The Paradigm of Paradox in Problems

No Problem! Just Opportunity

It's kind of like the fact that there is no such thing as "cold" -- it's just less degrees of heat. And no such thing as 'dark' it is just less degrees of light. And evil is less degrees of love. So in pondering this I decided that there are really no "problems" just less amounts of pleasure -- ie: my inability to see the opportunities. [I am sure you will get to remind me of this doozy of a theory.]

The Paradigm of seeing the POSITIVES in my children such as they: 'want to walk with the Lord', want to be good, kind, helpful, want to be "as they should be", keeps me from stressing about their legalism and self-righteousness or their blatant sin and disregard for what they know is 'right'. Instead of living in their negatives, I remember the potential their strengths have of bringing them into depression when "Law"; 'the need to be Right'; Control or Self destruction does it's job -- convicts them of guilt and their inability to keep all the law-- their inability to do life well by themselves! Then they will be ready for Grace-God's Ability!!

They currently just have more faith in the strength of their youth to be able to "do it" [life, the law, etc.] on their own.
So my opportunity [and yours] is in the paradox of this seeming victory of youth and strength. If we keep walking in the PEACE & Righteousness of our life hid in Christ, full of God's ability; they will notice, long before they will be willing to admit we knew something. That's where our humble and sweet love and delightful sense of humor will invite them in!!! No Fear, LOVE conquers ALL, LOVE Never Fails!

Dictionary Perspective

Do you have any idea how many words we have in our language that convey 'how we see it' --perspective. This creates disagreements, arguments, debates, skirmishes, battles and even all out wars! Our perception CREATES our reality. So? "So what," you may say. Doesn't seem that vital or earth shaking to your life perhaps. And yet... " You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family." There's that word - real, really - it seems to be very important in the scheme of things.

Just a quick perusal of the A's in the dictionary shows us acknowledge, awareness, arrogance, ambiguous, attitudes, absolute, aberration, acceptable, according to, accountable, actuality, aesthetics, affect, etc....

It's just the way YOU see it...

...it's not the way it IS! One of the biggest hurdles for a human, and especially an American human to jump, is the idea that "the way they see things" is just that, it's their perspective, not reality! When I first heard that there are hundred's of 'realities' and as many perspectives as there are people, I was indignant and sure poetic license had exaggerated just a wee bit.

Since that indistinguishable day I have taken great comfort in knowing that my viewpoint does not constitute reality, it's just the way I see things for the moment, or maybe the way I have seen things for decades. So what is Reality? Who decides what is real, Reality? When do we move from Perspective to Truth? Truth and Reality are close kin, and so that immediately elevates this discussion beyond my pay grade...but I do have an opinion, and a perspective! [Grin]

Interestingly, people in recovery, AA, OA, NA, etc, have believed that they have peeled back "denial" and come to Reality when they quit: using, lying, buying, looking, eating, etc. For our discussion purposes, I would like to propose that God defines Reality, His view is Real, and not just a perspective, and our view is limited by time, and two or three dimensions at best. One of His favorite words is "Glory" and one of the multiple meanings is "the view and opinion, which is reality." So, "His Glory" means His view and opinion, which is reality!

The classic picture of Perspective versus Reality is seen in the guy who parks his car at the top of a hill, and as he walks away, sees it begin to roll down the hill. "Don't worry, the car is rolling away from me, I'm going to lose my car." The guy at the bottom of the hill looks up, hearing the man proclaim his view, and says "NO! The car is coming toward me, I could lose my life."

And here's the rub: Who is RIGHT? This one question is what keeps the debate raging, I think. Right and Wrong; fairness; the Law; the evaluation of "good" and "evil" has a great deal to do with what we decide/feel or see is Reality, I believe.

"Our traditions begin the moment we insist that we see." This is a fascinating statement that I found in one of Dr. Richards books. As Christians we create theology based on what we see and experience, rather than on what the Bible says is reality! We are so self-righteous that we believe what we see more than what God's Word says is truth. "All that we must do to 'see' is to honestly consider other possibilities [realities]." This quote is a wonderful jumping off point to life!

Fast and Slow Learners

Have you wondered why some things in life we learn so quickly -- and in other areas we seem destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over?

Perhaps it is denial in a classical sense, perhaps it is an acquired habit that we don't recognize as 'nasty' until we have it half devoured...

I seem to repeat the same faux pas over and over: trying to convince someone of a new way of seeing things, when they really haven't said the way they see things is "tiring" to them!

18 Inches: The difference between kids & adults-REVISED

An interesting thing has surfaced while observing my two and a half year old grandson. He is in the stage of growth where he is 'downloading' everything that he sees and hears. All of us are gaining information and experiences daily, but I think the main difference between young and old is their [the young's] willingness to APPLY everything that they see or hear. They use it, say it, repeat it and make it theirs. Sometimes it makes for some funny statements, like: "Daddy you are really useful."

That sounds a little tacky to adult ears, but coming from a child who watches Thomas the Train, and hears the value given to 'useful trains' he is using it correctly and positively. Realizing God 'hardwired' us to absorb and apply information and knowledge is encouraging to me. Gaining knowledge and forgetting to apply it describes much of my life and walk with my Abba Papa! It's good to know how natural the Lord made it -- even a little infant does it instantly.

Knowing children are continually in some degree of an hypnotic state [alpha, delta, theta, etc] until they are around 11/12 encourages me to meditate daily in Christ. The meditation brings my mind to the theta state and I am in a more child-like position to 'receive' or download what I've seen and heard into my life's operating system> my beliefs, or my HEART. It moves what I am thinking and feeling, from my mind to my heart and I begin living it, applying it effortlessly.

The bible declares only one sure way to success: MEDITATION. It also declares that we are "to become like little children", [Matt 18:3 & Luke 18:17]. I think the two are related. This addresses the age-old quest of believers: "How do I move "head knowledge" 18 inches down, to my "heart", so I can believe?

Children are some of the most successful people on earth if you quantify all that they learn and apply in 1-5 years! Language, culture, philosophy, the art of 'reading people', on and on. Some of us aren't so happy with what a child learns so quickly, or with what we learned as a child. The feeling of stuck: "I can't really change who I am" comes because we know how "hardwired" those beliefs and perspectives are that we gained in childhood.

That's the good news that I'm talkin' about!! More on this tomorrow = 8-)

See Psalms 1:3 for my favorite scripture on meditation and success promised. There are many others that connect our 'heart' with success, blessing, prosperity, etc.

Every Day's a Holiday, Every Meal's a Banquet

Only four more days and I will be celebrating a day that changed my life, my name, my home, my loyalties and my future. That June 4th date has always quickened my heart as I think of the dear man I married and joined in the stream of life. The vows we wrote have actually been a reality! Especially remembered was the crazy one of mine: "We will talk to one another and share our lives, thoughts and dreams." I so didn't want a cold war of silence and cold-shoulder treatments as my life for even one day.
We have enjoyed a companionship, camaraderie, and willingness to communicate until we did! My Chuck is a man of incredible thoughtfulness and depth and amazing absent-mindedness and inattention to things he deems unimportant. For the first quarter century I was the talker, the one with the questions who started those wonderful discussions on long trips or short jaunts. But things changed dramatically for me about 18 years ago, and Chuck picked up the baton.
Today we enjoy a freedom that trust and confidence has built, a love that consistency and kindness has forged and a life that honesty and purpose has inspired. In high school we attended church together; after Viet Nam we joined the Jesus Movement and got married by a young buck preacher just up from Mexico. In 2004 we joined a church staff together and in 2010 we started a fellowship of Believers together.
I love the adventure of life with this man AND Christ. It was something we both said we wanted when we decided to follow Jesus and get married -- a life with Christ would never be boring and a life with Chuck will always be precious! Thank you for 38 wonderful years, three wonderful children here, one more in heaven, and three of the sweetest grandchildren ever imagined and a deep abiding love filled with fun and life. Your bride, mimi

It seems like holidays come around much faster in this century than they did mid-century ago. Tomorrow is Memorial Day - always a bunch of food, often grilled, and Friday is our 38th anniversary -- and I bet we celebrate it with some special meal or two. It's crazy.

Life seems to be a free fall these days for me in other ways as well. I can no longer seem to keep track of the days of the week, the date, or sometimes even the season! It is all running together and I can only think it is due to no SCHEDULE! I have not established new routines and everyday is completely different. I remember reading Albert Camus in my existential days; he said something similar....he was describing death: "everything is new every minute, there is no past."

I have spent two days working on a design for a new 'business' card and on a brochure for the Investment Journals that I love to use, share about and promote. Tracy makes beautiful ones, and I love to use them.

Lastly I have been struggling with what to write in my blog everyday, and realized that not writing is my way of 'denying' what is happening, or not happening. I also see my lack of ideas as either overload or fear or ???? Any ideas, you writers out there?

Troubles, Tulsa & Tent-making

Well I started out ranting and raving again about this .... technology. What am I doing trying to enter this "foreign land" of cyberspace without a genuine passport?? At the least it feels like I am operating under an alias and have forgotten my "name"! Or, it's like entering a five story parking garage looking for your rental, and you don't remember the color or make of the car, nor the level you parked it on, and it is freezing....[all true].
Okay, I'm a little short on patience today as I'm 28 hours into my 48 hour odyssey of clear liquids before they make a movie of my large intestine Friday afternoon! SWEET ;-)

Today Chuck and I found ourselves getting to go to Tulsa for the Jim Richards Conference - because someone very graciously purchased plane tickets for us. Wow! I had completely laid it down as not possible, and had told Tracy we were NOT coming. Oh me of little faith. Who Knew? I have been speechless and see how little I know about living by faith! Thank you, Abba and Dave T. !! There is much more to this than just a sweet blessing and I have much to ponder.

Writing out my daily life and thoughts is something very different and not a little weird -- a lot weird. I keep thinking "and who cares?" One, I see the wisdom in learning to express one's self better, if I really want to write a book, like I say I do. Second, I realize that talking is really easier than writing because it doesn't force me to connect the dots in what I am trying to say. People are more 'forgiving' than paper and ink, [although 'memory' is a queer bird]. And I am lazy about spelling everything out! Three, I've always been quite private about my inner world.

Today I also began a foray into landscape design and architecture!! Love it. I am working up a blueprint for a new backyard -- and then Chuck is going to "execute" the design plan. We have been looking for various ways to support ourselves in the coming years. "Tent-making" with creative materials in unique locations is a little intoxicating: on the front end anyway. Check back with me later 8-).

Lost on a new frontier

Well, I'm back in Tucson and it took me about 15 minutes to find my own blog! Just about used up the last of my sand for the day. I'm not sure what that says about me except: "I was lost, and now I'm found".

It was a very long day - with a 5 hour layover in Denver on my way home. Sooooo good to see my lover, my hound dog and Ben! Looking forward to seeing my Hanna, Jackson and Mari Grace tomorrow.

Our Grace and Righteousness Ministries Tuesday night Bible Study & Prayer group met tonight at our house. We are discussing "New Covenant Prayer: Everything Has Changed" and we are loving it. Realizing that Jesus didn't come to get God to do something for me, rather: "I've come that you might know God" was a great discussion point. Most of us were in agreement that our concept of prayer was "codependent on God" -- trying to get God to do for us what He had said I could already do because I am in Jesus!

It's really crazy when we begin to see that most prayer is us --trying to get God to tell us --He really did mean all that He said when Jesus died for me, and rose again. Things like: "Will you heal me?" when God had already said: "by His stripes we were healed" [I didn't believe you God, will you make an exception for me--what Christ did doesn't seem to be enough for me...please heal me as a separate act.]

I love this statement: "We [Grace & Righteousness Ministries] exist to make people whole through the love of God."

Well I think that's it for me today, and a BIG thank you to my dear sister Tracy for encouraging me to write, every day, something!

coming home

Hey everyone, I'm heading home tomorrow-- with a five hour layover in Denver! My 5 day visit here in Tulsa has been a wonderful time of R & R. Tracy and I have had a blast talking, catching up with each other, sharing our latest books and readings, [and a little computer coaching for me,] while daily participating in the Big 3 S's: Spa, Sauna and Shopping!!!!

Our first big undertaking was to create a re-design floor plan for her living room as she is about to paint the room and restretch her carpet. Then we removed wall paper in the entry hall, shopped Pier One for ideas and new accents....and found just the key for the room make-over: a great stretched canvas painting for over the fireplace. Next we 'edited' her glass collection, and arranged it in her bookshelves. 8-) It is sooooo much easier to 'edit' someone else's stuff. This is actually a little payback for when she edited my house in early December, 09.

A new expression that has surfaced this visit was actually coined by Dave: "a subtle negative". This is in contrast to a "jack-hammer negative". A borrowed sewing machine for completing a project that has been hanging around for 8 years is a 'subtle negative' everytime you see it! We have laughed at and with each other and generally enjoyed ourselves everyday.

It has been great to see Elizabeth and get to know Jeff a little bit...he joined Dave, Tracy and I for a morning at the Farmers Market and cooked us a delicious gourmet dinner the night before. They are both involved in the leather business. Jeff makes one of a kind boots and shoes - fabulous! Elizabeth is starting this coming Monday in Saddle-making school!

Well I think I am done at this point with trying to write my first blog post. Tracy is creating copper switch plate covers for her hall remodel and I must give oversight...creating a subtle negative possibly? later-