July 8, 2014

What is Your Self-Worth Worth? Post #38

You may have heard this story before. It bears repeating. May it touch your soul as it does mine.

“A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill.

In the room of 200 he asked, ‘Who would like this $20 bill?’

Hands started going up.

He said, ‘I am going to give it to someone, but first let me do this.’ He proceeded to crumple up the bill. He then asked, ‘Who still wants it?’

Still the hands went up in the air.

‘Well,’ he replied, ‘what if I do this?’ And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

‘Now who still wants it?’ he asked.

Again the hands went into the air.

‘My friends, ‘ he continued, ‘we have all learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

‘Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We sometimes feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what happens to you, you will never lose your value–dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to God (your Creator) and to those who love you.’

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or whom we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

To the whole world, each of us is a ‘nobody’–but to somebody, each of us is the whole world.

Reflect:

–How can you relate to this story? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.” –Proverbs 16:13 NIV84

–“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.” –Proverbs 31:1-2

–“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” –Matthew 10:30-31 NIV84

Recharge:

–Name three people you will encourage this week and let them know how much you value and appreciate them.

July 1, 2014

1440 Minutes, Post #37

Each day, each of us is given the same gift of 24 hours…1440 minutes. July 1st, our 182nd day of the year (the halfway mark eve), is a good time to reflect on time and how we use it.

Let’s ponder a typical day. Perhaps you work fulltime outside the home. At least eight hours (480 minutes) is removed from your 24-hour day.  How long is your commute to and from work? Would you say another hour (60 minutes) is knocked off?

Sleep needs to be factored in—how about seven hours of sleep (420 minutes)?  That leaves eight hours for family and leisure time.

According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor 2013 Statistics, 83 percent of American women and 65 percent of men spent at least two hours (120 minutes) daily doing household activities such as housework, cooking, lawn care, or financial and other household management.

Adults living in households with children under age 6 spent an average of two hours (120 minutes) per day providing primary childcare to household children. Adults, living in households where the youngest child was between the ages of 6 and 17, spent less than half as much time providing primary childcare to household children–47 minutes per day. 

This next statistic pains me to tell you. The average American watches 2.8 hours of TV per day (let’s round up to three hours or 180 minutes), accounting for more than half of leisure time, on average, for those age 15 and over.  Factor in time on the computer or Ipad and it increases.

It’s time to add these hours and minutes up…

24  (1440)
-8   (-480)  work
-1    (-60)   commute
-7    (-420)  sleep
-2    (-120) household activities
-2    (-120) childcare
-3    (-180) TV/computer!!!
 1  =   60 minutes remaining

Are you as startled as I am that only one hour remains in our day, after all those activities? Granted, we have not even factored in showering, eating, and even using the bathroom!

How can we be more cognizant of how we spend our time (and the appropriate verb is “spent” since we are not able to regain time)?

Let’s do our best to turn our televisions off or at least do a “television fast” for a week or two. I have a few friends who don’t even have televisions in their homes.

Let’s go outside with our families and friends, enjoying the early daylight and longer evenings, when it’s cooler outside. Swimming, boating, bikeriding, playing games, hula hooping, kayaking, canoeing, walking the beach or walking around our neighborhoods are all wonderful, memorable ways to savor these moments.

Let’s watch the sunrise and sunset, gaze up at the sparkling stars set upon the inky blue sky.

Let’s awaken a few minutes earlier and spend some quiet time reading our Bibles and writing in our Gratitude Journals.

Let’s volunteer, give back, make a difference. Time is of the essence.

Reflect:

–How will you choose to spend your time differently? Please comment.

–What are some ways you spend time wisely for you and your family? Please comment.

Renew:

–“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time..I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.” –Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11, 12 NIV84

–“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” –2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV84

Recharge:

–What will you change this week in the way you spend your time?

Resource:

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm

June 24, 2014

Proud to be an American, Post #36

Have you noticed it also? The stores are packed with various sizes of American flags and patriotic bunting. The metal trailers for selling fireworks are cropping up throughout the city. Even the clothing stores are featuring larger quantities of patriotic attire. It’s coming soon… The Fourth of July, our nation’s 238th birthday.

Or could this resurgence of patriotism be because of the US Soccer Team’s success in the World Cup…

…or because of the recent 70th anniversary of World War II’s D-Day, the world-changing storming of Normandy on June 6th, 1944?  Whatever the reasons are for the patriotism and more flag waving in our yards and businesses, it’s inspiring and refreshing.

If you are like me, I couldn’t stop watching the television interviews recently of the World War II veterans as they tearfully recalled the moments of that June 6th, 1944 day in Normandy, a day that will live in infamy. For so many of them, they confessed that the television interview was the first time they had talked about their 70-year-old experience.  A few of their wives said their husbands had never even shared with them the events of that day–D-Day. The poignant, tragic memories had been bottled up inside them all these years.

Tears streamed down my face as I watched 88-to-90-year-old men sob like babies recalling what they had endured as they left those boats, waded in the bloody waters and onto the shores of Normandy to fight the Germans. Their bravery, heroism, integrity lives on. No wonder those men and women of the 1940s are appropriately referred to as “The Greatest Generation.”

We are blessed with valiant heroes today, fighting a different war 70 years later. Each time I see a serviceman or woman in uniform, no matter where I am, if I am able to make eye contact, I say, “Thank you so much for serving our country.” To me, our encouragement is the least we can do for their valiant service of defending our country. Freedom is not free.

An American flag waves proudly on the front of my house everyday, not just this season.  We live in the greatest country in the world and are blessed with abundance and freedoms most countries envy.  How ever you may vote politically and how ever you may feel about war, we are all united as American citizens. We serve and play on the same team–Team USA.

Unfurl your American flag and wave it high. Let us show the world we are proud to be Americans.

In eighth grade, our Social Studies teacher had us memorize a portion of the Declaration of Independence Preamble. It still is recalled easily, as it is seered on my heart:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Amen.

Reflect:

–Would you consider yourself to be patriotic? Please comment.

–Who are some American heroes in your life? How will you show your appreciation for them? Please comment.

Renew:

–” ‘…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will not refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the Lord.” –Isaiah 54:17 NIV 84

–“Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.” –Romans 9:5 NIV84

–“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.” –2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV84

Recharge:

–What do you or will you do this week to demonstrate your patriotism?

Resource:

–Enjoy the US Naval Academy singing “America the Beautiful.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JKCom39yKQ

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