Justify our behavior or rationalize our behavior

 

Justify our behavior or rationalize our behavior

 

I was thinking as I was taking a shower this morning how easy it is to get out of good habits or to justify our behavior or rationalize our behavior.

 

I was also thinking how good it is to set goals but to be flexible on the accomplishments of some not others in order to not weigh yourself down with needless guilt.

 

Let me explain.

 

I have set certain goals for my daily life.

 

First of all I desire to read the scriptures.

 

I have read as much as 200 pages in the Book of Mormon, 150 pages in the Holy Bible and I have read as little as a few pages. Sometimes I have had goals to read 12 chapters other times to read an entire book, like the book of Matthew. Sometimes I set goals to read several small books. My daily goal is to read scriptures, I could easily beat myself up when I only read a few chapters (5 let’s say) because there have been times, weeks on end that I read 30-50 chapters a day.

 

I struggle with how much enough is given the time I have to read the scriptures.

 

Do I read 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes a day, do I set goals to read so many chapters, do I set goals to read as inspired and as I feel energy to read.

 

Do I read in the morning, evening, before I go to bed.

 

So many options.

 

Isn’t that the good thing – options!

 

Does the Lord tell us to read the scriptures every day?

 

Does he tell us to read x chapters per day or x verses.

 

Does he tell us to study the scriptures?

 

What I do find is that we are to feast on the word of God.

 

That we are called to read the scriptures and that reading them daily is a worthy goal.

 

How much, when, where is not as important as getting in the habit of studying the word of the Lord.

 

5 minutes or 5 hours, it doesn’t matter, what does matter is you reflect upon the word to the point that they help direct your life. For some that may take 5 minutes, others 5 hours and know this, it changes every single day.

 

Some days you will be inspired to read 5 minutes, other days longer.

 

The point is to not weigh yourself down with needless guilt for not reading one hour a day just because you did that the previous 5 or 10 days.

 

It is important to stay flexible, it is also important to read the word of the Lord.

 

I love the scriptures, I love reading the scriptures.

 

I have been blessed with the time to read the scriptures, thank you Lord.

 

Two things in life are for sure – change and unfairness.

 

Life is all about change, flow, growth, development.

 

The key is to recognize and understand that we as human are forever changing, our needs wants and desires change as do we. Accept the fact that you are ever changing, ever feeling, ever flowing and don’t beat yourself up because of that.

 

Even though we are essentially the same one day from the next, we are not the same.

 

Nothing in life, not one moment from the next is exactly identical.

 

Our lives may appear the same from day to day, but they are not.

 

Each moment of each day presents us with new opportunities to grow and develop.

 

Life is short – live it, don’t get muddled in the quagmire of needless guilt and self-pity.

 

Every moment in time is an opportunity to express peace, love and joy.

 

Life is unfair, accept that and move on.

 

Of course, everything is not going to go your way all the time, things will not turn out as you expected you will feel cheated, deceived, rejected, hopeless, lonely, abandoned and say to yourself.

 

Life is so unfair. Of course it is, everyone is looking out for their own best interest, not yours.

 

In that situation, which exist on this earth everyone is looking out for #1 which makes you #2.

 

Much of life we are faceless # assigned to the world.

 

A # without emotions, feelings, ability to reason.

 

We exist for what purpose?

 

To serve!

 

Serve who?

 

Our government, our employer, our parents, our school, our sports team, our activities, our teachers, our family, our church, our community, our friends.

 

Everyone and every person have an agenda.

 

The mere fact that we exist is reason enough for some groups or organizations to assign you as a member of their group.

 

The government is a prime example.

 

To government officials we are nothing more than a #, SS# 123456789, tax payer identification #.

 

Does the government care about how I feel day in and day out?

 

No.

 

Should I expect them to?

 

No.

 

If I expect them to I will be greatly disappointed.

 

And so it goes in life.

 

We are all member of all kinds of groups, organizations, agencies, our affiliations may be known as in our attendance at church, or unknown as our affiliation with the state.

 

Life is not fair, if you expect it to be you will be sadly disappointed.

 

Remember everyone is looking out for #1, especially those you don’t know.

 

Recognize that you are a member of all kinds of classes of people. Recognize that life is all about change. Each and every day our needs, wants and desires for that day changes.

 

It is good to have goals each and every day. I have a goal to write each day, sometimes I write a half a page, other days 20 pages. I have set various goals anywhere from 15 pages in a day to 5 pages in a day. Some days I may only write 1 page, now I could get down on myself, but I don’t.

 

You need to understand what is truly important in life and go with the flow.

 

I have heard it said “Don’t sweat the small stuff and everything is small stuff.”

 

Is it really important for me to write 5 pages a day?

 

Not really.

 

Is it important for me to write something each day?

 

Yes.

 

It is not the volume but the fact that I take the effort, some effort each day to write a few thoughts down. Every day changes. Some days I write more than others, so what. I am not going to beat myself up for not writing 5+ pages every day.

 

I have a goal to walk 45 minutes a day, do 100 pushups, 200 sit-ups, and 10 dips every day, except Sunday.

 

Could I have beaten myself up for not doing my exercises?

 

Yes!

 

Do I?

 

No.

 

Life is all about change and adaptation.

 

Each day is a new day, set goals, have some expectation, but learn to adapt and accept what comes to you that day.

 

Remember life will not treat you fairly.

 

Find joy in everything, I mean everything, be content in whatever the circumstance, eat properly, get enough rest, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, read your scriptures, pray continuously.

 

Remember life is an adventure, expect the unexpected, accept it, adapt to it and move on.

 

Find joy in whatever the circumstance, have fun and accept everything as something new, different and exciting.

Accept everything no matter how much you may be hurting. Our Lord loves you; he will never leave or forsake you.

 

Amen.

 

Later that evening……

 

Good evening Lord, another beautiful day on God's green earth. I want to thank you Lord for my life and my upbringing.

 

I was certainly blessed to be born and raised by my parents. I find other people less appreciative of their race and or color.

 

They seem to carry a chip on their shoulders and look for every opportunity to lash out or lash back as a defense mechanism as means of protecting themselves.

 

I have run into a couple of these guys recently, one Hispanic and one Afro American that are ultra, ultra-sensitive of their nationality / race / color.

 

They definitely have felt prejudice in their life and it shows, they are ultra-defensive at any comment that may hint of race, color or nationality.

 

They must live in incredible pain, I feel very sorry for each of these two gentlemen.

 

I am blessed to be born white, in middle to upper class professional family.

 

I am also blessed to have lived in a small town and have been exposed to an environment where I could compete and success. It allowed me to build a tremendous amount of self-confidence.

 

Rarely if ever do I have to deal with being a minority.

 

Thank you Lord for that, I know it is difficult for minorities who are oppressed by the majority to feel a true sense of self-worth.

 

Help me to love those minorities I come in contact with.

 

Help me to accept them as I do myself.

 

Thank you for the food I eat, may it nourish my body and provide me with health and strength.

 

Please watch over my four daughters, Christina, Kala, Grace and Katie.

 

See to it Lord that they are kept safe and also that the little ones obey their older sisters.

 

Watch over me and my health Lord. I thank you for the health and energy I do have, may my health and energy continue to increase.

 

I love you my Lord Jesus Christ.

 

I give you the praise, the glory and the honor.

 

I humble myself before you. Lord I commit to loving you, to living a life of truth, honest, personal integrity, fairness, righteousness, love, service and kindness. I commit to giving.

 

My father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give me this day my daily bread and forgive me my sins as I forgive those who have sinned against me, lead me not into temptation and deliver me from the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory now and forever.

 

Amen.

 

I thank you for being with me as I write this evening. I continue to ask for inspiration so that I may write that which you would direct me to write. I am at your service Lord, use me as you will.

 

Amen.