Yesterday while driving to work I listened to Chip Ingram message, "Love, Sex and Lasting Relationships - Wake Up World! There's a Better Way to do Relationships! Part 2". There are men of God that can make you stop and pay attention to certain subjects and when it comes to relationships, love, sex Chip Ingram has a way to teach you, convict you but in the end makes you sit back and make you realize that yes, God's way is the BEST way. In today's world this teaching will make many people shake their head and say, "This is so out of date" or "Here we go...another Jesus Freak trying to tell me how to live my life and these so called "Christians" lives are just as messed up.
I really like this devotion because it truly speaks the truth when it comes to Followers of Christ, we are "deep thinkers". It's funny how the secular world thinks that Christians are some "mindless zombies" that fall for anything where it's really the opposite. When you study God's word, pray to God, listen to God(yes, I said listen because sometimes we talk and talk and not take time to hear God's response, His guidance for our lives) listen to great teachings of God's word we realize what the world is truly made of and we can move with ease of mind.
One thing about God is when you truly seek Him...His way, His word it comes to you and all you can say is, "Wow!" Yesterday on my daily walk I was hoping to find a way to a way to really not dreading to go to work because of the job I have at the moment. I try not to complain in regards to my occupation, but it is a job and I know that is not my final vocation, I know I have to pay bills, keep a roof over me and Mrs head...I know I'm only there for 8 hours a day and not 10-12 hours a day but to deal with people day in and day out that make something simple as to setting up a reservation drives me crazy at times.
I know when you complain it makes the day longer, it wreaks havoc on your spirit, physical, and mental being but still it makes me angry from time to time. So imagine my surprise when hearing these two-part message from Dr. Charles Stanley, "How to Ge the Most out of Your Work". It hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm glad to hear these messages because if I kept complaining soon it will reflect in my work, how I feel toward people in general and in the end it will only hurt one person...myself. Some things have helped me cope with what I do like and I hope they will help you and in the process it's helping me as I write these pointers.
a) Don't look at your day of work as the "Entire Day" but just the hours you are there.
I began the mind set of only being there "8 hours a day" instead of a all day event because lets be honest, we are not there all day. Now I know some people may work 10 or even 12 hours a day but begin looking at it that way it may take the weight off your shoulders just a little bit and may change your attitude toward each day.
b) Break Your Day up in 4 quarters.
This has really helped throughout my day. I map it out now as: 2 hours before break/2hours before lunch/2hours before last break/2hours before heading home for the day. When I think of work in small increments it helps my mindset because of me thinking, "I have 8 hours of dealing with this mess" it helps me realize that I will have a time to "rest" even if it is only 10 minutes (lets be honest...if you work in a call center a 15 minute break is not a 15 minute break because once you walk from your desk, go use the restroom, go find a place to rest your mind 5minutes have past already) By you thinking of smaller portions it helps me deal with what I have to deal with day and day out.
c) When You Have a Break or a 30 minute lunch find a place that is quiet to rest your mind. It's amazing how when sitting at a desk and hearing complaints after complaints how it drains you not only mentally but physically. I like to get somewhere by myself and not hear another voice. The only voices I wish to hear is God's voice, my beautiful wife or my geek brother or a positive message but many times I will go somewhere to rest my mind, my thoughts. I've found out when I do this I get rejuvenated, it helps me get a new game plan for the second half of my work day.
d) Get enough REST!!!
I am truly realizing that when I get proper rest I get up refreshed, well rested. I'm learning that when it's time for me to go to bed I go to bed. I'm learning that when I focus on my body, taking care of my health it helps me feel much different when I am sitting at my d
e) Get A Marine Mind Set.
Everyone that know me that I love NCIS and I have learned some things from Mark Harmon's character and one thing I have learned is this: either follow orders or retire. If you get to a point where what I have suggested you cannot use to help your job day in and day out it's time to move on find something else(and keep this in mind, it's better to find a job when you have a job than when you DO NOT have a job). Now I know there are times when you have to leave because of a situation where you know you can't take it anymore but for the most part hang in there because in the end it is teaching you how to treat the person that works in customer service because they really do have a tough job. Now I know there are some businesses where customer service is lousy but what I have learned that when I have had a bad experience to start off by having the mindset and let the person know, "This is not aimed toward you ma'am/sir but here is my issue with the company" and I am learning that the best way to let a company know you are not satisfied with their business is to vote with your wallet and now with the web voice your opinion via social networking.
I hope this helps you when dealing with your job and I ask you is to pray for me to remember what I have shared with you because it's sometimes easy share wisdom but when you are going through it yourself sometimes reasoning flies out the window but I am learning I will always be a work in process but I also have to learn I have to be a example not only for my readers but for the love in my life and most important Christ Jesus
Be Blessed, Be Safe, & Have a Wonderful Weekend
~DarrenKeith
The five Principles that Dr. Stanley Shares in his 2-part message "How to Get the Most out of Your Work"(I have links to the messages...I'm burning them to a CD and play it from here on when heading to work everyday)
The cool thing about putting these podcast together is that it makes me reflect on how blessed I am in regards to think about what I am or what I have gone through...even though I may want to gripe and complain about what my job puts me through, how cruel some people can be, the coldness of some people heart that makes me want to not deal with the outside world I can hear a passage from the Bible, read a devotion, chat with my online buddies I know I am not alone and even if I could not do that knowing the goodness of my Lord and Savior always gets me through my rough times.
It's amazing how you can hear lyrics or a melody and it can lift you out of a funk...it can make you smile, cry tears of joy, dance like you never danced before because at the end of the day you realize that it can really be worse. I'm a work in progress and I am learning that my work day is an 8 hour day and in the end I'm asking God to help me focus on just those 8 hours and not let 8 hours rob me of my joy and peace for the other 16 hours of my day because I have a wonderful wife, my freedom, God's word and the tools to be able to produce these in the comfort of my own home...for me that is something to be a smile to my face.
I hope these 15 tracks reflect on the goodness of Christ and to pay attention to what you have, who you have in your life and as Zig Ziglar says, "Every day is a great day...if you don't think so you just missing one of them."
Be Blessed/Be Safe & Have a Wonderful Day
~DarrenKeith
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I'm done with the Republican Party...I'm not a Republican, never could be one but this latest "outcry" in regards to President Obama speech has angered The Right is just plain...stupid. I only caught a snippet on the news the other night that people(I have recently now have seen the entire coverage on the networks), the Conservatives are upset because they feel he is pushing his (the President's) political views on their children.
Is he talking about accepting homosexuality or saying it's okay for sex outside of marriage or even "euthanizing the old"? No...he's talking about being responsible when it comes to their education. I have always thought corporate America never wanted people to better themselves and this just proves it...let me explain.
I have always believed that many companies do not want workers to better themselves when it comes to education. Why? Because this means higher wages, people loving themselves and realizing that their are better than having just a mediocre life in regards to living expensive, lifestyles, in providing a better life for their spouse, their children. Corporate America does not want people to become financial savvy with their income. Corporate America wants the average worker to come to work, become overweight from sitting at their desk all day, gossip, get their party on, get their drink on, get into debt because this way the average worker knows if this cycle is repeated over and over again people will have to stay in dead-end jobs. Corporate America wants the average worker to have sex outside of marriage so when you have upten children again you are stuck at a dead end job.
No one made a fuss when President Bush or President Regan did the same thing. What is going on with The Right? I know what's going on and no wants to say it but I will...it's more than "politics" it's the fact that many White conservative are still steamed that they have to answer to an African-American (oh...did I mention that his mother was white? That means his bi-racial). There are some families that may keep their children out of school if President Obama's speech is played in school.
They will never admit but what they(White Conservatives) are really teaching their children is this, "it's okay to watch them play sports, perform Gansta rap(and correct me if I'm wrong but who purchases most of the Gansta Rap...and is that still around...White America which the majority of them come from Conservative homes), they can cook for you, clean your homes but when it comes to telling you to have respect for your fellow man, become responsible for your own actions don't listen.
Maybe we as Blacks are The Third Reich and I just don't know it. Did we invade this country, rape, murder, throw The Christian Right into slave camps? And I hate to burst the Conservative bubble but many African-American have always have Christian values but to listen to the Fox network and the rest of the Right Wing Party you would think President Obama is throwing the baby out with the bath water. If parents keep their children out of school in regards to President Obama this really should prove to African-Americans how indeed your hatred toward African-American. You can hide behind the "He's forcing his political views on my child" all you want but in the end it is what it is...you still can't accept us as an equal.
We(African-Americans) are doctors, lawyers, CEO's of major companies, scientists, educators, and yes now we have a leader over the White House...Get over yourselves.
