“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” Agatha Christie
“It isn’t hypocrisy to reach for more than we can currently grasp. It isn’t hypocrisy to pursue a purer, braver, more honorable lifestyle than we now possess.” Jim McGuiggan
“I was brought up in a Christian environment where, because God had to be given pre-eminence, nothing else was allowed to be important. I have broken through to the position that because God exists, everything has significance.” Evangeline Paterson
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." Theodore Roosevelt
“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out." Unknown
“There are two types of people - those who come into a room and say ‘Well, here I am’, and those who come into a room and say, ‘Ah, there you are!’” Unknown
“Never let that which you do not understand rob you of the value of that which you do understand, for the one is founded upon your knowledge and the other upon your ignorance. Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. Never make the fatal mistake of believing your doubts and doubting your beliefs.” Unknown
“The poorest of all are those who don’t know the one to thank for the sunshine or to trust in the dark” Unknown
“To be known and still loved is perhaps the greatest thrill of the human soul.” Dave Currie
If you have a favorite quote I’d love to hear from you. Why not send it to me and we’ll post it for others to appreciate.
Steve
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tales of the Riverbank
It was really nice and sunny and quite warm on Tuesday so Florence and I took a walk down by the river. I took this picture of the ice breaking up. Like a lot of people, I’m pretty anxious for any sign of Spring. We also found some tracks that I thought might have been made by a fisher. I sent this picture to my brother Curtis and he said he thinks they are and that their population seems to be up. I was pretty sure I saw one down by the river this past fall but wasn’t close enough to make a definite identification.
You get to see a lot of wildlife when you live on a river bank. Sometimes it reminds me of that show that used to be on when I was a kid that was called ‘Tales of the River Bank’. Only in that one, the animals talked and had tea parties and stuff. Any of you remember that one? It was a CBC production (1959-1961).The main characters were rodents, Roderick the Rat and Hammy the Hamster. In supporting parts were Mrs. Duck, Mrs. Hen, Mr. Weasel, Mr. Guinea-Pig, and Mr. Squirrel.
I also had a fairly large collection of Thornton W. Burgess bedtime story books when I was a kid. I ended up giving them all away after I ‘outgrew’ them but I remember some of the characters… Peter Rabbit, Patty the Beaver, Jimmy Skunk, Sammy Jay, Uncle Billy Possum, Reddy Fox, Prickly Porky, Bobby Coon, Jerry Muskrat … and some really neat places like the Laughing Brook, Smiling Pool and Old Briar Patch. There was a human presence that occasionally made the scene as Farmer Brown would sometimes make it into the story line, but it was always only a cameo performance. After all, Farmer Brown lived way clear up beyond the fields and the story lines were always told from the perspective of the forest animals. As a child, I found that to be totally fascinating. I think it was because I was ‘Farmer Brown’ and I lived way up beyond the field. And though I loved to visit ‘the woods’ every chance I had, and very often did, it was totally cool to be able to read what went on when I wasn’t around!
O well, just a little trip down memory lane. Not sure what purpose it serves if any but it is fun to remember isn’t it! Maybe it’s like taking a mini-vacation. Come on Spring.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Emotional Intelligence
I guess people have been aware for a long time that there are different types of intelligence. Someone years ago coined the phrase ‘book smart’ to describe a person who excels in academics while, by implication, lacks a practical knowledge in everyday kind of stuff.
For my part, I have always wondered why so many really intelligent people struggle so much, both in areas of personal well being, and with a lack of healthy interactions with others.
A while back I came across an article in the May/June 08 issue of REV Magazine by Maurice Graham. In that article, he references some research done by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, who studied non-cognitive aspects of intelligence and who first coined the phrase ‘emotional intelligence’ in 1990.
Graham writes that, “Initially, they described emotional intelligence as ‘a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions’”. He says also that they later revised their definition of emotional intelligence in this way: “Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth.”
I found this all very interesting, as I suspect you do as well, because it really explains a lot when you think of it. Our emotions are indication of what is really happening in our hearts after all, and so there is a strong, albeit mysterious, connection between our thoughts and our feelings. Of course, the pressing question in one’s mind when considering this line of thought quickly becomes, can this type of understanding be gained in the same way that you would gain more cognitive intelligence?
The author suggests it is very possible, though not easy. Many of these things are learned, or not learned, at a very early age. He writes, “The (person’s) family of origin provides the incubator for the development of relational skills, which powerfully effect the (person’s) ability to engage in healthy relationships at home and in (community).”
When I read that, I was caused to think of my own parents who modeled incredible relational skills of listening and empathy and the like. I am completely certain that I owe a great debt to them for any success I have had in either my marriage, my family or my work as a pastor/leader. At the same time, my heart goes out to those who weren’t so fortunate. But, I think we need to take heart in the author’s lifeline of hope when he suggests that developing such intelligence as adults, though difficult, is possible.
What are we talking about? Daniel Goleman says that “The key components of ‘emotional intelligence’ include: personal competencies (self awareness and self-management) and social competencies (social awareness and relationship management).”
Again, very interesting stuff. But how would you learn these kinds of things? Forgive me but I have to ask: Is there a book out there that teaches us how to be self-aware, a book that helps us explore our inner selves and enables us to search our own hearts? Is there a book that teaches us personal life management? Is there a book that we can trust that teaches us how to really get along with others? I mean a practical book that we can really trust to be right on the mark and completely true?
In fact there is! Now, I’m not suggesting that a person can learn these things simply by reading or studying a book, but here is the thing - When we honestly and prayerfully allow the truths of God’s Word (that would be the Bible!) to search our hearts, and when we then prayerfully put into practice the truths therein, we are effectively training ourselves to relate to others according to God’s wisdom (‘applied or practical knowledge’) and ways. The Bible is, after all, intended by God for us to be a book on relationships, both our primary relationship with God Himself, and then along with that our relationships with one another.
It’s all about allowing God to speak truth into our personal lives; into our souls, and then applying that truth as He guides us by His Spirit to make the changes that need to be made through life experiences over and over until we know it full well, not just in theory but in practice; not just in concept but in the experience of reality.
For my part, I have always wondered why so many really intelligent people struggle so much, both in areas of personal well being, and with a lack of healthy interactions with others.
A while back I came across an article in the May/June 08 issue of REV Magazine by Maurice Graham. In that article, he references some research done by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, who studied non-cognitive aspects of intelligence and who first coined the phrase ‘emotional intelligence’ in 1990.
Graham writes that, “Initially, they described emotional intelligence as ‘a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions’”. He says also that they later revised their definition of emotional intelligence in this way: “Emotional intelligence involves the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth.”
I found this all very interesting, as I suspect you do as well, because it really explains a lot when you think of it. Our emotions are indication of what is really happening in our hearts after all, and so there is a strong, albeit mysterious, connection between our thoughts and our feelings. Of course, the pressing question in one’s mind when considering this line of thought quickly becomes, can this type of understanding be gained in the same way that you would gain more cognitive intelligence?
The author suggests it is very possible, though not easy. Many of these things are learned, or not learned, at a very early age. He writes, “The (person’s) family of origin provides the incubator for the development of relational skills, which powerfully effect the (person’s) ability to engage in healthy relationships at home and in (community).”
When I read that, I was caused to think of my own parents who modeled incredible relational skills of listening and empathy and the like. I am completely certain that I owe a great debt to them for any success I have had in either my marriage, my family or my work as a pastor/leader. At the same time, my heart goes out to those who weren’t so fortunate. But, I think we need to take heart in the author’s lifeline of hope when he suggests that developing such intelligence as adults, though difficult, is possible.
What are we talking about? Daniel Goleman says that “The key components of ‘emotional intelligence’ include: personal competencies (self awareness and self-management) and social competencies (social awareness and relationship management).”
Again, very interesting stuff. But how would you learn these kinds of things? Forgive me but I have to ask: Is there a book out there that teaches us how to be self-aware, a book that helps us explore our inner selves and enables us to search our own hearts? Is there a book that teaches us personal life management? Is there a book that we can trust that teaches us how to really get along with others? I mean a practical book that we can really trust to be right on the mark and completely true?
In fact there is! Now, I’m not suggesting that a person can learn these things simply by reading or studying a book, but here is the thing - When we honestly and prayerfully allow the truths of God’s Word (that would be the Bible!) to search our hearts, and when we then prayerfully put into practice the truths therein, we are effectively training ourselves to relate to others according to God’s wisdom (‘applied or practical knowledge’) and ways. The Bible is, after all, intended by God for us to be a book on relationships, both our primary relationship with God Himself, and then along with that our relationships with one another.
It’s all about allowing God to speak truth into our personal lives; into our souls, and then applying that truth as He guides us by His Spirit to make the changes that need to be made through life experiences over and over until we know it full well, not just in theory but in practice; not just in concept but in the experience of reality.
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