Saw this on a bus in Florida.
It’s an important message.
Take Action. Stop Child Abuse.
Children are innocent!
The adults who commit the abuse and trafficking are animals.
If you see something, say something to the authorities.
You may just be saving a child’s life.
Protect our children…they are our future. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
When all the world is going c-r-a-z-y…
The best thing you can do is stay CALM.
– Calm is where good energy enters and bad doesn’t.
– Calm is where rational thinking gets done.
– Calm is where positive action happens.
– Calm is where our inner faith is sustained.
– Calm is where we can inspire and lead ourselves and others to do good.
Calm is where we all yearn to be. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Cool photo of this frog in motion and ready to spring.
You can really see his leg muscles in action.
It’s amazing all the different and wonderful creatures that Hashem has created.
Thank you G-d for this amazing world you have created for us. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So as we have done for ages…
We pray.
We weep.
We bless.
We request.
We thank.
We only control what we say and do.
The rest is in G-d’s merciful, blessed hands. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So we got a new stainless refrigerator.
A cause for celebration!
It get’s delivered and afterwards, I notice that the door handles are installed unevenly.
I call the store and they agree to send their guys out to us again to fix it.
Well, the handles were on the wrong doors and they switch it so that now they look even, but in the process, they break the handle on one of the doors so that only the top is attached to the door and the bottom is blowing in the wind (and ready to scratch the door).
With this second installation debacle, I call the store again and not a happy camper!
Three calls later, the store agrees for me to come over and literally take the handle of the fridge on the showroom floor to replace my broken one–which I promptly did!
Third times the charm…no more broken door handle.
As for the one in the store, let’s just say you can only open the left door for now. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words.”
When we see wrong and evil in this world, we have a duty to stand up and speak out with truth and integrity, to be a good influence and guide things for the better, and even to repair the world (“Tikkun Olam”)…Words are perhaps a good start, but also, “words are cheap.” The way to really judge someone is less by their words, and far more so by their actual deeds. Moreover, sometimes words aren’t enough and we need to not just say something, but do something! As Edmund Burke stated, “The only thing necessary for triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” It’s great to speak out when we see wrong, but more than that we have to be willing, when necessary, to act out–to do something.
As Jews, we need to be ready, willing, and able to stand up for what is right in the never ending war of good over evil in this world–regardless of silver or lead, G-d forbid–with our words and with our deeds.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I got my tickets for this today.
Can’t wait to see it!
Rambo says:
“You started this; I’ll end it!”
Justice, justice shalt thou pursue. 😉
In honor of the amazing (2nd to last) episode last night of Game of Thrones…
I am posting this artistic Dragon.
That dragon last night sure was able to do a lot of damage.
It was a very dramatic and sad episode.
I won’t give it away.
But an air force of dragons can certainly do quite well.
Dropping some serious firepower is what they do. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I loved this magnet on this wonderful old Jewish ladies refrigerator who lives in our community.
“If you have nothing good to say…
Say nothing.”
I remember we used to talk about this saying in my house growing up too.
It is a famous teaching from the holy Chofetz Chaim.
I remember as a bar-mitzvah boy, someone in our community in Riverdale, NY gave me a set of the Chofetz Chaim’s books.
And I enjoyed reading from them daily about always being careful with how you use your words:
– Not to hurt anyone.
– Not to speak bad about anyone (i.e. Lashon Hara)
– But rather to use words pointedly and always for the good.
Kind words.
Gentle words.
Complimentary words.
Words of love and caring.
Holy words.
The Chofetz Chaim seemed to have an endless number of wonderful stories to demonstrate the power of speech and the importance of using it for the good.
The old saying of “The pen is mightier than the sword,” can be used replacing the pen with the tongue and power of speech in general.
Words can cut someone like a knife and even kill or words can create a tremendous healing when it’s full of love and caring for others.
Actions speak louder than words, but words can speak and perform volumes in the eternal fight of good over evil. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
I was on the treadmill the other evening.
On the TV was Sylvester Stallone in the movie, Rambo.
Ah, some nice welcome action to take my mind off the exercise.
Some doctors and missionaries are trying to make their way to to Burma to help the helpless victims being slaughtered by the military warlord and his henchmen.
Stallone knows the danger in going there, and at first, he ties to discourage them from going.
The beautiful and sincere women in the group convinces him to take them there…to try to make a difference in these people’s lives who are suffering.
Stallone takes to the lesson and incorporates it into his inner persona.
And later he says:
“Live for something
Or
Die for nothing!“
I thought this was a really good philosophy.
THINK ABOUT IT:
– We can choose to make our lives meaningful and impactful or to hide in the closet or under the bed and really accomplish nothing.
Our lives are a gift, given to us to do something good with–it’s a sin to waste that gift and not do everything we can to be a good influence, help others, and make this a better world.
(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
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