James's metaphor of seeing yourself in the mirror reminds me that I seldom look into a mirror. Not bothering to look into the mirror corresponds to my avoiding seeing over-enhanced versions of myself. I want to love everyone, but must avoid being proud of it.
I'm reminded of the atheist who gave his friends a ride to church. He waited in his car outside the church until the church service was completed.
Sometimes folks who deny the validity of Christian stories behave as excellent Christian examples. There are multiple ways to teach others to let love be their guide.
Showing your love is the simplest way. Showing your love sows love. God speaks to us in many ways, including The Bible.
I have a few suggestions for using the Bible as a guide. Supplement it with other information. Search the internet for commentaries on passages you find important. Download a Microsoft Word or Notepad version of a Bible to enable searching for phrases repeated multiple times.
In the Bible, we see examples of good deeds and bad deeds. What message do we see in unpunished bad deeds and punished good deeds?
How often have people been martyred for saintly actions? May our life exemplify good character for others to see.
God is always with us because God is everywhere in the universe.
What about those who do not know the Lord? Everyone knows God. Some give God a different name. They may call God by the name "Universe" or Nature".
Such people are more assured of what God will do for them.
I agree that others are not required to understand God in the same way that we do.
What is our political future? Asking what is God's plan is the same as asking "What is our future?".
How has God influenced my life?
I see myself as equivalent to every other person in the world. I may laugh at satiric stories about Donald Trump. I upvote criticism of Donald Trump.
However, I do not call him evil. The word "evil" is not in my active vocabulary.
I rarely feel the need to ask God for anything. I seek to understand what determines my future and accept it.
I concluded that two people were giving you trouble.
I read " Not only did I no longer have to live in that house, but the person I was having the most problems with would be placed in an apartment separate from ours."
I realized the troublemakers were two other people renting rooms in the apartment building. Were the two people in the same room? Were they old folks?
My grammar suggestions are trivial. A few places are calling for a comma (,). "That" and "there" could be used less often.
"And in the times the answer doesn’t look the way I thought it would help me to understand that when I ask for something that is not in Your will, Your “no” or “wait” means that Your will for me is much larger and more loving than anything I ever could have imagined for myself."
reminds me of the story:
A mother told her daughter: Darling, I'm sorry God did not answer your prayer.
The daughter says: But he did answer. He said "No".
Your poem:
B 2 or not B 2,
While backstage at Ashland,
Vending machine in view,
My pocket change at hand.
Know I not, what to do.
Zounds! A bad choice - 'tis bland.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Ahhh, I see.
You wrote B2 instead of 2B to rhyme with "view".
The vending machine was an uninteresting choice.
Did he choose it anyway?
We don't know what choice was made.
It is ok. The point is that a choice needs to be made.
Clever editing was done to maintain the rhyme scheme.
We walk through life toward non-life.
It does not matter how long we live.
What matters is how we enjoy the life we have.
What activities besides eating and sleeping do we enjoy?
In my teenage years, I walked several miles almost every day.
I enjoyed your article. My own opinion about prayer is that it is redundant. Asking God to give you an item is useful only if it motivates you to get it yourself. God has given you the ability to work for it.
My friends commonly pray for others' needs to be satisfied.
I have no jealousy of others. I tend to take God's gifts for granted.
It made no sense to me that God wished us to love him (or her, or it).
I think of God as the mind or soul of the universe
I don't say God created the universe. I say the universe is God's body. Everything that happens corresponds to God's thoughts.
confused me. I thought you meant Peter wiped the captain's and his (Peter's) memories.
But you must have meant that he wiped the captain's and the Major's memories. I misinterpreted this because I had not noticed the Major being distinct from the Captain.
Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. The study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. So whether you thank a stranger for holding the door or send a thank-you note to that colleague who helped you with a project, acknowledging other people’s contributions can lead to new opportunities.
Gratitude improves physical health. According to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than others. Not surprisingly, grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups.
Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces many toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression.
Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when others behave less kindly, according to a 2012 study by the University of Kentucky. Study participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others, even when given negative feedback. They experienced more sensitivity and empathy toward other people and a decreased desire to seek revenge.
Grateful people sleep better. According to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology, writing a gratitude journal improves Sleep, Health, and Well-Being. Spend just 15 minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed, and you may sleep better and longer.
Gratitude improves self-esteem. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athletes’ self-esteem, an essential component of optimal performance. Other studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than resenting people with more money or better jobs—a major factor in reduced self-esteem—grateful people can appreciate other people’s accomplishments.
Gratitude increases mental strength. For years, research has shown gratitude not only reduces stress, but it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. A 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Recognizing all you must be thankful for —even during the worst times—fosters resilience.
We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Rather than complain about the things you think you deserve, take a few moments to focus on all that you have. Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life.
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