Tag Archives: #inspiration

Spirituality, Uncategorized

But It’s My Idea!

Have you ever worked on something that turned out great, but someone else took credit for it? Some people are so determined to make a name for themselves that they cut corners or take shortcuts.

Accomplishments are one of the reasons we work at things. You will get results only through placing time and concentrated effort into something. Do you want your children to grow up to have solid character and a strong work ethic? You must put in the effort with your children and it’s not easy. But you will get results if you stay with it.

People have been taking credit for other people’s work forever. It doesn’t matter. You will always know, but so will God. And the collective good is the outcome.

Harry Truman once said, “it’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” It was true when he said it, and it is true today…

Standard
Spirituality

One Small Voice

Everyone has a voice. Some people use theirs to impose their opinions and beliefs on us, whether we want to hear them or not. Sometimes they yell.

Social media has given people a platform. How we use this opportunity is up to us. Do we spread optimism and encouragement, or rage and anger? Right now more than ever, people need hope. Mental health is fragile for many, suicidal ideations are the highest they have ever been, and the world is divided. A breaking point is in our future unless we right the ship.

We can turn things around. We can use our voices to encourage others, lift them when they are despondent, and our words can bring hope to the hopeless. One small voice, speaking collectively with other likeminded people becomes a force. And the momentum builds into a storm. A storm for good.

Remember to ask yourself before you speak, am I helping or hurting others with my words? You know what to do from there.

And one final thought, I encourage you to be a voice for the voiceless until they find their own…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Rush to Judgment

For as long as I can remember, some parts of society believe you are guilty until proven innocent. Our laws believe it is the other way around, thankfully. If we are accused of wrongdoing, we are still assured of our due process under the Constitution.

My favorite book (and movie) is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The book is fiction, and it is enriched by a great plot and subplots. In the main theme, a man, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a woman. The story is set in Alabama in 1933. Tom is black. The woman is white. You see where the story is going. Tom was automatically guilty because he couldn’t be trusted around white women. This was untrue then and it is untrue now. Yet, because of this work of fiction as well as many real life stories, the south has forever been deemed to be racist. It isn’t.

Rushing to judgment clouds the thinking. It’s difficult to see truth when you are looking through the lens of guilt. Facts matter.

I encourage you to steer clear of judgment, all judgment. Put yourself in the same situation and treat others as you would like to be treated.

Freeing yourself from judgment opens you up to seeing people for who they are. And isn’t that what we all want?

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Salt of the Earth

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus told the crowd they were the salt of the earth. How many times have we read that and skipped right through it without any further consideration? Let’s examine it.

Salt is used millions, probably billions of times daily. It’s the most widely used seasoning on earth. Salt enhances flavor. It’s used as a preservative, a cleanser, a weed killer, and it can be used to remove stains from your teeth. During Jesus’ day, it was a rare commodity that was used as currency.

All the ways I just listed can be applied to us! We can enhance the lives of others and lift others through our words and actions. We can remove negative thinking (weeds) and, through changing our thoughts we can cleanse our minds. And when we consider the scientific marvel the human body is, we are worth more than any nation’s gold.

Yet, we have something salt doesn’t have. When salt loses its flavor, it is worthless. We can rise and reclaim our lives after setbacks and hardships. We never lose our value.

Be the one who encourages the hurting, the lost, and the ones who feel forgotten. Be like salt…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Dignity

What do you think of when you hear or read the word dignity? It’s defined as, “the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.” Dignity is something that must be earned.

In society today, we see the “look at me” impostors everywhere we turn. You might catch our attention for a moment, but if you don’t have substance you won’t keep it.

And we have the mediocre to contend with in the world. Those who are unwilling to go the extra mile because “that’s not their job” will never rise with that attitude.

The truth is, you can bring dignity to anything you do. This applies whether you are a CEO or a janitor. Consistently doing a good job will be noticed.

Dignity lies within the person. Be willing to give more than you receive…

Standard
Spirituality

The Next Ten Years

Do you think about what your life will look like in ten years? You should. Making long-term goals is a wise decision.

I meet many people who aren’t looking too far into their future. Many of their goals are about retirement. But it’s vital to remember, there’s a lot of life to be lived after retiring.

Your first step is to write down your long-term plans on paper. Read it often. If it involves learning a new skill, focus your reading on the skill. Do you want to write a book, a novel per se? I encourage you to take a class on writing. A physical class where you can meet and interact with other future writers. You will learn a lot, and your creative juices will begin to flow like a river.

Take the steps necessary to create the life you want. Start today. In fact, start now…

Standard
Spirituality

Merit

Being able to work is a privilege. Working in a career you love and find fulfilling is a gift. I say this because I have read multiple articles that cite the high number of people (80%+) who are simply going through the motions of a job they don’t really love.

Hard work requires dedication and commitment. You can only provide these when you are fully engaged as well as stimulated in your work. Going to a job just to receive a paycheck will turn you into a “clock watcher,” doing the bare minimum.

Do you want to advance in your career? If your answer is yes, then you must be willing to go the extra mile. When you give more of yourself than you are being paid for, it will be returned to you by a great multiple. This is true even if you are working for an ingrate.

It’s important to remember not to allow the pursuit of making money into your mindset. Money will come, but it shouldn’t be your focus. Your goal is to find fulfillment in your career and your life.

Everything else will fall into place…

Standard
Spirituality

Are You Lonely?

Loneliness is on the rise in the United States. According to the most recent Gallup Poll, over 20% of adults are feeling alone. At the beginning of 2024, the number was 17%. The percentage of young people ages 15-18 is 25%. Something is wrong and getting worse quickly.

Everyone has experienced periods of loneliness during their lives. Feeling alone is typically a seasonal thing, but some people are having a difficult time moving through it.

Death and divorce are part of life’s process. The loneliness will pass, as will the grief. We were never promised that life would always be full of happiness. We must accept the bad with the good.

My encouragement to the lonely is to take inventory of your assets. You can see, think, feel and love. Your heart will still beat 36 million times this year. You have so much, but you are only finding your value in material possessions. You are so much more valuable than that.

Loneliness will pass. It’s okay to get down. Just don’t stay there…

Standard
Spirituality

Daily Prayer

Here is my daily prayer. True story: it popped into my mind when I was sitting in church, checking out girls! When the thought grabbed me, I immediately wrote it down. If you like it, feel free to use it as your own.

“Use me. Work through me. Through my writings and through my words. Through my actions and through my deeds. Let me be a light to others in this dark world.”

Our world is dark. Be the one who brings light…

Standard
Spirituality

No, Not Everything Happens For a Reason

You have heard people say, “everything happens for a reason.” Perhaps you have said it yourself. It just isn’t true if the person saying it is implying Spiritual influence.

God has given us the power to choose. In this way, we are given the choice to love God, hate Him, or be indifferent towards Him. He doesn’t force us to love Him. So, what happens in life is a direct consequence of our decision making. And our attitude controls everything. But let’s consider the things that happen when we have no choice in the matter.

God doesn’t make abuse happen, nor rape or sexual assault, and He doesn’t make bad things happen to good people. God does make a promise, though. He can bring good from evil. I refer you to Romans 8:28 if you want to read His promise.

Bad things happen, no doubt. We aren’t going to understand everything on this side of eternity. But we can trust God. His purpose is good.

Always…

Standard