StillWatersIowa: What's The Plan

It's snowing and blowing in Iowa this morning. So we're in a new year. What's the plan? Have we thought about what we would like to accomplish? Will our efforts be effective? As we move forward is our goal just to make a living or make a life?

You don't have to be very old around here to wish you were outside playing with your cousins or helping your Dad.

Families are the back bone of our culture in learning responsibility and caring about each other. One of the things that shaped me the most growing up was helping and being given responsibility as a kid. One of the most rewarding things for me is to see our grandkids being given responsibility and working along side their parents.

I have always loved and appreciated my parents although I don't tell them that often enough. One of my goals this year is to be a parent that my kids can appreciate. By the way I think it's my little sister's 45th birthday today. Happy Birthday Beth.

Will you be an enjoyable person to be around this year? Do folks like working with you? Are you a good listener? Can people trust you?

Will you be thankful this year for what others do for you and express it? How about please when you need something? How about I'm sorry when you goof up? Old rules that are still very applicable today.

God always has a plan for us and sometimes He leads us down a different path. Another one of my goals this year is to not miss opportunities to serve and help when they are presented. It's like when Mordecai said to his niece Queen Esther, "and who knows that you have come for such a time as this." God wants us to be part of His-story.

Will you feel genuinely happy for other folk's accomplishments this year?

Relationships make things happen. If you have to pick between people and things, pick people.

Do you have projects that have been needing attention for some time? I can be a procrastinator sometimes. Make it a goal this year to tackle those projects.

Finally we don't know when the next year will be our last. Have you made a plan for heavenly treasures after these earthly treasures? If you were to die this year would you be ok? Have you made enough plans and did enough homework that your loved ones would be ok? Remember don't judge a person's success by how much his business needs him. Judge that person's success by how well things run when he is gone.