He who controls others may be powerful,
but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
~ Lao Tzu

They say the world has become too complex for simple answers.
They are wrong.
~ Ronald Reagan

We find comfort among those who agree with us—
growth among those who don’t.
~ Frank A. Clark

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second.
Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you!
~ William James

Relationships and the Claustrophobia that comes with commitment:

“…that’s when it occurred to me. I am stuck…the courtship was over, and the honeymoon had ended…went from an option to an obligation…from someone to play with to someone to care for…such permanence can lead to panic…”

(Paraphrased) There are three ways to cope: flee, fight or forgive. To flee is to wake up later in another relationship and face the same reality. To fight is to make tension a way of life: to turn the house into a combat zone, the office into a boxing ring.

To forgive: “Oh, I could never do that, you object. The hurt is so deep. The wounds are so numerous. Just seeing the person causes me to cringe…Try shifting your glance away from the one who hurt you and setting your eyes on the one who saved you.”

“But I’ve done nothing wrong…I am not the guilty party here…Neither was Jesus…the burden of bridge building falls on the strong one, not the weak one.”

“Relationships don’t thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.”

Let Him live long enough in a heart, and that heart will begin to change…God can no more leave a life unchanged than a mother can leave her child’s tear untouched.

If you think His love for you would be stronger if your faith were, you are wrong. If you think His love would be deeper if your thoughts were, wrong again.

God’s love never ceases. Never. Though we spurn Him. Ignore Him. Reject Him. Despise Him. Disobey Him. He will not change (toward us). Our evil cannot diminish His love. Our goodness cannot increase it. Our faith does not earn it anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it.

The older I get, the more complex life gets. Being healthy is no longer exclusively related to how much exercise I get. It involves food, medicine (or lack thereof), genetics, lasik surgery, gym membership, etc. Money no longer involves only work and what I want to purchase…it includes repairs, rent, utilities, insurance, retirement, and budgeting. Church involves more than Sunday morning…it involves responsibilities, phone calls, committee meetings, parking teams and video production. Time that I used to spend carelessly is now appreciated for every free moment it provides.

In a world of increasing complexity, I am grateful for architects of simplicity. Men, women, companies, and applications that make the things I do faster and easier. I love having experts helping me navigate the areas of investment, real estate, bible interpretation, and living overseas. I try to be an expert to others, crafting simple, reliable systems for my coworkers at Dallas Nursing Institute and communicating the complexities of my theological education in a way that is inspirational to the everyday person.

In the technology world: I am grateful for Windows 7. I appreciate the iphone. I praise the business or church with a simple website. And I rejoice for remarkably good free Bible software.

What do you appreciate for adding simplicity to your life?

What should I add to my life to make my time more worthwhile?

And in what areas in your life should you choose to avoid simplicity, and strive to become an expert?

No one is useless in this world
who lightens the burdens of another
~ Charles Dickens

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy.
They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~ Marcel Proust

Love is the only thing
you get more of
by giving it away.
~ Tom Wilson

In seeking happiness for others
You find it yourself.
~ Unknown

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
~ Mother Teresa