Extraordinary Moments

One of my favorite things in life is to curl up on the couch with my wife and watch a good movie. I love action or sports movies and she loves romantic comedies, so obviously.... we watch a ton of romantic comedies. I know this will sound corny but I'm okay with the chick flicks because I enjoy spending time with my wife, being close, holding hands, eating chocolate and sharing a good laugh.

Last night we watched a really interesting movie called "About Time". The premise of the movie was that all the men in this one particular family had a special gift, the power to travel back in time. They could only go to past moments in their own lives, but they could relive those moments and change things if they wanted to. Of course, if they changed things in the past it affected how their life turned out in the future. The father waited until his son was about 20 years old before telling him about the special power he had and how to access it. The son was amazed with his new found power and every time he had a bad day or made a stupid mistake, he would go back in time and relive that day....without making the same mistakes. He even used his special power to correct mistakes he made while dating a beautiful young girl that he fell in love with. Eventually they got married and when they gave birth to their first child, the father explained to his son something really important. Once you have children you can't go back in time before their birth... or it may affect whether they are ever born or not. The son began to learn that he needed to use his power wisely and cautiously.

Near the end of the movie, the father develops terminal cancer. So he took his son aside and told him about the "secret" to enjoying the real magic of their special power. It was to go back and re-live each and every day after it happens, but do it with the right perspective this time, not getting overly upset over problems while enjoying and appreciating the "ordinary moments" as they happen. (I can relate to that because there have been plenty of times when I have gotten overly upset over problems that in the end turned out to be not that important.) So the son took his father's advice and started re-living each day with a new perspective.

At the end of the movie the son has an epiphany that really struck home with me. You don't need special time travel powers to find happiness! You can appreciate the extraordinary moments of an ordinary life, each and every day, if you simply realize how special each moment in life really is. The son decided he no longer needed to travel back in time and it wasn't because he didn't make mistakes, it was because he realized even the mistakes in our ordinary lives are "extraordinary moments" that we need to experience.

Rachel Mcadams and Domnahl Gleeson in "About Time"

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
~ William James

Its A Feeling (Part II)

Last week I titled my Monday Message “It’s a Feeling - Part I”. I’m writing it in two parts because the concept is just a little hard to explain in one short page. So let me see if I can finish the explanation.

 

In last week’s message I gave an example of one of my employees caring about a fellow employee and made the statement, “If we truly care about others and take the time to stop, look and listen with our hearts, people will feel the love in our hearts and in turn feel good about themselves!” So let me add to that statement, “People may forget what you say and what you do, but they will always remember how you make them feel!

 

Here is another real life example that happened two weeks ago. I went to visit some customers at a large corporation and after the business part of the meeting was over, I had an opportunity to share a story about my faith with two of the people there. My story must have touched one of them, because afterwards he showed me a simple black bracelet on his wrist with the words, “I Am Second” on it, an expression of his faith that God always comes first. I thought the bracelet was really cool and said so. Later that week, when I arrived at my office I found a simple black “I Am Second” bracelet laying on my desk, a gift from a new found friend, who took the time to listen to me. Boy, did that make me feel good!

 

But the story doesn’t end there… and it shouldn’t because I need to pay it forward. Last week I was in a huge hurry to pick up some groceries for my wife who was hosting a party that evening. I literally ran through the store and even paid cash to hurry things along. After I tossed the groceries into my truck, I ran the grocery cart over to the cart storage area and noticed a young lady standing there who works for Ralphs. She took my cart from me but was staring at my arm. She blurted out, “That’s a cool bracelet! What does it say?” By her appearance and her difficulty with speech it was obvious that she was slightly disabled, but she had this really sincere smile. So even though I was running late I stopped and showed her the bracelet and explained the meaning to her. Her smile got even bigger and she said proudly, “I know all about God and he’s good! Can I have one?” Her question took me by surprise but it made me stop and think. I answered. “Yes of course you can.” I asked her what her name was (Cally) and explained to her that I would bring her one in a few days.

 

Perhaps Cally was surprised that a stranger took time to talk with her and answer her question, but hopefully it made her feel good and realize that she truly is important. I don’t know for sure how she felt but I do know she was smiling when I left and guess what….so was I! I may have been late for the party but I learned something really important, putting someone else first before yourself is the same thing as putting God first!

 

 

Truly I tell you, whatever you do for one of the least

of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.

~ Matthew 25:40

 

Its A Feeling (Part I)

Most everyone will agree that family comes first. We love our family members, so we care about them and do our best to be patient, kind and understanding. We’re even willing to sacrifice our own happiness for theirs. But then we leave and go to work where we spend the majority of our time with other people, some we barely know at all. Most of us spend more time with our co-workers then we do with our family members. So how are we supposed to treat them?

 

I have to say I feel blessed because the people I work with are awesome. Fortunately, as the owner of the company I recognize it so I try hard to treat them right. I’ve learned over the years that everyone matters and everyone deserves to be treated with respect. If we truly care about others, then we will take the time to stop, look and listen with our hearts. When we do, people will feel the love in our hearts, which in turn helps them feel good about themselves! That’s an easy gift to give and it doesn’t cost a dime.

 

A few weeks ago our Southern Region Sales Manager approached me and said he was concerned about the health of one of our delivery drivers. He said the employee had been losing a lot of weight recently and just didn’t look well. Although the driver told his fellow employees he was fine, our Sales Manager has a good heart and knew there must be something wrong. So he asked me to check on the driver. Keep in mind that salespeople have a difficult job. They have to put in a lot of extra hours and are constantly on the road, so for a salesperson to care about someone back in the warehouse that they rarely ever see…really touched me.

 

My wife (who oversees human resources) set up a meeting for us the next day and we instantly noticed how much weight this person had lost. He had been so worried about losing hours or possibly losing his job altogether that he had been afraid to say anything. It was an emotional meeting and when we suggested the employee take a few weeks off with full pay, he had tears in eyes and said his wife would be so thankful. She had been begging him to take time off and see a doctor for weeks. As it turns out, when he went to the doctor they discovered he has a very serious illness and will not be able to come back to work for many months. We assured him that when he does get well, he will have his old job waiting for him…and we let him know that it was one of his fellow employees that cared enough to say something in the first place.

 

This is only one example of people caring about each other. I can assure you there are many more, which has made me realize that we don’t have to be related to be “family members”.
 

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!" he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw.

"I just wanted to be sure of you ."

~ A. A. Milne  

 

LSI Employees share dinner and a laugh

 

Sticktoitiveness

Many years ago I made a personal commitment to try to write an inspirational Monday Message every week. My goal was to remind people about the important things in life like faith and family, honesty and integrity. But I also hoped I would be able use my faith and experience (and the many lessons I’ve learned from my mistakes) to draw people nearer to God, which I feel can ultimately bring each of us more happiness. I look at it as one small way of giving back for all the blessings I have received in my life. But it really is a pretty difficult commitment to keep every week and I even receive a fair amount of harsh criticism at times.  However, when you make a commitment like that or any commitment for that matter, I believe it’s important to do your best to stick to it! So I do my best. But…let me ask you, “What are you committed to?”

Speaking of commitments, on Wednesday this past week, my wife and I celebrated our 19^th wedding anniversary. I took the day off from work to spend it with her (because I know how important spending time together is to her) and she surprised me in a very special way. She asked me to go for a walk to pick some roses to fill a vase. I didn’t think much about it really, but as we started walking, we kept on walking and she kept on saying we need to go farther. She said we needed to go to the top of Palisades Hill, where she claimed she saw some really bright red roses. That’s a pretty long walk but I wasn’t about to object. As we approached the top of Palisades Hill we came to a Gazebo on a small look-out point where tourists can view the ocean. I stopped before we got to the gazebo because there was a man already there enjoying the view. She laughed and said that’s no man, that’s our friend Don (who happens to be a minister) and if it’s okay with you I would like to renew our vows today…with you…under this beautiful gazebo that overlooks our little beach house by the ocean.

It was a wonderful surprise that I will never forget. Don even brought champagne and we toasted our friendship as well as our marriage. Since Don knows us so well and knows how committed we are to each other, the vows he wrote for us were perfect. Some commitments are hard to keep but I have to say…my commitment to love, honor and cherish my wife is the easiest commitment I have ever made.

So this Monday Message is about making commitments and sticking to them. Whether it’s your marriage vows, your responsibilities at work, caring for your children or caring about your faith - stick to it! If you do, you will become a towering example to all those around you that no amount of criticism can ever tear down.

 

Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe.

How committed are you to winning?

How committed are you to being a good friend?

To being trustworthy? To being a good father,

a good teammate, a good role model?

There's that moment every morning when

you look in the mirror and ask yourself,

“Are you committed, or are you not?” 

~ Lebron James

Don't Get Burned!

Is it possible that “wanting something too much” can be a bad thing? Thinking about that question reminded me of something that happened when I was just a young boy.

My Mom and Dad had just moved our family to Arizona because my Dad was transferred to a Marine Corps base in Yuma. We lived in a small track house on a treeless street where the backyard of every home blended into never ending sand dunes. It was stark, desolate and barren but yet it had a certain beauty to it as well. As kids we could play safely in the streets because there weren’t very many cars. We could build forts in the sand dunes and shoot basketballs into the driveway hoop until late at night. Night time was the best time because it finally cooled down and you could breathe easier and taste the clean desert air. Sometimes my Dad would let us camp out in the back yard and as we laid there staring up at the night sky, I swear there had to be at least a billion stars.

It took a few months for me to get used to the heat, but as we got farther into summer the temperatures rarely dipped below 100 degrees. As a kid I could handle it but I remember Mom and Dad struggling to find ways to cool down. We didn’t have sprinklers so we played with the hose in the front yard, squirting each other and loving the way it felt, not caring what the neighbors thought. My skin got so dark I looked like I fell into a vat of chocolate. And I never wore shoes, unless of course we were going to church. And the best thing of all, when you’re a kid living in extreme desert heat is…. ice cream!

One day I was playing alone in our back yard when I heard the Ice Cream Truck going down the street. By the time I got out front he was past our house and still going, so without thinking I took off after him. I had change in my pocket and by golly…I was gonna get me some ice cream! I ran down the middle of the street and caught up to him quickly yelling, “I want a Drum Stick please!” As I reached into my pocket I realized my bare feet were absolutely on fire. I started to scream as the driver handed me the ice cream and took off at full speed for the nearest grass yard. My feet hurt so bad I tripped and fell, tumbling into the yard, sending the ice cream flying. I was only 8 years old so with major burns and blisters on both feet, and my beloved ice cream ruined, believe me I cried out loud and long. A neighbor lady took pity on me and carried me safely home.

There was definitely a good lesson to be learned from that incident but I’m not sure as a kid I really figured it out. Looking back I can see that sometimes wanting something so much that it causes us to act without thinking, can definitely be a bad thing. I hope from now on I always remember that if I don’t think before I act…I may get burned!

One can only see more clearly when one is going more slowly.

~ Terri Guillemets

Mending

Yesterday morning while I was reading my Max Lucado Study Bible, I came upon the passage,
 

“With God there are no accidents. Only incidents designed to draw us closer to Him.”
 

It was nearly 2 years ago that I first read that passage. And it was no coincidence that it was also the same day that I ran over and nearly killed an elderly Chinese woman. Coming across that page brought back some very traumatic memories but it also got me thinking…What did it really mean?
 

I will never forget that day. For the first time in years I forgot to read my Bible in the morning and then I went out and had an accident in my truck. When I came home and opened my Bible to the page I was on, I found that message and truly believed it was a sign from God to “draw nearer to Him”. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think God had anything to do with the accident. The accident was totally and entirely my fault. What God did was all good. First, He made sure neither one of Mrs. Chen’s legs were broken even though my truck came to rest on top of them. Second, He healed her and helped her to find new joy in life and start painting again. Third, He got my attention and a renewed dedication on my part to draw nearer to Him.
 

But there is more to the story that I have never shared with anyone. For three days after the accident I was completely and utterly distraught. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, and was sure Mrs. Chen was going to die. I felt so bad I can’t even describe it. On the evening of the third day I couldn’t take it anymore. I went into a back bedroom and knelt down by my daughter’s bed with my head in my hands. The tears started flowing and I couldn’t stop them. My body was shaking and I felt like dying. It was then that I told God the truth, that I couldn’t handle this problem…that the pain was too great…and I begged Him to help me. Then I put it all in His hands.
 

Almost immediately I felt better. I know this sounds crazy, but I had this image in my mind of Jesus kneeling next to me, with His arm around me, telling me everything was going to be okay because I chose to trust Him. My feeling of hopelessness was instantly gone and I realized for the first time in my life that I have never been alone, that God has always been right there next to me, simply waiting for me to reach out to Him in faith and trust.

So maybe the real message was not just to “draw nearer to God”. But in doing so to put my total trust and faith in Him and realize that no matter what happens… He will always be there for me!

Broken things can become blessed things if you let God do the mending.

~ Anonymous

Everything Good

Almost every week I go for a walk around Woodbridge Lake in Irvine with my elderly lady friend, Pao Chi Chen. She is a Buddhist and I am a Christian so we have some pretty amazing and interesting conversations. This week we saw something unusual and in talking it through, I was once again reminded of how very wise she is.

As we approached the west section of the lake we noticed an elderly man in a wheelchair. Normally this wouldn’t be an unusual site, but for some reason this man and his wheelchair were all alone and parked just inches away from a steep set of steps leading directly down into the water. If his wheelchair were to move forward at all, he would immediately go tumbling into the lake…wheelchair and all….and he didn’t look like he was paying any attention to his circumstances.

It kind of scared me, so I started to approach the man to ask if he needed help. Pao Chi stopped me and said, “No need, he okay.” I was surprised by what she said, but she continued, “If you look at trees, 50 meters away, there is young Asian man. He is son watching over father.” I protested and said, “Well, shouldn’t he be right next to him to make sure he is safe?” Pao Chi answered with a smile, “Old man knows son loves him and would not let bad thing happen to him. Father loves freedom to be on his own…son loves father…everything good!”

I thought about what Pao Chi said and decided that she was right. Sometimes we have to give our loved ones the freedom to experience life on their own terms and trust that God is watching over all of us, always near, allowing us to test our freedom because He loves us. It might be scary, but in the end, “Everything Good!”

Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.
~ Mosha Dayan