Work in Progress

I'm almost a month into my renewal of my life, business, ministry, etc.  Here's what I have found. 

1.  It is true that God helps those who help themselves.  I always hated that statement but there is truth in it. I am working like it all depends on me and praying like it all depends on God. You know what?  God is abundantly gracious and kind and somehow it is all in motion and appears to be working.  I am still up to my ears in alligators but I am fighting my way through it. 

2.  It seems to get straightened and "get my act together", I am forever destined to make people mad.  It is like feeding the bears.  When you quit feeding, (doing what benefits them), they get really testy.

3.  It is alot easier to get into committments than get out.

4.  My daily walk with God is the conduit for my strength which comes from Him.

5.  My family continues to be the source of much joy.  Hunting with the guys, playing with the gkids, hanging around the house with my wife, those moments are what keeps you going.

6.  Get a plan, work the plan, adjust the plan, then work it some more.

New Year Here I come

I am officially pumped up about the coming New Year. For one thing, it is going to be better. I just know it. Not that I am in that much control, mind you, but it has to be. 2009 was a tough year for me. The economy hurt me a good bit in my particular business. But the killer was that I bought into some really bad information in my life and business that I bit on like a big bass hitting a lure. I don't really know what made me so gullible except maybe that it was so much of what I wanted to hear.

I realized through that some valuable lessons that I will now proceed to pass on.

1. You are never a bigger sucker than when someone is saying what you really hoped to hear. When it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
2. NEVER act on what you hope is so, make sure it is so before jumping in with all you have. I know faith is there somewhere, but when we get the smell of a big kill financially or career wise, we can loose all sense. We behave much like a big buck in hunting season when the rut comes in. A normally cautious animal will come trotting out accross a wide open field like he is bullet proof. He is not and neither are you.
3. Listen carefully to the arguement going on between your heart and head. I know you have those, so do I. Your head is saying, there is something not right here, your heart is saying, but it sounds soooo good.
4. Go listen to the old song by Kenny Rogers, the gambler. "you got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away and know when to run...". good advice. You don't have to make your money where you lost it. If the horse is dead, get off and seek another ride. Don't waste time trying to resurrect a dead horse.
5. Realize that sometimes the greatest damage is what is done to your mind and heart in these things. You get your thinking fuzzy because you keep saying, but what if...; then comes the anger and resentment and they should make this right stuff. Both of those will derail your thinking, etc.
6. Pull aside, refocus, and get a plan that does not involve relying on this whatever. Get a plan, work the plan and work with purpose and determination.

This is what I am going to do in 2010. What about you?