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Every day I die a little, yet every day I live a little too

I die a little to let the old go away, and I live a little for the new beginning coming my way.

      “When we are born, we are already heading towards death.” To think in this way, life can be a horrible thing, unless we look towards what happens once we die. Each individual has their own beliefs about what happens when we cease to exist here on earth. Some would believe there is a great place called Heaven. Others believe we come back as other people or life forms. There are people who believe we go to the planet of the aliens that made us. There are even those who believe there is nothing after death. I’m sure there are many other beliefs that are not coming to mind right now, but for this post, I will be talking about those I have mentioned.

Tomb in a graveyard

       Before I get into these different beliefs about what happens to us once we die, I believe we must first ask ourselves how we came to be. There are many different beliefs in this aspect as well. Some believe we started as an amoeba and worked our way up to monkeys, from which the lucky ones were able to evolve into humans. I suppose the monkeys left behind weren’t quite ready to evolve when others were. I question this belief due to the fact of where did the amoeba come from. Others believe we were planted by aliens from a far-off planet, and we are more like a science experiment. I also question this, due to the fact that I don’t know where these aliens come from and who created them. There are those who believe in multiple gods, and yet others who believe in one. The problem we have as humans is that we think we know or must know everything. We believe there must be a beginning and an end, or do we believe in an end? As I stated above, the only ones who believe in an end are those who believe our deaths are the end, while others believe there is something after. So who is right, and who is wrong? The only way we will find this is after death, or is it?

       Those who believe there is nothing after death are those I want to talk about first. Fear not, I am not here to tell you if I think you are right or wrong. I just have a hard time believing that this is it. All the hard work through life with no reward for it I think everything that humans do has a purpose, and I think it’s sad to believe that we really don’t after all. What is the purpose of life? Why are we here in the first place? If death is the ultimate end, isn’t life just a cruel joke? I’m sorry, my friends; I can’t buy into this one. I think it would make me empty inside to believe this is all there is. What am I working for if not to become the dirt beneath my feet? I think it would make me just want to go through life with no hope. Humans without hope are sad people, indeed. I think I will stay clear of the nothing theory. 

       When it comes to the aliens planting us, this is a little intriguing. However, I just can’t wrap my head around this one. Is there life on other planets? Possibly. I would think if we were from aliens, we would be contacted directly by them and not just flown by every now and then. I guess it’s kind of like having a pet. Would you put your pet somewhere and never have contact with it or want to play with it? Besides, I don’t like to think of myself as a pet in the first place. So, sorry, I just can’t imagine this is where we came from.

Female alien holding flowers

     Is there such a thing as reincarnation? And, if there is, do we get to choose what form we come back as? If I had a choice and I wanted to come back as my dog, what if my dog was my great-uncle Albert from a life before? Do I displace him, or am I given a second choice? How many deaths would it take to finish using up all life forms? Furthermore, who is giving me this choice or making the choice for me? This one sounds interesting; however, too many moving parts could cause many collisions. I mean, if five hundred people wanted to come back to the same spot, who makes the decision of who gets first choice? Furthermore, does the cycle end, or do we have to keep coming back time and time again? I think I will leave this one alone for others to figure out the logistics for.

       So how about the multiple gods? Well, the first thing I would want to know is, “Who is the Supreme One?” And, if there is one Supreme over the others, wouldn’t this mean he/she/it was actually the one and the others were just wannabes? That would mean the other gods couldn’t be gods at all. What would they be, mini gods? This just doesn’t fly in my judgment. It seems like a lot of thought had to go into this one. Too complicated for my thinking. It makes my brain hurt just trying to figure out who to follow with this theory. Sorry, but one is enough for me.

       So we came from monkeys, huh? This is the belief of those who follow evolution. I don’t know about you, but this one is difficult as well. I have gone to the zoo and seen these creatures, and even though I have seen a few people that had the big ears and hairy backs, I have to question it. If we evolved from monkeys, what kept the others from evolving with us? Why haven’t we seen any change in the monkeys at the zoo? Why are we keeping our ancestors locked up in the first place? Why is there very little difference from one monkey to the next? Wouldn’t you think, if this were true, there would be some that maybe evolved half way between monkey and human? This seems like too difficult a solution for me as well. 

Monkeys huddled together

What caused the big bang, and did it come from nothingness? Were there a billion big bangs to create the multi-universes, or were rocks just thrown here and there throughout space? And if the big bang started everything, then why do we have all the life here on earth, while the moon is void of such things? Furthermore, who created the mass to cause the big bang in the first place? An awful lot of thought went into this one. Sorry, I just can’t swallow it.

      So we’ve come down to one Almighty who created everything, and when we die, we go on to live with him, depending on how you believe, of course. Well, this solves a couple of the problems. For one, there is a creator who covers all, including the planets, stars, moons, and life. One being created all; that somewhat sews things up. This would explain how everything started, not just us. It does sound better, but there are still questions that must be asked. Things like, “Whose god is the true God?” I mean, different sets of people believe they have the right one and everyone else is wrong. I guess I’d choose mine, because it’s nice to know that I was made in God’s image. Some gods have gone on to die and will never be seen or heard from again. These gods want to leave the rest of the story up to the humans, his creation. That doesn’t seem right. I mean, he’s God; how could we go on if he didn’t take care of us? The Christian God has a son who died and came back to life for the sole purpose of taking care of us. Well, I guess if he were God, he wouldn’t stay dead, right? If he created all of this, he would have to be very powerful. This God and the story of creation seem to be the simplest solutions to our problems, and it’s nice to think that life doesn’t end after death; it just changes. This makes me feel better about how things came to be. And these Christians seem to love and want peace. That sounds like a good thing. I think I like this explanation; it seems to cover all the bases without the stumbling blocks. I think this is the one I will seek out and follow. 

Necklace with a cross hanging from a rod, with sunset in the background.

We all have our own beliefs about how things came to be. Not all beliefs can be correct, and nobody will know for sure until their time comes to meet the one who created them. I challenge you to look deep into your beliefs and pick the one who shows true love for his creation. If you feel that you have found the truth without a doubt in your heart, you have definitely found the truth. If you have doubts, maybe you have been living a fantasy. We don’t have to know everything about creation, but we shouldn’t have any doubts about who we are following. 

I completely understand how some may cheer what I have written while others will hate that I ever put pen to paper. Either way is fine with me because I believe in “free will” as well. I believe God gave us a brain for a reason other than keeping our heads from collapsing. Don’t be afraid to question your existence. Some will get it right, while many others will be wrong, and we will all know who in due time. Take care, my friends. I shall write again soon. 

Seeking A Higher PoWeR

      It makes no difference what religion you follow, if that is, you follow a said religion at all, we all are seeking a higher power even if that higher power lies within the very body you possess. When it comes right down to it, we are basically working towards the same goal, maybe just following a different book, whether it be fact or fiction. So who is correct and who is following amiss? Are you happy with who you are and where you believe you are heading after you leave this world behind? Do you wake in the morning looking forward to life or groan because life still finds you when you wake? Are you an atheist and believe in nothing past this life other than the worms in your grave for your final destination? Are you a Christian and believe Heaven is preparing a place for you? Where do you stand and are you correct in your beliefs?

Man sitting and thinking in graveyard

     These are questions that are in the heart of everyone of us whether you want to admit it or deny it, it is fact. I have my beliefs, you have yours and that will be as it is until the end of life and we find out who is right and who missed the boat, unless before death you or I change what we believe and follow a different path. I have said this before and I will say it again, I am a Born again Christian and believe that I have a place in Heaven waiting for me. I don’t understand other beliefs as much as I would like to so I could have a better understanding of how others think. I stand by the belief that religion is man made and Christianity is God made. Let me explain this with a little more clarity.

      Within the Christian community their are religious sectors that separates one from the other in various ways. Their are Baptist, Methodist and pentecostal, just to name a few. The differences within these may not mean much to you unless you yourself are a Christian. Basically they all interpret the Holy Bible in a slightly different way but are still following the same Holy scriptures. This means that religion is man’s way of following what God made. We are all Christians ( God made ) following within different religions ( man made ). I hope this helps you understand the difference. I, myself, follow the Holy Bible without being in any certain  religious sect and am bound to the whole book not just the parts and pieces that I feel like being a part of. In other words, if it is written, it is so. If you want to place me into a religious sector, it would be Charismatic Christian, for I believe in the Holy Spirit as is also written. This my friends really paints me into a corner but it is how I am able to get closer to my God that I seek, follow and pray to. I believe if I were to omit parts of the Bible, the word would have no meaning left in it. It’s all or nothing in my view. I believe that I can be forgiven for not adhering to a part or parts if I only ask for forgiveness but when all is said and done, I am still bound by the word.

Praying hands on Holy Bible

      I am not here to preach to you or change your views in any way but rather to explain why I write the way I do and try not to offend anyone who are reading my post. The main thing I am trying to say, in one way or another is, we are all seeking something in the beyond, except atheist which are seeking nothing beyond the grave. As far as atheist go, the one part I don’t understand is during a life and death situation, why cry out to God, if there is no God? This tells me of all the religious beliefs, the atheist are one of whom are believing amiss. To all of us others in this great marble floating in space, ask yourself, “What are my beliefs and are they to the betterment or destruction of mankind?”

     I know that I have given you a lot to chew on in this post and I will probably get a lot of flack from it. That’s okay, I’m a big boy and I can handle it! I challenge you to write what you believe and why in the comments below. I along with others would like to hear your views.

     I wish each and everyone of you a blessed presence within the life you have chosen, no matter whom you follow or don’t. Take care and Remember, we are all in this together.

How do you use Free will?

If you have read my columns before, you have probably noticed how I bring up free will from time to time. I would like to dive into this concept a little deeper with hopes that others will grasp what I am talking about. There are many that cannot understand something that is really a simple concept. The biggest problem we have with “free will” is using it and understanding the ramifications and limits of what was meant when we were gifted it.

Everything we have or use has its limitations, this includes free will. I can choose of my own free will to hurt someone but I am now liable to the consequences of such an act. So there are limits to my free will. The old expression says “Nothing in life is free”. Pay very close attention because this is a very true quote and it includes free will as well.

Cell block B painted on block wall

The only thing you were truly given at birth is free will. (Some suggest life, spirit and soul. These three things were gifted at conception, not at birth). You have the right to be a good person or bad. You have the right to follow good or evil. You have the free will to pray to whom you wish. You may be persecuted for it or even killed but you still have the free will to do it. The United States is one country that allows you to follow what ever religion you wish by law however, if that means hurting someone else in the process, you will be jailed. You still have the free will to do it.

I am a Christian and I understand free will because it is explained to us in our teachings. There are many religions that don’t explain or except the concept of free will. That’s up to you and your church. The problem with alot of religions is they use free will to harm others that don’t follow their ways. As Christians, we don’t want to harm others. We do overstep our free will sometimes and have to except the consequences as well as anyone else. We believe that free will was a gift from God to humanity. This gift has been abused and caused all humanity to get ourselves into trouble more times then not.

God gave us free will because we are made in God’s image. He did not bind us. If we choose to follow him, then we have a set of rules to follow, one of these is the Ten Commandments. God also gave humanity the free will to follow whomever you wish to follow. The consequences of whichever way you choose will still be there but you have the free will to decide which consequences you will adhere to. I’m blessed to have a Father in Heaven [ my God ] whom is forgiving.

Man standing in rays of sunlight

So here it is in a nutshell. You have free will of spirit even though your body may be bound by things of this earth. These things may or may not be of your choosing. Free will may be free but consequences may cost you if it is not used with wisdom. Is free will free then? Is free will the only thing that is truly free? Do you follow spirit ( with free will ) or body with the world and it’s rules? Choose wisely and Remember, we are all in this together.

Pay attention! Your inside voice is trying to help

Do you pay attention to that little voice inside you when it comes to making decisions? I have learned to do just that and it has saved me more times then I can count. Everyone has that little voice but most decide not to pay attention to it. “Am I just over thinking this situation or is my inner voice speaking up?” That is the question that usually comes to mind.

Some believe this to be unrealistic (even crazy) or that it is just an old wives tale. I can put to rest the second part with a simple question. When was that inner voice ever wrong? Once you decide to follow that voice, that’s when you have learned that voice speaks truth always and the wives tale no longer holds true. The first part is going to get a little tricky. Everyone has heard or seen a cartoon showing the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Living through life is a constant battle between good and evil but it is up to us to choose which shoulder to lean on. If it brings joy, it is good and if it brings destruction, then it’s bad. Simple enough to understand right? Well if it is so simple, then why are there so many bad people out there? We are born as clean spirits with pure souls who have yet to learn what evil is.

Don’t judge just yet, stay with me, I’m still talking about that inner voice. I’m just going about it in a round about way for your entertainment and to get you to really think about this. Your true inner voice will never tell you to do anything bad. You heard me right, it’s always a helpful tool not a destructive one. If you feel your inner voice is telling you to do something that is not of good value, then that is your brain leaning to the dark side and not your true inner self.

Girl dressed as angel and boy dressed as devil
Choose your side. No gray areas….

There are no shades of gray. You are either working on the good side or the bad. If you feel like you are working in the gray, then you are on the bad side of things and convincing yourself that it’s okay. Your inner voice doesn’t work on the bad side. It will never lead you astray. Once you come to this realization, then it is easier to hear that inner voice. The problem most people have is figuring out if that is their inner voice or if it is their imagination at work. A simple way to test this is with small attempts of following the voice you hear. If it is your inner voice, all things will go right while following it’s advice. If this is not your inner voice, there will be problems while following it.

This is a hard lesson to learn for most because the world has taught us to listen only with our physical ears and not pay attention to our spiritual ones. However, if you will listen within, you will learn more than you ever will with those funny looking things on the side of your head. Just a reminder to those that haven’t heard me say this before; you are a spirit, you have a soul and you are incased within a physical body. Your inner voice is your spirit guiding you in a physical world. This is what your maker gifted you upon being conceived. It is truly a gift and will work wonders for you, if you will only pay attention.

You must take baby steps until you know that voice is your true inner voice (spirit) speaking. Once you are able to distinguish what your inner voice sounds like, it will be unmistakable and you can follow it with the certainty that it will not lead you astray. There is much more to this that I’m not getting to right now but if you would like to hear more about this, I would be happy to talk to you about it. You can email me at tailfeathers32@protonmail.com (if you wish to be anonymous) or leave a reply to this post for others to read. I wish each and every one of you the best in finding this inner self. God Bless and Remember, we are all in this together.

A compassionate soul no more

    As society has grown more and more with the greatness of discoveries in technology, we as humans are also losing something that truly makes us human in the first place. Showing compassion for one another has taken a back seat and being self absorbed has taken the forefront. We are in self destruction mode and becoming more robot like and losing the humanity which makes us different from all other creatures.

    I believe showing compassion for one another puts us in God’s good graces. However, nowadays we are so into things like computers and cell phones that are able to think for us, we are rapidly becoming distant from one another. Of course, we can call our friends and talk to them but the words are just words with no feeling behind them. Someone may say they are having a hard time financially or that they have just had a loved one pass away and we say how sorry we are while looking at a post of a cat doing funny things online. There is a disconnect from our true compassion because of our inability to focus on what is being said since we can talk on the phone and surf the net at the same time.

Lady with her head in her hands sitting at desk with computer and cell phone

    People have started posting their life stories on social media of both good and bad instead of consulting their families or churches directly. Once posted, these things are glanced over and never taken seriously because of the amount of things like these put on so frequently. There are no surprises left in society. It’s all out there and payed very little attention to by others. Everyone has that sad story they want people to know about and the most compassion they receive is a click that shows a sad face. Another problem lies because of the competition of so many posts. You may want someone to truly feel your pain and give you the hug that you need but with posting on social media, it must be much worse than the other friend that is posting their problems to be noticed. We unintentionally make our problems look much worse then they are. Unfortunately, we start believing what we have written and it really does make our problems worse then they started out being.

    Communication is just a click away and means absolutely nothing anymore. How can we show our compassionate soul to someone through words on a website? We are becoming robots with feelings that are no longer active. Once a trip to visit grandma was a big deal for a child, now it has becomes nothing more than a video chat. No more running into open arms, just a smiling face on a computer screen is what the child has to look forward to. Social events are now done through conference calls. We are no longer showing our humanity. We are too busy and no longer need to schedule that event. Just pick up your smart phone and socialize while riding the exercise bike at home.

    Are we going to get back to talking with the loved ones in person? It’s looking like that is just a thing of the past. Even if we socialize in person, we must stay six feet away and wear mask today because of the pandemic that is going around. This virus is helping us become less socialized in person and helping our robot side take more of our humanity away. We must change our way of thinking. We need each other to survive and we need each other to keep our humanity. If within the first few sentences your grandchild asks, when seeing you in person, is “Can I use your computer?” then there is a problem showing itself directly to you.

    Compassion has also taken a back seat when we do see others in person that need our help. The family with the cardboard sign on the side of the road no longer pulls at our heart strings. We over look them because we are in a hurry and besides, why can’t they take care of themselves? It never crossed our minds that they just lost their home in a fire and because of the way society is today, there is no family to help them. The computer burned up in the fire and so they are cut off from family and friends.

Lady shows compassion for another female

    Compassion is a form of love that seems to be put on the wayside in today’s world. It is so sad but true and with this loss, we have come one step closer to losing one of the greatest things that make us who we are. Don’t let your compassion for others be taken away or you too will become the robot that society is trying to change us into. Show compassion for your family, friends and others that need your shoulder to lean on when times are tough. Don’t become the mind numb robots that only shows feeling by clicking the thumbs up symbol.

    Don’t let this new society take away your compassion. Don’t allow your children to grow up without this great human quality. Stand up against those who are leading us down a path of becoming mind numb robots. If you are one whom is trying to keep humanity on the right track, I want to personally thank you. If it seems the walls are closing in and you feel that you are fighting an unwinnable battle, think again and Remember, we are all in this together. 

Difference between beauty and ugly

It has happened to all of us at one time or another. For some this is a all too common occurrence. Someone or many have commented on a way that you look and said that it was wrong, ugly or that you must change to fit in.
   

We all are different in our makeup. Even if you have an identical twin, there are differences between you. There is no right or wrong way of looking. This is totally up to each individual to express who they are. No two people on this planet look or act exactly the same. What a boring world we would live in if we were all the same. There are certain criteria that we must follow within society to keep us from offending others but this too has gone too far. I understand that we must be clothed to walk down the street but we should be allowed to wear glasses without someone making fun of how we look.
   

The people that make fun of someone and hurt the others feelings because they can’t afford to wear the fancy clothes that you wear, should not be allowed to wear them either. Not only the affordability but showing self expression should be considered unique not ugly or weird. What have you accomplished by making someone feel bad about how they look other than make yourself look bad? Besides, I have seen some pretty crazy clothes on people that paid alot of money for stuff that I wouldn’t be caught dead in. If you think it looks good on you then by all means have at it but  a simple pair of jeans and a tee-shirt works fine for me, no matter how much money I may or may not have. Some people enjoy wearing alot of color, others enjoy wearing things that are not colorful at all. That’s what makes us human and we should be allowed to wear such things without being ridiculed for doing just that.
   

If someone is making fun of you because the way you dress, maybe it’s because they are jealous. Of course it maybe they are just mean and haven’t been taught to respect others. Either way, don’t let these people ruin your day, feel sorry that they can’t show some individuality of their own. Be proud of who you are and don’t be afraid to show it. God does not make junk! We are made to be different and the ones of us that can express this are far above those that can’t. Be who you are and be proud of it!
   

The people that make fun of someone because they consider them ugly are just stupid.  Who decides what is ugly and what is beauty? This too is all wrapped up by society and is another one of those stupid concepts. Depending which part of the world you are at the time will depend on what is and what is not considered beauty. This means that all of this beautiful and ugly talk is also completely decided by society and not what is true. This begs the question; are you going to be a follower and dress according to what society feels looks best or are you going to be a leader and show what you think looks best for you? Maybe what you are wearing today is the trend for tomorrow. Don’t change who you are unless you want to make that change. Don’t try to be someone else, this is a grave mistake and will get you nowhere fast. You set your trend and let others catch up if they can. You may even find someone trying to look like you. All in all it is your choice and if you are proud of who you are, then nothing else really matters anyway.
   

What about people that have handicaps? Some of these people may be born with them and others may have them thrust upon them through life. Are you one of those that make fun of these people because they look different than you? If you are then you are beyond stupid! These people are who they are and are loved just as much, if not more by God. Have you ever thought of how special these people are? Maybe they are who we were designed to be and what we call “normal” is actually the ones that have the afflictions? Anyway you want to look at it, if you are making fun of them and making them feel bad, You are the problem not the solution. Show love for these people so they can show love for you.
   

In conclusion, I just want you to understand that we all share this planet together. We are all different in our own unique ways and it is a wonderful thing to have. Be thankful that we are different and have the ability to shine the way we want to shine and not according to what others may think. Next time you feel that you must say something to someone about the way they dress or carry themselves, may I suggest that you compliment them instead of making fun of them. Love begets love and you never know what kind of blessings you may receive for this simple gesture.
   

Take care, love one another and Remember, we are all in this together.

Bring back God, save our Nation

The world has gone crazy and I’m losing my patience. Why is it with every one step forward, we seem to take two steps back? As a society, we are failing miserably. For every one thing that is changed to fix something that someone has a problem with, we create more problems that must be solved.

I thought that maybe I was just looking too hard into things that I don’t understand. These feelings are becoming stronger as I get older and look at the world with more mature eyes. No single group of people seems to be happy anymore. People all want something for nothing and are offended by everything and everyone. What happened to the world I grew up in? Are all the good times really over? Is their any hope left for mankind?

These are tough questions to ask one’s self and the reality of the conclusions are very bleak to say the least. Why has society changed to the point of total obliteration? Where exactly did we go wrong? Are we going to keep going downhill or are we going to wake up and fix this mess? I’m not sure how many of you see things the way I do and are also worried about the path we are heading down. I hope that I can find a majority somewhere that will stand with me and voice the problems we are causing ourselves.

United States flag

As I write this, I’m asking myself what all this is about, so let me throw out some examples. I live in the United States which is known worldwide as a free country. Lately we have become everything but free. We put ourselves up to show the rest of the world what freedom is all about. I believe we are now failing in our attempts to do just that. We will come to the aid of others in different parts of the world to help those in need. However, we no longer finish what we start. We do have the ability to solve many problems the world has as long as we have our friends in other nations to help us. The problem with doing this is we are too busy fighting amongst ourselves to be able to help others.

We as a nation see others as being wrong thinking but, we are now following what we fought against for years. Our nation was built to allow all peoples into our country no matter what race, religion or creed, as long as it is done legally. I see now that this is falling apart and needs to be fixed immediately if we are to survive and continue to aid others. We have no right to tell others how to live unless we can achieve this ourselves. When I was growing up, we were living the way we were teaching others. What changed in my beloved country?

Clouds in the sky (represent Heaven)

There is only one thing that is bringing this country down and when I tell you, you will either agree or quit reading immediately. Our country, even though we allow all types of people, was built with God in mind. If you look at our currency, it says “In God we trust”. This seems to have lost it’s meaning through the years and the people now have hardened their hearts. When we started turning our backs against the one who helped us become a nation, we began to  lose what we stand for.

The name God is different depending on what religion you follow. I myself am a Christian. I am not here to tell you whether you are right or wrong in your beliefs. We as Americans respect all people and religions. We do not stand in your way to believe what God you follow or don’t follow. However, for this to work, we must get back to the point where all Americans stand together once again. I want to help others help themselves in bringing back the foundation this great country was built upon.

Cross on a hill at sundown

I know I may lose followers due to this post but that’s alright. If this single post reaches just one person and helps them, it was all worth its weight in Gold! We say “God Bless America”, let’s stand up and invite the Almighty back to this country so we can go back to helping others worldwide.

This is all for now. I hope you will join me for future post. If I have offended you, this is not my intention. I will be here for you as long as you will allow me. God bless you and your families. Remember, we are all in this together.