Graduates...Go Be a Hero!

Inside each one of us is a hero. One who will persevere in difficult times. One who will lift others up when they are down on themselves. One who has a passion to see that companies or communities change because of a vision they possess.

Heroes aren't determined by the superficial qualities one possesses, but thy the qualities that make up the character of the individual

A few years ago I was given the privilege to address a group of graduating seniors. I not only wondered who would be the heroes that emerged out of that class, but in what ways they would become heroic.

The spiritual message was couched around part of the story of Moses. Most know that Moses parted the Red Sea, through God's supernatural intervention, to give the Israelites a way of escaping from the Egyptian army. However, some may not know that Moses did not originally desire to be their leader. When God approached Moses at the burning bush and told him he was going to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, Moses felt afraid and incapable.

Though Moses made excuses and saw the task before him as seemingly impossible, he still emerged as a hero. He had the privilege of leading as man as 2 million people out of bondage and into freedom.

We all have opportunities to "lead" others, which may cause us to make excuses, just like Moses. We might think, "I'm not good enough" or "no one ever listens to me."

However, making excuses only prevents us from becoming the hero that we're given the opportunity to be.

As you think about what you can become, whether you are a graduate or not, how will you be a hero to the people you come in contact with? You have the power to decide.

Decide to be a hero!

Climbing Ladders

School is about to begin. Sports practices have already begun in some places. Retail stores are busy with school shopping. Teachers have already started to begin planning and organizing their classrooms. the summer is winding down! When the school year winds down we think about graduation, that brings us to this week's quote...

All that stands between the graduate and the top of the ladder is the ladder. ~ Author Unknown

As you are entering in to another school year, graduation is one of the goals. Whether it is formal graduation or simply graduation to the next grade - inching closer to the formal graduation. This quote was a way of reminding those that have graduated - 3 months ago or 70 years ago - to keep going up the ladder, one rung at a time. May you make it to the top of where you want to go...then find another ladder that will take you even higher in some other area of life! Keep climbing ladders!

Touching Lives

I was visiting with a guy earlier this week and the subject of where we’d lived came up. We shared a commonality of living in more than three places during our school years. He had attended several more schools than I had. However, going to that many schools had shaped us into what we had become and how we approach life.

I felt that part of my “shape” helped prepare me for ministry, meeting new people all the time, even in my town of residence. As you meet new people you make an impression on them and they on you. That brings us to this week’s quote…

Your finger prints will never fade from the lives you touch.  ~ Unknown

This week I lost a close friend to death. The “fingerprint” that she left will obey this quote…never fade. We shared a lot of memories in our short period of time knowing each other. Her “fingerprint” has been left on lots of people. I still feel a bit surreal thinking she is not there.

After the funeral my 2-year old son asked me if we could go to her room (the funeral was held at the nursing home). I told him, “Miss ___ is not there.”  He said, “Let’s go check.”  We didn’t go check, but I will bet the next time we go up to the nursing home together, he’ll ask the same thing.

Her “fingerprint” has been left on him too. She was a great lady. But think to yourself, how many people your “fingerprint” is on by the lives you touch. In reality, you will probably never even realize. The challenge is, to use every day and every moment to make a favorable “fingerprint” on everyone you come in contact with throughout your life!

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Graduation: Symbols of the Past - Joshua 4:19-24

Model T, wind up telephones, 8-track tapes, and top-loading VCRs are symbols of the past.  They represented something that happened a long time ago.  Some of those have special meanings to people.  Some have never seen or maybe never heard of them.  However, the ones that did experience them can tell stories about how they impacted people's lives. 

 

 Don't know what year this ad came out, but you can now by VCRs for $2 at garage sales!

You, too, have symbols that represent your past.  As I mentioned yesterday, maybe it is that cap-and-gown from your alma mater that you are so proud of.  For many there is a lot of pride associated with a graduation.  That's where you put in time and effort.  That is where you made friends, possibly even met your mate.  You will have stories to share from these years after graduation.

Yesterday, we looked at Joshua and a time in the Israelites journey where they crossed over the Jordan on dry ground. On the other side, Joshua has them bring twelve stones to create an landmark that will signify to other people and other generations of what happened at this place.  It will signify how God had rescued them and brought them through this part of the journey.  Here are some applications to choose to use this week...

1. Tell of the Past ~ Take time to tell the generations that have gone on before you about your past.  Specifically, your kids or grandchildren.  Maybe there are moments that you may not have their full attention, but look for moments which you do have their attention, which you can share
2. Appreciate the Past ~ Victories and mistakes can all be appreciated to the point that, even with mistakes, you can appreciate the lessons you learned.  You can also appreciate what others went through in order to bring you to where you are today - biologically, technologically, and spiritually.
3. Create a Symbol ~ Plant a tree, take/hang a picture, or something else to produce a symbol which will indicate where you or your family have been so that you can remember it for the future.

The memory is strong, but it is stronger when it is associated with a picture or a landmark.  The more you tie a landmark or an object with a specific event, it will help hold the meaning to that event.  Also, make sure you share that with others so that they will also appreciate the memory.

Looking forward to sharing my past with my children...

Getting Past the Stopping Point

When I was in high school art I was given an assignment to do a pointillistic picture in black and white, using ink. Pointillism is a practice of using dot after dot after dot to create a picture. Any value of shading is all done with dots. The pen we used had a very small point, which would mean that my picture literally had at least 20,000 dots on it, as much of it is solid black.

I was working, working, working on it, and it seemed to take forever. I needed to get it done, so I took it with me on my Thanksgiving trip to see my relatives. At this point, I was probably 65% finished with the project, and it had taken me a couple of weeks to get to that point. With the pen that is used, you have to shake it to get the ink flowing, kind of like you do with a can of spray paint. I was shaking my pen, getting ready to do the next set of dots, when my pen leaked, causing solid black ink to splatter on my picture! I was mortified!!!

My teacher said we couldn't use white out to cover any mistakes. "At this point," I told myself, "I don't care." I wasn't going back, I went against the cardinal rule and used white out. I moved past that area where I thought was going to be a stopping point. Actually, many times I thought I was going to stop, as it became very frustrating to just keep dot, dot, dotting.

Despite the frustration, I kept going...that brings us to this week's quote...

Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible and then gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged. ~Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, & Founder of GE)

Keeping on going, working past my frustration paid off. My teacher didn't fail me. He understood and I believe I received an "A" on the project. I also received an award at an area art show, despite the noticeable white out spots! It was one of the pictures that I have kept over the years.

Whether it is a project or life, sometimes we encounter the impossible or the seemingly impossible, and want to stop. If we can get past that point of stopping and work through the frustrations and discouragement, we might be amazed at what can happen as a result.

Keep going...work through...don't give up!

Starting Fresh in the Fall

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of attending the Colby High School's "Freshman Retreat". I participated in helping the Regional Prevention Center do their Jeopardy-like game to educate kids on drugs and alcohol. It was very enjoyable to see the kids come through before they begin another venture along life's path.

The very first thing on the agenda was a "welcome". Colby High's principal, Don Krebs, was one of the ones giving an introduction. His was also met with a charge to these new students. One of the things that he said stuck out. It was something that mayl come across logical and, possibly, kind of elementary. He said that the word freshman was a good name, because it meant that you get to have a fresh start as you begin this next chapter in your life.

High school is memorable for almost everyone. Something significant happens to almost everyone in those four years. I could write many stories on my ventures in high school. Some of these significant events are highs, where others are lows.

Though January is a time when resolutions are made (and dropped), this time of year is also good time to give yourself a fresh start. There is something psychological about the fall. It marks going back to school, fall sports, people getting together, and the temperatures start to cool down.

For a lot of students going back to school is a time they anticipate. They've had fun in the summer, but now they are ready to see their friends, get their new clothes, get their new school supplies, meet their teachers, and just get back into the swing of things. Each student begins the year with straight A's, regardless of how they finished out last year.

Whether or not last year's seasons were successful, this year's can be. A new start for every sports program out there. This is a good time of the year to start 'fresh'!

What about you? What are some things that have been dragging you down? What has been stressing you, lately? How can you use the fall to 'start fresh' again?

You may not be able to erase any situations, but this 'starting fresh' could be as simple as getting a new attitude about something or giving it another chance.

September is National Back to Church month. Have you been away for awhile? Maybe the reason you quit going was one of several. Everyone has their reasons why they may stop attending. Maybe it is because religious people are just 'hypocrites'. Maybe it is because you took a job. Maybe it is because you no longer believe in God. Maybe it is because there were not enough kids for yours to be around. Maybe it is because the preacher, or someone else, offended you by something they did or did not say. The list could go on and on.

Why not use the fall to make a fresh start? Not only are kids returning back to school, but maybe this is the time to return back to church.

It may not only be good for you, spiritually, but it may be a good idea to return to church from a physical standpoint, too. According to WebMD website that I checked out last week Harold G. Koenig, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, did a study consisting of 4,000 64-101 year olds and found that even after dissecting the group down in age, race, current illnesses and other health and social factors, "there was still a 28 percent reduction in mortality." (http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/spirituality-may-help-people-live-longer)

Which means that part of one being totally healthy, you not only need to exercise and eat right, but another factor is to be apart of a church!

So who's with me? Let's go to church and get a fresh start in the fall!!!

Working Hard by Doing Hard Work

We have a common phrase we say when it seems we are not able to complete a task..."I can't". You've said it, I've said it, and those yet to be born will say it. I remember saying it in school when trying to find an answer to a question. However, there are times it feels that way with God. That feeling where you just can't go on another minute/day with the situation the way it is right now.

Schools have started; practices have started; life has always started. All these things require us to work hard. This brings us to this week's quote...

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~ Newt Gingrich

Usually, when we say "I can't" we haven't even arrived at the point of perseverance. However, when you get to the point of thinking you can't do it any more after putting in the hard work, you have to continue working hard to complete your goal.

I encourage you to keep on working hard in your marriage, Christian walk, at your job, at school, a giving up bad "habits", at starting good "habits", in your friendships, in your sports practices, in coaching and in other areas of life.

Work hard at working hard!

Persevering...

Influencing Youth

About every 10 years it seems that the styles of dress change dramatically, to one degree or another. I just received an e-mail from "All Pro Dad" which examined how a father's influence can affect how his daughter dresses. This impacted me even if I don't have a daughter.

The other day when I was subbing a teenage girl was displaying a complacent attitude about being called an inappropriate name which depicts her morality. Within the same period she told me she was going to play football next year. She is not even close to any type of size that would be able to hold her own on the football field. She is excited, at this time, about playing. In reality, and having played a little organized football in my younger years, I doubt she will make it to the first game, but that isn't the point here.

Discussing football led to discussing what locker room she would use. She communicated a lack of care regarding dressing in front of the rest of the (male) team. I couldn't let this moment go by without suggesting that she need to "have more respect for herself" than to "not care" about where she changes. I don't know if this teenage girl has a good father-figure in her life or not. But statistics show that fathers have a very high influence on their daughters' self-esteem and other areas. I hope that teens like her will be able to develop more "care" regarding their lifestyles, whether it is through their parents' influence or others' whom they trust. May we be praying for areas like this, that God might use you to help make a difference, whether you have children or they are your children.

Boys and girls, sons and daughters, each need good modeling and influences from their parents. If you have children in your home, do all you can to continually stay involved in their life. If your children are separated from your home, due to a divorce or other removal, still use every chance you can to be involved in their life. If you are in the latter category, it will be more challenging, but stay involved! If you are in the first category, don't take it for granted that your children will always be in your home, take every night as a special night to be a family.

Making the most of every moment...
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To read the short e-mail that I received, you can view it online at http://www.allprodad.com/pod/podlist.php?y=2008&m=4 .Then click on April 29.

Breaking Through

I don't know if you've ever moved somewhere new in your life, but you probably all have started a new job where you didn't know many of the people. In either case, it takes a while for you to break in to a group or two, or even break in to individuals' lives.

One of my passions is teaching - whether it is about spiritual matters, practical concepts, or secular information - I enjoy the challenge of creating an "aha" moment for people. I have the opportunity to teach through my job as a minister, but I also get the opportunity to teach when I sub in our local schools. Sometimes, it seems, that subs are just "temporary" visitors and regular teachers may not care to take the time to get to know them.

After about 2 years of consistent subbing in the local high school, I feel more and more like I am breaking through the barriers of being acknowledged. I look forward to each time I get to sub - not for the pay - but for the opportunity of how God will use me and who I might be able to uplift that day.

With the students, it is a similar concept. Most of them know me, and my "rules" and I rarely have any "trouble" with them. I've been "high fived" and "all right-ed" upon seeing me. Usually they want to know who I'm there for.

God has opened a door for me to, literally, minister to people in our local high school, and I love the fact that I am breaking through to build some relationships with those great people.

It's nice to not be the "new kid" and be able to break through!