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"Helping Others Communicate"

SCARE GOOSE!

9/27/2021

 
My title today is an obvious play on the more common notion of a "scarecrow".  As the fall unfolds, many a home will be decorated with one or more of these cornstalk based adornments that mimic the famous character from L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz.
 
Of course, a select few of us who were privileged to grow up on a farm will recall the "Real McCoy", as it were.  The purpose of a scarecrow was and is literally to scare crows out of one’s gardens and/or fields.  In the world where I grew up, nearly everyone employed such a ruse at one time or the other.

What occasioned my blog idea today is what I encountered last week as I approached the doors to the local church we attend.  The church’s leaders had taken a proverbial page from the farmer’s almanac, and placed several very lifelike three dimensional coyote archery targets near the various entrances to the facility.

What was their purpose in doing this?  Well, the church grounds are located adjacent to a large lake and several semi-resident flocks of geese.  With little to fear, the emboldened bird often parade around the church’s grounds in great numbers, causing major destruction to the lawns and landscaping, and leaving behind voluminous waste deposits all over the sidewalks and parking lots. 

As if to add insult to injury, they sometimes even harass members arriving for worship on Sundays. Kudos, then, to those who thought up the idea of scaring them off with the faux predators.  From all appearances, the scheme has worked, at least for the time being.

That being said, the appearance of a pack of coyotes laying siege to the entrances of a church building can be a little disconcerting.  And I will admit that I was initially taken aback by the sight. Only after I came to realize that they were fakes did I let my guard down.

As I walked passed them and into the building, for some reason, the thought that came to my mind was a quote from Don Henley, who once famously asserted that "The wolf is always at the door!" This was followed by a brief glimpse in my mind’s eye of a scene from the 2011 survival movie, The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, wherein a group of petroleum workers, having survived a plane crash in northern Alaska, have arrayed themselves in a circle around a large fire at night even as a pack of snarling wolves, eyes glimmering in the light, harasses them on all sides.

In many respects, having wolves gathered at one’s door is a fitting metaphor for life.  Many a person who has never seen a literal wolf can still appreciate this concept.  Who among us has not faced financial wolves at our door in the form of creditors or bill-collectors?  Or physical wolves in the form of sickness?  Or emotional wolves in the form of discouragement or depression or sorrow?  Or ethical and moral wolves at the door in the form of temptation after temptation?  The list goes on and on…

Are the wolves even now at your door individually?  Very likely they are.  Are the wolves even now also at our door collectively?  After all, is not what is true of us individually also true of us communally?  Do we not as a society face many, many wolves at the door?  Relationally, as families struggle against seemingly insurmountable pressures?  Medically, as we face diseases and pandemics galore?  Culturally, as we are assaulted by pressures unimagined by our forebears?  Historically, as we drift further and further from our heritage?  And above all, theologically, as we seem to have lost our Biblical moorings?! 

How fitting, then, that our Lord, Himself, should remind us that the wolf is always at our door!  And that includes the door of the church!  Remember, Jesus told us that we who follow Him would be as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16, Luke 10:3).  And as Jesus further points out, it is the nature of wolves to attempt to attack and destroy sheep (John 10:12).  We should therefore anticipate such treatment from the world.  It is to be expected. 

But our Lord also asserts that we can expect to face what He called "wolves in sheep’s clothing" (Matthew 7:15).  We must keep our guard up, then, against those who are in reality false prophets, and who would enter the house of God in disguise, seeking only to harm the flock of God. For this reason, the Apostle Paul also admonished us to be wary of "savage wolves" coming in and "not sparing the flock" of God (Acts 20:29).

For all these reasons, I urge believers to be careful of the wolf which lurks just outside the door!  His bold presence there shows that he seeks any and every opportunity to enter and to attack and to bring destruction to every facet of our lives!

But this raises a question.  Is there anything else we can do other than just to be vigilant and on our guard?  Indeed there is; and the Apostle James (chapter 4, verses 7-10) tells us what that is.  We are to: 

"7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you."

How, then, are we to respond when the wolf is at the door?  We are first to submit ourselves fully to our God.  Then, and only then, we are to actively resist the devil.  And ultimately, we are to allow the Lord to give us victory as He fights for us. 

As you commit to do these things, remember the words of the Apostle Paul (in Romans 8:31 of the Amplified Bible):  “If God is for us, who can be successful against us?”


SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Wolves;

https://biblehub.com/james/4-7.htm;

https://biblehub.com/romans/8-31.htm.

SEE ALSO: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarecrow;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grey_(film).  The scene referenced above occurs about thirty minutes into the two hour movie.  (Be advised; while an otherwise excellent study in the "man against nature" genre, the movie contains excessive amounts of strong language, which is unnecessary to the plot and arguably in poor taste.)

TONGUE TIED?

9/24/2021

 
The late Bob Ross made a name for himself as a painter, art instructor, and host of the long running PBS instructional television program titled "The Joy of Painting".  Among the things he was noted for was his assertion that there were no mistakes in painting, only happy accidents.

By this he meant that whenever he messed up and inadvertently did something wrong, he would just make the best of it.  For example, a slip of the brush resulting in a slash across a previous painted scene would invariably be transformed into a tree trunk and incorporated into his finished painting as such.  In short, he was a master at using his own gaffes to his advantage.

Have you ever had a happy accident?  I did this very morning.  It happened during breakfast.  I was busy eating and trying to talk to my wife at the same time.  That was my first mistake.  In retrospect, my parents cautioned me about any such decades ago. 

Anyway, as if attempting to do these two things together wasn’t enough, I managed to undertake and accomplish a third.  Only, I did this last one far more successfully than the other two.  I bit my tongue! 

I’m sure you have had this experience.  When it happens, you quickly stop eating.  And you stop talking as well.  You then recoil in pain, as you spend the next moment or two holding your mouth and wondering how that could have just happened.  All of this is then followed up with a brief period of chastising yourself for having been so careless, and finally vowing not to ever let that happen again.

And yet, as the day has progressed and the pain of the experience has subsided, I have come to see the whole experience as a happy accident.  Sure, it was a painful mistake that I hope not to repeat.  But if I could find a way to learn from it, and profit by it, then it was a worthwhile experience.

And how have I benefitted from this experience?  By being reminded that biting one’s tongue, as painful as it can be, is sometimes still a good thing.  In truth, there have actually been many times in my life when I have bitten my tongue on purpose; and the benefit from the experience has far outweighed the pain of having undergone it.

Of course, I am talking here about those times in my life when I have chosen to bite my tongue in order to hold it back and not say something that would have caused me and/or someone else pain or sorrow.

The Bible teaches us the importance of holding one’s tongue.  The New Testament Book of James (chapter 3, verses 4-10) addresses this:

"A small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.  But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

7
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" 


The Apostle James reminds that an unrestrained tongue, free to say whatever and how much it desires, that proves so devastating.  Like a small spark that sets a whole forest on fire, so the untamed tongue all too often produces great devastation.

After accidentally biting my tongue this morning, I stopped talking and got busy eating – which was, ironically, what I should have been doing all along.  Only after I was done eating did I resume talking.  Both I and my wife were better off for it.  And for this reason, I’m actually happy that I bit my tongue.

In a similar way, a fresh commitment to biting my tongue, even if difficult, whenever I am tempted to speak at some inappropriate time or in some inappropriate way will very likely prove beneficial for me and others with whom I interact.  Might the same be said for you?


SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/nlt/james/3.htm
.

MORE ON BOB ROSS: 

https://www.bobross.com/
;
​

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ross.

IN JESUS' NAME?

9/20/2021

 
Back in the day, when we were in the youth group at our local church where we grew up, our “Student Pastor” (or “Youth Minister” as he was called in those days) was made aware of an issue that had arisen.

That issue was how to get beyond what was, at best, kidding around, and at worse, outright deceit, among certain members of the youth group in their dealings with other members.  And what was his solution to the problem?  Just this:  he encouraged us to look the individual telling us whatever was in question directly in the eye and to ask them, “Can you say that to me in Jesus’ name?” 

Soon, we were following up virtually every conversation involving some tidbit of gossip with the inevitable question:  “In Jesus’ name?”  Needless to say, once this happened, the gossip, the exaggeration, the embellishment, the deceitfulness, and the outright lying all quickly stopped.

Why was this so?  Precisely because we all knew better than to affirm something in Jesus’ name if we had any doubt whatsoever that it might not be true.  I have kept that well-learned lesson with me for over forty years now; and it has served me very well.  Indeed, putting this principle into place will soon all but guarantee that telling the truth becomes a way of life by which one learns to live.

Now, I get that the phrase “In Jesus’ Name”, whether put in the form of a question or a statement, may not resonate with you in this way.  But even if not, chances are it still has significance.  After all, the vast majority of Christians end their prayers with some such similar phrase.

Perhaps all of this is why a recent piece published by “Lead Like Jesus” caught my eye.  Their September 17, 2021 devotional reads as follows:

“To many people today, the words ‘in Jesus' name’ are tacked on at the end of a prayer before saying ‘Amen.’ Yet the book of Acts tells a different story.  The early disciples boldly stepped out to serve in Jesus' name. In Jesus' name, people were forgiven, healed, restored, baptized and commissioned. What about you? Is Jesus' name just a catch phrase for you?  Or does His name compel you to serve others as He did and carry His message to others?”

Wow!  What a novel thought!  “In Jesus’ Name” is not just something that should accompany our prayers.  It should also accompany our thoughts, our words, and our actions!  Personally, I was quite convicted by this notion.

And thus, I concur with the concluding prayer offered by the good folks over at www.leadlikeJesus.com: 

“Jesus, I don't want to speak Your name in vain, nor do I want to live in vain. I want Your name to be the impulse for every desire and every deed in my life. Fan this longing into flame, and let my life bring glory to You. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.”

Amen indeed!                                                                   
                                                                                                          DEVOTIONAL SOURCE:
 

https://www.leadlikejesus.com/devotionals/jesus-name.

A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

9/16/2021

 
Like many of you, I took time to remember the events of 09/11 this past week.  In addition to personal thoughts and reflections, I also tried to catch as many documentaries as I could so as to better understand this significant event in world history.  One program in particular caught my attention.

It told the story of how then President George W. Bush was given a port authority badge by the mother of an officer who perished in the attacks.  It went on to relate how Bush carried that reminder with him for years into the future in order to help him to “Never Forget” the victims and heroes of that horrific day.

According to an article summarizing the matter, Bush met with families of the victims.  One woman, Arlene Howard, approached the president during a Ground Zero visit and gave him a police badge, which had belonged to her son, George Howard, who was an officer for the Port Authority Police Department in New York City.

The article further said that Bush “would always carry it and pull it out to remind people and to remind himself about what happened that day.”  In fact, during an address to Congress ten days after the attack, Bush held up Badge 1012 as a symbol of all those who had lost their life.

In that speech, he stated:  “And I will carry this. It is the police shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to her son. This is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not.”

It seems that President Bush is not the only one who vowed to remember Officer Howard.  The official site of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association hosts a memorial to him. He wasn't officially working on September 11, 2001. He had the day off; but heard about the attacks and immediately went down to the World Trade Center to help in any way that he could.

And what is more, that was not the first time Howard had responded to an emergency at the World Trade Center. When the site was bombed in 1993, it was none other than Officer Howard who responded and was credited with saving several lives. He was off duty on that day, as well.

Other than the photos of the event unfolding that very day, perhaps the most iconic moment of 09/11 happened three days later when President Bush stood atop the rubble with a bullhorn and boldly declared to the rescuers shouting “U.S.A.”:   “I can hear you! I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

“He stood on a crushed fire engine and spoke about fear, hope and sadness,” the President’s chief of staff said. “He spoke to every single person.”

As I reflected ion these things, I have been reminded of Mordecai’s statement to Queen Esther (in chapter 4, verse 4 of the Old Testament book named for her):  “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

On more than one occasion, President Bush has indicated that the events of 09/11, as much as anything else, helped him to appreciate and understand exactly why he had been chosen to be President.  His task was made clear to him from that day forward.  As he stated of the badge in his pocket, it was to remind him “lives that ended and a task that does not”.

Ministers understand this.  In a very real sense, they know that their purpose is directly related to the story of a life that ended in sacrifice on behalf of others, and the unending task of telling that story to others.

While few are called to be ministers, and even fewer to be the President of the United States and the de facto leader of the free world, we all still need an overriding purpose in life.  With one, our lives are sure to be more productive and meaningful.  Without one, the opposite is more apt to be true. 

I hope you know your purpose.  I hope you know why you came “into the kingdom”.  If not, I pray you will discover these very things.  And I wish you the best as you then seek to fulfill whatever that God given purpose is.

STORY SOURCES:

https://news.yahoo.com/news/george-w-bush-9-11-reminder--the-badge-he-kept-close.html;

https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/09/10/a-9-11-memory-of-a-bullhorn-and-a-badge/.

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/esther/4-14.htm.

HIDDEN TREASURE

9/12/2021

 
Being a lover of nature, I tend to be intrigued by most any headline about wild animals.  It is not surprising, then, that the following one recently caught my eye: “Mississippi Alligator Contained 6,000-Year-Old Artifact in Stomach:  Another Object in the Alligator's Stomach Is around 4,000 Years Old.”

The article, written by Peter Aitken and posted on www.foxnews.com, was based on an earlier one first reported in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger by Brian Broom.  Both recount how a Mississippi wildlife processor made a startling discovery when he found that an alligator was carrying around a couple of artifacts in its stomach that were thousands of years old.

It seems that, after hearing about a processor in South Carolina who discovered unusual items in another gator, Shane Smith, a deer processor and owner of Red Antler Processing, took a look at the contents of a 13-foot alligator’s stomach. What he found completely blew him away: an arrowhead and a plummet.

A Mississippi state geologist examined the arrowhead and determined it was between 5,000 and 6,000 years old.  What is more, James Starnes, director of Surface Geology and Surface Mapping for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, went a step further and stated that the stone wasn’t even an arrowhead. Instead, he believes the object was for an early weapon that launches a spear, somewhat like a catapult.

And that was not all.  A second object, known as a plummet, was recognized as a stone used to weigh down ancient fishing nets.  It dated to around almost 4000 years old.  Smith speculated that the alligator ate the objects in an attempt to help with digestion.  Apparently, alligators, like certain species of birds, swallow stones to help break up the harder bits – such as bone – that are consumed when they feed.

For my part, I’m glad that the alligator chose to swallow these two particular treasures.  Even if he did so unaware of their significance, his action at least preserved them for later discovery.  But is there any more we can take form this story?  Maybe so.

Perhaps this is a picture of who and what I am as a Christian.  You see, I too carry within me a 2000 year old treasure.  The Bible affirms this in 2 Corinthians chapter 4.  Indeed, this treasure has been referred to as “the pearl of great price”; and it is the rock upon which all other history rests.  It is none other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I will carry it with me as long as I live.  I will never discard it.  Why?  Because not only is it that which gives me life, helping to nurture and sustain me each and every day, but it is also that which will accompany me from this life to the beyond.

Unlike the aforementioned gator, however, who kept his treasure hidden away, I will gladly share my hidden treasure with anyone who seeks to know more about it.  For my treasure, the treasure of God’s grace, is sufficient for all to partake, for all to consume, and for all to be filled!

STORY SOURCES: 

https://www.foxnews.com/science/mississippi-alligator-artifact-stomach;

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/09/10/prehistoric-native-american-arrowhead-artifact-found-alligator-mississippi/8271061002/;

https://outsider.com/outdoors/mississippi-alligator-found-native-american-artifacts-stomach-dating-back-6000-bc/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://www.biblehub.com/2_corinthians/4-7.htm.

GOOD EVENING!

9/7/2021

 
There are certain days in life that are more productive than others.  And then there are other days that are extremely productive.  Today was one of the later.

It all began with my breakfast at 7 am.  By 8am, the Dish Network man was here and well underway installing new wired boxes with underground cables are now installed in my out buildings, replacing the existing spotty, unreliable wireless receivers.

At the same time, the construction crew arrived and went to work on our driveway entrance.  It had been cut through to install the new water line on our road.  Now, however, it has been dug, formed, and sits ready for concrete to be poured the first thing tomorrow morning. 

Later in the day, the remainder of my new bookshelves were delivered - with zero damage!  I will have them installed tomorrow; and will be ready to finally start unboxing my books which have been in storage for over a year now.

8 pieces of mail came and not one single one of them was a bill!  And best of all, my beloved Georgia Bulldogs jumped to number 2 in the national poles after having defeated #3 Clemson this past weekend!

By 6:30 pm, I was happy, but dog tired.  I had had a good and productive day; but I had not yet done the one thing I had committed to myself that I would do - I had not yet exercised.  I was on the cusp of giving myself a pass when my beautiful wife bounced in and changed into her exercise clothes to head down stairs to start her nightly aerobics via DVR.

I was convicted, and begrudgingly got up and changed my clothes and made my way out the door.  I did not want to go walking; but doggedly headed off up the road, more or less quilted into meeting my commitment.

I had yet not gone a mile when I happened upon a smart phone laying on the edge of the pavement.  Recognizing what it was, and seeing that text messages were blazoned there for all to see, and not really knowing what else to do, I called our county’s emergency office and dutifully reported my find.

In short order, a sheriff’s deputy made his way to the spot and retrieved the phone.  For my part, I felt good in that I knew I had done a good deed.  Someone would very likely be happy to get their phone back intact.  My spirits were lifted; and my pace quickened.

I had gone about another mile or so, and was approaching the lake.  I saw a man with Louisiana tag getting into his car by the pier, and asked him if he perchance had lost a smart phone.  He checked and replied that he still had his.  Then he asked if could get some help. 

Long story short – he had come up ahead of the hurricane and was waiting it all out before heading back home.  He said that he had heard there was free camping somewhere nearby, but could not find it.  I gladly told him where the free camping sites that had been established by the TVA and its subsidiaries were along the lake shore. 

​I could see that he was very grateful; and as he pulled away, I felt even better about having gotten out of the house and gone walking.  Once again, my pace quickened.

Little did I know that there was one more blessing awaiting me.  Indeed, the best one was saved for last.  Returning from the lake, I encountered another car, which slowed down in response to my hand signals.  I inquired as to whether the man or woman inside might have lost a smart phone.  They checked and held theirs up. 

Then, they two asked if they could get some help.  They were from one county over and were riding around looking for “some old campground with a pavilion where outdoor fall revivals had supposedly been held ever since shortly after the civil war”.  They wanted to find it so they could be sure to be in attendance this year.

It took me little time to direct him to the National Campground, located barely half a mile away.  He and his wife were extremely thankful as they pulled away and made their way there.  I was glad to help; and as I made my way back home, I all but skipped down the road.

Why?  Because I quickly realized that the Lord had used my wife to motivate me to get up and get going.  Why?  Because He had obviously scheduled three divine appointments for me this very evening.   Unbeknownst to me, when I left the house, one person had already lost something very important that was dear to them; and I was the one ordained to help them find it and retrieve it.

More importantly, another man needed shelter for the night.  Through no particular skill other than a basic familiarity with the locale, I was uniquely positioned to direct him to where he needed to go.

And last but not least, the Lord had intended to use me to give direction to a couple seeking an opportunity to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

I had a good day today.  But let me tell you that I had an even better evening!  How has you day been?  Was it long and tiring?  Was it productive but still exhaustive?  Either way, I pray that your evening is always better than your day!

I specifically pray this for both you and me tomorrow.  No matter what I have planned; no matter what you have planned; no matter how productive it all is; no matter how tired we are, may our day not be complete until we find the one, two, or three divine appointments, tasks, and/or blessings that God has planned for us!

​After all, it’s not really hard.  You just have to try to do right and be available for the Lord and His will whenever the opportunity presents itself.

SOME HANDY ADVICE

9/2/2021

 
A recent headline caught my attention.  It read:  “Are Left-Handed People Smarter than Right-Handed People? Here's What Researchers Say.”  In the article, written by Ann W. Schmidt and published on www.FoxNews.com, was timed to reflect the celebration of “International Left Handers Day”, celebrated each year on August 13th.

In it, Schmidt raised the age-old question:  “Are left-handed people smarter, or even more creative, than right-handed people?”  Apparently, the answer to this burning question is hotly debated.  It seems that left-handed people make up about 10% of the population.  Scientists’ best guess is that being left-handed is influenced by genetics, environment, random chance, and/or a combination of these three factors.

Either way, history records a long list of famous left-handed people, including Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin and Ronald Reagan.  And for this reason, it might be easy to assume that left-handed people are perhaps smarter than right handed people.

Not so fast.  Now, certain studies appear to have found otherwise.   For instance, a 2017 study and meta-analyses conducted by researchers at the University of Athens in Greece found what they assert was a "negligible" difference between the intelligence of left-handed and right-handed people.

In the study, researchers analyzed 36 studies measuring the IQ scores of more than 66,000 individuals. The meta-analyses actually found that right-handed people had slightly higher IQ scores than left-handed people.  Moreover, the report said that when the largest study was excluded, the researchers found “no difference between the two groups”.

Add to this the fact that a 2019 survey found that despite the fact that left-handed people think they are more creative, they actually did not spend "significantly more time on artistic pursuits" than right-handed people.  This particular survey questioned more than 20,000 participants.  The researchers did acknowledge that creativity is not all that easy a quality to measure in individuals.

The article was of particular interest to me because, even though I myself am right-handed, my father was left-handed.  My youngest son is ambidextrous, in that he writes right-handed, but plays golf and fields a baseball left-handed.  And it now appears that more than one of my seven small grandsons is very likely proving to be left-handed.

Researchers have long asserted that right-handed people utilize more of the left side of their brain while left-handed people utilize more of the right.*  Hence, the well-worn quip that only left-handed people are in their right minds!

Given all of this, I still do not know whether I am actually smarter or dumber than my father, my son, and/or several of my grandsons.  I could easily claim as much; but they could just as equally claim otherwise.
 
So maybe what really matters is not so much whether or not each of us has a particular hemisphere of his or her mind that is dominant.  Instead, maybe what really matters is that each and every one of us was created in the image of God and endowed by Him as our Creator with a unique set of individual characteristics.

If we were born right-handed, then God desired of us to be such.  And if we were born left-handed, the He desired us to be such as well.  The important thing is that we each recognize our respective God-given endowments, and put them to use for Him and His kingdom.  Otherwise, irrespective of whether we are right-handed or left-handed, we will prove ourselves to be less intelligent than God intended as we fail to realize our God-given potential.  And clearly, anyone who does such is not in his or her right mind!
 
So, here’s some handy advice:  recognize exactly who you are in Christ Jesus!  This involves acknowledging that God created you in His image, and in the process, endowed you with a uniquely chosen set of characteristics, skills, talents, and gifts.  He did this solely for His purposes and for His glory.  And you will best glorify Him when you put these to work for His purposes and His glory!
​ 
I assure you…  Doing so makes you a very handy person in God’s eyes!


SOURCES:

NEWS ARTICLE: 

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/international-left-handers-day-smarter.

SEE ALSO: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/are-left-handed-people-smarter#hand-preference;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lefthanders_Day;

https://www.lefthandersday.com/; and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handedness.

*NOTE:  According to an article titled “Difference between Left-Handed and Right-Handed People” posted online at https://theydiffer.com/difference-between-left-handed-and-right-handed-people/:

“It is said that since our brain’s hemispheres are crossed (the right side of the brain controls the left part of the body and the left side of the brain controls the right side), lefties are more prone to having the characteristics dictated by the right side of the brain. This means that they should be more creative, more intuitive, better at expressing their feelings, better at visualization and 3D perception. Also, the dominance of the right side of the brain and a prevalence of emotional intellect could make lefties more susceptible to a wider range of emotions, meaning that they live more intensely… 

Right-handed people make up the majority or 90% of the entire human population. They are said to be left-brained, meaning that they will have higher abilities in mathematics, logical thinking and organizing, memorizing, computing and technical information processing, discovering patterns and applying them.” 

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

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