A Pound of Thoughts

I’m sure you all are familiar with the little desk calendars with the sheets that tear off each day as it passes.  Well, my morning work routine is simple.  I come in, boot up my computer and laptop, and tear off the previous day’s sheet.  My calendar contains famous quotes with nice background pictures.  Today’s entry is simply:

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”

– Epictetus

Now I’m sure that the calendar makers did that one on purpose, seeing as it is June 2^nd and half the year is already over.  Or could it be Providence?

I believe it could be God’s way of slapping me across the face – especially when I need it.  Lately I have become somewhat lazy in my approach to everyday life.  I don’t know why I have, I just have.  And I don’t like it…at…all.

So today I am pledging this – and I want you all to hold me accountable.  I am starting over.  I am going to get back to the place I need to be (with God’s help).  It’s going to be hard, but it will be a change for the good.

Here is an interesting quote that my little daily desk calendar had on it yesterday:

A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.

–George Bernard Shaw

 So true.  If you are making mistakes, that means you’re trying to do something.  It also means you are trying to learn something.  If you don’t do something with your life, you will never learn anything.  Who would want a life like that?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who are doing nothing with their lives.  They go through the motions, day after day, but with no direction and no destination.  And that is sad.  I hope - for their sake - that they wake up before it’s too late.  Life is just too short.

…Okay, maybe not a “thesis”.  I have a little page-a-day calendar on my desk here at work, called “Motivational Moments”.  I am a person who enjoys reading quotes as well as learning new words and languages.  (I’m currently trying to learn German - don’t ask me why ‘cuz I don’t know!)  Well, today’s word is “individuality”.  So just for fun, I’m going to include some links to different articles and websites on this little word!

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary Entry
• Some Art Posters on Individuality
• A comparison of collectivism vs. individualism
• An IT firm called Individuality!

I’m sorry…are we bored yet?!  Remember this quote:  “I am never bored anywhere: being bored is an insult to oneself.”  –Jules Renard

I hope this post entertained you (and enlightened you)!  After all, that’s what I’m here for…to entertain, enlighten, and embiggen!  (What, you’ve never heard of that last word??)

Oh well.  Time to head “back to work”…Not that I’m complaining!

You’ve got to make a conscious choice every day to shed the old - whatever ‘the old’ means for you.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

This couldn’t be more true.  This goes along with Scripture;  Paul said it this way:

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

–I Corinthians 15:31

What does he mean by this?  Does he mean a physical death?  Well, of course not.  He means that he dies to himself daily.  He allows his wants, his needs, his desires, to become extinct.  He “sheds the old” daily.  Our habits, fears, anxieties, anger, etc. of the current day must “die” before the next day.  It’s a hard thing to do (God knows that I don’t do it), but it’s something that we as Christians must do if we are to be effective for God’s kingdom.

So before you get started today, make sure that you “put off the old man and put on the new”.  (It doesn’t necessarily have to apply to new Christians!)  God bless!