attitude

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If left alone

An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. 

Newton’s First Law of Motion can teach us a lot about our habits and thought life. 

Another way of defining this law is: An object will keep doing what it’s doing if left alone. 

Aren’t we all the same way?

  • I would eat cheeseburgers everyday if left alone. 
  • I would be a negative person if left alone. 
  • I would still be scared of my own shadow if left alone. 

Wallowing in the past and running toward destruction are both unhealthy responses that lead to nowhere. 

Why is it so hard to get unstuck?

Why is it so hard to go in a different direction?

Newton’s Laws of Motion talk about much more than physics. 

  • Stepping on the scale again was my unbalanced force. 
  • Missing out on deeper, more meaningful relationships was my unbalanced force. 
  • Waking up at 24 and having a mile long wish list of dreams was my unbalanced force. 

Imagine a game of pool.
Nothing would change if  the cue ball (the unbalanced force) didn’t crash into the other balls. 

The best way to get moving again or to change directions is to be hit with an unbalanced force. 

Change is scary, but staying stuck is even scarier. 

And to think no one likes physics…

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Take a deep breath

Do not let your to-do list rob you of joy. 

I’ve said this 50,000 times today while hyperventilating….

There is a list of small things that need to get done between now and my move. 

There are also a lot of people who are more important than my to-do list. 

I do not want to be so task oriented that I am not enjoying my time with friends and family. 

So, I’m going to take several deep breaths and prioritize….and I won’t need a brown paper bag to do so. 

I say all of this to encourage you to not be bullied by your to-do list.

Don’t allow anyone or anything to steal your joy. 

Life is way too short for that kind of nonsense. 

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When everyday is an adventure

  My dad comes home tomorrow!

We’re all so excited to see him and hear about his adventures in Mexico. 

My dad’s taught me a lot about the spirit of adventure. He’s the kind of man who sees life as the greatest adventure of all. 

And this attitude goes beyond the mission field:

  • Running errands with him becomes completing a top secret mission. 
  • Working in the yard is like hacking through the bush. 

His ability to make mundane tasks fun is the reason big projects aren’t a chore. 

I’m trying to be more like him in this area. My “hurry up and mark things off the list” mentality can keep me from enjoying my work in the process. 

My dad’s company–even when he’s not directly helping me–brightens my mood while I work. 

There are many reasons I miss my dad, but his fun loving attitude about everyday tasks is one of them. 

Hurry up and get home, Dad! Nothing’s the same when you’re not around. 

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Want to vs. Need to

Putting off tasks that are not fun will not make them more fun later.

No one likes to pay bills.

To budget.

To exercise.

Some things need to be done–whether you enjoy them or not.

When I first started exercising, I hated it.

I hated when the alarm clock went off.

I hated leaving my warm house on cold winter mornings.

But I still did it.

After a while, once I saw the results, I began to enjoy it more and more.

We need to quit making people feel guilty when they don’t enjoy something at first.

Jesus tells a story in Matthew 21:28-32. Let me paraphrase it for you:

A father asks two sons to go work in the yard. One son says, “Are you kidding me? I won’t do it!” Later on, he feels bad and decides to go. The other son said, “Sure, Dad! I’ll be glad to help!” and then didn’t show up to work. Jesus said the first son was obedient.

Jesus was looking at their hearts and he saw what was really going on. He was telling this story to religious leaders (it was really about them). He was talking about their refusal to accept Him as the Messiah.

We need to realize, though, that this story can be applied to more than just “spiritual” things like missions and evangelism.

The principles in the Bible apply to all areas of our lives–spirit, soul, and body.

Keep this text in mind next time you’re struggling to want to do something.

Maybe you should just do it because it’s the right thing to do.

Your heart and attitude will catch up with your decision.

Remember: Words mean nothing without action behind them.

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Helping with a willing heart

I talk on the phone a lot at work. It’s not my most favorite thing to do, but it’s a big part of my job description.

I work as an office manager for a self-storage and property management company, so most of my calls are about rates and hours and such. Sometimes people call me to ask for recommendations for moving companies or even for other storage companies in the area.

I have actually learned quite a bit by helping these people.

It wasn’t until today, though, that I realized they were not doing any research before calling me–not even a quick Google search.

My first response was annoyance. What a waste of my time!

But, as I’ve sat down and thought about it, what does it hurt for me to help them?

Absolutely nothing.

In fact, as I mentioned earlier, helping them is really helping me.

Sure, they are most likely not going to use my business. And that’s okay! We are not suffering.

I added three new customers last week. Our numbers are very consistent even in the slow times.

Every industry on this planet is in the people business. Ignoring customer service is not an option.

Without people, all of the widgets we make and the services we offer are completely useless.

And yet we treat others like they are only distractions from our to-do list or merely rungs to the top of the corporate ladder.

I am convicted by my annoyance.

Who do I think I am?

Who do any of us think we are?

If you have no room in your schedule to help others–even if they do nothing to help you in return–you need to do some serious reevaluation of how you spend your time.