Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.
— Tennessee Williams
The only thing that I am certain of is that we are surrounded by uncertainty. We collect stories of terrible things that have happened to people and then we try our best to protect ourselves from these horrors by engineering our lives to avoid them. That’s the phenomenon that occurs with the news broadcasts. We say that we want stories that reflect the positive in our world and the good in people, but we don’t really react to these stories as we do to stories of bad luck, or murder and mayhem.
You may disagree with me, but I think that part of the fascination with these stories is that Continue reading » Out of Control
Sometimes it’s the smallest decision that can change your life forever.
— Keri Russell
This past weekend was the 75th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous, the group that helps others like themselves by “having one drunk talk to another” and by taking one day at a time. The secret to their success is that they know that little changes come from doing something that we didn’t used to do, every day. Over time the little changes become big changes and we’ve accomplished something that we never knew we could. In this week’s LA Times, a recovering alcoholic told his story.
In the article, Chas relates how he really, really didn’t want to go to his first AA meeting. He had seen AA help his father, his uncle, and his three brothers, but he had lots of reasons it wouldn’t work for him. A friend got him to go to a meeting anyway. He writes: Continue reading » Little Changes Into Big Ones
Each of us puts in one little stone, and then you get a great mosaic at the end.
— Alice Paul
I know that there are times when we forget just how blessed we truly are. The relentless waves of bad news hit us day after day whether via newspapers or TV or helpful friends wanting to be sure that we know of the latest betrayal or tragedy. As we sit there and process the latest news, we tend to worry that the good ol’ US of A is going to hell in a hand basket. My question – What are you doing about it?
As I was scanning the morning news, I found this article on the elections in Mexico. As a country, they are having to fight for the right to elect the people they want. It’s not that the polls aren’t open, it is that the drug cartels are Continue reading » We Are So Blessed
Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
— from www.holidays.net
Fireworks, boat parades, concerts, family picnics … and prayer. Those are all on my agenda for the days surrounding the 4th of July 2010. And if I could find a street parade, I’d gladly add it to my list of celebratory plans. How about you? What will you be up to? Camping? Heading out of town? Sta-cationing again this year? Barbecuing with family and friends?
When Did You Last Read the Declaration of Independence?
Or, perhaps I should ask, have you ever read it in its entirety?
Americans enjoy a level of freedom not found in many parts of the world. Among these liberties are the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceably assemble. In today’s world these liberties can easily be taken for granted.
— Bryan Jackson
If you’re like me, it’s been a while since you’ve studied U.S. History. And I confess, I’ve mistakenly come to think of the Declaration of Independence as saying:
…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…
Continue reading » How Will You Celebrate Independence Day?
Skepticism is the beginning of faith.
— Oscar Wilde
When I was a kid in catechism class, I was taught that faith was a gift from God. You either got the gift or you didn’t. It was sort of like the taunt we all heard some version of when we were kids – “Where were you when the brains/good looks/talent/coordination were passed out?” If you were behind the door, you were out of luck.
If you were raised in a religious tradition, there was probably some point when you came face to face with doubt. For me, it was Philosophy 101 freshman year of college. It was in that class that I was exposed to Continue reading » Faith
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