There is a God in the Post Office This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.
I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words: Dear God ,Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.Love, Meredith.
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.
A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith , 'in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'
Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope.
On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note: Dear Meredith,Abbey arrived safely in heaven.Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.
Love,God
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
This will give you chills
AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. 'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN. 'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BAC K TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'
THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, 'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS S ON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES. AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON 'S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. ' HOW GREAT IS THE L OVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED.
I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.' WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE. 'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.' 'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOW N AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, 'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT?
BUT, I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
YOU SEE... I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND.'
IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. 'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN. 'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BAC K TO THE SHORE. THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'
THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY. THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, 'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE. HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS S ON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT. THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES. AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON 'S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. ' HOW GREAT IS THE L OVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED.
I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.' WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.
THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.
WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE. 'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.' 'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOW N AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, 'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT?
BUT, I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.
YOU SEE... I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND.'
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A great example of why we should be kind and patient.
'Some people!' snorted a man standing behind me in the long line at the grocery store. 'You would think the manager would pay attention and open another line, 'said a woman. I looked to the front of the line to see what the hold up was and saw a well dressed, young woman, tryin g to g et the machine to accept her credit card. No matter how many times she swiped it, the machine kept rejecting it.
'It's one of them welfare card things. Damn people need to get a job like everyone else,' said the man standing behind me. The young woman turned around to see who h ad mad e the comment. 'It was me,' he said, pointing to himself.
The young lady's face began to change expression. Almost in tears, she dropped the welfare card onto the counter and quickly walked out of the store. Everyone in the checkout line watched as she began running to her car. Never looking back, she got in and drove away.
After developing cancer in 1977 and having had to use food stamps; I had learned never to judge anyone, without knowing the circumstances of their life. This turned out to be the case today.
Several minutes later a young man walked into the store. He went up to the cashier and asked if she had seen the woman. After describing her, the cashier told him that she had run out of the store, got into her car, and drove away.
'Why would she do that?' asked the man. Everyone in the line look ed around at the fellow who had made the statement. 'I made a stupid comment about the welfare card she was using. Something I shouldn't have said. I'm sorry,' said the man.
'Well, that's bad, real bad, in fact. Her brother was killed in Afghanistan two years ago. He had three young children and she has taken on that responsibility. She's twenty years old, single, and now has three children to support,' he said in a very firm voice.
'I'm really truly sorry. I didn't know,' he replied, shaking both his hands about. The young man asked, 'Are these paid for?' pointing to the shopping cart full of groceries. 'It wouldn't take her card,' the clerk told him.
'Do you know where she lives?' asked the man who had made the comment.
Yes, she goes to our church.
'Excuse me,' he said as he made his way to the front of the line. He pulled out his wallet, took out his credit card and told the cashier, 'Please use my card. PLEASE!' The clerk took his credit card and began to ring up the young woman's groceries.
Hold on,' said the gentleman. He walked back to his shopping cart and began loading his own groceries onto the belt to be included. 'Come on people. We got three kids to help raise!' he told everyone in line. Everyone began to place their groceries onto the fast moving belt. A few customers began bagging the food and placing it into separate carts.
'Go back and get two big turkeys,' yelled a heavyset woman, as she looked at the man. NO,'
yelled the man. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The entire store became quiet for several seconds. 'Four turkeys,' yelled the man. Everyone began laughing and went back to work. When all was said and done, the man paid a total of $1,646.57 for the groceries.
He then walked over to the side, pulled out his check book, and began writing a check using the bags of dog food piled near the front of the store for a writing surface. He turned around and handed the check to the young man. 'She will need a freezer and a few other things as well, ' he told the man.
The young man looked at the check and said, 'This is really very generous of you.'
'No,' said the man. 'Her brother was the generous one.'
Everyone in the store had been observing the odd commotion and began to clap. And I drove home that day feeling very American. We live in the Land of the free, because of the Brave! Remember our Troops of Yesterday and Today !
Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear. - Mark Twain
'It's one of them welfare card things. Damn people need to get a job like everyone else,' said the man standing behind me. The young woman turned around to see who h ad mad e the comment. 'It was me,' he said, pointing to himself.
The young lady's face began to change expression. Almost in tears, she dropped the welfare card onto the counter and quickly walked out of the store. Everyone in the checkout line watched as she began running to her car. Never looking back, she got in and drove away.
After developing cancer in 1977 and having had to use food stamps; I had learned never to judge anyone, without knowing the circumstances of their life. This turned out to be the case today.
Several minutes later a young man walked into the store. He went up to the cashier and asked if she had seen the woman. After describing her, the cashier told him that she had run out of the store, got into her car, and drove away.
'Why would she do that?' asked the man. Everyone in the line look ed around at the fellow who had made the statement. 'I made a stupid comment about the welfare card she was using. Something I shouldn't have said. I'm sorry,' said the man.
'Well, that's bad, real bad, in fact. Her brother was killed in Afghanistan two years ago. He had three young children and she has taken on that responsibility. She's twenty years old, single, and now has three children to support,' he said in a very firm voice.
'I'm really truly sorry. I didn't know,' he replied, shaking both his hands about. The young man asked, 'Are these paid for?' pointing to the shopping cart full of groceries. 'It wouldn't take her card,' the clerk told him.
'Do you know where she lives?' asked the man who had made the comment.
Yes, she goes to our church.
'Excuse me,' he said as he made his way to the front of the line. He pulled out his wallet, took out his credit card and told the cashier, 'Please use my card. PLEASE!' The clerk took his credit card and began to ring up the young woman's groceries.
Hold on,' said the gentleman. He walked back to his shopping cart and began loading his own groceries onto the belt to be included. 'Come on people. We got three kids to help raise!' he told everyone in line. Everyone began to place their groceries onto the fast moving belt. A few customers began bagging the food and placing it into separate carts.
'Go back and get two big turkeys,' yelled a heavyset woman, as she looked at the man. NO,'
yelled the man. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The entire store became quiet for several seconds. 'Four turkeys,' yelled the man. Everyone began laughing and went back to work. When all was said and done, the man paid a total of $1,646.57 for the groceries.
He then walked over to the side, pulled out his check book, and began writing a check using the bags of dog food piled near the front of the store for a writing surface. He turned around and handed the check to the young man. 'She will need a freezer and a few other things as well, ' he told the man.
The young man looked at the check and said, 'This is really very generous of you.'
'No,' said the man. 'Her brother was the generous one.'
Everyone in the store had been observing the odd commotion and began to clap. And I drove home that day feeling very American. We live in the Land of the free, because of the Brave! Remember our Troops of Yesterday and Today !
Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear. - Mark Twain
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
GOD'S BUSY
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting." It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.
The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence.
The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, "What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"
The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."
THIS IS GOOD. KEEP IT GOING
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting." It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.
The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence.
The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, "What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"
The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."
THIS IS GOOD. KEEP IT GOING
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Stay focused (Conclusion)
Focused people do not hide their weaknesses or excuse them, instead they focus on their strengths. There is a story about a couple who decided to build a farm. They began to argue. The wife wanted to build the house first. The husband wanted to build the barn first in order to house the animals. They went back and forth until finally the man said - "Look, we have to build the barn first-because the barn will enable us to build the house, the garage, the silo, the kids swing set, and everything else." When you focus on putting first things first, every thing else is more likely to fall into place. (The moral of this - the farm was a working farm where the animals were the main source of money. By building shelter for them, their feed, the equipment needed to and meeting the needs of the animals - the farm would prosper.)
What you commit yourself to, will change what you are and make you a completely different person. The future conditions you, not the past. What you commit yourself to become, determines what are you are - more than anything that ever happened to you yesterday.
What are your commitments? Where are you going? What are you going to be? Anthony Campolo says "Show me someone who hasn't decided and I will show you someone that has no identity, no personality and no direction." Focusing on our weakness instead of our strengths is like having a handful of coins, a few made of gold and the rest of tarnished copper. We set aside the gold coins and spend our time shining the copper ones in hopes of making them more valuable. No matter how long you spend removing the tarnish - they will never be as valuable as the gold ones.
bbl later on how to apply this to your every day life........
What you commit yourself to, will change what you are and make you a completely different person. The future conditions you, not the past. What you commit yourself to become, determines what are you are - more than anything that ever happened to you yesterday.
What are your commitments? Where are you going? What are you going to be? Anthony Campolo says "Show me someone who hasn't decided and I will show you someone that has no identity, no personality and no direction." Focusing on our weakness instead of our strengths is like having a handful of coins, a few made of gold and the rest of tarnished copper. We set aside the gold coins and spend our time shining the copper ones in hopes of making them more valuable. No matter how long you spend removing the tarnish - they will never be as valuable as the gold ones.
bbl later on how to apply this to your every day life........
Monday, April 21, 2008
UNITED STATES MAP
A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby and said, 'Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today.'
After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. 'Oh,' she said, 'on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.'
After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. 'Oh,' she said, 'on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.'
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Stay Focused - Continued
When it comes to staying focused, keep in mind:
1. Focused people always look for a better way. What got you where you are most likely will not get you where you need to be, A family who moved into a new neighborhood got a late start one morning, As a result the 6 year old missed the school bus. Though it would make him late for work, the father agreed to take the child to school if she gave him directions to get there. After 20 minutes of going in circles, they finally reached the school. By this time he was angry and the dad asked why she drove him all over the place when the school was so close to their home. She replied " We went the way the bus does - that's the only way that I know how to get to school".
2. Focused people concentrate a little harder and a little longer. Hall of fame baseball player Hank Aaron said "What separates a superstar from the average ball player is that he concentrates just a little bit longer." Focused thinking is the ability to remove distractions and mental clutter so that you can concentrate with clarity.
3. Focused people make COMMITMENTS, not excuses. A sign on the desk of an officer in the Pentagon reads "The secrecy of my job does not permit me to know what I am doing." Its a cute joke, but not so cute when its true. When you don't know why you're doing, you become frustrated and end up failing.
Notice too:
1. Focused people don't live in the past. Too many of us yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Instead we need to learn from the past and let go of it, Elbert Hubbard wrote "A retentive memory may be a good thingm but the ability to forget is a token of greatness." Successful people forget they are running a race. They can't afford to look behind. Their eyes are on the finish line. They're too big to let little things disturb the,. If anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. Its only the small people who cherish revenge. Be a good forgetter.
2. Focused people don't think about the difficulties, but the rewards. If you dwell on the difficulties for too long, you'll start to develop self pity instead of self-discipline. As a result you will accomplish less and less. By focusing on results you will stay encouraged.
3. Focused people choose their friends carefully. There are 5 types of people you will encounter in your life:
(a) refreshers - these are people who strenghten and energize you.
(b) refiners - these are people who sharpen you and clarify your vision.
(c) Reflectors - these are people who mirror your energy, neither adding or subtracting from it.
(d) Reducers - these are people who try to diminish your goals and efforts to their comfort level
(e) Rejectors - these are people who don't understand you or what your can do.
So our goal is to remain focused and you will stay grounded. The praise of others is less likely to go to your head and the negative impact of your critics will be minimized.
1. Focused people always look for a better way. What got you where you are most likely will not get you where you need to be, A family who moved into a new neighborhood got a late start one morning, As a result the 6 year old missed the school bus. Though it would make him late for work, the father agreed to take the child to school if she gave him directions to get there. After 20 minutes of going in circles, they finally reached the school. By this time he was angry and the dad asked why she drove him all over the place when the school was so close to their home. She replied " We went the way the bus does - that's the only way that I know how to get to school".
2. Focused people concentrate a little harder and a little longer. Hall of fame baseball player Hank Aaron said "What separates a superstar from the average ball player is that he concentrates just a little bit longer." Focused thinking is the ability to remove distractions and mental clutter so that you can concentrate with clarity.
3. Focused people make COMMITMENTS, not excuses. A sign on the desk of an officer in the Pentagon reads "The secrecy of my job does not permit me to know what I am doing." Its a cute joke, but not so cute when its true. When you don't know why you're doing, you become frustrated and end up failing.
Notice too:
1. Focused people don't live in the past. Too many of us yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Instead we need to learn from the past and let go of it, Elbert Hubbard wrote "A retentive memory may be a good thingm but the ability to forget is a token of greatness." Successful people forget they are running a race. They can't afford to look behind. Their eyes are on the finish line. They're too big to let little things disturb the,. If anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. Its only the small people who cherish revenge. Be a good forgetter.
2. Focused people don't think about the difficulties, but the rewards. If you dwell on the difficulties for too long, you'll start to develop self pity instead of self-discipline. As a result you will accomplish less and less. By focusing on results you will stay encouraged.
3. Focused people choose their friends carefully. There are 5 types of people you will encounter in your life:
(a) refreshers - these are people who strenghten and energize you.
(b) refiners - these are people who sharpen you and clarify your vision.
(c) Reflectors - these are people who mirror your energy, neither adding or subtracting from it.
(d) Reducers - these are people who try to diminish your goals and efforts to their comfort level
(e) Rejectors - these are people who don't understand you or what your can do.
So our goal is to remain focused and you will stay grounded. The praise of others is less likely to go to your head and the negative impact of your critics will be minimized.
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