John Harrell's Blog, page 35

The Beauty of America

I have followers in over 160 countries spread throughout the world. I’m grateful for all of you. My home is in Texas. If you have never visited Texas I hope you have an opportunity to. We’re friendly people!

Part of the beauty of the United States is the kindness we show to others, including our enemies. If there was a disaster in Russia, for example, we would be the first to respond. We have a history of helping. If you recall, the United States helped build a sarcophagus over the Chernobyl nuclear reactor after its core was breached.

It’s election season in the United States, and that can bring out some ugliness from some people. The beauty for most of us is, we can vote differently and still remain friends. I believe the heart of mankind is good.

The election will pass and our country will survive. We are better together…

Redirect

For years I have been writing and speaking about controlling our thoughts. It’s challenging, I know, but it can be done.

Here is a solid way to begin the habit of controlling your thinking. I call it redirection. Whenever a potentially destructive thought or impulse enters your mind, instead of acting on it simply do the opposite. You don’t feel like exercising? Visualize yourself looking fit and do it anyway. You want to eat something that isn’t good for your body and overall health? Remember your fit physique visual. Over time, your mind will manifest your new way of thinking.

I get that our minds can seem like they are completely out of control. They really aren’t. You have control of your attitude which will direct your thoughts. Thoughts become actions.

Try it with just one bad habit you want to change. Stick with it and you’ll see the desired results…

Spirits

We know that God is Spirit. Are you aware that there are evil spirits all around us? Alcohol is called spirits. I believe this is because it weakens us. People do things they wouldn’t normally do while drinking.

There is a spiritual battle going on in the unseen world. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t make it less real. An impulse you get that might harm others or yourself originates in the darkness. God cannot cause us to sin. His nature is perfect. Evil causes us to sin and suffer.

Let’s face it, sin is fun. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be tempted to do it. Sinful behavior is only good in the short term. Righteous behavior allows us to be free of worry and guilt. We face the choice of good versus evil every day.

I encourage you to read and absorb God’s Word. Make it part of you. In this world we cannot avoid sin. Yet, God gives us a way to fight through it. Guaranteed…

Trendy

When a new fad comes along, you can’t escape it. Traditionalists like me place an internal bet about how long it will last. It’s the safest bet I have ever made because I can’t lose. Or win, for that matter!

There are some things that never go out of style. Manners, kindness, consideration of others and compassion are just a few examples. The goodness of mankind is on display daily. You have to take the time to notice because there’s a lot of noise vying for your attention.

Let’s keep goodness trending. Fads will forever come and go. Goodness moves mountains…

When Fears Become Gods

Fears can be a powerful force. The fear of missing out is a real phenomenon. And there are over 500 listed phobias. The fear of fears has a name, too. It’s phobophobia. Where should I begin?

If you allow your fears to dominate your thoughts, you can become paralyzed. You are so fearful that you become afraid to make a move. Keeping fear at the forefront of your mind can impair your decision making, and it takes a toll on your overall health. You must find a way to fight through it.

I encourage you to take a break from media, social and political. The MSM pours fear out in truckloads. If they keep you fearful you will tune in because you might miss something. You won’t miss anything, I promise. Take a break. Get outside. Exercise your body and your mind. Your future self will thank you.

Personally, I’m deathly afraid of snakes. If I’m on a lake and I see a snake, I’ll be the third man to walk on water! They creep me out.

Take care of yourself. People need you at your best…

Beautiful

Do you ever look at the night sky and think, how beautiful the stars look? I do. I’m in awe of the natural beauty that surrounds us. It’s everywhere. The mountains and the oceans are magnificent.

It’s said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and there’s a lot of truth in that. No one thinks your children are as beautiful as you think they are. The lens we view the world through matters.

Take in all of the beauty around you, and take care of nature. It’s all we have…

Neighborly

Do you know your neighbors, the people who live next door to you? Over the course of my life, I have had wonderful neighbors and I have had some real jerks (nicest word I could think of), too.

Jesus instructed us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” How do we love or even like people who are real assholes (better description)? Let’s examine.

How we love anyone begins with how we feel about ourselves. Having a healthy self image is a good place to start. Self worth manifests when we take care of ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Being overly critical of everything we do can make us judgmental of others.

Take the time to work on yourself. This isn’t a “one and done,” but it’s an ongoing process. The work is hard, really hard, but it is worth it.

And remember the Golden Rule: treat others the way you would like to be treated. This includes the assholes…

Credit

Whether at work or at home, we contribute to the wellbeing of others. When we are working with a team, if our ideas help the team achieve its goals we want our supervisor to know. When other kids parents compliment our children, we let them know how hard we work in raising our children. We want credit.

But what would happen if we just did our work without caring who gets the credit? Maybe we are afraid we will be overlooked for advancement, or we fear someone else takes credit for our work. These concerns, while legitimate, aren’t really important in the grand scheme of things. We are not looking for recognition from our colleagues, but from an audience of one.

God sees everything. He is around us and in us all the time. He’s keeping his own score. He is just and will make things right.

Do your best, and don’t worry about getting credit. God knows…

Never Seen

People revere celebrities and I’m not sure why. Actors are excellent at their craft, and musicians create music that will go down in history. But they aren’t saving lives. The really great ones aren’t being affected by the economy and skyrocketing cost of living. They are not relatable.

The people I look up to the most will never be famous. You wouldn’t notice them on the street, nor would you pay attention to them if you were on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they were right next to you.

I’m talking about the ones who work like hell to take care of their families. Some are holding down two, even three jobs to make ends meet. The people who clean our hotel rooms, sweep the streets and deliver food and other goods to our stores. Teachers are heroes, too. We trust them with the ones who are most precious to us, our children.

Take time to thank God for the countless unseen people. Without them, none of this works…

All or Some

If you are anything like me, you approach life with optimism, vigor and confidence. You believe anything is possible. But what about when we fall short or we meet frustration after frustration? What happens then?

Those are the dark times, the periods where we keep going even if we aren’t getting anywhere. Just as good times don’t last forever, neither does the darkness. Think back to the times in life where things looked bleak, pointless even. You got through those times and you will thrive again. Believe it.

Life is not “all or nothing.” Believe in yourself and remember, some is better than none…