Recently in Philosophy Category

Seems kind of redundant, talking about both "holidays" and "holy days".  After all, the word "holiday" comes from the phrase "holy day".  The first holidays started out as holy days, and were a time of rest and reflection, a time to stop the normal flow of things and do something different.

However, it seems that as the word "holy day" got corrupted into "holiday", so, too, did our attitudes toward those very holy days.

How many of you have been rushing around this year, trying to get everything done for the holidays?  How many of you are tired of the seemingly incessant rush, rush, rush of this time of year?

Between religious services, pageants, recitals, shopping, standing in line at the mall or Post Office, having to go to yet another party, or traveling to be with family members you with whom you would rather not visit, it is very easy to forget why we are doing it all in the first place.

If you feel yourself starting to stress out amidst all the busy-ness of our lives, then I would like to give something to you.  After all, it is the season of giving, so allow me to offer you this simple gift.

Just stop.

Seriously.  Just stop for a bit.  Give yourself 5 minutes to clear your mind.  Allow me to help you relax.

If you could, please take out a sheet of paper and something with which to write.

For the first 60 seconds, I would like you to stop thinking about what needs to be done.  Don't worry about the gifts that need to be bought, the food that needs to be cooked, the house that needs to be cleaned, the places you need to go, the people you need to see, or any of the things that need to be done.  Just think about what you have already accomplished today, this week, this month, or this year.  I am absolutely positive that you can name 3 things you have accomplished this year which you had no idea would happen back when the year started.  Take in a deep breath and let it out slowly, and bask in the warmth of your accomplishments.  Write those accomplishments on your piece of paper.

For the second 60 seconds, I would like you to think about someone who is very close to you, someone whom you love deeply.  This can be your spouse, fiance, significant other, parent, child, or sibling.  Bring his or her face to your mind and fix them in your inner eye.  Imagine how different your life would be if that person were not a part of your world.  Look at them carefully in your mind and visualize yourself telling them "Thank you for being my [fill in the blank] ... I am glad you are in my life."  Write this person's name on your paper.

For the third 60 seconds, I would like you to think about someone with whom you have had differences this year.  This could be somebody whom you have hurt, or perhaps someone who has wounded you.  Strangely enough, it might even be the same person you were just thinking about.  Bring that person's face to your mind.  Imagine what would happen if you were able to say to them, "I'm sorry I hurt you" or "You really hurt me, but I forgive you."  Either phrase might be very tough to say, even in your mind.  Write this person's name on your paper.

For the fourth 60 seconds, I would like you to think about someone whose name you don't even know.  This could be the homeless person you saw on the street, huddled against a cold and bitter wind.  It might be a single mom struggling to feed her children on the meager pay from her job as a waitress.  It might be a child with a dirty face or ragged clothes you saw when you were at the store.  It could even be a neighbor down the street who has lost a job, or whose house is in foreclosure.  Bring that person, and all others like him or her to your mind.  On your piece of paper, write down the name of a charitable organization that helps people just like the person in your mind.  This might be the local rescue mission, the Salvation Army, Red Cross, United Way, your church, your synagogue, your mosque, or even a local food bank.  Next to the name of this charitable organization, write down an amount of money that you know you can give.

For the last 60 seconds, I would like you to think about your spiritual side and the spiritual observations you might make during this time of reflection.  What do candles mean to you?  What do presents and gifts represent?  What do the words of the songs you hear, sing, or hum really mean?  What do they mean to you?  Think about the deeper meanings behind the rituals and the practices, the motions and the words.

If you want, you can take a minute to pray.  Or, if you are not a follower of any particular religion, you can just observe a minute of quiet contemplation.

In either case, breathe deeply, and just rest.  Let peace and quiet flow through your soul.

Still with me?  Good.

Keep that piece of paper with you.

When you are worried about what still needs to be done, look at the paper and be reminded of what you have already accomplished.

When you need a smile, call or find the loved one and tell them how much you appreciate them.

If someone has hurt you, forgive them.  It may not be possible to forgive them in person, but you can certainly forgive them within your spirit.  Or, if you have hurt someone, apologize sincerely.  Again, you may not be able to apologize in person, but you can express remorse within your heart.

All of these steps will help you put the holidays -- and the holy days -- into perspective.

Oh.  And that charitable organization and the amount you wrote down?  Yep.  Do it.

Peace.

Bob

We had a busy weekend, and I am almost glad to be at work so I can rest.  The reason I am so tired is that we ran around with our granddaughters.  Although they are three-and-a-half and two, they can run circles around us.

One of the highlights of the weekend was taking them to Crown Center, here in Kansas City.  Crown Center is an upscale shopping mall, with a whole lot more in the surrounding area.  In the winter, there is an outdoor skating rink, while in the summer, they have a fountain that shoots out of the ground.  Kids of all ages can run through the jets of water, including "Gramma Robin", who showed Savannah and Katelynn the proper way to get wet in a fountain.  (Hint:  If you aren't completely soaked, you're doing it wrong!)

I was manning the camera, and got to capture their joy.  Their cries of, "Watch me, Poppa!" rang out over the whooshing and splashing of the water, and I would aim the camera in their direction and try to catch them in the frame.  It wasn't easy.

Later on, we had a picnic in the backyard.  I was keeping the girls out of Robin's hair while she got our dinner ready, and the girls were playing on the plastic yard equipment.  Savannah kept showing me her new trick.

"Watch me, Poppa!"  I assured her I was watching, and she would shoot head-first down the slide.

Time and time again:  "Watch me, Poppa!"

After they were tucked in bed, I reflected on her actions.  Why did she keep asking me to watch her?  Was she afraid she was going to get hurt?  Was she just so proud of her new-found ability that she had to show me over and over?

At first, I thought, "How childish."

But then I realized how wrong I was.

After all, we all have something inside us that craves attention.  We all have a desire to show off to others.  I think part of it is just to remind the world that we are alive, that we are here.  We all want to leave our mark.

Some go out and win gold medals in the Olympics.  Others create visual masterpieces on canvas with paint.  Still others create fountains that kids can run through.  Some of us write novels and record podcasts.

But more than just leaving a mark, a brief reminder of our existence, I think all of us have a need to make sure that Someone is watching.  We want to know our Creator hasn't forgotten us.  We want to hear God telling us He is proud of us.

So we do whatever it is He has asked us to do.  We exercise the gifts and talents He has given us.  And even whatever we do has the ability to entertain and bless others, deep down inside, I think our spirits are crying out to God:  Watch me, Poppa!

Peace.

Bob

It has been a busy time here the past few weeks. Robin and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary in July, and our daughters are hosting a party ... at our house. For the past several weeks, we have been renovating our kitchen with the help of my in-laws.

Two weeks ago, we ripped out the tile, put up new drywall where needed, and my father-in-law rebuilt some of our cabinets. My mother-in-law re-upholstered our kitchen chairs. This past weekend, we put in laminated flooring. This week, we are painting and putting up wallpaper.

We have ordered new counter tops and a sink, and with any luck, they will be in before the anniversary party.

The changes we have made are remarkable, and have completely changed the look of the kitchen. It will be a beautiful, cozy kitchen when all the work is done. It really will be the best kitchen we could possibly have given the constraints of time, budget, and other resources. I was reluctant to try to do so much in so little time. I didn't think we could actually get it done. In truth, I didn't have the courage to make the changes that have needed to be made for so many years.

My in-laws have moved in with us while the work is being done, and it has put a crimp into my podcast recording schedule. I have found that I am quite self-conscious when recording my podcasts early in the morning. Whether it is because I don't want to wake them, or because I don't want them to hear me repeating the same passage over and over, I couldn't say. All I know is that I won't be able to get back to recording the podcasts until after they have returned to their home.

So, in the meantime, I have been going through a final proof of "Jabez: Conceived in Pain, Delivered in Victory", and I am glad I did. I have found and corrected about 20 different spots. These were all minor things that either didn't get caught in editing or were introduced when I was applying my editor's fixes.

In some cases, the changes were so minor as to be almost unnoticeable, except by the most picky of readers. For example, in one spot, I had written, "... the Philistines battle wagons ...". As a few of you might notice, I need an apostrophe after "Philistines". Really minor, but important.

In another place, I wrote, "... only more body remained ...", when it should have been, "... only one more body remained ...". This must be a really gripping chapter, because not one person had caught the missing word. My super-picky editor missed it, my picky test-readers missed it, and more importantly, I missed it, even though I have read, re-read, and re-re-read that chapter more times than I can count. Within the context of the chapter -- or perhaps the way the sentence fell on the page -- the mind must have filled in the missing word.

So, although the changes were minor, they were all important. Could the book stand on its own without the changes? Of course it could. But I am glad I had the courage to make the changes, because, without them, the book just wouldn't be the best it could be.

So, changes without, changes within. All in all, everything fits together. The work on the kitchen led to my in-laws staying with us, which led to my inability to record the podcast episodes, which led to a final proofreading of the actual, printed book rather than a manuscript, which will lead to my applying for an ISBN number so you will be able to purchase the book wherever books are sold.

Changes without, changes within. Major improvements, minor improvements.

May you also improve in all you do. May you have the courage to make the changes that you can.

Peace.

Bob