“Just a Little Bit More!”

What does it mean to be content?  In a world where we are driven to want more and more; to never be satisfied with what we have, it is a difficult concept to ever embrace.  After all, whatever car, boat, or house we have, we always seem to want something different, bigger, and better.

Webster defines contentment as “happy enough with what one has or is.  Not desiring something more different. The absence of the need to strain and pull to get ahead.  Indifference to position, status, or possession.” The Amplified Version of the Bible defines contentment as “satisfied to the point that one is neither disturbed or disquieted. The product of gratitude.”

Few things affect our lives like a grateful spirit.  We typically have so much more than we actually need that we are blinded by our abundance.  We take our health, freedom, prosperity, and possessions for granted.  And, we are ungrateful.  In a time and place where, in our culture, we have more of everything than the rest of the world, we fail to express a spirit of gratitude to those around us who help us and to God who provides it.

More than likely you are blessed beyond your basic needs.  You probably want more of what you have and definitely more of what you do not have, but fail to recognize that you have so much that money cannot buy.  You have the love and appreciation of others.  You have a family.  You have food, shelter, clothing, and transportation.  You have a job.  Yet you still remain ungrateful!!

John D. Rockefeller, an American industrialist who, in 1870, founded Standard Oil was once asked how much money it would take for him to be really satisfied.  He answered, “Just a little bit more.”   What is it that will truly bring you contentment?

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” Philippians 4:11-13

The Power of a Generous Spirit

In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi states, “…a simple, but profound, lesson about the power of generosity…is when you help others, they often help you.”  Ferrazzi is not talking about being generous with your money.  He is encouraging people to take on a lifestyle that is defined by a generous spirit.  A tendency that defines one’s life by giving and sharing one’s resources, talents, abilities, and relationships.

He continues, “I have come to see reaching out to people as a way to make a difference in people’s lives as well as a way to explore and learn and enrich my own; it has become a conscious construction of my life’s path.”

Ferrazzi encourages us to “connect” with others.  Some people call “networking” what Ferrazzi calls “connecting.”  He invests in others by sharing his knowledge, resources, time and energy, friends and associates, empathy and compassion in an ongoing effort to provide value in his relationships.

Remember, all of life boils down to relationships, ultimately one’s relationship with Jesus Christ.  Ferrazzi is saying that life’s relationships, when characterized by a generous spirit, are more meaningful and valuable to everyone.  Focus on your opportunities to invest in others, whether they are family, friends, neighbors, or work associates.  Develop a generous spirit that characterizes and defines your life.

Your Undivided Attention

“Attentiveness is showing the worth of a person or task by giving your undivided concentration.”

When was the last time you sat down, looked your friend, spouse, or child in the eye and really paid attention to what they had to say?  If you are like most people that doesn’t sound too difficult…until you try to do it.  Most of us believe we are too busy to give that sort of attention on a regular basis.  We want to talk “on the move,” while we are doing other things.  We call it multi-tasking and we excuse our failure to really be attentive by saying, as well as believing, that we are so busy that a constructive use of our time is not really focusing on any one thing or person.  We convince ourselves that we are better time managers when we are communicating on the move, at a shallow depth, and without any kind of real commitment.

I think all that is a cop-out.  Being truly attentive is something most of us just don’t want to do.  We think it requires too much and may end up costing us more than we want to give.  By not paying attention we can keep our distance and move along without any real commitment.  Being attentive scares us to death!  Yet, it is exactly what our relationships need!  “Attentiveness is showing the worth (value) of a person or task by giving your undivided concentration (attention).”

Who can you give your undivided attention today, and by doing so, show them how important they are to you and how much you value your relationship with them?

Stress: It Puts You Over the Edge!

What is your prescription for stress?  What really puts you over the edge and in a position where you think you and everything around you is out of control?

Major stress producers are big life events such as your wedding, the death of a family member, divorce, buying or selling a home, and changing jobs.  But it seems like it is the little things that cause us stress on a daily basis.  Things like traffic congestion, impatient children, worrying about your job, or failing to communicate effectively with your spouse.

Here are some signs that you need some assistance managing the stress in your life:

• Difficulty communicating your thoughts
• Difficulty maintaining balance in your life
• Increased use of drugs or alcohol
• Poor work performance
• Headache and stomach problems
• Disorientation and confusion for no apparent reason
• Difficulty concentrating
• Reluctance to leave home
• Depression, sadness, and mood swings
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
• Fear of crowds and strangers
• Overwhelming guilt and self-doubt

 

Actually the list could go on but you get the idea.  Stress is not something to be embarrassed about.  All of us struggle with it to some degree and there are times when stress becomes a huge issue in our lives.

When you recognize that you are experiencing a great deal of stress in your life you need to act on it.  Stress should not be ignored.  It can negatively affect every area of your life and cause serious problems in your marriage and family, job performance, and other relationships.

Here are some good ways to ease stress in your life:

• Do not worry about things you cannot control.  Realize you are not always in control of whatever is producing the stress
• Take steps to promote your own physical and emotional health by staying active in your daily life patterns or by adjusting them
• Maintain a normal household and daily routine
• Spend time with family and friends in non-stressful situations
• Ask family and friends to help you
• Eat well-balanced and nutritional meals on a regular basis
• See a doctor.  You may be dealing with something other than stress
• Be cautious about taking medication.  It may not necessarily be the best way to deal with your stress
• Depending on God in a relationship that involves regular prayer and study

 

Nothing eases stress in your life like the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus living in your life, directing your ways and decisions gives you freedom and liberty to live out every day with great joy and victory.  If you really want to be on top of the stress in your life then you need only turn to God and his provision!

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation.  The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16  NLT

Hot Dog!

My wife’s keen interest in nutrition began to change my eating habits over 32 years ago. It was probably dinner at my garage apartment the night my menu included fried bologna, frozen French fries, half a cherry pie and a carton of ice cream. For some reason she had a serious problem with dinner that night!  It was not long until she began to train me about the finer issues of protein, sugar, carbohydrates, cholesterol and on and on.

I think her point was this: You are what you eat!  Lunch with me on a regular basis (at least when my wife is not around) still includes an occasional slice of cherry pie.  And ice cream is still a big issue in my life.  But I must admit, things have changed significantly.  I am a lot more sensitive about what I eat.

I still love hot dogs though.  Did you know these hot dog facts?

• Americans eat about 20 billion hot dogs every year, or an average of 70 dogs per person, per year
• 9% of all hot dogs are eaten at baseball stadiums
• 95% of American homes serve hot dogs regularly
• 765 million hot dogs were sold in 2005 or $1.5 billion worth
• Hot dog season — during which Americans eat 7 billion hot dogs — stretches from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• Americans eat 150 million hot dogs on the fourth of July, alone

If my sweetheart is right, and I am what I eat, then my love for a good hot dog makes it a lot easier to understand the relevance of pig snouts and chicken feathers in my life!

It is really a lot easier to improve your eating habits than you think.  It just takes some effort, self-discipline, and more than anything, some education about what is good and bad for you.  Establishing a good diet is more common sense than anything.  Let’s see, what would be better for me, a hot dog covered with cheese and mustard or (my favorite snack for the last 32 years) an apple and peanut butter!

Take care of yourself!

Here They Come…Again

Here they come again.  Tears.  The thought in your head is it seems like they come all too frequently these days.  The slightest thing brings them.  You wonder why.  Sometimes they embarrass you.  Sometimes they comfort you.  Sometimes they don’t do anything and you can’t even figure out why they showed up!  But they do.  Generally they are not anticipated and come unannounced.  Anyway, here they come again…

There are times your eyes fill and you start thinking, “Oh please, not again.  Not now.”  But the harder you try to hold them back the more they seem to run down your face and eventually your whole body is shaking.

I believe our tears are tiny gifts.  God sends them when we need them most.  He knows how we feel.  He knows with what we are struggling.  He knows.  And he sends tears to flow down our cheeks and carry away emotion, stress, pain, grief, and sorrow.  This is not theology.  It’s just how I feel about your tears and mine.  I may even be right.  Even Jesus cried.

When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled.  “Where have you put him,” he asked.  They told him, “Lord come and see.”  Then Jesus wept.  The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him.” John 11:33-36

Standing Through Storms of Life

Last summer I was with my family up above 12,000 feet in the mountains near Breckenridge, Colorado.  We had ridden our four-wheelers up the trail and found ourselves above the tree line yet staring at a tree that looked like it had been there for a hundred years.  Where no other trees stood, this particular tree leaned over, swept by the wind and storms.  It looked tired, but strong.  It turns out that this particular species of tree is the only tree that grows above the tree line and the tree we were looking at was indeed several hundred years old.  It has stood through time, day after day, through storm after storm.

My family rode on down the trail, but I sat there on my four-wheeler and wondered how much longer the tree would stand.  How much more wind and how many more storms would it stand against?  This was not a tree that was beautiful, full and tall.  It was bent over, beat up, and rough looking.

All of us face storms in our lives.  Those storms may be financial challenges, issues with our kids, or problems at work.  Years from now, will you still be standing?  Will you have withstood the windy days filled with daily challenges and the storms of life that seem to continually test our faith and resources?

It is during the storms of life that we typically seek the help that faith in God provides.  Our faith is the root system that holds our lives together even though we may look bent over, beat up, and rough.  The Bible says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:2-4

Never Give Up!

Feel like giving up?  So many people eventually get to a place in their lives where they just don’t feel like they can go any farther.  Things pile up, stress builds, anxiety overwhelms, and peace of mind disappears.  Don’t give up!

I have a friend who always, in saying good-bye, says, “Hang in there!”  He is telling me, “Don’t give up!”  Sometimes his “Hang in there,” seems a little trite or empty in the face of what I may be dealing with at the time.  However, “Hang in there!  Never give up!” is exactly what the Bible teaches us.  James 1:2-4 says, “…when trouble comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Winston Churchill

When we are feeling challenged to the point of giving up, Scripture and history both teach us that perseverance is the key to success.  So no matter what you face, there is always a way to deal with it.  What you are facing may be the consequences of foolish decisions or irresponsible behavior on your part.  Your difficulty my be caused by someone else in your life; a former spouse, cantankerous work associate, or an argumentative family member.  There is always a way through your difficulty!

I know that when things get burdensome in my life, I turn to God and those around me who are wise and loving.  Many times God meets my need through their resources, counsel, and provision.  When considering all that England faced early in WW II, Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never give up!”  God has a way for you to get through what you are facing.  Persevere! Don’t give up!

A Voracious Reader

I have a friend who is 57 years old and a voracious reader!  I asked him one time how he learned to love reading so much.  He said it was his mother’s fault!  On the first day of every summer, right after the school year had ended; his mother would take him to the public library where they would spend the entire day.  He would select all the books he would read that summer, and with his mother’s approval, begin the process that would have him sitting for a time each day, reading, reading, and reading.  He loved it!  That time each day was a time to rest and nap, and read his book before going back outside to play with his friends. 

 By the end of summer he would have read many books and sharpened the skills that would make him, in the years ahead, a better student, father, friend, and employee.  In some ways reading made him a better communicator.  He had something to say about the things he was learning from books.  His mother got him started but it was his love of reading that kept him going summer after summer.  Today books are a big part of his life.  There is a stack of reading on his office desk, his nightstand, and beside his chair in the den at home.

 Words are important. Good communicators are comfortable using words to craft what they want to say. Good communicators make confident leaders.  People typically understand what good communicators expect and believe.  Reading polishes one’s use of words and makes one a better writer.  Pick up a good book or magazine and get started reading today.

The Work of Friendship

For several years I have started the majority of days at the local coffee shop.  A lot of people give me a hard time about it.  I think they are just jealous because they can’t do the same thing.  Because of what I do for a living and how I do it, I have a great deal of flexibility in my schedule.  I like starting my day with a good cup of coffee and the friendly banter of men who love and accept me.  We kid each other about our group making up the best church congregation we have ever been a part of.

We are a pretty tight group.  We come from different backgrounds and earn a living in different ways.  There are two chaplains, a CFO, a retiree, a mortgage broker, college professor, and a home builder.  What we have in common is our relationship with God.  That relationship binds all the other relationships together.  In that relationship we find the strength to love and support one another.  We find the ability to be honest and transparent.  Through our individual relationships with God we find the desire to love one another differently than others.

These men are my “bar ditch friends” or in a day many years ago, the guys who I would call for help to get my wagon out of the ditch.  They are men I know I can count on.  They love me in spite of what I do or say.  They are faithful to God and to me.  And if something happened to me, I know they would care for my wife and kids.  I know these things because we love God together and I would do the same for them.

I have said for many years that I have more close friends than any man has the right to have.  My wife says I have friends because I am a friend.  Trust me.  Friendship is worth the price you pay.  Decide now to make the effort and take the time to develop some new relationships.  It is worth it!