Bloom where you are planted

We struggle in our day to day life, we try to be better people but find ourselves mired down in the muck of our daily existance. We fail to realize that our goal is to bloom and be the best person we can possible be right where we find ourselves at the current moment. It is by doing this that we are able to move on and become closer in our existance to our creator. However, we often find ourselves complaining and bitter about all that goes wron in our lives instead of leanring from those experiances, and we tend to take credit personally for all that goes right instead of shiwing gratitude. I struggle with this on a daily basis but am learning that not only should I show gratitude for those things that go right for us, but for those things that go wrong, for it is in the trials and tribulations that we gain the most learning and growth in our spiritual lives. You can learn more about my journey both on here and on my Facebook page A Spiritual Journey: a common man's reflections found at https://www.facebook.com/spiritualjourneyacommonmansreflections. Please join me in this phenominal journey we call life.

Clear Conscience

Broad Horizons

The Walking Stick

Alost noone uses old fashioned wood walking sticks anyore, but if you look out on my porch, you will see four or five of them leaning up against the railing at any given time. There is something about the feeling of of the wood in my hand, as I swing it back and forth while I walk. It is comforting and familiar.

Oh sure people use the new high tech poles that resemble ski poles with the impact absorption tips, and at one point I thought I would like a set of those, but once I tried a set they felt foregn and out of place in the woods.. The people I see using them always seem to be rushing someplace, as if the walk is a chore to get done before they go someplace more interesting. To me the walk is the interesting thing.

To me the walk is part of the journey, a chance to get out in nature and see what mysteries God wishes to reveal to me at that time. In my journies out in the back forty, I have leaned against my walkign stick and gazed back over the field at a mist shrouded Green Mountain. I have looked down at amazement at moose prints, or coyote tracks. I have seen bear, deer and moose. I have used it as a brace while I have watched squirrels and chipmunks scurrying across the leaves. My walking stick is like an old friend, it fits comfortably in my hand. If you stop by the farm for a visit, chances are I will offer you a walking stick. I walk in the woods in search of the perfect sapling, and cut it by hand, and rough size it right there in the spot. I then bring them down tot he house to work on, and usually sit in the driveway while i strip the bark off with a knife I had bought in Norway many years ago.Once the bark is off I'll sand down any rough spots that could possibly irritate the hands, and give the stick a nice smooth finish where your hand could possibly rest. I will also burn in a quote such as "Walk Daily WIth God" or "Life is a journey not a destination". After that is done, lately I have taken hand rubbing a tung oil finish into the stick to help keep it looking nice as long as it can.

My favorite stick say to Walk Daily with God", which is taken from a poem I have written, for it reminds me to be with Him always, and to give thanks for all the little blessings in my life.

So the next time you take a walk, hang up the high tech poles, pick up a trusty wooden staff, fit it to your hand like a glove, and really take a walk in nature, and notice truly notice what it has to offer.


Walk Daily with God


When life has you down,
And hardships pile up.
When the world is blue,
And you are depressed.
This advice I give to you,
Take a walk with God.

When you feel forsaken,
And the mountains high.
When the path you are on,
Seems to lead nowhere.
Heed this advice,
Take a walk with God.

When times are good,
And life is happy.
When the sun does shine,
And the birds are singing.
Give your thanks,
And take a walk with God.

Share with Him,
All your sorrows.
Share with Him,
All your fears.
Talk with Him as a friend,
As you walk with God.

Laugh with Him,
As the jays do play.
Give thanks to Him,
For the tranquil sunsets.
Do all this my friend,
As you walk with God.

Remember this, that God
Is here from start to end.
And we are but a dash,
between two years.
So take the time,
And walk with God.

He has the time,
To spend with you.
He has the desire,
To commune with you.
My friend in good and bad,
Remember to walk daily with God.

Paul Bartoswicz

212 degrees

This is from a sermon I preached on Sunday 27 September 2009. It reflects on the power of turning up the heat in our lives in everything we do. 212Degrees Judges 16:23-30 Have you ever seen the screws also known as the propellers on a large ship? They are immense. I had the opportunity to stand beside a pair for an LPD in a dry dock and they dwarfed me as I stood next to them.. I don’t remember the weight on them but it was a very heavy amount, and the shafts that they attach to aren’t just toothpicks either. While I was in the Navy I was always amazed at the engineering types. They lived most of their lives below decks in the bowels of the ship working their magic that made the ship work. When you did see them above deck they always looked like their eyes were closed in a permanent squint in the foreign sun. I always thought they preferred to emerge from their catacombs in the peaceful serenity of the new moon so the sky was as foreign to them.. They sequestered themselves for hours on end in the nether reaches of the ship in such places as the boiler room, shaft alley, and the machine rooms. When they did emerge they always had this oily dinginess about them that never did quite come out. They were the givers of life to the ship. Without them working their magic in the black hole of the engine spaces, the ship wouldn’t move, the guns couldn’t aim, the radios wouldn’t work once the batteries died. In short without the engineers our glorious Navy would basically be a bunch of big piles of steel rusting away in the ocean. One of the things that the purveyors of Naval life understand is the difference that one extra degree can make. Many people talk of the advantages of going to the Celsius scale where water freezes at zero and boils at 100 degrees. How many of you know the Fahrenheit scale is based on the comfort range of the human body 0 was commonly thought to be the lower end of the comfort range for a moderately dressed man and 100 degrees is the upper range of that scale where the human body is comfortable. Of course we know now that there are other factors such as wind and humidity that play into the equation., as well as length of exposure. But using this premise as a basis, water at 100 degrees is fairly comfortable for the human body for a period of time. I have been told because I am not a coffee drinker that 180 degrees is the ideal temperature for a cup of coffee, so we could safely say 180 degrees is hot. Water at 211 degrees would be very hot, wouldn’t you agree? But we know from basic chemistry, not one of my better subjects, and basic physics, which I enjoyed more, that water boils at 212 degrees, and boiling water transforms the water from a liquid to a gas we call steam.. Steam under the right circumstances can be used to produce a power that drives the huge propellers that move a ship through the water. Without going into it the steam is heated even higher than 212 degrees under pressure to become superheated steam, but it requires that 212 degrees to become the steam in the first place, and steam is required to turn the massive shafts that drive the propeller that pushes the ship through the water. If there are any naval engineering types out there I apologize for the simplicity of my explanation here, but it is the essence of how the system works that illustrates my point. It is that one degree that takes the water from the very hot, or scalding hot, to the driving force turning not only those massive propellers, but driving many tons of steel though the ocean at very impressive speeds. Aircraft carriers for example The USS RONALD REAGAN displaces 104,000 tons, ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS. Think about that for a moment how heavy that ship is….ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS. And it is propelled by steam. The vaporous form of lowly water that we all take for granted. It is nuclear powered but the nuclear power is just a way to heat the water and bring it to steam. Think of the power that one extra degree can produce. Can you imagine one hundred four thousand tons driving though the water at over 30 knots? 30 knots being a nautical mile is the same as driving your car at 34 miles per hour. The actual top speed is more than that but is classified. ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND TONS OF STEEL, with six thousand give or take men, and almost one hundred aircraft driven by steam. Not only does steam drive that massive ship though the water, it is also used to launch aircraft form a standing start to flying speed in an amazingly short distance. I once was told that the catapult of a carrier could launch a Cadillac up to one half a mile , now that is power. Steams launch those wonders of Naval aviation so they can ply the sky above the seas. One extra degree takes plain water and produces not only power, but mighty power, impressive power, unstoppable power. I saw a film once while I was in the navy, of a high pressure steam leak. You couldn’t see the steam leaking out of the pipe, but you could hear it hissing it’s deadly warning. The instructor waved a broom handle through the path of the steam leak, and it cut the handle cleanly through as if it had been cut by an invisible saw. Now that is power. It is the power that that extra degree gives you. In our passage today Samson summoned up that extra degree when he asked God to help him one last time. He summoned that extra degree that God gave him and brought the temple down on the Philistines. Samson could have just given up and let himself be put to death but he summoned that extra degree and went down in a blaze of glory. Abraham summoned up that extra degree of courage when he put his pride and joy son on the alter to sacrifice. Noah showed the extra degree when even though he was probably subject to tons of ridicule and jeers while he was building the ark in preparation to the flood. Daniel showed the extra degree and tolerated the extra degree when he was cast into the fiery furnace with Meshach, Shadrech and Abednego. They all showed that extra degree of confidence that God would take care of them. Moses wavered but did show the extra degree in trusting God by leading the Israelites out of Egypt. In the sermons I have been listening to the pastor was preaching on the book of Nehemiah, in this book Nehemiah turned up the extra degree and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. What can we do if we apply that extra degree. We work on a daily basis some of you in an office, some in a factory, my wife works in a grocery store, and my 18 year old daughter Hs been working in a restaurant. Both of them show that extra degree in their jobs. My daughter is respected and well liked by the people she works with because she puts her all into the job. She doesn’t treat it as a lowly job of bussing or waiting tables she looks at as an opportunity to grow in responsibility, and in herself. My wife Janet works at Valuland as a cashier. People I run into all the time tell me how lucky I am to have her as a wife, and I am truly very thankful for that. What makes her special is she smiles and greets people, she makes them feel very special when they are at her register. She makes them feel like they are the most important person in the store when she is dealing with them. She goes the extra mile to remember what they like and how they like their groceries bagged. When she can she helps those who are struggling out with their groceries. I have had people tell me how upset they are when they go into the store and learn that Janet is not working on that day. Janet turns up the heat that extra degree and goes from being hot to being a driving force in what she does. She tries not to drag people down, even on days when I have seen her drag herself out of bed in excruciating pain, and come home in so much pain she was in tears; she still makes her customers the most important feature in the store. I have worked on the road in sales, and I meet all kinds of people, from the ones that make you feel like you are an imposition on them for being a salesman to the ones who make you feel like you are their long lost brother. I know how hard it is to keep that smile on you face and work to get the person the right product of their needs, and it is not always what I have to sell. I struggle to find that extra degree, yet I know how important it is. Jesus shows us examples of turning up the heat that extra degree all over the gospels. From the feeding of the multitudes at the Sermon on the Mount, He could have just packed it in and told the disciples they didn’t have enough food to take care of all those people. No he dug right in and worked his miracles. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He healed the lepers. Where in the Gospels can you not find an example of Christ turning up the heat. Right to the end of his earthly ministry when he was nailed to the cross and sacrificed for our sins. And guess what, he didn’t stop there, he rose again and overcame the bounds of death, he walked with and talked with His disciples and prepared them for the trials and the work ahead so they could in turn, turn up the heat to become a driving force in society. They were the steam that got the mighty juggernaut of Christianity going, and we are the steam that keeps it moving forward instead of becoming a rusting hulk in the ocean of society as many churches have a tendency to do. God is always asking us to turn up the heat and put out that extra degree. He wants us to be a driving force in society instead of society being a driving force on us. Many churches have gone from being a hot churches to being a superheated churches. Does God want this church constrained to the confines of this lovely valley? The extra degree that God demands of us can take this church beyond Carroll County, beyond the borders of New Hampshire. That driving force can take us out of Northern New England, and even out of New England overall. God’s driving power will break the bounds of the nation’s borders. God wants to be a driving force in the world. By applying that extra degree that God has demanded of us. It has driven a now deceased friend of mine, Paul Dorian and his group that went down to help rebuild after Katrina. It has manifested itself in the dedication of Rusty Reinhold of Brooks Auto and Doug Kimball of Kimballs Power Equipment and others who travel to Haiti regularly to help minister to those in need in that country. That extra degree manifests itself in a fellow Gordon Alumnae Janet Hammar and her husband Oscar while they labor in love in Peru, teaching and spreading God’s word. That extra degree manifested itself in the new Bible they were able to provide to the people they serve. That extra degree drives churches to assist missionaries in South Africa, as well as other African countries. It drives Christian missionaries into the Muslim strongholds of the Middle East. That driving force drives churches to support missionaries all over the world. That driving force drives churches to support the missionaries in our own back yard who go into the halls of Kingswood to work with our teens and help them find their own driving force in the world, and to mentor them into that force being a positive rather than negative force. The Moving Wall is in Wolfeboro at the Nick this weekend, on that wall are the names of 16 chaplains who didn’t come home, tow of those chaplains were awarded the Medal of Honor Major Charles Watters, his citation reads, For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted, Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first enemy entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire to carry and to assist the injured troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began aiding the medics ... applying field bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the perimeter from position to position redistributing food and water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army. Do you think Major Watters turned up the heat that extra degree, and did God’s work protecting and comforting the soldiers he was to serve? I think he did. If that driving force can take a plain quiet, unassuming woman, like my wife and make her a bright spot in many peoples day, how can it change you? By asking God to apply that one extra degree to your life, could it make you the life change force for that one co-worker, or friend who is looking for something more? By adding that one degree could it make you the shining example that would attract people to church through your example. By adding that one extra degree could you help even one person break the shackles of a destructive life, of alcohol or drug addiction? By adding that one degree could you bring the pillars of Satan’s temple down that had been built up around someone? What driving force does God want you to be in today’s society?

Conversation With God

I sat down in my quiet place, and let my breathing settle and my heart slow down. I had read my Bible at home, then took my dog out for her walk into the upper field. I let her run chasing unseen scents from where various animals crossed in barely perceptable trails. The mist softly rose off Green Mountain across the street. That morning mistthat clings to the mountain always seems to settle me down, it has a calming effect on me.

I sit on my rock, taking in the sounds of nature, the rustling of the breeze through the grass, the occasional soft neighing of the neighbors horses, and even the sound of the trucks out on the main road past the end of our property. I take a deep breath and try to clear my mind and then begin my daily ritual of prayer. I should say it is more like a one sided conversation with God. Money has been tight, and I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Our savings has been completely drained, and we live day to day off my job in Internet Sales at a car dealership, where sales has been dreadfully slow. My wife works two part time jobs, one she loves and lives to go to on Fridays and Saturdays, ond one she hates and drags herself to 3 days a week. I start my monologue, “Dear God, I have faith you exist, and that you watch over us, but why do you let me suffer soand not answer my prayers. I need so much and you are very capable of providing, but you seem to turn a deaf ear to me.You don't answer and always seem to leave me hanging.”

A stirring inside of me and a warmth seemed to eminate from within, rising from my toes, up my legs into my stomach and chest, despite the morning chill in the air. My head spun and a dull ache in my heart stirred to life. I heard, or I should more aptly say I felt a voice stirring deep inside of me. I can't quite explain it, I didn't hear the voice in my ears, but rather heard it with my heart, but could understand it just the same.

“What troubles you my son,” it said to me, and I realized it was God speaking to me. It wasn't the deep booming voice from heaven we think of when we see movies like The Ten Commandments, but a soft whisper, neither male nor female.

“Abba,” I responded, “Why don't I hear youwith my ears?”

“Because, my son,” the voice responded, “I speak to you through the Spirit, for when I breathed life into Adam, the life I instilled in him was that of the Holy Spirit, which is in place in all of you my children. It is there before you were born into this world, and it will be ther long after you pass from it. It is what sets you apart from the animals in my kingdom. You have a piece of me dwelling inside you, and I am with you always.”

I felt at peace, and instantly realized this was true, and I started, “so the Trinity...”

“Yes my son, the Trinity does exist,” the voice responded. “I am God the father as I have been called, but more accurately I am God the Creator. Look around you my son, everything you see was created by me. I set the world in motion right down to the great glaciers that set this stone in place that you sit upon and talk to me. Before you Willis Willis would sit upon this rock and rest from his tiring work in this very field, and as a boy he would climb upon this rock as he watched his father toil in the summer heat.” I realized he was talking about Willis Gale and his father Daniel Gale. Willis was my wife's great uncle, and Daniel his father. They owned this farm before I bought it from my in-laws., but this was no secret. They left it to my mother in law, and were very well known in the area, people to this day talk fondly of old Willis Gale.

The voice went on, “So I am God the father and creator of all that was, is, and is to be. I am the common ground that unites all of existance. Inside each of you is your soul, the inner you, the part of you that wasbefore you were. It dwells inside of you, and always will be even after your body passes on to become the dust I created you from. Along with the soul that exists inside of you I have instilled a part of me , that man has come to call the Holy Spirit. The Spirit talks to you on a daily basis, even though mankind has lost the ears to hear it, but you feel it. It is that tugging at your heart, trying to get you on the right path, trying to guide you past the pitfalls in life, and to my heavenly purpose. But you as man through the original defiance you have come to call the original sin, have allowed another to dwell inside of you, and that being controls you through the EGO, and tells you how great you can be, by worshiping things that do not matter, like money and possessions. Essentially when you follow ego, you edge God out of you life and let the dark power take over, aqnd control the direction you take in your life.

Look at the mess in this world, the collapsed economies, the lost jobs, the devalued properties, it is all a result of greed. Man wanting more than he truly needs, houses were getting bigger and bigger, as were the mortgages, and deceptive ways were devised to cover up the debt incurred. Things are considered neccesities that aren't necessary at all. They ar enice to haves and it would make my life easier if...but not necessary at all to live. Cars had to be fancier and bigger.Things considered neccesities may be nice but truly not neccessitie to live. Things had to be bigge, fancier, more economical. All because the one who controls the ego said it should be. You as a society have strayed from your roots. You government fills your headwith lies and like the rest of you, lives well outside of its means, but no one wants to sufer the hard cuts because of a sense of entitlement. You learned nothing from my earthly incarnation in the form of the Christ. He came to earth as an example of how to lead your life, and howit should be lead, and to hopefully awaken you to the existance of the Spirit inside of each of you. He was sent to be the part of me that exeperienced what you experience. He was sent to be the Rabbi of all Rabbi's. I have listened my son, not only to you but to generation upon generations who were like you.” the voice said unto me.

“How do I know you listened my Lord, I mean my life is so messed up and seemingly empty.” I cried.

Is it now? Empty you say, I would say just the opposite, your life is rich and full. I have instilled in you a purpose to minister to your fellow man, and you have found your niche in caring for your fellow warriors. You warriors hold a special place in my heart because for the most part you fight the evil in this world. You put you lives on the line to fight tyranny and hatred, but you also pay the price with your thousand yard stares, and metal anguish from experiencing the horros that man can inflict on their fellow man. This is a result of evil getting inside and messing with the EGO, and filling the mind with self centered thoughts which result in Edging God Out of your lives.” the voice inside my heart continues, “ now to your original prayer, when have I not answered your prayers? You prayed for help in heating your house and I arranged for one receptive to delivering wood and accepting payment over time, then I went a step further and got you a load delivered free of charge from another source. You prayed for relief of a car loan...”

“Now wait a minute God,” I say,, “ I got out from under the car payment because my daughter totaled her mothers car, now that can't be the same thing.”

“Now my son,” God went on,” why does it have to work out exactly as YOU want? Yes she was in an accident, and totaled the car, but didn't I protect her from injury, as well as the other driver? Didn't you get exactly enough to pay off the loan on the car? I would say it all worked out for you.” “You Prayed for money to pay for truck repairs, and didn't I provide work that paid enough to cover those expenses, as well as provide a lady you have become friendly with and is a huge fan of yours?You prayed fervently for a job when your unemployemtn ran out and I provided one. Ialso provided finacial help whn you needed it to pay your bills. When you though Christmases were going to be dismal, didn't I provide money for you to buy presents for your girls, and you admitted yourself tha those were two of the best Christmas's of your life.”

“So okay God,” I ask, “Why do you let bad things happen to good people?”

My son,” God responded, “I don't let bad things happen to good people, you people alone allow bad things to happen to yourselves. Again you rely on EGO to sort things out, and rely on your own understanding. You Edge Me Out, even when you come to me in prayer, rather than listening to the stirring in your heart, and the murmeurs of the Spirit, you rely more on your own intuition and the direction of the EGO. Yes I created the EGO as an instrument for you to develop some pride in your accomplishments, but you have pushed it furhter and further ahead in your life, and placed it above me. Many people worship themselves above me and fail to acknowledge any control I have over their lives. They turn only to themsleves for answers, and take credit for all the good things that happen in ther lives, but blame me when things go wrong. There are two things and two things only I ask of you as humans, and that is to love your fellow man as you love yourself, and two is to in all ways acknowledge me. You must remember that Gratitude is an attitude, and that it is catchy. Just as you like your children to be grateful for the things you do for them, I like all my children to be grateful for the things I do for them. Just as when your children are grateful , you are willing to give them and trust them more, I am also. However, just as you are dismayed when all your children do is come to you with their hands out looking for more without acknowledging what you have already done for them, I get upset when people come to me in prayer and just ask for blessings in their lives. It is totally within my power to make everyman wealthy in ways you can only imagine, but I do not do so because if you are not to be thankful for the small things in your lives, you will never be for the big things either.. Additionally with the benefits of my treasures comes the awesome responsibility of sharing the treasure with those around you as I share them with you. Do you understand what I am saying? You give so freely of yourself and that which I have entrusted in you, but others do not. They think the amassing of gold and jewels make them rich, they fail to realize it is not the ability to amass the vast amount of riches, but the ability to share what I have trusted to you with others that makes you truly rich..”

“My big fear my Lord,” I muse, “is that I am not praying properly.”

“My son,” my heart murmurs, “is there a proper way to pray? You tell me.”

“I don't know Lord,” I reply, “So many people in the Bible seem to have it wired, with the right amount of formality, even people at church, yo uknow the pious ones that use the flowery words and kneel with their heads bowed. That just doesn't feel right to me, I don't know, I just want to do it right.”

“There is no right way, and there is no wrong way to pray,” the voice assures me. “There is only what is comfortable to you. How do you talk to your friends? Are you all formal and correct when you talk to them? If you are comfortable on your knees, then by all means do that. If you are more comfortable sitting on a rock in the middle of a beautiful field with the sounds of nature all around you, then by all means do that. I really don't care, what I do care is that you share with me and come to me with your joys as well as your fears. I care that you have a sense of gratitude for what you have. Talk to me as you wold your wife and kids. What is right for you is right for me.”

“Okay, I say,”I can see that, but it seems that you don't hear me or care to answer.”

“I always answer you Paul,” the voice assures me, You just have to remember, your time is not my time. To me a day is like a millenium, and a millenium is like a day. I answer you when the time is right, in my time, not yours.

“But God,” I cry, “How do I know that if I don't hear you?”

“Paul, Paul, Paul,” He goes on, “You also have to remember man has forgotten how to hear me. I didn't stop communicating with you, you stopped learning how to listen. Abraham, Enoch, Daniel, David, and even Paul learned how to listen to the murmur in their soul just as you are doing right now, that is how I communicate with you. I also send you messages through your surroundings and nature. Remember when you decided it was right to start a ministry, you were talking to me in a garden. What happened then?”

“I remember,” I said, “A hummingbird landed on abranch right next to me and sat there looking at me. I felt so peaceful and everyhting felt so right.”

“And was that not an answer to you?”

“I see what you mean my Lord, I see what you mean.”

“My son just because I don't ensure you have all the things you think are the finest in the world, I have entrusted you with some of the most precious gifts life has to offer. A good woman at your side, the sound of giggling children at play, the beauty of a sunrise and sunset over the mountains. And you do show gratitude for these, and I am appreciative of that, for many don't and just grumble about what they don't have even when I have given them so much. So go forth my son and enjoy the pleasures I have given you, and remember this, the most precious gift is time, for even though it goes on eternally, your time in this physical body is limited and finite,and you can't replace any of it once it is gone, so spend it wisely, and enjoy every second of it.”

With that the voice subsided and my heart went quiet, but the glow remained and I knew my conversation with God was over, for now. But I also felt if I continued to speak, God would be ther listening. I walked back to the house a few minutes later with a new fresh perspective on life, and my relationship with my Creator.

A Matter of Perspective

It has been said that a weed is a desirable plant that has just grown in the wrong place. This is very true in many cases. During the summer I was working out in the field and my wife made the comment to me, that she wishes we could get rid of the milkweed that grows in places around the field. Ilooked at her and said I would like to see a half acre of the field covered in nothing but milkweed. Janet asked me why, and I told her, when I look at milkweed I can smell the sweet aroma of the flowers as they bloom in the summer. I look and I can see the monarch butterflies flitting from flower to flower as they feed (Monarchs love milkweed and it protects them from many predators as the predators do not like the taste of the monarch as it takes on the flavor of the milkweed) Ialso see my children standing in the field as youngsters picking the pods and pulling the seeds out and blowing them into the wind and then saying "Look daddy angels floating over us" Yes when some people look at the milkweed they see a noxious plant that seemingly has nothing to offer, but they don't look beyond the plant to the beauty it brings with it, and the wonderment of children at play. What a boring world it would be if we didn't have children watching the "angels" floating on the breeze. Yes things may appear as weeds in our lives, noxious and unneeded, but if you dig deeper and look at them deeper you may see the beauty they put into your life because they are there. An illness or medical condition may be a pain, but it may make you slow down enough in your life that you actually take time to smell the roses. A layoff from work may give you the time to lay on your back with your children and see the animals that float over head in the clouds. These weeds, may also be God's way of leading us on to greater things and becoming more elegant and beautiful humans as the milkweed helps create and protect the monarch butterfly. Life is all a matter of perspective, and hwo we look at it determines how we react to it. Be positive and understanding and life becomes positive and understanding to you.

A second American Civil War

Regardless if we want to admit it or not, this is a country that is in the midst of a second civil war. Instead of the north aligning against the south, this is a civil war of neighbor against neighbor, and parents against children. it is a war pitting those who have against those who have not. The country is polarized and it seems there is no coming together. On one side we have those who believe the country should be taxing the rich at higher and higher rates. The problme here being no one can agree who is classified as rich, the current administration feels that if you make a combined income of $250,000 or more you are rich, but I envision that as being adjusted on the downward side as they realize the taxes assesed on those incomes do not meet the needs of the programs they want to institute. On the other side of the coin is the people who drive this countries economy whether it be by hard work and a vision of entrepreneurship creating businesses and jobs, or the others who use the concept of putting their money to work for them by investing in businesses in the form of stock ownership. Those who have cry foul that they should be able to keep their hard earned money, and invest it further to create new opportunities. Then there are those who have not and cry foul because they feel the ones who have got to have on the backs of those who have not by stepping on them and keeping them down in order to realize thier own asporations. The have nots feel the only way to level the playing field is to have the government intervene, and take from those who have and through entitelment programs redistribute the welth to those who have not. In many ways this war is bloodier and more polarizing than the first civil war ever was. What the answer is to ending the conflict may be, i really don't know. What I do know is we have to find a way to bridge this chasm that has opened up between two parts of american culture and we have to find it fast, or we will not survive as the representation republic for which we have become the envy of the world. Peace is not the absence of war. True Peace is the presence of genuine love, because only when mankind has the ability to love all others regardless of differences can we truly be at peace.

Veteran's Day

Tomorrow is Veterans day, while I do not ask for any special recognition for my service, as I did it out of love for my country, no matter its flaws, I am glad the day has been set aside to thank veterans for their service, just as I am glad that Memorial day is set aside those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to this country. That being said, I can no longer stand by and be quiet about an issue that has bothered me for a long time. The commercialization of all holidays, I am very upset that the day to honor those Veterans who didn't come home, as well as the day to honor all Veterans have become a driving force for sales. We salute those who gave their lives for this country, now come in and buy from us. Or, We salute all those who served, you honor and dedication is an inspiration to us all, now come in and buy from us. I do recognize that some people and businesses do honor Veterans with no ulterior motive, as is the case of a couple of local restaurants that offer significant discounts to Veterans on a regular basis, (one is the 11th of every month for half price meals, and another is 10% every day) I appreciate this, though I seldom take advantage of it. It just bothers me that so many businesses put on a patriotic supportive face just to get you in the door to spend your money at their place of business, it is hey look at me, see how patriotic I am wouldn't you want to spend your money here? Don't wish me a happy Veteran's Day for to me the day is bittersweet. when I look at the day, I think of those who didn't come home, or those who came home with serious injuries that have altered their lives forever. The same goes for Memorial Day, there is nothing happy about it, it is a very sad day that so many gave up their lives in service to the country. Just my two cents woth, if you want to honor us, just take our hand and shake it and welcome us home, but don't tell us how happy it is.

Bandaid for the heart

In the town of Stapleton Nebraska is a lady by the name of Monica Harvey, affectionately known by many as "Lil Sis" She is an unassuming lady with a beautiful soul. In 2001 she assumed a ministry that has evolved into the Veterans Music Ministry. She travels from place to place visiting Veterans Homes,Hospitals,and get togethers such as moving walls, and the such. She sings and brings hope to a forgotten generation of warriors. When the World War II vets were welcomed home as the heroes they were, Korea a littel less so, and then a war broke out in some little god forsken corner of the world that very few could locate on the map. We shipped load after load of Sailors, Marines, Sldiers and Airmen, as well as Coasties to that remote place in Southeast Asia. During that timesome 58,000 did not return home, and those who did found a whole different war going on in this country. Those coming home learned to ditch their uniforms, hide their medals, and disguise their outside wounds and just try to blend in. However the wounds that were born on the inside never healed. the ound of the soul and the heart given by a country that they came from, given by their neighbors, school mates, and old friends. These wounds hurt far more than any bullet ever could. They were spat upon, called names and made to feel shame for what they did. As I said these wounds sat and sat day after day, month after month year after year. Many of these men vowed never tolet this happen again, to make every returning warrior feel welcomed when they returned, yet it did not really do anything for the internal anguish that they felt. Then along comes Lil Sis in her little corner of the world, singing to them, hugging them, caring for them, and welcoming them home. In addition she came up with a little trinket she called the healing heart medal. A little pin to be be attached to the hats, vests, and shirts of these mighty men. much beyond her control the name transitioned to the Band-aid for the heart, as that was what it is to these warriors who answered their countries call, adn gave unselfishly of themselves. It was a symbol of a gap being bridged and the wounds of the psyche being pulled together. It is a symbol of caring, and sharing of the pain that they feel. Many wear it proudly, probably more proudly that any medal they received. they wear it with honor and dignity. To them it is the trinket that shows someone really does care, and remembers the sacrifice they made.
From that Ministry sprang hope, love, and trust of a quiet unassuming lady who just wanted to express her gratitude. From her example has sprung the Healing the Heart Ministry ~ Vietnam & Veterans of all Wars and Ann Marie Hatchell, and has inspired me to transform my own Gale Farm Ministry to the Gale Farm Veterans Ministry, reaching out to all our Veterans, because as I personally know, the wounds on the outside will heal and fade, but the wounds on the inside never really do. So welcome home to all my brothers and sisters in uniform welcome home.

Lost Our Way

I try not to get to political in my posts but have recently been reflecting on the situation this country finds itself in of late.America was founded on the concept of hard work and self accomplishment. The early settlers worked hard in carving a niche out for themsleves in the wilderness that was the early colonies. They saw a way and severed ties with England as a result of the Revolution, and took a fledgling nation to a superpower. In World War I and World War II they sacrificed and did without in order to accomplish the goal of winning the war.

We seem to have lost our way. We have become a nation of whiners complaining about all aspects of our lives. We have our hands out collectively as a nation expecting the government to provide everything for us from food to health care.Welfare is abused, but if you try straightening it out the masses complain the fix is unconstitional, even though many who complain have never read the Constitution. We expect the government to ffix and make our retirement comfortable. We expect our elected official to bring more money "home" than we sent in. We seem to have lost our way in that we elect "professional" Politicians. The way our Government was set up by our founding fathers was that the Senate was the elite, the House was the commonor working person, the businessman who went to Washington for one or two terms, then went back home to their farms or their businesses and let someone else take a turn. It has become a government of corruption, and special interests plying the halls with money to burn, and those with the most m oney to burn win the biggest prizes. The people of this country seem to have lost the ability to think for themselves.

I am warning you we have to find our way, and get back to our roots, or this country as we know it is going to head the way of many of the ancient civilizations tha once had it all, power, prestige, and wealth ending up in collapse. Wake up people...the Constitution does not guarantee you happiness, it guarantess you the right to pursue happiness, the rest is up to you.

Nails in the Fence

A friend posted this on Facebook, and I liked it so much I had to use it myself

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next

few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Remember that friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.'


Please forgive me if I have ever left a 'hole' in your fence

We leaves holes in peoples fences all the time through our anger and even meanness. When we call some one names or do spiteful things we are driving a hole in the relationship and those holes are always there for people to see and feel. Think before you say, and think before you do because you may never really know the damage you do to someone through your actions and or your words

New Posts

It has been a very long time since I paid attention to this site. When I started it, I was going to light the world on fire, and then things happened and I got sidetracked. I was out of work for an extended period of time I did some posting, but mainly sat around feeling sorry for myself, but then started a new job and pushed it all to the back burner. I have realized one thing, and that is my thoughts don't stop. Instead of a blog this could be called ramblings becasue I shift from one subject to another, but they are all near and dear to my heart. I am vowing now to start all over again and be more faithful to my writing. I am going to ask for accountability partners to keep me on track of at a minimum 1 blog per week but hopefully one per day. SO watch for some great stuf to be coming out of my head.

Geting Oldr and Older

It has been three years since I wrote the following blog about when Did I Get Old, and I am amazed at how much has happened the orginal post was this.....

Several things happened to me recently that made me ask myself this question. When did I get old? When did life speed by and leave me in the past? My daughter asked me to volunteer and help the Kingswood Ski Team setting up the race courses the other day. In a previous time I would have been to busy to be bothered with such mundane stuff, but in recent times I have realized how important it is to be able to do the small things with your family and friends. So I told her to tell the coach I would help. We got to the ski area and I rushed to get my equipment on, and proceeded up the mountain and with a special “wrench” in hand I proceeded to screw down the gates for the slalom course. It didn’t take to long for me to realize I am not as young as I used to be, my legs ached from standing on skis on such a steep incline, my shoulders ached from turning the wrench to force the screw on the bottom of the gate into the frozen snow. I wondered when the task would ever end as I looked down the mountain at the long snaking line of gates running to the finish line. I realize I am not as young as many with children my age as I was in my early thirties when Khrys was born. Later that day I was skiing down a black diamond with my daughter, I was at the top of the trail and Khrys started down the hill, I followed behind her watching her carve a line down the mountain. I believe I blinked once, and when I looked down the mountain she was gone.


I realized how that is with our children. We raise them and think they will always be there, but when we blink, and our eyes reopen they are grown and gone starting a life of their own independent of us. All we can hope is that we raised them properly and equipped them to live a life that would make us proud as parents. I remembered this little girl at my side when I was first teaching her how to ski. She held my hand and looked up at me with trusting eyes, as we waited for the chair lift to come around and take us up the mountain. Like most protective fathers, when the chair came around and hit me in the back of the calf, and forced us to sit in the seat, I reached in front of her to make sure she didn’t slip from the chair, as I brought the safety bar down. I took her down the mountain prodding her to remember her turns instead of barreling straight down the mountain. She was the headstrong one, and she tried my patience as we worked our way down the mountain. I then realized that I should put her in lessons. She was little more advanced than a straight beginner, but not yet up to the next level, so I sprung for private lessons for her, but being the protective Dad I hung back behind the lesson and watched her listen to the instructor and do as she was told. When her lesson was over I talked to the instructor, and he told me that this little girl with wide blue eyes had a natural talent when it came to putting skis on her feet. I remembered that as I looked down the trail and saw the graceful curves of her trail going down the snow. She is a natural at life, she takes things in stride, and moves on with pride and determination that she is going to make her mark on life in her own way. She is no longer that little girl that holds my hand and trusts I will make everything okay and safe for her. I realized then that I had grown older, and was no longer the required leader I her life, but in many ways a bystander, standing back watching her meet life head on. In many ways I realize she still does need me, but I also realize that I have to stand back and let her make her way in life.


I then look at my own fallibility and frailness as I reflect back on slipping on the ice and giving myself a concussion, with the headache that accompanies it. Then I was told by my wife that a friend of the family had passed away form a heart attack in his garage. I realize how short life really is. Earlier in December the music director from the high school’s life ebbed out after a battle with cancer. Time is short and we grow old and deteriorate, so take life one day at a time, and enjoy each and every moment as if it could be your last.


In the time that ela[sed since I wrote this post...my oldewst has come back from college, bought her first car and started her first "full time" job and taken over her own bills. The little girl I wrote about in the original blog has gone off to college, made Deans list her first Semester of college life , gone to New Orleans to work work on the Katrina Revitalization program during a school break, serves on the student senate at Johnson Statte College,a dn co-ordinate volunterr effort programs at the school. She is a self imposed perfectionist that strives to be the best at what she does. My youngest is in Middle School and developing into quite the woman she displays dignity and poise along with compassion and love in everything she does. What hurts is I don't want to give up that role of protector and guardian, and stand back and watch them make their mark on the world. It makes me proud to do this but also makes me feel ancient, and unneeded anymore. I am no longer the man who carried a screaming baby on my back up and down the street becasue it was the only way to get her to quiet down. I am no longer the man that the girls reach up and take his hand when they are scared, and frankly I am not adjusting well to the new role in my life. I miss th littel girls in pig tails and mud boots, but I am so proud of the ladies they have become. I love you all, maybe a little differently but I love them all the same

America: How We Got this Way

It is hard to miss that the united States is in an economic and social mess in this day and age. High unemployment haunts us at every turn, and does not seem to want to rebound. Foreclosures at extreme highs, real estate prices plummeting and not regaining. Every one points fingers as who is to blame, The Obamites blame Bush, the Bushites blame Clinton and Obama.

The truth is the Presidency while having some effect is not the total cause of the situation. Yes there were roots inthe Carter Administration that set the whole thing in motion when the edict came down that every American should be able to own a house, and as time worked its way around, and lending restrictions relaxed making way for the undocumented loans and sub prime loans as well as interest only payments the housing crash and economic demolition did begin. However if you dig deeper, you find the root cause of the problem. It is the people's greed. No longer happy with a small house with a master bedroom and the kids sharing a room, then a family room, kitchen and maybe a dining room, we started demanding a master suite with 1 bedroom for each kid, a play room living room, and ore and more space, much of which actually went underused. small 1000 square foot houses made way for 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and even 5,000 square foot houses while average family size actually decreased. Add on top of that we want televisions in every room, and the kitchen has to have stainless steel appliances, imported marble countertops, and custom made tile floors, with pantries large enough to sleep in. Bathrooms have to have whirlpool tubs seperate shower stalls, and more. We could go on and on Closets have to be filled with shoes and clothes, but if you look at the labels, you find what used to be made in the U.S. is now made in China, Malayasia, Mexico, Guatamala, and other remote places. Our neighbors get more, so we want more becasue heaven forbid we can't fall behind. We demand raises and higher and higher minimum wages, thus driving the price of the products we make higher and higher, while we demand more and ore goods, so the manufacturers find countries with lower and lower wages and less restrictions to keep the cost down. What was once an extravagance susch as microwave ovens and mega sound systmes, become a neccesity we have to have them or we just can't survive, thus looking for cheaper and cheaper goods. We become a disposable society shoes we wera once or twice then go the back of the closet and eventually thrown out, so China's economy grows and our manufacturing base continues to shrink. If every American bought pair of American made shoes we could reopen most of the shoe factories in Maine and remploy thousands of people, but we won't because they cost to much and who can live with only one or two pair of shoes...(I have a pair of sneakers, a pair of work boots, work shoes 1 pair of dress shoes, and a pair of beach shoes,and my winter boots, that is it, Oh I almost forgot my one pair of well worn hiking boots that have hiked many New Hampshire Mountains, American made, and 36 years old but still look and feel in pretty good shape.) If we bought American made clothes, from natural fibers such as cotton or linen we would put farmers back to work, we would put textile mills back in operation. If we repaired clothes instead of throwing them out we would employ more seamstresses, and tailors. If we would buy 1 or 2 American made Televisions rather than having to have one in every room we would open more factories. Just think about it. If we bought more domestic goods rather than foriegn goods our economy would rebound very quickly. I we gave people hands up instead of hand outs we would have a very robust work force.

I hear the cry Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, where are the jobs the government promised us....face it folks the governement does not have the power to create jobs that are meaningful and self sustaining, they can expand governmment departments but those are tax dependent jobs. Only we can be the force to create more meaningful jobs b demanding American made products, thus putting more of our fellow countrymen back to work.The choice is ours, and ours alone. We were once a mighty manufacturing giant, but where are we now...those facotries sit vacant or are being demolished. Do we allow this to contiue to happen, or do we get offour asses and do soemthing about it, and rebuild this mighty country.

Change The Channel

Has life got you down?

Do you drag yourself out of bed?

Does it seem the world is against you?

My friend it is time

To change the channel of your life.

Change the channel of your life!

Face the life from the positive,

And see how your outlook does change.

Turn off the negativity,

And instead of dwellin in the wrongs,

Count the blessings,

God has bestowed upon you,

For even when it appears,

Bleak and darkest in our lives,

God is raining blessings,

Down upon you.

So I say unto you,

Dwell not on the pitfalls,

But call upon possibilities.

So wake up my friends,

Change the channel on your life.

All is not doom and gloom,

God is with us all our days,

Wanting the best inour lives.

Change the channel in your soul,

Face the day in a whole new light,

Let us look at what we have,

Instead of dwelling on that which we don't.

Change the channel of our lives,

Form darkness and despair,

To that of light and hope.





Paul H. Bartoswicz

The Honor Guard

On July 4th I had the honor of marching with the color guard in the Ossipee July 4th Parade. I use the term marcning loosely, because what this middle aged man with a damaged knee did could hardly be called marching even in the loosest sense of the word. It was more like a limping stroll down Moultonville Rd. It was the first time I had participated in the Parade in this capacity, and it was heartwarming to hear the applause from the viewers lining the side of the road. The warmth and sincerity was music to my ears. The girl who came up to me at the end of the parade and handed me a pin of the American Flag, and the smile on her face as I asked her to pin it on my shirt, and the hug she blessed me with afterward set a warm rush through my heart. What did bother me during the parade, and frankly it bothers me all the time when the flag is presented, is the lack of respect our national flag seems to get and how it seems to deteriorate every year. I was bought up to respect the flag, stand when it goes by, take my hat off and hold it over my heart. I was taught to sing the National Anthem with gusto and pride even though I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. When I joined the Navy I was taught to salute the flag even before requesting permission to board the ship. I was taught to treat it with honor and dignity, fold it with care, carry it with reverence, and above all to protect it with my life. I took those edicts very seriously,and still do. When many look at the flag they see a piece of cloth flapping in the breeze, when I look at the flag, I see the signers of the Declaration who were signing their own death warrant if things turned out differently. I see the men who shed their blood in places like Lexington and Concord, fighting a vastly superior army with much more training I see families who through the sweat of their brow and daily toils who carved out a little place for themselves in the American wilderness. I see the blood and carnage of Antietam, Bull Run, and Gettysburg. I see the bandages and the carnage in places like Flanders Field and the trenches of Europe in a world torn apart by war. I see the anguish caused by places like Normandy, Pearl Harbor, and the Phillipines. I see the pride in a group of Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. I see places like Pusan, Inchon, Quesang, Da Nang. I see mighty war ships with 16 inch guns, I see PT boats with their hit and run tactics. I see swift boats plying the brown waters of the rivers in Vietnam. When I see the flag I see mothers who are burying their sons, I see the tears in a fathers eyes as he sends his son off to war. I see 240 caskets lined up side by side and end to end for the peacekeepers in Beirut.

When I see a flag I see a country that rolled up its sleeves and worked together to get done what had to be done. I see a country who got together and pulled itself through the great depression. I see a flag that represents a country that looked to the stars and said what is out there, then worked hard to find out. I see a country that is able to overcome any adversity that is put in its way if we only work together instead of fighting each other. I see a country who proudly sends help when they see a neighbor inneed but does not ask for help in return.

My friends, that is what I see when I look at those colors go by or fly from a flagpole in front of some building. I don't just see a piece of colored cloth flapping in the breeze, I see 235 years of history. And when I render honors to those wonderful colors, I render honor to every man and woman who through the sweat of their brow worked to make this country as great as it is. Please think of this next time some middle aged guy limping along goes by in an honor guard with the American Flag proudly held out leading the way.

Common Courtesy

Something has been bothering me a lot over the years and it has come to a head lately as I look around me in life, and that is common courtesy. Somethings I can see being a little more relaxed at, but others I still believe is common courtesy to others. What brought this to a head for me was two separate events over the weekend. On Saturday evening my Mother in Law took my family out to a bean supper. I was wearing my ball cap to the supper as I usually do when I am outside, and upon entering the fellowship room of the church I removed my hat and with lack of space around the table I clipped my hat to my belt loop and proceeded to sit down at the table. Down the table from me sat two men I would say in their 3's or early 40's both wearing their ball caps during the meal. Then the other stark contrast was my 19 year old daughter was asking people to please pass the beans or other meal items,and thanking them for it when she received it. The older couple across the table made the comment about her politeness,and it made me feel very good about the way I tried to raise my girls. The second event that irritated me this weekend was the next day at church they had the seating arranged in a circle around the communion table which I enjoyed, and a benefit to this is you could see more people around you during the service, instead of just the back of a bunch of heads. I looked over during the service and there was this one young man about the same age as my middle daughter and that s 19, and he was wearing his hat during church, not only wearing his hat but wearing it sideways in that ridiculous "gangstah" style that the young kids seem to want to emulate today. I can tolerate the relaxed style of dress prevelant at church today even though I was brought up that you wore your Sunday Best to church Sunday morning, and I even enjoy being able to go to church in a more relaxed style, but I also feel that this relaxed style should not override common courtesy.

A contrast in this was several weeks ago I went to a concert at the church in Union by two very talented musicians. After this concert I was talking to a young lady who happens to be the mother of a classmate of my youngest daughters. This lady kept calling me sir and Mr. Bartoswicz. When I made the comment that I wished sh would call me by my first name she responded back that she did not feel comfortable doing so for two reasons, first I was an officer in the military and she was enlisted and second I am substantially older than she and she was taught at a young age that you showed respect to those older than you by calling them Ma'am or sir and by the title Mr. or Mrs..

We have lost so much of this courtesy in our society today, our children call our friends by their first names, we walk by people struggling with packages without offering to help or even hold the door for them. Men do not treat ladies with respect or dignity, nor do women expect it anymore, sometimes even degrading a man for doing it. It is common courtesy to hold a door for any person. I tell my daughters that if they have a date pick them up at the house and the young man just sits in the driveway and honks the horn they are not going out for them, for if the young man can not get out of the car and come to the door to escort them out of the house, he is not worth the effort of your being seen with him., But I would expect them to do the same thing if they were picking the young man up at his house to go somewhere, because it is common courtesy.

I say it is time to make a difference and let's bring back some courtesy and manners back into society. Let us make this a more sociable place to live where we express gratitude when people do things for us, and we help others in our day to day lives rather than just being selfish and expecting the world to do for us all the time. We are connected to each other in more ways than we know, and the more we do for others, and the more we treat others with dignity, the more we are doing for ourselves, and treating ourselves with dignity.

From Gale Farm Ministries Web Site blog

This is a repost of my blog page from my ministry website that I feel compelled to post here today

I have been trying very hard not to get political on this website, because I firmly believe that republican, democrat, independent, libretarian, all believers are still brothers and sisters in Christ, and I will not expound on my political stance beyond to say I vote in every election because I believe it is not only the right thing to do, but part of our duties as American Citizens.

However a quote I heard on the news this morning deeply saddened me. President Obama stood there and called those that disagree with him as the enemy. I found and thought what was great about this country was that we could disagree politically, go out an vote out conscience for the candidate we thought best represented us, and still be friends of those who we disagree with politically. A statement like the one that President Obama made goes a long way into driving a wedge between the political parties I thought one if his campaign promises was to find a way to work together with those who disagree with him and reach a common ground. A statement such as calling those that oppose you as the enemy does not reach across the aisle but builds a wall in that aisle that many would not want to take down. In this tme of economic crisis and national turmoil the president should be trying to find a way to build up relations and not tear them down. I even had a "friend" tell me a couple of months ago that he couldn't consider our realtionship a "friendship" anymore because of our political differences, I should inject here that we have many other things in common like our love for the state we live in, our love for the community, our interest in the trades and many other things but because we disagree fundamentally on the direction of the country as a whole we should no longer relate as friends. Is this really the direction we want this country to take to deepen that divide between red and blue as the news has dubbed it, or are we to be a country that works through our problems with a common discourse, and some give and take. what would happen if we heard..."Gee Harry I never looked at it that way, maybe there is some merit to that argument" or "You know Judd, now that you put it on paper and show me how this works I may not agree with everything you say, but this idea does have merit." Instead all we hear is how the Republicans want our seniors to eat pet food, and the democrats want to spend us into oblivion.

Let's get real folks, and think about the true question...and I am going to use a new slant to this becasue this is a Christian Website and look at this from a Christian perspective, let us ask ourselves in this case...."what would Jesus Do?" we have a tendency to look tot he government for answers, but we should really be looking inward, to the spirit that resides within us as Christians a part of the Holy Spirit. We have the power to change this mess the country is in, we have the power to make things right...we just need to focus on hwo to do it rather than pointing blame at everyone as to how we got into the mess. Let's get real folks God is our power God is our walking stick, we have to rely on Him to be our support in times of crisis, adn find common ground with those we disagree and find a way to fix the problem rather than be a part of it.

I'll come down off my soap box now and go out and cut wood to help keep my family warm during the winter, and think about the answeres to the questions I just raised. What will you do to help make the situation better.?

Let Go and Let God

Let Go and Let God



How do you live life

My dear friend?

Are you spiritual

And a person of faith?

Do you live a life

That exhibits that belief?

For a man who believes,

But does not put into action,

Is like a hollow shell,

Without filling substance.

Are you developing

My dear friend,

By becoming more gentle and a humble self?

To become more

Like God Above?

For life my friend,

is a constant transition,

From our Ego self,

to our Spiritual self.

As you live your life,

You must change and grow.

We need to develop,

Just as a flower grows.

We cannot rely,

On the wisdom of our fellow man.

For that wisdom is folly,

The way of a foolish Man.

It is the way

Of selfish enhancement.

Earthly wisdom,

Grows heavy with envious thoughts.

It is on our lives,

That we cannot deny.

But instead give up

Your sensual pleasures.

And strive instead,

For the Spiritual pleasure.

Practice the art,

Of lifting up,

The lives of

Your fellow man.

Become a man

Of peace and love.

Stay clear my friend

Of the earthly hazard.

Don't weigh yourself down,

With a heavy Heart.

Don't fret my friend,

Of the earthly desires,

For the fruit

Of God's true wisdom,

Will purify your heart,

And lighten the feeling.

He will bless you

With a sense of desire and peace.

He will make you

Considerate of your fellow man,

And bestow upon you

A feeling of submission,

To God's desires..

He will fill you with mercy,

And make the fruit

Of your labor good.

You will look at your fellow man

With an eye of impartiality,

And finally bestow

unto you a new life.

A true blessing

Of sincerity in all that you do.

So go forth my dear friend,

Transition your life,

From understanding,

Based here on earth.

To an understanding,

Based in Heaven above.

And let God

Work Wonders in your life.



Paul H. Bartoswicz 6/27/2010

Based partly on James 3: 13-18


Are we truly trusting Good to direct our lives by opening our hearts and letting the Spirit guide us on our daily walk and putting our faith in action on a daily basis? Or ae we letting our EGO take over and deciding we know more about how to live our lives than God does, not believing there is a design for our lives and a path for us to exhibit His divine love and guidance. I have found in my life when I rely on myself for my guidance I really mess up my life and my relationships, but when I rely on the guidance of the Spirit, my creative juices flow and I end up being a lot happier in everyhting I do. For when we rely on EGO we Edge God Out of our lives and we determine we should be in control, but when we rely on Him we learn to trust totally and accept the blessings He is willing to bestow on us on a daily basis. So my friend, LET GO AND LET GOD direct us on our daily walk by trusting in Him and talking with Him as we woul talak to a friend for He is our Divine friend.