From Whiner To Winner: The First Step

If you're like me, you tend to complain. Maybe not out loud, but just because you keep it to yourself doesn't turn it into less of a problem. Whining is a major problem for us because it reveals a lack of trust in Jesus & His work in our lives and a lack of thankfulness for what we have already been blessed with because of Jesus. We think we have so much to whine about when, in reality, we have nothing to whine about. Whiners are losers in my book, but, if you're like me, the "whine flu" tends to creep in all to often. I know that I sound a little harsh, but that stems from you misunderstanding what a "Whiner" is. It is NOT being a person like Job who cries out to God in the midst of life's deepest pains and simply wonders what God is doing (that's called being human!). A Whiner is someone who seems to always talk negatively of their life and/or other's lives REGARDLESS of how good their life might seem to an outsider. We all know a Whiner when we see one. They suck the life out of even the coolest of parties.

We can also spot the Winners around us. They add to life; they seem to enjoy life because they enjoy the little things of life; they use "I'm just so thankful for..." A LOT; they live in the present and not in the past or future; they seem to have friends and their circle of friends grows. Need I go on? We all know a Winner.

If you want to move from Whiner to Winner, I believe one of the first steps in the process in memorizing this passage and meditating on it hourly:

"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people." (Philippians 2:14-15, NLT)

It really needs no explanation or further instruction. You'd be surprised what saying this throughout the day can do to a person's mind and attitude. People like Winners; most people don't like Whiners. Be a Winner.

Don't Forget The Sauce & Cheese

Sometimes life's fast. And sometimes we get caught up in it's wirlwind and we become fast. A little too fast. You might need to slow down just a little. Or you're going to miss the most essential parts of life.

What are the most essential parts of a pizza from your local delivery place? Well, after the dough, it's got to be the sauce and cheese. What's a pizza without some sauce?! (pause for reflection) But as you can see from above some pizzas accidentally get cooked, boxed, tagged, and delivered without 2 of the most essential parts. That's right, this is a pizza that some of my friends and I were delivered (they paid though)!

My guess is the thing that actually caused the under trained cook to forget the sauce & cheese was most likely that they were going too fast to even realize the pie in front of them was missing something.

Parents, friends, pastors, politicians, students, teachers......SLOW DOWN.
Or you might forget the sauce & cheese of life.

So, what are the most essential parts to your life?
Does your schedule match up with your essentials?

A Great & Challenging Question

A well know leader, author, and down-right good guy, by the name of Tony Morgan has one of the best blogs on the planet. He's a guy I'd love to have lunch or dinner with on a frequent basis (unfortunately, he has actually turned a real lunch offer down that I proposed, but that's a whole notha' story.)

If you are a person in any church in America, I highly recommend you read this post by Tony.
It is so challenging and such a great question to ask that I will be conversing with many people about it.

(By the way, the link is the word "this post" in the above semi-paragraph if you're not familiar with the way we savi-bloggers do things.)

The Presence of God

You often hear people say "We just want your presence God". Have you heard that? I have. But after reading a bit of Old Testament you soon quickly learn that having the presence of God isn't always a good thing.

Numerous times it says "...and the presence of the LORD came down.." and then something happens. And so far, in my reading, the stuff that follows isn't usually butterflies & lemonade. Fires, plagues, earth opening up and swallowing people, leprosy, those are just some of the after-effects from the presence of God.

So, the next time you hear the person next to you in church pray, "I just want your presence God," you might want to back away...

I'm just telling it like I read it.

=)

PS. I realize this post is nonsense.