Triple "T"

I think it is safe to assume that everyone enjoys receiving gifts. Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, baby showers, or weddings, it's almost as much fun anticipating what is inside the box as we rip open the wrapping paper and bows, as it is to actually take the gift out of the box. Gifts symbolize a tangible expression of our love that we share with family and friends. We hit the mark when we are able to find that truly perfect gift that meets the needs of the recipient and fills their heart with joy. Today's title, "Triple T" is all about three gifts that God, out of His enduring love, gives each of us. Each person's gifts are unique to them, but the three gifts are in and of themselves the same; time, talent, and treasure. Let's take a look at how we accept God's gifts and what His expectations are for us.

According to the Book of Ecclesiastes we are each given an appointed time in life. "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born and a time to die" Ecclesiastes 3:1-2. The gift in this case is not the length of life that God has selected for us, but more so what we do with the time we have been appointed. How do you spend your time? What percentage of your day is spent working? How much do you invest in serving others? What do you do in your spare time? Is that all about "me time", or do you willingly give your time to helping others who need your support? 

The second "T" represents talents. Many times, we refer to specific talents as gifts from God, i.e. "God given talent", which is highly appropriate especially when you put it in context of our discussion today. Again, God has given you and I certain talents that He expects us to use for His benefit and glory. I imagine you have an idea of your talents, but nevertheless there are many individuals that feel they have no significant talent in their body or mind. If you can identify your "God given" talents, my question would have to be how are you using the unique talents that God has given you to benefit the Kingdom of God? Again, the talents you have been given are to be utilized now not later down the road. 

The last of the "Triple T's" is treasure. In Matthew 6:21 Jesus shared that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." That is so true, what we treasure is where we will spend our time and direct our talent. The question is what do we treasure? Are our treasures found in earthly possessions or do we seek out treasure that won't rust or rot as Jesus describes in Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." Family, friends, our faith, and God's promise of eternal life in Heaven are treasures that we should be investing our time and talent into, not material items or worldly wealth that is only there for a time and has no eternal value at all. 

When I think of the Triple "Ts" I am reminded of the parable of the talents from Matthew 25:14-30. The application of this parable to today's message is seamlessly intertwined. In the story, a businessman is preparing to travel for some time, so while he is going to be gone the man assigns a certain amount of his wealth or "talents" as certain currencies were referred to in the ancient world, to three of his servants. One receives five talents, another three, and the last receives one talent. When the businessman returns he inquires of his servants about the status of the assigned wealth. The first two invested their talents and doubled the value of what they had been entrusted with by their master. The third servant presented the businessman with the same one talent that he had been given. When asked why he only had the same one talent to present, the servant replied that he was afraid he might lose it and he didn't want to disappoint his master. Wrong answer. The master took the talent and gave it to the servant that had doubled the five talents, adding to his wealth. In other words, God doesn't give us "talents", time, or treasure to sit on and waste, instead He has given us what we need to serve Him and it is our job to use the Triple "Ts" to fulfill our purpose in this life God has given us to live. 

In conclusion today, it may be obvious, but none of our time, talents, or treasures are limitless. Matter of fact, they are all finite. There will be a time when our time on this earth comes to an end. Just as we saw in the parable of the talents, our talents are to be used not set on a shelf waiting for the right time to be used, and what we treasure must align with how we spend our time and energy. In other words, the investment into what we treasure determines the return on that investment. Ask yourself about how you spend your time each day. Analyze your talents and see if you are investing them in the lives of others, or are you only focused on building your personal savings account. And at the end of the day, it is important to remember that "where your heart is there too will be where and what you treasure". Make a sound investment and receive God's reward for the life He gave you to live!

Coach Carter

 

Like Father, Like Son

 Happy Father's Day! In America and around the world this day has been set aside to show our honor and gratitude to fathers for all they do and have done to raise their families. The sacrificial love of a father knows no boundaries and has no limits. I am grateful for the years that I had my dad, and I am thankful that I can look back and see the myriad life lessons he taught me through the life he lived and the sacrifices he made. Thank you dad!

 

Throughout my childhood and on into the teen years and early adulthood I made many mistakes and loads of bad choices, some of which I most certainly did not deserve forgiveness for from Joe E. Carter. Regardless of the mess I made, my father was there to help me sort out what needed to be done to correct a wrong, or clean up my mess. It would have been easy for him to turn his back on me, but he never did. I'm certain many of you could share similar memories of how your own father was there when you needed him most. Precious memories for sure. But, what about those fathers and sons who have taken a stance of bitter judgement or grievous betrayal? When the actions of the son warrant consequences, do we pass judgement or do we give the same kind of forgiveness that was shared with each of us?

 

I know fathers and sons or daughters who have not spoken in years due to bad choices and mistakes that have created lasting scars in their family relationship. In some cases, the father is waiting on the prodigal son to return, willing to accept the son, but waiting on the son to make the first step home. In other cases, both father and son feel they are in the right and they are waiting on the other to admit their guilt and ask for the other's forgiveness. In either situation, the end result is an estranged relationship between father and son. Son messes up, father holds a grudge and will not forgive, son is hurt and gets offended, and suddenly the Berlin Wall has been cast between a father and son that played ball together in the backyard just a few years earlier. Unfortunately, I know of several situations like this that have gone on for years, creating a void of paternal tutelage and most importantly love. This fragmented relationship is heartbreaking in itself, but have you ever heard the old saying, "Like father, like son"? Meaning the ways of the father, many times become the same exact ways of the son. Grandfathers, who among you have a desire to see the relationship between your son and your grandson or granddaughter severed by the grudgement you created between you and your son? To me that would be even more heartbreaking. Yet just as the old saying goes, we teach our children through our actions not our words. If we are unwilling to forgive, how can we expect to teach our children to forgive? It is a cycle that should not be fostered and embellished, instead we should look to a Father and Son example that provide a model to follow. 

 

Two examples of forgiveness given when it was not earned or even deserved exemplify the template for us as fathers and mothers, sons or daughters. John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.", God loved a sin-laden world that had turned its back on Him. God loved us so much that He was willing to provide a pathway to forgiveness and life eternal with Him in Heaven, even if the cost of doing that meant that His only Son, Jesus, would ultimately become the purchase price for His forgiveness to be given. What an example of sacrificial love. Then just as "Like Father, like Son" Jesus followed the same precedent set by His Father and accepted the cross and asked His Father to forgive the very crowd that demanded He be crucified. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34. The choice Jesus made to ask for forgiveness to those who persecuted Him, was made because His Father, our Heavenly Father chose first to forgive the world that had turned its back on Him.

I am blessed to have my daughter, son-in-law, son, and nephew/son. I am also blessed to have a positive nurturing relationship with all four. They each make mistakes, and God knows I have made my share of mishaps along the way. I am grateful that we have not allowed life to get in the way of our relationships. Sadly, that is not the case for everyone out there today. My charge to fathers, grandfathers, sons, and daughters is to not let the past dictate the future of your family's relationships. Your words will be heard, but your actions will speak volumes over any words you convey. Follow the example of the Father, and be the father that sets the example of how your son or daughter will engage in forgiving their own child. 

"Like the Father, like the Son!"

Coach Carter

Whatever You Do ...

 Last week we looked at "what" you are doing for Heaven's sake, as I thought about that question over the next several days, I was drawn back to one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," Colossians 3:23, basically says WHATEVER you do, give it all you got, and do it as if you are doing it for the Lord and not just for men to see you do it. I created Extreme Wrestling and later Extreme Volleyball with that scripture in mind. When I read whatever you do, work heartily, what I hear is "Go Extreme!!" Give it all you got, don't hold back, live each day as the gift it truly is, and whatever it is you are doing, do it as if God is sitting right there beside you, because He is!

 

So, where does this idea of giving it all you got apply? I believe the scripture itself answers that question in one simple word, "whatever". Whatever we do, do it as if we were doing it for God and not for the men and women, boys and girls that are the beneficiaries of all we do. Whatever we do, does that include the way we respond when we pass someone on the street? Certainly. How about when we are driving done the road and we get cut off by the car in the other lane? Definitely. How about when we are faced with taking a shortcut at work just to get a task or project completed? What do you think? Yes of course. When we are coaching, (remember you are always coaching), as you parent your children, as you date your spouse or possibly your spouse to be, when you play a sport, when you manicure your lawn, "whatever" you do pretty much sums up where this applies. 

 

Someone out there is thinking, "Man that is a great deal of pressure", to which I would reply it shouldn't be if in all we do, we keep in mind who we are doing it for and why we are doing it. If you know the expectations for your life then it makes it easier to fulfill your responsibilities. "Whatever" pretty much covers everything we do, but knowing how to do things "as for the Lord and not for men" gets a little tricky if you don't know the true expectation. Learning how to do whatever we do for God comes by developing a relationship with God. Reading His word, and actually studying the Word, gives us examples of men and women in the Bible who lived out their lives doing whatever they did for God. 

Paul is my go-to as I look to live out this scripture in my own life. Matter of fact, Paul is the one who penned Colossians 3:23, letting the church in Colossae know that the expectation was that in all they did they were to do it as if they were doing it for God which in turn would impact the lives of others each day. Paul didn't just share that in a single setting, in the same chapter of Colossians, Paul also shares "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Paul says whatever you do in word or deed, and then he takes it another step and charges us to give thanks for God allowing us to have the opportunity to do it! 

 

Paul endured much after his conversion as a follower of Christ. Imprisoned, beaten, tortured, shipwrecked at sea, and eventually martyred, and in all he did he kept his eye on the prize. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day ..." II Timothy 4:7-8. Paul lived his life as if he wasn't living it for himself. He lived his life as we should strive to live out our own life. Paul lived his life in a manner that others could see God living in him and through all that he did each day of his life. For those who don't know God and do not have a personal relationship with God, someone has to be that living example, otherwise they may never see God, let alone seek Him and turn to Him. 

 

"Whatever you do" is a big request, but if we truly live for God then all we do will be done with the end in mind. Get to know God, spend time in His word, pray to Him often, and seek God's will in "whatever" you do! You are a difference maker in the lives of those you live and work with each day. "Go Extreme!!"

Coach Carter

 

What are You Doing?

 As I was driving to our daughter's house yesterday, I passed a church and about broke my neck as I read their message board. The message was a play on words which I felt was a perfect message for our time together today. The original saying that I remember hearing from my parents and grandmother goes like this, "For Heaven's sake, what in the world are you doing???" That question was normally invoked when I was doing something that was a little out of sorts for what was commonly accepted as the norm. The message on the church display flipped the question to read as follows, "What in the world are you doing for Heaven's sake?" As I read that question it resonated over and over in my mind, always landing back in my thoughts as what are we doing that is still out of sorts, that is being done to expand the Kingdom of God? 

 

In the original format of the question above, I was generally doing something I probably shouldn't have been doing and my mom was grasping for an explanation for what was going on. Almost like, "are you crazy or lost your mind, what are you doing? The surprise and shock of the moment dominated the reaction from my mom. That same shock and surprise should not be present as we reverse the question to the latter form provided above. 

 

"What in the world are you doing for Heaven's sake?", begs us to evaluate our life and determine whether we are spending our days doing things for the sake of expanding Heaven or are our decisions all centered on what is best for self? We will make thousands of decisions each day and many of those will be done in such a way that it truly isn't a situation where our decisions will only impact self. The choices we make will either have a positive influence on sharing our faith and trust in our Father, or unfortunately our decisions can create a negative impact on our living testimony of the goodness of God. So, the question above is valid and important, what are you doing for Heaven's sake?

 

Do you hold grudges? Are you treating others that aren't necessarily just like you as valuable and loved? Do you work hard or hardly work? Do you give love when it would be easier to walk on by and give nothing of yourself? Can others see faith lived out in your life through perseverance and resilience? Basically, are others that you interact with each day able to see God working in you and through you? 

I believe it is always important to remember that you may be the only example of God's love that a person encounters today. We are charged to go out and to make disciples of all that we come in contact with throughout our daily journey (Matthew 28:19), how are you accomplishing the command that Jesus set before us? In Galatians 2:20 Paul tells us that, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me". If our claim is that we live for Christ, then when we are asked what we are doing for Heaven's sake, the response should be evidenced by the words we speak and the actions we carry out in our daily walk. 

 

As we start a new week take a few minutes to ask yourself, "What in the world am I doing for Heaven's sake?" Do you live out each day only to benefit yourself, or is your life a living sacrifice in which you give without expecting something in return? Jesus gave His life for a world that turned its back on Him, why? It wasn't about Him and what He would endure. Jesus made the decision to give His life so that others could have a pathway to forgiveness and salvation. In what areas of your life could you sacrifice more? How can your life impact the lives of those you love, the people you work with, and all those that you encounter along life's journey? Live out the life God gave you to live and when you are faced with the question of what are you doing for the sake of Heaven, your life and the fruits thereof will bear the answer.

Coach Carter 

 

"That Stinks"

My normal morning begins between 4:00-4:30 each day, and while I am going about my daily schedule, I always allow our dog, Essie, to run about outside for a while. As soon as the door opens she is off to the races barking at deer grazing in our yard, squirrels gathering acorns, and otherwise setting up the perimeter of her home territory. It is actually a little comical the way she commanders the area almost like she has a "No Trespassing" sign posted for all the creatures of the surrounding woods and her life's purpose is to keep outsiders off the grounds. That's all good until Spring hits and some not so frequent flyers begin to prowl around searching for whatever it is they are hunting and creating the potential for what I would label a "stinky situation". 

 

I don't know what it is about skunks, but if there happens to be one in close proximity to our house, Essie will definitely make contact in a bad way. You would think she would remember the tomato juice baths and the peroxide/baking soda/ dish-washing detergent lathers and stay clear, but that is not the case. And it never fails, the mornings that she gets sprayed are mornings when I am either ahead of schedule and thought I was cruising with time to spare, or inevitably her scented excursion correlated with a meeting on my schedule to which I did not have arriving late as an option. In other words, the timing of the spraying made me say both literally and figuratively "that stinks".  

 

Like I mentioned above, an unexpected event such as Essie's stinky situation preemptively disrupts my schedule, creating a need to redistribute my available time, or possibly modify my calendar when necessary. When something disrupts our "normal" day, we tend to get a little flustered, or in some cases it might be better to say angry or mad. But, what if that "stinky" situation changed my schedule just enough that I avoided an accident on my morning commute? What if my redirected attention to Essie manipulates my morning routine just enough so that I run into an old friend that needs a friend at that particular moment? I guess what I am trying to say is what if that "stinky" situation is actually the impetus for successfully fulfilling God's purpose for that particular moment in your day to day life?

 

At my core, I do not believe in coincidences. I believe God has a plan for our lives and along the way we either choose to fulfill God's plan for that life, or God makes a way for His plan to be fulfilled whether we are involved or not. In Romans 8:28 the Apostle Paul reminds us of this truth with the following scripture, "... we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I may have had a plan for the morning on a day when Essie got skunk sprayed, which in turn altered my plan and in turn may have altered what happened on that day. What if we could alter our mindset regarding much bigger situations and circumstances in our lives? What if the time spent fixing a flat tire during your morning commute led to a chance encounter on a lead to your next career step? What if the break-up in a relationship was what had to happen for you to meet your future partner for life? What if the thorn in your side wasn't there to cause you pain, but instead to teach you that you are strong enough to face anything with God in control? (II Corinthians 12:9-11) The list goes on and on, it all depends on our perspective, which we have total control over when it comes to making that decision. 

 

When Essie gets skunk sprayed and it is pretty much inevitable that she will, it stinks. Both literally, and figuratively anything that messes up our ideal life "stinks". Yet, if we get past the smell and look for the bigger picture, it will almost always display God's portrait for life. You have a purpose, God has a plan, and at times we need an opportunity to realign our plans with His plan. It may stink, it may not feel comfortable, but just as Paul assured the church in Rome and thus all followers of Christ, "all things work together for good." To accept that truth, you must have a relationship of trust and faith which happens as we spend time in reading the Word, regularly praying to and listening for God, and ultimately being able to say "Thy will Father not my own" (see Luke 22:42). Give God control of your life and then seek out His will in all things, once you can see beyond your own wants and desires, then you will truly receive the blessings that God has in store for the life He purposed you to live!

 

Coach Carter

A Door, a Path, and a Light

 It goes without saying that each morning when you open your front door, activate the garage door opener, or even if you slide down the Batpole into your awaiting Batmobile, you have a destination in mind, a path to follow. It is also presumable that the vast majority of folks that are walking out their door each morning are greeted by the morning sunshine which provides ample light to more clearly see the path you are about to journey. But, what happens when the door we need to access is locked? What if the door does open, yet storm clouds keep us from seeing the path we need to journey? There is a key to every door we encounter, and there is a light that will illuminate every path we will embark. A door, a path, and a light the answer is found in one simple response, "I Am". Jesus refers to Himself as many things throughout His teachings in the New Testament but for today's purpose let's look at these three in particular.

The ancient Chinese saying that a "journey of a thousand miles begins with that first step" resonates well with my soul, yet before we can start that journey and take that first step we have to open the door. Easy enough you might be thinking, but the symbolic door I am referencing may not be so simple to open, especially if you don't have the key which unlocks the door and enables you to take that first step. Fear, uncertainty, lack of needed resources, past failures, or whatever stands in front of you as a locked door to opening your potential has to be dealt with and overcome before you can ever take that first step through the door you are facing. In John 10:9 Jesus proclaimed that "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." For me, Jesus is saying enter your life's journey through His door and not only will you journey, but you will find what you need to carry you through to your destination. Seek God's will for your life, in so doing you will unlock the door of opportunity, purpose, and your calling in life (Matthew 6:33). 

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6. Once we go through the door we must journey onward, seeking the path that God has set before us to travel. There are many roads we must choose from in our daily walk, unfortunately the vast majority are one-way streets that lead to a dead end. Jesus talked about walking the narrow road in making our decisions about which path to take in life. In Matthew 7:13 Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." How do we know if we are choosing the right path, God's path? We seek God and His will for this life we have been given to live. Reading His word, spending time in prayer and meditation, worshiping and praising God each day, all of these are examples of how we better understand which door we need to open and which path God has intended for us to travel. 

In other words, if we spend time getting to know God's plan for the life He gave us to live, then the door will be unlocked, the path we are to journey will be clear, and the light of God will live inside of us and will illuminate our life's journey regardless of the challenges we encounter. Once again Jesus uses a powerful "I am" statement to reinforce who He is in our daily walk of life. "... I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12. Even in the darkness our path will be illuminated by the light that shines eternally in us and through us. Will we encounter trials and tribulations? Of course, God didn't say come follow me and you will never encounter hardship or challenges. Instead, God tells us that He will be there shining His glorious light in our life, allowing us to continue to see the path in the midst of life's storms and darkness. 

Whatever you are experiencing right now it is part of your journey. You may feel as if you are on the mountain top and all is good. God is with you, He opened the door and illuminated the path. If you are stuck in the darkness of a storm and you feel trapped in your circumstances, be of good courage because God offers you that same presence in your life. You may have a decision that has to be made and you need God's guidance and/or strength, He is there and He will direct your steps and assure you can see where you are headed in your life's journey. 

Jesus refers to himself as the door, the path, and the light because He is. Wherever you are in your own personal journey my advice is don't go it alone! He is the door by which we should enter. He is the designer of the path we should follow. And, He is the light by which we will see our way when the darkness appears. 

Coach Carter 

 

72 Degree Mentality

Beyond my life experiences as an educator, I also spent over 30 years of my life either working in or operating a market/deli that our family owned. Over the course of those 30 years I held pretty much every job title available from parking lot sweeper to manager and eventually owner. I guess one of my favorite roles, outside of working the grill, was as a cashier. I enjoyed talking with our customers and over the years developed so many friendships that have endured long after we sold the business in 2010. What became a common closing to the majority of those conversations was a salutation that I carried with me beyond my years in retail to the point that it flowed out of my mouth at the end of most of my conversations. As a person turned to leave our establishment I would quip, "See you later, don't work too hard". Looking back now from my more experienced and hopefully wiser lens of life, I have to ask myself, "What were you thinking?" For over thirty years I basically advised people to take it easy on the job, don't do your best, and definitely don't work too hard!" 

 

Inherently, my intent was never to encourage mediocrity, yet as that phrase became the prevalent closing remark in conversations with my own son and daughter, I had to rethink what kind of subliminal message about work and life I really wanted to convey. Somewhere along the line, that phrase, "Don't work too hard" became more of a warning to those who were putting in a good day's work. Today I cringe when I think about the hundreds or thousands of times I made that farewell to customers, friends, and family. Over the last twenty years I have reinvented my "see you later sentiment" to more of a "work hard and do a good job" statement. In a society where working hard somehow has become equated to a lower level of life, I believe it is our responsibility to inspire every generation that we can have an iota of influence with to definitely work hard, get dirty when necessary, and always give your best. 

 

Regardless of the type of work we are doing whether it is our job, volunteer efforts, or even chores around the house, we should model and make working hard the expected norm. I recently heard a statement that aptly fits in this conversation on the state of being comfortable and not "sweating" in our day. Author and financial advisor Dave Ramsey commented that "We have become a society that leaves a 72-degree house, gets into a 72-degree car, and then arrives at our 72-degree office." This is a curt commentary on where we are as a society, yet I feel this same statement is an appropriate reflection on the mentality of "Don't work too hard". America was founded on the backs of men and women who worked hard, it is imperative that we regain that mental toughness and that we instill a work ethic that will persist through the not so comfortable hot and cold moments in life. As we raise our sons and daughters, and as we educate the next generation of leaders, let's make sure we instill in them the inert desire to work hard, work through being uncomfortable, and to always give their best. 

 

A favorite scripture of mine from the Apostle Paul reminds me that we must get outside of that 72-degree comfort zone. Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,". In other words, give your best and work hard, what you are doing is a direct reflection on our service to God. It is time to remove the "Don't work too hard" context from our vocabulary. Civilizations and countries were not built on the back of mediocrity and comfortable 72-degree settings. As parents it is critical that we move from a society of not wanting things to be too tough, to a mind shift of you can do tough things. This should carry over into academics in school, participation in athletics (not everyone needs to get a trophy, I'm just saying...), and most definitely on the job as we give our best and do the hard work that is necessary. What are your expectations in your own life? Do you model grit and resilience in your work life? When work gets tough do you give in or do you dig in? What lessons are you teaching those you have influence over whether it is your family, young people you teach, coach, or work with each day. Work hard, give your best, and know that you will influence someone each day, what will that takeaway be?

 

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

Coach Carter