Author: kenlassblog.net

I have reached that stage of life where I sadly find myself reading a lot of obituaries. So many friends and acquaintances passing on. It occurred to me that an obit never mentions that the deceased had a big, fancy house, or an expensive car, or a fat bank account. Instead the focus is on the family, the loved ones who preceded or survived. The obit may mention hobbies and memorable experiences, again shared with family and close friends. It almost always contains the phrase “…she (he) enjoyed spending time with (fill in the blank)”.

We should learn something from this while we are still here. All those material possessions we worked so hard to achieve and acquire, nobody will care about them when we’re gone. We will be remembered for the people we loved and who loved us back.

One day, someone will write your obituary. You can write it yourself by the way you spend your time and resources today.

Today, make it a point to say one of the following things to someone in your life:

“You look great today”.

“I may not say it enough, but I appreciate all that you do.”

“I am thankful for every day I get to see you.”

“You make my life a happier place.”

“I love you.”

I guarantee you will light somebody up. And that light will shine back on you immediately.

They are just five words. But they may be the most powerful words in the English language. Those five little words will change anger to joy. They will change confrontation to conciliation. They will inject new life into relationships that have gone dead. Yet they seem to be incredibly difficult for most of us to say.

The words are “I’m sorry. I was wrong.” I suppose the reason they are so hard to say is because we don’t believe we are wrong. Maybe we feel that giving in is a sign of weakness, vulnerability. What we need to understand is that relationships are not, or at least shouldn’t be, a competition. Nobody should be keeping score.

Instead of escalating a disagreement, try those five words. You may find they change everything.

Tomorrow I’m going to try to play golf again. It will be the first time in about fifteen years. I gave up the game out of frustration because I was terrible at it and couldn’t seem to get better. I sold or gave away my clubs, my bag, my shoes, and everything else that reminded me of the game. I vowed I would never set foot on a golf course again.

But now I’ve been invited to play by a good friend whom I enjoy spending time with. He’s funny and easy going and he promises me it doesn’t matter a lick how we play, we’re just going to have fun and enjoy the fresh air. I believe him. So, I’m going to play again just to spend a pretty day with him.

Spending precious time with good friends is time well spent. I’ve lost enough people I love to appreciate that. Make the most of your opportunities to fellowship with family and good friends. You only get so many chances.

I’m not even going to keep score tomorrow. Why ruin a great friendship?

Leaders are hard to find. Yet virtually nothing gets accomplished without them. Folks who will be the first to volunteer to be in charge. To be the one to organize, assign and encourage. Being a leader, in any endeavor, puts you out there. You become committed while others retain their options. You make decisions while others second guess. You are held accountable for results while others pass the buck.

Small wonder why people are reluctant to lead. But if you have real passion for your mission, real devotion to your cause, real conviction that the goal is righteous and worthy, then you can do this. You can be the one out ahead. The critics will almost always be around, but you will convert them by example.

Be bold today. Don’t wait for someone else to direct you to ministry or service. The view from the crowd is much better at the front.

Be relentless today. Get out of bed, set a righteous and worthy goal, and be relentless to achieve it. Doesn’t have to be a big thing. Doesn’t have to change the world. But maybe it could make the world a little better for someone else. Whatever opportunity presents itself to you today, go for it!

I know you are tired. Perhaps you’re not feeling well. Could be you have physical limitations. Fight off the temptation to rationalize and make excuses. Perform an act of unselfish love today. Don’t rest until it’s done. You can do this! A mighty God created you for these moments, and He does not make mistakes.

When it’s done, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and give thanks for another day in this beautiful world. Your life has meaning, purpose. You are here for a reason. Pursue that reason relentlessly every day.

You need to laugh today. Whatever it takes. A good joke, a funny TV show, a weird set of circumstances, something silly that happens to you, whatever it may be, you need a good hearty laugh. It’s one of the best medicines you will ever take.

Studies show laughing actually improves your immune system by activating antibodies. It strengthens your heart by dilating blood vessels and improving blood flow. It releases endorphins which help to alleviate pain and stress. It relaxes your muscles and improves your mood and general outlook on life. It’s also highly contagious. If you are around someone who is laughing loudly, it’s almost impossible not to start laughing yourself, even if you have no idea what is so funny.

So, if troubles have got you down today, or you just feel blah, find something that makes you laugh. Even if the joke is on you.

I am sitting at my breakfast nook, looking out the bay window at the bird feeder in my backyard. There is a feeding frenzy going on. Various birds are literally shoving others off the feeder in a desperate attempt to feed themselves. Suddenly, a larger bird, I think it’s a cardinal, soars to the feeder. All the others scurry away.

But instead of attacking the seed, the cardinal perches on top of the feeder, like a guard. Now several smaller birds, perhaps they are younger, come and light and begin to eat. The cardinal remains in his position until the little birds have had their fill and depart. Then he also flies off, having made sure those less fortunate than himself (or herself) have been adequately provided for.

I want to be more like that cardinal.

Every time I fire up my desktop computer I seem to get a notice telling me I need some sort of upgrade or fix. Apparently, there are constant bugs and security threats trying to invade my system, and the computer folks are diligently battling them and offering protective downloads. I guess you don’t have much choice but to accept them. Otherwise some virus will eventually get hold of your machine and compromise it.

When you think about it, life itself is a battle to ward off and protect yourself from evil, in all its forms. We need constant upgrades to reinforce that firewall that separates us from influences that will do us harm. The fixes are in God’s word, and in fellowship with believers.

So, when you get depressed and worried, download some good old spiritual prayer into your heart. Who knows? Maybe your improved faith will go viral!

If I am driving on the freeway and encounter a traffic back-up, it’s always a test of my patience. And I usually fail. Funny thing about it, if traffic is just moving, even if it’s just crawling along, I’m fine. I guess I still feel as though I am progressing toward my destination.

But when traffic stops completely, I immediately get antsy and fidgety. It’s like these moments of your life are being wasted. You’re making no progress toward anything. And you’re trapped in it. Cars in front and behind you. Traffic stopped as far ahead as you can see. No hope of quick resolution.

Life can be like a traffic back-up. You feel trapped in a bad situation with no hope. You need a strong foundation to get your life moving again. God and His word will clear the wreckage for you.