"How do you stop when you shop?"

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Today is the busiest shopping day of the year in America. Millions of people are crowding malls and centers right now. Some of them got up earlier than they do when they go to work!

It’s easy to start shopping, but how do you stop when you shop? Like when you’re shopping for clothes? You know you can’t just get a new pair of dress slacks. Suddenly you need a new belt or pair of suspenders. Next it’s a new pair of socks to match that unusual shade. And you can always use a couple of new ties, right?

Or, that new blouse begs for a new skirt. And of course, the color of that new skirt just doesn’t match any of your shoes so you simply must have those designer pumps. And you can always use a new pair of hose, right?

You know the best thing about God is that you don’t have to shop for God. When you find God, you can simply stop right there without adding on a bunch of accessories. Because when you find God, you’re satisfied. So find God and be satisfied as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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"Today is Thanksgiving. Are you counting your blessings?"

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A pastor was on a mission trip leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. There was time for one more song, so he asked if anyone had a request. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around to make her request.

She had the most hideous face you can imagine. The woman's nose and ears were completely gone due to the leprosy. Despite all of this personal devastation, she lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, "Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?"

Today when you feel stressed out or burned out or cast out and don’t think that you can face one more minute of a hopeless, despairing, end-of-your-rope day, think about this woman who despite her personal devastation chose to count her many blessings. Remember her example, take one step away from your self-pity, lift your fingers, and count one blessing God gave you no matter how small it is. Then listen to your life and give thanks for who you are and all you have as you make a life, not just a living.

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"Do you say 'Thank You'?"

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I walked into the room where I was to do my workshop on stress relief and immediately knew I was either in the wrong room or it had been set up for someone else. So I checked the room name and it was the right one so I started looking for someone who could arrange the room differently. And that’s when I found Kenny.

Kenny greeted me with this huge grin, a firm handshake, and a "How may I help you?," can-do attitude. I explained the room set-up situation to him and his only question was, "How do you want it?" I told him and he set off to work on it. I came back in about 15 minutes and the room was exactly what I requested.

Kenny came back in as I set-up my things and I told him, "Kenny, you are the man! This room is exactly the way I wanted it." I shook his hand and said, "Now let me do something for you." I signed a copy of my new book, Listen to Life Like a Child, and handed it to him.

Today when someone does something for you, find a way to say "Thank you!" God smiles on both of you as you listen to life and make a life.

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"Life’s about the little things, isn’t it?"

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I spoke to a group recently, telling stories like this one while coaching them to listen to life. Later I saw a man from the audience in the restroom. He shook my hand firmly, looked me in the eye, and said, "Thank you for what you said. I really enjoyed it and you reminded me of something that I might have forgotten."
"What’s that?" I said. I love it when people tell me their stories.

"Well," he said, "when my wife and I were first married, she did something that irritated me. You see, my Mama raised me to always hang the toilet paper so that it fell under the roll. Well, my wife hung the toilet paper so that it fell over the roll."

"So how many arguments did you have about that?" I asked.

"More than a few," he said. "Until one day I realized that life’s about the little things and I didn’t need to be right every time."

He’s right this time, you know. Life is about the little things and you don’t have to be right every time. Listen to your life for the little things as you make a life, and not just a living and let somebody else be right occasionally.

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"Do you forgive and forget?"

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Our school system was integrated when I was in 5th grade. Carlton had never had a white friend before me, but we became friends despite the daily bomb threats and riots. We haven’t seen each other since high school graduation, but recently Carlton and I got back together. And he told me this story.

My dad gave me a really nice pen. Carlton loved that pen probably more than I did so I let him take it home one weekend. Well, his little sister found the pen and while playing with it, broke it. Carlton says he was so ashamed and hurt to have to bring it back to me that way, but he did anyway. He explained what had happened, and says that I said, "It’s okay. I forgive you." And we went on through the next seven years together without my ever mentioning it again.

Frankly, I don’t remember that happening at all and I told Carlton I’d just have to take his word for it. And he said, "Well, that means you really did forgive me. You forgot about it, too."

Tell someone "It’s okay, I forgive you" today as you listen to life.

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