Who is in charge?

Is it your boss, your job?  How about your family?  Your relationships (or lack of relationships)?  Your baggage from the past?  What is your identity?  Where did that come from?  Is that who's in charge?  Cup half full or half empty?  Are you happy go lucky or troubled and passionate for all the hurt that exists on the planet?  What about the economy?  Politics?  Or the society or culture that you live in?  Who is in charge?

Ultimately, I think we all know that we are not "ultimately" in charge.  I think most would agree that we do have some power or influence over this world or our life.  In fact, the list above is full of things that influence us and the course of our lives.  THIS is where much of our "power" exists:  CHOICE.  We have the power to choose how to react to things that influence our lives (see list above).  We can ignore it (some call this denial) we can let it get us down (which can be positive if it drives us to action) or we can learn from it (we're not ultimately in charge anyway right?).  So many thoughts here, hope I can get them all out coherantly.  

As we take in and react to things I like to consider the following:

Circle of influence:  What do you have a reasonable chance of influencing?  Spend your energy there.  I'm not saying that we shouldn't change the world, but if we are diverse and passionate on 5 fronts we might not make progress on any! 

Serenity Prayer:  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Who's ultimately in charge?

This is another key to my world view, really it's my bedrock.  If it weren't there, I'd be lost and might as well be drifting through space :).  Not sure what you think or what you believe or who/what is in charge of your life (see list in paragraph 1) but for me, I'm gonna say that God is in ultimately in charge.  I believe he made the world and everything in it (including you and me).  I also believe that when it's all done (and no, I'm not sure how that's gonna happen) God wins in the end. 

To be continued...

Sunday afternoon

   Sunday afternoon.  Yes, that's what it is but what exactly is a Sunday afternoon?  Good question.  This Sunday the Vikes lost, it's cold and grey in MN, Monday is coming so we catch up on groceries, laundry, friends and get ready for a new week. 

   Sounds a little bla doesn't it?  Maybe a little, but Sunday is a day of rest ordained by the Maker so who am I to complain (and I'm not).  I don't know about you, but if you know me, you know that I busy myself with friends and am often on the go barely giving myself time to ponder and think (ha ha). 

   In fact it's quite ironic that one of my favorite things to do is to have unscheduled time yet most of the time I schedule!!  A personal retreat, yes that would be good.  Haven't had one in awhile.  I've been to Pachem en Terris a few times (small personal retreat place north of the cities). THM (take home message) to self:  schedule a little time for your self and "be intentional" about time spent alone and with others.  (see meaning of life post)