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Thought for the Day – Choosing Life

August 5, 2015 by bjcorbin

Early on in scripture we learn that God sets before us, “life and death, blessings and curses.”  And even though it may seem like an obvious choice, He encourages us to “choose life”.  I would suppose that some might wonder who in the world would choose death/curses over life/blessings, but as we read the balance of scripture, I sense that most of us unwittingly do it almost every day.

 

The book of Proverbs tells us that there is a way that seems right to a man, and that it ultimately leads to death.”  If we accept that as truth, we’re saying that living life by our own sense of what’s right is essentially choosing the way of death.  In the gospels we learn that Jesus is the way, the truth and the “life”, and that He came that we might have “life”, and have it to the full.  From this, we can derive that choosing life equates to following Jesus and His ways.  And while that may bring on a big sigh of relief from those who count themselves as “Christian”, I would submit that there is a world of difference between believing in Jesus, and following Him and His ways.

 

The reality check here is that scripture tells us, “small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  In the end, we must choose to take that narrow road in order to choose life.

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Thought for the Day – Riding the Bull

August 4, 2015 by bjcorbin

Most people are familiar with the “Serenity Prayer”, which goes something like, “Lord give me the strength to change the things I can change; the patience to live with the things I cannot; and the wisdom to know the difference between the two.”  And while this is not directly from the scripture, I have found it to be a very worthwhile approach.  Years ago, when I was wrestling with something that I could not change, the Lord said, “You’re trying to ride a bull.”  And while I certainly felt beat up by my circumstance, I wasn’t really sure exactly what He meant.  After some time of meditation, the Lord added, “I never created a bull to be ridden; a man came up with that idea.”  That image has remained vivid for me ever since.  Now, when I try to wrap my arms (and emotions, and energy…) around something that is not mine to control, I see myself on that bull, and I try to quickly let go.

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Who Do You Say That I Am?

July 30, 2015 by bjcorbin

As Christians, and Christianity, increasingly fall out of favor within the popular culture, I’ve noticed a growing reluctance to use either of those terms.  More often, you’ll hear such people described as, “religious” or “spiritual” or maybe even as “people of faith”.  Within the church community (a.k.a. the faith community), you’ll frequently hear the word “believers” used.  And while all of those terms can be functional to some degree, none of them is singularly adequate to describe what a true follower of Jesus Christ is meant to be.  Though I can’t deny that the meaning of the word, “Christian” has become progressively more difficult to define, these substitute terms manage to introduce even more ambiguity into the conversation.

 

It all starts with what you believe.  And any person who believes that there is a god (or a higher power) could rightfully be classified as a “believer”.  This would include other major religious groups, such as Muslims and Jews.  When these, or any other, beliefs become transcendent, we commonly refer to them as faith.  Thus, being a “person of faith” simply means that an individual fervently believes is something (e.g. a Humanist has faith in the basic goodness of man).

 

Whatever we choose to believe about God, and His purposes, forms the basis of our theology; and how we choose to respond in light of that theology becomes the foundation of our religion and religious practice.  Major religions generally derive their doctrine from ancient writings such as the Torah, the Quran, and the Bible; while varying interpretations of those texts further splinter those groups into even smaller assemblies (e.g. sects, denominations…).  While having a theology of any kind will normally result in some sort of religious response, people can, and do, practice religion that is not specifically related to God (e.g. nature worshipers).  Thus, being “religious” isn’t as indicative as we might think.

 

Similarly, being spiritual is little more than demonstrating an awareness of the spiritual realm, which can be, and often is, disconnected from God or religion.  In fact, as our culture has veered further from the practice of orthodox religion, it’s fascination with spiritual things has only seemed to grow.  Palm Readers and Wiccans can accurately be described as “spiritual”.

 

My interest in discussing these things is not to settle on what we need to call ourselves, it is to come to a clearer understanding of who were are meant to be.  My concern is that our acceptance of these monikers can subtly distort our sense of purpose and identity.  As much as these particular terms fail to encompass that personage, each one can be an element of the character.

 

We are definitely called to be “believers”, but that must extend beyond simply believing that there is a God.  Within the Christian paradigm, this term refers to one who believes that Jesus was the Son of God, who became a man, and who died for our sins.  Through the gospels, we are introduced to Jesus, and we learn of God’s plan to reconcile man to Himself, and to become an active part of our daily lives.  If we choose to accept His invitation, and to put our trust in Him, we become “people of faith”.

 

But the scripture also tells us that unless our faith spurs us to action, it is a dead thing.  So genuine faith requires a response to God and to His purposes; and that response is generally viewed as religious activity or religion.  And while acting on our faith is essential, we must understand that our religion is not sacred, it is our connection to God that is sacred.  Our religion is only valuable to the extent that it enhances that relationship.  Jesus warned His followers that not everyone involved in religious activity would enter the Kingdom of heaven, and His strongest rebukes were aimed at the religious people of His day.  We were never meant to simply pursue righteousness, because only Jesus lived a truly righteous life.  He fulfilled those requirements, and we are supposed to be pursuing Him.

 

He explained to His disciples that His sheep know His voice; that they listen, and they follow.  To that end, He gave us the gift of His Holy Spirit, to guide and empower us on the journey.  Interacting with His Spirit requires us to tap into the “spiritual” part of our being, and opens the door for a genuine and dynamic relationship with the Living God.  This relationship is not only meant to transform our lives, it is ultimately meant to transform us.

 

Despite the beauty and perfection of this plan, which literally pushed open the gates of heaven, the scripture tells us that “few find it”.  Our human nature causes us to stop short, and to rationalize that our religious activity will be good enough to ensure our spot in heaven.  But even if that were true, the general lack of transformation in our lives, and in our character, thwarts God’s plan for His children to become “salt and light” to a lost and dying world.  The scripture tells us that “creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” and considering the spiritual condition of our world, I’ve no doubt that is true.  So maybe, instead of spending time lamenting the advancing darkness, or beating our chests about our dwindling status within the culture, we should be focused on growing beyond our identity as “religious” people, “spiritual” people, or “people of faith”, and stepping into our role as “sons of God”.

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Thought for the Day – Smug Religious Attitudes

July 27, 2015 by bjcorbin

It’s easy to convince yourself that you are holy when you live your life inside the protective walls of a monastery; or to judge a fellow disciple for sinking in the waves, while you sit comfortably in the back of the boat. A reservist may think that serving a couple of weeks a year qualifies them as a warrior, but it does not compare with manning the frontlines on a daily basis.

Nothing stirred Jesus’ ire more than a smug religious attitude, and I find myself feeling the same way.  It reminds me of something Mahatma Gandhi said, “Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians – you are not like him.” Jesus said that people would be able to distinguish His followers by the way they love each other. Until we get that right, we shouldn’t expect to have much impact on a lost world.

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Raising a “Born Leader”

July 23, 2015 by bjcorbin

At a very young age, my son Patrick was a take charge kind of guy, and I used to joke that even though he was a “born leader”, there didn’t seem to be anyone willing to follow a five year old.  While that line was good for an occasional chuckle, it actually encapsulates a very real issue for those birthed with a calling to leadership.  I believe that God equips us with the gifts and abilities needed to fulfill His divine purposes in our lives; and I don’t believe that they just magically appear when we need them.  I sense they exist within us (often times in seed form) from the time we are born, and that they must be nurtured and cultivated along the way.  If this is accurate, it may be more fitting to say, “born to be a leader”, as it acknowledges that one must grow into such a role.  Even after the prophet declared that David would one day be king, no one bowed down to him.  In fact, he was sent back out to the fields to tend the sheep (for years).  Similarly, recognizing this calling in the lives of our children doesn’t mean that we should put them in charge of the nursery, or even let them pick out their own clothes.

 

While the idea that our kids could one day become “leaders of men” may sound glamorous, raising a child with classic leadership traits (e.g. fearless, proactive, outspoken, stubborn, independent…) can be a challenging endeavor.  Such a child is generally classified as “strong-willed”, which some view as an affliction, or even a defect.  I remember being told that I needed to “break” my son’s will/spirit while he was still young, but the Lord strongly impressed upon me that this was not His desire.  He showed me that He’d put these qualities within the boy for a reason, and that I needed to help him to develop into the man he was created to be.  Again, that sort of thing sounds good on paper, but how do you do it?

 

As I prayed, I sensed that the first step was to teach Patrick to recognize, and yield to “legitimate” authority.  The scripture teaches us that fear (i.e. awe, reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  It is the recognition that there is a power greater than ourselves, and that we are subject to it.  No matter what position of leadership he might be destined for, learning to submit to those with genuine authority is an essential trait.  Leaders who miss this step in their development generally become tyrants.

 

Another important concept was the proper application of the strength that God has given him.  Helping him to understand that this power wasn’t meant to simply get him what he wants, but that it is intended to be a resource for God to protect and serve the children He loves.  Ultimately, authentic leadership isn’t as much about controlling people, as it is about serving them.  Leaders who fail to grasp this principle are likely to become bullies.

 

As we’ve travelled further along this path, I’ve sensed that the first charge for any emerging leader is to lead by example.  For how can someone be trusted with the governance of others, when they are unable to govern themselves.  In fact, good leaders often attain their position by simply walking with integrity, and finding that people have fallen in line behind them.  While this organic emergence into a position of leadership is ideal, it isn’t always possible.  But how a leader steps into that role is a critical factor.  Those who seize power/control rarely hold onto it for very long, and are far more likely to have it ripped from their hands.  Installation into a leadership position is best facilitated by those who possess legitimate authority over that position, or by the consensus of those who would be subject to it (e.g. electing a Union President or team Captain).

 

As time has gone on, I’ve come to recognize leadership qualities in all of our kids, and to understand that they are all called to lead in one capacity or another.  At the very least, they will need to lead their families.  As such, these principles apply to them as well.  And while I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, I would offer the following condensed list to anyone trying to raise a “born leader”.

 

Raising a “Born Leader”

 

  • Don’t attempt to break their will/spirit, endeavor to mold it
  • Teach them to recognize and yield to legitimate authority
  • Teach them not to use their strength to oppress or abuse, but to protect and serve
  • Teach them that they must first lead by example before they can expect an actual leadership position
  • Teach them that positions of leadership are best when they are given, and not seized

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Thought for the Day – Conflict of Interest

July 13, 2015 by bjcorbin

Our struggle with God is often rooted in the fact that we’re seeking a change in circumstance, while He’s after a change of heart.

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A Response to the Changing Times

July 9, 2015 by bjcorbin

As a young person I had little regard for history, but the longer I live, the more I understand the concept that “there is nothing new under the sun”.  Even though a circumstance may seem unprecedented within our own experience, it has surely been faced by someone, at some other point in time.  This principle became even clearer to me, a few years ago, as I read about the life and times of the German Pastor/Theologian, “Dietrich Bonhoeffer”; who was executed by the Nazis, just days before the end of World War II.

 

This gruesome ending stood in stark contrast to Bonhoeffer’s earliest days, which seemed almost idyllic.  Born into a prosperous Christian family, he was proud of his German heritage, and unashamed of his faith.  As a young man, his love of country and his devotion to the church didn’t seem to be in conflict, but the world around him was quietly changing.  In the early1930s, he studied in the United States, and when asked about the caustic rhetoric of emerging party leader, “Adolph Hitler”, Dietrich expressed utter confidence that his beloved nation and it’s countrymen would never allow such a man to come to power.  Much to his dismay, Hitler was appointed Chancellor just a few years later, and rose to prominence based largely on an improving economy, and the idea that he was restoring Germany to it’s former grandeur.  Bonhoeffer’s disillusionment continued as the Third Reich came into power, and the people seemingly turned a blind eye to their abuse of authority.

 

For the first time in his life, he felt as though his country and his faith were at odds, and that he had to choose a side.  But even that proved difficult, as the majority of national church leaders decided to submit to the demands of the Nazi regime.  Bonhoeffer quickly found that he’d not only become an outcast within this new society, but that he’d also become an outcast within the church he’d grown up and been ordained in.  Against this chaotic backdrop, he contended to walk out his faith in a legitimate way, and decades later, his words, his life, and even his death, continue to inspire fellow pilgrims.  As I read his story, I couldn’t help but see the parallels to my own journey.

 

Like him, I was born into a secure Christian family, within a country that I have always loved.  Like him, I grew up with confidence that America would never abandon the core principles upon which it was founded, or completely turn its back on its Judeo-Christian heritage.  Like him, I’ve found that my faith is consistently coming into conflict with the emerging society, and that increasingly I cannot endorse what is now being deemed as acceptable.  Like him, I have been appalled to watch the response of mainstream religion to this crisis, and am concerned about the growing government involvement in the day to day lives of the people.  Like him, I now find myself on the fringe of the culture, and of the religion from whence I came.

 

At this point, it’s hard to say what lies ahead.  Certainly, our situation doesn’t look as bleak, or seem as threatening as Nazi Germany.  But things are changing fast, and seem to be picking up momentum.  I’m not really sure who “we” (i.e. our collective national character) are anymore, so it’s impossible to know what “we” are capable of.  There is no doubt that such things are far beyond my control, so ultimately it comes down to a personal decision; a decision about how to respond to this new reality.

 

Like Pastor Bonhoeffer, I find myself contending with the spirits that fuel the culture, so as to walk out my faith in authentic way.  The compulsion to raise my voice isn’t as strong as my desire to hear the voice of my Father more clearly.  My heart is not to rebel against this illegitimate authority, but to submit to the genuine authority of the Lord.  His Spirit reminds me that my sense of truth and reality cannot be derived by what is “seen”, but must be rooted in what is “unseen”.  Now, more than ever, we must have the mind of Christ, the heart of the Father, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Here are a few thoughts from Bonhoeffer’s journey:

 

“Politics are not the task of a Christian.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

“The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Thought for the Day – Birthing an Ishmael

June 17, 2015 by bjcorbin

I have often referred to the emerging generation as the “Drive-thru Generation”, in recognition of their steady refusal to endure anything that isn’t quick and easy.  But in many ways, we older folks are no different.  Just because we can remember a time when we had to warm-up leftovers on the stove, or to find a pay phone, doesn’t mean that we’d be willing to do that today.  In fact, we are the ones who are principally responsible for cultivating this expectation of convenience within the lives of our children.  As human beings, we tend to want what we want, and we want it now.  And to be honest, we’re perfectly willing to sacrifice nutritional value to get it.

 

Unfortunately, this paradigm often spills over into our spiritual lives as well.  We can say that we are committed to following God’s principles, or maybe even the leading of His Spirit, but we regularly find ourselves unwilling to submit to His process or timetable.  Like the prodigal son, we can legitimately claim to be an heir, but we are unwilling to wait for our inheritance.  In Charismatic circles, we often try to masquerade this impatience as “faith”, by boldly declaring our desired outcome as being attained; but like a baseball player trying to hit an off-speed pitch, we’re way out in front and swinging too hard.  We like to think of it as calling on the promises of God (as though we need to hold God’s feet to the fire in order to get Him to live up to His word), but the reality is that for everything there is a season, and we’re not in control of how a season unfolds.  When “name it & claim it” doesn’t work, we may decide to take matters into our own hands, but in such instances we run the very real risk of giving birth to an Ishmael (i.e. something illegitimate, distracting, troublesome, heartbreaking, chaotic…).  Like Abraham and Sarah, we can try to rationalize that we just want to see God’s promises fulfilled, but our real struggle is rooted in the fact that we’re just not willing to wait on the Lord.

 

If Jesus, the perfect Son of God, was not willing to do “anything” until He saw His Father do it first, how can we expect to proceed differently?

 

(Note:  See Genesis 16 & 17 for an account of Ishmael).

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Thought for the Day – ify

June 9, 2015 by bjcorbin

You can tell a lot about a person by what they are willing to justify, what they’re trying to dignify, and what they want to vilify.  In the same way, much can be learned by who they are willing to certify, who they’re trying to pacify, and who they seek to crucify.

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15 Thoughts for the Graduates of 2015

May 27, 2015 by bjcorbin

 

There is an old saying that goes something like, “I wish I knew back then what I know now”.  And as I look back to my own graduation, here are some of those things I wish I had understood.

 

  1. Life is not a ride, it’s a journey.  A ride is simply being carried along to wherever the vehicle happens to be going, while a journey has an ultimate destination, which requires some navigation and effort to complete.  Unless we purpose in our heart to be someone, or to do something, we are likely to live life like a pinball; propelled by gravity and bouncing from one obstacle to another.  Anything worthwhile in life will require some investment on our part.  Those who are unwilling to make such an investment will generally be pushed along by the winds of circumstance to some uncertain end.

 

  1. Not everyone who agrees with you is for you, and not everyone who disagrees with you is against you. In this era of political correctness openly disagreeing with someone is often viewed as being “intolerant” of their beliefs.  But there are times when caring for a person dictates that we confront and contradict them.  Conversely, there are those who are perfectly willing to allow you to drive headlong into disaster, as long as it serves their own selfish agenda.

 

  1. Misery not only loves company, it wants to settle down and have children too.  I’ve noticed that miserable people not only seek out other miserable people to bond with, but that they’ll often unconsciously sabotage anything that has the potential to pull them from their misery.  There are few emotions that are as debilitating and self-sustaining as self-pity.  Generally, the only way to remain free of such feelings is through a dogged determination not to live that way.  As long as we are willing to blame other people, and circumstances, for our condition, we will remain powerless to change it.

 

  1. What other people believe about you isn’t as important as what you believe about yourself. Only the things which we genuinely believe have the ability to impact how we live.  Therefore, the only words (positive or negative) that have the power to move us are those which we accept as truth.  If a man concludes that he is a failure, no amount of praise or encouragement can bring him to victory; and if a man concludes that he is an over-comer, no amount of criticism can hold him back.  While we are generally powerless to keep others from speaking about us, we possess the ultimate responsibility for what we are willing to accept as truth.

 

  1. Planting apple seeds won’t get you an orange tree. Just as dependable as the law of gravity is the concept that we will reap (i.e. harvest) what we sow (i.e. plant).  Though this phrase is immediately recognizable to most people, there are few who actually live as though it were true.  Our human nature will often cause us to be unforgiving with other people, while expecting generosity in return; to be deceptive about our motivations, while expecting others to deal with us honestly; and to be selfish about our desires, while expecting others to be considerate of us.  We must always remain conscious of the fact that the cup we use to dispense blessing is the cup that we will eventually drink our blessings from.

 

  1. For everything there is a season and it’s important not to despise the season that you’re in.  If you live long enough you notice that there is a sort of pattern that life follows and that things come and go in seasons.  While we have a natural tendency to like some seasons better than others, I’ve found that every season comes with both challenges and blessings.  If we focus on the challenges of the season we’re in, we’ll often miss the blessings, and spend our time pining away for the season to change.  Conversely, if we focus on the blessings of each season, it makes the challenges easier to endure, and brings a sense of variety to the journey.

 

  1. It’s doubtful that anyone is really “out to get you”. Generally, a person has to be of significant consequence before someone is willing to invest the time and energy it takes to conspire against them.  I would suggest that we are more often damaged because people aren’t considerate of our position than we are because people have made a conscious effort to hurt us.  Though this knowledge doesn’t necessarily dampen the pain, it should aid in our endeavor to forgive.

 

  1. When you keep your own score, you always feel as though you’re losing. The problem with keeping score is that we naturally tend to under-appreciate our blessings, and to have an exaggerated sense of our hardships.  Because of that, people who keep score in life generally feel as though they’re never quite being given their due.  Ultimately, it’s better to just give our best in any given situation and to let someone else keep the scorecard.

 

  1. The path of least resistance is rarely a road worth taking.  Often what causes something to be valuable is that it cannot be easily attained.  It follows then that the most valuable things in life normally require some perseverance to apprehend.  While everyone may sincerely want these kinds of things for their life (e.g. a healthy body, a strong marriage, a successful career…), few are willing to endure the process it takes to secure them.  Unfortunately, we live in a culture that increasingly values convenience above quality, and in which many of our children have grown up with an expectation of the instant gratification of their desires. Many a parent has worked hard to ensure that their kids get a great education, so that these children won’t have to struggle like they did.  But this ignores the fact that it is in the midst of the struggle that we tend to develop our character and work ethic; and that without this development we are generally ill equipped to handle adversity.  I’ve found that you can teach someone with character and work ethic just about anything, but without those qualities, an education becomes of little value.  I’ve also come to believe that giving my children everything that I didn’t have when I grew up will likely handicap them for life.

 

  1. There are few jobs easier than being a critic and few that are more taxing than being a builder. I’m ashamed to admit that there have been times in my life when I’ve been like the guy who sits in the back of the classroom, ridiculing the person who’s teaching the class.  Playing the role of critic, while someone sincerely tries to have a positive influence on the people around them.  While I might try to rationalize that their efforts were less than perfect, or maybe even in vain, life has taught me how little that criticism helps anyone.  It takes a tremendous amount of effort and patience to bring unity where there has only been division, or to stir a group to battle, when they’ve only known defeat, or to restore a sense of hope to a place of desolation…  The builder must make a concerted effort to create, while the critic can bring destruction with little effort.  As a witness to, and a participant in, both of these processes, I’ve committed myself to spending the rest of my days being engaged in the building up and not the tearing down.

 

  1. It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.  Experience teaches us that the road to victory is generally paved with some amount of defeat; and that how we respond to those defeats will generally determine whether or not we ever come to the place of victory.   While victory tends to be the goal of every player, I’ve found that what we remember is how they played the game.  It is not necessarily the player with the highest winning percentage that captures our imagination, it is the player who played unselfishly, or with integrity, or who overcame the biggest odds…  Even for those who taste great victory, it is always in a moment that quickly passes into a lifetime of other moments.  At the moment we pass from this life, it won’t be that moment of glory that matters most; it will be how we lived all the other moments that ultimately defines us.

 

  1. It’s hard to be Clint Eastwood if you’re really Mr. Rogers. As I was growing up my conception of what a man was came largely from my father, who was a big fan of men like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.   Throughout my adolescence there were other icons (e.g. John Travolta – Saturday Night Fever, Sly Stallone – Rambo, Don Johnson – Miami Vice…) who seemed to collectively shape the culture’s conception of manhood, and who I unconsciously graded myself against.  Since I was nothing like these men I assumed that I just wasn’t much of a man, and in subtle ways I let their image affect how I walked, talked, dressed…  But as I got older I began to notice that there weren’t many things less attractive than someone trying to be something that they’re not (e.g. a middle aged woman dressed like teenager; a suburban white kid acting as though he grew up in the ghetto; a man with a bad toupee, acting as though it is his natural hair…).  I eventually came to peace with the understanding that regardless of the fact that I bear little or no resemblance to the trendy cultural images of manhood, the best thing I could do was to be myself.  That catharsis has  allowed me to do things like wear the clothes that I feel comfortable in; to act silly in public, just to make my kids laugh; to say “I love you too honey” when I hang up the phone in front of someone; to cry at sad movies…, all without feeling self-conscious.  I highly recommend it.

 

  1. Love grows over time. We live in a society that seems affixed on the idea of trading in and up, on an almost constant basis (e.g. cellphones, computers, cars, houses…); and that basic philosophy carries into our relationships as well.  Most of our cultural allusions toward love seem centered on initial attraction and the titillation of something new; but that is ultimately the shallow end of the relationship pool.  It isn’t until you’ve experienced a love that lasts for years that you come to understand the depth and profound fulfillment that accompanies it.  This same aesthetic applies to friendships as well (i.e. I wouldn’t trade a few old friends for 500 “friends” on Facebook).

 

  1. No person or thing can “make you happy”.  People can support us, love us, inspire us, and even enhance the quality of our life.  But unless we determine within ourselves to find the joy, the beauty and the hope within our given circumstance, we will never be “happy”. The idea that it is someone else’s role to bring happiness into our life places tremendous pressure on our relationships, often causing them to fail (e.g. they just don’t make me happy anymore…).  Similarly, material things do not have the ability to bring satisfaction to our souls.  I’ve noticed that people, who can be grateful for what they have today, will generally be that way regardless of what they have.  And that people, who crave something more, will normally continue to crave regardless of what they get.

 

  1. The best things in life cannot be held in our hands or necessarily even be seen. A young person’s dreams are often rooted in tangible gains, like a mate, income, a career, a family, a home…  But as a person attains those kinds of things, values seem to shift from the tangible to the transcendent.  At the end of a long life, it is things like friendship, faith, love and hope that are ultimately treasured.

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