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Posts from the ‘Self-Motivation’ Category

Nov 26

Daily Dose 37: Apprentice

Years ago, a young man “made himself” by being apprenticed to a skilled craftsman. Over many years he developed deftness with both the tools and the skill habits of the craft, starting at the bottom and bit by bit adding to his store of skill and knowledge by doing whatever the craftsman needed done.

Now a worthy craftsman knew how to bring the apprentice along step by step, explaining and showing him how to use the tools, and how to perfect the skills of the craft, from the basics through the trade secrets of success: how to stoke the fire with different woods and ores to build a hotter flame, how much time to temper the silver or the glass, how to tell when the bark was ready for carving. Subtle, expert skills became accomplished over the years, until the apprentice’s eyes, hands, and work habits became as accomplished as those of the craftsman. Read more

Nov 9

Daily Dose 21: Turning Around Discontentment 2

To enjoy the full benefit from pesky questions like the contentment question, we need to spread them over our lives like rich butter on warm, fresh bread: liberally. When we move the question around different parts our life, it helps us clarify where we need to work on our God-given responsibilities, and it helps us attend to subtle long term needs, rather than only concentrating on screeching and screaming short term pressures.  Read more

Nov 8

Daily Dose 20: Turning Around Discontent

Here is where to begin reading Daily Doses 11-20 in order.

The Fourth Question

Answering the contentment question honestly, particularly when the answer is, “No,” frees us to see the situation the way the Lord does—and that leads to the next question, the direction question: “What should I do to make [whatever] more satisfactory to the Lord?” The answer to THAT question opens up the world of stewardship action steps.  Read more

Nov 7

Daily Dose 19: Contentment Honesty

If this were the best it would ever be, would I be content?

If you have asked yourself that question, do you feel a little beyond yourself, rather like you are outside of yourself and looking on? Is there a bit of a squirm in your inner self? Do you feel a wavering sense that part of you must say “No,” to be honest, but most of you wants to say, “Yeah, sure, whatever,” either because you know you should be content, or you don’t really want to face squarely the alternative? Read more

Nov 6

Daily Dose 18: Contentment

The discipline, diligence, and stewardship we demonstrate in our lives is more of a statement about our contentment with our designated priorities and our willingness to work through them than about us possessing any special talent or organizational flair.

When we find ourselves spinning our wheels in frustration with our lives, the quickest and easiest way to squirm away from that frustration, conviction, pressure, or dissatisfaction is to begin to daydream about “when” it will be gone.  Tired of tests, five hundred page reading assignments, and endless oral presentations?  Start wishing for the time when school will be done.  Ready to collapse in a tearful heap on the floor because for the twenty-seventh day in a row you’ve changed hundreds of diapers, picked up thousands of blocks, served millions of peanut butter sandwiches, and managed to get dressed at the same time you were fixing supper?  Start wishing for when the kids will be in school.  Had it with unreasonable bosses who act like they own you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?  Wish for retirement, a new job, or the golden opportunity to be your own boss. Read more

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