I Wish I could!

 

“I wish I could---“is the beginning of many statements that one will hear from individuals in all walks of life.  It may a desire to accomplish something special in the future or contain many regrets of the past.  It is unfortunate that so many people are stuck between two worlds—holding on to the past on one side and not having either the courage or wherewithal to move forward.  Therefore, they seem to be stuck in the issues of the past and just wishing for something different. 

There is hope!  We do not have to be held hostage by the past.  Arthur Brisbane stated, “Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste and the idle, useless regretting.”[1]  Today is a new day and it can be full of new hope, new aspirations, new attitudes, new dreams, and new plans for obtaining the things for which we often just wish.  There will never be a more appropriate time to start on the positive side of “I wish I could---.”

Already, some may be saying, “If only I could.”  Fulton Oursler stated, “’if only!’  Those must be the two saddest words in the world.”  Those two words fall into the same category of “but” or “I wish.”[2]  To move forward into new heights of satisfaction in ones life requires a dissatisfaction of either where we are or where we have been.  This realization will allow us to see the opportunities the future offers just for the taking.  We cannot expect the opportunity to come knocking at our door; we must gain confidence in our own ability to open the door of opportunity.  Norman Vincent Peale stated, “Believe in yourself!  Have faith in your abilities!  Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”[3]

  Many use the past as a standard and therefore, limit the possibilities of both the present and the future.  Neither satisfaction nor regrets of the past are healthy for future successes.  We must forget past failures and successes and move forward with confidence that we can make it.  Just as looking back is an endangerment to the mountain climber who desires to reach the pinnacle, it endangers us as well.  The climber’s hope of reaching the summit is by forgetting the things behind and continuing a step at a time, never taking his eyes off the goal.

With the rest of our life in front of us, we need to change the statement from, “I wish I could…” to “I am going to…”  The statement is an open-ended statement for each of us to fill in.  There are tremendous opportunities ahead just for our benefit.  Let us press on to victory in 2012.

Phil 3:13-14 "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  NASB

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[1] Arthur Brisbane

[2] Fulton Oursler

[3] Norman Vincent Peale

Thank You

This last year has been very rewarding to me in many ways since I started writing the inspirational blog.  I really did not imagine how well it would be received but after reviewing the number of individual page viewings, I was amazed to see the number over three-thousand.  Therefore, for all the support and encouragement, I just want to say thanks.

I will continue writing this year and hope the blogs will be words of encouragement to you.  If there are subjects that you would like to have me consider, send me a personal message and I will honor the confidentiality and try to answer them.

I trust that this year, you will find peace and comfort in all you do and that God would direct your steps in a positive direction.

Thanks again and may God bless you!

Cecil

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Year of Hope and Expectation!

Prov 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.”  There is no better way to begin a new year than to focus on His Word and allow it to speak to our heart for a check-up on our commitment to Him.  The beginning of a new year is also a good time to review the old year and analyze the impact that 2011 had on our life.  Most of us began the year with many hopes that would greatly affect our life in a positive way.  Now is the time to look at each of those hopes to see if we saw the results, for which we had “hoped.” 

The Bible tells us that hope is a confident expectancy.  It is shown alongside words such as faith, and love and is a very positive attribute for one to possess.  Genuine hope is not dreaming, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.  Expectation, whether in hope or dread, is looking forward with the realization that something specific will happen.  Unfortunately, many are living with a daydreaming hope.  Jimmy Carter stated that many are living with a hope that says, “If I could just hit the lottery and win five million bucks, then all my troubles would be over.  But those are false hopes.”[1]

We can use 2011 as a platform for building positive plans that will turn our hopes for greater things into expectations.  Perhaps it will be a specific plan for health improvement, a plan to pay off those credit cards, a plan to live by a well-defined budget or to go back to school and reach a specific goal.  It may also be just as simple to spend more quality time with the family.  These are positive hopes that will require a specific plan to ensure one of living a life of anticipation and expectation.  We need not live by an attitude of “I hope things are better next year,” because we can live by a plan of knowing the hopes are not just dreams; they are realities just waiting to happen.

If things do not go just the way we plan, we must not lose hope!  We can be like the little boy that was playing on a softball team and at a very important game, the team was losing eighteen to nothing.  An older person came by and said, “You must be very discouraged with that score.”  The boy replied, “Why should I be discouraged?  We just haven’t our turn at bat.”  If your plan hasn’t gone the way you hoped it would go, perhaps you just haven’t had your turn at the bat.”  Lewis Smedes wrote, “Is there a hope when hope is taken away?  Is there hope when the situation is hopeless?  That question leads us to Christian hope, for in the Bible, hope is no longer a passion for the possible.  It becomes a passion for the promise.”[2] 

In 2012, we can renew our “trust in the Lord,” and by knowing that He will direct our paths, it will help to keep our hopes and expectations alive.  It is through Him that we can say with the Apostle Paul, “For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die.”[3]

Let us determine that 2012 will be a great year and know that the answers to our hopes and expectations are in the waiting and anxiously waiting to happen!

Happy New Year!

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[1] Through the Year with Jimmy Carter

[2] Lewis Smedes-Bible.org

[3] Phil 1:20-21

The Joy of Christmas

Over two thousand years ago, surrounded by questions, criticized by the skeptics, and no room at the inn, the Joy of Christmas was born in a lowly manger.  Mary and Joseph had many challenges about the circumstances and discussions concerning the miraculous conception and the birth, but on this night, they witnessed the joy of it all.  The first announcement of the joyful event was to shepherds by an angel who stated, “Do not be afraid; I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, has been born today in Bethlehem.”  Sudden, the angel was joined by a vast host of others praising God saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.”

This was a night that a special gift that was given to all people and this Gift was not a one-time celebration but a gift that keeps on giving.  The joy that accompanied this gift is still real and available as we celebrate this beautiful occasion.  His birth and the public celebrations of this joyful occasion are still surrounded by questions, criticized by the skeptics, challenged by the politicians of our day to take the gift that was given that night and hide it so the unbelievers will not be offended.  However, this Gift, when received in our heart cannot be hidden because it resonates in acts of kindness in our world.

"It’s the most wonderful time of the year,[1]” many will sing, but others are only wishing it to be over.  For many, the obligations of giving, going and “acting,” is difficult when one is only trying to survive.  We need to pause, take a deep breath, and remember the gift given to us that day is a gift to share with others.  Each of us has something to can give to keep the joy alive.  Perhaps it is a simple smile, a telephone call, an act of kindness in the marketplace or just spending time together reflecting on the greatness of this gift. 

The true spirit of a joyful Christmas needs to be the focus in our hearts and homes.  One may ask, “How can the true Joy of Christmas be experienced?”  Joy is not necessarily found in the receiving of the gifts but can most often found in the simple things of life.  Joy is a condition of the heart and it focuses on the blessings we have and the sharing of those blessings with others.  It comes from a relationship with Jesus and realizes that He is the “reason for the season.”  While we should live within our means, we can exercise generosity to the less fortunate as a true celebration of the birthday of Jesus.  Remember, it is not the size of the gift; it is the amount of love for which it is given that will have lasting results.

“Unless we truly celebrate Christ, the greatest story ever told will be lost amid the bells, bows, and baubles.  Make your holiday a holy day.  Add another seat or two at your table.  Sing the carols at the top of your voice.  Tell Christ’s story with thanksgiving and awe.  Wrap every present in love.  You are the reason Jesus came.  No one has more cause to celebrate than you.”[2]

Remember--joy is an inward possession that shows its presence by acts of kindness and generosity to others.  Is joy available in the midst of all the challenges we face?  Yes!  The message of the angel is very much applicable today—the Gift brings great joy to all people.

Good news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven[3].  Merry Christmas

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”[4]

I pray that each of you will truly experience the “Joy of Christmas.”

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[1] Eddie Pola and George Wyle

[2] Unknown

[3] Martin Luther

[4] John 15:11

Veterans Day

November 11, 2011 is a special day; it is a special day to honor all the men and women who have ever served in the Armed Forces of these United States.  There will be parades, special parties, and special services in churches to recognize publicly the “sacrifice” these have made and just say “Thank you for serving.”  Ask the majority of those who served, some by request and others by volunteering, and one will hear, “I did not consider it a sacrifice; I considered it an honor.” 

The veteran returns home with many memories, hangs the uniform in the closet for a lifetime and occasionally tries it on to see if it fits, but will continue to wear the pride of having served for a lifetime.  Each time the flag passes by he/she will snap to attention, try to give the perfect salute and smile deep inside.  We wear the hats; have tags on our cars, fly our branch of service flags our yards, not as a way of wanting praise, but as a way to say, “I’m proud to be called an American, to be named with the brave and the free.”[1]

We brag about living in a country where freedom rings loud and strong, and it is great to be able to say that.  However, November 11 is bragging time for all those who served for the protection of our freedom.  We know that freedom is never free; therefore, we must never forget all the men, women, and families that have sacrificed for us. 

We often take for granted and fail to express our gratitude to those who deserve the greatest praise.  We need to remember that, “It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.”[2]  An eight year old recently wrote, “My goal is to try to make veterans feel like the most important people.” 

Therefore, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."[3]  On this Veterans Day, each of us can endorse the goal of the eight-year old and find a veteran and say, “Thank you for your service; you are a very important person.”

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”[4]

May God bless our Veterans and our great country!

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[1] Neil Enloe

[2] Author Unknown

[3] John Fitzgerald Kennedy

[4] Galatians 5:1 NASU

Chasing Contentment

Contentment is a very desirable state in life that is both hard to describe and very illusive.  It seems that each time one reaches a goal that one believes would bring contentment, the bar moved to a higher position.  When asked the meaning of contentment, one may think of a state of being satisfied; however, there is a thin line between a state of satisfaction and complacency.  One has stated, “To be contented with one’s lot is a thing to be desired; to be contented with one’s self is a thing to be dreaded.”[1]

The world system tells us that if one had more money, a better job, larger house, a nicer car, or other tangible items that contentment would be the result.  How long did the contentment last after your last raise at work?  Did the raise cause you to enjoy your job more or lessen the pain of going to work?  When one thinks of contentment as external influences, it is like chasing a shadow—constantly on the move.  One has stated, “If we are not content with what we have, we will never be content with what we want.”[2]

The dictionary tells us the meaning of contentment is, “the state of being content.”  Now that really tells one a lot.  We could take the word content and accept the meaning as, “what is contained inside.”  The Apostle Paul tells us of his own experience, “…..I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”[3]  Paul did not focus on “why?” why me?” or “what if?”  He tried to make the best out of every situation and focus on the positives rather than the trials.  His encouragement was to focus on the opportunities of the circumstances and not on the problems.

If contentment is a learned position, then things achieved cannot replace the knowledge gained in training.  Learned behaviors require constant study and continual applications because the testing times will come, and one is never more ready to learn than at examination time.  So, how do we learn contentment?  It comes by realizing as Paul that, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”[4]

Contentment is living in a state where the negatives or challenges of life do not control our actions or take away our hope.  It is really being able to take control of ones life in every situation and with the help of the Lord be confident in the fact that, “I can make it.”  Contentment really comes from a heart grounded in gratitude, surrounded by love and full of hope.

Through my disappointments, strife and discontentment
I cast my every care on the Lord.
No matter what obsession, pain or deep depression
I'm standing on the solid rock.[5]

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[1] V.W. Hutton

[2] Bill Gothard

[3] Philippians 4:11-12 NIV

[4] Philippians 4:13 NIV

[5] Ben Speer

The Voyage of Life

Life is often compared to as a voyage.  Many things have been written or spoken about our lives being like a ship sailing on the sea of time and somehow or some way, we will make it safely to shore.  During the sailing process, there are times of clear sailing and other times of rough sailing because of the storms we encounter.  Some of the storms are beyond our control and others because of our own actions.  All of us know that life will never be void of the storms; however, the one thing to remember is that the storms are not necessarily the destroyers; it is our reaction during and after the storm, that determines our destiny.  One must never allow the storms to take away ones hope; hope is the beginning of success.

There are some great lessons found in the Bible (Matthew 14:22-32) concerning the disciples and a storm they encountered.  Jesus had sent them into the boat to go to the other side of the lake.  It was when they were past the point of no return, that a great storm came and it looked like they would be lost.  It was also at the darkest time of the night, between three and four in the morning and light of day still seemed so far away.  Note some very special principles that we can apply in our life. 

·         Following God’s perfect instructions does not guarantee exemption from the storms of life.  Most of us have experienced the storms in the shape of sickness, death, family issues, or financial difficulties and have asked, “Why has God allowed this to happen to me?”  One thing for sure is that He is always watching over us in the storms of life and takes the initiative to help us.

·         It is safer in the “boat” than out in the sea.  “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”[1]  When we find ourselves in the storm, knowing we are following God’s plan for our life, we must remember that He brought us here and He can and will surely take care of us.

·         The solution is usually found in the things we fear most.  The disciples feared the waves and Jesus came walking to them on the waves.  They were so concerned about the circumstances around them and their own safety that they did not even recognize Him.  Do we not fall into this same situation and fail to see the answer to our problems because of fear.  “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”[2]

·         When He climbed on board, He spoke peace to the wind and the waves and they at once obeyed His command.  There were times He spoke to the circumstances and times He spoke to the individual.  However He speaks, the result is the same.

None of us enjoy going through the storms in our voyage of life; however, the storms give us opportunities to surf the waves and use these storms to take us to places we have never been before.  When we face the problems of life, we can look at them as problems or opportunities.  We can use the problems as obstacles or see them as opportunities to move to a higher plane of living.  Let’s learn to surf the waves in our Voyage of Life!

 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.”[3]

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[1] Isa 43:2 NLT

[2] FDR’s First Inaugural Address

[3] Prov 3:5-6 NLT