tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65678576959152427592024-03-05T07:40:11.401-05:00Never Stop DreamingThink always. Have faith. Laugh often. Live every moment with vigor! Never Give Up! Chase the Impossible! Love with Abandon! Always Sing. Never Stop Dreaming!- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-10357637309771779722012-02-06T18:25:00.001-05:002012-02-06T18:27:19.116-05:00A Brand New Blog...Yes, I am now pastoring a church. Visit my new blog at http://excellenthighway.blogspot.com/ to keep up with this new adventure in my life! God Bless!- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-26408540207838393872010-11-27T20:17:00.001-05:002010-11-27T20:17:10.089-05:002010 Christmas CardMerry Modern Collage Christmas CardMake a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.View the entire collection of cards.- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-61657841111978519082010-02-26T07:37:00.001-05:002010-02-26T07:37:00.770-05:00Mystic Lessons: Supremacy of LoveFinally, the greatest lesson of all: “Give supremacy to love.” This is nothing new. Not only was this graphically illustrated to the Hebrews of ancient times, but it was the fundamental doctrine of Christ. He summed up the entire duty of man to first love God with every iota of being, and second to love mankind as one loves ones’ self. That’s about as simple and as difficult as it can get. - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-20270188174170572542010-02-25T23:30:00.000-05:002010-02-25T23:30:00.603-05:00Mystic Lessons: Honor in HumilitySuch humility does not come easily. I must admit it is difficult for me to “Discern honor in humility.” I do not mean that I misunderstand the concept. I agree there is great honor in humility. However, living in genuine humility with honor is very difficult to do. The key word here is “genuine.” It is easy to be outwardly self-deprecating and humble when people offer their congratulations- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-38719537387178173662010-02-24T05:28:00.000-05:002010-02-24T05:28:00.256-05:00Mystic Lessons: Joy in ServiceWhy do I want more of my current life to come into focus? Because I have some big decisions to make that will impact the rest of my life and I want to make the right ones. I want to live a life of meaning and do things to make a difference in the lives of other people. This usually means to “Find joy in service.”Throughout my life I have found the greatest satisfaction when serving: when truly- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-38766467665943603802010-02-23T02:26:00.000-05:002010-02-23T02:26:00.776-05:00Mystic Lessons: The Value of SolitudeTo live life in such vital context, I “Realize the value of solitude.” It has most often been in solitude where I have experienced my clearest perceptions and been most honest with myself. It is in the quiet moments that I feel most in touch with what is really real.The trouble is that our world today produces so little solitude. We live in roaring suburbs inundated with a multitude of “noises- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-32749521994056703382010-02-21T06:24:00.000-05:002010-02-21T06:24:00.159-05:00Mystic Lessons: Eternal in the TemporalOne of the greatest mysteries of all is to “Discover the eternal in the temporal.” Of course, many do not believe in the “eternal.” Some believe that all there is to living are the fleeting moments we walk this earth. I think that is far too narrow a view and it does not resonate well with a universe that requires millions of light years for us to view a single star! Rather I think the - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-72433048669662188862010-02-20T20:22:00.000-05:002010-02-20T20:22:00.251-05:00Mystic Lessons: Meaning in MysteryIn the same manner, this is how I have tried to “Find meaning in mystery” – the next lesson of the mystics. I always look to my inner sensitivities to try to understand the “mysteries” in life. By definition, a mystery is something profound, not understood, or difficult to understand. This sounds like a whole lot of life to me. That is why this one is one of the tougher ones for me. I’m not - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-31735514532788381142010-02-19T23:20:00.000-05:002010-02-19T23:22:01.462-05:00Mystic Lessons: Reality WithinUnderstanding lessons taught by the mystics – at least those listed in this paper – seems to me to be a lifelong venture. Some of these I barely comprehend at first blush. Others seem as familiar to me as my whole life. As I discuss them here, I will be exploring them “aloud” – thinking on paper. “Look for the reality within” is the first lesson. There is a key word in this statement. It is - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-50571547365394121482010-01-20T19:12:00.001-05:002010-01-20T19:15:32.090-05:00On Living...I leave to my children, Julia & Christopher (and any others God grants to us), my advice on living life to the fullest, and I leave my dreams for you. There is so much to say, it is difficult to know where to begin. What is most important? Whatever I list here, most of all, know that my heart is full of love for you and that I wish you the greatest happiness. What is happiness? To possess - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-17786218704087241532010-01-14T19:00:00.006-05:002010-01-14T19:06:28.012-05:00Thinking, Praying, Mourning....I don't really know what to say. My heart is aching for Haiti and its people. I traveled there when I was 16 (I know...many moons ago). Having walked many of the streets you see in the news, I still remember the pulse of its capital and the throbbing hurt of its people. Watching them endure the great hardships in the intervening years, I am deeply saddened by the new chaos and heartache - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-21229174252029358532009-12-11T14:43:00.001-05:002009-12-11T14:46:12.509-05:00Corporate Whistle-blower Climate TodayDo you think the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 offers sufficient safeguards to protect whistle-blowers from corporate retaliation? Do you think our current lending crisis could have been averted had employees blown the whistle? Do you think that corporate America is capable of policing itself? Or do you think we need stiffer government regulation at least in terms of financial transparency?I think - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-15869200894968773002009-12-02T09:21:00.002-05:002009-12-02T09:25:12.647-05:00The Manhattan DeclarationI urge my friends to participate in this worthwhile project. Let your voice be heard!http://manhattandeclaration.org/- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-38003965605858127412009-11-13T17:44:00.002-05:002009-11-13T17:49:04.993-05:00More Business Writing...Do you think that business has an obligation to protect the environment beyond what the law requires? Be sure to explain the views of Bowie and Hoffman. With whom would Friedman side? Why?First allow me to summarize the views of both men and answer the last question first. Then I will briefly delve into my opinion.Bowie feels that business has two responsibilities when it comes to their - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-8781133888668913502009-10-29T11:00:00.000-04:002009-10-29T11:00:08.333-04:00In Honor of the Approaching Holidays...I laughed until I cried on this one!- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-52002580726103739442009-10-29T08:15:00.000-04:002009-10-29T08:16:53.416-04:00The Present CrisisBelow is a poem that has a lot of good lines that are even applicable to politics today. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you James Russell Lowell: The Present Crisis [Written in 1844, this poem provided inspiration for the leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. When deciding on a name for their new publication in 1910 they agreed that the name of their - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-41552051416657927612009-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:002009-10-29T05:00:00.870-04:00What Will You Do for Him?http://www.mediafire.com/?z53myomdzyn- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-35940637031856615242009-10-28T05:00:00.001-04:002009-10-28T05:00:01.372-04:00Beautiful Harmony!- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-20063790080083488852009-10-27T18:39:00.002-04:002009-10-27T18:41:24.165-04:00Makes One Think...- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-56529378903897781322009-10-23T10:32:00.001-04:002009-10-23T10:32:01.549-04:00Wanted: An Old-fashioned ChurchWanted: An Old-fashioned ChurchPosted using ShareThis- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-22124125294449032962009-10-05T18:15:00.003-04:002009-10-05T18:19:30.262-04:00War in Afghanistan: The Way Forward, by Rick Alexander 10/05/2009Here is a paper I just wrote for my Business, Government, Society class. Enjoy!
<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-70401167888147037362009-10-05T18:12:00.000-04:002009-10-05T18:14:21.442-04:00What I think of Cash for Clunkers...1. Do you agree with the Cash for Clunkers bill to get people to drive with fuel efficient vehicles? Why or Why not? No I do not agree with the "Cash for Clunkers" program. Though there is much less gasoline consumed... overall, other resources are utilized in the manufacture, maintenance, and disposal of these newer vehicles (Think Lithium). Also, electric cars consume fossil fuels at night - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-31811154085619386692009-07-19T19:16:00.001-04:002009-07-19T19:17:44.277-04:00Awesome!Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-11529518729835897782009-06-18T08:56:00.006-04:002009-06-18T09:08:07.065-04:00Calvary Love This is pretty powerful stuff worth genuine consideration.Calvary Love by Amy Carmichael If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting "Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?" then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I find myself- Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567857695915242759.post-7844804744196477542009-05-17T10:19:00.004-04:002009-05-17T10:41:22.135-04:00My Favorite CredoI Stand by the Doorby Sam Shoemaker I stand by the door.I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,The door is the most important door in the world-It is the door through which people walk when they find God.There's no use my going way inside, and staying there,When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,Crave to know where the door is.And all that so many ever findIs only - Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13228316956102875400noreply@blogger.com0