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"To choose or not to choose .... that is the question."
Forgive my bit of Shakespearian flair in the title, but it seemed to go along with my thoughts. To choose to make a choice. That does not sound too difficult. After all, it is something that everyone does on a daily basis. What should I wear today? What will I have for lunch? What movie will I see? The list is endless. Everyone must make many choices in life. But do we really give them much thought? Just about everything in life is a choice. As with the choices mentioned above, many are somewhat meaningless. Take lunch, for example. It is obvious that you will eat something. In other words, it is not an important choice. But, and here is the most notable part, some choices are extremely important. With these choices, we must be right on the mark, as these choices will dictate our future. We must use extreme care when we make major choices because most of the time time they will be life-altering and, as with any choice, there will be consequences. Take smoking, for example. If you smoke, you should quit. If you don't smoke, that's great. Sadly, I see so many young people buying cigarettes. I just don't get it. Everyone knows about lung cancer, emphysema and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Smoking will cause that, also. Those are but some of the consequences. What abut how much money is spent to buy cigarettes? Or, if you will, aren't they buying lung cancer or emphysema? I'm sure you see my point. Yes, choices play a major part in our lives. Now I know that everyone reading this already knows about the major choices they have made in their lives or are about to make. But to me, one choice stands out above all others. Where will you spend eternity? Have you ever thought about that? GOD'S Word, the Bible, states that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD. By this, we are all destined for Hell. But John 3:16 states, "For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish (go to Hell) but have everlasting life (join GOD in Heaven)." To me, that is the most important choice of all. It is a choice I made on Easter Sunday in 1972 at age 21. Not in church, not by someone witnessing to me, but by watching the movie "King of Kings" with Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus. After watching that movie, I read the Gospels and Acts, and I accepted Jesus Christ as my LORD and SAVIOR. It is a choice I have never regretted. The consequences have been considerable -- great joy, numerous blessings and the privilege of knowing and witnessing for my LORD and SAVIOR. I hope that everyone who reads these few words will be inspired to make a choice for the LORD. Life is fleeting at best and can be gone in the blink of an eye, so let us use that old Boy Scout motto, shall we, and ...
Be Prepared!
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"TIME IS MONEY"
October 5, 2008
There is an old saying that "Time Is Money." Now, how exactly are we to interpret that, as there are numerous ways it can be looked at. It could be perceived that if time is money, then all time is valuable and should not be wasted. If we place a dollar amount on time, particularly our time, then our time becomes valuable, and we should be monetarily compensated for all of our endeavors. However, just what is it that makes our time valuable? As there are various skills that many people possess, perhaps this then is where the value of time comes in. If perchance someone performs a deed for you that you yourself lack the skill to perform, then they should be compensated for that deed. If this is the case, then each individual should strive to increase their own skill level for every opportunity that occurs, thus enabling them to receive greater remuneration for their skills.
Maybe the "Time Is Money" saying has a different meaning, though. Considering that we can save money, and we can save time, we can also spend time and spend money, just as we can lose time and lose money. We can waste time and waste money, find time and find money; we also can make time for something and make money for something. Some people have all the time in the world and, as the saying goes, all the money in the world. And lastly and sadly, most people have no time and no money. From those above thoughts it can be aptly stated that both are valuable, but which is the more valuable? The answer, of course, is time, because as a friend of mine once said, "You can always make more money", but you cannot add more time to your life. This then is the true value of time, as time allows us to grow, to mature, to change and, lastly, to improve ourselves. Because as these changes and improvements alter our lives, they also allow us to have and achieve goals; goals and achievements that better our lives and give us the opportunity to become whatever we want, to have whatever we want. It is simply a matter of choice. By choosing not to waste your time and by not wasting time, you are choosing to do something positive with your time and life. Positive always leads to positive, and by making the right choices can lead you to whatever your dreams may be. One final note, not all choices you make will be right, and you will have to try again. Don't allow this to get you down. Remember what Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb, said after failing over 10,000 times, "I have not failed; I have just discovered 10,000 ways to not make an electric light bulb."
THE FAITH TO BELIEVE
January 2, 2009
One day, a welder who was helping me in my shop walked past my desk (I own an ornamental railing business). Besides a few tools and other items on the desk, there were also approximately eight steel bars ranging in size from 1/2" x 1" x 38" to 36" long, as well as a few steel bars ranging in size from 3/8" x 1" x 22-1/2" to 20" long. He picked up one of the bars, looked at it for a moment and said, "You know, the only reason you can bend these bars is because you believe you can." With that, he set the bar down and walked back to the area where he worked. I thought about what he said, and while he discounted the amount of time I worked to perfect my abilities, it still boiled down to faith. Because faith is belief. It takes faith to accomplish anything in life, from the most simple task to "the sky's the limit," as they say. But let's change that a bit. Let's take the word "limit" out and just throw it away. There are no limits. There is only what you believe. And while we're at it, let's throw the word "can't" away, too. As a professional strongman, personal trainer and former gym owner, I have heard that word more times than I can count. Instead of saying "can't," we'll just change it to "can." That sounds much better. Too many times I hear someone say, "I can't do this" or "I can't do that." They made up their mind already without even trying. How much better it is to hear "I'll try." "I'll try" means at least they're willing to make an attempt. It also shows that they have at least a little faith or belief in themselves. Getting back to faith and belief, the entire Christian religion is based on faith or belief. Because you must have faith to believe in GOD. As Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please GOD, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." In Mark chapter 9 verse 23, Jesus says, "If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes." In Mark chapter 5 verse 36, Jesus says, "Don't be afraid; just believe." In other words, Jesus is telling us to have faith and not to let doubt or negativity come in. Doubt only leads to more doubt and self-doubt, which will lead to a negative lifestyle, whereas faith and belief in yourself will lead to self-confidence, a positive mental attitude and a positive lifestyle, which in turn will lead you to the lifestyle Jesus spoke of in Mark chapter 9 verse 23--believing everything is possible. If that's the case, then wouldn't that lead to the understanding that nothing is impossible? Isn't that the quote of the Mighty Atom, super-strongman Joe Greenstein? I can just picture him saying that as he bit a nail in half or bent a 9" x 1/2" square steel bar into a "U." If nothing is impossible, then your reality will be whatever you believe it to be. Hence my quote, "Every thought you think becomes a state of mind that either is or is not reality, depending on what your perception of reality may be." So there it is--it is your perception that will dictate your reality. It is your faith that will take you to whereever you believe it will. Where will your faith take you in this New Year? If nothing is impossible and success is as simple as believing, then let's all believe in a very blessed, very productive and very successful 2009.
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THE ONLY REAL WAR
November 26, 2008
Life is war. It is a continual battle or, if you will, a series of battles. It rages against your health, your character, your morals and, finally, your integrity, to the very fiber of your being. It will be won or lost by you, as "you" are the determining factor. If you take the easy path by compromising your principles, you will, then, merely exist and never truly live; you will have lost the war! Thus losing, you have become a puppet who dances to and fro as its strings are pulled. However, if you remain strong in your values, never compromising yourself, your character or integrity, then not only will you have won every battle, but you also have won the war. Now you will live a life that GOD intended for you; a life that few men have only dreamed of; a life complete in the knowledge that nothing is impossible and that you are, beyond any shadow of a doubt, a true MAN!!!!
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TIME
DECEMBER 28, 2007
Time .... time is something that most people don't think much about. To be sure, they'll talk about it, such as, "Do you have the time?" or "What time is it?" or "Is it time yet?" How about, "I need more time" or "Don't waste my time." Then there's, "It's about time!" or "Any time." There are good times and bad times, happy times and sad times, and always there's "just in time." Some folks will make time, while others don't have time. Some just lose time, while others can't find time, and some just kill time. One song proclaims "that time has come today," while another song is entitled "Time Warp" and states "time is fleeting." Yes, much ado is made about time without most of us realizing just what time is. I think the most profound explanation of time is what Super Strongman Joseph (The Mighty Atom) Greenstein said in his biography, "I will not flit my time away because that's what life is ---- time." Well now, there it is, life is time. We are all given life or, if you will, time. Time to accomplish whatever we want in our lifetime. The terminology "lifetime" is so aptly stated, yet most of us never think of putting the two together. A life of time. A future that seems so distant and a past that seems so close exists for everyone. But so many of us procrastinate; we put things off. We think, "The next time I won't let that happen; the next time things will be different." The next time??? We were never promised a next time. What we have is the here and now, the present. The present is just that, a present, a gift of time. What we do with that time, how we behave in that time, is our choice; it's up to us. Do we waste it, or do we achieve something with it? Now of course, the old saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" may apply, also. I'm not saying never to relax or take time off, what I am saying is simply this --- shouldn't we strive to do our best, that every deed be performed to the utmost of our ability? The future is unclear because although we know it is coming, we don't know what it holds for us. What we can know is this ---- that if we always do our very best, never shirk our responsibilities, maintain our integrity, we will have fewer regrets in our past. The past seems close because we have just lived it. Whether a minute has gone by or a year, we have all lived through that time. Shouldn't we then pay more attention to our time? Shouldn't we put more quality into our time? And if we spend time with a loved one, don't we owe it to ourselves and them to make it the best time it can be? Because after all is said and done, all we really have is our time upon this Earth, and when that's over, the only thing left will be memories. So now, it is up to you. Hopefully, these few words will help you to make some positive changes in your life. Because after all, isn't it about time?
Isn't it .... Your time?
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
OF
RIGHT AND WRONG
November 13, 2008
"There is good, and there is bad," said the old hermit. He was saying this to the Frankenstein monster in the movie "Bride of Frankenstein." The creature looks on thoughtfully, saying the words as if to himself, digesting the thought, "Gooood ... baaaad ..." Then taking down the hermit's violin, he repeated with enthusiasm, "Good." In the monster's mind, something that he enjoyed became good. But is that what good really is, something that we enjoy? If that is the case, then something that is not enjoyed is bad. A child would then think that ice cream, or perhaps candy, which is unhealthy to eat, would be good, and vegetables, which are healthy, are bad! This simply is not the case. Every adult knows exactly what is good and what is bad for them, the same way an exercise addict knows what he is doing is good for his health and in the same way a drug addict knows what he is doing is bad for his health. If, then, everyone (adults, including teenagers), knows the difference between good and bad, then the same connotation towards right and wrong exists inside every one of us. Also, sadly, it seems that it is so easy to do wrong, and yet in the same thought, it is much more difficult to do right. That is because to do right takes effort. It also takes integrity. It's so simple to do the wrong or bad thing, especially if it is to one's greater gain. But is it really so simple to sacrifice one's morals or one's integrity? If a person is a thief, then he already knows what he's worth in his own mind because he has sacrificed the greater part of himself to perform these misdeeds, and although no one may have seen what he did, he was seen nevertheless. The so-called "karma" of "what comes around goes around" is simply GOD punishing the misdeed, usually with something much worse. So let us look at this scenario. The unfortunate person now has lost his integrity and his pride in himself, and if caught or seen, he is now labeled as a thief or worse! As said before, to do good or right requires effort. In all of life's endeavors, effort is needed to do anything worthwhile. Without effort you will never be successful. And while it may be said that to do wrong requires effort, the effort to do wrong leads to a life of failure, as it is not positive effort but negative effort, and negative always leads to negative. So the question now becomes, which one will you choose to do? Remember, there is no such thing as being a little right or a little wrong, there is only right and wrong. You must pick one or the other. In the movie "The Alamo," Davy Crockett, played by John Wayne, says it best, "There's right and wrong; do right and you're living, but do wrong and you may be walking around, but you're dead inside!"
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