Carrying rocks in your pocket adds burden to your journey

It’s just common sense: if you keep adding rocks in your pocket, the extra weight makes walking difficult and sooner or later, something has to give.  You don’t see adults with a pocket full of rocks but yet, quite a few carry the weight of resentments, guilt, remorse or shame as a daily burden. Everyone…

Read More

At any moment, life can throw a mud ball at me.

Life happens. We can be enjoying life or just getting by; then, something unexpected hits us. We get bad news; someone rejects us or something totally unfair or unreasonable happens. Do we give situations, events, or other people the power to determine the quality of our day? Of our week? Of our life? If we…

Read More

It’s hard to balance on a two-legged stool

You never see a two-legged stool. It takes three legs to provide stable and dependable support. Our life journey is similar.  Using just the physical and mental aspects of our lives is like to trying to sit on a two-legged stool—we achieve a short-term balance; then, the slightest disruption starts that uncertain wobbling once again.…

Read More

Happiness and peace are impossible without integrity

INTEGRITY (noun): the quality or condition of being sound; of being un-impaired, undivided, complete, or whole. We are either whole  or we have a hole—an inner void. Many people feel this hole, this inner void, like something is missing.  We try to fill it with answers taught us and sold to us by other less-than-whole…

Read More

I sometimes take the people closest to me for granted

and fail to extend the respect, courtesy, and love I feel for them. I need to treat the people I love and value as well as I treat co-workers, friends, and casual acquaintances. Without attention and awareness, close relationships can suffer from familiarity—that attitude of quiet indifference. We expect people to know that they are…

Read More

A loving God does not cause pain, but alleviates our misery;

Does not test his children, but provides solutions when we are tested by life. Does not make us wander in the wilderness of confusion, but offers clear purpose and direction. Does not willingly afflict his children, but soothes and strengthens us when we are afflicted. Does not take people, he receives them.  Perceptions and expectations…

Read More

I should listen with my heart instead of my ears

Our relationships vary from casual contacts, friends, to those very intimate and loving associations. For each of them, it is important that we actually hear in addition to listening. Listening with our heart includes active listening; we give the person our undivided attention to demonstrate the value we place on them and on their words…

Read More

Whenever I am upset, there is something wrong with ME.

I must be responsible for all my feelings or forever feel un-peaceful. Yes, bad things happen; people inflict real or imagined wrongs, life is hectic and I get frustrated when people or events do not meet my expectations. I cannot control other people but I can choose how I react. I must slow down, take…

Read More