Reaction vs Response

Reactions can be costly. They have lost games, they have gotten people fired, they have hurt people, reactions have even stateed wars. Responses can ease a situation and turn something that could have been dangerous into something good. My reactions sometimes get the best of me, and I end up trying to go back and clean up the mess I created. My reponses, normally help smooth over a situation and for the most part keep me level-headed. Recently I have been watching my reactions play out. Whether it is a news story, a debate, a credit card company trying to hose me, an opinion I don't agree with, or my kids acting out-it can be easy to react. I notice a lot of people who react through social media these days because it is easy to hide behind an avatar or a online screen name. Here is the deal, we need to take moments that come in conflict, a need to speak up, or even a need to grwo from an expereince-and we need to make these moments teachable. I can react all day long, and seomtimes it has got me in trouble; other times it has put me in a position to have to issue an apology. As I grow older, I am am aware of when I need to respond versus react. This week was a little crazy in our household-we had a vacation with lots of family under one roof, my kids had bed time battles, I ran into a tree with my car(sliding on ice), and life happened. IN these times of craziness-and my life has plenty of them-I get to decide whether I respond or react. Sometimes I pick wrong, and end up wishing I didn't-so here is to a day when I say-let's respond not react to the things that come our way. Your life will be better for it, your day will be better for it, and those in your life whether family, friend, co-worker, or whomever-will appreciate you for it.

IMAGINE THAT!

Some of the best imaginations in the world belong to people who are under the age of 10. I have a great time listening to my kids and their friends talk about things I would never even think of. I love the creative element that each of us have been given, but sometimes I am taken back to my childhood. I think about my imagination of where I would be. I was going to be the next Steve Largent (yeah look him up in the NFL Hall of Fame). I also was going to be the next Mario Andretti. However, somewhere my imagination of things got sidetracked. Maybe in junior high when I started caring about what people thought and even worried about what their response would be to certain imaginative things. I still have an imagination and the way I filter it is different. I have had people dash my dreams if certain things because they said I wasn't too good, or maybe they said nothing at all. Here is the deal, if you imagine something and are passionate about creating and making it happen. I say GO FOR IT! You never know where it may lead. I'm thinking of re-trying some things I haven't done in quite a while. Cooking, Painting, Creating a Brand, and a few other things to imagine. Imagine what would happen if I actually put to practice the imagination God gave me. I think I would succeed especially if God gave me the ability to do so. Imagine that-me using my imagination. Maybe you should Imagine what God could do with your imagination. Imagine that!

Emotional Health-It's a MUST!

Recently I have realized that I have become emotionally unhealthy. I was trying to figure out why I could speak to the topic, yet feeling like I was emotionally drained. A few nights ago I realized as I tossed and turned that I was having problems sleeping. This was effecting every aspect of my life: eating, exercise, family, reaction, motivation, temper, and so on. Over a week ago, my wife said it seemed like i was gasping for air while I slept. So, reading up on a bunch of different sleeping issues, I have decided to get myself checked for sleep apnea. I seem to have the symptoms of a candidate. Here is the deal, knowing that I need to be emotionally healthy for the sake of my relationship with God, wife, kids, family, and friends, I have scheduled the course of action to take. I want to be emotionally healthy so I can live out a healthy lifestyle. When people become emotionally unhealthy, it causes train wrecks in many different areas of their life. I have coached people through these, and I am now finding myself in the position to get some much needed help, so I can be mentally sharp, emotionally sound, and a fun person to be around. I realized when I don;t get sleep, I become a grouch, and no one like a grouch. So, are you emotionally healthy? There are some tests to take out there and although sleep apnea may not be your result of unhealthiness, I would encourage you to find a solution to why you feel the way you do. I am looking forward to re controlling my life through actions, love, and words. To do that I had to come to the realization that I need to address my lack of sleep. This means doctors appts, so 3 are scheduled in the next week. I'm excited to get back in the flow of life with good sleep, then those around me will see that I am back to the fun, out-going, creative, and happy guy that I am. I am intentional about living and this means intentional about getting back to health.

I am not but I know I AM

Living in the iculture that seems to be ruinning rampant these day, it is a nice reminder every once in a while to realize I am not. This past week I was reminded as I studied and read up on the various I AM statements that Jesus speaks in passages of the Bible. This week my focus, along with our churches, was I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Here are some thoughts from my messsage based on John 10:11-18:
John 10:10 is the result of the gospel, but the essence of the gospel is found in the next verse!
The Good Shepherd tenaciously cares for His flock because He is not a hireling. He is THE SON!
It is common SONship with God that will draw us together.
In laying His life down, He became the DOOR. In Rising Again, Jesus becomes the Good Shepherd.
The Shepherd became a lamb, that the sheep might know the Shepherd.
A great portion of this passage is tied to our ultimate look at the Lord, ou Shepherd. This is found in Psalm 23 and is worth a read today.
Once again from this passage I'm reminded. I am not, but I know I AM.