Keeping you sharp

Mind Body Spirit and…

If we feel down we may go to the doctor and they will probably give us a pill.  If we have a side effect, we get another pill.  Pretty soon you can be taking a lot of pills.  Or perhaps you just ignore signals and flags that something is wrong and you just keep moving along.

There are 3 or 4 areas that I would like to explore.  Mind Body Spirit are the first three.

Mind.  We all need to exercise ours.  And we don’t as often as we should.  It got a work out when we were in school, and sometimes at work.  We need to keep in engaged.  Reading, visualizing, writing, thinking, planning, and yes, sometimes good games can keep us alert and active.

Body.  Our bodies are like computers, they are as only as good as what WE put in them!  We need to exercise, eat well, keep stress reduced, and be aware of consumption of alcohol or other drugs.

Spirit.  Regardless of your belief system, your choice of religions; clarifying your values is important.  Know what you believe, practice it, know it, empower yourself to be it.  Meditation can be a very important part of your spirituality, as well as prayer.  Insuring you have time for yourself in what helps you center yourself is important.  For some it will be prayer or meditation.  For others it will be reading, gardening, bike riding, running, swimming, etc.

The 4^th area to explore is social/emotional.  It pertains to how you are plugged into society, your family, your friends, and life in general. How does having a balance mind, body and spirit of yours coexist with the world?  Do you volunteer? (Service to others)  How do you contribute to helping make this a better family, community, world? (Synergy) How do you show and share care to others? (Empathy) and how do you take time to insure you have time for yourself? (self preservation/security)

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One balance you at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is the time in this world that every human being is called to lift up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  In Iowa and Nebraska he is available for marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Together we can...

Synergy.  What is it and how does it apply to us?  If used in a business application, synergy means that teamwork will produce an overall better result than if each person within the group were working toward the same goal individually.

What if we applied the same logic to our life?  Yes, you can do this if your single, in a relationship or have a family!

Remember that they interaction of two or more forces that are combined equal a sum that is greater than what could be achieved individually.  The sum of us, is greater than one of us. 

Synergy comes from the Greek work synergos, meaning working together.  (Washington you paying attention?)  Synergy occurs almost everywhere in nature; plants for example.  If you plant two plants near each other the roots will grow together and as such the plant will improve the quality of the soil and both plants will grow better than if separate.

Synergy can be difficult for us to incorporate into our life.  Many work on being independent and free of others…  Many have learned not to trust or have been taught not to depend or trust others.  So at work we learn it is every person for themselves.  Sharing, caring and working together really isn’t a part of “US Corporate Team work” it is a great slogan that sounds good.

Synergy in your own life as a single person could be about you surrounding yourself with other like minded people who have very similar goals.  They could be about financial goals, health/fitness goals, habits or other activities you are wanting to have greater skills for/with.

As a couple, wanting to buy a car, save up for a house, raise children, interact with family, volunteer, etc.  A synergistic approach could increase the value of your teamwork and individual contributions.

As a family, can you image the possibilities?  If reducing utility costs were the goal… keeping lights turned off, combining laundry, keeping fridge closed, preventative maintenance, being as green as possible…  If everyone was working towards that goal instead of just 1-2 people, can you begin to understand the approach?

Once you feel comfortable with this approach, you will be able to use it in many areas of your life.  It will become second nature to you.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One goal together, at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is the time in this world that every human being is called to lift up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  In Iowa and Nebraska he is available for marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Understand. Understood.

Communication encompasses a lot more than telling and talking.  In order for us to communicate effectively we must listen (and hear), and understand what is being shared with us.  For example, imagine a doctor who gives a prescription over the telephone without knowing all the necessary information about the patient and their condition. This could be a serious or even fatal error if the patient takes the wrong medicine.

In the same way, when we are exchanging words, ideas and communicating with others; we need to be able ourselves to stop, shut up and really hear what the other person is saying, listen to how they are saying it, grasp it using all of our senses! 


It is about actively listening with empathy; consciously trying to understand and to see the world from the other person's perspective (hopefully without judging.) 


When we see and hear through our filters and glasses, we are unable to truly have the ability to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes.

Once you have clearly understood the point of view of another person, it is equally important to be understood by them. You need to build the courage to respond to what you've heard and present your own view that takes what the other person has said into account.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One understanding at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

win win win

Working with others is very difficult.  Those whom we elect to political office offer a most wonderful example of that statement.

Of course working with others can be applied to work, home, shopping, customer service, family, relationships, friends, and just about any other activity that involves us interacting with another person.

There are normally two schools of thought when it comes to working with others; It’s my way or the highway, or it’s their way or the highway.  Let’s introduce #3; a win/win strategy.  Most of us will think been there, tried that, it’s not easy and it doesn’t work.

We often view the navigation of working with others a win/lose or a lose/win outcome.  What if you viewed it as a negotiation and it was a win/win for both sides?  Win meaning each person shared, listened and was able to settle on the most important issues (which may not be all this time) on their agenda? 

It IS possible, it happens every single day.  You can apply this same logic to any area in your life.  Make time to discuss, listen and compromise a bit to achieve an end result that allows each person feeling as if they worked together (communicated), gave and took (compromise) and insured they didn’t get mad and walk away (committed) to achieve a win/win for both.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One new habit at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

One foot in front of the other

I recall one of the old holiday Christmas cartoons, Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  In it the Winter Warlock is taught to walk…and the song I remember to this day “put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door…”

Not much has changed for us humans, we need to do exactly that.  Put first things first in our life.  It is one of the most difficult thing for us to do as humans; prioritize. 

Managing time, life, relationships, tasks, work, cores, duties, family this list can go on forever I bet.  It is important for us to give careful, intentional thought to what is truly important in our life, and get it to the top of list right away. 

What is important? Crises, pressing problems/opportunities, items with deadlines.  Other important, but perhaps not as urgent items are: prevention tasks, relationship building,  recreation, and exploring new opportunities.

What is not important?  Interruptions, some phone calls, many emails, most text messages, some meetings, popular activities, and a lot of television and/or games.

It is up to you to focus and create lists or circles for yourself of what your needs are in terms of keeping the most important things, the most important things AND on top of the list!

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One private victory at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

zzzzzzzzzz's

I have written before about “paying” yourself.  You know, rewarding yourself, taking care of yourself; going out of your way to insure that YOU get some “down time” in your life even if you have to make an appointment with yourself.

Another aspect of paying yourself is getting enough rest.  Quality restful sleep requires rhythm. Your body responds better when you work like it does… like clockwork!  Be mindful of when you take your pills, when you go to bed and when you get up.  As much as possible, when you can; do those things on a regular basis.

The more we are in sync with our body, the better chance of having a good, deep sleep will be.  You will awake MORE relaxed, refreshed and alert.

When we are not in sync with our bodies, it effects our circadian rhythm and also affects our energy and joy of working at the beginning of the new week, and thus our quality of life.  You know those mornings… instead of “I get to go to work!!!” it is “grrrrrrr, I have to go to work?” (and maybe a few &^%^?!@##)

Changing pillows once a year, insuring bedding is in good condition, mattress rotated and sheets clean are other small ways to increase your ability to sleep well.  You are worth it, so take time to invest in yourself, and in your sleep.  The return on your investment will be more than you image.

We can be the change we seek in this world, and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One good zzzzzzzz at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching, and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, and Pastoral Care. To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone 402-575-7006. Omaha Weddings, Omaha Counseling, Omaha Funerals

Your ladder

The saying the road to hell is paved with good intensions.  I was taught to believe that the road to heaven, or the roads in life are paved with good intensions… I do believe people get up each morning with good intensions for themselves and for others whom they come into contact with.  We all want to do a good job.  Which often requires us to plan.  Many of us don’t plan to fail; we just simple fail to plan.


Having an end in mind in what we are trying to accomplish will help a great deal, this could be in at work, home, in relationship, worship and...

It is easy for us to get caught up in life, work, family, friends, responsibilities, and volunteering only to realize where we thought the ladder was taking isn’t where we ended up, our ladder needed to be on another wall or path.


What I am talking about is simply planning, knowing where we are going, and where we need to be, instead of being bogged down with tunnel vision, busy work or life.


Our clear vision and plan for what we have in mind normally happens 1-2 times; once in our minds and then in reality.  Think of it as your own blue print.  If builders need these types of detailed instruction, guides and information don’t you think that it might be good idea for you too?  


Knowing where you need to be or want to end up is an important step in anything you do.  It IS about preplanning, it is about visualizing it, and then building steps to get there.  It will help you make sure your ladder is on the correct wall! 

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One ladder at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Proactive

Sen. Tom Daschle one said “The windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror.”  And that is one quote that a politician got right! 

We can spend so much time in the coulda, woulda, shoulda mind trap.  Another mind traps like being a victim, the why me syndrome, the someone owes me something mindset or the blame game.


Taking ownership of your life, your work, your relationships, and YOU requires some planning and preparation.  Let’s explore how…


We are responsible and have responsibility to consciously choose HOW we respond to any situation.  To be proactive is to choose your response rather than relying on instinctive reactions.  I’ve said many times, WE are the author of our life story, what are you writing?
Being proactive requires us to train ourselves to take responsibility for our own responses and learning from our choices (mistakes or achieved results!) 


Are there circumstances and life issues that occur that you have little or no control with?  Yes AND they are few and far between when you consider all of the other “life that happens” around that.


Creating and choosing your circle of importance that includes things that you can focus on, proactively prepare for, people you can share with and learn from will help your visualize keeping the most important things, the most important things.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One proactive choice at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Tunnel Vision

“When you see a moose cross the road, you tend to tunnel vision on that animal and don’t see the one that’s right behind it.”  -Larry Lewis

I suppose that each of us has had points in our lives, perhaps right now, that we have tunnel vision.  At work it is easy to develop a routine that prevents us from trying, seeing and experiencing new ways to grow.  At home it is the same thing, we get comfortable with something, routines develop and pretty soon we have tunnel vision there too.


I think that there are times, rare, but there are times that having tunnel vision allows us to focus intensely for a moment and it may just save our lives or allow us to proceed with great caution.  And there are many times, like this photo, the tunnel vision we have does not allow us to see what is outside of the traffic lane, no windows, no opportunity to grow, learn or prepare for what could be next.


What do you have tunnel vision on right now at work?  At home?  In your relationship?  With friends?  Worship?


How could you grow, learn or be better prepared if you were able to see and/or experience more than what is directly in front of you?


I often talk about the three C’s of relationships: Commitment, compromise and communication.  There are another 3 C’s we could explore… Choice, Chance and Change.  You have to make the choice to take a chance if you ever want change in your life.  Taking the blinders off, getting out of the express lane, and stop living every moment with tunnel vision will allow you to move forward, many times, and get you out of a rut you may be living in.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One change at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Your Brain

About 15 years ago I was in the private law enforcement industry.  My mom answered the phones and kept things neat at the office for me.  It was something she grew to look forward to each day.  Even on my “bad mood” days, picking up my mom on the way to work often soften that up and made the day easier to face. 

I think that there is something to keeping active.  Talking, playing games, engaging with others.  It DOES make a difference.  When we are not engaged and left to “just be” by ourselves, there is less challenge, motivation, experiences, sensations, and activity.


We know that there is no “cure” for growing old.  There are some things that you can do to hold things up a bit.  Keeping the brain active is an important part of growing older.  Make it think, keep it busy and use it!  Reading, solving problems, doing puzzles, talking, and arts and crafts are excellent ways to help keep the brain busy, active and healthy. You can surround yourself with new people, learn a new language, an instrument, a new type of sport, and crossword puzzles.  Visit lectures, museums and exhibitions. Go to concerts, theaters or in a musical. Dancing, yoga, and low impact aerobics are highly recommended activities for us ALL to enjoy.


This activities are investments in your mind, body and spirit.  The return may not be seen today, but it will tomorrow!  YOU WILL HAVE MORE OF THEM!

A brain that is intellectually challenged, stays in shape longer. So get active and do something to maintain your intellectual capabilities. - Then you can organize your leisure time with great pleasure and you will be feeling young and vital - even in old age.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One thought at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Outside

Before she passed two years ago, our neighbor Miss Wilma gardened every day in her yard.  She had pears, apricots, lettuce, carrots, squash, tomatoes, onions, radishes, cucumbers, and apples.  She was 96 when she passed.  She drove her car once a week to the casino where she played $5.00 on the penny slots, had lunch then came home, and went back into her garden. 
She would share her bounty with us.  I return the favor when I grilled we would fix her a plate of food.  She said oh my it will take me two days to eat all that… I miss her.  She found enlightenment, she knew what life is and was.


Gardening is something that we call could do.  Regardless of where we live.  Apartment dwellers, home renters, and those living here and there ALL can participate in gardening somewhere. 

Gardening like walking or just being active is an important energy source, the active movement, being in the sun and breathing fresh air is very VERY good for us all.


One of the main reasons for this is that our senses are stimulated in many different ways through the contact with nature. We focus in our everyday lives often on our senses of hearing and sight to obtain information. In nature the other sense are addressed as well, like taste, smell and touch. This means that we exploit the full potential of our senses in nature.


So experience nature very attentively with all your senses. Watch the clouds, the sun and the light. Observe the trees, fields and flowers precisely. Realize all the colors, smells and sounds deliberately and intensely.  Not to mention the physical activity of weeding, cleaning, watering, raking and planting (and cleaning up after the animals!)

Take the opportunity in your everyday life over and over to experience nature consciously: Inhale the fresh morning air intensively when you leave the house. Enjoy a little walk during your lunch break and indulge in the magnificent smell of spring or after work, or appreciate the breathtaking beauty of a sunset. Listen to the chirping birds and observe the colorful summer flowers that bloom along the way. Take advantage of the wonderful "power of nature." - You will see your energy level will boost.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One garden at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA.  

Your choice

You are the author of your own life story.  You, not any other human being, as the power, the control and the ability to decide how you respond to life, life’s issues and life’s hurdles. 

Mark Twain wrote “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”

November, December and sometimes January are months that most people seem to have a bit more jump in the step, a bit more forgiving and walk around with open eyes, ears and hearts.  Too often it seems that just after January we go back to “life as we know it”, you know…  eyes, ears and hearts a little more closed, less jump in our step and a bit less forgiving.

Why is that?  Christmas is so commercial I think that there are some who celebrate the holiday as a traditional Christian Holiday, some celebrate it has a holiday to spend in the name of love, family and friends, others may just go through the motions of it being a day to exchange gifts with no special meaning.

All of that aside, why is it that the “spirit” that many share with others is so intensified, glorified and witnessed in November, December and January more than most any time of the year?  How can we keep some of that “love” around the other 9 months of the year?  Why can’t the spirit be acknowledged in military meetings, foreign relation meetings, interviews, people passing in the street, family dinners, couples living, children playing, people working… every human being living!?

I think part of the “Christmas spirit”, regardless of your spiritual, faith or religious belief, includes forgiving, accepting and loving: yourself and others.  Letting go of anger, resentment, and hurt and allowing forgiveness, love and healing to takes its place can be powerful and rewarding for us all.  Accepting ownership for our own faults, mistakes and shortcomings and realizing that we are in fact beautiful, loved and worthy, just the way we are can be the change in our life that is needed to help open new doors, see things never before seen and experience life in new ways.

Each of us as the ability to make those choices, changes and meet those challenges.  We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One story at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as a Multifaith Chaplain with Inclusive Life.  He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. Chaplain Royal shares two important messages: You are beautiful, you are loved and you are worthy, just the way you are.  And: Now is time in this world that every human being is called to life up the weak, offer a hand UP to the impoverished, cherish our elders and stand up for the oppressed.  Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care.  He is also here to help with marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all, without exception!   Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006. 105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings

Hotel Legends

I remember as a lad (yes I used that word) probably around 9 or so, my mom and sister working at a motel in Bellevue, it was called the Sandman Motel then.  Owned by Ruth and her husband, Mom and Sharon cleaned rooms and covered the desk when the couple would go out of town.

Perhaps that is why I had the hospitality “bug”.  A legend in the world of hoteliers is John Q. Hammons.  Mr. Hammons once told us at a staff meeting, you do this job because of one of two reasons; A) you make a lot money or B) you love people.  I didn’t retire from the hotel industry at an early age, so it must be B) for me.  Another legend is J.W. “Bill” Marriott.  He will be retiring on March 31 after over 60 years of service (does that mean he will get 3 retirement checks?) Friends who work for Marriott talk about the Marriott family values and core beliefs as if Bill had hired them himself.  He sent out a message each day while at the desk to each and every employee letting them know what was going on.

I was actually a Hilton person, spending most of my time with Embassy Suites and the DoubleTree brands.  I also worked with Holiday Inn and Best Westerns for a while.  My first stay at a Marriott property made me understand in an instant why Marriott Rewards was the number one brand for hotel guest rewards programs in the industry, their hotels seem to do it better more often.

I don’t know of too many more “family” businesses out there, that almost seems to be a another thing of the past, passing the baton from one generation to the other.  Maybe there is an “app” for that on my iPhone.

I often thought of writing a book about my experiences working and traveling in the hotel industry I would call it “From Both Sides of the Counter.” 

I think my career in hospitality helped groom me to be where I am today.  Serving others regardless if it is hotel rooms, marriage vows, relationship help or final words is a time honored tradition and something that will always be in supply.

We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves.  One day.  One journey.  One person.  One generation of change at a time.

Royal D. Bush serves as Interfaith Chaplain.  He has studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary. and the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling.  He also holds a Bachelor Degree in business administration. He is available for premarital coaching. couples coaching. life coaching. and pastoral care in the Nebraska and Iowa area.

Inclusive Life offers both nondenominational and nonreligious care-serving all. without exception!  Inclusive Life offers Wedding Ministers, Premarital Coaching, Couples Coaching, Funeral Ministers, End of Life Planning, Pastoral Care, and Pathways Worship.

To reach Chaplain Royal or Chaplain Beth please email info@inclusivelife.org OR phone

402-575-7006.  105 S. 49^th Street Omaha, NE and 500 Willow Ave Council Bluffs, IA. 

Omaha Weddings. Omaha Counseling. Omaha Funerals, Nebraska Weddings

Council Bluffs Weddings, Council Bluffs Counseling, Council Bluffs Funeral, Iowa Weddings