Faith and the darkness of the unknown

"When you come to the edge of all the light you know

and are about to step into the darkness of the unknown.

Faith is knowing that one of two things will happen.

There will be solid ground to stand on or

you will be taught to fly."

Author unknown

Life and society as we know it has been changing and in transition . . . the economy, the political scene and unemployment that has run out of control.  Each decision we make is just a part of the cycle of cause and effect, approaching the decision-making process having the faith and knowledge that there are always possibilities and choices available empowers the process of exploring what is most beneficial for each of us as individuals.  

The optimum word is faith.

In the darkness of the unknown, there is one thing that remains constant . . . if we are not happy with present life circumstances and the choices made, we have the power to make different choices.  There are always choices . . . take the time to consider those options and ponder the possible outcomes with heightened awareness rather than make rash decisions based on emotion.

Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, 

then counting your blessings before they hatch.

  ~Ramona C. Carroll

Faith has never let me down . . . fears do.

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Surviving a storm

While cruising the internet this morning, I happened to come across a page called "The Daily Inspiration" that originates on the website of one of our local talk show radio stations. The link appears at the end of the article . . .

On this page, I found the following article that was like a confirmation from God . . . I could have written it myself since it speaks of many of my life philosophies.

One of my favorite sayings . . . it appears on the sidebar of this blog and is included in many of my prayers . . .

"You have succeeded in life

when all you really want

is only what you really need."

Vernon Howard
We will all encounter storms in our lifetime, it is how we deal with those struggles in the choices we make, including the mindset we choose that makes the difference in achieving peace, love and happiness.

At times, it is difficult to maintain an optimistic mindset . . . however, hope and faith are just a thought away . . . it is all about how we perceive a given situation.

Here is the article . . . I hope it gives just one person passing through a storm the perspective needed to get through it with a smile and a happy heart.

Today within minutes of each other, I read two messages of hope.

One was a story about a man who won millions. The other was about a man who just lost his job.

So, how do I see hope in either story?

The now wealthy man was rich beyond measure long before he won the money.

The now unemployed man was rich beyond measure long before he lost his job.

Both men are dedicated to family, friends, faith-filled, loving and well loved in return.

So, where do I see hope?

In how they choose to respond to life.

Both have choices to make to get them to where they want to go.

The now wealthy man could end up financially ruined.

The unemployed man could become a millionaire.

Neither circumstance has anything to do with money. It has everything to do with the choices they make.

Both are facing an abrupt change in lifestyle.

Both are facing storms.

I watched today as the clouds came rolling into the area. We were recently slammed by heavy rains which caused flooding throughout the east coast.

That storm passed. The sun came out and all was well. The return of yet another rainstorm almost seems unfair.

But it is life.

I realized as I stood watching the clouds overhead that if I got in my car and drove in almost any direction I would eventually find the end of the storm.

Like these two men, if we go far enough on the road we choose we can out run any storm. If we stand strong enough in place we can let the storm pass over us.

So, what does it take to get through the storm?

It all comes down to the choosing.

Enough. Enough time, enough belief, enough faith, enough love, enough hope. Both men are fully equipped with all those values.

Still, the enemy will step into the middle of every storm and use weapons of fear and doubt.

Fear of the unknown isn't the worst. Doubt is. Doubt undermines your beliefs. Doubt blinds the truth. I may not know what will happen, but if I doubt that good will come of it I will be lost in the storm.

Whenever I see an image of someone who won the lottery I always say a prayer for them.

I do the same when I see images of people who just lost their job.

That's my weapon.

I've been unemployed, I've never been a millionaire.

I survived unemployment. I've survived many storms. I'm not sure if I'd survive being a millionaire.

I can hear you saying "I'd like to give it a try!"

Please don't see this as bragging, but I help Lots of people in many ways. I've had this conversation with God many times.

"God, if you'd let me win big in the lottery, you know I could help a lot more people."

God's reply has always been, "Then help a lot of people with what you have now."

You don't need a lot of anything in life, you just need enough.

To both men, I promise "I'll see you in my prayers." I know you will both remain rich beyond measure.

Choose wisely and with God as counselor. It's the only way I make it through the storms.

Source

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Suicide has touched our lives . . .

Regular readers of my blog know that dealing with death is one of my most difficult challenges.


As the Captain and I sat in the outdoor dining area taking in a gorgeous Florida morning, enjoying our coffee and  pleasant conversation, making plans for the day, a single police car pulls up close by a neighbor's house and walks up to the house.  So the nightmare begins . . .


A man we have never seen before comes out of the neighbor's house, wildly waving his arms around . . . needless to say, something was definitely wrong.  Shortly thereafter, the stranger gets in his vehicle and leaves . . . followed by the policeman.


The neighbor was an elderly gentleman, a Vietnam veteran widowed twice who was seemingly enjoying his life in the company of younger women, traveling frequently and partied hard, obviously enjoying the intoxication of alcoholic beverages.  He was a friendly guy who frequented the local VFW and spent a tremendous amount of time giving back to our veterans through community service.  All in all, a good neighbor . . .


The Captain and I had been wondering where he had been lately, speculating that he was on one of his long trips in the company of one of his ladies, having the time of his life.  To the contrary . . . we later found out that he broke his back, had been in the hospital and returned home just days before . . .


Back to that morning . . . it had been no more than 20 minutes before we heard the sound of sirens, a fire truck and EMS.  The stranger had once again emerged on the scene . . . all of a sudden, one police car at a time, they converged . . . taking up both sides of the street . . . way down the street.  I had never seen so many cops and so much commotion happen in a matter of minutes . . . a sick feeling came over me from the pit of my stomach.


The Captain and I sat outside watching it all unfold like two birds up in the tree, not knowing what was going on, but knowing nevertheless . . .


It went on all day long . . . more police, more cars . . . detectives, the medical examiner . . . the yellow crime tape barricaded the property . . . then came the forensics unit . . .


We heard some of the talking amongst the police since many of them hung out in our front yard during the investigation . . . we gathered from the bits and pieces we heard that our neighbor shot himself . . . but then there was that stranger who was taken into a car with a detective . . . and the lady, who was apparently his caretaker, was also taken by two other detectives . . . neither emerged for a very long time.


Numbness took over me that morning and has not left . . . the thought of someone taking their own life makes one think of how appearances are deceiving . . . how the quality of someone's life is so important . . . and how fragile life is . . . scarier is someone taking the life of another.  We can be here one minute and gone the next.  


The yellow crime tape especially freaked me out . . . I bit off all of my fingernails.  All of this took place as we sat outdoors having a pleasant conversation over a cup of coffee, not knowing the hell that was going on so close by and would unfold before our eyes . . . without the details, like a silent movie with no subtitles.


What makes me sad is how life circumstances can make the difference between life and death . . . I've seen it over and over again working in the mental health industry.  Hope and despair take over and there only seems to be one way out in what could be a split second of thinking . . .


Sorry to be a downer . . . it is about life . . . death is a part of life . . . the key is learning how to cope with life circumstances with hope and faith that tomorrow is another day.

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Make your heart sing

Graphics by Gina Alfani

When you "lose your song" and are down in the dumps, it is essential to enjoy life every single day . . . make your heart sing, even if you have to create a new song.


Enjoying life and not letting all the little obstacles and annoyances get in the way of peace and joy is essential to our well-being. No matter what, we must find time to be playful and carefree with a meaningful song in our heart.


It is the joy of life itself that we sometimes forget is not infinite . . . our time on this earth is very short . . . every moment should be treated as if it is the last. So . . . sing a joyous song and be happy!

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Communicating honestly

Graphics by Gina Alfani  

Not settling for less than what you desire from your relationships can be the equivalent of walking a tightrope.  It is a delicate balance . . .

Have you ever "inserted foot into mouth"?  I've often wondered where that saying came from, but I have definitely been there and done that!

Speaking the truth requires guidance from within before "inserting foot into mouth" and ending up creating conflict or tension as a result of saying something off the top of our head and overlooking another person's feelings.

Don't we sometimes sacrifice our own truth for fear of hurting someone's feelings or starting a conflict?  At that point, we are not being true to ourselves . . . tipping that delicate balance and creating another type of imbalance within ourselves.

Living with integrity and behaving in ways that are in harmony with your personal values, speaking in a compassionate, straightforward manner will ultimately result in becoming less guarded about our feelings and those of others.  

By all means, communicate honestly and speak the truth, however, be conscious of how you communicate those truths with others.

Always be true to yourself!

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A time of change

Life as we know has always been changing and evolving from the beginning of time.

However, a time of serious change has descended upon the earth on many fronts in recent past. Societal changes are swiftly moving in many directions.

Change is ever present . . . you can see it in world events . . . you can see it looking out beyond the walls that shelter you in your own communities.

At the time of growing up, I don't recall people running around with guns randomly shooting people and turning the gun on themselves. That is sheer lunacy . . . however, I still respect the right to bear arms. It has become a time when not bearing arms for your own protection is lunacy.  Are we headed back to the days of the wild west?  Will gun holsters become a new fashion statement?

On the economic front, local businesses are failing, unemployment running rampant . . . once thriving malls are like ghost towns, little mom and pop businesses have been closing their doors at a rapid pace . . . they just can't make it, leaving a greater gap for employment opportunities. Society in general are just scared to let go of the money they do have, putting the dreams of small-time entrepreneurs nearly out of reach.

The times we are living in are becoming more disturbing by the day. Stay informed, educate yourself on what is going on . . . don't just listen to the sound bites on the news, dig into the facts for yourself, keep an open mind and think for yourself . . . don't let others do the thinking for you. It is especially crucial on the political front . . . know who you are voting for and what they stand for.

These are the tests of time where the strong will survive. If you fall down, get up  and start over again. Keep the hope and faith with the knowledge that there is always someone who is not as fortunate as yourself for whatever reason. It is a difficult time to be optimistic, but it has become a necessity to know that "this too will pass" . . .

Living the lifestyle of simple abundance . . . being grateful for the little things that God has blessed me with and really striving toward a life filled with peace, love and happiness . . . that is what keeps me strong and grounded.

There is a quote on the sidebar of

my blog that is my philosophy of life 

"You have succeeded in life when 

all you really want is only what you really need."

Vernon Howard

What do I really need?

Peace, love and happiness 

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The spirit of love

How important is it to be "right"?


When ego takes over in our relationships over something said or done by another person that we don't agree with, the focus turns from the spirit of love to the angry need to be right.


Of course it depends on the situation, but isn't it better to just let it go without debating the issue to the point that could lead to consequences that are far worse than just being right?


Human nature can confine us to a world of rigid rules as criteria for someone else without looking into our own actions or belief system first. There is also the choice of accepting the fact that they are "wrong" and simply choose to love them anyway . . . agree to disagree and live by the "Spirit of Love."


Love is more important than being right . . . at least that is my opinion.

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