Victory during Advent

This year we have victory this advent. May the greatness of the holiday make it special for all of you!!!

Feliz Navidad.
Happy Joyful time of year!!

God Every Day-excellent book by Pastor Mike Lutz

An inspirational author speaks about being devoted to the Lord in his newest book, God Every Day, and  he features devotions about this subject.

He is a pastor of a church in Caliornia.

His website is www.mikelutz.org

You should check out his work. It is very good.

Remember the power switch

There are a lot of power switches in our lives.
Let us not forget to use them.

Here is a little example of how this plays out.
In the Lord's prayer.

I looked at a new as Nancy Gould and I were saying parts of the Lord's prayer at a picnic to honor our usher team.
one part says, "Deliver us from evil and temptation. For thine is the power and the Glory."
That switch of turning on the power will enable us to accomplish many of the elements in the Lord's prayer. So this is just a starting point of what it is.

Meditate on and comment and more will flow as life moves on.

Restfulness

Rest.

Stepping out into the pond.

Letting a stone ripple across its surface.

Ripplets slowly spreading forth from its center.

It has been a while since I stepped out of the comfort of Facebook and onto the blog pages.  For the last few memoir group meetings, I have pulled something off of a previously written blog post or maybe read something from a few months ago and read it and left the meeting.

That is not what gardeners do when they plant a crop. They take new seed and plant it in the ground and let it grow.  I am realizing that creative people need to take something new and place it in the ground and let it grow.  I have those random seeds of thought that I can move around and put together. In an essence, that is creativity in action.  But it needs to be planted and grown.

I thank many of my friends who have been reminding me lately to write as they have asked me how my writing has been. The reality is that I have not been tending to it.

It can be hard to unearth what is inside.  This past week, I attended a leadership conference at Black Rock Church that was a new host site for Bill Hybel's Global Leadership Summit. Twenty years ago, he heard a whisper from God to enhance the leadership arena with a conference for about 3,000 local leaders and now it goes to 200,000 worldwide and their 6 year plan is to grow it to 500,000 leaders worldwide.  

What an ambition. Along the same line of Toby, another local leader, who prayed for one new participant in a prayer feast. He got about 5 new participants. He shared how we need to dream bigger.

So I guess I need to dream bigger on the impact of these words that come from my brain and soul and emanate through my fingertips on this keyboard.

It reminds of how the use of iPads can impact those who have profound difficulties in communicating with others, especially those with autism.

When we communicate, we do not know automatically what to communicate at first. It takes great skill to know what we should say.  Or maybe not skill but the willingness to put forth an idea.

Back to that seed analogy, it is to let something die and then be sprouted back to life.  Maybe an old habit or a lack of desire to move forward on something that will birth a new project or idea.

Oh, it has been a tough week with the passing of Robin Williams, the great comic.  But I did take a few moments while I was in the ordinary dental chair to bring a little levity and laughter into that situation which I will share at another time.  In tribute to Robin Williams.

So I thank you Brittany for reminding me of my writing and I need to do it more. So here I am back on the pages of Triumph and hoping that you, the reader,  will have a chance to triumph in the coming weeks and days ahead.

Rest In His grace and unconditional love.

Scott

Our boxer with angelic wings

 This piece is dedicated to friends in our congregation who face today the 2 year anniversary of their angel's passing on earth.   A momentary fall from earthly life but an eternal entrance to glory.
 Her battle in the ring with Neiman Picks Disorder ended two short years ago.
Yet rose victorious over her battle as she lays claim to the promise of those who overcome.

The countless lives touched by her bravery and her actions.

Our boxer is Naomi Tyrell whose gentle spirit graced our church for almost 10 years.
She fought hard in her battle and never gave up until the end.

I love to regard the side apse where her family sits each Sunday morning as Namoi's corner, a gentle spot where life continues forward with her family.  It is graced by windows and light comes through them.

Hard to put into words of how struggles can affect others.
Just daily living can be difficult to face as it is easy to be drained from past memories and just a busy going here and going there.

As in any boxing ring, there are the coaches and the supporters who supply the towels and give water for the boxer to squirt through his or her face mask into their mouths.

For the battle continues to go on and as the fight to find a cure as the final knock out for Neiman Picks continues, the countless insights provided by Naomi in her silent persistence of  bravery and gentle smile and curiosity of life.

And as you as her family and friends look on , give them a hand as they may fall down occasionally. Let them know they are loved as they continue to walk along Naomi's path finding the butterflies and promises along the way.
And let them continue on in the rounds of life. Remember Paul's words not to fight without purpose in the air.

The boxer has arisen with wings and now is our victorious angel.
For it is written, the last enemy of death has been defeated.

Peace.

The Beauty and Benefit of Water

At times the day may not start out great for some of us.
I looked outside and saw

Weaving the Tapestries of your lives at the campfire

As I am sitting at the desk typing this piece as my other pieces here, they are done at the desk which my grandfather and then my dad and now I built our careers and lives successfully. Where decisions get made and where futures are cast.

And I also smell in the distance the aroma of a campfire which brings me to the camping trips that I used to go on with our family and during retreats where stories are shared around a campfire and good times are had.

While I was not directly at a campsite this evening. I did have the opportunity to wish a good friend of over 15 years having shared in different fellowship groups over the years. As I helped him celebrate by sharing our lives over the phone for his 54th year here on earth, it felt good to connect  just as I had in the past in a lounge at Black Rock Church over 15 years ago.   And I helped sing birthday with another one of my friends who turned 60 today.

When I look at these ages, I see that it is relative. When I was younger in my teens, my parents were in their late 40's and early 50s.  Back then it seemed old to me but now as my mom approaches 86 and is about to embark on a Lewis and Clark expedition to the Midwest from Maine in less than 4 days, I bring my experience of having an understanding of what life is all about and age is what we experience for I am approaching 51.

I look forward to the new chapter that this adventure will bring for my Mom will bring. I am fond of the Lewis and Clark adventures for my Mom and I read about them after I had ankle surgery and was catching up on some of my classwork during the 5th grade at home.  It was a bold time in the country at that time as explorers took root to what lay fallow and brought productivity to it.  For this time of exploration will bring with it an expansion of territory.  And a chance to meet new people and try new things.  And to start afresh.

While there will be some changes of not sleeping in the room where my dad slept for many years and calling it Dad's room.  And not looking out at the coast and the 5 picture bay windows that I considered my stage to see and view God's beautiful creation.  Or having the Mary Jane drink and eating the delectable combinations in the dining room at Piper Shores.

I heard on the news today of how there are some candidates lined up for a mission to Mars. However, it may just be a one way trip for I hear that it takes a VERY Long time to get there.  And there may not be enough time to make it back.

How to pack for that trip would be a mystery!!!  And when I hear the words" packing for a trip", those were the words that my dad shared in 2009 with a nurse in his last cogent days of what he was doing before he fell ill during his final week on earth.

So remember to take that time to reminisce with your friends and follow the prompts and memories of your days. For you will be greatly rewarded as you continue to weave the tapestries of your lives and make those valuable connections as people experience down times. I think of it as the steeping of that tea bag in a tea cup getting just right for some enjoyable sips.

Now if only I could open up that bag of marshmallows and place them on a stick and stick them in some graham crackers and chocolate candy.

Will rest from the day's travels and savor those wafts of smoke and reflect on the boatload of memories that I have experienced and celebrate what life has to offer.

So I thank you Dave for being that catalyst and prompt to have something written on the page and not let thoughts drift off into outer space never to be captured again in exactly the same way.

An inspirational Voice

Voice is all about breath. Whatever we do in life causes our ideas to expand and grow.
This breath brought about the life in the beginning can be all about magic.

Voice is what all singers have and is what empowers them.

They have the power to halt and the power to soar.


There was a pepsi song long ago that mentioned, "we will teach the world to sing in perfect harmony."

Voice is that stage for singers  and is what empowers them.

They have the power to halt and the power to soar the audience.  To bring us to a moment's rapture and then to a moment's pause.

I love going to concerts and have attended several memorable concerts where singers have graced the stage.
My first one at the Arena at Harbor Yard was to see Sarah Brightman. That summer our family rented a cottage in Maine and on one of the shelves there was a Sarah Brightman CD and we listened to it and were mesmerized. Later that autumn, I saw advertised in the paper for the Arena Sarah Brightman's Harem Tour.  It felt as if I was suspended in mid air as I sat in section 100 directly across from where Sarah soared into the air and where her dancers moved as she performed her classic operatic songs.  I was disappointed that there were only about 1,200 in attendance for she could have commanded a much larger audience.

Another concert that I went at the Arena was Andre Bocelli for the winter skating special that aired on NBC.  That too was magical with Andre's singing and the skaters dancing amidst the scenes of the winter backdrop.

A final magical concert was Carrie Underwood's Blown Away tour which had images shot on the screen of houses and possessions being blown away by hurricanes. Being swept up into the magic of the moment. And fantastic images of words and pictures perfectly themed to the music being presented.

There was a Pepsi song long ago that mentioned, "we will teach the world to sing in perfect harmony."
Voice is what brings about that all about.  To that we need to gather more to unite our voices and create magical moments. I did that when I was in elementary school and we got to sing in a vocal concert. Our class sang a couple of numbers and I had fun memorizing the songs and then singing them.  And after the concert, I was exhausted from singing and to relax my voice, my Mom made me hot chocolate so I could relax at the kitchen table and reflect on how much fun I had.

Even the famous NBC show Voice  has ordinary citizens competing for the top prize and a chance for big bucks and a spot on a national stage and show of their own.  I love the red chairs and how the judges push the big red buttons to turn their chairs around to show their liking of a given song.
And one of the KEnnedy Center Cabarets I attended had audience cast votes for the best performer for each of the halves of the performance.

The Beauty of My Mother

March is Women's History Month.  A very important part of the creation of life is that of  a woman.
She is that essential ingredient for life to blossom and happen.  But sometimes we neglect to share the importance that the women in our lives serve to make our lives that much better.

There are many influential women that I have had in my life who have shaped it and have given it meaning and I am going to share some good qualities that make my Mom one of the most important people in my life today.

Now we are going to weave through the present and the past to see what great women can do in our lives and continue to do even today.  For my Mom is a living example of who I look to for advice and wisdom weekly.

To get me to where I am today, I could not be who I am without the tireless efforts and influence of my Mom who took a detour on her career path to be a librarian and instead continued her full time quest in being a mom who would open up and unlock my mind so I could forge many great paths in life. For I had several complex physical, social and intellectual challenges growing up.

The assignment at first for Mom was rather difficult for it was not a curriculum that was well established in the early 60's.   For there is only one Scott R. Davis in this world.  But as with work in libraries, there are card catalogs with books listed under author and title and subject.  And we as a family had to create our own catalog of resources and people to draw on to make my life work out and bring me into excellence.


A good character trait to describe Mom is that of caregiver and nurturer.
Oftentimes around the seaside cottage in Maine, Mom went to the flower garden out front and tended the flowers deadheading those who had no buds left.  I asked Mom, "why do we pluck off the buds?"
Mom replied, "we do it son so that more growth would come later on."  For flowers, it is relatively easy for the dead growth is clinging lightly to the end of that stem. For me as a human, there are many things that I cling to whether it be attitudes or possessions that are sometimes difficult to part with.


Growing up requires some deadheading in my life in getting me to see things from a different and wiser perspective.  I never found some of those times to be especially pleasant but often afterwards I understand the wisdom behind Mom's words.

Part of this nurturing quality is the time Mom spent in the kitchen each night preparing exceptional recipes for us at our dining room table.  She chose different recipes from the lightly stained wood recipe box with a lid that my Dad made for her.  In it were about 400 recipes on cards categorized by meat, soups and stews, desserts and other tasty delights.  Mom had a scoring system ranging from 5 star to 7plus.
Some of our dishes did not pass the  muster the first time through so we gave it a grade of a 5 star but then there were some dishes which were lights out and they were mainstays that we had once or twice a  month at 7 plus.
My Mom started doing a lot of the cooking to help save on the food budget and often found great deals at the local grocery store wisely using coupons and taking care of the store deals often slashing the prices by 30 to 40 percent a week.  And cooking the meals fresh made sure that my Dad got the low cholesterol diet that he needed. Our favorite dish was the Meat Loaf recipe which required the loaf to sit for 10 minutes after it came out of the oven.
Getting the table ready for the meal was one of the first chores I had in my family and gave me the chance to follow a routine and be held responsible in life.
That wooden box is now long gone from one of the moves and my brother now is using many of the same recipes for his family.

My Mom is an excellent caregiver as she looked after my Dad throughout his life and the challenges that he faced when communicating and understanding what went on.  He suffered from hearing loss and struggled with issues of dementia and Parkinsons later on in his life.  She made sure that the meds were given on time and kept careful records of what was dispensed. Almost being like a pharmacy dispensary.


My Mom has served as an advocate for those around her. And I remember the time that Mom and Dad advocated for me to be on the bowling team in elementary school so I could master the gutter ball or aim for an outstanding score of 120.
And she spent many an afternoon chaperoning 20 of my classmates on a tour to the Essex Steam Railroad or to the Connecticut Audobon Society.

Throughout life, Mom still finds time to serve in the school libraries or in the library at Piper Shores.
She loves to accession and shelve books and recommend biographies for Piper Shores to order for their community of readers and learners.

And she served as a great caregiver for her Mom who was left widowed in her late 60's and she and my dad and I often visited my Grandmother in Schenectady and brought her to visit us in Fairfield or in Maine and often carted stuff from her Mom's house to ours.  And we often went to local restaurants such as the Three Bears in Wilton and Cobbs Mill Inn. And we even spent a Halloween with Grandma so she would not be alone with the trick or treaters coming to the door.


At the water's edge, my Mom teaches me about the tidal pools in front of the cottage and shows me the periwinkles, the barnacles, the sea urchins and the clam and mussel shells that lived within the tidal pools formed from the erosion of the rocks over the years.

Finally Mom is a great teacher who helped me through a month when I had an operation on my feet and had to be in the hospital and then helped me to get caught up at home. I remember the time that we read about the Louis and Clark expedition and the discovery of the United States through its expansion.
And as I mentioned Mom continues to teach me so much and has given me a love of the English language as I am able to solve all kinds of word puzzles and Scrabble.

Later in  life, I was challenged by my friend Chip to learn Greek but I rescinded because that could get rather tricky with all of the characters and letters to be deciphered. Traveling through the world of English can sometimes be challenging enough for me.  As I also found Spanish challenging translating from English into Spanish which was rather easy. Now Greek would be another story.


As I look at her great example of going strong and still ticking at 86 this June 8th, she keeps rediscovering life and she will have that opportunity later on this May as she embarks on a Westward journey beginning a life in the Twin City of St. Paul to be near my brother and her granddaughter.
Who knows what new discoveries and adventurers are going to open up for her out there.
Almost living that Lewis and Clark expedition I learned about almost 38 years ago.

Ultimately the great miracle in life is that Mom continually helps others reach their potential whether it has been with myself, my Dad, my brother or her Mom. And she has never lost steam along the path of life!  And continues to help others reach their potential!

Looking forward to learning along the journey still as we help others in their journey as well.

And now to many more years of joy in selfless service to others.
My Hats off to Mom!!!
Thank you!!!

The Olympic Reality

Every four years, the Olympics comes to town. Not really in my town but in the town of Socci for this year's Winter Olympics event of 2014.  And in the town of our backyards as communities and families gather to watch and celebrate the moments of this great spectacular graceful movements through space and time.


One word can describe the olympics and that is love.  And during the same time as the Olympics, our country is celebrating the arrival of the Beatles 50 years ago to America and John Lennon's song of Imagine ties in well to the olympic dream where we are asked to imagine a place where there is no hatred and no war at all.

What is also wonderful is how the paralympics uses the same facilities from the official games and they claim it as their own to face their challenges on their own scale.

The pageantry always fascinates me as there is a preamble to the ceremony when there is  a foretaste of the artistry that is to come.  Then a few moments later there is the great pageantry of the world being featured lined up on the continents displayed on the ocean like floor and the presentation of dreams of an 8 year old child is brought before us. While London had the beds of children,  Socci had a child floating above the crowd and later walked amongst the stage floor.

Then the Olympians can walk in to the stadium with all of their colors and the flags waving in front of them.  They are talking and communicating with one another. Yet without borders of fences and security lines. They are people who embrace one another. Embrace their dreams and cross over into other countries to train and be part of their team as well.

I would love to see that in our world today on a more regular basis.



All of that pageantry and pomp. That celebratory force that a country once tucked in the corner of the world has now found its voice and is on the world stage.

Then there is the pain that some of the Olympians feel when they suffer and endure injuries. Yet the game and show does continue to go on.  Many times the athletes do not show those grimacing moments but carry on to display their fortitudes of courage.  Going down the mountains and on the ice rink.  Moving at fast lightning speed as they attempt to go faster, higher and stronger.

When I think of the Olympics, I also think of the word Transformation. Transformation comes in three forms.  It comes with the general facilities of where the athletes are competing, then it comes in the form of bringing forth a director's creative dream and then the spectacular competition of the athletes as they compete for their medals.

There is an athlete's village where everyone gathers in and mingles and lives in a harmony.

And the beauty is that every 2 years, we get to witness this on a global stage whether it is winter or summer.  And as they always say, Let the games begin.

Fully completing the Loop

Falling Up the Mountain
Gracefully going toward the medal stands
Taking it to that next level.



I watched on NBC Shaun White as he attempted to do a triple loop on the pike and the slope style obstacle course.

some thoughts emerged as he attempted to land some challenges amid some injuries and set backs.
Sort of an anecdote for life in a way.

fear drives us sometimes
frustration blocks us up
but being driven by an inner desire and a coach and mentor propels us forward.

Nothing in life is guaranteed.

This week I tried to break what was blocking me by sending out 3 inquiries of potential jobs.
I may get a few no's my way but I learned that "Yes does live in the land of no!"

We need to break that seal that can bind us in that fear.
   To open up that package and make new things happen in our lives!

To be challenged to take our sales to a new level. To a level not reached before.

Sometimes we can not contain ourselves.
  We  need to  give ourselves away to others.
That ultimately is where joy comes from.

     That in reality is what that moth becomes when he goes into the cocoon.
      He comes out as that beautiful butterfly.

Also reflect back to the manger:
   Born to us an infant babe.
   Emerging from the cocoon
      A world leader
      A personal revolutionary
      Set to change the world
       Standing in the cross and
        Emerging triumphant
          just like that butterfly.

We can all do that!!!

Where that waterfall can flow over the rocks and amaze us.
Or that ultimate Niagara falls that keeps on flowing.

Or Old Faithful that spouts each and every day!!!!
Coming from that inner core of the earth-
that molten magma coming through the crust of the earth.
  That very truth learned in the 6th grade during science class at Osborn Hill School.

Hope you have been blessed by some random wanderings of my life in thought.

The Idea Factory

District 53, I have a problem.  I volunteered to give a speech for Jan Jam.  Yet I have no idea of where to begin.
Have you ever found yourself to have this problem?  In the next 5 to 7 minutes, I am going to help you find ways to take something that may be in your mind and you never knew it before.  To have this be effective, I am going to need you to put on your thinking caps.  These will come in handy in that they will capture the ideas that are going to come from your idea factory that is going to put into work right  now.
As part of this process, it is real important that we examine how this factory of your brain is assembled.
It is divided into two hemispheres-the left and the right.    In our left hemisphere, we can describe it as logical, detail oriented, mathematical and deals with science and practical reality.
In our right hemispheres, we have the elements of feeling, seeing the big picture, and employing fantasy and risk.
As we look at the left and right hemispheres, it will help us to see how ideas can be created by answering a few simple questions.

First, when we use the left hand side of our brain, we need a map and a direction for which our ideas can be created and laid out.  It is best to jot them down. Once Ralph Waldo Emerson expressed that "we need to look sharply after our thoughts. They come unlooked for and like a new bird can be seen in your trees but if you turn your head they will just plain disappear."

It has been said that when an idea hits our head, it is almost like a light bulb that goes on. For this to happen, we need to have power.  Remember that our brains are a great powerhouse for ideas to be created and stored. And the end result can be of power, impact and persuasion.


Many of us have ideas that are all around us. I could call it an idea factory.  The key is to discover them and unlock them.  I have here a secret weapon that  we all possess. From our pockets, we have a common ingredient that we all must have to be successful: The household key.  How many times have we opened a door without thinking about it.
Each of our keys are uniquely created with its own pattern of the key.  It is the secret which will open us up into the world of the mind.

Now on this factory floor, there are a variety of workers that are going to be creating something beautiful.
That new prototype which we can carry about our lives.
These ideas form from the simple building blocks of the alphabet which are just 26 letters. And there are a myriad of combinations-well past a billion.  We just need to mix them up and find what works for us.
Second, these ideas can be very detailed and form a mosaic when they are put together. It forms a puzzle which we can look at and when hung, we can see other possibilities emerge.
Finally, our ideas can take us on a course of adventure.  At times, we may be comfortable sitting in our seats at the arena before a great boxing match but when it gets exciting is when the 2 boxers come out on the stage and start fighting and exchanging their fists.


As a result of our time here together this morning, i hope that you have discovered your own factory floor where you can assemble some awesome ideas together to bring back to your home clubs or your world to share.
Remember to take your ping pong rackets and create a tremendous volley of ideas back and forth.
Enjoy where that white ball takes you.
And remember to unlock your mind to new ideas as you enter that world of thought.  Who knows where that next big idea may take you.

Have fun.  We have just scratched the surface.

Looking into the scenes of our lives

Frames
Stanzas
Paragraphs
Choruses
Scenes

All of these above words are fractured pieces of a whole that we can grasp reality around.
Have you ever looked at a movie and seen a scene from it and could look at its beauty or its thoughts and be transcended and mesmerized by it.

I like to look at the world in this way.
These fragmented pieces that break off are easier to digest and wrap our minds around as we figure out how life can work for us!!!

Identity

This poem below was read at the 5th annual Art Trail for an Open Mic Poetry Night Nov 9th:

One
Two
Three
Four

Hands Patting on one's knee.

Identity shifts
   Within light and darkness
      We are never alone with our shadows that accompany us on our paths.

Walking through the grocery aisles
   with a cart that has a mind of its own.
Packages promising Instant Happiness
Candy positioned in aisle #7
   on the other side and never looked at before.
Violations at instant check out of 12 or less.
  Not prosecuted but accepted without question or defense.
Bagged to supply several days of nutrition.

Be careful of our words
   For they are building blocks of thought
   Easily toppled or
     firmly cemented as the concrete of our lives.
    Becoming digested within our minds
       to recall at a moment's notice.
     Or as Richard Fewell shared:
      words gone by are then swooped up by someone else for their use.

Rivers slowing down in our lives
   And mirrors serving as a reflected memory of what is going on.
                                    9-11  11-9

Octopusses

Good afternoon world and a special dedication to my dad who has been gone from us for the past 4 years. For you took a trip as you announced to the hospice nurse that you were packing your bags  to get ready to go on a trip.

As I was listening to a conversation between a child and his mom, I overheard the word, "Octopus" and many good impressions come from dwelling and meditating on the word.

First, octopusses have to be rather flexible as they glide through the waters.
Next, they have firm footing as they stay glued  to the underbelly of a rock.

These octopusses have been known to be floaters who glide along the water.
They have that special ability to get out of a sticky situation by squirting their ink in defense to the sea above.

Our family has met one of these "octopuses" in Maine in our fishing encounters.
When my dad and I went fishing on our 16 foot motorboat, we caught a sea squid that had its 8 tentacles and then we released it back into the water.  I caught one or two of these and they were rather memorable but as a younger boy, I relied on my dad to take out the hook and release the critter back into the water.  Something that takes delicate and calm hands to safely maneuver the hooks out and not be sprayed.

And reflecting on those delicate and calm hands, my dad expertly released several racoons and even a skunk with the have a heart traps that Audobon provided us when we had our struggles with our woodchuck family which we shared our garden with. It seemed to be the Woodchucks who got to our goodies before we ever got to.

And my dad's hands were able to expertly guide companies as they went through their mergers and acquisitions.  Being able to calculate on the balance sheet their net worth and determine the tax consequences of a purchase related to accounting law.

Lessons that I am currently in the process of learning as I move along in life guided by the Hand of the Lord of what I am to do with my life.
That need to be flexible.
That need to have fun.
And the need to know when to let that ink fly in the sky above me.

So I thank you, Dad, for knowing how to do all the things that you did for me such as teaching me to drive a motorboat, to playing gin, being able to have fun with a calculator in Mr. Fuller's office, and how to be a man.  And to stay on course through life and as you told me last before you went home to "stay the course and keep on trucking." 
Very valuable words in our society today!

Kiva to a great man!!

Devotion as the crown jewel to the early church's success.

Amazing the impact that the local church had on the world.
I am amazed even today at my friends and their devotion to the word of God.
When I read an interview with my friend Chip, he stated that he read the Bible 3 to 4 times a year through. Now that takes commitment.

And I glance back through world history and I see the birth of the early church.
And that church went through many growing labor pains.
Yet these people had a secret that seems to be lacking now.
Especially for me-
That is a devotion to the Holy Word.

Yes, I will carry it with me. put it in my pocket. Glance at its pages. Point to a passage.
Yet back then in the first century, there were no verse numbers, handy cross references or concordances. Just the first edition of the Holy Spirit deposited into each of those believers.

Men and women willing to die for the faith that Jesus expressed.

Sure some confusion when Jesus left.

At that moment, there was no Paul having written discourses on the elements of the faith.
Or Peter having written warnings on fighting the false teachers.

Just ordinary men and women who met the Lord Jesus and heard of him and what he did.

Think of it this way.  A summer blockbuster just came out and word is buzzing on the street.
Think Oscars.

Yet the success of the early church was their devotion to the simple elements of fellowship and the discipline to carry it through.

Even with the impending death of some of them if they carried it out.

SO I salute my friends who have that deep devotion.
And I aim to emulate them.

And to deliberately do those things which make one godly and try harder to not deliberately do the things which cause so much harm.

Glory be to God!!!

Making Impact

Good morning World.
I came from my 30th High School Reunion.  A long time passed even though only 5 years from last time.
As I looked at the crowd, I wish I could have scratched some surfaces and seen how the insides of their souls were.  Yet I did the best to make an impact on their lives by smiling and being friendly.

Being a little awkward too. But I heard from a few that was their experience also.

I guess we all have those awkward moments. And to make a ripple, a  pebble does have to fall from the hand of the thrower and go at an arc of some distance and then skip across the surface of the pond until it falls beneath the surface of the water and disappears from sight.

Its ripples from above mark the surface of the water with an ever widening arc.


And then may reappear years later into another hand
  To make that same journey.
Not knowing its impact.

Only maybe seeing how a life was changed.
To take on a new arc.
A new path.
A smile to warm the soul.

A tingle of excitement within the body.

Remember not to give up hope as one travels through life.

In Search of the Lost and Found Department

Today, we are going to look at humor and its effect on our lives.
Have you ever had a time in your life when you have ever lost something?
Or many things?

I heard a joke once that goes like this.  A gentleman kept losing his stamps that were on the envelope.
He asked, "How can this be for I am very careful to place it on the envelope"  The other gentleman said, "well, have you checked how you licked them. It is really dry on this adhesive side. Maybe you should lick them on the other side!!"

Well,  I have and I'd like to show you some ordinary circumstances in my life when this does occur and some ways to overcome them.

Once, when I traveled to Washington DC for a rally on the national mall, I went alone on this journey.
I just turned 23 and said, " I wanted a day of adventure and a way to prove that I could control life well.  When I got to the bus, I ran into one of my friends from church so I would not have to be alone on that day for the journey.  We rode together and then headed out for the national mall.  I got there and then decided to saunter off to the Minnesota delegation since my brother lives there and get some trinkets  as a memento to my visit to DC.
Then after deciding not to get the trinket, I headed back into the crowd and realized somehow it DOUBLED in size and my delegation sign got lost within it!!
I wandered the mall for what seemed a few hours until my friend waved his arms as he was calling, "Is Scott there?"
This served for me one of the tangible examples of what it is to feel lost and then to be found and secure.

Now, to maybe help our government stop from wandering for the next 36 hours, it might be helpful to have some sentries in the crowd watching out for someone who is maybe lost? But what really is lost?  Now that would be for another session!!

Another time that I have experienced losing something was my job. I have a good track record of that in that I  lost my first job after college after about 14 months and then lost another one after our company was sold.  Now, these first two banks i worked for I had an excellent track record of losing 2 out 2-100 percent. My mom and dad said, maybe you should change where you work and you will have more success.  Well, I took their advice and then landed up in a company where I was for 20 years.
At Schrier and Bunzl, I kept my job but did have some adventures with the lost and found department.
On my first day to the office for the interview, I did get a little lost since the sign for 306 Black Rock Turnpike was not readily on the building. So I wandered for what seemed like a few moments until I found the building.
And then once inside, it can be a challenge to find that needle in the haystack. I sure had those moments when a supervisor would want a given piece of paper only to go back in the haystack and wonder where in the haystack it really was.

Now, I am in charge of the celestial lost and found department.  We are hiring for a position in this department.  But there can be some conflicts arise when something is lost and then is found.  Let us listen in on a conversation of a typical work day here.

Thunderbolt #1.  Someone stole my thunder?
Galaxy 1:            Really?
Thunderbolt 1:   Yes, really!!  I had my thunder in the corner over here.
Galaxy 1:            Your thunderbird??
Thunderbolt 1:   No, my thunderbolt!! You see, I was wandering the galaxy that you are supposedly                              watching and my thunderbolt disappeared.
Galaxy 1:            Have you consulted with lightning about this.  I hear she has lightning speed.                                       She can   help you find it for you!!  Do you want me to call her in on this?
                           And we can use speed dial for this one, for sure.

Okay, candidate, now as you can see from our Galactic firm we do  need some help. This could be the  ideal position for you as it is a seasonal job.  You mainly work evenings  or in the late afternoon.  Yet, you need to be on call for these disputes do happen often.
You do need a tremendous attention to detail in this matter and do need to see  far into the future .
You do need to have NO fear of heights for you will be way up in space.  And you will need a change of wardrobe with these big white suits for your job.
And you need a reliable source of transportation with excellent gas mileage.

candidate:  Yes, I am up to this job.  As I told you, I have a track record of finding stuff that I lost while operating in gravity!!  Now, what is the training program for finding this stuff in zero gravity!!!
Can I apply for a training grant from WIA for several million dollars?

And then there are the times when one loses lets say their cool.  Their emotions.  How do we package these anyway?  It would be nice to have an aisle 5 where we have our cool and then an aisle 9 where our joy is found. But there are those aisles that have the wrong items in when our hotter emotions are often found.  Only to find a way to bring it all together.

Now remember , it is real important to have these qualities because you never know when someone may ask you, 'SAY, SIR, I LOST IT!! CAN YOU HELP ME FIND IT?"

The Eagle's Spirit

In the world today, the spirit influences much of how we live.  It has been described as the wind which is invisible within our sight. But it has also been said that you can see its effect from the blowing on a piece of paper.   It has been said that relationships bring a grand Karma and blessing to our lives that heals our lives.  And the way that spirit manifests itself is how we impact our lives by our actions and attitude.

Life has those special moments of bright colors that emanate from the horizon.  That is why I love the fall and the possibility of new opportunities.  And how we can get those unexpected surprises when you are not actually looking for them.  For bright colors do not always last forever. They sometimes fade after a strong Maine sunset over the coast.  Or how those brilliant fall colors come strong on the trees and then fall off and fade into the ground as nurturing soil.

The same can apply to how we impact one other in our relationships.
Special relationships can be eternal-those moments where we call out to one another.  Calling out from within the crowd, Bianca brought me into bring me into her circle while I was on the Bellarmine lawn during freshmen orientation at Fairfield University in 1983.

Even though we did not stay in touch often during our college years, it is an ember that sits quietly and patiently in the coals of our lives and gets reignited during our lifetimes.
 And relationships spread across time and place and get rekindled by a sweet note or postcard sent from across the world.  And it has continued on for the last 30 years.

Bianca has a good hearty and infectious laugh that can punctuate the silence.  I enjoy being around her during these special times.   Her handwriting is big and flows from her hands like the  flowers of a petal.

During one of the reunions at Fairfield University, Bianca shared with some of her friends how her dad came out and rescued her from a relationship that was not going too well and being protective of her.


It was during this time that she was called home after her father died. I was heading home from work and brought home the newspaper and opened up the obituary section at my kitchen table and saw that her dad passed on. I was shocked since he seemed so strong.

Often her family had special parties in her palatial backyard with a pool at it. Music played in the background.  Another evening, we had a special get together planned at an area restaurant but we headed to her house to pick up something. Bianca invited me out to her backyard for a moment, and about 15 of her family and friends were there to offer me a surprise greeting for my 39th birthday.  Her family had a nice outdoor bar where we shared some sodas and drinks in the outside cool breeze with her established family.  I received a nice crystal eagle wrapped in tissue paper and I have it displayed on my television console.  And I am currently known as Eagle from another good friend of mine.

Spreading through time, I have had some special times with Bianca as we traveled throughout Fairfield for several great lunches. Once it felt real special as I got my hair just right and wore my Fairfield University sweatshirt.  And I had a a beaming smile on my face.  The office knew I was  in a good mood for it felt good to catch up with my best friend, Bianca.

 And during the third of one of these gatherings at noon, she failed to show up but that Friday afternoon, a nice bouquet of cut fall flowers arrived at my office!!

I was the talk of the office since men often did not get flowers. And they wanted to know who my special admirer was.  That was prior to a  thanksgiving holiday.  I kept my flowers on my living room coffee table and kept them watered.  The flowers had a special aroma.  Often they asked, "Scott, is this the one?" but I responded back, "No, grace has flowed into Bianca's life with a friend from across the pond!"

A couple of months later during a winter afternoon with the snow freshly on the ground, we headed out to a lunch and Bianca shared great news that she was engaged and going to get married.  I was very happy for her,  For she found her friend from another friend.  Phil lived in England and they hit it off well.  And the special thing about Phil was that he lost his wife a while back and  complemented Bianca's loss of her dad.


And during one of our special lunches, we took an extended time after a quick bite at Boston Market and got my glasses at Pearle Vision Center.  Then I picked them up on a Saturday when Bianca got married for their U.S. wedding in her backyard.

And while he was briefly in the states to be introduced to Bianca's mom, on one of Bianca's first dates I was included as we went to the movies. Not a particularly great movie but just a great time to be together as friends.

And I got to be on her radio show as she interviewed me on how I overcame my struggles and was her bright spot. This occurred a few weeks before halloween when I was interviewed from my home.

Often we exchange emails and I share special inspirational writings and emails.  Bianca has encouraged me to write a book for I am a brilliant writer for I am great at it.

When my dad died, the first person in the world that I shared the news was with Bianca for I knew she would understand.

See, for the fall season brings many great blessings from the time that we met, to the time I received her flowers to the time of being on her radio program.

And I am reminded of how I need to extend and reach out from my soul to bless other people and let the moments flow.
And music flows from these times and they can be magical when we are present.

And to witness how people can be resilient with some of the struggles that they face.

And I need to find and create those moments for others to enjoy and not be cognizant of a time frame but to see it as a long horizon that changes over time in the strength of its color and beauty.

Just as I have found with my special friendship with Bianca and her family.

Celebrating Life and its mirrored beauty.

Good day World. Been a while expressing joy outside of the world of facebook.
I have been reminded of the brevity of life from a post by someone I knew who lost her husband of 50 years tonight.

I realize that we have an appointment that we can not put off. It can be easy putting off a medical procedure or assignment to another day. But we are all given an appointment of our passing.

but more significantly we are each given an appointment of what to do with the hundreds of thousands of breaths each day and the seconds that line them as well.

May we all live those moments well each and every day.

Even when it may not appear pleasant sometimes with disappointments that we all must face.

Let us splendor in the moments where the flower has not faded. Let us look on its reflective beauty which brings us back to our heavenly Creator who greatly loves us.

Many peaces and joys that fall upon the readers of this reflection!!!