Choose Wisely

Become wise by walking with the wise, hang out with fools and watch your life fall apart. Proverbs 13:20

Random Acts Of Kindness

When is the last time you did a random act of kindness? It will not only bless those you give to, but it will bless you. Involve your kids, grandkids, neighbor kids, nieces, nephews, friends and teach kids about kindness & unselfish giving while you do this. 



I am issuing a challenge for the rest of the summer, approximately 13 weeks, to think of RAOK (random acts of kindness) and to implement at least one a week. I will post some ideas, please join me in posting your ideas & results.

Do Little Things

Do little things for others, it will make a difference in their lives, and in yours.

A Life That Matters

Want a life that matters, a life that leaves a legacy?  Do you want to leave footprints on people's heart and have a life worthy of the reason you were put on earth?  

Do Something Wonderful

Change comes when we are different than the world.  

Be kind.  

Be generous.  

Be loving.  

Give.  

Serve.  

Laugh.  

Have hope.  

Let your life be one that will make a positive difference in the world.  

Battle For The Mind

Most of the battles in life are won or lost in our mind. To overcome those battles, we need to learn to control our anxiety, fear, and negative self talk.







Our beliefs affect how we act. We first need to examine what we believe, and make changes where needed. When we change our thinking, changing our behavior will come much easier.

The Dash, Your Legacy

I recently attended a funeral.  I did not know the lady.  I was there to help with some of the tech side. As I said, I did not know the lady.  By the time the funeral was over, however, I felt I did know her.  I was shedding tears with the large crowd that assembled to 'say see you later' to their mom, wife, grandma, sister, daughter, friend.

I learned that this gal first and foremost loved Jesus and lived life for Him.  I learned she loved her family, deeply.  I learned she was a quiet woman, but her relationships ran deep and true.  She was intentional about making those in her life feel loved, valued, and important.  She lived out each moment with joy.  She laughed.  She took time to make precious memories with everyone who was important to her.  She lived life with purpose and passion and enjoyed the gift of life.  She didn't waste time, she lived life.  She took great enjoyment in experiencing God's creation. She lived out her dash well.  She touched a lot of people, and showed them the love of Christ through the way she lived.  

Ever since I walked out of our church, I have been thinking about my dash, how I am living out my time from birth, to death.  What will I be remembered for, what do I need to change, and how can I live more purposely and passionately?

What about you?  What will people remember about your 'dash.'  Will they say you were loving, caring, kind, or will they remember you for being argumentative, angry, harsh, for what you were against, not for how you loved?  How do people describe you now?  Those words give you a clue as to the legacy you are leaving here on earth.  What needs to change?  Are your words kind or condemning?  Do you speak words that lift up or tear down?  Are you task oriented, or do people come first?  Do you laugh, and enjoy life, or are you too busy or too uptight?  Do you spend more time on social networks/online than you do having real, face to face relationships?  Does a perfect house matter more than time with your kids, your spouse?  Do you spew ugly words at anything that is against you, or do you try to let it go and and not get consumed with being right?  Does your family know you love them, deeply?  What about your faith?  If you aren't a follower of Christ, living a life like He lived, have you taken time to really consider and examine the life of Christ, NOT a life of religion, but a life of love and giving, centered on Christ's teaching?  It is the most important decision you will ever make.  

Is the life you are living, the life you want to be remembered for?  What are your values?  What's important to you?  How do you live?  What will be said about you at the end of your life?  If you are reading this, you are still breathing, so start making the changes you want to make TODAY.   Make wise use of the dash in your life.  

Live.  Love.  Laugh.  Hope.  Faith.  

What is your legacy? 

Live Every Moment

Live every moment. 

Enjoy life. 

Forgive. 

Be kind. 

Build memories. 

Laugh. 

Hug. 

Give. 

Be known for the beauty that comes from within, because your character is what is truly important. 

Share life with others. 

Try something new. 

Live without regrets because life is very short, and it is a sweet, precious gift.

What's Your Focal Point?

If God answered all your prayers, would the world look different, or would just your life look different? 

We change the world a little at a time by taking the focus off ourselves, and caring for and helping others.

What Are Your Motives?

What are your motives for doing things for others?  Is it so you get the credit, or is to to serve, not expecting anything in return?  

We all have a choice on whether we take all the glory for ourselves, or are humble and give God the glory.  We have a choice on whether we like to point out how great we are, and what we do, or if we serve others quietly, and let God be the center of our serving.  

Improve Your Life By Identifying Your Core Values

Do you know what your core values in life are?  Do you live by those values?  Are your decisions guided by those values?  Do your relationships reflect those values?

Core values help us to know what is important in life, what drives us.  If our actions do not line up with our value system, we can experience stress, lack of focus, confusion, and miss out on our purpose in life. 

Have you identified your top core values?  You can't live by your core values if you have not identified them.  Start by identifying your top 10 values.  Write that list down, then set it aside for a couple days.  Pay close attention over a week time frame as to what really is important to you.  Revisit your list and see if the top 10 values you chose are truly your how you live your life.  If your list needs a realignment, then make it.  Once you do that, then narrow it down to your top 5.  These should be the things that shape your decisions and how you live your life.  

One question you can ask yourself to focus on if you are aligned with your values is this: Do my actions, my schedule, and where my money is spent reflect the values I say are most important to me?

Here is a list to begin with.  There are many other values that could be added to this, but this is a start:

Appreciation   Accountability   Artistic    Authenticity    Accomplishment   Achievement   Adventure  Belonging   Beauty   Building    Being in Control   Bold    Caution   Career    Changing the World    Compassion   Creativity    Calm   Community   Creation  Competence   Collaboration    Communicating     Competitive   Consistency    Cherish  Cleanliness   Considerate   Confident   Challenge  Cheerful   Clear-minded    Diversity    Diligence    Dedication    Devotion   Determined   Dynamic   Excitement   Education   Efficiency    Encouragement     Excellence   Ethical   Enjoyment  Enthusiasm  Explore  Expertise    Family      Faithfulness   Fun    Freedom    Forgiveness      Faith    Financial    Forward Thinking     Frugal       Fulfillment      Fair    Fitness   Flexible   Gentleness   Gain   Giving   Genuineness    Goodness   Growth    God   Generous   Gracious   Honesty    Hard Working    Humility     Humor    Health   Happy    Help     Integrity    Impact Others   Influence   Inspiring   Independent   Intelligence   Joy   Kindness   Love     Loyal    Love of Learning   Life   Leadership   Marriage      Mentoring    Make a Difference  Nurturing      Obedience     Orderliness     Optimistic   Patience    Peace   Perfection    Performance-Driven    Persistence   Power     Physical     Productive    Purity   Passionate     Positive    Quality   Quiet    Respect    Risk Taking       Relationships    Recognition   Relaxation   Respect for Others     Resourceful   Security      Self-esteem      Self-expression   Sensitivity    Servanthood     Service     Silence   Sincere    Solitude     Self-control   Spiritual    Stability     Success    Safety    Serenity  Simplicity  Spontaneous   Structure   Support     Strength   Temperance         Tolerance     Tranquility   Trust     Truth      Trustworthy   Timely     Thoughtful    Teamwork    Uniqueness    Useful     Vitality    Vision  Winning     Worship      Wisdom 

Ask this as you work to narrow the list to five....do I appreciate this value?  Does this value truly reflect my character?  Do I enjoy this more than other things?  

Once you identify your top 5 values, what are some key action steps you can take to make very clear boundaries around your values?   How will those boundaries impact the life you live and how you treat others?  

Who You Are

This is a powerful message.  I hope you take a few minutes out of your day to watch it.  

Do And Say

Just read this: 


"Everything I do and say tells a story of who I am serving." 


What are your words and actions saying about who you serve and what's most important in your life?  Do areas need an adjustment?  Don't wait, make them today.  

Change The World

What can you do today to change the world for the better?

Using Your Strengths

Insecurities can cause us to use our strengths in harmful ways. If we are emotionally strong and secure in who we are, we would be happy to help others without wondering what we will get out of it, how it will benefit us. We would use our strengths to simply bring joy to others.  

How would your life be different if you used your strengths, your gifts that are unique to you, to help others, serve others, bring joy to others?  Take a step today to use your strengths in a good way.  
  

Do It Well

Most people do not know what they can do, because all they’re told is what they cannot do. -Zig Ziglar


Spend some time this week focusing on what you can do, and celebrate by doing it well! Encourage those in your life by sharing with them what their gifts are, what they do well, and see how they change.

Take A Risk

Sorry for the absence.  My computer is down, the logic board is fried.  Hopefully, there will be a replacement soon!  I hope you have been following my posts on Facebook or Twitter, as I have been able to keep them up from my phone. 


There are a lot of people needing someone to reach out to them.  We can make a difference in what we do and say to others.  Are you willing to impact lives, to reach out and show others you care?  This quote is powerful.  I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to not just read it and think it was great, but to take actions and make a difference in others lives.  Take a risk and reach out.  Get out of your comfort zone and be the change you want to see in the world.  You are here for a purpose, you have gifts no one else has, and you can reach people others cannot.  Don't wait around for others to step in, jump in yourself and truly impact others lives in a good way.  Be kind, be gracious, lend a helping hand, and take time to listen.  Leave a positive imprint on every life you touch.  When you live your life in this way, not only do you bless others, but you will be blessed because you gave of yourself. 

Be The Change You Want To See

Great thing to keep in mind as we start a new week. Are your words helpful or hurtful? Do you just complain, or do you seek out a way to help make things better in the environments you are placed in?  

Complaining and finding fault seem to come very easy for most, but if that same time and energy were spent trying to find a solution, or being thankful, our lives and our culture would look much different.  Making a difference starts with one.  

Are you willing to be a part of the remedy today, and make a positive difference in the lives of your family, friends, co-workers, neighborhood, church, nation?  

Do You Have A Heart Condition?

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  Luke 6:45

But whatever comes from the mouth has come out of the heart. These things make the man unclean inside.  Matthew 15:18

Good Character or Outstanding Talent?