POISON Webster’s dictionary defines poison as: “a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism; something destructive or harmful; an object of aversion or abhorrence.” Rather than inscribing that description on products or substances that can cause these ill effects, most companies will use the skull and crossbones as an…
“Pass the salt, please.” Though most often this phrase is spoken at the dinner table, when the Bible references salt, it is not always describing its edible qualities. Several times in the New Testament, Jesus points out the important role salt plays in our effectiveness as Christians in the world. For example, He calls on…
APPRECIATION They’re two of the most hard-working individuals I’ve ever known, and they are committed to doing each and every job with excellence. Their work leaves them exhausted, but their clients love what they do, so they’re frequently referred to others. They commonly go above and beyond for their clients, often doing more than they’ve been…
REST Nancy Wilson was one of my parents’ favorite vocalists, and as I recount yesterday’s repeated pitfalls, I am reminded of some words from one of her songs, The Saga of Bill Bailey. The beginning went something like this: I floated cornflakes in my coffee;The coffee grounds are wrapped in silk.My piggy bank is full…
Quid Pro Quo (Definition: The giving of one valuable thing for another. Equal substitution. Equal exchange. Tradeoff.) There was a time in my life when someone who did something for another walked away feeling appreciated. Phrases like “I owe you one!”, “How can I ever thank you?”, “I hope someday I can return the favor”…
PATIENCE Warning! What you’re about to read may be hazardous to getting what you want when you want it. Quite honestly, if I were to put my list of wants beside my list of haves, the former would far outweigh the latter. For the longest time, I couldn’t understand why. When I saw others being…
LTM* *Little Things Matter. Last week I was given a project that included mailing 80 one-pound books to individual addresses so they would arrive within a 2-day timeframe. Among several pieces that were integral to the success of this task, was the transporting of several boxes of books. I prepared myself to do a lot…
REFLECTION I remember meeting this guy a couple of years ago when I’d been invited to a casual, spontaneous dinner. He was crude, foul-mouthed, opinionated, and crass. I immediately disliked him. And, I liked him even less when I saw him at another function months later, and he made some off-color joke about me, and…
WORDS “I’m dying for a piece of that chocolate cake!” “I’d give anything for hair like that!” “That drives me crazy!” “I can’t stand…!” “Shut up!” “I’m too fat/too skinny/too short/too tall…” ”You are such an idiot!” “I don’t care.” “I’ll never get out of debt.” “Sorry, but…” “I’m stupid/dumb/ugly…” “You don’t know what you’re…
Perception My siblings and I were so excited because one of us who drew the “lucky” number out of a hat would accompany our father on a hot air balloon ride the next morning in honor of Father’s Day. One of my sisters drew the number and we made plans to meet at the launching…