Apr 5th 2014

The Benefit Plan

The Affordable Healthcare Act – AKA Obamacare – has generated lots of talk about what kinds of benefits employees can, should, might, and don’t offer.  Seems to me that at the root of all this is the central concern about how a company treats its employees.

Like most folks, I’ve worked at a few different places in my life.  And one of the first questions I ask when considering a new employer is: what benefits do you offer?  These days, every company seems to offer something different.  Some offer a pension plan, some don’t.  Some give free lunch.  Some give transportation passes.  Some give two weeks vacation, some give four.  There’s no set standard for what an employer has to offer its employees; it’s completely up to them and the offerings can vary widely.

But life in the company of God is another story.  He’s the ultimate employer.  His benefit plan is the “top-of-the-line” best, and it never changes.  And you don’t have to worry about His company going out of business – it was founded way before the Year of the Flood and shows no sign of slowing down.  Economic downturns, inflation, recessions, depressions are of no consequence to Kingdom enterprises, and don’t affect what benefits He offers to His folks.  And, best of all, once you join the company, the potential for promotion is endless.

The Message Bible says it best:  O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!  O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!  He forgives your sins – every one.  He heals your diseases—every one.  He redeems you from hell—saves your life!  He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.  He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.  He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.  Psalm 103:1-5 (The Message)

Mar 3rd 2014

What’s On Your Mind?

Your brain is a powerful thing.  It is operation central, sending signals and messages to the rest of your body, controlling your movements, your speech, your actions.  All the things we count as automatic – getting out of bed, into the shower, singing your favorite song, making coffee, getting dressed, reading the paper, etc – is really the result of just a nano-seconds worth of work by your brain.

With our minds controlling and directing our every action, it’s important that we keep ourselves focused on the right things, and our actions will fall in line.  Haven’t you noticed that when you wake up on “the wrong side of the bed,” everything that day just seems to go wrong and be wrong.  And it’s just a matter of time before we’re finding fault in everything and everybody.  Salt ain’t salty; sugar ain’t sweet.  Ice ain’t cold; water ain’t wet.  Everything – and everybody – is just a problem.

That’s why the Word of God tells us to direct and keep our thoughts on positive, good things.  Because our thoughts direct our actions.  Because ultimately, we attract what we think about.  So skip the negativity and the people who bring it.  Choose to see the glass as half-full instead of half-empty.  Focus on what’s right instead of what’s wrong. Find the good and praise it.  And watch God bring your life into alignment with your thoughts.