Then no violence will be necessary.

Doesn't that title catch your attention.  Violence...Necessary?  Isn't that the way our world works sometimes.  Someone does something to one person and that person determines violence is necessary to protect them, or honor those who were harmed or even to protect their own honor.  Often violence is done as a warning to others.  "Don't mess with me!"  Hmmm.

That phrase ("Then no violence will be necessary) was told to me by my friend.  He described a situation that had happened in his family where a 40+ year old man from his church had contacted his daughter in her mid twenties asking her to go on a date.  My friend and his daughter wasn't keen on the idea.  My friend had the man investigated and found some big concerns about the fellow.  So he went to his minister and in that conversation with his minister he told him that as long as the man didn't contact his daughter any more "then no violence will be necessary".  He told me that the minister was surprised and alerted by that phrase.  As he should be since I know my friend. 

I wonder is violence ever necessary?  Interesting question.  I used to think it would be ideal to be a peaceful man who could be extremely violent if it were necessary.  In my mind I imagined the necessity might be if my family were in danger and being threatened by criminals.  But more recently I have come to the conclusion that violence of that sort would require a man who has prepared both physically and mentally for violence.  My preparation has been in the realm of peace and calm.  Consequently, I have realized that my ability to reason with someone and talk to them and help them see the humanity represented is my best defense and that violence isn't necessary but rather a choice. 

Now, my friend who shared his experience with me is a man who is capable of violence but has most recently trained in peace and calm.  Currently he feels stronger in his ability to be successful in the realm of violence but with continued training I expect he will gain confidence in his capacity to be successful with peace and calm rather than violence and harm. 

Ghandi said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

I wish we were all in training for peace. 

External Hard Drive

Okay, so my wife is my external hard drive.  She remembers all the stuff that I don't and most of what I do, so there is some overlap.  For instance, she remembers what day the trash man comes and the day the recycle man comes.  She remembers peoples names, what people were wearing, how many children our friends have and all the children's names and so forth. 

When I was first called to be Bishop several years ago I wished that we could have a remote hook up so that she could tell me people's names as I came up to them so that I could call them by name.  But it wasn't too long and my capacity was increased and I managed pretty good. 

Well, so, I bring this up because today I'm sitting at the computer and asking her how to spell different words. Yep, my spell checker is on her drive.  Maybe she thinks I'm writing my blog.  She asks if she is getting credited on my blog.  I'm not following her.  Then she quickly recants and says that she doesn't want to be named on my blog.  Why you might ask?  Well she explains that it's the times that I don't ask her how to spell things that bother her and she doesn't want to be named as the spelling director of my blog when I often don't ask her input and spell something wrong!  Hmmph. 

Well, no worries because I use the blog spell checker...sometimes.