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2010

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2009

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2008

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2007

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2006

• October
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• December

DECEMBER, 2006

• Seeing the sun (if only for a moment) on a cold dreary day brings a reminder that the cold and dreariness will pass. When people are suffering, you might not be able to take away the pain, but you can be a warm and gentle reminder that it will pass.
• Listening isn't the annoying prelude to hearing your own voice. It's the chance to let a person hear themselves clearly.
• The only life God gave you to live is your own. If you've got a lot of ideas about what other people should be doing with their's, you're probably not doing enough with your's.
• Do you absolutely crack yourself up? Laugh uproariously at your own jokes? We all need a good laugh. It's a lot easier when you don't have to rely on someone else to get it.
• When someone tells you their dream, don't tell them why it won't work. Encourage them to pursue it. It may work. It may lead them to a different dream that works. The pursuit of the dream will improve them no matter what.
• St. Nicholas Day: Before he got to be Santa Claus, St. Nicholas spent some time in the slammer courtesy of the Roman Empire. They thought he and the other followers of that guy they'd crucified in Jerusalem 270 plus years before were a threat to the Empire. They were right. The whole unconditional love thing was eradicating fear and its hard to have much of an empire without fear. So, this Christmas season, be like Jolly Old St. Nick. Be a threat. Subvert fear with the love of God.
• If you judge people, you have no time to love them. (Mother Teresa).
• Don't quarantine love. When you've got it, get out and infect as many people as possible.
• Start loving people immediately. A minute from now might be too late.
• A problem is an opportunity trying to get your attention.
• We are Play Doh®. Our relationship with God is the container. If we're in the container when someone needs us, we're fresh and can be used effectively. If we've been out of the container for awhile, we're hard, brittle, and useless.
• Today is the 215th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution soon after its ratification to secure the rights of the citizens against the power of the federal government. Are you feeling secure? Ultimately, nothing written on a piece of paper can secure anything. It's only those things written on the heart that govern our behavior. Let's commit ourselves to letting God write His love and respect for each person on our hearts so that the people in our lives can live securely in the liberty God intended for them.
• Today is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party when colonists tossed crates of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the "tea tax" which they viewed as a sign of British oppression. It's time to have your own personal Boston Tea Party. What fears and worries are you allowing to oppress you? Job? Money? Family relationships? Take action! Don't leave those fears sitting on the deck. Identify them, pick them up, a chuck them overboard. It'll start a revolution in your life.
• Hope is fed by gratitude. If you're grateful for the good in your life today, you can hope for even better tomorrow. If you're not grateful for what you've got today, it's difficult to believe things can be better tomorrow.
• Don’t fail to do good because you're afraid your motive isn't pure. It's probably impossible to do something good with 100% pure motivation. At some level you're thinking "I sure am a great human being for doing this!" Do it anyway. Don't deny someone the benefit of a good deed so you can be humble. That's not humility. It's selfishness.
• Never be a "grown-up." It's ok to be responsible but don't be dull while you're doing it.
• Don't worry about being misunderstood. Do good without worrying what other people will think about you. They may question your motives and wonder what you're trying to get out of it. It doesn't matter. If you let yourself think "What will ___ think if I do this?" you'll never do anything worthwhile. It's not about you anyway, is it?
• Winter solstice. Nature's not providing much light today. Be sure to supply some to the people you meet.
• What makes you laugh really hard? Are you laughing just thinking about it? If not, keep thinking till you do!
• Be responsible for your own happiness. It's too important to leave to someone else.
• December 24: Kids are excited today about what's coming. They know good things await. Learn from them and take that excitement into each day. Each moment brings the promise of good things to those who are looking.
• December 25: Christmas is God coming to us in a form we can recognize. You may be the only Christmas some people experience.
• Write down ten things you are grateful for. For each thing think of a way to appreciate it more. If it's a person, make a plan to see them more. If its an activity, schedule time to do it more. Treat yourself. Don't be lazy about enjoying what's important to you.
• Did you make your list of ten things you're grateful for and make a plan to appreciate each thing more? If you didn't, DO IT! Don't be a slacker!! If you did it (and I'm sure you all did), excellent! Re-read the list and make sure you've scheduled time to see the person or do the activity in the very near future. This is important. Don't cheat yourself.
•   Everyone wants to be noticed in a positive manner. Notice them and tell therm what you see.
•   The face in the mirror is the face of Christ. If you saw someone else this morning, start over! The world needs to experience Christ’s presence in you.
•   Exercising in frequent intense short bursts increases your heart’s capacity to perform under stress. Generosity in frequent short bursts increases your heart’s capacity to give big when it’s needed. Get in shape!
•   New Year's Eve: Time to count your blessings. Actually, it's always time to count your blessings but today makes a convenient excuse for reflection. Relax and take some time to reflect on the things on your "grateful list" (or actually make the list if you have been procrastinating!!). When midnight arrives, be overwhelmed by all that is good in your life and look forward to how your attitude of gratitude is going to govern your new year.