Do you give up or keep on trying???

The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities.  These are for the most part summed up in two terms:

COMMON SENSE & PERSEVERANCE

Common sense reminds us that we have been created in the image of GOD!

It is the highest act of common sense to listen to our Creator.  He fully understands us.  He can supply wisdom that we need for all the circumstances of life.

Perseverance is that quality that says, “I must keep going.”  I realize that I fail…however; I must also recognize that the failure does not become fatal until I quit trying.

It is not so much that we fail when we try as it is that WE FAIL TO KEEP ON TRYING.

What kind of memories are you making?

”A man’s real possession is his memory.”

Memory allows me to go back to any moment that I choose, whether it is a spring day in grade school or an event a week ago.  As long as I cherish memories that are beautiful, exciting, productive, inspiring and truly worthwhile, I have reason to consider the true wealth of my life.

Memory also reminds me that I OUGHT TO BE DOING THOSE ACTIONS TODAY THAT WILL BE RICH MEMORIES TOMORROW.  Memory will never allow me to become a mere spectator in life.  This is one of the reasons that God has given this ability to each of us.

EACH MUST MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT USING THIS ABILITY!

LET US REMEMBER

Created in the image of God, we are creatures of both TIME and ETERNITY. It is our heritage to think about the future.

LET US REMEMBER:

“Language makes culture, and we make a rotten culture when we abuse words.”

It does not cost anything to use words that speak of dignity, of worth, of purpose, of respect.  It does not enrich our hearts to use words that are cheap, vulgar or obscene.

LET US REMEMBER:

Our children and our grandchildren are often reflections of the dignity or lack of it that we have demonstrated to them in our daily vocabularies. 

What have you done TODAY?

“Winning isn't getting ahead of others.  It’s getting ahead of yourself.”  (Roger Staubach, Legendary Dallas Cowboy quarterback)

The winner in life is the person who continues to develop her/his talents and abilities.  The winner is the person who wants to be better today than yesterday.

EACH OF US HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A WINNER.

REMEMBER:  If what I did yesterday still looks big to me, I probably haven’t done much TODAY.  

How do you handle anger?

“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”  (Chinese Proverb)

Irritations come daily. Often temper is held in a business setting only to be vented on a family member for a minor mistake.

Remember the word “anger” is only one letter short of the word “danger.”

Remember that trying to unsay some cutting remark is just about as easy as putting toothpaste back into a tube.

So you and I need to ask God for the wisdom to be patient in “the moment of anger.”  He promises to supply wisdom if we ask in faith and trust.

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no place for the devil.”  Ephesians 4:26, 27

Do you ever disappoint God?

It is better to show a person how to get on than to tell him where to get off.

By carefully pointing out what needs to be done, WE will encourage the other person to do a good job.  We are letting that person know of our confidence and trust. 

An expression of encouragement to a young person today could mean the difference between success and failure.

An expression of trust in a family member could create an atmosphere of love that would benefit all concerned.

God patiently teaches us “how to get on.”  He will supply the wisdom that WE need in making vital decisions of life.  He believes in US.  WE MUST NOT DISAPPOINT HIM.  

Practice Thinking!

If a person reaches a conclusion without reason, it is very difficult to reason him out of that conclusion.

About the only exercise some get is in stretching the truth, bending over backwards and jumping to conclusions.

So often the head is like concrete…all mixed up but very thoroughly set! 

HOW DO WE AVOID THIS SYNDROME?

Practice thinking.  Do not go through life hitting the nail squarely on the thumb.

Discover humility.  Humility is not thinking little of oneself…it is thinking of oneself little.

Set a goal. Yoga Berra stated, “If you do not know where you are going, you will be lost when you get there.”

Develop convictions. An examined life and an unexamined faith are invitations to emotional poverty.  

This is your hour...will you use it or lose it?

Today is the most important time there is because it is the only time in which you can act.  Yesterday is gone…tomorrow isn't here yet…so today holds the key to opportunities.

“Time is the most valuable thing that we can spend.” 

Thomas Edison

To condition yourself to spend time wisely:

            Set a goal to do something worthwhile.

            There are all sorts of needs around you.

            God will help if given the opportunity.

THIS IS YOUR HOUR…USE IT WISELY!  

Thank someone today because...

You can paint life’s picture with Sunshine if you applaud the efforts of others.

APPRECIATION is the oil that keeps the machine of human relations running smoothly.

You can add immeasurably to YOUR HAPPINESS by learning to be appreciative.

Call someone today who has made your life better…let that person know.

YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!

There is no retirement in the Lord's army.

HISTORY is a good teacher, but an inadequate one.

Since history deals with deeds, it does not teach us the danger of doing nothing.

History does not record the stories of those who never tried.

I’m painfully aware that the lazier I am today…the more I intend to do tomorrow.

The Bible points out that faith “without works is dead.” 

CONSEQUENTLY:

The person who remains inactive to civic responsibilities is dead.

The person who refuses to encourage youth is dead.

The list goes on and on…

It was said of Jesus, “…He went about doing good.” 

To remain truly “alive” you and I must join Him.

What group are you in?

“Focus on your abilities rather than your limitations.”

Whenever you feel insignificant, remember how important you are to God.  Your abilities stem from the gifts that He has bestowed upon you.

CONSIDER THESE GIFTS FROM GOD:

1.      You are created in HIS image.

2.      You can think.

3.      You can imagine and dream.

4.      You have Today.

5.      You have some opportunities.

There are those who DREAM…those who DO and THOSE WHO DO BOTH…let us join the third group!

What kind of influence do you have?

The best reformers the world has ever seen are those who begin with THEMSELVES.

Have you done much thinking about your place in history?

At first the question may seem rather far fetched in a world that is so vast and intimidating.  HOWEVER, Jesus pointed out, “He who is faithful in very little is faithful also in much…”

So you and I can use our influence in this small space called “today” to touch the life of a young person in an encouraging way.

OF COURSE, before we are very effective, WE MUST, being with personal reformation.

GOD WILL HELP US…IF WE ARE WILLING TO ALLOW HIM TO DO SO!

Do Not Worry...

Bob Ridley, a personal friend, has written this challenging poem:

THE SONG OF THE WASTEBASKET

Throw in your trash,

I’ll take troubles too!

Anything you’d cast aside

I’ll take it from you.

For it is all the same to me, you see,

Be it joy or sorrow, I only bear the load today,

And start afresh tomorrow.

Jesus admonishes, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.”

GOD HAS GIVEN US TODAY…HE WANTS TO HELP US USE IT WISELY.

Why is it so hard to be happy?

The reason that happiness is so hard to acquire is because it is found only when one is unselfish enough to earnestly work at making others happy.

“It is one of the most beautiful

compensations of this life

that no man can sincerely try

to help another without

helping himself”  Emerson

“There is a destiny that

makes us brothers,

none goes his way alone:

all that we send into the

lives of others

comes back into our own.”

     Edwin Markham

CONCLUSION:

“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, LET ME DO IT NOW.  Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” 

Timeless Words

Theodore Roosevelt’s words are timeless:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of good deeds could have done better.  THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN WHO IS ACTUALLY IN THE ARENA, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows THE GREAT ENTHUSIASMS, THE GREAT DEVOTIONS; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of HIGH ACHIEVEMENT, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Do you believe in luck?

Success is only a matter of luck…any failure can tell you that.

However, if we are willing to listen to those who have succeeded, we will hear statements like these:

“The only good luck many GREAT PEOPLE ever had was being born with the ability and the determination to overcome bad luck.”

“Bad luck is, in nine out of ten cases, the result of saying PLEASURE FIRST and DUTY SECOND, instead of DUTY FIRST and PLEASURE SECOND.”

“Shallow people believe in luck; wise and strong people in CAUSE AND EFFECT.”

“Luck is a very good word, if a person puts the letter “P” before it.” 

Have you fought the good fight?

The words of Grantland Rice,

a famous sportswriter,

apply to all phases of life:

“You’ll find the road is long and

rough, with soft spots far apart,

where only those can make the

grade who have an Uphill Heart.

And when they stop you with a

thud or jolt you with a crack,

let courage call the signals

as you keep coming back.

Keep coming back, and though the

world may romp across your spine,

let every game’s end find

you still upon the battle line:

For when the ONE GREAT SCORER

comes to mark against your name,

He writes…not that you won or lost…

but how you played the game.

“…the time has come for my departure.

I have fought a good fight…”

The Apostle Paul

Are you willing to deal with the question mark?

The question mark is the coat of arms of the human race.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF US TO ASK:

1.      When is the last time that I did a “random act of kindness?”

2.      Do I see difficulties in every opportunity or opportunities in every difficulty?

3.      Do I see good in others or simply their flaws?

4.      Do I attempt to work through a problem or do I simply try to get around it and consequently never get past it?

5.      What could I accomplish if I were absolutely focused on what I feel is most important in my life?

HOW COMFORTABLE AM I WITH MY ANSWERS?

Do you remember?

Remember how you sang as a child:

“My country, ‘tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my Fathers died,

Land of the pilgrim’s pride,

From every mountain side

Let freedom ring,

OUR FATHER’S GOD TO THEE,

Author of liberty,

To Thee we sing;

Long may our land be bright

With Freedom’s holy light;

Protect us by Thy might,

GREAT GOD, OUR KING.”

(Samuel Francis Smith)

It would be well for both of us to put these words into our hearts and heads TODAY!!

The Four Steps of Character Destruction

A lesson of history is that the more association with evil we have the less evil it appears.  The commonness of vice makes it seem harmless and respectable.  But neither ugliness gets pretty nor wrong gets right by association.

The Four Steps of Character Destruction

1.      Association with evil

2.      Condoning evil

3.      Embracing evil

4.      Addiction to evil

TO AVOID:

“Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

Romans 12:9