Questions of How, Why, Where, ...and God?

 

"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work."

-- Genesis 2:2

Should I start planning ahead for my future?

If not now, when? Retirement is a bit late.

Are you making the money you feel you deserve?

I retired twice, so, yeah, I think I deserve it.

Do you want to make money without doing any effort?

That would put me on the welfare rolls. Hell no. I prefer to work for a living. It’s a matter of self-respect.

“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”

-- Helen Keller

Must one pass through delays, at a particular time in one's life, in order to become something in life?

I sleep every night, which delays my becoming something new, each day. I always have another day in paradise to excel in life, before I sleep again.

I just want to be happy. How do I do that?

Happiness is a choice, as is misery. Choose better.

We bring our own misery by the choices and decisions we make in life. Bad choices, bad consequences. I choose to be happy always, and this choice prohibits me from accepting misery as a consequence of my life.

Reader comment: Hm if it were a choice the whole world would be happy. Who would choose misery. Happiness is an emotional response, a moment of a feeling. There is no magical recipe. We each find it in many different moments.

My reply:  "Hm" requires another "m" to be correct, and your second sentence is a question so, question mark, not a period.  Just saying. 

You're right in that misery is a choice, and who would choose misery? Well, obviously many.  And there is no "magical recipe" for happiness as it, also, requires a choice.  If it were a "magical recipe" no one would ever find it.

What does "to give your heart, you must have it" mean?

If you don’t truly love yourself, how can you truly love someone else?

“If you put yourself in the emotion that you want from others, you are more likely to receive it.”

-- Shannon L. Alder

What do you usually do on the weekend?

Being retired, it’s just another day in paradise.

Are things that sometimes seem impossible actually possible when you think outside the box?

Sometimes.

Do you believe in freedom?

I served 23 years in the military. I do so believe in freedom. I find it sad that many in my country don’t even understand the term or the sacrifice it takes to maintain it.

“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”

-- Virginia Woolf

Why is my bad luck so terrible?

Luck, good or bad, is driven by the choices and decisions we make in life. I think that “luck” as we know it is simply the product of our choices, decisions, or the actions we take as a consequence of those choices or decisions. So, if we accept this premise, your terribly bad luck would be the consequence of terribly bad choices or decisions that you, may or may not know, that you made.

I have met people that seem to have bad luck all the time and, when asked, it turns out that they really don’t think through the choices and decisions they make. Something present’s itself to them and they jump on it, without thinking what may happen, without thinking it through. If this has meaning in your case, try slowing down a bit and thinking through every choice and decision you make. If it’s bad, or might be bad, stay away from it. Remember, luck is really about what you make of it, and strive to be happy… regardless.

Is age 59 too late for me to embark on a college degree plan?

I’m 68, and I’m considering it.

Are you happy with what they think about you? Why or why not?

If I gave a fig, probably not, but, then, I really don’t care. I am who I am. I don’t color myself to be something different. I don’t make excuses for who I am. I am who I am until I’m not, and then I am who I am… again. Love me or leave me. My ex chose poorly, God bless her little heart. She is one of the few.

"What you think of me is none of my business."

-- Terry Cole Whittaker

You become God for 3 days. What would you do?

Rest. Creation takes six, and one day off just wasn’t enough.  Which always bodes the question, "Why did God need to rest?"

Where is the key to open the door to success?

Knowledge” is the key, and it’s found in a book. When you become smart enough, you’ll come to realize true success is found in true happiness. Everything else is just a goal.

Is it okay to think that you deserve more after you have worked so hard?

I’d have to ask, why did you work so hard for less than you thought you deserved? Sounds counterproductive to happiness, like built-in dissatisfaction. Why would you think it’s “okay” to think you deserve more than you thought you were worth when you were the one who agreed to the price?

“We cannot achieve more in life than what we believe in our heart of hearts we deserve to have.”

-- James R. Ball

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com