Ah, remodeling! There have been some changes in our home in the last couple of months. It all started with a small flood and then with the words,"we should redo the kitchen", our world was turned upside down.
It was decided that a wall between the kitchen and dining room should be taken down and that was when the trouble began. This plan thought by us to be wonderful and exciting, as it would open up this part of our house, was thought to be great until the first piece of Sheetrock was removed from the wall. At this point it was discovered that to accomplish our design, every facet of building, excepting the foundation and roof would have to be addressed and changes made to each one before we could put it all back together. Structural issues, so happens that this was a bearing wall, plumbing, heating and electrical wiring would have to be removed and re-done so as to accommodate the open bar between our kitchen and dining room. Since our new cabinets, designed and bought to fit the newly designed space, were already ordered and paid for, we had no choice but to move ahead.
You must understand that in the nearly nineteen years in which I have been married to my sweet wife I have made many changes for the better, or so I had thought. I soon recalled much of the colorful language discarded from my youth. Thoughts of woe entered my mind and I questioned my sanity in this quest. My dear wife, in her wisdom, let me grumble and groan but kept up the encouragement,and in the end, we have a beautiful,new kitchen.
This brings me to my subject. In our world today we all want to be in control of our lives. We plan everything from our wake up, to our work to when we will sleep. We make detailed goals of what we want to achieve and when we want to achieve it. We go to work towards these goals with blinders on and upon their achievement we see that the destination isn't as good we thought it would be. The big house costs more to heat and is harder to keep clean. The new boat takes a lot of gas to run and the insurance for the big car is very expensive. We can create a vicious cycle for ourselves by living for the accomplishment of these goals instead of living for the journey towards them.
In his book, "The Three Deceivers" Richard M. Eyre, contends that the goal, though important in that it gets us moving, is actually the means to another end. As we move toward the accomplishment of the goal, Eyre says that we need to be aware of other opportunities or outcomes that may come into our path unexpectedly.
As we work hard, God puts unforeseen opportunities in our path, after all, He knows better than us what the end result should be.
If I had not decided to remodel my kitchen, I would not have discovered the problems that existed in my heating ducts. I would not have found any of the other issues that could have become larger problems in the future. So now, I not only have a beautiful kitchen, I also have a better built house. The same can happen in all aspects of life, work toward a goal, but keep an eye out because God generally has something better in mind for us, if we let Him give it to us.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
What is Not Seen
Frederic Bastiat wrote an article titled "That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Not Seen". This article dealt with the unseen effects of economic policy and it made a lot of sense to me. I recently read a book called "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. This book had a profound effect on me in that it dealt with the unseen effects of our actions and interactions with others.
What I discovered is that even though we may see our actions as positive, we may not be aware of adverse effects those actions may be having on others. The glaring example illustrated in this book is the US backing of Joseph Mobutu, the despotic ruler of Zaire for 30 years. We supported him because his opposition was thought to have Communist leanings and maybe he did. What we do know is that Mobutu used his power to enrich himself on the backs of the citizens of his own country, funneling nearly all the wealth of Zaire into his coffers, while nearly everyone else starved. All that we in the US saw is that we were keeping the Communists at bay, what was not seen was the despicable treatment of these people at the hand of Mobutu.
This brings me to my subject. In my day to day life, in the causes I support, in my politics, in the way I treat other people, what am I not seeing that could be harming or mistreating others? In our narcissism, are we leaving wreckage in our wake? I am not trying to get everyone to second guess each decision, I just think that perhaps we should step back occasionally and see what our actions may be doing to others unintentionally.
I believe there are those who would intentionally harm others to get ahead, but that being said, most people have good motives and intentions. Sometimes we become blinded to the adverse consequences our actions may cause because we are focused on the consequences we are trying to bring about. Let's broaden our focus to ensure we are doing good things for everyone, not just for ourselves.
What I discovered is that even though we may see our actions as positive, we may not be aware of adverse effects those actions may be having on others. The glaring example illustrated in this book is the US backing of Joseph Mobutu, the despotic ruler of Zaire for 30 years. We supported him because his opposition was thought to have Communist leanings and maybe he did. What we do know is that Mobutu used his power to enrich himself on the backs of the citizens of his own country, funneling nearly all the wealth of Zaire into his coffers, while nearly everyone else starved. All that we in the US saw is that we were keeping the Communists at bay, what was not seen was the despicable treatment of these people at the hand of Mobutu.
This brings me to my subject. In my day to day life, in the causes I support, in my politics, in the way I treat other people, what am I not seeing that could be harming or mistreating others? In our narcissism, are we leaving wreckage in our wake? I am not trying to get everyone to second guess each decision, I just think that perhaps we should step back occasionally and see what our actions may be doing to others unintentionally.
I believe there are those who would intentionally harm others to get ahead, but that being said, most people have good motives and intentions. Sometimes we become blinded to the adverse consequences our actions may cause because we are focused on the consequences we are trying to bring about. Let's broaden our focus to ensure we are doing good things for everyone, not just for ourselves.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Vote For The Ugly Candidate
I am thinking of trying a new strategy in my voting this upcoming election. Vote for the ugly one! Just think, if a candidate isn't much to look at then perhaps the media won't want him or her on the front page. Therefore they won't make a bigger deal of the candidate than they really are. They won't handpick snippets of speeches that will make them look good in the eyes of the public. Their rivals won't be downplayed as nutjobs or hacks. If we pick the ugly candidate we will get who we think we are getting. If we can bring this strategy to the forefront, American politics could be transformed. There are some great examples of the ugly guy being great. Abraham Lincoln and John Adams to name a couple. So pick the ugly guy! It could make all the difference.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Lone Island Cannot Stand
Envision a young family with a covered wagon, a milk cow, ten chickens and provisions loaded in the wagon, toiling toward a new home in frontier America. Once they arrive at their destination, if timber is available, a cabin will be hewn from the native trees. If no timber grows there, they will build from adobe, rock, whatever is available to them.
Next land will be cleared, a backbreaking endeavor, soil will be tilled with hoe or plow, seeds will be planted and rain will be awaited to water their crop. If the weather cooperates and pests can be kept at bay, there will be a harvest that will hopefully see the family through the winter. The chickens will be set on eggs in hopes that the flock will grow, providing essential protein for the family. The cow will provide milk and with any luck a calf to sell for cash or to grow the herd.
This was life in frontier America. If all parts of the equation worked the family would eke through the winter, starve through the summer, then harvest again in the fall. Theirs was a life of true self-sufficiency and if disaster struck in the form of sickness, drought or man-made mistakes, death could follow and often did.
I find it interesting that we talk often of self-sufficiency these days in our world of convenience. We go to gun shows to stock up on ammunition. We go to camps and classes to learn to be self sufficient. But in the back of our minds it is all unreal because we know that if our milk cow dies or dries up, well, Safeway is just down the road. Chickens and their eggs are cheaper to buy in town than they are to raise yourself. If I can't take care of myself I know there is a safety net to catch me.
While I believe it is good to learn these skills, (I raise chickens, garden, hunt, trap and fish, spending more money on the produce than I would at the local grocery) I believe that a more essential characteristic our world needs is that of community interdependence.
Community interdependence is essentially networking and doing business with people in our community. Through community interaction we can combine our skills and knowledge with that of those around us, which exponentially increases our combined knowledge. We increase the economy in our local area because the monies we pay for products or services from our neighbors, stays in the neighborhood. We create our own safety net by making friends who will look out for each other.
This plan works well only if the members of the community contribute their best efforts to living independently. A contradiction I know, but to have a thriving community, its members must be strong. Strength comes from hard work and self improvement. Today it seems like we are all looking out for ourselves. All our efforts go to making our own lives more comfortable. What if we all worked our hardest, took care of our own needs and wants, then looked around for someone to help. We wouldn't need "big brother" to take half our money to "care for the poor". We could take care of our own, eliminating the need for forced contributions.
This all seems like pie in the sky but there are civilizations that have done this, the City of Enoch, many native cultures, some religious cultures such as the Amish. The key to success in this endeavor is the total commitment and free choice of all members of the society. The reason communism didn't work is because it was forced on its members. The reason our national welfare system doesn't function well is because it is forced upon us. If we are forced the incentive to do well is taken from us and we will not perform to our best level.
We need to start now to begin building community, I see it as a vital ingredient in saving our crumbling nation and world. We can no longer be an "island unto ourselves" and expect to remain a free and independent people. As in Thomas Paine's time, "these are the times that try mens' souls", we can no longer afford to be "summer soldiers" in our fight for freedom. The fight must begin in our own homes and communities, only then can freedom grow outward.
Next land will be cleared, a backbreaking endeavor, soil will be tilled with hoe or plow, seeds will be planted and rain will be awaited to water their crop. If the weather cooperates and pests can be kept at bay, there will be a harvest that will hopefully see the family through the winter. The chickens will be set on eggs in hopes that the flock will grow, providing essential protein for the family. The cow will provide milk and with any luck a calf to sell for cash or to grow the herd.
This was life in frontier America. If all parts of the equation worked the family would eke through the winter, starve through the summer, then harvest again in the fall. Theirs was a life of true self-sufficiency and if disaster struck in the form of sickness, drought or man-made mistakes, death could follow and often did.
I find it interesting that we talk often of self-sufficiency these days in our world of convenience. We go to gun shows to stock up on ammunition. We go to camps and classes to learn to be self sufficient. But in the back of our minds it is all unreal because we know that if our milk cow dies or dries up, well, Safeway is just down the road. Chickens and their eggs are cheaper to buy in town than they are to raise yourself. If I can't take care of myself I know there is a safety net to catch me.
While I believe it is good to learn these skills, (I raise chickens, garden, hunt, trap and fish, spending more money on the produce than I would at the local grocery) I believe that a more essential characteristic our world needs is that of community interdependence.
Community interdependence is essentially networking and doing business with people in our community. Through community interaction we can combine our skills and knowledge with that of those around us, which exponentially increases our combined knowledge. We increase the economy in our local area because the monies we pay for products or services from our neighbors, stays in the neighborhood. We create our own safety net by making friends who will look out for each other.
This plan works well only if the members of the community contribute their best efforts to living independently. A contradiction I know, but to have a thriving community, its members must be strong. Strength comes from hard work and self improvement. Today it seems like we are all looking out for ourselves. All our efforts go to making our own lives more comfortable. What if we all worked our hardest, took care of our own needs and wants, then looked around for someone to help. We wouldn't need "big brother" to take half our money to "care for the poor". We could take care of our own, eliminating the need for forced contributions.
This all seems like pie in the sky but there are civilizations that have done this, the City of Enoch, many native cultures, some religious cultures such as the Amish. The key to success in this endeavor is the total commitment and free choice of all members of the society. The reason communism didn't work is because it was forced on its members. The reason our national welfare system doesn't function well is because it is forced upon us. If we are forced the incentive to do well is taken from us and we will not perform to our best level.
We need to start now to begin building community, I see it as a vital ingredient in saving our crumbling nation and world. We can no longer be an "island unto ourselves" and expect to remain a free and independent people. As in Thomas Paine's time, "these are the times that try mens' souls", we can no longer afford to be "summer soldiers" in our fight for freedom. The fight must begin in our own homes and communities, only then can freedom grow outward.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
"TRADITION"
Are your culture or traditions making you less than you could be? I watched a movie this week that really brings this question to light. The movie is "The Help". It is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's at the beginnings of the unrest there caused by the civil rights movement. The story is told from the perspective of the black housekeepers who worked in the homes of the white people in the city. Many of these maids had worked for the same families for two generations, caring for the children as well as their parents.
It was enlightening to see how the attitudes from one generation carried on to the next. In Mississippi if you were white, according to tradition, a black person was less than you, almost as if they were a different species. Because of that supposed difference, those people were to be treated differently, as a lesser entity.
Of course, movies tend to generalize and sensationalize situations, but I could see myself there, acting in my "proper" role. We may not be dealing with racial issues in our personal circumstances, but we are dealing with situations in which culture or family norms prescribe how we are to act in these situations.
The difficult part of this is that when one is in a situation it is very difficult to see a way to be different. We have grown up with the expectation of how we are to act or what attitudes we will carry toward others. These cultural "norms" will often dictate to us how much education we should get, what church we will go to, who we marry and what type of work we will do. When one decides to change, our friends and family will often be our strongest deterrents to making that change, because the fear of difference is a strong motivator.
I would ask the question, what in our culture or traditions is holding us back? We need to educate ourselves and then take a close look at what we take for granted. Do my actions reflect a conscious decision or am I doing this thing because that is how it has always been done? I am not saying we need to question our faith in God or some other basic beliefs we may have. But if we only believe these things because our parents did, then we should study them out for ourselves and come to our own decisions. At this point, then one can decide if a belief or action is truly a good one or if it is being done because that is how it has always been done.
I heard a story once from a family friend in which a young married woman was preparing a ham for dinner. She took the ham out of the refrigerator, cut one end off, placed it in a pan and then baked it. Her husband asked her why she cut the end off the ham. She replied that that was how her mother always did it, so that was how she was going to do it. When the mother was asked the reason for this she replied that her roasting pan was too small for the ham, so she always had to cut them off. Are we carrying on traditions that perhaps don't need to be? Let's take a look around and really analyze what we do, and what we could change to make our world better.
It was enlightening to see how the attitudes from one generation carried on to the next. In Mississippi if you were white, according to tradition, a black person was less than you, almost as if they were a different species. Because of that supposed difference, those people were to be treated differently, as a lesser entity.
Of course, movies tend to generalize and sensationalize situations, but I could see myself there, acting in my "proper" role. We may not be dealing with racial issues in our personal circumstances, but we are dealing with situations in which culture or family norms prescribe how we are to act in these situations.
The difficult part of this is that when one is in a situation it is very difficult to see a way to be different. We have grown up with the expectation of how we are to act or what attitudes we will carry toward others. These cultural "norms" will often dictate to us how much education we should get, what church we will go to, who we marry and what type of work we will do. When one decides to change, our friends and family will often be our strongest deterrents to making that change, because the fear of difference is a strong motivator.
I would ask the question, what in our culture or traditions is holding us back? We need to educate ourselves and then take a close look at what we take for granted. Do my actions reflect a conscious decision or am I doing this thing because that is how it has always been done? I am not saying we need to question our faith in God or some other basic beliefs we may have. But if we only believe these things because our parents did, then we should study them out for ourselves and come to our own decisions. At this point, then one can decide if a belief or action is truly a good one or if it is being done because that is how it has always been done.
I heard a story once from a family friend in which a young married woman was preparing a ham for dinner. She took the ham out of the refrigerator, cut one end off, placed it in a pan and then baked it. Her husband asked her why she cut the end off the ham. She replied that that was how her mother always did it, so that was how she was going to do it. When the mother was asked the reason for this she replied that her roasting pan was too small for the ham, so she always had to cut them off. Are we carrying on traditions that perhaps don't need to be? Let's take a look around and really analyze what we do, and what we could change to make our world better.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Making of a Masterpiece
I read a very interesting book this last month. It was "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. I was expecting it to be a "pump you up" success book, my expectations were incorrect. In fact, I was a bit upset for two thirds of the book until I had time to digest its message. Gladwell essentially states that you won't become a great success until you have put the time into your endeavors to become a master in your chosen field. The magic number seems to be 10,000 hours. Even then those hours may not pay off unless the right opportunity presents itself to you after you are a master.
This message didn't set well with me. I have always envisioned that if I could visualize something it would be mine. I still believe this, but as I digested this book some hard truths began to sink in. The most basic fact is that my success can only be as great as my preparations. How can one expect to win a marathon without excruciating training leading up to it? A small business can grow larger only if the skills of leadership and management grow first.
Another thing I came to realize is that real personal growth comes through the struggle of becoming. If one is to become a master, the character built through hard work or practice is the pivotal element in that success. I would bet that Michaelangelo's failures far outnumbered his masterpieces. Yet, his successes still stand as a witness to the skills he mastered as an artist.
This brings the question to the forefront, what am I trying to master? If we are coasting along on our past skills and learning it is time to push ourselves to learn something new, which we can love and eventually master. At this point we will be ready to take advantage of new opportunities presented to us.
This message didn't set well with me. I have always envisioned that if I could visualize something it would be mine. I still believe this, but as I digested this book some hard truths began to sink in. The most basic fact is that my success can only be as great as my preparations. How can one expect to win a marathon without excruciating training leading up to it? A small business can grow larger only if the skills of leadership and management grow first.
Another thing I came to realize is that real personal growth comes through the struggle of becoming. If one is to become a master, the character built through hard work or practice is the pivotal element in that success. I would bet that Michaelangelo's failures far outnumbered his masterpieces. Yet, his successes still stand as a witness to the skills he mastered as an artist.
This brings the question to the forefront, what am I trying to master? If we are coasting along on our past skills and learning it is time to push ourselves to learn something new, which we can love and eventually master. At this point we will be ready to take advantage of new opportunities presented to us.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
It's All Relative
The world as seen through our own eyes reflects the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
After working all week manufacturing a log kit for our next project, my friend invited me to go fishing. We packed, hooked the boat trailer to the pickup truck and began driving to our destination, the Kenai River on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.
Two hours into the four hour trip we came to a complete standstill in traffic. We grumbled, moaned, waited and waited. We waited for 4 hours hearing bits and pieces about an accident that had closed the highway indefinitely. As it was late, we decided to roll out our sleeping bags and get some sleep until traffic started moving. Others found this a great opportunity to break out the booze and start the weekend rolling, resulting in little sleep on our part.The highway reopened at about 3am and we finally resumed our journey.
The fishing was fantastic, making up for our inconvenient night of interrupted travel and sleep. We caught enough sockeye salmon to fill both our freezers with, in my opinion, the best fish in the world.
After returning home, completely worn out, we learned about the accident. Turns out there were two separate accidents, in one of which a man and his wife on a motorcycle were killed, in the other two small children died. What utter devastation to these two families!
After feeling very small and petty for my grumblings during that long night, my thoughts turned to how our circumstances seem to dictate how we see and interact with the world. A person living in a nomadic, tribal culture and someone living in a high-rise in New York City will have a much different definition of "home". We seem to think that everyone is the same because our neighbors tend to live in the same culture and circumstances as we do.
Before we judge others, we should stop ourselves, realizing that we do not see the world from their eyes. We cannot understand others until we have lived their lives.
One way we can increase our understanding is to read and study literature from around the world. This gives us a small glimpse into the culture of those around us, helping us see the world from their eyes. As the proverb says, before you criticize someone ,first walk a mile in their shoes.
Just a thought from the chainsaw carpenter.
After working all week manufacturing a log kit for our next project, my friend invited me to go fishing. We packed, hooked the boat trailer to the pickup truck and began driving to our destination, the Kenai River on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula in Alaska.
Two hours into the four hour trip we came to a complete standstill in traffic. We grumbled, moaned, waited and waited. We waited for 4 hours hearing bits and pieces about an accident that had closed the highway indefinitely. As it was late, we decided to roll out our sleeping bags and get some sleep until traffic started moving. Others found this a great opportunity to break out the booze and start the weekend rolling, resulting in little sleep on our part.The highway reopened at about 3am and we finally resumed our journey.
The fishing was fantastic, making up for our inconvenient night of interrupted travel and sleep. We caught enough sockeye salmon to fill both our freezers with, in my opinion, the best fish in the world.
After returning home, completely worn out, we learned about the accident. Turns out there were two separate accidents, in one of which a man and his wife on a motorcycle were killed, in the other two small children died. What utter devastation to these two families!
After feeling very small and petty for my grumblings during that long night, my thoughts turned to how our circumstances seem to dictate how we see and interact with the world. A person living in a nomadic, tribal culture and someone living in a high-rise in New York City will have a much different definition of "home". We seem to think that everyone is the same because our neighbors tend to live in the same culture and circumstances as we do.
Before we judge others, we should stop ourselves, realizing that we do not see the world from their eyes. We cannot understand others until we have lived their lives.
One way we can increase our understanding is to read and study literature from around the world. This gives us a small glimpse into the culture of those around us, helping us see the world from their eyes. As the proverb says, before you criticize someone ,first walk a mile in their shoes.
Just a thought from the chainsaw carpenter.
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