teacher, teacher teach me love

My wife and I watch CHOPPED. A group of competitors with a basket of unknown food preparing for professional chefs. After each round someone is "chopped". 

The competitors are normally adults with a cooking background. But the ingenuity of progress led to what became known as the "CHOPPED Teen Tournament"

Money and 15 seconds of fame are at stake. 

For the adults chefs - $10,000 dollars

 For the teen CHOPPED Champion - $25k in prize money,a culinary scholarship worth $40,000 (and of course 15 seconds of fame).

Television is entertaining and competitions can be inspiring, but what is it that caught my attention during this CHOPPED series?

It was the teens. 

When the adults compete upon being "chopped" most competitors have different responses to being chopped. Some sad, some disappointed and some feel cheated. Some feel challenged and yes, some are willing to tip their hat to the people who beat them out, but not the teens. In round after round, sure the teen who was chopped was sad at the loss. Some to the point of tears. But yet, they were happy to have had not only the opportunity, but happy for the other person. The person who beat them out. Happy to the point of hugs, tears of joy and happy to the point of elation for their fellow human being. 

That is the eyes of a child. May we all see that way.

"teacher, teacher teach me love....i can't learn it fast enough" Rockpile

days run into nights

when days run into nights and nights into days into weeks

it all goes to fast

slow it down

s.l.o.w.  i.t.  d.o.w.n.

breathe

when life is it's busiest

when life is it's slowest

the days run into weeks

the weeks into months
the months into years

stop

embrace the moments


tick - tick - tick

truth - nothing less

Be not wise in your own eyes

Do not plan evil against your neighbor

Ponder the path of your feet

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself

Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense

A gracious woman gets honor

Truthful lips endure forever

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down

A man who is kind benefits himself

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taking time

There was once a study of super wealthy people. People who's wealth was beyond the regular
 wealthy and they found that the "word" of these folks was absolutely golden. If they said they were going to do something or be somewhere it was without question it would be done, they would be there. 

One of these folks also did something unique. Every time he gathered with his grandchildren he would read them the same story; The Tortoise and the Hare, the story of how the turtle, by taking his time would be overcome the mighty rabbit. By taking his time, just by being himself. 

Just by being himself. 

Imagine that. 

"be anxious for nothing"  from God's word. simple and poignant. 
The turtle wasn't anxious, just slow and steady. The turtle accepted himself as a turtle, performed like a turtle, acted like a turtle, knew he was turtle and his word was his word. He followed up everything with actions and not words. 

Imagine accepting yourself

For who you are

That's what God does
nomatterwhat
nomatterwhatyoudo

smell the coffee or whatever it is you like to smell

take slower steps

see yourself for who you are 

see yourself how God sees you

you are beautiful

the take-aways

Last week.....eons ago. A week where I heard not a sound from a radio, TV and nor did I ever ride in anything more powerful than a golf cart. No traffic lights and no traffic. And not one bit of advertising ever graced my eyes. 

Three meals a day and comradely like it should be.

And once home the two things that I knew in my heart of hearts from last week are there, but at times....drifting away as the world grips me into it's talons. 

The traffic has reared it's head and yet.....the cars are just filled with people, beautiful, beautiful people...but my eyes are selfish and all I tend to see are obstacles in my path. 

The rush hours on the trains are again filled with lifeless eyes. People shuffling along without purpose or meaning....and I again judge that they have no purpose or meaning as I shuffle alongside of them. 

those two things still ring true in my heart though....if I pick through the debris of this world I can see them plainly and clearly......as clear as I see my reflection in a mirror. As clear as a glass of clean water. 

God is good - All the time and All the time - God is good

Jesus LOVES me 

these are my take-aways from a week 

that did not have the horrors of the world looming in my face. 

that's what has been left in my heart

may I always seek them. and seek them with my heart. 

the narrow path

at the end of the day......

everyone makes their own way in this world - - -RIGHT?

what if, what I've done 
asafatherahusbandaman has caused pain ?

what if, someone has been influenced to the point of depression by what I have or have not done?

what if, they are in a circle of depression that gets worse because of what i have or haven't done?

do we take the blame or leave it.

if they cant rescue themselves do i leave it to them to figure out or do i try to make what is wrong right?

what if you don't know what is wrong?

what if you are following the pattern of maturity that you grew up with, and have tried to break the bad habits of that pattern only to fall short?

what if failure leads to pain and pain leads to failure and the circle goes on?

sure I've broken from the path and learned how to move on, but what if very one you love has deaf ears and cannot hear your calls and advice and they continue on in a spiral of hurt?

at the end of the day to we just move on?

what if it is your son

when do you move on?

Did the father of the prodigal son ever "move on"?

isnt love the deciding factor?

to continue is a seemingly never ending path and to give up, is what they have done. 

at the end of the day

we must continue
we must go on
we must love
we must hope

we must believe in ourselves and love ourselves, but we must do the same for others. 

"but in humility count others more significant than ourselves - look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" God's word. 

what to do with love

Two Philly boys wrote "now that we found love, what are we going to do with it" .   I absolutely love this q.

So you have love, I ask myself....whatcha gonna do with it????
Huh???

You THINK you have found LOVE....what are you going to do...truly....what are you going to do with it??????


"do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others"

I read that everyday....it helps me to believe, as I attempt to truly practice it, that I indeed have "found love".

The Philly boys are Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The song was originally performed by The O'Jays and the version I love is by Third World. And of course the words in blue are from God Himself.