Silent Heroes

             

       A story was recently told of a Navy pilot that had flown seventy-five successful missions over Iraq and Afghanistan and was truly a great hero.  On the seventy-sixth mission, ground mortar fire hit his plane and it went down in flames.  The pilot was able to eject from the plane, open his chute, and rescued immediately.

      The people in his hometown had a special day to honor him for his heroic service.  While waiting in a restaurant for the special events, a man came to his table and asked, “Are you the pilot to be honored today?”  He said, “Yes I am.”  “Did your parachute work okay when you ejected from the plane?”  “Of course it did.  If it hadn’t, I would not be here today.”  The man then said, “I’m the one that packed your parachute.”

      Who are the ones in your life that are the “Silent Heroes” and responsible for your success?  It is so easy for us to reach a place in our life that we forget who it was that made a difference and where we would might be without them.  Roger Staubach, “At a car dealership, the person who sells the car is the hero, and also gets the commission.  But if the mechanics don’t service the car well, the customer won’t return.”  It is great to look back and remember all the people that influenced us and if possible, take time to express appreciation in some small way. 

     Isaac Newton, “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”  People need people!  As wise as we may be, we are really the product of those silent heroes that have helped us along.  We are not successful through independence, but through many people in our lives that really were not concerned about who ultimately would get the credit.  When we have success, two things often happen.  The first is that we begin to take success for granted and the second is that we forget how we got here.  Therefore, I ask, “Who packed your parachute?”

1 Cor 3:10 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”  KJV

Thanksgiving

      What is the meaning of Thanksgiving?  Ask this question and one will hear a variety of answers.  You may hear, a long weekend, the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, tremendous sales, or just “turkey day.”  It is so easy for us to concentrate on the “what” that we forget the “why.”  This is a special day designated to express gratitude and appreciation, especially to God, family and friends for all the blessings that we so often take for granted.  “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.” Sarah Ban Breathnach

            A good way to express our thanks is to take the word “Thanksgiving,” and divide it into two words, thanks and giving.  Saying thanks seems so simple yet so often overlooked because of our expectations or that we deserved it.  Whether in the workplace, our home, our interactions with friends or other relatives, the two most important words that one can say is, “Thank you.”  Truly show appreciation for others and we will find that the atmosphere in which we live will become more pleasant and loving.

      The second part of this word is giving.  There are so many people in need because of the economic conditions in the world and surely, we have something that we can give to show them we care.  We will find that, Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." NIV  

"In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Give Lavishly!  Live Abundantly! 

The more you give, the more you get—

The more you laugh, the less you fret—

The more you do unselfishly,

The more you live abundantly…

The more of everything you share,

The more you will always have to spare—

The more you love, the more you will find

That life is good and friends are kind…

For only what we give away,

Enriches us from day to day.

                                                                                                                                Author Unknown

      This is the first day of the rest of your life.  Start today giving thanks and continue every day thereafter and you will be amazed what happens in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Too Soon to Quit!

      Goals are so important for keeping our hopes and dreams alive.  Some of these goals may be to improve our standard of living; some may be for the enjoyment for living.  Unfortunately, our goals meet with tremendous challenges and it becomes so easy to say, “I quit.”  

      When one is going through difficult times, often the first impulse is to quit.  We have heard so often, “If it feels good, do it.”  All of us know how it feels when our difficulties in life have pinned us up against a wall and no place to go; it does not feel good!  Let’s face it; not everything that feels good is good or right.  Therefore, we must not allow our feelings to control our destiny.  Feelings will let us down and will keep us from trying; faith and hope will keep us reaching for the goals and we will reap the rewards for the effort. 

      Whatever you are trying to achieve, remember that it may be difficult but it is not impossible.  It may seem that darkness and gloom are surrounding us, but the sun always comes up in the morning.  Thomas Edison stated, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”  The next step you take may be your breakthrough.

      Let us take the list of options available in the difficult situations we are facing and cross out the “quit” option and press on to victory.  David Zucker stated, “Quit now, you’ll never make it.  If you disregard this advice, you’ll be halfway there.”  It is always too soon to quit!  We can alter our course of action without losing sight of our ultimate goal.  The key to achieving our goals is to change our thought process from, “I think I can,” to “I know I can.”

Gal 6:9 “So don't get tired of doing what is good.  Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.”  NLT

Veterans Day

      November 11, 2010, we will take time to honor our Veterans and families who served or is currently serving in the Armed Services for our freedom.  Freedom is a privilege that we as Americans have enjoyed for many years.  We also realize that the price was extremely high to obtain and continue to protect it.  Many paid the ultimate sacrifice or carried the battle scars and did it proudly. 

      Our great country is a symbol of freedom around the world and an inspiration for other nations.  The protection of our freedom is worth the sacrifice it takes to guarantee it for future generations.  John F. Kennedy once stated, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  

      So on Veterans Day we salute those in uniform, remember those who paid the ultimate price, and pray for the safety of those still in combat.  This is a time to reflect on all who have put their lives on the line so we can enjoy this great freedom.  So let us also remember all the families who sacrificed much for our freedom.  Find a veteran and say thanks; do something special to show your appreciation for his/her service.

      We as Americans can still hold our head high, throw our shoulders, stand at attention, and reflect on what it means to be a citizen of this great country.  Neil Enloe wrote some beautiful words; (entire song lyrics of The Statue of Liberty are on his web site).  “I'm so proud to be called an American, To be named with the brave and the free; I will honor our flag and our trust in God, And the Statue of Liberty.”

Gal 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  NIV

May God bless our Veterans and this great country!

Opportunity

      Everywhere we look, we see opportunities.  Some are for good and unfortunately, some are for bad.  For every problem, opportunity is waiting with a solution.  For every frustration, opportunity is waiting with encouragement.  For every fear, opportunity is waiting with a basket of courage.  For every doubt about the future, opportunity is waiting with an abundance of hope.  Frederick Phillips stated, “It is often hard to distinguish between the hard knocks in life and those of opportunity.” 

      Over the years in business, when one would reach a difficult situation and come to my office and say, “We have a real problem.  What are we going to do?”  The usual answer they would hear was, “No, we have an opportunity.”  On one occasion, one of the employees came to the office very excited.  He asked, “What do you call an opportunity when it really is an opportunity?”  The spontaneous answer to the question, after a few seconds was, “probably a surprise!”  One may compare opportunity to courage; it most often shows up during a crisis.

      Each of us would see greater things in our life if we would start to be more observant of the opportunities waiting for us.  Oftentimes a given opportunity only knocks once so we need to live life anticipating.  Many are overlooked while searching for that four-leaf clover or “luck.”  Years ago a song stated, “I overlooked an orchid while searching for a rose.”  The opportunity may be just as simple as a “good morning,” to the stranger at the grocery store or a friendly smile starting with each member of the family in the morning.  It is good to keep a journal for each of the opportunities you find for the good, and you will be amazed at what God will bring your way.  Every day is an opportunity; today is the first day of the rest of my life.  Gal 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  NIV

Bumps in the Road

      “We are now in Michigan!” the child stated.  “How did you know?  You weren’t paying attention to the road signs.”  His mother replied.  “It is the bumps in the road that you can feel as soon as you cross the line,” the child stated.

      We are traveling on the road of life.  We have many parts of our trip very enjoyable and smooth sailing.  We also, encounter bumps in the road occasionally that send strong messages about the road we are traveling or make us aware of the direction we are heading.  These bumps start out the majority of the time as very small cracks in the road.  Time, frequency of travel and environment continue to increase the size of the bump and eventually will turn into a “pot hole in the road.” 

      Similar to the knowledge of “We are now in Michigan!” we know when we cross the line on the road of life.  The difference in the road of life is that we have choices are available to us to turn around and change directions.  That is the beauty of how God has made us.  There are always two roads before us and we can choose the right one.  One is paved and leads to the things God had prepared for us.  It has obstacles along the way but we know that help is available along this road.  The other road leads to destruction and uncertainty.  Just as Moses told the people then, it is still true today, Deut 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  NIV