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You think a chattingz: The Strangeness of the Faith

The Strangeness of the Faith- a virgin mother, a man who is God, a God who is simultaneously one and three. Trying to escape from the “calculated mind” into the spiritual realm.

Those doctrines- the nature of Christ, the Trinity, which really means the flowing nature of God, those are spiritual insights.

Once you pull them into the logical mind, you’ll get overwhelmed. God refuses to let Himself be just a thought.

God can only be experienced. You can’t think God, you can only be present to God.

Living a Christian life, is not about assembling a laundry list of good deeds and ticking them off in order to get into heaven.

It’s the sharp realization that we cannot possibly be good on our own and our only chance is surrendering to God, the one who can transform us.

I believe that Jesus may even be saying to us, “I’m going to use your sin, your shame, whatever condemnation you may be feeling, to bring you to me”.

Most of us can relate to an event or time in our life when someone did something that was destructive, or inconsiderate, and we asked them to stop what they were doing.

They may/ may not have agreed to stop when confronted to change their behavior but it didn’t last long.

Some people are great, they really do try, and we can understand when they slip up.

We can easily forgive authentic backsliding or mistakes.

However, there are those who of their own accord consciously decide to be malicious, or stubborn, and indulge in passive aggressive behavior.

They decide they are going to continue just to spite or aggravate.

I believe at the core of their problem is pride, insecurity, selfishness, and unforgiveness.

They don’t like being told they cannot do something and they’re showing you who checked their behavior that they are not listening to you, and they continue on self-satisfied and holding their grudge.

They are not exercising moral discipline and doing the right thing, instead they feel a certain satisfaction in taking revenge.

All one has to do today is look around and we can see there is a huge lack of discipline in our society today.

What they don’t realize is they are hurting themselves in the long run.

The Bible says it best in Proverbs 12:1 – Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

It takes maturity and humility to admit when we are wrong, and to accept discipline or correction.

However, the person who is open to the correction of others, is open to learning from their mistakes instead of being harmed by them or repeating them.

The Bible also reminds us to be careful in the things we do because we will reap what we sow as it says in, Job 4:8 “According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it.

It also teaches us to respect each other as in Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (See more at: http://faithreel.com)

According to ITV News, A few months ago a national war memorial dedicated to military personnel and civilians who served and died in Iraq and Afghanistan was unveiled by the Queen.

The sculpture made from Portland stone and bronze was designed by Paul Day and shows two monoliths supporting a medallion.

Her Majesty revealed the monument, which towered above her, during a simple ceremony of dedication.

In a foreword written for the event’s official programme, Her Majesty paid tribute to those who worked to bring “peace and stability” in the Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan between 1990 and 2015.

She added: “It is with pride that we honor the contribution of all those members of the armed forces and civilians who served our country – at home and abroad – while endeavoring to bring peace and stability to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We shall be forever grateful to them for the part they played.

“I am sure the new memorial will provide a fitting opportunity for all to reflect upon the events of that 25-year period, remembering the many examples of personal courage and achievement in adversity, and the great sacrifices that were made.”

The number of British forces personnel and MoD civilians who died while serving in Afghanistan is 456, for the Iraq conflict it was 179, and the Gulf War 47, according to figures from the Ministry of Defence.

When we relate our life experience, we have a sacred text, In the same way as in a Biblical text, God is at work through our lives and our stories because God is at work in our lives.

In our stories, there is always something to learn, some mystery, some miracle.

When we enter into the process of writing that life story and we open to that mystery, it’s amazing what kind of journey that can put us on.

I’m a life-long student and in everything thing I do Cayman has to be the center.

Caymanian history states that in 1912, some 335 Caymanian parents campaigned for enhanced rights to education for their children.

Following a seven-year battle, the Education Law of 1920, which provided for free compulsory education for all children between 7 and 14 years of age was finally passed.

This helped to pave the way for the future generations to come.

Captain Paul Hurlston, (Cayman, a Photographic Journey through the Islands),like many older Caymanians, miss the old days.

He does, however, see the benefits of today – better health care, schooling and financially Cayman is stronger than ever!

He tells us how men would be gone at sea for months or even years at a time, leaving their wives to raise the children, run the farms and businesses, and in general keep things afloat until their husbands returned.

Children, he said, attended school from time they were seven to the time they were fourteen.

Captain Paul, a retired seaman states, “If I had to come up with a symbol for the Cayman Islands, it would be a woman.

Those Cayman women, they held this place together.”

HEROES AMONGST US

What exactly is a Hero? Merriam Webster’s definition states that a hero is either a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability, an illustrious warrior, a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, a man who shows great courage or even the dashing, handsome heroes that I use to read about in creative literature.

They would always come charging in to save the day! While the damsel in distress meekly awaited his arrival, all the while looking flawless! I love it!

Robert Macleod, the author of VikingWorld 2014, stated that perhaps one of the most famous explorers of all time, Leif Erikson is remembered in the sagas as a daring hero.

Travelling across the stormy Atlantic Ocean, he became the first European to reach North America around 1002 AD. Fellow Vikings believed that Leif was surely favored by the gods. The sagas tell that on one sea voyage Leif rescued a shipwrecked crew, which earned him the name “Leif the Lucky”. (Page 24).

Britt Robson, Mother Jones, May/June 2008, favorite motto of his hero, Thomas Edison, is inscribed on a favorite sweatshirt: “To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” Isn’t that the truth!

There are also many heroes found in the bible. Young David, the future king of Israel defeated Goliath of Gath a Bible character described as a giant Philistine warrior. David was said to have hurled a stone from his sling with all his might and it hit Goliath in the center of his forehead. Goliath then fell on his face to the ground, and David subsequently cuts off his head. Wow!

My mother, Valareda Bell is one of my heroes. As a single parent, she struggled and persevered will raising her four kids. Her strength and ambition is very admirable and an inspiration to me. She also happens to be amongst the people in the Cayman Islands Tourism Industry making a difference every day!

During 2017,, National Heroes Day which is the largest national recognition event, honored“Pioneers in Tourism”. It fell on Monday, the 23rd January 2017 and we honored the people in our community who have made significant contributions to the growth of our Tourism industry.

As usual it fell on the fourth Monday in January here in the Cayman Islands. It was proclaimed with the National Heroes Law, providing for the declaration of persons who had rendered exceptional services as national heroes.

Numerous Caymanians have been declared national heroes, includes the Hon. James (Jim) Manoah Bodden, Mrs. Sybil I. McLaughlin, Mr. Thomas William Farrington, Mrs. Sybil Joyce Hylton, Mr. Desmond Vere Watler, Ms Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon. and William Warren Conolly.

Premier and Minister of Culture, Hon. Alden McLaughlin said, “We chose tourism as the 2017 theme because the tourism sector is a vital part of our country’s past, present and future. It is time we recognized the people who are committed to this constantly-growing sector, and celebrate their hard work and efforts.”

The National Heroes Day award categories were:

Early Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who has made significant contributions to the early development and delivery of tourism throughout the Cayman Islands prior to 1960.
Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who has made significant contributions to tourism from 1960-2006.
Emerging Pioneer: An individual who has made significant contributions to tourism from 2006 to present.
Memorial Scroll: A deceased person who was a leader or notable contributor to the development and/or delivery of tourism.
Long Service Award: A living individual who may not have been a leader, but a long serving person in the tourism community, who has contributed for ten years or more.

I’m so proud that National Heroes Day was created, because every day I see people in our community making a difference.

A study found that people who experienced the greatest job satisfaction aren’t the ones in the big, fancy offices; although there’s nothing wrong with that, however job satisfaction comes to those who approach their work as a calling, even when the work involves menial labor.

Most writers spend countless hours brainstorming their characters and plots, and they even write page after page that they know they’ll never include in their books.

They do this because they know that ideas need time to develop. We tend to freeze up when it’s time to get started because we know that our ideas aren’t perfect and that what we might produce might not be good. But how can you ever produce something great if you don’t get started and give your ideas time to evolve?

Author Jodi Picoult summarized the importance of avoiding perfectionism perfectly: “You can edit a bad page, but you can’t edit a blank page.”

I also have a favorite quote that says, “"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it!"

Dr. Travis Bradberry states that we have to be careful when choosing our pursuits, because our habits make us who we are.

Think about it! We wouldn’t want to create collateral damage. Instead let’s cultivate constructive habits which will send us in the right direction and create collateral beauty within ourselves and our community in our pursuit of happiness.

Britt Robson, Mother Jones, May/June 2008, favorite motto of his hero, Thomas Edison, is inscribed on a favorite sweatshirt: “To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” Isn’t that the truth!

There are also many heroes found in the bible. Young David, the future king of Israel defeated Goliath of Gath a Bible character described as a giant Philistine warrior. David was said to have hurled a stone from his sling with all his might and it hit Goliath in the center of his forehead. Goliath then fell on his face to the ground, and David subsequently cuts off his head. Wow!

My mother, Valareda Bell is one of my heroes. As a single parent, she struggled and persevered will raising her four kids. Her strength and ambition is very admirable and an inspiration to me. She also happens to be amongst the people in the Cayman Islands Tourism Industry making a difference every day!

During 2017,, National Heroes Day which is the largest national recognition event, honored“Pioneers in Tourism”. It fell on Monday, the 23rd January 2017 and we honored the people in our community who have made significant contributions to the growth of our Tourism industry.

As usual it fell on the fourth Monday in January here in the Cayman Islands. It was proclaimed with the National Heroes Law, providing for the declaration of persons who had rendered exceptional services as national heroes.

Numerous Caymanians have been declared national heroes, includes the Hon. James (Jim) Manoah Bodden, Mrs. Sybil I. McLaughlin, Mr. Thomas William Farrington, Mrs. Sybil Joyce Hylton, Mr. Desmond Vere Watler, Ms Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon. and William Warren Conolly.

Premier and Minister of Culture, Hon. Alden McLaughlin said, “We chose tourism as the 2017 theme because the tourism sector is a vital part of our country’s past, present and future. It is time we recognized the people who are committed to this constantly-growing sector, and celebrate their hard work and efforts.”

The National Heroes Day award categories were:

Early Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who has made significant contributions to the early development and delivery of tourism throughout the Cayman Islands prior to 1960.
Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who has made significant contributions to tourism from 1960-2006.
Emerging Pioneer: An individual who has made significant contributions to tourism from 2006 to present.
Memorial Scroll: A deceased person who was a leader or notable contributor to the development and/or delivery of tourism.
Long Service Award: A living individual who may not have been a leader, but a long serving person in the tourism community, who has contributed for ten years or more.

I’m so proud that National Heroes Day was created, because every day I see people in our community making a difference.

A study found that people who experienced the greatest job satisfaction aren’t the ones in the big, fancy offices; although there’s nothing wrong with that, however job satisfaction comes to those who approach their work as a calling, even when the work involves menial labor.

Most writers spend countless hours brainstorming their characters and plots, and they even write page after page that they know they’ll never include in their books.

They do this because they know that ideas need time to develop. We tend to freeze up when it’s time to get started because we know that our ideas aren’t perfect and that what we might produce might not be good. But how can you ever produce something great if you don’t get started and give your ideas time to evolve?

Author Jodi Picoult summarized the importance of avoiding perfectionism perfectly: “You can edit a bad page, but you can’t edit a blank page.”

I also have a favorite quote that says, “"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. I say, begin it!"

Dr. Travis Bradberry states that we have to be careful when choosing our pursuits, because our habits make us who we are.

Think about it! We wouldn’t want to create collateral damage. Instead let’s cultivate constructive habits which will send us in the right direction and create collateral beauty within ourselves and our community in our pursuit of happiness.

Discover the Yello

in You !

As with so many Professional Ideas- You must start out with a vision. There are certain skills and techniques involved in the creation of your vision. The first skill is expressing the vision, not verbally, but through behavior. This involves behaving in ways that advance the vision step-by-step. The second skill is explaining the vision to others-...making the nature of the vision clear in terms of required actions and aims and doing so through clear oral or written communication. That is why I believe as writers or journalists, our functions are relevant.

According to Louis D. Brandeis who was an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, “The function of the press is extremely important. To mistake or suppress the news is in breach of trust”. However, I believe that although journalists try to honor and protect their carefully won independence from party and commercial pressures, they must be careful not to get detached from the outside pressures which could bleed into disengagement from the community.

The third skill is extending the vision-applying the sequence of activities involved in carrying out the vision to a variety of situations so that the vision can be implemented in several ways and places. What is your dream and where will it start? The fourth and final skill involves expanding the vision-applying it not just in one limited way and not even in a variety of essentially similar ways, but applying it in many different ways, in a wide range of circumstances, and to a broader context. You can use your school, your church, your family, your community, the arts, music, etc. You name- it all can be used to expand that vision into a reality!

So when I see the color yellow- I think happy! According to my latest research-The color yellow relates to acquired knowledge. It is the color which resonates with the left or logic side of the brain stimulating our mental faculties and creating mental agility and perception. Being the lightest hue of the spectrum, the color psychology of yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness and fun. In the meaning of colors, yellow inspires original thought and inquisitiveness. Yellow is creative from a mental aspect, the color of new ideas, helping us to find new ways of doing things. It is the practical thinker, not the dreamer. Yellow is also the most highly visible of all colors which is why it is used for pedestrian crossings. Very interesting! The color yellow in the Bible also refers to God's glory (Ezekiel 1:4) or the brightness of Christ (Revelation 21:23). Yellow can also refer to God's fire (Hebrew's 12:29) or judgment (Genesis 19:24). Yellow is also used to describe the color of gold (Psalm 68:13). So why are you wearing yellow?

When I think of Discovery- not only have I discovered my use for the color yellow, but I think of Discovery Day here in the Cayman Islands which was introduced on May 19th 2013! Here is a little history. On May 10th 1503, it has been recorded that Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands and named us Las Tortugas after the numerous sea turtles seen swimming in the surrounding waters. Can you image the glory of those early days?

Let’s not forget another momentous event which will be happening in the month of May. Elections! I was so excited years ago to find out that following a two year campaign by women to change their circumstances, in 1959 Cayman received its first written constitution which, for the first time, allowed women to vote. Hhmm. So I wonder who’s got the power?

In Ephesians 4:11-15 of the New King James Version (NKJV). It says,“11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ!” I guess that answered my previous question.

As we will celebrate and honored our women in the month of March this year- We shall also celebrate our children in the 5th month (May). Did you know that 5 means grace or favor. I declare that our children are definitely sovereign favor from the Lord! Let’s never forget how awesome our children are. They are truly a blessing!

Since I’ve been walking out my Christian life with the Lord, I have come to realize that the grace of God is unmerited favor. It is kindness from God which we don't deserve. There is nothing we can do; nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God. Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration (rebirth) similar to the birth of a child or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor. I constantly remind myself that anything I do. I must never forget the giver of the gift. As Galatians 5:26 states, “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another”. So I am always grateful for the Holy Spirit's guidance in my life which continues to make my vision, my dream, the purpose God has for my life a reality.

So as I write the yellow pages of my life, and as my index finger walks gracefully across the pages I will find the courage and tenacity to use all the colors, tools, information, events, people, places and memories to create a catalyst for a quantum leap into the future!

Amen.