One of my favorite things on this earth (besides my family and friends) is baseball. As of March 31 a new season is upon us. Besides the excitment of my favorite sport being available to watch regularly for the next 7 months, I enjoy this time for other reasons as well. The start of a new baseball season represents several things, such as:
1. Renewal - There is no better time for such a wonderful sport like baseball to start than in Spring. The dead of winter is now becoming the growth of Spring. The grey is becoming green again; flowers are beginning to bloom; the sound of singing birds is returning; warmer temperatures enable us to return to the beautiful outdoors. These are several examples. I'm sure you can think of others that appeal to you.
2. Hope - My favorite team is the New York Mets. If you read the pre-season reports, many are saying the Mets will not do well this year. Unfortunately, they are probably right. However, at this time, there is always hope. No matter how poorly they've done in the past or are are predicted to do this year, every team is just as good as the other right now. Every fan can dream World Series. Yes, for some reality hits fast, but for now everyone has a chance. It's like the New York lottery slogan..."hey, ya never know". In many cases, the teams that get to the World Series are not the ones people expected to be there in the beginning of the season.
3. Excellent competition - Yes, there are 162 games. However, each one can make a difference in the end. The thing I like about baseball players is they play most games as if it were the last. The results are not always there, but I rarely get the feeling a player or team is not taking the game seriously. Besides, baseball is the type of game I can enjoy o any beautiful afternoon or evening, especially with a bag of chips or peanuts in one hand, and a cold drink in the other.
These are just a few reasons I enjoy the game so much. I love it for what it is and for what it represents. Now the wait is over. So take me out to the ballgame, buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, and PLAY BALL!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Affirm Greatness
I see a lot online and in books these days about something called affirmations. Affirmations are things that we tell ourselves over and over again. For example, if you are seeking more confidence, you can keep affirming, "I am confident". If you want to feel more healthy, keep affirming, "I feel great". The point is to convince our subconscious that it is true, and we eventually believe it and act accordingly.
Do affirmations work? Will my subconscious be smart enough to believe something I tell it over and over again? Can I change my life just by telling myself things? From my experience affirmations do work. Whether you realize it or not, you are telling yourself things all the time anyway. And you believe it. For example, if you are not as healthy as you would like to be, you may be telling yourself (consciously or unconsciously) how tired you are, or you are focusing on the aches and pains or stress in your life. If you are lacking confidence, you are somehow telling yourself that you are not good enough. It is human nature, and we do it all the time.
Instead, tell yourself how great you are! Tell yourself that you have all kinds of energy and you feel great. Look in the mirror and tell yourself how great you look. Tell yourself that you deserve that promotion at work and the extra money that comes with it. Tell yourself what a great romantic partner you are, or would be. Also very importantly, remind yourself that God is with you always and you can't fail with Him by your side.
The key is to tell your mind what you want it to hear. What happens is that you ultimately believe it, and become what you want to be. There is nothing wrong with teling yourself great things and looking for big things. It positively affects all areas of your life. You will be blessed and be a blessing to others. Everyone wins! Affirm greatness. It's there if you want it.
Have an excellent day : )
Do affirmations work? Will my subconscious be smart enough to believe something I tell it over and over again? Can I change my life just by telling myself things? From my experience affirmations do work. Whether you realize it or not, you are telling yourself things all the time anyway. And you believe it. For example, if you are not as healthy as you would like to be, you may be telling yourself (consciously or unconsciously) how tired you are, or you are focusing on the aches and pains or stress in your life. If you are lacking confidence, you are somehow telling yourself that you are not good enough. It is human nature, and we do it all the time.
Instead, tell yourself how great you are! Tell yourself that you have all kinds of energy and you feel great. Look in the mirror and tell yourself how great you look. Tell yourself that you deserve that promotion at work and the extra money that comes with it. Tell yourself what a great romantic partner you are, or would be. Also very importantly, remind yourself that God is with you always and you can't fail with Him by your side.
The key is to tell your mind what you want it to hear. What happens is that you ultimately believe it, and become what you want to be. There is nothing wrong with teling yourself great things and looking for big things. It positively affects all areas of your life. You will be blessed and be a blessing to others. Everyone wins! Affirm greatness. It's there if you want it.
Have an excellent day : )
Monday, March 28, 2011
Let Your Light Shine
You may remember the old church song..."this little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine." I always liked it. It's a catchy song and it has great meaning.
The question people sometimes ask is, "how do I let my light shine?" It's a great question. In the Bible it tells us to avoid hiding our light, but to let our light shine brightly instead. However, the instructions for doing so are not easily found. In thinking about this lately, I believe I can condense it to 3 simple steps:
1. Know that God is always with us - He is the light of the world, and is a part of our being. The more we consciously realize this, the more positive and powerful are lives can be.
2. Be the best person you can be - Notice how I didn't say be perfect. That's impossible for us. However, the more we focus on being the best person we can be, and use our unique God-given talents without fear of what others may think, the more positive impacts we can make.
3, Let God do the rest - His power is far greater than anything we can ever muster up. When we allow His work to be done in our lives, His light comes shining through ever so brightly.
As you can see, there is not a whole lot we have to do. One may ask, what about the action part? Great question. It is part of the equation. However, I find that the more I try to do, the less I actually accomplish. When I follow the guidelines above, and I pray for direction, I am often directed to the next steps. If I obey that direction and take those next steps, it is much easier to take action. This is because instead of doing what I think I should be doing, I am taking God-inspired action and I have His complete power backing me up. It is then that I can accomplish anything.
If you are looking to let your light shine brightly and positively affect those around you, I recommend these steps. I can only recommend them because this formula has worked very well for me. I know because I can see the positive reactions of the people around me. I also know that it's not me, but that Godly light shining through me that they are seeing. All because I have increased my awareness of it and let it shine in every area of my life. If it is true for me, it is true for anyone.
Have an excellent day : )
The question people sometimes ask is, "how do I let my light shine?" It's a great question. In the Bible it tells us to avoid hiding our light, but to let our light shine brightly instead. However, the instructions for doing so are not easily found. In thinking about this lately, I believe I can condense it to 3 simple steps:
1. Know that God is always with us - He is the light of the world, and is a part of our being. The more we consciously realize this, the more positive and powerful are lives can be.
2. Be the best person you can be - Notice how I didn't say be perfect. That's impossible for us. However, the more we focus on being the best person we can be, and use our unique God-given talents without fear of what others may think, the more positive impacts we can make.
3, Let God do the rest - His power is far greater than anything we can ever muster up. When we allow His work to be done in our lives, His light comes shining through ever so brightly.
As you can see, there is not a whole lot we have to do. One may ask, what about the action part? Great question. It is part of the equation. However, I find that the more I try to do, the less I actually accomplish. When I follow the guidelines above, and I pray for direction, I am often directed to the next steps. If I obey that direction and take those next steps, it is much easier to take action. This is because instead of doing what I think I should be doing, I am taking God-inspired action and I have His complete power backing me up. It is then that I can accomplish anything.
If you are looking to let your light shine brightly and positively affect those around you, I recommend these steps. I can only recommend them because this formula has worked very well for me. I know because I can see the positive reactions of the people around me. I also know that it's not me, but that Godly light shining through me that they are seeing. All because I have increased my awareness of it and let it shine in every area of my life. If it is true for me, it is true for anyone.
Have an excellent day : )
Powerful Prayer
Are you looking for a way to add power and effectiveness to your prayer? Some time ago my church handed out a prayer pamphlet. I never paid much attention to it until the other day. It had a great prayer formula that I am happy to share:
P - Praise. Begin by thanking God for all of the greatness He has already shown in your life. It's amazing how even more blessing shows up when you do.
R - Repent. We all make mistakes. When we acknowledge them an ask for forgiveness, He is quick to respond and forget. It's amazing how much better we feel after we confess our shortcomings and know that they are forgiven for good. It makes it much easier to move on and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
A - Ask. Do not be afraid to ask, and to ask big! Most importantly, ask that His will be done in our lives. It's not always what we expect, but always as good or better. Ask and believe for great things. Remember, the bigger we ask, the bigger we receive.
Y - Yield. Know that He has heard our prayers and will answer in His time according to His perfect will. Know that when your situation, trial, or hope is in His hands, you can rest easy. It's all good!
Many times people hesitate to pray because they don't know how, or don't know where to start. I believe this formula is an excellent one, as it covers most aspects of Godly communication. It can be done quickly, or over a longer period of time. I try to use it several times a day, and I find it very effective. It is equally effective even if you can only do it once. Either way, the bottom line is that you are utilizing the amazing power of prayer in your life. God appreciates the time and so will you.
Have an excellent day : )
P - Praise. Begin by thanking God for all of the greatness He has already shown in your life. It's amazing how even more blessing shows up when you do.
R - Repent. We all make mistakes. When we acknowledge them an ask for forgiveness, He is quick to respond and forget. It's amazing how much better we feel after we confess our shortcomings and know that they are forgiven for good. It makes it much easier to move on and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
A - Ask. Do not be afraid to ask, and to ask big! Most importantly, ask that His will be done in our lives. It's not always what we expect, but always as good or better. Ask and believe for great things. Remember, the bigger we ask, the bigger we receive.
Y - Yield. Know that He has heard our prayers and will answer in His time according to His perfect will. Know that when your situation, trial, or hope is in His hands, you can rest easy. It's all good!
Many times people hesitate to pray because they don't know how, or don't know where to start. I believe this formula is an excellent one, as it covers most aspects of Godly communication. It can be done quickly, or over a longer period of time. I try to use it several times a day, and I find it very effective. It is equally effective even if you can only do it once. Either way, the bottom line is that you are utilizing the amazing power of prayer in your life. God appreciates the time and so will you.
Have an excellent day : )
Sunday, January 2, 2011
My 2011 Intentions
I am so thankful that God sets up time the way He does. Each DAY is a new opportunity for a dream to come true or a mistake to be corrected. However, even when we don't use our days correctly, we have a new year every 365 days to start again.
Like most people, I start each year with goals that I would like to accomplish. This year is no exception, and I am very optimistic about this one, as I am seeing it as a positive, breakthrough year. I am just one person in a world of many, but I now share my thoughts with anyone interested. If you have any suggestions, I'm listening. If some of your goals are in common with mine, then I'd love to hear from you and compare notes and strategies. So here are mine. I will not call them resolutions. To me, resolutions are ideals, and by March are not being accomplished. Instead, I will call them intentions. Intention is a much stronger word and implies action. Here we go:
1. I intend to Do it NOW!!! - I have learned so much great and helpful information in the past few years. This information has geared me for success in my own life, and for helping others be successful. Problem is, I am still slow to act...until now. This is the time to act, not later, not in a few minutes or days, or weeks, but NOW! Procrastination is no longer my middle name, and I no longer tolerate lack of action on my part.
2. I intend to Organize my Time - I have written about breaking my day into 15 minute blocks and how much it helps. By keeping this time frame and organizing my day that way, I am more likely to accomplish step 1, and can do so much more with each of my days, regardless of how much or how little time I have.
3. I intend to Keep in Touch - There are so many great people in my life, and more are coming in every day. I am ever thankful for that. I refuse to let time go so fast that I don't keep in constant communication with these great people in my life. I intend, even if its just 15 minutes a day, to communicate, send a nice note, smile, or anything to as many people as possible and let them know how much I appreciate them.
4. I intend to Rely on and Share God's Power More Than Ever Before - I consider myself a positive and faithful person. I have learned valuable lessons about how faith in God's power brings great things into my life. Problem is, I still haven't relied on it enough. In order for me and those around me to be successful, I need to do this constantly, and I will..instead of constantly relying on my own strength. I intend for God's light to shine abundantly through me, and let His love and power overflow in me so that I can be a blessing to others and glorify Him.
5. I intend to Double My Income - How? I have no clue. However, I intend to follow step 4 very seriously and pray big. After all, if I don't ask, will I ever receive? I am sick of (and I'm sure He is too) putting God in a box, praying small prayers, and keeping my expectations low. This is more than a material intention. It is a personal battle of faith, and a self-challenge to let God be God in my life and stop putting limitations on what He can do. This is one of the biggest areas where it hits me the most. I have faith that this battle will be won. The extra income will then be a secondary (but much cherished) reward.
I appreciate you reading as I share my heart and soul for this new year. I want so much to be the best person I can be, and to be someone that will put a huge smile on my God's face. Once again, if you have any suggestions please share. If there's a way I can help you accomplish your goals, please let me know. It is my prayer that God will bless you beyond your wildest dreams in 2011.
Like most people, I start each year with goals that I would like to accomplish. This year is no exception, and I am very optimistic about this one, as I am seeing it as a positive, breakthrough year. I am just one person in a world of many, but I now share my thoughts with anyone interested. If you have any suggestions, I'm listening. If some of your goals are in common with mine, then I'd love to hear from you and compare notes and strategies. So here are mine. I will not call them resolutions. To me, resolutions are ideals, and by March are not being accomplished. Instead, I will call them intentions. Intention is a much stronger word and implies action. Here we go:
1. I intend to Do it NOW!!! - I have learned so much great and helpful information in the past few years. This information has geared me for success in my own life, and for helping others be successful. Problem is, I am still slow to act...until now. This is the time to act, not later, not in a few minutes or days, or weeks, but NOW! Procrastination is no longer my middle name, and I no longer tolerate lack of action on my part.
2. I intend to Organize my Time - I have written about breaking my day into 15 minute blocks and how much it helps. By keeping this time frame and organizing my day that way, I am more likely to accomplish step 1, and can do so much more with each of my days, regardless of how much or how little time I have.
3. I intend to Keep in Touch - There are so many great people in my life, and more are coming in every day. I am ever thankful for that. I refuse to let time go so fast that I don't keep in constant communication with these great people in my life. I intend, even if its just 15 minutes a day, to communicate, send a nice note, smile, or anything to as many people as possible and let them know how much I appreciate them.
4. I intend to Rely on and Share God's Power More Than Ever Before - I consider myself a positive and faithful person. I have learned valuable lessons about how faith in God's power brings great things into my life. Problem is, I still haven't relied on it enough. In order for me and those around me to be successful, I need to do this constantly, and I will..instead of constantly relying on my own strength. I intend for God's light to shine abundantly through me, and let His love and power overflow in me so that I can be a blessing to others and glorify Him.
5. I intend to Double My Income - How? I have no clue. However, I intend to follow step 4 very seriously and pray big. After all, if I don't ask, will I ever receive? I am sick of (and I'm sure He is too) putting God in a box, praying small prayers, and keeping my expectations low. This is more than a material intention. It is a personal battle of faith, and a self-challenge to let God be God in my life and stop putting limitations on what He can do. This is one of the biggest areas where it hits me the most. I have faith that this battle will be won. The extra income will then be a secondary (but much cherished) reward.
I appreciate you reading as I share my heart and soul for this new year. I want so much to be the best person I can be, and to be someone that will put a huge smile on my God's face. Once again, if you have any suggestions please share. If there's a way I can help you accomplish your goals, please let me know. It is my prayer that God will bless you beyond your wildest dreams in 2011.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Where's The Sun
Do you ever feel like the sun will never come out again? I live in Buffalo NY. We haven't seen much of the sun lately. In fact, most days it is cold, and we have received over 3 feet of snow in the past two weeks.
I don't say this to complain (although this weather does wear on me). I know that there is a sun hidden behind those clouds. I know eventually it will shine again, even though at this time I feel like it's not there at all.
Sometimes we face clouds and obstacles in our own lives. We may wonder where the sun is, or we believe God may have forgotten about us as we struggle though the days. However, I am reminded that, although He may not be "shining through" at the moment, he is there behind the "clouds" of our difficult situations. Eventually we will again feel His light and warmth.
Just as we know that summer is coming again in the not too distant future, we can also know that, if things are difficult now, brighter days are not that far away. We definitely have great things to look forward to : )
Have an excellent day!
I don't say this to complain (although this weather does wear on me). I know that there is a sun hidden behind those clouds. I know eventually it will shine again, even though at this time I feel like it's not there at all.
Sometimes we face clouds and obstacles in our own lives. We may wonder where the sun is, or we believe God may have forgotten about us as we struggle though the days. However, I am reminded that, although He may not be "shining through" at the moment, he is there behind the "clouds" of our difficult situations. Eventually we will again feel His light and warmth.
Just as we know that summer is coming again in the not too distant future, we can also know that, if things are difficult now, brighter days are not that far away. We definitely have great things to look forward to : )
Have an excellent day!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Time Management Tip
Time is such a precious commodity. It is something we often feel we never have enough of, especially during the Christmas season. So how do we find more of it? Or can we?
Earlier this year I read a great time management tip, one that has helped me more than any other. I've written about it before, but as I am feeling a bit of a time crunch these days, and many others are too, I feel the need to share again.
This time management tip comes from author Jim Britt in his book, "Do This Get Rich". It is very simple, and if followed, can have dramatic effects on your productivity. I've seen it in my own life. He suggests breaking the day down into 15 minute chunks. He says thaHe He points out that, in an average day, we have 60 of these blocks. By focusing on each of these 15 minute blocks, it helps us become more aware of the time and using it effectively. He says 15 minutes works best because it is enough time to get something done, and it is short enough that, if adjustments need to be made, they can be made without a good part of the day being wasted.
It's amazing how well this can help organize your day and increase the amount you accomplish. When I organize my day this way, I find that I am more focused and more aware of what I need to get done and what I can get done. Also, I don't feel so overwhelmed and disorganized. Almost magically, the to-do list decreases, and the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment increases.
I strongly suggest you try this method of the 15 minute breakdown. I believe you will find yourself accomplishing more, and will feel more peaceful during this sometimes hectic time. And please use one of your 15 minute chunks to share about your success : )
Have an excellent day!
Earlier this year I read a great time management tip, one that has helped me more than any other. I've written about it before, but as I am feeling a bit of a time crunch these days, and many others are too, I feel the need to share again.
This time management tip comes from author Jim Britt in his book, "Do This Get Rich". It is very simple, and if followed, can have dramatic effects on your productivity. I've seen it in my own life. He suggests breaking the day down into 15 minute chunks. He says thaHe He points out that, in an average day, we have 60 of these blocks. By focusing on each of these 15 minute blocks, it helps us become more aware of the time and using it effectively. He says 15 minutes works best because it is enough time to get something done, and it is short enough that, if adjustments need to be made, they can be made without a good part of the day being wasted.
It's amazing how well this can help organize your day and increase the amount you accomplish. When I organize my day this way, I find that I am more focused and more aware of what I need to get done and what I can get done. Also, I don't feel so overwhelmed and disorganized. Almost magically, the to-do list decreases, and the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment increases.
I strongly suggest you try this method of the 15 minute breakdown. I believe you will find yourself accomplishing more, and will feel more peaceful during this sometimes hectic time. And please use one of your 15 minute chunks to share about your success : )
Have an excellent day!
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