In the government’s recent program, “Cash for Clunkers,” the vehicles traded in are deemed worthless and required to be discarded.
In this short video (3:45) I talk about how some people see themselves as “clunkers.” Your current circumstances do not define you! What are you really worth?
Enjoy the video.
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Watching parts of the show, “Expedition Africa” sure made me thankful for all our modern conveniences. As a matter of fact, it made me thankful for something we all just take for granted: drinking water!
Enjoy the video.
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Someone sent me an email recently about an event that happened two years ago. Since it was the first that I heard of it, I thought I would pass it on to you, thinking that maybe you might not have heard abouot it either.
The link below will take you to an article on the Washington Post’s web site. As you read the article, you will find 4 different videos. Be sure to watch the videos! And, if you like, please leave a comment below.
I’ll go ahead and give you my comment. How often do we unknowingly pass by opportunities and blessings from God? Are we so distracted and so busy that we many times don’t even see an answer to our prayer that is right in front of us?
The article is called, “Pearls Before Breakfast.”
Don’t you think that this article gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, “stop and smell the roses?”
Do you have a comment? Please type it below, we’d love to hear from you!
[If you cannot see the player or it’s not clickable on this page, just click the title above]
On Wednesday, I went into a home improvement store and it happened four times in less than 5 minutes. Meanwhile, yesterday at the airport, my wife had to pay an additional fee.
In this podcast I talk about service. What can you do where you work to provide more service? Does service really matter?
Enjoy this podcast. It’s about 8 minutes.
Related Posts:
Choose Your Friends Wisely
Back To School
Reducing Stress At Work
Leave A Comment
Do you have something you’d like to share about service? Got a comment, a complaint, or even a rant? Just leave it below and let us all know what’s on your mind.
For past videos and podcasts, click the tabs above. Look for more videos as well as more podcasts coming soon to Confidence And Joy!
If you read This Is My Story, then you know I have been pursuing public speaking. One of the main presentations that I do is called “Reducing Stress At Work.” I offer this presentation to companies to help their employees.
In today’s job market, the rules have changed drastically. The information in this presentation is not only helpful, but it is vital. It is designed to benefit those who currently have a job as well as those who are looking for a new job.
While I do give some basic and practical keys to reducing stress, the presentation offers a lot more: 4 steps to eliminating fear, how to increase your value and worth no matter who you work for, how to increase your skills and abilities, the right mind set, and more!
I decided to record a special studio version of that presentation so that anyone can have their own copy. It is now available as an audio download! It also comes with a PDF handout of notes and quotes from the presentation.
Take a moment to see and hear some more details about Reducing Stress At Work. This information really is critical for today’s job market, and, it will prepare you for tomorrow’s job market.
Get your copy today!
Mike Verdicchio
Related Posts:
Were You Unfairly Laid Off
This Economic Mess Just Isn’t Fair!
You Don’t Need Any More Stress!
Stop Looking Back
Have a comment? How are things going where you work? What do you anticipate for the days ahead in your field? Type your comment below – we would love to hear from you.
[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.” As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.]
In the Gospels, you read of Jesus sending out the twelve to preach. One of the things he told them was that if people didn’t want to hear what they had to say they were to depart and, “shake off the dust of your feet.”
Paul and Barnabas in Acts, Chapter 13, “shook off the dust of their feet,” when they were expelled out of Antioch.
To our Western minds that sounds a little odd. In fact, it almost sounds a little arrogant. But, again, understanding the Eastern mind gives us great insight.
First of all, it is not literal. They did not take off their sandals and shake the dust off. It is
an Eastern idiom. It has to do with what you walk away with in your mind, what you carry in your mind.
This Eastern idiom means to shake off any animosity or bitter feelings which you may have toward someone. In doing so, when you leave, you leave with peace in your heart and mind. You don’t take with you any resentment for others. In other words, don’t take any anger, hurt, blame or regret with you when you leave.
If Jesus sent you out to preach, then you would certainly want people to respond favorably to the message. But when people don’t respond favorably, you might be tempted to be upset with them. How could they refuse? What’s wrong with them?
Shaking the dust means that you don’t carry any of that with you. And the same is true if they treat you poorly. You don’t carry any of that with you either. You leave it all there and move on.
Shaking off the dust means you leave all thoughts of ill feeling behind, and move forward with God’s peace in your heart and mind. It is the responsibility of those who hear the message what they do with it – accept it or reject it.
Sometimes Christians feel obligated to make people accept the Good News and obligated to make them believe something. When you share the Good News you are simply a messenger, like the twelve were, like Paul and Barnabas. You and I are not responsible for people’s response. And you really don’t want to allow people’s negative responses to weigh you down in your mind.
Shake the dust from your feet, and move on.
Matthew 10:14:
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.Mark 6:11:
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them.Luke 9:5:
And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.Acts 13:51:
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
Feel free to leave a comment. We’d love to hear what you have to say.
For more “Eastern Eye” articles, Click Here, or click The Eastern Eye tab above.
Mike Verdicchio
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There are a number of books that you can read to get insight on customs, manners, idioms and meanings from the Eastern culture in which the Bible was written. The best I know of were written by by Bishop K. C. Pillai. I have had the pleasure of listening to recorded teaching by him.
He wrote three books, and they are hard to find, and are usually over priced. But, if you want to you can check this link to see what Amazon has to offer. Light Through an Eastern Window
Another great resource that I have used for years is a book called, “Manners and Customs of the Bible,” by James Freeman. Mine was printed in 1972 and I know they have newer additions. For the newest edition, just click the link and it will take you to Amazon. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible (Pure Gold Classics)
This past Saturday and Sunday we were on the Sea of Cortez, at Cholla Bay, Mexico. It’s about a 4 hour drive from our home in Glendale, Arizona.
Our daughter, Paula, and son-in-law,Tyson, invited us to spend the first two days of their vacation with them.
(Sandy, your home is beautiful! We’ll have to rent it again sometime – how about tomorrow?)
Do you have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Type your comment below.
[This is the final article that I posted on Enriching Your Life Now. But since it is so timely, I thought it would be good to post it here as well.]
In today’s world of uncertainty and confusion many people are afraid of what the future will bring. There are many who engage in endless conversations, voicing their opinions of what should or should not be done. Meanwhile, a growing number of people are convinced that the government is out of control in spending money that we just do not have.
With all of this uncertainty and confusion, some wait for the government to do something to help them. Others just wait to see what happens next, hoping things will get better. But some have decided to make something happen in their own lives. Which group are you in?
There is a lot of talk these days about “stimulus.” People question whether the “stimulus package” is working. One of the dictionary definitions of stimulate is, “to excite to activity or growth to greater activity.”
Because of fear, many people wait for something to stimulate their lives. They wait uninspired; they are frozen. But why should you wait for someone else to change your life? Why not trust God to help you to change your own situation, regardless of what the government does or does not do?
A recession does not put God out of business. For those to who choose to put their trust in God, there is nothing that ties His hands, including a famine. As bad as a recession can be, it is nothing compared to a famine.
Countless records in the Bible show God’s help, from small situations to desperate life threatening situations. For those who trusted Him, He always provided a solution. That is His nature. Why would He stop now?
Some people might argue and say that they are not afraid. But inaction is a product of fear. Fear will always hold you back or push you back. The reason so many people are just waiting, and not taking action, is because of fear.
It is very easy to wait and see if things will get better. It’s easy to wish things were better. It’s easy to hope things will get better. But it takes courage to move forward, trusting God to help you, having confidence in Him that things will get better for you.
It is sad that so many people feel absolutely hopeless. They feel that way because they have forgotten just how powerful and delivering God is. They look only at their own abilities and see no way out. And so, they wait.
But if you are tired of waiting, here’s a plan. Get inspired and take action by faith. It really is that simple. You first need to be inspired. And you’re not going to get inspired by watching the news or having negative conversations with people about how bad the current situation is. Those things simply build more fear into your life, so avoid them.
Get inspired by reading the Bible and seeing your God in action! Get inspired by talking to 
other people who want to trust God and make something happen. Get inspired by thinking thoughts of possibilities, instead of consequences of the current situation. Get inspired!
Then by faith in God, which is believing and having confidence in Him, start moving forward, asking Him to direct your path. He has promised that He would direct and light up your path… but if you are sitting on the side of the road, there is no path to lighten or direct.
Have you ever gone fishing? I like to fish in a small boat anchored in the middle of a lake. Now I could just sit in the boat and dream all day long about catching lots of fish. I could watch others in their boats and see them catching fish. I could even wonder if perhaps another fisherman might even bring me a few of his fish.
I never do any of those things. Do you know why? Because I would never have any fish. When I get out my pole, and bait my hook, and cast my line into the water, then and only then do I have the possibility of catching some fish.
And, I’ll let you in on a little secret; I pray when I fish. I ask God to help me, to direct my path to the fish. Why not?
You can either sit and wait for the government to do something, or, just wait to see what happens next, or, decide to make something happen in your own life.
Mike Verdicchio
Do you have a comment about this article? Is there something happening in your life despite the economic conditions? Want to share it with us? Just type your comment below, we’d love to hear from you!
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Have a great weekend!
I think brainstorming is a good thing – looking for possibilities and solutions. But instead of brain storming, some people are blame storming. Not a good thing.
In this short 1 1/2 minute video, listen to the difference between brainstorming and blame storming.
Enjoy the video.
Do you have a comment on today’s video? Share it with us. We would love to hear from you!
Some people feel like they don’t deserve favor from God. They feel like they just aren’t good enough, or that they haven’t done enough good things. Some think in order to receive God’s favor they must do something to earn it.
In this short 2 minute video, find out why you really can expect God’s favor in your life!
Enjoy the video.
Do you have a comment on today’s video? We would love to hear from you! Leave a comment and share a blessing you received from God.
More about God’s favor.
