Life is Freaking Long. #WritingCommunity #FridayFeeling

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Photo by Buenosia Carol on Pexels.com

I was out working today on a new project and I looked around as I was sitting in traffic.

There was a man riding a motorcycle in slacks and dress shoes in front of me, like a cowboy on a work release program, it didn’t quiet fit.

I was struck with the thought, we waste so much of our lives doing absolutely nothing, getting absolutely nowhere.  Then we writhe and scream that we need more time that we didn’t live a fulfilled life.

How the hell can we fill all this time that we were given? It’s almost comical to think that I may get 80 years to figure out the best way to tell a fart joke and to me that means fulfillment.

It’s a reminder that no matter what I do I’ve still spent half my life sleeping, a quarter of it eating, and another quarter of it getting rid of what I ate.

If my math is correct that means I need to stop pooping so much, eating so much  and sleeping so much. Lol, but seriously even doing the basic necessities of life that take up the majority of my life I still have so much time on my hands to watch hours of television, play videogames, scroll through social media, read books, learn to play the guitar, play sports, have relationships, raise children, walk the dog, and still chase my passion of making complete strangers find out just how much I love run on sentences.

Its incredible, and this is all I’m saying. No time is not an excuse, we have all the time there will ever be.  Use that shit wisely or not. Whatever  right cuz there is enough time available to waste decades and still live a full life.  Which is a testament to my belief that all that matters is what’s happening right now.

For instance if I spend the first 80 years of my life as a thief and a murderer but at 80 years old I wake up and decide to do something profound then guess what Might just be immortalized in a book like the bible A.K.A Moses.

So what I’m saying is. Nothing I’m not saying anything I’m rambling about thoughts and existence.

Wasting all this time I have thinking, thinking, being addicted to thoughts and not action. Get going get moving, live a life don’t just think about living one.

Burn for it as deep and bright as possible because well here it is.

“Talking Through Glass: A Higher Calling” Guest Blog By Matthew Poole

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This will be longwinded for some. You may call it venting. I offer it as a wake up call for some and a challenge for others.
We live in an age that sees us pandering for the next like, click, share, follow or comment as we speed through our timelines 15 posts per second. Eyes dead set and growing weary as they gaze on at graying screens watching small square personas pass us by.
The thought of consequence has faded with each keystroke made. Remorse and self-responsibility have taken a backseat in a culture of talking through glass instead of to ones face.
Some of you really know me. Some don’t. Some know how I feel about the expression “higher standard”, and most know that while I strive to meet that standard, I don’t do it at the cost of others, and I don’t attempt to think of myself as being better than anyone, no matter what their station in life is.
I will tell you however, that although I may not hold myself above anyone, I will hold my response above others. I may not be better than you, but my words and actions can be.
I’ve lived in fear of speaking my mind for many years. Often not saying anything unless tact was its root, but know now what I say is said not only with tact but in love.
I know it is hard to still your tongue (or fingers as it may be) when coming across the large amount of trash found on social media. Disheartening doesn’t come close to the emotions often felt by many reading the faceless thoughts of others in a digital age of falsehoods that requires nothing more than a keyboard and the will to spread lies and discontent (no brain required).
I will remind my brothers and sisters in blue, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and any other level headed enlightened soul that we are in a battle to change hearts every day. And whether we like it or not, our words (although actions speak stronger) are viewed, are used, and hold as much weight on these pages in the battle of souls going on this very moment.
In times when I find it hard to pass up the free opportunity of putting someone in their place, I must remind myself that through love, through my restraint, and through the Word of God I may just change their hearts if I put myself in a place to lead them where they need to be.
I often go back and read over various sections of Psalm 36 and 37 to look for strength in these times. 36:1-2 “I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.” It continues in verse 3 “The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.”
We must speak (write as it may be) in a way that brings life to others and directs them from their wicked ways. Lead from hate to love, from sin to life, from loss to worth. Our tongues are our worst enemy or our best example of Christ, and in this age, our fingers typing away in public forums are a direct reflection of our tongues, which are direct reflections of our hearts.
When I find it hard to hold back some of the earthy truths I could place here, I remind myself of the truths known to me through the Word of God. Psalm 37:7-9 states “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”
Let us be good stewards of the gifts we are given each day. Let us take every chance to lift others up. Let our words speak life and be wise in an age where slander is lifted to new heights with bright blue colored “thumbs up” and lies are exalted through heart-like emotional icons.
I renew my strength in these words “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” (Isaiah 50:7). Do not let us become discouraged by useless and dead words of others who do not know peace, let alone seek it.
As for those wishing to pursue a more peaceful life but not yet willing to reflect on Gods Word I offer this statement as truth that you may find a little solace amongst the refuse online. When one must you remind you of their freedoms to write what they wish, then their composition generally offers no truth and most definitely holds no worth.
God bless you all and remember “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10).

Follow Matthew on facebook@ https://www.facebook.com/authormattpoole and Twitter @https://twitter.com/MdpooleA

His Book “Salt and Light: Being the Hands and Feet of Christ” is available this Septemeber.

I am Grateful- Golden Moments. #MondayMotivation #WritingCommunity

My boys

I am Grateful today,  Immensely grateful.

For so many things, things that were not even a reality to me 11 months ago.

Spending time with my children, just cheering on my son as he plays little league baseball and the feeling of pride and joy I get from watching him.  Remembering the days spent in our driveway with a little tree in the front yard that was growing these perfectly round little buds just right for picking and throwing.

I remember teaching this little 2-year-old human how to step and throw and how he loved it and would wind up his arm and his face and throw with all his might hoping to make it across the street.

Now 8 years later, he is pitching no-hitters and striking out every kid he faces.  He had 9 strikeouts in 3 innings, incredible.  I think back as he would run laps around the neighborhood with me in the early morning 2 miles as a 3-year-old jogging with me, he was sprinting the whole time and not getting tired, he just wanted to run with his dad.  Now he is stealing bases and sliding into third like a pro baseball player and I think how the hell did we get here.

Time marches on.

I am so proud of my kids for the strength that they show.  That life hasn’t been fair to them already so early on yet still they smile and play, love and laugh.  They enjoy when I get to see them they hug me and hold me.  I used to think I was holding them, I was wrong.  For as much as I wish life could have been different for me and for them, I see that life is as its always been.

A march forward, a river flowing.  It’s never up to me to stop the flow, swim back upstream and try and redirect.  It’s up to me to enjoy the water, the sun, and realize that we will meet up at some point in the river and to enjoy the moments that we do have.  Because moments are all there ever is our souls are fed by these moments and our lives are defined by them.

I cherish them more than ever now because now I see them for what they are.  Golden moments traced out and laid down as beautiful entries into a beautiful life.

“Dear Young Officer” By Matthew Poole Guest Blog

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Dear young officer,

First, let me begin by welcoming you to law enforcement. This career field has a long-standing belief that we truly serve the interest of our communities and the badge we wear reflects the oath we took. Our communities expect fairness, respect, and officers that will conduct themselves in an intelligent and productive manner. It is indeed them that you work for. We chose that when we became officers, and you chose it when you accepted that commission.

Don’t make things personal. You can’t overstep the powers entrusted to you. Conduct yourself in a manner that reflects your superiors, that shows intelligence, professionalism, and an eagerness to serve your community. Don’t be coarse, abrasive or harsh, but use language reflective of the badge you wear and the oath you spoke. Don’t allow personal feelings to compromise your integrity, and refrain from acting out of malice or ill will. Always conduct yourself as though the world is watching.

You will need to understand that law enforcement is the same nationwide, its uniform, but the way we conduct our enforcement and ourselves as professionals varies.  Our philosophy is doing the right thing, having strong morals, and above all, having integrity.

You are an extension of your brother in blue as well as your Chief. In turn, you will be viewed as a reflection of them both. Keep this in mind as you serve.

During your tenure, you will work in many different aspects of law enforcement. You will see and field an array of calls and crimes. Many of the things you will need to know can’t be taught in a small amount of time but will be learned as you progress in your career. A majority of your work in your community is the deterrence of crime. You will need to learn your community and the people in it. You will have to familiarize yourself with its streets and residences. You will have to work hard to be able to serve a community that respects you, because you will have to work harder to give them a community they can respect.

This is a dangerous job. We all know it. You’ve seen it or read about it. And now, you’ll live it. You will get hurt. You may have to fight for your life. You may take a life. You will have to make sure that not only you but your brothers make it home after every single shift. Listen to your radio and keep up with your fellow officers. Don’t make a habit of disregarding your back-up, especially when it comes to your mental health.

Now that the basics are out of the way, let us get down to the meat of it all.

There is nothing of this world that will prepare you for the ride you are about to go on. You are going to see the ugliest of people and more horrid things than I could ever describe. You will become callous. At some point you may become void of all feeling. You are at risk of reaching darkness you never felt possible. Your heart will hurt in ways you’ve never known. You will witness murders, suicides, abuse, filth, and an unimaginable evil.

There is a huge possibility you will cut yourself off from everyone in your life. You are at risk of divorce, alcoholism, and suicide. You might also reach out for help and not get it. This world is cruel, and if you didn’t already know that, you will soon. Most people are sheltered, you will not be. You will have to hold your tongue when others don’t. You will have to sacrifice more than what you were ready to. You will have to act strong at your weakest moments. You will have to show relentless bravery when you are scared to death. You will think you are invincible to fear, all while it surrounds you unknowingly. It will be easier for you to walk up to a vehicle, all alone, in the middle of nowhere with any given list of unknowns, than it will be to talk to your spouse/others about your day.

You will find giving advice is easy, but living it yourself is harder.

You will start being more comfortable in your uniform than you are in your own home. When this happens…Stop. Do not let work become your safe haven. You have a home for a reason, and that uniform has a department for a reason.  If you are always acting with integrity, honor, and discipline, then you will not have to change the person you are at either place… You will only change what you’re wearing.

You will work long hours. You will be tired, hungry, and some days you will feel like quitting.

You will see brothers fall. Some days you will cry in silence. Sometimes you will feel alone. Often you will feel unloved.

But you are not alone, and you are loved. People care for you. People want your help. People will support you. People will cry when you are hurt. They will stand up with you and say “no more.”

You will see that you can make a difference in the face of adversity.

You will find it is ok to say you need help.

The acts you can take legally may be limited, but your ability to act in love never is.  You can serve in love and effectively police.

Keep your statutes ready on your mind, but keep Gods statutes written on your heart.

There can be justice through peace. You can make a difference every day, and you are the one who chooses what kind of difference that is.

Be a guardian of the people, a warrior on the path to changing hearts.

Everyone is watching you. Everyone will talk about you. People will look up to you or down at you. Take every opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ. Give no reason for anyone to fault you.

Know when you are wrong. Don’t be afraid to admit it. Take every chance to change it.

Your acts will define you. Let your acts be a reflection of love, your badge a symbol of faith, and your uniform an image of service.

You are a public servant, you are a police officer, but most importantly you are a child of God called upon to offer up grace in the face of failure, peace in a time of chaos, and a love that will triumph over all evil.

Godspeed…

Capt.

 

Follow Matthew on facebook@ https://www.facebook.com/authormattpoole and Twitter @https://twitter.com/MdpooleA

His Book “Salt and Light: Being the Hands and Feet of Christ” is available this Septemeber.

The Filth in our Stars #WritingCommunity

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Photo by Samir Belhamra @Grafixart_photo on Pexels.com

Am I made of dirt or stars?

I have my head caught in the stars searching for a meaning to everything thinking… thinking… thinking.

My mind is incapable of conceptualizing that which brought me to this earthly plane, yet still I think about it and wonder.

As if the harder I think the closer I will come to understanding.  It is the full-on deceit of my Ego to believe that I can identify the stars in the nothingness of space, put names to them and then find my place.

It is my hubris that drives me insane looking for meaning in a void of meaningless filth.

Thinking; of course how much money I have matters.

Of course how many people find me important matters.

Of course, the car I drive matters and the house I buy matters.

Its a matter of matter isn’t it.  It matters there for it matters in this mater filled existence.

But, how much time do I spend in the nothing, how many days, weeks and hours are poured into the nothing hoping to achieve something?

That is the playground I find myself in for one reason or another I have chosen to focus on the nothing and say good riddance to the something.

I always wondered why I had an aversion to things, to form and definition.  As soon as a label is placed the thing that was once limitless becomes strictly a mug used for coffee.

We are voidless seed filled dark.  Nothing aside from the life that we breath each day can tear us apart.

We need to see beyond into a place of calm, a place with safety to keep us from harm.

We need the boundries because they hold us together, the tether that we need binds tight

and the thoughts that we use to define the existence that we live, expound into nothingness

gone they went.

Its a fortunate life to lead into the darkness no fear in heart.  The blindness of man tore at my heart.

I wanted to see the inversion of soul of bringing together all that we hold.

It means nothing for its worthless in the end, because the end isn’t real it always starts again.

 

“A Relationship Worth Saving” #writingcommunity #sundayfunday #sundaythoughts

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Photo by Bùi Nam Phong on Pexels.com

All of life is spent in relation to something else. The way my fingers are in relation to the keys of my keyboard express the letters that in relation to each other form words.

So everything is in relation to everything else such as my eyes and body are capable of perceiving light produced by the sun or other objects. If I was incapable of perceiving the light from the sun through vision and nutrient absorption, it would be as if the Sun did not exist.

When I talk about having everything we need in each moment, this is the sense I mean.
Now in every relationship, there is give and take an understanding between two parties that we are working together to make something bigger than ourselves.

This is true when we look moment by moment at our lives. I believe the issue that many of us have with life is that we are only of the mentality that we are supposed to take from it everything we can and as much as we can.

This mentality is something of a sickness, a fear of absolute lack that if I do not go out and get everything that I need on my own then I will never have enough.

In doing this we have caused a terrible imbalance in the Universe. So much taking and not enough giving.

We have forgotten that being in this relationship with the physical form of existence and all that it encompasses. We must be willing to give in return. In every situation, there is give and take.

Like having a good conversation with another person. A good conversation is not one where one person takes all of the air and time to themselves to speak and leaves nothing for the other person.

A good conversation is back and forth sharing of ideas and opinions to understand better. If only one is talking than only one is hearing and that means that only one person got what they needed and the other was stuck with what they got.

In every situation ask yourself, is there something that I can give to this moment, i.e energy, time, attention, love, understanding… etc. Because naturally, we receive.

Our whole physical being is one giant receiver, we couldn’t not receive if we tried, we were beautifully designed this way.

So in this way we are simply asked to see where we can give something back from the incredibly infinite amount that we are constantly given.

In doing this we enter into a symbiotic, loving relationship with all of creation and become more than we are. We also realize that we have more than we could ever need.

We can change the way the world works in this way, do not be afraid to take a moment if you are suffering and see where it is coming from, identify it and see if you are in a harmonious relationship with whatever it is at this moment.

If not, Why not? Can you change it? More importantly, do you want to change it? Or is the fear that you will be giving away from your stockpile that is meant only for you scaring you from this oneness with everything?