Take the next logical step

Several years ago I was reading a book titled "The Dead Sea Scrolls" and in it I came across one line that has stuck with me.

Whenever I am faced with a tough decision or some struggles in this earthly life I am reminded of that line, "Take the next logical step".  In my left brain logic world what I am referring to doesn't always make logical sense.  My next logical step is to pray.

If you've read any of my blog entries, you must have come to the conclusion that I am a Christian and I believe in the peace and power of prayer.  From all I have discerned about the prayer is that there are 3 possible answers; Yes, No, and Not Now.

Even if the answer is No, the bible teaches us that we can move God's hand with prayer.  If you're getting No's and Not Now's, take the next logical step... 

Triple Dog Dare

There comes a time in life when you just have to kick the life you are living to the side and live the life that gives you purpose and drives you to be the very best.

Take a chance, take a leap of faith, take the first step and just keep moving.  Getting to where you are going is always a journey and you can dictate it by keeping your attitude in the right place and committing yourself.

I am in the midst of that journey right now.  It is my faith that allows me walk boldly into this stage of life that gives my heart pure joy.  I think that some of my life embodies Don Quixote.  I know there are no real dragons to slay, but there are those that need someone to bridge the gap for them and that is what I do.  I am also the caring father, loving husband, appreciative son and  compassionate brother that my family deserves.

I triple dog dare you!  

Cue the calliope music!

I once gave myself the title of The King of Jumping to Conclusions.  I would worry and fret over a situation trying to figure out every possible outcome.  So much so that it was driving me bonkers.  All it did was make me anxious and usually the situation wasn't even a mole hill compared to the mountain that I created in my mind.

Yesterday, it occurred to me that sometimes the events in our life that seem dramatic at the time they are happening, end up being silly in the grand scheme of life, and after the imagined crisis has passed, we can laugh at the angst we caused for ourselves.

When I think of the silliness, calliope music plays in my head and I have to laugh. 

How to be a dinosaur

It's no secret that I'm officially a middle aged person.  With that comes some facts of life that are sometimes hard to accept.  I've come to realize that due to my age, I'm not as marketable in many facets of the business world and there is always someone younger, hungrier, smarter and cheaper to employ than me.  I truly have come to terms with it.

What I do have to offer usually only comes with age and experience.  Those are wisdom and patience.  It is difficult to put a price tag on these things I've earned and learned, but I can tell you I paid for them.  Those were paid through life experiences and getting up each time I was knocked down.

My advice on how to be a dinosaur....keep living!

Surviving the Swirl

Sometimes I find that my mind is racing about everything I think needs to get done, and then all the things that I haven't done, and things I should do, and, and, and...get the picture? 

When my mind and body get into that anxious swirl, and I can't focus on just getting one thing done, I realize that it's time to just sit, be still, and pray.  In these times I close my eyes, focus on God, listen to Christian music and I am instantly covered with the grace and love of Jesus.

There are those that get caught up in the whirlwind of life and can't seem to get out of it and I wish I could give them some of the peace that I experience.  I want to teach them how easy it is to be at peace while the swirl of the world rages around them.

"Peace.  It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.  It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." ~ unknown.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” – unknown - See more at: http://www.theresaceniccola.com/conquering-overwhelm/finding-peace/#sthash.QZflAUf2.dpuf

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” – unknown - See more at: http://www.theresaceniccola.com/conquering-overwhelm/finding-peace/#sthash.QZflAUf2.dpuf

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” – unknown - See more at: http://www.theresaceniccola.com/conquering-overwhelm/finding-peace/#sthash.QZflAUf2.dpuf

Side Step

I can't remember where I first heard the saying, "There's a fine line between being in a groove and rut", but I do understand it. For a very long time I lived in a rut of existence.  Wake up, go to work, come home, cook, clean, laundry, go to bed, and repeat ad nauseum.  That this isn't living, that's existing until I die. 

It didn't take much to get out of the rut.  All I had to do is take one step to the side from the rut to where the groove is.  The groove is made smooth and polished by attitude. 

Truly, about the only control I have over anything in life is my attitude.  Yes, occasionally I have a pity party and have a snotty attitude, but it's still under my control.  These are only momentary though.  I choose each day, each hour, each minute what my attitude will be.  Sometimes my dip back into the rut is adjusted by meeting someone that is having a tougher time coping with life than me.  It's that moment of choosing to take a step to the side and be compassionate that gets me back into the groove of living the life I love.

Mr. Roboto

I have listened to "Mr. Roboto", by Styx, since it's release in 1983.  Yes, I'm that old :) 
However, listening today, the lyrics struck me in a peculiar way.  I realized that I am quite capable of hiding my emotions behind a mask.  The mask is what I chose for the world to see.  For me, it was a bit of a protective mechanism.  I thought if I never showed my heart, then it couldn't be broken.  It was a meager existence of who I truly am.

I think, without sounding too general, a lot of men can do this.  We can compartmentalize life by placing things in boxes in our minds. The problem is that when we put our hearts and emotions in one of those boxes is that sometimes lose track of the the box.

The inherent challenge is to open the box where our heart and emotions are stored , and never put them back in there.  

To quote the song...

"The time has come at last
To throw away this mask
So everyone can see
My true identity..."


Psalm 143:9 "Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in you."

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Being-Our-Hiding-Place#sthash.zcr2fuEn.dpuf

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God-Being-Our-Hiding-Place#sthash.zcr2fuEn.dpuf

This makes me laugh

Rantings of a craving

If you're like me, you have a weakness that you can't seem to fight all the time.  For me it's breads and chips.  I prefer original Dorito's and Wendy's french fries.  I'm not allergic to any of it, but I know that if I eat those starches I'm going to blow up like Mount Kilauea in Hawaii.

I've struggled with my weight for a very long time and thanks to my wife, I was able to lose 50 pounds.  Right now, I've gained a small portion of it back because I thought a little here and there won't hurt.  Oh how wrong I was.

Oh sure, there are times when I can't seem to fight the craving and give in to it, and as soon as I do, I regret it.  But, for just that little moment of time, it satisfies some crazy thing inside my head.  I wish I knew how to fight it better and each time that I give in I feel like I'm starting over.  The truth is, I'm not starting over each time, I'm just disappointed in myself.

When that happens, I do go back to eating healthier.  Your healthy eating and my healthy eating may not be the same and if you're fortunate (from my view) you may not have a food struggle at all.

Whatever the struggle, we get the opportunity to restart!

Lamentations 3:22-24 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." 

Seems like everyone wants one

With all the advertisements with which we are bombarded it seems that the economical push to have one's own business is at the forefront.  Of course, there are a zillion commercials to buy products, but it seems to me that the underlying message is to spend your money on a website, social media campaigns, and advertising to promote a business that you may (or may not) have.

I've been down that path and haven't been successful at it.  What I have come to realize is that, for me, my role is to be a servant to others.  Not in the literal since where I work at the beck and call of an owner, but to perform kind acts and to encourage others.  I know I'm good at that and that is what my calling is, thus, what I'm doing.

We aren't all meant to run a business, just as were aren't all meant to be a great singer, producer, inventor, etc...  Find out what you are good at and give it away. 

Are your wheels spinning?

If you've ever seen an old western, I'm talking from pre-1970, there is inevitably a scene where a steam locomotive is at a dead stop and taking off.  The camera shots generally include a scene where the wheels are slipping on the tracks.  Just like a worthy endeavor, the wheels slipping at the start, and the fuel consumption being greatest at the start (or take off), is considerably higher than the remainder of the journey. 

So, with that, I am saying, keep spinning your wheels until you have full traction.  Once that occurs, the efficiency of your endeavor adds to the momentum and excitement of your journey.



FYI
Moving freight by rail is 3 times more fuel efficient than moving freight on the highway. Trains can move a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel.
The space shuttle used 90% of it's fuel for take off and can nearly endlessly circle the earth below.

It's okay

It's okay to show weakness, to ask for help, and to lean on others.  In our moments of doubt, turn to someone you trust that will help you see your way through.  I don't doubt for a minute that everyone on this list has been a strong shoulder for someone else.  Did you see that person as weak?  No, you did not.  What you saw was someone you care about suffering and you offered to help.  It builds bonds, strengthens relationships, and helps us all to be better.

Go be better today.

There is only one finish line

Perseverance, stick-to-it, determination, grit, stubborn...  In some form or fashion, the similarity between those words exists.  If you have a dream, chase it down, draw it close, will it to happen.  I've also heard that this marathon of life we are in is made up of hundreds of thousands of shorter races.  Keep moving forward! 

In the end, and I mean the real finish line, I want to be content that I've run the race(s), made a difference in a life, let the people that I love know it.  When that time comes, I will be waiting for you on the other side.

"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. "Here comes number seventy-one!" Richard M. Devos

"Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience." Admiral Hyman Rickover

"For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again." [Proverbs 24:16] Bible

A little bit goes a long way

I've heard this saying at least a million times, "A little bit goes a long way".  I think that applies to lithium grease, hybrid cars, sarcasm, exaggerating, and from personal experience, rhubarb pie. 

If you're reaching for success, to be a better person, to show love, to be loved, to care, be compassionate, a little bit does make a difference.  The catch is that you have to do a little bit every day.  Soon you will be so far from where you started that the little bit has amassed into something grand.   

The personal gain is what you become, not what you make financially.  At the end of my days I want to know, to my the depths of my soul, that I gave from my heart.  At that point, the amount of money in my bank account will not matter to me. 

My daily challenge for myself is to share my personal perception of success, love people for where they are in their journey, and to reach out ---- way out and help someone.

Conflict

You know, when you get a message, an inspiration, or the answer to a burning question that seems perfect for the moment?  Well, it is.  The messages to me this past week are about having a peaceful heart, being focused on others and forcing me to look at myself first for answers to what I deem as problems in my daily life.

When you are faced with a conflict, instead of accusing, attacking, or blaming the other person, begin with humility. This is true even if the conflict is 90% their fault.

Everyone has blindspots. No one is perfect and there are things we do that contribute toward a conflict that we have difficulty seeing. 

So, before I start attacking and blaming, I need to do a frank evaluation and ask, "How much of this conflict is my fault?" I need to do an honest checkup and admit my part. When you're wrong, admit it.

And when you're right, shut up! 

Be honest with yourself. Jesus says to look at what is in your own eye first and that will help you see the conflict clearly.

Ask, "Am I being unrealistic? Am I being insensitive? Am I being over-sensitive? Am I being too demanding? Am I being ungrateful?"

My experience as a pastor: the number one excuse for divorce is: "We're incompatible!" The Bible teaches that any two people can learn to love each other if they will grow up!

But our nature is to be self-centered and stubborn, unwilling to change! More relationships die from inflexibility than anything else

The Bible teaches we must lead with humility. How do you break a logjam in a conflict? Say, "I'm sorry, I was only thinking of myself." ~ Rick Warren

Scavenger Hunt

Opportunity rarely falls out of the sky and lands in your lap and says "Here I am".  I have looked, foraged, sought, and searched for an opportunity that would launch my career, make my life easy or make me wealthy. 

What I failed to realize is that I have the opportunity every day, every moment.

I've had a kazillion failures, yet I know that without the failures, I would never cherish success. 

You, my friends, are magnets of success. 

Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it."
Ezra 10:4

What will people think?

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:16

We care a lot. Unfortunately we care about the wrong things.

Especially when it comes to the question, “What will people think?” This life sucking, paralyzing, dream stealing question keeps us trapped in fear.

We spend way too much time trying to manage people’s possible reactions then we do on actually doing the things were called to do.  

Honestly, it’s stupid and it’s time to stop.

How different our lives would be if we stopped trying to impress people we barely care about? Or what would happen if we stopped working so hard to prove ourselves to the finicky crowd?  

What if we abandoned the need to get approval for our dreams and just went for it?

Experiment this week. Identify one thing that you’ve been wanting to do but have been afraid what others might say.

And then watch how big your life gets when you stop caring and live in freedom!

__
We all need this… tips and trips for the hard times in life! Here’s a guide.

www.secondchance.org

The Foreclosure Pattern

When you look at a house in disrepair, what runs through your mind?  I've heard people talk ill about the previous occupants, verbalizing disgust at how the house looks and what it does to their property value.  I cannot recall hearing anyone talk about how difficult it must have been for the owners to walk away from their dream.  No prayers offered for their well-being, no offers to mow the yard so it doesn't affect them. 

Or, do you look at foreclosure and think of the potential?  What could you do with that home in one, three, or five years? 

Two years ago, I felt like my life was foreclosed, I was a mess, had no dream, no vision, had no idea where I would be in the next 30 days, let alone 5 years down the road.  I think sometimes we get stuck in a rut of thinking poorly of ourselves and only see the run-down, broken person we think we are when we look in the mirror or think of where our life may currently be.

When I look at other,  I seek the light in them.  It's there, sometimes we have to dust off the surface for the true beauty to be seen.  We are magnificent, beautiful, wonderful souls and am cheering for us daily.

Get out the duster and let your beauty radiate today.

Granted

Ok, I'm not the Wizard of Oz.  Nor have the capability to change, transform, or otherwise modify your paradigm.  However, sometimes we just need to hear "stuff".  With that being said.....here goes....




I hereby empower you with an invincible determination to achieve your goals!

Anchors aweigh

The vision, the dream, the goal you have for your life is just over the horizon.  You have the choice to pull up anchor, set sail and fight for what you want, or be content in the harbor and keep doing what you are doing.  Me?  Anchors aweigh, shift colors, prepare to come about, helmsman lay a course for greatness! 



“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” — William Shedo

Minimal effort

There is a t-shirt that I've seen from time to time that says I want Whirled Peas.  Obviously a play on the wishes and prayers of many for World Peace.  I think we all know that as long as the men and women of earth either have, grab, or kill for authority, world peace is a pipe dream.

We can make peace in this raucous world in which we live.  You can have a peaceful existence and sharing a bit of your peace for someone experiencing a dark valley goes farther than you can imagine.  It only takes minimal effort.

Daily we pray for God to put people in our path that need a kind word or someone just to talk with.  We also pray that God puts people in our path that we need to learn from or can extend a moment of their peace to us.  When we first started praying this daily prayer we were, at times, caught off guard when the answer came and people seemed to be drawn to us.

With that prayer being answered on such a frequent basis, we expect it to happen.  It isn't always a face to face encounter.  You may be doing something nice out of the goodness of your heart and someone else will notice it and that's the impact.

Which reminds me of another t-shirt I saw on a teenager recently.  It simply stated #RAK for Random Acts of Kindness.  I was both moved by the fact that this young man was wearing a shirt about being kind and the impact it had on me.  That teenager was put in my path to uplift my spirit.

Go practice and accept kindness and peace.