Three Ways to Respond to Punctuation…April 30, 2015

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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Words are the soundtrack of our relationships. They mingle melody, mood and movement to generate the music of our interaction.

And words are accentuated by punctuation. If you don’t learn the punctuation, you are destined to hit sour notes with your friends.

For instance, let’s look at three different thoughts:

• “I am going to the concert.” (period)
• “I am going to the concert!” (exclamation point)
• “Should I go to the concert?” (question mark)

Each of these communicates a different sensation.

Successful communication is learning how to respond to punctuation.

When somebody ends a discourse with a period, you have permission to listen. It is not necessary to get excited, nor are you granted intervention to question the statement. A period means that you may listen.

When a friend concludes an announcement with an exclamation point, you may celebrate. It is very annoying when we find ourselves excited, to discover that our companions are unwilling to join us in our enthusiasm. Matter of fact, it might even be considered mean-spirited.

And if your partner ends the discussion with a question, you may comment. Opinions are completely unnecessary unless they are answering questions.

So if you’re going to have healthy relationships with other human beings, you must realize that your input is unwelcome unless requested.

Therefore, when a friend makes a statement, just continue to listen.

If they are excited, have the decency to celebrate with them.

And only when they finish out their explanation with a question mark can you proceed to offer an opinion or comment.

This creates harmony.

It enables you to be of value to those around you instead of cluttering up their lives with unnecessary insertions of your ideas or a failure to rejoice with them when they rejoice.

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PoHymn: A Rustling in the Stagnant …April 29, 2015

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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In the Mix

 I am a blessed man

In a beleaguered land

Sharing the best I can

 

I am a silly goose

Out on the loose

Escaping the hanging noose

 

I am a simple child

Needing to be mild

Running toward the wild

 

I am a son of Earth

Sailing a sea of mirth

Granted a second birth

 

I am spiritually poor

Never quite sure

Seeking a needful cure

 

I reject the lie

So when I die

My truth can fly

 

The law has a letter

But I know better

Than to be its debtor

 

I see pieces of me

In every single he

And my equal she

 

I consider my could

Whispering my would

Settling for my should

 

I am quite aware

I have much to share

But frightened to care

 

But there is no fix

No magical tricks

Just stirring in the mix

 

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Cracked 5 …April 28, 2015

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Some Alternative Punishments for the Boston Bomber Tsarnaev

 

A. Force him to run a marathon every day until nature takes its course.

 

B. Drop him off at ISIS headquarters wearing a “Gay and Proud” t-shirt.

 

C. Take him to a field filled with pressure cookers and tell him that “some don’t contain bombs,” so “choose wisely.”

 

D. Four years of study on the “Mysteries of the Trinity” at Liberty University, rooming with a guy named Todd.

 

E. Extradite him to Texas.

 

 

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The Alphabet of Us: U is for Understanding …April 27, 2015

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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All human beings possess a heart, soul, mind and strength. Nothing of any true significance can be achieved unless this is understood.

When I was a younger man, I believed it was my function and goal to set the world on fire. But now, a bit older and having walked through a few blazes, I realize that the greatest gift I can give to my fellow humans is to put out the fires that were carelessly started by foolish schemers.

I don’t know if I’ll ever have enough time to pursue all of my heart’s desires because there is so much work to be done–clearing away the ignorance, selfishness, short-sightedness and bigotry that was here when I arrived.

This is the spirit of understanding that we must garner as people in order to be of value and continue to maintain our optimism. Otherwise, we stare at the raging fire of stupidity and wonder what we can do with out little cup of water.

Understanding requires three magnificent realizations:

1. “It’s not that bad.”

If you do not develop a kind spirit toward yourself and the world around you, you will begin to view your surroundings as unacceptable and find reasons to alienate your fellow-man instead of coming to the conclusion that peaceful coexistence is possible.

“It’s not that bad”–probably four of the most beautiful words that can fall off of anyone’s lips in the midst of a crisis. They open the door to thinking instead of frantic reacting.

2. “Let’s slow down.”

Instead of a philosophy of “pedal to the metal,” we allow the ointment of understanding to calm our spirits, which allows a realistic pace and also promotes peace of mind.

3. “We can work with this.”

Although thee is a contingency of folks who feel they show their spirit of excellence by being demanding and requiring perfect conditions, the Earth is in a constant state of evolution and therefore can never give you exactly what you want, but merely provides a portion or mutation of your desire.

Can you work with it?

Can you take a little bit and make it more?

Understanding is when we come to the conclusion that changing the world is unlikely, but improving the circumstances of even one soul is viable and necessary.

 

 

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Jesonian: Co-Cana…April 26, 2015

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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Turning water into wine in Cana of Galilee is one of Jesus’ more popular miracles.

Religious people seem to favor it because the Messiah was celebrating weddings, and also introduces the wine, which is later the symbol of his blood.

Secular people embrace the concept because it promotes the idea of “liberal Jesus” who is playful enough to welcome intoxicants into his acceptability.

As often is the case, the actions of the young preacher in Cana of Galilee are overlooked in favor of speculation on theology or sociology.

What is important is how Jesus decided to participate in the lack of wine at a wedding feast.

We’re always pushing the concept that Divinity possesses the capability of pulling rabbits out of hats which are not necessarily conducive to birthing bunnies.

The message of Cana of Galilee is that if you want to do something powerful, don’t show up with an empty pot.

For the wine that was produced that day did not flow from the skies nor did it spring forth from the dirt floor of the hut in which they celebrated.

It began in a pot which was filled with water.

May I make the point that 85% of wine is water? So 85% of the miracle was achieved simply by having large pots filled with water. More importantly, Jesus is making it clear that you shouldn’t show up to God with empty pots.

• There is no feeding of the 5,000 without the disciples providing five loaves and two fishes.
• There is no healing of ten lepers without them hunting Jesus down, finding him and begging for rejuvenation.
• And there is no woman with an issue of blood healed if she had not come up with a great plan, crawled on her hands and knees and touched the hem of his garment.

Heaven is very responsive when Earth has brought its best.

God is very merciful when His children are willing to lay what they have on the line for a common good.

While we sit around waiting for God to make wine, we might want to realize that the problem may be that we have not yet found a pot and filled it with water.

We have not found the best of our efforts, our heart and our supply to bring to bear, to confirm our investment in the endeavor.

I don’t think Jesus could have made it any clearer: all wine has to come from water. God may be willing to add the fermented grapes, but 85% of it needs to be supplied by people of faith taking the steps to bring all they have to the situation.

It’s Co-Cana: God and me.

If you don’t believe this, you will often find yourself praying to a heaven which is not deaf, but feigns dumbness, waiting for you to bring some supply.

Don’t bring empty pots without water and ask for wine.

God has no intention of ignoring Earth, Mother Nature or you to do His will.

He is quite satisfied with the way the system works.

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Untotaled: Stepping 64 (December 25th, 1970) You’ll … April 25, 2015

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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(Transcript)

A worthless, no-count, lazy, trifling, silly, mooching dead-beat.

That was the image of me in my community at Christmas-time in 1970.

I had no job.

Worse, I didn’t want a job.

I was just turning 19 years of age, and even though I’d been forced by my own actions into adult life, I was not a grown-up.

I wasn’t lazy in the sense of being unwilling to perform physical tasks. Dollie and I walked all over town looking for loose change in the dirt and offering to perform odd jobs to earn a few quarters and dollars. Most of the time, this was the way we bought our bologna and bread.

We were living in my mother’s house and she was certainly growing weary of our presence, which was also aggravated by people continuously telling her that we were taking advantage of the charity.

So when our first Christmas rolled around, I had been able to squirrel away $2, which Dollie was unaware we possessed. I did not know what to buy her for Christmas.

Then a lightbulb went off in my head. She loved Dr. Pepper. We didn’t purchase it very often–too expensive for our budget.

So I took my $2 and went out and bought a 6-bottle carton of the delicious fluid, wrapped one bottle up in Christmas paper and placed the other 5 under the tree on Christmas Eve. I was hoping it would be a delightful surprise.

But on Christmas morning when she opened up the bottle, I could tell she was greatly disappointed. Even the offering of the 5 additional Dr. Peppers did not seem to increase her joy.

Matter of fact, we spent most of that Christmas talking, discussing and finally arguing about our situation.

It was the Yuletide Season, but for me it was a memory of hearing:

• You’ll never amount to anything.
• You’ll end up in jail
• You’ll be heading for the streets
• You’ll be a thief
• You’ll be a disgrace to your family

And worst of all:

• You’ll be a husband who couldn’t even give his young wife anything but a bottle of pop for Christmas.

 

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G-Poppers…April 24, 2015

 

  Jonathots Daily Blog

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A dear friend asked G-Pop if he would talk to her sixteen-year-old son who had recently been arrested for smoking marijuana with some of his friends.

G-Pop asked her, “What is it you would like to see happen here?”

She looked at him, perplexed, and replied, “I want him to stop being stupid.”

G-Pop agreed to have the conversation. The boy arrived and sat down reluctantly on the couch, as if he was perched on a pile of needles.

G-Pop began. “You probably don’t want to be here.”

The young man didn’t know how to answer, so he shrugged his shoulders.

G-Pop continued. “You probably think I’m going to preach at you.”

The teenager made very brief eye contact, then dipped his head. G-Pop began.

“Well, I don’t blame you for not wanting to be here and I can guarantee you, I’m not going to preach at you. I just want you to remember two words–in and of.

There is no doubt, my dear friend. You are in this world. It has beauty, it has humor, it has creativity. But it also has danger, foolishness and paths that take you away from your own good.

This is why you can’t just be in the world, or the world will eventually grab you by the ears and drag you where it wants you to go.

The world is filled with tribulation. What does that mean? It means that people are looking for the most complex way to do things, which they think will make them smart. Actually, the best way to live in this world is to find the simplest way to do things. So even though you have to be in this world, if you’re going to be intelligent, you can’t be of this world.

So how do you know? How do you know what opportunities are beautiful and creative, and what is just tribulation trying to complicate your life?

There’s an old saying, which in this case, isn’t just for old people… “

(At this point the young man actually snickered. A good sign. G-Pop bounced off the energy and punctuated.)

“The old saying is that we should desire to be healthy, wealthy and wise. If you look at the things you do in your life and they fit into one of those categories, they’re probably great.

Does it make me healthy?

Is it going to make me wealthy? For after all, we do need money to do things.

And will it truly make me wise? If it doesn’t, or you’re not sure, take a deep breath and walk away from it until you can think it through. But if it does, enjoy it.

There are many things that make us healthy, wealthy and wise that church people wouldn’t necessarily approve of.

I’ve always loved rock and roll, but when I was your age, I was told it was of the devil. It isn’t.

And when I was your age, marijuana was all the rage, and I was challenged by all my friends to smoke it. Well, I asked myself those questions. Will it make me healthy? Not really. Will it make me wealthy? Most of the dudes I saw smoking it couldn’t hold a job. Will it make me wise? Honestly, it seems like it makes you a little dull. So I passed.

But I did want to have a music career. Everybody told me that was unrealistic. So I asked the questions:

Is it healthy? Sure makes me feel alive.

Is it wealthy? Depends on whether I got good at it.

Does it make me wise? It awakens the creativity in my soul, so yes.

So I pursued it. I was right and they were wrong.

So like I said, I don’t want to preach at you. I just want to tell you that you were born to be in the world, but not of the world.

The world wants to screw around with you and complicate your life. Your job is to keep it simple.

Your mission is to be healthy, wealthy and wise.”

The young man’s eyes filled with tears, so G-Pop gave him a hug.

It’ll be some time before we know if the conversation did any good.

And it will be the young man’s decision … whether he wants to be trapped in the world, or free of the world.

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