Live One Day at a Time
Life is not a dress rehearsal. Time cannot be saved. Let’s learn from the past, look to the future, but live in the NOW! Make it happen Today. When you have traded this day off for something, make sure you didn’t leave anything on the table–that the trade-off was worth the cost. Henri Nouwen: “The real enemies of our life are the ‘oughts’ and the ‘ifs’. They pull us backward into the unalterable past and forward into the unpredictable future. But real life takes place in the here and now.” One day at a time. Matthew 6:34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Give your spouse and best friends Random Acts of Kindness
Every day look for ways to give out “gifts.” Gifts are things you can do, that you don’t usually do, but that you choose to do. Make a list of those things you are willing to give as gifts. Perhaps put them in a jar and then pull at least one a day to give as a random kindness until it becomes your daily habit.
Live with a View to the End
People are born, they suffer and as G.B. Shaw so eloquently put it, “one out of one of us dies.” Take some reflective time and look forward to your own funeral and reflect on how you want to be remembered. Work toward becoming that kind of person. Get a copy of ForeTalk Seminars and visit the website. There are 7 critical questions to answer NOW instead of after you die.
Give Myself to Others
From my personal theological understanding, the only time Jesus Christ ever said He was being an example for us was when He washed His disciples’ feet. Invest yourself in what is good for others. As Zig Ziglar said, God rest his soul, “If you help enough other people get what they want, you will get what you want.”
Learn to Forgive and Forget
There ain’t no burden as heavy as carrying a grudge. If you are toting any, put them down this month and lose the cancer of resentment. Ultimately only the grudge-carrier gets hurt. Trust me, I’m a doctor and I’ve tried it both ways.
Face Adversity with Courage
Nearly everyone gets at least one knockdown punch. It’s not whether or not you will get knocked down; it’s how often you get back up. So when illness, an untimely death, job loss, children who go off the reservation, spouses who misbehave, learn how to grieve and heal. It is a process and it’s messy, but you can do it. Nothing comes your way without having first passing through the directive or permissive will of God and HE will provide strength to go through. Ultimately the question He will answer is this: In light of what has happened, Father, what do you want me to do now?
Keep a Sense of Humor
Complaining is not one of the 9 spiritual gifts. Happiness is a choice, pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. As Abraham Lincoln reminded us, “Most of us are about as happy as we decide to be.” You can spend your life making “Oh, ain’t it awful” noises, or you can be a positive happy spirit–on purpose. Both tend to become self-fulfilling prophecies. I don’t care how you FEEL…just DO IT.
Deal Kindly with Each Other
Lighten up. Be nice to your spouse, your children, and your co-workers. Would you be willing to take a 30 day Zero Negativity challenge in your home? Agree for a month that neither of you will say or do anything that is PERCEIVED to be negative toward each other. The receiver is the sole arbitor of what is Negative. Once you mess up, you have to start over until you can cobble together 30 consecutive days of ZN. Will you do that?
Walk Humbly
No arrogance, no rudeness. You have an awesome opportunity ahead this year with lots of promise and unknowns. None of us knows the end. Whether you end in wealth or poverty, and regardless of the political climate, walk humbly and gratefully for your blessings.
Make sure that manners and chivalry don’t die on your watch
Practice and model for your children and others…regardless of how many of your friends make fun: Say yes sir, no ma’am, thank you, please, you’re welcome, it was my pleasure…(please lose the ‘no problem’ junk). Stand up when a lady comes or leaves a table or enters a room, hold and open doors, walk on the street side of females,
Learn to use your words
Compliment one another, speak love all the time. Daily say to your wife/husband, “I love you because____________”. Celebrate special occasions and if you don’t have enough of them create more.
Final Note
Pray diligently for our nation to have a new Spiritual Awakening and for End Times Cover your bases on both sides…pray for either a new Great Awakening or for Jesus to come back, and soon!
Do What’s Right – Become what the nation was recently reminded of when the elder George Bush encouraged us to become, kinder and gentler.
Make it a GOOD year.
