Ben Franklin and Leadership

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Leadership is something we hear about all the time, we can attend seminars, read books and articles and even blog post. Everyone seems have the solution to being a leader. To me it seems that the title of the book or workshop seems to be more important that the content of the book or workshop. The key to a multi-million dollar book is the title, not so much the content. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some great books out there on leadership, but really, is there anything we have not already hear, read or seen, is there a new holy grail of leadership quality that we just happen to stumble upon?

Can there really be something we missed? I find it hard to believe, sure there are new challenges to being a leader in the 21st century, we have a world that is connected like never before, we tweet or thoughts the moment we have them and Facebook our likes for all the world to see. We have smart phones and tablets that keep us connected to the grid at all times, allowing us to “lead” at any given moment. We can bark our orders to all with one simple posting and we can “keep tabs” on our team with a few clicks of the mouse.

So sure there are new challenges, but has leadership really changes? New tools for a new world, but is being a leader harder today than 10, 20, 50, 100 or 1000 years ago? I think not, if anything, it should be easier. Think about it… Before the advent of cellphones and the internet leaders had to communicate face to face or through well written letters that would take days, weeks or months to arrive at its destination.

Case and point:

Ben Franklin the American Statesmen who helped define this nation, a founding father and great leader. He could not tweet the French monarchy and ask for help in the American cause, he could not pick up his cell phone and give them a little ring nor text them a question. He had only two options, write a letter and send  it off, on a boat to France or pack up his bags and head there himself. Franklin did both. The letter first, stating his purpose and announcing his arrival and than he himself heading off. This was no 8 hour flight, it was a long and treacherous trip on a ship. Not a modern-day cruse liner, but a wooden vessel with very few comforts we would consider must haves.

The trip is only part of it, a lot could change in the time it took Franklin to travel from America to France, and he had no real way of knowing so. There was not onboard communication device to receive updates on the revolution back home. Franklin was flying blind, or should I say, sailing blind. By the time Franklin arrives in France the fight could have been over, the British could have defeated the rebels and his trip could have been in vane.

Sure, we may have times were we are flying blind, times we may feel as if we are on a ship sailing off to ports unknown, but we are never truly out of the loop, not in todays connected society. We few postings to our Linked In account, a few Google searches and before we know it, we have the latest rumors or tid-bits of information. Franklin had none of this, in fact, by the time he arrives in France, the French would know more about the revolution latest happenings than him.

Franklin would have to update himself once in France, based on old news, for even the “breaking news” in France would have been weeks if not months old. No instant updates or news feeds for Mr. Franklin, he had to use his intuition to read between the lines of the old news and speculate on the news yet to come. No fact checking or quick call to the home office to verify his information, nope, Franklin had to just wait for updates.

Franklin spent months in France, waiting for the perfect moment to ask the King for help, he used his time to learn and plan. His face, his words and actions represented the Face of America to the French.

Leaders today have lost the art of statesmanship, most have lost the art of communication, be it a political leader, corporate or community leader, we expect instant results with instant feedback. Look around you, how many people are attached to there smart phones and tablets. How many are afraid to make any decision on there own, how many do not like to wait, feel lost without being connected to the outside world. Leadership is the ability to think on your own, the ability to think of others, Ben Franklin had to do this on a daily bases, he had to consider the nation with out the latest polls to help him form a decision.

Sure he wrote letters home and waited for the reply, the lattes news on how the fight for independence was going, knowing that the news, at best, was weeks old. His decisions were based on facts that could not be easily verified and checked. Life was different, some would say less complex, less hectic, but was it really?

Leadership is not always being in the know, but sometimes its intuition, the gut feeling or reaction. Great leaders learn to trust themselves and others. The Founding Fathers had to have faith in Franklin, they had to trust that he would represent them well, but also trust that his intuition would serve them and the nation, a nation that was at war, fighting for its very existence.  They had to do it based on blind trust, they had no ability to contact him via phone or text, the written word was all the had, and even that was delayed, old news, by the time it reached him. Our very existence depended on a mans intuition and his ability to be a statesman.

Leadership is not new nor has it really changed, the challenges are timeless and the values are eternal. The tools may have changes, but the underlining principals of leadership are universal and forever-in-a-day. This is why we so often look back in history to find examples of true leadership, Washington, Gandhi, Martian Luther King Jr. and many others. Books have been written and seminars given on the leadership styles od Jesus, the Art of War is still considered on of the best books on leadership, yet we still feel the need to try to separate ourselves, to pretend that our day and age is different, that our circumstances calls for new approaches, yet leadership qualities have not changes, they have remained constant and universal throughout history.

We may label them differently, give them updated descriptions but if you spend the time, look for the root of leadership, you will find that all leadership styles breakdown to the same basics:

-Trust

- In self

-In others

-Intuition, gut feelings

-Commutation

-Listening

-Verbal

-Non-Verbal

-Written

-Faith

-In a greater power

-In Self

-In Humanity

-Action

-When to take action

-When not to take action

Leadership in not new and improved because we have new tools, email, twitter, Facebook and Linked In are tools to allow us to lead, but the basics never change. Leadership is still about others, about placing yourself not at the front, but at the rear, not lifting yourself above others, but lifting others above yourself. A true leader is not elected to power, does not take or steal power, a true leader is elevated, raises naturally and humbled by the power granted to them by the ones they lead. The Founding Fathers understood this, and they lived it.

God Bless

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

Related articles

• How Ben Franklin Became a Colonel in the Pennsylvania Militia (mentalfloss.com)
• Leadership and discomfort (claudetoland.com)
• Paul Ryan and Ben Franklin (broeder10.wordpress.com)
• What’s wrong with leadership books? [Andrew Priestley] (ecademy.com)
• Would Ben Franklin be a blogger? (10zenmonkeys.com)
• Ben Franklin Virtue #4 (animaticpress.com)
• The most important message to leaders (cbsnews.com)
• Three Leadership Traits that Never Go Out of Style (blogs.hbr.org)

 

The Three Types of Change

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.

Ellen Glasgow

Being interested in and involved in the “Change” industry, I found this quote to be dead on, All too often we tend to think that if we are changing, it must be a positive thing, that we must be growing is some manner. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some change is neutral, you neither move forward nor back, your just stand still. Yet other changes seems to be more positive, we move forward, all-be-it, sometimes a little too slow for our liking, but it’s still a move forward. Change can also move us backwards, much to our dismay.

Let us look at each type of change and discover its potential:

Neutral Change:

The process of non-change, as it where, in the natural state we are neither moving forward nor back, we are just there. This state of being, I would venture, is the most common state. The state of contentment or resignation, we neither desire to change or do not possess the motivation to enact the steps necessary to change. In this state there is no complaining about your current state, but it does not mean you are satisfied with your current life, you may be, but you may also be just resigned to the fact that this is your life. This state can be a sort of sloth, a laziness or true contentment.

Forward Change:

This change is what most people would consider a positive change, a change that is moving you from one state to a new state. This is true, in a forward state you are moving in a new direction. However, the move may or may not be a positive move. For example, you may decide that you wish to advance your situation at work, to become a manager. To help you achieve this goal you start to read books on leadership and management. However, in your search for the right books, you are given bad advice and read books that teach you skills that cause you to back stab and claw your way to the top. You have now moved in a new direction, but that direction is not positive. It is not life affirming it is a direction that may get you that management position, but along the way you have destroyed yourself, and your relationships. Forward change is not always positive; we must pay close attention to how we go about achieving the change we desire.

Backward Change:

Using the example from above, you have now achieved your goal, you are a manager. Yet along the way you backstabbed many friends and you have neglected your relationships. Your life, simple, is a wreck. You have seen your failures, and no longer wish to remain the person you have become. You desire change. At this junction you have three choices. 1. Stay the course; learn to live with what you are. (Neutral) 2. Move forward, correction the misguided choices of the past. 3. Return back; Undo the changes to return to your former self.

This third choice, to move back, sounds like a retreat that you are giving up. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Ask any good General, and they will tell you that you need to know when to retreat. That a well-timed retreat can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

There are times in all our lives that we need to return to our past. Times that we must go back in order to truly move forward. In the example above, you may decide that returning to the “old” you bay be the best starting point to move forward to the “new” you. Especially if you never felt comfortable in the “current” you, you just created. Retreating to safety, back behind the lines, does not mean you are giving up the ground you have taken. Returning to the old you doesn’t mean you give up your new management position. However, it does mean that you must reevaluate your current position and decide if it fits into your new tactical plan.

Change is not a single war to be won, it is many battles, some are victories others are defeats and some are draws. Nevertheless, each battle is a part of the overall war. Only in war can an army lose most of the battles, yet still win the war. We must learn to choose our battles, to plan our attach and our retreats. Learn to be content with a draw and retreat as we are with a victory.

Recommended Reading:

Each of the four books looks at change and life. The first two are historical in nature, but offer lessons that we all should learn. I have read each book, learned life lessons and gained insight in to myself and the world around me. Each book will teach you about the three types of changes and the power of each. Happy reading!

Killing Lincoln

By: Bill O`Reilly

Publication Date: September 27, 2011

A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O’Reilly

The anchor of The O’Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America’s Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln‘s generous terms for Robert E. Lee‘s surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln’s dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased.

In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies’ man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country’s most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history’s most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.

Being George Washington

By: Glenn Beck

Publication Date: November 22, 2011

IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW GEORGE WASHINGTON, THINK AGAIN.

This is the amazing true story of a real-life superhero who wore no cape and possessed no special powers—yet changed the world forever. It’s a story about a man whose life reads as if it were torn from the pages of an action novel: Bullet holes through his clothing. Horses shot out from under him. Unimaginable hardship. Disease. Heroism. Spies and double-agents. And, of course, the unmistakable hand of Divine Providence that guided it all.

Being George Washington is a whole new way to look at history. You won’t simply read about the awful winter spent at Valley Forge—you’ll live it right alongside Washington. You’ll be on the boat with him crossing the Delaware, in the trenches with him at Yorktown, and standing next to him at the Constitutional Convention as a new republic is finally born.

Through these stories you’ll not only learn our real history (and how it applies to today), you’ll also see how the media and others have distorted our view of it. It’s ironic that the best-known fact about George Washington—that he chopped down a cherry tree—is a complete lie. It’s even more ironic when you consider that a lie was thought necessary to prove he could not tell one.

For all of his heroism and triumphs, Washington’s single greatest accomplishment was the man he created in the process: courageous and principled, fair and just, respectful to all. But he was also something else: flawed.

It’s those flaws that should give us hope for today. After all, if Washington had been perfect, then there would be no way to build another one. That’s why this book is not just about being George Washington in 1776, it’s about the struggle to be him every single day of our lives. Understanding the way he turned himself from an uneducated farmer into the Indispensable (yet imperfect) Man, is the only way to build a new generation of George Washington’s that can take on the extraordinary challenges that America is once again facing.

Seeds of Success

By: Bill and Billy Moyer (Father and Son)

Publication Date: 2008

This book serves as a wake up call for men and women of all ages and occupations by helping them balance their lives and realize what matters most. Will you choose success or significance? "Take a look in mirror, and redefine what matters most."–Patrick Morley

How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day

By: Michael J. Gelb

Publication Date: February 8, 2000

Genius is made, not born. And human beings are gifted with an almost unlimited potential for learning and creativity. Now you can uncover your own hidden abilities, sharpen your senses, and liberate your unique intelligence—by following the example of the greatest genius of all time, Leonardo da Vinci.
Acclaimed author Michael J. Gelb, who has helped thousands of people expand their minds to accomplish more than they ever thought possible, shows you how. Drawing on Da Vinci’s notebooks, inventions, and legendary works of art, Gelb introduces Seven Da Vinci an Principles—the essential elements of genius—from curiosity, the insatiably curious approach to life to concessioner, the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. With Da Vinci as your inspiration, you will discover an exhilarating new way of thinking. And step-by-step, through exercises and provocative lessons, you will harness the power—and awesome wonder—of your own genius, mastering such life-changing abilities as:
•Problem solving
•Creative thinking
•Self-expression
•Enjoying the world around you
•Goal setting and life balance
•Harmonizing body and mind
Drawing on Da Vinci’s notebooks, inventions, and legendary works of art, acclaimed author Michael J. Gelb, introduces seven Da Vinci an principles, the essential elements of genius, from curiosity, the insatiably curious approach to life, to concessioner, the appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. With Da Vinci as their inspiration, readers will discover an exhilarating new way of thinking.
Step-by-step, through exercises and provocative lessons, anyone can harness the power and awesome wonder of their own genius, mastering such life-changing skills as problem solving, creative thinking, self-expression, goal setting and life balance, and harmonizing body and mind.

Please let me know of other books you feel would be good reads for all. Post them here for all to see.

God Bless

Paul Sposite

 

Guided Insight Life Coach

Related articles

• KILLING LINCOLN, by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dotard. (Holt.) The anchor of "The O’Reilly Factor" recounts the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. (nytimesbestsellingbooks.wordpress.com)
• How to Achieve your Goals and Create your own Mount Rushmore (anamericanpointofview.wordpress.com)
• Are YOU an Owner in Your Corporate Retreat? From Numbness to Engagement (changingwinds.wordpress.com)
• Change Management – What’s in a Name? (martindavis01.wordpress.com)
• Why is change so scary? (debbiedoesfitness.wordpress.com)

 

Sowing: A Lenten Reflection

 

Image via Wikipedia

 

The Parable of the Sower

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Matthew 13:1-23 (NIV)

A good spring reading, planting the garden, caring for the garden. Jesus used parables to teach very deep and profound messages, he used everyday life situations to teach of eternity. Jesus connected to the common man with stories of the everyday. Yet people had a hard time understanding Him, His stories seemed to go over there heads. Why? What made the parables that hard to understand? It seems to us, a little over two thousand years later that what Jesus said is as plain as day. Your deeds are the seeds, your actions are sown into the soil of your soul and our confession is our weeding of our garden.

Jesus, it seems to us, spoke very clearly, but Jesus also stated:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

If that is not a human trait, I don’t know what is. How often we do not see what is before us, the sunset, the bloom of the rose the smile of a child. And how often we do not hear the sounds of the world, the soft wind that blows through the tress, the gentle babble of the brook or the sweet song of the song birds. We miss out on the glories of life, all to often because we are to caught up in life. Or so we think. Life is not to be tossed about, we are to carefully plant our seeds, nurture them and weed our gardens, not just scatter them about and hope for the best. Would you plant your vegetable garden in such a fashion? I think not, it would be a waste of your time, money and effort, so why toss about your soul is such a fashion? Why take such little care for what will bring you eternity?

All weekend I tended to my gardens, cleaning out the leftover fall leafs and pulling the weed, planting some new seed and doing the basic spring start-up. It was lots of work, not yet finished, and it was hard, but over all satisfying. But I am paying for it today, the pain in places I did not know could even hurt, the thought that I will have to do it all again, to the rest of the gardens and the simple fact that gardening, like life, is never done. There are always weeds to pull, plants to trim, grass to cut and so on. It seems that there is always a reason to care for our gardens. But how often do we neglect our gardens? I know that once summer hits, it is harder to force myself to go out and work in my garden, who wants to work hard on a beautiful summers day? What one of us would rather sit drinking an iced tea and reading a good book, or take a trip to the sandy beach. But I know that if I don’t tear out the weeds, they will over take my garden, and smother out the plants, turning all my hard work into a mess. And when that happens, the cleaning up is many times harder than the up keep. To spend a few hours each week weeding is easier than tearing out the garden and rebuilding from scratch. This past weekend I had to just that, tear everything out of one garden and start all over. I was given wild onions that I planted in a small round garden. The first year, they looked great, I have 6 plants, the second year I had maybe 15 plants, the third year, I have 50 or more. So out it came, each one of them. And it was hard work, digging, and pulling, rebuilding the walls of the garden, turning the soil and replanting new plants. If I would have cared for the wild onions, pulled them up, ate them and thinned them out, the work would not have been so hard. But I allowed nature to takes its course, and the onions over powered the garden, making in look a mess, as if it had not a caretaker. The onions did as they were made to do, they reproduced, but I was to care for my garden, to pull some for food and pull some for the over all health of the garden. But I neglected it, I allowed the onions to crowd out each other, to infringe upon each other, not allowing each other the space to grow. And now I pay the price, I dug them all up, replanted a few in two other gardens and created a new one.

Is that not like our life, we plant seeds of sin, sure they seem simple and harmless enough when we plant them. A little white lie here, are little envy here and we think nothing of it. But that little lie grows and becomes a big lie, it blossoms and turns to seed, planting new lies, that all seem harmless. But before we know it, the lies have overtaken our life, and we are lying about needless things, lying about our lies. The garden of our soul is now overtaken by the one simple lie that started it all. The planting bad seeds is easy, you just toss them to the wind, but the planting of good seeds takes time and care. 

This Lent take the time to tend to your garden, tear out the weeds of your life, and plant new seeds of love, hope and charity.  Use lent as the springtime for the soul, plant new gardens of prayer and reverence, and tend to the care of your garden, making it a place of contemplation and praise.

God Bless & Happy Lent

 

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach 

 

 

 

Take Courage: A Lenten Meditation

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14 25-33 (NIV)

“Take Courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus’ words have as much meaning today as they did over two thousand years ago. Take Courage! Be strong! Life yourself up and carry one Christian Soldier!

Take Courage, hard words to hear when you are in despair or frightened, when life has you down and out for the count. But the words of Jesus ring true today, and they are words us Christians need to hear. In the light of the fresh attacks on the Catholic Faith and all Christians in the United States concerning so-called health care coverage of birth control, we need to hear the words, Take Courage! With our faith being tested in the public square, we need to stand strong, but in the face of big government, we often times feel very small, and courage seems very fleeting. But Jesus tells us, Be not Afraid and ask us Why do you doubt.

So take courage, and trust in the Lord, step on the waters and walk with faith onward to victory. We, as Christians must walk on the waters of the public square, we must stand up and be counted, we must have courage and speak the truth. Jesus is calling to us, calling us out into the sea, He is waiting for us to come to Him through the storm, and like Peter, he is waiting for us to call to Him Lord, same me!

You of little faith, is that what Jesus is saying to us now, is Jesus calling to us, and we are afraid to go to Him? Are the waves of humanity to big for us to withstand, or are we to timid to venture out into the waves, to call upon Jesus to calm them and let the sea of reasoning subdue the waves of insanity?

We all are being called, just like Peter, to walk upon the sea, to walk to Jesus and to trust in Him that calls. And yes, we all will, from time to time,will forget the one who calls and sink into the sea, but Jesus is there to stretch out His hand, from the cross of salvation, and pull us up from the depths, if only we call to Him.

The public square is our Sea of Galilee, and the public discourse is our storm that tosses us about. But whom among us is our Peter, brave enough to venture out on to the sea and humble enough to call to Jesus when he starts to sink. As a Catholic, I look to the new Peter, the current Pope, Pope Benedict XVI as my Peter, as my example. And Like the Holy Father, I to will walk upon the waters and state the truth, I will challenge others to reconsider there actions and voice my opinion at the polls this November, but I will also, like Peter, takes my eyes off of Christ and start to sink into the sea, and I pray, that like Peter, I too will be humble enough to call to our Lord for help.

We all are called to serve, we all are called to proclaim the good news. As Catholics we are Baptized as Priest, Prophet and King, how are you fulfilling your Baptism? Use this Lenten session as a time to reflect upon your calling, your mission. Are you being called into the storm, are you being asked to walk upon the waters of the public square? Were is Jesus calling you to? And are you responding or are you lacking the courage to respond. Pray and meditate about this, ask Jesus to help you and respond boldly to His call. Jesus will calm the storms and He will stretch out His hand to you, if you only ask.

God Bless & Happy Lent

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

Related articles

• ||40days|| week two: acknowledge our fears (mwerickson.com)
• Keep Believing (jesusyouthtcr.wordpress.com)
• Walk on water (toughmindedoptimism.wordpress.com)
• Walk on the water (intentionalfaith.wordpress.com)
• Matthew 14:22-33 – HOW TO TRUST MORE AND SINK LESS (pastorross1.wordpress.com)
• The Coming of the Holy Spirit (brakeman1.com)
• Looking unto to Jesus… (media4lifeministries.com)
• Jesus & His Disciples Last Meeting, the Great Commission, and Jesus’ Accension (brakeman1.com)

 

A strong conviction

Image via Wikipedia

With the political session to start in full swing soon, I thought I would take the time to mention a few things. As any reader of this blog knows, I am a concretive both in my faith and politics, I state my opinions, sometimes not very well received by others, but I still state them and stand up for them. I have written in the past about standing tall and proud for your beliefs and crying them from the roof tops so all can hear. I believe I do that, via this blog and in my daily life. Not many who know me do not know were I stand on any given issue, be it my faith or politics.

This election year is a tad bit different for me, this year I not only state my view points, I am also running for a political office, I will be on the August 3rd primary for the very first time in my 44 years of life, and I am excited! The office I am running for is Republican District Delegate, a nonpaid political office, but still an office that will give me a voice. Win or not I know I have tried to make a difference, I took the next step. So wish me luck and pray for me, that if elected I will serve the my district, county and state with strong conviction and God on my side, or should I say with me on God’s side.

Strong conviction, strong state

The ability to actually run for a political office amazes me, the simple fact that this year, on August 3rd when I enter the polling both I will see my name on it, that I, a proud American, can vote for myself is just amazing. And that I can win, well that is something all on its own!

A strong conviction is the driving force behind my run for office, a conviction that America is headed in the wrong direction, that she is headed down a road that Americans do not want, a road the Europe is currently on, a road that lead to the EU bail out of a whole nation. A road called Socialism, a road of Government run corporations and a welfare state that becomes the norm, not the exception. Can I, as a Percent Delegate really do anything about all that, would I posses the power to make a difference. The simple answer, NO! But nothing is ever that simple.

The Complex in the simplistic

As a delegate I would sit in on local conventions for the Republican party, help define the direction and needs of my constituents, I would offer advice and be the go to person for the politicians running for state or national office, offering my communities point of view in to the mix. I could be invited to the national convention to help define the planks of the platform. It gives me a voice, it gives the community a voice and allows the average citizen to enter in to the process.

It is this simple fact that made me decide to enter in to the race, to test the waters of the political ocean, to see how hard the waves truly hit and break. Each voice added to the mix will change the direction just as each stroke of the rowmen add to the direction and speed of the boat. Every person has a roll in this nation, and I am searching for mine.

Faith and Politics

The ability to take my faith in to the political waters is exciting for me, I love the chance, any chance, to share my faith, and more importantly, the ability to apply my faith to the important issues of today. The founding Fathers did this, just read any of their documents and you will see morality and God permeate them. Yet in modern times we have seemed to have lost that, we have drifted away from the framers basic intent, and have driven a wedge between faith and policy.

I am currently reading “Common Sense” by Thomas Pain, one of our Founding Fathers, the book offers many lessons for today’s politicians even though it was written over 230 years ago. Mr. Pain offers his readers, pre-revolutionary war America, an argument for the a separate and distinctive United States of America, one free from England and free from religious tyranny. A lesson that once again needs to be taught.

The Silent Revolution

Today we are privilege to live in a country that has just elected its first African American President, but we are also cursed, not because he is African American, but because he is socialistic in his point of views. The Obama view point is not new, it has, in the past, been offered up as the “great fix” the “cure all” for all that is wrong with the great nation. The “New Deal” and other social programs form the past was the start of this new silent revolution, a revolution that is designed to take away our rights slowly, with minimal direct effect on us, the average citizen. The idea is lull us privet citizens into a dreamy state of dependency on the government, the “Big Brother” who will provide for all our needs. And sadly we have allowed this to happen, we have, in many cased, opened our arms and warmly welcomed the striping away of our individual freedoms, all in the name of social fairness.

But there is a new Silent Revolution brewing. One that is not of the government or establishment, but one that is of the people and for the people, one that wished to return the government to its rightful place, as protector of personal liberties and national securities. One that our founding fathers would recognize as the maturing of the great nation they established over 230 years ago, one that they were willing to lay there life down for. This new Silent Revolutions is the wave that carried me in to the race, the one that lit the fire of passion and conviction with in me.

God Bless

Paul

The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine – Include active table of contents

BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The American Faith (hotair.com)

 

God Speaks to me again

Image via Wikipedia

As I mentioned a few blogs ago, I was listening to Catholic talks on CD’s in my car on a long drive for work. The topics were varied but they all seemed to carry the same message for me, on of needing to forgive. I found that fact interesting, that I chose CD’s based on the fact that I had not yet had a chance to listen to them, and they all had the same message. To me it was God speaking. Once again I find God using the CD’s to speak to me, this time at Holy Mass. As I sat their listening to the Priest give his homely on the gospel, the one about Peter and the rest fishing, to find Jesus cooking fish on the shore.

At the reading of the gospel my ears perked up a tad when I hear the passage, I had just listen to a CD about the Gospel of John and found it very interesting. I wish I could remember the name of the speaker, but I can not, and as of yet my research in to it has turned up nothing. If I was in my car I could tell ya, but I am not I am at my desk at work. But you can get the CD from Lighthouse Catholic media.

Anyway back to the topic at hand. The Talk was on John and his gospels  and his life. It was very very interesting. AS I was saying the Gospel of the weekend was one of the examples he used in his talk, the one about Peter fishing and Jesus making food. But what was interesting was how God used it to speak to me, ho God planted the seed when I was driving and how the priest watered it. I was going to say how the priest fertilized it, but I figured that may come across all wrong. So be it water or fertilizer, what ever it was, the priest added to what was already there.

On the CD the presenter talked about how Peter dragged the net to the feet of Jesus and how the net did not tear. The interesting point was the original word was the net did not schism. If that word sound familiar to you, it should, it is the word we use in the Catholic faith to describe people or  institutions that are apart from the true Church, the Catholic Church.

The second point was the number of fish, 158, why 158 fish, why not 200 or 2000? The number of fish represents the number of known nations at that time. The fish represent all the nations. So Peter was not dragging just fish in a net that had no rip, he was bringing to Christ, the head of the Church the faithful. Remember that Christ state that he came for all, not just for the Jews.

I found that image fascinating and enlightening.

The Priest added to this enlightenment, in his homily he talked about how we look to do things that comfort us or relax us when we are upset or hurting. Some of us like to golf or read or watch movies others of us like to be with friends and talk or laugh. What ever it is, we all have that one thing we do to help keep our mind active and our thoughts on anything but what is heavy on our hearts. He went on to say, that’s just what Peter did, Peter went fishing. Remember this is just aster the death and resurrection of our Lord, but Peter and the rest did not truly know of the resurrection yet. Jesus had not yet shown himself to them, so they were unsure of what happened to their friend and their hearts were heavy with sorrow. So Peter did what he loved to do, he fished. To Peter it must have been a relaxing activity, one that would keep his mind active and thinking of other things besides the death of his friend. Fishing was Peters golf, it was how Peter found peace.

That image brought to mind how I like to sit by my pond and putts, clean it out, feed the fish or just sit and listen to the water. I find this to be my relaxation point, my escape. My dog, George, died in that pond this past February, and I was concerned that the loss of George would take away the love on the pond and the peace I find there. But It has not, I still find the sound of the water and the movement of the fish to be relaxing, the cleaning and care to be meaningful.

In a way this must have been how Peter felt, It was on the water that Jesus called Peter to follow him, Peter was the one to walk on the water, until his faith faltered. Water played a large part in the three years of there friendship, as did fish. Peter must have felt that he could never fish again, never sit in a boat and just relax. But his sadness and need for peace overtook his fears and he went fishing. He went to the water and found the Lord.

I understand that feeling, I could relate to Peter. Now George is not Jesus, but he was still a loved one that I miss. And George drowned in the very pond that I love (by the way George loved to swim in it as well, so it was his pond as much as mine, we sat by that pond for hours). I feared that the magic of the pond would be gone, Peter must have felt the same, he must of had a fear that the love of fishing and the love of water must have gone. But Peter found the peace he was seeking, as did I.

The connection that was made between the Priest and the talk on CD was this:

First off the fact the Peter was fishing means more than just fishing. Peter was fishing for the following reasons:

• To relax, to get away from the sorrow if even for a few moments
• To remember, to visit the place that had such great joy for him
• To fish, not for food, but for men and for nations
• To present to Christ the good works of his mission and life, a full net with no rip.

Peter is us and we are him, Peter always represents our failing and faults. It is Peter who denied our Lord three time, how many times have we, it is Peter who lost faith and sank in the sea, how many times do we lose out faith? Peter is everyone, and we are all Peter.

So I to am looking to fill my net from all the nations, I too want to present my net at the feet of my Lord. By the way, Peter is the only one to do this, the others did not help, representing the one true Church.

We all have that place the activity that we cling to and are drawn to when we are heavey of heart, just like Jesus was on the shore waiting for Peter, He is also waithing for us. I just hope he knows how to make cajun fish with corn bread.

God Bless

Paul

1 Corinthians 15:20-22“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Peter, Jesus and the Fonz

Acts 4:1-12

¹ While they were still talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees.

² They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus.

³ They arrested them, and, as it was already late, they kept them in prison till the next day.

⁴ But many of those who had listened to their message became believers; the total number of men had now risen to something like five thousand.

⁵ It happened that the next day the rulers, elders and scribes held a meeting in Jerusalem

⁶ with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families.

⁷ They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, ‘Rulers of the people, and elders!

⁹ If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple and asking us how he was healed,

¹⁰ you must know, all of you, and the whole people of Israel, that it is by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, and God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man stands before you cured.

¹¹ This is the stone which you, the builders, rejected but which has become the cornerstone. Only in him is there salvation;

¹² for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’

 

Peter seemed to always say the right thing at the right moment, remember when Christ asked them who people said he was and than who do you say I am, it was Peter who gave the right answer. Peter always seems to know what needs to be said and when, that is a sign of a good Sheppard, someone who knows how to lead, and when to lead.

Now we also know that Peter has more than once said the wrong thing, like denying Jesus three times and other such examples, but that too is a sigh of a good Sheppard, someone who knows how to lead.

Now let me explain that, because it seems like I am saying that  when Peter messed up he was being a good leader, and in a way I am, but there is more too it that just messing up. It is what Peter did after he messed up that makes him a good leader. After Peter denied Jesus he ask for forgiveness, he humbled himself before Jesus, when Peter told Jesus he could not wash his feet, than found out that if he would not allow his feet to be washed he could not share in the life Jesus offered him, he than told Jesus to was all of him.

Peter is a complex person, one with many interesting facets, and it is because of this that I think most of us identify with Peter. But few of us truly understand him. Saint Peter was the first Pope, chosen by Jesus himself, yet Peter was one of the 12 that gave Jesus the most grief, according to the Gospels. Why would Jesus choose someone who questioned Him so much, who misunderstood so much? I am sure that there was at least one of the 12 who just went with the flow, never rocked the boat, why didn’t Jesus select him to be the first Pope?

Life is complex, as is Peter, and Jesus knows this. Peter may have asked a lot of questions and from time to time said a lot of stupid things. I am sure there where days when Jesus would look at Peter, shake his head and say to him ‘Peter, Peter, when will you get it!”. And Peter would just look at Jesus and say “What"? What did I say now?” a all the others would just laugh.

Peter and Jesus must have has a very special relationship, sure we all know that John was the beloved one, but I am sure that was because John was the youngest, just a mere boy, and I am sure Jesus felt a special bond, like a father/son or older brother type of relationship to John. But Jesus and Peter, that to me seems more like a best friends forever type of relationship. The image that comes to mind are the TV friendships in the sitcoms that we all love, Lavern and Shirley or Richey and the Fonz. You know what I mean, the two best friends that no one understands. That to me is Peter and Jesus. The others must have wondered why Jesus puts up with Peter, yet it seems that Peter was always the one the Jesus went to.

Life is complex, as is our faith as was the relationships that Jesus had with his friends. Peter was human, as was Jesus. But Jesus was also divine, and in being so Jesus saw the truth within our hearts, and with in Peters. Jesus knew that with every stupid question or statement Peter made, Peter was only trying to discover more, to understand and to please his good friend Jesus. Peter was not a class clown just looking for a laugh, nor was he a simpleton, no Peter was a completed person searching for the truth, much like us.

So sure Peter said silly things sometimes and did stupid things, but Peter also knew when to allow the Holy Spirit to work through him, as in the reading above. And I am sure after he said what he said, he would stop and thing, “Man, where did that come from?” just like we all would. Peter, the perfect first Pope, Peter the every-persons person.

Paul

 

Old Man River

Are you like “Old Man River”? Do you believe in just floating along life’s water ways, allowing the current to carry you and the banks of the river to guide you?

Often we think that would be a good way to live, to just sit back and allow life to do its thing, and in truth, sometimes that is ok, sometimes the right thing to do is just that, nothing. But most of the time the “Old Man River” way of life is not what we need to be doing; sometimes the current of life is leading us in the wrong direction, carrying us in to troubled waters and grounding us on troublesome shores.

We need to navigate our ride down life’s river; we sometimes need to use the paddles we have made out of our hard work of change. Life will often toss us in to a raging river of turmoil and try to divert our destination, try to lead us in to the rocks of daily life. It is at times like this that we must learn to command “Old Man River” and tame it.

We are not just passengers on the boat of life, we are its captain, we command our destiny and we ride the rapids with determination and triumph over his waves, “Old Man River” is ours to command!

So when you get in to the boat today, stop to remind yourself that you are the captain of this ship, that you hold the utter and you will steer her will you will her to go. Your ship is under your command, and no one will take the helm from you unless you allow it. Her movements are at your hand and her destination is in your control.

“Old Man River” will not control you today, you will not allow it, and he is following your guidance and allowing you to pass over him in comfort and ease. “Old Man River” is tamed at least for today. As for tomorrow, well you’re the Captain of your ship, how will you steer her when the sun awakes is up to you…

Paul