From a young child to an adult, I can vividly remember my family holiday dinners at my grandparents’ home.

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, our entire family (my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, all of my cousins, brothers and me) would gather together in the dining room to recite 23rd Psalm and bless the food before we began eating dinner.

Family Traditions are Special

Wow!  I remember it so clearly…

My grandmother would be sitting at one end of the long table and my grandfather would be sitting at the other end.

All the adults would be sitting at the table and the children would be standing around the table because we ate in another room.

(It was real cool when I became old enough to sit at the grown folks’ table. (smile))

We would all hold hands and my grandmother would begin reciting the 23rd Psalm.   And everyone would join in with her.  (Ok, let me be honest.  When I was a young child, I would just mouth the words.  But over time, I memorized the entire 23rd Psalm by heart.)

To this day, I still find comfort in reciting the 23rd Psalm.

Every night, before Jade and Cory go to sleep, Syreeta and I read a book to them and then we all say our prayers.

Tonight was special because we selected The Beginner’s Bible for the night-night story and as I was flipping through the pages, I landed on page 190 entitled, “The Lord is My Shepherd.”

Right when I saw the title, I smiled and told Jade and Cory about how when I was their age that their great-grandmother would lead us in reciting 23rd Psalm every Thanksgiving, Christmas and any other family holiday dinner.

They smiled and then I recited “The 23rd Psalm.”

“The Lord is my Shepherd.  I shall not want.  He maketh me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me besides the still waters.  He restoreth my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.  For thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.  Thy preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  Thy anoint my head with oil.  My cup runneth over.  Surely, goodness and mercy will  follow me all the days of my life.  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen.”

I feel strength every time I recite the 23rd Psalm.

Does this scripture impact you too?

What memories from your childhood make you smile?

Do share by posting your comment here…

What’s Happening With Time?

Does it feel like time is moving faster and faster each day?

Time is rolling!... Are you keeping up?

Think about it… Today is Friday, April 13, 2012 and it was 104 days ago when we were just getting ready to bring in the NEW year on December 31st!

104 days ago!

And before we know it, summer will be here!

So what are you doing to maximize your time?

I ask because TIME is most precious!

Tomorrow is not promised so let’s you and I be more focused on spending our time wisely.

Do you agree that our RELATIONSHIPS are critically important to enhancing our lives and making life more rewarding?

I’m sure you do.  That’s easy!  But the real question is, “Are you living your life where you are making your relationships a priority?”

When was the last time you told your loved ones how special they are to you?

Was it today?

Was it last week?

Last month?

Ok, last year?

Or is too long ago to remember?

Within the next 48 hours, I challenge you to be intentional with your time and let at least 3 people know how much you appreciate them.

Trust me, it will be special to them and it will definitely bless you as well.

Do post your comments below to these insights or how people respond to you after you share your appreciation.

Let’s agree to no longer take time for granted.

Make the most of your life and that means MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME!

The clock is ticking!…

Have you ever asked yourself, “Where did the time go?”

I’m sure you have because we all can relate to feeling like time is moving fast.

Time is our most precious commodity and TODAY I was reminded of just how important time really is.

Cory Celebrating his birthday at the Pool

Today is my son Cory’s birthday.

He was born at 11:34pm on March 31, 2010… A day I will never forget.

My daughter Jade is now 5 years old and I must ask, “Where did the time go?’

In only 12 years from now, Jade will be leaving for college.

Amazing!

On March 31, 2024, 12 years from today, Cory will be a 9th-grade student in high school.

Time is moving.

My lesson is the importance of spending QUALITY time every day with my family.

My intention is to create magical moments EVERY day, not just on a birthday.

What do you think about this?

Share your feedback.

Moving Fast Through Life

Is it just me or does it feel like life is moving SUPER fast?

Have you ever asked yourself the question: “Where did the time go?”

How are you staying focused on being intentional with your time so you are completing your top priorities?

The reason I ask these questions is because sometimes we can be moving so fast that we can get caught up in being busy rather than being intentional with our time.

What do I mean?

I am absolutely clear that time is most precious and that we must stay focused on utilizing our time wisely because once an hour is gone, it’s gone forever.

There’s no way to recapture last year, last month, last week, yesterday or even 30 minutes ago.

So what can you do to help ensure that you are making the most of your time keeping your priorities straight?

I encourage you to use the “Weekly Accountability Chart” system because it will bless you as it has blessed me.

This chart allows me to stay accountable to being my best by keeping my most-important daily action items in front of me.

Here are the steps for creating your “Weekly Accountability Chart”:

1) At the top of the paper, from left to right (along the horizontal axis of the paper), type or write the seven days of the week  (i.e. Sunday, Monday…. Saturday).  Draw vertical lines to create 7 columns (one column for each day of the week).

2) On the left side, from top to bottom (along the vertical axis), type or write action items which you must do on a daily basis to be your absolute best.  Some of my daily action items include:

• Prayer time
• Exercise
• Quality time with Wife
• Quality time with Children
• Contribute to my Business Clients
• Connection with Friends
• Reading 4 my Growth
• Fun Treat for Me
• Journal Insights

3) During each day of the week, when you do a particular action item, you will place a check mark in the corresponding space indicating that it has been completed.

Feel free to share your “Weekly Accountability Chart” with a family member or friend so they too may participate.  At the end of the week, you will have fun celebrating your accomplishments together.

Share your comments by posting your thoughts or feedback to this blog.

We are excited to hear from you because we value your insights.

Feel free to share what you are doing to make the most of your time because we can all learn from one another.

Isn’t it interesting how when you first meet someone, everything seems “perfect” because it’s new, fresh and exciting.

Does Your Face Tell Who You Really Are?

But as time goes on, people get comfortable and remove their “best” image so you now see the “real” deal.

And sometimes, you are shocked because the “real” person is not who you originally thought he or she was.

Well let’s be honest, we all show our best image attempting to impress others.  And when the mask gradually comes off over time, people get to finally see who you really are.

So who are you?

Who are you really?

How do you perceive yourself?

These are some important questions because once you have clarity as to who you “really” are in your core, life takes on new meaning.

It’s FREEING to release mistakes, what others say, and past hurts as you tap into the TRUTH about who you really are.

For me, from this day forward, I have made the decision to be loving to myself and to others.

And what does that really mean?

It means that I will be kind, show respect, and have compassion.

And what happens when I slip?   I will be forgiving of myself.  And because no one is perfect, I will also be forgiving of others.

Today is a NEW Day! 

So beyond your mistakes, what others have said, or what you have experienced, who are you?

Who are YOU really?

Post your comments below…

Happy New Year!

So the NEW Year is Here!

2012 is HERE!

What does that really mean to you?

How is this year going to be different from previous years?

How will you keep the excitement rolling?

For me, I love NEW Beginnings because there is a fresh start where I reflect on the past, learn lessons and restart with new goals.

So what about for you?

2012 is here!

What are your New Year’s Resolutions?  What are your goals?  What will be different this year?

I ask these questions because at the beginning of a NEW year, there is usually excitement.  There are New Year Eve parties…. There are Night Watch church services… There are family socials.

Bur the real question is:  “How do we keep the excitement and positive energy flowing throughout the entire year?”

That’s the question!

To help my family keep our excitement alive beyond the initial New Year Eve celebration, we have posted our “FAMILY BLESSINGS AND MIRACLES” poster board on a wall in our kitchen.  Each day, we individually write blessings and miracles which we appreciate.

Our “FAMILY BLESSINGS AND MIRACLES” poster board allows each of us to celebrate every day.  And the beautiful thing about this is that we are now appreciating each day because what we focus on is what we experience.

So what are you doing to keep the excitement of the NEW year rolling?

Do you think writing on your “FAMILY BLESSINGS AND MIRACLES” poster board will make a difference for you?

Post your comments.

Be sure to watch our online RELATIONSHIPS TV show, every Tuesday, at 9pm at http://TVShow.MarlonAndSyreeta.com  You may watch previous episodes and share your feedback.

Why are couples having so many challenges in their relationships?

How can a couple be so much in love during their honeymoon and end up in divorce court?

Where is the disconnect?

These are some deep questions!   So what are the answers?  What do you think?

In my marriage, I’ve experienced a range of emotions… from love to disappointment to excitement to joy to anger to sadness to ecstasy to peace.

And there are times when Syreeta and I feel completely in love and then a few hours later, we’re having a “heated” discussion.

So what’s this all about?

The 5 Love Languages

This past weekend, Syreeta and I completed Dr. Gary Chapman’s “Love Languages” assessment so we could better understand how to give each other the type of love we are wired to receive.

It was amazing because I truly realize that Syreeta and I are “wired” differently.  And by completing the “Love Languages” assessment, we now have a better understanding of how we receive love.

For me, my top-3 love languages are:

1) Quality Time, 2) Words of Affirmation and 3) Physical Touch.

For Syreeta, her top-3 love languages are:

1) Quality Time, 2) Physical Touch and 3) Receiving Gifts.

Syreeta and I learned about ourselves and each other by completing this assessment.  For each of us, Quality Time is our #1 love language and we’ve realized that we MUST make spending quality time a priority.  This morning, we took a family walk and it blessed us.

So what’s your #1 love language?  And what’s your partner’s #1 love language? 

Do you know?

How will knowing your top love language and your partner’s love language strengthen your relationship?

Share your feedback.  Post your comment here.

Watch our next episode of “RELATIONSHIPS” TV, on Tuesday, December 20th at 9:00pm EST, because we will discuss this topic in greater detail.  Watch at: http://TVShow.MarlonSmith.com  Watch previous episodes and post your comments too.

Be sure to participate in our poll (below on the right column) to identify your #1 Love Language.  We are excited for you to share.

Do I Love You More, Less or the Same as When We First Met?

This is a deep question.

Having been married for 5.5 years, I know that I’m traveling toward a potentially huge argument based on how I answer this question.  (Smile)

Jade's Birth Announcement

Well before I can honestly answer this question, I must remember my feelings when we first met so I have a benchmark to compare my feelings for Syreeta now.

So how did I feel about you when we first met?

Great question!

In the beginning, it was NEW… It was Exciting… There were Adventures…

And today, 7.5 years later, there are two children… diapers to be changed… waking up in the middle of the night.

So what do you think?  Do I love you more, less or the same as when we first met?

To answer this question honestly, we must define LOVE.  What is love?

In the Bible, in Corinthians Chapter 13, it states, “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not easily irritated. It keeps no records of wrong doings.”

So what do you think?  Do I love you more, less or the same as when we first met?

My answer is… I love you MORE now because marriage is the ultimate opportunity to be selfless rather than selfish, to be caring rather than confrontational, to be loving rather than unforgiving.

Truth be told, in the beginning of our relationship, it was so new, so exciting and so fresh that there was no real love because it’s true….. REAL love takes time.

On the outside, it’s easy to say, “Oh, how much fun we had when we were first dating.”  But in our heart of hearts, we know that real love is experienced when we stick together while facing challenges or forgiving your partner when he or she made a HUGE mistake.  That’s love!

What do you think about this?

Post your comments here because we are excited to hear your feedback.

Remember to watch our “Relationships” TV Show tonight, Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 9:00pm EST.  To see our TV show, just go to: http://TVShow.MarlonSmith.com

It’s happening!

Yes! It’s happening!

The “Relationships” TV Show series will make its debut on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 9:00pm EST.

Get ready because this TV show will make a positive difference!

Is this show for you?

• Will you enjoy a program which shares real-life solutions to everyday relationship challenges?

• Will you enjoy a program where individuals come together to celebrate Healthy and Positive Relationships?

• Will you enjoy a program where success stories and amazing testimonies are shared?

If you answer “YES” then this “Relationships” TV Show series is definitely for you.

Why are we creating this TV show?

Since January 15, 1992, I have personally been blessed with the opportunity to give motivational keynotes and facilitate leadership programs in 45 states and 14 countries.   In my travels, I have come to realize that many people are experiencing unhealthy relationships.

So rather than talk about the problems, my wife Syreeta and I have decided to focus our attention on solutions.  We have facilitated “Real Relationship” seminars!  We co-authored “REAL RELATIONSHIP DEVOTIONALS.” And now we are launching this new “Relationships” TV Show series.

How can you support this vision of more Healthy Relationships?

1. Share what topics you will like to see addressed in upcoming episodes.
2. LIKE our Facebook Fan Page so you are connected to this positive community.
3. Encourage your family and friends to watch the “Relationships” TV Show series, airing online, every Tuesday at 9:00pm EST.
4. Join our “Healthy Relationships” coaching program so you receive continuous encouragement, winning strategies and supportive friendships.

We appreciate you!

So what topics will you like for future episodes of the “Relationships” TV Show?

Post your topics here.  Share any additional feedback too.

Thank you!

Marlon Smith

Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner?  The food smells so good. Did you eat too much?

Thanksgiving Dinner - A SPECIAL Time

What an amazing gift Thanksgiving represents?… A time when families and friends are intentional as they come together to fellowship and celebrate their relationships.

Today was very special to me because I asked an intriguing question of myself, “Beyond the turkey dinner and watching football, what am I really thankful for?”

The reason why this question was powerful is because it made me stop and reflect upon all the blessings in my life.

Isn’t it amazing how we can sometimes get caught up in the busy-ness of life and our hectic schedules forgetting to appreciate all the many blessings we have.

Why is this?

Why are most people not truly living each day with an “Attitude of Gratitude” being consciously THANKFUL for all that they have?

I know I’ve been there, just caught up in the busy activities of the day, forgetting to appreciate my blessings.

But today, I am making a NEW declaration… From this day forward, I, Marlon Christopher Smith, am living each day with an “Attitude of Gratitude.”

To continue the spirit of Thanksgiving so it’s not just a once-a-year holiday but rather a way of life, I make the commitment to let at least one person every day know how much I appreciate our relationship.

What do you say?

How does this resonate with you?

Are you willing to live each day where you are grateful and thankful for all the blessings in your life?

Question of Reflection

How will your life change by living with an “Attitude of Gratitude” each day?

Share your feedback.

Appreciate who is in your life and all the blessings you currently have because it truly makes a difference.

Stay Blessed!