A few years ago, Vicki and I visited the Canary Islands where we had the opportunity to ride a camel. One thing I didn’t know before about camels is that they grumble and complain before responding to any command of the wrangler. At first I thought we just ended up with a “bad attitude” camel, but then heard every camel in line responding in the same grumpy way. In contrast, we have a sweet retriever mix in our family named Crystal. I sometimes get up early in the morning to go walking, and even at 5:00 a.m. she wiggles enthusiastically and wags her tail, eager to join me. What about you? Today you have a choice to be a camel or a Crystal. real-estate-opportunity2 click this link to see a real estate opportunity I'm offering!
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Everybody has an opinion. Your opinion of yourself has a lot to do with how you feel on a daily basis. My friend Kirk included an interesting thought within his e-mail today that said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” People often confuse humility with having a poor opinion of yourself, but that is just as much a pride problem as thinking you are better than other people. What you are really saying is that your own opinion is somehow better than, or superior to the opinion of others. So your spouse thinks you are awesome but you think you stink. Your friends think you are incredible but you think you’re miserable. You think you are worthless but God thinks you have immeasurable worth. Who is likely to be right? Don’t cling so tightly to your own opinion that you remain stuck in your…
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My son, Ryan, will be graduating from High School this week. It reminds me of a message I sent out a few years ago about moving to the next level. You know how sometimes you are rolling along with life, feeling that you are getting your stride and figuring some things out when WHAM! Something throws you for a loop, or you find yourself slipping back into some modes that you thought you were past. I've talked with so many people who get discouraged when they see themselves struggling. This is a common human experience - and it does NOT mean that you are failing. It may mean that you are moving to a higher level. Think about it like a video game. In these games that my kids like so well, you always start out at the first level. It can be a little challenging, but as you…
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My good friend, Kirk Weisler, shared a great story this week that I think you will find relevant. You can link into the original post here: http://kirkweisler.com/t4d/2008/05/19/dry-off-and-do-something-step-up/ One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. The farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to toss the dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit…
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Occasionally along the path to our dream we encounter giants that stand in our way and threaten us. In a menacing way, they insist that we turn back, trying to discourage and intimidate. These giants may be immovable objects, opposing individuals, sluggish systems, or crushing burdens. In a scene from Harry Potter, the kids encounter a huge three-headed dog-like beast named “Fluffy”. After fleeing from the beast, Hermione chides the boys a bit for not noticing that the beast was actually guarding something – a trap door. Ask yourself what your particular giant is guarding. Only by moving beyond and through the giants can we attain the dream. Sometimes the brick walls are there only to test how badly we want something. Make sure you have something bigger than your giant on your side – namely your God, your resolve, and your dreams.
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This weekend is Mother’s Day. It is also the time for a funeral for a neighbor of mine. For both of these events, people will bring flowers. I was having a chat with a good friend of mine last week about how sometimes we give the least to those who matter most. He shared a story about a friend of his who died before he really was able to express his love and appreciation. “Give em flowers while they’re living!” is Dino’s advice. What a gift our life and relationships are. Don’t be so caught up in the stuff of your life, that you fail to connect with the ones who mean the most to you.
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In biblical times, people were often warned of the evils and perils of idol worship. While I think that we have tendencies toward that in today’s world as well, another problem that saps the strength of some of our best people is “idle” worship. The allure of easy money, or of sitting idle and relying on the productivity of others has enticed many to pursue a course that actually creates more captivity. Industry, creativity, and good old fashioned hard work are time-tested principles that can breathe the life back into a struggling economy.TRIVARIS.COM/PIU/ Make something today!
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I shared this poem a few years back, but ran across it again this week. I have recently been able to identify the author as Charles Benvegar - originally published in 1967. A great perspective as we figure out which side we are on! Wreckers or Builders I watched them tearing a building down, A gang of men in a busy town. With a ho-heave-ho and lusty yell, They swung a beam and a sidewall fell. I asked the foreman, "Are these men skilled, As the men you'd hire if you had to build?" He gave me a laugh and said, "No indeed! Just common labor is all I need. I can easily wreck in a day or two What builders have taken a year to do." And I thought to myself as I went my way, Which of these two roles have I tried to play? Am I a builder…
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I saw a sign at a construction site this past week that advertised, “Finishers Wanted”. This reminded me of a talk I heard years ago by Thomas S. Monson about how much this sign is really saying. On any job or in any story, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is the ending that gives meaning to the start. My wife even skips ahead when she is reading a book to see how it will end before she decides to spend the time wading through all of the getting there. This world is in great need of more finishers. Your value to other people will include the extent to which you can get it done, not just get it started. Be a finisher.
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I read an inspiring message this week about how the shallow waters are compared to living a life focused on yourself – your job, your money, your house, your rights, your needs, your opinions, your ideas, and your comfort. The deeper waters, in comparison, are about others – family, friends, community, faith, country, and commitment. “Almost every dimension of your life can be held to the shallows or taken into the deeper water. Your career, your involvement with others, your spouse and your children, your politics – each can be lived with you comfortably at the center. Or, they can draw you out of yourself, into service and sacrifice, into selflessness.” – Mitt Romney. I am so impressed with those who are fully immersed in life – doing all they can to add value to the lives of others. These are the producers who also harvest huge returns for…
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