One Sunday morning many years ago the preacher said, "Together, you and God can move mountains. Just remember to bring your shovel."
I never forgot that morning's sermon. It has helped me remember great change is possible, but to help bring the change about I have to do my share. I have to remember to bring my shovel to help move the mountain faith alone cannot budge an inch.
If we all bring our shovels when we seek to achieve the changes we need to make to help President Obama make the changes he envisions so totally possible, we have a chance of success -- an excellent chance. If we believe and work together we can make it happen.
Yes we can.
We all seek respect daily, but how does it come about? Is it automatic or does it have to be earned?
We tend to respect people for what they do, their birthright and the role they play. If we did not acknowledge and validate them as the source of that status, action or expertise, we would not show them respect. Respect is automatic during the initial first impressions, but it is never static and has to be earned afterwards to be maintained. It is difficult to respect someone even when they are being negative and hostile, so we tend to wait for people to 'earn' that respect, though it is awarded without question at the beginning. In effect, a kind of respect with probation.
Respect does not come easily either. The very act of respecting someone means putting them either on par, or above, ourselves, in estimation. We tend to respect people only when we personally recognise them as the source of something wholesome, unique, beneficial or empowering: for example, a particular knowledge, action, expertise or leadership, not just through their work or social status. We have to feel we can trust them. That is why some people who are simply 'in charge', and have failed professional expectations, are not really respected.
A few years ago, I was absent-mindedly watching the regional news on television when I was suddenly rooted to the spot, overcome by feelings of surprise, elation and excitement. I had to share the moment with someone else and, in my rush to get my husband to see what was rapidly reducing me to a babbling state of incoherence, I knocked over the cup of tea, caught my jumper sleeve on the door handle and grazed my knee on the coffee table.
I had never seen anyone I actually knew on television before, and there, being interviewed large as life in front of me, was the owner of the local furniture shop who had sold us our dining room chairs only the week before. I was so thrilled, anyone would have thought that I was on the box. Television suddenly gave her superhuman status and, having actually spoken to her, that somehow made us part of the unfolding scene. For days I could talk of nothing else.
This event returned to mind when I received a Christmas card some months later from a girlfriend I hadn't seen in seven years. Her brief note said simply,"Saw you on television again recently and told everybody I knew you." Having seen me as a panel guest on a programme, she had reacted in exactly the same way, wanting to share vicariously in the brief moment of glory.
Seeing Barack Obama making his magnificent speech, surrounded by so many enthusiastic people who liked him, believed in him and was anxious for him to win, brought these experiences back vividly to mind. I felt I was there in the midst of those people, sharing that wonderful moment. It also reinforced the key part RECOGNITION plays in success in modern times because of our media age. If it is not confirmed by the public or the media in some way, success is not really defined in social terms. Having that recognition in all aspects of our lives is essential and it is clear that Barack now has his in abundance.
This blog is directly addressed to Senator Barack Obama. In the name of GOD and you (Mr. Obama); I am ready to assist in any effort directed by you in this time of major concern. I am an IT specialist with over a decade of management experience that happens to be built like a football player. So I make myself available for anything from assisting in the network and communication efforts to cleaning up debris from the street.
The time is now Mr. President, (to be), to take charge, to lead, to react without haste but with keen foresight, to do what you do best. I'm behind you!!!
Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.
Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.
Nothing or no no one is perfect.
Just keep taking steps.
Keep making those phone calls.
Continue following your plan.
Remain focused on your goal.
Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.
Complete every task.
Keep every promise and commitment.
Don't look back.
Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.
Remain teachable.
Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.
Talk with teachers.
Walk with winners.
Climb with champions.
Study successful people.
Something great is about to happen for you!
Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.
Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.
-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author
I posted this as a reply on a different blog, but I thought it should be offered on its own here.
At the risk of being branded with the dreaded "troll" moniker, I offer the following:Too many postings and replies on too many of these blogs seem to be presenting a Manichean choice for this election. It is either the unadultered good (OB) or a descent into total evil and corruption (HRC and/or JM). "No Obama equals no change/no hope." My college class on writing arguments stated that those types of arguments were ill-considered at best and unsupportable at worst. I hate to see the effort to get OB into the Oval Office descending to that type of reasoning.Obama is a good candidate. He is, most probably, the best of the current bunch. He is not the only one who can save this nation from (fill in your preferred evil here). If you believe in what Barack is telling us, you will work for those goals even if he is not the nominee or the president-elect. The future will be just as changeable whoever is elected. It will be harder without Barack as President, but the potential is still there. If it is Barack, I worry that too many will then sit back and expect him to bring about the changes on his own. If it isn't Barack, I'm afraid many of his supporters will shrug and decide change isn't possible and turn their backs on the effort that will be involved. I hope that isn't so.Azar
This is not addressed to our candidate,
but rather, each of us....
-----------------
If you would fold now
In support of that which you chose to care for before
Then do so.
But if you have in you
A glimmer of hope
Hope that can light a way
Let it flare now
So others may see and hear you
Believe
Support
Uphold
That it is better to be lead now
By a new convention
Indeed an unconventional reality
Then continued to be mired
In the fear
The anger
The gluttony
Of our consistently chosen path
of the last many decades
There remains a choice.
You have the power to make it
As I have chosen to
You may make it
Still today
Although it may be less
Fashionable or easy
Than it once was.
I beg you
Make it now
Not because it is easy
But because it is
Both
Hard and Right.
I am with Obama
For a change
I pray you are
This is not to our candidate,
but to us....
----
I pray you are as well.
John
"Change" and "Hope" are the Obama buzz-words. They mean different things to different people. Senator McCain, in a well-crafted slam, accused Barack Obama of offering an "empty promise of change."
Hey guys! Look what I found out.
There is a website called Genius Rocket that is giving $1,000 bucks for the best ads produced by us!
Let´s make an Ad for Obama!
We can help Barack win – and also get a THOUSAND bucks for that! Is there anything better than that???
The website is: http://www.geniusrocket.com/primary
Wach here the YouTube Video as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OILMxiWlmTE
Isn’t that awesome?
Go Obama!!!
Personal Letter, April 4, 2007
Dear John,
Ten weeks ago, on an icy day in Springfield, we launched an audacious campaign to change our politics and lift our country.
Today, I have some exciting news to share about the phenomenal progress we've made. And I wanted you to hear it first.
I'm proud to tell you that, after the first quarter of the campaign, we've exceeded all of our hopes and expectations.
In less than three months, a staggering 100,000 Americans have contributed to our cause -- tens of thousands more than the number reported by any other campaign. That's on top of the hundreds of thousands who have attended rallies, started groups and shared their ideas and energy.
It's been a truly historic response -- a measure of just how hungry people are to turn the page on this era of small and destructive politics and repair our American community.
And because of that extraordinary base of support, we were able to raise an astonishing $25 million -- $23.5 million of which can be used to help us in the upcoming primary contests.
What makes this achievement even more noteworthy is that we did it without taking any money from PACs or federal lobbyists. Instead, we're counting on you; on folks across America who want to take their country back and steer us to a better course.
You've sent an unmistakable message to the political establishment in Washington about the power and seriousness of our challenge.
But for all the impressive numbers by which pundits will judge this campaign, we know that every step of our progress happens one person at a time.
One person sharing their story of why they decided to get involved in the political process, one volunteer deciding to have a conversation about the campaign with their neighbor, one donor owning a piece of this campaign for as little as $5.
I've been struck by how personal this campaign experience has been for so many of you.
You heard last week from Rashed, a veteran and father who made his first-ever donation to a political campaign because of his hopes for his daughter. This campaign is the story of hundreds of thousands of people like him -- people participating because they believe that politics can mean something again.
We've put together a small presentation about all we've accomplished together so far, and links to a few of the personal stories from people who donated to the campaign or hosted a community get-together this past weekend. You can see it here:
And we're only just getting started.
Thank you,
Barack Obama
Just a little story from one of MY first experiences in hanging flyers and posters to advertise our community kickoff campaign. I was hitting all the barbershops and salons, daycares, laundromats, schools and the grocery stores that would let me (one put our poster right above their weekly sales flyers!) and I was walking in a pretty rough area. I had learned at a commissioner's meeting the evening prior that the residents had many concerns because the area has a reputation for some crime, a lot of truancy, prostitution and also happens to be a main thoroughfare. I was on my way back to my car, carrying the remaining posters draped over my arm, my purse over the other shoulder, and a older man who was sort of disheveled and missing most of his teeth, pulled his car over toward me and said something that I didn't hear very clearly. I was trying to sort out his words over the noise of the traffic, feeling some excitement that maybe he'd seen my posters and leaning over toward his car to hear him better. Then I looked into his eyes and the grin on his face and realized what he'd said was, "wanna ride?" I quickly straightened myself out, nodded an emphatic "no, thanks!" and hurried toward the safety of my truck. The next wave of thought that hit me was about the meeting the evening before, and the residents discussion about "hookers" hanging out at this particular intersection and on the steps of a church a few doors down. It was then I decided not to wear my leather coat with fur trim any more while hanging posters in the city.
Anyway, there's a point to my story..... We've come to the point in this campaign, where the fantastic staffers and those of us here online have probably exhausted the supply of contributors that can be recruited from online. It's time for ALL OF US to take our efforts out into our communities. I know I'm not the only one getting out there and talking with people, so for those of you who are, blog your stories and experiences of getting out in public, here and on your local pages, so we can spur some forward momentum!
