Tag Archives: #challenges

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Gift Giving

When I was a child, I would return to school after the Christmas break and all the kids in my class had the same question: “what did you get?” We were more curious about the quality and quantity of gifts we received rather than why we celebrated Christmas.

Fast forward to today, my sons tell me I’m difficult to buy for because there isn’t anything I really want or need. That’s true! All I want is to spend time with them. They are busy building their lives and we don’t get to see each other often. So, their time is the best gift I could receive.

When I buy gifts for others, I do my best to put thought into it. What will be important to the recipient and touch them in the heart is what I’m seeking. Thoughtfulness says more than the cost or opulence of a present.

As I have gotten older and perhaps wiser, I have learned that the greatest gift we have to offer is our time. Time is something we can never get back. Spend it well…

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Spirituality

The Worst First

Every day we have certain things we are required to do. For example, Friday is trash day. Should I decide to not take the trash can out to the curb for a few weeks, someone’s gonna notice. That someone is me!

Chores are routine and boring, yet necessary. But some days we have a wrench thrown into the mix. We have a difficult conversation to have with someone, or perhaps it’s something worse that we need to do. Whatever difficulties you are facing, do the hard things first. Do not leave them hanging over your head. The challenge you face will be a constant irritation if you don’t address it quickly.

We will have challenging times on this side of eternity. We live in a broken, imperfect world.

And remember this: be kind to your fellow man. They are facing challenges that are unknown to us. We are all in this life together, and we are better together…

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Coaching

The coaching business seems to have exploded over the past decade. You can hire a personal coach for business, health, even life coaching is available. For every need there is a coach.

Some of my acquaintances have told me they hired a coach to be an accountability partner. I have hired personal trainers for the past 30 years. I guess they are a coach in a way. My purpose in hiring them is that they will allow me to do some exercises I might not do on my own. And weight training is more fun when you do it with someone.

If you feel stuck in life, like no matter what you do you can’t seem to get ahead or break bad habits, then perhaps hiring a coach might be the right thing for you. Find one you have some chemistry with. Make sure it’s someone who will tell you what you need to hear, not what feeds your ego. You can do that on your own…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Not Promised

Every day is a gift. We take too much for granted when we should view the world in terms of miraculous. Take a moment to consider what would happen if gravity quit working. I believe gravity qualifies as a miracle.

Tomorrow is not promised. We must make each day count. Live like it’s your last day on this side of eternity because it might be. I hope today isn’t my last. There are a lot of things I want to do!

Keep your mind open to new opportunities. Make a list of the people you want to have dinner with. Get outside. Enjoy every moment you have. And make a difference…

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An Educated Guess

Our education system is in need of a makeover. Currently, 54% of people between the ages of 16 and 74 read at a 7th grade level. This is abysmal, but it’s not beyond repair.

When Horace Mann developed school curriculum he had teachers teaching the head, the hands and the heart. Kids learned how to absorb information, think and apply what they learned. And they were also taught about their emotions. As a result, in 1950 the illiteracy rate in the United States was around 2%. Today it hovers around 23%. Abysmal, yet fixable.

Children will learn at an incredible pace when you give them the opportunity to. Education has been dumbed down in the name of no child being left behind. We are failing our children.

If you have kids, take the time to read with them. Make it interesting by reading a wide variety of subjects ranging from history to science fiction. You will learn some things, too!

It’s not too late to right the ship. Let’s begin!

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Spirituality

Going It Alone

All of us have changes to make in our lives. Perhaps we want to get up earlier, lose some weight, eliminate judgment or start reading more. What stops us? We stop ourselves.

Will power alone won’t do the trick. We need something more. Or perhaps we need someone to help us. God can and will help us. All we have to do is ask and believe. Pretty simple, huh? So why do we make it more difficult than it has to be?

Pride stands in the way. We have this warped belief that if we can’t change ourselves without outside intervention, we must be weak. Here’s some truth: when it comes to changing a habit that stops us from fulfilling our purpose, we are weak. We are battling an invisible enemy who is much more powerful than us. We need God’s intervention to win this fight.

Accept the things you can’t change by yourself. Ask for help. He will answer. That’s not my promise. That’s God’s promise…

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Spirituality

You Gotta Do It

I love inspiring stories. The underdog is the one I root for. Doing the work to get yourself through the rough times builds resilience, strength and confidence.

We find ourselves in the stories of those who came before us. We think, “if they made it, then maybe I can, too.” We have so many lives to study from history.

Write your own story. Keep a journal. Writing helps you sort your thoughts. In a way it simplifies life. As you live your life, you are creating your own history.

Keep on creating memories. The world is watching and learning…

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Scammers

It seems like I receive a scam attempt every day. They come from everywhere: text messages, email and phone calls. I sometimes wonder how many people fall for this stuff.

There are some very bright people behind the trickery. They put a lot of thought and energy into cheating others. What a waste. If these people would use their creativity for good rather than evil, there’s no telling how far they could go.

Be aware, and be careful. It only takes one slip up to get scammed…

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Spirituality

Who’s The Boss?

Have you ever known a control freak? During the course of my life I have known several. They can be difficult personalities to be around, especially when you’re trying to collaborate as a team.

We live our lives, make plans, and we believe we have a good bit of control about what happens. And we take a lot for granted. But things don’t simply happen because of our efforts. We have a mostly silent partner!

Today’s reminder is that God is in control of everything. Literally everything. He even allows the bad things that happen in life. God doesn’t cause evil, but He does allow it to happen. And only God can bring good from bad, no matter how bad things are.

Take a moment to acknowledge and thank your silent partner during the day. Thank Him for the good, and thank Him for what you learned from the bad.

And remember, our silent partner is on our side. Always…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

What Are You Waiting For?

Patience is something I work on. It seems like I’m not alone because much of the world appears to be impatient.

There are passions in your life that you might be waiting to fulfill. You have a purpose and you know there’s more to life than what you are experiencing. What is stopping you? Your thoughts are preventing you from taking action.

There is always a reason to wait until tomorrow. Yet, we don’t know how many tomorrows we have left. They aren’t unlimited.

Change your thinking. Visualize. Just begin. God will direct your steps. You don’t have to have everything figured out ahead of time. This is the nexus where faith replaces fear.

Get started! What are you waiting for?

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