Contentment – Page 5 – Disney Customer Service Keynote Speaker

Are You Praying Too Slow?

There is no fancy website test here. But the question, “How well do you pray?”, is a good one to think about.

For probably 20 years, I’ve thought to myself that the meaning of life is peace and contentment.

Peace with who you are, and content with what you have.

In 51 years, I have found nothing even comes close to offering this, except daily, moment to moment prayer. And in the last ten years, through trial and error, there is great peace and contentment.

The phrase “carpe diem“, or seize the day, means nothing, if you don’t actually do it.

And doing it requires a peace and contentment that is uncommon.

Being present. Being thankful. Being forgiving. Exercise. Nutrition. Rest. Play. Purposeful work.

I don’t think these are out of reach for anyone. Do you?

Guilty Feeling

What makes humans feel guilt?

What makes you feel guilty?

Know what makes me feel guilty?

Goodness.

This week, my son and I have taken several sunset walks. We end up in our back yard. A really big back yard. The sun has set, and now it’s twilight.

“Son, look around. Do you see how much space is here in this yard, from one side to the other?”

He says, “Yes.”

“I’m not saying that other sized yards are better or worse. I’m just saying that Mommy and Daddy worked really, really hard to make this yard possible.”

For something like seven years, Cheryl and I spent, what seemed like a majority of our weekends looking for a big yard near Walt Disney World.

The first 15 years in Central Florida, I worked every weekend, and had either a Saturday or a Sunday off, but never both.

And on that lone weekend day off, we combed the area north of Disney, south of Disney, east of Disney, west of Disney.

The result? Nothing. Year after year. Nothing.

Until one day….

Just One Penny

Driving home from Gold’s Gym at dusk yesterday, there was a man holding a cardboard sign at a huge intersection.

His cardboard sign message began, “Just One Penny”.

It happened so fast I couldn’t catch the whole message. It seemed like the next part was, “Makes a big difference”.

In fifty years my wife and I have never owned an ATM card. We don’t carry cash.

However, I keep a few dollars in the glove compartment, which we use to pay the three dollars it costs each time our son is at the Kiddie Gym.

I rolled the window down and handed him something. It was more than a penny, but it was probably not more than enough.

But at least I tried. Can you imagine begging for something as insignificant as a penny?

Why The Spiritual Basics?

We can never get bored with the spiritual basics. Can we? What tempts us to get bored? Why do we think the basics ae relatively unimportant? Do we even think about such things?

Is it because they are too basic. Too elementary? Too simple? Is this why it’s not on our daily radar screen?

Why?

We can never get bored with the basics. Ever! What example do we set for the people following us – family, friends, colleagues and others we don’t even know about.

Tomorrow marks the seven month “anniversary” of starting every day on my knees. After 50 years on our planet, it occurred to me that starting each day on my knees was as basic as it gets. And yet, I had never done it. Why?

Blessed Passing

Have been following a friend’s recent journey with cancer. Her brother-in-law, who lives with her and her husband, was recently diagnosed with cancer – seems like less than a month ago.

Waking at 3:30AM this morning, with coffee in hand, fired up the laptops for the morning routine. Checked several social media “Favorites”, including Facebook.

My friend posted this update regarding her beloved brother-in-law: “He walked softly out the door with Jesus a few minutes ago”.

Moments like these are constant reminders that life is fragile, and an incomprehensible gift.

That life is painfully challenging and gloriously wonderful.