BEAUTY

Beauty cannot be contained in a word or a phrase
Beauty is ripened perfection
A touch of class and a class which touches all of us
Beauty of a child
Beauty of nature
Beauty of human beings
It tugs at our emotions core and stimulates
Our mind of intellect and satiate our heart

Beauty is often shaded by
Greed, prejudice, bitterness, hatred and unforgiveness
Rid yourselves of these and you will be amazed at the
Extent of beauty which surrounds you
Beauty you never knew was there all this time

Myself asked myself
Does the blind see beauty?
The response came…”Surely”
For there is beauty of the eyes and beauty of the mind
Some things only appear beautiful with the right attitude
A changed mind set and everything suddenly looks new

If there were no beauty there may never be appreciation
Appreciation for what brings delight to the eyes and to the mind
Be an element of appreciation, admiration or appeal

But there is yet another aspect of beauty
For at times we predetermine in our minds what someone or something
Ought to look like, but then comes the reality, the truth.
When the beauty of the eyes meets the beauty of the mind
Then there must be some reconciling to close the gap

My beauty could be your disgust
And your beauty could be my annoyance
Beauty can be charming or terrifying
Beauty separates us and causes us to measure against each other
Beauty brings us together

Of all the things I have learnt about beauty.
The beauty of it all is that we are all beautiful in countless ways.

Owe no one anything

Have you ever wondered why the apostle Paul made the following statement?

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another,
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."
-Romans 13:8

Here is a biblical instruction that we can all see the benefits right away and I am not just talking about the fact that we would be fulfilling the law…check this out

There are so many people around us who are in need of love and it truly is comforting to know that if you are lacking then you can go and get from your neighbor who actually 'owes' you.

I like the idea of the word 'owe' for then the giver is obligated to fulfill their 'love-debt'

There are many days when you and I run short on love and could really use a withdrawal...well our neighbor owes us love, so we can ask for what is owed to us. It is our due.

We also are in a financial climate where a lot of us owe huge amounts of money and oh we wish we could just settle our due. Once we have settled our obligation, we are free and we can exhale.

This is so beautiful. If we all were to abide by this righteous instruction, giving our neighbor the love that is due to them, can you then imagine the type of world we would create?

Someone may also say the only problem with this is that most people I know are ‘love-bankrupt’.

That is true, but the source of love, GOD, controls the International Reserves and word is out that he allows withdrawals at interest free rates.

In that case we all can happily pay our due.

Couples who are too far apart

I was listening to a radio programme yesterday afternoon on my way to conduct a rehearsal session in Kingston. When this man called in to the family counselor to explain how frustrating his family life was becoming. He said that his wife had little or no regard for all the rules they had laid down for their seven year old son. He went on to further explain that whenever he commented, he would be greeted with disrespect or even avoided for days. He explained several other disheartening experiences in public places and was now contemplating leaving so she could do whatever she wants, whenever she wants.

In a love relationship it is very important that partners are connected, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually as well as share similar interest; shared goals that they can both work towards. You would be so surprise how many people go out in search of a partner without taking into consideration some of these vital ingredients to mix.

The further apart a couple is from each other, the more conflicts they will have. The gap which exists isn’t necessarily caused by poor communication. It could be as a result of any of the three connecting areas mentioned above or other interests or even past experiences.
Case in point, there are some married couples who do struggle with issues which they themselves did not create. Their marriage is threatened by the absence of fundamental principles that were also missing during their growing up years.

All relationships have conflicts of some sort, however the further a part they are, the deeper ‘the abyss of disagreement.’ It is just the way life is. The closer I am to GOD, the more I will want to please him, the more I understand what he likes and want. The more I understand the people around me the better I am able to deal with each individual. But all this must be embodied in a WILLINGNESS to make it work.

In the case of the husband mentioned at the start. Perhaps his wife was always disrespectful to her father or maybe there was no father figure in her life at all, no real man. It therefore becomes even more difficult for her to deal with her very own husband. The Counselor was apt in making the distinction that this was not a parenting issue but a marriage issue.

Life can be like that at times, where a problem has a tendency to create many other off-shoots, thus having a spiral effect. Misery loves misery they say.
It will therefore take wisdom and patience to decipher what the real problem. Quite often this is the case after the person has already exploded.

I have got my share of issues in dealing with others, you’ve got yours. Some relationship issues remain despite the vast improvement in knowledge and advancement in technology. We have just not been able to master the art of dealing with people. People must begin to see the need to act responsible. If we plant seeds of discord, then we will certainly reap the fruits of disharmony, disunity and relationship woes. Is it any wonder than those who live the best life are those who give the most and expect the least? Certainly not, if I learn to serve without servitude, then I have more influence both over my own life and those whom I serve. If we can’t get along it could mean that we are too far a part, come a little closer.

Ripe Bananas are always sweet

When you are ripe and have come to full term with whatever it is that you need to mature in, it is then and only then that you will take on new sweetness, new skin and new purpose. The maturing process takes you on a natural path which when you have completed it, you bring sweetness to those around you.

Copy right (c) 2008 J.D. Gordon . All rights reserved

You are deserving of love

It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done or where you’ve been.
You are deserving of love. Have you ever noticed that regardless of how bad we think someone is, they are always still able to find someone who loves them?
That’s a fact.

You are both lovable and loved. Love is the answer to many problems which science and technology, law, business and economics will never solve. Some of the meanness people at times are those who are shouting and ranting just to be included in our love net. The sooner we recognise this then the quicker they will be delivered from their life of spitefulness.

We all have a propensity to seek attention throughout our life. Usually this is attention we think we need to make it. Attention we consider essential to our survival. Perhaps they are, perhaps they aren’t. We are all deserving of love, but we do not at all deserve to be loved by any and everyone. Some people’s ‘love’ is worth running away from while others are worth running to.

You are deserving of love regardless of who you are.

Being Chased by a dog

Greatness is ahead...Could it be that through all my frustrations, my disappointments and struggles, what I thought was a dog chasing me is actually me being chased into my destiny?

Curiosity

How much of what you do on a daily basis are done out of curiosity?

Humans and animals are species that are driven by curiosity.

Our curiosity usually takes us on a journey of desires:

1. A desire to know or learn.
2. A desire to know about people or things that do not concern one; nosiness.
3. An object that arouses interest, as by being novel or extraordinary.


There are many who seek answers and are curious. Scientist doing a research, lawyers and detectives investigating, boys with girls, parent and child and the list go on and on.

At what point is your curiosity antennae most alert?
Curiosity is like a never quenching thirst, which is rarely satisfied.

Frank Moore said:
“Clever people seem not to feel the natural pleasure of bewilderment, and are always answering questions when the chief relish of a life is to go on asking them.”

Even though we often hear that Jamaicans are ‘faase’, i.e. nosy;
Not every one of us enjoys sticking our nose in other people business.

Curiosity isn’t a bad thing. In fact we discover great joys through our curiosity.
I am curious about people, places, things, philosophy, God, music and life.
I am curious to know, what is it that you are curious about?

Romantic Music

A Hero's Plight

Today we will celebrate our National Heroes throughout the island of Jamaica.

Our heroes are those who break the law, the rule and the standards while making way for bigger, better laws, rules and standards. They serve a greater purpose and a higher calling.

Mind weaving - Cogitation

Sometimes I wish I could just…

Especially since I desire it so much

So maybe I ought to…

But I have to always keep my thoughts…

I cannot allow my mouth to just…

But then I remember I must not…

Only this minute I think I ought to have…

Why can’t I just...

No one really cares about me so I should just…

The offer is good but I ought to perhaps…

Did I make the right choice?

What if what if were to happen?

I don’t want a repeat so perchance I should…

When the self speaks to the self…

When your mind looks into your mind…

The World's Greatest Need

The World's Greatest Need By C. Austin Miles

A little more kindness and a little less greed;

A little more giving and a little less need;

A little more smile and a little less frown;

A little less kicking a man when he's down;

A little more "we" and a little less "I";

A little more laughs and a little less cry;

A little more flowers on the pathway of life;

And fewer on graves at the end of the strife.

Facing my world alone

Oftentimes I feel like an island in the sea
Especially when the storm waves are high
And there is no bright cloud in the sky.

We struggle with issues, prejudice, insecurities and fears.
We feel our friends are only people who we call friends
Whenever they have needs we care enough to meet.

There will always come a point in our lives
When we must face our world alone,
It happens to me, it happens to you too
So, we must find inner strength and the will

The will to accept and resist
The wisdom to know when to yield and when to persist
The strength to overcome our strength’s weakness

Find ways to quicken and awake our spirit’s fire
For in the garden of Gethsemane it could be horrific
We must be strong, be confident and be caring and eternally forgiving

What gets you excited?

What gets your heart pumping and your adrenaline running?
Is it gardening, love, sex, money?

I find that I am not excited by the average exciters as my peers such as fast car, fancy clothing and name brands. I find that what really excites me are the smaller things in life. The kinds that are often times overlooked.

I am excited by good, skillfully played music; Music which gives life, anointed music.

I am moved by nature, a good sunset or breath taking sunrise.

I love knowledge and profound words

I am excited by love and friendship; meeting people and learning about their life.

I am also excited about traveling.

I am excited about God and 'God-name brands'.

Everyone should find something to do that they love; something which is non-threatening and pure.

I find that those who have enough things in their life to be excited about are among the happiest and most fulfilled people in the world.

What excites you?
What are you passionate about?

Do you need some yellow in your life?

Yellow symbolizes: wisdom, joy, happiness, intellectual energy

Yellow is full of creative and intellectual energy. Clean light yellow clears the mind, making it active and alert.

Put some yellow in your life when you want:
· clarity for decision-making
· relief from 'burnout', panic, nervousness, exhaustion
· sharper memory and concentration skills
· protection from lethargy and depression during dull weather

Temptations

Temptations are banging at my door. I want it to remain that way, cause if I least entertain it then it becomes an opportunity, and opportunities knock. Like many others, I am more likely to respond favorably to knocking than banging.

Copy right (c) 2008 J.D. Gordon. All rights reserved

No sooner than...

No sooner than I realized that I was standing in the way of my own success
No sooner I succeeded

~~~~

No sooner than I learnt that those who are impatient needs my patience the most
No sooner I became more patient with others

~~~~

No sooner than I quit making excuses for why some things just don’t work
No sooner I started resolving problems once thought ‘impossible’

~~~~

No sooner than I appreciated that whatever we need we will find it difficult to give
No sooner I tapped into a higher dimension of satisfaction by giving what I needed

~~~~

No sooner than I learnt that the best leaders are the best servants
No sooner I led others to discovering greater purpose and meaning

~~~~~

No sooner than I acknowledged my Heavenly Father is not uncaring towards my needs
No sooner I laid my worries down, while on my knees

~~~~

No sooner than I believed it could work
No sooner did it happened

~~~~

Dare to think aloud

Those who write with all their might
Displaying cunning, cogent insight
Prolific words which reveals the heart, the soul
And everything on which they hold

We choose to write,
To think audibly and bring to light
We have taken the great leap
To attain new heights and explore the deep

Dare to think aloud
Be brave, going against your cloud
Inscribing and carving
What others have in hiding

Creative imagery,
Wild literacy
Stand out amongst the crowd
Dare to WOL (write out loud)
Thinking allowed, dare to think aloud

People, problem & solution

I have an attitude where I am more solution oriented than problem hunting. I try not to dwell on the bad or wrong while allowing room for more bad to be done. I am amazed at what is happening around me with our Government and people.

The situation is this. We are having some serious crisis facing us as a nation and rather than persons lending their voice to help with a plausible solution, most persons are using their energy to express what they don’t agree with, declare what will not work and most of them have no alternate recommendations. How sad…

I am amazed that even with so many learnt men and women; they have still not been able to pass this hurdle.
Wisdom really does come from God. Some people just love to talk, but they will never offer a hand to help someone in need or even to make a suggestion to someone who is going astray and desperately need to find their way.

We need more people who are more determined to fix problems than to create new ones. Take a look at the passion and determination that those who are involve in evil have. They got the extreme to perform their wicked acts. But, imagine what our lives would be like if we all used our knowledge, abilities, wisdom and resources for the good and better of us all rather than serving individual agendas. What a world that would be.

The selfish side of HELP

When we offer to help someone, is it ok to have a condition attached?
“I will do it for you, if you do this for me in return”
Would that constitute selfish help?

If in offering help I place more emphasis on my interest over and above a desire to help another and to see the other person benefit, is that selfish help?

I have noticed that some people only do things if it benefits them some way or another. There are some who believe nothing is actually wrong with this and it is natural for us to do what is in our best interest.

What if your conditional help is to benefit the person even more? For example, let us say I give some money to support a project, but as a condition, the project coordinators must provide me with weekly reports on the progress of the project. This would clearly not be the selfish side of help. So even if I volunteer, it is ok to make ‘certain’ demands? As to what may make up those demands is another matter.

I still ask the question, when, therefore is help selfish?
I believe the act is its reward.
I am reminded by Romans 12:13 which say, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Some people make demands when they help, is this because they believe that the one who help, lose?

Whatever your belief, remember we are all creators and we create the world we live in.