post mortem

 

 

post mortem = after death

After we die where will we go?
After we die what becomes of our essence
and our remains?
I have always had answers that have relieved
some of the worries but not all.
It is always a worry that I am not
adequately prepared for death
because I know it could come at any time.

 

I never feel as though I can live my life
to the fullest because I am not really prepared to die.
What will my children do if I am gone?
Who will love them?

 

I have come close to dying several times.
I am not afraid of death as much as

I am worried about leaving a mess behind me

for someone else to clean up.

I would like to leave behind a few burdens as possible

for others.

I know that some of my goals and desires
will never be reached, but I believe God
will support me in reaching the goals that are right.

I want to leave the world a better place when I die.
I want to be someone's blessing, not their burden.
I want my children to be respectful, respectable and responsible.
I want to be good and spread goodness in the world.
I want to be someone who will not destroy others, or destroy myself,
or let others destroy me.

I think one of the worst things is living as someone's disappointment,
but  know that people who are disappointed in me want me to live up to
expectations and goals that may or may not be realistic or within my ability
to achieve.

I know there will always be someone somewhere who will be
disappointed in me.  People can't always be pleased.
I hope I can be someone who does not behave in a disappointed way
toward others.  I have before, and it was greatly detrimental to them.

When I die, I hope I have filled the purpose for which God created me.
If I can have that as my meaning in life, then the rest won't matter.
I can say that it was all worth having and doing.
May God fill me with His mercy, His light and His love.
May God help my children to be good people who will build up His
kingdom on earth and never tear it down.

Leadership

 

E pluribus unum = Many as one

 

One of my favorite scriptures is the 23rd Psalm by King David.

I memorized it when I was 12 and I play it back in my mind often

because it exemplifies the state of mind I wish I could always hold
in my head.  I think gratitude to God is extremely important, especially
in times when the world is bogged down in practices that demean

and strip the human soul of its dignity.

 

  1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
  2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
     he leadeth me beside the still waters.
  3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
     righteousness for his name’s sake.
  4 Yea, though I walk through the valley   
     of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
     for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  5 Thou preparest a table before me

     in the presence of mine enemies:
     thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
  6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
     all the days of my life: and I will dwell
     in the house of the Lord for ever.

I love many of David's Psalms.  It is easy to see why King Saul

called David to sing to him and ease his troubled mind and why the

people loved David so much.

David's spiritual side was very strong.

 

I think becoming king ruined him.
He was a poet and musician, not really a politician to begin with.

Being a leader brings experiences that bring out

the cynical side of a person.
Leadership means people will turn and point fingers
and cast blame on whoever holds the
position of leadership.

This is because leaders make decisions

the rest of the people can't resolve among themselves.

Leaders are in positions of high responsibility
and are given a lot of community resources
to make decisions with.
They are given the deciding vote,
which amounts to automatic victory over
any who may oppose them.
Leadership means power, but
it also means powerlessness.
If you are a leader of people who believe
they are your equals and you make a

decision they don't like they may rise up

and murder you and do cruel and obscene

things to you.

The level of pride of the people under a leader

makes all the difference in that leader's effectiveness.

We will run our elections and cast our votes, but if

the people of a country cannot agree our leaders

are rendered ineffective.

I think so many civil wars are going on in the world  today

that the people cannot agree on anything.

Without support from a unified body of people

how can our leaders lead?

 

We can prepare people to lead and raise them to positions

of dignity and pride, but unless we are prepared to be

as strong and moral and responsible as we expect them

to be, we cannot expect them to save us from our sins.

They are not gods, they are people doing a difficult job

that most of us are not qualified for.

May God have mercy on those whom we vote into

leadership positions.
They are facing unbearably evil opposition.

Cara Proximus

Dear Neighbor,

We are so sad to see you feeling ill.  You have been a
good neighbor to us and many other people.
My father reminded me how you helped him on the cement
when he was first building his house and I remember
you helped us when our heat was cut off in the winter.
My mother has told me she always knows you are
someone she can go to for help if she needs it.
She probably won't, but she knows she can.

Your wife has always been kind and helpful to
me and to my children.

We have often seen you helping others around
the neighborhood and throughout the community.
We are grateful to have had such good and merciful neighbors.

We are very sorry you are not feeling well.
No one wants to see you sick and run down
and I can see by the way your family flocks around you
that they love you and you are so very precious to them.

I think the Lord must have especially great blessings reserved
for people who have done as much good in the world
as you and your wife have achieved both separately and together.

I don't really have anything to fix things for you and your family.
Feelings are about all I have to offer,
but I don't really want to leave the neighborhood
this time around without letting you know
that I think you are very good people and how grateful
we are to have had you as our neighbors.

No, we're not leaving the neighborhood yet, but we will sometime.

I think one of the greatest gifts Heavenly Father gives to people,
other than family are good neighbors.
Our world is scary with the way people move back and forth
and leave us with strangers all around us who may or may not
care about us.  We take our neighbors for granted sometimes,
but we really shouldn't because in the end
the kindness and mercy we show to and receive from
those around us is really what counts most when we reach the other side.

So, your frailty really bothers me and I wish
you can be healed and feel better soon.
You have been part of my life since I was young.
I wish you all of the vigor you once had.