Choose …….. But Choose Wisely

Every choice you make has an end result.
- Zig Ziglar

As a teacher, on the first day of school, one of the first things I told my students was that they did not have to attend my classes. This was an exciting proposition to a group of pre-teenagers and teenagers. Most of them had the impression that they didn’t have a choice. After announcing this great news, I continued by explaining the conditions of this choice. They had a choice of whether to attend my classes or not. However, their choice would carry certain consequences. By choosing not to attend the classes, they would not get any credit for the classes. This choice would also carry with it certain administrative consequences: demerits, detention, or even expulsion. It might even result in certain disciplinary actions by their parents.

How many times you have heard, or maybe even said, “I didn’t have a choice!” This seems like a logical thing to say, at first glance. However, after further investigation, you realize you always have a choice. You usually see a lack of choice because the consequences of one of the choices are so undesirable that you don’t even consider it to be a viable choice. Life is full of these situations.

I had a conversation with someone concerning his or her financial situation. I should be the last person to give financial advice, considering my own financial ruins. However, we had the conversation anyway. As we discussed their need to find gainful employment I asked a few questions. “Why do you need to work if your spouse works?” “Do you really need the second car if you don’t work?” “Do you really need the extra bedrooms, or could you live in a smaller house?” “Would the choice to work create more of a need for the additional income?” The conversation continued along this line for some time. The end result was that if they were to cut back then the need to find a job was eliminated and they could stay home with their children. Which was their true desire in the first place.

I too have found myself in this situation. We could downsize our household and afford for Sherri not to work. It would be a little tight and we might have to sacrifice a few things, but we could manage. Or, as we chose, we could have a larger house, two newer cars, eat out frequently, and Sherri would continue to work. Funny thing is, we still struggled and ended up living paycheck to paycheck anyway. The ironic reality is that if we had chosen the first option we probably would have a place of our own today. As a result of our thought that we “didn’t have a choice” we have lost pretty much everything.

Luke 14:28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”

We are instructed to “count the cost” when making a decision. This is such a simple concept that so many of us fail to catch on to until it is too late. I challenge you to commit to fully evaluating the choices before you, praying earnestly about the choices, and choosing wisely. God will bless when we do it His way.

Facebook: Friend or Foe?

Some of you have noticed that I have not been posting to my blog for quite some time. Some have even taken the time to encourage me, and I appreciate that. While thinking about why I have felt no compulsion to write lately I came across this thought somewhere in the back of my brain.

Is Facebook a good thing or a bad thing? First, what is Facebook? Most people know it to be a web site where a lot of time is spent doing nothing of real value. Some know it as the cleaner version of MySpace. Some are entirely wrapped up in the games that are offered. And some are just happy to check in on occasion to see what their friends might have posted, but it does not consume their lives.

As a long-haul truck driver I am away from home for weeks on end, sometimes as many as 8 at a time. Therefore, Facebook is just one form of communication with my family. As a trainer I spend many hours just sitting while my student gets experience behind the wheel. Most of this time does not require direct supervision, so Facebook is a diversion for me. I have had the opportunity to connect with friends from time gone by all across the Country, even being able to get together for a meal. I have been able to receive encouragement from many of you. Spending long hours on the road either alone or with a stranger can be pretty discouraging. I have even had the honor of being an encouragement to some. To put it simply, I have found Facebook to be a lifeline of sorts.

Some might try to convince you that Facebook is just a waste of time. Others are completely addicted to it, spending countless hours in front of their computer screens. I simply find Facebook to be an outlet for relaxation, similar to TV, and another form of communication, like the telephone.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know many of you better than ever before. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and especially your prayers while I have been separated from my family (which includes many of you). You mean a great deal to me and are a very vital, special part of my life.

May God bless you richly.