Goal Driven

n life we get so busy doing "tasks" that we forget about the ultimate goal.  Today is the day to focus on being GOAL-DRIVEN instead of being task-driven.

Huh?  How are these 2 phrases different, right?

Let me give you an example to explain where I am coming from.

This is a scene most have seen at a restaurant, movie theater, park, etc.  A family sits together, waiting to be served lunch, waiting for the movie to begin, or just "chilling on a blanket in the sun at the park.

This seems like a normal scene.  Yet, what makes me take a second look ... each one of them is looking down ... thumbs in position ... they are texting, emailing, facebooking, etc ... NO ONE IS TALKING!

This family is task-driven ... taking care of the emails, the work, the friendships ~ yet, what are they missing?  THE GOAL ~ a strong family who communicates!  A strong family who knows each other.  Instead, Dad is going to get it some day ... when he gives his little girl away and realizes he doesn't know her, when his son graduates college and he realizes he has no idea who his son is.  

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" Luke 9:25

The tasks ... work, laundry, cleaning, emails, facebook ~ thinking you are doing something good ~ well, because you aren't doing anything bad.  Right?  You are working those late nights to take care of your family ~ giving them "worldly" possessions.  

The tasks ... you are running your kids from basketball to baseball to dance to art to karate to school to field trips to friends' houses ... so they have a "better quality of life," to give them what their friends have, to give them more than what you had.

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" Luke 9:25

The goals ... raising our children in a way where they can be confident, understand the importance of communication, know what love really is ... so they create a good cycle.

The goals ... A family who loves each other ~ A strong family ~ A family who stands strong ~ A family who beats temptation ~ A family who positively impacts the world!

So, today are YOU focusing on the tasks or on the goal?

Appreciation ~ beautiful thing!

Are you thankful for the valleys just as much as you are grateful for the mountains/peaks?

We've all heard expressions such as ... "If there wasn't saddness in the world, then we wouldn't know happiness."

This in my opinion is true.  We must be able to distinguished between the 2 ... now how we handle both situations ~ the valleys and the peaks of life ... can be very much the same.

GRATEFUL.  THANKFUL.  APPRECIATION.

Why?  Shouldn't we be hurt when someone let's us down?  How about getting mad when things don't go "our way"?  Or, even ticked off when someone calls us a bad name, steals our parking spot, cuts us off, takes credit when credit is due to us?  Sad, when our child does something wrong? Spouse cheats? Someone steals from us? Hits us? Hurts us? And, anything else "bad." 

All of these situations, experiences if you will, may be the valleys of our life.  Yet ... have you ever considered that these are set ups for miracles to happen.  These are the way to clear the path ... ready for the miracles to come directly to us!

That is why ... in my experience ... when we are grateful for any set backs (as set backs are part of moving forward) that happen in life.  Set backs mean you are taking action!

Appreciation is a beautiful thing!

T E A M ~ Together Everyone Achieves More!

Team Keith here this morning ... Keith wanted this to be posted this morning and right now he is on Daddy Call, with a sick little man who has been coughing all night.  And, right now, he just wants his Daddy.

We can take a lesson from children ~ almost constantly.
1.  Their passion for life.

2.  They take action immediately!

3.  They look to their parents for support when they are sick or need something ... but they also come to us when things are going well ~ like a high-five after a great hit at the baseball game or a "WOOO-HOOO at the soccer game after a great save at the goal.

When we surround ourselves with people who love us, support us ~  life seems to go so much easier!  When you must make a decision ~ that must come from you.  Then you have your team around you ~ guiding you, cheering for you!  Your team is ready to give you a high-five when you succeed. 

It is important to surround yourself with the right people ~ positive people, people who believe in you and your strengths.

This is something that is important to Keith.  He has been there ~ fighting to suceed when others are tearing him down, only using him to get what they want.  And, eventually, he had to let those people go.  HE had to MAKE the DECISION.  And, when he did, the right team fell into place. 

A transformation occurred!

And, with that transformation you know you can do anything when you are on the right path, with the right people guiding you, and you have people there to help you celebrate ~

Remember, even when it is going awesome, someone helped you get there. Remember to say thank you. 

Waking Up

 When we wake up, we don't know exactly what the day holds in store for us.  This morning, like every other morning at 5:30, Erin was up doing her Bible Study.  She finished her devotion just in time as Patrick was up earlier than normal, which cut into her exercise time. 

But, God had something different planned this morning ~ as the air is cool, crisp, and clean. 

You know you don't live in the city when your neighbors horses get out. Opening the curtains this morning ... YES, one of our neighbors horses was galloping down the road at 6:15.    (Our subdivision borders a farm.)

Everything and everyone was in exactly the right place ~ Erin threw on her sneakers, put Patrick in his high chair, gave him some Cheerios, and asked Isabella to sit with him. (Our 2 other boys were still asleep.) I put on some jeans and shoes, preparing to take a ride over to the neighbors. 

And, out the door Erin went.  She got to go for her morning jog afterall!  She found the horse; he happend to be hiding between 2 houses. He was not a happy camper.  He was kicking and bucking ~ running in circles.  He was definitely in a state of confusion.  He ran up to the fence ~ he wanted back in to his security.  The grass was definitely NOT greener on our side of the fence!

When he took off running toward the main road, Erin yelled we needed to get in the car ~ but then we saw him running back.  He really wanted to get home.  Seeing he didn't have on a halter, there was not much Erin could do "to catch him".  And, not wanting to scare him, Erin walked with him.  And, she was looking for how he got out. 

Part of the fence had collapsed.  The horse walked right by it ~ looking at his friends whose heads were sticking out over the fence.  He nozzled 2 of them.  A very cute moment in the midst of the "chaos" he was causing. 

"Cornering" him in, Erin gently guided him back over the fence.

Well, Erin got her morning run!  And, we got a lesson.  Sometimes we run away from what we really want ~ only to realize that we were exactly where we needed to be (and wanted to be).

The plan has been beautifully laid before us.  We must take the first step.

Huh?

Good news ... we woke up and everything and everyone was in the right place.  No loose horses this morning!

Perspective ... it is everything.  Have you ever been in a situation when you felt there was no hope ~ nothing you could do ~ like a situation is "sucking the life out of you" or that you are being tempted ... you can't "handle" the temptation. (Think of the Jack Nicholson scene from A Few Good Men.)

What do you do?  Sometimes we must leave a situation to gain strength ... so we can go back stronger ~ to conquer, to change lives, and let your light shine.

Is there a situation happening in your life right now like this?  Maybe at work?  Maybe with "friends"?  What do you do?  What are you supposed to do?

Recently coaching a gentleman who was doing an absolute mind dump during our time together ..."Boo-whoo me" was all I was hearing.

Finally, I had to take him out of his perception of the situation.  Pattern Interupt:  I like pink trains also!

HUH? That's right! I Like Pink Trains Also!  I know ... what was I saying.  I had to interupt his "boo-whooo" mentality.  I had to get him out of the situation ~ his feelings ~ so he could focus on everything good he had in his life.

I said to him ... What happened this morning?

He said to me ... Haven't you been listening?  It's been a crappy morning.  This and that.  That and this. 

I asked him, "What else happned this morning?"

He replied, "I don't think anything else ~ just the crappy stuff."

I whispered to him ~ "You woke up.  That's right.  You opened your eyes.  You woke up.  God gave you another day

Some people didn't wake up this morning. Some people don't have another day."

And, the silence spoke volumes. 

Others ...

‎"not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Each day is an opportunity to impact another human being's life.  Take the time to do at least 1 thing each day for someone else.

And, send me some ideas of what you are doing for others ... this isn't an opportunity to brag.  This is an opportunity to share ideas ~ get the juices flowing for others.  Because you just might have an idea that we haven't though of yet!

Looking forward to hearing how you are inspiring and impacting lives!

Others ...

‎"not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Each day is an opportunity to impact another human being's life.  Take the time to do at least 1 thing each day for someone else.

And, send me some ideas of what you are doing for others ... this isn't an opportunity to brag.  This is an opportunity to share ideas ~ get the juices flowing for others.  Because you just might have an idea that we haven't though of yet!

Looking forward to hearing how you are inspiring and impacting lives!