To continue on with my ten post series which stem from my recent post, “9 things I have learned,” this is the topic I struggle with the most. Well, that and number three on the list, “It is not my place to condemn others.” Maybe it’s because I don’t really care to find the good in some people, or maybe I’m just too impatient? Not sure. Or maybe it’s because I’ve watched “The Punisher” one too many times!

We live in a world of hatred, greed, selfishness, disease and death. It’s easy to see those things and how the world keeps getting worse. But we also live in a world of love, service, selflessness, miracles and the beauty of life! And it is also very easy to see those things as well. Everything must have it’s opposite, otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to choose one or the other. We wouldn’t know what joy really was because we had not experienced misery. But once we had experienced it, we would, without a doubt, know what true joy was.

A little budgeting before and during the holiday season wouldn’t do you any harm. On the contrary, if you are searching for a way to get out of debt, getting appropriate financial advice before the gift-giving season begins is the best thing that you can do. Most people spend a lot of money on travel, entertaining and presents during the holidays. A significant part of expenditure is done on credit, at huge interest rates. This brings along a lot of debt, which usually destroys people’s cheer after the holiday. If you wish to avoid this, you should check the following 10 tips, which explain how you can have a great holiday without risking some unpleasant financial consequences:

As my family grows older, things seem to get busier and busier. The more they learn, the more excited they become, and as a result, the more they want to experience. And that’s a good thing, as long as that excitement is directed towards something virtuous. At times, it takes hard work to support a family, and that hard work takes time.

It takes Hard Work to support a family

During a leadership meeting I recently attended, helping our youth was one of the topics we received instruction on. During that lesson, we discussed what our youth think about work, and were they learning the value of it. The conversation went down a road that involved teaching our youth how to work hard. With today’s technology and all the modern conveniences we have, kids really aren’t required to work hard, physically. This is especially true for kids that live within city limits. With homes stacked on top of each other like Legos, there’s not much physical labor needed around the homestead.

Recently I received some priceless advice from an Uncle of mine, who in turn received it from a highly respected friend of his. His friend had recently been involved in an accident and passed away. The month prior to his passing, he and his wife celebrated their 50th anniversary and at that time, he shared, “Nine Things I Have Learned,” with his family.

So just as my uncle was impressed to share this nine things with me, I now share them with you.

Since the recent 2012 presidential election, it seems that more and more people are becoming experts at pointing the finger! Wouldn’t you agree with that statement?

Pointing the Finger is for Children

Sometimes I wonder if my time spent on social networks is of any benefit or if all the negativity I surround myself with on that platform is more damaging than helpful.

It’s been said that you will eventually become more like those you hang out with. If you count the hour or so per day that I spend with my thousands of Facebook contacts, a good portion of those influences probably aren’t doing me much good. The more I allow myself to be influenced by those who are constantly pointing the finger, blaming others for their problems and playing the victim, the more I might accept it.

I’m getting very efficient at unsubscribing from people who aren’t lifting me up.

As Veterans Day passes by, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have made sacrifices in the service of our country. And I’d like to specifically thank the families of those veterans who also made similar sacrifices. Although you weren’t primarily in harms way, your loved ones were. I know, from experience, the hardships placed on the families of those serving in the military. So thank you.

Thanks to All Veterans on Veterans Day

A veteran has many different definitions. Some say that a true veteran is someone who has seen combat, or served in the military during war time. Others say that your veteran status depends on your time served in active duty. I say, you are a veteran if you served honorably in the military for the term you signed up for. In this day and age, small or large, there’s always a war in progress and whether you’ve seen combat or not, you were willing to serve.