BurntHam

Be Inspired!

2018-02-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

Inspiration. Things that get your juices flowing, your heart racing, your excitement aroused. A touching song, a powerful story, a captivating movie, deep human interaction. What inspires you? Me? Olympic stories, acts of courage, humble leadership, care and concern of others over self. Surround yourself with what inspires you.

Be. Inspired. Today!

Heads up Seattle--Losing the Superbowl is a Good Thing!

2015-02-02T20:08:00.000-08:00

The Superbowl is over and what a game it was! Even after the time ran out, I still couldn’t believe what I had seen. Having grown up in the state of Washington, I was heartbroken by the results. After mourning for a moment, it came to me that this perhaps could be the best thing that ever happened to Seattle.

I know, I know, even as I write this I find myself screaming in my head, “Are you crazy?! Can losing a Superbowl really be a good thing?" But I think the answer may be yes.

Throughout my career I have had the chance to work with many different teams. I’ve observed and experienced that one of the most difficult things to deal with, navigate, and sustain for any team is a whole lot of success. A high level of success has a way of tearing teams apart and stealing the humility, desire, and drive that often gets these teams to where they are. I’ve seen a bunch of success set the bar so high for a team that anything short is viewed as a complete failure, which leads to discouragement and discord. Yes, I’ve observed that a whole lot of success quickly almost always means the impending doom of a great team.

On the flip side, having such a shocking blow can also be difficult to deal with and overcome. Many teams crumble and come apart when they are met with incredible and sudden disappointment, but many also do just the opposite. I’ve seen very successful teams deal with very difficult challenges in a way that propels them to higher levels than ever before. Though they were once successful, after having overcome adversity, they become something even more, even better than they once were or ever could have been without the adversity. If this loss leads to more victories for Seattle in the future, more than they would have had without it, than this difficulty can only be viewed as an incredible blessing. Only time will tell.

I do believe that the odds of a team bouncing back from a heartbreak are about 50-50. However, I think the odds of successfully dealing with the enormous challenges of a lot of quick success to be much less than that; so I’ll take my chances. Though we will never know for sure how things would have turned out for Seattle had they pulled it off in the end, as a fan, I hope this tough loss will keep their hunger and drive for greatness stronger than ever, rather than quench their fire. I know I’m already fired up for next season!

In business and in life we can learn that our setbacks can be some of the biggest blessings in our lives, as long as they help keep our drive alive. We need to remember that adversity almost always sets the stage for lasting greatness. Though the blow was crushing for Seahawk players and fans, I have a feeling the best may be yet to come.

3 Things you Must do to Change Your Life

2014-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of the Good Health Triangle? If you haven’t, it is about time you did! The Good Health Triangle provides 3 areas we must concentrate on in order to be healthy and happy. Poor health plagues our society and robs us of our ability to live life to its fullest. Thus developing healthy habits now around the three points in the Health Triangle is critical to our overall success and happiness in life.

The 3 points in the Health Triangle are as follows.

#1 Eating Right

I have an 8 month old in my house and as I was feeding my son the other day, I noticed the stark contrast between our diets. As I was filling his tummy with squash and carrots (which he seemed to love by the way), I felt a little nauseated from the cheeseburger and fries I had just consumed. I realized at that moment that when we are very young we generally eat healthy however when we grow older, we seem to become conditioned to not eat so well. My son was proof to me that day that we can eat right and even be happy doing it. Eating good, wholesome food is a great start to being healthy and changing our life.

#2 Physical Activity

The next point in the Good Health Triangle is regular physical activity. I know this may sound annoying to some but there is no denying that exercising regularly improves our self-esteem, confidence, and outlook on life. When we participate in physical exercise our body actually releases endorphins that help us to feel good and gives us energy. If we can find a way to exercise 30 minutes at least 6 days a week, we will find ourselves to be much more satisfied in life.

#3 Sleep

The final point in the Good Health Triangle is getting good sleep. On average, experts say we should strive to get around 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. And if possible, we should strive to retire to our beds early and arise early in the morning. I believe much of our society has developed very poor sleeping habits. This sad because bad sleeping habits leads to higher levels of stress and anxiety. As we strive to develop good sleeping habits, we will be happier and we will literally change our life.

Eating healthy, physical activity, and good sleep habits make up the three points of the Good Health Triangle. 2014 is upon us and it is time to change our lives and ensure we have a great year. Let’s make commitments to live a healthier and thus happier life. I promise that doing these 3 things will change your life.

BurntHam Rewind: The 3 "Fs" to Riches

2013-05-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

Post originally posted 9/30/09

Recently I read an article called “The 3 Fs to Life’s Greatest Riches” by Darcy Keith. In this article, the author discusses 3 Fs that surround us daily, that have the ability to make us rich! These three Fs have the potential to fill our lives with the greatest satisfaction and happiness that life has to offer if we pay attention to and cultivate them. The trouble is that many of us neglect them and fail to realize the riches that come from them. I’d like to share these three Fs with you and let you know why I agree with the author that these three Fs are the most important ingredients to a rich and satisfying life.

The first F is faith. Faith is belief; belief in oneself, belief that good will eventually prevail, and belief in something greater than ourselves. People with faith hope for things which are not seen yet are true. Faith brings hope, peace and comfort. Faith gives us strength and purpose even during our darkest hours. True faith will help us overcome any challenge or obstacle that may come our way. And our faith is something that can never be taken from us. Thus, our faith is a powerful tool that will richly bless our life when we pay attention to and develop it.

The second F is Family. Our family is unique and special. Like faith, families can support and help us through the good and the bad. Our families provide us with some of the most wonderful relationships we can experience in life and provide the greatest levels of satisfaction and joy. Without family, life is empty, lonely, and difficult. With family, life is full and rich.

The third F is Friends. Friends are like an extended family who can give us love and support when we need it most. Friends provide companionship, and camaraderie. When life is hard, or when life is good, a good friend is priceless.

Now, do we take full advantage of and pay enough attention to these three Fs in our lives, or do we take them for granted? Do we take time to nourish and cherish these three important Fs? Do these three Fs play an important part in our lives? The author of the article I read challenged readers to reflect on these similar questions. If we are not doing well, what is stopping us from making these three Fs a priority? For these three Fs have the capacity to make us truly rich! And they don’t cost money, all they require is time!

With faith, family, and friends, our lives are richly blessed. Like the author I encourage all of us to “invest in our faith, spend time with our family, and get together with our friends.” Doing so will be “time well invested and riches well received.”

An Older Brother's Gift

2011-12-22T04:53:00.001-08:00

I thought this Christmas story was touching and appropriate for this special time of year. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!

By Ada Foy
It was the Christmas season of 1994. Nine-year-old Jaron and his six-year-old brother, Parker, were excited. They had entered a reading contest sponsored by a grocery store in their hometown. The two students who read the most books would each win a brand-new bicycle. All they had to do was have their parents and teachers sign for each book they read. Two bikes were to be awarded, one for the first-to-third-grade levels, and one for the fourth-to-sixth-grade levels.

Parker was especially excited because this was a way for him to earn a bike. He really wanted one. He was tired of watching his older brother ride around on the new purple ten-speed bike he had earned by working at a yard sale. Parker thought that it would be great to earn a bike of his own by reading books. So he started to read books as fast as he could. He read Curious George, Green Eggs and Ham, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear. But no matter how many books he read, someone in his grade level had read more.

Meanwhile, Jaron had not been all that enthusiastic about the contest. When he went to the grocery store and checked the big chart with all the readers listed and how many books each had read, however, he could see that his younger brother had little chance of winning the contest.

Touched with the true meaning of Christmas, the joy of giving, he decided to do for Parker what he could not do for himself. So Jaron put away his own bike and, library card in hand, went to work. He read and read. He read when he wanted to ride his bike. He read as much as eight hours a day. The thrill of perhaps having such a wonderful gift to give kept him going.

The day came when the final lists were to be turned in. Jaron’s mother took him to the store, and he turned in his list, then admired the prize-winners bikes on display.

The store manager watched him admire the shiny red twenty-inch bike. “I suppose that if you win the contest,” the manager said, “you’ll want the larger bike, won’t you?”
Jaron looked up at the man’s smiling face and said very seriously, “Oh, no sir. I would like one exactly this size.”

“But isn’t this bike too small for you?”

“No sir—I want to win it for my little brother.”

The man was surprised. He turned to Jaron’s mother and said, “This is the best Christmas story I’ve heard all year!”

Jaron’s mother hadn’t known that he had worked so hard for his little brother. She looked at Jaron with great pride and joy as they went home to await the contest results.

Finally the phone call came! By reading 280 books, Jaron had won! With his parents’ help, he hid the bicycle in his grandma’s basement until Christmas Eve. He could hardly wait to give Parker his gift!

On Christmas Eve, the whole family gathered at Grandma’s home for a special family home evening. Mother told the story of Heavenly Father’s gift to the world of His Son Jesus Christ. Then she told the story of another older brother’s love. Although it wasn’t the great sacrifice the Savior has made for each of us, she said, it was a sacrifice, and it showed how much the older brother loved his younger brother. Parker and his family listened to the story of a brother who had read 280 books to win his little brother a bike.

“My big brother would do something like that for me,” Parker said.

At that, Jaron ran to the other room, where Grandma had moved the bike. The rest of the family proudly grinned while he wheeled out the two-wheeled treasure he had earned for his younger brother. Parker ran over to the bike, and the brothers hugged over the top of it.

Important Memo!

2010-05-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

A good laugh is always good. This is one of my favorites...

MEMO from Management

NEW OFFICE POLICY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

We have a new office policy in place, please read this then turn in your acknowledgment form to HR when you are finished.

Pay Raise Policy:

Each employee is entitled to an annual evaluation and pay raise however the following exception will apply:

1. If you come to work dressed too nicely, we will assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.

2. If you dress poorly, we will assume you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.

3. If you dress just right, we will assume you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Sick Days:

We will no longer accept a doctor’s statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Personal Days:

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturdays & Sundays.

Vacation Days:

All employees will be given 5 vacation days a year. In an effort to coordinate schedules and allow employees to plan their vacation time the same days each year will be offered as vacation time to all employees. Thus, each employee is allowed the following 5 vacation days: Jan. 1st, July 4th, The 1st Monday in September, The 4th Thursday of November, and Dec. 25th.

Absenteeism:

It is no longer acceptable to be absent from work unless you die. This is an acceptable excuse for missing work. However, you are required to provide two weeks’ notice as it is your responsibility to train your replacement.

Bereavement Leave:

This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend the funeral arrangements in your place. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon after 4pm. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.

Bathroom Breaks:

Entirely too much time is being spent in the restroom. There is now a strict 2 minute time limit allowed in the restrooms. At the end of 2 minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the “Chronic Offenders” category. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sectioned under the company’s mental health policy.

Lunch Break:

• Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy.

• Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure.

• Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that’s all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.

Smoke Breaks:

Each employee will be allowed 2 smoke breaks each day at work. The 1st must be taken at 7:45 before you clock-in and the 2nd must be taken at 5pm after you employee clock-out.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive work experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.

For the Man Who Hated Christmas

2009-12-23T03:55:00.000-08:00

"It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas--oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it--overspending... the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike loved kids - all kids - and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition--one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.
You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.

Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us."

This true story was originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman's Day magazine. Visit www.Giving101.org/WhiteEnvelopeProject

How to Transform your Life

2009-12-09T04:18:00.000-08:00

Failure in life often comes because we fail to align our action with our conscience.
Unknown

Our choices have the undeniable power of transforming our lives.
Jose Teixeira

Want to change your life? It’s easy! Simply start making choices that you know will change it for the better. Ok so writing the solution makes it seem easy, but actually doing it is much more difficult. Let me share a personal example though to illustrate the truth of this point.

Growing up there was a period in my life where I felt an emptiness inside and a little pit in my stomach. I wasn’t sure why at the time, but now looking back, I realize it was because I was spending my time with people who did not hold the same values as I did. As a result of this, I was frequently in an environment that was not comfortable for me, because it was a place where my values were constantly being compromised. In fact during this time in my life I often felt I had to hide my values or pretend to be someone who I wasn’t. So what happened? I finally realized that what I was doing was ridiculous, so I decided to stop going to places where my values were not supported. This simple choice had a big positive impact on my life and alleviated me of my emptiness and pit. So, how did I change my life, how can all of us change our lives? Through our everyday choices.

Today society teaches us to do what feels good right now. Rather than wait, think about, or suppress our desires, we are told to just do it! Acting on our impulses however often gets us into all sorts of trouble. Patience and wisdom seem like fading virtues as impulse and recklessness seem to be the norm. Likewise it seems we rarely consider future consequences to our actions as we become consumed with what we want now. To me it’s almost as if our human race has lost the ability to reason logically and do those things that will simplify and better our lives rather than complicate and ruin them. Perhaps we are addicted to drama or seek the thrill of living without consequence during the immediate moment. Perhaps we have began living in a fantasy world thinking we can hide things and get away with poor behavior; when in fact technology has made this nearly impossible. This lack of thought, foresight, and discipline leads us to heartache, misery, and results in less successful and happy lives. I hate to say it, but it appears as if Tiger Woods is a perfect example of this...Think about how his choices will impact his happiness and success in life both personal and professional. And he is one of what seems to be a growing majority. The sad thing is, often we pressure ourselves and each other into living this way. “Everyone is doing it”, “what is the big deal”, and “don’t worry about it” seem to be the belief system and rational behind this craziness. So for us to reach our potential and increase our success and happiness in life, we must avoid buying in to such belief systems.

So what do we need to do to change our lives? We need to align our actions with our conscience, and we need to understand simple daily actions and choices can transform our lives. We need to start making wise, well thought out choices that will lead to success and happiness. We need to deny ourselves every once and awhile and suppress our initial urges and impulses. We need to have the discipline to say no. We need to think about whether our actions or choices are inline with our values and what the long-term consequences of these actions will be. Does this sound old school? It probably does but doing this will make us much better leaders and better people with more successful and happier lives.

So, want to change your life? Then change your choices. Each of us has the power within us to lead the life we want to live. We have that power and the ability to create our own destiny. So let’s be wise, and make those choices that will result in success and happiness!

Do Not Get Suckered In!

2009-11-18T04:57:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that our society has taken a turn for the worst over the last several years. A sense of entitlement and ease has engulfed our nation. Modern technology, though wonderful, I’m afraid is also contributing to our lack of patience and our unwillingness to be diligent and disciplined. It seems hard work and earned success is going out of style, and they are being replaced by instant results and quick rewards. And, I believe this lack of effort as a whole is slowly eroding the very foundation of our great nation.

“That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only which gives everything its value."
Thomas Paine

Today often the mentality is if something is hard, then don’t do it. Rather than trying to overcome challenges and persevere, we turn from one item to another searching for instant success. If we do someday find it, this unearned excellence will not result in much satisfaction or happiness—for what is easy is never satisfying very long. Thus our quick success will soon feel very empty indeed.

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform has improved.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Neurologist Daniel Levitan conducted a study suggesting that for someone to master something he must spend at least 10,000 hours doing it. Study after study has proven great athletes, writers, composers, even businessmen have spent about this same amount of time achieving their very high level of success. To break this down, 10,000 hours is equal to three hours a day or 20 hours a week over a 10 year time frame. Thus, what we can conclude from this study is success does not come easy. Hard work, patience, diligence, discipline, and persistence are all needed to obtain true mastery of a skill. For this reason, we must continue climbing towards our goals rather than giving up or looking for an easy way out, because chances are, we will not find it.

“You must deserve victory to feel good about yourself.”
Rick Pitino

The true path to success is hard work, patience, and discipline. Without these, we may never amount to much, and we certainly will not experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from earning success.

The 3 "Fs" to Riches

2009-09-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

Recently I read an article called “The 3 Fs to Life’s Greatest Riches” by Darcy Keith. In this article, the author discusses 3 Fs that surround us daily, that have the ability to make us rich! These three Fs have the potential to fill our lives with the greatest satisfaction and happiness that life has to offer if we pay attention to and cultivate them. The trouble is that many of us neglect them and fail to realize the riches that come from them. I’d like to share these three Fs with you and let you know why I agree with the author that these three Fs are the most important ingredients to a rich and satisfying life.

The first F is faith. Faith is belief; belief in oneself, belief that good will eventually prevail, and belief in something greater than ourselves. People with faith hope for things which are not seen yet are true. Faith brings hope, peace and comfort. Faith gives us strength and purpose even during our darkest hours. True faith will help us overcome any challenge or obstacle that may come our way. And our faith is something that can never be taken from us. Thus, our faith is a powerful tool that will richly bless our life when we pay attention to and develop it.

The second F is Family. Our family is unique and special. Like faith, families can support and help us through the good and the bad. Our families provide us with some of the most wonderful relationships we can experience in life and provide the greatest levels of satisfaction and joy. Without family, life is empty, lonely, and difficult. With family, life is full and rich.

The third F is Friends. Friends are like an extended family who can give us love and support when we need it most. Friends provide companionship, and camaraderie. When life is hard, or when life is good, a good friend is priceless.

Now, do we take full advantage of and pay enough attention to these three Fs in our lives, or do we take them for granted? Do we take time to nourish and cherish these three important Fs? Do these three Fs play an important part in our lives? The author of the article I read challenged readers to reflect on these similar questions. If we are not doing well, what is stopping us from making these three Fs a priority? For these three Fs have the capacity to make us truly rich! And they don’t cost money, all they require is time!

With faith, family, and friends, our lives are richly blessed. Like the author I encourage all of us to “invest in our faith, spend time with our family, and get together with our friends.” Doing so will be “time well invested and riches well received.”

Technology Overdose?

2009-06-24T05:31:00.001-07:00

I found the following article in Healthcare Executive May/June 2009 to be very interesting and pertinent for our time.

“Technology has provided revolutionary devices during the past few years that have allowed us to perform many tasks once thought impossible. Unfortunately, too many people are overdosing on emails, Blackberries and online activities. Fortunately you can control how technology participates in your life. The following suggestions can help.

Evaluate the time you are connected

Emailing during off-hours is OK. The problem however, comes when you work a full eight-hour day, plus stay up into the wee hours of the night emailing. This is when you need to evaluate your “on” time.

Document the amount of time you’re connected each day. Is your cell phone always on? Are you regularly on the computer until midnight? Do you check you messages while you are playing with the kids? Is your email program always running in the background? Do you feel panicked when you are unplugged? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you should figure out why you are connected at certain times and why you can’t turn the device or program off.

List how technology tools should ease your life

Technology can be your friend, if you use it within boundaries and limits, and for the reason it was intended. Get back to the basics of why you need technology. Most likely, you wanted tools such as email and your cell phone to be convenience, not a burden. Map out how you can best use technology in a way that is convenient for you.

Stop blaming technology

If you believe you can’t get away from the constant ringing of your cell phone or the nonstop barrage of email messages, maybe it is time to take some responsibility for your situation. If you can’t turn your cell phone off for an hour (or disable your email for a half-day), what does that say about the way you manage your life? Remember, someone has to push the “on” button.

Get serious about time management

How do you spend your time? Instead of allowing incoming email messages to always pop up on your screen, check your email twice per day and schedule a cetain amount of time for each email session. If you allow your incoming office calls to go to voicemail, can’t you turn off your cell phone for certain hours of the day and let those calls go to voicemail? Schedule your technology-related items and priorities just as you would any other task on your to-do list. Make a schedule that includes time for everything—work and personal activities—and stick to it.”

Source: Adapted from an article by Carol Ring, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Rogers Cable

Installing Love

2009-02-18T04:44:00.000-08:00

I happened upon this little prose on AsAManThinketh.net and enjoyed it so I thought I would share it on my blog being that is the month of Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoy!

"Tech Support: Yes, ... how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install LOVE. Can you guide me though the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So LOVE is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. LOVE is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you."

Maintaining a Healthy Level of Insanity

2008-09-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

A little over two weeks ago I wrote two blogs about the benefits of laughter and not taking ourselves too seriously. Recently my brother sent me a funny list of items he found on the internet entitled "How to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity." I found the list to be quite amusing and thus would like to share it, in hopes of bringing a smile to your face and lighting up your mood on this day. I will neither admit nor deny doing any of the items below…

*How To Maintain A Healthy Level of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit in Your Parked Car with Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer at Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You to Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

5. Put Mosquito Netting around Your Work Area and Play tropical Sounds All Day.

6. Have Your Co-workers Address You by Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

7. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

8. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, yelling 'Run for Your Lives! They're Loose!'

9. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

*Source Unknown

Thoughts From Father's Day

2008-06-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

'It was late in the afternoon, and my dad and I were stopping by our cabin quickly to pick up his sunglasses before we headed back to the slopes. I loved to ski, and the crisp sunny day couldn’t have been better for speeding down the white crystal snow. The afternoon welcomed large crowds of people to the ski resort, but I was still hopeful we could squeeze in at least three to four more runs down the mountain before the chairlifts closed for the evening.

My family was on vacation with the Reed’s, one of my dad’s good friends from childhood. Mr. Reed was very well to do, and he had four boys who were older than me, strong, and athletic. The Reed children boasted the latest ski equipment and zoomed down the mountain looking like the Olympic athletes I had seen on TV. Overall, they were a kind family, and my dad clearly had a lot of love for Mr. Reed.

When my dad and I approached the cabin, I urged him to hurry and find his sunglasses so we could dash back to the slops. Just as my dad was about to open the door and head into our warm and cozy cabin to fetch his glasses, he stopped while peering closely at the rear of one of the Reed’s vehicles. “Ut-oh” my dad said walking towards an obviously deflated back tire of the Reed’s black and silver pick-up truck. Stooping down and examining the tire my dad found the problem—a nail. Without even hesitating, he took off his gloves and ski hat and began to work. I reluctantly tried to help my dad change the tire, but really I only could muster enough effort to watch as I made it very clear that I was not happy. I knew better than to argue or complain outwardly at the time, but I was furious and could not comprehend why my dad was doing such an outrageous thing at such an inopportune time. When my dad was finally finishing, I finally blurted out the question, “Why did you have to do that?” The thoughts of Mr. Reed has four strong boys that can surely change a tire faster then we can, and Mr. Reed can easily afford to pay someone else to fix it for him swirled around in my head. But what my dad said has stuck with me to this day. He looked me square in the eye and said, “Son, I did it because it was the right thing to do.”

Since that day, I’ve tried to do things that were the right thing to do. My dad’s example has had a powerful influence on me throughout my life and has really made me who I am today. He showed me the way right way to act and he taught me what was truly important in life. I am a better person because of my dad.'*

I heard this story yesterday from an acquaintance at church. I have determined that one of the most special and most rewarding opportunities we have in this life is to be a father, and the influence and impact we have on our children is enormous and long-lasting. Yesterday, during Father’s Day, I hope we were all able to contemplate on the special privilege it is to be a dad. I also hope that those of us who are dads were able to re-commit ourselves as leaders of our family, to be even better for our children and spouse. There is no greater return on investment than the part of ourselves we give to our family. I’m thankful for the blessings of a wonderful father and for fatherhood itself.

*summary, written to the best as I could remember it.

Memorial Day Thoughts

2008-05-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is a special day for our nation. For me, it is a day in which we should all take time to mourn, reflect, show gratitude, and rejoice.

First, we mourn the passing of those we’ve lost—especially those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms. We mourn the fact that war continues around the world, and that we are currently engaged in conflicts due to hatred and pride of man. We mourn for families who have lost loved ones and for the pain war causes in our world.

Next, we reflect on the sacrifices of those who have given and continue to give so much for our nation. We reflect on what our freedom has cost and how dear it truly is. We reflect on our own personal lives—are we being as kind, grateful, and forgiving as we should be? We reflect on those precious things in life that matter most.

After that we show gratitude by appreciating and respecting freedom. We show gratitude by fulfilling our civic duties, by being a kind neighbor, and by standing up for what we believe to be right. We show gratitude by staying involved and interested in the well-being of our nation. We show gratitude each day by our simple interactions with each other. We show gratitude by being respectful of life.

Finally, we rejoice in the good that exists in our world. We rejoice in our freedom. We rejoice in the courage, love, and example of those who have gone before us and for those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We rejoice in time spent with family and friends. We rejoice that we are alive.

I hope during this Memorial Day each of us takes time to mourn a little, reflect a little, show a little more gratitude, and rejoice a little together. God bless America!

The Christmas Challenge

2007-12-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

In complete contrast to most Christmas wishes these days, last year after all of the presents were opened, my mother announced to my siblings and I that the only Christmas present she wanted for the next year was for each of us to perform some kind of service to others and write about our experience to her in a letter. At the time, I did not realize how difficult this task would be.

From serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster to participating in many other church and community service activities, each time I thought I was giving my mother her wish, I felt guilty. The reason is because I misinterpreted my mother’s request as one of personal sacrifice and suffering for the good of another. In other words, I understood her wish to mean that I should give something up and not enjoy the service I was giving even though I was helping others. In my mind, I thought feeling good while performing the service would disqualify it from fulfilling my mother’s desire.

As the year progressed, each time I was certain my next act of service could qualify sufficiently to fulfill my mother’s wish, I always felt strongly that it could not count as I experienced special feelings of gratitude and happiness. Throughout the year, as I attempted to do something that would help others while not filling me with love, I failed. The unexpected cycle continued as I began to realize I had a big problem on my hands, for I began to comprehend that I may be unable to fulfill the simple wish of my dear mother.

Then December came and I started to panic. How could I tell my mother I hadn’t done anything to carry out her Christmas wish?! In this desperate state, I called my family together and we planned several service-oriented activities in December. But as we began doing these things, the same feelings came to me, and were in fact intensified because of the Christmas season. I wondered again how these acts of service could fulfill the wish of my mom for I was being blessed for giving to others.

Now on Christmas Eve, I’ve come to understand that I’ll never be able to serve others and not be rewarded inwardly for it. Thus, I don’t think I will ever be able to give my mother what I presumed she wanted—though I’m certain my presumption was wrong.

This year and especially during this Christmas Season, what I’ve come to accept from my mother’s challenge is that when we give of ourselves whether it is our money, time, talents, etc., we are nearly always rewarded more in return with feelings of happiness, peace, satisfaction, and joy. The more I served others, the better I felt.

My heart was filled with joy this year and so will yours this coming year as you take my mother’s Christmas challenge and find ways to serve others. I learned, or was reminded, the more we serve others, the more we actually receive in return. What a shrewd and wise mother who understands what happiness in this life is all about! I sincerely wish a Merry Christmas to all—but especially, I wish a Merry Christmas to you Mom!

A Christmas Story

2007-12-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

As we near Christmas Day, I think it is important to reflect on what this Holiday season means to you and your family. I sincerely wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

The Strand I Could Not Fix
By Janet Perez Eckles

Like fog in the morning, the spirit of Christmas had vanished. Still, I shuffled in the garage. One by one, I retrieved the bins I’d stored the previous Christmas. While the aroma of sugar cookies wafted through the air and Silent Night played in the background, I began the decorating.

Placing the nativity scene as the focal point of our family room, I spread the rest of the decorations around the house: red and green candles, musical boxes with winter scenes, and bright red poinsettias framed with green garland adorned with burgundy, velvet bows. They all transformed our home into a lively winterland.

Next, I retrieved three stockings to fill the marked places above the fireplace; each embroidered with our sons’ names: Jason, Jeff, and Joe. Once Jason and Jeff’s were hung, with tears burning my eyes, I clutched Joe’s against my chest.

The empty stocking sears my heart. It’s been five years since the Lord called Joe home. Five years that Joe’s absence left an emptiness we can almost touch. And five years that God’s grace wiped away portions of the grief that flogged our hearts. But often, it’s the scorching pain that opens our eyes to a bigger picture.

Years ago, when our three sons, including Joe, were still young, I focused on providing a perfect Christmas; a perfect tree to wrap a perfect celebration. As a result, little things tended to roil in me such as a light strand that refused to shine because of a burned bulb. Annoyed at the glitch, I promptly set off to resolve it —I fussed, I rearranged, plugged and unplugged until frustration grew hot in me.

How foolish and silly. I focused on that one bulb, dismissing the glow of the star atop the Christmas tree. I’d done the same with light bulbs that burned in my life—from broken relationships to shattered plans. Exerting tons of energy trying to fix them, I missed the star-- the one that gave significance to my life.

When that void in our heart aches to be filled, it’s the star of comfort that makes it whole. When bitter sorrow robs the spirit of Christmas, it’s the star of His genuine love that whispers joy. When a health diagnosis shakes our world, it’s the star of reassurance that shines the certainty of new tomorrow’s. It’s the same star that never loses the brilliance of hope, incomprehensible hope, one we can only embrace when all strands of life burn out.

With eyes focused on the star, I hang Joe’s stocking along with his brothers’; not empty anymore—but filled with sweet memories--his wit, laughter, his hugs and kisses.

For that reason, God called it His "Morning Star" to dispel our darkness, dry our tears and repair strands we cannot fix.
You can visit the author’s website at www.janetperezeckles.com