December 27, 2016 at 7:31 am, by Carl

Well, in keeping with all of the other “end of the year” reviews, I wanted to give you a recap of the best blog posts from the year.   Here are 15 posts from 2016, arranged chronologically, that I think are worth a second read.  Get yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy.  I hope you share one or two of these with others.  It is my deep joy to write for you each month, and I pray that what I contribute is useful for you as you continue to strive to Live Well.

 

The Worrying Precedent — about the reality that prior Presidents set precedence for future ones, and thus President Obama’s decision to bypass Congress for his own plans was bad for the future of the country.

 

More than One Power at Work — using J.R.R. Tolkien as a reference, we see that in any time that we feel darkness or evil is at work, God is not sleeping but rather remains actively at work.

 

Moral Virtue — looking at quotes from several of the USA’s leading founders, we see that the country was constructed on a set of common moral values…and that having lost those, our current sense of national flailing, and harsh clashes between views and peoples, is not only understandable, but predictable….but there is an answer.

 

Speed and Pace —  understanding that even as speed continues to become a critical value for business and life, we miss the point that the race is long, a lifetime, and pace (the idea of “pacing oneself”) is critical in order to finish the race.

 

Who You Are Becoming — a post-Easter reflection

 

2016 Election Political Divide Explained — a look using history to understand the five different political factions active in the country now.

 

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy….  —  the need for a deep-seated joy in our hearts connected to God in order to navigate troubling times and challenging issues.

 

Four Pillars of Community — if you’ve read my work long, you know that community, the need for one another, is at the core of the work.  Here I review four aspects of that including the need for hospitality and gratitude.

 

Decision Concluded —  to find success in life, your decisions made “now” will impact your “future,”….thus if you want to do something like pass a class, you have to decide “now” to do the work.

 

Whitman’s Condemnation and Hope — a review of Walt Whitman’s late 19th century solution for our challenges in 2016.

 

Climbing the Mountain — that every task worth doing takes diligent effort and hard work…but the view from the top of the mountain of completion is worth the effort it takes to get there.

 

First Things — C.S. Lewis explains how to find success, whether individually or as a society.

 

Vote Different — in explaining why I could not support either candidate of the two major parties, we review four key concepts that the Founders had about our country.

 

Blessing and Cursing — consider which comes out of your mouth the most…and move to ensure its blessing.

 

Find Silence for Peace — that recapturing times of stillness and silence (especially times away from technology) is vital for one’s soul and mental well-being.