John Harrell's Blog, page 31

Tis the Season…

December has arrived! Thanksgiving is behind us and now Christmas is staring us in the face. Don’t sweat it. Just like every other year, you will get everything done.

For some, the holidays won’t be the same this year. Perhaps they suffered a loss during the year, or maybe their relationships with their family is fractured. Maybe they received a bad medical report and they are considering that this might be their last Christmas. These are real life situations that exist all around us.

Take a moment to think about the people you know. If someone comes to mind who might be struggling, pick up the phone and give them a call. Just checking on people goes a very long way.

Take the time…

Naturally

Some relationships evolve so naturally that they seem effortless. You get each other and feel safe expressing yourself without judgment. Your rhythms are in sync with one another’s.

Our bodies are designed to process what we eat in the same way. Additives, dyes and fillers alter our DNA so we can accommodate unnatural foods being introduced into our system. Fortunately, this is reversible. We truly are what we eat, as the old saying goes.

Natural sunlight, organic fruits and vegetables are good for us. When you eat organic, non-processed foods you feel different, better. Yes, they are more expensive, but what is our health and longevity worth?

I encourage you to take in more of the natural beauty that surrounds you, and turn off the trash on the airwaves. Your future self will thank you…

Asking For A Friend…

We see Facebook posts from people asking about certain situations, whether they are acceptable or not. Oftentimes they are “asking for a friend.” This is code for “I’m asking for myself!”

Most of the posts are funny. But what about the questions that go unasked? People are hurting. Mental health was shredded from isolation during the pandemic, and it hasn’t recovered. We are hardwired to be connected with others, not isolated.

The holidays are upon us and we are told to be cheerful and merry. At Thanksgiving we are instructed to be thankful for what we have. The holidays bring up the sins of the past. Not every family was functional. For some of us, Christmas and Thanksgiving were huge disappointments.

I encourage you to reach out to others when you are hurting or lonely. Don’t let pride stop you or even slow you down. It’s perfectly acceptable and normal to need to be heard.

In the words of Dr. Frasier Crane, I’m listening…

Finite

We are here for a short period of time. Compared to eternity, it wouldn’t even be a drop in the ocean.

God has determined not only the length of our lives, but He chose the period in history we were to be born in. My purpose for being here would not have served God’s purposes if I was born in the 1400’s for example. This suggests there is no randomness to our being here. There is a reason.

It is true that I have wasted a lot of time in my life. Chasing things I thought would fulfill me never worked out. Striving for the Creators purpose is the only thing that has ever filled the hole in my heart. You have the same hole. What are you trying to fill it with?

I encourage you, don’t waste another minute. Pursue your purpose with your entire being. The day will come when we all will check out.

Finish well…

Don’t Look Away

Over the course of my life I have learned that there are many people who have demons to rid themselves of, yet they refuse to face them. You can quash them for a while, but they always return.

Inner workings are difficult. They allow us to look not only at decisions and behaviors we made, but why we made them. When you remove the root cause, you have freed yourself from destructive thoughts and actions.

People put off doing self-work. I get it because you are taking responsibility for your actions, and not everyone wants to do that. You no longer have anyone to blame. But you grow immensely by the process. And aren’t we all trying to grow?

My encouragement to you is, if you know there are things you know you need to work on, stop putting it off. Face your inner demons. Stare them down and change your thought patterns.

Freedom is waiting for you on the other side. Walk into the light. Take that brave first step today…

Interview with Travis Taylor

Travis Taylor is a bright light in a dark world. His life journey has been filled with hardship as well as joy. Travis will tell you he barely has a high school diploma, but his life experiences are worth at least a Masters Degree.

Travis is the Worship Pastor and an Associate Teaching Pastor at an Austin mega church. He uses the pain from his past to teach and inspire others. Please take a moment to reflect on how in the darkness, there is hope…

Unlimited

We have unlimited potential to do great things, to be a true difference maker. What’s stopping us? I believe we stop ourselves and we stop God from working through us. Let me explain.

All of us have very full calendars. We cram more into a week than we can possibly handle because “the busiest person wins the race.” We should take the time to consider how much of what we are doing is important.

The converse of this is laziness and giving in to distractions. Instead of doing something fulfilling, let’s just watch some television and relax. Or maybe play a game on our phone. Those things will take our minds off the business of tomorrow.

You have a strong spirit of desire inside of you. It’s like a fire. Perhaps your fire is down to the embers. Throw a log on it and bring it back to life.

Don’t wait! Begin now…

Consequences

Yesterday, I started working out with a new trainer. Today I am very sore from the workout. That’s a good thing because it lets me know the workout was effective.

Actions without consequences teaches us nothing. Over the years I have seen people start eating healthier and begin an exercise regimen after they had a health scare. They suddenly were properly motivated to take better care of themselves.

Toddlers can be told to not touch the stove, but they do it anyway. Getting burned taught them that perhaps they should listen to their parents. By not listening you might get burned!

When we are facing situations that might lead us into trouble, take a moment to consider what the after effects look like. Will you feel better about yourself? Will it enrich your life? If the answer is yes, then proceed. If it’s no, well, you know…

I encourage you to take the time to think things through. Get off the emotional side of your brain. If you do, life might go a little more smoothly…

Family Time

Oftentimes when I ask people if they have vacation plans they respond, “yes, I’m going to visit some of my family.” My response is that family trips aren’t a vacation, they’re an obligation!

With the holidays approaching families will be together, hopefully celebrating and not fighting. Yesterday I had lunch with a friend of mine whose brother has cut off contact with him because of politics. From my observation, this is happening more and more frequently. It’s sad, really. Differences in political beliefs should not be a dividing line.

One of the foundations of our identity is our family. I came from a completely dysfunctional family, but the dysfunction stopped with me. I healed and did not pass on the craziness to my sons. It took work, but my children are much more important than my comfort.

It’s okay to disagree with your family. If you ever found someone, anyone, who agreed with you all the time, they are a chameleon and not to be trusted.

Stand by your family. They will be the ones who remember you. The politicians won’t…

The Babylon Bee

The Babylon Bee is a satire site and it’s hilarious. Satire is defined as, “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.”

Politicians give a guy like me a lot to work with. Some of the things they say are either outrageous or pandering. They love to talk down to us to remind us how smart they are. Yet, they have managed to put us $36 trillion in debt. Who’s the smart people?

And some religious leaders have their own share of ridiculousness. One popular “clergyman” has a fleet of private jets and said, “God told him he wanted him to have those jets.” (And no, it wasn’t Joel Osteen). I can’t prove it, but I doubt God told him that!

We need to laugh to get through life. Take a look at The Babylon Bee if you dare. But be prepared! They might make fun of your favorite politician!