Tag Archives: mission

Running Against The Wind

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Contemporary Sages, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

-Jimmy Dean

wind-surfing-67627_1920

I love  river rafting on a hot summer day. Sometimes it’s good just to go with the flow. But I also love to sail with my wife on the Cape. And then we use the flow to go where we want to.

So it is in every day. It’s the better part of wisdom to discern when going along for the ride is just fine, and when we want to run against the wind. Isn’t this what free will is all about? We can choose to revel in whatever G!D sends our way, but like Jacob wrestling with divine energy, we can use that energy to sail our own course. It just takes a vision of what we want and the courage to run with the wind in our faces.

What course do you want to sail today?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jimmy Ray Dean (August 10, 1928 – June 13, 2010) was an American country music singer, television host, actor and businessman. Although he may be best known today as the creator of the Jimmy Dean sausage brand, he became a national television personality starting on CBS in 1957. He rose to fame for his 1961 country crossover hit “Big Bad John” and his 1963 ABC television series, The Jimmy Dean Show, which also gave puppeteer Jim Henson his first national media exposure. He was nominated for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, although he was formally inducted posthumously.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, naturalist, executive, consultant, and a lowly rabbinic student. Send him your favorite teaching quote for commentary. He can be reached at joe.laur@godsdog.net.

Throw Yourself Like Seed

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by in Historic Voices, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

“Throw yourself like seed as you walk, and into your own field…”

-Miguel de Unamuno

seed-falling

This poem by Miguel de Unamuno urges us not to let the past weigh us down, or old longings hold us back, but to turn our selves to our work. Not just our daily jobs, but the work for which we were uniquely created and are best suited for. Our life’s work.

He says that by planting out lives in the furrows of the field, we may be able to return some day and gather a rich harvest, a harvest of Self and Meaning.  And old adage urges us to “do the biggest thing you can that is not impossible.” Sometimes even the impossible comes to pass as well in the process.

It can be fun as well. Mark Twain’s suggestion was to “Make your vocation your vacation.” As you return to your work today, you might want to ask your self the question;

What is the biggest work I’m here to do? How can I have a blast doing it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo (29 September 1864 – 31 December 1936) was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, and Greek professor, and later rector at the University of Salamanca.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, artist, builder, naturalist, consultant, and EcoKosher mashgiach. He lives with his wife Sara in western Massachusetts, where he serves as head groundskeeper and resident singer songwriter. Send him your favorite teaching quote for commentary. He can be reached at joe.laur@joelaur.com.