Tag Archives: #inspiration

Spirituality, Uncategorized

There’s A Little Bit of Clark in All of Us

Have you seen the “Vacation” movies with Chevy Chase? Chase plays the role of Clark Griswold, a chemical engineer who desperately wants to create great memories for his family. As hard as Clark tries, stuff always goes haywire and the comedy follows. But Clark never gives up.

There’s a little bit of Clark in all of us. We want to create something special for our family, but our best plans rarely turn out as planned. I fault the Hallmark movies for this. Everything is perfect in those movies, and everyone lives happily ever after in the end. My own attempts at making holidays special looked more like a sitcom than a Hallmark movie! But no one can say I didn’t try.

The holidays have arrived. The season brings enough stress on its own. People add to the stress because they want everything to be perfect. And when things go awry, the stress levels rise.

My encouragement to you is to enjoy the season. Take it in stride when unexpected surprises happen. In fact, expect them to happen.

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to create a Hallmark movie. You will have beautiful moments. Hold onto those and don’t concern yourself with the rest.

All you can do is try your best. When you give it your all, take solace in that…

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Spirituality

In Faith

We are told to “step out in faith” or to “take a leap of faith.” But what does that mean? Let’s take a look!

Faith is a verb, an action word. God can give us every victory our hearts desire, but He wants to see us trust Him in the process. God is interested in developing our character. If He gave us our wants in addition to supplying our needs, we would be a bunch of spoiled brats.

God isn’t a vending machine. His unlimited power goes on display when we rely more on Him and less on ourselves. I say let’s allow God to show off a bit. But let’s remember to give Him the credit He deserves.

This life is not about us. It’s a great ride when you put your faith in action…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Art and The Heart

The greatest art is created from the emotional side of the brain. Whether it’s music, theater, a painting or sculpture, feeling inspires the artist.

God is the original Creator. We are his artwork. Each of us is an original masterpiece. None of us are like any other. Even identical twins have different fingerprints! Coincidence? I think not. According to Albert Einstein, “coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

Everyone has a creative side. You just have to tap into it. Spend some time focusing on how you feel about things. Do it daily and watch where it goes.

And I encourage you to spend time actively practicing gratitude. Gratitude changes the biochemistry of your brain. You will begin to pay more attention to the art and beauty all around you. It has always been present, but now you notice.

Every morning, physically write down three things you are grateful for. Try this exercise for twenty one days. You will feel different, I promise. Then continue the daily practice.

You can get into your creative side. It might have been dormant for a period of time, but it has never gone away…

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Spirituality

I’m Obliged

Next week is the beginning of the holiday season. There are parties to attend, presents to buy, and of course the food. What a great time of year!

This is also a period of great stress. People obsess over details. They don’t want to miss anything or anyone. Too much stress can strip the holidays of any joy they might bring.

Take it all in stride. You may have obligations to fulfill, but you are obliged to yourself as well. By taking care of yourself you will be better for others. Remember this.

The holidays will pass and then we are into 2026. Don’t get so busy that you miss out on a wonderful season…

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Spirituality

Who’s Piloting the Plane?

We make plans for our lives. We set goals for our careers. Young married couples talk about their future together. These are all good things. But what do we do when our best plans go awry?

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” This is a solid reminder of who is in control. We have no idea how many car accidents or horrible situations God has protected us from behind the scenes. But we do know this: God has a plan and purpose for us being here. We can try to live it out or we can ignore it. That part God leaves in our hands.

One of the beautiful things about life is that everything in our future is unknown. Being an eternally optimistic man, I believe it’s something good. Even if whatever lies around the next corner turns out to be a dumpster fire, good can come from it.

When life throws you curveballs, swing at them. Remember who is in control, even when we think it’s us. You will get through whatever you are going through. Just keep going…

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Spirituality

Am I Right?

Social media has given everyone a voice. The platform brings notice to people who have never been recognized for anything worthwhile. But now they are receiving the attention they always believed they deserved. Or do they?

We are selfish by nature. Adam and Eve were thinking about themselves when they disobeyed God and ate the fruit. We have had hell on earth ever since.

Memes have taken over the internet. They bring you in with flashy headlines that generate a visceral reaction. A visceral reaction is something you feel throughout your entire body before you take the time to think it through. I encourage you to be discerning, not reactive.

All of us have fallen for the lies. The internet throws so much garbage our way that no one has time to verify everything. But the question is, are we believing something we want to believe, or is it the truth? Usually it takes time for the truth to emerge.

My encouragement to you is, be judicious about what you allow into your mind. Think before you believe. Question everything except the Word of God. Everything else is suspect…

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Spirituality

Time, Energy and Heart

Every day I wake up I consider myself to be the most fortunate man alive. Not only have I been given another day to live, but I have an opportunity to make a difference in this crazy world we live in.

Did you know that 25% of the world lives on less than $2.00 per day? That’s 2 billion people! Over 36 million people live in poverty in the United States. The line on poverty is drawn at around $14,000 per year. People are struggling to make ends meet.

We can make a difference, both individually and collectively. Volunteering is a regular part of my life. I’m fortunate to have a career that gives me tremendous flexibility with my time. And the Creator gifted me with an enormous energy level. Put those two together, time and energy, and I pour my heart into causes that touch me emotionally.

The faith and philanthropic communities serve the least among us very well. They waste little and move heaven and earth with what they have. Those people are true role models, not our feckless politicians.

Find your cause(s). Get involved. We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. Commit…

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Spirituality

Too Old

Have you ever suggested an activity to someone, only for them to say, “I’m too old for that?” Are they aware that former President Bush jumped out of an airplane well into his 80’s? Remarkable.

Age is only a state of mind. It only exists in your head and your heart. It’s true that as we age we might not be as limber and flexible as we once were. That only means you have to take a little longer to warm up. You aren’t out unless you decide you are.

Our only limitations are the ones we place on ourselves. The mind is powerful, and mind over matter is a real thing. Don’t place artificial limits on yourself. You can go as far as you are willing to go in life.

I have no plans to jump out of a perfectly good airplane anytime soon. It could happen, but it’s highly improbable.

And like the song says, you’re only as pretty as you feel. Feel empowered to live and thrive…

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Uncategorized

Scammers

In 2024, people lost around $12.5 billion to scam artists in the United States. Worldwide the number is greater than $1 trillion. Scammers are everywhere.

We don’t know how many scammers get caught. There is no reliable way to verify the number. It gets complicated further because not everyone reports it when they get ripped off.

In the past the only scam artists were the palm readers, the psychics and the people selling magical elixir to cure what ails you. The magical elixir can be found at your local liquor store! It was simply rebranded.

My encouragement to you is to be alert and be aware. If something sounds too good to be true, it is. Discipline and hard work will get you where you want to be. Leave the scammers behind…

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Spirituality

The Playbook

Players in the NFL are issued a playbook when they join the team. They are told to learn it and guard it with their life. If the playbook were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic for the team.

But what about those of us who aren’t professional athletes? Well, God gave us a playbook, too. It’s called the Bible. It is our official guide to life on this side of eternity. In fact, it is preparing us for Heaven.

In the Old Testament days, God spoke to Moses and the prophets. They wrote down what the heard from God and it has been preserved for us.

Moving on to Jesus’ time on earth, his disciples recorded what they observed about the life of Christ. Paul wrote letters to the churches, as did James and Jude. It’s there for us to consult with anytime we want. We just have to open it and read.

Trying to navigate this crazy world we live in is difficult at best. Some are operating on their own with no regard to the playbook. Living by the Word of God will always turn out well. And we will have a peace that’s indescribable.

God didn’t create us and forget about us. If you are frustrated with life, take a moment to open the playbook. Read a little every day. It will grab ahold of your heart and change you from within.

Try it! The only thing you have to lose is stress, anxiety and worry…

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