Category Archives: Encouragement

Soak it Up

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A baby is born and is completely dependent on someone to provide for the basic needs.  Within the first year the child goes from completely helpless to crawling and many times even walking.  Parents are told to fill their minds with music, color, shapes and to talk to their baby.  The child is like a sponge taking it all in.  I’m wondering when we lose our sponginess.  Do we?  When do we grow immune to our environment, or the messages that are shared?  I don’t think we ever lose it.  I think we forget about the cliché “garbage in, garbage out.”  We think as adults we have great command over our thoughts and self- control of our actions.

I digress, because tonight my concern is for our young people and the messages they are receiving disguised in the cloak of entertainment.  Tonight our family went to see Marvel’s Avengers (http://marvel.com/avengers_movie/).   It was a treat and a good movie.  However, the previews of coming attractions were a string of dark stories that were presented as end of the earth, destruction, movies that led me to think that life is hopeless.  Ok, so they are movies not reality.  But you and I both know the line between the two can be very faint for the young people around us.  The previews also included two new reality shows coming to television.  Seriously, is this entertainment?  If it’s true reality than maybe all hope is gone.

I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s when television was growing in popularity as a means of entertainment.  The situational comedies like Happy Days and Lavern and Shirley, filled our minds with fun and laughter.  Never once did we hear Richie Cunningham bashing his father or being two-faced with his friends.   Today our television schedules are full of ridiculous shows that are “reality based” are filled with backstabbing men and women.  The plot lines for this waste of time and space shows ranges from alligator competitions, to bored house wives, father son motor cycle builders and even loggers.  How is this entertaining?   When you watch a reality tv show, after it’s over do you have a sore belly from laughing like we did with characters like Joey on Friends or Jerry Seinfeld?  Let me help here, you don’t.  If anything you may just find yourself tired and cynical.

Shows that make us laugh; give us the opportunity to release all those positive endorphins that laughter produces.  Shows that inform stretch our minds and build knowledge.   Television dramas can be entertaining if well written and have strong characters.  Even watching a sporting event can be uplifting.

What messages are our young people taking in from their television and movie entertainment if all of them are dark, stressful and cynical?  Why should they have hope for a brighter future if this is what they watch?  How can we be effective parents and mentors if this is the crap we are watching?

Think about it…

KK

Saturday, January 21, 2012

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“We always over estimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in five years.” – Source unknown

It’s Saturday, January 21st and most people who made New Year’s resolutions have given up.  It’s been too cold or life got busy again getting back to the routine of work and school. Resolutions or goals are like running a marathon.  Runners don’t bust off the line and burn all of their energy in the first mile; they plan their pace to accomplish the time they want across the finish line.

So, did you blast off on January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd?  Below are few suggestions for reloading those goals and re-committing.

First, be realistic.  Runners don’t just get up one morning and decide to win a race.  They start with training and really having a passion for racing.  Go back and review the resolution or goal you wrote down (you did write it down, or do I need to go back further on goal setting).  Did you set too many goals or make too many resolutions? Maybe choose only one or two to really commit to.  Do you have the ability and desire to accomplish the goal within the year?   If either is in question, keep reading as we further look at reloading.

Second, give yourself a new start date.  January 1st is a natural calendar start, but goals can be started anytime.  If the first quarter of the year is very busy for you in one area of your life, you may need to set a start date further out.   My goals are written by the end of the first week of January, but my start date isn’t until February 1st.  This allows me a month to plan for them, pray over them and really commit to working toward accomplishing them.

Third, break the goal down into bite size chunks.  Runners usually start out walking or running smaller races to train and get in shape.  What are the steps to accomplishing your goal?  Do you need to take a class?  Do you need to plan for some activity toward that goal each week?  Take the piece of paper you wrote the goal on (you did write it down, didn’t you) and under the goal write the steps to accomplishing it.  Then go through and give each step a deadline.  Are your deadlines doable with your other responsibilities?  Add these deadlines to the calendar you live by; if it’s electronic then set reminders for yourself.

Fourth, keep your goal fresh.  Set a date five or six months from your start to revisit the goal.  Do you still want to accomplish this?  How are you doing? Do you need to adjust your goal to better fit your time, ability and resources?

By writing your goals and making them work within your passion, lifestyle and resources, you are taking control.  When you take charge of your goals and resolutions, you will accomplish more than if you give up before the end of the first month; and even more will be accomplished if you write the goal down.  Every day is a new start, every week is a new beginning and every month is a fresh commitment.

See you at the finish line,

KK

Think about it…

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Recently I noticed my indoor plants were dying.  Some of these plants I have had for years.  What was going on?  Immediately checking their soil, they were dry as a bone.  How could I have forgotten to water them?  Then it occurred to me.  I have spent the spring and summer focusing on our landscaping on the outside, I forgot to pay attention to the beautiful greenery that I had growing on the inside of our home.  I had passed these plants every day, dusted around them every week (or so) and yet, their needs for nurture had been neglected.  It took less than 10 minutes to water and feed all of my plants and within a couple of days they were looking better.

House plants create warmth and show life in a home.  They are green and grow year round.  Is there something wilting on the inside that you need to water and nurture?  What would 10 minutes of taking care of your heart and soul mean to your week?

Think about it.

All the best,
KK

Is it Confidence or Arrogance?

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What is the difference between being confident and being arrogant?  Is it attitude or spirit?

Confidence by definition is full trust; belief in the reliability of a person or thing.  Confidence either comes from something inside or something outside us.  To be confident is having strong belief or full assurance.   Where does the ability to be confident come from?

Confidence is built from many blocks of successes we have in our lives.  A child learning to walk starts out wobbly and unsure, but with every successful step forward, the child stands straighter.   The same holds true for each of our successes in life and career.  As a parent, each time we handle something well with our child, our confidence builds.  In our career, with each successful position or project our confidence builds and we move forward.

Arrogance by definition is a feeling of superiority or an offensive exhibition of it; presumptuous or overbearing conduct, statements, resulting from such a feeling.   Like confidence, arrogance comes from within but the results can be much different.  To be arrogant we are showing pretensions and superiority.  There is little room for any of us to come across better than the next.  Nobody knows everything, and everybody makes mistakes.  True character is shown in how we handle those mistakes.

Let me encourage you to be confident that you will make mistakes.  But don’t let those mistakes be masked by an arrogant spirit.  Be real and if others don’t understand, then they may have an arrogance issue.

Let me also encourage you to be confident in the gifts and talents you have.  Use them to show others they can be confident in you.

What do you think?

All the best,

KK

8 Days Later

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Today is January 8, 2011.  We have tasted the new year and have stepped back into our post holiday schedule; work, school, life. There are 357 days left in 2011, what are you going to do with them? What do you WANT to do with them?  We are completely guilty of burning entire days on nothingness.  Ok, so there are “have-to’s” in every day.  We have to work to provide for our families.  We have to take care of our families, because we love them and they need us.  There is great joy in the responsibility of family.  But what about those other hours of the day we blow on TV or video games or mindless cruising of the internet. (I’m not opposed to mindless wandering of the internet if that’s what led you to read this.)

Consider for yourself the meaningfulness of your life.  Is the content of your days like a fruit salad? Light and tasty but it doesn’t stick with you long? Or are your days meaty.  You know, do the experiences of your day stick with you or even change you?  Yes, I said the “change” word.  Some would say they are too old to change.  Ok, so let’s try on the word, grow.  Are you ever too old to grow spiritually, emotionally or intellectually?  Let me help you here, NO.  This life thing we are on is a journey.  The people we meet, the books we read and the experiences we have should change us; help us to grow into the person God wants us to be.  How much more interesting are we as individuals if we broaden our horizons beyond the water-cooler mindless droning of our medias?

Like a recipe for a good meal, we have to be purposeful in adding the ingredients that will give a little bit of sweet, a little salty and the meat that will stick and build us up.  To be purposeful, we have to understand what we want in the end.  We need to know what our goal is. For me, the meat of my day usually comes from something I’ve read, heard on the radio, news articles or talking with someone smarter than I. 

My overall goal or mission in life is to make a difference.  At the end of the day, week, month, year or my life, all I want is to make a difference.  So, each year I write personal goals that lead me spiritually, professionally and intellectually.  It is well known that goals are more likely to be met when they are written and reviewed daily.  I write goals every year, but I only review them every now and then.  Yes, many of my goals are accomplished but not all and not the big ones.

Hopefully, the few minutes you have invested in reading this will pay you returns.  My goal is to leave you hungry for growth and change.  Find that spark within you that will foster your motivation.

Happy New Year, friends.  I look forward to our year and the many adventures we will have together.  May you and your family have a healthy blessed year.

All the best,

KK

New Year and New Lessons sermon from Dave Stone, Southeast Christian Church, listen and be inspired.  http://www.southeastchristian.org/?page=3476&project=85385&program=334912

Did you see it?

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Every morning I take Cole to school.  Along the way we talk or just listen to the radio.  Sometimes he reads and I just enjoy being with him.  After dropping him at school, I get on I64-east and head to work.  (hang with me if you are not from here).  As I cross over the Watterson Expressway, I always find myself amazed.  You see, as you approach this intersection and cross over, you pop over a rise where there is an amazing site.  It’s not the gridlocked traffic ahead of me.  It’s the sky and the ever-changing sun rise that is before me.

Every morning the sky looks a little different based on the time or the weather, but it never ceases to amaze me.  This morning the sun was on the horizon and about to push above some trees and the sky had a spray of clouds with blues and reds washed around them.  I have driven this way hundreds of mornings and every time, God has brushed a new masterpiece.  Those are moments I wish I could capture and look at all day.

Did you see it?  What, you ask.  Have you seen a picture God has painted for you?  Your picture may be the joy that comes from hearing your children laugh, or your spouse reaching for your hand in church.  Your picture may have come from a kind word someone gave you or an encouraging gesture.  Maybe, like me, you are drawn to the Creator when you notice His creation.

Be encouraged today to watch for God’s handy work.  It’s all around us and allows for us to seek Him and know Him.  When you look out and part of the sky is sunny and it’s raining where you are standing, do you look for the rainbow?  It may sound juvenile, but taking three minutes out of your day to step to the window for the potential blessing of a rainbow – what’s wrong with that?  If nothing else, you’ve taken three minutes to think outside yourself.  More than likely in seeking the rainbow, you’ve also thought of the Creator and the miracle of the rainbow.  And if you find the rainbow, you are blessed all the more.

Did you see it?  Or were you in too big a hurry to notice something special or out of the ordinary.    Pay attention!  Please, pay attention and seek what God would have you see, and how He is revealing His miracles to you.

Let me know…

KK

Something’s in the wind

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This morning it was warm, unseasonably warm and the wind was blowing.  It came in gusts of nearly 65 miles an hour.  And the temperature began to drop.   The wind was so strong you could almost see the air itself moving.  The skies were gray and cloudy, a storm was brewing.  The wind was transporting something – something was in this wind; more than just the storm to follow.

The winds of change blew through our community today.  It was if the hand of God was moving through; pushing summer to our past and escorting autumn in.  The clouds rolled in as if to curtain the sky while He realigned the stars for our new season.  The rain moved in dousing the thirsty earth and cleansing the air.

The day ended with the red sky busting through the clouds leading the way for a rainbow to complete God’s message to us today.  Yes, His mighty hand moved today in nature and it was awesome to experience.  But my question to you is did He move in your heart?

Something was in the wind today, and it was more than the beginning of autumn.  Did you feel it?

All the best,
KK

Monday Moment — starting the week

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This morning I was blessed to start my week with a day off.  It’s a great way to start a work week!  The day started with a quiet time – Bible open, reading and prayer.  Oh, how I wish I were disciplined enough to get up and start every day that way.  It set my spirit for the entire day.  I didn’t have a lot planned, a meeting at Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and some errands.  There was something in my spirit that moved with me and when the unexpected came up, it was handled.  Not sure, but I may have gotten more done today because of the way it started.

Sometimes we shoot out of the gate to start our week and by Tuesday afternoon we crash and burn.  Our list is long and we are sure it will all be accomplished by Monday at 5 p.m.  It doesn’t and we end up transferring what’s left to Tuesday.  Why not pace ourselves?  Why not savor the day and all it has to offer even if it means serving someone else – helping their list along.  It never fails that when I’ve put my list aside to help someone else along, the blessing is mine.

Think about it, if we put people over progress, will we be living more like Jesus?  Blessed are the motivated, for they will have time for everything.  Ok, so that’s not how it reads but if our motivation comes from outside ourselves, how much more will we look like Jesus?

Let me encourage you to be available for others as you go through your day.  At the end of the day, you will have accomplished more than you had listed.  Let me know how that works for you.

All the best,

KK

PS – the passage I read to start the day, Matthew 5: 1 – 12.

When we sit at the feet of Jesus…

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Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.

-Matthew 11:28-29

Our lives can be way too busy.  We struggle to find time for the things we find most important, church, family, friends.  We are tired and over-committed most weeks.  How do we regain control of our priorities and time (one leads to the other, you know).  They say if you look at a man’s checkbook you will tell what he values, well let me add the man’s calendar.  What we spend our time doing speaks volumes as to who we are and what we value.

It’s not uncommon for Christians to attend a spiritual retreat every now and then.  You get away from it all, take off your watch and turn off your cell phone.  Then after the sweat clears from having shut yourself off from the world, you find Jesus.

What a refreshing visit it can be – to be in spirit of prayer and communion with the Savior.  The spirit reaches in and chips away at your soul, releasing all that inhibits connection with the Lord.  You then can drink in the love and teaching of Jesus.  Take a deep breath – what does this look like to you?

Luke 10:38 tells of when Jesus and His disciples were visiting Martha’s house.  You have to remember this was 13 men traveling through town and stopped in Martha’s humble home and they were hungry.  Martha busied herself preparing a meal for them.  Mary sat at Jesus’ feet; His feet that were tired and dirty.  Did they smell?  That’s beside the point; knowing how sisters communicate, I imagine she knew what Martha was thinking.  She knew her sister was a little miffed that unexpected guests were there, however wonderful it was, and she was doing all the work.

In my mind’s eye, I picture Mary hanging on every word of Jesus.  His spirit-filled message was refreshing and gave rest for her soul.

Let me encourage you to take a seat at the feet of Jesus.  Look up at the gentle eyes and search for what He has to say to you.  Sssshhhh, be quiet and listen.  He might be your silent partner, know that He is there.  He might be whispering something special in your heart, be still and receive His word.  Let the world go by for just a moment or two and sit at the feet of Jesus.

All the best,
KK

An Invitation to talk manners

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Over the years, I have planned birthday parties, work events and community-wide galas, and it never fails that RSVP’s are late to come in or non-existent.  It’s easy to get busy and fail to RSVP, but in this day of email, text messaging, voicemail, instant messaging and even wall to wall on facebook, there really is little reason to not send a host a yes or no in a timely manner.

From a planning perspective, knowing how many guests are coming helps when ordering food, center pieces or the all important goodie bags.  Party planning is fun and it gets very exciting when guests call and say they are planning to attend.  I am all about the more the merrier.

So, why don’t people commit to attend parties they are invited to?  Are they waiting to see if something better comes along?  Are they waiting to see if other “fun” people are planning to attend?

Even if you RSVP “no” and change your mind or your schedule clears you can call the host back.  A gracious host will be glad to hear you can come. 

 Give me your thoughts.

All the best,
KK