thoughts on the news of the day: goals

hmmm…..

            What are your goals? 

            I am applying for an advanced degree program at my seminary and have to write a paper on my personal and professional goals.  I will have to think about that one.  For a long time, my goal was just to keep my head above water, personally, financially and professionally.  All of those areas have leveled out. So now it is time to ask myself, “what next?”

            Maybe you have come to a place in your life when it is time to look around and to determine what you have accomplished in the last weeks, years or decades.  It’s like you have to look backward at what has happened so far in your life before you can look ahead to what lies before you. 

            Now, in our church there are many folks who have accomplished great things.  They have fought in world wars; they have had successful business and professional careers.  They have raised children and in some cases, grandchildren.  They are active in our church and even find time to volunteer at the local hospital or food bank.  It would be easy to say, Hey! You have had a good life.  Sit down and relax, for heavens sake.

            But like those of us who are still raising kids and making a living and pursuing advanced degrees in their prospective fields, we all need to have goals.  Something to look forward to – even if it is just being able to go to the high school graduation of your great-grand daughter.  Working toward goals makes our life full and fulfilled.

            Now, one last thing: don’t ever leave God out of the equation.  I bet if you ask God what you are to do next, God will answer.  And in that answer, you will find new goals.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: more on miracles

hmmm…..

            Do you believe in miracles?  Some folks might say that Congress finding a way to solve the debt ceiling problem and reach a compromise by August 2 would be a miracle.  Others think that discovering a semblance of an image of Jesus on a random ticket, like happened a couple of weeks ago, is a miracle.  But have you ever experienced a miracle in your life?

            I guess that all depends upon your definition of miracle.  The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is one that most people know.  It is where Jesus changed five loaves of bread and two fishes into a meal for over 5,000 people.  It might have happened that once one little boy offered his food to the multitudes, then lots of other folks stepped forward to offer their groceries to the crowds and everyone was fed.  Or, it might have been that Jesus intervened and created a meal for 5,000 out of little or nothing and a miracle happened. 

            There are lots of stories about miracles in the  Bible.  But what is a miracle?  Wikipedia has this to say about them: “In casual usage, "miracle" is seen as any event that is the result of an action by God and may also refer to any statistically unlikely but beneficial event, (such as surviving a natural disaster), or simply a "wonderful" occurrence, regardless of likelihood, such as a birth. Other miracles might be: survival of a terminal illness, escaping a life threatening situation or 'beating the odds’”.

            Whatever your definition of miracle, if you have experienced God intervening in your life in a positive way, you know the power and the presence of God.  And that is a miracle in itself.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: creation

hmmm…..

            An article in the New York Times explores the current possibility of scientific research that might lead to the re-creation of life.  Scientists have already created molecules of RNA that can replicate themselves, but so far they cannot go beyond that.  It is hoped that as they are able to create life, they can better explore the possibility of life on other planets. 

            The scientific research that is exploring the creation of life is beyond me.  I made it through chemistry class, but barely.  So if you want to know more about the research, you will have to check out the Times article. 

            It is intriguing, though, to think about what constitutes life – especially when we are considering the ramifications theologically.  I mean, if humans can create life in a test tube, where does that leave our Divine Creator?  Tricky.  I believe that God created all of creation.  How God did it is open for discussion in my mind.  God may have created the universe in seven days as the story in Genesis explains.  Or it could have been a symbolic story to explore the idea of a Creator.  Believing that does not discount belief in God, at least that’s how I see it.

            I like the idea of knowing that a power greater than myself created me and that I am unique in all of the universe.   To me, just because scientists can create life in a test tube does not mean that Someone does not have control of outcomes. Nevertheless, I remain curious about the research being done.   My faith is strong, but my mind is still open.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: smart phones

hmmm…..

            Are you addicted to your smart phone?  I am beginning to wonder if I am.  Last evening as I drove to a meeting, I realized that I had forgotten my iphone and was about to race back to the house when it occurred to me that I would only be in the meeting for an hour and that I couldn’t use my phone during that time anyway.

            Do you sleep with your phone?  OK, I admit that my iphone is always on my bed stand when I retire for the night.  But that started long before I got my fancy gadget.  I disconnected my land line long ago, so my cell is my only phone in the house.  Since I live alone, it makes sense to have it close at night.  Also, my phone serves as my alarm clock and I need to shut it off when I wake up. 

            Do you have clothes for your iphone?  Everyone has a case for their phone – it protects it from breakage.  But mine is a Coach version. Classy.  There are whole kiosks at the mall that sell all varieties of covers.  You can get glittery ones covered with rhinestones, cases with school mascots on them, patriotic ones and sleek button-down type ones for the more conservative dresser. 

            Some people name their smart phone.  I have not gotten that far – yet.  It seems a little over the top for me.  My phone is connected to a sync system in my car, so fortunately I don’t have to hold my phone when I talk in the car.  And texting is not done in my vehicle, at least by the driver at the wheel.  The whole system is kind of personalized, though, and the thought has occurred to me to name “her” Maggie or Bessie.

            There may come a day when I have to go to a meeting and say, “My name  is Nancy and I am powerless over my phone.” I wonder if there is a “Smart Phones Anonymous” in my town yet. 

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: give and take

hmmm…..

            President Obama spoke to us on national television last night.  He was referencing the struggles to come to an agreement with Congress on balancing the budget when he said that in Washington “compromise has become a dirty word.”

            I suppose that could be said about lots of issues today.  We have so many opportunities to voice our opinion that we begin to hear our own rhetoric as gospel truth.  It then becomes impossible to compromise.  But compromise is really a way of life that we need to learn if we want to survive with any happiness at all. 

            Compromise is give and take; it is finding the middle ground.  We do it everyday when we drive to a stop sign and stop at the same time as another vehicle.  One of us gets to go first; the other will have to wait.  Compromise is what we do when our spouse wants to go to the ball game and we want to go to the movies.  We negotiate and meet each other half way; we go to both or we go to one today and the other next weekend. 

            Compromise goes haywire when one person always wins.  There is resentment that builds up and eventually there is no bargaining at all.  The conceder begins to distrust and after a time, there is no cooperation to be found. 

            I think compromise needs to be brought back into our vocabulary and to the vocabulary of our government.  It is the only way to reach an equitable agreement and the only way to find peace.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: balanced budget

hmmm…..

            August 2 is the deadline.  If Congress doesn’t bring a new balanced budget to the table by that date, then the United States could default on worldwide debts, throwing the economy planet-wide into a tailspin.

            One financial strategist said, “There’s and old saying that things don’t

 matter until the day they matter.”  I’m going to chew on that one a bit.  I guess that he means that until Congress is down to the last day of the negotiations, it doesn’t really matter what each side does or doesn’t propose. 

            It’s similar to another old saying, “Don’t trouble trouble ‘til trouble troubles you.”  That’s more about faith than anything.  It’s believing in people doing the right thing, finding a compromise, and trusting that if God is in charge, a solution will be found.

            As hard as it is to do these days, I have to have faith that each side of the budget question is sincere in their efforts to be responsible leaders.  Each side has some truth to defend, so it is a matter of finding a common ground.   There should be no place in national government for petty self interest, but it seems to sneak into the negotiations at every turn. 

            My prayer today for Congress and for our President is that they would put aside any prejudicial or self-serving attitudes and sincerely look at what is truly best for our nation.  If they were able to do that, I bet that the budget could be balanced in about an hour. 

            hmmm…..

           

thoughts on the news of the day: anger

hmmm…..

            Seems like there are a lot of reports about multiple shootings in today’s news.  The young man in Norway who admitted to shooting a group of young adults who were attending a youth rally on an island in Norway is one. Then there is a reported shooting in Grand Prairie, Texas where a man shot 5 people in a local roller rink. 

            What kind of anger could inspire a man or a woman to react in such a violent way?  Anger and hate are the most agressive of emotions.  Nearly all anger is the product of something else.  Either it is jealousy, greed, lust or fear that usually fuel the volatile reaction of anger. 

            Sure, all of us get angry.  Someone pulls out in front of us in a parking lot; the boss passes us over for that raise; a loved one disappoints us.  And we get mad.  Sometimes the anger even turns into rage.  Then, we react in different ways, we smolder, we yell, we fight.

            The key is to avoid letting our anger get out of control.  If our anger gets the best of us, we are in trouble and those around us are, too.  When that happens, we can count to ten.  We can step back and consider our part in it.  And we can pray for God to release us from this feeling and give our hearts forgiveness instead.

            I wish that’s what the shooters of the tragic events of this weekend would have done.  There would be a lot of lives saved if they had.

            hmmm…..