Video – Chocoholicfest 2009 – Letting God Show His Strengths Through Our Weaknesses
On February 11, 2009, I spoke to over 150 tweens and teens at the Chocoholic Fest at the Alpine Church of Christ in Longview, TX. They were a wonderful group, and despite having eaten as much chocolate as they could handle, they were very attentive. As the festival is near Valentine’s Day every year, my topic was “Love God, Love Others.” I truly believe that once we learn the good nature of God, and we act on that knowledge by serving others, only then can we truly learn to love everyone around us. Here is a clip from the evening about how our happiness can only come when we let go of our worries and trust God to use us in His service. (The passage in the video is from John 9 in The Message.)
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Dealing With a Cell Phone Addicted Society
My wife, daughter and I were on our way out of a fast-food restaurant a few days ago when a car pulled up in front of us. Out the of the car emerged a husband and wife who were both totally engrossed not in each other, but each in their own cell phone conversations. They didn’t speak a word to each other…totally devoting their attention to the person they were speaking to on the phone. Neither spoke to us even though I smiled and said, “Hello.” He didn’t hold the door for her, and while I didn’t see them once they were inside the restaurant, I would imagine they didn’t stop their conversations before ordering their food.
What kind of society do we live in? One that has a cell phone addiction. Seriously…I dare you to go into a public place and find ONE person that doesn’t have a cell phone. It’s crazy…when did we get to the point that we had to be connected to everyone, all the time?
My wife has teased me ever since we got married about my lack of cell phone usage. I hate cell phones. I think they might as well be shown as the ball & chain that they are. Think about it for a second. Why do you need to be reached 24/7? Some might say for an emergency, and for that reason, I would agree.
But, does your office have your cell phone number? Why do they need to reach you outside of office hours? Do they own you? Up until recently, I never had my cell phone on. As I viewed it, the purpose of my cell phone was in case I needed to call someone in an emergency. Recently, I’ve been using it for speaking contacts, so it is on, but I don’t always answer it. If you call me after office hours, and I don’t recognize the number as a family member or a friend, I won’t answer…for ANY reason.
The way I see it, my priorities are set, and no one can change them but me. I don’t mean that to say that you aren’t important to me, but rather, you are not as important as my down-time with my family. We have to put limits on outside interruptions when we are with people that matter to us the most.
So…try turning your cell phone OFF next time you are with your family. Not to the vibrate/silent mode…I mean OFF. Put a limit on how often you can be interrupted. I promise the world won’t fall apart without you. Learn to enjoy not being needed all the time.
New Book: I’m Not Broken – You Don’t Need Arms to Be Happy
I’m proud to announce that my new book, “I’m Not Broken: You Don’t Need Arms to Be Happy” is finally out! This book has been tons of fun to write as I was able share some of my life’s lessons on how to truly be happy. I learned at a very young age that my happiness could not depend on what I had or did not have, so I’ve spent my life making sure that my happiness comes from within. In this new book, you’ll learn my secrets on how to live life more abundantly, and how to truly be happy in any situation. I invite you to head to the All He Needs for Heaven store with the link below, and pick up a copy today. Not only do I promise a fun and engaging read, but you’ll also be helping our ministry with your investment in this guide to happiness.
You’re Not that Important – The Self-Important Driver
Have you ever run into this situation?
You are driving home from work one day and approach a traffic light. You are going the speed limit, and as the light changes to yellow, you make that all important, flash decision.
“Can I beat the red light?”
Don’t say you haven’t tried it or at least thought it. 🙂
Red-light running is on the rise nationwide. In a six-year study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that deadly crashes at red lights increased at more than three times the rate of all other types of fatal auto accidents.
Why? I know why. The people that run those lights seem to think they are that important. Wherever it is that they are headed, it is so important to not spend an extra minute or two at a red light that they are willing to risk not only their own lives, but the lives of everyone else at that intersection.
Running a red light is only a symptom of a much larger problem. Why do we feel the need to run through life as fast as we can? Sometimes, at the end of the day I feel as if I haven’t stopped once. Maybe the work of the day called for that kind of busy attitude…but I doubt it. The real reason behind those kinds of days is that I ALLOW myself to feel like I can’t slow down. It is all in my attitude in how I handle the day.
So, the lesson here? If we didn’t think so highly of ourselves, maybe we would be happy enough to slow down and spend an extra minute at a red light. Slow down…enjoy life! Life is too short for us to run through it. Blink, and you’ll miss the most important moments. Realize that your family and your God are much more important than you, and in that realization, find peace and happiness.
How to Be Whole – Maybe We’re Looking in the Wrong Places
A recent TV ad I saw claimed that 20,000 people a DAY join the online dating service, Match.com. 20,000 people a day…is that not staggering? Does the figure surprise you? It sure blew me away. 20,000 people a day…starving for love so badly that would head towards online dating.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe there is anything fundamentally wrong with online dating. And, if you found your spouse through the Internet, more power to you. But, I would wager a guess that online dating isn’t the method of first attempt. I mean, usually, we seek out partners through offline social interaction first before heading to the Internet. So, 20,000 people a day have become frustrated enough to go online in search of love…despite the perils of online anonymity.
Could it be that our society seeks love in “all the wrong places?” (to quote an old country music song) I would challenge that you first must love yourself before heading offline or online in search of love. You must be a whole person before you can give part of yourself to another. How do you get there? It isn’t an overnight process, but I’m glad to be able to give out a couple of starting tips:
- Get Rid of Negative Influences – When I’ve spoken at schools before, I always make it a point to tell my student audiences that they must rid themselves of people who drag them down. If you have friends, co-workers, parents, family, etc, who are constantly putting you down and telling you how worthless you are, you MUST get rid of that influence in your life. I suggest confronting that person and explaining to them how much their words hurt. If they don’t listen, you must find a way to diminish their influence on you. If it is a friend, break off the friendship. If it is a co-worker, go to the boss or HR and explain the situation. I hope it isn’t a parent, but if it is, try and get other family members to confront the offender with you. In order to feel better about yourself, you have to surround yourself with positive people.
- Smile, Constantly – What I’m suggesting here as a way to combat unhappiness is to smile for no reason. Put aside ulterior motives of trying to get a favor from someone, or trying to get something for nothing and just smile. Your smile can literally change someone’s day. In the process of changing someone else’s day, you can easily change your own attitude. Smile as if the world depends on it…because it does!
Start slow…begin to focus on changing, make little daily changes in your attitude, behavior, and your actions. Pretty soon, you’ll realize that living a happy, fulfilled life is the only true way to live. My new book goes into great detail on this subject, and I’ll be announcing, here, when it is ready to be ordered. Watch this space in the next week or two for further details and remember, SMILE!
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting me, and wish everyone a HAPPY 2009! Remember, only you can choose a happy life! Make 2009 your happiest year yet!
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