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Thursday, December 06, 2007

"Got love?"


A friend came over recently and we watched a football game together. He sat on our sofa at one end. One of our yellow Labrador retrievers, Princess, walked into the room, spotted room on the sofa next to my friend and crawled up. Within just a few minutes, she had her head in his lap and he was rubbing it. Pretty soon, she had her head and shoulders in his lap and he was rubbing her neck.

The next thing I know, she’s licking his face and he’s rubbing her neck. Then she’s trying to get her whole body into his lap. And he’s laughing and I’m laughing and in her own way, Princess was laughing!

I know this is a busy time of year for you. You have more on your schedule than you normally do—extra events in addition to the usual activities. But let me let you in on a secret—if you truly want to make a life and not just a living, take some time out to share love with another. You see, just like my friend experienced, when you give a little love to someone else, you receive a lot of love back!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

"What’s your legacy?"


I was at a funeral recently for a woman who had two grandsons. Both of these guys gave her eulogy. That’s pretty tough when you’re close with your grandmother like these two obviously were.

I was greatly intrigued by their eulogy. These two grandsons didn’t talk about what lavish gifts they received from their grandmother or expensive trips she took them on.

What did they talk about? They talked about the time they spent together doing everyday kinds of activities. They remembered the special foods she cooked just for them. They laughed about her pet phrases. They recalled her pranks and practical jokes she pulled on her family and friends.

I was struck by the fact that the things so many of us consider important weren’t what these guys talked about. The spiritual legacy these grandsons received was about everyday things.

What kind of legacy will your grandchildren recall? They’ll probably talk about the little things you do, little things that are really big. So listen to life today and focus on making a life, not just making a living.

"Where’s your trash?"


I read recently about a major corporation that transformed the way it handles its trash. Previously they paid millions of dollars to have the trash hauled to a landfill where it was disposed. The transformation came when the corporation started sorting its trash into various categories, such as those items like plastic and metals that could be recycled, and food stuff that could be converted into compost. The transformation was so effective that they turned a deficit situation into a positive cash flow, i.e., they make money from their trash.

This company’s response to their trash started me listening to life about other forms of garbage like the "bad things" in life that happen to us. How can we recycle those? God can transform every experience you have in life. Sure, it’s smelly and gross sometimes, but God can help you learn from it. Just push through the pain, see beyond it, and ask, "Please show me what I can learn from this trashy experience in my life so I can turn a negative into a positive." Then listen to your life and make a life, not just a living.

Monday, December 03, 2007

"What day is it for you?"


One of my nieces celebrated her 4th birthday last month. She and her mom were going somewhere together in their van shortly after her birthday. And all of a sudden, she says to her mom, "Well, it’s day two."

"What do you mean, ‘It’s day two?’" the mom asked.

And my niece replied, "It’s day two after my birthday, Mommy!"

She reminds me of my grandfather in his later years. If he was 86 years old, he would say, "I’m in my 87th year."

Both my niece and my grandfather celebrated their birthdays by looking forward, excited not just by the day itself, but by the prospects of celebrating life in all of its goodness the entire year.

Now contrast that attitude with the one you get from a lot of people around their birthday. Some people I’m acquainted with don’t want anyone to acknowledge their birthday much less celebrate it. They are offended by cards, cakes, and gifts. Others get depressed.

God gives you every day of your life. Celebrate every day regardless of when your birthday is as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

"Are you kind>"


The holidays are a time of exciting busyness and fun activity for lots of us. But also this season is a sad time of year for some people, especially those who have lost a loved one.

You’ve heard me talk before about our yellow Labs that we raise and also about Maxie, our beagle who’s our farm mascot. Well, Maxie was involved in an accident last year about this time and died. As my neighbor said, "Unless you’ve been there, you just don’t understand how attached you get to an animal. They’re a member of the family." And that’s what Maxie was with us—a member of the family.

I buried her up on the mountain on a rainy Wednesday morning while my wife and I cried together. If you’ve been there, you know it’s not easy to say good-bye to someone you love—person or pet, especially during the holidays. And you don’t forget just because it’s been a year since you lost them. Be sensitive to what those missing a loved one are going through as God gives you the opportunity. Be kind to them as you listen to life and make a life today.