Necessary Mistakes

Consider these words as you launch a new year. “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you’re making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing…

New Things

Actress Tallulah Bankhead said, “If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.” As we turn the page to a new year, it is important to learn from the mistakes of our past, and then to move forward. An article in Country Living last month offered 15 suggestions on…

A Box of Chocolates

A man walking on the beach picked up an old bottle. When he pulled out the cork, out popped a genie. (Stop me if you’ve heard this!) The genie, of course, offered to grant the man three wishes. His first two were easy: $1 million and a new Ferrari. The third wish was a bit…

Fast and Furious

In Fast and Furious, Dom said, “I live my life a quarter of a mile at a time.” That’s a good way to live life, especially for a sex addict. I have seen so many get off the rails because they tried to find long-term sobriety in the short term. Hear the words of Jesus:…

Strawberries

A farmer was driving down a road with a load of fertilizer in the back of his truck. A young boy saw him and yelled out, “What do you have in the back of your truck?” “Fertilizer,” said the farmer. “What are you going to do with it?” asked the boy. “I’m putting it on…

Comebacks

The date was December 27, 2000. For those of you who aren’t so gifted in mathematics, that makes that 20 years ago today. Here’s what happened. Hockey legend Mario Lemieux scored a goal and had two assists, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not a big deal, except…

Beware of Relapse

Did you have a great Christmas yesterday? If so, beware of relapse today. Did you have a lousy Christmas yesterday? If so, beware of relapse today. There are two times when you are in heightened danger of relapse – when things are going well and when things are going poorly. We see it all the…

A Very Special Christmas

December 25, 1914 was a very special Christmas. For one day, World War I hostilities ceased. At dawn that day, soldiers emerged from their trenches and crossed “no man’s land” to exchange gifts and goodwill with their enemies. German and British troops joined together to sing carols, break bread, and pose for photos. Several soldiers…

The Night Before Jesus Came

‘Twas the night before Jesus came; all through the house Not a creature was praying, not one in the house. Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care In hopes that Jesus would not come there. The children were dressing to crawl into bed, Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head. And Mom…

Wise Decisions

Christmas is the season when you buy this year’s gifts with next year’s money. That’s also how we live in addiction. The pleasure of the moment is robbing us of the blessings of tomorrow. The mistakes I make today will affect my life tomorrow, in so many ways: My marriage My checkbook My shame My…