July 26, 2011

You've Got To Be Joking

READY...  “Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.” ~Jack Handey, "Deep Thoughts," Saturday Night Live

AIM… Some days you just need to laugh and release some stress! A friend of mine sent this email recently and even though my husband is quite sarcastic, I still found these messages to be quite humorous. Take a quick breather and enjoy a good laugh!

I had to look up "paraprosdokian". Here is the definition: "Figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation."

"Where there's a will, I want to be in it," is a paraprosdokian. Ok, so now enjoy!

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. (Ha – loved that one!!)

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks.

Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, 'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.'

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.

I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Hospitality is making your guests feel at home even when you wish they were.

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. (or Arrows of Integrity!!)


FIRE! Do you have a funny joke or story to share? Send it to me (and a few of your friends.) God gave us that funny bone for a reason. He knew that there would be times in our lives that would hurt, but at that very same time He gave us the ability to laugh. You never know who needs a good laugh at just this moment!

Be Excellent!
Lori

July 19, 2011

Hitting The Bullseye: 100th Arrow!


READY  “You can’t hit a target you don’t see and you can’t see a target you don’t have.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

AIM…  WOW!  It’s our 100th Arrows of Integrity message.  I can hardly believe it!  Little did I expect that two years later, I would still be writing messages of inspiration and encouragement via this email and blog…and loving every minute of it!  I have enjoyed hearing your feedback about how these messages have helped you through a tough time or inspired you to seize the day.  I have appreciated your comments and suggestions for future topics and ideas.  Most of all, I am grateful for your love, continued support and your constant encouragement to press on and keep Arrows of Integrity coming to your inbox each week. 

I felt when I started these messages that God had something big in mind.  I still believe there is something big on the horizon for Arrows of Integrity and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.  Perhaps a book?  I love knowing that I have a larger-than-life goal ahead of me; a target for my future success.  I couldn’t imagine just going through the motions every day without a dream to reach for.  Granted, some days, it’s all we can do to get through the day so we just get by and go through the motions.  However, I challenge you to think about your dreams so you too have a target to aim for every day.  I encourage you, if you’re willing, to share your targets with me so I can cheer you on to victory.  We’re all playing this game called life together so we might as well strategize with each other, right?  Here’s to celebrating another 100 wonderful Arrows of Integrities with YOU!

FIRE!  What is YOUR target?  Surely there is one thing in life you really want to accomplish.  Try this: Write your goal down and place it on something you see every day. Under it, paste these words of encouragement: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."  Matthew 7:7 NIV.

Set your sights on that goal, aim your actions and watch yourself hit the bullseye of success!

Be Excellent!
Lori 

July 12, 2011

What If?

READY… “What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it--would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.”
~ Ralph Marston

AIM… Let me ask you something. “What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?” Whoa, talk about an eye-opening question! My friend sent me that as an inspiration for an Arrows of Integrity message. I must admit, it stopped me dead in my tracks. I was horrified to think about what I would open my eyes to see tomorrow because I often neglect to give God thanks for the things I enjoyed or experienced earlier that day. My how we take our lives and all our comforts for granted.

As I pondered this message, it really got me thinking about what I needed to thank God for every day; things that I totally expect every day. I am thankful for my good health. I am thankful for clean water to drink and hot water for stress-relieving showers…daily. I am thankful for air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. I am thankful for a sturdy house with a strong roof, windows and bathrooms with locks. (Hey, I have children and occasionally need an escape!) I am thankful for my husband’s secure job and more-than-enough paychecks so I can stay home with our children and buy clothing and shoes along with plenty of groceries to feed our family. I am thankful for a loving family and supportive friends. I could go on and on about what I am truly thankful for but we’d literally be here all day.

It became overwhelmingly obvious to me that I simply need to thank God daily for the simple conveniences and blessings He grants us every day simply because He loves us. That’s all it takes is just an honest “thank you” to show gratitude to the one who gives us life so we can live it to the fullest.

FIRE! Don’t wait for a special moment; stop and express your gratitude to God today! Rest assured that He will hear you and will grant you even more tomorrow than you enjoyed today.

Be Excellent!
Lori

July 7, 2011

Free To Be Me

READY… “Freedom is for honest people. No man who is not himself honest can be free – he is his own trap.” ~ L. Ron Hubbard

AIM… Being Americans means we are free to live the lives we choose. Being Americans means we are free to say whatever we want to say. Being Americans means we are free to wear whatever type of clothing we want to wear. Being Americans means we are free to listen to any kind of music we choose. Being Americans means we are free to chase our dreams and make them come true.

However, because we are Americans and are free to live as we please, some Americans turn blind eyes to the consequences that come with those choices. Some Americans lie, cheat, or steal, while others kill, destroy, disobey, overindulge, ruin and take advantage of their favorable circumstances. Why? Could they really be that disillusioned to believe that the freedoms they have been granted allow for their actions? While we may have the freedom to do what we would like, we must always be cognizant of the consequences of those actions. We must also consider those consequences before we exercise those freedoms in our everyday lives! Sometimes our emotions get the best of us and cause us to make decisions outside of what our normal lives would allow. Agreed? That is certainly no excuse for poor behavior, but it does make sense of the times we fall short of being an excellent person. Let’s all agree to be better Americans and exercise an appreciation of our freedoms by making good choices as we journey through life.

FIRE! Be proud to be an American of integrity this week! Choose one area of your freedom and make a responsible choice in your behavior or decisions. God bless America and God bless you!

Be Excellent!
Lori