John Harrell's Blog, page 15

No Post Today

I’ll be back tomorrow. I have been doing volunteer work all day.

Peace to all…

The Worst First

Every day we have certain things we are required to do. For example, Friday is trash day. Should I decide to not take the trash can out to the curb for a few weeks, someone’s gonna notice. That someone is me!

Chores are routine and boring, yet necessary. But some days we have a wrench thrown into the mix. We have a difficult conversation to have with someone, or perhaps it’s something worse that we need to do. Whatever difficulties you are facing, do the hard things first. Do not leave them hanging over your head. The challenge you face will be a constant irritation if you don’t address it quickly.

We will have challenging times on this side of eternity. We live in a broken, imperfect world.

And remember this: be kind to your fellow man. They are facing challenges that are unknown to us. We are all in this life together, and we are better together…

The Cool Kids

Do you remember when you were in school and there was a group of kids who were popular? You know, the cool kids. High school days end, but we still have our identity whether we were considered cool or not.

As we age we learn what is really important and what’s not. By now we have a select group of friends. Having the right people around us is vital for healthy relationships. We need people who will be honest with us, telling us what we need to hear, not what just sounds good at the time. This can create conflict in relationships. We must find the humility in ourselves to know that what we are being told is true whether we like it or not. When we do this, we grow. And solid friendships can withstand conflict.

Our identity is who we are, not what we do. The lines can get blurred over time. Attaching our identities to our careers can cause people to lose themselves. One day they wake up and realize they don’t know themselves anymore. If this is you and you’re reading this, it’s not too late!

Take some time to get back in touch with yourself. Remember the dreams of your youth. Use your talents to benefit others. When you are have become who God created you to be, then you are one of the cool kids…

The Trojan Horse

Borrowing from a story in Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse represents cunning and deception. The story was shared as a teaching metaphor. But have we learned anything from it?

Everyone has been hurt and deceived by others. We aren’t without fault because we have said or done things to others we wish we hadn’t. Forgiveness is vital for us who live in a civil society, but we cannot and should not forget. We don’t need to be anyone’s punching bag, so release the offenders from your life.

When people ask for forgiveness, we can at least consider it. You can forgive them without letting them back in your life. Their actions will tell you whether they mean it or not. What we do needs to align with what we say.

When someone who has repeatedly hurt you or lied to you wants back in your life, consider the story of the Trojan Horse. Forgive, but don’t forget. Keep the repeat offenders as far away as possible…

Coaching

The coaching business seems to have exploded over the past decade. You can hire a personal coach for business, health, even life coaching is available. For every need there is a coach.

Some of my acquaintances have told me they hired a coach to be an accountability partner. I have hired personal trainers for the past 30 years. I guess they are a coach in a way. My purpose in hiring them is that they will allow me to do some exercises I might not do on my own. And weight training is more fun when you do it with someone.

If you feel stuck in life, like no matter what you do you can’t seem to get ahead or break bad habits, then perhaps hiring a coach might be the right thing for you. Find one you have some chemistry with. Make sure it’s someone who will tell you what you need to hear, not what feeds your ego. You can do that on your own…

May 2025

Since 1949, the month of May has been designated as “Mental Health Awareness Month.” It’s wonderful that we have a month dedicated to mental health, but it’s something we need to focus on daily.

The single, largest mental health diagnosis in the United States is General Anxiety Disorder. While we can look around us and see how stressed the world is, let’s not forget those who suffer in silence. People feel isolated and alone. Yet, we are living in the most electronically connected world that’s ever existed.

People need human connection. Even the CDC recognizes this. From their website:

KEY POINTSStaying connected to others creates feelings of belonging and being loved, cared for, and valued.Social connections are important to our mental and physical health.Being connected to others helps protect against serious illness and disease.People with stronger social bonds are more likely to live longer, healthier lives.

If someone crosses your mind, I encourage you to take a moment and reach out to them. Check on your friends and acquaintances you haven’t heard from in a while. They benefit, but so do you!

And if you are reading this and feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety and dread, please call someone. You don’t have to go through life alone…

Not Promised

Every day is a gift. We take too much for granted when we should view the world in terms of miraculous. Take a moment to consider what would happen if gravity quit working. I believe gravity qualifies as a miracle.

Tomorrow is not promised. We must make each day count. Live like it’s your last day on this side of eternity because it might be. I hope today isn’t my last. There are a lot of things I want to do!

Keep your mind open to new opportunities. Make a list of the people you want to have dinner with. Get outside. Enjoy every moment you have. And make a difference…

Commencement

Recently, I was given the privilege of being the Commencement Speaker for 15 inmates who had earned their G. E. D. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I wish everyone could attend one of these ceremonies.

Commencement means a new start, a new beginning. Even though the graduating inmates weren’t getting released from prison that day, it signified a new chapter in their lives. The look of pride each man had on his face was unmistakable. This day was special. No one could take the moment away from them.

Every moment in life is special. You won’t get this day back, so do your best to live it fully. And don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You might miss something. Stay in the moment.

I guess I did okay with my speech. I received an invitation to give the commencement speech at a women’s prison in June. And as much as I can’t wait for the day to arrive, there are a lot of moments to live between now and then…

The Temple

Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem as a place where people could worship God. It’s sometimes called the first temple. The structure Solomon had built was made from the finest stone and wood. The interior was inlaid with solid gold. It must have been quite a sight.

The Bible tells us that our bodies are temples. This is not a casual observation. It is intended as a reminder of the goodness of God who gave us our bodies to live in. But it’s the whole structure: our minds, heart, lungs, kidneys…everything. We must take care of it.

Solomon never lost sight of his why in this world. He asked God for wisdom, not money or power. All those things followed because Solomon ruled fairly and with the greatest wisdom that ever existed.

Take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Your body is a temple…

Forced

Many years ago there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a character he portrayed in his comedy show named “Geraldine Jones.” In the setup, Flip, as Geraldine would get caught in some bad behavior and “she” would say, “the devil made me do it!” Although Wilson died in 1998, you can find his comedy on YouTube.

We are given the gift of free will. God doesn’t force us to do anything, and that includes loving Him. We can take care of our bodies, or we can live a sedentary lifestyle and have poor health. We can be a jerk and act like the world revolves around us, thereby alienating others. Or, we can be focused on the needs of others and end up with all the friends in the world. Remember George Bailey from the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

(There are children who are forced into forced labor and sex slavery. Always be on the lookout for them. Report suspicious activity to law enforcement).

You have a choice today, right now. Will you live today like it’s your last, or will you just let it pass you by? It really is up to you…