How's it going today? Are you having a good day, or a bad day? Is your bad day being caused by other people? You know who I'm talking about, the people in your office that never seem to have anything good to say, or ever had anything good happen to them. It's always something. They complain about the work, the people, the weather, their pay, etc. It's a wonder they can get anything done!
Having a good day is really your decision. You make the call when you wake up. A mental coin is flipped in your mind and "heads" it's a good day, "Tails" it's a bad day.
The secret is having a double-headed coin. Wake up and allow yourself to have a great day no matter how anyone else acts. Don't let the hopeless complainer in your office spoil your day. Simply say to yourself "God put this day here for me to excel, to grow, to praise Him, and to let my good day rub off on others."
You'll be surprised how the attitude of the people around you will change if you show them it's possible to love life. Be the double-headed coin!
"Realize that there are no hopeless situations; only people who take hopeless attitudes." Norman Vincent Peale
"God, thank you for this day. Help me to make the best use of my attitude so I can show others how to smile in the face of adversity, love people who hate, and carry joy in their hearts. Amen."
October 31, 2007
October 24, 2007
Dying to Change
It’s interesting how we change over time. The things I liked in my youth aren’t necessarily the same things I like now. Take broccoli. As a kid I’d have stuck my tongue on a flaming piece of jagged glass before I’d let broccoli go in my mouth, but now I like it. I don’t know why.
A year ago my wife and I lived in another house. It was in a newer neighborhood so our mailbox was one of those tiny cubes in a large box of other cubes where everyone in the sub division got their mail. I checked the mail, every day. It was an obsession really. I had to look in there to see what treasures had magically appeared in the small box. Would I get a new catalog? Or maybe a TV Guide? Or maybe Ed McMahon had finally mailed my check!? I had to know!
My wife on the other hand didn’t check the mail. Ever. Getting mail out of a 4X6 cube next to several hundred other 4X6 cubes didn’t interest her at all.
Then we moved, and now we have a mailbox right in front of our house. A real mailbox with a door that swings down and everything. But I don’t look in it. I don’t know why but since we moved 11 months ago my wife checks the mail every day and I’ve looked in the mailbox maybe 20 times. Odd, huh?
The biggest change I’ve seen in myself the past few years has been who I’ve become as a person. The things that interested me before I found Christ don’t interest me now. It isn’t because I’ve “made” myself act like a Christian though, and at first I didn’t really understand why I had simply lost interest in doing the things I had done before.
As I’ve grown as a Christ follower I’ve come to understand that it’s about dying. When I gave my life to Christ I died and was reborn a new person. I know it sounds corny but I can tell you it is a real phenomenon. I simply don’t have the desire to do the things I used to do, because they have been replaced by Christ living in me.
It’s interesting how we change. I think I’ll go check the mail.
“Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross. Thank you for saving me and moving in to the neighborhood of my heart. It’s a much better place to live now. Amen”.
A year ago my wife and I lived in another house. It was in a newer neighborhood so our mailbox was one of those tiny cubes in a large box of other cubes where everyone in the sub division got their mail. I checked the mail, every day. It was an obsession really. I had to look in there to see what treasures had magically appeared in the small box. Would I get a new catalog? Or maybe a TV Guide? Or maybe Ed McMahon had finally mailed my check!? I had to know!
My wife on the other hand didn’t check the mail. Ever. Getting mail out of a 4X6 cube next to several hundred other 4X6 cubes didn’t interest her at all.
Then we moved, and now we have a mailbox right in front of our house. A real mailbox with a door that swings down and everything. But I don’t look in it. I don’t know why but since we moved 11 months ago my wife checks the mail every day and I’ve looked in the mailbox maybe 20 times. Odd, huh?
The biggest change I’ve seen in myself the past few years has been who I’ve become as a person. The things that interested me before I found Christ don’t interest me now. It isn’t because I’ve “made” myself act like a Christian though, and at first I didn’t really understand why I had simply lost interest in doing the things I had done before.
As I’ve grown as a Christ follower I’ve come to understand that it’s about dying. When I gave my life to Christ I died and was reborn a new person. I know it sounds corny but I can tell you it is a real phenomenon. I simply don’t have the desire to do the things I used to do, because they have been replaced by Christ living in me.
It’s interesting how we change. I think I’ll go check the mail.
“Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross. Thank you for saving me and moving in to the neighborhood of my heart. It’s a much better place to live now. Amen”.
October 21, 2007
Let 'em ride!
My wife and I took a motorcycle ride yesterday to a sleepy little town about an hour away that has some very interesting shopping. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a long distance, so the wear on my derriere was substantial, but worth it.
I love riding. There is a freedom in tooling down the road in the open air that a lot of people won’t ever experience. For some of the men I know it apparently has something to do with their wives. They tell me “my wife won’t let me buy a motorcycle”. This always produces a crinkling affect on my forehead that I’m sure will ultimately result in lines the size of the Grand Canyon across my head when I’m older.
I count myself lucky because my wife doesn’t fear motorcycles. I don’t know how that discussion would have gone down if she did, but I’m certain she would have never tried to “tell” me I couldn’t have a bike. Men are wired differently than women, and we like doing a lot of things that women don’t like doing. We’re dare devils by nature. We can’t help it, we like living outside the lines. Luckily for us we have women to reign us in and keep us alive. Women are nurturing like that, and men appreciate it.
Personally, I’m not afraid of death. I don’t look for ways to die, but I’m not worried about it because the life waiting for me after this world is going to be way better. I think some wives should take that to heart. Not necessarily for themselves, but for their husbands too. They need to realize that when God decides it’s time for you or your husband to check out it’ll happen whether you have a motorcycle or not, so why take that small joy away from him?
Wives, let your guys enjoy this life. Let them have a motorcycle if they want one, and get on the back one time for a ride in the country. I guarantee you’ll see things differently.
“God, my life belongs to you and I can only hope I use it in a way that honors you. Thanks for simple things, like experiencing nature on a motorcycle. I really enjoy your world. Good job!”
I love riding. There is a freedom in tooling down the road in the open air that a lot of people won’t ever experience. For some of the men I know it apparently has something to do with their wives. They tell me “my wife won’t let me buy a motorcycle”. This always produces a crinkling affect on my forehead that I’m sure will ultimately result in lines the size of the Grand Canyon across my head when I’m older.
I count myself lucky because my wife doesn’t fear motorcycles. I don’t know how that discussion would have gone down if she did, but I’m certain she would have never tried to “tell” me I couldn’t have a bike. Men are wired differently than women, and we like doing a lot of things that women don’t like doing. We’re dare devils by nature. We can’t help it, we like living outside the lines. Luckily for us we have women to reign us in and keep us alive. Women are nurturing like that, and men appreciate it.
Personally, I’m not afraid of death. I don’t look for ways to die, but I’m not worried about it because the life waiting for me after this world is going to be way better. I think some wives should take that to heart. Not necessarily for themselves, but for their husbands too. They need to realize that when God decides it’s time for you or your husband to check out it’ll happen whether you have a motorcycle or not, so why take that small joy away from him?
Wives, let your guys enjoy this life. Let them have a motorcycle if they want one, and get on the back one time for a ride in the country. I guarantee you’ll see things differently.
“God, my life belongs to you and I can only hope I use it in a way that honors you. Thanks for simple things, like experiencing nature on a motorcycle. I really enjoy your world. Good job!”
October 17, 2007
Affirmation
When someone we know dies, we usually bounce back by finding life in the things around us. I had a much needed life affirming experience tonight by going to a church near Austin to play at a youth event.
Youth events are fun. Kids have an enthusiastic way of celebrating life that is invigorating. They jump up and down, they sing, and yell, and clap and laugh. The kids tonight seemed to get it too. They raised their hands and praised God as we played our praises to our king. They really seemed to get it.
Afterwards something happened that has never happened before; kids came up to me to talk. This never happens. I’m a drummer. Drummers sit in the back, out of the limelight. Usually people want to talk to the lead singer, or the cool guitar player. Not the drummer. But there they stood, two young girls who told me they were in the drum line at school. We talked for a bit and they thanked me for playing at their church. It was nice.
If that wasn’t odd enough, I actually had 4 people ask me for my autograph. Whoa! That was kind of strange, writing my name on something so they could keep it. Would it end up in a scrap book, or a frame, or maybe the trash? I suspect the last choice, but I’m not used to people wanting my signature unless it’s on a contract or a traffic violation.
However, the event was fun. The kids and adults all had a great time. God was praised, and hopefully those who were only visiting with friends we impacted by the event and will begin to seek God.
“Father, thanks for the gift of music you have given me. I love using it to praise you. Please let my meager talent help inspire others to begin questioning what You’re all about, and hopefully find the salvation that I have. Amen”.
Youth events are fun. Kids have an enthusiastic way of celebrating life that is invigorating. They jump up and down, they sing, and yell, and clap and laugh. The kids tonight seemed to get it too. They raised their hands and praised God as we played our praises to our king. They really seemed to get it.
Afterwards something happened that has never happened before; kids came up to me to talk. This never happens. I’m a drummer. Drummers sit in the back, out of the limelight. Usually people want to talk to the lead singer, or the cool guitar player. Not the drummer. But there they stood, two young girls who told me they were in the drum line at school. We talked for a bit and they thanked me for playing at their church. It was nice.
If that wasn’t odd enough, I actually had 4 people ask me for my autograph. Whoa! That was kind of strange, writing my name on something so they could keep it. Would it end up in a scrap book, or a frame, or maybe the trash? I suspect the last choice, but I’m not used to people wanting my signature unless it’s on a contract or a traffic violation.
However, the event was fun. The kids and adults all had a great time. God was praised, and hopefully those who were only visiting with friends we impacted by the event and will begin to seek God.
“Father, thanks for the gift of music you have given me. I love using it to praise you. Please let my meager talent help inspire others to begin questioning what You’re all about, and hopefully find the salvation that I have. Amen”.
October 16, 2007
Humor really is the best medicine
It’s been a sad few days around here, and I’m in desperate need of a laugh, so here goes:
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales and said that Jonah had been swallowed by one.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl reiterated that Jonah was definitely swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher said again that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher barked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".
Aaaaah. I feel better.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3,4
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales and said that Jonah had been swallowed by one.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl reiterated that Jonah was definitely swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher said again that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher barked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".
Aaaaah. I feel better.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3,4
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