I heard a quote this week that I really appreciated. "Remember, Smoke Isn't Necessarily Fire." During the work week we all experience a little smoke. For example, a disagreement with a co worker could be considered smoke. Our boss letting us know we need to improve our performance, and it rubs us the wrong way could be considered smoke. We accidentally oversleep and arrive at work late could be considered smoke. Some of the gossip that goes on during the work day, and you know "that" person is running their mouth, could be considered smoke. And it's ok, in my opinion, for us to experience some smoke in the workplace. Now don't twist my words and tell someone that you read a blog and the author said it was ok to smoke in the workplace. Ha Ha.. The problem arrives when we take the smoke that comes during a normal work week and turn it into fire. Fire kills, destroys, and spreads quickly. It is intimidating and even scary at times. If it is not managed well, it gets out of control, and people can get hurt. Make it a goal this year to take the smoke during the work week and recognize it's only smoke. Don't take something small, ignite it, and allow it to burn those around you. Let the small things remain small, and when you experience a true fire, find a noble way to put it out.
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:11 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you.."
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Daily Work Goal #3 For 2012
Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday! Do you have the Mid Week Blues? I am trusting that your answer is "No Way Kevin!" This morning I pulled into a parking spot and the person who pulled into a parking spot on my left got out of their car and said the following: "You sure parked with a lot of space on your right side. Maybe next time it should be the left side you focus on." I could have let that bother me, but instead I decided to try and bring a little humor into the situation, so I decided to respond with this statement: "Well, I noticed you are pretty skinny, so I didn't think you needed too much room to get out of your vehicle, and I don't know the other person I parked by, so I may have blessed them with a little extra room." She laughed, I laughed, and the entire situation was a motivator for the morning. I call this bringing a little "LOL (laugh out loud)" to the mid week. Wednesday should be a day that we focus on bringing a little "LOL" to the day. Let's admit it. We have all been working hard to get our week off to a good start, and mid week is usually a time where the weekend starts to look pretty good. Unless you are in retail Ha Ha! As Wednesday rolls around this year, don't forget to bring the "LOL!" Laugh a little, and if it is possible, make someone else laugh too!
Key Verse: Proverbs 15:23 "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word."
Key Verse: Proverbs 15:23 "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word."
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Daily Work Goal #2 For 2012
Have you ever had those mornings that you are not motivated to go to work? Those are awful. Especially if you have a couple of them in a row. We do funny things when we are having a non motivated morning. We drive slower to work. Maybe, even take a longer route, pull in slowly to the coffee drive through hoping the line is long, make a couple phone calls, and then try to hide in our office for a while.
Tuesday is "precision focus" Tuesday. Every Tuesday think to yourself "I need to have precision focus." On your way to work, visualize the things you want to accomplish at work. If you are giving a presentation, spend time thinking about how you want to look and speak during the strong points of that presentation. Get focused, get excited, and take the ability that you have been given to do your job to the next level. Whatever it takes, have precision focus when you show up to do your job. There are things you can do to start your "Precision Focus" for the day. For example, there is a song that I play on my way to work that gets me totally jacked and focused. It takes my mind from sleep mode, to "let's do this!" mode. By the time I open the door and step inside my workplace, I am energized and focused. Hit your workday hard on Tuesday! You have what it takes to do amazing things. In fact, I would go as far to say you have what it takes to do things you don't think you can do. Stay energized, stay excited, and hit your day with Precision Focus.
Tuesday is "precision focus" Tuesday. Every Tuesday think to yourself "I need to have precision focus." On your way to work, visualize the things you want to accomplish at work. If you are giving a presentation, spend time thinking about how you want to look and speak during the strong points of that presentation. Get focused, get excited, and take the ability that you have been given to do your job to the next level. Whatever it takes, have precision focus when you show up to do your job. There are things you can do to start your "Precision Focus" for the day. For example, there is a song that I play on my way to work that gets me totally jacked and focused. It takes my mind from sleep mode, to "let's do this!" mode. By the time I open the door and step inside my workplace, I am energized and focused. Hit your workday hard on Tuesday! You have what it takes to do amazing things. In fact, I would go as far to say you have what it takes to do things you don't think you can do. Stay energized, stay excited, and hit your day with Precision Focus.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Daily Work Goal #1 For 2012
Most of us are employed somewhere in the World. We wake up, go through our morning routine, jump in our car and head toward that workplace where we spend 8 hours of our day. Calculate this for a minute. Lets say you start your full time, 40 hour work week career at the age of 21, and retire at the age of 65. If you do the math, you will have worked 91,520 hours, or about 23 percent of your life will be spent at work. That is an astonishing amount of time! With that in mind, I want to help you have the best days at work that you can have, so every Monday Keep this in Mind:
No Body Likes To Be Around "Whining Whitney" or "Complaining Clarance". Think about the person at work who always complains or whines about everything? They are just a ball of fun aren't they? If you can feel the negative energy oozing from their life, I would be willing to bet that your boss can also sense the same thing. When you go to work every Monday of this year, don't be this person! You will drag down those around you, and cause drama that is not needed. When the Monday work day ends, don't bring the negativity of the day home with you. Your Husband/Wife, Kids, Mom/Dad need you to be positive and uplifting. Spare your home from the stress of the workday, and the negative things you have encountered.
Key Verse: Philippians 2:14 "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing."
No Body Likes To Be Around "Whining Whitney" or "Complaining Clarance". Think about the person at work who always complains or whines about everything? They are just a ball of fun aren't they? If you can feel the negative energy oozing from their life, I would be willing to bet that your boss can also sense the same thing. When you go to work every Monday of this year, don't be this person! You will drag down those around you, and cause drama that is not needed. When the Monday work day ends, don't bring the negativity of the day home with you. Your Husband/Wife, Kids, Mom/Dad need you to be positive and uplifting. Spare your home from the stress of the workday, and the negative things you have encountered.
Key Verse: Philippians 2:14 "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing."
Saturday, December 31, 2011
A Few Things I Learned In 2011
Here are a few things I learned from 2011.
1. I hit a wall about half way through the year. I started to compare myself to other pastors in the country. I know that I have blogged about not doing this, but I found myself watching so many different people online preach, and thought "wow, if I could just preach like that.." This is something I will absolutly not do in 2012
2. I gained insight into how urgent it is to keep a good name. I am reminded that a good name is important, so doing whatever is necessary to make the right decisions is what must be done.
3. Words are strong. Speaking positive even when I don't want to is the only option I have. Even when people royally tick me off, I am obligated to speak positively to them and about them.
4. Praying daily is essential for spiritual momentum. Staying connected with God on a daily basis needs to be a top priority.
5. Don't let your family go too long without you. Your kids need you, your brother and sister need you, your wife need you, your husband need you, and your parents need you.
There is so much more that I could write on what I have learned this year, but it would take hours to read, so I hope this little burst encourages someone out there in internet land.
1. I hit a wall about half way through the year. I started to compare myself to other pastors in the country. I know that I have blogged about not doing this, but I found myself watching so many different people online preach, and thought "wow, if I could just preach like that.." This is something I will absolutly not do in 2012
2. I gained insight into how urgent it is to keep a good name. I am reminded that a good name is important, so doing whatever is necessary to make the right decisions is what must be done.
3. Words are strong. Speaking positive even when I don't want to is the only option I have. Even when people royally tick me off, I am obligated to speak positively to them and about them.
4. Praying daily is essential for spiritual momentum. Staying connected with God on a daily basis needs to be a top priority.
5. Don't let your family go too long without you. Your kids need you, your brother and sister need you, your wife need you, your husband need you, and your parents need you.
There is so much more that I could write on what I have learned this year, but it would take hours to read, so I hope this little burst encourages someone out there in internet land.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
My Almost Minor Addiction
This is no secret to my friends who live around me, but to the rest of you that I am not able see at least once a year, I want to let you in on a minor addiction of mine. That's funny, I can tell that you are hooked now! I happen to have a bit of a passion for xbox live. It all started with Call Of Duty Black Ops. I vowed I would never play first person shooter games, but Black Ops was extremely theraputic. Ok, that's a little over exagerated, but I spent a ton of time honing my trigger pulling, and grenade tossing skillz. I thought I would never spend that much time with a TV and Controller ever again! I thought I was freed from stayihg up late and talking with people all over the world. I thought I was actually going to be able to sleep without seeing crosshairs in my dreams. How could I have overlooked the fact that we live in a world that is constantly competing for a better online gaming experience? When I started to see the advertisments and trailers for Modern Warfare 3I knew I was doomed! I knew The late nights and crosshair dreams were going to strike with a vicious force all over again. And trust me, they have! Once again I find myself spending time in front of my TV holding a Wireless Controller, and strapping on my Headset so I can communicate with the voices on xbox live. With 2012 only 6 weeks away I have a new goal that these theraputic, (ha ha), games have taught me. My goal is to spend more time with my bible, alone in a room, strapping on a headset to hear the voice of God. 2012 starts NOW for me. I strongly desire to hone my faith so I can toss strong words that will impact people for the greater good. When I fall asleep I want to dream of how blessed we can be when we spend time intentionally getting to know God. Let's gear up for a year where our focus is on HIM!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Who Fails Who
Tuesday morning I take a little time to check into the NFL stats and highlights. We all know that our favorite teams and players fail the fans from time to time. Trust me I know this really well in the fact that I am a Vikings fan. Here's kind of a humbling thought. Our friends will fail us, our employers will fail us, and sometimes we even fail ourselves. With that comes great dissapointment, and feelings that are somehow tough to manage. But here is a great promise: Hebrews 13:5 "I will never fail you, I will never abandon you." It is a promise that can bring comfort when we experience all different kinds of failures. God will never fail you, He will never fail me, let's take that promise and intentionally apply it to our daily living.
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