The difference between a leader and a boss... At various points in our lives we find that we have different authority figures who we either report to or are held accountable. In my walk I have had some great ones and some... well... "interesting " ones! The interesting ones have been bosses. They dictate, spout negativity, and attempt to rule by fear and intimidation. These "bosses" seem to never get much good done and those under them tend to move on to other jobs, ta

Don’t turn a bad moment into a bad day…. Have you ever noticed that what you focus on influences how you feel and act? For instance, playing with children can make some older folks feel young and more alive. How about the feeling of accomplishment after completing a workout at the gym? What about the uncomfortable and unpleasant parts of our day that we all have? Have you ever noticed what happens when we focus on that? It tends to drag us into the negative mindset and bring

Where are your thoughts coming from?.. Ever have those thoughts that just won’t go away? Some are good, some can be not so good, and then there are the pesky / funny thoughts like Peyton Manning humming the Nationwide jingle that is still floating around in my head! Luckily for me and those around me I have not allowed this thought, as well as a few others to control my actions and attitudes. We eventually become what we think. It’s part of our human condition as well as a sp

Remember the story about the 3 little pigs and the big bad wolf? If you don't then Google it, but if you do then you will know the moral of the story. We are only as safe and firm as our foundation and the materials we choose to use to build with. I have seen this throughout my life. From the choices I have made to the habits, rewards, and even consequences that have come from them, I have learned that I have to make sure I am building onto my foundation with solid spiritual

There is good GPS and not so good GPS…. I have had the pleasure to travel a bit for my day job. What a beautiful country we live in! It was nice to have a GPS system to guide me to where I needed to be. Left to my own devices and road maps, it would not have gone so well! It’s the same with our spiritual walk. We can build our relationship with Jesus using the GPS in the Bible that will give us the true direction for our lives. Unfortunately, there are also others who, while

Last is first… This is a fun time of year to watch people if you are a people watcher! It’s so inspiring to see the love folks have for others displayed as they shop and search for the gifts that they want to get for their loved ones. They forgo lunch to shop, they multi-task in order to have extra time to pick up the items that they want to give loved ones, and they even cover for one another other tasks to allow the time needed to pick up the treasures to put under the tree

We get what we give… It seems to be a common line of thought and an acceptable practice these days to look for the bad and find fault in others as part of the attempt to build ourselves up. Perhaps you have learned the hard way, like I have, that all this brings us misery, chaos, and trouble. When I took an honest look at my part in these behaviors years ago, I knew I had to make a change. Just like the spiritual principle says, we GET what we GIVE. I find that when I spend m

What is your power source?.. Red Bull, coffee, Protein shakes, Power Bars, and all sorts of other products promise us energy. Many other products promise to enhance our power. Bodybuilders and folks into fitness and exercise routines gain physical strength and stamina, but, …. Where do we really get our POWER from? We see stories from time to time about folks doing superhuman feats to save another or help someone in danger. I bet if you take a look at the events of your lifet

Picking our battles… Perhaps it’s different for you but every now and then when I am alone with my thoughts, the quiet thought that has been with me for most of my life tries to remind me that not only am I a loser but also I am not worthy of others. Now thankfully I have enough Jesus in my heart and step work from over 30 years of sobriety to remind me quickly that this thought is not mine, it is from my disease; get it? DIS-EASE… The disease of addiction capitalizes on this

If you can't see it, then BE it!.. Here is a suggestion. Think about this and try it today and this week! While going about your normal day and doing your same routines, look around today using the eyes of your heart. Find someone doing some good and go out of your way to thank them. Do something good unexpectedly for another person today. You will make their day and your heart will thank you!.... Check your experience… "Helping others is the foundatio

He sees everything… I love watching people. I learn so much from others. It’s interesting to me to watch folks as they interact with others. My experience has been that different situations bring different actions and behaviors. For instance, at the fast-food drive-through, the focus is on the order, as both the attendant and the customer are centered on the purchase of a pre-established menu item, pretty much a no-brainer. Then there is the grocery store and the need to be i

Trying to fill that hole in our hearts… Have you ever noticed that in certain times of trial or stress, no matter how much thought, effort, and will you give it, it just doesn’t seem enough? Or perhaps you are struggling with that empty feeling and no matter what you attempt to do or use to overcome it, the hole remains. That hole is in our hearts and no amount of food, relationships, material things, booze, drugs, or any other man-made solution will fill it. That is Jesus kn

Drop the rocks... Did you ever notice that in times of stress, fear, or extended worry your back usually aches and your shoulders and neck are stiff and tight? Sheesh! What's up with that? You are probably familiar with the term 'carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders'; and that is exactly what we are trying to do during these painful times! We can't change people, places, things, or situations. So why do we load our hearts and minds with the weight of things, we

Is your battery fully charged?.. 20 plus years ago when cell phones were new, they were an oddity and not something viewed as a necessity, just an expensive “toy” if you will. Nowadays they are in everyone’s hands. They are our timekeepers, and personal assistants, and sadly in ever-growing numbers, our main form of communication and connection with others. What is funny to me is that with all this technology in our hands, we are now a society dependent on electrical outlets!

Take off your shoes… Years ago when I was on staff at Salvation Army as a counselor, I taught a class for the men in the Adult Recovery Center in Sacramento. One of the more popular lessons I taught was called “Take off your shoes” I would post a sign outside of the chapel that served as our classroom asking all who entered to. take off their shoes. Everyone complied and no one ever had a serious problem with the request. I would then share with the men how we are always will

Another type of "Book Learnin'"... We go to school for 12 or more years to get our education. Most of us get some sort of on-the-job training from our employers. A lot of us get many educational lessons from the school of hard knocks. And a few of us get ongoing education from our Big Book and its daily 12 Step practices. But what about Spiritual learning? I have yet to see it on any applications in the working world. The lessons I am finally learning in life come from the Bi