Changing Your Perspective

    
Where my family lives, our home is pretty much surrounded by a grove of mixed hardwood trees. The oak and maples form a canopy of sorts around us and as a result of that canopy we have a very limited view of the night sky. Where the trees were cleared off for the building site of the house there exists an almost perfect picture frame view of the sky and on a moonless night that pocket sized view gleams with myriad stars. As breathtaking as that star-lite view is, it is still limited in comparison to the view from our wide-open fields on the Carter -Whetsel family farm in Russellville. On a star filled night there you can lay down on your back and take in an awe-inspiring show filled with constellations, the man in the moon smiling down on your face, and the occasional shooting star racing down to its earthly resting place. Quite a bit of difference with the two views, and much the same as how we approach the perspective we take on life.
     We all have circumstances, adversities, and life situations that seem to dictate to us what our day holds in store for us. Each day for someone living with paralysis has a certain amount of regimen predetermined for the individual with a health plan created for therapy, medicine, and other procedural requirements which dictates a great deal of the person's life. I can speak to this a little better than most because I lived it with my amazing brother-in-law Jay Harold Greenlee. Harold was the unfortunate casualty of an auto accident that left him with a broken neck and a crushed spinal cord. The neck would heal, but that was not to be the case with the spinal cord injury. That injury left Harold paralyzed from the neck down with limited use of his two arms for over 20 years of his life. With an injury like that your perspective on life could really be a downer. Having to depend on someone to scratch your nose, give you a bite of pizza, or to move you by a hoyer to a shower chair each day could definitely give you reason to complain about life and the hand you have been dealt. That wasn't the case with Harold.
      Harold's smile, his wisdom, and his compassion for others gave him a different perspective. As easy as it would have been to lay there and complain, I do not recall one time in all of those years that Harold Greenlee ever complained about his injury. Sure, there were times when he hurt or the pain of some type of infection caused him to sweat profusely and hurt internally, but as far as complaining about his paralysis that didn't happen. He took a different look at life from the perspective he was placed. We didn't discuss it too much back then, but I believe Harold looked at life from the point of view that this is where he was, he could lay around and complain all day, or he could make the most of each day, being grateful that he was alive and able to watch his nephews and nieces grow and mature. He was so proud of Bogi, Rae, Jordan, Ethan, and Jacob. He loved to hear about their accomplishments whether on the playing field or in the classroom Harold was a big supporter of all of his family and friends.
     What situation or circumstances are shaping your perspective on life? Chances are it isn't a literal paralysis, but what other life matters are hindering you from moving outside of that little cut out view in your mind to the bigger wide open picture that is out there? Regardless of your situation we all have something that is shaping our mind's perspective on life. I choose to see the wide-open field view although I live in the woods with a limited view. It is my responsibility to move my mindset towards a better perception on life, and that is only possible through faith. Faith creates hope and hope doesn't fail. Regardless of what happens to us, if we have hope then we understand that whatever happens to us is not near as important as what then happens in us. My faith tells me to stand strong and believe, to trust that God has a plan and that plan is bigger than anything I can conceive. Through that mindset my perspective is completely altered. Life is no longer about me, but all about what I can do to fulfill God's plan for this life. The circumstances and situations become part of that plan and my view opens up just like the view from up on the hill at our farm! Change your perspective change your life!
Coach Carter

This Isn't "The People's Court"

     I'll start out by saying I do not watch "The People's Court" T.V. show. I'm not saying I haven't watched it ever, I'm just saying I'm not a fan. The whole idea of going to court is a necessary part of our justice system, but in today's culture we are just a little to quick to do our own judging of right and wrong and innocent or guilty and I believe shows like that just feed the "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. I find this to be especially true in our American society. It is a sad reality that we feel privileged enough to judge our fellow man on the basis of our own personal views, beliefs, or cultural norms. Do I believe that if you murder someone you should be held accountable for your murderous actions? Yes of course. On the other hand, do I believe we should be calling out someone because they have different political views than our own to the point of making a judgment that they are evil and we are above reproof? No way. What determines right and wrong, and who gets to make that determination?
     In most cultures some type of religious or moral compass sets the standards of what is acceptable thus creating a platform for one opinion or interpretation and also an opposing or alternate interpretation of the same principle or cultural norm. Which one is correct? Why does one have to be absolute? Who gets to make that call? Who among us is blameless enough to be the judge of his fellow man? As I stated previously, there are basic crimes that stand true in all cultures, no stealing, no murders, no abusing, no harming children, you get the idea and we can all agree those are things that we feel comfortable with a judge or jury presiding over. It's more the questions of principle, beliefs, and our moral compass that cause us to take sides. Conservative, liberal, right wing, left wing, far right, or ultra-left these are the areas of judgment that I am really referring to today.
     I turned fifty-six this year and in all my years I have not witnessed the level of judgmental one sidedness that is so prevalent today. Why does one side get to be right and the other side is cast as the enemy of all that is good and pure? Who gets to make that call? Why does someone have to make that call? I believe in the bottom of my heart that those that live on the conservative side of life feel like they are doing the right thing. I also would contend that those that sit on the left side of that same spectrum believe in their heart and soul that they are right in their moral calibration. I'm also pretty sure neither side has all the answers, or at least the correct answers to every one of life's right or wrong issues. When the crowd wanted to stone the woman for her past sins, how did Jesus respond? To paraphrase, I believe it went something like this, "If you haven't ever sinned then you go ahead and throw the first stone." John 8:1-11. Or, in other words, don't be judging others when you could be judged in pretty much the same manner. The fact is we all have opinions, and we all believe our opinions to be true, true to the point that we believe everyone else is wrong and that they must be some type of agent of evil if they believe differently than we do.
     I may be wrong about this, remember opinions every one's got one, but for me I believe we should live our faith, and allow judging to be done by the powers of right and wrong when it is time to be judged. If we live our faith then we are living what we believe to be right and others can see us living that faith and make their decisions about our level of right or wrong without us having to condemn the other person for their choices and lifestyles. But I do not want to judge someone for the faith they have and I really don't want them to judge me for my faith either. I would much rather estimate the value of a man by the content of his heart as opposed to the words that come out of his or her mouth.
"Judge not lest ye be judged ..." Matthew 7:1-3 would serve us all well. If you don't like the direction politics are headed, then run for office. If you don't like the laws or focus of an official then by all means campaign against the person's ideology not the person. We all have an opinion, and you are entitled to it, it's just not our place to be the judge of our fellow man nor his politics.
Coach Carter

The Hidden Strength of Trees

     
Trees are majestic. It's easy to take a grove of trees for granted never giving much thought to all the life-giving resources that are provided through our forests or even that solo tree standing tall in your front yard. Oxygen to breathe, shade from the sun, protection during a storm, beams and boards for our homes, not even mentioning all the fruit, nuts, and berries that give us nutrition to be healthy. Trees also add beauty to just about any landscape in view with foliage that transitions each Fall and blooms that practically blind your eyes in the Spring. I say all of that to point out that the one part of a tree that doesn't get any credit, isn't recognized for its beauty or contributions, and isn't even visible in most settings is the one part that a tree cannot exist without, the roots.
     Trees without a strong root system are destined for trouble. In most situations the root system's strength is found in the type of soil the tree is planted. Sandy soil provides little stability to the tree's root system and clay dirt makes it challenging for the tiny roots to spread and mature into a stabilizing force. Fertile soil with an adequate water source that provides nutrients and suitable conditions to grow makes for the best situation for all trees, and offers the best environment in which a tree will flourish and produce an abundant harvest. It would be safe to say that where the tree's roots are planted makes all the difference in the life of a tree.
      Aren't we the same way? What our culture deems as beautiful is visible to anyone that can see us. As we grow and mature we produce more, provide more, and expand our life's touch with the fruits that we bear. In much the same way the abundance of what we produce is directly connected to where we are rooted. If our roots are planted in sandy soil we will struggle to withstand life's storms. We will topple when the winds blow too hard and what we produce will always be limited by the quality of nutrients we have gained in life. If we become hard-hearted due to our circumstances, afflictions, or other storms of life the tiny roots that need to grow and mature are limited or actually hindered by that hard-heartedness. And just like the tree without the proper nutrients and appropriate soil, we will struggle to withstand life's storms and we will undoubtedly give back in proportion to what we have been given in life.
     Where a tree is planted is not determined by the tree. The elements of nature take the seed and place it where it may, thus limiting any choice in the matter to the tiny seed. For us we do have a choice. Regardless of where we are originally "planted" we determine where our roots will be firmly planted. Psalm 92:12-15 provides this encouragement, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.” and in Psalm 1:  the psalmist declares that "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers." Each of us has choice. We will decide where our roots are planted, we will choose what we feed our hearts, minds and souls. What we produce will always be in direct proportion to what types of "nutrients" we take in and then what we sow into the lives of others. Our roots will become the legacy which we leave to our family and those we live and work with each day. If you are planted beside the river of life you will produce a way for others to succeed. Choose to be like the tree and get rooted in Christ. 
Coach Carter

Que Sera, Sera

     Doris Day took the song "Que Sera, Sera" to the top of the billboard charts back in the mid 1950's and then used the song as her network show's theme song in the late 60's and early 70's. The title translates as "whatever will be, will be" and the lyrics take a small child through adulthood asking their mother what is tomorrow going to be like and what will I be when I grow up, to which the mother replies "Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be" and then follows with "the future's not ours to see Que sera, sera." Therein lies a great deal of wisdom being handed down to the young daughter, if we are going to spend all of our time worrying about tomorrow we will never truly get to enjoy today.
      I don't think it is wise to live each day so vicariously that we aren't making preparations for our future, yet preparing for tomorrow as opposed to worrying about tomorrow are two completely different items on the spectrum of living today to its fullest. So many times we use up the joys that are the gift of today by worrying about the matters of tomorrow that may or may not ever transpire. A great example of this is found in a quote by Corrie Ten Boom a Holocaust survivor that went on to write, encourage, and share her experiences with thousands upon thousands of people young and old. Her encouraging warning was, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength." In other words today is the day we have been given to live, why let the things that may or may not ever happen tomorrow steal away the joy of the gift of today?
     You may be reading this and thinking, "yea, but my troubles won't be gone tomorrow regardless of what I do today" due to medical, financial, or other personal matters your situations are not just going to magically disappear overnight. That may be true, but what if tomorrow never comes? What if we spend today worrying about how we are going to make it through the next day, the next week, month, year, or the rest of our lives with this issue, and then tomorrow for whatever reason never happens. Did we spend today getting the most out of it and enjoying the day that is ours to appreciate and enjoy?
     Corrie Ten Boom learned through her experiences that life today is a gift and it can be stolen only if we allow it to be. Living under the constant, daily threat of the Nazi terror, it would have been very easy to shut down and just give up, yet Boom found strength in focusing on the day that she had been giving and making the most out of that day, just in case she did not have a tomorrow. We can spend our days worrying and complaining about our lives and all the complications and issues that we are facing, or as Ms. Boom did, we can make the most of the day that we have been given and let tomorrow's worries take care of themselves tomorrow. Que sera, sera.
      During His time here on earth Jesus taught pretty much the same message to His disciples and to us today, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34. In His directive to not be worrying about tomorrow he tags the comment, "each day has enough trouble of its own." I don't believe this is a message of doom and gloom that life is a bowl full of cherry pits, but instead I take the message away that there are so many opportunities to go out and help somebody else today that we sure shouldn't be worrying about what lies in front of our own lives tomorrow. We can sit around complaining and fussing about our situations and circumstances or we can place those behind us because those are what they are, and then put our time and efforts into helping others that have needs bigger and more significant than our own. 
     As we conclude today's thought to ponder, keep this in mind, our time on this earth is not infinite, there is a beginning and there will be an end, but what we do with that time can either be productive and beneficial to others, or we can sit around and mope and complain about what our circumstances in life are and never do anything that leaves this world a better place than what is was when it was given to us. All I can say is I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I do know who holds tomorrow! I choose to live today and let tomorrow bring what it will. Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be!
Go out and make a difference today!
Coach Carter

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/corrie_ten_boom_135203