You Are What You Repeat

I've been seeing a physiotherapist for the last several months due to a tragic reading in bed accident that injured my shoulder. I'll be alright. My physiotherapist has a sign on his door that says, "You are what you repeat." That is very true in many aspects of life. Physically, I'm working on getting my shoulder back to 100%. Incidentally, my injured shoulder has never moved correctly. As a kid I thought I was double jointed but really, I most likely hurt myself when I was young and didn't heal properly. Now, 30 years later, not only am I trying to heal my most recent injury, I'm trying to repair damage from my childhood. Things are moving along nicely. It's so strange to think that I'll be able to move my arm in a way that was impossible for me most of my life. The secret, not that its a secret, is to repeat certain movements that activate specific muscles and restore range of motion. My shoulder is what it repeats. For decades I've been repeating improper movements and making them the unconscious function of my shoulder. I am now actively and consciously moving properly so that eventually my shoulder will function in the correct way without my constant attention and self awareness.

But that statement is true in other areas of our lives too. If you want to lose 30 pounds, you must eat sensibly and exercise on the first day. And then repeat it. And then repeat it again and again until it is no longer a diet and fitness regime, it is simply who you are.

If you want a million dollars in your bank account, you don't need to go find one big score. You need to earn a dollar and then save it. And then do it again and again until you reach your goal. If you don't repeat the steps required to reach your goal you will never reach your goal.

You are what you repeat so start doing what you want to be doing. Stop doing what you don't want to do. And then repeat.

Make It Real

It doesn't have to be your dream if you make it your reality.

(Be prepared to work for it though.)

Recognizing Happiness

A coworker shared the following parable with me a couple days ago. He was talking about how he was re-evaluating his life and how he reads this story every couple days to remind himself of what's important.

—

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family. “You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman. “You should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

A couple days ago another coworker told me how he was working 100 hours a week at 2 different jobs and his own side business to earn money to pay for things like an extra vehicle, fancy clothes, and dance lessons for his 4 year old daughter.


I think it is more important to recognize happiness than chase it.

It's a Good Friday

When The Man Comes Around

My friend recently found out her husband is dying. The doctors say he has less than 5 years to live. He could be dead tomorrow. There's no operation and no medication that can stop this. Only a miracle will change the inevitable.

I don't know what it would be like to know how little time you have left on this side of eternity. I'm sure it would make any person re-evaluate their life. We all know we have a limited number of days but we all assume that those days numbers in the tens of thousands. I mentioned in early blog posts about sudden illnesses and deaths that affected people I know much earlier in life than is expected. My cousin lost his wife to ALS. A coworker has learned she has MS. They were both younger than I am. Another coworker lost his daughter to cancer. She wasn't even 10. My parents are currently older than their parents were when they died. No one knows for sure how many days or years they have left. And yet, I would guess that we waste so much of our time on things that don't matter in the larger scheme of things.

My friend is preparing to be a widow in her 30s with 3 kids under the age of 9. Now that the reality of mortality has set in their priorities have changed. Life is not about going to work right now, even though money will be important in the future. They want to spend time together. They want to make videos for their kids to remember their dad.

I'm planning to live beyond 100 years old. How should I prioritize? Do I live like today is the first day of the rest of my life or live like today will be my last? What's the middle ground?

Discomfort Can Lead To Growth

This blog has documented the changes I've gone through over the last 7 years or so. I've grown quite a bit as a person. My world view, how I perceive others, and how I perceive myself has changed drastically. Its been quite interesting to look back at who I was and where I've come from and compare that version of me to who I am now. I think the changes are good. Great even. What I've concluded is that comfort leads to stagnation and deterioration. The best comfort can lead to is the status quo. However, the negative end of the comfort spectrum ends with death of the soul, if not the body.

Growth only comes through the discomfort of trials. When I first started this blog I was deeply dissatisfied with my personal development. I suffered from Social Anxiety, I was incredibly shy and I was/still am an introvert. These obstacles left with me with only 2 options. The first option was to accept this disabling fear and live with it. I could seek out a life of comfort, which would have meant essentially living as a hermit. No friends. No social activities. No interaction with the world outside the necessities of life. I could avoid my fears and live a comfortably pathetic life. The second option  was to do whatever it took to overcome these obstacles in my life. It was very uncomfortable confronting my fears and putting in the necessary effort to grow beyond my limitations at the time. However, now that I am on the other side I can say with certitude that any discomfort I felt at the time is more than compensated for by the place I am in now.

It frustrates me to see people limiting themselves, seeking out immediate relief from discomfort instead of allowing that discomfort to lead to growth. The guy who climbs a mountain doesn't give up and go home because it got cold out. He puts on another layer and keeps climbing. The band that releases a hit song likely had a lot of flops that preceded it. The lady that loses 100 pounds didn't retreat to the kitchen with a spoon and a bucket of ice cream. It took self control and many uncomfortable trips to the gym. These are all real people I know. They could have retreated to a warm home, a boring profession, or a bakery and found comfort but they didn't. They persevered through their discomfort and changed their circumstances.

There's always two options. Retreat or press on. One is much more comfortable. The other leads to victory. The choice is always yours.

Trump vs Clinton

This isn't a political post. However, I'll throw out some political prognostications just for fun. These are my thoughts on the disintegration of a pillar of western democracy, the media.

Before I get to the point though, I'm predicting Trump will win. That goes against almost every commentary and poll I see. I made that prediction over a year ago when Trump entered the race to be the Republican nominee. I may be wrong. I've been wrong before. If Trump doesn't win, I wouldn't want to be an American in 20 years. They are circling the drain at the moment. Western civilization is at stake.

Moving on to the the topic at hand, the diminished influence and respectability of the media. It is a fact that news organizations tend to be left leaning when it comes to almost all topics. As long as you could filter their bias, you could sift out a little truth. Those days are gone. There is no truth in reporting anymore, only narrative.

Pollsters keep confirming that trust in the mainstream media is at an all time low. Why? Because we no longer believe the stories they tell. Their "news" and our "reality" don't agree. I could go on and on but I will use a couple recent political examples to show why even Democrats and Socialists don't believe the narrative any more.

1. Trump competed against 16 other candidates for the Republican nomination. Most were quite well known. Many had deep political connections. Commentary after commentary from the "media" explained to the masses how he couldn't win. His support was capped at 20%, then 30%, then 40%, then he was going in to a contested convention because he couldn't win enough delegates. They were all WRONG. Trump defeated all challengers and won despite the narrative the media put forward for their "viewers". Being proven wrong all the time tends to reduce one's credibility.

2.  Meanwhile, Clinton was barely scraping by on the Democrats side against a geriatric socialist most have never heard of and some other guy. The media did not say a thing. They did not question Hillary's viability. She was their chosen candidate and they did not want to cast her in a disparaging light. Even worse, was the obvious DNC bias in favour of Clinton and against Sanders. They awarded almost all super delegates to Clinton against the wishes of their own party members. Did the media report on this? Only in passing, and not nearly to the level they reported on Trump's supposed inability to win. I have no doubt Bernie Sanders would have beat Hillary Clinton if the Media Party and the DNC did not cover for her. The day Trump won the Republican nomination the media's headlines screamed, "Trump Divides Republicans" and other such drivel. Instead of focusing on the fact that not only did an outsider win ahead of 16 other established candidates, he did so before Clinton could beat 2 challengers with the support of the DNC shenanigans. Most stories discussed how the Republican party was now fractured. Meanwhile, the Democrats were deeply divided by Clinton and Sanders but the media ignored the political parallels. The media lies by OMISSION and by the selective narratives (or distractions) they present.

For example, do you remember when Obama claimed to have visited 57 states while campaigning? Of course not. The media would not show that footage to the public. It would indicate that their chosen candidate was not the intellect they told us he was. Now ask yourself, if this was George W. Bush would the footage have been aired? Of course it would, because that fits the narrative the media was trying to sell.

3. Hillary has stood by and defended her serial sex offending husband (who is likely a rapist) and attacked his accusers publicly. Trump was privately recorded saying women let rich men grab their privates a decade ago. Which story do you think the media ran with? Yep. Trump. Now I have no problem with the media using the recording to illustrate who Trump is. I do have a problem with them acting as though it was worse than the Clinton's actions. I have a huge problem with the media giving voice to hypocrites like Michelle Obama and other social commentators talking about how this is obscene and offensive, while ignoring the Clinton's past, or ignoring the sexual innuendo of artists and activists Michelle Obama and the Democratic Party support. The narrative was that this was the most obscene and misogynistic thing to be thrust upon the American public in the history of the Universe. Apparently they haven't heard of rap music yet. Just recently Madonna offered to perform sex acts on anyone who voted for Clinton. The media must be clutching their pearls and getting the vapours about that? Nope.

4. Media personalities have been caught (via hot mikes, poor editing, and hacked emails) aiding Clinton. Media personalities have given debate questions to Hillary. Producers have told her when to smile. Moderators have advised her campaign team. The networks shrug off the fact that Clinton's defence of her illegal and treasonous handling of classified information was that she was incompetent. Editors have "removed" black Trump supporters from their footage of campaign stops. Or, when the media accidentally shows a person of colour supporting Trump, they quickly explain it away as a novelty because that's not the story they want to tell.

5. The Media used to control the gates that information flowed through. Now we have the internet. This makes everyone an eye witness and a reporter. One of the things this new generation of news gatherers has discovered is that the media spins the truth. They can't do it any more. When the media lies, the public is there to correct them on a world wide stage for all to see.

Years ago I attended a political rally. It was the only one I have ever been to in my life. It was in a small city but there were hundreds of people there to see this conservative politician. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a political gathering of that size in that city before or after. There were about 10 protesters outside with signs. I was quite young back then and was curious to see what parts of the speech would be covered in the media. As I watched the national news, the tag line was "Politician X Met By Protesters in City Y". Was it true? Yes. Was it presented accurately? Not at all. The actual footage for the story was mostly of the politician walking by the protesters as he got off the bus. The camera man was careful to fill the entire shot with all 10 protesters while making sure that the hundreds (possibly near a thousand) supporters were not seen at all. I was incredibly disillusioned by that story and began to sense that the media may not be reporting what was really happening. It caused me to question a lot of what is now presented as fact by these journalists. This was during the infancy of the internet, but if it happened today I could easily refute this narrative with a couple cell phone pics and a Facebook/Instagram account. And that's exactly what is happening today. The media can't control the masses like it used to. The gates are open.

And they wonder why no one trusts them.

Hello St. Louis

I'm away from work. Funny enough, because I'm doing training for work in St. Louis. I can't have much affect on the office back home, and, because I'm training, I've tuned out all other work distractions like email and texts. This is the most "free" I can be right now. It only happens once a year. Despite the stress and rigour of the training it is quite relaxing to have no other responsibilities. Even the normal day to day demands of life like doing laundry, buying groceries, maintaining the yard or paying bills are on hold until I get back.

I'm taking some time to reflect on what I've learned.

Sleep is good. I need more of it.
Exercise is good. I need more of it.
Junk food is bad. I need less of it.
Stress is bad. I need less of it.
Relationships are good. I need to invest in them.
Learning is fun. I need to budget time for it.
Families are important.
Work is necessary, but should never interfere sleep, exercise, diet, learning or family.

Another Post On Time

I've been away for a while. Busy. I've been thinking a lot about time, again.

Everything is time. Friends, family, money, children, recreation, fun, whatever.

I've been working a lot. My job is very demanding. It takes a lot of time. It involves early mornings, late nights and weekends. Outside of work, I've been doing life a lot too. Youth group, both junior and senior high, C&C, small group, volleyball, helping friends move, hosting football parties (32 people - That was crazy), and church.

One of the things I've noticed is that the busier I am, the busier I become. I wanted to know why. I think I've figured it out. Work, for work's sake is pointless. We all work to support our lives outside of work (friends, family, fun). We all work to live, not live to work. And I work hard. The more I work, the more I want to live. So, in a weird way the less time I have, the more time I spend. The result is that I don't have much time for myself. It's taken me a couple years to figure that out.

What's the point of spending all my time at work if I can't do what's really important? I think I need to re-evaluate my work/life ratio. I can't cram more work or life into life. I need to cut back on something, and its not life.

Cumulative

It all adds up.

Truer words have never been spoken.

A final product is the result of cumulative steps.

I always wanted to play the piano. I'm not sure why. I remember as a kid playing "air" piano on a long drive home from Calgary with my dad in his old orange truck. Stevie Wonder's version of That's What Friends Are For was on the radio. As best as I can recall, I played "air" piano and sang that song over and over for at least an hour after the song ended on the radio. I wonder how good a piano player I could be today if I started taking lessons back then. That's a quarter century of practice. I'm sure I'd at least be decent.

I'm amazed how well I play the guitar. I know I'm not the greatest, but I remember the first time I picked up a guitar. I was 13, in grade 8, in my French teacher's classroom, over the lunch hour. I couldn't strum. I could barely hold down a string without fretting out. My pinky had no co-ordination. I had no musical theory. I joke that I managed to cram 2 years of lessons into 2 decades. I would never have imagined back then the skill level I would have today. I can jam. I can solo. I can improvize. I can learn and improve and entertain. All because of the cumulative effects of a few lessons and a few practice sessions over the years. Had I really worked hard at it, I'm sure I could be light years ahead of my ability at the moment, but, nonetheless, I'm decent.

Unfortunately, I've learned other things over time as well. I learned early on in my childhood to fear rejection, people, relationships, affection, physical contact. And unfortunately those experiences were just as cumulative as learning to play the guitar. I "learned" I wasn't worthy of relationships, that no one could like the real me, and that I would be isolated and alone for the rest of my life. Unfortunately I learned those lessons very well. It's only been recently that I've actively and intentionally embarked on a new path. I'm undoing the cumulative damage from my past. I'm gaining small victories in my life. One at a time. And they are cumulative too. I wish I started this a long time ago, but I suppose it's better late than never. Areas of my life I thought were closed up forever are beginning to open again.

I think the thing I learned, and am learning daily, is that possibilities beyond what I thought were possible even a short time ago, are well within my reach. All I had to do was reach for them.

While I was practicing the guitar one day a guy showed up in my classroom. I think he was a former student. He whipped out one of the guitars and started playing a song I had never heard before by a band I didn't know anything about, except that they were evil. Back then I never could have imagined that all these years later I could be rocking out on my guitar playing that exact same song just as skilfully, if not more so, than that guy who walked into my classroom. I'm curious to see what other things I will accomplish in the future that I couldn't even comprehend in my past.

The Red Pill

Morpheus: I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice. Tumbling down the rabbit hole?

Neo: You could say that.

Morpheus: I can see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he's expecting to wake up. Ironically, this is not far from the truth. Do you believe in fate, Neo?

Neo: No.

Morpheus: Why not?

Neo: 'Cause I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.

Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind -- driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

Neo: The Matrix?

Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is?

(Neo nods his head.)

Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, or when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. (long pause, sighs) Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.

(In his left hand, Morpheus shows a blue pill. A red pill is in his right hand.)

Morpheus: You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.

(Neo takes the red pill and swallows it with a glass of water. Neo passes out and wakes up aboard the Nebuchadnezzar.)

Morpheus: Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real. What if you were unable to wake from that dream. How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?

Neo: This can't be. Am I dead?

Morpheus: Far from it.

Neo: Why do my eyes hurt?

Morpheus: You've never used them before. 

It's a Good Friday

Never Ever Give Up

"Christian" Music

I have a love/hate relationship with music dubbed "Christian". I find a very large portion of it boring and uncreative. It's sad that those inspired by the Creator of the universe can "create" such a bland product only a few syllables removed from being a Beiber ballad. I know that taste in music can vary so I try not to be too hard on styles I'm not a huge fan of (country) because you may not like what I'm in to (hard rock). So, looking below the surface, what makes music "Christian"? The simple answer is absolutely nothing. Being a Christian is a choice influenced by belief and so only human beings may be "Christians". If I were a "Christian" farmer, would my "Christian" produce be any holier than that agnostic farmer down the grid road? Nope. It may even be worse. 

Obviously music, and lyrics in particular, come from life experiences and so there there will be songs that originate from a Christian perspective and songs that speak to my Christian perspective. That doesn't make any song particularly "Christian" though. Having said all that I think lyrics are what ultimately push a song under the "Christian" umbrella or not. Like I said earlier, I'm not a huge fan of "Christian" music because of it's blandness, both lyrical and musical, although I am a fan of many artists that are Christians. One guy I have found myself appreciating more and more is Matt Maher because of his lyrics. I've linked to some of his songs before, HERE and HERE and HERE. I guess this post is just an excuse to share a couple more songs of his I like.

Christmas

Isaiah (700 BC) and Paul (65 AD) talk about the significance of Jesus.

The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.


For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Confessions

Excerpt from the Confessions of Saint Augustine (written a little before 400AD):

Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance the innermost places of my being; but only because you had become my helper was I able to do so. I entered, then, and with the vision of my spirit, such as it was, I saw the incommutable light far above my spiritual ken and transcending my mind: not this common light which every carnal eye can see, nor any light of the same order; but greater, as though this common light were shining much more powerfully, far more brightly, and so extensively as to fill the universe. The light I saw was not the common light at all, but something different, utterly different, from all those things. Nor was it higher than my mind in the sense that oil floats on water or the sky is above the earth; it was exalted because this very light made me, and I was below it because by it I was made. Anyone who knows truth knows this light.

O eternal Truth, true Love, and beloved Eternity, you are my God, and for you I sigh day and night. As I first began to know you, you lifted me up and showed me that, while that which I might see exists indeed, I was not yet capable of seeing it. Your rays beamed intensely on me, beating back my feeble gaze, and I trembled with love and dread. I knew myself to be far away from you in a region of unlikeness, and I seemed to hear your voice from on high: “I am the food of the mature: grow, then, and you shall eat me. You will not change me into yourself like bodily food; but you will be changed into me”.

Accordingly I looked for a way to gain the strength I needed to enjoy you, but I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who is also God, supreme over all things and blessed for ever. He called out, proclaiming I am the Way and Truth and the Life, nor had I known him as the food which, though I was not yet strong enough to eat it, he had mingled with our flesh, for the Word became flesh so that your Wisdom, through whom you created all things, might become for us the milk adapted to our infancy.

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!  You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.  In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.  You were with me, but I was not with you.  Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.  You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.  You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.  You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you.  I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.  You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

Focus

I am a Seed

I am still sad.
I haven't been sleeping well at all.
I feel much like I did 6 weeks ago.
I am a deeply emotional personal, on the inside. I suppose writing is one of the ways to bring my emotions out. There's so much I want to say, and so much I probably shouldn't. It's difficult to walk that line. I don't want to hurt anyone. I have a backlog of thoughts and feelings from the last few months that I may touch up and share later on.
I feel like a decision has been forced on me against my will.
I have no say.
I feel hopeless.
I don't have peace.

With Everything I Have In Me

Lord, please heal every area of my life that needs healing.
Please give me the strength to let You.

Praise The Lord

Psalm 103 was written by King David about 3000 years ago. It is crazy inspiring. As I read it, I recognize it as the inspiration for so many songs and hymns we sing in church today. It contains an eternal truth that is still as powerful today as it was back then.

Praise the Lord, my soul; 

all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 

Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins 

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion, 

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness 

and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, 

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever; 

he does not treat us as our sins deserve 

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him; 

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed, 

he remembers that we are dust. 

The life of mortals is like grass, 

they flourish like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children —

with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels, 

you mighty ones who do his bidding, 

who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, 

you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works 

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.