If history repeats itself I'm so getting a dinosaur!

"If history repeats itself I'm so getting a dinosaur!"

I vaguely remember my history classes in High School.  What I remember most was that it involved memorizing a lot of meaningless dates and names for the test just so I could forget them as soon as possible.  Plus, it always seemed like my history classes were held in the afternoon, in classes that were a little dim and warm, therefor making me very sleepy (as all teenagers are).  Do I need to tell you that I only took the minimally  required history classes?  In my mind history = boring.

"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything.  You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree."

"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday."

Now, fast forward to this year, 2013.  And, I have to say my viewpoint of history is changing.  Maybe I'm just getting older, maybe I have a little more time to breathe and ponder things than I used too.  Maybe, they just started coming out with some good historical movies that I enjoyed and those movies caused some long forgotten synapses in my brain to suddenly fire up.  Who knows?

I believe some of my renewed (or new found) interest has been a direct result of some of the experiences I have had this year.

Yesterday, in our church we had a guest speaker. Rabi Jeff Friedman has started an outreach entitled Jacob's Hope that provides Humanitarian Aid to the Jewish population all over the world.  I love his ministry, but what really struck me yesterday as he was speaking, was the way he spoke about the Biblical historical importance of the Jewish nation to modern Christianity and how it all ties together.    His insight and knowledge gave me a deeper understanding of some scriptures that I had read many times before.  But you see, when I read those verses, I didn't understand or have knowledge of the historical references, and therefore I only half understood what I was reading.  Does that make sense?  You see, understanding the historical cultural meaning was an important key to understanding fully what I was reading.  The study of history brings understanding.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won.  There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall.  This of it-- always."

While walking through the ruins at Ephesus this summer I had another moment where I felt I could fully comprehend something I had only read about .  Our guide did a great job of explaining the importance the city of Ephesus played in history in general, and specifically in the new Testament.  Ok-  here's a little history about this city, hopefully it's not too boring for you. Ephesus had a population of roughly 300,000, it was the chief commercial city of the province, the gateway to Asia, and was considered to be the fourth greatest city in the world during New Testament times.

Library of Celsus and Gates of Mazaeus & Mithridates, Ephesus

Theater where Paul is said to have preached.  Still used today.  Ephesus

Temple of Hadrian in honor of Emperor Hadrian,  Ephesus

Commercial Agora, Ephesus

Mosaic Floor, Ephesus

Terrace Houses of the wealthy Ephesians, Ephesus

Tribute to the goddess Nike- the goddess of victory,  and yes, this is where the famous Nike swish comes from.  Ephesus

Ephesus

The city's patron goddess was Artemis.  The city had a whole industry built around the worship of Artemis--silversmiths and craftsmen made a lot of money by selling Artemis souvenirs and items to offer in sacrifice to the worship of the goddess.  There were places that sold food to those who came to visit the temple. And so on and so on.  You get it, Artemis worship was big business.  Then  along comes Paul and he begins to convert the worshipers to Christianity.  He was imprisoned for his efforts.    John also went to Ephesus to preach and spread the gospel. He spent some time in exile on the island of Patmos.  There is some debate about whether or not Mary, the mother of Jesus accompanied him there.  Timothy also spent time in Ephesus. Many parts of the New Testament were written in Ephesus.

Ephesus was important for a number of reasons.  It was the gateway city to Asia-- the perfect place to begin to spread the gospel to other parts of the earth.  Ephesus was also a place where one of the earliest revivals in history took place.  But even in places of great revival, there were hardships and pain that those preaching the gospel endured. Just walking down those same streets, gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for those apostles who went there.   The study of history brings appreciation.

"To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

"When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us.  We feel part of something greater than ourselves."

And finally, we had two very unique opportunities to re-connect and discover parts of my sons heritage this summer.

While on a short weekend trip to Washington D.C., we took a side trip to the Virginia Scottish Highland Games festival.  We enjoyed watching various people compete in traditional games, listened to traditional Scottish bagpipe music, and we were able to talk with an historian who shed some light on the history of the Clan Clark.

We also visited Italy this summer.  What an amazing country.  We were able to view a large portion of the amazing artwork produced by some of the finest artists in history in places like Rome and Florence.  We were able to learn about modern Christianity's growth and influence in places like Rome and the Vatican City.  We enjoyed the amazing food and cultural ambience in places like Venice, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri.  It was a pleasure to sit back and listen to the language of our Benintendi ancestors.

We had a fantastic dinner here, Venice

Florence

St. Peter's, Vatican

Sorrento

Both of these experiences helped us to more closely connect to our family history.  History brings connection.

"Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.  That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history."

"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic.  It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, and kindness."

So, what have I learned from history?  I have learned that in order to fully comprehend a thought or an idea, I need to understand the context in which it was written.  By that I mean, who wrote it, what was happening at the time, how does this affect future thoughts or actions., etc...  I am learning to appreciate what those before me have endured so that I might have the freedoms I do today.  I have learned how to avoid making some mistakes by looking at the mistakes made by those in the past.  I have learned that my choices have far reaching ripple effects that can continue to cause motion for generations of those who follow me.  History helps me to remember that everyone is human and that everyone makes human mistakes.

So in all, I'm learning more and more to appreciate and embrace the importance of heritage and history in my life.  What was once a boring school subject has now turned into something applicable in my life.  I can learn much about myself, about how to make good choices, about how my choices affect others, through a study of history.

So my continued challenge and my challenge to you is to passionately study history, not the dates and times, so much as the stories of those who lived it.  Discover what you can learn.  And then, apply those lessons to your life.  And maybe, just maybe, you'll begin to develop, if not a love for, at least a deep appreciation for, the lessons of history.

Live out Loud!

This has been done before, to infinity.  But, I'm not one to pass up a good idea just because someone else thought of it first.  So, here it is.  An open letter to my son (although it's really a letter to everyone with a few thoughts about living).

Dear Son:

This is my way of passing on what little bit of knowledge I've gained so far about how to truly live. I know that today, your 15 year old self may not appreciate this advice, but my hope is that one day, you will be able to absorb and practice some of these principles.

"God is making things happen for you.  Even when you don't see it.  Even when you can't feel it.  Even if it's not evident.  God is working on your prayers."

The first, and most important, part of life is to have a true relationship with God.  I love you to infinity and beyond, but remember this:  NO ONE will ever, ever, ever love you more than Jesus.  Cultivate that relationship.  God has a plan for you.  You were born with a purpose. Read the Bible, spend time in prayer, ask God for wisdom.  Pray some more.  Ask for more wisdom.  Read what the Bible says about you, how to live, how to love, how to act.  Here are just a few verses for you to ponder.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity."  1 Timothy 4:12

"No disaster can overtake you, no plague will come near your tents;  He has  given His angels orders about you, to guard you wherever you go."  Psalm 91:10-11

Remember to be grateful.  For everything.  If you practice gratitude each day, you will live a happy and fulfilled life.  Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful.  Don't compare yourself to others.  Comparison is the thief of joy.

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

Work hard.  The only way to succeed is to work hard.  Period.  No shortcuts.  Go above and beyond. Don't cheat to get ahead.  Be honest in your dealings.  Solve problems instead of creating or complaining about them.  Think outside the box.  Be creative.  Do what you say you are going to do.  Live with integrity.  Take responsibility for your actions.  Do not blame others.

""Good character is more to be praised than out-standing talent.  Most talents are, to some extent, a gift.  Good character, by contrast, is not given to us.  We have to build it piece by piece--by thought, choice, courage, and determination."

"Be happy with what you have while working for what you want."

You don't have to know it all or have all the right answers.  Be willing, and humble enough to learn.   If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging.  Never stop learning, EVER!  Be careful with your words.  You don't have to attend every argument you're invited to.  Be humble.

"Pride is concerned with WHO is right.  Humility is concerned with WHAT is right."

"No matter the situation, never let your emotions overpower your intelligence."

"Express the courage to speak that which you know, yet the humility to hear that which you do not know."

Be kind. The highest form of wisdom is kindness. Be willing to help others.  Remember that compassion has no limit.  Kindness has no enemy.  Your mood should not dictate your manners.  Remember that strong people don't put others down, they lift them up.  Bring out the best in others.  Practice forgiveness. Treat others with respect and dignity.

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.  Unsuccessful people are always asking, What's in it for me?"

"Patience, kindness, and compassion will get you further than anger, criticism and condemnation will."

"You don't have to disrespect and insult others simply to hold your own ground.  If you do, that shows how shaky your own position is."

"I believe in courtesy, the ritual by which we avoid hurting other people's feelings by satisfying our own egos."

"Kindness is always in your power even when fondness is not."

"Today will never come again.  Be a blessing.  Be a friend.  Encourage someone.  Take time to care. Let your words heal and not wound."

Seek friendship.  Treasure it.  You do not need to have a thousand friends.  Relationship takes work.    The only way to have a friend is to be one.  Family is important!

""If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce.  If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere."

"There are amazingly, wonderful people in all walks of life;  some familiar to us and others not.  Stretch yourself and really get to know people.  People are in many ways one of our greatest treasures."

"You can make more friends in 2 months by becoming interested in other people than you can in 2 years by trying to get people interested in you."

"Relationships last long because two people make a choice:  to keep it,  fight for it, and work for it.

Make sure that your wife is also your friend.  Look for quality of character over beauty.  Remember a person who is beautiful on the outside can be very ugly on the inside.  Look for a woman you can respect as a true partner.  Cherish her.  Look for a woman who also cherish's you.  Don't forget to have fun together--laughter is important. Value her input. Hug each other often.  Spend time together.

Live out loud!  Travel!  Be an explorer of food, of life, of nature.  Enjoy yourself.  Laugh often!  Laugh at yourself.  Don't take yourself too seriously. Learn to appreciate art.  Fill your days with music.  Take time to look for the beauty all around you! Try new things.  Get outside as often as you can! Get in the water as often as you can! Seize every day! Never miss an opportunity to see something beautiful.  Do not live in fear.  Be bold.  Remember that every day is a gift, not a given right.  Be adventurous! Always know that you are loved!  Let me say that again.  YOU ARE LOVED!

There is so much more to say, but not enough space or time.  I have every confidence in you!  You will do well in life.   I'm excited to watch you as you continue to grow.

I'll leave you with these wise words from a wise woman, Mother Teresa.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you.  Be honest anyway.  if you find happiness, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.  Give the world the best you have and it may not be enough.  Give your best anyway.  For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them."

Laughter is the best medicine....

"How strange to see the wrinkles on the sides of my eyes growing and getting deeper.  I laugh.  A lot.  This is the proof and they are the scars of my happiness."

"One of my favorite things about you is that whenever you do something stupid, you don't hide from it.  Instead you're like, Okay so I have to tell you what I just did.... and that makes me laugh."

"Never be afraid to laugh at yourself.  After all you may be missing out on the joke of the century."

Ok.  So, I don't know if anyone else needs this but I'm declaring today a day of laughter.  Why, because there's not been a lot of laughter to be had lately.  I'll get back to being serious tomorrow.  But as for today?  I'm going to laugh.  Hope you can join me.  I have already admitted to having a slightly twisted and weird sense of humor, and the following story show just how weird I really am.

In an effort to be healthier, I have been drinking a glass of cranberry juice a day because it is supposed to help things like artery and bladder health.  What I have been drinking is 100% juice, but it has been a mixture of Cranberry and grape juice.  I decided I could probably go one step further, so I ventured into the "health" food section of the store.  There I found a 100%, no sugar added Cranberry juice.  Perfect.

The next day, I poured myself a tall glass of my new "healthier" juice.  I tipped it up and drank a great big mouthful.  Immediately, I discovered why there seemed to be a gazillion bottles of the stuff on the shelf.  To say it tasted horrible would be an understatement.  Not only did it taste like weirdly flavored chalk, it immediately (and for the entire day) sucked every bit of moisture out of my mouth.  Gah!  Of course, just in case all my taste buds and nerves were having an "off" moment, I had to try one more swig.  Verdict.  Yup, that is the most disgusting,  hideous, drink on the entire planet.  There is a reason that they mix cranberry juice with other juices.  It is because no one in their right mind would EVER drink this stuff in it's pure  form.  I'm highly convinced that you could torture war criminals with this stuff and they would immediately confess and give away all their secrets.

Which, of course, led me to figure out how I could use this nasty concoction that I had paid nine dollars for to torture other poor, unsuspecting family members.  Hmmmmm.  I immediately set my sights on Jeff. That day I hatched my plan.  I decided to have a little mercy on him and  put the plan into action after dinner because I hated to ruin his food, especially since I took the time to cook it.  So, after dinner, when our tummies were happy and full, and we were relaxed and watching T.V., I struck.

I told him I had bought some new Cranberry Juice and wasn't sure if I liked it.  Did he want to try?  Of course he said yes.  All it took was one swig for him.  But the look on his face was worth the $8.50 that we wasted as we went over and poured the rest of the offending concoction down the sink.  Me, still chuckling over Jeff's pinched face.  Told you my sense of humor is twisted.

Anyway, there's going to be no big reveal of the moral of the story on the blog today.  Instead, I'm going to leave you with a few quotes I have read recently that had me chuckling.  Oh, and maybe a cute photo.  Have a great and happy Thursday!

"Had a big mix up at the store today.  Apparently when the woman said, Strip down facing me, she was referring to my credit card."

"There are only 2 ingredients that make up trail mix....M&M's and disappointment."

"I hate it when you open the fridge and can't find what you're looking for.  Like happiness and perfect abs."

"Someday, when you clean all the toilets, you can stay up late and eat the secret ice cream too."

The Tony Starks (Ironman) movie line from the Avengers when he meets the Hulk.  "Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled.  And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."

"Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the main reason I have trust issues."

"What I love about our friendship is that it's based upon conversations no sane person should ever have.  Ever."

"Pinterest law #1:  For every workout plan on Pinterest there is an equal and opposite dessert recipe."

"Don't you just love those 12 seconds when all the laundry is done?"

"When someone yells STOP, I never know if it's in the name of love, it's Hammertime, or if I should collaborate and listen."

"At my funeral, when they're lowering me into the ground, I demand they play Drop it like it's hot."

"Here's to every mother who has ever eaten a candy bar in the closet because frankly, you just didn't want to share."

"I may look like I'm having really deep thoughts but 99% of the time I'm just thinking about what food I'm going to eat later."

And some of the best lines from that great movie Elf:

"I'm sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies in the VCR."

"He's an angry elf!"  This is saying is liberally used in our household in a totally mocking way ;)

"You smell like beef and cheese.  You don't smell like Santa."

"This place reminds me of Santa's workshop except it smells like mushrooms and everyone looks like they want to hurt me."

Gratitude changes everything!

"If you never learn the language of gratitude, you will never be on speaking terms with happiness."

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."

'If you want to find happiness, find gratitude."

I believe that what causes a lot, if not most, of our misery in life is a lack of gratitude.  Gratitude is a key ingredient in the recipe for a happy life.  Have you ever known someone who seems to be perpetually unhappy?  Nothing positive ever comes out of their mouth.  It's all doom, gloom, and despair.  They walk around with a massive chip on their shoulder, always assuming that life and everyone else is out to get them.  To them, the world lacks color, everything is seen in shades of depressing grey and angry black.  They are miserable, and they are quite content to spread and share their misery with all those around them.

You may even be one of those people.  Life is lacking anything good.  There's no fun for you.  You may even be shouting at me right now saying, "It's easy for you to talk about gratitude.  You have a great life!  You don't know what I have gone through, am going through!"  And you are right, but you are also wrong.  And I am going to challenge you today, to find gratitude.

You see, people assume that in order to have gratitude, everything has to be going well in your life.  No troubles, no sorrows.  To be honest, there was a time a few years back when I found myself struggling with this issue of gratitude.  I'll share some of it with you now, just because I want you to understand where I was. There was a period of about  5 or 6 years when it felt like, to me,  the bottom kind of fell out from my life.  It was a period where I really questioned what I had believed about my life and about God.  Within this period the following things happened:

My dad almost went blind from a freak flu virus that had entered his optic nerve and caused his body to attack his optic nerve.

My Dad had a major heart attack that almost killed him.  The ambulance had to stop twice on the way to the hospital to restart his heart.

My husband was laid off from his job for a year.  This was after I had quite my full time job when I had Keagan,  to work part time for a third less money.  We were struggling to make it.  And we had a baby to support. And we had invested in the .com market, and it was tanking at an astonishing rate.

We had to put my dearly loved grandmother in a nursing home because age had stolen her mind.

And the final kick came when my mom was diagnosed with a terminal, non curable, rare form of cancer.

This really shook me.  I mean, my family had done everything "right."  My dad had served as a minister for 30 years.  He was serving as the Bishop of our conference, providing leadership to pastors throughout the Rockies.  He had spend his entire life serving others.

My mom had worked many long hours to help support our family (because we all know a pastors salary alone doesn't cut it in today's world).  On top of working a demanding full time job, my mom played the piano in church every Sunday-- she had helped to lead the Women's Ministry programs, the children's programs, etc... She cooked at our youth camps every summer.  Her early childhood was one that would make a lot of people bitter and angry-- all the things she wasn't.  She too, had dedicated her life to serving others.

Jeff and I were both fully involved in our church and in service.  Jeff was a leader of the Royal Ranger program, a Board member, a member of the worship team, a leader of a small group, and because he was attached to my family, a person who got roped into everything I did from cleaning toilets at the church to mowing the lawns.  I was leading the worship team, the Sunday morning children's program, on the Women's Ministry Board, leading a small group, and anything else that was needed.  I also managed to be the PTA president at my sons school.  I worked part time for my dad at the conference level.  We were trying to make sure our lives were dedicated to the service of others.

My grandmother had been a minister most of her life.  She was the one who took us hiking when we were young.  We were free to act like kids at her house.  She was an encourager to all.  Hers was a life of service.

"You can stay angry at life for not giving you what you want, or you can feel blessed for being given all that you need."

"Imagine all the wondrous things your arms might embrace if they weren't wrapped so tightly around your struggles."

"Anger won't make your problems easier.  Fears won't bring back what is gone.  But a smile and gratitude will make you stronger."

"Gratitude begins when my sense of entitlement ends."

I went through some times of being angry at God.  If anyone should be exempt from these particular hardships it should be my family, right?  Weren't we at least entitled to health?  And I really became incensed when a few people insinuated that this must be a punishment or somehow deserved.  In fact, I felt like maybe a few rejoiced in the suffering of some of my family.  It angered me and broke my heart all at the same time.  It was hard for me to reconcile this belief in God's love with the circumstances that were taking place.

My breakthrough came at a weird time, in a weird place.  I've told this story before, so I'm sorry for anyone who has already  heard it, just bear with me.  One day, while walking out of Keagan's school I met a mother who walked out to the parking lot with me.  We were talking, and all of the sudden, she began to share with me all of the horrible, heart breaking things that had happened and were continuing to happen in her life.  And then she asked me a question that changed me forever.  She said, "So where is God?  Why is he letting all of these things happen to me?"  I stood there stunned. And ashamed, because her circumstances were way worse than mine.  And my heart was bleeding for her, because I didn't have an answer.  Then, it was like this gift was dropped into my heart and I said, "I don't know why these things are happening to you.  But I do know that God sees you, God hears you, and God loves you."  I never saw her again, and I often think and pray for her.  I hope that those words comforted her.  But I do know that those words were meant for me as well.  Because it was what I had been needing to hear myself.

"A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you."

"Instead of focusing on what has not gone well in my life, I am grateful for the choice to focus on what has gone well.  I am grateful that every day is a fresh start.  I am grateful for yet another chance to improve on yesterday.  I am grateful because I choose to be."

"Gratitude is our ability to see the grace of God, morning by morning, no matter what else greets us in the course of the day."

"Gratitude doesn't change the scenery.  It merely washes clean the glass you look through so you can clearly see the colors."

"Reflect upon your blessings of which everyone has many, not on your misfortunes of which all have some."

You see, I was looking at my circumstances wrong.  I was looking through the tainted glasses of disappointment, anger, and entitlement.  I felt like I had somehow lost God, or really, that somehow God had lost sight of me.  I felt like I no longer had blessings happening in my life, that they had been sucked away.  And you know what?  I was so wrong.  I was so focused on looking at the bad, that I lost track of the signs in my life that God was still lavishing love on me.  When I truly began to look at my life through the lenses of God's love, what I saw overwhelmed me with gratefulness.  I was blessed indeed!

"Gratitude should not be just a reaction to getting what you want,  but an all-the-time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good, even in unpleasant situations.  Start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful."

"The smile on my face doesn't mean my life is perfect.  It means I appreciate what I have and what God has blessed me with."

Changing the way I saw things didn't change all the circumstances, it just changed the way I viewed them.  My grandmother had a peaceful passing and  will now enjoy a restored mind and body.  My dad has healed and we have had many amazing opportunities to make memories of a lifetime with him.  God has blessed Jeff with a job that has returned ten fold what was lost.  My mother's battle with cancer is still happening, but we have been blessed to have had more years with her.  Many of the families we met while mom was going through treatments would be so grateful to have had added years to spend with their loved ones.

"When times get tough the key is not to stay strong... the key is to stay grateful."

So, if you are feeling like life has run you over and left you lying on the road, broken and bleeding, and your goal is to just to make it to the end.  Or if you find yourself a slave to anger or bitterness.  Or if you just feel like God has lost sight of you.  I challenge you to begin to look for the blessings in your life, for I guarantee you they are there.  It takes practice and focus, but you can find blessings.  And once you open your eyes to see the smallest blessings in your life, it will change you.  You will begin to see more and more to be grateful for.  Hone that skill-- it's a key to happiness.

"Gratitude wakes me, sustains me, and puts me to bed at night.  It is the water in which I swim."

"Gratitude is a fabulous life sweetener."

"There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.  Perhaps we should be looking less with our eyes and more with our hearts."

Life is still life.  And sometimes it's hard.  But I am choosing to have an attitude of gratitude! When I am feeling ungrateful, all I have to do is look out at the amazing world around me,  look at my family, look at my friends,  and remember all that God has already done for me.  Practice gratitude, it changes everything!


So, today, I'm going to leave this long post with a few photos that inspire me to be grateful for this amazing life and this amazing world.  

Never miss an opportunity to see something beautiful

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

I took this photo of a Praying Mantis at my house the other day.  I'm kind of fascinated with them.

When you look at this photo, what do you see?  A bug?  An ugly bug that needs to be killed?  A future horror film star?  Something alien?  Something scary? Hmmmmm.... I'll come back to our buggy friend here in a minute.

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.  What you see and hear depends a great deal on where you are standing;  it also depends on what sort of person you are."  C.S. Lewis

"Life is only a reflection of what we allow ourselves to see."

"What we see depends mainly what we look for."

"Whether you look for the negative or you look for the positive.... you'll find what you are looking for."

This summer we had an opportunity to spend the day in a portion of Provence France.  In my mind, I pictured fields upon fields of Lavender.  I could almost smell the Lavender as I focused on how amazing the view was going to be.  I had pictures in my head of seeing the weathered sun drenched smiling faces of  the locals.  Of saying beautiful phrases like "Bonjour"  and "Merci" and just everything else that I had perceived as Provincially French.  Immediately I was taken aback by the country side.  It was different than I had pictured it.  It was mountainous and looked a little on the dry side.  As we  drove around, I didn't see one Lavender filled field (say that three times fast).  I started to be a little disappointed.  And I even found myself starting to find fault with our tour, tour guide, etc....  But then, I heard someone else on the bus exclaim, "I can't believe we are in France!  Just look at the gorgeous countryside!  Look at the wildflowers growing!"  We were both looking at the same landscape.  

"When you look at a field of dandelions you can either see a hundred weeds or a hundred wishes."

"Change the way you see things and the things you see will change."

"So much in life depends on our attitude.  The way we chose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference."

That one comment by a stranger made me open my eyes.  I was sitting there, mumbling because things looked differently than I had imagined.  It wasn't living up to my expectations.  But, while I was busy looking for fault, I was missing out on the the true beauty all around me.  And when I began to look for the beauty, it was everywhere!  From the craggy rocks to the wildflowers to the beautiful Mediterranean sea.  And, although I didn't smell Lavender, I could smell the amazing scent of the wildflowers, the saltiness of the the sea, and the luscious smell of French pastries (YUM).  And, once I let go of my ingratitude and grumpy thoughts I began to enjoy the process of discovering a new place, with new people, and new experiences.  I began to see the value of where I was and what I was doing. And WOW, what an experience!

"The wiser you get, the more experience you have, and the more you see people for who they are as human beings, as opposed to figures you have to fight."

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  1 Samuel 16:7

"Look for the beauty in others."

"Even when everyone else sees our faults, God sees our possibilities."

Recently I have watched as people have expressed their political viewpoints on T.V., press, and social media.  I believe people have the right to express themselves.  I even think a good, calm debate about issues can be enlightening.  However, I am disturbed by the judgmental, harsh, and mean statements that people are making towards each other.  

Instead of looking at the the other person as a human being first, they are viewing them through political affiliation/beliefs.  And then using that as a means to demean and attack them.  In fact, I have watched as other Christians turn and attack each other.  What in the world are we doing?  

I am reminded of the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus  found in Luke 19.  Now, you need to know something about Zacchaeus to truly appreciate this story.  He was not what we would consider a "good" person.  In fact, his political and moral viewpoints were probably the direct opposite of what Jesus preached about.  He was small in stature--probably not considered handsome.  Not only was he a tax collector for the Roman government, he was the Head Tax collector. You have to understand that many people of the day, particularly the Jewish people, where heavily and unfairly taxed by the government. He had become wealthy off of others misfortune.  He was the epitome of all the oppression of the Roman Government. He was a Jew who had turned his back on his own people, culture, and probably religion. He held the authority to demand unreasonable payments and to dole out punishment if he so chose.  On the outside, there was nothing redeemable about this man.  Even on the inside, deep within, there probably was little that we would call redeemable about him.

Most people wouldn't give Zacchaeus the time of day.  My guess is that they never had a kind word to say about him or to him.  But, Jesus stopped for this man and wanted to have dinner with him.  Of course, the people immediately began verbally attacking Zacchaeus.  I'm sure they said things like, "You know he affiliates with the Roman Government.  He has no morals.  You know he has turned his back on Jewish law/religion. You know he's a crook." And on and on.

And oh, I'm sure that Zacchaeus is so thankful that Jesus had a different vision of him.  Jesus didn't look at his political affiliation.  Jesus didn't look at his outward appearance.  Jesus looked at Zacchaeus as one of God's created.  Precious.  Someone that He valued so much that He was willing to give His life on a cross for him.  

And here is the most amazing part of the story, Jesus, looking at Zacchaeus, and knowing every intimate detail of his life, didn't scold him.  Jesus didn't sit there and tell him about all the ways he was unworthy or wrong. He didn't even point out his sins. Instead here is what Jesus said,

"Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."  Luke 19:9-10

Now, Zacchaeus did stand up and start to do what was right.  It's interesting that at this moment, he chose to make amends.  I'm sure that he had argued with others in the past about his actions.  I'm sure many people had pointed out to him the error of his ways.  But all of those arguments hadn't caused a change in him.  So what do think caused him to change?  I would argue it was coming face to face with someone who looked on him with love.  Jesus looked at him as a person, first.  All the other stuff was just peripheral.  And, not only did Jesus look at him with love, but he talked to him with love and compassion.  

"Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing."

"Never miss and opportunity to see something beautiful."

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

So we are back to my beautiful little buggy friend.  And I'm going to share with you a few things about the Praying Mantis which might change the way you look at them.

They have 2 large compound eyes and 3 simple eyes.  They can see things in color.  Their head can turn 180 degrees.

The adults have wings and can fly from one plant to another.  They will often sway their bodies to mimic the way a plant moves in the breeze.

They are predators.  They eat other bugs, especially some of the bugs that you don't want living on your plants.  They only live for one year.  

You may never like them, but I love the Praying Mantis.  I see past their weirdly alien appearance and instead see a partner who helps keep off all the other bugs who wish to eat my lovely plants.

My final thoughts for today would be to change the way you see others.  Look past your differences and see all of the things you have in common.  The biggest thing to remember is that Jesus laid down his life for everyone!  Speak to each other as Jesus would.  Remove the sharpness and judgement from your voice and instead speak with kindness and love. It is better to be kind than to be right.  Change your viewpoint.  And, look for the beauty all around you.  

Che casino...what a mess

"Most people listen with the intent to reply rather than the intent to hear."

Does this photo remind anyone else of our government and our country right now?   People throwing anger and bitterness at each other while pushing and shoving.  Already the rants are appearing everywhere, from "both" sides.  All of this bickering back and forth does nothing but give me a headache.  It reminds me of a saying one of our guides used to describe the traffic in Rome,  "che casino!"  which translates into: what a mess!

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow be evading it today."

I am not interested in hearing anyone who sits there and wants to blame one person for this mess.  We are ALL responsible.  It has taken years upon years of being irresponsible to get to this place, period.  I refuse to sit here and blame just one person (regardless of whether you blame Obama or Bush), it's just not true that one person caused this.  

"Nothing will ever change while you point the finger of blame.  Out of responsibility comes possibility."

"Don't find fault, find a remedy;  anybody can complain."  Henry Ford

"If you don't have a business plan it's like you are going to an unknown destination without a map."

The problem with blame is that it creates inaction.  It's looking backwards instead of forwards.  Blame keeps us from coming up with a solution.  The reality is that we can't undo what's already been done.  So, we need to turn our focus from looking backwards to looking forwards and move on.   

"Stop whining and find something to do."

"Many things aren't equal but everyone gets the same 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

So, my challenge to you is to figure out what you, as an individual, can do to help our country move forward.  The other thing blame does, is it often makes us feel helpless, like we can't do anything. Not true.  You are not powerless in this situation.  Or we use blame to cover our inaction.  We spend all of our time trying to convince others that we are not to blame  that we become stuck  and stagnant in the problem, using up our finite energy and time in criticism, bitterness, and self-righteous anger. Jump out of the quicksand pit of blame and onto the solid surface of action.  Begin to focus on what you can do.  

"Open your heart and invite God into every circumstance because when God enters the scene, miracles happen."

"Our prayers may be awkward.  Our attempt may be feeble.  But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference."

"Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work."

1.  You can pray.  Imagine if all of us joined together and began to cry out to God for help for our country and our government-- just imagine the sound.  Instead of blaming and pointing fingers-- which sounds just like fingernails on a chalkboard-- if we instead began to lift our voices collectively in a beautiful song of prayer.  Imagine the sound.  Don't think that God will hear that?  Then you had better go back and read Exodus.  Or how about this scripture in Judges:

  Judges 3:9  "When the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer....."

And, I'm not saying we all need to gather in one place, at a designated time.  I think if we all pray the same prayer at different times, covering the whole 24 hour period of each day, the resulting song of prayer would be just as effective, if not more so.

And I think we need to do more than just pray once.  We need to be persistent in our prayers.  Just like the woman in Luke 18:1-8-- her persistence until she received her answer is something we should aspire to.

I think what we pray for is important as well.  Me?  I'm praying for wisdom- for our leaders all the way down to our citizens-- that we be wise in our decisions.  I'm praying for the hearts of our nation to turn to God-- I truly believe that some of our personal financial problems stem from a desire to fill a hole deep within us with something other than God.  The problem is the only thing big enough, deep enough, wide enough to fill that hole is God.  Anything else leaves wide, painful gaps in our soul.  And I'm praying for love to fill our country.  Love for God. Love for one another.  Love for others in the world around us.    That's what I'm praying for.

"It's not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself."  Eleanor Roosevelt

2. You can start to be fiscally responsible in your own life.  Part, not all, of our problem is that we are expecting the government to do something that, we, as citizens of the U.S., have been unwilling to do ourselves.  We expect them to balance the budget and live within their means when we have not done it ourselves.  We also expect the government to take care of those less fortunate when we ourselves often close our eyes to those in need around us. Hmmmmmmm...... anyone else feel like they are a dog who just got hit on the nose with a paper?  Ouch!  But truthful.  Before we can demand fiscal integrity in our leaders, we need to have fiscal integrity ourselves.  It needs to become a cultural norm in our country rather than a cultural oddity.  Do you know that there are roughly 250 bible verses about money?  

Matthew 25-- Parable of the talents

Proverbs is full of scriptures about wisdom and money.  

Luke 14:28-30-- I know that this scripture has been interpreted many ways (isn't that the beauty of scripture, that one verse can have multiple meanings and implications?)  But in this case I'm going to take it at face value; " For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish."

A few more to read:

Dueteronomy 25:13-15,  Leviticus 19:13, Psalm 112:5, Proverbs 10:4,  Proverbs 13:11,  Jeremiah 22:13, Luke 16:10,  Exodus 22:14, Dueteronomy 28:12, Psalm 37:21,   Proverbs 22:26-27, Ecclesiastes 5:5, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 14:15,   Proverbs 21:5,  Deuteronomy 16:7,  Proverbs 3:9-10,  Proverbs 21:26,  Malachi 3:10,  Matthew 6:3-4,   Mark 12:41-44,  Luke 6:30,  Luke 6:38,  2 Corinthians 9:6-8, Proverbs 24:27, Leviticus 25:35-37,   Proverbs 3:27-28  and on and on and on...

" Gratitude is an attitude that hooks us up to our source of supply.  And the more grateful you are, the closer you are to your maker, the architect of the universe, to the spiritual core of your being."

"When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism.  You walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives."

"As we discover and practice the heartfelt language of gratitude, our native tongue of self-focused dissatisfaction begins to fade."

"Some people live in a bitter, angry, hate-filled world.  Some people live in a friendly, caring world. Same world...."

3.  Be grateful.  Yes, our country has big problems.  Yes, there are struggles, hardships, failings.  But,  I live in a great country!  I have a BIG, GREAT, POWERFUL, ALMIGHTY, COMPASSIONATE,  LOVING, EVER FAITHFUL God!  I am blessed!  I chose to walk through life with glasses on that are filtered with lenses of gratitude.  I cannot loose sight of the blessings in my life, they are all around me.  God is ever present.  God has been ever faithful to my country, to my family, and to me.  

Those are my BIG THREE things that I am going to continue to do.  I may do other things, like phone, email, or write letters to my representative in congress.  I always exercise my right to vote.  But, for me,  none of those are as important as the BIG THREE.    And I'm going to try to avoid the joining in the blame game.  I'd rather find solutions.  That's just my 2 cents.