The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

That we must live with imperfections is a fact of life that cannot be denied. We must come to terms with the silent and perennial truth that the field of human life will always consist of the good, the bad and the ugly coexisting together.

There is no perfect place, person, or thing. We know this do we not? I have visited many beautiful places in my life and discovered, sometimes to my own amazement, that there was also the not so pretty hidden behind the lovely scenery. In every metropolis there is, cleverly disguised perhaps, the garden of weeds.

There is no perfect thing. Regardless of how lovely it may appear and like the diamond seem flawless; but under microscopic scrutiny flaws are detected nevertheless.

And certainly, there is no perfect person. We all have some good to offer, but intermixed with the good is the bad and the ugly. In every situation we contribute wheat, but we know that we also contribute thistles. We know this and yet we seem bent on expecting perfection in ourselves and others. Finding the ugly and unpleasant mixed in with the wheat is an everyday experience and each of us has to deal with the inherent difficulties involved.

In every area of life there is and always will be, the good, the bad and the ugly. In every church, synagogue, mosque, company, corporation, agency, organization, home, school and any other place where people gather, we will find the good, the bad and the ugly.

One of the things that I always encouraged of new converts and new members that joined our church was to face the reality of what it meant to be a church member. Ideals of coming to a place where everything was nice and tidy and holy and everybody was sweet and kind and pious painfully gave way to the reality of the good, the bad and the ugly. There are people in church who behave ugly and do not reflect the virtues one would expect to encounter in God's house of prayer. Even within the sacred walls of divinity we encounter the same good, bad and ugly we meet in our everyday lives.

Not only do we live with and intermingle with both the wheat and the thistles but they exist within each of us. Collectively and individually, we are capable of heart-touching kindness towards one another as well as heart wrenching evil. We are capable of building up and capable of tearing down, capable of great love and capable of seething hatred, capable of horrendous evil as well as remarkable good. Jesus reminds us that wheat and weeds will grow together until the harvest.

Understand though, that God is not mocked; weeds do not go unnoticed. God knows where they all are. At harvest time, the wheat will be separated from the weeds. Until then, we trust in God, accept life on its own terms and wait for the harvest.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, will be available soon.

town car ride to ohare Bethalto .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

If not properly managed, Windows Defender Application Control, a security feature with Windows, could be a potential security vulnerability.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
FlashBot Arm, a semi-humanoid robot, acts more like a human than traditional robots, and you may see it working at a restaurant, healthcare center or hotel.
There are multiple ways to find your missing Android phone after it goes missing. One method involves using a smartwatch to ping your phone.
The NeuroOne OneRF Ablation System is a new device with FDA-cleared technology designed for both diagnosing and treating neurological disorders in one procedure.
The CyberGuy provides tips to protect yourself from criminals who use various methods to make unauthorized transactions using your account information.
New drone technology maps land and water with stunning accuracy, giving researchers and conservationists a new way to understand our planet.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
X hit with massive data breach with 200 million records leaked, including emails. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers seven tips to help protect yourself.
Atlas robot by Boston Dynamics amazes tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson with its breakdancing moves.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Google kept Android SafetyCore details quiet until it scanned users' photos.
Hydrogen trucks debut in Georgia, sparking debates on costs and green freight gains. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson comments on this promising chapter in green logistics evolution.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says ChatGPT learns from chats, but you should avoid sharing sensitive information to protect your privacy.
Beyond Aero's BYA-1: Hydrogen-electric jet with zero emissions, reduced costs, 2030 launch. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses a potential game changer in the evolution of air travel.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how you can creatively repurpose your old unused Android devices, which are full of potential and hidden value.
Mech the super-humanoid robot can lift up to 132 pounds and is designed to tackle stressful and repetitive tasks that often lead to workplace injuries.
Double-clicking is something we all do, often without giving it a second thought. But it could be giving hackers permission to do something dangerous.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers some of his easy expert tips to free up storage space on your Android if your device is running short on storage.
You can reset your internet router remotely if you're not home when your power goes out. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how this can be done.
The EO Canopy is a self-sustaining, solar-powered camping platform designed to provide all the comforts of home while completely off the grid.
Experts say hackers who used to focus on Windows operating systems are increasingly targeting Apple IDs as part of a new phishing campaign.
Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that developed a backflipping robot, has now introduced a humanoid robot capable of doing a side flip.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
According to the FBI, cybercriminals are sending extortion letters, threatening to release victims' sensitive information unless a ransom is paid.

Clear Mind, Empty Head: A Leak In Mind Like Water

There's a lot of talk in meditation circles about emptying... Read More

Honoring the Sacred in Everyday Life

How many of us rush blindly through our days, fall... Read More

The Trouble With Tarot Reading

Anything can be used for divination; coins, tea leaves, cards,... Read More

Why Isnt God Helping Me?

Have you ever felt like throwing up your arms and... Read More

Unification of World Religions

If anyone says that his/her religion is the only path... Read More

Do People See Visions Anymore?

Unless God has changed the way he does things it... Read More

A Crash Course In Tarot For Newbies #1 - All About the Cards

The Tarot is not just a divinatory tool, but it... Read More

Looking for God - Heres My Story On Finding the Lord

Hopefully you're reading this article because you're intrigued by the... Read More

Using Psalm 23 as Spiritual Affirmation

INTRODUCTIONSpiritual affirmations are positive, statements of intention, that facilitate manifestation.... Read More

Unforgiving Servant - Why Would You Hurt Yourself Like This?

Everybody knows that if you stick your hand in a... Read More

Contentment in Gratitude

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,... Read More

Discipline of Prayer: Always Connected

Every workday, five days a week, I take the light... Read More

Terrorists Again - 14 Prayers to Protect Your Family

In the last 2 weeks or so, I have been... Read More

Pioneering Insanity

"They're crazy!" That's what they're saying about us. The majority... Read More

The World Revolves Around Me

Lately I have become aware of a new truth that... Read More

Are you Addicted to ?NO?? Locating the YES! of the Heart

It seems to me that our moment to moment relationship... Read More

Choose Life or Death

No one, not even God can make us choose the... Read More

God Loves You With the Love of God

Do you ever feel that what you read in some... Read More

Creating Your Soul-Centered Community

Imagine for a moment. It's Tuesday night about 7pm. You... Read More

Smoke

I always thought Ecclesiastes was like Proverbs. That's probably because... Read More

Livin On A Prayer

When I was a child, I thought as a child,... Read More

Mystic Vision Opens Mind Body Connection

Worldwide extensive research is being published related to the mind-body... Read More

Home Improvement or New Construction?

Jesus said, "No one can see the Kingdom of Heaven... Read More

The Trust We Must Have to Manifest What We Truly Desire

Some of my greatest teachers have taught me that faith... Read More

Why Jesus?

There are many contradictions in life and none more easily... Read More

Gurnee Lincoln Stretch rentals ..