Day 5 on the Road

 My meditation efforts are on full throttle while I'm on the road to help open a new location at my day job.  This is especially important when navigating in the unknown.   I'm doing my best to pay attention to my body and understand the limits of my capacity to serve others.  I'm especially cautious of my voice which usually disappears about this time.   So far so good. 

There is a certain theme emerging in my daily meditations that aids me in my waking hours.   There is a greater sense of gratitude.   The longer I live the more I appreciate all the blessings in my life.   I'm thankful for my family,  my friends,  my teammates,  and all the new people I'm working with when I do these assignments in new cities.  Today is the halfway point in Indiana.  There is much work to do before the drive home.  Meanwhile,  I'm relying on my morning meditations to get me through all the challenges on this ten day stretch.   Have a great day. 

A Memorable Day in the Midwest

 

The day yesterday couldn't have been any better.  It started with a morning walk outside my hotel room in Avon, Indiana, where I'm on a day job assignment.  The clouds rolled in ten minutes after I captured the photo you see here.  The rain didn't deter eager folks wanting to visit and see what all the buzz is about.  One of our bosses from the home office said it best when she said, "The Midwest is en fuego."

I'm thankful to be a part of the support help.  Their hard work over these last months set the table for a grand opening that may be one of the best in our company history.  Yesterday was a day I will never forgot.  Now it's time to get ready for the next wave of people who will be pouring in over the weekend.   Have a great day.

Grand Opening Today at My Day Job

 Today is the day we have all been waiting for at my day job.  This is our 101st opening in the Midwest region.  Since I'm not an authorized speaker, I need to keep my sharing to a minimum.  What I can say is that I'm super thankful to work for a company that cares so much about the people we serve.  Helping out at these openings is my way of paying it forward for all this company has done for me.  Congratulations to all my teammates for working so hard to make all this possible.  Have a great day.

Big Day Tomorrow

Our grand opening at our newest location is tomorrow in Avon, Indiana.  I'm here on assignment as support staff.   The staff around me has been here for months getting ready for the big day.  I'm so thankful to be living in the Midwest and working for a company that cares about me and my family.  My hope is to share my experiences working at my day job for nearly ten years with all the new hires so they can get a sense of what's possible when you work hard as a team.  Have a great day.

Avon Calling

 Day job expansion in the Midwest is on full throttle.  Two more locations are opening this week in Minnesota and Indiana.  I'm headed to Avon, Indiana today to assist the new staff.  I will already be on the road when this story posts.  I have a colleague to keep me company on the road trip.  This is an exciting time of the year because the Fall colors are now at their peak.  My hope is to capture some of Mother's Nature's best highlights while driving along the scenic highways.

Please forgive any typos you may see these next couple of weeks.  My days will be at the highest intensity levels and I'm without my beloved MacBook Pro.  All stories will be composed on my cell phone.  I wish my teammates in Duluth and Avon much success.  May you find the same joy I've found from serving others and may you find fulfillment in your new career.  Have a great day.

How I Found Equilibrium

Even a stranger can notice when you're outside a state of equilibrium.  It's one of those things you can't fake.  One important lesson I'm learning about equilibrium is that the further you are away from it, the harder it is to see for yourself.  You don't have to be a monk or live in a cave to find this state but you do have to me mindful about how you're living your life to obtain it.

Imagine you're holding on to a rock.  This rock represents what you want in life.  It may be a relationship, a certain job, or financial status.  Along comes all the forces of nature to take your rock away from you.  There may even be people in your life who want to steal your rock.  You do everything in your power to hold on.  Your grip on this rock makes you miserable because you forget about everything else while you focus on holding on.  I'm sorry to say this but the reality is that the more you hold on, the stronger the opposing forces become.  You may never find equilibrium.  To do this, you must do the opposite of what you're currently doing.  Yes, the opposite.  You must let go.  Say good-bye to the rock.  Return to simplicity.  

Your own ego is perhaps the heaviest rock you can ever grasp.  You must walk away from your own ego if you really want to get serious about equilibrium.  Your ego wants to tell you how much the world owes you.  The world doesn't owe you anything.  Here's something else to consider in your pursuit of equilibrium.  You must become blind to what the rest of the world is doing.  Stop judging everyone else.  Seek quiet places to contemplate what your life can look like is you decide to keep it simple.

Now that my scales are finally balanced, I'm working on one more idea.  The idea is to notice when the world creeps up with it's own ideas to steal my balance.  I'm learning to say no to anything that may upset my newfound equilibrium.  I'm learning not to be so obsessed with deadlines that it causes my scales to tip in the wrong direction.    Have a great day.

Debt Monster on Life Support

 My debt monster is on his death bed.  His best days are behind him.  I'm writing his obituary.  He was much more formidable when he had seven heads and spewed fire from his nostrils.  Sadly, his life is filled with regrets.  As tempting as his empty promises once were, his life is about to come to a conclusion because I ignored his pleas to spend beyond my means.

If you happen to be living with a debt monster, I want you to have hope for a better future.  It begins with saying no to the monster.  Cut him off.  He's not human.  He's a blood-sucking demon who wants your soul.  Caving in means slavery.  Fight to get your life back.  The two of you cannot co-exist.  In order for you to live the life you desire, you must kill your debt monster.  Have a great day.

What's Your Story?

 How do you feel about sharing your story?  If we were sitting around the campfire, what would you share with me about your life?  What chapters are ahead for you that are currently unwritten?  Are you excited about what is to come?

Maybe some day I will get to hear your story.  I'm thankful for those of you who are in my life who have been willing to share.  I'm also excited to share what is ahead.  The one day at a time strategy for sharing seems to work for me because it prevents me from being overwhelmed.  There is much to share in the coming months ahead.  All I can say today is that I'm delighted you tune in here to check up on me.  I look forward to learning more about your story.  Have a great day.

The Molecules are Working

 I'll be sharing the details soon.  I'm still not sure if the improvements are placebo related or if they are the real deal.  Either way, I'm going through some great changes.  It's also hard to pinpoint which variable is giving me the best results.  It is possible that the results are due to a combination of factors.

The most significant change I'm observing has to do with what's going on inside my mind.  The aging process appears stalled.  My memory seems to be improving.  I may be a lab rat but I'm taking notes.  Stay tuned for more about the molecules.  I'm thankful for all these discoveries and promise to share more for those curious about slowing down the inevitable – aging.  Have a great day.

Celebrate at all Times

 How is your day going today?  I ask this question because I know deep down that we all have those days when things aren't going the way we thought they should.  Perhaps our outlook could be different if someone could just ask us, "How is your day going?"  

If you happen to be having one of those days when life seems extra challenging, try this... Look around and find one thing, just one thing today that you can celebrate.  Make a big deal of that one thing.  Celebrate like no other.  If nothing is going right in your life and you can't find one thing, look to your friends.  Look for one thing they are excited about and be happy for them.  Celebrate their one thing that is going well with them.  Have a great day.

Oops!

Call off the search party.  My missing post from yesterday was found on my laptop this morning.  In my rush to get out the door I missed the "publish" button, a final step to get my stories out to the world.  Don't worry. I'm still here doing what I love every morning before sunrise.  

How do you feel when an "oops" occurs in your life?  I'm discovering my life is filled with these.  These moments give me an opportunity to comprehend how insignificant they really are in the big picture.  What's important to me is to keep moving forward.  I'm really getting excited about everything that is on my plate.  I'm also learning the best way to get things done.  Visualization is an important of this.  If I spend enough time developing the projects in my mind before I put it into action the easier it is to go through the process.  I expect to have certain "oops" moments along the way, especially when I'm juggling multiple goals simultaneously.  Thank you for being patient with me when I blow it.  It's time to hit the publish button and check to see this message pops up in cyberspace before I head off to my day job.  Next week I'll be blogging on the road.  Hopefully, the oops moments will be kept to a minimum.  Have a great day.

Here's an Idea to Help You Overcome Obstacles

 If you read yesterday's story, you already know what I plan to do in 2022.  The objections are already swirling around in my head like a soon-to-be formed tornado.  Isn't that usually what happens when you come up with what you think is a great idea?  The naysayers come out of the woodwork to tell you all the reasons why your ideas are crazy.  Then, the self-doubt creeps in.  Your mind invents objections that may or may not come true should you stay on your journey.

Yesterday's blog message was more of my mind's response to the elephant in the room and he's asking me, "Michael, where are you going to get the money to buy Lucy?"  Isn't that the question that usually comes up first anytime you come up with a vision.  I can hear Tom Cruise shouting at me, "Show me the money!"

If money is the show stopper, I already came up with a creative way to handle the objection.  Yep.  I don't adopt Lucy (our future dream home on wheels) until I have the money to adopt her.  That's a fair solution. My guru, Dave Ramsey, would surely agree with this idea.  Why get back in debt after finally achieving financial freedom (that's in the near future)?  Most people would stop there at the objection and then wait, deferring their dream until some future time that may not ever happen.

Here's another objection:  "Hey, Michael.  What about all those supply chain issues?  Won't it be forever until you get your parts for Lucy?"

That's why building Lucy from the inside using freed up monthly disposal income makes so much sense.  If there's a supply issue, I can wait up to a year to get what I need because I'm only building Lucy from the inside while saving money to adopt her.  

What I'm suggesting here is that you dream first, visualize all the objections, and then find a creative way to handle these objections before you begin working in earnest to make your dream come true.  

Here's another objection I'm hearing from people who are deferring building their dream homes due to the shortage of wood?  "Hey Michael, have you heard how much wood costs these days?"  

Wood shortages are more common in my area due to this massive storm we had called a Derecho.  It destroyed homes and caused a big surge in building costs.  Here's my answer:  Aluminum.  Yep.  Extruded aluminum.  80/20 to be specific.  I'm going to building Lucy with mostly aluminum.  I may be a newbie when it comes to building a dream home on wheels but I do believe I've seen enough objections in my lifetime to know the only way to achieve a dream is to conquer each and every objection that comes your way.  Have a great day.

Sharing a Figment of My Imagination

 I can name a number of reasons why a certain figment of my imagination won't ever become a reality.  Those reasons don't really matter much to me because I've experienced some profound moments in my life when those figments became seeds that sprouted new adventures.  I'm referring to Lucy.  She's only a thought right now.  A better way to describe her is that she's a vision.  I'm sitting in my basement studio thinking of her right now.  The house is empty today.  I will be working on my book projects as soon as I finish today's blog message.  Before I sign off, I do want to share a little bit more about Lucy.

Lucy weighs in at 4,768 pounds.  She will be empty on the inside when my wife and I adopt her, hopefully sometime next year.  The idea is to spruce Lucy up with everything we need to turn her into a home on wheels.  The people I've been watching on YouTube who show newbies like me how to build these dream homes on wheels all buy their vans first.  I have this crazy idea that I build most of the insides first and then adopt Lucy once her guts are assembled.  Why not do it this way?  That would make the adoption process a rather unique experience.  Stay tuned.  2022 is going to be an interesting year.  Have a great day.

Beware of the Spotlight

Beware when the spotlight shines upon you.  The brightest angels in Heaven know something about this.  Something happened when they forgot where the spotlight came from.  It was a big mistake to believe they were the source of the light.  The same can happen to us.  It's so easy to forget where the light comes from.  

Something else happens when that spotlight is lighting you up like a Christmas tree.  Your faults are more visible.  The critic will attack because he or she craves that spotlight.  I use a different approach.  As long as I always remember that my spotlight is a result of the people around me and I share the light with them, everyone wins.  There is no need for jealousy or envy.  Gratitude is the best approach when find yourself caught in the spotlight.

I'm going to do my best this week to shine the spotlight on my family, my friends, and my coworkers.  I'm also going to remember that the source of my light comes from Heaven.  The moon can't shine without the sun.  I can't shine either without the Son of God.  Use your spotlight wisely.  Don't let it get to your head.  Have a great day.

How Much Will You Give Today?

 It's a new day today.  The sun came up.  Everything that happened yesterday is in the past.  The question for today is "How much will you give?"  You may be tempted to avoid going all in.  You may feel like you need to save something for tomorrow.  Please don't do this.  Tomorrow will take care of itself.  Don't leave anything on the table.  Live today like it's your last day on earth.  I'm going all in.  It started with admiring a glorious sunrise.  It's up to you to decide how much you will give today.  Go for it.  Have a great day.

What are You Spreading?

Have you ever noticed how bad news spreads so much faster than good news?  Bad news seems to get all the attention.  Perhaps that why I believe spreading good news is so important.  The world needs to hear something good from you.  Positive people can change the world and overcome the negativity that appears to have a strong foothold in our society.

Pay careful attention to what you're spreading.  Put a lid on your negative comments.  Be a light in the world.  Bite your tongue when the water cooler talk gets nasty.  Have a great day. 

Happy Birthday to My Mother

She's 82 today.  Happy birthday, mom.  Thanks for inspiring me to never give up.  If you don't mind, I'm sharing highlights from that "halftime talk" you gave me when I was facing what some might call a midlife crisis.  All I can say is when the chips are down it's a great feeling to have a mother like mine who knows exactly what to say.  Mom has empathy like no other.

Mom didn't sugar coat the depths of my challenges.  Instead, she told me she knew exactly how I felt.  Mom related to me that she experienced similar ordeals at about the same age.  I was fifty and found myself clinging to the end of my rope.  I felt like a complete failure.  Mom disagreed.  She taught me that these challenges I was facing were a great opportunity for me to grow.  She didn't blink when her world appeared to be crumbling and she encouraged me to be bold.  Mom is the example of what my life could become if I stayed in the game.  Perhaps what I admire most about my mother is her faith.  She teaches by example to trust God in all things, especially in times of danger.  Thanks mom, for always being there for me and my five siblings.  Have a great day.

Castaway Wilson Update

 J.T. Egley, the artist who created the front cover for "Castaway Wilson," is working on art for the inside of the book.  He's going to find a clever way to mask Wilson in each chapter so that the characters are visible and I stay out of the court system.  The last thing I need in my life is to get sued by the folks who own the rights to Wilson's image and get wiped out.  This could really hurt my credibility in the "Live Long and Prosper" department.  

I'm getting excited.  There is much to be done.  Keep me in your prayers.  It looks like I'll be traveling again soon to assist another team with their opening at my day job.  Yes, my plate is full.  Good thing I'm meditating every morning.  This is helping me to stay calm and keep focused.  I also want to give a shout out to my godson and his mother who are both celebrating birthdays today.  Have a great day.

Why I'm No Longer an Angry Young Man

 Two things have changed since my high school days when I often confined myself to my bedroom listening to two songs over and over again by Styx.  I'm no longer young.  That's the first thing.  The second thing which I consider to be the more important one is that I'm no longer angry.  The source of my anger is not as important as what happened when I was able to let go of that anger.  That's the day my world changed.  

I heard Tommy Shaw this morning on a YouTube video featuring the Contemporary Youth Orchestra from Cleveland playing Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).  Click here for the link.  This is the song, along with Come Sail Away, also by Styx, that inspired me to keep going during my angry times.  There is a joy on these young faces that I rarely knew when I was hitting rock bottom.  There were only a select few that knew my pain.  I hid it well, turning to the tennis courts to smack tennis balls in an attempt to exorcise the demons inside my head.  I know this joy now.  I also know intensity.  Intensity is the byproduct of staying in the game when you feel your chances of winning are almost nil.

Congratulations.  You made it the third paragraph and you're still with me, maybe hoping I will share why I'm no longer angry.  The answer is simple.  I let go.  Yep.  That's it.  I made a choice to loosen the grip on my anger and allow it to slip through my fingers.  If you want details, here goes.  Imagine yourself vomiting and everything that comes out of you is poison.  That's what anger looks like.  Left unchecked, it will kill you.  Have a great day.

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What's in Your Brain's Operating System?

 Your brain is doing exactly what it's programmed to do.  It took years to build the software applications that are now running on cruise control inside your head.  Everything you do is a result of this programming.  Good luck trying to change the software.  The person in charge of this is your body and it will fight with everything it has to keep you from making changes even if those changes can make your life better.  The question of the day is, "What's in your brain's operating system?"  I have a hint for you if you want to explore this topic.  

If you're inside the software program you have no way to override it.  It's like changing the font on a book you're reading that's already been published.  You must exit the software program and observe it from the outside.  The process is like watching a dream while you're awake and then changing it one scene at a time until the dream appears as the ideal life you desire to live.  This takes daily effort.  This is what I do every morning before the sun comes up.  I spend time reviewing all the software programs that are in a "sleep" mode while I look for possible errors in the programming.  We all have them.  The body wants to divert us from doing this because it is afraid of what might happen if we start tinkering.  If we tinker too much, we may become a new person.  

How many times did your own body try to distract you while you were reading the first couple of paragraphs?  Did you notice yourself looking at your watch?  Maybe your body really doesn't want you reading these types of stories.  The news is much more sensational.  That junk food in the fridge is more enticing.  If you begin changing your software you may end up losing weight, getting fit, or stop throwing temper tantrums when you don't get your way.  The choice is yours.  You already found step one, becoming aware of what's in your brain's operating software.  Step two is more challenging.  Good luck.  Have a great day.

This is What Happens When You Call God

 Can you see it?  It's not always readily visible.  It's what happens when you call God.  For some, the change is immediate, like when water reaches the boiling point.  For others, it's much slower.  Don't ask me why the answers are so varied.  I don't know.  What I do know is that I called God long ago and the response wasn't what I expected.  This is a good thing.  

There are three answers that God gives when we call Him, yes, no, and not yet.  No and not yet look similar until time passes.  The not yet becomes a yes.  The longer I live, the more I trust God's replies.  His "not yet" reply has taught me patience, endurance, humility, wisdom, and understanding.  My trust issues are subsiding.  

I guarantee one thing will happen when you call God.  Your life will change.  Many only call when they are experiencing a 911 emergency.  I don't recommend this.  Call God every day.  Make sure it's a two-way conversation.  Listen for the response.  Be patient.  Have a great day.

Congratulations to Dr. Kristy Nabhan-Warren, Author of Meatpacking America

 "I published," my friend Kristy told me yesterday while visiting at my day job.  The joy on her face is not often seen from writers who labor for years to reach this writing pinnacle and more often than not fall short of their dream to publish.  "It took ten years to get this done," she said.  I know her story well.  Many give up before the journey is over.  Not Kristy.  She gives it her all, even while working full-time as a professor of religious studies at the University of Iowa and raising a family.  

I can't wait to read Meatpacking America, a story about migrant workers who live and work in Iowa.  Click here for the link to purchase her book.  Way to go, Kristy!  I'm super proud of you.  Thank you for encouraging me to keep going with my writing.  Also, congratulations to the University of Iowa Hawkeyes for a strong performance on the football field yesterday.  Have a great day.

Win the Head Game First

 How are you doing with your head games?  It's a continuing challenge for me and I have good days as well as bad days.  When I win, life seems to go in a positive direction.  When I lose, the stench of defeat fills the air.  Air freshener can mask my loss but I know deep down that I lost and that's not good for my self esteem.  Why are those head games so challenging to win?  Maybe it has something to do with how well your own mind knows you.  It's like looking into the brain of a chess player and seeing the moves in advance so you can plan a counter-attack.  Your brain knows exactly how to push your buttons and get you to cave.

If you want to get serious with your goals, you must win the head game first.  Win this battle and you can set the world on fire.  Keep in mind this is a daily battle.  One victory doesn't mean much is you then lose six in a row.  The idea is to develop winning mind habits.  It starts first thing in the morning.  Your brain is already trying to stop you.  Every time you hit snooze your brain is logging a victory.  Decide today that you are going to win every head game.  Have a great day.

Two Valuable Questions to Help You

 If you can find the answer to the two questions I'm posing today, you are on your way to a fulfilling life.  It's not possible to copy answers from your friends and family because the answers are not the same.  In fact, your answers are so unique that there isn't a soul on this earth with the same response.  You may need a lifetime to get these answers right.  Consider your answers carefully.  Here goes:

1. Who are you?  
2. What is your purpose?

Incorrect responses to these questions will cause anxiety.  You may also experience undo stress.  Other symptoms are boredom and lethargy.  I would like to add a caveat to those who discover the correct answers.  Your life may change in a direction you really didn't want to go.  Correct answers don't guarantee an easy life.  They may not eliminate pain or suffering.  Please don't be afraid to seek the answers and then pursue whatever direction they lead you.  Have a great day. 

Blog Day #4426

We never know how many days we have left.  I'm okay with that.  It's one more unknown variable in a sea of unknown variables we all encounter every morning when we wake up.  4,426 days ago I made a promise to write daily and share all the good Jesus is doing in my life.  The one guarantee I believe I have is that I will never run out of good things Jesus is doing in my life.  That means I will never run out of stories.  These good things are sometimes embedded in obstacles.  The good things are also found in the people I meet and the places I visit.  I have this burning desire deep inside my soul to travel more and seek new experiences.  That is my hope for the next 5,000 blog stories I write.

As much as I enjoy blogging, I get an even greater satisfaction from writing books.  A writing obstacle appeared that slowed my progress to tortoise speed and I felt I was losing a grip on reality.  Instead of giving up, I put the project on a back burner and started a new book.  My own life got in the way of that book and I found myself with twin tortoises.  Watching them is like watching grass grow.  The good news is my grass is growing and I'm going to share a couple more books soon.  Thank you for your continued patience.  Have a great day.

Where Does Credibility Come From?

Are you having trouble in the credibility department?  Let's talk.  I know how you feel.  I know the price of credibility.  It's a price most people choose not to pay because they feel it's too high.  Credibility is a close cousin of failure.  Who in their right mind wants to fail?  The truth is that the more you fail, the closer you get to gaining credibility.  

One of my best early memories of my career has to do with knocking on doors and asking people if they would like to subscribe to the morning paper while I was in high school.  My boss offered me a free bus ride and ticket to Disneyland if I could get enough new "starts."  Failure greeted me at most of the doors I knocked on.  I wanted to quit.  My desire to get to Disneyland motivated me to keep going and get past my fear of rejection.  My buddies thought I had credibility.  After all, I was one of the few who got to go.  They will never know how many people responded negatively.  

There are two ways to gain credibility, education and experience.  I recommend you pursue both.  Learn as much as you can every day.  Be willing to go outside your comfort zone.  Have a great day.

It's Really Happening

 It didn't happen while I was living in the state where I grew up.  It didn't happen in Southern California, my home for twenty-two years.  It didn't happen my first nine years in my new home state of Iowa.  My debt monster had his claws in me so deep that I couldn't shake loose.  That's all about to change soon.  It's really happening.  I didn't do this alone.  In fact, I give all the credit to my wife of thirty-two years.  She's the one who checked out the book from the library at one of the lowest points in our financial nightmare we endured for most of our marriage.  We looked at the steps in the book by Dave Ramsey and made a decision to follow those steps no matter how painful they may be.

Habits are what define who you are.  Everything you do is a habit.  Changing your routine, especially when it comes to money, requires the kind of discipline I never really had.  This required that I make new habits.  My very soul is about to be set free.  I'm already feeling a kind of exhilaration that comes from reaching a mountain top.  I can see the peak.  The air is thin but it doesn't matter.  Nothing is going to stop me now.  The views are already better than anything I've ever seen before.  That debt monster who once weighed 300 pounds is now a scrawny creature about the size of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings. He's on life support because he no longer feasts on the high interest rates I paid as a result of my out-of-control spending.  

If you're struggling with your own debt monster, do one thing and do it today.  Stop feeding him.  All of his power comes from your lack of will power.  If you stop feeding him, he will die.  Don't feel bad for him.  Feel bad for the prison this debt monster locked you up inside.  Feel bad for the life you are depriving yourself of because you want things now and you don't have the discipline to wait until you have the cash.  Have a great day.

Division is the Dark Side's Favorite Math

 God's plan for us is for us to be fruitful and multiply.  He asks this of Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28.  That's what creators do, they multiply, adding value to what already exists.  Those on the dark side prefer a different kind of math.  Subtraction is their game but that's not their number one favorite type of math.  Division is their god.  Take a look around and pay attention to all the division you see.  A husband is divided against his wife.  A father and son do not see eye-to-eye.  A daughter opposes her mother.  Even amongst God's people, one house of worship on one side of the street is divided against the other house of worship on the other side of the street.  The list goes on.  Look no further than the House of Representatives or the Senate and you see the kind of division the world has not seen in modern times.  

Abraham Lincoln told us, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."  Too bad nobody is listening.  The world is seeing red and it's getting worse.  If today's story seems offensive, I apologize.  I'm only reporting what I see and division seems to be the hot ticket.  I do believe with all my heart that this division will one day be overcome.  Why do I believe this?  It's simply because I believe the Creator of the universe wins.  The dark side knows this.  That's why this world is so upside down right now.  The dark side wants division to be our god.  I choose to be on the positive side of all my math equations.  I offer prayers for those who have lost hope.  May Jesus help them to turn their negative numbers into positive numbers.  While it may be true that our math problems got complicated when one third of the angels turned away from God and when to the dark side, that still leave two thirds who are with us to help us find our way to the light.  Let's not forget that Jesus is with us no matter how much division we may face in this world.  Have a great day.

What To Do If You Want to Avoid Criticism

 Aristotle said this about criticism, "To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing and be nothing."  I suppose that works really well if avoiding criticism is what makes you tick.  Aristotle was bright.  I'm sure he had his critics.  If I could add one thing to his quote, it would be this:  Become deaf to the critic.

Think about the critic for a moment.  Why is this person bothering to critique everything you do?  Maybe the critic feels like he or she is guilty about his or her life.  Criticism shifts the attention from the critic to the people who are willing to say something, do something and be someone.   This is bold.  You become a target.  Be the target.  Welcome the arrows.  Have a great day.

On the Run Today

It's a lightning blog kind of a day today.  My wife and I had a rare Saturday morning together and now I'm headed to my day job for a late shift today.  Tonight we have our state of the union address and all hands are on deck.  I'm rushing out the door to stay on track.  Have a great day. 

My Favorite Bible Quote

 

Jeremiah and Ezekiel are my two favorite prophets.  Ezekiel is asked to preach to the dried up bones and when he does, new life appears.  Jeremiah is called at age 17 to share God's messages to his people.  Jeremiah resists at first.  Maybe it's his young age holding him back.  It could be he knows how challenging it is to get people to change their ways.  Imagine you're Jeremiah and you're telling others that God has a plan to prosper them, not to harm them, and give them hope and a future.  This bold message isn't just for the people around Jeremiah.  This message is for you and me.  This message is meant to be shared, especially in times of stress or danger.  These plans Jeremiah is referencing were set up long before we were born.

Jeremiah had a less popular message in chapter 11, verse 11 that tells us what happens when we choose to ignore God's plans.  In my opinion, this is where many of us in our country are today.  We fight for power. We ignore God's plans.  We forget God's ways.  Here it is:  “Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.” - Jeremiah 11:11.  

When I read these two verses side by side I see God's ways and man's ways.  I see what happens when we choose God's ways.  The other option causes our bones to dry up from all that evil that seeps into our souls.  If these prophets were here today, I believe they would tell us it's not too late.  Give God's plans a try.  Stick with it even when the world tempts you to go in a different direction.  Have a great day.  May you live long and prosper.