John Harrell's Blog, page 39

Angry

Have you noticed that people seem to be angrier than they have ever been? People are escorted off of airplanes due to incidents, road rage incursions are increasing, and people are protesting something every weekend. Bad things can happen when people allow their emotions to get out of control.

It’s not always wrong to get angry. I believe we should get angry when we witness injustice. If you harm a child then I am coming for you. Even though it’s protected by the First Amendment, it angers me when I see people burning the flag.

People are so stressed out nowadays. It costs way more to go to the grocery store than it did a year ago. The cost of insuring your car has risen 16.5% in one year, too. There seems to be no end in sight. Despair turns to fear and anger.

The best way to turn anger around is by practicing gratitude. Take inventory of all the good in your life. Do this regularly and watch how you change.

Being grateful changes the lens you see the world through…

No Room At The Inn

In today’s political environment, tempers flare and relationships are damaged, even severed completely. I believe this is ridiculous.

There are over 7 billion people in the world. There isn’t another person who looks like you, thinks like you or believes everything you believe. And that’s good. If we were all the same, life would be very boring. It’s perfectly fine to see the world differently and to have different political beliefs. You should read about the battles the Founding Fathers of the United States engaged in. Yet, they found a way to work together and look what came from that.

Give plenty of margin to your fellow man. There’s room for all of us…

Blogging

Blogging is fascinating to me. I suppose it intrigues me because I don’t understand how it works. One day I will have 600 views while the next day I have 12. Weird, huh?

The purpose of my blog is to, hopefully, make you think. The usual theme is inspirational because I know the world is hurting, and I’m just trying to help. It is heartbreaking to see people struggle.

The world is hard, sometimes cruel, and we need to be reminded to look for the light…

Wholeness

Some babies are born with a small hole in their heart. This is called a septal defect and they typically heal on their own.

Everyone has a different kind of hole in their heart. It’s a spiritual hole. Oh we try to fill it with money and possessions, but those are only temporary fixes. So we chase more money and more stuff which, once again, provides only momentary relief. Then the chase begins again. And again. And again…

Only God can fill the spiritual hole. When you let Him into your life you will find peace and contentment. Your ambition doesn’t wane. It simply becomes more focused. You begin to look for fulfillment by pursuing your true purpose in life.

Start listening. God is always speaking to us…

Charisma

Charisma is defined as “compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.” Being referred to as charismatic is quite a compliment.

How does a person become charismatic? I believe it begins with just being yourself. People who are comfortable with themselves and don’t feel the need to act like someone they’re not are genuine. They are a pleasure to be around. You can differentiate between authentic people and fakes.

Stay true to yourself, work through past trauma, and refuse to change colors for the crowd. Then you will be charismatic…

Transformation

I know many people who can quote verses from Scripture from memory. They can tell you exactly what the Bible says about a wide array of subjects. Now it’s true, the Bible shares what God says about every area of our lives.

The Bible is more than a book. It is the living word of God, and it has power. When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus responded with Scripture. The same tactic works today. The name of Jesus weakens the demons. They cannot stand it because it tortures them. Use it when you feel anxious or fearful.

The Bible is transformative. It changes you because it has the ability to. God works on us from within. We want miracles performed for us, but the real miracle comes from God’s strength that lives inside of us.

I encourage you to see the Bible as more than just a book. That’s because it’s much more…

Education

Being educated is important, wouldn’t you agree? In many ways our students have fallen behind. This is not all the teachers fault.

Horace Mann (1796-1859) is known as the “Father of American Education” because of his great impact on education. Mann believed the best way to deal with unruly children was to educate them. Early educators focused on the head, the hands and the heart. In other words, the brain, the application of knowledge and the emotional well being of children.

Fast forward to today. Teachers are forced to “teach to the test.” STAAR testing is their focus. Do you wonder why? Because test scores determine how much funding they receive from, you guessed it, the federal government. Students are memorizing information so they will do well on the test. I know a lot of educators. Not a single one is an advocate for the test. And students aren’t energized to learn, only to regurgitate a bunch of information.

A better approach is to teach kids critical thinking skills and test their proficiency. Teachers can capture their imagination. Kids will engage their minds.

When you reach the heart of a child, he will give you everything else…

Reception

There are still many “dead zones” where it’s difficult to get good cell phone service. The reception is sketchy if it’s available at all.

How receptive do you consider yourself to be when presented with new ideas and information? I believe most of us would consider ourselves to be open minded. After all, think of what life would be like if we still lived in the Stone Age. We evolved because of our curiosity and implementation.

Elon Musk has been successful on many fronts. He thinks differently so he sees new solutions to longstanding problems. Einstein was the same way. Ford, too.

I encourage you to take a 360 degree approach to life’s challenges. Doing things the same way we’ve always done them might not be the best way.

Think differently…

What A Waste

Almost every time I watch a video on YouTube, before the video begins I have a politician asking me for money. I have never sent a politician even one dollar. I waste enough money in Las Vegas!

In the past I have worked the phone banks for politicians. That’s actually a lot of fun. I got reprimanded (gently) by the campaign staff for asking voters “if they wanted one yard sign or two.” The campaign was running out of signs because my personal campaign was quite successful in placing yard signs!

If you want to use your money more wisely, perhaps buy a few sandwiches and pass them out to hungry people who live on the streets. Look them in the eye when you hand them their food. Let them feel seen.

The people you feed will remember you. The politicians won’t…

When Darkness Comes

The easy times in life don’t last. Too bad, huh? But it’s good to remember that the dark, difficult periods don’t last forever, either.

If you are currently experiencing a challenging situation, I encourage you to hang in there. Take solace in knowing that your resilience is being tested. Strength is built during the hard times, not when life is easy. You will come through if you refuse to give up. Your resolve will be like steel.

Dark periods can feel like we are in a tunnel with no end in sight. Look for the light. It may only be a pin dot, but it’s always there…