Just some thoughts

The 1-2-3 Mantra

 

 

Faith! Family! Freedom!

 

In the last three years I have embarked on a project to instill in the reader a nostalgic sense of Christmas past. This effort is titled: Christmas Eve Trilogy. The story follows a Christian family through three years of pleasant holiday celebrations. Originally, I intended to write something along the lines of “The Night before Christmas”. It grew of its own accord and evolved into a three volume set. At this writing, two episodes are complete with the third is approximately half finished, scheduled to be done by Fall.

 

In the course of that work I came to understand something of myself and my belief system. Three words express the shaping of my character, values and virtues.

 

All the “secrets” relate to one another, in a spiritual manner. I shall endeavor to explain.

 

Day 1- Faith!

 

Faith transcends belief. It is the spiritual equivalent of man’s survival instinct; it is engrained in his psyche. As a Christian, I would confess that Faith is a tie to the Creator, reminding us from whence we came and a blessing that allows us to praise, honor and glorify the God who is our reality in a world which sometimes seems as surreal as an underwater aircraft. Belief is the intellectual conclusion of self-examination of the premises of one’s values which necessarily evolve into virtue, tempered by character.

 

Perhaps, this abstract concept is incomprehensible to any with an ego too large to humble themselves in the acceptance of a world not of their own creation and importance. That misconception can be as easily affirmed as the blessing which is life can be dismissed as the chance result of a chemical reaction. Some great people have come from such chance.

 

Faith is akin to purpose in the reality of life. Take it away and the scenario begs the ultimate question: What is the purpose? Man perseveres because of Truth, the very “rightness” of a thing; it is worth doing simply because it is the right thing to do.

 

World War II Navy Admiral William Frederick “Bull” Halsey, Jr. said, “There are no great men. Just great challenges which ordinary men, out of necessity, are forced by circumstances to meet.” Try the small or the great without Faith; it can’t be done.

 

Faith is the glow of God within man. It is like the lead in crystal which captures, diffuses, reflects and then refracts light into myriad rainbow colors of beauty, sending laser shafts beaming into the abyss of reality which is the character of God found in man. Amen!