Achuckallen

Instigating Better

Friendship

Kindness Starts with One

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kindness

Kindness Starts with One by ACHUCKAllen

Have you ever thought that no good deed goes unpunished? Me too. I’ve heard that phrase for years. Every time someone does some act of kindness and the return on that kindness is less than anticipated, the phrase comes running out of their mouth…” no good deed goes unpunished.”

Here’s the problem in that thinking. We most often act in kindness because we are moved emotional, spiritually or even physically. If we were to stop and ponder if the act of kindness would return a yield of 10 times kindness earnings, we would be a pretty cold and calloused people, right?

The problem with acting or reacting with kindness is a pretty strong indicator of your heart. Jesus had a few awesome stories when it comes to participating in an act of kindness, whether it is random or not.

Take the Parable of the Good Samaritan. There were no attaboys or social media outlets to capture the kindness offered to the most unlikely person. Nobody there to capture a quick pose helping a helpless man left for dead.

What if we were a people that were prone to offering kindness, like that Good Samaritan, simply because it was the right and righteous thing to do? What if we were to be a people that were determined to do the merciful thing even if the only attaboy we were to receive was the Spirit of God patting us on the back?

If you’ve known me more than 10 years, you might be asking who was my guest blogger today? The truth is that I squandered hundreds, maybe thousands of opportunity to act more like Jesus and act in simple kindness.

I cannot rectify those squandered opportunities, but I can set my course on being fully present and fully aware that I can impact my world significantly with a few random and intended acts of simple kindness. How about you?

–AChuck

If You Want a Great Day

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HAVE A GREAT DAY!

IF YOU WANT A GREAT DAY by ACHUCKAllen

We’ve all had “those days.” You know what I’m talking about. The days that you feel like everything just explodes on you with the foul stench of negativity. The kind of day when you aren’t sure why, but you just can’t get over the roar that you hear in your head that is screaming for you to lose it with whoever is the next person in front of you. I’ve had plenty of those days as well, but I’ve also learned a few things that minimize the number of the gross days significantly.

Here are three ways to minimize the number of days that kick you in the hind parts and maximize the number of days that you kick the world’s hind parts. Come on, let’s do this!

  1. I know you are tired of reading these words, but I will promise you that if you will start your day off by writing down 2-3 things that you are grateful for, it will change your life. If you are a regular reader, you know that I started a gratitude journal a few years ago. I KNOW that it has had a radical impact on my life, in every good way!
  2. That’s not an overstatement, that’s a scientifically proven fact. Every study, including Harvard Medical School, says that gratitude has a huge impact on our lives.Here is a quote from the Harvard Med Study: “Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
  3. Limit the number of tasks on your to-do list, but get the biggest, most challenging task out of the way first! If you are like 99% of Americans, you like the feel of checking your to-do’s off, so you tackle the easiest tasks on your list out of the gate. If you limit the number of tasks to ensure that you stay focused on what matters most, you will rest better, sleep better and remain energized by your accomplishments and success. Mark Twain once said; “Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” One of our most powerful emotions is the sense of accomplishment. There is nothing quite like slaying your badest, nastiest dragon first thing!
  4. Learn to take 10 minutes and meditate! I know what you are thinking, “Chuck, dude, you are killing me. If I have to swallow the big frog first, I don’t have time to meditate. Abraham Lincoln said; “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”Given his task, it seemed to have served him pretty well. Meditation is sharpening your ax to slay the dragon, or eat the frog! In my world, meditation includes four elements, over 20 minutes. You can start with 10 minutes and add to that as your habit forms.
  5. Here is my meditation plan:
    1) Write down three things that I am grateful for. Over the past three years, I have never run out of things to be grateful for.
    2)     Read a short piece of a Bible reading plan (I enjoy He Reads Truth or the plans in YouVerse).
    3) I pray out loud. I know that may not be your thing, but I am distracted easily and I’ve found that praying out loud and with my eyes open helps me “feel like me and the Divine are in a friendly chat.”
    4) Quietude. This was the step in my meditation maturation that took longer to learn. I had to learn the discipline of quietude. It doesn’t take long, but about 3 minutes of quietude can settle your soul to the degree that you can actually “hear” the promptings of the Divine. Just a thought, but I think this is why we have two listening ears and one talking mouth.    The key to having far more days that are great, rather than gross is to learn this discipline of meditation. Maybe your faith system never saw meditation as part of wholeness and health, but you can trust this ancient and biblical meditation habit to set your soul on a course for peace, fulfillment and even happiness.

Sharpen your ax, my friend and see how consistency in the art of meditation changes every aspect of your life for the better!

–AChuck

Food for Your Soul on this Sunday

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I read something a few weeks ago that caught my attention. The title of the article was “Pastor, Are You Too Transparent?” I clicked on it and read the article. The gist of the author’s writing seemed a bit jaded, but it was presented well.

The punchline of the article is what left me perplexed. I’m paraphrasing, but it read much like this; “Pastor, you cannot stay so vulnerable. You cannot remain so transparent. If you do, you will open yourself up to all manner of criticism and create division in the church.”

When I read that one statement, I closed the tab on my browser and thought I might offer a few thoughts. All of these thoughts are best captured in FIVE WORDS – What a bunch of poop!

I know firsthand that this world couldn’t care less about our education, ability to read Greek, look great in skinny jeans (I just crossed a line there) or have an intellect that would marvel Einstein.

I know that when you expose a weakness, folks usually already know it’s there. When you open the windows and doors to your heart, folks can relate to you and your own challenges. I know that to share your hurts and worts, folks can engage you at a level far deeper than what you are wearing.

That’s not just true for pastors. That kind of vulnerability allows folks to actually know you and BELIEVE YOU in every facet of your life! I want to believe the best in people. Their ability to be personal, present and vulnerable allows that to happen naturally.

If you are leading a church, business, small group, family or any organization, the single greatest leadership truth you offer is found in this equation: Add an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE to a SERVANT LEADER, toss in a bit of HUMILITY, sprinkle a heavy dose of VULNERABILITY. Then, finish it off with GETTING BACK UP after FAILING, and I’ll show you a leader

You know, not everything on the internet is true, right?

Go ahead, get naked with your emotions and take your lumps. It’s worth it. You might even find your greatest fan or friend in the process.

–AChuck

 

How Now Shall We Live?

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HOW NOW SHALL WE LIVE by AChuckAllen

I read a book by that title years ago. It was written by Chuck Colson. At the time that I read it, I had a difficult time trying to wrap my pride-filled soul around his thesis. At 58 and experiencing some of the worst of this life, and some of the blessed moments of this life, I offer my best version of the question, How Now Shall We Live, as a Follower of Jesus in 2018? It’s short, but then I truly don’t believe that the Divine has made it that hard.

How Now Shall We Live, as a Follower of Jesus in 2018?

  • Let us be found guilty of being gracious people, that lay our pitchforks down and replace them with an olive branch.
  • Let us be found guilty of forgiving what seems to be unforgivable, knowing that if we are to be forgiven, we are to forgive.
  • Let us be guilty of helping the wrong way occasionally in the constant effort to help and help even more.
  • Let us be found guilty of worship that is too loud, too honest, too excited and too passionate for the self-righteous to enjoy it!
  • Let us be too giving and too generous to recognize that our hands were created to live openly.
  • Let us love the unlovable, pray for the wicked and never think too much of ourselves to realize that we are both.
  • Let us serve the least of these, and never, ever believe in our hearts that we are above serving. Greatness is found in the action and attitude of serving the least of these.

How now shall we live? With far less religion, and far more Jesus. This world couldn’t care less about the pomp and circumstance, found in religious dogma or tradition. This world wants to know if Jesus can really change our hearts, attitudes, and actions to the degree that we have been changed.

Go in Peace,
AChuck

10 Ways to Ace Valentines Day

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56bc23645e0b5.image10 Ways to Ace Valentines Day by ACHUCKAllen

Most of us need tutorials in the way of expressing our love and dare I actually say feelings? We all have them and we all struggle to manage them! Here are a few ways that you can get on the autobahn of love and cruise as fast as you wish!

If you are thinking that I may have missed the correct date for Valentines Day, the answer is nope! I am keenly aware that today is Thursday, February 8. And knowing how many folks wait until lunchtime on February 14 and have a huge swing and a miss, I thought you might appreciate a bit longer on-ramp to your big day with your love.

Before you read these brief nuggets of gold and cubic zirconia, please know that these are fail-proof. These choice pieces of wisdom have been dropped from the heavenly’s and provided for you to prove your sincere and undying love.

Here are TEN WAYS TO ACE Valentines Day

  1. LEARN TO LISTEN WITHOUT INTERJECTING. This, my friend, is the real deal. It takes patience, which can be learned. It takes deep, abiding love, which you already possess. And it requires you to genuinely value your sweetheart. Proverbs 18:13
  2. TALK. I MEAN ACTUALLY TALK TO EACH OTHER. Not in mumbled “whatever grunts” but talk. It’s a very cool part of life. Don’t miss it – especially when you talk without condemnation. James 1:19
  3. GIVE GENEROUSLY & GRACIOUSLY. Simply give your best, without sparing. Proverbs 21:26
  4. PRAY FOR THEM WITHOUT CEASING. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I will say this. The times when Jenny and I are most in sync is when we pray together – out loud. Colossians 1:9
  5. ANSWER WITHOUT ARGUING. I am so bad about this. I love to immediately respond in a defensive mode when it is never helpful. Proverbs 17:1
  6. SHARE & SHARE MORE. When we leave no room for doubt, it is always because we have spoken in truth. Pretending to share what you think they want to hear is simply deceit. It always reveals the pretender. Ephesians 4:15
  7. ENJOY THEM AS THE GIFT GOD INTENDED THEM TO BE. The Divine broke out the gift baskets and gave you to each other as gifts. Enjoy each other without complaining. Philippians 2:14
  8. TRUST THEM. Trust is a fragile element to healthy relationships. It is high octane fuel when a marriage is cruising well. It is oil sludge when it’s broken. Keep this in mind. You are one small step away from losing trust. 1 Corinthians 13:7
  9. FORGIVE WITHOUT KEEPING SCORE. If you’ve been on my BLOG for more than a month, you’ve heard this before, but forgiveness is the magic elixir in a healthy relationship! Colossians 3:13
  10. PROMISE & KEEP THAT PROMISE. If you need reminders, build them into your time management system. If need them and do not have a time management system, well, I can’t help you. Promises kept are rocket fuel for trust! Proverbs 13:12

I’ve got some work to do on all of these and I’d imagine that you do as well. Flowers, candies, jewelry, and dinners out are great and I strongly urge you to remember those things. But if you want Valentines Day to be 365 days a year, take these lessons and live them to the fullest.

Peace,
AChuck

We Need to Grow Up

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We Need to Grow Up by ACHUCKAllen

Are you as disgusted with Washington DC as I am? I read, or watch news that has long ceased to be news for years now. And before you Trump haters or Trump lovers start warming up your fingers to blast away, just give me another paragraph. Then you are welcome to fire at will.

This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue. This is a common sense and common decency issue. When we are facing global terror, economic insecurity, worldwide starvation, human trafficking and health coverage nightmares…just to name a few, why are we spending millions on special prosecutors to investigate special prosecutors, who were originally seeking to find dirt on whichever candidate was breathing that day? Why in the world are we consumed with catching some politician with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar, when we all know that everybody seems to lay claim to at least four or five cookie jars themselves?

America doesn’t need more politicians. This great land of ours doesn’t need people that play the role of politicians. America the Beautiful needs women and men of courage and character to
stand up and grow up.

Virtually every waking hour seems to drag the folks in DC back into that really gross daycare center that we all knew could never get licensed because they never cleaned the floors. It was that gross, smelly center where cats made a mess in the faded turtle sandbox, and the van had seventeen ladders attached to it. It’s the place where the very worst side of small, selfish children roam through dirty playgrounds and extremely rough looking women stood watching with a Marlboro hanging effortlessly from their bottom lip.

But it’s not just the folks we elect in DC. It’s in our communities, schools, offices and ball fields. America seems to have an abundance of immature, spoiled-rotten children,  masquerading as adults. We argue over anything and seem to want to blame everything on whoever we were last arguing anything with! What the heck?

My Grandad was a man’s man. He was tough, kind, rugged, genuine and a man that seemed to always do the right thing. He would say to our elected bottle-babies in the House, Senate and West Wing to zip it and do something that matters – right now! I heard those words a few times. He might also say to us preachers, you boys need to stop sharing baby cereal laced with too much sugar and throw a steak on the grill!

As for me, I think most, if not every single challenge that we Americans face, can be turned right-side-up with these four principals:

  1. OWN YOUR OWN JUNK. Stop looking for somebody that must be responsible for your bad choices. And by the way, help those folks who probably have reason to blame and simply need a little boost. Stop fixing blame and start fixing problems!
  2. GET YOUR OWN JUNK IN ORDER. If we were to simply spend an equal amount of time getting our lives in order that we spend pointing out others problems, we might just get life on the proper trajectory.
  3. GET OFF OF OUR PLATFORMS & GET ON OUR KNEES. The world is consumed with building personal platforms designed to sell something, say something or attempt to be something. How about laying the platform and attention chasing down long enough to find ourselves in the posture of a true warrior…a warrior whose heart is bent toward the Divine.
  4. DETERMINE TO SERVE SOMEONE TODAY & EVERY DAY. If God’s Son said that greatness begins when we choose to serve others, then let’s get busy serving. BUT WAIT! I don’t mean serve through institutional, religious, political or racial motivations. I mean, simply be a gracious, servant that helps somebody, especially if nobody ever knew that you did it. Just be nice. Just help somebody. Just be the right person at the right time, which is all of us, all the time.

Friend, this is still the greatest country on the face of the planet and yes, I still get teared up when somebody belts out the National Anthem in such a way, that when those aircraft fly over and the rockets start firing, I wanna run through the heart of Kabul waving Old Glory.

This isn’t about the good old days. I think we are living my kids and grandkids good old days, right now. This is about placing a cease and desist order on the childish behaviors developed over years of living the comfort and peace of our American lives. This is about saying to Washington and into our mirrors, we are better than the foolish bickering with the left against the right, donkeys against elephants, black against white, the cop against the pedestrian, gay against straight or wealthy against needy!

America, let’s choose to GROW UP!

–AChuck

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