The other night I watched a movie from the Hallmark Channel about a lady that saved orphans during World War II. I was moved by the fact that one woman was able to make such a difference. Then it dawned on me that often times it is just one voice, one person, or one family that takes that extra step and makes the impact that moves the world. The truth is that we should all be that one person.
One Life CAN Make a Difference
1. Your life is not perfect, I get that. There may be clothes piled up (clean or dirty doesn’t make a difference if they are still piled up). You may be struggling with running late, being unorganized or some other habit that tends to slow down the process. There will always be a reason or excuse NOT to get involved but you have to push through to make a difference.
2. You may not be in a position of authority, but you can write to your congressmen and senators. You can sit down with your family and discuss the issues that you are passionate about. You can take some time to LEARN what the issues are. Knowledge is a empowering and the tongue is the only offensive weapon in the arsenal (according to Ephesians 6).
3. You may be very busy in your own life (especially if you have children that are into extra activities). It only takes five minutes to call up a friend, send a nice note or let another person go before you in line. Would you be willing to give up five minutes if you knew it could change the world?
4. It takes smaller pieces to make a masterpiece. Try to see the smaller parts and quit focusing on the larger image. You can be one of the grains of sand that creates the sandcastle even if you have no idea how the sandcastle will come together.
Without one person there would be no Christianity, there would be no emancipation proclamation, there would be no “dream” or Obama. One voice and one person has made a difference since the beginning of time. What are you going to do today that will begin to make an impact on the world?
It has been said that if you are conservative when you are young that you don’t have a heart but if you are liberal when you are older then you don’t have a brain. That simply isn’t a true statement. There is no right or wrong when it comes to your personal stance, but being conservative is an easy and compassionate path to follow.
Steps to Being Conservative
1. Learn history. The more that you understand about how this country came to be (from the pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving to the founding fathers to civil rights) then the more that you will understand how faith and values have played an inherent role in the establishment of the THESE great United States.
2. Read and understand the Constitution of these United States of America.
3. Realize that although we act as one country we are – by the very creation of the unity – fifty different states working as these United States of America.
4. Reach out to your neighbors. Getting to the top of the game is not about seeing how many others can be elbowed out of the way. True success is marked by the number of successes that lie in the wake.
5. Recognize and accept the cost. The founding fathers literally risked everything to insure a better life for their children and the future. It is imperative that we all being to ask “what am I willing to sacrifice to make life better for my children?”
Anyone that is willing to stand up for freedom, success and the traditional values that have made these United States great can be a conservative. There is always room for more conservatives because the more success that there is then the more success that there can be.
Yesterday I received a phone call from a lady that wanted me to come get some of her plants. She calls me every time she divides her plants even though I don’t see her or hear from her any other time of the year. She does it because of the respect that she had for my Grandmother and Grandfather (who have been gone for two decades).
The character that the two of them had has carried over to the third generation. I am reaping the results of the character of my grandparents. It’s proof to me of the importance of character even in this day when your word, your integrity and your character seem to be the least important thing around.
Tips for Building Character
1. Be on time. It seems like a small thing but if I can’t trust you to just be where you say you’ll be when you say you’ll be there then how can I trust anything else that you say?
2. Say no. Stop hem-hawing around the issue and say no if you are unable to attend an event or if you have no intention of attending.
3. Finish what you start. Our children have to complete any activity that they start even if it turns out that they don’t love it. Everyone should have this mind set. Once you commit to doing something – teaching Sunday school, participating on a board or cleaning a park – you should do it consistently and with all that you have until the end of the term. If there are no terms then give a sufficient notice so that you can be replaced before you leave.
4. Follow the rules. You may not agree with all of the rules but if you will break one then how can I be sure that you won’t break another? Besides, it’s hard to tell the kids to follow the rules when you don’t follow them yourself (this DOES include the speed limit).
Character matters and it will not just follow you but will follow your children and grandchildren. Leave a legacy that they can carry proudly.
The other day I was asked about how I feel about the direction of the country. The economy is still struggling and the government is spending like they are printing money but I believe that the country is headed in the right direction. It has nothing to do with circumstances or even stimulus packages. The country is headed in the right direction because of the people.
The news media has portrayed a recent poll about the direction of the country as a rise in support for Obama. The truth is that people are seeing these United States as their own once again and are feeling like it is possible to make a difference.
Reasons the Country is Headed in the Right Direction
1. People do no longer trust the media for their news. They are digging into the truth for themselves and then spreading the word by grassroots efforts and just sitting around the picnic table.
2. Individuals are speaking up to their representatives in all levels of government to let them know they are unhappy or that they do support the stands that are being taken that goes against the norm.
3. Consumers are recognizing that debt is enslaving for their personal lives but also for their government and are demanding that the government sticks to a budget just like individual households and businesses must stick to a budget.
People see that the country is moving in the right direction because they are taking personal responsibility. They believe in their own abilities and that is reflected in the direction that these United States are now moving.