Tag Archives: #inspiration

Spirituality

When In Rome…

Today we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone becomes Irish on March 17th. On May 5th most Americans will be Mexican so they can properly celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Well, the United States has been called a melting pot so it sorta makes sense.

Outside of the days I just cited, what is your crowd? Are you the same person at work that you are at home? Sometimes people become chameleons so they will fit in. Being liked and accepted is universal. There’s nothing wrong with it, but you must be yourself to feel genuine.

You were created by a perfect God who made you exactly how He wanted you to be. He knew we would have faults, but God gives us a way through. He cares about us so we are given challenges that grow and develop our character. See your life through God’s eyes, not your own.

If you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today, have fun. Remember to wear green. Enjoy the moments and remember to be yourself. Always…

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Spirituality

Greener Grass

You have heard it said that “the grass is always greener on the other side.” This saying could be applied to a work situation or a relationship. Things might look better in a new environment, but this is a distortion.

Every job and every relationship has challenges. Difficult times are part of life’s ups and downs. You might be unhappy in the moment, but it’s just a feeling. Feelings pass. Things change. We grow and we adapt. If we throw in the towel every time a setback is thrown our way, we will spend our lives in a constant state of turmoil.

There is another old saying about grass which I believe is a better idea. That one says “the grass is greener where you water it.”

Spend time focusing on where you are now. Consider your long term goals and what you really want from your life. Are you aligned? If the answer is yes, then I encourage you to stay the course. And if the answer is no, maybe it’s time to water your lawn…

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Spirituality

Rebellion

When I was a teenager, I grew my hair long. It was stylish back then, but the parents of that generation saw it as rebellious behavior. If you had long hair then you must be on “dope.”

Every generation tries to break free and establish their independence (even though they are still living at home). It’s a normal part of growing up. As a parent I didn’t like always being questioned by my kids, so I had to remind myself why they were doing it. Those reminders became a daily thing.

The ultimate rebel was Jesus. Not only did he disrupt the religious leaders of his day, he created something that has lasted for over 2,000 years. But Jesus taught peace and forgiveness, not overthrow of Rome. A lot of people missed his intentions because they wanted freedom from Roman rule.

Now that’s a true rebel, a rebel for good…

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Spirituality

Trusting The Unseen

In Proverbs it tells us to “Trust in the government with all our hearts.” No, it doesn’t say that. But many people are placing more trust in Washington DC and the politicians than they deserve.

When elections roll around I hear people say their favorite candidate (s) “have the experience necessary to lead us out of this mess.” The truth is, their experience is what got us into this mess. Stop falling for the sound bites and look at the substance if you can find any.

We are instructed through Scripture to trust God. He’s good. Always. We are cautioned to not even trust our own hearts. Our motives may be impure, but we cannot escape the searching eyes of the Spirit. He sees everything. And when we believe in Him, God works to change our character.

I encourage you to place more trust in the unseen and less on the fiery politicians. God remains in control, no matter how crazy the world may become…

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Spirituality

Decision Time

Where we are in life is the result of a series of decisions we made. We have goals and dreams for our lives that we set in motion to achieve. Our goals are like the destination on a road map. We figure out which roads to take to get us there. Wrong road? Try a different route.

No one sets out to get divorced, go to prison, or become homeless. Sometimes bad things happen. The legacy we are born into plays a part, but we still have a choice no matter what our circumstances are. We can decide to be better.

Victimhood is on the rise. But here’s my observation about victims: if you can walk and talk, you can think and do. No one is a victim of their circumstances.

If you are feeling stuck or bogged down in life, you must decide to change. You will get to where you want to be through hard work and discipline. But those are decisions only you can make.

The choice is yours. It’s time to decide…

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Spirituality

Habitually Late

Punctuality is a symbol of self worth and respect for others. Being habitually late is a weight that is easy to lose, though. Let me explain.

Arriving early sets the tone for the day. You aren’t rushed or behind. My old coaches would say “if you’re early you are on time. If you’re on time you’re late. And if you’re late, you run.” I hated to run so the habit of getting an early start was formed from avoidance!

People who regularly arrive late drive me crazy. The occasional tardiness is fine. Stuff happens and I understand. It’s the ones who can’t get somewhere on schedule if their life depended on it I’m talking about, because they usually aren’t just a couple minutes late. They can delay you an hour sometimes.

It’s easy to change this bad habit. You plan for it. That’s it. Be intentional with your time and effort. Have respect for others by being the one they can count on.

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Feelings or Facts

Have you ever confused facts with feelings? I certainly have. How I feel about something or someone can make objectivity difficult.

We have a good handful of challenges in the United States. One that is in focus right now is immigration. Here’s a fact: it is against the law to sneak into the United States. Here’s a feeling: there’s a lot of good people here illegally who want a better life. They aren’t committing crimes, so why punish them? Do you see the dilemma? It’s a hard one.

Admittedly, I have known and employed people who are in the country illegally. They worked. I fed them and paid them. Everything was fine. These were men who would make solid citizens. There is a solution, but asking Congress to figure something out that works is a tall order. I suggest putting the challenge in the hands of the faith and private sectors. They will figure it out without the fanfare and bluster the politicians give us.

I have seen instances where people use Scripture to justify illegal immigration. This is a perversion of the meaning behind the Scripture they cite. Thus, replacing facts with how you feel. Jesus himself told us to obey the law. And that’s a fact.

We must stop taking sides on the difficult issues. That solves nothing. In fact, it creates a whole new challenge. And how do you feel about that?

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Push Rewind

We live in the digital age. Just like our subconscious minds, everything is recorded and stored forever. We are able to retrieve anything from the past and replay it as often as we like.

When I hear people talk about “back in the day,” it makes me think they believe their best days are behind them. Like this was their time in the sun. But it’s not true. Our best days are ahead of us. We don’t know what’s around the next corner, but I believe it’s something good.

Now I must caution you. I view life through the lens of optimism and unlimited possibilities. It’s how I’m wired. And I realize not everyone sees the world in the same way. That’s okay. This is a big planet and there’s room for everyone.

I encourage you to live each moment fully. The past is a great lesson, but don’t spend too much time reliving it. Your best days lie ahead…

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Spirituality

Seriously, Though…

I’m eternally optimistic, grateful for everything good in my life, and I don’t have bad days. Even though my attitude is different from most people, there are things in this world that concern me.

It’s expensive to live. Costs are rising at a much slower pace, but a lot of strain was placed on family budgets because of hyper inflation. Affordable housing is part of the mix, too.

There are a lot of good people in the United States who are living in the shadows. They go about their business quietly, doing what’s right, contributing to their community, yet they are afraid. I don’t want anyone to feel afraid. There is a viable path to citizenship for them.

Our food is getting fixed, thanks to HHS Secretary Bobby Kennedy and his team. Obesity is off the charts, especially in children. Kennedy’s efforts continue to face great opposition from the food industry lobbyists. When profits are threatened, the solution becomes more challenging.

There are other areas of concern, but for the sake of brevity I will save those for future columns. My motivation is to leave this world better than I found it.

More government is not the solution. Our politicians created much of the mess. It’s time that we the people run the show and demand the politicians either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. Seriously…

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Spirituality

Graduation Day

This Friday, January 30th, I have the privilege of giving the Commencement Address for 130 graduates. This is a special group of students. You see, they earned certifications while serving their sentences in prison.

Life is hard. It’s harder when you are in prison. But the Texas Criminal Justice Department offers a path forward for the inmates while they serve time. The students have jobs while in prison, then go to school afterward. It makes for a very long day. The inmates aren’t forced to attend school. It’s their choice.

I wish everyone could attend one of these graduation ceremonies. This will be my fifth commencement, and they are all special moments in the inmates lives and in mine. A day they will never forget.

There is redemption and restoration of people’s lives happening in the Texas prisons. Their hard work and commitment to growth is to be commended and respected…

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