A Little Encouragement

Here are some clever ideas to brighten a cancer (or any patients) patients day

Hat off to Cancer:  For a cancer patient just starting treatment which includes the possibility of hair loss:  Throw a "Hats off to (their name here)" and have everyone attending bring a hat the patient can wear.  Expand on this theme with a hat shaped cake.

Find a Penny pick it up:  Place a penny where the patient can find it and include a note that says "When you see a penny, know I am praying for you".  Then, find opportunities to scatter pennies around on a regular basis (works great for a co-worker or family member)

Chemo Care Packages:  Put together a small basket of items a patient might take with them to treatment.  Include things like tissues, lip balm, hard candies, a puzzle book (or coloring book and crayons), thank you cards, bible verses, rubics cube or other puzzle, notebook or journal and pens, joke book or other treats to help the time pass or to bring a smile or start a conversation.  Some of these items can be shared with other patients or used by the care give who accompanies the patient.

Caring Cards:  It never ceases to amaze me how something as simple as a card can brighten a patients day.  Send many and send often.  Solicit your children, girl scout troop, Sunday school class or co-workers to write a card.  I often provide cards for a small group and encourage them to STOP everything and write a note.  Patients are so encouraged when they receive just the right message from a friend or stranger!

Deal a Meal:  have your friends prepare an extra serving of a meal and freeze it.  Arrange to have them delivered to the patients home (call first or arrange with another family member).  Nothing say loving like something from your oven!

Hug:  When words fail you, just reach our and give a hug!

Group Work Camp Princess Power Hour

I just returned from a Group Work camp trip to Racine Wisconsin where  I spent 6 nights with 472 of my closest high school friends (and their adult chaperone's) in Jerome L. Case High School.  We had 64 projects (of which 55 were completed) and worked a total of 14,768 man hours. 

Every night we enjoyed a short devotional prayer tine we call Princess Power Hour (Because our father is the King of Kings!) and our theme was "Spiritual Truths you can learn from the Disney Princesses". 
We "studied" Snow White, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan and Cinderella. 

Stay Tuned for what lesson each Princess has to teach us.

110/0 principle

100/0 principle

What is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It's The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return.

Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent.

The 100/0 Principle applies to those people in your life where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. Each of us must determine the relationships to which this principle should apply. For most of us, it applies to work associates, customers, suppliers, family and friends.

STEP 1 - Determine what you can do to make the relationship work...then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether he/she deserves it or not.

STEP 2 - Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada.

STEP 3 - Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don't take the bait.

STEP 4 - Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don't respond in kind. Remember to expect nothing in return.

At times (usually few), the relationship can remain challenging, even toxic, despite your 100 percent commitment and self-discipline. When this occurs, you need to avoid being the "Knower" and shift to being the "Learner." Avoid Knower statements/ thoughts like "that won't work," "I'm right, you are wrong," "I know it and you don't," "I'll teach you," "that's just the way it is," "I need to tell you what I know," etc.

Instead use Learner statements/thoughts like "Let me find out what is going on and try to understand the situation," "I could be wrong," "I wonder if there is anything of value here," "I wonder if..." etc. In other words, as a Learner, be curious!

Principle Paradox

This may strike you as strange, but here's the paradox: When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well. Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100. When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the individuals involved, their teams, their organizations and their families.

Must Watch Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLj4akmncsA&feature=share

Come Holy Spirit

http://relevantmagazine.com/basicholyspirit
a must watch video
Live like you believe it
Pray like you Believe it
Come Holy Spirit, empower your people

Southeast Easter pageant

I accompanied our Middle School Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) to the Easter Pageant last night and it was a moving experience from the time the camels delivered the Kings to the manger, the angels ascending or the ascension of Jesus himself. It was a fabulous performance enjoyed by 44 kids and the adult chaperones.

The most touching parts (for me) was the depiction of the Temptation of Jesus and the fears of the Apostles as the gathered in the upper room before the resurrection.

satan (I refuse to capitalize this name) tempts Jesus but recoils each and every time Jesus invoke scripture as His response. What a wonderful depiction of how powerful the Scriptures are and our need to memorize them to use them in our personal struggles.

I, like the apostles, occasionally have questions and doubts and can relate to the fear and desperation the followers must have felt while they waited for Jesus' return. We know the end of the story and I often fail to consider the bleakness of the 3 days they had to wait, not knowing what I do...

I'm asking God to keep my heart and mind focused on the celebration of his Coming again...Hurry Lord Jesus!

Earthquake-Tsunami hit Japan

The news coming out of Japan is sobering, the pictures are horrifying and the talk of a nuclear meltdown is frightening. The expanse of devastation has left me feeling helpless. So, I pray for the people of Japan and our world and rely on this verse
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Amen?