Reflections of a Freaking Genius

  As they say, "please pardon my French".  But darn (better?), enough is enough! Among followers of Jesus, disagreements are going to happen and arguments are going to occur.  But the hateful, vicious, malicious, cruel, hostile, snotty, snide, and caustic monologue and dialogue has to stop. To those who aren't  currently Jesus followers, I want to say the rhetoric seen on social media, at the restaurants, bars and other public spaces, in family gatherings, or in the neighborhood, by Jesus followers is not a true reflection what the Kingdom of God is all about.  We've never gotten it (life as Jesus followers) perfect, nor will we.  The fighting, bickering, arguing, name calling, pot stirring, nastiness, and the like that you see and hear are not what reflects the image of God at all.  Those things are not what the Kingdom of God is all about at all.  Just like you in your own marriages, friendships, and other relationships, sometime...

  At the beginning of a new year not that long ago, our boss, the now Governor of the state of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, challenged the employees of the company to do something he had been doing as the calendar pages rolled over to January once more.  For a few years he would think and pray about a word that would challenge him for the year in lieu of a laundry list of mostly doomed-to-fail new years resolutions.  Maybe it was 'peace',  with the challenge to do things to create and maintain more peace.  "Balance" could be the word which would help those who tend toward extremes of workaholism or lack of motivation.  Other words may include: gratitude, generosity, love, grace, or humility.   I've never been much of a new years resolution kind of guy.  Maybe it's my propensity to avoid failure.  Perhaps it's laziness.  Lack of commitment? Then again it could be I'd like to keep things as simple and uncomplicated (both good new year words...