Not half hearted, but.......

It is interesting when you are coaching an athlete you want their best.  You have seen a glimpse of their ability and they are young.  They have executed a technical skill to perfection, once and yet they haven't been able to replicate it again.  Why is it that the goal was accomplished, but the skill is not being reflected. 

Maybe it was just a fluke.   Maybe the muscle memory is not there.  An accidental execution on purpose?  No matter what you have done, the athlete just seems to elude the duplication of the task.  It was a perfect setup, or they just seem to have consistent bad days.  

You have pushed. Ran them until you were tired.  Tried the skill another way. You have even illustrated it yourself so they can see what it would look like, but it is impossible now for them to achieve.  You need to look deeper. We all have good days and bad days.  We cannot control the weather, nor can we control someone else.  This is a decision that only they can make. In order to prevent injury we force them to go FULL speed.  When an athlete goes ALL out, they get much more return on their investment. Why is it that people get hurt, majority of the time when they are idle.

Why is it that in life we say I'm busy so it keeps me out of trouble?  Why is it when we coach we say full bore?  In life, if we are not fully committed to the cause, we will not get our greatest good from the efforts of partial investment.  Don't go through life aimlessly wandering to your destinations or goals.  Be on point, go full speed and receive the maximum potential of your efforts.  In other words, not half hearted!

God has a plan......

I have done this several times.  Have you ever quoted scripture in a point of some one's life to encourage them?  We as Christians will do this often times as the Spirit leads us.  I am not saying that at those moments we were wrong or that what we say is misquoted.  I am saying, however, that we should have a strong relationship with God as to know His voice and His quickening of our spirit for others.

I was listening to my bible devotion this morning and realized that when we use the scripture in its full context that there is power and an understanding that we might not have realized before.  Thank you Brian Hardin and Daily Audio Bible for bringing me into the light of Jeremiah 29:11.  I claim this promise many times over my life, my family, friends, loved ones and any other people who might be experiencing difficult times.  This promise is excellent for encouragement.  We must also understand that the promise would not be fulfilled unless....  

God spoke to the exiles about planting and harvesting that crop. He spoke about marrying and multiplying.  He also wanted to make sure the children of the exiles would multiply and not decrease in number.  God talks about making sure the place where you are is successful because then the exiles will also be successful.  Seek peace and prosperity in the place you are.  Sometimes in our lives the answer is not that we will move to our promise, but that our work in the land we don't like must prosper for us to receive His blessing.  We are so quick to wish an exit strategy from a place that is difficult and not accept the plans that God has for us.  We are to do good in this difficult place, we are to seek Him and after time has gone by (for the exiles it was 70 years) He will deliver us back to the place where we began, our home.  We are to be the salt and light.  We are to create within this difficult place, something others will look to for help.  To be an inspiration to others and have others aspire to be, because we reflect Him.  Make lemonade out of lemons.  Grow where you are planted. Then He will restore your fortunes and bring you home.  Then we will be gathered back together at home.

Jeremiah 29:4-14 4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Micro manage or just the little things?

It seems more and more that the little things matter?  Is it the older you become the more important they seem or is it that you are just getting older?  There is a generation difference between ideas!  Some may call it micro managing others will call it paying attention to the little things.  Can these ideas be similar?

Micro managing is making sure that others are taking care of what you feel is impotant and how it is being taken care of. Paying attention to the little things can be HUGE!  Writing thank you notes, brush strokes of a painting, fine dining placement of utensils and many other little details?  Remembering someone's birthday can be life changing. Remembering a conversation that took place months ago that  the communicator was passionate about the topic. 

Everyday, there are influencers and attention grabbers. SQUIRREL!  Focus, bring to attention your mind for detail service.  Apply yourself to what you do.  A good carpenter pays attention to the details. In your line of work how are you graded to the detail work?  Pour yourself into what matters.  Is it quantity, or quality?  Micro manage your time to control the details.  He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10 AMP)

Sometimes you get consequences from your surroundings

Have you ever felt like you didn't deserve what you received?  As a Christian, we always feel like we don't deserve God's grace and mercy!  What about when you are just talking with a friend and you are now guilty by association?  Have you thought of Job?  Job was tried for his righteousness!  He was tested by his wife and friends.  His friends believed he reaped what he sowed.  

Another time when we see that a person reaped what he did sew was King David.  What happened is he lusted after a beautiful woman and got her pregnant.  God sent Nathan to King David to tell him that the baby will surely die.  King David fasted, prayed and laid prostrate before God.  Did that child deserve what he reaped?  Did King David get what he deserved?

There are times that you are in the middle of something that God did not call you to be!  When a person is arrested for a crime, sometimes there might be accomplises?  People who assist the criminal in doing the illegal act are called accomplises.  Then there are times that people are named as the criminal but was not an accomplises or even the one who performed the act all because of association. 

Make sure you are on purpose.  Make sure those around you help lift you up.  Make sure you have those people who will assist you in your goals.  You may also want to ask God for His guidance and direction.  What are you involved in that could bite you?  

Advice from failure?

Have you had an experience where the person giving you advice on how to succeed in a certain task has failed miserably?  What about when you have failed but chose not to remember all the circumstances surrounding it just so your self esteem is not damaged?  

When we fail at something, does not necessarily mean that we are not good at a particular task. Excuses will get in our way when we want them to. We choose how to respond to failure! As a child, did you not try to walk after your first falling over on your head?  What about when you wanted to ride a bike without training wheels? How about an "F" in school, they make you repeat the class!  Your first kiss, we all know you didn't quit after an epic failure like that!  As we age our mistakes involve more than just you.....sometimes it is a whole family, a business, a community, a country.  Remember that when we fail, it is to gain knowledge and hopefully, understanding to pass along.  Sometimes it is to learn a better way of handling situations. If when you fail, you chose not to enter into this mess again, then your failure has won.  When you choose to re-enter the nastyness of life, you have won because you can make a difference in the situation based on your new found understanding.  

Sometimes some of the best advice given can come from a prior failure?  This failure, if you learn it without the experience, would be called WISDOM.  When you learn it with the experience is called knowlegde.  You choose how you like to learn, from someone else's mistakes or from your own?  The great news is you get to choose!

Dreams of my childhood....

As we age there are little things that remind us of our childhood. It may be music, food, movies or videos, small phrases or stories being told over dinner.  Do you remember the dreams that would keep you awake as a child?  Can you recall the vivid nature and how clearly it was painted in your mind?  Sometimes these are the things that haunt us today.  It may continue to haunt you way into the future, unless you allow God to reveal it. It may be hard or difficult. It might even be easy!

I remember when my family of seven lived in a little 3 bedroom 2 bath home where I shared a room with my two older brothers.  This nightmare haunted my childhood. My dream was about roads all crumpled up then they would all be smoothed over. Almost like a piece of paper. Then when I would wake up, everything seemed to be very distant. Although I may have been in my mother's lap, I felt that I was on the other side of the couch. Even though I could touch my mother's face it as though she was across the room.

I would have this dream multiple times as a child and I can still see it vividly as if I just dreamt it.  Then in my devotions tonight God takes me across this verse, "Go out through the gates! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see. (Isaiah 62:10 NLT)". This verse reminded me of my dream.

What dreams have you discarded as nightmares only to be reminded of your promise?  Remember your dreams from you childhood!

Their choice......

There are times when you want to fix something that you see is wrong.  These times we jump right in to places we have not been invited.  We might be parents, coaches, teachers, employers, pastors, mentors, family or worse yet just friends.  We become aware of a situation that needs our attention but we cannot make the proper decisions without being involved. So, we involve ourselves without the said permission of the problomee. 

When should we get involved?  Well as parents until a certain age we might think that we make those choices for them.  As a coach we guide, give direction and hopefully it was received.  This is similar to most other relationships. It should only be given when it is asked for.   We like to jump right in and start cleaning up a mess that we have no business trying to even touch, let alone clean up.  What is that silly definition again?  Oh yeah, knowledge from my mistakes, wisdom from others mistakes.  Sometimes people have to be stupid on their own to learn these life lessons.  You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.  By the way, why is the horse a male gender? Is there something trying to be inferred? Another story for another time.

Like the horse, we can only show the route to freedom, they must choose if they want to be free.  Reflect on your own life first.  Remember, how can you lead this horse to water if you're blind yourself.  Fix your own problems so you might be able to give an experienced answer for others.  Remember it is always their choice.  All the answers in the world will not fix a problem that they need to take action on. Give freely as requested and be available when they fall so you can help pick them back up.

Trust.......

It is interesting to think about all the things we trust in.  We know our car brakes will work because they have every other time we used them.  We believe the light will come on when we turn on the switch that allows electricity to the bulbs.  We know there is day light and moon light.  When we swim in a pool we know we get wet, cool off and will dry off with a towel.  We know that pushing a button on our remote will tell the television to change channels.

Now think more deeply than that.  Without first hand knowledge of these things how do we know all of them will happen?  How do we know that we will not be harmed?  How do we know that if we experience something new what the outcome will be?  Many times we will have to depend on what others tell us.  We will have to have faith.  Even the "faithless" have faith.  Those of you who believe in "nothing" do believe in something.  Call it humanism or scientology.  Yes, you do have faith in something.  Is it too much to stretch your mind to understand that everything came from a spoken word?  Think of how much faith it takes to believe as an inventor that your idea is going to work. 

This is the premise of true trust.  The word trust came from a human describing how God interacts on our behalf.  True trust can expand your knowledge.  True trust can link you with a very strong faith.  Where do you let your faith land?  Is your faith landing where there is no foundation, or have you planted it firmly where it belongs?

Where is your anchor?

We think of anchors and all of a sudden we see ships! Carnival, Disney, and many others.  What is an anchor? 

1. any of various devices dropped by a chain, cable, or rope to the bottom of a body of water for preventing or restricting the motion of a vessel or other floating object, typically having broad, hooklike arms that bury themselves in the bottom to provide a firm hold.

Interesting how the first definition is based on preventing something from doing something else.  It is defining what a anchor does!  It looks at the main purpose!  Why it was created.  Why were you created?  Where is your anchor?

5. a person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability, or security; mainstay: Hope was his only anchor.

It took 4 definitions before it refered to people!  Have you considered your anchors in life?  Where is your perspective?  Are you consistent? Are you easily swayed?  Have you checked the source of your anchor?  Where did you get the information that you decided would be a good anchor for your life? 

We place anchors to stand against the tide!  What tides are you facing?  Have you placed your anchor in the truth that can only hold your anchor fast to where you have chosen?  We are only as strong as our weakest link.  Time to consider what you're standing for is based on the ROCK of truth or simply sea bed mud that can give way to any current willing to shake it?  Where is your anchor?

I am......

As a believer of the Christian faith, I believe that I am created? Not only am I created but I am created in the image of God? Not only am I created in the image of God, but He has passed down to me some of His talents and abilities. I am not saying that the human race could be considered equal, nor am I saying that we could god-like?  I am saying that Jesus was fully human and fully God while living a somewhat "normal" human existence.  Now Peter was not God but he walked on water! What does that tell you of the potential that God has placed in your un-tapped life?

Now let's go back when God sends Moses to the children of Isreal to call them out of Egypt.  Moses asks, "What do I say when they ask who sent me?"  In other words he wants to know Gods name that the people will recognize Him!  Do you remember His answer?  "I am that I am!"  Great name right?

Leap forward to the Now!  We study about Gods character?  We study about when we become saved we exchange our old character for His character!  Because we have admitted wrong doing, we repent (stop doing the wrong behavior) and receive Jesus reputation for our old wrong reputation.  It a character exchange!  This is the exciting part!  You no longer can say, "I am a loser."  God is not a loser!  

Every time you say, "I am" you are calling God and yourself a name. You need to use an adjective that will best fit God's character!  I AM capable! I AM ethical! I AM faithful! I AM truthful!  I AM peaceful! I AM phenomenal!  I AM enthusiastic!  I AM energetic!  I AM compassionate! 

Now you tell me who I AM.........  You are also.....

Re-inventing your passion

What do you do when you find yourself going through a mundane life?  Do you enjoy living mediocrity? Why then do you continue down a consistent path of no surprises, no excitement, and no energy?  How do you make a change?  Is it a gradual transition?  Do you just shock the system and drop everything for the change?  What is your passion?  Do you have one?  Have you tried anything new that got your motor running?  Let's consider ways to try new things.

First sit down and talk with those who know you best.  People who aren't trying to manipulate you for their gain is a good place to start?  After talking with your circle of influence, write down all the ideas and create a plan to the top three.  These plans of the top three should be detailed out to who, what where, why and how for starting!  

Now that your plan is written, you must take the first step.  The great news of reinventing your passions is nothing new, but is so important that you are passionate about your life.  If you don't get passionate about anything then you will be frustrated at everything!  It could be as simple as......______!  What are you willing to do to plug in and enjoy life again?  It's not hard and takes just a couple easy steps and you get to spend time with people who care and love you! Now go and get crackin!

Do your best!

As a son, a brother, a husband, a friend, a father and other to many people take this to heart.  Every day I take my son to school and after listening to the Daily Audio Bible #DAB for the past nine years we have somewhat of typical statement when I drop him off.  Today he surprised me.  We as parents expect to motivate and encourage our children to try harder, go further, but most importantly we tell them "Do your best!"

As he got of the vehicle I will say things like, "I love you, Remember who you are, Focus today and Do your best!" Of course I say I love you every time but i rotate the others in and depending on our conversations on the way i may use ALL of them as he gets out of the vehicle.  Today after saying, "Do your best!"  My son responds to me, "You too!"

Have you ever thought of doing your best for your kids?  Everything we do we think it is for us or for our family or for loved ones or customers.  Focus on doing your best just for your kids.  Not for financial gain, not for fame, not for furtherance of goals, but just to make your kids proud.

As a son, I always wanted to make my dad proud.  As a brother, now grown, I like to think that I make my siblings proud.  As a husband I know my wife is proud.  As a friend I believe they are proud.  As a colleague or other I believe that there are some that are proud.  I have never thought to make my children proud. As a Christian we want to do what God has called us to do.  As a Christian I am proud of others who take that leap of faith to follow God's calling and walk in Him.  As we do this one thing, we will make all the above proud.  What are you doing everyday to bring Him glory and satisfaction to all those people watching you in your witness.  Do your best!

Took the long way home......

I understand when you have a baby sleeping in the car why you wold want to take the long way home!  I can understand when you are out exploring and seeing new sites why you might take the long way home.  I can even understand you trying to prove a point to someone else about how this way is longer than that. What is the shortest distance between two points all of you math majors?  When God has already said he gives you this land, why on earth would you choose the long way home?

Do you know the calling God has placed on your life?  Have you been given a glimpse of your hope or future?  Why do you not run towards it but drag your feet away from it.  It happened with Jonah, the people of Isreal, and many other examples in the Bible not going the correct direction the first time.  How many more examples do we need to understand that God knows the plans he has for you yet we don't accept them?  Have you ever thought about how quick of a trip the children of Isreal could of had if they did not grumble and complain?  Have you looked at how quick of a trip you could experience if you see giants and accept God's word of victory over them?  Who or what are your giants that are causing you to not accept God's plan? 4 days or 40 years with death, it's your choice!

Strange things are a foot at the Circle K.....

Doesn't it seem like only weird things happen at your local corner store.  In the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure they find a time machine phone booth.  There is always drama to be found at corner stores because this is where people meet.  Now imagine seeing a talking donkey.  That would be a real money maker, but not in Numbers 22.  It is interesting that while the children of Isreal are complaining that they wish they would die than continue living in the desert.  God sends an angel to stop the donkey Balaam is riding on.  This donkey has been with Balaam for a long time and it is unusual that the donkey acts this way.

Isn't strange that Balaam doesn't even recognize that the donkey is talking to him.  Balaam is talking to the donkey all the while these highly esteemed people are with him in this journey watching this crazy man and donkey having a heated argument.  It isn't even a second thought that he would be talking to his donkey.  It is a conversation that is not normal but it hasn't registered that it is the donkey answering him.

Now he goes and never questions his donkey again all because of the angel that is shown to Balaam.  How many times do we enter into conversations that don't make sense all because we are frustrated or mad.  Not realizing that there may be something going on that we need to see and learn. This takes a relationship that Balaam and his donkey had but more importantly to be prepared spiritually to see the things that God wants us to see.  All the while He is guiding us if we allow Him.

Giving....

What have you gone with out?  What would you go without that you would miss?  Things we do in our routines are things we don't think about until we don't have time to do them?  When you wake up, what things do you have to do or your day will be fully messed up?  These little things we allow to control how our day goes! We allow these influences to change our decisions on how we live our lives.  What things can you give up today or this week that you will miss but will allow you to have more focus?  I dare you to make that sacrifice to change your life! I dare you to move!  See what happens over the course of a month, or year.  What addictions are holding you in the same place?  Your potential has never left you.  You chose to hide it. You chose to bury it behind your other priorities!  Dig it up and out.  Let it shine.  You are limited by your decisions!

Chicken or the egg?

Funny how we say things like don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Don't put the cart before the horse.  How about asking silly questions whether the chicken came first or the egg.  It all boils down to what priorities are in your life. What is cool, is that you get to choose your priorities.  Have you ever took instruction booklets to make sure you have put something together properly?  Have you ever realized that after you have put a piece together that it seems to have gone on backwards or up-side down or.......  I had a basket ball hoop that needed to be put together for my kids. It seemed like I built that thing twice, because I didn't pay attention to what end the holes needed to be on?  I would put one piece on and realize the the next piece won't fit because the hole was on the opposite end the instructions illustrated.  

See guys read instructions, but this guy didn't pay attention.  It is important not to get the cart before the horse.  So my question to you is this, "what priorities do you have in your life out of order?"  There us a reason for certain things to happen, before anything else?  If you simplify your life to the bare necessities, what things would you need and what things could you do without?  Sometimes in the instruction manuels you find description of the pieces needed and/or required to complete each step.  Sometimes the manufacturer is smart enough to put EXTRA pieces.  In life you don't get extra pieces. In life you don't get another chance to out something together.  In life you can prioritize the needs and wants to ensure you focus I. The important things and disregard the fluff.  Find time to work on the important, do you priorities and MAKE life happen with your input. It will happen without you if you let it. Be on-purpose!

Rear view driving

Why is it that we constantly look in the rear view mirrors to be a defensive driver?  If constantly looking in the mirrors makes us a better defensive driver then why doesn't looking in our past a better person? We constantly are so concerned about what our past was like to defend our current purpose.   You past does NOT reflect your purpose today.  The same way climbing a ladder doesn't not help you get to next rung by looking down at your last step.  We don't learn from our past. We continue to make the same mistakes, repeatedly at every step.  You would think that we would see it coming, but maybe we are too busy looking backwards to be able to be more defensive.  Defensive is not the goal. We do not need to try to chase away people or run away from people.  We need to show love, hope and mercy!  The more we show, the more we will receive the same. 

This only happens when you are looking forward.  Moving forward! Paying attention to the forward than the backward.  Let's love like there's no tomorrow and drive like there's only today!  Use your eyes not your mirror.

A penny

A penny in America has very little value.  A penny is the basis of the whole American financial structure. A penny is 1/5 of a nickel, 1/10 of a dime, 1/25 of a quarter, 1/100 of a dollar!  A penny has no value to the point that people will discard them without care. You can find pennies all over the ground. Until the pennies are rolled together in 50s the bank won't take them! Until pennies are put together people don't hold onto them.

Would you pick up a penny when it is all by itself?  Do you wait until there are several before you bend over to pick it up?  How many does there have to be before you decide it's worth it?  

Your actions every day is like the penny. Slowly all your actions add up to a personality, a life, a family a LEGACY!  #doubleyourpenny