Jonathots Daily Blog
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1. Don’t be stubborn, pursuing things that aren’t working
2. Show up with an idea and be open to suggestions
3. Celebrate your progress before beginning the next project
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3921)
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly donation for this inspirational opportunity
Jonathots Daily Blog
(3521)
1. Spend half as much money on gifts and twice as much time sitting around talking with friends and family.
2. Celebrate by honoring your present mood and desire instead of chasing traditions and previous year’s activities.
3. Buy one reasonable, universal present and give it to a complete stranger.
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3469)
Yesterday we celebrated with the folks at the Belleview United Methodist Church. Well, at least with those who were willing to celebrate.
Of course, that’s always the case.
Jan and I are just “two drifters, out to see the world.” And of course, there’s an awful lot of world to see. But there are some common themes.
The religious system that has taken hostage the church of Jesus Christ somehow or another has convinced itself that it can build a congregation by using prayer, Bible study and worship. Even though diminishing numbers in the pews contradict this fact, those who have spent more time in seminary than in the mainstream of America continue to blindly lead the blind right into the ditch of oblivion.
Fortunately, we have the example of Jesus, who offered people abundant life, full joy and peace of mind. You remember his words, right?
“I have come to give you life and it more abundantly.”
“I have come that your joy might be full.”
“I bring you peace–a peace the world cannot give.”
What would happen if we actually started focusing our message, our ministry, our efforts and even our artistry toward abundant life, full joy and peace of mind?
Aren’t these rather desirable offerings for those who find themselves clad in human skin?
But there are still those who feel that if they whisper the name of God, bow their heads repeatedly and tiptoe through the sanctuary, the heavens will flash a big smile of approval.
Not for me.
I will continue to promote the idea that the Gospel was meant to be shared by humans, for humans. Therefore, any idea that angelic or pious approaches will reach the human family is ludicrous.
The good news is that abundant life, joyousness and peace of mind are still appealing to people.
The better news is, it just happens to be what Jesus wants us to share.
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(3200)
18 years of age.
G-Pop’s granddaughter is celebrating today.
She is so excited. She has waited a lifetime for it–at least, her lifetime.
She is ready to be a person instead of a passenger.
A participant rather than a daughter.
A mover and not just a child.
G-Pop could share many superlatives about this young woman and bore you to tears.
She is intelligent to the point of being sharp.
She is clever and creative.
She is tender-hearted and allows tears to flow without shame.
Even though her life has been peppered with missteps, she went back, corrected them and took responsibility for the stumbles.
She is talented, she can sing, and dear Lord, she even plays the ukulele.
The canvas set before her is prepared for the beautiful colorations of her dreams.
But she is still plagued by one concern:
She doesn’t want to miss anything.
She doesn’t want to be considered an “also ran.”
She does not want people to believe she’s just a preacher’s daughter who cushioned herself from the realities of human life.
She wants to do it all.
She is frightened of becoming a “goody-two-shoes.”
It is a sensation that jolts the heart of every person who dares to pursue goodness. Can you chase the star of purity and still enjoy the cosmic journey?
But here’s the reality: nothing bad ever made anything good.
No vice ever actually promoted a versa.
No inhalation stimulated respiration.
No liquid spirit ever conjured a Holy Spirit.
Side-tracks. That’s what all those are–little temptations to distraction that we’ve convinced ourselves are necessary to add to our diary to make our lives seem plausible instead of merely a fairy tale.
What G-Pop would like to tell his granddaughter on this glorious day is that good is the only thing worth living for.
But you must never preach it.
Preaching good always leads to self-righteousness, selfishness and anger over missing out over some sort of sinful delicacy.
The more the reverend reverberates against iniquity, the more he is drawn to it. It is a historical fact.
God never gave us permission to preach good–thus the warning, “Don’t judge other people.”
G-Pop would also tell his granddaughter that being good is the curse of a thousand yearnings.
None of us are good. No, not one.
So every time we try to be good, we punish ourselves, incriminate our hearts and tear down our confidence. It’s why the phrase, “I’m sorry” needs to be at our tongue-tip, prepared to be uttered at any moment.
We’re just not good.
And those who try to be good often end up either lying or preaching. (I’m not sure if there’s a difference there.)
What G-Pop wants to wish to his beautiful, creative, gentle, comical granddaughter is the mission of doing good.
Good becomes very obvious because it’s always the thing that includes somebody besides yourself. It’s not hard to find–and even though you’re not going to preach against evil nor claim to be pure, the least you can do for a battered, bewildered and betrayed mankind is grant them the touch of grace brought by a moment of goodness.
I’m always enamored by the story that comes out of the 1969 music festival, Woodstock. Even though all the parents were critical of their young ones who went off to this “den of iniquity”–and perhaps there was a farm-load of sin being perpetuated in every field–when it was discovered that the purple acid was hurting people, they interrupted the concert and got on the microphone to warn their brothers and sisters to stay away from it.
They did good.
I suppose some pious parents might suggest that if the children were not taking acid in the first place, there would be no reason to avoid the purple.
But you see, that’s not life.
Life is realizing that wherever you are, whoever you’re working with, and whatever the rules for that environment, there is still a way to do good.
It does not make you a goody-two-shoes.
It means that you walk with feet of blessing.
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Jonathots Daily Blog
(2577)
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:
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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Jonathots Daily Blog
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Seems like an odd landmark, doesn’t it? Day 504.
But it came to my mind, and when I counted up the days, that’s the number I ended up with.
It is exactly 504 days since I woke up in Fremont, Ohio, with my legs so stiff, sore, cramping and aching that for all intents and purposes I was not able to walk. Therefore I thought it was time for an update.
Let me start with one of the greatest statements that can ever be made by a human:
It’s not worse.
After 504 days, that original cramping and debilitation did not place me permanently in a wheelchair, unable to move, travel, interact with human beings or even dress myself. I think we miss a rare opportunity in life when we don’t celebrate the absence of things getting worse.
Because quite bluntly, my friends–they can. There are diseases, problems, afflictions and habits that are avalanches toward disaster. It did not get worse.
Secondly–it’s better.
How is it better? I’m walking more than I was before. The stiffness is not as bad. The knees are still achy, but somehow or another, the beautiful construction of my human anatomy has enabled me to get accustomed to it, and I am able to perform all of my tasks with the same vigor I had in my twenties. Now for a third thought:
I am better.
Here is something I want you to consider: we are temporarily blessed in pleasure but perfected in pain. Why is that?
If we don’t feel a sense of our own mortality and are unaware of our own weaknesses, we begin to think that everything that comes into our minds is valuable instead of in need of a good interrogation.
I am better because complete mobility and self-sufficiency is not at my fingertips–or in this case, my toe tips.
Although I hear both religious and secular people lamenting the condition of the world around them, our thermometers should be set to notice the slightest change in degree of improvement.
Those who have the sensitivity to peer through the darkness and find one candle of light are the souls that sustain us to a better tomorrow.
So on day 504, I am happy to report that my condition is not worse. It’s better.
And because I have gone through it, I am better, converted to the philosophy–and powerful it is–that life is about better.
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Click for details on the SpirTed 2014 presentation
Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.
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 | Jonathan on 1 Thing You Can Do When Your F… |
| Anonymous on 1 Thing You Can Do When Your F… |
| Anonymous on 1 Thing You Can Do When Your F… |
| Anonymous on 1 Thing You Can Do When Your F… |
 | Nolan on 1 Memory About Jonathan Richar… |
 | Maxine Mantooth on Drawing Attention … Dece… |
| Steve on From the Stacks … Octobe… |
| Maxine Mantooth on Scrambles … October 20th… |
| Maxine Mantooth on From the Stacks … Octobe… |
| Maxine Mantooth on Scrambles … October 13th… |
A voice writing in the wilderness
Jonathots Daily Blog 