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Creating a Legacy ™

Search for Happiness

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The Happiness Conundrum

When you search for happiness, don’t fall for the “if-then” or “when-then” traps…“I’ll be happy if I get that job,” “I’ll be happy when I get that house,” “I’ll be happy if I get that relationship,” and so many more scenarios that we think about every day.

It’s easy to put your happiness “out there” instead of “right here.” You know what happens when you finally climb to the top of the mountain? There’s another mountain.

That’s the Happiness Conundrum.

The effective strategy is to enjoy the journey. Find your happiness now, here, with what you’ve got, from where you are. You can choose what you focus on. Focus on the things in your life that lift you. That’s the happiness way.

Happiness doesn’t depend on what we have, but it does depend on how we feel toward what we have. We can be happy with little and miserable with much. Happiness is an attitude of mind, born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances.

Most importantly, remember that it’s the journey and the destination, and sometimes the journey is all we’ve got, so make the most of it.  A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Be wise. Be happy. And contemplate Proverbs 3:18, “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.”

Find Your Happy

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You Choose What Makes You Happy

“Everybody can find happiness. It is just a matter of choice to be compassionate, wise, generous, and loving,” Kurt W. Denard.

As we ponder this quote, I would like to ask you, what brings true happiness into your life? Contrary to what we think many times, it is not purchasing things that brings happiness because we may be content for a little while, but it will not be long before we desire something more or something different. As with most aspects of life, happiness is a choice that we make every day. The choices that bring lasting happiness in our own lives is when we choose to positively impact the lives of others. It is really up to you.

Dale Carnegie summed it up pretty well when he said, “Everybody in the world is seeking happiness, and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.”

Do you desire to be happy? Then choose each day to be kind, be compassionate, be wise, be generous, be thoughtful, and be loving with an unconditional love toward others. It is then you will find the path to true happiness.

Ephesians 4:32 instructs us, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Waste Nothing

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Don’t Waste Your Breath

What a waste we make of words. They gush out of us like a torrent, void of redeeming qualities. We speak before we think. We wound people carelessly. Though we curse not, we fail to bless; and therein we lose the opportunity to demonstrate grace and initiate healing. Words are weapons against our true adversary. We should use them skillfully to rebuke him.

But words are also tools with which to build one another up in faith. Are our tools sharp and well-maintained, or are our toolboxes cluttered with rusty tools? Are we using words for the advantage of the Kingdom of God, or are we wasting our breath on idle chatter? Who can estimate the value of a word of encouragement? What price can be placed on a word of sympathy?

How we underestimate the simple words of recognition, spoken in passing. If you could only speak one hundred words per week, what words would you speak? If time was running out and you were given an opportunity to speak the last word into someone’s life, what would you say? Time is running out. Tomorrow may be cancelled at any moment.

Choose words that save, and love, and heal. Decrease volume and increase value. A word is a terrible thing to waste. Practice 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

I Have More Bridges to Build

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Building Bridges

As we think about the daily work in which we are involved, we should always look for ways to assist others while making an impact through the labor that God has given each of us to do. It does not really matter what your occupation is, what matters most is the impact that you can have helping yourself so that you can help others.

As we think about helping others through our labor, in today’s Wisdom-Trek newsletter, I want to share a story that I read from a daily email I receive from www.mikeysfunnies.com.

There were two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.

Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding, and it grew into a major difference. And finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John’s door.

He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for few days work,” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?”

“Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us, and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence, an 8-foot fence so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow.

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.

The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.

There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge – a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work – handrails and all; and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.

“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done,” said the younger brother.

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, hugging. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.

“I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but, I have many more bridges to build.”

As you consider your work, don’t build walls that will isolate you from others, instead be a builder of bridges that unite others.

As the Apostle Paul told the Colossian church in Chapter 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults,and forgive anyone who offends you.” Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.

Wisdom Unplugged Mini-Treks

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Mini-Treks of Wisdom

Now that we are settling back in after two reunions and the Podcast Movement conference we are getting back into a more normal routine, at least for us. We do have a lot of client project work and, as we have the opportunity, we are also working on the three major podcasting related projects that are part of our business plan for this year.

We do want to announce a change in our podcasting schedule, which we started this past week, and that is the addition our Wisdom-Unplugged mini-treks that will be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week.  These short 2-3 minute treks will include an inspirational wisdom quote with a very short commentary. Think of these Wisdom Unplugged segments as your nutritional wisdom supplements between the longer treks that will continue to air as Motivation Monday, Wisdom Wednesday, and Philosophy Friday.

As the summer continues to rush by with our full schedule, which has contained a lot of hard work and preparation, it has also been full of many blessings. To be able to spend time with both sides of our family at reunions this month and also to spend time with our podcast friends at the conference has been great.

One of our biggest blessings was to have all five of our kids, their spouses, and our six grandchildren here at the reunion.  The picture below is a was taken on the front porch of The Big House. The only thing I can’t figure out is how Paula and I are the same age are our children now. If you would like to see additional pictures, we have posted many of them on our Facebook pages.