A checklist for Making Decisions

A checklist for Making Decisions

Have you figured out your focus?

Do you have a way of determining your focus, based on what really matters or what really counts?

When faced with a decision, ask yourself:

1. Is this consistent with my priorities?
2. Is this within my area of competence?
3. Can someone else do it better?
4. What do my trusted friends say?
5. Do I have the time?

When you say “yes” to an opportunity, get ready to focus.

Make to-do lists.

Set your priorities.

Avoid clutter.

Pursue excellence, but avoid perfectionism.

Question everything.

Work to prevent procrastination.

Control interruptions and distractions.

Use the calendar.

Narrow your wedge – don't try to do everything. That means you'll have to say no to some good things.

From the John Maxwell Leadership Bible.

“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”

Ecclesiastes 1:16-18

I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart understood great wisdom and knowledge. And I set my heart to know wisdom and knowledge. And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.For in much wisdom is much grief,And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (Emphasis mine.)

It's true: Ignorance is bliss.

But, we must not be willfully ignorant!  Yet, it can not be healthy or good to be so obsessed with knowledge that we overwhelm ourselves with worry.  That's me: unbalanced and worrisome and anxious to know and do and make things right.  There is a place for this, but we must “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and everything else will be added to us.”

First things first.

about social justice

"Justice requires equal treatment before the law for everyone; it should never be preceded by a word that would limit the extent of its capacity to only a portion of the population. Social justice is, therefore, not real justice and, indeed, hurts true justice, because it focuses on discrimination in favor of special interest groups and segments of society instead of justice for all individuals." 

"While religious freedom is a universal right to which everyone is entitled, social justice is inherently discriminatory."

~Dr. Janice Crouse

More from her article here: http://spectator.org/articles/60184/bullies-social-justice

Church, this is for you. Look up for your redemption draws near!

Daily Light. 

Morning. July 18

He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. -- Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? And in Thy Name have cast out devils? And in Thy Name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. --- The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me. – Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm. – The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you , I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

John 10:3; 2 Tim. 2:19; Matt. 7: 22-23; Ps. 1:6; Is 49:16; Nah. 1:7; Jn. 14:2-3

So the scariest thing I've done so far…

Dr. Gina Loudon's producer called me a few weeks ago and asked if I would be a guest on her show the following day to talk about my dad who is convinced he is a woman trapped in a man's body ("transgender").  My dad is being treated for his sex-change largely by the V.A. while combat-wounded veterans aren't being treated as their needs demand, and still others are put on perpetual waiting lists --- many of these die before ever being seen.  

I agreed to the interview because why would God allow me to be in such an unbelievably unique situation and not have me testify about it when given the opportunity.  I can't let my fears keep me from obedience to God.  I was very afraid…and still am; but if I should face criticism and persecution in this life, it is not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in me in Heaven.

Since my dad announced his decision to transition into a "woman", and since he decided to cut me off last year, attempted to publicly humiliate my mother, my sister, and I, and then started randomly texting me again these past few months (apparently an effort to reconnect); I have wondered what in the world this relationship would look like and if such a relationship is even possible.  If it is possible, then I want to try it.  Honestly, it would be far easier to just walk away and go on with my life.  But would it be right?  Part of me wants to "shake the dust off my feet" and move on, but I struggle with the rightness of that.  Undoubtedly there are times when such a response is warranted.

Then, my dear friend, Kenda Bartlett, of Concerned Women for America, gave me this very practical and undeniable Biblical wisdom: "Honor your Father…"  Really, I should have come up with this all by myself.  After all, it is one of the 10 Commandments.  She said that when I talk about my dad, to my dad, and pray for my dad, that I should always do it respectfully.  Then when I further searched the subject out in the Bible, I also found this: "…cursed is the one who treats his father…with contempt."  Contempt is defined as: the feeling that a person is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.  I am really thankful for this very practical and doable counsel. 

Here is the interview.

Please pray for Shawn Lee who is the other guest on the show.  I am so inspired by him.  He is choosing to respond to this trial in his life by rising above it and doing what he can to make a difference for others.  It is like 2 Corinthians 1 that says the God of all comfort comforts us so that we can comfort others.  Or like one of my favorite stories from Streams in the Desert about a man who walked through life with an oil can so he could oil the hinges of sticky doors to make it easier for others to pass through after him.  May Shawn be blessed in his endeavors and be a great blessing to many other veteran warrior heroes.  As I once heard many years ago: "It's not what happens to you that matters.  It's your response to what happens to you that makes all the difference."

Also, please pray for my dad.  I do love him very much though I didn't have opportunity to express that in this interview.  It was my one frustration when all was said and done.  This interview occurred before my Biblical revelation of how to treat my dad, so please forgive any disrespect that I may have shown to him in any of my words. It was not my intent at all to show any lack of love to my father.

Romans 8:18; Matthew 10:11-23; Exodus 20:12;

Deuteronomy 27:16; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7;

Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman

“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study paintings, poetry , music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”

~John Adams

"...remember that a constitution which gives to the people so much freedom, and entrusts them with so much power, rests for its permanency, on their knowledge and virtue.  An ignorant people are easily betrayed, and a wicked people can never be ruled by the mild influence of their own laws.  If you would be free -- if you would see your country grow in all that constitutes true greatness --cultivate knowledge -- flee from vice.  The virtuous citizen is the true noble.  He who enlightens his understanding -- controls his passions -- feels for his country's honor -- rejoices in her prosperity -- devotes to her advancement the fruits of his mind, and consecrates to her cause, his time, his property, and his noblest powers, such a man is one of God's nobility; he needs neither riband, nor star; his country knows and remembers his name; nor could any title add to its honor, or to his reward.  We have seen such men among us; we hope to see many more.  And though the glory of giving to their country such a Constitution as this, is what none but they have been so blessed as to enjoy, yet you succeed to a task, but one degree removed from it, that of preserving what they have committed to your virtue, unsullied and unimpaired."

Be this.

Taken from the Conclusion of the Elementary Catechism on the Constitution of the United States for the use of schools by Arthur J. Stansbury. (only $2 on Kindle). :)

I'm putting this little gem of a book on the shelf and am so glad the boys and I worked our way through it.  We have learned so much!  May we be "one of God's nobility."