Facebook "Accident"

I had an interesting thing happen on facebook last week.  I think I'll call it an "accident", and you can decide what you think it should be called.

Do you know what the bible says in Proverbs 17:28?  "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue."  I think I learned this biblical lesson through facebook this week...... okay, it should have been keeps silent through my typing, not talking........

I took a minute to scroll through some status' to see what people were up too.  I ran across my mom's status, in which she had just typed the word WHITE.  Now, if you know my mom, when it comes to typing or writing, she is a person of few words.  (Talking is another story..... just kidding, mom!)  So, I thought she was just letting us know that they had just got a fresh snow, and all was normal in the world of Iowa.

Since it's always a pleasure for me to rub in the Florida winter weather to my family up north, I thought I'd just respond with GREEN.  This, of course, indicated what I was seeing outside MY window.  Well, for some reason I started getting comments indicating what I typed was pretty funny..... I didn't know what I had done.

Then yesterday I found an article in my local paper.  It said, "This week a campaign apparently designed to raise awaremess about breast cancer is sweeping the social networking site Facebook with a message asking women to update their status with one simple word:  the color of their bra".

Oooops.......... lesson learned.  Sometimes it's just better to mind your own business.  You know, "don't stick you're nose where it doesn't belong".... stuff like that.  I'm sure more words than "accident" come you your mind.

Motivation to Succeed

I heard the other day that as of January 7th, most new year resolutions are officially broken...... People can only pursue a goal for a week and than give up?!?!  What is all that about?

Now, I didn't make specific resolutions this year, but I AM determined to get in better shape.  (I know, it's all relative.)  One method of motivation is to draw inspiration from a past event or experience.  Let me give you an example of what might have happened to somebody, and see if it would be enough motivation for you to get in better shape.

Okay, let me think of something random... oh, oh, I know.... Say somebody was at the gym working out and this large guy was setting up for a big lift right next to him.... he gets all the weights on and turns to you (I mean "him"), and starts to say something.  He looks you over, stops immediately and just smiles "hi", gets up and goes three machines down and asks a guy to come down and spot him on his lift...... Think about that.  Would that be enough to make you work harder?

Whoever that guy was......I think I'll hang on to that thought, and really work hard this year.

I trust you can find the motivation to change your life for the better this year, no matter what it takes.  Let's crush the one week mark and keep going!  "Let's DO this thing!"

2010 -- Happy New Year!

We made it through another year!  2009 has had it's ups and downs, but overall was another good year...... the "up's" were our new granddaughter and the "down's" were the poor economy and it's impact on my work and our household.
I have enjoyed doing this blog however, and think I'll try it again for another year.  It gives me a creative outlet, as well as makes me think a little more than I normally would..... I said MORE than normal, not that I really do much thinking (as you obviously have observed.....)

I've decided to not do any resolutions this year.  I've done them for years, but think some "guidelines" to live by will serve me better than some specific resolutions.  Let's try it and see what happens.  I'd like to challenge you to try these guidelines below with me this year....

Just for today --
1)  I will live through this day only.  I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow.
2)  I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
3)  I will be happy.  I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me.
4)  I will accept what is.  I will face reality.  I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.
5)  I will improve my mind.  I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.  I will not be a mental loafer.
6)  I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable.  I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path and I'll not speak ill of others.
7)  I will do something to improve my health.  (Okay, on this one I'm going to lose 10 lbs. SOMETIME during the year.....It might have to be an accumulation )
8)  I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibliity for my own actions.

It's always exciting to think about the beginning of a new year, and what it has to offer us.  I pray that you have an incredible year, filled with happiness, favor, peace and joy.  I trust that God will bless this year as never before, giving you opportunities that you have never known.

GOD BLESS 2010!

Merry Christmas!

It's a great time of year to make a final connection with friends and family isn't it?  What a joy it's been for Karen and I to spend our Christmas season with Paul, Ashley and Alison.... did I say Alison.  Good... what a doll baby.

We spent around 18-19 hours in the car..... plus an extra day and night in Wilson, NC, due to the huge blizzard that went through the northeast (making our trip a total of 57 hours) ....... got into huge backups around Washington DC due to snow removal efforts ..... and now have to make the return trip.  Would we do it again?  Of course!

Otherwise we would have missed our granddaughters first Christmas...... letting her crawl all over me on the floor.... getting those open mouth kisses...... hearing those random laughs whenever she felt like it..... seeing Alison play in the snow for the first time (okay, not really "play", more like lay on the snow in her new snow suit and watch her family have a snow ball fight)..... 24" of snow....... fun Christmas movies........ approximately 10 lbs. of monkey bread consumed by myself.......... my daughter's killer white chicken chili...... and of course, we would have missed making the three anatomically correct snow "people" that represents the Earwood family, right outside their front door.  It doesn't get any better than that!

I hope you enjoyed your Christmas time this year as well.  I love and appreciate each of you who take the time and effort to share my life through my blog.  It's been fun.  I hope you all have a great 2010.  God bless!

Christmas Season Choices

The holiday's are bittersweet, aren't they?  The anticipation of time with family, days off work, presents and good food have to be weighted against the stress it takes to get through ALL that is expected of you during this season.  And when does that bitter turn into the sweet?

I think the answer is when we choose to "flip the switch."  It has to be a choice we make to quit stressing, stop the running, end the to-do list (no matter how many items are left) and say, "It's time!"  We decide to shift our focus from all the "stuff" and refocus our thoughts on the real priorities of the season.  (Apparently we need to do the "stuff" to appease our conscience too some degree, or we just couldn't enjoy the holidays at all.)  The priorites, as I'm sure you'll agree, are time with our family and reflection on who's birthday it really is.  A time of sharing our love, showing appreciation for what our family means to us, and reflecting on what the year brought us.

Another choice that people apparently make this time of year is to decide to be "cheerful".  With all the stress so many people are under, it seems strange sometimes to see how friendly some people are.  I mean, it usually isn't THAT easy to get out into traffic......  It just shows me that kindness is a decision that we all make every day.  Why do we tend to step it up on the holidays?  Shame on us.  It should be year around.....

Finally, this season is a time to reflect on the past year, and see what we did well and what we could do better.  It's then a choice to decide whether we will learn from our last years mistakes, and not make them again this year or not.  Can you say "new year resolutions"?  I'm not going there now, so just relax and wipe that sweat off the back of your neck.

Karen and I are making a choice tomorrow morning.  We're getting in car and driving for 17+ hours through a potential snow and ice storm to visit our "priorities".... our family.  We hope that you enjoy the holidays and have "flipped the switch" by now and are in relaxation mode.  Don't forget the true reason for the season -- Jesus Christ.  God bless you all and Merry Christmas.

Turning Tough Times Into Triumph

On a flight home from a trip last week I had a chance to read a great book called "Bounce - The Art of Turning Tough Times Into Triumph".  If you're like me, facing the economic crunch and issues of the day, including the bittersweet holiday season.... you can probably relate to the challenge of triumphing over tough times.
Let me highlight a few passages in the book to give you some food for thought --

"It's often during life's most difficult times that we discover our most critical hidden strengths and that we forge our most important capabilities."
So, I guess we need to look at the silverlining during our tough times, huh?  It allows our strengths and capabilities to surface.  If we didn't go through these times, we may never know we had them.  Apparently tough times are good for us......

"The significant problems we are facing cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."  Albert Einstein
So, I guess we need to "think outside the box".  We might have to get creative to solve some of these issues.  Who knows, we might create an entirely "new world" or paradigm that takes us to a new level.

"Hold hands in traffic"
People naturally want to blame someone other than themselves in times of crisis.  This phrase serves to remind us that it is in difficult times that we most need one another and most need to stick together.  We have to remember that we're in control of how we respond to a situation.  We shouldn't blame outside forces.  We need to focus on attacking our problems and not one another.

"It takes pressure to get people out of their comfort zone to change.  Any meaningful change is painful, which causes people to naturally start to feel anxious"
The book relayed that the key to anxiety is focusing on the correct anxiety.  There are two types of anxiety -- one is caused by the fear of change, while the other is the fear of what will happen to you if you don't change.

Just some food for thought...... I hope you triumph over your tough times, if that's where you are right now.  I know that's my goal.

Boys Forever.....

We've all heard that most men are just little boys, and will ALWAYS be little boys..... my wife tells me that all the time.  (Usually because I'm tattling on Honey Bear, or wanting extra dessert, or playing what I think is some great music through the card board tube when I empty the paper towel roll... need I go on.)

Anyway, I saw a great example of this phenomenon  at the airport yesterday.  I was riding the tram from the terminal to the airside.  I was watching the 5-8 people get on as the doors closed.  The lovely ladies voice reminded us to hold on to the pole as we pulled away, as it is not safe and we would probably fall....

So what happens..... the ladies all reached out and grabbed the poles to steady themselves as the tram took off.  However, EVERY man chose NOT to hang on to the pole, but braced their bodies to compensate for the take off!  One man was actually holding the pole, and when the lady told us to hang on, took his hand OFF!

You see, men love a physical challenge, not to mention making a game out of anything they can.  A lady uses wisdom and chooses to safely make it to airside without a busted lip.  A guy throws caution to the wind to prove that they can stay up during this challenging ride....risking physical harm and an embarassing fall just to prove he can do it.  Or at least try, and set a new time record before grabbing the pole...

What can I say.... long live the little boys in each of us!