FollowCraig: Oh, what children say?

This was sent to me from a very dear friend and I thought it would be a great post for all!

Little Boy’s Explanation of God — Fabulous!!! – Out of the Mouths of the Babes–

I certainly don’t think an adult could explain this more beautifully!

THIS IS FABULOUS!!!

It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to ‘explain God.’ I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
(and he had such an assignment in California , and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen!)

EXPLANATION OF GOD: ‘One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.’

‘God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.’

‘God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.’

‘Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren’t any who come to our church.’

‘Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.’

‘His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.’

‘You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.’

‘You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!

Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.’

‘If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.’

‘But. . .you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

And…that’s why I believe in God.’

……you’re still reading, I’m still writing, so please keep following

Craig

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FollowCraig: Hell in the Hallway

……..and you’re still reading

Jobs and careers go and new ones appear, friends go and new friends appear, things we love go and new ones appear. “When one door closes another will open”, God works in wondrous ways we are told and many of us believe with all our soul that is true. I’ve got to say though while those doors are swinging it can feel like “hell in the hallway”. We worry and regret, we wonder what we did wrong or we blame someone else for what’s happened. Perhaps we cry, get depressed, go on addictive binges, over spend and the list goes on. Facing change in life especially real personal change is frightening. I think it’s a real test of our faith, our faith in ourselves, in our family and God. I know some that say faith is enough and just hang in, everything will be ok.. My life experience has taught me that’s not entirely true. It is important to make peace with the changes that is for certain as without peace the fear of the unknown will overtake you. I find it helps to repeat the Serenity Prayer when I’m in this state, perhaps you have another way to rest your mind. It’s then the most difficult thing to do of all appears? It’s called ACTION. Oh my that’s a though one, but without taking action, without reaching out for the next doorknob, no amount of prayer, faith, support or family will get you out of that “hell in the hallway”.

You’re still reading, I’m still writing, so please keep following…..

Craig

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FollowCraig: Be Yourself

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I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to just be myself. As a young man I was always told what I was to be when I grew up. You should be an architect, an accountant a lawyer and so many other things. I was taught to believe a certain faith and be of one political party. When my children were growing I didn’t ever tell them what to be, what religion or faith and nothing about politics. Let’s see who turned out best? I think the kids did. You see they found there careers, perhaps have found their own faith. So when I read the following written by; Ralph Ellison, “Battle Royal” I felt like me!

“All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.”

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Be Yourself (re-post)

….and you’re still reading

I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to just be myself. As a young man I was always told what I was to be when I grew up. You should be an architect, an accountant a lawyer and so many other things. I was taught to believe a certain faith and be of one political party. When my children were growing I didn’t ever tell them what to be, what religion or faith and nothing about politics. Let’s see who turned out best? I think the kids did. You see they found there careers, perhaps have found their own faith. So when I read the following written by; Ralph Ellison, “Battle Royal” I felt like me!

“All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.”

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Bad Employee!

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I’ve just got to be one of the worst employee’s ever! It’s a blessing and credit to those of you who have a job and show up everyday and give it your all! So many of you put up with arrogant or unqualified bosses, your working peers hang out in circles around coffee and cigarette breaks and talk about who knows what? Some of you work so much harder than others and yet you never get appreciated. I know all this as I have tried. You see I was one of those bosses for many, many years. Then one day all that came to an end and I found myself looking for a job, a regular everyday job. Almost no one wanted me and when someone would hire me, I would find myself working for someone like myself. I would always end up trying to run the place. It just sucks! The solution for me seemed to be working for myself, but what to do? I tried all types of businesses “work from home”, route sales. M.L.M., you name it. Then one day a couple of years ago when I was working for a company (Limo Driver), it happened. All I could think was why now when I’m almost 60 do I hear this? You must tell your kids this while they have a chance! This is it; “find something you love to do and the money will follow”. Oh, so simple, so very simple. Today I write this blog because I love sharing my journey with so many others and learning from you all along the way, I am building a business selling products that everyone needs, followcraig.biz and I am finding what I love after all these years! It’s never to late….

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Re-calculating Route

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Her clear discerning voice, reassuring confidence, always certain of her direction! If I make a left, right or wrong turn she is always there “re-calculating route.” Oh the wonderful GPS! Just the other day as I was driving and our in car GPS system once again directed me to exactly the right destination. Calmly and politely re-calculating my route each time I deviated from course. Always forgiving and re-calculating after each wrong turn I might make along my journey. So I began thinking that perhaps all those other wrong turns, you know the ones we make in life? The times we didn’t say no or yes when we could have. The times we told a white lie, when candor and honesty would have been the right thing. All those wrongs, all our little sins? Then for some reason, something happens in our life, we find ourselves asking a higher power for help or perhaps repent for a wrong? Then our direction changes and life is good again. Is it possible that this higher power, could just be our own GPS? Always there to keep us on course, to re-calculate our route after every wrong turn? I have learned that each time my life direction seems off course, when I can’t sleep, when I am worried or when I have just screwed up! I can just stop, go to God, ask forgiveness and follow his direction; my destination once again is clear. Call it prayer, surrendering, repentance or call it crazy but it always works!

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following……

Craig

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FollowCraig: Bad Date

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All the fabulous lights below as the plane was landing in Las Vegas about 7:00 pm on a Friday night. Normal for me as I was living there and traveling for business. It had been a long week and I was tired. So out to dinner, (party of one) then a little Jazz music at one of my favorite haunts, nice! Then it happened, she was sitting at the end of the bar, big smile, great eyes, a flashy Las Vegas beauty! I was so shy and she so wasn’t! I think that’s how it happens? You see, I was just finalizing my divorce. So, I was sure ready..Right! It had to written all over me? “Available!” That night was the beginning of what I warmly call “My Long Bad Date” You see, my personal self esteem, my own insecurities and all those years without faith and standards led me to what were to become the greatest life changing events I would ever experience. I married that Las Vegas beauty after a couple of very turbulent years. Oh we fought about everything, she gambled, spent and drank every dollar we had. Everything that was wrong between us became my fault. All I could see was that one beautiful beginning, and I did everything possible to hold it together. In time I grew to fear her, her outbursts of violence and her incredible cruelty to my family, friends, employers and me. My understanding and compassion for abused partners in relationships became crystal clear. It sneaks up on you and attacks the most vulnerable part of your soul. A dear friend later told me; “Craig” She’s not a bad person, but a sick person. Then one day, I just could not take it anymore and I gathered all the courage in me, my faith in God and left. All I had was a suitcase, an old Buick and a few hundred borrowed dollars. You see, I had stopped drinking a couple of years before that day, developed a faith in God and began setting standards for myself. How often have you heard “No Pain No Gain?”, so true! So, that faith and fear pushed me to go forward, just go! That was several years ago. Today I am very free from that abuse and fear. I live a wonderful life and face everyday with joy of the unknown. All I can say to those who suffer in silence the pain, fear and guilt of abuse is; You can change it! It will be, OK! .….more of my journey ahead..

You’re still reading, I’m still writing, so please keep following….

Craig

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FollowCraig: “SEX” secrets?

…thanks for following….

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about this, Ok?American Baby Boomers” have a very difficult time with the word “SEX” My family never spoke of it, my church told me it was bad and my friends giggled about it! Perhaps that’s why the word draws so much attention? We all know what it is and yet we are afraid or ashamed to speak about “it”. In my personal life journey this very subject was always a silent secret taboo; in my life, my wife’s life, my children’s life, my whole family life! Now as I look back over time, what a stupid thing to be so quiet about. I’m just wondering if any of you were raised to not talk about “it”? I’m a very open-minded, liberal thinking man. My standards are in place and I respect the choices people make about their relationships. This was not ever difficult for me as I have really never been one to judge, that is not by job! It worries me though that we in this America still wish to keep this subject a “secret taboo”. I will share this; had my family been more open, honest and revealing about the topic of “SEX”, my adult life would have been so much easier. When we teach our children about secrets by keeping things secret and our children learn about secrets in a very secret way, the circle is never broken. “Secrets then become habits.” So, what habits do we each keep secret and why? What habits should be broken?

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so just keep following….

……Craig

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FollowCraig: Pots and Pans

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In today’s world we have many things we can’t live without, ie; SmartPhones, I-pads, TV, telephone’s, computers, cars and yes; Pots & Pans! I remember while getting divorced after being married for so many years. I had a phone, a car, computer even a TV. However one day while at home by myself, I realized I had no Pot’s & Pans? How could I cook and take care of myself without these basic tools? Of course the problem was easy to fix, all I needed to do was take a little action and buy Pots & Pans. Problem solved! Looking back now, that was an easy problem to solve! So why does it take so long to realize that most problems are just as easy to solve? Life’s problems are like those Pots & Pans, we need the tools to feed our minds and souls and we only need to take the steps and actions to get them. Your life, your faith, your loves are all in your hands. They are your gifts to receive and to give!

…..once again, I’m still writing and you’re still reading, so please keep following….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Demons are Green!

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