Making Reactionary Decisions Isn't Wise

Have you ever made a decision that was reactionary? Maybe something happened and you took swift action to resolve it. Unfortunately though, too many of the actions and decisions we make end up being the wrong decisions, regardless of how good the intentions may have been. In Congress there are hearings going on right now targeting gun control. And yes, people are doing the same old things. Something happens and immediately everyone wants to go to extremes. I wish people, especially those making laws, would have all the facts, hear everyone's perspective, and look at how things have played out in the past prior to making extreme and reactionary decisions. I watched this clip today and was so impressed by the attitude, demeanor, wisdom and presentation of Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, and would highly encourage you to watch it also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi6gZU01yF8. If you are a person who has the responsibility of making decisions, policies or laws, please make sure you have all of the facts as well as being well informed before you make a reactionary decision :)

Cherishing the Small Things

Cherishing the small things is something I don't think we don't do enough of. Yes it's easy to be excited about your new home, car or an exotic trip, but have you ever thought about all those small things you may be missing out on. For some it may be one more moment with a person, or one more kiss. For others it may be the "thank you" that was said to them or the hug given by an appreciative child. I have learned to cherish all the small things that at times in the past I may have simply blown by. Yes, a new home, car or exotic trip are nice, but aren't everything to me. I think at times, if we're only focussing on the bigger things, we can easily become ungrateful or unthankful. Yet when we see all the small things in our lives and learn to cherish them, being grateful and thankfulness abound. And when you think about it, our days are filled with the small things and not the big. Do you cherish the small things? Do you appreciate them? When we learn to cherish the small things, life is beautiful :) Psalm 68:19... "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!"

Protecting the Unity of Your Team

Yesterday I had the opportunity to share a message at our Sunday service about teamwork, and one of its key components, unity. There are many things that can make a team successful, but we must also be aware of those things that will try and come in to disrupt and divide any kind of team. I like to call these things the enemies of unity. I realize that there are probably hundreds of them, but I've listed 16 of them, and not in any specific order. They are: an inability to admit wrongdoing; unforgiveness or unresolved issues; jealousy and envy towards other team members; believing you are the most important person on the team; critical spirit; a desire to be served and not serve; wanting to take all the credit for things; poor communication; gossip; pride; selfishness; favoritism towards other team members; bad attitudes; independence; comparisons among team members; and a lack of trust among the team. If any of these began to appear on a team, unless action is taken against it, the consequences could be disastrous. If more than one appears, action must be aggressively taken against them because the unity of a team cannot be compromised at any cost. When a team operates in unity, the sky is the limit. Unity is something that must be protected, cherished and promoted. Unity is one of the most powerful forces in the unity and is the reason the enemies of it would love to see it destroyed. Today, regardless of the team you're a part of, be a protector of its unity :) If you want to listen to my message yesterday titled, "Forget the Honda, We Need the Bus", go to http://www.coharvest.org/media.php?pageID=5

Who is the Most Important Runner On A 4x100m Relay Team?

Who is the most important runner on a 4x100m relay team? This is a great question. Some will say it's the first runner. Others the Anchor leg. While some say the second or third leg. When it comes down to a 4x100m relay team winning a race there's no one runner who's any more important than one of his teammates. Each relay runner bears the same responsibility as  well as having the same goal and vision. Run my leg as fast as I can, have a clean baton exchange, and cross the finish line first. I know it's probably a little more complicated than that, but I think these three are keys. These same principles can be applied to any team, organization or business. In a business, everyone is vital to its success. And more than that, every person must feel that, as it will only help the team. No one person is more important or vital than anyone else. The beauty of a team is bringing a diversity of people together to achieve a common goal or vision. I love being on teams and seeing how different gifts, personalities, and methods can come together to produce something far greater than individuals on that team could achieve. If you're part of a team, I hope you recognize your value and that what you do is vital to the team's success. When a 4x100m relay team wins a race, it simply means everyone did their part. Enjoy running your leg of the relay :)

Being A Better Parent

When I think about it, one of my most frequent conversations with the Lord has to deal with parenting. I don't think there's a day that goes by where I'm not asking Him for His help, strength, wisdom and love when it comes to parenting. A common phrase I often hear is, "Having a baby is easy. But raising them up is the challenge." I'm the first to admit that being a parent is hard work. It takes commitment, dedication, consistency and humility to be a Godly parent. I've been blessed with three incredible children and it's my responsibility to help them hit the mark. Along with the great opportunity of being a parent also comes great responsibility. Without the Lord I don't know how I could ever fulfill my role as a parent. When things are going well, it's only because of His grace and mercy. When I fail as a parent by getting frustrated, angry, or any other excuse I may have, again it's only by His grace and mercy that I'm able to make things right and get back on track. In a culture where more and more parents are taking a hands-off approach to parenting, I'm going to continue to press into my hands-on parenting. I will continue to be inspired by Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." I will continue to do my part, and I know the Lord will do His part. And I'm believing that all of my kids will stay on God's path the rest of their lives. Today, allow your parenting to be purposeful and fruitful :)

My God is Big!

Have you ever had a situation where you felt like you were facing a formidable foe? From time to time I think we all do. What if your foe was seemed visibly large, strong, looming and intimidating? Maybe it might cause you to jump back, retreat or even hide. This picture of a huge wall of dust in Australia gives a great visual to what I'm talking about. Sometimes our foes can seem as big as this wall of dust. What foes and enemies try to do is cause us to fear. Their intimidation attacks us head on with the goal of making us tremble. However, Psalm 27 gives us such strength. Verse 1-3 tell us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble when evil people come to devour me,  when my enemies and foes attack me,  they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident." What should we remain confident in? The Lord being our fortress and protector! Yes today you may face your foe, but don't be intimidated or worry. The Lord is with you and will fight on your behalf. All you need to do is remain confident in Him :)

There's Nothing Like Victory

A person can learn a lot from both victories and defeats, depending upon attitudes and desire to grow. But let's be honest, there's nothing quite like experiencing victory. Victory can feel so much better than defeat :) With the Australian Open tennis tournament going on right now down under, there are so many great stories about victory. I love the picture of Maria Sharapova I've used today. Experiencing victory just makes you want to scream it out and celebrate. I'm want to scream and celebrate for the victory Jesus Christ has given me as 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, "But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." Because of Him I now have victory over sin and death. As you see start seeing pictures of athletes celebrating victories, know that this is exactly how I feel because of the victory I have because of Jesus :)