The Three trees (author unknown)

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods.
They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said,'Someday I hope to be a great treasure chest.  I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with an  intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.' 

 
Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take Kings and  Queens  across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. People will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.' 

Finally the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill, look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.' 

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. 

At the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree.  I will be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. 

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true.  One of the men said,'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what
he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat.  His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying Kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree.  One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said 'Peace' and the storm stopped.  At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree.   It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong  enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts. 

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined...

We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His Ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

The Dash

1901 – 1987.  Any idea what those dates represent?  They are the birth and death year of my grandmother. She and I were very close throughout my life and her passing was difficult except for the fact that I know I will see her again. While the dates represent the obvious, that small dash represents an entire lifetime.  The significance of the dash and how I view it is the subject of this blog.

If you recall from a previous post, I had mentioned that books give you insight into people's lives. You can learn in days what it took someone an entire life to learn.  In essence, that is the dash.  It’s not necessary to author a book for the dash to have significance; it’s merely a result of life, and worth recognizing.  What that means in fact, is that every day, be it filled with productive activity or completely void of anything worth remembering, is a day that has value somehow, even if you don’t recognize it at the time.  The truth is that a simple benign conversation could be the difference between someone else being encouraged or not.  You never know what is going on in someone’s life and everyone has a story.

One day, a man and his 2 young children were riding on the bus.  His children were loud, moving about, and to be honest, disruptive and annoying. This I’m certain is what most of the other passengers were thinking.  And they had to wonder why the father wasn’t controlling them, in fact didn’t even attempt to.  The longer this went on, the more agitated the passengers became. One such woman couldn’t contain herself any longer and went over to this man and asked him why he wasn’t doing anything about his children, and that didn’t he realize that they were being disruptive.  Solemnly, the man looked up at her and quietly responded.  He told her that just 2 days ago, the children had lost their mother to an accident and that they just didn’t know how to handle it. He added that in fact, he himself didn’t know how to handle it. 

The point here is obvious, that everyone has a story and therefore everything you do and say does have significance, at least to someone.  If each day is significant, imagine what a lifetime represents.  This point really brings our “dash” into perspective a bit, and also prompts the question of hope. Where does the hope that lies within you come from? Things can seem hopeless at times I realize but, in general people are hope filled, anchored to something that transcends daily drudgery, events and routine.  Figure that one out and you will live your life with purpose.  We’ll circle back to that in a bit.  In the mean time, just know that purpose, significance and hope are all intertwined and are ultimately reflected in your dash.       

Growing up, Jason and his dad always spent Saturday afternoons washing and admiring the 1967 Mustang Fastback that dad promised he’d give to Jason when he was old and responsible enough to take ownership of it.  It truly was a beauty, and they both dreamed of that day. Jason would drive and his dad would be the passenger. They would drive into town, just to be seen, he could hardly wait.  Over the years, the anticipation grew making the dream even more vivid and desirable.  The time had finally arrived; Jason had his license now for one year and had a part time job, time to talk with dad.  Dad would give him the car as promised but wanted him to think about his faith, and understand how God, the car, and he were all connected.  He gave Jason a bible, Jason wanted the title.  Without saying a word, he accepted the bible, went to his room, put the bible on his desk and never opened it.  The relationship became strained and Jason never brought the car up again. Dad attempted to communicate but Jason was unreceptive.  What Jason didn’t know is that his dad had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had a short time to live.  Dad wanted to make sure that Jason had a firm foundation, and understand that his life’s hopes and purpose would be found in meeting Jesus.  It couldn’t have been more than 18 months before dad died.  At this point, Jason was aware of dad’s condition and had already begun renewing the relationship. It wasn’t for a while though that Jason would open his bible.  One day he did, and as he thumbed through it, he came upon something tucked inside.  The title.  Jason was welling up with tears that he could no longer hold back.  Memories of his dad flooded his mind and the car seemed insignificant.   It was then that he got on his knees and asked God for forgiveness.  He asked God to reveal himself in a way that he would understand, he wanted to know what his dad knew, and wanted to be reassured he would be reunited with dad once again.   

It’s a process knowing God.  It takes a lifetime.  The good news is that He desperately wants us to know Him and is patient (though I wouldn’t recommend testing His patience as you never know what will happen).  Risking eternity just isn’t worth it.  It took Jason this tragedy to bring him to the point where he was willing to learn just how his life and God were connected.  What he will find out is that God created him with a purpose, equipped him with gifts, and will grow him into the person he is intended to become.  Jason’s part in this is to get to know God through prayer, people, and reading His love letter (the bible).  Jason will be reunited with his dad, but not for a span of time represented by a small dash, but for eternity.

In Revelation chapter 21 (last book of the bible), you will find God’s promise of eternal life:

 ¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ²I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."      

Further in this same chapter you find God’s promise for those who reject Him:

 ⁶He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Jesus warns us of false teachers. Many things in life speak to our emotions and “move” us.  Where are we being transported to?  It’s important to seek truth, not movement.

In the New Testament book of John, chapter 14: verse 6, Jesus says this:   Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The only way to God’s promise of eternal joy among Him and all those who have believed is by accepting the one and only gift of redemption found in Jesus.  We are all sinners and not worthy of God’s grace, but by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, we have been redeemed and accepted. 

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

You can accept this gift by praying a prayer where you acknowledge your sin, unworthy of God’s grace because of it, and in desperate need of redemption through Jesus.  Ask God to forgive your sins and to reveal himself to you in a way that you can know him

Your were created for a purpose, God knows this purpose and you will be where you are supposed to be when you align yourself with His will for you.  Know that your destiny lies in His capable hands, and that your salvation is secure in God’s promise through the Christ Jesus.    

Like Jason, You will be reunited with fellow believers, but not for a span of time represented by a small dash, but for eternity.

Success, what is it really?

In my previous post, I began with the definition: 

success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile dream.

I went on to explain that the originator of this definition has been a very successful business person. This is where I’d like to begin.

While some people have tremendous business or financial success, it’s important to realize that success isn’t measured only by someone’s financial statement. Mother Theresa for example, was successful in her endeavor beyond imagination and was at the same time just as poor, or at least, not wealthy. Some would say that she was spiritually rich. And she was. So what we have is a working definition of success, with its principles, that may result in a vision of success that is way too small. What we need to understand is that success is realized in as many ways as there are people. It’s not always visible or tangible but rather progressive and based on an individual dream.

The dream is generally where it all begins. An idea that keeps your mind occupied becomes a passion. It often sounds like “I really want to …”  ! Once you figure out that you want to get this done, the desire is in place and it’s time to put the second principle into action. Preparation. I can say that this is where many people fail. Decisions have to be made, a measure of accountability is also recommended, and the work that ensues often times bring on the inevitable challenges. How do I know this? The same way that you do, experience. Look, how relatable would I be if I preached from a book without experiencing this, and ultimately, who would read this post? Experience is the best teacher no doubt, but someone else’s experience is a much quicker means to an end. This is where I can interject one of my favorite nuggets:  

don’t GO through life when you can GROW through life. Growth happens when you are stretched and stretching happens when you are out of your comfort zone. Guess what puts you out of your comfort zone? You got it, challenges. That’s why coaches and personal growth gurus always position a challenge as an opportunity.

One last thing regarding success. You will know your success by the fruit you are producing. Though your particular dream may not be visible, such as something that is a matter of the heart, you will still know when your dream is being realized by the fruit you are bearing. This is a way to measure your progress, maintain accountability, and to keep striving to accomplish more.

As a Christian, understanding that God created everything for a purpose, gives me peace, satisfaction, and even a sense of adventure to seek His will for my life. It has given me a purpose because I know that His desire is not to harm me but to give me life. In the New Testament book of John, ch. 10 verse 10, Jesus says “The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. This doesn’t mean a life of nothing but pleasure and guaranteed happiness all the time. Challenges, growth, and accountability apply here as well. In fact, the Bible (God’s letter to us) is where you will find all principles played out in the lives of others.

My last nugget for today: Books give you insight into people's lives. You can learn in days what it took someone an entire life to learn. The greatest book ever written is the Bible.

A Guide to Success

SUCCESS: is the progressive realization of a worthwhile dream.
  
This definition is one that I have adopted from a very successful business person many years ago and found that it has truly passed the test of time.

The 2 keys components to success are:

1. Desire (it's your dream, a matter of the heart)
2. Preparation (a matter of the head)

Desire

• Define it and refine it
• Do you see the value in what you have set out to do
• Can you get excited about being involved in something that can change people’s lives
• Can you see that success here will enable success elsewhere
• Can you visualize yourself "there" before you've even begun
• Expect challenges and know that they are a part of "growing" you into the person that you are striving to become. View challenges as a positive. Your desire is what keeps you energized when those challenges seem monumental and overwhelming. Also remember that success is often a game of inches. If it's worth it, don't give up because the goal could be just around the corner.

Preparation

• Don't waste time agonizing over decisions, make the decision to prepare once. Then do it.
• Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed by the scope and magnitude of what needs to be done. Break it down into logical-simple-flexible increments

(How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time)

(How do you build a skyscraper? From the ground up. You begin with a foundation, then one beam and one column at a time)

• Your preparation enables you to build a secure foundation then everything else falls into place. Nothing of value can be built without a foundation.
• Work from a list
• A list will help you remain accountable
• A list will enable you to free up your creative thinking

(A short pencil is better than a long memory)

• Scratching items from a list as you complete them is empowering because it gives you a sense of accomplishment

• Add new items to the list. Remember the definition:

SUCCESS: is the progressive realization of a worthwhile dream

The key words in this definition are progressive and dream.

·         The dream is represented in the first key to success. Desire

·         Progressive indicates that it is ongoing. Hence, add new items to the list.

Your Lists

• Make a list that clearly defines your desire. This will be the fuel that energizes you.  Writing it down enables you to go back to it, and “reselling” yourself on the concept.
• Make a list of people that may have value to your project. Also keep in mind that you never know who knows who. What I mean is always be willing to meet others and share conversation and ideas, you never know how you might be able to benefit each other from the relationship.
• Make a list of all the reasons why your dream is important and has value
• Maintain a list of ideas as you think of them.