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Moore, Oklahoma: The morning after.

May 21, 2013 in faith, hope, Spirituality with 0 Comments

HoldOnToHope

“I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope: God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning…” ~ Lamentations 3:19-24 (MSG)

It’s the morning after what some have called “the worst tornado in history.” For the most part words are escaping me, but one thing I know: in the midst of tragedy, God will prove himself good and loving and faithful. Time and time again. His mercy is new every morning. His loving mercy is fresh today for everyone affected by yesterday’s tragic events.

I’m praying and believing deep in my heart that everyone touched by this remembers this, keeping a grip on hope:

“God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning…”

Pray. Above all else pray. Surround these deeply loved people with your faith and love today.

And keep a grip on hope.

Why you need passion to succeed.

May 20, 2013 in diligence, video, vision with 3 Comments

video link for mobile devices

Great video reminder from the late Steve Jobs on why it’s important to have passion for our work.

Your thoughts?

Caption Please: Houseguest or Horseguest?

May 17, 2013 in Caption please, funny, humor with 4 Comments

source unknown

source unknown

Oh, you know. Just a lazy day watching TV with the horse. In the living room.

I need your help with this one. Leave a comment with your personal brand of wit.

3, 2, 1… Caption, please!

How to be present today.

May 16, 2013 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

BePresentBokeh

“Finish each day before you begin the next, and interpose a solid wall of sleep between the two. This you cannot do without temperance.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s try an experiment today.

Want to?

  1. Let’s finish today’s work today.
  2. Let’s get some sleep tonight.
  3. Let’s do tomorrow’s work tomorrow.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It does sound that way, but in reality… not so much.

It is, however, easy to get distracted by something we know is coming – whether it be tomorrow, next week or whenever. If you give into the temptation to go with the flow on those thoughts, you’ll begin to lose traction on what’s right in front of you. In addition to getting off-task, you also run the risk of not being present for your co-workers, friends and family.

Each day for its work and each work for its day.

I’m not saying don’t plan. I’m just saying we should be vigilant to stay present. Today. Just today.

Then tomorrow.

After some sleep, though.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” ~ Matthew 6:34 (MSG)

Why you need to back-up your computer.

May 14, 2013 in computer, help with 2 Comments

via Neatorama

via Neatorama

You can read the desperation in the picture of this note. I can’t even imagine.

Five years of thesis research were completely lost because this person’s computer was stolen. Actually, the reason five years of thesis research disappeared is because there was no backup anywhere.

No flash drive.

No external hard drive.

No cloud backup.

No backup, period.

Truth be told, if this computer crashed it would have resulted in the same problem.

I have a very good friend who recently lost everything from what seemed to be a perfectly good computer. It crashed and erased everything. Family pictures, videos, financial information… everything. They tried to recover data to no avail. It was gone. All gone.

Let this be a call to action for all of us.

Back up your computer.

Do it often.

Do it in multiple locations.

Just do it.

Here are a few suggestions to help you:

Use a cloud based service like DropBox or CrashPlan

Buy and use a flash drive like the one below. I highly recommend this one. Use the link and order it!

 

Ask. Great advice from Steve Jobs.

May 13, 2013 in attitude, career, hope with 2 Comments

Most of us never ask for anything. We are too afraid, too concerned, too “humble”, too misguided, too whatever to simply ask someone for something.

Let me ask you a question:

What if people were disposed to show you favor? Would you ask then?

I agree with Steve Jobs here – I think others may be more willing to help than you could ever imagine, especially if you live in such a way that you are disposed to show to favor to others.

“… you do not have because you do not ask.” ~ James 4:2 (NKJV)

Find the courage. Embrace faith. Ask.

My Mom. Cheerleader, Coach.

May 12, 2013 in encouragement, family with 4 Comments

"Lilacs" by Scott J. Allen (creative commons license applies)

“Lilacs” by Scott J. Allen (creative commons license applies)

“My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.” ~ Pablo Picasso

My mom was a cheerleader. No, not the “uniform with pompoms” kind. She was and is far more than that, especially to me. I relate to the Picasso quote above, not because of me but because of my mother. She is the kind of mom every boy should have had. She’s strong and quietly supportive. A giver. An amazing giver.

She coached and coaxed the best out of the men in her life, one by one. My father, then my brother, then me. Each of us are better and stronger men because of her influence and support. She instilled confidence. Confidence that I could be anything I wanted to be and do anything I wanted to do. Many of my early successes as an adult were because she built courage in me to take risks – especially for the people I love and the things in which I believe.

She is fiercely loyal and unwaveringly supportive.

She is loving and self-sacrificing. Always has been.

As a child, I never knew the sacrifice with which my parents gave. As a child I always thought we were rich – she’s always had a way of making people feel that way. I didn’t realize until later that the extravagant Christmases weren’t a product of monetary wealth, but a product of my mother’s personal wealth: consistently putting others before herself.

She’s still that way. Still amazing as ever.

Here’s to you, mom. You are the best. I’m grateful for you and all you’ve done. I’m grateful for the example you set of what real love looks like. I’m just sure your giving is thought of in Heaven like that of Cornelius in Acts 10, “…your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been put on record before God.”

She’s probably a bit embarrassed that I’ve written all of this for you to read. You see, she’s always been more comfortable out of the spotlight, taking the role of cheerleader, encourager and coach.

Donna Jean Allen, you are a great mother. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Mother’s Day.

 

Caption Please: How does THAT work?

May 10, 2013 in Caption please, funny, humor with 3 Comments

Source Unknown

Source Unknown

So, apparently, you can now legally park for two hours between 7:00pm and 8:00pm. Good to know, but how does THAT work?

Caption, please. Leave a comment and share your wisdom with us!

 

Technology: 1993 vs 2013 – Amazing!

May 9, 2013 in gratitude, technology, thankfulness with 4 Comments

via Twisted Sifter

via Twisted Sifter

How easily we forget how amazingly easy our technology has made our lives.

Having been there and done that in the 1993 version and traveled consistently with 6 of the 8 items, let me just say something.

Sometimes we forget to be thankful for what we have.

We get frustrated with sometimes not being able to connect immediately to the internet from our mobile phone. We grumble when we are out in the middle of nowhere in our car and can’t get signal to text someone. We get upset when we have been trying to call someone’s mobile and they won’t pick up, even though they are in a meeting or church or having family time.

We forget that the only form of instant personal communication used to be face to face or a phone call.

When you think about it, 1993 doesn’t even remotely resemble 2013 – except for this… people are still people and we still forget how amazing it is to live in the day in which we live.

I’m renewing my commitment to living a thankful and grateful life. I’ve got it good and I know it.

Has this picture/post caused you to re-think something? What is it?

I will change. So help me, God.

May 7, 2013 in change, character, faith, Spirituality with 1 Comment

image via Pleated Jeans

image via Pleated Jeans

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.” ~ James 1:22-25 (MSG)

Let’s face it, friends. The mirror isn’t a miracle worker. It shows us what we really look like. It shows us the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff. It shows us the the extra weight we may have gained through the winter months. If it’s a good mirror, it gives us a clear picture of the “us” that everyone else sees when they look at us.

The problem is never the mirror. The problem is what we put in front of it. The problem is never the mirror. The problem is the way we filter and remember (or forget) what we saw.

“Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

The mature and diligent among us remember what they saw in the mirror and seek to correct what they didn’t like about their appearance. Whether it be weight, hair color, makeup problems, or an outfit that doesn’t look quite right – the power to change is in our hands… but only if we remember what we looked like, what needs to change AND act to correct it. Some require long term strategy. Others are as easy as another trip to the closet. Regardless of the solution, change requires action on our part.

The Word of God is a mirror. It shows us who we really are. It shows us what we really look like – inside and out. A life pleasing to God requires a commitment to take action on what we see and hear. It requires commitment and focus over the long haul. It requires us to be men and women of action.

These past few months have been a time of deep soul-searching for me. I am dissatisfied with what I see when I look in the mirror of God’s Word.

I want to change.

I need to change.

I will change. So help me, God.

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