What Are You Here For?

Have you been drifting through life on autopilot or have you set a course for your life. When we were young we knew we need to go to school and get a high school diploma. Then we either went off to college or went out and got a job. If your like I was I had to do both. My parents couldn't afford to send me to college but I wanted a education because I wanted to be a computer programmer and you had to have a degree to be one of those. I worked the grave yard shift at a convenience store so I could go to a technical school during the day. Most weeks I had about three free hours a day to sleep and some of those were between classes or during lunch. I had a van at the time so I kept a windup alarm clock with me so I could sleep in my van on a sleeping bag between classes. I had several close calls with criminals while working at the convenience store and even had two of my friends get shot while working the same shift I was working. I knew the only way to get out of that world was by getting some training. 

Once my mind was set on a plan things started falling into line. I got a great job with a record company working in the computer department while I was still going to school to get my degree as a computer programmer. It was a Christian record company where I got to meet some great people like Amy Grant (who I even got setup with on a date) and the guys from DeGarmo and Key band as well as the guys from the Impreals like Russ Taff. I stayed at this company for two years but had my sights set on a bigger company so I could get some experience with IBM mainframe computers.

After the record company job I was able to land a job with a large trucking company and used my passion to learn all three of the shifts and cross train the other computer operators. After two more years I was a COBOL programmer. I had arrived, my years of education where finally going to pay off. Just one problem, I hated being a programmer. I really really hated being told what to code and most of all not being a part of the creative process. After just three months as a programmer I was ready to quit. I wondered what I would do with my life. I thought this was going to be what I would be doing the rest of my life and suddenly my whole world had collapsed around me. Then I got to thinking, I had an aptitude for understanding complex things and I liked helping others see how technology would help them, but I was very shy and I didn't like meeting people. I heard about this computer store called ComputerLand opening up in town so I went over to see what it was all about. They were hiring so I thought if my life was going to be exciting I was going to have to grow as a person and leave behind the shy country boy. 

The person I was at that time needed to die and a new me must be born or my life wasn't going to be worth living. By some miracle I got the job "as a computer salesperson". Me a salesperson, I even remember the terror I'd have when the front door would open to the little computer store. Some times the manager would come by and say "Michael you need to go out there." I would reluctantly walk up the the front of the store and somehow get out the words "Hi my name is Michael can I help you with something." it took all my strength just to say those words. I actually had to say it over and over again to myself so I'd remember what to say, "Hi my name is Michael can I help you with something.". It was so hard for me but I pushed through it and overcame a small fear that led me to conquer more fears. 

Who Makes The Rules, Anyway?

What do you see for your future? 

Do you want to win at this game called LIFE? 

In most games whether it's a sport related game or just checkers the typical object of the game is to get the most points. That means making the score, hitting the mark, or just doing what it takes to beat your opponent. In the game of life the score is based on your life being filled with joy, love, hope, peace, compassion and all the aspects of a life worth living. 

What we do with our Life is our choosing. Yes it's our choosing. We are the result of our choices, good or bad we have the freedom to choose. So lets address the question asked in the title of this weeks message. Who Makes The Rules, Anyway? You already know the answer to the question. Yes "YOU" do, you get to make your rules as you go along. God has laid out how to play the game but it's up to us to choose what path to go on and who goes with us on our lives journey. Remember you don't have the "ability" to create, you are always creating. The reality of most peoples situation is that they don't realize that they are creating or as I like to say co-creating their own life. 

When Jesus was performing miracles he told his disciples "greater things than these you can do" GREATER, not the same, not lesser, but GREATER. That means we can create miracles in our daily life. So lets get busy creating shall we? 

 A lot of attention today is given to reality shows on TV. People want to be on Survivor, Fear Factor, or some other type of reality show. They send in videos, write letters and do just about anything to get on a reality show. How about being the star in your own reality show. A while back there was a show about a guys life called "Ed TV" with a regular guy being followed around with a camera crew catching everything going on in his life. Well that's happening to you right now but without the camera crew. Have you written the script for your reality show? Do you know how your life will be? Why not? What would you do, have or be if it was just a matter of asking, because it is just a matter of asking? Ponder that one for a few minutes until we talk again. 

Michael Jay Head 

Who Needs Survivor, Big Brother, Fear Factor, Or Any Watered Down Version.

I'm amazed at how many people line up for all those reality game shows like fear factor, survivor, or any of those watered down versions of the real reality game. Now I have to admit that American Idol and all its versions is one reality show that has merit. After all that is part of their lives passion. Most of the people that get to the final ten or so on American Idol are really talented and would have to had relied on some luck to have the right people to see their talents to get anywhere near the level of promotion as they are able to get on this program.

The real game that's being played weather it's on American Idol or while your sitting in a coffee shop like I am right now is the game called LIFE. After all this is "Life The Ultimate Reality Game"

How you play the game is up to you. Do you want to be a person of influence, a loving person, someone who people respect because of their kindness and uplifting nature? Or do you want to be feared by those around you and respected only for your ability to get whatever you want. None of us are perfect nor are we ever going to be perfect, however we can live an exceptional life. As we live our reality we are sharing that reality with those around us, in some cases we are even causing their reality to be altered by the influence we have on them.

Often people hang on to the experiences of their childhood and claim that they are who they are because of their parents doing or not doing something to or with them as a child. That's a choice, but its not the only choice. We hear about people time after time that came from broken homes or abusive families to positions of respect and influence. They chose to break the chain and start a new experience for their families. We all have that choice, I was born into a family that is no reflection of who I am today. My father was abusive to me and everyone in my family including my mother. We were poor even by country folk standards. We never had much but I have to admit it was only when I got into high school that I even knew I was poor. I was relocated to a big city between my eleventh and twelfth years in high school, from ten in my class to close to two hundred. You can get by with being poor in the country since you get to eat from your garden, raise your own meat and eggs and swap with your neighbors other things. When you move to the big city that all changes. When you show up in old clothes or you are seen always walking to school you get labeled.

Make no mistake we all can rise above our environment. It's called making a choice. Love over hate, Joy over anger, Peace over strife. Yes with God on our side who can stand against us.

Michael Jay Head