Ed Christian's World

I remember one day while hiking the Grand Canyon grandfather telling me “The voices of the world are loud and sparse, but the voice of God is a constant whisper.”

At nine years old I never gave it much thought as I loved walking in the canyon and the woods listening to nature tell me it’s story. Little did I know that voice was God leading me along my path. His guidance through that soft whisper, constantly encouraging me and gently scolding me when I chose a different direction, but always ready to lead me back to the correct path.

A few years later when grandfather passed his words came back to me as a reminder that I should be in constant conversation with God and always listening for His response as He whispers in my ear. I am, for the most part, in continuous prayer or conversation with God and lean on Him for just about everything.

Saying that brings back another favorite phrase of grandfathers. “Don’t trust to hold God’s hand; let Him hold yours. Let Him do the holding, and you the trusting.” He always reminded me to turn things over to God and to let Him handle it. We often find ourselves turning things over to God, just to take them back to try a different approach. How much easier it is to trust Him to handle things while He is holding our hand.

Prayer is a personal conversation with God and God as my closest friend is always there to offer guidance and comfort. My prayer is for His will to be done and His grace to bless us all. His answer always brings me comfort. As I strive to follow His lead, which I sometimes fail, He continues to bless and encourage me.

I think we are totally blessed in spite of ourselves and need to be thankful for the blessings He gives us everyday for I really think we take them for granted.

I wonder just how good life would be if we all took the time to listen to His whisper soft in our ears. I bet life would be outstanding.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

I believe that if you don’t derive a deep sense of purpose from what you do, if you don’t come radiantly alive several times a day, if you don’t feel deeply grateful at the tremendous good fortune that has been bestowed on you, then you are wasting your life. And life is too short to waste.

One of my favorite things to do is to go into the woods and enjoy the magic of nature. Everyday nature wakes up and surprises us with something wonderful, something beautiful and something magic life in its fullest. I often wonder why people can’t do the same.

I’ve written before about how we all seem to live in our own world and by sharing our world with others as they share theirs with us our world’s grow bigger and hopefully better. Life is a growing experience and our sharing, with love, makes the experience so much better.

I’ve watched as some look at others as inferior and tend to hold themselves in a higher plane. I have learned over the years that although we are all somewhat different, we really are all the same. Each one of us is trying to make our path through life and each of us wants to see others succeed. What is missing is the realizatiopn that in order to succeed we all need to learn from each other for without each of our worlds, the world fails. We are the world, each and everyone of us and it’s our love that makes it grow.

So how does one get that message out to everyone? We live in a very diverse world and it is this diversity that makes it as great as it. The idea that some are better than others is stupid, to say the least, for what you lack in something they just may be very strong and where they are weak, you just may be strong. We all need each other and for those who think they know it all or don’t need anyone’s help once in a while, you just need to look into a mirror and see just how ignorant you are.

Believe it or not, in spite of all the greed and discontent in the world, love still makes it worthwhile and move forward. I believe when Jesus gave us to command to love our neighbors as our self, He meant every other person in the world. It is a big command because we tend to limit our world’s to just the area we live in. There is more to life than what we see, it’s the hidden things in life that really make the difference. Until we open ourselves up to love and offer our love to others, these hidden things will remain hidden. They present themselves to us as we share our love and world’s with others.

That simple greeting and a smile goes a long way in making someone’s day a bit brighter. It will also make your day better too.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Gift Of Life…

There are certain givens in life that everyone experiences. For example someone will say or do something that really upsets you or you will say or do something that really upsets someone. On the other hand the complete opposite will happen and everyone is happy. There will be days when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, bringing you down and then there will be days when you feel light as air and life is at its best. This is life and we all experience it everyday.

What makes this special is how we handle these ups and downs in our world. I say handle because these obstacles or plusses happen for a reason and that reason is a lesson we need to learn. As you know I don’t believe in coincidences, but maintain everything and every person that crosses our path is for a reason. That reason could be because there is a gift hidden there for you or you have a gift to share.

Life is a gift! Everyday of our life we are given gifts or blessing we are to share with each other to make life lighter and brighter. That smile you share with a stranger might just make his or her day. That kind greeting of good morning or hello to that clerk at the checkout counter may be a blessing needed to lift their spirit.

In this same approach, how we look at the negative experiences in our life could make the same difference to us. When we look for what lesson is hidden inside, we just may find the blessing God has for this day. On the other hand if we decide the world is pushing down on us we may lose that blessing and lesson. That blessing could be something you need to share with the next person that crosses your path.

In other words, life is just how we accept it. We can look for the blessings or we can choose to let it overwhelm us. Life is not a bed of roses, we all know that, but we hold the reins and can make the best or worse of it. I choose the positive and look to share the blessings with all. I know what love I share makes someone’s life better, which in turn blesses me to make mine better.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Crossed Paths…

Back in the early 70s when I first wrote “Life’s Handbook” one of the phrases I wrote was:

Every person you meet is brought into your life for a reason. It could be because you have a gift to share with them or they may have a gift to share with you. What you do with these gifts is up to you.

Those three little sentences say a lot, if you are willing to open you eyes and hearts to possible miracles.

How many times have you been introduced to someone only to feel you know them already? How many times have you corresponded with someone online, only to realize you have so much in common that you just might know them also?

Over the years I have learned not to discount little incidences like these. Many times I’ve found we have some connection, whether spiritual or something else that has drawn us together for a specific reason. Most times it is because God had something for us to share with someone. These everyday miracles are hard to ignore and many times on reflection the blessings I’ve received have opened doors to many more friends.

There have also been times where I just passed up possible gifts for no reason other than I was in the middle of my own crisis. This makes me wonder what gift I failed to share with someone or prevented that person sharing their gift with me. Some of these answers I may never find out, but I have learned to not turn my heart away from possible blessings and have opened my heart to share with all the blessings and love I have received.

In my post “Life Is…” I wrote about how we all have a tendency to think our world really sucks, without remembering there is always someone who has it worse. Life is a gift – it is our job to live it to the best of our ability, share our love with everyone, and offer our gifts to everyone we meet. We were brought together for a reason and we should make the best of it.

So, now when you cross paths with someone new, think of the gifts you have to offer and the blessing you just may receive. Live life to its fullest, sharing your love and blessings for you never know the person that crosses your path just may be that Angel you are seeking.

Walk daily with God at your side

Love always,

Ed

I study nature, people and animals its just something I do. I see things that make me question myself and what other appear to be thinking. 

Some see life hopeless, others hopeful. I often wonder why people are so different and what I can do to help. 

Even when things are less than perfect, if you can think of the good, the beautiful, the hopeful, you’ll be more than sustained–you’ll conquer. 

Life is what we make it because we pretty much made all the choices that put us where we are. If we aren’t hopeful, we must ask ourselves why and then make changes in our life style to make it better. I listen to people talk, I read their comments on my posts and I ask myself why have so many closed off their hearts?

Love and hope flow freely into and out of an open heart. When we close off our hearts, we effectively close off our life to love and hope. It is a choice we make and it is a choice we can change. So I ask you, why spend your life unhappy, open your heart and share the love and hope everyone is sharing out there. A friendly smile and a nod of the head is contagious and get spread around. A hug is a one size fits all and it is freely returned. God has blessed us all, we need to share it.

The friend given you, by circumstances over which you have no control, was God’s own gift. Be happy and share your gifts. It is always good to remember that anything given with love is never wasted. 

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Just think, you’re here not by chance, but by God’s choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else – you are one of a kind. You lack nothing that His grace can’t give you. He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.

To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

If I were to ask you if you were happy with your life, most of you would answer yes. However, if I were to ask what you would most change in your life to make you happier or make life easier, most of you would realize you are not as happy as you think. 

Our life consists of one decision on top of another and in retrospect there is probably many things we could do better if we just took the time to think before we made our choices. We are the sum total of choices we made throughout our life and whether we want to admit it or not, we all have made more than a few bad decisions. Most of them have taught us lessons and helped turn us back to the right path, however some remain hidden in the closet hoping never to see the light of day again.

How we perceive ourselves and how people perceive us usually turn out to be two different people. Sometimes in life we need to look into a mirror and take an honest look at ourselves, then realize we just may have to make some changes to become the person we really want to be.  

Ok, I hear some of you saying there is nothing in my life that I would change. That is your ego standing up and denying your misgivings for you. Don’t let your expanded ego control who you really want to be.  Humble yourself and admit you made some bad choices you wish you could turn around. 

So, I ask you, if you could  change one thing in your life to be happy what would you change and why?

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

If I could have one wish for Christmas it would be peace. NOT peace on earth as I believe that will never happen because of free will. Since everyone has their own idea as to what peace would look like, I think I will offer my opinion.

I have never talked much about my experience in Vietnam, mainly because it offers an insight of human behavior that for the most part is anger and lack of compassion for human life. I was part of an elite unit of the Marines called Force Recon assigned to a unit from Air America, also known as the CIA. My MOS was Scout/Sniper in which I was assigned targets to which my job was to render harmless. I was very good at my job, maybe a bit too good. This was mainly because of anger towards the Vietcong because they showed no compassion when taking American life’s. However, it left it’s mark on me that I live with to this day. There are still days where I think we did more harm than good.

When I came home from Vietnam, I was a broken person, full of anger and had no compassion for anyone. It took years, working everyday with medical professionals to overcome my anger and addictions. To become human again rather than being the animal I was almost became a miracle. I was lucky to have a strong family to support me along with a great company to provide for the medical treatment needed. Through the grace of God I was able to overcome my anger and learn compassion for people again. However, I still have the nightmares and sweats from the past.

It distressed me when I see or hear people profess an attitude of no compassion, for I learned that not everyone has had the blessings of a great education as I have and that everyone makes mistakes in their life, as much as they would like to deny it.

Life is not a bed of roses and most people learn from their mistakes, some don’t. Whether its from ignorance or from just giving up they just can’t seem to find the right path. I pray for their understanding and comfort as they strive to find the guidance they need. I also pray for people to find compassion and understanding to help guide others to reach their path.

So I ask for peace, knowing that it is somewhat a loose term. Peace is a settling of the mind with the knowledge that I can help others as God has helped me. Peace is being able to live with the past and look forward to tomorrow. Peace is love for your fellow man in spite of your differences. Life is short, don’t waste it on self centered thoughts or ego.

May you all have Peace in your life and Love in your heart. This is my wish for Christmas.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Living The Bible….

If you’ve been reading my posts, then you know I’ve attended a AYOP school until I turned 8, and then spent the next 4 years learning from my Grandfather. You would know I read the Bible four times by the time I turned 12 and many more times since. I have a very diverse education.

Grandfather instilled in me the importance of the Bible in our everyday life and how we should live the Bible in everything we do. Does that make me an expert on the Bible? No, but I do know where to go for answers and I do know if someone twists the meaning of whats written to make a point in a Sunday sermon.

I grew up with the Bible and learned it is a great reference tool for life. It contains the basic rules for living, teaches us the importance of love and instills in us the richness we are blessed with in our daily life’s. Over my life I have taught Sunday School and led many Bible study classes. Many times I came home wondering just why some people just never get it.

I’ve learned, over time, that we must listen twice as much as we talk and just how important it is to give someone else a chance to share a thought. Grandfather once said “It is better to keep our mouth shut and thought to be stupid rather than open it up and prove it.” I always wondered what he meant until I realized what he was really saying was if you have to tell everyone how good or smart you are, you really aren’t. Let your actions and works show for you.

Some people have the gift for gab and can do a wonderful job with it. I don’t, but I learned early on that the ones who go around boasting about their life are usually insecure and need the attention their story gives them.

I’ve met many people who strive to live their life as Jesus had and are constantly bummed out because of all the obstacles God has placed in their path. What would Jesus do has become their phrase of the day. The Bible tells us to love our neighbors as He has loved us and many times we fall very short of this command because we choose who we consider our neighbors. I have found you can’t just love one person for one thing and dislike another for the same thing.

I have learned that everyone has challenges that they must overcome and you can’t judge a person because of his or her circumstances. We all must learn to accept people because of their differences and realize not everyone is going to think and act the same way we do. Diversity has made us as advanced as we are and diversity will help us continue to improve.

We all need to take a good, honest look at ourselves to see where our prejudices lie. Too many times we judge others on how they look or speak and don’t realize we are being judged for the same reasons. Learn to love each other for who they are not who you want them to be.

The Bible lays out very clearly how we should live our life and how we should love each other. Its the basic foundation of life and the guide to a better life for all. God gave us so much to live for and asks so little in return. Don’t you think it’s time to start living as He asks us to? Make the best of your lives and help others grow in theirs.

If you have been reading my posts, you also know there is more there than what is written on the page. Take the time to read between the lines of my posts for there are lessons there also.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Love is not a finite emotion.

We don’t only have so much to share.

Our hearts create love as we need it.

Does that statement give you pause? I wonder because for years I have heard comments from people that they only have so much love to share and it is not to be wasted.

For myself, I don’t think you can waste love for it creates many returns. When you share your love with others, it raises their spirits and creates love back to you. Grandfather was correct when he said love isn’t love until you give it away.

Love is meant to be shared and it should be shared with everyone whose path you cross everyday of your life. I believe the world would be is much better shape if we all shared our love with everyone.

So how does one come to realize the truth in this statement? I guess we should start with your definition of love along with your definition of compassion. I say your definition because I have found people have different views of what each of these words mean.

Love

Love is a variety of different emotional and mental states, typically strongly and positively experienced, that ranges from deepest interpersonal affection to simple pleasure.
This is a generic definition of love that most would agree with.

Compassion

Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, mental or emotional pains of another and themselves.
Again a generic definition that most will agree with.
Ok, we all agree that these pretty much define love and compassion for us, but what did Jesus say we should do? He said to love our neighbors as He has loved us. To me that means we should all love each other as we love ourselves and to open our hearts to the needs of each other.

That therefore brings us to the opening statement. Love is not a finite emotion, we have enough to share with everyone and the more we share, the more our hearts give us to share!

Walk daily with God at your side!

With all my heart,

Ed