Coming to My Senses

      Time has a way of getting away from us, especially as we age and are fascinated by the acceleration that seems to occur. It would appear that it's been months since sufficient motivation got me to write a post. It was not so much a matter of having nothing to say as it was a feeling that what I wanted to say would have no effect on any who might choose to read it. What's True?     Knowing what is true outside the realm of God (I believe Christ when He says, "I am the truth."), has never been more difficult. In our freedom of opinion based society, there seems to be a discouraging tendency to have an opinion based upon speculation or that old standby, gut feeling. Respecting one another's opinions is good with the caveat that such opinions are supported by the responsibility to base that opinion on evidence. Our Gut Is Not Our Brain     When we form an opinion based upon what another person has said, it becomes problematic if that other person was...

  There is a condition common to most folks that is well explained by Malcolm Gladwell in a recent book entitled " Talking to Strangers ". The condition is that our first reaction to what we are told, even by someone we don't know, is to believe they are telling the truth. Although we, to one degree or another, tend to be skeptical when claims get outrageous, we generally give someone the benefit of the doubt. That pretty much has to be the way we interact if we are to operate in a society where our daily interchanges, monetary and otherwise, depend on being able to trust one another. This tendency to believe what someone says, even though they may be lying, does not always affect the big picture because liars are usually called to task when their lies are exposed in adequate situations. However, in the short term, a person who has found lies to work pretty well for their intentions simply continues lying with the hopes that their audience is varied enough to give them th...

  I can't remember a time when folks that are willing to think about the future have been more anxious about where we are going, Of course, there are those that have little concern for the future and therefore  probably are not reading this (or any other attempt to see a way forward). Just in case you are not one of those people who are simply content to offer some less than helpful observation like, "We'll get through this and it will get better,", there are some conditions that exist now that are within our control that are worth considering. Jesus' words in Mark 3:25 assure us that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Unless you are living under a rock, you have to look at where our nation is now and admit this is a house divided against itself. That is a situation that flies in the face of what the republic is called; The United States of America. Look at these important words in the preamble to the constitution: "In order to form a m...

What is it that a person believes that determines the candidate for whom they vote? Hopefully the answer to that question involves how we would like to be treated and, even more so, how we would choose to treat others. The person who is elected to any office winds up representing all of the folks in their jurisdiction, those who voted for them as well as those who did not. That is the way the system works and in our national elections especially, that has meant for some time that we elect a president for whom only about half of the electors voted.  If indeed, we generally vote based on how we wish to be treated or how we would choose to treat others, the winner of the election will govern with an interest in doing whatever fulfils the greater good for all those he or she represents. The system breaks down when a person elected fails to recognize the responsibility to, as much as possible, represent those who voted for as well as those who did not vote for them. Once we have elected...

  I have only a few followers on my blog that is titled "Out of the Woodwork", However, that blog has been dedicated to stories related to my passion for woodworking, at least in an occasionally indirect manner. As such, my intent was to keep the subjects free of what might be considered political comment. To that end this new blog, "Coming to My Senses" will reluctantly, but sincerely go beyond where the previous blog went.  Any of my previous followers are probably aware of the tendency to incorporate something relative to my faith belief (Christianity) and the bearing that might have on the post. That will, hopefully, continue to be a feature in the new blog. This may seem contrary to the old saw "Don't mix politics with religion." However, I fail to see what should determine one's political opinion if it is not their faith. So, where does the new blog title come in? If you are familiar with the parable of "The Prodigal Son" (Luke 15:1...