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Journal Archives – August,
2003 |
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| AN ONGOING
SPIRITUAL WEBLOG |
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August 28, 2003
The dream of justice and equality for all is still worth
striving for. Reacquaint yourself with the powerful words
of Martin Luther King, Jr. from forty years ago today.
Tom Gilbert
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August 27, 2003
There are two news stories currently capturing my attention. The first is the closeness
of the planet Mars. If you look out tonight in the southeastern sky (at least in the Southwestern
United States) you will see Mars shining like a very bright
star. Due to the orbital patterns around the sun of Earth
and Mars we are closer to each other than we’ve been
in 60,000 years. I’ve always been somewhat interested
in astronomy and space exploration. While NASA is reeling
from the news that they should have done more in the safety
department regarding the space shuttle tragedy this past
February, there is still the desire in the hearts of many
to explore space and know more about the wonders of the universe.
The other story is the removal
of the Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama
Judicial Building. I, for one, believe that we know more about the wonders of the universe
by seeking to know more about our Creator. You don’t
approach this subject the same way as science (although it
often appears that scientific study reveals more and more
the wonders of creation, and as a result, a reflection of
the Creator). As frustrating as it is to have those who want
all vestiges of the God of the Bible removed from any government
association, I hope we don’t miss the point. That point
being that what the Ten Commandments express is part of Universal
Principles that are necessary for us to all live in harmony.
History attests to our failure to do that successfully. History
also points to many outstanding examples of people who did
strive to live by those principles (commandments, if you
will) that made a difference in the lives of others.
Ultimately we come to that turning point: do we choose to
live with or without a belief in God and a desire to be guided
by an all loving, merciful, powerful and redeeming Divine Father?
Tom Gilbert
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August 26, 2003
Dr. Ralph Wilson is an interesting man.
I say that because he runs very successful Internet marketing/consulting
websites and he also integrates his faith into all aspects
of his life. You won’t find him trumpeting his beliefs
on Wilson Web, just lots of great information on
web marketing and E-commerce. However, as you scroll down
the page on the left navigation you’ll see a couple
of related sites: Joyful Heart and JesusWalk.
Dr. Ralph Wilson is also a pastor and occasionally conducts online Bible studies.
They are quite good (I’ve been part of two and I just signed up for
the next one ).
I bring all this up because it’s important to pass
along good resources and writing. Please read Dr. Wilson’s
new article, "The
Healer without Latex Gloves,".
Tom Gilbert
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August 25, 2003
It is really amazing to discover new things to help us grow
spiritually that others have known and used for centuries.
Such is the case with the labyrinth, a flat, circuitous path
to the center and out again. If you have never walked one
you might want to try it. You enter; you walk back and forth
until you reach the center. Then you walk back out the way
you came in. It is not a maze. Its purpose is not to figure
out something, but to simply make your walk a prayer.
This morning I walked the labyrinth in the garden at the
Center
for Action and Contemplation. It was very peaceful
and powerful. I found as I walked that my various senses
became a prayer. You can find out more about prayer labyrinths
at the Labyrinth
Journey website.
Tom Gilbert
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August 22, 2003
Today the Daily Thought speaks about integrity. How good an any given day are you,
or I, at being real? That’s what God wants from us, to be real and to know
the truth of His love and care for us. We demonstrate it best by our
actions, especially when we face challenges and the temptation
is strong to revert to the old, comfortable behavior.
Many thanks to all of you who are reading the Daily
Thoughts.
We also are most grateful to Pete for writing them and gifting
us with his keen insight.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend of rest and peace.
Tom Gilbert
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August 21, 2003
I got a call yesterday from a man, John, who was lamenting
the fact that there seem to be very few devotional and prayer
books on the market for single men. I did some searching
myself, and I found there is some truth in this. However,
I also got an email from Cameron Strang of RELEVANT magazine
touting a Publisher Weekly article that shows that more and
more attention is getting focused on young people, including
the large number of twenty-something single men.
There is a need and thirst by people of all ages, but young
people certainly need books and media that speak the truth
to them in a real way they can relate to.
Tom Gilbert
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August 20, 2003
We all know that you can get some interesting emails. Outside
of the hassle of spam, junk mail and viruses there can be
some occasional uplifting messages.
The emails that tell of unusual stories always make me wonder a bit. I can be a skeptical person.
Still, it is nice when you discover that a bold testimony is essentially verifiable.
Such is the case with the report about the Reverend Joe Wright,
senior pastor of the 2,500-member Central Christian Church
in Wichita. Back in 1996 he was invited to make the opening
prayer at the Kansas State Legislature. It was a powerful
and honest prayer, but it caused quite a stir. You can read
the popular text that is circulated around the Internet and
a link to the reported actual wording (which is essentially
the same) at our prayer results page. I put it on that page
because the result of this particular prayer is getting people’s
attention. That, I think, is a good thing.
Tom Gilbert
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August 18, 2003
Give some thought to the human condition: look at how you
live in relation to others. Are we human beings having a
spiritual experience? Or are we spiritual beings having
a human experience? Can we even
think of it in those terms? These are not easy questions,
but it is important to continually realize that our spirituality
is an essential part of who we are.
Tom Gilbert
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August 14, 2003
One of the great things about the Internet is the ability to jump from one page,
or site, to another with a simple “click” of the mouse.
We give you lots of these on our site, as well as directing you to other sites
of interest (see our links page).
Hyperlinks can be very convenient. They can also become aggravating when you
discover that you started out with a specific purpose in mind and the next thing
you know you’ve wandered way off on some other tangent several web sites
away from where you started. Sometimes my brain is like that
and I’m hopping from one thought to the next, even
when I started out with a specific thought or idea.
You know what helps me out of this jam? Pausing…slowing
down…remembering that God is at the center. No wonder
we get helpful suggestions like keeping our eyes on Jesus
and "Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm
46:10).
Tom Gilbert
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August 13, 2003
No matter what problems, troubles, challenges
or obstacles you are currently facing there is a solution.
Even if you don’t see it yet.
Tom Gilbert
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August 12, 2003
Creative problem solving is a challenge
and a skill. I believe it can be taught. It comes from
a willingness to “think” on
paper (or computer or whatever you write on).
Throughout this site I emphasize the importance of living the solution. That solution means
letting go of figuring out everything, especially the answers to our problems, by
ourselves. Letting go of the responsibility of having all
the answers mysteriously allows answers to come that are
not figured out by us alone. This is one of the major motivations
for my writing. I find a clarity that comes from getting
my thoughts out of my head and into print. Journaling and
writing become a channeling of God’s voice.
Yeah, it sounds esoteric. But it is immensely practical, or so I’ve found. Today take whatever
struggle or problems you face and spend a little time writing
about them. Resist the temptation to figure out the answers ahead of time. Write
about what the problem is as clearly and specifically as
you can. Then take a break and come back to what you wrote
later. Let your subconscious go to work. When you read what
you wrote later on ask God to show you solutions. And be ready to be surprised.
Tom Gilbert
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August 8, 2003
It is important for me to spend time
reviewing the Living the Solution web site to see if we
are doing a good job of providing practical solutions to life’s challenges
that are true and from God. I think we are doing a good job
of that. Of course, it helps to hear from others, so if you
have feedback to give us I always welcome that. Send your
emails to us through the Contact
page.
I think you’ll find that one of the key themes of
this site is the ongoing battle of letting go of our self-centered
living and our selfishness. I still struggle daily with my “false” self.
I ask that you pray that God will continue to use our site
to show us all what it means to deny our false beliefs; especially
the myth that we are in total control of our lives. We need
to keep turning it
over to the Father of Light. Then, and only then, can we
know the freedom of living in the solution.
Tom Gilbert
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August 6, 2003
Ode to Now
Now. Right now. Right here, right now.
The ever present now. Eternal now.
Forever now.
Now is here, present, with us always. The only time is now.
Not now or never; now and ever.
What now? This now.
How now? Be now.
Before there was now there was not.
Not now.
Now and then.
When? Now.
Near to now. Nearly now.
Know now. Now I know.
Tom Gilbert
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August 4, 2003
Am I the same person I was yesterday?
Has anything really changed? Do I morph from “weekend mode” to “work
mode” and go from “Tom Sunday” to “Tom Monday”?
Paul wrote in Ephesians ()
that we should put away our old, former manner of living, that way full of
self-centered living for our own satisfaction, and be renewed in the spirit
of our minds. Here is one of the great mysteries and wonderful
revelations from God! Each day we are renewed through Christ
Jesus.
I do believe there can be leisure and a work mode. As for
being different, at the core I must be faithful to becoming
that new creation. It is only accomplished by turning my
life and will over to the care of the One who is the same,
now and always ().
Tom Gilbert
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August 1, 2003
I try not to have any original thoughts. Don’t confuse
this with “not thinking for myself”. What I mean
is that when I try to come up with some original idea or
way of doing something without being aligned with God and
Divine direction I inevitably go off track, mess up, and/or
make mistakes. If the saying, “my best thinking got
me here” rings true you get where I’m coming from.
Here’s another “not original to me” living
in the solution tip: Let go of the burdens of the past and
the anxieties of the future and live in the present with
a conscious contact to God.
I write more about this concept in the article Be
Here Now.
Tom Gilbert
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| Read past Journal entries here. |
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Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved
throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible
Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
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the offering of goods or services requires the prior written
consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved.
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PSALM
118:24
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"This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
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(NIV)
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