Endangered Species

More than 2,200 years ago, Protagoras, an Ancient Greek philosopher, was credited as saying—

Man is the measure of all things.”

Plato interpreted this to mean that there is no absolute truth. Rather, only that which an individual believes to be true IS true.(Wikipedia)

WOW, there really is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) The individualistic thinking of our day isn’t that much different. People believe whatever they want, true or not. The common sentiment is that we can create our own truth. No external reference points necessary.

Well, except for things like surgery on MY body, gravity, airplane construction, definitely automobiles, especially the brakes, and rocket trajectory, for those of us chosen for the first Mars mission. In these areas, and many, many more, we want the Absolute Truth followed to its most precise definition.

It is curious that the idea of man being the measure of all things cannot stop the rain just after you’ve washed the car; or prevent traffic jams & heart attacks. Maybe we’re measuring something else? The goal, of course, is to control everything around us, even though we know that is impossible.

Nonetheless, we still try.

Why?

A goal of absolute control is at the base of man is the measure of all things. We have longed for safety from the inception of our species. We crave safe borders and a safe platform upon which to base our lives. For many people on this planet, that amounts to the accumulation of things, building a barricade between us and the world outside. Thus has personal wealth risen to such preeminence. Money provides not only safety but barriers as well.

In protecting ourselves and building walls to keep out the undesirables, we have intentionally undermined our own existence. We were created to dwell among others, working and living together to make this world, our village, a safer, more enjoyable place to be. But in constructing barriers, nations, tribes, etc., we have formed communities that exclude others. Is this a good thing? Look at world history. You tell me.

In so many ways we have assured our own extinction in our lust for control and security. This was not the way it was meant to be. Our Creator’s desire was that we be like Him, in community, intrinsically woven together in one another’s lives. Instead, what we have done on this planet is to divide & conquer. We hoard natural resources for our own survival and not for the inclusion of others.

In so doing we have added to the extinction of our species—humanity, male & female, created by God, and sought the destruction of those not like us.Brilliant!

For what it’s worth,

Gary

You are Not Welcome in This Church

In a world where most normal people find very few reasons to go to church some of the biggest roadblocks come from the other side— from within the church. Gone are the days of churches trying to be “seeker-sensitive.” People are not seeking anymore; at least not in the direction of the church. The Christian religion is no longer seen as a place to find the answers to life’s deeper question.

Of course, fewer people are even asking those deeper questions any longer. There are just too many other things that demand our complete attention all the time. ALL the TIME! If it’s a choice between sleeping in on a Sunday morning and going to church, guess what wins? If it’s a choice between finding baby sitters for the kids so you can have your car repaired and a quiet coffee with a friend or going to church, guess what wins?

So if you ever get to church and the door locked, the posted information inadequate, or the preacher to be the judge-from-hell, you are most probably NOT going to return. Lousy coffee is also a great deterrent to keep people away. In my opinion, every church should have Starbucks™ level coffee, even if you have to charge for it. Few things in a church better communicate we-don’t-think-much-of-ourselves-or-of-you than bad coffee. End of rant.

Except maybe, the “Them & Us” syndrome. If you’ve ever visited a church and felt totally alone, you are not alone. I’ve been in churches where not one person has said hello to me! And I was the guest-speaker. Things that make you go Hummmmm?

Allow me to suggest that you read further in this article by Joe McKeever. And for Christ’s sake, literally, let’s do something about this stuff.

It seems that some churches have the social savvy of a door knob— which is also locked.

Getting lost

Most of us, at some time or another, will get lost. It may be as simple as getting lost on back roads or forgetting where your glasses are; or, more seriously, getting lost in life; that is, losing your sense of direction, purpose, and/or identity. In short, you no longer know where you are, who you are, or where you are heading.

A dead stop.

In the midst of that empty confusion certain questions start to arise—

How did I get here? What could I have done differently? How do I start to dig out of this mess? More importantly— How do I find myself again? Who am I now? What do I do next?

Anxiety starts to immobilize your spirit; you cannot take any action for fear of further failure. But you have to do something. Anything! Here are some of the things I’ve done when I’ve gotten lost.

1. I start taking small steps. What are the little things you can definitely accomplish that will bring some semblance of stability or order to your life? Do that. Then do another one.

2. Keep in mind that when you are lost everything is a risk. Things you used to do as a simple matter have now morphed into insurmountable monsters. Nonetheless, you must face those monsters to overcome them. I had to. And I corralled a cadre of friends to stand by me as I faced them.

3. Don’t ask God to do for you what you must do yourself. He is definitely in charge. But we are not mindless robots. He expects us to act responsibly with the time He has given us.

4. God can’t direct a parked car. Start moving. If it’s in the wrong direction, He’ll redirect you.

5. Establish NEW points of reference for your journey. The former points of reference are gone; you’ve already passed them. If you want to find your way again, you’ll need to discover a whole new set of reference points to guide you. I find I need to cut back on my activities to give my mind, and heart, time to process the mental & emotional shift. What will most likely be the next sign along your path that you are getting back on track?

With all the variables we have to juggle these days it’s easy to get lost along the way. You have to work hard to get back on track. So get to it. Drive! You will not stay lost for long. [Proverbs 16:3.]

Honor God, honor people…, make a path,

Gary

Formidable Force

“Love is a Force more Formidable than any other. It is invisible— it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.”

~ Barbara De Angelis

Formidable Force.

What do you think of when your mind searches within for a symbol of Formidable Force? My first thoughts were of a Roman Phalanx, the Mongols, the USS Nimitz, and even the U.S. Congress— all formidable forces to be reckoned with. Each held/holds power in their own way— mostly military. But there are other more formidable forces in our scope of existence to which we must always give heed. Gravity comes to mind, first. Here are some others—

1. Nature— There’s nothing like a change in the weather change your plans. Rain kills picnics: floods destroy: hurricanes (rain with wind) kill people. Then there is our place in the Universe— do we know what role we are to play in the grand scheme of things?

2. Multi-Media Communications— It started meekly with the telegraph, then the telephone, then radio & TV; now, it’s out-of-control. The myriad forms of communication and entertainment available would have been deemed demonic a century ago. They weren’t, of course; but do they border on mind-control now? “Binge Watching” of TV shows has taken over more than one generation. Will we be known as the watching generation? A formidable force indeed!

3. The Wielding of Power— Those in authority use it; by the grace of God, may they use it properly. Power always seems to usurp power. I remember a saying of former Secretary of State George Schultz— “Never give authority to someone who cannot live without it.” Point taken.

4. Revenge— For some people, and nations, it is the driving force behind their existence. They will not be placated.

5. Love— Love seeks to give, to for-give. It offers the arms of embrace and friendship. Forgiveness and reparation. It may be buffeted, but it can rarely be destroyed.

6. A corollary of Love is Forgiveness. Forgiveness is an aspect of Love, enacted upon to correct a wrong done. But if we refuse to forgive are we not also denying ourselves love? It is impossible to love without forgiving: it is equally impossible to receive love when your heart is full of anger.

Thus does our discussion come down to these 3 questions—

1. Are you a formidable force in this world? If so…

2. What kind of formidable force are you?

3. How do you face the formidable forces in your world, in your life?

For what it’s worth,

Gary

New Year’s Warnings

Consider this LIST…

Now that our world’s financial situation is more secure, given the amount of consumer spending that took place at Christmas/Chanukah, we must rush to plan our New Year’s Eve celebrations in less than a week. And, frankly, I love the way we have come to say good-bye to the last year and WELCOME! to the new year.

The celebrations set forth the expectations of hope and accomplishment in the weeks & months to come; with the exception, of course, of weight-loss. Let’s not get the New Year off on a bad foot.

In keeping with this theme, allow me to offer some of the life-long-learning precepts I’ve stumbled upon along the way.

1. Plan for your summer family vacation within the first two weeks of January.

2. Take a New Year’s Day hike somewhere…, anywhere; except over fields of landmines.

3. Look at next year’s financial picture while you watch football. IT mixes the serious with the sublime. You can decide which is which.

4. If you are married, ask your wife/husband how you can love them MORE next year.

5. Set personal goals for your work-performance. It is not about getting that promotion: it is about making a difference in your workplace and in the lives of your fellow employees.

6. Plan to give $$$ away this coming year—lots of it. You will have more $$$ if you do. Don’t ask me how this works; it simply does. Trust me on this.

7. Eat out at a nice place once a month. It will remind you of your aspirations; and oh, tip big.

8. Avoid death, but take some scary risks in the New Year. You need to remind yourself how precious yet fragile life really is.

9. Face some of the BIG questions. “Where did all this stuff come from?” “Do I have a place in the grand scheme of things?” “What is it?” “How do I show love?” “How do I receive love?” “Am I ready to face my Maker?” “Who will win the Superbowl?” “Describe “God.”

10. Remember to breathe. You know what I mean.

There…, that should give you some things to think about during commercials. Forget making New Year’s Resolutions…, just DO this list.

Happy New Year!

Gary

Thanks-giving

Once a year in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving; a time to remember to be thankful for all that we have. Friends and family gather together to give thanks over a bountiful meal, with turkey & mashed potatoes & gravy, yams, green beans with slivered almonds, coleslaw, cranberry sauce, fresh rolls from the oven…, and pie! Apple pie (a la mode), pumpkin pie, blueberry pie, even rhubarb pie. Kinda gets your mouth watering.

And football. LOTS of football! This year, depending on the number of channels you pay for, there are 3 NFL games from which to choose; but that’s just the NFL. Did I mention there’s more food! Hot crab dip, onion dip, spicy habanero salsa, and even Tzatziki. Blown your diet yet?

Then think of the next 3 weeks + of turkey & cranberry sauce sandwiches. Maybe not.

Oddly, one of the things missing in all this celebration and comradery is— remembering to give thanks. In most American families not even a prayer of thanks is offered before the meal anymore. Who are we supposed to thank? What’s the history of Thanksgiving? Google it.

Here are some suggestions on how to instill an aspect of thanks-giving into your Thanksgiving.

1. Whether you are the chef, invited guest, or family, gather your wits about you to celebrate with an attitude of how can I serve rather than serve me.

2. If you are a guest, bring something. Anything. It’s historical.

3. DO NOT make football the god-of-the-day.

4. If you believe in God, DO start with a prayer of thanks-giving.

5. If you do not believe in God, at the beginning of the meal, thank the chef! Profusely.

6. Toward the end of the meal, go ‘round the table asking each one there to offer at least one thing for which they are thankful. Kids included.

7. Offer to help with the dishes! If others don’t offer, conscript them. Note- the chef is not allowed to participate in kitchen clean-up.

8. If you are a guest, do not linger about forever. Unless invited to stay, leave after you do the dishes.

9. If you are the host, be gracious, but sit down. Stop!

10. NOW you can sit and watch more football. [After you go for a hike to shed the excess bulk.]

From our family to yours, we wish you the best season of thanks-giving ever. Gobble gobble.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Gary

Questionable Contracts

It was a lovely dinner at their favorite restaurant with appetizers, wine, a beautifully presented main course and a special dessert, prearranged with the chef by John. Following a lengthy explanation the nature of commitment proclaiming his deep love for her, and a declaration of intent-to-marry, Sam dropped to one knee, gazed into Susannah’s eyes, and said those four heart throbbing words— Will you marry me?

She, of course, said yes! They were engaged. Over the next few weeks they excitedly told family and friends about their intended path toward matrimony, choose invitations, booked a place for the wedding/reception, and groveled at their parents’ feet for the $50,000 to pay for it all. They had much to discuss. Do I hear $12,000?

One night after watching a movie together, John slipped in the idea of having a prenuptial agreement, to assure their commitment would always last. Susannah was less than enthusiastic.

To be sure, contracts are meant to protect both parties in case something goes wrong with their commitment to each other. In business, that’s wise. In marriage? It seems more like a guarantee of temporary bliss followed by eventual failure.

The sad thing is that too many contracts are designed with loop-holes that can be used to default on the commitment. We think— If things don’t go perfectly (read- the way I want them to), then I’ll just sneak out of this one. Be it in a marriage or a merger, if we don’t get everything we want— we end it.

There are many reasons these escape clauses are slipped into contracts. One of the main reasons is that, over centuries, people have come to learn that they cannot trust one another, in business or in marriage. “I have to protect my own self first.” If people were inherently good this would not be a problem of course; but history shows otherwise.

Thus do we compromise on our commitments. We find those loop-holes that we can slip through and so slip our way out of the spirit of the agreement, though not the letter of the contract. We renege on our commitments in relationships, in business, and in life in general; all to protect ourselves and then the other parties.

What would happen if we put the other person or company first? What if the contract or marriage vow assured blessing and safety for the other first? Could we possibly be hurt or betrayed? Of course. But we would also be on our way to changing this world.

Remaining honorable in commitments rules out subsequent confrontation later. Win/Win is always the best option.

For what it’s worth,

Gary

#VirtueCampaign – Judgment Stinks

We need to get this. We need to put out the effort and start thinking about being a Christian in this society, instead of running commando raids into it and coming back and debriefing.
Never, ever DO evangelism, instead look at the way Jesus moved among the people. Did He explain “the Gospel” the same way to each individual? No, it was dependent upon who He was talking to. Go and Do likewise.

Get your passion on

Passion. That driving force within that will not allow you to give up. It’s that tenacious voice that screams within, “No matter what, I will, I MUST, do this one thing!” It can be a call to arms, a commitment to excellence, an unshakable compulsion to complete a task: it might also be a deep heart yearning for a man, a woman, a love between friends that is a life-time commitment.

To be sure, passion, of any kind, can be twisted. It can be twisted into revenge, seething inner rage, or a deep evil desire to cause harm to another; like ethnic cleansing, terrorism, erotic murders, etc. These are perversions of passion. Still passion, but of the darkest kind. Don’t go there. It will inevitably consume your strength, turn your mind into a shadow, and hollow out your soul.

A proper passion is not like that. As billionaire/philanthropist Sir Richard Branson once said, “There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions in a way that serves the world and you… .” [Founder of The Virgin Group- Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Records, & 400 other companies. He has always been one of my heroes.]

My passions, like my commitments, run deep and long. Many people see passion as a sign of weakness because it is an emotion. I’ve never understood that. Are people afraid of their passions (vs. feelings)? I don’t know many who have experienced a cerebral kiss. Sounds yucky. Personally, I would rather find someone who is truly passionate about what they believe than someone who is generally compliant, in the middle, indecisive, passive.

Every decade of my life has produced a mantra that guides me. My present one is—

Honor God, honor people—and make a difference.

So if you are passionate about something, anything, you are well on your way to making a difference. [Or to becoming a great kisser.]

For what it’s worth,

Gary

Differences

No, really, sometimes it really does feel like this. People are just…, different. Maybe you’ve experienced differences in your marriage, with your teenagers (duh), or with those who say they are related to you. Certainly you’ve felt some people at work were “different.” You thought they were like this, and they turned out to be like that. Or…, something!

We are all different from other people. Sure, we may have the same character traits, financial status, eye color, body types, etc. But people are different; that is what makes our human lives so intriguing. We are never quite exactly the same. Different.

When people are different individually they can be stronger together, as a group. Their differences can bond them to support one another in a team relationship. More can be accomplished the moredifferent people, and their skills, come together to make our world a better place. Differences— joining together. Unless, of course, you believe that people who are different should all stay together in their own little group, sealed off from those who are different from them. Hummm.

Personally, I enjoy people who are different from me. I learn from them. I learn a lot. I do not have all the answers; it is through others who are different from me that I come up with new and differentquestions. And that’s a good thing. It leads to new perspectives, new answers.

That being said, I must admit that I enjoy the comradery of those who think in terms of cross-cultural communication, paradigm shifts, regional colloquialisms, and international blending. So I’m weird. What kind of people do you like to be around? Are they all the same…, or different?

My friends are a little of both. A weird bunch, to be sure. But still, I enjoy them.

So when you are deciding which crowd you want to hang with, don’t pick just one. Join different kinds of groups. Join up with people who are much older than you, and with those who are quite younger than you. In doing so you will learn from the wise, and remember how to play again from those who come after you.

I know I keep going back to the Bible, but it’s my heritage. Christians were first named Christians because no one knew what to call this hodgepodge, diverse, seemingly incompatible group of strangers who loved each other. The name stuck.

There probably isn’t a designation for the kinds of groups I associate with: maybe wackos.

For what it’s worth,

Gary

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