People come and go in your life. Sometimes they are around for a short time, while solid friends are there for life.
Growth requires change. When we outgrow people, it might be time to let them go. We should always treat others with dignity and respect. Yet some people are determined to remain right where they are. You can’t help them or change them.
Remember, if you aren’t growing, you’re dying. I plan to live a long time. Join me…
Teenagers usually like their parents to leave them alone. That is, until they get hungry, need money or want to be driven somewhere.
Adults like for God to leave them alone, too. That is, until they need his help to get them out of some mess they created. And when he comes through, we put him on the back burner where we think he belongs until we get into another mess. But is that really right?
God knows what is good for us. He wants to mold us into who he created us to be. Sometimes the molding and the work is painful. But God only wants what is best for us, and he never stops trying or gives up on us.
I’m grateful to be able to worship a God like this. Even when I feel like being left alone…
Winnie the Pooh was a fictional character that the author A. A. Milne created for his son, Christopher Robin. The inspiration for Pooh came from a stuffed teddy bear that Milne gave his son for Christmas. And oh the wisdom that came from the “bear of very little brain.”
Hollywood has a history of creating fictional histories about actors. They clean up the real stories and sell the public a bunch of BS so we will love and accept their creation. The politicians have followed the lead of Hollywood and work hard to make people presentable to the public to gain votes. In some cases they make the politicians to be larger than life superheroes. They aren’t.
Do your own research and see for yourself. Don’t be afraid to see the truth. You might be surprised at what you find…
As I grow in wisdom and understanding, God reveals things to me. I’m in a constant state of fascination and awe at how God expands my understanding. Things become crystal clear. It’s up to me to use what God has revealed.
In The Book of James the author tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James further reminds us that if we ask, we should believe God will answer.
He does answer…
Why are we hesitant to call things what they actually are? For example, in a little less than two months we will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of September 11th. People refer to it as “the events of September 11th” rather than calling it what it was: a terrorist attack.
Not to be overlooked but the news media are calling an assassination attempt on President Trump “the events of last Saturday night.”
Sugar coating things doesn’t make them more palatable. The two incidents I cited were horrible. Dumbing them down is irritating and insulting. We need to be bold about speaking the truth.
Yes, the truth hurts sometimes. But we can handle the truth…
A lot of life feels like we are just checking the box. We get to work on time. Check the box. Pick up kids and get them to their after school events. Check another box. It’s like we have a daily to-do list and then we do the same list the next day. As I have said before, much of daily life is routine and boring. It’s that way for everyone, no matter what People Magazine wants us to believe.
Let’s take a moment to consider our goals, dreams and desires. Are we checking any boxes in this important part of our lives? If we are just going through the motions or giving it lip service, we are cheating others as well as ourselves. We are built for purpose, God’s purpose. Let’s live like it matters because it does. Ignoring our purpose will not make it go away.
I encourage you to do something, even if it’s just one thing, every day to get you where you want to be. Start today. In fact, start now…
I’m invited to a wedding in October. The young man getting married is someone I’ve known for about 25 years. I refer to him as “my other son I didn’t have to send to college!” The invitation is to me plus one.
I have no plus one, and I don’t feel pressured to go find one in the interim. There is no dishonor in being single. Over the course of my life, I have traveled to resorts, seen movies, and I have gone to dinner by myself. Making conversation comes naturally for me, but solitude has a different kind of peace attached to it.
If you have insecurities about being single, I encourage you to work on yourself to learn why. Facing your inner challenges can be scary, but there is freedom on the other side. The obstacle will remain until you decide to remove it.
The times you are single, in a committed relationship, or you are married have a season in your life. Make the most of them. Most importantly, never try to force outcomes in life. Just keep working on what you want from life. Then, you will be putting yourself in a position to succeed…
In this life you won’t escape criticism. I was a bored child in school, and my grades reflected it because I was an A, B, C and D student. My parents would say, “why can’t you get all A’s like your brother and sister did?” School just wasn’t for me until college, but that’s another story.
People are judging you every single day. They can’t help themselves because they are living in a world of comparison. By seeing themselves as “superior” to you, they can feel a little better about their lives.
You will never hear a word from most critics. They keep their opinions silent until they have an opportunity to spread gossip. Or they post on your social media account and are hidden behind their keyboard. Passive aggressive behavior reigns on Facebook!
I encourage you to not play it safe. Live courageously and speak the truth. Leave the critics and the people who try to discourage you in your wake. They will always be around…
How do you measure success? Many among us use wealth, position or their zip code as representative of how successful they are. It is true that moving into a more desirable zip code might give your children access to better schools, but that doesn’t guarantee they will take advantage of it.
Chasing wealth is fleeting. Someone has more, so the rat race continues. Fame rarely lasts. Look no further than the child stars who have become train wrecks of adults.
Success can be defined by the amount of fulfillment we have in our lives. Anyone with a pulse would consider Mother Teresa to have been successful. She had no money, and she didn’t seek the fame she received. Yet, she found fulfillment in her life.
We can learn a lot from historical figures. Read the autobiography of Booker T. Washington. You will be inspired by his drive, determination and work ethic.
Success comes from making a difference. Start making yours…
Have you ever had someone describe their favorite beach to you but you don’t feel the same way they do? Empathy means shared experience. The only way you can empathize is through experience.
This is the principle behind Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics willingly share their experience, strength and hope with others in the room. They are all affected by the same disease, so they understand each other. A non-alcoholic might be entertained by some of the incredible stories they will hear in an AA meeting, but it won’t impact them like it does the alcoholic.
I encourage you to share your experiences with others, especially the painful ones. Most people have felt deep heartache in their lives, and you will be letting them know they aren’t alone.
Let your guard down. Don’t waste your pain…
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