History Is On Your Side

One of the coolest things to know is that history is on your side.  What history does for us is provide a record of what happened prior to the lead-up to where you are right now.  The question is what are you choosing to do with it?  Sometimes, we do not think about it much, but the way we carry ourselves through life has a big dependency on our past.  And, this does not just apply to individuals, but it can apply to groups, organizations, and companies as well.

The bad thing about the past is that some can dwell on it, do nothing in the future because of it, and/or let it control all the negative aspects of their life.  For example, someone who has been abused throughout their childhood may grow up to be abusive to their children or others around them.  Or, an organization could have done great things in the past that brought them to a position of major prominence or prestige.  The issue is that rather than continuing excellence, that group could rest on what was done and never continue to move forward creating new history.  The next thing you know the group is floundering and not as successful because they've rested on their past and what it did for them decades ago.

The great thing is that history can be a good learning moment.  Those same examples above could be spun into positive movements forward. The person who was abused could choose to let their past help positively shape their future in a way that:  1) helps them or others around them to not go through abuse, or 2) help them to recover from abusive relationships.  The organization that could have failed because of resting on their laurels could use their great past and history as a learning platform on how to continue to create positive history to continuously propel their group forward.  It is all a matter of which side you choose.

You can make a choice to allow your past to positively propel you in life or you can let it negatively drag you down. My questions for you are how does your past shape your life or group and which side do you fall on??

Where Is Your Heart?

As I walked down the side walk on the way into work this morning, something hit me that I should do.  As I thought about this idea, it struck me how much effort and thought I put into it.  It was so easy to plan and conjure more ideas of how to make the previous idea work! It is amazing that the things we are passionate about are so easy to do.  It doesn't take much to put your best foot forward when you are moving forward towards something where your heart is.

In book of Matthew, Jesus speaks to a multitude of people about a range of subjects.  One of those subjects is about storing your treasures in heaven:

Matthew 6:19-21  - "(19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Man, this is so simple and makes so much sense because Jesus places this exactly where normal people can understand it.  Verse 21 is where I would like to focus, because it has more implications in our every day lives than we care to understand.  Your treasures can be your physical money or possessions.  Your treasure could also be your time and where you spend the most time can also tell where your heart is. 

Everything that you do links back to our values and the things about which we are passionate.  Whether it be for good or for bad, you heart is somewhere.  The question is where is your heart?  What drives or motivates you?  What do you wake up in the morning and think you absolutely need to get done today?  It never hurts to do some objective self-reviewing because as we move through life, we can do so obliviously at times.  Today, take a step back.  Take a little time to re-evaluate where you are placing your treasures.  After all, if you find where are your treasures, there you will also find your heart.

Try It. You Might Like It.

(Photo courtesy of Mommy B Knows Best)

You should try it.

You might like it! 

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’ll like it.

Try it. You’re gonna like it. 

I know it’s new, and you’ve never tasted it.

You’ll just have to trust in me.

Just give it a try.

The lyrics above are from the song "Try It, You'll Like It", which comes from the TV show, Yo Gabba Gabba.  For those of you who have kids and watch Nick Jr., the song and the characters in the above photo will be quite familiar to you.  For those who are not familiar, the song is a way to teach kids to try new food in which they have never tasted.  What better way to engage kids in trying something new than with education through music?!

You know how kids, as well as some adults, can be.  We are quick to look at something we've never eaten before and say we don't like it.  It's easy to do, especially if it is not appealing from the outside.  After all, appearance is what gives us our first impressions.   It is this same appearance and feeling that people get when they view followers of Christ.  With so much going on in the world and with the actions from those who supposedly love the Lord, it is no wonder why someone else would not want to believe on Him.  I know because I was one of those people who judged for myself that being a Christian was  not for me because of what I observed of those who claimed to be Christians.  I can admit, for me the appearance was not looking good, but as with everything a couple of bad apples can seemingly spoil it for a bunch.

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (Psalm 34:8). You have to get past the display to give it a try for yourself.  Until you get to that point, you can never claim to have formulated a decision based off of own experience of "taste".   You have to be curious enough to want to try Him for yourself, despite what you see around you.  "I know it's new, and you've never tasted it", but you will just have to give it a try it.  "You might like it!"

Natural Visionaries

Have you ever noticed the design of the human body?  Have you ever noticed the placement of the eyes on our faces?  I know this sounds pretty ridiculous because you are probably thinking, "Duh, yes I do know that our eyes are in our head and on our face." That's fine, but what I am more interested in is where on our head our eyes are placed and in which direction they allow us to see.

Our eyes are not on the side, top, or back of our heads.  They are placed on the front of our face almost most at the highest point of our body.  They allow us to see forward. Yes, they allow us to see from side to side as well as up and down, but the main line of vision is still with a forward focus. Without the movement of your neck, you may look up, but the direction is primarily forward and I believe this is for a reason.

We are designed with a forward thinking focus in mind.  We can see in front of us.  We cannot see behind us (without turning around) and that ability helps us to have forward thinking focus!  I am talking about vision, where someone wants to make something happen because of a God given purpose and/or the desire to address a needed changed.  When was the last time you knew of someone to have a vision that focused on going backwards?  The answer is probably and most likely, never. "Vision is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be"¹.  If you are focused on what "could be" and "should be" then you are talking about something that has not happened yet, but you can "see it".  It is looking forward.

Time moves forward. We face forward.  We walk forward.  Even to someone who does not have the physical abilities of sight, their other senses (hearing, touch, smell, & taste) are extra sensitive in assisting them to move forward in and through life.  It is not natural to move backwards or to dwell on the past because no matter where you choose to place your focus, life is still moving forward.  You might as well look to the future with your natural expectancy and envision where you could and should be going.  The question is now, where are you going?


¹Stanley, Andy. "Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Personal Vision". Pg 18. 2005.

The Dangerous Feeling of Entitlement

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10   (6) In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. (7) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, (8) nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. (9) We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. (10) For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

I typically do not lead directly with a scripture, but this feels a little different.  I felt led to reference this scripture before I started to write.   The scripture above is from one of two letters from Paul to the Thessalonians and this passage is a warning against idleness.  I know and realize that the word "entitlement" is a touchy topic these days especially in the political realm, however, it is something that must be addressed.   I say this because the very idleness that Paul speaks of can carry over into a feeling being owed something, especially if you never have to bare a burden to get it.

We know there is a big debate in Washington between politicians on which government programs should be trimmed back, reformed, or cut completely. There is a feeling that people who benefit from these programs feel that they deserve them (or entitled to them).  You have programs like Welfare, Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid to name a few, but rather than focus on the "buzz words" of political infighting I want to focus on us as a people.  Let's leave the politics out of it and talk about on a main street level and from a personal point of view.

See, when I was growing up, I was raised that if I worked hard, I can earn what wanted.  It's practical and makes sense.  If you go to work, you get paid.  Simple, so I thought.  I know that I talked about this before, but I remember when I graduated from college and I felt that the world owed me a job.  After all, I was a Computer Engineer from NC State University.  I had conquered one of the toughest engineering schools in the country, but alas, there was that feel of entitlement.  I had thought that flashing my credentials would punch my ticket to any position that I wanted, because I had did all the work up front and I figured I could rest now.  To make a long story short, I ended up settling for my first job making nearly $10,000 less than what I felt I deserved!  Surprise, surprise!  I've been in my field for nearly 12 years and it has taken dedication, perseverance, and hard work to make it to levels I thought I would be a long time ago.

So, let's go over a couple of lessons learned:

1. Nothing is free.  Everything has a cost.  Notice I didn't say a price because a price is just the monetary value that someone is willing to pay for something .  The cost is what it takes in time, energy, resources, dollars, sacrifice etc. to create something.  Even if you receive something for free, there was a cost involved to someone else to get it to you for free.
   
2. Free things aren't appreciated.  If you think about it, whenever someone has given you something for free, you never really cared about it as much.   The reason for this is because you had no skin in the game.  You did not have to pay for anything.  There was not lost to you from paying the cost. For example, if I gave you a house for free, you would verbally appreciate it, but if something were to happen to it, you would not care as much.  You'd probably say something like, "well it didn't cost me nothing any way".  BUT, if you purpose your own home with your own hard work, sacrifice, and saving, you will take much care of your home.  The difference is you gave up something to get something.

At the end of the day, the last sentence of lesson #2 sums it all up.  If you never give up something to get something, you will never appreciate that something that you got.  If you always receive something for free, you will never feel the pain of having to go work for it and get it.  Even if you do some work, there is no guarantee that you will get what you think you deserve (ask the people dealing with Social Security).  You always have to be willing to go the extra mile and not be complacent or idle in your thinking, because the most dangerous assumption is to believe that you will always get "B" because you did "A".  It may be that way for a while, but things change with time and time continues to infinity.

Be blessed folks.

Antoine

This Life Was Never Promised to be Easy

Life can be one of the most interesting puzzles out there.  Believe me, I can speak from experience.  However, one thing that we tend to fall victim into believing is that life is suppose to be easy.  Some how, we have come to believe the notion, that life is suppose to always be full of prosperity but I beg to differ.  Last week, I received a devotional from Chuck Swindoll that spoke on this very same topic and I want to share from my perspective as well.

In this world (well at least in America), we enjoy believing that life should have a plan.  Within this plan, there is a overall goal and at the end of that goal it has something to do with living prosperous.  For example, when I was growing up, I was told that if I went to school, studied hard, and went to college I would get a good job.  In addition, I believed that life would go nothing but up without major bumps in the road.  For example, I would marry, have kids, get a nice house with pretty green grass, grow old, retire, and live on a beach somewhere for the remainder of my days.   Well that's all well and good but God never promised such a life to us.

As a matter of fact we see evidence of this with Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:6-9.  In there it says,

(6) Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, (7) or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. (9) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Paul was one of the most influential Apostles for the Kingdom of God, but look what the Lord tells him in verse nine.  He say's that, "My grace is sufficient for you....".  Say what?!  You mean to tell me that after all that Paul had done, this is the response he got from the Lord?  Survey Says:  Yes.  That's all he got.

Where we go wrong is that we fail to understand the ways of the Man upstairs.  We have a plan in our brain but fail to consider that God's plans may be different from our own.  For years, people have suffered pain and heartache and that's what we don't get.  We wonder things like "If He's so omnipotent, why would he allow such evil and not give us the perfect life?"  Well if He did, then just like any other free thing, we wouldn't appreciate it.  After all, we are not in control.  He is in control and until we learn to submit to His will, we will always struggle to understand why the things happen to us that make life difficult.

You cannot see it now, but just know that His "power is made perfect in weakness" and your struggle today is a teaching moment for your future.

Be Blessed

Keeping Expectations in the Face of Failure

Wile E. Coyote 

Well Happy New Year Folks!!  Over this past Christmas and New Years, I got the unusual chance to take a vacation.  A long and well needed vacation unlike I have never taken before.  As such I got to spend a lot of quality time with my wife and kids, so it's still taking a while to get back into the swing of things this morning.

As a family we all got a chance to sit down and watch the Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck movie (to which our seven year old daughter seems to have memorized every line already).  For me it was fun because I got to watch my kids appreciate the same simple cartoons that we watched while growing up.  We literally laughed for most of the movie and as they say laughter is good for the soul!

In the midst of that laughter, I found myself putting my adult analysis on the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner clashes.  It dawned on me that there was never an episode where the coyote caught the road runner (at least that I could remember).  That means out of years and years of watching the same show, that coyote kept chasing and trying different ways to catch that bird!  He tried and tried and tried, but never could get any of his tactics to work.

Many of us would quit with 100% failure.  I could understand stopping if you attempted to do something the same way every time and got the same results.  That is insanity.  However, Wile E. tried a variety of things with different consequences, but the same results.....no road runner.  The one consistent thing that he did have was determination.  Not matter what happened, he was for certain the next attempt would be the one!

Look at Wile E. Coyote in the picture above.  Despite all the failed attempts, he still prepared to eat.  At least he would have been in the correct position had he caught the Road Runner. Many of us start out things with good intentions, but after failing a few times we lose motivation.  We no longer expect to win, but rather our attempts become a repetitive experience with no expected outcome.

For example,  when I was in college, we had to call into a system called TRACS to register for classes.   When the time frame opened up, the phone lines were flooded and you would just have to hang up and redial to get through.  After several attempts of not getting through, redial just became routine and I would expect to fail instead of getting through.  On occasions I would finally get through then hang up due to routine, only to realize that the phone was actually ringing.  ARRRRRRG!!!  My expectations had changed and I wasn't ready and prepared when the results changed in my favor.

Can you say the same for you and your life?  Have you been running into a brick wall over and over again?  How does it make you feel in the process?  It can be tough, but I would suggest you take a look at Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner for inspiration.  Hold your head up high and keep marching forward.  While catching the Road Runner would surely have marked the end of the cartoon as we know it, but we also know it to be just that....a cartoon.  As for you, failure will happen, but don't let your determination and expectations leave you, "[f]or the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."  So, put your napkin around your neck, get your knife and get your fork ready in expectation for your next attempt!

Be blessed folks and have a good one!