John Harrell's Blog, page 7

Trading Places

Do you ever look at someone else’s life and wish that was you? Maybe you would love to trade places with them if even for just one day. That might not be a bad idea.

People are great actors yet they don’t receive awards for the parts they play in real life. They might be falling apart inside but you would never know it. The great comedian Robin Williams took his own life and he had everything so many want. His brilliant comedy masked the pain he was carrying inside, a pain that never goes away.

If you were able to trade places with someone who you believe has it all together, you would see that they don’t. Everyone has challenges. Others are dealing with different problems than you, but they still have them.

God gave you the life you have. He has equipped you with everything you need to thrive, to find fulfillment. God never said it would be easy, nor did he say this side of eternity would be perfect. He did say our faith would be shaken. Mine has been. Yours probably has been, too.

Keep your mind focused on your purpose. Everyone has one. Find yours and give it everything in you…

Second Chances

There is a song by the group Shinedown that I really like. The song is called “Second Chance.” In the song is a lyric: “Sometimes goodbye is a second chance.” Perhaps there is something, or even someone in your life that it’s time to say goodbye to.

Everyone has a bad habit or two. They know it so you don’t need to point it out to them. They will break free when they are ready and not one second before. They will be doing it for themselves and not because of your nagging.

Sometimes there are people in your life who need to go. It might be a member of your family. It’s okay to say goodbye to them if they aren’t good for you. Maybe they constantly criticize you or cut you down. There’s a difference between constructive criticism which is done in private and criticism that’s designed to hurt you or embarrass you.

Do what you need to do to protect your mental and physical health. It’s your life. Make choices that bring out the best in you.

If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be any good to anyone else…

Chores

Today is trash day! It seems like life is a never ending to-do list of stuff to cross off the list: laundry, empty the dishwasher, pay bills, and, of course, take the trash out. But here’s a different perspective on chores.

There are people who would love to be physically able to do the mundane stuff we complain about. Either they haven’t taken good enough care of themselves or they are disabled, but whatever the reason they just can’t make it through. What we take for granted, they cherish.

My encouragement to you is to look forward to taking out the trash. Or emptying the dishwasher. Or doing laundry. Or walking to the mailbox. Turn the things you dread into celebrations. Yes, I said it. Look forward to the boring, mundane but necessary to-do list. Focus on how good you feel after crossing something off your list.

It’s all attitude…

Originality

The meme creators are having a field day! I must admit, there are some seriously funny, creative people out there. But some of the creations are intended for harm.

People share others creations readily on social media without checking the veracity of it. The volume of stuff is too much for a successful person to investigate. Time is precious and time is limited. We have to use it wisely.

Some of the inaccuracies are meant to influence young people. Misleading a child is one of the most heinous things that someone can do. When people hurt children I tend to go al-Qaeda on them.

My encouragement to you is, get on the creative side of your brain. Create original material, stuff that will inspire and encourage others. You are an original creation made for a purpose by the Creator of everything good. Use your talents. Keeping them hidden helps no one…

It All Started With A Mouse

Walt Disney is a name that is recognized all over the world. Disney was born in 1901 and raised in an abusive home. It was so bad that two of Disneys older brothers ran away from home before finishing high school. Walt tried to escape by enlisting in the military to fight in World War I, but was rejected, being only 15 years old at the time.

When he was in his 20’s, Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded Disney Brothers Studio in 1923. His first animated character was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Through a series of underhanded moves by a competitor, Oswald was stolen from Disney. Oswald never made it big but Walt’s next character did. You know him as Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse first appeared in “Steamboat Willie” in 1928. The cartoon was the first to synchronize sound with animation. In 1937, Walt Disney mortgaged his home to produce “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.” It was the first full-length animated film and to the surprise of his many critics, it was a blockbuster hit! So much for the self-proclaimed experts.

Walt Disney died shortly after his 65th birthday. By the time of his death he had won 22 Academy Awards, still a record for an individual. It’s fair to say that Walt Disney changed the world of entertainment for children and adults.

One of Disney’s favorite sayings was, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney had an impossible dream, starting with a drawing of a mouse. What’s your dream?

The Seduction of Wealth

We revere our celebrities, don’t we? People Magazine, Star Weekly, even the National Enquirer found success dishing on the lives of the rich and famous.

You have probably heard it said that money is power. The truth is, money is potential power. Resources such as wealth and notoriety offer the holder great opportunities to do good. If we make a lot of money but only use it for ourselves, that will leave people feeling hollow and empty.

Over the course of my life I have been privileged to know some famous people. They have tremendous resources and access, yet to a person they are just normal people who haven’t forgotten how blessed they are. They are quietly charitable even though their lives are lived in the public eye. This is a testament to their character.

Recently, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez married in Italy. The cost of the wedding was estimated at $50 million. Some critics called out Bezos for the extravagance of it all. The critics failed to acknowledge the billions Bezos has given to worthy causes, including $100 million per year to provide free preschool. And think about what the wedding did for the local economy of Venice, Italy.

Money can seduce you if you aren’t careful. Don’t chase it and don’t worship it. Save your worship for God. He gives us everything good in our lives. It’s up to us to determine how we use it…

Finding God

A couple of years ago, on a Sunday morning, I was driving through my neighborhood headed to church. I saw a family of four riding their bicycles going the opposite way. Dad was in front followed by two young kids who were probably 5 and 6. Mom was bringing up the rear. I thought to myself that what I was seeing was a version of church. They weren’t home sitting around watching television or playing video games. They had togetherness. Doesn’t that sound like church?

Everyone is trying to find God whether they acknowledge it or not. The 17th century French philosopher Pascal said we “had a God-shaped vacuum” in our hearts that only God could fill. People pursue spiritual connection through everything from prayer and church to yoga and spiritual retreats. We pursue the Divine yet He pursues us at the same time. Why are we missing each other?

We find God in the quiet. We find him in our service to others. We find him in nature. And we can see God manifest goodness when tragedy strikes. He’s there. We just need to look.

God wants our hearts. All through the Bible are references to God examining the heart. He doesn’t need anything more than our willingness.

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Slow down. Get quiet. Find Him…

Childlike Curiosity

We can learn a lot from toddlers. Yes, they ask a ton of questions, but they are just trying to learn. Everything catches their attention. You can almost see the neurons in their developing brains exploding.

Have you ever met someone who thinks they know everything? These so-called “experts” are draining to be around. They must weigh in on every discussion, letting us know how bright they are. These types of people rarely learn anything because they think they know it all already. Considering another point of view is foreign to them. Let them speak long enough and they will show you how little they actually know.

My encouragement to you is to approach life with the openness and curiosity of a child. Ask questions about everything. Children ask because they want to learn. Toddlers aren’t trying to show off how smart they are. They learn that behavior later.

Little children are pure and sweet, too. They are always watching, always learning, always curious…

Baggage

The baggage I’m referring to in the title is unresolved trauma and emotional pain. When people say they don’t have baggage they mean they have been healed from their past. But what about those who are still carrying a heavy load?

From my reading and observation, over 80% of families in the United States are experiencing dysfunction. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse are spiking northward. Children, of course, are the most vulnerable. We can, we must reverse this trend.

Family values get ridiculed by some. But a solid family who resolves conflicts, loves each other and learns resilience provides the foundation for a better community. If you don’t know how to be a good parent, you can learn. There are multiple resources available through books and the internet. Even better, talk to people who have raised good kids. You can learn a lot from people who have been there before.

If you are dealing with issues from your past you need to heal from, I encourage you to talk about your life with a trusted friend. Find a psychotherapist who will walk you through it. There is peace on the other side of pain.

Most importantly, face it and don’t give up. It’s time to live fully…

If You Need To Tell…

“Tell me about yourself” is a frequent question I ask people when I’m trying to get to know them. Most people speak humbly about themselves, telling me little about their accomplishments. Only when I probe a little deeper is when I find out what they are most proud of.

Social media has caused some people to do whatever they can to get noticed. The posts range from pictures of food or vacations to outrageous activities. Some are entertaining while others are disgusting. Either way, mission accomplished.

Then there are people who like to remind you they are a leader. These types will rattle off their professional resumes with very little prompting. If you need to tell others how great you are, you probably aren’t. But there are exceptions.

Humility doesn’t mean you go through life with your head down. Humility means you are in touch with who you are more than what you do. You do your work quietly and efficiently.

Work hard. Stay humble. People will notice your accomplishments without you having to say a word…