It does matter...

A baby is God's opinion that life should go on. ~Carl Sandburg~  New life and a new race of life.  Our son-in-law, James and our daughter Heather have a new son, Easton James (i.e. he's a keeper).  We are in Morrison, CO helping and celebrating new life.  He is off and running the race if he knows it or not.  If I could give every child something, I think it would be confidence with humility (i.e. other than a saving relationship with Jesus).  Not cocky confidence but confidence with humility.  I really think it makes life sooooooooo much easier.  Sooooo how does little Easton James Woodworth get confidence with humility.  I can't send it in the mail.  I can't buy it for him off ebay.  I can't expect his friends to give it to him.  Soooooo how will he get it?  Probably by his parents, grandparents, church, teachers, coaches, and the rest of his network (i.e. he will be programed by somebody) or some other way.  It will be important how Easton James is programed to how he runs the race of life.  Programming does matter no matter what you think!  What do you think?! At church a few Sundays ago, I had a business man say to me--I don't care at all what others think!  Woooooooo!  I think he said it meaning--I'm sooooooo important and know more than everyone else and what others think is below me.  Ouchy ouchy--that's confidence with cockiness!  I asked a few friends why they are confident.  Here are their responses--born with it, was just plain lucky, knowledge, growing up with it, promises of Jesus, ability to learn, just happened, 'cause of my father and then I made a choice maybe, success, positive attitude, experiences, being empowered, affirmation by many people, encouragers in my life,  positive memories, and "I don't really know". "Maybe it was just expected from my parents. Maybe we were given opportunities to succeed". Some folks told me that they aren't always confident.  There are certain areas and certain times that they aren't confident.  What about you?  "To be, or not to be,--that is the question:--whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?"  ~  Shakespeare

I took this picture on I-80 in the middle of Nebraska.  It wasn't tooooo many years ago Heather was like the gal in the picture.  She wasn't Tahoe Bound but Denver Bound.  Now she has a husband, a couple of kids, house payments, car payments and work.  It's called the race of life.  It does matter how she handles all those areas of her life.  Yes it does.  BUT she has great opportunities.  She is very fortunate (i.e. my opinion). 

It doesn't matter...!  What you think doesn't matter, just do it anyway (e.g. it's cold and dark outside and I don't want to go exercise).  It does matter--throw those chips away and get your butt off the couch and do it (i.e. a guy has to be relentless persistant)!  Here is stuff from the book I read about running--I'm warning you, some of you won't like what I'm about to write--those of you who don't have self-discipline, don't like motivation and those of you who would rather not look at reality probably will find this unpleasant so....  This stuff does matter, here it is (i.e. this stuff is proven stuff--it's not if it works, it does work).   Ideas from the book The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer by Whitsett, Dolgener, and Kole--Your mind does influence your experience in profound ways and it does so all day, every day. -- What you believe is what you’ll be. I believe I am in control of the events in my life. -- Realty is not a “one and for all" thing. It’s something that we constantly recreate through our beliefs and behaviors. Change your thoughts or actions and you change your reality. -- Focusing on the Positive; “…”But it doesn’t matter.” When you catch yourself thinking something negative say “ but it doesn’t matter"! (e.g. I’m tooooo tired—it doesn’t matter, do it anyway). That’s attitude. -- Talk to myself. I can do this. Yes I can and I will! My body will react to my mind. -- Have fun! I have chosen to do this. I don’t have to do this but I want to. I'm fortunate to be able to do this. I want to do this. Sooooo relax and enjoy. It’s an attitude.  JoeBow says--run the race, you can do it.  Yes you can.

Do confident children most often have confident parents, mentors or a good examples?  I think sooooo!  If a parent is not confident and not positive, there is probably a much higher probability that the children will not be confident and will be negative. Not always, there are exceptions and those exceptions are really champions--I know some of these champions.  GeorgeTheCrook says--The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving--some of these champions who are confident and positive win the horse race.  Oh ya.  My hat really goes off to these kind of folks.  BUT I really do think that children who are raised in a positive, confident environment have a huge massive advantage (i.e. my opinion).

ItchieBitchie says--It doesn't matter!  What?  You know better than that, don'tcha?  Everybody worships something or someone. Whether it is a hero, possessions, success, pleasure, a political cause, a carved idol or oneself, the way we live and behave makes evident the things we love and give ourselves to.  Saturday question--Who or what do you worship?  I read it in the paper soooooo it must be right--Folks spend their money on their passion!  Sooooooooo what makes a good point guard, a good quarterback, a good leader, a good parent, a good CEO, a good employee, a good family leader, etc.?  And the answer is--A person with a lot of confidence but humble.  I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist  in the abundance of his possessions (i.e. it was in red).  Huh, interesting.  Yabut ItchieBitchie says--The world measures success by how much stuff you have!  Such is life. 

Listen up:  Hold your horses!  WildWilly says--Saying it never happened or it will never happen is being an idiot (i.e. getting caught up in the horse race of being important, having more money, having more power, being the biggest McDreamer, etc.)!  It's a horse race to the finish.  MissPerfect says--Who ever can talk the fastest and loudest wins the race! You really think so MissPerfect?  AverageJoe says--Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.  Yabut not everyone can win the horse race.  GeorgeTheCrook says--We can't all play a winning game...Some one is sure to lose. Yet we can play so that our name No one may dare accuse; For when the Master Referee Scores against our name, It won't be whether we've won or lost, But how we've played the game.  Talk about winning the horse race--When Dan Wheldon go killed in the firey crash in Las Vegas racing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at about 220 miles an hour, a fellow driver, Darlo Franchitti said this--We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships, and that's what we love to do, what we live for. LuckieEddies says--Everyone loves a winner!  Soooooooo in many circles of our social world, winning does make a difference (i.e. very important). 

Peakin' out at the right times does matter.  Oh ya.  I was talking to our high school football coach recently and he hopes the team peaks out during the playoffs (i.e. hope we didn't peak out tooooo early).  Have you peaked out yet?  To win the race ya gotta peak out at the right time. TheWackoKid has said for many years--It's who ends up the most toys is the winner of the horse race (i.e. the prime cut). The most toys is like money in the bank! Yabut, a favorite saying of a friend is--When the gonger gongs.....there is only one thing that will matter. And I bet it isn't who has the most toys or money! What do you think?

The race I'm running is pretty exciting.  I have speed bumps and detours and canyons and mountains and special times and special beauty.  I'm probably not much different than any of you.  It appears it makes a huge massive difference on my attitude of life, my relationship with God, the folks I'm around, etc.  And you know what, I can't control some of the stuff that happens to me but I can control my attitude as to how I react to it (i.e. the race of life will continue).  That is my decision and decisions have consequences. 

Here are some kids from church who we like.  These are good kids 'cause maybe they have good parents.  These kids have a huge massive start-up advantage.  Yes they do.  They have parents who love them, care for them, and spend time with them.  It's like they have a head start in the race of life.  It does matter.  That's my opinion.  Our little Erin sang this Halloween song to us many times this last week--Three little pumpkins sittin' on a fence.  Witch come riddin' by AhHa AhHa AhHa!  I'll take you and make a pumpkin pie.  Ah Ha!  She's the little 4-year old who told me where to turn in Littleton to get to McDonalds for ice cream!!! 

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean says--All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. ~  Abraham Lincoln

PS Bonus Coverage at no additional cost--This video is about 17 minutes sent to me by a freind.  It's about the American Race.  Many of you won't have time to watch it--It's the Americal Race folks.  It's quite revealing about the American Race.  http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_wilkinson.html#.Tq8Z2Llfnt0.email
Isn't there a song that goes something like this--Now the race is on and here comes pride up the backstretch
Heartaches are going to the inside My tears are holding back they're tryin' not to fall...The race is on and it looks like heartaches and the winner loses all