Tag Archives: #greatness

#inspiration, #spirituality

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When my kids were little, I would take them to the pool and we would play a game. They would stand on the edge of the pool and jump into my arms. I would “play” for hours because their battle cry was “one more time, daddy!” We would do this until my arms felt like they were going to fall off.

I don’t believe I was teaching my kids to be greedy just because they wanted more of a good time. But our society has become one of greed. It’s everywhere, from who has the most toys to getting super sized at your favorite fast food restaurant. Greed is so pervasive that the politicians want in on the game by taxing us as much as possible. In a touch of irony, when you lower taxes you actually increase tax revenues. That’s because people spend more when they have more!

Contentment brings peace. Peace brings an intangible prosperity into your life. Don’t misunderstand, I’m more ambitious now than I have ever been, but if I accomplish nothing else I will be okay. Being content doesn’t take away drive and desire, it gives them a higher purpose than simply making money.

I encourage you to take inventory of any areas of your life where you are dissatisfied. If the source of your dissatisfaction is greed, go to work on eliminating it. Then peace follows…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Today

Today has arrived! It has already started out well for you because you woke up and are here reading this.

Some have awakened yet they wished they hadn’t. Years ago I was in the same position. Every morning I awoke with the same dread as I had the day before. And before. And before. I wasn’t suicidal, just severely depressed. Every day I would go through the motions, just faking it through life the best I could. I had responsibilities, and I couldn’t let my children or clients down. I pressed on.

Today, that period of my life is a distant memory. I’m grateful to have gone through it. You see, it was during that time in my life that I began my self work. I found the right psychotherapist, and started down the road less traveled. It’s difficult to look at yourself, accept responsibility for your decisions, and then create new, healthy neural pathways. But it’s worth it.

If you are feeling the same way as I was, I encourage you to start building your life back. It won’t be easy, but anything worthwhile is going to be a challenge.

Do it…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

A Nation In Decline

The United States is heading for trouble. We can fool ourselves for only so long, but a time of reckoning is coming. It’s not too late to right the ship.

Our fall has been happening slowly. I was fortunate to attend a college whose curriculum was “to teach a student to think.” Today’s colleges and universities are telling students what to think. Groupthink produces robots, not creativity and innovation.

Personal responsibility is being erased. People who took out loans to get an education are having those obligations forgiven, paid for by taxpayers who didn’t take out the loans. This reinforces bad behavior.

Take a moment to review proficiency scores in our public education system. They are abysmal, and have been for a long time. Unions demand more money, but they use it to hire more teachers rather than put those resources in the hands of the ones who need it to teach effectively. Yet hiring more teachers means more union dues. Make sense?

Morality has taken on the slogan, “if it feels right just do it.” Over 70% of black children are born in fatherless homes. Planned Parenthood strategically places their clinics in minority neighborhoods. In the past 50 years over 19 million black babies have been aborted. This is genocide under a different wrapper.

Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Take a stand. You won’t win a popularity contest, but you’ll be doing what’s right…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Used

People have personal agendas, and people use other people to get their way. I’ve been used before. So have you. Being used can leave you feeling empty.

There is an upside to being used. God uses us to accomplish His will on earth. And God can use anyone, even me! He used David, an adulterer and a murderer. He used Paul, the self-described “Pharisee of Pharisees” who was persecuting men and women who were following Jesus. Paul ended up writing two-thirds of the New Testament! There are many others, but you get the point.

Chances are that you and I will be used again in the future. This time let’s ask God to be the one who uses us, and ask for protection from human agendas…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Awareness

It seems that every month is some “awareness” month where we are encouraged to become aware of something we should already be aware of. Seriously, aren’t we already aware of Alzheimer’s Disease, Breast Cancer, Men’s Health and many other worthwhile causes? I believe it is naive to believe we could forget about any important cause we are supposed to be aware of.

On Sundays, we get cleaned up and head to church. But what about the drug addict we pass on the street corner. Are we aware of him and his needs, or do we look the other way and pretend he doesn’t exist? We should invite him in. That might make us get a little involved and perhaps a little dirty. But we need to remember (be aware) that in the eyes of our Creator the drug addict is as important as we are.

I encourage you to be aware of opportunities to lift others, not tear them down or ignore them. Remember what Jesus said: “what you do for the least among you, you do for me…”

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#inspiration

D Day

Operation Overlord, better known as D Day, took place on June 4, 1944. It was one of the major turning points in World War II.

The allied forces began their landing at just past midnight. The beaches at Normandy had been fortified by the Nazis with barbed wire, metal tripods and wooden stakes, and the troops were under constant heavy artillery fire from the enemy. There was no turning back for the 156,000 brave men that day.

By the time the battle was over, 29,000 men had lost their lives. Death is never easy, but those men did not die in vain. They were serving a purpose greater than themselves.

Please take a moment to remember those who fought against tyranny. Sometimes you gotta fight, and freedom is worth fighting for.

Never forget…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Intrinsic Value

When considering the purchase of a new home, we take a look at several factors that might create value. These include the school district, neighborhood, crime statistics and access to shopping and restaurants. These create intrinsic value, an intangible value, so to speak. But people have intrinsic value, too.

Consider the things we take for granted: our hearing, eyesight, our brains, even our ability to walk have great value. We would miss them terribly if we lost any of them. It’s vitally important that we take care of ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually so we maximize our worth. Since we are interconnected with the rest of the world, this allows us to be the best version of ourselves to reach and impact others. Make sense?

Never discount your worth. God put a lot of thought into creating you…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Government Formation

There are those who are trying to change the truth about how the government of the United States was created. They want you to believe that there were no biblical principles in the thinking of the founding fathers. They are lying to you.

Isaiah 33:22 says:

For the Lord is our judge,
    the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
    it is he who will save us.

The judge gives us the Supreme Court, the lawgiver our Congress, and the king is our president. There it is in plain sight, but we have strayed so far from the original intent I’m sometimes uncertain we can ever right the ship. Being an optimistic man, I refuse to give up.

Biblical truth will stand the test of time. The word of the world will perish…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

What Are You Thinking?

You have heard it said that we become what we think about, and it’s true. Our thoughts are powerful, and they control our actions to an extent that is more than we realize. Thus, be diligent with controlling your thoughts.

If you want to regain your health, fill your mind with information about healthy eating and exercise. Start an exercise routine. Focus on your long-term goals, and realize that you are making progress every day. Think about what you are gaining by jettisoning a crappy diet and sedentary lifestyle.

Nowadays it seems most people are thinking about politics. That is wasted energy. Congress will continue wasting trillions of dollars while the time you spend fuming about “the other side” has robbed you of valuable time. Regain control of your time.

Decide what you want from your life. It’s been written to begin with the end in mind, so think about how you want to be remembered. Then put your thoughts into action…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Verified

There is a tsunami of information that flows our way every single day. How do you know what’s true and what is either inflated or just an outright lie?

Facebook, Instagram and X have programs where you can become a “verified user.” You are who you say you are. Yet verifying one’s identity doesn’t prevent people from spreading lies and exaggerations. And no one has enough time to vet everything.

The one true book that has stood the test of time, and always will, is The Bible. It covers everything from our health to our money. The Bible is the original self-help book, but when we apply its principles we have another helper named God. God cannot write one thing and then do another. If He could, there would be no order, only chaos.

Start your day with some biblical wisdom. Avoid the noise of the world. Stay focused…

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