I just returned from a weekend at my parents' house. I was there with my wife and kids, my parents, and my two sisters and their families. It's always a full house as one sister has 8 kids. It's a bit loud and crazy, but it's always great. There were three things I observed this weekend to further my belief that I am the luckiest human being regarding family:
1. There was not one negative word the whole weekend. This is no exaggeration. Yes, sometimes kids whine a bit, and adults disagree. However, all of the kids got along without any issues, and there was nothing but pleasant conversation among the adults.
2. Everyone enjoyed each other's company. I felt loved and appreciated by every single person there, and I am sure they felt the same from me. Everyone was happy to be there and would not have argued with the weekend lasting a few more days.
3. Laughs and smiles were the theme of the weekend. It was easy to laugh and help others to do the same.
I don't share this information to brag. I share it as a public display of thanks to my Creator for bringing me into this world and sharing this part of eternity with the wonderful people He has allowed me to call family. They are simply the best. I would certainly hope you are lucky enough to say the same about yours.
Have an excellent day : )
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
It's All About Faith
I can't believe I've only been able to write one entry on this site in the past two weeks. The amount of time I've had has gone down, and the demands of life and job have gone up. It's a bit frustrating because I feel like I can't accomplish some of the goals I have set for myself. What can I do to change that?
I believe one of the keys is in the first sentence of this entry. The first three words in fact. I have found myself "not believing" far too often. That's where things need to change.
If you find yourself in the same situation, perhaps the first thing to do is start believing. You've heard people say.."you can do anything you put your mind to". It is so true. The Bible is loaded with verses about faith and its benefits. With faith all things are possible. I can do ALL things through Christ. According to your faith it is done. It is a simple fact that great things happen for people who believe they can. If you believe in miracles, it is far more likely that you will see them happen.
I am at a point where I am tired of letting events and business affect my life. I challenge myself and anyone else to have the faith to know that God is fully in control of our lives. We need to have this confidence and faith in each situation in each day. I believe it will make a huge difference. I challenge you to try. I have faith that life will be great as a result.
Have an excellent day : )
I believe one of the keys is in the first sentence of this entry. The first three words in fact. I have found myself "not believing" far too often. That's where things need to change.
If you find yourself in the same situation, perhaps the first thing to do is start believing. You've heard people say.."you can do anything you put your mind to". It is so true. The Bible is loaded with verses about faith and its benefits. With faith all things are possible. I can do ALL things through Christ. According to your faith it is done. It is a simple fact that great things happen for people who believe they can. If you believe in miracles, it is far more likely that you will see them happen.
I am at a point where I am tired of letting events and business affect my life. I challenge myself and anyone else to have the faith to know that God is fully in control of our lives. We need to have this confidence and faith in each situation in each day. I believe it will make a huge difference. I challenge you to try. I have faith that life will be great as a result.
Have an excellent day : )
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
WIJWH
You may be asking, "what's with the weird title?" What on earth does it mean? I will say that, no, I haven't yet learned to blog in code.
You may have heard the expression, WWJD. If not, it means "What Would Jesus Do?" The point is to think about situations in our lives and see them as Jesus would see them. We think about what Jesus would do, and do our best to be like Him. I believe it is a very helpful philosophy to live by, and one that can bring much success to all areas of our lives.
I was reading a book the other day that talked about ways to avoid worrying. It suggested that, when facing difficult situations, it is helpful to imagine Jesus as being right next to us. If He was there with us would we fear? I would think not. So I decided to create the phrase of the title. It stands for "What If Jesus Was Here?" Think about that for a minute. What if Jesus was right next to us and was with us for every situation we encountered in our lives: Our homes; our jobs; our church. We would move ahead with confidence in each and every situation, knowing any difficulties would be handled, and any necessary assistance would be available. Even miracles would be possible.
The truth is..Jesus really IS with us. He is with us in every area and every situation of our lives. They key is to constantly be aware of that. When we realize He is with us we can move ahead with confidence and know the difficulties are being handled. We can know that any necessary assistance is available, and we can even expect miracles!
Let us live our lives as if Jesus was right here with us. We can do that because He is! When we live this way we can live with confidence and power, and we can have great impacts on the world around us. I look forward to hearing your stories.
Have an excellent day : )
You may have heard the expression, WWJD. If not, it means "What Would Jesus Do?" The point is to think about situations in our lives and see them as Jesus would see them. We think about what Jesus would do, and do our best to be like Him. I believe it is a very helpful philosophy to live by, and one that can bring much success to all areas of our lives.
I was reading a book the other day that talked about ways to avoid worrying. It suggested that, when facing difficult situations, it is helpful to imagine Jesus as being right next to us. If He was there with us would we fear? I would think not. So I decided to create the phrase of the title. It stands for "What If Jesus Was Here?" Think about that for a minute. What if Jesus was right next to us and was with us for every situation we encountered in our lives: Our homes; our jobs; our church. We would move ahead with confidence in each and every situation, knowing any difficulties would be handled, and any necessary assistance would be available. Even miracles would be possible.
The truth is..Jesus really IS with us. He is with us in every area and every situation of our lives. They key is to constantly be aware of that. When we realize He is with us we can move ahead with confidence and know the difficulties are being handled. We can know that any necessary assistance is available, and we can even expect miracles!
Let us live our lives as if Jesus was right here with us. We can do that because He is! When we live this way we can live with confidence and power, and we can have great impacts on the world around us. I look forward to hearing your stories.
Have an excellent day : )
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Correcting Errors
I have always been a huge baseball fan. I played it, I watch it, and enjoy seeing young people learn the game. I recently became the head coach of my school's baseball team of 12-14 year old boys (and one girl).
This is the first time I have ever coached a team. I have two excellent assistants, and the kids are great. As a result, I am enjoying it immensely. We have a very good team. In our first game we played the defending champions. Going into the last inning the game was tied. We had a chance to win, except our team fell apart in the last inning, giving up 6 runs, mainly due to errors.
One of our players was responsible for several of the errors. He was very upset about it, and began crying as he took responsibility for the loss. After talking to our team, I talked to him individually. I explained to him that I was not at all upset with him because the errors were honest, physical errors, not mental ones. His head was in the game, and he was playing it right. He just made some honest mistakes, and I told him I had full confidence he could correct them. Fortunately, he felt much better after the discussion.
At the next practice, I discussed a 4 step process to help him out. The steps are:
1. Figure out the error/mistake - I made him aware of the mistakes he made that caused some of the errors.
2. Learn from the mistakes - Ask how the mistakes can be avoided in the future.
3. Know the right way - I showed him the correct way to do things like positioning, catching the ball, etc.
4. Practice/Repetition - We practiced several times, and continue to do so on a regular basis.
I thought about how this can apply to all areas of our lives. We all make errors. Some of us make more than our fair share. When we do, we have two choices: One is to keep making the same mistakes, while the other is to learn from them. I believe these four steps can help us correct our mistakes: determine what you are doing wrong; learn how to avoid the same mistake again; know the correct course of action; practice and make the right way the regular way.
Errors can be great ways to learn if we see them that way and refuse to let them get us down. That's how errors become home runs!
Have an excellent day : )
This is the first time I have ever coached a team. I have two excellent assistants, and the kids are great. As a result, I am enjoying it immensely. We have a very good team. In our first game we played the defending champions. Going into the last inning the game was tied. We had a chance to win, except our team fell apart in the last inning, giving up 6 runs, mainly due to errors.
One of our players was responsible for several of the errors. He was very upset about it, and began crying as he took responsibility for the loss. After talking to our team, I talked to him individually. I explained to him that I was not at all upset with him because the errors were honest, physical errors, not mental ones. His head was in the game, and he was playing it right. He just made some honest mistakes, and I told him I had full confidence he could correct them. Fortunately, he felt much better after the discussion.
At the next practice, I discussed a 4 step process to help him out. The steps are:
1. Figure out the error/mistake - I made him aware of the mistakes he made that caused some of the errors.
2. Learn from the mistakes - Ask how the mistakes can be avoided in the future.
3. Know the right way - I showed him the correct way to do things like positioning, catching the ball, etc.
4. Practice/Repetition - We practiced several times, and continue to do so on a regular basis.
I thought about how this can apply to all areas of our lives. We all make errors. Some of us make more than our fair share. When we do, we have two choices: One is to keep making the same mistakes, while the other is to learn from them. I believe these four steps can help us correct our mistakes: determine what you are doing wrong; learn how to avoid the same mistake again; know the correct course of action; practice and make the right way the regular way.
Errors can be great ways to learn if we see them that way and refuse to let them get us down. That's how errors become home runs!
Have an excellent day : )
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Expect A Miracle
Mothers Day is always a special day as we celebrate the moms in our life. For this most recent one we spent a wonderful day with my mother in law. Per her request we attended service at her church instead of our own.
I am very comfortable with my church and very much enjoy our services. However, I am always open to visiting other churches to see how other Christians worship and reflect on the Word. As I entered this church, it took me about five seconds to know I would like it there. As you walk into the sanctuary, there is a big sign above that says "Expect a Miracle".
How often do you expect miracles? If you're like many, it is not often enough. We often focus on our worries and doubts instead of the great possibilities that await us. I know I can fall into that category more often than I care to admit.
It is amazing how, when we expect miracles, they happen. I've seen it far too many times in my own life. As we read about the many miracles in the Bible, or even in our current world, we see that it is when people have faith that great things happen. The Bible says, "if you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew:21:22). "Everything is possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). There are many other verses that say the same.
I believe God is waiting for us to ask for miracles. So why not ask? He will not be offended. He will not push us aside. He will not say we are wrong. However, he will expect us to believe.
Whatever you are hoping for today, know that it is possible. It may not happen this instant as we want it, but miracles are wating to occur in your life. Know it and expect it, and you will soon see it. Please share when it does take place.
Have an excellent day : )
I am very comfortable with my church and very much enjoy our services. However, I am always open to visiting other churches to see how other Christians worship and reflect on the Word. As I entered this church, it took me about five seconds to know I would like it there. As you walk into the sanctuary, there is a big sign above that says "Expect a Miracle".
How often do you expect miracles? If you're like many, it is not often enough. We often focus on our worries and doubts instead of the great possibilities that await us. I know I can fall into that category more often than I care to admit.
It is amazing how, when we expect miracles, they happen. I've seen it far too many times in my own life. As we read about the many miracles in the Bible, or even in our current world, we see that it is when people have faith that great things happen. The Bible says, "if you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew:21:22). "Everything is possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). There are many other verses that say the same.
I believe God is waiting for us to ask for miracles. So why not ask? He will not be offended. He will not push us aside. He will not say we are wrong. However, he will expect us to believe.
Whatever you are hoping for today, know that it is possible. It may not happen this instant as we want it, but miracles are wating to occur in your life. Know it and expect it, and you will soon see it. Please share when it does take place.
Have an excellent day : )
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Focusing on the Moment
I was watching a beautiful sunset the other day. It was just one of those classic, beautiful settings outside my kitchen window on a warm Spring day. I watched it for a few seconds and enjoyed it. That is, until I thought of all the the things I still had to do that day. At that time, I left the window, and continued to get drawn in to my busy schedule.
Those that have been reading this blog may be thinking that I am writing different blogs about this same subject of focus on the present. I can't disagree if you think that. However, because of this situation and others, I feel the need to share this information.
I was quite disappointed in myself as I looked back on this situation. I couldn't enjoy a God-given, colorful sunset. Instead I focused on my business and worries, afraid that something wasn't going to get done on time. I've had a tendency to do this. I remember being at my parents' house in the country. We were outside at night, and there were millions of stars in the sky, much more than we can see in our suburban backyard. We also saw many shooting stars. However, I remember going inside much earlier than I would have liked. One reason was because the bugs were getting to me. The other is that I felt the need to get in and rest for my four hour drive home the next day. Once again, I could not enjoy one of nature's greatest moments because I focused on distractions and worries.
I keep reading these days about enjoying and taking advantage of the present moment. Some of those moments, like the scenic sunset and shooting star show, don't come about often. So why not fully enjoy them when they do? So what if the bugs are biting. So what if the clock is ticking faster than we would like. So what if some distractions come our way. Instead of focusing on them and what we may have to do tomorrow, why not enjoy what we have today. Enjoy and meditate on God's beauty all around us. Enjoy and love the beautiful people God has put in our lives (even the ones we don't want to). Enjoy the magic of each day we have on this earth. There is something beautiful about each one.
I wish I could say distractions and negative situations won't come into our lives. We all know they do. However, if we take the time to focus on the positive, the beautiful, and the good of the present moment, we will have the power to swat the negatives away like a persistent gnat.
I pledge to spend more time enjoying the great things around me, and not letting the negative thoughts and worries enter my head when I do. I am a positive person, and it's time to start acting that way. I would recommend the same for anyone. The next time you see the beautiful sunset, meteor shower, or any of nature's beautiful moments, please spend the extra time to enjoy them without letting any of life's distractions interfere. I believe that's exactly how God intended it.
Have an excellent day : )
Those that have been reading this blog may be thinking that I am writing different blogs about this same subject of focus on the present. I can't disagree if you think that. However, because of this situation and others, I feel the need to share this information.
I was quite disappointed in myself as I looked back on this situation. I couldn't enjoy a God-given, colorful sunset. Instead I focused on my business and worries, afraid that something wasn't going to get done on time. I've had a tendency to do this. I remember being at my parents' house in the country. We were outside at night, and there were millions of stars in the sky, much more than we can see in our suburban backyard. We also saw many shooting stars. However, I remember going inside much earlier than I would have liked. One reason was because the bugs were getting to me. The other is that I felt the need to get in and rest for my four hour drive home the next day. Once again, I could not enjoy one of nature's greatest moments because I focused on distractions and worries.
I keep reading these days about enjoying and taking advantage of the present moment. Some of those moments, like the scenic sunset and shooting star show, don't come about often. So why not fully enjoy them when they do? So what if the bugs are biting. So what if the clock is ticking faster than we would like. So what if some distractions come our way. Instead of focusing on them and what we may have to do tomorrow, why not enjoy what we have today. Enjoy and meditate on God's beauty all around us. Enjoy and love the beautiful people God has put in our lives (even the ones we don't want to). Enjoy the magic of each day we have on this earth. There is something beautiful about each one.
I wish I could say distractions and negative situations won't come into our lives. We all know they do. However, if we take the time to focus on the positive, the beautiful, and the good of the present moment, we will have the power to swat the negatives away like a persistent gnat.
I pledge to spend more time enjoying the great things around me, and not letting the negative thoughts and worries enter my head when I do. I am a positive person, and it's time to start acting that way. I would recommend the same for anyone. The next time you see the beautiful sunset, meteor shower, or any of nature's beautiful moments, please spend the extra time to enjoy them without letting any of life's distractions interfere. I believe that's exactly how God intended it.
Have an excellent day : )
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