I’m in a philosophical frame of mind today. My wife and I are winding down our study on Hermeneutics and we are finishing up our written essay. It’s one of the modules of a bigger course on Biblical Counseling which we started last year. I admit we study this a bit late in our lives but we feel this is where the Lord is leading us. We’ve been helping out a few friends who are going through issues and so we thought we might as well get trained so we’d be better equipped to help whoever else comes along. We’re not doing this for the money. We’ve been through our own trials and it is our turn to pass on what we learned. Who’d a thunk we would get into this?

Mr. Gomez wears a map of tattoos all over his body. This macho guy works in a shop that maintains huge garbage trucks. But don’t let his persona fool you. He’s actually quite sensitive. He just self-published a book (The Curious Minds of My Children Left Behind) for his young kids who wondered why he had to leave them for work every morning. In fact, he’d rather write children’s books than his macho job. Who’d a thunk it? Buy his book and support his passion.

JJ has been a property manager for 30 years but he recently started teaching American and African History. He drives 3 hours round trip for his classes. He doesn’t do it for the money either. He does it because he believes he can make a difference in his students’ lives. Who’d a thunk it?

Ivan is a car and motorcycle enthusiast. Not only does he build and rebuild fast cars and motorcycles but he also races them. He has appeared in cable TV shows fabricating multi-million dollar vehicles. But now he wants to be a pastor. Who’d a thunk it?

Saul was a Jew who lived in the 1st century. He was a pure-bred Pharisee, a scholar, a zealous preacher who followed the law without fault. But one day, on his way to persecute his detractors, he was blinded by a bright light and a voice gave him his “marching order.” You can read this account in the book of Acts Chapter 9. Instead of going LEFT he went RIGHT.  Who’d a thunk it?

Where are you in your career today? Is this a job (just to earn money) or is it your passion? Are you retired? Are your best years behind you? Sez who? I believe that as long as you breathe, God has something in store for you. You may be confined in a wheelchair, far from the madding crowd, barely able to focus, barely able to hear, but there’s a reason God is allowing you to be among us. You may think you live on your terms but actually, it is His. He’s going to squeeze out every toothpaste on that tube of life he gave you. The big question of course is, will you listen to His instructions? Will you follow the signs?

Look around. Are you doing what you love to do and do people appreciate it? If you do, who’d a thunk it, right?. If not, what are you waiting for?

Of course, this is just me.
“For I know the plans that I have made for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare and not for calamity… to give you a future and a hope.” 
— Jeremiah 29:11

TGIF people!

Doctor in the House

Shared by Ray of Burbank, CA

Strange O Fortuna Song
Sent by Sam of Southern California

Do you know the music O Fortuna? Neither did I until I watched this video. It’s the background music they use in horror movies. This video is a bad lip reading of the piece.
WARNING: Some crude language used here.

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Slave Auction
Sent by Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA

It’s really encouraging to see African Americans see humor in such a race-sensitive subject.  Only they could pull this off. Such a contrast to super sensitive people out there. This is genius.

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John Gokongwei Success Story
Sent by Charlie of New Jersey

Unless you are a Filipino, you probably have never heard of him but he is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Asia. It’s not a video but a blog.

READ STORY

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Rodney of Manitoba, B.C. who shared this photo

The post Is There a Doctor in the House? appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Two personal friends of mine, R & O,  ran for office at the primary elections held this week here in California. They both had very limited funding but they still decided to run because they believed they could make a difference.

Their competitors had oodles of money and had TV ads, direct mail ads, radio and social media ads. What chance did my friends have?

I cringed every time I watched those expensive  TV ads portraying their political rivals as the saintly answer to all our problems. “Vote for Mr. Slick because he understands and cares for YOU. His impeccable record shows he shares your same value. Look at these organizations that support him, blah blah, blah …” — that was basically the message of all their ads. Of course if you weren’t familiar with the issues you’d vote for this well-packaged political Messiah. So, next time, how would one choose the best candidate for the job when one doesn’t have the time to do the research? I would ask someone knowledgeable and whose values I trust.

Allow me to provide my 5 shortcut bullet points of Voting Discernment. See if you agree with me.

1. The bigger the marketing budget, the bigger the lie. It takes more money to bury a scandal.
2. The more endorsement the candidate has from shady organizations, the shadier the candidate. The more favors he has to repay.
3. The more the candidate asks you to vote by party lines, the less intelligent they think you are.
4. The more desperate the candidate, the greater his lengths to cheat, lie, steal and even kill for the win.
5. The humbler the candidate, the more he will listen.

Some people exasperated me because they wouldn’t even vote. I asked some of my associates to vote for R & O, but they weren’t interested. They claimed they weren’t familiar with the issues or they didn’t think my guys were good enough (even though they couldn’t defend the other choices — as if only perfection would deserve their precious vote). Here were R & O,  who stepped out of their comfort zone, risked public ridicule and sacrificed time and money and yet my snotty associates wouldn’t even throw an appreciative vote. If the government does poorly, these apathetic souls would have no right to complain. And if the government does well, they would have contributed nothing.

BTW, O DID NOT WIN but I was proud of him because he came in 3rd out of 5 competitors … losing only by a size of a church. R DID WIN and is headed for the mid-term elections in November. Think about my 5 bullet points as you observe the coming ads. I hope to see you at the polls. I don’t care who you choose as long as you cast an educated vote.

But this is just me.

“Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”
— These were God’s instructions to Moses on how to choose his officers. Exodus 18:21

TGIF people!

Secrets of Inner Peace

Shared by Tom of Pasadena, CA

Candid Camera: Raising Grocery Prices
Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Here’s another episode of Candid Camera where the grocer is raising the prices just as his customers are about to purchase them.

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Priceless Stones
Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

This video is pretty profound. If you’re in the deep philosophical mode, you will enjoy this.

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The Escherian Stairwell
Sent by Chuck of Whittier, CA

This video caused quite a stir when it first came out in 2013. This stairway is a brainchild of a Filipino architect. It can drive you crazy. There are several explanations if you do a simple search in case you are really seeking answers.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA who shared this photo

The post Secrets to Inner Peace appeared first on Traveling Archive.