Bad People Know Very Little About Badness

Another quote from church today:

"Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to talk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ , because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means - the only complete realist."

-C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity Book 3 - "Christian Behaviour, Ch. 11 - Faith"

Inhibiting your progress

One of the speakers at church today quoted the following:

"Don't ever let another persons imperfections and poor leadership get in the way of your progress."

I didn't catch where this originated.

Tender Mercies

"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord's tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance (see 1 Ne. 1:20)."




David A. Bednar, "The Tender Mercies of the Lord." Ensign, May 2005.

Found Magazine

So, I was reading the Reader's Digest and found an article about a guy that would always find random notes outside the trash bin, at the apartment building, etc.

He made an online magazine where you can submit it all.

http://www.foundmagazine.com/

Pretty cool. You never know what will show up every day, but always fun.

Quiet Service

‎"All but a prophetic few must go about God's work in very quiet, very unspectacular ways. And as you labor to know Him, and to know that He knows you; as you invest your time- and your inconvenience- in quiet, unassuming service, you will indeed find that 'his angels have charge concerning thee: and in their hands they... shall bear thee up.'"

- Elder Jeffrey R Holland -

Career Coach: The Future You

So, it is great when friends find information for you on the Internet because they think it would be a good "blog pickle."

My friend, Design Guy, shared this link with me today and made me stop and think for a minute or two. This topic has been on my mind lately - What do I want to do with the rest of my life?

Take a look at the article, it makes a few good points (none of which include "climbing the corporate ladder."

http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/your-best-career-coach-the-future-you/112?promo=713&tag=nl.e713

The main points, in case the link stops working soon, include:

1. Be happy now. Don’t wait for next week, next month or next year. A common regret of old people was, “I got so focused on trying to get what I did not have, I failed to appreciate all that I did have. I had almost everything. I wish that I would’ve taken the time to appreciate it.”

2. Build relationships and help people, especially friends and family.

3. If you have a dream, go for it.

Moment of Singleness

In bed alone,
tears fall freely.

No child to tuck in,
my life journey,
ends with me.

How did my choices get me here?

If I'm the captain of my soul,
somehow I followed the wrong map.

A wayward sailor,
thinking the adventure lead,
to the really promising destination.

At the conference I meet people,
from all over,
talking,
listening,
eating,
sitting at the pool.

They got married somehow,
had kids,
went to baseball games,
tucked them in,
school plays.

Somehow it bypassed me.

The dress purchased,
the rings,
the flower girl clothes,
best men ties.

The man - he isn't thinking of me,

lost in his pain,
in his sorrow,
job loss,
money gone,
bill collectors calling non-stop.

No more musings of hope,
faith shattered,
heart torn.

What next?

My heart aches.
 
 
RDC Midnight 8/12/2010

Conscience

A quote from the book I'm currently reading (Illusions - The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, by Richard Bach):

"Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness.

Listen to it carefully."

- Richard Bach -

There is no God for me you said

There is no God for me you said
Dark stone eyes, gaze straight ahead


Abandoned me at time of need,
One set footprints, size of me


No one helps carry load
Weary, mad, at end of road

They say to pray
Kneel , bow head

Mirage of hope
Light flickers, then dead


My heart tried change
Did no good

Saw no answer
Said I should

I cannot sleep,
Toss and turn

Close friend asks,
When will I learn

God loves me, my soul created
No matter what, He has waited


Till son below turns eyes above
Toward Father of infinite love

And proclaims within, there is a God
Stone eyes change, hand on the rod

Ups and downs, through and around
Life journey, eternal round

Change heart now, feel the joy,
Father in heaven loves his boy

Fight Him, mock Him
Deep despair

Embrace Him, follow Him
Eternal care
 
God loves his boy.

RDC
8/1/2010