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SATURDAY THOUGHT 1/31/09

A Positive Attitude Transforms Lives

I learned a strange thing down in the islands years ago.  When I wrote about an experience in my “Island Notes,” people reacted poorly if my tone was negative, even in truth.  On the other hand, when I took a positive or light tone, even when describing a tragedy (finding that silver lining), my readers enjoyed what I had to say.

This illustrated something even bigger that I have come to learn:  People flock to positive people.  It can be one of the most important things you bring to your business or career-building efforts. 

My point:  No, don’t be a mindless grinner, but do offer hope and positive ideas rather than negativity and woe.  It can dramatically change your image and your fortunes … almost overnight. — jri

“I can live for two months on a
good compliment.”
    –    Mark Twain

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WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 1/21/09

Go Ahead, Be Happy!
 
I think it is safe to say that worry and anxiety are endemic in our society and that most of us live in lifelong pursuit of ever-elusive happiness. 
 
Well, a friend of mine shared with me a story on that subject that just tickled me.  He wrote about another friend who “was delivered from serious emotional problems by the Lord. He was judged as a hopeless case, not curable. Anyway he relates this story where he had complained and moaned to God over and over again that all he wanted in life was just to be happy. Finally God spoke to him and said, ‘Well, go ahead, be happy’.”  And from that do on, he was.
 
My point:  Be joyful.  Easier said than done?  Maybe, but it’s still a choice, our choice.  So, why not choose to be happy?  — jri
 
“Sing to the Lord a new song.”
    –    Isaiah 42:10

TUESDAY 1/6/09

The King of Stupid

Bernie Madoff is perhaps the stupidest man on earth.  I say this because — in spite of his ability to con numerous people out of billions of dollars — I don’t think he had a clue as to WHY he was doing it.  Mindless, blind ambition!  I wonder if he had friends or just an entourage he bought and paid for with cash.  Sad.  Stupid.  He has a true gift, and he has squandered it.

I suspect the psychiatrists would have a field day with this sad little man, who had to rob and cheat people — hmmm, not sure why — perhaps to feel good about himself.  I wonder if the eighth billion feels as good as the first billion … or if it’s like trying to get the same satisfaction stuffing  the eighth slice of pizza into our mouths we got from that first bite of the first slice.  It fills the belly but not the soul. 

My point:  I think we all have a hunger, a hole in our soul.  The stupid ones attempt to fill it with stuff and busy-ness.  The smart ones actually do fill it with friends and family and a positive purpose in life.  Take time today for the real things, the smart things.  — jri 
 
“Battle your way to the top, says the world,
and you are a man.  Why is it then that the
men who get there are often the emptiest,
most frightened, prideful posers around?
They are mercenaries, battling only to build
their own kingdoms….  The same holds true
of the adventure addicts; no matter how
much you spend, no matter how far you take
your hobby, it’s still merely that — a hobby.”
    –    John Eldredge
           (Wild at Heart)

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 11/26/08

What, Me Worry?
 
I was once told that fear and worry are signs of lack of faith.  Great!  One more thing to worry about!  I’d love to be able to brag that — as a man who takes his faith seriously — I never worry.  I mean, I’m in God’s ever-reliable, trustworthy hands, right?  Absolutely.  But I’m a man of small faith, not the part-the-Red-Sea-in-the-morning-and-cure-a-leper-or-two-in-the-afternoon kind of faith.
 
I’m a show-me, remind me, reassure me, doubting-Thomas kind of believer.  I know — how pathetic!  I stand up in the morning and, like St. Peter, swear my devotion to and love for God.  But by afternoon, when something as insignificant as the handle breaking on the refrigerator, I swear at God and curse my luckless fate.  I feel sorry for God.  He doesn’t have much with which to work when it comes to me. 
 
The good news:  I know and believe (beyond just a hunch or a hope) that it’s okay, that God has worked with bigger clowns than me (well, maybe not, but that still puts Peter and me in darn good company), and that if He can put up with this clay-footed, unreliable yahoo, then I’ll do my best to stumble along until I almost get it right, worry and all.  And for that I’m ever grateful … most of the time. — jri
 
“For he chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and
blameless in his sight.”
        –    St. Paul
               (Ephesians 1:4)

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 10/29/08

Cold Gold
 
When I was younger, everything I touched turned to gold.  Oh, I worked hard, but I was amply rewarded for my efforts — a thriving business, beautiful home, lakefront vacation cottage, great vacation travels, etc. etc. etc.
 
On one hand, it was great fun; power and wealth always are.  On the other, I became arrogant, a swaggering, know-it-all, pontificating ass.  By the time I lost everything (and I thank God for that), I was pretty much alone.  Having everything and no one to truly enjoy it with is a sad life.   Today, when it comes to material goods, I have no great mansions, but I do have exactly enough.  I still work hard, but now I am blessed with the opportunity to share what I have with a wealth of good friends and loving family. 
 
My point?  If you have read the story of King Midas (everything he touched turned to gold, too), you know that he ended up miserable, cursing his own gift.  Wealth comes in many forms.  Whether it be gold or talents or just a loving heart, enjoy it and share it.  God bless.  — jri
 
“It is possible to own much and yet
have very little.”
    –    John R. Ingrisano

MONDAY THOUGHT 10/27/08

Life Can Hurt … A Lot
 
My Mother used to say, “If you get brief glimpses of joy in this life of pain and suffering, count your blessings.”  Well, I don’t know even today if Mom was exaggerating, but I do know that she did find great joy amid great sorrow, and maybe that was her point. 
 
Another thing I do know is that way too many people these days self-medicate to cope with the pain of life, whether looking for that perfect love that – this time, finally – will  make life a blissful fairy tale, or making a visit to Dr. Feelgood’s Emporium of Mind-Dulling Delights.  Well, for all the alcoholics and drug addicts and food-aholics and magic pill seekers out there, here’s the good news:  Life is SUPPOSED to hurt now and then … even hurt a lot.  Get that one straight and life actually gets easier. 
 
My point?  Those who dedicate their lives to looking for comfort, ease and relief waste their time in false hopes.  On the other hand, those who gird their loins, strap on a breastplate and accept pain as a normal part of life, these are the ones who find joy amid the sorrow.  It takes a clear head and a focused eye to get through the many and to-be-expected challenges of life.  Face them.  Tackle them.  And, yes, even enjoy them.  — jri
 
“We have been told that for every pain,
there is a pill we could take to make the
hurting stop.  In essence, we have been
promised a pain-free life.  When it does
not work out that way, our inability to handle
any strong emotion, especially pain, leaves
us feeling confused and helpless.”
        –    Harold Kushner

THURSDAY THOUGHT 10/23/08

Be Proud of Your Scars
 
I suspect the average person (being an average person myself) spends about 17.6% of the day thinking about what’s wrong with his or her body.  (I could be wrong, but I’m trying to err on the conservative side.)  They exercise, weigh themselves, watch what they eat, worry about their hair or the size of their feet, think about lasik surgery, liposuction, wrinkle smoothers, etc. 
 
Then there are those with a slower shuffle, hides like rhinos, and just the slightest twinkle-mixed-with-mourning light in their aging eyes, whose bodies are honest about where they’ve been and the things they’ve experienced.  Maybe they know that when they turn their bodies in at the end, they will not get their deposits back anyway, so why worry about it. 
 
My point?  Not sure.  Maybe just that life’s way too short to worry about buffing out every bumper scratch and fender dent.  Better yet, think of them like passport stamps that show where you’ve been.  So, enjoy the trip.  You’ve earned every nick and scar you’ve picked up along the way.  — jri
 
“Some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me.  I want people to know why I look this
way.  I’ve traveled a long way and some of the
roads weren’t paved.”
        –    Will Rogers

THURSDAY THOUGHT 10/16/08

Relationships Count
 
I come from a long line of tough, independent, annoyingly arrogant loners.  I’ve watched family members stand on pride and surrender relationships with loved ones; or struggle alone in crises against overwhelming odds, never blinking, never complaining; or not know how much others needed their support, understanding and compassion.
 
I was once that way.  (And, yes, touch the wrong nerve with me and my nostrils can still flair, my head snap up, and my eyes burn.)  But I also found being a hard-shelled, tough loner just doesn’t work:  Such souls may become the best at something, but they never reach their full potential as people.  That takes relationships.   
 
My point:  I’ve learned that life is like a three-legged race.  We need others to get along, and others need us.  The best part:  When we trip up and stumble, we get to laugh as we tumble, sharing the adventure and the bruises.  Enjoy others.  They are blessings.  — jri
 
“We are given power and resources
and influence for the benefit of others.”
        –    John Eldredge
               (The Way of The Wild Heart)

THURSDAY THOUGHT 10/9/08

Innocence
 
The other morning, left briefly in charge of Riley, my six-week old granddaughter, I interrupted my reading to pick her up to stop her fussing.  I held her to my chest, lowered my lips to the top of her head and began singing in my low, off-key voice, as I slow-stepped around the room.
 
As I walked and sang, she immediately fell quiet.  I had made her safe, secure.  But just holding her had also brought calm to my soul, as well.  For me, not only did the crises, whirlwinds and battle scars of life fall back and dissolve, but time and distance gently blended together.  I was holding not just Riley, but also her mother, her Uncle Jonny, her Aunt Nicky (my own children so long ago and still), as well as her sister and cousins, my other grandchildren. 
 
My point?  Not sure.  But even as our children grow — as they go out and slay dragons and sometimes get charred medium-well for their efforts — they remain innocent, vulnerable, so very much in need of our love and comforting.  Can we still soothe them by holding them to our breasts?  If only we could.  But we can pray for them and never stop loving them … and make sure they know it.  God bless. — jri
 
“My Riley lies over the ocean.
My Riley lies over the sea.
My Riley lies over the ocean;
oh, bring back my Riley to me.
Bring back, bring back,
oh bring back my Riley to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back,
oh bring back my Riley to me, to me.”

THURSDAY THOUGHT 9/25/08

In Spiritual Training
 
My brother — a tough old goat in his 60s — not only does medical mission work in impoverished places like Mongolia, Bolivia, Africa, Afghanistan (he was ticked off because his trip to Darfur was canceled because it was too dangerous), but he also runs marathons.  So, when he’s not fishing, working or sipping on tequila, he’s training — running miles a day, swimming in the frigid Maine lakes, or biking like Pee Wee Herman around Mt. Desert Island.  Very self-disciplined.
 
Then, lo and behold, I read of Jesus, also training for His mission.  Forty days fasting in the desert (seriously, imagine 40 days without food!)  dealing with the temptations of that unctuous and persistent devil, and coming out of it all steeled, hardened, and “in the power of the spirit.”
 
My point:  It seems to me that faith is not a matter of falling down in rapture and hoping God doesn’t step on us.  It’s about being tough, knowing what God wants from us (the rules are in His Book; read it!), and being disciplined enough to follow The Way He’s laid out for us.  God bless, and enjoy the spirit-strengthening challenges of this day. — jri
 
“When the devil had finished all this
tempting, he left him until an opportune
time.  Jesus returned to Galilee in the
power of the spirit, and news about him
spread throughout the whole countryside.
He taught in their synagogues, and
everyone praised him.”
        –    Luke 4:13-15

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 9/24/08

The Chosen Ones
 
No, I’m not talking about Obama here.  It seems to me that we are all chosen ones — all who acknowledge God and wrestle with faith and our roles as God’s followers — in a grand, biblical epic between good and evil.  (That’s a great and universal theme, one for which I believe we are hard wired to love, repeated endlessly in such stories as The Bible, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, pretty much every classical western,  and many video games.)
 
It’s a story of good versus evil, of spiritual warfare and, most of all, of choices — free choices and free will.  Some stand firm, sword in hand; others go over to the dark side; and many, it seems to me, wander around trying to avoid the battle lines altogether and hope for the best. 
 
My point:  Do you accept your commission as one of God’s chosen ones?  It’s a simple choice, one we have the opportunity to make — yea or nay — every day.  Choose wisely, Chosen One.  — jri
 
“I will give you all their authority and splendor, for
it has been given to me, and I can give it to
anyone I want to.  So, if you worship me, it will
all be yours.”
        –    Satan
               (Luke 4:6-7)

MONDAY THOUGHT 9/22/08

Transform Your Life One Day at a Time

Here’s a secret:  If you think your life is tough — that you have troubles or weaknesses or frustrations enough to make a saint pull out his hair — join the crowd.  We all fight demons and weaknesses each and every day. Here’s the good news:  If you are not happy with your position and your place (emotionally, spiritually or financially, you pick), you can change it.  Got that?  You CAN change it.  You can start today to become who you want to be and take your life where you want it to go. 

Want to lose 50 pounds of weight?  Start TODAY and lose 4 ounces.  Keep it up and in seven months, you have met your goal.  Want to quit a bad habit, start TODAY.  Give it up for just one day, and then again the next day.  Then if you fail, start again tomorrow and tomorrow again.

My point:  Start today!  Forget yesterday, and don’t worry a whole bunch about tomorrow.  Do it now.  — jri

“[T]o change your life, you don’t have to
make a massive shift.  Just a few little
things every day…can transform you
into the person you want to be.”
        –    Mark Victor Hanson & Robert G. Allen
               (The One Minute Millionaire)

FRIDAY THOUGHT 9/19/08

It’s Not Supposed to be Easy
 
Perhaps my biggest, most persistent failing (oh, and the list is long) is that I am hard-wired to believe that life is supposed to be easy, and that comfort and joy are supposed to be the goals.  So, I become frustrated and resentful (have to blame God, couldn’t possibly be my fault) when setbacks strike and adversities occur.
 
But Jesus Christ never had it easy, so why do we think I’m supposed to?  Jesus was belittled, chased out of town, spit on, mocked, not believed when he revealed His true nature, and eventually murdered. 
 
My point:  For this day, I will attempt to enjoy any setbacks and thank God for all that He sends my way — from woes to wonders.  God bless and enjoy this beautiful day. — jri
 
“Even after Jesus had done all these
miraculous signs in their presence,
they would not believe in him.”
        –    John 12:37

WEDNESDAY 9/17/08

Blessings Everywhere
 
I have found that every day is an amazing gift, full of wonder, opportunity and joy. 
 
Some days I open my eyes wide and take them in.  Some days I choose to ignore them, step right over them, miss them.  My choice.
 
My point:  God’s blessings are everywhere.  Just for today, focus on them, enjoy them, savor them.  Refuse to complain or offer a single “yeah but.”  Just enjoy. — jri
 
“Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever
is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good
repute, if there is any excellence and anything
worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these
things.”
        –    St. Paul
                (Philippians 4:8)

MONDAY 9/15/08

Blaming God & Others
 
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get pretty angry at God.  But then I realize that it’s not God who trips me up and then holds me down in the mud.  I do that just fine myself. 
 
Sure it’s easier to blame others.  We can blame our parents.  We can blame our spouses or ex-spouses.  We can blame God.  We can blame friends who did us wrong.  We can even blame Nixon or Bush.  However, one of the things I’ve learned over the years is that we are the authors of most of our own troubles.    
 
My point?  If you’re face down in the mud, get up, start fixing what’s wrong in your life, and stop blaming others, especially God.  — jri
 
“The Lord is faithful to all his promises
    and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord upholds all those who fall
    and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
            –    Psalm 145:13-14

THURSDAY 9/4/08

Dads, Sons, Husbands: Recommended Reading

As a boy, all I (and all my guy friends) ever wanted to do was find noisy, risky, roll-in-the-mud adventures (though in the winter we did play chess, a form of stylized warfare). We fantasized about battles — about being Bat Man or Super Man or John Wayne. Every stick was a rifle, every rock a hand grenade, every empty lot a new land to discover. We loved coming home for dinner tired and torn up.

Actually, the older I get, the more I realize men are just big boys, and nothing has changed. I have learned that men need challenges, actually live for them — not just a pick-up basketball game, but the kinds of things that offer high risk and high reward, with high value — whether they be spiritual, physical or intellectual.

I think that’s why I have been so taken with a book by John Eldredge, The Way of the Wild Heart, which talks about the good, positive, masculine side of what makes men what we are — not as threatening, dangerous or inane, high-fiving bozos, but as strong, decisive, self-disciplined leaders of themselves and their families, all with a strong Christian undertone. I recommend it highly.

My point: Gentlemen (and women, too, but I cannot speak for what motivates you), find something bigger than yourself, something worth fighting for (not just an extreme-adventure trip, but something with a purpose), and then throw yourself into it with all the roll-in-the-mud energy and enthusiasm you can summon. And have a ball. — jri

“Until a man learns to deal with the fact
that life is hard, he will spend his days
chasing the wrong things, using all his
energies trying to make life comfortable,
soft, nice, and that is no way for any man
to spend his life.”
– John Eldredge
(The Way of the Wild Heart)

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 9/3/08

Jesus Had Bad Days, Too
 
As a public speaker, Jesus had good days and He had bad days.  Sermon on the mount:  Wow!  Dead on.  Held the attention of thousands with His eloquence. 
 
And then there were days when all He managed to do was tick people off — not just a drift-away-he’s-a-nut response, but let’s-find-stones-and-get-him fury.  Boy, He could really stir a crowd!
 
My point:  Just because we’re Christians, we should not expect everything we do (yes, even those things in the name of Jesus) to turn out blissfully, joyfully, lovingly perfect. (Fold hands, steeple-style, look heavenward, smile beatifically.)  Yes, we should do the right thing, but sometimes we will need to do it and then run for cover.  God bless and enjoy the blessings God lays before us this day, even if those blessings are in the form of pebbles hurled at us, rather than big rocks. — jri
 
“‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before
Abraham was born, I am!’  At that, they picked
up stones to stone him, but Jesus himself,
slipping away from the temple grounds.”
        –    John 8:58-59

TUESDAY 9/2/08

True to Yourself
 
I have a minor problem.  My demeanor sometimes exudes arrogance.  It’s something of a family trait.  Plus, when we do something we’re pleased about, we’re proud of it.  No humility here. 
 
The problem?  It really ticks some people off.  Not that I am trying, but it just happens.  But I figured out a long time ago that competent people who respect competence (I have a modicum of this trait, enough to get by and get me in trouble), are the ones who heap praise and offer “atta boys” when I do something right.  For many others?  Well, they either ignore or denigrate.
 
My point:  Ignore the naysayers.  Do what you think is right and do it to the best of your ability.  (Crow a little if you like; that’s up to you.)  But then forget about those who snarl and find fault.  In many respects, the more people complain about you, that’s a good sign you’re doing something right.  — jri
 
“I care not what others think of what
I do, but I care very much about what
I think of what I do:  That is character.”
        –    Teddy Roosevelt 

MONDAY THOUGHT 8/25/08

Cursing God

I personally know people so afflicted with physical pain and suffering that they have every reason to curse God.  There’s one whose joints are so locked up with  arthritis that every step causes searing pain; several (this seems to be the season for it) fighting for their lives against a cancer that is devouring their bodies like Pac Man gone mad; and one beautiful woman diagnosed with early stages of dementia (and who struggled to find that very word — dementia — as she shared that frightening news with several of us the other night). 
 
Curse God?  You’d think so, but you’d be wrong.  The devil — who boasted that Job and all those severely afflicted would do so — was wrong, too.  Oh, I’ve heard them lament and complain a bit … actually a lot.  Yes, I know they are hurting and afraid.  These aren’t saints, but they’re also not stupid, naive men and women.  No, they are  everyday and yet faith-filled (faithful?) people, who not only believe in God but who trust in Him.  And I think — correction, I know — that is the difference.  They thank God and trust in Him.  Wow!  Talk about faith! 
 
My point?  It seems so obvious, but I have a hard time expressing it.  All I know for sure is that these wonderful people inspire me and give me strength … and, yes, cause me to bite my tongue and complain less about my garden variety problems.  I guess, if they can find joy and faith amid such dire circumstances, so can we all.  Also, as people of faith, we should be grateful for all our blessings, even those we do not understand.  If we trust God, we need to truly trust Him, twenty-four-seven, and seek joy in the hand as dealt, in the day as given.  God bless. — jri
 
“A man will give all he has for his own
life.  But stretch out your hand and
strike his flesh and bones, and he will
surely curse you to your face.”
        –    Satan (talking to God about Job)
               (Job 2:4)

THURSDAY THOUGHT 8/14/08

Money!  Money!  Money!
 
I grew up comfortably, lacking for nothing, but not overly spoiled.  I loved to work hard and, as a result, at one point in my life I found myself borderline wealthy — two homes, multiple cars, boat, money in the bank.  Not bad.  But somewhere along the way, the money and possessions began to run my life.  I fretted about losing my assets, began working to retain and grow them, kept putting in longer hours and losing track of my relationships with others.
 
Fortunately, I lost all my fortune, came up scraping the bottom of the barrel.  Thank God.  Not that money is evil — far from it — but I let it run and ruin my life.  Today?  I’m moderately comfortable, work moderately hard, and spend as much time as possible enjoying the wealth of my many  friendships, my family, my community, and my Church. 
 
My point:  Money is a nice tool, but it has no value in and of itself.  Work hard and use your wealth to make life truly better for yourself and those you love. — jri
 
“When there are no values, money
counts.”
        –    E. Digby Battzell

MONDAY THOUGHT 8/11/08

Go for the Light

My mother was a powerless person.  She was technically disabled from her mid-thirties until she died at age 62.  She held no position of authority or money and was a threat to no one.  Nonetheless, she was an incredibly active person, both physically and mentally.  Most of all, she conquered and ruled hearts every day with love and an inner strength that was legendary among those who knew her. 
 
Her favorite phrase when a person she knew was struggling with some setback was: “Go for the light.  It’s really the only choice.”  She meant this both as practical advice for living and — in her later years as she became powerfully yet quietly spiritual — as the way to cope and prosper in faith.
 
My point:  At its most basic level life — and the God who gave life to us — gives us two choices each and every day — go for the light or stumble along in the darkness.  Enjoy this day.  It’s a freebie, a gift.  No price.  No cost.  Bursting with light and joy.  God bless. — jri
 
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but men loved darkness instead of
light because their deeds were evil. 
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and
will not come into the light for fear that his
deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives
by the truth comes into the light, so that it
may be seen plainly that what he has done
has been done through God.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               (John 3:19-21)

MONDAY THOUGHT 7/28/08

Success is Easy
 
I learned a long time ago that the “secret” to success is to keep your mind, heart and efforts focused solely on what you want and then to just keep at it.  No room for doubts or second guessing.
 
Step One:  Decide what you really want.  Step two: Map out the major steps how to achieve your goal.  Step three:  plan the daily actions that will bring you closer to your goal a little each day.  Step four:  Focus all your efforts on achieving your goal.  Take the desired action and keep taking it until you succeed.  No whining; no changing the rules half way into the game; no giving up or playing victim when you hit a setback.
 
The point:  We choose success or failure by the daily choices we make.  Choose success today.  — jri
 
“Man can create anything which he can
imagine.”
        –    Napoleon Hill

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 7/23/08

How Much Is Enough?
 
There have been times in my life when I’ve been borderline wealthy and times when I’ve been down to the last 17 cents in my checking account.  I’ve listened to some of my smarmy friends earning $200,000 a year complain that Bill Gates is sinfully rich, but who hooted in protest when I recommended (just to get their goat) that no one should earn more than $100,000 a year.
 
I think we all know that money does not buy happiness and that poverty can be soul crushing.  So, what is that happy medium?  Maybe it’s that vague place called “enough,” a place of balance.
 
My point:  I think it is “enough” to enjoy, appreciate and give thanks for the gifts of each day, whether they be a hotdog and beans on a paper plate or that $10,000 contract.  Enjoy. — jri
 
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God.”
            –    Proverbs 30:8-9
 

TUESDAY THOUGHT 7/15/08

So, Lord, what have you done for me lately?

I give up.  I just sold my house — a miracle sale in a terrible market — BUT the buyers want to take possession  in three weeks.  So, I got what I asked for, and what I very much needed, but NOW … well, God, how am I going to find a new place, get moved, and, and and!!!!!  

I guess if I were God, I’d shoot me and be done with it.  See, I, for one (and I’m probably far from alone), have a habit of turning to God and asking Him to pull my fat out of the fire, and I’ve been known to do it with a chip on my shoulder, an attitude that implies, “You promised, remember, so here’s where you can prove you’re as good as you say.  Well?”  And then, lo and behold, the fat’s out of the fire, and I either (A) don’t realize it because it “just happened” or (B) I’m worried about how to pull all those fish into the boat without my net breaking (“Thanks, Lord, for ruining my net.  Oh, and just how am I going to get those stinking fish to market before they all spoil?  Well?”) 

My point:  Speaking only for myself, I can be hopeless.  But today, if only for today, I am going to try, just try, to be grateful for all that God has done for me lately.  I may even try to enjoy those wild blessings and give thanks for them.  God bless.  — jri

“A very large proportion of the unhappiness
of the average individual is self-manufactured.”
        –    Norman Vincent Peale

MONDAY 7/14/08

The Company of Men
 
As a man, I recognize that most men lean toward the solitary.  We define ourselves more by what we do for a living than by any other yardstick.  Our toughest years tend to be that decade and a half between 30 and 45, when we devote ourselves almost exclusively to the demanding task of putting in long hours building careers, trying to be good fathers and husbands, and facing, with stoic expressions, the financial challenges of it all. Our greatest strength is our ability to conceal those moments of sheer terror that sometimes overwhelm us.
 
That’s one reason I was delighted to be part of a men’s group that formed last year at our church.  We meet one Saturday each month, always over a great breakfast all or one of us prepares.  We talk about everything and anything from sailing, to our dogs, to our challenges, to our kids and grandkids, to church plans and even, now and then, by the way, about what it means to be a Christian man in today’s world and church.  The camaraderie is pretty good, and many of us discover that we are not all that alone in the pains and joys of our lives.  
 
My point:  We all need some good and clean and strong human connections, something that I believe is called friendship.  Women have no problem picking up the phone and “doing” lunch with a friend.  Men should do more of that, too.  Pick up the phone.  Call a friend.  No agenda.  No kumbaya hugs or stuff like that.  Just a little time with a friend.  Enjoy. — jri
 
“As iron sharpens iron, so man
sharpens his fellow man.”
        –    Proverbs 27:17