Think About It

          Over the last few weeks I have been reading Tony Dungy’s book, “Quiet Strength:  The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life”.  As a football fan I have really enjoyed getting to know more about the backstory of the NFL, but there is something even more special about this book – the life of the author.  I didn’t know much about Coach Dungy before reading the book (other than there was something special about him); but his biography has been a blessing to me.  I have made note of several quotes, but there is one underlying message throughout the book that is summed up in the phrase, “No excuses, no explanations”.  This became his philosophy for his teams – but, more than that, it became a foundational principle for his life.           As I read the book I got to thinking about how easy it is to make excuses and offer explanations for why things didn’t turn out the w...

          Well, it’s all over for another year.   It’s January 2 ... it is time to get back to work, back to school, back to reality.   On one hand, I will miss the holiday season, but on the other hand, there is something special about this time of year, too.   I realize that the New Year (wedged somewhere in mid-winter) is an artificial new beginning but, in our society, it presents us with a chance to start over.   No, the problems we have been struggling with, the bills we have accrued, the aches and illness we have been facing are still with us; but, we can use this time to get refocused.   It’s almost like society is giving us a reason to reboot our lives.   We have been enjoying some relaxation for the past few days, now it is time to get back after it.             There are certain passages that really inspire me and one of them comes from Philippians ...

I wish I was the person today that I planned on being this time last year.   If I would have just kept to a better diet and workout plan, I would be in better shape than I am now.   If I would have read as much as I planned on reading, I would be a lot smarter than I am now.   If I would have been more involved in the lives of people and what was going on in the community I would be more of an influence than I am now.   I started out the year with good intentions – what I didn’t have was the commitment that I needed to stick with it.   I am not complaining about the last year (and in some ways I am sure that I grew and developed), but in other ways I failed.   It wasn’t that I didn’t plan to succeed, I just didn’t follow-through with my plans.   In assessing the past it is easy to excuse my lapse – I mean, after all, none of us ever really intend to keep our resolutions, right?   Yet, the truth is that if we keep excusing our failings, will we ...

Does anyone remember what our society was discussing a week ago?   Much of the conversation centered around Jesus.   While the focus of the Christmas season is the birth of Jesus, there was also a lot of talk about love, hope, joy and goodwill.   Snippets of the Gospels were all around us and, if we were in the right place at the right time, we might have even heard the story of the birth of Jesus read in its entirety.   It was a good time to be a Christian! So, now a week later, what is the topic of discussion?   Well, it is New Year’s Eve and I would imagine that much of the discussion centers around the potential for partying.   Now, before we get too far in this discussion, I have always liked New Year’s Eve parties – there is usually some pretty good food being served – but I am also aware that New Year’s Eve can also be a time of indulging in alcohol.   I am a teetotaler myself and would feel very comfortable teaching a message of absolute abs...

          How long does it take us to realize we said the wrong thing?   I think, as a younger person, I was often clueless as to how dumb I was.   As I look back on it, I realize just how thoughtless many of my comments might have been.   When I was in college I always had a quick response to people – and every so often I would get it right – but, for the most part I was often more convicted than effective.   During our early years of marriage I would say things that would make me cringe now but back then, they just made Jeane irritated.   I would like to think that I have learned to be more judicious when I speak – but, one thing I do know is that I am more aware of the impact of what I say and am more apt to realize when I say something stupid.   Now, if I can just master the ability to remain silent longer and more often I can move on to a better (and easier) life.       ...

          On November 18, 1978 over 900 people took part in what was called a “Revolutionary Suicide” in the jungles of Guyana.  For those of us who were young adults during this time, the images are still very real.  People – many of whom were our age – had followed Jim Jones to South America where they had set up a communal lifestyle only to become victims of Jones’ selfish power.  As the images of the suicides and murders began to come back to the United States one of the most pressing questions was “Why?” ... “Why would people follow him and why would they voluntarily drink a poisoned soft drink just because they were told to do so?”  Today, we know a lot more about what happened four decades ago – but, the question remains, “Why?”.           As I thought about the power of Jim Jones I began to think that it may be a lot more common than we can imagine.  Sure, very few people take their...

          What are you going to be doing today?   For some, there will be more gift-giving; for others there will be gift-exchanging (at the mall or the big box retailer).   Some people will be enjoying another day off of work while some of us will be heading back to our jobs.   Some will be traveling, some will be relaxing, some will be cleaning up wrapping paper.   Even though the Holiday Season continues for the next week or so, Christmas Day is over for another year.   However, before we get too far away from December 25, I have a request I would like to make of us ... as we move on towards the end of December and into 2019 please don’t leave Jesus in the manger until next year!             Before the beginning of the tradition that would become Christmas, the earliest believers were reminded, “Jesus Christ  is  the same yesterday and today and foreve...