Please bear with be because I need to post one more time about my favorite movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. In the closing scene of this great film, we see Mary, George Bailey’s wife, ushering dozens of people into their living room to give the family money to help George with his financial crisis.

George, Mary and the rest of the family do something that I find remarkable. They graciously accept all these gifts. You may be saying, “So what! What’s the big deal about that?”

Well, if it were me on the receiving end of this generosity, my initial reaction would probably be to say something like, “Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate your generosity! But I can’t accept this from you. We’ll be OK. We’ll figure this out. Thanks again.” Seriously, that would be my natural reaction. I know many others who would react in similar fashion.

Very prideful, don’t you think? I need to realize that I cannot do life alone, that I need help. Furthermore, anyone who gives typically receives great blessings. So, when I turn down generosity from others, I am actually robbing them of a blessing.

As I wish all of you a Happy New Year, I also hope that you will join me in my quest to be be a more gracious receiver (as well as giver) in 2011.

In my last post I mentioned that our family watched It’s a Wonderful Life, my favorite movie, this past Sunday. I also mentioned that this movie contains some terrific messages including the fact that we all can make a difference right where we are.

Another great  point that occurred to me as I watched this year is that with a bigger lens, all problems seem to diminish. George was in a deep hole. His company was short $8,000. In his eyes, this problem was huge. So huge that he thought committing suicide was his only way out (he had a $15,000 life insurance policy that could pay the shortage).

Then he was visited by Clarence, the angel sent to him in answer to the prayers of many. Clarence was able to show George what life would be like without him. As a result of this gift, George saw that almost everyone would have been in worse shape without him being around. His lens grew…his picture enlarged.

As a result, his $8,000 issue was no longer that big of a problem. He now knew that it was not that big of a deal, at least not worth throwing his life away for. He came to the realization that in spite of his problem, he had a wonderful life.

Does this resonate with you at all? Are you facing any problems right now? Are any of them serious? If so, you know that these problems can seem massive. However, when you are faced with huge issues, enlarge your lens and look at the big picture. How do you do this? The first step has got to be to look to your heavenly Father. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Take Him at His word and have your picture enlarged.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8

Without a doubt, my favorite movie of all time is It’s a Wonderful Life. That’s why I was thrilled when my daughter Molly, who lives out of town, sent me a message on Facebook in early December saying, “Dad, will you wait till I get home for Christmas to watch It’s a Wonderful Life?” You see, watching this great film just before Christmas has been a tradition in our house for years. So when Molly asked me this, I was obviously very pleased and more than happy to watch it a little later than normal.

We watched it together yesterday and had a great time. I’m not sure why my kids like it. Perhaps it is the wholesome nature of times gone by. Maybe it’s the traditional values that are portrayed. Or it could be that they see what I see, something that makes me emotional every time I watch it (yes, I cried again this year!).  The main message I see in this movie is the difference one person can make.

Throughout the movie, George Bailey feels that his life has been meaningless, that he has made no difference in the world at all. He had all these great dreams and not one of them had been fulfilled because life got in the way. Can you relate?

Just when George is contemplating suicide, an angel named Clarence visits him in answer to the prayers of so many. Clarence shows George what life would be like had George never been born. It is through this experience that George is able to see what a positive impact he has made on so many, simply by living a life of integrity and loving and serving those around him.

Do you, like George, ever feel like you can’t make a difference because all you are is a stay-at-home mom, a business person or a factory worker? That thinking is just not true. You are where you are for a reason. God wants to use you to impact His kingdom and He has placed you where you are on purpose…it is not an accident.

You were made with a greater purpose, regardless of what you do for a living–to love God and to love others…even dare I say, those you work with. This can look like a lot of different things including: really listening to another even when you’re busy; looking for ways to help someone else; asking someone, who might otherwise feel left out, to join you in an activity like going to lunch; doing what you say you are going to do; asking others about themselves and really showing an interest in them; forgiving someone you are holding a grudge against; or giving credit to someone else. Not very spiritual things…and all things we can do.

I’m fairly certain that most of us won’t have the same sort of experience that George Bailey had. However, at the end of our lives, we (those who have placed their faith in Jesus) will stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:13) and, I believe, will get to see the impact we have had on others. So believe this–though you may not be able to see it today, you CAN make a difference right where you are!

Carpe Diem!

Sally, my very talented 12 year-old niece, wrote a paper for an assignment at school a couple weeks ago. My sister shared it with me and I am so thankful she did because it does a wonderful job of capturing what Christmas is all about…so much so that I wanted to share it here. Thanks for helping us to focus on the real reason for Christmas Sally!

Imagine if the person next to you was perfect. They would never steal, lie, hate, say bad words, or take some kid’s lunch money. No one in this room is like that. No one in the United State is like that. Not even anyone in the world is like that, except for one person.

That person is the best gift this world has ever received, whether we know it or not. He is Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One, Wonderful Counselor, and Emmanuel. His name is Jesus. Jesus is the reason for the season. We have Christmas to celebrate his birth. Even though he was born in a stable, he is King and was born to die for us. It’s hard to imagine that a little, tiny baby was so wonderful, but he was and is and always will be. Sometimes during the holidays we get so wrapped up in presents and toys and Santa Claus that we forget we wouldn’t have those things if it wasn’t for Baby Jesus.

This year during Christmas, between all of the tasty cookies and awesome presents, don’t forget Jesus, the best gift of all!

Merry Christmas!

My friend Bob Tamasy is an accomplished author who puts out a weekly devotional called Monday Manna (click here to read more and sign up to have it emailed to you). I received this from him yesterday about God’s grand marketing strategy and wanted to share it here:

Marketing is everything. At least that is what we are told. You have to create an identity with the consumer. Find a niche for your product or service. Work to establish a recognizable brand. Strive to become visible and remain in the forefront of potential customers’ and clients’ minds for whenever they have a need for what you have to offer. The objective is “market share” – and the more of it, the merrier.

How do you do that? We have many options: Call a press conference. Print colorful, visually engaging brochures. Create a cutting-edge, high-impact website. Schedule TV, radio and newspaper interviews. Hire a public relations firm. Formulate a broad, multi-media advertising strategy. Have a famous person endorse your product.

As we prepare for another celebration of Christmas later this week, it seems God failed to take marketing into account. It seems obvious that if effective marketing had been a consideration, circumstances surrounding the birth of the Christ Child should have been handled much differently. Consider the following:

• Jesus, the Son of God, was born in the small, obscure village of Bethlehem, hardly a crossroad of commerce for that time, and definitely not a place to gain a lot of public attention.
• There was no marketing “budget.” In fact, the young parents of Jesus lacked even the funds to rent a decent hotel room. Their baby was born in a humble stable, surrounded by farm animals and using a feeding trough for a cradle. Forget about sending birth announcements, let alone a news release.
• There was no “media” to consider. The printing press would not be invented for 1,500 years. Photography, radio and TV were not even figments of anyone’s imagination. Talk about poor timing!

The list could go on, but you get the idea: The famous Christmas hymn says, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” but they were the only ones making a formal declaration. The first human witnesses on the scene were no-name shepherds, and they had no clout in that Roman-dominated culture.

And yet, just a few days from now, countless millions of faithful followers around the world again will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, an event that occurred more than 2,000 years ago. How could this have happened, without the marketing methodology mentioned above? It was accomplished, believe or not, by implementing principles commonly embraced in the business and professional world today. Here are just a few of them:

Satisfied customers. Among the greatest advertisements we can have are individuals who can personally attest to the value of the product they have used or experienced. Without salaries or commissions, they are “satisfied customers.” “…These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6, ESV).

Stellar testimonials. When customers or clients are excited about good service, they are eager to boast about it to others. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life…. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:1-3).

Fulfilled promises. It is common to exaggerate the capabilities of products or services. But if you deliver what you promise, you have won a customer for life. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Merry Christmas!

We think it was some perfect event, the birth of our Savior. We rarely think of the issues that Mary and Joseph faced with this child she was carrying. The above video gives an interesting perspective using something that most of us can relate to, Facebook. Take four minutes and check it out…it is a must-see!

Merry Christmas!

OK, time for a quick quiz on the Christmas story. Which of the following, according to the Bible, is true?

A. Mary rode on a donkey to Bethlehem.
B. The inn-keeper would not give Joseph and Mary a room at the inn.
C. Jesus was born in a stable.
D. Three kings came to bring gifts to Jesus
E. All of the above are true
F. None of the above are true

Click below to find out the answer:

Thanks to my friend Mike Fortune for sharing this with me!

On Sunday, Dean, our pastor, delivered a message for those who are experiencing loss, pain or are dealing with tough things this Christmas. While Christmas is a joyous season, it can oftentimes make our difficult times seem much worse.

In the NIV version of the Bible, Jesus says this in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Many of us are mourning during this season and these words can certainly bring comfort. However, sometimes I don’t think we understand the true meaning of what Jesus is telling us. In the Message translation of this verse I see something else: “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”

Wow. So in other words, when we are down, when we’ve lost what is most dear to us…that is when we can be embraced by God. It is during our darkest days when God is closest to us. Hallelujah!

So here is what Dean suggested you do if you find yourself in pain this Christmas:

1.        Acknowledge the pain – if it’s anger, acknowledge it; if you’re grieving, acknowledge it; if you’re hurting, that’s OK, acknowledge it; if it’s sin, face it. Healing can begin when we simply acknowledge the pain.

2.        Receive the embrace of God – Jesus wasn’t only sent to comfort us but also to be our comforter. He is Emmanuel which means “God with us.” However, Jesus is a gentleman. He will not force Himself on you. He will wait for you to invite Him in. I encourage you to do that!

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20

On Saturday I attended the memorial service for my sister-in-law Lynn (she was married to my wife’s brother and is pictured above). The service was very encouraging and I was so pleased at the way that Lynn was accurately remembered.

Several people whom I did not know got up to share their memories of Lynn. Each person’s words contained common threads: each was impacted while Lynn was serving them coffee and snacks in the kiosk of the office building in which she worked; each said that they remembered Lynn’s warm smile and the way she said, “Hey Babe!”; each said that Lynn was always interested in them; each said that their interactions with Lynn made a positive difference in their lives; each also shared that Lynn was very aware of life going on around her…in other words, she was not just focused on herself.

Wow, what an incredible way to be remembered and what an amazing example to us. Many would think that no one could make an impact on another’s life while serving coffee and snacks. However, Lynn showed us that isn’t true. We each can impact the world wherever God has us regardless of what we are doing…and it’s not overly complicated. Look at how Lynn did it—simply by:

1.        focusing on others
2.        listening
3.        being friendly

Basically she practiced the second greatest commandment, to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:36-39

“At the end of the day, I’m very convinced that you’re going to be judged on how you are as a husband and as a father and not on how many bowl games we won. I’ve not seen my two girls play high school sports. They’re both very talented Division I-A volleyball players, so I missed those four years. I missed two already with one away at college. I can’t get that time back.” Those were the words of University of Florida head football coach, Urban Meyer, at a campus news conference yesterday announcing his resignation.

The word of this spread like wild fire yesterday afternoon. On Twitter I saw tweets coming through at an alarming rate reacting to this news. Last night on ESPN’s SportsCenter, it seemed like this was all they could talk about.

I began to wonder why this was such a big deal. Here is a guy who is hanging up his career so that he can be a dad and also take care of himself as his health has been in question. Very honorable, yet this probably shouldn’t be that newsworthy. I would hope that most people would make this decision, to put their family and their health ahead of their dreams. Obviously, this is not the case. We are so programmed to go after the brass ring, to climb the ladder of success, to get the corner office or to win the national championship (Meyer has won two). Many think that this is what life is all about…that this is success. Once we attain this “success”, most cannot understand letting go of it. So when someone in the spotlight actually does leave it behind, it becomes news.

In Meyer’s comments above, he obviously regrets missing much of his family’s life during his climb to prominence. It looks to me like he is now understanding a truer definition of success and taking corrective action and I applaud him for that!