day 1210: Milk or Wine

"My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!"

Opportunities are like wine.  They can be taken advantage of now, or they can sit and under the right conditions, and get even better.  Problems are not wine.  They are milk.  They don't get better with time, they get more spoiled, stinky and can turn into something that ruins lots of other things around them. Those that say that a problem deferred is a problem solved forget that their procrastination will only come back to bite them later. Looking at those things in front of us and asking ourselves, will this get better or worse with time and being willing to honestly accept the answer can be a true competitive advantage.

As believers we also have God's wisdom, guidance and will to assist us in sorting out the wine and the milk. God delivers on opportunities in His own time and if we are in tune with His will then we can accept and be ready for when the opportunity is ready to be grasped. Our problems are His problems to help us accept and fix.  Giving these over to God for Him to solve can provide us peace and assurance that nothing else can. We will face both opportunities and problems today.  Both, if we follow God's lead can be the sweeter of wine and milk.

Reference:  Psalm 25:17 (New Living Translation)

day 2: Sometimes It Just Works Out That Way....

We all know people who we look at and say, "how did they get to where they are?" On the surface they don't have the same or better as us in comparable education, experience, skills, maturity or tenure. But yet, they are ahead of us and it just doesn't make sense. And you know what, the truth is that you won't be able to make any sense of it at all. Sorry. God gives us a word for this situation and to help us make it through these moments and times. In Ecclesiastes 9:11, Solomon puts it out there for us very bluntly: "I have observed something else in this world of ours. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time." I believe we are given this word for two reasons. First, we are are not to live our lives bogged down, discouraged or resentful of those who have gotten ahead of us despite themselves. The word we are given is that it just is what it is and we can't change it, so don't let that effect or influence our own lives and what we strive to be or become. Secondly, we all have times when it is us who is in the right place at the right time. It might be the recruiter calling, being in the office at just the time something important is needed, the chance meeting in the hallway, the elevator, or the lunchroom with the boss or the bosses boss. Or it could be seeing the business opportunity in front of you and you pouncing on it...at the right time in the market. Whatever the circumstance, if you find yourself in that perfect situation, then you need to recognize it with humility and gratefulness. You need to do this for yourself but also for the others who are on the sidelines who don't understand "how it happened to you". I'm often asked about my personal success and I am open to telling others that at three junctures in my career the Good Lord put me in the right place at the right time and that was really the "secret" of my success. I believe it will happen to you too. And when it comes your way count and enjoy the blessings and make the most of the moment but don't lose sight of where the being in the right place at the right time came from in the first place.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 9:11 (New Living Translation)