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"You Are an Eagle--Fly!"

2011-07-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

There is a story I have always loved about a naturalist who was driving down the road past a farm when he noticed a very peculiar site. There, pecking on the ground among the chickens was a bald eagle! The naturalist was stunned by the site, and determined to find out why an eagle would be pecking around where it didn't belong. He went up to the nearby house where the farmer sat in a lawn chair and asked the man, "Sir, I couldn't help but noticed that you have a bald eagle among your chickens. Where did he come from?" The farmer gave him a puzzled look and responded, "We only have chickens out there." The naturalist was surprised at the response. "No sir! I know birds, and you certainly have a bald eagle among your chickens."

Reluctantly, the farmer followed the naturalist out near the chicken coop, but upon seeing the birds, the farmer simply stated, "Those birds are all chickens." The naturalist determined he would have to prove the farmer wrong. He went among the chickens, picked up the eagle, an while pointing to the sky whispered, "You belong up there, not down here. You are an eagle! Fly!" Holding the bird out from him, the eagle looked around for a minute, then jumped from the man's hands to the ground where it continued to peck the ground. "I told you, that bird is a chicken," said the farmer smugly.

But the naturalist was not satisfied. He picked up the eagle and walked to the barn. He climbed a ladder to the roof, and went to the edge of the tall structure. With the chickens below, he pointed to the sky and whispered again to the eagle, "You belong up there, not down here. You are an eagle! Fly!" Holding the bird out from him, the eagle looked around for a minute, spread his wings slightly, but then jumping from the man's hands, it glided to the ground where it went back to peck with the chickens. The farmer shrugged his shoulders. "I told you, that bird is a chicken."

Still not satisfied, the naturalist picked up the eagle, and climbed into his truck. The farmer took the passenger seat curious to see the man's intentions. Getting off the main highway, they headed up a gravel road toward a nearby mountain. Switch back after switch back, they rose higher and higher until the meadows and fields were left behind, and they found themselves surrounded by tall trees. Near the summit, the naturalist parked along the edge of the road and walked down a path to the edge of a cliff. The farm, now miles away, was scarcely seen. In the still of the mountain air, the naturalist pointed to the sky, and for the last time whispered to the eagle, "You belong up there, not down here. You are an eagle! Fly!" Holding the bird out from him, the eagle looked around for a moment as if looking for his fellow chickens. But then, the great eagle spread his wings wide, and jumping from the man's hands, soared into the cloudless blue sky. The naturalist turned to the stunned farmer and said, "That is an eagle."

It is a story I have heard repeatedly in different ways; no doubt you have heard it many times as well. Whether it is fictional or not is debatable, but either way the moral is true and can be applied to our lives. The fact is we often are not doing all that we could to tap into our true potential. We have gotten used to kicking around in places that we were never meant for, doing things less than what we are capable of. But if we take a moment listen to the whisperings of those who believe in us, we will discover that we can do more, because we are more.

I encourage you to take a minute today and think about the untapped potential that you have, and what you can do to live up to your greatness. Don't settle for less than you are capable of. Set the goals you know you need to set; create the good habits and get rid of the bad ones that are holding you back; change the surroundings that you know that you need to change so that you can be the best that God intended you to be. "Raise your sites toward the sky, for heavenward is where we were made to fly!"

Our Trials Don't Define Us; How We Respond To Them Does!

2011-06-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

The times we fall don't define who we are; the times we get back up do! However, when we fall, others may try to give us less than flattering labels. We each have a choice of how we are going to deal with those labels. Will we live up to the good ones? Will we prove the bad ones to be false? Here is a little quiz about very well known individuals who could have given up very easily based on labels that they received such as "failure" or "no imagination" or "too stupid." Give it a go, and then watch the video to see how many you got right!

Dismissed from drama school with a note that read “Wasting her time. She is too shy to put her best foot forward.”

Turned down by the Decker recording company who said “We don’t like their sound and guitar music is on the way out.”

Failed soldier and farmer, and real estate agent, at 38 years old he went to work for his father as a handy man.

Cut from the high school basketball team, he went home, locked himself in his room and cried.

A teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything and that he should go into a field where he might succeed by virtue of his pleasant personality.

Fired from a newspaper because he “lacked imagination” and had “no original ideas.”

His fiancé died failed in business twice, had a nervous breakdown, and he was defeated in 8 elections.

Good Laugh: Foiling the Bosses Office

2011-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

When I'm not doing things for A LIFT UP, I work as a recreation therapist at school for adults with learning disabilities called ScenicView Academy (SVA). Doug, our executive director's birthday was on Monday and to celebrate, SVA staff pulled a classic prank on him. Two of the staff* orchestrated a foiling of Doug's office.I have seen this done before, but not to the detail that was done here. The chairs, the table and desk, even the fruit in the fruit bowl, pens, and business cards were wrapped in foil. Doug came in this morning and was a great sport about it. He mentioned a time when he was pranked at a previous job--they moved his whole office into the women's bathroom. He didn't let that deter him, he just worked in the bathroom as though nothing had happened! Thanks for all you do for us Doug!

*Names have been withheld to protect the not-so innocent.

Shake It Off, Take a Step Up!

2011-06-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

I believe that stories are one of the best ways that we can learn life's important lessons. Stories create an experience for us to learn important principles in a memorable, easy to understand way. Here is one of my favorites:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was too old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He had a load of dirt dumped near by and with the help of neighbors, began to fill in the well. The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. But soon the donkey became very quiet. After several more shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was surprised with what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off, and take a step up. As the farmers neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted away.

Just like with the donkey, we have a choice to either be buried by our challenges, or to shake them off and stand a little higher because of it. Our challenges can either be burdens that hold us back or stepping stones that take us where we want to go. We can overcome any challenge no matter how deep it may seem if we will learn to shake it off, and take a step up.

The Poor Spot of Ground

2011-06-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we question the life and the lot that we have been given. With all the challenges, shortcomings, and burdens that we have, how will we ever reach our full potential? This following poem reminds us that God has planted each of us at different places for different reasons. We may feel like we have been given a "poor spot of ground" that has made it almost impossible to grow because of all the trials and hardships we have had to endure. But remember, God knows our needs and will help us to grow if we trust in him. If he's planted us, we'll grow, no matter how poor the ground!

No place in the vineyard had ever been found
To be a poorer spot of ground;
They questioned the gardener, he said, "Counsel me not.
Great be the fruits, that will come from this spot."
He put a seed there and soon it found roots,
It grew heavenward with green tender shoots,
The limbs and branches he tenderly nourished,
Til long at last with fruit they flourished.
And no place in the vineyard had ever been found,
Better fruit than what came from that poor spot of ground.

The lesson learned here we can all understand,
We should not question, The Great Gardener's hand.
If He placed you somewhere, be still & know,
He's the Lord of the vineyard, and He'll help you to grow.
Don’t let trials or circumstance ever impede,
The truth that you come from Heavenly seed.
God will nourish your soul, He'll strengthen your roots,
And one day you will marvel at your bounty of fruits.
When that day comes, and with joys you abound,
Remember, if God plants it, He'll grow it,

No matter how poor the ground.

-R.M. Hawks

What challenges have you faced? What trials have you endured? What fruits has the Lord blessed you with in spite of those challenges? Please comment below!

Feel-Good Headlines: Rangers select paralyzed Georgia player in 33rd round

2011-06-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

With the world the way that it is, generally reading the front page of the newspaper each morning is enough to make anyone miserable. Yesterday, however, as I was scoping out the headlines , I saw a story which I thought was rather neat. In March, Georgia Bulldogs player Jonathon Taylor became paralyzed after colliding with a fellow player who was chasing the same line-drive. He was one of the best players but the injury dashed his hopes of being drafted. That is, until the Texas Rangers picked him up on the 33rd round of the draft.

Apparently the rangers have had their eye on Jonathon since high school and had planned to draft him before the injury occurred. Not only did they draft him, but also drafted Zach Cone, the other player who collided with Jonathon.

I'm not really a fan of baseball, but I am thoroughly impressed at this classy move by the Rangers. They had no obligation to draft either player, but can you imagine anything that would encourage Jonathon to keep working and rehabilitating more than knowing you have been drafted? This no doubt means a great deal to Jonathon and put a big smile on his face. Put a big smile on my face too.

Read more about it here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/730088-texas-rangers-make-a-classy-move-and-draft-jonathan-taylor

Pick-Me-Up Picture of the Week: Skydiver

2011-06-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Miserable ones! Avert your eyes! I have come across a tremendous picture that made my day (via Inspiration Unlimited For You Too on Facebook). The persons in this picture are very far from being miserable. You see, miserable people don't take risks and have adventures like this. They let the world pass them by without trying new, challenging things. But as Helen Keller put it, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Go take a risk, have an adventure, and live life (or, to be on the safe side, just keep on being miserable.)

Lessons In Misery: Blame Others for Your Problems

2011-06-07T02:52:00.000-07:00

In order to be truly miserable, you must be at the top of your blame-game. When you are faced with challenges or problems, don't take personal responsibility.

There once was an older gentleman named Marion who was worried that his wife was losing his hearing. One night when he was home, he decided to test it. That evening as he sat in his big comfy chair he called out, "Ida, please bring me a glass of water." There was dead silence. He called to her louder, "Ida, please bring me a glass of water." Again, no response! Finally he said very loudly, "Ida, please bring me a glass of water!" At last she showed up at his side and said, "My, my, my Marion, I've answered you three times. What do you want?"1 This gentlemen realized that someone's hearing was going out--but it wasn't his wife's!

Jesus taught us to "consider the beam that is in [our] own eye"2 before looking to the fault of others. Happy people have problems and challenges, but they choose to do something about them rather than blaming or finding fault in those around them. Instead of seeking out how they can be a victim, they find solutions so that they can come out victor!

1. See Raising Up a Family To the Lord, Gene R. Cook, 38-39
2. Matthew 7:3

Un-Melancholy Movie: The Butterfly Circus

2011-06-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary,

I was searching for unfortunate things I could share here and found "a man whom God himself has turned his back upon!" The main guy in this film, Will (Nick Vujicic) has every reason to be miserable--until he learns that it's through our greatest struggles that we experience the greatest triumph.

The Butterfly Circus - HD from The Butterfly Circus on Vimeo.