What’s a mother to do when her first baby girl falls in love with the kid on the other side of the tracks and decides to get married on their second date? Worry and wonder what exactly her daughter is thinking! Such was the dilemma my now mother-in-law Julia faced when Elisa came home after our second date and announced we were engaged. It wasn’t so much that I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, though the…
Life is so incredibly beautiful that even in the midst of tragedy, butterflies of hope continually come forth from the cocoons of darkness. To see those butterflies is one way I choose to Gain the Red Edge when life is heavy and dark. “The beauty of a new life is a gift from Heaven like a butterfly coming forth from the darkness of a cocoon.” One of those beautiful butterflies was the birth of our first grandchild when baby Savannah…
If you are in business, knowing what to say after a tragedy like Las Vegas is critically important. Saying the right thing will help you Gain The Red Edge. Saying the wrong thing will not. Imagine you’re going into a meeting or sale presentation with a potential customer. The normal break-the-ice chitchat automatically goes to the horrible tragedy that happened in Las Vegas. One point leads to another and before you realize it, time is up and Vegas is all you’ve talked…
“I have learned that I don’t need ‘things’ to be happy. I’ve learned to rely on God’s timing.” That’s part of the message Ganel-Lyn Condie will be sharing when she speaks in Hyde Park this week. Learning how to deal with loss is one way to Gain the Red Edge. Dealing with loss and hardship is a story Ganel-Lyn knows well. She has dealt with lupus, chemo, hair loss, divorced parents, infertility, financial loss, and losing…
The Belgian Draft Horse is one of the world’s strongest horses capable of pulling four times its own weight. The Belgian has pulled wagons, plows and even machinery of war. Dave Ramsey’s, in his book EntreLeadership, shared this insight into “Power of Synergy.” “One of the largest, strongest horses in the world is the Belgian draft horse. Competitions are held to see which horse can pull the most, and one Belgian can pull eight thousand pounds. The weird thing is…
If you’ve had a tough day that’s kicking your butt, one of the best things you can do to “Gain the Red Edge” is to get up and get going. Physically moving your body automatically makes you feel better. Even if we are out of shape, sore and tired, physically moving increases blood flow to the brain which will automatically improve the way our mind is thinking. My get up and going yesterday was mowing my lawn! It was the…
A friend of mine, Alex Stoddard, recently asked if I had a Monday Morning Boost for young fathers trying to get their career going and what it was like when I was starting out. I didn’t have a Monday Morning Boost for this young father. At least not specifically. So I wrote this one. PROVIDING & NURTURING I hardly slept when I was a young father. At least that’s what it felt like. I look back 20 to 25 years…
It’s very easy to be labeled. When one walks outside the lines of that which their culture or society considers normal, correct, true, right, etc., the person is then viewed by the collective, not as a person, but as the applied label. This probably isn’t a surprise to anyone. We label people every day. By their race, sexual orientation, political party and religious affiliation. We label people by health condition, economic status, even past behavior. We label people by what they do…
They stood in the rain to honor our country. Representing the Cache Valley Veterans Association, they gathered together as an Honor Guard for a flag ceremony at the Cache Chamber Of Commerce annual patriotic golf tournament at Birch Creek Golf Course. “No big deal,” some may say. “It’s just a golf tournament.” Maybe so. After all, it’s not the first time they stood in the rain. It’s part of the many opportunities that come when you wear the uniform. I…
How has your life changed because of the events of 9/11? That was 16 years ago. Some of you weren’t old enough to remember that day. Others have since married, started families, changed careers, or moved homes. Life has moved forward, as it should. While today we are concerned for those impacted by hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes, including some who are regular readers of the Monday Morning Boost, I hope we can also pause for a moment of reflection. Perhaps you’ll…