Friday, January 30, 2009

Uncontrollable Storm


Sometimes there is just nothing to do or say. Sometimes you just have to wait the feelings out. We look for the magical solution to help us stop feeling what we are feeling and the only solution is time. We are forced to just sit in an uncomfortable state, while our emotions and life sort themselves out. There isn’t always something to fix and it’s not always someone’s fault, sometimes it just is until it’s not.

A storm forms deep inside of me, for things I can’t control
I search the clouds for answers, because I don’t feel whole

Thunder shows in desperation and drowns my thoughts completely
Then silence and vast empty lands, show only to deplete me

I set in search for rainbows, the good things in my life
Dark sky’s of desperation, they cut me like a knife

In desperate search for cover, the rains persist to come
The drowning overwhelms me, my colors start to run

Standing soaked in burden, the wind will pay my toll
For passing rain will wet my body, but sun will dry my soul
* Alex Becerra

Thursday, January 29, 2009

At the End of the Day


All of my post have been written during the mornings to serve as a daily reading. The idea was to read them and have something to think about before starting your day, or in some cases, in the middle of your day. Today I thought I would do something a little different and give you something to think about at the end of your day.
Who were you happy with today?
Who were you upset with today?
Who did you help?
Who did you hurt?
Who did you make feel good about themselves?
Who did you make feel bad?
Did you smile today?
Did you scream today?
Did you enjoy life today?
If you went to bed tonight and never woke up tomorrow, are you happy with the way you finished your day? Are you happy with the way you left your relationships? Thinking about what you do before the day starts is important, but reviewing how your day went, is too.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Setting Goals


As a kid my dad always told me how important it was to set goals. All I heard, was that he wanted me to write down all the work I had ahead of me to do. I didn’t want to create some list that could later be used against me, when I failed to do whatever I had written down. I figured there was no need to write down the things I wanted for myself, because there was no chance, I could ever forget them.
Now as a big kid, I realize that it really wasn’t about all that. At the beginning of this year, I wrote down five things I wanted to accomplish by the end of this year, laminated the list and stuck it in my wallet. First and foremost, it forced me to think about what 5 things were at the top of my priority list as things I wanted for myself this year. Secondly, I had to think about what I was going to do to get those things and when I was going to start trying. Writing these things down, made me see that the amount of time in life is limited and that you must choose your goals wisely. The really cool thing is that I have a similar paper in my wallet, from something I wrote in 1996. Believe it or not, I have managed to meet, most of the goals from that list. I believe having it in my wallet all those years made them happen.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Simple Life



Remember the show Little House on the Prairie? Life was so simple back then. Plow the fields, milk the cows, do your chores, a little red school house and a farmer’s market. Everyone knew each other and the community was close knit. Life was about living. Work and chores, were about putting food on the table and a roof over your head. Neighbors worked together, played together and most importantly, lived life together with a common goal. What happened?

Now you have shows like, Dirty Sexy Money or The Hills, representing today's lifestyles. Life is complicated, full of betrayal, distrust, Malibu mansions, and Whole Foods Grocery Stores. Life is about getting ahead (ahead of who or what, I'm not sure but everyone is headed to the front of the line). Food on the table and a roof over your head, is a “gimme”. Neighbors envy each other; work against one another and most notably, live life as separate entities. In today’s world, it takes hurricanes and other major disasters to unite people, for a common cause. It’s great when you see it happening but why does it have to take death and suffering to bring about unity? With today’s economy the way it is, we need to look out for one another to survive. Survival of the fittest will mean nothing, if you’re alone. During these tough times, look not only to help yourself, but help those around you survive as well. I know It was how we made it through the tough times after Hurricane Andrew and it is how we will make it through the economic hurricane we are currently dealing with.
Bring back the simple life and let's help each other to have one common goal, for the survival of a community.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Your Eulogy


Live your life like you were writing your Eulogy. Imagine the things that you would want people to say. Would you want to hear any of the following?

“Boy could he make money, that guy made money like no one else."
“ Man, did that guy date some hot girls or what?”
“I never met a guy that could pound drinks like him.”
“This guy was so athletic, he could play any sport.”
“He had so many friends.”
Etc……..
Once you think of it this way, the things you might have thought were so important, begin to show themselves for what they truly are. These are some of the things I think you might be more interested in hearing:
“He took pride in what he did.”
“You could always count on him.”
“He was a good man.”
“He made a difference in people’s lives.”
“He loved his family and always provided for them.”
“He was a compassionate person.”
“He lived his life to the fullest.”
Etc………
I used the examples above for a man but the same things can be changed around to fit a woman. Live life like you were writing your Eulogy and your focus on what is important will be clear.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Show Your Appreciation


Why do we care, if anyone cares? I would imagine that this is important to us as individuals because it gives us purpose. We look for recognition in the things we do, because ultimately we want to know that we make a difference. A difference in the life of others. Although we must go in the direction that our own personal compass points without the influence of others, it's nice to hear that our direction is having a positive affect. Look around at the people who have a positive affect on your life and let them know. Instead of trying to change the ones that negatively affect your life, do something to let the others know, their compass is on track. Send the right message and that message will be sent back to you. It's up to you to start the dialogue.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Money Finder


Growing up, I was very close to my grandfather. He taught me many things. As a kid, one of my favorites was how to find money. He would tell me to always look on the ground when in places were large amounts of people gathered. In particular, he loved fairs or amusement parks. He would explain to me that if you always looked on the ground where ever people paid for things, you were bound to find money. He further went on to explain that in the excitement of the situation, many people would pull money out of their pockets without paying much attention to what might be falling. Mind you, it’s not to say you would watch money fall out of pockets, it was more of an after the fact kind of thing. Since my grandfather had been poor as a child, I imagine he picked up this technique to survive, and boy did it work. I was always the one finding money. Everyone would say how lucky I was, but I knew it was that I was looking. I was looking in the right places, while others just walked around unware of the treasures around them.
How do you find happiness or the good things in your life? Surround yourself with the right people. Look in the right places. Always be looking while others are staring at the sky. It’s not about luck, it’s about knowing how to create opportunity.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Change your couch


I will never forget the day we decided to get rid of our couch. Since the day my my children were born, they had never known another couch. It was a leather sectional and fortunately for us, had lasted for that many years. One day, I decided to surprise my family and buy a new couch. It was exactly the same as the old one, only brown instead of the beige. I had the couch delivered while they were at school, so as to surprise them when they came home. Shortly after 3:00PM, I received a call from my wife. In the background I could hear all three kids crying. They were devastated. They wanted the old couch back, holes and all. They loved there old couch. The way it looked, the way it smelled and especially the way it conformed to their little bodies. Even though the oldest was only 7, I was baffled.
What I came to realize that day, was that we can sometimes become so comfortable with our lives, that the smallest change can throw us for a loop. I realized that since life is forever changing, It would be imporrtant to expose my children to more changes, so that they would have better coping skills for change in the future. If their world was turned upside down by changing a couch, what would happen in life, when they had to change homes, schools, jobs, cities, etc…. Lastly, after explaining to them how much better the new couch was and seeing them eventually come to realize this, I realized that change can be a great thing, even if it doesn’t feel that way in the beginning.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Share Life


How many people are truly happy for other people? When you tell people about the good things that are happening or have happened to you, what are their responses? Do they seem truly happy for you? What do you feel inside when people tell you the good things that have happened or are happening to them? Are you truly happy for them, or does envy sneak in?
Try to respond to other people’s good news in the same way you would want them to respond to yours. When envy tries to creep in, remind yourself that there are too many good things in the world happening, for all of them to happen to you. We classify events as good or bad, to the universe they are just events. The same way that you wouldn’t want to be burdened with all the events you consider to be bad, share the ones you consider to be good. Sometimes it will be difficult because we may want or feel, we deserve what someone else is enjoying. Have faith that when it is right for us, it will come to us. If we focus on what we are not receiving instead of looking at the things we are receiving the world seems unfair and desperate. If we share in others people’s joys, trust builds and then when we experience ours, they will truly be happy for us. It’s a big world, share it and not only will it feel more just, but it will be a lot more rewarding.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Imaginaton


Although Barney will tell you that using your imagination is the greatest thing one can do. Our imagination can sometimes be our worst enemy. Sometimes, things happen to us that we are not expecting and they appear to be sending us in a direction we don’t want or better said, fear. Once an event like this occurs, it can trigger our imagination, sending us on a wild roller coaster ride. We let our imaginations run wild, taking us through dark tunnels that have yet to even appear. We feed our fears and they run out of control, taking us into a world of darkness and negativity. Within a short period of time, our situation appears hopeless and now our fears convert to anger. It sounds more like something out of horror movie than a Barney Episode, but It happens all the time.
Before you let your mind strap you in to the rollercoaster, ask yourself if what you are upset about has even happened yet. Remember that if you’re preoccupying your time with what might happen in the future, it is impossible for you to have any effect on today. Most importantly, don’t waste your time trying to control the things of tomorrow that are out of your direct control. Focus on the things that you can control today and remember what you may consider to be a bad thing today, can be a great thing tomorrow.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Recognize Yourself


I have a good friend who is always talking about how smart or accomplished his brother is. In recent conversations he was telling me about how well suited I was to do a particular thing and how he wasn’t. He seems to always focus on the things that others have accomplished and undermines his own accomplishments. What I have yet to mention is that this individual has been an extremely successful business man. He has had it all, boats, horses, cars, and motorcycles and much more. He is well traveled and throughout his life, God has blessed him with his health and good fortune. He never takes no for an answer from anyone and his persistence is unmatched. When he gets into something, I have never met anyone who is a thorough and eager to learn the intricacies of the issue.
It’s important to recognize yourself for the accomplishments you have achieved, which he really doesn’t. He recognizes the results but he doesn’t recognize the part he played in achieving those results. At the risk of acting conceded, he needs to understand and recognize all of his accomplishments and be proud. It’s good to admire others and to strive to emulate the qualities they possess that you respect, but not at the risk of losing yourself along the way.
Stand up, be proud and recognize yourself as the great person you were meant to be, you might be surprised to find out how many people around you, are trying to emulate your great qualities.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Imagine the horror


You come home and walk through your front door, greeting the people you live with. They ask you to go to the back of the house because there is something there, they would like you to see. They sit you down in a chair facing the back yard and as they open the blinds to your sliding glass doors, you are shocked with what you see. There is a mad man running around with a gun, shooting people. Blood pours out of their bodies as they run from him in horror. Some people have been decapitated and their heads lye on the floor next to them. Suddenly a woman bangs up against the door screaming in horror, begging for help. As you watch this, you are confused at why everyone inside your house is so calm as to what they are witnessing. You become more and more uncomfortable and ask for an explanation. They comfort you by saying, “don’t worry its ok, it’s almost over.” Just before you decide to stand up and try to do something, it all comes to a screeching halt and once again you are staring at an empty back lawn. Your family explains that you have just witnessed the latest gadget, “The Hologram DVD”. How would you feel? How did you feel while it was happening? Would you want to watch it again? If you watched it over and over would it desensitize you?
A child’s mind is not capable of separating fact from fiction. Their minds are developing and what they see is what they consider to be real, no matter how many times you tell them it’s just a movie. When we allow our children to see things on TV or in the movies that they are not cable of filtering, we desensitize them. As in the example given above, you are originally in shock, not just to what you are seeing but as to how those around you are reacting to it. It isn’t until you are told that it is not real, that you feel a little better. I would imagine that even after you are told, you would continue to be confused because its happening in your back lawn and it looks so real. For a child, TV and Movies have the same affect. When they are old enough, they will manage what they are seeing but in the mean time, they will be confused and desensitized. You’re the programmer, load their minds with the right information, and don’t create unexplained viruses that may ultimately crash the system.


“The remarkable physical transformation children undergo as they grow up is matched only by the metamorphosis of their minds. Parents, of course, play a critical role in this aspect of development.”

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Breathe


We breathe most of the time effortlessly. On some occasions however, we may encounter difficulty in breathing. We may have asthma or a bad chest cold. It could be as simple as a little dust or smoke. Regardless of the reason, it’s at this time that we become aware of our breathing and our breathing becomes labored. The more smoke or dust we take in, the more labored our breathing becomes. Yet however difficult it may become, no one ever gives up. Everyone continues to breathe because it’s what brings us life. In our lives, most things happen, with little or no effort. There are times however, that we encounter problems or difficulties. It’s at this time that we become more aware of our efforts and our efforts become more labored. However difficult it becomes, never give up. Continue, because just like breathing, this is what brings us life.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Take Notice


We have a tendency to overlook everything that happens to us that’s good and yet take extra notice of the bad. I wonder if it’s not in part due to the fact that we expect the good things and therefore only react when the bad happens. Taking a look at a regular day you might have not noticed but today you didn’t have a car accident. Isn’t that a good thing? Are you thankful for that or do you just write it off as something that was supposed to have happened? I used this example to make a point however I realize most people are not going to spend their day being grateful for food, clothing, shelter and many of the other things we take for granted. What about everything else in our day? What do you spend your day looking for, the good or the bad? If you pick a random object and look for it today, you will find it everywhere.
Take a balloon for an example. You will see it in magazines, books, the internet, at parties, on billboards, everywhere. I would care to guess, that if you spend your entire day focused on balloons, by the end of the day you will take notice of the fact that you have never taken notice of all the balloons that are out there.
Forget about the balloons; take notice of the good things that are happening every moment of the day. Really look. Look for the good things in every moment of the day. Just like the balloons, by the end of the day, you will realize how many good things happen to you every day of your life.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Vengeance


Our first thoughts when we are hurt by others, is to strike back and or take revenge. We become engulfed with anger and the idea that vengeance can bring us peace. Vengeance can bring us peace? Does that make any sense? Maybe vengeance can bring us satisfaction? Does that make sense? Vengeance cannot bring us peace because wishing harm or ill will on another is a form of aggression and hate, which are both a direct contradiction to peace. So maybe vengeance can bring us satisfaction? Should we get our satisfaction from seeing another suffer. Will that create a healthy, positive attitude? What if they don’t suffer as much as you wanted them to? Will you then suffer more due to the lack of their suffering? It can get very complicated and confusing to be vengeful . In the long run, you create a world where your emotions are governed by that of others. It’s not to say that we won’t all at times feel the injustice of certain situations, but more to say that to restore justice we must take positive action. Not sit around waiting for ill willed negative reactions.
Before you act or better said react, think as to whether what you’re doing is a positive step to change your circumstances, or a negative step to try to negatively change those of another.

Friday, January 9, 2009

You Get More Bees With Honey


Growing up, we are sent mix messages. If you have someone you like, you may be given the advice to not be so nice, “nobody likes a pushover”. Along the way, you may hear others brag about how they got one thing or another by “laying down the law” or putting someone in their place. In construction, people will call the subcontractors to threaten them, or yell at them. It’s as if though people think if you’re not screaming angrily, people don’t react. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t react until you get downright, nasty. On the other hand, there is another approach. I have always followed the advice that you get more bees with honey, than you do with vinegar. I am not claiming that this always works, but you would be surprised how often it does. In fact, if you can keep that attitude going for a long period of time, people will learn to respond to you, without you having to get angry . The truth is, that it’s more effective to get angry, sparingly. Haven’t you ever dealt with someone that is always screaming and yelling, it loses its effectiveness after a while. In direct contrast, I know people that very seldom get angry and when they do, people freak out. You hear people say, “ Man it must be really serious because John never gets that upset about anything”. Anything done in excess, loses its effectiveness. If every word out of your mouth is a curse word, people stop listening to you after a while. It’s like the boy who cries wolf. On the other hand, take someone like my mother. If she were to curse, it would send a strong message. That’s a direct result of the fact, that she seldom curses. Empower your words and actions by limiting them.
I guess my last point regarding this is that people just want to be respected. Talking angrily or down to them, just makes them react defensively. They end up trying to dominate you, while you try to dominate them. Try being straight forward and respectful when you ask for things. Put yourself in their shoes and tell them what you would want to hear. Set out on a mission to make people feel good. Make them feel trust and trusted. All relationships are based on trust. If the trust is strong, so is the relationship. Trust in this case, meaning the ability to open yourself up to someone, exposing yourself, yet knowing that they will not judge you and have your best interest in mind.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Through the eyes of a child


Life is forever amazing through the eyes of a child. Try to picture a child’s face, when they hug Mickey for the first time. Remember the look of bewilderment, when they first saw a dog for the first time. Envision their face covered with chocolate ice cream and their tongue doing circles around their lips, as they savored every last bit of icecream. They were so mesmerized by the taste, they didn’t notice their tilted cone and the scoop falling towards the ground. Why can’t we as adults, have kept that same feeling throughout our lives? We give things a name, classify them and then suddenly, we are no longer amused. It doesn’t have to be that way. Look around you and you can create the same feelings you had as a child. On your next business trip get on the plane (window seat), put your laptop to the side and stare out the window watching the people and cars turn to ants. See if you can locate your house. Watch the clouds as they go by. Next time you’re in the grocery store, remember the days where you had to ask for the things you wanted. Now enjoy every pick. Pull a coupon you don't need off those electric things on the wall. Remember the first time at the deli, where you were afraid you would say your order wrong. People watch and enjoy the interaction between them. As a child we were always trying to learn through what we saw. Now as adults, we know it all and there is nothing to learn. We walk through Publix and life in auto pilot. We are more focused on what’s next then what’s now.
Act as though your memory banks were erased. Look at a dog again for the first time. Look at your life for the first time. I will bet you will notice things you have never noticed before if you just look a little harder, through the eyes of a child.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Stay Positive


Notice this blog is not called, don’t be so negative, because of course that would be a negative title. To be positive, is not a matter of only thinking positive; it’s a matter of talking positive. Listen to yourself when you talk. I bet you will find your language to be more negative, than positive. To change this is not easy and it will require effort. Every time you go to say something, you will have to let your brain catch up to your mouth. Once you start to do this regularly, it will become a more natural thing. You might not think it’s a big deal, but it’s a much bigger deal than you think. You will begin to notice how your perspective changes. Your life and the People around you will seem different and be different. Your language will be your perception and your perception will become your reality.

If I tell you the following:
“The economy is really bad and many people in my industry are out of work. I don’t know if I will even have a job in a few months. Without a job, I will be forced to change my entire lifestyle and possibly sell my house. Ever since this economic downfall started I can barely sleep at night. I don’t know what to do and I feel helpless. Nobody even cares or helps me try to get out of this mess.”
What is your initial reaction, most likely it is to run? In addition, you probably are not very motivated to help. You are also even less motivated, to continue talking to me because my language is self-defeating and depressing. Even if I was able to create compassion from you, it would not do anything to change my situation. What does talking this way do to help the situation? It only fuels the fear and makes matters worse.

Now instead, I tell you this:
"The economy is forever changing and I will adapt to whatever happens. I have been adapting for the last 42 years and I don’t see this as anything different. The one thing I know for sure is that I am a survivor. In the short time that I have been looking, I have been swamped with opportunities. I know exactly what I need to do, keep the ball moving and things will fall into place."
People like and need to hear this and therefore they will want to be around you. The more people that want to be around you, the more opportunities you will have. Therefore your language and attitude are self fulfilling. I don't want to oversimplify this. It's not really about other people as much as it is about you.
The parallel universe exist in the stories you tell yourself about your life. Tell yourself positive stories and this will be the best year of your life. I know, without a doubt, this is going to be my best.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Build Momentum


Have you ever watched the strong man contest where they pull a plane? In case you haven’t. These guys, put on a harness that is attached by chains to the front of a plane (approx 70 tons) and pull it from a dead stop, for 30 meters. The hardest part is getting the plane started, but once they get it going, it’s amazing the momentum they can build. To do this, they obviously need a tremendous amount of strength but more importantly they need the following:

1. A belief that they can do it
2. A goal that they are attempting to achieve (30 Meters)
3. Most importantly, they need to start (The first pull)

Start your day by believing in yourself and your abilities. Set a goal as to what you expect from yourself, your 30 meters. Once you have done those two things and only once you have done those two things, get the plane rolling. That initial pull is the hardest part. It’s were fear and doubt show up and try to convince you it’s not worth trying. If you can get down and start the initial pull, you will be amazed how quickly the momentum builds. Just like pulling the planes, the more you practice and train, the better you will get and the more you will believe in yourself.
Don’t waste another minute, put on your harness, feel the weight of the chains trying to drag you down, and then PULL, PULL with all your might!!!!!!!!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Say what you mean, mean what you say


A lot of times we lose sight of what it is that we are actually trying to do, or obtain. We start off with an idea as to what we want, but are easily distracted and find ourselves on a totally different path. Many times this is a direct result of not saying what we mean and meaning what we say. Let me give you an example of a conversation between two friends:


John get’s tickets to go see a basketball game.
John: “Hey it’s been such a long time since we have had a chance to get together and I thought you might want to go to the Heat game”.
Paul: “ I would love to go, but I can’t”
John: “Why can’t you?”
Paul: “I have things I need to do after work today.”
John: “Common, we hardly get a chance to do stuff like this since you got married and this is a perfect opportunity”
Paul: “ I really can’t and it’s not my fault we never do things anymore, this is the first time you’ve asked.”
John: “I called you last week and you never answered the phone.”
Paul: “Did you leave a message?”
John: “Hey, whatever, I was just calling to invite you to a Heat game, but I can see that was a mistake.”
Paul: “ Yeah maybe it was, but I never asked you to call.”


Both hang up frustrated and upset. These types of conversations can sometimes go on for hours, as they spin out of control, losing their original intent. Upon further review, I think the truth of the situation would be.
John had tickets and wanted to go to the game with someone. Paul may or may not have been his first choice but what John wanted was company.
Paul can’t go and should just say that. By adding that he would love to go, he opens the door to John’s insistence. Then he is forced to explain and begins to feel pressured.
Now the conversation loses its original intent and John starts to attack Paul with a guilt trip.
Paul becomes defensive.
John get’s equally defensive.
Conversation breaks down and both are upset.


John should be honest with himself. He should know going into the conversation, what it is he is looking for. He wanted someone to go to the game with. If he would of focused on that goal he may have been able to convince his friend. Instead he started to believe his own story. He believed that he was such a great friend to think of Paul. Before long he lost sight of what he wanted to achieve and his focus shifted. Now the focus was all about what kind of a friend he was or who's fault it was they never did things anymore. In the end, frustrated and upset, he goes to the game alone.

So here I go, I am going to say what I mean and mean what I say. Get to the point, humble yourself and ask the question. Nobody believes your backdoor B.S. anyway. You have a much better chance being happy and getting what you want, if you just ask for it.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Putting yourself in harm's way (Emperor)


Someone told me a story the other day and I thought it was something that belonged in my Daily Dumbbells. I may tell the story a little differently but hopefully, you will get the point.

A Chinese Emperor was in council and trying to make a point to his closest advisors. He called for his three sons to come to his chambers. He asked for them to be let in, from the youngest to the oldest. He briefly explained to his council, that life came in stages and that what they were about to see, would demonstrate this. He took a vase from one of the tables and placed it above the entry door.
The first son entered and the vase came tumbling towards him. The son quickly pulled his sword from its sheath and in one motion, struck the vase, splitting it in half. The youngest son smiled as he came up from his squatted position, placing the sword back in its sheath. The council applauded and praised the emperor’s son. The emperor stood, bowed and asked that his son leave the room. The emperor stood and taking another vase , placed it above the door. He looked over to his council and told them that although his youngest son was indeed great, his second son was even greater.
As the second son entered the room, the vase, again came tumbling towards him. The son stopped and without looking, placed his hand above his head catching the vase. This was met with a loud rumble of applause from the council. The emperor motioned his arm to silence them. Without instruction, his son walked calmly to the table where the vase had been sitting and returned it to its spot. He turned to his father, bowed and left the room. As the emperor stood for the third time, he again gave praise to his son but asked the council to reserve their admiration. He advised them that his eldest son was even greater. The council stood in anticipation as the emperor placed the third and final vase above the door.
The emperor sat quietly, looking at the door. As time passed the council began whispering to each other. They wondered if the other son would ever come. Some thought that because of what the second son had done, the third feared he could not do better. After much time had passed, one of the emperor’s top advisors grew so impatient that he went to the door to see what was delaying the last son. He removed the vase from above, and opened the door. As he opened it, the third son, who had been waiting there all along, entered the room. Passing the advisor, he walked to where his father was sitting and knelt before him.


There are many things you can take from this story. The way it relates to my life right now, is that I can be smarter by not putting myself in bad situations then trying to take them on.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Live Large


It's a new year, last year is over and there are no makeups. You can't go back and do it over, live it better, take off any extra pounds, change careers, re-raise your child, get better grades, be nicer to people, make more money, none of it can ever be done over again. The good news is, that it looks like God has decided to give you another year to prove yourself. So what's it gonna be? What are your plans for the new year? what will you change and or keep the same? What will you do that you never have done before?
Imagine yourself in the middle of a giant Cathedral. God is sitting at the front, on a giant throne on a golden altar and he ask," why should you have one more year? What will you do this year to show me that you appreciate the gift I have given you? What will you do to prove that I should not let someone else take your place?"

Actions always speak louder than words. In 2009, show him that you really want it and appreciate it. LIVE LARGE