If you were to walk into our house right now, you would find boxes full of stuff everywhere. It is insanity. We do not ordinarily live this way but circumstances have resulted in it. We recently purchased a house that we were supposed to close on last week so we boxed up for the move. It is now a week later and we still have not closed on the house. If something does not happen today, it will be next week before we do.

Navigating my way through the dark this morning, my big toe found one of the twenty five thousand boxes sitting around the house. It is common to hear questions like, “What box did you put it in?” or “Did you box that up?” The answer is, “Who Knows!”

My regular routine of the morning is to sit in the kitchen chair and put on my shoes. I walked into the kitchen with my shoes and realized my routine was, busted. I could see the kitchen chairs but there was no way of getting to one of them because fortyleven boxes were in the way. I decided to sit on one of the boxes to put my shoes on. That was a bad idea. When I sat down on it, it caved in, sending me to the floor on my back-end. A glass clanking noise came from the box and I thought, “That didn’t sound good.” When I got up out of the floor, I noticed that my wife had written “Fragile” on the box. Not good!

I have not told her yet and I trust you will not either. I am figuring that by the time she sees whatever is broken in the box; it will have been moved to the truck, hauled to the new house, and carried in. This should give me several people to blame.

The lesson to take from this story is that some things in life are fragile and if we are careless, we could break something. Take time to notice the people and relationships in your life right now that might be fragile. Give a little extra attention and care. It is much easier to do that than to fix it once it is broken.

The lesson not to take from the story is blaming someone else for what you broke. Especially the people who are kind enough to help you move. I guess I will “Man Up.”

I have been having some irritating stomach issues lately. Brace yourself for TMI. It is the kind that makes you NOT want to stray far from a restroom. I think they call it IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. As I understand it, every one’s body reacts differently to stress and this is one of them. When I need a remedy, I usually call my mom who knows some healthy natural ways to deal with those kinds of things.

“Go get you some yogurt and eat it regularly for a few days,” mom said. I went straight to the grocery store and found the yogurt section. I looked and immediately picked up the four-pack, thinking that the bigger pack would be the better deal. Then I glanced at the price of the two-pack. The two-pack was a $1.50 and the four-pack was $4.00. I am not great at math but even with my limited math skills, I could immediately tell that buying two, two-packs would be cheaper than buying one four-pack. That messed me up because I always thought buying bulk was the better deal. It makes me wonder how many times I have been taken for a ride by not slowing down and counting the cost.

The four-pack yogurt was double plus a buck. It would not have broken the bank to get the four-pack but over a prolonged period, it could become very costly. How often do we assume we know the price of something and fail to do the math and count the cost? I think we probably do it with many things in life.

Failing to give your child undivided attention once will not break them but failing to do it consistently over the long haul will be very costly. Failing to discipline a child over one incident will not mess them up but failing to discipline a child over a prolonged period carries a huge cost. Failing to be lovingly, sensitive toward your spouse once will not break the marriage but being insensitive over a prolonged period may cost you your marriage. Failing to be frugal with your finances once may not break the bank but failing to be frugal over the long haul will cost you big.

It is easy to live a grab and go life without taking time to count the cost. How often do we get so busy doing life that we fail to slow down, do the math and count the cost of our actions or lack of action? Without taking the time to count the cost, I would have made a purchasing decision with the yogurt based on my assumptions. My assumptions were wrong. If I had purchased the four-pack, not only would I have paid double the price, which might be expected when you double the size, but also I would have paid a dollar more.

If we take time to do the math and count the cost of our decisions in life we may find they are costing us much more than we know. Is there something that you are doing or not doing consistently that is costing you much more than you realize. If I decided to buy one four-pack of yogurt a week, the first week would only cost me $1.00 more than expected. Over an entire year, it would cost me $52.00 more than assumed. Over ten years it would cost me $520.00 more than I thought it would. Do you see the affect of failing to count the cost over a prolonged period?

If we use that same train of thought with our kids, how does it look? Failing to count the cost in our relationship with them for a week will have a negative affect but is recoverable. Unfocused parenting for a year is dangerous but over ten years, it will cost you and your child more than ever imagined. Do the same math with your marriage. I think you will find that you will not need to multiply the costly affect of being insensitive to your spouse’s needs, over ten years because the marriage probably will not make it that long.

In ten years, I would have lost $520.00 by not slowing down and counting the cost of what I was doing in my yogurt purchase. Failure to count the cost of damage to the most important relationships in our lives by not slowing down and giving them the love, time and sensitivity they need, will in the end cost us far more than we ever imagined.

On a positive note, by slowing down, counting the cost and making the right decisions in those same relationships, we can experience a compounding affect that we will be wonderful. The result will be stronger, more loving, happier, healthier relationships with those we love the most.

2-Pack Yogurt $1.50

4-Pack Yogurt $4.00

2, 2-Pack Yogurts $3.00

1, 4-Pack Yogurt $4.00

There are two ways to buy four yogurts. The “Grab and Go” for $4.00 or the “Take it Slow” for $3.00. With one of them, you have to slow down and count the cost and with the other, there is more to be lost. There are also two ways to live. One will cost you more than you want to pay but the other is the best way. Sloooooooow down and count the cost.

When I was just a kid, I drove my parents crazy asking questions and challenging conventional wisdom. I can still remember in my pre-adolescent years stirring up controversy in our home just so I could create a courtroom scene where I played lawyer and judge. One of my first cases revolved around what we call cuss words. I wanted to know who it was that decided which words would become cuss words and why adults were allowed to say them and kids were not.

I argued my case with the skill of Perry Mason or Ben Matlock. “Why is it acceptable to say poop but not #$@# and darn-it but not #@^%-#%,” I retorted. In my closing argument I said, “These are words which are nothing more than letters put together to form a word, so who decides that some are not acceptable and others, that mean the same thing, are not? It is my opinion that not only is it acceptable to say poop but it should also be acceptable to say @*$% and the same with darn-it.” After that, I rested my case. Since my mom and dad were the only members of the jury besides my sister who was a year younger than me, I lost my case. Of course my sister Teresa, would side with mom and dad for the purpose of gaining brownie points. I think it was doomed from the start. My brother, Rob wasn’t born yet or I may have had a little help.

Do you have a child that asks a lot of why or why not questions? If so, it is not a bad thing. Asking questions is a great way to learn about life. Children are notorious for asking why or why not questions but if we take the time to answer them or point them to the place to find the answers, we will help them increase their knowledge of life, exponentially. It can be time consuming and because of that, too many parents just ignore them. Rather than stifle questions we should be encouraging them.

As a parent, I would rather be the one helping my child or children with the answers to life’s questions rather than ignoring them and letting some insane college professor spout his or her ignorance disguised as intellect. I do not believe all college professors are insane but some are and they will have at least one before they graduate. God built our kids to ask questions and He gave them parents to help with the answers. I have not always known the answers but I have tried to point them in the right direction to find them.

I am now 47 years old but I still find myself asking the why question about many things. At my age, I find that I am asking more self-penetrating and self-evaluating questions than anything else. Since I have always been a questioner, I have been able to settle many of life’s external questions at this point in my life. I now find myself probing and questioning my own motivations, attitudes and actions at a deeper level. It is leading me to a more honest and intimate relationship with Jesus as well as relationships with other people in my life.

Sometimes it is much easier to blame someone else rather than be honest with ourselves. It is easier to blame our spouse for our marital difficulties rather than to look deep within ourselves and ask the hard questions such as, “What am I doing or not doing to contribute to our problems?” It can be easier to blame our boss when things are not good at work rather than to look within and ask, “Am I giving a hard days work for my wages?” It is much easier to blame our kids for constant misbehavior rather than ask, “Am I taking the time to give my child or children the constant love, consistent discipline, and undivided attention they need?”

Placing blame cripples our ability to pursue honest answers. When we blame, we stop the process of introspection. Only after we have taken a hard honest look within and questioned our own motives, attitudes and actions, will we be able to come to a proper conclusion. Asking questions is the way to find answers. If you want to learn something today that you don’t already know, ask a question. If you want to learn something that will help you grow, ask introspective questions.

I arrived at the church campus awaiting the arrival of our youth group from a conference they attended in Asheville, North Carolina. When I walked into the lobby of our facility, Robbie came rushing in the door and was white as a sheet. Robbie is our Youth Pastor. It is impossible to miss Robbie since he towers at 6’6” in height. Robbie is a big man and a gentle giant of a man. As soon as I saw him, I knew something was wrong because he looked 5 feet tall.

“I forgot one, man,” Robbie said with his voice quivering. “Forgot what,” I said. “I forgot a kid.” Now with my voice quivering I said, “You forgot a kid, where?  ”In Asheville.” he said with sweat pouring. I really did not have to ask but I did anyway, “Who is it?” He told me and I was right in my assumption. Robbie told me that he had called the conference center in Asheville and the camp officials found him still sleeping. “I’m leaving now to go get him,” Robbie said with a weak voice. He looked like all of the blood had emptied from his head.

I walked outside and talked to the students mother who had arrived to pick up her son. We had a good talk and she was very understanding. I thanked her for being so nice about the matter and walked back inside.

Here is what happened. During the last service before departure, the student told Robbie that he was riding back home in the vehicle of one of our other chaperones. The problem was he forgot to tell the other chaperone that he was riding with him. When the vehicles loaded up and headed home, each of the chaperones thought he was with the other. All the while, the student was sleeping like a baby in the dorm room that he was not supposed to be in at that point.

After Robbie and I talked, he jumped into his SUV and headed for Asheville. I called him on his cell phone to try to encourage him a bit. I could tell when he left that he was devastated. “Hey dude,” I said, “It’s all good!” Robbie said, “I can’t believe I did that.” “Hey Robbie, just think about it, this is a good learning opportunity and because of what you are feeling right now, I guarantee you will never do it again,” I said trying to comfort him. I told Robbie that he was not the first to experience drama with this particular student. The year before, our group had been to Florida for a conference. While in Florida, they took our students to Disney. This same student shut down an entire ride when he jumped off the ride in the middle of it.

Robbie returned with the student, safe and sound. He said it actually ended up being a good time for some quality conversation. Robbie is still our Youth Pastor and is doing a great job. The group has grown by leaps and bounds, both numerically and spiritually. He has not left another student in North Carolina or any other State since then … to my knowledge. You might want to keep an eye out for his book, “I Left a Kid at Youth Camp,” coming soon … or not?

Making mistakes is a part of life. It is not making them that matters but how we choose to respond to them. At Harvest, we do not expect people to never fail or make mistakes. I have discovered that if you dare to do something with your life that matters, it will include mishaps and mess-ups. If you allow them to become learning opportunities, they can be a catalyst toward success. When you mess up, do not quit and do not get down on yourself. Learn from them and press forward. Experiences, both good and bad, can be some of our best teachers if we do the right thing with them.

Maybe you feel like you have blown it in some area of your life. It is not over yet. You can choose to quit and become a victim for life or you can choose to learn and move forward, becoming a victor. It is up to you and nobody can make that decision for you. I hope you choose to become a victor. Get out of the dirt, dust your pants off and get back at it! Robbie did!

Shared with permission and encouragement from Robbie.

I am thankful for our Veterans. Every time I see one of our brave men or women in uniform, a rush of gratitude fills my heart. I can still remember the last conversation I had with my papaw before he died. It was a conversation about his experiences in the war and I sat in rapt attention as he shared them with me. My dad served in the Air Force and I honor him for that. Though I never served in any branch of the military, I have huge respect for those who did, do and will.

I am proud to be an American. It seems that it is not politically correct these days to feel that way but I do. We are blessed to have been born in the greatest nation on earth. I think most Americans feel the same way I do. Like the people that live in her, she is not perfect but she is the best.

We are still “One Nation Under God,” regardless of the attempts by some to remove that part from our Pledge of Allegiance. As a parent, I realize that the teaching of love and respect for Country to my children is my responsibility. If I do not do it, it is highly unlikely they will get it anywhere else.

I am so proud of my children every time we are at an event that does the National Anthem. In the midst of so many people talking, laughing and just not taking it seriously, they are standing at attention, silently, with their right hand over their heart. Kids do not learn that in school now, parent’s have to teach it.

I often wonder why so many youth as well as adults seem to feel so uncomfortable during the National Anthem. Carla, Kayla and I went to a football game last Friday night. They asked everyone to stand for the National Anthem as one of the High School bands was about to play it. The Anthem started and some stood at attention while others stood but did not acknowledge what was taking place. That saddened my heart. What saddens my heart most is that they do not realize the price paid for us to be a free people.

Could it be that we have not passed on to our kids the thought of love and respect for Country? Could it be that we have not taken the time to tell them why we stand at attention, facing the flag, with our right hand over our heart? I think it could be. Every time I hear the National Anthem, I feel a sense of honor to and gratitude for every soldier that dares put their life in harm’s way so we can live as a free people and not only us but others around the world. They deserve our respect and honor, so today, on this Veterans Day, I want to say thank you Veterans for all you have done, do and will do for love of God and Country. We honor you today!

God Bless Ameriaca and God Bless our Veterans!

It is difficult in our down-turned economy to find a job if you are out of work. With so much downsizing in both small businesses and the corporate world, keeping the job you now have is not a sure thing. What you need is keeping power. That just means that when lay-off time comes in the company, you want your employer to see a reason to keep YOU. When your employer sits down with files on five employee’s and intends to lay off three of the five, what increases your chances of being one of the two that he/she chooses to keep? Knowing a few things that employers look for will help you stay a step ahead of the game. Let’s look at a few simple things that will increase your keeping power.

Attendance

There seems to be two kinds of employee’s. There are those who miss work when they want to and those who miss when they have to. The ones who miss when they want always have an excuse. Your employer has heard all the excuses and because of so much absenteeism in the work place, they do not trust easily. You will have to prove yourself over time. Build a good track record. Who misses work the least could be the deciding factor in who stays and who goes.

Arrive to work a few minutes early. Tardiness is rampant in the workplace these days and by being a few minutes early you can set yourself apart from the pack. Leaving work a few minutes late also helps.

Performance

Performing well at your job is vital. Employers are not looking for a warm body to fill in a gap. They are looking for someone who is willing to work and produce. If you take your job seriously and are willing to learn everything you can to do the job with excellence, you will increase your keeping power exponentially. Become the best at whatever it is that you do. Employers do not want to lose the best person for the position. They have a bottom line to meet and will most often keep whomever it is that helps them meet it.

Attitude

The attitude of an employee can be a deal breaker or maker. Even if your attendance is great and your performance is great, a bad attitude can get you a layoff notice. If you are willing to do whatever you are asked but grumble about it, you become a liability rather than an asset. A bad attitude is easy to notice so do not think you can fool your employer. A bad attitude can poison the atmosphere of the workplace. A great attitude on the other hand will go a long way toward increasing your keeping power. Be grateful you have a job and show it.

Extra Load

In a down-turned economy, companies do not have the financial resources to carry a normal employee load. When someone has to be let go, the slack has to be picked up somewhere. If you are willing to carry some extra load during the tough times, you will increase your keeping power.

Investment

View your job as an investment in the company’s future and in your future. If an employer sees that you care about what happens with the company and that you view your work as an investment in the company’s future, you will increase your keeping power. The investment in the company will be an investment into your future.

Team Spirit

Some employee’s seem to think that the company is out to get them. Do not allow yourself to adopt an employee’s vs. employer attitude. It is mutually beneficial if the company makes it through this downturn. Be a team player. This alone could be the deciding factor when it comes down to who stays and who goes.

Take Criticism

Not every employer is skilled at pointing out the things an employee needs to change or do a better job. You have no control over that. What you do have control over is how you handle the criticism and instruction. When an employer shares a problem, do not get defensive. That will only build a wall between the two of you. Rather than becoming defensive, listen carefully, thank them for pointing it out, ask if they have any advice and assure them that you want to do the best job you can for the company. If you think, you know a better way to do the job, tell them that you would like to share something they may help the company but if they do not see it as beneficial, you will do as they want. Your keeping power sky-rockets.

Look at the list of things you just read and rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 on each area. Where do you need to improve? Being great in every area is no guarantee that you will keep your job but it does increase your chances. In a society where the work ethic is suffering, doing the above things will cause you to stand out in the crowd.

The Three C’s

When hiring someone for a job at Harvest, we have three things that we look for. We call them the three C’s.

We look for Character - The person of character is a trustworthy person with a good work ethic.

We look for Competence - The competent person will have the ability to do the job or the ability and willingness to be trained.

We look for Chemistry - Chemistry is how that person fits in with the other people they will be working with. Even if they are good at what they do, if they do not jive with the team they will be a liability.

We may determine if the applicant fits the criteria that we desire through past job references, character references, application and interviews. This is one reason it is important to leave behind a good track-record with past employers.

Whether you are looking for a job or trying to keep the one you have, the pointers you just read should help.

Does the fact that Christmas is coming soon cause you anxiety? If it does, you are not alone. The very thought of Christmas should bring thoughts of peace and joy to our hearts because it is the celebration of our Saviors birth. Sadly, rather than peace and joy, we experience anxiety. Anxiety comes because we know we are getting ready to spend money we do not have to buy stuff that people do not need.

Have you struggled to know what to buy family and friends because they already have everything they need? Do you already feel the anxiety over credit card bills that you know will arrive in January? Would you consider doing something different and more meaningful this Christmas? If so, read on. I am going to share some ideas that could possibly decrease your anxiety level and bring back the joy of Christmas.

Set a Christmas Budget

We do not have credit cards, thank God, so if we cannot pay cash for gifts we do not buy them. Ordinarily, we set a Christmas budget amount and work within that amount. We do not go over because when the cash is gone there is nothing else to work with. We also realize that we cannot buy for everyone that we would like. Once we have our budget set, we write down the names of the people that we are going to buy gifts for and we enter the amount of money that we will spend on each gift. The key here is in not allowing yourself to go over that budgeted amount.

Gifts with Meaning

Sometimes circumstances can open a new window of thought and present opportunity for creativity for Christmas gifts. This year we are buying a house and every extra penny we have has gone toward that purchase. There is no Christmas budget to speak of so we have decided to do things a little different. We are going to make things or give something that we already have that has meaning to it. These are what I call, gifts with meaning. They require little to no money but they are full of heart and thought toward the recipient.

Acts of Service Gifts

These gifts require no money but they do require the sacrifice of a little time. The time required to do them makes them special to the giver and the receiver. The gift of a coupon or coupons for an act of service is a wonderful gift. You can give a coupon for a house cleaning, car wash, mowing, shoveling snow, raking leaves, or a 3-hour whatever you want to do coupon. Since you will be doing the work, the only thing required is time and effort. These can be much more valuable to someone who has everything than a gift that will be put away in a closet awaiting the next yard sale.

Gifts in Honor Of

These wonderful gifts have tremendous meaning and can fit into a small budget. Though, many of us have everything we need to do life, there are less fortunate. The donation of a small amount of funds for a child in a third-world country can go a long way toward the purchase of a mosquito net to help a child sleep at night without fear of being bitten by a mosquito and acquiring malaria. A donation given toward feeding a hungry child is another. A card can then be given to the recipient that informs them that you gave a gift to help a child in there name. This gift helps the giver, receiver and the child sleep better at night.

Christmas does not have to be a time of anxiety. It can be a very meaningful time and a time to remember what Christmas is really all about: The Savior of the world among us! It is not too late to make this the most meaningful Christmas you have ever had.

Merry Christmas!!!

My name is Bud and I am a professional prayer. I know…I know…You did not know there was such a profession. I didn’t either until I became one. Some people call us pastor. Everyone needs a professional prayer from time to time. How can you have a church picnic or a Thanksgiving dinner without one?

Imagine a church gathering for a picnic and the time to eat is at hand. Everyone looks around for the professional prayer (pastor) but he is in the portable toilet. Panic begins to set in among the people gathered. The women are getting fussy because the food is getting cold, the men are anxious because the women will not let them eat and the kids are crying. The entire picnic is at a stand still because no one can eat until a prayer is prayed and no one can pray except the professional prayer. One of the deacons has had enough and goes to the portable toilet to get the PP. PP stands for professional prayer but used in the same sentence with portable toilet was probably not wise.

“Pastor, everyone is waiting on you to pray so we can eat.” The PP in the portable toilet thinks to himself, “Is there not one other person out there that knows how to pray?” The PP rushes his business and heads to the picnic table full of food. In his rush from the toilet, the pastor forgot to zip his zipper. Rushing the pastor in the portable toilet is not a smart thing to do.

Here is a little information that could get me kicked out of the pastors club but I will tell it with a black cover over my head so no one knows who it is that is giving away the trick of the trade. All pastors know how to check their zipper nonchalantly when standing in front of a crowd. Somewhat like a magician or illusionist, it is done with slight of hand. The trick is to get everyone’s attention with one hand while the other hand slides toward the front of the pants. The pinky finger makes a quick sweep by the zipper. If it is unzipped, the pastor will tell a joke and then double over as if to hold his belly while laughing and with one quick movement, the pants are zipped. Now back to the story.

After telling his joke and zipping up, the pastor prays. He prays the professional church picnic prayer by saying, “Lord, bless this food for the nourishment of our bodies and bless the hands that prepared it, Amen.” The PP realizes that what he has just asked the Lord to do will require a miracle because very little of the food on the table is nourishing to the body. Most of it will work toward clogging the arteries and raising the cholesterol levels of the people eating it but it sure is good.

I have often wondered why the pastor is always the one asked to pray at church functions. A pastor is not the only one that God hears. I have great news for you. Pastors do not have special access to the ears of God. He hears you. Your prayers are just as special to God as the pastor’s prayers. All you have to do is talk to Him. That is all prayer is, talking to God.

Prayer is conversing with our heavenly Father. I have three children, all of whom are precious to me. If two of my children thought that only one of them could actually talk to me, I would miss the sweet conversation I desire with each of them. I love to talk with all three of my kids. In the same way, our heavenly Father enjoys hearing from all His kids.

The truth is there is no such person as a professional prayer. God wants to hear from you because He loves you. There is nothing wrong with asking your pastor to pray for you but don’t ask him until you have done it yourself. You will gladly discover that God will answer your prayers just as much as your pastor’s prayers.

One final thought. Since asking God to make deep fried extra crispy chicken nourishing to our body is not going to happen anyway, it does not really matter who does the asking!

God is good! How many times have you heard that statement or maybe made it yourself? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that statement and in fact, God is good. What bothers me is the inference. The inference is the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion. Let me share an example and then explain.

A few years ago, I sat at the hospital on and off for several days with a man in our church. His wife, who also attended our church, was in ICU and terribly ill. I was around the same people in the waiting room every day. While hope that she would pull through looked bleak, I never heard one person say, “God is good.” One day she seemed to be doing better and it was on that day that a person said boldly, “God is good.” I will be honest with you it disturbed me a bit. You may be thinking, “How in the world did someone saying God is good disturb you?” What disturbed me was not the statement but the inference. That man’s wife left this world for heaven a couple days later.

It seems that far too often the reasoning involved in drawing the conclusion that God is good hinges on God doing what we want Him to do. What if God allows something other than what we asked of Him, is He no longer good? Was the man in the story to draw the conclusion that since his wife died God must no longer be good? If a child pulls through a dreaded illness, you will hear over, and over again, “God is good.” Where are the “God is good” people when a mother sits at the funeral of her child?

God is in essence good and can be nothing else. It is not that God can be good or that he can do good, He is good. God’s goodness does not and cannot hinge on the outcome of earthly circumstances. To think otherwise is to reduce Him to something less than whom He is. The conclusion that God is good must be drawn from the truth of scripture. To draw that conclusion based on the positive turn of circumstances is to live life on a spiritual and emotional roller coaster. The outcome of the circumstance cannot be our deciding factor that God is good, the truth must.

God is good! The truth of scripture has revealed that and life experience in relationship with Him has illuminated that truth to me. Over the years, I have come to rest my life in the hands of our good God. Because I did not come to that conclusion based on the positive turn of circumstances but through the truth of scripture, I can rest in Him no matter what the circumstances of life present. Our good God has promised in scripture that He will make everything work to the good of those who love Him. I have found that to be true in my life. Some of the most powerful and life changing ministries and organizations in the world were birthed out of pain and heartache.

Maybe before we use that phrase again with someone we can do a self check to be sure we have not based God’s goodness on the wrong thing. God is good and therefore we can trust Him with our life no matter how good or how bad the circumstances of life may be. Just remember that no matter how things turn out in your circumstances, God is good and His plans are perfect! We can trust in the goodness of our all-wise, all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful, forever faithful and loving God!

I love animals, especially the ones in the wild that take care of feeding themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an anti-hunting kind of animal lover though I am not a hunter. I am not a tree hugger but I love nature. I think being green is great but I don’t buy in to the theory that global warming (is) or is caused by humans or cow flatulence. I am not concerned about my carbon footprint but I am concerned about leaving my muddy footprints on my wife’s freshly cleaned rugs. I do believe we should be good stewards of this planet that we have been given to live on but I am not an extremist environmentalist. I have digressed and made some mad so I shall return to my original thought.

I think there are some things that we humans can learn from various animals in the animal kingdom. I recently taught a leadership lesson to our ministry leaders at church using various animals in the animal kingdom. I am going to recumbooberate that lesson and apply it to our daily lives. Let’s see if we can learn some things from our neighbors in the animal kingdom about reaching our goals and fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives.

1. Eye of the Tiger – Stay Focused!

We all remember the theme song to Rocky… “The Eye of the Tiger.” Rocky remained focused even when he was getting the snot beat out of him by his opponent. We all face some sort of opposition in life. Opposition may come from people, circumstances, or the adversities of life. Whatever form of opposition you are facing, stay focused on your goals and purpose in life.

When a tiger sets its gaze on its prey (goal), it goes after it with unapologetic fervor. It will move through and around whatever stands between it and its goal. Do not give up on God’s purpose for you life and the goals you set to fulfill it. Set you gaze on it and go man go or go woman go! If a tiger loses focus too often it will starve to death. Are you starving the fulfillment of God’s purpose for your life by losing focus and quitting when distractions and opposition comes? If so, refocus! Get the eye of the tiger back.

When my kids played sports, I would at times see them becoming distracted by a trash talking opponent. I would point to my eye when they looked into the stands at daddy. They knew it was a reminder to refocus and get the eye of the tiger back.

1. Heart of the Lion – Stay Courageous!

Known for its courage is the lion. It dares to face opponents many times its size. It dares to face what others shrink back from. To fulfill God’s purpose for your life and reach your goals you will have to have the heart of the lion. It takes courage to deal with the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life. To shrink back is to live a life less than what God wants for us.

The person with the heart of a lion will see obstacles as opportunities. When an obstacle stands between our goal, and us we have to make a choice. Will we give up in discouragement or will we reach deep within ourselves and find the courage to go on. I do not have to ask what it is that brings discouragement into you life because you already know. It could be marriage problems, job problems financial problems, or a bad report from the doctor. Stop focusing on the obstacle and look for the opportunity that has presented itself. God has a higher purpose for our lives, and with courage, we will find it.

Another thing I did when my kids played sports was point to my heart when I saw them getting discouraged. They understood that as a reminder to play with courage and heart.

1. Sly as a Fox – Stay a Step Ahead

The fox is one sly critter. It has the ability to stay a step ahead whatever is hunting it. A fox can confuse a pack of hunting dogs and have them running in circles. If you are going to reach your goals in life, you will have to stay a step ahead. Know what it is that attempts to stand in opposition to you reaching your goals and get the first jump. The things that oppose us are common to humanity. A brief look at history will reveal that.

If you know ahead of time the kinds of things that will bring problems to your marriage, you can get a step ahead. If you know what employers look for and the kinds of things that will get you fired, you can stay a step ahead. If you are struggling financially - make a budget, get out of debt and stay a step ahead. It is not that difficult and only requires a little thinking ahead.

Generals who dared to study the patterns of their opponents have won wars by out foxing them. Quarterbacks and coaches who watch game film and study their opponent’s defense, often know what the defense is going to do before the defense knows it. They are the ones that win games. You will be a winner by knowing the things that will oppose your endeavor to reach your goals and by making decisions based on that knowledge you will stay a step ahead of the opposition.

1. Wise as a Serpent – Stay Wise

The wisdom of a snake is in its ability to know when and where it is most vulnerable. Count the dead snakes in a road compared to other animals in the animal kingdom. In East Tennessee, it is a common reoccurrence to see deer, skunks, raccoons and possums dead on the roadside. It is not common to see a dead snake and when you do, you saw a snake that went against its inner wisdom.

We all have vulnerabilities. There are certain times in our life when we are more vulnerable than at other times. There are also certain places that we find ourselves more vulnerable than others. It is a wise person that knows both. A bad decision or a few bad decisions made during those vulnerable times can change our course toward reaching our goals and fulfilling our God given purpose in life. Recovery is possible when unwise decisions have been made but it may take a long time to get back on course and many people can be hurt in the process. Jobs can be lost, grades can drop, marriages can be destroyed, finances can be bankrupted and lives devastated with unwise decisions during the vulnerable moments of life. Know your areas of vulnerability and be deeply aware of the need to make wise choices in those times.