Charlois

Friday, December 23rd, 2022

There are times when you come across a resource that has the potential to be a game changer.  The book “Do It Scared,” by Ruth Soukup, has been that for me.  It’s a self-help book that focuses on overcoming your fears to accomplish great things.  Ms. Soukup digs into her own life to share examples of the challenges we can overcome.

This book is broken down into three sections of seven chapters each.  The first section covers the seven fear architypes that she and her research team have identified.  Each chapter covers the basics of that particular fear, the downside, and some strengths associated with the fear.

Section two is called, Principles of Courage.  In this section she covers seven principles, that when embraced can help individuals overcome their fear.  She gives examples from her personal life as well as professional experiences to guide the reader into understanding how to apply it.

Finally, in section three, we get a step-by-step action plan that can be utilized to move people in the direction of their dreams.  Again, she uses relevant examples to get her message across.  This is where the rubber meets the road.

Throughout the book there are things that can aid the reader in their own journey.  Everything from a website that tests you for your fear type, to things her company produces to make the journey easier.

Then she includes ways to become part of her community and enjoy the benefits that brings.  Overall, a great book if you want to put your fears behind you, and move into your ideal new life.

Buy it, read it, and practice it. You won’t regret it.

God bless.

Robert A. Charlois III

Thursday, December 22nd, 2022

As part of the Charlois Life as well as in many other traditions, we encourage everyone to take these last few weeks of the year, and reflect on the year just ending.  We also believe we should dream, and dream big.

This dual approach has many benefits, including, being aware of the victories and shortfalls of the year past so that plans can be made to move our lives in a positive direction.  We want to be moving forward because if we are standing still, or going backwards we are living a life of death, with no chance of a great future.

So, that is what I am working on.  Last year was a good one, with many victories, but also with a few setbacks.  I started the year with plans to make it one of my best years ever.  I feel short of that goal but I did make progress in many areas.  Therefore, it was a successful year.

This year I’m planning even greater things.  It is said that greatness comes to those who sacrifice for it.  One of the ways I’m going to make it great is by having a detailed plan for my many goals.  Actually, there are six major goals.  Everything from finishing my book. “The Charlois Manifesto, to holding a “Spiritual Renewal Crusade.”  Goal six on my list is really two goals.  They are listed together because as of right now I haven’t got any definite plans on how to make them happen.

I know that a goal without a plan is just a dream, but, I’m busy working on my other five and besides, these last two will happen somewhat organically.  Detailed plans will come in time.

What is your plan? Do you have one, or a least are you working on one?  I encourage you to do so.

Have a great Holiday season.

Robert A. Charlois III

Welcome to Fellowship of ALL God’s Children, the non-profit arm of Charlois.  We are just getting started with this new endeavor so bear with us.  Over the coming year we will be putting together a leadership team from which the first year’s board will be drawn.  This team will be charged with writing our bylaws and other documents necessary for 501c(3) status.  From there, once the said status is obtained, we will start fundraising with a major event happening November 29^th, 2023 thru December 3^rd, 2023.  Disbursement of funds will happen in time for Christmas.

The way we will operate will be to raise funds to support benevolent causes, 50% of budget; start new ministry projects, 40%; and operating funds, 10% of budget.  The details will be spelled out in the formational documents but that is one of the things people need to know.  No one associated with this organization will be compensated for their involvement, so more funds can go to needed areas.

We are looking for people to volunteer for many positions and tasks; you could be one of those founding members.  There is much work to be done so we hope you will step up to help with this project.

In the meantime, we ask for your prayers as we believe this endeavor is inspired by God, and we anticipate His involvement the whole way.

Blessings on you and this ministry.

The Charlois Philosophy Team

Principal 10) In order to maintain the proper relationship to God and creation we need to be in a state of systematic self-reflection.

Plato said it best when he quoted Socrates in Apology; “The unexamined life is a life not worth living.”

“Remember the past, and learn from it;

Dream about the future, and plan for it;

But never forget to live in the present,

Savoring every moment and event.

     Self-examination is crucial to personal growth, and personal growth is essential if we are to become the people we were created to be.

     Many philosophies promote this idea of reflection, admonishing adherents to reflect and journal.  It is by practicing such discipline that we grow as individuals.  Laying bare both our successes and our failures, giving us an honest appraisal of ourselves.

     Once we have a view of the landscape from which we are operating, we can then mold our personal growth program on both our gifts and weaknesses, becoming the best version of ourselves possible.

This week’s theme is Prince of Peace.  The reason for this is that the Jews believed that when the long-awaited Messiah came, He would usher in a period of peace, and prosperity.

Today we understand that by living as Jesus did, we would have to surrender all of our prejudices and accept each other as brothers and sisters.  Loving one another would become the living principle that guided our existence.

So, the question we must ask ourselves is, “does my brother have aught against me?”  There can be no animosity in God’s kingdom because we are all one in Christ Jesus.

How do we express this in our relationships? By loving one another with the same sacrificial love that Jesus had for us.

Meditate on that concept as we celebrate the birth of the King.

God bless us in His holy name.

Principle 9 – As members of humanity it is necessary to live responsibly and in a manner that is beneficial to God and the rest of creation.

Genesis 1:26-28, “…Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the Earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the Earth.”

It is in this passage from the Jewish Scriptures that we get our first example of God calling mankind to be responsible.  There are countless other examples in Scripture and other places which makes it clear, as the crowning achievement of God’s creation, we, human beings, are to take responsibility for all of creation.  As an interrelated whole we who have the capability to manage and care for the rest must exercise that capability.

     It is through our acts of responsibility that it can be seen where we are interconnected.  By developing our independence, we are then able to start working interdependently thus bringing about the greatest good.

     This universe we live in is incomprehensible but by taking ownership in our little, individual piece we can affect the whole, allowing this organism to function in a healthy way.

     The created order is set up in such a way that if we are responsible about how we live in relation to it, it becomes clear that it is self-sustaining.  Therefore, by being responsible, we are assuring a perpetual existence.  Care for each other, care for the planet, care for all of it because it is all we have, and that as a fragile commodity.

The theme for this Advent Sunday is, “Christ our joy.”  So, what does it mean, “our joy?”

When we look at our world we see an amalgamation of nearly 8 billion people, each having their own unique view of what joy is.  But for the purposes of answering what joy is in the context of the Advent season, we must remember it also in relation to the birth of this messiah.

The birth of Jesus would usher in a time when we could see how the kingdom of God operated.  With the things Jesus taught and would demonstrate, the kingdom came alive and real for his followers.

In today’s world, this manifestation comes to us again as we celebrate the birth and eventual return of Christ.  It is going to require his followers to fulfill his prediction that, “even greater things than this shall you do,” John 14:12,  to manifest the kingdom in our time.

So as we prepare for this celebration, let us consider what is required of us to live out Jesus’s words.

Principle #8 – We are members of the human species and as such we need to develop our interdependence.

     “Interdependence is a choice only independent people can make.”  Stephen Covey

     We live in a very social world and it is growing more so every day. If we are to be the people we are created to be, living as fellow residents of this created universe, then we need to take these principles to heart. We cannot interact with others if we are not independent ourselves and without the synergy of working with others it is doubtful if we will ever reach our full potential as individuals and as a species.

     There are three principles that go a long way in assuring we become truly interdependent.  The principle of interpersonal leadership.  In this area we strive to get to the appropriate solution, regardless of individual egos.  When we look at everything from the mindset that the best solution rarely comes from one right position.  Thinking this way opens the door to a vast array of possibilities that would not be available independently.

     The principle of empathic communication teaches that to fully understand a situation it is necessary for a person to articulate the other person’s position.  By being able to do this we empower the dialog to take on a life of its own.  That eliminates unnecessary negotiating and gets right at the situation at hand.  This sets the stage for the last principle.

     The principle of creative cooperation focuses on synergy, that possibility of producing more together than is possible working independently.  It is an experience to behold seeing a team working in a way that generates many more options because they feed on each other’s energy and ideas.

     This interdependent relationship is going to be critical if we are to evolve into our potential, both as individuals and as a race of differing entities.

On this second Advent Sunday our theme is, “Christ The Way.”  Since the resurrection of Jesus and the beginning of the grass roots movement, called, “The Way,” Christians have touted Jesus as the way to eternal life.  This has set up an exclusionary belief system.  I do not believe that Jesus was trying for that.

What I do believe is He was referring to what His life, teaching, and example meant.  If we live His way then we shall live an eternally, abundant life.  It is not something that is a deep secret that only a few have access to, but rather, a path that is open to all.

I know this flies in the face of what many teach but I do not believe that the God I serve would condemn someone to eternity in hell just because, at no fault of their own, they neglect to proclaim Jesus as God.

What is really at issue here is, are we seeking to love and serve God and the rest of creation?  If we are then we have fulfilled all of the law and prophets.

It is not an easy life, but because of God’s grace, we are forgiven by the sacrifice made by Jesus.  He truly did show us the way, the truth, and the life.  Whomever does these things shall be saved.

Meditate on that for a while.

God’s peace to all.

Friday, December 3rd, 2022

From time to time, we review books that have had an impact on us.  Today is a little different.  In the course of our lives, we fulfill different roles.  In the book, The Charlois Manifesto, it speaks of eight of those roles, roles that everyone fills to a certain extent.  One of those roles is, we need to be resource managers.  In trying to give guidance in handling that role let me share some resources I’ve found helpful.

Probably the most influential resource is finances.  How we handle money determines, to a certain extent, all the other resources at our disposal.  However, in most peoples lives there seems to be little or no education in how to manage finances and those tasks related to it.  It would serve us well to study up on the subject ourselves.  To help avoid a lot of the material I’ll review four books that I believe cover the topic very well.

The first book, Personal Finance for Dummies, is a good basic introduction to personal finance.  It covers all the different aspects that a person might encounter when trying to get a handle on their money.  Everything from goal setting, budgeting, and the like to investing for the future.  Just a good, no nonsense, introduction.

The next three is where the depth comes in.  In “The 9 Steps To Financial Freedom,” by Suze Orman we get the heart of finance.  In this book, Suze talks of having a relationship with our money.  She believes that money is a living entity that craves attention, and should be treated with respect.  The book is broken down into three sections: the mental power of money, the handling of money, and how to deal with money.  There is some real practical advice but the biggest takeaway is its focus on the spiritual side of the issue.

In Dave Ramsey’s, “Total Money Makeover,” the focus is getting control of your money.  He gives a nine-step process of getting out of debt and living without credit.  While he quotes scripture, this is not a religious book; he does preach, however.  If a person is struggling financially this is the book to put you in control.

The last book we will look at is “I Will Teach You To Be Rich.”  This book from the new finance guru on the block, Ramit Sethi challenges the status quo.  He believes that we don’t need financial experts to manage our money, instead he teaches a 6-week process that if followed will lead to a “rich life,” whatever that means to you.  He takes us through a step-by-step process that is really easy and simple to implement.  Start early, if not when you’re young then now.  Use time and consistency to build the life you desire.

All of these books emphasize starting early but their principles can be useful at any age.  The key for all of them is don’t delay, act now, before it’s too late.

There are countless other books available but I have found these four to be very beneficial.  They, together, form the bedrock on which I’m building my financial plan.

Buy them, read them, and then build your own plan.

Robert A. Charlois III