Preservation is not always a good thing. Like this microwave dinner, shy people attempt to preserve the aspects they deem as desirable to others. However, this concern of evaluation from others creates extreme anxiety and fear that they will not make a good impression. As a result these people will not speak and become removed from many social engagements. In this post I will look further into this matter.

The self-preservation theory of social anxiety states that people become shy when they are concerned with the evaluations of others. These individuals are motivated to preserve the desirable impressions they make on others but they doubt that they can successfully make these impressions through social engagement. In turn they will become very quiet and they will not say much at all. Many people may think that these individuals simply do not care or are displaying apathy, however they are just fearful. Like perfectionist these individuals will try to hold on to the ideal image of themselves. A situation that creates embarrassment would cause them to sink deeper into their “shells”. Along with this these individuals feel a lack of competence in their abilities to present an ideal image when talking and they see every social engagement as a potential for threatening their self-esteem.

For many who are shy the hardest part of proactively engaging in social situations is that people will find out that they are shy. Otherwise if they do not talk they will be labelled as just quiet, or not interested. In everyway shy people must become comfortable with the situations that create the embarrassment if they wish to help themselves. The redness of the face, and stumbling on words will happen quite often, and there is no way around that. However, the path towards being comfortable in social situations requires that you face these challenges head on everyday.

Coaching sessions can be highly impactful with profound and immediate effects for the individual, but this project also impacts upon the organisation’s culture and leadership.

A first coaching session reveals the clarity of ambition, courage and honesty to enable a coachee to ‘stand up to be counted’ for what she believes in. This courage and clarity has a profound effect on the organisation.

N is a mid career manager in a national organisation. Having made life decisions earlier in her career N is now keen to move her career forward to achieve her potential.

Her employer is undergoing considerable change and restructuring. She was invited to attend an event for the emerging organisation where the senior team would present the new brand, culture and strategy.

N tells her story.

I had identified at my first coaching session that ‘courage’ – being prepared to stand up for my own values – was a development need for me.  I was able to put this into action with good effect when I attended the national launch event for a major re-organisation.  I will do it again!’  

Together with many colleagues in the company N had been through difficult times leading up to this moment and was expecting things to change.

N continued her story.

I was disappointed to hear some of the senior management making disparaging remarks about a previous speaker and a member of the management team. Colleagues in the hall were in the main, laughing along with the joke.

I felt the need to express the way I was feeling. I commented at the subsequent ‘round table’ discussion that I thought the comments showed a complete lack of corporate identity and that it was not the way to launch a new ‘brand’.

Colleagues around the table thought about this and then agreed with my view.

A management colleague at my table spoke to one of the senior management team after the event to feedback our views.

I subsequently attended a further, regional event. In his introduction, the speaker passed on the message that senior management wanted us to know that the new organisation is not an ‘us and them’ and that any derogatory comments expressed elsewhere were to be disregarded and we are now all ‘one team’.

N’s intuition and courage struck a chord with her colleagues and by speaking out immediately she managed to create an awareness in the senior team that changed the way the organisation behaves.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised by boy #9 (brainy blonde), and am really enjoying spending time with him! We had our third date yesterday afternoon.

It was supposed to be mostly an afternoon date, because he had a holiday party to go to around 7, so we met up around 2 at his place (his place, by the way, is nice, an apartment in a Boston suburb, nicely decorated, but not overly decorated, or “trying too hard” – some IKEA flair too). He has the cutest kitty ever (NOT as cute as mine, of course, but a close second. Milo, he’s black and white, super vocal and has diabetes! But very friendly, too), too, I might add. When I walked in, he gave me a quick kiss, and it felt natural, as it this wasn’t *just* our third date. We opted to go to a movie at a local theater (The Men Who Stare at Goats – GREAT, FUNNY movie!), and on the drive back, we somehow got on the topic of Indian food and I said I’d never had Indian food (why I haven’t, I have no idea!) and he said “that’s it – we HAVE to get Indian food!” so, off we went for an early dinner.

We chatted more about past relationships, what we’d learned from them, where we want to travel etc. (he was engaged six years ago, but she cheated on him. Similar to me, he’s glad they aren’t together now, because he was sort of going through the motions, anyway. Last long-term relationship was a year ago, for a year, with a girl he met on match…promising?!). He’s very thoughtful, and thought-provoking, and I really dig that, because it makes ME think and keeps me on my toes. I don’t think I’ve ever had that before, in a relationship, in the past.

For example, when we were emailing during the week about plans, I asked if he was “type A” like me about being a planner for things, and he responded with something like this “I’m actually more of a spontaneous/go with the flow type, but when it comes to dating and relationships, I think a bit of planning should go into it, otherwise you do the laziest thing possible at the last minute, and that leads to complacency.” Um, well put?! I thought so, anyway.

So, we ended up at his place. For awhile. Ended up leaving closer to 9, so he was oh, just a wee bit late for his party, but that’s ok, right?!

One last thing (and okay, I realize, I am gushing, and I hope I don’t regret that!) – he’s very complimentary, and it makes me feel pretty damn amazing inside…while I’ve gained some confidence, I still look in the mirror and see flaws more so than the good parts, but he’s good at teaching me to do the opposite – embrace having some curves, and some muscle, and not being straight up and down (and I do, to a certain extent, but again, I also pick out all my flaws first!) – his compliments aren’t pushy or for an ulterior motive either, at least not from what I have experienced so far, and that too, is refreshing. It feels natural…and I hope that continues. Again, hoping my gushing post here isn’t going to backfire on me, but I just want to get my thoughts out on paper, so now you all get to read it too

It is easy to forget how new a face President Barack Obama is. Obama first came to national public notice we he delivered a rousing keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that nominated Senator John Kerry for President. Kerry lost to President Bush, but Obama won his election as US Senator. Almost immediately afters he started running for president. Running for president was perhaps his most notable qualification for president. During one election cycle, Obama was an unknown Illinois State Senator and a little more than four years later, he is President of the United States.

There has never been even the smallest doubt about Obama’s rhetorical skills and charisma. Despite the fact, that he started out as a long shot to the obvious next Democratic nominee Senator Hillary Clinton, he never wavered in his personal confidence. He was manifestly capable of emotionally motivating young campaign workers and other supporters with the buoyant chants of “Yes We Can… Yes We Can…”

Obama never betrayed any doubts about his ultimate victory. He never publicly hedged in his personal conviction. Whether he harbored an personal doubts, he certainly knew that it would deflate supporters if he expressed an hesitancy. Obama never said that he would be committed to running to a particular point in the primaries and then he would reassess. Obama instinctively knew that confidence breeds more confidence and increases the likelihood of ultimate victory. Why then is Obama so tentative in his ambitions in Afghanistan?

Given the fact that Al Qaeda under the protection of the Taliban in Afghanistan planned and executed the September 11, 2001 attacks, it appears foolish to allow the Taliban to return to their previous status. When running for president, Obama called the War in Afghanistan the “necessary war.” Was this a conviction, or simply a rhetorical club with which to bludgeon the Bush Administration for its decision to fight in Iraq? In any case, one does not win either an optional or a “necessary” war with tentativeness an equivocation.

This last week, Obama gave a professorial speech to the cadets at West Point matter-of-factly explaining that it was important to keep the Taliban from returning to power. He would increase troops levels almost to the point originally requested by his hand-picked General Stanley McChrystal, for 18 months and then would reassess. He would perhaps begin to bring troops home at that time. There was no talk of victory, no talk of overwhelming force, no mention of the previous success of a similar strategy in Iraq, no emotional rallying of the troops to face those who threaten the United States.

In this West Point speech, Obama could not marshal the same enthusiasm to encourage the troops as he did for his campaign workers in the 2008 election. The most charitable interpretation is that as gifted a speaker as Obama is, he has not yet fully embraced his leadership role as Commander-in-Chief. He displays none of the trademark Obama confidence about sending young men and women off to war. There is a more cynical interpretation: He would settle for nothing less than victory in his presidential run, while in the case of Afghanistan he would just like disengage as soon as possible.

For now, Obama has made the correct decision with regard to Afghanistan, though he has perhaps followed the former Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld strategy of being a bit too parsimonious with troop numbers. His tentative speech delivered in far too measured tones undermined the chances for victory there. You ought not send off troops halfheartedly to war. Why has Obama not embraced the General Colin Powell Doctrine of once committing to conflict, use overwhelming force?

We have all experienced that moment of enthusiasm when we get an idea, it may have been triggered by something we saw on TV, an inspirational story, perhaps we read Motivation Books, and felt an undeniable determination of something we want to accomplish. In that moment the path lays clear, we know what we want and our minds finds the way to make it happen.

In this newfound determination, we set out on our mission, failure is not an option. We begin to set things in motion to pursue our dream.

Life however, never flows consistently. New events appear, shifting our focus from our goal, obliging us to deal with other things. These disturbances can often obscure and diminish our resolve, removing the motivation we had when we begun.

By keeping a focused mind we can easily overcome these struggles. Think back to day your resolve was at its peak, when that determination compelled you to action. It is still there, and you still want it. It has only been obscured by trivial external events.

This is just a fact of life, it rarely runs smooth. Whenever you have a setback, take the time to deal with it, get it out of the way and get back on track.

To keep a more focused mind on what you want to achieve, you can keep a journal, this enables you track your progress and see things moving forwards, boosting your confidence as you are moving closer to the completion of your project.

This also enables you to analyze what you are doing, if you make a mistake, instead of being frustrated and feel stumped, you can examine what went wrong and learn from it. Compare it to your previous actions, and decide on a new approach.

In your pursuit, you should also make things easier for yourself. Your goal may seem far away at the present, but you can divide your project into a series of smaller goals. It is much easier to achieve something smaller, than the one large goal, but as you reach these “milestones”, you will begin to recognize that you are getting closer and closer.

And reward yourself, you are doing this for you, and you are in control of this. You set the terms and decide where you go from here. Take time to relax, if you overwork yourself, and do for the sake of doing, you will lose focus on the end result. Treat yourself to a recreational activity you would like whenever you reach one of your goals, or just sit back and recognize your progress and understand that you are on top of this.

Read success stories, examine how others was able to accomplish what you are trying to accomplish, this can be a great source of inspiration. I would also recommend you to read Motivation Books, there is far more written on the subject than what is on this page. And Motivation Books can offer great insight into how we motivate ourselves, and learn new about new qualities within ourselves we never knew we had.

“The responses and results that you receive from anyone, in any situation, are triggered by the stimuli you provide.  The stimuli are your behaviors.  This is the only way people can get to know you…If you behave in purposeful, meaningful, constructive ways, you get superior results.  That is how you create your own experience.  When you choose the behavior (the action), you choose the consequences.”

 Phillip C. McGraw, Ph.D.  “Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters”

 Now as 2009 ends is the perfect time for you to choose the behavior and actions that will support you to get the consequences you truly desire.  It is time for women to be who they really are by bringing forth their unique attributes and gifts.  The world desperately needs their compassion, their ability to see the whole picture and work for the good of all.  We have seen over the past year what happens when we strive towards individual gratification, whether the individual is a person or a corporation. 

 In a webinar which is ending in the next week, I have been supporting women to create their own unique, sustainable Blueprints for 2009.  This webinar has created a good deal of excitement concerning the positive things that will be happening in 2010 with the women involved.   It is a life transforming process that will bring you towards a life of happiness, success and contribution.  Therefore, I am offering this on an individual basis over a nine week period to those of you who are ready to take the journey with me.  There are details about this course for more information please contact us at info@theessentialfeminine.com.

 Think of 2010 as a chance to begin a new decade with confidence in yourself as a woman who can create the life she envisions. 

By ZedZap

Are you nuts? my friend asked.

I’d just told her I signed up for National Write A Novel in a Month (NaNoWriMo).  The entire month of November was to be dedcated to writing a 51,000 word novel.

Well, it did seem kind of crazy since it was Nov 6 on the day I signed up.

It didn’t help that I took off 12 days to fly around the midwest and pester relatives.

When the clock struck midnight on Nov 30, I’d only logged 35,000 words, but I was goofy-glad with some discoveries.

1. The #1 being:  When you have an overwhelming job, just jump in and start.
2. For heaven’s sake, don’t stop and look around. You’ll discover you’re in a big freakin’ pile of work, so just keep going.
3. Decide that there are more important things than projects and enjoy people.

What I ended up with is a raucous, bawdyl romp through the classics that we were forced to read in high school. The Hulk. Dr Phil, and Nancy Drew were happy to join this great adventure, too.

So,  while I didn’t reach 51,000 words in 30 days, I’ll fininsh the last chapter this week.

Too bad I’ll still be nuts.

I want to help you focus on your “inner coach”. This is crucial when it comes to controlling negative thoughts and programming.

Our minds are a constant hive of activity. As you read this, you are currently processing many different bits of information some of which are significant others not so. Your brain is receiving information from all of your senses taken from all of your surroundings. On top of all that you have to absorb this article too! However, the mind is not just a simple sponge because it has to interpret the information it receives too.
Human beings are not just walking calculators because we actively engage with the information received. More often than not our memory of an event is not a flawless record. Much of what we remember depends upon how we were feeling at the time, what else was going on, who we were with and what our values were at the time. The latter point is the most interesting one of all because it means that out experiences are shaped by what we believe to be true instead of what we know.
The type of values and beliefs we have determines the filter we sift our memories through. People with very optimistic values, for instance, will tend to draw the positives out of an event and vice versa. We therefore live in a strange circle whereby our experiences shape our beliefs and our beliefs shape our experiences. When it comes to examining our point of view, we must take into consideration the subjective nature of memory recall.
It is fortunate that we have the choice of actively engaging with our subconscious to change our record of events. A lot of therapeutic intervention involves getting an individual to take an alternative point of view of an event. It is a bit like getting a pessimist to see the half empty cup as a half full one. If you have ever suffered from a negative experience, upbringing or traumatic injury, then remember that a point of view is never set in stone should you be struggling to get over it.
Don’t feel that bad events or a dreadful childhood have to condemn you to a life of problems. Many people survive troubled families. The majority of adult children of alcoholics do not repeat their parents’ drinking patterns, and the same is true of adults who have survived families troubled by mental illness, chronic marital problems, racial discrimination and poverty.

Some children naturally rebound from knock-backs with their self-esteem intact. If you need help doing this now you’re an adult, talking to a therapist can help.
The way we view our experiences affects the inner voice we all here from time to time. Of course, the inner voice can appear in non verbal ways too – It can appear in the form of a feeling or sensation. Ever felt like trying something new but didn’t because you had the feeling you would not be good enough? Well, that is your inner critic doing its usual trick of holding you back and putting you down. If you ever experience this type of feeling more than a ‘can do’ attitude then it’s time to retune to your inner coach again.
Why again, you ask? The answer is because our inner coach is the loudest voice inside us as children. Think about how daring you are as a child. Consider all the new things you are willing to try and the people you are happy to give the benefit of the doubt to. The inner critic sets in as we get older, more cynical and worldly wise. The inner critic is the part of you that sticks to playing safe, to not speak to that cool looking person in a bar, to not have the bottle to ask your boss about a raise.
It is up to you to decide what you would rather have between an inner coach and an inner critic. Your inner coach is encouraging, constructive and empowering while you inner critic is paralysing, destructive and submissive. Obviously we need to be able to critique our behaviour in a constructive way, and yet so many people end up by putting themselves down.
One of the best ways to develop the inner coach is through relaxation. Maintain a positive attitude when times are tough by visualising or thinking about something relaxing. Take a few moments to imagine a favourite place, floating in the sea or lying in bed, and you’ll switch into a calmer physical state.

In next weeks letter I want to review a brand new course that is rocking the self help world. It’s a tad, shall we say, different. But it will change the way you see social situations forever!

Until next week

Andy Sullivan

www.confidence4sure.com

Length: 4:09

Related: democracy

Dickerson, Mark et. al. An Introduction to Government and Politics (8th ed.). Canada: Nelson Education, 2010.
Forcese, Craig and Aaron Freeman. The Laws of Government: The Legal Foundations of Canadian Democracy. Canada: Irwin Law, 2005.

Small Business Owner Confidence Plunges

Courtesy of Mish 

Although the Fed and most economic forecasters are all looking ahead to the recovery, small business owners do not seem convinced. Please consider Economic Confidence Plunges; Low Expectations for the Holidays.

Economic confidence among America’s small business owners plummeted in November, as more owners cited serious concerns about cash flow and saw economic conditions for their own businesses getting worse. The Discover Small Business Watch index fell 12 points in November to 76.5 from 88.5 in October.

November Highlights:

• The mood of small business owners generally has soured in November for three straight years, as economic confidence dropped from October to November in 2007 and 2008. The November 2008 index of 67.5 is the low point for the Watch since it started in August 2006.
• 52 percent of owners say they have experienced cash flow issues in the past 90 days, up from 44 percent in October. Forty-one percent of owners say they have not experienced cash flow issues, which is the lowest response in this category since the Watch began. The remaining 6 percent said they weren’t sure.
• 53 percent of small business owners see conditions getting worse in the next six months, up from 43 percent in October; while 19 percent report that conditions are improving, a sharp decline from 29 percent in October; 23 percent see conditions as the same, and 5 percent weren’t sure.
• 62 percent of small business owners rate the economy as poor, an increase from 55 percent in October; 30 percent rate it as fair, and 8 percent say it is good or excellent.
• 53 percent of small business owners think the overall economy is getting worse, up from 44 percent in October but still significantly lower than the 69 percent of owners who felt that way in February 2009, the last time the Watch index was this low. For November; 28 percent say the economy is getting better, down from 35 percent in October; 16 percent see it staying the same, and 3 percent are not sure.

A majority of small business owners think the economy is getting worse, not better. And if small businesses are not confident, then they are not hiring.

Odds are increasing that Congress will need to pass yet another stimulus package but if so, it will have even less effect than previous ones.

Every stimulus effort shifts demand forward. After enough shifting forward, demand drops to zero.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock

Compelling reason will never convince blinding emotion.
-Richard Bach

First impressions can kill good ideas.

In some cases, the good is overlooked because it’s introduced in the wrong way.

The time-saving technique is thrown at people without training.
The new process is pushed on people without explaining why it’s important.

Bad first impressions of project management can make life difficult for the next project manager.

Curtis R. Cook’s book, Just Enough Project Management, gives you advice on how to use ‘just enough project management’ to deliver value to your stakeholders.

The book is worth reading because it:

1. Provides easy to use templates and checklists
   Templates exist to help teams make decisions. My definition. They do not exist to test your ability to fill in the correct cells so that they all turn GREEN.  The templates in this book will take the question: What is this project about and how will it make money?” and give you an easy to copy project charter template. It provides similar risk management and change request templates. For experienced project managers, the templates can be useful reminders of the basic questions that need to be answered before moving forward. Keep in mind this is a 119-page book – you’ll get the templates you need to get the job done, not a template for every step.
2. Provides a step-by-step process to follow
   With small projects, implementing every tool and technique in the PMBOK would be overkill. And while the PMBOK discourages that, the tendency to use a tool or technique because ‘it’s in there’ rather than because it adds value has created some bad first impressions. Just Enough Project Management streamlines the 42 PMBOK processes and 5 process groups to 19 steps and 4 phases: Initiate, Plan, Control and Close.

   Check out the process diagram below.  Its covers the minimum to get the job done.  Sorry for the tiny print (Click the image to read it).
   

3. Provides advice on How to Juggle Multiple Projects
   If you have multiple projects and struggle to keep tabs on them, Just Enough Project Management walks you through:

• • Classifying each project by phase
  • Identifying next steps for each
  • Prioritizing the steps
  • Pulling them into a coherent Work Journal or Outlook Calendar.He says that you can use this journal to document your workload and assignments.

While I haven’t used the process to put together a Work Journal, the process of classifying and identifying next steps for each project can be helpful in pulling order out of the chaos of competing demands.

Just Enough Project Management is a book for everyone: from newbies to the overworked among us. Read it and let me know what you think.  Have a book to recommend? Leave a comment, send me a tweet, my id is jgodfrey.

Hi everyone,

If there’s one particular trait anybody can develop, no
matter how old you are, or how many challenges life
has handed you.

It’s incredibly powerful, and in fact, is the most
important element of achieving ANYTHING you want
in life.

It’s called Self-Confidence!

And here’s how YOU can get more of it for FREE:

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If you truly want to create your life in the most
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to honor yourself on a whole new level.

That’s why I recommend grabbing this FREE mini-
Ebook/workbook on self-confidence…

With it, you’ll discover:

- What exactly stops you from feeling self-
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- How to gradually expand your comfort zone
- Anti-Fear techniques
- What puts a smile on your face first thing
in the morning
- How to get rid of the guilt-baggage you’re
carrying around
- one action that you have probably never heard
of before that will drastically change your
self-confidence

and a whole lot more.

I urge you to take a look at this and read it
very carefully. It’s a quick 20-30 minute read.
THere’s no fluff… just great usable information.

http://www.outrageousmastery.com/go/gift1204

{***Signature***}

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How did you and your Financial Advisor met?  Did you do an online search for an advisor or did he/she come by referral?  Did you interview your advisor for the fiduciary responsibility position for you and your family?   How would you consider your relationship with your advisor?  Does your advisor shot the breeze with you and tell you where to sign or does your advisor properly explain your investments and strategies?  Most importantly, do you trust and have confidence in your advisor?  If so, why?

 These are questions one must ask him or herself often when it comes to their advisor.  Your do realize that your advisor has your retirement in their hands.  Think of them as your financial doctor and one wrong move could lead to the detriment of you and your family.  Being that you are placing all of your trust in this one individual my advice would be to evaluate your advisor.  Obviously I am not suggesting evaluating them solely based on your portfolios performance but on more important matters, such as: relationship, trust and honesty.  Integrity is not measured by any amount of currency and if you have an advisor that has character in this environment do yourself a favor and do not lose their number.

Time is going by very quickly. It’s now just two weeks from today that Stella and I will be leaving for Canada. Two weeks until the end of term at work. Two weeks in which to finish the research stage of my coursework. Two weeks in which to try to produce some real, concrete progress with the teachers association. These are all big things to be accomplished in a short time, but it is most important to remember and maintain a focus on the little things and routines that are laying the foundation for long term success in all of my ventures.

My experiences in the last week have been telling. I have set an ordered list of what to accomplish each day, and I have worked to complete each of the items on it within that day. The keystones in those daily lists have proven to be my morning routines involving exercise and focused breathing. The difference is remarkable between days that begin with these activities and those that don’t. The change when I began exercising and meditating in the morning was immediate. I instantly became more extroverted and engaged with my students. My energy levels increased and I felt happier and was having more fun at work. I was able to concentrate more on what I was doing, and I was able to accomplish a great deal in working through the items on my daily lists.

There was only one day this week when I failed to complete my morning routines, and the effects were similarly immediate. I felt slow that day, even though I had an experience of needing to rush through so many things. I was more distracted and had a harder time maintaining my attention on a single task at a time. My engagement with students was not as positive, and my reactions to unexpected events in my classroom led to more frustration than they had in previous days. The orderly progression through completion of the items on my list was only marginally successful and my level of concentration of completing each task at the appropriate time was supplanted by a more reactive and panicked desire to distractedly deal with more than one item at a time.

The lesson in this is crucial. As I wrote about in my previous messages, it’s the routines and repeated actions that will enable me to become the sort of person I want to be. The difference in results between maintaining and not maintaining those habits are more immediately dramatic than might be expected. I need to learn from that. I need to take note of it and reflect upon in order to keep my motivation and my diligence high. I don’t just get more done on those days when I’ve set myself on the right path from the first thing in the morning, I’m also enjoying life more, having more fun, sharing better experiences with people around me and taking more actions that are based upon risk, learning and fun rather than on security. I appreciate my environment more and can maintain a positive and empowering outlook. While my thinking is synchronized with my body and I am mentally connected with where I am in space and time. I experience the colours, flavours and richness of life in a pleasurable and motivational way.

I feel good like this.

I must continue to practice these habits. Nervousness is turning into confidence.

I can chase my dreams and make them happen. I am reawakening to the real potential I have when I am confident and have faith in myself. Products of new habits. A happier, more disciplined, giving and loving lifestyle.

Heather had this exchange on this site.  Her winsome, humble, and honest response was (in my eyes) a thing of beauty.  God is doing a wonderful work in her heart.  It is a privilege to live with her and watch from up close:

The discussion was about a Walter Williams article about nationalized healthcare, and I think this is how we need to be ready to answer.

Here is her comment that started it all:

My perspective probably falls in a “no-man’s land” but we Americans have been slaves for years and only now are waking up to the reality because the government is now aggressively pursuing something that’s been cooking for decades.

“Friendly” socialism has been a part of our daily existence since before any of us was old enough to vote and the illusion of freedom and “The American Dream” has effectively kept citizens from catching on and organizing in protest..

When the Israelites demanded a king so they could be like all the other nations, God warned them that they would regret it. That is because there is no such thing as “good” human government. Even the nation that God Himself set up eventually wasted away while being managed by people.

We live in a society that has elevated man to god-like status and the government we have is simply a macro-reflection of that individualized delusion.

I still maintain that when we finally put away our idols (financial security, personal freedom, health care choices, “the future”, etc), we can hope to see genuine, God-wrought change. Til then, I expect God’s going to allow us to get squeezed to encourage us to remember to look up.

Down the line was this exchange:

Heather. You are so right. You are indeed coming strait out of no-man’s land. More specifically you are quite deluded. But that is beside the point. I’m wondering about a few of your comments. When you say “we Americans,” are you referring to the “correct” type of Christians? Which ones are un-American? And what do you mean by slaves? Slaves to what. I can understand that you Christians might think of yourselves as god-slaves, since you live to grovel and praise and spend hours pondering just what you can do to get and stay in master’s good graces.

You also mention an “illusion of freedom.” Where is this illusory freedom? The freedoms I enjoy in this country are very real, so I’d like to know what your problem is? Is it another Christian thing? Do you feel persecuted because more and more people are finding your Christian life-style to be quite silly?

Are you a tea-bagger? Do you subscribe to the Glen Beck “Gold, god and guns” doctrine?

You say that there is no such thing as “good human government.” I’m guessing you just want god to come down and do everything for you. Don’t hold your breath.

I think you’re a nutter.

and she replied:

I’m not accusing anyone of being “un-American”. If anything, I suspect that many professing Christians (myself included) have allowed ourselves to be more “American” than Christian in some important areas.

By “slaves” I was referring to the way we allow our attachment to certain ideologies and material goods to often determine our behavior, personal and political alliances. I was referring to professing American Christians, not atheists, Buddhists or what have you and it has little to do with being physically oppressed. The illusion is that we are free to live however we want while in fact our hearts are in bondage to a false sense of importance.

When life is easy, we Christians forget how much we need God and we stop asking Him to show us what is true. We chase after the things this world offers and lose sight of our true hope of being with God as a part of His family. And when the tide changes, we begin to panic over the potential loss of things that should never have been so important to us.

Religion creates slaves. I’m not religious. I have a relationship with my Savior and there is an eternity of difference.

“Do you feel persecuted because more and more people are finding your Christian life-style to be quite silly? ”

Not really.
Unfortunately, a lot of people misunderstand Christianity to be a “life-style” that is dictated by a certain checklist of behaviors and parroted teachings. But, as I said, it’s a relationship, not a religious system.

“Are you a tea-bagger? Do you subscribe to the Glen Beck “Gold, god and guns” doctrine?”

Nope. Don’t even watch Glen Beck as I think his perspective further clouds the real issue for Christians.

I say that there is no such thing as good human govt because (apart from Jesus Christ) there is no such thing as a good human. I can say that with confidence because that is what the Bible teaches. Even the most well-meaning person is capable of making deadly-wrong mistakes.

“I’m guessing you just want god to come down and do everything for you. Don’t hold your breath. ”

No sir. God already came down and died in my place. I absolutely believe He expects me to live in a responsible manner and that includes taking action when He prompts me to. I’m just not convinced that “being political” is what He wants from His people at this time. We’ve tried that for years and the situation hasn’t improved any.

In accepting God’s offer of salvation from trying to be my own god, I am able to trust that His plan is a good one, and if He sees fit to allow our country to do a wholesale slide into socialism, I’ll accept it. What “I” think isn’t going to change what He’s doing, anyway.

“I think you’re a nutter.”

It’s possible. You probably aren’t the first to come to such a conclusion

Old Adam

I had no intention of coming here to debate with other commenters. If you feel my presence is disruptive, please say so and I won’t torment you all anymore.

That’s my lady.

No wonder I can’t keep up with her

Seriously though, I think this is the type of response that is meant here:

Colossians 4:5-6 MKJV
(5)  Walk in wisdom toward those on the outside, redeeming the time.
(6)  Let your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

and here:

1 Peter 3:14-16 MKJV
(14)  But if you also suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not fear their fear, nor be troubled,
(15)  but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;
(16)  having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as evildoers they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in Christ.

Well, I’ve bragged enough.

Proverbs 31:10-12 MKJV
(10)  Who can find a woman of virtue? For her value is far above rubies.
(11)  The heart of her husband trusts safely in her, so that he shall have no need of plunder.
(12)  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:26 MKJV
(26)  She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Proverbs 31:28-30 MKJV
(28)  Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.
(29)  Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.
(30)  Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Jehovah, she shall be praised.

Now I know she has posted on Proverbs 31 lately.  I appreciated her take on it.  I think she is living it out.

Craig

Your past doesn’t matter. Where you came from, what you’ve done or said doesn’t matter. The Universe provides you with a clean slate each morning, and a day full of potential if you just grab it. So hold on tight!

come visit me at facebook www.facebook.com/optimistgreen?_fb_noscript=1

Before I came to Agnes Scott, all of the admissions counselors told me that going to a women’s college would help me become more confident. This is what the catchy “find your voice” slogan is all about, right? Well, even after four years of a women’s college education, I have difficulty explaining just how this college helps students develop confidence. After only a semester here, Julia Burdine has articulated a piece of it. In talking about what she’s learned at Agnes Scott this semester, she says that she’s become more open-minded, and this open-mindedness has helped her develop confidence:

I would say that I am feeling more open minded towards things thanks to the classes I have taken, and as a result I am becoming more accepting and confident in myself. In high school, I considered myself a pretty open-minded person, but criticism from those who were less so made me feel less positive about being open to new or different concepts. Now that I’m at Agnes Scott, I feel that I am in a community that proudly heralds open mindedness, and I realize that it is a necessary requisite in seriously pursuing an education.

See the full post here.

A question I’ve had for four years answered! I love my job!

Mikaela Sheldt's drawing

Women’s college students and alums, what about this environment helped you find your voice?

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That 4 years ago a miracle happened to me.
The miracle of her smile; Aimee’s.
It wrapped itself around my heart,
And made me feel blessed by just being able to witness it.
It was a gift to the world,
Because it was a sign that things were going to get better.
Although I never knew how,
There was a confidence residing in it that gave me something to hold on to.
As my fingers type out these words,
I feel that same confidence: somehow it will get better.
Though life is shaky, plans can fail or change,
Injustice is somehow inevitable…
Yet there is still hope.

Miss you sunshine <3