie I purchased recently on US Submarines during WW II.  I sent a couple of emails that I needed to send out.  And I started writing this blog post.  I just heard the computer say, "It's 11:00"  I will finish this now, and get ready for bed.

Until Tomorrow.

THAT PERSON IS A TOUGH CUSTOMER

      Yesterday, on Monday, I had some business to do downtown.  I walked downtown.  Among other things, I got a haircut.  I stopped and had lunch at the American Coney Island.   I happened to see one of the employees who was bussing the tables.  I said, "This must be a great place to work."  He answered, "Sometimes it is not so great."  By the way he said it, I could tell that some days he caught it from his boss, or maybe he came upon some customers who were hard to handle.
    Today, I had a situation like that where one of the people that I was called upon to serve was an extremely tough customer.  If ever I met a woman who had a man's spirit, it was this person.  We all might these particular type of people with whom we can't get along with or jiust barely.  It seems super hard to work with them or just to tolerate them.
   Understate that life is not a bed of roses.  Some days are like that and you will meet with disagreeable people.  But as you push ahead what what you know to do\ and not let yourself become upset;  there are the things give  strength, and make us strrong..

WHATSOEVER THY HAND FINDETH TO DO....

   In the book of Ecclesiastes, in the bible, the admonition is given-Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it will all thy might.  Whatever we put our hand to, we need to perform to the best of our ability and put forth our best creative effort.  Most times  that means going at a pace that seems pitifully slow for us-but really, we mustn't rush through life.  We need to take time and smell the roses
   I will share an anecdote from the life of Igor Stravinsky.  He was a Russian composer who gave the world the Firebird Suite, Petruska, and The Rite of Spring-Le Sacre du Printemps:
    "Stravinsky's publisher, impatient to publish his latest composition, urged him to hurry it's completion.  "Hurry," exclaimed the enraged composer.  "I never hurry.  I have no time to hurry.""
   That says it all right there.  If we are doing anything worthwhile, we must take time to get the job done right, the first time.  Anything less then our best is not worth the time.


Thea anecdote from the life of Igor Stravinsky was taken from the "Little Brpwn Book of Anecdotes, p. 528;  Clifton Fadiman General Editor   
 

HOORAY! TODAY IS FRIDAY!

    Today, it was a nice warm day in Detroit, upper eighties with summertime humidity levels and summer won't officially get here for 3 weeks.  I got fatigued, being in a enclosed room where there isn't any air conditioning.  Earlier, I did a kindness for a friend.  And I had several other issues in the back of my mind. All these things worked together to kind of tire me out.  After I finished my volunteer shift, and I took care of an issue, I got ready for bed and laid on the bed the rest of the day.  It felt gooood!  I am so glad that the weekend is here. 

See You Tommorow!

WE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT AND GET BACK TO THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF OUR NATION

    We are losing our nation because we have drifted away from the first (foundational) principles upon which are nation was founded.  These are enumerated in the Declaration of Independence and in our Constitution.  

The First Principles are as follows:  

• The Rule of Law;
• The recognition and protection of the unalienable rights of individuals;
• The equality of individuals;
• The Social Compact (i.e. That governments are instituted by the people, and derive their just powers from the consent of the governed); and
• The protects of the unalienable rights as the legitimate purpose and limit of government (i.e., the government must have the authority and strength to protect the unalienable rights of the people, but only have such power as is necessary to fulfill that purpose.

      Our challenge is no longer a foreign nation or even terrorists armed with weapons of massed destruction, but preserving our liberty despite ourselves.  The most powerful weapons against America are not guns and missiles, but ignorance, complacency and disdain of our history and of the first principles. America is dangerously close to allowing the Flame of Liberty to die out.  We are patriotic, but have almost forgotten why. We are becoming puppet patriots-hollow and empty in meaning.

     Let there be no mistake.  We may be fighting a hot war against militant Islamic terrorists today, but there is also a cold war raging, right here, and right now for the hearts and minds of our citizens---and we are losing.  The terrorists have reminded us that some things are worth dying for.  The rule of law, equality, empowering the people, unalienable rights, and limited government are such things.  Our freedom was won with the blood and treasure of hundreds of thousands of our forebears.  We must not allow their sacrifices to have  been in vain.  The crisis is here!  We must dedicate ourselves to fanning the flame of liberty, or risk it dying out.  The terrorists and all enemies of freedom will win if we simply forget, or reject what we are, and the principles for which we stand

The following was taken from Chapter 1 of America's Survival Guide by Michael Warren; pp. 4, 14

AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION!

     In March 1981, a would-be assassin fired several shots at then President Ronald Reagan, and his party as they left a Washington hotel.  Reagan was taken to the hospital with a serious chest wound that needed emergency surgery.  As he was wheeled into the operating theater, he smiled, looked around at the team of surgeons, and said, "Please assure me that you are all Republicans!"

This anecdote from the life of President Ronald Reagan was taken from "The Little  Brown Book of Anecdotes"  Page 465  General Editor, Clifton Fadiman

I HATE POLITICS!

The following anecdote is taken from the life of President Dwight David Eisenhower who was also a famous US General during World War II where he was the Supreme Allied Commander in charge of the D-Day, Normandy invasion of France on June 06, 1944.

    "After the successful landings in France, Eisenhower was inspecting a British section of the Allied lines when German planes came over and strafed them.  The party dived for cover.  As soon as it was safe to emerge, a senior British officer hurried across to see if Eisenhower was all right.  Finding him unharmed, he expressed his relief in fervent terms.  Ike thanked him for his solicitude.  "Oh," said the officer, "my concern was just that nothing should happen to you in my sector." "  1

     This senior British officer was only concerned that nothing should happen to General Eisenhower on his watch, in his sector.

      On September 11, 2012, on the 11th year anniversary of the 911 attacks, our Consulate in Benghazi Libya was attacked maliciously and premeditatively by terrorists.  Our Ambassador, and three other brave Americans were brutally murdered.  The present administration tried to say that some sort of anti-muslim, anti-Mohammed video was to blame and that the attack was spontaneous.  The administration deliberately obfuscated, stonewalled, and held back the truth from the American People, because they were in the middle of a re-election bid and a second term for President Barak Hussein Obama.  They thought that the truth would look bad and diminish the Presidents chances...FOR SHAME, FOR SHAME!.  I HATE POLITICS! 


1 The anecdote from President Eisenhowers life was take from "The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes"  page 188. General Editor Clifton Fadiman