Ed Christian's World

For days I have listened to and read from people who have given their opinions on whether one should stand for our National Anthem. I find it astonishing the wide variety of opinions and the hate being pushed with them. In my opinion, there is no room for hate.

As a combat veteran, let me share my position on it. I spent 29 years in Government service defending your rights and the United States Constitution most of you take for granted. When you realize only about 10 percent of the people ever join the military and out of that 10 percent only about 10 percent of them ever see combat, you just may remember what little you do to protect or preserve this great country.

As a veteran, I stand for my Country, as messed up as it is, and I defend your individual rights to stand or not. But I also ask that you, rather than blast out at someone who doesn’t feel the same as you so, to pray for understanding and compassion for the reason he or she is doing what they see as fit and proper.

Our Country is divided over many things and it appears no one is willing to step up to help close the divide. Well, that is your Constitutional right, but I feel if you aren’t part of the solution then you are part of the problem. That sounds harsh, but think of this, we all are American and until we unite and close this divide all that is going on will just get worse. There is no winner here, we all lose when we can’t stand together.

Life is what you are willing to put into it and the same goes for our Country, so my suggestion, for what it is worth, is to stop complaining and step out to help pull this great divide together. Believe me, it will take all of us working together to get it done.

Ok, I’ll step down off my soapbox.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Growing up we have all heard the saying: “It’s mind over matter” , but I wonder just how many of us really gave it any thought.

By definition Mind over matter is used to describe a situation in which someone is able to control a physical condition, problem, etc., by using the mind. Many of us have found that when we push ourselves, we can continue to move forward.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it come to the power of the mind. God gave us a very powerful brain, it can heal itself if we pay attention to and listen to our bodies. Using the power of our minds we can make pain something tollerable and use it to make our lives better. After my injuries in Vietnam, I had to learn how to use most of my body again. With a shattered elbow and shoulder along with traumatic head injuries, I was in a world of pain. The Marine Corp taught us how to put pain behind us to continue the mission, but they never taught us how to use our mind to help recover from our injuries.

After I was released I decided to take up a form of martial arts to make the rest of my body stronger to makeup for what I lost on my right side. As I explained this to the instructor, he sat back and smiled saying God will restore your body and mind, you just have to be patient. Over the next few years and with lots of work, my strength was restored to my right side and my brain was in pretty good repair also.

Then I met a very old and wise man who was introduced to me as Master Kim. He took me under his wing and taught me how to use the power of the mind to center the strength of the body to any one point in the body. With this I learned to pinpoint all my energy or force in a concentrated area. I then went on to earn my black belts in Japanese and Korean karate along with Judo. From there He introduced me to the world of Zen. Zen is a way of life, where you absorb the world around you, interacting only as needed to stay on your guided path. You become more aware of your surroundings while staying centered on the task at hand. Your mind sees, your body acts.

Over the next several years I completed my studies of Zen and eventually became a Zen Master myself. The body and the mind work as the heavens and earth do. We are children of God and He is our guiding light. As we follow His lead we grow in our life, when we falter, He is there to guide us back. I find peace in knowing He is always watching over my path and lighting my way in life.

Two eyes, two ears and one mouth! God did this for a very good reason, we see and we hear, then we share. Listen more, see all and talk less.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed