get caught at the crossroads


011With each day that dawns a new adventure begins, the lifelong journey continues as we open our eyes. our mind and souls full or battle scars and the memories of those we have met along the way. The many triumphs and failures we have experienced along the way helped sculpt us into who we are today.  Some of us learn from our experiences and move forward and others get caught at the crossroads living in their past mistakes.

We must focus on the path immediately in front of us not the path behind us nor too far ahead. We must live in the now, the past is gone and the future has not yet come to pass. We should learn by our past mistakes, grieve over them as we commit them and let them go.We should plan for the future but focus on the present. If we focus too much on the future we become blind to the gifts and wonders before us in the present.

With each days close we approach our time to rest and to reflect upon the day we just lived. Our adventures and our journey comes to a temporary stop. We now rest till the next day and adventure begins.

Raymond Barbier

When I Was Young–Random Thoughts 9-17-14


rayraydWhen I was young I thought life was beautiful, that I was indestructible and had little to no fear of death. The faith I had in God was unshakable and my heart was always loving and forgiving as well. I recall a memory of when I had wrecked my bike into the back of a pickup truck, I split my nose in half from the impact and lip. My face was quite horrifying to see all sewn up. My brother being the little brat he was, he thought he would get me by making me look at my face in the mirror for the first time.  my mother walked in as it was happening and thought I was going to freak, she was trying to say words to calm me etc. I glanced at my face in the mirror and with not even a thought I just shrugged it off saying to my mother “I am not worried about it mom, God will take care of me. I was so unafraid of the possibilities, I knew id be ok deep within myself. That is the kind of faith we as adults should have as well. Unfortunately as we grow older having such faith becomes harder to have.

Faith is a key component to our relationship with God, we must have trust in his promises and his love.

Just some random thoughts Smile

Raymond Barbier

Random Thoughts 9/14/2014



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Sometimes we tend to get so wrapped up in ourselves that we can see the world outside. We get so caught up in our dreams, troubles and the stress of the daily grind and we allow so many wondrous sights to be unseen. So many moments of value we let slip by out of our tendency to be self involved. We also allow ourselves to get into a negative cycle of emotions when we become too focused only on our own life and circumstances.

As an individual we are not the center of the universe and we should realize there are others around us, and just like us they have feelings, desires and problems in their life. To be self-centered or focused only on your self is not a good way to live, it tends to keep you from experiencing so many grand things such as fellowship, friendship, family and community. We are social creatures by nature and to deny our selves of the sense of community is to deny ourselves from the main part of being alive and human.


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In the extreme sense, being selfish and self-centered is what leads to jealousy, hatred, greed, fear and eventually wars.  To be humble and selfless is a better way to live, For no war has ever been started by a humble person who put others before themselves. Nor does selflessness and being humble lead to anger or fear. Worry less about keeping up with your neighbors in possessions and worry more about the guy down the road who may have no place to sleep or any food to eat. One day you could be that homeless and hungry person, for nothing in life is concrete or guaranteed.


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Though money makes life easier , it does not make one happier, nor do possessions. Love, companionship and being a part of the world we live in brings far more joy and is more permanent than riches and or fame. For money and fame are fleeting kind of like physical beauty and youth.

Well enough of my ramblings for today, May your path in life be one of contentment and compassion and may you find that which makes you truly happy in life.

God Bless

Ray Barbier003

Random Thoughts–9/2/2014


IMG_1371-editedIn modern society we seem to focus way to much on physical appearances and the social status of others. We compare the lives of those we consider celebrities to our own and many desire to be like them. What is wrong with being who you are? God made you as you are and thus you are wonderful. To be honest thee is no difference between any of us and those who have achieved fame, power or wealth. They either lucked out or found a path to their personal dreams. Many of them worked very hard to get where they are, but they are no better or worse than any other human.

Celebrities are wonderful and all, but what we lack are true heroes. We hear about an occasional few when the news media needs a human interest story, but so many are unknown and rarely noticed.  What makes one a hero is the courage and determination to do what is right, the ability to transform their love and dedication something that affects the world we live in. No matter how small of an effect or how large, they make a difference.

Some Heroes are just people who chose professions where they can help change the world one mind at a time, like teachers, preachers,social workers, humanitarians and so on. Even policemen, Firemen and some politicians became what they are to help change the world they live in to a better place.  There is so many professions one could choose to make a difference and be heroic in life, but it its ones heart that makes them a hero.

So if you are to celebrate a person, to see them as a mentor or role model, chose them by them not by their popularity or by their looks, power or wealth. Select those that stand for a good cause and those whom make a positive impact on the world we live in. Physical Beauty, strength fades in time, riches, social status and power in this world is temporary and tend to be short-lived. Love, act of kindness and a heroic heart not only lasts one a lifetime but it tends to become a part of all those who are  influenced and/or affected by one.

 

One Voice, One person can change the world, for it only takes one spark to start the fire of change.

Ray Barbier

Like seeds, like a virus- Random Thoughts – 8/31/2014


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It seems even though humanity has advanced tremendously in the areas of science and technologies, we still seem as children when it comes to mental , spiritual and emotional growth. We still place blame and fault on external forces for the turmoil and destruction that we created ourselves. Blaming and pointing fingers never solves any issue, only enacting change in oneself and inspiring change in those around us is the only way to change the world we live in. Love, peace, understanding and compassion are like seeds, plant them they grow and then they bear fruit and seeds to spread themselves further. But things such as lust , greed and hate are similar they are like a virus, the quickly spread from person to person. The main difference is fruit nourishes the body, mind and soul when a virus corrupts and eats away at the body, mind and soul.  We can choose to embrace which ever one we desire, but we must know the cost, consequence and reward of each. Good works will not get us to heaven alone, but they are a part of the journey. They are the path towards being the people who God created us to be. But just as the Bible tells us even the wicked do good things for their loved ones and family, so we must take it further. We must be compassionate, loving and kind people towards all things that live and breathe. Be they friend, family, enemy or undesirables. No man or woman is greater or lesser than another and therefore we should love one another unconditionally and without any hesitation.

The things most seek such as wealth, social status, physical beauty are all fleeting and in time shall be as the dust we came from. So what worth should we put upon such temporary things?  On this earth there are many religions and many whom believe not in a God, the gift of freewill made this possible and it is the will of God that we have the choices to believe as we wish. So Spread the Gospel but respect the right of others not to believe or to believe different.  Be at peace with everyone , even those you see as enemies. The compassion you show others will not be forgotten.

It is time for humanity to wake up from its spiritual sleep and become the great family that God intended it to be.

Ray Barbier

Random Thoughts–Wednesday Aug 6, 2014


002When we  are young everything id new and we stand in amazement to all the wonders of the world we live in and experience.  Then slowly the world we live in begins to lose its wonder or luster and we become slaves to both what our parents taught us and that which we have learned by experience.  Our imagination stays as we age but our ability to play within it is either lost or repressed due to our desire to fit in and be a part of the norm. We slowly put away and suppress the child within us, the part of us that found wonder and excitement within all things around us.

When we suppress the child within us we lock away the side of us that is hopeful, creative and the side that knows how to have fun in life.  Out of fear or out of the misguided belief one must kill the child within in order to be civilized and responsible we become not older but emotionally colder. We shut down the unconditional fun-loving heart full child god made  us.

Yes we must put away childish things but we do not have to put away the part of the child within us that makes us who we are. Innocence does have to leave us for that is the nature of the world, we do have to be responsible, but this does not mean we can not be loving, caring,curious,creative and fun-loving like we were as children.

It is the child within us that loves life, it is the side that sees life is a blessing and full of wonder and which is thankful for the gift of life. So be the responsible adult who can see the world through a child’s eyes and love life and others through a heart like that of a child’s.

Ray Barbier

if there is no trust then love gets twisted


002Love and matters of the heart are complicated but yet simple. The complication comes from our doubts and fear of being hurt most of the time.  Sometimes this comes from past experiences and other times it comes from the lack of experience in being truly loved. Also self-worth and doubt can be a big problem as well, but trust plays one of the biggest parts in love and happiness. One can not love someone and be loved and not trust, if there is no trust then love gets twisted into jealousy and possessiveness.

One problem is when someone trusts and loves another with all their heart and are betrayed they tend to get a very deep scar emotionally and mentally. This scar or wound is not easily healed and will tend to affect future relationships as well as any kind of reconciliation in the current relationship. Trust is not easily rebuilt after a betrayal of the heart.

Forgiveness is a key to healing, but it is not always easy to forgive when you’ve been emotionally devastated by the actions of someone you’ve loved and trusted.  We must realize though they betrayed us, they are only human and thus being are prone to be imperfect in action and thoughts. No relationship is perfect either, when you have two people who have been raised differently and had different life experiences trying to become a single  unit there is bound to be times of turbulence during the adjustment period of a newer relationship. Usually in time most differences are either remedied or put aside for the sake of the relationship.

Remember to not judge your partner too harshly, for you have faults just like they do. Compassion, understanding and forgiveness should always play a part in a relationship. Trust is the most important I believe and so is respect, respect for yourself and for your partner. No relationship is beyond repair, but there are some relationships that because of the hurt feelings , verbal and physical abuse that may be better off just letting go of and ending it than trying to save it.

Love is a very precious thing and so is the trust required to have a relationship. Think wisely before entering a relationship and work diligently to maintain and improve it. It takes some work and sometimes a long time to have a great relationship and other times you luck out and find a partner that’s like a soul mate. even those soul mate type relationships require maintenance and work to keep them going.

Life is a long journey that seems to be quickly traveled, so remember to love wholeheartedly, forgive easily and look for the silver lining in every moment you experience.

Ray Barbier

Who and what we truly are


002Why do we allow the opinions of others to effect our self-image, emotions and outlook on life. We tend to seek acceptance and reassurance from others, we learned this behavior as children. We need to see that though opinions of others have meaning and some weight, that our own opinions are just as important if not more so when it comes to our self. Others do not know you as you know yourself and they usually judge you on preconceived notions based on just one if not a few encounters they had with you. They don’t know your heart or mind, they have little fact or evidence to support their impression of your personality.

Even those that have known you for years still may not truly know who you are truly. Sometimes we do not even know ourselves as good as we should. We tend to be like a chameleon and change with the crowd and circumstances around us to blend in. We try to blend in and we rarely show our true selves out of fear of not being accepted or loved. The problem with being a chameleon or being a person who tries to fit in by putting on a mask is that we are never accepted or loved for who we are. Thus we are not accepted or loved at all, for they love the part we play not for who and what we are.

We try to kid ourselves they love us and accept us even though they see a disguise not our true image. But deep inside we will know is all a lie and falsehood. So it is far better to be loved and accepted by a few as who and what we truly are then to be loved and accepted by many for who we are not.

Be yourself, Believe in yourself and Be true to yourself. Worry not of the opinions of others and love yourself for who you are.

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

What defines us as a species


bnf0429We are only human, we fall, we fail, we stumble and we make loads of mistakes. We are only human, we get back up, we try again, we offer a helping hand to others, we forgive we also overcome many shortcomings. Though we as a species have many failings we also have so many great attributes and such potential. We can not allow the times we fail to be what defines us, we should make the times we succeed, overcome and prevail what defines us as a species. We should never look down on another person for mistakes or shortcomings because we could have easily been that person or in the same situation as them. Be it at work, school or just at home we must remember we all are human and are prone to make mistakes from time to time. Not one person can be perfect nor can they succeed all of the time.

We shouldn’t gossip or bad talk each other, one day you could need the help of the person you gossip about or disrespect and they just might not be there to help because of how you treated them. They probably will be there, because most humans are compassionate and forgiving in nature but there are some that are not.

Just some thoughts to ponder on.
Ray Barbier