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Thursday, August 21, 2008

"Is tomorrow special for you?"


Tomorrow is a really special day for me, but not just for me, but for my whole family…and by family I mean more than just my wife and daughters. I’m talking about my brother, his wife, and two children; my mother’s brothers and sisters, my dad’s sister, all of our cousins near, and far, and wide. Tomorrow is a very significant day because we celebrate my mom and dad’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Just think about all of the repercussions if my parents had not married—my brother and I wouldn’t be here today, but more importantly to our parents, their four grandchildren wouldn’t be here. Our wives would be married to someone else. Someone else would have bought our homes. Someone else would have to fulfill our work responsibilities. Someone else would have bought our vehicles and given to our favorite charities.

Out of about 6.5 billion people on the planet, God brought our parents together to marry and by grace has kept them together for 50 years. Is God good or what?! Thank you God! Thank you Mom and Dad for 50 years!

(Go to www.StayMarriedForever.org and discover how you can celebrate 50 years and beyond…)

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

"Do you even enjoy the detours?"


I was driving to spend some time with a coaching client. It was a nice day and all was going well as I drove along the recently paved four-lane highway. I had some of my favorite tunes playing, the sunroof open blowing through what’s left of my hair, the sun massaging my neck with Vitamin D—it was a good day.

I picked up my directions from the seat beside me and glanced at them, and then at my phone’s clock. "Yep, right on time," I thought, took the next exit, turned left and headed off…

…in the wrong direction. I didn’t realize it until about 10 minutes further down the road when I was due to arrive at the restaurant…and it wasn’t there. So I pulled over, read the directions again, noted that I should have turned right, not left, and headed back up the road.

I called my client to let him know I’d be late and he was, too. I was aggravated with myself, until I thought, "It’s going to take the same amount of time to get there whether I’m aggravated or not." So I cranked up the tunes, enjoyed the sunshine and made a life, not just a living all the way there.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

"Is it all on you?"


Does it ever seem to you that life is all on you? It’s all about you and what you can do? And plan to do? And hope to do? So you’re a one-man or woman band, having to keep rhythm, sing lead and harmony, but as if that’s not enough, you have to write your own music, too? So you’re composer and performer?

Now let’s think about that for just a moment. Who is your favorite composer of what you call great music? Beethoven and Mozart? Lennon and McCartney? Usher and Carrie Underwood?

Does your favorite composer write just music that he or she can perform? Can your composer even play all of the instruments necessary to perform the piece?

Just as your favorite musician can’t always compose and perform everything necessary for bringing the music to life, neither can you be a one-person band and composer. Life requires a team of persons whom you carefully choose to play with you…persons sent by God to play on Team You. So listen to life as you make a life today and discover your God-sent team.

Monday, August 18, 2008

"What do you wonder?"


Have you ever wondered, "What’s wrong with these people?" It seems like everyone around you has gone crazy at work or at home. They’re just not cooperating with your agenda and what you want to get done.

Have you ever wondered, "Is it Monday again?" It seems like everything around you is going wrong. You know it’s really Tuesday, but it seems like Monday all over again because if anything can go wrong, it is.

Have you ever wondered, "What is going on here?" The people you depend on are bringing you bizarre problems; situations you never expected are brought in by folks you never thought would come up with such. And so you wonder, "What is going on here?"

When you wonder, "What’s wrong with these people?" or "Is it Monday again?" or "What is going on here?," ask yourself, "Is it really them, or is it me?"

What if you’re driving your life the wrong direction on a one-way street and blaming everyone else?

Ask God to show you the right direction for your life as you make a life, not just a living today.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

"How much does your life weigh?"


How much do you think a glass of water weighs? Just take a guess based on a glass in your cabinet. We’re not going to be too particular about the glass.

So what did you guess? How many ounces?

The absolute weight of that glass of water really doesn’t matter. Its relative weight depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, no problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’m going to have a cramp in my arm. If I hold it for a day, dial 9-1-1 because I’m hurting. It’s the same weight each time, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.

Your burdens, your problems, your challenges in life are the same way. If you carry them, by yourself, all the time, they become increasingly heavier and pretty soon you won’t be able to go on.

You have to put your burdens down for a while and rest if you want to continue in life without dialing 9-1-1. Refreshed you can go on. So listen to life and make a life, not just a living today by putting down your burdens and giving them to God.