Life is filled with risks.

Should I buy this present?
Should I give this panhandler money?
Should I invest in this mutual fund?
Should I buy this house?
Should I choose this school?
Should I leave this job?
Should I ask her out?
Should I say “yes”?!?

What gamble are you always willing to take?

Values are the things that are most important to us.  Yesterday I challenged you to consider your values and identify a Top 5.  Some of you even made yours public, thank you.

My Top 5 were Family, Friendship, Love, and Religious Beliefs, with Security edging out Peace and Self-Respect for the fifth spot. 1

With that in mind, I would like to think that my values would represent what I did with my time and money.  I’d like to say they do, but as often as my wife has teased me about “my mistress” — the laptop — I must confess to my misplaced priorities.

When I was a child I loved black licorice, cherry licorice, chocolate, and, well, almost all candy.  Candy was tasty, and in short supply in my house.  Candy, I believed, brought me happiness.  I wanted candy, and I needed cash to buy candy. 

I picked up pennies in the ground, checked phone booths and candy machines for unclaimed change.  I was always on the lookout for stray money.

Stray Money

When I was eleven or so I went with a youth leader and a group of boys for pizza.  I must admit I’m not certain what my previous experiences were in restaurants, but I know what I did that night.

It’s been three weeks since I “got a cold”. It’s a mighty cold. Relentlessly my cold has beaten off all attempts to find a remedy.

Despite such evident opposition I’ve had a great week. Food, family, friends and frivolity were plentiful.

As I recover from my week of self-discipline this week I’m diving into my journey to define values and how our values affect our lives.

As I begin, let me ask you a question:  What’s it take for you to have a great week?

While many people try to avoid responsibility, Stanley Baker set another standard.

As reported in World Magazine, Stanley Baker bought a book at garage sale. The parking ticket he found inside the book was dated 1975. “And despite the fact that the parking ticket wasn’t issued to him—and was now 36 years past due—the Pentwater, Mich., 89-year-old figured that he might as well pay.”

So last month, Baker put the $1 payment for the 1975 ticket in the original envelope along with a note that read, “Better late than never,” and mailed it…”

Fighting the Giant of Worry

If we’re gonna defeat the giant of worry we’ll need to focus our attention on the giant. You and I will need a system of priorities.

My first priority — well, at least I want to keep it in focus as my first priority — is my faith in God and my relationship with God.

Fight the giant of worry, hold onto God and God “will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” 1

mysilentscream is a place to learn how to make living life easier.  I focus on practical suggestions that help relationships thrive.  I provide real life examples that help you feel less alone while struggling through life.

Am I doing my job?

Comment back please!

Sara Groves is one of my favorite song writers, her song Eyes Wide Open is a good way to describe how I’m still trying to learn from my successes and my mistakes; my foibles, failures, fame and f… well, you get my point.

My friend Rev. Rachel Morey of Brooklyn Mosaic United Methodist Church emailed me today. 1  Rachel is one of those people with a warm smile and a quiet magnetism that is the antithesis of some televangelists.

Rachel is also a representative of the Minnesota Interfaith Open Forum.

Rachel’s email had me thinking about how I connect with my own faith.

My Faith

I have opinions, beliefs, faith statements and values all of which have been influenced by family, friends, like-minded people and other-minded people.

Guest Post by Ash San Filippo

Over the past few years, I have developed a new hobby: building things. I’ve spent many hours of my free time building everything from a new bed frame to a dish rack. With each new project, my need for tools grows. There has been one tool in particular that I have had my eye on, but have yet to purchase: a vice. Vices are unique tools. They have no cords, no blades and no handles—yet they are just as powerful as any tool hanging in my garage.

Beyond Whatever. I have had that title in my mind for so long I cannot even tell you when it first appeared, but it’s perfect.

Beyond “Whatever” that sense that “whatever” you or I want it’s okay.
Whatever we say is okay.
Whatever we think is okay.
Whatever we do is okay.

Beyond whatever means it’s not. I wish it was but it’s not. I would like it to be that you and I and everyone else could do whatever they wanted and it would be okay; but, it’s not.