Reblog: Bright light from senior workers

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Bright light from senior workers

By Barbara Vining (Reblogged from CSMonitor.com)

It’s encouraging to know that age is not a barrier to progress.

I learned that lesson early from a neighbor – a childhood friend’s father, Mr. Fierke. We were still in high school when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 at General Mills, where he managed the flour division. Without hesitation, he enrolled in a six-month training course to become a stockbroker, after which he began a 23-year career with a well-known brokerage firm. After that, he continued to live an active life.

In recent times, age has become less and less a factor in deciding when one should retire – or whether one should retire at all. It’s quite common for individuals to want – or need – to continue working during their senior years. Many businesses are actually wooing senior workers, and mandatory retirement ages have been disappearing from the horizon. Employers are valuing seniors for their maturity, dependability, and experience – and, I also think, for the inspiration their example can bring to the workplace.

Mr. Fierke’s example certainly inspired me, as well as many others, I’m sure… Read more

Reblog: Only Love’s atmosphere

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When this writer saw a tornado, she quickly prayed. She realized the political turmoil in her neighborhood was affecting the whole atmosphere. Prayer brought a resolution to the political problems and to the weather. 

Only Love’s atmosphere

Prayer can bring calm to a storm – and even to political campaigns.

By Jane Hickson

Late one afternoon, my granddaughter and I decided to make a quick trip to the pet store. It was closing shortly, but we had just enough time to drive there and make our purchase. Not far from home, stopped at a red light, I looked up. There in the sky, hovering over the pet store, was a funnel cloud – something I had never seen before, except in photos and on TV. I remembered someone saying earlier in the afternoon that there were tornadoes in the area, and that much damage had been done in several other places.

I reached out to God for an answer as to what to do. Then, I suddenly remembered that we were nearing the day to vote for governor of our state, and that this funnel cloud was directly over the home town of one of the candidates.

The campaign had been filled with political mudslinging, criticisms, accusations, and much condemnation hurled at one another. In fact, it was not unusual to be out in public and to overhear a stranger comment on how confusing it was to know how to vote, or to say there was no good choice of candidate. Neither candidate seemed very desirable.

I began to pray – about both the tornado and the negative political campaign…Read more

Let your light shine!

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“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV)

As I was praying this morning, I had an image in thought of my light shining and God saying, “You are valuable, you are needed, you are making a difference.” Ahhh, how reassuring! Thank you, Father 🙂

This inspired me to write a blog because so often we may wonder if we even have a light to shine! I know I wonder this at times.

Jesus makes the presumption that we all have a light to shine in this statement. He doesn’t say: “If you have a light…”or “If you are one of the lucky ones that God created to have a light, then let it shine.” No.

Christ Jesus message is that each of us has a light – forever – regardless of our human circumstances. His message was a universal one. He chose for his disciples (students) regular, common men – fishermen. These men didn’t have various degrees or a prestigious place in society. One Bible translation describes these men as “unlearned”. And he left these men (and women) to establish a church!

Doesn’t this show us that wherever we are in life – employment status, marital status, education status – that we all have a light to shine.  A 3-year-old has this light. A 90-year-old has this light. A 30-year-old and a 50-year-old have this light. This light comes from God so it is divine, perfect, lovely and has a transforming effect on the situations around us.

This light doesn’t decay, wear out, or die. It is an eternal light within each of us that defies time, space or any other material limitations. It exemplifies our oneness with Deity.

So have fun letting your light shine today. We now all know you have one! 🙂