Have you ever had a thought that reoccurs over and over in your mind over the years? I’m not OCD or anything so I don’t mean that kind of intrusive constant thoughts. But, for example, my Mother was very attached to the twenty third Psalm in the Bible. She pulled it up anytime she was really troubled, or someone died, or she feared for her own life. She told me while in childbirth when Sonny was born; the doctors kept giving her whiffs of chloroform from some kind of a mask. Shortly after the chloroform was administered she would see bright red and felt like it was flames or something. Frightened, she recited the twenty third Psalm to get through it. I thought I would share my reoccurring thoughts.
My main reoccurring thought comes from the Bible. Mark 8:36 reads, “So what does it profit a man if you gain the whole world and lose your own life”. If I am tempted be selfish or greedy, this verse always comes up. When I see examples of what greed has done to some people, I say to myself, see there…so what does it profit you if you gain the whole world but it’s morally wrong. Is it there to keep me on the straight and narrow? It plays in my head all the time. I wonder why that reoccurs to me so often. When I know I’ll let you know ha.
Another thought I have over and over, is the golden rule, “do unto others as you would have done unto you”. Basically, it challenges me to behave toward others as I would like to have them behave toward me. The golden rule is actually written in just about every important ancient book about behavior. In the Bible, Matthew 7:12 says, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”. The golden rule is also in the Talmud, the Koran, and the Analects of Confucius. It’s a basic human right and one I try to live by and stand up for.
I always tell my kids “what goes around comes around”, which is a lot like the golden rule I guess, and probably why I like it. I remember telling a particularly pushy Christian once in a casual conversation, that I believe in Karma, being “what goes around comes around”, and because that has Buddhist roots, they looked at me like I just said, I am a loyal follower of Satan or something!
I am affected by more than the Bible as to how I want to live my life; I’m affected by worldly things as well. A good movie can teach me something. Maybe I had never seen a point of view until the movie presents me with one and it sticks with me, changes me. While reading books, I always keep a yellow highlighter with my book. I highlight what I want to remember, what impacts me. When I’m done reading the book, how much yellow is in the book is the deciding factor in whether I keep it or donate it or pass it on. Song lyrics are other peoples thoughts, and they influence me greatly as well. I’m known for pointing out clever lyrics to whoever will listen to me ha.
After fifty five years on earth, I still don’t have concrete answers about exactly what happens to us after death, about am I missing the heaven train if I can’t say I’m born again? Because I can’t, and the whole saved or not saved issue seems almost hoaxy to me. If that offends anyone I’m sorry, I’m writing this from my own perspective. If this makes me less Christian to say that, let God judge me. Is it not enough to be taught to believe in God from the time you were a child, to just grow up believing. I don’t have a testimony because that’s it…I grew up in a Christian family who said our prayers, believed God was in control of the whole world. I took literally almost everything I learned from the Bible, is it not enough to live your life as fairly, honestly and true to God and yourself that you can? I don’t know all the answers, well heck… I don’t know any answers really, but I do the best I can. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lost spiritually, I don’t need a “real Christian” knocking on my door or any of that, because I don’t think anyone could convince me they have the answers either. I’m content with my relationship with God and with everyone in my life. Is it perfect no, but it’s real, and it’s honest. I think it was Socrates that said an unexamined life is not worth living. I don’t know about that, it seems rather blissful for someone who thinks all the time…but at least you have some convictions to call your own.
So about these reoccurring thoughts…I wonder, does everyone have them, or am I just a good listener?
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