Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

Work Ethic…Pass it on

Posted: April 30, 2011 in Father, Inspirational
Tags: , , , ,
1

I’m old-fashioned in certain ways. It’s kind of funny being close to 50 and making that statement but I really think it is true for at least one thing; work ethic. Do you know what I mean when I say work ethic? I’m talking about what is inside you, that inner part of you that makes you…you. Some people call it fortitude, and some call it gravel in your gut. I’m old-fashioned, I call it, an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. That’s pretty simple I think…but apparently it’s not because today’s job work ethic isn’t the same as it used to be. Anyone who supervises people knows what I am referring to here. More and more, people don’t have any vision for their future. They prefer to perform the “eight and skate” mentality and the eight hours they are present? are debatable at best.

Guys, this is NOT a political blog and I plan on keeping it that way but what I am saying is as Fathers, it is our responsibility to teach work ethic in the home. That means, for example, holding our kids accountable for various responsibilities around the house. Now please, don’t misunderstand me here. I am not telling you how to do your job at work or at home. I am simply pointing out that from my vantage point, the mentality of approaching work is changing in America, and frankly, I don’t like it very much. Unfortunately, I believe that “work ethic”, or, that getting up in the morning and getting on your knees and giving God the day and then going to work and giving your best, is a dying philosophy.

Now I know there are a lot of you out there that are unemployed and for that I am sorry but as I have stated in previous blogs, keep your eyes focused on Christ, keep trusting in Him, and He will see you through this trial in your life. In fact, read my previous “You are not Alone” blog post for more of the above. As I was saying, many of you who are unemployed would simply love the opportunity to prove your work ethic but you understand what I am writing about here. We need to teach our children that is imperative they give their best effort, no matter what job they are doing. Remember the Bible talks about Colossians 3:17;
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I know, I know, that is BRUTAL sometimes. But as hard as that is to exemplify, as fathers, that’s our job in our homes because our kids are watching us. Show them what’s really inside you. Show them the example of your strong work ethic each day by doing your best at your job and then helping them to understand why they need to do the same thing.

Let me tell you a short story about my eight-year-old son Kendrick. Like many of you, we have a dog at our house who every day, multiple times a day, does her business outside on what used to be my green lawn (sorry, I digress) Kendrick’s job is to take care of the dogs business every Saturday and of course, he forgets, or he doesn’t want to, or he is too busy…You know the drill, kid excuses. One day I sat him down and asked him if he thought he was doing a good job at his Saturday duties and he told me “Yes, he was happy with his effort” (paraphrased) I proceeded to tell him that if he worked for me, I would have to fire him for that “effort, or lack thereof” and that surprised him. Now, you can’t fire your kid so don’t get any ideas, but I did remind him that it’s our job to do our best every time we work…

The same holds true for you and me. As men, it’s our job to not only work hard and give our employer an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, but every day, we need to show our kids the same thing. One of the greatest satisfactions for me as a father was getting the opportunity to speak to my oldest son’s former employer and having him tell me he is a hard worker and that he is never worried about leaving him on his own unsupervised because he knew he would still continue to work hard, even when the boss wasn’t around.

Guys, that needs to be our testament to ourselves as men and to our children. I challenge you to build a strong work ethic in your family.

God Bless you guys…

Whatever happened to Normal?

Posted: April 22, 2011 in Husband, Inspirational, Tough Times
Tags: , , ,
0

If you’re like me, you may spend a little time each day catching up on world news or maybe your favorite sports team because as guys, we like to know what is going on, right? Is it me, or does it seem that right now, more than any other time in our lifetime, that the World, and America, is just out of control? It’s like what is wrong is now right and whats right, is now wrong…That’s the way it appears to me. Today I read online that a man in New York City broke up a fight happening in a McDonald’s restaurant and 10 minutes later, someone killed him for it…? I am completely dumbfounded…? When did the switch get flipped so that right and wrong are backwards? This kind of lunacy is now the everyday normal and you, me, and every other Christian family has to deal with this craziness.

Guys, I wish I had a good answer to help you with what we see going on around us but the reality is that Satan is alive and well on this earth…for now. He thinks he’s in charge and he is ramping up his attacks on humanity because frankly, I believe, the time we have left on earth is short.

Take a look at 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, where it says:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satan is actively working to keep unbelievers still unbelievers, and to turn believers into unbelievers…He wants to take as many of us down with him as he can. Why? Because he HATES you. He absolutely LOATHES you and is working this very minute to to take you down, permanently. He is lying in wait looking for someone to consume…Maybe you, or someone in your family?

Remember 1 Peter 5:8?

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

He also wants to present you with 1000 reasons why you shouldn’t proceed down the narrow path…Maybe that means cheating on your wife? Or spending time with pornography? I could go on and on…You will continually have these types of major roadblocks thrown in your path as a Christian man. He wants you to fail and to do that he will find your weakness and make it very easy for you to fall. In fact, it will be so subtle that you may think, ”Aaah…just this once, no one will know and really, just this once”…Guess what? HE HAS GOT YOU! Look up above at that verse…It says, Be self-controlled and ALERT. Remember, sin is subtle. It slowly creeps into your life and worms its way into your inner most thoughts…

Guys, I will not lie to you…It is HARD to resist temptation… but I will give you a reason from Christ to keep on resisting:

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Where do you fit into all of this? Are you disgusted with what you see around you or are you assimilating into the culture? Do you find all of this harder and harder to deal with or do you just not understand what the big deal is about? Guys, I challenge you to remember that the enemy is out there waiting to destroy you, and anyone else who is dear to you…I challenge you to keep your eyes on Christ and to simply hold on tight…HE WILL NOT LET GO OF YOU…

You are Not Alone…

Posted: April 16, 2011 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
Tags: , , , ,
0

I had lunch with a friend of mine this past week because we hadn’t seen each other in a couple of months and we wanted to reconnect. I knew this particular friend has had a tough go of things lately. He had been in and out of jobs for the last 4 years due to no fault of his own. He was in a business that was simply more susceptible to the economy than most. What struck me though, was how far this guy had fallen. Just so you understand, my friend has a way about him that is infectious. He is FUN to be around and we both enjoy teasing our older kids. Our families enjoy one another…He is an all around great guy however, the guy I had lunch with this week, was NOT the same man. This guy was broken and he is angry at God for constantly being out of work. His children are grown up and away at college so he finds himself alone most of the time which only make matters worse. He told me he still goes to church on Sundays, but he doesn’t listen anymore. He feels as if God has abandoned him…

I know there are a great deal of men, just like my friend, who feel this same way. They continually ask themselves, “whats the point?” “Why am I going through this?”, “ I AM ALONE”.

Guys, as one who has walked in the valley of the shadow of despair at the loss of my only daughter Kylie, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! God will never leave you or forget you! You DO have someone to hold onto during your storm and his name is Jesus Christ. The purpose of this article is to remind…and to encourage you if you happen to be in this place also.

Lets start with the Bible, Gods Word, here on earth, given to us. I’ve heard guys say, “those are just words, what can they do for me right now when I’m in the middle of this?” Trust me, they are not just words, they are power and strength you, and your family, can tap into during the tough times.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us to:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

What these verses tell me is their will be things that happen in our lives that we won’t understand…It wont make any sense. Can you tell me why God decided to take my beautiful 12-year-old daughter? I don’t get that and I never will but I’ve come to realize that my trying to understand why?…that is NOT my job. My job is to completely trust in Him…even though I don’t understand why. Do you remember the story of Peter when he got out of the boat and started walking on the water to meet Jesus? (Matthew 14:29-30) He was actually walking on water until he took his eyes off of Christ and then what happened? He started sinking fast…and what was his reaction? He cried, “Lord save me!” which is exactly what we are supposed to do…

But maybe that is the crux of the problem. We are guys and we don’t need any help…Isn’t that right? Well I can tell you that David, one of the greatest warriors that ever lived in history, he didn’t feel that way. In fact David ran for his life for over 10 years because Saul was out to kill him but yet he still said this in Psalms 31: 13-14:

For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”

What I am saying is this…Now is the time to set your eyes on Him. Don’t waver. Look up to heaven and say “Lord, I do NOT understand any of this crap that is happening to me. I am struggling mightily with all of this everyday…But I know this, You are on the throne and You don’t make mistakes and even though this (whatever “this” is for you) makes no sense, I am going to keep my eyes fixed on You and my trust completely in You so that whatever happens, we are in this together and we will get through this…together…

Guys, I’m not an evangelist or a Bible scholar who teaches in a university…I’m just a regular guy, like you, trying to make my way in this world. My answers are not scholarly, they are from my heart from reading God’s word and they have helped me during my own pain on this earth. I know many of you out there are hurting and please understand that my words are meant to encourage you. You can make it through this and I will continue to pray that God draws near to you during your time of need…

Be strong my brother…”weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning”…

Yep, you guessed it, David said that too…

Let me leave you with one more thing:

Thats my King…Dr. S.M. Lockridge

Posted: March 30, 2011 in Inspirational
Tags: ,
0

Guys…this is just plain old fashioned and I admit that…but I also have to say that this short 3 minute video is the best description I have ever heard given about Jesus Christ in my entire life. This man can bring the gospel at a level we need right now.  He truly TELLS IT LIKE IT IS…

S.M. Lockridge, was a prominent African-American Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church located in San Diego, California from 1953 to 1993. He passed away back in 2000.

Please have a listen…if this one doesn’t stir your heart…check your pulse…

I truly hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Stay tuned for the next post…God Bless…

Save me a Spot…Aaron Rodgers

Posted: March 10, 2011 in Inspirational, Sports Stuff
Tags: ,
2

We are constantly reminded that this world is full of arrogant sports figures who love to listen their own press. Every now and then though, I am surprised when I get to read about a player who bucks the system completely. I did not write this story. This is written by a sports anchor from Fox 6 in Milwaukee whose name was not included. Guys, as a father who has lost a child, this story truly does my heart good. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…

This job affords me some incredible opportunities. Being a member of the FOX 6 Sports team means I’ve been able to witness and report on events and people that many can only admire from a distance. I never take these situations for granted and sincerely appreciate being involved in whatever capacity each permits.

Monday marked just the most recent case as I had the unparalleled privilege to be a part of Aaron Rodgers charity event to benefit the MACC Fund, a charity towards eradicating childhood cancer and blood disorders.

Scattered throughout the crowd of rabid Packers aficionados, were the people who I consider the event’s real MVPs.. They are the families who’ve been forced to deal with one of life’s toughest sentences, the loss of a child.

Those who sprung for the tickets were not disappointed. In a world where many athletes regurgitate canned and rehearsed responses, the Packers quarterback was refreshingly candid. Aaron addressed a number of topics with in-depth, honest reaction – even some that if reprinted and mass distributed might raise some eyebrows.

Aaron stressed the importance of availability and accountability. In his opinion, it is a player’s responsibility to attend all of the team activities as they are all intended to better the team as a whole. And then, similarly, he addressed the importance of taking the heat/criticism when one falls short of expectations and duties.

He is never nervous to take the field. Aaron is supremely confident in the preparation he’s put in during the week leading up to Sunday’s match up. The way the 2009 season ended was disappointing but his self-confidence was not affected by the outcome. One of the toughest realizations was that that combination of players would never take the field together again. He likened the team to a family and admitted that conflict can and does occasionally exist but they try to handle such situations with maturity and civility.

He talked music and his love for tunes at a young age revealing that his mom used to sing and play lullabies and country music when he was a child. Aaron’s record label Suspended Sunrise is a product of this passion but also a contingency plan for life after football. His favorite song is Ben Harper’s ‘Forever’ and he’s envious of John Mayer’s guitar skills though not his tabloid reputation. He appreciated my affinity for Keith Urban but gave the audience a thumbs-down when I mentioned fellow country crooner Kenny Chesney.

His favorite book is The Bible and he tries to read it every day not just when life’s challenges and struggles surface. His favorite movie is The Princess Bride which he admits he’s caught flack for but says he and his childhood friends can recite every line from the film and it is simply a great story. Rodgers’ answers to questions on this night were certainly admirable. And I honestly didn’t think I could respect Aaron more. But I was wrong.

My friend, the father of that young girl who passed, was there that night. He was one of several attendees brought up on stage where he caught a football thrown by the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. He asked Aaron to sign the football he’d caught. He wondered if he’d make it out to his daughter. It isn’t shocking that Rodgers obliged. What caught me off guard was the dedication he made. It wasn’t until after Aaron left that I first saw the autograph… and the simple yet sweet message that brought tears to this father’s eyes:

“To Cheri the angel. Save me a spot. – Aaron Rodgers”

I hope that Packers fans realize how lucky they are to have such an upstanding young man leading their team on the field every weekend. I hope they appreciate the challenges that were thrust upon him and acknowledge the maturity with which he handled them. I hope they stand behind the kid and respect him not only for his incredible talent but for his intelligence and honesty, poise and compassion.

My job has afforded me the chance to watch Aaron Rodgers play football for the last few seasons. But I am truly thankful for the opportunity to see the other side of this impressive young man and pass on some of what I witnessed to you.

Joe the Smog Guy

Posted: February 26, 2011 in Inspirational
Tags: , , ,
0

In California, we have this really cool thing we get to do called getting your car smogged. Every 2 years I get to find a smog station that can get me in on a weekend, typically because I never have time during the week and smog certify my car. That is always the part that is the most nerve-wracking to me…will my car pass the test? I have taken to using a more secure approach by changing a few key maintenance items on all my vehicles to ensure they pass the first time through…but I digress. You don’t care about my cars or my smog checks stories except for maybe this one.

Recently, I had 2 of my vehicles come up for their scheduled smog certifications at the same time and I happened to find a guy whose name is Joe, on a Saturday morning who was not busy and could handle both of my cars…great news. I took care of the first one, then ran home and got the second one, which happened to be the car my wife drives all the time. Why does this matter? Her car has a sign on the back that has a remembrance declaration on the back about our dearly departed daughter Kylie who went home to be with God a few years back.  It also proclaims the years she was here mentioned as well so as Joe went to drive the car into the stall to begin the test, I noticed him pause to read what was on the back window.

When he was finished he came over and commented on Kylie and asked me what happened. As I spoke to him, I could tell he was impacted by her and how sad her story was so I took that moment to share a few things about her and also how we have moved on since we lost her. I told Joe flat-out where I draw my strength and even though our situation was and still is amazingly difficult, we still trust and believe in Jesus Christ. For the first time in a long time, I spoke to someone who was very open to hearing what I had to say which I have to say, which gave me confidence. I gave Joe more information about my church and service times and we shook hands and said goodbye.

What I came away from this encounter was God didn’t need me to convert Joe, he needed me to simply talk with Joe. Joe was interested in how one deals with a significant loss and I, well have experience in that area. I spoke from my heart and Joe knew this and he responded accordingly. It reminded me of the verse in 1 Peter 3:15 –
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

I do have hope and it is strong within me…I hope it is strong within you as well. I leave you with this…anytime, anywhere God may call you to share your faith and your hope. In my case it was two men, standing in a smog station speaking about Him…Iron sharpening iron…

We have to be different than everybody else…

Posted: February 1, 2011 in Heaven Bound, Husband, Inspirational, Tough Times
Tags: , ,
0

If not, then whats the point of being a Christian anyway? If we don’t act differently or have different morals than everyone else then why did Jesus come in the first place?

In 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, we learn from Paul that we are the temple and we must stay clean while we navigate through this very dirty world:

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

God requires us as followers of Jesus Christ to separate ourselves both morally and spiritually from sin or anything that is contrary to His ways. In other words, when your friends invite you to Las Vegas for the weekend for some fun and chaos and then tell you that no one will find out? You might want to reconsider that decision…don’t set yourself up for failure. Worst of all, don’t buy into the advertisements that say what happens there, stays there…It (whatever “it” might be), will be with you for the rest of your life…and YOU get to live with IT. The rest of your life for one night?…not a very good trade off…

Another quick relevant Bible story…

When Joshua took the Children of Israel into the Promised land, God gave him some very harsh and strict instructions, kill everyone you come into contact with…they all must die. Under no circumstances were they to allow any of them to live because they were heathen of the worst kind and God knew that if they yielded, the children of israel would assimilate into their cultures instead of “tuck them in” into their own. Read Deuteronomy 20:16-18 and see what God said…Why does this matter to you and me? Because are you really confident that you can spend time around temptation and NOT end up yielding to it? God knew completely that the Children of Israel would fail…and they did. They could not live next door to Las Vegas without becoming just like them, vulgar sinners and prostitutes… and I don’t want the same thing to happen to you…

Guys, I pray for you that you can indeed separate yourself from all the nasty stuff throws your direction and work each day by staying pure before Him. My best advice to you…Stay on your knees brother.

It doesn’t cost anything to be nice…

Posted: January 14, 2011 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , ,
1

A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

Proverbs 11:17

I recently had an amazing experience with a young man who used to work for me at another company a couple of years ago. I can remember, everyday, I would see this guy working as hard as he could to do his job to the best of his ability. I don’t think I ever saw him without sweat just pouring off of him, doing what needed to be done. To make matters even more amazing, he would do his job with a huge smile on his face. One day I had the opportunity to speak with him about more than just a job going through our plant. I told him I appreciated his hard work and all his efforts and I remember saying I think you are a smart guy and you will move on and become more than just this entry level position to which I received a big smile again. I moved on to my next task and never thought about this again…

Fast forward 2 years. New company and new people and as I made my way through the plant and I see this same fellow working away only now he was running a much larger and more expensive piece of equipment. We made eye contact and I waved and he called me over and wanted to speak with me. He said, “do you remember me”? And I said, “of course I do Jose, how are you”, He said, “I remembered what you said and I kept working hard and now look what I have become”, and he held his arms out wide. Then it was my turn to smile…

Guys, I assure you I am just a regular guy like you and not an expert on human behavior and I’m not relating this story to you to bring attention to myself. I tell you this because of the realization I had that day about simply saying what was on my mind; something that was kind and true; and never realizing the impact my words had on him. As the man in charge or the leader of a household, it is easy to criticize others thinking they will be motivated as a result. Frankly, that is not the case. Negative comments cause animosity and frustration with whomever you speak with, your employees, your wife or your children. When you take the time to say something positive, you will reap a huge reward. Like me, you may find what you said helped motivate somebody to think they could be more…

Don’t forget who You are or why You’re here…

Posted: December 31, 2010 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , ,
0

Many times I read the Bible and I find myself convicted by my actions. I’m reminded of something I said or did that wasn’t very honoring to God and I feel bad. I know that is the Holy Spirit within me reminding me of my negative behavior but that got me thinking of how many times each day I do or think something that disrespects God? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:1 that we are to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

If you’re like me, sometimes you get lost in your busy day or your busy life and you forget that as believers, we are to be Holy before Him. In other words, “holiness” is our responsibility as Christians and not something we do when we happen to remember. Sometimes that’s a tough pill to swallow because its not easy to be Holy when you’re mad at someone at work or maybe your kid spilled paint all over the garage…Holiness tends to escape me then…

But I can take this a step further; the verse also uses the verb “perfecting” which means action. The act of perfecting is an ongoing “Iron sharpening Iron”, along our life’s journey that is accomplished through real-world experience and prayer. What do I mean? Holiness is not simply a button you push and you are finished. You don’t just read the Bible once and you are holy. It takes a few times of falling down and getting back up. Frankly guys, it takes a lifetime of messing up and asking Him for forgiveness and then starting again…

Why is this important to all of us regular guys? When we forget to be Holy we disrespect God. I think you can agree with me that our concept of God and who He is can only be called “finite”. It is impossible to grasp how awesome a being He is. The point is, Paul reminds us to continue to perfect holiness out of respect for God. Guys, we cant be so busy with all of our daily stuff that we forget He is God. Through His sacrifice He has provided salvation for us which means eternal life with Him. Our RESPONSIBILITY to Him is humility and holiness…don’t yield to life’s requirement to be so busy. He deserves and expects our best…Your future depends on it…

Why can’t life be easy?

Posted: December 19, 2010 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , ,
0

I have often wondered why God allows or requires the Christian journey to be filled with pain, problems, unhappiness and sometimes misery. Why does God put so much emphasis on perseverance, striving for the prize and winning the race like it says in Phllipians 3:14, ” I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Why is the Christian walk a marathon and not a sprint?

I believe that all of the lessons and experiences learned through our lives or the “Iron sharpening iron” moments as mentioned in Proverbs 27:17, the falling down and getting back up, and most importantly, our ability to keep our eyes focused on Him in spite of the adversity set against us…The reason why the Christian walk is a marathon and NOT a sprint is because it ALL about the journey. God looks at how YOU handle the problems of this world…do you give up and walk away from what you are dealing with…or do you get back up and keep forging ahead…The ones that pick themselves up and keep their eyes on Him, those are the people that I firmly believe God has chosen to surround Himself with in eternity. Here is what we, the ones who have persevered, have to look forward to my friends:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21: 3-5

If that doesn’t get you excited I don’t know what will…

Older Entries
Newer Entries