One Small Cigarette Butt

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” -Jim Rohn

You have seen it most anywhere that you go. Cigarette butts laying near the intersections of our roads, along the curbs of sidewalks and tossed down the alleys of our cities. It is a habit of so many people to toss these out the window. It makes one wonder if those particular cars came without ash trays. Again, if they did, we have all seen someone pulling up and dumping their ash tray on the ground.

It may be that these people believe cigarette filters are biodegradable. In fact, cigarette butts are not biodegradable in the sense that most people think of the word. The acetate filters can take many years to decompose.

According to the CigaretteLitter.Org folks, "What happens after that butt gets casually flicked onto the street, nature trail, or beach? Typically wind and rain carry the cigarette into the water supply, where the toxic chemicals the cigarette filter was designed to trap leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of the water and many aquatic lifeforms. Cigarette butts may seem small, but with several trillion butts littered every year, the toxic chemicals add up!"

The Ocean Conservancy compiled results of a shoreline cleanup day conducted by volunteers in 68 countries. It covered a combined 34,000 miles of shoreline and collected 7 million pounds of litter, 80 percent of which had been washed from land into the water. Of the 7.7 million items of debris collected worldwide in 2006, cigarettes and cigarette butts accounted for roughly 1.9 million, the sixth consecutive year they have topped the list.

Within cities, the cost to clean up these small and seemingly insignificant eye sores is astounding. In San Francisco, annual clean up costs run close to $11 million; a cost that is shared by taxpayers. It is $11 million that could go to parks, school funding or other needed public services. But there are many that only consider themselves.

In surveys, many smokers blame their littering behavior on a lack of well-placed bins for cigarette butts. Yet, would these same people toss a cigarette out at the curb of their home. There is no handy trash bin available along their driveway at home, so is it littered with cigarette butts. Somehow I doubt that is the case.

Ashtrays have been available in cars for quite a few years. The excuse of no nearby trash bin doesn't work for the car driver. Although the mindset not to dirty their own property, the one that keeps them from dirtying the ash tray in their car is the same one that thinks nothing of tossing a cigarette butt elsewhere.

The point here is not to pick just on smokers as there is plenty to go around. The point is to take responsibility for life around you. That we each need to look beyond our own self and see how everything we do impacts others. Taking others into consideration in making decisions improves life for all. It improves your life even greater then being self-centered. It isn't all about you. It is about all of us.

There will be disagreement from others and those that look outward will continue to do so. The idea is to stop for a moment and think about your actions. Taking responsibility in this small area will mean responsibility in bigger areas of your life. Be a bigger, more responsible person and see it change your life for the better.

Happy Birthday Dad

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." -Unknown

Today is my father's 79th birthday, nearly eighty years of viewed life. There has been so much seen by his eyes. I send along happy wishes for so much more to see. His has been a life that like so many of us in which happy and sad events have defined his path.

I have always liked the picture above showing my mother and he in their last year of high school. Sweethearts with so much life's adventure ahead of them. To know their story, to know what has happened to them through the years is a great lesson for me.

Now it is very likely my father will not see this post. He isn't much for things like computers or the Internet. It can be frustrating for me knowing how much is available to him. And then I realize the frustration is more about me then it is him. He is happy with magazines, newspapers, radio and television. He likely gets more information on a daily basis then I do.

After my mother passed away from Pancreatic Cancer, I worried that he would be lost. He was to a certain degree and probably still struggles with it today. When you are married to someone for nearly 60 years, losing the other can be like losing your internal compass. What was is no longer other then the memory of everything you did on a daily basis with each other.

But I am proud of him and how he is adjusting. There are things I would have him do differently I suppose, but then again I realize those thoughts are more about me then it is him.

One needs to lift their eyes and look outward to see that each of us are unique. It should be our effort to embrace the difference and to nurture it. There will be disagreement but there will also be room for compromise. All we have to do is to look beyond ourselves and see life out ahead of us.

So a big "Happy Birthday" shout out to you Dad and hoping that you get to see so many more. And just maybe you'll take a chance one day on a computer. Okay, we'll start with that cell phone thing first.

Love you.

Mission: FIRE

“Each morning the day lies like a fresh shirt on our bed; this incomparably fine, incomparably tightly woven tissue of pure prediction fits us perfectly. The happiness of the next twenty-four hours depends on our ability, on waking, to pick it up.” -Walter Benjamin

October is the eighth month in the old Roman calendar, from the Latin "octo" meaning "eight". How could it possibly be the eighth month you say? This month retained its name when January and February were added to the calendar. You see, the calendar was originally created by the Romans and the year began in March. This meant that instead of October being the 10th month of the year it was originally the 8th month of the year.

What could this possibly have to do with anything?

It has to do with it being the first day of the month. The start of a new month, the start of a new day, the start of new possibility. We get a new chance every day, every week, month and year to accomplish new and greater things.

What becomes of our accomplishment depends upon the fire we set within our soul. It is that burning desire to chase our dreams and goals. With our new day or month, it is never too late to begin a change that brings new found light into your life.

Once you make that decision to light your spirit, you will be unable to contain it. The light will cause you to lift your eyes and see outwardly. The light will begin to shine brightly on others and fill the darkness.

Yes it might be the 'eighth' month of the year, but it does not matter if the 'eighth' or the 'tenth'; any month, any day of the year is the right time to catch that fire.

Call it MISSION:FIRE, the start of a greater day for the world.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Jim! You know, I never tire of this picture.


It is someone's birthday today. Do something nice, maybe sing a birthday song or wish them the best. Just spread a little cheer to those that deserve the attention.

Got Busy

Sorry for not writing on Thursday. Apparently I spaced off with other work. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then....look deeply into the picture.

Doing What Others Will Not

I have an acquaintance through the social media tool called Twitter. His Twitter name is @indiemoviemaker and is a filmmaker and actor. I'd recommend reading his blog to learn more about what he went through a couple of years ago. Also, do that thing I talk about so much; encourage, support, tell others.

Now even though we know each other through Twitter, I would not be bold enough to use the word friends. I really like the guy for as much as I know him through Twitter. Yet all we know of each other are our brief conversations and reading each others blogs and websites. Besides, I wouldn't presume to be known as a 'friend' simply because I follow his updates.

One day maybe we will have the opportunity to have a beer together, in person. At that point, maybe we will become good friends. But in following David, I sense his commitment to success, doing what he has to do in the pursuit of his dream. He reminds me of a quote from Albert E.N. Gray, that reads “The common denominator of success --- the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful --- lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do.”

Each of us will determine our level of success by what we are willing to do. I'm not talking about the moral or ethical choices because I believe you should always take the high road on those two subjects. What I am talking about is the hard work that is required. The hard choices one must make to continue on their chosen path. It could mean taking a job you don't want in order to support short term your goals. It could mean giving up certain comforts such as a nice car or expensive living arrangements.

As the quote reads, it is in doing those things necessary that failures would rather not do. We build ourselves and what may seem like two steps back is actually going to push us ahead even further.

There is no way I can predict @indiemovemaker...excuse me, David's success. I can only encourage and wish him great success. I feel he will achieve it, but it takes the hard work from him, the hard choices and sustained belief in himself that will actually propel him to greatness.

Be willing to do what others will not. Then you will find yourself on a path to success.

Operation Make A Difference

This is a heart warming story that I hope will move you to make a small contribution. The story comes from 11Alive here in the greater Atlanta area. So read the story, watch the video and then go to Operation Gracyn and make a difference.

LOGANVILLE, Ga. -- In the town of Loganville, so many in the community have reached out to help a four-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

The girl is Gracyn Rhodes, and she was born at just 2 lbs., 6 oz. eleven weeks ahead of schedule. Her mother, Brandi, says doctors told her that night Gracyn would be "lucky to make it through the night."

Gracyn made it through the night, but she was developmentally slow and two years later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The two years since have been filled with therapy, injections, and braces -- even though Gracyn has learned to walk relatively well without them.

But she still struggles and falls frequently. Her family believes they have found the answer in a rare surgery called SDR; it helps with the spasticity and only applies a few CP patients.

But Gracyn falls into that group.

The surgery costs $40,000 and is best done in St. Louis; insurance won't cover out-of-state surgery, so the family has turned to the community in Loganville.

And the community has responded.

In less than a month, the people of Loganville have contributed roughly $14,000 to Gracyn. But, of course, that's not nearly enough, and Gracyn's parents are hoping to have raised the full $40,000 before their daughter's surgery in October.

Please go to www.operationgracyn.com to find out more and donate to the cause.

(Click to play the add...then click play again to see the news story)

Sick

Apologies, had a stomach virus that put me down for the day. But I'm back on Friday for certain.

The Good Life

Do we already have what we want or need in life?



It is a great day, enjoy a good life.
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Contentment Right Here

"It's alright. Wherever you are right now, I tell you it's alright. That's where you're supposed to be now." -311

Soon I will have the annual celebration each of us have, which is a birthday. That ritual we perform to mark the successful completion of another year in this great life. It will be different this time around as my mother will not be here this time. She passed away last October from Pancreatic Cancer and each of us miss her. My sister passed away back in the late 1980s and there are those days in which I would love to have her here.

But my faith in God and understanding of life in general gives me contentment. Where I am in life right now, "it's alright." I don't share the passing of my mother to garner sympathy, but to note that each of us have our pain and joys in life. Not having loved ones to share this day with me can be sad, but I'll choose to have the memory of them with me. Joy will fill my heart in knowing "it's alright."

The picture you see is of my mother and sister many years ago. It is a picture that I found somewhat interesting in that you can see others in the mirror. Those people are my father and a couple of siblings. But why so interesting? It is as if I am getting a glimpse of them together from the other side. And those in the living mirror are what my mother and sister get to watch everyday.

It gives me that contentment I spoke about, that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. That it is alright both for me and for them. It makes me believe that if you can realize this contentment, your own life will be much better. It will allow you to feel the joy that life really is meant to be.

Find your joy in this life. Know that "it's alright" and experience that joy.
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Change Happens

Change happens in small ways and in increments. That profile picture just doesn't do my good looks any justice. Yes, I am poking a bit of fun at myself. I have so much more that I want to say and continue to find ways to get you to read this blog.

A change in the format, look and feel is something that can spark a renewed interest. Change is a doorway to something new that will expand your life. Change is a never ending process we each go through. In other words, change is good.

I hope to continue doing this for a very long time and hope that you get just a little bit of encouragement, a little bit of wisdom, or a little bit of hope each day. Take what you learn and pass it on to someone else. Take the goodness in your heart and pass it through to them.

Ride with me on this journey and together we'll make it a wonderous life. Together we can make a difference. But changes happen and the time goes by without realizing it happened.

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes.....


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Constructing Change

I speak of change in my articles and change is coming to my blog. If all goes as planned, you will see a new look to this site next week. That time has come to allow the page to 'step through a door of change' and be different.

But until then, think of what you can do to change the world. What one thing can you do to make a difference for someone else. What one word do you have inside that will create change?

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Joseph William Primm

I have been taking a couple days off from writing as I attend the C3 Americas Conference. Just taking this time to refresh my spirit. I understand that reading my articles have become an accustomed daily thing for many of you. So I take it seriously when I fail to write during the weekday. You get something from reading them and I get something from writing.

Also, I have a big announcement today......

On AUGUST 19, 2009 my nephew Bill and his wife Kelli gave birth to their first son born last night. His grandparents, Jerry and Linda are excited and proud to say the least.

Joseph William Primm
7 lbs 3 oz
19 inches long

And with red hair, which makes him an exceedingly good looking kid!



JOSEPH - from Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add".

WILLIAM - from the Germanic name Willahelm, which was composed of the elements wil "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection".

Joseph William Primm will add greatness and protection of others through out his life. Welcome to the world Joseph.
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Keep Calm and Carry On

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” -Michael Caine

Back in early 1939, the British government was having to consider the possibility of a German invasion on British soil. The government had to find a way to show the people that all efforts to protect and defend them was being done.

Propaganda posters such as the one above were being made ready. The message was simple, Keep Calm and Carry On. Two-and-a-half million copies were printed, although the poster was distributed only in limited numbers.

The history of this poster and others is fascinating to read. Something so simple that can truly have an impact on the pulse of a nation. I then position that against the quote from Michael Caine that surely you can remain calm on the surface, "...like a duck, calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath." Our outer demeanor can remain calm and observant as we go about our day. Yet inside we are working feverishly to keep moving forward.

The bigger picture for me though is that regardless of the madness of the world around you, remaining calm can allow you to focus on actually moving forward. Not the easiest thing when there are 'bombs' dropping all around you. It is exactly at those times when you need to remain calm and focused, paddling like the dickens on the inside.

Find it within yourself to remain calm when all seems to be going wrong, when the warfare of calamity strikes. Then focus on the inside and begin the process of moving forward towards more peaceful times. In other words, "keep calm and carry on" with your life.
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Lift Your Eyes

Today I'm taking a break, concentrating on my C3 Beyond volunteer work. We have several projects happening. Lift your eyes and do what you can for someone today, large or small.
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Operation Gracyn

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." ~Angela Schwindt

Today it is simple, help a child in need. Gracyn Rhodes is a child in need of a surgery that will change her life forever.

"...a miracle child right from the beginning. Eight weeks into my pregnancy they gave her a 50% chance of survival. At 28 weeks, on April 29, 2005, Gracyn Summer Rhodes was born, weighing only 2 pounds 6 ounces and was no bigger than her Daddy’s hand.

Unfortunately, our joy was short-lived. The most heart crushing moment was when I bravely asked the doctor, what Gracyn’s first goal would be. His response, “to make it through the night”. In our pursuit to give Gracyn the best possible care, she was sent to a neurologist to perform an MRI.

It was then that we were given the biggest blow of all: Gracyn was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. This was the beginning of yet another exhausting and confusing journey. No instruction manual. No such thing as a “CP doctor”. What now? We kept searching and calling and researching, until one day, we found SDR."

What can you do?

You can help by donating small or large amounts to help the Rhodes pay for their daughter's surgery. Time is of the essence as the window of opportunity is small. The Rhodes are going forward regardless of any one's assistance, any parent would. But we can help them with the costs, with the transportation, with the housing needed while in St. Louis and the cost of physical therapy when they return home. Very little of the costs are covered by insurance, so any amount you can donate is appreciated.

How do you donate?

Stop what you are doing right now and go to Operation Gracyn and click on the "CHIP IN" button now.

But how do I find out more before donating?

All of the information is contained on the Operation Gracyn website. It also contains a link that describes the SDR surgery, doctor, hospital and anything you need to find out.

But most of all, click on that CHIP IN button and donate $4, $40, $400, $4000 or $40,000. Any amount will help and is greatly appreciated.

"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us." -Flora Edwards
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Mending A Fishing Net

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." -Henry David Thoreau

UPDATED ARTICLE: How To Mend A Fishing Net

I have had many people come to my web blog looking for ways to 'mend a fishing net'. Most times they end up with my article Mending Fishing Nets that speaks about keeping the 'network' of friends you have in life close and in repair.

But in fairness to those that have commented and are looking for a way to 'really' mend a fishing net, then I provide the following links below to sites that offer real tips on mending fishing nets.

It is a starting place for those in need of net repairing information. I don't receive any money if you click on the link. I just felt it necessary to give those that want that type of site, a link to get there.

And if you need some encouragement because your net is in bad need of repair; read some of my articles and see if it helps.

Mending a Net

DIY Fishing Tips: fishing net repair

How to Mend a Fishing Net

So come back and read a few articles on my site that will give you something to think about while mending your nets. It will help you strengthen the 'net' of friendships and life around you.

Happy Fishing
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Talent Within

Bela Kremo

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that, we must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." -Marie Curie

The quote that I use often is "Believe in your vision, act upon that vision and then realize the vision." Each of us have a talent within that allows us to do great things in this life. The struggle is to believe in it and to have the courage to use that talent. Some people easily express their talent and everyone looks at them thinking what a genius they are.

You can be that genius as well by believing in yourself. A huge step for some of us is in the 'believing' part. You have it inside of you but convincing oneself to bring it to the surface creates tension and doubt. You struggle to nurture it while all along, external forces are saying, "you can do it."

Maybe it is fear of failure that could possibly expose a weakness. We are human and imperfect; failure is simply an opportunity to learn and grow. Or possibly the reason is that we lack self confidence. We convince our self that we will never be good enough. Yet you get up everyday and perform superbly. That alone should be enough reason to know you can do anything.

Is it simple as that? Not really, but you'll never know without trying. It is said that you will miss the target 100% of the time if you never shoot the arrow. That is guaranteed. But if you allow yourself to release the arrow, eventually it will find its mark.

Pull the talent you have within to the surface. Allow yourself to believe. You can achieve what you want in life.
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Open Opportunity

Giving a plug to a great missions organization that could use your financial support. Open Road Missions (ORM) is a non-profit international aide organization dedicated to providing opportunities for people to become involved in the lives of those less fortunate.

Founded in 2007 by Paul OConnell, ORM is currently providing food, clothing, medical care and supplies to needy families in Peru. They work with local organizations to assess primary needs and determine the best possible methods for providing help.

If you would like to support the mission financially, go to Open Road Missions or contact Paul at paul@openroadmissions.com to find out more.
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Opened To More

"Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway." -Robert Anthony

There is a small part in each of us that would rather sit behind the closed door. We would rather be complacent in the comfort of the small space we occupy. The idea of opening ourselves to something beyond our controlled atmosphere frightens us.

The artificial lights within our home provide just enough warmth to keep us satisfied. We read the paper, search the Internet and generally create a small piece of life. You feel there is no need to extend your world beyond the front door.

A large world exists beyond the threshold of your home. That world can use someone like you to enter it on a larger scale. The world needs the interaction of you. You need the interaction of the world in order to grow. It is said that a mushroom grows very well in the cool dark and wetness of an enclosed space. It grows even better when fed that four letter word which begins with an 's', a lonely existence in my mind.

But the flower flourishes outside in the world under a beaming sun. It draws strength from the cool rain water and nutrients of the earth. The flower is found by the world to be a source of inspiration. It brings beauty where none exists.

Are you that flower? No, I'm not that eloquent to suggest you are. What you are is someone that can flourish out in the world. Interacting with other people, impacting their lives with even the smallest of what you can offer. All it takes is to open that door and step out. To step out and beyond the walls that surround you will bring so much more to your life.

Try it today; open the door and step through it. Find a way to put yourself out in the world and do something for someone else. It all comes back around eventually. Some may call it 'paying it forward'. In this case, nothing may have been done for you yet. Well, you can start the process first. Be the first one in the chain that 'pays it forward' and it will eventually come back around when you least expect it (but need it most).

Open the door on your life and begin.
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Mission Ecuador

“People who care about each other enjoy doing things for one another. They don't consider it servitude.” -Ann Landers

Today I am writing to make a request for your assistance. My daughter will be traveling to Cuenca, Ecuador on a three month Mission Trip. She will be working with the Verbo Church during her time in Ecuador.

Not long ago, she visited Ecuador on a mission trip with the The C3 Church-Atlanta School of Ministry. After returning from this incredible experience, she made the decision to go back for three months. During her time she will be living in Cuenca with the wonderful family that coordinated all of the events and details of the first missions trip.

While there this time, she will be serving in various departments of the Verbo Church, including the orphanage and clothing outreach programs. Additionally she will be learning how their church is run and operated along with being enrolled in a language school run by the church.

One big reason she is embarking on this missions trip is to assist and better learn how this group is having such a huge impact on their local community. It was very interesting to see this impact and she wants to learn all she can from the church leaders and members. There is a lot that can be learned from these people.

More importantly, she is looking to learn from and in teaching the kids within the orphanage. When it comes down to it, helping these children will have a large impact on their lives.

She already has her plane ticket and is leaving in late August of 2009. The estimated need for her internship will be $3,000. Please consider donating what you can. Every bit helps her reach the goal and any amount is greatly appreciated.

If you feel more comfortable in doing so, you can send your gift through the local church here in Atlanta, address and website given below.

The C3 Church - Atlanta
1065 Walther Blvd
Lawrenceville, GA 30043 USA

WEBSITE: The C3 Church - Atlanta

Just mark your donations for "Pareesa Sarabi-Ecuador Missions". Yes, she is my step-daughter but I'm overly proud to simply call her my daughter. Its a big step for a young adult and going BEYOND your normal walls will help others in a large way.
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Family

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
~Desmond Tutu

Recently my wife and I attended a family reunion some distance away. These occur once every two years on my wife's side of the family. It was a great time once again to meet and talk with relatives.

Each reunion, a different family volunteers to plan the next event which is held in many varying places. These reunions can result in upwards of a hundred people attending. Certainly no small feat for the ones planning as cost, location, things to do and of course our final evening dinner together.

This year was no different in planning, but due to the slumping economy, weddings and such...the turn out was smaller. But it was a great time for everyone. The costs were low, the 4th ranked in the nation Henry Doorly Zoo, greats museums such as the Durham Museum or the Joslyn Art Museum along with the Childrens Museum where Elmo was visiting were big hits.

Of course the golfing, shopping in the Old Market, restaurants...there was much to do. So yes, every two years, one set of family members become spokespeople for the local Visitors Bureau. This year, we had a great time and everyone enjoyed getting to see each other once again.

At the end of each reunion, we hold a family dinner. It is here that we all get to be in one place for fellowship, pictures and awards. Yes, awards for the family golf tournament or putt-putt golf tournament. Awards are given for the oldest person, the youngest, the farthest and so on. Small token gifts, but well meaning to acknowledge those in attendance.

A way to let everyone see each other one last time before parting ways in the morning. This year we were able to have the majority of my family attend as well due to the proximity of where they live. Two different families coming together to meet and say hello is a great thing.

It is also a way to let the elders of the family get up and speak to us. This year, my wife's Uncle Mike got up to speak. He reminded us of those that could not make it this year. He reminded us of those that are no longer with us. It was twenty-two years ago that he and his brothers decided that getting together only for funerals was not the way to do it. So eleven reunions have occurred, keeping family members from different corners close and in touch.

So now you are wondering, why all of the fuss over a family reunion? Simply to give you an idea, to plant a seed in your mind, to nudge you to do the same. Whether you have a large or a small family. Or whether it is a close or an extended family, getting together every so often is important.

Enjoy the aspects of family, enjoy being related.
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Overcoming Challenges

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they are supposed to help you discover who you are." - Bernice Johnson Reagon

This year's Atlanta Peachtree 10K Roadrace is over and 55,000 runners gave it their all. From highly trained athletes to the casual walker, each one faced and overcame the challenge of completing this 6.1 mile course on a warm July 4th morning.

For me, the challenge was to volunteer for this great event. Even with the training I had taken to run this event again, it was the spirit of volunteering that moved me. The ability to see some great runners finish and the excellent wheelchair athletes were fantastic. And then there were the thousands upon thousands of individual runners I was able to cheer and congratulate at the finish line.

With these challenges behind all of us, a new one comes before me. The Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon. A 13.1 mile excursion down Peachtree Street the morning of Thanksgiving ending at the home stadium of the Atlanta Braves. So it will be a big challenge for both myself and my wife.

For each of us, challenges occur not only in the running or sports world, but they occur in our everyday lives. Each day, a new challenge can present itself to us. The idea is to tell ourselves that we can accomplish the task. To overcome the challenge and find new opportunity beyond it.

Are you defeating yourself before the start by not believing in yourself? Or are you starting with the belief that you can overcome anything? Phrases such as 'going the distance' and 'finishing strong' are words that you tell yourself. But you have to believe in them as well.

Believing in oneself is the first major step in overcoming any type of challenge, the rest is just hard work. Overcome your fear of failure, believe in your ability to overcome any challenge in life.
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Fill In The Gaps

"Our relationships with others is a means to fill in the gaps of each one's life." -Joe Primm

As we go about trying to live our life, we find that we have gaps in what we are and what we can do. It may be a lack of knowledge in something such as how to cook a meal or balance a check book. Maybe it is trouble finding a job or trying to overcome the emotion of losing that job.

Our life also has exactly that just mentioned, a gap in understanding of certain emotions we encounter. How should one feel when something quite exciting or suddenly sad occurs. It seems to be a never ending struggle to fill those various types of gaps in our life.

This is where each of us can allow our relationship with others to take each of us to greater levels. Collectively we can help fill some of those gaps in someones life. In return, others can fill the gaps in your life as well. It is these 'inter-connections' that can make all of the difference in the world to another person.

A close friend that provides you with support when things are going rough is a gap filled. A spouse there to lift you after a tough few days of work is a gap filled. Anything missing in one's life can be a gap filled.

When I think of my spouse, there are so many parts of me that I could not fill on my own. She has qualities that bring fullness to my life as a person. It is a well worn and some say 'corny' line from a movie, but "she completes me." The gaps in my life are filled by all that I am not, by all that she is.

We can chose in our life to help fill a gap in someone else's life. To care for another person by being a friend, a mentor or something much deeper is a gap filled. Our relationships with others is a means to fill in the gaps of each one's life. Do not be the type of person that enlarges that gap in their life. Be the type of person that fills the gap.
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Birthday Wish

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” - Pamela Vaull Starr

The youngest of the eight turns 19 today, the last teen of so many children we have raised. My four boys and my wife's four girls, one final year with a teenager in the house. So let me get this out of the way first;

"Happy Birthday To You !!"
"Happy Birthday To You !!"
"Happy Birthday Dear Jake-man !!"
"Happy Birthday To You !!"

Sounds better in written format and it will not chase off readers of this article. But as any parent, we are proud of all our children and their individual talents. On his birthday though we turn attention to the youngest. Surely his brothers harass him on being the 'baby' of the family, but he stands on his own.

His musical talent, song writing skills and guitar playing amaze me immensely. The band he co-founded called Electric Eel House Surprize (EEHS for short) is getting close to releasing their first CD. They have had a very successful first live appearance at a local night club where many bands get their start.

Of course, the parent in me wants him to get that college degree to 'safe guard' him against the cruel statistics of the music business. If anything, the knowledge can help guard him against the cruelty of the business itself. But my greater want is for him to reach for his dreams, to be successful and share his talent with the world.

It is anything that any parent would want for their own child. We simply want it for all eight of our children. But again, today it is Steve's birthday and our wish is for him to have success. He will work for it, he will earn it, he will enjoy that success.

Be a cheer leader for yourself, but be a cheer leader for your children. Lift them and if need be, lift them up and past you. There is no feeling like it in this world. And should they fall, you will be there to catch them; to help dust them off; to help push them back up again. Your life will be rewarded far beyond imagine.

So happy birthday Steve, happy birthday everyone!
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Tomorrow

Birthday Wish message for my son and for the child of anyone .... tomorrow !
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Lifting Up

"The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden." - Phillips Brooks

Every day we have two choices to make in dealing with other people. One, we can put them down and discourage them. Or two, we can encourage them and help lift them up. And in your own life, you have experienced both choices as people interact with you.

It is tough enough going through various circumstances in life without others beating you down. I have to stop and ask myself as well on many occassions if I'm lifting or pushing down others. So I won't claim to be an innocent in this part of life.

But I do work on it and believe if others thought more about their actions, each of our lives would be better. At the very least, we would have more encouragement to endure some of the trials we go through.

So think about your own actions towards others and try to lift them when possible. Soon enough, it may be you that requires some lifting as well.
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Living Attitude

"Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe." - Voltaire

I will admit that I am not very good when it comes to being sick. The kind of sick that is the minor kind like a flu or head cold. My way of battling is to hunker down, drink lots of water and try not to talk very much. Hopefully I am not a whining type of sick person, but only my wife would be able to tell.

When I think about being sick though, I always wonder how I would react to the big ones. When surgery is required or some greater form of cancer or disease. Those would be the things that a person really has a right to be whiny about. And when I look back at others I have watched go through a major ordeal, it is not being whiny that I saw in them.

A good friend of ours had a form of brain cancer many years ago. She was healed and has had many years of healthy living. Then recently, there was a concern, a spot that appeared again. The worst could be thought and the worry came back over, yet she braved it with great faith and resolve.

The spot was revealed to have been just old scar tissue and is not cancerous. She never lost her faith during this ordeal. She smiled, she lived and she fought off all of the bad things that could have overcome her. Never a 'woe is me' came from her on what could have been completely different.

I also remember watching my Mother go through her fight with Pancreatic Cancer this past year. While she had symptoms (knowing what we know now) back in late 2007, she was diagnosed in January of 2008. It is said normally that by the time it is diagnosed, it is already too late.

But my mother fought the good fight, trying the various rounds of chemo treatments bravely and always with a smile. And as she lay in her final days with family gathered around, she continued to teach us with stories and laughter. Her faith is what kept her in good stead through out. She told us at one point that "prayer was for us before we knew what prayer was."

I do not know each of your beliefs on prayer nor do I write to convince you to pray. For me I find prayer comforting in many ways, believing in my faith to help pull me through despite what is happening in the natural. I learned from my mother and many others, that you approach sickness just as anything else two ways. One is to give up and foster a bad attitude. The second is to fight it and keep a good attitude about it.

I choose the second option to live life, fight pain, or approach anything that happens with a good attitude. It will keep my mind clear and energy available to focus on the great things that can happen. Never do I want to waste that on complaint and woe, neither is useful. In the summation of my life, people will have enjoyed being around me through all the ups and downs of that life. And I will have lived a greater life because of it.
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What Inspires You

I came across this video made through Intel by Sir Ken Robinson, author and expert in the field of human resources. It is a short but interesting view into what inspires him.



Yet the point isn't to show you who or what inspires other people. The point is for you to examine your own life and try to understand who or what inspires you.

When you do, it will help you better understand who you are. So take some time and find those inspiring people and things in our life. Do those things lift you up or drag you down? If they drag you down, discard them and find new inspirations. If they lift you up, learn from them and draw upon the strength they can give you.

By allowing yourself to be inspired by those that lift you, will one day find you being the inspiration to others.
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Roll Away The Stone

I listened last night to a wonderful speaker name Jurgen Matthesius give a new perspective, at least for me, on letting go of our old ways. You know those things that you carry like a wagon full of stones, never letting go of past hurts or complaints.

He spoke on a Bible verse, John 11:38 in which Lazarus is raised from the dead. Now most readers know I do not get into religion in my writings. But this story told by Jurgen was a beautiful spin on letting go of those past issues. To "roll away the stone" and "step back out into the light" gives us a new life.

I will likely write more about this as it is still sinking in. It is a story that can help you get on with life and experience a renewed chapter of greatness. So if interested, pick up and read the verse and subsequent verses. Then sit back and think about all of the past things you drag along behind you.
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Belief In Miracles

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
- Albert Einstein

The word 'miracle' comes from the Late Latin word miraculum, a wonder, marvel or amazing event. The Merriam-Webster dictionary calls it an "extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs." Or an "extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment."

There are many different stories told through out the ages of miracles. From the Bible story of Jesus turning water into wine, to Dr. Paula Mahone at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa who delivered septuplets in six minutes. The wide and varied examples of miracles would fill a multitude of books.

You are probably wondering if I believe in miracles and the answer is yes. There are things that happen in life that are simply unexplainable. But not only the unexplainable, I marvel at what we as humans can and continue to accomplish. Whether it be from divine intervention or something else, 'everything is a miracle' in my eyes.

You can find miracles in your everyday life as well. Though you might ask, "why should I believe in miracles?" My way of thinking is that by believing in miracles, we open ourselves to possibilities that otherwise we may not have considered. It will allow us to try things that without the belief would not have been tried. Others have called this type of belief a form of desperation. I call it courage to accept the impossible.

Common sense would tell you that a man could not lift a car to save another man's life, but it did happen. Or that a young boy accidentally shot in the head would live to walk out of a Brooklyn Hospital. On the surface you would say neither of these could happen, but they did. Is there an explanation, probably of some sort, but they are amazing and a belief in the miraculous certainly didn't hurt.

So as you see a wondrous sunrise or a spectacular sunset, everything in between can be viewed as a miracle. Amazing events that fill our lives each and everyday.
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Marriage Of Figaro

Today is a big day for my daughter Sarra and Chester. A wedding of two wonderful people will occur this evening. It is exciting and full of possibility when two people begin to share their lives together.



May the loving memory of today's event live on and hold them in good stead for an entire lifetime of togetherness. I wish this for them and for all married and soon to be married couples.
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Career Change

Federal Art Project, WPA, [between 1936 and 1939]

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." - Henri Louis Bergson

Another great day ahead of me as my oldest son ventures back home from where he lives in Denver, Colorado. Another of those guys that is walking through a door of change currently.

For the past several years, he has been both Executive chef and Sous chef, having done very well at it. But the nature of that profession can be very difficult in terms of hours and days worked. The longevity in any one location can be short as well as other demanding aspects of the job.

He has made a career decision to go back to school and learn a new profession. It is a big step and one that has its own challenges. But it is a step out in faith to go for something that will change his life. His story is similar to those in my book, CHANGED LIVES in which a step towards something new is what begins the journey.

So while you sit and worry about your current circumstance, life if moving on with or without you. The only person that can achieve things for you, is you. By making that first step through a door of decision will put you on a path to something new.

For advice on seeking a new career, I suggest a good informational site on the USAA website. They offer a checklist and "no, I get nothing as an endorsement". It is one of several great sites out on the web providing great advice.

So make that decision and walk through that door. So many have and so will you.
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Salute To Change

Big, big day as my son Dan is returning from Germany where he was stationed with the 1st Armored Division. He is an Iraq war veteran and is being transferred back to a base here in the United States. It has been nearly a year and half since last seeing him.

This is a man that was slowly driving himself down further into the depths of nothing. He was out of high school, drifting around trying to figure out his life and falling even further.

It was on his own that he made that decision to join the military. He made that decision to change his life. It is a decision much like those made by the people from my book, CHANGED LIVES. There will be tough times and there have been during his change of direction, but he is heading in the right direction. He is made it to the level of Sargeant, earned awards and doing very well at this time.

The point in sharing this with you is that along with being proud of my son, it also shows that you can make a change for the better. Even when all seems to be going down hill, the push back up can happen.

So stand tall, know that change can happen, life can get better.
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Possibility

“Impossible is a word humans use far too often.” -Jeri Ryan

As I end up a week of providing short excerpts from my book CHANGED LIVES, the lasting impression should be one of possibility. I firmly believe that you can make a change in your life if needed. I also believe that we can each achieve quite a bit by first believing in that word again, possibility.

~~~~~~

Without grabbing hold of a new way of thinking, a new way of approaching life, I could not move to a better life. I began to shed the ‘victim’ mentality and accepted a new attitude. As the days passed, I even returned to the building by the crossroads. Possibility was once again in my heart and mind.

Then it happened as it does to everyone that chooses to change. For some it is a chance encounter, to others it is a friend making a suggestion. It comes in many different forms and not always as a bolt of lightening. Many times it is a subtle change of wind that causes us to take that next step. From that moment of change, in the pouring rain in the depths of sorrow, my path was now brought back to this door of opportunity.

“And I stepped through the open door.”

~~~~~~

For myself, possibility was to move on from what was a very difficult time in my life. It allowed me to start this web blog to encourage others. It allowed me to write two books so far. None of this is my professional work and I earn nothing from a monetary view point. What I do earn is knowing that people get moved to action in their own lives.

All of us need that little bit of encouragement or push to move on in life. This blog and the books are meant to help in a small way. So I hope you read the book, take a little bit of something from it and then pass it along. You can think of it as that pebble dropped in the water. The ripples that you set in motion will impact another and another and another....
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Change In Latitude

"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better." -King Whitney Jr

What happens when you open the door and the whole landscape is different? Are you ready to step through that door of change?

In the book CHANGED LIVES, there is one such man that changed everything.

~~~~~~

After ten years as an assistant pastor of a church, I moved to the South American country of Peru. I started my own non-profit organization and began helping others in need. Wow, that was so easy to write; a few keystrokes that contain a major life reroute.

Leaving my old life proved to be a tough assignment. When D-Day arrived I needed some coaxing. There were good friends of mine that gently pried me out of my familiar world.

Those birthing pains continued as I arrived in Lima, Peru on a cold and clammy July night. You must remember that it would be the middle of winter in the southern hemisphere.

~~~~~~

A change in latitudes is sometimes what one needs to truly make a difference in their life. When you decide change is needed and you open the door, be ready for the unexpected. And then walk through and embrace all that it has to offer.
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To Climb The Mountain

"To climb a mountain, you must first walk through a door of decision to climb it." -Joseph Primm

In the book CHANGED LIVES, Kristien talks about a life spiraling out of control. So many things had happened in his young life and he was allowing those circumstances to be his excuse.

Many people find that succumbing to circumstance is an easier route to take then overcoming. If we can blame it on something else, we feel it justifies our pain or guilt. Yet we only drive ourselves further into the ground.

As Kristien told me his story, I wondered how many 'bottoms' one could reach.

~~~~~~

One night, at my mother’s home, my brother was having a party. Naturally we were drunk as can be. I had started that morning with my brother. My mother was not amused by the party and started trying to talk some sense into a few of us. It escalated to an argument and I lost my mind.

I pulled a knife on my own mother. I started screaming while cutting myself and pointing the knife at her. Luckily my oldest brother was there to beat me down and take the knife away. I can still remember to this day the way I felt the next morning. I called my mom and apologized.

We talked it through a bit and we got a number for a psychiatrist from our pastor. This was one of the best things I could have done in my life.

~~~~~~

The process isn't simple and the set backs can be many. It is the choice to walk through the door that is the first step in climbing the mountain of change.

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The Oak Door

“Every wall is a door.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

In my book CHANGED LIVES, the chapter called "Choice at the Crossroads" talks about my early years. It is those times of your life that tend to form the 'first' you. These early years will cement much of who you are.

We each have to learn where we came from in order to better understand who we are today. With that knowledge, we can better make choices that will allow us to change.

~~~~~~

It was during these formative years that I developed the ‘good son’ mentality. Do what was told of you, do it to your best and then do it even better. Being raised on a farm in eastern Nebraska allowed one to work hard as well. It was not always easy, but there are no complaints when one doesn’t know anything different.

My father had a depression era view on many things. Save as much money as you can, reuse as much as you can and old stuff can be considered new if you are seeing it for the first time. Take old oak doors for instance, the old heavy ones that you rarely find these days.

There can be many uses for these doors if you put your mind to good use. On our small farm we raised hogs, the type that end up in the grocery store and on the dinner table. If you look at pictures of them in story books, they are cute and seemingly cuddly. To raise them is a different story and is a lot of work.

There are days that require you to divide them up, some for fattening, and others for market. The process can be quite challenging and it was the oak doors we used. An oak door with door knobs intact makes a great way to separate hogs. These doors are also quite heavy for a young boy that didn’t have the physique of a football player.

We would find these doors at the old trash dumping location near our hometown. This dump was a ravine, back again during those times before much stricter regulations. That which we could not burn was taken to this dump.

Most times we returned with more then we took. This is the ‘new stuff’ I referred to earlier. My father had a great ‘eye’ for things that could be potentially used on our farm. He could spot an old oak door many yards away. One such day he found one laying about half way down the ravine. All we had to do was climb down, attach a rope and pull it back up. I was the available son and was instructed to ensure that I tied up to it securely.

So down I went....

~~~~~~

What things stick in your mind, that form much of your thought process today? Tomorrow, pieces of other lives.
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Changed By Choice

"Each of us literally chooses, by his way of attending to things, what sort of universe he shall appear to himself to inhabit." - William James

A few excerpts this week from my new book are my offering this week. There will be those that can take comfort from reading this book, while others will know someone (maybe them self) that can use the words to inspire them.

So as I begin, here is something to start your day.

~~~~~

In the course of life, each generation will ask itself if it has had it better or worse then the other generations. The comparisons are generally hard to make as experience, time and more importantly circumstance dictates what happens. In general, it is just life happening around us. One generation or another is just lucky or unlucky enough to live during that period.

What becomes important is how you work your way through both the good and the bad. Yet there are so many of us that struggle to learn how to change in meeting challenges in our life. Our tendency is to float through life blissfully unaware when things are going good. When bad times befall us, we do as Elijah did in the bible verse of “1 Kings 19”. We go and hide in a cave wondering if we are worth any more effort.

It is during those times that we need the strength to proceed on to a greater life. We need someone, such as God, to ask us, “What are you doing here…” We need to know that we are not the only ones that have gone through a tough time. And we need a glimpse of the possibility that exists for each of us.

The good news is that change can occur. Change has happened in the lives of other people and it can happen in your life. All it takes is finding an open door of opportunity and choosing to walk through it.

As my mother lay in her final hours, she talked of seeing many doors before her and not knowing which door she was supposed to walk through. The answer is that you will know which door is the correct one. It will be the door that opens up and shines with brilliance to light your way.

~~~~~

I do not mean to say that it takes death for you to see and choose. Those doors of possibility exist today, waiting for you to walk through. You will know which one is correct. You can begin by reading a book, mine hopefully or any others that tell the story of others that made a change in their life. Now is the time to do something.
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Foot Prints Of Change

Today is the second day that distribution of my book grows to many more outlets. It is a neat process to follow and watch as its availability grows. Your own dreams will take time to grow and develop as well.

In the coming days, I will provide excerpts from the book. I will also look forward to hearing your comments. The ability to take a dream and develop it into thoughts and actions is in every one of you. Begin by simply doing something.

I began by writing one blog article. I developed my own style over time and as I wrote, I read more articles and books. Before I knew it, I had written hundreds of articles and worked through much of my thoughts for the second book.

So take a step forward and make movement in your life. Change something in your life and let it grow.
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The New Phone Book Is Here

It can be much more official now, "The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!" The line comes from a movie starring Steve Martin called, "The Jerk". At one point, his character Navin is so excited about the delivery of the new phone book.

His friend Harry says, "Well I wish I could get so excited about nothing."

Navin responds, "Nothing? Are you kidding?! Page 73, Johnson, Navin, R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book every day! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity, your name in print, that makes people. I'm impressed! Things are going to start happening to me now."

Well, I have that same excitement about my new book, CHANGED LIVES. Distribution has started and it can be found online at most any location including Amazon and Lulu online stores.

The ISBN number is 978-0-578-01674-0 and is my second book, the birthing of new words for all to read. So I would really appreciate some feedback on the book. It is a great read and actually feel it is a great book to give out to others that need some inspiration to move on in life. I have given out dozens and hoping for a ground swell of support.

I am also working on possible speaking engagements and turning my 'little project' into that 'big project' my friend Dean Sweetman spoke about. All it takes is a little excitement about what otherwise might be considered nothing.

So get excited, the new phone book is here!!
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Spread The News

"Things do not change; we change." ~Henry David Thoreau

I have been writing for a number of years now and still take wonder in reading the works of 'real' writers. I have friends locally here in Atlanta that I know are classified as professional writers. They each give me encouragement to continue and improve my writing skills. Inspire and motivate others, that is the whole point.

Each of my articles is intended to provide a simple view (mine of course) of what you can do to live a better life. As we grow older we tend to allow negative thoughts of what we can and can not do consume our lives. We forget that we can change ourselves for the better. The place or circumstance we are in doesn't have to be "all there is" in our life.

If I can give you a boost when something has you down; give you some inspiration to try something different when nothing seems to be working; or give you another way of looking at your life when no one else will, then I think the writing is worth every word written.

Over the next few days, I will be giving you bits and pieces from my book called "Changed Lives", which is my second book. The stories are a journey into the lives of people faced with a decision. Each of the people made a change, they stepped through the open door and allowed themselves to experience possibility.

As a note to my books (available at LULU.COM and other online outlets), the proceeds go to charities that I support. These charities are geared to help others and are part of the 'ripple' effect I have written about many times. Please support me in these efforts and order a few books. Simply hand them out to those that need the encouragement. I have given out hundreds of these books and the feedback has been great. Again, it makes a change in someones life; it opens a door for them to make a choice.

Step through the open door before you, help spread the news, help spread the word of change.
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Beautiful Rain

Rain showers my spirit and waters my soul.~Emily Logan Decens

It is all a matter of perspective. You can choose to be sullen by the cloudy day or rejoice in it. The following video is from John Poland and it is said, "Tears add to the rain. Happiness makes the sun shine."


Beautiful Rain © copyright John Poland & Stanley Rumm 2009

Of course it all comes back to, "is the glass half empty or half full?" I'd say half full and the rain only fills it more. So much is good about the life we live and if a little bit of 'Beautiful Rain' falls, enjoy the wonder of it.
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Strength To Decide

"It is truly said: It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to do." -Chow Ching

Early in the morning, the alarm awakens us to another work day. Rattling our mind from the quiet recess of dream and slumber. We may roll over and take refuge in the snooze button for a few more minutes. Yet we eventually remove ourselves from the bed and prepare for the day ahead.

It certainly didn't take much physical strength to move from the resting state to a state of movement. The strength came in your will to rejoin others in the daily tasks at hand. It is the 'will' to do something that takes the most strength.

In every decision you make, there is a battle within the mind to either stand still and do nothing, or take a step forward in action. But as you notice each morning, it isn't the physical act of taking a step but the decision to take that step which requires strength.

When I begin a new book, I always battle the negative aspects of doing so. Will people purchase it, will people like the book and will they actually be able to take some measure of goodness from it? The battle of time and work involved sit like a rugged mountain in the middle of my path. Is it worth the effort to climb it one more time? But with each book, the will to proceed grows easier. I have reached the peak, seen the other side and know the effort is well worth it.

You can develop the strength of will by continually moving forward. You fight off the desire to remain complacent. If you do not, laying in bed all day will eventually result in bed sores and a not very pleasant life. Get up and move out into the day with the strength of your decisions.

The results will surprise you when you decide to step out in change. It is the decision which is the hardest part. The rest will seem easy.
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Happy Mothers Day of Firsts

It is a special day for Mom's all around the world today as we celebrate Mothers Day. A day in which we get the chance to thank our Mom for all that she is and all that she has done for us.

In my life, it is the first Mother's Day since the passing of my Mom back in October of 2008. It is another of those 'first things' that we go through with the passing of a loved one. The first Christmas, the first birthday, the first of many, many things.

But my brother reminded me of all the joyful firsts we can look back upon with our mother. Each of you have the same 'first' memories of what you mother has done for you as well. She told my brother to, "never be afraid of firsts." The first day of school, your first fight, your first wrestling match, girlfriend, kiss and job.

Never be afraid of the first argument with your Dad, getting married, having children, grand children or even the first loss of a truly close relative such as your mother. There are so many 'first' things in your life to not be afraid of and your mother is telling you not to be afraid.

Even when your mother is not around anymore, her guidance will live on inside of you. Comforting you and guiding you in even more 'firsts' that will occur in your life. Take the time to honor and thank your Mother today. Let this be a 'first' of many ways you will show her the love and wonder that she deserves.

Happy Mother's Day Mom...we miss you but your constant love for all of us lives on inside forever.
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Faith As 'Proof Of Existence'

Those that regularly read my blog posts, I normally stay away from what some may call 'religious' speak. The following was on my heart and wanted to share with others. I am not trying to convert or preach to you in this piece, just sharing and allowing you to take what you might from it. So please allow me this little bit of leeway for today and as always, your comments are always welcome.

~~~~~

As our great pastors at C3 - Atlanta always do, they always preach on those things most relevant in my life. I guess that I should feel sorry for other members of the congregation as those sermons are always written for what is going on in my life. For that I apologize to each and every one of you.

This past Sunday (May 3, 2009) was no different in Pastor Dean Sweetman's return to the pulpit, speaking on faith as a tangible and real thing. All of my life I have had faith in a 'believing' sense of what I can not see, hear, touch, taste or smell. Those are most of the physical senses that we have and are those which give us 'proof of existence' in life. Yet I never thought of faith as having a substance to itself. It has always been just something I was supposed to have.

At this point, you may wonder about a man nearing the age of 50 and still questioning faith. It happens to all of us and we continually learn through out our lives. For me, I've always questioned and tried to learn more about my belief. Faith has never been in question, but the example of it being a bridge between the natural and the spiritual shines a new light for me.

Now why in the world would I need a new perspective on faith in my life? Well, my wife Laura and I have eight kids, three grand kids; both of us come from large families with aging parents. This doesn't make our circumstances any harder or more intriguing then anyone else. It simply makes us human and like you, we have our opportunities in life to get our faith tested.

With those tests of faith that we are working through, I have been searching for new inspiration on how to let faith work for us. It isn't enough to just say, "I believe and all will be well." God has expectations for us and so many times we will simply go to the natural. It is those things that I previously mentioned, the physical 'proof of existence' that we run to many times.

Yet the bridge of faith from physical to spiritual is just as real as anything we could touch or see. So it is this bridge that I am envisioning to help us achieve what God has called for us. If we step out in faith, knowing that the bridge will be there, even though we can not see it, keep walking and the bridge will appear. With each step I take, the stronger the connection of my faith to what God has planned for me becomes.

It will be the bridge of faith that gives me proof of God's love for me, for you and for all the world.

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