Chapter 24

As I ride the bus on my tour of the East Coast of Scotland my mind wonders about my future. I have heard several times from many people that it is more important to focus on your future than to worry about your past. Reminds of why the windshield is larger than the rearview mirror.

I find myself frequently thinking about the next move and how to plan for the next stage of my life. I constantly think about what would make me happy and how I can make an impact on the lives of others. However, I had to remind myself that I cannot actually plan my future, but I can prepare for it. Now that may seem weird to some and I think it requires a little explanation.

I personally believe that every person has a predetermined path in life and this path has the potential to be full of success. The problem most people face when they encounter tribulation is that they deviate from the path, because they think they have found an easier route (i.e. like trying to avoid a traffic jam). People are inclined to make decisions based on worldly possessions not considering the true desires of their heart. Every decisions made should consider the desires of your heart because the heart is your guide. When you let your heart influence the decision, you are inviting a supernatural spirit to direct your decision. The decision making process shouldn't be rushed and you should consider all factors.

This is the reason why I don't plan I just prepare. When you are prepared you can handle any situation which may arise. I never know which situation God will put me in, but I know that He will not put me in a situation where He cannot get me out. Furthermore, prepared people know that when they encounter difficult situations they are test to ensure you are ready for the next level (test will be the next topic). I also read somewhere that when you plan God laughs.

As I prepare for the next stage in life I know that it will be a part of a plan. While I can't control the journey I have the ability to enrich the experience. Which is the reason I don't waste time doing things I do not enjoy. I fill my time with the fruits of my passion. The journey is long and rough so why should I add more unnecessary trouble. That is the problem many people face; they are too afraid to follow their passion because of doubt and fear. It is complete nonsense to do something you do not enjoy or do it because it pleases society. I love when people tell me I cannot do achieve something because I strive and pray harder to show them wrong.

You cannot let the demons of this world distract you from your passion. Prepare yourself for the journey and fill the remaining space with passionate activities.

Chapter 23

It has been a busy last few weeks with classes, trips, studying, and other events and I have been fighting this luxury we call time. As the old folks say “there are not enough hours in the day,” funny part is that I use this saying too. Old soul trapped in a young body (Lol)!  I have a lot of blog ideas, but I don’t have the time to actually produce the finished products. As many of you know I am the type of individual that likes to multi-task and ideas always come to me at random times.

I have the opportunity to chat with various individuals on a number of different topics very often. They are from all over the world and come from different backgrounds and ideologies. It is amazing how in each one of those conversations, the perception of their current circumstance can vary. I discovered a various range of attitudes and emotions during these chats which intrigued me on several levels. As you can imagine when someone tells you a story their emotions change with each specific event. Depending on how favorable or unfavorable their perception of the outcome will modify their attitude. Why is it that every time something does not work to our advantage we change our attitude instead of counting it all joy? Why is it that we can not mentally comprehend that every event (good or bad) happens for a specific reason and a specific time? Do you really think if you put a little more effort, slept a few hours less, or paid a little more money your outcome would have been different?

The misconception of our perception of the circumstance can be explained by our inability to interpret a situation. We try to explain every biological and psychological event by using science and common sense, but the truth of the matter is you don’t have the intellectual capacity to interpret your situation in your human realm. You have to evolve to a spiritual/supernatural realm in order to see that you are truly going through a process with many stages.

Think about it from another point of view and I guarantee it will touch your life and your situation.  I know a lot of people have a fascination for fine wines. Well just in case you didn’t know wine comes from grapes which go through a fermentation and creative process. The fermentation process starts when yeast is added to grape juice. The yeast consumes the grape's sugar and converts it to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Every grape has its own variety of identifiable characteristics. However, it is the “winemaker” who creates the style and personality of the finished wines. The winemaker "guides" the winemaking process using a variety of techniques to best express His style in each wine. Essentially, each phase of life you encounter is part of a process to enhance and reveal unique characteristics which reflect your maker. Somebody just missed that!

The important thing to remember is that you are “IN THE PROCESS” but when you finish you will be better than the initial ingredients used. Furthermore, as with wine you get better with age because there has been time for you to improve your lifestyle and distinguish yourself from all the foolishness of your past.  The great thing I love about being in a process is that there are several levels. Macro-process (big picture) you can’t control, but the micro-process (components) you can influence. I recently embarked on a 90 day process to complete a task I felt was in my heart. I have seen the opposition come and try to distract my but I know that if for my good and once I complete the process I will be one step closer to being like “fine wine!”

Stop tripping over your right now and look forward to your not yet! Be Thankful that you are “In The Process!”

Trip to Northern Scotland

This weekend I had the opportunity to take a tour to the northern portion of Scotland. I visited Sterling Castle, The Wallace Monument, and Castle Campbell. 

Just to give you a little back ground Sterling Castle was once the home of Stewart Kings and Queens of Scotland. The beautiful tapestry and artifacts have been preserved to give a unique and impressive view of the of the history of the castle. 

Wallace Monument for all intensive purposes is the basis of the movie Braveheart. I had to walk up 200+ steps to reach the top, but the views were priceless.

Castle Campbell is hidden in the hills of Sterling Scotland and in order to reach the castle you have two options. You can take the long winding icy path through the wilderness or take the main road up a winding hill. We decided on the path through the wilderness. The views were amazing looking at the waterfalls and beautiful forest. However, it was a 45 minute hike up a mountain. 

Enjoy the pictures!