Friday's thoughts

"How Do We Find it After We've Lost It?"
We acquire a degree of discipline if we can control our flight and fight impulses. And how do we do that?

We have to follow a higher light. We have to be able to see something bigger than our most pressing problem and to find something stronger than our strongest impulse.

The writer of Philippians said it, "Whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Jared Diamond in his book "Collapse; How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed" wrote, "What are the odds we'll be able to survive the present economic crises? I can't say. It all depends on the choices we make, and I don't know what those will be."

Jan Waterman, a recent column in the Coloradoan wrote, "We are not in charge of the way life unfolds or the experiences we encounter. We are in charge of our responses. In times of crisis, do we abandon our values or do we use them to direct our choices. Every choice we make is a creative act of spiritual power. We create the world we live in, choice by choice, based on our values, not our ability to predict the future. The question is, what do we value?"

Much of the current crisis in the banking institutions revolves around values. Much of what it will take to get our nation back on track in related to the kind of light we follow and the kinds of choices we make.

Sometimes we want to fight. Sometimes we want to take flight. Will we be able to see the light and be open to where it leads? If so we will be able to thrive in a world where we have made good choices and have leaned to live out our values.

What do you think? How do you think we will survive the financial crisis?

If you have thoughts write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster