Challenges are simply opportunities to learn and be strengthened by exercising the abilities that God has given to each of us in advance. All we need to do is ask for His wisdom, then use those abilities to help ourselves, each other, and the rest of mankind.
There is a saying that goes like this, "If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always gotten."
Think about that for a second.
Now, make a list of what you do every day. What are you doing?
Now, make a list of what you'd like your life to look like.
Answer this question, "Does my life match that list?"
If your answer is "yes" then great! You are already doing what you need to do to accomplish your life's goals.
If your answer is "no" then examine that first list. The one that lists what you do every day.
How many of the activities are intentional efforts to achieve your intended life? Which items could you abandon to help you achieve your dream?
Take out your list of goals. How many of the items on your "doing" lilst are intentional efforts to accomplich one of those goals?
What? You don't have a goals list? Hmmm......
Take a minute and create one. Here are some example short-term goals:
$20.00 a week into savings
Make my bed every day.
Read one chapter of the bible every day.
Read one motivational book every month.
Listen to one complete CD album every Saturday morning.
Vaccuum my room every Saturday morning (just before listening to the CD?)
Walk/run for 30 minutes every day.
Some long term goals might be
Pay cash for my next car, value of $5000 or more, by January 1, 2006
Make the dean's list, May 2005
Pay cash for a new Music Man bass by September 2005.
Accumulate $1000 for emergencies in my savings account by June 2005.
You see, I look at what I've gotten (for myself and for my family) and decided I can do better. So I need to change what I've been doing. If I don't, I'll get exactly what I've always gotten. I believe my family deserves better from me. I think that maybe life is demanding more from me. So I'm re-evaluating and making changes.
So what about you?
You have the talent to create a better world! I know you do.
MJV
Monday, November 29, 2004
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Everything Counts
One of the foundations of life it this: Everything Counts. Everything we do all day and all night long adds up to a life. Life's outcomes are neither more nor less than the consequences of everything we do, good, bad or indifferent. It all counts.
One of the attitudes that can have devistating effect on our life is thinking that only what we want to count, counts. But that is an attitude that most people seem to believe. Most people are willing to do one or two things, maybe more, to have a certain result come about in their lives. But, at the same time, they are willing to allow other non-productive time wasters to thwart those very same efforts.
It is a battle. Always. Everything we do is either goal acheiving or tension relieving. We need both in our lives.Achieving the correct balance between the two is the hard part. Tension relieving activites are required for a healthy life. But tension relieving activities rarely, if ever, move us toward a successful life. Remember, everything counts. At the end of the day, you are either closer to your goals or not. I have found that accomplishing worthy goals actually relieves tension better than many of the tension relieving activities we undertake. In fact, small, goal acheiving activities, exercised each day, make the tension relieving activities all the more enjoyable.
Each decision affects the next. Remember that as you progress through each day. Then as you come face to face with each decision, weigh your choices against your goals. Is it time to relax? Or time to get busy.
One of the attitudes that can have devistating effect on our life is thinking that only what we want to count, counts. But that is an attitude that most people seem to believe. Most people are willing to do one or two things, maybe more, to have a certain result come about in their lives. But, at the same time, they are willing to allow other non-productive time wasters to thwart those very same efforts.
It is a battle. Always. Everything we do is either goal acheiving or tension relieving. We need both in our lives.Achieving the correct balance between the two is the hard part. Tension relieving activites are required for a healthy life. But tension relieving activities rarely, if ever, move us toward a successful life. Remember, everything counts. At the end of the day, you are either closer to your goals or not. I have found that accomplishing worthy goals actually relieves tension better than many of the tension relieving activities we undertake. In fact, small, goal acheiving activities, exercised each day, make the tension relieving activities all the more enjoyable.
Each decision affects the next. Remember that as you progress through each day. Then as you come face to face with each decision, weigh your choices against your goals. Is it time to relax? Or time to get busy.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
MSNBC - Stewart learns new cooking techniques in jail
MSNBC - Stewart learns new cooking techniques in jail
"She's making the best of what's necessarily a difficult situation," lawyer Walter Dellinger said on NBC's "Today" program.
Stewart is in the first month of a five-month sentence at the minimum-security federal women's prison in Alderson, W.Va. She asked a federal appeals court late Wednesday to overturn her conviction.
Because inmates can only use a microwave to do their own cooking, Stewart is working with fellow prisoners to "come up with some creative recipes" based on ingredients available at the prison commissary."
Okay. First of all, I'm not a huge Martha fan at all. She seems a little arrogant to me from the very little I've seen of her television program. But you can't argue with success and Martha appears to be very successful. After reading this article, I know a little bit about why.
Here's the situation: Martha, a multi-millionaire and very popular homemaker personality with a huge following is placed in a minimum security prison with other law breakers. You might think that a person in that situation would be likely to be seclusive, would avoid contact with others and would mope around, whining about her lot in life and such. But no, not Martha. She's picking crabapples and (presumably) figuring out ways to cook them along with other ingredients obtained from the commissary into some tasty treat.
Additionally, she's writing away on a typewriter with her own supplied ribbon. (I didn't know typewriter ribbons even existed anymore!) What is she writing? Who knows. I don't care. The point is that she's making use of all of the resources, limited as they are, to make her life as rich as she can, given her circumstances.
Now, for my money that's one successful person. Prison walls or not, we should all take a lesson from Martha. Do with what you have. Make the best of whatever situation in which you find yourself. Cry, if you must, over spilt milk. But only for a minute. Then set your eyes on the future, take an inventory of available resources and then get busy!
Seems to me there is some scripture written by an imprisoned man named Paul who decided to to exactly those things. He too wrote from inside his prison walls. And Paul changed the world with his delivery of the message.
You go, Martha. Send me your recipie for microwaved crabapples. I'd like to give it a try!
--mjv
"She's making the best of what's necessarily a difficult situation," lawyer Walter Dellinger said on NBC's "Today" program.
Stewart is in the first month of a five-month sentence at the minimum-security federal women's prison in Alderson, W.Va. She asked a federal appeals court late Wednesday to overturn her conviction.
Because inmates can only use a microwave to do their own cooking, Stewart is working with fellow prisoners to "come up with some creative recipes" based on ingredients available at the prison commissary."
Okay. First of all, I'm not a huge Martha fan at all. She seems a little arrogant to me from the very little I've seen of her television program. But you can't argue with success and Martha appears to be very successful. After reading this article, I know a little bit about why.
Here's the situation: Martha, a multi-millionaire and very popular homemaker personality with a huge following is placed in a minimum security prison with other law breakers. You might think that a person in that situation would be likely to be seclusive, would avoid contact with others and would mope around, whining about her lot in life and such. But no, not Martha. She's picking crabapples and (presumably) figuring out ways to cook them along with other ingredients obtained from the commissary into some tasty treat.
Additionally, she's writing away on a typewriter with her own supplied ribbon. (I didn't know typewriter ribbons even existed anymore!) What is she writing? Who knows. I don't care. The point is that she's making use of all of the resources, limited as they are, to make her life as rich as she can, given her circumstances.
Now, for my money that's one successful person. Prison walls or not, we should all take a lesson from Martha. Do with what you have. Make the best of whatever situation in which you find yourself. Cry, if you must, over spilt milk. But only for a minute. Then set your eyes on the future, take an inventory of available resources and then get busy!
Seems to me there is some scripture written by an imprisoned man named Paul who decided to to exactly those things. He too wrote from inside his prison walls. And Paul changed the world with his delivery of the message.
You go, Martha. Send me your recipie for microwaved crabapples. I'd like to give it a try!
--mjv
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Firefox - Rediscover the web
Firefox - Rediscover the web
I actually re-rediscovered Firefox today. It is much improved over what I experienced a few months ago. Installing plug-ins is very much improved. I switched back to IE by using Avant Browser for tabs and other features. But Firefox is cleaner and less vulnerable since it does not use IE as it's engine as does Avant. Ilike it. I'll be using it for the time being.
mjv
I actually re-rediscovered Firefox today. It is much improved over what I experienced a few months ago. Installing plug-ins is very much improved. I switched back to IE by using Avant Browser for tabs and other features. But Firefox is cleaner and less vulnerable since it does not use IE as it's engine as does Avant. Ilike it. I'll be using it for the time being.
mjv
$20 bill gets a facelift
"The Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing introduced the new design, still featuring Andrew Jackson on the front but without the old circle, and a background with subtle green, "peach" and light blue hues.
Other new features include small 20s in faded yellow in the background of the back of the bill. In the background of the front of the bill is a faded bald eagle and the words "Twenty USA/USA Twenty."
Well wouldn't Andy just be beaming with pride? Actually I think it's about time the US government added a little color to the currency. I've always thought that currency from other countries was more attractive. I guess a prettier dollar won't buy any more than a plain dollar, but at least we're beginning to show a little bit of our artistice side. I think that's a good thing.
Other new features include small 20s in faded yellow in the background of the back of the bill. In the background of the front of the bill is a faded bald eagle and the words "Twenty USA/USA Twenty."
Well wouldn't Andy just be beaming with pride? Actually I think it's about time the US government added a little color to the currency. I've always thought that currency from other countries was more attractive. I guess a prettier dollar won't buy any more than a plain dollar, but at least we're beginning to show a little bit of our artistice side. I think that's a good thing.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
test post from email
sig only
--
---------------------------------------------------------
Martin Vipond
http://www.twolegsproductions.com
http://www.lakewood.k12.mi.us
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Creativity Comes from MOTION...
...So Don't SIT STILL!!!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
--
---------------------------------------------------------
Martin Vipond
http://www.twolegsproductions.com
http://www.lakewood.k12.mi.us
----------------------------------------------------------
Creativity Comes from MOTION...
...So Don't SIT STILL!!!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
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