Many parents out there have told me that we live in somewhat of an "I" generation. Where the most important person to all of us is ourselves. I typically state in reverse being somewhat of a compassionate and generous person that this simply isn't true but I also was still born in the last year of what is considered generation X and not Y. I can't say for sure if their assessment is correct or not, however I have also seen articles in business magazines of which people have suggested that employees that are graduates also have an inflated sense of value to themselves, almost like a higher ego of which implies they are this generation of entitlement as if something is owed to them.

In growing up out of the two siblings I had and myself we didn't always do as we were told like many children. But of us three kids, only one of us was disrespectful to our parent or single mother. The other sibling and myself were not. I don't ever remember telling my mother or father anything ridiculous like, "I hate you". Which I know and they know is a lie and is foolish.

As I alluded to above though it seems as if this generation is different like the others have been and it seems disrespect and not giving any heed to our parents guidance, discipline, or warnings has landed a lot of us in trouble. Whether it be single parenting of our own, drugs, or criminal problems and behavior, you name it, we've done it. Many love to state how when they leave their parents home they intend to lead a better life than they're parents but it seems this generation more often than not seems to actually be duplicating the life choices and mistakes some of their parents made.

For the kids out there, there is many times I can tell you that you will be told by your parents the answer you don't want to hear. You're grounded, no you can't go, I want you home at this time, etc., but nearly in all of those cases while you feel they are infringing on your rights as a human being, you don't realize that they are trying to protect you from bad decisions that could affect you later in life dramatically.

Hindsight is something cute that was created to make everyone feel bad for all the choices they made that didn't turn out well, as if there ever was a possibility that they would have done something different or made a different choice. Instead of risking future regret and your life being messed up by bad choices try to see your parents side of view. I'm not a parent, and while that makes me no expert or fool just the same, I have no bias in this discussion. But since hindsight attacks friends of mine and myself from time to time, there is nothing more I can tell you except to really give your parents the benefit of the doubt sometimes and see what happens if you do obey. Who knows, they might see more responsibility in you for not making a scene and may choose the opposite decision in your favor in the future.

Parenting isn't an easy job, it wasn't on my parents and it probably isn't for anyone. But parents could make their job a bit easier if they spent time with their children explaining issues rather than just saying no and walking away leaving the child to stew with anger. For the kids, being a parent is tough, you'll most likely find that out someday yourselves, with that said sometimes you can argue your point as honestly, not all social events are bad. But sometimes you need to just listen to your parents and trust them, as it's quite obvious they've made it farther than you have in life.

Exodus 20:12

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."

Many people throughout their lives will experience a move or a few moves. I am referring to the family packing everything up and you leaving one home to go to another. Most likely as a child if you experience this it is because one of your parents has a new job somewhere else for better or worse. As a parent it hopefully isn't because of a foreclosure or because one of you lost your jobs, but the worst happens at the worst times and even this is understandable.

If my message had a target this month it would target multiple groups, both children and adults. Children reading this you need to realize why parents move, and parents you need to realize the ramifications that are not just being set upon you but also upon your children. It's not a simple thing physically, mentally, or emotionally to just pick up and move to another part of the country or world without any regret or problems that occur.

For starters going on the children side of the issue I completely understand your struggle, having to move regardless of your age, and feeling as if your parents don't care about the friends you've made, or the problems you'll have in making new friends and adjusting to a new world. Each city or countryside is a new world in itself totally different than the last. I feel great empathy for you because I was one of those children. My parents moved 11 times when I was a child. I know no one from elementary school and don't stay in contact with anyone from high school or the last 7 years of my schooling of which only involved three moves, two within the same city limits.

Whether divorce, remarriage, job loss, house foreclosure, or promotion, I need all the children reading this to realize that it is never about your parents not loving you. That has nothing to do with it at all. It's a situation of there own life and the circumstances that affect them and which indirectly affect you. The worst would be having to move in your final two to three years of high school since your nearly an adult, your coherent, and if you've actively tried hard you would have already set up plans for a college to go to. I know it's very difficult but the best thing you can do as a young adult is be supportive of your parents and just get through the time you have to spend in another part of the world, as you can always go back to school in your previous state or territory.

To parents I would strongly remind you that what is happening to you is most likely bad and yet sometimes good if it's the case of a promotion for you or your spouse. However you really need to focus on your children during this time, especially during the first six months. You just don't realize how much is going to change for them and you need to be supportive of them during this time so they feel how much you care about them regardless of the circumstances. For elementary or middle aged children it's somewhat easy, for young adults it's harder for them to understand and resentment can easily build. You need to combat this even to the point of literally telling them what is going on. There is no point in hiding if your spouse got a promotion, just tell them the advantages or the reasoning behind it, the same can be said of a lay off or being fired. Don't look at it like an issue of insecurity, advise your children that this can happen to anyone and even themselves as they get older and this is what has to happen sometime to keep the family sustained and going.

It should never resort to such childish behavior as a fight between parties of who is responsible, who is at fault, and how anyone could have been better to prevent this because sometimes that is a complete fallacy. Sometimes there is absolutely nothing no one could have done to prevent it.

My moves were mostly when I was young and I don't remember most of them until I went to middle school and nearly got into a fight on the first day I was there. I felt like I was all alone in a strange world but I later became nearly best friends with the person that wanted to fight me so after awhile I did make friends, it was as if they had to break me in first. I never got into a fight with anyone from that school and was only there only 3/4's of the year, after that I moved back to our previous house and continued my high school education with the people I would graduate with. Looking back it doesn't bother me so much, but at the time I was concerned. After finding people that had similar interests though life became easier.

Love your parents, love your children, and please realize that moves are hard typically for all people and whether it's a good reason or a bad reason to move, it is what it is, and there is nothing you can do to change the situation. So since you know it must occur the best thing you can do is support your parents or children and continue to give them love as best you can, because you never know when the situation looks bad for you that in fact it's worse for the other party.

When it comes to the topic of persecution, it's commonly a very misunderstood and confused concept.

I've had the misfortune to hear some very ridiculous teachings in Christian churches about persecution. There is a growing belief that to be a true godly Christian, you must invariably be facing constant persecution organised by Satan.

Just a few days ago, as my mother drove to work through an area that is pre-dominantly Lebanese-Muslim, when she stopped at some lights, a bunch of fools in the car behind threw a volley of rocks at her car. They then screamed out 'This is for Jesus!', as my mother has a bumper sticker that reads 'Jesus died for you, so He wouldn't have to live without you'.

So by this trendy teaching, my mother must be a truly great and inspiring Christian, all because some fools threw rocks at her for the mention of Jesus on her car.

It is true that when you align yourself with the will of God, invariably you become more of a target for God's enemies. God doesn't promise us an easy life, but He doesn't just dump us out there and let us drown in endless harrassment, torment and persecution.

At the same time too, there is real persecution out there. My mother's example is indeed a real case of persecution. Persecution doesn't have to entail violence and discrimination. It also includes people making a mockery of your faith, albeit that is considered more subtle and supposedly less harmful.

I remember a discussion I had with someone. I was told that all of the persecution I've endured because of my race and gender, are made invalid by the fact that I'm Christian. That no Christian can ever claim to ever feel persecuted.

Christianity has a long history; and God knows the churches have made some major mistakes. But those mistakes don't wipe out the fact that Christians have felt persecution just as much as any other coup. Our Lord Jesus was brutalised and murdered, his immediate followers were all hunted down and murdered save one. The mistakes made by we humans haven't negated the persecution.

We have to recognise what real persecution is, and understand that it comes with the territory. But at the same time we can't buy into this absurd notion that if we are being picked on enough, that we are a perfect Christian.

Everyone has there own belief of what life is supposed to be like. Whether it's some temporary plane of existence before going on to a higher world in an afterlife, or whether it's a continuous cycle of life brought about through instances of reincarnation or multiple lives. Of those that believe in God many state that it is in part, an experience full of challenges of which we are measured based upon, not winning or losing, but on how we played the game. The ultimate cliche proving itself true I guess, as it's a question of whether we were good or bad, made the right or wrong decisions, and more so many people believe that judgement is based upon how we are to others and does not really reflect our own personal choices for ourselves.

At any point however, you're life can flip completely upside down. Like the previous author mentioned in there message, it can happen to anyone of us, no matter how perfect or good our life seems it's as if at times the whole world can seem against us.

I know of a woman that has a degree in Real Estate, and the market has extremely dried up. Not only has it dried up but the market is viewing a possible recession with limited to no growth in our economic market in the United States. The woman in question was married, is now divorced, lost her job in real estate career, and post-divorce got a condo of which she is now selling, and expecting a 20,000 dollar loss in value, before moving back with her parents at the age of 26. I don't know of a better example of the world turning on it's axis in a person's life and truly bringing you back to the most humble of beginnings. Honestly, with a degree in hand, it's not like she made bad decisions in life, she did what every other college student did. Go through school, graduate, and then go to work in her career. The problem is her career is having trouble because people are losing their homes and the quantity of people buying homes is just not there.

So what happens is a time of breaking down completely and going back to where you started to try and figure out the next steps for you. Yet the problem is that those steps are all guesses as to what you should be doing. What does a Christian do in these times? When all of life says, "no, you can't win".

After going through my own traumatic periods, the last one was unique in that I just would not give up. I said to myself I'm going to get through this, no matter how much it hurt and just see what happens afterwards. I didn't do this to be arrogant or tough but to truly see if I could get through what God was throwing at me in my life, which is a common belief that we are only given what we can handle.

Well I cannot say whether that is true or not, I obviously did make it through and things are going better for me at this point. I wouldn't say life is spectacular by any means, but it is going alright and I appreciate what I do have. I am unfortunate like many to have my life flipped upside down and it's really hard for one to keep there faith during these times, much like the struggle Job went through. However, for those who do make it through or for those who are struggling, please let me remind you that things will not be bad forever and that God does love you, and then again, you never know when it's going to flip back.

Selfishness is something that will never be eliminated from us humans. No matter how hard we try or hope and would like to believe it is ingrained in our being. We want to be successes in life, albeit it's certainly better than being a failure isn't it? Of course in doing so we don't just want to be successes but we want more. We want love, good schooling, great parenting, a good marriage, a wonderful family, and a great job. We not only want all that, but we also want to be the best at what we do. The best parent, the best husband or wife, and the best at the job we do. Because being the best gets everyone to notice what you've done. Whether gaining additional monies or not, you gain fame from people that appreciate what you've done and you're skill at it.

Wiping all of that away though and focusing on what really is important would have to take us back in time. I think many businessmen might read this and say, "this person is crazy and has no idea what they were talking about". However they fail to realize that before results and posterity and all the accolades we receive from the image of things, was integrity. Men and Women both got jobs and got into relationships with each other based upon the character of the person, and not the size of their wallet or the attention they got from others.

Integrity showed the true character of the people that actually had it and they were the one's that got the good job or got the girl in the love story. Not the people with the flashy car or with all the money. However today isn't yesterday, and things aren't the same. One of the most important things that are missing from society, business, and relationships today, is integrity. Even worse, the problem of those who don't live up to their word.

Sure when we were younger we all made promises and some we could never keep, if our parents moved away, or if we didn't get the job in high school we wanted, or if other things came up and we just couldn't do what we said we would. However when we become adults the measure of our word becomes much more important. Imagine people, you telling your boss, "yeah, I know I said I'd get that done but it will be done next week". Do you honestly think you'll be working there long?

Never give your word if you cannot live up to it. Do you have any idea the damage that you can cause by telling people you'll do something, or agree to something and then don't do it? Do any one of you reading this have any amount of self-reflection and self-accountability? It's as if today's society suggests, "who cares, as long as you have the money, your life is a cake walk". You'll get a job, maybe find someone to be with, and regardless of whether you are a good person or not, you'll end up decent.

Why just be decent people? Why not try to be more? What is it about the human race that makes it strive to be the best and in others, completely apathetic to whatever happens, happens?

I'll tell you this, and I'll leave it short. I was destroyed once by someone not keeping their word. It wasn't like not coming over to spend the night, or picking me up late after work, or even missing or standing me up on a date. I was destroyed by someone I loved most dear, who would not, it's never could not, but would not live up to their word. My life has changed dramatically since then and I know through humbleness and humility to God that I am not the only one. However this kind of behavior is not acceptable. People...if you can't do something, don't say that you can or that you will.

We as human beings, regardless of your religion are as good as one thing, our own word. If you cannot live up to your own word, live a lie, or live through lies, or simply are someone that breaks promises because you are unable to fulfill anything, are as good only as that.

Your word is who you are, and if you cannot live up to your word, you are nothing.

When I was a young kid like many stories you've heard, we didn't have much. I lived in the not so great part of town, and had only but a handful of friends. I remember one day we all wanted to go for a bike ride and so I grabbed my bike from the shed and met my friends in the street. I was never an overly athletic boy, not overweight, just not very strong and my friends soon got ahead of me of which apparently they enjoyed the joke they were having.

I remember my bike, yellow, of all colors. The color of cowardice, with it's larger wheels and banana shaped seat it was my rider. Extremely comfortable mind you, but a poor kids bike for sure. We went pretty far that day, or so was the intent. We left our neighborhood and found ourselves approaching the highway of all places. Our goal, to ride to the arcade at the mall and play and watch video games that they had. Arcades were huge in the 80s of course, filling a room with 30 to 50 arcade games was no big surprise anymore, and it was a sign of the times.

My friends were still ahead and at this point I was wondering if I hadn't been told if this was a race or not, a race I assuredly and as fate held for me, one I would not win. Upon getting on the highway I traveled a fair bit, maybe a quarter mile before something went seriously wrong. I stopped pedaling, as if being caught by something. I looked down and noticed my shoestring from my high tops had gotten caught in the bike chain. I couldn't move my leg to loosen it and I couldn't pedal since my shoe was attached to my foot. All of this is going on while cars are traveling at high rates of speed next to me, or my left, going to wherever they were traveling.

After realizing my predicament I started to get really scared. I didn't know how I could get home, and no one could hear me because of the noise of the cars, and no one was going to stop for me. I was some poor boy on the side of the road with his shoestrings caught in his bike chain. I cried for a good five minutes, not knowing what was going to happen to me, or if help would ever come, but like all stories this one is no different. Help did come.

A gray sedan, pretty nice car for that time period pulled up, and a man with a tie on got out of the car. He came up to me and said, "it looks like you're stuck". I said, "I am, and I don't know how to get out". He got down near my shoes and noticed he couldn't undo the knot that had created in the chain with my shoe. I was worried, I didn't want to take up his time, nor did he even have to stop for me. He got up and said, "I can't get it loose", at this point my heart sank, feeling scared, alone, and weak. He then said, "let me go get my tools from home and I'll be back". I sat there in awe thinking, you don't have to do that, and no way is this man coming back for me, especially in his nice car and nice clothes.

On the side of the road I stood, not even being able to sit. Being completely trapped in my position, unable to do anything but stand. I can't even remember how long it was, whether 15 or 30 minutes passed, not even a single person after that had stopped. Not to see if I was ok, or see what I was doing standing on the side of the road, on an overpass, in broad daylight with my face red most likely and laden with tears.

Without choking up too many tears as I tell this story, the man came back. He pulled up near uniform of the way he did the first time and got out of the car with his toolbox and within no time at all, I was freed. I couldn't believe that he had come back. I offered him something small, the money I had for the arcade games, a measly five dollars, and he would not accept it, assuredly because a man of his status didn't need five dollars and apparently doing the right thing was more important to him.

Decades later I've grown, become an adult, loved and lost, went through life's typical dilemma's, schooling and career. Yet if ever I have been asked the question of who has done the nicest thing for me in all of my life, I always think of this story. I always think of that man that didn't leave me on the side of the road no matter how poor, or pathetic, or weak, or scared I was.

I swear I wish that this person has been blessed beyond blessed by God for what he did that day, because while it may seem small to many people, it meant everything to me and still had that profound of an effect on me, as I still remember it to this day. Yet even while wishing this man all the fortunes of life, I don't know what happened to him, and I don't even know if he is alive to this day. Part of me even wonders whether he was an Angel, or even God himself in disguise. You see most people that do something good, while not accepting anything, still want recognition of what they've done, they want you to know who they were.

Yet at the end of this story of the man that saved me when I was trapped I will tell you this, he never even told me his name...

So if you're out there and you are reading this someday, I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for saving me.

It's wonderful to see or experience young love. That moment when we find that special someone in high school or perhaps college where our hearts melt and we see someone that we could envision ourselves marrying and spending the rest of our lives with. Young love is romantic, sensitive, and typically pure, having not been exposed to the sexual desires or verbal and emotional abuse that seems to drive future relationships. It isn't so much that all of us are evil, but more so a case that we all want what we want, regardless of the people we are with.

I read an article recently of a rich old man that had recently married a middle-aged woman. The former husband of this woman sued the new husband, or rich old man, for 11 million dollars and won. In the state he lives in, in the US, there is still a law that governs the subject of spouses being led astray from there mates. In essence he sued for grievances and damages due to losing his wife to a man who seduced his wife to be with him instead.

It's very tragic and painful to all of us when a relationship of any type ends. There typically is no consolation, and it feels like we are being sent home from a game show with a toaster instead of the "brand new car". We feel abandoned, alone, used, and in general mistreated by our former significant others and there callousness towards our own feelings. Without wanting to be selfish ourselves, most of the time we forgive and forget, and in fact spend many nights crying ourselves to sleep or cursing the clouds, not understanding God's logic and why he let's things happen.

Revenge won't make things better and so many people see dating or spouses as if it were an asset. Something that could improve, or be improved by replacement. In regards to that article I was glad to hear the court award the financial amount to the previous husband. As I think just like drugs, theft, and other crimes are problems with society, so is stealing love. Losing a loved one to death, divorce, or malicious behavior by others seducing them or manipulating them away from you is just as evil. If you have a good heart and truly love the person you're with, there is no reason for why it occurs, and there is no consolation for when it does. Most times people are left alone, with nothing but a broken heart.

I implore you that read, what's yours is yours, and what's mine is mine. It's not, what's mine is yours as well. Do Not try to involve yourself romantically with someone that is involved with another. That is not your place, and it's cruel. If you are considering this I'd ask you, would you like it done to yourself? If the answer is no, then don't be a hypocrite. Do unto others as you would have done to yourself. That which you do to others, will be done to you. So if that line is true, than why would you be asking for curses, and hurting other people only to be hurt yourself?

Love is what keeps the world alive. Without it we are all dead, and when you steal it, you destroy a part of the world.

Okay this week my topic is about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a nationally recognized holiday in Canada and the United States as far as I know. It is usually associated with food, especially turkeys, autumn, and basically family. It is supposed to celebrate the end of the harvest season and thank God for the blessing bestowed upon them in the form of food and family.

The origins of Thanksgiving are traced all the way back to 1621 when the Pilgrims set apart a holiday after their first harvest to celebrate food, harvest and to praise god. All of this wouldn't have happened though without Squanto and the Native Americans. During their feast they invited the natives to join them in their feast, after all they taught them how to catch and cook their food. The Pilgrims fed and entertained the Native Americans for three days, at which point some of the Native Americans went into the forest, killed 5 deer, and gave them to the Governor as a gift. And so they had the first official celebration now known as Thanksgiving. In 1789, President George Washington proclaimed that "...Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country...for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed...and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually...To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best." Later on in 1939 President Franklin Roosevelt officially proclaimed that Thanksgiving was a national holiday to be observed on the 4th Thursday in November.

In the U.S. Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with dinner of course. Thanksgiving meals are traditionally family events where certain kinds of food are served. As is evidenced by the tremendous level of travel, significant effort is made by family members to gather for the Thanksgiving celebration. Family participation is notably inclusive ranging from the very youngest to the most senior. First and foremost, turkey is the featured item in most Thanksgiving feasts (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes facetiously referred to as "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, rolls, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. Often guests bring food items or help with cooking in the kitchen as part of a communal meal. Also common on Thanksgiving is a football game and a parade on television.
Now that we have learned so much about Thanksgiving and its origins I wish everyone a happy and filling Thanksgiving.

I caught an article the other day on msn stating that God was online. The article was referencing how many religious organizations, groups, churches, and charities are online and how big a market it is right now. Apparently the message behind this was that people are searching for spirituality and instead of just going to a church, taking a stroll and pondering your life, many are looking online for answers to questions to formulate what they believe in.

After YouTube became highly successful online another website was created called GodTube. GodTube showcases movies, music videos, sermons, and opinions of faith by users that upload these videos, much in the same exact fashion as YouTube. With God, Jesus, and Christianity being the main focus of the site. Over the past three months this site was ranked as the fastest growing website on the internet with nearly three million unique visitors daily. That equates to 0.2% of the worlds population viewing this site daily.

Every single video is screened, the creator stated in an interview. He originally wanted to attend seminary school to become a priest however was unable due to the massive success that his website has had. He has a team of seminary students instead working part time at reviewing and approving of videos that are submitted to the site. Not only Christians can post videos but Atheists and people of other faith can as well, as long as it's done in a respectable manner of course. While however impartial that seems, in browsing the site one cannot help but notice that nearly every video that is Christian related has an ongoing discussion or argument in its comments about the Christian faith, typically with atheists who seem intent on only causing strife. It's not to say this is unanimously the case for every set of comments for all videos on GodTube but it is a frequently recurring theme. I wouldn't imagine it being that hard to find discussions and arguments between different church denominations there as well.

The website offers a pleasant experience and fresh videos daily to those who are interested in virtual worship or learning more about Christianity. The must see video on that site seems to be a little girl that recites Psalms 23, which has been viewed nearly 4.5 million times as of the date of this writing.

My initial reaction of the website was not that great as I watched a video that focused on the fire and brimstone approach. Granted that cannot be attributed as a reflection on the website itself but I thought it was completely over the top and unnecessary, and I don't believe that approach will ever help lead people to God. After watching a few more videos' I was happily surprised to see some fresh interpretations and ways of showing God's glory and his love for us.

I would recommend the site to those who want to see some good Christian videos and content. I also wonder what the future will do to the natural Church system, whether sermons will be aired on the internet viewable at your own convenience throughout the day in a video format or feed. Perhaps they'll even set up an automatic tithing system so you are charged after watching a sermon, or before. I don't know for sure but they say God can be found anywhere, and I'm sure that includes the internet as well.

A couple of years ago when I had graduated from high school, I was given a twenty dollar certificate for a Christian book store. I thought it was pretty cool in the sense that I would finally own a bible that wasn't secondhand, something that had belonged to me and only me. It's hard to understand why something like that would be so important but I had grown up with six brothers and sisters and my family could never afford "new". Even being the oldest of six siblings did not guarantee anything new for me.

At the same time, my dad was renewing himself in the faith. He needed a book to help him study the word. Long story short, I had spent the certificate along with some of my own money I had saved buying my dad a new study bible. Though I knew that it meant I'd have to stick to reading and borrowing other people's bibles, I realized that my own needs were not important. It's very hard to put someone else's needs before your own but it's a rewarding experience.

Last year, I found myself wanting to read more and needing another bible. The same book I had given my dad those many years ago, he handed back to me in perfect condition. For some reason, it felt like a present to me from the old me.

There are many circumstances nowadays that have people questioning who they are in the grand scheme of things or what their role is in life, whether just finding their place among others or as a Christian. A couple of questions you may ask yourself is what is truly important? And what is truly precious? What is worth protecting? Once you've made that decision, you make a commitment to this choice. Is this commitment something that you will accomplish within the next couple of weeks or is this a life long goal? One of the hardest parts about maintaining any type of goal is persistence. Persistence means perseverance, endurance.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."
-- Alcoholics Anonymous prayer.

More recently in my life, I'm finding that I'm letting myself fall prey to anger, bouts of rage. There's never an excuse to allow anger or any other strong emotion to control oneself. In Colossians 4:2, we're reminded by Paul to devote ourselves in prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Now, in the long term goal of maintaining a Christian life is to not only act Christlike but to maintain in that lifestyle. So often, I hear and have experienced the company of Sunday Christians and I must say it annoys me to no end. A Sunday Christian is a person who is a Christian only on Sundays and then does whatever they feel like the other six days of the week. Then again, I find myself suffering from the same behavior of a Sunday Christian. We're all guilty of such at one time or another. Persistence is a hard skill to master but a worthwhile one indeed.

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
-- 1 Corinthians 9:25-27.

What is truly important and what is truly precious to you? What will you choose to fight for in this brief and passing life? Make a decision and practice persistence in accomplishing your goal. When fighting to make Christ number one in your life, remember that it isn't enough just to let him in your heart. Each day is full of new experiences for those who are experienced, like Paul, and those who are like babes in the Christian faith. Seek Christ persistently and fight for those choices you make in your life. Keep your faith strong through persistence, through endurance. With persistence, value is given to those important choices in life.