Conversation Is An Art

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man." (Col.4:6) This may be a tough request for many of us, but nevertheless; it is what God wants from us. We need to work at it. It is part of the "good fight." Let us develop conversation skills. When we write something on paper or type it via computer; we can usually look it over and correct what we said. Jesus states in Matt. 12:34: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Many pencils have erasors. But in the course of interchange of thoughts by means of spoken words; there are no erasors. I remember the days I was a teacher at the junior high level. A young person would offend someone and then say "trick" or "trix" or "psych." Sometimes we hear the words: "just kidding." The aforesaid are not erasors. Giggling and laughter after an offensive comment are not very good erasors either. You said it; that means it is in your heart. I offer 9 easy steps to improve our conversation skills: 1) Pray to God for grace in your speech 2) Don't gossip, or "dig" for gossip 3) Pray for the person to whom you are talking 4) Be a good listener 5) Ask appropriate questions 6) Be prepared by studying your Bible, also, be aware of what is going on in the political arena, the world of sports, entertainment, music and the economy 7) Love the person to whom you are talking 8) Be enthusiastic, but not phony 9) Do not allow your conversation to become a competition. Is conversation a competitive sport? Is it a match of egos? Be a good conversationalist. Maybe there are no awards, but there are plenty of rewards. There is much more on this topic.

A Great Coach

I have often wondered: What is needed for a coach to be a good coach? Or maybe even a great coach. Let me talk about great coaching. What shall we use as a criterion to label a "great coach"? Let us use just one: championships. Some coaches have told me that they don't care about championships. They care about helping to develop young men into responsible men. Who wants to argue with that? Do little league coaches care about winning? Do little league players care about winning. How about high school football coaches? What do they care about? How about high school football coaches in the state of Texas? Do they care about winning, or do they care about building "strong young men" in mind and body? Let me get to the point. Let us talk about college football. A college football team needs 5 things: 1) facilities 2) a coaching staff 3) players 4) a supporting staff (administration) 5) fans. Insert the word "great" before each factor and you will really have something. I will refer to the five factors as 5F. What I am talking about is not rocket science. It is akin to common sense. Nevertheless it is still deep because it is about dealing with people. It is about hard work. It is about inspiration. It is about leadership. It is about motivation. It is about skill. It is about DIHLMS (the aforementioned). Of the 5F; factor #2 is the most important. He is the leader. He is the motivator. He is the teacher. He is the inspirational force. He is the responsible one. He is the one the critics lambast or praise. The great coach deals with every part of the 5F. He will get the great facilities. He will bring out the best his coaching staff has to offer. He will make sure great players are recruited. He communicates well with support staff. He loves and appreciates the fans. In a very real sense: the game is played for them. A great coach must have DIHLMS, but DIHLMS will not work without PLK. What is PLK? PLK is: PASSION for the game, LOVE for the game and KNOWLEDGE of the game. DIHLMS is the means. It is the transporter. PLK is it's substance. DIHLMS is the vehicle. PLK is the passenger. This is an idea. It is also idealistic. Is not a championship season an ideal come to pass?

That Parking Place

It is not worth it. It is just not worth it. Be happy, don't stress. Sometimes we go to places and we try to find the closest parking place possible. It is okay to walk. Are you not glad that you have healthy legs? So, use them. Also, if someone took the parking spot you had your eye on, let them have it. (no, I don't mean it that way) Do not stress over a parking space. Human beings were designed to have faith. They were designed to practice faith. That is just the way it is. Do you consider it normal or intelligent to fight over a parking space? How would you feel if someone got injured or killed over a parking space? If you are going to fight, fight against your unbelief. Ask God to give you a parking space. If God wants you to have a certain parking space; just remember, He will make sure you get it. Nothing is impossible for God. I know that not all people have faith. If you have faith, and someone else does not, you are in control. It may not always appear that way immediately, but nevertheless it is true. The Bible says: "Don't worry about anything." (Phil. 4:6) It means exactly what it says. The Word of God promises to increase your faith if you live by it. Embrace it, love it, heed it. Love God. Do not fall in love with a particular parking place. Also, please remember: communicate with people. Do not be afraid of anyone. It is a sin to be fearful. If someone is not courteous: introduce them to Jesus. Invite them to church. If you are not a Christian yourself: become one. Give your life to Jesus. Be regenerated. Be born again. Walk in the Spirit and you won't fret over a parking space, and your own pride will not harm you, because Jesus is in control.

It Is All About Attitude

I want to say good-bye to the month of June, 2008, with this entry. It has been a great month, a very special month. June came in with gloom and left with a heat wave here in San Diego. There is something beautiful about a gloomy day. There is something beautiful about a sunny, breezy day. There is something beautiful about a cold, or wet day. It is all beautiful. Every day is beautiful. Every day is beautiful as long as I am alive : Living, loving, thinking, walking, talking, enjoying, planning, working and just plain relishing. Yesterday I heard something I have never heard before, and probably will never hear again. I told someone: "It is a beautiful day as long as we are alive." "It is a beautiful day even if we are dead," he responded. He went on to explain that the real beauty is on the other side. Of course, to talk like that takes faith. Faith operates. Faith creates a good attitude; or at least it should. If a person is wealthy but has a poor attitude, he will get less benefit from his wealth. If a person is educated but has a poor attitude, he will get less benefit from his education. If a man is intelligent, witty, handsome and healthy; a poor attitude can diminish all of the aforementioned. It is all about attitude. I have seen great athletes that were never able to realize their potential; all because of a poor attitude. What a shame. What a waste. Attitude is every thing. In the NBA, NFL, and MLB there are great athletes who will never ever wear a championship ring. Just playing at that level of competition proves that they are extraordinary. No ring. Why? Poor attitude. A poor attitude is an invading spirit. It invades excellence. It invades determination and discipline. It corrupts cooperation and teamwork. It attacks the team's intangibles because a poor attitude is an invader. If a great athlete cannot "kick the habit" of having a poor attitude; he needs to become a tennis player, golfer, or boxer. Even those sports demand a certain amount of cooperation with others, however. When I coached baseball, I remember discussing a particular player with another coach. He told me : "yeah, he's a great athlete, but who wants him? You can never win with a guy like that." It is all about attitude.

Remembering George Carlin

The main reason I am writing this entry is because I used to work with a guy who practically idolized George Carlin. To be quite honest, I don't remember much about Carlin. I do remember reading somewhere that he hated religion and Christians really annoyed him. He goes on record as stating that "superstitious religion" caused guilt and many mental health problems. Many say he was a genius. Philosophically, this is what I have observed in many instances, beyond George Carlin: The irony of hating something that many people hold sacred and then making a good living, and even becoming wealthy off of mocking it, criticizing it, and lambasting it. Of course one needs to be clever in order to do this. Talent is talent. I usually admire it. How a person uses his talent is another matter. How a person uses ( or doesn't use) his talent is of major importance. This is how he declares to the world who he is. As for me: I guess I just need something more powerful to get me through the day and through my life. Call me weak if you want. But I need something to edify me and not just amuse me. What happens after the satire, comedy, derision, blasphemy, dishonor, irreverence, and more, ends? If the aforementioned have a purpose, they have a minor purpose. Unfortunately, many have given them a place of such importance that they were left empty handed. I need some purpose in my life. I need something that lasts. I want joy that lasts more than a few minutes. I want joy that lasts forever. I do not want empty laughter and "fake hope." I want power over destructive forces. Sarcasm and cynicism cannot provide it. They never will.

Nick Vujicic (part 1)

This entry is dedicated to all who are young, healthy, educated, lazy and unmotivated. Please consider Nick Vujicic. Nick is a motivational speaker. He claims to have no problems and no worries. He is friendly. Children love him. He is an inspirational young man with a college education. He is eloquent. He has much faith in God. He has many goals. He plans to be wealthy before he reaches the age of 25. He plans to do this through wise investments. He dedicates his life to helping people. He wants to continue doing it. He is a very happy young man, and a busy one. He is the type of person who does not take "no" for an answer. You might ask: "What is so special about that"? Nick is special. (in more ways than one) He was born with no arms and no legs.

"Nor Effeminate"

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." ( ICor. 6:9,10,11)Everyone makes mistakes. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23)
My God is a kind, merciful and loving God. He forgives us our sins. A problem that besets our society and religious communities throughout the land is that many people are mistakenly persuaded that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable to God as a legitimate lifestyle, and that homosexuality is not a sin. Not only is homosexuality a sin; it is an abomination unto God. What does it mean to be "effeminate"? To be effeminate means, being born a man; choosing to take on the role of a woman in one' s life. "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of error which was meet.(Rom.1:26,27) God created marriage. "Same sex marriage" is an oxymoron. Marriage is between a man and a woman. All of the rhetoric in the world will not change the Word of God. Basically, same sex marriage is an attempt to legitimize a lifestyle that is essentially a disgrace.