Today I want to deal with the subject of judgment. Don't you just love to be around people who are always judging you or someone else? Those are my favorite types of people. Well not really. I very much dislike being around them. But let's talk about judgment for a minute. If you have ever been to church, you have heard the quote from the bible, "Judge not lest ye be judged." We have taken that to mean that when I am around someone who hurts me or does bad things to me, that I can't judge them right. I think this is very true. I cannot judge a person period.
But what I can do is judge their actions. It's OK to judge a person's actions. But what I think we really like to do is use judging a persons actions as a spring board to get to what is really fun - judging people. See I caught myself doing that here recently and honestly I didn't really even know I was doing it. But before I get to that, let me talk about some things its OK to judge.
Sometimes we are around people who use this don't judge people thing as a way to manipulate us and hurt us. All the while, they are saying that you can't judge them. What they are really saying is they want you to continue to allow them to treat you badly. That's not OK. If you are around someone who is constantly hurting you, their actions are wrong and that is what I am judging. I am not saying they are a bad person. However, don't let people manipulate you into doing what they want if it is wrong.
While I am at it, let me step on a few more toes. If someone comes up to you and tells you in a loving and kind way that they think you are behaving wrongly, consider what they say. I know some people who are very difficult to correct because they cannot take someone telling them they are wrong. I personally like to know when I am wrong (this is not an open invitation for you to correct me). Let me say that I only trust a few people to tell me I am behaving wrongly. Most of the time, I listen to my heart and the Lord will correct me where I need correction. Be thankful when someone does that for you, if you know they really love and care about you. For me personally, I don't want to go around being wrong. Have you ever had that dream where you are walking around in your underwear or worse and everyone is laughing at you? Well that's a little drastic but I think when we walk around constantly behaving wrong in an area, that is exactly what we are doing.
So let me tell you about the wrong kind of judgment. I know this guy who was extremely judgmental to certain people in his life. As a matter of fact, he really didn't like having them around. Why, because some of them did do things that hurt his feelings. Some of them did nothing to hurt his feelings. He was just judgmental. Now I don't know if he was ever judgmental outright to these people's faces but he certainly was in his heart. He didn't really do it on purpose but he couldn't separate judging a person and judging their actions. See some of their actions needed to be understood. In some ways they used him but didn't know it. So what did he do in return. He got mad and judged them personally. He considered himself a pretty humble guy. He didn't go around openly telling everyone that he thought he was smart or successful. He didn't go around showing off how much money he made or what he had (although many people thought this was the case). As a matter of fact, he quit showing people the cool stuff he got and he quit telling people about the cool things that happened to him because some people got jealous.
Regardless of what they did to him, he began to judge himself as better than them. Now here is where it gets a little strange. He didn't judge himself smarter, or more successful, or more educated than the people around him. That would have been too obvious. He judged worse than that. He began to see himself as nicer than them. He would look at his wife and see all the times that she did things that were not nice toward him and only consider the nice things he did for her. He is to this day a giver and began to feel that people took advantage of that. So he judged himself to be a nicer and therefore better person than many of the people around him.
OK let me give you three guesses on this guy's identity. Do you really need three guesses? Yup, you know it. This guy is me. It is a very humbling experience when the Lord shows you that you aren't really all that. Now I quit judging people before I started writing for the most part but I didn't realize that I was doing it. It's easy for me to hear people saying nice things about this blog and some of the other stuff I do. I even have a good friend who told me she thought I was a great guy. She didn't mean it as one of those blow off things. This girl really puts me on a pedestal. She sees things in me that I didn't know were there. As a matter of fact, there was a certain thing about the Minion that happened that shocked me. She said that she was surprised it took as long as it did. So guess what, the Minion isn't all that. I have already done this in private but I want to go on record in front of you and ask God to forgive me for being judgmental. That is truly a terrible thing to do and I am ashamed of it. If I have judged you wrongly instead of just judging your actions, please forgive me.
So let me ask you a question? Where are you being like I was? Where are you judging people? I bet that somewhere you are judging them instead of their actions. That has to stop. Do you like to sit around and talk about other people? That's called gossip and it's very judgmental. We have to stop that.
That's another Opinion of the Minion
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Friday, September 9, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A Midsummer Minion's Dream
Today, I want to talk to you about dreams. How often do you sit and dream? I do it all the time. I day dream about all kinds of situations in my life. I have visions of what a right relationship would look like and see myself there. I think dreaming is something important that we have missed in our lives. I was in church on Sunday and heard this message. Then I went back to a totally different church and heard the same message about vision and dreams on Sunday night. Do you think God was trying to tell me something? In the last couple of weeks I have had two very strong revelations from the bible about dreams. So here we go.
We all have dreams. As I have said before, when I was in high school, I dreamed of going to Annapolis and then on to fly F-14s for the US Navy. Well that one didn't come to pass but that's OK. Top Gun is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the end because Tom Cruise overcomes tragedy and saves the day. It's my kind of movie.
I also dreamed about going to law school one day and becoming Perry Mason. I was going to argue cases and be the greatest lawyer ever to walk the planet. Well that partly happened. I did graduate law school and technically I am a lawyer but I don't practice much. If you have ever had me as your lawyer, you know I am no Perry Mason. ;) But I am happy with me and I am glad I went to school. When I told people about my dream some of them said I would never make it. Some said it to my face and some said it behind my back but that's OK. That dream was working inside me and guess what, I made it.
Now here is a dream that I am going to share with you that I have never made public. Only a few people know about this one but I want to share it with you now. For years I dreamed of being the President of the United States. I could see myself in the Oval Office. I could see myself making right decisions and governing wisely. I read scriptures about how when the righteous rule the people rejoice. Many people say they wouldn't want the job but I wanted to be the go to guy. I wanted to see if I had what it took. If you come into my office you will find many books about presidents, the white house and being president. It was definitely one of my long term goals. Today, I don't really want to be President anymore. Why you ask, because it isn't my calling. I am beginning to wake up to what the Lord has called me to do and I know that isn't it.
So what I have been doing the last couple of days is working on my dreams. I am writing them down and beginning to think about them. Many studies show that when we write down our dreams and think about them regularly, this process acts like a magnet drawing us closer and closer to our dreams and goals. That's pretty cool stuff huh.
See, I think it is important to dream big. When I dreamed about losing weight, I would see myself skinny. I would see myself doing all kinds of things. One thing that really embarrassed me about being big was I couldn't water ski which was big with my family. But I would see myself being skinny and attractive. I started confessing everyday that I weighed 205 pounds. I did this for over a year without dropping a single pound but that dream was resonating inside my spirit every day. That dream was working inside me and pointing me the right direction. Then one day, that dream popped in my spirit and the transformation began. But guess what, I didn't stop at 205. I went all the way down to 185. See when we dare to dream and then keep those dreams in front of us, amazing things can happen.
Now let me tie this to a place you may not really understand. God. Guess what, he has dreams. He has dreams about you. The bible says that He has plans for you. Plans for your good. It says in another place that he knew you before the foundation of the world. Since before the world was founded he was dreaming about you. That's pretty far out there stuff huh.
Well I want you to get a picture of this. Think for a minute about that perfect guy or that perfect girl or maybe a car, etc. Picture him/her/it in your mind. Think for a second about whatever your goal is. See yourself in a right relationship (See the Box). See yourself succeeding. How does that feel? Does it touch a nerve in the core of your being? Does it release a warm feeling inside you? This might blow your mind but the Lord sits around dreaming of you the same way. He pictures you in his mind successful. He pictures you in his mind with the right person. He sees you enjoying yourself and it brings great pleasure to His soul. He gets excited about His dreams for your life. He has a good life planned for you. He sees you and He spending time together doing things that you love.
And that's another Opinion of the Minion.
We all have dreams. As I have said before, when I was in high school, I dreamed of going to Annapolis and then on to fly F-14s for the US Navy. Well that one didn't come to pass but that's OK. Top Gun is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the end because Tom Cruise overcomes tragedy and saves the day. It's my kind of movie.
I also dreamed about going to law school one day and becoming Perry Mason. I was going to argue cases and be the greatest lawyer ever to walk the planet. Well that partly happened. I did graduate law school and technically I am a lawyer but I don't practice much. If you have ever had me as your lawyer, you know I am no Perry Mason. ;) But I am happy with me and I am glad I went to school. When I told people about my dream some of them said I would never make it. Some said it to my face and some said it behind my back but that's OK. That dream was working inside me and guess what, I made it.
Now here is a dream that I am going to share with you that I have never made public. Only a few people know about this one but I want to share it with you now. For years I dreamed of being the President of the United States. I could see myself in the Oval Office. I could see myself making right decisions and governing wisely. I read scriptures about how when the righteous rule the people rejoice. Many people say they wouldn't want the job but I wanted to be the go to guy. I wanted to see if I had what it took. If you come into my office you will find many books about presidents, the white house and being president. It was definitely one of my long term goals. Today, I don't really want to be President anymore. Why you ask, because it isn't my calling. I am beginning to wake up to what the Lord has called me to do and I know that isn't it.
So what I have been doing the last couple of days is working on my dreams. I am writing them down and beginning to think about them. Many studies show that when we write down our dreams and think about them regularly, this process acts like a magnet drawing us closer and closer to our dreams and goals. That's pretty cool stuff huh.
See, I think it is important to dream big. When I dreamed about losing weight, I would see myself skinny. I would see myself doing all kinds of things. One thing that really embarrassed me about being big was I couldn't water ski which was big with my family. But I would see myself being skinny and attractive. I started confessing everyday that I weighed 205 pounds. I did this for over a year without dropping a single pound but that dream was resonating inside my spirit every day. That dream was working inside me and pointing me the right direction. Then one day, that dream popped in my spirit and the transformation began. But guess what, I didn't stop at 205. I went all the way down to 185. See when we dare to dream and then keep those dreams in front of us, amazing things can happen.
Now let me tie this to a place you may not really understand. God. Guess what, he has dreams. He has dreams about you. The bible says that He has plans for you. Plans for your good. It says in another place that he knew you before the foundation of the world. Since before the world was founded he was dreaming about you. That's pretty far out there stuff huh.
Well I want you to get a picture of this. Think for a minute about that perfect guy or that perfect girl or maybe a car, etc. Picture him/her/it in your mind. Think for a second about whatever your goal is. See yourself in a right relationship (See the Box). See yourself succeeding. How does that feel? Does it touch a nerve in the core of your being? Does it release a warm feeling inside you? This might blow your mind but the Lord sits around dreaming of you the same way. He pictures you in his mind successful. He pictures you in his mind with the right person. He sees you enjoying yourself and it brings great pleasure to His soul. He gets excited about His dreams for your life. He has a good life planned for you. He sees you and He spending time together doing things that you love.
And that's another Opinion of the Minion.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A Minion's Hope
Today I want to talk to you about hope. I belive the single most devistating thing that can happen in your life is to loose hope. Hope is one of the most important parts of our lives but how often do we hear someone say, "Don't get your hopes up." That is one the of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I want you to get your hope sky high. OK, I can immediately hear people saying, "He has flipped out. I hoped that this would happen or that would happen and it didn't. When I hoped for that situation to work out in my life and it didn't, that hurt me deeply and I would have been better of not to have gotten my hopes up at all."
Let me say, I certainly understand your point. I have done the same thing. I got my hopes up that a certain area of my life would change and it didn't. A few months ago, I got my hopes up about a certain relationship and that didn't work. I used to get my hopes up all the time that I could go on a diet and loose weight. I used to get my hopes up that I would be in a great relationship with a woman and that didn't work. Even recently, I got my hopes up about a situation that didn't work out like I wanted. So I should have just let it go. I should have not hoped at all. Think about it. Wouldn't it have been better if I hadn't hoped. If I had just expected failure. That way I wouldn't have felt the disappointment and in some cases pain of the failure. I can see what you mean by your question above. Maybe you were even right.
Well, not so fast. The critical question about hope is in what or where do I place it? If I place my hope in you that you will do something or you place your hope in me that I will do something, at some point we will both be disappointed. Why? Because we aren't perfect. Also, sometimes we put our hope in a person who isn't capable of doing what we want anyway. Think of it this way, if you put your hope in me that I will be able to dunk a basketball. I can 100% gaurantee you that you will be disappointed. I am 5'7" tall and my verticle jump won't get me there. That's not really important in the grand scheme of life but what if you put your hope in a friend or relationship to make you happy?
What if you looked to a girl or guy as the thing that was going to make you happy in life? That other person is going to make a mistake somewhere and disappoint you. It will probably hurt when they do. See, they weren't made perfect so they are not capable of being perfect. Everyone is going to make mistakes and when the mistake involves you, it is going to hurt. "OK," you say, "if you want me to have hope and hope is so critical to my life, who or what do I put my hope in?"
Some of you who read this are ahead of me and know exactly where I am going. That makes me smile. I will tell you where I put my hope. I put my hope in God. He isn't just a train ticket to Heaven. He is what keeps me going here. I know that he cannot fail. If I put my trust in him, there is no area we cannot conquer. I desire with all my heart to have a godly mate. I want a woman I can cherish, protect, care for, and grow with. I want one that I can talk to. You know my personal feelings from reading the Box. So when I get around someone who I think is a good candidate, do I put my hope in her that she will be what I am seeking? Nope, I put my trust in God. He said He would provide all my needs so I put my hope in Him that He will provide what I need. I don't hope in the woman, I hope in God. When I do this, there is such great peace because no matter what comes up, my hope is in God. If I have a good night or bad, it doesn't matter because my hope stays where it belongs. Guess what, as I have done this, I have seen deliverance and help from God in every area where I put this to work.
Recently on Facebook there was a person who stated that they were Wiccan (sp?). My response was, Why? I certainly respect their right to be Wiccan. That wasn't really what I was asking. Then someone else posted that this person was Wiccan because they chose their religion just like I did. Well I appreciate their response as I do believe they were honestly trying to help me out but what I wanted to know is why did you chose to be Wiccan? I can tell you why I choose to be a Christian. It's because God still helps me everyday. It's because when I call on Him, He answers. It's because when things seem like they are coming apart, I can go to Him and He makes me to be at peace even though it looks like I am in deep trouble. When I place my hope in Him, it centers and grounds me. All of the sudden, my world turns right side up and things look good again.
And that's another Opinion of the Minion
Let me say, I certainly understand your point. I have done the same thing. I got my hopes up that a certain area of my life would change and it didn't. A few months ago, I got my hopes up about a certain relationship and that didn't work. I used to get my hopes up all the time that I could go on a diet and loose weight. I used to get my hopes up that I would be in a great relationship with a woman and that didn't work. Even recently, I got my hopes up about a situation that didn't work out like I wanted. So I should have just let it go. I should have not hoped at all. Think about it. Wouldn't it have been better if I hadn't hoped. If I had just expected failure. That way I wouldn't have felt the disappointment and in some cases pain of the failure. I can see what you mean by your question above. Maybe you were even right.
Well, not so fast. The critical question about hope is in what or where do I place it? If I place my hope in you that you will do something or you place your hope in me that I will do something, at some point we will both be disappointed. Why? Because we aren't perfect. Also, sometimes we put our hope in a person who isn't capable of doing what we want anyway. Think of it this way, if you put your hope in me that I will be able to dunk a basketball. I can 100% gaurantee you that you will be disappointed. I am 5'7" tall and my verticle jump won't get me there. That's not really important in the grand scheme of life but what if you put your hope in a friend or relationship to make you happy?
What if you looked to a girl or guy as the thing that was going to make you happy in life? That other person is going to make a mistake somewhere and disappoint you. It will probably hurt when they do. See, they weren't made perfect so they are not capable of being perfect. Everyone is going to make mistakes and when the mistake involves you, it is going to hurt. "OK," you say, "if you want me to have hope and hope is so critical to my life, who or what do I put my hope in?"
Some of you who read this are ahead of me and know exactly where I am going. That makes me smile. I will tell you where I put my hope. I put my hope in God. He isn't just a train ticket to Heaven. He is what keeps me going here. I know that he cannot fail. If I put my trust in him, there is no area we cannot conquer. I desire with all my heart to have a godly mate. I want a woman I can cherish, protect, care for, and grow with. I want one that I can talk to. You know my personal feelings from reading the Box. So when I get around someone who I think is a good candidate, do I put my hope in her that she will be what I am seeking? Nope, I put my trust in God. He said He would provide all my needs so I put my hope in Him that He will provide what I need. I don't hope in the woman, I hope in God. When I do this, there is such great peace because no matter what comes up, my hope is in God. If I have a good night or bad, it doesn't matter because my hope stays where it belongs. Guess what, as I have done this, I have seen deliverance and help from God in every area where I put this to work.
Recently on Facebook there was a person who stated that they were Wiccan (sp?). My response was, Why? I certainly respect their right to be Wiccan. That wasn't really what I was asking. Then someone else posted that this person was Wiccan because they chose their religion just like I did. Well I appreciate their response as I do believe they were honestly trying to help me out but what I wanted to know is why did you chose to be Wiccan? I can tell you why I choose to be a Christian. It's because God still helps me everyday. It's because when I call on Him, He answers. It's because when things seem like they are coming apart, I can go to Him and He makes me to be at peace even though it looks like I am in deep trouble. When I place my hope in Him, it centers and grounds me. All of the sudden, my world turns right side up and things look good again.
And that's another Opinion of the Minion
Sunday, August 21, 2011
A Message from the Lord of the Minion
Dear Friends,
This will be a different type of post for me but I know it is right. If you are a minister, I ask that you read this with care and make sure I am hearing correctly. I believe today, I have a letter from the Lord that is in my spirit that must be let out onto this blog. Below please find that letter from the Lord.
My Dearest Child,
Long before you were born, I created this world and I gave it to my son Adam. It was completely his and I intended for us to grow it together. But Adam made a bad mistake. He gave the authority over this world to a fallen angel you know as Satan. Let me say, I have never stopped loving Adam. I care about him as deeply today as I did back then. It grieved me that he gave our authority to Satan but I still love him.
I deeply loved Satan before he fell from Heaven. Both Satan and Adam are my creations and I had to let both make decisions that would hurt Me even though I loved them with all that I am. Jesus was there with me when these things happened and I see love so deeply in him. I love him. It grieved us both to see our creation hurt and see where we knew things were headed. But We don't quit. Our love for you would never allow us to. That separation that Adam caused between Us and Our creation was something we desperately wanted to close. Our hearts yearned for Our creation even more than before the fall because of the separation that took place. We couldn't be one with Our creation like we were before that day in the garden.
I had a plan all along to bridge the gap. The problem with the sacrifices that took place before this was that Satan still had authority in the earth. That was what happened when Adam ate of the tree I told him not to. He gave authority I intended for us to share to Satan. I needed something to take the authority back so that I could be close to you and live with you. Before the cross, I could be around you and I could be close but I could not live inside you. It's like Tommy said about the box. I could admire and put things in you but I want to live in your box. I want to get as close as possible to the inner part of your box. I want to get so close that what's inside your box and I become one. If someone looks inside your box, I do not want them to be able to distinguish between what is you and what is Me.
I want to give you everything I have. I am constantly looking for ways to bless you. Sometimes you reject my offers but I never stop offering. You are still my most prized possession. If you look in awe at the majesty of the mountains or the depths of the oceans or the stars of the heaven, they are nothing compared to the way I look at you. You are all that I long for.
Before I could become one with you again, I needed to get the authority back to do so. If I had tried to change things without doing this, it would have destroyed the world and I would have lost you forever. The three of us (Jesus, the Holy Spirit and I) could not bear the thought of loosing you. You are too precious to Me. You are all that I want. The only way to put that bridge in place so that I could live with you and love you the way that I really wanted was for there to be a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. They included the ones that I knew you would commit after the cross and all the ones before. For this to happen, We knew that We would have to send Jesus to as final payment for all the sin of our creation. He decided He would go through great pain because of His love for you.
When We sent him to the earth, immediately some of his creation sought out to kill Him. Imagine what it would be like for your son or daughter to be so misguided that they tried to take your life. That's what was happening then. Our creation didn't know Us. I protected him because We all knew what He had to do. I sent him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. I had to make sure he faced every opportunity to sin that the rest of Our creation has faced. And he did. But he held fast to me and blocked every temptation. After that, he got to do what he loves more than anything. Even though they didn't know they were his creation, We blessed Our creation through him. We got to give out little glimpses of our love. And we enjoyed it. We got to heal the sick, proclaim liberty to the captives, provide food for people that needed, we got to give dead people back to their loved ones. We got to give money to people that needed it. We got to spend three years walking the earth in human form and blessing it. It was such a joyous time for us. Jesus loved his time on the earth with his creation. We waited until the time was right and then set about redeeming Our creation and putting the bridge in place that would allow Us to come live in your box and be one with you.
Many will say that I am an angry God looking for ways to hurt my creation but I am not. I love my creation too deeply to do anything that would harm it. It is all I love. Many of my sons and daughters are anxiously awaiting my son Jesus' second coming. That will be a sad day for me because many of those that I love more than anything will have made a choice not to live with me and be with me. I love them enough to let them decide but it hurts Me when they don't want Me. I want you to know that I love you today. I have always loved you and I always will love you. I am God but I want to be your Father. I want to spend time with you. I want us to enjoy your life together. I want you to be successful and fulfilled all the days of your life. I want nothing but the best for you. Bad things happen in this life to people but I don't do bad things to my loved ones. Little children, you are all I care about and desire. I have gold and beauty you haven't seen yet but I seek after you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great fear and trembling that I submit this letter from the Lord.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life.
Tommy Oswald (The Minion that God so passionately, deeply and committedly loves)
This will be a different type of post for me but I know it is right. If you are a minister, I ask that you read this with care and make sure I am hearing correctly. I believe today, I have a letter from the Lord that is in my spirit that must be let out onto this blog. Below please find that letter from the Lord.
My Dearest Child,
Long before you were born, I created this world and I gave it to my son Adam. It was completely his and I intended for us to grow it together. But Adam made a bad mistake. He gave the authority over this world to a fallen angel you know as Satan. Let me say, I have never stopped loving Adam. I care about him as deeply today as I did back then. It grieved me that he gave our authority to Satan but I still love him.
I deeply loved Satan before he fell from Heaven. Both Satan and Adam are my creations and I had to let both make decisions that would hurt Me even though I loved them with all that I am. Jesus was there with me when these things happened and I see love so deeply in him. I love him. It grieved us both to see our creation hurt and see where we knew things were headed. But We don't quit. Our love for you would never allow us to. That separation that Adam caused between Us and Our creation was something we desperately wanted to close. Our hearts yearned for Our creation even more than before the fall because of the separation that took place. We couldn't be one with Our creation like we were before that day in the garden.
I had a plan all along to bridge the gap. The problem with the sacrifices that took place before this was that Satan still had authority in the earth. That was what happened when Adam ate of the tree I told him not to. He gave authority I intended for us to share to Satan. I needed something to take the authority back so that I could be close to you and live with you. Before the cross, I could be around you and I could be close but I could not live inside you. It's like Tommy said about the box. I could admire and put things in you but I want to live in your box. I want to get as close as possible to the inner part of your box. I want to get so close that what's inside your box and I become one. If someone looks inside your box, I do not want them to be able to distinguish between what is you and what is Me.
I want to give you everything I have. I am constantly looking for ways to bless you. Sometimes you reject my offers but I never stop offering. You are still my most prized possession. If you look in awe at the majesty of the mountains or the depths of the oceans or the stars of the heaven, they are nothing compared to the way I look at you. You are all that I long for.
Before I could become one with you again, I needed to get the authority back to do so. If I had tried to change things without doing this, it would have destroyed the world and I would have lost you forever. The three of us (Jesus, the Holy Spirit and I) could not bear the thought of loosing you. You are too precious to Me. You are all that I want. The only way to put that bridge in place so that I could live with you and love you the way that I really wanted was for there to be a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. They included the ones that I knew you would commit after the cross and all the ones before. For this to happen, We knew that We would have to send Jesus to as final payment for all the sin of our creation. He decided He would go through great pain because of His love for you.
When We sent him to the earth, immediately some of his creation sought out to kill Him. Imagine what it would be like for your son or daughter to be so misguided that they tried to take your life. That's what was happening then. Our creation didn't know Us. I protected him because We all knew what He had to do. I sent him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. I had to make sure he faced every opportunity to sin that the rest of Our creation has faced. And he did. But he held fast to me and blocked every temptation. After that, he got to do what he loves more than anything. Even though they didn't know they were his creation, We blessed Our creation through him. We got to give out little glimpses of our love. And we enjoyed it. We got to heal the sick, proclaim liberty to the captives, provide food for people that needed, we got to give dead people back to their loved ones. We got to give money to people that needed it. We got to spend three years walking the earth in human form and blessing it. It was such a joyous time for us. Jesus loved his time on the earth with his creation. We waited until the time was right and then set about redeeming Our creation and putting the bridge in place that would allow Us to come live in your box and be one with you.
Many will say that I am an angry God looking for ways to hurt my creation but I am not. I love my creation too deeply to do anything that would harm it. It is all I love. Many of my sons and daughters are anxiously awaiting my son Jesus' second coming. That will be a sad day for me because many of those that I love more than anything will have made a choice not to live with me and be with me. I love them enough to let them decide but it hurts Me when they don't want Me. I want you to know that I love you today. I have always loved you and I always will love you. I am God but I want to be your Father. I want to spend time with you. I want us to enjoy your life together. I want you to be successful and fulfilled all the days of your life. I want nothing but the best for you. Bad things happen in this life to people but I don't do bad things to my loved ones. Little children, you are all I care about and desire. I have gold and beauty you haven't seen yet but I seek after you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great fear and trembling that I submit this letter from the Lord.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life.
Tommy Oswald (The Minion that God so passionately, deeply and committedly loves)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
My Greatest Failure
Today, I want to talk about failure. Now, most of the time I try to write positive and upbeat blogs. When I read what I write, it challenges me to be a better person. I have always said that if what you see from me is the best you ever see then that is a tragedy because I should get better every day. But failure is inevitable in life. We all go through it at some point. So how do we deal with it? Does it hurt? Absolutely. Do I wish I hadn't failed? Sure. Did I fail? Yes. Let me use one of my favorite lines from the movie Dirty Dancing, "When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong." You have to own your failures and successes.
See, I am recently divorced. I made a commitment before God to stay married to a woman for the rest of my life. It was a covenant that I couldn't keep. Now I won't go into all the reasons behind the divorce itself because they aren't important. Some of my readers know me personally and thus will know my now, ex-wife. Let me say something about her before I go forward. I wish her only the best and most happy days in life. I have done my best to walk through this divorce with integrity and honor. Have I always been successful? No. But this lady, deserves to be happy. She is a wonderful mother to our three kids and I am very sorry things didn't work out between us. I want to publicly forgive her for any wrong doing toward me and I ask the same from her. This is my greatest failure in life.
Do you want to hear all the juicy details of what happened? Would you like me to blame my wife for our marriage falling apart? Well, I won't tell you because those things are personal. Let me just use an old saying, "It takes two to Tango." We both made mistakes and here we are.
So now let's deal with how it made me feel. Last Friday was one of the hardest and most rewarding days of my life. Although we have been separated for over a year and I knew the final divorce decree was coming, I still didn't really believe it. So when the pressure of the week was over, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that I gave my word to my God and to that lady and I didn't keep it. I hope you cannot imagine the deep pain I felt. For a little while, I felt like a complete failure. What things in your life have caused you to feel this way? Was it a relationship that ended badly? Was it a failure at your job or at school? Regardless of where it comes from, it still really hurts.
When you get that sinking feeling in your gut because of something like this, doesn't it make you just want to run away and hide from everyone? I mean who would want to be around someone that was a total failure like me? I told myself that I was the biggest loser ever. That I had wrecked my life, the life of my kids and my ex-wife. I was well on my way to beating myself senseless because of my failure. I threw a world class guilt party. I was the guest of honor, the entire guest list, the guy who trashes the guest of honor and the guy who throws him in the dumpster at the end of the party. I invited a very special guest to this party and He wouldn't come. Can you imagine the audacity of being invited to the Destroy the Minion party and not coming? That was certainly rude don't you think? Do you know who the only guest that I actually invited was? It was God. I wanted him to condemn me just like I was doing to myself. I wanted him to tell me that I was worthless and no good just like I was telling myself.
Now, I asked him to forgive me and I knew that he would at some point maybe a few months from now after I really got a thrashing.
When I finally listened to his still small voice, all I could feel was his love for me. It is a love that I will never, ever deserve but it's there. I can't escape it. Do you know when he actually forgave me for my greatest failure? When did He finally forgive me for breaking a covenant that I made in front of Him? The instant I asked for it. I didn't have to wait three weeks. It was instantaneous. He knew before the foundation of the world that I would make mistakes and he forgave me as soon as I asked. That is the reason Jesus shed his blood on the cross. It was to erase my sin. If I asked God to forgive me now, he wouldn't know what I was talking about because He is a forgive and forget God. He doesn't hold these things against me. Guess what, when you ask Him for forgiveness, He does the same thing toward you. He loves you unconditionally, no matter what, all the time, forever and ever with every fibre of His being. He only wants good things for your life and He can take our bad mistakes and turn them into something good. He doesn't want the bad mistakes because He hates to see us in the pain that they cause but He has a million ways to make things OK.
Back to the Guilt Party - It's fine that God forgave me but I am still at this party. After all, if he won't have the decency to show up, I will do his job for him. I will beat myself silly. I can call myself all kinds of ugly names. I mean I know all my deepest, darkest secrets and who better than me to dredge them all up and use them against me now. Here is my major problem with this. If God won't condemn me and trash me out, what right do I have to do it. If he is willing to extend forgiveness to me what right do I have to keep holding the grudge against myself? So here's what I did. At 4:24 on Friday, July 29, 2011, I forgave myself. When it happened, it was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. I felt so light and good. I felt like it was OK for me to be happy again. All of the sudden the world turned right side up. God totally wrecked my party and I am so glad He did.
Have you ever felt this way? I have watched many people do this to themselves so I know that I am not alone. I think most of us have. What are you refusing to forgive yourself for? If someone who did you wrong came to you with an honest and sincere repentance on their face and asked you to forgive them for something they did wrong, would you do it? I think probably you would. So why can't you forgive yourself? If you ask God for forgiveness he gives it to you instantly. All I am asking is for you to extend the same grace to yourself that he did. I know this is a process and I want to encourage you to keep at it.
Well friends, I intended this blog to talk about my greatest failure which it did but I can honestly say that I have blogged myself happy again.
And that's another Opinion of His Minion
See, I am recently divorced. I made a commitment before God to stay married to a woman for the rest of my life. It was a covenant that I couldn't keep. Now I won't go into all the reasons behind the divorce itself because they aren't important. Some of my readers know me personally and thus will know my now, ex-wife. Let me say something about her before I go forward. I wish her only the best and most happy days in life. I have done my best to walk through this divorce with integrity and honor. Have I always been successful? No. But this lady, deserves to be happy. She is a wonderful mother to our three kids and I am very sorry things didn't work out between us. I want to publicly forgive her for any wrong doing toward me and I ask the same from her. This is my greatest failure in life.
Do you want to hear all the juicy details of what happened? Would you like me to blame my wife for our marriage falling apart? Well, I won't tell you because those things are personal. Let me just use an old saying, "It takes two to Tango." We both made mistakes and here we are.
So now let's deal with how it made me feel. Last Friday was one of the hardest and most rewarding days of my life. Although we have been separated for over a year and I knew the final divorce decree was coming, I still didn't really believe it. So when the pressure of the week was over, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that I gave my word to my God and to that lady and I didn't keep it. I hope you cannot imagine the deep pain I felt. For a little while, I felt like a complete failure. What things in your life have caused you to feel this way? Was it a relationship that ended badly? Was it a failure at your job or at school? Regardless of where it comes from, it still really hurts.
When you get that sinking feeling in your gut because of something like this, doesn't it make you just want to run away and hide from everyone? I mean who would want to be around someone that was a total failure like me? I told myself that I was the biggest loser ever. That I had wrecked my life, the life of my kids and my ex-wife. I was well on my way to beating myself senseless because of my failure. I threw a world class guilt party. I was the guest of honor, the entire guest list, the guy who trashes the guest of honor and the guy who throws him in the dumpster at the end of the party. I invited a very special guest to this party and He wouldn't come. Can you imagine the audacity of being invited to the Destroy the Minion party and not coming? That was certainly rude don't you think? Do you know who the only guest that I actually invited was? It was God. I wanted him to condemn me just like I was doing to myself. I wanted him to tell me that I was worthless and no good just like I was telling myself.
Now, I asked him to forgive me and I knew that he would at some point maybe a few months from now after I really got a thrashing.
When I finally listened to his still small voice, all I could feel was his love for me. It is a love that I will never, ever deserve but it's there. I can't escape it. Do you know when he actually forgave me for my greatest failure? When did He finally forgive me for breaking a covenant that I made in front of Him? The instant I asked for it. I didn't have to wait three weeks. It was instantaneous. He knew before the foundation of the world that I would make mistakes and he forgave me as soon as I asked. That is the reason Jesus shed his blood on the cross. It was to erase my sin. If I asked God to forgive me now, he wouldn't know what I was talking about because He is a forgive and forget God. He doesn't hold these things against me. Guess what, when you ask Him for forgiveness, He does the same thing toward you. He loves you unconditionally, no matter what, all the time, forever and ever with every fibre of His being. He only wants good things for your life and He can take our bad mistakes and turn them into something good. He doesn't want the bad mistakes because He hates to see us in the pain that they cause but He has a million ways to make things OK.
Back to the Guilt Party - It's fine that God forgave me but I am still at this party. After all, if he won't have the decency to show up, I will do his job for him. I will beat myself silly. I can call myself all kinds of ugly names. I mean I know all my deepest, darkest secrets and who better than me to dredge them all up and use them against me now. Here is my major problem with this. If God won't condemn me and trash me out, what right do I have to do it. If he is willing to extend forgiveness to me what right do I have to keep holding the grudge against myself? So here's what I did. At 4:24 on Friday, July 29, 2011, I forgave myself. When it happened, it was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. I felt so light and good. I felt like it was OK for me to be happy again. All of the sudden the world turned right side up. God totally wrecked my party and I am so glad He did.
Have you ever felt this way? I have watched many people do this to themselves so I know that I am not alone. I think most of us have. What are you refusing to forgive yourself for? If someone who did you wrong came to you with an honest and sincere repentance on their face and asked you to forgive them for something they did wrong, would you do it? I think probably you would. So why can't you forgive yourself? If you ask God for forgiveness he gives it to you instantly. All I am asking is for you to extend the same grace to yourself that he did. I know this is a process and I want to encourage you to keep at it.
Well friends, I intended this blog to talk about my greatest failure which it did but I can honestly say that I have blogged myself happy again.
And that's another Opinion of His Minion
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Friendship vs. Dating Part 2
Today I want to continue our discussion on relationships. From those of you who posted comments, the general impression I get is that friendships are much easier than “dating” relationships. In some ways they seem preferable to dating relationships. But isn’t finding true love one of the major goals in life? Don’t we want to find that one special person? How can we do that if we don’t “date”? Or is dating just what we do to satisfy the physical needs we have? It’s like we are saying So now I have someone who is my friend and then I have someone else who I date. Before I get to my next point, I would like DD to tell you how she views what we do when we meet someone new.
DD - I think in general there are two “circles” the opposite sex falls into when you meet them. Friendship or Dating. Of course it’s not that simple though. That’s like saying relationships are black or white. If only. So I will add a middle ground called the “grey” area. This area is where the two circles mix. I think in general, when we meet someone new, we place them into either a friendship circle or dating circle. Naturally, this is based on looks. What else do you have to base it on? You don’t know their personality, what motivates them or what their interests are. I also think women “place” men into one circle or the other based on looks as much as men do it. It’s the process of getting to know a person that creates the grey area. Ladies, say you immediately place a guy into the “dating circle.” He meets whatever conscious or subconscious criteria for what you find attractive. Then you find yourself in a social setting with this guy and all he does is talk about himself. He never shows interest in what makes you tick, only him. Over time, he slowly becomes less and less attractive. He might initially move from the dating circle to the “grey” area. You’re still attracted to him and would still be interested in going out but then over time, he moves into the solid “friendship” circle. Now I whole-heartedly believe a guy can start out in the friendship circle and over time move through the gray area and into the dating area. Take the movie Hitch, for example. Kevin James’ character, Albert Brennaman, has placed the celebrity, Allegra Cole, directly in the dating circle. I don’t think his placement is based solely on looks though. He has been around her in the investment meetings and likes that she wants to invest her money into her friend’s business. After she meets him, I think she placed him in the friendship circle. But as she got to know him better, she moved Albert into the grey area. And by the end of the movie, when she realized the dancing, the mustard on his shirt, and pulling out the inhaler wasn’t an act, she moved him into the dating circle.
So we now have these circles that we place people in. Let me ask a very scary question. What would happen if I found a girl that I placed in the friend category? What if that person became someone that I shared my most inner thoughts, secrets, concerns, successes and failures with? What if that person was the one who was there for me without judgment and I was there for her without judgment? What if we enjoyed doing the same things and were really relaxed just hanging out together? What if she was someone I felt I could totally be myself around (the good, the bad, and the ugly)? What if she was the first person I wanted to talk to when things went good or bad and I was the same for her? What if she was my best friend? Then what if I kissed her?
What do you think?
That's the Opinion of a couple of Minions
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Friendship vs. Dating
Today, I am going to try something new. I want to discuss the topic of Friendship vs. Dating relationships. I don’t have a lot of dating experience but I think something is missing from the process. See, I want to have a relationship that stories are written about. I want to be in love with a woman so deeply that I hurt when she is away from me but I am glad she is doing things that fulfill her life. When I wake up in the morning, I want to be so in love that I stare at her as she sleeps and just wish for five more minutes to look at her. I want her, not just her body. I want what she thinks, how she makes me feel, and how she makes me a better person. I want to be around a woman who feels the same way about me. Is this possible, I believe it still is. I just think we have lost sight of how to get there.
I also want great friendships with people who know me really well. One day, I want to say I have known that person for 50 years. I want to be around people who enjoy life. How do I find those relationships and will I know when I do?
I also want great friendships with people who know me really well. One day, I want to say I have known that person for 50 years. I want to be around people who enjoy life. How do I find those relationships and will I know when I do?
To really be fair to both guys and gals, I want to bring in a good friend of mine, DD (DD is a woman), to help me discuss this topic and give you a woman’s perspective on our discussion. This will take more than one post so let’s get started.
To begin with let’s start with the question of just friends or something more? I asked DD her perspective and here’s what she had to say. In any relationship we have goals, while these goals are not written down on a piece of paper, they are there whether we realize it or not. For instance, when you meet a new friend, you might hope that they are someone you can confide in about boys or girls. You might hope they can be on your baseball team, or whatever. If you meet someone you want to date, one goal of a physical relationship at some point. It might not be on the first date or even by the tenth date but at some point, your goal/intention is to hold hands, kiss, cuddle, etc.
I struggled with this definition until I realized that there is an emotional connection that goes along with dating. I am not totally sure what the emotional connection is but I know it is there. Men, realize this, whether or not you want to believe it, you were created as an emotional being. We all know that men and women are different but what we don’t realize is that somewhere along the way men and women were trained to be more different than they actually are. Men, emotions signal needs. Whether or not you like this, it’s true. Think of it this way, if your stomach tells you that you are hungry, you can choose to ignore the signals from your stomach but it will not change the fact that you are in need of food. If you ignore the signals from your stomach long enough, you will starve to death.
It’s the same thing with your other emotions. Men, we have emotions. Over many generations, we have been trained to ignore them. We are supposed to be Mufasa, the Lion King. We are supposed to roar and protect the pride. But yet, we are not supposed to feel anything. That is why we don’t connect with girls like we really want.
Before we go further with this, I want to take a minute for DD to give you her initial thoughts on this subject. DD, welcome to the Opinion of the Minion.
DD says - I think there is an emotional development or connection in both types of relationships. Say you just made a new girlfriend and you confided in her about what guy you liked and the two of you plot, plan, and giggle about how to get the guy to notice you or ask you out. That is developing an emotional bond between you and your friend. You trust her to keep that confidential information to herself—not tell the entire school or worse, the guy. If she did tell someone, you might feel betrayed and hurt. An example for dating is if a guy kissed you for the first time, said he would call you then next day and didn’t. You would likely feel disappointment and hurt.
The Minion – When DD and I began to discuss this subject, her insights really taught me something. Obviously, she will explore this topic more with us as we go along. I want to keep this first segment a little short and because DD and I do not consider ourselves experts, we would like to hear from you about what you think the differences are between being friends and dating. You can address your comments to either of us. If you have a personal question you would like either of us to answer, please feel free to e-mail either:
Minion@theopinionoftheminion.com or
DD@theopinionoftheminion.com
And that’s an Opinion from two Minions
Minion@theopinionoftheminion.com or
DD@theopinionoftheminion.com
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Despair Island
This Opinion was birthed out of watching a friend go through a tough time. So I sat down and thought about how I could be a good friend to this person. Hopefully it will help them and it will help you too.
I want to be a friend to this friend in need. How should I do it?
1. No matter how things feel, you are never alone. Have you ever noticed that when bad things happen in your life, sometimes you just want to withdraw? Do you get that feeling that no one has ever went through what you are going through now? Well that isn't true. There are people who have been where you are and there are still people who want to help. You and I should be these people. My life has felt very lonely at times. And because of certain circumstances, I have felt like I was all by myself on an island with no one there to help. I call it Despair Island. It is one of the worst places on earth to be because you are so alone. You feel like every part of your body hurts. You can't eat, you can't sleep and you can't seem to get your mind of the horrible creatures chasing you. What I didn't see where the boats waiting just off the beach. These boats are the other people in our lives and God who want to help. When is the last time you were a boat for someone? Understand there is a little water between you and the boat so you will have to swim a little. This isn't your boat. You didn't put it there, someone else showed up to help you. A very good friend of mine says, "We are all called to do something great, we just aren't called to do it alone." His Ivy League English is better than mine but this is the Texas translation.
2. Then instead of trying to tell them something about me, I will just listen. I will ask one question and then listen with both ears wide open. The question is - What are you feeling right now? We aren't going to find out about my day, or anything about me, we are just going to talk about what you are going through and how it makes you feel. We aren't going to talk about right and wrong, we are just going to talk about how you feel. How often have you wanted someone to just listen to what you are going through. To be a good friend, this is what you should do. Don't give advice that isn't requested. Remember, people don't care what you know until they know you care.
3. I will ask, "Is there anything I can do for you?" For us Christians, this is a must - Preach the gospel at all times and if absolutely necessary, use words.
4. I can let this person know how extremely special I think they are. They have so many good qualities and they deserve the very best. I don't want them to settle for second best in any area of their life. As a matter of fact, I have peeked inside this person's box and it is pretty special. I don't see many similar to it.
5. I can also tell this person that bad times don't last, good people do. Because I have seen part of the inside of the box, I can say that this person is a good one and I know this person will last.
6. Here's what I won't do. I won't condemn this person. Do you know why? Because I have done some not nice things just like we all have. If it wasn't for the screw ups in my life, Jesus wouldn't have had to be beaten, despised, ridiculed, crucified and sent to Hell for me. He was tortured so bad that people didn't recognize him as a human because of my screw ups. Instead of condemning me for stuff I did, instead of giving me what I deserved, He took the punishment for all my bad stuff. If he took that for me, I can't condemn someone else. I can't tell them, "I told you so," when things didn't work out. To this person especially, I won't do that.
There are other ways to be a friend and since I don't know them all, I would like you to share your ideas with me.
So I will leave you with this question - How are you a friend to a friend in need?
That's the Opinion of the Minion
I want to be a friend to this friend in need. How should I do it?
1. No matter how things feel, you are never alone. Have you ever noticed that when bad things happen in your life, sometimes you just want to withdraw? Do you get that feeling that no one has ever went through what you are going through now? Well that isn't true. There are people who have been where you are and there are still people who want to help. You and I should be these people. My life has felt very lonely at times. And because of certain circumstances, I have felt like I was all by myself on an island with no one there to help. I call it Despair Island. It is one of the worst places on earth to be because you are so alone. You feel like every part of your body hurts. You can't eat, you can't sleep and you can't seem to get your mind of the horrible creatures chasing you. What I didn't see where the boats waiting just off the beach. These boats are the other people in our lives and God who want to help. When is the last time you were a boat for someone? Understand there is a little water between you and the boat so you will have to swim a little. This isn't your boat. You didn't put it there, someone else showed up to help you. A very good friend of mine says, "We are all called to do something great, we just aren't called to do it alone." His Ivy League English is better than mine but this is the Texas translation.
2. Then instead of trying to tell them something about me, I will just listen. I will ask one question and then listen with both ears wide open. The question is - What are you feeling right now? We aren't going to find out about my day, or anything about me, we are just going to talk about what you are going through and how it makes you feel. We aren't going to talk about right and wrong, we are just going to talk about how you feel. How often have you wanted someone to just listen to what you are going through. To be a good friend, this is what you should do. Don't give advice that isn't requested. Remember, people don't care what you know until they know you care.
3. I will ask, "Is there anything I can do for you?" For us Christians, this is a must - Preach the gospel at all times and if absolutely necessary, use words.
4. I can let this person know how extremely special I think they are. They have so many good qualities and they deserve the very best. I don't want them to settle for second best in any area of their life. As a matter of fact, I have peeked inside this person's box and it is pretty special. I don't see many similar to it.
5. I can also tell this person that bad times don't last, good people do. Because I have seen part of the inside of the box, I can say that this person is a good one and I know this person will last.
6. Here's what I won't do. I won't condemn this person. Do you know why? Because I have done some not nice things just like we all have. If it wasn't for the screw ups in my life, Jesus wouldn't have had to be beaten, despised, ridiculed, crucified and sent to Hell for me. He was tortured so bad that people didn't recognize him as a human because of my screw ups. Instead of condemning me for stuff I did, instead of giving me what I deserved, He took the punishment for all my bad stuff. If he took that for me, I can't condemn someone else. I can't tell them, "I told you so," when things didn't work out. To this person especially, I won't do that.
There are other ways to be a friend and since I don't know them all, I would like you to share your ideas with me.
So I will leave you with this question - How are you a friend to a friend in need?
That's the Opinion of the Minion
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Box - Tokyo Style
I am returning from a trip to Seoul and Tokyo. On this trip, I was struck by the beautiful sights, all the culture, and the beauty of these two countries. As I was standing outside a hotel room on a small mountain overlooking downtown Seoul, I was struck by the beauty but my mind continued to go back to the people. I wondered about the South Koreans and I thought of people who I knew would love to see Seoul from the place where I was standing. I guess this means that my post below stuck. I am reposting this now for two reasons. First, I think it is a very important point. Second, there are literally hundreds of young people from many countries who have become fans of the Opinion of the Minion since I posted it. So if you have already read this, you can disregard the post. If not, take a look. I think it will bless you.
I have given this a lot a of thought and I believe that the Lord showed me something that changed the way I view people.
You see, when God creates a person he gives them abilities, passions, desires, talents and all sorts of wonderful attributes that we seldom ever see. Then he takes all these things and puts them in a box with silver wrapping paper and very pretty red ribbon tied in a bow around it. He calls the box - You. It is a present to the world. When I saw this for the first time, I looked around at all the people walking by and said to myself, "Merry Christmas!" because all I could see were beautiful boxes waiting to be opened.
The problem is many people don't even know what is in their own box much less have taken the time to look in someone elses box. This starts when we are in school. As we grow up, we learn all kinds of new things about ourselves: what we like, what we don't, the changes that our bodies go through, we learn things in school about the world and we learn about social interaction. But sometimes that social interaction teaches us that the stuff in our box isn't all that important.
Have you ever felt like the stuff inside you doesn't really matter? Can you look back to a point in your life where you were doing something you really enjoyed and someone else called it or you stupid or worthless?
When you pull the most precious parts of your life out of the box and let other people see them, it is scary because you are definitely vulnerable at that point. But know this, the Lord put all those wonderful things inside and they are of great price and value. Don't let someone cheapen what is so precious by their comments.
Everyday, I see people who are alive but aren't living. I think it is because they have told themselves that the treasures in their box aren't important or worth much so they don't do anything with them. They may not have done this openly but below the surface it happens. You have to know that if God took the time to create you and put all those treasures inside you, they are important both to him and to me.
When was the last time you looked in your box and pulled out something you truly enjoyed and used it? When was the last time you opened the box? When was the last time you were passionate about anything? Are you so caught up in the rat race that your box isn't important any more?
Here is another interesting question - When was the last time you opened up someone else's box to see who they really are and celebrate the gifts inside them? Do you always know what is wrong with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, friends, parents, family, coworkers but never look inside the box for what is so awesome about them?
Husbands, what would happen if instead of criticizing your wife, the next time you saw her, you decided to look at something that was so precious to her, so beautiful, so tender, so amazing and something she loved about herself? What would happen if you nurtured that gift and encouraged it to grow? What would happen if, after you opened her box, she decided that your box was the most special one on earth and decided to touch the core of who you are? What if you both decided to go deep in your relationship?
Boyfriends, what if you looked at her and decided that you wanted more than just what was inside her clothes, you wanted what was inside her heart. Girlfriends, what if you decided that you wanted the same thing? What if you wanted to explore who they are and make them the best person they could be while they did the same thing to you? What if you looked at them and asked, "What can I give?" instead of "What can I get?"
Is this a little intense? Yes. Is it worth it if just one person decides to open their box or open someone elses? Yes. You see, I believe that I got to see a little glimpse of the creation through the creator's eyes when He showed me this. It was truly an eye opening experience and I can definitely say I will never be the same. I got to see how He looked at and longs for His creation to be all that we can be and how His love for us goes so deep His heart aches for us.
So I guess the real question is what is in your box? I want to know.
That's still the Opinion of His Minion
I have given this a lot a of thought and I believe that the Lord showed me something that changed the way I view people.
You see, when God creates a person he gives them abilities, passions, desires, talents and all sorts of wonderful attributes that we seldom ever see. Then he takes all these things and puts them in a box with silver wrapping paper and very pretty red ribbon tied in a bow around it. He calls the box - You. It is a present to the world. When I saw this for the first time, I looked around at all the people walking by and said to myself, "Merry Christmas!" because all I could see were beautiful boxes waiting to be opened.
The problem is many people don't even know what is in their own box much less have taken the time to look in someone elses box. This starts when we are in school. As we grow up, we learn all kinds of new things about ourselves: what we like, what we don't, the changes that our bodies go through, we learn things in school about the world and we learn about social interaction. But sometimes that social interaction teaches us that the stuff in our box isn't all that important.
Have you ever felt like the stuff inside you doesn't really matter? Can you look back to a point in your life where you were doing something you really enjoyed and someone else called it or you stupid or worthless?
When you pull the most precious parts of your life out of the box and let other people see them, it is scary because you are definitely vulnerable at that point. But know this, the Lord put all those wonderful things inside and they are of great price and value. Don't let someone cheapen what is so precious by their comments.
Everyday, I see people who are alive but aren't living. I think it is because they have told themselves that the treasures in their box aren't important or worth much so they don't do anything with them. They may not have done this openly but below the surface it happens. You have to know that if God took the time to create you and put all those treasures inside you, they are important both to him and to me.
When was the last time you looked in your box and pulled out something you truly enjoyed and used it? When was the last time you opened the box? When was the last time you were passionate about anything? Are you so caught up in the rat race that your box isn't important any more?
Here is another interesting question - When was the last time you opened up someone else's box to see who they really are and celebrate the gifts inside them? Do you always know what is wrong with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, friends, parents, family, coworkers but never look inside the box for what is so awesome about them?
Husbands, what would happen if instead of criticizing your wife, the next time you saw her, you decided to look at something that was so precious to her, so beautiful, so tender, so amazing and something she loved about herself? What would happen if you nurtured that gift and encouraged it to grow? What would happen if, after you opened her box, she decided that your box was the most special one on earth and decided to touch the core of who you are? What if you both decided to go deep in your relationship?
Boyfriends, what if you looked at her and decided that you wanted more than just what was inside her clothes, you wanted what was inside her heart. Girlfriends, what if you decided that you wanted the same thing? What if you wanted to explore who they are and make them the best person they could be while they did the same thing to you? What if you looked at them and asked, "What can I give?" instead of "What can I get?"
Is this a little intense? Yes. Is it worth it if just one person decides to open their box or open someone elses? Yes. You see, I believe that I got to see a little glimpse of the creation through the creator's eyes when He showed me this. It was truly an eye opening experience and I can definitely say I will never be the same. I got to see how He looked at and longs for His creation to be all that we can be and how His love for us goes so deep His heart aches for us.
So I guess the real question is what is in your box? I want to know.
That's still the Opinion of His Minion
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What is Love?
What I share today may not be anything new to you but I want you to consider for a moment what is Love.
Is it a state of being? We say we are “in love” with our spouse. What does that mean? Does that mean that we are content to live in the same house, share the same responsibilities, enjoy having that person as company to share life. Is he or she someone who gives you stability and someone you want to mother/father your children? Are we happy to have a companion? Of course marriage goes much deeper but you get the point.
Is it an emotion? We say that we feel loved or we feel love for someone. Who doesn’t like that first kiss if it is a good one or the feeling we feel when we hold someone’s hand and take a walk? How great does it feel when you take her in your arms and dance a slow waltz (or just hold her) while you stare deeply into her eyes and you see that twinkle in her eye that says she is totally yours. The smile on her face, touches your core and you wish you could stay in that exact moment forever.
Is it something higher? Why is it we “love” our children when they are first born. They can’t do anything for us. As a matter of fact, they are really just a drain on us as newborns. The constantly require attention – feed me, change my diaper, change my clothes, bathe me, I am going to sleep when I want and when I am tired of sleeping, I am going to wake you up regardless of whether or not you have gotten any sleep. Yet, we love these little people. We protect them, we cloth them, we play with them.
Is it a catalyst that causes us to do something? When you truly love your kids, your spouse or your significant other, you are motivated to do something for them. For those of you who have children, what happens when your seven year old comes up to you out of the blue and says, “Mommy or Daddy, I love you”? When that happens to me, my first thought is how can I bless you? What can I do for you?
Is it something else?
The answer goes a little deeper. All these things are the effect of love. The bible says that God is love. It doesn’t say he is in love (state of being), he loves (a verb) or he feels love (an emotion). It says he his love. While he does the things I listed, they are outgrowths of who he is. The bible also says we are made in his image which means we are made like him. That means love is who we are. It is the genetic matter of our spirit.
Because I am love:
1. I can be "in love" with a spouse.
2. Seeing that look in her eyes, holding her in my arms and feeling the brush of her lips against mine causes me to feel warm all over.
3. I care for and about my children.
4. I am motivated to do things for others.
Now some of you may be saying, I really don’t feel or do those things you listed. Let me tell you – that’s OK just don’t stay that way. Think for a second about your physical body. The first day you were born, could you run a race? Of course not! Your body had to develop and strengthen to the point where you could. The potential was in you but that potential had to be developed. If you don’t act in love the way you should, understand that you have to grow and develop that potential just like anything else.
We should constantly look for places to develop ourselves (love) today. Show the real you (love) to someone else today.
And that’s the Opinion of the Minion.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Box - 2015
Hello Everyone,
This is one of the first posts I ever created and I think that every once in a while I should repost it because it was so profound to me.
I have given this a lot a of thought and I believe that the Lord showed me something that changed the way I view people.
You see, when God creates a person he gives them abilities, passions, desires, talents and all sorts of wonderful attributes that we seldom ever see. Then he takes all these things and puts them in a box with silver wrapping paper and very pretty red ribbon tied in a bow around it. He calls the box - You. It is a present to the world. When I saw this for the first time, I looked around at all the people walking by and said to myself, "Merry Christmas!" because all I could see were beautiful boxes waiting to be opened.
The problem is many people don't even know what is in their own box much less have taken the time to look in someone elses box. This starts when we are in school. As we grow up, we learn all kinds of new things about ourselves: what we like, what we don't, the changes that our bodies go through, we learn things in school about the world and we learn about social interaction. But sometimes that social interaction teaches us that the stuff in our box isn't all that important.
Have you ever felt like the stuff inside you doesn't really matter? Can you look back to a point in your life where you were doing something you really enjoyed and someone else called it or you stupid or worthless?
When you pull the most precious parts of your life out of the box and let other people see them, it is scary because you are definitely vulnerable at that point. But know this, the Lord put all those wonderful things inside and they are of great price and value. Don't let someone cheapen what is so precious by their comments.
Everyday, I see people who are alive but aren't living. I think it is because they have told themselves that the treasures in their box aren't important or worth much so they don't do anything with them. They may not have done this openly but below the surface it happens. You have to know that if God took the time to create you and put all those treasures inside you, they are important both to him and to me.
When was the last time you looked in your box and pulled out something you truly enjoyed and used it? When was the last time you opened the box? When was the last time you were passionate about anything? Are you so caught up in the rat race that your box isn't important any more?
Here is another interesting question - When was the last time you opened up someone else's box to see who they really are and celebrate the gifts inside them? Do you always know what is wrong with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, friends, parents, family, coworkers but never look inside the box for what is so awesome about them?
Husbands, what would happen if instead of criticizing your wife, the next time you saw her, you decided to look at something that was so precious to her, so beautiful, so tender, so amazing and something she loved about herself? What would happen if you nurtured that gift and encouraged it to grow? What would happen if, after you opened her box, she decided that your box was the most special one on earth and decided to touch the core of who you are? What if you both decided to go deep in your relationship?
Boyfriends, what if you looked at her and decided that you wanted more than just what was inside her clothes, you wanted what was inside her heart. Girlfriends, what if you decided that you wanted the same thing? What if you wanted to explore who they are and make them the best person they could be while they did the same thing to you? What if you looked at them and asked, "What can I give?" instead of "What can I get?"
Is this a little intense? Yes. Is it worth it if just one person decides to open their box or open someone elses? Yes. You see, I believe that I got to see a little glimpse of the creation through the creator's eyes when He showed me this. It was truly an eye opening experience and I can definitely say I will never be the same. I got to see how He looked at and longs for His creation to be all that we can be and how His love for us goes so deep His heart aches for us.
So I guess the real question is what is in your box? I want to know.
That's the Opinion of His Minion
This is one of the first posts I ever created and I think that every once in a while I should repost it because it was so profound to me.
I have given this a lot a of thought and I believe that the Lord showed me something that changed the way I view people.
You see, when God creates a person he gives them abilities, passions, desires, talents and all sorts of wonderful attributes that we seldom ever see. Then he takes all these things and puts them in a box with silver wrapping paper and very pretty red ribbon tied in a bow around it. He calls the box - You. It is a present to the world. When I saw this for the first time, I looked around at all the people walking by and said to myself, "Merry Christmas!" because all I could see were beautiful boxes waiting to be opened.
The problem is many people don't even know what is in their own box much less have taken the time to look in someone elses box. This starts when we are in school. As we grow up, we learn all kinds of new things about ourselves: what we like, what we don't, the changes that our bodies go through, we learn things in school about the world and we learn about social interaction. But sometimes that social interaction teaches us that the stuff in our box isn't all that important.
Have you ever felt like the stuff inside you doesn't really matter? Can you look back to a point in your life where you were doing something you really enjoyed and someone else called it or you stupid or worthless?
When you pull the most precious parts of your life out of the box and let other people see them, it is scary because you are definitely vulnerable at that point. But know this, the Lord put all those wonderful things inside and they are of great price and value. Don't let someone cheapen what is so precious by their comments.
Everyday, I see people who are alive but aren't living. I think it is because they have told themselves that the treasures in their box aren't important or worth much so they don't do anything with them. They may not have done this openly but below the surface it happens. You have to know that if God took the time to create you and put all those treasures inside you, they are important both to him and to me.
When was the last time you looked in your box and pulled out something you truly enjoyed and used it? When was the last time you opened the box? When was the last time you were passionate about anything? Are you so caught up in the rat race that your box isn't important any more?
Here is another interesting question - When was the last time you opened up someone else's box to see who they really are and celebrate the gifts inside them? Do you always know what is wrong with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, friends, parents, family, coworkers but never look inside the box for what is so awesome about them?
Husbands, what would happen if instead of criticizing your wife, the next time you saw her, you decided to look at something that was so precious to her, so beautiful, so tender, so amazing and something she loved about herself? What would happen if you nurtured that gift and encouraged it to grow? What would happen if, after you opened her box, she decided that your box was the most special one on earth and decided to touch the core of who you are? What if you both decided to go deep in your relationship?
Boyfriends, what if you looked at her and decided that you wanted more than just what was inside her clothes, you wanted what was inside her heart. Girlfriends, what if you decided that you wanted the same thing? What if you wanted to explore who they are and make them the best person they could be while they did the same thing to you? What if you looked at them and asked, "What can I give?" instead of "What can I get?"
Is this a little intense? Yes. Is it worth it if just one person decides to open their box or open someone elses? Yes. You see, I believe that I got to see a little glimpse of the creation through the creator's eyes when He showed me this. It was truly an eye opening experience and I can definitely say I will never be the same. I got to see how He looked at and longs for His creation to be all that we can be and how His love for us goes so deep His heart aches for us.
So I guess the real question is what is in your box? I want to know.
That's the Opinion of His Minion
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