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Compassion and What You Do Well
I have offered to teach a class called “Making a Difference: The Art and Science of Compassion”. I have been thinking that there is an overlap between knowing your strengths, or “gifts”, and being successful with compassion. And being successful is rewarding which then promotes more effort in the direction of compassion.
The idea is fairly straight forward. Compassion is about acting in a way that reduces suffering. If you act with the tools that you know best then isn't likely that you may be more successful?
For example: I wouldn't try to do computer programming to help improve our health care system. But I would use my web skills to communicate. I think that I can look back through history and see this relationship between "doing what you do well" and "making a difference" - when compassion is part of the intent.
What do you think?
The idea is fairly straight forward. Compassion is about acting in a way that reduces suffering. If you act with the tools that you know best then isn't likely that you may be more successful?
For example: I wouldn't try to do computer programming to help improve our health care system. But I would use my web skills to communicate. I think that I can look back through history and see this relationship between "doing what you do well" and "making a difference" - when compassion is part of the intent.
What do you think?
Dee's Friend
Prayers
posted 1 day ago
My best friend in the whole world is in the hospital...Something that started out as a pain in the stomach has sort of evolved into much more..Seems like one thing has led to another...It went from thinking it was a gallstone into actually being a cyst on the gall duct and pancraese.<(sp)Next thing I know she is having reactions from the pain medicine and now on a breathing machine...
She is someone I've known for about 3 years, I met her over the internet on a forum and she has became my "mother, sister, best friend figure"..I have never met her in person and chances are I never will but we have shared so much and we have helped each other through a lot of stuff...I would gladly swap places with her if it were possible...Yes, I would..She means that much to me..So if anyone happens to stumble across this blog, please say a little prayer for "Dee's friend.." GOD will know who you're talking about and thank you very much!!
posted 1 day ago
My best friend in the whole world is in the hospital...Something that started out as a pain in the stomach has sort of evolved into much more..Seems like one thing has led to another...It went from thinking it was a gallstone into actually being a cyst on the gall duct and pancraese.<(sp)Next thing I know she is having reactions from the pain medicine and now on a breathing machine...
She is someone I've known for about 3 years, I met her over the internet on a forum and she has became my "mother, sister, best friend figure"..I have never met her in person and chances are I never will but we have shared so much and we have helped each other through a lot of stuff...I would gladly swap places with her if it were possible...Yes, I would..She means that much to me..So if anyone happens to stumble across this blog, please say a little prayer for "Dee's friend.." GOD will know who you're talking about and thank you very much!!
Progress to Praise
Visits to www.CompassionSpace.com have doubled from last year, and for all of you who helped "pass-it-on" I thought you should know. There is a list of places from where people have visited and it is interesting to see the variety. Also if you type "compassion research" into Google for a search, you will see that the site has moved up in ranking. These are reasons for praise.
Praise for who we are, for each small step we make, is a life of savoring our success. I think it is a more compassionate way of living. There is too much complaining, almost everywhere.
A short phrase "Praising not Complaining" - and take the time to do it for yourself. I write this after 4 months of being sick (with several things)and struggling to find that praise for myself, that compassion for myself, when I was feeling pretty useless. So I am taking a momment here to share praise that can be passed on to all of you who have helped.
I don't think we are taught to praise ourselves for those baby steps. But I have found it to be a healthy practice. I hope that you will find some praise.
Praise for who we are, for each small step we make, is a life of savoring our success. I think it is a more compassionate way of living. There is too much complaining, almost everywhere.
A short phrase "Praising not Complaining" - and take the time to do it for yourself. I write this after 4 months of being sick (with several things)and struggling to find that praise for myself, that compassion for myself, when I was feeling pretty useless. So I am taking a momment here to share praise that can be passed on to all of you who have helped.
I don't think we are taught to praise ourselves for those baby steps. But I have found it to be a healthy practice. I hope that you will find some praise.
Questioning God ???
Questioning God ??????
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me." (Job 38:1-3)
Job was a righteous man who, from a human perspective, did not deserve to suffer. He lived a blameless life and followed God’s laws to the letter. As he was experiencing great tribulation, Job cried out in frustration and questioned why God was allowing him to suffer. God came to Job in the form of a whirlwind with His answer. As soon as God spoke, Job recognized that he should not have challenged God’s wisdom. God turned to Job and asked him several sobering questions: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Where were you when I set the oceans in their place? Where were you when I put the constellations of stars in position?” God’s questions humbled Job and reminded him that his own wisdom did not begin to compare with God’s.
When God finished asking His questions, Job replied, “I have uttered what I did not understand, / Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:3). In a moment of despair and frustration, Job had challenged God’s wisdom. God had firmly reminded Job that He was still sovereign and that this truth was enough for Job. Whether Job ever knew that his life had been the focus of a cosmic struggle is unclear. Perhaps Job never realized that his experience brought glory to God in the face of Satan’s challenge (Job 1:8–12). But Job was satisfied to know that God’s wisdom was flawless.
At times you may not understand why a loving Father would allow you to suffer as you are. You may question the wisdom of God’s direction for your life. Learn from Job. Review the awesome power and wisdom of almighty God (Job 38–41). Have confidence that this same God is directing your path.
view link
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me." (Job 38:1-3)
Job was a righteous man who, from a human perspective, did not deserve to suffer. He lived a blameless life and followed God’s laws to the letter. As he was experiencing great tribulation, Job cried out in frustration and questioned why God was allowing him to suffer. God came to Job in the form of a whirlwind with His answer. As soon as God spoke, Job recognized that he should not have challenged God’s wisdom. God turned to Job and asked him several sobering questions: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Where were you when I set the oceans in their place? Where were you when I put the constellations of stars in position?” God’s questions humbled Job and reminded him that his own wisdom did not begin to compare with God’s.
When God finished asking His questions, Job replied, “I have uttered what I did not understand, / Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:3). In a moment of despair and frustration, Job had challenged God’s wisdom. God had firmly reminded Job that He was still sovereign and that this truth was enough for Job. Whether Job ever knew that his life had been the focus of a cosmic struggle is unclear. Perhaps Job never realized that his experience brought glory to God in the face of Satan’s challenge (Job 1:8–12). But Job was satisfied to know that God’s wisdom was flawless.
At times you may not understand why a loving Father would allow you to suffer as you are. You may question the wisdom of God’s direction for your life. Learn from Job. Review the awesome power and wisdom of almighty God (Job 38–41). Have confidence that this same God is directing your path.
view link
Hard to Believe But True
I have had to go into every page on www.CompassionSpace.com and change the community links. The community links now come only to here (if you have some time you could check the website pages, on the advanced site also, and if you find any that I have missed please email me). If you have been to the site then you know that it is a large site, as it is meant to be comprehensive on the topic of compassion. Yet I always want it always to be open to feedback and community input.
Why did I have to change the links? Because the former link was being abused by "spammers", including porn. On a site about compassion!
Hard to believe this would occur.
Why did I have to change the links? Because the former link was being abused by "spammers", including porn. On a site about compassion!
Hard to believe this would occur.
The Bridge
Hi everyone! It's been a while but I always have my thoughts and heart to this group. I am under treatment for stomach cancer and it's been a hard but spiritual journey. I miss you guys very much! I've been checking out some websites and found this wonderful short film that is a real tear jerker.
The Bridge makes us realize that sometimes to have compassion we must sometimes sacrifice something that could be precious in our lives. Yet in the long run,it is a blessing in disguise. Go to the link and enjoy the video.
Hugs,
DOC
view link
The Bridge makes us realize that sometimes to have compassion we must sometimes sacrifice something that could be precious in our lives. Yet in the long run,it is a blessing in disguise. Go to the link and enjoy the video.
Hugs,
DOC
view link
