WHAT TO FORGET AS 2013 WINDS UP

As the year 2013 is running out – we’ve got just twenty more days, approximately 480 hours or 28800 minutes – the words of Chinese sage Confucius bears relevance. He said: “FORGET INJURIES, NEVER FORGET KINDNESSES.”

I think this is great advice as we reflect on how the year has been and make preparations for the coming year. It is my prayer for you that you will not only finish this year well, you’ll finish it strong! YOU WILL SUCCEED!

10 LESSONS I HAVE LEARNT FROM THE SCHOOL OF LIFE (pt 1 of 2)

Yesterday was my birthday. And I had a lovely day. I had a chance to reflect on where I’m coming from and where I am headed. And by the way I had some fun with my wife, kids and some friends. Consider this post my birthday gift to you. Enjoy!

Life is a school. And every day, class opens and fresh lessons are taught. Wise are we when we pick up those nuggets and internalize them. These are some ten simple but profound lessons I have learnt from the school of life.

Lesson number one: I have found out in life that…
Fame is sublime; popularity vaporizes; only character stands the test of time. “A good name is better than precious ointment…” (Ecclesiastes 7:1) Knowing this, I work on me, not on what you think of me!

Lesson number two is this: I have found out in life that Character is not made in crisis. Crisis only reveals a man’s character. It’s just like Solomon said, “If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place.”(Proverbs 24:10 Msg.)

The third lesson I have learnt from the school of life is this: Stumbling blocks are stepping stones. Whatever impedes a man but does not succeed in stopping him, will aid his progress.

Lesson #4 is this: I have found out in life that…you either work hard or you live hard! “Sloth makes you poor, diligence brings wealth.”(Prov. 10:4 Msg.) It is either hard work or a hard life! If you “work your garden-you’ll end up with plenty of food; play and party-you’ll end with an empty plate.” (Prov. 28:19 Msg.) “Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.”(Prov. 14:23 Msg.) Laziness is a sickness that will finally kill its victim! (See Prov. 21:25 Msg.)

Lesson #5 goes like this: I have found out in life that…
When you stop to progress, you start to regress.
When you stop learning, you start dying.
When you stop growing, you start groaning!
The road to success is always under construction. Success is a journey. When you think you’ve reached your peak, you’ll hit the pit!

I’ll finish this in my next post. YOU WILL SUCCEED!

GET UP AND CLEAN YOUR WINDOW!

A couple moved into a new neighborhood, and one morning while they were eating breakfast the wife looked out the window and saw her neighbor hanging wash on the line to dry. She noticed the wash was dingy and dirty. She remarked to her husband, “That neighbor lady doesn’t know how to wash. Her clothes aren’t clean. I wonder if she’s even using any detergent.”

Day after day she would make the same comments: “I can’t believe the neighbor doesn’t know how to wash. I can’t believe they wear those dingy-looking clothes.”

A few weeks later the woman looked out the window and the clothes were as clean and bright as could be. She was so surprised. She called her husband in and said, “Look, honey, I can’t believe it. She finally learned how to wash. I wonder what happened.”

The husband smiled and said, “honey, I got up early this morning and cleaned our window.”

Simple lesson: What you see is colored by what window you’re looking through. “To the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15). Get up and clean your window. The problem is not always without but within. You will succeed!

Hatred Is a Burden!

We will still suffer the temptation to bitterness, but we must learn that hate is too great a burden to bear for a people moving on toward their date with destiny.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thought To Chew On

No one stands taller on their climb for success than when he bends down to help somebody else. – Unknown