The Holy Presence

God is with us wherever we go. Jesus is right by our side. The Holy Spirit is within us. The barrier is not too great. We can feel the Holy Presence wherever we go. Deep down somewhere in our psyche or heart, mind, or soul we can feel the Holy Presence. It’s none of those really, but it is within us. We use those terms to try to describe what we feel. But we are spirit more than we are physical. We are trapped in a body that will soon evaporate and we are left with spirit.

The spirit of God remains with us. Jesus is there to comfort us. The Holy Spirit to guide us. God’s spirit, the Holy Presence, surrounds us. We all know the Holy Presence is with us all the time. But we block it out with fast living, fast cars, Internet speed, tweaks and trits, worries and wastes, greeds and gets. Nonetheless the Holy Presence is there to comfort us or to haunt us.

There is a thin barrier that separates us from the Holy Presence. But it is very thin and we can be with it if we let go of all our desires and busyness.

Consider this. We are mostly space. We are made up with atoms and protons, quarks and leptons separated by vast amounts of space. Within that space God, the Holy Presence, dwells.  When our physical form fades we unite with God. Our spirit becomes blended with God’s spirit and because God is love we become a vibrant living, love. We melt into the loving spirit of God. We become love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness.

We have all those virtues within us now but physical barriers prevent us from fully realizing those virtues. The Holy Presence tries to reveal those virtues to us but we resist. Sin keeps us locked away from the Holy Presence, but it is with us nonetheless. As sin diminishes, the Holy Presence increases.

Encouraging Words

Encouragement. Everyone benefits from it. Encouragement opens the portals of possibility. Kindles hope. Inspires potential. Boosts confidence. Unleashes undiscovered talents. Emboldens persistence.

The Bible is filled with encouraging words. As the book of Joshua opens, the Israelites' leader for forty years, Moses, has just died. As Joshua their newly appointed leader prepares to lead the Israelites into the promised land filled with hostile Canaanites, God gave him these encouraging words:  

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law that my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you might be successful where ever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not command you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with 
you were ever you go.

Whenever you need encouragement, remember that the word of God inspires strength and courage.

Who Am I?

I don't know the source.  A book? An article? A personal encounter? The Internet? Was it a sermon? I found it scribbled on a scrap of paper underneath a pile of notes and articles on my desk. I apologize to the original writer for plagiarizing the material. Nonetheless, this truth merits sharing.

False Statements

• I am what I do.
• I am what people say about me.
• I am what I possess.

True Statement:

• I am the beloved child of God.

Refreshing Old Words

As an aging person I suggest: Don't use the word older. Or senior. 
Experienced would be better. Wise would be even better. Fermented wouldn't work, but elegant, refined, or opulent would be better wine analogies. How about Falernian or Surrentine, if you are inclined toward pedanticism. Over-the-hill is insensitive while venerable adds some sophistication to the aging process.  Old-bat is a no-no, but mature might be a hit for some. Ripe, no. Cultured, yes. Seasoned is OK, but graceful is better.   How about resolute or durable instead of old boot?

The Prognosis of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia usually begins just as young adults are learning to become independent and productive. Because the illness typically strikes people when they are between the ages of 17-28, relatively few celebrated people have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. There are a handful of well-known exceptions. Nijinsky, the Russian dancer, made his mark as a genius before the disease struck. Meera Popkin, known for her entrancing performances in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cats, Starlight Express, and Miss Saigon, went from a show-stopping star to a Wendy’s french-fry flipper until small doses of Haldol and supportive psychotherapy returned her to the stage (Schizophrenia.com).

            For a significant group, medications, compassion, and receptivity allow the schizophrenic to become independent again. Some return to work, cultivate friendships, and marry. Occasionally a remarkable remission occurs. Often, though, treatment is ineffective. Even with the best of medications, most schizophrenics almost never return to their previous level of function.

Mindless Behavior

Last summer my wife gave me a dozen handkerchiefs. Now they are gone. Disappeared. Not in the handkerchief drawer or the sock drawer. Not in the clothes hamper. 

I began to wonder—“Do I have Alzheimer’s disease?” Probably not. The better explanation for the disappearance of my handkerchiefs—THE HIDERS. The hiders are sneaky. They put pencils behind my ear. They hide my car keys in the refrigerator. They have the audacity to slip my eyeglasses on my face at the very time I’m looking for them. The Hiders are ubiquitous. In every household they do their dastardly deeds. They are responsible for everything, from lost airplane tickets to the Bermuda Triangle disappearances.

Rather than resulting from The Hiders or from Alzheimer's disease our tendency to lose things is more likely due to mindless behavior. Forgetting why we entered a room, saying hello to mannequins, misplacing items—these activities reflect a brain on automatic pilot, a brain that acts without thinking. Almost all of us have seen this mindless behavior in others. A department store clerk will ask you to sign the back of your credit card. After you have signed the card and then the receipt, the clerk holds the receipt next to your credit card to see if the signatures match. Mindless behavior? Did the Hiders climb into the clerk’s skull and conceal her brains? Or does she have Alzheimer’s disease? Doubtful, but these little memory gaps and mindless actions make us wonder, especially as we reach the “senior moments” stage.

Listening--A Lost Art

Listening is a lost art ... and an art that can be learned. Mastered and used appropriately, proper listen­ing can allow you to save valuable hours per week. Listening will help you make time-saving decisions. You'll become a brilliant conversationalist. You'll be pop­ular.  Respected.

Why does a good listener acquire more affection than a good talker? Because a good listener always allows people to hear their favorite speakers - them­selves. People are a thousand times more likely to be interested in themselves than in you.

Here are the cardinal techniques for listening:

Make the other person feel important by using "you" words.

Observe the person who is talking.

Lean toward the speaker and listen intently.

Don't interrupt with long "I" statements.

Ask questions.

Reflect back using the speaker's words.

        Simple rules? Yes. But not commonly practiced.

Think about it. When you last communicated with your family, were you looking at them or at the television? When listening to a report, were you focused on the speaker?

 Listening begins and ends with making the other person feel important. Listen more, talk less. To listen, replace "I," "me," "my," and "mine" with "you" and "yours." The more the "you" word is used, the more important people feel. The more important they feel, the better and quicker they respond.

Eye contact looking at the speaker - is crucial. Because the eyes are the gateway to the soul, communi­cation at the deepest level comes from eye contact.

Concentrating on the speaker builds trust. Improves rapport. Enhances hearing. You pick up nuances in facial expression and body posture when you watch the speaker.

Leaning toward the speaker reflects interest. An open, interested posture encourages the speaker and builds confidence in the relationship. Leaning away indicates indifference.

Interrupting with I statements wastes time. Avoid comments such as, "I lived in Georgetown once...;" "Did you know I... or "I felt like that before...; I remember.............................................. "

Interrupting with clarifying or empathetic queries encourages the person to get to the point. The following interruptions help speed the person along: "I understand… What happened next?" or "I know how you feel..After that what happened?" or  "Would you please clarify that? Did that happen before or after…"

Asking questions develops rapport and understand­ing. When people enjoy being with you, they share important matters. Talking to people about themselves works with human nature. Talking about yourself works against human nature.

Questions lead to the royal path of persuasion. Asking questions will tell you what others want, what motivates them. You can then use this knowledge to develop a time saving win-win situation. By helping other people get what they want, you can get what you want.

Aging's No Fun…Except

My shoulder popped. Rotator cuff. Doing push ups and it popped. This doesn't happen, not to me. Regular work outs would prevent injury, keep me strong and supple. Not so.

I should have known. Face sagging. A turkey chin. Skin wrinkling. Belly growing.

Motivation decreases too. I had rather sit than exercise or write.

Is this really happening. Yes. Everything is fading.

Except one thing. As we age we advance toward heaven where we will experience overwhelming joy. With each new month. No each new day, we move toward ever lasting peace, and unimaginable love. And new bodies too, the Bible promises.

All of us can take courage in these words:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly  we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day….So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 16, 18

Build Your Dream

You can start to dream with a vision statement---a phrase or sentence that tells what you are about. Here's an example of a vision statement: "I live a life that will bring encouragement, optimism and hope to all I meet." Note that the statement is in the first person, present tense indicating that the future begins now.

As you consider your vision statement, be certain you're using your own measuring stick-not your mother's, or father's, or your wife's, or your husband's, or your friend's. What do you want out of life? What's important to you? What are you about?

Here are some questions to help define your vision statement. As you answer these questions you'll be able to understand what motivates you:

• What three activities are most important to you?
• What three activities give you the most enjoyment?
• What three things do you want written on your tombstone?
• What three things do you want to do for others?
• What three things would you change about your life?
• What three qualities would you most like to see associated with your reputation?

  Make a dream list here:

Now study everything you have written so far.  Sum up, in one or two sentences, a concise description of who you want to be. Write your vision statement in the first person, present tense.

I am a person who:

Formulating a vision statement and writing down those things you desire helps you focus on your plea­sures, your talents, and your bliss. Once you've expand­ed your vision, your expectations will direct you toward fulfilling your dreams.

It helps to put your dream statement on the refrig­erator. Read it regularly. Cut out pictures of the things you want to enjoy. Look at the pictures several times a day. See yourself becoming your dream and living the life you want to live.

Dream Big

Who snatched our aspiration to be in charge of our lives? Who hampered our desire to go as far and as high as our spirit and character could take us? The govern­ment? Corporate America? Our boss? Our friends? Our family? Television? Laziness? Procrastination? Disorganization? Low self-esteem?

Some may have forgotten how to dream-or never learned. Others may just watch visionaries build their dreams - and think it's impossible to have what they have. A few people walk around saying, "What's happening? Who's dreaming?"

We surrender our dreams for many reasons. Whatever the cause - social or psychological - a meager number of people know how to dream big. That's sad, because we limit our potential when we won't allow our­selves to dream. No matter who (or what) caused us to relinquish our dreams, we - each of us - have the ulti­mate responsibility for deciding to dream again. Our desire determines our destiny.

All of us would do well to open our minds to our dreams-and to expand our dreams. Why? Because the bountiful dreamers, and those who plan and organize their dreams, have a life of abun­dance.

They are fulfilled. Productive. Enthusiastic. Energetic dreamers look forward to each new day. Dream builders have all the money they want to help others. They contribute to society and savor the fruits of their labor. They have time to enjoy life. Time and money give them lifestyle-the freedom to take vacations when­ever they want, the opportunity to choose how to live their lives, the privilege to raise a family without restraint, and the capacity to develop their talents.

Prodigious dreamers have the greatest motivation to plan and organize their lives to fulfill their dreams. Message: Dream liberally! Dream lavishly! Dream luxu­riantly!

If you've lost your dream, resolve to change now. Expand your vision. Open your mind to unlimited possi­bilities. Learn to dream again. Success and fulfillment always begin with desire.