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Shake it Off

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Shake it Off –

Being the owner of a Siberian Husky is a challenge in many ways, not least of which is keeping the hair cast-off in check. Huskies “cast” their fur twice a year which is when they get rid of their entire under-coating. However, they shed year round. Brushing, sweeping, vacuuming, are part of the deal when dealing with this breed. One of the first acts Trooper does when going outside is rolling over on his back trying to get rid of loose hair that’s been itching and bothering him. Following this, he has grass clippings, small limbs, and leaves all over his back. So, we have taught him to “shake off” before coming into the house. We give him the command and most times he’ll give a good shake before coming inside.

Watching him do this is a good reminder that life can be burdensome. There are people, places, and things which annoy us. If we aren’t careful we can carry difficulties and challenges with us instead of letting them go. I don’t think we need to roll around on the ground or have a fit before walking inside our homes, but mentally we can shed our minds, emotions, and spirits of the negative bothersome issues of life.

Shake it off. Find relief and peace.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Posted in Mental Health

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Tags: #annoyus, #blessings, #bothering, #bothersome, #burdensome, #carry, #cast-off, #challenges, #dealing, #difficulties, #emotions, #findrelief, #getridof, #goodreminder, #goodshake, #Ifwearentcareful, #instead, #issues, #itching, #lettingthemgo, #life, #loose, #mentally, #places, #rollaround, #rollingover, #ShakeitOff, #shakeoff, #shed, #shedourminds, #spirits, #thewannabesaint.com, @BrianLoging, Negative, Peace, People

Jumping

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Jumping –

This morning I set out early cutting and weed eating the grass. There was rain in the forecast and temperatures getting into the nineties. Used the riding mower without any trouble, push mowed around hard to reach areas and then retrieved the weed eater and noticed it needed extra string. On a shelf, in my workshop, is where I keep it and finding it I reached down to get it when something moved and jumped toward me. I had my sunglasses on and couldn’t see well but when it jumped I jumped! It landed on the ground and I realized it was a frog. I don’t know how he got up that high but he survived the fall and hopped away. “Whew!” as I exhaled and finished up the yard work without any further excitement.

As I carried the weed eater I thought about life and how the unexpected keeps us on our toes. Whether it’s something silly like a nimble reptile or more serious events which change our lives forever we never know what’s around life’s next corner. Being aware, adaptable, accepting are ways we can adjust to whatever surprise that jumps on life’s path.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Life

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Tags: #accepting, #adaptable, #adjust, #aroundthenextcorner, #aware, #blessings, #changeourlivesforever, #excitement, #exhaled, #forecast, #hardtoreach, #jumped, #jumping, #jumps, #keepsusonourtoes, #lifespath, #moved, #noticed, #realized, #retrieved, #seewell, #serious, #survived, #thewannabesaint.com, #thoughtaboutlife, #trouble, #unexpected, #weneverknow, #Whew, @BrianLoging, Events

To Think

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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To Think –

I am currently teaching a men’s class on Wednesday evenings in a city that’s an hour away from home. This means on Wednesday afternoon and evening I have a bit of time on my hands. I spent most of it yesterday talking with fathers on the phone. A couple of hours to myself gives me time to think about my day, week, schedule and the materials I will be teaching and how the class went on the way back.

Thinking is a balancing act for someone like me with a Severe Anxiety Disorder. If I’m not careful thinking can turn to rumination and going over and over a situation, interaction, occasion in my mind. I described it one time to my therapist; “My over-thinking is like bubblegum. You chew on it and for a while, you get something tasty. Soon, however, all the flavor is gone and you’re chewing a piece of wet rubber.” I try to be aware of my thoughts and if I’m fixating on a particular subject. When I catch myself I turn on the radio, a podcast or music.

Wisdom tells us; “We cannot stop thoughts from entering the door of our minds
but we do not have to serve them tea.“

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in #anxiety, Mental Health

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Tags: #aware, #balancingact, #bitoftime, #blessings, #cannotstop, #catchmyself, #currently, #entering, #fixating, #goingover, #interaction, #notcareful, #occasion, #ourminds, #over-thinking, #Rumination, #SevereAnxietyDisorder, #situation, #teaching, #therapist, #thewannabesaint.com, #think, #thinking, #timetothink, #tomyself, #wisdom, @BrianLoging, Mind, Thoughts

Standing Still or Like You’re Standing Still?

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

Standing Still or Like You’re Standing Still?

Time is an amazing and confusing construct. The same amount of time, say a week, can feel like a moment or a season. The days, hours and minutes are the same but the experience of them can be vastly different. I do my best to work out regularly. It’s good for my body, my emotions, and my mind. There are days when the time on treadmill clock flies by and others when each second takes minutes to pass. The first is enjoyable the second unbearable.

Wisdom teaches us that time is always moving. Awareness of the passing of time allows us to never take any moment for granted. Once a moment is past it is never repeated. Stillness, experiencing each moment is a difficult and valuable lesson. Learning to stand still, to capture a moment with our whole being before it fades into the past is a discipline worth practicing. Allowing time to fly by as if you’re standing still is the opposite of being still in each moment. It is to be so busy, unaware, unconcerned, that life is fleeting and you’re stuck in the minutiae of keeping appointments, staying on schedule, consumed by attending events, and marking occasions.

Standing still or “like you’re standing still.” Which way do we choose to live our lives?

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Wisdom

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Tags: ##opposite, #allowing, #amazing, #amount, #attendingevents, #awareness, #blessings, #busy, #capture, #choosetolive, #clock, #confusing, #construct, #consumedby, #days, #different, #difficult, #discipline, #eachmoment, #eachsecond, #enjoyable, #experience, #experiencing, #fades, #feellikeamoment, #fliesby, #granted, #hours, #keepingappointments, #lifeisfleeting, #LikeYoureStandingStill, #markingoccasions, #minutes, #minutiae, #momentpasses, #neverrepeated, #nevertakeamoment, #pass, #passingoftime, #practicing, #season, #standingstill, #stayingonschedule, #stuck, #thewannabesaint.com, #time, #timeisalwaysmoving, #timetoflyby, #unaware, #unbearable, #unconcerned, #valuable, #vastly, #wholebeing, #wisdom, @BrianLoging, lesson. #Learning, Stillness, to #standstill

Follow My Lead

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Follow My Lead –

Someone asked me a surprising question yesterday; “How do I get from where I am to where you are?” The question took me off guard because I’m usually asking myself the same question of someone who has something I’m lacking. After a moment I answered; “Find someone who has what you want and follow their lead. Get to know them. Build a relationship with the person.” This is how we grow. We recognize that we do some things well but could do other things better. With awareness, we begin to look for the traits, disciplines, the wisdom we feel we are missing and find one who possesses these qualities. If they are amenable we connect, listen, and allow ourselves to be influenced by their mind, emotional maturity, actions and spiritual depth. They won’t be perfect. Up close we will see they have flaws but this doesn’t stop us from soaking in the lessons they can teach us. If they are people we hope to gain from they will be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and are following someone else’s lead. Humility is key.

Too often our world shames and embarrasses those who admit their shortcomings. However, knowing where we need improvement is the first step to becoming a better person which makes a better world.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Leadership

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Tags: #actions #spiritualdepth, #admittheirshortcomings, #allow, #amenable, #answered, #askingmyself, #awareness, #becomingthepersonyouweremeanttobe, #blessings, #Buildarelationship, #discipline, #embarrasses, #emotionalmaturity, #find, #findsomeone, #firststep, #flaws, #following, #followMyLead, #followtheirlead, #hopetogain, #HowdoIgetfromwhereIamtowhereyouare, #howwegrow, #humility, #improving, #influenced, #key, #knowing, #lacking, #lessons, #lookforthetrait, #missing, #needimprovement, #offguard, #perfect, #personalimprovement, #possesses, #qualities, #question, #recognize, #shames, #soaking, #strengths, #teachus, #thewannabesaint.com, #weaknesses, #weconnect, #wisdom, @BrianLoging, Listen, Mind, moment

Distraction

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Distraction –

I watched a video today about distraction. It explained how the brain can become accustomed to being unfocused and our inability to change it back. The presenter gave the example of someone having a cellphone in their hand, laying on their desk, next to their plate at a restaurant, or pulling it out of a pocket or purse during a conversation. At this moment the person with whom they are conversing or meeting with realizes they are not the most important person or thing in the room. The cellphone says to the other; “Someone may call who’s more important than you. Something might ‘ding’ indicating a happening that’s more important than you.” It also impacts the person who has the phone because now they have to look at the screen, see any notifications, continue to check for changes and updates.

I was talking with a group today and part of the session was on; “Listening more than you speak.” I used the adage; “You have two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice as much as you speak.” We spoke about respect and giving the person you are interacting with your eyes, ears, and mind. Focusing on the other when we are talking, engaging, communicating, connecting, experiencing each other is vital for all participants. When we are made to feel like we one of the many tasks a person has that day we lose our focus and become distracted by their distractions.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: ##brain, #accustomed, #blessings, #changeitback, #communicating, #connecting, #continuetocheck, #conversing, #distraction, #distractions, #duringaconversation, #ears, #engaging, #experiencing, #explained, #eyes, #focusing, #giving, #impacts, #inability, #interacting, #listening, #listentwiceasmuchasyouspeak, #loseourfocus, #madetofeel, #meeting, #notthemostimportant, #onemouth, #participants, #realizes, #respect, #speak, #talking, #thewannabesaint.com, #twoears, #unfocused, #vital, @BrianLoging, Mind, moment

Malevolent or Benevolent

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Malevolent or Benevolent –

Last night I listened to a podcast about the psychology of a stalker. A young woman, through no fault of her own, had encountered a patron at her work and treated him nicely, the way she did every customer. The man who received her professional courtesy and kindness took it as a gesture of a personal declaration of her love for him. From then on he would show up at her work, her home, parties and other places. At first, he would watch her for hours, then he began writing poetry, calling her at home, declare his love for her and her for him at different and unexpected places. She reported his behavior to the police, depended on friends to keep him away, moved twice to locations almost five-hundred miles apart. Still, he found her.

He wrote a blog about being a stalker in which he wrote about a love that was benevolent; kind, kindly, kindhearted, big-hearted, good-natured, good, benign, compassionate, caring. He insisted she misunderstood him and accused him of being malevolent; malicious, hostile, evil-minded, baleful, evil-intentioned, venomous, evil, malign, malignant, rancorous, vicious, vindictive, vengeful. He had plans of “fake” kidnapping her and after she went away with him, falling in love with him. His behavior was spiraling and finally, after attacking another woman, he was put in jail for thirteen months for assault, stalking and predatory behavior. Before, during and after being incarcerated, he wrote a book about a man who fell in love with a beautiful woman who eventually learned to love him. People can find the book for sale online today and the blog he still writes.

Love gone wrong, gone bad, corrupted, coercive and corrosive is not love but selfishness painted in illusion. As I listened to the podcast last night I couldn’t help but think a lot of what’s wrong with our world today is people not knowing the difference between malevolent and benevolent.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #accused, #assault, #attacking, #baleful, #beautifulwoman, #behavior, #benevolent, #benign, #big-hearted, #blessings, #calling, #caring, #coercive #corrosive, #compassionate, #corrupted, #declarehislove, #depended, #different, #encountered, #eventually, #evil, #evil-intentioned, #evil-minded, #fallinginlove, #fellinlove, #friends, #gesture, #gonebad, #good, #good-natured, #hefoundher, #hostile, #illusion, #incarcerated, #insisted, #jail, #keephersafe, #kidnapping, #kind, #kindhearted, #kindly, #kindness, #learnedtolove, #listened, #Lovegonewrong, #Malevolent, #malicious, #malign, #malignant, #misunderstood, #nicely, #nofaultofherown, #painted, #personaldeclaration, #podcast, #poetry, #police, #predatorybehavior, #rancorous, #reportedhisbehavior, #selfishness, #showup, #spiraling, #stalker, #stalking, #thewannabesaint.com, #treated, #unexpectedplaces, #vengeful, #venomous, #vicious, #vindictive, #watch, #whatswrongwithourworld, @BrianLoging, love, Psychology

Double Back

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Double Back –

Last night, after dinner, Beth wanted a popsicle. I was getting up anyway and told her I’d get her one. I opened the top freezer door on the refrigerator and grabbed two by mistake. One fell to the floor and using the three-second rule I quickly stooped down and picked it up. Unbeknownst to me, the freezer door was swinging back and when I was two-thirds up I whacked the top back of my head on the corner of the freezer door. “OUCH!” It hurt so much I crumpled to the floor rubbing the wounded area. Beth heard me, came and looked at it and thought there would be bruising and soreness. She was right. It never occurred to me until it “hit me” that the door was doubling back. My mind was elsewhere and the freezer door brought me back to reality.

I was listening to someone describe addiction this week and they said; “It gets inside of you. You think you have a handle on it and then you begin to crave it. It comes back again and again and again.” I thought about other things which come around over and over. Grieving the loss of a loved one who has passed on, anger at being taken advantage of, bitterness at being betrayed, the pain of past memories and experiences that hurt us emotionally and physically, drug, alcohol and other addictions, friends who have negative influences on us, wounds which seem to never heal. All of these can cause us to crumple to the floor when they double back into our lives.

There is a needed balance of awareness and acceptance. Awareness is needed because perhaps we can see it coming and side-step the toll it would take on our minds and spirits. Acceptance is important because we are human, are not all-powerful, and difficult and challenging experiences are part of what makes us unique.

It is in this balance we may find wisdom and peace.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Mindfulness

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Tags: #acceptance, #addiction, #Addictions, #againandagain, #alcohol, #anger, #area, #aware, #awareness, #balance, #betrayed, #bitterness, #blessings, #bruise, #challenging, #comearound, #comesback, #control, #crumpled, #describe, #difficult, #DoubleBack, #doublingback, #drug, #emotionally, #experiences, #friends, #grieving, #handleonit, #happens, #human, #hurt, #impact, #important, #influences, #insideofyou, #listening, #loss, #lovedone, #minds, #mistake, #neededbalance, #neverheal, #occurred, #ouch, #overandover, #pain, #pastmemories, #perhaps, #physically, #reality, #seeitcoming, #side-step, #soreness, #spirits, #surroundings, #swingingback, #takenadvantage, #thewannabesaint.com, #toll, #unique, #whacked, #wisdom, #wounded, #wounds, @BrianLoging, Negative, Peace

Bliss?

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Bliss –

I was asked earlier this week by my talk therapist; “What is your perfect life?” I didn’t hesitate in describing to her my idea of bliss. After listening, she paused a few moments and asked; “Why do you not have this life?” I reflected on her question and responded; “Because it would screw up other people’s life.” I know my perfect life doesn’t equal the image, illusion, of what those who are connected to me have of their “perfect life.” My idea of a perfect life isn’t grandiose or over the top. It’s simple but would complicate my relationships with those who love and care for me the most. These complications would make my life imperfect. So, the choice to let go of what I think I want, need and accept what I have is key to stillness of mind and spirit.

Life isn’t complicated. We choose to make it that way. One of the ways we make it this way is comparing our “perfect lives,” or the idea of what we think perfection would be, with what our lives are currently. These types of comparisons only cause us to suffer, to strive for an illusion that is improbable. Letting go of comparisons about our lives, each other, and accept this moment, exactly as it is, is a big step forward on the road to a wise and content existence.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #accept, #bigstepforward, #blessings, #bliss, #careforme, #choice, #comparing, #Comparisons, #complicate, #complicated, #complications, #connected, #content, #currently, #describing, #eachother, #equal, #grandiose, #hesitate, #idea, #illusion, #image, #imperfect, #improbable, #key, #letgo, #lettinggo, #listening, #overthetop, #perfect lives, #perfection, #perfectlife, #reflected, #screwup, #simple, #spirit, #strive, #suffer, #talktherapist, #thewannabesaint.com, #thislife, #Wechoose, #wise, @BrianLoging, existence, love, Mind, moment, Relationships, Stillness

Reach!

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Reach!

He was trying his best to reach the last few boxes of Crunch ‘n Munch on the store shelves. I was checking off items on my list and heard him jumping. I turned around and asked the boy; “You got it?” He responded in the affirmative as he grabbed one and took it down. Another second and he was jumping again. I was about to leave when a meek voice rang in my ears; “Can you help me?” “Sure,’ I replied, walked over, grabbed the next to the last box and handed it to him. ‘Do you want the other one?'” He shook his head “no” and then ran out of sight. I smiled and hoped he enjoyed his snack.

I reflected on the young boy’s attempt to attain what was out of reach and how easy it was for me to go over, grab it and hand it to him. I thought about how some things are easy for some and harder for others. What might take all the strength one has to barely, perhaps never, accomplish a difficult task, others can do effortlessly. At first glance, it might not seem fair but I think it highlights our need for each other. We are made to work together, to be the strength to another’s weakness, to give courage when one is about to give up, to be their legs to help them stand, their hands to grab or let go, to connect when all else seems distant and unattainable. Of course, it works the other way when we are in need as well. Only together can we fully live and accomplish all we were meant to be.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Relationships

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Tags: #accomplish, #allthestrength, #attain, #attempt, #barely, #blessings, #Canyouhelpme, #connect, #difficult, #distant, #easy, #effortlessly, #enjoyed, #firstglance, #fullylive, #givecourage, #giveup, #grabbed, #handed, #handittohim, #handstograb, #harder, #highlights, #hoped, #legstohelpthemstand, #letgo, #madetoworktogether, #need, #needforeachother, #Onlytogether, #outofreach, #perhapsnever, #reach, #reflected, #seemfair, #strength, #task, #thewannabesaint.com, #unattainable, #voice, #weakness, #weweremeanttobe, #workstheotherway, @BrianLoging

The Sound of Silence

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

The Sound of Silence –

A faint cry led a sheriff’s deputy to a pile of sticks and debris in the woods of western Montana. There, the deputy, part of a search-and-rescue team, discovered a 5-month-old infant buried face down, but still alive. “It was just a whimper,” Deputy Ross Jessop said, describing the sound he heard. (Full Story> https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/us/baby-buried-alive-montana.html)

An incredibly scary story with an almost unthinkable happy ending. A man committing a crime most of us could not conceive; leaving a baby for dead, face down under a pile of debris in the middle of the woods. A frantic search, pits in the stomachs of the rescuers unsure of what they’d find but certain it wouldn’t be good. The ears of a deputy surrounded by the noise of crickets, trees blowing in the wind, other searchers, his own pounding heartbeat, his inhale and exhale as he worked his area, hoping, praying for a sign or sound. Then, in spite of all the obstacles, overcoming the improbable, ears pick up the faintest of cry. It couldn’t be, the odds of stumbling upon the innocent, helpless victim, almost too high to count. He stopped, held his breath, waited, and heard it again. Stumbling to the focal point of the noise, under limbs and leaves was the tiny baby, clinging to life. However, now it was not alone. There was love, kindness, protection and a hero who would not leave the baby to die but give it everything it needed to live.

I read this story and couldn’t believe the fortune of the deputy and the baby. I reflected on how much noise our world forces in our ears each day. There are miracles and needs all around us but we don’t hear them calling out because everything distracts us and drowns them out. To be still enough to listen, to hear what’s important, to tune out all the rest is the beginning of wisdom and discovery.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Pile It On!

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Pile It On!

Earlier today I had to make a run to the Refuse and Recycle Station because we have been trying to downsize and minimize our belongings. The truck, as a result, was full and I needed to empty it before tomorrow. When I pulled into the station the person in charge told me that the dumpster was full but if I would back my truck up to it I could throw my stuff on top. “Pile it on!” is what he said and what I did.

Afterward, I wondered about all the stuff we collect and surround ourselves with in our homes, vehicles, pockets, and purses. We have drawers filled with clothes we never or seldom wear, closets cluttered with shoes that are collecting dust, sheds, porches, storage units, that are full and yet we continue to; “Pile it on!”

I grow tired of the toys and the treasure I’ve hung on to. I know people need the clothes I don’t wear, the shoes I don’t put on, the other trinkets that invade not enhance my life. Perhaps one of the keys to a more ordered mind is getting rid of the disorder which surrounds us.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Mental Health

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Into the Fire

Posted by thewannabesaint.com

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Into the Fire –

I heard a story yesterday about a Roman soldier who fell in love with a young, Christian, woman at the height of Rome’s imperial glory. He wanted to marry her but she would not allow him to court her because he wasn’t a follower of Christ. Desperate, the young man began to follow her and eventually discovered where she met other Christians in a secret place outside of Rome. He stayed in the shadows, watched and listened as they sat around a small fire and shared their stories of being followers of Jesus. As he stood there his heart was awakened and a voice echoed inside of him; “You will never know the truth until you step into the light of the fire and have all that is not burned to ash.” This was a great challenge indeed for most Romans believed in many gods, not just one, and followers of Christ were persecuted, and executed for their beliefs. He would have to give up everything for the chance at eternal and temporal love.

As I’ve reflected on this story the last two days I’ve wondered about the power and sacrifice of love. Love is a double-edged sword. It is wonderful and terrifying. Many horrible acts have been done in the name of love. It gives the bearer great courage but can also make one a coward. Those who have loved deeply speak of the joy and sorrow, wholeness and heartbreak, feeling of ecstasy and indescribable pain. True love requires all of us. We can’t give only a portion. We must be all in or never experience the life-changing, mind-bending, chaos that is love. It gives and takes, makes and destroys, assures us and shakes us to our core. There is nothing else that can compare.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

Posted in Relationships

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Closer

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Closer –

This morning at church the reverend closed the service by asking people to come to down to the front altar and pray for a woman who was leaving with a team of people to go to Africa on a mission trip. She knelt and many of the people in attendance gathered around her. As someone began to pray I heard a sound; “Clank. Silence. Clank. Silence.” I looked up and saw an elderly woman moving towards the group using a walker. By the time she made it up to the front, they were almost finished with the prayer but that didn’t seem to matter. What mattered was she wanted to be a part of the group, show her support, be closer to the one who was leaving, because she cared and caring most often requires our presence.

As she struggled I reflected on this woman and her concern for the other overcoming her condition. The world as we know it seems to be coming apart at the seams. Institutions, foundations, and truths we thought would last forever are crumbling before our eyes. What do we do? How do we stop it or at least stem the tide? I think we should do as the woman did this morning. We recognize our weakness, our lack of power and control, but still run, walk, crawl, towards a need and be present, change what we can by getting closer. When things are too big, too unruly, too far gone, it’s easier to stay where we are, shrug our shoulders and say; “There wasn’t anything we could’ve done.” or we can get “some “skin in the game.” We can try. We can put forth the effort with an attitude that only those who show up can make a difference.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #AlmostFinished, #attendance, #Attitude, #beapart, #blessings, #cared, #caring, #changewhatwecan, #closer, #comingapartattheseams, #condition, #control, #crawl, #crumbling, #foundations, #gathered, #gettingcloser, #going, #group, #Institutions, #lackofpower, #lastforever, #least, #makeadifference, #need, #overcoming, #pray, #presence, #putforththeeffort, #recognize, #reflected, #requires, #run, #showhersupport, #showup, #shrugourshoulders, #skininthegame, #staywhereweare, #stemthetide, #struggled, #thewannabesaint.com, #toobig, #toofargone, #toounruly, #towards, #truths, #walk, #weakness, #Wecantry, @BrianLoging

Empathy

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Empathy –

My wife is a wonderful woman, and brave. Brave because she went to Wal-Mart on Saturday afternoon! There are many reasons she’s wonderful but her concern and empathy for people and other things overwhelms me sometimes. Today, on her way to what we infamously call; “Wally World” a chipmunk jumped on the road and tried to run across when Beth was at the same spot with her car. “Thump, thump,” was all she heard but it was enough. She called me a few minutes after leaving the house and I knew something had happened. “Hello?” I answered. “Hey. I ran over a chipmunk,” she replied on the verge of tears. “It came out of nowhere and I tried to stop but couldn’t and that’s when I heard the ‘Thump!‘” I listened to her and told her I was sorry. “I know you would never do that if you could avoid it.” She knew this also and after a while she was okay. I asked her to be safe and remember that I love her. We hung up and the rest of the day has been without incident but the confession over her accidentally taking the life of a rodent is one of the many reasons my life is better because she’s in it.

While she was gone, after the phone call, I reflected on her having a heart big enough that a chipmunk she didn’t know existed a moment before the incident could have an impact on her. I wondered what our families, communities, nation, and the world would be like if each of us had the respect, concern, and empathy for all things, especially each other. I think we’d all live and be in a happier, safer, place.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #accidentally, #avoid, #besafe, #bigenough, #blessings, #brave, #chipmunk, #communities, #concern, #confession, #eachother, #empathy, #empathyforpeople, #existed, #families, #happier, #heart, #impact, #infamously, #jumped, #life, #listened, #live, #nation, #overwhelm, #ranover, #reasons, #reflected, #respect, #saferplace, #sorry, #tears, #thewannabesaint.com, #triedtostop, #verge, #withoutincident, #wonderful, #wouldnever, @BrianLoging, World

Almost Finished

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Almost Finished –

I started mowing the grass today around 10:00AM. According to the weather report, a front was pushing through our area near 1:00PM and it takes about 3 hours to mow and weed our yard. It was hot and humid when I began, the skies were blue with puffy clouds. It was warm enough to sweat even though I was on a riding mower. I stopped to drink some water when I finished the back and noticed a patch of dark clouds coming my way. I continued mowing and all of a sudden the wind picked up, the temperature dropped and the skies grew dark. I increased my speed and hoped to get finished in time. Fortunately, I did complete the mowing but the bottom fell out of the sky and I couldn’t squeeze the weeding in because of the heavy rain.

As the rain pounded on the tin roof of our porch I reflected on life and all that is done and left undone. We fill our lives with appointments, events, occasions. We think we have time to do everything which needs to be done. The sun shines on us, the blue skies and the beauty of being alive gives us the illusion that time is on our side. Then a storm of disappointment, disillusion, danger, and death reminds us that time is limited and we can’t take even a moment for granted.

#BenjaminFranklin said; “Be careful with every moment. For these are what life is made.”

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #according, #AlmostFinished, #appointments, #beautyofbeingalive, #Becareful, #benjaminfranklin, #blessings, #blueskies, #complete, #continued, #danger, #death, #disappointment, #disillusion, #done, #everymoment, #fillourlives, #finish, #finished, #Fortunately, #granted, #hoped, #illusion, #increased, #leftundone, #life, #lifeismade, #needstobedone, #noticed, #occasions, #pounded, #reflected, #reminds, #skiesgrewdark, #squeeze, #started, #stopped, #sunshines, #thewannabesaint.com, #think, #time, #timeislimited, #timeisonourside, #todoeverything, #way, #wehavetime, @BrianLoging, Events, moment

Down Deep

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Down Deep –

A couple of months ago me, Beth and our Siberian Husky, Trooper, went down south for a few days. Unbeknownst at the time, we had forgotten to give him his monthly flea medicine and for the first time in his life, he became home to a family of fleas. We didn’t notice for a few days and then we could tell by the scratching and his whining something wrong was happening. So, we investigated and discovered the flea family was present and were inviting relatives. We jumped into action and over the last several weeks we’ve given him multiple baths, his flea medicine twice and made sure to vacuüm almost every day. We wanted to make sure any fleas that had embedded themselves not only on him but in our carpets and floors were sucked up and discarded. I’m happy to report the dog and the house are both cleaned and relieved. Fleas are nasty, persistent little insects. They had a way of digging down deep, finding hiding places, hanging on for dear life and without dedication and determination will not leave!

Wisdom teaches us that we all have hurts, habits, and hang-ups that are similar to these ornery boogers. We have places in our lives, our minds, our spirits that plague us and without desire and discipline will not leave, stop or heal themselves. Addictions, mental health illnesses, personality traits, our histories, can be rooted deep within and only through purposeful and thoughtful approaches can stay hidden and cause suffering. As difficult as bringing these issues to the surface can be it is more damaging to allow them to stay and fester.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #action, #Addictions, #baths, #blessings, #boogers, #cleaned, #damaging, #dedication, #deep, #desire, #determination, #difficult, #digging, #discarded, #discipline, #discovered, #downdeep, #embedded, #fester, #finding, #fleamedicine, #fleas, #habits, #hang-ups, #hanging, #happening, #heal, #hidingplaces, #histories, #hurts, #investigated, #lives, #mentalhealthillnesses, #minds, #multiple, #nasty, #notleave, #ornery, #persistent, #personalitytraits, #plague, #purposeful, #relieved, #rooteddeep, #scratching, #SiberianHusky, #spirits, #stayhidden, #stop, #suckedup, #suffering, #teaches, #thewannabesaint.com, #thoughtful, #Trooper, #Unbeknownst, #vacuum, #whining, #wisdom, #wrong, @BrianLoging, Family

The Question of Freedom

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The Question of Freedom –

This morning a question was asked by a friend; “What are you celebrating this July 4th?” My answer was; “I’m not sure.” The easy answer is freedom, but freedom from what? I feel like we live in a time of disillusion and division. People are losing their right to express themselves no matter where their theology, political allegiances or cultural upbringing. We have become an intolerant and shaming nation. Those who are different, not like us, don’t share our beliefs and convictions, we condemn without either side given the chance to express ideas and discuss. Instead, we see different as a threat and label them as unworthy to be an American.

What does it mean to be free? What does it mean to be a patriot? What does it mean to be nationalistic? At one point in our history, being a patriot was speaking out against the government when it stepped over the line and into people’s lives, didn’t treat everyone (EVERYONE) as equal, needed to be put back in its place. We have exchanged our right as citizens of America and traded it in for members of a political party. We are republicans and democrats, conservatives and progressives, commoners and elites. Both sides claim they’re under attack, true Americans, and those outside of their political persuasions as “destroying our country!” The hate, vitriol, attacks, insults, spewed by both parties and their followers is heartbreaking and stomach turning.

So, what am I celebrating this July 4th? The freedom to write this without fear. Another question is; “What am I mourning this July 4th?” The loss of civility, being one people, allowing politics to define who we are, our neighbor is, and what being an American means.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Good Looking

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Good Looking –

I heard someone say the other day that a person needs to be good-looking in order to see. I liked that turn of phrase. Often we think of being good-looking as being, handsome, pretty, “easy on the eyes.” We think of it as someone looking at us and thinking we are attractive. Much of our culture is obsessed with being perfect, interesting, and wanting others to think good about us. To be good-looking is the goal when we are focused on ourselves.

Let’s turn it around. What if good-looking was about finding the positive in others and in our world? What if good-looking was a concept we took to heart and a discipline we developed? What if we stopped being concerned with whether or not others found us, our lives, attractive and we started finding the unique beauty inherent in almost all things? Our world would be transformed if we thought and focused on others more.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” #CSLewis

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #attractive, #beingconcerned, #blessings, #concept, #CSLewis, #discipline, #easyontheeyes, #finding, #findingthegood, #focused, #goal, #good-looking, #GoodLooking, #handsome, #humility, #inherent, #interesting, #needs, #obsessed, #perfect, #person, #pretty, #started, #stopped, #thewannabesaint.com, #thinking, #thinkinglessofyourself, #tooktoheart, #transformed, #turnitaround, #turnofphrase, #uniqueness, #wanting, .#developed, @BrianLoging, beauty, Culture, World

Are You There?

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Are You There?

A couple of hours ago a storm blew into our area with winds and thunder but no rain, at least for us. I was on the couch with my earbuds in. This is why I didn’t hear the storm or our Siberian Husky, Trooper, come into the living room and sit down right next to me and stare. Suddenly I had a feeling of being watched and I looked in his direction to find his face a few inches from mine. It startled me! “What are you doing?” When I heard the thunder I realized he was looking for comfort. I patted him on the head, scratched ears and told him it was; “okay.” I guess he heard and understood because he went back to his favorite spot on the foyer floor and laid down. He’s still asleep now.

In times of uncertainty, calamity, unsettledness, and fear, what we want, need to know if someone is there for us. As adult humans, we understand that a person’s presence might not fix or solve the problem but it does remind us we are not abandoned. It is one of the deepest longings at the heart of existence; the assurance that on this journey call life, we don’t walk alone.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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Tags: #AreYouThere, #assurance, #blessings, #blew, #calamity, #comfort, #deepestlongings, #direction, #fear, #feeling, #fix, #heartofexistence, #journey, #life, #looked, #presence, #problem, #remindus, #solve, #startled, #storm, #thewannabesaint.com, #thunder, #uncertainty, #understood, #unsettledness, #watched, #wearenotabandoned, #wedontwalkalone, #whatweneed, #whatwewant, #winds, @BrianLoging

Scent

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Scent –

Beth went to a reunion today and when she came back she smelled. It wasn’t a bad smell but it was a scent of perfume that makes my nose itch, a lot. “Whew, I can tell where you’ve been and who you’ve been around!” I jokingly told her. She laughed and agreed. The smell was so pervasive she changed clothes so I wouldn’t scratch my nose off my face.

Scientists tell us the sense of smell is one of our most powerful. It can conjure memories, warn us of danger, alert us to life and death, repel us, attract us, make us hungry, turn our stomachs, welcome us or tell us to stay away.

The Book of Numbers, in the Hebrew Bible, chapter 15, verse 14 reads; “If an alien sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, just as you do so he shall do.”

A lot of talk, arguing, and choosing sides about the families and individuals coming to our national borders looking for a new home lately. They smell of desperation and hope. When they arrive I wonder what they sense about us? Do they catch the scent of kindness, love, welcoming or a scent unpleasing to them and to God? What we do, allow done, to the foreigner, the alien, the stranger, the helpless, the hopeless, among us reveals who we are and the God we serve.

blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com

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