Donuts for the Class

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the Western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
"How many push-ups can you do "
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200 That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300 "
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could " again asked Dr. Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10 I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."
Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson' s class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts "
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut "
"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut "
Joe said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut " Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Dr. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut " Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups "
Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked,
"Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want "
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups.
Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut "
Sternly, Jenny said, "No."
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more Push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want " Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.
Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one "
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him "
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut"
Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut "
Jason, new to the room hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."
"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut "
Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was profusely dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was no sound except his heavy breathing, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut "
Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want " Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.
Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut "
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him "
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve, here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes. Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut " As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten." Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. "Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all sermons are preached in words."
Turning to his class the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid. Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it laying on the desk "

Author Unknown

The Athiest Who Was Found by God...

John Powell a professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:
Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders.
It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn’t what’s on your head but what’s in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped.
I immediately filed Tommy under "S" for strange ... very strange. Tommy turned out to be the "atheist in residence" in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father-God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.
When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a slightly cynical tone: "Do you think I’ll ever find God?"
I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. "No!" I said very emphatically.
"Oh," he responded, "I thought that was the product you were pushing."
I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out: "Tommy! I don’t think you’ll ever find him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!" He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.
I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line: "He will find you!" At least I thought it was clever. Later I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful.
Then a sad report, I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me. When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted, and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe. "Tommy, I’ve thought about you so often. I hear you are sick!" I blurted out.
"Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It’s a matter of weeks."
"Can you talk about it, Tom?"
"Sure, what would you like to know?"
"What’s it like to be only twenty-four and dying?"
"Well, it could be worse."
"Like what?"
"Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real ‘biggies’ in life."
I began to look through my mental file cabinet under "S" where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification God sends back into my life to educate me.)
But what I really came to see you about," Tom said, " is something you said to me on the last day of class." (He remembered!) He continued, "I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, ‘No!’ which surprised me. Then you said, ‘But he will find you.’ I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time. (My "clever" line. He thought about that a lot!) But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, then I got serious about locating God. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.
But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened. Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit.
Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn’t really care ... about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. "I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: ‘The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.’ "So I began with the hardest one: my Dad. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him."
"Dad". . .
"Yes, what?" he asked without lowering the newspaper.
"Dad, I would like to talk with you."
"Well, talk."
"I mean. .. It’s really important."
The newspaper came down three slow inches. "What is it?"
"Dad, I love you. I just wanted you to know that." Tom smiled at me and said with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him: "The newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me.
And we talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me. "It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years. I was only sorry about one thing: that I had waited so long. Here I was just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to.
"Then, one day I turned around and God was there. He didn’t come to me when I pleaded with him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, ‘C’mon, jump through.’ ‘C’mon, I’ll give you three days .. .three weeks.’ Apparently God does things in his own way and at his own hour. "But the important thing is that he was there. He found me.
You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for him."
"Tommy," I practically gasped, "I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.’ Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it wouldn’t be half as effective as if you were to tell them."
"Oooh . . . I was ready for you, but I don’t know if I’m ready for your class."
"Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call." In a few days Tommy called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it.
He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class. Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed.
He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or the ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.
Before he died, we talked one last time. "I’m not going to make it to your class," he said.
"I know, Tom."
"Will you tell them for me? Will you . . . tell the whole world for me?"
"I will, Tom. I’ll tell them. I’ll do my best."

So, to all of you who have been kind enough to hear this simple statement about love, thank you for listening. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven: "I told them, Tommy . ... ...as best I could."

www.holybible.com/resources/bethel_stories/found_atheist.htm/

Interesting Websites...

Apologetics is fascinating to me. Anyone with the blind faith to believe that questioning God is inappropriate is dead wrong. God welcomes our questions. It is the draw which allows us, as a fallen people, to come closer to God while maintaining our uniqueness (which he created us to be and celebrates). Below are just a few of the resources that I have found interesting. If you have questions check out these sites. They may not answer your question specifically, but may give you comfort to continue your search.

Luke 11:9 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

http://www.inplainsite.org/
http://www.cslewis.org/
http://www.leestrobel.com/

Here is another interesting blog post  I recently came across.

What About All Those Sinful Christians?

In reality, we (Christians) ARE held accountable for the actions of the few. It is the prime reason many state for their anti-Christian views. Christian leaders have denounced these things, and we cringe when we see it happening, even from the pulpit. The difference is that the Bible plainly describes these things as a result of original sin… all of humanity is fallen because of our choice to make our own decisions (the thing that separates us as human). Christianity says that all have need of forgiveness because we are arrogant and selfish. People choose to believe they are “right” and “omni-intelligent” which is the antithesis of the message of the Bible. Unfortunately those self professed Christians who choose to elevate themselves to demigods enforce both the message of the Bible (humans are fallen and need help) and the interpretation of those outside the Church (if THAT is a Christian, I want no part of it). The ONE thing the Bible tries to emphasize is to remember that we are not GOD and need to be humble at all times, is also the ONE thing when not complied with that is used (rightfully so) to turn people away.

Religous Populations

What would we do without technology?

Energy Storage...

Gratitude Video

What Does Tesla Mean?

Soldiers Deck of Cards

The Tumultuous Avalanche of Undeniable Coincidence

I can still remember the conversation with my wife when I used all of my pent-up 20 something wisdom and said, "It must be nice for Christianity to hide behind the logic paradigm that blames all things bad on the Devil, and takes credit for all good things through Jesus". What she said next is why I still remember... "Wow, I guess you aren't as far along as I had thought". I thought to myself, "What does that mean? Knowledge is either right or wrong. Why does the level of my journey of discovery have anything to do with the truth of Christianity?"

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In this passage of Corinthians, Paul uses the word Foolishness four times in six verses. It is the place where I eventually found solace in my questioning. Before I had my "conversion experience" (one of those terms that sounds foolish to non-Christians) I felt that I had a pretty good grasp on how the world worked. The second I accepted the Holy Spirit as my guide, I understood that I would never understand; but I also understood that I now knew more than others who considered themselves wise. Even as I write these words I can read them through my early adult eyes and say "What the heck are you talking about?".

Let me try it this way... If I described a new form of life to you, never before seen in the world, and told you that it was just behind that invisible door over there, you would think I had lost my mind. If I then opened that door in such a way that you could not only see the door, but also the creature, it would then be a thing you could never again deny existence to. Now what if you could magically see all of the doors and all of the creatures, and everyone else then thought you were crazy? I use this illustration because many in today's world would more accept a unicorn behind an invisible door than a loving Creator of the universe that really deeply cares about each individual.

"When I was an atheist my argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction against it?... Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist--in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless. I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality--namely my idea of justice--was full of sense. Consequently atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning.".......... -C. S. Lewis (Mere Christianity).

This seems to me to be getting a bit wordy. It is that way because the memory of my before Christ self would have demanded it. Ironic that I describe how no amount of explanation will ever be enough, and then go on to try to explain...

My personal conversion is similar to many I have heard from others. Events in my life over the course of time, seemingly free form and unrelated, all at once lined up in my mind as guideposts to the exact moment in time when God answered my question "What does all this mean, and are You really there?". What those things are would not have the earthshaking effect on anyone else, and even explaining how they combined to form an undeniable "Word from God" moment for me could even sound laughable. However, for me the level of undeniability so far outstripped coincidence that there could be no other explanation. I feel sometimes that He does it that way on purpose. Far be it for me to understand God's plan, but I can see that for someone like myself who considered himself "wise" in the philosophy of life, it would take an avalanche of very personal evidence before I would relent to my obvious ignorance. I would also not have "understood" unless it was all about me. I am constantly entertained by the mirror into my arrogance that the Holy Spirit lovingly turns me toward when I need to see it. The contrast between where I become entrenched in self-importance and the reality of my insignificance is a lesson I need to be taught daily. It used to be devastatingly embarrassing. At least I have finally reached a point where I can laugh at myself.

We are Needy

The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think of yourself whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as as a little god to which you must be loyal there will be those who will delight to offer affront to your idol. How then can you hope to have inward peace? The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy. will never let the mind have rest. -A.W. Tozer

I find myself paraphrasing "original sin" into several iterations as experiences dictate. I envision the Holy Spirit as a guide that walks beside me and patiently points out lessons as we journey along life's path. Sometimes I listen. More often than not I allow the artificial importance of the day's events cloud my mind and deafen my ears. On many occasions the message is a simple one, "This was not an issue before the fall". I find that on those occasions where I allow myself to step out of the forbearance of the present, I can see where man's choice to accept responsibility for deciding what is right and wrong can only be burdened by an unconscious ignorance of reality. We choose to believe we are right, which leads to an assumption that others must look, act and feel the same. This basic conflict describes almost all of human suffering. Imagine if an all loving God made those choices and we were not obligated by this need for importance, acceptance and "being right", whatever that means. If loving and emulating God were our life, those things would easily follow... they would just be. I would gladly give up that responsibility if given the choice.

Lindsey Stirling in Africa

Divine Humility

"It is hardly complimentary to God that we should choose him as an alternative to hell. Yet even this he accepts. The creature's illusion of self-sufficiency must, for the creature's sake, be shattered. And by trouble, or fear of trouble on earth, by crude fear of the eternal flames, God shatters it, unmindful of his glory's diminution. I call this "divine humility," because it's a poor thing to strike our colors to God when the ship is going down under us, a poor thing to come to him as a last resort, to offer up our own when it is no longer worth keeping. If God were proud, he would hardly have us on such terms. But he is not proud. He stoops to conquer. He would have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to him, and come to him because there is nothing better now to be had."

C.S. Lewis

Make It Count

Wonderful World

What Was Solomon Searching For?

Ecclesiastes 2:14-26

Easter for the Disillusioned

14 The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. 15 Then I thought in my heart, "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?" I said in my heart, "This too is meaningless." 16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!

Toil Is Meaningless

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Author: Solomon

Son of King David and Bathsheba. Solomon was not the oldest son of David, but David promised Bathsheba that Solomon would be the next king. When David’s elder son Adonijah declared himself king, David ordered his servants to bring Solomon to the Gihon spring where the priest anointed him while David was still alive. Solomon inherited a considerable empire from his father.

Solomon accumulated enormous wealth. He controlled the entire region west of the Euphrates and had peace on his borders. Kings I states that he owned 12,000 horses with horsemen and 1,400 chariots. Remains of stalls for 450 horses have in fact been found in Megiddo. Solomon strengthened his kingdom through marital alliances. Kings I records that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, although some regard this number as an exaggeration. He had a large share in the trade between northern and southern countries. He established Israelite colonies around his province to look after military, administrative and commercial matters. The empire was divided into twelve districts, with Judah constituting its own political unit and enjoying certain privileges.

Although Solomon was young, he soon became known for his wisdom. The first and most famous incident of his cleverness as a judge was when two women came to his court with a baby whom both women claimed as their own. Solomon threatened to split the baby in half. One woman was prepared to accept the decision, but the other begged the King to give the live baby to the other woman. Solomen then knew the second woman was the mother.

People from surrounding nations also came to hear Solomon’s wisdom. He composed 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. He wrote the Song of Songs, the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Solomon.html

Perspective

Solomon was born into a household of immense power and wealth. Although he had a great example of how to live a godly life in his father David, I feel he was missing an important part of the human experience, groundedness. He was given the finest teachers of the known world and from all indications ruled in a way that elicited love from most of the Israelites. However his constant thirst for gaining knowledge and wisdom seems to have come from an inherently selfish place in his heart. With all of the works of wisdom he compiled over his lifetime, one still gets the feeling that Solomon felt those answers applied to those of a lower stature than himself. In reading the verses above one gets the feeling that he felt his teachings on happiness as included in Proverbs might somehow be added to an elusive prize of worldly wealth and stature. I believe in the end he was able to at least see that God’s message on happiness didn’t require any additional money or power, in fact the money and power were corruptions and roadblocks.


Key words for discussion…

Independence- Can this word be a two edged sword?

Happiness- Were there people in Solomon’s kingdom who had less wealth and more happiness?

Humility- Was there a way for someone in the highest position the earth had ever seen, to be humble?

Arrogance- Does arrogance automatically manifest itself in negative ways, or might it just be a quiet limitation?

Gratitude- Can gratitude be the antidote for arrogance and offer it’s own type of groundedness?

How this relates back to Easter?

I feel that God in his wisdom always knew the roadblocks we as humans would have in an independent life. In the garden everything was provided for us and all of our needs would be met, including happiness. Somehow the serpent was able to draw Eve to the one thing that would bring down that blissful scene… self knowledge, or the knowledge of good and evil. In the life, death and resurrection of Christ we have a path established back to the original intent of the garden. If we are able to see the level of Gods love for us it will elicit a natural response of gratitude. That grateful relationship can be so powerful it overcomes any selfish need we may want to express, overwhelmed by the thankfulness for the unbelievable gift we have been given in this personal relationship, one on one, fully sacrificed, with the creator of the universe. The message of Christ is simple, “Believe in me…”. We continue to act like Solomon and attempt to add to the equation, to our distress.

The meek shall inherit the earth ...

This video (below) is one of the best explanations for my feelings about some peoples need for constant interaction. The world demands that I be an extrovert, so I try very hard. The reality is that I am not comfortable with feeling like I must be engaged at all times, or be perceived as being rude or aloof. I am able to be gregarious only in short stretches. Using my sometimes hard to understand allegorical language I can say; To me, being outgoing is like a sprint, being introverted is like an easy walk. I can do one for a short while, but the other is more sustainable in the long run.



Also check out this excerpt from the book just published by writer Susan Cain as seen in the video. It goes a long way towards explaining that feeling I have had inside all of my life. It feels good to know others feel the same. Like most introverts I have always felt that I had something to offer, it just feels strange that others sometimes feel the need to verbalize it. Like the name of the blog says, Gratitude and Humility are the quiet places where my mind seems most at home.

Yosemite HD Video

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

Murmuration

This is the kind of thing I see all of the time while I am hunting. Did you know that Robins are sometimes flock birds? Two flights of geese folding into each other quickly reform as one larger V. Chickadees are very territorial and will sit mere feet away and complain to try to get you to leave... etc..

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

The Grand Tetons

Easy Maintenance Goldfish

"Goldfish Salvation" Riusuke Fukahori from ICN gallery on Vimeo.