Author: Regina Cates

Shouldn’t we care to be informed of the facts upon which truth depends?

Jesus would say there is no such thing as alternative facts. Facts do not change because someone misrepresents or construes evidence or misuses books like the Bible to support their position or views. Like those who spread conspiracy theories, people who spread pretend facts have an agenda of sowing discourse, fear, and distraction and don’t mind lying to do so.

Sowing division, chaos, and misinformation are not behaviors of great leaders, or people of integrity. Nothing positive is added to our democratic process when we reward our representatives, or their representatives, for slandering opponents. We cannot let those with biased agendas tell us what to believe and whom to support. Name calling and attack ads are cheap political tricks. Mistaking opinionated commentary for truth only results in our being uninformed to the facts. Allowing ourselves to be manipulated by salacious, tabloid-like, click-bait, facts-optional claims about candidates, or people in general, is admitting we are not interested in fact-checking the public record, and that means we are not interested in truth.

As citizens we hold much responsibility for how widespread intimidation and the vilification of those perceived to be opponents have become. Without raising a unified voice to demonize these practices within our sphere of influence, we have allowed negativity and denigration of people to seep into every part of life. The epidemic of disrespect throughout our political, social, business, religious, educational, and entertainment environments would be embarrassing to Jesus.

Jesus would ask why we believe it is acceptable to participate in, or be influenced by, or excuse maligning people as if this act were harmless, necessary, or standard operating procedure. It is not harmless to those whose reputations are ruined as a result of defamation, fact-less opinionated news, and lies. It is never Christlike to attack those we have disagreements with or who are different from us. We cannot love Jesus and sit by, ignoring the real danger our silence has to perpetuate this damaging behavior.

“Treat people as we want to be treated” clearly means we are charged by God with creating a world where we, our children, our neighbors, and our public servants are safe from being bullied, slandered, trolled, assaulted, and ridiculed. We can create the safe and respectful attitude God wants us to extend to one another by acknowledging the ego-motivation behind all trash-talk. No matter how divisive speech is delivered, or by whom, we turn this wickedness off. When there are no supporters for people who lie and vilify others, they will have no more influence in society and will cease to exist. However, this is a goal we have to work together to achieve.

God is asking each of us to actively bring about this positive change. We do so by refusing to participate. We turn them off. No matter who they are.

How to Make God Proud

Some people think we should pray for God to take care of what is wrong with society and our world. Prayer is excellent, as long as we realize God is waiting for us to fix what is wrong; to fix what we created and allow.

You and I may not have personally created everything negative in society. But as part of our human family, we collectively allow global negatives, such as corruption, overpopulation, greed, environmental destruction, slavery, misogyny, injustice, discrimination, political tyranny, dishonesty, and inequity, to exist.

Regardless what negatives we are challenged to face, first we have to admit there is no superhero coming to our rescue. God gave each of us the strength and willpower to change our lives, relationships, and world for the better. So God is waiting for each of us to step up and take the positive actions necessary every day to be the inclusive, peaceful, and loving change we want to see.

This raises two critical questions:

It pays to stay fluffy!

As children, my sister and I had a pet rabbit named Honey Bunny, a tiny ball of soft, fluffy fur. She was cute, cuddly, and consistently calm. When I encounter a tense circumstance, or want to keep from being sucked into other people’s negativity, I repeat “fluffy bunny, fluffy bunny, fluffy bunny” over and over in my head.

It really works. I let go of any frustration or resentment and cannot stay annoyed when I concentrate on a cute little bunny rabbit.

One day I was walking back from a neighborhood shop when I witnessed a driver stopped in the middle of the intersection, talking on her phone while presumably waiting to turn left. After the light turned red, she made a U-turn. Although there were signs indicating U-turns were illegal, she chose to do it anyway. Her SUV was too large to make it on the first attempt, so she had to back up and move forward repeatedly.

Drivers at the green light laid on their horns, while many of the pedestrians who were forced to wait on the sidewalk screamed at her. The woman gestured through her windshield with a rude hand signal, continued chatting on the phone, and maneuvered into the illegal turn to take a parking space in front of a certain store.

Would Jesus Call Us Friend?

Compassionate. Competent. Composed. Cooperative. Courteous. Educable. Empathetic. Ethical. Fair. Forgiving. Generous. Honest. Humble. Inclusive. Informed. Intuitive. Kind. Modest. Non-judgmental. Open-minded. Patient. Reliable. Respectful. Responsible. Self-disciplined. Supportive. Sympathetic. Transparent.

We believe Jesus lived these positive values. As people of faith, we believe these values are how God wants us to live too.

Therefore, if we are completely dedicated to living a loving, heart-led life we must focus on being love in action by cherishing these values in our every day, moment by moment, behavior. And, we have the spiritual responsibility to set healthy boundaries by refusing to enable or support the behavior of any politician, government official, religious leader, social acquaintance or family member whose character values go against our own.

People of faith are confronted each moment with opportunities to be love (positive behavior) in action to walk our “God” talk. What matters is how we answer life’s challenges and our interactions with other people. Were we an ambassador of love? Would Jesus be proud to call us friend? Did we stay respectful to those who disrespect us? Did we forgive? Did we set strong boundaries to protect ourselves and other people from abuses of power? How did we show up to support life and our fellow human beings? Do we value peace, personal responsibility and stewardship of the home God created for us?

No matter what we face, how great the challenge, or horrible the injustice, the bottom line is how we rise to the occasion. When we choose to be our very best in each meeting with a stranger, each negative situation, each disagreement, we will absolutely create heaven on earth. For ourselves, our children, and our fellow human beings. The choice to lead with the integrity of Jesus is ours to make.

Christmas doesn’t come from a store.

By Tim Moody

I was out in the Christmas crowd shopping for my grandchildren. They don’t really need a thing. They have so much. They fortunately live within the amazing care of a dad and mom who adore and cherish and abundantly provide for them. I wanted to just package up some hugs and kisses and send those as my gifts. Wouldn’t that be enough? It would, for them. They would be perfectly fine with such gifts. But I followed the rest of the holiday legion to Target and elsewhere to lend my effort to our society’s commercial Christmas mania.

There is that line in Dr. Seuss’ famous “The Grinch That Stole Christmas” that nudges me this time of year: “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

A Past Present

I was around five when I decided it was a great idea to let my parent’s sleep in on Christmas morning. I took my little sister by the hand and we quietly crept into the living room. I closed the door and plugged in the Christmas tree lights. I sat my three year old sister down in one of the overstuffed chairs.

One by one I handed out presents. I separated my mom and dad’s and put them next to two empty chairs. I put Rachel’s in front of her and put mine next to me. Once I’d crawled around the back of the tree on my hands and knees to make certain I’d gotten each and every present, we settled back for some serious clandestine gift opening.

When we got finished we both went in to wake up our parents to tell them about all the gifts Santa brought. I’ll never forget the look on their faces. My mom cried and my dad looked so sad. Neither of them got mad. In fact they both quickly assured us that Santa wasn’t mad either but that mom’s and dad’s like to watch their children open gifts. But, they did make us promise we’d never again open presents without them.

It’s been over fifty years since that covert present-opening operation. My mom remembers that Christmas in our little house on Mistletoe Street in Victoria, Texas as if it were yesterday. I do too and I will for the rest of my life.

The challenge to be ourselves.

By Tim Moody

I will not be

another flower,

picked for my beauty and left

to die. I will

be wild, difficult to find,

and impossible to forget.

~ Erin Van Vuren, Poet/Author

The Netflix series, “Gypsy,” which debuted in June of 2018 year stars Naomi Watts as Jean Holloway, a middle-aged Manhattan

E.I. = Heart-smart

Emotional intelligence – my definition: the ability to put ourselves in the shoes of other people with empathy and respect – is a gift from God given to each soul. But, like any skill we must practice, practice, practice to master leading with heart, rather than being led by a judgmental and fearful mind.

Our thoughts create our behavior. Our behavior creates our life. Therefore, mastering a mind with a mind of its own is a responsible thought by thought focus. When we remain in touch with what we are thinking and why (the emotional motivation behind our thoughts – fear, anxiety, judgment, frustration, blame, control, arrogance, domination) we can change negative, limited thinking to positive and loving so we honor God for giving us the precious gift of emotional intelligence.

In order to benefit from the emotional intelligence God asks us to use, to do no harm and to create our best life, it is necessary to educate ourselves to know what is happening in the world. We cannot be insulated with our own thoughts and beliefs. We cannot rely on the group think that is generated by the thoughts and beliefs of our immediate circle of like-minded friends and family or churches. Simply because others believe as we do does not mean we are right or that our decision and actions will not harm ourselves or others.

To make good decisions we must have information that challenges our thoughts so we can discover thoughts and beliefs that do not truly align with OUR HEART! Challenging what we think and why we think it helps keep our heart open so we follow the divine’s direction of treating other people as we want to be treated.

Jesus would not gossip!

I realize we all make mistakes and that it often takes time for us learn so we don’t make the same hurtful mistakes again. It certainly took me time to appreciate the vital importance of being responsible for each of my thoughts, words and actions. However, I learned one crucial lesson the first time my words hurt someone, which I share in painful detail in my first book – Lead with Your Heart, Creating a Life of Love, Compassion and Purpose.

Briefly the lesson I learned is that gossip, slander and character assassination are completely irresponsible and were signs of my emotional and spiritual immaturity. Now, this is a lesson each of us needs to learn if we are to move ourselves toward a peaceful world and fix what is wrong in our politics and with society in general.

Each day we hear countless people tearing others down in an attempt to build themselves up. There are also people who listen to and allow themselves to be influenced by negative trash-talk, hate speech, and slanderous attacks on someone seen as a political or social rival. Then there are people who do not question the credibility of those who spread conspiracy theories, or racist, homophobic, divisive, xenophobic, propaganda.

Does anyone actually believe Jesus would think purveyors of gossip and slander offer something worth listening to? They offer nothing of value to our society. Their agenda is one of sowing discourse and distraction. And some get paid to spread their trash talk.

I Don’t Believe in Satan, but …

I don’t believe in Satan. But I do believe in the evil that results when a human being has been completely consumed by unfeeling and uncaring ego.

Personal importance, fear, quests for riches, irrational delusions, and an unending appetite for attention and power over other people drowns out all moral and spiritual guidance. Of course the guidance is still there, but, without a willing and open heart we cannot hear God whisper truth, wisdom and direction because we’re too busy listening to and feeding ego. An ego left unchecked becomes exceedingly clever, eventually directing us to completely ignore and act upon the wise, respectful and empathetic advice of our heart.

This battle between good (soul) and evil (egocentric thought) is one with which each and every human on earth wrestles. Each day, in countless ways, we are tested. That’s why it is important to master an unfeeling mind with a mind of its own with the simple guidance of – treat other people as you want to be treated. Ego’s desire for domination cannot survive when heart is brought forward to consider what is also best for others too.