The surgery was a success. But today is a rest day. I should be back in the swing of things by Thursday. Thank you! God is good…
Thank you
Thank you all for your prayers. I’m about to head in to surgery. Update tomorrow.
You taking the time to write something to me is very meaningful.
A Stroke of Genius!
Hello everyone. On Friday afternoon I experienced a very small stroke. The blood clot that lodged in my brain was so small the doctor almost couldn’t see it.
Having a stroke is really bizarre. My words wouldn’t come out right. It felt like I was going in slow motion. The Emergency Room team took great care of me. Within two hours I was back to normal. Well, as normal as I get!
Tomorrow morning the surgeon will place a stent in my carotid artery. This should make me well. What I ask of you is, if you are a praying person, please say one for me. I’m certain that God is in control. He knows the outcome.
I’ll be back to writing soon. I hope you will stick around! Thank you…
No Time to Waste
When we are young we believe we are immortal. While we have all felt that way, the truth is that our time on this side of eternity is finite. So, the burning question is, what am I doing with the time I have?
I’m not focused on death. Not at all. My focus is on living every moment I have while keeping my mind on the eternal. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we are reminded to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The unseen realm is unknown to man. We get glimpses and Scripture reminds us that there is a spiritual battle raging all around us. Then there is Heaven. Jesus described it as paradise. Even with this description we cannot fully comprehend it.
You and I have no time to waste. God gave us a purpose for being here. He doesn’t deal in randomness. If this side of eternity was random, all hell would be breaking loose. But there is order. And He gave us enough time to accomplish His purpose for our lives.
It’s time to get started. As John Wayne said, “we’re burning daylight.”
Fatalism
Fatalism is the belief that every instance in our lives is predetermined. Outcomes have been set in motion and we have no control over them. So why try?
Let’s say you are a student who is about to take a test. A fatalistic person would believe that whether you pass or fail has already been determined. I call bullshit on that. How much you studied and understood the material determines how well you will do on the exam.
Personal responsibility is big in my book. Fatalism takes responsibility out of the equation. Being fatalistic is an excuse for being lazy and selfish.
At the same time, when tragedy strikes some people will say, “well, it’s just God’s will.” But I call bullshit on this one, too. God hates when his children hurt and therefore cannot cause pain. It goes against his nature.
This wonderful life is filled with choices. We can think things through and weigh the potential consequences of our choices. And yet I still do stupid stuff. Is it fate? No, it’s just me…
The iLife
We have iPhones, iPads and iTunes. Apple went from being a boring little computer company to a powerhouse in what seemed to be an overnight sensation. The truth is, it was marketing genius.
Co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, had been fired from his company. It was a move that would have humiliated many, but Jobs was cut from a different cloth. In 1997, he returned to Apple, first as interim CEO which became permanent in 2000. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy when Jobs created iTunes. iTunes changed the way we bought music, and it saved the company.
Today, we see the results of Jobs tenacity everywhere. My iPhone is like my girl Friday. I’m practically lost without it.
In some ways Apple has grown comfortable with its success. But don’t count them out. The company is full of creative people, the type of people who change the world…
Make More Mistakes
In order to do something great with our lives, we must be willing to take risks. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” as the saying goes. The fear of failure can be a deterrent, but only when you believe you gotta get things right every time.
We learn through our mistakes. When we do something correctly we aren’t required to learn a new, better way. Mistakes and setbacks are part of this imperfect life we are living.
Years ago, I was asked to be a guest teacher for a business principles college class. The curriculum I put together for the class was a list of eighteen lessons I learned during my career from mistakes I had made. We only got through five of them. Teaching the class is something I will always remember.
Success is a growth process. It rarely happens overnight, but it will happen when you work hard, work smart and refuse to quit when things get tough. You must be tougher!
Edison made mistakes. So did Einstein. Musk has blown up a lot of rockets while trying to figure out how to get one into space. We remember these individuals and others for their accomplishments. None of them published a memoir of their mistakes, but they could have.
Be willing to try and fail. Then be willing to try again. And again. And again. Until you find success. A dream without action is a waste…
We Were Warned
In his 1796 farewell address, President George Washington urged Americans to “actively preserve the constitutional system rather than take it for granted.” President Reagan said “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Voter apathy remains a concern, but there are bright spots.
The United States is in the bottom half of developed countries when it comes to voter turnout. School board elections run around 20% turnout while federal midterms hover around 45%. These numbers are abysmal. What are the reasons?
Trust in government has steadily declined since the 1960’s. Many people believe their votes don’t matter because the same people continue getting elected. It’s important to remember that we the people have a government, not the other way around.
Government is important, but it’s very rarely a solution to the challenges most people face. The politicians want you to think they have the answers, but their track record is horrible. The politicians waste our resources, yet they still want more from us. They haven’t earned our trust because of reckless spending, so they don’t deserve more.
My encouragement to you is to get educated about your candidates. Challenge them on their rhetoric. Then hold them accountable when their actions don’t align with their promises…
The State of Discontent
People change when they want to. I’ve heard many alcoholics say they “got sick and tired of being sick and tired.” They embraced sobriety, worked the 12 steps of AA and changed their lives.
Contentment can be an ambition killer. We are here for a purpose, a purpose that impacts others for good. Going to work, coming home and watching television then doing it all over again the next day won’t get you where you want to be. When you get discontented with your life then you will change. The pain of staying where you are is worse than the uncertainty of moving forward.
Fulfillment comes when we are working at something greater than ourselves. We are contributing to the greater good. And when you see someone trying to make a change, offer some encouragement to them. Your words might be what they need in the moment.
Find your purpose. You have one. In fact, you may have several. Keep going when you find it, no matter what happens. God gave you the purpose. He will see you through…
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