10. What do you think is the greatest problem in the world?

Answer: Media and social media.

As I did my best I also ended up writing a blog about a question I decided should better be posted on my blog. 

Yesterday I was supposed to be coming up with ten different questions that I would like to answer for an upcoming interview on No Boundaries Radio. I wrote an unusual blog instead. Now I have lots to do today. 

All I can say is I like to shock people and if my being on this show shocks people then you might just want to tune in and see if I can handle the format. God did not tell me to go and speak to perfect Christians. I will leave it at that.  

However, to further answer my answer here is my blog. 

Each person in the world has a very small view of the world around them. Each person makes decisions based on their own experiences with their own part of the world. They then search out other people of like mind and spend their time living comfortably with each other within this viewpoint. Predominantly, this grouping is a normal way of life for everyone. Most of these individuals and groupings are neither interested in other people viewpoint or desire to learn about these differences. It is a fact of history as well as everyday life. 

 Add in media and social media and there are two platforms for new behaviors. With the media it is all about manipulating the news to keep up interest in any particular group. The stories have to be sensationalized to keep the groups attention. Unfortunately, the media is controlled by people who feel that their opinions are worth more than anyone else’s viewpoint and they want people to conform to their view of life. They use the media platform to manipulate pretty much everyone. They do it not just to get their way which is to get you to believe that what they say is the only way but to continue to get you to buy into their lifestyle. It is all about money, and not your money, they are only interested in making your money their money.

The other side of this is the social media platforms. We all rant and rail against the methods social media platforms use to keep us engaged, but we are manipulated by them. We forget on a daily basis just how much. For these platforms give us a greater voice, one we don’t seem to be able to handle very well, for we react too much of what is on these forums in a negative manner. We spread hate. Instead of gathering together and helping one another we divide and conquer by counting coupe with some kind of snarky comment which shows how superior we are from one another. We all do it. If you say you don’t you are lying. If you think any form of one-sided opinion is anything more than intent to divide people into acceptable and non-acceptable people than you are misguiding your own self. I admit it. I have to fight the behavior every single time I post something on social media. If you think the ability to say the things we say is all about being free then you are mistaken as to what freedom means.

I suppose the only thing that keeps me generally from not pretending that I am above the behavior is my personal beliefs. Oh not the history lessons for they are speaking about the past, but the life lessons, on how I am personally supposed to behave.

I find my peace within the pages of the Bible but I look to God’s greatest command. To find something to love in every single person--without excuse.  

 1 John 4:20-21

"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."

Matthew 22:36-39 

New International Version (NIV) 

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Are You Listening To The Music?

Sometimes to tell a story or to teach one has to use an analogy. 

Psalm 25:4

 “Show me thy ways, O Jehovah; Teach me thy paths.”

~~~

Cecile is the author of Light Within Cobblestones, a non-fiction Christian themed book.

 Go To Light Within Cobblestones

She is also the co-author of Dinner With Cecile And William, a cookbook, she has another set of cookbooks on the way, called 365 A Sandwich A Day Keeps The Hunger Away Vol 1 and 2

Go To Dinner With Cecile And William

Cecile is also a Fine Artist, see her artworks at cecileartistauthor.com as well as flootie.com

A recent article on Cecile and her art is in WTF Fashion Magazine on page 22, although she recommends you check out the whole magazine. It is unique and artsy.

Morsels

There is so much out there to sort through nowadays it is easy to get caught up in something that seems Godly but it is not. Don't get trapped by the myriad of visual delights that corrupt our inner sight of God. 

1 Peter 2:2

 “…as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation; 2:3 if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:”

~~~

Cecile is the author of Light Within Cobblestones, a non-fiction Christian themed book.

 Go To Light Within Cobblestones

She is also the co-author of Dinner With Cecile And William, a cookbook, she has another set of cookbooks on the way, called 365 A Sandwich A Day Keeps The Hunger Away Vol 1 and 2

Go To Dinner With Cecile And William

Cecile is also a Fine Artist, see her artworks at cecileartistauthor.com as well as flootie.com

A recent article on Cecile and her art is in WTF Fashion Magazine on page 22, although she recommends you check out the whole magazine. It is unique and artsy.

We Are God's Art

Often we forget we are blessed with unique gifts, each and every one of us. To disrespect another is to disrespect God's design. We don't know where a person is on their path and we should not be the person who throws a verbal stone thereby causing the person to falter.  

We must look to our social interactions for our own misguided pretenses before we cast aspirations on others. 

Proverbs 4:26  Watch the path of your feet

And all your ways will be established.

~~~

Cecile is the author of Light Within Cobblestones, a non-fiction Christian themed book.

 Go To Light Within Cobblestones

She is also the co-author of Dinner With Cecile And William, a cookbook, she has another set of cookbooks on the way, called 365 A Sandwich A Day Keeps The Hunger Away Vol 1 and 2

Go To Dinner With Cecile And William

Cecile is also a Fine Artist, see her artworks at cecileartistauthor.com as well as flootie.com

A recent article on Cecile and her art is in WTF Fashion Magazine on page 22, although she recommends you check out the whole magazine. It is unique and artsy.

Inspiration For the 29th of December

There is a beauty in the Word of God that transcends regular language.  

When you read the Bible front to back you soon feel the cadence of continuity throughout the pages. 

When you live the words your whole life changes. When you answer a call that comes through study and inspiration you become empowered. 

When you bring intelligent answers to those questioning The Word of God you have succeeded. 

Ultimately though, living in gracious understanding with an open heart gives you the key to sharing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hebrews 12:14

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Oh Deer - A Short Christmas Event

Winter Watering Hole, fine art by
Cecile Grace Charles

The world is not what we expect and some days are very special in the way lessons come.

Yesterday I was doing my best to get the snow shoveled on the hilly part of the drive when wham I went down. I lay there for a minute or two gathering myself to get up safely and closed my eyes for a second.

 At that moment something cold touched my face.

 I froze (literally too) because I'm thinking just last year I had that visit from the cougar.

 I lay there letting whatever it was sniff at me. Since it did not begin to eat me I peeked open my left eye just a bit to see what it was sniffing at me.

 Now, I'm lying on my back, the camera and phone are inside the house so there is no way I can get a picture of this so I lay there and waited to see what would happen.

 The animal sniffed at me and then pushed me with its nose several times.  I opened my eyes and looked into its eyes. It looked back at me and then rubbed its head on my chest and then began pushing me. I finally realized it was trying to help me up. So I grabbed its antlers and let it heave me up.

Yes, the deer looked like it was at least two years old. I had seen it before, he had managed to keep away from the hunters aim again this year. Last year, it had bound down the road in fear of a vehicle racing up the road and bounded over our big rocks in his panic and slammed into the just painted front of the house.

 How did I know it was the same deer? There was still a bit of house paint on his flank.

 It seems he remembered me from last year. When I ran out to check on him as he lay there dazed and covered in paint he allowed me to pet him and his ears perked up when he heard my soothing voice.

I think he was giving me a little payback yesterday. Anyway he waited until he was sure I was up and then was off like a shot.

 I think God sends us some unique animal friends at times.  For me, I'll take it as a Christmas present from God. 

Attack Of The Vampire?

Something strange happened on Thursday morning.

Still in bed, I suddenly had a terrible pain in my right leg on the front. I jumped out of bed once I controlled my pain reflex and turned on the front room light. I propped my foot up on a chair to feel and inspect my leg.  I’m not quite sure how to explain what it looked like.  About halfway down below the knee, there was a spot about one and a half inches long by one inch wide where the skin was sucked down to the bone.

It was like one of those bazaar vampire moments in the movies. It hurt like the dickens when I rubbed the spot. Calming myself I looked closer at the spot.

Sure as I’m sitting here writing, the skin had a pale bluish tinge to it where it was touching the bone. The skin around it was mostly normal looking.  It was a rather deep dent.   I grabbed one of my magnifying glasses that I use to paint in tiny details in my art and to get a closer look. There was no bite, the skin other than being slightly blue and slightly bloodless was stuck right down onto the bone. I could feel the bone just under the skin. It was like the muscle tissue and sinew was completely gone.

When my husband got home I had him feel and look at it as well. He too thought it was strange. It hurt most of the day. At the end of the day right before I went to bed I inspected it again. It was still there.

I got up this morning and noticed the pain was mostly gone. So I inspected it again. The dent is gone. The skin and tissue is all back in place.

I don’t know what to think, maybe I bit my husband last night and got a refill.

No not really, he was at work.

I actually have no explanation for the dent or the lack of dent at all today.  All I can say is it was very weird.

In all seriousness it bothers me a little. If it happens again, I might consider seeing a doctor. But if it comes and goes that quickly, most likely once I were to get to a doctor they would not believe me unless it was still happening. With my luck it would not be there and no matter what I describe I will be looked at like I’m making it up.

I will depend on God. Sometimes that is all you can do.