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Soul Alive

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Soul Alive –

Outside, under our two sheds and front porch are families of rabbits. I see them when I let out the dog, who’s too old to chase them anymore, when I drive the truck into the driveway, when I sit still long enough and wait for them to emerge from their hiding holes. It excites me. Wildlife has always had this impact on me. I slow down to look at deer on the sides of the highway or in far-off fields. Stare at Falcons and Hawks perched on fence posts or electric poles. Turkeys, skunks, opossum, armadillos, foxes, even cows grab my attention.

I grew up in the suburbs but my parents took us to National Parks as often as the could. We loved camping, canoeing, hiking, exploring. We saw lots of wildlife and even had a few run-ins with Black Bears. I believe this is where my love of nature was born and raised along with the important lessons of treating it gently, basking in its beauty and always leaving a place better than you found it.

Nature, along with other gifts we take for granted each day, bring life to my soul. I can’t imagine not being excited, filled with joy, while experiencing it.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Posted in Life

Tags: #alive, #attention, #basking, #believe, #better, #blessings, #born, #bringlife, #camping, #canoeing, #emerge, #enough, #excites, #experiencing, #exploring, #far-off, #filled, #found, #gently, #gifts, #grab, #granted, #impact, #important, #joy, #Leaving, #lessons, #long, #look, #loved, #NationalParks, #outside, #raised, #see, #sit, #slow, #slowdown, #soul. #imagine, #soulalive, #stare, #still, #thewannabesaint.com, #treating, #wait, #Wildlife, @BrianLoging, beauty, Hiking, Nature, Soul

Mind Made Up

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Mind Made Up –

Today is April 5th. I mowed my grass today because springtime makes things grow. Usually, I mow grass on Friday or Saturday. The reason I mowed today is that rain is in the forecast tomorrow and it might snow on Saturday. Snow. Did I mention we’re in the month of April?

The weather cannot make up its mind. My mind has been made up. I’m ready for spring, all of it. Not a little, not touch and go, not warm one day and cold the next, sunny and then snow. The problem is my mind made up doesn’t impact the weather or the seasons. I don’t have that kind of power. I can be frustrated that I mowed grass in jacket and toboggan today. I can be wary of cool breezes and cold noses. However, my wariness doesn’t change things either. Sigh.

So, I accept what I cannot change, understand the finiteness of humankind and remember that gaining wisdom begins with humility.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Wisdom

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Tags: #accept, #achieving, #April, #blessings, #breezes, #change, #cold, #cool, #finiteness, #forecast, #frustrated, #grow, #humankind, #humility, #impact, #jacket, #made, #makeupitsmind, #mention, #MindMadeUp, #month, #mowed, #next, #noses, #power, #problem, #rain, #reason, #remember, #seasons, #sigh, #snow, #springtime, #sunny, #thewannabesaint.com, #toboggan, #today, #tomorrow, #touchandgo, #understand, #wariness, #warm, #wary, #wisdom, @BrianLoging, Grass, Mind, Weather

Scattered

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Scattered –

Last night I stuck a bag of trash on the porch. Living in the country and not placing garbage in a receptacle is like playing Russian Roulette. Sometimes a varmint gets into it and other times they just pass it by. Unfortunately, last night something got into the trash and scattered it all over the driveway. It was the first thing I saw when letting the dog out this morning. I went inside, grabbed a new bag and began recollecting the trash. There’s nothing quite like picking up frost-covered garbage at dawn.

As I was gathering it and stuffing it into the bag I began to recall a Jewish wisdom tale;

A woman repeated a story (gossip) about a neighbor. Within a few days, everyone in the community knew the story. The person she talked about heard what had been said about her and she was very sad. Later, the woman who had spread the story learned that it was not true. She was very sorry and went to a wise rabbi and asked what she could do to repair the damage. After giving this some thought, the rabbi said to her, “Go home, get one of your feather pillows, and bring it back to me.” Surprised by the rabbi’s response, the woman followed his advice and went home to get a feather pillow and brought it to the rabbi. “Now,” said the rabbi, “open the pillow and pull out all the feathers.” Confused, the woman did what she was told to do. After a few minutes, the rabbi said, “Now, I want you to find every one of the feathers and put them back into the pillow.” “That’s impossible,” said the woman, almost in tears. “The window is open and the wind has scattered them all over the room and blown many feathers outside. I can’t possibly find them all.” “Yes,” said the rabbi. “And that is what happens when you gossip or tell a story about someone else. Once you talk about someone, the words fly from one person’s mouth to another, just like these feathers flew in the wind. Once you say them, you can never take them back.”

It was a great reminder that not only every word but every action has consequences that we cannot foresee. Our lives should be lived mindfully aware that our scattered thoughts, words, and actions will impact the world for evil or for good.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Wisdom, Wisdom Quotes

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Tags: #action, #actions, #asked, #aware, #blessings, #confused, #consequence, #damage, #every, #evil, #feather, #find, #firstthing, #fly, #followed, #foresee, #gathering, #giving, #good, #gossip, #grabbed, #happens, #heard, #impact, #impossible, #inside, #Jewish, #lastnight, #learned, #lived, #lives, #living, #mindfully, #mouth, #neighbor, #never, #night, #nothing, #open, #pass, #person, #pickingup, #pillows, #possibly, #pullout, #rabbi, #recall, #recollecting, #reminder, #repair, #repeated, #response, #RussainRoulette, #sad, #scattered, #sorry, #spread, #story, #stuffing, #surprised, #tale, #talked, #tears, #thewannabesaint.com, #trash, #true, #unfortunately, #varmint, #wind, #window, #wisdom, #wise, #word, #words, @BrianLoging, advice, Community, Thought, Thoughts, World

Driverless

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Driverless –

Driverless automobile technology doesn’t seem like something that might happen but is happening and will impact all of us soon. I was listening to NPR this week and the person being interviewed said that everyone will have a driverless automobile by the year 2050. I’m not sure what the 70+-year-old will think but the 45+-year-old is skeptical. Maybe it’s the loss of control, maybe it’s watching too many sci-fi movies but driverless cars, trucks, semis zipping down the road all dependent on a group of engineers and designers seems too futuristic but it’s where we are going.

In my lifetime I’ve gone from record players to compact disc players to mp3 players which could hold 100 songs to my phone being able to play any tune I can think of at the press of an icon under a piece of glass. 30 years ago that would’ve been unthinkable so driverless cars are coming whether I am ready or not.

Life and its continuous change are shocking. Places we are now on the journey probably aren’t where we thought we’d be. Plans we thought were “set in stone” have been shattered and adjusting, accepting and letting go require more strength than we think we possess. There are days when we feel like we are steering our lives and other seasons when life keeps taking the wheel and driving to unknown and sometimes unwanted destinations.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

Tags: #2050. #think, #accepting, #adjusting, #automobile, #blessings, #change, #coming, #compactdiscs, #continuous, #control, #dependent, #designers, #destinations, #Driverless, #Driverlessautomobile, #driverlesscar, #engineers, #futuristic, #glass, #icon, #impact, #interviewed, #journey, #keeps, #lettinggo, #life, #lifetime, #listening, #loss, #mighthappen, #mp3players, #NPR, #phone, #Plans, #possess, #press, #push, #ready, #recordplayers, #require, #seasons, #setinstone, #shattered, #shocking, #skeptical, #soon, #steering, #strength, #taking, #think, #unknown, #unthinkable, #unwanted, #watching, #wheel, #whether, #zipping, Driving, Technology

Stolen

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Stolen –

Earlier this week someone took something that didn’t belong to them. I knew who it was but had to figure out how to ask for the item back without humiliating or embarrassing the person in front of his peers. At first, I asked the group if anyone had forgotten to return all items they had used. Nothing. So then, standing next to the man who had the item, I said; “Okay, who has (insert item name)?” The man started to laugh and gave it to me while the other people in the group laughed with him. “I almost got away with it,” he said with a chuckle in his voice. I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew I couldn’t let him walk away and a confrontation could have a detrimental impact on the progress we’ve made. Obviously, he’s still a work in progress but aren’t we all?

Good choices. It’s the cornerstone of all the services our organization does with males. Without good choices, life is harder than it needs to be and can exact a tremendous and painful toll. Old habits, ways of thinking, choosing the best isn’t easy but not impossible. Grace, kindness and an opportunity for forgiveness are things we all need.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life, Mindfulness

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Tags: #almost, #ask, #asked, #belong, #best, #blessings, #breathed, #choices, #choosing, #chuckle, #Confrontation, #cornerstone, #detrimental, #easy, #embarrassing, #exact, #figure, #forgiveness, #forgotten, #front, #gave, #good, #goodchoices, #gotaway, #grace, #group, #habits, #harder, #humiliating, #impact, #impossible, #item, #kindness, #laugh, #laughed, #life, #males, #man, #needs, #next, #nothing, #Obviously, #opportunity, #organization, #painful, #peers, #progress, #relief, #return, #services, #sigh, #standing, #started, #Stolen, #toll, #took, #tremendous, #voice, #Walkaway, #waysofthinking, #workinprogress, Old

What Did You Hear?

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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What Did You Hear?

Listening is an art form. It has to do with more than hearing words. It also hears silences, tones and the organizations of words into sentences and questions. Listening is wanting to hear what the other is saying and being willing for those words to impact, challenge, and change the listener. Listening is not, however, always agreeing with the other. You can listen and believe differently than what the other is saying but you listen out of respect.

A friend of mine a few weeks ago was telling me about a conversation he had with a dear friend and said; “It didn’t go the way I planned!” His friend became upset with the conversation. I asked my friend; “Did you ask your friend what she had heard you say?” “No,’ he replied, ‘Why?” “Because,’ I said, “She might have heard something completely different from what you were saying.”

It’s amazing but communicating with others is a combination of listening, speaking, processing, projecting, interpreting and understanding. When one of these is missing the connection with the other can be lost, disrupted and the moment can never be repeated.

Listening is a sacred act, do it well.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Relationships

Tags: # understanding, #agreeing, #always, #amazing, #ask, #believe, #blessings, #challenge, #change, #combination, #communicating, #completely, #connection, #conversation, #different, #differently, #disrupted, #form, #friend, #hear, #heard, #hearing, #hears, #impact, #interpreting, #learn, #listener, #listening, #lost, #missing, #never, #organizations, #planned, #processing, #projecting, #questions, #repeated, #replied, #respect, #sacred, #sentences, #silences, #sounds, #speaking, #tones, #upset, #words, Art, Listen, moment

Teaching Peace

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Teaching Peace –

Earlier this week I was talking with a man who has a confessed anger problem. He’s also been hurt by some people he trusted. The pain and rage of this betrayal occupy his thoughts and revenge is his stated goal. As we spoke with each other I explained to him that violence is not going to fix things. It will only make it worse for the man and his family. “Good mental health, the ability to process our emotions in a healthy, positive way will have a lasting impact on your family. Not choosing wisely will hurt you and those you love. I know the feelings are there and they’re eating you up inside but taking a path which doesn’t lead to peace punishes everyone.”

Peace is a hard concept and discipline to put into practice. We live in a world which claims the right to revenge and paying people back for the harm they’ve caused us. However, if we stubbornly stay on the path to; “right the wrongs” done to us we will not find contentment but an endless cycle of violence and retribution.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #ability, #anger, #betrayal, #blessings, #caused, #choosing, #claims, #concept, #confessed, #contentment, #cycle, #discipline, #eating, #emotions, #endless, #explained, #feelings, #find, #fix, #goal, #good, #hard, #harm, #healthy, #hurt, #impact, #inside, #lasting, #live, #man, #mental, #mentalhealth, #occupy, #pain, #path, #paying, #positive, #practice, #problem, #process, #punishes, #rage, #retribution, #revenge, #right, #spoke, #stated, #stay, #stubbornly, #talking, #teaching, #trusted, #violence, #way, #wisely, #worse, #wrongs, Family, Health, Lead, love, Peace, People, Thoughts, World

I Love Her

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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I Love Her –

Earlier this week at one of my incarcerated father’s classes one I was listening to resident tell another about a woman who works with the residents at the jail. He said; “I love her!” A few minutes later he was talking about corrections officer and repeated; “I love her!” I couldn’t help myself as I asked him; “You love her?” “Yep,’ he shot right back. ‘Women, all of them. Short ones, tall ones, skinny ones and fat ones. I love ’em all. Except for the ones without teeth. They need to have all their teeth. That’s a real turn-off.” “It’s good to have standards.” I quipped. “Do you think perhaps your lack of judgment when it comes to women is part of the reason you’re in jail?” He thought for a moment and replied; “Yes.”

There is a difference between love and lust, want and need. Those who follow their passions only end up making choices that negatively impact their lives. Those who know they shouldn’t have everything they want, their every heart’s desire, satisfaction to every immediate impulse, make better decisions that positively affect their present and future.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #, #better, #blessings, #choices, #decisions, #difference, #every, #follow, #Future, #good, #heartsdesire, #immediate, #impact, #impulse, #jail, #judgment, #lack, #lust, #making, #need, #negatively, #passions, #perhaps, #positively, #present, #quipped, #reason, #replied, #satisfaction, #standards, #think, #want, #women, love, moment, Thought

Learning and Letting Go

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Learning and Letting Go –

Today was a training day for learning what is and how to do Motivational Interviewing. It sounds like a discipline someone would learn who is a professional job seeker! However, it is a counseling, teaching, technique that helps people overcome their biases and objections and allowing them to live a better life. I have done a quite a bit of training in Motivational Interviewing but the leader today was a Certified Motivational Interviewing Trainer so she had more information than online learning could give.

The two biggest keys to Motivational Interviewing are listening to learn the client’s story and needs and letting go of the idea we are responsible for the client’s success in counseling and/or learning. Our work is helping the client get to the place where they can choose for themselves their own path. By listening to understand who the client is and their willingness to get healthy in mind, body, and spirit, we can help them find the inner strength to make the changes that will impact them and their families.

I liked the training and the approach through my anxiety makes it difficult for me to sit for long periods as was the case today. It was a great reminder that we can’t fix people. It is not within our power to do so. What we can do is come alongside and help them discover their path and the willingness to walk it.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Mental Health

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Tags: #alongside, #anxiety, #approach, #biggest, #body, #changes, #Choose, #client, #counseling, #difficult, #discover, #families, #fix, #healthy, #helping, #impact, #innerstrength, #Interviewing, #keys, #learn, #learning, #lettinggo, #listening, #Motivational, #path, #periods, #power, #reminder, #responsible, #spirit, #success, #themselves, #understand, #walk, #willingness, Mind

Little Things

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Little Things –

Yesterday, while mowing the grass I ducked my head as I maneuvered the mower underneath a low hanging branch. When I came out from underneath it I felt something on my finger. Looking down I discovered an inch worm had hitched a ride. I wasn’t sure what to do with him so I made the magnanimous decision to shake him off on some cut grass so ensuring I wouldn’t run over him. Holding out my hand I shook and shook but the little inch worm wasn’t letting go. Finally, giving it one more violent, animated shake, I looked on my hand and it was gone. I continued mowing and a few minutes later I felt something crawling on my neck. I reached up and took a swipe and it was the inch worm. It hadn’t flown off until the grass but on my shirt and made its way to my neck. This little guy had grown quite attached to me! Aiming carefully I whipped my hand to some mowed grass and he disappeared.

Wisdom tells us that it can be the little things that attach themselves to us and are the hardest to get free from. We recognize the larger attachments to possessions, time, a desire for a good reputation, money, job status, pride, and ego but often miss the smaller ones. These can include resentments, biases, complaining, negative attitude, being myopic and not recognizing the good in others and all around us.

Smaller attachments might seem like only nuisances but they stick to us and impact our ability to live life with gratefulness and grace.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #ability, #attach, #attachments, #Attitude, #biases, #complaining, #desires, #ego, #grace, #gratefulness, #impact, #jobstatus, #littlethings, #money, #myopic, #nuisances, #possessions, #pride, #recognizing, #reputation, #resentments, #time, #wisdom, Free, Negative

Steps

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Steps –

I was talking with someone this week about choices and the impact every one of them has upon our lives. “Each step,’ I said ‘is a step down the path of your life. At the end of the journey is your death. When you’re lying in the box what will people say you did? Who will people say you were?”

It is a difficult concept to wrap our heads around sometimes that we are mostly a direct result of our own decisions. There are few things which happen to us which are not a consequence of our choosing. This is not to dismiss diseases, abuses, crimes, and other challenges which can impact our lives without us bearing responsibility but most of what we do and who we are is a direct result of the life we choose to live, the path we choose to walk, the people we decide to be.

One good choice, one step in the right direction, can be a powerful act which reverberates to every corner of our lives and to the deepest part of our souls. Each day, what we think about, what we do, who we spend time with, what we read or don’t read, watch or don’t watch, learn or not, are steps toward or away from the person we need to be to make the world and those directly impacted by our lives better.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #abuses, #Choose, #choosing, #concept, #consequence, #crimes, #decisions, #deepest, #difficult, #direct, #directresult, #diseases, #dismiss, #impact, #path, #powerful, #responsibility, #result, #reverberates, #rightdirection

Growth

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Growth –

Earlier today I mowed the grass. The back yard was ready to be cut but the front was a different story. The torrential rains we’ve had this week have left a large portion of the front yard too muddy to mow and some spots have standing water. Hopefully, next week, when it’s had more time to dry, I can try again.

What’s interesting is that the grass in this flooded area is still growing. The watery conditions have not impeded it. So, one part of the front yard is mowed with shorter grass while the other section is tall doesn’t look like it should.

Wisdom teaches us that growth can occur under several different types of conditions. We might think ideal conditions are where we would learn the best but this just isn’t so. Oftentimes we grow in the mud and the muck of the aftermath of storms which impact our lives.

When we understand that all types of experiences, challenges, difficulties, adverse conditions, can be fertile ground for our spirits we stop complaining and allow for the possibility that growth is mightier than the storms.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #challenges, #difficulties, #experiences, #growth, #growthhappens, #idealconditions, #impact, #learn, #mudandmuck, #ourlives, #power, #wisdom

The Other End

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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The Other End –

One of the key tenets of our incarcerated father and fathers with addictions class is the understanding that every choice we make has consequences. There may be huge, dramatic outcomes or little and benign results but there are repercussions to every decision. Most of the men in the classes understand they’ve made some big, bad choices to be locked up but in the class, we are discovering that often the momentous poor choice was preceded by smaller ones.

We conversed about this last night as we do each week, “What you do today determines who you’ll be tomorrow.” What they think about, talk to one another about, listen to, read, watch, everything has a deciding factor in the person they are becoming.

“Self-awareness, is the discipline of truly knowing who you are; the good, the bad, and the in-between. Until you are honest with yourself about the person you are you’ll never discover how to become the man, the father, you’re supposed to be.”

A wise teacher once told his followers; “When you pick up one end of the stick, you also pick up the other.” A good lesson for us all to learn and remember.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: # understanding, #choices, #consequences, #deciding, #decisions, #determines, #endofthestick, #impact, #ramifications, #wisdom

the Best

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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the Best –

Someone asked me today; “What if I can’t be everything I need to be? For me? For my family?” It’s an honest, humble and vulnerable question. Loving others means being concerned with the best person we can be for those we love and others who are a part of our lives.

I told the person who asked me the question; “The fact that you are asking the question, considering these thoughts, shows you are not a selfish person.When you are open to doing the best for people who aren’t you, considering other’s needs as much as, if not more, than yourself is the place to start and stay.”

When we are concerned with how our lives impact those around us our worldview expands. We move from selfishness to selflessness. We seek to be servants instead of expecting to be served.

Balance is key. We should continue to care for ourselves and be sure not to burn up or out. After all, if we can’t take care of us, we can’t take care of others. We must not expect to be faultless, but rather seek progression, not perfection in our pursuit of giving to others.

Being the best us we can be includes giving our best to others.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #balance, #burnout, #burnup, #careforourselves, #concerned, #expands, #expect, #expectingtobeserved, #faultless, #giving, #impact, #notperfection, #progression, #pursuit, #selfishness, #selflessnes, #servants, #takecareofothers, #takecareofus, #worldview

Pauses and Spaces

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Pauses and Spaces –

I worked with a dad today who struggles with addiction issues. He kept repeating the Twelve Step oft heard phrase; “Pause and Pray, Pause and Pray, Pause and Pray.” It is the addict’s response if they’re tempted to drink, use drugs, get angry, make poor decisions. They are to take a breath and then breathe a word of prayer for peace and guidance.

I use the phrase; “The space in between.” Life is made up of experiences. We’re blind to most of them because we’ve become used to them, take them for granted. There are times however when an experience happens and our choice of what to do or not do, how to react, make the wrong, right or better choice could greatly impact our lives and the ones we hold dear. It is in the space between what happens to us and our choice of how to respond where our future is forged.

Whether; “pause and pray” or “the space between,” we choose to shape the experiences of our lives or be shaped by them.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #better, #choice, #Choose, #experience, #experiences, #forged, #Future, #impact, #life, #pauseandpray, #reaction, #respond, #right, #shape, #Thespaceinbetween, #wrong

Fires Together, Wires Together

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

This interesting picture and intriguing quote was in my Facebook feed this morning. It caught my attention in part because I’ve been studying Epigenetics. It’s the study of how trauma impacts people and generations following.

One of the experiments used to prove this area of science involved shocking a female rat with electricity when a certain odor was emitted. After a while the rat, even though there was no shock, still reacted when she smelled the specific odor. What’s even more compelling is the rat’s babies and the baby’s babies also reacted negatively even though the second and third generation of rats had never been shocked with electricity when the odor was emitted.

Epigenetics proposes that the genes of the rats have been altered, changed due to the trauma of the original female rat and these genes have been passed down to preceding generations.

“Neurons that fire together wire together” is another phrase used by brain scientists which deal with nerve pathways. The more often we do something, or have something done to us, the more used to certain behaviors and environments we are mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. In other words it becomes our definition of normal, our reality. It is only when we are able to learn new ways of thinking, being, can we change our personal and family’s destiny. To consider that the choices for our lives impact the immediate now and our, other’s, future the more important it is to be sure our decisions are filled with wisdom and grace.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Mental Health

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Tags: ##brain, #behaviors, #being, #choices, #decisions, #definition, #destiny, #emotionally, #environments, #epigenetics, #Future, #grace, #impact, #learn, #lives, #mentally, #nerve, #Neurons, #normal, #pathways, #physically, #reality, #scientists, #spiritually, #thinking, #wisdom

It’s Always Personal

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

She discreetly raised her hand and asked her question. I could tell by the way she phrased it that it wasn’t a general but a very personal inquiry. I did my best to give an answer faithful to the materials being presented but also taking her feelings and situation into consideration. After the seminar I spied her waiting on me just outside the door to the classroom. Unfortunately I was intercepted by someone else who wanted to speak with me and the woman couldn’t wait any longer. I looked for her as I walked to the truck but didn’t see her. Hopefully she’ll follow up with the contact information I give to everyone who attends my lectures.

The presentation I give on the fatherhood crisis in America has lots of statistics and facts. I also share stories of dads I work with and have had the pleasure of counseling and mentoring. There are examples of successes and “not quites.” It can be easy to forget that these lectures aren’t always times for simply gathering information. For some attending it hits very close to home and their personal stories are found in the materials given.

Life, what we do, what we say, who we are, has a way of always being personal and making an intimate impact.

Blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #grace, #help, #impact, #journey, #kindness, #life, #lifetime, #path, love, Peace, Personal

The Space Between

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

One of the most important teachings of wisdom is the “space between.” It is the distance between what happens to us and our reaction to it. The greater the space; usually the wiser choice and better consequence. The shorter the response time; the more chance of the decision/action being poor.

Wisdom teaches us that a word unsaid is usually not regretted. This also extends to actions. Once something is said or done there is no reverse and we must accept the consequence, good or bad. “When a person picks up one end of the stick, they always pick up the other.” Wisdom also teaches us the concept of eternity existing in every moment. It is a harder lesson to learn and grasp but powerful in its impact upon how we think about life and relationships.

Take the time, exist in the moment, breathe, be still, reflect and then decide. The difference in a quick reaction and a wise one can be the difference between life and death.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

Tags: #bad, #concept, #consequence, #eternity, #existing, #good, #grasp, #impact, #learn, #lesson, #life, #person, #powerful, #regret, #teaches, #think, #unsaid, #wisdom, #word, moment, Relationships

Life as Music

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Music is amazing. It’s power to transport, transfer, transition our minds, emotions and moods is unparalleled.

The last few days have been overcast and gloomy. My disposition has been effected and reflected in the drops of rain falling and the clouds hanging overhead.

In my workshop yesterday I listened to a storm and tried to cross a few items off the “need to do” list. I plugged a speaker into my phone and selected a slow playlist of current and classic songs. As the tunes played I thought of long time friends, different seasons of life. Music has the ability to allow us to be in multiple places at a single time.

I wonder if our lives can harmonize with the music of kindness, grace and love? Is it possible that we can impact others in such a way that it lasts for a lifetime? Perhaps even echo into eternity?

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
http://www.thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #echo, #eternity, #grace, #harmonize, #impact, #kindness, #lifetime, #possibility, love, music

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