— Of Education, John Milton, (1608–1674) Poet

There are many levels of Education: physical, mental, emotional, etc. One can have a great deal of information, but unless it be Adapted to cross many areas, it is only narrowly valuable.

Peace,
Jim

          ADAPTABLE

accommodate suggests yielding to effect a correspondence of view; adjust suggests bringing parts or ideas into close harmonious accord; conform applies to bringing patterns, examples, or principles into agreement with some standard; reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible.

Familial Qualities: flexible, obedient

Reflection: As we experience our lives, actively and passively, we also become more adaptable. Expansion comes when we look beyond the confines of the circumscribed environment: from the self, to the family, to the community, to the state, to the nation, to the planet, to the universe.

The more successful mechanisms (or qualities) are those built on a sturdy foundation. They eventually become stable enough to live on their own.
Just as physical evolution follows how well a species functions in increasingly complex environments, so too do we evolve on levels of the mind, soul, and spirit by those decisions we make in reaction to our internal and external environments. Because we can anticipate the future, we can also be proactive.

Color: green

          EDUCATED

Quotes:
What greater or better gift than to educate our youth. — Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 bc) Roman Philosopher

What is defeat? Nothing but education, nothing but the first step toward something better. — Wendell Phillips (1811-1884) American Abolitionist

The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing their [own] education — John W. Gardner (1912-2006) United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (Johnson Administration)

Color: green

Symbol: the cap and gown

Consider the Source

A small study using brain scans suggests the addictive power of unhealthy, high-calorie food can be reduced and the brain retrained to prefer healthy, lower calorie foods. Participants who followed a 6-month behavioral weight-loss program showed significant changes in the way the reward centers in their brains responded to the two types of food.

The study team, including researchers from Harvard Medical School and Tufts University, both in Boston, MA, reports the findings in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes.

There is strong evidence to suggest individuals can retrain the brain to focus on healthy eating with early rewards. The scan results showed that compared to the controls, the group that followed the weight-loss program showed increased reward center activity in response to seeing images of low-calorie foods at the end of the program, and decreased activity in response to high-calorie foods.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

On one Homecoming Sunday, The Prodigal Son’s Quartet filled the sanctuary at Bell Church in Leicester, NC. This talented group of inmates, from the Buncombe County Correctional Center, is now singing for Jesus. And what a blessing it was to hear them lead the worship service at Bell UMC. Their encore was a lively reprise of the wonderful old gospel song Where Could I Go But To The Lord? The song was written in 1940 by James (J. B.) Coats after he had asked a dying friend if he knew where he would spend eternity. The friend replied, “Where could I go, but to the Lord?”

As The Prodigal Sons were singing, so were the ushers as they danced down the aisles with collection baskets for a love offering. You can donate to this vibrant prison ministry by addressing your contribution to BCC Prison Ministries, 125 Caldonia Dr. Candler, NC 28715

Now sit back and enjoy Where Could I Go But To The Lord? as sung by The Prodigal Sons Quartet on Sunday, August 31, 2014 at Bell United Methodist Church!

Courage, Character, and Loyalty — Little League Baseball’s Motto, 1939

When we take care of the basics, we can be Content we have at least done the minimum. And most or the time this is enough. But to be truly content, it behooves us to do a bit more, go the extra mile, give an extra dram of sweat. Growth will always take place but some qualities cannot be learned without a little (or a lot) more Responsible effort.

Peace,
Jim

          RESPONSIBLE

Balancing Qualities: humble, grateful, sunny

          CONTENT

Quotes:
I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. — Saint Paul of Tarsus (c. 5 bc-67 ad) Christian Missionary

Contentment, unlike happiness, is not dependent upon our circumstances. It is an inner perspective from which we are aware of the difficulties or problems of our lives without being emotionally controlled by them. — Matthew Flickstein, Journey to the Center

Parable:
Eight Skilled Gentlemen

Consider the Source

A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. — The Boy Scouts’ Law, 1908

You have Capabilities: both past and future. Build on what you have learned and earned. As Thrifty would suggest, stay between the extremes, that is, use prudent judgment and progress will be made. But remember it is also prudent to push the boundaries occasionally.

Peace,
Jim

          THRIFTY

Synonym: careful

Too Far: miserly

Quote:
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing what they could and should do for themselves. — Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) 16th President of the United States

          CAPABLE

Synonyms: adequate, clever, competent, efficient, gifted, qualified, skillful, suitable

Consider the Source

What we dwell upon we help bring into manifestation. — Steps Toward Inner Peace, Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981) Pacifist

Positive qualities go both ways: toward yourself and toward/for someone else. Take someone Scrumptious (see definitions) out to enjoy a scrumptious dinner. Once you are mutually sated, you will both feel pleasantly Complacent.

Peace,
Jim

          SCRUMPTIOUS

          COMPLACENT

Consider the Source

Parque de la Papa farmers began to stir in their seats, waiting for an opportunity to share their stories. Others came from as far as Bhutan and China. They discovered that their cultures were more similar than they had expected, and that one concern had been troubling all of them: Climate change was making it harder to grow food on the mountains that had sustained them for centuries. They were meeting to do something about it.

During a series of talks held between April 26 and May 2, 2014, the farmers forged a unique partnership that now includes the exchange of indigenous crop varieties and farming methods. They hope these initiatives will help protect agricultural biodiversity in the face of climate change. The exchange will begin with potatoes—a sturdy crop that thrives in the mountains of China, Bhutan, and Peru. Such collaboration will give the farmers an opportunity to experiment together from a distance, as they search for the hardiest, most resilient varieties.

Andean farmer Lino Mamani curates the traditional seeds collection at Parque de la Papa, where six Quechua communities live and grow about 600 varieties of potato. “We can learn more from others with similar problems about technology that might be useful.”

Working with scientists has been an emotional, challenging process, Mamani said. “Scientists would just take seeds from us, not recognizing our knowledge.” But the tides are turning as climate change edges on, pushing science and tradition closer together to resolve common goals and slow the process of agricultural degradation. He went on to say “It’s time traditional knowledge and science work together.”

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

There is one great and universal wish of mankind expressed in all religions, in all art and philosophy, and in all human life: the wish to pass beyond himself as he is now. — Beatrice Moses Hinkle (1874-1953) Author

The willingness to be Kind comes first. How to deliver the goods in a Suitable manner takes tact.

Peace,
Jim

          SUITABLE

          KIND

Synonyms: courteous, well-disposed

Quotes:
Perfect kindness acts without thinking of kindness. — Lao-tse (c. 6th Century bc) Chinese Philosopher

[Tollydiggle:] It is kindness that makes one strong and brave. — L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) The Patchwork Girl of Oz

Consider the Source

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. — Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) Jurist

In order to be Quick what does one need? Preparedness, observation, foresight, imagination, agility … And remember there are at least four levels on which to practice any quality: the physical, mental, spiritual, and personal.
     Patience is one of the most important qualities (thus a lot of information). Almost all other qualities work well with it. Read a bit and let it soak in. Come back to another section the next day, and the next.

Peace,
Jim

          QUICK

          PATIENT

Synonyms: composed, constant, equanimity, fortitude, imperturbable, long-suffering, persistent, poise, self-possessed, stoic

Balancing Qualities: adaptable, foresight, humor, initiative, prepared

Compatible Qualities: accommodating, assertive, open, persistent, perspicacious
     Note: Having the focus to pay attention to something, and being persistent enough to continue to pay attention to it, will develop patience while you are getting it done.

Parental Qualities: faith, hope

Familial Qualities: kindness, serenity, tolerance

Consequential Qualities: confidence, creativity, decisive, freedom, insight, peace, progress, self-discipline, self-esteem, stress hardy, wisdom

Quotes:
— Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet

Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits. — Mark Twain [born Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835-1910) American Humorist

Patience ceases to be a virtue when it permits others to waste our time. — Pauline M. Schmidt

   Part of the impatience is your tense emotional condition. Anything not aligned with your narrow need for instant gratification is going to build the pressure. The trick is to not let the steam get compressed in the first place.

Affirmation: I choose to be patient. The more patient I am, the sooner I will know what my next course of action will be.

Consideration: Don’t expect your inner self to change instantly. There are instances of that, usually in extreme crisis, but you can’t go around having a life of total crisis all the time. Expect success. Work with patience and continual focus. Give yourself plenty of time. Enlightenment will come gradually or suddenly as you learn and grow and commit to it.

Visualization: Sit quietly. Put on some soft instrumental music. Relax. Open your heart. Close your eyes.
   You are walking in the woods. To get to the clean running stream you need to go through the brier patch. You move into its jumbled branches but it doesn’t take long to get entangled. You know you cannot stay where you are. You know clear ground is ahead. At first you move too quickly and are pricked and torn by the merciless thorns. The pain quickly teaches you to move with caution. Yet you realize you also need resolve and deliberation. You settle into the most appropriate pace. You pick the ripe berries and enjoy their sweet reward. You are thankful. You stop to remove a thorn stuck in your leg. You notice you are not annoyed by the inconvenience. You bend down to smell the rose that gave you its thorn. As you go on, you move with more confidence and realize you are being pricked less and less. You understand that movements are graceful. You catch the flight of the butterfly just as you are feeling the joy of the dance. You make your last move into the clearing. You feel relieved and yet, now that you’ve got the hang of it, you’re almost looking forward to the next encounter. Take off your shoes and cool your feet in the water.
   Enjoy the rest of your journey.

Observation: It is easier to be patient with those we judge to be ignorant than with those who we think should know better.

Tips:
• A key to patience is to be diligently present.

• To acquire patience teach someone something.

• An aspects of patience is realizing how long it takes something to manifest. Allow that time to be.

Comments:
• Patience is often misunderstood as a quality of inaction. Think instead of the inactive time as active anticipation. The hungry hunter who is quiet and attentive knows the moment to move will soon be at hand, and he must be ready.

• The true nature of the quality of patience has more to do with movement. Patience will deliver the intended goal. If one also has a steadfast intention with hard-working development, there will be consistent progress toward the goal.

Admonition: Use the memory of your experiences as fuel to illuminate the present and the future. Hold with a sensitive, confident faith that the meanings and values of the past will remain in your life. Project your mind and heart into some possible futures and your choices will be clearer.

How to Live This Quality Today: You might be standing in line to talk to the teller at the bank. While you’re there, you can be organizing your banking needs. Occupy your mind with something you enjoy. No time to waist on boredom. Read a book. Talk to the people in line with you. Think about what you need to do when you leave the bank. Plan your vacation.

Symbol: the tortoise

Legendary Figure: The Lady Enid, in Arthurian legend was a model of constancy, loyalty, and patience

Bibliography: Read about the patience of Job in the Bible. Although Job has been much credited with patience, his story is primarily one of faith. Nevertheless, patience is one of the roots of faith.

Consider the Source

When you correct your mind, everything else falls into place. — Lao Tse (ca 604–531 B.C.) Taoism, Philosopher

We are all unique, have a distinctive personality, a Particular way of doing things and looking at the universe. This probably means we all have a little different variety of Wisdom. In the end the alignment of one’s subjective reality with Objective Reality dictates our spiritual progress.

Peace,
Jim

          PARTICULAR

Synonyms: appropriate, distinct, exact, exclusive

          WISE

Balancing Quality: appreciation

Compatible Quality: common sense

Familial Qualities: farsighted, foresighted, prepared

Sayings:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.

The heart is wiser than the intellect.

Quotes:
The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms. — Socrates (c. 4th Century bc) Greek Philosopher

Wisdom is better than strength, and a wise man is better than a strong man. — Amenemope (c. 1100 bc) The Book of Wisdom 6:1

Comments:
•Wisdom is the result of balancing positive qualities. It is the ability to contrast opposites and choose the highest possible good. It is also seeing the positive in a muddled and complex situation.

•When one is able to see a broader or a longer view, to encompass a greater quantity of reality, or a purer essence of reality, they possess a fundamental aspect of wisdom. People who have a greater wisdom usually want to share it, and, if possible, share it in such a way that those caught in a constrictive web of their own realities will be able to expand their realities, thus finding a way out.

Tip: Even a little bit of wisdom helps. Say you are driving and you notice the person in front of you is going to turn. You get over in the other lane and your progress is not impeded – small wisdom. You look even farther ahead and you take one freeway instead of another. Again you are rewarded with a smoother trip. The larger your ability to choose wisely, the greater your ability to live as you intend.

Advice: If you can’t reach the heights of wisdom then be satisfied with the dregs of wisdom.

Color: yellow

Consider the Source