Memories of a tree

The picture of the weeping blossoming cherry tree symbolizes the changes I have experienced over the past 13 years. Recently I turned 49 and I began to reflect on my life and the changes I have experienced over these years.

This weeping blossoming cherry tree was given to my family and me as a gift by members of our Sunday School class. We were leaving one congregation in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania or more exactly, in Souderton, PA and moving to Lancaster County, PA to begin a pastorate in a Leola, PA congregation. The tree was about three feet tall and came with money attached to the small tree limbs. It was really a neat gift and we appreciated it.

In those thirteen years, our children have gone from teenagers and children to young adults. Our children are 26, 24 and 21 respectively. They have successfully navigated the teenage years and all but one have made it through college. They have become productive young adults and we are proud of them.

Also in those thirteen years, I have changed professions. I am now a full-time realtor. This change has been challenging, exhilirating and more taxing than I ever imagined. I did not realize how difficult this transition would be. I definitely know why so many stay in a job they no longer love. Inertia is hard to overcome.

You can see the tree has grown substantially over these past 13 years and has survived much snow, heat, rain and all that mother nature has thrown at her. As I observe this tree and reflect on these past 13 years, I am filled with gratitude. I do not want to change the past, but accept it for what it is. I do not know what the next 13 years will hold, but believe I will get out of life what I put into it.

My Life (Real Estate) Credo II

I attended the primer course for BOLD, a Keller Williams training course. I returned home completely excited and focused on the conditioning of my mind.

One of the emphases was on a statement, "90% of business is a mindset." This statement reminded me of a Charles Swindoll thought which is a variation of this concept. Swindoll said, "Life is made up of events of which one has no control and this amounts to about 10% of one's life. 90% of one's life is made up of one's response to these events."

I have decided to commit to this training event because so much of what is being stressed resonates with my life credo. I am being challenged to train my mind so that it helps me live a life of blessing and encouragement.

One of the nuggets shared which I will focus on for the next several weeks is the importance of accepting responsibility for one's life. This was on the focus of two mindsets. One mindset is that of blaming others for one's life experiences. It is always someone else's fault. The second focus of this thought process is to justify one's actions. There is always a reason for failure or mistakes that justify these actions. The third piece of this mindset is to habitually complain about life. I realized I am far to guilty of allowing myself to sink to the blaming, justifying and complaining game.

I came away resolved to accept responsibility for my life and my actions. I will not justify mistakes, but rather accept responsibility and work to correct those mistakes. I will seek to offer words of encouragement and refrain from complaining to others about my frustrations. I will be a responsible, positive and encouraging person. This is who I want to be.

Who are you and who do you want to be?

My Life (Real Estate) Credo

My Life (Real Estate) Credo

I have discovered my life is most blessed and offers the greatest blessings to others when I clearly define my core beliefs and values. This helps me to live by these beliefs and to realize this living is not dependent on how anyone else treats me. This is my sermon to self tonight.

I believe every person deserves my respect. All humanity is created in "God's image." Even though persons sin or make mistakes, the core of every person is still in God's image. I must treat the other with a respect, which calls me to listen, to clarify what is being said and to treat him/her as I would like to be treated. This is such an empowering thought. It does not matter how a person responds towards me, but I am free to respect him/her. I can feel mistreated. I can have someone respond to me in a manner that I despise, but I am free to never resort to kind of behavior.

I believe in being firm in my core beliefs, but never forcing others to accept my beliefs. I trust that others will reflect on my behavior, my beliefs and decide if what I espouse is worth believing.

I desire to be honest, allowing my words to accurately reflect what is correct or true. This kind of integrity seems to draw others.

I will not expect others to accept responsibility for my life. God has called me to accept responsibility for my behavior, my actions, my attitudes and my feelings. I will refrain from telling others, "You made me feel ..." I will not expect my wife, my children, my parents, my clients, my team leader, my broker, my pastor, or my church to make me happy.

I will forgive. I do not desire to dwell on that which has passed. I want to be free to live into the future, remembering and preserving what I treasure from the past.

May God give me the strength and resolve to live in this manner.