Ten inches of snow last Sunday and Monday; thirty miles per hour winds Tuesday; eight degrees below zero on Wednesday; and the promise of more to come! I think it is time to escape and get out of this winter pattern, if only for a while.
Therefore My Love and I are leaving today to embark on a 7-day cruise. We will be sailing on Sunday from Galveston with 2 other couples to float across the Caribbean. With stops in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, we anticipate many opportunities to forget snow and freezing temperatures.
Upon our return, I am certain that our outlook will be completely different. Even though there may not be many changes in our frozen tundra here in Iowa, our view of it will have been refreshed. Until then!
Stay tuned for updates -- after the fact!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Under the Surface
Two stories in the news caught my attention over the weekend. One was the obviously tragic shooting in Tucson, AZ in which six persons died, a Congresswoman and several others were wounded and hospitalized.
The second story was the conclusion of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. During the previous week 140,000+ people viewed the latest in electronic gadgets for improving lifestyles in our modern world.
In the ensuing aftermath of the former incident, there are voices crying for better gun control, less vitriol in the political arena and better protection for political leaders. Fingers are being pointed at Sarah Palin and/or news media for inflaming people's feelings against various segments of our establishment. Other voices are pleading for a more civil and unified discourse as we carry out the selection and business of government.
I am struck by two things as I reflect upon both of these happenings. First of all, it seems that the more communication devices we develop, manufacture and sell, the less we are able to really connect with one another as individuals, as persons. The more rapidly we let our thumbs poke out our messages, the more distant we become from opening our eyes and looking into the hearts and souls of one another. This leads to the depersonalization of relationships and the impersonalization of the individual.
Secondly, these conditions only add to and deepen the underlying problem that surfaced in Tucson, Omaha, Boston and so many other scenes of violence lately. That problem is the total lack of respect for the human person that has permeated our society. It is impossible for individuals who have no respect for themselves to demonstrate any care or concern for those around them. Those who have been raised in a culture of death--a society which refuses to care for its unborn, its veterans or its elderly--cannot be expected to manifest respect for their own generation, much less their leaders or elders.
We are merely reaping what we have sown over the last 40-50 years. Without changes on our own personal levels, developing respect for each individual in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces and our churches, we will continue to experience the horrific and tragic kind of events that we have seen lately. It all begins with a respect and love for ourselves. Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
The second story was the conclusion of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. During the previous week 140,000+ people viewed the latest in electronic gadgets for improving lifestyles in our modern world.
In the ensuing aftermath of the former incident, there are voices crying for better gun control, less vitriol in the political arena and better protection for political leaders. Fingers are being pointed at Sarah Palin and/or news media for inflaming people's feelings against various segments of our establishment. Other voices are pleading for a more civil and unified discourse as we carry out the selection and business of government.
I am struck by two things as I reflect upon both of these happenings. First of all, it seems that the more communication devices we develop, manufacture and sell, the less we are able to really connect with one another as individuals, as persons. The more rapidly we let our thumbs poke out our messages, the more distant we become from opening our eyes and looking into the hearts and souls of one another. This leads to the depersonalization of relationships and the impersonalization of the individual.
Secondly, these conditions only add to and deepen the underlying problem that surfaced in Tucson, Omaha, Boston and so many other scenes of violence lately. That problem is the total lack of respect for the human person that has permeated our society. It is impossible for individuals who have no respect for themselves to demonstrate any care or concern for those around them. Those who have been raised in a culture of death--a society which refuses to care for its unborn, its veterans or its elderly--cannot be expected to manifest respect for their own generation, much less their leaders or elders.
We are merely reaping what we have sown over the last 40-50 years. Without changes on our own personal levels, developing respect for each individual in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces and our churches, we will continue to experience the horrific and tragic kind of events that we have seen lately. It all begins with a respect and love for ourselves. Jesus says, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Financial Freedom
Sam and Linda were unable to make the payments on their car loan. Consequently, the vehicle was repossessed by the finance company. Yet, each day they ate their lunch at the local Burger King.
Tom and Judy bought new furniture and cupboards for their home, charging it to their credit cards. When Tom's employer let him go because of the economic downturn, they found themselves in financial trouble. Finally they had to declare bankruptcy in order to handle all their bills.
These are but two examples (and I'm sure you can add many of your own) of people who created their own problems through lack of planning and poor management. The ability to earn a living does not carry with it the correlative intelligence to act as a good steward in the use of that income.
So often in my lifetime I have witnessed individuals and families who are struggling, not because of lack of resources, but because of imprudence in the utilization of those resources. I have wanted to ask them two questions: "What are your priorities? What do you want out of your life, now and in the future?"
If they are able to answer those questions, then it is simply a matter of placing their behavior, their choices, their actions alongside to see what fits and what doesn't. Making decisions based on our life's values, goals and priorities avoids irrational and emotional choices which get us into difficulty. It also allows for greater planning leading to long term satisfaction, peace and happiness.
There are many programs, mentors, gurus and aides available to assist in this process. One website that I found particularly helpful is www.financialintegrity.org. It is a self-help, at-your-own-pace program that is free. It provides a process which helps to clear away many of the cobwebs that our consumer society places in our road.
When we have defined our own values and goals, it becomes much easier to live according to them. Then we are much more participants in our own life, and less victims of circumstances. Recognizing our giftedness by God with all that we need to live enables us to have a heart that is open to others. This attitude of gratitude brings with it a freedom and peace that is truly beyond understanding.
Tom and Judy bought new furniture and cupboards for their home, charging it to their credit cards. When Tom's employer let him go because of the economic downturn, they found themselves in financial trouble. Finally they had to declare bankruptcy in order to handle all their bills.
These are but two examples (and I'm sure you can add many of your own) of people who created their own problems through lack of planning and poor management. The ability to earn a living does not carry with it the correlative intelligence to act as a good steward in the use of that income.
So often in my lifetime I have witnessed individuals and families who are struggling, not because of lack of resources, but because of imprudence in the utilization of those resources. I have wanted to ask them two questions: "What are your priorities? What do you want out of your life, now and in the future?"
If they are able to answer those questions, then it is simply a matter of placing their behavior, their choices, their actions alongside to see what fits and what doesn't. Making decisions based on our life's values, goals and priorities avoids irrational and emotional choices which get us into difficulty. It also allows for greater planning leading to long term satisfaction, peace and happiness.
There are many programs, mentors, gurus and aides available to assist in this process. One website that I found particularly helpful is www.financialintegrity.org. It is a self-help, at-your-own-pace program that is free. It provides a process which helps to clear away many of the cobwebs that our consumer society places in our road.
When we have defined our own values and goals, it becomes much easier to live according to them. Then we are much more participants in our own life, and less victims of circumstances. Recognizing our giftedness by God with all that we need to live enables us to have a heart that is open to others. This attitude of gratitude brings with it a freedom and peace that is truly beyond understanding.
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