Gratitude from a different perspective, a conversation with Candyce Nelson

12/29/24 • 54 min

Kenny and Candyce delve into the profound impact of gratitude, discussing how it can shape one's daily life, spur personal development, and enrich spiritual practices. They explore how gratitude can turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones, manage life's unpredictability, and enhance relationships by fostering a deeper sense of appreciation and empathy.

Themes:

Gratitude and Presence: The significance of being fully engaged in the now, appreciating what is currently available.
Control and Acceptance: How gratitude helps in accepting what we can't control, leading to a serene life approach.
Meditation as a Tool: Utilizing meditation to deepen gratitude, connecting oneself more profoundly with the present.
Spiritual Practices: The role of gratitude in both Buddhist meditation and Christian prayer as a path to spiritual growth.
Perspective on Challenges: Transforming our approach to life's trials through the lens of gratitude.
Interconnectedness: The spread of positive energy through gratitude in social interactions.

Quotes:

Candyce: "In it's being aware of the beautiful and positive things that you have in your life understanding how powerful those things are. Being of the present moment. Gratitude is like the full experience of the present to me. I try to spend at least some time every day just appreciating wherever I'm at, the fact that I woke up, the fact that I'm breathing."
Kenny: "Yeah, I do know. You're not wrong. We get so upset about things that, number one, are outside of our control. But number two, we have. There's a lot that we have to be thankful for to even have those problems. This morning I got out of a bed. That most people do not sleep in. I live in a country that is not at war. I got to eat some. Really? Okay food, but I got to eat food, period. So, I mean, these are all things that we can be grateful for."
Candyce: "There's always a point like it's okay to feel, it's not the way that you want it right now. I understand that feeling. But to be grateful for what you have in the moment is really something that can cultivate a lot of energy, if you're thinking about it and drive you to reach some goals that you may want."
Candyce: "And honestly, being grateful even for the things that maybe we didn't want to go through or didn't want to experience or didn't want. So those led to where you are remember getting it. Getting in a car accident got rear ended and I felt terrible. Woe is me for a second. And then I realized, well, this is just another opportunity. I'll get it fixed. It'll be fine. And here I am. I've got a better car a little bit later, you know, it leads to something else. But I wouldn't have gotten here if that didn't happen."
Kenny: "How important is happiness? Is it happiness a big deal? Yeah."
Candyce: "You imagine yourself. So it's like kind of an imagination thing. So you sit and you imagine yourself in a garden of your choosing on a bench and there's a fence and you imagine people walking by that fence. You start out with somebody easy, somebody where it's easy to be grateful for them. And you invite them to sit with you and you tell them you give them a flower and you explain why you're grateful for them and you wish them their best and they move on."
Candyce: "It's hard to explain and it stems from that gratitude of being present. And that's the foundation for, my Buddhism. I will not say that I am an expert, but this I can definitely speak for my personal practice and my personal experiences."
Kenny: "Well, one of the things that we talked about this a little bit yesterday is that you you are a

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Themes:

Gratitude and Presence: The significance of being fully engaged in the now, appreciating what is currently available.
Control and Acceptance: How gratitude helps in accepting what we can't control, leading to a serene life approach.
Meditation as a Tool: Utilizing meditation to deepen gratitude, connecting oneself more profoundly with the present.
Spiritual Practices: The role of gratitude in both Buddhist meditation and Christian prayer as a path to spiritual growth.
Perspective on Challenges: Transforming our approach to life's trials through the lens of gratitude.
Interconnectedness: The spread of positive energy through gratitude in social interactions.

Quotes:

Candyce: "In it's being aware of the beautiful and positive things that you have in your life understanding how powerful those things are. Being of the present moment. Gratitude is like the full experience of the present to me. I try to spend at least some time every day just appreciating wherever I'm at, the fact that I woke up, the fact that I'm breathing."
Kenny: "Yeah, I do know. You're not wrong. We get so upset about things that, number one, are outside of our control. But number two, we have. There's a lot that we have to be thankful for to even have those problems. This morning I got out of a bed. That most people do not sleep in. I live in a country that is not at war. I got to eat some. Really? Okay food, but I got to eat food, period. So, I mean, these are all things that we can be grateful for."
Candyce: "There's always a point like it's okay to feel, it's not the way that you want it right now. I understand that feeling. But to be grateful for what you have in the moment is really something that can cultivate a lot of energy, if you're thinking about it and drive you to reach some goals that you may want."
Candyce: "And honestly, being grateful even for the things that maybe we didn't want to go through or didn't want to experience or didn't want. So those led to where you are remember getting it. Getting in a car accident got rear ended and I felt terrible. Woe is me for a second. And then I realized, well, this is just another opportunity. I'll get it fixed. It'll be fine. And here I am. I've got a better car a little bit later, you know, it leads to something else. But I wouldn't have gotten here if that didn't happen."
Kenny: "How important is happiness? Is it happiness a big deal? Yeah."
Candyce: "You imagine yourself. So it's like kind of an imagination thing. So you sit and you imagine yourself in a garden of your choosing on a bench and there's a fence and you imagine people walking by that fence. You start out with somebody easy, somebody where it's easy to be grateful for them. And you invite them to sit with you and you tell them you give them a flower and you explain why you're grateful for them and you wish them their best and they move on."
Candyce: "It's hard to explain and it stems from that gratitude of being present. And that's the foundation for, my Buddhism. I will not say that I am an expert, but this I can definitely speak for my personal practice and my personal experiences."
Kenny: "Well, one of the things that we talked about this a little bit yesterday is that you you are a

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Previous Episode

Another conversation with Jake

Jake's YouTube Channel is at:
How often do we as Christians think about our relationship with God? Is it merely inherited from our upbringing, or do we carve our unique path in understanding and connecting with the divine? In today's episode, I explore these questions with my son, Jake. We explore the complexities of faith, the journey from inherited beliefs to personal conviction, and the challenges of living out Christian principles in today's world. Join us as we unpack what it means to truly own your faith in a conversation that promises to challenge, enlighten, and inspire."Expanded Key Takeaways:

Conceptualizing God:Jake shares his internal struggle with forming a tangible concept of God, moving beyond traditional images to a more abstract, yet personal understanding. This highlights the journey from a child's simple faith to an adult's nuanced relationship with the divine.
Visual Learning: The importance of personal learning styles in faith development. Jake's reliance on visualization underscores how personal traits can shape our spiritual experiences, suggesting that faith can be deepened by engaging with it in the way we best understand the world.
Apologetics Journey:Jake's exploration into apologetics isn't just academic; it's a quest for personal truth. His dive into arguments like the fine-tuning of the universe shows a quest for rational foundations of faith, bridging science and spirituality.
Arguments for God's Existence:A detailed look at three philosophical arguments:
- Chance: The likelihood of the universe's conditions being perfect for life by mere accident.
- Necessity: The idea that the universe's constants must be as they are for life, yet this doesn't explain why they are necessary.
- Design: This argument resonates with Jake due to its logic that complex systems suggest a designer, paralleling our human inclination to recognize design in less complex creations.
The Hiddenness of God:This point delves into the philosophical and emotional challenge of God's apparent silence or invisibility, exploring how believers reconcile the lack of overt divine intervention with their faith.
Evangelism:Jake and Kenny discuss the modern Christian's dilemma: how to share faith without alienating others. The takeaway is the emphasis on showing love and respect, allowing actions to speak as loudly as words, and understanding that conversion is not about numbers but about genuine connection.Dealing with
Doubt:Doubt is portrayed not as a failure but as an essential part of faith's maturation. Jake's experiences remind listeners that questioning can lead to stronger faith, as it forces one to engage deeply with their beliefs, moving from passive acceptance to active conviction.

Three Applications for Listeners:

Visualizing Faith:Encourage listeners to explore or create visual metaphors or symbols that resonate with their personal understanding of God or spiritual truths. This could be through art, nature, or even personal symbols that help bridge the abstract with the tangible in their spiritual life.
Engaging with Apologetics:Suggest that listeners delve into apologetics not just to defend their faith but to explore and deepen their understanding of it. This could involve reading books, attending lectures, or even discussing with others who have different views to strengthen their own beliefs through dialogue and reason.
Embracing Doubt as Part of Faith:Encourage listeners to view doubt not as a threat but as an opportunity for growth. They should be prompted to ask questions, seek answers, and understand that doubt can lead to a more robust and personal faith. This might include setting aside time for reflection, prayer, or joining study groups where doubts can be shared and e

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