Category: Thought of the day

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My dad taught me one last lesson


scan0002 The loss of a love one is always a hard thing for someone to cope with, no matter how close or estranged your relationship you had with the deceased you still had love as a bond between you. It has been almost 6 years since my dad passed away, even though the pain isn’t as severe within my heart it’s just as deep as it ever was. I thin about my dad often, funny though I don’t seem to think about his shortcomings, I think more about the times I spent with him as a child, teen and young adult years. I don’t care to remember the bad times because they don’t matter as much as the good times I had with him. I can remember his silly laugh and his kind heart he had. Unfortunately we did grow somewhat apart before his death, between me living my own life and my stupidity of holding on to mistakes both of us made in my early years and also my mom and him divorcing. I regret  I let such pet things stand in the way of my love for my dad, but in the end we did find peace between us and the last image I have of him was him with a childlike smile telling me good night.

Seems we never realize how silly or stupid we are about stuff until we loose a loved one and look back to see how much time was wasted on petty emotions such as anger and bitterness. It did teach me a lot losing my dad but it also cost me a lot in many ways as well. After 5+ years I have come close to being back to normal with a few omissions by choice and a few scars to remind me of my mistakes. My dad taught me one last lesson through his passing away, he taught me never to take anyone you love for granted for you never know when their number or even yours will come up.

Thank you Dad (Stephen M. Barbier) for everything you did for me, how hard you worked for us all. And may you Rest in peace knowing we all love and remember you as the good-hearted man you truly were.

Ray Barbier

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Writing, The Gift of Freewill and our path in life.


006 Ever since I was a kid I loved to write songs, poetry and even some philosophy. I do not know what drove my mind to be so contemplative but it has been that way all my life. Some of it was probably my low self-esteem  or poor self-image I have had to battle throughout my life. Some of it was from my disappointment in how our world works, the unfairness and the lack of balance this world has. A lot of it was the hopefulness within my inner self. I have always sought out the silver lining in every situation and for the most part I still do. With age comes wisdom but also age brings cynicism and doubtfulness. Don’t understand why but the older I get the harder it is to keep the positive attitude and hopefulness within me alive. it could be the fact as we grow older we face our own mortality and therefore we become bitter or jaded because we think we have been cheated in life somehow. This of course isn’t true, we were the ones who chose the path we have been on and how and what life brought to us up to this day. There are some things that we didn’t have any choice on in life but for the most part we are what we made ourselves to be. So being bitter or feeling jaded in the end is nothing but self-pity and useless. We can always change our path, our minds and our life if we put our heart and soul into it. We can’t undo the past but we can make us a new destination and path to walk as well. This is the gift of freewill God has given humanity, we have the freedom to choose and the option to allow his will to guide our choices as well.

Writing is the expression of my heart, soul and mind. It is the sum of what I feel, think and believe. It is like a map to my future that changes and grows with each word I type and eventually it will become the signposts I had left behind for others to follow and/or view. It is my freewill being expressed through my thoughts and emotions.

We only have a short time on earth to experience all its wonders and to find our true path in life. We should be kind to others and seek out harmony with all life and walk our path we have chosen in peace.

Ray Barbier

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Just some random thoughts on a Monday (8-20-2012)


013 Material possessions may seem to be the answer to the emptiness one feels but it is only a temporary fix. The problem with materialism is the more you have the more you will want, a possession may make you feel good or happy for a short-lived amount of time. Materialism is but a means to calm your addiction to your addiction to the sensations brought on by the activation of the pleasure center of the brain. Though there is more to a human being than their biological parts, we still are bound by our body and its needs, wants and its reaction to stimuli.

Love of others and the love of the self in an unconditional manner is one of the best way to fill the void one feels within. To aid those in need and help those who are unable to help themselves is a true form of love and/or compassion. By helping others we have a purpose in life and we also are teaching others by example how to be kind, compassionate and live a loving life of peace. We should always respect the beliefs of others and also respect their wishes unless their wish is to cause harm to themselves or others. Of course their may be exceptions to that ideology but for the most part we must see the preservation of all life as one of our highest priorities. Humanity’s main goal or purpose is to propagate and to survive and without those goals being met the rest of the priorities will become null and void.

We need to overcome the illusion that one person is worth more or less than another, matter of fact all life is equally important and should be cherished. We have a carnal nature because we exist in a pleasure driven body, the fact we are creatures that love how our brain reacts to certain stimuli and that we also are creatures of habit by our nature it is a hard task to keep our desires in check. The instincts and thoughts of the things we consider pleasurable are ever-present in our subconscious and our mind tends to seek out what makes us feel good. So the fight to not be immoral is not a battle easily won, but it a battle that we must fight because we are also beings of intelligence and of spirit.

It seems all we want in life is to be happy and feel good and there isn’t really nothing wrong with that. It is all in the way we pursue our happiness and how we reach that feel good moment in life. As long as both are obtained without the degradation or the harming of another person and or our own selves then it is a good thing.

Just some random thoughts on a Monday
Ray Barbier

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God’s love is limitless and unstoppable


MP900426559 God gave all of us some pretty good gifts, Love being one of the better ones, the ability to care about one another and to put someone else above your own self. The happiness of your mate will become your first priority and your own happiness will seem less important. When the love is shared then there is never a worry about happiness because both partners are striving to make each other happy. Sometimes love requires some work to keep and maintain, both sides have to compromise at times and work with each other. Love shouldn’t always be a chore to keep, for the most part it should be pretty simple to maintain but there will be rough patches to keep you busy from time to time.

Compassion, an expression of a brotherly/sisterly love for others, a love that is unconditional and unlimited. This is a more of a spiritual love that God blessed us with and should be one of the loves we should share freely and abundantly. We should strive to show compassion on people and all other living things. Forgiveness is also an expression of a spiritual type of love, to forgive yourself or others is to express that you love them enough to overlook their shortcomings and mistakes.  This kind of love is one of the kind of loves that God through Jesus showed us upon the cross. He loved us so much he gave his only begotten son as a sacrifice for our sins so we could be forgiven and be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

God’s love is limitless and unstoppable, from his love is where all love springs forth from. God is the source for all the love we feel, express and give to one another. We always should remember where all of our blessings, gifts and help comes from, God is the source of all that is good. We should remember to give thanks for all that he has blessed us with and that which he will bless us with in the future.

We can choose to accept his gifts and blessings or we can choose to stand alone in this world of darkness. The choice is ours and ours alone, what we reap will be that which we have chosen to sow. Choose wisely my friends and may God bless you and guide you through the darkness of our world.

Ray Barbier

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I must be cautious of my thoughts, actions and how I interact with the world


IMG_1077 I am who I am and I should embrace that which I am. I am who I am for a reason and I am who I am supposed to be. I am ever-changing and evolving within myself and slowly becoming who I am truly meant to be. The mistakes of my past were there to teach me and help me change into a better me as well as the wrongs done to me are to help shape me into the person I will become. Nothing happens without a reason and all things create change within and around me for better or for worse. The actions that I take now will ripple through my lifetime to create reactions and change in my future. My choices don’t only affect me but they affect the world around me. My thoughts become action and a part of the reality I live within. So I must be cautious of my thoughts, actions and how I interact with the world for everything I do, think and say can affect the world around me.

Christianity, my faith / belief teaches compassion, forgiveness and to be compassionate and that is what I try to follow. Though I do stray from the path at times I still strive to be a force of good as much as I can. I am wrong often and right occasionally, but the more I experience the more I learn where I had gone wrong. I try to live my life in a peaceful and non judgmental way thought I fail at times. I am but who I am, a ever-changing and constantly evolving person who longs for happiness and peace. May God’s will be done and may he lend me the wisdom to make the right choices in life.

Even if I put my religious beliefs aside I still am a caring, peaceful person by nature and still would seek out a path that would be beneficial to all those around me. For I find I am happiest when those around me are happy and at peace.

A lifetime is but a drop of  water compared to the infinite stream of time, we should enjoy life and seek to make other people’s lives enjoyable for the short time we are here.

Ray Barbier

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it’s the quality of the family and friends you have


MP900442811Through ones lifetime we are born into a family, obtain friends and colleges and form a family of our own. The family we form on our own is composed of our life partner, our children and the close friends we have made and kept throughout our lives. Many times we tend to take all of them for granted, forget to show them appreciation, love and compassion. Our friends and Family are what gives us strength and what keeps us rooted when times are tough and when times are good. Without them we would be a solitary and lonely being which would find unhappiness as our daily companion. I have met many of people who claim they do not need family and / or friends in my life and usually either they do have one or the other and when they are unfortunate enough to not have either they become bitter, lonely, depressed and have a hard time dealing with this world and all of its realities. Of course there are the exceptions to the rule and I have met one or two who seem fine, but who knows what goes on in their minds.

dd43853 It isn’t the quantity of family members or friends that matters it’s the quality of the family and friends you have. I have noticed the better you treat them the better they become and the more they are a part of your life. So we should always try to be the best friend and family member we can and treat those that are our family and friends as the treasures they are to us. When you lose a good friend to death or to life’s circumstances you will notice a hole in your life, it may not be immediately but down the line you will. I have lost several to death so far and even those friends that were distant or that I haven’t seen  for a long time still are a part of who I am and a part of my heart.

Lately I have been gaining new friends both in the real world and on the internet through blogging and social networking. Both are just as real as the other and mean just as much as one another as well. The greatest treasures in my life are my family and my friends, even those friends who chose to forget me or to move on are still jewels in my treasure and will remain so till it is my final time to rest. So god bless my family, friends and all those in between.

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We are striving to be Christ like


Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...

At times in our life as Christians we will be attacked because of our faith / beliefs. There are some who resent us because we believe in something greater and higher than humanity. They dislike that we strive to walk in faith and with Jesus. Then there is those who are Christians that attack others because of their beliefs and that is not the right path of a Christian. That battle is not our , that battle is for the father, son and the holy spirit / ghost. When we as Christians attack other religions or doctrines we become an instrument of anger and hate which is not what Jesus taught. Yes, we are supposed to teach of the scriptures and offer aid in helping others to come to Christ but we are not to be angry and judgmental people.  To have a debate with believers of other religions and / or faiths is good but it must be done in a peaceful and respectful manner. For we are to try to teach the word of God and spread the Good News of the new testament. We are not supposed to be violent, angry or someone who persecutes others for all of humanity belongs to our father and we should treat all of them as so. If someone you are testifying to becomes negative, angry and or disrespectful then it is time to turn your cheek to their abusive nature and leave in peace praying for their hearts and souls to see the truth.

 

The bottom line is we are Christians that means we are striving to be Christ like, Christ was peaceful and only rose to anger once when he saw his father’s house being used as a shameful money exchange and for profit. So we too should be at peace with others, we should also be very vocal about our dislike of the use of the church for profit of any kind. We should love all our brothers and sisters regardless if they are Christian or not. We should forgive those who attack our faith  for  God has forgiven us therefore we should forgive others.

Love your brothers and sisters,forgive in the way you have been forgiven,  be at peace with all, walk in faith and walk in Christ and give aid to those in need,  help those whom are weak and those that can not help themselves.

Ray Barbier

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The power of words and the blogosphere.


agenda_with_glassesThe power of words, the power of the thought behind the words can enact change in one person or even a whole society. In the 1700’s it was the printing press that helped win the American Revolution. In the 60’s it was chants, songs and protest signs. In ancient history it was more the spoken word than written but the words that great philosophers, prophets and political greats helped change the minds of whole societies. Modern times it’s the blogosphere that is the powerful tool for bringing change and educating the general public. It is also the place you can exchange great ideas. Blogging and use of social networks can spread an idea across the globe and reach people unreachable by other means. So my hats off to all the bloggers out there for being a part of a system that is slowly changing the face of our world one post at a time.

Just a few thoughts

Ray Barbier

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Compassion, love , kindheartedness and fellowship are the keys


012Sometimes words flow like a waterfall from mind to fingertips and other times  they trickle or even stop flowing. Sometimes I know what to write other times I just wing it as I type out the words. I do not get any monetary gain from my writing but I get great satisfaction when someone reads my posts and/ or likes them. Writing is therapeutic and is a path to self discovery and has proven to help reduce stress. I am happy just to write a post from my heart for free . So if my post is incorrect or if you disagree with it I welcome your comments, criticisms and compliments as well. For it is all a learning process to me and one I pray will never end.

I am a Christian but I support the right for everyone to choose their own spiritual path in life. For we all must make our own choices when it comes to religion and I believe we all have the right to follow the religion and/or doctrine of our choice. I do not let the differences in beliefs sway me from making friends and sharing ideas. I support change but I do not support violence as a catalyst to change. I understand sometimes there is no other choice other than violence but I believe it should always be the very last option on the table. I believe we are here to learn how to live together in peace and also to learn how to love one another unconditionally. Compassion, love , kindheartedness and fellowship are the keys to a brighter and better world.

Sometimes Random thoughts contain facets of truth and wisdom if one can read between the lines.

Ray Barbier

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A helping hand or encouraging word


Compassion

You are good, you did good, you are going to be okay and everything will be all right. Words we all have longed to hear at one point or another in life. We need encouragement from others and we always need assurance that everything will be all right. We should always be messengers of hope, encouragement and builders of self-esteem. We are all in this life together and each of us has both strengths and weaknesses. We all need a helping hand or encouraging word or two from time to time to help us keep the faith and so we can carry on.  We need to walk through life being compassionate towards one another, we should help carry the load of our brothers and sisters. Smile at one another, speak good words about and to each other and help each other with the burdens of life.

We need to put our selfish side of our nature aside and embrace the side of love and fellowship. We can love one another without condition and we can easily learn to be as one big family on earth. Religion, political views, nationality, race, sex or any other differences we have can easily be put aside for the good of humanity as a whole. We are all humans after all, we all share a distant but common ancestry. We all are in this together and we should be wise enough to be at peace and be compassionate with one another. There is plenty of food and wealth to go around if we learn to be as one big family. What good is wealth or abundance of food if you are not sharing those blessings with others? What good is love if it is conditional or only shared with a select few?

We are capable of such greatness but unfortunately we seem to limit our own abilities. Sad but true but I still hold hope for humanity to one day grow enough spiritually  / emotionally to become the great species we are capable of being. If we are every to grow into such a species we have to start with being compassionate with each other and with our own selves. We still have a long way to go before we become the great species of humanity.

Be compassionate, smile at one another, love one another as brothers and sisters and be charitable and generous with all.

Ray Barbier

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