Worry...why?..I mean really....WHY?

I used to worry about everything and everything worried me. I worried about stuff that I couldn't control...and that stuff really worried me. Eventually I learned that the things I couldnt control were easy to let go of, but I still worried about the stuff I could affect. On December 24, 1988 I was worried about my dad, Christmas for my kids, bills were piling up...it was a huge burden. While I was going down the road, I was interupted in my worries by God. I had to pull off the road, and was suddenly aware of the reality that even if I could make some impact on those things, I wasn't in charge of things and that there was no reason in the world to worry about them. It became clearly evident to me that in giving up the worry part of the problems, made solving them much easier...In doing that, I was much more relaxed, able to focus on the solution vice the problem, and most importantly appreciate the fact that God was interested in MY life...I suddenly had the creator of everything helping me through the problems...and armed with that security, I was able to solve the problems, undertsand more fully the things I couldnt "solve" and appreciate the way life really plays out and the purpose of how things happen.

helping themsleves

Have you ever helped someone and then they turn right around and undo what you just did to help them?  It's frustrating, as you feel you've wasted your time and tty didn't seem to appreciate the effort you put in towards helping them with their problem. I've learned that I was probably helping the person fix the wrong problem in their life, and after realizing that I felt extremely sorry for the person I was trying to help. Why is it that we dont take the time to get to the bottom of the issue before we jump in with a solution? I'm really bad at tis...I'm so eager to help them I hear their need, jump in and ten realize that was just a symptom to the real issue and had i taken a little more time, I could have really helped them, Ultimately, the idea is to get them to help themselvs, but that can open another can  of worms, so we need to gt to the root of thatproblem as well....I guess I sometimes think people are one dimensional and have one master problem and iwill solve all their problems...The bottom line is teach a peron to fish...becasue you dont want to catch fish for the world the rest of your life...

what a difference a prayer makes

Today, I was asked to pray for people I barely know, people I've known for a long time, friends, and I relatives. I pray every day for folks and they don't even know I'm paying for them. I recently found out that people were doing the same for me. I cried when I found that out. God hears our prayers and He listens to them. I've found that sometimes He gives us what we want but He always gives us what we need. I believe strongly in prayer for a couple of reasons. The first reason is it gives me time to talk with God and through allowing me to reason through His thinking I can see where mine is flawed. I know a little about God and what He wants for me. The second thing is that it gives me peace and comfort to know He's in control. I can't handle controlling this world. There are too many knuckleheads out there messing it up and I don't have time or the ability to clean it up. God is in surplus of both of those things. I think its funny when someone says they cant pray out loud, like they are going to offend a human being, but will pray silently...if their prayers are so offensive, I think I'd rather offend a person than God. I've never heard an audible sound of God but He places thoughts and solutions in my mind that are sometimes a 180 degree difference from my train of thought...and the solution is always perfect...so I trust it. I think today I'm going to pray for you...so you can see what a difference a prayer makes.

A Noble occupation

I think being a school teacher, a policeman, a fireman, a nurse, a pastor, are noble occupations. To impart our will, or our abilities for the benefit of others without any reward for ones self seems to be the best part of mankind. In the 80's it was the "me" generation. We thought it was about a bigger car, a bigger house, a bigger credit limit...a bigger idiot we became. It's never been about self. I am selfish at times. I want my way, my stuff and for life to indulge me at times, but I have learned its a lot like eating a million calorie hamburger..you feel terrible afterwards. I feel guilty, like I've stolen something from an inocent world. I will probably never be a policeman, a fireman, a nurse, a teacher or a pastor, but I want to lead my life they way they do their lively hoods...helping others be at least who they are and maybe a little better for having known me. If at the end of the day and the end of my life, I can at least feel I've done that most of the time...I'll feel like I've been successful. I once had a young man and a young lady tell me that I was a great influence in their lives when they were younger...those few words meant the world to me and more to me than they will ever know. It validated who I had strived to be up until that point in my life...has that happened to you? Would you like it to?...start acting like a school teacher or a policeman..be noble!

Maybe its where we are looking for happiness

I have pity parties at times...but I'm not a big partier. I've learned that the only one who can help me out of that party is me and my trust that God is in control. In the last year or so, I've had some pretty tough times, but I am happy. I'm happy because I've grown spiritually which has really been fun. It's been fun helping people talk about their finances, to discuss their spiritual walk, to be a listener for people who just want to have someone to talk to, to learn from my peers how they handle the victories and loses in life, to have a mentor that shows me the path that gets me where I need to be...that is fun to me. The main focus of all of this is I'm concerned about others happiness, which gives me happiness and fullfillment. Love thy neighbor...it gives us happiness doing that, unless you think you are in charge of all things...well...I'm here to tell you...You ARE NOT the CEO of the world...God is! Think about the bad decisions you made and how you felt afterwards and the repercussions that affected others..it usually affected them as adversly as it did you. Find happiness in others, with the focus that God wants to be in your life...and He wants you! Find your happiness in your spouse, your friends, or your family...but build that happiness in a foundational relationship with the Lord.

Sometimes I feel Invisible

I opened the mail today and in the mail was a prayergram and a letter from a friend. A few days ago I had been rushed to the hospital with chest pains(turned out everything was fine). All the time in the hospital, while I was exhibiting the classic symptoms of a heart attack, all I was thinking about was the spreadsheet that I had been working on earlier that day and why the numbers didn't add up. Now I was in a lot of pain, but the thought of dying or being left with some sort of debilitating handicap never entered my mind. I was focused on the spreadsheet. When I opened those pieces of mail, I simply cried; knowing that someone was watching my life and me. I was so humbled to the reality that my friends cared for me. I really believed that a few of my friends cared for me, my C$ class cares for me...some of my family care for me...but beyond that, I was invisible. I thought I could die, move away, or just stay home for the rest of my life and the world wouldn't notice. Those letters showed me that people beyond the limits of what I thought was "my world of influence", really cared about me...and so as I write this..the tears roll down my cheeks...tears of humility, tears of joy, tears of gratitude, tears of a man that learned a lesson of love...the kind of love that only people that know God are aware of and practice each day.

Mantra for life

I believe that everyone has something that they are all about. it defines who they are and what their beliefs are based upon. Mine is based upon the reality that God is the CEO of the world and that I am not. I watch folks daily that struggle with that fact, and wish that they could let go and start living life without a fear of failure. I learned long ago that living with that huge piece of wisdom, has opened life up for me. It then made the 2 scriptures I use for my mantra come alive. Jeremiah 29:11-13 and John 10:10....basically that there is a future, a hope, and that God wants us to have a good life. I'm 56 now and used to wear glasses, was in the Navy, went to college, have kids and grandkids, have been around the world twice, have had many jobs, met famous and infamous people, loved and have been loved....and yet I knew that this was part of the journey that God has taken me on...I used to think He had done all of this to take me to one job that was just for me or one place that I was supposed to be...but that's not true...the only thing He wanted me to know for sure is that my wife was the one for me...she gets me, because she is so different from me. Life isn't about me , its about my life with all of you...you all make me who I am...so be careful...I don't want to be messed up and I'll do my best not to harm you.