One More Valley

--- Song ---

One more valley, one more river, one more mountain to cross

until I see Jesus in all of His glory

One more valley and I'll be home.

The valley may seem lonely.

The river so very wide.

The mountain may seem impossible to climb,

but Jesus He's there all the time!

He makes the valley a place of peace and rest.

The mountain a stepping stone.

At the river Jesus gets into my boat

I'm never left alone.

--- Evangelist Mable Williams ---

Did You Get the Memo?

TO: YOU
DATE: TODAY
FROM: GOD
SUBJECT: YOURSELF
REFERENCE: LIFE

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work: think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what its like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance: think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!

Should you decide to send this to a friend; you might brighten someone’s day!

Beyond the Wall

-- Song –

 

The Promise is beyond the wall. The Promise is beyond the wall.

Don’t give up. Don’t give in.

Be strong and remember –

The Promise is beyond the wall.

 

The Promise is beyond the wall. The Promise is beyond the wall.

Though you don’t see, just believe and know you shall receive

The Promise beyond the wall.

 

The Promise is beyond the wall. The Promise is beyond the wall.

Have faith in God and heed His call,

“Go forth. The Promise is beyond the wall.”

The Promise is beyond the wall. The Promise is beyond the wall.

I’m going forth, believing I shall receive –

The Promise beyond the wall.

 

The Promise is beyond the wall. The Promise is beyond the wall.

With God I can do all things. I will not fail to receive

The Promise beyond the wall.

 

Beyond the wall. Beyond the wall. God’s Promise is true, waiting for me and you.

Beyond the wall. Beyond the wall.  God’s Promise is beyond the wall.

In these modern times often there are ‘instant’ results to a promise or request. God has given a promise to each of us. It may have been years ago and it has not been fulfilled yet. There may have been times when you questioned whether you would be able to obtain the promise or even the validity…the very existence of the promise.

Well, here are some encouraging words…

Go forward towards your promise despite the wall you may see in your path. The ‘wall’ may be bureaucrats, bureaucracy, and ‘red tape’; lack of personal ability, knowledge, and resources; even people who desire your misfortune. God will allow you to overcome the ‘wall’ through the assistance of others. However, they cannot do it for you.  

When you overcome the wall there may be giants present to intimidate you. Their ‘voices’ may cause your heart to recoil in fear and paralyze your mind with panic. Go forward. The Lord God is with you. He shall sustain you.

The ‘giants’ may be the perceptions not only that individuals may have of you but the image you have of yourself. Your past and self-talk may intimidate you.

Go forward.

Be like Caleb. He declared the ‘giants’ shall be as meat…

The ‘giants’ shall be as meat…substantial provisions, support…edification.

The ‘giants’ shall be the means by which God provides you with substantial strength of character...

Weakness is turned to Strength. “For it’s not by power, nor by might but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.”

Go forward.    

For the Promise is ...  Beyond the Wall.

Honor Deferred

Author's Note: Unless otherwise noted the quotes herein are attributed to Dr. Martin Luther Ling Jr.

"A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house."  --- Matthew 13:57


In a few days there will be flow of speeches and reflections about the legacy of  Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as national monument is dedicated in his honor. There are many people who are offering goodly words now but during the times of his sufferings, there was a deafening silence. It's sad but often true many people choose not to step up in courage in the face of adversity themselves, but also offer no support to those who are willing to make the sacrifice. Betrayal.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

There are some people who see the 'pomp and circumstance' but understand not the endured sufferings often from misunderstandings even among individuals close to him. How difficult it is to communicate understanding of your dream, indeed a vision to others who seemingly have different priorities! Through the years, the Dream has been adulterated and the Vision marred by human bitterness and wanton biases.

"Cowardice asks the question - is it safe? Expediency asks the question - is it politic? Vanity asks the question - is it popular? But conscience asks the question - is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right.

The Dream was about more than racial equality. It's a vision that seeks to uphold the dignity of all humans -- whether you are a sanitation engineer (garbage man) or a doctor; live in rural Tennessee or urban Los Angeles; Democrat or Republican.

"And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

The Dream follows the Productivity Principle.

"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land."


The Dream provides Hope and Assurance.

"With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day."

"And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

"My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!"

"And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Finding the Way Forward

Bewilderment. No one seems to know the answers. There has been much discussion about what needs to be done to promote job creation and economic growth. The media have ruminated over not only what the president may say, but what he needs to say about proposals to spur economic growth in his post labor day speech.

There are no 'magic bullets'. Yet the 'way forward' is clearly evident and naturally evolves from our collective experiences as we transition from the Great Recession.  

Christians in Politics

From Archbishop Desmond Tutu ---
"Politics is an incredible opportunity to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”.We are aware that Christians may not be in agreement with every policy of any of the three major parties, but this should not be a barrier to involvement. A party that truly represented our own personal views would have only one member. In the same way that even though we certainly do not agree on everything with other members of our churches, or with a spouse, we seek to work in partnership with others, building relationship and gaining influence."

"Have you ever sent a campaigning postcard or email? Who did you hope would read it? Someone who cared? Someone with a passion to make change happen?"

"We think you could be that person."

"Don’t just send it. Be sent.
Don’t just post. Participate.
Get involved politically.
Nobody’s perfect.
Stop just shouting from the sidelines.
Can you see politics as mission?
Join us".

"If God’s will is not being done in
politics, we need to ask ‘whose will is?’ "

************
For more information http://www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk/home/

Americans First!

Getting the job done

Job at the FBI
The FBI had an opening for an assassin. After all the background checks, interviews and testing were done, there were 3 finalists: two men and a woman. For the final test, the FBI agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun.

"We must know that you will follow your instructions no matter what the circumstances. Inside the room you will find yor wife sitting in a chair...kill her!"

The man said, "You can't be serious. I could never shoot my wife."
The agent said, "Then you're not the right man for this job. Take your wife and go home."

The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about 5 minutes. The man came out with tears in his eyes, "I tried, but I can't kill my wife." The agent said, "You don't have what it takes. Take your wife and go home."

Finally, it was the woman's turn. She was given the same instructions, to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard one after another. They heard screaming, crashing, and banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. the door open slowly and there stood the woman wiping the sweat from her brow. "This gun was loaded with blanks," she said, "I had to beat him to death with the chair."

Lesson:

“When you need something done and you ask women to do it, it gets done"
--- Michelle Obama, First Lady, 05.08.10 at Women Leadership Forum

or

"Women are just crazy. Don't mess with them."

Guidance

When I mediated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is alot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and let's the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two becomes one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes the surrender, willingness, and attentiveness
from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God", "u" and "i" dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again I became willing to let God lead.

--- Selected




"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  --- Proverbs 3:5-6

America Works!

We have  faced many challenges throughout the years: economical, environmental, social, geo-political, et al. Indeed there have been intense criticisms and cynicism against the body politic, in general and leaders in particular. Yet, we still believe in this 'experiment' which was established over 200 years ago. An experiment which started with the 'shot that was heard around the world' and has become 'beacon of hope' to peoples of the world. An experiment which emphasizes human dignity and freedom for all peoples. An experiment which is enduring. An experiment which endeavors to form
'a more perfect union'. Why? Because America Works!

America: It's more than an experiment.

We value the dignity of all peoples. America Works!
Our Constitution declares our ideals, values, and principles. America Works! 
We uphold our Constitution not just through lip-service, but through our actions. America Works!
We are indivisible. America Works!
We stand staunchly by our allies. America Works!
Boldly, we confront adversaries that seek to harm us. America Works!
We believe in the value of personal efforts in the pursuit of aspirations. America Works!
We believe in entrepreneurship. America Works!
We believe in businesses, large and small. America Works!
We don't give up when face with challenges. America Works!

It's time to come together and honestly resolve to deal with the many challenges of the nation. Our different perspectives may provide  seeds to pragmatic sustainable solutions. Why? Because America Works! 

"America Works best when we work together." 
--- Tom Donahue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO & President

In the Face of Controversy

Many people spend their lives trying to avoid any and all potential controversy. Conversely, there are individuals who do not seek controversy, but when it arises will boldly stand in the face of controversy; not with attitude of defiance but reasonable words that have the power to bring forth understanding.


The former is stricken with fear, insecurity, denial,  and pride. The latter possesses courage, confidence, acceptance,  and humility.  The former wants to be loved and praised by others. The latter seeks respect for all. The former believes confusion! is stirred by addressing the subject. The latter knows understanding comes from acknowledging the truth.


"And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right...The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”   --- Martin Luther King Jr

To Leaders in Government

"Good leadership involves responsibility to the welfare of the group, which means that some people will get angry at your actions and decisions. It's inevitable, if you're honorable. Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity: you'll avoid the tough decisions, you'll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted, and you'll avoid offering differential rewards based on differential performance because some people might get upset.

Ironically, by procrastinating on the difficult choices, by trying not to get anyone mad, and by treating everyone equally "nicely" regardless of their contributions, you'll simply ensure that the only people you'll wind up angering are the most creative and productive people in the organization

--- Colin Powell

Pulse of the Nation: Education Reform

"Here’s something we must do—go all-in on education reform … to build the best, most innovative, and most effective school systems in the world. We know what the problems are. Now is the time for action. Now is the time for real reform … fundamental reform."

"How will it happen? It begins by everyone doing their part. It begins by embracing the fundamental principles that built this great country … like innovation, adaptability, creativity, accountability, and responsibility."
"On this issue, we have praise for the Obama administration. It believes the need for innovation and reform is urgent. And it’s putting money where its mouth is. It’s $4 billion Race to the Top grant program is a tremendous catalyst for greater innovation, accountability, and higher standards in American schools. It says if you want a piece of this pie to improve your schools, impress us with the depth and scope of your reforms. Get some real results. Stop business as usual."

"The White House has also spoken out in favor of charter schools, teacher merit pay, and a greater emphasis on STEM, or “science, technology, engineering, and math...So we believe the administration is on the right track and we proudly support many of their efforts. The challenge will be enacting these reforms in the face of likely political and interest group pressure. On that note, let me say a word about teachers’ unions. My message to them is simple: Join the reform effort."
  
   
" I understand it’s their job to fight for the best possible pay, benefits, and working conditions for their members. And they do a pretty damn good job! But if they remain defenders of the status quo … if they refuse to allow the dismissal of teachers who are clearly failing our kids … if they stubbornly block reforms that improve our schools, give our kids a real shot at the American Dream, and prepare them for success … then they will be on the wrong side of public opinion. They will be on the wrong side of history."

"Congress and the states can help as well. Congress should strengthen and improve No Child Left Behind, while respecting its fundamental features. States and districts must adopt sound business management techniques in their schools, including giving principals more authority over budget and personnel decisions."

"In many ways, it is business that is leading the reform efforts. We need to work twice as hard. The U.S. Chamber’s affiliated Institute for a Competitive Workforce is actively working with our members to increase their capacity at the local, state, and national levels so that they can be better partners and advocates for change. We are using our bully pulpit to raise awareness for what works and what doesn’t. We are providing cover to those who are working to do the right thing."
"We are immensely proud to be promoting an exciting new documentary called “Waiting for Superman.” It follows the stories of 5 children desperately trying to escape low-performing schools and get into charter schools. They are subjected to a lottery system. That the fate of so many children depends on the equivalent of the spin of a roulette wheel is a sad commentary on our K-12 education system."

"The bottom line: There is a faint pulse of education reform coursing through the land—our job is to turn it into a strong heartbeat. There’s no better thing we can do for the future of our country."


Remarks by THOMAS J. DONOHUE President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “Restoring America’s Economic Greatness”
The Heartland Partnership Annual Meeting
Illinois October 6, 2010

Analysis Paralysis: An Affliction of Leaders?

"The term "analysis paralysis" or "paralysis of analysis" refers to over-analyzing (or over-thinking) a situation, so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome. A decision can be treated as over-complicated, with too many detailed options, so that a choice is never made, rather than try something and change if a major problem arises. A person might be seeking the optimal or "perfect" solution upfront, and fear making any decision which could lead to erroneous results, when on the way to a better solution."

"The phrase describes a situation where the opportunity cost of decision analysis exceeds the benefits that could be gained by enacting some decision, or an informal or non-deterministic situation where the sheer quantity of analysis overwhelms the decision-making process itself, thus preventing a decision. The phrase applies to any situation where analysis may be applied to help make a decision and may be a dysfunctional element of organizational behavior. This is often phrased as paralysis by analysis, in contrast to extinct by instinct (making a fatal decision based on hasty judgment or a gut-reaction)."

Like a Tree

Before Loving made a legal decree; Before the pronouncement of a Dream; A seed was planted.

Rains of blessings provides nourishing environment in the earth. Rays of light guides the growth.

Storms -- thundering fear and flashes of understanding serve as reminder of human dependence on an Almighty God...

From whence Hope and Determination develop to continue to do good works that brings forth fruit in due season.