Tag Archives: faith

The End Of An Era

Posted on by under Encouragement, Journey, Life, Love, Memories, Uncategorized

at least in My mind….

As high school kids are graduating into the next phase of their lives, many will carry life experiences that have transformed them so far in their young lives. Some are just happy to walk the stage or receive their diploma.

Yet there are others who have tried new things in their younger years and may not realize the impact it will have in their future careers, relationships, and thought processes. I feel excited for many of them as their journey is much different these days.

I share similar emotions as teachers of many of the graduating students. While I may not have been a full-time instructor (I commend those who have the tenacity to teach our next generation), I do reflect upon many of the special children that were in my care from a different type of background.

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Hidden Damage

Posted on by under God, Journey, Life, Uncategorized

The drive was uneventful as I returned home from a business seminar. The early afternoon welcomed me with cloudy skies and the occasional sunlight. My time schedule afforded me only an hour to get home, set up my laptop for my online webinar, and contact the potential customer with a link to my website.

Traffic was good as I cruised over the bridge and onto a major freeway. The digital clock on my car’s dashboard displayed a calming “1:15pm” – plenty of time!

A text message appeared on my phone – I know it is unwise to read my text while driving so I gave Siri a command to read me the message. It was from my potential client.

Postponed for now! Oh well, I can now go to my chiropractor given the cancelled appointment.

Love the flexibility of my work schedule. In fact, I decided to exit the freeway and use the backroads to relax and get in the mood for my appointment.

Uh oh!

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Overwhelmed By Cold, Temporary Problems

Posted on by under Encouragement, Journey, Life

Have you ever felt buried by problems and circumstances in your life?

Just like this tree overwhelmed by the copious amounts of snow at Lake Tahoe last month, I can identify with this crown. Problems seem to pile up at times and just like this tree, I struggle to keep my head above water (so to speak).

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The good news is that when the snow melts in the spring or early summer, it will be standing tall to provide shade and a safe haven for nature as in past seasons.

Have you thought about how the base of the tree reacts to the freezing temperature of the packed snow? Do you ever feel that your problems seem to freeze you in a position that disables you from moving forward?

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The Storms of Change

Posted on by under God, Life, Uncategorized

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” – John 8:7

It is a shame that when change occurs, human nature acts out in a selfish manner. Who is truly entitled to cast blame and doubt on anyone except the blameless?

Yet no one is blameless even though some believe they are above the others.

Let us get deeper.

When devastation occurs in a person’s life such as the loss of a loved one, would you not agree that this is a “major storm” in life? Who would want such tragedies to occur? Who can we blame for our circumstances?

Who has the courage to choose resilience over resistance? Continue reading →

Little Mary (part 2)

Posted on by under Encouragement, God, Memories, Uncategorized

You might be wondering why this is part-2 of my previous blog entitled “Little Mary”.

To fully understand the impact of the story written in part-1, you have to read the letter written in 2010 from this little girl (who was a three-year seasoned performer by now with Kidz Praise).

The letter was written as a class assignment and the comment at the bottom came from her teacher. The letter is written here in the original format (misspellings and all) …

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Little Mary (part 1)

Posted on by under Encouragement, Holiday, Memories, Uncategorized

The August weather challenged my mind as I assembled my team for the Christmas production while coordinating thirty-six children ranging from ages 6-12. It was a small group of volunteers including a piano player to tap the notes for the children.

It would be my first experience organizing and conducting a children’s choir at church. I was up for the challenge in spite of the inattentiveness of the children. The plan was to create a musical production in less than four months. Many did not have stage experience or even participated in a full musical production. Many could not read musical notes or dance. Yes, it would be a first for everyone so let the fun begin!

Excitement filled the air and many older girls were practicing for the coveted part – Mary’s solo. There were other solo parts to be had but this one was the best in the production (according to the children). It was no wonder many girls lined up for their chance to win the lead solo (or at the very least, to be the understudy).

When the line of hopeful singers was exhausted, I asked if there were any more singers ready to try out for this special solo. Everyone looked around but no one raised their hand. Then my attention turned to someone sitting in the back of the room. Continue reading →