The Dash

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I had an aha moment when viewing a video by author Farrah Gray about the two most important dates in a persons life birth and when we find out why were born. What are you put here to do?  I thought about a headstone and a grave marker with the date of birth, date of death, and most importantly the dash between the two dates. When we learn why we were born then and only then is death not vanity, its purpose.

I always wondered about the story of King Solomon who had everything said, "all is vanity" or meaningless. He had to have been speaking of those of us who work hard all our days and store up with no purposeful living.  This is sad to go to the grave with purpose, dreams not pursued, books not published, and work left undone; this is vanity and the dash meaningless. We have to finish what we started and what were called to do in life.

I remember reading an article recently that talked about people in hospice care and their main concern before transition being regretting not taking the time to do the things they were passionate about more and using time more wisely, because its precious.

My encouragement on today is to start now with what you have where you are and embrace the fire filled thing that burns within you no matter how old you are if it makes you smile chances are it will bring hope and joy to the world around you.  Know that it's not too late as long as you have breath, just start where you are and live your best life on purpose from here on out.

Faith, the unseen thing

Faith is the real thing. Faith becomes tangible when you believe.  Faith defies senses and you can see it,  hear it, and taste it, before what you're actually hoping for manifests. Have you ever wanted something so bad that you almost could taste it? You have to go from just hoping you get something or becoming the person you desire to believing it and being it. No matter what you are believing for God will meet you at the point of your need. Don't give up give in to a power source greater than yourself.  By exercising your faith you strengthen your confidence. If you have issues financially continually being around those in poverty will not help you to see your way out you have to surround yourself with the picture of what you desire to become.  

See what you say by faith. Obtain a vision of the job, the building you need for business, healing and wholeness,  renewed marriage. Use your imagination as more than just fantasy or fantasizing, but to picture what you are hoping for as though you already have it.  

Let it rip

We don't have to ask for bigger faith. If we just exercise the faith we have.  I constantly hear prayers of increase my faith in my organizations of affiliation. When a body builder works out during weight training, weight is increased on the bar to build muscle mass and increase endurance, but not until the first reps are mastered. The problem is not a lack of faith at all. If you can only believe all things are possible. Secondly if you dont put in the work to achieve your desired goal you wont obtain the desired results. So, not only do you need faith, but you have to put feet to faith or meaning exercise your faith, your belief.

Open Door



Sometimes doors close for redirection! Sometimes you just got to take another route. All roads may not lead to where YOU need to be. Take it like a champ turn around, take the exit, or wait its straight ahead. Pray, Prepare, and Wait until your change comes. Daniel prayed while he was in captivity; Esther prepared for the king, self sacrificing herself for her people, and Joseph waited for 2 years in prison for something he did not do. Oh but one day Joseph was promoted all because he did not become bitter and get distracted by how he got there.  Pharoah needed something, a dream interpreted and Joseph had the gift of interpretation; know one could interpret the dream, but Joseph.  Wait on God and the door will open for you.

The simple formula for loneliness not what you think



On Huffington Post I read one of the most touching stories about a concerned parent named Glenon Melton. Her son Chase assured mom that the confusing looking subject matter was Math that he was bringing home and to confirm that an email to the Math teacher went out. The teacher a former employee of NASA replied in the affirmative while also volunteering to tutor Chase anytime after school; no not him, mom replied me. Finding herself in 5th grade again and after school Glenon had one of the greatest revelations any parent can have.  It was'nt the fact that she spent an hour on one problem at the chalkboard, but it was what came next that struck her to encourage others. The teacher explained the importance of math in her classroom however something far greater helps her students. Each day she asks her students to pull out a piece of paper and write down 4 students name they think should sit out, and name one exceptional citizen for the week. After taking up the papers she looks for patterns of some of the following:

Who is not getting requested by anyone else?
Who doesn’t even know who to request?
Who never gets noticed enough to be nominated?
Who had a million friends last week and none this week?

She praises and encourages the star students, but she also looks for the lonely, the looked over and at risk children needing to be found, needing connection, whose bullied or bullying. You see none of us come here knowing it all even as adults were a work in progress.  So why do we oftentimes put so much expectation on our children to know how to speak up and to get the grade, but not take time to look closer or listen? I agree our children should not be measured solely on standardized tests or seen as numbers to meet the grade for our state. They're not just our future they are our legacy. What are we leaving? This story is a message of love and hope for the lonely. 

Dont you love this, I know I do, wow this gives me chills and many applause to this teacher, all teachers that not only teach subject matter content, but life skills and love, and mom Glenon who is challenging us to spread the word. Her January 30th 2014 post reads "Share This With All the Schools, Please." I accept the challenge wont you. I know you're still wondering about my picture that I shared with you. Well, just as Glenon's expression I make a choice to pay it forward. It only takes one person to make change and to show love in the world around them and to bring a smile, be a voice to a child that's been told not to tell, to even stop a suicide attempt only one. One person can reach one and the challenge continues. Dont think you cant make a difference you just did by reading this post. I think were responsible for what we know. Show love its just that simple it's not the hard math that you think.