Monday, September 24, 2012

Saturday, April 14, 2012

A GRAND FACTOR generation flexing marketing muscle

A GRAND FACTOR Generation
Flexing muscles, pushing media and marketing
to INCREASE font size please!


Discussion on facebook, my page, 4-14-12



Saturday, April 7, 2012

Maturity in the world means maturity in the Spirit 


Easter Reflection: On being JESUS without a Church?

I am going to take some flak for this, but that decision has been made. Consider: 

Jesus was not popular at his house of worship. 
There was always some kind resistance.
The power of Organized Religion was on the wane.
Then and as at our present time.

I know EASTER is taught as being about sacrifice.
THE Supreme sacrifice was made at the Cross.
A particularly gruesome experience.
Designed to relieve us of GUILT and Shame.

But... THAT WAS A BEGINNING, NOT AN END!!!!!!!!
This was also a time of perfecting for US. We were given
the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

This really needs NO TRANSLATION:

(Eph Ch 1:18-21) (NIV)

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

NOW: Unpacking 1 Corinthians 13:1, (New American Standard)

10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like
a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away
with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly,
but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will
know fully just as I also have been fully known.

Translation:

Didn't Christ make us perfect?
Isn't the work fully done.
Then shouldn't we move on?

Paul is saying put away the MILK and chew on the meat of the word!

Even more, he said (my paraphrase).....

Grow up. Look in the Mirror. Come face to face with the result of
Sanctification, which is YOUR DIVINITY. Stop playing in the kiddie pool.
If you don't understand this YET, then faith, hope and love are the safer
choices for contemplation and prayer. But if you get it then.....

YOU ARE THE RISEN CHRIST
(fully divine in spiritual terms and fully human in the flesh)

YOU SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER.
(the world is your footstool. your heel can crush the serpen't head)

YOU REIGN NOW. A THOUSAND YEARS IS AS ONE DAY.

The church may not be happy about it but the veil has been torn.
I have full access to the holy of holies.
The alter and mercy seat belong to me.
I claim a royal priesthood.
I belong to the family of God as A son, an fellow heir.

Whatsoever is lovely, of good report: These things attract my attention.
So... I do not celebrate the Death, but the Resurrection.

A CONFESSION: I would not be here without there having been part of a CHURCH.

But at some point, the SYNAGOGUE could not contain the Spirit of Christ.
THE CHURCH can no longer contain the spirit of Christ within me.
My consciousness has ascended with the clouds until I am One with Him
Being One with Him who is ONE WITH HIM means I AM ONE WITH ALL.

This understanding comes AFTER the spiritual childhood.
But the CHURCH cannot harness this Spirit of the Living Christ?
Why? I wonder.... And cry. But I move on - putting away the
things of spiritual immaturity and claiming the glorious inheritance
that is mine Through Christ.

HAS THE ORGANIZED CHURCH FAILED TO TAKE US TO MATURITY?
IS IT THREATENED BY THIS IDEA?

Instead of this being heretical, I propose it is Wisdom teaching us
that after our travail of fighting through spiritual adolescence and
a time of public ministry, we ourselves become the WAY, the TRUTH,
and the LIGHT. We become Emmanuel. We become God With US.
I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

If the church creates babies, then what? The Holy Spirit creates saints.

We are not found in the church.
We are found in the highways and byways.
We are found in the countryside in our homes.
We are found at the gates of the city and in the marketplaces.
Perhaps we live at a distance from the physical temple or congregation. Yet we influence the Family of God by providing counsel to Kings (in our clubs, organizations, workplace, city hall, government - etc.

Even if not part of the formal church?
Even if rejected by the formal church during times they fall away.
We can say I AM and that the organized church is missing the boat.

Selah

###

This is a growing trend in America, and maybe the world.
What about you? Can you be Jesus without a Church?
Or do you disagree?



http://spiritwordtoday.blogspot.com

Friday, February 10, 2012

This GRAND COUPLE Went to the Doctor Together

And ended up entertaining strangers in the waiting area : ) 
Category:  "Going To The Doctor"  Guaranteed to make you smile.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Grandchildren help us along the way to BECOMING GRAND!

Grandchildren help us along the way to BECOMING GRAND.

IF, as the Bible says, Children are given for the perfecting of the Parents,
then Grandchildren are part of the final gloss to be applied!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The GRAND FACTOR: Chapter Ideas:

CHAPTERS WILL FOCUS ON THEMES SEEN IN THIS BLOG  


Here are some ideas

The Grand Factor & Grand Children


The Grand Factor and Grand Relationships


The Grand Factor and The Wardrobe


The Grand Factor and SEX!


The Grand Factor and Eating Better To Live Longer


The Grand Factor and Buying QUALITY instead of PRICE


The Grand Factor and Hot Tubs
(and Other SENSELESS LUXURIES)



The Grand Factor and Hunting, Fishing, Traveling, Boats, RV's and the like.


The Grand Factor and Media
Cutting the Cables:  No Phone Line or Cable Company Needed.

The Grand Factor and CONVERGENT MEDIA

Entertain ME - My Way - When, Where, and On Any Screen I CHOOSE!


The Grand Factor and Travel


The Grand Factor and the Bucket List



WHAT IS THE GRAND FACTOR?

CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS THE GRAND FACTOR

Surprise!  

Getting Older is Not All Bad!  In fact, parts of it are pretty darn good!

Maybe you don’t move as nimbly as you used to?  And maybe you have a lot of new friends with names that end in "ITIS" or "OSIS".  Maybe you have suddenly discovered parts you never thought much about, and the maladies they are subject to?  

But I'll bet you ALSO have more Joy in your life!  Some of this is brought on by the ability to afford work saving tools, buttons, gadgets, and appliances to help you get your work done faster and easier than ever before!  This also applies to gadgets that help you remember things and manage useful information like phone numbers, web sites, appointments, and photo albums.  God knows it's easier to remember things when you have a personal digital assistant (PSA).    

You may have more PLAY TIME too.  My wife and I got a hot tub this Thanksgiving.  I have been in it almost nightly for the last two months.  The joy of weightlessness and the time spent contemplating clouds, stars, and moon phases are a pure luxury.  It's far better than anything I ever imagined as far as hot tubs go.  Can you picture a 30 something parent of 2.5 children finding time to hit the hot tub every night?  Hardly!

As you can see, BECOMING GRAND has its benefits!     

Perhaps you LAUGH MORE when spending time with Grandchildren?  Perhaps you CORRECT children and even colleagues LESS? Perhaps you GARDEN MORE and RUN LESS.  Do you grow PRIZE DAHLIAS or Raise DISCUS FISH instead of survive Hamsters and PUPPIES?  Maybe you train a BONSAI into a graceful form, study some NEW RELIGION, or LISTEN TO MUSIC more than you have for the last 20 or so child-rearing or career oriented years?  

For Some, the MONEY is better now.  And the HORIZONS are BIGGER.  For some - anyway.  The economy of the GREAT RECESSION did some mean things to retirement plans - mine included.  More than impact the money, it impacted expectations.  I will probably work 10 more years than my parents did.  It may be 20 or 30 more years.  In some ways, Labor Lost.  Middle Management Lost.  And the Middle Class Lost.  But WE ARE NOT DONE YET!

Some of the lessons were hard.  But in other ways, we are richer for our pain.  The Lessons are still being processed, but parts of this life stage are better than ever.  Even if cash flow is not huge, having the kids gone doing their own thing leaves more for use to spend on things we enjoy.   

There are more tools available to manage the tasks and details of our lives.  We have more skills in things like patience, perseverance, relationships, and generosity.  We now know the meaning of Love.  There is a deeper appreciation for nature, serendipity, grace, forgiveness.  There is a quieter wisdom.  Still waters run deep!    

There is an easiness at times that lets you enjoy a sunrise, sunset, birdsong, or sunny day more than you have ever done so at any other time in your life. 

We are NOT our parents. We did not do Adolescence, or “30 Something” in any way remotely resembling the way our parents did.  We don’t fit demographic or lifestyle stereotypes - but maybe we do still like classic rock and blue jeans ; )

This then is the Grand Factor.  We have money to spend if we want to.  And WE ARE HAVING THE TIME OF OUR LIVES!