The Protégé

The Protégé

In college I took a Hatha Yoga class and became spiritual -or so I thought- and began meditating. By the time I graduated from college I added some reincarnation beliefs to my Yoga Kundalini experience. This then led me to believe that I was being  taken care of -as a reward for some great thing I’d done in a past life.

My feelings of well being continued on for awhile after I became married. But four years later when children, bills, responsibilities and hanging out with bad companions took hold, my feelings of well being quickly evaporated. I became a person who was, “drifting on a sea of forgotten teardrops,” as Jimi Hendrix once sang and I became very weak spiritually. Eventually I also became "Depressed and downhearted and I turned to Cloud Nine," as the Temptations once said in a song. 

But what I didn't know was that all along; I was closer to the truth than I ever knew. No meditation while staring at a candle ever gave me the answers I was seeking.  And there never really were any rewards from a past life well lived. The truth became obvious once I became a Protégé of Jesus Christ. A Protégé according to the dictionary is an understudy or person being influenced greatly by another person. A person who is guided and supported by an older, more experienced or influential person. Synonyms: disciple, student, pupil, trainee, apprentice. I am very fortunate that Jesus desires to bless as many as will come to Him.  You too can magnify your spiritual journey, improve your conscious contact with God and discover the truth. Just seek Him with all of your heart, begin to follow Him and learn from Him.

God's Valentine's Day Roses

It’s Valentines’ Day again so I stopped by the flower Tent Sale outside the grocery store early this morning. As I walked up to it, I noticed a guy unloading a stack of boxes filled with fresh new bundles of red roses. What luck, I was able to grab a dozen of their freshest and prettiest roses.    After that, I rushed back home to be in time for my morning prayer with my wife.  I felt good about the fresh new roses and while on the way home I got the strange idea to add a Valentine’s Day twist to our morning prayer.  The prayer I said with my wife a short time later went like this:

   “Lord, I want to thank you for this beautiful new day and for these beautiful new roses. And Lord, my wife thinks that these roses are for her, but actually I got them for you! However, I will give her your roses –to take care of just like you once gave us a Garden to take care of.  And Lord,  our prayer is also for all the lonely people in the world. May we all be reminded about your great love for us and be reminded to love you with all our hearts.  Amen.”

Should anyone thinks that my prayer was irreverent

I would disagree with them.  You see, my personal belief is that Jesus has a great sense of humor.   In fact, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he were rolling his eyes while I was praying –if not laughing out loud. And don’t worry; my wife is also receiving a card, candy and dinner to go along with God’s Valentine’s Day Roses that she is taking care of.

Not Worth Dying For (repeat after me)

Misused, ripped off and abused by drugs?  What a terrible blow, what can you do, where can you go to find some peace of mind? I suggest that you seek out the nearest AA or NA recovery group to find some sanity and maybe find God. In those rooms, you will recover.  If you don’t try you’re going to die. Or be locked up in darkness.

Misused, ripped off and abused by drugs?  What a terrible blow, what can you do, where can you go to find some peace of mind? I suggest that you seek out the nearest AA or NA recovery group to find some sanity and maybe find God. In those rooms, you will recover. If you don’t try you’re going to die. Or be locked up in darkness. 

Cleanup On Aisle 3

What, again? I just made a mess of my inner thought life by letting bad thoughts creep in and sit for awhile. I'd better hurry and call for a "Cleanup on Aisle 3." The bad thoughts I'm talking about are resentments, self-seeking and fear.  These thoughts always put me in a state of discontentment and make me a harder person to live with. If I allow bad thoughts to continue unchecked, then even worse problems will happen.

Fortunately I have been given the spiritual power to clean up my thoughts by the exercise of will power. But first, I have to recognize that my thinking is trash! Then I must change my bad thoughts and quickly; before anyone else slips in my mess.  

Welcome To Somewhere

Welcome, bienvenue, bienvenido,  έkâbo to a good place, a bad place, to bondage or to freedom and to the rest of your life! 
That's what the sign should have said but it just said, “Welcome to Houston!” I never left again except for short visits and vacations elsewhere. I was twenty four years old on arrival but now my age has more than doubled. I have now been married  for over half of my life and have been blessed with two children who are themselves now married. But what did it all mean? The character in 'Saving Private Ryan,' put it this way: "Have I been a good man?" It's truly been  a mixed bag experience but I can now say confidently that all the bad things I've done have been forgiven. At least by God. He's given me a lasting grace even through today and in this I find great peace. I've always wished for this kind of peace and now I have it.

Maybe now it’s your turn to go somewhere where a welcome sign will greet you. If it's here you've come, then Welcome to Houston!

Talk to the HAND

 

"Wi – Five," to all of you who've kept it clean and positive on social media and online.  As for those who attack and belittle others (you know who you are); "Talk To The HAND!"  Or don't you know, that It is better to gather than to scatter. (Matthew 12:30).

The Ghost of Christmas Past

 

Right before Christmas I did it again. I went into Wal-Mart to pick up some free envelopes for some picture cards and while there, I purchased a new 32 inch television. I bought it on impulse because the price ($200) seemed so low and maybe it was. It was a Vizio, they're a good TV right? The point is, I don’t need a TV.  Well maybe I can put the new 32 inch in the guest room. The one in there now is an old vacuum tube dinosaur but it still works.  What's troubling me is that I forgot all about the ‘Don’t spend money over a certain amount without consulting your spouse rule’. Had I followed the rule she probably would have said NO and I would have quickly agreed with her. So back it goes tomorrow to Wal-Mart. Keeping the thing  would haunt me about my scary lack of self control.  And that reminds me that all kinds of mayhem occurs around this time of year. Many people including myself can do some scary things around Christmas time. Our wants overshadow our needs. We spend too much and we obsess over giving and receiving 'things'. The crime rate goes up, addicts get triggered and use, alcoholics fall off the wagon, gamblers will break the bank one more time. Life can be a struggle sometimes can't it?  But there is hope, may you find Him now: Mark 1: 32-34.