John Harrell's Blog, page 88

Mothers Day

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in the United States. Over 40 countries worldwide celebrate mothers and honor them on a special day, usually in March or May.

There is no force more powerful than the love of a devoted mother. Period. They will sacrifice everything to care for and provide for their children. Many times they do it alone. According to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau, out of about 11 million single parent families with children under the age of 18, nearly 80 percent were headed by single mothers. Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority.

And some will find it difficult to celebrate Mother’s Day. They may be mourning the loss of a child, or perhaps the loss of their own mother. Or they desperately wanted children but were unable to have them. These women suffer silently.

If you are a mother who unconditionally loves and provides for her children, I admire and respect you. Motherhood is a tough, oftentimes thankless job…

Why?

I think scientifically, which means I question everything. Asking why something is some way is a solid starting point. My mind races with endless possibilities and circumstances.

I encourage you to question everything you can. Don’t take what the newscasters and politicians tell you at face value. Search for motive.

You will find that there are very few answers, only more questions. That’s a good thing…

Marriage Advice

Fifty percent of first marriages end in divorce. That’s sad. What’s even worse is, the percentage of divorce goes up for second and third marriages.

Only one percent of couples who actively pray together get divorced. I usually don’t go with the odds, but in this case it’s worth considering…

Surface Diversity

In the United States, we get diversity wrong. We have been taught that a diverse group is a group with multiple skin colors. This barely scratches the surface.

A group of ten white men is diverse. Oh they are all white, so there are those who see no further than that. But inside each man is a person with unique experiences, beliefs, causes, struggles and strengths. Inside is where diversity lies, not outside.

Keep this in mind when you are putting together a team. Focus on finding the best add to your group, people with unique gifts. Then you will have achieved diversity…

Storms

We are in the middle of thunderstorm season. I love those storms. But what about the storms of life? Those seem to be in season all the time.

We live in an imperfect world. Stuff will happen that we cannot anticipate. Our attitude in facing the storm will determine our outcome. We must remember that God is in control, we aren’t. He doesn’t cause bad things to happen to us or our loved ones, but He does allow them.

When we think about how great God is, and we realize there is absolutely nothing He can’t do, we find peace. God will see us through whatever we are dealing with. Put your focus on Him and not the storm. Then we will see His hand in our lives. You can’t miss it…

Go Through

All of us have challenges in our lives. Some pass quickly, while some are longer term. What do we do when faced with obstacles?

We might be tempted to avoid facing the challenges of life. We can numb them out with alcohol or drugs, put them off until tomorrow, or we can work through them.

Going through difficult periods is rarely easy or quick. We learn from them, though, when we face them and go through them. The trials of life might last a few days, but they might go on for years.

Whatever you are facing, I encourage you to not give up. You will find victory over your challenges, but you find it through perseverance and determination. Just keep going…

Again!

Yesterday we had another mass shooting in Allen, Texas. Eight innocent people were killed, and seven more were wounded.

This is a direct result of our continued breakdown in mental health. Suicides are increasing, along with homelessness and hopelessness. We can change this.

Some tough decisions must be made by our legislators. They can no longer talk about mental health, while doing nothing more than kicking the can down the road. We must address the psychotics directly. Their rights must be compromised. We must institutionalize them for their safety as well as for the safety of others. Innocent people have rights, too.

By the way, it’s not the gun. Chicago is a gun-free zone. Just investigate Chicagos annual murder rate, and you’ll see what I mean. Peace, thoughts and prayers to all…

Surreality

I am in my hometown of Sherman, Texas as I write this. It’s my first time back in 26 years. And it’s weird.

Much has changed, but most has stayed the same. Restaurants and office buildings have exploded, but much of the charm of a small town remains.

I never really fit in here. Even as a child I wanted to be in a city. I got what I wanted, living in Austin, Texas. But this I know: people are pretty similar, whether in a small town or a large city. Everyone has the same wants, dreams and desires. ..

Void

Everyone has a void they are trying to fill. The world tells us that fun experiences, status, wealth and sex will fill the hole in our hearts, but the world lies. Those things produce temporary happiness, but they aren’t fulfilling.

Only God’s Spirit will sustain us and fill the emptiness. He is our only source for everything we have, and God is our only hope. Trust Him, not the world…

Medicated

It seems like every third commercial on television is a drug commercial. “Have you ever felt depressed? Try Abilify.” We are being brainwashed into believing pills will solve our problems. They won’t.

There’s a tremendous amount of credible research dating back to the 1940’s which shows the efficacy of psychedelics in treating depression, anxiety and addiction. I’m not surprised they are illegal because the pharmaceutical industry has the largest lobby in Washington DC. Get the connection?

There are people who need antidepressants for chemical depression. There’s no shame in that. But we can control our health through diet and exercise. And we value our health more when we earn it.

Let’s turn the tables on the pharmaceutical industry and reclaim our health naturally. We earn it…