Mingle2 - Philadelphia Singles
I spent the past two days at the Willowcreek Global Leadership Summit. I’m not sure how many years I have attended the summit, but I think this year was my favorite (although I think I say that every year!). I always walk away inspired and ready to take action. One of the speakers, Stephen Furtick, made the statement, ”if all you have is a good idea you are a day dreamer, not a visionary. It takes audacious faith to move from inspiration to implementation.” I wonder how many good ideas I have never acted on in my life. I can think of several business ideas, several personal goals, and many relational opportunities missed. My prayer today is that I find that audacious faith to carry out the next idea, and maybe even dust off some of the old ones.
Layman's 10 Commandments.
1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.
2] So a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.
3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.
4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.
5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!
6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, it's just a bend, not the end!
7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.
8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"
9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today'sPEACE.
At first I saw God as an observer, maybe someone with a telescope who watched me from far away. He was like a judge, keeping track of what I did right and what I did wrong. At the end of my life, He would decide whether I deserved heaven or hell. I did not know God back then.
Later on I met Jesus, and I started to see life like a bike ride. It was a tandem bike and now Jesus was in the back helping me to pedal. I don't know just when He suggested that we switch places, but life has not been the same since. When I had control I knew what way I wanted to go. It was a little boring but predictable. I had the same friends, we did the same things. Life was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He showed me delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at break-neck speed. It was all I could do to hang on. Even though sometimes it all seemed crazy, He'd just keeping saying "pedal."
I would become worried and ask: "Where are you taking me? Can I trust you?" But He'd just laugh and say "yes" and slowly I started to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say I'm scared he'd lean back and take my hand. He took me to meet people I never thought I would ever associate with and they would become my friends. They had things that I needed: gifts of acceptance and joy, lessons about life and love. And sometimes we'd meet people who needed a gift from me. I'd never done that before. When I would be overwhelmed by it all, Jesus would just smile and say, "I told you it would be fun!"
I must say I did not trust Him at first in control of my life. I thought he would wreck it. But He knows bike secrets, and I have learned that they are the secrets of life, too. He knows how to take sharp corners, how to jump high rocks and how to stop and rest in the most amazing places. Now I am just learning to enjoy being with my Lord, to pedal without fear in the strangest and beautiful places, to enjoy the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. I could never have gone where I have gone, or seen what I have seen, or become what I have become without Him. And still He just says, "Pedal." -anonymous
"To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny."
Alan Cohen
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
- Author Unknown
Just For Today
Just for today I will try to live through this day only nad not tackle my whole life program at once. I can do some things for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
Just for today I will be happy. This assumes what Abraham Lincoln said is true: that "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Happiness is from within. It is not a matter of externals.
Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, and nourish it, and not abuse it or neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my will.
Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer all day. I will read something that requires effort, thought, and concentration.
Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways: (1) I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count; (2) I will do at least two things I don't want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise; (3) I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt. They may be hurt, but today I will not show it.
Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with appreciation, criticize not one bit nor find fault with anything, and not try to regulate or improve anyone.
Just for today I will have a program. I will write down just what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I'll have it. It will save me from the two pests of hurry and indecision.
Just for today Ill have a quiet half hour, all by myself, and relax. In this half hour, sometime, I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective in my life.
Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love and to believe that those I love, love me.
Robert L. Wood
