My life has taken an unexpected turn lately. One of my friends has needs so great that it feels perfectly natural to give more help than she asks for. More help than my previous plans allowed for. Priorities are shifting as I let other goals slide. Helping her feels good and seems right, but how can I be sure? Maybe I’m butting in where I don’t belong. Maybe I’m pushing my own solutions instead of letting God do His work. [Read more…]
Good Samaritan or Meddling Busybody?
July 26, 2014 by
Did You Weed Your Dream Today?
July 12, 2014 by
When I hear about gutsy people who have accomplished amazing things, I’m seized by a desire to Do Something! NOW! to turn my own daydreams into reality. All I need is grit, determination and courage. So I grit my teeth and burn my bridges, determined to lock myself into an ambitious new course before my courage fails me.
The sense of urgency passes quickly. Within hours I’m wondering, “What was I thinking? I can’t go rushing off to change the world. I have responsibilities. I have limitations.” [Read more…]
Captive Audience
July 1, 2014 by
Since writing about Influence by the Inch, I’ve been watching to see how my habits affect the people around me. It turns out that the person I influence most is…me.
If I drink coffee late in the day, I’m the one counting sheep in the middle of the night. If I waste an evening watching television, I’m the one rushing around the next day catching up on my work.
Most significant is the influence of my inner dialog. While part of my mind is thinking whatever pops into my head, a different part responds to those thoughts with scoldings or pats on the back. For example, when I’m mowing the lawn (not my favorite chore) unhappy memories arise. I berate myself for my past mistakes. But then I start to remember how other people have made mistakes too —mistakes that have hurt me. That’s when I give myself comforting pats on the back. After all, I’m the victim. Don’t I deserve some sympathy? Not surprisingly, my thoughts tend to dwell on other people’s mistakes much more than on my own. [Read more…]