Make me an instrument of your peace.

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As many of you might know we recently moved into our new home in Fort Worth, Texas.  I wasn't quite sure what I was going to write about this morning, and just like that, it was there.  I've just about got my home office all set up, still a few remaining things to get put away, but functional.  I love pictures and things on the wall, so my office is quite full of moments of past happenings in my life.  One of the things I have framed is the Prayer of St. Francis.  I can remember growing up singing a song in church about making me an instrument of your peace.  For some unexplainable, yet acceptable reason, when I saw it starring at me I just knew that peace was going to be what needed to be written about today.

Now peace can come in many forms, and it can come at different times in each individual's life.  Sadly there are many who never really experience peace, at least not in any real or concrete way.  Their lives are filled with stress, complicated by worry, and usually filled with anything other than peace.  So today I want to bring peace to you.  I want you to realize that peace is a choice, and it really is a choice that each of us should make.  We've had a really strange year.  No one predicted what 2020 was going to be like, at least no one that I know of personally.  This past year has offered us ample opportunity to walk in anything but peace.  Not only were there health concerns for many, but the financial worry that many were  experiencing did nothing to encourage a peaceful existence.  Peace is not something that comes easy to many people, yet a peaceful existence is what each of us should seek after.  Now seeking out peace, and experiencing peace can be two very different things, but ultimately our goal should be to live in absolute peace.  I know this sounds simple, and yet to many it seems to be an impossibility.  Let drill down a little and see what may be the stopping some from living in absolute peace.

The first thing that needs to be said is that many simply don't realize that peace is for them.  We were not put here on this planet to live in turmoil.  We were created to live a life of peace and tranquility.  Impossible some might say, but those saying it have not fully grasped the significance of their creation.  I can say it a million times, but sadly many will never realize that we were never intended to live in lack, to live in sickness, to walk around wondering what catastrophe is going to happen next.  When we fully understand and accept our greatness, peace will follow.  There is not a night that goes by that I do not say to myself right before I drift off to sleep that "I am that I am."  These simple words are a reflection of the true me.  The true me is not what may have happened during the day, or what might happen tomorrow.  The true me is " I am that I am."  How can one live in peace if one cannot accept and recognize their own greatness?  It is this greatness that allows one to operate in defiance of all the other stuff happening around them.  Certainly we can choose to see life and all of its challengers as something other than perfect.  We can operate from a position of surrender, taking what is thrown at us, and thinking there is no way out.  I don't live this way, and neither should you.  Peace is the absence of fear.  I can promise you that if you are fearful, you are not walking in peace.  

Why is peace so important?  If you look at the prayer of St. Francis he desires to be love when love is needed.  He desires to bring comfort.  Where there is despair, be hope.  When it is dark, be the light.  None of this is possible if you are not operating in peace.  My desire is to touch life each day. Be it a smile, a warm welcome, a word of encouragement, all of these can change a life.  If I am walking around in fear, I am not able to bring peace to another soul.  If I am worried about my own life, how can I be an instrument of peace to another?  Yes we have had some trials this year, but those trials can't stop you from being the person you were intended to be, nor should it stop you from sharing peace with others.  I'm often told that my optimism is a reflection of the real me, but it's not a reflection of what someone else might be going through.  I agree, but what you are going through is not always a reflection of what you should be going through.  We allow garbage to enter our life because we feel we are just a victim of circumstances.  You're not a victim, let's get that straight.  Yes we will be challenged from time to time, but those challenges do not define you, at least they shouldn't.  A gold nugget covered in dirt is still a gold nugget.  A diamond not yet cut to perfection is still a diamond, and you, are still an instrument of peace whether or not you feel like it in the moment.  

There are so many situations that we face from day to day, some good, some not so good.  How we react to each situation is going to be dependent on how we see ourselves.  How we see ourselves is dependent on what you truly believe.  What you truly believe about yourself is where truth lies.  No one can be an instrument of peace if they are walking around void of peace.  As I'm writing this morning I'm at peace.  I have my coffee.  Our dog is sitting next to me on her perch sleeping as I write.  My thoughts are not on what may have happened yesterday, or what may happen tomorrow, they are on bringing you this message.  I am happy, content, and at peace.  I have decisions to make, as each of you do as well, but I can't allow an absence of peace to dictate how I make those decisions.  My decisions need to be based on knowing who I am, what I am, and why I am here.  You cannot begin a journey not having a clue where you want to end up.  No one goes through life making decisions without an inkling of where they want to go. 

If you are walking in peace, you are able to share that peace with others.  If you are sharing that peace with others, they will in turn share it with someone else, and before you know it, it will move around the world.  If you sow turmoil, fear, doubt, then that's what will be happening all around you.  Now given the option to be in peace, or rolling around in crapola what is the better option?  Peace begins with you, and it begins when you open your eyes in the morning.  If the first thing you think about is challenges, or what may or may not happen today, it's a pretty sure bet your day is not going to be filled with peace.  If on the other hand you wake up and peace is forefront in your mind, it's going to be a good day.  Allow your peace to be a starting point for others to experience peace.  Your actions speak louder than words.  If you display peace, others will walk in that peace.  

My hope, my desire, one of my goals in life, is to help others reach a place of peace.  It is only through this place of peace that you will be able to fully live your life, and bring to others what they need to find peace.  We hear about the circle of life, but there is a circle of peace.  As you enter this sphere of peace, you become the catalyst for others to walk in peace.  It is a cycle that we need, a cycle that we can influence, and a cycle that will ultimately change the world.  I want to sow love. I want to sow light in darkness.  I want to walk in peace so others can experience peace.  I live in peace in order to give peace.  I encourage you to discover your own peace, and in turn, spread that peace to the rest of humanity.

It's time to lighten up a bit.

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We are fast approaching the end of the year.  Many have gone through 2020 wondering just what happened to the year that was supposed to be spectacular, phenomenal, out of sight, and instead have been praying that it would just end.  Others have pretty much gone through each day doing what they always did, and then you have people like me and others who realize that all that has happened has happened for a reason, and our job is to figure out that reason.  

We can sit here and bemoan all that has happened over the last ten or eleven months, but in reality is that really going to change what has happened?  Probably not, and if you decide to waste all your energy on trying to figure things out, then that energy is going to be misplaced, in my opinion.  We have a golden opportunity to change things up, and when I say change things up I mean change the way we act, change the way we think, and change the way we operate.  Through this entire pandemic, the cosmic flux, the topsy turfy way of life, we have been given a choice.  The choice was act on what you know, or act on what you see.  Let me ask you this, what is the better option?  We know that there will be people around us who will be going nuts, does that mean you have too?  There will be people around us who will bury their head in the sand, do you follow suit?  Just because the rest of the world may be running around acting nuts, doesn't mean you have to.  

We simply need to lighten up a bit, take a chill pill, and just rest in the knowledge that this is something that has to happen.  However, how you handle it is entirely up to you.  I found myself failing into a slight funk from time to time, so what did I do?  I simply reminded myself who I was, what I was, and focused on the "I am" presence in my life.  I am that I am! God created us to create.  God created us to live in victory, and not be swayed by what we see happening around us.  Now I realize that this is not always an easy path to take, but it is the path that needs to be chosen if you are ever going to navigate these very trying times.  Staying true to what you hold in your heart can be a challenge, but it's a challenge worth fighting for.  When we set out to buy our new home here in Fort Worth there were all kinds of challenges that we faced.  Through it all I simply held fast to what I knew in my heart was going to be the end result.  I lived with the end result.  I would watch my words, my feelings, and even my thoughts.  Certainly there were times when I had to dig my heels in and hold fast to that end feeling, but that's what I did, and now we are in our brand new home.  Did I want to quit from time to time?  You bet, but I stood strong in what I knew was meant to be, and what was meant to be happened.  

Sadly we have forgotten that we are unstoppable.  We have allowed others to sway us in what should be our core beliefs.  I'm not saying this to beat anyone up, I'm saying this as a reminder of what we need to do so we can stand up and show others how good things can be.  There's and old saying that a rising tide lifts all boats.  Well,  a strong person who knows of their own significance will also raise the vibration level of those around them.  Think of it this way, and let's be honest, we all know people who we like to be around, and others who we stay as far away from as is humanly possible.  Why?  We like the energy of some, and run from the rest.  Surround yourself with like minded people.  Embrace those around you that raise your energy level.  Try to laugh a bit, smile a little more, throw off doubt and fear.  We can choose to be proactive, or we can do what most others do and that is be reactionary.  Always waiting for the other shoe to drop is no way of living.  It's time that you create your reality. Believe it or not, there are others who are dependent on you being your authentic self.  There are people all around you that need you to be what you were destined to be.  There are multitudes who need what you have.  I've made reference to this quote a few hundred times since I  began my writing career, but I feel as though it needs another go round.  John Wooden, the famed UCLA Mens Basketball Coach said this, "You cannot live a perfect day, until you have done something for someone, who can never repay you."  What does this mean?  It means that you have gone thought what you have gone through, you have learned what you have learned to be able to help someone else, and that someone else you may not even know who they are.  The smile you extend to someone today is going to affect someone half a world away, twenty years from now.  You have a choice:  do you rise above it, or do you simply go with the flow, experiencing what others say you need to experience?  

I for one want to be what I was destined to be.  I want to step out of the norm, and really show others what is possible.  Let's be real for just a moment.  It would be so easy just to throw up our hands and quit.  Hell who could blame you for wanting to surrender to what is happening all around us?  Surrender in so many situations might be the right choice for some, but it is never the right choice for you.  When you know and accept your significance, you then accept that your only choice is to move forward and stand your ground. No one ever said that life would be simple, but no one ever said that life was not an adventure either.  We will all go through different things, because each of us are different.  What we go through is what will teach us what we need to know.  What we need to know is what will push us to our next level.  Getting to that next level is what you need in order to accomplish the things you were sent here to accomplish.  

Let me leave you with this last thought.  When we allow the burden of life to be a burden, we have stepped out of our rightful place.  When we look at certain situations and believe there are no options, we have stepped out of our rightful place. When we forget that "I am that I am.", we are giving up on all that was meant to be.  It is time to lighten up a bit, and not take certain things so seriously.  We can laugh, we can smile more, and we can lighten the load by simply holding true to who you are.  Who you are, what you are is far more important than what you might be going through at the moment.  If you will hold on to what you know about you I promise you that things will change.  It's easy to take the easy way out of things, but standing strong in what you believe in, standing strong in what you know to be truth, and standing strong in who you are, isn't always going to be easy.  Trust me when I tell you that standing firm in who you are, what you are, and why you are here, will be worth it in the end.  Take some time over the next few days just to relax.  Take some time to smile, to laugh, to simply release all expectations placed on you by others who surround you.  When you are freed up to be the real you, then and only then will you begin to live the life you were intended to live.  Trust me it is so worth not giving up, not loosing heart.  When the dust settles, and it will, but when the dust settles you will know that you have made the right choices, and those around you will appreciate that you made the right choices.  

 

To error is human, to forgive, is the only option you really have.

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It's not really a question if mistakes should be forgiven, it's more or less a statement that our mistakes need to be forgiven. We tend to be our own worst enemy.  We feel we should be doing something, and when things don't go according to plan, we tend to beat ourselves up, and then we forget that as humans we are going to stumble from time to time.  

What I want to do this morning is simply remind you that no matter what the outcome, no matter what you might be going through, there is a reason, and learning from each situation is the best medicine.  I've made my share of blunders throughout life.  Some have been tiny, some monumental, some just a nuisance.  No matter what mistakes have been made, we need to learn from them, and by all means we need to forgive ourselves even if the mistake was intentional, and yes sometimes we do things intentionally, as crazy as that may seem.

If we each had a dollar for every mistake we have made in life, we would be on easy street.  If we could fix a small percentage of the mistakes we have made, things might be a little different, but would they be the way they are supposed to be?  Remember that nothing happens out of chance.  The universe is perfect in its design, and all that we go through is in that perfection.  Certainly we might not like what we are going through, but we go through it for a reason.  So if we go through things because that is the design from the universe, why is it we have such a hard time forgiving ourselves when we mess up?  Why do we beat ourselves up, for things that ultimately need to happen, and they need to happen because there is something we were meant to learn from it?  I get how troublesome mistakes can be. I completely understand that most mistakes seem to take place at the most inopportune time, at least that's how we see it.  But if you can look at things through the perfection of the universe, then you just might begin to see a different landscape, and that landscape is what is about to bring you into your next phase.  If we never change, we stay put.  If we stay put, we never move forward.  If we never move forward, we will never know what greatness awaits us.  Misstep after misstep leads to perfection, if you can believe that.  

Why am I talking about this today?  I'm feeling as though many are feeling the pull, the change, the shift.  During these crazy times of change it's easy to get pulled from side to side, and in that tugging and pulling, we forget the reason we are going through what we are going through.  We all have growing pains.  This life you are currently in is no different.  We pass, we fail, we stumble, we win.  It's all a part of life, but we have to remember that no matter what we go though, no matter what we experience, there is a reason.  Stop trying to change those things that are changeless.  If you are walking down a street with a drink in your hand, and you drop the drink, is there anything you can do to get that drink back?  Nope, and wishing it weren't so is not going to change the fact that your drink is now being swallowed up by the drain.  Wishing that you didn't make a mistake is not going to change the fact that you made a mistake.  Now not forgiving yourself for the mistake, that will change things.  

Let me turn corners for just a second and say this:  find peace and rest.  No matter what you might be going through, or what you may just have gone through, relax and take a deep breath.  When you get wrapped around the wagon wheel, when you are going no where, when you stress over things you have no control over, you are going no where.  When you try to control everything, you will end up going no where.  I'm not saying to just sit back and do nothing, I'm saying allow things to unfold, and see what options are presented to you.  You will always have options, just be wise as to what option you choose.

OK, back to error, and back to forgiveness.  When I was in the Air Force I worked for the Strategic Air Command (SAC).  SAC had many mottos, but the one I loved the most, and it wasn't really a motto per se, at least not in tears of what we put on patches, or our uniforms, but the motto was "To error is human, to forgive is not SAC policy."  We seem to forget that we are human, and we are going to make mistakes.  Ever wonder why employees try to hide mistakes?  We have been so indoctrinated to believe that mistakes are beyond the pale and are not to be tolerated.  Well if you're ignorant enough to believe this never come work with me.  I've often said that it's only a mistake if you don't catch it.  If in your daily life you are doing something, and something goes haywire, but you catch it and fix it, is it still a mistake?  Not in my book it isn't and it shouldn't be in yours either.  If you don't allow for mistakes, then you force people to hide them, and in the long run, that is going to cost more, but I'm preaching to the choir.  I despise those who feel they are perfect, and will not accept anything less from those around them.  God it makes we want to vomit.  I've messed up so many times in my life.  If making a mistake were a death sentence, I would have been dead and buried a million times over.  Anyone arrogant enough to feel as though they are above it, as though they somehow have come down from the mountain with all the answers, as someone incapable of making a mistake, I don't want to be around them.  Lighten up Francis!!!!!  

Mistakes are going to happen, and they are going to happen at our own hand.  Stop beating yourself up, and realize that even the best among us has messed up.  I'm in the midst of getting a book ready for publication.  No matter how many people have proof read it, there is a good chance that when I get my first copy and read it, there will be a typo in it.  Things are going to happen.  The only way you are ever going to stop mistakes happening in your life is if you simply stop doing anything, a mistake in itself if you ask me.  Stop struggling with the fact that you are going to mess up.  Stop beating yourself up for things that have already happened.  Stop wondering when the next mistake is going to take place, and trying to figure out how you will handle it.  

I've watched as young kids are told that they need to be perfect.  I've seen parents berate a child for not coming in first place.  What do you think is going to happen when that child grows up?  Yes I'm sure that some people will try to justify this position by saying they are simply trying to prepare their children for what lies ahead for them.  If you are tying to prepare them, then why not tell them that there will be times when they make mistakes and that's just fine?  I would tell my daughter that she would make mistakes growing up.  I would explain that I don't expect her to be perfect, but what I did expect is that she be truthful, and try to do the best she could do.  Doing your best does not mean you will be the best.  No matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I attempt to do something, there are certain things that I am never going to be the best at.  I can't play basketball.  I can try, but I'm never going to be good at it.  I'm OK with that.  Forget about the things you can't control, and focus on those things that are within your reach.  You can't control perfection, but you can put forth your best efforts and be content with that.

When we fail to forgive our missteps, when we can't accept failure, we will never be able to forgive, and that lack of forgiveness will haunt you for the rest of your life.  Don't think for a moment that you are alone when it comes to making a mistake.  Don't worry that things may not have gone as planned.  What you need to concern yourself with is how you handle a mistake.  You will stumble, but that stumble isn't the end of the world.  Believe it or not, when you look at the rest of the world, when you look at history there are countless people who have come before you who will tell you that they have failed plenty of times.  The difference for many of these people is that they were able to let go of the mistake and move forward.  Can you say the same thing?  Can you forgive?  Can you let go?  If you can, then the outcome just might surprise you.  Give it shot, and remember, don't give up.

 

Why it's always good to be reminded about a few things!

 

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I thought it might be a good idea to remind my readers of a few important facts today.  The reason I'm doing this is because I had to be reminded of them this week.  It has been a very stressful week, and there were times when all I wanted to do was scream out at the top of my lungs "cut the sh#t".  

I  found myself falling into worry about things that really hadn't been a problem for quite some time.  My frustrations were right at the surface, and I would lash out at things that really didn't add up to a tinkers hoorah.  When I get into these types of moods I have to go back and remind myself of who I am, what I am, and ground myself in these truths.  What I want to do today is remind you of these truths, and hopefully make your life a little less troublesome.

As some of you might know we recently closed on a new home and have been in the process of moving from our old residence to the new one.  This meant trying to get things moved out, and doing it after work, before work, or at any time that was not taken up with work.  To say that I was tired was an understatement, and I'm sure that all of this activity had added to the feelings of being just a tad bit overwhelmed.  Being overwhelmed is nothing new for most people, but how you handle these feelings is a sure sign of where you are in the moment.  I must admit that I didn't always handle each situation to perfection.  During these times I was reminded that we were not put here on this earth to simply react to situations.  We were not created to be a victim.  We were not intended to feel insecure or incapable of being the real us.  I can't control what others may say or do, but I can control what I say, what I think, and what I am feeling.  One of the things that was missing from my day to day activities was simply resting in the knowledge of who I am, and why I am here.  If you fail to reflect on these things, then there will be those times when you will be overwhelmed.  

Thee's a lot of crazy stuff going on in the world right now.  We just went through an election, and no matter what side of the political equation you fall, this has been the proverbial "Sh#t Show".  I have seen normal people act any way but normal.  I have seen families torn up over what has happened.  I have seen friendships end, torn apart, and discarded.  It's sad, but it's also something that is entirely escapable.  It doesn't matter who wins, who looses.  Things are going to happen that need to happen.  If you believe in the perfection of the universe, then you have to know the these things are happening for a reason.  I'm not sure how things are going to turn out, meaning whose side will will and whose will loose.  What I am sure about is that I am here right now at the perfect time, and there are things that I need to do.  There are things that you need to do, and without regard to what may or may not be happening around you, you need to do what you were sent here to do.  

So with all of that being said, let me remind you of a few salient points: you are spirit, not just flesh and blood.  You are capable of creating everything you desire.  While others may be running around like a chicken with its head cut off, you need to ground yourself in simple truths.  You have been and will always be.  You are the beginning, and the end.  Your ability to remain above the fray is largely dependent on your ability to grasp the significance of your being.  The only reason we fall prey to what others are going through is that we have forgotten that we don't need to go through what others are going through.  There's a lot to be said about having faith.  Faith to believe you are on the right path.  Faith to believe that you are here for a reason.  Faith that says no matter what I might think, this is what I know is going to happen.  Faith that ultimately guides your life, and allows you to walk in those things that were meant for you to walk in.  I had to remind myself this week about faith.  I found myself looking at situations, and believing that I had to suffer through certain situations.  I totally understand how difficult it is at times to rise above all those things that seem to be occupying your time, your thoughts.  I fully get that there are moments when you want to scream out from frustration.  To say that fear grips some people is simply a true observation.  I've allowed that same fear to grip me over the last few days, and that is when I realized that I needed to do something about it.  Fear is not what you should be occupying your time with.  Fear is not what was meant for you.  When you fall into fear you are forgetting who you are.   This might be a good time to remind you that perfect love cast out all fear.  

What is perfect love?  It is knowing that you were put here for a specific reason.  It is walking in the knowledge that you can do anything you desire.  Perfect love is accepting your beautiful being.  Perfect love is realizing that no matter what is going on around you, you are not subject to it.  You were created from love, and you were created to love.  I think one of the first things that leaves us when we are in the midst of a struggle is our compassion for others around us.  When you would just assume spit in someone's eye, you are not walking in love.  If you are not walking in love, not showing compassion, not putting others first, then you will undoubtedly be ready to jump off the cliff you find yourself on.  Funny thing when you show love or compassion to another human being, you seem to forget your own struggles. When you reach out to someone to assist them, you tend to forget your own needs.  When you smile at that stranger, you simply feel good inside.  Love is what binds us together, as I have said so many times in the past.  Love is the one thing you can't have enough of, and it is the one thing that if you give it away, you will get it back in equal or greater measure. 

Let me leave you this week with this one last thought: believe.  Believe that you can change the world.  Believe that you have been equipped with all you need to complete your assigned task.  Simply believe that you are perfection personified.  I get how you might not always believe in your perfection.  I fully understand that there will be times when our patience is being tested, when it would be easier just to quit, and not stay strong.  What I need you to do today is simply take a step back, take a deep breath, and know that all things happen for a reason.  Just like you were sent here for a specific reason, other things happen around you for a reason.  You can only control how you see things, how you react too things.  You are the one who has to decide how you are going to look at each day.  Be strong and know that you are god.  We often forget this, and we forget it because we have let what is happening around us to define us.  You are not what is happening around you, you are in fact the perfection of the universe.  I promise you this: if you will begin to stand in the knowledge of who and what you are, then the vast majority of what has happened in the past, will remain in the past, and your future will be extremely bight. Accept these truths, walk in these truths, and share these truths with others.  Each day may be a challenge, but each day is your opportunity to hold fast to what you know.  Love and light to each of you.