Radical individualism, competition the supreme value in life, greed rewarded.
Posted by Garry Trammell in Uncategorized on May 28, 2012
It is idolatry when much of the world is constructed on the basis of economic and political systems that foster radical individualism, that make competition the supreme value in life, that reward greed,
that enslave families to endless work without meaningful rest or spiritual growth,
that camouflage such slavery by an endless round of entertainment diverting attention from the deadening boredom of a life dedicated exclusively to acquisition of meaningless things,
and that, through its control of the media, progressively convinces all the enslaved that this pattern is “natural” and “good” and “free”.
Luke Timothy Johnson. From his book “The Creed: What Christians believe and why it matters”.
Think again
Posted by Garry Trammell in Leadership, Life on May 22, 2012
This 55 year old runner is looking pretty happy because he just posted his best time for one of his longest runs to date. A 10 miler last fall was run at a 10:15 min/mile pace versus this morning’s 9 mile run at a 8:57 min/mile pace. And all that compared to my very first 5K race at a 8:47 min/mile pace last August.
So what’s the big deal?
It’s this. Don’t sell yourself short, or God either. A year ago today I hadn’t even thought of running. Period.
I didn’t start running until the end of June 2011. I just kept stretching out the goals little by little, looking for incremental progress.
Am I where I want to be? Not yet, because I keep raising the bar. God has created our bodies to be remarkably resilient.
What would you like to do for physical fitness, intelligence strengthening, or spiritual development? Think you’re too old, too out of shape, too “whatever”?
Think again.
If I can lose 40 pounds over 8 months, and run 7-9 miles at a time with no problem in less than 10 months of training…
You can stretch and grow too.
Try it. Take small steps. Be consistent. Pick yourself up when you fail. Ask God for his strength and for wisdom in making your choices.
I bet the outcome will surprise you.
Don’t give up. Keep pressing forward. Trust God. Then do it all over again tomorrow.
And the next day…and the next. I bet you can do it.
Like this:
Making Assumptions
Posted by Garry Trammell in Uncategorized on May 22, 2012
Making assumptions about others, and their motives, is a surefire way to damage or destroy relationships, and disrupt families or teams.
Let’s make clear, open, and honest communication, seasoned with much grace, a lifetime priority.
Simplify and Clarify…again
Posted by Garry Trammell in Christianity, Life on May 19, 2012
The recent, sudden, and unexpected deaths of two friends within the past two weeks have once again sharpened my focus on the 2012 theme of Clarify and Simplify. Clarifying what life is really about, and simplifying my life so I can be completely aligned with it’s real purpose.
God created us to be friends with him, to love him and to bask in His Love. We became selfish instead, and wanted all the good things He made for us to serve our own ends, instead of His. Despite our selfishness, He became like one of us through His Son Jesus Christ, and not only showed us the way to live, but bridged the chasm that was created when we rebelled against Him. He suffered and died by taking the sins of the whole world upon Himself, to pay the just penalty of our disobedience.
He came to life again and showed once and for all, that Death was defeated, through Him.
So, what is life all about? Loving God with all my strength, thoughts, words, and actions, first and foremost. Then loving my neighbors, including those that are not so lovable, and those who are diseased, poor, imprisoned, starving and dying. The widow, the orphan, even people who belong to another political party, or who have different skin color and customs that I have.
Louise and Dave, thank you for your lives and the memories I’ll always have of each of you.
God, thank you for the reminder that life is short, and life lived to the fullest really is a life of loving you and loving others. Of being God-centered and others-centered, not being self-centered.
May I deliberately strip away the things in life that I have complicated it with, and simplify to the point that loving God and loving others is as natural as breathing.
Like this:
A Spring Robin, and the Apostle’s Creed
Posted by Garry Trammell in Christianity, Life on May 8, 2012
I had an interesting experience last week. Sometimes, when the weather is beautiful, and the neighborhood is quiet, I go to our back yard to finish my morning prayers. There’s a lot of privacy and I can be as demonstrative as I want when I’m praying. Quite often I pray the Apostle’s Creed at the end of my prayer time, and that’s what happened this particular day.
As I started praying “ I believe in God, the Father Almighty…” a big Robin flew out from a tree and landed on our back fence. He looked right at me and stayed there, motionless, looking at me, as I prayed the entire Creed. At the end, as I prayed “…the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, Amen” his beak opened simultaneously with my “Amen” and we both stood there looking at each other.
If I didn’t know better, I would swear he understood every word of the Creed and said “Amen” with me at the end.
As I turned and walked away, he continued to look at me without moving a feather. When I was finally at the edge of the yard, ready to head back into the house, I turned, looked again, and he was still there. I said “thank you” and he flew back into the tree as I continued into our house.
What a gift.
Like this:
Deliberate steps
Posted by Garry Trammell in Leadership, Life on May 2, 2012
Mother Teresa said “I can do no great thing, just small things with great love”.
Elite runner Ryan Hall said in his book Running with Joy “As in marathon training, the goal may seem distant and unreachable, but we can get there by focusing on the step right in front of us, taking each step one at a time with as much of our heart, mind, and spirit as we can muster.”
I know from personal experience that one deliberate one step in the right direction, followed by another…and then another…and then another, can produce previously unthinkable results.
What’s your first step going to be?
Choices, light, peace.
Posted by Garry Trammell in Christianity, Life on April 29, 2012
For some today, there are choices to be made.
Through the fog, the haze, the darkness
See the clear light of Christ shining, welcoming, beckoning
and illuminating the path.
Wisdom, grace, and truth are there.
Choices made in the light of love for Christ and love for others, decisions that are for the long term benefit of those we love, choices that lift up the poor, feed the hungry, bring hope to the despairing, and bring healing to the diseased
Showing the unwanted that yes
They are wanted
These choices contribute peace, calmness, and quietness to the soul.
In the noise and chaos of the world around us, especially in our Western culture’s seeming mad dash towards the cliff, may we rest content that the choices we make today, choices that reflect love for God and love for others, choices that are not determined by our short term immediate gratification, but instead by a thoughtful loving response to a loving gracious God,
Bring peace.
Like this:
What we were called to do
Posted by Garry Trammell in Life on April 28, 2012
When we become preoccupied with the seeming injustices done to ourselves, we forget that there are literally millions who would trade places with us in an instant.
Regardless of our current situation, even if it may appear hopeless, may we take the time today to encourage someone else, or write that check to the needy, serve in the soup kitchen, lift up the one who’s been broken, or whatever else comes along our way, where we can be of help to someone else.
For that is what we were called to do…with courage, and love.
Eternity beckons.
New beginnings
Posted by Garry Trammell in Leadership, Life on April 8, 2012
You’re never too old, or too out of shape, physically, mentally, or spiritually to have new beginnings. I just came in from a 20 mile bike ride and rode one of my fastest paces ever, and that follows a 7 mile run I did yesterday.
What’s so special about that? Because a year ago, running and riding had never even entered my mind. It had been 20 years since I had run, and 30 years since I had ridden. I had the classic middle-aged office body (NOT pretty) but was trying to get some weight off.
Now, I’m 40 pounds lighter, run 3-4 times a week, and ride 2-3 times a week, weather permitting. I feel better than ever.
God has placed in each one of us, more potential than we can dream of. What has he gifted you to do? Do you even know? Would it be an act of gratitude to Him to find out?
Like this:
Lent-Humility
Posted by Garry Trammell in Christianity on February 21, 2012
From “Simplifying The Soul, Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit”, by Paula Huston
“The beauty of the Lenten season is that it encourages the development of a humble heart. In Lent, we are invited to look deeply inside, identifying what is impeding our ability to follow Christ along the path of humility, and begin applying antidotes. Early church tradition is rich in the wisdom of soul simplification and offers a multitude of spiritual disciplines to counteract the temptations that muddle our lives. The season of Lent gives us the opportunity to devote significant time to this endeavor.”
“For centuries, humility was seen as a key component of a healthy spiritual life. In more recent times, humility has lost a good deal of status. Instead, we prefer to focus on the development of self-esteem, on achievement, and on self-fulfillment; our temptation is to dismiss humility as a relic of the unsophisticated past, a time when people supposedly knew next to nothing about psychology or good mental health.”
The above is from the introduction of Ms. Huston’s book. I’m looking forward to begin the actual lessons for each day, beginning Ash Wednesday.
Here’s a brief description from Amazon:
Award-winning author and Benedictine oblate Paula Huston invites readers to de-clutter their minds, hearts, relationships, and souls in a book of daily Lenten practices woven from the gospels, the Desert Fathers, and the author’s own wealth of spiritual experience.
“What are you giving up for Lent this year?” It’s the expected question amongst Christian friends each spring. In Simplifying the Soul, Paula Huston asks her readers a deeper, alternative sort of question: “How will you rid your life of excess this Lent?” Huston encourages readers to see Lent as a time to seek out silence and free themselves of “stuff”; to de-clutter minds, hearts, and lives; and to acknowledge the connections between what they pray about and what they do.
With honesty, vulnerability, and grace, Huston challenges readers to move outward and act, showing them how everyday actions like cleaning out a junk drawer, giving away something no longer used, or spending fifteen minutes in silence can be surprisingly powerful ways of experiencing a more meaningful Lent and a simpler life. Whether cutting up a credit card, visiting someone at the hospital, or forgiving someone with whom they are angry, readers experience, under Huston’s gentle and expert care, how such practices lead to a more authentic Christian faith.
