If we were to have a confidential survey that no one would ever see, we would probably be very open to answering it honestly. If one of the questions was “do you know what you should do?” we most likely already know the real answer. There is very little gray area when we are truthful with ourselves.

This afternoon I made calls to all the people that had looked at this one hotel we are selling. I didn’t want to make the calls but I did it anyway. It’s like working out or sitting on the couch and watching TV. There is no question what I should be doing but I can make every excuse and validate every reason why I shouldn’t do it. In this example I know with perfect clarity what I should do but it doesn’t mean that is what I do.

I think it is funny that the Apostle Paul wrote in the bible that at times I do what I know I should not do and at other times I don’t do what I know I should do. That’s us isn’t it? When you are dealing with something more serious we often waver around because we act like it is a gray area. Like finding a 10 dollar bill you saw someone else drop. Like being honest when you take something back to a store. Like telling the cashier they forgot to ring something up. Like telling someone the truth. Like being honest with your time at work and the list could go on and on.

Most decisions are either black or white instead of being in a gray area. I was meeting with some young guys on a new project they were doing and the project is having issues. When asked what they think the company should do, their response was that they would shut the project down. Shutting the project down means they would lose their jobs. When I heard them say that, it made me trust them even more. They could have said some ideas to sting out their employment but they didn’t do that. Being that honest makes everyone involved really want to try and keep them.

When you talk to little children they tell you the truth because they haven’t learned how to lie yet. I think when you are praying it’s really important to be transparent and honest with God. He already knows what the intent of the heart is yet sometimes we will try to sell God on our idea. It could be because of pride, jealousy, conceit, anger, strife or many of the other emotions we don’t want to admit. Its spiritual how admitting them honestly to God actually helps you get past the issue. When you put the honest name to an issue, the issue loses a lot of its power over you. KT

I was recently given a book on WWII and I was flipping through the pages and I was reminded of the sacrifice all these young men and women gave for America.

People from my generation and later have no idea what it was like to be 18 and just out of high school and going into the service. It was not something they had a decision in. You were drafted by the government and regardless of your race, height, build, hair color etc. you went to serve your country. There were the bold outgoing young people but there were also the timid and withdrawn and they all got drafted.

Think back to when you were 18 and all the dreams and hopes you had for your life. Many many many of these young drafted men and women never came home. They were at high school graduation in June and 5 months later they were dressed in combat gear holding a rifle in some foreign land fighting for the liberties you and I have today.

For Memorial Day and Fourth of July, Dahlonega Georgia, puts out white crosses for all the men and women from Dahlonega that have died in a war. These white crosses line all the streets in Dahlonega and they are spaced about 25 feet apart. On each cross is the name of the person that died and the war that they fought in. There are crosses from both world wars, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts around the globe. Today, the population of Dahlonega GA is 6,049 people. Small town. The crosses that line those streets number into the thousands. Every time I see these crosses I wonder about the young men and women that gave their life and what Dahlonega would look like today if they had all lived their life.

In the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, 51,112 young men died over the three day battle. 51 thousand. Can you even imagine what it was like? No we can’t because most Americans have never been called to arms, to fight in battle, to give the last greatest measure for their country. I pray to God that we never have to involuntarily send our young men and women again and that they can live out their hopes and dreams and have families and a life.

When you hear people talking causally about how to keep America safe while being politically correct, keep in mind that there is a cost that is almost unimaginable. KT

Making ends meet is a tough thing do when there is more month left at the end than money left in the account. I heard about one guy that wrote a bunch of checks that bounced and he thought since he still had checks left, he still had money. Ha

I remember my dad Gene Dickinson working on cars in his garage after work to make extra money to keep our family going. After working all week at his main job he would come home and work on cars in his garage on evenings and weekends for our family. I am sure there were many evenings and weekends he just wanted to relax but instead chose to do extra work so our family could make ends meet. My father in-law owned a fence company and was one of the hardest working men I know. He would work all day installing fences, come home and eat dinner, go back out at night and on Saturday and sell fences.

My son-in-law’s father had an upholstery shop behind their house and he would work his main job and eat dinner with the family and wait until the children went to bed and then go out to the work shop and work while his family slept to make ends meet for his family. I have a family member that I watched suffered through a bad marriage where the husband would not work and she would work hours upon hours of overtime to provide for her family. I have another family member that got into a financial jam back in the late 90’s who after working all week in his main job, delivered papers for 7 years at 2 o’clock in the morning to make the ends meet for their family. He would work all day, eat dinner, go to bed, wake up at 1 to deliver papers, finish the delivery and then go straight to his main job. I know of people who loaded trucks at night and on the weekends to make sure their children had the things and education they needed. I have seen husbands and dads work three jobs so his wife can stay at home and be a mother to their children. These are heroes in my mind.

Thankfully not everyone has to do this but it is something to see what people will do to ensure their family has what they need.

There are many examples that I could list but it would take too long. If you are looking for an example of how to be in life, look at your parents, grandparents, family and friends that worked long hours to make ends meet and you will probably find a good example to follow. KT

Finding joy is much harder than you would think it is. It is a choice, not a reaction to events in our life. Have you ever seen someone that seems to have it all but still cannot be happy? Hollywood actors will teach us that money, ease and things do not equal joy in one’s life. It is deeper than that.

As said above, it is a choice to happy and I believe this deeply. The ages are full of people that kept saying that when this or that happens, then I will be happy. It could be job related, house related, children related, money related, relationship related or many other such plateaus or events that people chose to wait for to be happy.

Happiness and joy are two completely separate things. Happiness is event based like “we are going to the beach,” and happiness does not equal joy. If you have joy on the other hand, it gives you an uplifting countenance and most of the time equals happiness. Happiness alone is very elusive and comes and goes with various circumstances in your life.

The bible speaks about the fruits of the spirit. This simply means that these things will grow and will be visible for all to see when you line your life up with Jesus. The fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23 are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As you will appreciated, this passage of scripture can and has been talked about and written about for generations. Since we don’t have generations, I want to point out the first three, love, joy and peace. Simply put, I believe these three come in that order and I believe all three are a choice. When you choose to love others (think the best of them and forgive them) you will find an inner joy and from that inner joy you will find peace.

If we took a survey of the top 10 things everyone wants in their heart, these three would be on that list.

If you want joy in your life, chose to love first and then you find that ever elusive peace we all long for. KT