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Showing posts from December, 2011

Laughter Means Acceptance

WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED OFFENSIVE BY SOME READERS.                     For all of us, I'm sure that we understand laughter to mean a good thing, that things are going well. Laughter is a sign of acceptance, of things being okay. This is a good thing, and perhaps something that not too many of us think too much about. But I think we should. Therefore, I hereby challenge you to stop and consider the effects your laughter has, the message you are sending, and the things you may not really be aware that you are giving your approval to by it.        Most parents will tell you that much of what babies do is rather funny, especially if it is something that they really ought not be doing, whether it is tugging and pulling at Mom's earrings, or slapping their Dad's around the shin when they don't get their way. Such antics often cause grown-ups to let loose a chuckle or two. Good parents do their best to repress this almost inst

Reflections

      It is awesome to me how almost everything in this life is a reflection of God in some way. It is even more amazing when such a resemblance is not intended. Take love songs, for example:  they are not meant to be anything other than what they are at face value - songs about human love. But, if one listens to them with the intellect, and not just the ears, we can easily see how it could be a retelling of God's love for us. How He loves us with a deep and passionate love; desires greatly to be united to us; is jealous when something else comes along and turns our affection away; is so ecstatic when we finally return His love. Such themes may not be so manifestly evident, but they are usually there if one seeks to listen with an intellect inclined toward the Divine.      What absolutely floors me, though, is experiencing God's love directly through the love of another person. This is one of the kind of things that many of us know, but don't fully comprehend or realize t

Good Men...Gone?

     Where have all the good men gone? What has happened to the male species? These were questions which I remember hearing some years ago among conservative, religious, and family centered circles. The members of such circles were wondering what had become of the quintessential man:  one who had convictions and stood by them; who protected the weak and assisted the less fortunate; who was faithful to his God, wife, and family; who would work hard and honestly for what he wanted; who was not afraid to be gentle and kind, but would not let emotion cloud his judgement. They had seen the definition of manhood swing from one extreme to another - from the tough-talking, hard-hitting, no crying, emotions are weakness, "I don't need anyone anyway" macho-masculinity of the '70s to the ultra-sensitive, dare not to offend anyone, effeminate masculinity of the '90s. Speculation abounded among the different circles as to the causes behind this, and the general consensus was t