Blog Archives - Articulating Hope

Cheyenne Rotary @ Little America Hotel and Resort

8/31/2022

It was another new experience. I spoke to the Rotary Club today in Cheyenne at Little America Hotel and Resort. I have had the privilege of being a guest speaker at quite a number of organizations through the years, but I think today was the first time I ever spoke at a Rotary event. It was good to connect with some new people and rekindle some friendships with a few folks I had not seen in several years.

I always try to arrive early when I am scheduled to speak. I want to just soak in the environment and focus my thinking. I offer a quiet prayer seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How do I best reach the hearts and minds of the people sitting in front of me?

It is a blessing in my life to have these opportunities to speak to great organizations.

The question and answer part of the session was fantastic.

I am blessed to have a great staff and supportive board members around me.

KFBC-Radio--Kerri Hayden with Bryan Pedersen

8/31/2022

Many thanks to Kerri Hayden for having Bryan Pedersen and myself on the air this morning to discuss the needs in the community, and what nonprofit organizations are doing to help meet those needs. This was my third appearance on the air with Kerri. She is always kind and gracious as she helps us tell our story.

REFLECTION QUESTION:

How will you make your community stronger today?

"National South Carolina Day" -- Celebrate Well

8/31/2022

I saw on social media today that "South Carolina Day" is celebrated every year on August 31 to commemorate the charm, history, and beauty of the bold Palmetto State.

Did you know that South Carolina is the leading producer of peaches east of the Mississippi River?

Hilton Head Island is home to a mysterious circle of 4,000-year-old shells called the Sea Pines Ring. It may have been a ceremonial area for Native Americans.

It is truly a beautiful and magnificent state.

Each Day Is An Opportunity To Create A Masterpiece

8/29/2022

“Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” ~ John W. Gardner

"I dream of painting, and then I paint my dream." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

"The world is but a canvas to our imagination." ~ Henry David Thoreau

"The best artists know what to leave out." ~ Charles de Lint

"The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery." ~ Francis Bacon

What will the masterpiece of your life look like today?

On The Road Again--It Has Been A Long Time

8/28/2022

Speaking engagements have been limited ever since the Spring of 2020. Everything on my calendar in 2020 seemed to be swept away in the blink of an eye. Those events were canceled and never returned.

It has not been my practice to actively pursue speaking events. They have simply organically developed through the years. Word of mouth endorsements provided more opportunities than I could handle at some points. However, that all changed once the pandemic arrived on the scene. Now I find that "out of sight, out of mind" truly is a thing. (I may need to start a public relations campaign to get back in sight.)

Thankfully, a few folks continue to reach out. I am grateful for those relationships that endure the test of time. I was supposed to have been with the catechists at St. Patrick's Parish last year. However, my own lengthy battle against COVID made it necessary to cancel. I am grateful that I was invited back again this year.

It felt good to be on the road again and doing what I enjoy. A tip of the hat today to everyone at St. Patrick's Parish in Casper, Wyoming. May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you always!

Many thanks to all of the catechists who give of their time to share in the teaching ministry of Christ. Blessings and peace!

What Kind Of Life Are You Trying To Create?

8/22/2022

Is ”Quiet Quitting” just happening at work, or elsewhere?

Trends and buzzwords on social media seem to attract a lot of attention. The business arena currently seems to be flooded with words or phrases such as:

#Quiet Quitting
#Employee Disengagement
#The Great Resignation
#The Great Reshuffle
#Unprecedented Burnout
#Workplace Apathy
#Workplace Cynicism

Since the Spring of 2020, we have certainly been exposed to enough factors that could easily cause fatigue, burnout, and even desperation. This isn’t just a workplace issue. The ripple effect impacts every area of our lives. Exhaustion, burnout, and financial struggles due to inflationary pressures set the stage for some dramatic situations.

How have familial relationships suffered because of layoffs or upheavals at work? What adjustments had to be made to accommodate working remotely? How did hybrid work environments impact relationships at home and at work? How was everyone impacted if a company returned to in-person work with no flexibility for remote work? There is a reason those hashtags listed above keep showing up.

Now, let’s put it into the context of faith. How many people “quietly quit” attending church and any related activities? It isn’t labeled “employee disengagement”. It is parishioner disengagement.

After being told the sacraments were nonessential for a lengthy period of time during societal shutdown, how many members of the congregation quietly dismissed themselves altogether and never came back? For those that returned, is attending church services more hit and miss now than it was prior to 2020?

(From an employer/employee standpoint, what has been the turnover rate among church employees? Retention of good employees seemed to be enough of a struggle for churches prior to 2020, I can only imagine the numbers in the last couple of years.)

Quite frankly, I simply ask this question: How is Church leadership evaluating and responding to “Quiet Quitting” among the flock?

This is a time when many people need to find strength just to cope with life. The Church should be one of the first places people look for that beacon of hope. The Church has a tremendous opportunity to share profoundly in the preaching, teaching, and healing ministry of Jesus to bring our world peace and consolation. Will we let the Light of Christ shine brightly through us?

If we, as Church leadership, simply sit on the sidelines and wait for people to come to us, we will not be fulfilling our responsibilities well. How do we most effectively go out to those who are hurting? Are we content knowing that people are "quietly quitting," or will we evangelize in unprecedented ways?

Let us go out to all the world and tell the Good News!

The Dam--The Water--The Electricity--The Tourists

8/19/2022

Describe your life at this moment in time utilizing objects in the photo above.

1. Are you the power plant generating energy at near maximum capacity?
2. Do you see yourself as the water? Are you in front of the dam or downstream? Why?
3. Do you see yourself as the dam, solid and steady? Why?
4. Do you see yourself as the powerlines? Are you a conduit of strength to others?
5. Do you see yourself as the bridge providing opportunities for connections?
6. Do you see yourself as the rocks? If so, explain.
7. Do you see yourself as a tourist? Are you learning or simply watching life pass by?

Finally, what does this sign say to you about who we are as a society?

Be An Extremist--Pray the Rosary

8/16/2022

The 54 day rosary novena began yesterday on the Solemnity of the Assumption. It will end on the feast day of "Our Lady of the Rosary" on October 7.

A novena is simply nine days of prayer. The original novena were those nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday. It was a period of waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

A 54 day novena is a compilation of six novenas. Typically, the first three novena are offered with a sense of petition (27 days). The second three are immediately entered into as a prayer of thanksgiving (27 days).

The reason for the title of this blog is due to the article published in "The Atlantic." They have since edited some of it due to the pushback, but you can still find information about it on the internet.

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/radical-traditionalist-catholic-christian-rosary-weapon/671122/

www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252038/the-atlantic-publishes-article-on-the-rosary-as-a-symbol-of-far-right-violent-extremism

www.theamericanconservative.com/an-extremist-symbol/

catholicvote.org/atlantic-article-blasts-the-holy-rosary-as-an-extremist-symbol/

"Back to School Bash" in Cheyenne, Wyoming

8/14/2022

I had the pleasure of being one of the speakers at the "Back to School Bash" yesterday at the Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne. Approximately 1,200 people passed through the gates to obtain school supplies.

It was almost 90 degrees outside, but selecting a winter coat was one of the opportunities as well.

Cheyenne is a very generous community.

I am grateful for the role my team played in serving the community through this event. Thank you for giving up your Saturday and enduring the heat.

Apathetic? Indifferent? Stuck In A Rut?

8/13/2022

“In today’s work world, few drop dead from exhaustion but many quietly curl up and die from under-satisfaction.”

~ Michael LeBoeuf

In his book, "MAVERICKS!", Donald W. Blohowiak states: "Too many of us suffer from the nice-ification of the workplace. Most of us now toil in a sterile, play-to-the-boss, phony 'have a nice day' environment. Constant agreement lacks energy, creativity, life."

Paul Valery says, "Politeness is organized indifference."

Raymond A. Slesinski says, "Apathy is worse than resistance."

Obviously, there are nuances to each of these quotes, but they make a point. My reflection questions for today are simple.

1. Are we suffering from under-satisfaction?
2. Do we lack a sense of purpose?
3. Is apathy and indifference part of our daily life?

If you are stuck in a rut, what will you do to break out of it?