Category Archives: Posts

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HAVE YOU FAILED AGAIN?

If You Stumble And Fall Again, Get Up Again - Don't Quit!

Thomas_Edison

I think we can all look back to events in our lives where we felt that we failed.  It’s true for me a number of times in my life. I don’t remember where I heard this from, but it is some sound advice: “Have you failed? Try again. You say that you have tried again and failed again? Well, try again, and again, and again!”

Almost everyone knows Thomas Edison refused to quit. They say he tried about ten thousand items before he got the light bulb to work. I think we’re all glad he didn’t quit; you’re reading this article on your computer!

Oh Sure, Easy For Him, Right?

Some might say, “Oh, sure, Thomas Edison. You know, he was a brilliant inventor; it was easy for him not to quit.” Yes, it’s true he was a brilliant inventor, but he was still human like me and you. The fact remains he was not a quitter! 

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VETERANS DAY 2017

Tell Them, "Thank You!"

Happy Veteran’s Day!

This Saturday, November 11th is Veteran;s Day.  Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

The United States previously observed, “Armistice Day.” The U.S. holiday was renamed, “Veterans Day” in 1954.

We owe all those who have ever served and are currently serving a tremendous debt of gratitude. Always thank a Vet, especially on Veterans Day.

Below are some links from previous posts; videos, heartfelt messages, a great story about a high school teacher and more.

Veteran’s Day 2012 (Video)

Veteran’s Day 2011

Veteran’s Day 2010 (Video)

Veteran’s Day 2009 (Video)

Go For It (Podcast)

A High School Teacher Imparts A Lesson

Happy Veteran’s Day To All Our Veterans!

anim-waving-usa-flag

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WRITING YOUR OWN EULOGY!

What Will They Say About You When You’re Gone?


I was watching a short video recently where the speaker encouraged the viewers to write their own eulogy, now! Writing your own eulogy might sound pretty odd. But let me explain.

We’ve all heard eulogies read at memorial or funeral services. The word “eulogy” comes from a Greek word meaning, “to praise.” And so, at those services, it is customary to say nice things about the person’s life: their achievements, accomplishments, and contributions.

I have on a number of occasions been asked to deliver eulogies. These events are never pleasant, but the kind words said about the person no longer with us are quite appropriate. And it goes without saying that all those attending these kinds of services are reminded of their own mortality.

Write Your Own Eulogy?

The video I mentioned above was a short motivational video by Darren Hardy. He related an incident from many years ago where he delivered a eulogy. However, the person he was there to esteem led a very quiet and reserved life, and there was almost nothing for him to say at that small funeral.

That incident made quite an impression on Darren, so in the video he posed the question of, “what will people say at your service?” What will you be remembered for? He then encouraged his viewers to write their own eulogy, now!

Now that might sound like an extreme way to do goal setting, and maybe it is. But it caused me to think about how I’d like to be remembered. But way more importantly, it made me think about what I want my life to be right now, today!

I Am Not Writing My Own Eulogy

I’m not actually putting to paper the words to be read about me. That would be sort of preposterous to have a paper in my desk waiting for that time. But that short video did help me think about how I’m living my life today, and where I can improve.

Like many Christians, I want to exemplify basic principles: love, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, empathy. Jesus said to let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Certainly that kind of living is not out of duty, but rather from gratitude for all God has done for us.

I want to continue, and improve, to the best I am able, to help and encourage others in any way that I can. This blog, along with a number of other assorted venues, helps to facilitate that goal and life purpose. My life is mine, but my life is not about me.

And when this life is over, someone may indeed utter some kind words about me, but I won’t hear them. So, I’m gonna just do my best to live my life now, having a positive impact on others, whether that comes from teaching the Bible, the secular radio show about kindness, this blog, or just an encouraging word to someone.

How About You?

Every person, regardless of who they are, or what they do, can have a positive impact on others. Sometimes, even the smallest act of love or kindness can have a dynamic effect! Every one of us can always, in one way or another, reach out to someone and lift them up.

And whether or not you ever get a thank you, or even nice words at your own eulogy, it really doesn’t matter, because God Almighty is keeping score. He has promised to reward us for the good we do in this life.

Those who choose to believe in Jesus will receive eternal life, and they will be rewarded for the good they have done, when Christ returns. So, why not let your light shine…as brightly as you can!

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LIVING YOUR LIFE NOW!

How To Live Your Life To The Fullest

Guess who has a perfect life with no troubles, challenges, or setbacks? Right. No one.

You and I both know living life “without a care in the world” is not reality. We all face challenges, limitations, or setbacks.

And of course no matter what one faces in life, there’s always someone around to remind us, “It could be worse.” Well of course it could be worse; it could always be worse. But that’s not my point.

I wake up every morning and realize, once again, I’m alive! Life is a gift. In fact, it’s really an awesome and very precious gift in spite of the challenges, limitations and setbacks.

There are people I know who carry burdens I don’t think I could ever bear. Those people inspire me, not because I don’t carry those burdens, but because of what they do despite those challenges.

If You’re Alive, You Have A Choice

Every person has a choice each day: live the life you have today to the fullest, the best you can.

There are circumstances in our lives we can change. Many times there are burdens we can eliminate or diminish. It may take effort; in some cases, a lot of effort. But the results will be leaving behind a defeated position of, “Well, that’s just the way I am.”

On the other hand, there may be other issues beyond our ability to change. And yet, life, even with limitations and struggles, is still life. Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes said that a living dog is better than a dead lion! Gee, that’s awfully blunt, isn’t it? Yes, but true.

We can choose to live the life we have right now to the fullest, regardless. We can choose to work on changing what we can change. And we can choose to pray and ask God for His help in situations where we lack ability and resources.

There Is One Place…

The only reason we can choose to do those things is because we are alive! Solomon went on to say there is one place everyone is going, both the righteous and the wicked: the grave! Very blunt.

He goes on to say the life you have is your portion, so live it to the best of your ability, right now. There will be no work, no praise, no thinking, nothing when we go to the grave, so live your life today, to the fullest, to the best of your ability.

Refuse to allow challenges, limitations and setbacks to dictate your happiness. Close the door to your past, lock it, and throw away the key. Life truly is an awesome and very precious gift!

A Recipe For Living Your Life Now:

  • Give God the love and praise He deserves.
  • Thank God for what you have.
  • Trust God for what you need.
  • Ask God to teach you, guide you, and, direct you.
  • Give to others.
  • Pray for others.
  • Laugh as much as you can.
  • Magnify positives.
  • Dismiss negatives.
  • Greet each new day with enthusiasm; you’re alive!

Live your life today to the fullest, the best you can, regardless!

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DO YOU REALLY NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE?

There Are 6 Figure Jobs That Do Not Require A College Degree

My wife and I have college degrees. My daughter has a college degree. My son has a college degree and is a college professor. However, I don’t think a college degree is the only option for landing a very well paying job.

Many believe in order to get a high paying job, you must have a college degree. That is simply not true and certainly not automatic. The reality is millions of Americans currently owe student loans. The numbers continue to escalate, and it generally takes a person many, many years to pay off those loans.

The Stats Are Staggering!

Here’s a quote

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WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR PRAYER IS NOT ANSWERED

Is Everything That Happens The Will Of God?

I remember the first time I was really persistent in prayer.

The radio station I worked for in New Haven, Connecticut was coming to an end soon and there were no other radio openings in that city. That meant my pursuit for radio employment focused on other cities. Convinced we were moving, we literally packed almost all our belongings before I even found a new job!

Back then I had recently learned that Jesus said, “When you pray, believe that you will receive.” That’s why we packed basically everything except two dishes, two forks, and two towels! It was all boxed and stacked in the small living room of our one bedroom apartment.

We were praying. We were

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HOW TO LIVE LONGER

Do You Really Think You’re Gonna Live Forever?

Every year people spend billions of dollars to look younger, stay healthier, and live longer. Most people want to live a long life. I want to be around to hang out with my grandchildren, in fact, I want to dance at their weddings!

If people spend billions of dollars to “live longer,” what might they pay to live forever? Living forever to some may just be a fairy tale, or science fiction. But, it is not only God’s desire for all human beings to live forever, but He came up with

PRAYERS CONTINUE

We Join Thousands And Thousands Who Continue To Pray.
Prayers for all those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Prayers for all those affected by the dozens of fires, especially in the Western United States.
And now, prayers for those bracing for Hurricane Irma.
Yes, there’s always a lot of things to pray for, but in these recent days, there’s a lot more!

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GOD MADE ME THAT WAY

Some Striking Differences Found In Human Beings

On a recent visit to see our new granddaughter in Charleston, South Carolina, I got to take my son’s dog for a walk a couple of times. While it was no match for spending time with baby Betsy Rose, I really enjoyed it. Jack is a “golden,” and he’s a great dog.

On one of those walks, I was reminded of something I saw years ago on an episode of Dog Whisperer, where a lady told Cesar Millan what she said to her dog when it misbehaved. It was a very long sentence, threatening to take him to the pound if he ever did it again. Cesar looked at her and said, “And you really think he understood all that?”

Humans and animals are indeed made differently. It’s not our brain size that distinguishes us from all the animals. While they may be really cool creatures, there are obviously many striking differences. Here are just a few:

  • Communication: Animals understand simple words, gestures or tones. They do not comprehend sentences. On the TV show, Cesar made that very clear to the lady. Meanwhile, we humans have developed hundreds of languages, along with thousands of dialects. I have to say, I did not notice Jack having any kind of a “southern accent.”
  • Humor: Your cat or your dog, or an elephant or frog for that matter, is not able to appreciate or express humor. Humor requires the ability to see the odd, surreal or ironic. So, I avoided trying to get Jack to laugh.
  • Appreciation of beauty: If you take your dog on a trip here in Arizona to the Grand Canyon to gaze on its magnificent splendor, it is simply breathtaking. But does your dog enjoy the beauty? Nope. She’s probably busy looking around for a tree, or a squirrel, or another dog, just like Jack was on our walks.
  • Morality: Animals do not have a conscience, or the desire to build character. They learn by training which involves reward and punishment. We, on the other hand, can choose to control our thoughts based on what we consider right or wrong. Unlike animals, we have the unique ability to analyze actions before they are performed.  Jack had full intention of going after that squirrel!
  • Worship: In every part of the world, in every culture, humans exhibit a desire to seek, to follow, and to worship a “higher power.” Animals do not. Jack is really an affectionate dog, but trust me, I am not a higher power he has been seeking.

Why Did The Creator Make Us This Way?

There’s a verse in Psalm 139 that talks about how we humans are fearfully and wonderfully made. That means distinctly awesome, or distinguished. But why did God single out human beings to be made in that way? Why did He purposely make us awesomely unique?

Those awesome, distinct qualities I mentioned above, and many more, we have as human beings. Animals do not. The Creator purposely and intentionally gave us free will to choose, and a desire to seek and know a higher power. It is built in; He made me this way.

God did not make us to seek Him and worship Him instinctively, or automatically, like breathing. We breath without thinking; we blink without giving it a thought. Rather, God designed human beings so that worshiping Him would be our free choice. He made us so we could, if we choose, freely seek Him, freely worship Him, freely love Him. He made me this way.

Looking For God

Over the centuries, and to this day, there are those who seek and find the Creator. There are others who choose to worship something other than the One true God. The Bible, in a number of places, refers to the latter as “strange gods.” At one place it says they, “worshipped and served the creature [creation] more than the Creator.”

God certainly knew He was taking a big chance by giving us free will. He could have made us robots – human drones that just automatically praised Him all day long. He didn’t want that.

But the very first two humans used their freedom of will to make a very, very bad choice. In order to fix that catastrophic mess, God sent His Son to atone, to pay the price necessary for all human beings.

And now, as a result of His Son’s completed work, any human being can choose to accept Christ or not. Isn’t it stunningly remarkable that, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

True Or Not?

God made made me this way. I can choose to believe anything I want to believe. But just because I believe something, doesn’t make it true; just because I don’t believe something doesn’t make it not true.

The Creator gave us free will not so we would determine what is true, but so we could choose to believe what is true. Truth is truth, period. Truth is truth whether everyone believes it or no one believes it.

We human beings are awesomely unique and distinct in having free will. We can choose to seek and find God, the Creator, in His written Word that He gave so we could know Him, love Him and worship Him. In doing so, we will clearly see His Son, Jesus Christ, is God’s promise and plan to give any human being everlasting life.

Jack is a great dog. But it is baby Betsy Rose who can someday choose to accept Christ and gain eternal life. God made her that way!

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SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

Are You Searching For Truth Or For Something That Just Feels Good?

Truth is truth regardless of who speaks it. An evil person or a good person could each declare the earth orbits the sun. They would both be correct.

Truth is truth whether anyone believes it or not. Someone who believes the earth orbits the sun does not make it true. Someone who doesn’t believe the earth orbits the sun does not make it untrue.

Are Your Beliefs Based On What Is True? What? 

Ask that question to a thousand people and I doubt anyone would answer, “Oh, no; my beliefs are based on things that are not true.” We all believe what we