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There Just Has To Be A Solution!

Neil Armstrong working at the Apollo Lunar Module

I was working in Chicago for Ozark Airlines on July 20, 1969.  A few of us were sitting in the break room and the radio was on.  We all listened as Neil Armstrong stepped out on the surface of the moon.  He looked up, and saw the earth.

I know, today we send space ships to Mars, but back then, in 1969, it was a very big deal. On that mission, two human beings, Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin, actually spent time on the surface of the moon.

Today, flying in an airplane from one end of the country to the other is no great feat. Thousands do it every day.  But at one time, it seemed impossible for men to fly.

It’s Just Impossible!

There will always be those who view their problems as impossible to overcome, at least for them anyway.  But there are others who take the opposite point of view.  Their focus in life is on possibilities and solutions; they are problem solvers.  They live with an attitude of, “Well, there just has to be a way!”

Many times in our lives we are faced with challenges.  Those with a positive attitude address those challenges as great opportunities for success.  And when someone accomplishes what most everyone else thinks is impossible, it is very inspiring; at least it is to me.

I Couldn’t Believe This Story!

I remember a few years ago when I first heard about Erik Weihenmayer.  I was almost stunned.  It’s one of those stories that when you first hear it, your mouth almost falls to the floor.

Almost all of the seeing population on the planet would never even consider climbing Mt. Everest.  Yet, Erik Weihenmayer, a blind man, did just that.  He has also climbed the highest peaks on all of the other 6 continents as well.

Erik’s first book, Touch the top of the World, is really something to read.  When you read this, it starts at a really low point, but hang on!  It’s going to take you up high, really high.  Publishers Weekly said:  “In this moving and adventure-packed memoir, Weihenmayer begins with his gradual loss of sight as a very young child. By the time he became fully blind in high school, he had already developed the traits that would carry him to the summits of some of the world’s highest mountains.”

I put a link for the DVD, Farther Than The Eye Can See – Mount Everest (2003).  I have seen parts of this video documentary. It is an intimate look inside one of the most successful Mount Everest expeditions ever. It’s 75 minutes and it really captures the emotion, humor and drama of Erik’s historic ascent as well as four other remarkable ‘firsts’ on Mount Everest.

I recently found out that it has won 21 International Film Festival awards, was nominated for two Emmy’s, and was ranked by Men’s Journal as one of the top twenty adventure DVDs of all time.  So, if you’re interested at all, just use the links at the bottom.

Are You Planning To Climb Mt. Everest?

Now, you and I may never climb Mt. Everest and we may never walk on the moon.  Perhaps you will be inspired to remember these and other seemingly impossible tasks when you face challenges of your own.

I think that remembering seemingly impossible great accomplishments are not only inspiring but they tend to make our problems look a lot smaller, and more solvable.  What do you think?  Does hearing about those kinds of things inspire you?  Does it help you to look at your challenges and see them as solvable?

One of the reasons that I like to say, “There has to be a solution,” is because if you’ve read some of the Bible then you know that God is in the solution business. And He has provided some very miraculous, over-the-top solutions.  In fact, He is very good at it!   He can help you and He can direct your path.

There Just Has To Be A Solution!

Mike Verdicchio
(I mentioned Erik Weihenmayer climbing Mt. Everest.  There is a DVD movie about it called, Father Than The Eye Can See – Mount Everest. This movie brings truth and new meaning to the phrase “You can do anything if you put your mind to it.” Erik Weihenmayer is an inspiration to blind people and sighted people alike. Not only was this film inspiring, a great story, and a historic landmark, but it is beautiful to watch too.)

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Having Some Problems?

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be happy and positive when things are going well?  When there are no interruptions, obstacles or problems around you, it’s easy to enjoy life.  You might even say, “I’m feeling pretty good and everything seems to be just fine; life is great!”

But what is your reaction when something unexpected interrupts your life?   What about when something unpleasant comes up? Suddenly, for many, it’s not so easy to remain positive; or is it?

No one welcomes problems with open arms, no matter how insignificant they seem.  I don’t know of anyone who anticipates having to deal with something unpleasant.  However, you and I both know that things are going to happen from time to time; that’s just how life is.  Tires wear out, drains get clogged, and people, at times, do stupid things.

When something unpleasant occurs, most people stop being happy and positive. Whatever it is that happens, it’s enough to change their attitude. And for some people even the slightest bump in the road and they change from happy to angry in a matter of seconds.

We really can choose what thoughts we are going to think. The thoughts that we choose to think have a direct effect on our feelings and our emotions.  We can’t always choose what happens, but we can always choose how to think about what happens.

I’m not trying to imply that we should live in a make-believe world where you just tell yourself, “Nothing is wrong; everything’s okay.”  When something comes up we most certainly need to assess the situation.  We need to find out what is going on before we issue a positive statement.

What?

A positive statement?  Yes, a positive statement: a solution-oriented statement.  I know some will say that certainly is not a proper reaction to a negative or unpleasant situation!  Or is it?

Suppose you come home from the grocery store and find that your bread is smashed like a pancake in the bottom of the bag because of the way your groceries were packed.  What would your reaction be to that situation?  Would you become completely livid? Some people would.

“I am so mad!  Now I’ve got to go all the way back to the store!  Why don’t they teach those young kids how to do it right?  I knew that kid packing up my groceries had a lousy attitude!  He probably piled those heavy cans on my bread on purpose.  I’m going to talk to the manager about this! ”

Hold on just a minute!  Chill out!

Now this may sound like a silly illustration to you, but as a teenager I worked at a grocery store, and saw far worse reactions than in this example!

Instead of having that kind of an attitude, why not have a positive attitude and make a positive statement? What?  Say something positive about your smashed bread?  A positive statement? Sure, why not?

“Okay, I’ll just take the bread back and exchange it.  I wonder if there is anything else I need that I forgot to pick up at the store.  I’m sure glad that they have more bread.  In fact, I’m glad that there is so much food available.”

Hey!  But what about the guy who smashed my bread?

Here’s the point: Our thoughts trigger our emotions and feelings. And our actions so many times follow our emotions and feelings.  In fact, the kind of mood you are in right now is not somebody else’s fault. It is because of your decision to think the way that you are thinking.

The next time something unpleasant comes up, take note of how you react.  Observe where your thoughts go.  What emotions are triggered?  Those emotions are directly tied to some information.

Now stop and think about it for a minute.  Do you really expect that everything is always going to go perfectly smooth without any hitches?  No one that you will ever deal with will ever make a mistake, right?  We all know that is never going to happen.  We do not live in a perfect world.

So then why are we so surprised when someone makes a mistake?  Why get angry over something that someone did that inconvenienced us?  It wasn’t the first time and it will not be the last time.

The real question you need to ask yourself is not, “Why did he smash my bread?” but rather, “Why am I so angry about this?”

Do you expect perfection in all that you do?  Do you beat yourself up when you make a mistake?   These are interesting questions, and it is important to find out just why you are angry.  You certainly don’t want to live with anger, do you?  You don’t want to see yourself as an angry person, do you?

Once you recognize the anger, and see how it is attached or tied into situations, for whatever reason, then choose to get rid of it.  Look that anger right in the eye, and say, “Anger, you need to go.  I don’t want to live with that emotion any longer.  I may have been angry in the past, but now, I choose to get rid of this anger.  And, in its place, I choose to put in patience, understanding, and, forgiveness.

Most people just keep looking at the incident.  As a result they stay angry.  Then, they just love to relate the incident to someone else.  As a result they stay angry.  How does that help you to live your life with confidence and joy?  It doesn’t.

You see, it really doesn’t matter if they smashed your bread on purpose or by accident.  What matters is do you want to control your own life, or, do you want to have your life controlled by circumstances and situations.  Do you really want other people’s actions to determine your own happiness?

Your own life is in your own control.

Thomas Edison’s workshop burned to the ground one day and he had no insurance.  They asked him, “What are you going to do now?”  He answered, “We’ll start rebuilding tomorrow.”

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I’m Happy!

I started my day “happy” this morning; did you?

Some people wake up and are not very happy to face the new day.  For them, each day is another struggle.  All their problems from yesterday are still there.  And, most of the time they have nothing to look forward to.

But I rolled out of bed “happy” this morning.  Why?  Because I have no problems, no challenges and no opportunities; my life is perfect and everything always goes according to plan!

I Am Being Facetious

Everyone has challenges; it’s part of life; we don’t live in a perfect world, at least not yet.  But I am happy first of all to be alive!  Life is a gift, a precious gift.  There are no guarantees.  I have been given another day to live.

I am also happy because I am expecting and anticipating a great day today.  Why not?  I am looking for and expecting His blessings throughout the day.  I am looking for and expecting open doors to help someone else too!

And Here’s The Best Part!

I am happy because I know that our God is a God of solutions.  He is an ever present help in time of need.  He is the One Who said to cast all our cares on Him!  He wants to help us.  Knowing that, I am not only happy, but I am really full of joy, having confidence in a loving God Who promised He would never leave or forsake.

Life was meant to be lived to the fullest!  Yes, there will set backs and obstacles at times, but no matter what happens, nothing is too big for our God, and His promises are still true!

Choose to have a great day!

Mike

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Is He Willing?

Most of us recognize God’s power and ability. We believe that He is able to do all that He has promised to do and more! We would readily agree and believe that there is nothing too hard or too big for God.

But many times, we have a difficult time believing that He is willing to do it for us, personally. Have you ever been there before?  I sure have.  And if you are not convinced and certain that God is willing to do it for you, then do you really believe and trust Him?

Why Do We Have Doubt?

Why is it that we sometimes think that God is not willing to do it for us personally? What is it that causes us to doubt His willingness? Why would we not accept that He is willing?

I learned the answer many years ago.  The answer is feelings of being unworthy or undeserving. I used to wonder, “What I have done to deserve it? What have I done to earn it?”  Much of this kind of thinking is due to sin consciousness and condemnation.

But, when you really think about it, what is it that we could do, or refrain from doing, that would earn His willingness to provide for us what He has promised? That is a big part of the answer, because far too many Christians base their self worth on how much they do or do not do!

Your Actions Have Nothing To Do With How Much He Loves You!

How many Christians do you know who subtly believe that their righteousness and worthiness in God’s eyes is dependent upon their actions?  I used to be like that.

But if that is really true then we wouldn’t have needed a savior!  The Bible says that it was the completed work of Christ that makes us right and worthy in the sight of God.  What a day it was for me when I learned that!

The Scriptures are clear in saying that as a Christian, nothing can separate you from God’s love. That is why His love for you is unconditional.  He put no conditions on it! Your actions do not have anything to do with how much He loves you. Nothing can ever separate you from His love.

Nothing!

He doesn’t love you any less today than He did yesterday. He doesn’t love you more when you are praying. He doesn’t love you any less when you are messing up. His love for you is unconditional! Nothing can separate you from His love.

Part of the problem in not accepting His willingness to perform His Word for us personally, is in not accepting what He has done for us in the completed work of Christ.

Have you ever had a couple of days go by where you prayed a lot, and did things for others, and really felt that you were “walking for Him?” At those times, how confident were you to go to God and ask for the things you needed? You were probably pretty confident, right? But, why was that?

I’ve been there before!  My actions made me feel worthy and right before God. That is an indication that I believed my self worth, my being right in God’s eyes, was dependent upon my actions.

And if that’s what you believe then when you have a period of time where you are falling short or messing up, you have very little confidence to go to God and expect His help.

You Are Already Righteous!

The Bible says that the Christian is righteous. For a long time that was just some nice sounding spiritual word. But understanding what righteousness means will help you greatly in accepting God’s willingness to bring His promises to pass in your life.

Simply put, “righteousness” means that you are just, or, right! It is a state of being right or just according to an established legal standard. In this case, the legal standard is the justice of God.

In other words, in God’s sight, in His high court, you are right; you are just; you belong! You can now stand before God without any sense of guilt, shame, or condemnation. You have been made right. He made you right!

No wonder the Bible says that you are lovely and acceptable in His sight and holy and without blame before Him! It has nothing to do with your works. It has everything to do with the completed work of Christ.

This Has A Major Impact On Your Self Worth.

Can you see how accepting the righteousness Christ accomplished for you and believing it is true can have a dynamic impact on your self worth and your self esteem?

I don’t feel unworthy to open my refrigerator and get some food. Well of course not! I belong in my own house! It is right for me to be there!

The same is true with God. You and I belong in His presence; we are right being there because He made us right! You and I are both righteous.

Not understanding or believing that we are right in His eyes plays a major part in our accepting His willingness to bring His Word to pass for us personally.

But if we choose to accept His unconditional love for us, and, that we are right in his sight, we will begin to accept that He is willing to bring his Word to pass for us personally.

The promises of God come to pass for us when we believe God. We may very well believe that He is able, but if we don’t really believe that He is willing, then we will not believe that He will.

Why not believe what the Bible says about you and accept God’s unconditional love, and believe that you are already righteous in His eyes? It will have a dynamic impact on your confidence that He is not only able to do for you what He has promised, but that He is also willing to do it for you personally.

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Are You Lost?

Some people think they are lost.  I’ve even had people tell me, “I’m so far gone that God would never take me back. I’m just lost.”  Well, let me tell you a story.

My wife has a real long suit in trusting God to help her find things.  She is not usually someone who misplaces things.  But, when things go missing, she is almost always the one who ends up finding them.

She found the timers we use for our holiday lights several weeks ago. I looked all over the house, and I even looked in the closet of my office three times!  That’s exactly where she found them.  But, that’s nothing compared to the little diamond she found.

A Lost Diamond!

A couple of years ago, for our 35th wedding anniversary, I got Kathy a new diamond ring to replace the one she has been wearing since 1971.  The diamond in the ring from 1971 was so small I do not know how they could have even called it a diamond.

But I got her a new one, and it certainly wasn’t extravagant.  It has three diamonds in it, and I think they are pretty tiny.  And if you were to lose one, well who in the world could ever find it?  Kathy could, and she did.  Twice!

We have a metal shed in the back yard that we use for storage.  Kathy had been cleaning it out and noticed the next day that she was missing one of her tiny little diamonds.  She looked everywhere, including in the yard where she had been working.

She looked in the grass hoping to maybe see a glimmer of light.  She looked in and around the three cardboard boxes that were still out there near the shed.  No diamond.

Then, almost two days later, she walked over toward the shed again, and looked. On one of the open flaps of one of the boxes, there it was!  She had found her diamond.

We were so grateful.  She told the people at the jewelry store where we purchased it that there must be something loose.  We had hoped that when they put that little diamond back in the setting that they would have fixed the problem.  After all, they had the ring in the repair shop for two and a half weeks.

No, Not A Second Time!

But scarcely a week went by with the repaired ring on her finger and, no!  It couldn’t be.  The same stone was again missing.   Now I told you Kathy is great at finding things.  But could she find her tiny diamond again, the second time?

About six hours after she noticed it missing, and having looked everywhere, she had a feeling it was in the kitchen.  But how could you possibly even see it if it were in the kitchen?

Nonetheless, she looked around the kitchen here and there, but no diamond.  She checked out the counters, no diamond.  In the sink, perhaps?  No, no diamond.  But wait!  What’s was that tiny sparkling little shining on the tile floor?  Well what do you know?  She had found it again, for the second time in less than three months.

Now here’s my point.  If my wife Kathy, who is so wonderful, but only human, can find a little lost diamond, twice, could a person ever be so lost that God could never find them again?

The truth of the matter is that God is waiting for us to come back to Him.  Read about it in the parable in the Gospel of Luke, often mistakenly referred to as, the parable of “The Prodigal Son.”  It really ought to be called the parable of “The Forgiving Father.”

People feel lost because of their own actions.  They condemn themselves for what they have done.  They end up feeling so badly about what they have done that they feel too ashamed to even approach God.

But, from God’s point of view they are not lost; they have just chosen to distance themselves.  The open and forgiving arms of our loving Father are never far away.  His love does not waver.  No one is ever lost to Him.

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Another Great Site

I Recommend…

God Wants You to Prosper Family Membership Site
By Duke Clarke

This is a great site!  I know, Duke Clarke personally and I have been a member of this site since January 2005.  The site is simply loaded with great information that can really help you concerning prosperity.

Duke is one of the very few people that I know who teaches that prosperity is not just about the money. Most people don’t know the difference.  He is genuinely concerned with helping people to be successful in any area or arena of life.  He teaches sound biblical principles that anyone can apply to get results.

What’s on the site?  If you are a member, some of what you get are his books,   “The 7 Stages of the Prosperous Mind,” and “Get the Skinny on Prosperity: Biblical Principles That Work for Anyone.”  You get the classes, “God Wants You to Prosper Foundational Class” with the manual, his 6 session class, “Building a Successful Marriage,” and the Psalm 23 class.

You also get the monthly Newsletter “Prosperous Living” mailed to you along with the CD of the month, a Monthly Live Tele-seminar, access to his daily blog, along with the archives of the past years – there are some real gems in those!

And there is a whole lot more!  Like I said, the site is loaded, and Duke continues to add every month.

Click the banner below to get to the site and look around.  If you like what you see, then sign up today and be a part of a site I have been a part of for a long time!

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Great Help For Bloggers

I Recommend…

Click here to watch The Conversion Blogging Video

By Yaro Starak and Gideon Shalwick

Do you want to learn some great things about blogging? Maybe even take your blog to the next level?  Before you do anything else, check out this web site!

Yaro offers a lot of great free information, both text and videos that will show you the possibilities for your blog.  That information will help you to decide if you want to really do something with your blog.

The site you are on right now, ConfidenceAndJoy.com is an ongoing result of what I have learned from Yaro, and I couldn’t be happier.

Here’s the great part:  Yaro’s stuff is not expensive.  Trust me, I’ve been around the internet world for a number of years and his material is not only very solid, but priced for everybody.

Go to his site and look around.  Watch the ten free videos.  Download the free eBook and decide what you could do with your own blog.  And if you don’t have a blog, well, this might just inspire you to start one!

Just click the banner below and visit Yaro’s site.
Click here to watch The Conversion Blogging Video

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Another Great Site

I Recommend…

Embrace or Erase
By Cathi Clarke

Cathi started this member web site in 2007 and I have been a member since the site was up.

She has some great material on this site; very practical, and very helpful.  She has both public and member-only sections, so visit the site and look around.

Twice a month Cathi does live Tele-seminars on different topics and coaches members through the many aspects of Embrace or Erase™.

I have known her for many years and she is very good at helping people get to the real issues; you know, the blocks, those sticking points that keep people from being their best.  She is very adept at helping people to identify exactly what it is that is holding them back, and then showing them how to get rid of it.

Cathi describes the site and what you can expect right there on the “Home” page, which is very convenient!  So, when you get to the site, look over the “Tour” there on the “Home” page first.  Then go snooping around!

Click the link below or just click the banner and it will take you right to the site!

Click Here To Get To Embrase Or Erase

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How Could I Not Recommend This?

I Recommend…

Other Side of the Tracks by Blue Avenue Trio
(my daughter and son-in-law!)

Okay, bare with me for a few moments, while a proud daddy brags a little.  My daughter, Paula, and her husband, Tyson, both accomplished jazz musicians, released their first CD in 2007, called, “Other Side of the Tracks.”

Yes, it is secular music, but it is very, very good!  I’m not just saying that because it is my daughter and son-in-law, but it really is exceptional.

Paula plays the violin, and Tyson plays the double bass, and Paula sings on a number of the tracks.

Here is a quick montage of clips from several songs on the CD

For more information, including how to order either the CD or mp3 download, Click Here.

How could a proud daddy not highly recommend this?

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Are Weeds Growing In Your Head?

I have written before about how thoughts can be “weed seeds.” Negative or destructive thoughts in our mind are very similar to weeds in a flowerbed or garden. They will grow and flourish unless we get them out!

Can The Words That We Speak Be Weed Seeds Too?

The Bible says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. In order to speak something it needs to be in our mind or heart; and then we say it. Many times this happens simultaneously.

Speaking something reinforces the thought or belief to ourselves. For example, you may have heard someone recently say, “If things don’t change, we are going into a deep depression in our country.”

Those Are Words. They Plant Seeds.

Words that you hear can settle in your mind and take root. Then, the next thing you know you are telling someone else about a looming depression. And as soon as you say those words, just like thinking those words, it’s like nourishing that new “weed seed” in your mind. And, we all know how fast weeds can grow!!

I have no control over tiny seeds blowing into my flowerbed. Neither do you! But I do have control over what I plant in my flowerbed! So do you! And I doubt very seriously that you have ever planted a weed. I never have. Why? Because neither of us are that dumb!

So, if I choose to not plant weeds in my flowerbed or garden, why would I want to plant weeds in my head? The things that I choose to think about and say can and do plant weeds.

You Can Choose To Think About “Lack,” But…

If you think about and dwell on your lack, you will see your lack continue to grow. You nurture that lack by speaking about it, by telling yourself and others how much lack you have. And, your focus remains on what you don’t have, your lack! But instead, you can choose to think on abundance! Abundance? How can someone possibly choose to think on abundance when they have lack? How can you dare to plant an abundance seed in your mind during these very critical times?

Well, why not? Abundance and prosperity are promised by God in the Bible! Have you ever considered nourishing abundance and prosperity seeds in your mind and allowing them to flourish?

If you wanted a beautiful flowerbed, you would certainly have no qualms about planting the seeds to grow those flowers. You wouldn’t think that because they are just seeds, they won’t make a difference.

Those who have lack and continue to think about their lack and talk about their lack, will evidence nothing but lack. Each time they do, it’s like watering and fertilizing that lack seed. We certainly would never intentionally do that with a weed in the flowerbed, would we?

Have You Ever Had A Garden Or Flowerbed?

In the flowerbed, or garden we see and recognize the weeds. They are there. We then do whatever we need to do to get them out! We remove them! “It’s time for you to go!” And in its place, we plant what we do want to grow.

Why not take the time to water and nurture the seed of abundance? Yes but, what about the economy? Regardless of whether the economy is up or down, or sideways, it is never God’s will for you to lack. He has promised to supply all that you need so that your life is fulfilled, regardless of the economy.

He has promised to give you the desires of your heart, regardless of the economy. He said that He wishes above all things that you would prosper and be in health, regardless of the economy.

Those are really good seeds to plant in your mind! Why not try those out for a while? Replace the lack seeds with abundance seeds.

Take a look and see what’s growing in the garden of your mind. Take an honest look! What kind of thoughts are you thinking? What are you talking about? In every category of your life, get rid of the weeds and plant the promises of God!

Mike Verdicchio