Need A Fresh Start?

For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Fresh Start....sounds good, doesn't it?  As we approach the new year, some will be making "Resolutions" whereby they resolve to make some changes in their lives. 

 Here's a good change to make: Let go of the past!  You cannot get a fresh start by clinging to the past.  Can any amount of worry, frustration, fussing, cussing, or banging your head against the wall going to change anything that has already happened?  No.  So what are we to do with the past? Learn from it and keep moving forward.

Want to make a fresh start? Accept that you are imperfect.  Beating ourselves up because we don't conform to a certain image will drive you mad, so stop it!  Accept that you are imperfect AND accept that everyone else is imperfect as well.  When we become accepting instead of judging we will see that fresh start.

Want to make a fresh start?  Invest yourself in others.  You see, when we invest ourselves in others then they will take part of us with them.  When we "pay it forward" it will go a LONG way and have more of an impact than we could ever imagine!

Want to make a fresh start?  Focus on the important.  Why is it that we disagree over the most idiotic things?  Ask yourself, is this important enough to impact my life a year from now or will I even remember it next week?  Save yourself a LOT of grief and aggravation by focusing on the things that are important.

I've given you just a few ways to make a fresh start in the coming year.  I will be taking several days now to rest my mind (if possible).  May God bless you and your families!

Why The Shepherds?

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.
Luke 2:15-16 

Just a few observations as we approach the day we celebrate the entry of God the Son into this world.

God sent the Heavenly Host to sing the proclamation "Glory to God in the Highest" after the angel told the shepherds where to find the Messiah.  Most depictions of the Shepherds meeting at the manger show only three Shepherds. And later the THREE Wise Men came. I have some difficulty with the Heavenly Host coming to sing God's Glory for only 3 Shepherds.  However, this is why God is God and I am not.

Now, Joseph was a carpenter.  While a respectable occupation is was pretty much on the same prestige level as a Shepherd, and given the fact that Jesus was born in a barn and His first bed was a feed trough....  Consider this: Jesus' lowly birth was so WE would know that HE could identify with us and our struggles.  Had Jesus been born with a silver spoon and lots of servants, we would not be so sure He could (or would bother to) understand our struggles. And remember, Jesus was of the lineage of David.  If you remember, David was a shepherd boy well before he was anointed king of Israel.

After the Shepherds has seen Jesus, they ran through the town telling everyone.  However, Scripture doesn't say anyone else came to see Jesus because of the Shepherds.  And if the townsfolk were anything like some of the "churchfolk" I have encountered over the years, their response would most likely be something like:

 

The greatest moment in history since God spoke creation into being and God chose the Shepherds to receive the message first and to share the message first.  God often uses unusual methods to get His message across.

As we celebrate God's most incredible gift of love found in Christ Jesus our Savior, let us take a moment to thank God for using creative ways to remind us just how much He loves us! 

From my family to yours...God Bless You This Christmas!!!

Be Grateful And Thankful!

We've talked about this before, however, given that Christmas is upon us, I'd like to address it again: What are you Grateful and Thankful for this year?  

We tend to take so many things for granted every day and especially during the Christmas season.  God performs incredible miracles every day.  Don't believe me?  How about the air you breathe?  How about the face you had hot water to shower? How about the fact that all you had to do was turn the faucet on to get the hot water?  How about the clothes you have to wear?  How about the car you have to drive?  How about the food you get to enjoy?  How about the family you are part of?

Think about all the things we have to be grateful and thankful for and then thank God for them.

I Am WHAT?

Atelophobia - the fear of never being good enough

 

Believe it or not, Atelophobia is an epidemic!  I know this because this is one of the topic of quite a number of conversations I have with people.  Not to mention it's a condition I have struggled with for as long as I can remember.

 

For some reason, we many have been led to believe that they are not "good enough."  It might be that we have been told outright that we aren't good enough or it could be that we have simply been ignored, put down, discouraged by those we seek encouragement, or it could be due to our past or it might be that we are just different.  The truth of the matter is there are innumerable reasons for which we have been led to believe we aren't good enough...and the truth of the matter is that they are all LIES!

 

Let's talk a bit about the Truth:

 

You Are Good Enough For God To Call You BY NAME!                                    

 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.

O Israel, the one who formed you says, 

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are mine." 

- Isaiah 43:1

 

Do you honestly think that God would bother to even know our names if we weren't good enough?  Do you think He would ransom you if He didn't think you were good enough?  The fact that, not only does God know our names, He calls us by name.  He calls us to talk with us!  Would He want to talk with someone who wasn't good enough?

 

You Are Good Enough For God To Have A Plan For Your Life!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  - Jeremiah 29:11

 

Why would the Creator of ALL even bother to create a plan for your life if you weren't good enough?  And think about this: God didn't just create a plan for us, but His plan is for good, a future, and hope!  Not only did God create a plan for your life, but He is going to make sure His plan is gets completed! "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." - Philippians 1:6  Does that sound like someone who thinks you are not good enough?

You Are Good Enough For God To Adopt You As HIS Child!

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." - John 1:12

 

Now why would God want to adopt you if He didn't think you were deserving and good enough?  The fact of the matter is that God loves you so much that He has not only created you, breathed life into you, created a plan for you, won't stop until His plan for you is completed, and He has made a way for you to be adopted as His child!

 

Here's the point I want to make:  Atelophobia is nothing more than a load of manure the Pit Dweller is trying to sell us.  Sadly, many of us are buying what he is selling.  In THIS world, other humans might try to lead us to believe that we aren't good enough, but if you stop and think for a moment you will remember that God (the ONLY one who matters) not only thinks you are good enough, He celebrates by loving you enough to make you HIS child!

 

Think you don't deserve to be happy or to receive kindness or give of yourself to others?  Think again!  People will try to discourage us, sometimes to make themselves feel powerful, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes just because they want to.  But the opinion of another human being is worthless when God is the one who is making His plan for our lives complete.

 

Don't give in!  Don't give up!  Let God do His job and may He keep us out of His way!

 

I wish you a Happy, Blessed, and Memorable Christ Filled Christmas!  

           

Are You Struggling?

Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
    For each day he carries us in his arms.

Psalm 68:19 

 Believe it or not, my mind still functions fairly well at times.  For example, I can remember when my daughter was born and I got to hold her for the first time.  That was one of the most magical moments I pray will forever be in my mind.

I know there are some of us who struggle during this time of year.  And by "struggle" I mean mental anguish, physical agony, emotional turmoil, all spinning like a tornado within us and we slap on the mask of "I'm okay" in order to make it through the day without breaking.  Then when we reach a place where we can have some solitude, the tsunami of it all comes crashing through us and we feel broken, abandoned, and the emotional pain is excruciating. We believe that NO ONE can possibly understand what we are enduring (hiding) and we are sure that no one cares!

And we are wrong.  First, to all who struggle during the holidays...you are not alone!  There are others who are struggling as well and they, like you, wear the "I'm okay" mask so no one will see the truth.  Second, God cares and knows and understands.  When my daughter was an infant and cried, I got to hold her and sing to her and she would eventually doze back off (or pretend to sleep to stop me from singing anymore).  Guess what?  God holds us when we are hurting.  Not only that, but God caries our burdens along with us until we are ready to let go of them.

God loves us so much that He holds us like His child, because we are His child.  Take heart, the one who spoke all into creation loves you so much that you have been claimed as His child!  

May We Be Honest?

But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.

Zechariah 8:16 

 

Have you ever had a horrible day and someone asks you how you are doing?  What answer did you give?  I'll wager the answer was "I'm good" or some derivation of that.  You see, we are willing to lie because we don't want anyone to know that we are struggling.  We want to have the appearance of being impervious.  

 

Let me plant a thought: How can anyone help you if you don't tell them what's going on?  When you go to the Doctor, do you tell the doctor "I'm okay" or do you tell the doctor what's going on so the doctor can help you?  Then why do we hide from those we know and trust?

  

If someone tells me that they trust me and then lie to me by telling me "I'm fine" when I KNOW differently (by the way they are acting) then you have just offended me.  Now, I will forgive you for offending me, but I will also remind you that I KNOW you are not "fine."

 

"Tell the TRUTH TO EACH OTHER" It doesn't get much clearer than that!  We are friends for a reason: so lift each other up, pray with and for each other, rely on each other, encourage each other, sharpen each other!

"Once Upon A Time..."

Let us think of ways to inspire one another to acts of love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24 

 

There was a time I felt compelled to write a book, yet I had quite the dilemma as to how to start, where to start, and what to include.  You see, there are parts of my life that I am not proud of, parts that would bore even a sloth enough to make him run away.  Yet we all have those instances in our lives that we would really rather forget.

 

When I have a chance to talk to the new hires for the Sheriff's Department, I always tell them "I have over 50 years of doing life wrong, and because of that, I have learned enough to walk with you through pretty much any situation you may find yourself."  And it's true, isn't it?  We learn from our mistakes and, because of that, we are able to help others.  If we don't learn from our mistakes, God is patient and we will keep making the same mistakes until we finally do learn.

 

Think about your life's story so far. Are you willing to let your life serve as an inspiration for someone else?  You have endured trials and yet you still choose to live each day instead of hiding.  You have made mistakes, endured the consequences, and learned from them.  You have overcome.    How much more inspiring can a life story get?

 

How can we inspire each other to acts of love and good works?  By letting our lives serve as a source of inspiration!! 

What's The Point?

But I am always with you;
    you have held my hand.

Psalm 73:23

 

I received a phone call.  It was about 2:30 in the morning.  I recognized the voice on the other end of the line because we are friends.  The words I heard come from my friend brought back so many horrible memories and emotions that I had endured, yet God had brought me through. "Padre, What's the point?  Why should I bother to keep on?  My life is a complete mess and there's no way to make it better.  So, what's the point?"

 

I had said the same thing several years ago.  I had been in the depths of despair and depression and didn't believe there was any way life could get better.  I considered a permanent exit, but God wouldn't allow it.  And I prayed that God would not allow this one either.

 

We talked for a bit, while I got dressed, and continued to talk as I drove to my friend and we talked a bit more.  I knew that this was not the right time to preach to my friend, rather, it was time to love on my friend and BE a friend.  After almost an hour of silence, I asked if my friend had made an exit plan.  My friend confirmed there was such a plan.  I asked if the plan could be explained to me, and it was.  I asked if my friend knew that I loved, cared for, and wanted to help.  That was confirmed.  But my friend, with tears gushing, whispered: "But what does it matter?"  The only thing that came to mind after a quick HELP ME prayer to God was, "It matters because YOU matter.  YOU matter to me and more importantly YOU matter to God who brought me here to be with you."

 

When we reach the point where we ask the question "What's the point?" we are screaming for help!  And here's something we need to be reminded: We MATTER!  If we didn't matter, God would not have brought us to this earth to interact with His people!  Every breath, Every dawn, Every thought is a gift from God to remind us that we matter to Him!

 

My friend and I talked until I was sure my friend would not act on his exit strategy.  As a matter of fact, I called, texted, and visited with my friend to give the reminder that they matter to God and to me and I am glad.  My friend's situation did get better in time, and now God is using my friend to share this experience with others who may be struggling with depression and despair.  It's nothing to be ashamed of.  No need to slap on a happy face and try to "fake it 'til you make it" because hiding it doesn't help.

 

If you need someone to talk with, contact me, contact someone you trust and be honest....completely soul bared honest about what's going on.

 

Consider

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

As we share the Christmas Season with our loved ones, I would ask that you take a moment to consider those for whom the Christmas Season is a painful time.  How could it possibly be a painful time?  Perhaps due to the death of a family member; perhaps because of being new to the area and no friends have been made as yet; perhaps because there are no funds to provide even the basic essentials for their family.

You see, God has blessed each of us and we are to be good stewards of what God has provided.  Consider sharing a bit of your Christmas with someone who isn't so fortunate.  Consider inviting someone who has no family to share with your family.  Consider encouraging and sharing love with those who have family who have died. Consider remind others that the arrival of Christ brings hope, and then share your hope with someone who may be hopeless.  Befriend the person who may not have any friends as yet.

Every person's story is different and every person is in need of something, and it is God's instruction to us to share with others, and in so doing, needs are met.

We are instructed to share each other's burdens.  Therefore, SHARE YOUR CARE!!!
 

Quantity or Quality?

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 

I like to ponder and think.  One of my favorites things to consider happens to be the words we use and how their meanings have changed with the passing of time.  Take the word "love." It was once a word of intimacy and trust. For example, if one loved one's friend then that friend was completely trusted without question and you knew that friend would NEVER turn their back on you or turn against you.  Now, it is used to describe pretty much any type enjoyment.  

"Friend" is another word which has changed with the years.  There was a time when the term Friend had meaning.  If someone called you "Friend" that was a title you cherished and strove to keep true.  If you remember in Scripture, David and Jonathan had that kind of friendship.  Now, however, the term "friend" has come to mean "I don't know you very well, but I recognize your face or name so we're good."  And we have become so adept at gathering large numbers of "friends" around us so we feel popular.  Even Facebook has become just another place where we garner large numbers of "friends" many of whom we have never met, yet that is one of the markers of popularity.

Let me ask you...would you rather have a large number of "friends" or a few true Friends?  You see, Jesus, even though large groups gathered around Him wherever He went, had only a few true friends.  Remember, Lazarus was the only Friend,Scripture tells us, Jesus wept over.  So consider, what category do you fit into, "friend" or Friend?

 

We Are The Reflections Of Our Friends

Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

Proverbs 13:20 

Quite a number of years ago, I made what I thought was a good friend.  We would talk about everything and we would I was convinced my friend was just that....a true friend.  That is, until I discovered that they had shared some of the things we had discussed with others, and had twisted the discussion to make me appear to be an idiot.  I was ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated, angry, and mostly hurt.  How could someone claiming to be a true friend do such a thing?

Since that time, I admit I have made that mistake again and again, but I have also tried to make sure to have friends who are very wise.  One of these wise friends told me to never allow someone to get close enough to know the dark places in my life.  While I understand the logic, I struggle with this because a true friend is one who knows everything about you and likes you anyway.

The longer I live, the more I have come to realize that I am the reflection of the friends I keep.  If I have friends who choose to get in trouble or stab me in the back, then I reflect the fact that I have been foolish to have them as friends.  If I have friends who want to see me succeed as I want them to succeed, then I will reflect the wisdom of being mutually supportive and respectful.

We reflect those we call "Friend".  Be careful who you allow yourself to reflect.

All I Want For Christmas is...

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Luke 12:15 

 

We are all familiar of the event known as "Black Friday" where stores open early to allow the public to fight over items at extremely low prices.  We've heard of people getting trampled to death, getting into fist fights, and even mugged in the parking lot.  Let's face it, we like having stuff.  LOTS of stuff.  Even if we don't need it or use it, we still want it!

 

I know several people will understand when I say one of my favorite times of year when I was younger was the day when someone on our street got a new appliance.  Why?  Because we got the box!  That box and our imaginations made for an AWESOME week!

 

I have now reached the age where the thing I look forward to for Christmas are the t-shirts, socks, and underwear.  Because they are practical and I use them almost every day.  

 

As we enter into the Christmas Season, let's remember that the KING of KINGS was born into this world in a feed trough in a barn with nothing to His name except His name.  While some spend their entire lives trying to get more and more, Jesus was content with what He had.  

 

Being content with the things that matter is always better than having lots of stuff and still craving more! 

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

James 1:17 

 

I have always been cautious of the "Name-It-And-Claim-It" theology, because I know that I have the propensity to develop a greedy attitude if I am always given everything I ask for.  Think about it, what happens to a child if you give them everything they want?  

 

I have had to learn the hard way that God gives me exactly what I need, rather than whatever I wanted.  You see, I have prayed hard for the health of someone I dearly loved to be restored, and ended up attending their funeral.  I have prayed with deep groans and heart wrenching utterances for a relationship to be restored, and instead, the distance between us grew ever wider.  I have prayed with all that is within me for the salvation of a dear friend only to be informed by that friend that I need to save my breath because he is fully prepared to face "whatever lies beyond."

 

But God gives us gifts every single day that we probably don't consider:

     * Every breath you take.

     * Every moment of sleep.

     * Every moment we get to spend time with our loved ones.

     * Every opportunity we have to make new friends.

     * Every opportunity we have to tell others that we love them.

     * Every opportunity we have to laugh with others.

     * Every tear we shed with someone in pain.

 

God showers us with blessings every single moment of every single day.  Focus on what God has given.  Thank Him for all these blessings and for the learning moments.  Let's grow and learn together.

And What Will It Matter?

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:19 

 

When my brother and I were a bit younger, it was never a good idea to leave us in each others company for very long.  Why?  We would begin to bicker and argue about the most idiotic things.  And it got worse when we were stuck in the back seat on family vacations.  We would start the bickering almost as soon as we pulled out of the driveway.

 

"He's looking out my window!"

 

"He's breathing on me!"

 

"He's on my side of the car!"

 

"He pooted and didn't say 'excuse me'!"

 

"Make him put his socks and shoes back on!"

 

At the time, these were important topics of discussion for my young and agitated mind.  Now, I truly pity the trauma we put our parents through and, at the same time, admire the fact that they didn't leave us on the side of the road somewhere in the desert.

 

As I have gotten older, I still hear bickering over the most idiotic things.  But if we stop to think about it for a bit, the things we argue, bicker, disagree on...a year from now, will they what will they matter?  Imagine what a difference we could make if, instead of focusing on things that really don't matter, we focused on building each other up and seeking to be at peace with each other.  Yes, that will take us swallowing our pride and even sharing some of the spotlight, but aren't we worth it?

Topsy Turvy Message

Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great.

Matthew 23:12 

 

We are taught from an early age that we have to put ourselves first in all things or else we will get trampled.  I will admit that I fell for that "wisdom" for a time.  I had to be first!  I had to be top dog!  I had to be in charge!  I had to do more!  And all I got for my efforts?  Exhausted!

 

Finally I realized that Jesus' seemingly topsy turvy message actually made sense.  When I stopped pushing myself to be first, and focused on being humble and helpful the relief was ENORMOUS!  It is more rewarding to do for others than it is to push oneself forward by stepping on others.

 

God's messages to us sometimes get ignored because they go directly against our human nature and what we have been led to believe.  Stop striving and be humble.  You'll experience life in a whole new and wonderful way.

Let's Consider Just How Awesome God Is

For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains,
    stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind.
He turns the light of dawn into darkness
    and treads on the heights of the earth.
    The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!

Amos 4:13

I was talking with a friend, yesterday, about how awesome God is and how often we take His awesomeness for granted.  We do, you know.  As we enter into December where we celebrate God's most awesome gifts to us, lets take a look at some of the things about God we take for granted.

Look at what Amos reminds us of...God shaped the mountains!  I couldn't do that, can you?  God's awesome creativity shaped the beautiful mountains.

God stirs the winds...  John 3:8 says, "The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit"  Only God knows where the wind comes from and where it goes because He is the one who stirs it.

God reveals His thoughts to mankind... That is pretty amazing!  If God didn't reveal Himself to us, do you think we could seriously come up with all that He has done, said, and created?

God turns the light of dawn into darkness... Remember when Jesus died? Matthew 27:45 says, "At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock."  Remember in Genesis 1 when God created the day and the night?  Can we do that?  

These are things we take for granted.  God is the God of all creation and He is AWESOME!    

Are You Okay?

The Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants.

Romans 8:25-27 

"Are you okay?"  How many times do we ask this question of someone who seems quiet, thoughtful, or perhaps depressed or anxious or both?  

The holidays seem to intensify Depression and Anxiety.  Why?  Partly because the Holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration and happiness, yet the person battling depression and anxiety cannot feel happiness or celebratory.  As a matter of fact, the person battling Depression and Anxiety may add guilt to the mix because they feel they cannot measure up to the expectations of the season.  This will cause the person battling depression and anxiety to withdraw from others.  The anguish and turmoil which roils within them can rob them of rest, sleep, enjoyment of any kind, will drain their energy, and even push them to the brink of suicide.  All the while, they may be wearing the face of one who is okay.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard someone responding to a suicide, "They gave no indication" "They always seemed so happy" "They were always upbeat" "I had no clue anything was wrong."  My question to those people is simple: "How well did you REALLY know the person?"  You see, when you truly know someone, you know their idiosyncrasies, their habits, you see behind the mask.

Here are a few thoughts of what is and what is not helpful when dealing with a person battling depression:

1. NEVER tell them to "get over it" or ask them "what do YOU have to be sad about?" or tell them to "quit feeling sorry for themselves".
2. Interact with them with the premise that they have either a chemical imbalance or have PTSD due to some tragic incident(s) they have faced.  Tread carefully.
3. Don't be afraid to ask questions: "I'm not sure what you are going through, but I would like to understand if you would tell me."
4. Allow the person to have their space.  Many will seek a place where they feel protected and safe.  I usually seek out a corner somewhere.
5. Understand that chemical imbalances and PTSD cannot be controlled for very long.  With chemical imbalances, medications can help, but I have yet to find a combination that fixes the issue.  With PTSD, some medications dull the senses, but do not fix the issues.
6. Might want to sit down for this one: Quoting Bible verses to them is highly detrimental!  Most already feel a sense of guilt for not being "normal" there is no need to further alienate them by telling them to "Just turn it over to Jesus and it'll all go away." Yes, I, as a Chaplain, and a sufferer of Chemical Imbalances as well as PTSD said this.  Scripture has its place and is comforting when used correctly.  Pouring salt in the wounds with Scripture is not helpful and lowers your credibility.
7. Help start a support group.  A safe place where the concerns can be openly addressed and perspectives can be offered. 

 I don't know if any of this is helpful, but hopefully coming from someone who struggles with these battles daily the information can be useful at least to help with understanding.
 

Performance Anxiety

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 

Matthew 7:1-2 

 

Have you ever considered how our society has become so competitive? We'll turn anything into a contest, won't we?  

"I can hold my breath longer than you" 

"I can spot more Buicks from out of state than you"  

"I am a better spouse than you will ever be"  

"I am a better worker than you can even consider"

 

We use our competitive nature to give reason to judge others.  Please don't misunderstand, standards are good and need to be in place, and they need to apply to everyone equally.  

 

I was talking with a friend from a previous employer last night because he was upset and needed someone he could vent to without getting into trouble.  I found one statement he made extremely poignant:  "The only time I see [my supervisor] is when I get chewed out for something."  You see, that kicked my mind into thinking mode.  How many times have I heard people tell me that their supervisor makes it a point to come tell them that they are appreciated and compliment them?

But how are we to handle people who only seem to bring negativity?  Well, there's a reason why Peter reminds us to: "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."(1 Peter 5:7).  Give this person to God EVERY SINGLE TIME they come to mind and every time they come to talk with you.  Give God the anxiety you have in dealing with them.  And here's the kicker (we've talked about this before) LEAVE it with God and let Him deal with those people.  

You see, we cannot control how someone talks to us or how they treat us; the only thing we can control is our response!

When you talk with someone, make sure when the conversation is over that each leaves with a positive result.  Make sure people know they are appreciated.

In keeping with that, I want to publicly state that I appreciate my Lieutenant, Maria Yturria for her positive attitude and calm approach.  I appreciate my Captain, Heidi Jackson, for her encouragement and for her positive attitude. I also declare my appreciation for my fellow Chaplains for their dedication, positive outlook, their willingness to work as a team for the betterment of each other and our Department.  Each of these, and so many more, have my respect, care, and love.

See?  That didn't hurt AND it's the truth!