My Top 10 Favorite Catholic Saints
Here are my top 10 favorite Catholic saints and why. This was a great exercise and gave me a lot of insight into the person I really am. Enjoy!
- Saint Thomas Aquinas - The scholar in me loves him
- Saint Stephen - First Christian martyr and my namesake
- Saint Paul - For everything he wrote and taught
- Saint Thomas More - For standing with his principles
- Saint Joan of Arc - For her dedication to the cause
- Saint Augustine of Hippo - Because every sinner deserves a second chance
- Saint Francis of Assisi - For being a simple man of action
- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton - The first native-born American saint teaching the Way
- Saint Michael, the Archangel - Sword in one hand and scales of justice in the other
- Saint John the Apostle - For his faithfulness to our Lord during His Passion
Feeding Your Mind
"What we allow to enter our mind is the most important decision we make." - Chip Ingram, Living on the Edge
What do you allow to enter your mind on a daily basis?
Words to Ponder
- Chip Ingram, Living on the Edge
The Foundation of All Clear Thinking
-- C. S. Lewis
A Simple Thought in These Difficult Times
"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
Knowing that He is always on my side makes the aggravating and disappointing things in this fallen world much more tolerable.
A Recent Tweet on Anger
Indignation is a just emotion when followed by mature action.
Anger itself is not bad...it is how you respond and use that anger. Notice the key words – indignation, just and mature.
- Indignation - Is the source of your anger indignation or simply a perceived hurt, disappointment or low self-esteem? In other words, is it outwardly focused or inwardly focused?
- Just - Is your anger focused on a just cause like reversing a wrong?
- Mature - Does your response to anger cause you to rant and rave like a maniac or do you use it as fuel to take a mature responsible action?
Use your anger as a gift, not as a curse. Then you will control it, instead of it controlling you.
A word aptly spoken
I came across this proverb the other day and the visualization of "apples of gold in settings of silver" was very striking. One doesn't often think about how powerful words can be to help or harm. Combined that with the fact that most people are in the need for positive messages in the lives especially with the current environment, one can see the power of a random act of kindness.
So I pledge to go out and tell someone how good they are everyday. A random act of kindness with no-strings attached.
Romans 12
Romans 12
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Love
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Happy New Year!
"An unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates
2009 was a tough year in many ways; yet a satisfying year in other ways. I spent most of the year bootstrapping a startup (wearephotographers.com) and in the process learned a lot about social media - becoming an expert! - and about myself. Only through the hardwork have I realized that you need to love what you are doing in order to make it worthwhile.
Truly, you cannot go through life just going through the motions. Examine your life and then live it. 2009 has set for me an outstanding springboard for 2010.
Happy New Years to all and make it a great one!
A Good Investment of An Hour of Your Time
I just finished watching an hour-long video on YouTube of a panel by authors Marci Alboher - “One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success” and Tim Ferriss - “The 4-Hour Workweek; Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich”. It was part of the Authors@Google series and took place about one year ago in Mountain View.
Some key takeaways resonated well with me. Tim Ferriss emphasized time and time again against focusing on list of items and accomplishing as much as possible as opposed to focusing on the effectiveness of the work you are doing. His pareto analysis approach, i.e. focus on the 20% that achieves the 80%, is spot on. He also said that, when forced to do things from 9-5 in a single location, people will make up things to do to fill the time. While managing organizations, I have found this to be very true . The key is getting people to do innovative, effective things with the extra time.
Marci Alboher talks about “Slash Careers” where you have multiple jobs/pursuits to your life. I can certainly relate to her discussion. In addition to having run a division in a high technology company, I have specific interests in marketing, sales, computers, coaching individuals, writing, presenting, wine and cooking. I am always balancing these different activities in my life. I am truly a “slash” individual.
The video offers a new way to look at careers and life and really reinforces my belief on time management. Enjoy.
A Bag of Nails
Once upon a time there was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he should hammer a nail in the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. But gradually, the number of daily nails dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the first day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He proudly told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
"You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, it won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry', the wound is still there."
Source: A Old Buddhist Tale
Quotes to Live By
"To expect defeat is nine-tenths of defeat itself." --- Henry Mencken
"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." --- Winston Churchill
"Tough times don't last. Tough people do." --- Joe Torre
"Every time you spend a dollar, you sacrifice a bit of your future." --- Unknown
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." --- Thinh Nhat Hanh
"Nothing will be ever attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome." --- Samuel Johnson
"If you laugh, you think and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day." --- Jim Valvano
Road Less Traveled
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
Robert Frost
Welcome to Kangae
Kangae (考え) is Japanese for idea. That is the theme for this blog...sharing my ideas on various items, debates, etc. I hope you will enjoy it. Read More...
