ContemplativeJourney

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. Proverbs 24:11 The Planned Parenthood video.  Let's talk about it. I understand fully, before I write these words, that some will be outraged by what I say, others will feel hurt or shame, and others will agree with my perspective. I'd like to back up and tell you about a reading habit that I first picked up, as an adolescent. Candidly, I can't recall whether a Sunday School teacher or a Youth Minister suggested it, but someone back there in my young days suggested reading through the biblical book of Proverbs each month.  With 31 chapters, it is easy to use as a daily reading plan, and because of its practical wisdom about living life, I have always loved it.  For most of the last 30-40 years, I have been reading 1 chapter each day in Proverbs, starting with chapter 1 on the first day of each month.  On the 24th day of each month, I have read chapter 24...hundreds...

How do you "rest"?  Is it difficult for you to unwind and disconnect from the busy-ness of your daily life? What is the definition of rest? I looked it up in  Merriam-Webster's dictionary and found these 2 definitions that resonate for me: 1. freedom from activity or labor 2. peace of mind or spirit I believe it's important for each of us to regularly experience both definitions - to slow down and disconnect from the frantic pace that typically characterizes our lives.  Physical rest is crucial.  Even in the creation story told in the Bible's book of Genesis, we are told that God rested on the 7th day.  If God chooses rest for Himself, who are we to say we don't need a break? We all need a break.  In agriculture, farmers routinely rest their fields from planting on a rotating basis. Why?  Because even the ground needs a rest from its work to support the creation and growth of plants and food. Secondly, we all need a break from the mental pr...

    I am without question a strong-willed child.  Well, I'm not technically a child anymore, but by gosh, I am definitely strong-willed.  Starting in my late 20s, I began working quite intentionally on the character traits of empathy and compromise. There have been moments when I felt real progress had been made, I can much more easily roll along with the opinions of others, even when I want to go the opposite direction, or feel my understanding of the facts is clearly the correct understanding.   And then, there are days like I've had last week and this...when I thought I was being completely reasonable, generous even...and the person on the other end of the negotiation tells me I'm not listening, and never compromise.  What to do with this shocking encounter with another strong-willed person?  Am I correct in my assessment, or is he?   When it comes to the rough and tumble world of business ownership, the balancing act ...