Faith | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the tag “Faith”

08 Jan 2013

Tending to Your Convictions

There are things that you want because you believe in them, and then there are those things you need driven because of your conviction.

Your convictions include your personal commitments, the core values you live by, or the things that truly motivate you. It’s more than what you simply believe ..I recently read this…“A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for!” – Howard Hendrick

I find that sometimes it is hard to center those convictions in your life. You know that they are there, you even have a past list of core things that you have fought for. But still there will be times when there are doldrums, sort of floating time like treading water it seems.

In those times it is good to turn back to the things you know about yourself. Those reasons that you have persevered to this moment. Pull up your spiritual bootstraps and point in a positive direction. It is just as simple to turn your back on that spiritual compass and let others tell you what you will believe. It is simple to become dependent on someone, or something. To get comfortable in the routine of familiar surroundings or patterns, making it easy to wait for another day…

But those things that motivate you that involve the genuine love, the core values of your being and spirit will allow you to chart a course ahead in a positive way – based on your convictions.

So now in the new year, reflect on your convictions (not just your beliefs) and know that you can make a difference in your own life, and in-turn make a difference in others. Don’t stand still and feel “done”, because you will never be done until your last days. Don’t let fear and uncertainty manage your convictions, you got to “let love in”.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Change, Conviction, Faith, Grace, Joy, life is precious, Self-Awareness, Sprituality

29 Nov 2012

4 Comments

Closing Time

Closing Time (Photo credit: André Hofmeister)

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings’ end.” Semisonic “Closing Time”

The real-deal is that everything changes (time does that) and when something begins, it is always destined for an “end”. At least here on Earth.

Acceptance of change is often hard, and can lead to disappointment. It seems like so often disappointment a result of what we want to have happen- but doesn’t. We get stuck on the idea that if something doesn’t happen “exactly” like we imagined it should -then it seems wrong (we get angry or sad).

So hard to remember that. SO SO easy to let things get you down. Not like you can’t have plans or something, but they have to allow for the detours that life will deal us. Let one thing happen and be prepared to allow closure to the next. Hanging on to it can just make it harder.

So yeah- closing time… let it happen. Let it be the “last call” and the lights come up, because tomorrow is another day and “you can’t stay here” …..” in reality you wouldn’t want to any way. And that final “closing time” is somewhere in your future- you will go home to somewhere where forever is real. For now- keep moving. It’s gloriously more of an adventure that way – share it with the people you love on the journey ahead.

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Acceptance, Change, Closing Time, Faith, life is precious, moments, Music, Semisonic

25 Nov 2012

4 Comments

“One Lovely Blog” Award

It’s nice to know that others are interested in your blog, lately I have been slower to post- mainly because of the holidays and my work schedule. But looks like I have been nominated for an “award” and for that I am always grateful.

Here goes:

The rules:
1) Link back to the blogger who nominated you

Thank you, to Miss Audrey at In Wonderland for the nomination. It is always wonderful to visit your site and see what’s new.

2) Paste the award image on your blog, anywhere.(done)

3) Tell them 7 facts about yourself.

7 facts about myself:

1) I grew up in Wisconsin (USA). One very nice place in the summer, nasty cold during the winter.

2) I love music of all kinds. Well most of them. After 12 years in Texas I even love certain country artists. A concept this old rock-n-roller would have never guessed in my younger days. I love a lot of the contemporary music today as much as the old stuff.

3) Over the past few years I have come to appreciate time like never before. Cancer diagnosis can do that.

4) I am a Christian. That often means an immediate label. I don’t mind the label. I know that others have their beliefs, including their preconceived notions about Christians. Believe in the Grace of God. It is real.

5) I have always wanted to do more traveling with my wife, but it always seems to be hard to do. Every-day living gets in the way.

6) I have been blessed with a lot of great friends that I have met over the years. They have made life worth it.

7) I have 4 kids, they are all officially “adults” now… but they have taught me a lot. They are priceless.

4) Nominate 15 other blogs you like for this award. (I’ll nominate 6 like Miss Audrey did)

1) No blog intended– always worthwhile checking in on her site

2) OneNewThing my dear friend Caroline’s new blog… fun!

3) HopetheHappyHugger – Half way around the world, but a genuine great person

4) Practical Proverbs – Dave has captured so much about the Word and made it fit in the real world today

5) Mikes Look At Life – the photography is outstanding and always interesting

6) Pure Instinct – a lovely person – a lovely blog from aix

5) Contact the bloggers that you have chosen to let them know that they have been nominated.

I’ll do that soon!
6) Resume blogging your regular posts.

Posted in About mgert123 and tagged Acceptance, being remembered, Faith, Grace, One Lovely Blog Award, Postive Thinking, Texas, tracks in the dust, Wisconsin

10 Sep 2012

1 Comment

Reliving the Past

Our pasts are so precious. After all every moment we have lived up to this second is what makes us who we are right now. We have our memories to cherish, we have our experiences to formulate our opinions and shape are personalities. There are plenty of minutes in our lives where not a thing has happened except that we have taken another breath, which we can certainly be thankful for.

We should be proud of who we are- if we can count our accomplishments in a way that has helped others, or we have helped to make shape so many people around us by simple things we may have said or done. In other cases we may have profoundly changed so many lives of those who have since moved on to other circles of friends. But we left our mark on them, we may have ever so slightly changed their course, or perhaps made great changes. But there we were in that past.

But there is one thing that seems to be very true about our pasts, yet so many try to defy it. We cannot relive our past. We can recall it, we may even be able to reenact it in some way. But the ever-changing world does not allow us to go back and relive it just the way it was. Even though some of those moments were profound for you. The birth of your children, the first meeting of a love of your life, the simple victories and celebrations of life, sharing thoughts and philosophies with friends that ultimately indelibly put a new spin on your existence. Or perhaps just that simple clear day where the sky is blue, the sun is shining and you can take a deep breath… Or that day that you made a regrettable mistake that you would rather have not, and would do anything to change it now.

But you cannot go back, just like you cannot predict the future an( see my previous blog). You have to appreciate it, but cannot wallow in it. There is really only the here and now. You have to appreciate the here and now. The moment. And every one after it for as long as you are allowed. A while back I had posted “No Day But Today”. There is only that- only this moment until the next.

So don’t spend your time wishing the past back, it cannot be done. You should not forget it. You should not dismiss it. You cannot relive it.

So now what? What can you do?…. Be the person you have become… through this journey, take the next steps in whatever adventure life allows you ( and then more) and make the day count for something positive, in your life it could be the most significant day ever- but then in some ways they all are.

RELATED POSTS

Predicting the Future

No Day But Today

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged being remembered, choices, Faith, life is precious, Memories, moments, Postive Thinking, Sprituality, the future, the past, Who Are You

30 Aug 2012

1 Comment

Lost in the Extremes

Take some time and breathe deeply. Concentrate on the environment around you and make sure to take in the environment around you. Center yourself.

Lately I have been around many people that are struggling with the extremes in their daily life, their perspectives seem to take on as far south and as far north as life’s compass will allow. It amazes me that they suffer through it and fight the urge to not listen to anyone who dissents to their view.

People are willing stand up for what they believe. And that is a fundamental thing about humankind, about our need to be grounded to our faith, love and core values. But there is also room on other levels for understanding. Room to know that although we should be on common ground on our spiritual plane, we can allow ourselves the benefit of the doubt on other things. That there could be more than just one way to look at things.

In this election year in the US for example, people are choosing extremes. There is a requirement for each of us apparently to fall on one side of the line or the other. Over time the center line has moved, and so it is not centered evenly. Because of that we make heroes out of the people who say what we want them to say. So many ways it leads to hate and lies, to bigotry and deceit, to manipulation of the truth to suit ones view-point. Sadly it is the fuel that may divide the country even more.

Another example is how often people wallow in their emotions and refuse to change their attitudes or frame of reference. Like a badge they continue to carry their sadness, anger or bitterness along with them every where they go. They want to deposit more of it rather than change, and struggle to understand why others don’t feel the way they do.

I think we cannot be ruled by the extremes, we need to open our minds to the possibilities that there are other paths to take. For many seem to be lost in the daily routines, the weekly demands of life. And it would appear that for many of them they have no spiritual center, so they seem to also lack and emotional center. They feel out of control – so the way to reach a feeling of control is to embrace the extremes with definite lines that cannot be personally crossed. They are lost in those places which are a struggle to return from – that require self-examination and resolve. The willingness for that needs the spiritual center. So on it goes.

Lost in the extremes.

From KnowtheSphere great observation about things related