Give it One More Try, One Thousand and One More Times

     
I'm currently reading a book by Dr. Robert Schuller entitled "Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do". It was written in 1979 right after the recession which was probably a great deal of the motivation for Dr. Schuller writing the book as a source of inspiration for so many that had struggled to survive through the tough financial straits of that decade. Honestly though, this book could have been written in the 1970's, the 1870's, the1370's, or even 1370 BC, tough times have always existed and if I had a crystal ball I could pretty much see that tough times will continue to exist. Not trying to be pessimistic, only realistic. I have heard it often said that you have either just gone through a tough time, you are currently in a tough time, or you are headed right into a tough time and that unfortunately, fortunately, is a cycle that just keeps on giving. I say unfortunately then fortunately for a reason. As the title of Dr. Schuller's book states, tough times don't last, but tough people do, and the underlying truth to that statement is that when we decide that the tough times are ours and we must deal with those tough situations, then somehow, miraculously, those tough times just don't seem quite as tough anymore. Those tough times become our motivation, the fuel in our tank that moves us forward allowing us to place that tough time in our rear-view mirror, enabling us to face the day that lies in front of us instead of the sun set that is behind us.
      The key to making a tough time your motivator hangs in the balance of perseverance and grit. Going through tough times, I mean really tough times can be rough, even seemingly unbearable, but it is those deemable tough times that build the character, the integrity to push forward and to never quit. As you read this you may be saying, "That's easy for you to say, if you were dealing with what I am going through you wouldn't be so positive, so thankful for what I am dealing with.", and guess what you are right I don't know what you are going through or the complexity of your "tough time", yet I do know that it is yours and you have a choice that you have to make on your own. Will you accept it, own it, and overcome it mentally, physically, or more importantly spiritually? Or will you allow that "tough time" to be your anchor, your yoke, that you are going to bear alone for the rest of your days? Referring back to the quote, "Tough times never last..." that's right they never last, but they can definitely outlast you and actually go right to the grave with you if you allow it. You have to change your mindset and turn what could be something that prohibits your progress and ultimate success, to something that you use as energy to reach the goals, your purpose, in this life you are were designed to live.
     My dear friend KC shared a video with me this week that pretty much sums up the mentality of how you can take what appears to be one of the toughest times possible into a motivation for living the life you have to the fullest. I am providing the trailer for the Netflix short movie "ZION" to allow you to see that tough times do exist, but you determine how long they are deemed tough and when they actually become your grit to carry on. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7820962/videoplayer/vi3089152793?ref_=tt_ov_vi
    If you just took the time to watch Zion's trailer, may I ask the question "What do any of us have to deal with that we should say, "wow, I've got it bad?" This young man has definitely taken his "tough times" and has and will continue to motivate lives around the world, just like he did mine!
      You are going to face tough times period. You may be in a tough time, or heaven forbid you may be headed right into a challenging tough life situation, I am certain we all have our "yoke" we will carry, but I also know that you do not have to carry that burden alone. Jesus spoke these very words for you, for me, and for anyone that is facing a tough time in their life, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Take comfort in His promise, be energized and motivated by His assurance, and when you feel like you can't go on, just remember you do not have to "go on" by yourself, you have an encourager and provider that is always right there with you every step you make. 
I'll conclude today's FTM Thought with this quote from Thomas Edison the early American inventor credited with the invention of the electric light bulb. Edison's words should serve as a constant motivation for us all. Edison said, "When you've exhausted all possibilities, remember this: You haven't!"
"Never give up, never quit, and always do your best!"
Coach Carter

The Nudge

     
Just about every day, no literally every day, as I sit down to read or write in my quiet space, my best four-legged friend situates herself beside my chair and slips her nose up under my arm and gives me a simple nudge for some ear scratching attention. If that first nudge doesn't work, she persists to not only give me a nudge, but she also adds a paw on my arm. She wants my attention and she intends on getting it! In our own daily lives, we receive those same types of nudges to do the things we are intended to do, but unfortunately many times we aren't paying attention to the nudge that we are receiving.
     Day in and day out we tell people that are in need, "just let me know if you need anything", or we placate ourselves by telling ourselves that said person in need "has my number and they never did call me??" But the nudge to do something to help somebody isn't only relegated to those in our immediate family or circle of friends, no in many cases we see the need glaring at us in our schools, our neighborhoods, in the news, or on some other form of social media interaction. We see it, but we just don't get the nudge. I suppose we are waiting for someone to give us a call and ask huh? Or for God to tell me what He wants me to do or where he wants me to go. Where's our nudge?
     I would suggest to each of us that I believe we get those nudges each day, we just choose not to hear them or we honestly may not realize we just received a nudge. We are waiting on something to hit us over the head, a frantic phone call, an all-points bulletin, or maybe even a natural disaster before we make the decision to get involved. That's what happened in the life of Elijah, he was waiting for guidance from God and he was expecting it to come in the form of some powerful manner, but it just wasn't meant to be that way. First, Elijah looked for God's message in tornado like wind conditions, but no message. Next, there was an earthquake, surely God's guidance would be revealed through something as powerful as an earth-shattering event such as this, nothing. Then came the fire, the destructive force of nature that brings all life to attention and alerts anything in its path of the oncoming fire, but no message from God existed in the fire. No, none of these major events provided the guidance Elijah was seeking, it came to him with a simple nudge. The Bible tells us that after the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, God passed by and provided His message to Elijah through a small, still voice 1 Kings 19:11-13. When we aren't listening, when we aren't seeking, we may be receiving that little nudge to action, but we aren't in the zone to receive what God is sending.
      How do we know when we are receiving a nudge since all nudges don't come from four- legged best paw friends? We have to be asking, seeking, knocking and intentionally pursuing those nudges that are being sent our way today. (Matthew 7:7-12) We walk by more opportunities to help, to get involved, or to hear what we are being called to do each day just because we aren't actively listening for that direction we need to pursue. A simple story from a student about what's going on in their home, a friend or maybe even a complete stranger that looks our way only to have us look away to the things and matters of our self-centered little world. The opportunities present themselves each day and if you are reading this today, you need to be seeking your "to do" list for the day. If you want to convince yourself that you don't have anything to offer, go ahead and try, but let me assure you that you do have something to offer. An ear, your voice, your hands and your feet need to get moving, start taking action, and start making a difference in the world you live. Be alert, listen for that small, still voice because not everybody has a buddy like Essie to nudge us into action!
Coach Carter

Pulling Up or Pushing Down

     
The question begs to be answered, "which is easier, to pull something or to push something?" I asked my friend and co-worker Sarah Cates that very question one day this week as we were moving textbooks out from the main office for our school system to the elementary and middle schools in our district. We had loaded so many boxes on the flatbed dolly that it was a challenge to get the necessary momentum to even start a roll down the hallway. I was behind the dolly pushing and not much was happening, so that is when my STEM mind pondered the question about pushing or pulling. Dr. Tony Dalton who happened to be standing within earshot, offered his analysis of the inquiry with the thought that it is much easier to push something using our legs more than it is to use our back more with the pulling motion. I agreed. Satisfied that I was in the best possible position to get the dolly on its way, I proceeded to push a little more and eventually get the needed momentum to roll the books on down the hall. As I was pushing I began asking myself "In life, is it easier to push somebody down, or to pull somebody up?" and that is today's topic for our Flat Tire Ministry Thought for the Week.
      I believe those educated in the realm of physics would agree that it is much easier to push something (or someone for our purpose) down a hill than it is to pull something / someone up that same hill. It has a great deal to do with simple gravity. The momentum factor makes it so much easier to push something down, and adversely gravity creates an additional foe in pulling something / someone up from below. Could that be why it is so common in today's world for people to spend more of their time putting people down and pushing them down with their words and actions? Maybe, if I push you down, then I can step on your back to get me to a higher position than I currently stand? Maybe, I won't look as bad if I push you down below where I am, which results in me looking better than you at least. Maybe, it's just too hard to pull you up because it would take the effort that I just don't want to exert because you just aren't worth it? I'm not able to tell you why people choose to push others down rather than to pick them up, but I can tell you that pushing them down is not your job in this life.
     Just because it is easier doesn't always make it right. Pushing books down the hall on the dolly definitely was the right approach over pulling them down the hall, but pushing people down for whatever reason is not cool nor is it acceptable in the eyes of God. Paul, the apostle, wrote in Colossians 3:17 that "whatever we do in word or deed we should do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." So, whatever we do, we should be doing it for the Lord, and I'm pretty sure pushing people down isn't in the list of ways to serve the Lord if we are truly part of His workforce. Remember that whole thing about "do unto others as you would have them do to you" Luke 6:31, and "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16. If we are to be the hands and feet of God then we need to do some self-evaluating and get busy pulling somebody up the hill!
      My personal belief system is that everyone wants to help pull someone up from their pain or suffering, to make life better for someone else so that they in turn can make life better for someone or a group of “someones”. Tell me that somewhere in our hearts that urge exists for everyone! If so then why are so many people so busy tearing others down with their words and actions? My guess is it all comes back to gravity, it's easier to push than to pull. Wow, gravity will bring us back down to ground when we jump up and gravity will allow us to push someone down the hill so that they never get to where we are standing. 
      Today I refuse to allow gravity to determine my role in life, I refuse to take the easy way out and push rather than to pull others up! Exert some energy, use your back, lift and hoist, pull somebody up from their current position in life. You have been given the opportunity, you have the tools, and you are tasked to help others as your responsibility in life. Do it, get to it, stop taking the easy route pushing down others just because it is easier. Make a commitment to help others, lift others up, and to pull with all your might to bring someone up from the hole they are in to the mountain on which you are standing. Let someone else gain the same view that you are enjoying in life, and remember someone did just that for you! Pay it forward my friend Coach Carter 

If You Don't Like the Song, Change the Station

      
     Have you ever been driving down the road, windows rolled down, enjoying the breeze, listening to some tunes on the radio when a song that just doesn't fit the mood hits the airwaves? Well I'm guessing it's pretty easy to predict what the majority of us do in such a situation, we reach over to the dash and change the station to something that fits our mood a little better. No since in ruining the mood listening to a song that obviously would just take the mood south. We don't hesitate to change the station when a song comes on we don't like, as a matter of fact, I'm prone to channel surf until I find a song that fits me just right, Goldilocks style. But, in our day to day lives many of us trudge along doing the same old things, hanging out with the same old drag me down acquaintances, or simply complaining about our jobs, or our position in life. It may not be quite as simple as pushing a button on your dash, but if you don't like the song your life is playing then change the station!
     So many times, people spend the majority of their lives complaining about their life's status. They don't like their job, they aren't happy with their housing situation, or possibly it's more personal like a body image matter. Guess what you have the solution right there at the tip of your finger, change it. If you are miserable at your job, actively take the steps it takes to make a career change. If you aren't happy in your home paint it, remodel it, or move. Don't sit around and complain about it bringing everyone else around you down as you go. Say you're not happy with your body image, change it. Exercise, eat healthier, eat less, exercise more, watch T.V. less, walk, run, swim, or get involved in a sport that fits your lifestyle. If you don't like where you are in life right now start reading about people who overcame their own situations in life by taking ownership of their situation and changing it. I'm afraid I'm making it sound too simple, yet to be honest with you it starts right where you currently are and it starts with you making the decision to make a change.
     Someone out there is thinking "Well I just can't change spouses" or "I have so many medical complications and I can't change those". And guess what you are completely correct. There are some things in life we can't or shouldn't change such as our spouse (remember that for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health part??) If you aren't "happy" in your marriage, or if you have a chronic illness and there is no cure in sight then you may feel like a change isn't possible. Let me assure you, change is still right there at your fingertip! You may not be able to change your circumstances in life, but you can most certainly change your attitude about your circumstances in life. You may need to change your attitude from one of being the victim to an attitude of gratitude.
      Life doesn't always give us our choice in that "box of chocolates", thanks Forrest, yet life always provides us with the opportunity to look at things with a whole different attitude and with a completely different perspective. I have made a decision to always look at things from the perspective of "I better be thankful for what I have". When I want to complain about my feet hurting, I remember that I have the ability to walk, which is directly related to the discomfort I might be experiencing with my feet. When I get in L'il Red and it's 95 degrees outside and it's 98 degrees inside my truck I have to remind myself that I just passed some people that were walking down the side of the street with no car to drive, let alone no bed for which to lie their head down on tonight. I have to jog my memory a tad and remember that I have it so much better than a vast majority of the world when it comes to my life. Be reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the church in Rome, "For of Him, and through Him, and for Him are all things; to whom be glory forever." Romans 11:36. We need to remind ourselves that whatever we have, whoever we are, God made us for His purpose. We have to make the choice about who we are and what we are going to do each day. If you don't like the song that's playing, change the station!
Have an amazing week!
Coach Carter