Endurance is a virtue

There are those moments when all the pain, energy, effort, time, tears, sweat, blood, bruises, and headaches seem like little bumps in the road and it's smooth sailing. Like life isn't hopeless but hopeful. I don't know what importance these words serve to you who read this. I hope its encouragement. I hope that you look at your own life and the things you try to accomplish and think, its all worth it, this is why I am here.

I had a long weekend. There were a lot of things that happened, all good, just tiring. I was able to hang out with a couple of people and have some good conversations as well. I learned a lot about my self and about other people. I learned about the character of a few people and what they are truly capable of.

I can't help but think that a little of my effort helped them become who they are becoming, that I left my little mark on their lives. NOW, I am not saying this because I want to praise myself for being influential, but I look back at the people the have invested into me, their time, money and energy, and I am very great full for every person that has invested into me. So if you have invested into me, and you know who you are, THANK YOU!

Sorrow

My heart is broken! My soul is weeping! There are some people that I know that I used to hang out with a lot back in the day of high school. I ran into one of the people that I still consider my friend but we have not hung out in ages or even talked except over the transfer of data on myspace that equals out to: "Hey man how are you?", "I am doing alright, U?", "Same", end conversation. I ran into this person at the grocery store and I looked at their eyes and a saw pain. I saw sadness and weary and it tore me apart inside. I wanted to simple just hug this person as long as a I could and tell them it would be alright. But the words didn't come out, my arms didn't move, I didn't not hug my friend that I felt needed love. I wanted to love them so badly, I wanted to give them my hope and my love, but every time I tried to do so, I held on for dear life. I didn't let go of my hope and my love.

All I can think about right now is that everyone, all of you, are simply loved!

Importance of Moderation.

The beginning, middle, or end. Which is more important? Some would say the start is more important, because if you don't start there is no middle or end. Some would say the middle is the most important, because this is where a person grows the most, experiences the most, or lives the most. And some would say the end is the most important because if you don't know where you are going then you don't know when or where to start, also if you are in the middle and don't know the end, you are simply just wandering.

I believe all of these are true as well as wrong at the same. I believe the most important is moderation. The saying goes to much of a good thing is bad. And not enough of a good thing is bad. I think that the beginning, middle, and end are as equally important than the other. It's kind of like building a fire. Without the proper moderation of ingredients fuel, oxygen, and heat source, you cannot properly build a fire. So it is without the proper moderation, meaning the beginning, middle, and end, you cannot properly live life.

So maybe the most important thing is to have a healthy, living soul.

Friendship

I have always known friendship at its truest form was something to be cherished and sought after. I was doing a little reading of Aristotle's work named Nicomachean Ethics and came across something very interesting. Aristotle was talking about friendship. Here is what he said;

"After what we have said, a discussion of friendship would naturally follow, since it is a virtue or implies virtue, and is besides most necessary with a view to living. For without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods; even rich men and those in possession of office and of dominating power are thought to need friends most of all; for what is the use of such prosperity without the opportunity of beneficence, which is exercised chiefly and in its most laudable form towards friends? Or how can prosperity be guarded and preserved without friends? The greater it is, the more exposed is it to risk. And in poverty and in other misfortunes men think friends are the only refuge. It helps the young, too, to keep from error; it aids older people by ministering to their needs and supplementing the activities that are failing from weakness; those in the prime of life it stimulates to noble actions-'two going together'-for with friends men are more able both to think and to act. Again, parent seems by nature to feel it for offspring and offspring for parent, not only among men but among birds and among most animals; it is felt mutually by members of the same race, and especially by men, whence we praise lovers of their fellowmen. We may even in our travels how near and dear every man is to every other. Friendship seems too to hold states together, and lawgivers to care more for it than for justice; for unanimity seems to be something like friendship, and this they aim at most of all, and expel faction as their worst enemy; and when men are friends they have no need of justice, while when they are just they need friendship as well, and the truest form of justice is thought to be a friendly quality."

Friendship it seems, would be the answer to most of the worlds problems. Friendship in its truest form seems to benefit not only others but our selves as well. This is where there is an importance for community among nations and culture.

We want war to stop and end violence, child abuse and trafficking and we want justice for what has been done. But like Aristotle said, "the truest form of justice is thought to be a friendly quality."

So as the 1970's American multicultural band sensation War sang, "Why can't we be friends?".

Not For Sale

I never have been and never will work in the sales industry. I believe God has created to be relational in all aspects of my life, in pleasure and in business. Meaning whether I am with a friend, a fellow co-worker, or boss I am always think about how they are, what they need, and how I can help.

A comment was made to me the other day that I needed to sell announcements for the church that I attend. Now I care deeply about the person who made this comment to me and I am not trying to put them down or to ridicule them for the comment they made to me. I know this persons heart and their intentions. But their comment of selling church announcements to people didn't settle well with me.

I don't think God intended for people to be a consumer in the church. I sometimes have trouble with mega churches, and what I mean by that is a church averaging over 5,000 people. The only reason I have trouble is that it seems, to me at least, that these are the churches overly concerned about your pocket book and what you are spend your money on. Now I know that this is not the case with ALL mega churches. I have seen and been to a few that have not come off as interested in a persons finances but rather their soul and who they are.

I am not saying money is bad, I am not saying its bad to promote events in the church. What I am saying is that if we are focused on selling what God has to say and offer, then I am out. My God is not for Sale.

Valentines Day

One day a year we set out a time where we are supposed to be reminded and show the people closest to us, we care about them, that we love them. We buy extravagant gifts, flowers, candy, and many other things. This is the day were some husbands and boyfriends become the most romantic in their relationships, but any other day they are not as romantic.

I don't like Valentines day. Not because people become mushy mounds of skin, but rather that because one day a year is set out to remind us to love the ones we care about.

What if everyday of the year was like valentines day. That everyday or try every day to show love to the ones we care about in a spontaneous way. A way that no one is expecting.

Hope in the Headlights

She Hoped I would stop
She Hoped I would Save Her
The lights illuminated her silhouette
There she stood frantic and waving
Standing in front of my car
She Hoped I would stop for her
The sound of the door unlocking
Was the sound of safety
She Hoped I would take her
She Hoped I could.
In the end Hope saved her
In the end Hope was her friend
In the end I did very little
She should have thanked Hope
Not me.