Monthly Archives: May 2013

Some things are made to be built, such as a character: a combination of qualities or features that distinguishes a person or their eccentricities (peculiarities).  For most of us, character starts to evolve as soon as we develop an awareness of ourselves.  Most build character by allowing the teachings of Christ into their lives; with an awareness of those who could care less, about Christ or anything else.

To be or become a person of character is hard work.  I look at most things as a job, because it involves others; and some of us can be difficult.  Still, we have to be true to ourselves.  As we all know there are some tough character’s in the world today.  The sad part is, in our lifetime, we may have to deal with more than a few of them.

There are great attributes that come with character, such as being diligent, following professional guidelines, and having good communication skills.  These are also some of the characteristics employer’s are looking for in potential employees.

Then there are our peers, standing back looking to see if we are considerate; do we have high morals, ethics? Some look for respectability; wanting to know if we are mature, dependable, conscientious, and enigmatic.  We may be constantly observed, on how we treat our family, and our friends?

Without good character, we can easily be seen as a deadbeat with poor home training, our tempers flared, making others wonder if we beat our family members when wronged by the outside world, or any reason?  Accused of not being a team player, a crack-head, maybe a rat.  Pretending to be something we are not including, a cheat and a thief; knowing the truth is not in us.

Since I can only speak for myself, I can tell you in my teens, I was a poor judge of character.  That is until I saw hurtful things coming from those I admired.  I was  “too young”   to realize, I could be me and just as successful.  Instead, I was naive looking thru  “rose-colored glasses.”  I didn’t recognize the devil when I saw him; and I thought, I knew everything, and everything about everybody.  I needed a wake up call.

This is my Testimony, I am talking to you, not at you,  ” keeping it real.”   Some people think everything said or done has something to do with them.  According to me, if that’s the case, some may have, some serious demons.  I would have that diagnosed, by Christ, ASAP.

The people I was looking up to, were only portraying to be who they wanted me to see them as.  But as time passed, and I listened to my mother, instead of others; that presumption changed.  Now I can see some of us have the personality of a cartoon character.

What a joke I thought, laughing as I realized some of us are about as stable as that coyote, the one who keep getting hit in the head with an anvil.  Spending all his days trying to catch something that is driving him coo-coo. Unheard of things are falling from the sky to impede his progress, and yet he presses on… DUD!

Some things hurt in more ways than one, and far more than they should.

In my young mind; I wanted to be like some of those I was around.  I thought the world was theirs to have.  I was wishing to be like others, not knowing the character they showed me, was superficial.  These  “Idols”  had it all,  or so I thought; money, cars, clothes.  But as I got a little older, I realized, that was all they had…  Street sense and no future.

I thought some of the world problems stemmed from being under educated, creating a sour identity crisis in some of our personalities. Suffering from a lack of good character.  The very thing that represents who we are.  And some I knew, only needed an ID card, but couldn’t  fill out an application.

In time I learned that piece of paper can shut down some of our lives; nothing much can be accomplished without an Identification Card.  We cannot open a bank account, rent a car, etc.  But, there is hope; show character and ask for help. Get that documentation, at lease, we can make our mark.  X

Stay in, or go to school;  we will have to fill out paperwork, at some point, to move on.

I was wishing and hoping.  I wanted what I wanted, without having to work for it.  I wanted to be like someone I knew nothing of.  All I saw was glitter.  I Thank God, I grew up around those, who had the spirit to teach me otherwise; so I could earn my own, and gain respectable characteristics while achieving it.

“Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.”   Elizabeth Gilbert.

Go to work for yourself, instead of coveting what others have achieved.  Now there are always exceptions, some don’t have to work; educated or not, they are blessed with great wealth… Maybe because God knows they are of good character and will share?  Who knows?  “It is what it is.”  Still, not being able to read about the wondrous works in the Bible, especially  “Thus Saith the Lord,” is inconceivable, to me.

With biblical information we can become more than just a character, in some cases, a leader is born.  I know it can be done.  I have friends who picked up where they left off, and went back to school; some achieved greatness.  Some other friends fell by the wayside, simply because they didn’t have the opportunity.  The disappointment derived from the ones who did not have the character to try, but the ability.   The effort was missing, and Christ.

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quite. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”    Helen Keller

We know all people are not the same, and we love them flawed or not, because of who they are; their character is what’s important.  Some have more personality coupled people skills, than some of the wealthiest people today.  For the most part they can be trusted, to tell the truth in large matters as well as small; that’s character, in my book.

It takes “courage to be honest; moral courage is rare, and physical courage is common.”   (Fights, guns, etc.) Norvie L. Cherry

It would be wise to choose character over personality;  “our destiny is our character,”  and both can be altered.  We all make mistakes, but our character defines how we handle it; and let us not get the definition of reputation and character confused.  Our reputation is what others think of us, and are character is who we really are.

“The best index to a person’s character is how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and how he treats people who can’t fight back.”   Abigail Van Buren

We have to have the ability to create for ourselves the trust and companionship of others; because of who we are, and what we stand for.  Our character alone, makes us popular and a valuable member of the community; respectable, and willing to assist.

Some dangerous people are considered to be all that too, because of their ability to give back, and show themselves as a person of character, by caring.  

Don’t be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”   1st Corinthians 15:33

A person of character knows, God made man from lowly dust, and will not label someone or something worthless.  They can see our glory, but sometimes not their own.  Praise God that some of us have character traits that display vivid illustrations of who we truly are, when we radiate goodness and love for others.

Whatever the circumstances, creating friends and followers alike, some won’t finish a race because of a lack of will, and others with character will, even if they have to crawl to the end.  For them, the will to finish, is greater than the will to win; this alone makes and build a winning personally coupled with great characteristics.

Jesus knew going to the cross would kill Him, because of His character and willingness to save our souls, He died for us.   Disgraced and treated as a common criminal; that mob still couldn’t kill His character, which still lives today.                 

Some things are impossible to control, character is not one of them.  The Spirit of God is already in us, so right there we have character.  We only need to access it by being all we can be, including being a fearless leader in God’s army.  Good character can create knowledge, leading to success, and a closer walk with Christ.

One of my readers wrote,  “We learn more from our problems than we do our success.”    Thank You for that.

I for one know,  “TROUBLE builds CHARACTER, and CHARACTER  builds SUCCESS, in some CASES.”   Norvie L Cherry

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.Perfect is not my reality, it use to be but I’ve grown, and now my sight is set on success. As odd as this may sound, success is easier to obtain than perfection.

It took a long time for me to realize I would never be perfect. The harder I tried the more flaws I found; the cause was a never-ending task, but I knew success could be achieved because it is an obtainable goal, with good work ethics and perseverance we can get there.

“The greater the emphasis on perfection, the further it recedes.”   Haridas Chaudhurl

I understand some of us will never believe we may not be all that, still to be perfect is to be without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings, accurate, exact, or correct in every detail. Who can really claim this, but Christ?  If you believe it is you, then more power to you.

I don’t compare myself to Christ. But I do believe it is better to do something imperfectly than nothing flawlessly.  “Perfectionism is the enemy of creation, as extreme self-solitude is the enemy of well-being.”   John Updike

God is the only one I know of who is perfect in every way, and although I will never be as He, the more Christ like-minded I became, the more tasks I was able to complete, with little error. I was told the very perfection of man is to find his own imperfections. At least knowing our capabilities will allow us to know how far we can go with what we have.

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”   Deuteronomy 32:4

I know as well as you that I am not that rock, nor am I perfect.  I can hardly drive down the street without screaming out curse words about some human blunder; after all, I may be the only one on earth that is perfect. I don’t believe that about myself, but there are some who believe the world is stupid, all except for themselves.

We say all types of things, giving reason to make ourselves exempt. Nothing is our fault; we are so perfect, even when we create a wrong, we refuse to see ourselves as being imperfect.

If only they had done this or that is our excuse. Now some like to twist words in their favor, for fear of looking foolish, because some of us are smart enough to not proclaim we are perfect; we are simply flawless.

What a bunch of crap. Our self-centered attitude can cause some of us with a snap of the finger to look down on the mistakes of others with perfect eyes. I know I have done this myself, and on more than one occasion.

For us to be flawless, we must not have defects or faults of any kind, even in our opinion of others or coupled with a bad attitude. Especially one that diminishes the value of something perfect; if you touch or tamper with that perfect thing, it is no longer perfect. It has your fingerprints, DNA, dirt, whatever on it, it’s now flawed.

I know that is taking things to a stretch, but you get the point. If I were perfect, I would know how to live and balance a perfect life in my so-called perfect world.

“Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him, which is perfect in knowledge?”    Job 37:16

Back in the day, I would admit to not being perfect, even today I own up to it. But I will have to admit, I added, “but I am close enough.”  That type of thinking has the tendency to embarrass me from time to time. Arguing a point I am certain of but wrong, wrong, wrong. Commonly labeled as, “I didn’t know what I was talking about in the first place.”

So sure of myself, checking the facts was considered a complete waste of time, causing me to realize if I was so perfect, how come I got that wrong, and why would I need to do research? It’s only common sense, to ask those types of questions, in my mind.

Jesus said: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: Then come, follow me.”   Matthew 19:21

What do you want me to say: Matthew 19:21 doesn’t have a single word in it I do not understand. What about you?

We can have success with flaws, and be nowhere close to perfection. We always have a choice; an out, get a relationship with Christ. The world will not forgive us for our transgressions, mistakes, our sins, perfectly flawless or not, but Jesus will; leaving room for all that understand we can be the best we can be, thru Christ.

“There are no perfect men in this world, only perfect intentions.”  Pen Densham  (Robin Hood)

FYI:  Stay cautious of those who claim to be perfect, for they are of the devil, and mean no one any good. Their veiled, covered perfectionism usually stems from the lawless way business in done. We all know these people, and some of them are us. Christ is not confused about who we are, we are.

“They talk about hiding their snares, they say,  “Who will see it?”  They plant injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!”  Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.”    Psalms 64:5

Get right with Christ. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, for the Lord knows we are weak, regardless of our so-called strengths; with Him, we can fight off the wiles of the cunning and downright devilish. Please try to understand; we can’t do anything if we don’t join or belong to the Body of Christ. God wants to take care of us.

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”   2nd Corinthians 12:9

For us to know ourselves, we need to understand, we are only as  “good as we give.”   If we keep our mind on Christ and love for others, we may receive some type of perfection. I wouldn’t mind the perfect love of  Christ, forever and ever.

I read my own blogs over and over, before, during and after posting, and I always can find something wrong. Never have I written the perfect post. At some point, I have to stop, and it’s when I know I have given the best I have, hoping it will, but realizing it may not be perfect, I tried.

Now there are those who can write a perfect post, all the I’s are dotted, the T’s are crossed, with perfect spelling; maybe this is all they can do, that is perfect. I look words up and still misspelled them, so sometimes it maybe my typing, but still, my imperfection. (Fault)  Some can do it; just not me, and I can respect that fact.   I have finally realized I can live with my imperfections and not be ashamed of me

We all have our own set of unique skills, and some of them are flawed. What a blow to some of our ego’s. When I gave up on being perfect, I found strength in Christ.

“Being strong means rejoicing in who you are complete with imperfections.”   Margaret Woodhouse.  Accepting flaws in our character can sometimes bring other things, full circle.

“Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect, it means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections.”   Unknown.

Perfect is Not my Reality, Success is!  Whatever, as far as I am concerned the bottom line is;

“It is what it is, and Thy Will be done.”   Let’s go tell that so we can be one step closer to perfection.

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