3 Gifts You Leave When You Die: Love, Memories and a Compass

Two things in life are certain:  death and taxes.  And when death is knocking, there are three gifts you leave for the living -- love, memories and a compass.

1. Love:  In 1 Corinthians 13:7, Paul writes love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  The people you love will be forever changed because of the love you give.
2. Memories:  How will people remember you?  Did you give your time generously?  Will the memories others have of you inspire them to dream big?  I still remember the stories my grandparents shared with me when I was a young boy.  Memories of them guide me when I'm pondering a challenging question.
3. A compass:  There are times in my life when I feel like I'm navigating in the dark.  Although my tracks may sometimes resemble a lost rabbit thumping around in the snow,  my compass always points to Jesus.  I pray that all my actions serve as a compass pointing to the cornerstone upon which my life is built, Jesus.  Where will others end up when they follow your compass once you are out of this world?

Avoid keeping these three gifts wrapped up and hidden.  Open them up and share them.  They are best used while your heart is still beating and they will remain in this world long after you are gone.   Are you ready to unwrap your gifts and give them away today?

Are You Ready For a Hope Weigh In?

You are what you eat.  Some foods are good for you; others get you into trouble.  Two foods on opposite ends of the spectrum are hope and despair.  You can tell which one is prominent by a person's posture and body language.  Drooping shoulders and a head looking downward are dead giveaways despair is the main course while a warm smile and a firm handshake indicate healthy doses of hope are on the daily menu.

Today is a good day to step on the scales for a hope weigh in.  Answer the following questions to determine how much hope is in your body mass:

1. How do you feel about your prospects for your future?
2. Do you believe you can make a difference?
3. How is your body posture?
4. What do your friends and family think about your prospects?
5. Are you willing to change your diet and cut out anything that has despair in the ingredients?

Anyone looking at my life before my relocation to Iowa from California over one year ago may have given me slim chances for rebuilding my life.  After all, I sold my home for considerably less than I paid for it, volunteered to be laid off at a business I co-founded, and left California without any money or a job.  I did make sure that hope was stashed away in the moving truck.  It was all I needed.

Ever since I can remember, I have chosen the breakfast of champions.  I eat the same meals every day, in good times and in bad.  I sprinkle hope lavishly on everything I consume.  My healthy diet is what allows so many good outcomes in my life, especially at those times when I need all the help I can get.  How about you?  Are you ready to step on the scales?  Feel free to share your comments below.

Happy Father's Day To All The Dads

Happy Father's Day to all the dads.  May you be surrounded by loving family and may you enjoy your special day.  I was treated to breakfast in bed this morning by my precious children.  I will spend the day with them counting my blessings.  I'm barbecuing steaks on my Weber grill tonight.  It was a parting gift from my dad before he said his last good-bye.  He could barbecue like no other.  I will do my best to imitate his world famous steaks and raise a toast to him while we are all gathered together at the dining room table.  See you tomorrow.

A Simple Moment

Another storm greeted us shortly after midnight last night.  We left our bedroom window open so we could feel the cool air 68º air and hear the sounds of nature.  Our son mowed the yard yesterday before the storm hit.  The early morning smell of fresh cut grass adds a special touch to a simple moment.  I feel like I'm on a camping trip.  Two love birds huddle together on a tree branch, forming the outline of a Valentine.  Their sweet song floats to our window on a gentle breeze while the trees sway in the background.  A blend of dark and white clouds are adrift.  My wife reads a daily chapter from "Simple Abundance."  We're both on the same page.  This is our simple moment.

May your day be filled with simple moments that bring you joy.  Savor these moments.  They're the ingredients of a good life.

Do You Feel the Zeal?

Zeal -- Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance. 

You can't change your past mistakes.  You don't have to keep living them over and over either.  Doing this prevents you from living your life to its fullest.  It takes away from the joy of today.  There's something in my gut that tells me, "This is your moment.  You are living at the right time and the right place -- you have everything you need at your fingertips to accomplish your destiny."  I don't know this, I feel this.  It's what zeal is all about.  My hope for you today is that this message strikes a chord.  If you're not feeling the zeal, I have some questions for you:

1. If you could change one thing in your life today that would ignite the flames inside you yearning to burn, what would it be?
2. What price are you willing to pay to make that change?
3. How much pain will you suffer if you choose not to ignite that flame?

I experienced one of those moments yesterday morning near the end of my writing session.  I was so deeply engrossed in my story that I completely lost track of time.  What seemed like minutes turned out to be hours.  I missed my self-imposed writing deadline by thirty minutes without even realizing it.  My readers expect these stories to appear every morning at 8:08 AM, Pacific Time.  I missed that target yesterday because I was feeling the zeal so strongly that time itself seemed to stop.  This passion carries over into every area of my life -- parenting, dating my wife, working, dreaming, etc.  I vow to live my life with zeal.  How about you?  Are you in?  Humor me and add a comment below that says, "I'm in."  Or, if you like to keep your name private, send me an email.  You don't have to give me your name.  Email me by clicking here and put "I'm in" in the subject line.  Have a great day!

Do You See Opportunity?

Opportunity wears many disguises.  You won't always find it in familiar places.  Here are ten places where opportunity may be lurking in your life:

1. Rejection.  This is painful.  I've experienced this many times.  The good news here is that rejection is the feedback necessary to identify areas of your life that need attention.  Rejection shines a light on your weak areas.  If you can see the light, you can get better.
2. Job loss.  For many, their job is their identity.  When a lay-off comes, they are lost.  Those who accept a job loss as part of a world that is rapidly changing and adapt find new opportunity.
3. Natural disasters.  Forced evacuations have a way of bringing people together.  I survived two wildfires during my time in Southern California.  Both evacuations lasted about a week.  During that time, I really got to know my neighbors.  I also witnessed the human heart.  There's nothing better than knowing there are people out there who care about you, especially when you're in the middle of a wildfire, tornado or other kind of natural disaster.
4. Loss of a loved one.  Some of the greatest caregivers on our planet are the ones who lost someone they loved.  They know the pain and the hurt and they use this pain to help others in similar situations.  Use your loss to help others and you will find comfort.
5. The end of the rope.  This is a scary place.  Maybe you find yourself hanging by a thread today.  The world keeps telling you, "hang on!"  I heard a different voice the day I found myself at the end of my rope.  The voice said, "let go."  The day I let go of the rope and put my faith in God I began to see all kinds of new opportunities in my life.
6. Dead ends.  If you are like me, you can't stand it when the road you've been on for many years turns out to be a dead end.  If you are willing to turn around and head in a different direction, you will find new roads filled with new opportunities.  
7. Defeat.  You may feel good when you are on a winning streak and everything is going well in your life, however, your opportunity for the greatest growth appears when you have been knocked down.  Ask any professional athlete how he or she made it to the top and they will tell you it comes from learning lessons in your losses.  Your opponent is keen on identifying your weaknesses.  They may never be exposed until you are defeated.  
8. When someone hurts you.  You can spend your lifetime thinking about all those sucker punches you got when your guard was down, or you can forgive the person(s) who hurt you.  Forgiveness is an opportunity to be an example instead of a victim.
9. When you feel like a misfit.  There is great opportunity for anyone willing to swim upstream when the rest of the world is going in the opposite direction.  Try it.  You will be ridiculed and you will be misunderstood.  It's worth it.
10. When others tell you that you are a failure or that what you are seeking is impossible.  This is one of my favorites.  I was a young kid when I bought my first condo.  The first lender I spoke with took one look at me and laughed.  The next lender found a way to help me.  The first broker I spoke with on a job interview in my early twenties told me he only hired experienced realtors.  By the time we were done speaking, he hired me.  After I shook hands with him, I told him, "I'll be ready to start as soon as I get my real estate license."  When I relocated to the Midwest over one year ago, I immediately started looking at property, even though I had no job and no money.  97 people out of 100 told me there was no hope.  The other three said, "let's talk."  My wife and I agreed to purchase the home on the top of our list.  We set up a rent to own program with the seller which was converted to a real estate contract once we both secured jobs.  These examples are only the tip of the iceberg.  I see opportunity every time someone says, "you can't do that" or "it's impossible."

Where are your opportunities?  Are you looking in the right places?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

7 Ways To Defeat Your Fears

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." ~ Matthew 14:27

It's been almost a year since we lost one of our team-mates at work.  Ryan and his girlfriend were in a tragic motorcycle accident that took his life and left his girlfriend in critical condition.  Her recovery is amazing.  And she just did something recently most of us would never dream of...she got a motorcycle license.  Someday she plans to buy the same bike her boyfriend was killed on.

Fear is something we all have.  Jesus talks about fear more than any other subject.  He knows how the Enemy uses fear to stop us in our tracks.  If you find yourself struggling with fear, here are seven tips to help you:

1. Fear lives in the shadows.  Turn the light on.  It helps to see what you're dealing with.
2. Understand where fear comes from.  It does not come from God.  It is a road block to God.
3. Love is stronger than fear.  The greater your love is, the weaker your fear becomes.
4. Fear comes from having trust issues.  Learn to trust and watch your fears dissipate.
5. Remember what the final score will be.  Your team wins.  Fear is the only weapon the Enemy has to try to confuse you and distract you.  Keep your eyes on the scoreboard and remind the Enemy the outcome has already been determined.
6. Fear can be converted into high octane gas;  it gives you all the fuel you need to move forward.  Use it to fill up your tank and charge ahead.
7. The greatest fear most of us have is about death.  Jesus conquered death.  It's no longer an issue.  Death is simply a doorway to eternal life.

I salute all the people in this world who found a way to defeat their fears.  I congratulate Ryan's girlfriend for deciding fear will not be a part of her life.  And I challenge you to defeat your fears.  These seven ideas are a starting point.  Please add your suggestions to the story in the comments section below.