I cannot be governed by what others seek. . .

Robert Owen was a welsh Industrialist who was obsessed with making the world a better place and developing a Utopian like community. . .This is a story from his multi-faceted life.

Robert began his professional life as a manufacturer of textile machinery. But in an effort to move up professionally he applied for a job as the factory manager for a large spinning establishment owned by a Mr. Drinkwater. With no experience with spinning mills, and at only 20 years old he decided to apply for the job and the following is the outcome.

"I put on my hat," wrote Owen "and proceeded straight to Mr. Drinkwater's counting house. 'How old are you?' 'twenty this may', was my reply. 'How often do you get drunk in the week?'. . .'I was never,' I said, 'drunk in my life,' blushing scarlet at this unexpected question. 'What salary to you ask?' 'Three hundred a year,' was my reply. 'What?' Mr. Drinkwater said, with some surprise, repeating the words, 'three hundred a year! I had this morning I know not how many seeking the situation and I do not think all their asking together would amount to what you require.' 'I cannot be governed by what others seek,' said I, ' and I cannot take less." He got the Job and within six months was offered a quarter interest in the business.

  "I cannot be governed by what others seek". . .what a powerful phrase. It shows confidence and comfort with one's self that brought him success, self-respect and the respect of others.  He wasn't a man that was governed by the world around him. Because of that he ultimately created a community called New Lanark that was world famous. In fact over 20,000 visitors came to see this little Scottish town in less than 10 years.

Why was it such a remarkable place? The city was organized, every worker had his own house, Children were in school not factories and finally the door of the factory was open to anyone for objections or suggestions. It became a model for other cities in many nations, and still is. All because one man was not governed by what other's seek.

What conclusions could I draw?

I'm more concerned about the conclusions that you draw.

Story and Quotes taken from the Book "The Worldy Philosphers," By Robert L. Heilbroner, 1999, , Simon and Schuster

Just tolerance. . .or something more?

This world today seems obsessed with tolerance. Test it - do a google image search of the word "Tolerance". I did  and these were the first three images I found;

That's not a bad thing, but could we do, or be, better?

It's interesting that the word "Tolerance" is never used in the King James Version of the Bible. In fact the word "Tolerable" is only used as a way to show that some one's - or some city's - punishment may be more "tolerable" then another. (Matthew 11:22, 11:24, and others) Why is that? How could such an important idea be mentioned so little in this powerful and life changing book?

Is there another word that might better define what we are - or should be- trying to teach? Could it be that Tolerance is actually a characteristic, or attribute, of another much more powerful word?

The answer may be found in the study of some synonyms of Tolerance;  Patience, Sufferance, Forbearance. . .etc.

Is there one word that could encompass this list?

Paul from the Bible may provide us with the best answer in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 - "Charity suffereth long, and is kind, Charity envieth not . . . is not puffed up. . .is not easily provoked. . .thinketh no evil. .endureth all things. . ." 

Tolerance is an attribute of Charity.

What is Charity? It has many definitions; The true love of Christ, brotherly love, benevolent feeling, leniency in Judging others, the highest form of love, and so forth.

Does the world understand that? Try it, do a google image search - (But make sure safe search is on)

Here is the first one I found;

The second and third were pictures of scantily clad woman, the fourth was a bunch of hands.

Does the world understand Charity? The world seems to associate it more with women or the giving of money than what it truly is - The Christ like love of others.

Perhaps we should teach Tolerance with Charity, or better yet, teach Charity with Tolerance. It's not just about an attitude of tolerance toward others. it's about feeling and  developing  true Christ like love and compassion for those around you, no matter their color, class, race, height, size, sex, religion, political leanings, or sexual orientation.  Only then will ourselves, our families, neighborhoods, cities, nations and world become what they could and should.

Paul in Corinthians said;

 "though I have the gift of prophecy, and understanding all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity and I am nothing."

Perhaps this is the biggest problem we face. . .the time has come to change.

A lofty goal. But it begins with you. . .It begins with me

Which one wins?

This was emailed to me. . .I thought I woudl post it.

An Old Cherokee Saying: 

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:  "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

So many times I hear the phrase; "It's just the way I am." Uttered from my own and other's mouths. But is it really, or is it the "wolf" we happen to be feeding?

Decide now which wolf to feed and YOU DECIDE what type of person you will be.

Questions

Life is full of so many questions. We question ourselves, we question our spouse, our children, our friends, those we don't know and, even at times, our God. It was in the last instance that a very important question was asked and a valuable lesson taught. That question, if used more frequently and sincerely, would have a powerful impact on individuals, families and the world.

It occurred during a very sacred and special moment when Jesus Christ taught his apostles of his sacrifice and the passover.  On this occasion, with his apostles seated around him, he uttered a phrase that must have startled and saddened those with whom he ate; "Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me."

There was no finger pointing by those around him, only sorrow, indeed they were "very sorrowful". Following this declaration His humble table companions, one by one, asked; " Lord is it I "? 

What a lesson. Instead of accusing or judging, each humbly looked inside and asked is it I? Is it me? Am I the one who is going to betray You?

 Many times when counsel or correction is given, we, tend to think of those it could help. We learn of a problem in the world, or in our own life, and find others to blame. We so frequently see the faults others have, yet overlook the same, or more serious, faults in ourselves.

Surely it could not be me. . .or could it? What if it is us that needs to change, show more love, or is too judgmental.

This one question if asked more frequently could change lives. . .our own lives. We would be more able to love because we would be more focused on our own self-improvement and not the improvement of others. We would be more forgiving as the faults we see in those around us would also be recognized as our own, and that the struggle for self-mastery is universal work.

. . .Is it I?

Do we. . .I ask it enough?

It could be the difference in anger and rejection  -or-  love and acceptance.

The true picture?

Who is this a picture of?

Now walk back from your computer. Keep going.

Who is it now?

So. . .who is this a picture of?

The only person who really knows is the creator. . .

 . . .The Creator.

This same lesson was taught  much more powerfully to Ananias in the book of Acts, in the New Testament.

Ananias was told in Acts chapter 9 to go and find Saul and Heal him. The same Saul who "made havoc of the church", "committed them to prison" and was a  witness the stoning of the Apostle Stephen.

This is what Ananias sees in Saul. "I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. . .he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name."

Now take a step Back. This is what The Creator sees.

"Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

Ananias does as directed. Saul becomes Paul and serves numerous missions, writes much of the New Testament and eventually dies a martyr to the cause of Christ. All because one man saw what The Creator saw.

Perhaps when we see people and begin to make a judgement we should take a step back and ask and try to see what The Creator sees.

What a difference it would make if we all saw what the Creator sees, If I saw what The Creator saw.

God is the Gardner!

Which would you rather have around your house?

Planting a beautiful Garden takes so much work. Every flower is planted a little differently. It's the same with people. . .

This is a less known parable from Isaiah 28

23 ¶ Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

  24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

  25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

  26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

  27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

  28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

  29 This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

Just as each seed mentioned is treated and planted differently. So are we as Individuals. The "lord of Hosts" knows each one of us. He knows how we will grow and develop the best. He prepares our soil, our seed and plants us where we can grow. The challenge is how we react, how we choose to respond to the situation in which we are placed.

Do we trust him? Do I trust him?



What do you see?

What do you see? Old or Young Woman?

Young woman or Sax. Player?

This one is cool. Two old people or two young ones? Look closely.

Life is in large measure what we make of it. Many times we choose what we "see" and how we "feel".

Martin Luther King Jr. Illustrated this point very well.  The last weekend of March 1968 was a depressing time for him. Many of his plans were in disarray, the last march he held turned into a riot and the Black Power movement thought his idea of nonviolence was out of date. After returning to Atlanta after the march turned riot fiasco. He was depressed. He contemplated leaving the civil rights movement and perhaps becoming president of Morehouse college. Then, said, Jesse Jackson, "He preached himself out of the gloom". "We must turn a minus into a plus," King said "A stumbling Block into a stepping stone." [Italics added]. He went on the next day to preach one of the most powerful sermons of his career in The National Cathedral. Four days later he was killed. But his movement continued, it still continues because instead of giving up, he continued. Where some would have seen failure, he saw a chance to further his cause.

Throughout life challenges will come. What will you see; a stumbling block that will cause you to fall and perhaps fail, or a stepping stone that will help you reach higher, become more, and touch more people than would have been previously unattainable?

The choice is yours, the choice is mine.

Quotations used from "American Gospel", Jon Meacham, Random House 2006

A life of Gratitude

Since I was young everyone has told be to say "thank-you". Now as a parent I have taken over that role in the life of my young children. Halloween is one of my favorite times for it as it seems I must remind them at every door not to forget to say thank-you. With all the reminding and prodding to be grateful it seems it should be easier as an adult. It is easy enough when things are going well in life. But what about when difficult times come. I remember sitting, well actually laying, in the emergency room with an apple size swelling in my throat. The room was full of curtain dividers from which was emanating discussion, moans and even a few screams. Not an enjoyable place. After the nurse stuck a needle in my throat again to try and remove fluid for a test I simple said, "thank-you for trying to help". She stopped and said that of all the time she has worked here, no one had ever told her thank-you. That amazed me. I got to thinking why that is. I am surely not good at it. Perhaps that was just one shining moment in my non-illustrious expressions of gratitude. Perhaps, no, surely that needs to change.

In a  talk by Elder David A. Bednar, an Apostle of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints, he recalls an experience he had while serving as the president of BYU Idaho. Recently following the death of a dear Friend he was visited by a leader of the LDS church. In the evening family prayer, which was offered by David A. Bednar's wife,  the visitor suggested that she only offer gratitude for the blessings received and ask for nothing. He goes on to share what a difference that prayer made in the feeling the family had that night. They were much more grateful and solutions to other problems came because of that prayer and attitude.

What a different world it would be if we were more inclined to thank than ask in our lives and our prayers. Mutual respect and appreciation would increase greatly. We would be more aware of others and therefore more apt to reach out when they are in need. Our problems would be diminished as we focused on what we have not what we don't have or think we should have. Most importantly happiness and love would increase in a world that is in dire need.

We can make a difference. I can make a difference. Perhaps small at first, but every building begins one brick at a time.

Lessons learned in 15 years of Marriage.

Last night we had a simple gathering to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of my parents. They are older, but still happy and in love. It got me thinking about what I have learned in my short 15 years of marriage. What follows are ten (there could be many more) things that I have learned.

1. Show love daily. Say it, feel it, mean it, show it. Without all four things, it won;t mean much.

2. Don't whine. Don't whine about each other, kids, neighbors, friends, family, anything. It doesn't help anyone.

3. Put your spouse above the children. Sounds mean you say? The children must know that you two are very special to each other. Children will not treat my wife badly.

4. Allow the other person to get out. Whatever it may be, each will need time away.

5. Do nice little things. Many times they mean more than big things.

6. Believe your spouse is a better person than you. Don't just say it, believe it. Find their good and focus on that. That way you will always want to be with them and more like them.

7. Do something that takes time, and is special on important days. Shopping at the store just is not enough for the one you love.

8. Dates don't always have to be fancy. Just sitting in a park eating ice cream is very enjoyable and relaxing.

9. Let them make their own decisions. Your way is not always the best way.

10. Remember how special they were to you when you met. There are many others out there who would have or could have married them. Treat them as such, you are lucky.

Obviously it is easy to write these things, living them isn't always so easy. But I have found when I do life is easier happier and a lot more fun.