The big secret nobody wants to tell | Bruce Muzik | TEDxSinCity

When?

Is it racial or cultural?  
Is it prejudice or discrimination?
Is it hate or fear?
Is it just bad behavior or ignorance?

Why does it have to be politically correct?
What the heck is politically correct?
Who says so?
What is the difference between being sensitive and just plain truthful?

There seems to be a lot of hate, fear, prejudice, outright discrimination, and just bad behavior these days.  It isn't just stupid people doing stupid things, it is all kinds of people at all levels doing dumb, stupid and just plain evil and hurtful things.  

Really, why can't we just get along?  
What's wrong with that?
What ever happened to the basic rules of human decency?  Respect, kindness, courtesy, tolerance, self control, responsibility, duty, honor, self respect, and even a little bit of love?

Are we progressing or regressing?  
Are we evolving or devolving? 
Are we adapting or extincting?

So much of today's strifes and major issues such as wars and conflicts seem to result from the great differences in beliefs and values and truths.  
When did we have to be right?  When did there have to be just one truth? When did we humans stop being human?

"May I help you" reads like a nice phrase, but what if the same gentle phrase is said in a tone that says "what the f&*k are you doing here?"  Then what do you say?  
What if this is the third time this same person says it the same way to you?  For no other apparent reason than what seems to be the fact that she can't stand the sight of you, that you are anathema and the most logical conclusion is that she is a damn racist?
What do you say to that?

Time changes all things

A BLOG is - many things to many peoples!  
For me this is more of a journal of my journey.  I have not kept up with it for awhile; but, how wonderful that good ole Google has such a powerful web service!

I noticed that nearly two, 2!, whole years have passed since my last entry.  A lot, a whole lot of life happens in two years.  
Let's see, I'm still estranged from my "ex", found new meaning and purpose, found out I have that wonderful gift of Cancer! (Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma!), went back to teaching for a year, and well, had a bunch of neat adventures. 

I'm getting past the "salmon's call" to return to Korea, taught at a nice school for a year, and still looking forward to more teaching experience if the Lord allows.
I follow the various Korean Adoptee groups like KAAN, KAD, KAW, and more.  The same songs keep popping up and the themes seem the same.  Then again, why not?  The basics of life and the life paths are the same.  
Several of the older adoptees that I had connected through the internet seem to be near the same place, with various levels of self fulfillment and actualization. 
So the Adoption things is slowly settling down.

A lot of family issues now surfacing.  Guess the divorce isn't going to happen for awhile.  May have to force the issue as soon as I can.  
Children are in various stages of their lives.  Both boys seem to finally be on their way in their careers.  
Daughter is having some major issues.  May God bless her and guide her.

So, where are we?  The Big 5: God, Family, Friends, Money, Time -
1.  Still seem to be on good terms with God, through the good Grace and Love channeled by Jesus Christ my Savior and the Holy Spirit.
2. Family is in disarray, but surviving.  Hopefully some solution sets are coming.
3. Friends - well, not too much of a concern since I don't do much of the Friends things.
4.  Money and Time: have enough money for things, running out of time, trying to maximize both.

OK, I hope I'll be able to come back soon and talk about some big items still on my agenda - Education in all its many topics, personal growth, social issues such as adoption v non adoption, economic issues and topics like equality v inequality, nature and genetics, chance and probability,  sex and society, and many more.  

I wish you each well and hope life is good for each of you.

Tuesday October 22

Good gracious, time moves so fast.  One day you're young, happy, carefree, just chasing some happiness and then, bam, 10,20,30,40 years fly bye bye.  

The time has come.  I have "retire" from the daily grind.  Not much saved, thought I had it all planned but it's ok.  God enough money to live on, eat, and still have a bit left over.  

So much to learn still.  Lessons given and not learned, over and over.  Too many people passing through my life and just moving on.  
Too many loves, heartaches, let downs, disappointments, deceptions, depression, drifting, delusions.  
Now, the realization that time is definitely finite and limited.  The awful awareness that my hour glass has just a bit more left.  
Loss of health, wealth, and all that was once treasured and valued - things, people, memories.  

Live well while you are young.  Live each day to the max.  Enjoy your loves and your achievements.  Exult in your small victories.  No matter what your dreams, work for them and get them.  One day you won't have the energy, time, or resources to go after them.

Yeah, life is different journey for each of us.  We look for the commonalities, the key check points and milestones.  The plot is pretty much the same, it's the action and drama that is different for each of us.  

Enjoy your journey!

Good morning my friends,
It's been awhile since my last post.  
So much life and so many events... they sure keep you busy.

Question:  Will racism ever die or are we stuck with it until all humans become "homogenized"?  The physical differences are very real and our visual dominance in our lifestyles is undeniable.  We operate so much on what we see - recent events around the world show us that we will still depend on what we see as our primary means of evaluating someone else.  
Asians have the eyes and darker skin, African (and African Americans) have their dark skin and features, Caucasians have their variety, and there are many, many more variations in our species.  Survival and bonding are primary motivators for identifying friends from foes.  Certainly it was valid for many millenia.  But, do we still have to use Race as the source for personal judgements and hate, fear and apprehension?  
Someday perhaps we can get past all this, but I think it will be many years from now.

 

Friday June 22, 2012

Happy Friday! 
I pray that you and yours are well, happy, healthy, full of God's Joy and Peace.  
I am about to embark on a long drive back to see my three wonderful children.  Unfortunately, this trip is to get things ready to close out a big chapter of our lives, to sell our family restaurant.  
It is fraught with dangers and traps.  I can't do this alone, but I do believe and have full faith and hope in my God who has promised me to not abandon me and to uplift me.  


Consider today's promise in F. B. Meyer's daily devotions:



June 22


ANSWERED PRAYER
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you."-- Joh_15:7.


OUR LORD expected answers to His prayers, and in all His teaching He leads us to feel that we shall be able to obtain, through prayer, what otherwise would not come to our hand. He knew all that was to be known of natural law; but notwithstanding His perfect acquaintance with the mysteries of His Father's government, He said: "If ye shall ask anything of the Father, He will give it you in My Name."
When we consider the lives of some who have wrought mightily for God, it is clear that they learned a secret which eludes many of us. This is from the biography of Dr. Burns Thomson: "When much together as students," writes his friend, "we agreed on special petitions, and the Lord encouraged us by giving us answers, so early and so definite, as could only have come from Himself, so that no room was left for the shadow of doubt that God was the Hearer and Answerer of prayer. Once the answer came the same day, and at another time whilst we were yet speaking. My friend often spoke of our agreement, to the glory of Him who fulfilled to us His promise; and I refer to it to encourage others." This is but one leaf out of the great library of prayers, intercessions, and supplications, which stand recorded before God.
Prayer which is to prevail must be: For the glory of the Father. Whatever petition we offer must be tested by this thought: will it be for the glory of God? It is for this that our Saviour lives and pleads (Joh_14:13).
It must be in Christ's Name, which stands for Nature. In other words, when we pray it must not be as our self-nature but as the Christ-nature indicates. It is not enough to mention His Name at the end of our prayer: His Spirit must pervade every petition.
We must bear fruit (Joh_15:16). Answers to prayer largely depend on our ministry to others. If we are living for the accomplishment of God's purpose and the coming of His Kingdom, we may ask whatever is necessary for the achievement of our endeavour.
We must abide in Christ; then the sap of the Holy Spirit rising from the hidden root will produce desires and petitions like those which Christ ever presents to His Father (Joh_15:7).


PRAYER
All our desire is known unto Thee, therefore perfect what Thou hast begun, and what Thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek Thy face, show us Thy glory. AMEN.

God Bless you and all of us in fulfilling His Will for our lives.  In Jesus's Holy Name, Amen.