Saturday, April 30, 2016
A Good Person Doesn't Dwell on Her Own Goodness - Lao Tzu
A genuinely good person doesn't always have the best reasons or motivations to do good things. She doesn't find a have a reason to serve others, or listen, or to be interested in others success. It is simply a part of her nature, because she's naturally attracted to happiness.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
How Can I be Selfless?
Selfishness is buying a cake for yourself. Selflessness is buying a cake for yourself and another person. Genuinely caring about another person in all you do, even the small decisions, is the 180 degree difference that makes you selfless.
Those who are interested in service act
without motive.
Those who are interested in righteousness
act with motives of all sorts.
How can I be unselfish while doing the things I love? Life should be lived as a Dad wants for his kids: to be talented, have new experiences, to establish a foundation for righteousness. Every choice is will translate to what you teach your kids. What new experiences have you had lately? Have you made any new friends today? Are you growing in talents? Live as you would have your child live, and you begin to live an unselfish adventure.
Those who are interested in service act
without motive.
Those who are interested in righteousness
act with motives of all sorts.
- The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu #38
How can I be unselfish while doing the things I love? Life should be lived as a Dad wants for his kids: to be talented, have new experiences, to establish a foundation for righteousness. Every choice is will translate to what you teach your kids. What new experiences have you had lately? Have you made any new friends today? Are you growing in talents? Live as you would have your child live, and you begin to live an unselfish adventure.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
"Find Your Gift, Do Your Part" - The Holy Ghost
Once towards the end of my mission, I felt full of patience and love. Companions had changed as the spirit worked through me, and I felt like a confident instrument of the Lord. Then I became a Zone Leader. In our domain was not only 12 missionaries, but also uplifting and advising church leader from 3 branches. My companion Elder Horton directed and guided, but the gift of administration just wasn't mine.
The best leader is one whose existence
is barely known.
Next best is one who is loved and praised.
Next is one who is feared.
Worst of all is a leader who is despised.
-Lao Te Ching of Lao Tzu #17
I prefer being barely known. :)
Anyways, in a meeting that I felt particularly lost, the still small voice whispered to me quite distinctly: find your gift, know your part.
Since then, I've been able to enjoy the gifts of others more, and learned to focus on developing the talents I have. A jack of many trades is a master of none. It is excellence in a certain sphere that makes us more useful, and is part of our identity in this mortal journey as children of God.
*Update April 7, 2016
Start by discovering what your talents are. Then all other talents will come as you build off those. The talents you posses right now may not be your passion, but passion comes as we serve those around us with our talents, rather than in the talent itself.
Matt 25: 15
And unto one he gave give talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
The story goes that he with five talents doubled it to ten. He used the five he had to gain more, rather than starting from scratch. I want to learn guitar, but I am slow at learning. Through my writing skills and talents for presentations, I hope to provide money and time to develop my guitar talents. What are your talents? Which ones do you want to develop? Find your gift, do your part, and eventually you'll get that chance to improve at all of them.
The best leader is one whose existence
is barely known.
Next best is one who is loved and praised.
Next is one who is feared.
Worst of all is a leader who is despised.
-Lao Te Ching of Lao Tzu #17
I prefer being barely known. :)
Anyways, in a meeting that I felt particularly lost, the still small voice whispered to me quite distinctly: find your gift, know your part.
Since then, I've been able to enjoy the gifts of others more, and learned to focus on developing the talents I have. A jack of many trades is a master of none. It is excellence in a certain sphere that makes us more useful, and is part of our identity in this mortal journey as children of God.
*Update April 7, 2016
Start by discovering what your talents are. Then all other talents will come as you build off those. The talents you posses right now may not be your passion, but passion comes as we serve those around us with our talents, rather than in the talent itself.
Matt 25: 15
And unto one he gave give talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
The story goes that he with five talents doubled it to ten. He used the five he had to gain more, rather than starting from scratch. I want to learn guitar, but I am slow at learning. Through my writing skills and talents for presentations, I hope to provide money and time to develop my guitar talents. What are your talents? Which ones do you want to develop? Find your gift, do your part, and eventually you'll get that chance to improve at all of them.
Friday, April 1, 2016
When You're appreciated
Most people see it as the Mom's job to wash the dishes, do the laundry, pack the children's lunch, clean and organize the house, and so forth. People simply expect it. Therefore she become highly underappreciated.
Its like the cornerbacks in football, who are sometimes nicknamed "the unsung heroes". When they do their job, no one really notices. But when they mess up, TOUCHDOWN! and all eyes are on you. Like a Mom, cornerbacks can often be unnoticed and underappreciated for their important function.
....I don't have a way to fix this.
I do have a self-empowering thought however.
If you are expected to excel, people are less inspired by you.
The power to influence people lies in doing good things that are not expected of you.
As a brother in the family, I have found the power to improve household attitudes. For example, no one naturally expects me to spontaneously organize the kitchen or clean the dishes. For years I complacently saw these things as chores to avoid. Since returning from my mission two months ago, I've kept the habit of keeping organized and cleaning. Storage areas in my house are now wiped and organized, that for years earlier had been neglected. I've noticed a slow but real movement of the household: everyone is organizing ad cleaning out. Of course, I never said anything.
As I clean the dishes, eat more healthy with a happy and knowledgeable attitude, and make the initiative to family activities and family time, the people around me notice and put it into practice. They already had good hearts, they only needed to see someone live the principle.
So Dads: change the diapers
Sisters: go play football with your bros
Brothers: go shopping with your sister
You may or may not like it at first, but you'll find the world warm up to you. People will start fulfilling their responsibilities more. They will appreciate you doing things you don't like for them.
Its like the cornerbacks in football, who are sometimes nicknamed "the unsung heroes". When they do their job, no one really notices. But when they mess up, TOUCHDOWN! and all eyes are on you. Like a Mom, cornerbacks can often be unnoticed and underappreciated for their important function.
....I don't have a way to fix this.
I do have a self-empowering thought however.
If you are expected to excel, people are less inspired by you.
The power to influence people lies in doing good things that are not expected of you.
As a brother in the family, I have found the power to improve household attitudes. For example, no one naturally expects me to spontaneously organize the kitchen or clean the dishes. For years I complacently saw these things as chores to avoid. Since returning from my mission two months ago, I've kept the habit of keeping organized and cleaning. Storage areas in my house are now wiped and organized, that for years earlier had been neglected. I've noticed a slow but real movement of the household: everyone is organizing ad cleaning out. Of course, I never said anything.
As I clean the dishes, eat more healthy with a happy and knowledgeable attitude, and make the initiative to family activities and family time, the people around me notice and put it into practice. They already had good hearts, they only needed to see someone live the principle.
So Dads: change the diapers
Sisters: go play football with your bros
Brothers: go shopping with your sister
You may or may not like it at first, but you'll find the world warm up to you. People will start fulfilling their responsibilities more. They will appreciate you doing things you don't like for them.
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