Slow down, take a look around. Life is going by too fast for you to digest.


IMG_1287Slow down, take a look around. Life is going by too fast for you to digest. Slow down and enjoy your friends, family and the wondrous things around you. Slow down before you miss all the good things in life. Stop worrying so much about what you want or what you do not have and cherish that you have been blessed with. Love those within your life and forgive those who have done you wrong. Forgive yourself as well for its hard to love others if you can not love yourself unconditionally. reevaluate your goals and priorities and rid yourself of the things that are either unattainable or not truly beneficial to you. Streamline your time so you have more time to focus on the things that matter and those whom you love.

Do not waste time trying to convince others about what you think is right, instead live and be an example of what you believe. By example you will convince many more than by just words alone. Always express what you feel and then go make what you feel a reality.

Just some random thoughts on a Saturday

Ray Barbier

Why is being right more important than doing the right thing?


IMG_1077Sometime we tend to be our own worst enemy, we get wrapped up in what we think we want and neglect what we truly need. This seems to be the dilemma of humanity.  We are social creatures for the most art but it seems we have become more focused on our individuality than the group, clan or community. We forgot how to care and be part of a community and to work together. It’s all about taking care of ourselves and our own instead of we are all a part of an extended family. It’s all good to be an individual and to express such, but not at the expense of  loosing our connection from the great family of humanity.

We allow politics, religion, race, culture and many other things get in the way of being the great creation God made us to be. We as a species are capable of doing such good and amazing things when we work together and put our differences aside. We are all basically the same, we all really want peace, love and happiness for ourselves, our family and especially for our children. Why cant that be enough of a motive for us to be civilized and mature enough to be at peace with one another and learn to work together to make this world a better place for everyone? Why is greed more important than your neighbor or the poor guy begging for his next meal? Why is being right more important than doing the right thing?

It is far better to be poor and have your next meal than to be rich and want for nothing, for without anything to aspire for there is little to enjoy. It is far more important to do the right thing than to worry about who is right or wrong. For doing the right thing is being in the right and worrying about who is right or not is such a waste of time and energy.

Raymond Barbier

Focus on the good and the good you can do


006 (2)To be happy one must learn to accept who they are with all of their strengths and all of their shortcomings. Being human means we will at times be angry, bitter, sad and even mean. We will make mistakes, we will hurt others unintentionally and sometimes intentionally. We must accept these facts and then learn to make them a lesser part of our daily lives. Focus on the good qualities within ourselves and learn to control the ones we see as negative or bad. We also must learn to forgive ourselves when we do fall to the darker side for even though it’s not our true nature it’s still part of who we are.

I think we put too much focus on our failings and our shortcomings, we leave little time for the better qualities to surface and for us to expand upon them. I believe if we focus more on the good qualities we have and on bringing them to the surface then we would leave little if no time for the negative ones to manifest themselves in our daily lives. Stop worrying  about what you shouldn’t have done or what you could have done and focus on what you should do now and what you should avoid doing in the future. Live in the now more than the past, focus on the good and the good you can do more than on what may go wrong or what if I fail.

What are you focusing on? The bad in your life or the Goodness you want to have and share within your life? Think positive / Good and live in the here and now.

Ray Barbier

Do not think of what you can not be


IMG_1389_edited-1Who stands in the way of your happiness, success, commitments and your relationship with God? You, that’s who.. We tend to have an image of what we are and what we can become, the one we set as the what we can become is what limits us from going beyond. More or less it isn’t who you think you are that stands in the way its more of who you don’t think you are and who you can not become that is the roadblock between all things and God. It is far better to set no limits on yourself and not to set goals too low for then you will never grow or become the person you and God wants you to be.

Do not think of what you can not be, think of what you can be and what you can try to achieve. Each of us have the ability to go beyond what we see as our self and the limits we have set within our mind. We all have the potential to be who and whatever we wish to be, maybe some things will come easer to one and harder to another but if you desire it and put your heart and fait into it there is almost nothing one can achieve within their lifetime.

Ray Barbier

Sometimes I get inspired to write


062Sometimes I get inspired to write, other times I just write for the sake of it. Either way I follow my own path and try not to do anyone any harm. I know not what my actual purpose is as of yet but I walk in faith the best a man can. I seek truth, knowledge and the wisdom they can contain. I try to share what I know as well as learn from the sharing I do. I try to be open-minded so I do not become someone unable to learn or grow. I try not to offend though sometimes there is no way to totally avoid it. I am who I am and that is all I can be, what I am becoming is what God has planned for me. So the path I follow may be my own but it is the path God has led me to walk at this time.

God Bless

Ray Barbier

Time to open you eyes, time to let go of what was


003Time to open you eyes, time to let go of what was and the things that shall never be. Most of what you want you don’t really need and probably would just bring you unhappiness in the end or just a short moment of joy that is hollow. Time to be appreciative of the things God has blessed you with, He has given you things that money, gold or Jewels could never get you. Love, Peace, Hope and last but not least his grace. He gave you a family, friends and another day for you to cherish them as well.

Time to put the fear away for faith is stronger and time to put away greed it only leads to the ruin of your life. Lust is just an perversion of love and is what has caused so many divorces, broken hearts and even some wars along the way. Selfishness is a true enemy of happiness and it stands between us and god.

 Temper your heart with the love of God, Tame your mind with the Gospel and put all of your heart, mind, body and soul into walking in faith. Do everything you do for God and not for your self.

Ray Barbier

Yelling at an oncoming storm


012Last night I had an interesting dream, I was standing before what seemed to be the front door of a house I lived in years ago. I noticed the wind from a storm brewing outside had opened the screen door so I went to go close it and looked at the approaching storm and said to it “I am a follower of Christ, I live in Christ, I rest in Christ, I fight on the side of Christ. Before I said these things the door was being difficult to shut but afterwards it shut easily and then the dream ended. Just one of those interesting dreams that you want to share and remember because how odd it seemed. Yelling at an oncoming storm and confirming my Christianity to it as if to let it know I was ready to face the storm.

Well I know it’s not an interesting article but it was one of those things I got a feeling to write about.

God Bless

Ray Barbier

Politeness and respectfulness is learned by example


DSCF0007Today I feel like talking about manners, politeness and having respect for one another. I remember when I was a child how my mother and father tried hard to instill in me the mannerisms such as showing respect to others and to be polite to everyone I meet and that I should be this way to those I know, don’t know, like or dislike. Seems politeness and respect are becoming either a thing of the past or is considered less important in our youth today.I think we were far better off when we had politeness and respect as a part of our upbringing. My parents were also the type that would try to practice what they preached, at least in front of us kids they did their best not to lose their tempers, speak ill of others or be disrespectful of anyone. This of course goes to say that they may have done such behind our backs but in general they stayed true to what they preached.

Politeness and respectfulness is learned by example, so most kids are usually imitating what they have seen at home and at school. This is why parents, educators and youth group leaders should practice politeness and respectfulness in front of the children.

Just some thoughts that passed through my mind today.

God Bless and peace to all.

Ray Barbier

So they do not become a stumbling block


DSCF0002Live in the now, leave the past as a memory and take from it the wisdom you earned and learned. Leave the future to itself for it will come in its own time. Forgive yourself of the mistakes of the past and remember them only to serve as a warning not to repeat them again. Let old wounds and hurts be healed through love and forgiveness so they do not become a stumbling block between you and the plans God has for you. Cherish all things you have been blessed with and worry not of those things you do not have for God provides you with all that you need. Envy not the rich, though they have far more than they need or any person should ever want they lack the fellowship and strength of the working class and poor. Take care of your brothers and sisters by any means you have and serve god by making sure no other human wants for food or shelter. Speak kindly of others or say nothing at all for it isn’t what goes into the mouth that matters it is what comes out of your mouth which comes from your heart and can make you unclean.

Focus on fellowship, brotherhood, sisterhood and compassion for those are the traits we should embrace as a Christian. Some say think twice before speaking and doing, I say think thrice for it is good to be watchful of your own heart and the things you say and do. Bless your enemies as you should bless your friends and be peaceful and a guiding light for others. We are meant to set a good example of how to live and interact with others.

God Bless you all

Ray Barbier

Loving,peaceful and compassionate lights within our world.


eyeWe are supposed to be good examples and live to serve God by serving our fellow humans. We are servants, messengers, teachers and caregivers of our fellow human beings. Some Christians focus way too much on the condemnation of sinners and forget that we are here to serve god and be a light for those who are lost. We are to lead them to Jesus and his grace, we are also are to spread the word but not go out and be persecutors or those who condemn others. Just like vengeance, judging is God’s not mankind’s to do. We must of course be mindful of what goes on around us and within our own hearts but not as judges but as caregivers and teachers. We should be caring, peaceful, mindful, watchful, loving and compassionate lights within our world.

God does not only want us to change our mind but he also wants us to have a change of heart as well. What comes out of your mouth is either clean or unclean and is what can show others your true heart. Be a good person, be what God desires you to be and always seek to do the right thing.

Ray Barbier