Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama. Additionally, I sincerely hope you have had a great week, personally & professionally! :)
This weeks Happy Friday is just a simple reminder of how very, very powerful you are! I don't think I will share anything profound or anything you haven't heard before. I do hope to remind - as well as encourage and equip! - you to fully live this day!
Right now we are all in different stages of our life journeys. Some of us are on peaks and some of us are in deep valley's. Some of us are on an ascent and some of us are on a descent. Fun, crazy, wonderful, scary, hard this wonderful thing called life is! Regardless of who we are, where we are, the situation or circumstance we find ourselves in, every single one of us WILL choose the attitude we bring to this day! Positive or negative...the choice is mine & yours! And what is at stake with our choice? Absolutely everything! Our attitude shapes and informs our thoughts; our thoughts shape and inform our words and actions; and our words and actions shape and inform the lives we live! Yes Sweet Friends, we are so very powerful! :)
There are two thoughts/ideas that have been very helpful to me as I have walked my life journey...perhaps they will be helpful to you too!
1. Several years ago, my Beautiful Bride and I were in one of those very deep valley's, perhaps the deepest valley we had walked through together up until that point in time. We, just like a lot of people, were filled with worry & fear. And, just like a lot of people, we didn't always choose the best attitude. We didn't always choose the best thoughts. Our words weren't always the best and neither were our actions. And guess what? Largely because of the choices we were making, our days weren't so good either! And then through a lot of Bible study and prayer, I felt as though God laid something on my heart. I told Kath, from that point on, any time we wanted to believe or say something, we would measure it against what the Bible said. If it lined up with the Bible, if it was true, we would discuss it. However, if it was not, we would immediately recognize where that thought/idea came from and we would dismiss it. It was transformational for both of us.
Is it true that you are worthless? Is it true that you are alone? Is it true that your life has no value, meaning or purpose? Is it true that your struggles will last forever? I challenge you, Google these things and search what scripture says. Find out what the Bible says about your worth, about whether God will ever leave you or forsake you, about your value, about whether your life has meaning and purpose. You will find that these life stealing thoughts are not Biblical, they do not line up with truth. We would be wise to dismiss them every time they pop into our head!
2. Whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley, whether we are on the ascent or the descent, we are - God willing! - going to go through this day. The time will pass. It is 100% up to you and I how we go through it. While we can't necessarily change our current situation or circumstance, we do get to choose how we go through and experience those situations or circumstances. Oh, I understand completely Sweet Friends, it is not easy. I have smiled through deep pain. I have put a bounce in my step though completely terrified. I have chosen to live fully though I felt I was dying a slow, painful death. I fully understand it is not easy...I can also testify that it can be done. And I can also testify that the days I have chosen to smile in spite of the pain, to run into the day in spite of the fear and to live though I felt like I couldn't breathe have been some of the best days of my life! Yes Sweet Friend, you & I, with God's great help, are that powerful!
I also want to share a few scriptures with you as tools to help you as I hope you choose to live this day with a positive attitude.
"This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24
"Because of the Lord's loving devotion we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23
*This IS a glorious new day! You and I have never seen this one before! It is a blank canvass! New love, mercy and grace are in this new day! Let's not look back with regret or forward with worry but rather let's fully live this day with hopeful expectation! It is a choice!
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9
*Some of the absolute best days of my life have been the days when I was too tired to go on, when I did not have the strength to make it through that day. It was on those days, knowing I had nothing to give, that I completely surrendered my life to God and He carried me through those days. I had to choose to not give up, to surrender it all to God and to walk completely by faith...and those have been amazing days! Please Sweet Friend, choose not to give up!
"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." - Isaiah 40:31
*This comes back to in whom or what are we putting our faith, where are we gaining our hope. This broken world is full of people who are chasing the world, putting their faith & hope in a person, in a title, in stuff...all to come up empty! There is a different way Sweet Friend, but we have to choose it! We will choose where we place our faith & hope. If we don't like how things are going, the life we are living, we would be wise to reconsider in whom or what we place our faith and hope.
Finally, I want to share a few quotes I came across this morning.
""Our attitude and actions say a lot about our hearts." - Ian Rock
"The problem isn't with the fruit, but with the root." - Unknown
"Don't worry. You will find your message in your mess." - Unknown
"Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living." - Unknown
In honor of my sweet, precious Mom, who is walking the golden streets of Heaven as I type these words, I will end with what she always told me when I was having a tough day;
"Now put a smile on your face, a bounce in your step and you make this a great day!"
I love you so much and I miss you every day Mom! God blessed me so richly with you! :)
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can contact me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
Friday, June 28, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
What Will We Do With It?
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Last week I dealt with a situation with a colleague to which I had a very emotional response. The situation, which I had no control over, really bothered my heart & spirit. I felt great compassion for this colleague and I wanted to do everything within my power to make what had been a great wrong, right. As I recognized, thought & prayed about not only this situation but also my response to it, I came to realize that the strong conviction I felt about the situation, and my resulting steps, were born from the fact that I had once experienced almost the exact same thing. As I thought about and pondered this, this Happy Friday was developed in my mind; we all have struggles, trials, setbacks, challenges, problems as well as blessings, gifts and opportunities. The real question however is, "what will we do with it?"
There are two things, or ways of looking at things, that I would like to address this morning.
1. Our messes can become our messages. We live in a fallen, broken world and with this, bad things do happen. People do terrible things to each other. Each and every one of us has problems and challenges. The question is not whether or not challenging times will come; the real question(s) is what will we do as we walk through these storms and, perhaps more importantly, what will we do with the lessons learned from these trials. Some become bitter, some become better. Ultimately, what determines whether we become bitter or better is our response after the storm has passed.
Why do some experience failure and quit, while others experience failure, dust themselves off, rise and achieve levels never before imagined? Why do some face crippling physical challenges and thrive while others face relatively minor physical ailments and wither and wilt? How come unimaginable things happen to some and beautiful ministries of love & service are born from them while others are constantly looking to be offended by even the most minor of offenses?
I don't propose this morning to have the answers to any of these questions. I just know it is true. While I would never wish any bad thing happen to another, I do know from countless examples and testimonies that the situation or circumstance does not have to define us and that great good come can on the other side of the challenge, setback or trial.
This morning I simply pray that you and I will have great, unbreakable, faith as we face our trials, that we will learn from each and every experience - good & bad - and that we will have great compassion & understanding to use whatever hurts/challenges us to love, care for and serve others. The bad things of this life do not have to define us. We can choose a different path. We can choose what was perhaps an attempt to break us, to strength and help another hurting soul.
2. We are blessed to be a blessing. While most of us talk about and live from our "valleys" we don't seem to give near as much thought or attention to our "peaks." Just as it is true that we all experience challenges, setbacks and trials, it is also true that we all have great blessings, opportunities and mountain top moments. What do we do with those?
Just as I don't believe our messes are meant to define but rather can be a message to the world, I don't believe we are blessed with talents, gifts & abilities simply for our own benefit. Our time, talents & treasures can be a blessing to another soul on their life journey, if only we will let them be.
Here is a thought for us this morning; While neither our messes or blessings define us, our response to them does. They are the legacy we will leave. You and I get to choose how we will respond to each and every situation & circumstance. I pray through each one - good or bad - that we will grow better, that we will learn & grown and that we will use whatever comes our way to better love, care for and serve others. That right there my Friends, would be a life well lived! :)
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Last week I dealt with a situation with a colleague to which I had a very emotional response. The situation, which I had no control over, really bothered my heart & spirit. I felt great compassion for this colleague and I wanted to do everything within my power to make what had been a great wrong, right. As I recognized, thought & prayed about not only this situation but also my response to it, I came to realize that the strong conviction I felt about the situation, and my resulting steps, were born from the fact that I had once experienced almost the exact same thing. As I thought about and pondered this, this Happy Friday was developed in my mind; we all have struggles, trials, setbacks, challenges, problems as well as blessings, gifts and opportunities. The real question however is, "what will we do with it?"
There are two things, or ways of looking at things, that I would like to address this morning.
1. Our messes can become our messages. We live in a fallen, broken world and with this, bad things do happen. People do terrible things to each other. Each and every one of us has problems and challenges. The question is not whether or not challenging times will come; the real question(s) is what will we do as we walk through these storms and, perhaps more importantly, what will we do with the lessons learned from these trials. Some become bitter, some become better. Ultimately, what determines whether we become bitter or better is our response after the storm has passed.
Why do some experience failure and quit, while others experience failure, dust themselves off, rise and achieve levels never before imagined? Why do some face crippling physical challenges and thrive while others face relatively minor physical ailments and wither and wilt? How come unimaginable things happen to some and beautiful ministries of love & service are born from them while others are constantly looking to be offended by even the most minor of offenses?
I don't propose this morning to have the answers to any of these questions. I just know it is true. While I would never wish any bad thing happen to another, I do know from countless examples and testimonies that the situation or circumstance does not have to define us and that great good come can on the other side of the challenge, setback or trial.
This morning I simply pray that you and I will have great, unbreakable, faith as we face our trials, that we will learn from each and every experience - good & bad - and that we will have great compassion & understanding to use whatever hurts/challenges us to love, care for and serve others. The bad things of this life do not have to define us. We can choose a different path. We can choose what was perhaps an attempt to break us, to strength and help another hurting soul.
2. We are blessed to be a blessing. While most of us talk about and live from our "valleys" we don't seem to give near as much thought or attention to our "peaks." Just as it is true that we all experience challenges, setbacks and trials, it is also true that we all have great blessings, opportunities and mountain top moments. What do we do with those?
Just as I don't believe our messes are meant to define but rather can be a message to the world, I don't believe we are blessed with talents, gifts & abilities simply for our own benefit. Our time, talents & treasures can be a blessing to another soul on their life journey, if only we will let them be.
Here is a thought for us this morning; While neither our messes or blessings define us, our response to them does. They are the legacy we will leave. You and I get to choose how we will respond to each and every situation & circumstance. I pray through each one - good or bad - that we will grow better, that we will learn & grown and that we will use whatever comes our way to better love, care for and serve others. That right there my Friends, would be a life well lived! :)
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
Friday, June 14, 2019
Who Do They Know You & I Are?
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Earlier this week I saw an illustration of a man speaking with Jesus. The man is going to start a business and he asks Jesus if he should include the Christian fish or cross in his company logo. Jesus asks him why he is thinking about including them in his logo. The man replies, "So people will know that I am a Christian." Jesus replies that he should not include the symbols in his logo but rather he should show people he is a Christian by his workmanship, honesty & integrity. Wow, right?!?! Oh, it's o.k. if you wanna go ahead and shift in you chair right now! :)
A rather simple, but deeply profound, illustration. I have thought about this illustration several times since I saw it. The quality of our work, the depth & breadth of our honesty & integrity says far more about who we are, whose we are and what we believe than the symbols we wear or surround ourselves with and yet, we spend so much time worrying about and focusing on these things! O.K., at least I do! :)
I am reminded of the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that say, "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." What do the things you & I do say? Are my actions speaking life? Lifting others up? Encouraging others? Is it done with excellence? If our work reflects the boss we serve, who would others say is my boss? Can they see my Boss through my work? Deep, right?! I would even take it a step further and remind myself that my work is reflecting something...what is it? And right now my Spirit reminds me of Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."
And how about the depth & breadth of my honesty & integrity? When I read my Bible I read about a Godly man, the most Godly of any man to ever live, who always (that is measurable!) spoke with complete honesty and lived with full integrity. Does my life reflect my conviction & devotion to pursuing Him? Let's be brutally honest and perfectly clear here; you & I are flawed people living in a broken world. We will never achieve the level of absolute perfection that Jesus modeled for us every day - that is not a bad thing by the way...if we could, we would not need Him! The question however is, how small are those gaps? If there were a line to measure our honesty and integrity with complete honesty & integrity being on one end, representing the life Jesus modeled, and complete dishonesty & lack of integrity being on the other end, representing evil, where do you & I fall? Let's not judge each other on this point, let's let our Spirits convict us on that point. And I pray passionately that you and I will have the strength & courage to act, with God's help, on the convictions of our Spirits!
As a little sidebar, chasing a squirrel as some of my most beloved former colleagues would say, I have to quickly share a quote with you that I found this week that is so powerful!
"Even God doesn't propose to judge a man till his last days, why should you and I?" - Dale Carnegie
O.K., back on point! :) The challenge/thought I would like to offer to you & I this week; Who do people know you & I are by our workmanship, honesty & integrity? Each one of us will choose...I pray we choose very intentionally for our influence will impact eternity!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Earlier this week I saw an illustration of a man speaking with Jesus. The man is going to start a business and he asks Jesus if he should include the Christian fish or cross in his company logo. Jesus asks him why he is thinking about including them in his logo. The man replies, "So people will know that I am a Christian." Jesus replies that he should not include the symbols in his logo but rather he should show people he is a Christian by his workmanship, honesty & integrity. Wow, right?!?! Oh, it's o.k. if you wanna go ahead and shift in you chair right now! :)
A rather simple, but deeply profound, illustration. I have thought about this illustration several times since I saw it. The quality of our work, the depth & breadth of our honesty & integrity says far more about who we are, whose we are and what we believe than the symbols we wear or surround ourselves with and yet, we spend so much time worrying about and focusing on these things! O.K., at least I do! :)
I am reminded of the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that say, "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." What do the things you & I do say? Are my actions speaking life? Lifting others up? Encouraging others? Is it done with excellence? If our work reflects the boss we serve, who would others say is my boss? Can they see my Boss through my work? Deep, right?! I would even take it a step further and remind myself that my work is reflecting something...what is it? And right now my Spirit reminds me of Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."
And how about the depth & breadth of my honesty & integrity? When I read my Bible I read about a Godly man, the most Godly of any man to ever live, who always (that is measurable!) spoke with complete honesty and lived with full integrity. Does my life reflect my conviction & devotion to pursuing Him? Let's be brutally honest and perfectly clear here; you & I are flawed people living in a broken world. We will never achieve the level of absolute perfection that Jesus modeled for us every day - that is not a bad thing by the way...if we could, we would not need Him! The question however is, how small are those gaps? If there were a line to measure our honesty and integrity with complete honesty & integrity being on one end, representing the life Jesus modeled, and complete dishonesty & lack of integrity being on the other end, representing evil, where do you & I fall? Let's not judge each other on this point, let's let our Spirits convict us on that point. And I pray passionately that you and I will have the strength & courage to act, with God's help, on the convictions of our Spirits!
As a little sidebar, chasing a squirrel as some of my most beloved former colleagues would say, I have to quickly share a quote with you that I found this week that is so powerful!
"Even God doesn't propose to judge a man till his last days, why should you and I?" - Dale Carnegie
O.K., back on point! :) The challenge/thought I would like to offer to you & I this week; Who do people know you & I are by our workmanship, honesty & integrity? Each one of us will choose...I pray we choose very intentionally for our influence will impact eternity!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
Friday, June 7, 2019
The Importance of Parents & Front Porches
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!
The Haslam family is so blessed! Our transition to Alabama, and all that involves, could not have gone better. To all those who have thought and prayed for us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! God is so good, so amazing and we are so very blessed! :)
There are challenges with any change. One of the challenges I faced was nearly two weeks without internet access and thus, there was no Happy Friday last week. Sorry about that however we are ready to roll this morning! And y'all are in trouble as I got two weeks worth of stuff bottled up in my heart this morning! :)
A couple of weeks ago I read an article that was about the importance of sports in girls' lives. Being very fond of athletics, I eagerly read the article. While there is no doubt that athletics can play a critically important role in everyone's growth and development, this is not what stood out to me the most. The article - which I looked for last night and could not find...another challenge of moving! - featured the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. The article, successfully, tied her experiences as an athlete to her success in her career. Still, this is not what was most profound to me. You know what was? In the article, she talked at length about how her parents encouraged her and supported her in all of her endeavors. You could feel in the words on the page how their love, care and support gave her the winds to fly and become all she was capable of becoming.
So, if you have the honor & privilege of having someone call you "Mom" or "Dad" I simply want to remind you of the critically important role you play in those precious souls lives. Nobody can completely fill that role like you can. Yes, others can try to meet the need, however nobody can replace you! And I also want to remind us - all of us, me included! - that their journey's are not about me and you...it is about them and them becoming all that God created them to become! It as very profound in the article that the woman did not talk about her parents supporting her and encouraging her if she did and became what they wanted her to become. No, they simply supported and encouraged her in whatever endeavors she choose to undertake. That, I believe, is our role as parents. To love, care for, support and encourage the precious souls given to us as a gift from God as they find their purpose in life.
Not being able to find the article, and thus, unable to share any excerpts from it with you this morning, I want to share some quotes about parenthood that emphasize the critical, irreplaceable importance, of these honored roles!
"I had a father but I never had a Dad. Meaning my parents never married. He lived across town with his family. Up until I was eleven I thought having a Dad meant a man who came every month and left twenty bucks. My mother was my mother and father. I missed out. That haunted me all the way up to pro sports. Here was Bo Jackson, all-star baseball player, football player, top of the world in my profession. But I was envious of my teammates, because they'd fly in their Dad to have beers in the locker room after games. In all other aspects my teammates envied me for my athletic ability. But for a Dad I would have traded all that in. Just like that." - Bo Jackson
"If kids are always looking to their parents for approval, they're not competing and they're not having fun - they're working on pleasing their parents instead. I don't want my kids to please me. I want them to be themselves. Sitting in the stands and after the game, my job as a parent is to let my kids know that I believe in them no matter how they perform." - Joe Girardi
"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation." - C. Everet Koop
"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." - Charles R. Swindoll
"Affirming words from moms and dads are like light switches. Speak a word of affirmation at the right moment in a child's life and it's like lighting up a whole roomful of possibilities." - Gary Smalley
"If I had my child to raise all over again, I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later. I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. I'd take more hikes and fly more kites. I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run through more fields, and gaze at more stars. I'd do more hugging and less tugging." - Diane Loomans
You wanna see pure terror and fear in the eyes of teens and twenty-somethings? Try living for nearly two weeks without the internet or TV! Oh, the horror! What are we going to do?!?! This is going to be so boring!!! You mean, we might actually have to talk to each other and spend time connecting with one another?!?! Oh, the horror!!! :)
When is the last time you sat on the front porch? The Haslam family has done this every day for the better part of two weeks now. We have sat for hours, just talking. We have met almost all of our neighbors, said hi to more complete strangers than I can count as they walked by and waved to even more people as they drove by. I genuinely look forward to that time every day! And the best part? Now the twenty-something and even the teenagers say, "Let's go sit out on the porch." That right there my Friends is what I call "Blessed!" :)
If you haven't sat out on the porch with your family and/or friends in a while, or perhaps ever, I want to encourage you to do so. No agenda...just spend time together. Don't worry about what you will say or do...you will figure it out. I promise you, you & they, will survive without the TV, internet, etc. and your relationships with them will thrive!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!
The Haslam family is so blessed! Our transition to Alabama, and all that involves, could not have gone better. To all those who have thought and prayed for us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! God is so good, so amazing and we are so very blessed! :)
There are challenges with any change. One of the challenges I faced was nearly two weeks without internet access and thus, there was no Happy Friday last week. Sorry about that however we are ready to roll this morning! And y'all are in trouble as I got two weeks worth of stuff bottled up in my heart this morning! :)
A couple of weeks ago I read an article that was about the importance of sports in girls' lives. Being very fond of athletics, I eagerly read the article. While there is no doubt that athletics can play a critically important role in everyone's growth and development, this is not what stood out to me the most. The article - which I looked for last night and could not find...another challenge of moving! - featured the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. The article, successfully, tied her experiences as an athlete to her success in her career. Still, this is not what was most profound to me. You know what was? In the article, she talked at length about how her parents encouraged her and supported her in all of her endeavors. You could feel in the words on the page how their love, care and support gave her the winds to fly and become all she was capable of becoming.
So, if you have the honor & privilege of having someone call you "Mom" or "Dad" I simply want to remind you of the critically important role you play in those precious souls lives. Nobody can completely fill that role like you can. Yes, others can try to meet the need, however nobody can replace you! And I also want to remind us - all of us, me included! - that their journey's are not about me and you...it is about them and them becoming all that God created them to become! It as very profound in the article that the woman did not talk about her parents supporting her and encouraging her if she did and became what they wanted her to become. No, they simply supported and encouraged her in whatever endeavors she choose to undertake. That, I believe, is our role as parents. To love, care for, support and encourage the precious souls given to us as a gift from God as they find their purpose in life.
Not being able to find the article, and thus, unable to share any excerpts from it with you this morning, I want to share some quotes about parenthood that emphasize the critical, irreplaceable importance, of these honored roles!
"I had a father but I never had a Dad. Meaning my parents never married. He lived across town with his family. Up until I was eleven I thought having a Dad meant a man who came every month and left twenty bucks. My mother was my mother and father. I missed out. That haunted me all the way up to pro sports. Here was Bo Jackson, all-star baseball player, football player, top of the world in my profession. But I was envious of my teammates, because they'd fly in their Dad to have beers in the locker room after games. In all other aspects my teammates envied me for my athletic ability. But for a Dad I would have traded all that in. Just like that." - Bo Jackson
"If kids are always looking to their parents for approval, they're not competing and they're not having fun - they're working on pleasing their parents instead. I don't want my kids to please me. I want them to be themselves. Sitting in the stands and after the game, my job as a parent is to let my kids know that I believe in them no matter how they perform." - Joe Girardi
"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation." - C. Everet Koop
"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." - Charles R. Swindoll
"Affirming words from moms and dads are like light switches. Speak a word of affirmation at the right moment in a child's life and it's like lighting up a whole roomful of possibilities." - Gary Smalley
"If I had my child to raise all over again, I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later. I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. I'd take more hikes and fly more kites. I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run through more fields, and gaze at more stars. I'd do more hugging and less tugging." - Diane Loomans
You wanna see pure terror and fear in the eyes of teens and twenty-somethings? Try living for nearly two weeks without the internet or TV! Oh, the horror! What are we going to do?!?! This is going to be so boring!!! You mean, we might actually have to talk to each other and spend time connecting with one another?!?! Oh, the horror!!! :)
When is the last time you sat on the front porch? The Haslam family has done this every day for the better part of two weeks now. We have sat for hours, just talking. We have met almost all of our neighbors, said hi to more complete strangers than I can count as they walked by and waved to even more people as they drove by. I genuinely look forward to that time every day! And the best part? Now the twenty-something and even the teenagers say, "Let's go sit out on the porch." That right there my Friends is what I call "Blessed!" :)
If you haven't sat out on the porch with your family and/or friends in a while, or perhaps ever, I want to encourage you to do so. No agenda...just spend time together. Don't worry about what you will say or do...you will figure it out. I promise you, you & they, will survive without the TV, internet, etc. and your relationships with them will thrive!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
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