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motivation

What About the Next Generation?

This morning, I get to teach kids about treating everyone as  VIP. The bottom line is that we need to honor others by putting them first.

I am so thankful I’ve had the priviledge to teach kids over the decades. Yesterday, my wife and I saw one of our former kids in children’s ministry that is now an adult. It’s so gratifying to see kids you once taught now having kids and teaching them life lessons.

Never forget the next generation. It can be frustrating to teach kids when you wonder if they are listening. It can be easy to write off a hyper seven-year old. But you never know how much they are listening. You never know if the lesson they hear today, could be the one thing they remember twenty years later when they are going through a tough time.

Always invest in the next generation!

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motivation

To Get Your Point Across, Get Silly!

The other day, I was leading a group of elementary kids in a lesson. That day’s game was to do a silly human trick. I demonstrated by doing a seal impression.

No, I wasn’t a Navy Seal. I honked like a sea lion while the elementary coordinator bounced a beach ball off my nose. Then the worship leader sprayed the kids with some water. You know how those seals splash around. How else are you going to show the monthly theme of courage? By doing something silly in front of a room full of kids, of course!

Seriously, too many times kids and adults get set in our ways. We think our current belief is the only option. during those times, it takes a creative presentation to make others think differently. Now I’m not suggesting you imitate a sea lion in the board room. Then again, maybe something absurd and silly like that is just the thing to get a group thinking in a different way.

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motivation

Conflicting Pride

Cartoon of a dad and son. Son has crown on his head.

I had just been laid off. I was seeking advice and some reassurance. So I contacted a local, successful artist to meet with him. 

I have always loved the cartoon style. This successful illustrator came from that background, but his style evolved to a more realistic approach. He gave me advice on observation and how to make my artwork look better. I was shocked and angry. Here I had just come from a great job as a book designer at a succesful company. Didn’t he know I was successful too? (keep in mind the company was struggling enough to lay me off. How successful was that?) My pride got in the way and I wasn’t taking any of this! I thanked him and left. But on the inside, I was fuming!

Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.

Proverbs 13:10

I missed out on a good opportunity and a potential friendship that day because of my fragile pride. It was rather foolish. I’d like to say pride is never an issue anymore. But no, pride can creep in at any time. We are surrounded by it, and our human nature tends to gravitate towards it.

I resolve to listen more before being ready for an argument. I resolve to seek other opinions that aren’t necessarily like mine. Let’s reach out to others that may have advice that runs counter to our opinions.

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motivation

Were the Good Old Days That Good?

Each older generation thinks life was better in the “good old days.” Apparently, judging by this verse, they were thinking the same thing thousands of years ago.

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 NIV

We tend to romanticize the past. We think of the good memories and tend to forget the bad. The seventies and eighties were no cakewalk!

We have much to be thankful for today. Remember the past fondly, live in the present and look forward to the future. Besides, in a couple of decades, we’ll look at today as the good old days.

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motivation

Be Careful How You Start Your Mornings

I get it. Some people don’t believe they are morning people. Some even like the term “Night Owl.” I’ve been around a few of the Night Owls when they have endured a morning. It’s like watching a bear come out of hibernation.

But how you start your day can affect the rest of it. If you wake up at the last possible minute, tear through your house, franticly looking for your glasses and car keys, the rest of the day is going to feel chaotic and out of control.

If today started out that way, it’s okay. We’ve all had some chaotic morning. Make a choice tonight to get the sleep you need and to give yourself enough time to wake up and start the day in a relaxed, intentional way. It beats having a wardrobe crises!

I’ve been reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. If you’re looking for the why and how to start your day out right, I’d recommend this book