MY SUNDAY JOURNAL
By Dalton Roberts
For IPS Features
5-12-02

WHERE SYSTEMS COME FROM

On this day in 1988 I was wrestling with my income taxes, already almost a month late. I wrote, "I am working on a system. Systems come from people who hate something severely or people who love something dearly."

My journal itself is proof of this. I love being able to re-read each year all my entries from previous years. Old notes from living and dead friends and family. So much richness on almost every page.

I have a system for keeping my journal. A drawer right next to my computer for journal notes. And I do it because I love it.

What about that system I wrote about 14 years ago for keeping my income tax records?  I have never done anything on it. The sum total of my efforts is to have a place to put everything my CPA will need to do my return. I just dump it on him and let him figure it out.

Lesson? You are much more likely to develop a successful system to handle something if it's something you love. On the things you hate severely, just find the simplest thing you can do to minimize the amount of gourd-pounding. Don't devote your life energy to stuff you hate. Just get it manageable.

NORMAN VINCENT PEALE

I can think of no man who has had a more powerful impact on me that Norman Vincent Peale. On this date in 1989, I placed one of his articles in my journal. It was titled, "No Fear Of Life, No Fear of Death."

The article has a picture of him smiling. It's a powerful mandala to me. Just looking at his radiant face never fails to lift me up. That's something, friends. To have so much joy in your face you automatically lift people up.

Early in his ministry, his church was faltering. He asked his minister father to come and listen to him preach and tell him what he was doing wrong. His father came, listened and then told him, "You are too much into theology. All you need to do is lift up the love and power of God. Let people know He can help them and wants to help them."

Norman changed his preaching. He went to positive themes.

Seven years ago I helped Rev. Gene Coleman establish Carpenter's Cowboy Church, a church for nightclub musicians. It met in a bar. In the first year over 100 musicians and others who came committed their lives to God. Probably more than in one of the large downtown churches.

Why? I say it is mainly because Gene Coleman is so positive. He reaches out in love to every musician who seeks his help. He preaches only 15-20 minutes but his talks are so positive and his joy is so radiant, people decide they want what he has.

Some preachers are so barky and harky and judgmental and pushy they make me want to break into a run in the opposite direction.

I honor Norman Vincent Peale today, from the bottom of my heart.

What a grand and glorious life he gave us.