Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham (a book review)
Admittedly, I launched into this read with a critical editor’s eye toward some stylistic choices. I even groaned a bit thinking it was going to be another “speak/do good and it’ll all come back to you” formula for . . . getting books published perhaps, but not necessarily for helping this woman tap into her strongest life. Then I began to stumble over some memorable lines of succinct applicability to my journey and I underlined my way through to completion. I was impressed with the author’s earnest use of research and his determined push to aid his readers with his experience and understanding. Yes. A guy wrote this . . . for women . . . and it’s refreshingly insightful! I would not go so far as to say it touched on the breadth of my experiences and challenges. However, he does tackle the common cross-sections of female endeavor and teaches the reader how to approach life more realistically from an imbalance. Yep! He quickly dispels with the notion that happiness and a strong life grow out of achieving balance! Buckingham dispels other notions about strengths and weaknesses, which left me with fresh perspective on how to focus on who I am and move toward my strongest, most effective and fulfilled self!
He couldn’t make out what he was looking at.
Just that it was far off.
He couldn’t be sure when he’d catch up to it.
Just that it would be at great cost.
A Friend Wrote . . .
I despise murderous despots, but I also dislike and fear world courts, not because they are inherently wrong, but b/c they are so susceptible to the same thing that has plagued the UN, w/c originally was created out of lofty idealism. The main problem is they tend to be devoid of having any absolute moral foundation to determine right and wrong. And even if there is a commonly held moral foundation among the participants, such international bodies have a tendency to spiral very quickly into a free-for-all, abandoning the principles that inspired its creation and that should govern its existence, as participants adopt whatever is convenient or advantageous for its selfish interests. Considering the current state of things in our world, a world court is essentially going to be nothing more than a zoo filled w/ monkeys, snakes, asses, turkeys, and other slimy, stinky, dumb animals. For that reason, I do not like world courts.
Goodbye Fantasy!
Why hel-lo there!
Welcome back to reality.
We hope you’ve enjoyed your ride!
With all its loop-de-doops, made-up turns and sugary sides.
Well, now. Please step back in
to yourself.
feel the sun on your skin;
and forget how cotton candy felt.
Reality calls.
You must return.
Knock down your walls;
You’ve a lot to learn.
Watch your step as you go!
Have a nice day.
And please … don’t come back.
(c) 2008
Social Justice Begins in Your Heart
Social Justice is manifested as the fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the *natural law* that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and without prejudice.
If your heart (or mine) contains prejudice or lacks a clearly objective adherence to natural law, then any motivation or attempt to enact socially just laws, or to properly administer the same, would be tainted, breached; and, therefore, inadequate to achieve social justice – no matter how altruistic the collective aim.
In short: toss out natural law, strive in vain for an equality under the law that has integrity in all four corners and along the edges.
Roberts Burns — Cheers to Auld Lang Syne
“I want someone to laugh with me, someone to be grave with me, someone to please me and help my discrimination with his or her own remark, and at times, no doubt, to admire my acuteness and penetration.”
~ RB
Bless the Christ, Who alone is sovereign.
Bless us all for being given yet another night. Bless the morning for bringing in yet another year. And sight. Bless us all while we sleep; visions of glory may we seek. And when we wake in ‘09, help us live only for Thine!
What child is this?
The Son of God took on flesh and dwelt among us. He came with one purpose … and set His face like flint to accomplish it. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t comfortable. It was far far from pain free. But He willingly died … to bridge a gap. He died because God, our Father, missed us. God Himself wanted to be in relationship with us again. God needs us. God, Who needs no thing (nothing), needs us. He desires to commune with His beloved. He intended all along for us to be together. He pursued. He did not settle for a temporary fix or a weekend visit. He doesn’t do joint custody. He wasn’t looking for a one time party or a chance to walk down the memory lane of history. He fully intended to secure our communion for all eternity; to sacrifice now for that forever feast soon to come. He was never going to be satisfied with a distant relationship. He had to have us with Him. So He came to be with us. Emmanuel – God with us. He fought for us in the only Way He could … in the only Way that would bridge the gap truly, finally and forever. He conquered death to be with us always. He was, He is; He came, He conquered, He’s coming again. His ways are not our ways. He is full of mystery, tender mercies, graciousness & compassion. When we are no longer bound by time or space … “He is” will be with us. He only wants to know you. He wants a relationship. He will not settle for less than love. He is love. He defines love. Love is His standard. Love’s standard is Him. He reigns and a King does not eat scraps. Where oh death is your sting? He lives. It is accomplished. Come to the feast. Turn toward Home …
I bring you Good News of great joy, for all people …
Love lives. Love unchanging. Love singular, complete, & exclusive.
Love has come; Love bought you back from a death sentence; and Love – Well, at the consummation of time (to all who have welcomed Him), He’s coming back! Good News!
One Makes New
Death, crushing, powder, dust.
Life, resurrecting, form, flesh.
There is nothing new under the heavens.
Yet, One makes all things new.
Nothing more. Just One.
One Way, One Truth, One Life.
One long road, made of vapor.
A short stretch to neverending
Life.
Devolution is Alive & Well
I’m wondering when educated Americans became so profane (common, vulgar, rejecting worth). Such a repeat of failed histories past. Such devolution. So unlearned. So disintegrating.
January 25, 2009 Posted by genuinerisk | Because It's My Blog Not Yours, Commentary | america's demise, devolution, disintregation, educated americans, profane, reject, vulgar | No Comments Yet