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Joy and Sorrow: Gibran

The-prophet I was reading through "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran on my hike today. Kahlil is considered to be the third most read poet right behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu. Gibran was born in Lebanon, but his family immigrated to the U.S in 1895. His most famous work "The Prophet" has been translated into over 40 languages. As you read his ability to paint with words you will know why.

Relax and read as Gibran waxes poetically about the connection between Joy and Sorrow.

~M.C

Joy and Sorrow

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow." And he answered: Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit the very wood that was hollowed with knives? When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

This Christmas…

Christmas-tree

I came across a Christmas card this year that I truly like. Instead of the traditional scenes, verses, or holiday metaphors, it was simply words. Words crafted into a set of actions that transform the one who would invest the time and heart to actually live them out. Take a moment out of your busy Christmas schedule and breathe deeply…ask God to speak to you, then slowly read through the Christmas message.

Merry Christmas,

Monty

This Christmas…

mend a quarrel…seek out a forgotten friend…write a love letter…share some treasure…give a soft answer…encourage youth…keep a promise…find the time…forgive an enemy…listen…apologize if you were wrong…think first of someone else…be kind and gentle…laugh a little…laugh a little more…express your gratitude…gladden the heart of a child…take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth…speak your love…speak it again…speak it still once again.

~anonymous

Night Owls More Productive

Nighhtowl The word vindication is what quickly springs to mind. Night Owls have long been the Black Sheep of the proverbial "this-is-the-right-way-to-live" world. I have always been more creative, focused, and productive when others are fast asleep. Even in the church…yes it's true….even in the church we celebrate the early risers and decry the late-nighter, as if God only listens and hears and interacts in the early morning hours.

This causes me to feel bad for the people all over the world who have night when we have morning, because obviously God doesn't hear them right 🙂

All kidding aside, we are all wired differently, and for those of us who love the night time more than the morning, it's good to know that science has come to our rescue!

A recent study in Switzerland shows that night owls have more perseverance throughout the day. Their productivity levels remain up while the early risers are winding down and getting ready for bed.

So if you are a night owl and need some ammo for your morning glory friends, check out this article:

http://www.rodale.com/sleeping-late-and-productivity?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_01-_-Top5-_-NA

Sleep well everyone!

Monty

No Security In Nature

Shield A friend of mine sent me this quote. Many of you know I am a quote freak, but this one especially made it into brain. It comes to us from Helen Keller:

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security is mostly a superstition.
It does not exist in nature."

We tend to spend our lives in pursuit of security. Emotional security…Financial security…Physical security…When the world doesn't respond the way we want, or to put it another way; when our illusory security fall apart we don't know what to do. We either quit or try to re-create the security that we thought we had…kind of a denial mechanism I suppose.

When we live life as an adventure, we realize that that security is a rare commodity, and that adventure contains risk. The global economy experienced a security breach  as our financial institutions unfortunately realized that security can often be a superstition, that right when we think we have everything covered…there always remains the potential for the unexpected.

Security does not exist in nature is a compelling thought…there is raw, natural beauty, but it is always at the disposal of other elements. In an instant that which exuded sheer loveliness can be trampled, crushed or otherwise hurt. There is always a bigger animal, a more threatening danger…true, security is definitely lacking in nature.

As I think through the security question, it does strike me that while security in the realms of the emotional, physical or financial is fleeting…security in the spiritual is the bedrock of our faith. In fact, the only way we can truly live life as an adventure is if we have activated the spiritual component of our lives.

When we know, trust and experience that God is, and that God is actively involved…then we are able to trust in the storm, have faith when our security is breached, and find hope when we have spent our last bit of energy trying to control that which is uncontrollable.

I think Helen was on to something…faith creates the possibility of adventure; adventure embraces risk; risk creates a lack of security; trust in God overrides and keeps us moving forward even when life isn't fair…and that my friends is an adventure.

Thoughts on the quote?

Dei Gratia,

MC