Your future starts today

Much as the future began yesterday, today is your opportunity to do what you couldn't do yesterday. You have an opportunity to start over today...it's the last day of the first half of this year.


I'll share some quotes I found when preparing for this piece and tell you what I think

1. “When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” John M. Richardson, Jr. No matter how well intentioned everyone around you is, what you don't do for yourself stays undone...
2. “Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future.” Denis Waitley Success is sometimes not appreciated by itself - it shines with failure as its backdrop. The book "Failing forward" by John Maxwell is quite an eye-opener - I recommend that you read it.
   

Raising successful children...

When I read this quote this morning, it tied is nicely with the last post...even though the title of this post is the opposite.

There are two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children.

One of these is roots; the other wings.

~ Hodding Carter

Indeed, our children must be rooted as we train them in the way to go; be an example.

We should also be courageous enough to "let go" and let them make their own decisions, and possibly mistakes, as the grow and mature. Just support them with prayers and provide Godly counsel as needed - the priviledge and responsibility to train another human being is not one to be taken lightly. Keep in constant touch with the One Who knows the end from the beginning and Who knows the future He has planned.  God bless.

I don’t want to raise successful children by Lysa TerKeurst

Proverbs 22:6 {NIV}Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

I don't want to raise successful children. That's a shocking thing to read, and a shocking thing for a mother to type. So, let me clarify.

I used to define success according to my child's report card. Good grades and academic achievement would surely equal a good child with great potential in this world. But then several of my children wound up being average students with average grades. Though we carted them off to tutors and spent many a late night at the kitchen table helping them, they remained average. And I remained concerned and frustrated.

One report card day I found myself facedown in the fibers of my carpet crying and wondering, "Where have I gone wrong as a mom?"

The Mayonnaise Jar (author unknown)

Someone just shared this with me...it's too good to keep to myself...be blessed and challenged as you read...

The Mayonnaise Jar (author unknown)

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him...

When the class began, wordlessly; he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and starts to fill it with Golf Balls.



He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of Pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The Pebbles rolled into the open areas between the Golf Balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

Get HEELS

Ok, I’m on a roll - getting colour (peppers), going green (tea), stepping up (HEELS) - catch me if you can…

After trying (and writing about) various colours of bell pepper and green tea, I started thinking some more about my health – and yours. Knowing how “acronymic” (is that a real word?) I am  - ok “creative” is also a nice word and captures the essence of what I’m trying to say. Well, just came up with a new one: HEELS. I've read and know about divine inspiration (the Bible was written by divine inspiration!) but I’m learning a lot and appreciating this verse more and more with the challenges of ministering through a blog.

Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. (KJV)

I’m sure you also appreciate how everything we have on this blog is truly inspired by God – to Him be all the glory. Ok back to our HEELS...

Secret #6: Connection in your community

This includes your neighbourhood, church, office and other social networks.

I’d like to start this off with this popular story

Luke 10:29-37 (The Message)
Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?" Jesus answered by telling a story:

"There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'

"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?" "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

I guess there's not much more can be said...go and do the same in your community...God will show the people in need once you choose not to look away. God bless

The future

I don't know about you but as I get older...ok, as my children get older, I think some more about their future and mine of course. A few years ago, one of our children asked if they could inherit our home after we died...talk about advance planning. Well, I promptly responded that long before we die, he'd be in a position to own his own home.

Sometimes the future seems so far out there, but with the recent economic melt-down that defrosted quite a number of retirees' income, it's never too soon to think about the future - yours and your children's. You know when I think about it, "the best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time”*, otherwise it will be quite overwhelming.

My husband had an nice email sign off - "The future starts today. How am I using it?" It was quite the wake-up call knowing that "every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”**