Something for Every Dummy

Have you ever read any self help books? There are so many around. I heard that these books make up the majority of books sold today. You would think we didn’t know how to do anything. We must all be totally incompetent to do things on our own, think things through or just deal with life. Here are just a few of the titles that I encountered: “If You Had Controlling Parents,” and “Put Old on Hold.” That one sounds like a book for aging people and how not to. Then there was, “Are You Living Or Surviving?” and “Self Help Stuff That Works.” I would guess that one is for people who have shortcomings in all areas of life.
Then we get to the really specific titles, and these ones always point to those people, like me, who have a hard time in the new ways of living. They cover subjects like, how to install a surround sound or how to get the most out of your cell phone. They have titles like, “.......(Something) for Dummies” By what we read, these subjects take on new meaning. They take a subject and bring it down to the level that even I can understand. But do any of these books make life simpler, more fulfilling, or just simply enjoyable? I wonder? Actually, I wonder where I can get the time to read all of these books, let alone remember anything that I read. And who really needs a phone that can take movies, pictures, surf the net, send emails, shop around the clock or can you believe it, even be used as a phone?
Take a look at some of these book titles. These come right off Chapters website where I found 2645 titles related to books for dummies. Now, here we go, Investing for Dummies, Taxes for Dummies, Ebay for . . . , MBA, PHD, Disaster, Body Language, Makeup, Plumbing and even Walt Disney World for Dummies. The list goes on and on and on. You would think, either we are all in need of learning or there are a lot of people out there that think we are.
Self help books are supposed to be just that, self help. The problem is they aren’t. Self help is just what it implies, helping oneself. And don’t get me wrong, some of them are great but we need to call them what they are, manuals. Self help is not listening to someone else rectify your problems or someone telling you what you should do. It is asking you what you think is good for you and what will work for you in your situation. Years ago I had a professor share with me his understanding of people with problems. It’s simple, They are all unique, and treat them as such. There are no pat answers in life. Or is there?
Before any of these books were published there was only one self help book. I picked one up just the other day. Turns out that it is not a self help book after all. It was a history book of sorts. It told stories of how people sorted out their lives and live fulfilling lives. It did tell me what could be wrong, what is wrong and what to do about making things right. But it was not a self help book. It was the bible. Everything you need to know about life is found in this one volume. We don’t need to read 2465 books to figure things out. Just open the Bible and you will find God talking to you. He will be letting us know what we need to learn, and how we can take what we learn and become a little more like Him each day. All we had to do is listen to what He has to say.
After all, He’s never wrong and I am.
Something to think about.
Rob

Chick-a-boom, Don't You Just Love It?

Boy, don’t you just love it? And no, I’m not talking about Daddy Dewdrop’s song. It has become one of our most used and favourite lines, especially at this time of year. “I just love it!” You may have used that line in reference to anything from the ring on your finger, to stuffed mushrooms to new tv shows. From hair cuts to manicures. The problem is, none of it really cuts it, pardon the pun, in the real sense of the line.
Listening to teens a week or so ago was interesting. They were all over some “dream boat” on tv. He could have been a movie star or a musician for all I knew. But everyone knew, within ear shot, they LLLLOOOOVVVVVVVEEEDD HIM! It doesn’t take much brain power to think back to “the day” when we knew the same experience. More so with girls then men. But then again there was Ann-Margaret . . . and others.
Last night we were out at the department store and we over heard on more then one occasion, people showing someone else an item using those famous words, “Don’t you just love it?”. Again on more then one occasion it tweaked my curiosity and I looked to see what they had in their hands. From a man’s perspective I couldn’t see what the fuss was about.
Christmas’ season is upon us with only five weeks left. The stores started early, the sales came as quickly as the flyers arrived. The flyers fly in and the money flies out. Those giving will think those receiving the gift will say, “I just love it” where in fact, they may love the gesture and not the gift. And I guess that is what it’s all about. Living in a non-Christian society makes us wonder what the loving feeling is at this time of year.
All the things about church, faith, Christmas, Christ and the birth of God’s Son in Bethlehem seem to take a back seat to Santa, White Christmas, reindeer, and sleigh bells. But you know. I think that is all right. And I think that it can in some way be the only time of the year that some people feel loved. Not because of who they are or what they have become but just because someone stops for a moment in time and says, as they hand them their gift, “Don’t you just love it?”. It is our moment and their moment and that precious moment when love takes over, if only for a moment.
In a moment, Jesus came and showed all of us love. Isn’t it wonderful that even though the world rejects Him, they don’t reject His message, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Something to think about.
Rob

River Run By.

Lazy days can be good days. I had one the other week in which I had opportunity to just sit and watch the water flow by. Not that it was moving that fast but it allowed me opportunity to reflect on life and love
and happiness. There is something about watching the flow of a river. Something either methodical or calming. The mind, well maybe I should say my mind, drifted with the river from one thing to another. One idea to another. On thought to another. One worry or another. It was a good day until. . . Until I thought about life being like a river.
Most of us go with the flow. We are content to ride the waterways of life enjoying the ride and just moving along with the currents of the day. We accept the reality that everyone else is on the same journey, but at a different places between the shores.
But is life really like this? Are we satisfied with the mundane, with the transitory existence of just getting by. I told you before that Artie Shaw lived his theme of life, "Good Enough Is Not Good Enough".
Where are we in this continuum? I believe that in Christ we can not settle for going with the flow. Jesus himself moved against the leaders of his age to make them re-evaluate the
reality of what they believed and how it effected their life as it was moved by their faith.
Today, we are people of faith. Most Canadians think of themselves as having some form of faith in God. It may not be the faith of the parents or faith moulded by a denomination but it is still real faith. And how does this faith move our lives? I believe that every once and a while it moves us in the opposite direction. We go against the flow of the society that is continuing to move against organized faith or all that is right and good about our society.
Another line that comes to mind as I watch the river in front of my is, "a line in the sand". Many of us take breaks from the river and just sit like I did on the shore. At times like those we realize we only have one chance in life to leave a mark. Is it going to be a line that shows us as a person of faith or just someone who leaves footprints in the sand that wash away with the next high tide?
You and you alone can answer this as it applies to you. All of us need to realize that if we have
something we strongly believe in, we will swim against the flow and become stronger for it. And the world will know someone stands up for what they believe. It's your footprints and your swim, make it memorable.
Rob