Well, after a wonderful day of wondering if my laptop was going to be able to handle its first cup of coffee, I was amazed that it only took 24 hours for the effects of the coffee on the laptop to sub side.

Let me explain what happened.

My family has a routine every morning when my little boy, JC, wakes up from his sleep to watch a mind movie that we have created.  A mind movie is a visual movie, like a vision board, to help keep you focused on your end results.

Well yesterday morning, I could not say no to my boy as he repeatedly kept saying, MY MIND MOVIE, which means play it again daddy :-)

On the 4th play, he spots my cup of coffee near by, I was not aware that he was eyeing the coffee and not the movie.  Well, you know what happened next, like a bolt of lightening, he grabbed for it, got it, and pulled it to him (over the laptop) needless to say, he was talented enough to grab and pour in one motion, right on the keys and heart of the laptop-the famous blue screen instantly appeared, so I was on vacation yesterday looking for a laptop :-)

I sleep with a fan (white noise) so I decided to place the coffee drinking laptop in front of the fan all night and presto like magic, it is working this morning ;-)

Thank goodness as I have a ton of work on this unit.  Any way, junior is waking up, until later.

John Pate

www.SucceedwithJohnPate.com

Today started out just like any other day. Got out of bed, when directly to the kitchen to start my morning fix... grind my Eight O'Clock Coffee beans and make the coffee. While my coffee is brewing I usually read the newspaper and by 6:30 I making my daughters lunch and by 6:50 she's off to catch the bus.

Usually around 7:00, a couple of my cats (I have four: Sam, Shadow, Karma, Bella) like to go outside and explore the fresh morning air...today was no different. Around 7:30 I heard Karma making a strange loud noise at the back door. I went to let her in and notice that she had something hanging from her mouth! It was a cute tiny Hummingbird... unfortunately it was already dead. I scolded my kitty and told her she was not going to go back outside, but later it dawned on me... this was just part of mother nature! I know that mother nature is one of the most wonderful things in this world that we get to enjoy for FREE, but it is just hard to put it into perspective when you see something so beautiful get hurt or die.

After I recooperated from this ordeal, I got on a conference call and then logged onto my emails and realized that our NEW marketing system is being launched today! Yea, I have lots of energy that I can focus on learning a new system, plus I have the BEST leaders anyone could ever ask for, if you want to see our new system, please feel free. Don't forget to leave your comments, I'd love to hear what you think.

It is early afternoon noon now, and I have finished all my work, so I am getting ready to start an xtreme workout program P90X! I'm excited but I'm not sure that my muscles are...  I be sure and let you know how it goes.

I have surrendered my LIFE to M.A.D.E. Make a Difference Every Day! and this my friend is how I'm making a difference today. I'm getting into the best phyiscal shape of my LIFE for my Family. I want to be able to run and play with my future grandkids and I want to leave a legacy for my children.

I welcome you to follow me through my LIFE journey...

SandiRenteria
http://blog.SandiRenteria.com

My Cash Cow System

My Cash Cow System is a new hot work from home job that is taking the business scene by storm! When visiting My Cash Cow System you will be provided with tons of great and very easy to understand information about how this system can work for you to make you money! By taking the time to look over the entire website you will learn that the system runs on auto pilot no matter what time of the day, all day long, even if you are on vacation the system is making money for you.

My Cash Cow System is a program that can help an average person earn an extra paycheck per week and of course a whole lot more month! The more work you are willing to put in, the more money you make. What person in the world would not like to work from home? There are so many people being laid off daily because of the worsening economy and parents wanting to stay at home with their children. Finding that perfect work from home job is right at your finger tips when plugging into My Cash Cow System.

When deciding to join this great system you are provided with training that easy enough for even the simplest person to understand. You get unlimited support from the community around you, helping you every step of the way. You are provided with tools such as your own website to market and free videos to watch to get people interested in your system. Cash commissions are paid weekly!

When it comes to working from home you must take the time to look over the business very well before getting started. In today's times people are getting ripped off more and more every day by the thousands. When looking over My Cash Cow System you will get the peace of mind knowing that this system is not a rip off. Its purpose is to make you money and that is exactly what it will do for you. Another wonderful thing about this system is that it is fully automated! Although you are not guaranteed to make money with My Cash Cow System, as every work at home opportunity, you do get all the help you possibly can ask for in order to raise your odds of success greatly.

My Cash Cow System is defiantly a system worth checking into. When wanting to make just enough to supplement your income or a pretty good amount of money, you will want to defiantly give this the once over and go ahead and jump in! Making money with My Cash Cow System is proven to get you results. When needing help they are there for you, they don't stick you out there and that its. My Cash Cow System can help you build the home business of your dreams!

For more information http://blog.sandirenteria.com

I recently read this great article by John C. Maxwell that really made me think...do I really know my family, best friend, teammates, my mentor?

I consider myself a Leader in training.  Most Leaders will manage a team, work with the same individuals every day, yet hardly know anything about their people!

I can certainly attest to this type of Leader from when I worked in the Corporate world, we were considered just a number! My Leader did not know anything about me, they never asked for my opinion, what I valued, they didn't know even what I was passionate about! They only cared that I got a job done. Luckily for me, I became a passionate entrepreneur!

These types of leaders have never prioritized acquainting themselves with the dreams, thoughts, hopes, opinions, and values of those they lead.

John C. Maxwell quote: "The best leaders are readers of people. They have the intuitive ability to understand others by discerning how they feel and recognizing what they sense."

Did you know that it only takes about one hour in private conversation for you to really know someone, to know what their passionate about...if you ask the right three questions?

What do you dream about?

A person's dreams are powerful revealers of passion. When a person starts to talk about their dreams, their eyes brighten, their face glows, and you can feel the excitement in their words.

My daughter and husband always share their dreams with me almost every morning...then I try and figure out why they had that type of dream. As for myself, I don't remember dreams. I think the only time I can remember them is when I eat ice cream before going to bed!

What do you cry about?  

Passion can be uncovered by peering into the hurts deep inside a human soul. The experience of pain or loss can be a formidably motivating force. When listening to a story of grief, you hear a voice thick with emotion, you see watery eyes flooded with feeling, and in that moment you glimpse the intense connections between a person's deepest pain and their greatest passion.

I know for a fact that I'm a very passionate person, when someone tells me a story (or their story) I find myself caught up in their emotions too! I even cry when I watch movies, Extreme Home Makeover, Lifetime channel, see someone get hurt, or an animal get hurt, or talking with my parents, my siblings, I geniunly care about people. I just what to fix all their hurts...have you ever felt this way?

What makes you happy?

This is always a joy for me, finding out what brings joy to someone. Joy is one of those feelings that are FREE... you can feel the joy of the sun hitting your face, you can see the joy on your child's face when they see what the Easter bunny brought, or the joy of your elderly parents when you walk in the door, or listening to an elder tell a story. Joy is a wonderful expression. I have fun hearing what makes people tick and seeing the smile that comes when they talk about where they find joy. Enjoyment is an incredible energizer to the human spirit.  

If you can uncover a person's dreams, hurts, and joys, you've discovered the central dimensions of their life.

What are you going to do to get to know someone? It's simple, ask them the three questions... you yourself will find joy and passion getting to really know someone!

This is why I have been successful as an entrepreneur... because I do get to know my business partners.

Sandi Renteria
http://blog.sandirenteria.com

I just finished reading a wonderful article by Jim Rohn "Reaping a Multiple Reward". As I finished this article I started reflecting on one of my rewards from seeds that I had sown and I would like to share it with you.

It started when I was 21, I just got married to my high school sweetheart and had been working for one of the largest privately owned developers in Tulsa. To me my life could not be better, great husband and great job. I worked hard and gave 110% to my employer and I quickly reaped rewards. I started moving up the corporate ladder. I started as an administrative assistant in HR, then to administrative assistant to the CFO, then moved on to a assistant manager in the marketing department. I love my corporate job. I had a burning desire to learn and was always up for new challenges. My burning desire was paying off... I was rewarded with great pay and lots of respect. They valued my opinions and viewed me as a go to person. I did what it took to get the job done.

At age 25, I gave birth to my first daughter and now with that motherly instinct I had the desire to be a stay at home mom and raise my baby girl. It seemed like everything was falling into place like I had always dreamed. As a few months passed, something keep telling me that I needed to go back to work. Three months later, I did just that. I returned to work and I was able to resume my prior position. Within a month, I had mastered self discipline and was able to balance my personal life and work....so I thought!

This is when my life began to unfold, my young marriage would soon be something of the past. Not because I went back to work, but because I realized that my husband did not have the same desire to raise a family. He did not want the commitment of raising a family. Spending all his free time with his so called friends became his desire. That is when I realized I must do something about it, this was not how I had pictured raising my daughter. After several months of trying to reconcile with my husband and trying to get him to come home to be with his family, I could see that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I filed for a divorce when my daughter was 6-months old, I was scared and did not know how I was going to raise a baby by myself, but I knew in my heart that is what I needed to do.

I was now labeled as a single parent. I had all the responsibilites of a new home, car payment, utilities, cost of raising a baby on my own, but I had the self disciple and knew that I could do it!

I wanted to have life balance and be able to teach my daughter values, that if you have the burning desire and the passion you can do anything that you want. I instilled in her at an early age to follow your Dreams, never give up.

Now 23 years later, I know that the seeds that I sowed paid off. My daughter is 23, she graduated from UofA with a BS in Family Studies and Human Development and a minor in Business. She has moved to Dallas to follow her dream since she was a little girl... to be a DCC! She has stayed focused on her dream and has not let go. I do take credit for that... and she always tells me that I am her ROCK! I am a very proud parent!

I left the corporate world four-years ago to pursue my desire to work for myself. I have a successful online marketing company working from home. It wasn't easy at first working from home, I had to apply self discipline. I soon realized that just because I worked from home I could not treat my business as a hobby. In order to have success, you have to apply self discipline and treat it as a million dollar business. Self discipline is key to your success.

You see, I did not wait for things to deteriorate so drastically, before I imposed discipline in my life. I seen that things needed to change and I took that leap and made those changes. I am grateful that I did.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this short reflection of my life and how "reaping what you've sown" can have a large impact on your life.

With that being said I would like to leave you with a excerpt from Jim Rohn's "Reaping a Multiple Reward" article that inspired me.

For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That's one of life's great arrangements. In fact, it's an extension of the Biblical law that says that if you sow well, you will reap well.

Here's a unique part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest that we'll all reap what we've sown, it also suggests that we'll reap much more. Life is full of laws that both govern and explain behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.

What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you're fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline.

Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results.

Remember the law: "For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards." Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying your bills on time, arriving to appointments on time, or using your time more effectively. Learn the discipline of paying attention, or paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn the discipline of having regular meetings with your associates, or your spouse, or your child, or your parent. Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.

For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each challenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination. Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life's disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Neglect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.

That's what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for granted. Be serious. Life's not a practice session.

The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose upon yourself. Don't wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must impose discipline in your life. Wouldn't that be tragic? How could you possibly explain the fact that someone else thought more of you than you thought of yourself? That they forced you to get up early and get out into the marketplace when you would have been content to let success go to someone else who cared more about themselves.

Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition... or an example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

If you have a burning desire to live the life of your dreams and work from home, please feel free to check out my new 'Stealth Marketing' system...a brand new concept.

http://blog.sandirenteria.com

I was recently struck in the head with a renewed sense of awareness and focus, of the fact that I am responsible for everything in my Life.

The truth is that nobody forces you to think, feel, or behave a certain way.  While you may not be accepted by society or even punished if you don't follow certain rules, still nobody else can "make" you do or feel anything.  You are not a victim to people or circumstances.  This is not to say that you can control all situations, undoubtedly you cannot.  But you alone are responsible for your thoughts, emotions, and actions in relation to that situation.  

Do you really want to spend your life letting other people decide how you feel? Use your own mind; make your own decisions. Be responsible for your own life.

You must stop blaming someone else for your problems...take responsibility of your own actions.

Taking responsibility for choices, actions, and direction is so powerfully important. Without taking responsibility, you'll likely look at your life as a failure. People who take complete responsibility for their lives experience joy and in-control of their circumstances.

Three Steps on How to Take Responsibility for Your Own Life

The most important aspect of taking responsibility for your life is acknowledging that your life is your responsibility. No one but YOU can Live your LIFE. You are in charge. No matter how hard you try to blame others for the events of your life, each event is the result of the choices you have made and are making. Listen to the little voice in your head. Do you hear yourself taking responsibility or placing blame?

• Listen to the voice in your head. Eliminate blame; eliminate excuses. Stop shifting responsibility for your decisions to other.
• Listen to yourself when you speck. In your conversation, do you hear yourself blame others for things that dont' go exactly as you want? Do you find yourself pointing fingers at your coworkers or the way you were brought up, your parents' influence, the amount of money you make, or your spouse? Are you making excuses for goals that you have not achieved or deadlines that you've missed? Stop blaming others.
• If you receive constructive criticism from someone you respect, that you make excuses and blame others for your actions or the outcome, take the criticism seriously. Control your defensive reaction and deepen your understanding with the respected individual.

Remember, you control your actions, so therefore you can change the outcome.

Stop looking for it to change, and remember in order for it to change you must change it. It’s not it or them it’s you! If you do not like something or the outcome of your situation; do something about it….change it!

If you don’t like where you live do something about it!  If you don’t like where you work do something about it. If you don’t like the number in your savings account do something about it, don’t just blame someone or something. Anything that you don’t like you have the power to take responsibility for changing it.

Several years ago, I found myself in this situation…I didn’t like working long hours for someone else, while someone else was raising my children. So I did something about it. I had a choice to change my situation...I choose to work from home so that I could raise my own children. I am in control of my Life, I took 100% responsibility for my life. You can to, it’s your choice.

www. blog.sandirenteria.com

Can you believe graduation season is upon us! I have received two college graduation and three high school graduation announcements.

Where has time gone?

As I start to ponder about what gift I should give, I reflected back on my college days…what could I have used.  I heard someone say that we have a choice to take something that most people dread, and change it into a motivating factor.

The alarm clock….which this person called it the “Opportunity Clock”.

When does an alarm go off? When something bad is happening! Well, waking up isn’t bad. Walking up is good! Infact, waking up is an opportunity. Each new day brings with it the opportunity to enjoy our families and other people. It enables us the opportunity to work hard, and earn a living that will enable us in turn to provide our families. (excerpt from C. Widener)

We get the opportunity each day to dream and achieve those dreams.

The conclusion is that I will get each of the new graduates an “Opportunity Clock”, with a short note, reminding them that they are 100% responsible for the choices in their life.

Follow your Dream…and Don’t Give Up! You may fall a few times, that’s OK…just get back up, dust yourself off, and try it again; until you Succeed!

I followed my dream, I always wanted to work for myself, be my own boss, work when I want, from where I want… it took me a few years, but then I got it! And I did something about it.

If you want to find out more about what I do, visit my website and be sure to fill in the box with your name and email address – I’ll even send you a FREE Marketing report.

It’s all in the outlook and attitude.

“The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” ~Randy Pausch

There are seven simple steps you can follow to help you set and achieve your goals.

1. Clarify exactly what you want.Be specific. If you want to increase your income decide upon a specific amount rather that just “make more money”.
   
2. Write it down. A goal that is not in writing is like smoke; it drifts away and disappears. It has no force, effect or power. Write it down and keep it in sight. Written goals become something that you can touch, read and modify if necessary, as situations change.
   
3. Set a deadline for your goal. Pick a reasonable time period and write down the pace upon which you want to achieve it. If it’s a big goal, set a final deadline and then set up sub-deadlines or interim steps between where you are today and where you want to be in the future.
   
   A deadline serves as a forcing system. It’s a known fact, when you’re under pressure you get more done. Your subconscious mind works faster and more efficiently when you have clarified your goal and set a clear realistic deadline.
   
   “There no unrealistic goals; there are only unrealistic deadlines.”

1. Make a list of Everythingyou can think of that you could possibly do to achieve your goal.
   
   “The Biggest goal can be accomplished if you break it down into enough small steps.” ~Henry Ford
   
   -Make a list of obstacles and difficulties you have to overcome, both external and internal to achieve your goal.
   
   -Make a list of additional knowledge or skills you will require to achieve your goal. If you need to learn how to blog, start searching and reading all you can find on “How to Blog”.
   
   -Make a list of people whose cooperation and support you will require to achieve your goal. Will you need uninterrupted time from your spouse or kids so that you can focus on achieving your goals, then set a time for your uninterrupted time, it will help to be the same time every day.
   
   -Make a list of every thing that you have to do, and add to this list as new tasks and responsibilities occur.
   
   “The most common reason that people fail to achieve their goals is because they do not make new plans to replace old ones when the situation changes.” ~Napoleon Hill

1. Organize the list by sequence and priorities. Determine what you need to do first and put them in sequence, first through last. Next determine what is priority, sometimes sequence and priority are the same, but often not.

1. Take Action Immediately. The difference between winners and losers in life is simply that winners take the first step. They are action-oriented. They are willing to take action without a guarantee of success.

1. Do Something Every Day. You must do something every day that moves you in the direction of your major goal. This is the key behavior that will guarantee your success. This will develop momentum, doing something every day.
   
   Doing something every day will help you develop the discipline of setting and achieving your goals.

Action Step:

Take a clean sheet of paper, at the top write the word “Goals” and today’s date.

Write down ten goals. They can be financial goals, family goals, fitness goals, personal possessions goals (car, new home, swimming pool, etc.).

Now choose which goal would have the most change or will improve your life more than anything else. Whichever one you choose, put a circle around it and write it at the top of a clean sheet of paper. This goal becomes your focal point of your future activities.

From this point forward, “Failure is not an option”.

This decision alone can change your life.

Stay focused on achieving your goals and I’ll see you at the top!

Momentum is the Key to Your Success!

It's true that consistent activity will develop momentum. But be sure your activity is focused in a positive direction, because you can actually build positive or negative momentum based on your activity. Get busy, this will create the kind of energizing momentum that will build your business. Get distracted by people who don't believe in your dream, and you may suffer from negative momentum... and time is too short for that.

I can help you believe in, create and realize your personal dream...all through a constant plan of action that becomes the new way you approach your future. Be positive and consistent as you share your dream, and you'll create enormous momentum.

Can Change Their Lives!

Accept People Exactly Where They Are...

One of the best ways to attract more people is to meet people where they really hurt. All of us face different challenges, whether physical, financial, emotional or spiritual...but none of us have to face those challenges alone. And when you take the time and personal interest to discover what is happening in people's lives, you may just find that you can offer them hope!

Take the time to ask the questions that really matter. As questions that people can react to and share your own challenges with them, because it's likely you may have driven that same road. You may want to focus on F.O.R.M.... asking questions about Family, Occupation, Recreation and Money, because those are often the areas which people want to improve.

When you know someone is hurting, it makes it easier to show them how you can help reduce that pain. So take the time to think about the people you meet...get to know them...understand the hurt they have in their lives and share your opportunity, because you may be able to Make a Difference in a way that no one else can!

I have an extraordinary opportunity, click on opportunity to learn more...it may be just what your looking for.

"Everyone's a Star and deserves a chance to Twinkle" ~Lacey N. Collins

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"

I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four-letter word. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drugged us.

"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want." ~ Ben Stein

Be grateful for your doors of opportunity -- and for the friends that oil the hinges.

"You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner." ~Barbara Sher

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live." ~Norman Cousins

Some of us remember our childhood tips to the 5 & Dime Store. Where I grew up, they were called TG & Y stores, in eastern Oklahoma. We would spend time looking through aisles of merchandise, trying to find the few special items we could afford. At Christmas each of us five kids would get $10 each to buy gifts. It was tough, but we managed, some of the gifts that were given were homemade.

At the time, we were growing up in times where money was in short supply and the future was uncertain. Repairing our shoes and mending our pants was not out the ordinary; it was just what was done, and the youngest child was definitely the last in line. The last kid in line happens to be me, and I always got my sister's hand-me downs. Going out for dinner was only for special occasions and the movies were a treat we would look forward to.

I can remember at the beginning of a school year, my parents would purchase (2) packages of 500 sheets of notebook paper, they would ration it out to each of us kids. And yes, it was forbidden to waste on writing silly notes to our friends. Today our kids, grand kids don't even think twice about wasting paper, or using the backside of a sheet of paper!

That was more than 45 years ago. Since that time we have experienced unprecedented economic growth. For most of us, our standard of living increased, and we grew up in a culture of excess, not having to wait for anything. Instead of buying on lay-away, we used a credit card. Instead of buying used, we bought new. Instead of growing into the expensive house, we would leverage the purchase and have what we wanted, now.

The generations over the last 45 years have only had one experience, only one economy, and one life-style. It was all very good, but not realistic, and when anything is done to excess, corrections are inevitable. Today we find ourselves in the middle of a recession, something most of us have never experienced. Many of the houses that were over-leveraged are being foreclosed. Credit cards have been maxed out and bank lines of credit have been terminated. Financial situations became out of balance, and we are now in the adjustment period. Today we shop at the dollar store, looking for bargains. The car we were going to trade in will have to last a few more years. We eat at home more often and we go out for special occasions. Outside entertainment is a special treat.

This chapter in our lives with the recession has began to bond and recreate our relationships, it is forcing us to communicateagain, spend time with family and friends! Barbequing and backyard entertainment is at an all time high

Perhaps we can now understand a little better what our parents experienced. They weathered the storm, just as we will. After the dust settles, we will have a deeper appreciation and a sense of gratitude for what we have. It's all part of the balance.We can tell the future generations what we went through, but they won't understand.

Some things we just have to experience for ourselves to completely understand.

by Michael Josephson

One of the toughest jobs in the world is being a teenager. Everything is in transition. Everything is intense—even apathy.

Kids on the brink of adulthood have to cope with inconsistencies and conflicts. The desire to be special and different clashes with the need to belong and fit in. The desire for independence collides with the aversion to self-reliance and personal responsibility.

Here are five suggestions to improve the journey through adolescence:

1. Be yourself. Don't expect anyone else to make you happy, but don't allow others to treat you badly. Hang out with people who bring out the best in you, and be the kind of person who brings out the best in others.
   
2. Don't expect too much or settle for too little. Dependability and self-reliance are the tickets to freedom and independence. Don't waste energy resisting what you have to do. Win trust by doing what you should do.
   
3. Treat responsibility as a privilege, not a penalty. The choices you make today will shape tomorrow. Every act has a consequence. Pleasure lasts for a moment, but happiness lasts much longer. Be careful; just because it feels good doesn't make it good.
   
4. Look ahead. Your life is your ship; be the captain, not a passenger. Figure out what needs to be done to improve your life and make it happen. Your attitudes are more important than your aptitudes. You can't control what happens to you, but you can control what happens in you. Don't whine, win.
   
5. Take charge of your life. Mindless conformity is a prison. Express yourself authentically and don't be afraid to stand out. But don't dress or behave in extreme ways just to be different or to prove you can. You don't need orange hair, a nose ring, or tattoos to be special. In the end, it's more important to be respected than noticed.

"Don't go through Life, grow through Life." ~ Eric Butterworth

I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing,

Windows that need cleaning,

And gutters that need fixing

Because it means I have a home….

I am thankful for the piles of

Laundry and ironing because

It means my loved ones are nearby.

Did you Know?

Idaho (ID, US-ID) Idaho’s Hell’s Canyon is the deepest river gorge in America – even deeper than the Grand Canyon. Carved by the great Snake River, Hell’s Canyon plunges more than 8,000 feet.

Humans may have been present in the Idaho area as long as 14,500 years ago. Excavations at Wilson Butte Cave near Twin Falls in 1959 revealed evidence of human activity, including arrowheads that rank among the oldest dated artifacts in North America.

The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in the 48 contiguous states – 2.3 million acres of rugged, unspoiled back country.

Five of history’s pioneer trails, including the Oregon Trail and the California Trail, cross Southern Idaho Wagon ruts are still visible all along the rugged terrain.

In the late 1800s, there were several sightings of strange creatures in Bear Lake (on the Idaho/Utah border). The Bear Lake Monster causes residents and visitors to Idaho to question whether they are in Idaho or Scotland.  The serpent-like monsters were up to 90 feet in length, could move faster than running horses, and were witnessed by several different people. To this day, there are still those who refuse to night fish on the lake.

The world's first alpine skiing chairlift was (and still is) located in Sun Valley. Built by Union Pacific Railroad engineers, it was designed after a banana-boat loading device. The 1936 fee: 25 cents per ride.

A person may not be seen in public without a smile on their face in Pocatello, Idaho.

In Idaho, it’s against the law for anyone over the age of 88 to ride a motorcycle.

In Idaho, riding a merry-go-round on Sundays is considered a crime!

Shoshone Falls (212 feet), near Twin Falls, Idaho, drops 52 feet further than Niagara Falls.

Appropriately named the “Gem State,” Idaho produces 72 types of precious and semi-precious stones, some of which can be found nowhere else in the world.

Did you know that Idaho has a seaport? The Port of Lewiston allows the exportation of millions of bushels of grain down the Snake and Columbia Rivers for overseas shipment.

One of the largest diamonds ever found in the United States, nearly 20 carats, was discovered near McCall, Idaho.

Idahois the only state that was possibly named as the result of a hoax (the so-called "Idahoax") although this is disputed. The exact origin of the name remains a mystery

Idaho Origin of Name:   An invented name whose meaning is unknown.

Idaho Motto:  Esto perpetua (Let it be perpetual) May it Endure Forever

Idaho Nickname:  Gem State

Capital City: Boise

State Area:   83,574 square miles

State Population:    1,523,816 (est. 2008)

Admission to Statehood:   July 3, 1890, 43^rd state

Major Industries:  Food processing, lumber and wood product, machinery, chemical products, paper products, silver and other mining, tourism.

Agriculture: Cattle, potatoes, dairy products, wheat, sugar beets, barley.

State Environments:  Mountains, Plains

State Bird:   Mountain Bluebird

State Tree:   Western White Pine

State Flower:    Syringa

State Horse:   Appaloosa

State Gem:   Idaho Star Garnet

State Song:   "Here We Have Idaho"

Elevation: Highest Point – Borah Peak 12,662 feet
Lowest Point – Snake River 710 ft 

Time Zone: North of Salmon River Pacific: UTC-8/-7
Remainder Mountain: UTC-7/-6

Average Annual Rainfall: 11.71 inches

It takes time to build a corporate work of art. It takes time to build a life. And it takes time to develop and grow. So give yourself, your enterprise, and your family the time they deserve and the time they require.

Americans are incredibly impatient. Someone once said that the shortest period of time in America is the time between when the light turns green and when you hear the first horn honk.

The twin killers of success are impatience and greed.

How long should you try? Until.

Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you've signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through.

 written by Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn

Parents, leaders, employers, teachers and volunteers have you discovered one of the great positive mysteries of life? Here it is - All life seems to wish to reward its benefactor.

If you become the benefactor, you will receive these incredible rewards. If you are the benefactor to the garden, the flowers seem to bloom and say, "Look at me. Look how bright and beautiful I am because you took care of me. I wish to reward you by being beautiful, lovely, spectacular."

Your own children, if you become their benefactor, they want to reward you with their progress. I taught my daughters how to swim. And my daughters would say, as they were about to dive, "Daddy, daddy watch, watch, look, look, watch" as if to say; 'look what you have created here, you've spent the time with me and now look at me. This is the payoff. ‘Watch me dive." I was their benefactor.

I have found that all life wishes to respond to the benefactor. The ones who give their time, give their effort, give their patience, give their ideas, the benefit of their experience. Whatever has benefited from that, wishes to respond. The crop wishes to grow. The child wishes to show you how much progress they've made.

And remember that whatever you move towards tends to move towards you. Just as when you move toward education, and education starts to seek you out. Or when you move toward progress and progress seems to want to now embrace you. You will find that, just as predictably, as you move towards helping those in your care they will wish to repay you with their own success and accomplishments.

~Jim Rohn

by Brian Tracy

Decide How to React
It is not what happens to you that counts. It is how you react to what happens to you, especially when you have unexpected problems of any kind.

Here are four things you can do to assure that your attitude is the very best it can be, under all circumstances.

Focus on the Future
First, whatever challenges you face, focus on the future rather than on the past. Instead of worrying about who did what and who is to blame, focus on where you want to be and what you want to do. Get a clear mental image of your ideal successful future, and then take whatever action you can to begin moving in that direction. Get your mind, your thoughts, and your mental images on the future.

Think About the Future
Second, whenever you’re faced with a difficulty, focus on the solution rather than on the problem. Think and talk about the ideal solution to the obstacle or setback, rather than wasting time rehashing and reflecting on the problem.

Solutions are inherently positive, whereas problems are inherently negative. The instant that you begin thinking in terms of solutions, you become a positive and constructive human being.

Look for the Good
Third, assume that something good is hidden within each difficulty or challenge. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, a major proponent of positive thinking, once said, “Whenever God wants to give us a gift, he wraps it up in a problem." The bigger the gift you have coming, the bigger the problem you will receive. But the wonderful thing is that if you look for the gift, you will always find it.

Seek the Valuable Lesson
Fourth, assume that whatever situation you are facing at the moment is exactly the right situation you need to ultimately be successful. This situation has been sent to you to help you learn something, to help you become better, to help you expand and grow.

Decide to Be Positive
A Positive Mental Attitude is indispensable to your success. You can be as positive as you want to be if you will simply think about the future, focus on the solution and look for the good. If you do what other successful people do, if you use your mind to exert mental control over the situation, you will be positive and cheerful most of the time. And you will reap the benefits enjoyed by all successful people.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action:

First, become solution-oriented with every difficulty you face. Make a habit of looking for the answers to your questions, the solutions to your problems.

Second, seek for the valuable lesson in every adversity. Make a list of every idea or insight you can gain from every setback or difficulty.

Third, think on paper. Take some time to write out every detail of the problem, and then take the most logical next step to solve it.

-- Brian Tracy

"The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does." ~unknown

So many people believe that success
is reaching a certain accomplishment
or attaining a certain status or
possessions. They believe that
the end result will be the reward
they are working towards.

The true gift, the reward, is the
journey.The path you are on is
your opportunity for true success
and fulfillment.

Often times people never receive the
reward because they are completely
unaware of it. Then they get to the
end and gain the accomplishment, status
or possession and they still feel
unfulfilled. The reason that happens
is because the real gift was who you
have been becoming on your journey.

Don't take your journey for granted or
be resentful about it. The journey,
the path you are on, can be so beautiful.
Stop, breathe, and be present in this moment.
In this moment feel absolute gratitude.

When you appreciate this moment in time and
focus on absolute gratitude, you will experience
your bliss. Move forward on your amazing journey
in a state of joy, gratitude and inner peace.

Pay attention to who you have become on your
journey and embrace your incredible transformations.

written by Ryan Pearson
Personal Empowerment Coach

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers out there. I enjoyed reading this short story by one of my favorite motivation speakers "Jim Rohn". I hope you enjoy it too.

"Invest in your family and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details. When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, 'Papa I'm in Israel.' He'd say, 'Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?' He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear - my son's calling me from Israel. I'd say, 'Papa last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean.' He'd say, 'Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean.' Now everybody knows the story. It only took 5 - 10 minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93." -- Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.

All disciplines affect each other. Mistakenly the man says, "This is the only area where I let down." Not true. Every let down affects the rest. Not to think so is naive.

Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is built. Lack of discipline inevitably leads to failure.

Discipline has within it the potential for creating future miracles.

The best time to set up a new discipline is when the idea is strong.

One discipline always leads to another discipline.

Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.

You don't have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next 3 years.

The least lack of discipline starts to erode our self-esteem.

I took a Leap of Faith and it PAID off last night, see for yourself. Click Here

by Denis Waitley

By re-energizing and renewing yourself frequently, you will avoid burnout and become much more motivated and productive. Don’t keep your nose to the grindstone for years and wait for retirement to travel. Balance and consistency are the keys. Enjoy the process, not just the result. Don’t fight the passing of time. Don’t fear it, squander it, or try to hide from it under a superficial cosmetic veil of fads and indulgences. Life and time go together. Do enjoy each phase of life. Do make the most of each day, and draw maximum joy from each moment.

Many people today are concerned with quality time – time generally defined in part as that spent on recreation, personal pursuits, time with children, spouses and friends. While I certainly believe quality time is important, I believe two other aspects of time are equally important.

First, one must also spend quantity time. The average father spends less than 30 minutes each week in direct one-on-one communication with each of his children. How can we possibly expect good family relationships with so little communication?

Second, one must spend regular time. Many supervisors and company presidents go for weeks, even months, without seeing many of their employees. There’s no substitute for regular meetings and open forums in which managers and team members can share ideas.

Time has a dual structure. On one hand, we live our daily routines meeting present contingencies as they arise. On the other hand, our most ambitious goals and desires need time so that they can be assembled and cemented. A long-term goal connects pieces of time into one block. These blocks can be imagined and projected into the future as we do when we set goals for ourselves. Or, these blocks of time can be created in retrospect as we do when we look back at what we’ve accomplished.

It’s not in the image of our big dreams that we run the risk of losing our focus and motivation. It’s the drudgery and routine of our daily lives that present the greatest danger to our hopes for achievement. Good time management means that you maximize the daily return on the energy and mental effort you expend.

Ways to maximize your time productivity:

• Write down in one place all the important contacts you have and all of your goals and priorities. Make a back up copy, preferably on CD, DVD or Zip disc. Write down every commitment you make at the time you make it.

• Stop wasting the first hour of your workday. Having the chat and first cup of coffee, reading the paper, and socializing are the three costliest opening exercises that lower productivity.

• Do one thing well at a time. It takes time to start and stop work on each activity. Stay with a task until it is completed.

• Don’t open unimportant mail. More than a fourth of the mail you receive can be tossed before you open or read it, and that includes e-mail.

• Handle each piece of paper only once and never more than twice. Don’t set aside anything without taking action. Carry work, reading material, audiotapes and your laptop computer with you everywhere you go. Convert down time into uplink time.

• Spend twenty minutes at the beginning of each week and ten minutes at the beginning of each day planning your to do list.

• Set aside personal relaxation time during the day. Don’t work during lunch. It’s neither noble nor nutritional to skip important energy input and stress-relieving time. Throughout the day, ask yourself, “What’s the best use of my time right now?” As the day grows short, focus on projects you can least afford to leave undone.

• And as we said at the beginning of this message, take vacations often, mini-vacations of two or three days, and leave your work at home. The harder you work, the more you need to balance your exercise and leisure time.

Action Idea: Plan a relaxing 3-day vacation within the next three months without taking any business work with you. Reserve it on your calendar this week.

-- Denis Waitley

"Showing a profit means touching something and leaving it better than you found it." -- Jim Rohn

Five Success Keys

We could probably have an interesting discussion on the definition of success. The one I favor was authored by Earl Nightingale, more than fifty years ago: "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal."

I really like that definition because it takes money out of the equation unless it's your specific ideal. It says that the stay-at-home Mom is a success if she's staying home because she wants to. It says that a teacher, or a carpenter, or a Starbucks barista is a success if they are doing what they want to do instead of what they have to do.

Regardless of the field in which one is successful, there are criteria or keys for success that apply to every endeavor. Here are five of those Keys:

Essentials for Success and Achievement

1. Taking Personal Responsibility

Successful people don't play the blame game. They don't blame the government, the economy, their boss, their spouse, the traffic or anything else for the challenges they face or the obstacles the encounter. They take responsibility for their own behavior and figure out a way to deal with life's difficulties, which, by the way, are common to us all.

2. Seek Wisdom vs. Information

Napoleon Hill is famous for saying: "We become what we think about." You see he, and others before him, understood that our thoughts and our thinking will shape our behavior. The ideas you develop will one day manifest themselves in future behavior, so guard carefully what you think about and dwell on. Seek wisdom instead of information. Always be on the lookout for wise people and wisdom literature to help shape your thinking - and future actions.

3. Be a Person of Action

"The only measure of what you believe is what you do." Ashley Montagu coined those words over a century ago but the truth of that statement will stand forever. Success and achievement in any endeavor are the result of doing what needs to be done at the earliest possible opportunity. Do the most important things first!

4. Choose Joy Over Happiness

Happiness is often associated with circumstances. If I'm in a good place and things are going well, I'm happy. If things aren't going so well, I'm not.

Joy, on the other hand, starts with being at peace with ourselves. It's being comfortable in our own skin and understanding that, in most cases, "this too shall pass." The ups and downs of life are inevitable and experienced by everyone. Joy overrides unpleasant circumstances.

5. Stay Focused on Your Vision

Two essentials for success and achievement are vision and focus. Having a very clear vision of what we want to accomplish puts us in the top five percent of the marketplace and our competition. Staying focused on the vision and doing those things that move us to fulfilling our vision are what take us over the top.

Taking Stock

1. Are you taking personal responsibility for your success and achievement?
2. Do you have a friend or mentor you can trust to inject a little wisdom in your life from time to time?
3. Are you a person of action? Are you doing the most important things first?
4. Is your focus on joy or happiness?
5. Is your eye on your vision or your circumstances?

After I read this, it really helped me have a clear vision of my goal. With a clear vision I can accomplish anything I choose. My my friends and mentor, Les Taylor wrote these "Five Success Keys".

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.

I will push you onwards or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and, alas, of all failures, as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin - it makes not difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am HABIT!

by Chris Widener

Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't do. Here are some ideas for what we shouldn't do.

Don't say "I can't." There are two words that we don't allow in the Widener household - I can't. The fact is that most of what we say that we can't do can actually be done, if only we put our mind to it. My mother taught me from an early age that if someone else had already done it, I could too. And if no one else had already done it, I could certainly be the first! Good advice!

Practical application: When you are up against a problem, and you are tempted to say "I can't," begin to think of all of those who have already done it. When you see how many already have, you'll be encouraged. For instance, if you want to write a book but think, "I can't get this published," you should take a trip to the local Barnes and Noble. Walk through and ask yourself if your book wouldn't be better than even just one of the books that is already been published and stocked. You will find yourself saying, "Surely I can!"

Don't give up. If you are going to achieve anything in life, you are going to get knocked down along the way. Those who succeed are those who get back up and forge ahead. My oldest child was in gymnastics and one day on the way to practice we were talking about determination. I am convinced that more often than not, success lies on the other side of the river hardship. Determination and a "don't give up" attitude will see us through the hard times and onto victory!

Practical application: The next time you feel like the wind has gone from your sails, and you feel like quitting, take awhile to rethink the situation. Remind yourself again why you started out in the first place. Remind yourself of how you will feel when you get there. Then, reassert yourself and set a goal of another month (or whatever time frame is needed). In one of my ventures, early on I was weary and felt like giving up. Instead, I kept telling myself, just show up for one more week. Good news - it worked!

Don't get discouraged. Discouragement is an attitude. Instead of going to the depths of the dumps, tell yourself you are going to do great. Choose to be courageous! One of the greatest powers we have been given as humans is the ability to choose our attitude. All people experience hard circumstances. Yet some say to themselves that they will learn from them and forge ahead a better person. These people, who do not allow themselves to get discouraged, are those who become successful.

Practical application: Find the most positive person you can and take them to lunch. Make sure they are someone who believes in you already. If nobody else, get your mother - she will always believe in you! When you get them out to lunch, tell them that you are discouraged and in need of some encouragement. If you have picked the right person, they will do the rest. Chances are, they will even do some follow-up calls with you. And by all means, pick up the tab for lunch.

Don't be a lone ranger. Anybody who has achieved greatness has done it with the help of many others who bought into the vision and pushed the cart. The most famous and accomplished achievers in the world all had a cast of others who helped them along. You may not be able to name Tony Stewart's pit crew, but they were there. Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has an awesome front line to protect him, but I can't name one of them. If the greats need others, then so do we. The sooner we realize that we need others, the quicker we will achieve our dreams.

Practical application: Sit down and write down the answers to the following questions: What partners do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? Who are potential partners who would make me better? What workers do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? How many more workers will I need to achieve my dreams? How will I go about gaining them?

Don't accept anything less than excellence. Good gets along, excellence succeeds. Have you ever heard anyone say of the greats "Yeah, they were pretty good." No! They were excellent! We should never, under any circumstances, accept less than excellence. We should constantly be striving to better ourselves, our situations, our relationships, and the people around us, helping them to become excellent.

Practical application: First, evaluate. Is ______________ excellent? Second, determine what would qualify as excellent. It would be excellent when ____________ is true. Third, set a course, step-by-step, toward excellence.

Remember, when it comes to the above - Just don't do it!

-- Chris Widener

"No, that's what God gave you two arms for: To carry me!" -- My five-year-old daughter

Chris' Commentary:
Okay, the conversation before this: I was walking a short distance with my then five- and six-year-old daughters. The five-year-old was dragging behind and complaining that she was tired. She said, "Dad, will you carry me?" I replied, "Nope, that's what God gave you two legs for: So you can walk." Then came her amazingly quick retort: "No, that's what God gave you two arms for: To carry me!" The lessons you learn from little ones!

Action Point:
What did God give you your arms for today? Take some time to be sure to build something beautiful or carry someone along or defend someone weak. Wave hello, lift something up that needs to be lifted or give someone a hug. Use your arms to make yourself successful today. Use your arms to help someone else. That's what God gave them to you for!

So, what is my point?  While I was thinking about just how in depth the economy really is, I realized the impact that living our lives really has on the economy.  Every possession that we have (other than found items i.e. artifacts, etc) was purchased.  Every purchase was made from someone that probably did that for a living.  For example, The jeans that you wear were sold at a store that employed people who also purchase goods and services for themselves and their family.  The store purchased the jeans from a company that employs people who also purchase goods and services for themselves and their family.  The company that manufactures the jeans purchased the material from another company that employs people who purchase goods and services for themselves and their family.  And that is just the jeans!  There is so much more!  Every item that we wear, eat, consume and have, they all have a long history from raw material to the final product and the number of people involved in that history is a huge factor in the economy.  Think about the person that planted the cotton (had the equipment/clothes/etc necessary to do it), harvested the cotton, sold it to the market, cotton was stored, sold, utilized (how many people/businesses have handled it so far?), made into jeans (by how many people/machines (whole other process)), sold by them, shipped (all the people/equipment to transport), unloaded, placed on shelves, eventually purchased by you and someone was paid to ring up the sale.  That blows my mind!!!  Just a pair of jeans and there was a huge amount of business that went on there.  Now figure everything else (clothes, food, household goods/services, etc, etc, etc)!!  This is daily, by the second!!!  There is money out there to be made!!!

The depth of the economy is far greater than what I had ever taken the time to realize.  We all contribute to the economy at a depth that it impacts many individual lives and families at an incredible level.  What does that have to do with you?  I hope that this helps you realize the complexity of the economy and just how much money is available to be made.  It really doesn't matter what you do, just do it better than anyone else.  Whatever your preference, you CAN make it happen.  We will probably not jump from the little guy to the guru over night, but with small steps, we can make it better for ourselves and our children.

What are you going to do?  How are you going to make it happen?  If you are tired of thinking about your financial struggles and you are ready to take action, either enter your basic information for the free offer that is included on this page or click on the banner ad below.  Do you want to work.......Or not? 

by Luann Prater

This is a great story and I can't tell you how many times I have seen children try to catch those soapy bubbles in their mouths and then make a face when they realize that the bubbles taste like soap!

"Look grandma, this makes super-duper bubbles!" my grandson squealed.  The new bubble gun I bought him at Cracker Barrel was indeed a marvel at propelling hundreds of soapy spheres at the touch of a button.  He entertained himself for hours, shooting bubbles then chasing them across the yard.

At some point he decided catching them in his mouth might be fun, to which I warned it might make him sick.  Grandpa chimed in, "That bubble might go down in your tummy and get bigger and bigger!"  Matt stopped in his tracks, fixated on my husband, and replied, "Is that what happened to you grandpa?"  This four-year old comment made me chuckle and then ponder.

What does God see when He looks at me?  Does He see a wide-eyed child who simply believes Him?  I'm afraid that innocent, uncomplicated girl got lost. And I don't think I'm alone in this.  Simple faith is a rare find. 

In this information age, the journey for knowledge has become the driving force in our society.  As Dragnet's Sgt. Joe Friday always said, "Just the facts, ma'am."  Faith gets pushed aside in exchange for internet wisdom.  If you haven't been bitten by the know-it-all mentality, you simply haven't let your fingers do the walking across your keyboard!  Do you want to find out how to build a house, take apart an engine, or stay up on the latest news?  Google it.  You can instantly become an expert in almost in field!  So if God tells me to, "Go," my first instinct is to research the web for direction, instead of trusting His voice. 

During a concert performance recently, our church choir wore costumes from Bible times.  It struck me as I watched and saw only their faces showing, how each one had a childlike image. No one out-dressed the other.  No one was thinner or heavier.  No hair was perfectly styled. They all had rosy cheeks, bright smiles and joy in their eyes.  The prevailing trait we find in children - innocence - shone through.  I found myself wondering if that is what God sees when He looks at us, simple children.

When we come to Jesus it is critical to come like a child, innocent and amazed.  My grandson simply believed his grandpa.  When was the last time you simply believed God?  No analyzing the situation.  No studying alternative theories.  Plain and simple, childlike trust in the One who created the heavens, the earth and you.

Today, I want to focus on coming to Him as a child.  I want to stop the grown-up worry and gaze lovingly into His Word.  Today, I want to enjoy being "the least among you all" so I can spend time with the greatest, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities." ~William Arthur Ward

by Ron White

His name was Jason Dunham and he was a corporal in the United States Marines. The story picks up with Jason as he was talking with the men in his unit. They wondered whether a person could jump on a grenade and survive by putting it under his helmet. Deep down they all knew that it most likely wouldn't work, yet on the streets of Baghdad all topics of conversation can soon become quickly exhausted and hypothetical solutions to real-life problems can pass the time.

Unfortunately for Jason Dunham, the circumstance that he had hypothesized about arrived just a few weeks later. However, fortunately for his unit, Corporal Jason Dunham was there. In this life and death scenario, there is no time to think. There is only time for fight or flight. Jason chose fight and performed above and beyond the call of duty. He threw his helmet and body over a grenade and gave his life for his friends. Jason was nominated for The Congressional Medal of Honor. He was 20 years old.

Your stance on political matters or world issues is irrelevant in this scenario. Jason did not do this for you. He did not do it for the people of Baghdad. He didn't do it for the U.S. government or a politician. He did it for the men beside him, period.

To give your life for your friends is perhaps the greatest thing one person can do for another. It is also one of the rarest acts of civilization.

In 1981, shots rang out and bullets screamed through the air to pierce the flesh of the 40th President of the United States. No sooner had the gun powder been ignited than secret service agent Tim McCarthy stood up as straight as a board and extended his arms to make himself a large barrier between would-be assassin John Hinckley and President Reagan. While others ran for cover, Agent McCarthy stood looking directly at his potential death with firm resolve. Tim was shot square in the chest and, believe it or not, that was exactly his goal. As he positioned himself spread eagle to take a bullet for a man, an office and a nation, others cowered in trembling fear. Because of amazing grace, agent McCarthy survived.

What causes men and women to lay down their lives for another? It takes a lot. First and foremost, it takes a realization that life isn't about you. It is about making a difference, about making an impact and about giving.

Jason Dunham and Tim McCarthy were able to respond the way they did because:

• They decided how they were going to respond long before the event occurred.
• They were not selfish people – the farthest you could be from selfish, as a matter of fact.
• They realized that life was not about them; it was about making a difference – it was about others.

I hope with all my heart you are never placed in a situation where you have to choose between your life and those around you. Yet, every day you are in situations where you have to make choices. You must decide right now how you will respond.

The lesson to extract from the lives of Corporal Dunham and Agent McCarthy is that of an overall attitude on life. That attitude, simply put, is that it is better to give than receive. It is honorable to view the lives and well-being of others above yourself. If we can take any pearl of wisdom from the extraordinary lives and attitudes of these two men, it is that making an impact on the world is not always about recognition, power, money or personal gain. Sometimes the greatest success is one who gives himself up so others can succeed. That is the mark of the ultimate high achiever.

Decide today how you will respond in your moments of crisis - whether it is financial, personal or life and death. As you plan your actions, remember the selfless lessons of Corporal Dunham and Agent McCarthy.

-- Ron White

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." ~The Declaration of Independence

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes." ~Mahatma Gandhi

by Waldo Waldman

December 21, 1998, was a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone.

I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I'll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt. Col. "Hos" Hyatt, the commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our "2 ship" of F-16s were charged with "sanitizing" the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It could have been a routine patrol – or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, "Viper flight, you've got a MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south…hostile, hostile!"

This meant the MIG had crossed the no fly zone and was headed towards us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos.

"Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!"

Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, "Commit, Commit," my destiny was set in motion that day. No time to think – there was simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was really quite clear: it was time to "commit."

My heart raced. The intensity was beyond words. Quite frankly, there was a part of me that asked, "Am I ready to do this? Will I get shot at? What if my engine fails?"

In the moment, doubt crept in.

But deep down, I knew I was ready and I was mentally and emotionally prepared. Otherwise, I had no business being in that jet. Aborting that mission was not an option – period. I had a job to do. All of my military training boiled down to this one moment and I simply had to trust my wingman, stay in position, and execute the briefed plan. It was time to act.

That moment may have come in the extreme of combat, but it was really no different than the "call to duty" we all face in everyday life and business.

Do you have the discipline and training to commit to action in your life - to "push it up" and go after your target with confidence? Perhaps it's the challenge of raising a family, a new job opportunity, going for a promotion, embarking on a fitness regimen or a "serious" diet, or the trust and rigors that come from a relationship. The actions you take once you commit will determine the quality of your outcome.

If you're not ready to commit, no problem. Perhaps it's not the right time, or you just need more time.

But, if you really are committed to take action in your life, then you better have the discipline to do what it takes to commit with confidence and foster that level of trust others can count on.

True commitment only exists when it is aligned with action. Action that is based on disciplined preparation, laser sharp focus, and most of all – courage, the sort of courage that says even though you may get "shot at" – you will carry on regardless! This is the reality of flying fighters in combat, and it is also the reality of leading a life of passion that is based on commitment and action.

Bottom line, before you commit to anything, you have to risk getting "shot at." You have to be willing to work and sacrifice. Let's face it, it's not easy to commit. If it were, everybody would be doing it!

So, here's the wingtip: The ability to face our fears, harness courage, and commit to action when the stakes are high is made a lot easier when we act in service to others. More importantly, when we have a trusted partner on our wing backing us up, it gives us courage to press on.

Hos was on my wing. Who is on yours?

-- Waldo Waldman

 by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from Week Six of the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan)

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful! And that is what we will discuss in detail this week: How to dream dreams and establish goals to get those dreams.

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel Great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what Our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want it to be.

Jim Rohn

This Week's Jumpstart

An early Happy 4th of July wish to all of my U.S. readers! And for those around the world, I wish you freedom. When you look up the word freedom in the dictionary, you'll find many definitions, but the one I like best says: The capacity to exercise choice; free will.

What's your definition of freedom? Time freedom, financial freedom? Isn't it interesting, though, that in order for you to experience or gain freedom you must sacrifice something? Perhaps I should frame it another way, with other words -- discipline or choice. Jim Rohn says discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. So let me ask you... What results have you accomplished and are you satisfied with your results?

If so, congratulations! If not, what simple disciplines or "choices" can you make that will make a world of difference in your accomplishments?

That's something to think about this week. But don't just stop at thinking! Act! You have the ability and the skills to create more freedom for whatever it is you want in your life!

-- Denis Waitley

Quality of life, in America today, is often measured by the amount of money you make. Success is defined by the kind of car you drive. By the neighborhood you live in. By the toys you own. After all, he who dies with the most toys wins. True or false?

Life was difficult before remote controls and automatic door locks. Skiing was so boring before the new shape skis hit the market. Fishing without a carbon-fiber rod was next to impossible. And the best part of life today is that big-screen plasma HDTV, the one with the universal remote that controls everything. It's the best escape devised yet from an otherwise dull evening.

In contrast, the people of the remote Himalayan country of Bhutan were recently rated as having the poorest quality of life of all but one other country in the world --- after all, their average annual per capita income is only $500. Ironically, however, when you visit the country, there are no beggars, only beautiful, snow-capped peaks, virgin forests, and clean air. The crime rate is extremely low, no one is in a hurry, and there is a strong sense of community. You might almost think that instead of depending on their belongings to entertain them, they've learned to enhance their lives by building relationships with each other.

Be careful to avoid the trap of, "the more you buy, the more you need". Because oftentimes then the more we think we need, the more unhappy we are with what we have. So this year, before buying those new golf clubs, stop and think. Will that $1,000 bring you more happiness through a bag of irons, compared to a few days off with your family, or as a donation to an organization, or a person who is trying to make a difference. It's your choice. It's how you measure it.

So this week count your blessings instead of your possessions. Spend more time with those you love, instead of spending more money on things you lack.

-- Denis Waitley

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." ~ James Crook

Great Commentary:
I love quotes that are counter-intuitive because many times "counter-intuitive" is what works best in this world. This is especially true in leadership. If you think about it, there are only two options in life: Go with the crowd or against it. Those who will lead in this life must often start against the crowd and lead forcefully until the crowd sees the results and changes their direction. If you just go with the crowd, you are just part of the crowd. Even if you are going with the crowd but out in front of the crowd, that doesn't mean you are leading. It just means you are faster than the rest of the crowd! That means you're just better at being average - and that isn't what you want your life to be!

Action Point:
Think about your life. Are you going with the crowd or against it? Are you willing to lead by turning your back on the crowd? Take a step today to differentiate yourself from the crowd - and begin your journey toward success and leadership!

All mankind is divided into three classes:

• those that are immoveable
• those that are moveable
• and those that move

~Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

Which one are you?

Here it is, another Fourth of July. Traditionally, this is a day to gather with friends, maybe fire up the barbeque and play with kids until the sun sets and the fireworks start. But in thinking back on the meaning behind this day, we must never forget that our nation was baptized in the blaze of a very different kind of "fireworks." Yes, this is a day of rest and relaxation, as well it should be, but this year…I'd like to ask you a favor. At some point during the day, I hope you'll take time to think and reflect on what it is we're truly celebrating on the 4^th of July -- our Independence Day. Of course the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4^th, 1776 but it's so much more than that. On this day, 233 short years ago, a small group of men dedicated themselves to a higher purpose, an ideal they believed in so greatly, they signed their name to its expression and in doing so put their very lives at risk.

Never has a simple act of signing one's name carried such weight, such a profound commitment. By signing the Declaration of Independence, 56 men stood in direct defiance of the British government. They became marked men, and willingly so. As I was doing some research on the significance of July 4^th, I came across some interesting facts about these men. Today as we all enjoy the freedom our forefathers guaranteed us; join me in honoring the extraordinary sacrifice of 56 extraordinary Americans.

Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War.

If you ever feel like your lone voice can never be heard, that the political system isn't set up for "regular" Americans to change the course of history, remember: The signers were flesh and blood, mortal men with a divinely-inspired aim.
 
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, and nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were well educated, smart enough to know that by signing the Declaration of Independence, they were signing their own death warrants. They did it anyway, and God bless them for it.
 
As we enjoy our liberty on this 4^th of July, or any day of any month, we must never take that liberty for granted. Too many have given too much. In the words of the Signers themselves, "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
 
Their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor -- I think that's a price paid worth a few minutes of reflection, don't you? But let's not be solemn in that reflection. I say rejoice and share this information with your friends and family, especially your kids. The Signers asked for nothing in return for their pledge, but I say that we show our thanks with a pledge of our own:  To remember, to be grateful, and to carry on in their spirit. America is the greatest country this world has ever and will ever know, and it will stay that way so long as "we the people" remember that just like in 1776.
 
It's US that surrounds them, and we'll never back down.
 
Happy Independence Day, and God bless America.

Glenn Beck

Just remember all people are different, and so are their style of decision making. One style is not superior over another, it is all about how analysis your decision.

If you want to be a leader, you need to be able to lead effectively, and you need to be able to make good decisions.

When making a decision you are simply choosing from among alternatives based on your values and preferences, you are not making a choice between right and wrong.

Being more productive and performing at a higher level requires mastering several skills. One of the most important is effective decision making – emphasis on effective. Her are a few pointers you might find helpful:

Make sure you have the facts

You wouldn’t dive into a pool of water without first knowing the depth, so it’s wise not to jump into a quick decision before gathering a little background data. Who? What? Where? When? How? Asking a few of these types of questions can help in gathering the information you need to make a good decision. Poor decisions are usually the result of making an emotional decision before you have the facts. Parents – heads up!

Think outcome – from the outset

A good place to give some thought to the desired outcome of a situation is before a final decision is made. When faced with a problem, think about the best case scenario for the outcome and try to work toward that end as you process through the issue(s).

Avoid making snap decisions. It is ok to move fast on the reversible ones, but move slowly on the non-reversible.

Choose advisers wisely

Be careful not to allow yourself to be overly influenced by another’s perspective on the issue. While it’s important to get feedback from others, be discerning with regard to personal agendas that may be involved.

Consult those who will be affected by and who will have to implement your decision. Input from these people not only helps supply you with information and help in making the decision. It will begin to produce the acceptance necessary in the implementers because they feel that they are part of the decision making process.

Develop a decision making model

Create a model by which you make all key decisions and stick by it as various challenges avail themselves. Making key decision the same way every time will improve the quality of the decision immensely.

It is always wise to write your ideals on a piece of paper – when written down you can always see it clearer!

Track the results

One all key decisions, carefully monitor the results to make sure the decision was sound. Closely monitoring a decision allows you to make timely adjustments. It will also afford you the opportunity to study the effectiveness of your decision of your decision making process.

Never make decisions that are NOT yours to make!

There are seven simple steps you can follow to help you set and achieve your goals.

1. Clarify exactly what you want.  Be specific. If you want to increase your income decide upon a specific amount rather that just “make more money”.
   
   
2. Write it down.  A goal that is not in writing is like smoke; it drifts away and disappears. It has no force, effect or power. Write it down and keep it in sight. Written goals become something that you can touch, read and modify if necessary, as situations change.
   
   
3. Set a deadline for your goal.  Pick a reasonable time period and write down the pace upon which you want to achieve it. If it’s a big goal, set a final deadline and then set up sub-deadlines or interim steps between where you are today and where you want to be in the future.
   
   A deadline serves as a forcing system. It’s a known fact, when you’re under pressure you get more done. Your subconscious mind works faster and more efficiently when you have clarified your goal and set a clear realistic deadline.
   
   “There no unrealistic goals; there are only unrealistic deadlines.”
   
4. Make a list of Everything you can think of that you could possibly do to achieve your goal.
   
   “The Biggest goal can be accomplished if you break it down into enough small steps.” ~Henry Ford
   
   -Make a list of obstacles and difficulties you have to overcome, both external and internal to achieve your goal.
   
   -Make a list of additional knowledge or skills you will require to achieve your goal. If you need to learn how to blog, start searching and reading all you can find on “How to Blog”.
   
   -Make a list of people whose cooperation and support you will require to achieve your goal. Will you need uninterrupted time from your spouse or kids so that you can focus on achieving your goals, then set a time for your uninterrupted time, it will help to be the same time every day.
   
   -Make a list of every thing that you have to do, and add to this list as new tasks and responsibilities occur.
   
   “The most common reason that people fail to achieve their goals is because they do not make new plans to replace old ones when the situation changes.” ~Napoleon Hill author of Think and Grow Rich
   
5. Organize the list by sequence and priorities. Determine what you need to do first and put them in sequence, first through last. Next determine what is priority, sometimes sequence and priority are the same, but often not.
   
6. Take Action Immediately. The difference between winners and losers in life is simply that winners take the first step. They are action-oriented. They are willing to take action without a guarantee of success.
   
7. Do Something Every Day. You must do something every day that moves you in the direction of your major goal. This is the key behavior that will guarantee your success. This will develop momentum, doing something every day.
   
   Doing something every day will help you develop the discipline of setting and achieving your goals.

Action Step:

Take a clean sheet of paper, at the top write the word “Goals” and today’s date.

Write down ten goals. They can be financial goals, family goals, fitness goals, personal possessions goals (car, new home, swimming pool, etc.).

Now choose which goal would have the most change or will improve your life more than anything else. Whichever one you choose, put a circle around it and write it at the top of a clean sheet of paper. This goal becomes your focal point of your future activities.

From this point forward, “Failure is not an option”.

This decision alone can change your life.

Stay focused on achieving your goals and I’ll see you at the top!

    If you could have what it is that you think about and dream about, but you had to earn it, not just have it given to you, what would it take to make it happen?  Most everyone, my dad is the exception (he could win the lottery and he might possibly buy a new golf club, but I'm not even sure about that), wants something better for themselves and their families.  Most of those wants involve more money for a bigger, better home, new cars, kids' college funds, clothes, vacations and the list goes on and on.  I believe that it is achievable!  Do you?  I have been caught up in the "some day it will happen" mode.  As I have explained in some other blogs, there is plenty of money out there to be made.  How can you get your share of that money.  You will probably have to do something differently.  You already know that, no matter how much or how little money that you earn, you spend it!!  Most of us could cut costs and save ourselves some expenses and bills but we feel that we are entitled, or that we deserve whatever it is that we spend our money on, I know that I do.  What will motivate you to take a step, a leap of faith that there is more out there for you?  There are thousands of millionaires out there, if not millions.  Not all of them started out with money.  Aren't those the best stories?  The ones that had nothing, had lost everything and yet now they're millionaires, or even more?  Do you believe that you can be one of them? 

     I have heard, and I believe, that making the money is not the hard part, the hard part is changing your attitude about having what you want.  You have to change your mindset & believe that you are worth it and that you are capable.  There are many books and media available for your personal education on this topic.  It all starts in your mind, you have to believe in yourself and clear your thoughts as to what it is that you want.  The hardest part is to get rid of the "demons" that haunt you and tell you that you are living the life that you were meant to live, that you were not meant to have what you really want and that you were meant to work your life away only to earn enough money to pay your bills and buy essential items.  You must clear your mind of that and good things will happen.  You bring about what you think about!  Every time that a negative thought comes into your head, you take a step backwards.  You must clear your mind of those thoughts.  It will be difficult for most because those thoughts have always been reality.  Can you change the way you think?  I think that you can and if you really want to, I know that you can!!

     Another secret is that money is not evil!!  That is difficult for some people to understand.  Wealthy people give more to charities in this country than many people earn in a year.  Wealthy people are not evil, some evil people are wealthy.  Don't be confused by that!  Part of the secret of earning money is that you have to give back in any way that you want and you must give for the right reasons, because it's what you believe in and because you truly want to give.  I can't explain it, when you give and you donate, you feel better about yourself and you receive in return, it just works that way.  Give it a try!!

     What motivates you?  What will you do to change your current financial situation?  Will you write down what it is that you really want for your family and yourself?  Write down what you want and believe that there is a way.  It is very possible that you can afford to pay for your own, or your kids' college education.  It is very possible that you can pay off your debt or buy that dream home that you want or anything else it is that you desire.  It will take a new way of thinking and confidence that you are worth it.  In many cases it will require you to venture into unfamiliar territory, but if you really are clear about what it is that you want for you and your family, that will be an easy step.

      What are you going to do?  How are you going to make it happen?  If you are tired of thinking about your financial struggles and you are ready to take action, either enter your basic information for the free offer that is included on this page or click on the banner ad below.  Do you want to work.......Or not?