LOVE WORKS DAILY 04/26/07 - TWO SIDES OF COURAGE

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Apr 26, 2007, 2:02:36 PM4/26/07
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LOVE WORKS DAILY 04/26/07 - TWO SIDES OF COURAGE
 

In this month of new beginnings, and blooming
and blossoming, I wish you all the best of Love!
 
 
INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT:
(Great Thoughts By History's Inspired Thinking Men and Women)
 
And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and
bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers
and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is
written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you make it a
den of robbers"
 
Matthew 21
 
TIM's BLOG
(Random Thoughts and Tim's Daily World):
 
Good morning Thursday!  Hope you are all doing well, and welcome
to those who have joined us this week.
 
I have had a very good week.  Busy, but very good. I am hoping tomorrow
to add a new message to the Love Works collection. But today, I will repeat
one that I have send actually in a number of forms since 2001.
 
In my notes, I write that I have had concern about people
unsubscribing because of religious comments.  I feel a bit differently
today.  Although my comments below still hold true to me,  it
seems even more clear to me that LOVE IS THE MESSAGE.  And LOVE
is RELIGION.  The problem many have is the limited scope
that CHURCHES and ORGANIZATIONS who try to claim a stranglehold
on a perfect religion. THEY, and no one else, are RIGHT!
You, and everyone else, are WRONG!
 
And they back this all up with a threat of doom and gloom in
an afterlife to frighten and control.
 
What if many, many, many different ideas and religious thoughts
are ALL right....
 
Is it crazy to believe that LOVE and MERCY apply even to the
next guy...you know...they guy with those crazy ideas....that goes
to THAT church...or doesn't go to church at all.
 
Certainly LOVE is only for the perfect. And that is ME.
 
Yeah, right!!!
 
Well, anyways, have a good day!  Love is all around us...
if we only have eyes to see it!
 
 
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
(Brand New and Classic Love Works Essays 2001-2007)
 
I read today about Molly Brown who was aboard the Titanic when it sunk
nearly 100 years ago on it's maiden voyage. She is often quoted as
saying, "There’s no danger. It simply can’t go down, because I’m on it
and I’m unsinkable."
 
According to legend, she provided comfort and courage to hundreds of
passengers with these words by showing strength and determination. ( You
may have seen the movie. )
 
But I had to think about this idea for a while this morning, because I
see two sides to this.
 
Courage is very infectious and the courage of ONE individual can mean
all the difference in a difficult situation. It's important to believe
something is possible, and act as though that thing is possible.
 
And YOU could be that person to make all the difference.
 
But unfortunately, Molly Brown was wrong.
Profoundly, wrong.
 
And to me, this is the bigger lesson.
 
Courage only has real value, if you temper it with the wisdom to do the
right thing.
 
The Nazis were no doubt quite courageous...but wrong.
 
Residents who live near volcanoes, and refuse to heed
warnings of eruption, are brave....but wrong.
 
A man who leaps from an airplane...without checking to see if he is
wearing a parachute...has courage...but
as he spirals toward the earth below....has several long seconds to
realize...he was wrong.
 
Unfortunately, many people aboard the Titanic had great courage...and
believed that even as it slipped into the icy sea...that somehow it
would not sink.
 
Many felt so strongly about it that they refused to get into lifeboats.
 
Sadly, they were wrong.
 
Molly Brown's courage seems to have sprung from her compassion for those
aboard the doomed vessel. Her optimism would spark hope in the hearts
of others, instead of the likely panic, terror, and defeat.
 
I admire her courage.
 
But if she and other passengers truly believed the ship was not sinking,
they closed their eyes to the truth until it was far too late.
 
Her courage was not based on what was TRUE or RIGHT.
 
It was essentially something to help those around her have hope,
even if it was false hope.
 
Molly Brown likely knew that many would perish in the disaster, and that
even FALSE hope was better than NO hope, so she may have done the right
thing, under the circumstances. I'm not sure.
 
I'm just glad I wasn't on the Titanic and I didn't listen to Molly
Brown. With eyes open, I hope I would have accepted that THIS SHIP
really was sinking, made my peace, and either prepared to somehow
survive or accept the reality of my death with grace.
 
In a tough situation, I want to hear a message of hope that is
REAL.
 
Each year at Easter time,  many around the world recognize and celebrate
the courage Jesus demonstrated even in the face of what clearly
would mean persecution and ultimately crucifixion.
 
Jesus was an example to the world of how to temper courage with wisdom.
He stood up for something. He stood up for peace. He stood up for
hope. He stood up for what he believed. He stood up for something that
was REAL.
 
He gave the world a message that we are not on a sinking ship.
That mankind does have a chance to survive. He told us
that LOVE was the only answer, and to LOVE our neighbors as ourselves.
Not just the neighbors we like, not just the ones that look like us
or act like us, not just the ones that believe the same things we do.
 
I don't include alot of religion specific messages in LOVE WORKS...and
for a good reason...I believe there is value and truth in all religion.
I respect your religious beliefs enough to not impose mine on you.
 
As a matter of fact, when I published this essay previously, I
had several people unsubscribe from the list because they thought
I was attempting to forward religious dogma.
 
This is not the case.  This list is not Christian or Jewish or
Buddhist or Muslim or Hindu or Pagan...or even Atheist (I've had a person
or two leave the list because they thought that, as well).
 
I'm simply stating that whatever beliefs I have or you may have, I think
 the story of Jesus reinforces and important point and it's worth considering.
 
Jesus embraced the reality that LOVE WORKS.....
....and DID SOMETHING!
 
That is the courage I really admire!!
 
 
 

Love In Thought! Love In Word! Love In Action!
 
Love To You Today!
 
 
 
"May we endeavor today to increase our understanding and appreciation of
what others have given and contributed to us. And develop constant,
mindful consideration of how our thoughts and actions will BENEFICIALLY
CONTRIBUTE to others"
 
The best to you today in discovering the answers to life's difficult
questions!
 
 
 
A Final Thought:
 
Love is always the right thing to do. Even if it isn't the easiest
thing to do.
 
May we have compassion for the struggles of others, wisdom to
acknowledge our own, and courage to address them both every day.
 
Respectfully,
Tim
 

This is a daily newsletter of LOVE WORKS DAILY:
A collective of individuals of different beliefs and
backgrounds, dedicated to a better world by living LOVE in thought,
word and action. Compassion. Wisdom. Courage.
 
 

Or read us on the web:
http://loveworks.ebloggy.com/
 
 
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Peace be with you.
 
Includes material from LOVE WORKS DAILY 04/15/03 & 10/5/05
(c)2007 T.Thomas Henry
 
 
 
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