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Day 661 – The Wise Watch Their Words – Proverbs 20

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 661 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Wise Watch Their Words – Proverbs 20

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Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 661 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 20 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We are making some progress on our backlog of workload, which is refreshing although as my femur fracture continues to heal, I find that I do become fatigued quicker than I would otherwise. I am just using a cane now, as my leg has strengthened enough to where I no longer need the walker or crutches.

On the home front, we received our lawn mower back from the service shop where it has been for a little over three weeks. The grass definitely needs cut with all the rain that we had during July. Since I won’t be able to operate the mower for a few more weeks, Paula plans on getting out this week to take care of it. We both enjoy mowing, so this will give her an opportunity to get outside a bit.

Turning to our passage today, we are once again reminded that we need to show restraint when speaking. Words can build others up or destroy them. Our passage today reminds us of this. Proverbs 20 could be referred to as…

The Wise Watch Their Words

In this chapter, we again find a large number of proverbs using God’s personal covenant name, Yahweh. There are also many proverbs that refer to Israel’s king (verses 2, 8, 26, 28). Therefore, we find strong themes of divine authority and justice along with the wisdom found in this chapter. Wisdom becomes even more desirable when you realize you are under the watchful eye of God and the king.

This chapter emphasizes showing wisdom with our words. We see that hasty words, empty words, and harmful speech have serious repercussions. Therefore, choose your words carefully. As you listen through this chapter, pay close attention to verses 6, 9, 11, 14, 19, 20, 22, and 25. Ask yourself how your words might be viewed in the eyes of God and those in authority over you.The Wise Watch Their Words 4

Lastly, have you noticed that the further we get into the sayings of Solomon, the more sophisticated the wisdom? Many of these sayings read like riddles — their meaning doesn’t lie on the surface. You have to pause and ponder the words and the mysteries of life to which they point. You may want to take more time to and go through today’s Wisdom-Journal with Chapter 20 as you discover its wisdom.

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 20:

1 Too much wine begins to mock you,
too much strong drink leads to noisy fights,
and whoever is misled by either is not wise.
2 A king’s wrath strikes fear like a lion’s roar;
those who provoke him to anger sentence themselves to death.
3 Honor is due those who refuse to fight at the drop of a hat,
but every fool jumps at an opportunity to quarrel.
4 A slacker procrastinates when it is time to plow;
so when it’s time for harvest, there are no crops in the field.
5 The real motives come from deep within a person—as from deep waters—
but a discerning person is able to draw them up and expose them.
6 Most people claim to be loyal,
but can anyone find a trustworthy person?
7 The right-living act with integrity;
the children who follow their example are happy.
8 When a king sits on his throne as judge,
he ferrets out all evil and scatters it with his royal stare.
9 Who can say, “I have cleaned my heart”?
or who can proclaim, “I am purified from sin”?
10 False weights and differing measures are alike:
both are disgusting to the Eternal.
11 Youth reveal their true natures by their actions
whether they do what is pure and right or not.
12 Ears to listen, eyes to see—
the Eternal designed them both.
13 Do not fall in love with sleep, or you will awake a poor person.
Stay awake, get to work, and you will have more than enough food.
14 “Bad quality for a bad price,” bargains the buyer;
but then he runs off with his prize in tow, bragging, “What a steal!”
15 Gold and rubies abound,
but lips that utter knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;
if that stranger is a foreigner, hold the creditor responsible.
17 At first the bread of lies tastes sweet
until guilt reduces it to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans are finalized on the basis of good counsel,
so only go to war when you have wise instructions.
19 A gossip will reveal your secrets!
So avoid the company of people who talk openly and foolishly.
20 If someone pronounces a curse on his parents,[a]
the lamp of his life will be snuffed out as complete darkness creeps in.
21 An inheritance acquired hastily at first
will end up not being blessed after all.
22 Do not say, “I will get even for this evil.”
Wait for the Eternal; He will defend you.
23 He despises dishonesty in business;
false weights and deceptive scales are wrong.
24 Every one of our steps is directed by Him;
so how can we attempt to figure out our own way?
25 Those who rashly dedicate something to God are trapped;
only afterward do they realize what they’ve promised.
26 A wise king weeds out the wrongdoers,
then drives over them with his threshing wheel of justice.
27 The lamp of the Eternal illuminates the human spirit,
searching our most intimate thoughts.
28 Loyal love and faithfulness safeguard the king;
his throne is perpetuated through loyal love.
29 The best asset of youth is the strength of the body,
but the beauty of age is gray hair.
30 Severe punishment scrubs away evil,
and tough blows scour the innermost parts.

That will conclude our exploration of Proverbs 20. Which of these Proverbs do you need to work on? How do your actions and integrity line up with this chapter?

It is only when you allow God’s Word to change your heart and mind will you see a change in your life. Each week we will explore a full chapter in Proverbs. I hope that you will join us next week for Chapter 22 so that you can gain wisdom, insight, and understanding for yourself.The Wise Watch Their Words 3

The entire book of Proverbs provides us with rich wisdom, insight, and understanding on a myriad of life issues. Regardless of where you are in your faith walk, if you follow the precepts in Proverbs, your life will be rich and satisfying. I encourage you to take them and plant the seeds of wisdom in your heart so that you will reap a harvest of wisdom throughout your life.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute wisdom nugget that will provide you with a bit of wisdom that, if followed will allow you to grow healthier, wealthier, and wiser each day. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
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That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 660 – The Wise and The Foolish – Wisdom Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 660 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Wise and the Foolish – Wisdom Unplugged

 

The Wise Learns from the Fool- Unplugged

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 660 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

The Wise and the Foolish

Today’s quote is from Akhenaton and it is, “True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.”The Wise and the Foolish 2The biggest difference between a foolish person and a wise person is that the wise person realizes that he still has much to learn and is lacking wisdom in many areas of life. The foolish person is so full of themselves that he doesn’t realize how ignorant and foolish he truly is.

The wise person is humble and gentle. The foolish person is arrogant and obstinate.  The wise person thinks of others and is kind to those less fortunate. The foolish person thinks of himself and is cruel to those who don’t serve his purpose. The wise person tries to help others reach his maximum potential. The foolish person tries to lift himself up by pushing others down.The Wise and the Foolish 1

Proverbs affirm these thoughts in these verses:

Proverbs 9:9 – Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.

Proverbs 19:25 – If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

Proverbs 12:23 – The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.

Proverbs 13:16 – Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.The Wise and the Foolish 3If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!

Day 659 – An Eagle and a Sparrow – Mindshift Monday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 659 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

An Eagle and a Sparrow – Mindshift Monday

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Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 659 of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.

You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind, which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of mindshift.

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The healing of my fractured femur continues to progress rapidly. I have a new cane on order which should arrive this week. I am to the point where I can walk unassisted for short distances, so the cane should provide me with the needed steadiness where I will not have to use the crutches or a walker anymore.

While I am still experiencing a good amount of pain, it is certainly tolerable. I realize that my good physical condition and strong leg muscles before the accident have helped a lot, but the rapid healing is nothing short of a miracle from God provided by the prayers of many believers around the world. I thank you for and covet your continued prayers for complete healing and restoration.

Sunday we celebrated our granddaughter Aurora’s sixth birthday. It is so great to have a close knit family and share these blessed times together. We are of a kindred spirit as we celebrate life.

It is also our choosing to have the mindset that life is about encouraging one another to live to our God-given potential. God desires us to soar to our greatest heights possible. So on our trek today, I desire to compare and contrast two different mindsets so that you can have a mindshift by comparing…

An Eagle and a Sparrow

A famous English preacher Joseph Parker is quoted as saying, “An eagle does not roost in a sparrow’s nest.” The Bible also has something to say about the sparrow and the eagle. Jesus illustrated the care of our Heavenly Father in Matthew 10:28-31, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

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The sparrow represents something rather insignificant and of lesser value. The eagle, in contrast to the sparrow, is pictured as strong and great as it soars into the high heavens.

My life verses are found in Isaiah [40:28]-31.

Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

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What a thrill to know that there’s power from God that will help us attain spiritual heights as the eagle attains physical heights. As Christ followers, we ought to be like the eagle, never to roost in a sparrow’s nest. God has designed and empowered us to be like the eagle. Each day it’s possible to reach another unknown height. Each step that we take on our trek of life can bring us experiences, growth, and adventure as we walk by faith. Yet, unless you have a mindshift, you will settle into the sparrow’s nest.

The reason for this level of living, though sad, is obvious. Some people are more satisfied with their current station in life than the effort it would take to advance up the mountain. There are certain levels of nesting upon the mountain of life that appealingly say, “Stop here, settle down, and be satisfied.” 

It is easier to talk about climbing the mountains of life than to actually make an effort to climb them. It is easier to “chew the fat” than to walk it off. The mountain is an excellent analogy for real life. There are many more satisfied to remain on the plains or in the foothills than to venture up the steep and winding path. The “sparrows nest” is a popular place of refuge.

If you allow yourself to focus on mindshift, then you take on a new mindset. You are like the eagles. In doing so, you choose to keep your eyes on the heights. Slowly, steadily, with determination, you can pass the “sparrow’s nest.” You need not be distracted by the living monuments of quitters who mark the pathway to the top of the mountain.

When you determine to continue up the trail to the summit, you are reminded that life is about the journey, not just reaching the destination. That joy comes through the striving and not through the settling down. That victory and quitting are not compatible.

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With the proper mindshift, we can climb onward and upward like the eagle soaring ever higher. Those that are resting in the “sparrows nest” look on with great interest. They are ever ready to discourage those that are trudging to reach new heights. If we continue our climb, we may be criticized. If we reach the summit, the sparrows will rationalize.

As we continue life’s trek towards the summit, it will be less crowded, but those that are trekking with you will be encouragers. We will find great fellowship and conversation about discipline, sacrifice, joy, happiness, achievement, and success.

The closer we get to the summit the more clearly and farther we can see. It is beautiful, and life is much richer and more satisfying. That feeling comes as a result of a mindshift to dedicate yourself to hard work and determination. That feeling of exhilaration surges through you when you know you have done everything possible to fulfill the potential that God has given you. That feeling of achievement assures you that your talents and energies have been wisely expended. You have soared like an eagle. You have seen further and will not settle for less. Yes, you have climbed like the eagle, and there is nothing that can make you roost in the sparrow’s nest again, ever.

With these thoughts in mind, we will conclude our trek for today and as we do, I encourage you to make a mindshift change in your life that you will choose to soar like an eagle and not be satisfied nesting with the sparrows.

Next week we will continue our trek of Mindshift Monday. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

An Eagle and a Sparrow 5

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!

Day 658 – Does God Really Care? – FearLess Friday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 658 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Does God Really Care?

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Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 658 of our trek time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our third trail on our trek covering, “Imagine a Life without Fear.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. My leg continues to heal well, and the swelling is much less. With the pain from the swelling reduced, the pain from the actual incision sites and implants is a little more acute, although certainly not unbearable.

With a modified schedule the past three weeks, I do hope to get caught up on some of my client work this weekend. On Sunday we will be celebrating our granddaughter Aurora’s sixth birthday. The years sure do fly past quickly.

It is an important part of our legacy to be involved with our children and grandchildren’s lives. It shows that we love and care for them. In the same way, God desires to be involved in our lives, but fear can restrict that involvement.

Last Friday we looked at why we are afraid and that sometimes we do feel abandoned when the storms of life hit us. The focus of our trek today is…

Does God Really Care?

Last week we saw where the Disciples of Christ were in a boat in the middle of a horrible storm. Once the storm hit, his disciples were very troubled by Jesus’s choice to sleep. Not only that, but He did not wake up when the storm hit. The disciples had to wake him with shouts of fear. Their urgent plea is recorded in Matthew 8:25, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  Mark even questions whether He cares in 4:38, “‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’”

Many times we react in the same manner when the storms of life hit us. Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness. We begin to wonder if love lives in heaven. If God can sleep in our storms, if his eyes stay shut when our eyes grow wide, if he permits storms after we get on His boat, does he really care? Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts, anger-stirring doubts.

These type of thoughts that we allow to creep into and infect our minds turn us into control freaks. Subconsciously we lash out to God and demand, “Do something about the storm!” We may not verbalize it, but in the dark recesses of our mind we demand, “Fix it or…or…or else!” Fear, at its very center, is a perceived loss of control. When life spins wildly, we grab for a component of life we can manage: our diet, the tidiness of our house, the armrest of a plane, or, in many cases, other people.

The more insecure we feel, the meaner we become. We growl and bare our fangs. Why? Is it because we are bad? Well, maybe in part, but mostly because we feel cornered and don’t know how to get free.

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Martin Niemoller documents an extreme example of this. He was a German pastor who took a heroic stand against Adolf Hitler. When he first met the dictator in 1933, Niemoller stood at the back of the room and listened. Later, when his wife asked him what he had learned, he said, “I discovered that Herr Hitler is a terribly frightened man.”  Fear releases the tyrant within each of us.

Fear also deadens our recall. The disciples had every reason to trust Jesus. By this time in His ministry, they had seen him, “teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” Matthew 4:23. They had witnessed him heal a leper with a touch and a servant with a command. Peter saw his sick mother-in-law recover from a serious illness. They all saw demons scatter like bats out of a cave. As recorded in Matthew 8:16, “That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.“ 

Is it any wonder that Jesus boldly rebuked his disciples in the middle of the storm, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith,” Matthew [8:26]. 

Just like we so quickly forget God’s blessings and miracles in our everyday life, the disciples did the same. Shouldn’t someone mention to the disciples Jesus’ track record or review his resume? Did they so quickly forget the accomplishments of Christ? They may certainly have. Fear creates a form of spiritual amnesia. It dulls our miracle memory. It makes us forget what Jesus has already done and how good God truly is.

Does God Really Care 4

Fear grows into a monster and feels so dreadful as if we will be consumed by it. It sucks the life out of our soul, causing us to curl up into an embryonic state, it drains us dry of our contentment. We become like old abandoned barns, falling apart at the seams and blown to and fro in the prevailing winds – a place where humanity used to eat, thrive, and find warmth in days gone by.

When we allow fear to shape our lives, safety becomes our god. When safety becomes our god, we seek and worship the risk-free life. We crawl into our bubble where we can protect ourselves from storms of life.

Can we do anything great from within our bubble? Can the risk-adverse accomplish noble deeds? For God? For others? No. The fear-filled cannot love deeply because love is risky. They cannot give to the poor because benevolence has no guarantee of return. The fear-filled cannot dream boldly, because their dreams may sputter and fall from the sky. The worship of safety emasculates greatness. No wonder Jesus boldly wages such a war against fear. Fear diminishes. Fear destroys.

Christ’s most common command emerges from a form of “fear not.” The Gospels list some 125 Christ-issued imperatives. Of these, 21 urge us to “not be afraid” or “fear not” or “have courage” or “take heart” or “be of good cheer.”  The second most common command from Christ was to love God and neighbor which only occurs on eight occasions. If quantity is any indicator, Jesus understands and takes our fears seriously. The one statement he made more than any other was this, “Don’t be afraid.”

Jesus doesn’t want you to live in a state of fear. Fear diminishes and destroys not only yourself, but it also impacts everyone around you. Children primarily learn fear from their parents and grandparents, especially ungrounded fear. Fear extracts a very high cost in our lives spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

Jesus’ rebuking question is a good one. He lifts his head from his pillow, steps out from the stern into the storm, and asks, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith,” Matthew [8:26]. 

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To make sure that I am not misunderstood, as I said in the introduction, fear also serves a healthy function. It is the canary in the coal mine, warning us of potential danger. A dose of fright can keep a child from running across a busy road or an adult from smoking. Fear is the appropriate reaction to a burning building or growling dog. Fear itself is not a sin, but fear will often lead to sin.

If we medicate fear through angry outbursts, drinking binges, sullen withdrawals, self-starvation, overeating, or vise-like control of others, we exclude God from the solution and exacerbate the problem. We subject ourselves to a position of fear, allowing anxiety to dominate and define our lives: joy-sapping worries, day-numbing dread, repeated bouts of insecurity that petrify and paralyze us. Hysteria is not from God. As the Apostle Paul told his timid protégé in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 

To be sure, for all of us, fear will come knocking at our door. Just don’t invite it in for dinner, and above all, don’t offer it a bed for the night. Once fear gets its tentacles embedded into your mind, then it is hard to pry it loose. The more you know the promises found in God’s Word exhorting us, “DO NOT FEAR,” the more strength you have to lock it out of your mind.

Fear may fill our world, but it does not have to fill our hearts and minds. The promises of God and the purpose of this podcast and journal are simple…we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.

God knows all about the perceived typhoons that rage within our lives. He will either calm the storms or give us peace within the storm. In our passage today, Jesus slept during the storm, but he knew all about the storm and issued his rebuke to the disciples while still in his makeshift bed, but then he did something about the storm in Matthew  8:26, “Jesus responded, ‘Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!’ Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.”

Jesus handled the disciples quaking with a great calming. The sea becomes as still as a frozen lake, and the disciples are left wondering, “The disciples were amazed. ‘Who is this man,’ they asked. ‘Even the winds and waves obey him,’” Matthew [8:27]. 

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Who is this man, indeed? So secure was Jesus that Typhoon time was his nap time. He then silenced the waves with one word.  He answered the prayers of His disciples, and He will either calm our storms, or take us safely through them.

God really does care about you and loves you more than you can imagine…be not afraid.

Next Friday we will explore deeper into the subject of fear as we look at “The Ultimate Fear.” I know you will find these insights interesting and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

Our next trek is Mindshift Monday where we will help you live differently by thinking differently. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

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That will finish our trek for today. If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on Monday!

Day 657 – The Doctor’s Prognosis, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 657 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Doctor’s Prognosis, Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way – Wisdom Unplugged

No One Can Serve Two Masters - Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 657 of our trek, and it is time for the 6th and final installment of a special series of stories that have chronicled my recent accident and recovery as we trek “Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way.”

This accident is a major life event that will change life for me for several months to come. In fact, I would say that it will certainly impact me for the remainder of my life. It is my hope and prayer that as I share that it will also positively impact your life.

I have often said, we must accept and live life as it truly is, not as we wish it to be. We don’t always know or understand what will become of the uphill climbs and treacherous downhill slopes that we encounter on life’s trek. The key is to learn from these events and allow them to effectively become a part of our living legacy, which will positively impact our lives and the lives of all those whom we impact. For our final special series of Wisdom Nuggets episodes, we will look at…

The Doctor’s Prognosis  – Life Lessons Learned the Hard Way

If you would like to catch the first four episodes of this series go to Day 645,  Day 647, Day 650, Day 652, or Day 655.

I ended Day-655 with my story of recovery at home with my hemoglobin still low, but on the rise and feeling a little better each day. After the positive results from my blood test, our next major event was the follow-up appointment with our surgeon on Wednesday. The incisions appeared to be healing well but were covered up since the surgery, so we really did not know what they looked like. Also, my leg between my hip and my knee was still swollen, and the bruises were working their way to the surface.  The bruises were large, dark, and covered fairly big splotches of my leg.

Since I had primarily been using the walker at home, we decided to take it to the appointment although I was not heavily relying on it for walking. Since the surgery, we were instructed to put no more than 50% of my body weight on the leg that had been broken. We did not have a lot of details on exactly what the surgery entailed, so we were very interested in getting more information.

We first had to get four X-Rays of my leg, and then we met with the surgeon. He said I looked remarkably well and indicated that the leg appeared to be healing rapidly. He showed us the x-rays, and we discovered that he had inserted a rod the entire length of my femur from the hip ball joint down to my knee. On the upper end was a large screw going through my femur and the rod and attaching it to the hip ball joint. The primary fracture of the femur bone was right below the ball.

On the bottom end of the femur right above my knee was another, slightly smaller screw securing the rod in place. There were a couple of smaller fragments on the upper end, but the surgeon indicated that God would fuse those back where they belonged. I have inserted a couple of x-rays picture in today’s wisdom journal below.

Upper Femur Cropped

Lower Femur

Dr. Krivchenia told us that we could have the rod and screws removed after two years, if we chose to, but they could stay in place the remainder of my life without complications. Next came the removal of the bandages from the three incisions on my legs. Since they had become quite uncomfortable, this was a relief.

The roughness I had previously felt under the bandages turned out to be metal staples holding the incisions closed. The top incision above my hip socket where he inserted the rod was about two inches in length and contained 14 staples. The middle incision where he inserted the upper screw was about 1 ½ inches in length and contained 8 staples. The lower incision right above my knee where he inserted the lower screw was about an inch long and contained 5 staples.

I will not be placing those pictures in today’s journal as they are not pretty at all. They placed small sani-strips over the incisions, and we were told when they fell off we did not need to apply any type of dressings. One big positive was that now I could take full showers, so that was great.

We were instructed that there were no limits on the weight that I could put on the leg now, as long as I was comfortable with it. We discussed exercise routines and the ability to travel with no real restrictions. The surgeon was very pleased with the healing and the progress I had made. He felt that since I was in such great shape physically, that my recovery would be much quicker than with most patients. We scheduled one additional follow up appointment for three weeks out.

After seeing the x-rays, understanding the surgery better, having the dressing and staples removed,  and seeing the good progress of the healing was a great psychological boost for both of us. I felt much more confident and mobile.

The next week was very positive, and we made great strides on the use of my injured leg. Nights were and still are a bit rough, but even they are improving.

Our next appointment was this past Tuesday with our family physician. I was very comfortable with crutches by that point since I was going up and down the stairs at least once each day and using the crutches downstairs. When the doctor saw me walking into the exam room putting most of my weight on my legs and only using the crutches for additional stability, she told us that she had to recheck her chart to make sure that indeed I had a serious fracture and surgery barely two weeks ago.

The Doctors Prognosis 1

We invested a good amount of time with the doctor, and she was amazed at the healing that had taken place so quickly as well as my ability to be so mobile. Once again, my physical condition before the accident played a big role in this. But we especially thank God and the many people who are praying for us, and know that He is in control of everything and is knitting my body back together physically, emotionally, and spiritually so that I am stronger in all areas than I was before.

She encouraged me to build my activity level up as quickly as I feel comfortable, which will not be an issue for me. She also gave us some good tips on our upcoming travel to ensure it does not impact the healing process. We will have some follow up blood work in a couple of weeks, just to ensure that the hemoglobin levels have returned to normal and that all other markers are in line.

Well, I think that is enough of a recap of my accident, surgery, and recovery. Thank you for coming along with me on this unexpected trail of life. As part of my living legacy, I think it is crucial that I document these major events of life that they may help me to grow and to make a positive impact on the lives that I influence.

My life lesson learned the hard way in this final segment is that we should give glory to God for all circumstances in life. He can and will use them for His purpose if we allow Him to work through us.  Jude 1:25  – All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

The Doctors Prognosis 2

Also, the verse that is often used, and sometimes abused, but still holds true is Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. Next week we will return to our regular inspirational quotes on Tuesday and Thursday.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

The Doctors Prognosis 3

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for Fearless Friday!