Possibilities

Experts say that every snowflake is individualistic and unique.

Our voice print is unique to each of us.

Our eye print is unique to each of us.

Our finger prints are unique to each of us.

Love this thought:

“Nature never repeats herself,

and the possibilities of one

human soul will never

be found in another.”

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Bottom line – you are unique.  You are YOU.  Be the best “You” that has ever been.  Discover your possibilities and present them to the world.

Have an idea?

So what if it’s been done before.  That didn’t stop Ford, or Chevrolet, or Benz, or any of the other auto makers in the world?

Have a book idea?  Look how many books get published every year?  That didn’t stop JK Rowling, Seth Godin, James Patterson and thousands of other successful writers.

Only you are in control of your possibilities.  Make them happen.  You will never be repeated, and your contributions will be missed when you are gone.

The Beginning!

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

The Magic of Action

32 Seconds

Until we make some physical or mental move toward our goals and dreams nothing much happens.  That is why goal setting and action plans are talked about so much by success-minded gurus. 

So, what do you think you can do?

What do you believe you can do?

Julia Cameron, author of The Right to Write says this to all of us:

“Whatever you think you can do

or believe you can do,

begin it – for action has magic,

grace and power in it.”

Action precedes success 100% of the time.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Top Five Blogs All about People (Revised)

Welcome to the revised top five blogs list for It's All About People.  

1.  Integrity

2.  In the Arena

3.  Genshai

4.  Empathy

5.  Can You See

Enjoy the read.


P Michael Biggs
Up-Words.net
Offering Hope
Encouragement
Inspiration
One Word at a Time

Listen for Love

Christmas is full of sounds – the carols, the bells, the greetings, the horns honking, the cash registers rattling out a receipt.

But the greatest sound of Christmas happens as your family gathers and shares the meal, opens gifts, makes Ginger Bread Houses, or anything else you plan. 

When you pause and listen to all that is happening around you, I hope you hear love.  It may be disguised as …

-A remembrance from a past season

-Joy over an opened gift

-The first bite of turkey you roasted

-The satisfied sounds as everyone samples your special pecan pie 

Love is there – in all of this and more. 

Love shines in the eyes, it appears in the smiles, and it sings through your expressed words of joy, in greetings and in “I love you”.

A seven-year-old named Bobby is said to have made this observation:

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas

if you stop opening presents and listen.

Wishing you much love this Christmas season,

Merry Christmas

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words.net

Offering Hope

At Christmas

My Grown-Up Christmas List

 As if I were a small boy again and could write my Christmas wish list, it would look something like this:

I Wish For …

-‘Responsibility’ as a required subject in every school every year

-Every person willing and able to make wise choices

-Honesty from the top down – White House to out-house

I Wish For …

-A large dose of human understanding for all mankind

-Good always triumphing over evil

-Right always outshining wrong

I Wish For …

-Grace in place of judgment

-Peace in place of despair

-Hope shining in every corner of our world

I Wish For …

-Presents under the tree for every person

-Forgiveness and reconciliation in every relationship

-Governments who consider the world’s best interest

And finally …

Love like there’s no more tomorrow

Merry Christmas

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words.net

Offering Words of Hope

At Christmas

Christmas Changes

Christmas memories are a grand thing.  I love to remember Christmas past.

Oh, how I have changed with time.  As a small boy I was ready to burst come eleven o’clock on Christmas Eve.  I thought I could hardly stand another seven hours before we would tear into those tantalizing gifts under the tree.  And to anticipate that new red bicycle, or that BB gun, or whatever else I might have asked for – well it was a bit too much to think about. 

I’ve changed. 

Now, I love the whole month of December.  I revel in the lights and lyrics of Christmas and the friendlier greetings, the smell of delicious food, and all that goes with it. 

I especially love the week leading up to Christmas.  Being around my grandkids is a huge treat.  I can relive my own experiences through their eyes and excited gasps and laughs.

In days gone by Christmas was all about the gifts under the tree that bore my name.  Now, it is enough to light the tree, stoke the fire, sip a good cup of hot coco, hold Carolyn’s hand and listen to our favorite artists on the CD. 

One Christmas, a few years ago, we were so financially strapped that we could not afford to buy each other a simple token of Christmas love.  That was a hard morning.  We gave a few gifts to others, but truly there was no money left for each other.

So on that Christmas morning, we put on a pot of coffee, lit a fire and sat side-by-side on the sofa, reading Christmas stories.  We shed some tears, but we made it through that morning.  Our love somehow deepened, for we went through that hand in hand - heart in heart. 

Christmas changes us.  We change our priorities from what’s there for me to what can I give to you that is more significant and more meaningful than a toy or gift that will break in a day, wear out in a month or go out of style next season. 

That year, we gave perhaps the greatest gift possible – we gave love that asks for nothing more than togetherness; be with me, hold my hand and my heart, and love me through all the seasons of life.

What a Christmas that was.

Merry Christmas

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

At Christmas

The Impossible Is Possible

Mary faced a perplexing dilemma.  She was young - probably only fourteen summers old, had never been married, yet was engaged to Joseph.  And to top it all off she was pregnant.  That is a whole passel of circumstances for the average fourteen-year-old. 

She was fearful.

   She was overwhelmed.

      She was perplexed.

         She was only fourteen. 

Yet she kept reflecting back to something her visitor had said a short time ago.  His words still rang in her heart, for they were words of hope – perhaps the greatest words anyone could ever want to hear.

He said this:  “For with God nothing is impossible.”  The actual account is found in Luke 1:37. 

It is interesting to note that she only asked one question.  “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

And with the response given, she simply said, in today’s vernacular … “God said it, and that’s enough for me.”  That’s another way of saying “let it be done as you have said.”

That is simple faith. 

God said it.  I believe it. 

Somewhere along the line, Mary had developed a giant-size God-concept.  She had learned enough to know that God was capable of doing some amazing things.  Perhaps she had heard stories of the forty-year wanderings of her ancestors.  Maybe she had sat in on a few sermons and lectures on the birth of the Messiah and by now had figured out that if God said it, God could do it.

Regardless, she stepped up to the plate and simply put her faith on the line - “For with God nothing is impossible.”

Are you facing the impossible right now?  Take heart my friend. 

With God 

nothing is impossible.

I believe that.

Be encouraged. 

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words.net

Offering Hope

At Christmas

Consider Joseph

(Click Here to listen to a podcast of this blog.)

Joseph was the first to hold the Christ-child. He was the only one there to assist Mary with the birth and delivery of her baby.  

The first human touch Christ received was the gentle stroking and washing and swaddling performed by Joseph.  He had strong hands – especially after wielding those heavy hammers day after day.  But his gentle side was present as he held Jesus.  

He probably soothed him with gentle words.  He was careful to not let his head drop, and he fussed over the strips of cloth to make sure as much of Jesus was covered as possible.  Perhaps, he stripped off his own outer cloak and pressed it around the baby for added warmth.  

He gently suggested that Mary get some rest while he cared for the little one.  

He cared for God.  

God in the flesh – and Joseph wiped his face, he rubbed his feet, he allowed God to curl his tiny fingers around his big strong little finger.  He rustled around in the drafty barn for the cloth strips, and he found a bucket and stool and milked one of the cows – just to feed his son – yet he was feeding God.  

God as a baby – God coming to man. 

Joseph was the first one to touch the face of God.

Did you know?

Did he really understand?

Somehow, I think he did. 

Did he have visions of this baby mimicking him in the workshop – hitting his thumb and doing that little dance jig Joseph did every time that happened?

Perhaps he did.

He was Father to the Father’s son.  What might have been his thoughts as the Christ-child lay sleeping?  

Was the lantern turned up too brightly?  

Was it disturbing his sleep?  

Was he warm enough?  

Had he had enough milk?  

Were the baby’s cries disturbing Mary’s sleep?  She was so tired – exhausted after the long journey and then the delivery.  

Yet all the while, baby Jesus slept.  It was a peaceful sleep, for his Father was on duty,

both of them.

P Michael Biggs

A Word of Hope

At Christmas

A Christmas "Do" List

As if you needed one more thing to cram into this Christmas season, allow me to offer some Christmas ideas.

-Don’t give a fruitcake as a gift.

-Make egg nog French toast.

-Share a cup of hot egg nog with your spouse as a nightcap.

-Read Christmas stories out loud as you -travel.

-Don’t give a kid underwear.

-Don’t give your spouse scales at Christmas.

-Buy a special Christmas sweater.

-Wear your happy pants at night as you relax.

-Sing some Christmas carols.

-Listen to Christmas music as much as you want.

-Watch “It’s a Wonder Life.”

-Watch “White Christmas.”

-Read Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

-On Christmas Eve read “Twas the Night before Christmas.

-Share a bright fire and read together by firelight.

-Smile at retail sales clerks.

-Read the Christmas story from Luke in the Bible.

-Buy one special Christmas tree ornament every year.

-Wear a Santa hat at least once during the holidays.

-Buy a bunch of candy canes and give them out on a street corner.

-Help an elderly person decorate their tree.

-Tell your kids and grand kids Christmas stories from your childhood.

-Donate to a charitable organization.

-Make some new Christmas traditions to go along with your cherished traditions.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

At Christmas

A Conspiracy of Love

1:20

Who doesn’t love a good whodunit?  There is mystery, intrigue, twists and turns in the plot and great delight when we come to the end and find the resolve. 

Sort of like the conspiracy of love that happens at Christmas. 

Before our very eyes we see changes – good and wholesome changes.

Scrooges become kinder

Beggars often find their want satisfied

Merchants hear the gentle ringing of their cash registers

Food seems to flow for the entire world

Relationships are often restored

Love is expressed in bundles and basketfuls

It is a conspiracy of love. 

It started with a love gift from heaven that was predicted centuries before. 

And the grand news is – love came down to mankind bundled as a baby and laid in a manger.

The world has been different because of that baby. 

We see kindness where harshness once was.

We see smiles replacing frowns.

We see joy creeping across a worried brow.

We see plenty.

We hear laughter.

We hear singing.

We see unity in unusual places.

All because of a conspiracy of love. 

“Blessed is the season 

which engages the whole world

in a Conspiracy of love.”

-Hamilton Write Mabie

Blessed indeed!

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

At Christmas

Remember, for the month of December I will be posting on Monday and Friday.  Be sure and check out all three blog sites for Christmas themed postings.