We all have the G-spot

           We all have the G-spot, but many, many of us simply don't use it to enhance our lives the way we could if we did use it.  What?  Were you thinking this was about sex?  No....this is about our real G-spot, that place where we can go, should we choose or when we choose, to meet uninterrupted with God.  That place where there is quiet and stillness so we can feel Him and hear Him as He speaks to our innermost being. 

           Look toward biblical teaching for the clear reason why we should each have that G-spot.  Jesus often went out alone, into the wilderness or up the mountain side for the sole purpose of being alone so He could pray and commune with His Father--God.  Jesus knew all about the importance of the G-spot, the God spot. 

           As this world continues to change, we all need to consider finding our G-spot and regularly going there to shore up our lives as we face this changing world.

Bottom Line Thought:  Old habits are hard to break, but new habits can take their place and make your life a better life.  Have you found and started to use your G-spot?

Nothing wrong about being a wierdo

           I've been called a wierdo at times because of my choice of friends and the kind of people I really kind of like.  One example is the men that comprise our small group at church.  We actually talk about our brokenness, our bad habits, our struggles, and, no, we don't hide all that junk behind masks, nor do we try to impress each other with our Christian ways.  After all, we are all still learning, and we recognize that we will be until we croak. Because of that, we are able to not only accept, but to love and care for the guy that struggles with sexual identity issues, or the guy that is still denying Christ.  To us, to the man, neither of those guys is nothing but a blessing to each of us, because they are trying to untangle themselves.

           Many of us are thought of as weird because we have a passion for helping those in need.  Many of those who hang that label on us do so because they view many of those seeking help as system abusers and takers.  I found the following meme which pretty much sums it up for me:

           Given that, I'm comfortable with being a wierdo.  There's nothing wrong with it.

Real dignity

           For a number of months now our men's small group from church has been serving at an area PADS shelter. As we have gotten into the "rhythm" of that serving opportunity and have come to know most of the clients I have noticed several things that really stick out about the homeless situation in general.

• almost to the person, the clients are grateful
• almost to the person, despite their circumstances, their demeanor is actually quite upbeat and I've not seen one that doesn't smile.
• to me, this is surreal--these people are staying in a homeless shelter each night, and many are not employed--and yet they smile.
• some folks who serve, seem to be doing it so that they can "feel good" about themselves.
• most of the folks who serve are extremely humble and gracious folks who show genuine concern for the clients and their plight.
• some of the clients there will, more than likely, always be homeless.  They accept it as a way of life, and they are comfortable with that.
• other clients there are there because of circumstances beyond their control.  Others are there because they just plain screwed up bad and ended up finding themselves out on the street.
• And then, there are some clients there who, unfortunately, don't dance to the same tune as everyone else, and never will, and they have fallen through the cracks of the mental health system which in and of itself is in terrible shape in our state.
• There are no boundaries on the homeless in our shelter;  some are quite old, some are infirm, some are very young, some are single, and some are there as families.
• 
  

           Some of us guys were talking this over recently, and the conversation itself was humbling.  Each of us has moaned and groaned at times about some of our dreams, hopes, and plans that went south on us.  And we agreed that when we individually roll in the muck of our lost dreams, blown opportunities, vanished hopes, and plans gone haywire that we are prone not to be very cheerful people at all to be around. 

           It has been humbling, and a teaching experience to serve others whose whole lives have blown up in their faces--and yet they maintain dignity and often genuine humor.  In essence, it's an opportunity to really take away something from those much less fortunate than any of us.  And, it serves to remind us all of Jesus's teaching about caring for "the least of these."  Frankly, Mother Teresa nailed it when she said of the poor, "each of these is Jesus in disguise."

 Bottom Line Thought:  Are you among those who are too smug in their own comfort or won't take the time to step out to help "the least of these?"  Is it beneath your dignity to do so?  Here's a hint--if you want to see some REAL dignity, work at a shelter sometimes.

Always there

           During my career as a police officer I was, for a time, part of an intergovernmental group of officers who actively worked drug cases.  After the group was started we participated in a variety of training exercises developed to sharpen our skills in this particular segment of law enforcement.  Of note is the fact that each member of the group was selected for participation because of the skills and abilities each already possessed and used proficiently.  It is also of note that once the training began it became acutely obvious that in many areas in which we thought we were good, we failed miserably.  One 2 day training exercise that clearly brought that point home was a surveillance exercise.  Our instructor was a retired CIA officer.  We were taken to a rather large town which, at best, we were only remotely familiar.  We were divided into teams, and our objective was to keep the "suspect" (our instructor) under surveillance and carefully document his moves.  In the first exercise six pairs of eyes lost the man completely within 5 minutes.  And, for the remainder of the first day of those exercises it didn't get much better.  How embarrassing it was for the "suspect" to come walking up behind us after we had scrambled for a time looking for him, only to say "here I am."  Then he would go on to explain how he had "vanished" and what he had observed about us while we were looking for him.  The second day of the exercises were a little bit better as we all started to think more like the "suspect" than the cops tailing him.  The point he always made was that he was always there as we were struggling to see him.

           God's a lot like our "suspect."  We don't always see Him when we're looking for him, but he is always there.  And, should we choose, we can always look back and see the work of His hand in our lives as further proof that He didn't (or hasn't) abandoned us.  And, like our "suspect"/instructor, He will always be there to explain what He saw, the mistakes we have made, and how to prevent them in the future--if and when we open ourselves to hearing Him.

Bottom Line Thought:  Isn't it comforting to know that God will never abandon us or leave us?

     

Turn the power on

           I've been spending a lot of time lately running hundreds of feet of conduit and then pulling wire to create some new usable electrical circuits for a customer at their facility.  One of the highlights and most satisfying parts of the job is turning the power on as each segment is finished and seeing first hand that everything is working as it should.

If it doesn't work as planned, I'm in for a shock !

           Life is pretty much the same.  We all have power within us that we can choose to use or ignore.  Properly used our lives will be much different than we have ever imagined.  The problem is, most of us go through life without doing what is best for us.  We fail to turn the power on, and by doing so we should never be shocked by how our lives are turning out. 

           Because Christ died on the cross for us, we all have the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  Paul, in his letter to the Romans, makes that abundantly clear in Chapter 8.  Here is what the power of the Holy Spirit will do for us if we choose to turn that power on:

1. The Holy Spirit changes our thinking.
2. The Holy Spirit changes our lives.
3. The Holy Spirit breaks our sinful habits.
4. The Holy Spirit strengthens our faith.

           There is just one little problem here.  Many of us fail to turn the power on, or we do so selectively.  If we faithfully turn the power on by getting into the Word, praying, and surrendering control of our lives to the Holy Spirit, He will change our lives.  That really should come as no shock.

Put people down

           If we were to be really honest with ourselves, many of us might admit that we put people down at times.  It almost seems to be a part of human nature to put others down.  And, almost universally, we ourselves don't like to be put down.  It hurts our feelings doesn't it?

           What many of us seem to forget is that it is really ok to put people down.  In fact, it's biblical.  It is something we should all do, regularly, and when we do it no-one's feelings will ever get hurt.  So, all that said, next time you have a run-in with a co-worker, and argument with your wife, a difference of opinion with a friend, etc., go ahead and put that person down.

The best GPS---and it's free !

           One of the smarter things I did a few years back was to purchase a GPS, this being before the smart phones or apps.  By buying one, I broke the chain that bound many men, that of pretending we knew where we were going and, heaven forbid, having to stop to ask for directions or actually read a map.  Now, getting anywhere that I'm not familiar with is a really simple task.  All I have to do is plug in the destination and follow the directions the GPS is giving me.

           Did you know that for living our lives we also have a GPS available to us, and it's free.  Not only is it free, but it never needs updating.  It's been around for a couple of thousand years now, and it has never changed.  It's this thing called the Lord, Jesus. 

Psalm 25:4

"Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow."

           It's as simple as that.  No destination to plug in, no directions to ask.  All it takes is a little bit of trust that He will show you the way, which road to follow.  Is your life on a bumpy road?  Are you facing challenges? Are you hurting, weary, or torn?  Try THIS GPS.  It works 24/7.

It's not about them

           Are we inflicted with laziness?  Or apathy?  Maybe we just don't get it.  Perhaps we are simply not aware of what we, yes, we, are being taught if  we have really been paying attention to biblical lessons.  Don't we often defer to others? 

"That's the pastor's job."

"That's why we have staff at church."

"That's for someone who's retired, they have time."

"That's for someone who doesn't have to work full time."

"I can do all that stuff later."

           Somehow many have bought into this thing that servitude, as relates to church and spiritual matters (helping others, growing others spiritually, raising others in Christ, doing the Christian thing consistently) is the responsibility of our church leaders.  We often fail to remember those words that we are told we will hear when we meet our maker: 

"well done, my good and faithful servant."

  Bottom Line Thought:  As you're going to church on Sundays, do you ever wonder why all those other people you see out there aren't going to church or if they're even Christians?  Do you ever do anything about that.....or do you leave that job for the servants at church?        

Condiments

           There is nothing better than a Chicago style hot dog.  No....I didn't mention healthy eating.  There is no such thing as combining a Chicago style hot dog and healthy eating just to set the record straight.  What is it that makes a Chicago style hot dog so great?  First it is the dog itself--it has to be a Vienna all beef hot dog.  Anything else is simply a knock off.  And, the bun is very important.  It can't possibly be your garden variety grocery store hot dog bun.  Finally, the most, absolutely crucial part of a Chicago style hot dog (in fact, the necessary part) is all of the condiments packing the bun and falling all over the place, including, but not limited to, the green pickle relish.

           There is also nothing better than living a life as free of stress and worry as possible.   Each of those tend to really get in the way of our being happy and content don't they?  They also tend to age us in ways we would prefer not to be aged.  What happens to make us happiest and most content is the condiments of life--if we only choose to use them.  They are as crucial to our well being as the condiments themselves are to the Chicago hot dog.  What are the condiments of life?

           Faith and patience are the main condiments that will always have a positive effect on our well being, our happiness, and yes, even our spiritual growth.  In fact, they are to our spiritual health what the pickle, relish, mustard and the rest of the condiments are to the hot dog---not just window dressing, but very vital parts of a really great hot dog.  If we don't have faith and patience in combination, it's like if we were to take a cold hot dog out of the fridge, slap it on a stale bun, and then eating it.  Pretty miserable!

             Just as it's the condiments that make the dog, it's our life condiments that make us the Christ followers we strive to be. 

We've got your back

LifeLock has been running a bunch of advertisements on the radio lately in which they claim to protect you from identity theft, and by doing so you will have peace of mind.  The ad is punctuated by the statement "we've got your back."

We, or I've, got your back is a statement that is in vogue these days.  Maybe it's replacing "I've got you covered."  At any rate, and in any instance, the implication is that "you're not alone."

As we travel this long dirt road of life, sometimes we really feel as if we're alone don't we?  We listen to that pesky little creep (the one with the horns) in the red cloak that resides on our shoulder and whispers lies into our ear--"you can do it alone", "no one will know", "aw, go ahead, it's no big deal", etc.  You see, he knows that chances are his voice will be heard over the voice in your heart if you're not connected.  The trouble is, that creep never has your back---never, ever, never !  His whole goal is to stop you from going to the One that does have your back.

If we're looking for real peace of mind (and, coincidently, a content soul) we're not going to find it in LifeLock anymore than we will find it alone.  Being a part of a Small Group will do more for us to prevent identity theft than anything else we can do.  It will protect us while helping to build within us our new identity as men of God.  It, like God, will truly have our back if it is a healthy group, a group committed to helping the guys grow spiritually.

Bottom Line Thought:  Who's got your back?

Test Taking

          Admittedly, some of us may be a bit out of touch with how things are done in schools now, but when we were kids and it was test time, it was to be quiet in the classroom .  There was a reason for that.  It was to allow our developing brains the ability to reach within themselves to think about the answers.  During the test, the teacher was always quietly there to be available for any whispered assistance he or she could offer if asked.

            As we have grown older and moved away from the academic scene and moved on into this thing called life, don't we also find ourselves tested---often?  Perhaps, we are tested much more often than we ever expected.  What do we do when we are life tested?  Do we fall apart?  Do we get all flustered?  Do we face those tests head on and wade right into the fray? Do we rely solely on ourselves or do we seek assistance?

           There is one commonality between the two scenes.  The Teacher is present in the last scene, just as he/she was in the first.  The only difference is many times we fail to call upon the Teacher during our life tests.

Bottom Line Thought:  BTW, the operative word there is always.  How often do you fail to call upon His strength and guidance to lead you through your life tests?

Glorified Storage Bins

           While walking the pooch very early this morning (it's a very, very cold day), I couldn't help but notice how many cars were parked outside of the garages in the neighborhood.  I felt pretty smug, as ours are kept inside of our heated garage.  No cold seats or scraping of windows for us.  Then I got to thinking about one of our neighbors who goes through a ritual perhaps 3 times a year.  It's called, "I've got to clean my garage out."  Stuff gets shuffled, moved about, a minimal amount gets tossed in the garbage, and still, 3 times a year, there is never enough room in the garage to park a car.  Cold seats and scraping windows takes a second row to stuff.
          
           It seems to me that many garages are glorified storage bins.  And I know some folks who have those glorified storage bins and still rent storage bins for the stuff that won't fit in the storage bins called garages.  Stuff.  Lots of stuff.  So much stuff that the glorified storage bin gets full so another is rented.

           Our hearts are sometimes a lot like storage bins aren't they?  Garages aren't really built to be storage bins, and neither are our hearts, and yet our hearts get so full of crap sometimes that they harden, and then we harden.  When our hearts are full of stuff (worry, anger, sin, lust, fear, doubt...and the list goes on) our capacity to love, forgive, laugh, and, yes, communicate diminishes. When our hearts become storage bins it becomes much more difficult and challenging to park God in our hearts where He rightfully belongs.

           I am sure that when the Great Architect built us, He in no way designed our hearts to be glorified storage bins, any more than the architects who design houses with garages envisioned them to become storage bins. 

Bottom Line Thought:  Has your heart become a storage bin?  Why?  How can you go about doing some house cleaning to free up space for the One?

Happiness

'Nuff said !

Eagles

          

The Eagle does not fight the snake on the ground. It picks it up into the sky and changes the battle ground, and then it releases the snake into the sky.

 The snake has no stamina, no power and no balance in the air. It is useless, weak and vulnerable unlike on the ground where it is powerful wise and deadly.

 Take your fight into the spiritual realm by praying and when you are in the spiritual realm God takes over your battles.

 Don't fight the enemy in his comfort zone, change the battle grounds like the Eagle and let God take charge through your earnest prayer. You'll be assured of clean victory.

 Pray without ceasing.

It's Never too Late

           "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Darn traffic, I'll be late for my appointment."

"That report is important; it can't be late."

"I'm sorry, but we're running behind...we'll be a little late."

"Hon, I'll get that later."

           Being late is annoying for some, and ok with others.  Maybe some of us even fall in both categories....being a little late for something doesn't bother us, but when someone is late meeting us we get a little annoyed inside.  Truthfully, sometimes we just place way too much importance on ourselves (if we're the ones getting annoyed) and not enough compassion on others (perhaps there is a good reason they are late).

           Time has a way of controlling us....or, better put, we allow time to control us perhaps more than we should.  Yes, there have to be limits and boundaries, but at times the concept of punctuality seems to be carried to a level close to anal. 

           With all the talk about lateness, there is a certain area of our lives where being late will be a very fatal mistake.  If we choose to put off the health of our spiritual condition, our lateness will have a real impact on our making eternity with God in Heaven when our time comes for that visit.  We need to not only know that it's never too late to change, but that it's imperative that we do so if we are to secure our place in that special place.

Common Denominator

We always need to be mindful....

in good times

and

in bad times

that

there is a common denominator in both times....

God is with us always,

We cry out to Him in our bad times....

How much do we thank Him in our good times?

A dime a dozen

           There's nothing wrong with having a part time job.  Some folks have part time jobs on top of their regular jobs to help make ends meet. Some guys do so their wives can stay home and be full time mothers (although I wouldn't want to tell any mother she is just a part time mother--we all know that isn't a truth!).  Old "retired" guys like me take part time jobs just to keep busy and earn a couple of extra bucks augment their Social Insecurity.  Part timers are a dime a dozen nowadays it seems.

             Unfortunately, in todays times, there are way too many part timers.  That's not a good thing at all.  Are you wondering if I'm getting all weird here?  I'll clarify it so that it's clear.  There is an aspect of our lives where we can't afford being a part timer:

Faith

It's pretty easy to get that turned around sometime isn't it?

It's Just a Bike

           Months ago he was a mess.  He was an older middle aged man, a bust out, definitely not a Christian, suicidal, broke, and all but homeless.  Through some strange circumstances he ended up at a local community church one Sunday, perhaps even wondering what he was doing there.  Fortunately, he was able to talk to the pastor for a while between services, and as a result of that conversation found himself visiting a men's small group the following Wednesday evening.

           Over the months since that time, he kept coming back....to church, and to the small group.  And the guys in the group just kept loving him for who he was....a lost child of God.  The men in the group kept on being themselves....transparent and caring.  Over time they could notice a change taking place in the man.  He smiled more.  He opened up more.  He started to give indications of his like for the group and his uncertainties about himself.  He started to sit with some of the guys in church instead of sitting by himself.

           At a recent meeting he was all smiles.  His heart had talked to him.  He had run across someone who was throwing out a little girls bike, one that was in like new condition.  He talked about how he just knew that somewhere there was a little girl without a bike that would love to get this one and asked if the guys would keep their eyes open so that the bike could get to the girl in need.  One might think "it's just a bike."  The guys thought differently though.  They thought, "look at this guys heart...it is softening up." 

           Wonderfully, the following Sunday the guy took communion for the first time, and talked about it afterwards. 

Bottom Line Thought:  Sometimes it's the little things that lead to great stories.  Little things like "it's just a bike."  Perhaps if his heart hadn't begun to soften he may have looked at the bike the other guy was tossing and said the same thing..."it's just a bike."  How many times do we miss a little thing, only to never know what great story may have come out of it?

Filthy Rich

           With the current PowerBall Lottery prize currently sitting on $1.2 Billion, it caused me to think about filthy----as if filthy rich.  If one person were to win that drawing they would indeed be filthy rich.  Or would they?

            I may be weird, but that kind of filthy rich doesn't do anything for me.  Call me crazy if you will, but at least hear me out.  That kind of money would be the worst thing that could ever happen to me.  First and foremost, I have never been good with money.  I have a soft heart, and on top of that I enjoy fun.  Perhaps that is why I have always had to force myself to live within my means, and even at that I have failed to do so miserably....many times.  I'm just one of those folks that aren't motivated by money, nor wired to deal with it in a responsible manner.  I accept that.  And, the zinger is that I consider being filthy rich in other, more real ways:

           And there is one more, the most important way I want to be filthy rich...Rich in a secure relationship with Jesus Christ.  If I am filthy rich with all of the above, I really don't need to play the PowerBall.  I'll have all the satisfaction I will ever need.

Thanks for bearing with me

           There have been a couple of days recently when I didn't post.  There's a reason for that.  I switched from Windows 8 to Windows 10.  No big deal.  What was the big deal was whenever I went to some of my usual sites, like this one, I was required to enter the username and password before getting into them.  I'm not one to use the same username and password on every account...so, unfortunately, I couldn't get into them.  Finally, I found where I had kept all of my password information and voila---here I am.

           Thanks for bearing with me.

Even Me

In our innermost thoughts (and sometimes we share them):

 

We bash ourselves

We think we don't "measure up"

We think we are failures

We think God will reject us

We think we won't amount to anything

We are sure we are spiritual duds

We think we are phonies

 

In our innermost thoughts we often listen to that little voice that wants us to think those things.

 

           Long ago there was this group of guys, 12 to be exact, that most likely shared the same thoughts outlined above.  They were some messed up guys with some serious dung in their backgrounds.....and yet one guy, Jesus, saw past that and chose those 12 men to carry on His work when he was gone.  They were His disciples.  And yes, even the baddest of the bad, Judas, served an extremely important role in Jesus's plan.  He betrayed Him, sending Him to the cross in accordance with God's plan. 

 

           The salient point is that God works through all people.  There is no vetting, background checks, security checks.  He uses them as they are.  Some great ones have come out of that process.  St. Francis of Assisi is revered.....and yet here is what he had to share:

 

”I have been all things unholy.  If God can work through me, he can work through anyone” St. Francis of Assisi

 

Bottom Line Thought:  If you have been having some of those self-deprecating thoughts about yourself, can you consider putting them on the shelf and listening to the voice that matters--the One who assures you of his love for you (yes, just as you are)?  He's the one with the plan for your life that will set you free, that will never take you down the wrong road.  Yes....you can say "even me" if you will just try.





Voices in the head

           Every once in a while a somewhat bizarre crime will take place and when we hear and see of it on the nightly news on TV, and then read the newspaper articles about the crime, they are most times accompanied by a photo of the perpetrator.  Often the photo used will cause many of us to wonder if the perp isn't just a bit addled.  Sometimes that suspicion is confirmed when we read the accompanying article and find that the perp indicated that "the voices in my head told me to do it."

           Sad, but true, some folks who experience mental/emotional difficulties are convinced that they do hear voices in their head.  Every once in a while when someone catches me talking to myself I get "the look" that tells me they think I'm carrying on a conversation with the voices in my own head.

           Do you want to have a really great day today....and tomorrow.....and the next day....and so on?  Why not listen to the voice in your head?  It is absolutely the best voice you will ever hear.

 

 

Bottom Line Thought:  Maybe hearing this voice in  your head will actually cause you to talk to yourself.  You know, something like "Thank you Jesus!"  Allow yourself to hear the voice in your head and your heart.  It's there....you just have to listen for it.



Right before your eyes

           Months ago, there was an older gentleman who cornered the pastor at the church after service one day and "dumped."  The guy was, literally, a mess.  He was living in the basement of a home where someone had taken him in to keep him off the streets, he was broke, he was very broken, and he was openly and admittedly not a believer.  In fact, having been raised in a Russian Orthodox Jewish home, he was a total skeptic when it came to Christ....and yet he had attended the church that day because a counselor had suggested it and he liked that particular counselor.

           The pastor, on the next day, e-mailed one of the men's small group leaders at the church to let him know of the conversation and to ask if the group would consider taking the man under their wings at their next meeting if he felt comfortable showing up.  One of the purposes of that particular small group is to be available for very broken men who feel that empty hole in their hearts and wish to explore a relationship with the Lord.  Of course the group would welcome him! 

           The man showed up at the next meeting date (that very week) and after introductions and a brief talk about himself and his journey by each group member, the man was asked if he would like to share anything.  He wanted to and his story was extremely candid, heart wrenching, and painful.  He was truly a lost soul with that empty spot in his chest.  After group that evening, he was given a man-hug by each of the guys and urged to consider coming back.

           The next week, there he was.  And, he had a smile on his face.  He told the guys that he was really glad to be back.  He felt comfortable, even knowing that he didn't really fit in--something that was immediately repudiated by loving comments by the guys.  "Hey, you're one of us," "we've all been lost, and we're all broken," "God loves us all," etc.  He evidently found some comfort because he has continued to come back.  And in the intervening time since then, he has started to sit with some of the guys in church on Sundays instead of sitting alone at the back--on his own.  He has started to make some amazing observations about the need for a relationship with Christ.  And he has done it all without having God or Jesus thrown in his face or shoved down his throat.  The guys in that group have been loving and patient.  Period.  They have quietly allowed him to process the things they say in the meetings, and see the things they do, so that his heart can react. 

           As he has ever so slowly begun his journey, it has become ever so obvious that his heart is changing, as is his attitude about life and his circumstances.  He smiles, he shares candidly, he talks about deep issues.  He is beginning to show very clear signs of a spiritual awakening.  And at the last meeting he asked questions of the leader about baptism and communion.  It clearly looks as if the Holy Spirit has worked on the man's heart, and that he is about to make some major changes.  All of this happened right before the eyes of the group, and it is a marvelous thing to see.

Bottom Line Thought:  Can anything be greater than seeing a completely broken down old man come out of the dark into the light right before your eyes?  Are you part of a group that can help some old man?  Are you willing to be?  All it really takes is compassion, some kind words, time, patience, and lots of love for your fellow man. 

The Frog

           This is going to sound gross, and may perhaps annoy some folks.....but bear with me as it's a story.  Put a frog into a  large pot on the stove, fill half full with water, and start heating the water.  As the water temperature increases, the frog adjusts its body temperature accordingly.

           The frog keeps adjusting its body temperature with the increasing water temperature.  Just when the water is about to reach the boiling point, the frog cannot adjust anymore.  At this point, the frog starts to make attempts to jump out of the now hot water.  It is unable to do so at this point because it has lost all of its strength adjusting to the rising water temperature.  In very short order, the frog dies.

          What killed the frog?  Think about it!

           Many of us would say that the boiling water killed the frog.  What actually killed the frog was its inability to decide when to jump out of the pot.

           We all need to adjust with people and situations in our daily lives.  What we really need to do is to be sure to know when we need to adjust and when to move on.  There are times when we need to face the situation and take appropriate actions, and there are times when we are fools to do so.

             If we allow others to exploit us physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, or mentally, they will continue to do so.  We need to decide when to jump out of those relationships, and we need to jump while we still have strength.

   

Something to think about

           One of the best things us infallible guys who somehow are internally wired to think that we are going to live forever can do is to realize that we aren't calling the shots about that.  I mean, really, do you really know how long you're going to live?  No, this isn't a post about getting right with God, turning your life around, or really anything about being a better man, husband, and father.  Rather, it's about doing one right thing for when that time comes, that time when you breathe your last breath.

           Whether your death is sudden or expected, one of the best things that any guy can do it take some time well before his time comes to prepare a packet of information that will be helpful to those he leaves behind.  Your family will most likely be devastated by your death, and particularly so if it is unexpected.  Why add more trauma and drama to an already traumatized family by not doing certain things that can help them through that awful time?

           Understandably, most guys (or at least a good percentage of them) will have made sure that the family will be taken care of financially.  But how many guys, regardless of age and position in life, have dealt with the more mundane, yet important, things that have to do with ones passing? Those would be such things as:

• delegation of authority and responsibility for the handling of your care should you become mentally incapacitated prior to your death.
• do you have a living will or have you thought about one?
• have you given, or thought of giving, powers of attorney over financial matters
• instructions and information about all of the details regarding the disposition of your body should you die
• for example, if you wish to donate your body to science, have you done the research (it's really quite easy) and delegated an agent to handle the matter
• have you talked with a funeral home about pre-arrangements

           There is nothing wrong about writing your own obituary and tucking it away some place safe so it can be used when the time comes.  Tick off another burden the family has to worry about.  There is nothing wrong with leaving some suggestions or instructions tucked away regarding they type of service you think would be appropriate.  It's smart to leave a list of key people to contact when that time comes.  Consider this--your family would like to be in the information loop just as much as you would.  Anything you can do now to ease their burden later is really a Godly thing to do.

Something to think about.  Use your imagination.

A New Book

           When you read a book, do you ever go to the back of it and read the last chapter first?  I never met anyone who did.  The last chapter is normally the one that brings closure to the tale(s) that have been woven throughout the many prior chapters, and most often it is a satisfying conclusion.

            Today is day 2 of a new year.  Depending on the choices we have an opportunity to make, this day 2 can be page 2 in our new book.  We can collectively close the book on all that has gone on in the past and view this year as one rife with opportunities to be a better man, and utilize each new day as a fresh page in what is our book of life.  Just as in the books we read, we have no idea what the final chapter will be like, but we can rest assured that if we live our new book as God would intend us to do that the final chapter will be beyond our wildest expectations.

           Each of us is the only author of our book of life.  Only we can dictate what goes into that book, through the choices and decisions we make.  When we write them we must not worry about what the critics will say or what the reviews might indicate, for when the last chapter is completed it will be just God who will like or dislike the book we have submitted.

Try Something New

           So many folks fall into an annual trap.  They make resolutions on New Years...resolutions that they might follow for a bit, but then old habits and patterns take charge and those resolutions go out the window.  Good intentions, meant well.  No follow through.

           Maybe it's time in our lives to take a new tangent this New Years.  Let's not make any resolutions.  Heck, half the time we make them we have this nagging feeling deep inside reminding us that we will never completely follow through anyway.  Let's stop kidding ourselves and actually do something that is guaranteed to make us better men, husbands, and fathers.  Let's read, then study, then daily practice to learn to love based on biblical principals. 

 

 

Bottom Line Thought:  Do you have the guts to change you?  Think about the positive impact these 10 things will have in your relationship with others.  Think about the godly man you can be, that you want to be.