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What They Thought I Wanted To See

January 26, 2024

Facebook leaders were concerned people were only looking at posts from friends and not spending enough time on the app looking at ads. They told engineers to develop rules that would search the entire database and present people with posts that Facebook thought you want to see.

Twitter executives faced a similar problem. They wrote similar rules, called algorithms, to keep you on the app longer.

So, I wondered about our spiritual reading—the Bible and other writers. Do we allow someone to determine what parts we read and spoon-feed us just their point of view?

I have spent little time on social media for several years. What they thought I wanted to see was not congruent with what I really wanted to see.

Fortunately, there is no app filtering what I should see in the Bible or in my other spiritual reading. I read out of curiosity and out of desire to refresh my poor memory.

Things like the thought I just heard, “He’s God. I’m not.”

Things like, “The first is to love the Lord your God… and the second likewise is to love your neighbor…”

I need those reminders to keep me on the right path and likewise to guide my reading.

Posted in choosing, Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

To Do Righteousness and Justice

January 23, 2024

Reading through the Proverbs in January. Trying to start the year on the front foot. Here is an example of a theme found throughout the Hebrew and Christian texts.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

The closest we can come in modern American (and other) culture is that it is more acceptable than going to church.

Not that you shouldn’t gather together with others. A social life is good for both body and soul.

Maybe the rest of the proverbs can be condensed to those personal characteristics–one who lives out righteousness and justice.

What if we all made this the year of righteousness and justice? What a wonderful world it would be!

Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Justice | Leave a Comment »

Optimism—We Must Live It

January 3, 2024

Reading through the Proverbs gives those of us trying to walk that path of wisdom a sense of optimism. We are with God and God is with us as we live that sort of life.

A news item in todays feed reported an increase of American consumer confidence (after a year of almost all good economic news). The reporter added a caveat—these are opinion polls and Republicans (this year) might be reluctant to say things are getting better at the risk of saying the Democrats were right. I imagine if the roles were reversed, so would be the opinions.

On the other hand, media stokes fear about dangers of artificial intelligence. There is more violence in the Middle East. The war in the Ukraine continues killing or wounding hundreds of Russian soldiers every day while destroying cities and towns. China is (as we say in diplomatic circles) saber rattling about its intentions in Taiwan. How can we be optimistic?

Or as Barry McGuire sang the PF Sloan song in 1965 (all this is hardly new)

[Chorus]

And you tell me over and over and over again, my friend

Ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction

[Verse 3]

Yeah, my blood’s so mad, feels like coagulatin’

I’m sittin’ here just contemplatin’

I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation

Handful of senators don’t pass legislation

And marches alone can’t bring integration

When human respect is disintegratin’

This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

But to live a sane daily life, we need some optimism.
Eve of Destruction, PF Sloan recorded by Barry McGuire

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, who lived and died in the worst of times in Germany:

The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.

An essential human trait is to “claim the future”, especially for those who live the with-God life. The time is ripe for us to grab this stance.

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31 Days of Wisdom

December 29, 2023

Let’s begin the New Year with a proper state of mind and attitude.

How about 31 for 31?

January has 31 days. The book of Proverbs in the Old Testament has 31 chapters. One chapter of wisdom a day for the month of January. That should orient us for success this year.

As a special bonus for yourself, turn to the first book of the New Testament and read Matthew chapters 5-7 as a daily companion. Matthew is firmly in that Jewish wisdom tradition. Called the Sermon on the Mount, this is most likely Jesus’s standard teaching as he traveled the countryside preaching. Ground yourself this core teaching about how to live.

I retired from active soccer refereeing about seven years ago promptly gaining some weight. I started lifting weights which added muscle—and weight. Then Covid plus moving to a new state disrupted my routines not helping.

This year I made slight tweaks in workout and diet. Nothing drastic. Just eating less. Cutting out or reducing greatly foods that add weight (chips and sugary crap). Increasing aerobic intensity a little. Dedicating more effort to resistance training. 104 deg hot tub four days a week (great for metabolic health and longevity). I’ve dropped 12 pounds and more than an inch from my waist. Steel cut oats for more than half of my breakfasts helped drop cholesterol to the low side of good.

You don’t need drastic lifestyle changes unless you need to drop lots of weight. Small changes done consistently make all the difference (assuming no other overriding health issues).

Here are two tips for subtle changes with big impact. Ten fruits and ten foods added to your diet replacing ultra-processed and sugary foods.

Ten Fruits

Blueberries
Apples
Oranges (not juice)
Raspberries
Blackberries
Prunes
Tomatoes
Bananas
Watermelon
Avocados

Ten Foods

Quinoa
Eggs
Salmon
Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes
Blueberries
Almonds
Spinach
Lean Chicken
Oatmeal

Posted in Disciplines, Physical, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Am I Doing My Best?

December 28, 2023

Former US President Jimmy Carter tells about interviewing with Admiral Rickover the leader of the nuclear-powered submarine fleet for a position after graduating from the US Naval Academy. Rickover asked him, “Have you always done your best?” Carter reflected and answered honestly, “No, I have to say I haven’t.”

That led to a resolution to always do his best. (And immediately brought to mind several, or many, times I’ve failed to do my best.)

Writer and venture capitalist Om Malik says (about surviving a heart attack 16 years ago), “I often ask myself: am I making the most of this additional time? Why am I wasting time on meaningless things? Today, I’ve pondered this a lot. If I’m honest, I admit I do need to make a few adjustments.”

This week as we look forward to a new year and perhaps a new start these questions are a great launching for reflecting on where we go from here.

Have I always done my best? Why not?
How can I make the most of my time this year?
Where am I wasting time on meaningless things?

Posted in Disciplines, Thinking | Leave a Comment »

It Should Be Easy

December 15, 2023

“It should be easy. Here it is in black and white. How can people argue about it?”

He was in a Bible study class composed almost entirely of people who went to church regularly but who had never read the book.

He was reading in one English translation. Had he but lined up say five English translations, there may have been 2-3 different words in that passage. They may or may not have changed the meaning very much. But the nuance of the verse could have changed.

He also fell victim to the fallacy that should have been overcome by high school English classes. Unfortunately, few high school courses actually teach one how to read.

There must be hundreds of phrases and sentences taken from the Bible that altered the course of history that were completely out of context of the meaning. As I type these words several flash through my brain.

Humans so easily fool themselves into thinking they have completely arrived at understanding and wisdom, when in reality they are creatures in the process of growing. We have so much hubris as to think we know more than people who have spent their entire adult lives studying ancient Greek. And I have read some of those who still discuss the meaning of one word Paul used in a certain place. I started to learn New Testament Greek and then thought “How do I expect to learn enough in a few months to be better than scholars who have devoted 30 years to the study?”

Back to the question. It is easier if we devote time and curiosity to exploring the complete paragraph or letter. It helps to have a guide who can lead us through the logic of the Greek in the passage which is different from the logic we use in English. I am currently refreshing my knowledge of German and learning Spanish. (I should be doing Irish Gaelic and Welsh given I have grandparents from each heritage.) Each of these has its own logic. And the brief introduction to Gaelic shows me another set of logic principles.

I return to my thought about time and curiosity along with humility. As soon as we say we don’t know everything, then the work of learning begins.

Posted in Disciplines, Learning, Study | Leave a Comment »

Wandering Around

December 14, 2023

We are drilled on efficiency and productivity. I was a “GTDer” for some time—Getting Things Done (David Allen).

That begs a question, What do we miss by dashing from one focus to the next all day?

When I exercise in the morning, I quit running but I walk as fast as I can for about 40 minutes before tackling the rest of my fitness routine.

In the afternoon, however, I like to just wander outside. Look for birds and muskrats and trees and other people. There is a phrase in French called being a flȃneur. A flȃneur strolls and observes without a plan. I like going into downtown Chicago to just stroll and look at people and things. One of my favorite philosophers these days, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, calls what he does and writes about the results of being a flȃneur.

In fact there exists a management philosophy called Management By Walking Around. This is called Gemba Walk in Lean Manufacturing. There is a rich history to getting off your chair and moving.

Sometimes we get into such a rush we have no time to think and observe.

Do you have a problem you are thinking about? Looking for an insight into a spiritual teaching that just isn’t coming into focus? Take a walk. Be a flȃneur for a bit. Insights will come to you. Better have your little Field Notes or Moleskin notebook or iPhone to take notes. Preparation will pay off.

Posted in Awareness, Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

The Practice

December 13, 2023

I sit back in my chair in my office. I often like to sit back with my feet resting on the desk and laptop in my, well, lap. Staring at my bookshelves, I see one of the several books I’ve turned facing out. This reminds me of a book I wish to remember.

There at the top is Seth Godin’s The Practice: Shipping Creative Work. I highly recommend this one.

I have been thinking about style versus substance. Let’s say, for example, at church. The example works also for personal development seminars and even technology presentations. But, let’s stick with church.

There are churches that specialize on experience. You go, as if to a rock concert. You expect to be entertained. You’ll get some lively music. Perhaps a few words about the work of the organization. Then a teacher will try for the final 30 minutes to get you motivated. Then you leave.

And life goes on.

I’ve been involved with people whose focus is on decision. The focus is on getting another person to decide to believe in Jesus.

I’ve always been haunted by the question—then what?

I might like the entertainment, the style, for a brief moment. Maybe I say Hi to a few people I see each week. And that is it.

But where is the mentor relationship? The depth? Beginning the practice of following Jesus?

Yesterday I fast-walked about 3 miles followed by resistance weight training followed by 20 minutes in the hot tub. Today, Yoga replaced the resistance work. It’s my daily practice. Just like a daily practice of writing. And meditation. Well, also of eating nutritionally dense meals (thanks to my wife).

The challenge—how do we help people begin and maintain the practice of following Jesus? I think that is a lot of what Paul and James tried to do in their letters. Get us out of our comfort zone and both practice and help others practice.

Posted in Disciplines, Habits | Leave a Comment »

Dawning of the Age

December 12, 2023

When the moon is in the Seventh House

And Jupiter aligns with Mars

Then peace will guide the planets

And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius

The Age of Aquarius

Aquarius! Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding

Sympathy and trust abounding

No more falsehoods or derisions

Golden living dreams of visions

Mystic crystal revelation

And the minds true liberation
5th Dimension

It is dark outside my office window in the early morning at this time of year. I thought perhaps I was staring at Mars in the western sky. It was probably an airplane. We are on a flight path to Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

Thinking of Mars reminded me of that 5^th Dimension song from the psychedelic 60s. Dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Fifty-five years later we don’t seem to have harmony and understanding and sympathy and trust abounding.

There were predictions (hopes?) like that, even greater in fact, 2026 years ago (give or take a few months). The coming of the Prince of Peace and Lord of Lords. Yes, those were the titles taken by Caesar Augustus and then co-opted and used to describe the Jewish Messiah called Jesus.

Those words—harmony, understanding, sympathy, trust, no falsehoods, no derisions—can also be used to describe the type of person who follows Jesus. Yet, oftentimes during this ensuing 2,000 years his followers have exhibited the opposite. Look around even today and see the actions of some people claiming to be followers. Of course, many do.

There is a Christian theology that Jesus must come back to finish the work he started. That’s not a theology that has impacted me all that much. I live in the present, not in the future. And I think that Jesus thought we should be living lives like he taught us beginning now and not waiting to live sometime in the future.

We can start (continue) to live those values right now. Don’t wait for a New Year’s Resolution. The best time is now.

Posted in advent, Disciplines, Waiting | Leave a Comment »

Can’t Sit Still?

December 7, 2023

Blaise Pascal, 17^th century French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic writer, said, “Many of our major problems derive from our inability to sit still in a room.”

Pioneering Swiss psychologist Carl Jung told of a patient who exhibited anxiety and restlessness. Jung prescribed for him to go home, go to his office, close the door, and sit for a few hours every day.

The patient returned for his next appointment stating that he didn’t feel any better. Jung asked about his day. He said, well, I sat in my chair. Then I got a book and went through a few pages. Then I got out my violin and played for a short while. Then I tried another book.

Jung reprimanded him, “I told you to sit quietly. Just be with yourself. Just sit.”

Modern psychology? Pascal prescribed that 300 years earlier.

If you cannot stand to be alone with yourself for even an hour or even a half-hour a day, is it any wonder that others cannot stand to be with you, either?

The story concerns an elementary schoolroom from many years ago, but it could be yesterday. The teacher noticed that while she was explaining something a little boy sat staring out of the window. “What are you doing, little boy?” asked the teacher. “Thinking,” replied the boy. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to think in class?” responded the teacher before realizing the irony.

The boy was on the right track. Finding time to sit and think is a good thing. Try it.

Posted in Disciplines, Meditation, Thinking | Leave a Comment »

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