Forget about the unchangeable past and live in the now


DSC_0323bRegret, the enemy of happiness and being at peace with one’s self. Regret of the things undone, unsaid and missed out on through ones life are nothing but obstructions in one’s path to happiness. Regret that last longer than a short moment is but the lack of the ability to forgive yourself for your mistakes and/or shortcomings. If you can’t undo or make up for the wrongs you’ve done or if the opportunities you’ve missed are far gone then why waste any time or energy on them. Far as the wrongs you can bring to right and the opportunities you still can utilize they should be your main focus to accomplish. Forgive yourself, forget about the unchangeable past and live in the now, do not make more situations to regret by hanging on to the dead weight of things that are beyond you ability to control or change.

Free yourself of living in the past so you can make the most of the present, free your heart of the burdens of past mistakes to make room for the happiness, love and serenity that you deserve.

Ray Barbier

Helping those who are unable to help themselves


018 The welfare of ourselves and our fellow human beings is not the responsibility of  the government, we are responsible for our own welfare and the welfare of others. If a brother or sister be unable to care for themselves be due to physical limitations or mental dysfunctions we are to provide as a group help and support for them. Even those who have made poor life choices we are to help, for to be human is to be imperfect and no one can boast about being flawless in character.

One person may not be able to help all those in need, but one person can make a difference for one in need and inspire others to join in on helping those in need.  We were commanded to love one another, part of loving one another is accepting the responsibility of being each others care giver and/or helper. We all have our ways of being able to help each other and it isn’t all about money, sometimes its about fellowship and other times just a place to rest ones head.

To those whom look down upon the needy and less fortunate, just remember that person you passed by and/ or felt contempt for could have been you or one of your family. Many of the homeless were at one time wealthy, successful and even well-respected individuals before they fell to poverty and misfortune. We as a society need to not only help those in need but provide a way for them to help themselves. As an old proverb once said :

”if you give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime. ~ Confucius

Though Governments can help in feeding the hungry and housing the homeless it is only a temporary and expensive solution. We need to find ways to help those able to provide for themselves to do so and find better and more efficient ways of helping those who are unable to help themselves.

God bless and may love guide us all

Ray Barbier

The differences we have divide us only because we allow them to.


017Why cant the many religions of the world come to peace with one another? Why must we have hatred for those who either believe different or don’t have a belief? I never could understand how one person could hate another because of their religious beliefs, race or even nation origin. We are all human after all, we all are brought into this world in the same manner and we all leave it in the same state. We all want happiness for ourselves and those we love and we all have the same basic needs to survive. The differences we have divide us only because we allow them to. Our diversity as a species is what has since the dawn of humankind made us a resilient and thriving species. It gave us the ability to survive many climate changes and challenges.

I have had many friends of different religious beliefs and never judged them one way or another because of their beliefs. If I did judge them it was by how they treated me and others around them. We had many disagreements on religious ideals but we didn’t allow them to become a stumbling block in our friendship. Sad thing is even within a religion there can be division in belief and that sometimes even leads to violence within it. Is it the religion that causes this violence and division or is it caused by the darkness within some of those within the religion.

Either way, I will always be one who believes in every persons right to believe as they wish and I will respect what ever choice they make. I also will not turn away anyone as a friend nor anyone in need because of their beliefs.

I know how I believe and how I chose to be may not be popular and may be looked down on by some in my religion and in others as well, but It is how my heart tells me to be and that’s what I choose.

Ray Barbier

The ravings of a wishful thinker.


006 (2)Sometime I Just sit and think about random things and events in history, sometimes I am brought to tears over the cruelty humanity has committed against each other. Other times I cry tears of joy over the amazing and wondrous things humanity has done together and for the common good. How a species so capable of such grand things such as love, compassion and fellowship could also do such horrible things as well. Even as individuals we do both amazing and horrible things within our life.

We could be such a wondrous and amazing species if we learn to put aside and control our darker natures. If we focus more on humanity as a whole instead of our individual wants and needs. We can have both individuality and be a part of the global community. We can find balance between personal wants and needs and the needs and wants of the whole of humanity. We don’t need one government, we need to be of one heart and of one mind. We need to see that we all want happiness, peace and love for ourselves and those within our family. Maybe if we realize we all are one great big family we could begin to work together for the good of humanity instead of against each other for the good of one part.

I am not speaking of Communism or Socialism, I am speaking of Humanitarianism and common sense. Freely helping one another to survive and live in peace and in happiness.  A pipe dream, a utopian idealism or just the ravings of a wishful thinker. Either way it could be a better world if we all worked together to make it so.

Ray Barbier

Writing is a companion to my thinking


018I write because I always loved to write since a child, everything from songs, short stories, poetry and philosophical nonsense. Writing is a companion to my thinking which I do and sometimes I do way too much. I may not be the greatest writer nor are my writings anything but average and that is if they even qualify as that. I seek no prize nor do I worry about or seek to become a published author, for writing is its own reward to me. I’m happy if just one person enjoys one of my writings and/or finds one of them to be helpful or interesting.

Ray Barbier

The Battles Ahead will be won


eyeI face many battles ahead of me in this short life God has blessed me with. Some are battles forced upon me by the world I live in, others are battles of my own making through the choices made in my life. Some are battles within the heart others are battles with and within the mind. None of the battles will be easily won, but they will be won through faith and with love.

No other person can fight these battles for me, but I will not stand alone in these battles I face. He is always with me and he that is within me is greater than any enemy I shall face ahead.

I once walked in fear, I once lived in doubt and now I choose to walk in faith and to live in love.

God Bless you all

Ray Barbier.

Thoughts on 2/23/2013


God, the Father watches us all everywhere.

Stop trying to rely on your own strength , learn to rely on that inner strength God provides you. It is a strength beyond the physical and mental strengths we cultivate and acquire through life. Remember where all your strengths come from, for they all originate from God. And be thankful for what you have as well as what you have had as well.

Ray Barbier

we should love one another as Jesus commanded us to do


dd43853So easy it is to open your eyes and see the needs of others, so simple is it to open your heart and give to those who need. It isn’t all about money, it’s about friendship, fellowship, kindness and compassion. Even a smile or a kind word can change the hearts and minds of those around you. A little compassion can go a long way in helping someone get through the day. Just give what you have to give to help others and it will multiply within the person you help.

Try to remember the person you seeing in need, be it a need of food, clothes or just a kind word or two could easily be you. So try to treat others with that fact in mind, they too are only human and have problems, challenges and circumstances just like you do. They are your brothers and sisters in the eyes of God, we should love one another as Jesus commanded us to do.

God Bless

Ray Barbier

Mankind wasn’t ready for his level of love


DSC_0337There once was a man who taught peace, forgiveness and love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and even raised the dead. He did all of it in love and for his father. Mankind wasn’t ready for his level of love and mercy and many saw him as a threat to their position and or power and in the end they put him to death. There once was a man who was more than just a man who suffered torture, chastising, ridicule and in the end a horrible and painful crucifixion. He laid his life down in love to save the same people whom put him to death. He died to save the Jews and the Gentiles alike and through him we all can be saved.

Jesus was God’s love manifested in human form, sent to teach us,save us and to be the bridge between humanity and God. Love comes from God and Jesus and we are supposed to be the propagators of God’s love. We are to love one another, we are not to judge or to be as the Pharisees were.

Be thankful, forgiving, loving, caring and live your life in Christ doing as he has taught us to do.

Ray Barbier

Words of wisdom or wishful thoughts.


IMG_1326_edited-1To love is to live, to live is to experience Love. To fear is to miss out on love and life. To fear love is to deny yourself happiness, to fear rejection is to deny yourself personal growth and the chance to succeed. To fear what others think is to throw away your chance to be who you are truly meant to be. To be like everyone else or follow the crowd is to deny yourself individuality. To deny you are a part of the whole is to deny yourself the fellowship it can bring along with the strength it can give you. To think you are strong by your own is to set yourself p for a great fall. To think you are wise is only proof you are yet a fool. To recognize your lack of wisdom and accept your faults  is the first step in becoming wise. To think you have learned it all only will deny you the truth and answers you seek. To hold a grudge and not forgive only hurts you and does nothing to the one that you begrudge. To judge others harshly only sets you up to be judged in the same way.

Be humble, Be kind, Try not to judge and if you do, do it with compassion. Love one another unconditionally and learn to forgive others as well as your own self

Ray Barbier