Have you ever thought of your life as a book? Sometimes people frame their lives as a narrative or a story. Perhaps they see themselves as the hero of the tale or maybe as the victim. But let’s imagine that when our lives are said and done, they represent a complete book. Think about it…
DetailsI have some questions for you today. How much money do you make? How much of that money is discretionary? What do you spend it on? Do you feel you are getting a good return for what you spend? If someone looked at your checkbook/bank statement and how you spend that discretionary money, what would…
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You may be thinking to yourself, “That’s a silly question. Everyone knows that eternal life is heaven.” And while I would agree that it is a reference to it, I believe it is so much more. This was reinforced for me when, on a recent Sunday, I had the privilege of hearing Pastor Matt Heard…
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I must confess that I was somewhat baffled by a recent psychology article concerning factors that make life meaningful. The article stated that there are three factors – 1) Coherence (the feeling that life makes sense), 2) Purpose (having goals to work towards), and 3) Mattering (the feeling that life has value and makes a…
DetailsI recently read a quote, “Trust winter when the plant says nothing.” While we probably don’t give our plants much thought in the winter, unless we are farmers, they are still there. They may appear dead but concealed within them is the power for new life. In the spring they will grow, produce, and blossom. …
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Another way of asking this question might be – what do you think about? Or what do you focus on? Psychologists have documented some of the benefits of regular meditation, such as clearing the mind, reducing anxiety, increasing calmness, and so on. Some individuals will focus on a word or a phrase and perhaps repeat…
Details“Now what kind of a question is that,” you might think. “I buy groceries and gas; car insurance and clothes; purses and TVs. I spend money on vacations, Starbucks, cars, shoes, and a plethora of things.” Yes, we all spend money on these kinds of items. So, maybe I should refine the question some –…
DetailsToday is a sad day. Yesterday, (as I write this it is July 31st) I had to put one of my beloved dogs to sleep. He was 12 years old and had been battling serious health issues for about 4 months. He was a fighter but yesterday it was clear that he was tired of…
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Emotions are feelings that we all experience. Some emotions we think of as positive – such as love, hope, optimism, and joy. Others we often perceive as negative – hate, anger, pessimism, and resentment. However, I would submit that there really aren’t positive and negative emotions. Feelings just are. We may be happy or sad…
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That seems like a reasonable enough question. I mean everyone needs goals for what they would like to accomplish – right? While that certainly may be true, the question turns into what kinds of things do we want to accomplish and are there differences that matter? Things that people want to accomplish run the gamut.…
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