Honesty is such a lonely word, and to add insult to injury, exaggeration is the name of the game, and that is a lie. Oh, I know I said the word lie. I said it because, well, that is what it is when you don’t tell the truth about yourself. I know the word is harsh, and it is tougher still to be called out on, but quicker than you can hide your lie from those who know you, the damage you’ve done to yourself will cut you deeply and leave a lifelong scar for all to see. I want […]
Encouragement for Your Life
I dwell in Possibility
Recently, I saw a reference to a poem by Emily Dickinson called “I dwell in Possibility.” Like most things that take me by surprise, I have to admit, I did a double-take on the title. Then I thought, “I hope that I am a dweller in possibility, that I leave the door wide open to allow all possibilities that come my way to run wild without my interference so I may follow the path to whatever is waiting on the other side.” I am guessing that possibility is not a word that gives many people much comfort. We want surety […]
Be somebody who makes everybody feel like (a) somebody
Have you ever been around someone who makes you feel like you matter? Really that, you matter to them and frankly that YOU matter in general. And it is not dependent on what time of day or night, or weekend, or if they are with other friends, or they find you by yourself, or even if they don’t see you for a while. But when you reconnect, the way they treat you is with respect, kindness, gentleness, graciousness, and sheer unbridled happiness that they get the chance to see you again. Now, you might be thinking that I’m talking about […]
A man who wants to lead the orchestra
“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” ~ Max Lucado I have always loved this quote, and I believe it because I see so many people in leadership who spend a lot of time wanting to be “in the crowd” instead of leading the crowd. No doubt it is hard to turn our backs to the cheering crowd–it seems so fun to be in the middle of it all, but a man (or woman) who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. Why? Because leadership is strengthened when […]
If you’ve made mistakes and have scars to prove it – good for you!
In a recent post, I encouraged you to keep on keeping on a while longer because too many people quit right before success is achieved. And my hope for you is that you will be strong enough to push yourself a bit more to find what is most likely waiting for you on the other side. I know that many people want assurances that what they have been working on will be rewarded, and I hope for your sake it happens, so don’t give up and don’t get discouraged. Now, of course, there may come a time in your personal […]
We have all been placed on this earth
We have all been placed on this earth to discover our own path, and we will never be happy if we live someone else’s idea of life. There is such joy in seeing happiness, contentment, and peace when someone finds their right path, their calling, or their life’s work. There is no greater joy than seeing someone settle gently in the path of their God-given talents, skills, and abilities. Now, there is another side that I see, and that is when someone is not following their dream. When they are following the dream of someone else, that makes for a […]
Every Positive Change
People often think that making life changes (large or small) is just too difficult to do, so they procrastinate, and then they take such a long time to finally make a decision that they miss the opportunity when all they really need to do is to take the most basic step, and that is to start. My thought for the day is… Every positive change in your life begins with a clear, unequivocal decision that you are going to either do something or stop doing something. I don’t want to be a scold, and frankly, that is not my personality. […]
If the whole world was blind
If the whole world was blind, how many people would you impress? I travel a lot, and I like to people-watch. I have this little ritual–as I walk through airports, I look at everyone running this way and that and at those sitting to make a flight or who are eating in the food court, and I think to myself that everyone in there has a mother. They may not have had a father (past the point of conception), but they all have or have had a mother. Then I usually think, my goodness, wouldn’t their mother be disappointed in […]
Don’t Give Up Now
“Don’t give up now. Chances are, your best kiss, your hardest laugh, and your greatest days are still yet to come.” ~ Author Unknown If there ever was a time not to give up, it is now. “Why?” You may ask. Because if you give up now, you will never know what might be waiting right around the corner. I know it seems so easy to say and so hard to do, but friends, you just can’t walk away when you are so close to the success of the dreams you’ve been working towards or the answers you’ve been praying for […]
