"Who do you hang around with?"

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A dietician spoke to a large audience in Chicago and said, "The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago.

"Red meat is awful. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG.

"Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it.

"Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"
Just then a 75-year-old man in the front row stood up and said, "Wedding cake!"

You know, some people can find something wrong with just about everything. There’s something wrong with everything and everyone. Being around people like this drains our spirits, doesn’t it?

Try hanging out with people who can find something right with just about everything and everyone. It’s those people who listen to God and make a life.

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"Who do you want with you as you follow your dream?"

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A first-grade teacher seated her students in a circle. She asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One by one, each child got up and announced, "I'd like to be a nurse like my mother," or "I want to be a banker like my father," or "I want to be a teacher like you, Miss Smith."

The last child to speak was the most shy and timid little boy in the class. He said, "When I get big, I’m going to be a lion tamer in the circus. I’m going to face those animals with my whip and chair and make them leap through hoops of fire and obey all of my commands."

Seeing the disbelieving looks on the faces of his classmates that he could ever act so boldly or bravely, he realized he needed help and said, "Well, of course, I’ll have my mom with me."

So who do you want with you when you’re not so sure you can be bold enough or brave enough to follow your dream? Well, of course, you’ll have your God with you! So follow your dream as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today.

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"Do you ever just not quite get it?"

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Two friends were sitting watching the 11 o’clock news one night. The news story was about a man who was about to jump off a building, raising money for charity.

One of the friends said to the other, "I bet you $100 that man won’t jump."

The other friend said, "Okay, you’re on. $100 says that man will jump."

They both watched as the man actually did jump off the tall building.

"Fine, you win," said the first friend. "Here’s your $100."

But the other friend wouldn’t take his money. "No, I can’t take your money," he said. "You see, I watched the 6 o’clock news and I knew he would jump."

But the first friend wouldn’t take the money back. "No, no," he said. "It was a fair bet. I watched the 6 o’clock news, too. I just didn’t think he’d jump twice."

Like the first friend, do you ever just not quite get it? I’m sure glad God loves us even when we don’t quite get it, aren’t you? Just listen to life today for what God has to say…whether you get it or not.

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"What’s your discovery?"

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Last month I shared a story with you about an autistic child who ate sand out of the sandbox. The mother was elated because the child discovered textures.

I’ve received emails from folks describing their own "sand discoveries." Seems a lot of us enjoyed discovering textures. My favorite was from a woman who shared her discovery as a three or four year old. She had discovered that a bean would grow in a cup. She wanted to see if it would grow in her nose so she shoved a bean up her nose and guess what? It sprouted! Her parents took her to the hospital to have it removed. Some of her friends call her "Bean" today.

I wonder what happens to the curiosity we have as children? Are you still making discoveries in the sand or garden of your life?

Somewhere along the way to becoming a mature, sophisticated adult, maybe you lost your sense of curiosity.
God created this world for you to enjoy making discoveries. Ask "Why?" and "What if…" today as you listen to life like a child and make a life, not just a living.

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"Is laughter the best medicine?"

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A good laugh may be good for your heart. A team of Maryland medical researchers found that people with heart disease are 40% less likely to laugh in humorous situations than those with healthy hearts.

The study of 300 people—half with heart disease problems—gauged how healthy people and those with heart disease differed in their response where humor was expected. People with heart disease were much less likely even to recognize the humor. They also laughed less, even in positive situations. And they generally showed more anger and hostility than people with healthy hearts.

I don’t know about you, but it sounds like to me laughter really is the best medicine. It sounds like God not only made apples for us to eat to keep the doctor away, but also made us to laugh every day to keep the doctor away.

So when was the last time you laughed? I mean, really laughed? A deep-down, belly laugh?

Don’t take life so seriously, and laugh a lot as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living today.

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