Society

A society cannot live without a united faith and purpose. All social activity cannot really improve our social life if it is not based on the foundations established by religion (Giuseppe Mazzini)

If you see that some aspect of your society is bad, and you want to improve it, there is only one way to do so: you have to improve people. And in order to improve people, you begin with only one thing: you can become better yourself.
(Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom, 17 March)
21 March 2016

Faith & Confidence

If I am morose and discontented, I will deliberately cultivate happy thoughts.
If I am prone to criticize, I will seek out what is good and pleasing and fix my mind on that.
I will replace my fruitless doubts and fears with faith and confidence.
If I am bored, I will learn something new -- even a new way to make the same old chores more enjoyable.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 25 January)
15 March 2014

The Problem In Life

But the problem in life is that we all, in some situations, come to the end of our abilities, strength, knowledge, and experience, and at that moment, just having faith in faith, or belief in belief, or even faith in ourselves is not enough. We need more.
(Cloud & Townsend, God Will Make A Way, p. 19)
25 November 2013

It's Too Much

People are losing faith in the ability of our leaders to govern. There is:

• Too much secrecy
• Too little privacy
• Too many lies
• Too many unnecessary wars
• Too many corporate tax breaks
• Too many tax increases
• Too much election corruption
• Too much election district gerrymandering
• Too little participation of the American public in the process of governing 
• Too few jobs
• Too low minimum wage
• Too easy access to guns
• Too many guns
• Too little access to health care insurance
• Too much cancer, heart disease, Aids, and obesity
• Too many unnecessary surgeries
• Too many dying cities
• Too many illegal immigrants
• Too much pork barrel spending
• Too many bridge to nowhere projects
• Too little infrastructure maintenance
• Too many water main breaks
• Too many power outages
• Too many bridges in poor repair
• Too many domestic terrorist killings
• Too much talking and texting while driving
• Too much drug use
• Too many red light and speed cameras
• Too much delay in filling top level Presidential appointments
• Too much delay in filling all government jobs
• Too much political talk with little action
• Too many filibusters 
• Too many under-educated children and adults
• Too little Christian religion
• Too many government projects that fail
• Too little compromise in the houses of Congress
• Too many members of Congress who have been in office too long
• Too few viable political parties 
• Too little accountability

When you get right down to it, it's all just Too Much!

Mr. Dickie
4 November 2013

Building A House On Sand

Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world.

There are lots of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it.
(C.S. Lewis, in The Little Book Of Virtues, 16 May) 8 August 2013

Hope & Faith

Photo: Longwood Gardens, PA - Mr. Dickie

Whatever happens, do not lose hold of the two main ropes of life --
hope and faith.
(The Little Book Of Virtues, 9 April)
4 August 2013

Affirmations

Affirmations

• If I am morose and discontented, I will deliberately cultivate happy thoughts.
• If I am prone to criticize, I will seek out what is good and pleasing and fix my mind on that.
• I will replace my fruitless doubts and fears with faith and confidence.
• If I am bored, I will learn something new - even a new way to make the old chores more enjoyable.

(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 25 January)
25 January 2013

Wrapping Up The Year

This is the day on which another year closes. It is a good time for a quiet, honest look at our personal progress. Has it been a good year, better than those which went before? Has the day-by-day guidance of your personal program brought you to a greater realization and acceptance of yourself, the unique individual that you are? (after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 31 December)

As we look back over the year just gone, it has been a good year to the extent that we have put good thoughts, good words, and good deeds into it. None of what we have thought, said, or done need be wasted. Both the good and the bad experiences can be used to our profit. In a sense, the past is not entirely gone. The result of it, for good or evil, is with us at the present moment. We can only learn by experience and none of our experience is completely wasted.  We can humbly thank God for the good things of the year. (after Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 31 December)

If you have regrets for errors or omissions, dismiss them.  The new year which lies before us will allow no time for futile regrets. Live just one day at a time, making each one better than the last, as you grow in confidence and faith. (after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 31 December)

Greetings to everyone who visited Mr. Dickie's Blog or saw it on my Facebook wall during 2012. It is my hope that something I posted made you think, or smile and that nothing I posted offended.

Mr. Dickie

31 December 2012

Happiness

One of the great secrets of happiness is to think of happy things. There were many unhappy things in [ancient] Philippi, things false, dishonorable, unjust, impure, hideous and of very bad report; the air of Philippi was darkened by these things.  The Christians of that town might easily have had their lives stained by continually letting their thoughts dwell on what they could not help seeing and hearing and feeling, what evil they must often have met and fought in their striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Amy Carmichael, in A Gentle Spirit, 25 October) 26 October 2012

Get Rid Of It

Do not be afraid to get rid of things which distract your attention -- everything material, everything which can be seen or can be felt.  The more you purify the spiritual core of your faith, the firmer your faith will be. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 26 July) 1 September 2012