Small compliments can cause larger outcomes.

A friend stopped by and saw an oddity hanging on my wall.   It was a foot long chunk of tree bark.  He only said, “That’s cool.”

I just personally liked it. I never imagined someone else would.

Well, this made me think what else could I put together with tree bark. First, there were dozens of questions that came to mind: to numerous for a blog.

I had a three foot long, and foot wide section of tree bark.  It was much heavier. First, how would twine cording be able to safely attach to the bark?  Then, would the cord securely affix the bark to a single nail or would multiple nails be needed?  Once deciding to drill holes in the bark, I wondered what would the knots of the twine cord look like exposed on the front of the bark?

In the end, it appeared to be a huge chunk of tree bark – which of course it was.  One twine cord held it safely to one nail.  The wall also seemed fine.

The interesting thing was the exposed knots at the end cord.  They potentially looked like eyes.  With time and practice, I plan on making this more pronounced. Regardless of what others may think I like it and enjoyed the producing it.

I just like the look but if anyone asks his name is “Woody”.

My Latest Answered Prayer

My son, who I rarely see, performed with a community theater, and regardless if I could only afford my own ticket I was going.

I had to see my son perform in Spongebob Squarepants, the Musical, which Capital City Productions  produced last week.  It was great, and my son was excellent. He was a born performer.

There was one problem. Due to epilepsy, I totalled every car I owned and now ride a bike. It was pitch black outside afterward, and worried about running into a car.  I briefly talked to the only two theatergoers at my table.  I described my concern but never asked or dreamt of receiving a ride.  I looked up, which I naturally do to pray since I was a child, and asked for help getting home.  Moments later, I received that help.  The two women at my table said that they lived on a farm and that despite having a messy van, they could give me a ride.  I assured them my apartment was worse. Then thanked them and God.

The following morning I read this biblical verse:

Mark 11 vs 24
For this reason, I say to you, all things whatsoever that you ask for when praying: believe that you will receive them, and they will happen for you.

In the end, all I could do was say and pray, “Thank you.”

My first prayerful experience

When I was a child I would wander around our home to simply explore and pray. I always had a faith in God, despite never being able to rationalize a reason for this faith.

At about 10 years of age I started my outdoor spiritual exercises.

I stared at the sun when I knew I shouldn’t. I was told that I could go blind if I did so. The reason to do this was a belief that a Native American tribe would award a feather to a brave who started at the sun.

While engaged in this endeavor, all I could do was pray. I feared upsetting my mother, going blind, but felt protected by God. Mom never discovered my escape from her tight grip. Plus to this day, I only need readers for glasses.

I’ll be engaging in the one thing that scares me to no end – an epileptic seizure. I came to this conclusion after morning prayer and reading some spiritual quotes. The key line was:

I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live my life as if there isn’t and die to find out there is.
-Albert Camus

I will not worry now.

Discrimination comes in many forms.

– George Aiken, former Governor of Vermont, U.S. Senator from 1941 to 1975, and horticulturist

If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other causes for prejudice by noon.

 

Religion, nationality, homophobia, economic differences, disability, sex, age, appearance, or something completely unforeseen could easily replace race as the single most discriminatory factor.

The main thing would be to always believe in yourself regardless of what society determines. Keep faith and hope that your circumstances will improve and not to blame an inconceivable group that never was at the heart of your problems.

In this regard, I’m alluding to the school shooting in Uvalde, Tx. The young children and teachers could not have harmed the murderer in a form to cause to be attacked in such a way.

“Prejudice is an unjustified negative belief held about a particular group of people. It can be based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other.
Prejudice leads to discrimination, which is the action that results from prejudice. Discrimination can be overt or subtle, and it can have a negative impact on the victim’s social, economic, and psychological well-being.” See: https://helpfulprofessor.com/prejudice-examples/

If everyone on earth was the same race, religion, and nationality, then the economical, psychological, or physical differences would differentiate.

In conclusion I believe it would be simplest if people treated each other as they wish to be treated. In other words:

Matthew 7 vs 12