5 Reasons Tebow and Network Marketing Are Alike

    I warned you that some days, the blog might go in a seemingly odd direction. Everywhere a person turns, there is some kind of story about Tim Tebow. Some people despise the man and everything he stands for and some will seemingly defend him to the death. The whole Tebow phenomenon affects different aspects of society ranging from sports to politics to religion. Personally I have my views and opinions about Mr. Tebow but instead of sharing those, I am going to make a comparison between Mr. Tebow and another controversial topic known as network marketing.

Both are the butt of jokes

Tebow haters take jabs at him at every turn. If you do not think this is true, Google “Tebow jokes” and you will find page after page of jabs and jokes at his expense. Network marketing also ends up the butt of jokes and I guess the industry may deserve some of that. In the past, network marketers were encouraged to aggravate their family and friends to the point where most were socially outcast. I have seen sit com episodes making fun of network marketers, and many people believe and endorse this stereotype without even knowing the facts. Being a big sports fan, I often listen to sports talk radio and there is one host who has made snide remarks about network marketing many times and he goes out of his way to poke fun at Tebow, too.  In either case, I wonder what the motivation is behind the jokes.

Both are unconventional

By now, we know that Tebow throws an ugly pass, has too big of a windup and does not makes throws on time. Experts feel he runs too much and this style will never be successful. What cannot be denied is that he has helped lead a less than talented team into the playoffs. Network marketing does not include time clocks, water coolers, corporate parking places or a dress code. It lacks a steady paycheck (an undeniable truth) but allows the possibility of an unlimited income. My career and profession (for now anyways) does have a nice steady income check but after a decade and a half, I am about as high on the food chain as I can get. I make well above the average income in my profession. Conversely, I personally know a couple of network marketers who LEFT jobs making LESS than I do right now who, through network marketing, make 2-3 times as much as I do working much less and travelling much more. But wait a minute, a person has to have a “job” that requires at least 40 hours a week in order to be what? Conventional? Worthwhile?

Both make life interesting

Tebow and overtime wins were newsworthy this past football season. People were glued to the screen, both the supporters and the haters. Remember, cheering is like life and has its own yin and yang—booing and applause. Viewers tuned in to see if he pulled out another victory or if he would fall on his face. Network marketing is interesting in its own way. Usually, a person gets involved with a network marketing opportunity with a product or service that they enjoy and find interesting. So, they learn how they can share their product or service with someone and that product or service fills a need with the customer. Network marketers, or the successful ones anyways, first and foremost are concerned with their customers and realize they will be blessed if they bless others.

Both Tebow and Network Marketing suffer from hype

Tebow was one of the most decorated college football players of all time. He led his Florida teams to some impressive records. All he did was win games. Then he was drafted (yes, too high) and many felt that Denver had made a huge mistake and he was viewed as a long shot to make the NFL despite his college accolades. It seems that no matter what Tebow does, there is always something wrong with what he did. Network marketing has been plagued by hype and false expectations. This has scarred the industry but does not diminish that the industry is legal and viable. Hype needs to be removed from both. Forget the hype. Look at the results and if the results are favorable, then enjoy the benefits. If the results are not favorable, work harder and smarter.

Both Tebow and Network Marketing thrive on hard work

Have you ever seen Tebow’s workout routine? Now that boy puts out the effort in preparation for his profession. He knows what has to be done to insure the highest probability of success, whether it is conventional or not. He knows he will not rely on a “Get success quick” scheme and does not base that on all the hype associated with him. Network Marketing has been falsely accused of being a “get rich quick scheme” and experience show nothing could be more false. It takes effort and consistent effort to make a business of any kind grow. Disgruntled individuals who grossly underestimated the needed effort have failed in Network Marketing and when faced with the reality of the situation, they have found it easier to blame the industry than their efforts.

Both Tebow and Network Marketing can lead to success

Tebow did not win the Super Bowl, but his team made the playoffs and won in the playoffs. Compared to the results of the past few seasons, that makes this season a success.  An individual with a desire to make a change and an open mind can succeed through diligence and effort in Network Marketing. Even the big league gurus named Trump, Kiyosaki and Buffet have commented positively on the industry of Network Marketing. Both Tebow and Network Marketing rely on a solid team for success. There are people who tried Network Marketing and did not succeed as they felt they did not have a solid supportive team around them. Join a network marketing company based on people first. Find a leader or a sponsor that you like spending time with and one who is positive and nurturing.

If you have questions about the industry or you are just curious to know what it can offer, please feel free to contact me and leave me the best way to contact you. I can promise an honest conversation and I can promise I will not send you countless emails in an auto responder-just a straight up conversation

Rubber rafts, a king, and the Byrds

I thought of my dad yesterday. Buck, as he was known to his friends, loved to hunt and fish more than anything. He owned about 12 guns and no one ever could have counted his fishing poles accurately. He also owned a military-like and quality rubber raft. He made some simple adaptations to the raft and used it for fishing and duck hunting.

Dad spent hours planning and calculating what he was going to do and how he was going to enrich his outdoors experiences. He reminded me of a mad scientist or at least a Thomas Edison of hunting and fishing. Picture a room in the basement that was dimly lit and one of the nastiest rooms I have ever seen. This was his sanctuary and his fortress of solitude.

He spent an entire winter planning his biggest adventure. He was determined to enter the Atlantic Ocean from the shore using his raft. He had calculated the best way to get out over the breakers. He used tide tables and tried to control all variables. He decided he needed someone on shore to help him by using a rope tied to the raft. I think he felt it would add stability and he picked my aunt to man the rope because she possessed brute strength. However, she did not have nerves of steel and never fully followed his direction which led to an amazing home movie of dad and raft getting absolutely wiped out by waves. He never tried again after that.

When dad died, we found countless notebooks with ideas, inventions and plans he devised to enjoy his hobbies of hunting and fishing. I also found the raft, which because of inactivity, had dry rotted.

King Solomon wrote a famous passage in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. Later the Byrds released a folk classic based on this passage:

1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.   

The memories of dad sparked a realization. Do we spend too much time preparing, procrastinating, or over analyzing things in our life and actually never doing them? I have heard people say that this can be called "paralysis by analysis". Life is unpredictable. Life is short and there are so many things that each of us want to do and experience. We need to realize that time does matter. Do you have a "bucket list" of any kind? I do. I want to spend the night at Alcatraz, I want to go to Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. I want to go on a Bigfoot expedition. I want to sing the National Anthem at a ball game. Maybe I will find time. Maybe I will make the most of my time. And I am sure I could find some more "time cliches" to write. But now is not the time.

Mission Possible

Here is a story for you. We are going to get this really old guy who is a farmer by trade. We are going to ask him to hand build an enormous boat. He has never seen a boat but he is up to the task. Additionally, he is going to gather up all the animals and make sure they make it on this boat. Oh, and the best part, this old man has 200 years to complete this boat.

I have another one. There is a nation that is known for war. I mean, that is all the Wiki site says about them: "They are very bad dudes and they make war". They eat, sleep and fight and might give up the first two. In their ranks is the biggest, baddest killer on the planet. He is HUGE and he is battle tested and just the sight of him is scary (not to mention the smell which is a weapon of mass destruction in itself). But, he loses his life in a battle with a teenage boy and a slingshot. It was the kid's first experience in mortal combat.

Both of these stories sound impossible and the things that tall tales are made of. Impossible, and the notion of impossibility, come from our own minds (much like fear). For years, it was "impossible" for man to run a mile under 4 minutes and for a man to fly.

We, as humans, succumb to impossible way too much. Humans fail to conceive the power and magnitude of God. Nothing is impossible (My son Mathias constantly sings a song with these words in the lyrics) when it is God's will. Jesus speaks simply and directly about this in Luke 18:27:

             ²⁷ Jesus replied, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

So now an example closer to home. Anyone who has known me for a while would have told you I would have been the least likely person they knew to complete a 40 day fast. I was the master of findng loose change for snacks and knew the cost of my favorite value meals to the penny. I was an eating machine. But, God placed on my heart the need for a fast and He took me by the arm and I finished 40 days. That was a miracle and I would have never thought it possible.

Life presents challenges, tragedies, happiness and dreams. All of those things make us human. God can deliver so much more than our minds can conceive. Sometimes, it takes us getting out of our own way and letting God work in our lives. If you think surrendering that kind of control is impossible, ah ha, think again, because nothing is impossible. Don't make me get all cheesy and remind you all that "IMPOSSIBLE" is nothing more than "I (a)M POSSIBLE".

All you can eat lesson

The nurse practitioner part of me comes out in this post.  Educating others about health ranks high on my priority list and information about mental health has a special place in my heart. The National Institute of Mental Health’s web site offers statistics about generalized anxiety disorder. This disorder, known as GAD, affects more than 5 percent of the adult population in a lifetime. The average age of onset of symptoms is over 30. As with most mental health issues, GAD is likely under reported and many suffer in silence because of the stigma associated with mental illness or lack of information regarding the illness and its treatment.

I have worked in the mental health setting a long time. I have been around a little longer than Prozac. I have seen, diagnosed and treated many individuals with GAD. I have seen how GAD can destroy lives and upset families. Treatment often includes medications and/or counseling. What I have observed is that aside from formal treatment, suffers need support, empathy and quite a bit of behavior modification.

MEDICATIONS

I am not going into details about the medications that are used to treat GAD. All I am going to say is that medications come with side effects and risks. Medication choices vary from provider to provider. The truth is that some providers do treat GAD with medications that have a high addictive potential. Yes, I know that ALL the literature says that addictive medications SHOULD not be used, but in the real world, they are being used and abused. All I know is that person cannot have side effects from a medication they have never taken and there is no such thing as a safe medication.

THERAPY

Therapy proves to be effective and some studies may indicate even more effective than medications. However, therapy may or may not be covered under insurance plans and without coverage, many folks just cannot afford therapy. Also, it takes two to tango and a receiver of therapy has to interested and engaged in getting better. Do not dismiss the number of people who do not want to either improve or appear to improve because of secondary gain. It happens.

MY WAY OF EDUCATING

I am a simple guy, in more ways than one. I relate that before I begin to educate and I explain that I use analogies often. I have two favorites to use in teaching about GAD, and, yes, I know they both involve food. You use what you know best, I suppose.

ALL YOU CAN EAT

Let me tell you, when the Hipes Clan shows up at an “All You Can Eat” place, the owners run to try and lock the doors. So, they give you this tiny plate (a trough would be too small) and you pile it up with all the items on the buffet. You start the high wire act- carefully balancing and trying to get to the table without spillage. Undoubtedly, something falls off and hits the floor..forgetaboutit..

In GAD, you have hit the Worry Buffet way too hard. You push stuff on the plate of life at every opportunity and then something you need falls off your plate and out of your mind. Worry causes difficulty in remembering things. You worry so much you feel you are losing your mind, in addition to your car keys, shoes and wallet.

THE WHOLE PIZZA

My second analogy involves the pizza of your choice made by your favorite pizza pie artist. And, it is all yours. You are salivating and may be mistaken for being rabid. Then, you open wide and try to “one bite” the whole pie. What? You cannot do it? Why? Because it is too much to ingest and digest at once and if you try you make choke? Wow, that does not stop a person with GAD from trying to “swallow” all their worries and the others they usually take on just so they can reinforce their worries. Plus, with all those constant worries comes the sense that a person with GAD must do MORE so that no one will know they are worried about everything. Cut the dang pie into bite sized pieces. Go after the small worries first because they are weak and will die quickly.

I know me and I know that I will someday approach GAD in this blog. I do try and contain my inner NP, but sometimes it just explodes out of me. I know I will address what the Bible says about anxiety soon. Faith can play a huge role in overcoming anxiety and stress.

4 Ways to Stop Frustration

This is the description of a sight that none of you deserve to see as no crime could fit this punishment. That sight would be me running. It is slow, loud and painful, full of wheezes, snaps and crackles. I usually run at night because a horrific scene like this may cause a crowd like most disasters and I have found it is more difficult for the buzzards to track me effectively in the cover of darkness. In other words, my running is a mess.

And, running is a great metaphor for life. I know my faults and in no way, am I a confident, put together person. I am a guy who is fighting to live a good, Christian life that trips and falls over the cracks of the sidewalk of life. I am too obese. I procrastinate when I get around to it. I worry too much. I am an insomniac. I say too many careless goofy things, mostly for the laughter of my kids. I am afraid of the stupid telephone and I have a deep rooted hated of panty hose. But, I keep getting up when I trip and keep running the race of life. I guess that is why I can relate to what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-16:

I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. ¹³ My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for I what is ahead. ¹⁴ I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. ¹⁵ All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you. ¹⁶ But we must keep going in the direction that we are now headed

The title of the blog promises 4 ways to overcome frustrations so I intend on delivering. And I am going to start now so that I cannot be accused of procrastinating.

1.     YOU are not perfect. Ok, maybe on some days your hair may be perfect but I am looking big picture here. If you think that you are mostly perfect, well, in my line of work that is called a “delusion” and I suggest you make an appointment to discuss your options. YOU WILL MESS UP. Accept your mistakes and learn from them. I find it useful to attempt to avoid making the same ones repeatedly, and if I ever get a handle on that, I’ll share it with you.

2.     God does not make JUNK. Open the Bible (for some of you, it is the dusty book on the coffee table—Oh, yes I did). God tells us early that he created us in HIS OWN IMAGE. My God is not junk. If your God is junk, contact me as we need to speak. YOU HAVE UNLIMITED potential and many of you place the limitations on yourself. Sadly, limitations are easily applied and tough to get off.

3.     God is not done with you yet. Life is like a race. We do not know the finish line but we know we cannot go backwards. Sure, you might pull a muscle or get some nasty blisters, but the race continues. Ask God what he plans to do with you.

4.     Surround yourself with support and eliminate the “nay sayers”. Now, by “eliminate” I am not suggesting evil works that result in life sentences. If you lack some positive influence, just hit the “contact” button and then you will have access to one positive person (and those who know me and read me, throw me some love in the comment section. Y’all been lack in showing me public forum affection..just sayin)

So, there you have it. I have given 4 free frustration busters. Let us just say that they are fee to you but Someone paid dearly for them. If that is cryptic and forces you to think, I meant to do that. Again, that is why there is a place for comments and connects.

Until I blog Again

John

The Evil Villain Worry

Kids. Bills. Job. Health. Insurance. Taxes. The check engine light on the truck. The leaky toilet. The economy. I could go on and on with the never ending list of worries that pop in our minds. Big worries, small worries, worries that climb on rocks-our lives are full of self inflicted stressors. I can speak of worry as an expert because I come from a long line of “worriers”.  I have been trained from birth to attempt to handle and brainstorm every single “what if” scenario.

Do you want to know the silliest of my worries? I worry about oversleeping. I am not sure what would happen if I overslept, but I am sure it may be the predictor of the Rapture. I bet some of you imagine that this started after I entered the working world and you would be so wrong. Here is where it really gets odd. I do not and have NEVER used an alarm clock. I mean I have been like this since I was 9 years old. I wake up no less than 4 times a night just so I can see what time it is. The sickness that lives in my head will have me guess the time before I open my eyes, like I am going to win a cruise or something if I am correct. I can honestly only recall 2 times or so in my life that I slept past 10AM on a Saturday! The very first time I recall doing that was about a week after my high school graduation and I remember vividly my grandmother was visiting.

Why do I worry about oversleeping?  All I know is that admitting my worry sets up a nice platform to open the discussion.

1.     Most of the things we worry about never come true, and if they do, the results are rarely catastrophic. Have I overslept in the past? Nope. If I did, I would likely survive without losing my job and may have to endure some teasing at work. I am fairly certain I would not be executed.

2.     Worry is a fear without a face. In this case, my worry about oversleeping literally keeps me awake at night and robs me of the sleep I need. What frightens me about oversleeping? I have no clue.

3.     Worry smothers itself in negativity. Negative thoughts then lead to negative actions which lead to negative energy and feelings.

4.     Worry becomes a habit. I will worry if there is nothing worrying me. Talk about toxic, self inflicted wounds.

5.     Worry stimulates the body to react to stress. This distress has many physical ramifications that, unlike milk, “does NOT do a body good”.

6.     Worry can be pathological.

So, what is an accomplished worrier with more than 40 years of experience supposed to do when he knows money is tight, the job is shaky because of a contract issue, and the IRS bill is, well, scarier than Freddy Krueger ever could be? Besides, worrying about stuff gives me “control”, right? Surely, if I toss and turn enough nights and make myself a sleep deprived lunatic, I can solve this problem. Yeah, right, that has worked SO well. 

What if I lean on God and look to Him for answers? God makes it SIMPLE if we will just have faith. Look at Philippians 4:6-7, “⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. ⁷ Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Then Jesus says in Matthew 6:25 “ I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing?”.

I am a work in progress. I pray daily that God will help me overcome my issues and I know others suffer right along with me. So, with God, I can overcome this nemesis. So , stay tuned until the next time. Same blog site. Same blog channel.

The Undynamic Duo

I have always appreciated a good duo. As a kid, I loved Batman and Robin, the really cheesy TV show of the 1960s. There are too many pictures of me wearing a Batman outfit. Then, of course, I must not forget peanut butter and jelly. I am thinking of starting a new 12 step program for peanut butter addiction. Furthermore, I have enjoyed Abbott and Costello, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, and Jake and Elwood Blues. By the way, I should get special bonus points for using the word 'furthermore' in a blog.

I can think of one duo I do not like: guilt and regret. Talk about some joy thieves! These two criminal elements may be merely thoughts but they can destroy you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. No, I do not think that it is an accident that guilt and regret can destroy the very ways one is supposed to use to love and honor God. Guilt and regret gnaw at the foundation of life and jeopardize the integrity of one's personal structure.

GUILT
Merriam- Webster defines guilt as "feelings of culpability (meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful) especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy". So, in other words, guilt requires one to take blame and notice the end of the definition. It says for IMAGINED offenses and from a SENSE OF INADEQUACY. Once one starts stockpiling a sense of inadequacy, they start questioning their abilities, which in turn crushes confidence, motivation and momentum. Guilt derails the train of life.

In my first entry, I mention some important influences in my life. One is Annie Armen and she and I had a discussion about guilt one day. Annie holds nothing back. She unleashes an honesty in a caring way that lives up to her nickname "The Hurricane". What I took from Annie that day I have shared with so many people. Guilt and TRUTH cannot sit at the same table. Guilt comes with condemnation, most of which is self directed. If one feels guilty about something, the situation requires an honest and genuine appraisal. The truth, even though it may hurt, must be acknowledged. Once the truth is defined, it must be accepted. Notice I did not say, "it must be LIKED". The truth may hurt but the truth will free you from guilt.


We have all done something that activates guilt. We fret about it, stew on it and sometimes even shed buckets of tears about it. But, in our most private moments, we KNOW the truth about it and we have to come to grips with our mistake, error or lapse in judgment. Accept the truth and every time your brain tries to invoke the guilt clause, stop and remember that you know the truth and knowing that frees you from guilt. This takes work, but work is better than guilt, right?


REGRET
Regret is defined by Merriam-Webster as "to be very sorry for". You hear this all the time and it is popular in movies. At the climax scene of the movie, someone with breathlessly say, "I have no regrets..", and then something dramatic happens to them, like falling from a cliff. Most of us have said or done something that later that provokes us to feel remorse. With sincere remorse comes a sense of really being sorry for our actions. Time and time again people will say they regret their actions and all of us wonder if they regret the actual act or they regret they got caught in the act. Regardless, regret exists. Regret and self control cannot sit at the same table. If I control my tongue, I limit the regretful things I may say. If I control my urges, then I limit the regretful acts I commit. 


I think we all have regrets if we are honest because we have all done some, well, not so smart things in our life. I have no ability to change the past and I have to accept the truth about things, acknowledge my mistakes, ask forgiveness, and have a resolve to make better decisions in order to escape the whole guilt/regret complex. I want to be like Timothy, not only at the end of my life, but strive to be like him at the end of each day. 


2Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" Do not let guilt and regret make you miserable. YOU have control over these vile offenders. Team up with God and make your own Dynamic Duo and defeat Regret and Guilt. Just remember, you and me..we are the side kicks. God is the superhero. Maybe soon we will take on the villain Worry. But, tune in tomorrow. Same Blog title. Same blog Channel. And if you need me before then, activate the Blog Signal.

For my Facebook Family

Hi

First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate each and every one of you. This blog defines and symbolizes a very different path for my life. I realize some of you will end up liking me more while some of you will like me less and question my sanity. It is ok, as my sanity has been questioned before and I realize sane may be overrated. Regardless, know that I thank God for the pleasure of knowing you.

This blog exposes me in a very raw way. You may learn details that you did not know and details that not everyone shares. I expect that some of my family members and closest friends may question my motives and might criticize me for my efforts. That is ok with me because I feel that some self -disclosure is needed.

My personal testimony has never been as visible as with this blog. I sincerely feel that God has a hand, not only in my life, but also in this blog. Initially, I thought I would put my writings out in the “blog world” and I would get whatever traffic and readership by those who stumbled to my site. Oddly, I have done very little on Facebook for many months as I have had technical difficulties associated with the site. Then, for the life of me, I could not recall the password. I woke up from a nap today and the correct password came to me.

So, if you have come to my blog through my post on Facebook, I want to tell you how much it means to me you actually did come and check me out in this format. I ask for your prayers as I intend to educate, inspire and entertain you with my writings and above all else, I want to make each of you think. I want to write stuff that sticks to your ribs. Things that, out of the blue, come back in your mind like an annoying jingle. Not annoying in a bad way, but rather in a way that makes you smile or even chuckle if I am having particularly good day writing.

And remember, if y’all read things on my blog and then mention it to my mom or mother in law, well, that’s ok. I don’t think they will be surprised that I may have lost my mind. (For the record, Denise has long known that I ain’t right.)

May God bless you

John

Why me Lord?

I have 2 older sisters. Meg is 10 years older than me and she has a lot of my dad in her. Like Dad, Meg possesses a scary high IQ. I mean if not for an underlying conscious, I likely would have been a son in a family of villainous super geniuses. I can see it now with the Mount Rushmore of Evil Geniuses- Dad, Meg, Wylie Coyote and Dr. Evil. Aside from that, I have always admired Meg’s singing voice. She has rarely shared the gift with the public but her spot on tone and pitch are amazing. I never said much when she was singing because if I did, she would stop. My sister can really sing, even though Bigfoot has been spotted more than she has been heard.

My other Cindy was 15 years older than me. Cindy loved to sing but her vocal range made Johnny Cash seem like Celine Dion. She exercised her 4 ½ note range utilizing the Columbus Method of Singing, that is, find a pitch and land on it. She always reminded us that God said make a joyful noise and I always imagined God smiling when she sang and often thought if a heavenly host sang back up to her. I also imagined they sang quite loudly.

Cindy always took the teasing and kept moving forward. This was quite a feat as she was paralyzed from birth and at the time of her death last July, she may have been the oldest American with spina bifda. One of her favorite songs was Why Me, Lord? I have thought of singing that song but I always defer as it was her song and I am not sure if I could do it justice.

I find myself genuinely asking God, “Why me, Lord?” Why do I feel led to do this blog and potentially open myself to a ministry that I am surely not worthy of doing? I could go through a laundry list of reasons why I am unqualified and unworthy. But, that question is not up to me.

1.     “Why me?” fertilizes the field of doubt. The more I ask that, the more I end up with doubt. Do you notice that the word “I” fills up that last sentence? The truth of the matter is that plans like Zealous Intentions are not possible by my actions.

2.     It is not always about me. Everything I am and everything I have comes from God. So, logic tells me that I should be willing to give back to the One who has provided for me.

3.     “Why NOT me?” must be considered because if God has plans for me, who am I to question His actions and motives? I do have faith that events happen for a purpose.

I fight self doubt ever single day, and sometimes it seems I get punched in the gut by doubt hourly.  But, I pray that God gives me the strength to endure the body shot and push forward. The dry run, prep week is almost over and I am excited to get started.

Nicodemus and business

In the New Testament, there is a Jewish leader named Nicodemus. In his culture, he was pretty powerful and successful. People knew him on sight and respected him and his position. If there would have been paparazzi back then, they would have followed him. I am sure when he walked down the street; people stared and talked quietly to themselves that he was coming. Nicodemus paid attention to the happenings in Jerusalem and he intently followed the activities of Jesus.

Nicodemus also listened to the teachings of Jesus and his curiosity was stoked. He wanted to meet with Jesus and he decided to meet Him at night. I am not going into the details of the meeting, but rather want to explore the reasons people do things under the cover of darkness. And, I am going to narrow that down to doing legitimate things under the cover of darkness so I won’t be discussing meth sales, extortion plans or trysts. Nicodemus visited Jesus under legitimate circumstances, so I will focus on that.

I see that night was used because Nicodemus thought he could be embarrassed if not ruined and because being seen as a friend of Jesus put him outside his comfort zone.  You have to remember, a short time after their super secret meeting, Jesus was brutally crucified. Nicodemus probably played that through his mind and thought crucifixion was just not for him. At the worst, the same people who would eventually demand Jesus’ death would strip Nicodemus of his position, wealth and stature. He had a lot to lose. Plus, his actions may forever taint his family legacy. Aside from ruination, how could this Jewish authority ever want to do something as radical as befriend this common carpenter who no one could explain?

Now, how many of us have professions, occupations or roles that are expected of us? Now, how many of us develop passions outside of those established expectations that we never share with as many as we should? But what if this new, ethical, legal and moral venture provided one with satisfaction, freedom, and lots of enjoyment? Well, most of us, if we are honest, would still sneak around and do it but would never fully or publically embrace the change. For example, I am a nurse practitioner. Ask anyone who knows me and that is how I am described. Yes, I enjoy it and I am good at being a nurse practitioner. I also desire more freedom and I enjoy real estate and health (outside of health care). I have been blessed with opportunities in each and I will meekly whisper about them as I proclaim I am a nurse practitioner. I keep it in a box and only show it to people I really trust.

Define yourself on your own terms and not by the expectations of others. That is easy to type, but hard to follow. I literally hesitated for a couple of minutes after that last sentence before realizing that I am even doing it on a blog! Yes, I am a nurse practitioner but I am also a real estate investor, a blogger and a firm believer and associate in USANA. Wow, I typed that and I did not faint or barf. And I even said it in the daylight (typing this on my lunch hour). Please, I sense that others struggle with this. Write it down, read to someone and then start telling it everyone you know. I am not Nicodemus and I will not be crucified for my new found passions.

Setbacks

Setbacks

Yesterday, I was breezing along during the fast day. Actually was beginning to feel good as I passed the yucky stage I often feel near the end of the first day. Then, as I was seeing a patient, I started experiencing the vision fuzziness of one of my old nemesis the migraine. And it was a doozy. I was sure there was a huge ice pick being shoved through my right eye and noise was killing me. Can I tell you that being sensitive to noise while working in a prison makes for a long afternoon?

Concentration was poor. Pain was intense. Needless to say, when I arrived at home, I was useless to blog, market, or anything shy of finding someplace to escape. Since I was in dire need of something for pain, I busted my fast in order to take ibuprofen.

The whole migraine day proved to be a setback. Because of the pain and inability to think, I was not able to pursue my intentions with zealous fervor. Looking back, I could have approached the day a little differently. Although it sounds strange, I should have thanked God because we are supposed to praise him in good times and bad. Plus, the migraine did allow me time being alone and I do not think I offered up one prayer during that time. What a wasted opportunity! I was in serious pain and I did not lean toward God for comfort. Surely I would have felt better in some sense if I would have talked to my Dad.

Humans try to be tough and make through setbacks with grit and determination. Setbacks happen. It is how we deal with the setbacks and how our response is to that setback that determines the outcome. Think of David. He had a major setback with the “Bathsheba Incident”. Yes, he suffered pain and anguish from that and he went on to have a fruitful and blessed life and had another son named Solomon. He endured the setback by reaching out to God. After losing a child, he could just as easily became bitter and spent the rest of his life sinning and cursing God.

Trials and tribulations are part of our lives and when you are working on turning up the heat to escape being lukewarm, expect more tribulations, trials, setbacks, and hurdles. Every time you survive a setback by leaning on God, you become stronger, and that strength glorifies Him. I understand that going through troubling times may be overwhelming. But think of the growth you will have as that trial stretches your ability to handle trouble.