My Temple. It is still a joy and a privilege to be here with you. For me sometimes, my on-line life and my real-life meet. Sometimes they don't AND sometimes they can't. There's a real-life statement I make often and it’s my motto for the year. DON'T CATCH THE QUIT. My family has taken this statement we heard from a video shared by our brother from a retired but still active Army Drill Sergeant. It's more adult and service member humor than anything so I won’t place commercial's here, but I will tell you- I don't subscribe to a lot of things and don't to this guy but he makes my old solder laugh out loud. One of the things we say is " you pump me up." It’s an old Army term that the wife and I still use. He and a few others I know of, pump me up. There are a many modern day Jeddist that pump me up. By "pump me up" I mean it motivates me to action or preparation for action. For me, there are days when no one can pump me up. There are days I just don't feel like screaming and hollering and hooting and getting fired up... some days there's nothing there. When we as modern day Jeddist find our feet at such a place and moment, what do you do? What happens when the general stuff doesn't cut to the heart or reach the person one on one? What happens when we feel alone in real life? No snarky or enlightened post is going to do anything for anyone- not today? Ever been there? I have. Real people, real people problems. As easy as it is to log on here is as easy as it is to NOT log in. what then. What do we do when the -quit- starts to set in a bit more... past the open general - typical- questions and answers but on the inside? Here, I'm careful what I say. Modern day Jeddist are people too and they are smart. my encouragement to other modern day Jeddist at any level is to not quit what you started. Don't stop studying and reflecting. Anyone can read books, but many others are reflecting and living things they know or have read somewhere or feel or even have been told. This modern day Jediism relies on the people... you. Yea! If you’re not here, then we cease to exist. Your Temple has been here for over many years and will be here tomorrow. Thing happen, but there are still faithful people around here and willing. I'm reminded of the idea of levels in an arcade... at any given time anyone can be at any experience points and levels and at parts of the game as well- as is life. I often forget about levels. It’s the 8-bit idea that reminds me often that everyone is at different levels. You can’t ever tell. If you’re like me, there may come times the hoot and holler is needed sometimes it isn't. There will be days you don't want to do anything. Those are the real moments in life. What do you do? What do Jeddist do? My encouragement to you is don't stop- don't catch the quit but also - be smart and take breaks. Set yourself up again and again and again and as many times as you need to. JUST DONT QUIT. I'm helped often by the ideas that there's really for me no end prize or someone keeping a tally so that idea helps me. Make. Create. Cultivate. Continue - don't quit. Here, if you need there are many hearts willing and able to reach out. Use what you have here. We are here for you. heck, sometimes we are the Temple together and alone. Let’s keep on learning and lest keep on going and moving forward. everyone got their own pace so remember too, this is a self-reflective and self-paced type of area, so there's no competing or anything like that. We all learn at different paces and at different lengths. Don't quit Jedi don't quit. You’re not alone.
Pastor Carlos
