So often I hear from people who want to make a change in their life but are either afraid, or unwilling to take the first step. What is it that keeps people from making a change? Is it that they fear the unknown? Is it that they believe that the sacrifice is greater than the reward? Or is just that they enjoy wallowing in their own unhappiness? No matter what the reason, or excuse that they use, they continue to live in a state of unhappiness, despair and self grief. Well today I am going to change that for you. Today I am going to give your three small things to do that I guarantee will change your life. Not one of these things will require you to lose weight, get up early, or make a drastic change in your life, but if done twice a day for the next 21 days they Will Change Your Life. Are you ready to take the challenge?

Here is the deal. Getting out of a bad relationship, working out, losing weight, dealing with your kids, getting a new job, changing your financial picture and finding happiness come from one place, and only one place YOUR MIND. You first must believe in it in order to achieve it. Below are three things that I challenge you today to say to yourself each morning when you get up, and each evening when you go to bed. I challenge you to not just recite them but to believe in them. Say them with conviction, say them with intention and say them as if they are the three most important things you will ever tell yourself. Once you do they will become part of your mind set, your being and your future. Continue reading »

 

As I sat at home yesterday and watched the Denver Broncos, and Tim Tebow, pull out another miraculous victory I couldn’t help but to think how much the Broncos and being a single parent have in common. Now all you Pittsburgh fans may not agree with me here but let me explain.

As the Broncos began their season, no one really gave them much of a chance at being successful. They didn’t have the talent, they didn’t have the skills, and they didn’t have a chance. Well as the season began to unfold the so called experts seemed to be right as the Broncos started off with a record of 1-4. But then something very interesting happened. They made a change in how they approached the season. They named a relatively inexperienced young Tim Tebow as their new starting quarterback. The so called experts jumped all over him. He didn’t have any experience in the NFL, he didn’t have the skills to succeed at this level, and he was nothing more than a good guy, with good intentions, in a bad situation. So much for the experts…

As the season continued Tim Tebow and the Broncos began to win, they began to believe and they began to succeed. The so called experts said it was just luck and that there was no way it would continue, they were sure to implode in no time, and for a few games they were correct. The Broncos lost three games in a row and everyone said “See I told you so.” Then something happened that no one thought was possible, they got into the playoffs. Again the so called experts, as well as the odds makers said, “There is no way they will beat Pittsburg” they are lucky to be where they are, they are huge underdogs. Well anyone who watched the game knows now that the Broncos did win the game, and Tebow performed like an All Pro quarterback. Continue reading »

 

I originally posted this blog one year ago. I wanted to repost it again during  the Christmas week, as a reminder to all of you how blessed you are to have people in your life, no matter how difficult they may make your life. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Families come with happiness and saddness. Families come with challangees and success. No matter how difficuklt your family, your children or your ex spouse may be making your life, be thankful that you have them, because you never know when they will be gone. Merry Christmas to all of you…

Dear Sara;

It’s been almost four and a half years since you passed away, six years since we divorced and eight years since you left me to be a sole parent to Jack and Michaela. I figured that maybe now we should talk again. First let me update you on the kids. Continue reading »

 

Have you ever heard the story about the little boy who answered the phone call?

One day, the phone rang, and the little boy answered.
“May I speak to your parents?”
“They’re busy.”
“Oh. Is anybody else there?”
“The police.”
“Can I speak to them?”
“They’re busy.”
“Oh. Is anybody else there?”
“The firemen.”
“Can I speak to them?”
“They’re busy.”

“So let me get this straight — your parents, the police, and the firemen are there, but they’re all busy? What are they doing?”

“Lookin for me.” Continue reading »

 

I have decided to change my kid’s names from Jack and Michaela to Dow and NASDAQ. Why you ask? It’s because I believe that raising them is like investing in the stock market. As long as I put something into them each month, I am bound to get a good return on my investment. At least that’s what the experts tell me. Recently I have found that my success with the kids has been similar to my recent returns in the stock market. Dismal! I have scratched my head, reviewed my parental investing strategy and made some adjustments. But still I am not seeing the returns that I had hoped for. I keep telling myself that’s its not how I start but how I finish. This would make sense if I was a marathon runner, but as a single dad I am a sprinter. I sprint from school event to sporting event, from grocery store to doctor’s appointments, from homework assignments to dinners. I want to see a return NOW!

My financial planner tells me to have patience. Follow the plan, and that all things are difficult before they are easy. Easy for him to say, he’s getting paid monthly on what I invest with him. I want to see a return NOW!

I know that I am not the only single parent that wants a return on his investment NOW. Why does this have to be so difficult? You give, you love, you encourage, you discipline and you lead, but still I am not seeing the results. I want a return NOW! Continue reading »

 

I wrote this blog sometime back and wanted to repost it for all of you. Life is funny how it moves forward, sometimes to fast and sometimes to slow, but rest assured it will continue to move forward. I hope that this blog today helps you understand that life is like a train ride and only you have the pleasure of being on the entire ride from start to finish. Have an amazing day everyone…

Someone once told me that life is like taking a train ride. The unique part about it is that from start to finish, you and only you, will be the only one on the entire ride.  Oh sure others will join you for part of your ride, but again you and only you, will be the only one on the entire ride. The ride usually starts off slowly and calmly, but before you know it the train picks up speed and you seem to be flying along faster than you might be comfortable with. There will be twists and turns, peaks and valleys, happiness and sadness along the way, but again you and only you, will be the only one on the entire ride.  The train will occasionally stop along the way and others will join you, but again you and only you, will be the only one on the entire ride.

I often have thought about the times on the ride, where we knew that we were about to enter a dark tunnel, and just couldn’t seem to do anything about it. It’s just part of our ride. Once in the tunnel darkness consumes us, and depending upon the length of the tunnel, our fear of disaster is heightened. We worry that our ride is about to turn into a train wreck. What I have learned on my ride, especially during those trips into darkness, is that we always come out of the tunnel to the light again. I have also learned that since I will surly exit the tunnel intact, I sure as the heck want to make sure that I don’t do anything, while in the darkness, that I will be embarrassed for, ashamed of or regret once I come out of the tunnel. I want to approach each and every dark tunnel with confidence, hope and dignity because again, I will exit the tunnel, and I and only I, will be the only one on the entire ride. Continue reading »

 
They say that practice makes perfect. I have decided that whoever said that was obviously not a parent. I have practiced at being a good parent ever since day one, and I continue to practice at it each and every day. Last week I thought that I had finally figured it out, and then my 15 year old teenage daughter reminded me that I have a long way to go. Funny how teenagers seem to think that they know everything. I am starting to think that parenting is allot like the game of golf. No matter how much you practice, you will never get it totally right. Oh you may score well every once in awhile, but just when you start to think that  you’ve got  it figured out, you slice one it into the woods and end up taking a penalty stroke. Over the years I have had my share of penalty strokes with my kids.
The problem with being a good parent, is that your kids are constantly changing on you. Once you get to the toddler stage figured out here comes the young child stage, then the pre-teen stage and finally the dreaded teenager stage. Looking back on the early stages, I now realize that the degree of difficulty changes with each and every  stage my kids go through. It must be Gods way of reminding you that practice doesn’t always make you perfect, but it will make you better. 
I am blessed to have my parents as great examples. Since they raised  five kids, they had allot of practice. Looking back on it now I realized that they weren’t perfect, but at least they kept practicing. Actually with five kids, maybe they should have stopped practicing having children after the first two:) I am the oldest by the way! One thing that I do know is that if you as a parent keep practicing, your children will be the beneficiary of it. I pray every night for those children who don’t have parents who practice. Who have parents that give up. They are the children that will never understand how to become a good parent themselves. They are the ones whose children will turn to the dark side, when if their parents had just practiced more, they would have all seen the light. Continue reading »