Do You Rank?

Recently has discovered that once you determine where you rank in people's lives....then it makes things much more simple.  The playing field is level.  The expectations of whether they will be there for you or not are identified.  Whether you matter or not can be seen clearly by behaviors.  And regardless of the fact if you'd truly be there for them doesn't really matter.  Because basically you do not rank as truly important in their lives.  Identifying this has been enlightening..........it allows one to see the truth, to be able to be honest about relationships and to know where to focus energy and efforts.

Part of me struggles with the fact that we can care about people who are in our lives really don't care about us. We can try to encourage them, try to be a part of their life, try to be caring and compassionate receiving none of those things in return.  How do we handle those facts?  How do we apply the realities to our life?  Do we determine that life is too short to focus on those with whom you don't matter? Do we continue on being who we are regardless....knowing that we don't "rank"? Do we just continue life as usual? Or do we make changes to adjust our life to those realities, moving them to a place of less importance in ours?

I am not sure of the answer. Perhaps it's a trial and error sort of thing.  Perhaps we continue on...Perhaps it doesn't matter.  I don't know....perhaps I never will. 

Give

The Kingdom of God reaches us at points and places where we least expect it.  It's ironic that those with nothing give the most.  A giver embraces the heart of the lonely and touches the need of the sinner.  Remember, it was a giver who changed the outcome of our existence and soothed the pain of our greatest need.  
When was the last time you gave away something you felt you were entitled to?  
When have you given your absolute best to those you were convinced deserved it the least?
How can you give of yourself?

The future of any ministry isn't to see a life changed, but to teach someone how to make decisions that will change his life. ~st

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

by the incomparable Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Your Own Decision

 

Many times in life, making decisions is difficult.  Many times "man" won't approve.  Many times people want to influence your decisions based on what they feel is right and what they desire. I've seen this happen so many times, others try to guilt someone into doing something.  It may be nothing that is wrong or bad, but just something that they want to do or "think" you should do.  Perhaps standing on your own decision may be hard. Perhaps others won't approve of your decision.  I think that one of the most freeing things in life is to be able to make a decision based upon what you think is best for your life, and move on with that decision regardless of what others say or think.  

Rudeness, being inconsiderate, or arrogant is not what I'm implying at all.  Just simply having a plan for your life & doing things that fulfill that plan.  Recently one of our boys was faced with an option, one that "everyone" was doing.  It was nothing bad. It was just things that we easily become entrapped with in life because it was "the" thing to do.  Sort of a keeping up with the Joneses thing.  One of the adults discussing the situation gave the comment, well you'd be the only one that didn't participate.  As parents, we don't want our kids to be left out, ostracized or seemingly different or weird so as a sincerely, caring parents, we suggested well maybe you should participate. It wouldn't hurt and maybe you'd learn something.

After discussing, we decided that we would stick with our initial decision to not participate.  Is is the right one? Maybe? Will others judge our decision? Maybe.  Does it matter?  In the whole scheme of things, not really. I think that when we are able to make our own decisions in life based upon not pleasing others & based upon what is True & Right, we can be happy with our decision.  That's not to say that others won't continue to try to make us feel guilty for being our own person, but we can with good conscious know that we are standing up, being our own person, & making our own decisions.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10