A Relationship With God is Fundamental for Life

Throughout history, man has tried to search for the true meaning of everlasting happiness and human behavior through philosophy and philosophers.

This quest leads them to ask the basic question of God's very existence.  Isn't this where every philosophical battle eventually ends up, to whether a being who created this world exists? 

We still have not reached a satisfactory conclusion which every philosopher and scientist can agree upon.  Even if they were to all take a vote and vote that He exist, would he exist from that moment on? 

What if they all voted that God did not exist?

Would such a being come into existence upon human realization that He exists or vice versa?

God does not fit into human logic too well.  Perhaps the last time you tried to explain or prove such an existence showed you how limited words or examples can be to your case.

How about your mind?  Are you able to show it and explain to someone.  If you were able to 100% understand you mind then you would have the capacity to recreate it from scratch from such knowledge.  Because you cannot know your mind totally, this shows the greatness of your mind. 


"Human beings have a mysterious aspect, and human logic can never perceive the greatness of God or human existence."


The same is for the explanation of God.  If you could explain His existence through logic then God would be small enough to fit into human logic. this would mean that humanity would be able to create God and know all about Him.

People of religion already know that there is a God, that He exists from beginning to end, and He exists throughout eternity.  He created all things and He occupies the central position.

We should clearly understand our relationship to God.

Humanity has tried several approaches to bring us closer to an understanding of this relationship, but this question remains unsettled.

Our relationship to God is the fundamental block to our existence.  A true, living relationship to God is fundamental to life that we should clarify this question.

Several religions have to come to the same principle which is common to all religions to clear up the confusion of what our relationship with God should be?

Is it like a friend, daughter/son or should we view God as an equal?  What is our true relationship with Him?

God wants us to understand this relationship to the ultimate sense - He definitely needs us human beings...why else would He create us?  Therefore, He will do everything possible to develop this relationship.


What is the most precious thing in your life?  Did you answer money or power?


When we look at this question deply, other thoughts emerge.  We conclude that the most precious thing is love - what we value most is tied to the element of love.

Second to love is life itself which is most precious.  We value these two things above all else.

If we have love and life, we need one thing further-an ideal.

Love, life an ideals are the most precious and profound in vlue and make our live woth living.

We all in some way wish fo eternal life.  Therefore, we naturally feel that we want our love and ideals to also be foreve, unchanging and unique.

We have seen writers who write about the beauty of eternal love.

Has there been a writer in history that has glorified love that changes day and night or ends forever?

There are many religions in the world which testify to the life beyond this one that we live on earth and testify to our desires for eternity.

The words 'love' and 'ideals' are empty and do not have meaning when they are isolated.  Love can only exist when there is someone to love and someone to be loved by.

Also, an ideal needs to be shared with someone. 

We are always in a position to be loved by someone in the subject position.  Things that are supremely important in human life can only come about through relationships.

Many think that humans are the cause of the universe, but how can we be the cause if we did not create ouselves?  Therefore, a subject or creator must xist.  This subject or cause is the essential reality.

Whatever name you choose for the cause does not matter; we should be certain of the cause as we are of our own existence.

We call the cause "God".  So, let's put our question to God:

God, what is the most precious thing in existence to you God?

 God will answer, "Love, life, and my ideal are the most precious things to me."

Think about this.  Does God need money?  Everything in creation belongs to God anyway.  He does not need money. He is already the Source of all power and knowledge.  God is all of these things, therefore, these two also He does not need. 

Instead, God wants to share and have give and take with someone ina reciprocal relationship.

Even though God is almighty, He cannot have love, life and ideal when He is alone.  This is why He created man and woman.

 

All human traits originate in God.

This is the meaning in the Bible where it states that humans are created in the image of God.

We reflect the characteristics of God like a mirror.  God is the Origin, therefore, our lvoe comes from the love of God.  Our life comes from the life of God, and so do our ideals.

The very dream that you wish to accomplish all your life comes from God.

God is the Subject of love, the Subject of life, and the Subject of ideals. We are the objects of love, the objects of life, and the objects of ideals.

Therefore, since God is an absolute being, we are also absolute.  Since God is eternal, His objects, men and women, are also created for eternity.  Otherwise, we would not reflect he nature of the eternal God.

If God is love, life and ideals, then He would be a God of defeat if He did not create a being with the same qualities.

 

 

God is the Subject to man and woman, and we are the objects to God.

Even though God is absolute, man and woman seem to reflect another type of being that is far from God.

When we as objects are not perfect as our Creator, then we cannot reflect fully the love, life and ideal of God.  God and humans are one.  Humans is incarnate of God. Man and woman are meant to be the visible form of God and God is the invisible form of man and woman.

Because we are the reflection and object of God whom He cannot feel love without us, this gives us as much importance and value as God Himself.

If man had followed God completely, there would be no question of His existence - HGe would have been a living reality to us.

In our present fallen, sinful ways, we should be very careful of our words and actions.  On the other hand, if humanity had obtained perfection, we would automatically reflect the universal, loving mind that is God.

There would be no religion to teach us about how to behave like God, or arguments of His existence.

One that is perfect would not be able to deny God.

If Adam and Eve had followed God and become mature in their love instead of following Lucifer's advice to give into their love in their immaturity they would have become true parents to Cain and Abel.  The good family tradition they envoked would have remained generation after generation.

Our relationship with God would not be a question - it would have been of perfect oneness; you would not be able to separate yourself from your own godly mind.  This would have been human perfection.

Such people who did not fall away from God would have become the nucleus of the universe.

Adam and Eve's perfect home life and children would have expanded to a heavenly society, nation and world.

Who would have been the center of this perfect universe or world of peace?

Instead of creating a hell on earth where "Satan was the ruler of this world", God and Adam and Eve would have formed the central axis of the universe.

Why did God need a perfect relationship with Adam and Eve?

First of all, God could only fulfill His ideal of true love through Adam and Eve.

Secondly, God who does not have a physical body would have been visible through working through men and women.

In other words, Adam and Eve were to be the phsyical manifestation of God through their perfected relationship with Him.  Thus, God could have a relationship with the visible, phsycial world through them.

What is God's reason for creating Adam and Eve?

Once Adam and Eve wre perfected on earth in a relationship of oneness of God, their spirit selves after passing to the next world would be like the body of God.  God would have been the mind of Adam and Eve and they would have been the spirit body of God.  Then God and people in the spirit world would have been eternally inseparable, one body.

Inside them God would dwell in their minds - God Himself would be the mind of Adam and Eve.

Unfortunately, due to our relationship with Lucifer's will and love, we have an inseparable relationship between the two. 

We come to speak about death and dying, but there is no such thing in the context of God's original world.  Instead of dying, we would have just passed to a new realm after giving up the physical body.  Your body would be the spirit and God would be the center of that body.

After we followed the will of Satan through our first human ancestors, all of God's ideals for a world of love and peace was separated from humanity until His first true son on earth fulfilled the responsibility to change the blood lineage to God's.


This post was rewritten and derived from the text of the writings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon.

Can We Build World Peace?

God is the high pressure air and when we become humble as low pressure air of the nation, you are the best patriots.  Everybody will pay respect to you, including the president.  How do you become the lowest pressure air; go live for others; serve others to create low pressure air.


Reverend Sun Myung Moon


We know the core beliefs of communism and democracy.

What is Unificationism? It is the harmony of everything through the power of love.


My children know the universal truth and they pray according to it. You, too, know what to pray for. Then God will heed your prayer. Otherwise, your prayers are just mumbling and bumbling-beating around the bush, in God's opinion. People say many things about me, but one thing is absolutely true, I am the one religious leader who will make you suffer the most! 


You may protest to Father's instructions, but this is why he pushes us out to suffer for the cause.

If you are able to work harder than everyone else, with a loving heart of suffering for the sake of the family, even your parents will come and bow down to you and thank you from the bottom of their heart.

Through living that way, you become the child of God.

When you are truly one with God, living with Him, you attain God's position in your family.  As members that understand Unification Thought, you shoulder the worst problems of the United States with a loving heart, then the entire country will eventually bow down to you.

This is heavenly law.

You become the patriots of patriots when you live this way.  But in order to become that standard, you must suffer for the sake of the nation, with a loving heart more than anyone else in history.

There are quite a number of patriots in every country, but only a few saints. 

The realm of the saint is different from that of the patriot: he works for the universe and for God.

There are three levels of spiritual advancement: children of filial piety, or good members of the family; patriots; and saints or holy people.  How high is Father's ambition for the members?

He isn't just teaching merely how to be children of filial piety, but how to be saints.


I am ambitiously seeking to take on the worst problems of the universe, asking to bear the universal burden. Is that good? People have had high ambitions and have tried to establish Utopian ideals, but no one has been able to accomplish them.


Why haven't we been able to bring about a better world of peace?

Father sought out to understand the greatest problems in the world.

God's worst headaches are the expansion of communism, the rapid decline in religion and the degradation of the youth and collapse of morals in the nation.  These are the major problems of the world that have to be tackled.

God has been working day in and day out through people of faith to solve these problems.  Father volunteered telling God not to worry that he was going to take away His heavy burden and solve the problems for Him.  He came up with a source and method with the quality of hope to unify the world and establish a true Utopia.


This was the motivation behind the International Conferences for the Unity of the Sciences. God's original plan was for people to be perfected within approximately 20 years. I am thinking that if I lead these scientists and eminent scholars for 20 years, they will have reached a pretty good level. Every year they give their unflagging attention to absolute values. When they could find no answer to a certain question, they decided to ask me about it!


Father had many accusations and criticisms thrown at him, but he continued on moving forward able to digest anything that came to hinder his mission.  We are engaged in a war against communism, confronting face to face.

He is opposed by many established churches in the Catholic and Christian communities, but he just tells them that they are not able to digest him and they need him if there is any hope for the future of the world to become the ideal world God envisioned in the beginning of creation.

Father was not only able to digest opposition along the way, but he created a logical explanation for all these phenomena without any hazy areas.


I can be calm even in the midst of suffering. If I am sentenced to prison and have to face hardships, I am filled with peace even as I enter jail. I can sleep well, eat well, and even digest sand if necessary. There is never a cause for worry once you know universal truth. I am absolutely confident of my destination, the heavenly world, and I want to take as many people along as I can. I can invite you to accompany me without any doubts, since I know our goal and destination.



To the degree that I am a perfect minus to God, I am a perfect plus to you. Whenever you create the perfect minus position, I will be with you.

The Unification Church is grounded in the truth of this principle. We see throughout history that any new truth that emerged and outshone the current truth that the other one would fade away.

Unless there is a greater truth that emerges higher than the Divine Principle, there is no way anyone can push us back or put us on the defensive.

We should be the ones resolved to suffer more than anybody else.  The principle does not change whether you have a Ph.D or are a famous actor or actress.

I am setting a new tradition, and those who give themselves to the best of their abilities for the sake of others with a loving heart shall form the mainstream.

It does not matter if one does not like this way or not, it is truth.

You are pushed out to live for the sake of others because the results will be glorious.

Great blessings await you at the end of your course.

Then you will be grateful.

Is this just to win you with cunning and sugarcoated promises?  This is the absolute truth.

So many people have wanted me to disappear, to be taken to heaven or hell-or wherever! Many people have actually prayed for my life to be taken away, so why does God keep me here on earth? Regardless of what the entire world might think or pray for, God needs me and the members of the Unification Church.

You should have no fear going this way, as God has the power to protect you.  So, you should move forward with a bold and strong heart.  You are a living being and should have the powerful life force that can move the whole universe.

Once you are fortified with this ideology, no challenge is big to you.  When Father first came to the US, do you think that he was overwhelmed?

Once you become the perfect object to God, you then can act independently.  In that case, you might say, "Father, I don't need your help or the church.  I will take responsibility for this country."

You can pledge that you will become perfected then reach out to bring along the rest of the church because that is your goal and destiny.

Opposition is a test to see whether you can do these things on your own.  If you cannot overcome opposition, you have nothing to be truly proud of.

But because you have learned to withstand and overcome opposition, this is proof that you can accomplish great things on your own.  This is beautiful and dynamic.

During the heaviest of battles, Father never was afraid. He never prayed to God that he was perishing and help him.

He told God to let him do the work and sit back and enjoy the show and take delight in the accomplishment to come.  This is the way he teaches us to be.

You shall become people of dynamic boldness and strength. 

We shouldn't lose motivation, become discouraged over our chose of spouse or lose our energy. With such thinking, you will not go far.

Those who pledge, "Yes, Father I will follow your principle, become a dynamo and perfect myself on my own, helping to create the nation, world which God desires,' raise your hands, please.

Let us Pray.



Return for Tomorrow's Post: Prisoner of God's Love



This Post was rewritten and derived from the speech The Realm of Existence

The Family is the Workshop of Love

Each night you know where your husband is, but would you feel happy each morning and embrace each person as much as you embrace your husband?

If so, then truly you are developing an ideal home and everyone will win the position of king and queen of love.

Any wife who demonstrates such harmony and unselfish love in her husband's home will become the queen of that house because everyone will practically worship her.

Is this a universal principle, or just an opinion?

Anyone who violates this principle will crumble, not the person who lives by it.

The ideal house is a house where the most loving person becomes the central figure. 

He will create a palace of love.

Why did God prepare the relationships of parents and children, and husband and wife?

Because they are miniatures of the universe, in which each person can practice how to love the whole universe. If you become a perfect member of your family, all you have to do is expand your love and the whole universe will be your home.

The home is the fundamental unit to practice loving everything in the universe. When you graduate in family love, you can build a universal home.

With this outlook, a man sees a beautiful young lady as his sister instead of thinking dirty thoughts.

It is good if they have pure fellowship all night in that case. With this realization a husband and wife can trust each other deeply, and there will be no misunderstanding whenever one of them meets someone else.

The family is a unit that serves as an instructional manual to teach you how to love the universe. 

If you meet the family's criteria, then you have met the universe's criteria.

The Kingdom of Heaven in heaven is the place where men and women will live who served all mankind as their brothers and sisters and who made a home where true love was practiced.

It is a satanic act for men and women to try to limit or regulate the flow of love.

Anyone who violates this principle shall be judged in accordance with it. The family God gives you is your workshop for loving the rest of the world. If you practice that, then you have the qualification to enter heaven.



If your husband has unselfish love for humanity, then when you love him you are loving the world; then you are not receiving just one man's love but a much greater love. This is precisely Mother's position. I am in a position to be loved by many women from all parts of the world.



When Mother sees that and rejoices over it, her own position is increased. Then she can receive my love more, and the love of the people will flow to her as well. In that case she is becoming a greater woman who is entitled to receive the love of the entire world.

When you apply the principle I am describing this morning, and expand your love through loving your family, you are loving all mankind and the world. It works both ways.

The home is a workshop of love. 

By knowing how to love your grandparents, you know how to love all the old people of the world. By loving your brothers and sisters, you know how to love all the young people of the world. When you love your husband, that is how you can love all the men of the world.

In the miniature world of your home, there are all kinds of personalities.

Some of them may be sharp and critical, but if you know how to love them then you can love all people like that in the world. You might complain that you have to live with such stingy, pushy brothers and sisters, but by having that opportunity you will know better how to love the negative people of the world.

The home is a training ground of love.

Eventually, you can conquer not just the world but the entire spirit world and God Himself with this kind of standard. When you throw out many fishing lines baited with love, you can catch the whole world on your hooks.

The greatest catch will be God.

When you reel Him in, He will embrace you and cry out, "My child!" The ideal house is the fishing hole where you can catch all kinds of fish, including spirit world and God.

Normally you catch fish with a hook, which hurts the fish, but when you catch someone with a hook of love he won't feel pain but joy, even if you hook him in the eye.

Those who dwell in the ideal home are ideal men and women because they have this unselfish principle of love. When you enter an ideal house, the woman's eyes are filled with love; her nose is a lump of love and even her hair is full of love.

On every side you perceive love.

Do you want that? Is it easy or difficult to practice? Even though it is difficult, when you know the preciousness of love you have energy to do it. Shall we start practicing that love today?

Love unites a separated husband and wife, and heals separations between children, between the nation and the world and the universe. Love has such power.

Shall we live that way of life?

Wouldn't you protest that it is too difficult to do?

Even though you have an urge to complain, knowing that love will come as the fruit of practicing this way of life you will not have one moment to complain because you will be filled with great joy and enthusiasm.

Are we the enemy or hope of America?

How much hope? It is gigantic. There is so much hope here that eventually all Americans will swallow that hook. Once you know this dramatic way of life, in the morning you feel gigantic power and excitement. Without it you feel dead.  If you have it, then you are the hope of America.


I just returned from Korea, where the President was just assassinated and the entire country is trembling.  Because I am a symbol of hope for many people around the world, they were more concerned about my well-being than about events in Korea. Were you concerned? Why? Because you were worried that the hook of love might be taken away from you. When I go to Korea, your heart goes to Korea. When I go to Britain, your heart goes there.


Everything that lives off of sunlight will turn toward the direction of the sun.  No one has to be taught this; plants are not taught this either.  Everything just automatically turns to face the sunlight.

You have never heard of a minister giving a ten-hour, or even two or three-hour sermon because no one would stay that long. But when Father talks for hours, when he's finished, you wonder where the time went and keep asking for more. Why?

You are hooked with love.

All five races are joined here in the exciting task of building the ideal home.

That is not my home or your home but God's home, in which all are entitled to dwell. We are joined together here for tomorrow's victory in the fulfillment of the ideal home. A new ideology has come which will bring a heightened hope and civilization.

We want to create God's ideal home. Would you make it the kind of place God goes only reluctantly, or the place where He is excited to go?

A place where God is uncomfortable and sits in a corner watching everyone, or where He moves around everywhere with complete freedom?

When you are persecuted and struck, think that you must be able to withstand it so you can make a home where God has complete freedom. Then it is not painful but exciting to receive persecution.

When other people curse you, then remember that you should be able to embrace even these men and women and tame them so God's home will be more exciting.

Then persecution tastes exciting. Then you are a public person.

We want to make a home so exciting that if you tell God He has to go back He will beg you to be able to stay.

Those who would make that house, raise your hands.

Would you complain? Would you get discouraged? Who can say they will live up to this new expectation?

Thank you.

Return for Tomorrow's Post: Pour Your Heart Out for Others

This post was rewritten and derived from the speech Ideal Home

True Love is the Reason for Existence

The Bible records that after God created all things He said they were good.  His creation had to be good or bad, but certainly there was the possibility that something could be better than good.

You have probably had a similar experience; when you do something you can do a good job, but then afterward you think you probably could have done it better.

Today, we observe that there are several different denominations in the Christian churches.  They each had to "pioneer" their own way and will go the same way other denominations go.

Is God like this?

Does He rise and then fall?

God is the oldest being that existed from the very beginning.  

It would be reasonable to think that He would also rise and fall like the others.  Just as we have to contemplate situations, God also takes time to think, and after thinking He definitely would take action.

We are the same.

We think about things when we get up in the morning.  People reading this post are from different states and countries all over the world.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing that we have arrived at this destination?

If one is sitting at work around someone they don't like or are on a crowded bus, they may think this is a bad thing, but also that it is good at the same time.





You could reach this conclusion by digesting the things surrounding you and making them your own.  If the content is good, you can make your judgement off that basis.

You can say that despite where I am that seems bad, I learned very much.  

Therefore, something benefited you and this gives you a basis for developing further.

This process works not only on the individual level, but the family, national and world levels.  So, we must think deeply what we should be doing and what will result from it.

When we take a look at historical figures, we can understand what a certain person thought, acted and what resulted from that.

Most people can agree that Jesus was a saint, or at least a good person.  Mohammed and Buddha can be included in that category as well.

Out of the three, which could be said to be the best?  Who thought the most for the sake of others and who was able to carry it out in the best way?  What evidence do you have that Jesus was the best saint?

People think that whatever they believe is the best.  Buddhists would think that Buddha was the best; Muslims will say the same about Mohammed.  This may also be the reason whites believe Jesus is the best.  This is logical.

So, what is the best way to judge who is the best?

The only way to find out who is the best is for someone of a higher level above all religious leaders going beyond the plane of purely human thinking to make that judgement.

God is the only one who can rightfully judge this.  If these three religions go to God for a decision they must follow His decision and not dispute among the religions.  What does God think about these problems between the religions?

God would think that the best people are the people that live in the future because by then they would become more restored than those living in the past and the present. They would be working from the thousands of years of foundation built by the thousands of saints and people of faith.

If God thinks that those who live in the future will be closer to perfection because of the information, foundation and knowledge obtained by then, wouldn't He want to bring the future here today?

Also, if He was to think that the past was better than today, then He would gladly help the present overcome this horrible situation so they can reach the standard of the past.

God created all things as a result of His thinking. 

Contrary to science and philosophy, creation did not come about randomly without any purpose or connection to the whole.  Likewise, humans also have a purpose in thinking with an expectation of receiving some benefit as a result.  You have a purpose for visiting here, and want to find a way to take action that will fulfill that purpose.

Since we are created in God's image, He also had a purpose for each part of creation.  God even has a purpose for every blade of grass which is in accord with everything else in creation.

The hundreds of different types of trees were created in accordance to God's purpose of creation.  Birds and other animals came to exist in accord with His overall plan.  Finally, God created man after creating all these things.

Mankind consists of men and women, who were created to become one through love. 

What do you think was the ultimate purpose for God bringing about creation.  Would His final objective of creation be man, or would it be true love?  What do you think He envisioned as His final destination for His creation?

True Love would be His ultimate purpose.

Does man include love, or does love include man? Once we accept the conclusion that love includes man, we cannot discard it.

Can love and man be equal, or is one bigger than the other?

Love is bigger, because it is through love that everything can meet God.  Everything God created will be able to reach Him and His higher being only through love.  There is always a path to follow in which to reach God.

If everyone had different paths, individually going their own way, then love would not be necessary.  But no one can be independent and get anywhere.

A woman's purpose is to reach a man, and men in turn have a particular way to go, which is to meet a woman.  This is true for all people from the past, present and into the future.  This purpose will never change.

This purpose also leaves out the homosexual lifestyle.

If a man was living for the purpose to meet another man, this is the sure way for humanity to perish by not leaving anything behind for eternity.  Can two women, or two men create another being?

This kind of lifestyle goes against all of the laws of creation.  This can be likened to a tree that refuses to bloom and creates more seeds.  Mankind is willing to see the entire world become a desert as a result of their selfish actions.

If mankind continues this way and refuses to live in accord for which they were created, they should be condemned by the entire creation for violating God's law.  

What is it that you want the most?

Is it to obtain success after graduating a good school, or do you have the goal to meet your ideal spouse?

Which way will we go: the man's/woman's way, or the way of love?  Everyone would reach the same conclusion; we go the way of love.  Is there any exception to this true way?

This way of life will not be easy.  Will you say that you are hurt and tired from true love?  Would you say that true love placed you in a miserable situation and that it needs to be revolutionized?

It is impossible to revolutionize love.

If you found a man that was trying to alter love, would you stop him?  Such a man who goes against the law of God would be called Satan.

Would you women really make an effort to correct a man who tried to alter love?  Such a person opposes God's law of creation, jeopardizing men and being an enemy of God.

We do not have to look far to see how Satan has altered the true way of love.  Now, that we understand God's purpose of creation is to give true love, then we can fully know that Satan's purpose is to destroy God's ideal.

Satan's weapon is to confuse the path to true love.

In these Last Days, we see a phenom of the greatest confusion concerning love.  There is wife swapping, one-night stands and different ways Satan has pulled humanity away from the original ideal of love.

Satan works through separating man and woman, and also separate the connection between God and man.

We know clearly that Satan is both God's, men and women's enemy, because he destroys the purpose in for which God created them.

Therefore, if you follow Satan, you will lose everything.

Satan will not destroy men by war, but rather by separation. 

When men and men, and women and women live together as a couple, nothing remains afterward and all is washed away.

What is the fruit that comes from such a love?

If the whole world was to run in this way, humanity will cease to exist within a century.  This is Satan's tactic to destroy God's own purpose of creation completely and prolong his rule.

Which would be better: for men and women to struggle, yet to stay together or separate and vow to never get married?  Is it better if they stay together even if they fight once in a while?  This way is far better than the homosexual lifestyle, even if they never fight.

When Satan sees a couple walking down the wedding aisle he will whisper to them that they will fight constantly.  God's blessing or promise is that this couple will never fight just as long as they recognize that the real conflict is the voice of Satan.  God's desire is for the two to live harmoniously.

A couple can have victory when they think clearly the reason behind God's creation which is true love.  Then they should realize that they are responsible to help protect God's purpose of creation.



Return for Tomorrow's Post: Only One Way Men and Women are Equal

This post was rewritten and derived from the speech The Way of Prosperity

Where is True Happiness Found?

Everyone must make that transition after they graduate from high school from living with their parents to following the visions they had for their life.

Almost everyone still lives with their parents until they hit the age of 20.  Their brothers and sisters get older and move out to attend college and get married and begin their own family .  You yourself have left your parents.  As we transition into adulthood and get married, we see that our friends begin to fade away as we get older.

Our emotions as we get older shift from just thinking about our own goals and our own wants and needs to our own family situations.  We see that things we used to hold dear to us also fade way or now have little value.

Then as we get even older, our parents may pass away and our relatives and friends who we have loved will also separate from us.  Even in our own homes, we may not experience a smooth and happy life at all times.  We may be at odds with our spouse and children. In other words, the path of life can be bumpy.

Those who are advent fisherman along the seacoast or riverbank are familiar with the different waves at the surface change many times.

At night while fishing we want to embrace nature in deep solitude and peace at such a time.  but then a gust of strong wind comes up all of the sudden and changes the waves.  The water can seem to be angry at you and come to the shoreline briskly toward you.  Nature can be wondrous, stormy and beautiful and peaceful to violent from moment to moment.

No one likes the fact that as we are deeply indebted for life, we want to mature, but we don't want to get older and closer to death.  

No one, no matter how rich or famous, stays in the prime of their life forever.  As they say, youth is wasted on the young as they do not know the blessedness of being youthful.  It is understandable, because if one always eats nourishing and lavish food all of the time, they lose appreciation for its value and goodness after awhile.

Our taste buds distinguish the different flavors between sour, salty, sweet and other taste.  The seasons change automatically from spring, summer to autumn then to winter.  What if these changes were not part of the natural order?

What if it was all of the sudden daylight for 24 hours, what would happen?  Well, in the Arctic, there are longer days and sometimes because they are positioned at a certain place on earth, they experience sunlight for three months or more.  This may seem like a dream for those who enjoy playing a lot of outdoor activities that require the sunlight.  But after awhile, it would be normal to long for the darkness of the night to come.

The beauty and wonder of nature come about when these kinds of changes occur.

The most difficult things that bring about change can also bring about joy.  For instance, one may join an organization with a new ideology that requires a lot of effort and change for them to keep up, yet they are happy at the end of the day after much work.

It is natural as we get older that we get set into a certain pattern or ideal and stick to it and are stubborn about disrupting the 'natural' order.  We as a people must shift our thinking to where we feel happy even though there are changes all around us.

Before one practices any faith, they were headed in one direction.  Usually it is a destructive path.  But after joining, they are headed in a more glorious direction toward God's will.

In the secular world, two people who experience a disagreement will separate and end the acquaintance.  But once joining a mission in your church, you have to mingle together to become one in harmony. However hard it may be, you must succeed in that.

When it comes to applying the teachings of the Divine Principle, the Completed Testament, there is a certain price of indemnity that must be paid in order to turn the wrongful history into the right direction.  In restoration, Gods providence, everything is turned around in the opposite direction of hell.

In order to pay the indemnity, you must search out your enemy first not your friends in order to pay the debt owed to God for our partnership in the sinful history of humanity.  How can this kind of mission and lifestyle be called happiness when paying indemnity can feel like a punishment?

The real question is:  Where is there any true happiness on earth?

The kind of happiness that is everlasting and can be enjoyed by God as well.  You want to put all of your effort into what you learn and put it into practice, but may not experience happiness there. True happiness comes  after the indemnity has been paid and victory is won in the Divine Principle.

Even though one finds the truth and it brings them happiness in the beginning, it does not mean that you will find it all the way through your journey in your mission.

Unless you actualize what you learn in daily life, you cannot feel happy.

Only after hard work and obtaining the goal will you feel real happiness and find yourself the victor.  You must be steadfast against any obstacles along the way and endure any difficulties which you encounter.  Obtain the goal and then look on the past and you will feel real happiness.

Then in conclusion, our happiness can only be felt after winning the victory. Isn't this true in any sport?  Athletes train everyday for long hours to perfect their ability and they find more unity and happiness with their teammates after winning a championship.  This is the goal in any competitive sport.

If this is the definition of happiness, then what is unhappiness?

It is when you are a failure.  There isn't some place built of happiness or unhappiness.  Your actions are the sole determinants of your happiness or lack of it.  This is where the boundary line between happiness and unhappiness lies.

Every moment that you spend on this boundary line, the moment you step to your right you become happy.  But the very moment you step to the left you fall into unhappiness.  So, it is very important that each step by step you walk on the path of life is propelling you forward.

When you want to step forward, it is always your mind that controls the direction.

When you are searching to be happy, you must look into your own mind because it is the subject to everything you do.  Here, you will decide where to go.  You know when and what makes you happy and you also know which direction to follow in order to gain that happiness.


Return for Tomorrow's Post: Reversing the Fall

This post was rewritten and derived from Opportunity for Happiness or Unhappiness.

How to Be a Successful Spouse

The following are notes of elder Korean disciple of the Divine Principle Mr. Jung Ro Yoon, (at the time)Vice President and Director of  New Hope East Garden.

Written by Bill Selig.

Recently, I was rummaging through my papers and came across what I consider a real gem of a talk. I found it to be especially sound advice, both useful and practical. What follows are my rough notes from an evening talk given July 2, on husband-wife relations—never an easy topic, but woefully needed and universally appreciated.


"God is the cause and we are resultant beings. Before I was born, my gender, country of birth, and parents were already determined. I had no choice in the matter. If I had been born in a royal family, then I would’ve been a prince. If I’d been born in the countryside, then I might’ve been a farmer.

My fate had already been decided to a great degree. However, gender, nationality, and parents are not the only factors deciding whether my life will be happy or not. Can we say that being born in a rich family would make us better off?

Are those born in the countryside bound to live in poverty?

No.

It may be true to say that until we are married, our life is mostly controlled by the environment and our parents, but afterwards, the quality of our lives and degree of happiness are essentially determined by our own actions.

If we have good parents, then we tend to recall our childhood as happy. Consequently, if the children are good, then the parents did their job well. The deciding factor is love. The quality of our life is greatly determined by our parents’ love. If we don’t receive proper love as children, then our hearts are not fully developed. Generally speaking, those who can give and receive love had a good childhood."


The value of the Blessing


"After the (arranged marriage) Blessing, if you feel your spouse is cold toward you and can’t receive love, then perhaps their childhood was not good. In other words, ironically, one could say that my happiness is determined by my spouse’s childhood.

"Our quality of life is determined not by money or knowledge, but the love we received during infancy."

All religions have made a great mistake. They teach that we have to perfect ourselves. The True Parents are the only ones to have declared that it is my spouse who perfects me. We need our partner in order to perfect the four Great Realms of Heart.

Who is the enlightened one?

The enlightened one realizes my spouse’s heart is more important than I am. Without my spouse, I cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the crux of the Divine Principle.

Five attributes of a husband’s love are interest, responsibility, understanding, respect, and giving first. Dear brothers, it is very important that we check ourselves regularly in these areas in relationship to your wife.


(1) Pay attention.


The fact that you wake up in the morning is a miracle. Everyday should be looked upon as a gift from God. Look at each other’s eyes. If they are bloodshot, then this may indicate some medical problem. Don’t hesitate to seek professional care.

If necessary, take her to the doctor or even the hospital. We should help each other.

If your husband is ill, then the wife must bear some responsibility. After all, there must’ve been some sign or indication before the actual sickness appeared. If you don’t love your husband/wife to this degree, you cannot possibly prepare the conditions for your eternal life.

Our spouse is so precious. Check his/her eyes for health. The eyes are the window to the condition of the body, mind, and heart. If there is no love, always check the eyes.

If the husband/wife doesn’t want to look at you, then something may be wrong. It is our original mind trying to tell us something. Paying attention to our spouse’s every gesture, act, and word is a habit of love that we all need to develop. It doesn’t cost us a penny but can generate an invaluable return investment.


(2) Love means to take responsibility.


We should take responsibility for our mission/jobs. The perfection of our character comes through a life of faith. The goal of a life of faith is to perfect our character and to take responsibility for our family and job.

The worst character trait for a person is to be irresponsible. Husbands should work hard in their missions/jobs and offer everything up to Heavenly Father, but we must also take care of our families. Husbands must learn how to proportion each day so both family and mission receive your full ability, talents, and love.


(3) Love comes from understanding.


Even a small misunderstanding has the potential to separate the husband and wife. How can we increase understanding?

Dialogue and communication.

Don't chastise or judge your spouse. Instead, take time and report to each other.

At the end of the day tell each other everything. Your spouse is your best friend. Understanding entails forgiveness. This is why the messiah comes. Without forgiveness, you are not husband and wife, but just 'companions'.

Your spouse is not just a roommate. She is your personal channel to eternal life. 

If there is no forgiveness, then we may miss the possibility to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.


(4) Love comes from respect.


The critical factor is language. We must train ourselves to use beautiful words. One simple word spoken in haste or insensitivity can destroy a relationship and lead to separation and even divorce.

Words can be very powerful. If wrongly used it’s like being kicked in the stomach. Be thoughtful and charitable toward one another in word and deed.


(5) Love is giving, not receiving.


Those who only want to receive are failures. Husbands have a tendency to act as boys, always wanting to receive more love, but originally, man was to give love. If you give, then forget about it, then sooner or later, it will be returned to you many times over.

It’s now time for the test. Let’s test each other. Wives, please grade your husband: 20 points for attention, 20 points for responsibility, 20 points for understanding, 20 points for respect, and 20 points for love. 70 points are needed to pass this test."


Husband’s love


"On a more practical level, there are three categories to pay particular attention to:

(1) clothing

I suggest you buy at least four outfits per year for your wife. The marriage vow you made to your spouse’s parents was to clothe and feed their daughter.

How many shoes did your parents-in-law provide before you married their daughter? So if you’ve been married 17 years, then you should’ve bought her 68 outfits!

You must learn how to praise your wife and any new clothing. For example, "Honey, that color really suits you, in fact, it makes you look slimmer!"

 Husbands, don’t take your wife’s clothing and her appearance for granted. Compliment her. 'Sweetheart, you look beautiful today'.

(2) Food

Brothers, you should take your wife out to dinner frequently. And at the end of the day, never, never forget to ask if she had lunch. This shows that you’ve thought about her during the day and that you’re concerned about her well-being and health.

Going out to dinner gives her a break from her daily routine and makes her feel special. It also gives the two of you some quality time away from the constant demands of the children.


(3) Bedtime manners

Everyday be able to say "good night" and "good morning" with a clear conscience. Whatever differences or spats you may’ve had during the day, try to resolve everything before you go to sleep.

If you can’t say good night to her face and kiss her because of some internal friction or misunderstanding, then you have a problem that is unresolved. It should be dealt with as forthrightly and as quickly as possible, otherwise it will fester and almost certainly carry over to the next day.

Sooner or later, it will come out in another emotion.


The Blessed wife

(1) Set up order among the children and establish the family norm.

The tradition in Asia is for the wife and children to welcome the husband with a bow each night. In the West, of course, the culture is different, but wives should find some means to imitate the spirit behind that gesture.

The husband has worked hard in the job/mission and deserves to be welcomed home.

In Korea, we call the mother, "educator." The mother is the primary influence for children to learn how to walk, language, dialect, and mannerisms. Children must learn how to act properly and follow heavenly tradition.


(2) Smile

By looking at the wife’s face you can know if the family is happy with a good future or gloomy. In Seoul, there are more than 5,000 divorces per day. Wives should be diligent and do service activities for the family and, if possible, serve the community. There are many ways that the wife can be involved in community activities.


(3) Have good relations with neighbors

Praise people. Those who are successful figured out how to praise others. Are you a success or a failure?

As a personal example, I had two aunts when I was growing up. When I was only 8 years old, I made a decision not to spend time with one of them. One of my aunts would always praise me, while the other aunt always criticized me. She said my head was shaped like a potato! The other aunt said that I would grow up to be a famous military general!

The same head but with two distinct futures, so naturally I found ways to avoid the aunt who criticized me.

Learn how to praise and be positive and you will be successful and more likely to be appreciated by others.

The final judgment will come from your children. When they grow up and are old enough to receive the Blessing, the test will be if the son says he doesn’t want the Blessing for fear of receiving a wife like you, then that means you failed as a mother.

But if he says, "yes, I want to be Blessed and want a wife like you," then that means you have had a successful marriage. This is one reason why True Parents encourage children to come to Jardim and learn how valuable their parents are. The entire family should be educated together. 'The ideal family', says Father, 'is three generations (grandparents, parents, and children)'.

Let’s test the wife. 

Husband can grade using the following criteria: 30 points whether she successfully can establish order, 30 points for smiling, 30 points if she builds good community relations, and add 10 bonus points per child.


Conclusion


These are my thoughts on this topic. I hope they may be of use to you and your families. Please don’t take every word as literal truth, but understand the spirit behind it.

Some of the ideas come from my own culture and customs, and do not necessarily translate precisely, but the bottomline truth is that men and women Blessed by our True Parents are more precious than we realize, and that we have to take steps to guard and nourish our blessings. God bless you."


Return for Tomorrow's Post:

Jung Ro Yoon
July 2, 1999
Notes by Bill Selig