Fear

Fire in the Sierras

 Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."NIV

 

  What are you afraid of in life?   

  During this current environment there are a lot of people living in fear.  Living in fear is a choice, it is not a predetermined emotion forced on us.  I know a lot about living in fear and decided to no longer live with the constant worry.  

  Being born out of wedlock, I dealt with the fear of abandonment.  Blinded in my right eye when I was five, I lived with the fear of losing my other eye.  Living in a household where fighting was a constant presence was a disturbing childhood.  The fear of being poor and hungry was a perpetual issue.  

  You may ask, how did you get passed all of that.  A lot of prayer, therapy and journaling.  You also have to practice.  This means you are going to get up in the morning and consciously say, "I am not going to be afraid of this issue today."  A pastor once told me that fear is the lack of faith, but doubt is a pathway to faith.  Doubt and question God's motives, but you can choose not to live in fear.  It is refreshing to get away from it.  I can truly attest to the freeing effect of not living in fear.

  If the worst thing we can be afraid of is dying, then as Christians we should not be afraid, but embrace that we will be in heaven with Christ and the loved ones that have gone on before us.  What is there to fear in that?  

  

  Write down what you are afraid of and give it up to the Lord for the day.  Then, practice not being afraid of it for a day.

 

A New Beginning

        

Sunrise in Mexico

    

2 Corinthians 4:16

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."NIV

    This is a new beginning in that I have not written in a long time.  I can't believe my last post was in 2014.  At that time, I allowed some criticism to silence my thoughts.  So, after a long break I am going to complete this project that I believe is inspired by God.  During my daily quiet time and meditation, this mission keeps coming back to me again and again.  When I started out, my goal was to create a daily devotional dealing with everyday things that we struggle with as Christians, and encourage you to write in a journal your own thoughts.  That is still the same idea, but after reading some of my long winded diatribes, I have decided to adjust my attempt.  So, from now I on I am going to keep my thoughts to about 200 words.  So, you are going to need the following:

1.  A Bible

2.  A Journal of some kind

3.  A writing implement

    This is how it will work.  I am going to start with a scripture that encompasses my thoughts for the day.  When you look up the scripture, read the entire passage associated with the verse.  Sometimes the whole context is better than just a verse.

After reading the scripture, read my thoughts for the day and see if there is something in your life that you have dealt with in a similar matter.

Finally, write down a response to the message for the day and any prayers.

    I promise that you will begin to enjoy the deeper relationship with Christ that I have experienced.  The really cool thing is to go back in about six months and read your prayer requests.  You will be surprised to find how many of them have been answered.

Blessings to All

 

Dancing in the Eye of the Hurricane!!!!!

LUKE 8:24   The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.

Friends,

    I apologize for not getting the blog out earlier in the week, but this week was very challenging and I had many battles to fight.  Now, I know that it would probably be appropriate to explain what they were and how I handled them, but I am not going to address them.  I am going to take a different tact instead.
   The first thing I want to do is to thank my guest editor from the last blog.  My friend Amy is an amazing English teacher.  She helped me to elevate my writing to a higher level last week.  She writes extremely well and paints pictures with words that I can only hope to aspire to some day.  Our styles are different, but she helped me to recognize areas that helped me to paint my own word pictures better.  I only hope that I didn't give you nightmares about Zombies in the last blog.
   So, about this last week.  We have had quite a bit of turmoil at our school and in the community.  There is a situation that is beyond the comprehension of many of us that are people of faith.  I have seen good men, brought to tears because of the dishevel.  It is hard to understand people that say one thing, but do another.   As I stood in the eye of the hurricane and watched the turmoil swirl around me, I will confess I got a little too close to the edge of the storm and almost got sucked into it.  Fortunately, with the help of God I began to formulate a plan to stay away from the edge and weather the storm until it dissipates.
    People and kids are looking for a way into the eye of the storm.  So follow me and I will share with you the plan that God has brought to my mind.  Rather than focus on the one bad thing that is going on, I am going to give you a list of the fantastic events that are happening.  To get rid of darkness we must shine a bright light to wipe it away.

LPGA here we come!!!!

• It doesn't get any better than watching my daughter play in her first real competitive golf tournament on a gorgeous spring day.  -  All of you must be doing something to enjoy this awesome spring.
• I can share with you that we just received a $10,000 grant from MIT to develop a water filtration system and bring water purification systems to Yosemite High School.  -  What cool surprise have you experienced lately?
• I am being flown to Boston this summer to pick up the check, with the possibility of getting $20,000 more. - What trips are you looking forward to this summer?
• The first water purification system will be installed at Yosemite this week. - Come by and taste the pure water.
•  Our High School Decathlon and Science Fair teams are competing at the state level.  One of our students even took first place in the Science Fair. - Great work teachers and students.
• Our fledgling FBLA team competed in their first competition and every team placed.  The team made up of freshmen and a sophomore took first place in the Entrepreneur competition.  I will be heading to the state competition with them in April. -  I couldn't be more proud.  
• The EAST (Environmental And Spacial Technology) class was one of 2000 schools in the United States chosen to design the new Vans tennis shoe.  We have a wonderful young lady doing the artwork.  When she is done I will share with you.  I have seen the rough drafts and they are AWESOME!!!!!
• YOSEMITE!!!!!!!!  If you want to get close to God, then go on a warm Sunday afternoon, lay in a meadow facing the sky, close your eyes and let His love pour into your soul.  The Native Americans that lived there were right, when they called it a sacred place.

   If you haven't figured out the plan, I will spell it out for you.  I am going to focus all of my energy on shining the light of good and positive as I lead as many of you that want to follow into the eye of the storm where it is safe.  Once there, we can live in peace and eventually the storm will go away.
  I challenge you to be like Peter and trust the Lord to grab our hands and take us to safety.  Remember, he is our light that leads us out of the darkness.  I thank him for allowing me to be one of the lights that he puts in his hand to help light the way.  One friend mentioned to me that we have already won the war.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded.
   I am going to end the blog this week with a song that has always helped me to get through dark times.  I am also going to put it to a slideshow that will remind us of one of the many reasons we came to live in Oakhurst.

 

The Inmates Have Taken Over the Asylum!!!!

Insanity at it's finest

Exodus 21:28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible.

Friends,

    This week the blog takes on two forms, and they depend on how you look at certain situations in life.  It can either be considered a rant, or something that really makes you think about what is going on around you.
    Two questions came to my mind this week: "When did our standards of society become so low?  When will people quit using the excuses of what happen to them in their childhood to effect what they do as adults?
   The first question arose from the following dialog I had with some kids I was having coffee with at Starbucks.  It went something like this.  "Hey Mr. O, I am really excited."  I answered, "Oh yeah, why are so excited?"  The kid answers, "I am excited, because I am turning 18 next week."  I said, "That is cool, are you going to have a big party?" He replies, "No, not really just a few friends and I are getting together to have pizza."  I then asked, "Are you looking forward to voting or moving out on your own eventually?" Kid, "No, I am excited because I can go apply for food stamps."  I had no answer for this.  I just sat there stunned, and there was a long awkward pause.  I then asked them. "Why do you feel like you need to get food stamps?"  The kids answer was, "It is easier in case I move out and I don't have to ask my parents for money to buy food."  I finally said, "Are you going to get rid of your iPhone 5 and get a cheaper phone?"  Would you be surprised if I told you that he said no.  I will let you contemplate how you feel about this on your own.
   

The next topic that came up this week, was that a friend of mine is making some changes in his life based on what happened to him as a child.  How often have we heard this in society?
    So, I got to thinking about it and have decided that if people are going to make excuses for things
in their lives, I am too.  So from this day forward I want money from the federal government for being disabled.  It is their fault that they allowed the dart board manufacturer to produce a dart board that would send a dart backwards into a five year olds eye when thrown.  I also want to be able to go into a bank that was baled out by the government and get money anytime I want, because when I was ten and dumpster diving for moldy pizza, it scarred me.  I feel that it is their responsibility to make me a millionaire.
    I know that the above sounds silly, but I believe these two situations described above are from the nature of our society.  We have become a society of people that are not willing to work hard to become mentally, spiritually or physically healthy.  I don't expect perfection, but Christ does.  We have all made mistakes, but it is what we learn from those mistakes that brings us closer to God.
    Some mistakes are bigger than others, but we still need to learn from them.  After getting hit in the eye with the dart and blinded, I didn't go near a dart board for years.  When my first marriage failed, I went to counseling to make sure that I didn't make the same mistake again.  Growing up poor, I learned that I didn't like it and have worked hard to prevent the same situation from happening to my children.
   

Swan Dive

   For many of these situations I could easily blame my parents.  They could have watched out for me better when I got hit in the eye with the dart, but it was an unfortunate ACCIDENT!!!!!!!  I can look back and see how that incident has shaped me as a person.  I could blame them for being poor and having me out of wedlock, but they were trying to survive and do the best they could.  I even remember the short time that we were on welfare and getting government peanut butter, cheese and powdered milk.  I will never forget how ashamed my mom felt.  Later, my dad and mom worked hard enough to give us a good life and give me the opportunity to go to college.  Finally, I could blame them for some of the things that caused me to get married too soon and to a woman that had some very bad issues herself.  But, the fact is, I am the one that needed to change on the inside and that could not come unless I asked Christ to help me to help myself through therapy.

Yummy!!!

I know that I have ranted a bit and am all over the place this week, but life is hard.  Life isn't always fair.  Bad things do happen to good people.  But can we please quit making excuses for things and get down on our knees and pray.  Benjamin Franklin once said, "God helps those that help themselves." So, as Christians it is our responibility to give our troubles up to God and then make ourselves healthy as well.
  If we don't, the insane are going to take over.  I know this because I recently saw a documentary about this that was very informative.  It was called Zombieland and it scared the heck out of me.

Stupid is as Stupid..........?????????

I wonder if this was like Christ's Temple Square???

Matthew 7:6  “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Friends,

   What a week.  It was so busy that when Friday came I didn't even realize it.  I had a couple of projects that were handed to me at the beginning of the week and was then told that the deadline was Friday.  I can proudly say that I made the deadlines, but there were challenges with a couple of students that tried to derail me.
    My students always bring up interesting scenarios.  Students have a difficult time dealing with the things we have all dealt with in high school.  The decision to use or not use drugs is something they have to deal with.  Trying to be popular and stand out puts pressure on some as well.  I constantly deal with the kids that have lost confidence in their abilities to complete the work given to them.  Some strike out by not really using their heads, and others just give up.
    I do love my job and it is definitely never boring, well maybe during standardized testing it is, but not very often.  I do feel like Mr. Hand from Fast Times At Ridgemont High sometimes.  I tell my kids all the time that I won't put up with rudeness and defiance, but if they ever need me I will be here.  One kid even asked me this week, after one of these incidents, "How do you handle this?"  My answer is, "My job is to help you along the way and to be a positive influence." 

This could be Ridgemont High, Not!!!!

   As always, this type of stuff got me to thinking about my blog.  Sometimes I get frustrated with not being able to influence my kids.  I will never understand why kids or people want to fail.  I bet Christ asks the same questions as well.  But, we live as humans with free will and some people choose to do it the hard way.  It is their right and as much as I want to help, we can't do a darn thing until God touches their hearts, they hit bottom, or they mature to a place where they say enough is enough.
   Jesus tells us not to cast our pearls to swine, but if we are to help people like Christ did, then we need to practice patients.  If my words are not going to work, then maybe living my life as an example will.  It is difficult sometimes and I am definitely not a saint.  I can act like Christ in the temple and start tossing kids out of class, when I reach my limit but it doesn't happen very often, thank God.
   So remember, if we can't change things with our words we can do it with actions.

Pray like your using a Magnifying Glass.

Matthew 10:1

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

My Friends,

    I apologize for the delay of the blog over the last week, but I was in San Diego building a fence for my Mother and Father.  The fence was to give their dog a place to play and help with his wanderlust.  I had a great time working with my brother Mark, Cecelia and my parents.  It took about four days to complete and then I spent the other two days going on dates with my daughters.
   On my date with Taylor, she taught me a lot about up cycling.  We spent awhile shopping in thrift stores for dresses that she could redesign.  Once redesigned she will then sell them on her new website.  You will get an email about it, when it is complete.  It will be called TayOety's Designs.  I then took her to lunch and yogurt.  One special detour we took was to our friend Kent Bry's Adventure Ski School.  When we arrived, we were just going to say hello, but he had a break in ski lessons and tossed Taylor on his ski ramp.  He worked with her for about 45 minutes.  It was a special surprise.  I even jumped on the ramp for a short time.  I could tell that my ski muscles have gotten weaker from not skiing for the last three years because when I say short time, I mean I could only stay on for about 20 minutes.  When I used to teach there years ago, I would stay on for hour after hour teaching lessons.
   The next day I spent a very nice afternoon playing golf with Claire and my Dad.  Dad played nine holes and then Claire and I finished the last holes in a heated competition.  We settled our match with lunch and coffee.  I really enjoy spending time with my daughters.
   Anyway, I do have a point to the blog this week.  Before arriving in the San Diego area, we stopped by to see my brother Michael's son Everest play water polo.  After the match, in which Everest was the star, we went to dinner.
    While at dinner, I had a great conversation with Michael's wife Cindy.  We were discussing my blog and I was telling them about a rough idea I had for the next installment.  I was talking with her about how I have been reading a book called, The Master Key System.  In the latest chapter, the author, Charles Haanel discusses the idea of praying intensely and with unwavering belief.  The book also discusses that their are times when people just think about something and it just happens.  Now bare with me a moment, I am not talking about being psychic or anything.  But it did raise a question.  Is it possible that what we think, is like a prayer?  What if I think about something with unwavering confidence and then it happens?  This would be kind of like the Mustard seed I wrote about awhile back.  The following is a simple example of what I am talking about.
   Cindy and Michael were telling me about this friend that they have that always says that he is going to park in one of the front spots at stores that he visits.  They have been with this friend a number of times and sure enough when he pulls up, there is a space waiting for him.  It has happened so often that they have become real believers when they are with him.  Now, you might think that he just waits for a spot like those irritating people that just sit there with their blinker on, but he doesn't ever wait.  Rather than being skeptics, can't we just believe that he has unwavering belief?
  My mother has told us about a lady that she knows that prays over people while they are in the hospital or sick and they are healed.  She is so successful, that people request to have her pray over them.  She has doubters as well.
   These two examples are totally different and we would consider one more serious than the other, but are they all that different in their intensity to thought and prayer.  Most people would think that the second is far more important, but have you ever tried to get a front parking place at Target during the holidays?  It is a small miracle in itself to just get a parking place at all somedays.  I digress, so let me get back on task.

Intensity!!!

    The final analogy that I am going to share with you from my book is the following.  Imagine you are using a magnifying glass on a sunny day.  You can move it all around and look at things in a larger way, but the true power of a magnifying glass is when we hold it still and allow the intensity of the sun to shine through it.  If you are not careful you will focus the suns energy so much that it will burn whatever you are focusing on at the time.
   The point I am trying to make is that as Christians, we need to practice thinking and praying like we are using a magnifying glass.  Pick a few things in your life that you want changed and focus positive and detailed prayers toward them.  Think about them in a positive way.
   So to bring this meandering topic back to full circle.  I learned from my father years ago, how important it is to spend time with each of your children individually.  When we focus our magnifying glass on them, they are warmed by our parental sun.  I find that each time I do this, special memories are created.
   So, practice praying and thinking with intensity.  If you think about it, it is very much like the way Jesus sent the Apostles out to do miracles.  You can do miracles, remember they don't all have to be about healing diseases or making the blind see.  Isn't the laughter and smile of your kids a miracle unto themselves.
    By the way, I have the same skill Michael and Cindy's friend has.  I don't know what it is, but I find a parking spot as far away from the store every time.  More people need to think like me, because there are lots of spaces where I go.
 

Don't Judge Me!!!!!

Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Friends,

   I began this last week by being a Judge at the high school talent show.  I felt very honored to be one of three people chosen for this very important responsibility.  It was an enjoyable experience, but a lot more difficult than I expected.  The only disappointing thing about the experience was that they said that I was not allowed to pretend to be Simon Cowell.  I had to do my comments in writing on a score sheet.  The real rewarding part, was watching these young people give their all.  The winners were amazingly talented.

Maybe not using good judgement

    This gave me the idea for the blog this week.  It brought to mind a scene from "The Princess Bride".  During one scene Enigo and his giant friend Fesik are on a ship with a hired mercenary.  The mercenary has kidnapped the princess in order to start a war.  But while on the ship, they are followed by another ship and it is catching up to them.  The mercenary keeps using the word Inconceivable.  He uses it so much that Enigo comments that he is not sure that the mercenary knows the meaning of the word.  I believe the same about people, when it comes to the words Judge or Judgement.
    I get kids saying to me all the time; "Don't Judge me Mr. O."  I always find it interesting that they say this to me, when they have been caught selling or smoking weed, misbehaving or not completing their work in my class.  In the case of the weed, I am not the Judge, they will see one of the professional members of that fraternity soon enough.  But, in the case of misbehaving and not doing your work,  my comment to them is, "Ok I won't judge you, I am just going to profile you."  You know, I am just trying to be PC, like everyone else. Anyway, I do talk with them and tell them a quote my grandfather used to use all the time, "If a spade is a spade, then it must be a spade."  If you don't like being associated as a pot smoker, then don't smoke pot and don't hang around with people that do so as well.  If you don't like being known as a trouble maker, then don't get in trouble and so on.  It seems to me that the only people that don't like their profile or being judged, are people that are outside the norm and have to convince others that they are ok.
    According to Google the definition of Judge is to form an opinion or conclusion.  At The First Tee we use the word Judgement as one of the nine core values and the definition is the ability to make a decision or form an opinion; a decision reached after consideration.
    The reason for my short diatribe is that someone published on Facebook not too long ago a statement from the Proud to be a Liberal site that went like this:  You define your character when you Judge others.  It was put in the context of having an opinion about the way other people live their lives.  So, it got me to thinking and this is my decision based on careful consideration.

Once again, maybe not the best judgement.

    I hope that my character is defined by my good Judgement.  I hope that people identify me as a person that lives by a high standard.  I am proud to be profiled or judged as a white, heterosexual, Christian family man.  I am a school teacher that tries to do my best by my kids everyday, and I am a darn good golf coach as well.  Go ahead and judge or profile me.  I don't agree with the way some people live their lives.  I do think that people that make statements like the one earlier, don't live by the same standard that I live by and want people to agree with them.  My standard is my faith in Christ, and the book I get my guidance from is the Holy Bible.  I can only hope that even though people that don't live by the same standard as myself, recognize when people are causing harm to others with their lifestyle.  Here are a few things that I hope they will Judge others by:  I hope they recognize and judge that it is wrong when an alcoholic is abusing their family and something should be done about it.  I hope that they recognize that if a child is in trouble that good Judgement will be used to help that child.  I hope that they help a woman in distress.  I hope they use good judgement when it comes to being a good samaritan.  
    Christians in particular have been beaten down and are not allowed to have an opinion.  I am sorry, but when you are a Christian, you need to have an opinion and use good Judgement.  It is our job to call each other out and hold each other accountable.  How has it gotten to the point in our country that the majority is not allowed to have an opinion and judge when something is wrong?   We all have things in our lives in which we need to improve and lord knows that I am not perfect, but if you live a lifestyle that is not healthy and you ask my opinion, I am going to tell you.  I think the key to that last phrase is that I was asked.  If there is one thing that I have learned is that I will state my opinion when asked, but I am not going to force it on someone else.
    I am like my brother Paul.  He and I discuss how to save the world all the time and the one conclusion that we have come to is that as Christians, we have humbled ourselves into not saying anything.  I don't know if it is because we are so concerned about Matthew 7: 1-3.  I don't know if it is that we have gotten so caught up in taking the plank out of our own eyes or what it is, but in the current climate of our country someone needs to say when things are wrong.  Currently in the political climate, all of the minorities and liberals get to say whatever they want and get away with it, but if a conservative Christian says anything they are lambasted.  Because people of faith are supposed to live by a very high standard, it is easy to point the finger when they fall.  How easy it is to live without standards and then laugh at those that attempt to try to live by high standards.
    Recently, I was reading a book and one of the statements that made a huge impact on me was, that in order to use more of our brain, it is important to be Mentally, Morally and Physically Healthy.  It took me back a bit.  I had to sit down and really think about each one of these.  I came to the conclusion that the mental part is something that I am always practicing.  Morally, this is always a work in progress, because although I feel like I have a good relationship with Jesus, it can always be better.  Finally, I have slid backward a bit on the physical part and need to kick my butt in gear.  Basically, it is hard to be healthy in all of these areas.  It is very easy to not think about any of it.
    So, to finally get off of my soap box this week.  I want to challenge you to look at the standards that you live by.  According to Jesus, we are always supposed to be pressing forward.  Take a moment and ask yourself the same questions I asked myself and remember, even though we may stumble Christ is there to give us a hand.  Also, remember if you have to judge someone use careful consideration before you make a decision.
   Have a great week.