There’s a lot of angry people in the world.
Here at home and across global ponds, on crucial issues, everyone wants change; half one way, half the other, half for economic reasons, half for moral reasons, half for preserving rights, half for conviction of wrongdoings. Remarkably, both sides publicly profess a desire for unity, but privately only when that unification embraces their own cause even if at the expense of another’s.

When I consider the world landscape and how this ideal of “unity in diversity” is supposed to work, the ideal seems to unravel a little more each day. The ways of the world are now far too complex for single issue advocates whose zeal unfortunately seems to do more to divide than unite. No one person or single issue can move this nation to the ideal all profess as their goal. And now we’re not only angry. we’re frustrated.
Idealists and true believers search for simplicities where available, for comforts where plausible and baby steps where attainable, yet within ever tighter communities that increasingly exclude views of neighbors just across the fence. Our solutions present more problems, political chasms widen and our hopes for unity narrow as we’re ensnared in traps laid by the media and the powerful whose livelihoods thrive on our continued conflict.

While there is no way to be perfect,

there are thousands of ways to be good,

and hundreds of ways to be very good.

America’s problem might just be perseverance most of all.
Important issues are complex, requiring time and tedious navigation by critical thinkers to arrive at the better solutions. But so many lazy in our employ retire prematurely on narratives and emotional hashtags summarizing incompletely formed conclusions in hopes enough likes will make them true; they can feel satisfied never having finished the effort, experienced neither the healthy give and take of compromise nor the greater good of having intentionally or empathetically listened to the opposition for a truly informed decision.
America’s problem may be loss of stamina to persevere solutions the hard way, together, versus the cowardly way, alone.

Indian food, Indian food
So spicy good,
Makes my sweat smell exotic
Like unshowered manhood.

Indian food, Indian food
So potent and strong,
Makes my heartburn and buttburn
Like a fire gone wrong.

Indian food, Indian food
You totally spoiled it.
Going in you’re delicious
Notsomuch on the toilet.

It used to be that at the very instant of enlightenment about God and the revelation of His truths of our spiritual dimension, Christianity was the chosen front-runner of religious options. Now, with the menu including faiths and spiritual practices of every genre seeking credit, attribution and a following, false gods are now commanding the lion’s share of stalls into which people park their new found faith.  But if having one’s eyes truly opened is the epiphany, Jesus will claim all those whose experience is from the breath of the one true God who alone does the choosing. 

In the end, some days are just mediocre.
You may say you gave it your best, but deep down you know it wasn’t.
You could have done more or done better, but the net result was that it was just ‘okay’ enough to get it done and, to your credit, still likely more than most would do.
Settling on some point between sensational and satisfactory is a dissatisfying dysphoria for otherwise truly exceptional performers. Despite rationalizing about how insanely too busy you were to give it your all, the day ended leaving you wondering “maybe there’s a better way” so you don’t risk that gradual spiraling trajectory down to a “just okay” standard as concession to accomplish all you must.
This dilemma is everyone’s and the case for pretty much everything noble to which we set our minds and passions. Enter zealous with good intentions…exit disappointed with less than enthusiastic results.
It’s human to be a critic of what you missed and also human to miss critical parts of what you did well. Mediocrity is neither aspiration nor inspiration, but sometimes, it just is.
And without a few of life’s mediocre moments, our shining ones wouldn’t look so shiny.

America’s problem might just be perseverance most of all.
Important issues are complex, requiring time and tedious navigation by critical thinkers to arrive at the better solutions. But so many lazy in our employ retire prematurely on narratives and emotional hashtags summarizing incompletely formed conclusions in hopes enough likes will make them true; they can feel satisfied never having finished the effort, experienced neither the healthy give and take of compromise nor the greater good of having intentionally or empathetically listened to the opposition for a truly informed decision.
America’s problem may be loss of stamina to persevere solutions the hard way, together, versus the cowardly way, alone.

On Father’s Day of all days!
My gift from my kids was a thorough cleaning out of my garage. After a couple long, hot hours of hard work, the very last sealed box found in the corner to stow or throw away was marked “Tomas for Grandkids.” Upon opening, we found 8 pristine original framed paintings from his “Tomas the Tortoise” children’s book series, signed, remarqued, titled and labeled, obviously a gift for our next generation of Millers put away years ago for discovery some special day long after he was gone. Father’s Day of all days! What a surprise!
I was excited just getting my garage cleaned up, but it’s just like Dad to trump a great gift with one much better!
#AFathersDayToRemember

People who already exercise the power of good before discovering the power of God enjoy a more seamless transition, undetectable except in a heart now motivated by something deeper and purer than mere religion.