"Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out - it's the grain of sand in your shoe." - Robert Service
How many times have we heard it said that we lose sight of the forest for the trees. It seems so easy in this image conscious world to lose sight of what is really important. We are constantly inundated with the superficial and the shallow, and if we are not careful, life ends up becoming less about purpose and more of a pursuit of the trivial. Somewhere along the way we must obtain the ‘purpose’ or sense of direction of our lives. We must forge out the answer to the question ‘what are we here for’? Yet, it seems, we are so easily distracted by little nuances and the mirages life’s petty lures. In the ‘to and fro’ of our swaying, we lose track of the true intent of life itself and fall under the manipulating barrage of societies impulses and tendencies. We turn mole hills into mountains and mountains into mole hills. We major in minors and minor in majors. Life is consumed with the he said and the she said's and valuable time slips away into eternity never to be had again.
Think about it. Before we are hardly out of bed and have awakened from a peaceful sleep, we are pounced upon by outside forces. Each force vying for our attention. Each entity telling us what is important and what is not important. The shout from the outside immediately steps into our morning stretch and demands our full attention. From the weather to apparel, food to money, buy here and go there, the voices cry out for our touch. If we are not careful the multitude of distractions can easily beguile us into losing our sense of direction. The scripture says in Proverbs that a man who is given to appetite might as well put a knife to his throat. Why? Because when our appetites rule us they lead us to places we never intended to go. When we are given to appetite we are more easily manipulated into doing things we would never do if we were more assured of our purpose. In the end we become enslaved by the very things we sought to possess!
In our haste to ‘find’ happiness we give over to momentary indulgences only to be left even more empty than before we caved in to the justification of it all. Our life is far more than appetites and true liberty comes with this understanding. We must be honest with ourselves! How many times, after the chase, do we have to end up with empty hands and hurting hearts? How many distractions do we have to fall for before we wake up and see the whimsical ways of our appetites? How many times do we have to get off the beaten path of true purpose and die the death of many regrets? How many times must we be lied to before we are finally compelled to restrain our own appetites of deception? How many times do we have to empty our shoes before we truly climb with a sense of purpose?
Then again, maybe here in lies the real problem. Without meaning in life, life has no meaning! Seneca said, “Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.” So now begs the question. What harbor are you sailing for? What is or are your goals? What IS important to you? When you are healed, in body and mind, what is YOUR purpose? Today, stop the noise from without and seek some answers from within. Silence the critics and voices of manipulation with a firm resolve to empty your shoes and turn aside for a higher look up the mountain, you may be surprise what you see up there!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Streetcar Named Desire
In 1951, "A Street Car Named Desire" hit the movie screens starring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando. History now considers this film to be one of the all time classics of cinema. It was and it is, but I am not wanting to discuss the movie as much as the thought the title of the movie brought to my mind this morning. When one thinks of the word...desire and what the word desire means, it prompts a myriad of inspirational thoughts in my mind. The word desire is a noun which means, an inclination to want things or the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state. To desire is to want. To desire something will set in motion a plethora of machinations within us to set about to obtain that inward urge or need. Desire is truly set within the appetites of the human condition. No doubt desire and the word, hunger are mutual in their meanings and pursuits. But desire, at least to me, seems to have a deeper spiritual meaning. It is not just a want, but it is a deeper 'inner man' psyche of the persona of who we really are and where we really want to go.
The cliche, 'Where there is a will, there is a way.' also seems apropos when discussing the nature of desire. As a child I can remember the day when my step-dad quit smoking cigarettes. He walked in from work and said he quit smoking and from that day on he never smoked another cigarette again. He told all of us that he threw his last pack of cigarettes in the trash can and he was done. No gimmicks, no drugs, no hypnosis...nothing but sheer desire to quit smoking surged him forward to obtaining his goal. This incident of my childhood, to this day, still points to the incredible power of a person's desire! Henry Hazlitt said, 'A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.' I have witnessed over the years many seemingly impossible things get accomplished merely because there was a will to get it done or a desire to make a way. It seems clear to me, if you cannot tap into the desire of a person, then it is almost impossible to move them. Andrew Carnegie seemed to feel the same way...'There is no use whatever trying to help people who do not help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he be willing to climb himself.' But if you can fuel the fire of their desire, somehow connect what is to be accomplished to match and attach itself to their desires...well, its almost a forgone conclusion it will get done. The scripture says in Proverbs 18:1, "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom."
Too many people try to look outside of themselves for their driving motivation, when the reality of their world truly lies within themselves. We can attend seminars, self help classes, and even sit under anointed preaching, but if our own desire is not sparked, then most of what we hear will merely remain hollow words of little use. Simply put, we are the street car named desire. All of us, day in and day out, reveal who we are by what we do with our bodies and our spirits. Clearly, a person shows what he is by what he does with what he has. The Apostle Paul said that we should '...run that we may obtain'. So many of us are running but our runs are in wild abandonment and without vision. We run to and fro without knowing where we are going. "It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." ~ Somerset Maugham We burn both ends of the candle until our life waxes dull of energy and vision. We use our talents to no avail because our true passion of life is locked away in some foggy childhood dream. Don't get me wrong, talent is good, but there is nothing like a good ole fashion shot of desire. When the fire of our desire is lit, then profound things can begin to happen. Eric Hoffer said it best, "It sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents."
What is it YOU truly want...or should I say, what do you truly desire? Where lies your passion? The scripture tells us that wherever our treasure is, there shall your heart be also. (Matt 6:21) It is time we begin to search within ourselves and not only find our passion, but reawaken that dormant desire to live life to its fullest. Life is too fragile and time is far too precious to be squandered under the blanket of victim hood. Self help author and speaker, Napoleon Hill said, "The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat."Is it possible the results of your life you feel are not the fault of those around you or by mere happenstance? If you are reading this today...I want you to know there is more to life than what you have settled for. The Almighty God has not ordained His creation to weakness, but would have that all His creation would be endued with POWER! (Acts 1:8) Today is the day you take a step out of weakness and into the power of your passion! Find your passion, and you will find your life!
The cliche, 'Where there is a will, there is a way.' also seems apropos when discussing the nature of desire. As a child I can remember the day when my step-dad quit smoking cigarettes. He walked in from work and said he quit smoking and from that day on he never smoked another cigarette again. He told all of us that he threw his last pack of cigarettes in the trash can and he was done. No gimmicks, no drugs, no hypnosis...nothing but sheer desire to quit smoking surged him forward to obtaining his goal. This incident of my childhood, to this day, still points to the incredible power of a person's desire! Henry Hazlitt said, 'A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.' I have witnessed over the years many seemingly impossible things get accomplished merely because there was a will to get it done or a desire to make a way. It seems clear to me, if you cannot tap into the desire of a person, then it is almost impossible to move them. Andrew Carnegie seemed to feel the same way...'There is no use whatever trying to help people who do not help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he be willing to climb himself.' But if you can fuel the fire of their desire, somehow connect what is to be accomplished to match and attach itself to their desires...well, its almost a forgone conclusion it will get done. The scripture says in Proverbs 18:1, "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom."
Too many people try to look outside of themselves for their driving motivation, when the reality of their world truly lies within themselves. We can attend seminars, self help classes, and even sit under anointed preaching, but if our own desire is not sparked, then most of what we hear will merely remain hollow words of little use. Simply put, we are the street car named desire. All of us, day in and day out, reveal who we are by what we do with our bodies and our spirits. Clearly, a person shows what he is by what he does with what he has. The Apostle Paul said that we should '...run that we may obtain'. So many of us are running but our runs are in wild abandonment and without vision. We run to and fro without knowing where we are going. "It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it." ~ Somerset Maugham We burn both ends of the candle until our life waxes dull of energy and vision. We use our talents to no avail because our true passion of life is locked away in some foggy childhood dream. Don't get me wrong, talent is good, but there is nothing like a good ole fashion shot of desire. When the fire of our desire is lit, then profound things can begin to happen. Eric Hoffer said it best, "It sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents."
What is it YOU truly want...or should I say, what do you truly desire? Where lies your passion? The scripture tells us that wherever our treasure is, there shall your heart be also. (Matt 6:21) It is time we begin to search within ourselves and not only find our passion, but reawaken that dormant desire to live life to its fullest. Life is too fragile and time is far too precious to be squandered under the blanket of victim hood. Self help author and speaker, Napoleon Hill said, "The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat."Is it possible the results of your life you feel are not the fault of those around you or by mere happenstance? If you are reading this today...I want you to know there is more to life than what you have settled for. The Almighty God has not ordained His creation to weakness, but would have that all His creation would be endued with POWER! (Acts 1:8) Today is the day you take a step out of weakness and into the power of your passion! Find your passion, and you will find your life!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Climbing Your Dream!
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost
"The four-minute mile: This was the barrier, both physical and psychological, that begged to be broken." Neal Bascomb Many told Roger Bannister his goal was "impossible." For many years, the scientific and athletic communities thought that it was impossible to run a four-minute mile. The event was regarded as something more than a sports record to be broken. This 'impossibility' was viewed by society as an epochal barrier that could not, and, more amazingly, should not be broken. Many people believed if a man to run a mile in less than four minutes the result upon breaking the tape would be instant death.
In his 1935 article entitled "The Ultimate of Human Effort," British track coach Brutus Hamilton had listed the "perfect records beyond which man could never go" for a number of track and field events. He declared that the fastest mile possible would be 4:01.6. By the spring of 1954, Gunder Haegg's world record of 4:01.4 was nine years old, and Hamilton was still insisting no one could run any faster.
"Whether we liked it or not, the four-minute mile had become rather like an Everest -- a challenge to the human spirit," observed Bannister in his newly-reissued autobiography, "The Four-Minute Mile." "It was a barrier that defied all attempts to break it -- an irksome reminder that man's striving might be in vain. The Scandanavians, with their almost excessive reverence for the magic of sport, called it the `Dream Mile.' "
History now reveals that Roger Bannister was the man of this moment! On May 6, 1954, this 25-year-old medical student, committed runner, ran a mile at Oxford University's Iffley Road Track in the time of 3:59.4. Its no wonder Roger Bannister could say, "The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."
Louis. D. Brandeis said, "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." How many times have we hesitated to venture out of our cocoons and risk what all those around us have determined to be 'impossible'? Peer pressure, societal norms, and traditions keep us stagnant and uncommitted from taking steps toward our dreams. It seems far easier to stay in our comfort zones than to step off the shore of familiarity. "Do not attempt to do a thing unless you are sure of yourself; but do not relinquish it simply because someone else is not sure of you." - Stewart. E. White
Now let me be clear. I am not talking about venturing out to do evil or following after illicit ways. The Word of the Lord says we should not follow after the multitudes to do evil. So our venturing should be within the context of doing what is right for our families and giving back to our communities. All of us have had to endure the snide remarks of another who makes comments from their worldview of impossibilities. Family members, friends, and co-workers are quick to squash any attempt to step out of the known and into the unknown. Fear of failure grips us and leaves us frozen in a frightful fit of all the things bad that could happen! The comfort zone feels good, warm, and fuzzy, but such a zone zaps us of real growth and living up to our full potential. Rather than attempt something new, we are consoled in our complacent progress of staying put in our uncharted waters of a well known shoreline. "The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore." - Dale Carnegie Will Rogers said, "Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there."
The God of possibilities continues to call us out of the fleshly ground of impossibilities! He is not a God who waits for us to make a mistake, but He is a God who is calling us UP and out of carnal living of fleshly boxed in comfort zones! Who knows how many God given talents have been locked up on the carnal shores of our earthly vessels? God has called us to take our talents and grow, not to hide them away in fear! Vaclav Havel said, "Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs." If you want to eat the fruit, you have to take the risks that come with climbing the tree!
As the years pass, it seems we are more disappointed in the things we didn't do than by the ones we did do. How many times have we looked back on our lives and said, "I wish I would have!"? We are experts at making mountains out of molehills! How many times have we finally found the nerve to step out of our comfort zones, only to find that the mountain of fears we had created in our minds was lower than we originally had created?
There is no doubt in my mind, if you are reading this today, there are dreams you have locked away on some distant shore of apprehension. One of the greatest college basketball coaches, John Wooden said, "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." Today, I want you to re-examine those dreams and goals that were once the emblem of your vision. Its time to raise up the anchor, throw off the bowlines, and sail away from the safe harbor of complacency. There is a 'rushing mighty wind' awaiting to fill your sails and push you into the Hands of the One who holds the key to ALL possibilities!
"The four-minute mile: This was the barrier, both physical and psychological, that begged to be broken." Neal Bascomb Many told Roger Bannister his goal was "impossible." For many years, the scientific and athletic communities thought that it was impossible to run a four-minute mile. The event was regarded as something more than a sports record to be broken. This 'impossibility' was viewed by society as an epochal barrier that could not, and, more amazingly, should not be broken. Many people believed if a man to run a mile in less than four minutes the result upon breaking the tape would be instant death.
In his 1935 article entitled "The Ultimate of Human Effort," British track coach Brutus Hamilton had listed the "perfect records beyond which man could never go" for a number of track and field events. He declared that the fastest mile possible would be 4:01.6. By the spring of 1954, Gunder Haegg's world record of 4:01.4 was nine years old, and Hamilton was still insisting no one could run any faster.
"Whether we liked it or not, the four-minute mile had become rather like an Everest -- a challenge to the human spirit," observed Bannister in his newly-reissued autobiography, "The Four-Minute Mile." "It was a barrier that defied all attempts to break it -- an irksome reminder that man's striving might be in vain. The Scandanavians, with their almost excessive reverence for the magic of sport, called it the `Dream Mile.' "
History now reveals that Roger Bannister was the man of this moment! On May 6, 1954, this 25-year-old medical student, committed runner, ran a mile at Oxford University's Iffley Road Track in the time of 3:59.4. Its no wonder Roger Bannister could say, "The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."
Louis. D. Brandeis said, "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." How many times have we hesitated to venture out of our cocoons and risk what all those around us have determined to be 'impossible'? Peer pressure, societal norms, and traditions keep us stagnant and uncommitted from taking steps toward our dreams. It seems far easier to stay in our comfort zones than to step off the shore of familiarity. "Do not attempt to do a thing unless you are sure of yourself; but do not relinquish it simply because someone else is not sure of you." - Stewart. E. White
Now let me be clear. I am not talking about venturing out to do evil or following after illicit ways. The Word of the Lord says we should not follow after the multitudes to do evil. So our venturing should be within the context of doing what is right for our families and giving back to our communities. All of us have had to endure the snide remarks of another who makes comments from their worldview of impossibilities. Family members, friends, and co-workers are quick to squash any attempt to step out of the known and into the unknown. Fear of failure grips us and leaves us frozen in a frightful fit of all the things bad that could happen! The comfort zone feels good, warm, and fuzzy, but such a zone zaps us of real growth and living up to our full potential. Rather than attempt something new, we are consoled in our complacent progress of staying put in our uncharted waters of a well known shoreline. "The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore." - Dale Carnegie Will Rogers said, "Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there."
The God of possibilities continues to call us out of the fleshly ground of impossibilities! He is not a God who waits for us to make a mistake, but He is a God who is calling us UP and out of carnal living of fleshly boxed in comfort zones! Who knows how many God given talents have been locked up on the carnal shores of our earthly vessels? God has called us to take our talents and grow, not to hide them away in fear! Vaclav Havel said, "Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs." If you want to eat the fruit, you have to take the risks that come with climbing the tree!
As the years pass, it seems we are more disappointed in the things we didn't do than by the ones we did do. How many times have we looked back on our lives and said, "I wish I would have!"? We are experts at making mountains out of molehills! How many times have we finally found the nerve to step out of our comfort zones, only to find that the mountain of fears we had created in our minds was lower than we originally had created?
There is no doubt in my mind, if you are reading this today, there are dreams you have locked away on some distant shore of apprehension. One of the greatest college basketball coaches, John Wooden said, "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." Today, I want you to re-examine those dreams and goals that were once the emblem of your vision. Its time to raise up the anchor, throw off the bowlines, and sail away from the safe harbor of complacency. There is a 'rushing mighty wind' awaiting to fill your sails and push you into the Hands of the One who holds the key to ALL possibilities!
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