Learning to Live Well: 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

Happy New Year - Greater things than these....

Happy New Year - Greater things than these….

The Gospel records Jesus as having said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”[i]

I have heard many people today say things like, “What would Jesus Do?” As a follower of Jesus I have come to understand that a more appropriate question might be, “What am I doing as a disciple of Jesus?” Jesus made it rather clear that he did not come “to be served” or worshipped but rather to “serve” people. Jesus also challenged others to go into the entire world to practice and preach the good news. After he sent out the seventy-two in pairs they came back saying wow – “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."[ii] From the time of the prophets and continuing after Jesus we have stories of many people using their ability to do amazing things in service to others.

Most of these stories are about people who were actually rather ordinary. The one common thread that is a significant part of their lives we call faith [Finding Authenticity In Today’s Happenings]. They often seemed to have a calling and an awareness of the presence of God in their lives that enable them to grow and develop is ways that many people have not. Advent begins a New Year in our Lectionary and we become a people who are stirred up again to receive this presence of God made known to us in the coming of Jesus. In our Blog, “Learning to Live Well”, we opened with our 21^st Century awareness of a Universe that is filled with Possibilities, Probabilities, and Productivity. This advent of God’s love and grace is made known to us through our faith in the Christmas message and our growing knowledge and understanding of the creation.

We are shown that each person is gifted in extraordinary ways to become all that they can be in doing greater things than any of us can imagine. Given the history of past progress we can rejoice and be grateful for how far we have come, especially in recent years, to experiencing the wonderful and almost magical advancement in every area of our lives. As more and more people throughout the world are awakened and stirred each year, as our Advent Season suggests, we can hardly imagine the spectacular revelations of new things that might come might to be. The story and pageantry of Jesus’ birth is rich with God’s creativity among us allowing everyone to live into this universal message. Like the child Jesus we can become vessels of possibilities yet unimagined. Allowing ourselves to be open to unexpected probabilities we too can be purveyors of the necessary productivity to serve humankind in helpful ways. All we need is the hope [Habitually Open Productive Exploration] that is announced in these seasons of Advent and Christmas.

Throughout our Judaic Christian scriptures we are told many times that each of us is gifted and enabled in our creativity to bring this hope into our world. It is vital that we extend ourselves in humility to be present in our world to serve more than an expectation to be served. It is also important that we recognize who we are as the people of God in order to be comfortable and certain in serving as Jesus did. To accept this privilege and responsibility we need to understand who Jesus really was. What is the primary belief about Jesus early in church history until today?

Most Christian churches believe and teach that Jesus is both human and divine. “Christology is a field of study within Christian theology that is concerned with the nature of Jesus Christ, particularly with how the divine and human are related in his person. Christology is generally less concerned with the details of Jesus' life than with how the human and divine co-exist in one person.”[iii] This seems to be a doctrine that is hard for most people to comprehend, especially in our Western way of understanding. We tend to think in terms of “right or wrong”, “black or white”, “up or down” so our natural way of thinking is “either / or” and not “both / and”. “For all practical purposes, the dualistic mind is not able to accept the orthodox teaching from the Council of Nicea that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine at the same time. It does not compute with our computer! Our dualistic mind needs to split and divide, with the result that it understands Jesus as only divine and understands human beings as only human, despite all scriptural and mystical affirmations to the contrary. The overcoming of this divide was the whole point of the Incarnation of God in Christ. The results for Christianity, and for individual Christians, have been truly disastrous.”[iv]

In attempting to be brief with this difficult and continuing conceptual problem I will share a common question that may help, “Which came first – the Chicken or the Egg”? This question has seldom solved our dilemma but another question may help get to my point; “Is a person a human being trying to become spiritual or a spiritual being trying to become human”? What was Jesus trying to teach us when we hear his prayer in the Gospel, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one…”[v] Could it not be more like what the apostle says in Romans that we are chosen “to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”[vi] Perhaps this is why so many Christians use the term catholic, with a small “c”, as an adjective meaning all-inclusive, useful to all or all embracing. People who wish to be inclusive where all are truly welcome as in “both / and” and not definitively “either / or”. Do we really need to know which comes first in order to fulfill our true destiny? Can we become comfortable with thinking about ourselves as both human and spiritual?

Perhaps we should look back to our roots, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD”.[vii] “We believe in one God the Father Almighty, ….”[viii] Again in the doctrine of the Trinity, as confusing as it may be to many, there is a clear declaration that God is one.[ix] Once more in the doctrine of the Incarnation of Jesus we have a firm statement of the one. “The Orthodox doctrine of Christ incarnate is: True God and true man, one person in two natures, without separation and without confusion: a single person, but endowed with two wills and two energies.”[x] An example may be found in the actual way that we see with our eyes. “In a single glance, lasting a fraction of a second, our eyes work with our brains to tell us the size, shape, color, and texture of an object. They let us know how close it is, whether it's standing still or coming toward us, and how quickly it's moving. Every day, our eyes give us messages that help us understand the world around us.”[xi] It is our brain that takes the two separate images and brings them together to give us the whole picture. Could it be that we concentrate too much on these visions of dual or triple personages so as to loose the wholeness of the total picture? Is this caution contained in the second commandment?[xii]

In almost every area of our lives and in our living together on this planet we are becoming more divided and divisive as humans. Not only between cultures and countries but we continue to become more divided between religions and political parties. Unfortunately most denominations are splitting apart because of doggedness for purity and agreement on every issue or teaching. In our growing insistence on uniformity we are loosing all ability for unity. On the other hand, as we look back, people have been divided and divisive as far back as we can determine. It appears that my sandbox is better than your sandbox is the continuing human cry. In spite of this we continue to hear the call to peace and unity with an apparent desire to work together for the benefit of all. An overarching theme of Christmas was, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."”[xiii]

We live in a marvelous time because there are so many in recent years that favor us with new ways of thinking about life. People who are searching for new ways, especially in science, are bringing new hope by finding in nature solutions that may already exist. On December 13, 2009, I watched a segment on 60 Minutes about a regenerative dust that can stimulate organ growth. It was a revelation of how exciting our world can be as one examines all its possibilities. You may be able to watch this by using the link in this footnote.[xiv] (note: it is the 2^nd story of the program – click on the 2^nd “time line” in the movie)

The story on 60 Minutes tells about these aspects of regrowth: “Extracellular Matrix cells have been found to cause regrowth and healing of tissue. In human fetuses, for example, the extracellular matrix works with stem cells to grow and regrow all parts of the human body, and fetuses can regrow anything that gets damaged in the womb. Scientists have long believed that the matrix stops functioning after full development. It has been used in the past to help horses heal torn ligaments, but it is being researched further as a device for tissue regeneration in humans.”[xv] “For medical applications, the cells required are usually extracted from pig bladders, an easily accessible and relatively unused source. It is currently being used regularly to treat ulcers by closing the hole in the tissue that lines the stomach, but further research is currently being done by many universities as well as the U.S. Government for wounded soldier applications. As of early 2007, testing was being carried out on a military base in Texas. Scientists are using a powdered form on Iraq War veterans whose hands were damaged in the war.”[xvi]

Maybe we do not need conversion as much as convergence. Conversion is reminiscent of older times of right/wrong, either/or like my way/your way. The atmosphere of conversion tends to bring divisive division. Convergence, like the magic of our eyesight brings duality together to enhance and provide the excellent vision we enjoy. Most of the gifts we have received for advancement, healing and a better life have come from bringing together the varied talents of the many to serve and embellish our world.

Almost every religious tradition has something like the beginning of our yearly liturgical calendar called Advent. It is a time to call all of us forth to wake up and smell the coffee. We are invited again to use all of our senses and human intelligence to continue anew in ways that inspire and bring forth new things. While looking at progress from our past and dreaming about new possibilities for the future we are encouraged to use today’s productively.

Christmas is the Christian story to call our attention to God’s presence among us. Coming humbly to us as a little child, reminding us of what can appear through the innocence of new life. Recognizing that we have the gift of this universe as the angels sing us the glorious song from the heavens. Aware that the common folk are present and included, along with animal life, to nourish us with all goodness as we gather in the presence of God. Even the whole world is present in the representation of the wise men coming from afar to complete our understanding that their leadership and witness is also essential to success in becoming all that we can be.

Lastly, what about “peace on earth”? Was not the coming of Jesus supposed to bring peace on earth? May I suggest that Jesus came to announce the “Kingdom of God” and said that this Realm of God is present with us always? Could it not be that peace is not an “either/or” but a “both/and”? When people on earth of good will experience God’s love and power and express that love in powerful ways we will cause the changes necessary to have peace. Peace is not God or us, but God and us. I like to use this acronym for peace [People Energizing Alternatives Causing Equality]. When we do everything we can to effect alternatives that will celebrate and cause the equality of God’s love and power to be properly shared, then the world will experience this peace. Faith, hope, and love – the greatest of these is love!

May the caring peace of God that goes beyond human comprehension, declare God’s love for you in your heart and mind as we see it in Jesus Christ; and may the blessing of God, loving Creator, gracious Liberator, and life giving Spirit keep you steadfast now and always. Amen.

[i] John 5:20 - NIV

[ii] Luke 10:17 - NIV

[iii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinity_of_Jesus

[iv] pgs. 67-68, “The Naked Now – Learning to See as the Mystics See”, Richard Rohr – The Crossroad Publishing Co., NY, NY (Richard Rohr is a Franciscan Friar)

[v] John 17:22 – see also 17:20-26

[vi] see Romans 8:28-30

[vii] http://bible.cc/deuteronomy/6-4.htm

[viii] http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm

[ix] http://www.theopedia.com/Trinity

[x] http://orthodoxwiki.org/Incarnation

[xi] http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/eyes.html

[xii] http://www.the-ten-commandments.org/the-ten-commandments.html

[xiii] Luke 2:14 - NIV

[xiv] http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/?pid=wiaYBRrPgOVmzjai8YX291UG6Io2rkjA&nrd=1

[xv] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extracellular_matrix

[xvi] HowStuffWorks, Humans Can Regrow Fingers? http://health.howstuffworks.com/extracellular-matrix.htm

In 2009, the St. Francis Heart Center announced the use of the extracellular matrix technology in http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-08-2009/0005056423&EDATE=valve repair surgery.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

The Extravagance of Love - Christmas 2009

“The Extravagance of Love” – Christmas 2009

Since most people in this United States of America, and many around the world, are quite familiar with the Christmas Story of Jesus’ birth, I thought I would offer thoughts and comments that give reflection on that over the years. I believe that most people agree that the main theme of Christmas is the great love of God for the whole world and how Jesus came to be the living word to announce and demonstrate this greatest of gifts – LOVE.

LOVE – Limitless Offerings Veraciously Expended

Over the centuries, since the beginning of time, there are innumerable ways through which we have received limitless offerings. Gifts of love have not always come from people or places were we might chiefly expect. History sadly informs us of the multiplicity of occasions when hate and violence came from areas of life where we would expect love, support and encouragement. In his song, “Imagine”, John Lennon points out this dilemma in a poetic way.

Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try

No hell below us Above us only sky

Imagine all the people Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace...

Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one[i]

We need to begin to realize how some things that we deem valuable and important to our lives have become sources of our problems. We tend to think that heaven and hell are either not real or in the future later on. Many people today are experiencing hell every day while a few have made a heavenly life for themselves. In this twenty-first century we need to realize that heaven and hell are very real concepts that affect us now as well as our future. The corruption of so many countries, even our own, have become organized seedbeds of war and violence both physically and socially. Even much of our religion has caused a lot of our wars and conflicts over the centuries reaching out for power, control and authority rather than being centers for healing and compassion. Along with our quest for possessions and wealth we have little consideration for caring and sharing.

This poignant critique of how the world may be one is further embellished by another song that Lennon and McCartney wrote together. “The Beatles played this for the first time on the "Our World" project, the first worldwide TV special. Broadcast in 24 countries on June 25, 1967, the show was 6 hours long and featured music from 6 continents, with The Beatles representing Britain. The concept of the song was born out of a request to bring a song that was going to be understood by people of all nations. The writing began in late May of 1967, with John and Paul working on separate songs. It was decided that John's "All You Need Is Love" was the better choice because of it's easy to understand message of love and peace. The song was easy to play, the words easy to remember and it encompassed the feeling of the world's youth during that period.[ii]

The Beatles - Lennon/McCartney

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love. There's nothing you can do that can't be done.

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung. Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game

It's easy. There's nothing you can make that can't be made. No one you can save that can't be saved.

Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time - It's easy.

All you need is love, all you need is love, All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love. All you need is love, all you need is love,

All you need is love, love, love is all you need. There's nothing you can know that isn't known.

Nothing you can see that isn't shown. Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.

It's easy.

All you need is love, all you need is love, All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

All you need is love (all together now) All you need is love (everybody)

All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

Religious and non-religious people alike seem to talk about love and losing our affections for material things that more often diminish our humanity especially in these famine economic times. We have too many organizations that do more to drive us apart than help us live together. The lack for true love and respect for one another is sadly missing in places that talk about love and claim they love everyone while judging and turning away from those who think and act differently. This seems to me to be rather hypocritical when then claim to be speaking for God. I remember my mother, a vocal soloist, who sang this hymn in many places of worship, “The Love of God”.

1. The love of God is greater far  Than tongue or pen can ever tell.   It goes beyond the highest star  And reaches to the lowest hell.  The guilty pair, bowed down with care,   God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled  And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!  How measureless and strong! 
It shall forevermore endure  The saints' and angels' song.[iii]

2. When hoary time shall pass away,   And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;  When men who here refuse to pray,  On rocks and hills and mountains call;  God's love, so sure, shall still endure,  All measureless and strong;  Redeeming grace to Adam's race—  The saints' and angels' song.

3. Could we with ink the ocean fill,  And were the skies of parchment made;  Were every stalk on earth a quill,  And every man a scribe by trade;  To write the love of God above  Would drain the ocean dry;  Nor could the scroll contain the whole,  Though stretched from sky to sky.[iv]

Many who listened and love this hymn were not able to allow its message to reach them or others. It seemed too difficult to allow God’s love to actually be “rich and pure”, “measureless and strong”, forevermore enduring for everyone, everywhere, in all times and places. The words of this hymn, to me, explain the story of Christmas – a “redeeming grace to Adam’s race”. Does any person or organized community of persons have the authority to limit this love of God from to anyone in our world to whom it has been so freely given? Should it not be our duty and privilege to extend this inclusive, uncompromising, and incomprehensive “song” by our words and deeds to all people everywhere? Indeed, love is God’s gift to us for sharing with family, friend, and neighbor.

There are two stories in Scripture that I feel demonstrate why I titled this, “The Extravagance of Love”. The first one is the story of Joseph that is recorded in a large part of Genesis. It tells us about a young boy who is a dreamer and rather spiritual for his age. He senses that he has a great purpose in life and enjoys reaching toward his goal of service to others. His life is so incredible that a movie was made, “Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat”. If you have seen the movie or the play I do not need to compete with how well it demonstrated my point. I would invite you to read the 45^th Chapter of Genesis to focus on how extravagant his love was for his family and all the people of Egypt. I share this brief portion to make my point, “Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”[v] Remember, they tried to kill him and harassed him most of his time with them. What an example of what true love means and how overgenerous it really should be.

Another story is often called the Prodigal Son or the Lost Son[vi], a parable that Jesus told to make a point about God’s incomprehensible love for all people, everywhere, at all times, and in all places. The Father who has two sons; one who stays home with his father having received his inheritance and the other who sells it all and wonders far away. Finally the wonderer, having become destitute, returns home with remorse and repentance to his father who welcomes him back, gives him a ring and a fine robe and shoes (denoting his full restoration) and celebrates his return with an extraordinary feast. The fact that the other brother was quite annoyed and angry by his father’s actions reminds me of so many “faithful and obedient” religious folk who “never got a dinner” as Red Buttons would say. Would that we all could come to be as forgiving and understanding as this loving father.

Let us not become jealous because this extravagant love of God belongs to all of us, everywhere, at all times, and in all places. “Almost all spiritual teachers say something to this effect: ‘Do not judge.’….The great teachers are saying that you cannot start seeing or understanding if you start with ‘No.’ You have to start with a ‘Yes’ of basic acceptance, which means not too quickly labeling, analyzing, or categorizing things in or out, good or bad. You have to leave the field open. The ego seems to strengthen itself by constriction, by being against, or by re-action, and it feels loss or fear when it opens up. Spiritual teachers want you to live by positive action, open field, and conscious understanding, not by resistance, knee-jerk reactions, or defensiveness. This is not easy: it often takes a lifetime of work and honest self-observation to stop judging or starting with ‘no’.”[vii]

Is this not, my friends, the essence of the story of Christmas? The humble yet dramatic awareness of God’s love for our living together in this world; the wise and the foolish, the prominent and the poor, the people near and far, the angels above and the animals below are never separated from this love of God now and forever.

What the world needs now

Is love, sweet love

That's the only thing that

There's just too little of[viii]

[i] http://johnlennon.lyrics.info/imagine.html

[ii] http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=130

[iii] SAINTS – those who have known the caring love of God that goes beyond human comprehension and have shared it in word and deed.

[iv] The author & story of this hymn - http://www.tanbible.com/tol_sng/theloveofgod.htm

[v] Genesis 45:4-5

[vi] Luke 15:11-32

[vii] “The Naked Now – Learning to See as the Mystics See”, by Richard Rohr (Crossroad Publishing Co., New York) pgs. 50-52

[viii] a 1965 popular song with lyrics by Hal David and music composed by Burt Bacharach

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Learning to Live Well IV - Finance

Learning to Live Well IV - Finance

Learning to live well is an ongoing process in anyone’s life. Growing and aging is something we all do and the more attention we pay to the process the better off we will be. As we continue this blog I will share with you another series of important words – Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance. These grow out of the progression of personal development presented in Learning to Live Well I, II, and III. They also involve more intensive work and commitment so they will be presented in a separate series for each word. Having thought about:
I - Probabilities, Possibilities, and Productivity
II - Persona, Persistence, Perseverance
III - Survival, Security, Significance
I hope you will be challenged to continue growing in your life in the areas of Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance.

Finance: It will be important for you to realize that finance is much like fitness – it is all up to you! A lot of people think that finance is first in their lives and necessary for everything else that makes life great. Better think again. Finance is more of an outcome or a product of who and what you are as a person. This is one topic in which one should be careful not to “put the cart before the horse” as they say. While there is nothing wrong with finance and becoming wealthy, it is important to keep finance in its proper place. Perhaps the most famously misquoted Scripture is this, “money is the root of all evil”. Not so. Quoted correctly it really says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”[i] It is the love of money that brings so many people grief and turmoil.

There is a good reason why my blog on Learning to Live Well did not start with finance. Finance is surely not the activation or the ending of a great life. It is, however, a vital and important aspect of the way one lives their lives and is therefore a significant part of the teaching in almost every religion. This form of teaching is not only about money, the outward and visible aspect of wealth, but even more about the primary origin or cause for a holistic aspect regarding riches. They try to teach the importance of our recognition of the majesty and gift of life itself and how we need to share this comprehensive endowment with everyone as well as ourselves.

Since this is a blog I will not go into a great detail, but Christians will readily recognize this verse in the Gospel of Luke, “Give, and it will be given to you.”[ii] Another verse, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked”[iii] will emphasize the clearness of such teaching. In the Jewish faith the Torah speaks clearly about giving, "If there will be a poor man among you... you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand toward your poor brother; you shall open your hand to him and shall give him enough for his needs"[iv] It goes even further, "If your brother becomes poor... you shall support him, stranger or settler, and he shall live with you"[v] The Muslim faith in numerous ways teaches the rule to be charitable. There is a short film on You Tube sited in the footnote below that explains very clearly what is taught.[vi]

True wealth comes from a desire to serve others. We admire those among us who have done well by developing an idea or product that helps people to live and work better. These are the people who are the inventors of almost everything that we enjoy and find useful in our lives. “Everybody can be great . . . because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve. . . . You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”[vii] “Doing nothing for others is the undoing of one’s self.  We must be purposely kind and generous, or we miss the best part of existence. The heart that goes out of itself gets large and full of joy. This is the great secret of the inner life. We do ourselves the most good  doing something for others.”[viii]  History bears witness to the number of people that we celebrate for serving others without necessarily possessing financial wealth. It is also not uncommon that those who have become notable in serving others have often become well off financially as well.

When it comes to money I have a favorite saying, “Money is never the problem – people are always the problem”. If you read my articles from the beginning you may understand why I concur. My first article begins with Probabilities and Possibilities leading to productivity. These characteristics were built into the fabric of our universe from the moment of creation. Then, depending on what kind of person you are, the sky is the limit, as they say, if you have persistence and perseverance. For those that move forward through life situations of Survival and Security, they have every opportunity to live a life of Significance: life that is intrinsically immersed in faith, family, fitness and finance.

Move – is the key word to moving forward in life!

MOVE – Making Opportunity Verifying Experience

Moving forward in life is obviously much better than moving backward. If you realize and understand the fabric of our universe then you know that you too can expand and grow in every area of life. We are all a part of this great creation and thereby share in this abundant inheritance. If we are unwilling to move in our course with all that lives we surely can lose these fascinating probabilities and possibilities. Inactivity and resistance are our worst enemies. The energy is there, we just need to “make” it happen. Making opportunities is our life’s work. Learning to take advantage of every opportunity is foremost. Without a good and positive attitude you are as good as dead.

When moving forward it is good to constantly verify every experience. Not everything will be good for you but you will never know whether it is or not unless you try. One of the simple rules that made sense for me was: if doors are opening then continue to help them open with deliberate caution. If doors tend to be closing then be sure that you are not forcing your way into a bad place. I did not say that making opportunity and verifying experience was easy but it is necessary to make progress and become productive.

Here are three more important helpful words: Team, Inclusive, and Diversity. A lot can be said in this area but here is a summary:

TEAM – Together Everyone Accomplishes More. This acronym has been around for a long time and it has proven to be very true. You have probably also heard; “two heads are better than one”. Adding one more head to your life is great, but the real magic is in multiplication – increasing your team by 2 x X or Y. Using the mental, emotional and physical aptitudes of your team in this way will increase your level of productivity.

Inclusive is another smart way to work with others. Too many people are exclusive in their attitudes and efforts. It is important to value interdependence with a willingness to share the benefits and the blame. Inclusivity is the best way to add strength and value to whatever you are doing.

Diversity is vital. People have said for a long time; “don’t put all your eggs into one basket”. Great advise! Trying to be successful from a single source is not working smart. Most people earn their living by exchanging hours for dollars that brings on the frustration most hourly workers feel. Diversity is how you can work smart, not hard. Using your mind and your spirit as well as your physical body is much more apt to bring financial success. Incorporating others in your efforts and sharing the load is best.

Since there are only 24 hours in each day it will be difficult, if not impossible, to gain much in financial wealth by working in jobs that exchange hours for wages. Since there are so many ways to earn money besides working for an hourly wage you should do some research online, in a library, or by asking others with money how they do it. Most of these people who have financial resources have taken advantage of a variety of ways. Here are a few:

· Spending less (buy what you need and cut down on your “wants”)

· Saving more (choose the best interest plans for maximum return)

· Credit Cards (only use ones that have some form of points or cash back AND pay them off each month!

· Use coupons for all your shopping needs as much as possible

· Combine all your insurance policies under one company to save money & get discounts

· Periodically, at least yearly, check with all service providers to get their latest discounted plans

· Time for a new car? One that is most efficient in gas consumption - even a used car may be best

· Purchase good investments (get a good team to help you and, since banks do not offer very much interest, transfer your bank saving periodically into investment accounts)

· Find part-time work that rewards you without hourly commitment (be careful of scams or get rich schemes) (do not overlook MLM[ix] opportunities but look carefully – some can waste your efforts and cost you more money than you can make)

· Shop in places or with businesses – on or off line - that will reward you for recommending them to others for product sales (our website is one of those – take a look – www.JandDInternational.com)

In closing let me remind you how magnificent and resourceful our universe is and know that you can take advantage of the fact that you are a part of this wonder. You have been created to be all that you can be in body, mind and spirit/emotions to energize a good life for yourself with enough left over to share with others. As you increase in stature as a person and become an active partner with persistence and perseverance these advantages become a part of you. While it may take some time and effort to move from survival to security it surely is not impossible to have a life of significance. Enjoy life – work smart and not hard – and become all that you have been created to become. It’s all up to you!

[i] 1 Timothy 6:10 – New International Version

[ii] Luke 6:38 (New International Version)

[iii] Luke 12:48 (New International Version)

[iv] Deuteronomy 15:7ff

[v] Leviticus 25:35ff

[vi] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WahSNAhNP-c

[vii] Martin Luther King, Jr.

[viii] Horace Mann

[ix] Multi-Level Marketing –see resource for explanations - http://www.mlm-thetruth.com/

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Learning to Live Well IV - Fitness

Learning to Live Well IV - Fitness

Learning to live well is an ongoing process in anyone’s life. Growing and aging is something we all do and the more attention we pay to the process the better off we will be. As we continue this blog I will share with you another series of important words – Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance. These grow out of the progression of personal development presented in Learning to Live Well I, II, and III. They involve more intensive work and commitment so they will be presented in a separate series for each word. Having thought about:
I - Probabilities, Possibilities, and Productivity
II - Persona, Persistence, Perseverance
III - Survival, Security, Significance
I hope you will be challenged to continue growing in your life in the areas of Faith, Family, Fitness, Finance.

Fitness: [Fiscal Investment Toward Necessary Evolution Sustaining Self]

Good health is a prerequisite to a great life!

This one is all up to you! I am sure you are familiar with the old adage: “Use it or loose it”. Your overall wellness and fitness depends almost entirely on you. Your fitness is fiscal because it will take some money and time. Only you can enable your body, mind and spirit to evolve toward the necessities for sustaining yourself.

CARE – Constantly Appreciate and Respect Everyone

It is important that you practice care for yourself when it comes to your health and wellbeing. Appropriate care for yourself will enable you to live and work and be actively engaged in service and care for others. Fitness is the essence of who you are and what you become. There are four basic areas of concern that everyone needs to be attentive to in order to insure fitness – exercise, nutrition, good air and clean water.

Exercise, regular physical activity, is primary to good health, as almost everyone will tell you today. There are some basic investments you will need to make like: clothing, shoes, simple tools for accountability like a pedometer, iPod, etc. Fundamental walking or running can be done almost anywhere at any time. Should you feel the need for additional equipment for exercise in your home or for signing up to go to a gym it will require a bit more fiscal investment. It is absolutely necessary that you maintain regularity toward your progress to sustain yourself properly.

Accountability is a must! Certainly accountability to yourself in an honest manner is basic, but you may also want to become accountable to an individual or a group for consistent results. “Challenges... and to be challenged, can be very motivational. That added test or obligation can be the ultimate incentive that makes the difference between think; try; do. I can easily rationalize my own procrastination; but when I am accountable to another, that additional co-dependence provides the necessary incentive to push through my reluctance to achieve what I should do on my own. So joining a "group" benefits "me"... who'd a thought of that?” – Bill Stadnik (a teammate on VitaLife Fitness). This is a place you can go to gain access to the kind of co-dependence that Bill Stadnik speaks about and it is FREE.[i]

Nutrition is very important since the energy necessary to human life comes from how much and how well you eat. Good nutrition is difficult today for at least two reasons:
1. Fresh and nutritious food is hard to come by because very few people grow their own fruits and vegetables – or raise cattle for that matter. Most of our food comes from a supermarket that usually gets their produce from distant places.
2. Because of the time it takes to transport most of our produce it is not very fresh with all the nutrients that would be present if they were eaten soon after their harvest. There is an excellent online resource available that will goes into detail to explain. Please take a look to see some of the highlighted information it contains.[ii]

How do you know what may be a healthy diet for you? Surely there is no one plan that fits all. Common sense would tell us that the more active we are the more food we will need. On the other hand, the less active we are then we certainly do not need a large quantity. We are very fortunate in these United States to have a program that provides each of us with some specific and individual guidelines for good health. I invite you to go the this site called “MyPyramid” and look through all the advise and counsel that is available to you and your family.[iii]

For many of the above situations in today’s lifestyles there is another important aspect of nutrition that is becoming more necessary – nutritional supplements. Our bodies do not absorb chemicals very well and most supplements are mainly made up of chemicals formulas. This is why doctors have often said that vitamins are not very useful for nutrition since they are mainly excreted as waste. When it comes to nutritionals, BIOAVAILABILITY is probably the most important word when you consider taking any supplements. It means that biologically your body is capable of absorbing and digesting all the nutrients that are contained in the supplement because they are made of all natural ingredients. Supplements that are made of all natural ingredients from fruits and vegetables are not in most drugstores. Douglas Laboratories is certified to produce pharmaceutical quality nutritionals and may be obtained online at: www.JandDHealth.com. When you go there you can read about the certification of Douglas Labs and learn a lot more with Flash presentation and detailed articles.[iv]

Water is another important resource that your body needs to stay in healthy. Since the percentage of our bodies are mostly water we are a virtual water machine. Our energy level is impacted largely by our consumption of water. Unfortunately water around the world is contaminated because of the amount of chemicals – drugs, pesticides, fertilizes, etc. – that enters our water resources every day. There is no new source of water on the earth since it was formed (it is all recycled) and pollution levels continue to rise and remain in the earth, our water is increasing in these contaminates. Either we filter out these contaminants prior to consumption or we force our body to be the filter! As stated in a report from the National Cancer Institute to the Surgeon General, “No level of exposure to a chemical carcinogen should be considered technologically insignificant to humans”.

You might do well to do some research on this subject to protect yourself and your family by finding out what you can do about this growing problem. You can go to Wikipedia[v] – a free Encyclopedia online – or do a Google search for yourself to see why we are very serious about this. Water is clearly vital to your health and well being so it will be difficult to think you can Learn to Live Well without looking into the water you are drinking. Because we have been seriously involved with “Learning to Live Well” since 1977 we are able to share some real solutions to this problem on our website that provides considerable information regarding health.[vi]

Air is last but surely not least. Why? How long can you live without air – only minutes?[vii] Something as vital as this ought to be of major concern to one’s health and well being. To give some weight to the importance of the four things that are essential for everyone’s health and well being, I started with exercise because it should be a significant priority relating to health and lastly with air. Somewhere I was told that people always remember most the beginning and ending of a presentation.

I think most everyone is aware that much of our air is polluted. Depending on where you live your air will be for better or worse. Many may not realize that indoor air, without proper filtration, is worse than the outdoor air. To speak about this issue, here is a government website that has a lot of information about this.[viii] This article also speaks to the fact that this is one area of health concern that can be reasonably solved with minimum cost and equipment. Unfortunately there is a variety offered that vary in price and complication. To keep this article short I will try to summarize some basics that I hope will be helpful.

Hot air heat/and or air-conditioning: Filters are necessary for whole house units to protect the units themselves and to eliminate basic particles of dust that would be circulated inside. It is important that they do not block the flow of air that will inhibit their basic effect to heat and cool. Here is a more detailed explanation from NAFA.[ix]
HEPA filtration that can be very effective but also very costly to purchase and regularly change the filters. Here is a basic comprehensive explanation from NAFA regarding HEPA filters.[x]
Air Cleaners using Ultraviolet Light Germicidal Irradiation Technology. This technology uses no filters that need to be changed periodically and no chemical are involved. They are energy efficient using only pennies a day and the UV bulb lasts about one year before changing. There are also units that can be installed directly into existing air ducts for central air purification. We make these very efficient and less expensive models available on our JandD Health website.[xi]

As an entrepreneur I have spent all of my working life is service to others with regards to the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. We have created and established ministries for people in need, especially the disabled and autistic, through my pastoral opportunities as a priest in the Episcopal Church. Along with my partner, Dwight Tintle, we have also established relationships with other astute and professional people to make available the essential resources available to a health lifestyle.

In my retirement this blog is one way to summarize our life experience and knowledge. It hopefully will be helpful to those who need it or wish to continue to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the various ways they can maintain good health. Our next blog will talk about Finance. This is the one that most people put first, but good coaches over the years and life experience teach that healthy finance is a result or fruit of a good life. Take care.

[i] http://www.janddinternational.com/Exercise.html

[ii] http://www.foodsecurity.org/policy_trans03_brief.html

[iii] http://www.mypyramid.gov/

[iv] http://www.JandDInternational.com

[v] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pollution

[vi] http://www.janddinternational.com/index.html

[vii] http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2003-04/1049239760.En.r.html

[viii] http://www.epa.gov/iaq/index.html

[ix] http://www.nafahq.org/LibaryFiles/Articles/1Article002.htm

[x] http://www.nafahq.org/LibaryFiles/Articles/Article012.htm

[xi] http://www.janddinternational.com/Products.html

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Learning to Live Well IV - Family

Learning to Live Well IV - Family

Family:

Just what is a family? If you look at different areas of our own country and around our world you will see that there are probably no two families alike. And yet, there is no denying that family has an important place in each of our lives; some form of family has existed almost as long as the history of humankind. Family is important because we all have come from some kind of family. The following definitions from the dictionary will help demonstrate some of the characteristics that make up what we may be talking about when we use the word family:

1. group of relatives

a. a group of people who are closely related by birth, marriage, or adoption

2. people living together

a. a group of people living together and functioning as a single household, usually consisting of parents and their children

3. lineage

a. all the people who are descended from a common ancestor

4. offspring

a. a child or set of children born to somebody

5. group with something in common

a. a group whose members are related in origin, characteristics, or occupation

6. related languages

a. linguistics a group of languages that have a common origin

The most common one that we think of is probably number one – group of relatives as a result of birth, marriage, or adoption. But family is much more than that. While definition number one is surely primary since we would not be in this life without a mother and father, we would not grow up well without parental care. Whether we were chosen by adoption or had only one parent we recognize the dedication it takes to make possible our growing toward maturity.

The other definitions may be considered exceptions but, whether we like it or not, because of divorce and other factors they are becoming the more significant definitions of family in our present world, in this country and many other places. People living together in various family types with a combination lineage from two or more family streams through divorce and remarriage are increasingly prevalent. One’s progeny may come from an unwed mother, a single mother by insemination, or through special arrangements by same-sex couples. There are still cultures that allow polygamy or polyandry and are a way throughout history in which family members are related in a diversity of ways. More people marry today into linguistic groups that are different from their own while others marry because of their common language or dialect.

Anyone who is familiar with the Bible should be aware of the many kinds of relationships that existed among those who worshipped God in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. Some, who never married, both male and female, were significant persons among their communities. Others, especially in the latter periods of biblical history, were united like many of our husband and wife families of today. The majority of biblical history includes many who practiced polygamy and who were prominent leaders. Abraham eventually had a son with his wife Sara, but he also had a son with Hagar who was Sara’s servant.[i] Sara’s son Isaac became the progenitor of the Hebrews while Hagar’s son Ishmael became the progenitor the Arab nations. The most famous of Hebrew leaders who had numerous wives and concubines was Joseph’s son, King Solomon.[ii] Joseph, a king who ruled over all the twelve tribes for quite a few years, not only had several wives but also took a wife from one of his generals whom he had murdered to cover his lust.[iii] Their style of family did not seem to interfere with their ability to accomplish great things and were seen to serve the people of their tribes and nations very well. As long as they were basically faithful, loving and kind, even though they were not without faults, God seemed to be pleased to support them as leaders.

When Christians look into the New Testament we notice that Jesus, whose words and example we follow, was probably not married. As a former ordained Baptist minister I remember how difficult it was for me to continue in that communion as a single male. It is not uncommon for most Protestant denominations to prefer, if not require, that their clergy be married. If they are not married it is very clear that they must live a strict celibate life as a single person. It is mandatory in the Roman Catholic Church that their clergy can only be male and must live a celibate life to continue as a priest. To keep this portion short for this Blog, I will briefly site other variances among those who were closely related to Jesus. There are a lot of questions about Jesus’ family from the relationship of his mother and father to whether or not they had additional children who were true brothers and sisters to Jesus. Most Protestants are comfortable that Jesus had brothers and sisters while the Roman Church questions that possibility since they firmly believe that Mary had no other children and was a perpetual virgin.

Many of those who closely followed Jesus and were, in many ways, his extended family and did not have unions that are similar to what many people consider a true family in today’s customary sense – the bond of one man and one woman (for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until we are parted by death). We know Peter was married because we are told that Jesus healed his mother-in-law, but what about the rest of the disciples? His best friend, Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead, was living as a family with his two sisters, Mary and Martha.[iv] There is no mention that any of the three were married nor were other significant family members mentioned at his death. Mary Magdalene, to whom Jesus first appeared after his resurrection and from whom it was said he cast out seven demons, presents many questions, even to this day, about her relationship to Jesus in his life and death.[v] Throughout the New Testament there are many important people like Paul, Barnabas, and many others about whom we know little or nothing about their families.

Throughout human history, secular and religious, there is a great assortment of human and family relationships. Some of them have diminished or no longer exist while customs continue to develop in today’s societies. The obvious fact, however, is that people need relationships of one kind or another in order to succeed and propagate. Barbara Streisand made the following song popular that speaks well of people needing people.

People, People who need people Are the luckiest people in the world …….

Lovers Are very special people They’re the luckiest people in the world

With one person, One very special person

A feeling deep in your soul Says you are half now you’re whole No more hunger and thirst

But first be a person who needs people, People who need people

Are the luckiest people in the world. …….[vi]

Interdependence is perhaps the best way to describe what I believe is most important in human relationships. It is basically people needing people who are the luckiest people in the world. We do not appreciate being dominated by those who would try to keep us dependent nor are we pleased with people who consistently act independently and ignore us. Since the concept of human relationship and family are not static in our history or society, I suggest the following acronym as a summary and comprehensive way to describe interdependence and family:

Family – Faithful Allegiance Mid Interdependence, Love, Yearning

Let us look at how Nature and Nurture bring our history and twenty-first century models together and why family is so important to us. I think we can all agree that history denotes an increasing and dramatic change in the way people live and act today. In the past people might refer to the “four corners of the earth” but our view of the earth has distinctly changed. For a long time people thought that the earth was flat, the gods were above the canopy of the sky and the nether world was below. In our present view of nature we know that the earth is a globe and, along with other planets in our solar system, revolve around our sun. Most everything in the Universe is global and moving about in spins and orbits. Now that our world has grown significantly smaller with the ease of travel and the World Wide Web, we can see a variety of families in diversity of relationships in various cultures and places. Marriage, the common term for how we formalize families, also has many varieties of custom around our globe. Maybe we can agree that the most important aspects of marriage and family are faithfulness and allegiance without stereotypic definitions.

Perhaps then, nurture is the primary key for global interdependence with a loving and continual desire for each other in a diverse assortment of communities. The importance of the individual that makes up the core of all human relationships are the primary source for faithful, loving, yearning and allegiance. It begins with each of us and grows globally in value and intensity as various communities of people come together. An example of such nurture and the personal commitment to affect such demeanor in our lives today is expressed in two of the six questions asked in the Liturgy of Baptism in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church:

Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity

of every human being?

People I will, with God’s help.[vii]

The basic intention of these words are clearly expressed by so many religious and non-religious alike but actions therein expressed are too often missing in the events of our lives. We say that we believe in family and want family but we too often do not live family. How often do most of us fall short of caring for our neighbors as we care for ourselves? With what consistency do we strive for justice and/or peace among all people? With what diligence do we respect the dignity of every human being? No wonder we do not live in a world of peace. Until we learn to practice what we desire or intend in human relationship why would we expect it to be?

PEACE – People Energizing Alternatives Causing Equality

This is the only way peace will come to be a part of our individual and community lives – we must become people who practice peace as noted in the above acronym. In order to bring lasting peace we not only need to be at peace with all people but also with all life in the universe. To live in a peaceful world we must begin to live interdependently using our energy and creative alternatives to cause everything and everyone to be in harmony.

[i] Genesis chapter 16

[ii] I Kings 11:3

[iii] II Samuel chapter 11

[iv] John 11

[v] Mark 16:8-10

[vi] http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/barbra+streisand/people_20012973.html

[vii] pg. 305, The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Chuch – The Seabury Press, New York, NY

Learning to Live Well