WHY ITEMIZE THE NEGATIVES?

Your Focus And Attention Really Does Matter!

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We have a 7-year-old flat top stove. The other day it quit – all four burners. Poof. Done.

Instead of spending more money fixing it, like we did two years ago, we found a really good deal for a new one. They came and installed the new stove, and I’m back to being spoiled by my wife’s fabulous cooking.

End of story, right? Yes. But, I could have mentioned

THE WELL -REPLAY

Posting It Again

Maybe it’s from years of playing songs over and over on the radio.

Or, maybe it’s just a really cool song. I’ve played it a couple of times when visiting The Phoenix Rescue Mission.

I posted it here a year ago, and so, here it is again. Sometimes you just gotta leave it all behind. This is from the group, Casting Crowns, called, The Well.

It’s from their album,  Come To The Well.

I think it’s inspiriting – what do you think?  If you like it, share it!

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

How To Eliminate Bad Choices

worried-female-2We’ve all experienced the results of a bad choice. Most of the time when it happens, our resolve is to “not do that again.” But so many times we fail to realize what caused the bad choice in the first place.

As Andy Andrews puts it, “Our thinking determines our choices and decisions; choices and decisions decide an action; the action always, always yields results.” (At the end of this article there’s a You Tube video with Andy explaining this process.)

We all choose the thoughts we think. We sometimes overlook just how powerful and indeed life changing our own thoughts really are.

A couple of years ago I posted an article called

GOOGLE IT

When We Want Info Today, We Just Google It.

googleThis is the information age, and millions of people get tons of information every day on the Internet. It’s fast and easy to search for what you’re looking for. And you don’t even have to be sitting at your computer; you can even verbally ask the app on your smartphone a question!

Many times at the office where I work, I opt to get an answer I need from the Internet rather than call customer service. Years ago, needing an answer, my boss said, “Just Google it.” So often when calling for support on the phone, you have to endure all the prompts, then have to wait a long time in line, and then finally you get to speak to someone who might not speak English very well.

Google It

I saw a statistic recently. “Google now processes over

GOD HAS A REASON?

Does God Orchestrate Everything?

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I was talking with someone recently who found out his job is coming to an end. The company he works for is closing their doors. That’s certainly an unsettling situation to find yourself in, right?

At one point he said, “Well, sometimes God brings bad things to you in order to bring you something good.” That brought to my mind several statements we’ve all heard from time to time. One of the most popular is, “God has a reason.”

I told him I do believe God can close one door and open another door. I’ve seen that happen in my life many times. In fact, on a few occasions, I ignored a closed door and the results were not very pleasant.

I went on to tell Him that God does not bring bad things into our lives so He can

WHAT’S THERE TO LAUGH ABOUT?

Discover Why You Need To Laugh

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Laugh a little more because laughter is very healthy; it also reduces stress. Medical professionals agree laughter is very therapeutic. There are a number of physical benefits when you laugh.

So, yes, it’s really true, “a merry heart does good like a medicine.” That statement has been in the Bible for centuries and some people even know it by heart. But do you know the rest of the verse?

“A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

When you’re happy, cheerful and laugh, it is healthy for you, but when you’re discouraged, sad, and down, it is really just the opposite.

Amazing things happen in our bodies when we laugh. Here are some things that modern science has concluded about laughter:

  • It activates and strengthens the immune system.
  • It reduces at least four hormones associated with stress.
  • It provides a workout for the diaphragm and increases the body’s ability to use oxygen.
  • It relaxes the muscles.
  • It can reduce pain for periods of time.
  • It lowers blood pressure and can prevent hypertension.
  • It improves respiration by emptying the lungs completely of the air they take in.

Those and other facts are pretty impressive. And guess what? Unlike all the medication ads you see on TV, laughter has no negative side effects.  I saw one the other day for a pill that promised to give you a good night’s sleep. But then, of course, came the warning about the possibility of eight or ten very negative side effects! You know, that’s almost laughable!

It’s very healthy to laugh every day. I’m not talking about laughing at the cynical, unloving type of humor that puts people down. I’m talking about genuinely funny things that make us laugh.

Now That’s Funny…I Think!

We’re all different. Some things might make you laugh while other things might make me laugh. And there are things that might make us both laugh. Wanna try it?

I heard of a sign at a truckstop in Indiana that reads: “Eat here, and get gas!”  How about the bumper sticker that says, “Honk if you love peace and quiet.” Or, from the picture above, “Chuck Norris caught all the Poleman from a landline.”

Some things are funny to some people, but not funny to others. But we all need to find something that makes us laugh on a regular basis. I have several movies I watch from time to time just for a good laugh.

And why not brighten someone else’s day by sharing something funny. You don’t have to be a professional stand-up comedian to offer a little stress relief to others.

We all encounter unpleasant things in our day to day life. The world seems crazy and life can often be too serious, but not so serious that you can’t stop and have a good laugh on a regular basis. Find some time each day to laugh a little more.

“A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

LOVE MATTERS

What The World Needs Now...

Large CrowdIn the 60’s, Jackie DeShannon, The Youngbloods, and many others sang about it.

My country, the United States of America, is hurting, and so are other countries. I lived through the turbulent 60’s as well as the uncertain 70’s. I’ve lived long enough to see good times in this country, and bad times. The good, the bad, and today, I would say, the ugly.

Yes, our country needs prayer, and I added a video below you might enjoy.  In addition to praying for our country, which is so vital and many Christians are all across this land, I offer something very practical, and at the very least, critical if this nation is to survive.

There is something I’ve known and read for many years, but is still, in my mind anyway, profoundly gigantic. It still to this day causes me to pause and consider, and I am still

HAVE YOU READ HIS IMPRESSIVE RESUME?

This Is Without Question The Most Impressive Resume!

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When it comes to an impressive resume, nothing comes close.

Being a longtime fan of the Bible, I am familiar with the stories or records we can read. Many are incredible events that happened to individuals, groups of people, and even whole nations. Have you ever considered those records are not really about the people in them?

In re-reading those accounts I am still amazed at the miraculous things that happened to and for people. But, I believe those accounts are not really about them, but rather, they are about our God. The Bible declares and reveals who God is.

Sure, we are unbelievably amazed as we ponder