Life

The Power of Routine

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

Do you have a #routine; if you say no think again. Even when your life, day in and out may not seem very routine but actually chaotic, chances are there are still some things that you do each and every day without fail that require very little thinking/decision making to do so. Things like brushing your teeth in #the mornings and evenings. How often one goes to the restroom and when day to day. It is all these little things in life that seem so insignificant that makes a routine; even though the rest #of it and one’s days seem anything but routine; does not mean there is no routine at all.

It is this very nature of routines that make them so powerful in our lives. For small routines can lead to lager one’s that absolutely govern how we live our lives be it for our good or ill. Routines are by themselves neither good or bad, they just are. I actually tend to think it depends on how aware or not aware we are to our routines; as well as how ridged the control they have on us is, that makes them good or bad.  It also depends on just how much if any stress is caused by the routines in our lives.

But the one thing that truly shows just how much #power routines have in our lives is the possibility that even when our lives seem to have little to no routine in them; that in its self may just be a routine. For example, do you get up from bed at the same time each and every day?

alarm clock having a good day in morning.

Closeup alarm clock having a good day with background happy woman stretching in bed after waking up, sunlight in morning.

Or do you have trouble waking up when you want/need to day after day? Both can be argued to be routines for both happen regularly and repeatedly. We don’t tend to think of the second as a routine but the truth seems to point that it is. The implication right there is a not so little fascinating to me. The possibility that the absence of a routine may actually be a routine in of its self just shows the power they play in our lives.

So what do you think, am I wrong or is there something to this power of routine in our lives?  Let me know your thoughts and viewpoints. Please do share, all are welcomed and wanted.  

 

 

 

 

 

A New Year; New Opportunities For Success And Failure​

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

So today marks the beginning of 2018; #a whole #new #year filled with its own challenges, its own possibilities, #and its own typical life filled craziness.  That is one thing that will not change #for 2018; this year like 2017 before it, and every year before that, and every year after 2018 has and will have its own #opportunities for #success or #failure in life both for the individual as well as communities and nations.  What does change is the nature and flavor of those opportunities and how we as individuals and as groups react and respond to them.

Are we going to let ourselves get bogged down in the nitty-gritty of everything that happens in this new year of opportunities, or are we going to push on and work our way through each one with confidence? How we answer the question will determine how the year turns out for each and every one of us regardless of what actually happens.

I for one tend to go through the year with confidence, no matter what I face good or bad. I hope you all do so as well. Happy New Year everyone!

What are your thoughts and viewpoints on this subject? Please do share them; all are welcomed and wanted! 

Happy New Years and Yes Merry Christmas!

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

#Merry Christmass #and #Happy #New #Years!  “Have you lost your mind; #Christmas was last Monday; its just Happy New Years now?” No doubt this is what a lot of you are thinking right now, but no, I have not lost my mind (I think?)  it really is still Christmas, at least for the Christian (for everyone). Have you not heard the song twelve days of Christmas? We are on the seventh day of Christmas, for the Christian, Christmas day is only the first day.

I am getting my inspiration for this post from the sermon of the guest priest who served my church today (thank you, Virgina). In it, she remarked about how “isn’t it great that we can still celebrate Chrismas going into the New Year? ” And I have to say #yes, it is indeed great that we can do so! Celebrating  Christmas (besides for the Christian celebrating and remembering the birth of the savior of humanity and God becoming flesh and human) is about celebrating hope. What is life without hope; Hope for one’s future, the future of one’s family and community, hope for good times ahead, and the hope for an end to suffering? And of course the hope for a new and better year ahead.

I talked about this in my last post “A time to Cherish” about all the things we hope for and how because Christmas is a time where we feel more than ever that our hopes can and will be fulfilled someday it is indeed a time to cherish. Because of this and because of all the good feelings that just seem to be contagious during the Christmas time and the time leading right up to it; we a lot of times wish for Christmas to last all year. (I know I do.?)

It is then indeed great that Christmas does continue into the new year. It starts at the end of the old and goes into the new. Thus, as we end one long year with all that it brought us (good and bad) and look forward to and start a new promising year we are filled with hope for what is to come and that perhaps, in the end, things will be alright come-what-may.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, Everyone! May we all have hope!

What are your thoughts and viewpoints on this subject? Please do share; they are indeed very much welcomed and wanted, no matter what they are!

 

 

 

Staying Silent Helps No one

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

This is a response to the #one-word prompt “Silent” by “The Daily Post.”

#No one wants to offend or start a controversy over “nothing.” “Don’t discuss Politics at the dinner table.” “See no evil, hear no evil.” “This/that does not concern me.” Most of us know and have heard all this from somewhere and/or have said such themselves. Somehow we think if we don’t discuss a “problem” or involve ourselves,  if not already involved, then the “problem” will eventually go away or work itself out.

We tend to think that if we do get involved in something, (perceived to be not involving us in the first place), that only makes things worse and more heated, complicated. This is and can’t be any further from the truth.

In any society, no matter what form of government it takes, everyone apart of that society has a commitment and duty to his/her fellow citizens to be involved in some way in the broader community and its governance. This is even truer for those societies with some form of representative governance such as “republics” as the United States.  A society is made up of people who voluntarily enter into community with one another to more easily live and take care of one’s needs.

In order for these “volunteer communities” to survive and succeed, everyone in it needs to do his/her part in it, and keep and follow the rules, laws, and/or agreements that have been made and agreed by the vast majority of the society. Yes, there will always be a few who don’t and thus break the “social compact” (criminals), that is why we have laws and law enforcement; not necessary to enforce the rules of society on its “agreeing members” but to “punish” those who live in the society, but do not follow its rules and agreements.

Thus, when “problems” pop up in the broader society, it is the responsibility of those in a “representative republic” to be apart of the solving of that problem by talking about voicing their thoughts/opinions with fellow society members. As Ronald Reagan said, “All great changes in America, happen at the dinner table.” When the people aren’t involved in society’s problems, society begins to break down.

This is why our politics have become so divisive these last few years, with our leaders in Washington bearly able to get anything done. It is not because there is too much political discussion as some think, but because there is actually too little; that leads to what few discussions there are to break down into “heated, ugly debates.”

So the next time you have friends or family wanting to discuss politics/society’s problems, please do join in the friendly conversation.

So what are your thoughts on this subject? Please do share. Your thoughts and viewpoints are very much welcomed and wanted.

 

Jolliness Vs. Fake Jolliness

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

To all my readers, sorry for my absence lately, but life was keeping me busy and distracted.

This is a response to the one-word prompt “Jolly” by “The Daily Post.”

Its that time of year, Christmas season is here at last; filled with good tidings and cheer, shopping galore, and celebrating the birth of Christ. There is just something in the air, during Christmas that brings out people’s “better side” and makes us all want to share the joy we feel with others. At least that’s what most of us feel regardless if one actually celebrates Christmas or not. But there is also, unfortunately, those who instead of being Jolly show a #fake #jolliness.

There is a difference between someone being joyful, and someone putting up a joyful mask. We all have in mind those without the “Christmas spirit,”   those “Christmas Scrooges” to describe those who just can’t or don’t want to be joyful and thus don’t like displays of joyfulness by others. But, there is also I believe a lot of people out there who I would call “fence sitters.”

These “fence sitters” are those who only partially recognize the “Christmas spirit” in the air, but are still focused on their own needs and wants instead of on others and those around them. They at least try to appear friendly and accommodating, but you don’t get the same joyfulness air from them that you would get from others who really are joyful and filled with the “Christmas spirit.”

They aren’t bad people or dishonest or anything like that; they just for some reason have not fully gotten into the spirit of the holidays, but I do think at some level they want to. It is these people, I truly think that need to experience the “sharing of joy” by joyful people this and every Christmas time. Merry Christmas everyone; Be Joyful to all!

What are your thoughts on this subject? Please do share; all thoughts and viewpoints are welcomed and wanted here.

 

 

 

Why Life Denies Prefrences?

/ Chase Blosser / 2 Comments

This is a response to the one-word prompt “Prefer” by “The Daily Post.”

What are your preferences in #Life; what do you perfer to get out of life? Whatever they are, chances are you will not get them in life or at least not as you first invission them. We rearly get what we want out of life, or to be more percise, we rearly get exactly what we want, but most times a verson of what we want. #Why is that the case? Why does in be ing denied our #prefrences in life, we usually get at least some verson of them instead?

The reason is is simple, perfection is impossible, but improvment is always pssible. By rearly ever getting exactly what we perfer in life, we learn that the important life lesson that perfection is not possible and only an “ideal.” Yet, because we in most cases get at least part of what we perfer or at least what we perfer but slightly altered in some way; we learn that if we keep pursuing our goals and working hard and deligently then progress and improvemnt in life is always possible.

So, no matter what your prefences in life is, know that while it is extreamly unlikly that you will acheive them in whole; if you keep at it, and work deligently, and never stop learning, then you will be able to keep improving your life towards your prefrences or goals in life. Life is never about perfection, but the persute of the ideal of perfection, thus constently improving one’s life.

What are your thoughts and viewpoints on this matter? Please do share them; all thoughts and viewpoints and welcomed and wanted!

A Gathering of Friends; Helping out after Hurricane Harvey

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

When disaster strikes and you hear about it and see the effects on the news about all the hurt and heartache, and all the people and communities coming together and even though your emotions are triggered it still is not the same as seeing first hand without the lens #of #a television.  Being there in person and seeing up close the effects of the disaster just brings it to a whole other level and makes it real.

This is what happened to me over the weekend #after Hurrican #Harvey, in the Greater Houston Texas area. A couple who have been very good #friends with my family all my life was one of the countless many who had their house flooded. So I went down Friday and Saturday to help #out with cleaning up and moving their things to storage.

When I got down to the area and was driving through the neighborhood approaching the street my friend’s house was on; I was just amazed at seeing all the damage done by the flooding. Front yard after front yard was just filled with furniture and trash from the cleanups being done to the houses and both sides of the streets had cars lined up and parked with people going here and there like ants.

IMG_0078

IMG_0072

Again seeing it all first hand was just so surreal and of putting things into perspective; yet at the same time witnessing the destructiveness and livelihood interrupted caused by “Harvey” I also learned of the unexpected blessings that can come out of such things. Blessings like friends, family, and neighbors coming together to help, and still finding time to enjoy life.

IMG_0090

The above has me in the middle.

IMG_0087

In the end, from time to time we will have devastating storms and natural disasters, and people will lose their homes and livelihoods and be left to pick up the pieces and rebuild.

IMG_0095

IMG_0096

But as long as we all have friends and family to depend on, that’s all that matters. It is the coming of together of community in times of good and bad that make life worth living (even with all the crape) it throws at us.

Hurricane Harvey: Despair, Devastation, Yet Also Hope and Love

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

After a week filled with so much #devastation #and people without a home due to flooding caused by #Hurricane #Harvey, everyone that has been “touched” in some way by the storm cannot help but feel just how “big” and life changing the whole experience was and continues to be. #Yet, at the same time with all the devastation and people displaced, one cannot help but be warm-hearted by seeing all the help that came and is still “pouring” into the Greater Houston area to help, as well as all the instances of neighbor helping a neighbor.

We as human beings and “Americans” in particular have a great and marvelous capacity to in times of crisis come together and help one another in whatever ways we can. No matter the divisions and differences that normally keep us apart, they all seem to always go away when we see each other in need. And despite seeing all the hurt and #despair happening over the week, I was greatly awed and inspired by this coming together that once again happened with another natural disaster.

For me personally, this is just so heartwarming because the last couple of years I have just been getting “so down” with all the division that has been popping up in this country over politics and so forth, that seeing so many people coming together and lending a helping hand to strangers in this time of crisis shows me that we are all still Americans and still care for each other at heart, despite our differences in life, beliefs, and so forth. It truly shows that there is still #hope for this great country, The United States of America.

It shows that despite all the division, we are still a nation of communities and are still able to look at the “bigger picture” and thus grow out of what divides us and focus on what we all have in common. In the end, with all our different beliefs and backgrounds, we are all the same. We all have hurts, joys, hardships etc.… That is what I saw with Hurricane Harvey and what I was reminded of. #Love, hope, and good neighbors still exist in this country and we need to remember that long after the effects of Harvey fade away. God be with all the victims of Hurricane Harvey and God Bless all those who responded with a helping hand!

Why The British Might Be Right About Their Tea Time

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

This is a response to #the one-word prompt “Tea” by “The Daily Post.”

In popular concetion, #British and #tea go together and the British take #their tea very seriously. As it turns out the British #might #be on to something when it comes to their tea and tea #time. Think #about it, what do you get when you sit down with a cup of tea either with a couple of friends or by yourself? You get peace and relaxzation. You get time to “wind down” from a hetic day, to recharge before getting back into it.

It does not have to be tea, but setting a time to just relax either by one’s self or with friends is very important and a helpful thing to do. Doing so helps us to more easily reflect and put into perspective all that happens and going on in our lives, as well as continue with what needs to be down without getting totally “wiped out.”

“Tea Time” alowes one to get through any day. And since the British have by custom and tradition in their culturle a set time to do tea each day, they automaticly have set aside a time to “decompress.” Not everyone, has that or thinks they have the time in their buisy scheduals to make time for something that at first may seem trivial and unproductive.

So when you have a busy day take some time to have some tea or some other form of relaxzation to recharge and keep you going. What are your thoughts on this subject? Please share them; they are very much wanted.

 

 

“Open Doors” Matter

/ Chase Blosser / Leave a comment

This is a response to the one-word prompt “Gate” by “The Daily Post.”

Do you want to connect with your community and those around you? Do want to help grow your church, business, and/or organization you are a part of? Then you need to make sure that your “door” is always “#open.” That is, in order to be inviting and attract people to you and/or your organization, then you need to have an openness to you/your organization’s personality.

It does not #matter how much effort you put into getting the word out there about your organization, if once people “get there” they don’t “feel” invited. As humans, we are all “social animals” that is we crave social interaction and attention. Thus, if one goes about life with an “open door” personality saying “come let’s have a conversation” then one is more likely to make friends, connections, and bring in new people for one’s organization.

Being open also shows others that you are “real” and “authentic” and are more likely to connect on their level. There is just something to be said about someone who is “open” or joyful and shows it. A good example is my church’s new pastor,  she always has this “joist air” about her, and you can’t help but feel it and catch some of that joyfulness as well, in conversations. Having and showing an open door is very much like a “wave of sunshine” falling on you after you get out after falling into a lake or river of freezing cold water.

When we meet new people and/or join an orginization, we want, no we need to feel invited and wanted.  Warm welcome of joyful friends

We can’t feel that when the person/people on the other end are either ambelvelent or just for some reson unwelcoming. In welcoming people in through the “open door” one needs to be more and do more than just saying welcome and directing them “inside.” There needs to be a real ethustism that just “bleeds” from you into the air around you and the peole you are welcoming.

In getting to know others and/or welcoming them into your home, church, orginization, etc., you need to actually get to know them; to get to know their likes, dislikes, needs, and so forth. Or at the very least make it known that you are willing, able, and actually wanting to do so. When you do this, then they will want to get to know you in the same way, and thus you have the begenings of a real, long, and fruitful friendship, and/or very productive working relastionship.

We are very much in a divided world to day, in our politics, faith and so forth that we are unwilling to “open our #doors” and let people in that don’t confirm to our own beliefs and expectations. 

Unfortinatly, that only creates and feeds an ever growing cycle of more devisiveness and devsion. This is not the natural and atended state of human behavior/exsistence. We as social aniamls, are ment to get along and be happy together. That is how God attended life for us and wants life to be for us; for us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and to Love your neibor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-39. We can do much to correct this imbalence in our world and daily lives, in our commmunities/societies if we just learn to “open our doors” more to others.

So do you have and present an “open door” to others when first meeting them and in all your interactions with them? Why or why not? And if so, how do you make sure you have  and show an “open door?” What are your thougths on the matter? Please do share them; they are very much wanted and creaved here!