Biased Eyes...

August 16, 2017
Wednesday

Dear Readers,

It's still dark outside but I am awake, have a load of wash going, and have been outside with my precious dogren. The owls have been really hooting up a storm and ever since I heard about the Pom being picked up by a hawk, I've been especially vigilant. They know they can only go to the garden closest to the sidewalk in front of the cottage. Call me over protective but I call me being a good fur mom! Anyway, I am up and going, coffee cup filled, and ready to chat with you. GOOD MORNING!!

I was standing at the ironing board, humming the song of Hallelujah yesterday, and all of a sudden, I heard that little voice inside of me say, "The world sees everything through biased eyes." Okay... I went on ironing. The voice came back, "The world sees everything through biased eyes." I kind of chuckled and again, went on ironing. This time, the voice was LOUD, "The world sees everything through biased eyes."

Let me explain. No, I'm not crazy, hearing voices. The evening that I was baptized, I was given the gift of intercessory prayer. If anyone is an intercessory prayer warrior, you know what I mean when I say that God speaks to us about areas and people needing "on your knees" prayer. I stopped ironing and acknowledged the statement. "Yes, Lord, the world sees everything through biased eyes." I added ~ "You are telling me that we all need to see everything through YOUR eyes."

I sat down in my chair and closed my eyes to meditate and pray. If it is true that all men see things through biased eyes, then, how do we now the real truth? God tells us in 2 Timothy 3 that all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. For me, as a Christian, that means I need to be checking out what God has to say about what I am thinking, saying, and doing.

According to the dictionary the word biased means "unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something."  In other words, depending on our intellectual and emotional mind-set, we will be influenced in every area of our lives. I am very biased in many areas of my life especially when it comes to my faith and God. I am a seeker of truth and will spend hours doing research from different sources. The times I have allowed my emotions to react to something, someone, or something, I have gotten myself in a pickle.Why? Because a knee jerk reaction can be just that ... something triggered a life's experience and I re-enter the world of my past ~ that past was influencing what I was seeing and hearing.

Our mainstream media is incredibly good at feeding frenzied Americans half truths. They prey on the insecure instilling fear. Why? Because good stuff doesn't get viewers and readers interested. Just lately, there has been destructive rioting going on ~ not by people who really believe what they are protesting but by people who have been hired and coached on what to do and say. Oh dear...and, we buy into this.

"A half-truth is more dangerous than a lie."

~Thomas Aquinas

A couple years ago, I passed on a post in Facebook about some companies NOT to donate to. One of my readers became incensed that I would pass on this erroneous information. I apologized and decided to do some research. This post was regarded as truth on MANY sites. We can research and still NOT be equipped with the real truth. My suggestion when this happens is for companies to address this false information with correct stats then do a news blitz.

Gossip is delicious and makes for wonderful conversation. We trust those who are imparting information YET must remember the bias involved. There is a great book written by M Scott Peck ~ PEOPLE OF THE LIE. If you've ever had lies told about you, something, or someone else, this is a good read to help understand the why...

"Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true."

~Francis Bacon

Yesterday, the Lord's prompting was enough to move me to prayer. As a blogger, I am able to pass on information to you, my Readers. Before you pass on any information ask yourself: is it true, is it necessary, is it kind. Will your information bring unity, reconciliation, and a stronger bond of understanding? Are you judging someone else for what you do yourself? We tend to believe what we want to believe to justify our own behavior. Funny, how that works...

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for prompting me about this issue of biased eyes. I pray that we would see the world, it's events, and happenings through your eyes. It is You who are the wise one ... it is You who has the answers ... it is You who brings peace and unity to divided peoples and nations. Help us to seek to understand the "why" and see the big picture. My God, please forgive us. I stand in the gap for my country, tears rolling down my cheeks, and pain swelling in my heart. We murder the innocent, consider old people burdens, want to rid the universe of the imperfect, revise history to suit our bias, remove You from every corner of our lives, and STILL EXPECT YOU TO BLESS US. I pray that those reading my blogs would turn to You for answers. What would Jesus do??? I pray this morning for those experiencing fractured relationships. I pray for my growing number of Readers in China ~ that they would come to You. I pray for the church that it would minister to those who seek your face. I pray for those undergoing surgical procedures and for those who are healing. You, my God, are the wind beneath our wings ... our help in time of trial ... our truth. Amen!

Miss Dottie

PS Just for today, take a "look-see" at your own biases. Do not judge yourself or others ~ merely look into your mind, soul, and spirit.

"Search me,God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

~Psalm 139:23-24

Someone else's notes...

Friday

August 11, 2017

Dear Readers,

It's one of those TGIF kind of days. My garden chores are done and it's time to take a breather before I get myself cleaned up and set to meet my buddy to tour the Methodist Children's Home in Waco. I've heard so much about this campus and am excited to see it first hand.

Even prayers could not lull my tired body to sleep last night. My mind was running at warp speed never staying on one thing long enough for me to acknowledge it's presence. Maybe it was the meeting I attended last night ... so much information (all good).

My sponsor in Alanon has nudged me suggesting that I begin work on Step 6 and 7. I have scratched the surface, making mental notes but it's time to get down to serious business. I had been brutally hard on myself as I completed my 4th and 5th Steps and had given myself permission to allow the dust to settle before tackling another mountain.

Step 6: "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."  Step 7: "Humbly asked Him to remove our short-comings." No brainer there ~ YES to both! This morning, I fished out a book written specifically on the 12 Steps & Traditions. My sponsor must have given it to me but I didn't remember it specifically. It was a very old book, held together by tape and filled with notes written in the margin. As I opened it to Step 6, I noticed that there was a letter inside written by whomever had the book before me. Someone walked the path I am on and left a message of hope in the journey. What a gift!

The notes and letter reminded me of a Bible verse in Romans: "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

If ALL men fall short then that means I am not alone in my struggles for perfection and enabling others to the detriment of my own well-being. Hmmm... It is here, at this moment in time, that I will begin to unravel the parts of me that need tweaking. 

My faith anchors me each day; and, I know, that as I walk, there will be those who come alongside me. The building of good character takes a lifetime of commitment. No matter how much I improve, desires will always be found which oppose the grace of God.

One of my most favorite classes in college was Philosophy. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Was that the beginning of my quest to wholeness? It's so easy to focus on dissecting other people's lives and list their faults ~ much more difficult to focus on self. I was thinking this morning ... defects can be good qualities taken to extremes. I can handle that and it is there I will begin  the journey before me.

My prayer today is for those who have fractured lives and strained relationships. It is so blasted tough to "let go and let God" do his magic  But, we say, "what if God doesn't fix our lives and relationships aren't mended?" Well, then, let's pray for the strength and courage to do what we can and move on. Acceptance is tough at best! I am so very grateful to be able to be a part of a group of people who share their hope, strength, and experience. I dared to step out and, you, my Readers, can too. My God is a good God. He leads, directs, corrects, and stretches me beyond my wildest imagination. All I have to do is show up and report to duty each day.

Miss Dottie

PS "Reflect upon the defects of your character: thoroughly realize their evils and the transient pleasures they give you, and firmly will that you shall try your best not to yield to them the next time." ~ Helena Blavatsky

Hello darkness, my old friend...

Sunday
August 6, 2017

Dear Readers,

I had a VERY EARLY wake up call this morning. I tried going back to sleep but, true to form (after 6 hours rest), that's not my nature. Once my peepers open, I am up. Rather than lay in the silence, I decided to get up, do some Bible reading, pray, enjoy some coffee, and check out my memories page on Facebook. Now, I am chatting with you.

One of my memories was the posting of Disturbed - The Sound of Silence. I closed my eyes and really listened to the words:

"Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again ... And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people maybe more. People talking without speaking. People hearing without listening..."

How appropriate for today. We speak empty words and hear without understanding. The humanness of our sin nature takes precedence over listening to God and his ways. We think we're so smart, yet we're not.

I write some mini blogs on Facebook and one topic that touched my heart was the one on "See Me." Until we really get out of our comfort zones and get in the trenches we really don't know what is going on in the remote areas of our cities and countryside. We don't now what is going on inside the homes with the white picket fences or in the lives of those around us. We choose not to look because if we looked we just might be moved to do something that we don't really want to do. I am not scolding, we're ALL guilty of picking and choosing where we feast our eyes.

When Jesus walked the earth he chose to reveal himself to the common man. The rulers and rich had no need for a Savior and they crucified a perfect human being just because he spoke truth and walked in light. Isn't that the way today? If someone walks with the Lord and speaks truth ~ especially if they aren't politically correct or in tune with mainstream media ~ we must find something to crucify them.

Some say the Bible is outdated and really doesn't apply to today. Ever read it? Holy cow! Mankind is still the same then and now AND God is still the same then and now. The Ten Commandments are still relevant and walking with the Lord does require an examination of the heart. The mind of Christ is NOT the mind of man.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight..." ~Proverbs 3:5-6

Because of the faith I was raised in I could not comprehend this "born again" concept. I believed, I was saved ... end of story. One evening (when I was living in Minnesota), I answered a knock on the door. It was a couple from the local Baptist Church making house calls. They seemed pleasant enough but when they asked me if I had been born again, I got very perturbed and shut the door on them. How dare they question my faith?  They did dare; and, today, I am glad they did because their visit set the stage for where I am today.

My message to those who dare to evangelize: don't be discouraged when doors are slammed in your face and people appear to not listen. All God asks of us is that we plant seeds and hold out our arms to fellow travelers. Often times, we don't have the big picture and those seeds may not germinate and bloom until years later.

Father God in Heaven, I pray for those reading this blog. Fill their hearts with hope and strength as they live and minister to others. I lift up those dealing with chronic illnesses, recovery from surgery, and those experiencing the pain of fractured relationships. I pray for your people to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a voice that can permeate the darkness. I know you don't ask us to give what we don't have but from the blessings You have so richly provided ... finances, time, talents, extra worldly goods. Help us recognize our God-given talents. If we can sing, let us sing. If we can dance, let us dance. If we can influence, let us teach. As this day unfolds, equip and guide us ... all in YOUR name! Amen

Miss Dottie

PS "We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature ~ trees, flowers grass grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." ~Mother Teresa