Captive people are those we formerly called slaves. Those slaves were thought to have been freed, in the USA, by Lincoln in the 1800’s you say. If you believe that, sit down, because I’m talking about you and me TODAY!
I know, because, I pride myself in thinking that I do most things “my way!” That is until I started putting this blog together! For starters, let’s pretend that we are each a box of cereal, yes breakfast food! We all want to feel that the box we’re housed in is a “king sized box!” We visualize ourselves quite a ways from the edges so that we don’t feel boxed in. We need lots of room to move around. Room to do our own thing!
Dream your dream! A few short moves and we find that we have run into the sides of that box we find ourselves in! It’s not that king-sized box of our dreams. We’ve found ourselves packaged in only a ‘single serving” size box!
Did I hear you say “no one puts ME in a box?” Each time you sit down to watch that game on your TV you put yourself in an eight minute box! It’s commercial time! You unknowingly have let someone else put you in a box, and you pay to have it done to you! “So what?” you said I can turn the thing off any time I want. I’m still in control! Wrong!
You and me, all of us, are slaves to ourselves, our jobs, our addictions, our spouses, our health, our laws, our ageing, our religion, even our want to be’s. With each item our box becomes smaller! You may have noticed the first that I listed was OURSELVES. It’s difficult to really be satisfied with our self.
One of the most difficult things for most of us to handle is ageing and all must face the fact that it is one of our God given rights! Many associate old with ugly. I would like to hear the term “attractive older person” used more often. It’s more gentle than that old woman or man.
I would also like to touch on addiction. I look upon it as a health issue. Never feel one must hit the bottom before asking for help. Please remember I am always here to help and I never point fingers or brand people with names.
Sometimes I can recognize when help is needed, sometimes I can’t. Help is always just an ask away. There have been too many times I’ve found myself saying; if I would have only known! Sometimes it has been too late!
We, you and me, determine the amount of captivity we find ourselves in. The faith each of us has in ourselves will often determine the amount of control we allow others to have over us.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Bubbles
If we want to admit it or not, we each live in a bubble! That bubble is one of our own making, or one that we have allowed others to make for us. Like it or not, I have found that those bubbles are our own choosing! We either allow our life to happen, or we make our life happen! Although that bubble is transparent, we often find ourselves running headlong into its limitations. Boundaries, that either we have made for ourselves, or have allowed others to make for us!
Please forgive me for using myself as an example, but I know me better than I know anyone else! In one of my last essays, I mentioned that many unplanned things happened that changed my life. I also mentioned how, at an early age, I realized that others were trying to put me in a bubble of their choosing, not mine! That will be the starting point for this essay.
I had found that a majority of those I wanted to talk to would only show an interest in conversation at their convenience or their choosing! As soon as I realized this, I started forming my bond with My Father in Heaven. I knew He was always at my side and would always be there and would always take the time to listen! I learned that with Him at my side, I had much less need for the rest of the world.
With Him at my side and a few special friends, suddenly I felt free to start building my bubble my way! I spent many years bubble building and ended with one I could live comfortable in! I could open its door and let those of my choosing in and close its door to others! All the while knowing My Friend was beside me with the ability to open that door to opportunities that I would otherwise miss! I found that my bubble allowed me to watch and learn without having to participate!
Today I still find My Friend and me still living in my bubble, although I find the two of us walking in and out more often. Today I find many trying to escape from their bubbles, their bubbles that they built for themselves! Many tell me that they would like to go, or be, someplace else. But if they aren’t happy here, how do they know that “someplace else” would or could, be any different? Others have stated that; they would just like to get away from it all. Where could you go if that new place looked no different after you got there and you still found it full of “it all?” Ever think about chasing a few out of your bubble and then remodeling it to your liking? It’s hard to escape from yourself!
Years ago, I discovered that my bubble could become a lonely place, even with My Friend beside me. I learned that excitement can turn to burdon unless we learn to work and find new and exciting things to do.
It takes just a short time to change our bubble from a place of pride and joy to a prison! And, that choice is up to no one but you and me!
Please forgive me for using myself as an example, but I know me better than I know anyone else! In one of my last essays, I mentioned that many unplanned things happened that changed my life. I also mentioned how, at an early age, I realized that others were trying to put me in a bubble of their choosing, not mine! That will be the starting point for this essay.
I had found that a majority of those I wanted to talk to would only show an interest in conversation at their convenience or their choosing! As soon as I realized this, I started forming my bond with My Father in Heaven. I knew He was always at my side and would always be there and would always take the time to listen! I learned that with Him at my side, I had much less need for the rest of the world.
With Him at my side and a few special friends, suddenly I felt free to start building my bubble my way! I spent many years bubble building and ended with one I could live comfortable in! I could open its door and let those of my choosing in and close its door to others! All the while knowing My Friend was beside me with the ability to open that door to opportunities that I would otherwise miss! I found that my bubble allowed me to watch and learn without having to participate!
Today I still find My Friend and me still living in my bubble, although I find the two of us walking in and out more often. Today I find many trying to escape from their bubbles, their bubbles that they built for themselves! Many tell me that they would like to go, or be, someplace else. But if they aren’t happy here, how do they know that “someplace else” would or could, be any different? Others have stated that; they would just like to get away from it all. Where could you go if that new place looked no different after you got there and you still found it full of “it all?” Ever think about chasing a few out of your bubble and then remodeling it to your liking? It’s hard to escape from yourself!
Years ago, I discovered that my bubble could become a lonely place, even with My Friend beside me. I learned that excitement can turn to burdon unless we learn to work and find new and exciting things to do.
It takes just a short time to change our bubble from a place of pride and joy to a prison! And, that choice is up to no one but you and me!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Pontential
In your life, do you feel that you have reached your full potential? As I started this essay, I realized that our potential (our ability to accomplish our capability) is a major part of each of our lives! It is a part of living that we often use as we judge ourselves. It is a part we fear, always feeling we could have done more, while at the same time cherish, as we look back at our accomplishments.
Sadly, it is one of the principle things our leaders try to control! And, as I refer to leaders, I’m referring to EACH person we come in contact with that could have the ability to change our lives
I truly believe each person’s true potential is one of society’s most feared objects! In every religious book, we find passages that tell us our God wants to hold back many of our potentials, especially those of women! Could God really want that of any of His children? If My God gives me the potential to do something, I just can’t believe that He would have instructed that person, the one who wrote a religious book thousands of years ago, to tell me now that I can’t do something because it is wrong! Just because it was wrong then, does that by necessity make it wrong today?
Often, in my lifetime I have been told that I ask too many questions. But, I found that many times if I ask the same question of different people, many who felt they were qualified to answer; I could expect many different answers! About that time, I started going to My Father in Heaven for my answers1 I was looking for true answers, not someone’s interpretation! One day I asked Him if I was asking too many questions, His reply was; if you don’t ask questions, how can you expect answers?
I believe our potential is like many other gifts our God gives us. Like our other gifts, if we use those gifts well they will grow and more gifts will come our way. But if, we hide those gifts or let others try to control them they will wither and fade away. Those potentials, that we have received, should not be compared to those given to others. My potential does not make me more right or wrong than you, just different. I maybe can’t jump as high or run as fast as you, I just don’t have that potential.
My Grandma was one that taught me to never underestimate my potential. She would never allow me to say that I could not do something. If I would tell her that I could not do something, her reply was always; have you tried? If my answer was yes, her comeback was: have you really tried? I never could fib to my Grandma because she always knew! Because of her I fulfilled many of my dreams that I normally would have backed away from. I have had several times in my life that I ran above my potential and did the impossible dream! I’ve had other times that I ran full steam into corners! But, I tried, I really tried! The only way you can find out how much God gave you to work with is to try, to really try!
I know the world is always trying to keep our potential safely in a box. We are told to use our potential to the fullest, but then we hear a whisper behind our back, someone saying; but, we can’t let it go too far!
Most of us have some idea of what our potential really is, but many times we use it as a whipping boy! When talking about it in our conversations we often slip in that BUT word! That one word is used so often to allow us “wiggle room.” It gives us the satisfaction of knowing that we aren’t any worse than the rest of the world!
Let’s kick that “but” word! Let’s spread our wings and fly! It was God that gave us our potential, let’s use every drop of it!
Sadly, it is one of the principle things our leaders try to control! And, as I refer to leaders, I’m referring to EACH person we come in contact with that could have the ability to change our lives
I truly believe each person’s true potential is one of society’s most feared objects! In every religious book, we find passages that tell us our God wants to hold back many of our potentials, especially those of women! Could God really want that of any of His children? If My God gives me the potential to do something, I just can’t believe that He would have instructed that person, the one who wrote a religious book thousands of years ago, to tell me now that I can’t do something because it is wrong! Just because it was wrong then, does that by necessity make it wrong today?
Often, in my lifetime I have been told that I ask too many questions. But, I found that many times if I ask the same question of different people, many who felt they were qualified to answer; I could expect many different answers! About that time, I started going to My Father in Heaven for my answers1 I was looking for true answers, not someone’s interpretation! One day I asked Him if I was asking too many questions, His reply was; if you don’t ask questions, how can you expect answers?
I believe our potential is like many other gifts our God gives us. Like our other gifts, if we use those gifts well they will grow and more gifts will come our way. But if, we hide those gifts or let others try to control them they will wither and fade away. Those potentials, that we have received, should not be compared to those given to others. My potential does not make me more right or wrong than you, just different. I maybe can’t jump as high or run as fast as you, I just don’t have that potential.
My Grandma was one that taught me to never underestimate my potential. She would never allow me to say that I could not do something. If I would tell her that I could not do something, her reply was always; have you tried? If my answer was yes, her comeback was: have you really tried? I never could fib to my Grandma because she always knew! Because of her I fulfilled many of my dreams that I normally would have backed away from. I have had several times in my life that I ran above my potential and did the impossible dream! I’ve had other times that I ran full steam into corners! But, I tried, I really tried! The only way you can find out how much God gave you to work with is to try, to really try!
I know the world is always trying to keep our potential safely in a box. We are told to use our potential to the fullest, but then we hear a whisper behind our back, someone saying; but, we can’t let it go too far!
Most of us have some idea of what our potential really is, but many times we use it as a whipping boy! When talking about it in our conversations we often slip in that BUT word! That one word is used so often to allow us “wiggle room.” It gives us the satisfaction of knowing that we aren’t any worse than the rest of the world!
Let’s kick that “but” word! Let’s spread our wings and fly! It was God that gave us our potential, let’s use every drop of it!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Think, Believe, or Know
For much of my life I had a testimony of that life. I had things I thought. I had things I believed. And, I had things I knew! For many years I found myself satisfied with my way of thinking, as I had no reason to change. Then one day, My Friend explained the difference in each way of thinking and expressing myself.
Basically I was told; if I think something, I’m giving my interpretation of that thought. If I say that I believe something, I’m saying that I agree with something that has been spoken or written, but I still leave room to question. If I say I KNOW something, it is something beyond question! It is as positive as the sun coming up in the morning! It is something directly related to God! It is beyond question! It is beyond interpretation! It is truth! It is faith!
You may wonder how I got to where I am today. I will try to explain my journey to you. Soon after I learned to talk I started asking questions and listening closely to those answers. Later I found that many did not want to “waste a lot of time answering little kids questions!” Others had other “more important things” to do than bother with “foolish” questions. A few would say “Bob, come on over and sit a spell and talk a spell.” They were the ones that I learned the most from, they taught me how to listen. They were ones that took the time to answer questions that were important to me!
My problem was that I was beginning to feel that most of the world was trying to put me in a bubble not of my making. Then one day, while skipping home from Sunday school I remembered something the teacher had said! He had told me that My Father in Heaven was always at my side! He told me that I never would be able to see Him, but if I had faith I would know He was there.
I had no idea what that faith stuff was, but maybe I could believe My Father was always there. At first, occasionally I would reach over and try to touch something or look down to see if I could see a shadow. I found that I could do neither! But, I knew I had a special feeling just knowing something was there! In my heart, I knew He was there, but what could I do with Him?
About that time I had a friend, another little boy that I played with. This little boy could not talk. While we were playing together, I noticed that when I would talk to him he would smile and if I ask a question he would shake his head in answer. I told this friend many things because as I talked he would smile.
This made me wonder if my other silent friend would like to be talked to. I started talking to Him as well; I told Him all kinds of things, just like I would to any other friend. Then sometime later I noticed that I had dropped the prayer talk and was addressing Him as My Friend.
One day much later, I happened to think about my silent little playmate and thinking about him shaking his head in answer to my questions. I started wondering if my other silent friend would answer too? But I could not see Him!!!
For many years I had been talking to that friend, but I never had ask a question because I had no idea how that unseen friend would or could answer! And, if I got NO ANSWER could I ever be sure again that He was really there? How could I ask a question of someone that I have been accepting as fact throughout most of my life, and suddenly have a shadow of doubt?
I decided that it was time! I had to know! Then I started wondering many things; was I prepared for an answer? Dare I ask? How should I ask? Am I worthy to ask? Can a common person like me ask a question of My Father in Heaven and even expect an answer? For a while I was afraid to ask!
Then I jumped in with both feet! I ask my question! Since I had been addressing Him as My Friend for years that was how I worded my question! My question was “My Friend, if I ask you a question, can I expect an answer?”
In a short moment I received my answer! It was not in the booming voice from Heaven that many would expect! It was ONLY ONE WORD! That word as it was placed in my heart was a “YES!”, and it was as soft as a meow from a pussy-cat!
Since that day, I have had many conversations with My Friend. Many were no more than chit chat conversations that one would have with any other friend. But others were words that needed to be written accurately, word for word, and then dated, words that should be read over many times. Over the years I have accumulated pages and pages of those answers to my questions.
One day I asked My Friend if I ask too many questions. His reply was; if you don’t ask questions how can you expect answers. I must add I don’t look upon myself as anything special, I’m not a minister, a prophet, an anointed person, or a chosen person, I’m Just Bob, just someone that has learned to hear my God’s answers when He speaks to me!
Basically I was told; if I think something, I’m giving my interpretation of that thought. If I say that I believe something, I’m saying that I agree with something that has been spoken or written, but I still leave room to question. If I say I KNOW something, it is something beyond question! It is as positive as the sun coming up in the morning! It is something directly related to God! It is beyond question! It is beyond interpretation! It is truth! It is faith!
You may wonder how I got to where I am today. I will try to explain my journey to you. Soon after I learned to talk I started asking questions and listening closely to those answers. Later I found that many did not want to “waste a lot of time answering little kids questions!” Others had other “more important things” to do than bother with “foolish” questions. A few would say “Bob, come on over and sit a spell and talk a spell.” They were the ones that I learned the most from, they taught me how to listen. They were ones that took the time to answer questions that were important to me!
My problem was that I was beginning to feel that most of the world was trying to put me in a bubble not of my making. Then one day, while skipping home from Sunday school I remembered something the teacher had said! He had told me that My Father in Heaven was always at my side! He told me that I never would be able to see Him, but if I had faith I would know He was there.
I had no idea what that faith stuff was, but maybe I could believe My Father was always there. At first, occasionally I would reach over and try to touch something or look down to see if I could see a shadow. I found that I could do neither! But, I knew I had a special feeling just knowing something was there! In my heart, I knew He was there, but what could I do with Him?
About that time I had a friend, another little boy that I played with. This little boy could not talk. While we were playing together, I noticed that when I would talk to him he would smile and if I ask a question he would shake his head in answer. I told this friend many things because as I talked he would smile.
This made me wonder if my other silent friend would like to be talked to. I started talking to Him as well; I told Him all kinds of things, just like I would to any other friend. Then sometime later I noticed that I had dropped the prayer talk and was addressing Him as My Friend.
One day much later, I happened to think about my silent little playmate and thinking about him shaking his head in answer to my questions. I started wondering if my other silent friend would answer too? But I could not see Him!!!
For many years I had been talking to that friend, but I never had ask a question because I had no idea how that unseen friend would or could answer! And, if I got NO ANSWER could I ever be sure again that He was really there? How could I ask a question of someone that I have been accepting as fact throughout most of my life, and suddenly have a shadow of doubt?
I decided that it was time! I had to know! Then I started wondering many things; was I prepared for an answer? Dare I ask? How should I ask? Am I worthy to ask? Can a common person like me ask a question of My Father in Heaven and even expect an answer? For a while I was afraid to ask!
Then I jumped in with both feet! I ask my question! Since I had been addressing Him as My Friend for years that was how I worded my question! My question was “My Friend, if I ask you a question, can I expect an answer?”
In a short moment I received my answer! It was not in the booming voice from Heaven that many would expect! It was ONLY ONE WORD! That word as it was placed in my heart was a “YES!”, and it was as soft as a meow from a pussy-cat!
Since that day, I have had many conversations with My Friend. Many were no more than chit chat conversations that one would have with any other friend. But others were words that needed to be written accurately, word for word, and then dated, words that should be read over many times. Over the years I have accumulated pages and pages of those answers to my questions.
One day I asked My Friend if I ask too many questions. His reply was; if you don’t ask questions how can you expect answers. I must add I don’t look upon myself as anything special, I’m not a minister, a prophet, an anointed person, or a chosen person, I’m Just Bob, just someone that has learned to hear my God’s answers when He speaks to me!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Learning
This essay is going to be a bunch of mismatched ideas that are as close to the way I think as I can put on paper! I guess you might call it Bob’s logic, but I’m not sure I ever was logical.
When I think, I think thoughts (notice I put an s on the end of that word)! If you have been reading my blog, you may have noticed, it has no set theme!
Years ago in school, I hated to take notes. Today, I have hundreds of notes, pages and pages of notes. I look upon them as my external hard drive. Most of them will be found in future blogs. Today I use outlines. I hated them too.
If you are a teacher and one of your kids ask; why they have to learn all of that boring stuff? Tell them you know someone that took seventy years to answer that question, but he knows the answer today!
When I started this blog, my worry was; how can I come up with enough material to fill that first page! Today my worry is; can I find enough time to put all of my ideas on paper?”
Writing these essays has taught me much about ME! I’ve learned that I don’t mind being told what people want done, but I don’t want them telling me how to do it! A good example of that is; when My Friend told me to start a blog. He told me what He wanted and then left it up to me to figure out how to do it!
Looking back, in the hundreds of questions He has answered for me, never once can I remember being told how I should use those answers! Even in writing this blog, I am given the subject and then allowed to work with it my way! Of course I know that He is always looking over my solder!
Please tell me, how many other eighty-six year olds, find excitement in each day of their life? After talking to hundreds of others I’ve found excitement is only is only found in the eye of the beholder. Many are looking so hard to find boredom, that they can’t see the excitement around them.
I feel excitement is learning! I look upon a person that has stopped learning, as a person that is brain dead!
I try to talk to everyone I come in contact with. I find very few I talk to that I learn nothing from. I’ve also noticed that the more people I talk to, the more I find in common with them. And, this gives me a broader subject base to talk about.
Many times our dreams contribute to our learning. I’m sure you’ve heard me say that if you can dream it you can do it. But, you have never heard me say that all those dreams will be easy to fulfill! Many of my dreams have taken days of learning to be fulfilled!
If anyone would have told me, on my eighty fifth birthday, that I would ever publish over a hundred thousand words on a blog, I would have told them that they were flat-out crazy! Now, in a few more weeks I’ll be over that number! And, that is probably more words than I wrote all the rest of my life!
You must remember that each of those words was first printed by hand on a steno pad, then typed by one finger in Word, before you got to read it on my blog!
At eighty five I ask “Why me God, why me?” At almost eighty seven I find myself saying “Thank you God, You opened up a whole new world of learning and excitement for me!”
When I think, I think thoughts (notice I put an s on the end of that word)! If you have been reading my blog, you may have noticed, it has no set theme!
Years ago in school, I hated to take notes. Today, I have hundreds of notes, pages and pages of notes. I look upon them as my external hard drive. Most of them will be found in future blogs. Today I use outlines. I hated them too.
If you are a teacher and one of your kids ask; why they have to learn all of that boring stuff? Tell them you know someone that took seventy years to answer that question, but he knows the answer today!
When I started this blog, my worry was; how can I come up with enough material to fill that first page! Today my worry is; can I find enough time to put all of my ideas on paper?”
Writing these essays has taught me much about ME! I’ve learned that I don’t mind being told what people want done, but I don’t want them telling me how to do it! A good example of that is; when My Friend told me to start a blog. He told me what He wanted and then left it up to me to figure out how to do it!
Looking back, in the hundreds of questions He has answered for me, never once can I remember being told how I should use those answers! Even in writing this blog, I am given the subject and then allowed to work with it my way! Of course I know that He is always looking over my solder!
Please tell me, how many other eighty-six year olds, find excitement in each day of their life? After talking to hundreds of others I’ve found excitement is only is only found in the eye of the beholder. Many are looking so hard to find boredom, that they can’t see the excitement around them.
I feel excitement is learning! I look upon a person that has stopped learning, as a person that is brain dead!
I try to talk to everyone I come in contact with. I find very few I talk to that I learn nothing from. I’ve also noticed that the more people I talk to, the more I find in common with them. And, this gives me a broader subject base to talk about.
Many times our dreams contribute to our learning. I’m sure you’ve heard me say that if you can dream it you can do it. But, you have never heard me say that all those dreams will be easy to fulfill! Many of my dreams have taken days of learning to be fulfilled!
If anyone would have told me, on my eighty fifth birthday, that I would ever publish over a hundred thousand words on a blog, I would have told them that they were flat-out crazy! Now, in a few more weeks I’ll be over that number! And, that is probably more words than I wrote all the rest of my life!
You must remember that each of those words was first printed by hand on a steno pad, then typed by one finger in Word, before you got to read it on my blog!
At eighty five I ask “Why me God, why me?” At almost eighty seven I find myself saying “Thank you God, You opened up a whole new world of learning and excitement for me!”
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