Archive for the ‘Father’ Category

Letter to Kylie Wright, my daughter, who lives in Heaven…

Posted: June 20, 2014 in Father
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Today, June 21st, marks the anniversary of 10 years since you became a citizen of Heaven and yet there still isn’t one single day that goes by that I don’t think about you and who you would be today. I could tell you I miss you, but words can’t describe the gut wrenching feeling even now that I still feel.

It still hurts me so deep down inside but yet I am resolved to this feeling because I know I cannot change the past, only the future, and I can tell you that your Dad is a very different person now since you are gone. But I will not digress in this letter to you…I will stay the course and promise to hold fast to God because I know that in Him and through Him, I will see you again.

Kylie, I wanted to tell you that we finally moved from the home you grew up in and became the person we remember the most. Your mother and I agreed that it was finally time. Your older brother Jarrett, has moved out and become successful on his own now and although I don’t see him as much as I would like, I am thankful for the time I do have. But without him in that big house, it just felt different and frankly, it was time to move on.

But through that process of packing boxes and unpacking them in our new home, all those feelings of missing you came roaring back, many of which I had packed away, not planning on “feeling” them anymore….but they came in a giant wave and there you were, right back in the center of our lives again with your Mom and I trying desperately to control them and keep it together.

You see we found your pictures; your voice in video, your artwork, your backpack, your clothes…we found “You”, exactly the way “you” had left your things. I probably should say, “shame on us” for not moving your things out of your room sooner but in your case, we just never seemed to find the energy to take that challenge on…but when it’s time to move, well, it forced us to take that issue head on. I can tell you that it was not easy, but through the strength of family and friends, we overcame and I can see now that we are better because we worked hard not to wear that burden anymore.

Kylie, you would be very proud of both of your brothers. Your 12 years here truly impacted both of them positively. Jarrett has gone on to be a successful producer in a local prominent television studio. He is working to ultimately be the sports guy and if I know him, he will make it. When I see your little brother Kendrick, he reminds me of you. He has a crazy personality and enjoys being silly with all of us. He plays baseball and the piano just like you, and is very good at both. Sometimes he asks questions about you when he sees pictures of you holding him and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy talking about you to him.

It makes BOTH of us happy, even still…

You would be amazed at your Mom and what she has done since you left. She is a part of Umbrella Ministries that is instrumental in helping other mothers who have lost children in dealing with the grief and pain of child loss. In other words, she has taken her pain and worked it into a positive for someone else in the same circumstance…doesn’t that sound like something your mom would do?

By the way, if you’ve ever wondered why your Heavenly Father comes to you every single evening and gives you hugs and kisses, it because every night, your mom signs off every family prayer with that request of Him…

Sometimes I think about how you’re not being here changed the overall course of our lives. In other words, what decisions did your Mom and I make while in our state of grief that caused our life’s direction to change? Your mother and I look back and see very clearly now that we were not the same people after we lost you and logic says that when you make decisions in a different state of mind…well…you are going to get a different outcome…Only God knows how our lives would have gone with you still here but that wasn’t Gods plan. His plan was to take you and although I am not angry with Him, I will never understand the “why”?

Kylie, I never would have thought that I would ever be a Dad writing a letter to any deceased child, let alone my own…but yet, here I am 10 years past your death, still trying to get a grip on you not being here. To help clarify, I miss who you would have been and the chances I would have had to be your Daddy…even now when you would have been a grown woman.

Being a father of a girl, well, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being the father of you, well, frankly, was indescribable…it just ended far to soon. Because of that statement, I can easily say that I do not take time spent with family and friends for granted as I did. Now, I just soak it all in…

Kylie, it’s been 10 years since you left and my observations are we are all very different but yet, we are all still that same in some ways as our memories drift back to our time spent with you. I have said this all along and will continue to feel this way until I’m gone…

 I am better person having been your Daddy and although I still miss you desperately, my faith in God tells me I will see you again.

I will always love you Kylie…

Your Daddy

It is time to take a Stand…

Posted: June 9, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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The Ironman Strength blog has always been about being strong in God and taking on the challenges that this life sends our way and this post is no different. Guys, I sense some wavering out there…some doubt in your lives that if left alone, could cause some very serious problems for you and your family down the road. Please read this post with the same urgency that I write it and please take it to heart. I begin with a verse for warriors that I hope you will apply today…

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)

This is a great verse because it is clear and to the point. When Joshua wrote this verse, he knew he was going to die. He had fought the good fight for God and now he was old but before God took him into heaven, Joshua spoke to the children of Israel and gave them two options about their spiritual future; either serve God…or don’t serve Him. They had already experienced the power of God throughout their daily journey as they moved through the promised land and continually overcame obstacles that were more than they could have ever withstood on their own…And now, here they stood on the precipice of the most important decision any of them would ever make for their future…and with Joshua gone…would they give in and serve the gods of the existing tribes around them…or…would they take a stand and serve the God who had brought them to where they were now?

What is critical to note here though is Joshua’s final opinion on the two options he gave Israel. He said, “as for me and my household, we will serve The Lord”. As was typical of the rock who Joshua was…He did not waver or falter…he spoke from his heart and it was solid.

Joshua was one of the most powerful warriors in Biblical history who served God with all he had and when the end of his life was near, he took his final stand in front of his nation and announced who he and his house would serve…

My question to you is…which option have you chosen for you and your house?

Have you taken the stand for yourself and firmly planted your feet on the solid ground before God?

I believe that now is time to“man up” in your relationship with God…It is your responsibility to shield both you and your family from the harm that Satan seeks to wreak upon the people you care about. Now is NOT a time for doubt, it is a time for clarity. Otherwise you will be like this;

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6 NIV)

Everyone has seen seaweed being tossed back and forth inside waves with no stability whatsoever. That seaweed could end up anywhere because it has broken away from its stronghold under the sea. Guys, if you doubt, that will be you being thrown around in this world like the seaweed in the waves…with nothing to hold onto…being tossed around with no idea where you will end up…

Trust me here…that is NOT God’s plan for you or your family.

Guys, I challenge you right now to be the warrior God intended you to be by taking a stand inside your house by protecting your wife and kids from what Satan seeks to do them. It starts by clinging onto our God who is a rock and a fortress and will always be there for us…

I challenge you to be like Joshua and declare to the world…

As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord…

 

Until next time guys…

 

 

A little man’s explanation of God…

Posted: May 19, 2013 in Father, Just for Fun
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I happened upon this article recently and it brought a smile to my face because I am one of those Dad’s who was blessed with boys. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I also was blessed with a girl for a time and she was truly a joy in my life but today…this post is about little men. If you happen to be blessed with one, two or more, then you will understand this next statement…

It’s NEVER boring with a little guy around…

In fact, sometimes life can kind of be downright chaotic with little guys around…however, I don’t know about you, I wouldn’t have it any other way…But I digress…

The article I found are from a sunday school classroom of little guys explaining who they think God is and why they believe in Him…completely from their “little man”vantage point.

I hope you like it…

A LITTLE MAN’S EXPLANATION OF GOD:

 

 

‘One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.’

 

‘God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.’

 

‘God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.’

 

‘Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in San Diego. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.’

 

‘ Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.’

 

‘His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.’

 

‘You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.’

 

‘You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!

 

Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.’

 

‘If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.’

 

‘But…you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

 

And…that’s why I believe in God.’

 

 

Until next time guys…

It happens in a Blink…

Posted: May 11, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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it_happens_in_a_blink__by_jsf22x35-d3c4oejYesterday, I attended a memorial service for the wife of a former business owner/ friend of mine who recently passed on and has gone to Heaven. The service was great. I say “great” because it was NOT one of those very dull, dreary experiences where the person who passed had no hope and we will never see them again. Everyone in that service knew where this woman was…Heaven…no doubt about it. But yet at the same time, the service was incredibly sad because my friend’s wife was gone. Physically, she is no longer here anymore to participate in her life doing the she things she loved like running, riding bikes or spending time with her husband and her kids…instead, she went to Heaven and it happened in a blink.

 

This coming June 21st, my own daughter Kylie, will have been in heaven for 9 years but yet it only seems just like yesterday to me when she passed. She was a very happy 12-year-old girl who truly loved her family and her life but yet one day, God decided to take her up to Heaven and live with Him…and that too happened in a blink.

 

Now, I will be honest with you here..I am not one of those guys who believes that Kylie is up there watching over our family.  That has never been one of those things told to me that ever gave me comfort. I will also tell you that this post isn’t about wrestling with God or bitterness or anything like that….It’s about recognizing what is right in front of you and possibly losing your pride and being the man and asking for forgiveness…The people we know and care for can be gone in a blink and then what? Well, the hard truth is you must live without them for the rest of your lives…and for some of you, that may mean living with a mountain of regret. The “I should have talked to him/her sooner” conversation that should have happened…never happened…only now it is too late.

 

I can’t tell you how many times I have spoken to friends who were angry at their kids or their wives or their parents and that anger or pride caused them a broken relationship and then as I have experienced first hand, that special someone is gone in a blink and now they live with this bitter pill regret at never reaching out to them and mending that relationship…

 

Remember: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

 

Guys, if you haven’t picked up on the theme of this post…It happens in a blink…It’s because it does. The unexpected can happen before you blink and I assure you there isn’t anything you can do. One minute, all is well in your world and the next, someone YOU LOVE is gone. No matter how hard we try to hold on to someone, we can’t.

 

What I am saying is simple…don’t wait to save your relationships. Please consider taking the high road and do it now…because truly…life can change in a blink. I encourage you to please don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today…

 

Until next time guys…

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHFfrICljRo

Don’t just lay there…Get up!

Posted: May 4, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational, Tough Times
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As I may have mentioned before, I have a second son who is 10 years old and like many of us, is learning that sometimes life isn’t easy. He is currently learning this valuable lesson through the great sport of Baseball. You see, he was drafted onto his very first Little League majors team and although he started the season with a bang, he has since fallen into one of those slumps we see major leaguers fall into now and then. This slump however, is causing him great distress. The more he tries to shake it off, the worse it gets and this past weekend…well, he just kinda hit the wall…(Anyone ever hit the wall before?…) His “hitting the wall” experience afforded me the opportunity as his father to have one of those conversations about life that I think all young men need to hear sometime as they grow up.

Now I will be honest with you…I have heard and read many of these self-help pontificator’s who put forth things like empowering yourself and “everything you need to be great exists inside you already all you need to do is find it” kind of stuff…and although there may be place for that somewhere…when you are staring into the tearing eyes of a 10-year-old boy who is trying desperately to do his best, and it’s not working…all of those empowerment ideals goes out the window.

Here is the bottom line…and it is NOT Rocket Science; Sometimes…in this life…you will get knocked down…the question is “are you going to get back up, or are you going to just lay there?” As I watched my own son, it was clear to me he had no idea where to start or what to do…and I realized right then that a lot of men in life find themselves in this same situation. We get knocked down in life…maybe at work or at home and we simply lose our direction and we truly…have no idea where to turn next. Just like my son, we have lost our confidence in ourselves and our capabilities. We forget what our strengths are both professionally and personally and this can cause paralysis from taking another step forward. As adults this can be devastating especially to a family where the father has lost his way and mom is trying to hold things together by herself.

So how does one get his confidence back? Here are my 5 steps to confidence:

  1. Get back up on your feet and take that first step forward. I assure you that confidence does NOT come while you are laying on the ground…
  1. Read Hebrews 4:16…Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. It ALL starts with God guys…He tells us to come to Him with CONFIDENCE in order that we can receive what He has for us…
  1. Spend some quality time with God. Doesn’t have to be hours…just get on your knees for a few minutes without distraction. You will be amazed…
  1. Call a buddy. Just because you are a man doesn’t mean you don’t need to talk and maybe get something off your chest. Grab a coffee and spend a minute with a good friend…
  1. Plug into a church. I know you have heard this before but it is true…God didn’t intend His people to walk through “life” alone…he intended them to do “life” as a community and that happens in a church.

 

It’s like I told my son, “I have seen you hit a baseball before and you hit well…you just need to remember that feeling”

Guys, you HAVE done some “thing’s” in your life well. Some things that should make you proud and happy of your accomplishments as a husband and father…do you remember them? You should…and you have no reason to hang your head… Remember this;

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Right now, you are running the race marked out for you…NEWS FLASH! You are going to fall down… It WILL imageshappen. That IS a part of your life…but as I mentioned before…when this happens what are you going to do then? Guys my challenge to you today is simply GET UP! Shake off the dirt and keep moving forward. God NEVER promised that our lives would be easy…He only said “He would never leave us or forsake us” which means during your darkest hour…you are not alone…

So GET UP and LOOK UP to Gods throne with confidence…

You can do this…

Until next time guys…

 

Would you really walk away from God?

Posted: March 29, 2013 in Father, Heaven Bound, Husband
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mind_gears-300x300To whom it may concern…this blog post is not one for the faint of heart. I plan to be very honest and truthful about what the Bible says about a very important topic that we all need to remember as we journey through this life. The truth may hit you painfully…but that is kind of the point isn’t it? Please consider my words as they will apply to both mine and yours eternal futures…

Is it possible for the “New” to wear off as a Christian? Can you let the things of this earth overwhelm your thoughts and dreams to take you further and further away from the presence of the Lord?

One easy answer…Absolutely…

As a new Christian, you must consider the fact that Satan will begin to attack you with even more ferocity than before to try to shake you from your new commitment to Christ. As a young Christian, you are an infant needing spiritual sustenance from both the church and your own personal commitment to growing yourself more in His word and ways. If that growth does not happen consistently, then yes it would be easy to fall back into ones old ways before your salvation…

But let us consider a person who has had a longer relationship with God. Someone who has served Christ faithfully for many years or even participated in outreach for the church like missions. Someone that you could count on to be there if you needed help. Someone that you consider a rock…Would it be possible for this type of person to fall victim to the calling sounds of sin?

For those of you who have never heard this term, I want to introduce you to something called Personal Apostasy which when translated from the original Greek, means to turn away or to fall away from what one has formally turned to.

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

What I am speaking about here is an actual severing of one’s relationship with God whereby one literally withdraws from the personal union as well as no longer having faith in Him. Now please understand what I am saying here; you can only experience personal apostasy if you have previously received salvation or the regeneration of the Holy Spirit…a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3

The Bible is very clear and issues warnings about apostasy designed to both alert us to the deadly danger of walking away from Christ as well as to motivate us to persevere in our faith and obedience to Him. These warnings are the reality of our life and must be heeded as Christians in order to attain our heavenly goals. In other words, do not ignore them…take heed and listen and most importantly…apply them in your own life so that you or your family will not be swayed by the enemy, Satan.

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. Hebrews 2:1-3

Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2: 22-25

These are just a couple of the many verses that are explicit in their description of the fatal dangers of personal apostasy. It is also important to note that this is a process. In other words, this is not an example of simply touching a switch and a person has changed. No, this is not the case at all, it takes time for the deadly sin virus to take hold in a person’s life. It reminds me of the song by Casting Crowns called Slow Fade which describes in detail the “slow fade as you give yourself away”:

Be careful little eyes what you see
It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

The ramifications of this are truly deadly and the Bible is very clear about this as well. More importantly, this process or slow fade as mentioned above, is a personal choice this person makes over time. They choose to walk down the road and leave their family and salvation behind. Yes, I did say, leave your salvation behind. If this apostasy continues unchecked in one’s life it is entirely possible whereby a person reaches a point where a second beginning is impossible. In other words, if there is a deliberate hardening of ones heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit but worse yet, a refusal to repent, there is an actual point of no return according to God’s Word.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Hebrews 6:4-6

You cannot call yourself a Christian and be indifferent to the word of God. The demands and the warnings of the Holy Spirit tell a different story. Remember the possibility of self-deception is always there and for those who claim to be Christians, Paul reminds us all to “examine ourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” 2 Corinthians 13:5.

If you ignore the obvious and continue down the same path, as mentioned before, the decision you make will be eternally fatal. I assure you, that is one you will regret.

If I were the Devil…

Posted: March 23, 2013 in Father, Heaven Bound, Husband, Inspirational
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As I have told you before, this blog will never be political. It’s only purpose is to encourage all of us as we navigate the path we walk each day which we all know, can be very difficult at times. But I have to tell you, when you read these words and learn at the end when they were written, it will be a strange feeling for all of you to see how accurate Paul Harvey was in predicting what he would do if he were the devil. Paul Harvey broadcasted from the 1950s through the 1990s, Harvey’s programs reached as many as 24 million people a week. He was beloved my millions for his anecdotal related broadcasts that would touch your heart. This particular broadcast however, was more of a prediction rather than commentary but as you will see, it is scary accurate…

thinking_manIf I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.

I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. In the ears of the young married, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you.

I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism or in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten television with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”

With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and  thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school-house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.

If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.

In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day.

Just so you know, this speech was broadcast by legendary ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965…He could already see then what we all know now…

So I do not show you this to depress you, I show you this to remind you that you need to protect your families from this world by continuing to focus on Christ in your homes. God promises to never leave us nor forget us. All we need to do is to look His way and NOT get distracted by everything we see each day…the very same distractions that Paul Harvey saw and talked about on his radio show 47 years ago…

Until next time guys…

Attitude determines your Altitude…

Posted: February 17, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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Personal stories always seem to affect me in my heart. When you see stories of folks who change people’s lives because of their actions, I really like that. I found one of those stories that I want to share with my readers. This one is on a topic that sometimes I struggle with personally…my attitude. It is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to choose…good mood or bad mood? Well actually…when things are good…good mood is easy but when things are not so good…maintaining that good mood is VERY difficult and that is why I share this post with you…because,

YOU…GET TO CHOOSE…enjoy…

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate because He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!” This guy was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of their situation.

Seeing his style everyday really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Michael replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or…you can choose to be in a bad mood. For me, I choose to be in a good mood.” Each time something bad happens, I can choose to either be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it…I simply choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or…I can point out the positive side of life. In every circumstance i come across, I choose to take the positive side of life.

“Yeah right, it’s not that easy,” I protested. “Actually yes it is,” Michael said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation we face is a choice and you get to choose how you react to those situations. You are the one who chooses how people will affect your mood. You either choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life and not anyone else”

I reflected on what Michael said and soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch but I would often think about him when I made a choice in my own life rather than reacting to it. Several years later, I found out that Michael was involved in a very serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was finally released from the hospital with steel rods being surgically placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident and when I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins…Wanna see my scars?” I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,” Michael replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or…I could choose to die…I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Michael continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine but when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he’s a dead man’. I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Michael. “She asked if I was allergic to anything.

‘Yes, I replied.’

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled,

‘Gravity'”

Over their laughter, I told them, “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude…I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and you are still here and functioning. Remember…when you trust in Him…You have a reason to hope.

I truly pray you will make the right choice…but in case you forget, choose attitude.

Until next time guys…

Contentment…Is it Possible or Impossible?

Posted: January 26, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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I read a story once about a journalist who happened upon a small house way out in the deep woods of West Virginia. This particular journalist was in a difficult state trying to track down a lead on Moonshiners deep in the forest but instead, found himself lost and unable to find his way back to his car. As he desperately searched to find his way, he came upon a small house with a little porch completely hidden amongst the thick trees. As he carefully approached the house, he saw an older couple sitting on rocking chairs while holding hands. He greeted them cautiously and as he tells the story, found them both very gracious and frankly, extremely friendly. While he rested before he set off again with directions, he had the opportunity to speak with the old man whereas he quickly determined that this old guy was someone very special. First he determined that the old man was very rich and very successful in his life. As they talked further, he uncovered the man was a doctor and also an inventor and responsible for many medical breakthroughs during his lifetime. As the old man continued to speak, the journalist realized he was speaking with someone who was not like any he had ever met before but yet something bothered him greatly. Here was a man who had everything he could ever want and yet here he was, living in a tiny house out in the forest with no one around but his wife. So as he sat there listening the journalist inside him kicked in and he had to ask the question…”Sir, why do you live out here in the woods and not in a palace in the big city?”

With an easy, peaceful smile on his face, he said softly…”I’m content here.”

And for the first time in his career, the journalist was stunned and frankly, did not know what to say but suddenly a light went on and he understood completely what the old man meant. You cannot buy what the old man had discovered, so rather than exist in bountiful luxury and be unhappy, he had chosen obscurity and gained contentment…

So how much does contentment cost and where do I find it?

If I were to ask all of you as to whether or not you were content, what would your answer be? Have you ever thought about it before? Unfortunately, most guys (and I know I am generalizing here) don’t necessarily plug into the idea of contentment. They understand when they are happy and sad but for the most part, we are usually focused on work or play. But I would like to give you something else to consider.

To the world, contentment means accepting what one has without seeking more but actually, contentment goes beyond what we see around us. It is actually a condition of your heart. Contentment is God giving you exactly what you need, each moment of each day. Not only is He walking with you by your side, but He also goes before you and me preparing a way for us…preparing a future for us.

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I mean ask yourself, why aren’t you content? Is it because of “things” you don’t have or a job that you want but haven’t been able to make it happen? What I am saying is the quest for more here on earth will NOT bring you contentment…this is exactly what the world wants you to think. However, if you plug into a daily relationship with Christ, seeking Him for peace…He will bring you contentment like you have never known before.

Let me leave you with a verse in Hebrews 13:5-6…

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

 

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

I will end with something you have heard me say before…but if you can keep your eyes focused on Him exclusively and weather the daily storm you can see in the above verse that you are NOT ALONE. God will NOT leave us NOR forget us…which means he walks with you and provides you exactly what you need…that perfect dose…again, each and everyday. I encourage you to “tap into” what God has for you.

And where will that lead you…? Well, it is my personal goal and I hopefully I’ve convinced you to make it yours as well…

Yep…Contentment…

Until next time guys…

Satan can Hinder my Prayers…?

Posted: August 25, 2012 in Devotional, Father, Heaven Bound, Husband, Inspirational
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Guys, I have been writing to you on this Iron Man Strength blog now for almost two years and during that time, I have worked to encourage and provide support to you as you walk down the path of being a Dad and a Husband. As we all know, this path is not an easy one but through Gods amazing grace, we all have access to power through Christ Jesus…all you have to do…is believe.

But I have a sense of urgency now that I need to begin to share in this blog that some of you may or may not appreciate but I must press on. This blog will never be political, but only encouragement about our lives and our relationship to our God, but I tell you now that we are living in an extraordinarily turbulent time now in America and there are powers at work that you and I cannot control but through prayerful persistence. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing and my friends, now more than any time in your life, I pray that you heed my words.

We learn back in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel, that there are powers and principalities that are unseen that you and I must consider as Christians. I am not trying to scare you or blow your mind with crazy talk but yet the truth is the truth and I ask you to listen. There is an unseen battle going on right now in America and the unrest and nervousness that you and your neighbors are feeling is because of that battle. It is not just simply we are struggling to make ends meet or the economy is bad, look at what is happening around you…people are reacting by killing one another all over the world. I find myself afraid not for me, but for my children. What does the future hold for them in this world? How will they live and support themselves? You and I…well…we can only pray and pray and pray and while you are praying, please consider this…

In Daniel chapter 10, we learn that Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days and had not received any word from the Lord. At the end of that time, we learn from an Angel who came and met with him that during the time he was praying, there was a battle like I am referring to above, going on which prevented Daniel’s answer from getting to him. Only when the Archangel Michael, a really large and powerful stud Angel squashes the Prince of Persia, does the answer reach Daniel.

So what does this story mean to you and me? Believe it or not…Satan was able to hold up that answer to Daniel’s request for 21 days and he can do the very same thing with our prayers. Read 2 Corinthians 2:11 where Paul tells us:

In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are NOT aware of his schemes.

Guys, he seeks to devour and thwart our efforts when we are seeking a relationship with Christ and if you are an, on-again off-again, inconsistent, I’ll get around to it eventually kind of guy, you may not realize that your prayers maybe held up or slowed before they reach Him. Jesus tells us in His own words in Luke 18:1-8 about persistence in prayer…He says in verse 7, “and will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?“

My advice to all of you is very simple…If your relationship with God is good or not so good…I urge you to continuously and persistently seek God each day and pray to Him for both yourself and your family. Gods desire is to have a relationship with you that is eternal but the only way that will happen is through YOUR efforts while here on earth…so right now, while things here are more turbulent that ever before, seek God with all your heart because I assure you…

When you seek Him, He will find you…and that my friend will have very Heavenly implications…

Until next time guys…I leave you with this…

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