Vacation Time 2012

My Dear Reader:

Carolyn and I will be on vacation beginning Wednesday, October 31 - Thursday Nov 8.  We are going to Washington, DC.
I will resume posting on Friday Nov. 9.

If you wish to keep up with what we are seeing and doing, I'll post a daily DC Update blog on Up-Words Morning Notes so you can track with us.  This will begin Wednesday night, October 31.

Here is the link.
http://up-words.blogspot.com/2012/10/fall-vacation-2012.html


Be at peace.
Be encouraged.
Be gentle in all of your relationships.
Express the "I Love You" words often.

P Michael Biggs

The Ordinary

There are many things I would never attempt.

Designing a bridge across a river

Operating on my wife

Driving a speeding train

One might say I am a man of ordinary talent.  I can do a few things well.  Other skills are best left to the experts.

But …

But I do believe this. 

“… that with ordinary talent

and extraordinary perseverance,

all things are attainable.

Sir T. F. Buxton

Of course you noticed the key phrase “extraordinary perseverance”.  That is the secret sauce. 

Chad Hymas comes to mind when I think of perseverance. 

-On April 2, 2001 he was a robust American farmer who capably provided for his family. 

-On April 3, 2001 a one-ton bale of hay crushed him, paralyzing him from the chest down.  

Chad rose up from the dust and stubble of that hay bale and rode a three-wheeled bicycle 513 miles.  He did this with his hands and arms, since his legs were and still are useless because of the accident.

Chad had what we might call perseverance.  He was an ordinary guy with an extraordinary amount of perseverance.  You should see and hear him speak. 

Be encouraged to take your ordinary life and find some extraordinary perseverance to conquer your mountains.

Read a longer blog post on Chad-click here.

http://up-words.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-handicap.html

 Order Chad's book NOW!

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Honor Is the Way

Want to be a great leader?  Consider this idea, taken from Harvey McKay’s weekly blog. 

He quotes Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu:  "Fail to honor people, they fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will all say, 'We did this ourselves.'"

He made that observation over 2000 years ago. Some things never change.”

And that’s the way it is. 

Honor

Respect

Consideration

Still in fashion 

   Still needed

      Still valid

         Still appropriate

P Michael Biggs

Offering Insight

One Word at a Time

Obscure Guideposts

Guideposts can sometimes come disguised a thousand different ways. 

A good friend

A mentor

A book

A word or phrase properly timed

A sermon or prayer

A mistake

Are you kidding me?  A mistake?

Consider this –

Mistakes aren’t really mistakes.

They are the guide posts you use to get better.

I don’t know who said that, but its great food for thought. 

So is this one:

The greatest mistake you can make in life

is to be continually afraid you won’t make one.

Elbert Hubbard 1856-1915

Another way to look at this issue is this – You’re not down until you stay down.

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones,

there is always another chance for you. 

What we call failure is not the

falling down but the staying down.

Mary Pickford 1893-1979

I hope you notice the guideposts along the way.  They are there to assist you.  Use them to find your way. 

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Our Job

Everyone has a job to do – wow, that’s profound.

Ah, now consider this.

Brene’ Brown, in her book Daring Greatly, says this

“Children are hard-wired for struggle when they get here.  They come out perfectly and we want them to continue being perfect.  But our job is not to say, ‘Look at him, he’s perfect’, and keep them perfect so that they make the tennis team by 5^th grade and Harvard by 7^th grade.

“Our job is to look and say, ‘you know what, you are imperfect and you are wired for struggle, and you are worthy of love and belonging.’  That’s our job.”

“Imperfect and wired for struggle” – we often don’t want to talk about that part of life, do we?  It is true nevertheless. 

But isn’t that a freeing thought?  Actually, I find it quite empowering.  It takes the pressure off.  You mean I don’t have to be perfect to be loved? 

Amazing concept.

And the critical part of this whole piece is this – “You are worthy of love and belonging.”

OH, My Goodness!

Finally! 

Acceptance!

Validation!

I have some value after all.

Gotta love that concept.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Somebody's Got to Do Something

I have a new friend.  Her name is Polly.  Polly is one of the many street people in Seattle.  She doesn't have a lot of money.  She wears hand-me-down clothes, and she sells a newspaper on the streets of Seattle to earn a bit of money. 

But she has other goals too.  I bought a newspaper from her last week, and that is when I found out her name.  As I handed over my buck, we entered into conversation and she was telling me how this money helps fund some shelters and food for the homeless of Seattle. 

And then she laid the bomb on me.  She said …

“I do this because somebody’s got to do something.”

Wow!

That is about as profound as it gets.

I've given a lot of thought to that conversation with Polly.  Here was a woman with few earthly possessions to her name and every day, on the same spot in front of the same grocery store I see her peddling her newspapers, raising money to feed those less fortunate.

Isn't that amazing? 

Makes me stop and ask – What am I doing?

Am I doing something?

I’m a writer, trying to change my corner of the world and encourage those who read these words.  I have a nice little following, but I wonder if it is enough?  What more can I do?  How can I reach more people?

Polly asks that same question every day – how can I sell more newspapers and raise more money to feed more people?

You are so right Polly ... Somebody has to do something. 

Why do I tell you this story?  Not to guilt you into buying newspapers on street corners. 

But if some of us found a cause, a passion for which we were willing to apply ourselves, then truly we just might do something.  

And in the doing, we might affect some lives, clothe some people, warm some lonely souls, encourage those who are discouraged.

I am amazed at what the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does.  They are finding ways do something.

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army found a way to do something.

Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission has found a way to do something.

Many fine religious institutions have as well.

I often see drivers stop at a traffic light and reach out their hand offering something tangible to one in need. 

These individuals and groups are “doing something.”

God bless them.

May God bless all of us with eyes to see that we can “Do Something.”

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Imagine Better

What if there was such a thing as magic?

What if it really worked?

Bam – a dash of magic powder and you are transported to another realm, or into a different person.

Or

Drink this portion and you’ll grow hair, lose weight, or cure any other ill around you.

Wouldn't that be something?

Some would say our world needs a huge dose of some magic potion.  Indeed we do – however, I doubt the cure is going to come from a bottle or some ancient recipe. 

Love this comment.  Ponder it…

“We do not need magic to transform our world.

We carry all the power we need

inside ourselves already.

We have the power to imagine better.”

J K Rowling

Harvard Graduation Address

2008

And how do we imagine better? 

-It begins with a healthy dose of respect – respect for every man, woman and child who walks upon this earth.

-It begins with truth, integrity, and a wholesome sense of responsibility.  Are we thinking of unborn generations and our future citizens, or thinking only of our next pay check, our next vacation, or the next election?

Do we suffer from tunnel vision? 

Do we see worth and usefulness in every person?

Are we imagining better?

I am an optimist.  With every person I meet I anticipate some kind of connection, even if it is a smile, a nod of acknowledgement, and especially a generous “hello” or “how are you?”

I’m starting a movement - The Imagine Better movement. 

All are welcome.

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time