Jonathots Daily Blog
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Take a few minutes and unscramble this week’s inspirational thought from the words provided:
1 Thing You Can Do to Expand Your Potential and Increase Your Value
Cease to be a problem and become a reward.
Nobody is birthed to be successful nor is anyone born cursed.
The blessing lies in what voices we listen to and the ones we reject. This starts from the time we’re tiny toddlers, all through the educational system and even when we eventually arrive at our occupation.
The choice is yours—are you going to be a problem?
Every human being becomes a problem to every other human being if they do not curtail worry and fear. The minute you allow worry to find a home inside you and fear to stall you, you make yourself weak in moments when strength is needed and require your family and friends to carry your load.
This is how we evaluate our peers.
Are they able to come into a situation, figure out what to do, initiate the process and survive the setbacks?
There are only two things that keep us from achieving that status:
Worry – becoming overwhelmed with anxiety before taking inventory of possibilities.
Fear – lacking the self-confidence and energy of faith by surmising that the same benefits that came to us in previous predicaments are still available.
Once worry and fear enter the heart of any human being, he or she is incapacitated from carrying their own portion and must rely on the patience and generosity of others.
If this is the selection you make—either because you grew up in an environment where it was acceptable, have taken on a religion that believes such weakness is dependence on God, or you are just terrified of every option that comes your way—well, if this is your profile, you will be a problem.
And here’s the truth:
When problems cannot be solved, they are first ignored and then they’re abandoned.
You can become a reward. You can be a gift to yourself and your fellow-travelers if you can substitute simplicity for worry and humor for fear.
Simplicity is worry that proclaims, “While we’re waiting for a better solution, let’s keep ourselves busy with this one.”
And humor is buying the time to allow circumstances to shift, reinforcements to arrive or a resolution.
When you bring simplicity and humor, you are considered a reward.
You save yourself mountains of frustration and you make other people glad that you’re in their lives, sharing the burden.
Much of worry and fear is taught—which is good.
Because if you can learn the wrong, you can relearn the right.
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Good News and Better News… December 26th, 2016
Jonathots Daily Blog
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My Christmas morning:
- Four tiny little ones
- One twelve-year-old
- A teenager
- Eighteen adults
- And six dogs marauding about, sniffing at presents.
It was all held in a lovely, but somewhat square-footage-impaired house in East Nashville.
Although most people consider Christmas to be a holiday season which they either enjoy or complain about trying to get through, I contend that Christmas is a microcosm of life as it should be. It’s a collision of giving and receiving, organizing and finding yourself surprised by a slip-up, and having a crunch of humanity around you which requires you to be open-minded and willing to adapt.
For instance, in the course of our morning, well over a hundred presents were opened.
Also, one of the young men decided to use it as an occasion to propose marriage to his girlfriend–an amazing precedent.
And there were moments of silliness followed by junctures of tenderness, concluding with decisions to stay energetic enough to survive the gauntlet.
The adults made themselves flexible to appreciate toys opened by Santa believers and the subtleties of certain gifts which needed to be explained because they only had significance to the recipient.
Then, in the midst of the festivities and the brunch following, we discovered that one of the guests just lost his grandma. She had passed away in her sleep.
Quiet–and amazing it was how quickly it settled on the room, even among the children. A time to feel and consider the magnitude of such a departure.
Tears.
Gentleness.
Allowing ourselves to transition from one emotion to another without trauma or drama, to return to eating and enjoying one another as life insisted on pushing forward. I heard one person declare the day a “miracle,” but actually, it’s the way our lives are meant to be lived: in abundance.
Abundant opportunities
Abundant problems
Abundant relationships
Abundant attempts
Abundant failures
Abundant successes
And abundant gratitude
The good news is that Christmas is a time for abundance.
The better news is that the baby in the manger came to give us life, and it more abundantly.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
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Mr. Kringle’s Tales …26 Stories ‘Til Christmas
An advent calendar of stories, designed to enchant readers of all ages
“Quite literally the best Christmas stories I have ever read.” — Arthur Holland, Shelby, North Carolina
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G-Poppers … May 6th, 2016
Jonathots Daily Blog
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The situation is that our solution has actually become our problem.
G-Pop is trying to explain this to his son.
Even though there is a strong contingency of the American public which contends we are a “Christian nation,” when it comes to dealing with others, our prejudices and our policies, we completely abandon the teachings of Jesus in favor of the message of Mesopotamia.
Therefore we tout “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” and “our country, right or wrong.”
So we end up with two candidates for President who both have unfavorable ratings and seem baffled by their unpopularity. But it’s really quite simple. Even though there may be a rag-tag group of citizens who cheer arrogance and self-reliance, all of us know in our hearts what is necessary to be a human being:
- “From what I know…”
- “I was wrong.”
Any time those two statements are ignored or even pushed to the rear in favor of barnstorming stubbornness, you have a credibility problem.
Since none of us are sure of anything, taking the precaution of being candid about our knowledge is only wise.
In like manner, keeping in our back pocket the ability to be wrong without feeling that we’re diminishing our career is equally as valuable, so that people can trust us.
So it is ironic that we campaign for our two candidates while simultaneously voicing that we don’t trust them.
Of course we don’t.
- Both of them plot instead of letting the truth play out.
- They both maneuver instead of managing the circumstances provided.
And they defend themselves instead of allowing the new revelation to push them to the forefront as leaders.
You have to make up your mind. CNN, Fox News and MSNBC may love a fight among the candidates. They say it makes good news. Actually, it makes bad news, which they spin into good revenue through advertising.
But if you’re going to edify people, you will have to be forthcoming about what you presently know and also be prepared to be wrong.
G-Pop realizes there are those reading this who would say, “Politics doesn’t work that way.”
But he would retort, “Therefore, politics doesn’t work.”
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
G-Poppers … January 8th, 2016
Jonathots Daily Blog
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G-Pop took a moment to stop and think.
Sometimes we have to do that. If we don’t stop and create a window to think, we shall not become thoughtful.
G-Pop believes we have created a problem.
For instance, the goal of politics is to convince people that things are really bad and we need this particular candidate to come along and save the situation.
Likewise, the goal of religion is to make people feel bad about themselves–at least enough that they will come and accept God.
And entertainment has an aspiration to make money by manufacturing ideas which make folks feel good about themselves–perhaps even to the detriment of others.
What’s missing? Anyone or anything that offers the wisdom that problems exist, we are part of them, and ventures a guess at possible resolution.
- So politicians get elected by being negative, and then we’re surprised when they don’t end up with a positive agenda.
- Religion claims to save souls, only to leave them dangling in their inadequacy and frustration.
- And entertainment plays to the lowest common denominator of intelligence, lust and self-righteousness in order to get us to buy a ticket to the never-ending show.
But where is the prophetic voice which reminds us of the mistakes of the past, while addressing our present and offering an ingenious pathway to escape?
Such a voice might lack the pizzaz of doom or the glitter of self-esteem.
Such a proclamation will never be allowed in politics because it offers too much possibility, including the assertion that we could actually agree with our adversary on certain issues.
Religion will certainly reject the message because it involves too much human inclusion and not enough heavenly dominance.
And entertainment is just playing it safe by making sequels of sequels, ending up with the desperate decision to create prequels.
So G-Pop wonders what he can tell his children. What would be a simple axiom which could be applied in every situation as a way of assessing the current twittering mindset?
How about this:
Does this new idea encourage us to love our neighbor as ourselves?
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Galvanized … June 27, 2013
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Life is not about always being right. If it were, we would be doomed to constant condemnation with ongoing reminders of our inefficiency.
Life is about getting simple.
Even though they are tempted to complicate their existence, intelligent and spiritual people always break down every piece of valuable information to its smallest part. And then …
Well, that’s the key. Once you find out the simple way to live, then the entire journey becomes about being faithful.
When I stood in front of the folks in Galva, Illinois, last night, I realized that they were encountering the same kind of confusing rhetoric in their everyday lives that I experienced myself. For instance, I am told that to be a complete, whole person I must purchase, believe, sign on the dotted line or rally behind some sort of cause which is presently in vogue. In the process of trying to chase down these dangling morsels offered to me, I lose sight of my own mission and sense of mercy.
So what is the goal in being with these gentle human beings in Galva, Illinois?
To galvanize. To literally shake up and excite one another with precious ideas that we hold dear–and to refuse to be sucked in with transient experiences which don’t offer any promise of improving human beings.
I pity those who are trying to be political in a world where politics has proven to be enigmatic, if not dangerous. I feel sorry for those who pursue religion, with all of its fussy doctrines, when spirituality is simple and has one moving part: NoOne is better than anyone else.
Galvanizing–uniting behind ideas that we know are historically human-friendly, are filled with God’s grace and are easy to remember.
Because the second part of being galvanized is to take a piece of steel and put a coating of zinc on the outside to protect it. What is our coating of zinc for our steel of faith?
I think it’s very compact and easy: I will live a life of good cheer, but I also will not be led astray by whim, fancy, fad, and intimidation.
Galvanize-–to excite one another with good things and to use that sensation of goodness to protect us from the ridiculous onslaught of movements that are contrary to the advancement of mankind. I will finish up in Galva tonight. And yes, we will galvanize ourselves:
- We will become excited about good things and use those good things as a protection against lunacy.
- We will avoid all attempts to seek out enemies in order to prove that OUR cause is better.
- We will rejoice in goodness instead of making fun of it because we deem it “too wholesome.”
- We will uncomplicate our lives and be thankful that we have the ability to do so.
- We will believe in a God of love and extract from our faith any images that deny His existence.
- We will value fellowship over worship and tenderness above attempts to turn people into what we want them to be.
The problem is not that some people are better than other people and education is not a solution that will make us superior. Some folks just learn to learn the right things–and then stay strong in them.
It is the difference between addressing your problem and your problem residing at your address.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
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Jonathots, Jr.!
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The problem is not the problem … February 7, 2012
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- From Miami, Florida
Once you give it a name, you start the game.
That’s right. At least 80% of our success is determined by our perception of what is set before us. So if you decide to name your child “Hitler,” you have pre-conditioned the public to receive your offspring as something that he may not be, but is stuck with because of the name. And if you call every situation that comes your way a problem, you have warned yourself, others, God and the universe that you are anticipating a struggle instead of prepared for a solution.
Some people might be offended by this concept or even think it’s a little silly. After all, what is the actual difference between using one word over another in any given circumstance? Well, it’s the difference between your loved one receiving a “thank you” from you and only getting a grunt. Jesus was right–by our words we are justified and by our words we are condemned. Until we grow up enough to cease and desist from viewing every cumbersome obstacle in our lives as a problem instead of just our daily bread of crustiness, we will send out a beacon of desperation and frustration which not only lends itself to wasting time instead of working on solutions, but also is one of the most unattractive vibes you can communicate to your fellow-humans.
Of the great turn-ons in life, exasperation lies somewhere near the bottom. Yet for some reason or another, we languish in the luxury of worry, we fester in our own fussiness and we question whether there is going to be enough of something-or-another to get us through to the next way-station of possibility.
The problem is not the problem. The problem with society is me–and dare I include you? We are spoiled rotten by the notion that fun is to be free of entanglements. We are overly cared for by a God who perhaps has provided TOO much for our comfort and not enough for our ongoing discovery. It makes us brats. So we come out of daily events calling them problems, wringing our hands, sighing and communicating our desperation.
I think somewhere deep in our hearts, we believe we can scare trials and tribulations into avoiding us by displaying enough bad attitude. Unfortunately, these vices are tricksters; they LOVE to attack people who are grouchy. You can imagine if you were a trial, how frustrating it would be to come up with a really big package of aggravation, and then to have your hopes for turning someone into a grump doused by their sense of good cheer. It would be enough to make you want to go down the road and bother someone else.
Exactly.
Am I saying that people who complain actually end up having more problems than people who don’t? Absolutely. And how does that happen, you may ask? It’s really quite simple. When the next set of opportunities comes on the scene, the complainer is still fretting over the last batch of bullies. So not only is there a new dilemma, but also an old dilemma that has not been adequately dealt with. Double-trouble.
So why ARE there situations which some people call problems? Because God in His mercy would love to see our planet running smoothly by the use of intelligence and effort instead of bad attitudes and laziness. To bring this to the forefront demands that each one of us join in a common lottery of activities which we either view as our daily situation or as our overwhelming problem.
This is the quandary in our country. We seem to think we will scare away our economic trials with bad attitude and lazy, over-done solutions. Meanwhile, the recession just sits there and laughs at us. It will take intelligence and effort for us to come out of this situation. Until we push forward some intelligent people and actually get behind those bright bulbs with some energy of our own, we will continue to linger in bad attitudes and laziness.
What is intelligence? It has two parts: (1) “I will not freak out.” (2) “God has never deserted me–why should now be different?”
What is effort? (1) “What do I have?” (2) “How can I get more with what I have?”
Therein lies the secret, my friends. This twenty-four-hour period will afford you many situations. If you refuse to freak out, and believe that God has been faithful in the past and has not changed His occupation, while taking an inventory of what you have and finding a way to use that to get more– honestly, you’re ten feet tall and bullet-proof. But if you have a bad attitude (“why do things have to be so difficult?”) and you’re lazy (“I’m still tired from yesterday’s stuff!”) you will compile a series of box-cars of unresolved conflict, which will link up to become an insurmountable train, furiously careening its way down the tracks towards you.
The problem is not the problem. Life consists of situations which, if addressed with intelligence and effort, more or less just vanish in the wind. But if I choose to have a bad attitude and sprout laziness, those “problems” are given over to the care of my worry and frustration. Is it possible to relearn this? It is not only possible, it is the only way to truly be passable.
So what is today’s situation? Stop calling it a problem and bring some intelligence and effort–and then see if the stain of adversity isn’t wiped clean.
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Jonathan wrote the gospel/blues anthem, Spent This Time, in 1985, in Guaymas, Mexico. Take a listen:
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Jonathots Daily Blog 