Many years ago, I sat on an airplane, like I frequently do, and while I was there, my thoughts turned to my beautiful family, and my children specifically. If my children never saw me again, what would they remember about their dad?
Did I teach them everything I want them to know? Would they know what I stood for, what I believed, and what I know. If I had one last conversation with them, what would I want to say? What would I want them to know?
This sobering thought prompted me to pull out my computer. As I opened a new document, I typed, “Things I Know that are True.”
- God is real and He lives.
- Jesus is the Christ and He lives.
- The adversary is real.
- Jesus Christ is the son of God. He is our Savior, Redeemer, Judge and Advocate.
- God knows more than I do. He knows what’s best for me and my family.
- Things happen according to God’s timeline not man’s.
- Prayer is a dialogue not just children talking to a parent with no response. God listens to us and He desires us to listen to Him. He answers our prayers.
- Truth is eternal. Truth is truth, no matter what the world says.
- True happiness isn’t achieved in temporal and worldly achievements, items obtained, or places you reside; true happiness is obtained in living righteously, having an eternal perspective, loving and caring for your family, helping others, and overcoming challenges and adversity.
- The division between good and bad continues to grow daily.
- Forgiving is easier and less painful than holding animosity.
- Decisions get harder the older you get.
- People can change.
- Life becomes what you make of it.
- Happiness is a decision not a result.
- Love is a verb. It’s something you do more than something you feel.
- Good things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to good people. Bad things happen to bad people. The way a person handles the good and the bad define their character.
- There is so much good in the world, even among all the absolute terrible wickedness.
- When spoken sincerely, there are few words in the English language as powerful as the phrase, “I’m sorry.”
- Parenting is hard while being your child’s friend is easy. The world needs more parents of children and fewer parent friends.
- Rarely do things happen quickly. Habits and patterns are learned over time, not immediately.
- It takes years and years to gain trust, love, and respect; it takes a brief moment to loose it.
- It is difficult to humble yourself but when you do, growth and happiness occur.
- A weekly date between a husband and wife is a crucial element to a happy marriage.
- Doing what you enjoy is more important than doing what pays you the most money.
- You don’t have to be the smartest person to succeed but you must be willing to work extremely hard to succeed.
- Respect is earned, it’s not just given.
- To really succeed, you have to fail along the way. When you fail, you must have a greater resolve and determination to find solutions to overcome the failure.
- One alone cannot accomplish what many can do if they work together.
- Learning should be a life-long goal. Knowledge is priceless.
- If you disagree with what is being said, you have an obligation to voice your opinion.
- Standing for what you know is true is difficult but is always right.
- We create our own opportunities.
- Taking risks is healthy.
