Sunday, October 20, 2013

Confidants, Constituents, and Comrades...

Sometimes old sermons are still the best sermons. And this is good stuff!! Good preaching, yes... but really good teaching as well. I know that I needed this today. You have a destiny and a dream God has given you... and you wont' get there alone. You will have:
  • Confidants (those for you, and that you are completely in sync with. They are those that will be with you through good or bad, ups and downs, and will be there regardless.)
  • Constituents (those that are for what you are for. They agree with your causes and what you stand for. They are not necessarily for YOU, and they will follow the next person that aligns with their belief or cause.)
  • Comrades (Those not for you, or your dream or cause, but they are against what you are against. They will join with you to fight a greater enemy. They come and go.)


This applies to Church, Life, Family, Friends, Work... You can see and administer this wisdom throughout many areas of your life. You will need people, regardless of how many times you try to make it alone. The honest truth is that you can't make it in this life alone. You will need all three at different times and God will show you, whether at a family reunion that makes you grit your teeth or if you are in a difficult project at work. There will be those that see your vision and dream, and there will be those that only join in to defeat a different failure or enemy. Don't let that break your heart. See people honestly and categorize them where needed, but... always know the difference.

Cheers,
#JustBeingMichael ツ

Saturday, October 19, 2013

"Quit reading peoples' opinions on the Word of God, and read the Word of God." --Dedie Cooley
I'm all for study. I'm all for reading and sharing ideas of study. I like reading others' opinions and what they have studied. But... And here is where I LOVE this quote... at some point - you have to determine in yourself what scripture means to you, and for you.

You can read the Cliff's Notes for any great work of literature, but you won't get the same impact as if you read the literature for yourself. You can read someone's review of a film, book, or television show - but it's not the same as watching for yourself and determining what it meant to you... how it affected you.

Scripture is deeply personal, and how it affects you, and how you interpret and apply that scripture is just as personal. Yes, it takes more time, and more study. Yes, it is harder, and it requires lots of boring cross-referencing and lots of application. But the result is a much more intimate and the end result is a much more in-depth knowledge of "what you know."

One unexpected side-effect is that you also become less insecure about other people having the right to their own beliefs. If you know a scripture, and live a scripture, and trust what you've read and researched, a picture on Facebook, a quote from someone that people misuse, and other people freely practicing their own religious beliefs tend to not bother you as much. Why? Because YOU have done your work, your own "homework" and you don't feel the need to react negatively to every piece of "information" that "threatens" your beliefs. Your foundation is secure, and your beliefs are secure due to your study and your sweat equity you have invested in them. Everyone is entitled to research, believe, and live as their conscience dictates to them.

Peace and love, y'all.
ツ✔ Cheers, #JustBeingMichael ツ

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Decide

What do you want to do with your life? Everyone wants to be healthy, safe, and relatively happy. They want their loved ones to be healthy, safe, and relatively happy. But what do YOU want out of life? This question has been plaguing me for weeks. What do I want? I am afforded options. I have directions and paths to choose from. Soo, what do I want? In a perfect world – I’d whine about my first world problem. I’d cry to friends and expect sympathy – but I am out of sympathy. I’m especially out of sympathy for myself. I feel like I’m out of sympathy for others, at times, as well… I have lain awake nights, recently, pondering this. Pondering my “dilemma” and next steps… What do I want? What DO I want? What do I WANT?

Here is what I know: We’re all gonna die. That much is a given. No one gets out alive, ever. And, for the most part, as a general rule, we don’t get to say when. We don’t get to say how. We don’t usually have the luxury of choice in death. That may seem sad, but I think it is kind of comforting to know that the one great constant, and one great “leveler-of-persons” is death. No, it’s true – we don’t get to decide. But, we do get to decide how we’re gonna live.

So do it. Decide.

Is this the life you wanna live? Are you a stranger in your own life? Are you participating in the navigation of your own life? Are you happy? Do you like yourself? Do you want to change? Is this the person you wanna love? Is this the relationship you wanna be in? Is this how you treat your partner? Is this how you allow yourself to be treated?

Is this the best you can be? Can you make better choices? Can you love yourself enough to decide what you will and won’t allow yourself to suffer? Can you be stronger? More steadfast? Consistent? Bolder? Wiser? Kinder? More compassionate?

Decide. Take a deep breathe in. Breathe out, and then… decide.