ON SECOND THOUGHT

"On Second Thought..."

Would Christ Recognize Christmas?

If you read my introduction to "On Second Thought" last week you have an idea of what's coming.  


"On Second Thought" is purely my opinion and editorial about a particular topic that may get you to think about an issue in a different light.  Maybe form a new perspective.  


Have you been asked yet how your Christmas went?  Funny how people are curious about what we did, where we went, what we bought, and what we received isn't it?  One gentleman told me about how much he ate over the holiday?  Funny to hear someone tell you that he ate too much goose!


I can remember being in elementary school and you and your friends compared what you got and how many things you were given.  There was a certain amount of "one-ups-manship" as to who got the most or the coolest toys.


Then we become adults.  Our toys get bigger and more expensive.  Like the guy in the commerical who goes to the living room and sees a new Mercedes Benz!   My my he must have been a good boy!


Personally, I'm not a big fan of Christmas.  Now don't get me wrong I had a good one this year.  I had fun with all my loved ones, received some cool gifts, did some fun things, heard Mannheim Steamroller, played with my grand kids...good stuff right?  I'd say so.  Now if it was left to these things, I'd be pretty good with the whole concept.  


But On Second Thought...


I was thinking would Christ recognize His own birthday celebration?  Gosh I wonder.  He wouldn't with the jerk I encountered in a Trader Joe's store.  Hey I know you're still out there weasel boy.  Or the dope who thought the stop sign didn't refer to him.  Or the sheer madness that Christmas has become.  Stop and think about it.  The greatest nation in the history of the world bases its economy on its Christmas sales and yet more individual families will go into debt buying things they can't afford.  Go figure.


 I think Jesus for the most part would be His courteous and gracious self with Christmas.  Appreciative for the recognition.  But maybe He would think that things had gotten a bit out of hand since the manger in Bethlehem.  Ever notice when you read about the Wise Men bearing gifts that they didn't turn to Joseph and say, "what did you get us this year?"  


Our celebration with Christmas has gotten to the point where I read a news story where the following is so unusual it made the internet.  A family decided to fore go their gift buying, kids included, and took the money and used it to help less fortunate families. Imagine that!  


So it got me to thinking.  Can you imagine if a minister announced to his congregation that he was going to promote that every family for just one year, donate the money they were going to spend on gifts and as a church, use the money to make a difference in the community they serve?  Would you like to know how long he'd be preaching there?  OK so he softens his approach and says to his flock, "how about we go 50 - 50 next Christmas?  After all we'll be blessed for doing so."  Sorry but I don't think these sheep are following their shepherd down this path.


But On Second Thought...I bet Jesus would be alright with it.  After all it's His birthday.




Next week's On Second Thought:  Best Friends

On Second Thought

ON SECOND THOUGHT...


You're having a conversation with a friend, family member, or neighbor when they say; 'but on second thought."  


WHOA!  Time out.  Weren't they just sharing a 'first thought' about the conversation you were having with them?  You hear a change in their voice and notice a difference in their body language.  They've had a second thought.  It's as if this second thought negates their first thought.  "Never mind what I just told you".  This second thought will offer a different point of view from what they had just shared.  It's the other side of the coin. 


Second thoughts may reside down the road less traveled.  We may visit a second thought but not long enough to introduce it to anyone else. We just think about it on the inside.  They may at times seem to come from out of the blue.  Sometimes a second thought surprises not only the person who hears it but even the person who speaks it.  Second thoughts may be seen risky as in, "did I really say that? Where did that come from?  What do these people think of me now?"


At times we may have wished we had kept a second thought to ourselves and simply stuck with our first thought.  My mother put it this way: "You know you don't have to say everything you think."  Translated from mom speak: "Please don't say anything that will embarrass either your father or me."  Sorry Mom...well not really.  See having a second thought is that easy.  My first thought was 'ya she's right'...but then on second thought 'why not say what I'm thinking'?


On Second Thought is my new blog dedicated to sharing with you my second thoughts on a variety of topics ranging from; family, politics, life, friends, work, entertainment...really just about anything.  No need to agree with me.  Just hear another person's viewpoint beyond that acceptable first thought.  To see that possibly 'first thoughts' aren't necessarily 'final thoughts.'


And if you are so moved to have a thought of your own on any of my second thoughts, then email me at: rdcreek@cox.net or go to www.thelifeworkscoach.com and tell me what your thinking about on the topic at hand.  I may print your response in future articles.

My Second Thought for this week is sure arouse more than a passing thought:  

Would Christ Recognize His Own Holiday?

What do you think?

What Will Your Legacy Be?

I am fascinated with cemeteries. There are countless stories on the headstones at any cemetery. I love to read the markers and headstones and wonder about the person it speaks to. I mean wouldn't you love to ask, "well how did you end up here?" Well maybe not that one. But at least the general type questions. What did you do in life? What were the times when you were alive? Tell me about your family. Did you have any unfinished business? Wow you didn't live very long...what happened?

To be honest wouldn't it be cool to have a little audio player where you could record your own story and epitaph. I mean think of it. Someone walks up, pushes a play button, and there you are telling them who you were and what you did in life. Just think of the possibilities!

Some people call what you did in life and with your life, a legacy. And whatever your legacy is going to be has to be fashioned while your alive. So if you haven't started...well its time right?

You don't have to build a school or start a foundation to make a difference with your life in the world. And you don't have to be influential. Each of us is influential in our own ways.

With a small act of kindness, we can impact a friend's or co-worker's day. By taking time to share our knowledge, we can improve someones chances for success. Gretchen Rubin writes, "One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy."

Beyond your immediate circle, you can make a difference by linking up with an organization that serves the less fortunate or those who have been challenged in life. There are dozens of worthy causes to serve. Who could you be making happy?

Don't wait to make a difference - your legacy begins now.

PUSH PLAY...beeeep..."Hi thanks for stopping by today. I'd say its nice to see you but...anyway alittle about me....and hopefully the difference I made while I walked on the earth."

Excuse Me...What Time Is It?

Anyone ever ask you what time it is?

Of course they have...all through life people are asking "What time is it?" We have watches on our wrists, clocks in almost every room of where we live, clocks on our computers...banks have signs that tell us the time. Songs are written about time. We measure time by calendars. We measure time by events in our lives. We may hear a song on the radio that takes us back to a 'time' in our lives.

Time. There's one more way I'd like you to look at time. Talk to any elderly person and they will tell you they can't believe how fast the time went! They'll start a sentence with, "why it was just yesterday...my goodness where did the time go?"

You see for many of us the tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. Time gets away from us before we even realize it.

For many of us in life it's time to action. Time to live with your priorities in mind and stop wishing things were different. Time to stop smoking, start exercising and eating right. Time to make that appointment, hug your child (even if they are older and now bigger than you), tell your friends and family members how much they mean to you, start that business, read that book, take that trip, make a difference.

What time is it?

It's time to start living and stop waiting.