Finding Treasures Within - a message about the upcoming year

Where do you find treasures? I am a person who likes to go to auctions and garage sales to look for treasures. On occasion, those treasures will be something I’ve been looking for and other times the treasures will be found in something that is being sold for “next to nothing” and I know it is worth something more. I will go to these venues and look through boxes simply looking for the treasure within. There are probably many of you who are sharing in this search to find those treasures and then there are those of you who are like my wife that want to leave as soon as they don’t see anything worthwhile.

Over the Christmas holiday, I was at my in-law’s house and my father-in-law liked to watch “Storage Wars” on A&E channel. The basic principle of this show is that people will go to abandoned storage units and bid on all the contents in the unit. The storage units are of different size, so there will be different amounts of content in each unit. Also, the participants will have five minutes to look at the unit, without going in or touching any of the content, before the bidding starts.

The bidding ranges from three to four figure prices. Once the person wins the bid, then they will come back and go through the storage unit. Within this time they are looking for any and all things that they can sell which will bring about a profit.

In some storage units there will be obvious “treasures” in furniture and other large items that cannot be confined to a box. Whereas other times people will not be able to see some of the treasures that are in the boxes and they will have to take their chances. Some units will have junk and others will have some great treasures within.

One of the keys to the show is to be bold enough to look within because just looking on the surface is not going to give you the look they need. They must be able to step past the opening and go through all the seen and unseen content that is located within the storage unit. Some are brave enough and some are not. Some will not have the money to compete with others who are bidding on the same unit. Unfortunately, some who may feel the unit is not worth much will “bid up” the unit just to make others pay more.

As we enter into 2013 what treasures are you going to be able to find? At the time of the publication, we do not know what 2013 will hold. As we have not entered into the year it is totally unknown what it will bring for us, individually. We may not know what 2013 will hold but we may also not know what we can bring to 2013. Part of the reason we do not know what we can bring to 2013 is that we have not looked within ourselves to find the treasures.

For some, it is because you have become set in what you have done in life and cannot see the potential that is still within. When you stay where you are, you are guaranteed to not go anywhere. Though that may come across humorously logical, there is much truth to it. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life, you must be involved in someone’s life. If you stay out of their business then you are definitely not going to make any difference in that person’s life.

There have been times in my life that I thought I was quite comfortable where I had come. However, a time came when I wanted to look for what God will bring about each day. I look forward to how I might be able to make a difference or be used by God in each day and with each interaction I have with people. This makes me look forward to so many more things in life. I dread less things and look forward more of what life brings me.

I want to challenge you to stand back as you enter into 2013 and look within yourself to find the treasures that you may not see on the outside. What is it about you that can bring something great to your family, your job, or your community? Don’t let the year slip by without looking for the treasures!

Believe and Achieve! - A thought for 2013

You can do it! The new year will offer opportunities that you may have never had before. The question is, how will you make the best of the doors of opportunities that will open up in 2013? The 'thing' about the doors of opportunity is that it is up to you to take the initiative to walk through. If you simply look at the opportunity, it will be like the sunset - here now, gone in a few minutes.

I have looked out at those sunsets and think, "Wow, that is beautiful and would make a great picture." Then, I will simply 'think' about it and then the moment is gone. So much are opportunities. We must take advantage of them while they are present. However, again, we must be the ones to go after them. Rarely will they come to us. That brings us to this week's quote...

If you believe you can do it, go out there and do it because that's the only way you're gonna get it! ~ Harry Main

How do you feel about Harry's thoughts? We can accomplish about anything we set our minds to in life. We can achieve greatness! Keep in mind that "greatness" has its own levels of what each person determines the height. For some it may mean money, for others it may mean reaching thousands, and for others it may mean simply personal success.

As you have a new year ahead of you, you will likely have new opportunities, as well. May you take advantage of the opportunities that come your way to achieve greatness. Believe it and then go out and achieve it!

Now it's your turn...what do you have on tap for 2013?

Using What's Available to Make 2010 a 'Masterpiece'

Many areas in life are made up of people using creativity to make something out of very little.  We tend to be a "meat and potato" country.  You can go to restaurant after restaurant and see some variation of the "meat and potato".  These variations make it seem like there are much more options, but you narrow it down to about 3-4 meats and one potato, just with different variances between each one.  

You are just you.  What you do with that you is up to you.  You can say "I'm bored" or you can say, "What can I use today for to make a difference in someone's life?"  Both are really a choice based on the state of mind you are in at the time. How you use the things we have brings us to this week's quote...

There are only 3 colors, 10 digits, and 7 notes; its what we do with them that's important.  ~Jim Rohn

Three colors that make up everything you see in color form.  As a husband who has a wife that likes OPI Nail Polish, have you ever noticed how many colors there are in nail polish?  There isn't just one red...probably hundreds of them!  Ten digits that compose numbers that are infinite, literally.  Seven notes that have helped compose songs that draw people close, pump people up, or even bring people down.  Notes have an unlimited amount of places and arrangements throughout a song.

In the coming year, how will you use colors, digits, and notes to make 2010 a fun year for you? What will you "paint" in 2010?  What "song" will you compose in 2010?

May God bless the upcoming year!

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Wiping the Slate Clean

Happy New Year!

2009 is upon us! Each new year brings about thought of "Starting over". Whether it was with a resolution or some other way, a new year is always a good reminder to start over with something. Fresh starts generally make us feel better. Lugging the weight creates mental and physical fatigue, and starting over allows us to get rid of that weight.

I received an e-mail this week, through one of my subscribed e-mails (AllProDad.com) and it addressed four things it means to forgive. Forgiveness goes along the lines of starting over. Lugging around that chip on your shoulder can get tiring, so why not forgive that person? Use this year to wipe the slate clean! That brings us to this week's segment...

Author Ken Sande says that when you really forgive someone - your parent, your spouse, your child, your friend - you are making four specific promises to yourself and to them. You are saying:

Number 1: "I will not dwell on this incident."

Number 2: "I will not bring this incident up and use it against you."

Number 3: "I will not talk to others about it."

Number 4: "I will not allow this matter to stand between us or hinder our personal relationship."

You may or may not have to tell a person that you have forgiven them, depending on the specific instance. However, if approaching someone is needed, inform them that you want to be at peace with things and have forgiven them for what they did.

If you are a part of the church, we are not really given the choice whether or not to live at peace with each other. We are called to forgive. Don't make it more difficult on your day-to-day life...forgive! Lose the "grudge" weight!

May God bless you as you start your new year!