Surrender Your Fears to God

“Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

A few weeks ago, our senior pastor, Rev. In Jin Moon, spoke about surrendering our fears to God. She focused on four points of fear which can incapacitate and almost paralyze us.

Here are the four fears:
Fear of change, choice, failure, and loneliness.
We are all very familiar with these fears. Someone said that fear stands for: false evidence appearing real.  It is often our perception of a certain situation which induces fear. In our journey of life we discover that we are here to grow, to explore our potential. Every generation is faced with opposing traditions and new ideas; in the process we have created a rich history. Many a man has discovered at one point in live that there are no shortcuts in life. Once we learn the rules of life it can be a game but we still have to play it. It is in the action that we can overcome our fears, gain confidence and develop our potential. We make decisions about who we are, what we believe, and what we are capable of. When we can accept ourselves with all of our shortcomings, including our fears, we can take responsibility for who we become.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear it-self - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt - 32nd American President (1882-1924)

Rev. Moon encouraged us as parents and leaders, to look for the good, the ideal, and the right things and make a list of suggestions of those to our children, and those we are responsible for. All too often we point out what’s wrong and what they can’t or shouldn’t do, rather what to do instead. Again, with God all things are possible. By trusting and believing in our children we can give them the confidence to face their fears.

"All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed, Second it is violently opposed, Third it is accepted as being self-evident."
~ Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher, (1788-1860)

Fear of Change
It is the function of the subconscious mind to keep us safe and secure. Any time we try something new, something different, we first have to deal with the resistance and the warnings of our internal recordings. By the time we are 6 years old, we have been “programmed” by our parents, families and other sources “to be a certain way,” based on our cultural, societal, religious, and/or family background. Watch what happens when you go against the grain of any of their standards, rules or traditions. It doesn’t matter if it is science, medicine, or a new way to do the dishes, you will get grief from your supervisors, parents or friends. You will hear: we never did it that way, or it can’t be done; nobody ever has achieved that, or you can’t do that to us after all we have done for you. Change will always meet with resistance first. After a while people get used to it and then it becomes a new habit.

“If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”
~ Woodrow T. Wilson – 28th American President of the United States (1856-1924)

Fear of Choice
Choice is our God-given right. It is that right that every human being has, knowing it or not. You can feel like a victim or a victor. It is a matter of decision. We all feel insecure or doubtful at times. That’s where our choice comes in; we must believe that God is there with us in all circumstances. Which leads us to the other fear – fear of failure. Even if we make the wrong choice, with faith in God, it can become a stepping stone and a learning experience. Good decisions can only come from experience. The wisdom we gather becomes the cornerstone to growth and progress. Once we learn the lesson, we can move on.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
~ Victor Frankl, author of Man’s Search For Meaning (1905-1997)

Fear of Failure
A while ago, I wrote an article on Failing Forward.  Because of the fear of failing, we get paralyzed to make decisions. No choice, no matter how “wrong” is a failure, if we make it with the right heart. In other words, if we not only decide with our mind, but with a heart of gratitude and attendance to our heavenly parent, every decision can be “failing us forward.”

“If you want to succeed, you have to live with more failure.”
~ Og Mandino, American author and philosopher, 1926-1996

Fear of Loneliness
Some of us might be extremely shy, and therefore not intermingle easily. I always told myself, nobody is going to knock on my door, to get me to come out. By being proactive, loneliness becomes a choice. Some people have a heavy emotional baggage which prevents them to reach out. Again, with God on our side, there is help. Often, solitude with God will strengthen our faith.
No man is an island, we all need somebody. With three little words, we can get the assistance we need: I need help. With some humility and faith, we can get over the fear of loneliness. There are counselors, friends, and other professionals who can liberate us from the turmoil of being alone.

“Language … has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.”
~ Paul Tillich, German born American Theologian and Philosopher (1886-1965)

So it is with all fears. We need to bring the fear from our heads to our hearts. With feelings of love from our Heavenly Father, we can dissolve all fears. We just need to look for good instead of terror, feeling love instead of fear, and feel the gratitude which can transform our lives. By surrendering our fears to God, we may still feel some anxiety at times, but by that time we have new habits of praying, and asking for help to “face” the fears and they will melt away.

Stuffy nose? - Flush it!

This time of the year, you may encounter a cold and or a stuffy nose. Living in South Western Ohio, you may have sinus trouble all year around. Let me suggest nasal irrigation or sinus flushing. As Dr. Ben Kim's newsletter suggests, it is even a good practice on a regular base to cleanse the nasal passages. Just like brushing our teeth at night Dr. Kim instructs us to rinse the naval cavity as well.

It is as easy as cupping your hand and filling it with warm tab water. Take your nose close to your hand and suck some water up into your nostrils. Leave it there as long as possible, and then let it run out into the sink. Blow your nose into a tissue. This will help remove any dust and extra mucus from your sinus passages. You can repeat this procedure a few times until your sinuses feel clean.

This is especially helpful in the winter when we have the heat on in the house and more dust may be in the air.

When an infection is present you may want to add 1 tsp. of sea salt to 1 cup of warm water and flush with that. You can also buy a neti pot and let the water flow through your nostrils. The saline solution will help with the infection.  Below is a link to a video which shows how to do this procedure.

Other ways to clean out the sinuses are going to the sauna. I have written about this before: http://raysolution.blogspot.com/2010/04/sauna-therapy-for-arthritis.html


Here are some other websites on sinus irrigation:

http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/natural-sinus-remedies.html

http://www.thehealthcarecenter.com/how_to_stop_sinus_infections.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsZeILCedRw (Neti pot instructions)

http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/netipot/netipotinstructions.aspx

NOTE: When your cold is lingering on and if you have a fever, you may want to consult your physician.

From Your Valentine

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

~ John 15:13

With so many commemorative days on our calendars, it is only fair to set aside a day to celebrate LOVE. We are all seeking love because it is part of our purpose of life.

All Kinds of Love

There are basically three types of love: love of parents (vertical), love of brothers and sister (horizontal), and children’s love (vertical). And then there is romantic love (horizontal), the love between spouses, lovers, and friends.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4

When I was researching the history of Valentine’s Day  I came across some interesting stories. Some are historical, some are more legendary, but one of them intrigued me.

Story of St. Valentine

One legend tells of a priest named Valentine who lived in the 3rd century A.D. He was jailed because he married young people against the wishes of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. While the ruler was gathering large armies of young men to fight conquering battles in Northern Europe and Asia, he decided to outlaw marriage in the country. It was his idea that the single men could be more focused on fighting the war rather than their romantic pursues. Everyone was opposed to this decree but didn’t dare to protest against the mighty Emperor. Priest Valentine did not agree with these orders either, and continued to marry young couples in secret. That went on for a while, but finally his doing was discovered. He was thrown in jail for his defiance and ordered to be put to death.

While waiting for his sentence, he befriended the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. The daughter was blind, and her father had heard that Valentine had performed miracles. The daughter was very kind and visited often. They became good friends and may have even fallen in love. Just before Valentine’s execution she experienced a healing and regained her eyesight. Asterius was so grateful for the gift of sight for his daughter that he spoke highly to the Emperor about Valentine. Claudius may have pardoned him was is not for the priest’s efforts to defend his faith and even trying to convert the ruler. He left a letter with the guards, signed “From Your Valentine.” The day of the execution was February 14, 269 A.D. and ever since, people have remembered him as the saint of love.

Tradition of Valentine’s Cards

The holiday evolved over the centuries. By the 18th century, it became popular in England to make cards and send small gifts to loved ones. By 1850, a woman named Esther Howland, started printing and selling Valentine cards on a larger scale.

According to the card industry, 25% of all cards are sent on Valentine’s Day, second only to Christmas cards.

What about Cupid?

In Roman mythology, Cupid  is the god of desire, affection and erotic love. He was the son of Mercury and Venus. Nobody knows when the boy with the bow and arrow (representing desire and the emotion of love) first entered into the Valentine’s tradition. Cupid has long played a role in the celebrations of love and lovers. There is even a story where Cupid was befriending Psyche who was a mortal, while Cupid was the son of Gods. His mother Venus was jealous of the beauty of Psyche and ordered her son to punish the mortal. But the mischievous Cupid fell in love with Psyche and married her.

As with many ancient stories they kind of take a life of their own. I hope that I could shine some light on the origin of Valentine’s Day. It amazes me that the sacrificial deed of an otherwise unknown priest, could develop such a following over the years. It must be the power of that kind of unconditional love which is so attractive to all of us.

The Need for Marriage Reformation

This week I came across a piece of news which inspired me. The week from February 7th to 14th is set aside as National Marriage Week  in several countries around the world. National Marriage Week is the brainchild of Richard Kane who started it in the United Kingdom in 1996. It is now spread to the Czech Republic, Hungry, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Australia.

Nobody can deny that today our marriages are in trouble. We are looking at a divorce rate of 50% with the United States heading the world statistics.

I learned that whatever we focus on will manifest. We have to asked ourselves: what is the purpose of marriage? People marry for many different reasons like legal, social, emotional, economical, spiritual and/or religious purposes. Historically, romantic love was not emphasized. Could that be a reason so many marriages fail today?

Purpose of Marriage

Marriage is part of the sacraments.  According to the dictionary it is a rite, a covenant, an oath of allegiance, a grace and a blessing. The sacraments are deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian traditions. They are derived from the idea that there is one God who wants to express himself into humans in the form of his male-female nature (Gen: 1:27-28). It goes along with the purpose of life which is that God created man and woman as his substantial objects in order to experience love and joy from them.

"Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."
~ Gen 2:24

Leaving our fathers and mothers is only natural when we grow up. It is not a final separation but a letting go in order to start a new stage of life. It is my firm conviction that today as much as throughout history that the purpose of marriage is to procreate the lineage of God. It takes only seconds to conceive a child, 9 months for the baby to mature to the point that it can live in this physical world. Then it takes another 18+ years for the child to grow and develop into a healthy, well-balanced adult. During that time, both boys and girls need the guidance, encouragement and love of both parents; a mother and a father, or someone who can take equivalent responsibility for the youngster. Children learn through example, watching and emulating their elders, it is just the way we are made.

Role of Churches and Religious Institutions

Marriage works, it makes people happier, live longer, and build more economic security. Children with married parents perform better in school. I believe it is the responsibility of the religious institutions to educate young people about marriage, relationships, raising children, creating a well-balanced home. With the focus on living for the other person, the husband living for his wife and his children, the wife living for her husband and her children, and the children honoring their parents, love will grow in that family. People who fall in love can easily fall out of love. With a focus on a higher purpose than themselves, love will embrace that family, because that’s the way God has set it up. The family is the school of love and only within the realm of the family can all the relationships mature.

Happiness is a State of Mind

I want clarify here a point which is very crucial of a good marriage. If we are looking for the other person to make us happy, or the beautiful house we live in or the great vacations we can take because of our social status, we will be ultimately disappointed. I learned that happiness is a state of mind. We decide to be happy and can share that happiness with our partner or in our family. Have you ever noticed that some people are “naturally happy?” It is an attitude to be happy and attitudes can be learned like any skill.

The Three Great Blessings

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (KJV)
~ Gen.: 1:28

Within this blessing, God created man and woman to grow to maturity, then to have children and upon building the family, have dominion over all of creation. This is the central part of the teachings of the Unification Church, founded by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon.

He has been controversial ever since he started to speak publicly. He just turned 91 and together with his wife has been setting unprecedented records of international marriage ceremonies with hundreds and thousands in attendance.

Gender Characteristics versus Gender Roles

Men are generally more aggressive, assertive, bold, courageous, decisive, dominant, independent, physically strong, and vigorous.

Women are generally more affectionate, beautiful, caring, dependent, empathetic, gentle, graceful, nurturing, patient, sensitive, soft, and submissive.

Obviously, some of these characteristics are not exclusive to either men or women. Through the marriage, by becoming “one flesh,” each of the partners adopts each others characteristics. Both men and women need to incorporate most these characteristics into their personalities.

Additionally, each man represents cosmic masculinity or divine masculine love. Every woman represents cosmic femininity or divine female love. Through their physiological differences they are complementing and fulfill each other completely because God created it that way.

I congratulate National Marriage Week to shine light on the age-old institution of marriage and support them in their efforts to revive it to the point where it is suitable for today's young poeple.  With some encouragement and spiritual guidance our young people will continue the traditions of creating healthy and happy families.

How to Calm Your Restless Legs

If you ever had restless leg,  you know how uncomfortable it feels. Especially, when you try to go to sleep, you want to find a solution quickly. If this is a recurring problem, you want to consult your physician.

Rather than taking medication, or even applying a cream, I suggest using a foam roller. I learned this method from Dr. Ben Kim, a naturopathic doctor from Canada. He points to acupressure points under the knee. In the soft tissue behind the knee which is called popliteal fossa  there are acupressure points related to the gallbladder. By putting the foam roller under your knees and raising the legs up and down you can feel the pressure behind your knees. It also stimulates some lymphatic vessels, the politeal vein, blood circulation and other nerve endings, and therefore, benefits the whole leg. 

Here is a short video from Dr. Kim’s website:





Foam Roller 17x6x6



I apply the foam roller every night before I go to sleep. Additionally, I do my exercise routine at the gym, watch my diet and take my vitamins. Some physicians also encourage losing some weight to eliminate any discomfort.



I very like all the suggestions Dr. Kim gives and subscribe to his newsletter.  He often sends recipes from his native country Korea, modified to a more healthy living.

You are made as Superb Beings with Infinite, Divine Possibilities

You may have heard of Success magazine but you may not be aware of the founder Orison Swett Marden  who lived in New England, born 1850 – 1924. His story is that of rags to riches, and he is considered by many the founder of the personal development movement. He was very much a self-made man who early on discovered that one had to believe in oneself to make it in this world. Becoming an orphan at age 7, being moved among some relatives, he found himself as an apprentice when he discovered a self-help book by Samuel Smiles which made a deep impression on him. So much that he determined himself to get as much education as he could, including a Doctor degree from Harvard University. Over his lifetime he wrote many inspirational books and sermons including “The Miracle of Right Thought.”

“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

That seems like good advice to contemplate on positive ideals, to dwell on them and meditate on them all day long. His methods of self-suggestions and affirmations have helped thousands of men and women to become great citizens.

“We should see ourselves in a much grander light; should think of ourselves as superb beings with infinite, divine possibilities. Don’t be afraid of thinking too highly of yourself, for if the Creator made you, you must have inherited divine, omnipotent possibilities, you must partake of His qualities.”


“Never allow yourself to think meanly, narrowly, poorly of yourself. Never regard yourself as weak, inefficient, diseased, but as perfect, complete, whole. Never even think of the possibility of going through life a failure or a partial failure.”

Mr. Marden was a deeply religious man, well versed in the written words of the Scriptures and many times quotes from the stories in the Bible.

“Failure and misery are not for the man who has seen the God-side of himself, who has been in touch with divinity. They are for those who have never discovered themselves and their God-like qualities.  Stoutly assert that there is a place for you in the world, and that you are going to fill it like a man. Train yourself to expect great things of yourself.”

He was right in quoting the enemy in the negative emotions which are influenceing us against any logic and reasoning. He gave well seasoned advice to never continue any task in a confused or mean state of mind. Rather he suggested to get out of the office into nature if possible, to clear once mind and heart from any negative influences.

“How can you expect to get the maximum of efficiency when worry, fear, anxiety, discouragement, or melancholy are sapping twenty-five, fifty, or seventy-five percent, of your mental energy? You must clear the mind of its enemies; otherwise you pay the penalty in exhausted vitality, in wasted energy.”

It is our birthright to be happy, healthy and prosperous. I benefitted greatly by reading his “Miracle of Right Thought.” We often undervalue, are indifferent and put ourselves down for no other reason that we belief our negative self-talk.

Orison Swett Marden proved to himself and to the world, that discipline and deferring of gratification builds a strong character and brings great success in later life. He has some very good advice when we encounter the “blues” or negative thoughts:

“When you feel the “blues” coming on, concentrate your mind vigorously upon the very opposite qualities, hold the ideals of cheerfulness, confidence, gratitude, good-will towards everybody, and you will be surprised to see how quickly the enemies which were dogging your steps and making your life miserable will disappear, just as the darkness does when the shutters are opened and the light rushes in.”

Dwelling on unfortunate experiences or mistakes only makes them bigger, blacker more hideous. Forget them, thrust them out of your mind as you would a thief from your home. Say to them, “You have no power over me. You cannot destroy my peace. You are not the truth of my being. The reality of me is divine. You cannot touch principle, my real self. Only the good and the true are scientific realities, are absolutely real, all else, however real it may seem, is false, because there is only one Infinite Power in the universe. A supreme, perfect Being could not have made imperfection or discouragement. However real they seem, they are not realities, they are only the absence of harmony, the absence of truth.”

Mr. Marden himself had many setbacks in his life and became discouraged where it would have been easier to go back than to push on. His words are therefore very real and uplifting and certainly possible for anyone to practice.

By focusing on the good, the ideal, the renewal and growth, he taught us the principle of that only light can chase out darkness; instead of trying to root out gloominess, worry and fear, cultivate the opposite quality. The best antidote for negativity is to be grateful, aspire for the higher things in life and keep the image of perfection.

His motto is: “Kill the negative by cultivating the positive.”

Long before the Law of Attraction became popular, he warned of superstitious beliefs, wrong mental concentrations, or predicting misfortunes; rather he enlightened people with convictions of greatness, confidence in the Omnipotent Creative Power, and faith in the ultimate connections of a beneficent universe based on an immortal Principle.

He believed that the secret of achievement is concentration.

Man is great in proportion as he reflects truth, justice, and righteousness. The very holding of the thought that we are truth itself, that error is abnormal to us, that we are harmony and not discord, that we are the principle of life, the very essence of love, justice, truth, and beauty gives us peace, serenity, a steadfastness and spiritual uplift which no material things can bestow. The constant contemplation of our union with the Infinite life, the realization that literally “I and my Father are one,” helps to establish a certainty, an assurance that we are not the playthings of chance, the puppets of accident or fate, that we are not tossed hither and thither in the universe the victims of a cruel destiny which we cannot control. The secret of all health, prosperity, and happiness is being in conscious union with the Divine.

The late Professor Shaler, of Harvard University, said that the greatest discovery of the last century was that of the unity of everything in the universe, the oneness of all life.

This idea that there is but one principle running through the universe, one life, one truth, one reality, that this power is divinely beneficent, and that we are in this great current principle, which is running God-ward, is one of the most inspiring, encouraging, and fear-killing that ever entered the human mind.

Here is the ultimate comfort:
Just in proportion as we realize this oneness with the Divine, this at-one-ment with our Maker, do our lives become calm, confident, and creative.

"Just try the experiment of thinking of yourself as an absolutely perfect being, possessing superb health, a magnificent body, a vigorous constitution, a sublime mind, and capable of standing any amount of strain."

With these words I like to conclude the “Miracle of Right Thought.” I also like to encourage you to read the complete manuscript at: http://www.mrrena.com/misc/marden_miracle.php. It is certainly an inspiration on a dreary winter day. Happy reading.

Listen to the Silence

We had a lot of snow in the recent weeks here in Ohio. I don’t particularly like the cold weather, but one thing I noticed when snow is falling, it is very quiet outdoors. Even in our suburban neighborhood, it is usually noisy with cars driving by, airplanes flying overhead, dog barking, etc.

When I was shoveling snow the other day, I became very aware of the silence outdoors. Cars driving by were going very slow and the sounds were muffled. I enjoyed that quiet time and even though the snow covered all my shoveling again, it fell so softly. It reminded me of this verse I found a while ago:

“We must be silent before we can listen.
We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare.
We must prepare before we can serve.
We must serve before we can lead.”

~ William Arthur Ward (American dedicated scholar, author, editor, pastor and teacher)

Some say listening in an art. It certainly is a skill which many have never learned. Listening is a ministry. It communicates love. When we care enough to listen, we validate another person's worth.

By listening to the falling snow I felt the love of the creator who covered the gray and barren grounds with a blanket of snow. It looks so pretty and clean, especially when the sun shines on it.

I read once about "Captain" Kirk Scherz from Boeing. He observed, "To be an exceptional listener we must be SILENT when the other person is speaking."

As he goes on to say, the secret to good listening can be found in the word "LISTEN." All you have to do is re-arrange the letters, and you come up with "SILENT."

And if you are willing to be silent once in a while, while others are speaking, Scherz says the rewards are enormous. He says, "You make the conversation rewarding, stimulating, motivating, and satisfying ... because in the final analysis every human being needs someone just to LISTEN to them."

Maybe these long winter days are a good opportunity to strengthen our listening skills and give someone our full ear.