Are We Appreciating Mothers?
Whenever I turn on the television, I am amazed at the proliferation of new reality TV shows. A lot of times, it is just
stupid people doing frivolous things. Some are good, but the majority are bad-in my opinion. The human need for
attention and recognition is as potent a drug as power or money. If you ever come across a person with an
excessive need for validation, be careful because anything you have to offer will never be enough.
Mother knows best…
Yet, there is a group of people who really make a difference. They have made a far greater impact than anyone on TV
today. I am talking about mothers. In the book of Proverbs, in the 31st chapter, it describes the perfect, godly woman.
She is so great that her children call her blessed. She is known for her care and attention to her household, family, and
business affairs. I believe that ideal remains.
To me, mothers are irrefutable evidence that God exists. For years, they give and expect nothing in return. They feed us,
nurture us, know everything about us, yet are able to love us anyway.
It is something I do not think I will ever understand. There is nothing we can do to repay our mothers for the infinite
sacrifices they have made. However, a thank you and a token of appreciation is a good start. Honor her while she is still
in your midst. I was very fortunate to have my mom around for as long as she was. And if you are like me and your
mother is no longer with you remembering her and what she meant while she was here is a great way to keep her
memory alive.
We should seek to incorporate the spirit, sacrifice and love our mothers showed us into our daily lives. Nurture life in your
own little way. God bless all the women who have been maternal figures to myself and others. You truly are appreciated.
Whenever I turn on the television, I am amazed at the proliferation of new reality TV shows. A lot of times, it is just
stupid people doing frivolous things. Some are good, but the majority are bad-in my opinion. The human need for
attention and recognition is as potent a drug as power or money. If you ever come across a person with an
excessive need for validation, be careful because anything you have to offer will never be enough.
Mother knows best…
Yet, there is a group of people who really make a difference. They have made a far greater impact than anyone on TV
today. I am talking about mothers. In the book of Proverbs, in the 31st chapter, it describes the perfect, godly woman.
She is so great that her children call her blessed. She is known for her care and attention to her household, family, and
business affairs. I believe that ideal remains.
To me, mothers are irrefutable evidence that God exists. For years, they give and expect nothing in return. They feed us,
nurture us, know everything about us, yet are able to love us anyway.
It is something I do not think I will ever understand. There is nothing we can do to repay our mothers for the infinite
sacrifices they have made. However, a thank you and a token of appreciation is a good start. Honor her while she is still
in your midst. I was very fortunate to have my mom around for as long as she was. And if you are like me and your
mother is no longer with you remembering her and what she meant while she was here is a great way to keep her
memory alive.
We should seek to incorporate the spirit, sacrifice and love our mothers showed us into our daily lives. Nurture life in your
own little way. God bless all the women who have been maternal figures to myself and others. You truly are appreciated.
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We Want Everything or Nothing
"We want everything or nothing. We want to stand in the spot light, but suffer from stage fright.”
I love music. Music is what I use to control my moods and also relax. I love music of all kinds, from R&B to Jazz to Classical. I have always loved music
and I sometimes find it almost impossible to do anything without it. And as long as I can remember, I have wanted to learn how to play the piano. Growing
up, my dream life was to own a pent-house and play all of my favorite songs on this magnificent grand piano. I could never find the time or the money to
really devote to this hobby. Enter playing sports, school, studying, car notes, dry cleaning bills, children, etc., and there seems not to be enough hours in
the day. And unless I carve out some serious time and make a serious investment, I do not see a way to make this dream come true.
This is not the only ambition I have. I want to write the great American novel, a book of poetry and my autobiography (but first you have to live a life worth
reading about). I want to be on the cover of FORTUNE magazine. OH, I did make the cover of Sports Illustrated (thanks photo-shop). Sometimes it feels like
I am a conglomerate of random hopes, dreams, desires and wants. But so are most people to me.
I Want It!
I have felt many times that there is a difference between wanting something and being ready for it. In an ideal world, our wants would keep base with our
level of preparedness. For instance, people would not become rich until they were mentally and spiritually prepared to deal with the changes that wealth
brings. People would not get married until they fully understood their responsibility in the marital relationship. But that is not how the world works. In
economics, a common and misguided assumption is that human behavior is rational. And we all know, I’m the only rational person on the planet. However,
if you have ever encountered children, you know that is not the case. As human beings, we want what we want when we want it. Who cares if we are
not prepared for what will be demanded of us in return? It takes a ton of maturity to step back and acknowledge our limitations. There are things that we
must master (i.e. fundamentals) and lessons we must learn before we can have the satisfaction of attaining our wants.
In addition, the price you are willing to pay for your wants will determine the level of fulfillment you experience. For example, I’m sure most of you have
heard of sport stars, music stars, and entertainment stars that have made millions of dollars in their fields. Money for them was so abundant and free
flowing that there was no fulfillment that could be had from buying another car, drugs, houses etc. But the more you have to give, the more you
appreciate it. When things come easy, when there is no struggle and no sacrifice, it is only a matter of time when one want is gratified, another springs up
in its place. And that is really annoying.
Stewardship 101
This is exactly the case when someone else is footing the bill. I am amazed at how whimsical people become with the resources of others (you know
who you are). Have you been out with people and when you were footing the bill, they were merciless. Or if you had made a sacrifice, they would act
like it was nothing. There is no greater feeling of hurt and disappointment than when you go out of your way for someone and they treat it as nothing.
Stewardship in a nutshell is to hold the resources of another in trust. It is the ultimate position of responsibility.
We are always accountable to someone, whether we acknowledge it or not, for everything we have control over. We are accountable for our time,
money, relationships, and wants. When you are a steward, you move beyond the base level of slaving to fulfill wants and begin to think about what is the
best use of resources in this particular situation. Stewardship enables one to prioritize what pursuits are worthwhile and what are frivolous. Therefore,
we must train our appetites to want the right things.
Free Your Mind
How do you classify and distinguish between your needs and wants? Stewardship begins with a mindset. And just as we train the body, we must train
the mind by bombarding it with positive things and healthy desires until we want it bad enough to do something about it.
For me, I often picture having to answer to God, my ancestors, my children, my family, as to the life I lead and the things I choose to pursue. Do I need to
say it again? I will, I often picture having to answer to God, my ancestors, my children, my family, as to the life I lead and the things I choose to pursue.
Somehow, taking the long view helps me stay focused. As a result of my point of view, I lead a different life. I realize that I cannot do what everyone else
does because I am different. I hope you are listening…. I must prepare myself and my family for the life we will one day lead.
Find something or someone to hold accountable to. We only have so much time, energy, health, and money at our disposal. Instead of spending these
resources, begin to INVEST them. Think about how your wants will affect those you love and care about. What are the implications for the future?
Meditate on what is good and dig for the root of your desires. Think about the moment you finally get what you want, will you be fulfilled, how long will
you be happy?
As human beings, we are forgetful creatures and must constantly remind ourselves of these things. However, with practice, patience and discipline, we
can be the stewards that we were meant to be.
If you really want it, prepare for it.
"We want everything or nothing. We want to stand in the spot light, but suffer from stage fright.”
I love music. Music is what I use to control my moods and also relax. I love music of all kinds, from R&B to Jazz to Classical. I have always loved music
and I sometimes find it almost impossible to do anything without it. And as long as I can remember, I have wanted to learn how to play the piano. Growing
up, my dream life was to own a pent-house and play all of my favorite songs on this magnificent grand piano. I could never find the time or the money to
really devote to this hobby. Enter playing sports, school, studying, car notes, dry cleaning bills, children, etc., and there seems not to be enough hours in
the day. And unless I carve out some serious time and make a serious investment, I do not see a way to make this dream come true.
This is not the only ambition I have. I want to write the great American novel, a book of poetry and my autobiography (but first you have to live a life worth
reading about). I want to be on the cover of FORTUNE magazine. OH, I did make the cover of Sports Illustrated (thanks photo-shop). Sometimes it feels like
I am a conglomerate of random hopes, dreams, desires and wants. But so are most people to me.
I Want It!
I have felt many times that there is a difference between wanting something and being ready for it. In an ideal world, our wants would keep base with our
level of preparedness. For instance, people would not become rich until they were mentally and spiritually prepared to deal with the changes that wealth
brings. People would not get married until they fully understood their responsibility in the marital relationship. But that is not how the world works. In
economics, a common and misguided assumption is that human behavior is rational. And we all know, I’m the only rational person on the planet. However,
if you have ever encountered children, you know that is not the case. As human beings, we want what we want when we want it. Who cares if we are
not prepared for what will be demanded of us in return? It takes a ton of maturity to step back and acknowledge our limitations. There are things that we
must master (i.e. fundamentals) and lessons we must learn before we can have the satisfaction of attaining our wants.
In addition, the price you are willing to pay for your wants will determine the level of fulfillment you experience. For example, I’m sure most of you have
heard of sport stars, music stars, and entertainment stars that have made millions of dollars in their fields. Money for them was so abundant and free
flowing that there was no fulfillment that could be had from buying another car, drugs, houses etc. But the more you have to give, the more you
appreciate it. When things come easy, when there is no struggle and no sacrifice, it is only a matter of time when one want is gratified, another springs up
in its place. And that is really annoying.
Stewardship 101
This is exactly the case when someone else is footing the bill. I am amazed at how whimsical people become with the resources of others (you know
who you are). Have you been out with people and when you were footing the bill, they were merciless. Or if you had made a sacrifice, they would act
like it was nothing. There is no greater feeling of hurt and disappointment than when you go out of your way for someone and they treat it as nothing.
Stewardship in a nutshell is to hold the resources of another in trust. It is the ultimate position of responsibility.
We are always accountable to someone, whether we acknowledge it or not, for everything we have control over. We are accountable for our time,
money, relationships, and wants. When you are a steward, you move beyond the base level of slaving to fulfill wants and begin to think about what is the
best use of resources in this particular situation. Stewardship enables one to prioritize what pursuits are worthwhile and what are frivolous. Therefore,
we must train our appetites to want the right things.
Free Your Mind
How do you classify and distinguish between your needs and wants? Stewardship begins with a mindset. And just as we train the body, we must train
the mind by bombarding it with positive things and healthy desires until we want it bad enough to do something about it.
For me, I often picture having to answer to God, my ancestors, my children, my family, as to the life I lead and the things I choose to pursue. Do I need to
say it again? I will, I often picture having to answer to God, my ancestors, my children, my family, as to the life I lead and the things I choose to pursue.
Somehow, taking the long view helps me stay focused. As a result of my point of view, I lead a different life. I realize that I cannot do what everyone else
does because I am different. I hope you are listening…. I must prepare myself and my family for the life we will one day lead.
Find something or someone to hold accountable to. We only have so much time, energy, health, and money at our disposal. Instead of spending these
resources, begin to INVEST them. Think about how your wants will affect those you love and care about. What are the implications for the future?
Meditate on what is good and dig for the root of your desires. Think about the moment you finally get what you want, will you be fulfilled, how long will
you be happy?
As human beings, we are forgetful creatures and must constantly remind ourselves of these things. However, with practice, patience and discipline, we
can be the stewards that we were meant to be.
If you really want it, prepare for it.