Peace On Earth!

Tis the season to re-kindle lost relationships, to rebuild what once was - to make it new. I have signed up for some on-line devotionals that hit my email automatically each morning and I truly enjoy starting my day reading each of them to get centered, focused, and ready to face the day. They sometimes also serve as a reminder to me of things I need to be or should be doing. Today's devotion from Rick Warren was a reminder as to what this time of year should mean to us. I loved the way he brings the thought process from the macro down to the micro point that it is easy to look at something and say; that needs to be fixed, or that is really broken. In reality it is each of us that is broken - we, individually are who need to be fixed. Here is an exerpt from his deovtional:

Peace on earth and good will toward men – that’s reconciliation.

What is reconciliation? It’s when a broken relationship is restored. When a boyfriend and girlfriend or a husband and wife get back together, there’s reconciliation. When a father and son restore peace between each other, there’s reconciliation.

Where do you need peace in your life this Christmas? That’s what Christmas is all about – peace on earth, good will toward men. I asked people, “Where would you like to see peace?” These are the answers I got:

· “I’d like to see peace in the broken families.”

· “I’d love to see peace in politics.”

· “With each other.”

· “In my heart.”

· “I’d like to see it at home.”

· “I’d like to see peace in my life.”

· “Peace? Right in this country of ours.”

· “Everywhere!”

Everywhere! Is it realistic to have peace everywhere? Isn’t it just a pipe dream to hope for peace on earth, good will toward men?

There will never be peace in the world until there is peace in nations.

And there will never be peace in nations until there is peace in communities.

And there will never be peace in communities until there is peace in families.

And there will never be peace in families until there is peace in individuals.

And there will never be peace in individuals until we invite the Prince of Peace – Jesus – to reign in our hearts.

So I am going to face the day realizing that all of my relationships starts with the most important relationship and that is the one in my own heart with Jesus Christ.

Elections, Elections...

I realize the potential volatility of daring to speak about our recent presidential elections on this blog, but there are times when you just gotta do something daring....

This election was historic and monumental - truly an election we will always remember and talk about for years to come. I think I am mostly glad the advertisements are over! Enough already!

OK, I'll admit it, my guy didn't win. But then since I didn't agree with everything either candidate said during the process - I have to ask; who was/is really "my guy"? I am a moderate on most topics. I have come to realize that on social topics I lean a tad left and on economic topics I lean a tad right. My prayer for our country now is: Praying that the right guy "did" win. Time will tell as there is no way to predict how this will go. What I do know is that this country needs intense leadership, someone with the ability to unite and forge bonds. I pray Mr Obama is that guy. You also have to ask; who would want this job right now at this time anyway? Talk about walking into a serious fire storm! Just look at how haggard and tired President Bush looks now compared to when his term started. The job will age you no matter what you do in office. Regarding the candidates; As I told many of my friends and co-workers during this process - I really like Mr. Obama, I would rather watch a ball game, or have a beer with him than with Mr McCain. But coming from the economic conservative roots I come from I am very concerned about where the money will come from Mr Obama will need to build the style of government he believes is needed to create the kind of "change" that will make a difference.

This blog could go in a million directions - I could mention that no president in our life time has had to face the world political challenges, terrorism, local weather challenges, economic bedlum that President Bush has had to face during his presidency. I could talk specifically about the hatred that spews from the both sides regarding the emotional tenor of our current economic situation. But I think I want to put all that aside and just pray. Pray to God that we did elect the right man for the job. Pray for Mr. Obama, his family, his cabinet and all of congress that we can unite as a great nation once again and put aside all of our differences and work together to resolve this situation. I believe all of that starts with prayer. Prayer that changes hearts. Prayer that allows us to be open to other peoples ideas and thoughts. Prayer that allows us to stop hating and start listening. Prayer that gets us past seeking only to be heard and allows us to open up to hear others first. I know I will be praying for the Holy spirit to unite us and help us to understand that relationships are far more important than the ideologies that tend to seperate us and cause divides among us.

One thing I know for sure; I don't have all the answer's and I am pretty sure NOBODY on earth has all the answer's. I am convinced we could put the best group of people together and we still would not have all the answer's. Only God has all the answers. We need to turn to God and seek His wisdom and guidance and ultimately live as Jesus to taught us to live so that we can unite and re-kindle the relationships that are so important to Him. By working on our personal relationships, we also grow closer in our relationship with God - and ultimately that is what He is after - a personal relationship with each one of us. May God bless our world at this time, that he would bring peace, wisdom and a sense of renewed relationship within each one of us.

Perspective on a wedding.

This weekend I was privileged to be an usher in my wife's niece's wedding - I guess by marriage, that makes her my niece too. Anyway, Veronica a beautiful 33 year old woman married Rob a totally cool 37 year old from her home town, Marysville, KS. This story is amazing because it absolutely proves how God makes great things come from some of our most painful life circumstances - when we are open and willing to receive His grace.
Veronica is a very bright and talented lady - valedictorian of Marysville High School in Marysville, KS. then valedictorian of Benedictine College in Atchison KS four years later. The irony of this story we find out later is that her then future husband Rob followed the exact same path just four years ahead of Veronica. So while they kinda new each other's name, they really never got to know each other and never spent time at either school together. Veronica majored in music and took her first job in Leavenworth, KS working with middle school and high school band students. She excelled there and enjoyed her time in Leavenworth very much. Things changed however, budgets were cut, Veronica was passed over in a political wrestling match for the job she really wanted and deserved so she left the Leavenworth public school system and found a job in Satanta, KS. Where in the world is Satanta, KS we all asked???? Anyway, she went because that is where the job was - but Veronica was fairly miserable way out there so far from family and friends. After a year she returned, dejected and burned out, to Marysville where she moved back in with her parents. 30 years old, highly trained and highly skilled - but unable to find that perfect position. Veronica began to work at the grade school helping where she could part time in the music department. Enjoying being back home, but also dealing with trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Then in Catholic Mass one weekend she saw Rob - they began to talk. Realized they had much in common - very much in fact. Both of these 30 somethings, not yet finding their perfect mate return to their home town some 12 years later to find each other. Rob returned home to take over the family commercial realestate business. Veronica now working full time at the elementary school - their old elementary school.
The happy ending of course was this weekend when these two, really wonderful souls were united together in Holy matrimoney. It was an amazing service, an amazing reception - just a fantastic weekend all together. Mainly because these two people who were patient - waiting for God's devine guideance - and after much pain, dejection, and even failure - find each other for what seems to be the perfect union of souls. Yes I cried at the wedding, mainly because of the power of all of this - it was, quite frankly, overwhelming to think about. God is good and truely wants the best for us.
But wait there is even more to this story.....the really amazing part of the story is that Veronica had saved herself for this perfect union. The day of her wedding she removed the chastity ring she had worn all those years and replaced it with her wedding ring. And now the two become one flesh - just as God had ordained it. God is good - Life is good! What a glorious weekend!

Death is not the end - or is it?

Wow, this past week has been absolutely brutal at our church. We have lost several people - some in tragic ways and others, just the way you would want to go out. Clearly, the funerals for people who lived well, lived for Christ, were a blessing to others and die as you would expect and want to, are the best funerals. At these funerals you get to truly celebrate the life well lived - talk about all the lives touched by that person. Laugh at the funny stuff, remember the good times, because with these people, the good times far out way any bad times. Of course nobody is perfect, but these funerals are such a joy. Mainly because you know the person is in heaven, because they left the world a better place, and so many people turn out at the wedding because they respected this life so much.
Then there is the funeral of the tragic loss. MUCH to soon to die and so sudden - it takes your breath away. Not only can't you breath, but the pain of loss is so great - there is a hole, a void that leaves you doubting everything. How can this be? How could this happen? How could a God of love allow this to happen? It is so brutal, so final, so horrible. You feel so deeply for the loved ones left to deal with the loss and pain. For many of these deaths, it does not get any worse that this. At these funerals there is such a deep sadness, even a question of where is HOPE found? It strikes you at the CORE of your very soul. You begin to long for anything that can take it all back - the happy memories of the person seem to hurt worse than the bad memories. After the shock of the loss, the pain - and then the anger! The range of emotions is intense and brutal. It is with this kind of loss that the scar is so deep in our hearts that it will never ever go away. While the pain will lessen a bit over time - the memory of the loss will last forever. So where do we turn? What do we do?
God does NOT create pain and agony here on earth to teach us lessons. Life doles out the pain and agony. Life creates the loss and tragic circumstances. It is only by turning to God and the work that Jesus performed on the cross do we feel the grace and peace that only God can offer. By turning our pain, and hurt, and anger over to God - He begins to shape that pain and anger into a transformational event in our lives. He uses the entire range of human emotion to bring healing, to bring His message of love and Grace. There are no answers for why life happens the way it does. In this life there is good and there is evil. There is unexplainable circumstances. There is, at times, intolerable pain and agony. But there is HOPE! By turning to God and to Jesus Christ we find the living and everlasting water - the grace that pours from heaven to soothe our burning hearts. God takes the pain, transforms it and causes beautiful things to come from the experience. It may take us a long time to see it - but if we turn to Him and open up to these thoughts - we can truly be transformed by His Grace. A love that penetrates deep, a love that only God can provide - but we have to be willing to go to Him and seek His love and guidance in all things - but especially in times of great loss.
Death is definitely NOT the end. Death is only the beginning of life everlasting with our creator and loving God. But we have to take the steps necessary to experience a life everlasting with our God and His only son Jesus Christ! Don't wait, take the step today! For we know not when our final day on earth will come.

Hope is an ACTION and a CHOICE!

John Indermark in his book; Hope, Our longing for home, states that Hope is not a topic but rather an action and a choice. Hope is something we must strive for, we must make a choice every day to have hope. Hope is at the very center of our faith. But its blessings are not limited to the future; it's the home we long for as well as the place that's already ours within God's gracious realm.

Life is tough at times - really tough. This has been one of those weeks that causes one to ponder all sorts of things. We lost a dear friend and sister in Christ this week in a tragic automobile accident. Life is so precious, so fleeting. When sudden death occurs in this manner it is so devastating, troubling and numbing. It puts a cloud over everything, it consumes your thoughts. It causes you to cry out WHY LORD? Why this one? What is the meaning of this?

Psychologist's have tried to help us deal with our grief in life by offering the five stages of grief to somehow make sense of what we cannot comprehend. The five are; Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and acceptance. People deal with grief in many different ways. But these five stages are tried and true and help us as humans to place labels on our emotions. These are helpful labels and very REAL stages of the grieving process. We need labels, we need guidance during these times - because when we are in the midst of extreme grief, we can't always get ourselves out of the quagmire and work through these emotions without these tools for guidance. In a small way these tools provide hope that there is an end to these horrible emotions. And that is a good thing.

In this case this week we have the hope that our friend was/is a sister in Christ - so we have the promise that she is in a better place and we will see her again very soon. We have the hope that tomorrow brings new light and new beginnings. We have the hope that while life happens, and it can be really tough at times, God can make good come from tragedy. We have the Hope in Jesus Christ that death, while tragic here on earth, is not the end. So we are called to celebrate the life of believers knowing that they are now in the arms of God himself and all is well in heaven! We are called to action here on earth to keep the faith and choose the hope that only Jesus Christ can offer - even in the face of horribly tragic loss of life.

Marketing is EVERYTHING!

Have you noticed that nothing is traded, sold, acquired, communicated, educated, really nothing happens without the marketing? The truth is that no matter what you are trying to get accomplished it requires marketing to make it happen. What is marketing really? It is the communication or education of an idea, product or service to others. Telling people "what's in it for them". I believe most people lump marketing with sales and therefore the translation is lost as it pertains to the unique qualities of what marketing is all about. OK, I am in sales and from my perspective good marketing makes the sales effort so much easier. If there is a clear message being sent to the market regarding the benefits of the product or service, and if the message can differentiate the product or service from the competition then most of the sales work has already been accomplished. This is a relatively obvious concept when it comes to basic products we purchase everyday. But what about a product like new church plants? Surely you can't "sell God"?! Well there we go again confusing marketing with sales. The reality is that the target audience needs to be "educated" as to the who, what, when, where and why's of the new idea or in this case the new church plant. Of course the 4 P's of marketing are also very important - those being - Product, Pricing, Promotion and Place.
Marketing is everything and when you educate your target audience to the benefits of your product then the "close" is so much easier. In the case of planting new church's we are talking about the target audience's very salvation - that puts a whole new level of gravity on the situation doesn't it? You had better be good, better be excellent because aren't you in fact marketing on behalf of God Himself? WOW! The Good News is that we know the product works and that it will do what it says it will do - so the key is the packaging. Educating the target audience as to the benefits of eternal life is the key point, however how they get there is also very important. Is your product relevant? Is it fun?
We are in an election year and I can't let this subject end without mentioning something about the marketing by our two candidates for president - Obama and McCain. Both have very different ways to lead our great nation for the next four years. Both believe in their products, and both offer many options and services - but there is one who is educating more effectively, differentiating himself clearly and therefore leading in the poles. Yes people want change, but people don't just want change for change sake. They want positive change and they want to understand the change they are going to get. Right now Obama is doing a much better job of communicating and educating us all on his brand of change. McCain has a fine product, but he needs to hurry up and tell us how his product is going to benefit each one us.

Where there is HOPE!

These past few weeks leaves everyone asking lots and lots of questions. There is despair, frustration, anger, fear, anxiety and depression over what is happening in the markets. There are times when everything seems totally broken. However, there are things that are working very well. It is frustrating because we feel so out of control.
This issue goes WAY BEYOND Republican or Democrat - this is now a global issue effecting every country around the globe. Banks are failing all around the world. There is a credit crisis of epidemic proportion everywhere. The main issue? Human Greed. Greed on behalf of the banks and lending institutions, but also greed on behalf of the consumer who's sense of entitlement causes many of us to consume far beyond our ability to pay. We just can't say NO to ourselves. There is no delayed gratification for anything? It is one of seven deadliest sins for a reason - eventually it leads to the death of something.
Perhaps rather than doing what we always do as humans - blame someone else - we should step up and take responsibility for our own part in this mess. What have we done to contribute to the issue and what do we continue to do that perpetuates the behavior? You know if we could just be happy without having to purchase our way to happiness we probably would not be in this situation to begin with. So why can't we be happy and satisfied? Perhaps we should blame Envy? Since we blame everything else but ourselves anyway, lets blame envy for our greed. When your neighbor gets something new are you happy for him? Or are you secretly jealous about the new thing that he has that you don't? We covet what others have, which makes us jealous which leads to greed. It's a crazy circle of insanity that ultimately leads to total destruction. SO what do we need?
We need a conversion of the heart. This is a heart issue, a heart problem. We need a new focus and a drive to LIVE IN this crazy world but NOT become a part OF IT. By focusing on the needs of others and not taking ourselves so seriously - we could create positive change and good will around the world! We need to shed our self centered nature and focus on the needs of those around us. It's not that hard - why don't we start in our own families. Rather than always having to win the argument or always be right, why don't we try to seek to understand our family members before being understood. If we would start this in our own families and create positive change there, it would spread like wild fire from family to family. I think I will start by trying to please and understand my wife more.....

Who are you talking to?

Who is it that you talk to when you are "self talking"? When I was young, I had an imaginary friend - can't remember if I named my imaginary friend or not - not even sure who I thought it was. As I aged and shed childish things, I came to realize that my imaginary friend was and is GOD! What I have also come to realize is that my self-talk most often influences my self-esteem. Don't you constantly talk to yourself unconsciously? I do. As a salesman, I have to continually use self talk to build myself for the next call - especially if the previous call ended with NO! When you walk into a room full of strangers, what do you tend to think about yourself? To build more confidence you’re going to have to stop running yourself down! “As a person thinks in his heart, so is he”(Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). So whatever your self talk - let it be positive! A positive attitude influences your ability. Winners expect to win. Your perception controls your performance. If you think you will win, you probably will. If you think you won't win you probably won't. “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23 NKJV). Have you ever heard the phrase; "trash in trash out"? One thing is for sure, you absolutely can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results - it simply won't happen. Does your imagination influence your aspirations? What do you dream about doing? In other words, do your dreams determine your destiny? To accomplish anything, you must first have a mission, a goal, a hope, a vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Do you commit your thoughts and self talk to writing? Write your ideas, your passions, your aspirations down on paper - you will be amazed at how many of them will actually come true. How do you respond when somone says something totally unexpected to you? Are you defensive? Do you mis-read the comment? Many times an off handed comment has more to do with who said it, than to whom it was said. Your interpretation generally influences your situation. For me. It’s not what happens to me that matters as much as how I choose to see it and/or react to it. The way I react will determine whether the circumstance makes me better or bitter - positive or negative. I can view everything as an obstacle or an opportunity for growth – a stumbling block or a stepping stone. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV).

A possible solution? I think so....

Friends,

Dave Ramsey has changed the lives of countless millions of people who struggle with financial issues in their business and personal lives. Quite simply, Dave is a brilliant guy. What I like most about him is that he has learned a lot from the school of "hard knocks" - life itself has taught Dave a lot and his ministry is all about helping other people. He is grounded in his faith and he has sound economic principles that we can all live by. Please go to his website and check out his solution to the economic issues we face a country. It is easy to read and to understand! Thank God for people like Dave who are looking for our interests and who are willing to step up and lead in tough times!

We need to get these ideas into the hands of our Senators and Congressional leaders. It will only take you about 90 seconds to read AND understand the fix. For the future of our country, our kids and grand kids - step up and take action!

http://www.daveramsey.com/

Click on: "Spotlight - Updated Bailout Action"

This is no time for Panic....

Yesterday the market tanked 777 points. I said to a friend of mine, "it was the "perfect drop". Thank God it didn't drop 666 points." The media immediately started telling us how bad everything is and how this is the worst single day drop in history etc. The truth is that yesterday's drop was only 7% - OK, that's a lot, but put in perspective - Black Friday in 1985 the market dropped 22% in a single day. Last week the market dropped several hundred points on Tuesday, but by the end of the week had gained it all back. Don't buy into what the media frenzy is saying and hyping up. Stay the course and keep an even keel temper about you. This is no time to panic. If we panic, then things really do start to get bad. Obviously our elected leaders in Washington are having a serious lapse in their ability to LEAD right now. Where is the leadership? If this were not an election year - I have said, NONE of this would be happening. But because it is an election year, we are in total chaos. I have encouraged both presidential candidates on their blogs to STEP UP and LEAD us with positive campaign advertisements - tell us exactly how they will lead us through this chaos. With each specific talking point to tell us how they would lead us - specifically in each category. From health care, to the economy to international engagements etc - it's time one of these guys STEPS UP and demonstrates his ability to lead by giving us specific examples of how we are going to solve these issues - in a POSITIVE way. I am really sick and tired of all the finger pointing and negative talk from all sides. It's time for true leadership and that means that someone is willing to show all their cards, to make themselves vulnerable and open - and that is something that takes courage and passion. Unfortunately in an election year, also something we probably won't see. My prayer for our leaders is that they could/would put aside their individual greedy needs and LISTEN to what others are saying. First seek to understand, then to be understood. Easier said than done, but if we all thought more about the other guy than ourselves - then we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. God, please bless this country and this world!

Are You Ready?

WOW, could life be more chaotic right now? From the Presidential race to all the natural disasters, to the world financial crisis, to the current housing crisis, to the continued terrorist attacks around the world. The world seems to be in serious turmoil right now. Nothing is stable it seems. It would be easy to hide at home and try not to listen to all the "stuff" going on out there! Today I was listening to top level authorities discuss the current world financial crisis and they were calling for a "one world economy" and a "one world currency". Wow, sounds kinda familiar doesn't it? At least if you have spent any time in the Book of Revelation - all this "stuff" is in there. Kinda scary huh? But being the eternal optimist, and not a doom and gloomer - I prefer to simply ask the question; Am I ready? Lets face it, it does not have to be the "End Times" as described in the Book of Revelation to get you to ask this question does it? Any one of us could die at any time - there are no guarantees in life and lets face it - life happens. So the question is, no matter what happens, are you ready? This is a personal question, no one can tell you if you are ready - you have to know. And it all depends on your relationship with God and more specifically Jesus Christ. So do you know Him? Have you spoken to Him lately? Have you turned your life over to Him so that He is the ruler in your life? Are you transparent with the ones you love? Are all aspects of your life fully illuminated? Well truth be told, we all reserve our own dark places. None of us are perfect - we are human. Jesus was perfect so that we don't have to be. Jesus died for us so we have His grace no matter how human we are at times. All He asks is to talk with you, for you to know Him. He wants a personal relationship with you. His love and grace cover all our transgressions - how awesome is that? Even if you have the feeling everyone hates you in this world - Jesus loves you and wants you to know His love and feel His love. Life if Good, because we all have a loving father! Get to know Him today!

The 2008 Olympics - what a gift!

I don't know how you feel, but to me this years Olympics were some of the best games I have ever seen in my entire life! The caliber of talent, the competition, the pomp and circumstance - truly memorable! From the opening ceremonies to the closing of the games - it was an amazing sight to see.
China spent over $40 Billion on all aspects of these games and it showed. There probably won't ever be another Olympics with this much flare because quite frankly no other country has this kind of disposable cash to spread around for sports. It stands to reason that perhaps another communist country could try to compete at this level because in a communist country the government controls all the money - so they have complete authority over how it is spent, but what other communist country has this kind of cash? The reason this will never happen in America is that the Olympics is won by a City, not the country - and no city in America could compete financially at this level. Quite frankly thank God they can't - though truly mesmerizing and AWESOME - one has to wonder how many impoverished people could have been lifted out of poverty with this same money spent for pure entertainment.
I digress, the point of this particular blog on the Olympics was to talk about all the amazingly talented and gifted athletes at this years Olympics. The Olympics has always been about the best athletes in the world coming together on one "stage" to perform their skills and determine who is the best of the best! What we witnessed this year was amazing. It seems that we saw more world records and Olympic records broken at this Olympics than at any other Olympics in history. For me, watching Michael Phelps in the pool was so amazing and awesome. The commentators explained that Michael is so good because of his tall size, his huge "wing span", and his HUGE feet that can bend all the way back so that they act like swim fins. You can explain it anyway that you want - but the truth is that GOD uniquely gifted Michael Phelps with his physique to do exactly what he does! Guess what - God has also uniquely gifted you and me to do something amazing during our life time. We each come into this world with unique gifts and talents - Given to us as a gift from our Creator - a God who loves us and wants us to identify this gift and live out our faith through His gift to glorify Him! Our biggest challenge is to identify this gift and develop it. How could we do anything less?
It is when we forget our roots, when we forget who gave us everything we have to begin with, that we get into trouble. You hear everyday about successful people who have lost it all - perhaps it is because they started believing that they created their own success and forgot about the God who gave them the gifts and abilities to create that success in the first place. Then you hear about other people who have had great success, always thanked God for their blessings, and give most of their wealth away to those less fortunate. I believe this is what we are called to do. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and Love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Life is amazingly complicated at times, or is it?

Is life complicated, or do we make our lives complicated with self induced complication? If you never signed up to do anything, if you were not involved in any other activity other than your job, would your life be complicated? Is it human nature to make things complicated, even when there really is nothing there to make your life complicated? I ask these questions because I do have a job that keeps me very busy with 100's of customers and a large geography that requires weekly travel. Since I can't say no to anything - I am very involved with my church as a weekend worship leader, pioneering a new urban ministry, and involved with small groups. For fun and recreation I am on a sailing crew on a Melges 24 that sails year around throughout the country. I run every day and participate in as many 5 and 10K's as I can. I am also very involved in my kids activities - even though they are both grown and out of the house - but it's hard to not be involved with them in all of their activities too. My wife and I are also in that sandwich mode where we are constantly thinking about our aging parents and wondering what life may throw at us from that direction as well. All in all, life is good! Oh, did I mention that we are trying to sell our home of 16 years and moving downtown KC into a loft to be an integral part of our church's urban ministry team? We are VERY excited about this, however we must sell our home to do it. We already have the loft reserved, but we need a buyer for our house!
With all this stress - mainly because of the house situation - sometimes it is hard to stay positive. However, you have to ask; what is the alternative? You must stay positive and have hope, because otherwise you would waller in self pity and continue to feel overwhelmed! At times this is very hard to do - mainly when I have not had enough sleep. When I am tired, I tend to get "stinkin thinkin" much easier than when I have had plenty of rest. Good nutrition, plenty of rest, daily exercise and prayer are keys to staying positive and maintaining hope. Life at times is very difficult, for example, right now we are not facing any major health issue's. Life gets real hard and even scary when you are facing a life threatening illness. And this is where you better have your spiritual well being in good order - you must know where you came from and who will ultimately bring you home - knowing these things gives us the hope that everything will be OK, no matter what happens. Life is Good - God is good!

Count to Ten - or more if needed!

My first grade teacher Mrs. Rivers always used to say to me, David count to ten before you speak in anger or frustration. This was, and still is, very good advice for those of us who tend to respond in an emotional way to negative information. Especially when it comes to dealing with family members - My Teenagers, can really get my dander up and my heart pounding! Was I this way with my folks? I guess I was, I just can't remember.
As parents we often forget what it was like to be a teenager, in fact at times when I have yelled at my own kids for doing really inappropriate things, they look at me like, what's the big deal? Why are you getting all worked up? To them, it seems like nothing. So what is that? Do we really not get it? I think not. But to the immature teenagers who can't P.I.S.S. (Properly Interpret Social Situations) they wonder what the big deal is. They can't even comprehend where you are coming from. So then, how will my ranting and raving and yelling impact them? Certainly not in the way I would like for it to. I would like to get the apology and the statement, "you are right almighty dad and that will never happen again or I will give myself 40 lashes". In fact, they probably will just think; "there goes dad again, on one of his tirades". They just don't get it. We have to remember that because our young teenagers can't P.I.S.S., we must count to ten, or twenty, or thirty - OK for me, 100!
With all that we have been through with our kids, there is no more shock or surprise. No more disbelief that this thing or that thing could even happen - no, now we are just numb to these negative surprises. No more shock or awe, no more anger, no more shame. Just sadness and perhaps even some depression that this is our lot in life until such a time as our kids finally figure out how to P.I.S.S. - Once they finally grow up! I guess we are supposed to enjoy each stage of our kids lives, and don't get me wrong, in the whole big picture, this is just a small span of time. But I must be honest I hope this time called "Teenager" goes by very quickly - because one thing is for sure - I am not sure what might happen after 100 on some days..... Isn't life great!

Happiness and how I react to it

I have teenage kids and as a parent I am always trying to plant those seeds that may one day take root and be helpful to them in life. Since they are teenagers, they always blow me off as being "Mr. Positive", or even "Mr. Perfect" - Ouch! Perfect? No way, just trying to be helpful? Always. So I keep trying in spite of their normal adolescent obstinacy. Life with teenagers - lots of drama, especially with the girls. Too much drama most of the time. I am always telling my kids that honesty with yourself is the most important person to be honest with. If you can't do that, then you are at risk for heading down many wrong paths. "To thine own self be true" - see it's not a new concept since Shakespeare already thought of it.

Who is in the mirror? My dad always used to say, ultimately you live with yourself, so can you? What do you see when you look in the mirror? You have to be able to look into the mirror and be OK with who you are, what you are, and where you are going. You also have to be able to forgive yourself as God does. Forgive yourself, turn your past sins over to God and know that He loves you unconditionally and that you are forgiven - so learn to forgive yourself.

Another great saying by our play write is:
Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so.
--Shakespeare

This leads me to my topic today of finding happiness by choosing to find happiness. How you react to situations in your life is key to your serenity and ultimate happiness.

Look for the Good in all things and circumstances.

Life is an interpretive experience. What happens is less important than how we respond to our circumstances. An intense stimulus that some people report as pain others report as pleasure. It is we who decide what the interpretation will be.

Are you a "good finder"? A recent study of the country's millionaires showed that the most common trait they all shared was the ability to discover good in any situation. This trait is also common in "triumphant survivors" - those individuals who overcome adversity and emerge
strengthened and renewed.

A sincere spiritual seeker suffering from a chronic illness wondered, "Why haven't my prayers been answered?" One day, in deep meditation the reply came: "Look for the good in your situation and you will see that the answer has already been provided." Suddenly this woman realized that her crisis provided a wonderful opportunity. She embarked on a program
of nutrition, exercise, and yoga, which led to a dramatic improvement in the quality of her life.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Your state of mind is up to you. Choose now to look for the good.

Forgiveness

How many issues arise in your day to day life that cause you to react and respond in ways that later you regret? It is so difficult to have the discipline to always respond in a positive way, without getting emotional about the issue or topic. We all come to conclusions based on our experiences and there fore there has to be room for open discussion, agreement/disagreement, and understanding. "Seek first to understand" is a solid approach to truly understanding the other persons position. But more often we jump in with our own understanding and "wage our battle" as if it is the only way. It's my way or the highway! So how can we seek first to understand, how do we learn to forgive fully and move on?

I think Rick Warren sums it up well in his approach to forgiveness.

How to Let Go of Past Hurts
by Rick Warren

Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is
written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,”
says the Lord. Romans 12:19 (NLT)

First, relinquish your right to get even. Leave that up to God; he’ll
take care of it (Romans 12:19). I’ve been married for thirty years
and I’m ashamed to say, I’ve hurt my wife many times. But after
thirty years, we’re still together and more in love than ever before.
Why? Because it’s not hurt that destroys relationships, it’s an
unwillingness to forgive. We’re human; we’re going to hurt each
other. But the question is, will you give up your right to get even?
And will you offer forgiveness? When you do, any hurt can be
overcome.

Second, respond to evil with good. How can you tell when you’ve
released somebody, when you’ve completely forgiven them? You can
actually pray for God to bless the person who hurt you. The Bible
says we should overcome evil with good, praying for those who hurt us
(Romans 12:21; Matthew 5:44).

Third, repeat these steps as long as necessary. Forgiveness is rarely
a one-time shot. When somebody hurts you, we tend to think about it
over and over and over. How often do you have to forgive the person?
The Apostle Peter once asked Jesus, “‘Lord, how many times shall I
forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus
answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’”
(Mathew 18:21-22 NIV). In other words, it needs to be continual,
limitless; we shouldn’t even try to count the times we forgive, just
as Jesus doesn’t count the times he forgives us.

Where Strength is found!

Where do you find strength? Where do you find the energy to make it through a tough and grueling day? Where do you find the courage to keep fighting the good fight?
We get so busy and so caught up in our day to day struggles it is easy to get bogged down in the quagmire of life. It becomes an endless cycle of monotony that can bring you down and not let you back up. Have you heard the term living "in the world", not "of the world"? There is a huge difference in the meaning of simply changing those two little letters - "in" instead of "of". If we are simply living in the world then we know that there is another place we go after this place. That we are living not for our selves, but for others. That if we give of ourselves and serve others then there is higher meaning and purpose in our lives. A true servants heart is a powerful thing. Whereas if we live of the world then we will eventually get consumed in all of the tantalizing things life has to offer. Lets face it, there are a lot of cool things to see and do on this earth. There are also many things that appeal to our darker side that look like so much fun - we can get sucked up into a life of this world so quickly. It's actually a slow process, it never happens all at once - but if we are not careful, not vigilant, we can slowly fade into the deep dark despair that this world offers.
So what is the answer? The answer is staying focused on the truth. The truth that there is a God who loves you and who cares deeply for you. A God who does not want you to live of this world, but realizes you have to live in this world. So He provides friends in the faith who come along side you to help you and keep you on track. He also has provided us a complete guide on how to survive in this world - it's the number one selling book of all time - The Holy Bible! All you have to do is seek His wisdom and direction and it is found in His writing's, His inspired music, His inspired poetry (Psalms), and in His awesome book of helpful hints (Proverbs). So ask yourself, what is keeping you away from seeking the God who loves you? Could it be because you are choosing be a product of this world? Perhaps it's time to start rise above the "haze" and take charge of your life by living with a purpose. Living in the world in such a way that you are making it a better place for someone else. Once you begin to live for others and not for yourself - this is where true strength is found!

Find your "Passion Zone"

What is your Mission in life? What is your calling? Are you working in your "passion zone"? You have heard it many times, that to be truly happy in your work, you need to work in your "Passion Zone". Do what you are excited about. Do what comes naturally to you. God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents that we bring to the table. You need to have the confidence that your gifts are what the world needs. Be bold, step up, know that you must use your God given gifts to bless others or you are not fulfilling your calling in life. Some people tell me they feel guilty to get paid for doing what they love to do. What you love to do seems to come naturally, so easy - how can you get paid for something that is so easy to do? Well I am here to tell you that you must get paid for your unique gifts, because money is a tool by which you can share your gifts with others. Folks get confused about "money being the root of all evil". In reality it is our approach to money that can be the root of all evil. Are you doing what you do only for the money? Is money your god? Do you worship your savings account? Do you sacrifice all others by working so hard to gain more money? These attitudes and behaviors would be the "root of all evil" - not the money. Money is a necessary tool by which things get done in our culture.
Wouldn't it be awesome to work in your passion zone, make millions of dollars and give it all away to those less fortunate? Or to spend your time and money helping others find their passion and teach them how to work in their passion zone so they in turn can bless others? God given gifts and talents are meant to be a blessing to others. It is only when man distorts those talents and gifts that they become tools of destruction. Find your mission, identify your passion, and then figure out how to do your life's work in your "Passion Zone". Another key to finding true happiness in life.

Learning to love yourself

The first step in finding peace and happiness is learning how to love yourself. No one knows your faults better than you - no one knows your deep dark secrets better than you. So it is easy to think of all the reasons why we can't do this or that, or why we can't fully love ourselves. One idea would be to start with a self inventory - make a list of all the things you like about yourself - at first this will seem awkward and difficult. Your list may even seem short at first, mine was. But share it with a friend, someone you can trust to understand what you are trying to accomplish. Don't try to "justify" or negate the things you wrote by focusing on your shortcomings. In time you will learn to like yourself and begin to see the many qualities that make you unique and worthy of compliments.

The next step in learning to love yourself is to accept the love of others - especially when you think you don't deserve it. The best way to accept love is to offer love to others - be grateful for another's kindness, by telling them what you appreciate about them. The smallest gesture on your part will go along way to cultivating love and respect from and for others. By focusing on other's needs we tend to stop focusing only on ourselves. And then when we turn our own shortcomings over to God, He turns them into strength's that we can then use to make another's life worthwhile. Doing life together is what it is all about - and you will find peace in the truth that God loves you very much - we are called to love others as God loves us, just the way we are - because that's how He created us.

Where is Happiness found?

Life and the pursuit of happiness is an illusive and dynamic interchange of thoughts and feelings combined with interaction with those around you. I am continually amazed at how people come along side you when you need it most - the more open and honest you are, the more this tends to happen. There is the feeling that life is something you can control - then life happens and you realize that you actually have no control at all. All you can do is turn it over to God and finally realize that only He has the ultimate control. I used to pray for specific outcomes - needs/wants/health/happiness etc. Now I pray for God's will to be realized in a given situation - and courage to face whatever that will is. He knows what is best for us. It is when we are in the most pain and toughest struggles that we seek relief - in any way we can. It is during these times that true character is reveled. Who are you/what are you when times are toughest? Do you run from God and blame Him for your troubles? Or do you run toward God and realize that life happens and we need to God to make sense of it all. Easier to say that to do - and that is why it is so important to have friends and loved ones who will come along side you when times are toughest - to share their wisdom and ideas. God's angels put in your life to help us make sense of it all.