The first record I ever bought was “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen. It was a single 45rpm with “Don’t Try Suicide” on the flipside. I was in junior high and bought it one day after school at Thomas Music, a record shop and music store on Main Street in Richfield, Utah. I was a country music boy through and through at the time who had no desire to listen to rock-n-roll. But when I heard that distinct rhythmic…
Every journey we take is accomplished one day at a time. Difficult journeys; normal journeys. Hard journeys; easy journeys. “One Day At A Time,” no matter the journey, creates significant power on the very first day of a journey. One day at a time is the salvation of daily life. We don’t have to conquer the mountain in one day, nor must we eat the elephant in just one bite. I first learned the power of “One Day At A…
If you could listen to only one musical artist for the remainder of your life, who would it be? Quick, what is your initial answer? The bigger question — is that still the musical artist you would select if you could only listen to one for the rest of your life? It is not an easy question to answer. But if you were to ask me, I do have an answer. I’ll share as soon as someone asks me… Cool!…
Life is tough. Sometimes life is very tough. And sometimes we may not feel strong enough to get through those tough times. No matter what stage of life we are in, life is tough. It’s tough growing up as a kid, walking the hallways at school, trying to discover who we are. It’s tough transitioning into the reality of post-high school, processing adulthood responsibilities, and dealing with new relationships, or the lack of new relationships. It’s tough being newly married, figuring…
Tough moments may sometimes feel like the norm rather than the exception, especially when you are bombarded by situations out of your control. Such tough moments can be very challenging. They hit at the very core of the value you see in yourself. They can make even the strongest doubt who they are. I believe it can be easier to bounce back, or even claw your way back up, if you fill your heart, soul, and mind with a better…
We explored last week the importance of reviewing the past year as a tool for creating a better year going forward. We looked at several areas, including what we hoped to accomplish, what we actually accomplished, what challenged us, and what we learned. Through the process, we discovered reviewing the past year will help us create better focus and clarity for the new year. Now it’s time to take what we learned and do something with it. This is where the…
Reviewing our past year can influence the coming year better than setting New Year’s resolutions and goals. Why is this? Maybe it is, as philosopher George Santayana said, and Winston Churchill alluded to, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It may be simpler, such as reviewing your past year will help you create focus and clarity for this next year. Instead of making empty goals and resolutions that often create no significant action, I suggest…
I love sharing Christmas stories, and today, as is tradition, I share again the story of the Christmas I spent in Iraq. It’s one of my most memorable Christmases. As we remember those serving in harm’s way around the world, and as you remember your own loved ones who are unable to be home for Christmas, it seems fitting I share this story again. It’s a true story of a shepherd who had a flock of sheep. I hope you’ll enjoy….
Gifts of joy can come to us in many ways during the Christmas and holiday season. Acts of service, white elephants gifts at work parties, neighbor treats and goodies, and, of course, the giving and receiving of gifts on Christmas Day. Some gifts of joy are tangible like these vehicle reindeer antlers I won (perched on top of my head in the middle of this picture) as my final white elephant gift at a neighborhood Christmas party. Other gifts of joy…
I had a December where life threw my biggest heartbreaking challenge ever. I felt trapped and alone. Discovering what I could control and what I could not control became one of my saving graces through that most difficult time. One specific tool I consistently focused on was finding joy in my journey. I could control this. Even in the most trying circumstances, I could choose to find joy. Sometimes I would find joy in bleakest days by seeing the slight…