Ale for the Soul

To combat discouragement and depression I have many tools at my disposal.  One favorite source for inspiration is YouTube!  Many times I will listen to motivational videos or music to lift my sagging spirits and change positively my overall outlook on life.  Another source is the inspirational pictures and quotes I have posted around the apartment.  Some of the quotes came from friends who provided very sage advice.  One such piece of wisdom was, "Don't give up too soon.  Your next blessing could be steps away or right around the corner."  Of course it would be easy to do that if we all knew when our next blessing would occur and during what stage of life.  Since I am not all-knowing, much to my dismay, I can't always answer the "When's and Where's" of life.  However, I must diligently persevere when the times get tough or when I feel like giving up too soon.  The flip side of that scenario is true as well.  I could very easily give...

What a wonderful way to follow-up Earth Day by having Arbor Day.  The history behind both holidays are fascinating, but too much to include in this blog.  (I would have to write page upon page to adequately discuss the histories of both.)  In a nutshell, the holiday promotes the planting of trees to further strengthen the Earth's ecosystem, as well as to bolster Mother Nature's hold against the negative industrial and technological advances in the present day and age.  As stewards of this wonderful planet we live on, I am in full agreement concerning our roles and responsibilities.  However, I would like to press further into the heart of the issue for what I believe is really at stake.  Planting a tree is an investment which pays off in the long-term.  So is investing in spiritual concepts and higher-level principles.  There is always more than meets the eye, other occurrences than what we can perceive through our five sense.  Similar to nee...

Today is Earth Day.  Hmm, what exactly does that mean?  Of course I understand what everyone else thinks it means: Honoring Mother Nature by becoming evermore conscious of how our human lives and resulting behavior impact the world around us.  However, I believe the greater majority of humanity has lost their focus, believing this ethereal realm is all there is.  For most, we live and we die.  There is nothing more to be gained except for what we chase during our time on earth, our time "under the sun."  Instead of focusing on Mother Nature, allow me to suggest we honor, glorify, and worship Father God, the one who created this magnificent universe and planet we live on.  For there is an eternity ahead of us once we leave this physical realm through the portal of death.  Certainly this does not negate or render void our responsibility to act as careful stewards of this awesome world we live in, but we must do so remaining cognizant of a great char...

My worldview has shifted to believe in an all-encompassing spiritual realm, engulfing the physical world with all the five senses can detect.  As a result, I do not believe this earthly existence is all life has to bring or offer.  Therefore, the vision and accompanying goals I cast for my life, which I believe is God's Will, must transcend all the human mind can comprehend.  For God and His kingdom are beyond the physical and even the metaphysical realms.  If I truly believe these principles, my life must be lived accordingly.  The Apostle Paul states in the Biblical book of Hebrews 12:1-3,  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,  let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,  and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.   Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,  who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorni...

One of the organizations I'm involved with is Toastmasters.  It is an organization founded on building confidence and skill in the art and delivery of speech-making.  Roughly half of the membership work for a particular company in Fort Worth who requires them to join the club and participate for a certain length of time.  This previous week as I was preparing for the role of Toastmaster for the meeting, all the people who work for this company bailed on the meeting.  They shirked their roles and obligations, giving no courtesy or respect for the other members who want to be there.  Thankfully the meeting still became a success, but only due to the other members stepping in to fill the roles vacated by the faithless many.  The frustration comes in to play when others have no regard whatsoever for the effect their immature behavior has on other people.  Maybe the organization will still have a positive affect on those who commitment level is less than st...

During the month of February I attended and participated in four membership classes at Christ Chapel Bible Church.  Yesterday I finalized the membership process by meeting and visiting with one of the elders of the church.  It was a great but short time of fellowship speaking about our salvation experience, along with hopes and dreams for the future.  As the years living in Fort Worth fly by, I can see each organizational and communal involvement cement my place here in this urban center.  (Organizational involvement includes: Toastmasters, Christ Chapel Bible Church, Night Riders of Fort Worth, church home group, and other such worthwhile organizations.)  Becoming a member of the church helps solidify and maintain the focus on spiritual things, keeping me from thinking and believing this ethereal realm is all there is.  Without a true belief in a higher calling, I will simply live out my life in resignation knowing I have failed to achieve my goals and pla...

Over the weekend the City of Fort Worth held their annual Main Street Arts Festival.  Upon moving here five years ago, this event was (and continues to be) the highlight of my year.  Usually I'm afforded some time to walk the booths in order to see the works of art displayed from around the country.  This year was no different as I was able to spend some time appreciating the art with friends while smoking a cigar.  The smoke shop, located right on Main Street, performed very well from the onslaught of people visiting downtown.  I was pleased.  In addition, I was in rare form in salesman mode from the number of people desiring a quality smoke.  Even though I am an introvert by nature, sometimes acting in the manner of a salesman will bring me to the right frame of mind or mood to socialize and make network contacts.  As the future of my stay in Fort Worth remains in limbo, I am okay in the event plans fall through causing me to stay here.  Ma...

In December I will turn 42 years old.  As I continue to grow older, contemplation of years gone by increasingly take a larger portion of my conscious thought.  Certainly not taking my life for granted, I am hopeful there are an equal amount of years ahead of me as behind.  Generally speaking, the previous forty-one years have been lived striving for what I want, what makes me happy, and never achieving those desires with any level of sustained success.  For whatever momentary period of happiness I may have experienced, the pain and suffering at my own hand was ten-fold.  During and upon release from incarceration, I could see the change in who I am.  God Almighty used the years of isolation from the rest of the world to remake and remold me into the spiritual being I was but didn't recognize.  Now fraught with regret over lost opportunities, lost time, and damaged or severed relationships, my heart and soul now ache with the desire for healing, renewal...

In reminiscing on my five years in Fort Worth, I had to laugh over this next memory.  Finding traditional employment is tough for those of us who have a black mark on our legal record.  Before finding my first job in Fort Worth, the amount of rejections I received was absolutely absurd.  So I figured what the hell, I might as well have some fun with all this.  From there on out I would pick a chain of restaurants or retailers and exclusively apply at that company for the entire day.  For example, Subway...how many Subway sandwich shops can I possibly apply too in one day.  With me, the answer is quite a few.  Then I would apply to as many Jack-in-the-Box as I could.  The only problem with this is the companies would eventually begin to call back for interviews, even if I didn't stand a chance of actually getting the job.  Upon answering the phone I would respond, "Which location is this for, I've applied to twenty-five different Subways?" ...

Late this morning I drove back to Fort Worth after two glorious days in Austin.  The time away was so mentally and emotionally refreshing.  It allowed me the opportunity to lift the normal daily constraints on my time and to essentially roam around town doing as I please.  Given another day and I could have accomplished a lot more, but two days was enough to see old friends and family.  Before leaving Austin I did have an appointment with a shoe store for an employment interview.  In regard to the chances of landing the job I can be rather cynical and jaded, but I did have a good vibe from the interviewer.  Will this be an opportunity to turn another page of my life leaving a city I never really cared for?  Hopefully in a few days I'll hear word concerning the interview.  Until then, here's to the prospect of new beginnings.

Over three months into the new year I'm finally getting able to leave Fort Worth for a few days.  Even the simple prospect of leaving town does wonders for my psyche, and will only intensify once I cross the city limits of this urban area.  I am blessed for the opportunity to spend two glorious days in Austin, Texas.  During the course of the previous few months I've been able to finally grow to like Fort Worth, which is something I couldn't honestly admit too a few months or a year ago.  In spite of stating such, I do look forward too and relish the chance to transcend the normal routine of life by getting away.  Even Jesus, the perfect God-Man, had to seek relief from this bodily shell, from the brutal reality of life here on Earth.  Matthew 17:1-2 state, "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James,  and led them up a high mountain by themselves.   There he was transfigured before them.   His face...

What makes a fool?  Is it making ignorant and irrational decisions?  Is it rushing headlong into conversation or a situation without apprising oneself of what is going on?  Quite a few people treat me like a fool (idiot) because I do not spout off everything I know in a braggart-ly way.  To the contrary, I believe doing so makes one a fool.  Albert Einstein says doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is the epitome of insanity.  In this case, insanity and foolishness exemplify the same characteristics.  Since I aspire to a higher level of thinking, and an other-worldly level of wisdom and intelligence, I found a few verses in the Bible speaking in regard to foolishness.  First is Psalm 14:1-2, it states, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'  They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."  Second is Luke 12:20-21 which states, "But God said to him, 'You fool!  This ver...