The Gift that Keeps on Giving, and Giving and Giving

Tis is the season of giving, right?  So, as you plan to head out into the mosh pit of shoppers, let’s ponder something profound…what are we really doing?

Aside from the fact that CHRIST-mas is now considered a dirty word, have all of the distractions of tradition taken the wind out of what we are really supposed to be about during this time?  Hoadish getting and misguided giving has replaced giving with a purpose in many aspects of our society.

Are the gifts we give those loved ones and acquaintances really something that can make a lasting impact?  Does a new game system, regardless how Wii-under-ful or PS-itively amazing it might be, really offer anything of substance?

Unemployed, Underemployed, Have Faith?

Hallelujah, Thank the Lawd!

It has been eight months that I have been back to work, after being out of work for nearly as long – eight months.

I am grateful, and dare I say even more so now, to be among the working.  I still have friends that either remain unemployed or underemployed after months and some more than a year.

Be Who You Be, Even When Nobody Can See

(Right off the bat…excuse the grammar usage in the title – trying to make a point.)

I have to admit that I love the age we live in right now. I mean from a technology and access to information standpoint.

By self-declaration, I am a proud and unabashed maven of gadgets, whiz bang toys and oh, I can’t forget about cell phones…I l-o-o-v-v-e new cell phones. To put it bluntly, I am a techno geek.

I got to thinking the other day about this whole “social” media phenomenon and how people have become so engulfed in communicating this way, anonymously, without actual human contact, seemingly without restrictions or boundaries.

Earlier this year, a study came out (http://bit.ly/5uV2) declaring people visited Facebook, the most popular “social” media site nearly 1.2 billion a month, MySpace more than 810-million times a month and Twitter more than half a billion times during a typical 30-day period. That’s a lot of visits and a lot of time behind a computer screen for a lot of people.

Hug it Out…

An article appeared in the New York Times in recently, taking an interesting angle on the whole Swine Flu (H1N1) thing. Undoubtedly, the second coming of the virus (the first being in the Spring of this year) is being anticipated and feared by the general population and people have begun to prepare themselves and for many, there is an intense look at how we do everything we do.

Following the advice our mothers told us when we were young, healthcare experts are saying, over and over that following basic hygiene, cough etiquette, hand washing and staying home if you are sick are the best ways to avoid the onslaught (unless you have a weakened immune system). But, what about how we all greet one another and show general affection towards those we meet or come in contact with on a regular basis?

Honesty, Energy and Joy

Over the fourth of July holiday, my family came to town for a visit. I always love seeing my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and especially, my niece. You know how it is, we are all busy and we hardy get to see them as much as I would love. Contrary to tradition, I actually love and like my wife’s family a lot.

When they came to town this time, I was particularly blown away by my niece. She is still in her early single digits by age, but she taught me a great lesson I don’t think I could have learned from a room full of bearded, gray-haired professors.

There are three things she has that I found profound and humorous at the same time and after letting it percolate a bit, I had to put it to paper. In no particular order, the three things this young genius taught me were a new found appreciation for Honesty, Energy and Joy.

Choose to 'Catch' a Good Mood

Who do you feel?

In my stroll across the web today, I stumbled upon an article that looks like it has made its rounds, dating back to at least 2005. The item, entitled “How to ‘Catch’ a Good Mood (http://tinyurl.com/lfo9nd), really struck me for some reason today.

We all know we can ‘catch’ a cold, we can be infected by any number of diseases, we can fall prey to a contagious ‘something’ at any time. But, this item talked about the infectious nature of positivity and the people we choose to be around.

The beauty of it all is that we can all make a difference in the world. While we all have the capacity for greatness, many times, we do not rise to the occasion.  

It is so much easier to just sit back and "go with the flow," instead of standing up for something, having a real impact or making that significant change in our lives that we all would love to make.

The power to make any significant and lasting change in our lives is a result of the decisions we make and the corresponding actions we take.  What we all need is a spark to initiate the decisions and create an environment in life where those lasting changes can take place.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite allegories in the world concerns David – the biblical king of Israel.  If anyone has spent any time in Sunday school, or even read a little, you have probably heard about his exploits on the battlefield against the giant, Goliath.  Many people know something about his proficient handling of a sling shot and three smooth stones. But, the reason I love the story is because of – as old time radio host Paul Harvey would say – the, “rest” of the story.  Whether you consider yourself “religious” or not, there are similarities in the way David was prepared for and subsequently handled this seemingly insurmountable challenge, and what you can decide to tackle in your own life.