Tag Archives: #leadership

#inspiration, #spirituality

The Holidays

Holiday season is upon us! Thanksgiving is still three weeks away, but there are plenty of people who already have their Christmas tree up and decorated. Some retailers started promoting Christmas in July. Every year it begins earlier and earlier.

With the holidays approaching, we will be deluged (assaulted?) by the Hallmark movies. You know the story. A perfect family has some trouble. They bend but don’t break and they live happily ever after.

Real life is not a Hallmark movie. For some it’s more like a dystopian nightmare. They are facing struggles we can’t imagine. This is why I regularly post about being kind. Kindness costs you nothing, but it reaps dividends we also can’t imagine.

You never know, your kindness might be someone’s last, best hope…

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#inspiration

Milton Hershey

If you like chocolate, then you know the name Milton Hershey. He was the one who brought chocolate to the United States.

Milton Hershey was born in Pennsylvania and raised by both parents until he was 12. His father tried business and farming (twice), but could never find and maintain success. When Milton was 12, his mother separated from Milton’s father and took her son with her. Not only that, Milton Hershey dropped out of school as well! He could only read and write at a fourth grade level.

Hershey failed at many jobs, but he found his calling in candy. He began making candy in his basement and then selling it in a little store he opened. Hershey eventually failed at that, too.

When Hershey attended a candy conference in Chicago, he discovered chocolate at the Nestle display. A lightbulb went off in his head and the rest is history.

Hershey wasn’t educated, he failed in business several times, yet he didn’t allow any of his shortcomings to deter him. He created a legacy of helping orphans and building homes for them. Hershey, Pennsylvania continues to thrive today.

Never let a lack of education or business setbacks stop you. Create your own legacy…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Make Time

Last week I ran into a friend of mine. He was leaving his office to go pick up his foster daughter from school. This man is the Senior Pastor of a large church in Austin. The demands on his time are many. Yet, he makes the time to show this girl she is important.

We make time for what is important. You want to be healthy? You make time to exercise. Want more education? You make time to get advanced schooling. Want to know God more? You spend time studying the Bible and talking to Him during your day.

We all have the same 168 hours each week. The reason some people accomplish more than others is because they are focused on what is important. Time is seen as a precious commodity and should not be wasted.

My friend I mentioned before is creating a legacy that will last for generations. I believe that is time well spent…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Angered

There’s a lot of angry people out there. Some people have lost their minds over politics. They even seem to revel in their angry rhetoric. It almost gives them a purpose.

Jesus got angry. In fact, he made a whip and cleared the Temple with it. Getting angry isn’t wrong when you are angry about the right things.

Injustice makes me angry, as does the exploitation and harming of children. Currently there are over 300,000 children who have been trafficked across our border that our government has lost track of. How something this colossally cruel and irresponsible could happen is beyond me.

When you get angry, ask yourself a question: is it worth it? If it’s important, pursue it with everything in you. If the answer is no then let it go.

There will always be something new to make you angry waiting around the next corner…

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#inspiration

The Family

Families are in a crisis. It’s estimated that 70-80% of families are dysfunctional. I grew up in a family filled with fear, chaos and sometimes violence. Living in a constant state of “fight or flight” does damage that can last a lifetime.

Dysfunctional families are characterized by, don’t talk, don’t trust and don’t feel. I don’t need to go into a great amount of detail about those. They speak for themselves. When I was a child, I thought the families I saw on television were representative of all families. Boy, was I naive.

Healthy families display open communication, conflict resolution and cohesiveness. Parents lead by example and set expectations and boundaries for their children.

If you grew up in chaos, you have the ability to change the course of the next generation. Work on yourself. It’s difficult, no doubt, but you will be creating a legacy.

Do the work…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

The Popular Vote

Because it’s election season in the United States, the popular vote is being talked about. Who will be the winner? Popularity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

If you are living your life with a strong desire to be liked, you will be disappointed. Not everyone is going to like you when you stay true to your values. It’s not a bad thing to try to get along with others, but turning into a chameleon so you will be liked and avoid confrontation is weak. It just doesn’t work.

Jesus certainly wasn’t loved by everyone during his ministry, and he is the Son of God! He wasn’t trying to be popular or to establish rule over the Romans. In fact, his desire to not be made a king got him killed (although his death on the cross had been prophesied).

Decide what you value and stand up for it. You are going to piss some people off and that’s okay. If you’re taking a stand for what’s true, noble and right, you will be following the example Jesus set for us.

And that’s a good thing…

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#inspiration

Almost There

In the United States, we are one week away from finding out who our next president will be. I, for one, am ready to get this election season behind us.

Every year it seems like the rhetoric gets more amped up. This year one party is calling their opponent Hitler while the other candidate calls his opponent a low IQ individual. Neither comment is acceptable. Hitler was a genocidal maniac who killed 11 million people. Insulting someone’s intelligence is questionable, at best, and unnecessary.

Our country will survive no matter the outcome. Next to the Bible, the United States Constitution is the greatest document ever written. It will stand. Our republic will remain intact.

Words have consequences. Let’s tone down our rhetoric and take the time to think before we speak…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

The Floor is Yours

Parents know this: your children are watching everything you say and do. If they call someone an asshole, it’s because they heard it from you first! Children are constantly learning while their neural pathways are being formed. We have a great responsibility to teach them well.

Adults are watching you, too. They watch you at work, in restaurants, at parties, basically everywhere. People pay attention to how you treat others. Are you kind, or do you take great satisfaction in being rude? Be kind. Always.

Our outer behavior reflects what is in our hearts and minds. We are either building trust or we are tearing it down. People let their guard down when they know you won’t shred their emotions.

Confidence is attractive, arrogance is not. If there’s something you don’t like about yourself, go to work on it. The work is internal. Change comes over time.

Remember parents, your little ones are watching. The floor is yours…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Welcome The Challenges

Sometimes life goes smoothly, but sometimes life is hard. Really hard. When we are in the middle of a storm we wonder if it will ever end. It will.

I encourage you to welcome the challenges that are thrown your way. Difficulties require us to grow, to stretch ourselves. And along the way our faith strengthens. When the shit hits the fan is the time many people cry out to God to help. He will answer us every time, although it might not be the answer we want. God knows what is best. Trust Him.

No one gets to live life without challenges. They will pass, and you will find yourself in the dark periods, your strongest self…

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#inspiration

Feel The Heat

To purify gold you must heat it to a temperature of over 1000 degrees Celsius. The final result is absolutely beautiful. Gold becomes so shiny you can see yourself.

Feeling the heat means you are under pressure. You have a deadline, or you are facing an extremely stressful situation. When we are dealing with difficult circumstances, we have a choice: melt or rise to the occasion. It’s yours and yours alone to decide.

In the heat of the battle we find out just how strong we are. And oftentimes we surprise ourselves.

Strength is tempered when things are hard, not when life is easy. Once you have risen to the challenge and conquered whatever you are facing, there’s no going back.

You are forever changed…

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