“In reality, aren’t my successes and set backs all about me? Isn’t it about me taking ownership for my personal growth; me contributing; me setting and reaching goals? Me loving life? Me loving my country?”  John G. Miller

What can you do today to move on?  How can you be the best on your job?  What can you do to serve people?

So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience.  (Rom. 13:5; NLT)

The following is taken in it’s entirety from the 10/30 email from John G. Miller, author of QBQ: Question Behind the Question and his second book, Flipping the Switch.  His message is so “right on” that I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.  After all, I’m sure that somewhere about half of you are feeling pretty distraught about the outcome of the election.  Allow to John minister some encouragement to you.

Well, every four years in America we vote for the POTUS (President of the United States), and every four years on the day after there is weeping and gnashing of teeth by the losing side. And the truth is, the losing side is just about as large as the winning side. Amazingly, there could be 60 million people who vote for the ticket that does not win on November 4th, 2008. That’s a ton of people who’ll have a choice to make.

The choice to whine, complain, bemoan, and blame–or simply bring personal accountability to their daily walk by asking The Question Behind the Question(QBQ), “What can I do today to move on?” “How can I be my best on the job?” and “What can I do to serve people?” These questions enable those whose candidate remains a U.S. Senator, to avoid the humanness of finger-pointing, victim thinking, and discouragement.

And for the slightly larger winning side, where does personal accountability come into play? Will this group think that now all is right with the world? It’s so easy to give a U.S. President too much power–in our minds–over our lives. It always makes me laugh when, with our massive, ever-changing, and complex economy, we think it’s all about the man in the Oval Office. The truth is, economies go up and they go down–and then they go up again. By their very nature they are cyclical. When they’re strong, the President gets too much applause, and when they slump he’s buried in way too much blame. And so, in that vein, for the winning voters on Wednesday morning November 5, how dangerous these thoughts would be: “Yes! My guy won! Now I’ll have a better job and more income and good finances and perfect health and a happier life and … !”

Really? Does the POTUS have that much power, influence, and control? Would we, in a democracy, want him to? Can he give and take away joy? Will he help me get my personal finances in order? Will his tenure improve my relationships or keep me in shape? Do I really need my guy to be in the Oval Office for me to excel at my work, love and provide for my family, and contribute to the lives of others?

My wife, Karen, gave me a t-shirt that reads: It’s All About Me! I don’t think it was a positive statement the day she handed it to me, but in reality, aren’t my successes and set backs all about me? Isn’t it about me taking ownership for my personal growth; me contributing; me setting and reaching goals?

Me loving life? Me loving my country?

Yes, regardless of who’s in the Oval Office and what political party is in charge of Congress, it’s really all about personal responsibility–individuals making good choices each day, and being accountable for those choices.

And for all of you who vote for the guy who doesn’t make it, I say TAKE HEART! There’ll be another election in 2012 and another round of advertising and debates. And that campaign will begin in January … 2009.

Meanwhile, I recommend using what we call the Ultimate QBQ! — “What can I do right now to let go of what I can’t control?” Remember, no matter who is elected as the next POTUS, for each American there is no debate: The answers are still in the questions, and personal accountability is still the secret to our success.

Prayer Power
Lord, grant us the grace to understand that it is really all about the choices we make for our own lives.  It’s not about who won the election.  It’s about us.  Help us not to gloat and help us not to fret about the election.  Instead grant us the grace to make wise choices that glorify You.

Link of the Day
http://www.qbq.com/

Blessings on you as you choose to get on with your life, and be the best you possibly can.
 

“When you compare, you despair!”  Gregory Dickow

How are you doing at avoiding the “comparison trap?”

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.  (2 Cor. 10:12; NIV)

I’m sure you’ve heard the thought many times that you don’t really learn something until you teach it.  Sometimes I wonder if the topics I’m led to write on in these DGs are more for me than they are for you readers.  Am I being led to write on a topic because I need to learn it better?  I expect there’s a good bit of truth in that.  When I get an urge to write on a particular topic, I usually check the old DGs to see if I wrote on it before and if so, what I said.  Sometimes I’m surprised to see that I’ve written multiple DGs that touch on that particular topic.

For instance, I noticed that last year I wrote repeatedly on gratitude.  Most recently, I’m wondering if I’m beginning to sound like a broken record on the topic of comparison.  (By the way, some of you may be too young to identify with the “broken record” expression…forgive me.)  So now I find myself wondering if my repetition is an indication that I still haven’t quite got it myself.  Sounds like a thought designed to discourage rather than edify, doesn’t it?  So I’m not going to dwell on it.  If you’ve got this comparison thing down pat, just indicate that by hitting the delete key.

Anyway, today’s musings on comparison were prompted by the little “catch phrase” Greg Dickow wrote that I quoted in today’s Pearl of Wisdom–”When you compare, you despair!”  I was just letting that roll around to see how it played with the Law of Comparison (or Relativity) that I wrote about back in August (8/22/08 DG).  That law, if you’ll remember, tells us that nothing can be considered good or bad, fast or slow, etc., without a reference point or point of comparison.  And of course, the reference point that you use is entirely up to you.  It’s always your choice.  If you choose it wisely, you can virtually eliminate bad things from happening to you.  It’s an attitude thing.

But back to Dickow, he made the point that we often find ourselves thinking (or saying), “My life is not as good as others.”  Or, “I’m not as well off, pretty, or successful.”  Or, “My life is not as easy or fun.”  And on and on.  Dickow points out that this is a “deadly” way of thinking because the same people that you think are better off than you, may look at you the same way.  He goes on, “You have no idea what goes on on the inside of others.”

Our culture literally trains us to compare ourselves to one another.  Just watch the a couple of commercials on TV and see for yourself.  The church is not immune to it either.  Who hasn’t heard people say or write about the best worship, the best Sunday School, the best children’s program, etc.  The verse of the day says that comparing ourselves with others is “not wise.”  It could just as easily say, is “without understanding.”  When we’re comparing, we’re comparing to a reference point that we have arbitrarily chosen.  A different reference point would turn the comparison completely around.  Who’s to say which reference point is correct?  Is there even a correct reference point?

Just to wrap this up…recognize that much of our ego-driven comparisons have their root in thinking about what we don’t have.  Dickow calls that backward thinking.  There are so many things that we do have, that we shouldn’t even have time to consider what we don’t have.  Or when a “don’t have” thought slips in, we should quickly recognize and push it aside with any of a million “do have” thoughts that are available for our use.

By George!  I think I finally have it!!!  But don’t hold me to it.  I may have to come around this mountain again.  Make it a great weekend!

Prayer Power
Lord, we have so much to be grateful for, including the wise admonition to not play the comparison game.  Increase our sensitivity to those times when we fall into that trap, and grant us the grace to quickly dismiss and replace it with how blessed we truly are.

Link of the Day
The Dangers of Comparison

Blessings on you as you purpose to become more adept at avoiding the comparison trap.
 

“The conflict between the men who make and the men who report the news is as old as time. News may be true, but it is not truth, and reporters and officials seldom see it the same way. In the old days, the reporters or couriers of bad news were often put to the gallows; now they are given the Pulitzer Prize, but the conflict goes on.”  James Reston

How much time do your spend in an average week watching, listening to, or reading the news?

Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.  (I Chron. 12:32a; NLT)

As we’ve been discussing for the last couple of weeks, you don’t have to look very far to find bad news.  Today I’m going to show you that there is an alternative that you can choose.

Remember that it’s just human nature that makes us define the news as limited to those things that are not good.  Bad news sells and good news doesn’t.  That’s really unfortunate, because a steady state of bad news tends to drag us down and fills our minds with negativity.  There is good news going on out there, but you won’t find it picked up by the major media simply due to economic reasons.

I’m not suggesting that you stick your head in the sand and ignore what’s going on, but I am suggesting that you need to seek out places to offset the deleterious effects of just watching or reading the mainstream news.  Where can you turn?

Well happily, I would love to call your attention to Good News Broadcast.  Their tag line reads, “We are offering a new media concept for news and entertainment about people making a positive, constructive impact on society, no matter what the obstacles are.”  How’s that for a refreshing change?

Today’s link will take you to GNB’s website.  I’ll warn you, it takes a bit of getting used to.  Poke around a little bit.  Especially read the “About Good News Broadcast” page.  (I’ve also noticed that each page is fairly slow loading–perhaps because of the massive amount of content that each page contains.  So be a little patient when clicking from page to page.)

Prayer Power
Lord, help us to walk that fine line between being informed so as to understand the times and being so immersed that we become drowning victims to the ever growing cesspool of doom and gloom that is so pervasive and contagious.

Link of the Day
Good News Broadcast

Blessings on you as you explore Good News Broadcast.
 

“Our actions are like perfectly obedient boomerangs: whatever we send out will return to us, by law.”  Leslie Householder

How do you deal with annoying and difficult people?

Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!  (Gal. 6:7; NLT)

In my reading recently, I was reminded of a fascinating thought which I would like to propose could become a fascinating experiment for us (note that I’m including myself).  Who among us don’t have someone (or maybe even several someone’s) in our lives whom we would quickly label as an annoying or a difficult person?  It could be someone you encounter once every once-in-a-while, or maybe on a weekly basis, or (bless you) on a daily basis.  It might be someone at your workplace–maybe your supervisor.  It could even be your spouse, or more specifically, a particular behavior of your spouse that bugs you.

I’m also sure you’ve heard somewhere along the line that a nemesis such as that is usually in our life for specific reason.  Usually that reason is to motivate us to make a change of some sort.  The nature of my proposed experiment is to learn to use another one of those irrefutable laws in a manner that makes it work for you instead of against you.  Today I want to focus your attention on the Law of Seed and Harvest (aka cause and effect) as described back in the 8/8/08 DG. 

The experiment asks you to change your thinking by looking at each and every one of these people whom you consider to be a nemesis as if they are acting in whatever way they are especially to SERVE you, that is, to pressure you to make that long needed change. They’re doing whatever they do just to give you the lessons and opportunities you need. Be grateful to them for these gifts.

Grateful?  Yes, grateful!  Think thoughts of gratitude and blessing toward them every time you think of them or see them.  It that possible?  Yes it is!  It is hard?  Yes it is hard.  Does it pay dividends?  Absolutely!  Immeasurable dividends!  How long will it take?  Do thoughts have an effect?  Try the experiment and see for yourself.

BTW, I have proposed this experiment to coaching clients on two occasions, and on both occasions saw remarkable results.  So, I fully expect this to work for you and I as well.

Prayer Power
Lord, this is hard.  We ask you to fill us with the grace necessary to make this possible.  For some, this will be pushing Your command to “love one another” way out of their comfort zone.  Lord, reward them for their efforts in a fashion that quickly and undeniably verifies the cause/effect relationship that is involved with this.

Link of the Day
Gratitude at Work

Blessings on you as you choose to be grateful rather than hateful to someone this week.
 

“So when you are down, expect to go up.  When you are up, expect that one day your ‘up’ won’t be enough to keep you happy and it will feel like a down.  It’s all good.”  Leslie Householder

Are you up or down today?  How are you feeling about that?

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again–rejoice!  (Phil. 4:4, NLT)

How’s that for a strange title given the fact that this is being published on a Monday.  Wouldn’t “Sunday Came” be more appropriate?  Well, if you’ve been following me in this series so far, you recognize that in the metaphor I’ve been using, it’s still Friday, but Sunday’s coming.  If none of this makes any sense, please go back and read last Wednesday’s post as well as last Friday’s post.  We’ve been talking about the Law of Seasons (or Law of Rhythm, if you prefer), and how we should be remembering that law as we seemingly move into some pretty turbulent times (a “low” for many).  With the proper application of that law, we should take solace in the fact that better times are ahead (a “high” or Sunday is coming).

My premise is that if we know that better times are ahead, we would do well to focus on them rather than to focus on the difficulties that we are currently experiencing.  However, when we are on a high, that same law tells us that a low is coming.  Using the same logic, should we then focus on the coming low?  Au contraire, but let me quickly confess that I used to think that way.  When I was down, I was worried about how down I was and how much lower I might go, and then when I was up, I was excited about that, but worried about what tomorrow would bring.  In case you haven’t noticed, worry is a habit…every bit as destructive as smoking, drinking, overeating, or any number of “bad” habits.

So, what should we be thinking about the upcoming low if we’re currently experiencing a high?  Well, use the universal or irrefutable laws to your advantage rather than to your detriment.  Remember the Law of Comparisons (Law of Polarity to some) that says nothing is ever good or bad until you choose to make it so?  (See the 9/29/08 DG.)  That particular law tells us that even the worst of circumstances are actually fabulous.  That’s what we should be thinking when things are going well.  Yes, it’s inevitable that a low is coming, but understand that a low is only the absence of a high.

Think of life as a giant staircase.  You climb to a new high and it feels great.  After a bit, if you don’t continue to climb, you will actually stagnate (stop changing) and the feeling of exhilaration from the high will invariably morph into a feeling of low.  (To feel requires change.)  Now if you let yourself focus on feeling low, you are very likely to actually regress and start slipping backwards.  But if you continue to focus on progression and the next high while you’re feeling low, the feeling will soon pass and you will begin another upward assent, leading to a new high.  So learn to view those lows as important resting places as you climb higher and higher.  Reflect a bit on your life…haven’t you seen this phenomenon in action?

Isn’t all this just so much positive thinking mumbo-jumbo?  Well, with all due respect, I don’t believe so.  I believe that positive thinking is trying to define something as positive without basis.  That is simply wishful thinking.  What I’ve been talking about over the last several DGs is solidly based on universal laws.  Laws that are just as irrefutable as gravity.  Yes, it is certainly is thought management, i.e., choosing what to think about, but when you choose to think on something that is inevitable due to law, it’s not wishful thinking.  Hoping, yes…but not wishing.  There is a huge difference, and the kind of thinking that I’m advocating here is backed by a plethora of Scripture passages.  The Bible clearly tells us to manage our thoughts and to not worry.  In fact, I’m feeling led to make Wednesday’s DG about worry–seems rather timely.  See you then!

BTW…don’t miss the pictures at the end of today’s link.  You will rob yourself of a real blessing if you choose not to look.

Prayer Power
Lord, I thank You again that You chose to give us the power to choose.  You gave us the capability as well as written instructions on how to properly use that great gift.  Forgive us for those many times when we ignored the wise use of what You intended to make us the “head” rather than the “tail.”  And especially for those times when we arrogantly blamed You for the outcome.

Link of the Day
The Law of Polarity - Principle of Prosperity  (Don’t miss the pictures at the end of this link!)

Blessings on you as you choose to see you’re lows as a launching point for new highs.
 

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”  Dale Carnegie

What do you predict will be the outcome of the current financial crisis?

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  (Rom. 12:12; NIV)

As discussed in Wednesday’s DG, the financial crisis that looms before us is truly a picture of the line that declares “it’s Friday,” while the irrefutable law of seasons or (as some call it, the law of rhythm) assures us that “Sunday’s coming!”  This law states that everything is in a constant state of flux, moving to and fro, forward and backward, high tide and low tide, high feelings and low feelings, winter and summer, spring and fall.  This law is expressed in the saying, no condition is permanent.  Or…this too shall pass.  You could also say, “When you feel down be assured that an upswing is coming.”

It always has come, and according to this law, it always will come.  Some uncomfortable changes may have to be made, but interestingly enough, those are usually changes that desperately needed to be made in the first place.  In reality, we were never willing to endure the pain of the change, unless we were forced to do so…as seems to be happening right now. 

Think back on your own life.  You won’t have to think too hard to see examples of this cycle in action.  Everything was going great, then something happened to change it all, and after the pain subsided and the adjustments were made, you now find yourself strangely grateful for the new outcome.  Note that those adjustments likely wouldn’t have happened otherwise. 

Properly understood and used, this law should cause us to look with hope and gratitude on the “high” that is coming.  Admittedly, that takes some effort and discipline, but if we choose instead to look at the “low” we are currently experiencing, or worse yet, how much lower we could go, we will simply exacerbate the pain of the adjustment.  Don’t forget that what you focus on always grows. 

Unfortunately, the reality is, that bad news sells and good news doesn’t.  Therefore we are the unwitting victims of the frenzy created by the media as they seek to “keep us informed.”  But, we always have a choice.  We don’t have to be victims.  We can choose to look with great anticipation at the coming mountaintop instead of worrying about the current valley.  Pollyannaish?  It’s your choice.

Now, if you’re thinking ahead, you see that this law has a corollary.  If you’re experiencing a high…then a low is coming.  Great observation!  Let’s talk about that on Monday.  Make it a fantastic weekend.  Remember, Sunday’s coming!!!

Prayer Power
Lord, we can’t deny that to think positively during negative times is hard.  We admit that we need Your help to persist through times like this.  Help us to be able to confidently relax and keep our eyes on the hope that’s ahead.

Link of the Day
Today’s Economic Issues - Prosperity Lost?

Blessings on you as you turn your eyes to the hope that’s before you this weekend.
 

“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.”  Christopher Reeve

How are you coping with all the financial news these days?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  (Rom. 8:25; NIV)

As you can tell by some of my recent DGs, I’ve been continuing to process the irrefutable laws I featured back in August.  I’ve also been reading information from others who have written on those same laws.  Over the last several days I have found myself drawn to the promise of hope offered by the Law of Seasons (8/18/08 DG) and also known as the Law of Rhythm by a number of other authors. 

Let me be clear from the outset that given my personal beliefs as a Christian, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind where my hope lies–but since He is also the maker of the universe, I have no difficulty in thinking about the hope offered by a irrefutable or universal law clearly put in place by the “Manufacturer.”  As a parallel idea, note that we have no difficulty attributing the force that keeps us from drifting off into space as gravity while simultaneously acknowledging the source and wisdom of that gravity. 

All that aside for a moment, where does the title “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming” come from?  Many of you will recognize the title as a often repeated line in a very famous sermon preached by Marshall Shepherd, Sr. at a mostly black church in West Philadelphia and heard by Tony Campolo, Ph.D., who went on to use the line as the title of one of his most popular messages as well as the title of one of the 35 books he has written.  Campolo is professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University and for ten years was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.  (BTW, a link to an mp3 file of Campolo’s famous message is today’s link.)

The message revolves around the events of Easter weekend, with the bleak outlook presented by the crucifixion of Christ on Friday, but with the complete turnaround due to His resurrection on Sunday.  What’s all that got to do with the law of seasons?  Follow my line of thinking for a moment if you will.  I have never heard as much doom and gloom, fear, panic and concern in my entire life as we’re experiencing right now with the financial crisis that our country and the world is facing.  The only thing that comes close in my memory was Y2K which pales in comparison to this.  The media is having an absolute field day.  And when I say that I’m not trying to minimize the seriousness of the issue, but to observe that the sensationalist headlines and news stories we are hearing are simply fanning the flame to make the fire much hotter than it would probably otherwise be.  Borrowing from Campolo’s message…It’s (clearly) Friday!

I’ll have to explain this in greater depth in my next DG (interestingly enough on a Friday), but my message to you is that the law of seasons or law of rhythm offers us the incredible hope that it may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming!  Yes, this too will pass.  Many adjustments will undoubtedly have to be made, but if the law is truly a law (i.e., no exceptions), then one day we will be able to look back on this very difficult time with gratitude and see that most of those corrections and adjustments were for the good.  Next time I will spend more time on the law itself and hopefully make all this just a little clearer.  In the meantime, I encourage you to read or re-read the 8/18 DG.

Prayer Power
Lord, we’re so grateful that no matter what’s happening, Sunday’s coming!  We ask for grace to be able to keep our eyes on the good news that’s coming no matter how bleak it looks at the present time.

Link of the Day
It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming (mp3 file)
(Click to load and listen, right click to save as to your computer/mp3 player)

Blessings on you as you contemplate the ramifications of the Law of Seasons.