My Prayers for the Family of Matt Garcia

It is interesting that words have the power to effect the hearer: a word can give hope, or cause despair; a word can build courage, or devastate with fear. It can send cold chills up one's spine, or flood one's heart with warmth. Words can cause love and sadly words can bring hate.

With the power that words possess, it is strange that they seem inadequate when one suffers the lost of a loved-one; but it doesn't stop us from trying to comfort the hearer with words of Love.

To the Family and Friends of Councilman Matt Garcia, I am praying for you that you will hear words that will comfort your hearts and give hope.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Loretta Huggins

Just How Close Can You Get?

Don’t lose your grip on Love and Truth. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.
- Proverbs 3:3 & 4 The Message Bible

Recently, someone said to me that shading the truth is different than lying. I disagreed and because the differences in our beliefs had polarized us, I politely ended the conversation.

I don’t understand why people spend time defending the right to deceive others. It isn’t sensible to live life so dangerously close to the edge of ruin.

The following is an Aesop-type story: A wealthy man, who lived in a chateau on top of a mountain, interviewed three young men for the job of chauffeur. He asked the same two questions of each interviewee, “Did you notice the increasing drop-off along the narrow winding road to my home? Tell me how close to the edge of the cliff can you drive without going over it?”

The first interviewee answered, “Sir, I can get within one inch of the cliff without going over it.”

The second interviewee answered, “Sir, I can do better than that! I can drive within one-half inch of the edge without going over the cliff!”

The third interviewee said, “Sir, as your driver I am going to hug the wall side of the road. It is certain I will damage your vehicle on the right side going down the mountain and on the left side going up the mountain because I purpose to stay away from the edge of that cliff.

He got the job.

Let us encourage one another to hug the wall of truth and avoid the edge of deceit, because in the words of Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Truth is the only safe ground to stand on.

Just Like Cheap Candy

The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Proverbs 18:8 (KJV)

The motivation of a gossip is to be in control. For example, to be the one with choice information is to be in control of the conversation; or to have inside information to make another person feel like an outsider is to control the circle of friends.

I will briefly share my experience of 'gossip among friends': a little more than ten years ago I met Ms. S and within months of meeting her, I met Ms. V. Eventually, I introduced my two new friends to each other.

One day Ms. S informed me, “Your so-called-friend Ms. V said this about you….” I was stunned by the cruel words of Ms. V. However, I was more stunned that Ms. S was willing to listen to gossip about me and that she wanted to repeat it to me.

It took me some time to understand that both women wanted to control our circle of friends. Instead of controlling the friendship, they destroyed the friendship.

Let us look again at Proverbs 18:8

“Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy;
do you really want junk like that in your belly?”
-The Message New Testament

All of Us, Any of Us and the Rest of Us

A sad condition of the human nature is to spread information about others – gossip.

It is an interesting fact that the word gossip is an Old English word that means God-relative, kinsman, friend. Hence, a gossip was someone close to another person with privy information about that person. At one time the words gossip and friend were interchangeable. Apparently, there was a time a gossip was someone to be trusted. What happen?

Today, gossip means a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others. Those facts are usually harmful and damaging. It seems that no one ever gossips about another’s virtues.

The saying sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me is an untrue saying. Words have the power to encourage or discourage; to heal or wound; to give hope or bring despair; to convey love or transmit hate. Words are indeed powerful.

What is gossip? If you are unwilling to say “it” in the presence of the person, then it is gossip.

To overcome challenges have all of us,
so it hardly behooves any of us,
to talk about the rest of us.

(modified quote of Edward Wallis Hoch)

Destiny

From a very early age I have dreamed of great accomplishments. I have listened to others tell of their dreams and hopes. Today, after many years have passed some have accomplished their dreams; others are yet working toward fulfillment of their dreams; and sadly, there are those that have given up their dreams.

Why did some give up, while other persevered? I think the answer is in the following story:

A young man, just starting out in life, decided to go fishing early one morning. When he arrived at his favorite spot, he couldn’t believe his eyes because standing in the water a few feet from the shore was his hero, an aged man who had enjoyed great success in life.

Barely able to contain his emotions, he waded out into the lake toward the old gentleman. The old man acknowledged him with a smile. Then the young man just started sputtering, “Sir, good morning! I admire your life. You have accomplished so much! Please tell me the secret to your success!”

The old gentleman, without warning, grabbed the young man by the back of the neck and forced him face down into the water. The young man struggled for air and just when he thought he was about to die the old man freed him.

Coughing and spitting out water he gasped, “You could have killed me! What were you thinking?”

With no emotion the old man answered, “You wanted to know the secret of my success. When you want to succeed as much as you wanted that next breath of air – then you will succeed.”

Never let go of your God-given dreams, they define your destiny.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~
I invite you to visit Larry Huggins' blog spot at http:\\www.larryhuggins.blogspot.com

It's the Thought that Counts!

One year in August I called a dear friend to wish her a happy birthday and discovered, much to my embarrassment, that her birthday is in April. Of course, I apologized and made a mental commitment to remember her future birthdays in the correct month.

That incident reminded me of my Aunt Virginia. She told me over and over that I was her favorite niece, but she could never remember the actual month and day of my birthday. To not miss my special day she would send me a birthday card twice a year.

The interesting thing is down through the years never once did I receive a birthday card from her in the month I was born.

Two months out of each year Aunt Virginia thought about my birthday. As far as I am concern it is the thought that counts!

Think Before You Speak

In 1933 an educational director wrote, “You will improve your enunciation if you learn how to control your breathing and the use of your jaw, tongue and lips.”

After contemplating that comment I thought what if it were mandatory for everyone to carry a wallet size manual with instructions on how to control the articulators while breathing, titled How to Think before You Speak.

Imagine, someone tries to engage you in a difficult conversation and without saying a word you take out your manual and do the following:

Step One: stand erect with your heels together, your head up, chin in, chest up and abdomen in.

Step Two: inhale slowly until you feel that your lungs cannot hold another bit of air; then exhale slowly.

Step Three: repeat step two 3 times

Step Four: now let your mouth fall open as if you had no control over your lower jaw. Let your head fall forward until your lower jaw rests on your chest, if possible.

Step Five: roll your head slowly around to your right, back, left, front and up. Repeat three times.

Step Six: lie on the floor and relax every muscle in your body. If you find this difficult, ask for a little more space. Then relax each muscle consciously – starting with your big toe on your right foot. Continue until you are wholly relaxed.

Step Seven: when you feel too lazy to lift your left ring finger, breathe deeply three or four times and then rise quickly to your feet and ask the person to repeat their question.

Okay, the above scenario is a bit comical; however, it would certainly give you plenty of time to think before you speak.


http:\\www.larryhuggins.blogspot.com