Inside Beautiful

 . . . the fruit of the Spirit is
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
and self-control.
There is no law (Jewish Law) against such things.

. . .

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured again for you.

And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank that is in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me pull the speck out of your eye,’ when a log is in your own eye? 

You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn around and attack you.

. . .

. . . .

Not that I have already attained or have already been perfected, but I follow after it so that I may lay hold of that for which I was seized by Christ Jesus. 

I do not count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 

I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

living water

I am made in the image of God, not your image of God.

If You're Not Perfect You're Ready

So often we see ourselves as less than perfect. We see ourselves judged against the standards of a world that often determines for us what perfection looks like, and so often, even in our churches and in our spiritual communities, we understand what it really means to be someone who exemplifies what a follower of Jesus should look like.

And so often when we compare ourselves to others, especially when we look just on the outsides of people's lives, we see ourselves as perhaps a little unworthy of God's Grace.

And yet in Jesus we understand that not one of us is unworthy, that every single one of us is loved, and every single one of us has a role to play in this thing that we call life and in this thing that we call the Good News of Jesus.

That every single one of us made in the Divine Image of a Grace-filled and loving God is worthy of being a part of God's Plan.

We so often see the outsides of people's lives and forget that sometimes even those who we hold in high esteem have had issues in their lives that they have had to work through and find resolution to, and so often find forgiveness and reconciliation, and sometimes the God of our understanding that will pick each and everyone of us, no matter our circumstances, that will pick us to do great things for God's Mission.

That is a cool thing our Senior Pastor shared.

PROGRAM LISTINGS & PROGRAM SCHEDULES

An Extraordinary Adventure

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Life is intriguing isn't it? Volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Tsunamis. What's going on? Really! No wonder our ancestors invented stories. Questions. Curiosities. We want to know. We need to know. Each and everytime we dare to explore and are rewarded with a glimpse of understanding that enlightens us or treated to a revelation that expands us - uh - isn't that amazing? Truly! We are amazed, and so thrilled we are on the hunt for awesome. Adaptability!

Welcome to phenomenal life-thriving strategies delivered from the lean side of the mountain and embraced by many on this wondrous journey of life and learning - the continuation of our Extraordinary Adventure series.

"How do we cultivate young people who have the idealism, and the ambition, and the drive, and the passion to start their own journey to bring about meaningful and positive social change?"

You are altogether beautiful, my love;
    there is no flaw in you.

King Solomon

ALL of our ACTIONS have CONSEQUENCES - that's the sweet truth.
ALL of our NON-ACTION too! Get smart. DO something. Push through!

"I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, that one will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.   The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Jesus, Son of Man, Prince of Glory, Redeemer.

Who made the mountains? Who made the trees? Who made the rivers flow to the sea? Who sends the rain when the earth is dry? Who made the flowers to bloom in the spring? Who made the song for the robins to sing? Who hung the moon in the starry sky? Yes, all that and way much more! Our mind. Our body. Our spirit. Our soul.

Never let anyone put limits on what you can do! Don't allow it!

Phenomenal Life Strategies

Life Strategy # 11: "Mind Your Business"

Phenomenal life-affirming, life-thriving, life-uplifting strategies are being delivered by Our Lord Jesus on the lean side of the mountain. It's a new life.

Action Plan: Stay focused - do what it takes (perhaps one needs to tweak a habit, change the environment, renew one's understanding, adjust a belief, make the commitment) to stay on task. Jesus gets personal with me again, whispering how I can gain by losing in order to obtain that which is beautiful, worthy, utmost, compensatory to one's sacrifice then more, always beneificial to the whole. (What about you?) How do you stay on your game to gain that which is best on your journey?

Rejoice! Be Glad!
We are accompanied.
Many have gone before us.

Welcome to my 'inter-personal' share!

The need is great and perhaps has never been greater: the ability to effectively respond to our environment, stay relevant, avoid obsolescence, step out of the slip-sand of stagnation, rise above the quarrel, shine through the flickering diversions, build a better garden, revive paralyzed sensory systems, find the cure. An evolution is in the offing. Adaptability.

It seems to me the nose that is constantly jammed up into other people's business can explore only so much before the head is rendered brain damaged from any number of associated ailments! But how would the nose even know? Sad emoji. New motto: minding our own business.

Let us opt for wider vistas in a universe overflowing with draw-jopping surprises.

Shall we?

Okay. Okay. Okay. Let's settle this once and for all: you will have critics. Someone is going to judge us no matter what we do. Who knows, even you are probably judging your maker, your creator, your designer, this very minute! Or in the moments before this lavish entrance to amazing discoveries, new creations and exciting transformations. Yes you! Consciously or subconsciously! For what? Who knows! You do. Perhaps you are displeased with having been apportioned the wrong size - well - of you know what! How would I know? Or vexed at what you consider the wrong shape of . . . whatever that thing is! Or some associated pigmentation - the wrong color! Or texture! Or thickness! Or length, or height, or width, or timing, or placement, or . . . you get the picture: it's easy to be a critic. I trust there is no need to be reminded of that famous speech we've dramatized along this journey time and again. So let's settle this once and for all: them hypocrites gonna judge you - heftily - you don't have to judge yourself too. Okay? Okay! Drag the beam from your eye; it's gonna hurt. Let it heal. You will see better. How do I know? I am looking in the mirror. Smiling. Oh-dear-me. Lord! Must there be a scar?

Now where were we?

Wide jaw-dropping vistas! Sweeping horizons of Beautiful. Ah! The air is fresh. This fragrance is sweet. And troubles are a-plenty. M-hm.

See? Oooh! And look what we've got here! Yours! Your strip of Beautiful. Is it a new creation in progress? Innovation? Transformation? Solution? Experimentation? Unnamed thing-a-ma-jig? Indefinable awesomeness? Yours! Uniquely yours! You've accepted the challenge. This is your contribution. Your Jaw-Drop-in-the-making! Our universe is waiting! Your move.

This is your baby!

You've got to mind this beautiful baby or you will lose this baby. We are here.

Perhaps what you need now is focus. (We were shown how to focus in our opening episode - Oh The Bliss - of this 'Phenomenal Life Strategies' series.)

You already know what you are about. True? You know your purpose. You know your intention. You know why you are the parent of this baby. Let us presume you do, unless you are new on this journey - arrived by way of the Golden Buzzer - a sweet revelry and now it is nine months later! Even so. You need focus. This is a unique moment. Your baby. Your slip of Beautiful. A contribution that gives you (on the whole) more energy than it consumes. This is your business. You'll need to mind your baby. We are here.

Perhaps you feel stuck when, really, what you are experiencing is an unawareness of a necessary trigger! You are needing to evolve into this unique moment - your moment. You need to adapt! Your evolution needs its trigger triggered.

Yes?

Mind your business toe to hoe - you'll probably need to develop or exercise one of the following traits Jeff Boss recommends - then voila!

• a willingness to experiment, openess to change, emotional tolerance, mental fortitude, guidance to face uncertainty, an awakening
• a readiness to update your concept of wrong and right, a readiness to accept that 'it' worked in the past but 'it' will not work in this now and must with gratitude be let go and replaced
• you may not have resources, but you are the permanent owner of your resourcefulness - what you need is your resourcefulness
• a divorce from the one-size-fits all solution, an openess to tweaking - to turning ordinary into extra-ordinary
• the boldness to quit whining and move on
• not afraid to flip the mental switch and engage in some positive self-talk (they already think you're crazy anyway - give them cause!)
• don't care about the limelight
• be open-minded, ready to learn, see the forest and the trees and accept the difference
• know what you are about, i.e., mind your own business.

There you go!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. _ Robert Frost

Take time (if need be) to discover, hone, and use your gifts. You'll find useful steps (discovery process, action plans) in Riding Moby Dick. Just Click!

Do your body, mind and spirit communicate with each other & you.
Listen - first and foremost - to understand.

GLO-REY!

"I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them from My Father’s hand. My Father and I are one." All things are possible. Start with what is just outside your comfort zone. Believe. Act upon it. Step outside and breathe.

WORD TO THE WISE: Very often what it takes is mourning the loss, being humble and staying hungry. It is a tripple bliss: comfort, ownership, satisfaction. Aha!

Got it?

Let us see that smile.

No? Nevertheless, isn't it time to say thanks? It is ALWAYS a good time to say thank you when we mean it as we progress - loss or no loss - it is beautiful.

How much do you believe in your vision? How strongly are you committed to your mission? How inexhaustible is your passion? What is in it for you: the journey, the destination, or something different? Your turn to share.

"Knowledge that takes you not beyond yourself is far worse than ignorance." Elif Shafak.

Something To Consider

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You are

What POWER!