God Research

“– University of Oxford researchers will spend nearly $4 million to study why mankind embraces God. The grant to the Ian Ramsey Center for Science and Religion will bring anthropologists, theologians, philosophers and other academics together for three years to study whether belief in a divine being is a basic part of mankind’s makeup.”

“One researcher said anthropological and philosophical research suggests that faith in God is a universal human impulse found in most cultures around the world.”
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I found this little blurb made me chuckle. How on earth do they plan to “study” this particular subject. I’d do it for a lot less money, but I think I can give you my theory today for nothing!

I’m all for God. Of course there is a basic part of mankind’s makeup that is universal.
We ALL are searching for something. Remember that passion inside to “find what you are looking for in seeking happiness and peace?”

Have you ever heard that when you hold close to you whatever your faith proclaims, or whatever you have found true to be God, that you enjoy that “PEACE BEYOND UNDERSTANDING.”

As a Christian (my own one world kind) I have believed for decades that the emptiness people feel comes from not filling the place in our hearts that God himself put there to be “nourished and filled” with love for him and praise for him.

We need food and water. We need exercise. These things nourish our earthly body.
Our living soul. Our Spirit that is housed within needs nourishment too. The living
waters…..like an organ withers as it doesn’t get the nutrients and things it needs to
survive…..we cannot live FULLY without God.

As the Master, Spiritual leader, and Father OF US ALL he gave us
strong bodies, intellect, and the built in human impulse to seek Him. When faith comes alive and powerful in us, it fills that gap and heals us. It empowers us and that impulse becomes a passion to reflect his love and peace.

It brightens our lives and that light is a beam for others. The peace comes because that
Spirit that was given us within becomes powerful and radiant. In my humble opinion,
we were made to worship God, love each other, and we were given the free will to make our choices in which direction we choose to go.

Some think the “narrow” road means no fun, no life, so strict and cold. Phooey! God
wants us to have fun and enjoy our lives, and the narrow road (I believe) is simply
only big enough to have faith and love within the perimeter of it.

As we cling to our faith the road will open to make our lives full and happy. We don’t
cling for fear (though I have great respect for God’s awesome power and might), we
cling to worship, give thanks for our lives and the ability to CHOOSE, and for the power of love!

That inborn human impulse is real. Anyone who has love and USES it….anyone who
firmly walks with personal faith….and remembers to thank God and use the power of prayer….will find inner peace that rocks!

I’m not telling you to THINK the way that I do, or believe what I believe. But I am telling you that when you quit resisting believing in something, more profound that can be seen, your life will improve in increments and peace will find you!

You can’t literally SEE the wind, but you know it’s there. The leaves on trees whisper it, the chimes hanging on the porch sing of it, the sails on a boat fill and move it, the signs are all there when the wind is active.

Look around you. Take a chance. When you feel alone or that your vessel is empty,
take a chance and see if you can find what your living soul NEEDS to thrive and survive.

No one has all the answers, but I promise if you open your heart and seek God- He will find you!

I am grossly out of step with the new format!

I wasn’t even “in step” with the old….just faking it. I might have a bit of time now, in between welcoming new babies in the family, to read a bit and try to understand. I learn easily by watching - but reading takes me a while longer. It really takes longer since all of this is just like new language to me. Yes, I have written 200+ posts - but I write, and that’s what I do. I take photographs too. Those things are a piece of cake!~ Putting together this blog seems like a real challenge to me!
This is a GREAT alternative to plastic bags. Most aren’t as they are way too small.
I found this hummer at Safeway and the price was $4.99 (but it’s a deal since you get two!). We all have to do our parts in trying to save the planet. It’s for damn sure the corporations and $$$$$ making machines will still keep cranking out the plastic bottles, and useless other plastic containers. Don’t you love getting a prescription with a bottle that is six times larger than the amount in it? What’s up with that?
This dandy little bag folds small and fits right in a glove compartment or purse. Very cool.
Okay, I lied. My weekend “may” be pretty busy and then Monday through Thursday I
will be staying with my daughter and her new baby daughter - so I probably won’t get back again till the end of next week. I love reading all the wonderful and unique posts on wordpress and wish I could respond to so many that I just don’t have time to do so!
Anyway, it’s been fun (again-rather adictive, eh?)…..keep on being happy! It is the best choice. I tried being miserable. It sucked, so I gave it up! Really.
Now I am (and have been for many moons) the human happy face. Speaking of moons….full moon sunday so if things are “out of sorts” or “out of wack” or just plain weird, it could be the full moon coming on! Be aware and CREATE the best weekend ever for you and those around you….what you give WILL come back to you. Make it wonderful!

Love the sky, stars, sun, moon, and clouds!

These photos were snapped while I was “out and about” running errands - on several different days. I
looked up, grabbed my handy camera (which I carry all the time) and snapped!

The rain cloud was almost ready to burst in this first photo. The second was just a lovely sky with clouds, and the third was stunning. When I looked - the blue was so deep and the little white cloud so white!

My favorite? The rain clouds, of course. They were so massive and wild.

What a beautiful and wonderful world we have if we just remember to LOOK!

WHAT IS THIS?

10 years ago when I first saw it, the circle was much smaller and closer to the sun-looked like a ring around the sun filled with smog. Today I happened to look and the ring is MUCH MUCH bigger than it was. I did
a photo merge.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA what causes this. I do not remember EVER seeing it before about 10 years ago-and I am a gazer at the sky….

Please share with me if you know / or even if you think you know!

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

Everyone is told that these bulbs are a great energy saving alternative to incandescent light bulbs. They are. They can use up to 75% less energy than traditional bulbs and we are encouraged to use them.

So what’s “the rest of the story?”

The bulbs contain a small amount of mercury (about 5 mg), which is a HAZARDOUS COMPOUND.
The same product that helps them energy efficient also makes them a UNIVERSAL WASTE when it’s time for disposal.

CFLs can’t go in the trash!!!
They have to go to a Household Hazardous Waste facility. How about that!

I wonder about all the sprays and creams and products we’ve used over the years.

Perhaps there is plenty of reason to understand the number of cancer patients - and other maladies that have come up in this 21st century!

Would Obama be running if he weren’t a man of color?

Just curious as to your thoughts. By the way, my daughter had a healthy baby girl!
Miracles still happen!

INCOME TAX - SOCIAL SECURITY - WHAT A FRIGGIN’ JOKE

Check this out: I have a friend who is a few years older than me, and she decided to take an “early social security” She called me today almost in tears. Her husband earns what would now be classified as a “low middle class amount”. They have grown children. They
pay their dues.

She just picked up her income tax (prepared by an IRS savvy) office, and this is what she was told: “Your husband makes too much money and so they taxed 80% of your social security benefits!”

She said she swore and proclaimed that to do that is taxing that money TWICE. “I know,”
the woman replied, “I think it stinks, but there is nothing we can do about it. That is taxing you twice on the same money!”

So listen up, my friends, if you are in the group that will soon be able to collect what you paid into to all your working life - be prepared to be told, “BEND OVER, THIS WON’T TAKE LONG!” Be prepared to be disappointed AGAIN by our wonderful government! I know that sounds extreme, for me, but it made me mad too.

Our government donates BILLIONS to other countries (Pakistan alone gets $250 million a MONTH)….Individuals spend millions to get elected, and then millions for the party thereafter.

But if our hard working middle class has a small dream of getting a return for donating their entire lives being honorable and working-and not using the system, forget it!

You either have to be RICH or POOR. There is no room for in between and the hard working “in betweener’s” are biting the dust. Might as well give up and join the ranks of the poor who don’t pay for much of anything. No slam against those who REALLY are honorable and need it.

You know what? I don’t care which of the three main candidates gets elected - ANYBODY
has to be better than what we’ve seen in past years! We need change.

Oh by the way, are you familiar with “super delegates”? Another ridiculous thing our government does - check it out!

ADDENDUM to last post. My records were sent to a doctor who is NOT in my health care network. I do have some insurance, but if I didn’t, he doesn’t take cash. I ask about getting records and was told it would cost me a fee up front and 25 cents a page to get them. “The records belong to the doctor” I was told. EVEN if he disappears and doesn’t notify one person….now the doctor he sent the records to OWNS them for 10 years unless you buy them or have them requested to be mailed to another doctor.

B.S. Boy am I glad I get copies of my records each time I visit a doctor’s office. They
can keep those things for 10 years or do whatever else they want to do with them - I have a suggestion. :0

Now I will take a breath and step outside to “divert” my own attention to something I actually have some choice in….taking the dog for a walk!

Sometimes in life….

…..we get so busy and tired that we forget the good things - the small comments made that reflect love, the simple acts of kindness we do for one another, the promises kept.

The many blessings we take for granted aren’t recognized; only the things that present a disturbance in “our own personal vision” of what life should be. The responses of others not “in sync with our own perceptions” become eminent.

We forget that our bodies change and with each change we are affected in some minute way. We laugh one minute, and cry the next.

Ah that we could receive the luxurious love we bestow on the world. But to give love fully must be with no requirements. For if we love, we do it because we choose to do so. We cannot “force” others to love - only show them what it is!

Love someone with your mind and heart this weekend - a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a partner, maybe a pet! Animals need love too Now get busy!

Sunset from the car

My husband said “What are you doing?”, as I grabbed for my camera. I asked him to put the side window in back down quickly. He did. Out came the camera and “SNAP”.

I had hoped the photo would show (at least partly) what an awesome sky the clouds and sunset presented to me. If you haven’t had the privilege of seeing a great sunset lately-
ENJOY!

Though my writing is sparse, I am taking care of what needs to be done and thereby
not “stressing out” at all the things to do during this season. I hope you do the same and take a breath once in a while! What doesn’t get done today will get done - or not!
Take it easy and trust yourself to accomplish what you want at some point!

Remember to love and laugh and be grateful for all the blessings we take for granted!