I didn't want to hijack the other thread about life not being fair so I thought I would post this here. Being time for my 1000th post I thought about writing about becoming a Christian and my feelings about material possessions.
First some testamonial.
When I wasn't a Christian I thought I had it all. My wife and I had two cars, a house, a barn and 5 acres. We were making over 70 thousand dollars a year and I had to pay for very litttle because I could expense account off just about everything including going to the races up to 3 times a week, including hotel rooms and meals, gasoline, etc. I thought life was pretty good. It wasn't, God wasn't in my life.
In a short amount of time, we had a baby, I got laid off from my high paying job at an oil company, 9/11 occurred and I lost my house. We had nowhere to go but move to North Carolina. God had been pushing us here for 5 years prior to that point but I wouldn't listen.
When we got here my wife and I quickly found God and whatevers happens to us now is through his grace. We still had some troubled times to the point where I had to sell every gun I owned and couldn't hunt one year. But more importantly I realized everything on earth is just "things" material objects that can be replaced.
My wife and I got meaningful jobs as teachers. We make less money than we used to but are satisfied and happy with our lot in lives.
I sleep well at night now and don't take the anti-depressant medications that I did for years.
Remembering our true reward is in Heaven and nothing here on Earth can compare to the riches we will recieve there. I really don't care about where I live, or what I drive, or what I wear, because I know my heavenly father will provide for those needs for me everyday.
I will not covet my neighbor's property. Remembering that our neighbor's property is of this Earth I have no desire for it anymore. Instead I rejoice with my neighbor for what he has.
True happiness can not be found on this world without God in our lives no matter how much money we have. Look at Brittany Spears as a case in point. From the outside that little girl appeared to have it all at an early age.
Here is something I found about dealing with others in life.
Garbage Trucks
by David J. Pollay
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back their focus on what's important.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around, and he started yelling bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almostruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.
So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."
I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life, LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy...They just promised it would be worth it!
"We cannot all do great things but we can do small things with great Love. "~ Mother Theresa
"Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it makes you free."
First some testamonial.
When I wasn't a Christian I thought I had it all. My wife and I had two cars, a house, a barn and 5 acres. We were making over 70 thousand dollars a year and I had to pay for very litttle because I could expense account off just about everything including going to the races up to 3 times a week, including hotel rooms and meals, gasoline, etc. I thought life was pretty good. It wasn't, God wasn't in my life.
In a short amount of time, we had a baby, I got laid off from my high paying job at an oil company, 9/11 occurred and I lost my house. We had nowhere to go but move to North Carolina. God had been pushing us here for 5 years prior to that point but I wouldn't listen.
When we got here my wife and I quickly found God and whatevers happens to us now is through his grace. We still had some troubled times to the point where I had to sell every gun I owned and couldn't hunt one year. But more importantly I realized everything on earth is just "things" material objects that can be replaced.
My wife and I got meaningful jobs as teachers. We make less money than we used to but are satisfied and happy with our lot in lives.
I sleep well at night now and don't take the anti-depressant medications that I did for years.
Remembering our true reward is in Heaven and nothing here on Earth can compare to the riches we will recieve there. I really don't care about where I live, or what I drive, or what I wear, because I know my heavenly father will provide for those needs for me everyday.
I will not covet my neighbor's property. Remembering that our neighbor's property is of this Earth I have no desire for it anymore. Instead I rejoice with my neighbor for what he has.
True happiness can not be found on this world without God in our lives no matter how much money we have. Look at Brittany Spears as a case in point. From the outside that little girl appeared to have it all at an early age.
Here is something I found about dealing with others in life.
Garbage Trucks
by David J. Pollay
How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back their focus on what's important.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around, and he started yelling bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almostruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.
So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."
I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life, LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy...They just promised it would be worth it!
"We cannot all do great things but we can do small things with great Love. "~ Mother Theresa
"Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it makes you free."
![IMG 0293[1]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/0/247-1fe6b661fac33287c701b706af9ff830.jpg?1712488359)
