Putting myself in another person's shoes and going the distance

I realized yesterday while talking to my best friend that I really don't have it that bad. God has been good to me. He has blessed me with two good feet, two good arms, good eyesight and hearing. All this I had taken for granted until my best friend related her daily struggles with her feet and the fear that one day she may lose that limited ability to walk. I look around me at those who are now struggling to move their arms as both age and arthritis kick in. I try to put myself in their shoes. Sometimes it is hard to understand when I have been so blessed the struggle to work with pain.

I know the one thing I do admire is those who despite the pain and struggle go the distance to help others. That can't be easy. The human condition basically screams for you to take care of yourself and forget the others around you. Even now as I write these words, I have a hard time reconciling my needs with the needs of those I love. I know I must. Only when I take the focus off my situation can I move forward.

I am admittedly frightened sometimes about the deteriorating circumstances that I'm finding myself in. Dark forces want to drag me down and whisper frightening scenarios in my head. They want to pull me back into the deep pit of despair and despondency. It is these dark forces that you must fight with God's strength, not your own.

God is in control. He is blessing you. You may not realize it now, yet when you put yourself in another person's shoes it will open your eyes to the many blessings God has provided you. God will give you the strength to go the distance and will give you the direction you need. I tell myself this daily as I remind myself that one day I will see him face to face.

Fighting the Good Fight and Remembering those who have fallen

It seems somehow appropriate during Passion Week to think about those servants of the Lord who have fought the good fight and have laid down their lives for others. I remember humbly those who have gone before me laying the groundwork for a solid foundation. I admire them more today when I see the efforts of those who know better to try to tear it all down. The young have no understanding of what it took for those who have gone before to get to where we are today in our country. It's a shame when the absolute truth of the Bible is no longer taken for granted, but instead is mocked and ridiculed. We are reaping the seeds of anguish and fear we'd sown. It's understandable for the young to forget and turn away from the tenants of faith that have established and sustained us.

I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the ignorance and complacency of those around me. I know that I'm guilty of this too. We all need reminders of the sacrifices made for our spiritual freedom. We need to reflect on what Christ did for us so many years ago. He fought the good fight, so that we may live with him eternally. We only have to turn our eyes to the Cross and what he suffered there to know how great a love he has for us.

It is good to remember those who emulated Christ and established programs and reached out to others in need. My heart has been broken for the disenfranchised among us who even now are struggling to survive in a world that is becoming increasingly cold and heartless. It isn't an easy fight. Forces threaten to pull me apart and laugh at my puny efforts to help those around me. I will in God's strength move forward.

Thinking about wasted time and how to redeem it

I know that I have been wasting time trying to find my niche in the working world. It seems that the more I struggle with trying to find the right fit for me in the job market, the more depressed I get. Once I do stop, I find some purpose. It's weird....I know. Most expect me to keep struggling, especially now that my financial situation is looking dire. I can't....especially now that I found some other purpose in my life. It is funny that I have such a passion for preserving local history...when over a year ago I had none.

Yet I can't help thinking that there is a reason why I have such as a passion now. Just like Esther of the Old Testament, I am where the Lord wants me to be and in the situation I'm in because I needed to have my eyes opened. There are lessons to be learned and legacies to be unearthed for future generations. I know that in my own strength I can't make the past come alive for the young. I can't redeem the time either without thought to how it will affect those who I come in contact with on a daily basis.

It is a battle against time and deterioration. Every day I hear of another precious artifact lost forever or of a historical building losing its battle to the wrecking ball. Someone has to stand in the breach. Someone needs to reach the young and let them know about their history before it disappears. How?....by showing them the rich resources they have if they only reach out and take a hold of them.

You redeem time by teaching the young to respect the history of their community and showing them that they are making history even as they speak. Then they will carry it on to their children to cherish.

Leaving a Legacy or Time Well Spent

Legacy Planning

In the above link are some tools and resources for legacy planning. Many people think that only the wealthy can plan their legacy. This is not true. Some things of course cost money to plan out, yet all of us can plan how we would like to be remembered by our loved ones and acquaintances. What we leave behind will reflect on what we are interested in, what we care about and whether or not we are remembered for our good deeds or our evil deeds.

Time well spent is time that is devoted to the interest of others in your community and your world. You get to decide whether or not you will preserve a piece of history or let it decay into dust. You can make a difference in someone else's life in a variety of ways. Some of the obvious are volunteering for an event, cleaning up a park, planting a garden that will feed the hungry and helping those around you in need. Sometimes a small gesture can make a huge difference in someone's life.

I have been thinking a lot about the legacy I will leave behind. What story will others pick up about me? Will they see someone who loves the Lord or someone who is just playacting? I hope the former is true. I want my legacy to be that of a person who resonates the love of God and brings people to him. I want to be a person who is willing to stand up against the oppressors and show that God is in control.

Reading a "Candy" book vs Reading a "Meat" book

I like reading what I call "candy" books because they are sweet, uncomplicated pieces of work. They have a set dialogue, are linear and follow a pretty straight forward story line. In other words, they are predictable. Boy meets Girl....falls in love...gets married and they both live happily ever after. I do know that life is not like that. It is complicated and messy. Even in the "candy" books you have to have some conflict, otherwise you garner no interest. I usually go through "candy" books in about a week if I'm busy doing a lot of other stuff. If I'm not busy, and the story flows well, I can finish a "candy" book in a few hours.

A "Meat" book, however, definitely requires at least three weeks to read through because the words are so dense and full of meaning. The story lines are complicated, and sometimes a bit hard to read without wanting to dig deeper. You can always tell with a "Meat" book that the author took considerable time both writing and researching the material. The dialogue is not always linear, and it doesn't always follow a straight forward story line. You have to use your mind to comprehend some of the passages. You can't rush reading a "Meat" book. Those kind of books you need to savor. I have to admit that most, but not all, the "Meat" books I've read have been well worth the time and effort I put into reading them. Some of the passages still stick with me. I learn more from a "Meat" book than I've ever learned from a "candy" book.

I have written both. None as yet are published. I am still finding my audience.

Tax Time

I am currently working on my taxes. Yes, I do know that time is growing short for this. It is the most dreaded time of the year because I now see how little I made the past year. It doesn't get any easier knowing that Uncle Sam needs his money. In fact it's too easy to get confused by all the forms and the pressure to do it all on-line. I am not comfortable with this at all. I am very much a Luddite when it comes to exposing my personal information. Yet I know I've had to in order to find work.

I am struggling with "Big Brother" wanting to know everything about me. I don't like having my privacy being violated. "Big Brother" doesn't need to know my physical state, my mental state or medical status. They just don't. Yet this is exactly what "Big Brother" wants. I feel like I'm losing control of my own well being....and that's scary. Maybe this is why this is the most dreaded time of the year for me. I do hate having to relinquish control to a third party who will do God knows what with my personal information. Yet I know that some of my personal information is already out there ripe for the picking and there is not one thing I can do about it.

I do long for the days when you had a good paying job, and you didn't have to worry about someone stealing your identity. It is way too easy to do nowadays....no matter what anyone says. You can only do so much to protect it. Paper is still the best way, if you're really careful, to secure your personal information. Too many eyes see it electronically despite the assurances of encryption.

I hope for a better tomorrow, even as I struggle to pay my taxes and give Uncle Sam his due.

Fighting against time

I haven't been feeling well lately. Actually I've been struggling to do much of anything. You can say that I'm fighting against time and dwindling resources. Yet I have also been fighting against the perceptions of people that feel that I've given up. I haven't. They just don't realize how hard it is....and they won't until they are in the same situation I'm in now.

I have decided that I'm not going to dwell on my current state which is growing worse. Instead I'll focus on achieving some goals that I've set for myself. My biggest goal, of course, is to find a sustainable position that will both utilize my writing skills and make me enough money to support myself and my family. I have in the past month or so, gone in a different direction with my job search. I decided to see if I can't work for myself and contract myself out to various companies. I know I did try this last year, and have helped a lot of people, but am still struggling to find work that I can do. I don't like having to quit a job, as it leaves a bad taste in both my mouth and my former employers' mouth.

I know that part of my problem is my inability to focus on one thing and my lack of verbal skills. I am a good writer, but it just doesn't translate into my voice very well.