When I was a kid everyone used to ask me, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” When I was really young that question would always illicit a very fanciful answer. It was always filled with wild adjectives and big ideas that would seem more real to me than my real life.

As I got older, I began to be tested and told the kinds of things that I would be “best” at in hopes that I would direct my life to what other people said would be my best available choices. Being a fairly compliant kid (my mother might have issues with this assessment) I set out to be and do what I was told I would be best at. But, inside me there was always this wide-eyed kid who wanted to be somewhere else, doing what my heart cried out for.

As one who is now approaching what people say are my “retirement years” I find myself once again having to make a choice. Should I listen to the conventional wisdom of the crowd and think in terms of retirement or should I finally make the choice that is best for me? I have chosen the latter and the door to a new adventure has opened!

But, what about you? Are you making the right choice for you? Or, are you, like so many ready to put your dreams on hold and make what others are saying is “the right choice?” Now don’t mistake determination for bitterness. I made choices throughout my life and have lived a beautiful adventure with my bride and our children. But, in these final years which inexorably end in passing through the vale of life and entering eternity, I want, not the dreams of my youth, but of my today, of my now, of my own choosing.

For those just beginning the journey, make the right choice for you! For those lost in the busyness of the journey, make the right choice for you, and for those of you looking more closely at the end of the journey, make the right choice for you.

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I am sitting at home watching the NFL playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. My daughter is watching with me while keeping an eye on her Twitter feed. I am amazed at how much is being said about Tim Tebow. Not because he has not been a lighting rod this year but because the people with the most negative comments start their visceral by saying that they are Christians too, but …..

Now think about it with me. What has Tim Tebow really done? He has done three things that seem to bring all the ire of these Christians. (1) He talks openly about his faith. (2) He prays before, during, and after games. (3) He wins more than he looses. And for this he is spoken of as if he is the devil himself. Most of those who are quick to criticize him do so with no knowledge of him, no relationship with him, and no real understanding of who he is in his life or what is really important to him.

Adam Wainright, St. Louis Cardinal star pitcher, has a different view. He was recently quoted as saying, “I am obsessed with Tim Tebow. I’m not afraid to say it. It’s almost embarrassing to us athletes that this much emphasis is put on Tim Tebow because that means we aren’t living our lives as we should. If we did that more often, the way he is living wouldn’t be as big a story. I’m so proud of him for living out his faith.”

I think that it would be good if Christians across America would understand that Tim is just trying to live his life in a way he feels honors God. It doesn’t have to be the way any others live theirs. And more than anything I wish Christian people would not be sucked into attacking a believer, not for his skills as a player, but for his desire to live to the glory of God.

Maybe we should read and re-read Wainright’s assessment and realize that Tim wouldn’t appear to be so unique if we all lived our lives for the glory of God.

Just my thoughts!

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You know, I always find it interesting when “out of the blue” I find myself meeting the right people at just the right time in my life. Now I know its not “out of the blue” but even knowing and seeing God’s hand in it all, it still amazes me when I see it happen in my life.

Yesterday was such a day for me and I am still rejoicing in what God provided for me at just the right time.

I am currently working on a business project and have been wondering if I was headed in the right direction. As I talked to this new acquaintance of mine, I found out that he has been doing what I want to do for some time now. In describing what he has taught for those many years, I was amazed that, with some variation in verbiage, our messages are effectively the same.

Knowing his level of success and that our messages are very similar, I was excited about the possibilities for the success of my new venture! It was a great thing for me and a real encouragement from the Lord that I am following his lead and on the right path!

Meeting the right people may seem coincidental to most, but I see it as a blessing from God to instruct, guide, correct, bless, or encourage me as I seek to follow the path to the quiet and peaceable life.

Do you have a similar experience that you would like to share? Let us know how meeting the right people worked in your life!

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It is only 12 days into the new year and it is already getting really complicated. I appreciate the new things that are beginning to take shape so quickly in the new year, but I am also very concerned about how these things will effect the bigger goal of living a quiet and peaceable life.

In thinking about how easily things get complicated, I came up with five things that I need to keep in mind to stay in balance:

1. Set a limit to the hours I work on a given day. Complicated lives come when work hours are set by circumstances rather than me.
2. Make sure I spend enough time with my family. Even if we just watch some TV together being with my family makes me slow down.
3. Make sure I spend my time in valuable endeavors rather than frivolous ones. My habit in complicated times is to retreat into the frivolous. This must stop!
4. Make sure I keep my 20112 “three words” (basics, focus, strength) in front of me and work on them every day.
5. Keep my time with God my priority in life. When life gets complicated, time with God is an “easy” thing to set aside. (Did I just say that!)

My commitment to living the quiet and peaceable life has to be more important than anything that complicates my life. It is hard when these complications make so much noise. However, it is the most necessary thing that I can do throughout this new year.

How are things going for you? Are you already experiencing a level of complication that is making your life more difficult than quiet and peaceable?

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This has been an incredible football season. Starting with the lockout/strike, to a season where rookies played a bigger role than I can remember for a long time, to the playoffs that are kicking off as I am writing this post.

For a guy trying to live the quiet and peaceable life, what can I learn from the season and the upcoming playoffs?

Let me throw out a few thoughts:

• Greedy people always look out for themselves before anyone else – avoid living among greedy people!
• Football fans love football more than they are hate watching greedy people fight over who gets the most money – pay attention to the people who love what you do. They are way more important than how much money you make!
• Rookies can make a big difference if they are coached well – find someone to coach you well!
• Any team can win on any given day – make today your any given day!
• Former players who work on TV don’t know everything – be careful who you look to for advice!

These are just some thoughts that I have had throughout the season but above all these, I have learned that hard work and execution are what brings teams to the playoffs. God’s word speaks to this when it says, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

I will enjoy watching the playoffs, still saddened by the greed that preceded the season, hoping that the team that works the hardest and executes the best will ultimately win the prize.

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This is the second post on this subject in as many postings. I don’t want to bore you, but I do want you to see how important this subject is and needs to be. Excuse my hyper-focus, but I hope you enjoy the thoughts!

I am excited about the new year! Not for the reasons that most people would think though. I am excited to slow things down to get more accomplished than any other year of my life so far. Yes, I did say slow down to accomplish more.

See, I have come to understand that in life we are constantly in a battle. The battle is waged on several fronts:

1. The battlefield of our mind – who is going to control the way we think and the thoughts that we allow to occupy our thinking?
2. The battlefield of our spirit – who is going to control the activity of our spirit and the things that make our lives valuable?
3. The battlefield of our time – who is going to control our minutes, our hours, our days and how will we use the one equal element of life effectively?

I have been on the short end of these battles for most of my life, allowing my life and its value and effectiveness (along with God’s plan) to be sacrificed on the alter of the immediate. The “now stuff” has always overshadowed the true meaning of life.

What excites me about this year is that I have made a choice (not for the first time but for the final time) to let God control my mind, my spirit, and my time. I want to live what the scripture call the quiet and peaceable life (1 Timothy 2:1-4) and have come to understand that the only way I can do this is by yielding all of me to the Christ who saved me.

I am not foolish enough to believe that this choice will go unchallenged by the world around me, the constraints on my time, and the Devil himself, but I am committed to the choice. It is the firmness of this commitment that makes me so excited.

I understand that living this life will change me and that those that I have worked with in the “old life” will not always like or appreciate my decision. However, this is the life I have been looking for since my salvation in 1976 and this is the life I am pursuing in the power of God’s Spirit in 2012.

Would you like to join me? How would you start out? How can we help others to make the transition to such a life?

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With a new year just about 6 hours away, I am ready to get things started! I am excited about the year to come because God has big plans and I am ready for him to lead.

For most of my Christian life, I have known about God’s desire to lead, but I have also known about modern man’s affinity to what “gets things done.” These two seem to always cause my head to spin and my life to spin out of control, even though I want God’s leadership above all else.

Last year was my “I give up” year. It was the first time that I told God, “I quit” and “if my life counts for anything it will have to come from you.” I started talking less and listening more. I still have a long way to go, but in the end it was wondrous!

This year is the other side of the coin. I am ready to move again. Only this time I want to move only as God leads and will not move without his direction. I want, more than anything to pursue (and find) the quiet and peaceable life. And what’s more, I want you to join me!

I am convinced that this quiet and peaceable life is the place where we need to be to find the more abundant life promised by the Lord Jesus to all his followers. My life is about faith, family, business, and ministry. It gets confusing and crazy sometimes, but this year I am going to live a yielded life and let God have it all. I want to know life in a quiet and peaceable way.

Have a happy new years eve and let’s pursue the quiet and peaceable life together!

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My Three Words for 2012 – Basics, Focus, Strength

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Several years ago I ran across an article that spoke about the end of the year and the setting of “new year resolutions.” The author of the article was someone who I have followed every since (Chris Brogan). Chris’ blog is a business oriented blog, but his idea about the new year is to find three words that best describe your intentions in the new year and then focus some portion of everyday to those three areas.

I like that much better than some resolution that is going to be set by the wayside within just a few weeks of beginning (as has always been my habit). This year my three words are: Basics, Focus, and Strength. My plan is to accomplish something everyday that will move me forward in those areas. My end will be a life better lived for directing my attention to these three words. Thanks again to @ChrisBrogan! (His twitter handle.)

What does your new year hold for you? Are you going to make, and then break, a great sounding but meaningless set of new year’s resolutions? Maybe instead you could take a lesson from this great business mind and find your three words?

I would love it if you would share your three with me here! What do you think?

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I have just watched two of the most incredible football games of the season. In both games the BCS heavy weights were beaten by teams that dug deep and earned the wins. In the first game USC went on the road to beat Oregon (go Trogans!) and in the second Baylor defended its home field and beat Oklahoma for the first time ever (way to go Bears!).

In their victories both eventual winners had to hold off furious comebacks by the teams that “should have won.” And in the indomitable spirit of team, both did!

I find myself thinking a lot about the condition of the world these days and hear the prophets of the day declaring the end of civilization as we have known it. While all the indicators would cause the best minds around to agree with the prophet’s message of gloom, I believe that, just like USC and Baylor, you just never know!

What it will take to turn what is expected to be a defeat into a victory is:

1. People to refuse to let the difficulties of life rob us of our drive, determination, commitment to personal success.
2. A determination to stay the course and not to let the difficulties that will surly arise from lessening our efforts every day.
3. Staying the course when the inevitable press comes from the superior force of the opposition.
4. Learning to adapt and innovate to counter the strengths of those who would oppose what is right and good.
5. Being willing to live a life of sacrifice until the victory is won!

These two games made me really think. I hope you will consider where you are and will choose with me (and a host of others) to “stand and deliver” in this great time of struggle knowing that anything can happen when you decide to do things right! You just never know!

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You know it is often a struggle for me to stay focused. With so much of going on in life, I get overwhelmed by things and end up loosing focus. I would suspect that this kind of things happens to others as well.

I don’t have a “sure-fire” solution or a “five step plan” to stay focused when life gets away from you. However, I do have some advice. The advice is simply to not be afraid to stop!

1. Stop and smell the roses – there is no dress rehearsal in life. Every day you live is the only day you are assured of. The past cannot be changed and the future is not guaranteed.
2. Stop and get rested – the world moves at such a fast pace, if you don’t stay rested you can loose yourself in the traffic.
3. Stop and pray, think, and plan – God has a plan for your life, but you need to be constantly looking for the daily direction to fulfill that plan. This takes time and energy, but is absolutely necessary to keep you on track and on time!

I know I have to stop and when I do these are the things I try to do. If you are out of focus, maybe these thoughts will work for you.

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