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It’s funny when I hear family and friends sing the jingles of commercials.

I never pay attention to commercials, but I remember from my childhood as clear as if I saw it today: “You’re in good hands with Allstate.”

Allstate Insurance Company has a brilliant, memorable slogan.  I’m sure “You’re in good hands with Allstate” attracted many customers.  Whether or not they keep them is up to the agents and customer service, but the marketing department got it right.

Wouldn’t you like to believe and trust God with that same confidence?  “You’re in good hands with God.”

Here are 13 wise suggestions from TreeHouse teens:

Ask questions, it will help you in the long run.
Be yourself, you will be more popular that way.
Check for toilet paper when you enter the stall.
Don’t procrastinate; there won’t be time later.
Get good sleep, each night, it makes school easier.
If you fall asleep in class, expect your teacher to embarrass you.
If you really have to fight someone there is no reason to do so on school grounds.
It doesn’t matter if you were trendy clothes even if people think it does.
Most of the time you can trust most of the teachers.
Remember you always have more growing up to do.
Someone will always think they’re better than you.
The more patient you are the better you’ll survive.
Girls: Keep a tampon or feminine pad in your locker.

Listening is a choice.  You can choose to listen attentively or you can choose not to.

Listening requires self-control.  Choosing to listen and not to speak requires self-discipline for most people.  Sadly many people spend all their time waiting for the other person to stop so they can talk again.

Listening requires practice.  The discipline of listening becomes easier as we learn to value listening.

I value listening more because I believe it demonstrates God’s character.

How you ask?  Consider how much more God listens to you than speak to you.   God doesn’t speak often, but God spoke through the prophet:

A search of google took 0.35 seconds to come up with 34 results, some of which have nothing to do with June.

How could my hero be so anonymous?

Sometimes heroes are like that. Living their lives without the publicity.

Heroes Are Usually Uncommonly Common People

Growing up I wanted to be a hero, to be special, to feel special, to do something special. I read comic books and admired public figures.

It’s funny, and sad, that it took me years until I realized that when I was seven years old, while sitting in a rickety wooden chair in a children’s program called Whirlybirds, that I sat in the presence of a genuine American treasure!

I’ve been a Hawks fan since I was seven.

Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup!!!

I think this post stands on it’s own accompanied by this photo:

My friend Rachel challenged me to think today. Do you think about right and wrong? How do you decide what’s right and wrong? Specifically, how do you decide if a movie or a song is appropriate for you? Not the style of music or movie, the content.

Wow, have I had to battle with myself about this question!

Principles:

1 – I choose not to casually listen to “worship” music as background music because I don’t want to trivialize worship.

Though a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan I wish I was a fan at the MN Twins game the other night.

Ernie Harwell, Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster died Tuesday night, “quietly, at home, with his wife and children by his side, and when the news was announced in Minnesota, where the Tigers — Ernie’s team — were playing, fans there gave him a standing ovation. In Minnesota!” A tribute to a man who worked for the opposing team for several decades.

What would prompt such an outpouring of love?

Ernie inspired:

It’s cost awareness that prompted President Obama’s health care plan.  It’s cost awareness that prompted his supporters to support his plan.  And, it’s cost awareness that prompts his detractors to scream and howl.

I must admit that the dollar signs and costs of the health care plan has caused me to glaze over.  I also glaze over when:

- A baseball player, even one as good as Ryan Howard, needs $125 million dollars to play a game he loves.

- I cannot grasp the benefit of searching for Noah’s Ark

- I cannot grasp the complexity of the debt problems in Greece

Back in January my friend Tim Geoffrion wrote an insightful post entitled “When Loving Gets Tough.”

“When conflicts arise or we have been hurt, or when others really irritate or offend us, it can be really tough to love them…For any number of reasons, our intention or attempts to love others can fall short.”

We want to love.  We want to act lovingly.  It’s our plan.  We think loving thoughts.  We would tell other friends or family members that we love ___, but when the conflicts arise it does not look very loving.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another…” [Ephesians 4:32]

What is Kindness?

Kindness is a choice.

Kindness is an attitude.

Kindness is not a weakness.

Kindness is counter-cultural.  Sadly, kindness is radical thinking in our culture.

Kindness recognizes that the other person as important.  Not more important than you, and not less important than you.

Kindness Involves Action

When we recognizes that another person is as important as we are it changes what we do and what we value.