It’s Monday again. Some love it; some hate it. Some enjoy starting their work week and others are ready to get it over with quickly. I guess it all depends on attitude, your view of work and the life you are living. I happen to enjoy Mondays for a variety of reasons. Monday are my day of reflection. Every week, I quickly reflect on last week and try to learn from the previous experiences. We learn from our experiences and in that education, we can share our wisdom with others. While we all make mistakes, it is learning from them where our wisdom begins.

Journaling Idea: If you journal, an idea for writing is to end every week writing what you learned and the wisdom you gained.

Five Things I Learned Last Week

1 – There are people with knowledge and there are people who think they have knowledge. There is a drastic difference between the two. You have probably heard the old adage, “They think they know so much, but they know very little.” It always helps to consider the person speaking to you and their experience. Today’s “you-have-to-hear-my-opinion” age should be remembered when everyone starts sharing their “knowledge.”

2 – For me, reading the Bible is better when I think. When I read the Bible, I try to get away from reading the chapters and verses and read about the situation. For instance, in the book of Esther, Haman built gallows 75 feet high. When you read this passage, you keep reading. However, take a moment and consider what 75-foot gallows look like. Think of how long it took to build them? Think outside the verse for a moment to the time period and the situation. The story of the gallows is amazing.

3 – There are people who listen to care and then there are people who do not care to listen; be the first group. Have you ever been speaking with someone and you can tell by the look in their eyes they already have their response ready? We all have and it is annoying. Do not be that person. Make it a point to listen to the other person’s words, clarify what they said and then develop your response. Fully listen to what the other person is saying before developing your response. The reason: sometimes what we think we hear is not what you should be hearing.

4 – Your past does not define you; your past enables you. Many people live in the past. Their focus is on high school, past sports or even a past success; but remember, those are in the past. What future are you creating? Your past is just that, your past. Your past should not define you because every day is a new day. While the past is part of our life, it should not be the defining factor. Use your past as an educational tool. Each of us should learn from our past, but not live in it.

5 – This quote says a lot, “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.’ —Mark Twain

What did you learn last week?

Monday Morning Motivation

Getting up on a Sunday morning and getting your family ready to attend services can be a reality show, even for the best families.  I love this story from Ken Davis regarding “Children fighting on the way to Church.” Sit back and laugh as you hear Ken’s story and see if you experienced it as well.

Have a great Monday!

Just some thoughts,