Selfishness. Self centered. Never want to actually help. Too much of a hassle.
I will not continue to beg. It is toxic. God forbid that you should be inconvenienced to help someone else. Or that you might actually have to spend money or time solely for another's benefit. I see you.

I won't tell you what to do. I won't address "it" directly. I will simply set a different example through my actions and choices. Some will be to minimize my exposure.

Every day is an opportunity. Words and deeds both matter. Some good some bad. Honesty is best policy but sometimes it is best to just shut up. 

The choice to look down on others is a public health crisis. It is far more deadly than most would even consider as it robs us of the ability to respect and serve. As we destroy social links, relationships fail, dependency soars, and the elect elite emerge as morality police enforcing their world view on those without power.

Opportunity and elevation arise from a helping hand and sometimes a shove at just the right time. In individual achievement and liberty the spark of inspiration is fanned into a flame. Virtue and respect flow from results not signals. It is a choice and a profound signal to include but the virtue lies in the acceptance and love not the signaling and public affirmation.

The public choice to demean and demagogue, with its associated escalating division, destroys by planting and then nourishing insidious pride above all.

Healing a relationship and asking another to heel are not the same thing. Ask yourself which one you seek when you have power. Consider what outcome your choices require when you do not have power.

Should Trump concede the election?
no.
Did he win the election? I doubt it but I can’t tell. Personally, think that the irregularities are the result of incompetence rather than malevolent intent and a global conspiracy.

He has every right to complete his legal challenges, and present evidence for rulings in the courts given the questions and environment.

i am mostly concerned with the emotions and the potential for explosive and violent division in the near future. I’d like to hear a speech where he explains his decisions to proceed without all of the Trumpian hyperbole and vitriol. Continuing to escalate and use semantic bullying with limited communications discipline is what is ripping up both sides. All sides. Everyone really. These constant fear bells are destabilizing our sanity individually and collectively. The buck stops with Trump on this one. It IS his fault but it is not only his fault.

we are all so freaking tired. I want it to be OVER but it must be a fair and trusted result.

Ask yourself what would be happening if the Biden Harris campaign felt that the election had been “stolen” and their court cases were pending. We all know the answer. Violence. Burning. Destruction. I am confident of this.

We lose nothing by letting the legal challenges play out over the next few weeks. In the end, there can be only one. Question is when. I hope it is soon and very soon.

To voluntarily show respect for another person is a powerful testimony. It is essential to civility and community.

To force respect may be an oxymoron. Compliance can be forced. Respect is earned. Choosing to show disrespect erodes all respect sadly.

When a parent, mentor, teacher or elder sacrifices the wellbeing of their child, family, and student for their own well-being a tragic betrayal occurs. It is a blasphemy to the natural and ordained order. The wound created is deep and persistent.

When society exercises this same power collectively terrible things transpire. Terrible terrible things.
​
#musing on the importance of family and responsibility and sacrifice for the future. Leaders lead by example at home first and foremost.

2020 is the year where each of us plays a massive game of 52 card pickup with all of the things and people we take for granted. Some cards are lost, some are bent and broken and some of them are burned up in the fires of cancel/condemnation. Jokers wild doesn’t help much.

How can we as business and community leaders change things in our capitalist system to be more equitable across demographic segments including race, nationality, education, and geography?

Access to capital and customers is the life blood of trade and progress. As trade increases, context is provided for relationships, and community is a natural outcome. Trade is the natural opposition to violence and conflict.

Local businesses, owned by local people, buying and selling to local diversity is key. If you want to make a change, provide capital and customers to minority owned and operated businesses. We must STOP waiting for the government to use force to impose equality. Force requires using division to enforce a bureaucratic equity that is too rigid to evolve and succeed. It always fails. People working with people is how things get done and how change occurs.

LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL x1000. Capital $ and Customers ;-) ​

It is easy to find people and things to hate. It is even easier when our world view is based on victimization and comparison. This hatred often flows into violence and oppression.
Newsflash: the solution is NEVER more hate. Violence is a symptom of the hatred not a solution.

Loving and serving in a world based on individual accountability, honor, and respect is not a utopian dream. It is achievable here and now. Every day is an opportunity. Every person is a specific, beloved, first born child of Christ. When we start acting like it, things change.

Big things are managed by little things. Big problems are solved by many little solutions. There is no easy button and there is no magic bullet. Do the work. Make good decisions. Good BIG things will happen. Keep your eyes on the right prize. This is a big thing.

Luke 16:8-18 MSG
[8-9] … God Sees Behind Appearances [10-13] Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things; If you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things. If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the first and love the second Or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank. [14-18] When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance. …

You choose whether you focus on what you can do... or what you can't do. Words have power. Are you so tired, so sore, or so sleepy... or are you focused on how you can be less tired, less sore... less sleepy. Be better. Don't seek affirmation for failing in others. Be inspired by achievements of others. Be more than you are. Choose what you tell yourself and others.

Breaking news! It really is September First. The world continues to turn. God is in control, and we are all going to be okay. 

​Also.. don't be fooled by the media and politicians.. every election is important.. every single one. Principles and Platforms are the game.. not the individuals. Experience teaches us this. The seasons continue, and we the people are just that.. people. GOD HAS GOT THIS! 

Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Weakness incites violence. Strength does not. Violence takes many forms. Physical, economic, semantics.

Politics and our system of government provides a peaceful way to manage the people and the diverse ideas while respecting their strength.

The idea that we would no longer have blue states and red states was idyllic and perhaps even utopian, but clearly unrealistic anytime soon if ever.

Unity does not require uniformity when strength and honor reign.

Assuming that a friend or family member has heard or knows something is the beginning of a disconnected relationship. At scale and duration, it becomes toxic and destroys that relationship. I was taught the implications of assuming early on and I never imagined that such a simple concept could become so pervasive and destructive thanks to social media. ASS.U.ME is a dangerous word and it spreads like a virus in our 2020 culture of selfaggrandizing self interested obsession. ​

If you ask a man what he thinks, you should be prepared to hear what he thinks, not what you think.
Equally, Writing publicly (I.e. posting on FB) invites comments and engagement. To the brave souls that actually post what they think, Bravi tutti.
Foolishness is fueled by disconnecting. In 2020, arguably the most connected and diverse generation in history is unable to talk and share because too many seek uniformity over unity of purpose.
​

At sporting events. Passions and tempers flare, and the people get excited. It is expected. Political conventions and rallies are the same. These days the energy and excitement is expressed on social media. If we grant sincerity and look through the energy to the substance, policy, and record we are afforded a better view of reality. That said, conventions and energy are fun. It is awesome to stand up and be proud of a position, an idea, a team, and even a protest. The rub, is that it all needs to remain peaceful. When the games becomes too violent in words or actions then everyone loses.

Quote of the day. “People in the bubble have no concept of what it is like to be poor.”
They literally can not conceive of the severity of the problems for internet usage and virtual schooling and the fear associated with feeding a family in the middle of this economic catastrophe. Poor people are not dumb. They have often made bad decisions and are in a bad spot. They are not dumb and they are not lazy. They do need some help, but not at the cost of their dignity.

National political strife and division in face of a historic election decision , violence and protest.
Disease, sickness, death.
Isolation, mental illness, bullying, tyranny
Entertainment, education, and evolving expectations of everyone.
Too many spending too much time focused on not dying above all else.

we must choose to live and be alive in Gods world.
The sun rises. Today is an opportunity to serve. What we see and how we see matters. Don’t worry, be happy is more than a platitude. It is a critical principle to living. Faith. Hope and love remain. That is a trinity of advice we must see and say every day.

Breaking News!! Very little in the real “local” world is actually about President Trump.

He doesn’t represent conservative right Christian principles any more than Biden represents the progressive left. Ultimately we vote on ideas, not people. This is why identity politics and the emerging cancel culture born of a victimization systemic oppression mindset is useless.

We cannot live on past success and failure any longer. We can live and love into a future based in service ams choice in place of control and dependency. In community and society based on liberty, we can choose to help.

I do think that President Trump is the best choice available for now but I dream of a brighter future.

​Raising a child to be happy and productive and to not take for granted all of the advantages provided them.  How? My children benefit from my decisions and support but they make their own. If they become entitled and poorly educated with little understanding of where they come from then the fault lies with me as the elder and senior. 

Blame and shame is pathetic and useless. The young and uninformed do not know. The obligation to model, share, and teach values and principles while upholding standards AND maintaining relationships is on the elder/parent/mentor.  The apprentice journeyman must understand and embrace their role under the authority and experience of the elder but they must be left free to question and innovate. This balance is the essential spark of success.  

When we choose to blame and shame, or claim credit and crow as we inevitably do we must remember the balance and dependency.

Failure brings a fault line just as success does. We must release the pressure a little at a time and manage the explosion of energy to capture and evolve. 

The loss of choral singing is crippling our families, churches, schools, and society in general. #ChoirIsLife - Singing soothes the savage beast of our souls.