I suppose it would be a little disconcerting for someone to ask you the latter question. It would be like someone greeting you with “How is your mind?” or “How is your heart?” instead of their just asking “How are you?” and not expecting much of a response from you beyond “Fine,” or “I am well.”
So, how are you thinking? What are you thinking? My guess is, for most of us, we are thinking about something related to sports, or politics, or family matters, or something we want, or food, or some physical or material thing that gives us pleasure or that worries us. It may be seasonal (Thanksgiving, Christmas, the 4th of July, or a church or company picnic) or in the news, or some demand being made upon us (a pending bill, a work assignment), a confrontation with someone in our life, or something presented to us—to our senses (a skunk or a sunset or loud music). And it is very likely presented to us through the media.
What would you think about analyzing what you are thinking? That is, would it be too radical a thought to just stop and do some thinking, some pondering, some reflective analysis, having some ideas? Your ideas may not be original (I doubt if many of mine are) but they can be valuable as you consider them, as you roll them over in your mind, look for them, and regularly put them on your daily agenda. Instead of constantly being acted upon, how about becoming the actor with the tool of thought a little more often? Directed action takes prior thought. The thought may be self-generated or may be suggested by reading others’ thoughts and insights. It may even be contributive to your happiness: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” (Proverbs 3:13)
Consider this provocative thought by Stephen Spender (from ‘I Think Continually of Those Who Were Truly Great’:
What is precious is never to forget
The essential delight of the blood drawn from ageless springs
Breaking through rocks in worlds before our earth.
Never to to deny its pleasure in the morning simple light
Nor its grave evening demand for love.
Never to allow gradually the traffic to smother
With noise and fog, the flowering of the Spirit.
I end with this: Have you ever thought about making as your vocation the contemplative life? If that seems a bit preposterous, how about a contemplative one day out of seven? Or an hour out of a day? Or at least a heartfelt prayer each day?
Think about it.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Count of Monte Cristo
Now that I have finally finished reading this great classic novel I wonder why I waited so long in life to start it. It is a great book—a literary classic. Though it is complicated, with many characters and with many threads running through its basic plot, it is gripping and thought-provocative. It is a morality story through and through--just as life it. Enough said. Read it.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Unbroken
I have been blessed by being directed to many good, informative, or eye-opening books in my lifetime. A book in that category, recently finished, would be Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand. It is an account of an American soldier in WW2 who was lost at sea, captured by the Japanese, and who suffered unthinkable atrocities in a prisoner of war camp. Though badly damaged, Louis Zamperini came through his ordeal ultimately ‘unbroken’ according to the author.
The book causes me to wonder how I would handle such a challenge. Could I do it? Would it be a moral imperative for me to struggle to do it? What would really be accomplished if I did it? What if I gave up?
These questions lead one to consider related questions: How valuable is mortal life, if shortened by evil men, when one believes, as I do, that life will go on on the other side of mortality? Is the struggle to eke out a few years more of earth-life worth the pain? And if imprisoned, as was Zamperini, what about ‘confessions’ or repudiations or renunciations obtained under duress? Are they not meaningless? Would submission or compliance with the demands of evil, if done only for the purpose of appeasing one’s captor to avoid extreme torture (yet not complied with in one’s heart) be wrong?
Maybe this scriptural expectation sheds light on the issue: “When I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.”
Contrariwise, would the Old Testament examples of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and of Daniel provide examples of how we should not give up or were they just noble exceptions?
Finally, what about an answer given by God to one who was pure in heart: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” Yea,“…if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he: Therefore, hold on thy way…thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”
Maybe our response to vicissitudes such as Louis Zamperini and countless other victims would depend on for whom/what we are enduring—whether we are “endur[ing] valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ,” or for a noble response to the ignoble (such as being a valiant example for the less stouthearted) or, conversely, for vainglory or pride and the praise of man—simply enduring to avoid being called a coward.
If we know these principles, I think in our extremity we will find out our appropriate response.
The book causes me to wonder how I would handle such a challenge. Could I do it? Would it be a moral imperative for me to struggle to do it? What would really be accomplished if I did it? What if I gave up?
These questions lead one to consider related questions: How valuable is mortal life, if shortened by evil men, when one believes, as I do, that life will go on on the other side of mortality? Is the struggle to eke out a few years more of earth-life worth the pain? And if imprisoned, as was Zamperini, what about ‘confessions’ or repudiations or renunciations obtained under duress? Are they not meaningless? Would submission or compliance with the demands of evil, if done only for the purpose of appeasing one’s captor to avoid extreme torture (yet not complied with in one’s heart) be wrong?
Maybe this scriptural expectation sheds light on the issue: “When I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.”
Contrariwise, would the Old Testament examples of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and of Daniel provide examples of how we should not give up or were they just noble exceptions?
Finally, what about an answer given by God to one who was pure in heart: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” Yea,“…if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he: Therefore, hold on thy way…thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”
Maybe our response to vicissitudes such as Louis Zamperini and countless other victims would depend on for whom/what we are enduring—whether we are “endur[ing] valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ,” or for a noble response to the ignoble (such as being a valiant example for the less stouthearted) or, conversely, for vainglory or pride and the praise of man—simply enduring to avoid being called a coward.
If we know these principles, I think in our extremity we will find out our appropriate response.
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Strengthening of America
“You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln)
I think, as Americans, we would do well by measuring the respective economic, foreign policy, health care, education, crime, energy, environment and traditional American values planks in the platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties (and their candidates for public office) by this standard articulated by perhaps the greatest of America’s public officials. Read the political parties’ platforms—I did. What comes closest to your standard for the perpetuation, affirmation and desired quality of life for all Americans?
I think, as Americans, we would do well by measuring the respective economic, foreign policy, health care, education, crime, energy, environment and traditional American values planks in the platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties (and their candidates for public office) by this standard articulated by perhaps the greatest of America’s public officials. Read the political parties’ platforms—I did. What comes closest to your standard for the perpetuation, affirmation and desired quality of life for all Americans?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Wild World
In the mid-late 60’s and early 70’s when this country was going through the Hippie Era, about as close as I got to involvement in it was living on the Big Sur coast, growing a mustache, having frizzy hair and long sideburns, and owning some 33 rpm records by Cat Stevens, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. The appearances were truly deceiving because I was a campaign worker for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater, read everything Ayn Rand wrote, drove a BMW, and almost enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps so I could serve my country by fighting the Communists in Viet Nam. I was also a strong Christian.
I realize it might be a stretch to find any congruity in the above characteristics, but I think there was some. Even then I was becoming more and more concerned with the evil in the world and wanted to do something to help people avoid what I could see could be their personal downfall by being blindsided by it and by aggregation of many victims, the downfall of our nation. The drug culture and ‘free love’ (i.e., unbridled sex) were prime examples of one type of evil all around me.
So I became a teacher. I also joined a new Church.
Although I was stretching the context somewhat, some lyrics in Cat Stevens’ song Wild World caught my fancy then and I still remember them:
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
And it's breaking my heart in two . . .
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
Oh, [children, children] it's a wild world . . .
It still is a “wild world,” and will get far worse before it gets better. There is a lot of bad out there and we must beware. But there is hope, for “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”
Many haven’t been as wary or prepared as they should and have been badly hurt because they didn’t realize how vulnerable they were. There is evil in the world—evil men, evil organizations, evil combinations and political and religious philosophies—yes, there are “evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days” and there will yet be many casualties. The casualties in the Middle East have been often physical. The casualties in our own land have been, so far, mostly spiritual.
Except for occasional vociferous outbursts of rhetoric, especially in political campaign years, one of the evils in the Western World we must be alert to and wary of is that old and insidious one of “Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; … yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines…and their works shall be in the dark….” And many who follow this line of nonsense will perish. It is happening all around us.
As a Christian, one who is a disciple of the one true Way out of this ‘wild world’ I could do no better than reiterate the words of the Apostle Paul: “Put on the whole armour of God.” Learn what it is and where to get it and put it on every day, and make sure it is tightly fastened. In order to survive we will need it.
I realize it might be a stretch to find any congruity in the above characteristics, but I think there was some. Even then I was becoming more and more concerned with the evil in the world and wanted to do something to help people avoid what I could see could be their personal downfall by being blindsided by it and by aggregation of many victims, the downfall of our nation. The drug culture and ‘free love’ (i.e., unbridled sex) were prime examples of one type of evil all around me.
So I became a teacher. I also joined a new Church.
Although I was stretching the context somewhat, some lyrics in Cat Stevens’ song Wild World caught my fancy then and I still remember them:
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
And it's breaking my heart in two . . .
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
Oh, [children, children] it's a wild world . . .
It still is a “wild world,” and will get far worse before it gets better. There is a lot of bad out there and we must beware. But there is hope, for “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”
Many haven’t been as wary or prepared as they should and have been badly hurt because they didn’t realize how vulnerable they were. There is evil in the world—evil men, evil organizations, evil combinations and political and religious philosophies—yes, there are “evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days” and there will yet be many casualties. The casualties in the Middle East have been often physical. The casualties in our own land have been, so far, mostly spiritual.
Except for occasional vociferous outbursts of rhetoric, especially in political campaign years, one of the evils in the Western World we must be alert to and wary of is that old and insidious one of “Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; … yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines…and their works shall be in the dark….” And many who follow this line of nonsense will perish. It is happening all around us.
As a Christian, one who is a disciple of the one true Way out of this ‘wild world’ I could do no better than reiterate the words of the Apostle Paul: “Put on the whole armour of God.” Learn what it is and where to get it and put it on every day, and make sure it is tightly fastened. In order to survive we will need it.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Resolved
We are now one week into our ‘new’ resolutions which are in all likelihood just recycled old resolutions. There was probably nothing wrong with the old ones, but another year has rolled around and possibly the old ones just didn’t materialize; we aren’t any better than before. Why?
Could it be that our approach to changing something we didn’t like about ourselves focused too much on the undesired outcomes and the causes (e.g., too fat because of too much chocolate; or didn’t read the books I wanted to because of too much television; or bills not paid down because of impulse buying, etc.) and not enough on the violated principles that govern our issues and failure to enlist the help of the resource that could help our ‘resolutions’ become ‘resolved?’
Let’s look at a couple of eternal verities, from my frame of reference, that impact upon the direction our life takes.
Jesus said to his chosen apostle Peter, “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Do you seriously, diligently, regularly enlist prayer to help you with the weaknesses of the flesh? Though we are often “encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me,” can we not acknowledge, as one still trying to become ‘resolved,’ that “my God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions … and he hath preserved me….He hath filled me with his love…he hath confounded mine enemies…he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge” to deal with my problems (2 Nephi 4:18-23). As the Apostle Peter said, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” (2 Peter 2:9). And every Christian knows that in Jesus’ prayer to our Father He said, “and lead us not [or suffer us not to be lead] into temptation, but deliver us from evil…for thine is the kingdom and the power…” (Matt 6:13). Come unto Him and enlist his help. We can be delivered; these things can be resolved.
Finally, there must needs be opposition in all things. (2 Nephi 2:11, 14-16) Recognize it. Again quoting Peter, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you…” (1 Peter 4:12). The apostle Paul, likewise, enjoined us to “endure afflictions” (2 Timothy 4:5), meaning, I think, to stay engaged in the struggle.
Indeed, the bottom line in life’s instruction book is that “[We] must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).
Overcoming the resistance and ungodly opposition is the essence of the great personal victory in life. Let us at the last say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing” (i.e., who love his coming to redeem us and give us opportunity for the more abundant life) (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
So be it. Resolved.
Could it be that our approach to changing something we didn’t like about ourselves focused too much on the undesired outcomes and the causes (e.g., too fat because of too much chocolate; or didn’t read the books I wanted to because of too much television; or bills not paid down because of impulse buying, etc.) and not enough on the violated principles that govern our issues and failure to enlist the help of the resource that could help our ‘resolutions’ become ‘resolved?’
Let’s look at a couple of eternal verities, from my frame of reference, that impact upon the direction our life takes.
Jesus said to his chosen apostle Peter, “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Do you seriously, diligently, regularly enlist prayer to help you with the weaknesses of the flesh? Though we are often “encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me,” can we not acknowledge, as one still trying to become ‘resolved,’ that “my God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions … and he hath preserved me….He hath filled me with his love…he hath confounded mine enemies…he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge” to deal with my problems (2 Nephi 4:18-23). As the Apostle Peter said, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” (2 Peter 2:9). And every Christian knows that in Jesus’ prayer to our Father He said, “and lead us not [or suffer us not to be lead] into temptation, but deliver us from evil…for thine is the kingdom and the power…” (Matt 6:13). Come unto Him and enlist his help. We can be delivered; these things can be resolved.
Finally, there must needs be opposition in all things. (2 Nephi 2:11, 14-16) Recognize it. Again quoting Peter, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you…” (1 Peter 4:12). The apostle Paul, likewise, enjoined us to “endure afflictions” (2 Timothy 4:5), meaning, I think, to stay engaged in the struggle.
Indeed, the bottom line in life’s instruction book is that “[We] must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).
Overcoming the resistance and ungodly opposition is the essence of the great personal victory in life. Let us at the last say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing” (i.e., who love his coming to redeem us and give us opportunity for the more abundant life) (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
So be it. Resolved.
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