IF it seems I am faced with a decision of “either / or” presenting me with TWO paths to choose between . . . I should pause and consider if there is a “third path” to lead me where I want to go – checking out and examining my values, my standards, my priorities, as I walk toward my dreams and my goals on this journey in the classroom of Life
Two paths there were and I saw them both Two paths there were and I struggled with the choice Two paths there were so I took the third
It is when I quiet my heart/mind, still the hamsters and squirrels stirring up chaos in my head, that those deeper Truths rise to the surface
The message of “either / or” is presented as our only way forward throughout all of our lives:
• a fork in the road • left or right • light or dark • fat or thin • black or white and many more “choices” we are told have ony two “answers” to choose from
Unfortunately, this concept often stops me from thinking any further about the possibility of other options and I accept the “either / or” limitations as my focus closes my mind to the infinite possibilities that might exist – sometimes this makes it impossible to make a decision as neither of the “either / or” paths feels right and I am stuck feeling blocked with no way out . . .
SO, how do I avoid this or how do I escape it when I find myself there? What is MY P.A.R.T.
PAUSE the process – still the voices ACCEPT that there are always more options than the two “either / or” presents (ask what lines up with MY values) RESIST pressure to decide immediately TRUST my inner spirit – listen to the still small voice
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD . . . the higher power, Life itself— NOT red, white and blue NOT orange or gold plated
SILENT INVISIBLE . . . yet seen and heard flowing through ALL of Creation
PRESENT IN ALL those who see and hear and those who cannot see or hear IN buildings and chapels and sanctuaries not made with human hands –
Each heart that cries out, Each soul languishing in darkness, Each flower trampled underfoot is held by the Unseen Presence of Love awaiting awakening of the depths of Life within planted by the Creator, the essence of Being drawing ALL back to incomprehensible Oneness of I AM . . . incomprehensible . . . I AM . . . MY HOPE
No matter how long I live, I have come to the conclusion that I am a “child” at the beginning of a journey that I had no idea I was on . . . maybe I have reached the “tot” stage!
Born by no conscious choice of my own into circumstances and a time not of my own conscious choice with relationships not of my own conscious choice presented with challenges not of my own conscious choice SO THAT I feel I am always a “child” needing to learn and discover ways beyond my current level of understanding . . .
Today, I decided that what I need to do is to break my “life” into smaller pieces – just Today, examine what I am thinking only for that small window in measureable time – ask and answer “what are my thoughts of today?”
Maybe, at the end of this day, I can review and explore the “thoughts of tonight”! Did my “focus” stay the same or what “rabbit trails” distracted me and where did they lead as I prepare for rest tonight?
I saw the leaves shining and I knew somewhere a “light source” was the cause of that shining – those “shiny leaves” confirmed that there was a source of light somewhere near even though I could NOT see it right then!
Maybe it is the same in my world . . . if I open my eyes to see the “shining” of good things done by some people I could share those “shiny leaves” with people surrounded by darkness . . . talk about the evidence that there is a source of Light near even if I cannot see it right now!
Could I help draw others to see that source of Light, encourage others to HOPE in the power of Love instead of the love of power, including myself?
simple, not easy – ======= “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” —Albert Einstein
back BEFORE the “basic” questions
I have asked, I have come to realize
that there is a question I need to ask
and answer before those “basic”
thoughts –
the foundation of what I need to know:
does GOD see me and hear me?
The universe that man knows exists
is SO vast, so beyond all imagination . . .
and there is SO much more that we
do not know exists—
does the Creator of all this immense,
overwhelming, mysterious
evidence of an inexplicable life force
flowing through more than science
can explain, more than mankind
can understand—
DOES this Creator,
CAN this Creator have interest in this
one miniscule container of the common
life force put in place throughout a
universe so vast outside time and space . . .
To equate the Creator with a parent,
I can grasp how I can love the child I
“produced” no matter how many millions
of other children are in the world,
BUT what if I had billions of children
crying out for my attention . . . it is
beyond my ability to comprehend and,
SO, I ask the questions
and I wait in uncomfortable silence
for the answer I need deep within . . .
GOD, do you see me?
GOD, do you hear me?
GOD . . . dare I ask it . . .
do you love ME?
and my heart “hears”
a gentle whisper,
“yes, my child, I see you,
I hear you, I love you . . .”
and, for a moment, I feel the
Life flowing through my heart
and I know . . .
critical—adj.: 1. of or forming a crisis or turning point; decisive; 2. tending to find fault; censorious; 3. dangerous or risky; causing anxiety; 4. of critics or criticism; 5. of the crisis of a disease
Everywhere you turn, you hear it being said, in one way or another, that we are in dangerous times and many people are very anxious. So much is being said against “America,” against government, against government officials, and about the “moral decline of America,” about the lack of moral fiber in elected officials, about the absence of consistent standards among church leaders that many people are living in fear.
The sad thing about all these “things being said” is that they are general statements which allow the individual making the comment to avoid personal responsibility for the condition being spoken about and, in lamenting and crying aloud, to encourage others to avoid that responsibility as well while they focus on what “others” are doing that is so wrong.
While it is always true that we can see flaws in systems and other people, those flaws exist because of choices made by individuals. Individuals who chose to walk a certain path, individuals who were drawn to certain actions by their priorities, individuals who compromised ever so slightly, individuals who have impacted a nation over a period of time— but, many of those who have had a strong impact are not well-known nor were they politicians or religious leaders— they were individuals who made a choice on the road of life that led them to be less than God would have had them to be and to cause others around them to be less than God would have had them be— mothers and fathers who produced the individuals and the attitudes living in America today.
The great deceit is that it is not you and I, but the “government,” or “elected officials,” or “a fallen church leader” who has corrupted the environment. Convincing us that it is “others” keeps us from looking too closely at ourselves, from examining too closely our individual lives and choices. It succeeds in transferring responsibility (therefore, the need to make change) from my shoulders to some “others” over whom I have no control and that makes me NOT responsible. It is “their fault” and I must fight against them and their agenda in order to restore “perfection.”
However, there is an important consideration we are overlooking: God deals with individuals and requires accountability from individuals!
Check it out: God’s prophets in the Old Testament came proclaiming the need for individuals to repent so that the nation could be saved from the sure consequences that would come (2 Chronicles 7:13-15, one example of many). God has always held individuals responsible for the state of the nation and indicated judgement of a nation would come based on the behavior of the people (individuals).
Jesus came to earth during a time of hard oppression for the Jewish people. Rome was not an easy taskmaster and there were many zealots who worked for the destruction of that government. Yet, Jesus did not spend His time criticizing Rome nor did He encourage others to be disobedient to the laws of the land. Not once can I find that Jesus recommended that the people rise up and “fix the government” that was blatantly oppressive and evil. He did, however, criticize the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the day) for their lack of spiritual depth and that, I believe, is what Jesus would criticize us for today.
What we need to “fix” is us— and this can only happen when we allow God to conform us to the image of His Son, Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29). It can only happen when our focus becomes Jesus and our energies are directed toward knowing God and His word: “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). I believe this occurs when we follow the admonition in Hebrews 12:2— ”fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” Focus on Jesus, who during His life on earth instructed people to focus on God and His kingdom, not the kingdoms of this world. Jesus taught people to seek the kingdom of God NOT fix the kingdoms of this world!
So our battle is not with “others” or the “government,” it is with ourselves. It is me, it is you! Our fingers should not point any further than our own standards, behavior and choices.
Examine, if you dare, your own “entertainment”: does it cause you to be a better person, does it lead you to think of God or His ways, does it help mold you into the image of Christ Jesus, would you be comfortable if Jesus were sitting next to you? If not, why are you participating in it? Have you been deceived into believing that there are areas of your life in which God is not interested? Have you been blinded by the god of this world? (Check out the parable of the sower for some valuable insights.)
Reality check: If you thought you would not get caught— would you cheat = steal] on your income tax? (justification is easy . . . the government has plenty of money and I work hard for what I earn and anyway they don’t use it the way it should be used); would you take merchandise home from a store without paying for it? (you know, the scanner fails to accurately scan an item and you just don’t mention it; rationalization follows . . . after all, I’ve bought plenty in there and they make a profit on the other stuff; this is just my discount); of course, if an “overcharge” occurs, it must be corrected and we are quick to point it out (talk about a double standard)!
What choices have you made that show you to be a “Christian” —a follower of Christ? Is the standard you require of others at work in your life? Check out Romans 2:21-24, “you who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery,do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’”
It is my belief that the greatest enemy of reform and lasting change is the same enemy that was identified in the account of the first fall of man from perfection— satan, the father of lies, the great deceiver. It is he who assists us in our headlong plunge into destruction. It is he who offers us thoughts to help justify what we do and condemn what “others” do— he is the “accuser of the brethren” and he is constantly looking for recruits! “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.” (Romans 14:4)
Paul said it very clearly in Philippians 2:14, “Do everything without complaining or arguing”. That doesn’t leave room for most of what is being said today. Another clear admonition by Paul is in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” It doesn’t seem to me that we are doing very much “building up” with our conversation that repeats political rhetoric instead of personal opinions, used insults and demeaning words against any who disagree, etc.
What kind of an influence are the “Christians” of America exerting that would cause others to “put on the mind of Christ”? Where are the energies of Christians directed? Are we “seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” so that God’s purposes will be served or are we determined to walk according to our own will and what we have decided is best? Are we shining a light in the darkness, are we allowing God’s love to flow through us?
So, America may indeed be in a “critical phase,” dangerous or risky; but, if that is true, it is because you and I are in a “critical phase,” tending to find fault with “others’ constantly while not examining ourselves. We have assumed the position of “accusers” when we should be assuming the position of falling on our faces before God and humbly asking for His wisdom to guide our lives, not deciding our “agenda” is God’s – that is arrogant!.
Time spent in God’s word and in His presence will result in changed hearts in individuals and that is what will result in a changed America!
“It is time for judgment to begin with the family of God . . .” I Peter 4:17
Light leads to the tree of Life, the source of Living Water – but how can I find this tree I have been told to seek? this one has light leading to it – but then there is darkness seeming to surround it . . . how can I find the “right tree” ? will I always just be a seeker, destined to always thirst, but never drink of the Living Water . . . “Faith, have faith,” I have been told – but if what I believe is what will guide me to the tree, the Living Water, why do I not see a path, a way to walk toward that tree . . . an inner source? what does that mean and how could that be? “from the inner being Living Water will flow abundantly” I breathe deeply . . . I believe in the process: Divine Completeness from the One Source, the Spirit . . .
Since I have lived 80 years on this earth, I have experienced and witnessed an amazing amount of “history” and its impacts.
Therefore, I am offering information on some related history to what I am seeing today – using FEAR of communism to control a population and to distract from what some are doing
This is not the first time it has been used for political purposes – — to get an agenda approved by people — to silence those who disagree — to retaliate against perceived enemies and many other “shady” goals that usually involve gaining power and wealth
In order to anticipate any cries of bias, I am including the AI OVERVIEW for your review.
— Mc·Car·thy·ism(noun) a vociferous campaign against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions carried out under Senator Joseph McCarthy in the period 1950–54.
Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, although most did not in fact belong to the Communist Party.
AI OVERVIEW McCarthyism is the political practice of making baseless, indiscriminate accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason, often using unfair investigative methods to suppress opposition. It takes its name from U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy.
THE HISTORICAL ERA: (The Second Red Scare) The term originated in the late 1940s and 1950s during the “Red Scare,” a period of intense paranoia in the U.S. regarding alleged Communist infiltration of American society and the government.
THE TACTICS: Senator McCarthy utilized highly publicized congressional hearings to accuse various government officials, artists, and academics of being Communists or Soviet spies, often waving “lists” of names without providing concrete evidence.
THE IMPACT: This climate of fear led to widespread political repression, loss of employment, and the blacklisting of hundreds of professionals— most notably in the Hollywood entertainment industry.
People were often presumed guilty by association.
THE FALL: McCarthy’s campaign ultimately unraveled in 1954 during televised U.S. Army hearings, where the public witnessed his bullying tactics and lack of evidence.
The Senate formally censured him later that year.
MODERN USAGE TODAY McCarthyism” is used more broadly as a byname for the defamation of character, reputation, or patriotism through unsubstantiated charges. It is frequently invoked to describe any situation where those in power use fear tactics, intense investigations, and disregard for civil liberties to silence unfavorable political or social views.
TO LEARN MORE about the mechanics and timeline of this era, you can review the detailed resources provided by Encyclopedia Britannica or explore the historical records at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
• McCarthyism | Definition, History, & Facts – Britannica https://www.britannica.com/event/McCarthyism ======= PERSONAL MEMORIES I remember hearing about some who were forced to give the names of friends to avoid prosecution and there were some rumored suicides and deaths caused by these “hearings” – the terror of being called before this man with the threat of prison or worse punishment led to lives of thousands that were totally destroyed by FEAR of a non-existent threat spread throughout our country – FEAR of being accused, FEAR of being a friend with someone who was accused (just like World War Two Germany) living with FEAR that served some warped agenda until people finally got enough and said “STOP!” – I wonder when we will say “enough!” and stop being manipulated by FEAR in a threat intended to DISTRACT us from what is being done by those seeking power and wealth?
IF I shouted “DUCK” in a crowd in some public place, it is unlikely anyone would think I was telling them about a bird at the lake in a park. In fact, I imagine it would create panic in our current society with its tendency to use violence to “settle” disagreements or perceived grievances.
It is SO important for us to understand the words we are using IF OUR GOAL IS to continue building our world instead of destroying it!
Instead of exchanging insults and hate, we need to share thoughts and opinions and always define the words we are using so we can communicate the message we intend to communicate. We ALL can benefit by growing our knowledge of each other.
Genocide is a word that is NOT clearly defined or understood because we are further away from the horrendous world war that caused it to be created – sadly, even to the point that some deny it ever happened and some call it a hoax to further their own agenda.
However, there are many written accounts by survivors of that genocide and pictures taken at the time by those who ended the conflict and discovered the emaciated survivors and confirmed the death camps directed at certain groups of people existed – it happened!
SO what do I mean by “genocide”?
Genocide is the intentional and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The term was coined in 1944 by Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin, and established as an international crime by the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
DEFINING Acts of Genocide Under international law, genocide is characterized by specific actions committed with the intent to destroy the targeted group. These include:
• Killing: Murdering members of the group.
• Causing Harm: Inflicting serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.
• Inflicting Conditions: Deliberately imposing conditions of life (e.g., starvation, forced displacement) designed to bring about the group’s physical destruction.
• Preventing Births: Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
• Transferring Children: Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
NOTE: Lemkin lobbied for genocide to be outlawed by international treaty, but the Genocide Convention restricted his initially broad definition to five specific acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such.” Its definition remains contested by scholars and institutions across international law, history, sociology, and related fields.
It is unfortunate that major countries have consistently refused to support or enforce the international crime rulings because they fear they will be held accountable for the times of genocide in their countries – that includes the United States of America. ———-
It breaks my heart on a daily basis to see TODAY the targeted groups of people being abused – one does not have to look far to see GENOCIDE being “justified” by those standing to gain wealth and power by getting rid of those they claim are “bad” as we watch young children and women and old people beaten or forced from their homes to be sent to a place where they will be under constant threat of death or worse . . . AND, just like in the time of Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church, clergy who stand against the genocide and try to protect the marginalized and voiceless are beaten, pepper sprayed, and arrested!
May our eyes be opened and our hearts be softened to the cries of all who suffer as we resist the message that we must destroy any not like us to protect our _________ (*fill in the blank) * each “agenda” has a difterent word used to stir up fear
Sages of every age have disputed the message of hate, selfishness, and arrogance being “sold” today and we must reject its alluring temptation to gain power by belonging to the “right” group, if our world is to survive!
Words matter – they can build or tear down, bring healing or destruction, shine light or deepen darkness, expand understanding or close hearts/minds –
Genocide is NOT Just a Word to those victims of its lies – we need to know what it means! to every man, woman, and child in a world pursuing power and wealth.
HOPE lies in the re-lighting of the spark of Truth within, in the hearts/minds of all humanity, to speak the Wisdom of the ages . . .
TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WANT TO BE TREATED simple, not easy!
barbarajhicks
Jeanne
