Daily Stop & Thinks

Failure

It’s what you do after you fail that determines who you are. (Paraphrase from Sabaa Tahir, fiction writer)

From the toddler’s fall in his first attempt to walk until the day he or she dies, there will be falls and failures. The toddler gets back up and eventually can walk without falling. We shouldn’t make judgments of others (or ourselves) when we make unintended mistakes. As Tahir says, it’s what we do next that’s important. Get up, correct the mistake, learn, and move on.

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. (Proverbs 24:16)

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Preparation

It’s not the will to win that’s important, it’s the will to prepare to win. (Bobby Knight, winning basketball coach)

Everybody wants to win. Do you know anyone who really wants to come in second? Maybe, but the yearning to win seems to be ingrained in us naturally. But, as Coach Knight points out, the desire to win is not enough; after all, the other guy/team wants to win, too. As hard as practice may be, it is essential to winning. Giving your best starts with preparation.

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. (1 Corinthians 9:25)

Kindness

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. (Plato)

Plato’s observation of life way back in the 5^th century B.C. is not much different from what we can observe in 21^st century America. It’s not just the homeless and the jobless that are facing difficulties. Many who pass us in the street or work alongside us on the job or in school may be struggling. Look for ways to encourage them with a kind word or deed.

Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (Proverbs 16:24)

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Moving Forward

In order to reach your dream, the passion inside your heart must outpace the fear inside your head. (Kary Oberbrunner, author and speaker)

Fear of failure often keeps us from moving forward to achieve the goals we’ve dreamed about. Perhaps it’s the economy or the shortage of the needed resources that prevents us from taking the next step in our hoped-for endeavor. Wise planning is always essential, of course, but so is the courage to step out with confidence as the opportunity presents itself.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Looking Ahead

One thing with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us. (Michael Cibenco, teacher)

We’re well into 2019, and maybe it’s time to evaluate what progress we’re making. How’s it going with you? Have things gone a bit sour so that you’re looking back to last year, wishing things were like they were back then? Well, as Cibenco suggests, looking back may be just the reason that we’re not doing as well as we’d hoped. Let’s begin looking to the future with hope.

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 12:13)

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Gratitude

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. (Johannes A. Gaertner, author)

It’s easy to say “Thank You,” but gratitude should certainly extend to more than just the expected gesture after a kind deed or being generous in giving gifts on special occasions. When our lives begin to reflect a consistent attitude of gratitude, we will have an immeasurable effect on others. What’s more, a sense of well-being will pervade our lives.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Work

The price of success is hard work… (Vince Lombardi, successful football coach)

He continued, “dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” We might wonder today if some younger people have discovered Lombardi’s axiom. Everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone is willing to work hard for it. What a shame! Good work is truly satisfying.

My mind found joy in all the work I did—my work was its own reward! (Ecclesiastes 2:10)

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Responsibility

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up. (Abraham Lincoln)

The story is told of a mother who was trying to get her reluctant son to get up to go to school. He rebelled; he didn’t want to go to school, he said. The mother insisted, however, reminding him that he was the principal. Lincoln’s advice at that time would have been most appropriate. We all need to be reminded from time to time that responsibility outweighs feelings.

Don’t try to avoid doing your duty. (Ecclesiastes 8:3)

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Serving

Your business resumé is less important than your community service calendar. (Dan O’Deens, 3^rd world social worker)

Business-minded young people begin to worry about their resumés very early in their careers—often before they even finish their formal training. It is important, of course, to be able to point to your achievements in preparation for your chosen vocation, but O’Deen’s counsel should be taken seriously. Your character is reflected more by how and whom you serve.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others. (Mark 10:45)

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Generosity

There never was any heart truly great and generous that was not also tender and compassionate. (Robert Frost, 19^th-20^th century American poet)

What is your motivation for being generous? Some very well-known, wealthy people give a lot of money to their favorite charities. Why? Is it because of a hefty tax deduction? Is it to gain a measure of fame for their generosity? Or, is it simply that they have deep concerns for the people their charities serve? The latter are the kinds of donors that are truly great.

Use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. (Ephesians 4:28)

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Shortcuts

There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. (Keith Minier, pastor)

With GPS and Google Maps, you would think that you’d never get lost again, wouldn’t you? And yet, those helps aren’t always correct, and sometimes we even try to take a shortcut. A lot of wives cringe when their husbands try to do that. Minier’s point, of course, has more to do with life decisions than merely finding the best route to your physical destination. Hear the words of the biblical writer:

Hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5b)

Happy New Year!

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. (Oprah Winfrey. TV personality)

Days, months, and years keep rolling around like clockwork. Many days seem exactly alike, but January first encourages us to think more positively about the future and how we plan to use it. So, what are you looking and hoping for this year? Whatever our dreams might be, remember they don’t just happen. Plan, pray, counsel, and set out to achieve your goals this year.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity. (Proverbs 21:5a)

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