Disconnect

Trying to get something to download and there is no connection. The frustration of knowing that this needs to be completed before you can get some sleep but there is no connection. The connection is lost, or there are no wireless signals available. This connection is so imperative to the success of the delivery that it doesn't matter that the project is ready or that it is the best blog ever created. No one will see it, or know about it because there is no connection. How important is that connection now? Think back to when you ordered that capability to be used. Did you have enough foresight to know that you would desperately need to have this item uploaded? Now look at your life, is there a lost connection? What about disconnecting on purpose to refocus? I did that this week. We disconnected from tv, Internet, iPods and pads along with any other electronic devices. We came together as a family to reconnect to one another. We played games, talked about what is going on in our lives and planned for our future vacation. It is not important to connect to the Internet. It is very important, however, to have a connection with people directly. we have so many different ways of connecting to others that we have forgotten the most important connection which is face to face. We have neglected playing outside until the mosquitos chase you in, or wanting so bad to show our friends the tricks we learned on our bicycles or new toys we got for our birthday. The lack of human interaction has deprived our children from understanding the importance of relationship. Now all we have to do is say we are in a relationship online and we don't know how to talk with this person. DISCONNECT from all devices and find that important relationship that yearns for cultivation. We must make the important connections that keep us in tune with life, not the Internet.

Already included

I remember a commercial about pizza sauce or maybe it was just plain old spaghetti sauce that had all different kinds of ingredients. The person would ask is this in there? The woman cooking would answer, "it's in there!" There would be an old Italian lady taking a taste of the sauce, she wold confirm, "it's in there." Prego pasta sauce was that funny commercial. What does it take to create a great recipe? What does it take for an artist to make an incredible painting? Where do we start when be begin something? What happens when we get to the middle and something is missing. If an ingredient or a paint brush is not available, will the creation be the same? Look in the mirror. Do you see missing attributes? Do you see missing talent, wisdom, money, help, team, tools, materials or any other items that you might need to complete the task. Have you ever heard that you do all things through Christ who gives you the strength? Think about that verse. Do you think that God in His infinite wisdom, which created us in His image would leave out important things you will need in life? Do you think that verse says that you are missing things? Now imagine God walks over your crib after you were born and says, "it's in there." There is a plan and purpose for your life that has all you need. Tap into your talents to be used on purpose in your life. Look around, is something missing? It's in there! What kind of abilities do think you need that are missing? What talents is required to finish strong? Just remember that God created you in His image and he says, "It's in there!"

Puzzled

I started puting puzzles together lately to help relax my mind. We each have something to numb ourselves from life. It could be listening to the radio, or watching tv, or reading what is happening in other's life on Facebook. Whatever it is that numbs us is not a good thing. Being numb means that our guard is down, our senses are not active and we are not making a positive impact. These puzzles I have been trying to complete are all more than 1000 pieces(I haven't counted them to verify but it seems like it). The last puzzle we completed as always with the border first then the most recognizable identifiers that can be pieced together. As we (my family likes to help find pieces also) found piece by piece to reveal the completed picture it became more and more difficult. There were flowers that were almost impossible to get right and mountains that were all the same color. As we blazed ahead with every piece we discovered that it might be possible that pieces are missing. Ever try to finish a puzzle that has missing pieces? Instead of pushing ahead to find the piece that could go in the empty spot we check it off as a missing piece. Slowly but surely we started giving up on finding the correct pieces for each spot. Why is it that if there is an excuse in life we will use it? We might not even be built that way but we become it due to circumstances. Is life so difficult that we want relax our minds and give in to the easy road? There is an old kids song that helps me to remind myself that I'm not done! Done like being cooked, being built, being educated, being lead, being BETTER! Is your whole life put together where the full picture is seen? Do you have all your missing parts to deliver the calling on your life? Are you enjoying not being used and being numb through life? BORING! What some excitement? Be diligent in being pieced together. Allow the Master to find the missing pieces to bring your picture TO LIFE! Where is your puzzle?

No matter what

When you hear, "no matter what" it sounds like it would be at all costs. Have you ever put your ALL into something and been criticized for giving your best? We hide our talent because we don't want to be hurt. We don't take a chance that it will work out. Do some research to see how well the home run champions fair on striking out. Look to Babe Ruth to see that in the same year of him being a home run champion he also had the record for striking out. How do you know if your best will strike out or if it will be a home run? Look to the parable of the talents to see where the servant who was afraid lost his talent to the servant who doubled his talent. He was afraid and buried it out of fear that he would strike out. Look at the statement above again, no matter what, and tell me what you see or hear. Is it at all costs or is it that other's opinions are not as important. We should measure our success by looking at the stewardship of the event or the impact that it has created in another's life. What would The Master say to you about your handeling of the talents invested? Now look at no matter what statement again. There plenty of ways to invest your talents so that you will reap what you have sown. Look to every avenue and resource for the potential of returns that can be harvested from your investment. There is no need to take just one path. When investing your talents the word gives many examples that streaming is the way to live. No matter what, brings an all new level of understanding of how we should be living. Remember, always use no matter what for your answer.

Things that bother you

Ever notice that there are times when you have things that bother you. You worry about them, you take them with you everywhere you go. Why do we like to carry our baggage? When you go to the theme parks or water parks do you enjoy carrying extra baggage just for the day. These are items that we feel we will need, or that it will make the day enjoyable. Ever notice how free some people seem walking around with no kids, no bags in the middle of these crowds of other people that have strollers, back packs, kids on leashes and other things slowing them down? Now go back and look at the same people we originally thought were free, don't they look lost or out of place? There many things in life that will cause you great distress IF you allow it to bother you. Most of these things that bother us is out of our control but we feel that we should direct it, change it, remove it or hold onto it because it's ours. We hold onto so many things that is not even ours to worry about but we carry it like it is our badge of honor. Why let these things way you down. God says His yoke is easy and His burden is lite. What are you willing to carry so that your life can be more effective. Better yet, what are you willing to let go so your life can have a bigger impact? What's bothering you, let it go, you can't control it anyway.

Free your mind

We live in a world where there are laws, boundaries and safe zones in which we must abide. Within theses constructs we have the ability of building a massive place for our thoughts and ingenuity can develop our livelihood. At the same time of understanding how this works you should have an idea from the movie called The Matrix. There is a computer that has all the humans connected to a system mainframe to be used as batteries and there is a rebellion against the machines that is trying to rise up to control there own destinies. Within this mainframe a person named Neo is given the choice to unplug or stay connected. In this scenario you can see the resemblance of what Christ has done for us. He has given us the choice to be free yet we choose to be connected to the world and live with whatever it wants to offer. The poem by Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_Not_Taken_(poem) This poem is one I learned in middle school and I still remember it to quote it. So what decisions do you make in life? Do you choose to be connected to the world or take the road that looks to have not been as travelled? We contemplate our past more than we look to our future. We have not looked at any road that is BEFORE us to think which one is best for us. God has given us a choice and we do get to choose. We have the freedom to choose but we do not exercise our freedoms in life. We live like we are bound and gagged and have no other option but this one road. You may live in a controlled place where you don't enjoy freedoms, but your mind is never captured unless you allow it to be. Again, it's your choice, FREE YOUR MIND.........

Decision makers

When we hear of the middle east what is it that we think about? When your are told of the day the sun stood still, what is it that causes you to think? Do you consider the Proverbs to be helpful in guidance? What about the Psalms? Are those the only two books of the bible that causes great contemplation? I know it is not for those who believe, but those who don't where do you get you source of wisdom? We know that knowledge comes from the experiences you have learned from first hand. What is wisdom then? Is it simply learning from someone else's experiences? If it is, then why not enjoy the wisdom of the bible? Have you read Joshua lately? Have you taken the time to understand the struggles in the middle east and tried to draw a correlation to something else? The decisions made in the bible and the lives those decisions impacted are enormous. Think of Adam and Eve? Did they not change the world forever? Think of Abraham, and how he helped save his family from Sodom and Gamora? Think of how Joseph that was sold into slavery saved his family and an entire country? Understand how Joshua asked God to hold the sun still for a whole extra day changed our calendar today. Some decisions had consultations with God, others were not. Joshua's decision to make peace with kings from a "supposed long way off" caused him to leave neighbors near him who were NOT suppose to live. After making peace with them God helped him route the entire area of kingdoms for inhabitation of the land for His people. Decisions in life are not too great or too small to seek council. When was the last time you seeked council on your life decisions. Ae you a decision maker?

Diligence

Fine tuning a hot rod takes patience from what I hear. Raising children is focused work. Target marketing is just that, pointing to the exact market you are wanting to reach. Spraying a hornets nest is precision. All the above mentioned topics take specific attention to detail to complete the task. If is not just about checking a box and saying the job is done. Some of them are life long while others could be short lived. Each one takes it's own special care require instructions. Realize that what you do in each one is of the utmost importance. For example, if you don't properly spray the hornets nest you can let stung. You must dowse the nest to prevent any additional hornets from coming back. It is not like you have unlimited resources to complete the job. Raising children is hard work and demands full time attention with never ending judgement calls to right wrongs and set straight the crooked. Any of this work ties diligence. What is diligence? It is the persistent exertion of body or mind (or both). Persistently, meaning continuously completing the task. It sounds like never ending. Always on call! We have so not been diligent in our culture. We have become more and more lazy with every generation. Technology is great, but it should be the one size fits all tasks. Yes we can work smarter, and we should not eliminate our persistent exertion of body or mind. Be mindful of your diligence!

Friends like these

Noone can be a missionary to his own town. Look at those people who are always around you, do they encourage you or tear you down. If you are always around people you know and know you, what will be your ability to help them change? If we look at the people who don't like you for who you are, they will always feel the way they do because you are built the way you were planned. Similarly, politicians and any other leaders that are voted into their positions have polls that will be construed as negative. As much as we see the numbers is a negative light, and those who cast that vote against or for the statement will continue the same vote. They will always be against or for it. No matter how much you twist the report, the report is just that, a report. The positive people will always be positive. Those who love you will be with you, almost blindly always. Trying to find a true critic will not happen in your circle. Fresh ideas, and genuine thoughts for or against will only be found outside your circle. Why is it that there are case studies? Every person and group will be different because of different personalities being influenced by different external factors. When we look at our circle, the constant is OUR circle. We may have the same paradigm, or experiences that have brought us to the same conclusion. Change the factors but keep the constant and the results will be universal. Keep the factors but change the constant and the results will be different among all. Friends like these are why we can depend on them. Friends like these might not be the best sounding board. Even into a strange town or city, Jesus kept his constant so to have the workers, but changed the focused group to achieve different results. Friends like these.......

Goals

Throughout life you should have goals. Having goals gives you a target to shoot at. Zig Ziggler says if you aim at nothing you might hit it. Going through day by day with no targets is a waste of time. I am not suggesting that you pack your days full of targets, but you should have items on the list that helps you on your way. Imagine you are a runner. You practice by running long distances, short sprints, intermediate lengths and circuit training. All the practice gives you a well rounded style of running. However, if your goal is only the 100 yard dash, long distances might not be the best practice for your goal. Short sprints are significantly different than running marathons. If your goal is to finish a marathon in a certain time then you will gradually increase your distances, practice your timing, change your diet and many other routines in your daily activities. All of these things will not happen over night. You should look at you life and dream. DREAM BIG. Take these dreams and write them down. Then draw a road map of how you plan on achieving your goals. The road map will demonstrate where you need to be by a certain time. You will notice that these place are little goals leading you to your end result. Don't get anxious about you goals or upset if you miss them. Did you know that if you never swing a baseball bat then you will never hit the ball. If you never hit the ball, how would you know if you can hit home runs? If you want to be the best home run hitter, then you must swing your bat and practice. You will play how you practice, or you will run how you practice. I have heard that goals not written down is just a wish. Turn your dreams into reality, now go do it.

Favors

Why is it that children's parties require to give a gift to every attendee. Has anyone ever asked you for a favor? Has there been a time when you have worked hard and felt that you achieved you goal from the time put in? Did you know that the work you produce can be blessed. It is like you are one of the kids showing up at Jesus' birthday party. It is work to plan and prepare for someone else. You can work hard everyday and anticipate good results. Jesus tells a parable of talents where there are three different servants (key word servant). These servants each received according to their capabilities. One had 5, another had 2 and the lat received 1. All doubled the amount of their talent except the one with 1. He took the talent buried it to hope that he wouldn't lose it. So the 1 talent was given to the one with 10. Yes, it is work. It it is also a favor where you can double your talents due to what capabilities He has placed in you. Something that my Pastor has preached that favor over labor is a better choice. You must work in order to find favor but your work will go further. How far will your work go? Do you want favor?

What motivates

There is medication to help things move. There is exercise to make your body more limber. There are stretches that allow your body a fuller range of motion. There are books that encourage your to deeper thoughts. Gasoline helps engines move. Oil lubricates to allow motion to be easier. On earth there is gravity that makes things heavier than in space. There is friction that slows the motion. In life there are hindrances and restrictive properties that prevent you from achieving the full potential of your talent. So the question is what motivates you? Your passion will propel further. Your excitement will drive you deeper. What keeps you up at night will build the enthusiasm that delivers you to your destination. Take the opportunity to broadcast your interests and ideas to the world. Use your talents to upgrade the world. You have been given a special gift, how will you share it? A great song, a eye catching movie, a panoramic picture, a fast car, a custom home, and the list goes on for what will get you focused. What are your priorities? Use what is imposing in your life to motivate you forward into your calling. So what motivates you?

Questioning reality

My Pastor today helped me to see that people where questioning Jesus if he was the true Messiah. If you are Jesus then you can turn the stones into bread or the thief, if your the messiah save yourself and us. Notice the word "IF." It's not an affirmation that I believe you are who you say you are. Or better than that, your miracles have not proven to me that you are. Just like doubting Thomas not sure He was raised from the dead. Have you ever been questioned about something that truly happened and you might have been the only person who experienced it? Have you ever experienced something that you yourself question if you really witnessed it? Sometimes when bad things happen, have you ever felt it to seem like a dream? Maybe your dreams seem so real that it couldn't have happened in a dream it must be real. Let me help you understand your faith. Faith is the evidence of things NOT seen and things hoped for. Many times in life you must have the simplest faith then share it with someone else to bring it to reality. Remember that our words are life and death. You can share the reality through faith, which will bring the story to life for someone else. Just like a liar who speaks a lie so much that they begin to believe it, you too can speak a truth into someone else's reality. If it is try for you your testimony will be true for them also. Things brings your faith into action. Because faith without works is dead. You must bring it to life for others. How else will they know? Unless you tell them, they will it know or understand it as it pertains to your life. The bridge will not be built. The children of Isreal saw the miracles and yet still sinned. You must make the truth real to bring your testimony to life. What reality are you questioning?

Movies with messages

As a child there were good movies that have an underlining messageto learn from. I don't remember seeing movies that would encourage me to be better or do better. Now as an adult I see movies and cry because of the message, or relationship in it. Did your mom ever buy your favorite cereal but you had to share it with your siblings? Ever thought about hiding it so you could hoard it to yourself? Why is it that our human nature is so self centered? We have spoke about sewing and reaping along with many other topics that deal with our centered personality. Have you considered the reality of your actions? In life there is NO unlimited resources. Even your negativity or self centeredness will NOT last forever. Just like a tree without sun and water cannot grow, so is a person who does not invest in others. Growth is the key factor for our lives. Meet the Robinsons says just keep moving forward. The Lorax says you cannot reap what you do not sew. Horton hears a who shows that everyone is important. Yes, these are all cartoons. Where do you find messages? Do you have a devotion time? Do you spend time talking with the Creator? Not just in movies, but in life there are messages. Don't just enjoy a movie but find a way to apply to your life. As you learn new and important personality traits how are you applying them? It it's not good enough to know the facts but how does the facts change your lifestyle? Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the RENEWING of your mind. Money will run out. Energy will run out. Time definitely runs out. Endurance is limited. Thoughts quit coming. Creativity dies away. Metal rusts out. Clothes wear out. Businesses get bought out. Signals fade away. Children out grow it. God will always be there. He will never leave you or forsake you. What message are you renewing?

People pleaser

Are your choices dictatated by someone else? There is a book by Dr Henry Cloud titled Boundries. We all have at one point or another made decisions based on other peoples feelings. We don't want to purposely hurt feelings so we follow along with what they would want us to do. If it is in your job, your church, your relationships or anywhere your are sacrificing what your strengths are to please someone else you need to find your focus. It is good to please others sometimes but should not be a life style. If a relationship is built on one person trying to please the other, the relationship is built on give, give, give. There should be some giving and some receiving. It is like a bank account, if you always withdraw, you will be overdrawn sooner rather than later. You cannot please everyone all the time. When you find yourself trying to complete other's tasks that is when you need to create healthy boundaries. A boundaries is not an always "no." It is a healthy way of prioritizing where YOU WANT to say yes and help others while being able to control your time management. Boundaries is the ability of saying yes where you want and no where you don't want. When you have created healthy boundaries then others will recognize where where your line is. When you purchase a property do you just kind of know where the property lines are or do you have it surveyed to distinguish exactly where it is? Imagine creating your boundaries where everyone around you know what that line is and where it is. You will find that you are more excited about helping people, have more energy, more focused attention and more.......(you fill I the blank). It's not bad to be a people pleaser as long as you are within your created boundaries that is healthy for all around you. If others are dependent on you doing their work, how is that healthy for them or you? Be a people pleaser that is healthy!

Trapped

There are times when we have made decisions in life that catch us in places that we are unable to maneuver out of. Are there times when you get to a great place and want to be trapped? Think deeply about where you are today. Is this where you believe that you should be? Your job, you house, the city, the car, the literal road you are on. What percentage of your brain do you use? Truthfully, what percentage? Why does God give us a brain in which we do not unlock its full potential. Our bodies have so much more abilities and capabilities than we can imagine. Doesn't the word of God state that we are made in His image? Feel trapped in your own body. You should now. Why not look to God to ask for the key to yourself. Now imagine that you are limitless in your capacity. Where are you? What are you doing? Who is around you? Did you catch that? Look at what you are doing. Pay attention to the details. Find your excitement, tap into the juices that flow from that, deliver all your energy into this and offer up your skills. See what happens! Get tapped in and trapped in a life that YOU were built for. God built you. Just like Legos fit together perfectly and create something uniquely from the creator, YOU have been put in this place for a specific reason. What is your reason. TRAPPED to your destiny. Find it, apply it, move with it.

Stand up

It is not just a respect thing. Standing up shows your strength. It shows your determination. Standing up shows that there is more to you than just a head and shoulders. You were created for much more than what you are currently living. Stand up, let your voice be heard. Have you ever stood for something that is different or against the norm. The norm today is everybody trying to be different. We want to tattoo ourselves, we want to pierce ourselves. Yes these things make you unique, but have you ever stood up for something you believe in? All the things we do illustrate where our alliances are held. The things that you do to make yourself different brings you right back into a crowded room full of people doing the same thing you are doing. I am just a plain, pasty, bald, over weight dude that fits right into many crowds. There is nothing unique about what you can see on the outside. What I do, say, dress, go, live, listen to doesn't make me who I am. It won't make you who you are. On this earth you can be identified by your "unique" markings, when you are dead. My mole will be used, if they can find it, to say that this body is definitely him. The only difference that will be known about you is how you lived your life. It won't be said that you were the fat, bald pasty dude or that you had some really cool tattoos with great art work. It won't be said that you were the only one with this kind of piercing. What will your dash stand for after you are gone. You know the dash I'm talking about. The dash from the date of your birth until the date of your death on your tombstone. Do you not know that this world is simply a spiritual war where flesh and blood make no difference. Yet we proclaim something and think that it changes the world. I know that the right thing said to the right person at the right time, will change the world for that person. Just like a man running on a beach full of star fish drying out on the beach and throwing them back into the ocean, one at a time. He is making a difference to that one, and that one, and that one. What are you standing for. STAND UP!

Blame game

I love playing games that I can win. Do you like playing games that you lose at? The blame game is just that, a game you cannot win. Nobody likes to hear excuse after excuse about why something didn't go the way it should have. It's not my fault. So and so did this and made me do it. Why do we relinquish our decisions to some one else? That's the whole point, you haven't. You simply chose to go the route more travelled. The road is wide and vibrant with appealing colors. It invites you to be whatever all the time. Nothing is never my fault. Whatever happens it is always somebody who made me do it. Responsibility brings respect. Respect is a honorable persona to carry. What do you expect to get from blaming what happens in life on another. Do you think that you can take responsibility for the good, but the bad is somebody else's. Short, sweet and to the point. Step up to the plate, take ownership and learn from form the mistakes YOUhave made. Then you can truly enjoy the success that you have earned. Where do you place blame?

Phenomenal

The next time someone asks you, "How are you doing?" You should answer phenomenal. Use any extraordinary word that is not used as often. This will completely change the routine of the same old boring greeting conversation and will allow you to elaborate on why you are phenomenal! Have you ever heard that you are what you eat? Physically that can happen. You eat junk, your body will turn into junk. The same think goes with, you are what you think and speak. If someone calls a child stupid and degrades them their whole life while growing up, they will be what they were called. The only way out of this vicious cycle is God and His miraculous healing capabilities. That can start with a simple change of your mind. If you constantly say, "I can do all things in Christ who gives me the strength," then you will. Not because of you but because of Him. Why not start by speaking life over yourself. The tongue is as sharp as any two edge sword. It can cut to kill and it can cut to defend. It gives life and death! Now back to you being phenomenal, when was the last time you were encouraged by your own thoughts? As you consider who you are, that is who you will become. My dad would say no stinkin thinkin! You need to motivate yourself to get up and move. As someone asks you how are you, you get to choose how you feel. The circumstances in life will always be at your door, in your room and in your bed,BUT you don't have to stay with it. You choose to leave that mess right where it is at. I am not saying that you let someone else clean it up. I am saying that you don't have to carry it around with you just because it's yours. Clean it up and move on. There is a thing called a dirty clothes hamper, or the locker room, or the garage. That mess doesn't have to follow you. Yes it migt be baggage but baggage can be sent to the yard sale. Ever heard that one man's junk is another man's treasure? Get rid of it. Don't worry God has always helped me clean it up. I had to do all the work but He showed me how. Now today is a phenomenal day. Go make it one!

Integrity

Have you ever heard all is fair in love and war? How does integrity fit in that statement? Integrity is a personality trait. It can also be a way of stating that something has remained in whole, not in parts. The integrity of an old rusted out car that is not running has been diminished. Now think about integrity as a personality trait. What is diminished there if the integrity is missing? Integrity is such an interesting word to understand how it implies something about another. An adjective of people or things. It is very descriptive and carries with it a weight about that person or thing. If you can keep something whole, the integrity will remain. Sometimes we may understand it better if it is of a sound or perfect condition. I know of a person who is missing a limb. We may not say that this person is impaired. We don't even think of this person as being different. Yet integrity implies that this person is not of a sound condition or perfect. And yet I will argue that they are of a sound condition. God has created each one of us uniquely in His image. Yet integrity is much more than the state of being whole. It is a moral trait. It is descriptive to the point that if someone does not have integrity, then no one will do business with that person. Another way of looking at integrity is an adherence to ethical and moral principals. What are principals? Are they rules or guidelines? I believe these principals are that person's priorities for their life. Now look at someone who has no integrity and you will find compromise throughout their life. Is integrity important? Is integrity limited within a rule book? Where is your integrity?