A to Z Challenge: F is for the Freedom of Discipline

A to Z Challenge: F is for the Freedom of Discipline

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To some freedom and discipline will seem like a mismatch, but I hope you will think again.  Any musician, athlete, performer knows the freedom that comes with the discipline of their craft.  The reason they have the freedom to be excellent in their ability, to do what they are able to do with joy, is because they have taken the time to employ discipline in their learning.  If they had not done so, they would be free to play well.

Discipline is training, practice, immersion in the facets of and obedience to the rules of a system of learning of an activity or of life in general.  Without it, we never develop depth or expertise in a particular area of interest.  We will always be limited and lack the freedom that comes with  knowing something fully.

• Discipline as a life skill helps us develop healthy habits and resist those which lead to addictions.  Again the avenue to freedom is discipline.

• Any employer will tell you how liberating it is for them to have an employee they can count on to arrive on time, get the job done as expected, trust to finish what he has set out to accomplish.  These are all marks of discipline.  

• A child who has been disciplined, has manners, can interact more freely and comfortably with those of all ages.

The Christian life is no different.  However, many of us who call ourselves Christian have become lazy in the spiritual disciplines of the faith.  Without practicing these disciplines, we become flabby and ineffective just as one does in any area of life that requires discipline.  What are these disciplines?  

• Spending time in the Word of God - including reading, memorizing, and meditating on the Word

• Prayer - spending time with God both alone and corporately with other members of the faith

• Worship - which would include church attendance as well as the state in which we live our lives

• Evangelism - sharing our faith as ambassadors for the kingdom of God

• Service - having a servant’s heart to be the hands and feet of Christ within our community and to the world

• Stewardship - realizing everything we have belongs to God, the earth, what we own, our relationships, all belong to God and so we should care for it as such and be willing to give back to Him at least the portion He lays on our hearts to give

• Fasting refraining in some way from something to more fully focus on Christ, the direction of the Holy Spirit, and a life of holiness and selflessness

• Surrender - putting the Lord’s calling on our lives in all areas above our own desires, in fact making His good pleasure the main desire of our hearts knowing that His good pleasure is really meant for our good as well

• Fellowship - meeting with others in the faith involves being with like-minded people at play, in study, in worship, for encouragement, for accountability, and more

• Gratitude - giving thanks in everything and in every circumstance as a practice of life.  This discipline would turn our lives upside down and get rid of the need for a number of medications

There are more but how many of us even practice these regularly.  If we who call ourselves Christian would practice these disciplines, oh the freedom and joy we would unleash.  Could it be that we do not see a vibrant impact of the Christian church today because the world does not see the freedom we have in Christ without the discipline of the faith practiced among its members?

... On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 

1 Timothy 4:7 

Three good books on Spiritual Discipline:

Christian Disciplines: Building Strong Christian Character by Oswald Chambers 

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster

The Disciplines of the Christian Life by Eric Liddell 

A to Z Challenge

A to Z Challenge: E is for Enow, Energy Solutions

A to Z Challenge:  E is for eNow.

eNow

eNow is a company putting technology to work to provide energy saving solutions for the trucking industry.  This company has solar energy solutions that reduce the need for truckers to idle their vehicles to keep cold perishable goods,  and to power other systems within the truck, which ultimately saves fuel and protects the environment.  The clean renewable energy reduces operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.  

eNow was one of the exhibitors at the Annual meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition put on by the Technology and Maintenance council in Nashville, TN in March. Here is a company putting their entrepreneurial skills to work to create real, practical and economically smart solutions for caring for the environment.  These are the kind of small business ventures that we need to get the word out about. 

A to Z Challenge

A to Z Challenge: D is for Days of Praise

A to Z Challenge:  D is for Days of Praise, 

Days of Praise

I like sharing resources, so today I would like to let you know about “Days of Praise,” a daily Christian devotional published by Institute for Creation Research (ICR).  I have used it for years and have found it to be one of the most inspirational daily devotionals I have come across.  It is available online or in quarterly booklet free from ICR.  May the joy of the Lord be your strength.

A to Z Challenge

A to Z Challenge: C is for Carson, Brave Ben Carson.

A to Z Challenge: C is for Carson, Brave Ben Carson.

Ben Carson

I am one of those who is excited about Ben Carson and the solutions he is offering for our country's ills.  I think Dr. Ben Carson is a brave man of honor and intelligence.  He has been willing to put himself out there to express his views on solutions to some of our country’s woes.  He is inspiring and seeks to build up rather than tear down.  What a breath of fresh air.

When asked if he would run for president, he said he would only run if God clearly guided him to it.  What a great answer!  He isn’t out for power or himself.  He is a genuine good and godly man.  

Now that he has been on the scene discussing the issues and ruffling feathers, the attackers have begun pecking at him.  Being the gentleman he is, he has continued to keep his focus on the issues and not get pulled into the mud.

There is talk about Ben Carson running for president of the United States.  Apparently it isn’t a new idea since someone has had a facebook page “Ben Carson for President” which has been up for several years.  I know I liked him from the first time I saw the movie, “Gifted-Hands” about his life.  Beyond the inspirational value of a life well lived, he is definitely a man with some ideas worth considering.  He has my vote right now if he runs for president, and I hope he does run.

Go Ben Carson!!!

Ben Carson:  The Faith of a Surgeon 

Who is Ben Carson  

 Carson Scholarship Fund 

Carson’s speech to the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast  

A to Z Challenge

A to Z Challenge: B is for Balancing The Budget

A to Z Challenge:  B is Balancing the Budget

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The United States is headed in the direction of other countries that have allowed their appetites to exceed their funds.  What is the purpose of government?  Is it to give us all we want?  Is it to take care of us from cradle to grave?  Well, unfortunately and sadly many Americans have come to believe and expect that government is there to give them whatever they need or want.

This thinking is not good for the country, for those who think this way, or for those left footing the bill.  It is time to educate our people in economics and the Constitution.  It is time to inspire our people to pursue their own happiness and not to expect the government to provide it.  It is time to bring our countryman together to appreciate one another and the abundant prosperity we can create if we seek to be the best we can be and to bring out the best in each other.

We have got to bring our expenses as a nation under control in the same way we must control our personal finances.  Let’s get together and support a balanced budget.  If you would like to find out more or are willing to get involved, then check out these websites:

The Path to Balance the Budget Petition

Heritage Action for America 

National Priorities Project 

Americans for a Balanced Budget Amendment

A to Z Challenge

A to Z Challenge: A is for Anniversary

A to Z Challenge:  A is for April Anniversary.  

My 27th wedding anniversary is this month, April 5th.  27 years I have been married to an amazing, affectionate, boyish man who has done all he can to captivate and charm me, winning my devoted delight.  Engaging and endearing, my friendly, good-natured, handsome husband, is irresistibly jocund, kind-hearted to a fault, lovable and loving.  Marvelously magnanimous and noteworthy in his originality, this personable, quick-witted, resourceful sweetheart is my treasured soulmate.  An understanding man of high virtue, he will always be a whimsical youth to me, a bit zany but always adorable.  My beloved, a chivalrous, demonstrative, eccentric who is frisky and gracious all rolled into one. He is always an honoring, impressive, and jovial leader, missional yet naturally obliging and pleasant with his rare style.  Thoughtful in all he does, Colin is an uncommon visionary who is guided by warmth and wisdom and a zealous love for his God and his wife.  I am blessed. 

A to Z
Thank you, Lee.  We all owe you a debt of gratitude.

Being Delivered from the Negatives of Critical

The Five Minute Friday Word for this week is REMEMBER.

Artist: Steve Hanks

One of the things that is a strength for me is also a weakness.  I see things that need fixing.  I am a fixer.  Doesn’t that sound nicer than I am critical, but alas, that is part of who I am.  I tend to see what is out of place, what needs repair, what is still left to be done.  

Until a few years ago, I saw this as only a negative.  I remember hating this about myself and always wanting to change.  Then one day I had a conversation with a friend who suffered from the same ailment.  She pointed out how we need people who are able to see what needs to be fixed.  It is only bad if you don’t see it in yourself and temper it with appreciation.  It, like most traits, just needs to be managed in order to be a blessing rather than a curse.  Well that was much more pleasant.

Since then I have learned more about gifts of the spirit and how being able to contribute constructive criticism is often called for.  My children have mentioned on more than one occasion that they appreciate constructive criticism because it helps them improve and they truly dislike false praise given just to make them feel good.  Further confirmation that this trait is not totally to be despised.

However, I also have realized that my critical nature has been a stumbling block to me, and it is good to keep that in perspective as well.  The Lord has been teaching me about love of late.  It is my word for the year.  I am already seeing how very much I have to learn about love.  It is a humbling journey to see how much criticism has kept me from loving or how the lack of love has cultivated a critical cynicism.  I thank God for continually humbling me, because it is in that humbling that He is showing me where I need to repent and how I can become more like Christ.  

STOP.  5 minutes up.

It never ceases to amaze me how I think I know something, and God clarifies how little I really know.  I am also grateful for that.  It has given me perspective along my life journey.  I have many humble, tearful, joyful rides with the Lord these days.  It is life-changing.  It is life-enhancing.  It’s liberating.  The tears shed, are tears of joy as the Holy Spirit not only shows me the error and sin that have been my stumbling blocks, but concurrently delivers me from them.  What a gracious loving God.  As He sets free, everything else becomes richer.  It’s like the smoker who gets a new appreciation for food once she quits because the taste or rather her ability to experience the taste is intensified.  

Ah the renewing power of the Holy Spirit brings love to life and leaves the fixing to Him.

But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.  Deuteronomy 4:29

Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in.

3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Oh and Ahem, if you would take pity and turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks!

OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on:::

Remember…

Also linking up with:

Blog Blitz Linkup - A Great Idea!

Cruising Altitude 2.0

D.L. Hammond at Cruising Altitude 2.0  has started a blog linkup he has called Blog Blitz.

Here is what D.L is suggesting, 

“What would it be like if the support, encouraging nature, and community spirit of the blogosphere were ever focused on a single blogger?”  

His idea is to get a list of bloggers together to ‘blitz’ a selected, deserving blog on a specific date so that the blogger will get a large number of commenters at one time and feel the love of the blogosphere community in a special way.  I couldn’t help think, “what a great idea!”  Wanna know more?  Hop on over to and check out the rest of the story on Blog Blitz.

So go on over to Cruising Altitude 2.0 and linkup.  It will be fun to be a part of a blessing team blitzing a deserving blogger.  Who knows, you just might get your chance at being blitzed yourself at some point.

   

Thanks D.L. for coming up with a super linkup.  

Confessions of an Insecure Writer/Blogger

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh, there is a place to go for insecure writer's like me.  Visiting those who link up there though, I find that even among the insecure I am out of my league.  However, the great thing about the blogging community is that there is no shortage of encouragers.  So I am grateful for the opportunity to expose my vulnerabilities to those who will only help me through them.  Thanks in advance.  Can you pick up on my insecurity already?

You see, I am always two steps behind the technological revolution of the day.  I don’t mind that and in fact I rather like it.  However, I am afraid I am two steps behind in other things as well.  I feel rather behind the power curve in blogging, two steps behind in my writing aptitude, two steps behind in keeping up with what I should know in both of these skills.  So sometimes, actually, I usually feel quite out of my league.  Confessions of an insecure writer/ blogger.  There it is.

Nominated For the Liebster Award

Sharon from Sharon Himsl's Shells, Tales and Sails has nominated me for the Liebster Award.

 As I commented to Sharon, I was grateful and touched that she nominated me and that she mentioned she follows my blog.  Thank you, Sharon.  If there is one thing that is readily recognizable about the blogging community, at least in the blog-land I have been, it is that bloggers are very encouraging.  As a new-be to blogging, I appreciate the support.  

Receiving this award sent me on a quest to find out more about it.  Apparently I am not the only one that has done that upon receiving this award.  One very informative blog, Sopphey Says, was visited by Sharon, my nominator, right before me.  Small blog world!

What I discovered is that there is quite a bit to be known about the Liebster, and there are quite a few holes in what there is to know.  Liebster is a German term of endearment and the award is meant to encourage a small blog which you have become fond of.  It has several variations across the web, but you must be a recipient to be able to nominate.  To actually receive the award, all you have to do is follow through.

Finding the origin of the award took more research than I was able to invest.  However, it does seem that the size of blogs which have been recommended for the Liebster have varied from under 200 followers to under 1000.  I found rules for follow on nominations ranging from 3 to 11 blogs of your choosing.  I also found that when people had received multiple nominations for the Liebster that they tended to modify their approach.  This may be how the Liebster has morphed over time, but that is pure speculation.

Being a new-be, I don’t want to overstep my liberties, but I thought it would be ok to do a mix of previous versions even while trying to honor Sharon in her nomination of my blog.  So, I will list the Liebster Award rules as they were passed down from Sharon.  Then after I comply with answering her questions, listing my random facts, and creating my questions for my nominees, I will indicate my slight turn to the past. 

Liebster Award Rules as they reached me:

1. Thank the blogger who presented you with the Liebster Award, and link back to his or her blog.

2. Answer the 11 questions from the nominator; list 11 random facts about yourself, and create 11 questions for your nominees.

3. Present the Liebster Award to 11 bloggers, who have blogs with 200 followers or less, whom you feel deserve to be noticed. Leave a comment on the blogs letting the owners know they have been chosen. (No tag backs.)

4.  Upload the Liebster Award image to your blog.

I have thanked Sharon earlier, but let me do so again.  Though there are no judges and no set rules that can’t be fidgeted with a little, it is a way of encouraging and complimenting bloggers you think are deserving of recognition.  You have blessed me, Sharon; thank you.  Here are my 11 answers to your questions (Somehow I ended up with 12) and 11 random facts about myself.  

 Eleven questions for me answered:

1.  What is your favorite form of recreation?  My favorite form of recreation is racquetball.  On the court I feel free and energized.  Unfortunately due to knee surgery, I can’t play for some months, so right now my favorite form of recreation is sudoku since it doesn’t require me to use my knee.

2.  What kinds of books do you read?  I like a good mystery novel, but I am most drawn to books about Scripture that deepen my conviction and grow my understanding and stretch me to be better.

3.  Why did you start blogging?  I like to write and I like to help people.  I thought that blogging would give me the impetus to write more and the avenue to encourage people who may be struggling to have or hold onto a joyful countenance.  My rationale to keep blogging may be somewhat different.

4.  Do you read books on an e-reader or prefer printed books?  I do read books on a e-reader, but prefer printed books.

5.  Name two actors or authors you admire.  I loved Charlton Heston.  He pops to mind most readily.  I like Megan Follows.  And being fond of mysteries, I am an Agatha Christie fan.  However, I do have a hard time picking favorites.

6.  What makes you laugh?  Those random things, that give you the giggles and get you rolling and you can’t stop.  I remember a few years ago when our family, my husband, our five children, not little anymore, and myself were on vacation in Disney World.  We were on the bus and decided for some odd reason to pick nicknames.  Before I knew what was happening I got the giggles and couldn’t stop laughing.  Playing games with family also is often a time with lots of laughter.  I like to laugh!

7.  Which do you prefer and why: dogs or cats?  Oh my, I couldn’t choose.  I love my dog and I love my cats.

8.  When or where do you feel most creative?  I am most creative when I can’t do anything about writing down what’s on my mind.  I wish I could hold onto those fleeting genius moments, but alas I am afraid my magnum opus has floated away on the wings of a dream.

9.  What is your favorite fast food or snack?  My favorite snack, another tough one.  I have a hard time with favorites because it can change with the moment.  Chocolate is wonderful, crackers and cheese have their place, but I think I will have to say.....

10.  Do you have a special place you go to relax?  I like to be alone often to relax; so I may just seek out the place where I can find some alone space, the living room if it is vacant, the bedroom if it is not, and when my legs work, a walk in the fresh air.

11.  Do you have a favorite comic strip?  Not really.  I used to like Family Circle.

12.  If you could travel back in time, where would you like to go?  I might just go back to visit my own life when I was younger to revisit my own memories and bring back the living color.  

My 11 random facts:

1.  I am more grateful by the day for grace especially as I learn more how to 

      apply it.

2.  One of my greatest delights is to always be learning.

3.  When I feel mistreated or hurt, I prefer to walk away than confront, but I  

      humbly admit I have to work hard to heal the wound.

4.  I prefer to stay two steps behind technological advancement.

5.  I really appreciate a tidy house, but I know I will never have one.

6.  I am mortified that I will have to swim as part of my regular exercise routine 

     because I am embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit.

7.  As much as I like a relaxing walk by myself, I prefer to walk with someone 

     else.

8.  Scrabble is my favorite game.

9.  I would love to have a place in Daytona Beach someday, where my husband grew up and we still have family and the smell and view of the beach and river is such a delight to me.  However, I have come to be content with the dream and am satisfied that if God should want that to be so be it, and if not, He has something more worthwhile for us.  

10.  I miss my mom so very much and still cry about it sometimes.  Even though it has been three years since she went home to be with the Lord, it still feels very raw.  From time to time, I still cry missing my dad even though he has been gone almost 25 years.

11.  Nothing tickles me quite so much as when I see my children do random acts of kindness, especially to each other.

My eleven questions for my nominees.

1. Why did you start blogging and why do you continue?
2.   What would you like to change about yourself?
3.   Who is someone who inspires you and why?
4.   What is one cherished memory you are willing to share?
5.   What energizes you?
6.   What relaxes you?
7.   What do you like to do for fun?
8.   What is a favorite...?  And why?
9.   What is a dream you are willing to share?
10.   What is something you like about yourself?
11.   What is something on your bucket list?

My twist:

I am nominating 3 blogs for the Liebster rather than 11.  I decided on these three for very specific reasons.  There are so many wonderful excellent blogs out there, I would have such a hard time choosing.  The three I am nominating are three that truly are dear to me for specific reasons beyond the fact that they are worthy in their own right.

Transitional Woman

Heidi's Books

We're Living a Full Life

The first two blogs belong to ladies near and dear to me who launched me into the blogging world.  They may already have been recipients, but it is a joy for me to nominate them since they will always have a special place in my heart and their blogs are such an inspiration to me.  The third blogger on my list I have come to feel is like a friend who I have never met, like many bloggers I visit with regularly.  However, she was one of the very first to come along side me from outside my inner circle to encourage me.  I have come to feel like visiting her blog is like having coffee with a friend.  To these three ladies I say thank you for inspiring me.  I hope you are blessed to receive this nomination as I was.

Now for my little, very little turn to the past.  So as not to cut short my responsibility to Sharon of mentioning 11 blogs though I am only nominating 3, I thought I would list some of the PAST Liebster recipients who I visited in my quest to know more.   Some of their sites aided me in my quest.  Others were just plain good to visit, and isn’t that what the Liebster is all about - complimenting, encouraging, and connecting?  So here are a few past Liebster winners you may want to check out.

-Sopphey Says

- WholeHearted Home

- LScott Poetry

- Daily Drama of an Aspiring Writer

- Far From Flawless

- Angie Padilla

- Wayne Kollinger's Sketch Book

- Jenny Neil Writer Traveler Sommelier

8 + 3 = 11, and don’t forget to check out Sharon Himsl's Shells, Tales and Sails.  

One Word Choice - Love

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Visiting Gaye Idle at Captive Heart blog several days ago, I was intrigued by the one word challenge about which she wrote.  She referred to a book by Debbie Macomber, One Perfect Word,  as well as a facebook link where Debbie talks about the idea of the book.    Later, I googled “One Word” and found that this is apparently an idea claimed by several on the web.  I am not sure who came up with it first, but I thought I would try the challenge of choosing one word as a focal point for growth for the year.   

So I prayed about it over the course of the next few days.  Several words came to mind as possibilities.  ‘Delight’ was an obvious one, but it may have actually been a word given to me in years past without my realizing I even had a word.  I thought perhaps ‘fast’ was the word, until it became clear to me that the Lord was actually leading me to focus on ‘love’.  What makes me think so?  

Well I happened to be introduced to the idea of "One word" in early February, so love was in the air.  I might have been lulled into thinking it really is not the word for me; it just happens to be the word of the day.  However, in circumstances unrelated to Valentine mania, the word love continued to arise. and I became convinced this is the word the Lord wants me to focus on.  It is one of those words I think I know a whole lot about, but I’m sure I will find I know very little and have much more to learn.  I am so excited about opening my heart to what the Lord will teach me, will grow in me.

I have thus been paying careful attention each time I come across the word love, especially in my Bible reading.  Today, it presented itself in 1 Corinthians 14:1, “Pursue Love.”  What a great passage for mediation.  Here are my journal notes:

Pursue - Seek, go after, be persistent, continue at it until you have found it.

Love - God is love, to put others before myself, to put God first, action and emotion, compassion, kindness, generosity, to recognize all belongs to God, the essence of freedom.

I will be persistent in continuing to seek God and His character and nature, to understand Him and His will for my life, to seek to clothe myself in Christlikeness, compassion, kindness, generosity.  To dwell in God’s pleasure, were true freedom from all that is not love lies.  To hold all with an open hand rather than a clenched fist for none of it is really mine though all is mine as an inheritor of the kingdom a child of God.

Pursue Love.  

Oh precious Lord, let me pursue Love.  May I delight in Your love.  Amen.

My Beloved, You Teach Me What Love Is

The Promise by Robert Sexton

This week's

Five Minute Friday 

Prompt 

is 

Beloved.  

You are my beloved because you have my heart.  You have helped me be more than I would have been alone.  You are willing to put up with me in my worst.

I read at “Heart Choices” a beautiful thought.  To paraphrase:  You are my beloved because sometimes I feel so in love with you, and when I don’t feel quite so in love, I choose to love you because that is love.  It wraps up emotion with action and commitment.  It goes beyond what I feel, but is what I feel as well.  I choose to love you, my beloved, and with every step of that choice, the love grows and you are more my beloved each day.

For Now and Ever by Robert Sexton

I love you because He first loved me.  The precious love of my Jesus makes me more able to conquer my selfishness and appreciate just how beautiful you are.  You are the blessed, beloved partner given by God, and I rejoice that I have you, my beloved.

Stop.  

Five minutes are up, 

but I have more to say to my beloved.

My beloved, how blessed I really am to have you:

To care for me when I am unable to do for myself.  

To be an example of love and selflessness not only to me but to our children and others whose lives you touch. 

To listen to me whine and not pass judgment and then lift me up so I whine that much less.

To laugh with and to make me laugh.

To be part of my cheerleading squad and to cheer you on as well.

To be a co-laborer for Christ with me.

To share the journey of life until we are those two waddling older folks walking the lane together. 

The Vow by Robert Sexton

Through you and with you, I am learning what love is, my beloved.

In Our Time by Robert Sexton

To see more of the work of Robert Sexton, click here.

What is Your Definition of Open-mindedness?

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There is a lot of talk about tolerance of all and about being open-minded to new views, those other than your own.  What does it mean, though, to be open-minded?  Do we confuse the two, tolerance and open-mindedness? 

According to the dictionary, to be open-minded is to be "willing to consider new ideas, unprejudiced, non-judgmental".  However, if you think about it to its conclusion, to what end do we want to be open?  Do we want to be open to new ideas just to be pulled in any direction?  Is it good to be open to anything without any thought given to it?  Should I not ponder to what I am opening up and come to some conclusion as to its value?  Should I not consider whether it contributes to my understanding of truth and how to communicate truth to those who may be "open" to falsehood?

I am not talking about preferences, jewelry or no jewelry, long hair or short hair, dressy or casual, which flavor I prefer or do I do it one way or another.  However, when it has bearing on life's greater questions, should we not give pause to consider connections to truth?  What we are open to does matter.  What we think and do does matter in the grand scheme of things.  I want to be willing to listen, to hear what you think, but though I don’t want to pass judgement on you to criticize or condemn, I must make a judgement as to whether your ideas are sensible or wise or true.  

Critical thinking is a skill to be desired and cultivated.  To think critically is to evaluate and analyze an issue in order to come to a conclusion as to its relationship to truth.  Yet we get the concept of critical thinking mixed up with that of criticizing, that is expressing disapproval and then not on the ideas being conveyed but on the one conveying.  In so doing we commit the fallacy of equivocation when in fact a little critical thinking and open-mindedness is in order.  It isn’t about ridicule or disrespect, but about having an inquiring mind of one’s own in which we appreciate and consider opposing viewpoints while coming to an understanding of what is best supported by the evidence and leads one to a fuller understanding of truth.

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Tolerating your right to believe what you will does not mean I have to embrace or be open to it as equal to truth.  That is just ridiculous.  It is convoluted.  It's wrong.  Isn't it interesting that those who confuse tolerance and open-mindedness making them one and the same are often the very ones who malign those holding opposing viewpoints to their own with no critical thinking whatsoever.  They don't want tolerance of equal but opposing ideas.  They want submission to their ideas as superior.

So I have come up with my own definition to how I would like to be open-minded.  Here it is. 

 Open-mindedness:  Respectfully listening and considering the ideas of others because I would rather be right than validate my opinion.  

What do you think?  Help me refine my definition if you will or give me your thoughts on what you think being open-minded should look like.  Until then, I do have strong opinions on things, but I am open-minded enough to respectfully listen and consider what you have to say, because I would rather be right than validate my own opinion.

Signing on the A to Z April (2013) Challenge List

Laid up in bed after knee surgery, I have had a chance to navigate the electronic devices and internet sites often left to scant snippets of time I don’t have.  I was able to set up wireless to the new dvd player in our bedroom to watch   Netflix or Amazon prime when hubby or the kids have commandeered the living room tv.  I am especially proud of this feat as my children, whom I usually turn to for these acts of magic, were unable to figure it out.

Among the other practical pleasures I've been pursuing is visiting the blogs of friends which I enjoy doing almost as much as eating chocolate - almost.  It was fun to catch up on the musings and profundities of those much wiser than myself as well as just getting a glimpse at what might be going on in their lives.  In the last three months I have only blogged once, last Friday, quite off my original goal of twice weekly, and had not visited at all any other blogs for most of that time either, also quite off my goal.  So being incapacitated has its advantages.  It may just be the spur to get me back to blogging.  I hope so.

Visiting friends and seeing what they were writing or preparing to write brought to my attention the A to Z Challenge.  The history of A to Z  began in 2010 when Arlie Bird, or Lee as he signs his name, of Tossing it out  more or less on a whim decided to celebrate his 200th follower by posing a challenge.  And 4 years later what an explosion.  Arlie now has thousands of visitors and followers and has started something that has become a phenomenon all its own.  

I must admit I was a bit dubious about taking the challenge.  I wondered if there was something I was missing.  Is it possible that it is more than it seems?  What would I step into if I signed up for this challenge?  

So to relieve my concerns, I checked out Mr. Bird’s website and those of several other of the A to Z hosts.  I think I am safe.  I plan to visit them all in the coming days.  I also hope to keep to the contract of checking out at least 5 A to Z contributors each day during the challenge.  Yes, I signed my name to the list.  Check it out.  You too might find it a challenge worth taking like the many hundreds of others, including me, who have already signed on.   I think it will be a fun adventure.  Thanks Lee!  And thanks Elizabeth of Transitional-Woman for my first exposure to the possibilities of this challenge.

Just ot help me remember, I am number 641 on the list.