Failure Is An Option...Or At Least I Hope It Is

Failure is not an option! Second place is the first loser! We need to focus on their strengths, not their weaknesses!

Any of that sound familiar?

We live in a world today that teaches us that we are not allowed to fail. We hate having to discuss failure with our children and seeing the pain that it causes them to the extent that we never allow them to fail. But this leads me to a question: It that realistic?

I mean really, is there anyone out there that has never failed? Anyone?

I heard the other day that Donald Trump is filing for bankruptcy. Again! This is the guy that has written books, done seminars, and placed his mug in front of as many cameras as he could touting that he knows what it takes to succeed. But, then he fails!

Can I tell everyone a dirty little secret? Shhhhhhh, come close……I HAVE FAILED!!!!

There have been times in my life that I have felt like such a failure that I never thought I would feel anything different.

But, I have learned a lot through my failure:
- I learned I better keep my eyes on the field and don’t look up at the ball when covering a punt. (That one hurt)
- I learned that winning does not always have to be reflected on the scoreboard.
- I learned that if you treat girls that way, they may not want to have anything to do with you.
- I learned that doing the right thing can cost you a job. (Yeah, I know that one is not really failure, but to many people on the outside who saw the job loss. They probably thought I was a failure with knowing the details)
- I learned that once you say a word, it can never be taken back.
- I learned the tighter I held on to something the more it slipped through my fingers.
- I learned that I can not control everything.
- I learned you better love and cherish those friends and family you have, because they will not be there forever.
- I learned I NEEDED Christ!

It is this last one that I want to focus on for a moment.

You see, there were things about scripture that I did not understand for a long time. (There are still a lot of things I do not understand, but that is another very lengthy post) Here is the one that kept me up at night the most: How can Christ teach us that it is in our weakness that we become strong. Really! Strength through Weakness! Huh? Because in the world that I see, if you even admit that you have a weakness you are kept at the bottom of the ladder. Because in the world that I see, our children are only hearing how great they are and how much “stuff” they “deserve” because we don’t want them to have any negative feelings or a bad self image. I am not seeing a world that embraces ones weakness. So, Christ must be setting us up to fail, right……Far from it.

In my life, it was when I was able to finally accept my weaknesses and my failures that I realized that Christ gave me a way to overcome them. Do I overcome them through understanding the psychology behind why I make those mistakes in life? No. Do I overcome them by developing a stronger core and therefore allowing the failures to fall away? No. I overcome them by going to Christ each and every day and letting Him know that I know that I am a failure. Then out of the Goodness of God and His Strength, He picks me up and looks me in the eyes and lets me know that through Him I can do all things. His Strength through my weakness. It is at that moment that I feel the greatest strength that I have ever felt and know that victory is possible. It is at that moment that I truly feel comfortable being who I am and who God made me to be.

Do I feel this strength at all times? No. And because I do not always feel this strength, those feelings of failure tend to creep back up and weigh me down. I begin to P&M (lets just call it pout and moan) and feel that the world is out to get me. I begin to get angry with myself and feel that I am not good enough for God. I look around at all the “Good Christians” that have it all together and wish I knew how they “lived the right life”. (When they really don’t, they just like to put on the face of having it all together….don’t get me started on that) I begin to crawl back to Christ to let Him know that I am not worthy to be around Him and that I have decided not waste His time with one more failure. And when I lift my face from the dirt, I see Him standing there holding a sign that reads, “Failures Welcome”.

As Christians we want to know how to shine the Light of Christ to world. Maybe we should allow the world to see our weaknesses. Maybe we should hang a sign over the entry of our churches that reads, “Failures Dwell Within, Come Join Us”…..then maybe His strength will shine through our lives.

Keep Looking Up!

The more I try to control things the more I realize I have control of nothing

This is one of my favorite songs right now. Again, I hope to elaborate with my thoughts, but right now I will just let the song speak for itself.

Keep Looking Up



Third Day
Revelation

My life,
Has led me down the road that's so uncertain
And now I am left alone and I am broken,
Trying to find my way,
Trying to find the faith that's gone
This time,
I know that you are holding all the answers
I'm tired of losing hope and taking chances,
On roads that never seem,
To be the ones that bring me home

Give me a revelation,
Show me what to do
Cause I've been trying to find my way,
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here,
Or do I need to move
Give me a revelation
I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without You

My life,
Has led me down this path that's ever winding
Through every twist and turn I'm always finding,
That I am lost again (I am lost again)
Tell me when this road will ever end

Give me a revelation,
Show me what to do
Cause I've been trying to find my way,
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here,
Or do I need to move
Give me a revelation
I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without...

I don't know where I can turn
Tell me when will I learn
Won't You show me where I need to go
Oh oh
Let me follow Your lead,
I know that it's the only way that I can get back home

Give me a revelation,
Show me what to do
Cause I've been trying to find my way,
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here,
Or do I need to move
Give me a revelation
I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without You

Oh, give me a revelation...

I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without You

Laughter is Contagious

Everyone needs a good laugh! This laughter is contagious.

God Bless and Keep Looking Up

Is There Anything You Still Run From? I do.

Since I don't have a lot of time and too tired to write, I may be expressing myself through these videos.

Maybe when I have more time I will go into more detail, but even if you don't like rock music you have to appreciate the story this video tells.

God Bless and Keep Looking Up



RED
"Death of Me"

I should have seen those signs all around me,
But I was comfortable inside these wounds;
So go ahead and take another piece of me now
While we all bow down to you;

You tear me down and then you pick me up,
You take it all and still it’s not enough,
You try to tell me you can heal me,
But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be
The death of me!

How can you end my affliction
If you’re the sickness and I’m the cure?
Too long I’ve faked this addiction,
Another sacrifice to make us pure;

You tear me down and then you pick me up,
You take it all and still it’s not enough,
You try to tell me you can heal me,
But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be
The death of me!

You tear me down and then you pick me up,
You take it all and still it’s not enough,
You try to tell me you can heal me,
But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be
The death of me!

I won’t forget;
I cannot forget this;
I won’t forget;
I’ll never forget this;
I won’t forget;
I cannot forget this;
I won’t forget;
I’ll never forget this;

I won’t forget!
I cannot forget this!
I won’t forget!
I’ll never forget!

You know I can never prove this solution;
You aren’t the one that I thought you were;
And so I learn to embrace this illusion,
The line that separates- it starts to blur;

You tear me down and then you pick me up,
You take it all and say it’s not enough,
You try to tell me you can heal me,
But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be
The death of me!

And you’ll be the death of me!

I will not forget!
I cannot forget this!
And you’ll be the death of me

How would you do it?

I saw this and thought it might be good for others to see.

It also made me ask a question of myself that I will pass on to you guys:

How would you do it?

Let me know what you think.

Keep Looking Up