LifeSavers

10 ways to be a superhero without any supernatural abilities

2010-09-08T12:01:00.001-05:00

Think not only of your own interests, but also the interests of others.
Find satisfaction in service.
Determine life's true priorities and fanatically pursue those things.
Be a mentor and let someone mentor you.
Do what you know is right even when you don't feel like it.
Ask people about their lives and be prepared to listen.
Clean up the mess. Do what others think is beneath them.
Apologize when you make a mistake.
Be a principle-based person who does what is right, not just what is expedient or lucrative.
Honor those who are older.

How to Summit Life’s Everyday Mountains

2010-08-26T06:05:00.001-05:00

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ~Confucius

How can a mountain better prepare us for life? At over 14,000 feet, there’s more to learn than I would have thought.

Last week I sat on top of Mt. Shasta, a 14,179 foot mountain in Northern California. It was my first real summit and I was proud. Getting there took me through two days of snow, ice and below-freezing camping conditions, using crampons, an ice axe, and more layers than I thought I owned.

As I climbed, and especially on my way down, I began to realize the lessons required to reach the top and make it back down safely. As it turns out, the most important rules are just as relevant in the snow as they are in conquering our everyday challenges.

When was the last time you reached a mountain summit, whether outdoors or in life?

We face our own mountains everyday. Some small. Some big. There’s always a summit we want to reach. Maybe it’s running those few miles before work, making that intimidating sales call, or running your business. Goals, no matter the size, require a strategy for success.

A cold tall mountain reinforced an approach that can convert life’s everyday challenges into gratifying accomplishments.

A Guide to Reaching Life’s Summits

Pack light. I wish I took this more seriously. Every unnecessary piece of gear complicates things and detracts from the experience. Aside from the bare necessities, things do not make life better. They often cause more stress and keep you from what’s most important. The lighter your pack the better. Life is too short to be burdened with excessive possessions, emotional baggage or regrets. Positive thoughts, relationships and experiences weigh nothing at all. Pile them on and leave the rest behind. They’ll lift you to the top.

Take one step at a time. Any major accomplishment can be broken down into a series of single steps. My pattern for the mountain was 15 steps up, 15 breaths of rest. I did that for 7 hours. If I would have only focused on the very top, frustration would have overcome me. If your summit is too intimidating, break it into smaller steps. Focus on those one by one. Eventually one step will be the one that puts you on top.

Don’t go at it alone. When climbing, a partner is a must. For safety, support, camaraderie, motivation and simply to share the journey. You’d be silly (and putting yourself in great danger) to go up alone. Life is meant to be experienced with others. It makes the valleys shallower and the peaks higher. Relationships magnify experiences and help you do things that prove impossible alone. Don’t leave home without your support team.

Listen to the experts. Halfway up, a passing guide told us if we couldn’t get to the top by 12:30 at the latest, then to turn back. Chances of late day thunderstorms were too great. As amateurs we would have had no idea. While we all ought to experience our own paths, it’s foolish not to learn from and observe the guidance of experts. Choose your life models wisely and keep them close by on your journey.

Slow down. As Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia says, “It’s about how you got there. Not what you’ve accomplished.” Despite what colleagues and competitors may tell you, there is no rush. Rushing on the mountain risks slipping, not acclimating to thinning air, exhaustion and possibly death. In life the biggest risk is that you miss the wonders of everyday experiences in your pursuit to the top. The top is secondary to the process.

Look back and take in the view. There’s never any guarantee that you’ll get to the top, but you always have the ability to stop, take in a deep breath, smile and enjoy the view-whether it’s miles of wilderness or two feet of fog. It’s all wonderful. Every moment of life is a new view to appreciate.

Save some energy for the trip down. We thought the summit was “just over that peak” half a dozen times before it actually was. Conserve energy. Things will inevitably take longer than expected. Don’t be discouraged. Budget your capital, energy and drive appropriately. Rarely is anything in life an all out sprint. Treat it like a marathon. You may need your reserves when you least expect it.

Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory. These are Ed Viesturs’ famous words; the first U.S. man to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters with no bottled oxygen. The summit will be there tomorrow and likely so will yours. If more planning, a stronger team or more support is required, then save the summit for a time when the payout is safer and more probable. If you are outmatched, know when to turn back, only to return stronger and more savvy tomorrow. Stay objective and don’t let short-term excitement get in the way of long-term fulfillment.

Failure is a part of the process. If we would have started our climb the week before, conditions would have been too grave to make it. Be ok with not reaching the summit every time. Falling short is inevitable. You will never learn more than from your failures…at anything. Embrace them.

A daunting summit is nothing more than a challenge. A challenge is simply an opportunity in disguise. You won’t summit every one you come across, but you will become a better person with each attempt.

There will always be another mountain. You are not meant to conquer them all. Past summits are simply preparing you for the next. With the right strategy, you’ll put the top within reach. When your summit arrives, you will be ready.

“It is not the mountains we conquer but ourselves.” ~Sir Edmund Hillary

7 Characteristics of Successful Parents

2009-10-13T05:46:00.002-05:00

1) Successful parents don't expect perfection either from themselves or their children.

Parenting is an art, not a science.? Successful parents understand that, like themselves, their children aren't perfect either.? This frees them to love their children unreservedly.

2) Successful parents don't fear occasional failures.

They understand that mistakes are a normal, even healthy, part of parenting.? They make the best decisions they can and when they're wrong, they learn from their mistakes and try to do better the next time.

3) Successful parents don't expect to have smooth sailing.

Children have their own opinions, personalities and preferences. Inevitably, they cause us to say "Where did THAT come from" or "What WERE you thinking" Our responsibility to provide them with limits and guidance will sometimes clash with their growing desire for independence. Successful parents aren't surprised by them; they expect them. But successful parents understand that their responsibility to their children is not to always please them or make them happy - it's to make the hard decisions that will be for their best in the long run.

4) Successful parents don't go it alone.

Successful parenting means trusting yourself, but not being a Lone Ranger. No one has the experience or answers to every parenting challenge. But each of us has some of the answers and, together, we've got them all. So successful parents aren't reluctant to seek out the wisdom of others. They know that, at the end of the day, the decision is theirs, but before they get there, there is plenty of wisdom along the way waiting to help them.

5) Successful parents try harder.

They face the same pressures we all do - demanding jobs, spouses and children who need them. But they live by this rule: "You get back what you put in." They have a clear sense of priority for their family and are willing to put in the time to achieve it. They give more than the "average parent" so their children will be more than just "average children." These parents work at nurturing and developing themselves to be the best parents they can be.

6) Successful parents enjoy being parents.

They enjoy parenting not because it's easy or instantly rewarding, but because of the sheer joy and privilege of cooperating with God in shaping another unique and precious life. Any parent of grown children will tell you "they grow up so quickly." Successful parents remind themselves of that and try to savor every day with their children. They immerse themselves in their children as much as possible and just enjoy them - even the days of dirty diapers, illness and disappointments. They don't just LOVE their children, they LIKE them and look forward to spending time with them.

7) Successful parents strive to be the person they want their children to become.

There are no formulas for parents. You can't just "program" children like a computer and be guaranteed of the result. But children are great observers and imitators. They watch, listen and absorb values and habits from the people who have the greatest influence on them - their parents. So successful parents resolve that they will set the best example they can for their children.

Lost a Leg, Gained a Wife

2009-09-16T05:53:00.002-05:00

John DeButts was the CEO of AT&T just prior to its breakup in the 1980s. At the zenith of his power, he had more than 1,000,000 employees around the world. DeButts retired very wealthy. Not long after that, he needed to have a leg amputated.
He later said, "In spite of all that money, power, prestige and influence, do you know that as I lay there in my hospital bed, not one person came to see me, called me on the phone, or dropped me a card? But there at my bedside, tending to my needs day-by-day, was the woman I had ignored for 30 years."
If you haven't let your wife know lately how much you love and appreciate her, send her an e-mail or text right now. Better yet, stop by a flower shop on the way home tonight.

Shelter from the Storms

2009-09-14T05:49:00.002-05:00

Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62:8 (NAS)

The thunder and lightning of a powerful storm rattled our house last night. As rain slashed against the windows and lightning lit up the dark sky, I woke up just long enough to make room for my youngest son and yellow lab to join me and my husband in bed. I remember thinking with surprise that I didn't even know it was going to storm.

What a picture of my life lately. It's been a year of unexpected rain. Some just drizzles, but others, like the storm hitting me most recently, have rattled windows with wave after wave of thunder and bursts of lightning.

What about you? Is there stormy weather in your life right now? Where are you finding shelter from the storms?

My friends and family have been a shelter for me this year, just like my family was last night as we all huddled together in bed. They've encouraged and supported me. And most importantly, they've pointed me to the strongest shelter from the storms, my Heavenly Father.

As I've turned to Scripture this week, I'm amazed at the number of times it reminds us God is our shelter. God knows that we will encounter hard times and His Word reminds us that the strongest and safest shelter is God Himself.

As always we have a choice: get drenched in the rain or seek shelter. You see, the storms of life can cause us to run toward God, but just as easily they can cause us to turn away. A whole range of emotions can leave us standing in the rain to get drenched: bitterness, anger, confusion, helplessness, or hopelessness. If you can relate to these emotions, you might feel badly for having these emotions, but don't let these feelings keep you from God.

Read the Psalms and you'll see that God can handle every emotion. Negative emotions are not a reason to turn away from God. They're the very reason to turn to Him, desperately wanting the kind of faith and strength only God can provide.

Keep turning to God, continue to tell Him in prayer how you feel, and leave your emotions with Him. As you do, you'll start to feel His nearness, His hope, His promise, and His comfort. If you find yourself returning to feelings of fear or hopelessness, just go back to God. Be honest in your prayers. Acknowledge that you're having a hard time, but that you want to trust Him in your circumstances. Know that He loves you and will consistently and constantly be your shelter from the storms.

Do You Think You Know Everything?

2009-08-17T14:42:00.001-05:00

This is a quiz for people who know everything! These are not trick questions. They are straight questions with straight answers.
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine, it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw" and they are all common words. Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter "S."

Answers To Quiz:
1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. Boxing
2. North American landmark constantly moving backward. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute..)
3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside. Strawberry.
5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
6. Three English words beginning with dw. Dwarf, dwell and dwindle. (Isn't "Dweeb" a word?)
7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8.. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh.Lettuce.
9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with "S".
Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

Why Does God Love Me?

2009-08-14T13:17:00.001-05:00

Why does God love you and me so much? Why did He send His Son to die such a horrible death for us on the cross? It is not because you and I are so wonderful; it is because God is so wonderful (Deut. 7:6-9). The Scripture clearly tells us "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Love is a BIG part of His nature.
God chose to love us regardless of who we are or what we do. Because it was a choice of God, it is not dependent on you and me. Talk about getting off the performance-based acceptance train! Here is truth to put in your heart: There is nothing you can do to get God to love you any more than He already does, and there is nothing you can do to get God to love you any less than He already does. HE JUST LOVES YOU!
Our job is to receive His love and rejoice in His love. Obedience to His commands comes when you realize that everything God tells us to do or not to do is for our greatest good. The God who loves me tells me "yes" to some things and "no" to other things. His commandments are not given to deprive me; they are given to bless me because every one of them is given in love.

Finding Contentment

2009-08-05T05:50:00.001-05:00

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Static Cling

2009-08-01T14:20:00.001-05:00

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8

Give

2009-07-31T22:39:00.001-05:00

I am a consumer who needs to carefully start to look at my possessions in light of the realities of the world, the Church, and the Kingdom of God. We live in a consumer culture. We consume goods, endless cups of coffee, worship services, sermons, Bible studies, church programs, food…the list is endless.

I’m convinced it’s time to move from being a consumer to becoming a giver. I challenge you to join me. Instead of trying to get more things, how about if we decide, starting today, to concentrate on giving more…loving more…reaching out more… and looking at how the Kingdom of God can touch people’s lives through us?

Jesus calls us to be givers rather than consumers. Remember, he said, “Freely you have received. Freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

Make the Circumstances You Want

2009-07-15T09:10:00.001-05:00

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them” ~George Bernard Shaw

Today’s Reflection

2009-07-14T07:46:00.001-05:00

The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:9

Ever are the Lord's ears aroused to hear the pleas of His people. He is faithful to hear your cry and to answer your prayer. Take joy in the lovingkindness of the Lord and give glory to His mighty name even as He answers your pleas with peace and comfort.

20 Tips to Help Dad Create a Family-Centered Life

2009-06-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

1. Mom and Dad have a consistent date night alone together at least once a month

2. Dad has scheduled one-on-one time with each of his children at least once a month

3. Entire family gathers for dinner at least 3 times a week

4. Dad texts, e-mails or calls each of his children at least once a day

5. A monthly family home video night

6. A monthly family board game night

7. Saturday chores are done with the kids helping

8. At least once every three months, Dad brings lunch to school for his kids

9. Dad prays with each of his children before they go to bed each night

10. Weekly church attendance

11. Three TV shows per week are watched by the entire family (with commercials muted)

12. Dad's job does not keep him working a lot of late nights or weekends

13. Entire family has at least one week of vacation time together per year

14. Mom and Dad attend at least one marriage strengthening conference per year

15. Family attempts camping at least once a year

16. Dad attends or coordinates a Daddy/Daughter Dance

17. Dad personally knows all of his children's teachers and is involved in the PTA

18. Dad's time with his buddies more often than not includes everyone's kids

19. More family activities are planned outdoors than indoors

20. Dad honors his own parents

Guys Night Out at Tusculum Lanes

2009-06-24T12:19:00.001-05:00

Now is the chance to showcase your bowling skills, or lack thereof, in front of your brothers. Don’t miss this opportunity the night of Monday, July 13, at Tusculum Lanes. We are reserving 4 lanes and the cost is $1.50 per game and $3.00 for shoes. There will be a signup list at Signup Central.

The Involved Father

2009-06-12T19:21:00.001-05:00

I just stumbled across this awesome series of articles on parenting by James Dobson and Focus on the Family. In particular the articles focus on how to be an effective man of God for your family. I promise you God will bless you if you take the time to read these articles…

“Raising healthy, well-educated, self-disciplined children who love God and their fellow human beings is, I believe, the most challenging responsibility in living. Not even rocket science can approach it for complexity and unpredictability. And of course, the job is even more difficult today when the culture undermines and contradicts everything Christian parents are trying to accomplish at home. Fortunately, we are not asked to do everything perfectly as moms and dads. Our kids usually manage to survive our mistakes and failures and turn out better than we have any right to boast about.”

Continue reading…

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_stages/the_involved_father.aspx

100 Terrific Productivity Tools for the Bored or Unemployed

2009-06-12T07:42:00.001-05:00

This list is a little lengthy, but I could not pass up the chance to share it with everyone…

Whether you’re bored out of your mind at the office or don’t have an office to go to, there’s no reason to sit around idly when there’s so much you could potentially be getting done. With the web at your fingertips, you can find numerous ways to keep your mind and body engaged and active. These 100 tools will help you get busy doing just about anything from organizing your DVD collection to planning your potential future, giving you no excuse to be bored or unemployed for long.

Organizing Your Life

If you’ve got nothing else to do why not organize your life? These tools will help you manage everything from chores to your fitness routine.

Backpack: Whether you’re organizing business prospects or just your own personal affairs, this tool can help manage schedules, documents, discussions and more.
Mindomo: If your mind is buzzing and you can’t seem to get a clear picture of an idea that is forming, try out this mind-mapping tool to lay out your thoughts and get them organized into a coherent picture.
Stuffopolis: With this site you’ll be able to organize and track just about anything you own.
Chore Buster: Make dividing up the chores in your household easier with this helpful tool that keeps track of who’s in charge of what.
Inbox Organizer: Is your inbox full of spam, junk and other flotsam and jetsam? This tool can help you clean it up and get you organized.
Manage My Ideas: Use this site to keep track of all your moments of inspiration so when it comes time to use them you’ll know just where they are.
Daily Plate: Without a job to keep you busy it can be easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits. This site will help you track and monitor what you’re putting into your body and how much activity you’re doing.
MyHomePoint: Check out this tool to organize your home and your family in one easy place with schedules, calendars and much more.
GiftBox: Have a million birthday and holiday wish lists? This tool will help you organize them and make sure everyone gets just what they want.
We Gotta Eat: With this tool you’ll be able to record and share all your recipes for easy access and the ability to generate shopping lists to match your cooking needs.
SimplifID: Here you can create an account and use it to log into all of your password-required sites, making your life a lot simpler.
What Bills?: Make sure you never forget to pay a bill again with this tool that tracks and helps you to pay everything from your mortgage to the electric bill.
OurWeddingDay: It’s hard to imagine being bored if you have a wedding coming up, and this tool can help you make sure that everything is planned, ready and wonderful for the big day.
LibraryThing: Enter in your entire library to this site and you’ll be able to track, make notes and share your favorite reads.
allmythings: Use this tool to make a list of all the things you own. You never know when you might need it for insurance purposes.

Resume and Job Search

Not a fan of being unemployed? These tools will help you to spend your new found free time more productively searching for a new source of income.

Gramlee: Make sure your resume and cover letter is free of spelling and grammar errors by submitting it through this site first.
Side Job Track: Just because you don’t have full-time work doesn’t mean you can’t work on the side. This tool will help you keep tabs on your work and who knows, maybe small jobs could turn into a big career.
Worksolver: With this site you can network, manage your resume and other important information and keep track of interviews.
JibberJobber: This site is designed to help you manage all aspects of your career, from finding a job to keeping great connections.
Virtual Job Coach: Here you’ll find a job search engine, resume builder, contact management, to-do list and much more to keep you on track.
PayScale: Do you know how much your job skills are worth? Check out this site to find out just how much you should be making.
Career Value Tool: Give this site a visit to learn what it is you value most in your career. It could help point you in the right direction.
Indeed: Search for jobs in your area using this tool that scours multiple other sites for the best listings.
JobPile: This site will make it easier to search for a job, with aggregation of numerous job boards for the best positions available.
Juju: This job search engine is sure to streamline your job search.

Socializing and Networking

Whether you want to make connections that can help you get a job or just want to keep in touch with those distant cousins, these great tools can make it fast and easy.

LinkedIn: This site is a great place to make career contacts and get in touch with old coworkers and people who may be able to find you work.
BigContacts: Check out this tool to better manage your business contacts, keep track of clients and ensure you never miss an appointment.
Skype: Chat with friends, family and potential employers with this web-based calling tool.
MyFamily.com: Here you can build your own private website so that your family can share photos, memories and more without it being public.
Ning: Whether you want to network with other recently unemployed individuals or just keep in touch with old friends, this site is perfect for creating a customized social network.
Amiglia: This site serves as a virtual family tree, photo album and great way to keep in touch with all those you love.
Socializr: If you’ve got nothing else to do, why not plan a family picnic or a get together of old friends. This site makes it easy and efficient.
Zvents: Check out this site to find out what’s going on in your area so you can stop being bored and get out of the house.
Facebook: With Facebook, users can create a profile that will allow them to manage personal contacts or get their business name out there.
MyHeritage: Sign up for this site and you’ll be able to build a family tree that will allow you to keep in touch with all of your relatives, close and distant.
Ryze: This business networking site can help you make new contacts and reconnect with old ones.
Fast Pitch: Have a great idea? This tool will help you get in touch with businesses and potential investors so you can sell your idea and start making money.
Xing: This global site is designed to help professionals connect and may be able to help you find a new job.
GroupLoop: Whether you want to keep your family in touch or your ultimate frisbee team, this site makes it easy to chat, send messages and arrange meet ups.

Hobbies and Fun

Book lovers, crafters, golfers and more will find great ways to stay active in their hobbies and leisure activities with these tools.

CraftMemo: With this tool you’ll be able to list and keep track of the supplies and finished products you have on hand, ideal for everything from beading to making birdhouses.
TripHub: Taking a trip doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and this great site makes it easy to plan for a getaway with lots of other friends.
team snap: Organize your recreational teams, whether you play soccer, baseball or kickball, with this helpful tool.
RubyChip: Spend your free time planning your next big poker night with the help of this online tool.
GoodReads: List and share your literary favorites on this site. You’ll meet others who share your passion and find great suggestions for new books.
WhatshouldIreadnext.com: Check out this site to find a suggestion for a great book to read to pass your time.
LivingSocial: This site can help you catalog everything you do from your favorite ski spots to the beer you like to drink. You’ll be able to read what others posted as well and maybe get some ideas of new things to try.
TournEase: If you love to play golf, this site makes it a whole lot simpler to set up a tournament, whether for your favorite charitable cause or just for fun with the guys.
DOPPLR: Learn more about cities around the world and how you can visit them through this site.
Closet Assistant: Unsure what to wear? Want help putting together great outfits? This site can help you through, step-by-step so you’ll look great for a date or a day at the beach.

Browsing the Web

For those who prefer to spend their free time a little more lazily, there’s always web browsing. These tools will help you do it as productively as possible whether you want to buy a new suit or leave yourself a note about potential entrepreneurial endeavors.

Google Reader: Organize all your favorite RSS feeds into one easily-accessible place so you can waste time more efficiently.
diigo: Sign up for this site and you’ll be able to highlight and sticky the web. Better yet, you can access your notes on any computer or iPhone.
Delicious: With this site you can not only keep up on what others think are newsworthy, interesting sites, but add your suggestions own as well.
NetVibes: Make your web browsing easy by creating a catch-all start page with this site that allows you to access all your important stuff at once.
iPaper: With this tool you’ll be able to read .doc files right from your browser.
MyStickies: Leave yourself virtual stickies all over the web with this fun and easy-to-use tool.
Notefish: This tool is a great way to do research on the web, whether you’re trying to find a new job or plan a trip to somewhere exotic. You’ll be able to save, annotate and organize all your data and keep it stored in one simple place.
Pocket Manila: Check out this online notebook to jot down your ideas, sketch out art or anything else you can think of.
SecondBrain: This site combines the content you create from over 20 social networking sites into one easy and searchable mass of data.
PriceScan: Make sure you’re getting the best deal possible on anything you’re buying on the web by checking this site before hitting purchase.
Coupons.com: Find out what coupons are out there for just about every product you could want.

Creativity

Since you don’t have anything else to do, why not embrace your inner artist? These tools will help you create art, write and even share your work with the world (and potential employers) when you’re done.

Zhura: This free software will help you start writing that play, TV show or movie you’ve never gotten around to writing.
Aviary: With vector editing, image editing, and visual laboratories, this site is a great place to explore your creative side and create great images.
Issuu: Check out this site to publish your own images, documents and writings and see what others are putting up as well.
WordPress: With a little free time on your hands why not start blogging? WordPress is a free and popular place to start.
Audacity: This tool allows you to mix, edit and tweak your audio files.
Coroflot: Use this site to publish your portfolio and find potential clients.
ComicLife: Jazz up your photos and get creative on the Web with this fun tool that lets you add text, create stories and more.
GoAnimate: If you’re interested in animation, why not create your own with this awesome online tool.
Writer: This tool acts like an online typewriter, storing and saving what you write as you write it so you don’t have to worry about losing an afternoon’s work.
NaNoWriMo: Think you can write a novel? This site challenges you to do it in only one month. You won’t be alone as thousands work at this challenge every year.

To-Do Lists

If you’ve got nothing to do, why not make a list of the things you want to do? You can lay out the steps to finding a new job or just fun things you’d like to do in your free time.

Remember the Milk: Divide your tasks up into work, personal and study to keep track of all aspects of your life that need doing.
Nutshell: With nutshell you can search the web, take notes and manage a simple to-do list all from one place.
OrchestrateHQ<: This task manager makes is easy to keep track of everything you’d like to get done this week, month or year.
Ta-da List: This easy list tool can be a simple way to make and share your to-dos, goals and desires.
The Online CEO: Manage your life like a business with this easy-to-use productivity tool that gives you points for completing tasks.
TaskThis!: Create tasks, add notes and publish them in an RSS feed with this tool.
Toodledo: This to-do list can help you get organized, motivated and get more productive with access to your data from anywhere.
ListPool: With list pool you can not only create lists of things you want to get done but share them with others as well.
Todoist: The simple interface and built in calendar of this tool makes it a great choice for keeping track of all your tasks.
Nozbe: Keep track of everything you’ve got going on with this tool. You can take it mobile as well, for task tracking on the go.

Setting Goals and Planning

Just because you don’t have anything to do right now doesn’t mean you want it to always be that way. These great tools will help you start planning for your future, whether that means setting goals for finding new work, planning your wedding, or just figuring out what to do next week.

Joe’s Goals: Whether you’ve decided today is the day you’re going to stop smoking or want to start spending more time on your hobbies, this site can help you stick to your goals and follow through.
43 Things: With this site you can list your personal goals and get support from others who have the same ones.
LifeTango: Check out the tools on this site to brainstorm, get motivated and set goals.
Ben Franklin’s Virtue Chart: Go old school and work towards having better virtues like temperance, silence, industry and frugality with this downloadable PDF.
eLifePlans: Set goals, get coached by others and find personal and outside motivation on this site.
Goals Together: There’s no reason to feel alone in working towards any goal as this site proves. You’ll get support from friends, family and other users no matter what you want to start or stop doing.
Goalmigo: Meet up with others who have similar goals and work together to meet them on this site.
SuperViva: A bit like a virtual "bucket list", this site will allow you to record them, meet others who feel similarly and check them off as you accomplish them.
MyProgress: Mark every day that passes on this great and visual tool for goal maintenance.
Don’t Break the Chain: This is an incredibly simple tool, but an effective one. If you’ve gone three weeks without breaking your resolution why start now? Here you’ll get motivation and help persevering towards your goals.

Learn Something New

Learning new things can be a great way to pass the time if you’ve got nothing to do and a great way to improve your skills if you’re in the market for a job. These resources can help you to learn a wide variety of things, from simple car maintenance to astrophysics.

iTunesU: Just download iTunes and you’ll be ready to get started with the lessons on iTunesU that range from language learning to lectures at world-class colleges and universities.
OCW Finder: OpenCourseware can be a great way to learn about college-level material without having to actually attend college. Check out this search engine to match you up with courses on subjects you’re interested in.
NanoLearning: Give these tiny learning modules a try when you want to learn more about something but don’t want to spend hours doing it.
Instructables: On Instructables you’ll find videos that will show you how to do a variety of things from the practical to the entertaining.
LiveMocha: For many, learning another language can be a valuable skill to add to a resume. This resource will allow you to try out your language skills with a native speaker, so both you and they can learn to speak more fluently.
VideoJug: Check out this how-to site to learn about simple things like eating ethnic foods correctly, styling your hair and even how to do well on college tests.
GoogleScholar: This site is a great resource for doing research or searching for more information on a subject that interests you. Best of all, all the results are scholarly materials so you won’t have to worry about credibility.
Library of Congress: Take advantage of those tax dollars by using the resources provided by the Library of Congress. You can read about American history, see photographs and thousands of source documents.
Newsvine: Just because you don’t have a job doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep up with what’s going on in the world. This site will give you frequent updates on the important news out there.
Project Gutenberg: Here you’ll be able to read hundreds of famous and widely-acclaimed books without ever leaving your chair.

Inspiring Love

2009-06-05T07:36:00.001-05:00

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, his answer had everything to do with the topic of love. Jesus said the most important commandment was to love your God with all your heart, mind and soul. He then said the second most important commandment was to love your neighbor as your self. The importance of the topic of love in the Bible and for Christians should be at the top of our list.

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #1- He loved us first!
1 John 4:9-10
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #2- He loved us first part 2
1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #3- Love your enemies
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #4- The Golden Rule
Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would have them do to you

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #5- The greatest is Love
1Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love.

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #6- Above all
1Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #7- Love drives out fear
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #8- Love your wife
Ephesians 5:25
Husband, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Inspirational Bible verse on Love #9- Love bind with perfect unity
Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Believe!

2009-05-27T12:15:00.001-05:00

If you think you're a winner you'll win,
If you dare to step out you'll succeed.
Believe in your heart, have a purpose to start.
Aim to help fellow man in need.
Thoughts of faith must replace every doubt
Use words of courage and you cannot fail.
If you stumble and fall, rise and stand ten feet tall,
You determine the course that you sail.
You've been given the power to see
What it takes to be a real man.
Let your thinking be pure, it will make you secure.
If you want to, you know that you can.

… With God, All Things Are Possible!

Adam’s Rib

2009-05-19T07:28:00.001-05:00

In Sunday School, they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week, his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, 'Johnny what is the matter?' Little Johnny responded, 'I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife.'

Inspired!

2009-05-15T09:10:00.001-05:00

Are We Lazy?

2009-05-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.

God… According to Kids

2009-05-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

God is like BAYER ASPIRIN ... He works miracles.

God is like a FORD ...He's got a better idea.

God is like COKE ... He's the real thing.

God is like HALLMARK CARDS ... He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like TIDE ... He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

God is like GENERAL ELECTRIC ... He brings good things to life.

God is like SEARS ... He has everything.

God is like ALKA- SELTZER...Try Him, you'll like him.

God is like SCOTCH TAPE ... You can't see him, but you know He's there.

God is like DELTA ... He's ready when you are.

God is like ALLSTATE... You're in good hands with Him.

God is like HAIR SPRAY... He holds through all kinds of weather.

God is like DIAL SOAP ... Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?

Habit Transformations

2009-05-03T07:03:00.001-05:00

They say insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results. I suppose that makes me crazy then because I am guilty of this very thing. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I expected different results so much as I hoped I wouldn’t have to work that hard to change the behaviors giving me poor results. Thinking “I need to change” doesn’t get me very far – at least not as far as it used to. Long ago I would think about changing something and just do it. Now, I’m ensconced in pitiful habits that leave me feeling icky on so many levels. Things that started out harmlessly and morphed into auto responses that will take much work to undo.

Obviously common sense tells us that you must practice the opposite of what you are wanting to eliminate. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that. “Breaking old habits and embracing new ones isn’t easy. But it is learnable.” Hmmm, learnable. I had to agree that God gave me a brain capable of learning new things. So this forced me to ask myself, “am I teachable?” In order to be “teachable” I must be “willing to learn”.

If my brain and body can learn poor habits then it stands to reason that I can learn to replace them with good habits. I don’t have to think about driving anymore, I just drive. I don’t have to think about washing my hair or where it comes in my shower routine, I just do it like my body is on autopilot. The more we practice something the easier and more automatic it becomes… like typing.

Habits “aren’t just about willpower.” When I pried myself out of bed at 5 o’clock this morning I kept telling myself, “this will get easier.” The truth is though, it won’t get easier unless I make waking at five a true habit which means I have to practice waking at that time every morning. I must be “willing” to practice it too. Currently my brain is programmed to be a night owl and if left alone I can autopilot that behavior quite well.

There are several bad habits I am hoping to break. Right now it is helping me to see it as “learnable” rather than browbeating myself into submission. I’m not sure it will make the process easier but hopefully it will improve my attitude about it and thus make me more “willing to learn” new responses.

Murphy’s Law of DIY

2009-05-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is for all of you weekend warriors like me…

Any project will require at least two journeys to the hardware shop.

If you need more than one item (pair, four, etc) the probability that one will be damaged or the wrong colour is directly proportional to the desire or need of the object.

You always need more paint.

You never have enough nails, screws or glue.

The likelihood that you will complete a weekend project before the end of the weekend decreases with when you actually start the project.

Therefore: Any plumbing project started after 4pm on Sunday will require an emergency call to the plumber to get the water running again.

To estimate the amount of time needed to complete a project: estimate the amount of time needed, multiply by two and use the next highest unit. Hence: A one hour task will take at least two days to complete.

Monday Morning Inspiration

2009-04-27T07:32:00.001-05:00

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.

When you know what you want,and you want it badly enough,you'll find a way to get it.

May you live all the days of your life.

Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there's a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living.

One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.

I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land.”

When Doubt Enters

2009-04-24T07:53:00.001-05:00

No matter what our age, there are times for whatever reason we start doubting ourselves. We'll fall into the hype of being too old, too young, too out of shape, and before we know it we've convinced ourselves not even to try.
Recently I was watching several news stories about our brave service men and women who were facing insurmountable circumstances pertaining to injuries and I wanted to kick myself for falling into the above category.
All of them decided to move forward and do the best they knew how with what God granted them. If they couldn't run that 20 miles, they would run one. If they could no longer see, they would feel and sense things. I could feel the spirit within them. It reached out to me.
They all gave me inspiration to get moving and not complain because of the limitations I put in my head. By that I simply mean looking at something and saying 'why bother.' 'I can't do it.' 'It will take too long.' 'It's overwhelming.'
If I can't stand longer then 5 hours, I'll stand 4. If I've never ran that mile, I'll walk it. If I can't complete a project in one day, I'll complete it in two or three.
I can not live by others expectations of me or what my mind thinks they expect of me, but I can live and live well by giving what I know is 100% of myself in whatever I do.
That is all I can do and not slip into the pity party. It is not a party to celebrate. I do not like or want pity.
I have always been an independent person, a strong person. Things started to change in my life and I could no longer do what I use to. Even a relationship took a turn I never expected.
So because things weren't the same I started to say, 'why bother?' How foolish of me! Yes, there was change around me but I was the one that needed to adjust to my environment, not it to me. My wings were clipped a little. So what!
I could still fly even if a bit clumsy. I could still walk even if a bit slower. I could still be me and get down on one knee and ask God for forgiveness. And I can still love!
How and when did I stop feeding my spirit? How and when did I lose self? How and when did I forget that we are all human and make mistakes?
So I pray for all the men and women in service. I especially pray for all the injured that they may find the strength within themselves to never give up.
You've inspired me. You've filled my spirit. You've shown me what a free soul is truly about. You are courage!

Heaven Knows Your Heart

2008-10-09T12:49:00.000-05:00

“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs.” Ecclesiastes 5:15 NIV

Think for just a moment about the things you own. Think about the house you have, the car you drive, the money you’ve saved. Think about the stocks you’ve traded and the clothes you’ve purchased. Envision all your stuff, and let me remind you of two biblical truths.

Your stuff isn’t yours. Ask any coroner…No one takes it with him. When one of the wealthiest men in history, John D. Rockefeller, died, his accountant was asked, “How much did John D. leave?” The accountant’s reply? “All of it.”

All that stuff—it’s not yours. And you know what else about all that stuff? It’s not you. Who you are has nothing to do with the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Jesus said, “Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot” (Luke 12:15 MSG). Heaven does not know you as the fellow with the nice suit or the woman with the big house or the kid with the new bike.

Heaven knows your heart.

Grandma's Hands

2008-09-03T12:19:00.001-05:00

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.

She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK.

She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down.

No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years.

These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.

They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fits of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.

They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.

And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home.

And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma.

I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

Choosing To Be Content

2008-08-19T06:24:00.001-05:00

In his book Money: A User’s Manual, Bob Russell describes a farmer who once grew discontent with his farm. He griped about the lake on his property always needing to be stocked and managed…And those fat cows lumbered through his pasture. All the fencing and feeding—what a headache!

He called a Realtor and made plans to list the farm. A few days later the agent phoned, wanting approval for the advertisement she intended to place in the local paper. She read the ad to the farmer. It described a lovely farm in an ideal location—quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, carpeted with soft meadows, nourished by a fresh lake, and blessed with well-bred livestock. The farmer said, “Read that ad to me again.”

After hearing it a second time, he decided, “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to sell. I’ve been looking for a place like that all my life.”

Contentment

2008-07-22T06:44:00.001-05:00

“He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.” Proverbs 21:21 NKJV

In our world, contentment is a strange street vendor, roaming, looking for a home, but seldom finding an open door. He moves slowly from house to house, knocking on doors, offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sigh of relief. But his goods are seldom taken. We are too busy to be content.

“Not now, thank you. I’ve too much to do,” we say. “Too many marks to be made, too many achievements to be achieved…”

So the vendor moves on. When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. “I charge a high price, you know. My fee is steep. I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties. I demand that they put a torch to their fourteen-hour days and sleepless nights. You’d think I’d have more buyers.” He scratched his beard, then added pensively, “But people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches.”

Guard Against Greed

2008-07-17T06:34:00.001-05:00

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income."
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV

Greed comes in many forms. Greed for approval. Greed for applause. Greed for status. Greed for the best office, the fastest car, the prettiest date. Greed has many faces, but speaks one language; the language of more. Epicurus noted, “Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.” And what was that observation of John D. Rockefeller’s? He was asked, “How much money does it take to satisfy a man?” He answered, “Just a little more.” Wise was the one who wrote, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Eccles. 5:10 NIV).

Greed has a growling stomach. Feed it, and you risk more than budget-busting debt. You risk losing purpose.

The Bible

2008-06-26T11:42:00.000-05:00

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. —Hebrews 4:12-13

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, “Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?” The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.” The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You will have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but aga in the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was “impossible to carry water in a basket,” and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Papa, it’s useless!” “So you think it is useless?” The old man said, “Look at the basket.” The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. “Son, that’s what h appens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.”

Current statistics from pollster George Barna report that 45% of all Americans read the Bible at least once during the week. That is a hopeful statistic and one of the highest in recent times. How about you? Does the Bible take priority in your personal life outside of the church? How well do you know what it really says, or do you rely on someone else to tell you what it says? Are you allowing it to transform your life, like the dirty coal bucket in the above story?

Stubborn Love

2008-06-20T06:21:00.000-05:00

Jesus…summarized God’s stubborn love with a parable. He told about a teenager who decided that life on the farm was too slow for his tastes. So with pockets full of inheritance money, he set out to find the big time. What he found instead were hangovers, fair-weather friends, and long unemployment lines. When he had had just about as much of the pig’s life he could take, he swallowed his pride, dug his hands deep into his empty pockets, and began the long walk home; all the while rehearsing a speech that he planned to give his father.

He never used it. Just when he got to the top of the hill, his father, who’d been waiting at the gate, saw him. The boy’s words of apology were quickly muffled by the father’s words of forgiveness…

If you ever wonder how God can use you to make a difference in your world, …look at the forgiveness found in those open arms and take courage.

Don't Give Up!

2008-06-11T06:24:00.000-05:00

Our inability to finish what we start is seen in the smallest of things: A partly mowed lawn. A half-read book.

Or, it shows up in life’s most painful areas: An abandoned child. A wrecked marriage.

Any chance I’m addressing someone who is considering giving up? If I am, I want to encourage you to remain. I want to encourage you to remember Jesus’ determination on the cross.

Jesus didn’t quit. But don’t think for one minute that he wasn’t tempted to. Did he ever want to quit? You bet.

That’s why his words are so splendid. “It is finished.”

Travel Light

2008-06-06T05:59:00.001-05:00

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.”
I Peter 5:7

God has a great race for you to run. Under his care you will go where you’ve never been and serve in ways you’ve never dreamed. But you have to drop some stuff. How can you share grace if you are full of guilt? How can you offer comfort if you are disheartened? How can you lift someone else’s load if your arms of full with your own?

For the sake of those you love, travel light.

For the sake of the God you serve, travel light.

For the sake of you own joy, travel light.

There are certain weights in life you simply cannot carry. Your Lord is asking you to set them down and trust him.

Immediate Need for Prayer and Action

2008-05-19T07:43:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, May 15, the California supreme court ruled 4-3 in favor of same sex marriage. Unfortunately, often times other states follow California's lead in law making, so this may be the first huge blow in many to come against the institution of marriage between one man and one woman.

Please take DAILY time from now on to talk to God about this very serious challenge against what we all hold precious in our lives. In addition, each day find as many ways as you can to show honor to your spouse and family and work TOGETHER to overcome and defeat Satan and society's attack on the very core of our lives. It's up to us to hold it all together and set the example for the world. We have the peace and power of God in our lives, which means we have already won the battle.

Laurel and I love you all. Thanks for being a part of our lives.

Information on CA Marriage Ruling

Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud

2008-05-19T06:08:00.001-05:00

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven.

The character of a person is also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?

Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You’ve-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren’t big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I’m being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these two paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing, or do I thud?

Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There’s nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.

If you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart.

There is hope for us “thudders”:

Begin by thanking God for thumps. I don’t mean a half-hearted thank-you. I mean a rejoicing, jumping-for-joy thank-you from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are that God is doing the thumping. And he’s doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrews 12:5-8).

Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not “thump-proof.” You are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps—you can’t avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.

Be aware of “thump-slump” times. Know your pressure periods. For me, Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slumps. Fridays can be just as bad. For all of us, there are times during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. Bolster yourself with extra prayer, and don’t give up.

Remember no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

Heaven Came Down

2008-05-07T06:15:00.001-05:00

This is no run-of-the-mill messiah. His story was extraordinary. He called himself divine, yet allowed a minimum-wage Roman soldier to drive a nail into his wrist. He demanded purity, yet stood for the rights of a repentant whore. He called men to march, yet refused to allow them to call him King. He sent men into all the world, yet equipped them with only bended knees and memories of a resurrected carpenter.

Has it been a while since you have seen him? If your prayers seem stale, it probably has. If your faith seems to be trembling, perhaps your vision of him has blurred. If you can’t find power to face you problems, perhaps it is time to face him.

One warning. Something happens to a person who has witnessed His majesty…One glimpse of the King and you are consumed by a desire to see more of him and say more about him.

He Knows How You Feel

2008-04-30T06:15:00.000-05:00

Jesus was angry enough to purge the temple, hungry enough to eat raw grain, distraught enough to weep in public, fun loving enough to be called a drunkard, winsome enough to attract kids, weary enough to sleep in a storm-bounced boat, poor enough to sleep on dirt and borrow a coin for a sermon illustration, radical enough to get kicked out of town, responsible enough to care for his mother, tempted enough to know the smell of Satan, and fearful enough to sweat blood.

But why? Why would heaven’s finest Son endure earth’s toughest pain? So you would know that “he is able . . .to run to the cry of . . .those who are being tempted and tested and tried.”

Whatever you are facing, he knows how you feel.

Pray About Everything

2008-04-23T06:11:00.000-05:00

Want to worry less? Then pray more.

Rather than look forward in fear, look upward in faith. This command surprises no one. Regarding prayer, the Bible never blushes. Jesus taught people that “it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit (Luke 18:1 MSG). Paul told believers, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (Col. 4:2 NLT) James declared, “Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it” (James 5:13 NLT).

Rather than worry about anything, “pray about everything.” Everything? Diaper changes and dates? Business meetings and broken bathtubs? Procrastination and prognostications? Pray about everything.

Eternal Instants

2008-04-18T05:50:00.001-05:00

Eternal instants. You’ve had them. We all have.

Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild.

Seeing her face in the glow of a candle.

Putting your arm into your husband’s as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air.

Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma.

Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living . Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear.

The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it.

Cheering Each Other On

2008-04-14T06:08:00.002-05:00

A mile from the finish line of the London Marathon, thousands of onlookers holding signs lined the route. When spectators spotted a family member or friend coming into view, they shouted the person's name, waved, and yelled encouragement: "Just a little farther! Keep going! You're almost there." After running 25 miles, many competitors were barely walking and ready to quit. It was amazing to watch exhausted runners brighten and pick up the pace when they saw someone they knew or heard their name called out.

Encouragement! We all need it, especially in our walk of faith. The book of Hebrews tells us to keep urging each other on. "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, . . . but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (10:24-25).

The New Testament is filled with the certainty that Christ will return soon. "The Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:5). "The coming of the Lord is at hand" (James 5:8). "Behold, I am coming quickly" (Rev. 22:12).

As we "see the Day approaching," let's keep cheering each other on in the faith. "Keep going! You're almost there! The finish line is in sight."

Help me, Lord, to reassure and strengthen
Others by the words I speak today;
I would always try to be affirming,
As our pathways cross along life's way.

Our Middle C

2008-04-10T06:27:00.000-05:00

When Lloyd Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, attended college, he lived in a boarding house. A retired, wheelchair-bound music professor resided on the first floor. Each morning Douglas would stick his head in the door of the teacher’s apartment and ask the same question, “Well, what’s the good news?” The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of the wheelchair, and say, “That’s middle C!” It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat. The piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, that is middle C.”

You and I need a middle C. Haven’t you had enough change in your life? Relationships change. Health changes. The weather changes. But the Yahweh who ruled the earth last night is the same Yahweh who rules it today. Same convictions. Same plan. Same mood. Same love. He never changes.

Reliability

2008-04-01T05:58:00.001-05:00

There is a common denominator in any form of greatness—reliability.

It’s the bread and butter characteristic of achievement. It’s the shared ingredient behind retirement pens, Hall of Fame awards, and golden anniversaries. It is the quality that produces not momentary heroics but monumental lives.

The Bible has its share…Consistent and predictable, these saints were spurred by a gut-level conviction that they had been called by no one less than God himself. As a result, their work wasn’t affected by moods, cloudy days, or rocky trails. Their performance graph didn’t rise and fall with roller-coaster irregularity. They weren’t addicted to accolades or applause nor deterred by grumpy bosses or empty wallets…And since their loyalty was not determined by their comfort, they were just as faithful in dark prisons as they were in spotlighted pulpits.

Finding Power in Weakness

2008-03-24T06:11:00.000-05:00

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

Jesus is the author of compassion and kindness. When facing the pain, agony, shame, and horror of the cross he couldn’t walk away – because He saw YOU. As Max Lucado says in his book The Final Week of Jesus, He saw us “right there in a middle of a world which isn’t fair … He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart that grows weak. He saw you in your own Garden of Gethsemane – and he didn’t want you to be alone…He would rather go to hell for you than to heaven without you.”

What an amazing act of kindness, and what an incredible example to follow of what we should do when we feel vulnerable and weak. Many of us say we have nothing to give when dark and lonely times come our way, but Jesus taught us to look past loneliness into the richness of helping others.

We say we having nothing to give, and God says, “You’re right, but I have something to give through you.” Remember the encouragement given to us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Maybe that is why the world hates weakness so much. If it is in our weakness that the power of God can flow most freely, then it’s no wonder the world would want to cork up this power’s flow. Everything about our society screams out against being weak, yet weakness resides in us all. No matter how beautiful, rich, powerful, and significant someone may seem, weakness is still there.

Behind the thin bodies and glamorous clothing of the rich and famous, weakness is there. Weakness knows no bounds. At every level of society, in every race, men and women alike have weaknesses. And be assured that along with weakness, loneliness calls their names. Sorrows and insecurities still haunt them. All the while God gently calls them to let Him make their weaknesses and loneliness count for something good. Many choose not to listen.

To walk the path that the Lord delights in, we must be willing to let God use the circumstances of our lives to reach out to others. Let’s compare our hurts to stones littering our paths. We have a choice to do one of three things with these stones. We can use them to beat ourselves up, making our scars run deeper than they should. We can throw our stones at others, wounding them and making them also feel our pain. Or, we can use these stones to build bridges for others to walk across from their own darkness and pain into His healing light. This third option is seldom chosen, yet it’s exactly what God delights in.

Dear Lord, help me take an honest assessment of my weaknesses and places where I feel vulnerable right now. Show me Lord, who I could touch today so Your power could flow through my weakness. Help me to not be so self-consumed with my troubles but rather be a bridge to help another person find Your power. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Peace Through Prayer

2008-03-17T06:46:00.001-05:00

The worrisome heart pays a high price for doing so. Worry come from the Greek word that means “to divide the mind.” Anxiety splits us right down the middle, creating a double-minded thinker. Rather than take away tomorrow’s trouble, worry voids today’s strength. Perception is divided, wasting your energy. Who can afford to lose power?

But how can we stop doing so? Paul offers a two-pronged answer: God’s part and our part. Our part includes prayer and gratitude. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Phil. 4:6 NLT, emphasis mine).

God’s part? “If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand” (Phil. 4:7 NLT).

Cease Striving – Matthew 11:28-30

2008-03-10T06:13:00.000-05:00

Temptations, trials, suffering. We’ve all experienced them. Even as Christians— and sometimes specifically because we’re Christian—we must endure pain, whether through loss, bankruptcy, unemployment, or a broken relationship. While no one is immune to hard times, believers are empowered through the Holy Spirit to endure them. Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” The King James Version uses the expression “be still,” indicating that our best response to disappointments is to trust in the Lord.

How humbling it is to know that God’s children have a direct communication line to the Father, even in the midst of trouble. We don’t have to respond like the world, with anger, depression, and revenge. Nor do we have to fix everything in our own strength. Sure, we will still be tempted by the flesh. But as we “cease striving,” we’ll learn to trust in Him more each day.

The truth is, hardship doesn’t form character; rather, it reveals character. One of the most common responses to difficulty is anger. In moments of frustration, we run the risk of making impulsive decisions that could impact the rest of our life. But instead of getting caught up in emotion, we should wisely be still and trust in the One who can work everything for our good (Romans 8:28).

In this world, troubles won’t vanish (John 16:33). But when storms are brewing on the horizon, buckle up and trust God to guide you through. Only in Him can you truly “cease striving.”

The Pioneer of Salvation

2008-03-07T06:12:00.001-06:00

The one to whom we pray knows our feelings. He knows temptation. He has felt discouraged. He has been hungry and sleepy and tired. He knows what we feel like when the alarm clock goes off. He knows what we feel like when our children want different things at the same time. He nods in understanding when we pray in anger. He is touched when we tell him there is more to do than can ever be done. He smiles when we confess our weariness.

He wants us to remember that he, too, was human. He wants us to know that he, too, knew the drone of the humdrum and the weariness that comes with the long days. He wants us to remember that our trailblazer didn’t wear bulletproof vests or rubber gloves or an impenetrable suit of armor. No, he pioneered our salvation through the world that you and I face daily.

The Mother's Prayer

2008-03-04T07:28:00.001-06:00

Dearest God,

May I empower my child with love as I open my heart to all the love you constantly supply me.

May I remain compassionate and mindful without losing my self.

Please grant me energy to craft a life that is full of love and support for my child without pressure or control.

Help me to overcome my limitations so that I might encourage my child to be all that he/she was created to be.

I have done the best I can.

I now allow you to work through me to create the highest and the best for my family.

I release any concern and place my child's precious spirit in your hands.

I am open, alert, and available for all possible good to flow into my life and the life of my family.

I give thanks knowing all is well.

Amen

Have Faith, Have a Plan

2008-03-03T06:33:00.001-06:00

Jochebed had faith. She also thought through a very creative plan. I'd like to pause to reflect on this tension between careful planning and full-hearted faith. Are they mutually exclusive? Not on your life! Yet to talk to some believers, you might be led to think otherwise.

I've counseled with unemployed men and women who tell me, "I'm just waiting on the Lord to provide a job."

"Fine," I reply. "And where have you placed your resumé?"

"Well, I'm not going that route. I'm just waiting on God."

"Oh really?" I say. "Then I hope you don't mind remaining jobless for awhile."

The old motto of soldiers during the Revolutionary War applies to many areas of life: "Trust in God, but keep your powder dry!" In other words, place your life in the Savior's hands, but stay at the ready. Do all that you can to prepare yourself for battle, understanding that the ultimate outcome rests with the Lord God.

To walk by faith does not mean you stop thinking. To trust God does not imply becoming slovenly or lazy or apathetic. What a distortion of biblical faith! You and I need to trust God for our finances, but that is no license to spend foolishly. You and I ought to trust God for safety in the car, but we're not wise to pass on a blind curve. We trust God for our health, but that doesn't mean we can chain smoke, stay up half the night, and subsist on potato chips and Twinkies without consequences.

Acting foolishly or thoughtlessly, expecting God to bail you out if things go amiss, isn't faith at all. It is presumption. Wisdom says to do all you can within your strength, then trust Him to do what you cannot do, to accomplish what you cannot accomplish. Faith and careful planning go hand-in-hand. They always have.

The Reward of Christianity

2008-03-01T06:45:00.001-06:00

“All things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8

The reward of Christianity is Christ.

Do you journey to the Grand Canyon for the souvenir T-shirt or the snow globe with the snowflakes that fall when you shake it? No. The reward of the Grand Canyon is the Grand Canyon. The wide-eyes realization that you are part of something ancient, splendid, powerful, and greater than you.

The cache of Christianity is Christ. Not money in the bank or a car in the garage or a healthy body or a better self-image. Secondary and tertiary fruits perhaps. But the Fort Knox of faith is Christ. Fellowship with him. Walking with him. Pondering him. Exploring him. The heart-stopping realization that in him you are part of something ancient, endless, unstoppable, and unfathomable. And that he, who can dig the Grand Canyon with his pinkie, thinks you’re worth his death on a Roman timber. Christ is the reward of Christianity.

Is This All There Is?

2008-02-29T06:04:00.001-06:00

Something is awry—we feel disconnected. We connect with a career, find meaning in family, yet long for something more.

We feel the frustration I felt on Christmas morning, 1964. I assembled a nine-year-old’s dream gift: a genuine Santa Fe Railroad miniature train set, complete with battery-powered engine and flashing crossing lights. I placed the locomotive on the tracks and watched in sheer glee as three pounds of pure steel wound its way across my bedroom floor. Around and around and around and . . . around . . . and around . . . After some time I picked it up and turned it the other direction. It went around and around and around . . .

“Mom, what else did you get me for Christmas?”

Similarly, our lives chug in long ovals, one lap after another.

First job. Promotion. Wedding day. Nursery beds. Kids. Grandkids. Around and around . . . Is there anything else? Our dissatisfaction mates with disappointment and gives birth to some unruly children: drunkenness, power plays, eighty-hour workweeks, nosedives into sexual perversions—all nothing more than poorly disguised longings for Eden. We long to restore what Adam lost. As someone once said, “The man who knocks on the door of a brothel is seeking God.”

Where and when the brothel fails, Jesus steps forth with a reconnection invitation. Though we be “dead in [our] transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1) and separated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18), whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God (I John 5:1). Reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.” (John 1:13.)

Don’t miss the invisible, inward miracle triggered by belief. God reinstates us to Garden-of-Eden status. What Adam and Eve did, we now do! The flagship family walked with God; we can too. They heard his voice; so can we. They were naked and unashamed; we can be transparent and unafraid. No more running or hiding.

“Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!” (1 Pet. 1:3–4).

The Last Lecture

2008-02-25T06:07:00.002-06:00

Click here for an amazing demonstration of life altering courage and perspective.

You can also see it in 10 minute summary form here on the Oprah show.

What's Wrong With Me?

2008-02-23T07:53:00.000-06:00

"What's wrong with me?” Do you ever ask yourself that question?

Recently I noticed how many times I do. When I can’t find my keys, when I fight with my husband, when I let someone down, when I’m late for work, when someone hurts me, when I forget to do something important. The list goes on.

It dawned on me that every time I think, "What's wrong with me?" I actually tell myself that something is wrong with me. Then I try to figure out my illusive fault so I can change it. But what I need to change is the way I talk to myself.

Why? Because every time I say, "What's wrong with me?" I tell myself that something is wrong with me.

That is not what God wants me to say to myself – a woman He created. It’s not what He wants you to say to yourself, either. But there is someone who loves it when we do. He often whispers, what's wrong with you? He’s the enemy of our soul and he’s trying to convince us that we're incompetent, inadequate and all alone in our struggles – so that we never become who God created us to be.

He wants us take our eyes off of who we are in Christ and focus on our flaws; then spend our days figuring out how we can hide them. It's what he did with Eve in the Garden. I wonder if she might have even thought, "What's wrong with me?" when faced with her own inadequacies and failures.

But think back to what God said to Adam and Eve. He asked them, "Who told you that you were naked?" In other words, “Who told you that something is wrong with you?"

God acknowledged that there was someone casting shame on them and it wasn't Him. He warned that they had an enemy whispering lies into their hearts, causing them to move away from Him and each other.

Satan’s plot is the same for us. But we don't have to comply. Instead we can refute his accusations and lies with truth. We can stand on the promise of who we are in Christ – chosen, holy and dearly loved. We can discover and embrace our God-given design (and all the quirks that come with it), and we can accept that we are the way we are because it's all part of our "package."

None of us is perfect. All of us have strengths and weaknesses, but we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" - just the way God planned.

Lord, make me aware of the times when I am not so nice to myself. Help me recognize my self-doubt and the enemy’s accusations. I want to turn away from the lies so I can listen to and live in Your Truth. I want to become all that you created me to be! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Keeping it All in Perspective

2008-02-22T06:03:00.001-06:00

Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas.
Paula Poundstone

There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child.
Frank A. Clark

The easiest way to teach children the value of money is to borrow some from them.
Anonymous

He who teaches children learns more than they do.
German Proverb

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.
Sophocles

Humor helps us to think out of the box. The average child laughs about 400 times per day, the average adult laughs only 15 times per day. What happened to the other 385 laughs?
Anonymous

Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.
Dr. James C. Dobson

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
James Arthur Bladwin

We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.
Phyllis Diller

I am fond of children - except boys.
Lewis Carroll

Don't Forget

2008-02-21T06:00:00.002-06:00

For many people, life is—well, life is a jungle. Not a jungle of trees and beasts…Our jungles are comprised of the thicker thickets of failing health, broken hearts, and empty wallets…We don’t hear the screeching of birds or the roaring of lions, but we do hear the complaints of neighbors and the demands of bosses…

Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.

Your loneliness diminishes, because you have fellowship. Your despair decreases, because you have vision. Your confusion begins to lift, because you have direction.

You haven’t left the jungle. The trees still eclipse the sky, and the thorns still cut the skin…It hasn’t changed, but you have. You have changed because you have hope. And you have hope because you have met someone who can lead you out.

Why Worry?

2008-02-18T06:08:00.002-06:00

Two words summarize Christ’s opinion of worry: irrelevant and irreverent.

“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not” (Matt. 6:27 NLT). Worry is irrelevant. It altars nothing. When was the last time you solved a problem by worrying about it? Imagine someone saying, “I got behind in my bills, so I resolved to worry my way out of debt. And, you know, it worked! A few sleepless nights, a day of puking and hand wringing. I yelled at my kids and took some pills, and—glory to worry—money appeared on my desk.”

It doesn’t happen! Worry changes nothing. You don’t add one day to your life or one bit of life to your day by worrying. Your anxiety earns you heartburn, nothing more…

Ninety-two percent of our worries are needless! Not only is worry irrelevant doing nothing; worry is irreverent, distrusting God.

This is to Have Succeeded

2008-02-15T07:17:00.002-06:00

"To laugh often and much,
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children,
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends,
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others,
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded!"
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspirational Messages Not Heard At Work

2008-02-13T06:06:00.001-06:00

17. There is no "I" in "teamwork." But there is in "management kiss-up."

16. If you do a good job and work hard, you may get a job with a better company someday.

15. The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.

14. Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG 14 times gives you job security.

13. If you think we're a bad company, you should see the competition.

12. Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings--they did it by killing all those who oppose them.

11. We put the "k" in "kwality."

10. 2 days without a human rights violation.

9. Your job is STILL better than asking, "You want fries with that?"

8. We build great products when we feel like it and don't have any reason to call in sick.

7. If at first you don't succeed, try management.

6. Teamwork means never having to take all the blame yourself.

5. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

4. Pride, Commitment, Teamwork. Words we use to get you to work for free.

3. If at first you don't succeed, delegate it.

2. Plagiarism saves time.

1. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Fathers as Servant-Leaders

2008-02-12T08:10:00.001-06:00

Ephesians 5:23,25
For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church....Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

Our culture has spent more than two decades redefining the roles of husband and wife. At one extreme is the Oklahoma newspaper headline that said: "State House Repeals Law Appointing Husbands as Head of Household." At the other extreme is the man who thinks being the head of the house means his wife must obey his every whim without question.
But the Scriptures clearly give us the model for being not only a man, but also a husband and father. I call that model the "servant-leader." According to this model, the husband and father is to lead, to love and to serve.

Webster's dictionary defines a leader as "someone who commands authority or influence, who shows the way, who guides or conducts, who directs and governs." God designed this position of responsibility, and the mantle of leadership comes along with it.

Flowing out of the responsibility to lead is the responsibility for husbands to love their wives-unconditionally. I can't help but wonder what must go through kids minds today as moms and dads have verbal slugfests. As leaders of the family, dads need, more than ever, to affirm their commitments to their wives and children.

Serving his wife rounds out the husband's and father's role. Some men cannot understand the biblical definition of a leader as a servant. Even though He was Lord, Jesus said, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matt. 20:28).

As your wife's servant, can you name her top three needs? What worries her? What circumstances quickly put her emotional gas tank on empty?

Men, let me challenge you to lead, to love and to serve.

Irish Blessing

2008-02-11T08:35:00.000-06:00

"May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always on your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rain fall off upon your field, and until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand"

The Key to Success

2008-02-07T06:20:00.001-06:00

"I am convinced that attitude is the key to success or failure in almost any of life's endeavors. Your attitude-your perspective, your outlook, how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people-determines you priorities, your actions, your values. Your attitude determines how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself."

Brokenness: 1 Thessalonians 5:21-23

2008-02-05T06:05:00.001-06:00

Humans are born “bent away” from the Lord. Our natural inclination is to please and serve self, which is the opposite of a Godhonoring lifestyle. When we become believers, our Father begins to bend our will and ways back towards Him. But we must cooperate with Him and yield to the process; otherwise, we are of little use to the kingdom.

The Lord wants to eradicate every thought pattern and activity promoting dependency on anything other than Him. This means that relying on oneself to attain security, salvation, or physical and emotional comfort are outside His will. Actions that advance a person at the expense of others are also ungodly.

In areas where we resist bending toward the Lord, He may break us by allowing pain into our life. As a result, we are driven to Him in surrender. To break a person may sound harsh, but God does this work in love. He sees beyond the hurt to the outcome—we will be more mature and faithful servants for having walked through trial. And our loving Father takes each hard step with us, offering guidance and comfort. Seeing the benefits He has brought about through my hardships, I can honestly thank Him for every period of brokenness I’ve experienced (Romans 8:28).

The truth is that we all have areas of selfishness that need to be bent or broken by God’s hand. When we honestly look inward to discover wrong habits and thought patterns, our heavenly Father will bring them to mind. Then, we must surrender to His work so we can become wise and useful servants.

Kelry's Birthday

2008-02-04T06:05:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day for our family and our LIFE group. Praise God for Kelry's decision to become a Christian by putting on Christ in baptism. Laurel and I want to thank each of you from the bottom of our hearts for what you mean to us and our girls. You accept us for who we are and are there for us in times of need. Kelry asked yesterday that you all be there as a part of her new birth, and I think that speaks volumes for the good influence you all are having on her life. God has truly blessed us all with a wonderful church family and brothers and sisters we can laugh with, cry with, and share the love of Jesus with. Thank you!

from the desk of Vince Lombardi

2008-01-29T07:37:00.001-06:00

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."

Dungy Makes Super Bowl History 'The Lord's Way'

2008-01-28T12:19:00.000-06:00

Click Here for a good story about last year's Super Bowl winner.

The Choice is Yours

2008-01-27T07:55:00.000-06:00

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate.
He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply,
"If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural mitigation.

If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to
Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time.
How do you do it?"

Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it.

I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life.

I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Michael said.

"Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied.

"If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter, "

Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or ...I could choose to die.

I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.

In their eyes, I read "he's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael.

"She asked if I was allergic to anything.

"Yes, I replied." The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity."

Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

LifeSavers Online

2008-01-26T18:51:00.001-06:00

Laurel and I have been working on the website to see if we can make it simple way for us all to stay in touch. It is a good place to find copies of all our discussion handouts along with links to lots of good devotional and bible study sites on the web. We will continue to send out emails to you as we make changes.

2008 is a New Year

2008-01-16T05:54:00.001-06:00

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.
2. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you prayed, don't worry.
3. As a child of God, prayer is kinda like calling home every day.
4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
6. Do the math. Count your blessings
7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious n uts.
8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.
9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
10. Laugh every day - it's like inner jogging.
11. The most important things in your home are the people.
12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
13. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. Come on in.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
16. We do not remember days but moments. Life moves too fast so enjoy your precious moments.
17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it; otherwise it's just hearsay.
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
19. Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress when it s ticks out its neck.
20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.

Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. We don't want to get to the end of our life and find that we just lived the length of it. We want to have lived the width of it as well.

Last Night's Meeting

2008-01-14T08:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much for your fellowship, example and inspiration in last night's meeting. 2008 is going to be a great year for all of our families.