How Some Bible Characters Handled Stress

“Stress is a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life.”

Stress began in the Garden of Eden. So there is no way that we are going to escape. Adam and Eve lived in paradise and talked with God in the evening. They had no stress until Satan came sneaking around, just like he comes sneaking around us. Our life, emotions, and family can seem wonderful. I’ve even heard one person say they enjoyed getting older. During these wonderful times serving others and God is enjoyable.

In Adam and Eve’s case their time of peace was broken when they were offered the beautiful but compromising gift of In our case, it can be compromised on the way to getting a promotion, a degree, or true love that causes stress, if we are not listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit.

Stress often comes when we are doing good deeds. Think of the stress of Paul, the Apostle. There was often disagreement with church members, beatings, imprisonment, and eventually martyrdom. Jesus was stressed many times. To deal with it he often went away to pray.

On one occasion Jesus went to the Garden to pray because he was looking for peace. He took Peter, James, and John, three of his closest friends, with him for support. He went ahead to pray but they went to sleep. He was disappointed because of their lack of support.

Three things Bible characters often used to manage stress were, find a quiet place, be with considerate believers, and prayer.

July 13, 2018

Think Positive

Thinking negatively about
the past steals moments
from the gift of the present. © 2017

                          Roger Spires PHD

Thoughts on Aging 2

                 

Ha, ha, ha.  

I’m only 75. 

Today it seems fine.

Other days it’s not so sublime.

Old friends suddenly disappear.

Even my sight and hearing dim a little more each year,

But the Ole friends are still very dear.

There are still great memories

Of road trips, meals, and kisses we shared.

Even a movie now and then,

I wish there were more.

 I do it all over again!

Love was deep and pure at times.

Then there seemed no time for more.

We shared our spirits, bodies, and dreams.

But, then, there was no time for more.

Love in the present is much sweeter.

But as we age: Time seems to become more and more precious.

“I’m so busy I just don’t have time for ‘this or that’ anymore.”

STOP! Thinking this way MAY result in loss of treasures UNTOLD.

 Roger D. Spires, PhD

June 7, 2018

Disabled, Limited, Weak, or Handicapped?

Chances are you or someone you care about has been identified as disabled, limited, weak, or handicapped. When this happens, there is a temptation to seek help or to ask for accommodations. This is because such a label can lead a person to believe that they are not equal in ability or value as others in society.

If one accepts this evaluation, limitations can be numerous and the person may rely on others unnecessarily. In some cases, they believe their ability to learn is limited, their mobility curtailed, or they see themselves in a negative light. They may believe others need to help them because they see themselves in a weakened state.

The tragic part of this is that often this is only a state of mind. It is a learned way of thinking. A person with Parkinson's disease may truly have limitations beyond his control. In other cases, he may respond as the actor Michael Fox, who has decided to fight with all his might. He finds it difficult to find a regular role on TV so he is going to play a role of a father with Parkinson's disease. He is going to time the taking of his medicines so that he can work. He refuses to give up.

The late Ben Underwood was blinded by cancer at a young age, but he didn't let that slow him down. (http://www.benunderwood.com/aboutme.html) He used echolocation to do all the things that other teenagers did: sports, video games, riding bikes, skating, and climbing trees,
Another person that didn't let his disability ruin his life is Nick Vujicic. How does Nick feel about not having arms or legs? He accepts it, embraces it, and oftentimes pokes fun at his own circumstance. Nick is a motivational speaker and author. You can read more about his life at the following link: http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/aboutus-nick.php

Bob had a dyslexic daughter who was placed in learning disability classes in public school for six years. Eventually she attended a private school that matched the learning needs of their students. This young lady was so determined to succeed that she would often study until early hours of the morning. She was passionate about achieving and becoming a teacher of students who had trouble learning. Sheer determination and passion made it possible for Emily to reach her goal.

Emily graduated from college, passed the state teachers exams, and began teaching in a public school system. What some see as roadblocks, others see as challenges.
 

Then, one-report states there are about 5.7 million people who have Bi-Polar disorders. They can give up, do very little, or challenge this disorder. Some make excuses for their behavior and want others to make accommodations. However, the best response is for the person with the disorder is to attack it head on by learning how to live with it. Read as many self-help books as possible. Be determined to live the best life possible and have hope that there is an answer for their particular version of the disorder.

You have to believe that the solution lies in diet, psychology, medicine, exercise, meditation, religion, or some combination of these. Hope, attitude, and passion for living are keys to managing the disorder. Expecting others to compensate for oone's negative feelings, thoughts, or actions is detrimental to an attitude that leads to achieving goals. Intelligent, active, and positive friends can also be a boost as one strives to defeat this demon. Since we become like the average of the people with whom we spend the most time, building positive relationships can make dramatic changes in our lives.

Seldom does one live with a dark cloud all the time. There are usually moments when the sun shines through and there is the realization that struggles are just part of life. In fact, struggles help us appreciate the blessings. 

It is important to have goals and to keep working toward achieving them. Have hope. Remember that God has promised us peace. People, circumstances, and events try to take the peace but we must not give it away. Continually remind yourself that that only you can give your peace away. This part of the life's struggle is not easy but it is important. The process and the results can eventually make our heart sing.

Selling Insurance During the Holidays

Television and ads people receive by mail are concentrating on Medicare. The deadline is near. The people in this age bracket are getting a lot attention from a lot of salesmen. That means that one has to double their efforts using sound leads, making more calls, following up with current clients and using other strategies that have worked in the past.

Some of us think that insurance and investments is the last thing on peoples' minds during the holidays. However, it is not true. Life is still going on. Long Term Care Insurance needs attention while people are still healthy. Others need to make changes in investments due to inheritances, annuities maturing, changes in jobs and changes within the family.

In other situations, people just need to be educated on the importance of different investments and insurance. Therefore, there is a lot to do.
I know you have heard it all before. The reason you have heard it is that there is nothing new under the sun. Everything is only repackaged or reworded. However, here is the current holiday package:

·         Set Clear Measurable Goals for each day

·         Number of Contacts

·         Kinds of Contacts (Health, Annuity, Life, LTC, etc.) 

·         In office Work

·         Research – Possible Contacts

·         LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Updates

·         Develop Information for Print Ads

·         Take Potential Clients for Coffee

·         Expect Success!

Living in Problematic Times

You can run but you cannot hide.

When we face difficult situations, we can run, fight, get depressed, or eat chocolate. It is the way we are designed. When we cannot fight, we try to change the situation or the people involved. I'm sure you know how that works out. People usually do not change. If we fight, we usually get bruises. If we run, we find that we are very tired and wondering what in the world happened. I will be the first to admit that some situations, such as abuse, require running. Even then, the main thing required is working on oneself.
Therefore, if I want change, what do I do? I must remember that God has given me peace.
John 14:27 – "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you."

Therefore, I need to be sure I do not give it away. I also need to be the best that I can be. Common sense tells me to exercise, eat right, take my vitamins, get adequate sleep, and follow my dreams (have goals). If I do these things, I believe I will be able to manage the issues with which I am faced. After all, I am the only person I can change.

.

There's Still Magic in the Journey

If we decide to do so, we can enjoy the magic of life's journey no matter which path we are traveling. I frequently mention Robert Frost and his famous poem The Road Not Taken. I do so because the first phrase presents a desire of many. We frequently face two or more good options and want to do them both. Choosing the best one for a particular time is a good dilemma.

            "Roads diverged in a yellow wood,
            And sorry I could not travel both
            And be one traveler," ...

All we can do is choose the road that seems the most appropriate.  Perhaps another road can be accommodated as a hobby or followed more fully at a later time. Wasting time on regret does not seem like a good idea.

A character in Eric Van Lustbader's new book, "The Bourne Imperative" gives another perspective. He says life guides and teaches lessons needed to survive and prosper. However, in order to learn these lessons, we need to get rid of pride.  We have to accept obstacles, to find the way through the obstacles rather than turning away from them. (Lustbader, 2012) Pride is probably mentioned because it can block our hearts and minds from considering advice and suggestions.

If we can follow the guide and learn these lessons, our number of regrets is minimal. However, we are changed by the experiences and can expect to find additional paths as we continue our journey. Sometimes fear causes us to choose the path of least resistance. If we do take the easy path, guilt and regret may kick in and we begin berating ourselves for making poor choices. This is when we need to be gentler with ourselves.

If it is too late to reverse the decision, calm down. A short walk in a park or quiet time in nature is often a good antidote. Just remember, an alternate path also can be rewarding. Try to determine what can be learned from this experience. It is still possible to enjoy today and anticipate tomorrow.

By enjoying today, those with whom you meet will sense your happiness and learn to appreciate their journey too.

Remember, we are here for a reason. Most people are born with a sense of what that reason is and are good at finding their way. Some of us have to work a little harder to make sure we are on the right path. However, that work is rewarding too because we learn a lot in the process.