Breakstart … March 24, 2014

Jonathots Daily Blog  

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Tradition is a habit that seems to have a purpose. Yet every once in a while, we have to stop and ask ourselves, “Is there a better way?”

Otherwise, tradition, lacking a reason, resembles a prison.

Please allow me an oversimplification. When I was in my twenties I traveled with two women in a music group across the country. I learned two things about women:

1. They are human beings just like me, and
2. If you truly want to impress, dazzle, seduce and even receive respect–just put the toilet seat down.

I know it sounds trivial, and facts are, it is. It is so trivial that not recognizing it as simple and easy to do is an obvious breach of respect, tenderness and concern.

Let’s be honest–when a man lifts the toilet seat to do his business, the flusher on that pot is right next to the seat on the way out the door. In other words, if you reach for the flusher, your hand is already on the seat, able to permit it to come down. So making an excuse that it’s two separate motions,  hard to remember or difficult to execute is not only ludicrous–to the female mind, it’s insulting.

We are never going to learn to do extraordinary things until we openly admit that we’re ignoring ordinary things that could be done but are being passed over by us out of either insolence or laziness.

It took me about ten tries, but on the eleventh one, it was not only natural to put the toilet seat in the position more suitable for the ladies, but I did it without even thinking.

Or was it that I did it with thinking?

It may be traditional to have the classic battle between men and women exemplified in the bathroom, with the toilet. But success is doing something you don’t have to do, knowing that it will make someone else’s life easier.

Break a tradition and start a miracle–because miracles never happen when you’re repeating yesterday’s efforts. And by the way, you want to startle and enthrall a woman?

Put a lid on it.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

Click here to get info on the “Gospel According to Common Sense” Tour

Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.

Humbled, Aware, Empowered … September 7, 2012

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I AM:

Humbled by the beauty of our nation

Aware that beauty is only skin deep

Empowered to find the heart and soul of my countrymen

Humbled by the generosity of my new friends

Aware of the responsibility of their faith in me

Empowered by the uplift and confidence it provides

Humbled by the need around me

Aware of what I can do

Empowered to go ahead and do it

Humbled by the grace of grace

Aware that grace is given to the humble

Empowered to embrace productive humility

Humbled by my weakness

Aware of my gifts

Empowered by the balance granted me by my Creator

Humbled by the overwhelming need

Aware of the needs already met

Empowered to continue to pursue meeting needs

Humbled by fatherhood

Aware of the requirement for my children’s independence

Empowered to see them do greater things than me

Humbled by failure

Aware of teeming progress

Empowered by promising opportunity

Humbled by what I create

Aware that it was birthed through adversity

Empowered to persevere

Humbled by tomorrow

Aware of today

Empowered by yesterday

Or sometimes …

Humbled by yesterday

Aware of tomorrow

Empowered by today

Humbled, aware, empowered:

• The balance of power for this important hour.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

If Jesus is the Same … November 30, 2011

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Charlotte, North Carolina

It’s what the Good Book says. It claims that “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Traditionalists and religionists love this particular scripture because they feel it sanctions them repeating their favorite ways of maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith. But I do believe that if you read it carefully, it says that Jesus is the same–not that we’re the same, religion is the same, or all the things we call righteousness are the same yesterday, today and forever. Just because you like red carpet in your sanctuary and unleavened bread for your communion doesn’t mean you can get an affirming nod from the Master.

So if we’re really going to pursue this thing called Christianity, I think we should take the time to understand the mind-set of its initiator and find out what triggered his passions–and also what he held dear to the cause. Without this, we begin to think that everything we do is right in our own eyes and therefore Jesus is smiling, knowing how darned-tootin’ on-point we are.

It reminds me of the pastor of the church that hosted me last night for my Christmas show. First of all, he was kind enough to invite us to come and share our talents with his community. How gracious. But about two weeks ago he called our office and told the woman who schedules us that he had gone onto our website and couldn’t find our particular page–and what he did discover was not very impressive. When she told me this, I wanted to get offended. Why? Because I can be a brat. I don’t want anyone disrupting my little world of self-confidence and security. But instead of throwing a fit and ignoring his comment, I went on the Internet and found that our web host had bungled up some numbers or something, and our site was not available at that time. So our sponsor was right–and I was so glad that my stubborn ways were not allowed to trump his more intelligent insight. Because of that, I was able to meet a very kind and intensely in-tune host last night, and got to meet some lovely folks for a spiritual evening of entertainment. You see, if we persist to believe that the absence of our own will is the destruction of God’s plan, we will never evolve towards greater understanding of the true nature and style of Jesus.

So if you will allow me–working on the premise of Jesus being the same yesterday, today and forever–I would like to take the next few days to tell you HOW he’s the same. What makes him the same? What truths that he proclaimed in his loincloth in Galilee are still relevant in the Bible Belt of America today? How can we begin to understand our faith if we don’t understand Jesus? Because a lack of understanding of Jesus is the formation of the institution of religion. And religion always does one thing above all else–it shrinks our possibilities and our vision.

So let me start tomorrow with the first thing that is the same about Jesus yesterday, today and forever. Let’s see if you agree. Let’s see if you learn something. Or better yet, let’s see if you teach me one that I missed.

See you tomorrow.

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Here comes Christmas! For your listening pleasure, below is Manger Medley, Jonathan’s arrangement of Away in the Manger, which closes with him singing his gorgeous song, Messiah.  Looking forward to the holidays with you!