When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else–the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Creating Memories
So the other day was Memorial Day and aside from the fact that for obvious reasons this was a very special day, I was going to accomplish some things.
I had decided that I was going to use the day to catch up on the many chores that I have been putting off around the house. Mowing the lawn ( I wonder what it would cost to get astro turf installed so I never have to mow again !!) cleaning the house, laundry etc. I was actually looking forward to getting these things done, because I seem to have fallen behind.
Anyway so here I am sitting there Monday morning staring out of the window and hoping if I stare long enough that perhaps the grass will shrink and I won’t have to mow it after all. Hmm didn’t work !!
Then the phone rings and it is my youngest nephew who has decided, after his brother has gone to spend the day with a friend and his Mum who quite obviously was going to be boring that day that he would like to come live with me. ( hmm I think I will let him move in if he will mow!! ) It only took him a few minutes to sweet talk me into coming and spending the day with him. So I left the chores and spent the day by the pool with my family and some very dear friends.
So what’s my point ? – well Memorial Day to me is not only about remembering those brave men and women that sacrificed but it’s also about creating memories , it’s about taking time to spend with loved ones because these are the moments that make up our life and our memorials.
I had decided that I was going to use the day to catch up on the many chores that I have been putting off around the house. Mowing the lawn ( I wonder what it would cost to get astro turf installed so I never have to mow again !!) cleaning the house, laundry etc. I was actually looking forward to getting these things done, because I seem to have fallen behind.
Anyway so here I am sitting there Monday morning staring out of the window and hoping if I stare long enough that perhaps the grass will shrink and I won’t have to mow it after all. Hmm didn’t work !!
Then the phone rings and it is my youngest nephew who has decided, after his brother has gone to spend the day with a friend and his Mum who quite obviously was going to be boring that day that he would like to come live with me. ( hmm I think I will let him move in if he will mow!! ) It only took him a few minutes to sweet talk me into coming and spending the day with him. So I left the chores and spent the day by the pool with my family and some very dear friends.
So what’s my point ? – well Memorial Day to me is not only about remembering those brave men and women that sacrificed but it’s also about creating memories , it’s about taking time to spend with loved ones because these are the moments that make up our life and our memorials.
Jax
P.S. I actually mowed really quickly before leaving. Now that just leaves the edging, trimming whew !
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Live, Love, Laugh
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. For those of you who know me, you know that’s not all that out of the ordinary. I do a lot of thinking, perhaps too much sometimes.But I have been thinking of these three simple words, Live, Love, Laugh and what they mean to me.
Live – Always try to remember that how you live your life affects others. Your choices affect your family, your co-workers, the people that you pass on the street. GOD has already predetermined the path that you are on but we get to decide how we travel that path. Do you travel the path as quickly as you can trying to get to the end or do you stroll along taking time to stop and smell the flowers?
Love – it comes in all forms, from the enduring love of a Mother to the unconditional love of a child. The affectionate love for a friend to I love my new shoes ! Websters defines the word in many ways, strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration. I am not sure which one I “LOVE” best? So I decided I am not going to choose one but all of them. I think the world needs more love and if we all choose to love then the world could become a better place. How can we expect others to love us unless we first choose to love them?
Laugh – They say that laughter is the best medicine. I think not only is it medicine but it needs to be a requirement for living. Maybe we should prescribe it, take at least 3 times a day or as needed. I think it starts with learning how to laugh at yourself and then laughing with others. Maybe if we all laughed a little more the world might be a better place.
So tomorrow when I wake I am going to tell myself “Today I will Live, Love & Laugh “
Live – Always try to remember that how you live your life affects others. Your choices affect your family, your co-workers, the people that you pass on the street. GOD has already predetermined the path that you are on but we get to decide how we travel that path. Do you travel the path as quickly as you can trying to get to the end or do you stroll along taking time to stop and smell the flowers?
Love – it comes in all forms, from the enduring love of a Mother to the unconditional love of a child. The affectionate love for a friend to I love my new shoes ! Websters defines the word in many ways, strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration. I am not sure which one I “LOVE” best? So I decided I am not going to choose one but all of them. I think the world needs more love and if we all choose to love then the world could become a better place. How can we expect others to love us unless we first choose to love them?
Laugh – They say that laughter is the best medicine. I think not only is it medicine but it needs to be a requirement for living. Maybe we should prescribe it, take at least 3 times a day or as needed. I think it starts with learning how to laugh at yourself and then laughing with others. Maybe if we all laughed a little more the world might be a better place.
So tomorrow when I wake I am going to tell myself “Today I will Live, Love & Laugh “
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
"A Message from Tyler Perry - Pray!"
" Hey Everybody,
Thank you all for the encouragement and letting me know what really
matters. Reading your words really helps me to keep focus, so thanks. I
needed it.
I was running my three miles this morning and was trying to clear my head,
that's usually the time when I get to be quiet and still and commune with
God and just say thank you. I'm out here in the desert. I come here to
rejuvenate and write. Well anyway, this morning I was thinking about how
God answers prayers and I wanted to share this with you.
When I was about 6 or 7 years old I used to watch TV, and as I would watch
I thought that the people on TV actually lived inside the TV set (We had
the big floor model, all my 30 and over people remember that one). I
would try to reach in and get them but I never could. So, I remember
praying to God and asking him to send me some little people to take care
of. I know that this sounds like an impossible prayer to answer but He
did, in a way. My neighbor across the street was moving away and she and
her husband couldn't take their pet parakeets with them. So, she asked me
if I would take them. I was so happy. God had answered my prayers. I had
little people to take care of. And they even talked! That was a good day
in my young life.
It's funny how a child's mind works. But that experience taught me about
prayer. From that time on I would always pray. NO matter how crazy or
wild I got I would always pray. The first 28 years of my life were filled
with anger, bitterness and confusion. I was a boy trying to become a man
and also a fool trying to get some sense (In your 20's you think you know
it all--but even then I would still pray). I prayed in the bad times and
in the good.
I know that you're wondering where I'm going with this but what I wanted
to say to you today is this. Simply pray. Just pray and believe. I know
that many of us are going through things right now with this
administration of ours, with the country being at war for so long, with
the job market being what it is, and people losing their homes everyday.
Gas is high as hell, while oil companies make record profits. Children are
running wild. Grandparents are raising yet another generation and single
mothers are trying to do it all alone. With all of that, I still say,
"Pray!" In my darkest days, in my most frustrated times, times when I
didn't want to live another day, times when I thought that God had left me
in darkness, there was always something in me that would make me pray.
Sometimes my prayer was short, all I could get out was GOD HELP ME, or
JESUS PLEASE. Sometimes I cried out for hours.
Looking back on my life now, I see that every one of those prayers was
heard and answered. Maybe not in the way that I wanted them to be, but he
did answer. My prayer most days now is, "God, let Your will be done.
Amen."
Life gets better. Trust me, I know. If there is nobody around you that
you see it getting better for, then look at me, look at my life. God did
it, and I'm no different from any other person on this earth. I'm not
perfect. I make mistakes often. I have to repent often, I fall short, but
what I know more than anything is that God is a loving, forgiving God and
I'm so glad that He doesn't give us what we deserve. If He did, I
wouldn't be here. But He gives us what He desires for our lives. Hold on,
life gets better. I don't know who this is for today but I hope whoever
it's for that it gives you a little strength to hold on a little longer.
Pray for me, as I am praying for you.
God bless,
Tyler P."
Thank you all for the encouragement and letting me know what really
matters. Reading your words really helps me to keep focus, so thanks. I
needed it.
I was running my three miles this morning and was trying to clear my head,
that's usually the time when I get to be quiet and still and commune with
God and just say thank you. I'm out here in the desert. I come here to
rejuvenate and write. Well anyway, this morning I was thinking about how
God answers prayers and I wanted to share this with you.
When I was about 6 or 7 years old I used to watch TV, and as I would watch
I thought that the people on TV actually lived inside the TV set (We had
the big floor model, all my 30 and over people remember that one). I
would try to reach in and get them but I never could. So, I remember
praying to God and asking him to send me some little people to take care
of. I know that this sounds like an impossible prayer to answer but He
did, in a way. My neighbor across the street was moving away and she and
her husband couldn't take their pet parakeets with them. So, she asked me
if I would take them. I was so happy. God had answered my prayers. I had
little people to take care of. And they even talked! That was a good day
in my young life.
It's funny how a child's mind works. But that experience taught me about
prayer. From that time on I would always pray. NO matter how crazy or
wild I got I would always pray. The first 28 years of my life were filled
with anger, bitterness and confusion. I was a boy trying to become a man
and also a fool trying to get some sense (In your 20's you think you know
it all--but even then I would still pray). I prayed in the bad times and
in the good.
I know that you're wondering where I'm going with this but what I wanted
to say to you today is this. Simply pray. Just pray and believe. I know
that many of us are going through things right now with this
administration of ours, with the country being at war for so long, with
the job market being what it is, and people losing their homes everyday.
Gas is high as hell, while oil companies make record profits. Children are
running wild. Grandparents are raising yet another generation and single
mothers are trying to do it all alone. With all of that, I still say,
"Pray!" In my darkest days, in my most frustrated times, times when I
didn't want to live another day, times when I thought that God had left me
in darkness, there was always something in me that would make me pray.
Sometimes my prayer was short, all I could get out was GOD HELP ME, or
JESUS PLEASE. Sometimes I cried out for hours.
Looking back on my life now, I see that every one of those prayers was
heard and answered. Maybe not in the way that I wanted them to be, but he
did answer. My prayer most days now is, "God, let Your will be done.
Amen."
Life gets better. Trust me, I know. If there is nobody around you that
you see it getting better for, then look at me, look at my life. God did
it, and I'm no different from any other person on this earth. I'm not
perfect. I make mistakes often. I have to repent often, I fall short, but
what I know more than anything is that God is a loving, forgiving God and
I'm so glad that He doesn't give us what we deserve. If He did, I
wouldn't be here. But He gives us what He desires for our lives. Hold on,
life gets better. I don't know who this is for today but I hope whoever
it's for that it gives you a little strength to hold on a little longer.
Pray for me, as I am praying for you.
God bless,
Tyler P."
Monday, April 7, 2008
What's your Identity?
I recently had my wallet stolen along with all the important stuff that I keep wrapped up in that small piece of leather, ID’s , credit cards etc etc. As anyone who has ever found themselves in this situation knows it is a major pain. So one Saturday morning I found myself on the phone cancelling accounts , creating new ones etc etc.
That got me thinking about some things. That wallet and everything in it are really not my identity. Those little pieces of plastic help make my life easier but certainly don’t define me. My identity is so much more than that. I am not defined by pieces of plastic wrapped up in a pretty little case, neither am I defined by the items that I have. What defines me is the person that I am and the relationships that I have with others.
My identity is the person that GOD has called me to be.
Jax
PS - Whomever you are that took my purse , I forgive you.
That got me thinking about some things. That wallet and everything in it are really not my identity. Those little pieces of plastic help make my life easier but certainly don’t define me. My identity is so much more than that. I am not defined by pieces of plastic wrapped up in a pretty little case, neither am I defined by the items that I have. What defines me is the person that I am and the relationships that I have with others.
My identity is the person that GOD has called me to be.
Jax
PS - Whomever you are that took my purse , I forgive you.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
There's No Excuse!!!
If you've seen the visions of your life and the lives of your family changing for the better. As you leap out on faith and start your business you have to know you have absolutely nothing to loss if you maintain your focus! If you've wanted to make that transition and are setting there procrastinating on all the should of, would of, and could of's then you will loose out. Loose out on what you ask...YOUR DREAMS! So don't let them pass you by and wake up one morning and ask yourself, "what in the hell happened to you?"
I WON'T!!! GOD IS POWER!!!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thank you kindly for my very warm welcome. In the coming months I hope to have something to say that might brighten at least one persons day. In the meantime my friends I will leave you with a couple of quotes that I like.
Don't walk in front of me I may not follow; Don't walk behind me I may not lead; Walk beside me and just be my friend - author unknown
A mans friendships are one of the best measures of his worth -author unknown
Have a blessed day - J
Don't walk in front of me I may not follow; Don't walk behind me I may not lead; Walk beside me and just be my friend - author unknown
A mans friendships are one of the best measures of his worth -author unknown
Have a blessed day - J
A BIG JAX WELCOME!
I just wanted to send a big WELCOME to my newest blog writer, JAX!!!! Welcome babygirl!!!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Raising Chefs - NBCi5
I just wanted to stop in to post an up coming event we want each of you to be on the look out for. Raising Chefs has been booked for our first major appearance this coming Saturday and Sunday @ the Dallas Convention Center. Yes Raising Chefs was booked for both days at the NBC5 Health and Fitness Expo 2008. We are so excited and if you come out make sure you stop by the kitchen booth and say hello! You may be able to try some of the tasty goodies we have planned for this event. Peace, Love and Sweet Treats!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
When God Works He Works!!!
After a long battle between those people we opened our home up to they finally saw the light and gave us our things back. It turns out they still owed on their storage bill for 2 months and instead of just coming out and saying that in the beginning. All the stalling was because they couldn't pay their bill and this didn't have to turn out the way it did. We're thankful that it's over and we are RID OF THEM!!! LIFE WILL GO ON!!!
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