Compartmentalized Brilliance

You, like me, have met people in your life who have demonstrable brilliance that seems to be regulated to one, maybe two areas of their life. Even people frequently referred to as ‘idiot savants’ exhibit extraordinary skills in oftentimes a creative area of their lives that provides an ironic juxtaposition to what has been defined as their developmental limitations. The ability to masterfully play the piano, but be unable to read music; the gift of etching life on a page, yet being unable to define colors; the stealth to hear a concerto and repeat it verbatim, without the ability to spell c-o-n-c-e-r-t-o; compartmentalized brilliance.

The compartmentalization of brilliance is not relegated to those with savant syndrome. It happens in those who have not been defined in terms of operating with developmental limitations who have a hot spot of brilliance. It happens to the best of us. To be able to cook a savory meal without a recipe; measuring in the chef’s hand without using the contemporary tools of a chef; determining tastes by how the ingredients feel; versus perfectly measuring out to ensure that not too much of one thing and not enough of another are imparted into the dish. The ability to dissect a mechanical problem, determined by the inappropriate sound the engine is making; ears tuned to the rumble of the components, and peeked when something doesn’t sound quite right; correcting the problem, with oil stained hands, worn out tools, and no written instruction or the reassurance of a trained mechanics watchful eye. Even something so simple as calculating the cost of groceries as one shops in the store; not writing it down, but balancing the checkbook – adding and subtracting, down to the penny, so as not to go over budget.

These are all things that ordinary people do everyday without giving it a second thought. This bisected brilliance is taken for granted by some, and is often unrecognized by most. They are lovingly referred to as the meanest cook in the family, the shade tree mechanic, the frugal one, ‘the one with the good credit’.

It has oft been said by those with extensive research credentials, and multiple letters and commas behind their names that most humans only use 10% of their brains capacity. What if, because we know this and accept it as fact, we individually decide to stretch the parameters of our own compartmentalized brilliance? What if there was a collective decision to use 20%, 30%, God forbid, 50% of the magnanimous power that has been given to us in the form of intelligence. What difference would that make in our lives? Would there be limits to the feats we could accomplish, the tasks undertaken and conquered, the depths of dreams no longer deferred? Most importantly, the compartmentalization removed, eliminates all excuses of what one can’t do; it decreased the comfort of staying within the knowing; forcing the widening of the eye, and the expansion of the mind to heights unknown.

If this decompartmentalization process was then broadened to every facet of our human selves; not only intelligence, but feelings, emotions, physicality, spirituality, what then? What then would be the result of decompartmentalized brilliance?

Fenced In

On a recent vacation with my children, I had the opportunity to observe the landscape as I drove. Between the beautiful sky, trees in the midst of colorful transition and the sprawling fields that seemed to never end, there was an oft repeated theme. What, you may ask? Intermittently dispersed over the landscape were little enclaves of fenced cattle.
The cattle were of various colors and sizes; with males and females adequately represented. Some were even longhorns, frequently associated with the Texas longhorns. Some of the cattle were huge, easily weighing several hundred pounds. What was striking to me was not the sheer girth of these animals, nor the sheer numbers of cattle that could be seen in what appeared to be a rather small pasture. What was striking is regardless of the aforementioned factors, these animals were all held behind minimal fencing! Some of the fences were made from chain link; but more than not, the fencing was wooden stakes with some form of linkage running between. Rarely did I see barb wired fencing (like the kind that keeps criminals at bay). Some of the fences that I saw had wooden posts that were leaning, and fencing, regardless of the material, that was dipping, as it had not been pulled taut across the posts. Mind you, despite the materials, none of the fencing was such that it blocked the view from any passerby of neither the animals nor the fields they grazed in. The fences seemed see through.

I began to think about this premise as I drove across the countryside. These animals were massive. Had either one of them decided that the grass was truly greener on the other side of the fence, all it would have taken was to lean against the fencing and they would have that desired access. They would be free to eat, and graze in that greener pasture. Moreover, if there was such a thing as collective thought amongst these beasts of burden, a small number of them could trample the very fencing that was holding them in. The most striking visual was of a cow who had peeked it’s head through the fencing, and was actually nibbling grass from outside the enclosure! You could tell that this was no easy feet. There was some effort and even strain involved in securing the object that the animal sought.

This rather mundane visual context proved striking and profound to me as I drove. I began to wonder and think about the objects or things or the self that had me fenced in. What was keeping me from attaining the object of my desire that seemed to be right outside of my grasp? Was I like the animal who accepted their fate, by a fence that was leaning, that would take minimal effort to trample? Did I even know that I was fenced in? And was I so comfortable in my current condition that the thought of leaning on the weakened fence never crossed my mind, or the collective minds of those around me? Or was I more like the animal that was reaching through the fence, striving to reach the object of my desire? Yes, there was some struggle and strain involved, and it took great effort to reach, but the reward was perceived to be great enough to justify the effort?

And what if the fence that the animal was reaching through to reach the greener grass was barb wired or even electrical. Would I still be the one reaching through the fence at this level of risk? Contemplation of this fencing in has been an important and clarifying process for me. Have you considered what has you fenced in?

Nocturnal Disturbance

It’s not those things that go bump in the night.
It’s not the boogey man, hiding behind a child’s closet door or underneath the bed.
It’s not that weird unexpected noise that causes your ears to perk up and your body to tense.
It’s not the cries, deep sighs or irregular breaths from another, lying not so peacefully beside you.
It’s not the child you put to bed hours ago who now wants to sleep next to you…..where it’s safe.
It’s not the whistling of a mighty wind or the clap of thunder striking too close to where your heart lives.
It’s not that flash in the pan, too bright to see, blast of light from the lightening fingers in the sky.
It’s not the request of a cherished lover to move closer for additional comfort.
It is not…….

It is, however, that something that gives you great pause even in the middle of an entrancing dream sequence.
It is that something that makes you ponder even in unconscious thought.
It is that something that no matter how tired you are and how deeply you think you are sleeping, forces a sleepy eye, a sleepy conscious to awaken….
even if it is only for the briefest moment.
It Is that something you remember momentarily, and not as a passing fancy.
It is what needs to be attended to immediately, written down if only scribbled in the dark for fear that failure to act most expeditiously may cause this precious something to dissipate like so many other somethings before.
It is that something that in that one instance is the most powerful something that requires your immediate, undivided, unwavering attention.
Right now attention!!!!
It is a whisper from the Most High directing your feet, reminding you of your purpose, implanting a powerful thought…. Not prophesied by others but spoken in a sweet melodic and rhythmic way, with perfect pitch and timbre;
for your ears only…..directly to you and for you.
It is nocturnal disturbance.

YES!

Y. E. S. When placed together in this particular sequential order, the letters Y – E – S comprise one of the most powerful words in the English language. The word YES has been defined as an affirmative; as you ask or say; confirmation or consent. Although as children, we learn the opposite of yes first, the mastery of an effective yes can be life changing.

So, what will you say yes to?

Say YES to dreams deferred.

Say YES to loving yourself, just as you are.

Say YES to finishing that unfinished project.

Say YES to walking purposefully in your life.

Say YES to peace of mind.

Say YES to limitless bounty.

Say YES to increased territory.

Say YES to transformative feelings.

Say YES to the preordained plan for your life.

Just say YES !!!!

The Trash Man Cometh!

In most cities across the country, trash service is provided. In some areas, the city pays for trash pick up; while in others, the resident themselves pays for this service. In most cases, the trash man has a regular day to pick up the trash. However, it is important to note that trash pick up will be delayed on holidays. No, that doesn’t mean that the trash man will wait until the next week to pick up the garbage; rather, the customer will be notified of another day this invaluable service will be delivered.

Trash service has gotten somewhat sophisticated and even more beneficial over the past few years. Some companies make provisions for recycling, and provide very specific instructions to address yard waste. I don’t know if you’ve paid attention to your local trash service, but some waste service providers even have trucks that use a mechanical arm to grab the trashcan from the curb! They use to use people for that.

If you are anything like me, there are times when I forget to get the trash ready for pick up. And oh do I pay for it for the next week! Needless to say, although this can often be a thankless job, the service that is provided is invaluable.

For those of us who pay for trash service, we also have to remember to pay our bill; whether it is monthly or quarterly. Failure to pay the trash bill results in no trash service being provided. Translation: Trash buildup!

Have you emptied your trash lately? Not just the physical trash that accumulates from week to week, but the trash in our lives that is accumulating as well? Or have you forgotten to take the trash out, or worse, forgotten to pay for this much needed service?

Some of us have failed to gather the trash that exists in all the rooms that together make up our life. For some of us, trash has been left unattended for a long time. Trash that is not properly disposed of will stink after a while! The trash that we have failed to rid ourselves us is starting to stink too!

Now, you may have put off taking out the trash because you wanted to separate the recyclables from the rest of the garbage. Regardless of this noble effort, it’s all trash now! You may have procrastinated, putting off for tomorrow what could be done today. You may have just forgotten to pay the trash bill. It’s still sitting in the stack of other bills you haven’t quite gotten around to paying. Whatever the reason, please know that the trash you have not properly attended to is fumigating your space in a very unpleasant way.

The trash man cometh! Is your trash ready for pick up?

Delayed is not Denied!

Instant gratification. That is the definition of most of our current and contemporary lives. There use to be a time when if you wanted to talk to someone on the phone, you had to wait until you got home to make the call. Now we can call, text and im from anywhere on the planet at anytime. Do people even write letters anymore? Some may, but not many. We simply pick up the most recent version of the hottest electronic device and send an instant message. Bills don’t even come in the mail anymore, unless you choose to have them sent that way. Instead, you get email reminders, or reminders on your cell phone. For those who are good stewards of their money, there may even be automatic withdrawal from the bank. Food doesn’t have to be cooked and labored over. We simply drive thru or nuke it. Newspaper distributorship is a thing of the past. We now get the news via the web. We don’t really have to wait for two much of anything anymore.

Children born into this time cannot relate to a typewriter; they relate to computer and laptop only. Dial telephones are antiquated. The games we played as children are now in electronic version. Even games like kickball, soccer, baseball can all be conveniently played in the comfort of the living room through automated machinery.

This is all considered advancement and cutting edge. These are futuristic moves that represent the advancement of intelligence and mankind as a whole. But is there really something wrong with delayed gratification? If a child asks a parent for something; something as minor as a cookie after dinner, and the parent’s response is, “Just wait one minute.” – how many times in that one minute will the child repeatedly ask for the cookie? The child will ask and ask until the parent typically caves in and gives them the cookie. The parents’ intent was for the child to receive the cookie a little later. The child wanted to receive the cookie upon asking. Instant gratification versus delayed gratification.

If we are honest with ourselves, are we any different then our children? Do we wait for things that we want? Do we ask our Creator for something and expect immediate results, whether it be a better job, renewal of our health, our soul mate? And do we assume that the ‘lack of response’ in the time we determine to be sufficient is God’s denial of our request? Do we then question whether our faith is strong or whether he really loves us enough to grant the desires of our heart? Do we forego the work required to get and keep the things we want; preferring instead to leave it at the alter for God to work it out right away?

Delayed is not denied. Give some thought to answered prayers in God’s time. Were you not better prepared to receive them when he saw fit to bestow the blessing? Then think about things you gained without working hard for them; or that were given to you very quickly. What became of those things? Did you appreciate the magnitude of that blessing?

Delayed is not denied. Can you wait?

Increased Territory

Increased Territory

Increase my territory is a prayer prayed by a number of believers. But in order to understand what facilitates increased territory, one must only look to the life of a farmer. Regardless of how the farmer came into the life of farming, the objective is clear; to produce healthy crops that grow and grow abundantly. So let’s just say the novice farmer decides on the kind of crop he wants to grow. Research and due diligence is required to determine what kind of soil is necessary, as well as what the weather patterns are to support the desired crop. Then the novice farmer must wants to secure a small plot of land to plant the crops. But before any planting can occur, the prospective farmer must scout out what may be a good field for growing. He examines the soil, weather patterns, and takes notes from any neighboring farmers as to how their crops have faired. Once the farmer is satisfied with the land he has chosen, and the crop he intends to plant, the soil must be prepared. The farmer must till the soil; turning the dirt over and over so that it is receptive to the seed soon coming. The farmer takes the time to hoe the land, and make nice even rows for purposeful planting. The farmer meticulously lays the seed; ensuring that not neither too much nor too little goes into one spot. Once the seeds are appropriately distributed, then the farmer gently turns over the soil, ensuring even coverage, and then goes on to water the newly planted seeds at just the right level for optimal growth.

The farmer needs to water the crop at certain times of day to reduce evaporation and ensure that the plants are nourished. The farmer may even use some kind of fertilizer in hopes of expediting the growing process. This step is repeated over and over until the seed breaks through the ground becoming a plant. But the farmer’s work doesn’t stop once the new bud arrives. The work intensifies as this new bud is exposed to the elements; wind, sun, rain, varmints. The farmer must be vigilant in his care of the new buds to ensure that it has an opportunity to grow into a thriving healthy plant.

Fast forward. The full crop has come in, and now it has been harvested. What then is left for the farmer to do? Well, as you well know, his work must continue, even in the off season. He has to do a number of things to ensure that next year’s crop is even greater then the first.

Now whether you realize it or not, the original plot of land for the farmer has sustained some growth. See, the plants that he planted and harvested have dropped seeds. Those seeds have expanded the length and possibly the width of the rows that the farmer originally planted. What could once be successfully contained on lets say a 12 by 12 foot plot, now requires a 16 by 12 foot plot. The farmer may not have been cognizant of the expansion of his land, but he does realize that for continued maximum growth, he must increase his territory.

So, what is the moral of the story? Although praying for increased territory is admirable and in a number of ways may be plausible, your territory will be increased when you do what it is that is required of you. The work, yes, the work. The work, in and of itself, if attended to with the same due diligence of a novice farmer trying to achieve a bumper crop, will increase your territory. When you recognize and accept your divine purpose (the seed to be planted) and you do the work to turn that seed into a mature, thriving plant, territorial increase is automatic! Let us then be like the novice farmer, who becomes the seasoned professional; producing bumper crop season after season. The territory is available. God has already provided the increase.