Categories
motivation

Making Rash Decisions

Making Rash Decisions

This morning, I was reading about Jacob and Esau. It is a great story on the perils of making rash decisions. Esau was a guy who sold his birthright because he was hungry. He then married two women who were conveniently nearby. Then when Jacob deceives him a second time, Esau is ready for murder. It’s a lot of rash decisions in three chapters of Genesis.

There are two types of decision makers. Some of us take the time to review all the facts, perspectives and and possibilities. Then there are those of us who go with the gut and what we feel in the moment. Neither approach is always the best way.

Information Overload!

If we tend to gather as much information as possible, we can be in trouble in a world of too much information. Thanks to the Internet, we can find far more stats, figures and opinions than ever before.

It can be equally challenging when some information contradicts another set of facts and figures. One problem of the Internet is that anyone can spew facts and figures without accountability. Is that little fact really correct? Where did it come from? How can we know it’s accurate or even true?

Heaven help us! It can paralyze us from making any decision.

Go With the Gut?

If we’re stuck with too much information, is making a rash decision the way to go? Our emotions are not always right. Esau gave away his future because he was hungry. Emotional decisions we make today may look like foolishness. Temptation is a lousy decision maker. Should we really eat that whole bag of chips right before bed? And why not stay up to watch that show we’ve been meaning to catch up on? We don’t really feel tired anyway.

The next thing we know, it’s five in the morning, we feel bloated and discouraged. That didn’t go the way we would have liked! But our gut said go for it, right?

Discernment

It can be tough to have discernment. I’ve been thinking about discernment for some time. After all, my stomach has made too many decisions for my brain!

From a 2007 sketchbook on temptation and making decisions

Discernment can be hard. Who should we believe and who should be be skeptical about? Is this a great business decision, but it goes against our values? Should we wait until we get a little light on the situation?

We need a little healthy skepticism, even when our source of information confirms what we want to hear. There is a time to go with our guts, and a time to wait and see. The important decisions need to take time and fact-gathering. While the short-term decisions can have a little spontaneity. I think I’ll go get some breakfast. But I’ll do so in a way that won’t sell off my birthright!

Categories
growth motivation

Getting Older or Getting Old

Aging is inevitable. We start getting older the minute we are born. Of course, as children we keep growing and learning. But as adults, we have a choice to continue to grow, or just get old.

www.brainyquote.com/s/a_195fc

Too many of us decide once school is over, there is nothing to learn. We live on knowledge that is stale and affected by time. Life gives us some bumps and bruises along the way. We learn to fear some things and become bitter about other things.

It is our choice. Are you getting better or worse? We can continue to learn and grow. The body may be giving us issues, but our minds are always ready to learn. Our spirits can soar above the tragedies and disappointments of this world. We can decide to become better instead of bitter.

Each day, we have a choice to grow. There are several things we can do today to make that happen.

  • Read a book
  • Keep a journal
    • It can be written, or drawn
    • It can contain scraps of paper notes or photos like a scrapbook
    • If nothing else, write down what you are thankful for
  • Take up a new hobby
  • Consider other opinions
  • Laugh! Yes, find something to laugh about in good humor

We can have a growth mindset. Every one of us is getting older. But none of us have to just get old!

Categories
Purpose

Remembering a Friend

Yesterday, I received news from Facebook that a childhood pal passed away from COVID. So today, I am remembering a friend that was there for me even when I wasn’t such a great friend. If our lives were forever judged by our actions as teens, well heaven help all of us!

I was an awkward kid. He was there to invite me along to events like the Indiana State Fair. I tried to “be cool” when I got into graphic design and wanted to be with the “in crowd.” He didn’t care. When I came to my senses, he welcomed me back. He exhibited grace and generous friendship.

As I get older, this verse becomes all the more important to me:

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12 (KJV)

We don’t know what the next day will bring. We sure don’t know if we will have a tomorrow. So what matters today is that we live in the moment, have integrity, and consider how we want to be remembered when that day comes. My pal was a guy who did just that. Rest In Peace, dear friend. I’ll see you on the other side.

Categories
family

First Kiss

Thirty-five years ago today, I came back from a college trip. A woman I was very interested in invited me over for pizza. When we parted ways that night, I said, “How about a hug?” The next thing you know, we had our first kiss.

Who would have known we would be together over three decades later? I sure didn’t! I just hoped she liked me. I was on cloud nine when I discovered the feeling was mutual.

Photo of Paula Spear holding a cup of coffee
The object of my affection then and now

We never know how the decisions we make today affect tomorrow. We can only guess, hope and pray they will turn out right. I’ve made some dumb decisions over the years. But when I took a chance and accepted the pizza invite, I am thankful that decision turned out the way it did.

Life is a winding road filled with decisions. Some should be carefully thought out. Others require a little spontaneity. Today in my devotions, I read how Esau made some bone-headed, decisions. At the age of twenty-one, I certainly had the capacity to make many rash decisions. Some I have forgotten. Others I wish I could.

But today, I celebrate one of the best decisions I ever could have made, and I remember a first kiss.

Categories
motivation

Stop Making Excuses

Stop Making Excuses

There will be some challenges and problems. Have you noticed that? They especially like to show up on a Monday morning. But if we want to get anywhere, we have to stop making excuses. A quote by George Washington Carver reminds me that finding blame is nothing more than a bad habit.

“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”
George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver Quotes. BrainyQuote.com, BrainyMedia Inc, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/george_washington_carver_158549, accessed January 10, 2022.

A while back, I read a book entitled, QBQ: The Question Behind the Question. The premise of the book is when we face a challenge, the questions we ask ourselves determines whether we take personal accountability or not.

Bad Questions

  • When is someone going to do something about this?
  • Why can’t that other group get their act together?
  • Who messed up?

Good Questions

  • What can I do to solve this?
  • How can I find a solution?
  • How can I make a difference?

Do we play the victim, or do we make things better? Is it possible a bad habit of making excuses drags us into a victim and entitlement mindset? I say the answer is yes.

We can choose to succeed by ditching the excuses. It starts with the questions we ask ourselves when we face a challenge. And the questions we ask can be a habit. Let’s do what we can today to make a positive impact instead of playing the blame game.