Archive | August 2020

The Number One Thing

Aug10

Happy Monday to you all!

Today I’m sharing a post with you from a very prolific blogger.

He has graciously given me permission to do so.

His topic is one that gets discussed round our house quite often; but never quite as articulately!

The Number One Trait of the Unsuccessful

Posted on  by Cristian Mihai

Photo by Siavash Ghanbari on Unsplash

We’re all self-made, but only the successful ever admit it.

After all, why ever admit that you don’t like what you see in the mirror if you do not plan on changing?

But what if I were to tell you that the root cause of unhappiness and failure are not external factors, but our inner reactions to those factors.

After all, what is required of one in order to be successful?

Is it being a billionaire? Changing the world? Find one’s soulmate?

Aren’t those things intricately tied to a lot of external factors? And isn’t our perception of those factors the result of a combination of behaviors, beliefs, thoughts, and adaptations?

After all, some people are happy while having little reason to be so, and others are unhappy even though wildly successful.

It seems to me that we are only as happy and successful as we make up our minds to be. Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure, and ultimately it’s our inner reality that that dictates our own happiness.

The Number One Trait of the Unsuccessful

All unsuccessful people share this trait: they are blamers.

They are not willing to take responsibility for their own happiness and success, and thus they blame everyone and everything.

You fail by doing so, because there’s no reason for you to do anything to fix your predicament.

Don’t like what you see in the mirror? It’s genetics, it’s your parents, it’s some health issue, it’s the fast food industry.

Don’t like how much you earn? It’s the economy, the government, your neighbors.

When we blame external factors for what is ultimately our internal reality, we are choosing to sit in a rocking chair. It feels like we’re going somewhere, but we’re not going anywhere.

Blaming someone else means you never assume responsibility for your life.

I know this because I’ve wasted most of my twenties by looking for someone to put the blame on for everything that needed fixing in my life.

Do you want to know the harsh truth?

It doesn’t matter who’s to blame, it’s still your responsibility.

Your significant other left you? It’s your responsibility to fix your heart.

You lost everything you had during a recession? It’s your responsibility to challenge this disaster with more enthusiasm than ever before.

When you expect someone else to fix your life for you, you become helpless, and that’s a pathway to soon becoming hopeless.

We often like to tap-dance around the truth, being afraid that the truth is going to bruise our little egos.

If you don’t like something about your life, it’s your responsibility to change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.

Whatever you do, whether you have to beg or crawl or fight, just don’t put the blame on other people. They are not responsible for your success and happiness, you are.

If you enjoy my words, consider becoming a member.

Your support and your contribution are what keep this engine running, and I intend to reward them with my words as often as I can.

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Do you consider yourself successful?

How do you feel about the blame game?

Are you able to take responsibility for your own stuff?

We see it all around us today;

and we must be willing to take action not only for ourselves, but for teaching this responsibility to those who will be following along behind us.

It gets easier as we go.

Please share any other ideas or insights you may have in the comments.

Until next time …

Friday Favorites – Cool Mornings

Aug7

Typically, summer and I do not get along. I dislike heat, bugs and dirt. That pretty much covers it right?

What I do love, is cool morning’s, clouds and green. So the last three days or so, it has been uncharacteristically cool here in Iowa.

Cool enough that if I arrive a bit earlier than usual, I can still enjoy a walk Under the Hill with Jack.

The heat and humidity are to return by the weekend, so I’m trying to take advantage of this brief window of time to get some things accomplished.

I hope the weather, and the colors where you are, are as you like them.

However you find them – Enjoy!

Until next time …

Hindsight 20/20 – #4 – The Orphan Heart

Aug5
Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

Steps to help heal the orphan heart.

The first step that must be taken to heal the orphan heart, is to RECOGNIZE that we have one.

After recognition, we must make a quality choice to change our heart.

There are many different ways I am sure to make these recognitions, and choices.

I can only share with you the ones I have personally used.

My source of help came from many lists.

These lists I found, over the years, through Bible reading.

It was only when I went seeking to learn about my orphan heart that I began to connect all the dots.

Hebrews 4 says this;

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

What this means is that the word of God can be used to learn the absolute truth.

God sees it all, and like in the old days when cameras had film, once that film was exposed, it could never be used again.

Once my heart has been exposed to the word of God, if I pay attention, the past can never be used on me again.

The most obvious list, would be the Ten Commandments;

The Ten Commandments can be found in Exodus 20, and reads like this;

That looks pretty straight forward right?

Some other lists I found were equally as straight forward, and although not very appealing to my senses, I found them to be true, none the less.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This list was found in Galatians 5.

I can only say Ouch.

Now obviously, I (and probably you) am not guilty of all of these things, but I (and probably you) am guilty of at least some of these things.

Honestly, if you are guilty of them, it may, or may not be your fault.

Some of the things on this list are standard fare for the world we live in today.

Much has been unknowingly passed down from generation to generation, because of a lack of knowledge of what God requires.

Honor, respect, responsibility, in many cases, has never been taught.

Our hearts have grown up as orphans, without proper father training.

Here’s the thing; Now it’s been exposed to you, and you can begin to do something about it.

We cannot fix or change what was lacking in our former years, but we CAN fix it now.

It’s been exposed, and unless you let it, it cannot be used against you again.

But how can I make sure of that?

Well, here’s a list that you can literally live with, also found in Galatians 5;

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

I was, and am, so happy to know that there is provision already made for me to live a better life.

Next Wednesday, we’ll talk about how to make this work for us.

Until then, let’s spend a little time considering what needs to be exposed, and dealt with in our hearts, we don’t want to be orphans any more!

Until then …