Article by Kevin L. DeWitt

Feeling as though you’re always running twenty minutes behind schedule is an unhappy feeling.  Having to rush, forgetting things in your haste, dealing with annoyed people when you arrive … it’s no fun.

If you find yourself chronically late, what steps can you take to be more prompt … and as a result, happier? First you need to ask yourself why you’re late.  Then you can see more easily what you need to modify.

There are many, many reasons we are all late.  Here are seven common reasons for chronic tardiness and suggestions on how we might address them:

Sleep too late?  If you’re so exhausted in the morning that you sleep until the last possible moment, it’s time to think about going to sleep earlier the night before.  Most people don’t get enough sleep, and sleep deprivation is a real drag on your happiness … and your health.  Try turning off the light sooner each night.  And try to go to sleep at the same time every night (yes, including Friday and Saturday nights!). Read More »

Article by Malcolm Marler

As I begin the new year of 2010, I’m thinking about simplifying my life.

What I mean by this is … owning less stuff.

The time I spend in maintaining cars, fixing things around the house, and keeping up the yard makes me wonder who really owns what? 

It wasn’t always like this in my life. 

I used to want to “own more.”

But no more.

I’m also watching and learning from the finches and grossbeaks on our deck flutter as they enjoy our bird feeders each winter morning. 

And I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:

²⁵ ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? …  

³⁴ ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.’”

As my wife Mary and I consider this next step of living our lives in an empty nest, all I know is that I want our nest to be smaller, simpler, less cluttered.

How about you?  Do your things own you?  Or do you own them?  I’m ready to simplify my life so that I can fly.  Want to join me?

Malcolm

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

-Matthew 6:19-34 (NIV)

Malcolm Marler is Director of Pastoral Care for UAB Hospital in Birmingham, AL.  In addition to his interest in spirituality and health, he loves to identify physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of persons, then design and build programs that help meet those needs.  His warmth and humor along with his powerful message of hope and grace is his greatest strength.  Malcolm grew up in Alabama and attended Clemson University (S.C.) on a football scholarship as a defensive back where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Psychology.  He is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY with Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees.  Malcolm lives on a lake in North Alabama with the love of his life, Mary Bea Sullivan.  He has two open-hearted, loving stepchildren, Brendan and Kiki who are both freshman in college.  For more information or to contact Malcolm, please visit www.MalcolmMarler.com.

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Article by Kevin L. DeWitt

It’s pretty rare that I have fun.  I don’t know why … it has just always seemed to be this way.  Many times I wonder, is it so hard to be Kevin and to know what I like, what I find to be fun?

It seems to be a constant challenge to be myself.

Over the years, other people have told me that they also find it difficult to figure out exactly what they like to do … for both fun and for work.

And I’ve identified one reason – out of perhaps many - for that.

In Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert points out that we’re all more alike than we think.  I’m sure that is true to a degree… but I think it’s also true that we’re more unalike than we think.  This is certainly true when it comes to fun, be it leisure or work “fun.” Read More »

Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church

A long journey requires courage. And so it was for the magi.

These people of a priestly class from the Eastern culture required courage to follow a star in the sky and travel west to see what the star meant for them.

God has a star for you to follow.  Do you see it?  Are you following His lead for your life? 

Overcoming Fear to Follow Your Star

Living requires courage.  Courage for you to enter 2010 and be the person whom God is creating you to be and to doing God is calling you to do.

Along the way of courage, fear always shows up.  God speaks directly to our fears.  Isaiah said of God, “Fear not, for I am with thee.  Be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will help you.  I will strengthen you.  I will uphold you in the right hand of my righteousness.”  The prophet spoke to people caught in exile not far from where the wise men would come from centuries later. Read More »

Article by Marie Monroe

The Latin words humilis and humus have caught my attention in this season of introspection.  Low to the ground, of the ground, of the dirt …

I consider them in my meditations about what it means to be human, to be part of humanity and what type of human I want to be in this New Year of 2010 that fast approaches.

Old school exercises of finding root words echo around as I try on more words that fit:  humiliation, humble, humility …

Personal Revolution

I find myself reviewing recovery literature from 12 Step programs and growing in my understanding that true humility can not only be a saving grace, but a personal revolution.  True humility, I am reminded as I read, brings a sense of clarity about one’s self, deflating false pride and fantasy.  It brings us back home to who and what we truly are … and there we can celebrate our own humanity.

These are large and abstract ponderings, but important ones as I search for what growth I want to cultivate in this coming year. Read More »