Where Are You Invested?

I’m a “baby-boomer” getting ready to embrace a new adventure in my life as I enter into my sixties. I look forward to this new era of great expectations. This is going to be an exciting time for me and others who will be embarking upon this phase of our lives where we want to make an impact. As I look ahead, I also look backwards to see how my investments have grown over the years.

I needed to know whether I invested well over the time spent and gone. It’s time to see if I’ve gained any interests on those investments. It’s time to cut the fat, lose the useless and count up the cost of becoming leaner. I’m calling myself into accountability for my latter years, so I’m looking at how I invested.

I invested time into Living Well so that my example would encourage others
I invested in Perseverance to make it this far
I invested in Discipline to show I can follow directions
I invested in Character to exhibit rightness no matter who’s looking
I invested in Integrity to honor God’s name and who I represent
I invested in Truth to maintain honesty and integrity
I invested in Study to be knowledgeable and ever learning
I invested in Relationships to show love and care for people and my family
I invested in Teaching for there were many who wanted to be taught
I invested in Music so that my heart would always have a song to sing
I invested in Family so that I would always have a home to come to
I invested in Self so that I would be mindful of how I affect others
I invested in Others who didn’t know they were worthy of my time
I invested in Righteousness to show God I’d follow His Word
I invested in Love to be loved and to show love as well as receive the same



I invested in God’s Word so that when I forget all of these investments and the blessings they have brought into my life, God’s Word reminds me that had not God first invested in me, I would not have invested at all.

Men Marry for No Change, Women Marry for Change

As a young man gazes upon his future wife, she becomes the most beautiful woman in the world. No other woman compares with his soon to be wife. He does all he can do to wine and dine her and convince her that she has finally found her “Prince Charming.”

The woman on the other hand hopes she has found the “Knight in Shining Armor.” He has done many things that she has checked off her spousal list. She has placed her best foot forward and was successful at presenting her self a chosen vessel that was worthy of her man’s proposal. She even showed herself to be and adequate housekeeper, a smart dresser and a pretty good cook.

This is the perspective that each one saw in one another. The two shall become one was their ultimate goal for their lives. They wanted to duplicate each other by having children and having a happy family. A boy for him a girl for her and any extras will be just fine. Loving each other meant until death do us part. The two of you were committed to stay the course.

Several years on the marriage path, things begin to change. She had the girl for her and the boy for him, plus a couple more. Her body began to change with more than a “love handle” in various places on her body. Her time was no longer her own and her days were filled with meeting everyone’s needs but her own.

She was no longer the slim healthy person she was when she started out on this marital journey. He had lost his lustful pursuit of earlier times in their relationship. His eyes no longer gazed upon her with youthful lust. His sight had become cloudy which caused his eyes to roam for better looking bodies. He failed to adjust to the changes in life.

I need him to change some things. When we got married I thought he would take out the trash, help me clean up, watch the children sometimes and give me a break, do a little laundry, put gas in my car every now and then, and be the husband I dreamed of. But, over the years she put in a lot of time trying to make him into the man you thought you wanted. She failed to adjust to the changes of life.

Change comes from within. You cannot change anyone. As you see a need for change within yourself, then the change will come. What and who you were before you
Marry is the same one you said “I do” to. As you mature you will make changes by assessing your life’s path and how you are walking down it. You will learn to accept people for who they are. Your change of attitude will allow you and them to become an agent of effective change within themselves.

Allow your expectations to be realistic. Life is full of changes and we all will encounter these changes at one time or another. Communicate your wants and needs to each other. Make room for changes expected and unexpected. Love each other through these changes by being the first positive example. Changes will come. It’s just a part of life.

Sometimes What You See Ain’t What You Saw

The headlines read ”Wealthy Woman Dies in the Slums.” A wealthy woman was found dead in the lower slums of Blind. She was seen on a daily basis pushing her old rusting cot up and down the trash laden streets of downtown. No one spoke to her after a while as she became a permanent fixture in her tattered clothing showing signs of her poverty status as it blended into the landscape of Blind.

She never seemed to be all there when they passed her by on the streets for she always looked down as they went to and fro to their various destinations. Her head was always bowed down and her back never was straight. When you saw her , you would have thought that she was always looking for something on the ground. She was just another old lady that had no one to care for her in her latter years. Did she have family, children, sisters, brothers, grandchildren, cousins, anybody? No one ever stopped to inquire.

To the naked eye she was a nobody a pathetic old person that had nothing to offer anybody. She looked as though she had nothing, nothing at all. As people read her story in the newspaper and saw her life flash across the T.V. many began to recognize the lone media character. As recognition dawned among those who took special note, the stories of her gifting began to surface. Stories like that of a young man who ran into the deceased one day and how she gave him a hand full of money. He had just lost his minimum wage job but his children needed food just the same. A young woman was sitting out on the curb with her children and furniture as the deceased lady was pushing her cot pass the destitute family. Her heart reached out to the crying mother as she fumbled down in her cot and pulled out a crumbled bag. With an incredulous look on her face the young mother almost didn’t look inside. When she did look inside, it was full of money; enough money to get her and her children off the street and a safe place to stay.

E-mails, letters, and phone calls came form the most unlikely sources. No one knew her name, but there were a number of people who were blessed buy her gifting. She did not live in a big house, or drive a fancy car. Her clothes would offend those who she came in contact with. Her presentation was that of a poor person without any means. It’s what other eyes saw when they came in contact with her, but it’s not what they really saw.

At the funeral, the church was full. Those who had been touched in a personal way came to pay their respect. The congregation was varied from young to old, and from rich to poor. They all came forth for one purpose. The story does not end here. Three weeks later the final headline read “ Wealthy Slum Woman Leaves A Million Dollars to the Children’s Home.”

Was this a true story? Only your heart will know if what you see is what you truly saw.

Everywhere You Go

As each day begins, we often have an agenda as to what we hope to accomplish for that day. Our itinerary can often be varied as we have many task and duties that have to be implemented and completed on any given day. No matter what we have to do we need help to get the agenda done for it generally involves interaction with other people.

In looking for help we need those who can function well within their gifting. Those who could do all that are humanly possible in bringing the task to completion. In order to accomplish this we must be cooperative with those who have been placed in our spheres of working on the tasks. It’s called bringing your “A” game to the table.

Your “A” game should be manifested in all that you do from the smallest to the largest task you undertake everywhere you go. What should your “A” game look like? Should it show what you are made of and what you stand for? Everywhere you go you may want to exhibit:

• The spirit of cooperation


• The spirit of teamwork


• Showing integrity


• That which is right


• Treating others the way you wish to be treated


• Kindness and compassion to others


• Words of healing and affirmation


• Forgiveness to be forgiven


• Character- I am the same no matter where I go or who’s looking


• Love to the wounded in heart


• Mercy and grace


• Courtesy


• Goodness to your fellow man
  

The list could go on and on, but what’s important is that we take all these attributes with us Every Where We Go. There are many people we encounter from day to day who need special touches from us, just as we needed the same touch from Jesus to make us into the people who are capable about bringing a wonderful change into other lives. As you set out today take these words and game plans with you. Go make a difference today

You Can’t Tell Me What To Do!

I am grown and nobody tells me what to do. I am my own person. I have a job, I provide for myself and really don’t have to bow down and do others biddings. I’m very independent and make my own way in life all by myself. I do things my way like the song “I Did It My Way.” I’m sure you’ve heard those and many other phrases from those who think they don’t have to do what others say.

These are the people who have chips on their shoulders and look at life and others through jaded concepts. All is not right with them on most days and they tend to live in the negative from day to day. I’m not sure if they recognize or even consider the following things people have told them to do without speaking out loud to them.

If you have a job you will work for a certain number of contracted hours and you will be told what time to take a break and to have lunch.
If you shop whether for groceries or clothes you will shop in stores according to their hours.
If you go to the doctor, dentist, or optometrist, there are hours set that you can go into their offices and after that you are told to go to the emergency room.

If you drive a car you must buy gas at the offered price if you want to get to your destination.
If you want to eat out, you pay the cost of the meal.
If you fly from one destination to the other, you fly according to their schedule and not always your own. If you go anywhere in this world, you will go when they tell you to go.

In the United States you have more options concerning when, where and what time you can do those things you want to do. If you were in another country you would be severely limited as to when and how you handle your business. Other places on foreign soil are thankful for the privileges of being able to take care of their business with the choices they have even if the are few.

They don’t use the previous phrases to govern their discontentedness. They use the choices without many complaints. They live within the structure of being told what to do. Living within the guidelines of the structure is not to deny you rights and privileges but to allow you to live without constant confusion.

The structure is in place to give order to your days; to help you navigate through life with the fewest of interruptions along the way. In order to have fewer interruptions you have to do what others tell you to do because they have paved the way through experience in what not to do. Whether they speak to you directly or indirectly all of your life you will do what someone has told you to do. The next time you say don’t tell me what to do, remember someone already has.

Responses Become Habits

You jump every time you see a dog whether it’s tethered or not. You begin to sweat and your heart beat races out of control and your fee want to take flight. You broke up with that special someone and when you saw them while you were out shopping, your anger kicked in and you felt heated and yes your heart picked up a rapid beat.

You enjoy shopping and it makes you feel good inside when you get the packages home and go through them again as you un-bag them. You feel a special love for people in your life who are important to you when you see them each time. When you eat your favorite foods, you get a satisfied feeling and your taste buds are appeased. You accomplish your goal and you celebrate its completion. You complete a task and feel the joy of getting the job done. You went on a diet and loss weight and celebrated by buying new clothes.

Each one of these scenarios requires a response. The frequency of the response will determine whether it becomes a positive habit or a negative habit. Your response will determine what type of habits you will allow in your life style. What you practice you will, you will become. However you respond practiced enough times will become a life habit. If you want more celebrations in your life, you must continue to celebrate each accomplishments.

If you make it a habit to smile, you’re smile the majority of the time. If you make it a habit to be kind, you will exhibit kindness. If you make it a habit to eat right and exercise, your body will become healthy. If you practice good responses, you will move towards good habits and vice versa is true. Think of sports. You only become good at the sport if you go to practice and practice, practice, practice. Practice the rudiments of the game until you reach some form of perfection.

The same thing happens when it comes to habits. Habits are practiced, practiced, practiced solidifying the behaviors. It is our choice whether we are going to practice the good or the bad. Check your response and determine if it’s satisfying enough to make a change in your habits. If its not what you want to see happening in your life, change how you respond to it so it doesn’t become a habit you do not wish to cast in cement in your life’s habits.

A Rule of Thumb for a Successful Work - John Maxwell

Work where you’re Strongest 80 percent of the time.
Work where you’re Learning 15 percent of the time.
Work where you’re Weakest 5 percent of the time.

SPW

6-6-09

Who Sets Out to be Bad?

When you were born, I don’t think there were many who said, I want to raise an alcoholic, a thief, a murderer or any child that becomes addictive to a bad behavior. We as mothers and fathers tend to want the very best for our children. We do not want to see harm come to them nor do we want them to be a failure in life.

Life can throw you a loop if you’re not careful to keep a watchful eye upon its comings and goings. We sometimes because of the lack of attention to the small routines that get tossed aside in life, we err on the side of mediocrity. We over look the fundamentals that will cause us to step up our game. We fail to show ourselves an example of what we want our children to become.

When we talk about others when they are not there we teach them back biting.
When we tell them I’m not home when the phone rings, then we teach them to lie and be dishonest. When we lie and manipulate family and friends we show them how to deceive. When you go to a buffet and take food home in your purse, we show them how to steal. When you claim people and things on your income tax that are not real, then we show them how to cheat. When you’re not accountable to your creditors then you show them irresponsibility. I hope we are getting the picture here.

A lifetime of poor habits, routines and behaviors leads us to live without values and standards. So when your child has been caught in the wrong and no correction is given, it brings on more of that same behavior. Just like an addict you must remove them from the situation that allowed them to pick up the habit.

Don’t want to be part of raising a bad child, check who they hang around and pal with. Show your standards to be high. Value them as a person first. Build character that personifies honesty, goodness and upright living. All children will not turn out good, but more will have better lives than if we stand by and do nothing at all.

SPW


7-5-09

Gaining Power

Today I saw an upcoming young man whom I have known from birth. He approached the pulpit as the last worship song ended in praise. As he stood tall and acknowledged his parentage and family that never gave up on him he had the look of assuredness of the message he was about to present to the congregation. I could truly see the appreciation he felt for his father, mother and family. He was standing in the power that some never obtain. As he continued to speak I felt a motherly pride for I knew I had taught him in his younger years. God allowed me to plant some seeds that are now coming to bloom.

Over the years I had seen this young man go through life’s various stages. Some went on without incident and then there were others that gave you pause to think and ponder. During those times I often wondered just what God was doing in his life. I saw the pain of his parents and only could pray and watch. The one thing I knew was that God was in control. His destiny would be fulfilled but only in God’s time. What I was required to do was pray, and pray I did.

Through many prayers and supplications by the saints, this young man was consistently pushed towards his destiny and his calling. His parents educated him with the help of God. As he finished his education, God blessed him with a steady income. He blessed him with a wife to stand by his side. He blessed him with two beautiful children and loving grandparents to impart wisdom as they grow. He blessed him with the Word of God to begin to impart to the masses of people who are struggling.

The words he spoke tonight helped many to know that we can make it. If we are in the middle of something, God will see you through to the other side. The story of Joseph in Genesis 37:18-24 talked about gaining power through the pain of perseverance. Joseph rose to be second in power of a great nation but not without great pain to obtain great power. We must be willing to persevere through the pain to receive the power to make it through. The message hit home to many and gave them new hope to press on.

As he stepped down from the stage the congregation applauded his words of encouragement as the Lord had given them to him. His proudest moment in it all probably was when his father shook his hand and then fondly hugged him. There’s no greater tribute to a father or mother than to see their child walk in the calling God has for their child’s life. This was a great moment in time and I was glad to share in the celebration.

Adding To Your Routine

When you were born you had to learn how to communicate in order to get your needs met. You start to say words so that those around you can better understand what you want and need. Most people continue to learn more verbiage as they grow to be better understood. It’s a lifetime process.

You study for a driving test so that you can become a license driver of a car, a boat, a motorcycle and other modes of transportation. You start this process around fifteen or sixteen and from there you drive for the rest of your life.

As you enter the halls of learning, you learn your ABC’s and all of the subjects that have been placed to help you navigate through life such as Math, English, and History. This pattern continues for at least thirteen years and some go for an additional four or five more to obtain a higher degree. Some make it a life-long learning habit.

Each one of these life processes requires a routine. Routines are meant to establish daily patterns in your life leading you to move down paths that will help you accomplish your goals. Routine can help you to work on automatic pilot doing those things that keep our routines alive and flourishing.

Once the routine has been firmly established, add it to your routine lifestyle; embellishing it with periodical tune-ups just as a car needs a tune up with its parts replaced every now and then, so it is with your routines. Some of the things you do become obsolete. When these routines are no longer functional for what you want to accomplish, replace them with new behaviors and new thoughts. Improve or update the process when necessary. Plod the course you want to take and make the routine something you can do on a continuous basis.

SPW 6-17-09

Gazing Back

Gazing back to sin may cause you to sin forward
Gazing back to your past may cause you to move backwards
Gazing back to your mistakes may cause you to mistaken about your future
Gazing back to your yesterdays may cause you to repeat your tomorrows
Gazing back to your leftovers may cause you not to have fresh pathways
Gazing back to your circumstance may cause you not to reach your goals
Gazing back to finances may caused you to not become financially free
Gazing back to your shopping habits may cause you to be in debt
Gazing back to what ifs may cause you to do nothing
Gazing back to your history may cause you not to repeat it
Gazing back to your frugal life may cause your children to have a better start in life
Gazing back to your kindness may cause others to shower you with blessings
Gazing back to love given freely may cause you to be more loving
Gazing back to good health may cause you to live a longer life
Gazing back to goals completed may cause you to reach new heights
Gazing back to sympathy given may cause others to comfort in your day of sorrow
Gazing back to your youth may cause you to know how wise you have become
Gazing back to your school days may cause you to value your learning
Gazing back to your education may cause you to become a lifetime learner
Gazing back to the good times in your life may cause you to have hope for the future
Gazing back to your character may cause you to live with integrity no matter who’s looking
Gazing back to networking may cause you to be connected to many
Gazing back to doing right may cause you to continue to do right
Gazing back to being an exhorter may cause you to become an encourager
Gazing back to your destiny may cause you to obtain it by persevering
Gazing back to your prayer life may cause you to know God always answers yes, no or wait
Gazing back to reading your bible may cause you to be a hearer and doer of the Word of God
Gazing back to the cross may cause you to seek Jesus as your personal Savior and make Him Lord of your life.





6-28-09


SPW

Cut It Out !

The relationship was not going well. Our minds and hearts were not mending together. Conflict seems to be given out in daily doses that tasted like the worst medicine ever taken. Things just weren’t working out and no matter what you did you couldn’t make it better. What do you do when something is not going as you planned? Something has to give, what will it be?

If you go to a doctor that does not help you heal then cut him out of your life and find another doctor.

If you go to a bank that doesn’t keep your finances in order then cut them out of your life and do business at another bank.

If you have a toxic relationship that doesn’t honor God then cut it out of your life and then seek a godly person.

If your behavior doesn’t glorify God then cut it out of your life and replace it with biblical behaviors.

If the people you hang around with do the wrong things then cut them out of your life and forge new friendships who believe in living right.

If you eat the wrong foods that cause your body illness then cut it out of your life and start eating the right foods for your good health.

If you spend too much time watching TV then cut it out of your life and begin to limit your video time replacing it with reading or some other activity.

If you avoid your responsibilities to other then cut it out of your life and start being more accountable to yourself and others.

If you constantly waste time then cut it out of your life and learn to handle your business in a timely manner.

If you have become a procrastinator then cut it out of your life and make a schedule and do your best to maintain it.

If you live by consuming fear then cut it out of your life and face your fears one at a time working to overcome them.

If you live in constant negativity then cut it out of your life and take steps to be more optimistic, more positive.

If you live your life without the Lord, then cut it out of your life and accept Him as your personal Savior so that you may obtain eternal life.

There are times when we need to pray and ask God to remove the clutter, clutter that keeps us from functioning in a God-like manner. We need to do like we do when we clean our houses. Take a trash bag and clear out the rubbish of our minds, hearts and souls so that God’s glory can be seen through the newly cleaned rooms and windows of our souls. Soul clutter keeps us from seeing or bringing to mind what we need to get rid of in our lives that hinder us from moving forward.

Begin today to clean up your insides. Some of us will need big industrial strength bags and others may need just a small one. Pick a trash day and make it your cut it out day. Do it once or twice a month. You’ll find that your mind, heart and soul will soon be cleared of trash once you cut it out of your life.

SPW

June 15, 2009

Who Guides Your Life?

GPS Anyone?

I punched in the address on my GPS system and waited for the satellite to find out where I was located. Soon the voice spoke and said follow the highlighted route and at the same time a map of my location came on the screen. I was set to start off towards my pre-programmed destination. The sun was shining and the day promised to be a good one.

Putting the car into gear I was to follow the highlighted route displayed. I went out on my adventure with an assured hope that I would get there without incident. I encountered new scenery along the un-chartered territory I had never seen before. The trip so far was going smoothly. Suddenly I came to a spot where the large detour sign glared at me. Orange barrels came out of nowhere and I felt some anxiety. Following the detour signs would take me off of my pre-programmed path.

Following the detour sign the silent voice of my GPS spoke up with reassurance. RECALULATING! Her feminine motherly voice assured me that she knew about the correction and that she would make the corrections to direct me to the programmed destination. All I had to do was listen to her voice and follow her directions. The GPS was guided by the satellite way above me. It gave her a new rout option that I could not see. All I could see was what was in front of me. I had to trust her directives.

God is our guide, our protector, our source of direction. The bible is the satellite that guides. When we come to the detours of life along the way we should hear an audible RECALCULATING from the Word of God. Sometimes the streets we drive down are a one way street with a dead end. If we would listen to the voice of God; our direction would not be hindered by a slight detour. We would still reach God’s destination for us if we would trust God’s directives.

God provides the source of our direction by guiding us ever so gently and by placing His protective hedge around us. His system which is the Word of God never breaks down or is clouded over with digital transmissions. Using God’s GPS will get you through life with a minimum of detours so that you will be able to do His will without hearing too many times RECALCULATING!

Your Customer Is Your Paycheck

Customer service is no longer held in high esteem in today’s economy. The phrase “The customer is always right.” is dying a speedy death. “Please and thank you” is becoming a lost art and “How may I help you?” is not heard as often as needed.

When you call a business or company you no longer get a real person but you can get an autonomic response that have you to push number after number to hear “we will answer your call in the order it was received.” If a host of people are calling at the same time, your wait could be rather lengthy.

Think of yourself when you’re the customer. What do you seek? Most seek to have a problem solved by the people who should have the answers. When you are guided through a maze that constantly runs you into a brick wall, the process is frustrating. When you finally come to a real human voice, the stress quotient has been spent. Your response to the person on the line turns highly emotional.

Now, the company thinks they are being more efficient by having an autonomic system to get to every customer in X number of minutes. Pre-recorded messages are given to let the customer know we don’t play favorites and we go by our policy to make sure everyone is treated fairly. We treat everyone the same no matter what. In essence you are just a number.

People do not want to be thought of as a number as if they were serving a prison sentence. Each person wants to be validated for who they are. If they do not receive this validation they will sound off to seven to ten people about their discontent. Furthermore, they will take their business elsewhere. How do I know this? I was a number today on the phone with a company I had done business for years.

I will no longer pay them money for poor service. I have already told three people about the service I received. I will also tell others to be aware as well so that they can prepare themselves if they need answers from the same company. If I tell them they will tell others. This will generate a loss of business for this company for a number of years. They will lose money that I would have spent as well as the others I told and after a while they will feel the loss revenue.

Final analysis, we stop shopping at your place of business your employer losses money. When your employer losses enough money, you lose your job and your paycheck. Could this have been avoided? By all means it could. The solution is this. Provide the help customers need. Jeffery Gitomer in his book Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless. In order to earn your paycheck do the following:

Know Me
Understand Me
Lead Me
Help Me
Serve Me

The way I expect to be served…

NOW!

SPW

June 10, 2009

Hats off to the Graduates

“Students today… leaders tomorrow.” “A warrior is always a warrior.”
The signs were posted on the stage as the stature of a Roman warrior stood guard over the 2009 graduating class where my granddaughter would receive her high school diploma.

I sat in between my first born son and the last born son. The oldest being the father of my lone grandchild. Excitement and anticipation was in the air as cameras began to flick as the graduates marched in the auditorium. The family was seated, each one beaming with pride. They were all there experiencing a sense of pride as they turned out for support. Her family was like many others across the world who came to celebrate this milestone in their life.

The time had come when the graduate was officially ushered into the adult world. Many decisions and choices will have to be made on their own. You must decide on what direction your life will take. Your choices will determine if the student today when you came in, will become the leader of tomorrow as you leave out of this edifice.

A warrior is always a warrior means we need to check our character and know who we represent at all times. Your family, your educational institution, your self, your parents and the up most your God who made you. All that has been poured into you these thirteen years is a culmination of all that you value and why. You are a product of your up bringing. Choose wisely how you will represent.

As you step out into this varied world, consult resources that will help you stay focused on your life’s goals. When plan A doesn’t work out, try to have a plan B. Be ready to do a mid-course correction. Determine what it takes to move in a steady pattern towards the goals you want to accomplish. Ask questions then listen to the answers. Do what you need to do to arrive at your destiny.

The choice is yours. Make a wise decision. Your life choices will determine your final destination. It’s your choice.

SPW

June 6, 2009

What's Your Lingo

What’s up dog? Stop tripping man. That’s phat! What I am saying is that as you pontificate on the matter I will give a prolifically rendering of what is being said. No hablo español. Capisce? Each one of these phrasings denotes a different type of lingo or words. People talk. Some listen some hear but all do not understand.

In order to comprehend with understanding you must be able to decipher the language that has been spoken. The words must strike a chord that resonates deeply in your place of understanding so that you may make a connection to what you have heard. This becomes a daily process as you communicate with those in your family, your work place, your social circle, your religious culture, and your travels whether near or far.

You must learn the language if you want to become an effective communicator. Your lingo must be in sync to those who you are speaking to so that they may recognize what the intended message is saying. Understanding is the key to successfully appreciating people.

Understanding means: to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend, to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the character, nature, or subtleties of: to understand a trade, to assign a meaning to; interpret, to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of, to regard as firmly communicated, to regard as firmly communicated, to perceive what is meant; grasp the information conveyed.

The words “I understand” said to someone has diffused many volatile situations. “I hear what you are saying and understand” said to a person makes them think that you either empathize or sympathize with their emotional state.

You are talking their lingo when you know what words to say that will calm their spirit, and show that you care about their plight in life. When you think of the word lingo again, picture this:

L - Life looked at through word descriptions or what you say
I - Influenced by language which clarifies a situation
N - Neutralizing words to obtain harmony
G - Good communication promotes positive out comes
O - Observe the situation before applying the proper words (Lingo)

You Are What You Believe

You are who you believe yourself to be. What you believe is how you act or react to any given situation.

If you believe you are a worthy person, then you will grasp life as if you own it.

If you believe you are confident, then you step out and do more than the person who sits around and do nothing.

If you believe you are shy, then you’ll miss the opportunity to meet those people who can enhance your life.

If you believe you are caring, then you will extend a helping hand to others in need.

If you believe in love, then you will show empathy, sympathy and compassion and put the meaning of the word in action.

If you believe in happiness, then you will set up circumstances to create your own and others.

If you believe words, then you will seek to read and study to become knowledgeable.

If you believe in life, then you will search to find Christ and accept Him as your personal Savior obtaining eternal life.

If you believe in music, then sing a new song unto the Lord for He has been good to you.

If you believe in praise, then lift your voice and hands to the Lord.

If you believe in prayer, then pray that what you believe is what you live.

What Does Your Deposit Slip Say?

When you want to put money into a bank or credit union, you typically have to fill out a deposit slip. The deposit slip generally shows what day and lists how much was put into the account. We use this slip as a reference for how much our account is growing. The bank or credit union uses the slip for the same purpose and as a check and balance system. Relationships can be looked at in the same manner.

In the relationship bank you should deposit time not that you have to keep up with every minute and hour, but you must put in the time in order to make a go at starting and keeping it healthy. You should deposit commonality. Having things in common gives you the opportunity to bond together. Liking and doing things and events that both of you enjoy creates comrade-ship, and that leads to depositing pleasant memories.

Remember to deposit attentiveness. Paying special attention to others wants needs and desires can go a long way in sealing the relationship. Affection checked on the deposit slip creates a warm environment each time you are with one another. Listening placed in your relational bank gives voice to your intimate thoughts. Listening sets up a give and take in your dialogue which causes you to deposit sharing into your bank.

As your relational bank begins to get full, you make your biggest deposit. You deposit love. You show your love by depositing the up most of care in all that you do and say.
The special touch the endearing phrase, the inside joke that only the two of you know; The joy the sorrow that have knitted two hearts and souls as one to cement the love you have one for another.

Your relational bank is now full, but like all accounts you must keep a periodical check on its transactions. Protect your investment from those, who would steal from your relationships. Just as you deposited time, commonality, comrade-ship, pleasant memories, attentiveness, affection, listening, sharing, love, and care, keep in mind that they can be taken away without official notice.

Check your relational deposits more often than your bank sends out a quarterly report. Check them daily, weekly monthly and yearly. This is a life investment that pays big dividends which promises you a lifetime of benefits if you deposit with your heart.

Be Still My Heart

The hole in your heart has many jagged pieces that continue to cut you here and there at any given time. All through the nights and days of your agony you bleed profusely. You feel like cattle who have been led to the slaughter pits and left hanging until every drop of life is drained from you.

Sometimes you wonder where you get the strength to make another step through another day. But, you do! You pray another prayer and hope that God can reach to the floor and pick up your request. Life right now is lower than low, and pulling yourself up by the boot straps is not an option.

The words you read from the Bible while you’re trying to find some comfort are just a blur. Your friends are like Job’s friend in that they can’t help but speak many pointless words. No words of encouragement have broken to your wounded heart.

As night falls, your mind in ceaseless thoughts can not give you rest so that you can sleep, and wake fullness becomes the enemy of your physical body. Hope, joy peace, where art thou? Come Holy Spirit, fall fresh on me. Fill me with your power, satisfy my needs. My heart is truly broken and I need a special touch from God Himself.

I know that God is close to the broken hearted. But, right now God it doesn’t feel good, I’m hurting. I’m so glad that situations only last for a season. I know Lord that you have seen me through many rough times, and that you will see me through again.

I’ll get up and try again tomorrow even if I don’t feel like it. I’ll try to pray and if I don’t, would You let the Holy Spirit intercede for me?

Will you send people to speak life into me until I can speak life into myself and others? Would you send me an angel to be my rearguard so that I won’t be taken off the track? And then God will you bless the one who has caused the pain in my life so that your glory may be manifested.

And God, when this miracle is done may I fall down on my knees and give you the praise thanking you Father for never leaving me nor forsaking me. Thank you that you are my Father, and I am Your child. Thank you for loving me ‘As Is.’ I will rest on Your Word and wait for your deliverance.

Psalm 62:1-2 tell us ‘My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. The focus of this Psalm is us placing all our hope in God. Knowing that God is in control of our lives helps us to wait patiently for him to rescue us. We will get relief when we praise Him through the good and bad times in our lives. Your heart will be elevated from daily distractions to lasting confidence in Him when we truly rest on Him.

Be still my heart and know that He is God.

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My How Time Flies

The bad news is time flies. There’s not enough time in the day to get things done that you really want to do. You have to work, you have household duties, you have to get groceries, you have to rush here and there. There’s just not enough time to do what you want to do.

Now there is an adage that says “time flies when you are having fun.” Time seems to run out when you are enjoying yourself at an event, when you are having the best time of your life with your favorite person or your “ace coon boom.”

Do you remember when you first accepted the Lord and all you could do was to eat sleep and drink Jesus? You wanted to spend all your time in the Word of God and time sped by all too quickly. The clock showed hours passing by swiftly as you couldn’t get enough of your Savior and Lord. Time seemed to move like the speed of light. So, what happened?

You forgot who the pilot was. News Flash just in!! You are the pilot. You’re the navigator of your time allotments. A common year is 365 days = 8,760 hours = 525,600 minutes = 31,536,000 seconds. How will you spend these precious interim periods in your life? Your season is here. Let’s get started.

Each year we all start out again at the stroke of midnight on December 31st. At this time of the year we resolve to spend our time more wisely than the year before. For the first couple of months, you tend to do okay. Depending on your location the weather could aid or defeat your goal. If it’s cold you may stay in more and work on the things you set out to accomplish. In warmer climates you may want to go outside and play and leave your life work behind. Either way you divvy the time into slots of activity. You determine who you are going to be by spending the time to perfect you.

Becoming a scholar means spending time in your studies. Being a swimmer requires many hours conditioning and swimming laps. Being a good Christian means spending time with God. Wherever you spend the most time dictates who you are. Only you can pilot your time slots and where your time is spent.

Whether your time stands still or creeps in a slow pace, only you can guide the big an small hands of the mechanical device that governs a period during which your actions or processes exists. Steer your time in the direction that redeems the time you have.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 exemplifies time when it states, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”

Invite God to be your co-pilot as you navigate through the cycle of life.




SPW
01-18-09

Dancing in the Rain

Did you ever see children playing in the rain hopping in every puddle they couldn’t wait to get to; splashing water everywhere that brought about laughter with every drop? The clothes would get wet but the spirit giggled with delight. The mud doesn’t matter or the season of the year. It’s a time to dance and play and enjoy the present moment

When the storms in your life bring about deep puddles, shallow puddles or the appearance of puddles, do we walk through them, jump over them or do we wait for them to dry up on their own? Sometimes waiting causes life to be a lot harder than if we would have acted on the situation or circumstance right away.

Some of us thought that if we ignored the problem that it would go away if we did not acknowledge it on its own, only to look a little further down the road and run into it again head on. We have not learned to navigate properly. We fear. We don’t understand that going through the storm circumvents obstacles that we would not have to face later on in life. I call it “handle your business.”

Step up and do the stuff that keeps you from dancing in life. Face the storms, prepare for the storms and hold to God’s hand as He takes you through the storm. Some storms are light weight and others pact a full force. No matter which one you are weathering, God will be there. Trust Him, seek His Word and let Jesus guide you daily.

Storms are a natural pattern of the seasonal life, just as they are a part of our natural life. They come and they go and only last for a short time. Determine that you will be like a little child when the storms bring rain in your life. Learn to be God’s partner as He hand dance and waltz you through each puddle. Let Him lead. His steps are well practiced and sure.

Think of rain as it gives us a rainbow of God’s promise to us. It can water the flower gardens of life with hope, peace and destiny. Learn to dance, dance, dance!


Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

You May Not Be Who You Want To Be but, You Can Be All You Need To Be

As we celebrate milestones in our lives, so we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King. There will be many events and programs put on in his name.

If Dr. King would have lived, I’m sure he would be a prominent figure at one of the biggest milestones of this century. Dr. King had a dream although he didn’t see it come to fruition. As we gravitate to our first black presidential inauguration, which is a huge milestone in this United States of America, Celebrate!

Celebrate the famous quote of Dr. King when he said” Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." A new hope has been created in America. More people now believe that a bold and audacious dream can come true. Imagine the possibilities that will come into being as people of all races, colors and creeds realize that accomplishing their musings is a thought a change a doable yes we can. Can you participate in a milestone in your personal life, “YES YOU CAN”.

How will you treat the milestones in your personal life? You have lived to participate in this milestone and will benefit from all that it brings. What say you to your new lifestyle change? Its time to grasp your dreams and begin to put feet and shoes upon them. You may have started off crawling, but now its time to begin to walk in new ways. Once your dreams are on sturdy ground, then its time to run the race. In Hebrews 12:1 it states “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

There were times before this milestone took place that we had lost hope of seeing a black president in our lifetime. We often heard the phrase “Yes we can” throughout the campaign. Now that Barack Obama has become the first black president, many believe that our dreams can come true. The words” Yes We Can” are a reality. We know that we may not be who we want to be, but we can become who we need to be by following our dreams and moving forward seeking to reach our own private milestones.

Do you want to honor Dr. Kings’ dream or one of your own? Then push, push and push until you have made it to your milestone. When you arrive--- CELEBRATE CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE!!

SPW
01-13-09

“There is little hope for us until we become toughminded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths, and downright ignorance.
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Happy New Year!

We have made it through another year. It’s time for 2008 to leave us and make room for 2009. ‘08’ has seen its trials in every form of life, but for the most part, we have survived. So, now that we are here, what were you celebrating as the clock ticked down to a new year? When the ball dropped in Times Square, or when you were standing in a church in prayer, what was your new year’s resolutions? Do you know why you go through these rituals each year?

New Year’s celebrated at different times in different countries. This holiday has been celebrated in September in Egypt when the river Nile flooded. Egypt was desert land and this was the way its people could grow their crops. In Babylonia they celebrated in the spring of the year. The Romans New Year was on the first of March in the beginning but was changed 46 B.C. by Julius Caesar to January 1st. January was named after the Roman god Janus who was always shown as having two heads. He looked back to the last year and forward to the new one. In Europe, New Year was often a time for superstition and fortune-telling, and in some parts of Switzerland and Austria, people dress up to celebrate Saint Sylvester’s Eve.

In the West, which is us, we think of New Year’s Day parades, football and resolutions we often don’t keep. The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886. This parade celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in California. The football game was played as part of the celebration in 1902. The following year the game was replaced by Roman chariot races. In 1916 the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.

The tradition of using the baby to signify the New year begun in Greece around 600 BC. The baby is a symbol of rebirth. The early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus.
For luck, it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. Traditional New Year’s foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck because it symbolizes “coming full circle” completing a year’s cycle. Black-eyed peas and cabbage are others foods served in many families.

Finally we look at the song Auld Lang Syne. This song is sung at the stroke of midnight across the nation. The song was partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700’s. It was first published in 1796 after Burns death. Burns produced the modern version as others were sung previously. An old Scotch tune, ”Auld Lang Syne” literally means “old long ago,” or simply “the good old days.”
It’s good to know why we celebrate the different holidays. Take the time to know and celebrate that God has created you to enjoy the festivities with hope reason and purpose. If you choose to make New Year’s resolutions, then resolve to know why you do what you do. Know your purpose, research why things happen in your life. Study to show yourself approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.

SPW 12-31-08