Is there someone’s life you can touch today? Do it. If you smile at a stranger today, will that act make a difference? Try it. If you encourage a co-worker, a neighbor today, what might change? EVERYTHING!

Be a blessing…today.

In an article from the Huffington post, executive coach Nozomi Morgan addressed the topic of work-life balance. She begins with, “Does the phrase “work-life balance” make sense to you? (Because the truth is, it doesn’t make sense to me.)” She goes on to say, “… it sounded totally unachievable.”

Yup, this is a tough one. We are a sleep deprived, stressed out group, often wishing for an eighth day. We are busy, way too busy! So what can we do? The obvious answer is to make changes, but based on what?

In life coaching we talk about the importance of a person’s values. When a person lives out their values there is a sense of internal rightness. So the question is what do you value? Back in post 18 “What Time Is It” I said, “clarify your values. Begin by making a list of what you value. Simply look at your life and list the values that rise naturally out of its context. This is foundational, and values should not be negotiable.” When people don’t live out of their values there is a dissonance. Their lives can become out of tune and unhealthy.

In the October 2016 issue of Success Magazine, Tony Jeary wrote a piece titled “Prioritize Your Values”. He tells us to , “Make a list of your core values and align them with your activities. Once you know what your values are, let them guide your actions in everyday life.” Why is everybody saying the same thing? Hmmm…For those who have never thought about such a thing, he presents a list of words. The reader is to circle 10 words which best describe their personal values, then prioritizes them. If you have not done such an inventory, I encourage you to do so.

Nozomi Morgan makes an important point, work-life balance is unique to each person. There is not one size that fits all. It’s true, what works for me may not work for you. The important thing is to discover what works for you and live it.

Be Encouraged!

I hope you have a healthy pride in who you are and in your gifts and talents. You my friend are the only you and you can celebrate that. But many people allow their pride to become unhealthy. We find a wise warning in the book of Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”

We don’t use words like haughty much these days, but look at Webster’s definition: having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people… The picture painted for us here is of a person whose world revolves around them at the expense of others. They fail to see that others are of great importance. They worship the trinity of stupidity, Me, Myself & I. The long term results are catastrophic.

It’s Labor Day. I just took a drive to Staple’s to get an ink cartridge for our printer. Schools open tomorrow…can we all say stupid. I walked in and the lines were loooong. The cartridge can wait… out the door…back in the car. On the way home listening to the radio, I heard a former governor speaking about his new book. He made the most arrogant statement about himself, and I said out loud, “what a jerk.” And then I thought, “have I ever been an arrogant jerk?” Yes I have.

So what’s the solution for unhealthy pride? It begins by humbling ourselves. Humility cures pride. Removing one’s ego frees us to serve others. To be a great leader, great spouse, great parent, humility is key.

Jesus put it this way, For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

On August 8th I posted a blog called “Others”. It opened with “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (PROV 11:25 NIV) Today I want to show you a picture of generosity. His name is Piotr Malachowski. He won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics for discus. After his win Piotr tried to give it away to help a little boy who desperately needed help. The Poland native decided to auction off his medal to raise funds to for a 3-year-old boy, Olek Szymanski, who is battling eye cancer. Here is the post from his Facebook page, “There is no chance of saving Olek’s eyes in Poland. The only chance is therapy in New York.” He made it clear that he would use the entire sum raised from selling his silver medal to pay for the treatment.

Click here discover the outcome.

I love a good picture, don’t you?

I heard on the news that movie director Arthur Hiller passed away. His name did not ring a bell until the reporter said he had directed the movie Love Story. Love Story was a romantic drama from the golden year of 1970. The famous line from this movie spoken by Ali MacGraw was, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Really?

This description of love sounds like it’s left over pabulum from the 1960’s. We find shallow distorted views of love in music, drama, literature and cinema. How many love songs have been written? How many poems, stories, books published where love was the inspiring force? It’s safe to say it’s more than a few. Why? Because there is nothing like it, nothing. Nothing transforms like, nothing feels better and nothing can cause more pain than love. It speaks louder and clearer than any spoken word…”Love never fails.” 1Cor 13:8

In case no one has told you lately, you are loved! OK, we are not going to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya” but please know you are loved for real. You are loved with an everlasting love…with an unfailing love. Jeremiah 31:3 NLT

And the real love story continues…

I first heard this quote from leadership guru and former pastor John Maxwell. It makes so much sense.

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

It’s a new day ….Live it!

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” PROV 11:25 NIV

When reading biographies of successful, productive and fulfilled people, a thread seems emerge. The thread is their generosity and graciousness… their concern for others.

One of my favorite interviews took place between the late Ron Mehl and HB London. During the interview Mehl shares of an exchange that took place with his mother. She was a Godly, loving woman. He said “Mom I want to be a blessing.” Her reply, “Then be bless-able.”

Giving is a heart and mindset. We should not give to be praised, liked, or worshipped. We don’t give to be loved, but rather we give out of our love… we give out of a grateful heart. If we give to be loved, then we could be enabling some destructive behavior in others. We are also satisfying something going on within us, something that needs attention.

So our motive should not to expect a return on our giving. And yet that’s precisely what we get, a return. If we give unhealthily, expect that type of return. If our giving is healthy, then we can expect that return. It’s true when the Bible tells us, “A man reaps what he sows” Gal 6:7b. And that is in every area of our lives.

So I think Mrs. Mehl’s advice to her son is priceless… “Be Bless-able”.

Years ago I was looking for new car. I saw this used BMW on a lot and went in for a test drive. I put the car in reverse and the coolest thing happened. The side mirrors on the car changed position to give a better view of what was in back of the car, a blind spot. Today, many cars have back up cameras and some even have side sensors to alert the driver to the unseen. The ability to see what’s going on around us is essential to our safety.

But here’s the deal, we all have blind spots in our lives. Things we don’t see, or perhaps we don’t want to see. These blind spots can have devastating consequences in our relationships, our careers, our lives. I have heard too many stories of a spouse walking out on a marriage and the other saying I never saw it coming.

For some living in denial becomes a way of life. For others, exposing those blind spots and taking action is their life plan. If you have been slow to act, I want to challenge you with the following. Find 2 or 3 friends who will speak the truth in love to you. Ask them, what am I not seeing? What or who am I taking for granted? This can be a humbling experience. But remember the person who is speaking the truth in love does so to restore, not to hurt or maim. So be ready for an honest, loving answer. With your new insight begin the work. Be patient with yourself. It will take time, persevere and keep moving in the direction of wholeness.

John Newton had a MAJOR blind spot. He treated certain people like cattle to buy and sell in the slave trade. Newton had a conversion experience and his life changed. With new vision, he wrote a song you may have heard; “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

Seeing is a good thing.

I sensed God nudging me for some time that the music He had given me was not to go unheard. So I cautiously started thinking and praying about recording a CD. There are many decisions that must be made when doing a music project, and one of them is simply; what are you going to call it? I had come across a quote a few times that resonated with me, “Don’t die with the music in you.”

I first read the quote in “Jesus Life Coach”, an inspiring book by life coach and entrepreneur Laurie Beth Jones. It opens the chapter “Leave Regret Behind”. As the premise builds, the author shares a question used to move people to action, “If all things were possible what would you be doing with your life?” The response is telling. She has seen people from all walks of life choke up at the inquiry.

Later, Jones moves to a story of a TV interview between Diane Sawyer and Whitney Houston. She asked the singer, “So which of these drugs was the demon for you? Crack? Cocaine? Heroin?” Whitney paused for a moment, looked her in the eye and said, “None of them was the demon. I was. I had the freedom to choose.” It’s so true, and in this case so sad, but so true. We have the freedom to choose.

So after a time of weighing and praying, a choice was made. I took the quote literally, recorded the CD, and titled it, “The Music in Me”.

Obviously the quote is not just talking about music, but goes back to the question, “If all things were possible what would you be doing with your life?”

What are you waiting for?

After Impatience lead to a clogged toilet bowl spilling all over the floor, and the clean up that caused us to be late, the following conclusion plunged to the forefront. (yes, the pun is intended)

If you are going to rush the process, (whatever that is)… you better leave time to clean up the mess.