The Sound of Electronic Silence

Cover of Sounds of Silence (Exp)

Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

Sounds Of Silence By: Simon & Garfunkel

The song has an quality to it that makes it seem kind of dark, almost eerie feeling. Some would consider it a depressing song, a song with no hope. But I hear it differently, I hear it as a song of inner peace, a song searching for the meaning of self, the meaning of life, to me it is a song of becoming.

In todays world of connectedness, Wi-Fi and smart phones, we are never to far from being connected to someone or something. In fact we are frightened of being non-connected, of being off the grid as it were. Silence is the “monster under the bed” of many, they fear it, but have no rational reason to do so.

Recently I took a vacation to Koln Germany, I brought my iPad and smart phone, the iPad for reading and checking up on my home via Facebook and the smart phone, just incase I needed to call home. The phone was on, but never used, in-fact a few times it lost its charge, the iPad, well it was on daily, to read the news of the day and to check in on the doings of the two young lads who were watching over my home and pets, and to read. My postings to my Twitter (@paulsposite) and Facebook were at a stand still, and my blogging was put on the back burner. The sound of silence was welcomed, and was filled with real conversations with real people.

Wait, how can I say that, how can the silence be filled with conversation? What do I mean? What the hell am I talking about?

Silence comes in many different flavors, there is, of course, the traditional silence, no sound at all, just the nothingness that surrounds you. This silence is very useful, allowing you to become fully aware of yourself and your surroundings. I have talked about this kind of silence before, the need for it in our lives, even if its just 15 minutes per day, a time to reset and replenish your energy. I have spoken about how Jesus used this time time of silence to hear His Fathers commands and how we need to do the same. But this is not the silence I am referring to today, today I am referring to the digital silence, the silence of electronics. The need to replace the buzz of phones and instant messaging with the hum of humanity.

The world we are living in, is a world of connections, we are connected to each other  in ways we have never seen. We have Facebook friends and Twitter alliances, we instant message each other on our way to be with each other and than continue to message others why we are with each other. We are fearful of being disconnected, we are fearful that we will miss out, we are fearful of the silence of technology.

I love technology, and use it daily, I live on my iPad, I like keeping up with my friends and family and reading the latest news events as they happen, but I also love the down time, the time for me to just sit and be still. When I first got my iPad I was on it every waking hour, posting every  news article I read, and every quote I heard. I felt connected, I felt as if I was contributing to the massive world discussion of politics and current events. I still do post, more than some but less than others, but I have cut back, I have learned lessons and I have become friends with silence once more. Now most nights I post a few things, but for the most part my iPad is closed and away from me. Why the change, why did I give it up, if it was truly something I enjoyed? Simple, the stacks of magazines, books and other stuff that goes unread, the projects that are delayed and the time for silence that is lost. I was replacing all my enjoyment with one thing, the iPad and the net had become my single place of activity. The books I intended to read have collected dust, the magazines I subscribe to have gone unread and in many cases unopened. The projects I have started around the house are 1/2 finished or barley started and all the great plans I have made are just that, plans but no actions.

Is it the fault of the iPad, Facebook or Twitter, nope, its all mine, I allowed them to fill up the silence, I allowed them to take over and become my anti-silence. There is a time and a place for Facebook and Twitter, the iPad offers me many great opportunities to be silent, I have many great books downloaded that I could be reading, I have the ability to work on some of the projects I have started or want to start, its not the fault of technology, but the fault of my use of it.

My To-do list is long, but my actions are short. My personal silent time was lacking, but this is changing. My time in Germany, on my vacation, allowed me to once again remember the quality time I had when I had the time for silence. I remembered that the iPad does not own me, but I own it, I remembered that there is an On and Off switch on it, that if it can be turned on, it can also be turned off. I like that… I think it’s a lesson most of us need to learn, that what can be turned on, The TV, the Radio, the Computer or iPad, MP3 player, all it can also be turned off. The book that is closed can be opened, the magazine that sits there can be picked up. The walk you have been talking about can become reality and the quiet evening spent with good friends over a glass of wine can happen with out the smart phones. Life can exist with out being connected, life did before Wi-Fi and it can do so once again.

We need to re-learn that missing a phone call will not end our life, that not posting our current global position every 15 minutes will not cause the earth to spin off its axis and that our Facebook friends do not really need to know what we are eating or reading or watching every moment of the day. We need to understand that Twitter will still be Twittering with out our little comments and life will go on with or without our input.

The lesson will be hard, we have become so use to posting and tweeting that it almost seems second nature. But life will go on, technology is not the essence of life, this is a hard, true fact.

We need to remember that Wi-Fi cannot replace Face to Face, that Facebook is not the same as “Lets do dinner” and that a tweet is not the same as conversations over a glass of beer. Each have there time and purpose, but one cannot, and should not, replace the other. Reading a good book, be it paper or electronic cannot be replaced by reading the tweets of some celebrity you decided to stalk, and video chatting with your loved ones is not the same as dinner and a movie.

With the Christmas season upon us, maybe we should consider this. Maybe this year when we are buying all our gifts, maybe we could venture out of the electronics department and look in the old fashion game department, you know the ones were you have to sit face to face to play, were you have plastic game pieces and paper money. Or maybe this year when you are planning your Christmas party you could make it a mandatory Electronics Free Zone Party. No Phones, smart or otherwise, no iPads or other Wi-Fi connected devices. Maybe even have a few board games and deck of cards out, maybe you can even communicate directly to each other, you know face to face.. Just a thought….

Look for the opportunities to become electronic free, look for times you can be “Off the Grid” and enjoy the silence of no electronics in your life. Rediscover live that is Twitter free, learn to live a life of no Facebook, even if its for just a few hours per day, make rules for when the smart phones must become silent, establish a time with all OFF buttons must be in use. It can be done, my friends in Germany, they do something very radical, they turn off the power to there modem when they are done using the computer… They disconnect from the grid, and they survived! We can do it, I know we can, besides the benefit of not being connected to the web, you will also save energy… It’s a big step, and I admit, I am not there yet, but I am thinking about it. If I did do that, if I did turn the power off to my modem, not only would I not be able to surf the web, post my amazing input to Facebook, but I would also not be able to watch TV. My TV is run through my computer, I cut the cord and dished the dish years ago. The lack of internet would also turn my iPad into a very expensive e-reader and my books and magazines would become more accessible.

Now its true, its not very hard to turn it back on, but the process takes time, I would have to reboot the computer, log in and make sure all the programs are running that need to be running for my TV to work, to the time it takes would be a deterrent to just turning the TV on because I can. Its something to consider.

Lots to consider…

God Bless

Paul Sposite

Guided Insight Life Coach

 

Sometimes simple is well enough

Something’s should not be messed with, some traditions are sacred and should remain untouched. But there are always some who feel a little twist here and a little change here makes things better. Take, for example all the restaurants that feels a need to “fix” the American classic, grilled cheese. A simple delight as it is, but some feel a need to “spice it up” change it around and make it “new and improved”. Hogwash! That’s what I say. It worked as it was, it was simple and delightful… Two slices of white bread, 2 slices of American cheese, slap some butter on the bread and grill… Simple and good as it is. No need to add aged cheese from the basement of some monastery in some obscure town in Europe, or artisan bread that coast as much as a new car. Sometimes simple is better.

When I travel to Germany and visit my good friends there, we always make time to have some nice home cooked foods. He is a marvelous cook, and can create some very fancy meals. We seem to always have one posh meal before I leave to return home. But off all the meals, the simple poor man dishes are the best. Simple pasta dishes or the working mans German dinners. They are simple, flavorful and, well, comforting. As food should be…

This also applies to other areas of life, such as family or religious  traditions. Why mess with proven ways… Why change just for the sake of change? What progress is there in that?

Last weekend I took a coworker and friend from Mexico to Downtown Detroit, to show him the sights and he wanted to get a hat from the Detroit Hard Rock Café. As part of my fifty cent tour of Detroit we walked to Fox Town, where the Fox Theater is. What a theater it is, it is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, it truly is the gem of Detroit. Currently the Fox has a production of Irving Berlin‘s “White Christmas”. One of my all time favorite movies. I mean what’s not to like, Bing sinning White Christmas, as only he can and Danny Kaye dancing and, well, being Danny Kaye. A simple story line, clean humor and best of all, it’s just a good plain simple feel good movie. One that I watch all year-long…

As part of our night in Detroit, we decided to take in the play, enjoy the sounds of Christmas and experience the Fox in all her glory. the Fox did not let us down, she is a majestic ornate theater and she was all done up for Christmas. What a sight!

But the same cannot be said about the play…

Why change a classic? Why make it what it is not? Why add to what is perfect?

All theses questions where running through my head as I watched this thing unfold. Was it a bad musical, not, the actors were fine and the singing was good, but was it “White Christmas”, nope, they could have called this play anything they wanted…. And maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it was not called White Christmas.

What did they do to it, they sexualized it, turned Bing’s character in to a fool and Danny’s into a sex hound, made the general an ass and the house keeper his love interest. Why? for what purpose? The story was fine as it was. Sure I understand that you need to rewrite the move for the stage, but why reinvent the characters? Like the grilled cheese, an American classic, so it White Christmas. It was simple, and decent, it was and is one of the finest movies made, yet the producers of the play felt a need to update it, to bring it into the 21st century. To what ends? For what purpose? None that I can see. Sometimes simple is well enough.

In a world full of complex situations and over sexed everything, sometimes sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket and watching White Christmas while eating a simple grilled cheese sandwich is all we need. Sometimes simple is the best way to go.

 

God Bless

Paul

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9/11: How it’s changed American and me…

With the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 upon us, I thought I would take the time to reflect a little on the event and how I have seen America change and how I have changed. First off, we all are 10 years older, maybe wiser, but that can be debated. It’s hard to imagine still that we, the United States of America, were attacked and the 3000 people lost their lives for no good or valid reason. That a few simple-minded religious fanatics decided that flying planes in to buildings, killing innocent people, was the best way to get their message across. Still seems like a made for TV movie or a bad summer teen flick where the hero would be some 17-year-old boy who discovered the plot when he was hacking into the governments secret computer system.

But it happened, it for better or worse it has changed the American land scape. We now have long lines at the airport where 70-year-old grandma’s along with 10-year-old children are searched the same as some Muslim extremist. To me, this is a case-in-point were profiling would be well worth our efforts. As far as I know no 90-year-old grandma nor any 10-year-old has blown up a building as of late, but I am sure we have seen this sort of activity from the Muslim extremist. We all profile people daily, and we should. When I travel to different parts of the world I am always on the look out for people who “just don’t look like they are up to any good” and I am always told by my friends who live their what to look out for. That sounds life profiling to me. Our teachers do it daily, or at least they should, they should be looking for the students that are more prone to cheat or steal. We have reports and findings on this almost daily in the news. Reports that tell us that a child that lives with only his or her mother is more likely to do bad in school and life. To be on the look out to help them and to better understand them. That is profiling… And we should do it, it can save a life, like the life of the teen whom we profiled to be at risk, or my life when I profile a potential terrorist based on there Muslim identity.

So that is one way that 9/11 has changed America,  and one that has caused lots of debates both for more security and less for profiling and not. The debate is healthy and good for America and we should continue it, it is how our government works best, when We the People are involved in the discussion.

I have also seen America become more united, directly after the attacks and then seen her become more divided as time went on. Creating a political hot potato out of the events out of 9/11. I have seen reasonably intelligent people blame the United States for the attacks and others declare it to be the work of the United States Government, all so President Bush can go to war… I have seen people who were for the war turn agents it for political gain and use 9/11 to create emotionally gain votes. But I have also seen heart-felt pain and longing on the face or true Americans who understand the devastation and lost.

9/11 has changed the face of American, it has torn at the fabric that makes this nation great. In some respects it has made her greater and in others it has not. Like most things in this world there is always two sides to every story, and 9/11 is no different.

As for me, it has created a pride for my nation that I have never known. I was always a flag waving proud American, but 9/11 has reminded me the America is the defender of freedoms throughout the world, that she is the light shinning on that hill and that America is the symbol of freedom and liberty that beckons to all who desire it. 9/11 has awaken in me my sense of duty to participate in the great experiment called America, to vote to be informed and to engage in debate. It has awaken in me a sense of urgency to learn and to grow. To watch and to read, to become an informed citizen of this great nation.

The terrorist failed in there attack’s on America, the 3000 did not die in vain, America will come back stronger and wiser because of 9/11 and the world will once again know her for what she is, a land of Liberty and Freedom. A land that is welcoming to all who wish to enter (legally)  and to all who need the protective arms of Lady Liberty. America has changed as have I, I am more resolved than ever before to defend all the America stands for, I have never been prouder to state “I am an American!” (unlike Mrs. Obama) and I will never apologize (like Mr. Obama) for Americas exceptionalism. I will continue to wave my flag and hold it high, I will continue to show my pride in America and I will always state “I am proud to be an American”.

This week I will travel to Germany (September 12) and I am sure the topic of 9/11 will arise, an I am sure I will be hit with anti-American rhetoric. And I am also sure that I will stand strong and proud as I defend her abroad. America is my home and my love, my nation is dear to me and I will defend her honor till death. Patrick Henry said it best when he said “Give me liberty or give me death”.

Sure America has her issues and her spotted past. Slavery is a black ark upon her soul, but she also has her silver linings and admirable attributes. America, like any other human endeavor, will  falter from time to time, but unlike any other republic ever conceived, America will, as it always has, correct her course through debate and discourse and the power of the vote. “We the people” has meaning and power in America, and as history has proven, We the People are not afraid to use it. No other nation in history has helped so many and ask for so little in return, no other nation in history wins the war, rebuilds the nation just to return her back to the people. America is a proud nation, a nation of Peoples who are willing to die for the ideals that define her. Our past is filled with patriots who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, they have spilled their blood upon the soil of not only this nation but the nations of the world, in the defense of an ideal, that all people are created equal and free. That liberty is worth the fight and that the gains will out number the losses. Yes it is true that loss of any life is not cause for celebration, but it is also true that sometimes the ideal is worth the fight. The principles that make up the American character are simple and true, the words are known by some, but sadly not by all, our founding Fathers sacrificed all they had to declare and defend these basic life principles.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, she is the shinning light upon the hill-top and a beacon for all who seek truth and liberty. America is all that she set out to be and will be, for we are a nation of people who believe in the ideals our founders established for us, we are a nation of freedom lovers and defenders of the truth. 9/11 has shown me this, besides all the political grandstanding and anti-American Americans. The true heart of America still beats and pumps the red, white and blue blood through our veins and the flag still flies high and proud.

On this tenth anniversary of 9/11 take the time to thank our military and first responders, hug your children and tell them you love them. Fly the flag with pride and remember the ones that lost their life in the cowardly attacks of that faithful day. Take the time to read-up on our nation, our founders and the first principles of this great nation. On this anniversary take the time to stop into a church or synagogue or mosque, give thanks to God for this great nation and ask for His guidance and grace. Spend a few moments in silence and solitude, and remember that day, lest we ever forget.

God Bless and may God shed His grace upon thee

Paul

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Kid-Free Zones…

A few weeks ago I read an article about a restaurant that has a no kid policy. I read the article, and have to say, I agree, the owner of the restaurant has the right to banning children under the age of 6. But I never thought of it again, that is until today…

 

Today I read a new article (Read this) about this trend of banning kids from restaurants, hotels, airplanes and other such places. And It made me think once again about what I think of this practice… And I still have to say, I like it, I think it’s a good idea for a few reasons:

• Parents that believe that allowing there brats to run around is a good idea
• Some places are just adult only
• Sometimes its nice to be kid free, no crying and yelling and pouting

Brat free zones can be a good thing. It would be nice knowing that if I choose to spend lots of money on a nice dinner out I won’t have to worry about an out of control brat. Or if I am in a first class seat on my way to Paris, I won’t be disturbed with a screaming baby. Or I want to watch a movie, but really don’t want all the brats talking and screaming.

Choice is a good idea, and if I choose between brat free zones or Kid friendly zones, to me that’s a good thing. To tell the truth, kids don’t bother me, for the most part. But every now and than, and I must say it seems to me that it happens more often now, it seems kids are allowed to get out of control, and the parent just sits there or stands by doing nothing. So maybe we need s a no stupid parents zone, maybe that’s more of the issue than the brats themselves.

 

God Bless

Paul

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Lent 2011: Are you ready for it?

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With Lent here, it’s a good time to ask the question, “Are you ready for it?” or an even better question, “Do you understand it?”

Lent is a complex time in the Church year, we are depriving ourselves, we are reminded of our mortality yet we are to be preparing for the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, a time of celebration….

Talk about emotions running the gamete… The high and lows of life are all put into the 40 days of Lent… We as Catholic/Christians are called to use this time as a time of renewal, a time to prepare for the new life, the new life in Christ.

It’s a time of sacrifice, a time to offer up to God. But many look at it as a time to stop eating candy or drinking pop. Yes they are sacrifice for many, but is that all we need to do?

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(Source)

1. Take 30 minutes to pray, ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance, look over this activities list for the Season of Lent, and make a few practical Lenten resolutions. Be careful. If you try to do too much, you may not succeed in anything. If you need to get up early or stay up late to get the 30 minutes of quiet, do it. Turn off your phone and computer. Don’t put it off and don’t allow interruptions.
2. During the Season of Lent, Get up earlier than anyone else in your house and spend your first 15 minutes of the day thanking God for the gift of life and offering your day to Him.
3. Get to daily Mass.
4. If you can’t do Mass daily, go to Mass on Fridays in addition to Sunday and thank Him for laying his life down for you. Maybe you can go another time or two as well.
5. Spend at least 30 minutes in Eucharistic adoration at least one time during the week.
6. Recover the Catholic tradition of making frequent visits to the Blessed sacrament throughout the week, even if it is only for 5 minutes.
7. Get to confession at least once during the Season of Lent after making a good examination of conscience. If you are not sure why confession is important, get my CD “Who Needs Confession.”
8. In addition to the penance assigned by the priest, fulfill the conditions necessary for a plenary indulgence. You can learn about plenary indulgences from the official Handbook of Indulgences.
9. Make a decision to read at least some Scripture every day. Starting with Today’s!
10. Even if you can’t get to daily Mass during the Lenten Season, get a Daily Roman Missal or go visit the Crossroads Homepage for a link to the Daily Mass readings, and read these readings daily. During special seasons such as Lent, the Mass readings are thematically coordinated and make for a fantastic Bible study!
11. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours. You can buy a one volume edition or a full four volume edition. Or you can get it day by day online for free at www.universalis.com. Or you can subscribe to a monthly publication called the Magnificat that provides a few things from the liturgy of the hours together with the Mass readings of the day. The Magnificat is a great way to start learning the Liturgy of the Hours.
12. Get to know the Fathers of the Church and read selections from them along with Scripture. Short selections from the Fathers writing on Lenten themes can be downloaded for free from the Lenten Library of our website at www.crossroadsintiative.com
13. Make the Stations of the Cross each Friday of the Season of Lent either with a group or by yourself. If you have kids, bring them.
14. Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary often during Lent, especially on Friday and Wednesday. The glorious mysteries are especially appropriate on Sundays. Joyful and Luminous mysteries are great on other days.
15. Purchase the Scriptural Rosary, which supplies you with a scripture verse to recite between each Hail Mary. This makes it easier to meditate on the mysteries. Another resource to deepen your understanding of the Rosary is my CD set “How Mary and the Rosary can Change Your Life.”
16. If you’ve never done a family rosary, begin doing it. If starting with once a week, try Friday or Sunday. If it’s tough to start with a full five decades, try starting with one. Use the Scriptural Rosary and have a different person read each of the Scriptures between the Hail Mary’s. This gets everyone more involved.
17. Make it a habit to stop at least five times a day, raise your heart and mind to God, and say a short prayer such as “Jesus, I love you,” or “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” or “Lord, I offer it up for you.”
18. Pray each day for the intentions and health of the Holy Father.
19. Pray each day for your bishop and all the bishops of the Catholic Church.
20. Pray for your priests and deacons and for all priests and deacons.
21. Pray for the millions of Christians suffering under persecution in various Muslim and Communist countries around the world such as the Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Viet Nam, and North Korea.
22. Pray for Christian unity, that there would be one flock and one shepherd.
23. Pray for the evangelization of all those who have not yet heard and accepted the Good News about Jesus.
24. Pray for your enemies. In fact, think of the person who has most hurt you or who most annoys you and spend several minutes each day thanking God for that person and asking God to bless him or her.
25. Pray for an end to abortion on demand in the United States. Pray for pregnant women contemplating abortion.
26. Pray for a just peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Holy Land and elsewhere. Pray for our troops and for others in harm’s way.
27. Pray for an end to capital punishment. Pray for those on death row, and for the families of murder victims.
28. Find a form of fasting that is appropriate for you, given your age, state of health, and state of life. Some fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. Some fast from sweets or alcohol throughout Lent. Some fast on one or more days per week from breakfast all the way to dinner, spending lunch hour in prayer or at noon Mass. Some cut out all snacks between meals. The money saved from not buying various things should be given to an apostolate or ministry serving the physically or spiritually poor.
29. Prayer is like breathing – you have to do it continually. But sometimes you need to pause and take a very deep breath. That’s what a retreat is. Plan a retreat this Lent. It could be simply a half day, out in nature, or in a Church. Or it could be a full day. Or an overnight. You can certainly read lots of things during your retreat or listen to lots of talks. But try sticking to Scripture, the liturgy, and quiet as much as you can. During or at the end of the retreat, write down what the Holy Spirit seems to be saying.
30. Find a written biography of a Saint that particularly appeals to you, and read it during the Season of Lent.
31. Instead of secular videos for weekend entertainment, try some videos that will enrich your spiritual life. Suggestions: Jesus of Nazareth, by Franco Zeffirelli, The Scarlet and the Black, the Assisi Underground.
32. While driving, turn off the secular radio for awhile and use commute time to listen to some teaching on audiocassette or CD. Some great resources can be purchased through this site or from other Catholic apostolates and publishers that you can find on our links page.
33. Find a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or crisis pregnancy center, and volunteer some time there throughout Lent. Serve the people there with the understanding that in so doing, you are serving Jesus. Try to see Jesus in each person there.
34. Visit someone at a nursing home or in the hospital or sick at home. Again, love Jesus in and through the suffering person.
35. Is there a widow or divorced person living in your neighborhood? If so, invite that person to your home for dinner, coffee, etc.
36. View Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ during Lent on VHS or DVD, if you feel you can handle the violence. Get a copy of The Guide to the Passion to help you get the most out of the movie.
37. Invite folks to view The Passion of the Christ with you, especially people whose faith is rather nominal, or who do not practice their faith, or who do not profess Christian faith at all. Give them a copy of The Guide to the Passion.
38. Spend some focused time with your spouse, strengthening your marriage. Start praying together, or make praying together a more frequent occurrence.
39. Spend some focused time together with each of your children. Listen. Pray. Maybe even have fun.
40. When Easter comes, don’t drop the new practice you’ve begun during the Season Lent! Make a permanent feature of a deeper Christian life!

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God Bless and Happy Lent

Paul

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Obama makes it look like President Bush shopped at Wal-Mart

In truth I need to write nothing, there is nothing I can really add to this…. But a blog is about writing, so here I go…

President Bush, at the time, was called in to check, rightly so, for spending way to much of our children’s money. But from what I can tell Obama and his administration make President Bush look like a cheep-o …. The money that he and his people has spent has not only dipped into our children’s money, but there children’s also.

In the name of progress and Change we can believe in, Obama has spent our nation into near bankruptcy. The liberals rally call of “Its all free for the taken” has devastated our budget and placed America, the once power house of the economic world, i n peril.  The Chinese government owns most of our debt and at anytime could decide to call in in, for cash, The value of the American dollar is down and the moral of a nation is on shaky ground. The trust of the people in the government, whom we elect to work for us, has shifted to a distrust in a government whom we work for.

The founding Fathers of this great nation must be rolling over in the graves, looking down upon us with grim faces and asking the question that all Americans should be asking themselves “What the hell is going on”.

How did we ever get to a point in our history were we, Americans, felt that the government was meant to support us, to provide for us. Reading the founding documents, I find nothing in them that would indicate that. Reading the founding fathers, or at least starting too, I have found nothing, so far in what I have read, that would support “Big Government” . In-fact I find just the opposite, I find that the framers of America did everything humanly possible to not allow the government to get this big. They did not want a nanny state, they wanted a free society that was able to fend for itself. And a government that was to protect the borders (something Obama must have skipped over) and provide the protection that allows for our liberties. Yet as we see, the government under Obama has grown, making government more, not less, intrusive in our lives.

With ObamCare we now have a government that will decide what health care I have, who I see and even force me to purchase health care, that I, as a free person, may not want. What is next, all Americans must purchase a GM volt, or you will be taxed, and the IRS will look in to if. Sounds far off, but just a little over two years ago I thought the idea of forced insurance and the IRS checking to make sure you have health insurance was far off. So far off, it never even entered my mind, yet here it is, right in the ObamaCare bill, the IRS is the watch dog for forced heath care.

It almost sounds like one of those bad science fiction movie plots. You know the ones, were the government, in order to create a more perfect union, took over the lives of all, even deciding when they should die.  You know, like the movie “Soylent Green”, of “1984”. Scary to think about, but just take a look at that ObamaCare bill, read the 2000 pages, and then look at the above budget again, and ask yourselves “Is it really that hard to believe”. Sadly, no it’s not, but it should be,

America is not supposed to look like this, this is not what the framers set out to create, somewhere along the way we got lost. We got lost in the “New Deal” and the “Great Society” rhetoric that has created a nation of dependent people.  We, the people, are not supposed to be dependent on the government, the government is supposed to be dependent on us, the people. But once again, look at the graphic up top, and ask yourself, who is dependent on whom?

God Bless

Paul

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Reflections

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Merry Christmas everyone! And a Happy New Year! May God Bless you and keep you in his loving arms! As the New Year approaches I thought I would take sometime to reflect upon the Old Year. Over the past year my life has changed, my household has changed and well, just about everything has changed. Some for the better others not, but change is, overall, a good thing. So lets take a look back shall we….

 

The above was going to be my opening line for todays posting, but I have decided not to write that, for many reasons, one being I am not good with details and dates and such, so sometimes I am not sure when an event took place, was it January of 2010 or December of 2009… Also I decided that any major event was already posted here, so if you want to know what went on in 2010, just look at the old posts… So now what….

I still like the title Reflections, so I will keep it, but now I have to write something to fit the title… an interesting writing exercise, I have done it before, and I have always enjoyed the outcome. I like to see what comes to mind and how I can twist it to fit the title…. So lets see what may come…

 

Over the holiday session I love to watch holiday movies. In-fact I have a rule in my house, From Thanksgiving until Christmas, the only movies I watch are Christmas movies, so needles to say I have lots and lots of them, some better than others, but they all get one viewing during the session, some get many viewings, such as “White Christmas” or “Holiday Inn”  and the classic “It’s a wonderful life”.

But this session I think I found a new Christmas classic, “Beyond Tomorrow”. Beyond Tomorrow is a delightful movie that will inspire and entertain you, and like many Christmas movies, it can be enjoyed all year long.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves old movies, movies with a simplicity and style to them. My love of Christmas movies has netted me many hours of pure enjoyment, much like my love of Christmas music, as any reader of this blog knows.

My love of old movies is nothing new, I have also posted about them… My collection of old movies keeps growing, and this Christmas I have added over 60 new movies to my collection. I must say I love the fact that you can get more than one movie on a DVD, and I love the fact that with the older movies they are doing more and more of that.

A lot of the older movies are in the Public Domain, meaning there is no copywrite on them, so companies can freely use them and distribute them. This allows many companies to create DVD sets with hundreds of old movies on them. I have several of those sets. Sure some of the movies are not worth the time but over all it makes for an enjoyable watching experience.

Now before you start to think that all I do is watch old movies, I also got a few books to read this Christmas… And truth be told, I truly do not watch a lot of TV or movies. But I will admit that I have been known to sit from the time I wake at 7am or so until the time I go to bed at 10 or so to do nothing but watch old movies. And I will also admit I have done the same with books (more often than not it is with books). But I do live my movie days, just sitting and watching old movies…

As part of my New Years resolution I am am going to attempt to blog more about current Catholic/Political and Social issues, to add more links to facts and background data. Normally I don’t offer much of that, I am not one who likes to research, and when I do, I am not one who makes good notes. So the end result are articles that contain facts, but very often no link to the fact. The reader just has to take my word for it. If I am to do this, I will not be able to post daily, not that I have been, but I would have to post maybe weekly or something like that. But that is my resolution this year, to offer more facts and to back up the facts with links. I have done it in the past, it just takes some time. So look for it in 2011… Not sure what my first article will be, but I will try to post it with in the first few days of 2011… Until than….

Happy New Year and God Bless

Paul

 

Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving, an American holiday… Yes I know Canada has thanksgiving also, but I am talking about the American Thanksgiving, our Holiday, our day to give thanks. In todays politically correct world I am shocked that someone has not mandated that we change the name from Thanksgiving to something like, I am Sorry Day or Apology Day. Based on what the schools are teaching, the white Europeans came to this utopia and killed everyone off. That this land was a paradise, the native Americans lived in harmony with each other and the land. In fact many think the movie “Avatar” represents the struggle of the native Indians. This is not completely true, the native Americans, like Europeans, had many diverse nations with in America, some peaceful others not so much.

The first settlers of America from Europe came to the shores of this great land to find freedom, they came to carve out a new life in the wilderness, to establish a life for themselves. No it was not always a peaceful co-existence between the natives and the pilgrims, yes killing took place, on both sides. What we have to understand and take into consideration is the times this took place in. the mindset of the collective world. We cannot hold the past responsible for actions taken them based on morals and standards of today. Times were different, and the native Americans and the Pilgrims and other Europeans reacted based on standards and norms of the day. 

This is one of the main faults of the political correct movement, the norms of a society change, yet we feel that todays norms, the norms of 2010 should be applied to all times. Books such as ‘Huck Finn” are being banned based on todays political correct mindset, generations of youth will never know the genius of Mark Twain. History books are being re-write to fit into the political correct world, and leaving the facts to fall into the political correct obis. Sure, we as a Nation have made mistakes, as have every Nation, including the Native American Indian Nations. No Nation is perfect, but we also have made many positive contributions to the world, he have fostered peace among Nations and Peoples. We have established a democracy that is the envy of the world and we have created a Nation where all have a say and all are equal. Yes we have a long way to go, but we also have come a long way.

This Thanksgiving, give thanks for all that we, as a Nation, are thankful for, give thanks for the freedoms our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters have fought for, give thanks for the freedom to disagree with this post and the freedom to express your own feelings.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless

Paul

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The magic of yesterdays

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It is hard to believe that it is July already, it seems that Christmas was just last week, and now here we are into the Summer of 2010. How time really does fly.

As of late I have have been thinking about time, its passing mostly. How it is hard to believe that my dad passed away over 13 years ago or how my mom has been gone for over 3 years or even that my dog George has been gone 5 months already. Time, it just keeps on a passin’ me by…

It may be that I am getting older and my immortality is becoming something I am thinking about. But I’m only halfway to 88, so I’m not that old, am I? Or it could  be that I am just in a very melancholy mood, just drifting along. Time keeps on drifting into the future, that’s what the song states, but me, I keep on drifting into the past.

the other day I was watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I love that movie, and was remembering when I first saw it. How I thought that the car was real and could do all the wonderful things shown in the movie. How simple it all was. I remember seeing it at the drive in theater, eating popcorn from a large brown paper grocery bag and drinking town club soda from a bottle. We brought our own snacks along with us, much cheaper that way. I remember the little play area in front of the screen were us kids could swing and play and they even had a free train ride. So much simpler back than.

I think that’s what I am looking for, the simpler times. In today’s world of complex, the simpler gets lost. I miss that, I crave it and I try to recreate it in my life today. Sometimes I achieve it, like when I spend the day at Greenfield Village or Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island. But they are sadly to far between visits and the complex invades my time.

Simpler is better it seems to me. Take new math, what was wrong with the old math, 2+2=4 in both, so why make it more complex? Look at our family life, everyone needs planners and play dates and taxi service and social networks and ipods and this pod and that pod. To complex! What ever happen to just going out and finding a pick-up game of kick ball or baseball, simpler is better.

I don’t know, maybe I am just getting old, and I just want things to slow down, but I am only 44, that’s not old. But maybe I am.. Who knows. But I think its more than that, I think I am on to something here, I think life has become to complex and the American Life needs to slow down and return to a simpler, less complex, time. We need to rediscover the fun in just being together as a family, we need to experience the joy of a good old fashion picnic or a day exploring the small towns and villages that surround us.

I remember how I use to love being with my family, my mom and dad and all my brothers and sisters. I remember vacations and outings with a smile on my face and warmth with in me. The simplicity of it all was magical! As I got old I remember enjoying just spending time together, maybe taking a Sunday drive or just sitting around, the complexities left behind, no text messaging, no cell phone calls and no laptop and wireless for my social networking. We just spent time, eating, drinking and laughing together. Today is much to complex, this idea of instant contact and constant updates is out of hand. We place ourselves upon pedestals of grandeur and market ourselves and important. We update or twitter, just incase someone wants to know we are eating a hotdog or we facebook the world to let them know we just finished the dishes, and all the time fooling ourselves that people truly do want to know or need to know.

To complex and to self absorbed, I prefer the simplicity of times gone by, I prefer the face to face over the facebook to facebook. Sure I have a facebook account and I check it daily and update my status. I have a blog, as you well know, and update it I even have a linked in account and a 4marks account. I use email and texted messaging and only use a cell phone, no landline at all. And yes sometimes I get caught up in all the complexities of the world, but I truly long for the simplicities of yesterday.

I long for the days when once again I would believe that a car can fly and magic was real. I miss the times of long summer nights spent outside playing four corners or a game of whiffel ball.

God Bless

Paul

1977 Remember When (A Nostalgic Look Back In Time)

Romans 12:3“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

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Sin is…

  St. Augustine said sin was “Love of oneself, even to contempt of God.” Basically St. Augustine said sin is EGO. To love oneself above all else even God. We can trace this back to our first parents, Adam and Eve. They loved themselves above God when they ate from the tree of knowledge. They discovered their nakedness and became ashamed. The emotion of feeling of shame would not exist if we did not take so much pride in ourselves, if we did not love ourselves above all else, even God.

The sin of loving self over others is ramped in today’s world. We see it in our movie stars and pro athletes and in everyday people. Look around you and you will see it, people who feel they are entitled to this or that, be it a job or love. We see it in all aspects of life and all age groups.

The world has embraced this and even encourages it. The more we love ourselves the less we can love other and the less we can love God. Why would the world encourage this? Because if we are unhappy and lonely we become better consumers and more dependent on society to feed us, yet we will never be satisfied.

We can not satisfy a hunger with earthly foods, not a hunger that is for our Heavenly Father, not a hunger for eternity. We may try, and we may feel satisfied for a few days, but the hunger persistent and the longing for satisfaction grows. We look for earthly solutions yet none will suffice, we seek the gods from our humanity when it is the God of our  humanity that we truly want and need. Yet sin prevent us from finding that which we seek.

The sin of self-love is  the sin of EGO. When we allow ourselves to enter into a relationship with ourselves that takes priority over others and God we have entered into sin. Self love can be looked at as a forms of gluten, adultery and even killing.

Gluten:

We seek to feed ourselves with love of self, we horde the lime light, look for or create opportunities to pile praise upon ourselves and steel the moments fourm other and the worst of them all is we fail to give God the credit for our successes.

Adultery:

When you are in a deep relationship with yourself, any other relationship would be adulterous in nature. You can not have more than one spouse, and your main spouse is yourself. You can not love self above all others and truly love anyone else.

Killing:

When you are so deeply involved in yourself, yet try to retain outside contacts you will be in contradiction of your nature. This contradiction of your nature will fight for survive, and in doing so will kill any relationship that threatens to destroy your own self loving relationship. 

EGO is sin, self-love is EGO therefore self-love is sin.

We could add other sins to the list, such as idolatry or false gods and I am sure if I thought about it long enough I could fit all ten commandments in to this article, but I wont, you can do that as a Lenten activity. For now I will allow you time to digest this morsel of information and see where it takes you.

God Bless

Paul

What happened to Sin?

Galatians 5:22-23“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.